Chapter 36: The Success of All Unity

The aftermath of the Halloween dungeon attack had taken a terrible toll upon not just the House Union, but all the students and staff. Andromeda's injuries were so close to becoming a murder case, and the fact that she was Head Girl had spread an immense amount of fear across the student body. On top of that, rumours of Remus' condition had spread across the school; everything from his being driven insane by the Cruciatus Curse, to becoming a wild animal irreversibly.

Severus, James and Sirius were the most inconsolable to see what had happened to their friend. Pomfrey had confirmed their suspicion that Remus' memories and instincts as a werewolf were clouding over his humanity and thoughts. She said he may or may not recover and he was unable to go to St Mungo's, otherwise he would be found out as a werewolf, expelled and possibly euthanised if the Healers discovered his close shave with his three friends two years ago.

Dumbledore and Pomfrey kept Remus in his own bed, sadly kept restrained in ropes upon the bed. He was spoon-fed by Pomfrey, with the greatest of difficulty. When he was due to transform, they fed him the Wolfsbane Potion too, though this sparked the boy's greatest resistance of all, as if the creature within knew what it was and tried to defy it.

"Perhaps the trauma of the transformation will revert his memory back." said Pomfrey hopefully.

"We mustn't count our roosters." said Dumbledore. "We can merely hope for the best."

Severus, James and Sirius were the boy's only visitors permitted as they knew of his condition. Unfortunately, Remus' outburst was noticed by Lily, Andromeda, Regulus and Melody. To make matters worse, Regulus was even more suspicious than ever and was condemning Remus for his attack on Severus, whose face had bled from the clawing, but was not infectious and only left him with a need for a quick healing spell.

Severus asked Regulus not to make a fuss on the matter, but the younger Black was determined to get some answers for Remus' condition, and not for the Gryffindor's sake, but his own.

"If he's a danger to us here, then he shouldn't be welcome in the Union." he said coldly to Melody. "What if that had been you that he attacked?"

"B-but it's Malfoy's fault that Remus is in that condition, Reggie." said his friend timidly. "Please don't blame him."

Regulus didn't trust Remus, and he was still planning to work out what his problem was, but he relented his rage for the time being for Melody's sake.

Lily and the rest of the Union were deeply concerned. Andromeda came out of the Hospital Wing a few days after the Halloween incident, fully recovered but still mentally traumatised from the experience.

"How are you?" asked Lily.

"Are your wrists okay?" added Mary.

"I'm okay, mostly." said the Head Girl with low spirit. "But I'm still shocked at how they had the audacity to strike me…and so lethally. Not to mention the state Remus is in…"

"How is he?" asked Peter.

"Not good. But I haven't seen much of him." said Andromeda truthfully. "Pomfrey has shut him off from the other beds, and I can only hear her murmuring and him sort of growling and snarling. I don't understand what's wrong with him."

Severus and his two comrades hung their heads low. They knew and were frightened that Remus would never recover. After all, thought Severus, as far as he knew, Gilderoy Lockhart never fully recovered from his memory loss since the incident in the Chamber of Secrets.

"I hope Remus is up and about again soon." said Lily mournfully.

That was the same sort of thought that was passing through Pomfrey's mind still when the night of the full moon came. She had levitated Remus into the Shrieking Shack early and laid him on the bed softly. Remus was still struggling for freedom and showing no signs of humanity.

"Get better, Mr Lupin." she said softly as she set off back out of the tunnel in plenty of time before the transformation began.

Remus did transform, and he was relatively tame, as the Potion dictated, but he was still wolfish. He acted more like a tame dog. He brushed his fur with his hind paws, sniffed around and whined when he couldn't find so much as a rat to eat.

He was getting thinner in human form due to his resistance to his meals and the constant struggling he put himself through to get at his Healer and peers.

The werewolf was too weak to act murderous as a result anyway.

He curled up on the bed once more and rested after giving up his hunt for food.

The next morning, Madam Pomfrey, aided by Professor Murdoch, also made aware of Remus' condition and trusted by Dumbledore, came to collect him, both hopeful that the young man had recovered his memory.

They were strongly disappointed, as upon sight, Remus made to strike at them, but was so worn out from his transformations, that he collapsed in exhaustion before he could do so much as run into Murdoch's Shield Charm.

"Oh, no…he's still feral!" moaned Madam Pomfrey.

"Well, it can't be helped." said Murdoch grimly. "Let's get him back to the Hospital Wing."

The two members of staff did so, before classes started and once again restrained Remus in his bed. Pomfrey then promptly tried to feed Remus some breakfast, and much to her elation, Remus showed no hesitation to accept the food.

"Maybe we're getting somewhere after all." she said in relief.

"Still a way to go, I daresay though." said Murdoch. "The lad's bound to be hungry at this point after all he's been through."

