Chapter Sixty-Five: The Fifth Victim

After a day in the hospital wing, he was ready to leave. Both because he had to study for exams and also because he wanted to get facing his friends over with.

"Madam Pomfrey please." He pleaded before she made him open his mouth and take another tonic.

"I said you can study here. None of this nonsense. Especially after what you pulled with the migraine I have half a mind to keep you a week." He wanted to complain but bringing up the migraine made him feel guilty so he hung his head.

"If you're doing ok tomorrow morning I might, might not let you stay here the whole day."

"Thank you Madam Pomfrey." He replied with a relieved smile. She tsked him but smiled fondly before getting ready to wrap up the hospital wing for the night. He snuggled himself down into his blankets more, sore all over, and listened to the click as the matron went into her office which led to her bedroom. He closed his eyes ready to fall asleep and just as he was about to he heard the doors to the hospital wing open. He waited for someone to call for the Matron which would send her running but no call for her came.

This made him on edge and he sat up straighter wrapping the blankets around him ready for his roommates to barge in and demand answers. Instead, when the door creaked open it wasn't three people but rather one whose silhouette he could see, her hair falling past her shoulders.

"Lily?" He was surprised she would come here out of everyone and his surprise turned to concern as he heard her crying. He knew there was a good reason the matron kept him in bed all day, but he forced himself out of bed blanket held tight around him, and stumbled his way over to her.

"Lily, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Remus!" She cried softly and rushed over to him before he could get much more than a few steps from his bed. She gently wrapped her arms around him as if she knew he was injured and buried her face in his shoulder crying. He was shocked for a moment before he hugged her back.

"Lily, what is it?" He asked in a choked voice as a hundred terrible scenarios flashed through his mind.

"It's not….it's not your parents right?" She shook her head her arms still gently wrapped around his neck. He tried to get her to speak a few more times before giving up and using what was left of his dwindling energy to calm her down. He rubbed her back and assured her whatever it was it would be ok and that he was there for her, always thinking of his mother as the familiar phrases came to his mind. For some reason this made her cry harder and for a long time, they remained like this holding onto one another in the pitch-black room.

"I'm sorry Remus I just…..had to make sure you were ok." She sniffed finally releasing him, the lack of her arms around him making him feel cold and uncertain. How had she known where to find him? He felt a stab of fear wondering if Lily knew something but assured himself if she did she certainly wouldn't be coming to him for support and comfort.

"Can...can we sit down?" She asked in a small whisper sounding close to tears again.

"Of course." He immediately said.

"Should I turn on a light?" He didn't want to turn on the little lamp and have her see how pale and sick he looked but he also didn't want her to be uncomfortable.

"Only if you want." She whispered already sitting herself down on the bed her silhouette looking small and lonely. He took a deep breath feeling a bit nervous himself then tentatively sat down. She quickly scooched near him leaning her head on his shoulder once again her hand finding his. He felt a chill run through him as her thumb ran across the back of his hand then across his wrist, right over a small scar he had. He resisted the urge to pull away sure that would seem far more suspicious.

"How did you get this scar?" Her voice had a little more strength to it, a little more courage. Remus was beginning to get a bad feeling. Was she suspicious too? He didn't think he could handle telling someone else about his uncle...about his father. Especially not without Sirius there. Lily's hand was smaller than his, smoother and colder. For a second he missed the feel of Sirius' hand in his but he quickly banished such a silly thought. He just wanted Sirius here because he understood, that was all.

"I just…...fell…"

"Why wasn't it healed with magic?" His mind was working on double time as he tried to come up with an explanation.

"I got it when I was very young. It was...I was with my mother at the park. She's a muggle so I just went to a regular hospital because my dad wasn't home. It wasn't a big deal just a small scar so it was left and then...well now it reminds me of her." He wished that was the truth of it. Lily stopped running her thumb across the scar and squeezed his hand though when she spoke again he thought he heard something close to disappointment in her voice.

