[open] jannat al-ma'wa

[lumenrelegandus]

Who: lumenrelegandus and multiple/open (see below)
When: Backdated to before the Shadows manifest
Where: Naruto's dojo
Format: Have some Choose Your Own Adventure! Then prolly switch to action/prose. ;)
What: Thanks to sudden popular demand, Lupin's going to start holding tutoring sessions in General/Scorched Studies. Thanks to Sakura, they'll be at the dojo

Comments

[femininehermes]

Hermione did indeed recognize the Patronus Charm. Upon entering the dojo and passing through the heat-less flames, she tilted her head curiously.

"Remus?" she kept her voice at a comfortable level, not wanting to interrupt the peaceful atmosphere, "I brought you some of the potion ingredients I've managed to gather."

There weren't many, but it was a start.

[lumenrelegandus]

"Hermione," his voice was warm, "I'm glad you came."

He closed the panels behind her with a wave of his hand, and gestured for the cushions to arrange themselves into a seat. His smile at her was brighter than the patronus.

He stuck to business; flicking his wand at the space between them, he said, "Mensula" (with the same inflection as Ferula had created a splint for Ron's leg years ago). A table springs up from the floor.

"It's not a proper lab of course," he said, "but it's a start. And I admit, it's a relief to indulge in some shorthand." He indicated his wand before sticking it in his jacket pocket. "Probably unnecessary given the variety of the Scorched population, but I've felt inclined to avoid unnecessary flash in public. Now, let's see."

[femininehermes]

Hermione couldn't help but beam at him. The sight of a familiar face helped put her at ease. It was easy for Anatole to overwhelm a person. But, at least, there was a place she could go when she felt that way. She shouldn't be surprised, though: Remus could make just about any place feel like home.

"I think Harry and Ron would remind you of how much time I spend studying." she smiled a bit sadly, "I miss them." her expression fell, "I hope they're alright."

Shaking her head, she quickly re-focused and brought her bag over to the table. Arching a brow, she frowned a bit.

"I've...been less careful. I don't feel safe here, so..." she flushed, "I've been using spells in the open. Is that wrong?" she bit her lip and pulled out the ingredients one by one.

[lumenrelegandus]

"Ah, yes," he said as Hermione came over to the table, smiling at her comment on Harry and Ron. "It can be a very good thing, to have friends who'll drag us out into the fresh air now and again."

His smile fell with hers. His hand moved slightly as though to touch her shoulder, but didn't. The photograph felt suddenly heavy in his pocket. He still hadn't decided whether or not to show it to her; or even to tell her about it. He knew he would, ultimately, but he had to pray it was instinct (hopefully of right sort) that maintained Not just yet.Taking her cue, he also turned his focus to the ingredients as she laid them out

[femininehermes]

"They certainly have a way of making me feel like one of the boys." Hermione commented dryly, "In fact, it wasn't until Fourth Year that Ron realized I was a girl." she shook her head, torn between amusement and fury, "I was just a well of facts up until then, I suppose." she sighed, unable to stop herself from blushing at the thought of the redhead, "He has grown up a lot. I don't know what Harry and I would've done without him." she glanced at Remus, "You know, it was Ron who destroyed

[lumenrelegandus]

He made sure not to ignore the rest of what she said, and gave outward reactions accordingly, but that one word had spent his mind spinning. As he placed the last of the vials in its place amid the others, he turned back to her and repeated carefully, "You said horcrux? That's… extremely arcane, extremely dark magic. I know the essential concept, but…"

Frowning, he looked intently at her. "…you said 'the horcrux…es'. Specific. So you're not referring to anything theoretical. You mean…"

Pieces that had lain dormant for all his time in Anatole, and swam infuriatingly in their scattered chaos for a lifetime before that, slammed into cohesion. He looked at her and almost seemed winded.

"Horcruxes," he repeated only, at last. In the word, conveying that, suddenly, not only the nature of her and Harry's last quest, but Voldemort and the war and the past two generations of their history all made new sense to him.

[femininehermes]

"Y-Yes." Hermione bit her lip, feeling guilty for burdening him, "There are...seven. Harry destroyed one in his Second Year and we found another one in...the Ministry of Magic." she frowned and paused, "I believe Professor Dumbledore also destroyed one. So that leaves four."

Grabbing a pen, she wrote down the name of each Horcrux: Tom Riddle's Diary, The Gaunt Ring, Salazar Slytherin's Locket, Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, His Serpent and Himself. Once Remus had read it, she erased the information from the page.

Soooo backtagged

[lumenrelegandus]

He reached his hand toward the list, but stopped short of it.

"That was your quest," he said slowly, totally unnecessary, but… "To destroy him by destroying them."

His hand stayed caught between upholding Dumbledore's last order and not wanting to reject her trust.

No, that wasn't it. It was between holding on to the idea that the quest was not over, and so the glimpse of the future he'd seen for her, that he so wanted her to have, was still a possibility; versus accepting the likelihood that she, like him, was here for-

Not like him. She didn't die.

-but if she was taking the mature path, accepting present evidence rather than clinging to the past, that was something to respect.

His hand made contact with the list. He looked at it, then watched with relief as she erased it.

"Thank you for telling me," he said. "The day I went to you three at Number 12, wanting to join you… was not my finest day."

Backtagging is a way of life. 8D

[femininehermes]

"That's the plan. But..." Hermione winced, "Harry will still have to face him. It's...apart of the prophecy."

Though she was continuously wracking her mind for ways in which that could be prevented. Or maybe they could all face Voldemort together? She certainly wouldn't mind being at Harry's side.

After she erased the note, she met his gaze and frowned lightly. The day that Remus was talking about seemed like such a long time ago. She shook her head and gave him a small smile.

"Everyone is stressed. Harry's...temper has been shorter than usual. So has Ron's, actually." she sighed, "Besides, Harry didn't want you to go. He's...happy for you and..." she looked down, unsure if she should say Tonks's name, "He's too selfless sometimes, but this time, he is following what Dumbledore wanted him to do. Ron and I are just...support and back-up to make sure he gets where he needs to go."

Good! /keeps doing it ;-)

[lumenrelegandus]

Harry will have to face him. "I know," Remus murmured, not realising it was aloud. I help him do it.

The other talisman-if the photo is the future, this one is the past: Lily's wand-seems almost warm in his pocket. That information he would share with her, for certain… but think a while longer.

"I understand. And there's nothing 'just', less significant, about support and back-up." He smiled. "It's what I wanted to be-and still do, for you."

After a moment, points toward the sorting he's done on the ingredients she'd brought. "This is a good start, indeed. Of the ones you found here, I can think of a few uses. Of the ones you brought with you, this lot are the ones that seem most desirable in Anatole. If we can replicate them using local materials-some you found apply to this-or a sustainable charm, it would be good to offer them to the Clinic."

He pointed to the last items. "And these I believe we should lock securely away, if not destroy." One of them was polyjuice.