Chapter 6

Sirius Black cursed while asking himself, where on earth they currently were. Albus had given Remus and himself the task to contact a French resistance group which had recently achieved several considerably victories in the fight against the Death Eaters. They had been wandering through this forest for ages now and had still not the slightest idea which direction they should take. Though Albus had told them the approximately whereabouts of the resistance group, after his explanations however they had to see a lake but far and away no lake was within view. Remus, who was gazing concentrated on his map, lifted shortly his head, looked around and said,

"We're wrong, Sirius. Here ought to be…"

"….a lake. I know. Unfortunately it isn't however. Shall we go back again?"

Remus shook undecided his head and suggested to have a short break. Sirius agreed and sat down on the ground, next to Remus who had spread out the map and was pointing thoughtfully to a spot.

"I think we have to be about here. I would say we should take the right path. Then we should actually find this lake of which Albus spoke and their headquarters are located nearby the lake.

So we only have to find this lake," Remus said.

"Yes. But the question is where? We are searching already for hours and here everything is looking the same. Perhaps we've been here already once and have run in circles the whole time," Sirius replied edgily.

"What's wrong?" he asked a moment later, seeing that Remus was looking around with an alert expression on his face.

"I've heard a rustling," his friend whispered back. Sirius gripped his wand more firmly and listened now as well.

"Probably it was only some animal," he said finally, standing up.

"Hopefully," Remus replied, folded the map up and rose as well.

"All right then, let's try the right way."

"Drop your wands!" a loud voice in French rang out.

Sirius and Remus slowly turned around. Quickly about a dozen wizards came out between the trees, the wands pointed at Sirius and Remus, they surrounded them.

"Who are you?" a different voice demanded to know.

"And who are you?" Sirius asked back, scrutinized the so suddenly appeared people and came to the conclusion that they couldn't be Death Eaters. Nevertheless Sirius wasn't willing to give away their identity first. A short moment they stood there and stared at each other. Finally one of the wizards took a step forward and said tersely: "We're fighting against the Dark Lord."

Sirius nodded briefly. His assumption that they were facing the French resistance group at last was confirmed and so he explained:

"We're coming from Great Britain. We're members of the Order of the Phoenix. Albus Dumbledore has sent us."

The leader of the French inclined his head.

"Then come. We'll check it."

While it was indicated to them to follow, one of the men picked up their wands from the ground. Sirius felt lost without his wand but knowing that he wouldn't get it back for the time being he sighed. As they, following the right path, passed a big lake shortly afterwards Sirius and Remus exchanged a look.

They reached the well hidden cache of the French resistance group and after a while they found themselves – without their wands – in a large tent. But they didn't need to wait long until two women entered. Both were slender and had dark brown hair. They looked alike. One of them had blue eyes however while the other had grey eyes. The blue-eyed woman had a small vial in her hand. She held it out to them and said in a clear voice,

"Veritaserum. We've to make sure that you aren't Death Eaters."

With a resignedly expression on his face Sirius seized the fragile vial, took a sip of the colourless, tasteless liquid and handed the Veritaserum on to Remus.

After it had been ascertained that they had spoken the truth the young woman said,

"I'm Charlotte Lynley and this is my sister Emily. Our uncle is the leader of our group. Currently he isn't here however. We've actually expected you much earlier and when you didn't get here to the arranged time we thought you wouldn't come any more today. But our uncle should return soon. Then you'll be able to speak with him."

"That would be great. We couldn't find the lake by the way, that's why our lateness. Sorry, that we couldn't come on time. I'm Sirius Black and this is Remus Lupin. I'm pleased to meet you," Sirius replied and shook hands with Charlotte. For some obscure reason he held Charlotte's hand a while longer as it would've been necessary. After he had greeted Emily as well Sirius turned again to Charlotte and asked curiously,

"Are you from Great Britain?"

Charlotte nodded; her dark blue eyes shimmered sadly.

"Yes, we were born there but when our parents were murdered we came to France to live with our aunt and her husband."

While Sirius was talking with Charlotte, Remus' eyes rested on Emily, who had been standing silently beside her sister so far. Remus stepped to the only table which was in the tent and was making a rather wobbly impression and put the vial with the Veritaserum which he still was holding in his hand down. He was now standing close to Emily and when she looked up, their eyes met. Instantly Remus supported himself heavily on the table and sharply drew a breath. He had sensed that Emily was a were-wolf as well. The young woman must have become aware of this, too, Remus thought, when noticing Emily's ashen face. Suddenly she smiled, turned around and left the tent. Remus followed her. For a while they were walking side by side without one of them talking until Emily broke the silence and asked,

"When you were bitten?"

Remus riveted his gaze on the autumnal coloured leaves of the trees and murmured,

"I was five years old."

Even after so many years he only reluctantly remembered the event which had changed his life forever. The sympathy and understanding in Emily's grey eyes hit him unprepared but all of a sudden he realized that she too knew the pain of the transformations, the fear that someone would discover the secret and the contempt and disdain which was showed for you inevitably if the people discovered his condition.

"I was sixteen years old," Emily said dryly.

"Shortly afterwards I was expelled from Beauxbatons. The school couldn't afford it to allow me to stay. Were you taught at home?"

Remus shook his head.

"No, luckily I was able to go to Hogwarts. But this was only possible since Albus Dumbledore allowed it – he is a great person – and because of my friend James Potter. At that time his father was Minister of Magic. James has helped me incredibly much. He was a great friend and like a brother to me."

His voice trembled slightly. The memories still hurt. Emily, who was watching him closely, gently touched his arm.

"The pain never goes away, does he?" she said softly.

Remus gazed gown at her small hand. He felt strangely drawn to the young woman and before he knew what he was doing he voiced what was tormenting him for a long time.

"It happened nearly three years ago. The Dark Lord killed James, his wife and his son. They were my family and I couldn't have prevented it. Harry was… only one year old."

His voice nearly broke, as the memories overwhelmed him.

She didn't say anything but the slight pressure of her hand comforted him. Her eyes, which looked at him, clouded over.

"It's always the children who suffer the most in a war," she murmured a moment later und turned towards the tents, where a little girl was crouching on the ground and was picking up chestnuts.

"Let's go. My uncle should have returned by now," Emily finally said and slowly they sauntered back to Charlotte and Sirius.

The little girl yawned. It was boring but she didn't leave the window seat where she sat and continued to look out of the window. Her mother had said that her father would return today and this he believed with all her might. She tried to remember how long her father had been away already but she didn't know it. To her it seemed to be incredibly long ago as he had read a goodnight story to her. The next day he had been away.

"Carolina, it's enough! Get immediately down there."

Caro flinched as she heard the voice of her mother. She didn't dare to object however so that she reluctantly slid off the window seat. Casting a glance back, she suddenly came to a halt.

"Dad," she whispered happily and like the wind she rushed upstairs and ran to the big entrance doors. Standing on tiptoe she tried to reach the handle. Although she managed it, she didn't succeed in opening the heavy doors. She looked up to her mother and wanted to ask if she couldn't help her. Her mother however had disappeared. So Caro had no choice but to wait. The time seemed to drag as she stared at the doors. Then they finally open and the tall black cloaked wizard spread out his arms.

The little black-haired girl laughed while she was whirled around by her father. Flinging her arms around him she said,

"Now you'll never go away again, will you?"

Her father sighed and shook his head.

"I'll have to go away still more times, Princess. But I will always come back."

Caro repressed her disappointment.

"Do you promise me?"

"Yes, my darling. I'll promise."

Comforted Caro snuggled to her father, happy that she finally could once again feel secure.