Who: Emmeline Vance and Remus Lupin and guests
What: Remus overhears some interesting news
Where: Some...where
When: Toooonight, full moon



Emmeline wasn’t really sure why this full moon was different, because there had been a few last semester that she could’ve snuck out of Hogwarts for, but hadn’t. It was on a whim, really, that she’d decided to head out, and of course Remus had to have a registration meeting to go to, but the fact remained that she’d be with him until the hour or so before he transformed, and it comforted her, because they felt different. At least—well---

They’d accidentally moved in with each other. Or, that’s how Emmeline was viewing it. Over winter holiday, Anneliese and Will were in their new house and Remus hadn’t found a flat yet, and---it just sort of happened, not that she was going to voice it, not until he did, and Emmeline pushed back into the couch as she finished the chapter of her book. She liked having normal things to worry about like this, not being terrified of death eaters sweeping you off to foreign lands or of dementors creeping around the corner to suck your soul. Though, she supposed awaiting the full moon for your boyfriend to transform into a werewolf wasn’t the norm, but it was to her, so.

No, she was quite glad to be worried about what to make for dinner or if they had clean towels. She was almost giddy about the fact, actually, and jumped greatly at the slamming of the front door. Emmeline’s eyes rose at Remus’ loud entrance. He certainly didn’t look as calm and happy as she felt, and Emmeline’s instinct told her to get over those emotions quickly.

“What?” she asked, dropping her book and going for her wand.

Remus had thought this would be a typical visit to the Ministry. Go in, note his change of address to the Ministry officials, fill out some paper work, and he’d be done. It was a pain to have to constantly keep them updated on his whereabouts simply because of his status as a werewolf, but he knew it was better than getting pinned for breaking the law. So every time he’d moved, every time he’d noticed a change in his appearance when he transformed, or anytime he got himself a new marking (like a scar or a tattoo – the latter he was going to kill the Marauders for if it happened yet again) he would head down to Werewolf Registration so that they could note it down.

He hadn’t been expecting to overhear talk about missing children, about werewolves gone bad who had decided to punish the parents of those who openly defied the Dark Lord. He had swallowed roughly, deciding the change of address could bloody wait, and proceeded to rush back to Emmeline’s. He’d apparated quickly to just outside the wards he’d placed around her – their? – home and practically ran through the door. Slamming it open, he didn’t bother shutting it behind him as he immediately began to search for her, finding her rather quickly and easily due to his abrupt entrance. Panting, he tried his best to speak through his breaths.

“Kids… Missing… Fenrir… Behind it?” He gripped his wand, finally able to get himself clear enough to form a sentence. “I overheard some of the other werewolves talking. Apparently a group of werewolves lead by Fenrir are kidnapping a whole bunch of children. Lord knows what they’re doing to them and… and… I… Help them! We have to help them!” That was fucking obvious given that the Order had been wondering since the reports of the few missing orphan children in the past couple of days, but he had never thought it would be werewolf groups rather than the Death Eaters in general. Werewolves had always had a code of ethics to follow, never attacking children even when they weren’t in the right state of mind – how could there be people as fucked up as his sire out there in the world…? It made Remus feel sick just thinking about it.

A part of her wanted to smack him for ruining her mood, but it was a tiny, miniscule part because her Order oriented mind didn’t allow for frivolous things like a life to be put ahead of it. Emmeline’s grip around her wand tightened and she summoned her cloak, throwing it over her shoulders as her mind raced,

“Right, so do you---do you know where, wait,” she stopped talking to gather her thoughts, but her hands didn’t stop buckling the clasps of her cloak. She’d read about the kidnappings, and while they didn’t seem out of the ordinary before, the fact that the full moon was tonight and some of the Order’s leads on the streets had mentioned missing children as well (even Sturgis, the resident hitwizard said he’d filed an alarming amount--) so putting all of this information together was startling, even if it made a lot of terrifying sense.

