FIC: Once in a Blue Moon - Ch 10 (WIP)
Start of the story, including summary, full ratings, warnings, pairings etc. Here
Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognise. J K Rowling retains all copyright.
If Ever I Fall (PG-13 for a bit of bad language)
Sirius arrived back at Hogwarts feeling dejected and miserable. No matter how much he and Remus had begged, pleaded and argued there had been no talking Romulus around. Remus had even threatened to stop eating unless he was allowed to stay. That had merely made Romulus laughingly produce a bar of chocolate that Remus had salivated over for nearly ten minutes.
Sirius had tried to work his charm on Remus’s older brother, but although Romulus had softened towards him somewhat during the course of the day, he hadn’t managed to persuade him to change his mind.
Sirius made his way slowly up the stairs towards the Gryffindor boys’ dormitory, his footsteps heavy and his heart even more so.
He still had his own half of the set of two-way mirrors in his pocket, and the only bright spot of the entire day had been the fact that he had successfully managed to slip Remus’s own mirror back to him without Romulus spotting the exchange. But Sirius knew that it wasn’t going to be the same as it had been before. Even when Remus had been forbidden from seeing him, they had known that they were not that far away from each other. Now Sirius didn’t even know if Remus was going to be staying in the country.
Pushing open the door to the dormitory, Sirius was immediately greeted by the bright smiles of James and Peter. He wasn’t so miserably tired that he didn’t realise that their expressions of glee did not bode well for him.
“So, where’ve you been all night?” Peter asked with a smirk. “James thought you’d run away, but I said we weren’t that lucky.”
“Have you been crying?” James asked with obvious surprise and he leaned forward to take a closer look. Sirius turned away from the questioning gaze of the other boy and wished that he’d stopped in the boys’ bathroom to clean his face on the way.
“Piss off!” Sirius snapped as he busied himself with straightening his bed even though it had already been made to perfection by the house elves.
“That what you’re going to tell McGonagall when she asks?” James asked. “She wants to see you right away.”
“What for?”
“Because you’re in trouble, you idiot.” Peter rolled his eyes at James who laughed loudly. “Did you think no one would notice you were missing?”
It was on the tip of Sirius’s tongue to reply that he didn’t think anyone would care, but the sound of the steady footsteps of Professor McGonagall on the staircase halted his words.
“Sirius Black,” said McGonagall with a frown. “If you’d come with me please.”
Sirius nodded, even though Professor McGonagall had already turned away and was descending the stairs once more.
“Maybe he’ll be expelled,” Peter suggested hopefully.
Sirius hesitated in the doorway and turned to glare at his tormentor. “With a bit of luck I will be,” he snapped. “Anything’s better than being stuck here with you two gits for the rest of the year.” He caught a fleeting glimpse of surprised looks on the faces of the two boys just before he slammed the door shut and hurried after Professor McGonagall.
“Aren’t you taking me to your office?” he asked a minute later when he realised that that the teacher had passed straight by the staircase that would eventually lead down to her office.
“No,” McGonagall replied shortly.
Sirius wanted to ask where they were going but he had a feeling that he already knew the answer to that question. His suspicions were confirmed when they arrived at the gargoyle guardians to the headmaster’s quarters.
“Sugar mice,” McGonagall stated firmly, prompting the gargoyle to step aside to allow them access.
Sirius’s feet felt like lead as he made his way up the staircase; McGonagall remained below, standing sentry-like at the bottom in case he decided to make a run for it. “Professor Dumbledore is expecting you, just knock and go in,” she told him. Sirius nodded woodenly before forcing himself onwards. Images of his mother’s face drifted unbidden across his mind and he pictured her furiously shouting at him once she’d learned that he’d been expelled.
Dumbledore’s office was empty save for the headmaster’s phoenix and Sirius wondered whether he should sit down or stand whilst he was waiting. Fortunately for his nerves, Dumbledore was not long in returning to his office.
“Ah, Mr Black, thank you for coming to see me, do take a seat.”
Sirius blinked a time or two at the headmaster’s greeting, it was more reminiscent of him being greeted by a friend when stopping by for afternoon tea, rather than his being summoned before the headmaster to account for his absence from the school.
“Would you like a lemon drop?” Dumbledore asked as he pointed to the large bowl of sweets on the desk. Sirius shook his head numbly and wished the headmaster would just get it over with and expel him, that would be far preferable to the torture he was currently inflicting.
“Hmm, now what was it I wanted to see you about?” Dumbledore mumbled to himself, displaying an absentmindedness that nearly fooled Sirius. But something in the headmaster’s eyes made it clear that the professor knew exactly why he’d summoned him and was waiting for him to elaborate.
Sirius looked down at his shoes, noticing as he did that they were rather dusty from the long walk from Hogsmeade. “It’s because I left the school grounds,” he finally whispered as he forced himself to meet the headmaster’s eyes.
“Ah yes, you were visiting the Lupins last night, weren’t you?” Dumbledore smiled across the table and Sirius wondered how it was that the headmaster knew exactly where he’d been. “Young Remus is a friend of yours, isn’t he?”
Sirius nodded, even as he felt his heart rate increasing with fear. Did Albus Dumbledore know what Remus was? Did he know that the Lupin brothers were on the run from the Ministry?
“I’ve not met Remus myself,” Dumbledore continued with another smile. “Though his brother was here for five years until he’d finished his OWLs. Exceptionally gifted student, such a shame that circumstances prevented him from continuing his education.”
Sirius nodded obediently, wondering if Dumbledore knew the exact circumstances that had prevented Romulus from returning to school for his sixth year.
