Daytana | By : Galaxy_Mine Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > General Views: 1584 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR and associates. Everything else is mine and I make no money from this work of fiction |
A/N: No specific warnings for this chapter. Enjoy! Thank you to ChaosLady for pointing out my mistakes!
Chapter 1: Skull Moon
A slight pop heralded the arrival of a visitor. Midnight blue gossimer flowed around the woman as she moved quickly from the front porch and into the house. A silver amulet glowed softly as the wards recognized her an allowed her passage to go unmolested.
Crossing the threshold, the glow dissipated along with the gossimer revealing a tall lean figure in a black cloak. Silently the figure levitated inches above the floor and moved quickly down the hall, noting the light layer of dust coating everything. A vase of dieing flowers stood on a hall table and the petals blew slightly as the man passed. He turned to his left and stepped into the study at the rear of the house. Fine bits of dust swirled as the man cautiously advanced into the room. From inside his robes, a faint silver glow emerged once more and he confidently began to search.
Quickly glancing around the man located the potion cabinet and reaching in extracted a paper wrapped package. Placing the package atop the cabinet the man slowly broke the seal, revealing a medium-sized potion bottle. The mans right hand went to the inside of his cloak and withdrew a vile. As his other hand rose to uncap the vile, the very edge of a snake skull was revealed. Removing the stopper, the man poured the contents into the potion. It smoked and bubbled, forming a shadowed snake skull in black mist as it settled. The man quickly replaced the stoppers to both potion and vile. Folding the paper back around the bottle the man replaced it inside the cabinet and hurried from the room.
Midnight blue gossimer enveloped the woman as she stepped on to the porch once more and disappeared .
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Remus trudged wearily up the path to his house. Teaching had taken its toll on him this past semester and he was definitely looking forward to a few weeks of peace. He would have the N.E.W.T. training classes as he did each year, but those were a pleasure, filled with students who wanted to be there. Smiling to himself he mounted the steps and surpassing the wards, pushed the front door open.
Harry must have sent kreacher by. He thought to himself as the smells of a delicious meal greeted his nostrils and his stomach growled. Depositing his briefcase on the hall bench he quickly made his way into the kitchen. It was nice to come home to someone, even if that someone was a servant sent by a caring friend.
“Master Remus! How good to have you home! Master Harry has sent kreacher to see you get a good meal and are prepared for the Moon tonight. Are you hungry?“ kreacher asked beaming.
Remus marveled at the change in kreacher these passed years. Finding out poor Regulus wasn’t a traitor after all was the best thing that could have ever happened to kreacher. He was so much happier now and willingly served the House of Black and anyone else Harry told him to. Unbidden, memories of evenings spent at Grimmauld Place swam to the surface of his mind.
He remembered years of happy memories. Years of nights spent in the arms of the only man he’d ever loved. Years of days roaming the streets of both London’s with Sirius. He remembered being happy, content and above all, accepted unconditionally. He smiled sadly now as his mind inevitably brought him the very last thing he wanted to see; the death of his beloved.
He felt a slight tugging on his robes. “Master Remus? Are you well?” kreacher asked concern in his deep blue eyes.
“I am yes”, he replied, stepping back, he continued, “I should go though, the sun will be setting soon”
The Elf nodded, “Please Master, let kreacher make you a plate first?” He pleaded.
Knowing the Elf was only trying to be helpful, he nodded and exiting the kitchen mounted the stairs to his solitary room. He’d moved out of Grimmauld Place after Sirius had been killed, he couldn’t live there anymore, too many ghosts haunted the halls. He heard that lovely baritone voice around every corner, in every room.
