Chapter 4

Remus Lupin paced up and down the room, waiting for Arthur Weasley to tell him what had happened at the meeting and to replace him at the headquarters.

Remus had gotten one of the mysterious letters, too, but there still had to be someone at the headquarters. It was a central contact point for the order members who had special orders and of course for Harry. So Lupin just had to wait until Arthur came and told him what was going on.

He had the same questions as Tonks. Two remaining horcruxes? What had happened to the third? Who was this "reliable source"? But what worried him most was that the members of the order would most likely go and try to get that Horcrux. What would happen if they had to leave tonight? It was a full moon tonight, so they would have to leave without him.

He would not even know if something happened to them. If something happened to Tonks. His mind told him that there was nothing he could do about it. That it wasn't safe if he went with them in his wolf form. He could hurt one of his fellow order members. He could hurt her. But his heart said that he could not simply do nothing when the woman he loved was in danger.

It would be different if he had the Wolfsbane potion. His animal instincts were still there, even when he had taken the potion, but he would concentrate his aggression on the Death Eaters in a battle, wouldn't he?

Lupin knew Snape well enough to know that he always had a huge collection of self made potions in his office at Hogwarts. Maybe he still had a bottle of Wolfsbane potion there.

The normally always calm Lupin paced up and down the hall, waiting for Arthur. When he finally heard the door open, Lupin hurried to meet Arthur as soon as he entered the house.

"What is going on?" he asked his friend.

Arthur shortly explained what he had learned about Snape and the planned transport of the Horcrux.

"The order is getting ready to leave the minute we are talking. They have no time to waste, if they want to catch the Death Eaters before they can remove the Horcrux. Snape said the motel is guarded by at least a dozen Death Eaters. Mad-Eye, Kingsley, Tonks, Bill, Charlie and the twins are going to face them. Ron and Hermione were still discussing with Mad-Eye if they and Harry are allowed to go, too. Mad-Eye isn't happy about it, considering that Harry is under-aged and none of them has finished their education. But I don't think the kids will take no as an answer. If Mad-Eye doesn't allow them to come with him they'll follow him."

"Yes, they probably will. Harry is so much like James and his friends will stay by his side. I couldn't keep the three of them out of danger when they were thirteen, I doubt Mad-Eye will have more success now that they are grown up. I have to admit that they are better fighter than most of the people I've ever worked with. And if Snape's information is right, they'll need as many good fighters as they can get tonight."

And that's why I'll have to be there, Lupin thought. He said goodbye to Arthur and apparated to Hogsmead. He would take the secret passage through the Shrieking Shack to get in Snape's office and find the potion before sunset.