“The two boys are very close.” Dumbledore stood up and walked across to look out the window. Sirius rubbed at the back of his neck, nervously looking round the room at the various portraits that adorned the walls of the office. Most of the occupants of the paintings were listening intently to the practically one-sided conversation.
“Such a shame that they didn’t have the parents they deserved,” one of the witches on the wall commented sadly.
“Quite,” Dumbledore replied. “Romulus has had a heavy burden placed on his shoulders, and I fear it is becoming too much for him. He’s scared for his brother and is only too aware that they are on borrowed time.”
“The Ministry have more important things they should be concentrating on at the moment,” an elderly wizard griped loudly from behind Sirius. He turned to look at who had spoken and saw a stern faced wizard in very old-fashioned crimson robes staring back at him.
Sirius turned back to Professor Dumbledore who was still gazing, apparently lost in thought, out the window towards the Forbidden Forest. He coughed quietly to try to get the headmaster’s attention, not that he was entirely sure he wanted it, the word ‘expulsion’ still hovering in the forefront of his mind.
“Ah yes,” Dumbledore turned back to him with a somewhat apologetic smile. “Now you really shouldn’t be leaving school grounds, and certainly not at night.” He shook his head slightly but there was the faintest glimmer of a smile on his stern visage. It was enough to give Sirius hope that maybe he wasn’t going to be catching the next train back to London.
“I’m sorry, Professor.”
“You thought your friend was in trouble,” Dumbledore replied airily. “Perfectly understandable, and in the circumstances, quite accurate. Not that there’s anything you could have done to help him last night.”
Sirius frowned at the headmaster’s words. He had the sneaking suspicion that the teacher was trying to ascertain whether Sirius knew what Remus was but didn’t want to ask directly in case he didn’t.
“Do you think he’ll be all right?” Sirius asked, hoping the question was vague enough to let the teacher know that he knew. “They’ve left, and Remus said if they apparate the Ministry will catch them but Rom wouldn’t listen and…” He halted his rush of words when Dumbledore raised his hand calmly.
“They haven’t apparated anywhere, that I’m sure of, or the Ministry would already be lurking around Hogsmeade, and I’ve heard no word of their presence. I’m sure they’re both fine at the moment but…”
“Are you going to report them?” Sirius asked.
“Oh no, I don’t see any need to bother the Ministry with such a trifling matter as this.” Dumbledore chuckled quietly, and a few of the portraits joined in as though this was some private joke that only they were privy to. “Now am I correct in assuming that you ventured into the basement of the Lupins’ house last night?”
Sirius nodded mutely.
“I suspected as much,” Dumbledore replied. “Nothing except someone discovering Remus on the night of the full moon would prompt Romulus to pack up and leave so suddenly.”
“It’s because of me,” Sirius confessed, his voice cracking and his eyes watering. “He doesn’t trust me, and even though I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone, he didn’t believe me and said they had to leave.”
“Now, now,” Dumbledore consoled as he conjured a handkerchief and passed it across the desk to Sirius. “Don’t be upset that Romulus doesn’t trust you yet. He doesn’t trust anyone, at least not when it comes to protecting Remus.”
“But if I hadn’t gone to see Remus…” Sirius sniffed and blew his nose loudly.
“But you did, and nothing you can say or do will change that,” Dumbledore pointed out. “What we need to do now is figure out the best way you can help your friend.”
“But what can I do?” Sirius argued. “They’re gone!”
“Oh, I doubt they’ll have gone too far just yet,” Dumbledore commented with another glance out of the window. “Unless I miss my guess, they’re probably at the centaur camp round about now.”
“You think so?” Sirius asked, visibly brightening up at the idea that Remus was still fairly close by.
“That doesn’t mean I’m giving you permission to go visit,” Dumbledore warned.
“But how else can I help Remus?”
Dumbledore looked back across at him for several minutes. Sirius was squirming in his seat under the quiet appraisal of the headmaster as he waited for his reply. “Romulus is scared for his brother’s safety,” Dumbledore said quietly. “He doesn’t realise, or refuses to acknowledge, that of the two of them, his is the fate that will be the worse if they are caught.”
“But they’ll kill Remus!” Sirius exclaimed loudly. “How can Rom’s fate be worse than that?”
“If they are caught, Remus will probably end up in one of the dangerous creature camps,” Dumbledore explained. “He’s still a child and cannot be held accountable for the circumstances he finds himself in. He may even be lucky enough to be adopted if the Ministry believe he can be ‘trained to be more human’.”
“But he is human,” Sirius pointed out with a frown. “How can he be ‘more human’? I didn’t even know what he was until last night?”
“An excellent argument, but not one that would go down very well in the Wizengamot,” Dumbledore replied with a sad smile. “But Remus would be unlikely to receive the death sentence unless he was apprehended in his werewolf form and attacked an auror. Romulus, on the other hand, is in a far more precarious situation.”
“Why?”
“I’m afraid it’s rather complicated,” Dumbledore sighed.
Sirius scowled at the insinuation that he wouldn’t be able to understand the situation but didn’t ask the headmaster to elaborate further. “How can I help Remus?” he asked instead.
“I think you should take some extra lessons with Madam Pomfrey,” Dumbledore suggested quietly.
“Extra lessons?” Sirius groaned at the idea, even as he wondered what the school healer could possibly have to teach him.
