TW: Panic attack, talk of kidnapping.
Chapter - 19
Remus P.O.V
"Mr. Lupin," McGonagall's strict voice broke through Remus' privacy bubble. "Mr. Lupin, please follow me."
Usually, when McGonagall gave an order like that, it was for a bad prank that the marauders had played, something that ended up with another student injured. Every time, without fail, Remus was paralyzed with fear that he would be expelled or executed by the ministry because of that mistake and this time wasn't any different.
Silently, and quickly putting his books and parchment away, Remus followed McGonagall to her office.
This isn't anything new. It usually isn't too bad.
Remus told himself, and Moony seemed to wake up at that.
"Yes, but usually you know what it is you're being caught for."
Remus sighed, ignoring the wolf, much to its disgust and annoyance. Remus had too much on his mind to bother with Moony. There were too many pranks that Sirius and James could've played that could've gone wrong. There was too much at stake now – what with the horcruxes, and Voldemort. What deserved such a response from McGonagall?
The walk to her office felt like the longest in his entire life. It was worse than his first day at Hogwarts when he was sent to Dumbledore's office to discuss the arrangement for the full moons.
After years, they finally entered her office, and Remus was surprised to see it was empty, except for the two of them. Somehow, his relief flushed through him, even as he was filled with terror. Where were the others? What was wrong?
Remus sat in the tense silence, as McGonagall shuffled her papers. If he was being honest, he would say that she seemed nervous or uncomfortable. But she was never uncomfortable, she was never anything but professional and confident.
She spoke first, breaking the silence like a knife cut through melted butter. "Do you know where your friends are, Mr. Lupin?"
Remus shook his head in confusion, mind racing through thousands of possibilities and reasons for McGonagall to ask him such a question.
"Of course not, Professor."
He resisted adding, 'I've been sitting in the library all day, studying for my OWLs that are coming up. Do I look like someone who knows where my genius and impulsive friends are?'
"And when was the last time you saw your friends?"
Remus wracked his brains, scouring his memory for an answer to that. He'd seen Sirius and James the previous morning at breakfast. Lily, on Saturday night; and Peter, sometimes after breakfast.
He relayed all that to McGonagall, who refused to meet his eyes for some reason.
McGonagall said nothing, so Remus tentatively asked, "Why are you asking me all this?"
"Because Mr. Lupin, no one has seen your friends for the past day and a half."
Remus frowned. "Okay, and?"
"Mr. Lupin, your friends, Misters Black, Potter and Pettigrew as well as Ms. Evans, haven't been seen or heard from by anyone, not even the house-elves, since yesterday. That is a problem for the school to deal with, and a potential kidnapping situation."
Remus had never heard McGonagall sound so distressed and stern. It took him a few seconds to digest what had been said, and when it did register, he stared at her in shock.
His best friends, kidnapped? The fact that they were missing now took on a more ominous tone. The reality of the horrors going on outside Hogwarts, to children and adults alike settled into his bones like a greedy parasite looking to kill.
Abruptly, Remus remembered the children that had been taken hostage during the Christmas break. 5 of them had been found dead, the other 2, still missing. He didn't want to imagine how he would live if Peter, James, Sirius or even Lily were found dead. What he would do if his best friends never returned.
"Mr. Lupin, Remus," McGonagall sounded distant. "I'm truly sorry for springing this on you, but are you sure you have no clue where your friends could have gone?"
Remus tried to speak, say that he knew nothing. Why would he just be sitting there if he knew where his friends could be? None of them were in the castle or the house-elves would know. The Map was useless for finding them!
His head was pounding, and his vision was blurring. His lungs were burning, as though he wasn't getting enough air; but he was breathing fast, he could feel it.
The wolf was silent in his head, somehow managing to make him feel even worse. He wanted support, not distance.
"Remus?" The voices were far away, and familiar. But before he could respond, he was pulled into the darkness.
Remus made it a habit to be early for everything, or if not early, on time. Unfortunately, being friends with Sirius and James often meant procrastinating studies and work, being late to things and generally, breaking every habit Remus had painstakingly cultivated.
Speaking of James and Sirius had turned up two days later, citing an excuse that they were in St. Mungo's, recovering from a death eater attack. Later, when they told Remus the entire story, it was astounding and threatened to send Remus into another spiral of anxiety.
Unfortunately, Lily and Peter hadn't turned up like Sirius and James had. Remus had lost his mind with worry for his two friends, and the marauders, working with Snape for once, were trying to find them. It wasn't going very well, mainly because Snape blamed the marauders, and James was losing his patience with Snape in under twenty seconds every time they spoke.
As he dodged through the corridors for his latest study session with the Slytherins, two weeks into Lily and Peter's disappearance, Remus was running late. But somehow, his mind wasn't into all the activities the Hogwarts' staff had them completing. As if some project or duel or mentoring or studying would get his mind off the fact that his friends were missing.
