Rising

By Dimgwrthien

Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the Harry Potter series or affiliates.

Author's Notes: Thanks to the reviewers. You're all too nice. I hope you enjoy this chapter, as well. I'm sorry I was a bit slow, except you can't expect much out of me. I'm in school.

Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.

- Sir Winston Churchill

After having managed to move away from Scrimgeour, Remus spoke in a low voice to Madam Pomfrey, who kept throwing dirty glances back at Scrimgeour.

"You're taking him?" she asked, worried as her eyes darted to the side. "I'm not going to refuse, but I'm not too fond of this idea. He is -"

"There's nothing wrong," Remus cut in. "We're fine. I offered and he accepted."

Still looking doubtful, Madam Pomfrey answered, "Alright. I'm just making sure this isn't some sort of depression issue after Harry... well, the happening." She motioned to Scrimgeour as though for him to wait or leave then walked over to a closet in her office that Remus never noticed before. She pulled out a black chair with wheels in the sides and moved it towards Remus. "I've only ever kept one for in case of something very bad. I never thought I would use it."

Remus nodded, thanking her and wheeling the chair out of the room. "Remus," she called after him. "It's charmed to get down stairs easier. That should help him."

Thanking her again, Remus wheeled out of the room in time to hear Scrimgeour's voice ask, "Who was hurt?"

The wheelchair proved to be simple on the stairs. When Remus held the handles tightly so as not to let it fall, he felt the wheels move as slowly as if he continued to walk on flat land. The wheels seemed to ignore the crooked steps and glide down an invisible surface. Reaching the dungeon took only minutes compared to the hours he expected.

Severus, still on the chair and scribbling down more notes, glanced up when the door opened. "Your majesty," Remus muttered, placing the chair next to Severus and helping the man into it. Severus fit his hands around the tops of the wheels, feeling the cold black covering.

"I suppose the Muggle... were thinking something right when they made these," he admitted. Pushing the tops of the wheels forward once, the chair glided swiftly to the bed, stopping just before. He looked up at Remus. "Can we leave now?"

Remus only then realized how much Severus really wanted to leave, even if he kept repeating petty insults about Remus. "Now?"

"I - I don't want to be here any longer," Severus muttered. "Let's just leave now." His eyes trailed to the ground, an act Remus had never seen Severus perform. He looked almost ashamed.

"If there anything wrong -?" Remus started, but Severus glared at him again.

"It's nothing," he snapped, returning to his usual attitude. "I would prefer to be somewhere else right now, even if it's at your hovel."

Smiling, Remus touched his pocket again to make sure Severus' belongings remained in place. The handles on the wheelchair seemed to create the easiest way to get Severus out, so Remus reached out to push them. Severus opened his mouth, but did not reject and simply let himself be pushed.

Getting to Remus' house proved to be the most difficult feat of them all. The fireplace could barely fit the wheelchair inside and Severus had even more trouble throwing the Floo Powder down to move to another place. In the end, they managed to get through by Remus tossing the powder under the wheels as Severus called out the name. Remus followed soon after and found himself landing almost on top of Severus.

The room looked the same as before: small and crowded, yet neat. Nothing was out of place, which Remus prided himself on. Severus wheeled forward enough to let Remus pass before him.

"There's only one bedroom," he told Severus, taking the items from his pockets. "As you're the guest, I'll let you have it." He motioned in the direction, pointing to a darkened hallway. Severus got the wheelchair moving again, painfully maneuvering towards the hall Remus started walking down. Remus returned the items to usual size and placed them in the room as Severus instructed them. No one spoke when he finished.

"I'll be in the other room," Remus said, noticing Severus' blank look towards the wall. "If you need me."

Walking out, just as Remus closed the door, he saw Severus finger with the clasp of his robes and start to shrug painfully from them. It seemed like an odd act, but only when the clothes fell off the thin frame did he see it.

Severus' back, pale and slim, was marred by a single word that looked carved into his skin, possibly still raw.

Traitor.

