Consequences
By Neurotica
Twenty-Six
In just one short hour following the attack, sublevels one and two of the Ministry of Magic had been turned into a temporary hospital for the survivors of the tragedy at St. Mungo's. Aurors and Ministry Hit Wizards were assigned the task of guarding the lifts, and only allowing inside Ministry department heads and select people from a list given to them by Minister Bones. Despite Sirius' attempts to convince him to do otherwise, Remus rushed past the guards, who then tried to chase him down by wand point until Sirius told them who he was. Remus needed to see for himself whether Emmeline had been killed at St. Mungo's. He wouldn't believe anything anybody else told him until he'd searched every face inside the Ministry. Unfortunately, Sirius thought, he was just setting himself up for a lot more grief. Mad-Eye said he hadn't seen Emmeline at the Ministry, and Mad-Eye didn't tend to say things like that unless he was absolutely sure about it.
Once Remus had thoroughly checked the first level of temporary hospital beds, he practically sprinted back to the lifts, where Sirius waited for him, and hit the down button repeatedly. Remus was still pale and shaking, and Sirius was quite apprehensive to see his reaction if he didn't find Emmeline in the Ministry—Remus didn't have breakdowns often.
Before the grilles were all the way open, Remus squeezed out and moved hastily up and down the rows of cots holding patients. Healers on their days off had been called to the Ministry just after the attack to help treat the survivors. Most of them only had minor injuries—broken bones and such—but some were hanging onto life by a thread. They were, of course, top priority for the Healers at the moment.
"Sirius!" called a voice at the other end of the department hall. Sirius looked up and saw Tonks waving him over.
He started to move past the beds, looking for Remus as he went. "Hey," he said somberly, approaching his cousin. "What's up?"
"I've been trying to get a hold of you and Remus for the last twenty minutes, but when I Flooed St. Mungo's, they said you'd already left. Sirius, Emmeline's here. They brought her in just after Mad-Eye left..."
A relief like no other washed over Sirius. "If you weren't my cousin, I would kiss you..." he muttered, turning around. "Oy, Moony!" he called as he spotted Remus stumble miserably back to the lift. "She's here!" Remus' head snapped around so quickly, Sirius was surprised he hadn't broken his neck. Looking more relieved than Sirius had ever seen him look, Remus pushed past witches and wizards who were in the process of being healed.
"Where?" he breathed desperately. Tonks stepped aside from the door she was standing in front of and pointed inside. Sirius only now realized it was Emmeline's office in the Department of Magical Transportation.
"Makes sense..." Sirius said thoughtfully, grinning widely as Remus shoved him out of the way to get into the room. Sirius and Tonks followed him.
Emmeline was sitting up on a sofa, looking a little bruised and battered, but otherwise all right. She was talking quietly to Elphias Doge and Sturgis Podmore, cradling her arm a bit. The three of them realized Remus had entered, and the two wizards quickly stood and moved away from the chairs they occupied.
"Emmeline..." Remus whispered, rushing to kneel beside her. Without another word, or waiting for her to speak, Remus kissed her very thoroughly indeed. When he pulled away, he buried his head into her shoulder, muttering about how sorry he was.
Emmeline finally told him to stop his babbling, smiled, and hugged him tightly.
Sirius motioned for Elphias and Sturgis to leave the office, and he and Tonks followed, closing the door behind them to give the couple inside some much needed privacy. The four Order members were standing guard outside the office when something crossed Sirius' mind. "Tonks..." he said hesitantly. "Isn't Ted a Healer...?"
Tonks nodded. "He was off work today, though. He's up on level seven, seeing to the less injured patients," she said quietly.
"Oh," Sirius said thankfully. He wasn't sure if his cousin could handle yet another loss in such a short amount of time.
During the hour they patiently waited for Remus and Emmeline to emerge from the office, Dawlish sought Sirius out to give him the list of the dead from St. Mungo's. He and the other Order members looked over the list, which trailed too many feet on the floor.
Tonks gasped suddenly. "What?" Sirius said startled, looking at the name she pointed at. "Oh shit," he muttered.
It was the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Charles Emerson. Sirius had never really liked the wizard, but his death didn't mean very good things for him and his Aurors. As he and Tonks discussed who would be brought in to replace him, the door behind them swung open. The four Order members turned to find Remus and Emmeline standing hand-in-hand, Remus wearing a dopey grin and Emmeline with a rather pleased smile.
"Emmeline is going to be staying with us for a while, Sirius," Remus said, trying to gain back some of his composure.
Sirius grinned at them. "I figured as much," he said. He began to lead the way down the corridor, but turned back to Remus suddenly. "You've got lipstick on your cheek, mate..."
