Daddy Mooney Chapter 4
Padfoot made his way through the streets of Carnforth and did his doggy best to get some food from the loading docks behind Tesco. But he was greeted by an unpleasant smell on the wind. An evil smell. He ran up the streets and found them. There were two men in black cloaks crouched outside of a bookshop working with small chits of stone. They're bringing down wards! He moved quietly back into the shadows. He could surely not take them on by himself, he simply was out of practice, and he also could not alert Remus without getting himself killed. He decided to wait. If they made a move to attack he would get them from behind, hopefully then Remus would give him a chance to explain.
"Harry! Calm down!"
Remus was having a difficult time getting the little guy to be calm. Sure he had gotten him dressed, which was more of a battle than usual. Harry we leave in five minutes, just sit down! The little clone of James Potter was in full "annoy dad" mode. Yet Remus really could not blame him. Due to security concerns he had not been able to play with many people his own age aside from Neville Longbottom, and what with his Dowager of a grandmother, well they only had fun half of the times they were together, those times of course being the ones where she was away.
"What am I going to do with you?" Remus ruffled Harry's hair making it even messier. "I guess we can go a little bit early."
Harry smiled his cutest smile and ran to the door to put on his coat and Wellies. "THANKS DAD! MOM DAD SAID WE CAN GO EARLY!"
"Oh he did, did he?" Dora asked coming out of her and Remus's bedroom. "Did your dad give in that easily again."
Remus had the good sense to look slightly abashed, if only slightly.
"No! He held out a good five minutes!"
"Well I guess that must be some sort of record then!" Tonks said smiling as she went to the mirror. She tried to remember what her hair color had been when they first met the Granger, but decided to go with her classic shoulder length hair with pink highlights. She turned around and kissed her husband on the cheek. Once the adults had put their Wellies on, the family walked out of the door. It had rained the night before and as such the path was very muddy. It might have been a slightly long walk, but the three of them loved making it. Harry running ahead while Remus and Dora held hands. The mornings mist was rising from the canal.
The Granger family had a similar morning. Hermione had stormed into Jack and Shyla's room.
"UP! GET UP! To the book store!"
"Hermione, it's… five in the morning..." Jack said before promptly falling back asleep. Hermione's little episode the night before had unnerved him and Shyla, and they hadn't got much sleep as a result.
"Is it ready?"
"Yes, the wards shall fall on our command. When will the others be here?"
"Shortly, keep an eye out for the werewolf, only he can bring us to the boy."
"Whatever you say. McNair won't take kindly to failure!'
"Think I don't know that?" The other snapped. "We've watched the place long enough, the wards will fall and we will run in and get him!"
Sirius listened to this in his dog form and crept back into the shadows, ready to attack when they did, he simply was not strong enough to take them on his own, also Remus might be more inclined to listen to him if he was the one to attack the Death Eater scum.
The Granger's had parked by the local Booth's and were walking up the side street and stood in front of the store. Shyla had a grip on Hermione's shoulder.
"Dear, we should wait for the Lupin's; don't you want them to see how happy you are?"
"Fine" Hermione said with a humph. But they did not have to wait long for the Lupin's.
"Hermione!" Harry ran up the sidewalk and hugged his new friend. "Doesn't this place look brilliant? Come on let me show you my favorite corner!"
The two friends pushed open the glass door, the adults completely forgotten. After the exchange of pleasantries the adults followed. Sirius watched the Death Eaters cast a notice me not charm on the store door. He had no way of knowing if there were other muggles in the store. When five other Death Eaters appeared he stepped out of the store, wand in hand. Sadly the street was crowded and he could not get a clear shot without severely attracting attention and death for him and the muggles. Once they touched the door he made his move. He ran across and followed the last one in.
Spell fire had already started.
"SHYLA JACK RUN GO UPSTAIRS!" Remus was shouting as spells flew from his wand.
A silver communication charm flew out the window from Tonks. Sirius wasted no time and began with a piercing charm to the back of the neck of the nearest combatant. Children screamed upstairs and pages of paper and blasted chunks of shelves flew across the room. A nasty purple flame shot towards Dora but Remus deflected it, it hit a nearby wall and caused it to bubble and drip down as if liquefied.
The gauntlets were now off, for everyone. Remus hit the unfortunate son of a bitch who had tried to kill his wife with a blasting hex to the stomach. His gristly remains splashed over the walls and covered his team mates. Pressing their advantage, the three expert duelists pressed their advantage and with a series of cutting and piercing curses leveled the last of the Death Eaters. Blood was pooling on the floor. Dora cast an air clearing charm to see if there were anymore and who was their helper.