“Romulus teaches his brother what he can about healing,” Dumbledore continued. “But he doesn’t know everything, and Remus isn’t the most patient of students from what I’ve heard. Madam Pomfrey is one of the most gifted healers in the country, top of her class at Beauxbatons, and the best person to teach you what you need to know if you’re going to be able to help your friend.”
“But…”
“No, that still doesn’t mean you have permission to leave school grounds,” Dumbledore interrupted with a wink.
Sirius felt a small smile spreading over his face, the first one since he’d said goodbye to Remus. “Will I have to have extra tests at the end of the year?” he asked.
“No, these lessons will be informal,” Dumbledore assured him. “The true test of whether you’ve learned enough will be when you have to put what you’ve learned to use…when Remus needs your healing skills.”
Sirius felt his stomach churn at the daunting prospect of Remus’s life hanging in the balance and his knowledge meaning the difference between life and death.
“You’ll start with healing charms and then move onto restorative potions,” Dumbledore explained. “Now I believe it’s nearly time for dinner. I’ll get Poppy to speak to you about the extra lessons in the morning.”
Sirius stood up but didn’t move towards the door.
“Yes?” Dumbledore prompted.
“Why can’t Remus just come to Hogwarts?” Sirius blurted out. “You’re the headmaster, can’t you just let him come here?”
“I’m afraid it’s not that easy,” Dumbledore replied with a sad shake of his head. “I’d like nothing more than for every young wizard to receive an education here; I’m sure that young Remus would be as much a credit to the school as his brother. Unfortunately the Ministry keeps a list of all Hogwarts students, one that cannot be tampered with and shows the true names of all students, and the moment Remus’s name appears on that list they will simply come and arrest him.”
“But couldn’t you stop them?”
“I’m afraid that if I, or anyone else,” Dumbledore gave Sirius a meaningful look, “were to step in the path of the aurors they would simply arrest us, too.”
“So Remus will never be able to come to Hogwarts,” Sirius stated quietly.
“Not while he’s wanted by the Ministry,” Dumbledore stated sadly.
“Do you think they’ll ever catch them?”
“I’m sure they will.” Dumbledore sighed and returned to the window. “You’d better head down to dinner.”
Sirius nodded, even though the headmaster couldn’t see him, and left the room. He wondered whether Dumbledore was right about where the Lupins had gone to, but he knew it would be far too risky to sneak out to the centaur camp so soon after his return. He also had the horrible suspicion that should Romulus see him, he would simply run again.
-o-xXx-o-
Remus was still sulking when they arrived at the centaur camp.
“We’ll just stay here tonight, then move on in the morning,” Romulus explained as they approached Torin.
Remus remained stubbornly silent, his hands shoved into the pocket of his robes, the right one clutching his precious two-way mirror.
“Greetings to you,” Torin called as they walked through the camp towards the large Meeting House situated in the centre. “What brings the Messrs Lupins here today?”
“Greetings, Chief Torin,” Romulus replied with more formality than Remus could ever recall him using when speaking to the centaur. “We seek shelter for the night.”
“You are both most welcome here,” Torin answered. He looked skyward for a moment before continuing. “It was the full moon last night, was it not?”
“We had a visitor,” Romulus confirmed in answer to the unspoken question.
Torin nodded seriously but Remus was already looking around for Firenze and no longer listening to the conversation. He only turned back towards his brother and Torin when he heard the shout of anger from Magorian.
“You would let them bring the Ministry down upon us?” the dark centaur shouted at his leader.
“We’ll be gone by tomorrow,” Romulus explained.
“Stay out of this, human!” Magorian spat out before rounding on Torin once more. “You cannot let them into our camp!”
“I’m still Chief here,” Torin stated in a tired voice that made it clear that arguments with Magorian were still commonplace. “They will stay with us as long as they need shelter.”
“Thank you,” Romulus murmured and he bowed respectfully to the Chief, nudging Remus to do the same.
Remus bowed too and when he rose he saw Firenze cantering towards him. “Greetings cub!” he called out. “Come to help us sort out the new storehouse?”
“Can I?” Remus asked eagerly, knowing that Firenze would have chosen that job because of all the edible goodies that would be available to them.
Torin nodded and waved him away.
“Just ignore Magorian,” Firenze whispered as soon as they were out of earshot. “He’s sore because Ebony’s been sent to the lowlands. Father wants her to bond with one of the leaders of a herd down there.”
“Bond?” Remus asked curiously.
“It’s rather like a wizard marriage,” Firenze explained. “Magorian wants to bond with her himself, but father refused him because we need to form alliances with other herds.”
“Because of the Ministry taking your lands?” Remus asked, recalling earlier conversations in and around the camp.
“We centaurs are being pushed into smaller and smaller living areas,” Firenze complained. “The Ministry use the excuse that muggles are spreading too far throughout the country and we must hide or risk exposure of the magical world…like they even consider us half-breeds a part of it!”
Firenze pulled a couple of apples from one of the nearby wicker baskets and tossed one to Remus. He took a large bite of his own before continuing. “Most Chiefs have a lot of sons to help protect the herd but there’s just me and Ebony.”
“How come?” Remus asked as around a mouthful of apple.
“Our mother was killed in a landslide just after I was born. Father resisted all pressure from the rest of the herd to bond again. His only hope now is to have Ebony bond and form an alliance with another herd and combine the two…safety in numbers and all that.”
“But what if she really loves Magorian?” Remus asked, trying to sound grown up in front of the older boy.
“What do you know about love?” Firenze laughed. “You’re just twelve years old.”
“I’m thirteen,” Remus replied with a haughty sniff and a grin.
“That reminds me,” Firenze suddenly declared. “Wait here!”
