Title: Saishū Yume
Author:
Ex-Professor Remus Lupin
Rating: R
Genre:
Action/Adventure/Alternate Universe/Romance
Era: None
Pairing(s):
Remus/Sirius, Severus/Harry
Summary: It starts,
as a simple kidnapping. It will become an adventure unlike any other
as a group of mismatched heroes find themselves drawn into a war for
not only their lives, but also their very souls.
Disclaimer: This
story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK
Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury
Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc.
No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is
intended.
Author's Note:
Before I write this chapter, I always try to say something to the
readers in the hopes that they might learn something. I doubt very
many people read these notes and I bet less than a quarter of them
ever take anything away from them beyond that I am a nutter.
I've been worried about this chapter because this is our first look into the city of Slytherin. I never wanted the city to be evil. I mean, this is the home of the Black Mage Conclave and where our newest villain makes his home (though not all the time) and I wanted to make this a city steeped in black magic and yet, not evil.
I can only hope that I
have succeeded. If not, than forgive me.
-
Chapter Thirteen
Unforeseen Consequence
-
The city was a dark
tangle of people spread out beneath the cold shade of a mountain.
Cursed with an eternal night, as the legend said, by the god of
death, the city was forever in the dark. It was home to the Black
Mage Conclave (just as Gryffindor was home to the White Mages,
Ravenclaw of Blue, and Hufflepuff of Red). The conclaves leader was
Tom, the son of the king. The most well known street in the city was
Knockturn Alley; it was also the location of the Black Mage Conclave
and several other less enchanting places.
It was here that Captain Ronald Weasley found himself, looking desperately for Prince Remus. He looked out of place in the crowd of magic users, many of them in black robes. A few red robed figures walked nearby, and one lone blue mage, a young woman with long blonde hair and sharp blue eyes, sat looking up and down the street as if looking for someone. There were no white mages.
Except one, Weasley thought to himself, checking his sword once again as he sidestepped passed a group of black mages discussing the Unforgivables in quiet voices. They looked sharply at him as he passed and he nodded nervously to them before pressing on. He found himself near the entrance to a small, dingy looking store filled with dangerous looking magical items. A sign above the door read in burnt black writing, 'Borgin and Burkes'.
Looking through the filthy window, he saw a thin figure dressed in black robes that were far too large browsing the bookshelves. The robes hung from his small frame, clearly too long and too wide in the shoulder. Sandy brown hair fell freely to the mages shoulder blades as they perused the shelves. Weasley breathed a sigh of relief as he pushed open the door and entered the tiny shop.
"–en't the time to be dealing with apprentices," the clerk was saying, his beady black eyes on the young man examining the books.
"I am looking for a specify book," Remus replied, not looking away from the books as he tapped each spine, reading the titles and moving down.
"Who is your Master?" the clerk demanded.
Remus looked slowly at him from beneath a fringe of dark sandy brown hair. It was clear he was racking his brain for a name that would shut this man up.
"Severus," he said finally, and returned to his perusal of the shelves.
The clerk's face transformed, the eyes widening in fear and he seemed ready to dispel this young mage from his store. Was Severus really so feared in this city? Weasley wondered.
"Your-Moony," Weasley said, approaching Remus. The prince found the book he had been looking for, making a sound of satisfaction in the back of his throat as he pulled it from the shelf and presented it to the frightened looking clerk. The man took the book hesitantly, asking for thirty gold pieces.
Remus looked up, smiling at the knight.
"I've found an excellent tome on summons," he said, pulling out the appropriate gold and handing it to the clerk.
"Do you want this wrapped?" the clerk asked nervously.
Remus shook his head.
"No, I will take it with me now," he accepted the text back and slipped the book in the bag that hung from his left shoulder, something he had picked up before they had left Ravenclaw.
"Yo-Moony, you should not be wandering around alone," Weasley said carefully. Remus looked sharply at him.
"I doubt anyone would recognize me," the prince said. They left the store and slipped back onto the crowded street. "I have my magic."
"As do they," Weasley murmured quietly as they headed toward the towering building ahead known as the Black Mage Conclave.
Made of black stone, the building was a tangle of towers and turrets shooting high into the air and blocking the city streets eternal view of the moon. Remus gazed up at the moon before it disappeared behind one of the Conclave's spindling towers. He was surprised when he realized that it had only been yesterday that he had drugged Sirius and the others and taken the train to Slytherin.
Approaching the building, Remus was surprised to see two familiar faces in the crowd outside of the building. An attractive young woman with a heart shaped face and long violet colored hair was speaking to a dark skinned man with cropped black hair standing outside of a shop. Both of them were dressed in leathers pants and vests similar to what Sirius wore on a regular basis, though he had rather liked the outfit he had worn the day of the festival.
