Chapter 9: Coming to Blows

"I'd be lying if I didn't admit I'm jealous."

"You can go for me. I'll give you my face and take your shift. I promise."

Tonks smiled down at November as she helped pin hair back in a fiery-red updo. "I'm too short. And I'm not at all winning."

November sighed heavily. "Yes, it's gotten me very far in life," she replied flatly, clasping her necklace.

"Where did you get that? It's lovely!"

"Lucius."

"See! That's what I'm talking about! No one gives me diamonds!"

November frowned at her reflection. Not that there was anything wrong with her appearance, but it was odd. He had been nearly affectionate with her the last time she had seen him and sleeping with her had almost become secondary. Of course it was still there in the heat they exchanged at the end of the evenings together, but it was not primary. Why was that?

"You can have it. I'm ready for this all to be done."

"Ready to settle down with a good man?" Tonks could barely keep the amusement out of her voice and November threw a makeup brush at her teasingly.

"Hush your mouth, girl."

"But you two are closer than ever! Don't you ever wonder…?"

November did wonder. But there was a wall there and she did not know why. Probably a combination of fear, insecurity, and Lucius Malfoy. And it was true that they were even closer. With the pain of the Diagon Alley experience behind them but the pleasure of it still at the forefront of their minds, their banter had turned to outright flirting. Not that it had ever been anything else, but now every conversation seemed laced with the possibility of more. All that was needed was for one of them to break through the wall…

"I should be going!" November said teasingly, breaking off her train of thought.

Nymphadora Tonks rolled her eyes and threw open the door to the room as November stepped into heels. "Ta da!" she announced loudly.

Remus and Sirius, Molly and Author were at the entryway when November hurried down. As Remus watched her talk to Molly, he could not help but take in her form in this dress. It was a deep plum, strapless and low in front and lower in back, with a short train following behind. Unembellished, the focus of it was November herself and her long, angular body.

"Lovely as always!" Molly cooed over her. "Tonks, you are a wonder with hair!"

"Hidden talent," grinned Tonks, pointing at her own currently turquoise hair.

"You'll be the belle of the ball," Sirius teased her.

"I hope to get in and out without any notice or incident. This is misery."

"Buck up!" chimed Arthur. "We've all been at the Ministry for years and none of us have ever gone."

"Or been on their wanted lists for years, as the case may be." Remus' comment earned him sniggers and helped him hide his nerves. He adjusted his own white tuxedo for the millionth time and reviewed their plans in his head.

This was an upper tier Ministry Ball to be held in a rather exclusive hall. Lucius Malfoy had of course invited 'Helena'. But it was almost certain that a number of Death Eaters would be there and it was uncertain how safe she would be alone. That was where Remus came in: he would be in disguise as a waiter and would keep a close eye on her, in case of emergency.

"Well, off you go! Eat as much as you can and try to enjoy the friendly people!"

November stuck her tongue out at Sirius before donning an expensive brocade coat and heading into the dark and the snow. Remus carried an umbrella over her, their feet crunching in the snow loudly in the muffled night. They stopped at the corner, hiding behind some trees.

"Anyone you would like to be tonight?"

"Malfoy." Remus blushed and tried to hide his face in shadow; the answer had popped out before he could contain it.

November tried to hide how pleased she felt and teasingly said, "That might be a bit obvious. Here…"

He could feel his face shifting. A scar stretched across his eye and he felt his jaw narrow and lengthen. His hair thickened and he felt his teeth lengthen.

"What on earth have you done?" The quality of his voice was even different from the new facial structure.

"I read a Muggle book where one of the guys looked like a fox and the other looked like a wolf. You're the first."

"Considering I'm already the second…" he replied gloomily.

Cold hands took hold of his face and his heart raced. She looked him dead in the eye. "Not to me you're not. Don't do anything stupid tonight, please. I know you like Pemberly and the Persimmon but I don't."

Remus smiled in spite of himself at the reference to that conversation; it felt like a lifetime ago.

"I've got to go now. I'll see you there."

There was a pop and she was gone.

With a sigh Remus folded up the umbrella and then he too vanished into the night.


November had been asked to wait in the main hall. Lucius had reacted very favorably to the dress and his gift being worn with it, but had been called away quickly.

November scanned the room absently, looking over the bookshelves, before turning and stifling a scream. Severus Snape stood not three feet from her.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, angry at herself for scaring so easily.