Remus's blood ran cold here was the man who had betrayed James and Lily, yet he had helped them. Sirius merely dropped his wand and put his hands up looking pleading.
"Mooney pl-"
The glass windows behind him shattered and he was hit in the face by a stunner.
Chief Auror Tiber Maxamilian Adolphus stepped through the broken door followed closely by his second in command Amelia Bones.
"Congratulations Auror Tonks, you have just apprehended Sirius Black! I believe the Order of Merlin Second Class is due. He was the one leading this scum was he not?"
"Actually Sir, I believe he was attacking them…He helped us."
"Ah, that complicates matters."
Tiber was an imposing man, years of training and fighting had made him a great commander of the Auror Corps. He had trained his troops to the hilt and there had never before been a stronger Auror force, he never wanted them to be caught with their pants down as Voldemort had. He chiefly relied on Amelia Bones; she was a short and stocky woman with short cropped graying hair. He was planning on retiring soon and would have her replace him. She had a strong personality that could push through bureaucracy and had the respect of the corps; he knew she could be relied on to keep them on the alert.
"How so Tiber?" Amelia asked him. "It looks like he was doing the right thing, before carting him off to Azkaban perhaps we should take him to holding and question him."
"You're absolutely right Amelia, Millicent may have ordered him to be given the Dementor's Kiss on sight, but there is something that doesn't quite feel right."
An assistant Auror moved forward and snapped anti-apparition manacles on Sirius prone form and bagged his wand, before taking a portkey to the Ministries holding cells.
"Remus, could you run upstairs and make sure the coast is clear?"
He looked in her in the eyes conveying his worry about the entire situation, things could get messy and quickly, but he nodded his head and ran upstairs. Tonks turned to her superiors. Amelia knew parts of her living situation and would decide to give her the benefit of a private debriefing.
"Tiber, I'll take care of the debriefing, the magical reversal squad should be able to take care of things from here. When shall we interrogate Black?"
"Today at Noon", I want this matter resolved before Millicent tries to override us. Auror Tonks, you are welcome to watch the interrogation if you desire." With a turning motion he vanished.
"Well Dora, shall we go upstairs?"
She nodded her head nervously and led the way.
They walked up to the small central area of the second floor. Jack and Shyla were white as sheets clutching their daughter. Remus had just finished explaining what had happened. He was not going to hide it from them, and accounting for the fact of what they had revealed about Hermione he knew he had made the right choice. Harry let go of his dad and ran to hug his mum around the knees before she picked him up and clutched him to her chest, kissing the top of his head.
She softly stroked his hair and inadvertently revealed the lightning bolt scar, Amelia's eyes widened.
"Auror Tonks!" She hissed in a shocked whisper. "Is that?"
Tonks glared at her superior and closed her eyes, soothing Harry's nerves before dealing with the slew of questions that were sure to follow. Remus used his wand to conjure a bed and after a sleeping charm laid Harry down. They asked if they could do the same to Hermione, so they could speak plainly, after assuring the Granger adults no harm could come from it Tonks cast the charm and laid her next to Harry. Smiling at the sight of two peaceful children.
"Dora, I've explained the situation, basically to the Granger's here, it seems their little Hermione is a witch."
"Right, Madame Bones, this is Remus Lupin, who works here, he was to be the only one working today and was a great help in apprehending the alleged Death Eaters. Here also is Jack and Shyla Granger two muggle friends and their daughter Hermione."
"And the boy over there?"
"That is Remus's son, Harry Lupin."
Madame Bones fixed her with a hard look over her glasses.
"How daft do you think I am Auror Tonks? That boy is clearly your son and that man in clearly your husband! Before we begin any investigation I would like to know why none of this is in your personal profile!"
The three magical's conjured chairs and Remus laid a comforting hand on Dora's thigh for support. Once she started Tonks found it hard to stop describing what had happened between her and Remus, their reasons for secrecy, what Harry's relatives were like and how discrimination was actually illegal in the Muggle world, so they were married and legally the guardians of Harry. By the time she was done with her tale, everyone was drinking a strong cup of tea and Amelia Bones had her glasses off and was pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Damn, not even to the actual investigation and I've got a headache. Well Auror Tonks, you can count on me to keep your secret, I deplore all forms of bigotry and you clearly are providing a good house for Harry…Lupin" Remus and Tonks smiled, holding hands. "Now, let's get this business about the attack over with."
