Under the Full Moony
Scroll 22: Like the Criminal That He Is
It was the second time a wizard had Apparated on the edge of the river near an old mill with rusty railings separating it from a cracked dingy street, lined with old brick houses.
Remus Lupin looked around and saw an old, wooden sign, that had fallen from the post it had once been nailed to.
"Spinner's End ... this must be it."
He walked quickly, deliberately to an old house, much like the others, but apart and unlit, and made his presence known by rapping on the door three times rapidly.
It took three more, short, rapid knocks for someone to finally answer. The door opened a fraction and only gleaming, black eyes and limp oily hair were visible.
The eyes narrowed, "You? What do you want?"
"I need your help," said Remus, looking around to see if he was followed. He was probably being ridiculous, with the war being over and such, but the habit wasn't easy to break. Besides, Moody kept reminding him he should have CONSTANT VIGILANCE at all times.
"And when do you not?" replied the voice, and the door was thrown open.
Remus walked in cautiously, taking in every detail of the bookcase lined room, with its solitary couch in front of a small coffee table. He sat down on the edge of the couch and began planning just how he was going to ask Snape.
Severus Snape closed and locked the door in one quick movement. He strode over to the couch and sat down just as quickly.
"Well, what do you want?"
Remus' hands twitched nervously in his lap, "I need ... well, I heard Sirius and Harry speaking of it at one time. When Harry was in first year, a Professor-"
"Quirrell tried to kill Potter, he was really a host to the Dark lord, such and such, yes I know. After all, I was there."
"Well, I heard them speak of ... the Mirror of Erised ... "
Snape raised an eyebrow, "And? What do you need with that? Is this about Black!"
Snape laughed cruelly, "No matter how you desire for him to be back, neither the mirror nor any force on earth can bring the dead back."
Remus opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Snape, "Unless you want to raise him as an Inferius, which know how to do, if you want-"
"I sensed him," interjected Remus.
Snape blinked slowly.
"When I transformed ... on the full moon. I smelled him ... I know his scent ... I smelled him."
Snape smiled a bit, "Once a month, you lose your mind completely. You're a vicious wolf who is delusional. Are you really going to trust what you say you 'smelled' like Black? It sounds like complete rubbish-"
"I don't know how I know! I just know, Severus ... it's a dog thing."
Snape's upper lip curled, "And now you're even speaking like him."
Remus blinked. It was true, Sirius had always said, 'It's a dog thing,' when he and Remus would do something incredibly stupid, like taste dog food on James' dare, or when they were caught snogging in the boy's bathroom.
Remus shrugged it off, "In any case, I went to the Department of Mysteries and tried to get Sirius back ... nothing worked, but only because the power of a wand isn't enough. We need a mirror ... that would increase the power ... and reflect it to the veil ..."
Snape frowned, "Would you like some tea, Lupin?"
He waved his wand lazily and a tea kettle and two tea cups appeared.
Remus just stared at him, "You don't ... believe me? Well, then," Remus stood up, "Thank you for your time, I'll do it myself."
As Remus turned to leave, Snape caught his arm and pulled him back down on the sofa.
" You wanted me to help you ... smuggle out one of the most heavily guarded objects in Hogwarts ... to rescue my mortal enemy ...? Suppose I helped you, what would I get in return?" said Snape, lip curled.
Remus looked at him, with a deadpan look, "Anything."
"Anything?"
"Anything."
Snape considered him a moment, "Black must be important to you. I would have expected anything within reason ... at least. But anything ... this opens up ... many, many ... "
Snape pinned Remus down onto the couch and whispered, " ... possibilities ..."
"Then you'll do it?" asked Remus, nonplussed.
Snape sat up again, "What do you think? That I'd pass up this great opportunity?"
Remus stood up, "Let's go then."
Snape shook his head, "No. not today."
"Why not?"
"The portal ... the veil ... which leads to the antechamber between the two parallel worlds ... is weakest only on one day of the year."
Remus frowned, "Halloween?"
Snape nodded, "So there's no rush. We've got more than a month ..."
Remus sat back down reluctantly, "What is it you want from me?"
Snape grinned, "Oh ... not much. Don't worry ... "
Remus stared at the cup which was now floating in front of him for a long time before taking it and taking a sip.
"What if it doesn't work?"
Snape shrugged, "I doubt the mirror will resist more than one spell. You have one chance only. Personally, I hope you fail."
