Dark Me – Thanks for the review! Here is your update!
crashphuk – Darn muggles, but hey we aren't all bad! Heh maybe they might meet a few nice ones sometime. ;) As to time of month? Only time will tell…. (insert evil laughter here)
HSW – Thanks so much for the review! I try and update as soon as my fingers finish flying on the keyboard! Gotta get it out while it is fresh in my mind ya know. This one wasn't as fast because I need to iron out some potential ways that these next few chapters can go. Hopefully they will continue to move along rapidly though! I hate writers block! Btw I'm going to try and work more Sirius and Hermione moments in as soon as I can, it might be a few more chapters until then though. Heh
Remus Gurl – I love Lupin! He is really my favourite character in Harry Potter. I so hope that JK doesn't kill him off in the next book. The knowledge that there is a character death in it just scares me. I'm really happy that you are enjoying my story so far. I really hope that I can continue to make it fun and interesting for everyone.
dancing in rain – Again thank you hun for all your thoughts whenever I bug you with, "What do you think of this? Or do you think Remus should do this or this?" lol You are a Godsend to me. :)
sporty12gd4u – Thank you, thank you! I'm glad that my story could be all that rolled up into one! I really hope that I can continue to make it so until the very end! Heh I may end up having to do a sequal. Lol right now I don't see an end in sight.
PadfootsLuvr – lol Thanks for the review hun! I really hope you enjoyed it. I know that certain characters are screwed up royally lol but they are insane muggles bent on power!
Elbereth Gilthoniel – You never know with the Ministry do you? (insert more evil laughter here) lol Its late, forgive me. I hope you like the latest chapter cause I really thank you for your review of the last one!
xxx-kisses-xxx – Thank you so much! I have to say that I never really liked Severus until Alan Rickman played him in the movie. There is just something about that man that I find damn sexy. Anyways I hope you are understanding things so far, if not email me and I'll try and recap to explain how things are ending up thusfar. :)
The trio surveyed the land in front of them after they had apparated to the location Harry had indicated.
"There is nothing here Harry." Ron said softly in disbelieve.
"There has to be something here. I can feel Remus, he is that way." His hand lifted and his finger pointed to an empty ravine in the woods.
"Are you sure that potion is working right?" Ron inquired.
Severus gave the redhead a glare. "I brewed that potion myself Weasley, it is working just fine." He growled.
"I'm sure even you can make mistakes Snape." Ron growled back and muttered under his breath. "Greasy git."
"Weasley I'm right beside you, if you think I didn't hear that then you are much more of a fool than I thought." Severus said coldly.
Harry glared at them both. "Will you two stop acting like children. Our friends are out here somewhere and they need our help. Now if you aren't going to work together then I'm going to have to send you both back to Grimmauld. Is that what you want?"
Both men looked properly chastised at Harry's words and gave each other a nod to extend a temporary truce with one another.
"Look there…" Harry said quietly and all three of them ducked behind the bushes.
The hill looked like it was splitting in two as a doorway slid open and allowed a guard and a large black dog out of the facility. Sirius trotted out into the woods and raised his nose to take in the scents surrounding him. He looked up at the guard and within seconds he was bounding off to a distant tree.
The guard followed behind the canine until he stopped within several feet of the tree the dog ran behind.
"So have you told her you love her yet?" The guard called out.
"Fuck!" A voice called out softly. "Moony you don't do that to a guy that is taking a piss!" Sirius growled.
Remus chuckled softly. "Well have you?" He asked again and watched as Sirius came around the tree adjusting his robes. Remus couldn't help but notice the slight redness on his friend's cheeks.
"I think there are more important matters we should be discussing besides my love life Moony." Sirius stated. "Does anyone know where you are?"
"If you haven't said it then you are more off your rocker than I thought Padfoot. Harry and I took a potion that allows him to track me. He should be arriving with Severus and Ron soon to help everyone out. What is going on?" Remus inquired.
"Muggles wanting power is what is going on. Flint, the ruddy bastard, is working with them to take the Order down one by one. The collar…" Sirius shuddered at the thought of Hermione in the collar and all the pain it had put her through.
"The collar is cursed. It won't allow spell casting unless their keeper allows it. We can't kill or curse the ones controlling them because it will kill or curse Hermione, Draco and Ginny. They have a child in there as well." Sirius gave a disgusted look.
"Who was the man with Hermione?" Remus asked.
"Merlin." Sirius stated.
"I know you are upset Sirius but who was the man?" Remus asked again.
"No, no, his name is Merlin. Second in command apparently. She used to have another keeper but Merlin seems to think she is his ticket to power." Sirius said with a voice laden with anger.
"She is playing him isn't she?" Remus asked.
"She seems to think it will help to get us out of here. Personally I don't like it." Sirius growled.
"I'm sure she is also trying to get more information. If he trusts her at all he will talk." Remus said thinking out loud.
"Probably, I wouldn't put it past her to do something like that. She gets herself into these messes…" Sirius was getting angrier by the minute as he thought of what danger Hermione was putting herself into.
"Ah but it is all a part of what you love about her right?" Remus added slyly.
"Right." Sirius replied quickly and then realized what his friend had done.
"Think you can fool your best friend Padfoot? Think again. Don't think I didn't smell you all over her tonight." He gave his friend a knowing smile.
Sirius shook his head and clapped Remus on the back before pulling him into a hug. "It is good to have you here friend. Now, what is the plan?"
Remus looked around before speaking. "Harry and the guys should be here within the hour. I told them to wait for the signal to be stable for an hour before they apparated, so until then we have to continue undercover. I took a second dose of polyjuice so I have another forty minutes before I transform back to my normal self."
"Hardly normal." Sirius said with a smirk.
"Watch it Padfoot or I'll tie you to a tree and let you watch all the fun." Remus replied with a chuckle.
"You wouldn't." Sirius stated.
"Want to bet?" Remus smirked back at his friend.
"Ok maybe you would. So what happens after you change back, and whoever looks like you changes back?" Sirius inquired.
"I have something up my sleeve, and hopefully the guard will already be wherever they have been keeping you guys before anyone notices." Remus stated. "When Harry and the crew come in, that is when we will make our move. Got it?"
Sirius wanted to just bust them all out now and sweep Hermione as far away from the base as possible, but he knew he had to have a bit more patience. If he could survive the years in Azkaban, he would surely be able to wait an hour or two for his Godson to arrive.
He sighed before he nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll be good for now, but Merlin is mine."
Remus noted the cold edge to Sirius's tone and realized that the last time he had heard that tone was when he spoke of Wormtail. He couldn't suppress the shudder that ran through him when the dark memories of betrayal ran through his mind. So many lives lost because of the man they thought to be their friend.
He watched as Sirius transformed back into his dog form and the two of them headed through the trees towards the base again. Doors opened once more to allow the guard and the dog inside and Remus acknowledged several of the men inside as he walked the dog to the elevator.
Remus wasn't quite sure where he was going so his finger hovered over the level 2 button and then over the level 3 button. When it was over the 3 Sirius whined softly to indicated it was what he should push. Soon the man and dog were heading down to the cell block to find Hermione and Merlin.