From her pocket Amelia pulled out a little box that she enlarged into a briefcase and pulled out and investigators pensive, a smaller version that would project the memory. With the assistance of Amelia Jack and Shyla concentrated and had their memories put into the small device and Amelia watched it on the 'private' setting. Then she viewed the Lupin's memories.
"Everything appears to be in order here. As it is from what I have seen there is enough to grant a full investigation into the case of Sirius Black."
At that name Remus finally allowed himself to react to seeing his old friend. He broke down in sobs and Dora comforted him, whispering soft words into his ear. When he had regained some of his composure, he turned to Amelia.
"Madame Bones, may I request to be present at the questioning? He was a close school friend and I have not seen him since before Hallow-ween 1981."
"You may, now Mr. and Mrs. Granger, this must have been a terribly stressful day, and I am afraid I must go, but have no fear," She smiled "you are in safe hands here, if I have need of anything else, I shall have either of these two contact you." She gave a brief bow and Dissaparated
The popping seemed to drive Jack and Shyla out of their daze they turned to the Lupin's and began rapid firing questions as never before. The questions soon turned aggressive and Remus felt the need to take control, he needed to be ready for Sirius's examination.
"Jack and Shyla! I understand you concerns I truly, truly do. Yet tonight I am going to go to the trial of someone who was once a close friend. As we are not currently safe here, we are going to take you somewhere where you will be safe, an old teacher of mine, who I would trust with my life will then answer all your questions."
Dora took over at this point. "Please understand, were it any other day we would be much more obliging, I know it's been emotionally draining and stressful for you, it's also been that way for us."
Jack and Shyla fell silent as Remus went to the window to cast the messenger Patronus to Minerva. The Ministry had cast a notice me not charm on the bookstore that would last all day and the owners would not even know that it hadn't opened that day. As he was at the window Tonks had awoken the children. Hermione was immediately engulfed by her parents in a hug. He moved back and hugged Harry with his wife as Minerva appeared in the room, allowing the parents time to hold their children. She always encouraged parental affection; she and her husband Duncan had never had children, he was murdered after only ten years of marriage she never remarried.
After a few pleasantries, during which Jack and Shyla were understandably stiff with Remus created a portkey that would take them to Minerva's cottage just outside of Inverness.
"Again we are terribly sorry to leave you. Again I would trust, and have trusted Minerva with my life! We will come back as soon as we can."
Walden McNair paced around the large dining hall of his manor house. The fools had either gotten themselves caught or defeated. The long months of planning had been foiled.
"Severus, clearly the werewolf is stronger than you assumed."
"I apologize, -"
"What would the master think? We must always be on the alert for his return!"
"You think I do not know that McNair? Who do you think was one of his most trusted Lieutenants? I was the one that brought him to the Potter's and I nearly got you to the Potter boy this time around!"
"Your childhood bitterness caused you to undermine your opponent Severus! They will be moved by now! What now?"
"We wait McNair" Snape said as if he were explaining the matter to a simple child. "By now the ministry will know that a werewolf is raising their precious boy who lived and he will be taken into protective custody. Perhaps you will get to execute him for causing harm to another being."
McNair smiled evilly, one of the many benefits of working for his department was that he could execute those creatures beneath a wizards notice with impunity. Countless Werewolfs, house elves, and other magical creatures had fallen to his blade, now if only he could kill a few goblins, that would be the highest honor, yet the ministry insisted on dealing with them trusting them with their gold. While he kept his golf there he never set foot in the place unless he had to. Wizard's should not lower themselves to do such things.
"Now McNair, I suggest you go to the Ministry and see if he was foolish enough to contact the Auror's, a werewolf cannot attack another human."
Without saying another word the two separated.
A/N 1: I own nothing.
A/N 2: Author recommendation for this chapter: Chemprof. Great works of fiction.
A/N 3: I went to a Bible School that was just outside of Carnforth and as such I am pretty familiar with the town. I loved the bookshop and bet Remus would love working there.
A/N 4: I picture Amelia Bones as the great Dame Judy Dench, like her role from James Bond. Also I find the whole monocle thing ridiculous ergo she wears glasses.
A/N 5: That was my first attempt at a fight scene, hope it was OK, also I had to cut this chapter a little short as the discussion between Minerva, Jack, and Shyla, as well as Sirius's interrogation will be rather long. Stay tuned!