Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 96

Happy reading :)

Tonks cleared her throat and the goblin looked up. "I need to enter my cousin's vault," she said, and Auriga was surprised to hear her voice was low, mimicking the man she was impersonating. "He has provided me with a key."

"What is the vault number?" asked the goblin, pulling a list towards him.

"Seven hundred and eleven," said Tonks confidently, placing the key on the desk.

The goblin scowled at the list. "I need you to submit your wands to be weighed." Auriga thought quickly. The bank knew that vault belonged to Sirius, and Sirius may try to access it in disguise. So they needed to check the wands to ensure it wasn't him. But judging by the posters outside, her's and Tonks's vaults would also be on that list and thus their wand details. Tonks had lifted her wand to place it on the desk, but Auriga kicked her ankle and pushed her out the way, resting her Marked hand on the edge of the desk. The goblin eyed it nervously.

"Is that necessary?" asked Auriga in Gobbledegook, boring into his eyes. "I have somebody I need to meet with and I'm sure you wouldn't like an introduction."

The goblin looked torn between surprise she spoke Gobbledegook, and terror at her calling Voldemort just to enter a vault. Eventually he nodded, looking over his shoulder at a nearby wizard. "Evidently," he said eventually, turning back. "You have great respect for our banking system."

"But, of course," said Auriga, her heart leaping with hope. He nodded and rang the little bell on his desk, and another goblin emerged, leading them through the stone passage.

Once the door closed, Tonks heaved a sigh of relief. "I have no idea what you just did," she whispered. "But thank you."

"I'll explain later," said Auriga. "You've still got the bags?" Tonks patted the two satchels over her shoulder. They jumped onto the cart and rattled down the track, stopping about five minutes later. The goblin opened the vault door and stood back, revealing mountains of fat golden galleons.

"Pwoah," said Tonks, peering round. "It's a shame he's gay. He's bloody loaded!"

"Apart from that, he's your mother's cousin," joked Auriga, keeping guard as Tonks quickly scraped the galleons into the two bags. "It's a good job you thought to add the feather light charm," said Auriga, accepting a bag as they hurtled back to the main lobby. "Thank you," said Auriga to the goblin as they left. He nodded in response, and Auriga and Tonks made their way through the hall.

They were almost down the steps when they heard a shout behind them. Auriga turned and saw Augustus pushing through the front doors. She quickly pushed her bag into Tonks's arms and hissed. "Go." She hesitated but obliged, scurrying down the street. Auriga shook her sleeve down to cover up her mark. How could she have forgotten he worked here?

"You thought I wouldn't recognise you, sweetheart?" he said as he approached, drawing his wand.

"Pardon?" she asked haughtily. Augustus hesitated.

"Don't play games with me, Malfoy," he sneered.

"Malfoy?" said Auriga. "That pathetic excuse for a family? I don't think so. You must be mistaken." Augustus frowned again, looking confused and panicking. His eyes fell on her wand.

"What would your dear father say if he heard those words leave your mouth?" he said, a smug smile appearing on his face.

"Expulso!" cried Auriga. She turned and fled before it could hit. But the sound of shattering stone told her she'd missed. A tripping jinx caught her calf and she fell, splayed on the pavement. She turned round, raising her wand, but he was almost on top of her and she had to block the spells he was firing.

"Diffindo!" came another voice from behind her, and it skimmed Augustus's cheek. His face paled in a way that had nothing to do with the blood loss, and a group of snatchers yelled, "It's the shittin Order!" Augustus pulled his sleeve up as Auriga scrambled to her feet.

He pressed his wand to his mark and it burned black. "Shit!" cried Auriga, sprinting towards where the others had come through. Remus led the charge, wand raised, but Auriga stopped him, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him along. "Go!" she yelled at the others, who frowned, only seeing one Death Eater. "He summoned him, go!"

As if on cue, Auriga felt her mark tingle, and saw it had gone black. All around them there were cracks of people apparating, and a flurry of spells. The seven of them sprinted down the street, metres from the leaky cauldron. Molly and was ushered through by Fred and George, who quickly followed. Tonks and Sirius covered Remus and Auriga as they ran, making up the back of the group. Auriga felt a spell collide with the base of her head, followed by a sharp shot of pain. She slowed but kept going, Remus practically dragging her.

She could feel hot liquid pouring down her back. Remus was going to apparate with her. She couldn't apparate. She wasn't strong enough, without being healed first. He was going to apparate...

They made it back to the back alley, Fred, George, and Molly having already left. "Re-" she began, but found herself being pulled and constricted through a long tunnel. Her breath was forced from her lungs, and the back of her head felt like the flesh itself was being pulled from her skull and left behind.

They landed with a thud, and Auriga's knees buckled, the world spinning and feeling like she was going to hurl her guts up. She didn't even care where she was. She needed a blood replenisher. She fell again, feeling her face collide with a soft patch of dirt. "Auriga!" Remus's voice said, sounding like it was a thousand miles away. She felt his hand touch her wound, felt his arms wrap around her. But it felt like a memory of a touch, like it wasn't really happening.

"Remus!" said Tonks's voice, sounding even further away.

"What happened?" said the voice of Sirius.

Auriga peeled her eyes open, and saw Remus looking away in the general direction of the voices. She could feel the life leaving her. Feel herself dying. Auriga mustered all the energy she could, touching his face. He jumped at her fingertips. "Let me see you," she croaked. He looked down at her. "You have the little, golden..." She trailed off, unable to find the energy to expel any more words from her mouth. She let her arm fall back to her side, and continued to look at him, unable to catch her shaking breath.

"The little golden flecks," said Remus's panic-ridden voice. "Say it! The little golden flecks!" Auriga pushed the corners of her mouth up, feeling like she were trying to lift a heavy weight.

"Remus, move!" ordered Tonks, but he shook his head, holding into Auriga tighter. "Move. She's not dying!" Tonks tried to take his shoulder but he pushed her away.

Sirius took charge. He grabbed Remus around the shoulders, pulling him back and away. "Stop!" Remus shouted. "Let me see her!" He kicked out, squirming and pushing and punching, but Sirius was stronger, and managed to keep a secure hold on him.

Tonks crouched down next to Auriga's side and pulled her wand out, performing innumerable healing spells, and mumbling to herself. Auriga could feel the wound knitting back together. Evidently that was something she'd missed when she hadn't trained as an Auror. Tonks flicked her wand again, conjuring a flask of thick red potion. She lifted Auriga upright, putting the flask to her lips.

Auriga drained the flask, feeling less queasy and dizzy, and Tonks nodded at Sirius, who released a very angry looking Remus. He walked over somewhat calmly as Tonks helped Auriga to her feet. "It was the apparition, wasn't it?" asked Remus with a scowl, looking bitter.

"No," whispered Auriga, lying through her perfect teeth as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. "Of course not."