Warnings
And so, Sirius and Magus waited. The days came and went in varying speeds, sometimes passing like seconds and sometimes like decades. They took turns watching over Remus, who had long ago given up his struggles to free himself. Sirius told Magus that the full moon was coming up soon, though he wasn�t sure of the exact day.
Meanwhile, Magus spent his days inside the cave, alternating between trances and watching Remus. He wouldn�t go outside in the daylight for fear of running into a spot where the branches of the trees didn�t quite cover the sky. But as soon as night fell, Sirius would take over his post and Magus would leave the cave, restlessly wandering around the forest.
But he didn�t wander aimlessly. No, he was searching, though he knew he wouldn�t find what he was looking for. He wanted answers. Answers he�d been seeking for centuries.
One night, he spotted something on the forest floor that stood out to him, as much as it should have blended in. He stooped to pick the black rose that jumped out at him, despite the darkness. Black roses were very rare. At least, they were where he was from.
He stood there for who knows how long, examining that rose. It didn�t have a single flaw, not one interruption in its velvety ebony petals. Schala had loved black roses, believing them to be the most beautiful of all flowers allowed inside the castle. They were very useful in potions, but the only ones in the kingdom had grown right outside the castle. Schala had been the only one who could grow them. Everyone else who tried either ended up with regular red roses or a cluster of gray, decaying plants.
Then, a single tear fell from Magus� eye, dropping onto the rose and bringing him back to reality. He tightened his hand around the rose, held it to his chest, right above his heart, and bent his head in silent grief. There was no point in dwelling on a past long gone. He opened his hand shakily and let the rose float to the ground, swallowed by the darkness that should never have let him see it in the first place.
And the days continued to pass. Sirius assured Magus that it wouldn�t be much longer that they�d have to wait. Magus wasn�t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
One day, while Magus was on watch, he saw some movement from the lighter side of the cave and looked up. Remus was shifting in his chair and looked up at Magus with a pleading look in his eyes.
�Water,� Remus said in a raspy voice. Magus flinched at how pathetic Remus sounded and knew he had to do something.
�Sirius,� he called across the cave to where Sirius was sleeping.
�What?� Sirius growled sitting up and squinting at Magus.
�He needs something to drink,� Magus said, �and I can�t go over there.�
�Oh fine,� Sirius muttered, sitting up. He grabbed a small, roughly cut bowl from the floor and brought it over to Remus. �This is all you�re getting until I wake up again though. And I mean wake up on my own.� He tilted the bowl up so Remus could drink from it. When Remus had finished, Sirius walked back to his part of the cave and went back to sleep.
Remus dropped his head down to his chest for a moment. At first, Magus thought that he�d fallen asleep, but then he looked back up again. �Why can�t you come over here?� he asked.
�I can�t be in the light,� Magus explained. �It makes my skin blister and my throat close up.�
�Hmm�� Remus nodded in understanding. Then, his shoulders tense up for a moment as he pulled at the bonds that tied his hands behind the chair. �You know, these ropes are really tight. Isn�t there any way you could loosen them a bit?�
�Well, there is one way,� Magus said. �A spell I know. I can cloak the lighted area in darkness. I don�t like to use that spell because it uses a lot of energy, but I�m sure I can manage to keep it going for a few minutes.�
Magus lifted his arms in the air and drew his power from the darkness. This was very hard to do in the middle of the day, but not impossible. After all, are shadows not merely reminders of a much more powerful force that we call night? The power of shadows flowed from his arms in a black mist, choking out the light spell that Sirius had cast over half of the cave.
Magus hurried over to where Remus was tied, knowing that he would pass out if he kept the spell going for too long. He fumbled with the bonds around Remus� hands, which had cut deep gashes in his wrists that bled freely when the ropes were taken away. Magus quickly retied the knots more loosely and stood up, dusting off his hands. Then, he walked around to the front of the chair and turned to face Remus.
�Is that better?� he asked.
�Ye�� Remus started, but his voice faded away and his head fell to his chest. At first, Magus thought that he might�ve passed out, but then Remus gave a cackling laugh, as if from some joke that only he could hear. Then, he looked back up, his eyes glinting evilly. �You know,� he said, �this bonds are still a little tight.�
Magus backed away slowly. As much as Sirius had warned him, he hadn�t really believed that this would happen. He hadn�t wanted to believe that Remus could be evil. He backed into his side of the cave and dropped his spell so that the other half was lit again.
