Remember When It Rained

Wash away the thoughts inside

That keep my mind away from you

No more love and no more pride

Thoughts are all I have to do

Jenny

3/9/11

8:12 p.m.

One night, we stopped in a tiny and thin wood, leaving a large clearing a few meters away clear for Lupin and I; it was a full moon. We considered leaving because we thought for sure we could hear voices, but Draco and Tonks would be protected, and Lupin and I, once wolves, could take care of ourselves. Night had fallen, Lupin and I had drank the potions, and since it was currently cloudy, decided to broadcast a Potterwatch!.

"Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Potterwatch! I'm your charming host, River. We apologize from our absence from the airwaves, Romulus and I have been feeling a bit ill lately, and Death Eater attacks certainly haven't helped. We just now found ourselves another secure location, and I am sorry to tell you that Rodent, I mean, Rapier is unable to join us this evening, but we'll make do with out him." I started, settling against a log under our protective spells and kept an eye on the clouds. I started reporting on the deaths we currently knew about, and then had a moment of silence.

Harry

3/9/10

8:30 p.m.

Silence fell at Jenny's request, and we didn't speak, but looked at each other wordlessly. Ron had mentioned Potterwatch!, and had been trying for months to get the show on the radio. Now that he had, hearing Jenny's voice after so long was refreshing, it lightened the mood considerably.

"Thank you," said Jenny's voice, "And now we turn to regular contributor Romulus for an update on how the new Wizarding order is affecting the Muggle world."

"Thanks, River." Said the unmistakable voice of Lupin. "Muggles remain ignorant of the source of their suffering as they continue to sustain heavy casualties. However, we continue to hear truly inspirational stories of wizards and witches risking their own safety to protect Muggle friends and neighbors, often without the Muggles' knowledge. I'd like to appeal to all our listeners to emulate their example, perhaps by casting a protective charm over any Muggle dwellings in your street. Many lives could be saved if such simple measures were taken." I heard someone chuckle quietly in the background at the irony of that statement, considering Jenny was running the show. They pushed the point that every human life was worth saving, then they started a new segment.

"And now, the segment we love the most: 'Pals of Potter'." Lupin said, then asked, "River, do you maintain, as you have every time, that Harry Potter is still alive?" I felt my blood freeze.

"I do," Jenny said firmly. "There is no doubt at all in my mind that his death would be proclaimed as widely as possible by the Death Eaters if it had happened, because it would strike a deadly blow at the morale of those resisting the new regime. 'The Boy Who Lived' remains a symbol of everything for which we are fighting: the triumph of good, the power of innocence, the need to keep resisting." Jenny said, and it sent shivers down my spine.

"And what would you say to Harry if you knew he was listening, River?"

"I'd tell him that we are all behind him, and we are doing everything we can to help him, no matter what he's doing. Thank you, Romulus, for 'Pals of Potter'!" Jenny said cheerfully, and after a bit more information on our friends and Voldemort, she ended the broadcast.

"Good, eh?" Ron said happily.

"Brilliant." I heard myself say. I was focusing more on what Jenny had said about rumors of Voldemort being abroad. If that was true…he may be searching for the Elder Wand.

"It's so brave of them," sighed Hermione admiringly. "If they were found…"

"Well, they keep on the move, don't they?" said Ron. "Like us."

"But did you hear what Jenny said? I asked excitedly; now the broadcast was over, and parts of it fit in with the Hallows! "He's abroad! He's still looking for the Wand, I knew it!"

"Harry—" Hermione started, but I cut her off.

"Come on, Hermione, why are you so determined not to admit it it? Vol—"

"HARRY, NO!" Ron bellowed.

"—demort's after the Elder Wand?"

"That name's Taboo!" Ron bellowed again, leaping to his feet as a loud crack sounded outside the tent. "I told you, Harry, I told you, we can't say it anymore—we've got to put the protection back around us—quickly-it's how they find—" But Ron stopped talking, and I knew why. The Sneakoscope on the table had lit up and begun to spin; and I could hear voices coming nearer and nearer; rough, excited voices. Ron pulled the Deluminator out of his pocket and clicked it, plunging the tent into darkness.

"Come out of there with your hands up!" came a rasping voice through the darkness. "We know you're in there! You've got half a dozen wands pointing at you and we don't care who we curse!"

Jenny

3/9/10

9:02 p.m.

Almost as soon as we finished the broadcast, the clouds started to thin. Lupin quickly kissed Tonks goodbye, and Draco hugged me fiercely while I kissed his cheek. Then we went outside the protective spells, went our separate ways and quickly stripped off. Halfway through the change, I heard sharp cracks that sounding like wizards Apparating. As soon as the change was complete, I slunk back to where I had left Lupin. He was standing stock still, listening.

I started to creep forward, through grape-like bushes, towards the clearing we had so wisely avoided. A gang of Snatchers had appeared, with a large circle of prisoners. They were ransacking a tent half hidden in the bushes. "Who are you, girly?" I heard a rough voice ask, then my insides froze.