Nearing the area where they usually studied, Remus slowed down ever more, almost dragging his feet. He stopped behind a bookshelf when he heard the hushed whispers.
"Are we eavesdropping?" Moony asked, doing the mental equivalent of peering over his shoulder. "I thought that wasn't ethical or good!"
It isn't. Remus replied and chose to focus on the conversation rather than Moony's accompanying commentary.
Recently, Moony had been braking the truce more often, testing Remus' capabilities. Remus, being concerned over everything else, was not happy about it, at all. But he also didn't have the energy to pick a fight with the wolf. Which is where the ignoring part came in.
Listening in on the conversation proved easier than he thought. A mere bit of concentration and he could hear their words.
"-hardly as though it's going to fall from the sky!" That was Crouch, sounding every bit as exasperated as Remus expected him to.
"Oh please, no one even knows what he wants. All you guys got were vague letters," Jorkins said, sounding much to flippant.
Without a doubt, Parkinson would take offense to that. And she did. There was a thud, followed by a muffled curse.
"Know your place, half-blood." Remus could picture Parkinson's sneer as she said that. "Our lord is more powerful that you could ever imagine. And he wants some letter from us, a letter that's at Hogwarts that contains valuable information. So, we will help. Do you understand me?"
Parkinson was clearly just repeating something she'd heard. But Remus had to stifle his laugh at the irony in the words. He didn't do it well enough because the Slytherins stiffened. Before they could turn and catch him eavesdropping, he stalked into their sight – just another late session with no suspicious information at all.
The fact that Voldemort knew that someone at the castle had the information he was looking for, was dangerous. Remus had to tell James and Sirius, but looking at the third year Slytherins' hard faces, Remus knew it was a problem for later.
He didn't notice a dark clothed figure slip out from their hiding place, a row behind Remus.
"Lupin." Posh and dangerous, Remus had heard that accent every day for the past 6 years. He would know the Blacks anywhere by the way they spoke. What was astounding was the Black the voice belonged to. Remus didn't expect Regulus Black to ever talk to him.
"Don't turn around," he continued, without pause, and Remus refused to roll his eyes.
"Where am I supposed to be going?" Remus asked, not slowing down for the shorter boy.
Regulus Black didn't often spend his time cornering students, holding them at wand point and keeping them as hostages; but Remus was sure that the boy knew what he was doing anyways.
"Right here, get in, Lupin."
Remus didn't know why Regulus kept repeating his name. They were the only two people in the corridor, and since it was in the old wing, not many people used it.
He turned to Regulus, who was blank faced as usual. Remus could've sworn that he would've been scowling if he was a normal person.
"Sit."
Remus did roll his eyes this time, but sat down on the conveniently placed, uncomfortable chair. He watched patiently as Regulus flicked his wand at the room door, putting up wards no doubt.
"You could've just asked to have a conversation, you know?" Remus said, when the boy lowered his wand slightly.
For his efforts, he was rewarded with an impressive glare, better than Sirius'.
"Listen, Lupin. I came here to tell you that my brother and your merry band are attracting attention to yourselves. Cut it out, or I'll be forced to deal with it."
Remus blinked once, and then again. "A - Are you saying you want us to go back to bullying Slytherins? Besides, why tell me this?"
Regulus gave his equivalent of a shrug, which was more of a 'are you dumb' look, but he didn't say anything.
Remus was starting to think that everyone around him was going to keep him waiting until the last second before they gave him information. Especially when they started the interrogation or hostage/kidnapper conversation.
"Let's just say I don't want Sirius dead yet."
Remus refused to dwell on the yet part, knowing it wouldn't do him any favors.
"Well, alright…" Remus was utterly confused where this was going. "Can I leave now? To tell your brother that we have to go back to bullying Slytherins?"
Regulus nodded very patronizingly for a 13-year-old and Remus was sure he learnt that from Sirius. It was a very Sirius move. With that absurd thought, and the utterly mind-boggling situation, Remus slowly moved to the door.
"Oh, and Lupin, keep your mudbloods close this summer."
Regulus brushed past him and disappeared round the corner before Remus could even muster up the thought of retorting to his statement.
With the bizarre scene leaving him in shock, Remus hardly noticed reaching the Fat Lady's portrait until he crashed into James in front of it.
"Remus, mate! There you are!" James threw an arm around his shoulder and leaned closer. "Have you been to see Poppy about your little problem?"
It was with a sinking feeling that Remus realized what day it was. And it explained why he was so lethargic and confused.
It was the day of the full moon.
Sorry for the late update this week! Next week's chapter will be up on Sunday (based on time zone this could be different)...
