Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

A Dance With Fate

Canopus Carina

Chapter 13 of 20

The room was not particularly decorated. Each wall was covered by the same slime as the hallway leading to it. Only a while pedestal with a black and red treed design carved in the circular base was placed inside. Atop rested a time worn manuscript, edged with gold leaf. The cover bore the same black and red tree design upon the once pristine white background, which only weathered yellowed in certain places. It bent upward in a slight curl, but whether this was due to the damp air or long use could not be made for certain. For a thousand year old book, it held the test of time considerably well. It gave off a numinous glow which bathed the walls in a rich light, making the murky grey and green slime sparkle.

It was easy to lift, weighing as light as a feather though it was possibly six hundred pages of thick parchment. No trap was triggered once it was lifted or when he hesitantly opened the ornamented cover. The binding created as the pages were turned in an attempt to find a spell that could turn back time to before Ron was hit by the curse.

Numerous turns later, he had found it.

Saturday: 22 October 1977

When he had thought that he was ready for his involvement against the Death Eaters and their Dark Lord, he didn't think it would happen so quickly. It was then that he regretted his decision not to talk to Harry or the headmaster about what he should do when contacted by the Death Eaters he wanted to fight against. Because it had hit him swiftly and without notice.

Mr. Remus John Lupin,

From our sources, who are unable to reveal themselves, as you should know, my Lord has heard great deeds from you. It is said you hold a great deal of ability in the Dark Arts, specializing primarily in curses. After looking over your record, we have decided to formally offer you a place in our ranks as the Dark Lord's soldier against the impure race.

Take your time in considering our offer. Being around Gryffindor blood traitors will make it difficult to show your real talent. Do not mistake, your mishap in house sorting shall be a beneficial occurrence in Our Lord's eyes.

We will send an owl in one week's time for your answer as no other owl shall find us. Do not worry about this being found as anyone else will only cause the message to disappear. No one will know.

It was one of the first times he was appreciative about the near empty Great hall on this early Saturday morning. Only a few students munched on breakfast as their peers slept, and only Filch stood guard next to the High Table as the teachers were called away for a meeting. That meant no one was able to see it and then condemn him for being a werewolf, as it was bound to be found out. Why else did the Death Eater mention his record? Either way, the Death Eater who wrote it must have had a good spy to set up that delivery. Any of the teachers would easily have recognized something evil coming from the jet black owl. It made him nervous that he was being watched then that he quickly scanned the hall for anything suspicious with no luck. Before paranoia gained too much of a grip on him, he turned and ran out of the hall in search of a teacher. Once he realized again that there was no teachers due to the meeting, he cursed his luck, or lack thereof. The teachers lounge was empty so that they were either on the grounds or the headmaster's office, both of which would be difficult to get through. The grounds were far too vast to find them and he didn't know the password to the headmaster's office. So he ran to the next place he thought of.

It wasn't until he got to the door to Harry's office that he remembered that Harry hadn't been in the castle since Thursday night. With his luck he knew that the door would be locked and no one inside for him to talk to. But other than only standing there, he knocked on the door expecting to be proven a fool for even trying. That feeling started to take hold when the door opened and a tired looking Harry leaned against the doorframe.

"Sorry, were you here long?" he questioned, stiffening a yawn behind a hand. "Just got back an hour ago or so, Catching up on sleep while I could. Got a meeting with the headmaster in four hours. What did you need?"

He started second guessing his decision to go to Harry as opposed to another professor or even the Marauders. Harry was busy and it shouldn't take him too long to find Dumbledore. It was the greatest wizard alive's duty to protect his students from the darkness. But he was already there so he said simply. "I got an offer from the Dark Lord."

Harry immediately woke up to that. His eyes darkened in pain slowly closing as if not seeing him would somehow take the idea way. When he opened them moments later he quickly scouted the hallway and pulled Remus into his office. Quick wand work lit the office in a dazzling light and the chairs in front of his desk were pulled to a fireplace, looking friendly and inviting. They both claimed a seat and Harry placed his head in his hands.

"You have the letter on you now?" he asked slowly, not lifting from his hands.

Remus was about to hand it over when he remembered that anyone else would not be able to read it. If he looked at it, the words would disappear and probably not reappear for Remus again. "I do, but a charm is on it," he warned, "you can't read it."

Harry looked up to examine the closed sheet of paper with delicate fingers. After much consideration, he lifted from the paper in his hands before he summoned another and a quill. "Write the entire message here," he instructed. "Then I'll be able to read your version and no one would be the wiser. Death Eaters aren't really that smart to think of away to get around that. But makes sure you write down everything exactly; by changing even the spelling of a word you could loose a hint or hidden meaning without meaning to."

He set to work, but as it was a short note, he finished quickly. As he passed the copied not Harry asked," Why didn't you tell the other Marauder's first? I would think for something like this, they would be with you now."

"I didn't want to worry them," He answered truthfully. "I hoped to figure out a plan before they came up with their own plan to save me."

Harry laughed softly at that and started to read over the copied note.

"You did the right thing, coming here," he said softly after reading it several times. "And they are right, you do hold a knack for the curses that are taught in Defense and my lessons. Something to be proud of, but not to give them."

"I don't mean to know them," Remus ground out defensively, "it's not exactly my fault that-"

He quickly stopped himself as he realized he almost let drop that he was a dark creature. Given Harry's quick perception, he would be able to sort through the very few human-dark creature maladies and recognize him for what he was. Throughout the near two months that he had known Harry, he had grown a respect so strong that it would force him to revert back to his pre-Marauders shell if rejected by him. And to his horror, Harry was looking at him with sad understanding. Before he could watch those eyes turned to hatred, he immediately jumped from his seat and ran to the door.

Harry had called after him, but he refused to hear it. He ran quickly down the hallway without looking behind him. Stopping wasn't even to be considered, even when his sides pained from not allowing his stomach to digest before running. He continued until he reached the portrait of the Fat Lady in the Pink Dress, yelled the password, and dashed through the portal that appeared. Immediately upon entering his room, he latched onto the closest person and started stuttering about the note.

"He knows, he knows," he moaned.

James stood petrified as he looked down on Remus who was still attached to his arm. "Who knows what? Remus, snap out of it!"

The words did the trick, and Remus let go of James embarrassed. After many deep breaths, he told them about the letter (which he left behind in his flight) and what Harry had said. The other three sat perfectly still during his retelling, something never done before. But by the end of his story, they were promising to keep the other boy away if it was in their power to do so.

Once he was over, he thought over how lucky he was to have such friends. In second year, he felt he was in a dream for months when they found out about his secret and had not been afraid of him for it. They had stuck by him in the years, spreading his lies of why he was gone for the night or two, helping apply ointment over particularly deep cuts, becoming Animagi if only for the reason to be by him in his moments of pain. He didn't know how he got so lucky to get them, but while they were there, he held on tight.

As they went down to the kitchens to get some breakfast for the three who had just woke up, he felt his stomach drop. Harry could easily spread his secret to everyone and he would probably have to leave the school. No one wanted a werewolf to be taught magic, let alone with their students.

Seeing the house elf Dobby running around the kitchens only made his pain worst. He knew that Harry had cared for Dobby, and the other way around. How could he care for something that was mistreated for something they couldn't change like a house elf but not care for him? But he couldn't even consider that Harry could be like the Marauders and not care that he was a werewolf. He just wasn't that lucky.

End of Chapter 13 – 1,554 of words

Posted: 18 June 2007