"Penelope Clearwater," said the unmistakable voice of Hermione. I snarled, and the wizards stopped moving to listen as it echoed around the forest.

"What was that, Scabior?" I heard a wizard ask nervously, holding his wand up to scan the bushes as I crept closer, listening to Lupin's paws cross around to get them from the other side. Blood was pounding in my ears. If there was one scratch on her, I was going to kill every single Snatcher.

"God, you are a pussy, aren't you? It was probably just some coyote or something." Scabior scoffed, a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Blimey, what is wrong with you? That didn't sound anythin' like a coyote." The nervous wizard took a step away from his fellows and raised his wand higher. "This is the woods, you know, and who knows what could be a lurkin' out in there—"

"Shut up, Gober." Snarled Scabior, and he tightened his grip on Hermione as he reached over and dragged the other wizard back by the arm. I took a few more steps forward and jumped soundlessly over some bushes to stand right behind them. Lupin wove silently out of his bushes to stand opposite me. Gober turned as my breath fluffed his hair, and when he turned, he whimpered pathetically as I bared my teeth in his face, then slashed my paw across him, snapping his wand and leaving long scratches down his front.

"What in Merlin's name-!" shouted Scabior as Lupin growled, his deeper than mine. I could feel the sound reverberate up through the ground. Spells bounced off of me like nothing as I jumped, and caught Scabior's head, tearing him away from Hermione and flinging him across the clearing, his wand flying the opposite direction. After a 30 second fight, all the Snatchers were either bleeding or laying on the ground trembling as Lupin paced among them, snatching up wands and crushing them in his jaws. I padded over to Hermione and bowed my head to meet her gaze, feeling the purr throb through my chest as her eyes widened.

"Jenny?" She whispered, rocking on her heels. I sat up tall and howled to the moon, thrilled to see her again. She looked alright despite the obvious rough handling from the Snatchers. I walked slowly around her and delicately sliced through her bonds with one claw, not even scratching her, then padded over to the group of people.

"Blimey, Jenny," Ron said weakly as I approached. "I never thought I'd be so glad to see you!"

"Jenny?" I heard Harry ask in the knot of people as I delicately began slicing people apart, then their own individual bonds, concentrating on not hurting anyone. It was difficult, Harry's face was so swollen he couldn't see, one goblin was unconscious, and the other conscious human besides Ron looked petrified. After a moment, Ron scrambled to his feet, helped Harry up, then ran and embraced Hermione. The both of them rifled through Snatcher pockets and took back their wands; Hermione removed a curse on Harry's face, then gave him back his glasses. He turned pale as his vision finally found Lupin and I, sitting calmly side-by-side. "No way," he breathed as Ron came over and after a moment's hesitation, pet my ears, making me purr again.

"Impossible," He breathed again, coming over slowly and with a slightly shaking hand, touched my long muzzle, jerking his hand away as he felt the vibrations from my purr.

"Is anyone else traveling with you?" Hermione asked, coming over and standing a good five feet back from us. Lupin nodded his head, making her gasp. "You both are honestly all right…" she reluctantly came over and stood in Lupin's huge shadow.

"Oh, Jenny, now that we are no longer in a whole lot of danger, can we get rides again? I told them about when you let me, and well—" He broke off as I started laughing, the choking purr mixed with little yips as my muzzle broke into a huge grin. I scrawled in the dirt: We'll take you back to where we are staying, how's that? Harry and Hermione stared at us open mouthed as Ron dashed back to the tent, and after a minute or two, came back with a few knapsacks and bags. "How do you guys want to divide up the load?" Ron asked, and Lupin wrote: I'll take your supplies. I'm sure Jenny can handle all of you; she is strong. I grinned at Lupin and he started to laugh quietly as he knelt, letting Ron secure everything to his back.

"Come on, Hermione, it's not so bad. It's just Jenny, she knows who she is." Ron said encouragingly, as Harry settled down first, awe filling his face as he lightly pet the top of my head in shock. Hermione took Harry's hand and held on to him for dear life as Ron got on behind. I stood up and she gasped. Lupin had been right, I could handle them all. Lupin darted off, and with another howl that made Hermione gasp again, I dashed off after him, my excitement and adrenaline pushing me faster.

"Bloody hell!" I heard Harry shout gleefully as I howled again, weaving easily between trees, jumping over fallen logs and bounding across streams and rocks. Lupin was way ahead, but he always would be faster than me. Moonlight that filtered through the trees hit my pelt and turned it a beautiful shimmering white color, almost like pearl. In a moment more, we were back, and I was standing outside the protective barrier next to Lupin. After a moment, Draco appeared, and then Tonks, who was swearing under her breath; running over to Lupin and embraced one of his giant legs, making him purr again, the vibrations passing through my paws.

"What happened, Jenny? We heard people shouting and Apparating…" Draco trailed off as I knelt, and he seemed to notice the golden trio on my back. There was awkward silence as they slipped off of me. To end any conversations that I couldn't control, I nudged Draco's side and he sighed, rubbing my ears. The trio was greeted warmly by Tonks, distracting them. I knew that was going to be a problem…