Emmeline bit her tongue for a second, eyes narrowing as she thought, then looking back up at Remus, “Do you know where Greyback lives? Would he be holding them there? I---“

She hadn’t jumped into anything like this before, and it didn’t seem like the smartest of ideas, but there were children involved; they couldn’t waste time coming up with an Order strategy, could they? There wasn’t much time to begin with, the sun was almost down, Merlin’s---Her voice took on a tone of stern determination. “We’ll contact the Order if we find them.”

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to think, trying to come up with an idea. "I don't see how Fenrir could be any more efficient then to hide them where he lives. He probably gets off on having a ton of kids in the basement or something knowing him and--" He cut off, looking towards Emmeline, and sighing. Rubbing his eyes, he pulled his cloak over his shoulders.

"He... He lives near my mum's house." He said finally, before taking her hand and starting to head for the door. "If they're not there, we should contact the Order all the same. I'd say we should do it before but if they are hiding there, then a small group of wizards against a group of werewolves just won't go very far. One or two can at least sneak in unnoticed while they're gone, which is what we'll have to risk." Getting out of this with as little fighting as possible was all he really cared about, given the ages of the people involved. He didn't want to risk any casualties.

Emmeline had to bite down on her tongue even harder not to say anything else, and shut her eyes tightly as they apparated. There was still time before the full moon, she’d been clocking it down perfectly and it was the reason she’d snuck out of Hogwarts, but---right, as long as they just took surveillance, Remus could head over to the Tonks’ to transform, she could get in contact with the Order, and by the time he transformed back tomorrow morning, things would be solved and settled.

Right, yes, because things always worked perfectly between the two of them.

They appeared in a backyard that looked more like an African rainforest. The grass hadn’t been cut in what looked like years from how it came high past her waist, and there were tree branches limping listlessly from the trunk after being snapped from a storm. It definitely looked like the place of a deranged lunatic like Fenrir, and Emmeline finally let out the breath she’d been so carefully holding.

Her wand went out to check for wards, but there didn’t seem to be any up, and if Remus was right about the man’s intelligence, they shouldn’t have to worry. There was a flicker of light in one of the ground windows that reminded her of a telly.

“Someone’s home?”

"Fuck," he murmured to himself. His language always seemed to become more filthy the closer and closer he got to the full moon, and he was certainly close at the moment. He had noted the sun's position in the sky and the aching in his bones was making it even more obvious that they had to be fast with this. They couldn't afford something time consuming at the moment. "I'll check. Just... wait here." He crouched down slightly in the grass as he looked at the flickering light. If Fenrir was around watching television, then they would certainly have to flee to the Order's headquarters to get some help.

Making it to the bottom of a window, he pushed himself up just enough to peek through the window, the broken shades not concealing the insides of the run down home all too well. The elderly couple sitting in their living room watching the TV had been enough to make him smirk. Of course - Fenrir's parents. He'd forgotten he had those. Pulling himself back down, he motioned for Emmeline to join him under the window.

"They're hard of hearing - always have been from what I remember, so it shouldn't be too bad as long as Greyback isn't here with them..." He trailed off, glancing to the back door. "If we're quiet, we should be able to get down to the basement and have them simply assume it's just their son coming home to transform." He didn't wait a moment after the words left his lips to go ahead with his plan, walking as quietly as he could through the weeds to get to the porch. He tried his best to not make the door creek as he opened it, holding it for her and waiting until they got inside. Just as he thought, the parents said nothing, continuing with their evening programs as though nothing were going on - as though their son wasn't pulling in homeless and orphaned children to their basement and doing God knows what with his friends...

He pulled open a few doors, finding the pantry and the coat closet before he found the stairs to the floor below. His steps were muffled by the dust covering the wooden flight as he descended and while he'd been prepared for something, he knew he'd still find a shock to his system when they got to the bottom. The number of children being the first, the sight of dead children being the second. He had been relieved to know the majority seemed unharmed, but he could tell simply by the state of a few bodies that they weren't alive -- he didn't need to check a pulse. He could feel the tension in the room, tell how scared the young ones were, and the fact that he knew they thought they were probably there to harm them made his heart ache.

