Professor Lupin eyed the group warily, his wand at the ready, pointed directly at Snape. He didn't look very happy to be the one sent to the woods to get them.
"Severus," he said simply, staring the man down as if daring him to move.
"Remus," Snape returned, lowering his wand, the age old sign of 'I don't want any trouble.' Neomi fought the urge to laugh. It wasn't truly funny, but she found the awkwardness of it all hilarious. Here they were, running from the Dark Lord, and these two were fighting for control of the situation, as if one or the other would attack.
"Would you mind telling me why, in the middle of the night, I have been summoned to meet you here, in the middle of nowhere, with nothing in the way of explanation? Had it been anyone but Minerva who'd asked, I wouldn't have come. But, she said it was urgent, and so here I am. Now, explain, before I decide to take your head off."
Snape sighed impatiently, eliciting a slight jump from Lupin. This time, Neomi did laugh, and Lupin's gaze sharply moved to her. She snickered again at his intense expression. Snape and Draco each turned to look at her disapprovingly.
"What?" she asked, still snickering at the pair. "It's funny!"
Snape's expression grew more intense, and Draco just shook his head at her. She tried to stop laughing, forcing a serious expression on her face. It lasted all of a second before she dissolved into giggles once again.
Snape arched a brow, sighing before turning back to Lupin.
"We need your help with an escape in progress," he said. "The Dark Lord has been keeping a prisoner-"
"Who am I here to escort?" Lupin asked simply, his expression growing interested, but still angry.
Snape gestured to Neomi. "I believe you should remember teaching the younger Malfoy sibling," he said in answer.
Lupin glanced to her before turning his gaze back to Snape.
"Certainly," he said, "She was the only Slytherin who seemed to care for my lesson. But, why, exactly, is it so important that we take her?"
"I take it that Minerva did not explain the situation?" Snape asked.
"She only told me that I would be meeting in the woods to take someone to a safe house. Not who, not why, nothing. So, if you would be so kind as to explain, I would greatly appreciate it," Lupin responded icily. Neomi almost shuddered. Lupin was not happy, and he did not trust them.
"Well, perhaps if you would allow me to finish explaining, we could get on with it," Snape responded, his voice just as cold. Lupin gestured impatiently, as if Snape were the one taking his time. "Miss Malfoy has been locked down in the basement of Malfoy Manor, on the Dark Lord's orders. There is, as there is at the center of everything that makes the Dark Lord act rashly, a prophecy. Apparently, Neomi's allegiance in this war will be something of a deciding factor. So, he has been holding her there, using the Crutiatus curse, among other methods, to try and… sway her."
Lupin nodded. "And so you've been plotting to get her out, and now I'm supposed to take her to the safe house. Except I don't see why we're supposed to believe you," he said.
Neomi tapped Lupin on the shoulder, and he turned to look at her. At first, his expression was hard, but it softened after a moment when he noticed the wounds on her arms. He took her hand and pulled her arm straight, looking over the words carved there. Snape's eyes widened, as did Draco's. She'd tried really hard to keep them from noticing, not wanting them to take time out of the escape to worry about it, in case they were followed.
"Professor Lupin-"
"Just Remus, now, Neomi. I haven't been your professor for some time now," Lupin said softly.
"Remus, then, I… I understand why you don't trust Professor Snape, and even Draco, but… but you have to believe, they're not the bad guys. Not really. Professor Snape is just… I mean, he's had to be. And so has Draco. Snape to help you guys, and follow Professor Dumbledore's orders. And Draco to protect me. But, we really don't have time to talk about it now. So, can you please just… trust Professor McGonagall's judgement, and just take us? Because every second we're here is another second they can find us. I mean, they can't follow our Apparation path, but… I mean, it's better to be on the safe side, right? So we should just go."
Lupin started to argue, but he glanced back at her arms, and sighed. "Agreed," he said. He looked back to Snape. "You understand, you are not permitted to come with."
Snape nodded. "Of course. Besides, the plan is for me to stay behind… unconscious. They have to believe that Draco and Neomi escaped me, you see. To maintain my position. It is imperative that I not be found out."
Lupin arched a brow. "You mean to tell me that you want me to knock you out? My, this is a well-thought out plan, isn't it?"
Snape grimaced at the pleasure in Lupin's voice. "Yes, well. And you are, of course, aware that Minerva will be meeting you there. She cannot remain at Hogwarts while she is suspected of being involved."
Lupin nodded. "Yes, she'd told me that she was resigning. But why on Earth would you involve her, other than to get in contact with the Order? I would think, if you're truly 'not the bad guy,' that is, that you'd want her there as protection for the students."
Snape nodded again, a little reluctantly. "It was my original idea to have the correspondence be between Draco and yourself, or the Weasleys, but she thought it wouldn't be believable. It was at her insistence that I agreed to her involvement," he answered. Lupin nodded, satisfied.
"Well, then, I suppose I'll be seeing her shortly. Now then, about this matter of making you unconscious…"
Snape waved his hand impatiently. "Yes, yes, we'll get to that. But, before that, I would like to go over a few things with Neomi and Draco." Lupin nodded in agreement and Snape turned to them.
"Neomi, I know you're likely to hate hearing it," he started reluctantly, "but you must remain indoors at all times. You're free of the Dark Lord, but you aren't free. You need to stay in the safe house at all times. You must only leave if there comes a time that it is no longer safe, and then you must go with whomever it is from the Order who is staying with you, be it Remus, Professor McGonagall, one of the Weasleys, anyone. Understood?"
Neomi nodded eagerly. "I could care less. It'll be nice just to be able to look out a window. Not to mention, I highly doubt any of the Order will be torturing me," she said simply, rubbing her arm.
Snape nodded. "That goes for you as well, Mr. Malfoy. You must remain in the safe house. IF you are caught, Neomi will be as well."
Draco scowled, but he nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Not surprising. But I wish I could have fought."
Snape shook his head. "No, you must remain with your sister. You are her last line of protection. If the safe house is found and attacked, you must take her away from there, take her somewhere new, that they will not expect."
Draco nodded again, this time a little more agreeably.
"Secondly, I want you both to practice defensive spells. Minerva will have several books with her to study. Practice together, and practice everything. If you are attacked, I want to know you can defend yourselves." They nodded, and he turned back to Lupin. "If you are with them, I would appreciate your assistance with this matter. I know your area of expertise is dark creatures, but you should still be able to offer some guidance. If not, please ask whoever is with them to help in any way possible." Lupin nodded in agreement. With that, Snape sighed.
"Alright, then, Remus. Hit me."