�Sirius!� he yelled across the cave. �Sirius it�s happening!�
Sirius leapt to his feet and went to stand a few feet from Remus. He nodded to Magus to show that he would handle things from here.
�Where is your master?� Sirius asked coldly, folding his arms across his chest.
�Sirius, old friend,� Remus said, looking up at him in a very convincing mask of confusion, �I don�t know what you�re talking about. Can you let me go? My wrists hurt terribly.�
�I asked you a question, Werewolf,� he said without emotion.
�It�s me, Remus,� Remus said. �Remember, your old friend from Hogwarts. We were like brothers. And Magus,� he turned to stare through the darkness at Magus, who looked away, �you helped me out at the Center. Be a friend, and help me again.�
�Must seem awfully convenient,� Sirius commented, �to be able to access all of Remus� memories like that. Unfortunately for you, I know that Remus himself can�t access them anymore. And even if he could, he would have known that this was what had to be done. He wouldn�t be trying to get away. He would be willing to do anything to help our side, even if it meant giving up his own life in the process. Now I will ask once more. Where is your master?�
To Magus� surprise, Remus threw back his head and laughed maniacally. �You�ll never find him,� he said, an insane grin plastered on his face. �Do what you like with me, but you�ll never find the Dark Lord.�
Magus shivered slightly as he felt the black wind blow through the cave. Remus seemed to feel it too and dropped his head. �Yes Master,� he muttered, �whatever you say Master.� When he raised his head again, his eyes had rolled back into his head and he spoke with a voice that was not his own, first to Magus.
�You may want to rethink your loyalties Janus,� he sneered, then turned to Sirius, giving him an evil smirk. �Give my regards to your godson. That is, if you get there in time.�
Remus� head fell back to his chest and the black wind retreated, leaving the cave in silence. Sirius stepped forward cautiously, reaching a hand toward Remus� shoulder.
�I think he�s�� he started, but ended with a yell of surprise as Remus sprang to life, snapping wildly at Sirius� hand. Remus tried to lunge forward and tipped over his chair with a loud crash. He thrashed about on the floor like he was having some sort of fit. Then, Magus saw why.
Remus was transforming. He was growing fur and a tail as he flailed around. Finally, he was able to free himself and stood on all fours, now fully werewolf. He snarled at Magus and Sirius for a moment before running out of the cave and out of sight.
Sirius shook his head slowly. �I knew it,� he muttered, waving his wand so that the chair and ropes disappeared.
�It�s my fault,� Magus said quietly, looking down in shame.
�No,� Sirius said immediately, �it�s not. You were only trying to save him.�
�Hmm�� Magus couldn�t think of what to say to this. He went to the cave opening and stared out into the dark forest.
�What is it?� Sirius asked.
�Nothing,� Magus answered, �I was just thinking�never mind. It doesn�t matter. I think it�s time I should be moving on, trying to find my way back home.�
�I won�t stand in your way,� Sirius said. �I have to get to work. Voldemort must be planning something big. I have to find a way to warn Harry.�
�Good luck,� Magus said. �I hope we meet again. Of course, I hope it is in better circumstances.�
�Yeah,� Sirius said, �stop by if you�re ever in the neighborhood.�
�Right,� Magus said. Then, he had a thought. �Do you, by any chance, have an extra cloak I can borrow?�
�Better yet,� Sirius said waved his wand and muttered a spell. A cloak appeared out of nowhere and floated into Magus� hand. �You can keep it.�
�Thanks,� Magus said gratefully, draping the cloak over his shoulders. �I wish there was a way to repay you.�
�Actually, there is,� Sirius said, walking off to the side of the cave to get something. He came back with the healing spell Magus had given to him the last time he�d left. �Please dispose of this. I�m afraid of what it might do.�
�Okay,� Magus said, taking the spell and pocketing it. He might be able to use it later. �Goodbye.�
�Goodbye,� Sirius said, and Magus left, walking off into the night.
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Author's note: I know, I know, I don't need anymore grief over Lupin. I've heard it all before. Anywho, that's the newest chapter. Not much to say about it, so I'll just cut off here.
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