Since her last visitor's vision, Phoebe tried her hardest to remember the runes she'd seen on the hand that held her own.
At first, she drew them in the dust on the table in her room, but one of the elderly witches who came to see to her had wiped it away. She quickly scratched them into the wood of her floor beneath her bed. She didn't want to forget them, to find who they belonged to. She found herself actually regretting not taking Ancient Runes in school, a boring subject she thought she'd never need.
The man who the vision belonged to, that Remus bloke, however, he would possibly know.
After all, she'd just met him, it was odd to assume that he was her guest at this wedding, though she did have to admit that if she was rescued by him, she'd be in a life debt, and would absolutely want to hold on to that friendship.
It was a while before anyone else came to see her, yet.
Time dragged on when she was alone, though she did try to focus and see anything more, her mind would not open for her. But the day before the full moon, Fenrir Greyback once again came in, his towering form standing over her. Phoebe did not speak, and she kept her head low and eyes on his boots, which she couldn't help but notice that the tanned leather had a splatter of blood on the tip of the right one.
"On your feet, Hawkins." He commanded, and she did as she was told, eyes still cast down.
"Sir." She said once standing, awaiting instructions.
"I know the Ministry has been looking for me since my escape. I need to know if they've caught wind of this place." Greyback growled.
"They have, sir." She nodded. It was jarring and took her breath when he suddenly had her face in one hand, forcing her to look at him, teeth bore and eyes glowing like fire. He lifted her from the ground, her toes barely scraping the floor as she dangled from his hand like a limp doll. Phoebe knew better than to struggle, as it would only get her hurt worse.
"And you didn't think to say that, you stupid bitch?" He snarled, droplets of spit peppering her face. She closed her eyes and whimpered. He threw her down where she landed on her side, hard, her ribs giving a crack as she hit.
"I-" She tried to speak through the new pain in her side, "-Thought you knew."
"No meals tonight. I aught to tie you to a post in the common area and allow my pack to tear you apart tonight for this." He spat, pacing before her. "What else do you know?"
"They aren't actively trying to catch you, nor are they even watching you." She said, holding her bruised side. "They simply know you're here. The one I saw speaking seems to think as long as you're not actively trying to either turn more people or help more escape Azkaban, you're not priority. They do think you're somehow working with Sirius Black, however, since you're the only two to have escaped so far."
The huff he replied with sounded as if the Ministry not finding him to be priority was insulting.
"That's all?" He demanded.
"Yes, sir." Phoebe nodded, still afraid he'd strike her again.
He huffed once more and turned to open the door to her own little prison. "No meals, for your insolence- make it two days." He said again, slamming the door behind him.
Phoebe sighed with relief that he'd left again, and it hadn't been a more violent interaction. She'd been denied food more than once in this place, and she knew she'd shrank to a shell of her former self. It was better though, than a beating, and her body was growing used to the gaps in food.
Tonight would be her second full moon with the pack, signifying an entire month had gone by since she'd been captured, as she knew she'd been taken just a few days before the previous one. The sounds outside her shack would be horrific, the pain and anger was evident in each scream of pain and howl that would break the silence of the night. It was unlike anything she'd ever heard, and she was not looking forward to hearing it a second time.
Greyback banged loudly on Remus' door, then let himself in before Remus had time to react. He reserved the right, after all, to enter anywhere for any reason. Remus greeted him with a small bow, after getting to his feet upon the arrival of the senior werewolf.
"Lupin." He greeted with a gruff tone. "Here."
Remus was shocked to see Greyback holding his wand out for Remus to take.
"Sir?" He questioned, hesitating at the gesture.
"I need help. I know you're skilled with a wand. We have to ward harder, further out. Make sure nothing unwanted gets in and no one without permission gets out." He explained, thrusting the wand toward Remus, who hesitated again before taking it back. He felt the surge of its return like a static shock up his arm- He'd very much missed having his wand.
"Is everything-"
"Ministry knows where we are." Greyback interrupted.
"I see." Remus said, swallowing his nerves inwardly. It was obvious that Greyback had no idea what the Ministry knew or didn't know, nor had he figured out that Remus had came upon their request.
"I want you to take the south side, go all the way to the stream by the open field. Start there, work your way back here. I want this place locked down before Moonrise. Understood?" Greyback looked at Remus, his eyes hard. If Remus didn't know any better, he'd say there was almost a flicker of fear in them.
"Sir." Remus bowed again. Greyback stepped out of his door, and held it open for Remus to follow. He obeyed, and came out after, immediately starting for the south side of the property.
"I'll take north, meet you at the water pump." He called, and Remus turned and nodded before keeping on his way.
This situation could not be more perfect, Remus thought as he made his way through the woods. If he was the one warding off this side, he could leave a gap for his Portkey to travel through, allowing a clean exit. He almost couldn't believe his luck, and he didn't dare leave anything else to chance. He'd have to try and find a way to get Miss Hawkins out after this moon, so as he walked, he began to think of exactly how he'd accomplish his task.
Alone again, and without any word from his best friend and the letters from his Godson infrequent at best, Sirius was beginning to get a bit stir crazy.
It wasn't nearly as bad as Azkaban, for sure, and Remus had plenty of books to read, and a muggle television set which he's shown Sirius how to use, but these things were really his only company. He'd taken to a routine, watching the same programs at the same time each day, making his meals, reading or doing some inside exercise to try and build his body back from the emaciated and atrophied state Azkaban had given him.
So it was a huge upset when one day, nearly a month into this solitude, a knock on the door interrupted his usual afternoon episode of Sherlock Holmes the BBC had on. Sirius froze at first, then quickly hit the mute button on the tele remote before anything loud could call attention from outside. Again, the knock sounded- This time, followed by a voice.
"Sirius?" He heard his name be called. "Come on, open the door. I know you're there, and I'm not here to arrest you."
Sirius realized the voice belonged the Kingsley, he recognized it from when he'd come to speak to Remus.
"I just brought extra groceries, that's all. I didn't want you running out while Remus is gone."
Slowly, his wand at his side, Sirius crept toward the door. He looked through the spy hole to see the tall Auror on the other side of the door, both arms laden with large brown bags of groceries.
"How'd you know I was here?" Sirius demanded.
"Can't tell you that," Kingsley replied. "But I know if I were to bring you in, I'd be arresting an innocent man, and I swore not to do such when I took the job."
"So Dumbledore, then?" Sirius guessed, still looking out the spy hole.
"Listen, these things are heavy, and I haven't much time. How about I sit them here, and you can fetch them when I've gone?" Kingsley suggested.
"That'll do." Sirius called. He stood for a moment, then added 'Thanks'.
Sirius watched as Kingsley did as he said he would, sitting the bags on the step and retreating far enough away to disapperate from Sirius' sight. He waited a few more moments before opening the door and quickly bringing everything inside.
He was thrilled to find more fresh foods, as he'd ran out of everything not canned nearly ten days prior. He hardly knew what to think of this gesture, but he resided himself that if he were ever to come face to face with this Shacklebolt bloke, he'd absolutely shake his hand, if not kiss his feet. He'd even included a few sweets at the bottom of the bag.
Sirius was happily unpacking the groceries and putting them away when the realization of what this meant dawned on him.
Remus had not checked in that he'd be ready to leave the pack soon. Obviously he didn't know when he could be expected, and Dumbledore had told Kingsley that Sirius would need supplies. He was thankful, but also suddenly very worried for his friend's safety.
There was nothing to do, however, but put things away in a neat order, so that when Remus did get home, he would find his home to be in order.
Other than that, the only thing Sirius could do was hope.
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