November dwindled by, and still no changes had occurred in terms of healing for Remus, and Severus was getting more and more worried. The swelling had gone down, and the brain was healing, but Remus remained as feral and uncontrollable as ever, except for his newfound acceptance of being fed by Pomfrey without any fuss or repercussions.

Severus' concern was getting stronger and he only had the Union to talk about it, and that was heavily limited as they didn't know what to make of the whole issue. Only James and Sirius could discuss the matter with him in full detail and they had no clue how to handle the matter either. None of them were Healers. Even many of the potions Severus had brewed in his lifetimes wouldn't make a difference at this juncture. It was a very specific and unique case. Even Dumbledore was baffled by the experience and nature of Remus' condition.

One evening, after visiting Remus in the Hospital Wing, Severus was more despondent than ever. Remus showed no signs of recognition at all, and it had been nearly a whole month. Severus was frightened that his friend would never recover.

"This is not what I wanted for him in this life…Marauder or not." he said quietly to himself.

Then he stopped and considered.

Then he made his way up to Dumbledore's office. It took a few guesses, but he finally guessed the password correctly: "Strawberry liquorice."

Severus knocked at the office door and obeyed the invitation to come in.

"Mr Prince? What is it?" said Dumbledore, though there was a knowing twinkle in his eyes.

"I want to see Lily early, sir. I just want someone to talk to fully without hiding anything," he said quietly.

"Very well."

Dumbledore placed the Resurrection Stone on the desk before Severus.

"I will be in the usual place."

Dumbledore then went up to his quarters and Severus, knowing the routine, summoned Lily back from the dead.

But Lily wasn't alone.

Helena Ravenclaw and Ariana Dumbledore were there too.

"Hi, Sev!"

"Hey, Lily. Helena. Ariana."

"You look unwell," said Ariana politely.

"Do I?"

"Something happened, hasn't it?" Helena was looking between Lily and Severus as she said this.

"Yeah, Sev's friend, Remus has gone feral."

Lily was the only one who had looked in on Severus' personal life during the search for the Horcruxes, as well as Harry's life in the original universe. She briefly smiled at the thought of how Harry was currently showing his eldest son how to play Quidditch.

Lily then continued and explained about Remus' condition to them both.

"A former Slytherin who's friends with an alternate version of a creature who nearly killed him. Will wonders never cease?" said Helena.

"He's not a creature!" retorted Severus and Lily in unison.

"Sorry."

"Any news on the Horcruxes?" asked Severus.

"No." came all three replies.

"I should have known. I am early after all. I just…wanted to let out all the secrets and fears to someone."

"I understand, Sev." said Lily kindly.

He smiled in relief.

"I think Remus will just need time. I spoke to my version of him while dining with him and Tonks with James." She looked apologetic speaking of her time with James but Severus wasn't thinking about that.

"Lupin's dead? And his wife?"

"Yes…during the Battle, just before you died."

"Who killed them?"

"Bellatrix killed Tonks, and Dolohov killed Remus."

Severus groaned. He had hoped that Narcissa and Andromeda had reconciled after Voldemort fell, but this would be next to impossible now. With Narcissa siding with the sister who killed her only child, Andromeda was bound to be embittered to the end towards her.

Lily continued.

"Remus says that the case is unique and likely can only be repaired by time. He isn't sure if your Remus will ever recover, but his best advice for you is to give him time and stay by his side; to not give up."

"Just as the Marauders didn't give up on him," murmured Severus thoughtfully.

"Exactly!"

"Thanks, Lils. Give…Lupin my thanks too…and my condolences."

Lily smiled. "I shall."

They spent the next half-hour catching up, and Helena spoke of how she and the Bloody Baron were happily living together, and on happy terms with her mother, whom somehow regained the diadem after its destruction. Ariana spoke of how she was on good terms with her family too, and she, Lily, Ariana and Tonks were very good friends.

"I'm also hoping that Alice will be alright when her time comes," said Lily concernedly.

"What do you mean?" asked Severus.

"She and Frank are deteriorating at St Mungo's," explained Lily, "and they haven't got much longer. I'm scared that their minds are beyond repair, even here. They'll be so traumatised at losing their lives so long ago…"

"They'll be fine."

"What makes you so sure?" asked Lily.

"Because if Heaven can heal physical and emotional wounds like mine, and cleanse Harry of the corruption of Voldemort and…improve your ability to forgive, I'm sure that it can heal their sanity. They may be heartbroken that they didn't have a full life, but you're coping well enough."

"And I guess Tonks is dealing with it as well as she can," pondered Lily.

"Tonks?"

"Oh, yeah, you wouldn't know, but a few days before the Battle, Tonks and Remus had a baby boy, Teddy Remus Lupin."

"He's orphaned?" asked Severus with a mournful tone.

"Yes…Tonks was meant to stay with him, but she couldn't bear the idea of Remus alone in the Battle. They died together."