Remus drew away before he could see anything else. The single word seemed burned into his memory, too, unable to move. Severus seemed to hear the noise of the door closing for Remus heard the sound of cloth shifting around and a sudden buzzing from the room.

That explained why Severus avoided everyone, even when he needed the Hospital Wing. It explained the blank stares fully. Did the Death Eaters to that to him? Remus wondered as he walked almost unconsciously towards the front room. It had not been Harry or Dumbledore's lingering memory that drove Severus into accepting Remus' offer to leave the castle for a while.

The scars reminded Remus of the ones carved into his own skin from past full moons, still crisscrossing each other around his arms and torso, leading up to his throat. Did the Death Eaters manage to hold Severus down long enough to carve into the bare flesh? Even the image made Remus close his eyes to forget it.

A sudden rush of green fire forced open Remus' eyes. He glanced at the fireplace in time to see a girl, fiery red hair around her face in a mess, appear. Her face looked contorted and wet as she threw herself into Remus, barely suppressing tears.

"What happened?" he asked Ginny, almost toppling over from the force she applied.

"I - I went back and - and the house was completely destroyed!" Her tears increased as her voice raised, fast and wild. "There was no Dark Mark, though - just a destroyed house. I have no clue what happened to anyone! Bill or Charlie or Mum or Dad -" Her shoulders jumped in a twitchy manner as she tried to calm down.

Remus bit the inside of his cheek, almost close to ripping it. "Ginny, was anything else wrong there?"

She shook her head. "No one was there, just the house."

He grabbed her wrists, holding them tightly with one hand and pushing the hair from her eyes with the other. "Shhh. It's alright, Ginny. No one is hurt. Just - just stay calm."

"Where are they?" she shouted, wrinkling up her face as though in agony. "I can't find them and you don't know, do you?"

She soon fell asleep in his arms, still crying through closed eyes.

When Severus came out of the room, steering the wheelchair tightly around the corners in the walls, stopping when he saw Remus on the ground, holding the girl. "What happened?" he asked.

"She's just tired," Remus whispered over her head. "She found the Burrow in ruins. No body, though," he added when Severus opened his mouth. "Hasn't slept in a day or two, I think, or since Harry was injured."

"Not surprising she's tired," Severus muttered. "The battle ended three days ago. You were unconscious like most of the others for a while. I heard she waited at his bed every night and day since then just to see when he got better." With a sour smile, Severus added, "Sounds like a Weasley."

Remus stared at him, frowning. "It's not such a bad thing," he growled. "You would want someone at your side if you were dying slowly."

"I'm wondering why everyone takes my words as an insult," Severus remarked, staring at the ceiling. "I was not insulting her. I was merely remarking on the ability of the Weasleys to wait out days with someone without moving. I heard she survived rather unscathed and took it upon herself to nurse Potter."

Ginny's chest rose with a deep breath and the exhaling sounded like a choked cry. Remus rubbed her shoulders, returning his attention to her. "Poor girl," he murmured. "She doesn't deserve any of this so early in life. She's not even out of school."

"It would have happened at some point in her life," Severus muttered, wheeling closer to them. Ginny's body twitched slightly as he came closer and shifted away, almost falling off Remus. "Sit on a chair, for decency's sake. As if having a child in your lap is indecent enough, you're leaving her on the ground."

Remus struggled to his feet, picking up Ginny who turned out to be surprisingly light. He laid her out on the chair, her arms draping off one side. She did not seem to notice and Remus saw how tired she actually looked. Light purple shadows highlighted her eyes even in sleep. He stroked her hair until it stayed behind her ear once more.

"I think she'll be here for a while," Remus whispered. "I'll find another place to sleep. You keep the bedroom," he added as Severus opened his mouth.

"I was not mentioning that," he answered coolly. "I was going to say it would be wise to find her family before telling her anything else. If they are alive as you both imply, they will be looking for her."

"Where were they last?" Remus asked, brushing his fringe from his eyes. "Did any of them go into the Hospital Wing?"