Harry Flooed back to the cottage just after eight o'clock the next morning and was drawn to the kitchen by the smell of pancakes and bacon.
Sirius must be cooking, he thought happily.
But upon entering the kitchen, it was not his godfather he saw at the stove, but Remus and Emmeline. The latter was wearing a pair of Remus' pajamas and had the wizard's arms wrapped tightly around her waist, his face buried in her neck. Harry only had a chance to raise an eyebrow before Sirius' sleepy voice whispered in his ear, "Long story... explain after food..."
Harry chuckled at his godfather's lack of ability to use full sentences in the morning, and allowed the older wizard to direct him into the kitchen. He sat down at the table as Emmeline turned around.
"Morning, Harry," she greeted cheerfully, earning a glare from Sirius for being so damn perky at such an early hour.
Breakfast was actually quite amusing. Harry had to keep stuffing food in his mouth to stifle laughs at the dopey looks Remus kept giving Emmeline, and Sirius' feigned sickness over the couple. Sirius had to leave right after eating to go to the Ministry—he had a meeting with the Minister to discuss the new head of the DMLE. Emmeline and Remus weren't required to go in, since Emmeline's department was still being used as a temporary hospital, and Remus' department wasn't needed—it was a Saturday anyway.
"So how long's Emmeline staying?" Harry asked Remus as they did the dishes. The witch in question had gone back to her house for a shower and to pick up some of her things.
Remus shrugged, still grinning stupidly. Harry didn't think he'd stopped all through breakfast. "Long as she wants, I suppose," he said. "You don't mind her being here, do you?" he added hastily, his smile faltering as he turned to look at Harry.
"No, not at all," Harry replied honestly. "I like Emmeline."
"Good," Remus said, quite obviously relieved. "It's just, it's always been just the three of us here—you, me, and Sirius—and I'd want you to feel comfortable with having her here..."
Harry shrugged. "Doesn't bother me," he said. "Whatever makes you happy makes me happy."
Remus smiled and pulled him into a one-armed hug. "Thanks, Harry," he said quietly, kissing the boy on top of his messy hair.
After dishes were completed, Harry decided to go for a fly—he hadn't been flying in the clearing behind the cottage for nearly a year, and he missed it. As he flew, he wondered what would happen if Remus and Emmeline got married. His initial thought was that nothing would change; they'd all live together in the cottage. But then he realized that Remus and Emmeline would want to start their own family at some point, and they couldn't very well do that with Sirius and Harry around...
The thought of his little family, however strange they may be perceived (the Boy-Who-Lived being raised by an ex-prisoner of Azkaban and a werewolf), breaking up was disturbing. He knew it would have to happen at some point; he'd be graduating from Hogwarts in two years, and he'd probably move out of the cottage. He'd always thought either Sirius or Remus would meet somebody and eventually get married, but that had always just been a thought. Now it was a very probably reality...
But Harry had to think logically and unselfishly. He was no longer a little kid, and Sirius and Remus couldn't be forced to ignore their own dreams of starting families because of him. They shouldn't have ever had to, but they'd both chosen to raise him rather than date. Well, not Sirius so much, but even he'd waited until Harry had started Hogwarts before agreeing to date Hestia Jones.
The more he thought on it, the happier he was for Remus. Remus deserved some happiness in his life, especially after what his ex-fiancée had done to him. Besides, he wouldn't really be losing his family; if Remus and Emmeline had children, he'd just be getting a larger family...
Feeling slightly more cheerful than when he'd started flying, Harry turned back towards the cottage, hoping Remus and Emmeline had stopped snogging long enough to realize it was nearly lunchtime.
Sirius didn't return home that night until nearly ten o'clock. He reheated some pizza Remus had gone into town to pick up, and collapsed exhaustedly in his armchair in the living room to eat, sighing as he watched Remus, Emmeline, and Harry play with Exploding Snap cards. "Bones wants to pull Mad-Eye out of his retirement from the Ministry to head the DMLE," he said thickly through his dinner to Remus and Emmeline.
Harry looked up from his hand of Exploding Snap cards—he, Remus, and Emmeline had been playing without the cards exploding for nearly an hour. "So who's going to teach Defense this year?" he asked, looking hopefully at Remus.
Remus just smiled and shook his head. "I've already got a job, Harry."
"Well, Dumbledore says he's got someone in mind. He just won't say who," Sirius explained, taking a sip of butterbeer. "Congratulations, Moony, you are officially the only professor to last so long in the Defense position in over twenty years."
Remus gave a mock-bow. "I'm honored," he said with a chuckle.