Remus would have replied that he had no intention of moving anywhere but Firenze had already disappeared round the corner of a nearby hut. Remus continued to munch on his apple as he waited. A few minutes later Firenze reappeared with a wide grin on his face, and a bow and quiver in his hands.
“You got another new bow?” Remus sighed. “You’re so lucky.”
“It’s not mine,” Firenze laughed. “I’ve already got three. This one’s for you, from me and my father, for your birthday. I’d have delivered it yesterday but the shaman was predicting a storm coming in, so we had to get the roof of the storehouse finished.”
“Really?” Remus asked hopefully, if a little doubtfully.
“Of course,” Firenze said and he pointed to the rim of quiver. Remus leaned in to take a closer look and let out a low whistle at what he saw there. “You like it?” Firenze asked.
“Oh yeah,” Remus breathed. “I like the little wolves you’ve added round the top.”
“Knew you would,” Firenze said. “Though father said I was being tactless by adding them.”
“Is it really mine? For keeps?”
Firenze nodded and smiled. “Happy birthday…sorry it’s late.”
“That’s okay,” Remus replied as he took the bow and tested it for springiness. “This is the best present ever.”
“Liar,” Firenze whispered with a grin. “You know that you like the mirror Sirius gave you better.”
“They’re both great presents,” Remus amended. “I wish we could stay here so that I can learn how to use this better though.”
“What do you mean? Are you leaving?” Firenze asked. “What’s happened?”
“Sirius came to the house last night,” Remus explained. “He saw Moony and now Rom wants us to leave in case he tells the Ministry where we are.”
“Do you think he will?”
“Never!”
“You sound pretty sure about that.”
“Sirius is my friend, he won’t tell anyone what he saw.”
“Why doesn’t Romulus believe that?”
“Don’t know,” Remus muttered with a frustrated sigh. “I’ve been arguing with him all day and he just won’t listen.”
“Maybe you could stay here for a while and if the Ministry doesn’t start snooping round you can both go home. If Sirius has told them about you, they’ll not waste any time in coming to find you.”
“He wants to be out of the country by the end of the week,” Remus muttered. “I talked him out of apparating but he won’t agree to anything else.”
“I’ll get my father to speak with him,” Firenze suggested. “No one ever wins an argument against him, if anyone can talk him round it’s him.”
“You think so?” Remus asked hopefully.
“You’ve met my sister?” Firenze asked slightly sarcastically. “Not the most amenable of mares, and stubborn as a mule. Yet she’s been packed off to the lowlands anyway.”
Remus grinned at his friend as he savoured the idea of staying in the centaur camp. There was always so much happening and it was actually closer to the school than the house in Hogsmeade. At least it was closer if you journeyed as the crow flies, avoided the acromantulas, and successfully navigated through the swamp in the centre of the forest. It was certainly better than hiking around the continent.
-o-xXx-o-
Torin was still trying to talk Romulus into staying when Remus finally pleaded exhaustion and stumbled towards the small lean-to that they were camping under. Even though they had a magical tent in their belongings, Romulus had decided against using it within the centaur camp in case the Ministry was close by, waiting for any signs of magical use in the area.
The night air was chilly and Remus tugged several blankets out of their luggage as he bedded down for the night. His tiredness wasn’t a complete lie, after all, it was the night following the full moon and he’d normally have napped throughout the day to catch up on his sleep. But before he slept there was one thing he knew he had to do.
“Sirius?” he whispered as he tapped on the mirror. “Are you there?”
“Of course,” Sirius replied, as his grinning face appeared in the mirror. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, just tired,” Remus whispered. “I can’t talk for long though.”
“Me neither.” Sirius looked hesitant for a moment and Remus frowned slightly as he watched his friend collecting his thoughts. Finally he spoke again. “Are you at the centaur camp?”
Remus nodded. “How did you know that?”
“Dumbledore said you might be.”
“You told the headmaster about me?” Remus accused, tears welling up in his eyes at the perceived betrayal.
“No, he already knew,” Sirius hurriedly assured him. “I was missed from the school and got summoned to his office. He already knew about the both of you, and the Ministry and everything.”
Remus breathed a sigh of relief but he couldn’t entirely shake the unease at someone else knowing his secret.
“Dumbledore won’t tell anyone,” Sirius said. “He said he wouldn’t.”
Remus nodded cautiously in response. “Did you get in a lot of trouble for leaving the school?” he asked.
“Not even a detention,” Sirius replied with a wide grin.
“Nothing at all?” Remus asked in astonishment. “No extra homework or detention or anything?”
“I’ve got some extra lessons with Madam Pomfrey,” Sirius admitted. “But that’s all.”
“Who’s that?”
“The school healer. Dumbledore thought it might be helpful for me to learn about healing charms and stuff like that.”
“Poor you,” Remus sympathised. He knew just how time-consuming and boring that particular task could be.
“I don’t mind,” Sirius replied. “Dumbledore says he thinks it would be useful for me to know that sort of stuff…in case you need help one day.”
“I can take care of myself,” Remus grumbled. “And Rom’s always around to help anyway.”
“But if he’s not, I’d like to know what to do.”
“You don’t have to do this, not for me,” Remus insisted.
“Remus, you’re my best friend.” Sirius sighed audibly, and a look of fleeting impatience crossed his face. “Don’t you get it yet? I want to do this for you. I can’t do much else to help, but I can do this. I can be there for you, just like Rom is.”
“You’d really take loads of extra lessons, just for me?” whispered Remus, a different sort of tears gathering in his eyes.