"It must be very lonely for you. Your mother being sick and all." He was getting very uncomfortable talking about himself, he shifted slightly so she'd be forced to pull away from his shoulder and turned to look her dead in the eyes putting all the concern he had into his voice.

"Lily, what's wrong? Please talk to me."

"You never….." She paused as if about to say something else then shook her head and he could hear a smile in her voice. "You never fail to listen to me, Remus. You're a good person you're a really good person. I hope you know that." He thought she was stressing the word person but he was sure he was just being paranoid now.

"Lily please."

"It's silly, it's nothing really."

"It's not nothing and it's not silly. I promise I won't think that."

"Well ...I had a bad dream last night about ...about you in that comma. My marks in defense against the dark arts were my worst so far and our professor was cruel today. Then there's the fact I miss Severus and it all feels wrong and then I'm going back home for the summer, which is great because my parents are amazing but my sister hates me…" She trailed off having said all that in one breath and the tears were back now, rolling down her cheeks.

"Remus...I'm scared and worried for...for so many people." She confessed in a whisper and he let her hug him again her small body shaking as she sobbed.

"Lily none of that is silly. It's been a hard year. I'm right here ok, definitely not in a comma." He gave a small unsure laugh which she mirrored so he pressed on.

"Profesor Blatvnik isn't the nicest man but that class is over with and I'm sure all your other marks are more than enough to make up for that class. Plus for all we know we'll have a new Professor next year, a better one who...who will actually like teaching." She laughed a little more at this.

"It's understandable that you're upset about Severus he's your best friend." She squeezed him a little harder.

"Actually, I think you might be if that's alright?" He found it very hard to breathe for a second, which had nothing to do with her arms around him before he reminded himself this changed nothing. Lily just needed to have a best friend and he was merely a temporary replacement. She'd realize Dorcas or someone else was her best friend soon enough, she was just scared and upset right now, so of course, at the moment he felt like her best friend.

"Yeah, that's ok. But it's ok to miss Severus he's having a hard time ...I imagine...it's really hard for him."

"Oh, Remus please stop being so nice." She sighed speaking in such a heartbroken tone he flinched.

"Sorry?"

"No, don't apologize. Only I know Severus was one of the Slytherins. He told me when I confronted him he….he feels terrible I know he does but he's so stubborn and stupid and he wouldn't admit it. I'll talk to him moreover summer break when we are away from all of this."

"I'm glad you'll have him over the summer. Even if your sister is being mean to you with him nearby you won't be alone."

"Who do you have?" She cried letting him go and poking his chest lightly with her finger. "What about you Remus?"

"I'll get to talk to everyone with the mirror and I...I have my mum." He couldn't quite stop his voice from breaking at the mention of her. It still felt like no time since he lost her and it always seemed like there was something else stopping him from simply mourning her.

"When I have the mirror promise we'll talk every night...every night you can." He flinched again having to remind himself once more she didn't know...she couldn't know.

"Every night I can?" He dared to ask unable to keep the slight edge of fear out of his voice. She was quiet for a minute.

"I wouldn't want to take away from the time you get to spend with your mom." The ache in his heart grew as for a second he imagined getting to spend the summer telling his mum all about Hogwarts and the amazing friends he's made, he knew she'd be happy for him.

"I promise when you have the mirror we'll talk a lot. Just make sure James actually sends it to you."

"If he doesn't I'll hunt him down." She laughed then went quiet again.

"I'm sorry they aren't the best friends Remus." He let out a laugh himself.

"No, they are, there's more underneath than their pranks and teasing Lily I promise."

"Well I certainly don't see that but...well if they make you happy then I won't protest too much." He laughed again at that finding it a bit amusing at how worked up she got everytime James was mentioned.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked gently not wanting to kick her out but feeling more sore from laughing and still very tired.

"Oh! I'm sorry Remus I know you aren't feeling well. Yes, I'm feeling better thank you for talking to me. I'm glad I was able to find you. Let's study together for potions when you're feeling better I'll help you alright?" He was glad she agreed to leave so easily and that she didn't directly mention how dismal he was at potions.

