-1Chapter 2: The Wolf Circles Ever Closer
Voldemort leaned over the bodies of Bellatrix and Dolohov studying the blank expressions on their faces, feelings of rage boiling inside of his head. Voldemort, Desmond, Amycus and Malfoy stood alone in the empty graveyard looking at the bodies of their fallen comrades. Voldemort was pacing in front of both fallen Death Eaters finally bending over Bellatrix when he noticed a piece of parchment attached to the front of her robes. He read quietly to himself, "Dear Tom, I am so sorry about your loss, when are funeral times so that we may all come to mourn appropriately? Much Love, Persephone."
"Smug little bitch." He whispered under his breath while he crinkled the paper in his chalk colored hands. Standing and walking to Desmond he said, "Desmond, I have a job for you to do, tonight."
Desmond nodded, "Of course my Lord, anything you ask." he replied, thrilled that his master was not going to punish him for the nights losses.
"Attack Harry, tonight, kidnap him if at all possible." Shit, Desmond thought, I am being punished, Voldemort continued, "Their defenses are weakened and they will never expect a second attack tonight. Go, I want results, someone better die." Desmond bowed and backed away from the graveyard and his master, "As you wish."
As he walked up the pathway to the manor Desmond could hear screams coming from the graveyard, Amycus and Lucius no doubt. His lord did have a remarkable talent for punishment.
"Shit, what do I do now? It took Barty Crouch Jr. almost a year to get to the kid and that was with Dumbledore guarding him. How am I supposed to get past Persephone and her guards in one night? What I need," he thought, "Is a weak link, someone I can track easily."
As Desmond continued up the pathway he was struck by a fantastic idea. The Werewolf. He smiled to himself, "What I need is Fenrir Greyback, and I need him fast."
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Persephone finished the meeting after sending Fred and George Weasley, along with Mad Eye Moody to take care of the Dursley bodies. Everyone headed home and Persephone said goodbye to the last departing Member before closing the door. She and Remus, would stay with Sirius, Hermione, The Weasleys and Harry tonight before leaving in the morning for their own homes. As she closed the door she heard Sirius come out from the kitchen, even now she could recognize his footsteps as he came up behind her.
He was inches from her and she could feel his breath on her neck, she was surprised when she realized how badly she wanted to sink into him. She turned and their breath intermingled, he put his hand on the door behind her and locked onto her eyes.
"Sirius…" she started before he leaned forward, only bracing himself with his hand behind her head and kissed her softly and slowly. He lingered there momentarily before pulling back. He looked into her eyes once more, laughing softly he whispered, "I have to admit, seeing you take him on tonight," he paused, "was crazy hot." Persephone laughed and smiled.
"What is wrong with us?" she asked him.
He shrugged, "Many, many, many things. But somehow we have made it work for eighteen years."
"Have we? Sirius, in those eighteen years we have actually been together for maybe three years total and one of those years was spent hiding it from everyone. How is that making it work? You know that something is eventually going to come along that will drive us apart."
"Like what?" He asked defensively, his arm still behind her head.
"Like what! How can you even say that? Lets see Sirius, first there was the forced affair with the most evil man on the planet."
"You never slept with Dumbledore." Sirius joked.
"Not funny." she said, starting to get angry, "Then the little fact of at least one of us being in prison for thirteen years, then in case you have forgotten that little faking your own death incident." Sirius finally looked away, ashamed, she went on, "Sirius, with me leading this Order I cant deal with the drama of dating someone. However juvenile and Muggle Television that may sound, its true. I cant handle it."
"Then lets get married."
"What a proposal, a marriage of convenience? No thank you."
Sirius sighed, frustrated and finally taking his arm from the door, "You know that's not what I meant 'Seph"
The door to the kitchen opened and Remus came out, stopping in his tracks when he saw the two of them together, laughing he said, "However much I may love seeing you two not screaming at each other, don't you think the more pressing matter of a grieving God Son deserves a little more attention?"
Sirius nodded, "Yea Remus, I told James that you would have been the better God Father but he just wouldn't listen. Why don't the two of us take him out for a drink?" He looked at Persephone, "We'll talk later alright?" She nodded and watched him go up the stairs to fetch Harry.
She and Remus waited in the front hall for barely two minutes before the two men came down the stairs, Harry wearing his old muggle coat and Sirius his new leather jacket, Sirius motioned for Remus to follow them.
"Wait." Persephone said, "Aren't you using disguises?"
"Oh no need. We're going to a muggle pub." Sirius said, adjusting his clothes in the mirror.
"You are two of the most well known wizards in the world, don't you think that somewhere along the way, someone will recognize you? They are looking for Harry and Sirius your looks attract a lot of attention."
"I told you there is no need."
"Well its protocol. So do it." She replied forcefully as if speaking down to a child.
Remus grabbed Harry's shoulder and motioned him towards the kitchen, "Come on Harry, Sirius, it isn't a bad idea. We'll get some polyjuice before we go." The two disappeared into the kitchen while Sirius lagged behind. Persephone started up the stairs, "See! Fighting already!" she said to him as she climbed.
He let her get to the first landing before yelling, "You love me!" and retreating into the kitchen.
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Greyback had been much more eager to come along on Desmond's little mission than expected and the two were now sitting along the Thames River awaiting word from one of his men, or Pack, as he preferred them to be called. Greyback had been searching for Remus Lupin since he had disappeared over one month ago. An entire moons work lost because of that bastard, Greyback couldn't wait to find him so that he could rip him apart.