Sirius looked back at him earnestly. “I’d do anything for you.”
Chapter 11
Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognise. J K Rowling retains all copyright.
If Ever I Fall (PG-13 for a bit of bad language)
Sirius arrived back at Hogwarts feeling dejected and miserable. No matter how much he and Remus had begged, pleaded and argued there had been no talking Romulus around. Remus had even threatened to stop eating unless he was allowed to stay. That had merely made Romulus laughingly produce a bar of chocolate that Remus had salivated over for nearly ten minutes.
Sirius had tried to work his charm on Remus’s older brother, but although Romulus had softened towards him somewhat during the course of the day, he hadn’t managed to persuade him to change his mind.
Sirius made his way slowly up the stairs towards the Gryffindor boys’ dormitory, his footsteps heavy and his heart even more so.
He still had his own half of the set of two-way mirrors in his pocket, and the only bright spot of the entire day had been the fact that he had successfully managed to slip Remus’s own mirror back to him without Romulus spotting the exchange. But Sirius knew that it wasn’t going to be the same as it had been before. Even when Remus had been forbidden from seeing him, they had known that they were not that far away from each other. Now Sirius didn’t even know if Remus was going to be staying in the country.
Pushing open the door to the dormitory, Sirius was immediately greeted by the bright smiles of James and Peter. He wasn’t so miserably tired that he didn’t realise that their expressions of glee did not bode well for him.
“So, where’ve you been all night?” Peter asked with a smirk. “James thought you’d run away, but I said we weren’t that lucky.”
“Have you been crying?” James asked with obvious surprise and he leaned forward to take a closer look. Sirius turned away from the questioning gaze of the other boy and wished that he’d stopped in the boys’ bathroom to clean his face on the way.
“Piss off!” Sirius snapped as he busied himself with straightening his bed even though it had already been made to perfection by the house elves.
“That what you’re going to tell McGonagall when she asks?” James asked. “She wants to see you right away.”
“What for?”
“Because you’re in trouble, you idiot.” Peter rolled his eyes at James who laughed loudly. “Did you think no one would notice you were missing?”
It was on the tip of Sirius’s tongue to reply that he didn’t think anyone would care, but the sound of the steady footsteps of Professor McGonagall on the staircase halted his words.
“Sirius Black,” said McGonagall with a frown. “If you’d come with me please.”
Sirius nodded, even though Professor McGonagall had already turned away and was descending the stairs once more.
“Maybe he’ll be expelled,” Peter suggested hopefully.
Sirius hesitated in the doorway and turned to glare at his tormentor. “With a bit of luck I will be,” he snapped. “Anything’s better than being stuck here with you two gits for the rest of the year.” He caught a fleeting glimpse of surprised looks on the faces of the two boys just before he slammed the door shut and hurried after Professor McGonagall.
“Aren’t you taking me to your office?” he asked a minute later when he realised that that the teacher had passed straight by the staircase that would eventually lead down to her office.
“No,” McGonagall replied shortly.
Sirius wanted to ask where they were going but he had a feeling that he already knew the answer to that question. His suspicions were confirmed when they arrived at the gargoyle guardians to the headmaster’s quarters.
“Sugar mice,” McGonagall stated firmly, prompting the gargoyle to step aside to allow them access.
Sirius’s feet felt like lead as he made his way up the staircase; McGonagall remained below, standing sentry-like at the bottom in case he decided to make a run for it. “Professor Dumbledore is expecting you, just knock and go in,” she told him. Sirius nodded woodenly before forcing himself onwards. Images of his mother’s face drifted unbidden across his mind and he pictured her furiously shouting at him once she’d learned that he’d been expelled.
Dumbledore’s office was empty save for the headmaster’s phoenix and Sirius wondered whether he should sit down or stand whilst he was waiting. Fortunately for his nerves, Dumbledore was not long in returning to his office.
“Ah, Mr Black, thank you for coming to see me, do take a seat.”
Sirius blinked a time or two at the headmaster’s greeting, it was more reminiscent of him being greeted by a friend when stopping by for afternoon tea, rather than his being summoned before the headmaster to account for his absence from the school.
“Would you like a lemon drop?” Dumbledore asked as he pointed to the large bowl of sweets on the desk. Sirius shook his head numbly and wished the headmaster would just get it over with and expel him, that would be far preferable to the torture he was currently inflicting.
“Hmm, now what was it I wanted to see you about?” Dumbledore mumbled to himself, displaying an absentmindedness that nearly fooled Sirius. But something in the headmaster’s eyes made it clear that the professor knew exactly why he’d summoned him and was waiting for him to elaborate.
Sirius looked down at his shoes, noticing as he did that they were rather dusty from the long walk from Hogsmeade. “It’s because I left the school grounds,” he finally whispered as he forced himself to meet the headmaster’s eyes.
“Ah yes, you were visiting the Lupins last night, weren’t you?” Dumbledore smiled across the table and Sirius wondered how it was that the headmaster knew exactly where he’d been. “Young Remus is a friend of yours, isn’t he?”
Sirius nodded, even as he felt his heart rate increasing with fear. Did Albus Dumbledore know what Remus was? Did he know that the Lupin brothers were on the run from the Ministry?
“I’ve not met Remus myself,” Dumbledore continued with another smile. “Though his brother was here for five years until he’d finished his OWLs. Exceptionally gifted student, such a shame that circumstances prevented him from continuing his education.”
Sirius nodded obediently, wondering if Dumbledore knew the exact circumstances that had prevented Romulus from returning to school for his sixth year.
