Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 38

gUYS :)

"Auriga," said Dumbledore after he'd finished giving out details of a mission to some people further up the table. "You'd be able to help with that, wouldn't you?"

"Uh, I'm sorry, Professor," she said, somewhat embarrassed that she hadn't been listening. "I don't know what you mean."

"You'd be able to identify some of the newer Death Eaters that are joining Voldemort?" he asked. "Some of the younger alumni of Hogwarts? People you went to school with?"

"You mean ex-Slytherins, Professor?" Auriga asked, raising an eyebrow. "Certainly, I could help with that."

"Call me Albus," said Dumbledore, and the table collectively chuckled. The meeting continued until it finally ended, and Molly Weasley began serving the dinner. Auriga had to admit - she was an excellent cook. Maybe she was a house elf in another life...

For once, Draco had actually come downstairs with the others, and was reluctantly engaging in a conversation about transfiguration with Granger, while Potter and Weasley sat nearby with baffled expressions on their faces, but joining in whenever Granger encouraged it. She wasn't sure why, but Auriga was pleased to see it. Like herself, Draco didn't have many real friends. Maybe Granger would turn out like Thomas...

"It's going to be great, Moony," Sirius was saying. "That is, if you can keep it in-" Sirius pulled a face of pure pain as Lupin kicked him under the table. Both of them looked at Auriga.

"What?" asked Auriga.

"Aren't you excited for the mission?" asked Sirius.

"What mission?" asked Auriga.

"The one Dumbledore's sending us on tomorrow night," Lupin said, "Weren't you listening?"

"You two are going as well?" asked Auriga with a pained look towards her brother, who shrugged. The two men nodded in unison, and Auriga slumped back into her chair. Suddenly she had lost her appetite.

*****

When Auriga had first joined the Ministry of Magic, she had not imagined that she would be betraying their secrets whenever she could five years later. Similarly, when she had first joined the Order, she had not considered the fact that she may be stuck in a cold, dark room, camped out across the street of a manor house with only a fugitive and a werewolf for company. Yet here she was.

"Where are we again?" asked Sirius from where he was stood with Lupin near the window.

"Do you ever listen to me?" Auriga snapped from where she was sat in a chair at the very opposite end of the room.

"No," said Sirius, turning back to look out onto the street.

"We're at one of the Yaxley estates," said Auriga. "You ought to know that. Your parents were close with the family that live there."

"I didn't pay attention to the people my parents liked," said Sirius, sounding bitter. "And how do you know that?"

"My mother did pay attention to the people her parents liked," Auriga retorted. There was silence in the room again.

"There!" said Lupin suddenly. "Look, that's a new one! He can't be older than thirty!"

"Do you know him, Auriga?" asked Sirius.

Reluctantly, Auriga wandered over to the window to look at the newest person to appear. She recognised his face immediately. The room became very hot, and began to spin around her. "Yes," she breathed.

"Well?" asked Sirius, sounding excited. "Who is he?"

The room spun faster, and she looked at him, but his face swam and blurred and she couldn't make out his features. She had to get out of here, she should never have come. What if he saw her? What if he found her?

Auriga stumbled blindly towards the door, flinging it open and heading down the stairs, unbuttoning the top few buttons of her shirt to cool herself down. The night air calmed her, but she kept walking. She had to get away. He couldn't find her.

A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her sharply back into focus. She turned around, raising her wand, and met the frowning eyes of Remus Lupin. "What are you doing?" he hissed, "Are you alright?"

"Hello?" another voice called through the darkness. Lupin dragged her behind a bush, just before a wand tip ignited. "Who's there?"

"Augustus?" called another starkly familiar voice. "What are you doing?"

"I thought I saw..." Augustus Carrow began, "I thought I saw Auriga."

"Auriga?" asked Lucius Malfoy. "My daughter? What would she be doing here?"

"That's what I was trying to find out," said Augustus, "But she's gone. Must have disapparated." Auriga was furious. She wanted to scream at her father about how awful Augustus was, remind him of what he'd done to her. But before she could utter a word, Lupin's hand covered her mouth. She fought against him momentarily, knowing it was probably for the best.

Auriga wasn't sure how she got back to Grimmauld Place, but the next thing she knew she was sat in the kitchen, at the table with a hot bowl of soup in front of her, and Molly Weasley was bustling around tidying up. "The soup's lovely, Molly," said Auriga, staring into space, "You're an excellent cook."

Mrs Weasley looked surprised. "Thank you, dear," she said, before leaving the room. That left her alone with Sirius and Lupin.

"Who was that?" asked Lupin, leaning forward. "That man that your father was talking to?"

Auriga didn't respond straight away. "Have you ever had the Cruciatus Curse used on you?"

"Yes," said Lupin instantly. Auriga looked up at him, curious to know more. But she knew she would have to share before he did.

"His name is Augustus Carrow," said Auriga. "He was my fiancé." Lupin stood up abruptly, but sat down again after a look from Sirius.

"And he used the Cruciatus Curse on you?" asked Sirius. Auriga could only nod.

"When I called off the engagement, I lost my title as heir to the house of Malfoy," she explained hoarsely. "Which was fine, I could cope. My father was furious. Wanted him dead or at least in Azkaban. But tonight...it was like they were friends..."

Auriga's eyes welled with tears, and her nose tingled as she tried to hold them back. She stared back into her soup. How could her father do that to her? A fat droplet fell from the tip of her pointed nose and mixed with her soup. She felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, heard and mumble of, 'You've had a long night,' and allowed herself to be half guided, half carried upstairs to her room.

The person sat her on the edge of her bed. "Will you be alright?" asked Remus Lupin's voice. Auriga nodded, and curled up between the covers, fully clothed. She closed her eyes, and let the black of sleep overcome her.