"How long do you think it will take you to get back to Gryffindor?" the man was asking the woman.
"A few days perhaps by the tunnel," she answered lightly, leaning casually against the building. "What about you and that equipment we need?"
"Five days, maybe more."
"That long," the woman sighed with frustration. "You should let me stay and help."
"No, the boss needs to know what's going on and he gave us a week to get back word to him."
"Dora and Kingsley, right?" Remus asked, approaching them. Both thieves looked at him in surprise before recognizing him.
"You're still alive?" Dora asked grinning at him.
"Well," Remus nodded, "yes."
"Where's Sirius?" Kingsley demanded, looking sharply at Weasley before turning his black eyes to the prince once more. Remus looked down at his hands.
"We separated back in Ravenclaw," Kingsley looked significantly at Dora and then shrugged.
"Your Highness, don't talk to these street urchin," Weasley said softly. "We need to get going."
"Where are you going?" Dora asked.
"Gryffindor, I'm going to speak to my father," Remus answered. Weasley sighed in disbelief, lifting his head to the dark sky in the hope of getting some sort of answer as to why the prince was telling these people that he barely knew what they were doing.
"Really?" Dora's blue eyes brightened with sudden interest. "I'm heading that way as well. The boss and the rest of the group have been hiding out in the Forbidden Forest. Why don't I come with you?"
"We don't need your help," Weasley said, stepping between the thief and the prince.
"Weasley!" Remus cried. "Don't be so rude."
"Oh, he's been whipped," Dora joked. Weasley backed off, scowling at her and Kingsley. "Seriously though, would you mind terribly, if I came along?"
Remus shrugged, looking over at Weasley. The knight was pointedly looking at the ground, shaking his head. The prince sighed and turned back to the two thieves.
"I wouldn't mind at all," he said smiling.
"Course," Dora said suddenly. "I'm not leaving until tomorrow morning, would you mind waiting until then."
"No," Remus answered, "not at all."
-
The tunnel that Dora had planned on taking led from Slytherin to Gryffindor. It was known in the old stories as the Chamber of Secrets. Weasley had shown a certain hesitance in entering the strange tunnel. After bidding Kingsley goodbye, Remus and Weasley had followed Dora to High Street. There, she had led them to the entrance behind the inn.
The tunnel stretched into darkness before them as they had dropped into the darkness to find themselves in shin high water. The only light was a faint glow from the lantern that Dora held in her right hand. She had produced the lantern shortly before they had gone down the tunnel. Having dropped it twice already, she insisted on carrying it.
Weasley stood stoically at Remus' side, sword unsheathed and at the ready as he surveyed the tunnel. Elves were by nature, fearful of the dark. It represented everything that they feared: death, destruction, and evil. He was pleased that Dora seemed as nervous as he felt, but the prince's response to the situation was unnerving.
Remus stood silently before them both, eyes closed and hands clasped together over his chest. His head was bowed slightly forward, long strands of brown hair falling into his eyes. It seemed he was lost in prayer.
Gold eyes flared open suddenly and Remus stepped forward into the slowly moving water and out of the comfort of the lantern light. He was unusually sure of himself and it seemed to have infected Dora as well. The thief followed him out into the moving water, her footsteps never faltering as she walked over moss-slicked stones.
After a moment, Weasley followed, fearful of being left in the dark. His sharp, blue eyes narrowed as he surveyed the tunnel for fiends. He could see before him the faint auras of life that surrounded the other two. Dora's an aura of white as was with all humans. Remus' aura had once been the same white color; now, Weasley could see that it was a soft amber color.
Werewolf, Weasley thought with a shudder, his life magic is different. Too different said the elvish part of his brain, but he shoved that thought away. He had sworn to protect the prince. He had only failed once. He would not do so again.
They walked on in silence, Remus feeling the air around them and Dora concentrating on not tripping and dousing the light. The darkness pressed on them, weighing them down almost as if it were a physical creature in and of itself. Weasley felt nauseous, his hand slipped on his sword. It tipped forward, splashing into the water. Dora gasped, tripped over some imaginary pebble, and fell into the water. The lantern went out with a sizzle and they were plunged into darkness.
Weasley's breath quickened as his mind brought forth images of creatures that lived in dark places such as this. Inferi, Vampires, Acromantula, and Grindylow were such creatures. He shuddered as he listened for the sound of such creatures approaching them as Dora floundered out of the water, choking and gasping.
"Sorry," she said loudly. Her voice echoed down the tunnel into silence.
"We should head back," Weasley said. His voice was surprisingly steady considering his panic.
"No," Remus protested. "She comes."
"Who–?" Dora began, but she stopped as the water flared with blue light, lighting up the tunnel once more. Weasley reached out to the prince and grasped his arm, shaking him slightly.
