Title: Saishū Yume
Author: Ex-Professor Remus
Lupin
Rating: R
Genre: Alternate
Universe/Action/Adventure/Romance
Era: None
Pairing(s): Remus/Sirius,
Harry/Severus
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: I'm a bit
put out by the lack of response from readers. I know the fics getting
hits, but barely any reviews. Ah well. It's not like I'm going to
hold the fic hostage or something. This is my baby. It's getting
written regardless of review. Of course, reviews are loved. Sadly, I
got stuck on this chapter. I doubt that makes this chapter any better
than the others, but I hope you guys like this. Sadly, it's a bit
short and it feels rushed to me. Thanks once again to my Padfoot for
being my beta.
-
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The Next Step
-
Gryffindor is gone.
I still can't believe it.
So many people were killed and the survivors are homeless and destitute.
How could this have happened?
Perhaps I shouldn't have listened to Harry and summoned Hogwarts…no. It's not his fault. It's mine. I never should have run away from home. I got everyone involved in this: Sirius, Severus, Weasley…everyone. Perhaps if I had stayed with Father I could have stopped him. This is my entire fault.
I shouldn't assume the throne.
I thought I could make amends for what Father did, but I've only brought misery to everyone.
What am I going to do now?
-
"The town is in shambles I've heard. So many innocent lives were lost," Weasley, nursing several broken ribs, was seated at the table in the meeting room in the Great Library; he was no longer wearing his armor, having opted for a pair of loose pants and a shirt the color of dried blood.
"I can imagine," Albus said gently, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "I haven't yet had the courage to see what befell Gryffindor. It is bad enough to see the destruction upon my own city."
"Remus is beyond despair," Minerva said gently. "It seems in his grief, he has lost his ability to speak."
"What?" standing up, Weasley winced as the bandages beneath his shirt pulled against his movements.
"Master Weasley, do not strain yourself; you and General Granger both seem eager to make your recovery last as long as possible," Albus said grimly.
"Hermione? She's here?"
"Yes, several dozen citizens and such volunteered to go with some of my soldiers to help in the clean up of Gryffindor. They found you, General Granger, and several others, staff of the castle no doubt, beneath the rubble. You both should thank the white mage that healed you," Minerva said sternly.
Weasley eased back into his chair, glancing toward the doors once more. It had been two days since the destruction of Gryffindor and the knight had spent them unconscious. Upon awakening, he had been asked to see Emperor Albus. He had yet to hear anything of the prince and this new revelation did nothing to ease his doubts.
"I shall remember to thank them," Weasley said, "but first, I would like to gather the others. We need to figure out what to do from here. Regulus must pay for what he has done to Gryffindor."
Albus nodded, holding up one hand absently.
"I already have such a meeting planned for later this evening. Until then, you are free to go. I thank you for your report. I will have to ask you to retell what you have heard, if you do not mind," Albus said, standing up.
Weasley eased himself out of the chair and bowed carefully, wary of his wounds and not wanting to aggravate them further.
"Certainly, Your Majesty."
-
Two day. Two days since and he had only just managed to return to his home. With a growl of fury, Regulus threw the doors open with a loud bang. The room beyond was empty, except for James sitting in the corner, nursing a broken arm, still unset, and watching him with impassive brown eyes. Gray eyes flashed toward the black robed mage.
"That old fool can't do anything to me! He can't kill me!" Regulus snarled. "Nothing can! Besides, he's too late. The wheels are already in motion."
"You're not immortal you know," James said quietly.
Regulus didn't acknowledge his statement.
"I won't let him interfere!" he paused, straightening up and glaring at James. "Are the preparations complete?"
"I don't know. If you haven't noticed, I've got a broken arm because of him," James grumbled.
"I don't care. Sirius' role in this is far from over. Make sure everything is done. I'm going to rest," watching as Regulus disappeared into his bedroom, James sighed, collapsing back into the wall and clutching his arm.
"Okay."
-
"The work is going quite well," Minerva said watching impassively as workers tried to repair the clock tower in the Theatre District. Albus stood next to her, gazing intently as the clock face was hoisted up into the air.
"It would appear so," Albus said quietly. "We've started rebuilding the airship. Most of the engineers from the Industrial District have volunteered. Our people are strong. It is a shame that it took such a disaster to prove it."
Minerva placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Their faith in you helps them remain strong."
Albus was silent for a moment, and then with a nod, he turned away from the clock tower.
"Come, I'm sure the others are waiting."
-
Hufflepuff, The Burrow, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor," Ginevra said gently, gazing intently at the table she was standing at, dressed in a soft white mourning robe. "Regulus has destroyed three of the four nations. The only one left standing is Slytherin and I fear that it only stands to mock us."
"The question we must ask is; what is he trying to accomplish?" Severus demanded from across the table. He was sitting in one of the high backed chairs scowling at Ginevra.
"Does it matter?" Sirius asked impatiently, standing up from his chair. "I say we find him and kill him."
"It's not that easy," Narcissa said easily from where she stood leaning against the wall near the doors. "He's too powerful for us. How do you plan on defeating him?"
Sirius fell silent, glowering at her for a moment. Remus placed his hand on Sirius' arm. Sirius glanced down at him and then with a sigh, sat down.
"I don't know," he admitted.
"Well, we can't ignore the situation. Regulus must be stopped," Ginevra said, looking around the table.
"Indeed," Weasley murmured.
"Yeah, well that's easier said than done," Sirius grumbled. "We haven't got an airship to look for him."
"Sirius is correct," Albus agreed. "The airship that we are working on now won't be finished for another two weeks. The only thing we have is a ship from when the Gryffindor soldiers had control over the city. It was damaged during the battle."
"So what now?" Harry piped.
"The village," Severus said suddenly.
