Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 70

And you can have an update, and you can have an update, and you can have an update... :)

Auriga patrolled the border of the Hogwarts grounds, the cold wind whipping her ponytail. Her cheeks stung with the ice-filled air, but she'd made sure to wrap up warm and her scarf was wound so many times it felt like a neck brace. Her wand was drawn, and ready for an attack, but it didn't seem in the slightest bit necessary. Aside from other Aurors stationed at their posts, she hadn't seen another soul all day.

The Hogwarts guard didn't seem all that necessary. Aside from the ten foot, unclimbable wall, and all the usual security wards, Dumbledore had placed his very own shield up. She could see it now, rippling in the wind as her hair did. Shimmering like the soap of a bubble bath.

But Auriga knew, just like everybody else there - that one of these days there's be an attempted attack. Somewhere on the path leading to Hogsmeade, there was a scream. A high, long, terrifying scream. Auriga and the Auror stationed a hundred metres away jumped, gripped their wands and ran off along the path.

"Wait!" shouted Auriga. The other Auror stopped on the snow-packed track. The scream continued echoing through the air. "It could be a trick. You need to stay stationed back there. Signal if you need me."

"Shouldn't we stick together?" frowned the Auror. He was older, but had an air of inexperience in his eyes. The scream carried towards them.

"Signal if you need me," Auriga repeated, before continuing on her urgent sprint. Merlin, she was out of shape, judging by her burning chest and the stitch in her side. Hardly her fault though.

She finally reached the site, and was unsurprised but worried nonetheless to see Harry, Ron and Hermione, accompanied by a wailing girl. But she was not the source of the screams. They belonged to the other girl in the floor, thrashing around in the snow, hair flying. Cursed.

"Auriga!" cried the trio.

"Help her, Professor!" cried the girl. Professor? Ah, yes she had taught at Hogwarts hadn't she? And by the looks of things that was Katie Bell in the floor. A good student, hardworking enough. And needing urgent medical attention.

"Move out my way!" came another shout. Hagrid was striding past Harry and Ron, and went to pick up Bell.

"Wait!" called Auriga. He didn't and carried on anyway. Ah, yes, giant's blood. If anyone else had touched her... Hagrid had strode off toward the castle and into the flurry of snow. "What happened?" she demanded of the four teens.

"She...she touched that!" sobbed the nameless girl, pointing at a package on the floor. Presumably Bell's friend.

"Is it her's?" asked Auriga, crouching over it to see a jewelled necklace poking out.

"N-no," said the friend. "She came back from the toilet with it."

"Which toilet?" demanded Auriga, attention drawn away.

"The Three Broomsticks," said the friend.

"And did she say why she had it?"

"She said she needed to give it to Dumbledore." If Auriga didn't know better, this was a murder attempt.

"I see," said Auriga, hovering the necklace in front of her, before removing her scarf and wrapping it up inside. The back of her neck prickled with cold. "Did she seem out of sorts? Not herself?"

The friend nodded. "She was saying all sorts of stuff. Rambling over and over about taking it to the castle." Imperioused then.

Auriga sighed. "Harry?" she nodded her head and he trudged over to her side. "How's Draco? He stopped returning my letters as frequently."

Harry looked panicked and shot a glance at his friends. "We...er...we broke up," he whispered to her. Auriga sighed and pressed her free fingertips to her temple. "I'm sorry," he said quickly.

Auriga frowned at him. "You don't need to apologise to me," Auriga said. "As long as you didn't hurt him." Harry looked very nervous now. "You didn't...hurt him...?" she asked, shifting her position.

"No!" said Harry quickly. "But he was upset...and...do you think...?"

"He did this?" Auriga finished. "I can't be sure. But don't worry yourself with this, Harry, I'm sure you're busy. And I'll launch a full investigation. Have you told Sirius?"

"About Draco?" Harry asked, frowning. Auriga nodded. "No, he's busy being free."

Auriga snorted. "He'll want to hear from you, Harry," she promised. "I think he gets a bit lonely when I'm at work. And I'm hardly a perfect housemate."

Harry smiled a little at her. "I'll drop him a letter," he promised.

"You better," said Auriga as he re-joined Hermione and Ron. "Or I'll be after your head again." Hermione and Ron grinned awkwardly. "Right, I'll escort the four of you back to the castle," she said, leading the way back along the path, following Hagrid's huge footprints.

"Will Katie be OK?" asked her friend, walking side by side with Auriga.

"We'll know how well she'll be when we get back to the castle," said Auriga. Politician's words for, "I have no idea." But the friend nodded nonetheless. "Can I ask your name?"

"Leanne," said the friend. "Leanne Smith."

"We'll most likely want a statement from you and those three," said Auriga as they passed through the gates. "I'll open a full investigation into it."

"Do you know who did it?" asked the friend. Auriga knew she was traumatised, but honestly, what a stupid question.

"No better than you," she replied. This was why she hated working with Gryffindors. And children.

At the Entrance Hall, the caretaker shuffled aside at the sight of Auriga. But he needn't have worried, because the next moment McGonagall joined them. "Miss Malfoy, what a surprise," she said, unsmiling. Auriga noticed the absence of nice.

"I require a word with you, Professor," she said, picketing her wand.

"Is that-?"

"What cursed her?" finished Auriga. "I believe so. Madame Pomfrey may need it?"

"Yes, yes," she said, shepherding Auriga in the general direction of the hospital wing.

"We'll need it back for evidence and analysis in our investigation," said Auriga.

"Investigation?" asked McGonagall.

"This necklace was intended for Professor Dumbledore, according to Miss Smith," said Auriga, attempting nonchalance.

"So we know of the culprit," said McGonagall, sounding bitter and acknowledging the huddle of nearby students.

"We strongly suspect the same culprit," agreed Auriga. "I'll look into it. I wonder if you can do the same?"

"Surely you are in the superior position?" said McGonagall, as they ascended a flight of stairs.

"Certainly I may be," said Auriga. "Or the suspect may be more likely to conceal things from me because of said position." McGonagall didn't respond. "Please keep an eye on him," said Auriga, a wavering desperation peppering her voice.

"Just like you," said McGonagall as they reached the hospital wing, "That is my job, Miss Malfoy."