But the only reply she received was to be taken roughly by the arm and lead down a series of corridors. As she hissed for him to explain to her what was wrong, he only pulled harder and moved faster. Finally, Snape stopped, listening. Nearby, somewhere to their right, November could hear Lucius speaking.

"What are you–"

He clapped a hand over her mouth and pressed his wand into her neck. "We don't have time for this. I do not care if you have grown accustomed to being Lucius' pet, there is actually a reason you are playing house and you are about to be of some use."

He released her roughly and she stared openly at him. Severus was always very focused but something was clearly wrong. "What is it then?"

He leaned close to her and spoke in a low, quick voice.

"You are aware I have been…commissioned by the Dark Lord for some purpose. I can now make it known that this purpose is to create a block for a sort of magical eye. As you know, the Dark Lord has taken up some form of residency in the Shrieking Shack. However, something is hidden somewhere within that space that would allow an outsider to see into it at will. Clearly, this is against his desires. There is also the possibility of a twin allowing vision into Malfoy Manor. It is believed to be some precious object that would be guarded but passed down surreptitiously."

The full importance of those last words hit November and she paled. "Titus…?"

"Was probably killed because he knew a bit too much about this. Yes."

November felt everything spin and she grabbed at Snape's robes. Severus was lucky and quickly caught November as she fell forward in a faint.

"Mobilicorpus." He murmured, using the spell to hold her on her feet. "Damn you, wake up!" He shook her and she groaned, waking. But there was more concern in his voice than anger. The pair paused; they could still hear Lucius.

"Listen," he hissed to her, helping to support her. "This is a less than opportune time for everyone, but I am to be moved to another location. It is short term and Lucius would not like me visiting you. You must get this information back to the Order. Drink this."

A vial was shoved under her nose and she eyed it. She could not help but mistrust him, even if he had done quite a bit to help her.

"It will seal your memories until a day from now. Legilimency will not work on you, and you know that Lucius could read you like a book in the current state. Drink it!"

Grimacing she sucked down the liquid in the vial. It was awful. The pair froze; there were no more voices. Quickly, they dashed off through the corridors. Severus shoved her back into the main hall. "You're feeling ill. You need some air," he said quickly, more as a command than an observation, and then he was gone.

A few minutes later, Lucius entered to find November stretched out on a chaise and looking ill.

"Are you quite alright?" he asked, taking her hand in his own and feeling her forehead lightly.

"I'm feeling ill. I just need some air." She found herself repeating Severus' words nearly verbatim.

"In that case, the sooner we leave the better. The air is a bit close in here."


Once November had recovered sufficiently from both the worry and shock of Severus' news, she did all she could to play her part. She was introduced to several witches and wizards that gave her some alarm, causing her to hope that they would not recognize her from her days in the Ministry. But a certain figure kept creeping into the corners of her vision and it calmed her and gave her strength.


Remus was in agony. The more he watched the more he did not want to watch, but the more he could not look away. To see her on the arm of that man…it almost made him choke. The feeling was so strong and yet there was no name for it. No, that was not true. If he was honest with himself he was jealous.

He watched Malfoy move through the room, arms and hands continually on November, and November herself looking so very pleased. Of course she was acting; he knew that. But they were such a handsome pair and Malfoy held her so tenderly and so constantly. And Remus wanted to grind each of the glasses on his tray into that smug face.

He ducked back into the kitchens for a new tray of drinks and paused as the word came back to him. Jealous. He was horribly and sickeningly jealous. But what did it mean? She was his friend. But even as he thought that a flood of moments came to mind with much stronger feelings attached to them. He took his tray and nearly dropped it as another word slammed into his mind.

Love.

"I love her," he murmured. He had always known it and yet…Fear had so long pushed that word out of his vocabulary. "Of course I do!"

The last bit had come out quite loudly and now people were staring at him. "Just some arsehole telling me how t' do my job," he grunted, by way of explanation. Everyone nodded and smiled and went back to what they were doing.

Remus held his head in one hand, still in disbelief of how obvious it was. He loved her. He loved her so very deeply that he would do anything, anything at all to make that clear to her. He forced himself to be calm and rational; he needed to do his job still.

As he reentered the room he saw Lucius Malfoy whispering into November's ear. She nodded, looking at him seductively through her eyelashes, and the pair quietly exited the room through a door leading to a darkened corridor. Remus' pulse quickened and he heard a whooshing sound as blood rushed to his head. A very stupid idea entered his mind and, even more stupidly, he acted on it without question.