“The two boys are very close.” Dumbledore stood up and walked across to look out the window. Sirius rubbed at the back of his neck, nervously looking round the room at the various portraits that adorned the walls of the office. Most of the occupants of the paintings were listening intently to the practically one-sided conversation.
“Such a shame that they didn’t have the parents they deserved,” one of the witches on the wall commented sadly.
“Quite,” Dumbledore replied. “Romulus has had a heavy burden placed on his shoulders, and I fear it is becoming too much for him. He’s scared for his brother and is only too aware that they are on borrowed time.”
“The Ministry have more important things they should be concentrating on at the moment,” an elderly wizard griped loudly from behind Sirius. He turned to look at who had spoken and saw a stern faced wizard in very old-fashioned crimson robes staring back at him.
Sirius turned back to Professor Dumbledore who was still gazing, apparently lost in thought, out the window towards the Forbidden Forest. He coughed quietly to try to get the headmaster’s attention, not that he was entirely sure he wanted it, the word ‘expulsion’ still hovering in the forefront of his mind.
“Ah yes,” Dumbledore turned back to him with a somewhat apologetic smile. “Now you really shouldn’t be leaving school grounds, and certainly not at night.” He shook his head slightly but there was the faintest glimmer of a smile on his stern visage. It was enough to give Sirius hope that maybe he wasn’t going to be catching the next train back to London.
“I’m sorry, Professor.”
“You thought your friend was in trouble,” Dumbledore replied airily. “Perfectly understandable, and in the circumstances, quite accurate. Not that there’s anything you could have done to help him last night.”
Sirius frowned at the headmaster’s words. He had the sneaking suspicion that the teacher was trying to ascertain whether Sirius knew what Remus was but didn’t want to ask directly in case he didn’t.
“Do you think he’ll be all right?” Sirius asked, hoping the question was vague enough to let the teacher know that he knew. “They’ve left, and Remus said if they apparate the Ministry will catch them but Rom wouldn’t listen and…” He halted his rush of words when Dumbledore raised his hand calmly.
“They haven’t apparated anywhere, that I’m sure of, or the Ministry would already be lurking around Hogsmeade, and I’ve heard no word of their presence. I’m sure they’re both fine at the moment but…”
“Are you going to report them?” Sirius asked.
“Oh no, I don’t see any need to bother the Ministry with such a trifling matter as this.” Dumbledore chuckled quietly, and a few of the portraits joined in as though this was some private joke that only they were privy to. “Now am I correct in assuming that you ventured into the basement of the Lupins’ house last night?”
Sirius nodded mutely.
“I suspected as much,” Dumbledore replied. “Nothing except someone discovering Remus on the night of the full moon would prompt Romulus to pack up and leave so suddenly.”
“It’s because of me,” Sirius confessed, his voice cracking and his eyes watering. “He doesn’t trust me, and even though I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone, he didn’t believe me and said they had to leave.”
“Now, now,” Dumbledore consoled as he conjured a handkerchief and passed it across the desk to Sirius. “Don’t be upset that Romulus doesn’t trust you yet. He doesn’t trust anyone, at least not when it comes to protecting Remus.”
“But if I hadn’t gone to see Remus…” Sirius sniffed and blew his nose loudly.
“But you did, and nothing you can say or do will change that,” Dumbledore pointed out. “What we need to do now is figure out the best way you can help your friend.”
“But what can I do?” Sirius argued. “They’re gone!”
“Oh, I doubt they’ll have gone too far just yet,” Dumbledore commented with another glance out of the window. “Unless I miss my guess, they’re probably at the centaur camp round about now.”
“You think so?” Sirius asked, visibly brightening up at the idea that Remus was still fairly close by.
“That doesn’t mean I’m giving you permission to go visit,” Dumbledore warned.
“But how else can I help Remus?”
Dumbledore looked back across at him for several minutes. Sirius was squirming in his seat under the quiet appraisal of the headmaster as he waited for his reply. “Romulus is scared for his brother’s safety,” Dumbledore said quietly. “He doesn’t realise, or refuses to acknowledge, that of the two of them, his is the fate that will be the worse if they are caught.”
“But they’ll kill Remus!” Sirius exclaimed loudly. “How can Rom’s fate be worse than that?”
“If they are caught, Remus will probably end up in one of the dangerous creature camps,” Dumbledore explained. “He’s still a child and cannot be held accountable for the circumstances he finds himself in. He may even be lucky enough to be adopted if the Ministry believe he can be ‘trained to be more human’.”
“But he is human,” Sirius pointed out with a frown. “How can he be ‘more human’? I didn’t even know what he was until last night?”
“An excellent argument, but not one that would go down very well in the Wizengamot,” Dumbledore replied with a sad smile. “But Remus would be unlikely to receive the death sentence unless he was apprehended in his werewolf form and attacked an auror. Romulus, on the other hand, is in a far more precarious situation.”
“Why?”
“I’m afraid it’s rather complicated,” Dumbledore sighed.
Sirius scowled at the insinuation that he wouldn’t be able to understand the situation but didn’t ask the headmaster to elaborate further. “How can I help Remus?” he asked instead.
“I think you should take some extra lessons with Madam Pomfrey,” Dumbledore suggested quietly.
“Extra lessons?” Sirius groaned at the idea, even as he wondered what the school healer could possibly have to teach him.
“Romulus teaches his brother what he can about healing,” Dumbledore continued. “But he doesn’t know everything, and Remus isn’t the most patient of students from what I’ve heard. Madam Pomfrey is one of the most gifted healers in the country, top of her class at Beauxbatons, and the best person to teach you what you need to know if you’re going to be able to help your friend.”