"Only for a while," Severus told him. "To visit the Golden Trio. Dreadful. They obviously wanted to gloat their ability to mourn for hours at a time. Loudly, too," he added, shaking his head with disgust. Remus resisted the urge to hit Severus once more, but he felt his ability to control himself had started to wane. "When they left, no one heard anything else from them."

Remus sighed and perched himself on the armrest next to Ginny, who remained asleep. "I'll contact some people to ask them."

"Don't use the Floo," Severus warned him suddenly. "The Ministry is most likely watching it. Besides, even if they aren't watching all of them, I'm here. Scrimgeour knows that and they'll be watching me, at the very least. They'll figure out something is going on and I know this won't end well."

Remus could tell Severus referred to the happenings after the First War and the death toll that rose even after the war. The Ministry soon started tracking the Death Eaters that pleaded their innocence. Even Severus was watched for a while, even though Albus Dumbledore gave his word on the innocence of the man. All of his calls through the Floo were received by the Ministry until Dumbledore cut into their attempts.

"I'll get to them directly, then," Remus answered, standing up and tightening his cloak around his shoulders. It needed to be patched once more as large tears marred it. "Watch her, will you? Just make sure she doesn't run off or do anything drastic."

After Severus nodded and parked his wheelchair in front of the chair, Remus Disapparated, feeling the crowding of air around his body, as though crushing him. When he landed, a house loomed into view. It was a rather small house with a glamorous layout from the outside, which made it stand out more than the others. The flowers were all roses and other expensive flora and the house had a fresh coat of bright paint. Remus could only guess Fleur decorated it.

When he knocked on the door, he was greeted with a call asking who he was. After answering with his name and leaning back from the door, waiting until the door opened. A woman, rather tall for her age, with silvery hair that fell in bright currents down her back smiled at him, blue eyes crinkled. Remus bit his tongue when he first saw her. He was not resistant to Veelas, he knew, and almost every man who saw her began to try to seduce Bill's new wife.

"Bienvenue, Remus!" she greeted, lapsing back into French. She sighed as though with relief. "Eet 'as been such a long time," she said to him, moving aside to let Remus in. "Would you like to take off your robe? Eet looks rather warm."

"It's cold outside," he answered, shaking his head.

"Remus?" Bill walked into the room, holding several books in his hands. Placing them down, he continued to give Remus an odd look. Remus could still see the deep scars from Fenrir's attack. "What happened?"

"Have you seen your parents lately, Bill?" he asked. The clock in the corner of his eye, modeled off the traditional Weasley clock, showed both of their names at home, rather than the old "In Mortal Peril". It seemed like a pleasant change.

Bill's face paled under the scars. "What happened to them?"

"I don't know yet," Remus answered, wringing his hands behind his back. Bill looked as though he were going to faint. "Ginny came by saying the Burrow has been destroyed -"

Fleur's eyes went side. "Why?" she said, voice barely above a whisper. Her hands flew to her mouth as she fell into a chair. "They are dead? How -?"

Remus shook his head again. "No bodies. Ginny didn't see any, at least. We know some Death Eaters are still out there, but without Voldemort, then can't be doing anything bad." He stared Bill in the eye. "Have you seen them? It may help with where they went off to."

"I have no clue," he answered, voice almost breaking, but he cleared his throat. "The only place I can think of them going would be close family. Try Charlie, maybe. Maybe Aunt Murial would know."

Nodding, Remus excused himself in time to see Fleur cry on her husband's shoulder. She seemed to have taken a liking towards the Weasleys since Bill's attack.

Charlie's house looked more in place. Though Remus knew him to be a neat man, he did not have a wife who desired any sort of beauty around the yard. When he reached the door, Charlie answered. His broad face broke into a smile once he recognized Remus. Even after the war, he looked the same as usual, if not more strained and tired.

"Remus," he greeted. "What's happening?"

"Have you seen your parents lately?" he asked, already looking towards the frame of the door rather than Charlie's falling face.

"No. What's going on?"

