Story: Why Don't You & I
Author: theherbflower
Authors Notes: Alrightie! Here be chapter six, hope y'all enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Playlist: Hesitate ~ Stonesour. Under Pressure ~ MCR feat The Used. Say you'll haunt me ~ Stonesour
Chapter Five: The heart of betrayal
"Padfoot get off of me!" Remus 'Moony' Lupin shrieked in laughter at the large black canine that was on top of him covering his face with slobber. Moony smiled shoving the large bear of a black dog off of him and sitting up. Within seconds the large burly dog transformed into its normal rather handsome state of Sirius Orion 'Padfoot' Black. Padfoot extended a hand towards Moony to help him up with a grin splashed onto his face.
"Morning Moony. Pleasant day isn't it?" Sirius asked his lupine friend. "Clouds are gone away, no rain, and sunshine. My favorite."
"What are you doing here Padfoot?" Moony asked his friend as he was pulled to his feet by the slightly taller man. "Stay over with Gwen?"
"But of course." Sirius Black smirked puffing out his chest. "As if I could leave her."
"'Cause you love her." Remus grinned at him. "'Cause you need her."
"Believe what you will Messer. Moony, but I must disagree with you." Sirius rolled his eyes at his friend and walked into the kitchen to find some food as his stomach was growling and he'd not eaten the night before for worry over his near death friend, and of course, the woman he loved but he wasn't about to admit that to anyone, least of all himself. Which is rather stupid if you think about it because just two days previously when Gwendolyn Rose Ackles laid in his arms dying he kissed her. Why? It's certainly not because he thinks that she is beautiful or that her lips remind him of heaven. Its simple really, the fact was, so he tells himself, that she was about to die and never once before kissed, snogged, nigh shagged a bloke. Now he thought this was quite the shame really, considering that she was absolutely beautiful, and of course he was in love with her. Sirius Black just hummed along as he entered the kitchen only to find Peter Pettigrew eating his daily porridge with raisins on top.
"Morning Padfoot." Peter smiled over at his friend, although he wasn't really considering Sirius Black his friend and more his enemy. It had be quite some time since Sirius had started to suspect him of his death eater activity, and after the conversation that he'd over heard the night before after stealthily sneaking into the room in animagus form. "Lovely day is it not?"
"Quite Wormtail." Sirius told his friend with a very fake smile. "Quite."
"Molly left some more porridge over there." Peter pointed over to the pot on the stove that was still steaming. "And she made some buns."
"What type?" Sirius asked Peter with big eyes. It was a known fact that Sirius Black loved his buns. In every way. Or so that's what the ladies he dated told people when they gossiped with their friends over high tea.
"Blackberry." Peter replied to his obviously not friend. "How's Gwen?"
Sirius narrowed his eyes at the short man requiring information about his secret love.
"Getting dressed."
"So then she's feeling better?"
"Oh yes." Sirius replied looking over at Remus who was watch the two of his friends with an odd look.
See now both Sirius and Peter may be fine actors to the naked eye, but Remus knew them and he also knew that they were hiding something. Glances filled with hostility were shared between the two. And Remus just knew somehow, that there was something he was missing.
"I'm going to go and visit the loo." Remus told his friends quietly and with a long voice. "Try not to kill each other yeah?" and with that the young and quite handsome werewolf left the room.
With a sad smile on his face over the fact that two of his brothers were feeling animosity towards the other, Remus slowly walked up the stairwell in Headquarters towards the upstairs loo. For a few moments Remus pondered upon the thought of just why exactly his friends were fighting when he heard a loud thump from the room besides him which he concluded upon sight was the room where Gwen was staying. Afterwards there was another loud thump and in growing worry Remus quickly threw open the door only to come upon the sight of Gwendolyn Rose nigh Ackles as she would prefer, sitting on the floor with a pained look on her face. Quickly Remus shut the door and rushed in over to her where upon standing in front of her, Remus deduced that she was attempting to dress, and failing quite miserably due to the stab wound on her side that was covered in a large white bandage. Upon further inspection he also noted with a grin, that she was in her undergarments.
"Dear Gwen, are you needing help?" Remus asked her holding his hand out to her. "Come on."
"Thanks." She sighed grabbing hold onto his hand and letting him pull her to her feet.
"Bunnies Gwen?" Remus smirked at his friend of over thirteen years. "And Unicorns?"
Gwendolyn, not that she liked her name any. Growled at her werewolf friend and pointed down at the ground to a pair of jeans she'd been trying to get on.
"Yes bunnies and unicorns. Now will you help me get dressed please? Sirius asked If I needed help but I told him no."
"And why did you do that?" Remus asked kneeling down in front of her and picking up her jeans.
