And here we are reaching the last chapters! I seriously can't believe it's nearly finished!

Thank you everyone, especially DZAuthor and javalon14, who have seen this thing through!

Please Note: We have not seen the last of Lucius Malfoy (so don't worry all of you who are hoping for justice!). Also, there may or may not be a final lemon to follow. ;-)

And in unrelated news, I have two ideas floating around the brain for my next story that I'm torn between (one with Lucius and one with BBC Sherlock) so if you have a vested interest in one or the other, vote in the poll on my profile!


Chapter 19: Will You?

November had been so exhausted that she had slept deeply almost as soon as Lucius had left her. It was an enveloping sleep and she knew nothing in the darkness that had swallowed her. She would have slept for hours longer, her body and mind fighting hard to recover, if it had not been for the intense feeling of someone watching her.

She slowly woke on a four-poster bed that had been recently thick with dust. Someone had shaken out the bedspread on which she lay so the piles of dust bunnies drifted about the floor, making slithery tracks. Following the footprints marked out in the wood she could see Remus and Sirius's footprints from several years before, now layered over with dust as well. The most recent footprints, however, lead to a man in the corner of the room.

Fenrir Greyback reclined lazily in what had once been a richly embroidered armchair. His eyes never left November even as she looked about the room.

"There'll be no escaping so best not try." His voice was hoarse and gravelly. "You know where you are?"

November nodded, too alarmed to refuse answering. Lucius had reason to listen to her and deal with her mouth; Fenrir did not.

"Say it," he leaned forward, still staring at her with eyes that bored into her.

"The Shrieking Shack…"

He looked satisfied and leaned back again. It was more unnerving to November that he was doing nothing. She would have expected an attack.

"What…" she was nearly afraid to ask, not wanting to invite more cruelty.

"We are waiting," he answered.

"What for?" She hated how childish and helpless she sounded but she was completely at his mercy. The Shrieking Shack had been sealed off from the world around it by Dumbledore himself; there was no way she could break out of here on her own and her wand had been taken much earlier that evening.

Fenrir smirked at her. "We wait for Remus John Lupin. Could you guess why, poppet?"

"Please…" her throat tightened. "Just kill me and leave him alone!"

"You will die. But not until you see the light leave his eyes." Fenrir grinned at her and it was a horrible sight.

There was a sound somewhere below them and November whirled toward the door. "REMUS! RU–"

But her warning was cut off as Fenrir flicked his wand easily at her. The bedspread wrapped tightly around her neck, cutting off her words and her air. She tore at it, fighting to not make a sound that might bring Lupin to her aid and failing as she began to gasp and choke for air. Lights exploded in her vision when she heard the door burst open.

"Release her!"

Remus had, of course, had no problems getting under the Whomping Willow and into the Shrieking Shack. He felt as if he were watching everything that he did from another perspective and adrenaline coursed through him, shocking his system. He aimed his wand at Fenrir who in turn released November from the magical stranglehold.

Remus's eyes landed on November for the first time and he started. He had no idea what to expect but what he saw was worse than what limited expectations he had conjured up. She was not dead, mercifully, but her face was spotted in swollen purple: a black eye, broken lip, and various bruises and cuts across her forehead and cheeks. Her camisole and jeans were shredded and beneath the gaps of fabric, shinny new scars stood out on her colorless skin. Her neck was now a glaring red as well as she finished unwinding the sheets from her neck.

"How good to see you again, Lupin," Fenrir mused, grinning. His ease put Lupin on his guard.

A flash of green flew from Fenrir's wand at Remus and he blocked it expertly.

"Defodio!" Remus's spell glanced past Fenrir but blew a hole in the floor, causing the older werewolf to stumble aside.

"Sectumsempra!"

Remus blocked the slashing curse and managed to get between November and Fenrir. "Get under the bed!"

Without protest, November rolled under the bed. Her wand was at the Manor and she was as likely to be killed by a stray spell as by a well-aimed one.