Remus frowned, "What's guarding the Mirror?"
Snape leaned back and drank his tea, "A giant, three-headed dog, Devil's Snare, winged keys, a troll, a giant chess set, and a potion's room."
Remus put his face in his hands, "I'll find a way ..."
"Don't forget I will be with you," said Snape quietly.
Remus looked up, a sad smile on his face, "Thank you."
There were a few moments of silence. Finally Snape put down his tea, "Why .. did you testify in my favor?"
Remus, too, put down his tea, "I just ... when I was dueling Fenrir and Bellatrix ... you helped me. I knew then, that ... you hadn't wanted to murder Dumbledore ..."
Snape looked away, "I ... made the Unbreakable Vow ... Remus ... I was a coward ... "
His black eyes glittered, "She ... killed Regulus ..."
Remus edged over to Snape, looking concerned, "Severus ... did you ever really love Regulus?"
Snape looked up sharply, eyes narrow. Then he looked away again, "When ... I looked at Regulus ... I saw him ... always. Black ..."
Remus sighed, "I know it must have been ... "
"I always told you, that if only things had been different ... we could have ... " Snape said while looking Remus in the eye.
Remus opened his mouth to speak, but Snape put a hand to his lips and whispered, "Things are different ... there's nothing in our way anymore ... no one in my way ..."
Snape's hand moved to cup Remus' chin, turning it up a bit. He was so close, Remus could feel Snape's breath on him.
It could be so easy ... to just give in to Severus ... to just let Snape's lips press onto his, like they were doing right now, of let his tongue explore his mouth, like it was doing now, or let Snape pin him down and reach into Remus- Sirius' face scowling burst into Remus' mind.
Remus sat up suddenly and broke their heated kiss, "Stop."
Snape frowned at him, but said nothing.
Remus stood up and backed away, almost falling over the coffee table, "I will ... why don't you ... owl me on Halloween ... I'll be there ... good-night Severus."
Snape just stared at him blankly. Remus practically ran out.
'Good Godric ... to think what would have happened if ... dear Merlin, no ...'
Remus bit his lip and looked back at Severus' house, 'I'm sorry Severus ... but ... I can't ...'
With that, Remus turned on the spot and Disapparated.
Remus Lupin sat on what had once been 'his and Remus' couch' staring at the ceiling and thinking of Sirius. Remembering ... and wishing, hoping for everything to work out ...
It had been three days since he'd let Severus kiss him, and even though Sirius wasn't with him (yet) he felt guilty ... SO guilty and ashamed ...
A loud knock on the door snapped him back to reality. He glanced at his watch briefly (5:30 AM) and wondered who would visit him at such an early hour.
'Is it ... Severus ...?'
Remus opened the door without hesitation and immediately wished he could close it, hide under the covers in his warm bed, and have Sirius deal with her.
Oh yes, her ...
"Hem, hem," was her greeting. "I am here on behalf of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry of Magic."
Remus smiled despite the urge to throw up that suddenly came over him upon haring her voice ... again, "And why would that bring you here?"
Dolores Umbridge's eyes narrowed. She peered inside, as if trying to find a motive to land Remus in Azkaban. She waited a few seconds for the invitation to come in and sit down, but when none came, she merely smiled her sickly-sweet smile.
"I have something for you, from the most heavily-guarded vaults of Azkaban, you know, for the worst of people," she said, in her high-pitched girly voice.
Remus resisted the urge to hex her. Instead, he smiled, "And what do you have for me?"
"I should think, you would have the decency to invite me in," she said. "But, of course, being ... a half-breed ... I should have known such human pleasantries were ... beyond you ..."
Remus just kept smiling at her, although his smile had become very forced, and Umbridge knew it.
"Sirius Orion Black's wand, I have it. It is yours now."
She held out a long box, smiling triumphantly. It was only until Remus reach up to take it, that he realized why Umbridge looked so pleased.
The box was made of silver.
Remus looked her in the eye, unsmiling. She just smirked even more, "Take it, creature. Or ... ah yes, I remember now! Silver hurts things like you, doesn't it? Pity ... oh well, I guess I'll just have to throw that worthless man's wand-"
Remus did not know what made him do it, perhaps it was because Umbridge had insulted him far too many times and he'd finally reached his breaking point, maybe because she had dared speak of Sirius that way, possibly it was because the full moon had been only two days ago and was still affecting his mind.
