Harry of Hog and the Saga of Hogswarth
A/N: Grr arr I am having so much trouble with the H/G scene! I didn't want to leave you guys hanging though, so here's a little in-between chapter, which I hope you'll all enjoy, as it'll give a littlealternative insight and backstory. I'll have the H/G chapter up in a few days, damn it all, it'll have to do cause I don't want to leave you guys hanging any longer:P
Reviews: Thank you so much guys!! Jessica, Cynthia, Lady Lithe, Dueler312, you guys are the best, thank you for sticking with me for so long!!
lifeisawesome, I know, it sucks. I will have longer updates, I just need to get out of the dry spot :)
rweasley, I'm happy you see my point too :D I feel for you with your block, I hope you get past it! I'll definitely check out your stories first chance I get :) Thank you for your support!
Avanell, I love your questions :D Usually I read them too late to do anything about them lol and I'm always like, oh duh… :P Well, not too much Ron-Ginny (can't use the slash sign there!) yet, not really, but it's on its way!
Sammie, lol! Thank you so much, once again, your reviews are awesome! And… you have a good sense of smell:)
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Chapter 13: Walk Alone
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Remus Lupin was a man of few words. Somewhere on his long and winded walk along the road of life he had come to learn that silence usually put him in a position in which to gain much more information that he himself shared. It was also quite a useful skill to avoid too much unwanted attention, which in his younger years had made him quite a capable information gatherer – or, as Sirius and James had so crudely referred to it as, a spy. Indeed, James and Sirius had never quite mastered the art themselves, much too liable to make a scene in a crowded bar, or just to knock something over. So in their training years James and Sirius had thrown themselves into the combat training with vigour instead, and as such very quickly became known as the most fearsome and powerful knights in the kingdom. Remus was not such a bad warrior himself, but his heart had always favoured the quill over the sword, and his passion would always lie in books and knowledge – no matter how the latter was retrieved.
Peter had been almost as intrigued by the art of espionage as Remus himself, often accompanying him on his missions. King Albus had always been a little withholding in regards to the fourth member of the circle, Remus recalled with some regret. While Peter had always seemed slightly withdrawn from them all, his disappearance had come as a real blow – especially as it coincided with the horrific news of James and his family's demise, and the discovery of Sirius' treachery. Remus and Sirius had always been very close. Neither had thought much of finding wives for themselves, and when James met the fair and gentle Lady Lily on an excursion to Mugglewood and announced his intentions to woo the young beauty to his friends, Remus and Sirius had grown closer, fully planning on building a cottage somewhere far inside the Hogswarth Woods and settling down there when they were too old to carry swords.
Yet here Remus was, indeed in the Woods – now known as the Forbidding Forest - leading a group of rebels, revenging his friends who left him all alone. Who could have predicted Sirius' turn to the darkness? Who would have imagined him the killer of little Peter, and in league with the monster who killed James, Lily and their two children? Who would have imagined Remus to be the last man standing?
Or, rather, their son. Not many people had been aware of Lily's pregnancy, and in fact Remus and King Albus were the only two people he was aware of who knew that two children had been born that night, as both Sirius and Peter had been away on missions, and were impossible to contact without the information getting into the wrong hands. Because of James' close allegiance with the King he'd rather that no one outside the circle ever found out that he had children, in fear that they would somehow be used against him. And as he'd only had Harry with him on that fateful journey to the Hogswarth Castle, the birth of Harry's twin sister Hermione had remained a secret to the world.
And Remus had thought her dead along with her brother. How surprised he had been when ten years later he had found James and Lily's old chambermaid alive and well, hiding out in Mugglewood with a small girl, about eleven years of age. When Minerva had confided quietly that this was indeed Hermione of Godricshollow, Remus had hardly dared to believe his ears – he almost had a small part of James and Lily back.