Following them quietly he continued to carry his tray of drinks. He silently entered the hall to find Lucius Malfoy covering November's neck and chest with kisses. One hand held hers and the other was wrapped around her waist. November's eyes were closed but her face was grim, as one enduring something painful. Lucius stood straight, pressing himself against her, and her facial expression changed instantly to one of pleasure.

Remus could feel the blood coursing through every part of his body, fast and furious. Without thinking, he acted.

The tray he held tipped forward as he pretended to trip over Lucius' robes. Six or seven full glasses of white wine poured over the expensive, tailored robes, tumbling off of Lucius' shoulders and rolling down his back, and Remus listened withs satisfaction to the sound of the thin glass crunching as it hit the ground.

"Ah'm sorry! Ah thought this was the kitchens–" But he did not finish his lie.

Several things happened at once and by the end of the flurry of movement none of the three were where they had begun. Lucius spun faster than Lupin expected; his fist connected with Remus' jaw and Remus was thrown across the hall by the force. November sensed instantly that something had to be done; if Lucius was left to mete out the punishment on his own it would be much worse for Remus. Throwing herself between the two, she drew her wand pointing it directly at him. Lucius was breathing hard but waited, watching November. He could not tell what she was about to do, but she was shaking and her face was red. However, Remus interpreted what Lucius took as extreme anger very differently. In her eyes there was a wild fear, almost panic. Only then did it strike Lupin how stupid he had just been and how she had specifically asked him to not do anything stupid.

With a silent spell, a wave of memory slammed into Remus, physically knocking him back down. All the better, for it looked to Lucius as if he were being tortured by November. But Remus watched as Fenrir Greyback leered, as Lucius Malfoy threatened, and as Lucius whispered that he needed to talk: all November's memories and all piecing together into a warning Remus.

November wanted desperately to apologize for what she was about to do but of course she could not. "Catapultas corpus!"

Remus Lupin shot from the corridor, smashing through the door at the end, flying through the air, and landing in a heap in the ballroom. It looked as if he had been launched from a trebuchet. There was a loud crunch as a table broke his fall. November restrained herself as best as she could, forcing a calm face. She stared until she saw him moving, then went to Lucius.

Lucius was grinning broadly at her and paused from magically removing the wine from his midnight blue robes and trousers. "That was rather vicious, my dear."

"Oh? And what would you have done?"

His eyes twinkled at her. "Suffice to say he would have learned to be more careful."

"And why should I miss out on all the fun?" November cooed, draping herself on his arm. She could vaguely hear Remus limping away and she silently rejoiced. "Shame is a powerful motivator."

"And therein lies your cruelty," he replied kissing her, a much tamer kiss. "The power over emotion. Which conveniently leads to my original intentions, though this may not be the best place for it any longer."

White-coated waiters were hurrying over to clean up the mess. Lucius whispered for her to meet him on the upper walkway of the ballroom and darted away down the corridor. November again rejoiced silently that he was not so brazen as to walk out of the dark with her. Helena had no shame but November did. She could feel shocked eyes on her as she passed through the main room, but she ignored them as best as she could and hurried up to the walkway. Let them think her cruel and petty; Remus was safe.

In a few minutes, Lucius appeared at her side. "As I was saying," he began, as if he had always been right there. "I feel it would be best if I were to inform you myself of what I am about to say. It would be regrettable if my…cohorts were to inform you before I was able."

November could not believe what she was hearing and her surprise must have shown.

"I see you guess my purpose. Indeed, in spite of myself I find that I have feelings for you, Helena. But I would wager a guess that this was your intent all along."

November forced her brain to work. "But of course. What other reason is there for refusing to go to bed with Lucius Malfoy?"

He smiled at her and kissed her hand. "As I guessed. Well, it has worked."

"How fortunate."

"You would still be coy with me?" He seemed legitimately surprised. "I have given you the truth of my feelings which is not my main trade, as you know."

She leaned on the rail looking over the party below, not answering him. He watched her closely, not able to read her expression.

"What is it that you want, Helena?"

"I just don't know."

Lucius watched her, surprised. She had replied with such great force and conviction.

"Then I suppose I will have to try my best to help you decide," he answered smoothly before pulling him to her in a kiss.


"You did WHAT?"

"I know."

"Are you out of your bloody mind?"

"I know…"

Sirius cursed loudly and began to pace the kitchen. "And you're sure she's fine?"

"She snuck a Patronus off to me telling me to leave. Surely she would not do that unless she were fine?"

