Piece By Piece

Chapter Eight: Wake Up and Smell the Anomaly

      Remus Lupin opened his eyes that morning and gazed directy out the window in his room at Hogwarts. The Black Lake glittered in the early sunlight. He stared at it for a few minutes before he felt Dora Tonks stir from her sleep beside him. He looked at the clock before kissing the top of her head and getting out from under the covers; it was 9am. If it were during the school year, Remus would have been very late for breakfast; but as it was still the summer he had no real schedule to adhere to. He got dressed for the day and gathered his wand, some books, and other supplies he would need. When he looked back at the bed, Dora was still half asleep.

      "I don't understand morning people," She groaned, attempting to slide out of the bed before she could fall back asleep.

      "I'm not a morning person, Dora, I have stuff to do; there's a difference."

      "So you're saying under that perfectly sunny disposition is intense loathing for your obligations?" Her last word was distorted as she rolled out of the bed and onto the floor.

      Remus chuckled. "Yes."

      Dora stood up with a huff and got dressed. A few minutes later they stepped out into the corridor and immediately Remus sensed something was wrong. The castle looked like it hadn't been properly taken care of in months; there were also marks on the walls, floor, and even the ceiling that indicated a fight had broken out recently. When Remus looked at Dora, it was obvious to him that she had noticed it too.

      "There's no way I would've slept through any type of fighting," she said to him. "I'm a freakin' auror. We're trained to wake up if anything happens."

      "Yeah..." Remus agreed, his voice trailing off as he assessed the scene around them. "Let's go back inside."

      "What?"

      "We need to pack bags." Remus turned around and re-entered the classroom that led to where they slept.

      "Why?" Dora asked, following him.

      "Something is very wrong. We might need to leave."

      "But pack everything? Don't you think that'll be a little hard to carry?"

      "Nope," Remus said. With a swish of his wand everything in the room began to pack itself until it was all stored in a trunk and a small satchel.

      "I forgot about that," Dora said, amazed. "Is my stuff now in there, too?"

      In response, Remus pointed to a small duffel bag belonging to her in the corner. Dora picked it up, and the two went back into the corridor.

      "What now?" Dora asked.

      Before Remus could answer, he saw three Death Eaters turn the corner. Instinctively he put himself between them and his wife. When they saw Remus and Dora the Death Eaters grinned beneath their masks. Remus only recognized the one standing in front of the other two; it was Bellatrix Lestrange.

      "Well hello there," She cooed at them, her mouth stretched in a sneer. She took her mask off; her henchmen followed suit.

      "Oh, look at that," Dora called out, stepping in front of Remus and taking out her wand. "If it isn't my least favorite aunt."

      "You're too cute," Bellatrix sneered, moving closer. "Unfortunately, you're also trespassing; and we can't have that." She took out her wand and pointed it at Remus and Dora. "Now, why don't you two make this easy for us and-"

      "I'd watch where you point that wand, Bellatrix." A familliar voice called out from behind Remus. He turned around cautiosly and saw Harry Potter standing a few meters away, his wand pointed directly at Bellatrix and her henchmen; the latter two of whom were now visibly in distress. Beside him was George Weasely, recognizeable only because Fred would have no reason to be at Hogwarts. Given the current situation, Remus felt suddenly very worried for the absent twin.