"Ginny came to my house," Remus sighed, pushing his hair from his eyes. These days, it remained near complete grey with only the remnants of brown from before. "She said the Burrow had been destroyed but no one can find Molly and Arthur's..." He did not want to end with 'bodies' as it made it sound too certain that they were dead.

Charlie reached out for the frame that Remus had stared at as though to steady himself.

"Doesn't anyone know where they are?" he asked quietly. Remus shook his head. Charlie stepped out with Remus, frowning. "We're looking for them, right -?"

Remus pushed Charlie back into the room. "I'm asking around first. If no one can find them, I promise to tell you and we can look, alright?" Charlie remained worried-looking. "Please. We'll find them soon."

Once Charlie stepping back inside and Remus promised him once more to alert him of their findings, he left.

After asking several more people, including somewhat-close family of the Weasleys and the remaining sons, Remus returned home to find Ginny sitting on the chair once more, conscious, and staring at her hands. Severus did not say anything but moved away when Remus entered.

"She's fine," he muttered once Remus eyes Ginny warily. "Just shocked."

"I'm not shocked," she whispered, voice sounding hoarse and ragged. "Remus." She gave him a pleading look. "Can I - can I just stay here a little longer. I don't exactly have -"

Remus knew before she said it. Without marrying Harry and moving in with him or going back to the Burrow, she had nowhere to go. He nodded and leaned against the back of her chair. "You can stay as long as you need, Ginny."

"Is Hogwarts opening next year?" she asked quietly, glancing up at him. Her brown eyes looked rather red and wet still. "After the war?"

Only then did Remus remember that Ginny was not yet a graduate of the school. He shrugged. "It may, Ginny, except there are still things going on... Not many parents are too safe with allowing their children out of their sight while Death Eaters are still out."

Severus seemed to squirm in his seat. "The Death Eaters would not still be using the Dark Mark and acting together if it were not for some sort of leader. I know they managed to replace the Dark Lord, somehow."

"It would have to be someone outside of Azkaban, then," Remus answered.

Severus shook his head. "The Ministry is still a mess. It's doesn't take a genius or Animagus" - she spat out the word with disgust - "to escape these days."

Remus gave Severus a sideways glance and turned back to Ginny, who curled up in the chair like a cat, staring up at him. Before he taught at Hogwarts, several of the teachers who knew Lily before she died claimed Ginny to look somewhat like her. Though their looks had a small resemblance, it was their personality that caught Remus' eye. Both, vivacious and smart, showed their insecurities easily even if those times were short and far between.

When he glanced at the clock on the opposite wall, Remus saw the time to be rather late. Ginny's eyes, lined with shadows, betrayed her wakefulness.

"Should I get the beds set up?" he asked. Ginny shrugged, so Remus proceeded to get a blanket and pillow and lay them out on the longest chair. Severus disappeared at some point while he did so to the bedroom. Ginny moved to the new chair, standing next to it.

"Where are you sleeping?" she asked Remus, pausing.

"There are other places to sleep in here," he answered, lightly, motioning to the chair. Ginny sat on the bed, lying out. Remus found himself tucking her in even though she was nearing the age of adulthood. However, she smiled at him.

"Thank you, Remus," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"Good night."

"'Night."

She fell asleep soon after, even though she spent most of the afternoon sleeping. Remus walked to the bedroom to check on Severus and grab his night robe.

Severus sat next to the bed, still in the wheelchair. He tried to raise himself on his arms, but fell back down soon after.

"Here." Remus touched Severus' shoulders to help him up, but the dark-haired man pushed the hands away from him.

"I don't need your help," he spat. "I can get it myself."

The lack of ability to control his legs seemed to take heart to Severus. It was a sign of weakness to him, something to reject and pretend to not have.

"I'm only trying to help," Remus whispered. Severus sighed.

"I - I can't stand this," he muttered. "I've tried brewing potions for it, tried spells, everything." He placed his head in his hands, brow furrowed.