Emmeline looked thoughtful. "Who could he possibly find to fill the Defense position, though? There aren't many people wiling to do it anymore, are there? We never had the same Defense teacher two years in a row..."
"Hey, Moony," Sirius said suddenly, grinning. "Remember that Veela we had for fifth year."
Remus returned Sirius' wide grin, his eyes glossing over a bit. "Oh yes, I remember..." Emmeline swatted him playfully in the shoulder. He cleared his throat. "Not that she was any good, of course. We didn't learn a thing from her..." he said hastily, rubbing his shoulder. "I also remember James tricking you into asking her to Hogsmeade, and how she turned you down, Padfoot."
Harry snorted a laugh and tried to hide it in his butterbeer. Sirius glared at him. "James didn't trick me into anything," Sirius insisted. "It was a dare," he added with all the dignity he could muster through a mouthful of pizza crust.
"Doesn't matter, does it?" Harry grinned at Remus. "She still turned you down. OW!" Sirius had just thrown a pillow at him, knocking his glasses off his face.
"Cheeky little bugger tonight, aren't you, Harry?" Sirius grinned. "Stop being such a girl," he added as Harry rubbed at his eye. "I didn't throw it at you that hard."
This resulted in Harry throwing the pillow back with every ounce of strength he possessed. The Exploding Snap cards went off with the sudden movement, but nobody noticed; Remus and Emmeline were watching with raised eyebrows as Sirius and Harry wrestled around the floor.
"I love my family..." Remus muttered over and over, as if he was trying to convince himself. Sirius and Harry looked up from their wrestling match, exchanged a look, and attacked Remus just as Emmeline jumped out of the way.
Normally, Remus slept very soundly at night—no force in the world could disturb him form his precious eight hours of sleep. But he woke suddenly as a low buzzing sound filtered through the thin walls of his cottage. He kept his eyes closed for a few minutes, trying to block out the noise and get back to sleep, but at the same time, trying to figure out what the noise was. It finally hit him when the buzzing grew a few octaves louder. He sat straight up in his bed, his eyes wide open. He looked to his right, where Emmeline was sleeping peacefully. He didn't want to wake her, but he needed her out of bed and alert.
She was a little peeved with his shaking her awake, but when he told her what was happening, she too was wide awake, already halfway out of bed and grabbing her night robe and wand. The couple stepped out of their bedroom with their wands at the ready just as Sirius burst out of his own room, wide-eyed and ready for action. Remus looked him up and down, sighed, and rolled his eyes. "You could have at least put on some trousers, Sirius," he said, gesturing to the white boxers with little red hearts all over them.
Sirius flushed a bit, noticing Emmeline trying to stifle a giggle. "Sorry, Emmeline," he muttered, going back to his room. He emerged half a minute later buttoning a pair of faded jeans.
"What in the bloody hell is that?" yelled Harry from his room.
Remus raised an eyebrow at the boy as he also entered the hallway, and Harry had the decency to look sheepish for his cursing. "Harry, we need you to get your wand," he said.
"Why? What's going on?" the teenager demanded.
"The wards have been breached," Sirius said in a brisk, business-like tone none of them were used to hearing. "There's a Death Eater or someone with the Dark Mark in the area..."
The three adults waited a moment in the hallway as Harry fetched his wand, then slowly made their way to the front hall. "Harry, you've got our permission to use any spell you can think of to defend yourself," Sirius said quietly, pulling aside the curtain over the living room window.
Harry nodded silently and tightened the grip on his wand. "I thought the wards and charms were put into place to keep people out..."
"They are," Remus said, locking the front and backdoors with a flick of his wand. "But the alarms going off right now are to alert us if anyone with the Dark Mark Apparates within five miles of our home. Every mile closer they come, the alarm grows louder and more urgent—"
As he spoke, the buzzing sound in the cottage grew louder, now with a beeping noise. "Two miles away," Sirius said, counting the number of beeps in a sequence he heard. "Dumbledore's sure to have heard it by now. We should be having company very soon..."
Five minutes later, Mad-Eye, Dumbledore, and Bill and Arthur Weasley flooded out of the fireplace. "How far are they?" Mad-Eye growled by way of a greeting, pushing past Harry to be next to the front door.
"One and a half miles," Sirius said. "Harry, I want you to go get your Invisibility Cloak. Stay under it in the kitchen, away from the window until I say otherwise."
Remus expected an argument from the boy—surely he'd think himself old enough to fight—but he only nodded and did as he was told. Actually, Remus noticed, Harry looked a bit fearful...
"One mile," Dumbledore informed them brightly. Sirius raised an eyebrow at him; had he had too much brandy tonight?