Fenrir's eyes glinted and rested on the bed. "Confringo!"

The four poster lept into flames, the canopy collapsing in the blast. Remus was quickly able to freeze the flames, reducing them to a decorative tickle, but the distraction was the real aim for Fenrir.

"Everte Statum!"

Remus slammed face-first into a large armoire, gashing his jaw. The blunt force to the face had his head reeling and he needed time. "Confundus!"

As Fenrir tripped into the hole in the floor, Remus afforded himself a small smile; the problem with Death Eaters was that they underestimated the simple spells.

As he tried to gather his wits, Fenrir stumbled, his back to the bed, and November grabbed his foot, tripping him and sending him sprawling. Both men looked momentarily surprised, as if they had forgotten she was under there, with the bed burning harmlessly above her. Fenrir acted but Remus was quicker.

"Expelliarmus!"

Fenrir's wand flew gracefully into Remus's hand. The werewolves stared at each other and in the next moment that same uncanny grin spread across Fenrir's face. His hand roughly grabbed the front of November's shirt and yanked her bodily from under the bed. With a quick roll, Fenrir had pinned November beneath him.

"LET HER GO!" Remus's voice had a murderous edge to it and she could see him moving through the room and seeking an angle where he would not hit her.

"You think I am going to play by your rules," Fenrir smirked. He locked eyes with November and she could feel him begin to shake as though having a seizure.

Fenrir's body began to change. November lay frozen, too caught up in the horror above her to attempt escape. His teeth lengthened, while his arms and legs shortened. Fur bristled over his body and a tail sprouted. Fenrir's head shot straight up and he gave an unearthly howl.

November lay paralyzed with fear; she was trapped under a fully transformed werewolf.

"No," Remus breathed, his hand dropping in defeat. This was the trump card, a force he would have to voluntarily lose to.

"Drop your wand." The human-ish voice that came from the creature made it clear how hard Fenrir was fighting to keep his human mind. He closed his jaws lightly around November's throat; if even one tooth broke the skin she would be cursed forever.

Remus only stared, wanting to negotiate and knowing he was in no position to do so. November tried to speak to him but a loud snarl silenced her. How this was even possible outside of the full moon, neither of them could imagine but they were not in a position to test his control. Remus's wand fell to the floor with a clatter, along with the wand he had taken from Fenrir.

A wolfish smile spread across Fenrir's muzzle and he lept. November screamed as his claws raked her face and when she rolled over blind panic fogged her mind. Fenrir had latched on to Remus's shoulder and yanked him to the ground. Blood coated his muzzle as he shook his head wildly, ripping into Remus's shoulder, and Remus was turning white with the pain. A blind punch in the nose sent Fenrir back a few paces, howling in pain. His eyes glinted murder and the werewolf tried now for his face, snapping viciously as Remus held the jaws apart with his hands. Blood began to run down his forearms as the teeth tore into the calloused skin.

November's mind cleared and she screamed the spell even though there was no need. "Accio wand!"

The wands both shot into her hands and with another shriek of "stupefiy!" both wands erupted in white light that send Fenrir into the wall with a force great enough to crack the boards. As he lay, unconscious, Fenrir slowly changed back, growing from wolf to man.

Remus was panting and white and November threw herself beside him, cradling his head in her lap. He tried to protest, knowing that she had probably suffered much more than he had, but the adrenaline was wearing off and he could hardly support himself.

"When you didn't come back…" Remus fought to speak, feeling like there were fifty things he wanted to say all at once.

She nodded, tears dripping onto his face. He pulled himself into a sitting position and held her to him, both regardless of their own injuries. November could hardly believe that after all she had been through she was safe in Remus's arms. This singular thought was the only thing she was really able to process as she clung to him. Shakily, Remus stood and helped November to her feet. She badly needed a doctor and looked as if she would drop at any moment.

