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: Finally, the end result of much fuss and hard work. I do hope this chapter meets with your standards. I suppose the main reason I'm getting a bit lax is because we're getting into actual plot-plot. More thanks to my beta, HK, for dealing with the stupid mistakes that I make when I have to write at two in the morning.
-
Chapter Twenty-Three
The Whomping Willow Revisited
-
Remus sat at the table, anxiously picking at the stone with his fingernails as Sirius and Harry stood nearby. "Where's Severus?" he asked, looking about as if he half expected the mage to step out of thin air.

"After you left, he went to sleep. I don't want to wake him," Harry explained.

Sirius nodded, looking over at the prince.

"Well?" Remus shook his head.

"I have no memory of my early childhood," Remus admitted quietly. "I never really questioned it. I was raised in Gryffindor – but I was six when I first arrived there."

"Six!" Sirius sat down heavily into the opposite chair. "But, where were you before that?"

"Until I turned six…" Remus bit his lip. "I – I suppose I must have been here in Godric's Hallow."

"But," Harry bounced on his heels, looking as if he knew something.

"I don't remember much," Remus said softly. "But, thirteen years ago there was some sort of fire here twelve years ago. When it happened, I was – I was on a boat, like the one at the dock now, with my father – my real father."

"How did you get to Gryffindor, then?" Harry asked. "I mean, you're a summoner, so you should have stayed in the village."

"I don't know, but I think maybe someone…someone has to have been there that can tell me," Remus replied.

"Granger," Sirius said suddenly. Remus and Harry looked at him questioningly. "She's been a knight of Gryffindor for twelve years, she might know something."

"You're right," Remus said brightly.

"Remus, welcome home," Harry said suddenly, smiling widely at the prince.

"I – thank you," he said, smiling softly in return.

Harry laughed.

"I'm not alone anymore," he said happily, clapping his hands together. "Sirius, I've made my decision. I'm going to go with you guys. I know I'm breaking my promise to my father, but I want to find him. Besides," he grinned, "he always told me to be honest with myself."

Remus smiled.

"I'm glad you're coming with us, Harry," he said kindly. "I don't know what the future holds, but I'm going back to the Whomping Willow."

"Excellent," Sirius grinned. "Regulus will come now. We killed that thing and we'll be there to meet him. All of us."

-

The next morning, they stood in the middle of Harry's living room. Sirius was still dressed in his frayed clothes from the day before. Harry had offered him some of his father's things, but Sirius had turned them down, saying he'd stick to the destroyed leather over denim and cotton any day. Severus muttered something about being indecent and Sirius grinned.

"If I were being indecent, I think I'd have a little less on," Sirius pointed out. "But, the simple fact is, I've got royalty here so I'm going to behave," he winked at Remus, causing the prince to flush in embarrassment.

"Master Harry!" one of the House Elves appeared suddenly, looking terrified. "The human who is attacking you is returning!"

"Calm down Dobby," Harry instructed. Immediately the Elf was quiet, emerald eyes wide with fear. "Now, what is going on?"

"He was just telling you that I'm at your doorstep," came a soft feminine voice from the doorway.

Narcissa stood there, her white blonde hair pulled lazily from her face and into a ponytail that hung down to her waist. Her leather top was torn over her stomach, but the ugly red scar beneath was the only evidence of her almost deadly wounds from the day before. She was holding her sword's handle delicately with one hand so that the tip of the blade was pressed into the stone floor.

"Narcissa," Severus breathed.

"Severus," her gray eyes softened for just a moment and then she sneered. "I didn't come here for a trip down memory lane. You!" she glared at Sirius.

"What?"

"You let me live yesterday!"

Sirius frowned.

"Are you that unhappy that I let you live?" he asked.

"I would rather die a warrior than live a beggar," Narcissa snapped in reply.

"Well, if you're expecting me to kill you, you'll be here all day," Sirius said finally, pale eyes narrowed enough to make it clear that he was completely serious.

"No," she shook her head. "You have spared my life so I owe you a life debt."

Sirius shook his head.

"Don't worry about it," he instructed.