"Thank you, Lily. You're a good friend too. I'm sorry, I'm sorry Severus isn't a better friend to you. Him and Petunia."

"That's alright I have friends like you which makes up for the ways they are lacking. Goodnight Remus."

"Goodnight Lily. Be careful not to get caught on your way back."

"Don't worry, it's not just you boys that have all the tricks." He could see the whites of her teeth as she gave him a broad smile and another hug before she left the room leaving him to fall asleep a bit confused about the interaction but feeling better himself.

….

The next morning after a night of exhausting confusing dreams for Remus he had another visitor. One not nearly so pleasant as Lily.

"Mr. Lupin since you insist on having mass absences from my class I have come to deliver your marks." Remus sat up straighter still rather dazed from just waking up as his Professor entered the room. He barely had enough time to get dressed and it was only because Madam Pomfrey had argued with Professor Blatvnik a good long while before letting him enter that he had a chance to make himself presentable.

"Oh, thank you sir." He replied politely Carlyle's warning making him very cautious. His Professor waited until Madam Pomfrey left from her position as a guard at the door, forced to leave due to some students coming in who were vomiting. Professor Blatvnik strode over to him and handed him the scroll of paper.

Remus stretched out his hand which was shaking slightly, having an awfully bad feeling about all of this for some reason, and took it opening it up. As he did something powdery flew off the parchment into his face. Surprised he jerked back, inhaled and he dropped the parchment writhing on his bed. Scorching pain seemed to seep into him leaving a fiery pain throughout his face to his chest. It took him a second to realize he had been silencio'd and that the screams he was emanating weren't being heard.

"Silver powder steeped in alconite and Galanthus Nivalis would do nothing to a human but we both know that you aren't actually human." Remus could barely hear him through the ringing in his ears and he was vaguely aware of something thick and warm dripping from his nose. He was trying so hard to scream, he had broken through silencio spells before, but Professor Blatvnik's was very strong.

"You see it took me a while. Imagine my surprise, a monster in my class posing as a smart educated student. I admit you had me fooled pretending to be a helpless little boy. But I began suspecting you with all your disappearances. Then after I brought that half mutt monster in and your response to it, well my suspicions were all but confirmed. Still, I wouldn't want to harm a student on the off chance that I was wrong. Still, now I know you're no student of mine. No, you are a monster just a monster." Remus gurgled on blood but even in his agonized state, he could hear the pleasure in his Professor's voice.

"Finally got it right. Well, you're the second one I've taken down but this time I have no restraints about killing you. What an ironic last name you have. Part of the poor disguise I suppose. Are you working for You Know Who as well you despicable beast." Remus flailed so hard he managed to fall out of the bed now seizing on the ground which was becoming red from the blood that oozed from his nose and ears. Blood he was trying not to choke to death on as it collected in the back of his throat. Still, with how much pain he was in he had half a mind to stop fighting but he just didn't understand how his Professor could do this to him which kept him conscious, kept him struggling.

But even that turned out not to be enough and he soon stopped listening to his Professor's pleased voice all his effort now on simply not dying.

"Remus!" The shrill scream of the Matron brought little relief to him at the moment, though it did rouse him a bit from the stupor he had been falling into.

"Madam Pomfrey calm down this thing isn't a student it's a monster and I…"

"Flipendo!" She shouted with such rage that the Professor who didn't imagine he'd be stopped went flying so hard back into the wall that he crumpled and fell unconscious. Pomfrey also called for Dumbledore who appeared quickly but Remus was aware of none of this succumbing to the pain and passing out because of it.

….

When he woke up he couldn't move, not because he was in a body bind curse, but because he was in so much pain. He made a choking sound and Madam Pomfrey rushed in looking very upset still.

"I know it hurts dear. We've given you a potion to combat the poison but it's weak and a new concoction as not many people devote time to undo what harms werewolves. We got to you soon enough that there won't be lasting damage. Just try to relax. Take some slow even breaths. There's a good lad. I'll give you another tonic." It was a few minutes after that in which taking small breaths laced with pain he succumbed once more to unconsciousness