It's been a while hasn't it? I'm not dead, I just work very very slowly. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long, but I'm making no promises. This chapter is mostly a transition, but hopefully it will be enjoyable. Also, HBP changes nothing, seeing as this is AU, so no spoilers. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Three days have passed since Remus and Sirius were captured. Since then, a number of curious things have happened, the first of which occurred on their first day of imprisonment. Johnny, the rather mean boy who had insulted our pair the previous night, came over and apologized. This was, by no stretch of the imagination, a voluntary apology, but the pair accepted it. Then, for some reason, Sirius invited him to stay with them. While the boy wasn't really thrilled by this idea, he accepted if only to escape the wrath of his mother. The two parties came to an agreement of sorts; Remus and Sirius would partake in "no queer stuff'" in Johnny's presence, and they would tell him stories about the Marauders. Johnny would be nice.

Another curious event that took place was a visit Peter Pettigrew took to Professor Albus Dumbledore. Peter suggested during this visit that maybe the Potter's secret keeper should be changed given the situation the current one was in. Dumbledore, thankfully, refused Peter's offer on behalf of the Potters and offered him a sherbet lemon. Peter left disappointed and with lemon flavored breath.

The third curious event was that Harry learned a new word. James was lying on the floor with Harry reading to him, when an idea suddenly struck him. In his rush to get up and talk to Dumbledore, he smacked his head into the table. His loud exclamation of "damn it" was quickly followed by another one in a child's voice. James groaned, scooped up the happily swearing Harry, and rushed off to find Lily. Upon finding her, he launched into an explanation about how Sirius couldn't possibly be dead, because they're still hidden. In turn, Lily pulled out a wizarding clock from the pile at her feet. She'd been going through the papers that arrived the night before and had found it. The clock showed both Remus and Sirius as "imprisoned." Lily, James, and Harry were shown as unknown.

But back to Remus and Sirius; in the three days they've been in their cell, they've also taken some time to get to know the other occupants. Every person is either Muggle born or a half-blood. Also, two other werewolves other than Remus are being held. While the full moon isn't for another three weeks, the others are still worried. No one knows how long they'll be imprisoned. They are however, about to find out.

At about twelve thirty six am, the start of the fourth day, a masked figure appears at the cell door. It's the first human the cell's occupants have seen since Remus arrived. Their food has been materializing twice a day by way of magic. "Up," he says, "you are being moved to a more secure location. Anyone who resists will be killed immediately." Seeing that resistance is pointless, everyone gets up immediately.

They are herded down a long hallway until they reach a large truck. The group is forced at wand point into the dark interior of the back of the truck. One man, a squib by the name of Sean, decides he's had enough. With a quick look at the guards, both of whom are facing the other way, he bolts back towards the passageway. "Stupid," mutters someone near Remus' ear.

Without a blink of an eye, one of the robed, masked figures turns around and shouts, "Avada Kedavra!" The guard then turns back to loading the prisoners. A woman lets out a stifled cry and everyone looks away from the dead man. Remus grabs Sirius' hand and squeezes quickly before letting go. It's a simple action, but the meaning behind it is much greater. He's saying, 'this could happen to you, so don't do anything stupid'. The loading continues in silence.

When everyone is in, the doors clang shut and the whole area goes completely dark. It's tight, but not unbearable. From outside, Remus can hear a spell being uttered and suddenly it feels like they're being compressed. It's not totally unpleasant, but it's certainly odd.

"We're being shrunk," whispers Sirius. Indeed they are. The truck is reduced until it's small enough to be carried easily, then picked-up. Screams can almost be heard by the guards, but their captives are so small now, that their voices are miniscule. The truck is set on the front seat of a normal looking car, strapped down, and away they go.

After a relatively long ride, the truck is lifted, set on the ground, and is returned to its normal size. "Out," barks a guard as the heavy doors are pulled open. They're in a small train station and a train mostly comprised of cattle cars is on the tracks. "Into the car," shouts a guard standing next to an open carriage. The prisoners scramble in immediately. It's amazing how fear and power can make even the most stubborn or brave people submissive.

Remus and Sirius head for a wall and make themselves comfortable. Johnny and his mother settle in not too far away. It's crowded, but not to the point that it's overbearingly so. A few holes in the walls let in a small amount of light and air, which is welcome even if it's freezing cold. Remus and Sirius huddle together for warmth and comfort. Around them, others do the same.

All night, the train inches forward every so often. Remus can hear the bark of the guards as more prisoners are loaded into different cars. Sirius has fallen asleep. Finally, at six forty seven in the morning, the train starts to move and doesn't stop. As they pick up speed, Remus finally surrenders himself to sleep.

When Remus awakes, he finds himself curled into Sirius who's sitting up. Sirius is awake and is telling Johnny about the time the Marauders had made it rain in the dungeons for a week in sixth year. Remus also realizes that he's very thirsty. The inside of his mouth is parchment dry, and has a bad taste to it, left over from sleep.

As he groans wearily and removes his head from Sirius' stomach, Sirius says, "Oh good you're awake Moony, we thought you'd sleep all day."

"What's going on?" asks Remus still groggy from sleep.

"Well," responds Sirius, "it's about two o'clock in the afternoon and we've been moving at about the same pace since I woke up at ten. We've very little food, just what's been saved from our meals at the other place. There's a small hole that's being used as a toilet in that far corner." Sirius gestures vaguely with his hand. "I'm very thirsty, and this one over here," he points to Johnny, "hasn't left me alone since I woke up."

"I see," says Remus, "this doesn't look very good at all."

"No it doesn't," replies Sirius, "no it doesn't."

They travel for three days. By day three, everyone is miserable. The little food that people had squirreled away in their pockets is long gone and everyone is extremely thirsty and hungry. The car reeks of unwashed bodies and human waste that didn't make it out the hole in the floor. Tempers are running high, and it's freezing. Then, they stop. At about three twenty two in the afternoon of their third day of traveling, the train gradually comes to a complete stop.

Hundreds of miles away, in Godric's Hollow, Lily calls James into the kitchen where they have hung the clock which was found in Remus and Sirius' possessions. "The hands moved again," she says quietly. And indeed they have. The hands that for the past three days had been pointing to 'traveling' are now pointed at two words; 'mortal peril'.