Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I wasn't J.K. Rowling.
A/N: Here it is, Chapter 19. This chapter is packed with action and I'm not that great at writing action so just bear with me. And as always thank you sooo much for reviewing. I luv you all. You guys make my day when you review my story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Remus felt awful the next few days. He couldn't get the hurt look Tonks had given him out of his mind. He knew what he did was a little mean but he had to get out of there. Another minute with her and he would have given in completely. Tonks had apparently not told Sirius or even Molly what had happened for neither of them badgered him about it. But Remus' guilt and troubles were driven far from his mind when he and Sirius were sitting at the kitchen table, talking. A piece of parchment appeared with the words:
Sirius –If you are at Headquarters, send this back immediately
Professor Snape"What the bloody hell?" Sirius said as he read the parchment and handed it over to Remus.
Remus couldn't make heads or tails of it. He had no clue as to why Snape would be sending Sirius letters all of a sudden. "I guess you should do as it says and reply." He said to Sirius.
"I suppose." Sirius mumbled.
He took the quill Remus gave to him and jotted down:
Snape –I am fine. Why do you ask?
SiriusAfter Sirius had finished writing, the parchment disappeared, no doubt to Snape.
"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Sirius wondered aloud.
"I haven't the faintest idea." Remus said.
"You don't suppose something's wrong, do you?" Sirius asked, worry starting to etch his face.
"I'm sure everyone, including Harry, is fine. If it was an emergency, I'm sure Snape would have contacted Dumbledore." Remus said, trying to reassure his friend.
"I suppose you're right." He said.
A moment later, the parchment appeared once again. This time it had written:
No reason. Just never mind. There is no need to send this back.
Professor Snape"Look at the way he signs. 'Professor' Snape. What a git." Sirius grumbled as he crumbled up the piece of parchment and tossed it over his shoulder.
"I wonder why he wanted to know why you were at Headquarters?" Remus asked. All this seemed very fishy. Why would Snape even care where Sirius was?
"I don't know. Where else would I be besides here?" Sirius said darkly.
"So…how's Buckbeak doing?" Remus asked, hoping to change the subject so Sirius wouldn't get depressed.
"He's doing fine." Sirius said.
Kreacher had injured Buckbeak. The elf had apparently broken the hippogriff's wing but it was nothing Sirius couldn't fix. He didn't get an 'Outstanding' in Care of Magical Creatures for nothing.
"Did you ever find out if Kreacher injured him?"
Sirius shook his head. "No, but I know that little filth did it. I really wish I didn't have to keep him."
Remus was about to reply but the arrival of Kingsley, Moody and Tonks interrupted him. They looked like they had all been in a bit of a hurry for they were all gasping for air.
"Is-Sir-Sirius all-all right?" Tonks asked breathlessly.
"Of course I am! I'm right here! Why wouldn't I be?" Sirius said aloud, standing up from the table and giving everyone a very curious and puzzled expression, which Remus shared.
"We got a note from Severus asking if Sirius was still here. We figured something might be wrong." Kingsley informed them.
Remus looked to Sirius who had a very worried and puzzled look on his face. Before anyone could explain any further, Snape appeared.
"What are you doing here?" Sirius asked nastily.
Snape ignored him. "I think something's wrong. Potter hasn't returned from the forest with Granger or Umbridge. I think he went to the Department of Mysteries." Snape said.
"What!" Sirius said.
"What do you mean Severus?" Remus asked. He had no idea why Harry would even be going into the forest in the first place, let alone with Umbridge.
"He said he had a vision of you," he looked at Sirius. "and that you were being held hostage by the Dark Lord in the Department of Mysteries. I think he somehow got rid of Umbridge and is now on his way, with Granger, to the Ministry to go and rescue you." Snape said hurriedly. He looked extremely anxious.
"We have to stop him!" Kingsley said unnecessarily.
"No doubt it's a trick of Voldemort's to try and lure Harry in there to try and steal the prophecy." Moody said, his blue eye was turning every which way in its socket.
Snape then went into a story about Harry being caught in Umbridge's office when he was trying to contact Sirius.
"I must have been in the attic, tending to Buckbeak." Sirius said softly. Remus knew he would blame himself if anything happened to Harry.
Snape then told everyone about how Harry had told him what he had seen and that's why he had sent everyone the note, wanting to know Sirius' whereabouts.
"And I saw them leave towards the forest and they haven't been back so I came here to alert the Order." He finished.
"Well, why are we sitting here, then? Let's get to Harry." Tonks said impatiently.