He quickly held them open as she stepped into them with the pained expression still on her face. With a flash Remus had them up, zipped and buttoned before she could think. Gwen like Remus, a whole lot. But in a very brotherly way. Remus always had the tendency to be there when she was at her worst, and best. She smiled at him and pulled him into a hug which the young werewolf happily accepted. They stood there for what seemed to be a few minutes before the rather sad and painful Gwen realized she was not in fact wearing a tee shirt, and just her unicorn bra. She pulled back and smiled at her friend before pulling a rather small pink shirt from the sack her uncle had brought over and slipped it on. She repeated the pulling of items out of the sack and held out a pair of blue converse all stars to Remus with a grin. Then she pulled out a pair of pink socks and smirked with a blush.
"Sheep Gwen? Do you have an obsession with animals or something?" Remus chuckled at her as she sat down on the bed and held her feet up to him.
"My uncle packed the bag for me. All these clothes haven't been worn since Hogwarts."
"That would explain it." Remus told her with a smirk as he slipped the socks on her feet and then repeated the motions with the shoes. "Alright. All ready." He told her before tossing her her ministry green robe.
"Thank you Remus." She smiled at him. "I think I'm good now."
"Alright." Remus replied before kissing her temple. "If you need me just call."
"I will." She smiled.
...
I growled in frustration before sitting down on the bed and holding my side. This sucked fucking ass. I hated this. Pain and I never did agree, and heaven help me, I was reeling in it. I sighed before lying back on the bed, not really wanting to get up and go anywhere. And the worst part, was not the pain I was reeling in, it was the fact that all I could think about was Sirius. The kiss, the waking up next to him, the deep meaning filled glances. Fucker. I did not want to feel anything for anyone! Least of all Sirius Black. What could I do? I am sure that ignoring the fact that I did have feelings for the damned idiot was now out of the question. Stupid crap! In a fit of frustration I screamed out. Why? Why was this happening to me? But heaven and Merlin help me, I couldn't stop thinking about those lips, so warm and strong on mine. I may have been on the brink of death when he kissed me, but I still felt worlds collide. And I did promise that stupid damned Hogsmeade trip if I survived and I did. Idiot just had to go and save my life, like it meant anything to anyone. Ok well maybe it did mean something to people who loved me like Uncle Al, Lilybean, James, Remus, loads of other people and of course, Sirius. And when did I start calling him by his first name? Well I guess to be honest I've been calling him Sirius off and on for years now. Only I don't like admitting my defeat.
"Feeling better?" asked a dark voice from the door way. I looked up quickly to see Peter flounce his fat arse, although I loved the kid cause he was my friend! Into the room. "Now." He closed and locked the door. "We have some business to take care of."
"Get out." I snapped at him sitting up and wincing. "Right now or I swear to god I'll scream bloody fucking murder."
"I've silenced the room. There is nothing that you can do." he told me stepping forward with a wickedly evil gleam in his eyes. "Unfortunately, I've got to kill you. And Padfoot too."
"Fuck off Peter." I growled before reaching for my wand which wasn't there because they were stolen by those bastards the night we were captured. Just great. I'm defenseless. "Sirius!" I yelled. "Remus!"
"They can't hear you Gwen." he stalked forward, his beady eyes smirking at me. "Now shall we do this the easy way or the hard way?"
To be honest I was too weak to fight him. Far too weak. I grabbed my side and glared at him.
"The hard way because there was never a chance of me going easily." I spat at him. "Take your best shot rat! I should have known it was you all along."
"It is not my fault you muggle loving fools are so blindsided by friendship, love, and loyalty."
"What happened to you?" I demanded. "You used to be so sweet. How could you betray us all? Sirius, Remus, and James love you! You're like their brother! How can you turn your back to them? How can you condone joining those bastards that hunt people for sport? That want total destruction and domination? How?" I glared at him feeling tears break my eyes. "If I die here by your hand, just do one thing, tell that piece of shit father that he can go straight to fucking hell."
"I can do that." Pettigrew smirked at me. "Any other last words?"
"Yeah, go fuck yourself." I told him with a glower. "You won't win this battle, Voldemort will lose because the only thing worth fighting for, the only thing that needs to be fought for is love. And love will triumph over evil every time because love is pure and beautiful."
"Is that all?" I raised his wand to me and leveled it with my chest.
I took a deep breath knowing that there was no way I was going to be able to fight this, there was no Sirius Black to save my ass this time. I sighed and nodded.
...
"Ok what gives?" Moony asked me with an irritated look and a raise of his left eyebrow. I must say, Moony does look mad, his auburn eyes narrowing dangerously as if if I didn't tell him, he'd eat me for meal the next full moon. "Why are you and Peter fighting?"