“But…”
“No, that still doesn’t mean you have permission to leave school grounds,” Dumbledore interrupted with a wink.
Sirius felt a small smile spreading over his face, the first one since he’d said goodbye to Remus. “Will I have to have extra tests at the end of the year?” he asked.
“No, these lessons will be informal,” Dumbledore assured him. “The true test of whether you’ve learned enough will be when you have to put what you’ve learned to use…when Remus needs your healing skills.”
Sirius felt his stomach churn at the daunting prospect of Remus’s life hanging in the balance and his knowledge meaning the difference between life and death.
“You’ll start with healing charms and then move onto restorative potions,” Dumbledore explained. “Now I believe it’s nearly time for dinner. I’ll get Poppy to speak to you about the extra lessons in the morning.”
Sirius stood up but didn’t move towards the door.
“Yes?” Dumbledore prompted.
“Why can’t Remus just come to Hogwarts?” Sirius blurted out. “You’re the headmaster, can’t you just let him come here?”
“I’m afraid it’s not that easy,” Dumbledore replied with a sad shake of his head. “I’d like nothing more than for every young wizard to receive an education here; I’m sure that young Remus would be as much a credit to the school as his brother. Unfortunately the Ministry keeps a list of all Hogwarts students, one that cannot be tampered with and shows the true names of all students, and the moment Remus’s name appears on that list they will simply come and arrest him.”
“But couldn’t you stop them?”
“I’m afraid that if I, or anyone else,” Dumbledore gave Sirius a meaningful look, “were to step in the path of the aurors they would simply arrest us, too.”
“So Remus will never be able to come to Hogwarts,” Sirius stated quietly.
“Not while he’s wanted by the Ministry,” Dumbledore stated sadly.
“Do you think they’ll ever catch them?”
“I’m sure they will.” Dumbledore sighed and returned to the window. “You’d better head down to dinner.”
Sirius nodded, even though the headmaster couldn’t see him, and left the room. He wondered whether Dumbledore was right about where the Lupins had gone to, but he knew it would be far too risky to sneak out to the centaur camp so soon after his return. He also had the horrible suspicion that should Romulus see him, he would simply run again.
-o-xXx-o-
Remus was still sulking when they arrived at the centaur camp.
“We’ll just stay here tonight, then move on in the morning,” Romulus explained as they approached Torin.
Remus remained stubbornly silent, his hands shoved into the pocket of his robes, the right one clutching his precious two-way mirror.
“Greetings to you,” Torin called as they walked through the camp towards the large Meeting House situated in the centre. “What brings the Messrs Lupins here today?”
“Greetings, Chief Torin,” Romulus replied with more formality than Remus could ever recall him using when speaking to the centaur. “We seek shelter for the night.”
“You are both most welcome here,” Torin answered. He looked skyward for a moment before continuing. “It was the full moon last night, was it not?”
“We had a visitor,” Romulus confirmed in answer to the unspoken question.
Torin nodded seriously but Remus was already looking around for Firenze and no longer listening to the conversation. He only turned back towards his brother and Torin when he heard the shout of anger from Magorian.
“You would let them bring the Ministry down upon us?” the dark centaur shouted at his leader.
“We’ll be gone by tomorrow,” Romulus explained.
“Stay out of this, human!” Magorian spat out before rounding on Torin once more. “You cannot let them into our camp!”
“I’m still Chief here,” Torin stated in a tired voice that made it clear that arguments with Magorian were still commonplace. “They will stay with us as long as they need shelter.”
“Thank you,” Romulus murmured and he bowed respectfully to the Chief, nudging Remus to do the same.
Remus bowed too and when he rose he saw Firenze cantering towards him. “Greetings cub!” he called out. “Come to help us sort out the new storehouse?”
“Can I?” Remus asked eagerly, knowing that Firenze would have chosen that job because of all the edible goodies that would be available to them.
Torin nodded and waved him away.
“Just ignore Magorian,” Firenze whispered as soon as they were out of earshot. “He’s sore because Ebony’s been sent to the lowlands. Father wants her to bond with one of the leaders of a herd down there.”
“Bond?” Remus asked curiously.
“It’s rather like a wizard marriage,” Firenze explained. “Magorian wants to bond with her himself, but father refused him because we need to form alliances with other herds.”
“Because of the Ministry taking your lands?” Remus asked, recalling earlier conversations in and around the camp.
“We centaurs are being pushed into smaller and smaller living areas,” Firenze complained. “The Ministry use the excuse that muggles are spreading too far throughout the country and we must hide or risk exposure of the magical world…like they even consider us half-breeds a part of it!”
Firenze pulled a couple of apples from one of the nearby wicker baskets and tossed one to Remus. He took a large bite of his own before continuing. “Most Chiefs have a lot of sons to help protect the herd but there’s just me and Ebony.”
“How come?” Remus asked as around a mouthful of apple.
“Our mother was killed in a landslide just after I was born. Father resisted all pressure from the rest of the herd to bond again. His only hope now is to have Ebony bond and form an alliance with another herd and combine the two…safety in numbers and all that.”
“But what if she really loves Magorian?” Remus asked, trying to sound grown up in front of the older boy.
“What do you know about love?” Firenze laughed. “You’re just twelve years old.”
“I’m thirteen,” Remus replied with a haughty sniff and a grin.
“That reminds me,” Firenze suddenly declared. “Wait here!”