He snatched the box from her pudgy hands, never mind the silver burning his skin, and drew his wand, pointing it at her, "Get the bloody hell away from me! And if you DARE speak of Sirius like that again, I will rip you into SHREDS!"
The last word he'd spoken sounded more like an animalistic growl, than his voice. He quickly slammed the door shut and locked it, listening to Umbrige running away. He finally dropped the box, his hand was raw and bloody, and Sirius old wand fell out of it, rolling away to the window.
Remus walked over and picked the wand up, falling to the floor on his knees and leaning against the wall.
'Dammit Sirius ... I'm going mad ... I'm going crazy ... I need you here ... before I lose the little control I have over myself ... '
His head fell back, onto the wall with a soft 'thump'. He looked up at the open window, where the nearly- fullmoon twinkled overhead and nearby ... a bright star ... the brightest star in the sky ... Sirius ...
"Look at us, Moony! We're the shiniest damn things in the night sky!"
Remus Lupin was planning something. Harry knew it, Mrs. Weasley knew it, Moody knew it, and Tonks knew it.
She noticed he seemed more quiet than usual, usually staring at the fire, or spending half the day locked in his room, listening to the Beatles', which had been Sirius' favorite Muggle music group, along with the Pointer Sisters, of course.
He spent countless hours, flipping through books that he'd close and seal if anyone disturbed him. They were photo albums, Tonks knew that much ... but she wondered why he never shared them with her.
Unrequited love ... it hurt ... it really hurt sometimes.
He didn't let her hold his hand anymore, he stood up whenever she sat down next to him, and he avoided looking at her as much as possible.
Mrs. Weasley said it would all soon pass, that he was going through a tough time, but really, when had he not been?
Tonks sighed as she mused about the few times she'd held his warm, gentle, but firm hand ... the rare times she'd kissed him good-night on the cheek before leaving his house ... of the one time she'd leaned in to kiss him on the lips, and Remus had instead pushed her away, gently, and turned away.
Now he paced. He looked at Mrs. Weasley's clock, remembered that it did not tell time, and looked at his wristwatch, and tugged at the collar of his shirt. He had rejected all offers of food, tea, and chocolate cake (which was to say something, considering Remus Lupin was addicted to chocolate) the various times Mrs. Weasley offered him.
It was a cold day, that October 30th, but Remus Lupin stood outside as the cold winds bet upon him, tousled his hair, and whipped his scarf in all directions. Never mind his nose and cheeks were red, or his lips were chapped, he stood outside ... waiting ... waiting ...
Harry walked to the window and walked as Tonks ran out and took Remus' arm. He didn't even look at her, only shook his head. After a long time, they both walked back into the house, arm in arm.
Mrs. Weasley was overjoyed when she saw Remus come in with Tonks, "Well, now that you have set aside any silly-"
One dead-pan look from Remus, and Mrs. Weasley fell silent.
"In actuality ... Tonks, I need to speak to you. In private."
Tonks nodded and followed Remus up the stairs.
Harry had a burning curiosity, not to spy on Remus and Tonks (for he had an idea of what Remus wanted to talk to her about), but of what Remus was waiting for.
Moody on the other hand, had his magical eye follow them. He sniggered after a while, until Mrs. Weasley shot him a reproving look. He said, instead, "Well, it's not a bad thing really ..."
Tonks sat down on the topmost stair, "Yes, Remus?"
Remus looked at the wall when he spoke, leaning against the banister, "You're young, you have your whole life ahead of you-"
"Not this again!" Tonks said angrily, standing up.
"-This isn't working out," Remus finished flatly.
"Because you don't want it to! You think I'm in danger, but I'm not! Remus, I love you ... that should be good enough ... Sirius is ... stop clinging to a memory-"
"I'm ... too old for you ... I've said it ... you're still young and full of life! I barely have a house ... I don't have a stable job ... I'm too poor for you!"
"Maybe I don't want someone rich-" Tonks interjected, but was cut off.
"Maybe they don't have to be rich, maybe they just have to have enough to be able to provide for you ... I don't ... and ... you mustn't forget what I am. I'm too ... dangerous ... too ..."
'Too old, too poor too dangerous ... too ... gay?' thought Remus ridiculously.
"Maybe I'm willing to take that risk!"
Remus looked her in the eye finally, "I don't want to wake up one day and find I've bitten you, or ripped your to shreds!"