Mad-Eye took it upon himself to perform Disillusionment charms on everybody, including Harry, even though he was under his cloak, and the Order members carefully stepped outside into the cool, breezy night, waiting.
A surge of light filled the trees surrounding the cottage, and Remus instinctively moved closer to Emmeline.
"Wands at the ready," Dumbledore said in a soft, cheerful tone.
There was a loud, painful scream when the light disappeared—the charms seemed to have done their job for a change. Minutes later, a black shape was crawling from the trees and collapsed on the dark grass. Sirius moved forward quickly with Mad-Eye and Bill beside him. The others waited for more shapes to emerge.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Sirius shouted indignantly.
"What?" Remus called, leaving Emmeline beside the house to see what Sirius was so upset about. He ignited the tip of his wand as he approached and groaned loudly. Naomi lay unconscious at their feet, her breathing quite erratic.
"Bloody false alarm," Sirius grumbled as Dumbledore, Arthur, and Emmeline joined them. "I thought I was going to catch a Death Eater."
"You could arrest her," Remus said lightly. "Technically, she is a Death Eater..."
"Shut up, Moony," Sirius muttered, conjuring a stretcher as Dumbledore floated the witch's body into the air. They went back into the cottage—Remus called to Harry that it was safe to come out—and placed Naomi on the sofa.
Arthur and Bill almost immediately excused themselves. Molly was waiting up for them, Arthur explained, and she'd start worrying if they didn't report back soon. "Thank you for coming so quickly," Remus said to the Weasleys. Arthur waved him off, saying he was more than happy to help anytime. Remus watched them leave again, and turned back to the sofa where Dumbledore was studying Naomi in interest.
"Who's that?" Harry asked suspiciously, pulling off his Invisibility Cloak at the foot of the sofa. "And why is she here?"
"This is Naomi, Harry," Sirius said quietly. "As to why she's here, that's a damn good question..."
"One which will be answered shortly," Dumbledore said cheerfully. Again, Sirius raised an eyebrow at the old man. "The spells and charms surrounding your land are set to stun unwanted guests."
Remus raised an eyebrow this time. "So why was she screaming?"
"Ah, that would be Alastor's doing, I believe," Dumbledore said, inclining his head to the retired Auror. "Naomi's screams were the result of a rather strong stinging hex."
"Nice one," Sirius said, trying not to grin. It wasn't that he enjoyed seeing others in pain—well, there were a few exceptions to that... But anyone who decided it was a good idea to come for a visit at two in the morning deserved to be hexed.
Sirius looked around the living room. Remus didn't seem too thrilled over their unexpected guest either, but that could have been because he'd only just made up with Emmeline a few days before. Harry was looking curiously from Naomi to Remus and Emmeline, as though wanting to ask a question, but knowing better.
Dumbledore finally decided it time to wake Naomi. "Ennervate," he said brightly. Naomi's eyes began to flutter open—Harry backed away a bit. "Good morning, Naomi," the Headmaster said.
"Hello, sir," Naomi said hoarsely, wincing as she sat up.
"Might I ask why you've come here at such an early hour?"
Sirius bit his lip, wanting to ask the question in a slightly different way, but resisting.
"I had to speak with Sirius and Remus," Naomi answered, her eyes drifting around to Emmeline, Remus, Sirius, Mad-Eye, and finally on Harry. "It's about Lucius Malfoy..."
The atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Dumbledore's eyes seemed to stop twinkling; Remus and Sirius both stiffened visibly at the name; Mad-Eye growled a bit; and Harry's eyes widened. "What about him?" Remus asked as calmly as possible.
"He's been using Polyjuice Potion to get around unnoticed," Naomi said. "He used it to meet his wife and son at the train station when the Hogwarts term ended."
"He was in Knockturn Alley," Sirius muttered, a faraway look in his eyes. "He bumped into me. Remember, Moony?"
Remus nodded.
"How do you know all this?" Mad-Eye asked Naomi.
Naomi looked a bit uncomfortable and averted her eyes from the others. Remus narrowed his eyes at her. "I have my ways," she murmured.
"What ways?" Remus asked sharply and suspiciously.
"What's it matter to you?" Naomi snapped loudly.
"Don't you yell at him," Emmeline snapped back.
Naomi glared at the other witch, as if she was about to say that she had every right to snap at Remus, but very intelligently remained silent. "It doesn't matter how I know," she said finally. "But I wanted to tell you guys as soon as I could."
"You could have come to me, Naomi," Dumbledore said, looking at her sternly over his half-moon spectacles.
"Well, I know that, but Sirius needed to know before he went to the Ministry tomorrow. Malfoy's planning on assassinating him at Auror Headquarters."