"Shut up," she growled and he fell silent. "I owe you a life debt and I intend to repay it so until I have saved your life, I will follow you."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Severus growled, stepping forward. "You're just going to wait until the opportunity presents itself and slit his throat."

Narcissa smiled bitterly.

"If you are talking about the death of my sister's husband than you are deeply misinformed like the rest of them," she said harshly. "I know that trust was lost between us when you were younger, but I vow that I will not betray you."

She fell to her knees suddenly, looking distraught.

"I have lost my son to this Regulus, let me help you," she asked. "If only for the sake of the life debt I owe you, Sir," she met Sirius' eye.

Severus snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Sirius looked over at him and then back down at Narcissa and sighed, "Okay."

-

The journey to the Whomping Willow was uneventful. Severus walked at the rear of the group, dark eyes on Narcissa as she strode beside Sirius. Remus was silent, lost deep in thought, but as the Willow loomed up and into view, the prince sidled up to Sirius and asked him quietly. "How do you know – I mean, about Severus and Harry?" he asked.

Sirius just barely heard him and he was confident that was only because his hearing was as sensitive as a dogs. It had been an added effect with his being able to turn into a dog.

"What do you mean?" he asked, hoping Remus would clarify.

The prince sighed, checking to make sure that Harry, talking rapidly to Narcissa as they walked, couldn't hear them. Narcissa was looking at him in amusement as he spoke about his village and summoners and about why he was traveling with Sirius.

"How do you really know that – they're…" the prince trailed off into silence and Sirius decided to fill in the bubble.

"Like me?" he asked, quietly. Remus seemed startled, biting his lip and looking toward the Willow before he nodded. "Harry's easier to identify," Sirius said with a small frown, "of course, when we get back to the continent we'll have to watch him. He's a lot more obvious about his sexuality than Severus or I."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked and Sirius stopped, staring hard at him.

"You really are oblivious aren't you?" he asked.

"Hey!" Remus protested.

"Hey what?" Harry chirped. Severus rolled his eyes and Narcissa laughed, gray eyes dancing in amusement.

"Never mind," Sirius said, waving his hand dismissively. "Hurry up, you guys, I want to get there before lunch."

-

"So you defeated some sort of monster claiming to be a collector of souls and working for and or with Regulus?" Narcissa clarified as they stood at the edge of the Willow's root system, gazing up at the massive tree.

"In layman's terms," Sirius replied. "Which hopefully means that Regulus will show up."

"I see," Narcissa said, gray eyes narrowed. She hadn't expected them to be so powerful as to defeat one of Regulus' creatures.

From above, they heard a roar. Harry looked up alarmed and Severus sighed.

"Regulus' dragon, Silvara," he explained. "He had it with him in Hufflepuff."

"He did?" Sirius asked.

"You were unconscious," the mage answered.

"Look," Harry said, pointing skyward to a silver spot against the blue sky.

-

Regulus smirked as he gazed down at the Whomping Willow. The soul collector had been defeated. It didn't matter.

"I've longed for this day," he said, petting Silvara's long neck. "This is the day when I finally cast off this mask and reveal my true self."

"What of the Whomping Willow?" Silvara asked, twisting her neck a bit as she turned toward the Willow.

"It doesn't matter," he said dismissively. "In the long run, it means nothing. Come; let us watch the drama unfold from the trunk of the Willow. No one shall interrupt us there."

Nodding, the silver dragon began her decent.

-

Sirius reached down, offering his hand to Remus as they climbed over a particularly wide root. Narcissa had simply jumped up onto the root. Sirius was sure she had to be part elf if she could leap about like that. The prince caught his hand and Sirius hauled him up onto the root just as Severus swung Harry up so that he could catch a hold of the root and hoist himself up.

The mage accepted Sirius' offered hand and they all stood up, checking each other before they made their way toward where a large silver dragon rested carefully on a wide root up ahead.

-

Regulus was talking again, this time almost to himself, as Silvara wasn't paying any attention, her eyes watching the five as they made their way along the roots toward them. "The weak lose their freedom to the strong," he said softly. "It is the way of the strong and it is the providence of nature that only the strong survive."

He stopped for a moment, staring out across the ocean stretching before him. He could see the ships now, red in the sun. "This is why I needed strength. I learned of power that would daunt even him twelve years ago. Such a long time, but now, now I have the power I need. I am ready to strike!"