"No reason." I shrugged keeping my promise to Gwen. "He was just being an insensitive git yesterday and I'm pissed over it."
"And I'm supposed to believe that crap?" Moony demanded taking a sip of his Irish coffee. "Really Padfoot, what's going on? I've known you since the tender age of 11 years old and I know your lying to me."
"Moony please, I just can't talk about it right now ok? I've got bigger things on my mind than Peter being a bastard."
"Alright, tell me what's wrong. You never call anyone a bastard unless you have a very deep dislike towards them."
"Not true." I argued. "That isn't true. I call Prongs a bastard on a usual basis, and I don't dislike him."
"Liar." Moony stated taking another drink of his coffee with a growl. "Spill."
"I just…" I broke off. "I promise someone I wouldn't say anything just yet." I told him with a sigh. "And I won't break my promise Moony. The second that I can tell you I promise to you that I will."
"Alright." Moony sighed at him before finishing off his coffee. "So you stayed the night here with Gwen? Where'd you sleep?"
I felt my cheeks darken, stupid Moony and his way to obvious knowledge of everything.
"Fell asleep in a chair upstairs. Dorcas told me to watch over her, and that's precisely what I did." I informed him before rolling my eyes and ripping another bite out of my blackberry bun. "I don't know why you people are always thinking that there is more to it than that."
"Maybe its because there is." Remus grinned at me with a wolfish look attributed to the fact that the moon was three days off. "There is no shame in admitting it Padfoot, there is nothing wrong with loving someone."
"I know that Moony. I know." I sighed ripping another bite out of my bun, Molly does know how to make some amazing pastries. Must be a Weasley talent. "I just can't help it, and Merlin knows that I've tried to."
"Well this is just a theory but listen. When James started to fall for Lily he went all 'oh look at the way her hair falls about her making her look like an angel. I love her, Merlin help me I love her. So beautiful. I'm gonna marry her one of these days.' and of course he did." he paused walking over to refill his coffee. "And Lily, well Lily just hated him. Swore that she'd never fall in love 'with a pigheaded git like that' and look where we are now. They're both married quite happily, in love with each other something fierce. What did denying that love do Lily but cause her to lose time she couldn't get back. And trust me she admitted it to me. Said 'I don't know why I was so stubborn Remus, I love him. He makes my day fill with sunshine and my night fill with moonlight. He's the only one who can save me, and I don't understand why it took me so long to figure it out.' don't be another Lily Pads, it won't do any good when it comes down to it."
"You right." I sighed softly before walking over to the kettle on the stove and moving to make myself a cup of earl grey. "This morning when I woke up, Merlin Moony, she looked like an angel. I could get used to waking up to that every morning Moony."
"You must have been pretty worried when she got wounded." Moony supplied taking a sip from his mug. "You looked pretty worried there in the Mirror. Its obvious the two of you have feelings towards the other, the only sane thing to do is act on them."
"I know." I grabbed a mug from the cupboard. "I kind of did."
"What?" Remus looked up at me with glee. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, thought she was gonna die. Did you know before I kissed her she'd never been kissed before? Or snogged, dated, or obviously shagged."
"Well yeah." Remus grinned. "But that is just classic Gwen. Considering what she seen her father do to her mother you have to kind of understand that. She's not your average witch Padfoot, if you go into that trying to get her flat on her back the only thing you'll end up with is a black eye and a headache."
"As if that's all I wanted." I rolled my eyes at him. "I care about her, and I wouldn't want her hurt."
"I'm sure Pads, I'm just saying that be careful where you tread with her." Remus picked up the daily prophet and flicked it open. "I care about her and don't want to see her heartbroken mate, and I expect Mad-eye'd kill you."
"True." I smirked. "Moody would kill me."
"I wonder where Peter is." Remus sighed setting the newspaper back down. "Said he was going to the loo, that was like fifteen minutes ago. Maybe he's having himself a right nice wank."
I looked up quickly, Gwen was on her own up there. And fifteen minutes was too long for a jaunt to the loo, something was wrong. I quickly slammed the mug that I was holding in my hands down onto the emerald green counter top. With a speed I'd never known I raced out of the kitchen and through the large dining hall to the stairwell. I took the steps three at a time, practically sprinting up them to get to her. What if I was too late? Neither Gwen nor I had any wands, they had been taken at the Ackles Estate after we were captured. I could hear Remus behind me shouting for me to slow down and what the bloody hell was wrong but I didn't answer. How could I have been stupid enough to leave her alone and defenseless with a death eater in the house? Was I fucking insane? This couldn't happen, I wasn't going to allow it! But then, did I have a choice? What if he'd already gotten to her? What if she was already gone? I came to a halt next to the door that would lead into where Gwen was residing and fell silent. Moony came to a halt next to me, I quickly pulled off any silencing charms and started to talk but I slapped my hand over his face.