Tonks' eyes pleaded with him, but Remus just smiled sadly, "And anyway ... this may be the last time you see me ..."
Tonks frowned and was about to say something, when there was a great gust of wind and a raven Patronus came flying in, stopping in front of Remus.
Remus gave Tonks' hand one last squeeze and ran down the stairs, the raven trailing behind him.
Harry was utterly confused when Tonks came down, tears in her eyes. He looked at Ginny, who shrugged.
For some reason ... Moody was snickering ...
As was planned, Severus Snape was waiting for remus at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade.
He stood at the door, glowering anyone who so much as looked at him. Remus walked up to him.
"So, it's time?"
Snape shrugged, "We do need enough time to get the Mirror, smuggle it out of Hogwarts and get into the Ministry before midnight tomorrow."
"It sounds easy enough-" began Remus, but was cut off by Snape.
"It's not. Now if you'd stop talking, then we could get on with it!" Snape said coldly.
Remus shrugged and followed Snape towards the castle. Getting by McGonagall was not an easy task, as she now monitored Snape's movements very closely.
They made it, however, to the third floor safely unnoticed. Now came the hard part.
"Wait out here," said Snape and promptly disappeared into the locked door of the third-floor corridor.
It was a few loud growls later that Snape let Remus in, to the sound of soothing music coming from a charmed harmonica.
Remus frowned as he looked at the big three-headed door, "Well ... isn't he a ... rather large-"
"When we fall down the door get ready to use fire," said Snape as he hurriedly threw open the trapdoor.
"Why do I-" Remus was cut off once again by Snape who roughly grabbed his arm and pushed him down the opening.
When Remus landed, he immediately used Lumos and knew exactly why Snape, who just fallen beside him, was struggling to get away,
"Devil's Snare ..." muttered Remus before using Flamare Maxima, as Snape had instructed.
"This can't get any worse," he said bitterly, ripping a plant tendril that threatened to strangle him.
"Just watch," replied Severus, walking quickly.
"We have to get on those ... to catch those ..?" asked Remus, uncertainly and pointed to the dusty broomsticks and Winger Keys in turn.
Snape just snatched a broom and mounted it.
Remus stared at him, "There's no way ... I'd be lucky to stay on at all!"
Snape smirked, "Still an idiot off the ground? You haven't changed a bit ..."
With that, Snape was off, leaving Remus to watch amazed at how a person could maneuver their way though keys beat madly against them, find the key, and throw it to him.
Remus fumbled with the lock for a moment as Snape touched down next to him, "Wait, you'll have to get on one. If you want to avoid the impossible game of chess Minerva has so kindly devised ..."
Remus looked at the dusty broomstick leaning against the wall a few feet from them.
"You could always ... ride mine ... "
"What, ride your broomstick?" Remus cringed as soon as those words left his mouth. He pictured Sirius snickering, "You wanna ride his broom STICK!"
Snape just frowned at him, "Unless you'd rather fall on your ass in the middle of a murdersome chess board, I really don't care!"
"Okay, okay."
Remus mounted Snape's broom with difficulty, finally settling himself behind Snape.
"Better hold on," Snape warned.
"But what do I hold on to- WOAH!" Remus was thrown backwards and had to hold on to Snape's waist to keep from falling. The ride was short as fast, but Remus did not dare loosen his tight grip on Snape, or open his eyes.
It was only until Snape had cleared his throat loudly and announced, "We're here," that he dismounted. Or ... rather slid off onto the floor.
"Where are we?" he asked, standing up as flames shot up from both ends of the room.
Snape's upper lip curled, "You didn't even see that dead troll skeleton, did you? This ... is ... MY piece of the Puzzle."
Remus' eyebrows shot up, "Seeing as how I can't even boil water correctly, there's no way I could get a potion right-"
"Drink this," Snape thrust a large round bottle at Remus after taking a drink.
Remus did so and was pulled through the fire safely by Snape.
"There. That's it, right there." Snape pointed to the center of the large room, where the Mirror of Erised stood.
Remus walked over, immediately looking into the mirror's depths, "There he was smiling, with Sirius behind him, hugging him and nibbling at his neck. Remus tore his eyes away from the mirror after some time.
"How are we going to get it out?"
Snape raised an eyebrow, flicked his wand and the mirror rose off the ground a few inches.
"Right," said Remus simply.