Silvara growled and Regulus turned just as Sirius and the others appeared on the root below him, gazing angrily up at him. "So you've come this far, have you?" he asked mockingly. "Perfect; I'll warm up on you until the idiot arrives."

-

"You are Regulus are you not?" Remus asked. "The one that convinced my father to start the war?"

"The war that threw your continent into chaos?" Regulus asked.

"How many people died because of you?" Sirius demanded.

"Such anger," Regulus purred, placing a hand over his chest as if he has been wounded. "But yes, so many lives thrown away for the prince's idiot father's little schemes."

"Shut up!" Sirius shouted, stepping forward menacingly.

Regulus arched a delicate eyebrow at him and laughed, shaking his head.

"First you ask me questions and then when I try to answer, you don't want to listen," he smirked. "Oh brother…but now, I don't suppose you're ready for that."

"Don't you feel anything?" Remus demanded. "Think of the lives–"

Regulus cut him off, "Spare me the lecture. People die all the time. I hardly see what the difference is if you push the process along a bit. Besides, I am not the only one to blame. Your father, my prince, wanted this war. He said he would do anything, even kill you, in order to gain control over the continent. It breaks my heart to see such greed."

"Liar! My father was a good, kind man! You changed him!" Remus shouted, fists clenching.

Silvara growled. Her blue eyes narrowed dangerously as she swung her head toward the water.

"Ah, the curtain rises!" Regulus cried. "Come, little wolf, see your father! Act one: The End of Ugly Desire!"

-

Cornelius narrowed his eyes as the warships neared the Whomping Willow. It had been difficult tracking the damn mage back here, but he had managed it and now, "You're all that stands between me and world domination," he growled. "I'll use the powers you gave me to defeat you."

-

"Shit," Sirius breathed.

"Your father isn't satisfied with just one continent," Regulus was talking again, his gray eyes trained on Remus. "His stupidity is truly impressive! Everything is going exactly as I thought it would."

"What do you mean?" Sirius growled.

"You're just the opening act. Now, it's time for the real show."

"We won't let you get away!" Remus said, stepping forward suddenly.

Regulus laughed, waving his hand, "Firaga," he said lightly.

There was a brilliant flash of light and fire erupted around the prince's body.

"Remus!" Sirius shouted.

"Water!" Severus conjured a blast of water that left Remus on his knees soaking wet and coughing, his robes and skin burned.

"Remus," Sirius knelt down beside him, glaring at Regulus as he pulled himself up onto Silvara's back. "You'll pay for this."

"Somehow, I doubt it," Regulus said as Silvara took off into the sky, swooping down toward the ships.

Narcissa laughed.

"Unbelievable," she said, throwing her hands up into the air. "The idiot that hired me to take care of you guys and the psycho that apparently started the whole thing are duking it out. I say we get the fuck out of here before we get dragged into it."

"She's right," Sirius said, looking at the others.

"Sirius," Remus pleaded. "I can't. I can't let anything happen to my father."

"Remus?"

"I have to save him!" Remus' voice was panicked now.

"Remus, he extracted Eidolons from you and started a war!" Sirius shouted.

"I still don't want him to die!"

"But he didn't care if you lived or died!" Sirius shook him a bit. "You don't have to call him your father anymore!"

"He's my only father!" Remus jerked his arm out of Sirius' grasp. "I don't care if you don't understand!"

Turning away from Sirius, who was staring at him in shock, Remus moved quickly toward Harry, grabbing the summoner's shoulder to get his attention. Harry started a bit and Severus stepped forward, eye narrowed.

"Harry, you said there was an Eidolon here, right?" Remus demanded.

"Y-yeah. I mean, that's why we came here yesterday wasn't it, to find the Eidolon," he answered hesitantly, looking bewildered at this strange line of questioning from the normally put together prince.

"Are there places here that might be holy?" Harry bit his lip nervously and he nodded, lifting up his arm and pointing toward the Willow's trunk.

"It's a long way, but that mass of roots has a small obelisk at its center. The summoner tribe used to pray there–"

"Right," and Remus was gone.

