Maybe
Chapter 14
By Anne B. Walsh
Chapter 14
"He... I..." Aletha caught her breath and took an instant to compose herself. "I left him at the pub and came back. Why?"
Remus felt his hope collapsing.
She did the right thing — and it’s backfiring on us. There’s no time to go and get him, and we won’t be strong enough without him —
Something flew through the air and struck him in the chest without hurting him.
A stuffed lion.
Remus looked up, mentally figuring the toy’s flight path. It came from... over... there.
Harry stared back at him from the entrance to an alley.
Remus created a corridor of fire blocking the hostile magic and waved the boy through it, praying he would come, and to his astonishment and relief, Harry came.
"How did you find us?" Remus demanded as Harry dropped to hands and knees beside him, safely inside Sirius’ shield.
"I followed that man from the pub. He’s my godfather, isn’t he?"
"Yes." Remus set that aside to ask about later. "Harry, I need you to put my chain on again. We all need to be linked in order to beat this magic. It’s going to take a lot out of you — out of all of us — but it’s the only way we can win. Will you do that?"
Harry nodded instantly.
Remus handed Harry a loop of chain and began lengthening it more to fit everyone. Thank heaven he agreed so fast — he has no real reason to trust us, much less to risk his life for us —
Don’t I? Harry’s green eyes were challenging behind his glasses. You love me. You told me that. And love’s worth taking a risk for.
Remus grinned, handing the chain to Aletha and Hermione. Now that sounds like the Harry I know.
Draco ducked under the chain, as did Meghan — Aletha slid a loop around Danger’s neck, then threw the final length around Sirius’, just as his shield spell began to flicker —
Everyone open to me, Remus sent, and felt the minds coming open, some more hesitant than others. He could sense preexisting cross-linkages of power, which looked to his "inner eye" like bands of color connecting people — Sirius and Aletha had a power bond already, one which appeared sky blue to him. He and Danger had a blue one between them as well, but their own was stronger, with a darker color to it — because it’s been used more.
Blood also seemed to demarcate linkages, with Danger and Hermione having a dark red bond, and one running from Meghan to each of her parents. Draco had one to Sirius and one to Meghan as well, but these weren’t quite as bright or clear as the others. Finally, there were golden bonds, which connected every member of the Pack to every other — they looked weak, but Remus was willing to bet they’d be stronger than they seemed when activated.
Does everyone see this? he asked, displaying his image in the shared area of their minds.
Various affirmatives answered him.
All right. On my mark, concentrate on sending power out. We need it to circulate. Think about each other, and concentrate on staying together. That’s what’s going to save us now.
Heads up, said Sirius, with the mental equivalent of panting. I’m about to lose it — it’s going down — now.
The shield flickered and died. Simultaneously, Remus felt the magical bonds activate, and suddenly there was power available to him, power he hadn’t even dreamed of. He threw up his own shield, wandlessly, and the green light slid off it harmlessly. Their attacker — Curcio, he had the man’s name now, from Hermione and Draco’s minds, Christopher Curcio — looked furious and redoubled his attack, but Remus simply increased the power to the shield correspondingly.
So far so good. Sirius was sitting up now, catching his breath from the work he’d done shielding. But no one ever won a fight on defense. We’re going to have to take it to him.
Remus sighed. If I knew what he was doing and how to beat it, that would be good —
Turn the shield around, advised Danger, opening her eyes suddenly. Trap him in a shield, with his own magic in there.
And then whatever he’s trying to do to us will happen to him. Aletha bared her teeth. I like it.
All right. Here goes.
Remus began reshaping the shield. It was set as an egg-shape around the Pack — he began to stretch the boundaries of the egg, as a preliminary to turning it inside out —
And stalled halfway there.
It’s not enough. Something’s wrong.
Some of the bonds still hung lifeless and unenergized — one of the life-sparks Remus could feel in the overall Pack-bond wasn’t yet in the circuit, wasn’t yet part of the giving and receiving of power — someone was still holding back —
Curcio seemed to sense his hesitation and stepped up the power of the attack yet again. Remus wasn’t sure how long even this stronger shield was going to hold... if they were ever going to defeat him, it had to be now...