Everyone agreed and got ready to leave, including Sirius.
"I don't think-" Remus started to say.
"I'm not going to sit here while my godson is about to be murdered by Voldemort!" Sirius snapped.
Remus couldn't argue with him. If he was in Sirius' place he would have done the same thing.
"I think someone should be here to inform Dumbledore." Snape said, eyeing Sirius hatefully.
"He's right Sirius. Please stay here." Tonks pleaded.
Sirius looked at everyone and decided he wasn't going to win. "Fine." He said and he sat down.
Remus felt immensely sorry for his friend but he didn't have time to console him, he had to get Harry.
"I'm going back to the school to see if I can get everything under control." Snape said. And without a single word, he disappeared.
"Good, he wasn't of much help anyway." Tonks said. Remus saw Sirius give her a smile.
Soon Remus, Moody, Kingsley and Tonks were on their way to the Ministry. When they arrived, no one was around. The only sounds were coming from the water fountain.
"Stay close. Remember, constant vigilance." Moody muttered.
Not even Tonks rolled her eyes at this comment. They all knew how dangerous and real the situation was and Remus had a morbid, sick feeling that not everyone would be leaving here. They crept to the lift and pushed the button to the last floor. When the cool female voice finally told them they were at the Department of Mysteries, another lift descended down. Everyone looked to it, wands at the ready. When the doors opened, everyone received a shock as Sirius emerged from it.
"Sirius! What are you doing here?" Remus asked. He couldn't believe his eyes.
Tonks and Moody started opening their mouths but Sirius cut them off. "Before you all start lecturing me…I couldn't sit still while Harry is in danger. I gave Kreacher orders to inform Dumbledore of everything then I set off for here. I don't care if the Minister himself sees me, if I can save Harry, it'll be worth it."
Remus couldn't argue with him. He knew Sirius couldn't be locked up, that's just not the type of person he was. Sirius liked to be in the thick of things, Remus knew that Sirius wouldn't love anything more than to fight some Death Eaters and save his godson. It struck Remus suddenly of how much Sirius and James were alike.
"Ok, just keep silent. Remember, constant vigilance." Moody said.
The Order members crept down the stairs and into the stone chamber that was lined with torches in brackets. When they finally reached the door that was normally locked, they found that it was open.
"Constant vigilance." Moody whispered as he held his wand at the ready; as did everyone else.
He pushed the door open. They saw nothing but they heard yells and screams and knew a battle had already begun. Sirius led the way as he bolted into an open door, then threw another one. Remus didn't have time to marvel at the spectacular rooms, his mind was set on rescuing Harry and Hermione. Sirius seemed to know exactly where he was going as he was getting further and further ahead of the other Order members, that is except for Remus. Being a werewolf had it's advantages, he could smell Harry and Hermione but he smelled a lot more than just those two children, there was about 2 or 3 more. How many students did Harry bring? Finally, they reached a door and everyone burst through it. Remus' eyes were met with a horrific scene. A group of Death Eaters (one looked like Lucius Malfoy and the other Bellatrix Lestrange) were cornering Harry and Neville. Harry was clutching the prophecy and it looked like he was actually going to give it to them. Neville looked awful. He had a bloody nose, which was probably broken and he was sprawled on the floor. The room itself had a sunken floor and was surrounded by benches and stairs that rose up to the other doors that were there.
Just as Malfoy turned to send a spell their way, Tonks demonstrated her Auror skills by sending a stunning spell before Malfoy had even uttered his spell. It missed Malfoy by mere centimeters but the distraction had given Harry time to dive out of the way as the Order members prepared to duel with the Death Eaters. The Order members started sending out spells left and right (as did the Death Eaters) as they descended to the sunken floor. Remus battled a Death Eater who still had his mask on.
"STUPEFY!" Remus yelled as the Death Eater sent a spell towards him. The spell hit and Remus narrowly avoided the Death Eater's spell as another one sent a spell towards him.
"Stupefy!" Remus yelled again but this Death Eater was too quick as he lunged out of the way.
"Avada-" He started to say but Remus, who knew what the Death Eater was about to say before he had even said it sent a powerful spell that stunned him. He then conjured up some invisible ropes to hold the Death Eater there while he went to duel more of them. But something distracted him.