"Remus!" Sirius shouted after him.

"This is insane," Narcissa grumbled. "You people are idiots."

"He's upset, give him some credit," Harry said angrily.

"We need to go after him," Sirius said, looking sharply at the others before he took off after Remus.

-

It wasn't hard to move down the roots, praying for help from the gods as he made his way toward the obelisk. Sliding down a particularly wide root, he dropped down onto a flat, circular platform surrounded by roots. At it's center stood a black onyx obelisk that glimmered in the sunlight.

Please help me, he pleaded, placing a hand on the smooth surface. Energy swirled up from the ground, blowing his hair and robes as something, the thing they had come to find in the first place, reached out to him, he gasped, recognizing the Eidolon that was offering her services.

"No," he breathed, falling to his knees at the obelisk's base. "I can't use you to help my father."

"Remus!" Harry's swift footsteps neared and a pair of small hands were shaking him shoulder. "Do you realize what you have? This is the legendary serpent, Leviathan!"

"Leviathan?" Severus asked from where he and Sirius had stopped. Narcissa was standing at the top of the roots, watching whatever was going on between Regulus and Cornelius.

"Leviathan is an Eidolon who wipes out her enemies with a huge tidal wave," Harry said softly. "I'm sorry, Remus."

"It's not your fault," the prince stood up. "My father is still in danger."

"You may want to come and see this!" Narcissa shouted.

-

"Your Majesty, he is within range for our cannons," Cornelius glowered at the soldier as she spoke, her eyes wide with fear beneath her helmet.

"Regulus thinks he can defeat me with that pitiful dragon," he growled and the soldier stepped back hesitantly. "He doesn't know true power."

"Your Majesty," Cornelius turned toward the black mage lounging against the deck balcony, black hair messy and windblown. "It would be in your best interest if you backed down and left him alone. He is far more powerful then he lets on. After all, he did draw those Eidolons that you've been using."

"Yes, well, one of them escaped my control," the mage smirked. "Why are you here James? Shouldn't you be with Regulus?"

"Of course I should be," James grinned. "I wanted to warn you. He'll slaughter half of your army without a thought. I'd rather that not happen."

"Why? What are you up to?" Cornelius demanded.

"Nothing."

"Good, now get out, I'm going to kill Regulus and his little dragon and then nothing will stand in my way."

James shook his head, "You really are a fool," he said.

Cornelius didn't hear him, turning his back once more on the mage and removing a small glowing mass of black energy. James Disapparated with a crack of magic and the nearby soldiers bit their lips and looked fearfully on.

"Come to me! Bahamut, king of Dragons!"

-

Regulus smirked as a ring of fire appeared on the water before King Cornelius' battleship. He reined Silvara in a bit and watched, smirking as Bahamut flew out from the circle, twisting his long black body, wings stretching as magical energies bound him to the will of the Gryffindor king. Red eyes narrowed as they fell on Regulus and Silvara roared as the Eidolon began to pull energy from the air around them.

Bahamut flew toward them, spitting fire as he neared Regulus and Silvara. There was a flash of fire and the ground near the Whomping Willow exploded just beneath Regulus. Silvara appeared from the smoke, hacking, Regulus sitting calmly on her back. He was watching Bahamut in amusement as the Eidolon drew back.

He frowned, fingers moving to his hairline. Drawing back, he saw blood. He smiled, almost demonically and turned Silvara back toward Bahamut.

-

"I've heard the stories, but I didn't think summoning could be so powerful," Narcissa said, shading her eyes with her hand. If this was the sort of power Sirius and his friends were after, she had best be careful.

"We can win! Harry," the summoner was standing to the side, trying to calm down one of his House Elves who had just appeared.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked.

"He's terrified," Harry said as the Elf jabbered.

"Why? This is the last Eidolon. Bahamut the Dragon King! We'll win for sure," Remus said. Sirius looked away from the battle and frowned. He didn't want to say anything, but Regulus didn't look very hurt. In fact, it looked like he was doing something. What did he have up his sleeve?