"Don't call her, Your Highness, send her back," he ordered, his voice shaking now.
"She comes," Remus said, stepping away from Weasley, his gold eyes glowing faintly in the blue light. Hands clasped before him, he was whispering to the air, the words echoing, impossible to understand. The ground began to shake.
"R-Remus," Dora cried, falling over again. Weasley caught her this time, the both of them sliding into the water. His sword was lost beneath the water now and he did not intend to get it back.
Blue light flared and a serpent's head shot out from beneath the water. The body hidden beneath the now tumultuous water, but shimmering blue scales covered the long body as the tail, tipped with a narrow spade shaped fin whipped out of the water toward the prince.
"No!" Weasley cried.
The tail wound slowly around Remus' feet, not touching him but still trapping him. Sparkling violet colored wings flared from the serpent's body as it readied to strike him, jaws opening to reveal sharp, curved fangs.
"Leviathan, stop," Remus ordered, his voice scarily soft.
"Who dares speak my name?" the wyvern demanded her silver eyes wide with rage. The voice seemed to resonate through them, carrying wisdom and power of ancient creatures heard only in legends.
Frozen in fear, Weasley, still pinned by Dora's awkward weight on his chest, stared in wide-eyed wonder at this creature. She was the proof that the legends of the four heroes were true. It was She that empowered the eternal rains over Hufflepuff and it was She who held power over the waves and had flooded the Durmstrang Desert, turning it to a swamp and jungle. He gurgled in awe of this demi-God that had sworn to do the work of a mortal master.
"I did," Remus answered. Ron stared at the human prince.
"You mortal?" Leviathan asked, radiating surprise.
Her narrow serpent tail uncurled from around him as she moved forward to study him, winding her body around him once and leaning back, her wings flared out at her sides. She was smaller in this tunnel, but it seemed that she had the ability to change her size as she saw fit. The tip of her tail came out of the water suddenly, the sharp point tipping the prince's face upward so that he was forced to meet her eye.
"Have you come to claim me, mortal?" she asked, taking in his bedraggled black robes and rail thin body.
"You seek a summoner to call master," Remus responded calmly, meeting her silver eyes with his gold. She tilted her head slightly it seemed that she chuckled in amusement.
"What do you have little Wolf that would make you worthy of my power?" she asked, her voice softer now, eye paling to a warm molten silver color.
"I am the master of Bahamut, the king of dragons," Leviathan laughed aloud at this.
"Bahamut, king of dragons, is nothing but a child to me. Do you think you can master the goddess of water?"
Remus was silent, staring into her eyes. Finally, he spoke, "I ask only that you work with me, as Shiva and Odin have also agreed to do. I ask that you be my ally, not my slave," Leviathan reared away from him, unwinding from around him and gazing at him in amazement.
"You speak wisely, you summoner, I consent to this and I shall call you master," the tunnel flared with blue light as Leviathan reared up, striking Remus in the chest. Her body dissolved into blue light as she disappeared into his chest and he fell back into the quickly darkening tunnel, coughing.
"C-can you get us to Gryffindor?" Remus asked as Weasley and Dora stumbled to their feet, rushing over to him, ready to demand an explanation.
"How quickly does the river run?" the tunnel filled with the sound of rushing water. "Do not fear; you will not have to hold your breath as long as you are with me."
-
They arrived in the docks of Gryffindor sometime just before sundown. The three of them stood on Dock Three, dry as they had been before entering the tunnel. Remus seemed nonplus about it, but Dora and Weasley were quick to grab him.
"What was that?" Dora asked, looking at the prince in wonder.
"An Eidolon," Remus explained. "Beasts of legend who agree to do the bidding of specially gifted mortals. The water god of the Hufflepuff legend or the ice goddess of the Ravenclaw legend; both were Eidolons."
Dora stared at Remus, clearly amazed at this new revelation.
"You mean he's like a summoner?" she clarified.
"Yes," Remus replied, walking toward the door that would take them to the stairs into the castle. "Now, we must find my father."
They walked into the next room, a large round room from which equally space doors led in all directions. Weasley gazed into the room as Dora followed the prince inside.
"I don't remember this," he said following Dora into the room.
The door slammed shut behind them. Weasley rushed to it, jiggling the handle desperately, but it was stuck now. He cursed and turned back to find Dora and Remus trying doors as well.
"Thanks for dropping in," looking up; they could see two black robed figures standing on a niche some ten feet above their heads.
"Zabini! Nott! It's me, Prince Remus; I've come to see my father!" Remus yelled up at them, still shaking the doorknob.
"Oh, you'll see your father whether you want to or not," Nott crowed.
"What are you talking about?" Remus cried.