It took longer to bring the mirror out safely from the corridor, and Fluffy was no help either. To make matters worse, the sun had risen and classes were in full progress when they finally made it out. Everyone wondered where Professor Snape had gone, and was he ever going to come back, and pleading that he wasn't.
In any case, Snape and Remus had to pool every ounce of determination, sneakiness, and knowledge of the castle's secret passages to make it out without being caught.
There were very near misses, three of them in fact, and all involving Professor McGonagall, who as both Headmistress and Transfiguration teacher was even more cross that usual.
Remus was glad when they finally reached Hogsmeade and took the Knight Bus to the streets near the Ministry of Magic.
"Tha'll be 20 Sickles, for extra protection of yer mirror thing. Wouldya look a tha'? Ain't it intrestin', Ern? Ain't it? Ain't it?"
Snape had only to shoot him a glare for Stan Shunpike to fall silent. Remus and the mirror followed Snape to an alley across from the Ministry of Magic.
"It's stupid really, how they haven't noticed how easy people can spy on the Ministry from here."
Remus leaned against the wall opposite Snape, "People like Death Eaters?"
Snape's hand moved idly to his left forearm, where he unconsciously rubbed hard while looking straight ahead. He whispered, "Quite ..."
"Severus? What do you see in the mirror?"
Again came Snape's glare that meant it was time to shut up.
"That everything was different," said Snape finally; Remus did not quite understand him, but did not dare press the subject.
Night finally fell, and still they waited ... waited until the various wizards and witched that worked in the Ministry had Disapparated. It was the darkest hours of the night, cold and windy when Remus looked at his watch, then at Snape, who nodded.
The phone booth that was really a lift, always unnerved Remus. How the voice could remain cool and calm even when the Ministry was being infiltrated; and how his badge always said, 'Remus Lupin, Registered Werewolf; Rescue Mission.'
And also, after all that had happened with the Death Eaters in the Ministry ... once again Remus wondered why they didn't tighten security at least a little bit.
Snape sighed, "We've a few minutes ... We've got to set up the angle."
Remus looked around the Death Chamber in the Department of Mysteries. He tugged at his shirt anxiously. He knew how much was riding on this one moment.
'One try ... one try and ... and ... it's over ... one try and if I fail ... Sirius ... I swear by Merlin ... if I fail you ... I'll kill myself! I really will! Please let me ... please give me-'
Remus thoughts were interrupted by Snape.
"I said, what spell are you going to use? Seeing as how he's not dead or alive ... I think you should use Rennervate, but then again, I don't want him alone. Why should you trust me?"
Remus frowned, "Yes, why did you help me?"
"You told me I could have anything in return. If Black comes back ... well, you'll see ... "
Remus kept frowning, but Snape just pointed at the floor, "Stand there, and try a spell. Just a small one."
Remus did as he was told and raised his wand, "Reducto! The spell hit the mirror and bounced off, reflected onto the veil, which just absorbed it ...
Remus bit his lip, "Well ... the angle's okay ... "
Snape nodded, "I don't usually make mistakes in measurements ... we've ... two minutes."
Remus looked down at his wristwatch and nodded, 'Two minutes ... just two minutes in which Sirius could come back to me ... or ...'
'No! Don't think that way ... this will work ... Severus knows what he's doing ... he wouldn't ... he'd never ... would he? Just to get back at me ... for ... I don't know! Would he really mislead me!'
"One minute," came Severus' soft whisper as he backed away a bit, behind the Mirror of Erised.
'He seems so ... calm ... but then again, it's so hard to tell with Severus ... I can never know what he's ...'
"Thirty seconds ..."
Remus bit his lip, 'What to do...? What to do? Severus would never really, he's never lied ... not to me anyway.'
"Ten seconds."
'It's ... I have to trust him ... I really have no choice ...'
"Three, two-"
'It's now or never.'
"One!"
Remus raised his wand and looked straight into the mirror, reflecting his deepest desires, "RENNERVATE!'
A/N: Another cliff hanger! Yay! "throws Padfoot/Moony plushies" Sorry for the delay, but there you have it!
So many reviews ... and I wish I could answer all your ques. but I know I'll forget someone ... and they'll be SO SAD!
"whispers" Plus I'm too lazy to go back and sort them out. "wink"
All you need to know is ... NOTHING! HAHAHA! You'll have to wait for the next chapter!
Did Snape lie to him? Will it work? Or will Snape just stand there and laugh his arse off as the spell is absorbed by the veil ... "ahem"
So um ... review please!