Marauders - Always - Part One

We Are Not Let Down

The first thing Remus felt was the pain in his left shoulder, throbbing down the length of his arm and, in turn, throughout his entire body. The ache was as dull as his heartbeat, but deep, and he felt like his chest was weighted down - as though a great boulder lay over his heart, crushing him into the ground. Although honestly, he was alright with something holding him down because it felt as though the world was spinning topsy-turvey, one side to the other, like a wild animal bucking against restraints. At any moment, if he were not crushed against the mattress of the bed he lay in by the boulder on his chest, he would certainly go flying up, up, up and off the surface of the world itself, spinning through space.

What if we put a werewolf on the moon?

Without any oxygen? How would he breathe?

Well obviously we'd give him a space suit, we're not monsters. 

Sirius's voice echoed through his head.

"Remus?"

His mouth was so dry it was like his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. He couldn't form words to speak. He struggled to open his eyes. The sunlight got in through the cracks in his eyelids, blinding him until they adjusted - slowly - focusing on the form that loomed over him.

Spencer Stewart.

Remus groaned and raised his hand up to block the sun from his eyes.

"He's awake," Spencer said urgently and he looked up at -- Remus's eyes followed Spencer's gaze to Carl, who hovered near by.

Carl's broad shoulders cast a great shadow over the room as he stared at Remus intently, a smile foreshadowed in his eyes that had not yet reached his mouth. When his eyes met Remus's, a seriousness overtook him.

Remus glanced between Carl and Spencer. "How - how bad is my shoulder?"

"You'll be wanting a doctor," Carl answered.

"Do you know where my wand is?"

Carl reached into a pocket of the coat he wore. "It was in Greyback's room." He held it out to Remus, who took hold of it, then struggled to sit up, pushing himself up with his right arm alone, wincing with the pain of the movement. "Careful," Carl said, stepping forward quickly to hold Remus's torn shoulder steady and to help him into the sitting position.

Spencer, too, looked worried. "You shouldn't be moving much until we've gotten your shoulder looked at."

Remus turned his wand over in his hand, looking at it closely to see that it wasn't damaged. He inspected the bulb of the moonstone handle, running his palm over the wood to be sure nothing had been done to it.

The door opened and a familiar face leaned in - the woman that had brought him the bag of food. She was older with greying blonde hair and wide eyes, a strand of pearls about her neck. She knocked on the frame gently to get their attention, then murmured, "How is the Alpha?"

The title sent a shiver through Remus.

"He's awake," Stewie answered, relief clear in his voice.

Relief came over the woman's expression as well and she pushed the rest of the way into the room, a tray clamped to her hip which carried a steaming tea pot, a cup, and a small bowl. She bit her lips with nervousness as she approached, stopping at the foot of the bed, giving a curtsey, of all things, and then offering the tray to Spencer. "I brought tea and a bowl of broth."

"Thank you, Verna," Carl said.

The woman - Verna - nodded, then said, "I made it before the moon - loads of nutrients cooked right in." She stared at Remus. "Replenish your strength."