Severus sighed.

Lily was surprised at how saddened he looked about his enemy's death and his son's fate as an orphan.

"He's being raised by his grandmother, Andromeda, and by Harry, his godfather."

"Pott- Harry's a godfather too?"

"Yep, and I'm so proud of him. He's like a second father to Teddy. He's in his third year now, just like you. He's in Hufflepuff, like his mother, doesn't have lycanthropy and despite not having parents, has got a generally happy life so far. I think that's what helps Tonks and Remus cope at times. He's had a much better upbringing than Harry had."

All three friends looked to Lily sympathetically as she said this. It was very difficult for her to watch Harry live life so badly until Voldemort's death.

"Anyway, I'm glad you came to see me, Sev. Do you still want to meet again at the original time or shall we leave it until February?"

"Hm, as much I'd prefer to see you earlier, perhaps seeing you in February over school time may be an easier option than over the holidays," said Severus logically.

"Alright then!" agreed Lily.

"With luck, something will have changed by then too," said Helena.

"For Remus Lupin, and for the Horcrux search," added Ariana.

"Okay, I'll see you all again soon then, I hope."

"You will, Sev," promised Lily.

Severus smiled at them all, all his friends in Heaven. He could never get over the fact that he had friends in the Union from across the realm of Heaven, beyond life itself.

And on that note, he released the Stone onto the desk and his friends vanished once more.

In the Slytherin common room, Narcissa was looking between Andromeda, whom was still pale, as well as afraid among her peers and she was keeping close to a paranoid Melody and a wary Regulus, and her own boyfriend, Lucius.

She didn't want to believe it of him, but Lucius did say that he would get even with the Slytherin blood traitors, but she had implored him not to take it out on Andromeda too severely. He promised her that he wouldn't but then not long after, Andromeda turned up in the Hospital Wing with slit wrists and heavy blood loss, close to death if not for the Hogwarts staff's swift actions.

Malfoy made out that he had an alibi for the attacks, with Narcissa in the common room, but nobody saw him with her, least of all Narcissa herself, but the Slytherins, partly in loyalty to their prefect and partly out of fear of him due to his rumoured connections to the Dark Lord, kept with his side of the story.

Narcissa was upset and conflicted. If Lucius lied by using her as an alibi, uncaring of what could happen to her for aiding and abetting him should he be exposed, then he must have been involved in Andromeda's assault…but was it really his doing that she nearly died?

"Lucius…was it you?"

"Was it me what?"

"You know full well what I mean, Lucius Malfoy!" snapped Narcissa impatiently. "Was it you who slit Andromeda's wrists?"

Lucius looked puzzled.

"No, that was Rosier. I warned him to go easy for your sake, but he didn't listen and went in for the kill while I focused my attacks on Royale before those Union chums of theirs showed up."

He sounded quite unconcerned, which made Narcissa fill with indignation and rage.

"When you saw what Rosier had done…why didn't you stop the attack and get help for my sister?"

Lucius looked more confused than ever.

"Because she is a blood traitor, Narcissa! Whether or not Rosier went too far, she had it coming to her."

"SHE'S MY SISTER!" cried Narcissa, appalled at how uncaring her boyfriend sounded. "YOU PROMISED!"

"I promised to be lenient to her, yes…" whispered Malfoy, hoping the Union members didn't hear the topic of conversation, "…but like I said, she would have to be punished until she was able to see sense and plead with you, myself and the Dark Lord for forgiveness. It's her own fault for defending that Mudblood and her blood traitor friend."

"My cousin!" fumed Narcissa.

"Your family is corrupt, Narcissa! You can't want this, that's why you're with me!"

"I'm with you cos I fell in love…but…you, without my permission, threw me under the Knight Bus to provide yourself with an alibi! What if you were found out? I'd be expelled too for lying for you! You just expected me to lie for you and take your side, even though my sister and cousin were the targets of your attack!"

Malfoy frowned.

"I didn't hit her."

"But you didn't help her! Am I as expendable as her?"

"No! You're pure, you're worthy of my-"

Everyone knew instantly that this was the wrong thing to say. Narcissa exploded.

"WORTHY?! WORTHY?! HOW DARE YOU, LUCIUS MALFOY! HOW DARE YOU SAY I'M WORTHY OF YOUR LOVE AND AFFECTION?! LIKE A FRIGGING ORNAMENT?! LIKE AN OBJECT?! WE ARE THROUGH, LUCIUS! DON'T SPEAK TO ME AGAIN! YOU HEAR ME?!"

Narcissa stomped off to her dormitory, leaving Malfoy stunned, as well as the rest of the Slytherins. Andromeda rose.

"Regulus, Melody, you come too, but only so far as the door. They'll think we all went in together. Knock three times if someone comes, then I'll let you in."

