Title: Home's the Farthest Way
Chapter: 15
Author: ReeraTheRed
Date: June 9, 2005
Rating: PG13
Our Story So Far: When a semi-cure for werewolfism goes wrong, Lupin is transformed into a woman, and is forced to choose to stay in that form, or lose the benefits of the cure. In the last chapter, Hermione has a talk with Snape, and tells him about Lupin's feelings for him.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to beta readers Patti, Michelle and Liz!
Author's Note: Very short chapter – this was originally was going to put this at the end of the last chapter, but, at the suggestion of beta Michelle, I've put it into it's own, separate short chapter, because it's very different from the previous scene.
Thanks so much for all the reviews!
Chapter 15
Lupin had fallen asleep over her book when she was awakened by the sound of flames in the fireplace. Who was it now? Harry again? Or Severus, this time? She sat up on the sofa, and stretched.
She caught her breath in surprise when she saw the face of a thin, middle-aged man, with sad eyes and greying hair. It was Alex – wizard, werewolf, and lackey of Baron, of the Forbidden Forest pack.
"Remus," Alex said, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "I need your help."
"Go on," said Lupin as she felt in her robes for her wand. She'd always been the stronger of the two in the past, but she wasn't going to let her guard down.
"I want to leave the pack," Alex said. "I want the cure. But Baron will kill me if he finds out."
Lupin nodded, trying not to show how excited she felt. It would be a devastating blow to Baron if he lost Alex.
"There's things I can tell you," Alex said. "But I can't do it where I am, I could get caught. Can I meet you? I can get away now, for a little while. He won't miss me."
Lupin glanced at the clock. Severus wasn't due for several hours. "Let me get someone else, from the Ministry, to come with me."
"No," Alex said quickly. "Only you. I'm not talking to the Ministry yet, not without a deal up front. I'm a criminal, in their eyes."
"All right," said Lupin. "I can meet you now."
"In Hogsmeade, at The Hogs Head, then?"
"No," Lupin said. "Too close to the Forbidden Forest, and too out of the way.
"How about The Leaky Cauldron, then?" said Alex.
Lupin considered. That should be safe, it was the heart of Wizard territory, after all. "All right."
"See you there in fifteen minutes?" Alex said.
Lupin nodded. "I'll be there."
"Right." His face vanished.
Lupin went quickly into the kitchen, to a slate on the wall that Dumbledore had given her, where she was to post her movements. She said out loud, "I'm going to The Leaky Cauldron to meet Alex, Baron's wizard, to talk to him about leaving the pack and getting the cure." The words appeared on the slate, along with the time and date. Then she put on her hat and cloak, went out the front door, checked the locks, checked her wards, and, keeping a careful grip on her wand, Apparated to Diagon Alley.
It was late afternoon, and there were lots of people in the street. It was quieter when she went inside The Leaky Cauldron, though – too late for the lunch crowd, still a bit too early for the beer drinking crowd. But there were a few people, sipping coffee, reading the Prophet.
She saw Alex over in a corner. He waved, and smiled weakly. She went over; he stood up before she could sit down.
"Could we go into a hallway?" he asked. "Baron could come in here from the street and see us. I'm not the only wizard he has to Apparate him around." He nodded toward the doorway.
"All right," Lupin said. "But if you want to leave now, I can contact the Ministry right away."
"I don't know," Alex said. He looked as if he were going to cry. "It's not just me who wants to leave. There are others. We're going to have to make arrangements." He almost ran for the hallway.
Lupin followed. The corridor was empty. She didn't like that and she held tightly to her wand. Alex didn't stop until he was well up the passage, almost to the end of it, and even then, he looked frightened. "He'll kill me, you know that," he said.
"Only if he finds out," Lupin said. "You said there were others?"
Alex nodded, and opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
She saw it in his eyes, and started to turn when she felt something snap around her neck. A wave of dizziness swept over her. Apparate now, ask questions later, she thought, and she closed her eyes, and concentrated.
And nothing happened.
She tried again. And again, nothing happened.
Panicked, she opened her eyes, and there was Baron smiling at her. She drew her wand instantly.
"Hello, Remus," he said. "Like the collar? It stops your magic from working."
She clutched at her neck, feeling a leather band there, but, of course, it held fast. She pointed her wand, but not even so much as a spark came from it.
Baron grabbed Lupin by the neck, holding onto the collar, then pulled her wand from her hand. He nodded at Alex.
Lupin stared at Alex, who turned away, ashamed. "He would have killed me, Remus," he said.
He waved his wand at them, and, with a bang, the three of them Apparated away from The Leaky Cauldron.
TBC
Author's Note: Like you all didn't know this was going to happen . . .
