Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 87

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"Auriga!" cried Shacklebolt, his hand reaching out for help as the Death Eaters stormed into the room. She tried to move, but her robes were on fire. A great wind billowed around her, blowing the flames up and growing them like vines encasing a tree. They climbed above her face until she could no longer see the sky. She felt suffocated, and she couldn't breathe, and it was so hot, it was too hot.

A hand grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her out of harms way, back into the cool air of her surroundings. Auriga was still as she looked into her father's eyes. He didn't say a word, just smiled at her sadly.

Auriga felt the tip of a wand at her throat and gasped, hearing Voldemort's voice in her ear. "Kill him, Auriga," said the voice, taunting her. "It's him or you. Will you let him die for you? Or will you not be so much of a coward?"

Sobbing, Auriga raised her wand. It shook as she attempted to take aim. He was still smiling sadly, his grey eyes full of pity and love. "Auriga," he said, the whisper carrying in the wind, intertwining with her cries.

"Avada Kedavra," whispered Auriga. The green light flew slowly, as though it would never reach him. Lucius Malfoy made no attempt to move, and Auriga was forced to look him in the eye. The spell hit him. He didn't fly back and away. He simply fell. Fell to the floor, magnificent hair spread. A man crumbled. A man that would never get back up.

When Auriga awoke, she saw the sky was darkening a little, putting the time at around four o'clock. A glance at her watch confirmed this, and she pulled her legs over the side of the bed. She noticed a water jug and glass had been placed next to her bed, and she quickly rinsed her mouth out before heading down stairs.

Before she reached the kitchen, a wonderful scent filled her nostrils, and she entered to see Remus with his back to her, bustling away by the stove and humming a tune. She smiled a little, before sighing and announcing her presence. "So," she said, walking towards him and leaning against the counter. He jumped a little and smiled kindly at her. "What did I miss?"

Lupin let out a quiet scoff. "Where do I even start..." He tapped the stove with his wand and the flames shrank. "Well, the wedding. We got your message fairly early on. Nearly everyone had disapparated long before they arrived. Ministry workers and Death Eaters, I'm afraid," he added. "They're the same thing now, anyway.

"Some Order members stayed behind, and of course we were interrogated. Lots of houses broken into. Tonks's parents roughed up a bit with the Cruciatus. Somebody's house was burned down."

"That's awful," said Auriga, cutting across. "How could they do that?"

Remus smirked. "Yes, you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Auriga felt her face go hot at the mention of her slight fiendfyre hiccup. "Harry, Ron, and Hermione made it out alright," he continued. "I saw them a few days after at Grimmauld Place, but not since then. Word is they broke into the Ministry, but Merlin knows why.

"Snape was made headmaster at Hogwarts-"

Auriga couldn't help but snort. "That abusive toe rag?"

Remus grimaced. "Quite. They're after Muggle-borns now - the Ministry, I mean. It sounds like most of the department heads have been replaced with Death Eaters or sympathisers or someone imperiused. Pius Thicknesse is the new Minister."

"Shocker," said Auriga grimly, thinking about how he'd dictated everything around the Ministry in the weeks between Dumbledore's and Scrimgeour's deaths.

"There's people called snatchers too," said Remus. Auriga remembered he'd mentioned them earlier. "Rounding up muggle-borns and Order members. Bill and Fleur Weasley had a nasty run-in with them. They had to go into hiding." He stared at her intently for a moment, and Auriga felt a little exposed, not knowing what was going through his head. "Do you mind telling me what happened?" he asked. "Only, we all wondered when your patronus arrived, and we never heard from you..." He trailed off, looking uncertain.

"OK," said Auriga, folding her hands in front of her and taking a breath. "I was on duty with Shacklebolt, as you know. And then the Death Eaters came, so we took Scrimgeour to a bunker where we could floo to a safe house; following protocol. Shacklebolt was taking up the back, and the Death Eaters followed us. I started sending my patronus, and...they hit him. He was dead before he'd even hit the floor.

"I tried to get Scrimgeour to safety, but he just pushed me through first. He told me the aurors needed me more than they needed him, and then I saw the Death Eaters and I left him. Like the bloody coward I am."

"You're not a coward," said Remus, quietly but firmly. "You're brave. A coward wouldn't give up their whole life to save their brother. And a coward wouldn't make it through what you've been through alive." Auriga nodded, but couldn't help the tears dripping down her face. It seemed all she did these days was cry.

"I'm sorry," she said, and Remus looked up, frowning. "For trusting Augustus. I was wrong, I know. I just...hoped."

"Why are you apologising to me?" asked Remus, crossing his arms and tilting his head.

Auriga shook her head. "It got in the way of us," she said. He began to smile and Auriga realised what she'd said. "Of our friendship," she added.

Remus nodded, turning back to the stove. "Shepard's pie for tea."