"We're... we're here to help," he said finally. Turning to look to Emmeline, he wrinkled his forehead. "We need to get them out of here fast. Should we do that and then get the rest of the Order to help us get them away from here...?"

She threw her attention to the closest child, because if she took the time to look around at the utter horror surrounding them, then Emmeline knew she would be of no use to the children. She dropped to her knees, putting her hands on the boy’s cheeks; he had begun to cry the moment they’d stepped into the basement, and she forced herself not to think about what had been terrifying him to tears for however long he’d been here.

“You’re getting out of here,” she murmured, standing and taking his hand, pulling out her wand and lighting the darker corners. It seemed like every corner, every stack of boxes revealed another child, all crawling out from their hiding spots at the thought of potential freedom. There was a line of cages against the far wall, the bars barely wide enough for---Emmeline was putting it together; Greyback was going to lock them in the cages, and while he transformed, he’d be able to attack them, but not enough to kill them. It made perfect sense, and maybe they weren’t giving the lunatic enough credit.

The children weren’t moving as fast as she needed them to, and Emmeline started calling out gently, flashing her wand in every direction, trying to keep her eyes off the ground at the bodies that scattered it. Who could do that to a child? She’d known that Greyback was the one who had bitten Remus, but she’d never imagined how severely demented the man---or whatever he was, could actually be. This was far worse than any horror novel she’d read, and Emmeline forced herself to focus on the mission at hand.

Fenrir Greyback was going to bloody pay.

“How are we going to get them all out, maybe we---we could side-along, but I don’t know how many to take at once is safe,” her thoughts were coming out quick and jumbled, but her grip on the little boy’s hand didn’t loosen, “What time---all right, just---we---get them out, come! Come here, little ones!”

Emmeline's voice faded out as the door at the top of the stairs flung open. This was the stupidest thing she'd ever let herself get into and she bit back the urge to yell at Remus for it. How could they have---oh, fucking Gryffindor, jumping into things like this, how---how were they---She tugged the little boy with her back against the wall perpendicular to the staircase, hiding in the shadows. They should be able to disapparate out of here, and Emmeline frantically gestured to Remus. Maybe they could stun Fenrir and lock him in one of the cages and...Remus can go to the Tonks' and Emmeline would rush all the children out and---yes, okay, there was definitely a chance they wouldn't die, tonight.

"Helllooooooo!" Fenrir howled (ergh--) as he stomped down the steps, the door slamming behind him. Emmeline didn't know what to do, Remus couldn't really move without Fenrir catching sight, she'd have to attack the man---"Remmy Lupin!"

She felt her heart catch in her throat. This was the man who'd murdered Remus' parents, he was insane, he was kidnapping children to force them to become werewolves and---it----she had never felt this kind of panic before and could only pray that Remus knew what the fuck he was doing.

"Well this is a pleasant surprise," Greyback snarled.

Remus froze when he heard the footsteps, his heart beating heavily in his chest as the voice filled the room, and he tried his best to keep his composure when that familiar face was suddenly in his sight. His instincts - the werewolf ones, that was - were yelling at him to tackle him, to tear the bastard who had killed his family and hurt small children and done so many evil deeds to pieces, but his still very much logical portion of his brain was informing him that those sorts of rash decisions could only lead to death - not only of him, but possibly of more children, and most certainly of Emmeline if she wasn't able to escape. He swallowed roughly, glancing towards the stairs quickly, before he looked to Fenrir once more. What was he supposed to do?

Think like James, thinks like James... That could get anyone out of a sticky situation, right?