Remus looked up in time to see several things happening at once. Moody was lying on his side, bleeding from his head and his magical eye was missing. Sirius, who had been dueling with a Death Eater magnificently, was now forcing Harry's head down as a stunning spell nearly hit them. Then Remus saw the one thing that made him furious and sad at the same time. Tonks, who had been battling with Bellatrix, was falling down the stairs, her body limp. Bellatrix had obviously knocked Tonks unconscious. She hit the floor with a sickening thud but Remus didn't have time to go to her as a Death Eater lunged at him. Remus petrified him. Remus turned just in time to see Malfoy being lunged onto the dais that Sirius and Bellatrix were now dueling on. He saw Malfoy raise his wand and point it at Harry and Neville but Remus stepped between them.
"Harry, round up the others and GO!" He ordered as he blocked Malfoy's spell with ease. "Stupefy!" He yelled but Malfoy had been too quick as he dodged it but Remus didn't have time to concentrate on Malfoy as another Death Eater sent a jet of red light towards Remus.
He ducked as he petrified the Death Eater.
"DUBBLEDORE!" Remus heard Neville cry through his broken nose.
Did he mean Dumbledore? Remus looked up and saw Dumbledore standing there, looking very furious. He attacked a Death Eater who was trying to scramble away and now all the Death Eaters and Order members were aware of Dumbledore's presence. All dueling ceased immediately, that is except for Sirius and Bellatrix.
"Come on, you can do better than that!" Sirius yelled as he ducked a jet of red light Bellatrix had sent.
As soon as the sentence was out of his mouth, Bellatrix hit Sirius square in the chest with a spell. Sirius' eyes were wide with shock. It seemed to be happening in very slow motion, slower than when Tonks fell, Sirius' body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward through the ragged veil that had been hanging from the arch. Remus would never forget the look of mingled fear and surprise his best friend had on his face as he disappeared, forever, through the veil. Remus didn't have time to cry as he held Harry back. Harry had been running towards the veil, no doubt, thinking Sirius would emerge through the other side, but Remus knew better.
"There's nothing you can do, Harry –"
"Get him, save him, he's only just gone through!"
"It's too late, Harry –" Every word caused Remus pain.
"We can still reach him –"
"There's nothing you can do, Harry…nothing…He's gone."
"He hasn't gone!" Harry yelled.
Remus knew Harry didn't want to believe it. He knew Harry thought that if he could just pull back the veil, Sirius would be there with his trademark smirk and a clever, witty retort of some kind, but Remus knew that he would never see that familiar smirk ever again. His best friend, his only one left, was gone…gone forever.
"SIRIUS!" Harry bellowed. "SIRIUS!"
"He can't come back, Harry." Remus said, fighting the tears that were already starting to emerge. "He can't come back, because he's d –"
"HE – IS – NOT – DEAD!" Harry roared. "SIRIUS!"
There was dueling again but Remus hardly noticed as he held Harry back, who was putting up quite a struggle. He dragged Harry away from the dais, Harry's eyes never leaving the archway. Remus saw that Dumbledore had most of the Death Eaters rounded up and Moody had crawled forward and was trying to revive Tonks and Kingsley was now finishing Sirius' duel with Bellatrix.
"Harry?" Neville had slid down the stone benches one by one to the place where Remus and Harry now stood. Harry had subsided his attempts to fight Remus but Remus still kept a cautious grip on him. "Harry…I'b really sorry…" Neville said. His legs were dancing uncontrollably where he must have got hit with the Tarantallegra spell. "Was dat man – was Sirius Black a – a friend of yours?" He asked.
Harry nodded.
"Here," Remus said quietly as he pointed his wand at Neville's legs. "Finite." Neville's legs fell back to the floor and were still. Remus felt very sick. "Lets' – let's find the others. Where are they all, Neville?" Remus fought the urge to go and throw up. He had to stay focused. There were still children around here and Remus knew Sirius wouldn't want Remus to leave Harry unattended.
"Dey're all back dere." Neville said. "A brain addacked Ron bud I dink he's all righd – and Herbione's unconscious, bud we could feel a bulse –"
There was a loud bang and a yell from behind the dais. Remus saw Kingsley yelling in pain as he hit the ground and Bellatrix turning and running as Dumbledore whipped around. He aimed a spell at her but she deflected it. She was halfway up the steps now.
"Harry – no!" Remus yelled but Harry had already tore away from Remus' grip, which had been lightened.
"SHE KILLED SIRIUS!" Harry yelled. "SHE KILLED HIM – I'LL KILL HER!" And off he went through the door, after Bellatrix.
Remus had been a little frightened at Harry's words. Harry couldn't actually kill somebody, evil or not…could he? He looked angry and hateful and Remus wondered if Sirius' death hadn't somehow caused Harry to crack. Although, Remus couldn't blame him, he wanted Bellatrix dead too.
