Picking Up The Pieces Chapter Nine A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Manor
--
Remus Lupin lay on his miserable little clump of blankets, shivering. Greyback had decided that they all needed their rest before the full moon hit. It was a hard, cold night, and sleeping in a cave was not the best way to combat that.
But he was making progress, and he was proud of that.
He had already began talking, covertly, with several
members of the group of werewolves under Greyback. He
had been very careful about who had selected to talk
with, and several had proved responsive. Not every
werewolf was so convinced that maiming people was
their greatest calling in life.
He rolled over onto his side, pulling the blanket over his increasingly thin frame. Suddenly, he heard something rustling near him in the cave. He opened his eyes, and was shocked to see the glowing form of a huge werewolf in front of him.
It took him a moment to register what it was. Tonks'
patronus.
"What's wrong? Is she all right?" Lupin sat up, his bleary eyes suddenly bright with worry.
"She requests a meeting at night tomorrow. Nine o'clock." The Patronus relayed the message.
"But she's all right?" Lupin demanded.
The Patronus nodded.
Lupin sighed, relieved.
"Yes. Tell her, yes."
And the werewolf figure was gone.
--
Ginny walked through the streets of Hogsmeade, laden down with shopping bags.
"You excited about your sixth year?" Her mother, also with arms full of bags (now that there was no one else going back, Mrs. Weasley had decided to give Ginny the Weasley royal treatment) asked.
"Not really." Ginny said honestly.
They walked in silence for a moment, as Ginny saw
other students from Hogwarts walking through the
crowded streets. Everyone seemed solemn and quiet,
there was no trace of the usual excitement that filled
the air before the school year began.
"You still haven't heard from them?" Her mother said,
apparently finding it difficult to actually say their
names.
"No, mum, and I'm not going to." Ginny replied irritably. She had stopped thinking about Harry for about an hour, and of course her mother had to bring it back up again.
"I'm sorry, dear. I'm just so worried."
"Yeah, well, me too."
Another awkward silence fell.
"Ginny, if you'd like, I'll get the rest of your
things and you can drop in on your brother's shop"
Mrs. Weasley said, trying to cheer her up.
"Yeah...actually, that'd be really great."
"I'll meet you there in about an hour."
"Thanks, mum."
"Of course."
Ginny wondered if her mum was just being extra-nice to her so she didn't disappear in the middle of the night. Oh well- whatever the reason, she'd take it.
She made her way towards Fred and George's shop, when suddenly a girl with long, dark hair bumped into her.
"Oh, sorry." Ginny said, pushing her long red hair out of her face.
"Don't speak to me, you Muggle-loving freak." The girl hissed.
Ginny looked up, sighing.
"Oh. You're Pansy Parkinson." She had never actually met the girl, but she had certainly heard about her from Ron and Hermione's stories of prefect meetings.
"Yes, and you're Ginny Weasley." Pansy said the name as if it was the most vile curse word she could muster up.
"Well, you have fun shopping." Ginny said sarcastically, heaving her bags higher on her shoulders so she didn't drop everything.
"Where's your miserable little gang?" Pansy eyed her suspiciously.
"Where's your miserable little boyfriend? Oh...right.
He's busy being Snape's bitch, right?" Ginny shot
back.
Pansy's dark eyes flashed.
"You think you know everything? I know things about your friends, your family...what's going to happen to them...you have no idea." Pansy said smugly, crossing her arms.
"You don't scare me." Ginny rolled her eyes.
Pansy's mouth twisted into a horrible smile. She didn't reply.
Ginny shook her head, turning away.
"They're going to die. All of them." Pansy said to her turned back.
Ginny didn't look back.
--
Ron, Hermione, and Harry had been on the train for four hours now, and a rainy night was falling around them.
None of them had slept very well the night before at the twins, so they were all feeling sleepy in the warm compartment.
Harry was sitting on one side, already lying down on a pillow, a blanket pulled tightly around him.
Hermione was re-reading the book McGonagall had given her, and Ron was looking through the Muggle newspaper the train had provided.
"It's ridiculous. Poor chaps have no idea what's happening." Ron said, laying down the newspaper.
"You asleep, Harry?" Hermione looked up from her book.
Harry didn't answer, shifting slightly.