"Never once has anything good happened to me here," Remus joked quietly, earning a weak laugh from November.

He opened the door and jumped back, wand whipping out before a familiar voice stopped the hex on his tounge. Alastor and Kingsly were outlined in the door and a dark figure behind them indicated a third person. November nearly fainted with relief.

"Where is he?" roared Moody. "Fenrir?"

Remus pointed to the still unconscious figure and Kinsgly nodded, quickly binding and levitating the Death Eater.

"One more for Azkaban," Kingsly said grimly. "At least you're both alive!"

As if on some sick cue, November bent double. Her eyes began to roll and she collapsed to the dusty floor. Remus could not have felt more dismayed if someone had stabbed her then and there.

Snape pushed into the room and knocked Remus aside roughly. Mad-Eye grabbed a hold of Remus quickly, clamping his arms to his sides to keep him from pummeling Severus. Snape had managed to stabilize her head, which had jolted about violently as she thrashed on the floor, and busily looked into her eyes and felt her pulse.

"It's a Taboo," Severus announced. November stopped screaming and now twisted silently on the floor. "The word 'alive' was most likely the trigger."

"Trigger for what?"

"Her death. Should the job remain unfinished."

"NO! Not now! Not after all of this!"

Mad-Eye knew that something had to be done quickly, if nothing else for Remus's mental health; no one should have to endure so much in one night. "Severus and Remus, take her to St. Mungo's. Kingsly will contact Dumbledore after getting rid of his baggage." The Auror reached deep into one pocket on his coat and conjured a fire in the decrepit fireplace. Throwing powder into the fire he shouted into it, "Nymphadora! Get in here!"

The heart-faced witch clambered out in mid-protest over the use of her first name when Alastor cut her off. "Enough! We're making an arrest."

Tonks' eyes widened as she silently guessed to whom he was referring. She nodded and the two of them disappeared through the fire with Mad-Eye shouting, "Malfoy Manor!"

Remus was torn between anger at Snape's betrayal and the real need for his help. His shoulder was still bleeding and he could hardly use his torn hands to lift November. Reading this in his expression, Snape quickly took November from Remus's arms. His face was closed off and Remus could not help but wonder if Snape was worried as well.

When they stepped through the fire, Remus saw Severus had brought them to the emergency ward of St. Mungo's. Remus hated being here since some bizarre and gruesome injuries could come through these fireplaces but this night he was so distracted he only noticed one witch being carried along in front of him.

The trio was given immediate priority after the Taboo was explained. November was laid on a hovering bed and raced to the next floor. Once it was clear she would be taken care of, Snape had disappeared without a word; this was not a situation he could afford to be caught in. Remus hardly noticed as he followed her bed through the halls, finally stopping in a private room for breaking fatal spells. He started after her until the door closed in his face and someone hurried up to him.

"I'm so sorry, sir, but we cannot let you through," a small nurse-witch explained, touching his shoulder sympathetically. She lifted her hand to find it red and gasped a little. "Sir, you must be admitted as well. You're bleeding heavily."

"I'm fine," he rasped, staring at November's door doggedly. He would not be moved until he knew how she was.

"But sir, what happened?" There was a real edge of concern in her voice.

"I was bitten by a werewolf."

The witch gasped and stepped back from him involuntarily. "Sir, how can you say–"

"It's not my first bite!" he snapped at her, bloody hands balling into fists. "I'm already a werewolf!"

The little nurse-witch's mind seemed to reel for a moment. "Has she…?"

"No," Remus whispered.

"I see…" There was a long pause. "Sir, you must get your wounds cleaned. Please. I'll do it myself."

Remus's eyes seemed to focus on her for the first time. The door opened and Remus was next to it in moments, distracted from the kindness of the nurse.

"She won't die," the wizard in white robes said quickly. "However, the Taboo and her other injuries have taken a toll on her body. She must be kept anesthetized for several days. Any lapse could do her great harm; she must fight off the rest of the Taboo's effects on her own."