-

"Excellent job, Cornelius," Regulus said laughing. "You even managed to hurt me…a little. Well, time for the next scene. Cornelius, your tragic role in this drama comes to an end! I'm sure you'll enjoy the second act from your soul's hellish prison, since the stage will be your former home and from there we leave this pitiful place and I will kill my nemesis with my own hands!"

He laughed.

"Everything is going according to plan!"

Lifting his hands to the sky, the sky turned black and clouds swirled into view. It was a frightening image as a large eye appeared from the clouds. Waving his hand again, beams of energy flew from the eye toward Bahamut. The Eidolon struggled as the energy wrapped around him, seeping into his black body.

He fought, forcing some of the energy waves back across the water toward the Gryffindor fleet. Soldiers fell to the ground, grasping their heads in pain as Cornelius fell over, screaming in agony. It only lasted a moment, but as he struggled to his feet, blinking in agony, he saw the reason for his soldier's cries of terror.

Bahamut hovered just in front of them, red eyes narrowed and energy crackling around him.

"No," Cornelius gasped, stumbling back.

Bahamut drew a breath and with a roar of rage, attacked the ship. There was a flash of energy and the Gryffindor fleet was destroyed.

-

"I'm not sure why that Eidolon attacked the one who summoned it," Severus said slowly. "I suspect that eye that appeared in the sky had something to do with it. We found King Cornelius on the beach near the Whomping Willow, next to his escape pod. How he had managed to make it that far still astounds me."

Albus nodded, watching his nephew as Harry helped him out of the escape pod, Narcissa lingering nearby, deep in thought.

"We should be happy that he's dead," Sirius interjected, his eyes on the prince. "But, Remus is so lost. I want to cry."

-

"I – I can hear my son's voice," Cornelius' voice was broken, almost painful to hear as he rasped out words.

"Father, I'm here," Remus said, clutching at his father's hand, tears rolling down his face. "Right here."

"It's over," Cornelius breathed. "I'm free…free of that…ter-terrible greed."

"Father!"

-

"We used the king's escape pod and made our way back to Alexandria," Harry said quietly. "We brought Remus' father with us."

"You mean you brought the body?" Albus asked curiously.

"Remus wanted to give him a proper burial," Sirius replied.

-

A week later, General Granger stood beside the final resting place of King Cornelius. The marble stone at the head of the grave was etched with king's name. Still nursing a broken wrist, she had left her sword in its sheath at her side. Weasley stood on the opposite side, his sword balanced on its blade before him. A bandage was wrapped around his forehead beneath his helmet and he still sporting a black eye.

Albus stood at the grave, his wife beside him.

"Your father, despite his recent behavior before his death, was well loved by the kingdom," Albus said. "They've left a number of flowers at the grave and most of the kingdom is wearing black."

The emperor himself was wearing black robes, cinched at the waist with a blue sash, his auburn hair tied back neatly. His wife, wearing a deep navy dress, had her hair pulled up once more, her face lined with grief as she gazed at her brother's grave.

"General Granger and Captain Weasley escaped Ravenclaw along with Princess Ginevra," he pressed on, though he knew the one he was speaking to wasn't listening, "as did Captain Weasley's soldiers. A total of twenty brave men, they are of course, the only means of defense for this kingdom now."

"Remus," Minerva said, turning around. "You need to know this."

"I heard you," Remus said softly from where he stood at the edge of the dock on the small island at the center of the expanse of water between the city and castle. "Thank you Granger, and thank you Weasley for your support."

"Your Highness," Granger said, bowing her head, "we will do whatever is necessary to help you in this time."

"Thank you, but I must carry the burden of ruling Gryffindor alone."

"In three days, we will perform the necessary ceremonies, thus making you king of Gryffindor," Albus said, coming up behind his nephew and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Minerva will remain here for some time to help you. You have nothing to fear. Take the throne with full confidence."

Remus nodded.

"I will become a better king then even my father," he said fiercely, turning around and looking at his uncle. "I ask only for your support."

"And you have it."

-
Author's Note: Thus the curtain falls on our Second Act. I breathe a sigh of relief and prepare for the next Act in which Regulus will play a major part. This chapter was longer than I expected, but that's a good thing.

Next Chapter: As the days until the crowning approach, the others are united, and Sirius must deal with his own feelings about the whole thing…