But they couldn’t. Not with the power they had at the moment.
Something had to change.
xXxXx
For all his brave words, Harry was scared.
He didn’t understand what was going on. It felt like a thunderstorm was forming around him, and wanted him to be swept away in it, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be or not. He could sense the thoughts of the adults, and of the other children — the cubs? — and they were completely open, committed to whatever it was the Pack was trying to do — they trusted the Pack itself that much.
But Harry was still partly closed off. He couldn’t make up his mind to trust that much yet. His doubts kept nagging at him, slamming the doors of his mind every time he thought of opening them and letting his thoughts and his power — his magic, he supposed — flow freely along the faint golden bonds he could see, running from him to the rest of the Pack.
He didn’t really know these people, the doubts niggled. The necklaces could have been rigged to let Moony lie to him. The little things he’d been noticing — the way everything about them felt familiar, the way they seemed to know him better than he knew himself, the way they always knew just what he wanted — they could all be tricks, games someone was playing with him —
No.
He clenched his fists.
No. I don’t believe that.
The same part of him that had told him to trust Miss — no, to trust Letha — that had prompted him to cry in Moony’s arms, that had given him the impulse to return Danger’s scent-touch, that had impelled him to follow the man who had dashed out of the fireplace with a little girl in his arms and caused a mass panic in the pub — that part of him looked at the man standing before the Pack, the man whose face was lit with fiendish glee —
And knew him.
The Pack’s not playing a game with me.
You are!
The man before him had told him lies and used magic, bad magic, to make him believe them.
But if bad magic had made him believe lies, then good magic could help him remember the truth.
And there was good magic all around him.
He slammed open the doors of his mind, not to give power out, but to let it in — the storm rushed into his mind, powerful beyond his imagining —
It was all he could do not to scream. It felt as if he had been trapped in a small, dark room for a long time, and suddenly the door of that room had opened, the walls had collapsed, and he was free — he’d been getting glimpses of the outside world all day from the stories and assurances of the Pack, but this was the real thing. These memories were his own.
Pictures, sounds, emotions rushed past him madly — he only caught a few — looking up in confusion at Padfoot, wondering why his godfather was crying, asking him not to — peering at the tiny bundle in Letha’s arms and being amazed when the baby yawned and opened her eyes — staring down Draco over the kitchen table, with Danger setting a timer for them to compete by — standing face to face with Hermione, moving a bit awkwardly in time with the music, with Moony’s voice directing them, calling out what to do next —
But there was no more time to waste. The shield, weakened by the loss of the magic he’d used, was about to collapse.
Time to do my share.
Harry stopped holding back and threw himself into the link fully, as he had not dared to do until this moment, as he only now dared because he knew — really and truly knew — who these people were.
They were his family. His Pack. And he had shared his entire life with them.
Compared to his life, his mind and his magic were really no big deal.
The golden bonds flared to full life.
xXxXx
Remus felt the drain as Harry pulled energy from the link — he wanted to scream at the boy, ask him what he thought he was doing, but he was too busy trying to hold the shield in place —
And then the burst of fresh power hit him, and everything snapped into place, as if he’d been working on tuning his violin and just now managed to get that one pesky string into perfect tune with the others. The Pack resonated, like notes within a chord, each strengthening and supporting the others.
We’ve got it. Time to use it.
Remus opened the back of their shield and, with one swift motion, turned it inside out, reflecting all the magic Curcio was directing at them back at him, sealing him in with it.
Curcio’s face turned first astounded, then frightened, before the level of magic within the shield became so high that the light blinded Remus and he had to look away. He could feel it, though — the magic was being reflected off the inner surface of the shield, ricocheting around, striking other bolts of magic and recombining in unexpected ways — something was going to happen, something none of them had any control over —
He felt the shield twisting in a way his mind couldn’t quite comprehend — it was as if it were being dragged out of the world entirely — and it was going to take Curcio with it —
Good riddance.