"This is a historic moment, Hermione. I've never seen him sleep." Ron laughed, as Hermione leaned over to take off Harry's glasses.
"Shhh." Hermione grinned.
The train lurched slightly, but Harry continued sleeping like a baby.
"You all right with this, Ron? I know it seems like it's all moving really fast." Hermione looked over at him, closing her book.
"Well, but it rather has to. This saving-the-world stuff." Ron said astutely.
"I suppose. I know the summer's usually with your family...I just feel guilty about just disappearing under their noses, when they've always been so great to me."
"You two are just as much my family as they are." Ron shrugged.
Hermione smiled.
"Really?"
Ron looked up, seeing her eyes were slightly glassy.
"W-Well, yeah." He said, fiddling with the nubby end of his sweater.
"I'm so glad we're together on this." Hermione said,
suddenly putting her hand over his.
Ron cleared his throat.
"Yeah, me too."
She looked at him, her eyes shining in the weak light of the compartment.
The train lurched again, and their hands broke apart.
The moment ended.
"Are you hungry?" Ron asked, rather abruptly standing up.
"No."
"Well, I'm going to go see if I can get something.
Want to come?" He motioned towards the door, hitting
his hand.
Hermione sighed.
"No. No, it's all right. I'm just going to go to sleep."
"All right. Good night, then." Ron waved, stepping out of the compartment.
Hermione shook her head, pulling down a blanket and snuggling under it.
--
Lupin pulled his cloak around him, quietly slipping
out of the mostly empty cave. This week, Greyback had
told them to scout out locations for the next
transformation. Where would be the best place to be
when they all changed to inflict the most casualties.
Lupin had nearly vomited, but he figured at least now
he could tell the Order when the location had been
decided.
The night was cold and rainy. He pulled up his collar,
attempting to shield himself from the wind.
This location had been picked a long time ago, when he had first been assigned by Dumbledore to live among the werewolves. He and Tonks were just casual acquaintences then, but Dumbledore had instructed she meet with him once a month to update the Order on his progress.
It was a dark, heavily wooded forest outside of
Hogsmeade. They always met in the same small clearing-
easy to Apparate to, no danger of being spotted.
He apparated when he was a safe distance away from the cave, and landed smoothly in the clearing.
Tonks was sitting on a tree stump, twisting her fire-engine red hair.
She looked up with a start when he landed, getting to her feet.
They took each other in for a moment, standing some distance apart.
Suddenly, she stepped towards him, hugging him tightly.
"Bloody hell, it's good to see you." She said into his shoulder.
"Likewise." He stroked her long hair.
"Damn you being so noble." She laughed.
He kissed her forehead, smiling.
"You're so thin." She put her hands on his chest
worriedly.
"Well, it's not exactly a 24-hour gourmet buffet
around here." He shrugged.
"Well, I have good news. If you can make excuses to Greyback, we need you back home. I'll even attempt cooking every night if you come...just for a few days."
"Of course. What's wrong?" He asked.
"Oh, nothing's wrong. It's just, I need your help."
He waited.
"Narcissa Malfoy's in Ministry custody. We had a
run-in when I was looking through Grimmauld Place for
anything about Regulus Black on Ministry Orders. While
I was looking, I found a picture of Narcissa, Snape,
and Regulus during their Hogwarts days. Now we have
her, and she won't talk. I tried the Cognito Spell,
and she's resisting it somehow. I figured...you could
help. I mean, you went to school with her. You're
really talented at Leglimens. I just thought maybe you
could..."
"I can try. I mean, I didn't know her particularly well. I tutored her during fifth and sixth year in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Did she ever mention anything about Snape or Regulus?"
"I didn't even know she and Snape were friends. I didn't even know he had friends." Lupin shrugged.
"But you think you can help?"
"Like I said...all I can do is try. I'm a little out of practice."
"That never stopped you in other respects." She grinned devilishly.
Lupin smiled.
"Ha ha."
"So you're coming?" She asked, threading her fingers through his.
"Yeah. Greyback has us scouting locations, so I'll
just tell him I need to take a weekend to scout one
out. He may be insanely evil, but he's not too bright.
It shouldn't be a problem."