But Hermione did not know who she or her parents truly were. Minerva had never seen a reason to put this burden on her shoulders at such an early age, and if either had spoken one word in the wrong place about who she was, they would be dead. Remus had to acknowledge the sense in this, but was adamant about them joining him in his travels, helping his gather forces against Lord Riddle, and hiding out with him. For one, he wanted to be able to protect them if anyone did find out who they were, and for another… Hermione would eventually have to be told of her heritage, and Remus had seen enough of James in her to know that when she did, she would want to do anything she could to revenge her family – better she be as prepared and have as many people fighting on her side as possible. Minerva had thankfully relented in the end, much to Hermione's delight, and as they travelled together, Remus had quickly found that Hermione was even more like James and Lily than he had first perceived. Like her mother, she was very bright and an amazingly fast learner. She was also surprisingly strong and very adept at sword fighting, but what amazed Remus the most was her skill with a bow, which only her father could have done her after. Oh, Remus thought sadly, how her father would have been proud of her.
They had been training and preparing for six years now. Hermione had started to become more and more restless, and Remus noticed concernedly how she seemed to withdraw more and more from the people around her. Even Minerva and Dean, whom she had been so close to back in Mugglewood, seemed unable to reach her. Her only solstice seemed to be her archery, which she practiced daily. She seemed happiest when she was in the archery clearing by herself, Remus had observed, watching her from in between the trees. These had been the moments when he had most wanted to tell her of her parents and brother. He knew she was yearning to know where she came from, and the reasons for keeping the information from her were becoming few and far apart as she'd neared her 17th birthday. When the day finally arrived, he had decided that he could wait no longer. He had discussed it with Minerva, and they had agreed to find a quiet moment at soon as possible, and sit her down and explain everything.
Only that plan had been thoroughly and utterly demolished by the arrival of two strange boys at their camp, and the biggest shock of Remus' life. There in front of him had stood James – a younger model with Lily's green eyes, but the resemblance had been striking. When the boy had revealed himself to be Harry of Godricshollow, the blood had drained from Remus' face as he silently put the pieces together. He gazed at Harry and Hermione, so innocent and unaware, and was honestly considering just blurting everything out right then, as all this seemed too ridiculous for him to fully grasp. But he had found himself incapable of saying much at all really, and had sent them on their way. So little Harry had survived too, somehow… it was impossible, completely ludicrous to even consider… and yet it made sense. James and Lily's bodies had been discovered by the residents of Hogsmeade Village, but Harry's was never found… yet word had come out of his demise, as Riddle had been only too happy to let the residents of Hog know that he had wiped out almost all of King Albus' close friends. If only he knew, Remus thought grimly.
Now Remus, in one of the few moments of weakness he granted himself, had no idea of what to do. He had been half convinced that Harry and Hermione would figure everything out on their own, especially after discovering Harry's talent with the bow - but then again, Remus hardly believed it himself, and he knew the whole story.
And here he was. Harry was gone, dead for all they knew! And it was all Remus' fault. They were children, for heaven's sake, and he had sent them out there alone! He had thought it a wise move, thought that Harry and Ron needed a look at life before they had to battle for it, and give them the tactical advantage of the three best warriors knowing their way around… but it had backfired, and Remus had never been so regretful in his life – again. Once again, he had failed James and Lily. Failed to protect them from danger, failed to see a traitor for what he was, and now sent one of their children to his death.
No. It could not happen this way, Remus thought grimly, as night fell on the camp. He would not let it. Tomorrow, they would storm the castle. Tomorrow he would win back a bit of the dignity he had lost, right some of his mistakes. Even if it cost him his life. After all, he had nothing left to lose.
All his life, Remus had been forced to walk alone. Any friends he'd managed to make on the way had been wrestled from him like bread from a beggar… and this was how it would always be, whatever he did, wherever he went, even having a hundred frightened and rebellious people under his command.
A lone wolf, he was.
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Next chapter coming asap, I promise! Please r/r :D