"Where dobs he tink he'bs going?" Neville asked.
But Remus didn't have time to answer as Dumbledore rushed out of the room after Harry. "Keep them tied up and go rescue the others!" He ordered Remus.
"Here Neville." Remus said as he conjured up a handkerchief and gave it to Neville.
"Tanks." He said as he rubbed the dry and fresh blood away from his face.
"She's alive." Remus heard Moody say.
Remus turned and saw that Moody was referring to Tonks. Remus was somewhat relived but he couldn't get the look of fear and surprise on Sirius' face as he disappeared through the veil. Why? Why did Sirius have to come? And what about Tonks? How was she going to react when they told her that Sirius was dead? Would she blame Remus? He turned back to Neville, forcing these thoughts away for the moment.
"Where are the others Neville?" He asked gently.
"Here, I'll show you." He replied.
He led Remus up the stone benches and into a room that had a large tank that had murky, green water. What looked like brains were scattered everywhere in the room. Their tentacles began to try and wrap up Remus and Neville.
"Stupefy!" Remus said and the brains were eerily still.
Remus bent down over Hermione and checked to see she was breathing. She was. A girl with long, dirty blonde hair was on her knees, rubbing her head and moaning.
"Is she dead?" Ginny limped over and asked.
Remus shook his head. "No, just knocked out. I can revive her."
But Remus was distracted as Ron began giggling feebly.
"What happened to him?"
Ginny just shook her head and dropped to the ground, clutching her ankle. Remus revived Hermione. She looked deathly pale and a little blood was trickling down the corner of her mouth. She blinked several times and gingerly sat up.
"Where – Where am I?" She asked, clearly dazed. "Harry! The Death Eaters! The prophecy! We've got to save him! Somebody –" She had realized where she was.
"It's ok Hermione, calm down. Everything is fine, Dumbledore is here. He's taken care of everything." Remus lied. He didn't think it wise to upset Hermione, especially since she had just been revived and was in clear need of the hospital. Hermione bought Remus' lie and laid back down. "Here, let's see if we can bandage up that ankle." Remus told Ginny. He conjured up some bandages and wrapped her ankle the best he could. "That should do until we get to Madam Pomfrey." He said.
Ginny smiled gratefully. "Thank you."
"No problem." He said, forcing a false smile. He then turned to the blonde girl. "Are you all right?" He asked.
She nodded. "I think so but I think the biblitonias in my brain got a bit shaken."
Remus gave her a very odd look. What in the world were biblitonias? She must have been hit pretty hard.
The girl seemed to have read Remus' mind. "Biblitonias are the little people that live in your brain and tell you what to feel." She informed him.
"Oh, is that right?" Remus said lightly, turning to look at Ginny.
"Don't ask." She mouthed and Remus nodded.
"Hey, you're a werewolf aren't you?" She asked interestingly.
Remus was very shocked by this statement. For one, this wasn't really the time or place to be chit chatting and for another, how on earth did she know he was a werewolf?
"You're that Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher I had in second year. They said you left because you were a werewolf and that you had ate a student. Is that true?" She asked. She seemed like a funny girl.
Remus couldn't really remember the girl but her face did strike him as familiar.
"I think we should get Ron to Madam Pomfrey." Ginny said, rescuing Remus from an awkward situation.
Remus mouth a "thank you" to Ginny and went over to inspect Ron who was giggling madly.
"Hey, you got loads of scratches on you." He said, his eyes were glazed over and there was a dry stream of blood at the corner of his mouth. "Did a wittle kitty cat scratch you up?" He asked, giggling more.
"Uh…let's get you to the hospital quickly." Remus said as he hoisted Ron up. Ron's knees wobbled dangerously and Remus put his arm around Ron's waist and grabbed Ron's arm and wrapped it around his neck. "Hermione, are you okay to walk or should I conjure up a stretcher?" He asked.
"I think I can walk." She said softly. She slowly got up with Neville's assistance.
Remus turned towards the odd blonde girl. "Are you okay to walk?" He asked.
She gazed at him with awe and nodded silently. "My name's Luna by the way, Luna Lovegood." She said as she got up and walked towards Ginny and helped her.
Remus had never met a stranger girl.
A/N: So, what did you think? Please let me know. I hope you all liked it, I had loads of fun writing this chapter. So please please review! And don't worry, I swear the kiss is soooo close, you can almost taste it!