The idea struck him soon after and finally gave a nervous smile. "I'm... sure it is..." He muttered, clutching his wand gently just in case his idea backfired and he suddenly needed to defend himself. "But I've been doing some thinking, Fenrir, and... well..." He couldn't say it - he couldn't - he was going to get sick right after this, he had too. He felt his very bones prickling with pain as the moon got closer and closer to rising in the sky and immediately he wished he had thought this plan through a hell of a lot more. But the kids... they... "You've been right. About being a werewolf. I mean, what kind of person with this... this... gift hides away in a locked room, sitting quietly so the Ministry will approve of them? We... we should be free to act like what we are..."

He looked to him cautiously, hoping this would work, hoping he wasn't going to have to yell at Emmeline to run while he fought him off. He didn't need that much action in his life, he really didn't.

"So I couldn't think of a better place to come with the full moon approaching. Sorry for the surprise... Or intrusion... I was just... hoping..."

For being the idiot that got them into this mess, Remus was fucking brilliant. Emmeline held her breath, because though he'd sounded nervous, he'd been convincing. Her eyes didn't leave Greyback's back as the man swayed back and forth as if Remus' words had put him into something of a trance. Had he believed them? It's what the maniac had always wanted, wasn't it? Too good to be true, maybe?

Her hands finally loosened their grip around the young boy she'd taken hold of and Emmeline tentatively took a step forward, her wand up. She couldn't give Greyback a second to attack. She didn't know what was going on in his head, and with her wand out, she pushed the boy back to the wall to keep him away.

"Remmy, that's the best thing I've heard in years." Greyback actually sounded emotional, and Emmeline's stomach twisted terribly. This man got off on--on torturing children. "Now, you come here and give me a-----"

He couldn't finish his request because Emmeline had let out a bellowing STUPEFY and sent him sailing across the room, landing quite conveniently in one of the cages that had been set up. Her wand moved quickly to lock up the cage even with the shrieks of terror her attack had elicited from the children; she felt guilty for scaring them, but it had to be done.

Before doing anything else because she knew their time was cut short, Emmeline grabbed Remus by the front of his shirt and pulled him into a bone crushing kiss, her arms having gone so incredibly tight around him.

"Don't you dare do this to me ever again," she snapped, letting him go as quickly as she'd taken hold of him and spinning back toward the children. "Come on! Up the stairs! Let's go! NOW!"

Remus had felt his insides lurch at Fenrir's emotional tones, his eyes fighting to not narrow. He had just enough time to step out of the way as Emmeline raised her wand and caused him to go flying across the room, his eyes staying on him as he crashed into the cage. They were lit up with a mirth that hadn't been there in ages - almost as much joy as a child opening up Christmas presents. Fenrir Greyback had gotten the ass kicking he deserved and he couldn't imagine the tizzy he'd be in when he woke up. He had no time to react as Emmeline pulled him close for the kiss, though enough time to kiss back certainly, and when they pulled apart, he stared down at her grinning.

"Have I mentioned recently that I love you?" he said, before picking up one of the very young children. "We're going to get upstairs and down the street as quickly as possible. There will be a group of people who will take you all to safety soon after," he informed the children, quickly rushing them up towards the door.

He waited until he was sure there were no children left in the dingy room, before following after them and Emmeline. The sun was low in the sky and the realization of how close to danger he was keeping everyone was overbearing. By the time they were able to slow to a stop, he quickly put the child down, grabbed Emmeline's arm and pulled her close for another kiss. When he pulled back, he raised his wand, sending out a patronus for the Order to respond to, and swallowed roughly.

"I'm going to the Tonks'. They'll be here soon. I'll see you back at home tomorrow."

Apparating with a load crack, he appeared moments later outside the home of Ted and Andromeda, slamming the door open quickly and dashing for the room. He quickly closed the room's door behind him, locked it quickly, and watched as the sun finally hit the horizon. On cue, he felt that bone breaking pain, and buried his face into a pillow to let out a muffle cry.