"And no one could imitate that?"

"I know her voice. I know…everything about her. Sirius…"

He stopped pacing and stared at Remus. "You've finally realized you love her."

Remus nodded miserably. "I didn't think it was possible. I mean I have always been attracted to her and had some feelings for her but…it's so much more than that. I would do anything–"

"Obviously," Sirius interrupted, scoffing. "Am I right in assuming that is what prompted this idiocy?"

Remus nodded again. His face was still in transformation and it was swollen, both where he had been punched and where it had hit the door. He was fairly certain he had broken his wrist and he had an impressive gouge in his calf. He only hoped November would be willing to heal him when she returned. He was afraid to let Sirius try in his current temper. So he was shocked when these reflections were interrupted with loud laughter from Sirius Black.

"Have you gone soft in the head?"

"No," Sirius managed, chocking down his barking laugh. "I just thought 'I wish James were here.' He would have given anything to see the day Moony lost his head over a witch and was thrown through a door on account of it!"

Even Remus could not help but smile. He had always been the sensible one and indeed this situation was much more suited to James or Sirius.

"But what do I do?"

The front door slammed loudly enough to shake the walls.

"I think you better watch out to begin with, mate."

November stormed into the kitchen, a flurry of snow and furious looks. With a wave of her hand, Remus felt his face return to normal. But before either could even greet her, she had socked Remus in the eye with all her might. A barrage of punches began to rain down on him and, crying out for help, Remus did what he could to fend her off without hurting her. Sirius quickly raced behind her and pinned her arms to her sides, lifting her off the ground as she shrieked at him. Only when she had been removed completely to the other end of the room could Sirius get anything sensible from her.

"Idiot!" she screamed. "Do you know what that fool did?"

"He actually was filling me in before you flew in here like a bat out of hell!" Sirius shouted back. "What was that?"

"He deserved it! He deserved it and more!"

Remus gaped at her, too surprised to defend himself. Here he had been telling Sirius about how much he loved her and she had just punched him in the eye! And he was convinced it would blacken, as it had already begun to throb.

"But WHY?" Sirius' roar filled the room, grabbing her by the shoulders and forcing her to look him in the eyes.

"Because if he's going to get himself killed it had best not be while I'm there!" she screamed back. "That idiot has no idea what could have happened and I can't even think–" November broke down completely, covering her face with her hands and her shoulders shaking as she cried.

Even Sirius had not been expecting that. The men stared at each other, mouths agape.

"You have no idea what you put me through, Remus John Lupin, and if you ever do that again I'll never speak another word to you! I swear I will not!" As she spoke her eyes burned at him.

Sirius quietly reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder. She jumped a bit but allowed him to put his arm around her until she had calmed.

"It was a horribly stupid thing. I know it was. But I had no idea…" Remus joined them, limping over and leaning against the countertop, and though he knew there was more to say he did not know how to say it.

"This appears to be a matter for the two of you to settle. I'll leave you to it." With a wink at Remus, Sirius left them alone.

In the silence that followed, November sniffled, the fire crackled, and the clock in the next room ticked loudly. Quieter than a thought, November snuggled under Remus' arm, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder. He lay his swollen face against her head and wrapped her in his arms, gingerly guarding his wrist.

"You can't fight for me, Remus," she murmured, finally breaking the silence. "He cannot be fought without someone paying the price and I'd kill you myself before I'd leave you at his mercy. I swear I would." November turned her face to his and Remus could see she was completely serious.

"Then I can't look out for you anymore, 'Vember. It kills me to see it." His voice shook more than he meant for it to and he coughed to clear the emotion from it.

She looked fixedly at his sweater and pulled at a loose thread. "Maybe that's for the better. You know I'd rather it be you than anyone else but…I don't want you to see it. It's just so sordid."

She began to tear up again and Remus did his best to comfort her, reassuring her that he did not see this as her fault or her true self. She nodded weakly and started to leave for bed before catching herself.

"You're hurt. Do you want me to heal you?"

"If you can."

His answer was so ambiguous and so obviously intended to be so that it seemed to hang in the air between them. There was another long silence as she watched him wearily, battling with herself.

"I would like to try," she answered, so quietly he was almost unsure he had heard it. It was an equally ambiguous answer with equal amounts of meaning. She pulled out her wand and began to mend his wounds.


My, wasn't I productive! Two chapters so close together! This can only mean one thing! A climax is in sight!

Reviews get excerpts!