The two second years nodded in understanding and waited outside the dormitory as Andromeda went to see her sister.

She found Narcissa curled up in bed in tears of despair and betrayal.

"Cissy…"

Andromeda went to rub her back comfortingly, but no sooner had she made contact that Narcissa flipped over and pulled her into a tight hug, sobbing into her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Andie," she choked.

"Shh, it's alright."

"No, it's not! I could have lost you and all because I was so concerned about blood purity, and yet Lucius saw no problem in watching a Pure blood, such as his girlfriend's sister, bleed to death. And why? Cos he worships that Dark Lord, whom seems to have no qualm in destroying that what he claims to try and protect and increase in numbers. He doesn't care if he and his Death Eaters kill Pure Bloods, if they don't do what he wants. He'll kill anybody…as long as it's in his interests."

"That's why I sided with the Union and against You Know Who, Cissy," said Andromeda sadly, "because he doesn't care who he hurts. He'd kill even his Death Eaters if they failed him, including you and Malfoy. And Malfoy is so blinded by his desire to sit at You Know Who's right hand, that he thinks that someone he desired was no more special than a wand, an object, like you said. I'm so glad you've worked it all out now."

"But…I no longer have Lucius. I don't even know what to believe in anymore…I mean, I still believe wizard blood is pure and best…but those who also stand by that are…evil. I have nothing now…what am I supposed to do?"

Andromeda prayed that Narcissa would accept this.

"Join us in the Union."

"What?!"

"I know you believe in blood purity. But so does Reggie to an extent. He's best friends with a Muggle-born, and although Muggle-borns are impure to you, they are not the ones who attacked me, or made that poor boy in the Hospital Wing go mad. And think of how trying to keep blood pure has made some people. They're mentally disabled because the blood in them is so close and so mingled with familial traits. We marry our cousins and into our own families that we're suffering the mental effects, just as Muggles do. Without Muggle-borns and Half-Bloods, we'd have died out, because there are so few of us. Even if You Know Who won and wiped Muggles off the map, we will go extinct in the end anyway. Please, Cissy, join us and try and accept Muggle-borns and Half-bloods."

Narcissa was so conflicted. She understood Andromeda's argument, but she also couldn't stand the idea of turning against everything she believed in, and against her family and friends, as Andromeda and her cousins had done. She was afraid. Andromeda knew what was passing in her mind and spoke softly.

"I promise…if things go bad for you for this choice, I vow on my magic and life that I will look after you. I'll never abandon you."

Narcissa said no more. She was so relieved to know that her sister forgave her and promised to stand by her, that she broke down into tears once more and let her sister comfort her.

The following morning, the Union were very surprised to see Andromeda introduce them to a new member: Narcissa Black.

"What made you…?" began James.

Narcissa still couldn't bring herself to talk, especially to those she still thought lower than her, so Andromeda filled the group in.

"HA!" laughed Sirius. "Unity has won out against those Death Eaters! SUCK ON THAT, MALFOY!"

"Siri!" snapped Andromeda. "Don't bring more attention or conflict into this so soon!"

But Malfoy heard Sirius and saw that Andromeda was bringing his now ex-girlfriend to join with the Union. He saw red at once but knew he could not cause a scene. He was already under suspicion for the attack on Halloween, and although Narcissa could not expose his lies without getting punished herself, nor do so without becoming a target of the Death Eaters, he had to be careful.

"I will get even with that bloody Union for this! They've lost me my girl and corrupted her."

"She was easy to manipulate clearly, Lucius," said Rosier.

"Yeah, you're better off without that trollop!" added Mulciber.

"Perhaps you're right…" murmured Malfoy, "…but she will be punished like the rest, and as she no longer is attached to me, I see no reason to show any mercy in future."

The Union didn't hear these words, but they, particularly Severus, Andromeda and Narcissa, could easily guess what was being said, and they also knew they had to be more vigilant.

"At least the twit will be leaving at the end of this year," said Lily.

"Or sooner if we can get him expelled for what he did to Andie and Remus," added Sirius hopefully.

"Don't rely on it," said Andromeda, "Cissy can't say anything without getting punished too, and if she did, Malfoy will make her a personal target for the Death Eaters."

Everyone sighed. Now that Narcissa was more or less on their side and on good terms with her sister again, they didn't want her hurt or expelled. If she were expelled or even suspended from Hogwarts for a brief time, Malfoy would take advantage and exact revenge on her instantly.

They all agreed to keep quiet for her sake.

This warmed the cockles of her heart a tad, and although there was a long way to go before she could fully accept Andromeda's beliefs in magic and blood status, she felt that perhaps she could find some solace and sanctuary with this Union after all.

And here's Chapter 36! Might not update until Christmas with an update based on it, but we shall see. Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than the last. Hope you enjoy this update and like where it's all going. Chapter 37 coming soon! Please review, thank you!