But just before the shield twisted so far that it vanished entirely, Curcio made one final effort — and breached the shield in one place.
The small area was dark again with the disappearance of the other wizard and his magic — there was nothing to prevent Remus from seeing, as if in slow motion, the last bolt of green light streaking towards them.
Aimed directly at Hermione.
He tried to get between it and her, but his magic was gone, expended on the shield — and his body was still recovering from being thrown against a building, it wouldn’t respond to him —
Danger had no such restriction.
Remus saw his wife leap upwards, directly into the path of the magic, taking it full on her chest —
It struck her almost softly, outlining her whole body in green and seeming to hold her in place. For one timeless moment, she hung in midair, suspended —
Then she writhed, as if in agony, but Remus felt no pain from her — in fact, he felt nothing from her, had felt nothing from the moment the magic had struck — it must have rendered her unconscious on impact —
Suddenly he realized what he was seeing. Danger’s body was being twisted by the magic — twisted in the same way Curcio and the shield had been — as if she were about to be physically removed from the world —
NO!
He still couldn’t move, couldn’t muster the energy to do anything about it —
But it seemed someone else could.
He felt some of the Pack-bonds flare to life again — but these bonds didn’t involve him, and he couldn’t quite tell whom they did involve — only that it was Pack-magic, and strong —
Red light, bright crimson red, wreathed Danger suddenly, and where it touched her, the deathly green pulled away — azure blue light joined the red, striking at the evil magic, driving it back — another green became apparent around her now, but this was a vibrant and living green, as far from the sickly shade of Curcio’s magic as could be imagined —
Hermione was standing up, the same magics covering her that now coated Danger. She lifted her hand and reached towards her sister, their dark red blood bond becoming more and more apparent. The bilious green tried to attack her as well, but the three bright magics shielded her.
Their hands touched.
There was a blinding flash of white light.
Then the sound of two bodies hitting the ground.
Ow, said a little voice in Remus’ mind.
He began to laugh, and almost couldn’t stop.
They were all alive.
He could sense them all, every one — tired, shaken, frightened, but alive.
One by one, the others joined in, until everyone was laughing. It was a natural reaction, Remus told himself — relief from almost unbearable tension had to be expressed somehow, and this seemed like a fine way to do it.
I hate to be a party pooper, came Aletha’s mind-voice, but it’s not safe for some of us to be out here. Are enough of us ambulatory to get us all to the pub, and can we make it through the Floo?
I can walk, said Sirius. If you give me a minute, I can carry somebody.
I’m all right, sent Draco.
Me too. Meghan.
Hermione? Danger?
Er, I’m going to need a ride, said Danger a bit woozily. And I think Neenie will too.
Harry?
I’m fine.
Something about the way Harry said that made Remus a bit suspicious, but he let it pass. Let’s go, then.
Slowly, the Pack got to its collective feet. Sirius lifted Danger into his arms, and Aletha picked up Hermione and handed her to Remus. He was grateful, since he wasn’t sure he could have bent over without passing out. Draco and Harry were supporting each other, and Meghan was holding onto Aletha for dear life.
Remus reclaimed his chain and tucked it away under his shirt. "Let’s go home," he said. "All of us."
xXxXx
Remus stood in the shadows near the Green Dragon, supporting a now awake but still dizzy Hermione.
He wanted to swear.
So close. We were so close.
Apparently someone, after witnessing Sirius’ mad dash through the pub, had thought to go to the Ministry. The building was filled with Aurors, and they were getting ready to move out through the surrounding streets, they would find the Pack any minute — Sirius was back in dog form, but they would still find the rest of them, and probably recognize them and put them back under arrest —
But at this point in Remus’ thoughts, he noticed a familiar figure exiting the pub, and a plan sprang fully-formed into his mind. "Meghan," he called quietly.
The girl was beside him in an instant. Remus knelt down and whispered into her ear, and she nodded eagerly and dashed away.