"It is not my fault you muggle loving fools are so blindsided by friendship, love, and loyalty." Peter's squeaky voice resounded out of the room. I looked next to me to see Remus's face drop.
"What happened to you?" Gwen demanded of him with an angry edge to her whimsical voice. "You used to be so sweet. How could you betray us all? Sirius, Remus, and James love you! You're like their brother! How can you turn your back to them? How can you condone joining those bastards that hunt people for sport? That want total destruction and domination? How?" Gwen spat at him, I could hear tears dripping from her voice. "If I die here by your hand, just do one thing, tell my piece of shit father that he can go straight to fucking hell."
"I can do that." Peter told her with a smirk evident in his beady little voice. I growled and looked over at Remus and motioned for him to get out his wand. "Any last words?"
"Yeah, go fuck yourself." Gwen replied to him with acid dripping from her voice. "You won't win this battle, Voldemort will lose because the only thing worth fighting for, the only thing that needs to be fought for is love. And love will triumph over evil every time because love is pure and beautiful."
"Is that all?" Peter drawled just as I silently opened the door. "Nothing else you'd like to add to you pathetic existence? Not any last parting words?"
"Are you dragging this out rat?" Gwen spat at him seeing us behind him. A light jumped back to her eyes and telepathically she told that she was thankful that we had come with just the right amount of time. "But I would like to tell you something." she fluttered her eyes at him. "You lose."
"Oh do I?" Peter smirked at her. "Ava.."
I slammed into him and pinned him to the floor. Moony took his wand and aimed it at him with a cold look in his eyes.
"She's right Wormtail." Moony spat at our brother. "You lose." he aimed his wand at Wormtail and glowered. "Stupefy."
Peter Pettigrew went slack in my grasp and I quickly stood up. I crossed the room to Gwen who was now sitting on the bed holding her side with tears in her eyes. I sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug, thankful to god, or Merlin, or who the hell ever was up there calling the shots that I'd gotten to her in time. Just in time. She started to cry into my chest as I held her, just as I started to cry into her hair. Remus who was standing over Peter with a cold look of hatred in his eyes looked up at us and crossed the room to take a seat on the other side of Gwen. Then with a wave, Remus too started to cry. He was our friend, and he'd betrayed us. He was our brother and we loved him, but he didn't in return. It was a grave loss for the Marauders, and Sirius could scarcely imagine how James would take it. But it was a good thing however, that they caught the rat in the nick of time, before anyone got hurt.
"How could he do this?" Remus asked with a bitter tone on his voice. "How could Peter, little Peter Pettigrew have betrayed us and join Voldemort? How is that even possible?" he demanded outraged.
"Moony, just calm down." I whispered to him while running my hand through Gwen's long golden hair. "I know its hard to accept, hell I don't want to, but unfortunately, it's the truth like it or not."
"I just don't understand." he said with a hallow edge latching itself to his outraged vocal cords. "I just don't get it."
"Its obvious that he never really cared." Gwen spoke with tears evident in her voice. "He just used all of us. Like he never cared."
"Don't cry Gwen." I sighed cupping her cheek softly. "I know you didn't want this to be, but it is what it is." I told her softly playing with a stray golden curl from her mane of hair. "Are you ok?"
"No. I'm not." she spoke with punctuation. "I am not ok with the fact that he fooled us all. Think about all the information he's been leaking to Voldemort? I'm just thankful that Lily and James are under the fidelius spell, can't imagine how quick that sick bastard would have killed them if he were to have known."
"We should probably get him to Azkaban, tell Moody and Dumbledore." I sighed watching Remus stand up and walk over to our fallen and stunned friend on the carpet. "We'll have to tell them that he's an animagus."
"You can't!" Gwen said looking up at me quickly. "You know that will lead to more questions, more questions will lead to you and James and then you'll be sent to Azkaban. That's suicide."
"We can lie Gwen." I pointed out standing up as well. "And we need to hurry, we've got to be in the office in." I looked down at my watch to check the time. "Twenty five minutes. Moony will you go and call Dumbledore?"
"Of course." Remus said walking out of the room. "Here take his wand." he tossed the short wooden stick to me. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
..scene..change..
Authors Note: aha! Chapter five done! Kaput. Finite. I'm tired and going to take a week's break. So look out for chapter six in a week in a half to two weeks.
Cheers, thf