-
Remus, now dressed in a white, full-sleeved mage's robe, stood by the window of his bedchamber. It had been an hour since he had been led, almost forcibly from the docks to his room by Zabini and Nott. He had taken a shower and changed, tossing the black robes into the trash. His hair was brushed out and pulled loosely away from his face into a white ribbon, leaving the strands to fall into his gold eyes. The robes were cinched at his waist by a gold belt that rested easily on his hips. The links shaped like leaves, it had been a gift from his mother for his sixteenth birthday shortly before she had died.
A few months after her death in July, Remus' father had begun to act strangely. He seemed more suspicious of everyone around him. Several soldiers had been hung as spies and traitors. All quiet executions of course, but Remus had heard about them by listening to the other knights late at night when they talked, thinking him asleep.
The door opened and Nott entered, his stringy brown hair falling messily into his face as he looked hungrily at the prince. Remus nearly cringed when he entered and grabbed his arm.
"Your father demands your presence now," Nott said, smirking at Remus as he nearly dragged him from his bedchamber into the sitting room toward the door to the hall. Remus jerked his arm from the black mage's grip, glaring at him as they entered the hall.
"Where are Dora and Weasley?" he demanded. Nott shrugged, grinning at him for a moment before he pulled open the door into King Cornelius' private study.
"You're friends are taken care of, don't worry about them," he said, pointing the prince into the room. Remus' gold eyes narrowed and with a growl, he stalked into his father's study.
King Cornelius stood behind his desk, looking thoroughly pleased with himself as he studied something on his desk. When his son entered the room, he looked up sharply, smiling kindly. He closed the book he had been examining and walked out from behind the desk to pat his son warmly on the shoulder.
"Welcome home," he said. Remus glared impotently at his father.
"Why?" he demanded. "Why did you attack Hufflepuff?"
Cornelius seemed taken aback by the question. He stepped away from his son and sighed. This was proving to be more difficult than he had hoped it would be.
"They were planning on attacking our kingdom," he explained, proud of himself for coming up with this on the spot. "If we hadn't retaliated they would have destroyed us."
"You're lying," Remus growled. Cornelius studied his son for a moment before he turned away, shrugging.
"Yes, I am lying, you're perceptive son," he said softly. "Now, as to why I brought you here."
He lifted up a small glass bell sitting on his desk and rang it. A soft chime filled the air and the door opened once more. Remus turned around. A black mage stepped into the room. Remus almost said Sirius' name when he saw the man, but he stopped himself. This man wasn't Sirius.
He stepped away from the black mage as he walked toward him. His grey eyes were so like Sirius' and yet, they were cold where Sirius' were warm. The black hair, while longer, had the same sheen and likely, Remus thought absently, the same texture.
"The canary returns to his cage," the man said with a soft smile, reaching out and grabbing Remus' arm and pulling him toward him.
"Let go of me," Remus growled, gold eyes narrowing dangerously. The other man was built how Sirius was, but this was different and Remus didn't like it at all.
"Can you do it, Regulus?" Cornelius demanded from his desk.
Regulus looked toward the king of Gryffindor and nodded. With a small smile, he wound his right arm around Remus' waist. His left hand lifted up and Remus jerked away from him, afraid he was going to do what Sirius had done back in Ravenclaw. Instead, the warm hand passed over his eyes.
"Sleep," Regulus ordered. His voice was soft and soothing. Remus felt his eyelids slipping shut and he struggled against the spell. With a faint sound of protest, he slipped into enchanted sleep, collapsing in Regulus' arms.
Regulus gazed at him for a moment. "Such a pretty face," he said.
"Shut up, just get it over with," Cornelius growled. "We need to leave for the Burrow soon."
Regulus looked at him for a moment, than with a shrug, he lifted his hand and passed it over the prince's face, "Imperio."
-
Author's Note: This
was a particular long chapter because I didn't want to split up
Remus' adventure into two chapters. I thought it might be rather
cruel. Of course, now that I think about it, the way this chapter
ends is a bit of a cliffhanger...sorry.
A note if anyone cares to know, chapter one begins March tenth, it is now March sixteenth at the end of this chapter. Next chapter is March seventeenth.
Also, the spells in this story jump between Harry Potter spells, which sound cool and will mostly be used for really powerful magic such as the spell that Regulus just cast of Remus, while Final Fantasy spells will be used for less powerful spells like Fire, and Blizzard. The healing wind that both Ginevra and Hagrid have used is called White Wind...it is both a blue magic spell and a dragon knight skill/ability because well...I said so...just be glad for Sirius' new weapon. I felt the need to upgrade him from a couple of daggers to something far cooler looking, like a double sided sword.
For people that care to know as well, the blades are from katanas...this is the weapon know only as Masamune...though not nearly as powerful.
Next Chapter: Sirius, Severus, Ginevra, Seamus, and Hagrid arrive at the Burrow to find far more than they expected...
