Well, here's the next chapter. Amazing how quick this one came out compared to the others, eh? I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize still belongs to J.K. Rowlings, as you all know.
Chapter 15: Raby Castle
With a POP, Hermione appeared in front of Raby Castle, a rather small construction (for a castle) that gave of the distinct impression of being haunted. But, they may have been simply because it was dark and the weather was wet which caused clouds of mist to form near the ground. From her view point, she thought she could see a flickering light in a few of the windows. 'Probably a candle,' she told herself. Then, just as she was about to make her way towards the doors of the castle, something grabbed her from behind.
Before she had the chance to scream, a hand was placed roughly over her mouth as the figure pulled her behind a bush. She was set down roughly, and turned to face her captor, eyes wide with fear.
"Shh..." the man said, as he gently took his hand from her mouth.
"Remus!" Hermione hissed, annoyed that he'd frightened her and even more annoyed that he currently was looking over the bush instead of at her. "You scared me half to death! Why did you do that?"
He looked down at her with his mouth in a hard line. "I could ask the same thing of you," he whispered, his voice hard.
She flushed sheepishly, but didn't answer. He sighed and seemed to be fighting the urge to give her a small smile. "But, you're here now and, if I know anything about you, there's no sending you back," he continued. "Besides, I haven't the time to take you back. So, despite my misgivings, you're in."
With a small triumphant grin, she squeezed his hand. He turned to her sternly. "That doesn't mean I'm not gonna give you one hell of a talking to when we get back, though," he finished. Her grin vanished.
"We have to get in there," he said after a period of silence. "They've got to be in that room, the one with the light. At least in one nearby." Hermione nodded in agreement. "I'll go in through one of those windows near us and work my way in. You, though, you're the best I've ever seen at a Do-Not-Notice spell, so you wait here for someone to come through the front door. It shouldn't be long. There's been a lot of activity around here. They come and go fairly regularly. You're lucky you didn't apparate right in the middle of a group. When someone opens the door, sneak in with them. We'll look around the castle; one of us is bound to find them before we get caught."
She stared at him incredulously. "That's your plan? 'One of us is bound to find them before we get caught'!"
He turned to her, his eyes and face set. "Unless you have a better idea, that's what we're doing."
Indignantly, she opened her mouth to respond, but just then the front door opened and a pair of cloaked figures stepped out onto the walkway. Hermione glanced at them for a second before turning to Remus. He took her hands in his and looked her in the eye. The look he gave her was nothing short of promising, promising to see her again, promising to come back.
With a swiftness she didn't know she possessed, she took out her wand and cast the spell on herself. Once unnoticeable, she leaned forward and kissed him without thinking how strange it must have been for Remus to be kissing someone he couldn't see. She let go of him reluctantly and tiptoed away from the bush to position herself near the two beside the door.
"She should be here soon," one said gruffly to the other as he leant against the closed door. "Though why she needs an escort is beyond me."
The other shrugged. " 'Is orders. And you know 'ow 'e is about 'is orders."
"That doesn't change the fact that I'd rather be inside with a pint instead of out here waiting for the snobby bint to show."
"She's important," the other answered. "And 'e likes 'er. Besides, at least we don't 'ave to sit and watch the two up there." He pointed above to the lit room. "From what I 'ear from Desmond, they're a right pain, especially the kid."
"Yeah, well, I still say I'd rather have a pint."
"And you'll have it," came a woman's voice from the darkness before the two and Hermione. "As soon as you take me to him."
The woman stepped into the light cast off by the castle and Hermione had to stifle a gasp. It was the woman, the mysterious and husky voiced woman from the meeting! Though Hermione had suspected all along that it was the slightly creepy woman, she was dismayed to find out. She had hoped the member who had betrayed them would be someone she hadn't seen or known about.
"Right, then," one of the guards said. "It's about time you showed up, Miss Turner." She merely smirked at him, still waiting for them to open the door.
When they had, she looked around her and Hermione was not at all comforted when the cool eyes landed on her and the slightest trace of a smile touched her lips. But, she berated herself for being silly. She was unnoticeable, no one would see her. She fell into step behind them quickly as the walked into the castle.
It was too dark for Hermione to appreciate the stonework or decorations, something she was rather grateful for as it was a distraction she could ill afford. The group traveled in silence to one of the nearby rooms. The two opened the door for Ms. Turner, but didn't come in with her. Hermione, having to make a quick decision, chose to stick with Ms. Turner and dashed into the room just before the door was closed.
Inside, the room was very old fashioned and decorated to the times the castle had been in its prime. A hooded man sat before the fire that had been made on the hearth. He did not turn when he heard the door, but he beckoned for the woman to come forth. Hermione kept close on her heels, hoping to catch a glimpse of the hooded man, but the light emanating from the fire wasn't enough to brighten the shadows that covered his face.
"You did well, Marion," he told her in a smooth voice that Hermione vaguely recognized. "We have been trying to find their headquarters for years. If Lord Voldemort had known it would be that easy to infiltrate them, I'm sure he would've done it years ago. Still," his voice grew heavier, "our findings were disappointed. I have no need or desire for the child or the old woman. It's the mudblood chit I want, the one who married the werewolf. She's the one I want to be rid of. She's foiled more of our plans, her and that late husband of hers as well as the current one. While the Weasley boy is taken care of, I've still got her to contend with."
The woman did not falter. "She will be easy enough to get, my Lord. Especially now that you've got the child and the woman. She cares for them and will come after them. It's very likely that she's planning with the Order now to retrieve them."
He turned to her sharply, the shadows still obscuring his face. "Do you know this?"
"I have an idea."
The look between them was significant, but Hermione did not know what it would mean. There was no way that she could know of Remus' plan. Even the Order was fairly ignorant of what they were doing, though for how much longer Hermione wasn't sure.
Finally, their impromptu staring match ended and the man stood. He began to walk towards the fire, turning his back on the woman. "I am peckish," he told her. "Would you be so kind as to go to the kitchens and bring me something suitable?"
"Certainly," the woman responded. And, with a flurry of skirts and cloaks, the woman was gone through the door, closing it softly behind her.
Hermione stayed still, uncertain of what to do. She wanted desperately to know who the man was, but didn't know how to proceed. She stared at his back, tall and straight with strong narrow hands clasped neatly behind him. He sighed softly, almost chuckling, as he unclasped his hands and reached into his cloak's inner pocket. He drew out a thin wand and waved it with an incantation Hermione did not recognize.
She stared at him in confusion, and then looked about the room for a sign of what he had done before finally reverting her eyes back to him. He turned around slowly and reached for the brooch that fastened his cloak and hood about himself. He undid it and pulled the garment off.
Hermione gasped as expensive robes were first revealed followed by platinum blond hair, then the sharp pointed features and, finally, the icy blue eyes. Those eyes locked on her menacingly as a slight smile graced his unnervingly handsome features.
"Fancy seeing you here, Mrs. Lupin," he drawled.
Well, I hope you liked it! The next one's already on it's way, but school's been piling it on, so it may be a bit yet. Just warning ya! Please review and tell me what you think!