"What?" Sirius asked, looking confusedly at the mage.
"The village that we were captured in. They may be able to tell us something. Perhaps they have seen Regulus. After all, we found him at the Willow. He could be hiding somewhere on the continent," the mage replied, turning toward Harry. "Can you speak their language?"
"Not very well, but enough," Harry said with a nod.
Albus smiled.
"Excellent," he said. "I can have the ship stocked and ready within an hour."
"Good, we're leaving as soon as we're ready," Sirius said with a grin.
"Remus, are you coming?" Harry asked suddenly, looking over at the prince as he stood up.
The prince nodded, glancing at Sirius and then looking to his uncle.
"It would probably be best," Albus said. "I believe the General Granger will be able to care for Gryffindor and the repairs in your stead."
-
The ship cut through the water like a knife moving along the coast north toward the continent of Durmstrang. Even with the ship's speed, it would still take two days, which left the group nothing to do but prepare. Remus spent most of his time trying to get his magic to work without being able to speak. It only frustrated the prince more so Sirius had taken to spending his time telling stories of his adventures with the Marauders. It had kept most of them interested.
When the first day ended and night fell, the captain was relieved and another person put to directing them toward the northern continent. Everyone else retreated to the lower deck and the double bunks that had been put in and provided more than enough beds for them all. The first night, Remus had climbed into Sirius' bunk, and again on the second, and as the sun rose they arrived on the same beach as before.
"We've got more than enough food and water to wait for at least two weeks," the captain said easily as he lowered the gangplank onto the sand. Harry jumped off into the sand, feeling the cool breeze from the ocean across his face.
"It shouldn't take that long," Sirius said easily. "The village is only an hours walk from here."
"Yeah, well try not to get yourself imprisoned. If me and my men have to rescue you lot, it won't be pleasant," the captain sneered.
"Sure thing," Sirius muttered turning toward the others all ready standing in the sand.
Ginevra was wearing her yellow armor once more and holding a spear easily in her thin, long fingered hands. Her red hair was tied back into a bun. Beside her was Hagrid, in a black overcoat and deep burgundy clothes beneath. He carried no weapons. Narcissa stood nearby, scantily clad as all ways and looking as haughty as ever. Her blonde hair was pulled away from her face, a few strands escaping in the heat. She held her sword easily in her left hand. Harry and Severus were standing next to each other, both dressed in black, Harry in trousers, a shirt, and cloak, and Severus in his robes. The mage held his staff easily, the end firmly buried in the earth. Weasley, still in his armor, the helmet covering his face, stood by the summoner. Remus, dressed in a white robe with a gold belt, stood just behind Sirius, holding his staff in both hands.
"We ready?" Sirius asked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear.
Everyone nodded or made a sound of agreement and with a sigh, they started across the beach.
-
"It appears that there is no one here," Severus said, stepping out of a small mud structure that they assumed was a house.
"Where could they have gone?" Sirius asked, gazing down the dusty center street in amazement.
Someone hissed from above and then suddenly, a tall figure dropped down from the roof of a building into the path before them, holding a spear. Severus stepped carefully away from the savage as he glowered at them and then said something in his language.
"What'd he say?" Severus demanded, looking at Harry.
"He wants to know why we're here," Harry answered.
"Ask him what happened to the others," Sirius said. Harry nodded, stepping toward the savage and switching into the almost serpentine tongue.
"Where is everyone?" he asked.
The savage's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"Harry," the summoner replied. "Where are the others?"
The savage gazed at him and then to the group standing behind him, looking nervous as they watched the two of them. With a growl, he turned toward the rising sun and pointed.
"They were taken as slaves by a mage. He took them to the east, beneath the sand," the savage answered. "Why are you here, stranger?"
"We are looking for this mage."
The man nodded, glaring at him.
"You will free the others," he said. "You will free them when you find the mage. He has taken all but the old and injured, like myself," the man pulled aside the furred chest plate to reveal a bandaged stained with blood. "Even the children. You will free them."
"We'll try. Your name?" Harry said.
"Victor," the man – Victor – answered. "You will free them."
"Yes."
-
"You do realize now that when we fail, this Victor is going to hunt us down and cut our throats," Severus growled the next morning as they trekked through the hot sand on the eastern side of the continent.
"We'll free them," Harry said confidently. "Watch."
The mage huffed in annoyance, but didn't say anything else, preferring to expend his energy walking then arguing with the summoner. Beaded sweat dripped down the side of his face and he wiped at the tickling sensation irritably. Remus seemed to be the only one that didn't look as if he was suffering – although it probably had more to do with the fact that he was wearing white while everyone else was wearing black or leather.
"How are we supposed to find something that's buried under the sand?" Narcissa demanded tiredly.
"No idea," Sirius said conversationally, far too chipper considering he was wearing black leather and walking about in the middle of the desert with only a canteen of water to show for it, Angel Bless tied to his back.
"I'm contemplating ways to kill you," Narcissa snarled. "You have no right to be happy when I am so miserable."
"Do not worry about–" Ginevra was cut off as the sand beneath her feet disappeared and she fell into a black hole that had appeared. She had caught herself on the edge of it and was holding on as Hagrid lumbered over and set about hauling her out. Instead, the ground shook, sand falling into the darkness below. Ginerva's sweat covered fingers slipped and with a cry of shock, she fell.
"Ginevra!" Sirius yelled, moving toward the gape in the sand and dropping down after her.
"Idiot," Severus muttered. "But I suppose this is how we get ourselves killed by Regulus."
"Most likely," Harry said with a grin as he followed as Sirius.
The rest of the group followed after a few moments of hesitation.
-
"I knew they'd come. Everything is going according to plan."
-
Author's Note: Told you it was short.
Don't worry the next chapter is in the works.