"What are you doing with my daughter?" asked Aletha warily.
"Just watch."
Meghan ran into the lit area in front of the pub. An Auror shouted at her to halt, and she did, looking very young and frightened and getting everyone’s attention. Including the man Remus had most hoped would notice her.
Professor Dumbledore waved the Aurors off and was at Meghan’s side in a moment, leaning down to hear what she had to tell him. He nodded to her and stood up again. "Gentlemen, this little girl has information I believe you should all hear," he said loudly. "If you will join me inside."
The three Aurors outside the pub filed in, with Dumbledore and Meghan behind them. A few moments later, the windows of the pub shone with silver light. Then Meghan was standing in the doorway, beckoning the Pack to come.
Remus lifted Hermione into his arms again and led the way.
There was no time to waste; the spell Dumbledore had used would last for only a moment or two. "I will, of course, be blaming this on you," he said to Sirius as Aletha opened the bag of Floo powder from Remus’ pocket. "You were obviously hiding near here and took this opportunity, when we were all assembled, to knock us down, snatch Meghan before she could reveal your whereabouts, and escape."
"Have they identified Pettigrew yet?" Sirius wanted to know as the fire flared green for Draco.
"No, but that is my next order of business. They have placed anti-transfiguration wards around his cell, though, so you need not worry about his escaping in that way. And I took the opportunity, while I was at the Ministry, to retrieve something of yours." Dumbledore produced a wand from within his robes and handed it to Sirius, who accepted it gratefully. "Now you may return Minerva’s to her."
"With thanks — it saved my life at least twice." All the cubs were gone now, Danger was just stepping into the fire, supported by Aletha.
One of the Aurors groaned.
"On your way," Dumbledore urged with a smile, returning to the place where he had been standing and performing quite a creditable stage fall for such an old man, Remus thought.
Sirius was gone, whipped away by green flames. Remus stood alone by the fire, waiting until it returned to a normal color, then added his own pinch of Floo powder and stepped in.
"Hogwarts kitchens," he said quietly — in case any of the Aurors were awake enough to hear him, there was no reason to make it easier for them than it had to be.
A few moments later, Sirius caught him as he staggered out of the fireplace. They supported each other, through the kitchen door, down the hall, Sirius winking at Serpina, who winked back from her open portrait, and into their Den, Remus pulling the portrait shut behind him.
Danger was sitting on the floor with her back against the sofa. As the two men came in, she pointed her wand at them and said something inaudible, but Remus felt the tingle of a Cleaning Charm wash over him, and then a moment later the soft breeze of a glamour.
That’s right, I had a spell on. I’d almost forgotten.
The rest of the Pack, minus the once again brown-haired Hermione, who was sitting on the sofa watching, were busily setting up their den. Remus watched Aletha, now bereft of her disguise, Summon a double mattress from one of the adult bedrooms; chuckled as it nearly knocked over Harry and Draco, both unbeglamoured, who were dragging in one of the twin mattresses from the cubs’ rooms (of which there were two, one for boys and one for girls, but connected by a door); and looked down as he felt a tap on his foot.
"Shoes off," said Meghan in her bossiest tone.
"Yes, miss," said Remus contritely, allowing her to untie his shoes and lifting first one foot, then the other, letting her pull them off for him. She moved over to Sirius, who did the same for her, then giggled and ran away towards her bedroom with the shoes, no doubt intending to tie the laces together in curious and complicated knots.
I knew it was a mistake to raise them as pranksters.
And what choice did you have?
Good point. "Children learn what they live," after all.
Exactly.
xXxXx
Sirius sat down on the mattresses and watched Harry, who was now helping Draco drag the last of the twin mattresses in from the cubs’ rooms.
We’re going to have to deal with him somehow. He won’t know what’s going on, he won’t understand any of this — he doesn’t even know who we are —
Remus caught his eye and nodded as the boys dropped the last mattress into place and Meghan came running back from the cubs’ rooms and claimed Aletha’s lap.