The wizard met Remus's eyes. "Sir, I must ask, what happened?"

"She was tortured and I…" he coughed to clear his throat and hide his tears, "I tried to save her."

"By whom, sir?"

"Lucius Malfoy and Fenrir Greyback."

The nurse and the wizard were breathlessly silent. The wizard finally spoke uncertainly. "Sir, if that is your accusation, I must report it to the Aurors."

Remus was obviously losing what little energy he still had by trying to explain. "They've already been arrested."

The nurse-witch interrupted, feeling an immense amount of pity for him. "I'm sorry, but I have to get his wounds cleaned. He needs rest."

The wizard snapped out of his shock and nodded, hurrying away to write some owls.

"Sir?" the witch asked quietly, indicating to Remus which way to go.

He nodded wearily, allowing himself to be lead away.


The next few days were a cloud for November. Any time she seemed to push through the cloud there was pain and yelling around her. But there was always the pressure of Remus's hand holding hers.

The week crawled by for Remus. The little nurse who had bandaged him, Catherine, kept an eye on him, convincing him to eat and sleep at intervals. Any time he protested, she answered simply: "What would she want?" Remus would have wasted away had it not been for these little, helpful naggings.

He busied himself with the newspapers, hoping for a distraction, and it became more and more clear how important it was for November to recover, not just for his own heart. Lucius Malfoy had been successfully arrested that night, but few were willing to give testimony against him. Dumbledore had announced that the primary witness for this case was recovering and the trials had been postponed. While November's name was never mentioned specifically, to all who were in the Order it was clear who the key witness would be.

Five days after her admittance, Remus was asleep when November woke. His hand rested on hers and his head was slumped over on his shoulder, brown hair a bit more grey than it had been a week ago. His hands were newly shinny with scars from where Fenrir's jaws had cut them. November's eyes grew teary as she thought of the horrible irony of him being bitten twice by the same man.

Her hand tightened in his and he awoke slowly. But when he heard her say his name he was fully awake in a flash. For a long moment, he stared uncomprehendingly, but as she physically pulled her to him the reality broke through.

Their lips crashed together and they pulled tightly around one another, with November finally pulling him into the creaky collapsible bed with her. They curled up into a ball, limbs wrapped around each other in a tangle of two that made up one whole.

"You're alive," Remus breathed for the thousandth time as she laughed. He sounded no less awed than he had the first time.

"Was there any danger I wouldn't be?"

"Some…" His face grew grave. "They said you wouldn't die, but that isn't really the same as being alive."

She nodded. Her eyes locked with his, barely hiding her worry. "Malfoy...does he know I'm here?"

"He was arrested, along with Fenrir. He cannot hurt you any more."

With a sigh of relief, she pulled Remus to her again, kissing him with every ounce of herself. "I knew you were there. When I was asleep. You were always there."

"And I always will be."

As Remus spoke, the words triggered something he had been practicing in his head since that night a week ago.

November watched as he suddenly sat up and began rummaging in his pocket. He pulled a small box out of the pocket and climbed gingerly out of the bed.

"Remus, what…?" The question died on her lips as he knelt, on one knee, beside her hospital bed.

"I had meant this all for a better time," he began and her pulse skyrocketed. "However…" He trailed off and she understood perfectly: some need to live in the present had enveloped them, given to them by Sirius and her kidnapping.

A grin spread across his face that melted away the aging that stress had put there. Kissing her hand, he looked deep into her eyes.

"I would die for you and I would die without you. November…" The box opened, revealing a perfect diamond ring that sparkled up at her. "Will you marry me?"

"Of course," she answered through a glistening grin.

Remus slipped the ring onto her finger, almost disbelieving that it had really happened.

"It's not cursed, by the way. I checked."

With loud and jubilant laughter, they fell back into the bed, wrapped up in each other and in their joy.