Sighing softly, he entered and began packing. He found his “moon clothes” as Sirius had called them, a comfortable pair of sweats and an old baggy t-shirt. They’d been freshly laundered and smelled like home, that would help in his changes, it always did. It had even helped him as a child. then there was no Wolfsbane potion for him to take; he had to endure the agony and complete loss of self each month. As a child, he had endured alone, suffering, chained in the basement so not to hurt anyone. Not until he reached Hogwarts did his solitude end, there, James, Sirius and even Peter had been there. They’d all learned such sophisticated magic just so he wouldn’t be alone. He missed James and Sirius so much. The pain was still raw with Sirius, but it had dulled a bit with James. He still clearly remembered watching his best friend, his mate, his love, fall into the vale. Lost to him forever. He remembered holding Harry as he screamed and sobbed, allowing Harry’s grief to roll over him while suppressing his own. Later he would greave, later he would say goodbye. Then, Harry needed him, the Order needed him, then, he needed to be the hero Sirius couldn’t, then, he needed to live.
He regretted not killing Belatrix right then and there, he should have, so many would have been saved. Those she had taken from the light in the years since, were partially his fault. He blamed himself each time another fell under her wand, each time a husband barried a wife, a mother barried a son or friends stood over a grave saying goodbye to one of their own.. Each time, he prayed her ire would never be turned toward those that were his, each time, he begged whomever was listening that he wouldn’t be that husband, that father, that friend. So far, he’d been lucky. She’d ripped his heart out all those years ago, now, he could only be “that friend”.
He returned to himself with a start as a hand gently covered his. He hadn’t heard him come in, nor had he realized he was sitting on the edge of the bed staring blankly, tears falling freely. He cleared his throat with an effort and turned to him.
“Sorry kreacher, I….”, he trailed off, lacking the words to convey his feelings.
He had grieved, for years he had. Today though, he felt like it was right afterwards again and he was raw and broken. This happened around the anniversary of Sirius’s death every year, but this year it hurt more, this year it was pointed out to him just how alone, how lonely he was. This year, little James had been born. Every time Remus saw the baby he reminded him of Sirius. Each time, it hurt a little more. He feared, one day soon, he wouldn’t be able to see the boy anymore, it would hurt too much.
The Elf cleared his throat “kreacher understands Master Remus. kreacher misses Master Sirius too.”
Remus bent down and hugged the little Elf. “Thank you kreacher.” He whispered. Rising he wiped his eyes and gathering his clothes, headed for the stairs and dinner.
He ate a delicious meal of nearly raw roast. kreacher stood and watched him eat, waiting attentively incase Remus needed anything more. Finishing his meal, Remus reached to the center of the table and opening the parcel from Severus extracted his Wolfsbane Potion for this month.
kreacher whisked away the empty plate and wrapped the rest of the roast for Remus to eat when he returned. His back was to Remus as he drank.
“Ugh, you‘d think after all these years that git would make it palatable!” Remus coughed as he quaffed the potion.
Rising from the table, Remus stretched and headed for the front door. “I‘m going to go for a walk before the Moon rises. There’s no need to wait for me kreacher, I won‘t be back before morning.” Remus told the Elf.
“Of course Master Remus. kreacher will just finish up the cleaning and return to Master Harry.”
Remus nodded and exiting through the back door left the house.
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He walked into the woods, following the old familiar path. He’d lost track of how many times he and Sirius had walked this path waiting for the moon to rise. He walked it alone now, as he had for the last decade. He missed romping through the woods with that big black mutt. Sirius made sure he was never alone on the Moon. Kingsley never scheduled either of them for Order duties during the moon and he always made sure Sirius had those days on light duty or none at all at he Auror office.
Sighing he trudged deeper into the woods. He could feel the Moon, she was almost up, it wouldn’t be long now. Soon, he would roam, hunt and howl his pain to the night sky. Turning slightly north, he found their tree and removed his clothing. He sat, bare to the world and waited, his clothes folded neatly next to him.
As the change began, he knew something was wrong. It hurt much more then it usually did. He screamed in agony, his screams quickly turning to howls . He fell forward onto his front paws and stared into the lake mere feet from him. Staring back was his wolf face, superimposed over it however was a black wispy snake skull. His last coherent thought was of something definitely being wrong, very wrong.
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