"Anything yet?" Desmond asked for the ninth time.
"No, don't worry, I don't think I would be able to leave without alerting you somehow don't you think?" Greyback growled at him.
"Damnit." Desmond said walking along the drop off to the water, looking into the waves, "Can't you hurry this up? Its already 11:30 for Christ Sake."
"You know, a man who practices witchcraft shouldn't really call upon The Lord for anything, especially when he is about to go and attempt to murder someone."
"Funny Dog Breath, just keep looking for a signal." Greyback smiled to himself, how he hated the Irishman. If the moon wasn't waning, he would love to sink his teeth into his throat, to kill. Something about the man just got under his skin but he couldn't place it.
A howl came from somewhere near Whitechapel. "That's it. Lets go." Said Greyback standing, he reared his head back and let out a piercing howl, smiling when the couple walking past them turned towards him, looking frightened. He nodded to them before grabbing Desmonds arm and leading him away.
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The muggle pub wasn't at all crowded when the three men walked in. Sirius had taken the form of an older dark muggle with a large bald head while Harry chose a man in his twenties with long blonde hair. Poor Remus was left with the final option, a quite attractive Asian woman with long shapely legs, Persephone had begged him to wear some of her clothes but he had adamantly refused, choosing to cover those legs with his traditional black trousers.
The three of them sat down at the counter and ordered their drinks, speaking only to the bartender the three sat in silence for a few minutes before Sirius finally spoke up.
"Harry. I am so sorry about what happened tonight. I know this all has to be tough to take in." Harry didn't say anything and they all went into silence once more.
In the middle of a swig of his drink, Remus ears stood suddenly at attention. "Did you hear that?" He asked the others. They shook their heads, "What?" Sirius asked when Remus became even more anxious.
"There's another one. Shit. Sirius we need to get out of here."
"What's going on Remus?" He asked, truly concerned he began to look around the dimly lit pub. Their were two muggles sitting in separate booths solemnly drinking from large mugs and the barkeep was standing with his back turned to them, arranging his new stock on the shelves. Sirius looked out the large windows in the front and saw no one suspicious, only a group of teenagers smoking across the street. Remus wasn't so sure but he wouldn't respond, he was listening intently. "They're here, but how many? Are they looking for us?" Remus thought, when he heard no more howling he turned to the others.
"It's Greyback's Pack, they're searching for something, more than likely us. We have to go."
Sirius nodded, "Alright, but there's no door out back and we cant just, leave, if you know what I mean."
"Right. I'll check out front, make sure the coast is clear and then let you guys know."
Remus stood and walked towards the door, timidly opening it and peering around the corner. Sirius and Harry sat, transfixed, staring at him. Sirius had a protective hand on Harrys shoulder. They sat with bated breath.
Remus glanced around and saw nothing. Breathing a sigh of relief he opened the door wide and smiled, "There's no one there, lets get out o-" But he was cut short when a wild man with a grey mane of hair came leaping at him through the door and knocked him to the ground. The other patrons both screamed and ducked under the tables while the barman fell to his knees behind his counter. Sirius ran towards Remus who was now engaged with Greyback, trying to fend off the mans teeth that he was still trying to use even though he was in his human form, but was stopped by a second werewolf ramming him into the wall.
Harry leapt from his stool and made to help but before he could Desmond came through the front door and began walking right towards him.
"Hello Harry, I am so happy that this was so much easier than expected." Desmond said, grinning ear to ear. Harry glanced at Sirius, who was putting up quite a fight against his attacker and then down to Remus, whom, in his female body was trying desperately to fend off Greyback but couldn't very well because of his weak arm strength. Desmond pulled his wand and pointed it towards Harry, but he was too fast for him,
"Expelliarmus!" Harry screamed, Blake was thrown backwards into the wall, his wand lying at Harry's feet. Sirius threw a particularly hard punch into his attacker and yelled at Harry, "Break it!"
Harry bent down and grabbed the wand, slamming it against his knee, he smiled when it gave out a loud cracking noise and Desmond screamed at him as he attempted to stand. As Desmond began to rush towards him in a fit of rage Harry raised his wand and yelled, "Fernunculus!." The Irishman fell to his knees and shrieked in pain as large boils sprang up all over his skin, searing pain was pulsating through his body.
Sirius yelled out to Harry once more, "Help Remus!" Harry leaped over Desmond and began to cast spell after spell on Greyback, boils, laughing fits, and even seizures hadn't worked. Greyback simply pushed through all of the spells Harry sent at him, the mans rage giving him a power surge that Harry just couldn't combat. Harry began to panic, he didn't know what to do to help Lupin, Sirius was all tied up at the moment so he couldn't even get any help. He looked back at Remus and saw his eyes flutter, then his body go limp, Greyback smiled and brought his hand up to deal the final blow and Harry reacted, shouting the most powerful spell he could think of, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
The jet of green light came bursting forth from Harry's wand and hit Greyback on his side, the werewolf didn't even whimper or cry out, he just fell. The light distracted Sirius' attacker long enough for Sirius to knock him out and he glanced at his Godson before running to Remus' side.
Pushing the corpse off of his friend Sirius bent down and laid his head on his chest, "He's breathing, we need to get him out of here before we change back, and before the Ministry gets here."
Harry just stood there, stunned, Sirius lifted Remus into his arms and started out the door, "Harry! Come on!" He snapped out of it and ran out the front door of the pub and down the street after his Godfather, leaving the screaming Death Eater and the dead werewolf alone.
To Be Continued……