Remus would have replied that he had no intention of moving anywhere but Firenze had already disappeared round the corner of a nearby hut. Remus continued to munch on his apple as he waited. A few minutes later Firenze reappeared with a wide grin on his face, and a bow and quiver in his hands.
“You got another new bow?” Remus sighed. “You’re so lucky.”
“It’s not mine,” Firenze laughed. “I’ve already got three. This one’s for you, from me and my father, for your birthday. I’d have delivered it yesterday but the shaman was predicting a storm coming in, so we had to get the roof of the storehouse finished.”
“Really?” Remus asked hopefully, if a little doubtfully.
“Of course,” Firenze said and he pointed to the rim of quiver. Remus leaned in to take a closer look and let out a low whistle at what he saw there. “You like it?” Firenze asked.
“Oh yeah,” Remus breathed. “I like the little wolves you’ve added round the top.”
“Knew you would,” Firenze said. “Though father said I was being tactless by adding them.”
“Is it really mine? For keeps?”
Firenze nodded and smiled. “Happy birthday…sorry it’s late.”
“That’s okay,” Remus replied as he took the bow and tested it for springiness. “This is the best present ever.”
“Liar,” Firenze whispered with a grin. “You know that you like the mirror Sirius gave you better.”
“They’re both great presents,” Remus amended. “I wish we could stay here so that I can learn how to use this better though.”
“What do you mean? Are you leaving?” Firenze asked. “What’s happened?”
“Sirius came to the house last night,” Remus explained. “He saw Moony and now Rom wants us to leave in case he tells the Ministry where we are.”
“Do you think he will?”
“Never!”
“You sound pretty sure about that.”
“Sirius is my friend, he won’t tell anyone what he saw.”
“Why doesn’t Romulus believe that?”
“Don’t know,” Remus muttered with a frustrated sigh. “I’ve been arguing with him all day and he just won’t listen.”
“Maybe you could stay here for a while and if the Ministry doesn’t start snooping round you can both go home. If Sirius has told them about you, they’ll not waste any time in coming to find you.”
“He wants to be out of the country by the end of the week,” Remus muttered. “I talked him out of apparating but he won’t agree to anything else.”
“I’ll get my father to speak with him,” Firenze suggested. “No one ever wins an argument against him, if anyone can talk him round it’s him.”
“You think so?” Remus asked hopefully.
“You’ve met my sister?” Firenze asked slightly sarcastically. “Not the most amenable of mares, and stubborn as a mule. Yet she’s been packed off to the lowlands anyway.”
Remus grinned at his friend as he savoured the idea of staying in the centaur camp. There was always so much happening and it was actually closer to the school than the house in Hogsmeade. At least it was closer if you journeyed as the crow flies, avoided the acromantulas, and successfully navigated through the swamp in the centre of the forest. It was certainly better than hiking around the continent.
-o-xXx-o-
Torin was still trying to talk Romulus into staying when Remus finally pleaded exhaustion and stumbled towards the small lean-to that they were camping under. Even though they had a magical tent in their belongings, Romulus had decided against using it within the centaur camp in case the Ministry was close by, waiting for any signs of magical use in the area.
The night air was chilly and Remus tugged several blankets out of their luggage as he bedded down for the night. His tiredness wasn’t a complete lie, after all, it was the night following the full moon and he’d normally have napped throughout the day to catch up on his sleep. But before he slept there was one thing he knew he had to do.
“Sirius?” he whispered as he tapped on the mirror. “Are you there?”
“Of course,” Sirius replied, as his grinning face appeared in the mirror. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, just tired,” Remus whispered. “I can’t talk for long though.”
“Me neither.” Sirius looked hesitant for a moment and Remus frowned slightly as he watched his friend collecting his thoughts. Finally he spoke again. “Are you at the centaur camp?”
Remus nodded. “How did you know that?”
“Dumbledore said you might be.”
“You told the headmaster about me?” Remus accused, tears welling up in his eyes at the perceived betrayal.
“No, he already knew,” Sirius hurriedly assured him. “I was missed from the school and got summoned to his office. He already knew about the both of you, and the Ministry and everything.”
Remus breathed a sigh of relief but he couldn’t entirely shake the unease at someone else knowing his secret.
“Dumbledore won’t tell anyone,” Sirius said. “He said he wouldn’t.”
Remus nodded cautiously in response. “Did you get in a lot of trouble for leaving the school?” he asked.
“Not even a detention,” Sirius replied with a wide grin.
“Nothing at all?” Remus asked in astonishment. “No extra homework or detention or anything?”
“I’ve got some extra lessons with Madam Pomfrey,” Sirius admitted. “But that’s all.”
“Who’s that?”
“The school healer. Dumbledore thought it might be helpful for me to learn about healing charms and stuff like that.”
“Poor you,” Remus sympathised. He knew just how time-consuming and boring that particular task could be.
“I don’t mind,” Sirius replied. “Dumbledore says he thinks it would be useful for me to know that sort of stuff…in case you need help one day.”
“I can take care of myself,” Remus grumbled. “And Rom’s always around to help anyway.”
“But if he’s not, I’d like to know what to do.”
“You don’t have to do this, not for me,” Remus insisted.
“Remus, you’re my best friend.” Sirius sighed audibly, and a look of fleeting impatience crossed his face. “Don’t you get it yet? I want to do this for you. I can’t do much else to help, but I can do this. I can be there for you, just like Rom is.”
“You’d really take loads of extra lessons, just for me?” whispered Remus, a different sort of tears gathering in his eyes.
Sirius looked back at him earnestly. “I’d do anything for you.”
Chapter 11