"Be welcome, all, to this den-night," said Sirius, getting everyone’s attention. "We are Pack now. Pack together." He put quite a bit of emphasis on the last word.
"Pack forever," responded everyone else.
Including Harry.
Sirius stared at him, barely hearing Danger’s words, inviting stories to be told.
Did he just...
Harry noticed the stare and crawled across the mattresses to Sirius’ side. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked, sitting up.
"No — but..." Sirius tried to figure out how to put it. "Harry, do you know who I am?"
Harry grinned. "Yes. You’re my ugly godfather who likes to make my silverware sing to me on my birthday."
Sirius felt his smile stretch his face incredibly out of shape as he knocked Harry to the mattresses and hugged him ruthlessly. He had, in fact, done exactly that to Harry on his tenth birthday.
And he remembers it.
He remembers!
They wrestled for a little while, in the sheer joy of being together once again. The entire Pack seemed to be doing the same, Sirius noticed out of the corner of his eye, although the other six were switching off occasionally — but I don’t want to. Harry’s mine right now.
"I am not ugly," he said a moment later, with as much dignity, and breath, as he could muster with Harry sitting on his chest.
"That’s what you say."
"Oh, hush, you." Sirius twisted his body and dumped Harry onto the mattresses, moving swiftly to pin the boy down before he could get away. "This little git," he said loudly, getting everyone’s attention, "knows where he belongs."
There was a wave of exclamations of surprise and delight.
"Harry, when did this happen?" asked Aletha, her face alight with joy.
Harry wriggled out from under Sirius’ grasp and sat up. "I used the magic," he said. "When we were all linked up, I used some of the magic to take the Memory Charm off. And then I remembered." He looked around the room, and Sirius was somehow unsurprised to see the glint of tears in the green eyes. "I remembered everything."
"Everything?" asked Draco.
Harry gave one large sniffle, then turned to his brother. "Yes. Everything. Including those four Sickles you owe me."
"Darn."
"So we’re all back," said Danger in satisfaction, leaning against Remus. "We’re all Pack again."
"Pack together," said Harry, grinning.
"Pack forever," everyone else chorused again, and the den-night was started in earnest.
After the romping was over, everyone settled down for story-telling. The cubs told their tales, one by one reliving the fear and the sorrow of being parted from their Pack without their consent or in some cases their knowledge, allowing it to be soothed and nullified by the joy and safety of the Den and their Pack around them now.
They broke for dinner after the last story, which was Harry’s. One of the house-elves who brought them the food was Dobby, who was overjoyed to see them all back, and presented Remus with a note in Dumbledore’s handwriting when he was finished hugging the cubs. Remus broke the seal and read the note aloud.
"Pettigrew has been identified. Amelia Bones is beginning to come to the proper conclusions. Lars Vilias remains unconvinced. Numerus stultorum infinitus est. I would be interested to know why you looked as if you had been through a battle when we met earlier this afternoon, but that is your decision. You may reply via Dobby if you wish."
"I think we’ve got quite a bit to tell him," said Danger blandly.
"I think you’re right, love. But I also think it can wait until after dinner." Remus set the note aside. "Thank you, Dobby. We’ll call you when we have our answer ready."
"Of course, sir." The clothed house-elf vanished with a sharp snap.
Sirius sat back in his chair, putting his fork down, an idea occurring to him. "You know," he said speculatively, "just because we can come out of hiding when I’m cleared, doesn’t necessarily mean we should. The reporters are going to be all over us, we’ll be the greatest thing since self-stirring cauldrons. Would it be so bad if we stayed here for a while and kept our heads down?"
"Recovery time," said Aletha, nodding. "Time to be ourselves, with just ourselves, and no one else to bother us. I think we could all use it." Her eyes darted towards the cubs.
Remus and Danger nodded as well.
"We’re not going back to the Den?" Harry looked a bit disappointed.
"We will, eventually, Greeneyes," said Sirius, squeezing Harry’s shoulder. "Just not right away."