"It happens to plenty of people," Remus answered. "They learn to live with it. You will, too, don't worry. Just -"

"You're not the one in this!" Severus snarled, glaring at Remus so quickly that their heads almost collided. "You have you clue what it's like to be left like this!"

"That means you have no right to insult me over being a werewolf." Remus' voice lowered as he spoke. "You have no clue about that. I'll say nothing more about your condition if you say nothing about mine."

Severus' beastly expression softened a bit as he considered it. He leaned back in the chair very slowly, giving Remus a wary look.

"Alright," he muttered. "I will."

Remus smiled. "Good. Let me help you then." He gripped Severus' arms and helped move the man, more shoving him onto the bed than anything else. That would be something to try to help Severus on - moving by himself.

Severus grudgingly thanked Remus and pulled the covers up to his neck. With his robes still on, Severus looked an interesting sight. Remus grinned at him and opened the wardrobe to pull out his own clothes, then taking a handful of Severus' clothes and placing them next to the bed.

"In case you want to dress in something else," he said, smiling at the man who only scowled in return.

Remus left the room, pulling the door closed before him.

The only light remaining in the house appeared to come from the front room where Ginny was. Remus smiled to himself, glad to finally have someone else in the house with him after so long of being alone. He crept to the bathroom, making sure no one could hear him, and pulled the clothes on. He folded the old clothes and placed them to the side of the room.

Once in the front room, he saw Ginny sleeping, still unmoved, and a candle on the table before them. Remus pulled an extra blanket he brought out with Ginny's and placed it on the smaller couch, which had been meant for sitting in, not sleeping. After blowing out the candle, he crept into the makeshift bed.

"Good night, Ginny," he whispered again, even if she was sleeping.

The chair turned out to be a bad choice of bed in the morning. Remus woke feeling stiff and tired. Ginny's eyes already opened though she had not moved.

"Morning, Remus," she muttered, sitting up straighter and rubbing her eyes.

"Did you sleep alright?"

"I'm fine," she answered, taking the thick blankets off her. She eyes Remus warily. "Did you sleep alright? You don't look too good."

Remus stretched out his arms, sighing as he heard several cracks and wincing. "Just not used to sleeping out here. I'm fine." Standing up, he added, "I'm going to check on Severus."

Ginny made a face.

Sighing once more, Remus stared down at the nest of red hair. "He's on our side, Ginevra. You know that. He fought with us."

She only shook his head.

Once in the hallway, Remus knocked on the door, waiting for an answer. Soon came the "Come in." Remus entered to find Severus sitting up in the bed, staring at the wall opposite.

"I couldn't get up," he muttered, looking almost ashamed. "Sweet Merlin, I can't even get out of the bed anymore." Severus ducked his head down, letting it hang from his neck like an old coat from a hook. Remus heard a sound that sounded almost like a dry sob, but it vanished so soon that he was no longer sure of it.

"It's alright," he whispered soothingly, walking next to Severus, but found an irritated growl coming from the man.

"Don't," Severus snarled, still not moving. "Don't - touch - me. I don't need your help."

"You can't just ignore this forever!" Remus' voice rose to a pitch he feared taking on with other people. He tried to lower it but to no avail. "Severus, ignorance cannot solve every problem you have! I wasn't ignorant when it came to - to this."

Severus finally glanced up at Remus, and the other man could finally see the dim red glow around his eyes as though from tears. "Lupin - you're the same as everyone else for most of the time. You're still a disgusting monster," he added, gulping, "but most look at you normally. Me... You saw the scars, didn't you? They branded me. The entire Wizarding World branded me the traitor, the one who killed Albus Dumbledore. I can't move my legs at all. I'm defenseless, completely so." His head ducked down again and his shoulders shook, but Remus still did not hear the sound of crying.

"You're only human," Remus whispered. He took the man by the shoulders, grudgingly bringing him closer as he had done with so many people to comfort. "It's fine to show weakness. It's what unites us all."

Severus Snape finally cried on the shoulder of his least favorite living man. It's impossible to cry on the shoulders of the dead.

"The first casualty when war comes is truth". - Hiram W. Johnson