"Perfect. Just apparate over to my place tomorrow night, and then I'll take you to Narcissa on Monday."
"I'll be there."
"Okay."
They stood there for a moment, looking around the clearing, and both smiling at the same moment.
"Are you thinking about-"
"Yeah." He looked down at his feet.
"I made a grown man blush." Tonks giggled.
"Well, you were a little forward that night."
"I missed you. Plus, we were all alone in this darkened forest...it was pretty hot, you must admit."
"I don't know if that's exactly what Dumbledore had in mind when he told us to meet here every month."
"Probably not." She laughed.
"I'll see you tomorrow." He said, tucking her hair behind one ear.
"I can't wait. Thank you for doing this." She hugged him again.
"Of course."
They stood there awkwardly for a moment. This was
ridiculous--they'd almost been together for a year,
and there was still the nervousness about how to leave
each other.
"Oh, bugger this." She finally said, kissing him.
They broke apart after a long, feverish moment.
"You realize our one-year anniversary is just a few weeks off?" She smiled, kissing him again.
"Really?" He looked at her, surprised.
She feigned shock.
"You haven't been marking off the days on your calendar?"
"Sorry, love. Of course I knew that."
"Yeah, yeah." She laughed.
He kissed her once more, reluctantly stepping away from her.
"I've got to get back. I'm sorry. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."
"No, I understand. Go. Go sleep in your cave and just know that I'll be sitting at home, all alone, wearing silk lingerie." She shrugged.
"You're very cruel. But I love you anyway."
"I love you too."
"All right. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye."
And he disapparated away.
Tonks smiled, walking back to Hogsmeade.
"I don't even OWN silk lingerie." She said under her breath, wondering if Hogsmeade sold such things.
--
Draco and Snape prepared to apparate from the small apartment they'd been staying in--which basically meant Draco was packing while Snape was brooding.
Draco was getting tired of this. His whole life, he'd been in charge. His mum and dad had always made him the center of attention, his friends and girlfriend basically worshipped the ground he walked on, and now this. Snape barely even acted like he was alive, and Draco had given up his entire normal life to be helping him.
He didn't dare say this, of course. Snape was a pretty scary guy.
"So...you mentioned something about needing to ask my mum something?" Draco said, deciding to take a stab at conversation.
"Yes." Snape said, still staring out the rain-streaked window.
"How do you two know each other? I've never heard her mention you." Draco tentatively sat across from him.
"From school."
"You were friends?"
"I tutored her in Potions."
"Mum was bad at Potions?" Draco said, wrinkling his nose.
He'd always pictured both his parents acing every subject at school. He supposed he idolized them slightly.
"She wasn't bad, really." Snape said casually.
"So you kept up with her?"
"Yes, you could say that. Why are you so curious about it?" Snape finally did look at him.
"J-Just making conversation." Draco said, unnerved.
"I don't ask you about your friends." Snape pointed out.
"Not much to tell. You know my friends." Draco pointed out.
"Yes. Charming little group. It must be nice"
Snape's voice trailed off, and then he looked like he
was mentally shaking himself with the slightest twitch
of his lips.
"Finish packing, Mr. Malfoy. We need to leave as quickly as possible."
And with that, Snape continued his brooding by the window.
Draco sighed.
Forget it. He'd tried, anyway.
He resumed packing in the other room, nearly finished.
They would leave within the hour.
--
Narcissa Malfoy twisted her long blond hair around one finger.
"Do you understand what I mean?" Severus looked at her, pointing at the page in the textbook.
She looked at him for a moment.
"Severus, can I ask you something?"
"Of course. That's what I'm here for." He said,
cursing his nervousness.
"Anything?"
"Yes." He said.
"Do you want me?"
--
Snape looked away from the window. Dwelling in the
past was not going to help this mission. He stood up,
pulling on a long black jacket over his cloaks. It was
a cold night.
"Malfoy?"
"Yes, Professor?" Draco called from the other room.
Snape wondered how many times he'd have to tell Draco not to call him that.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes. All packed." Draco came in, his thin arms full of bags.
"Good. Then let us depart."
Snape sighed at Draco's strained expression, taking a few of the bags.
With that, they apparated to Malfoy Manor.
--
A/N- Please leave me a review! More to come soon!