Lupin's True Love

October 27, 1973

Remus raced along the cobblestone alley as Veronica fell down in a dead faint. Sirius had his wand out and was training it on the Aurors that were standing at the entrance of the alley. The woman held up her hands in surrender knowing that this mere boy would be able to take her head off with a simple spell. The man was trying to explain everything to the boys. Remus saw Emma crawl across the cobblestones toward Veronica. If he hadn't seen her fly through the air a few moments earlier he wouldn't have believed it. Emma was trying to wake Veronica but failing. Remus knelt next to the lifeless body of Kayla and tried to find a pulse. No pulse greeted his fingers so he gently closed her eyes with his fingertips. Remus climbed to his feet and made his way over to Veronica and Emma. He gently lifted Veronica's head and laid it in his lap.

"What happened, Emma?" Remus looked over at Emma while Sirius slowly made his way over to them.

"I'm not sure. One minute she's fine, the next she's passed out." Emma swiped at the tears leaving dirty streaks down her face.

"What did she do to the bozo?" Sirius tapped his foot against the wooden box, making the man inside scream even louder.

"Some spell from Italy I think." Emma looked up at Sirius. "I don't know what she did."

The lady Auror approached the teens. "Perhaps I can explain what happened."

Sirius jerked his wand in her direction. "Who are you?"

The woman gave a slight bow. "My name is Tori Rehnquist. I've been an Auror for several years over in Japan. I was recently assigned to this area." Remus watched the woman slide her hands over her sandy blonde hair, making sure that it was secured in the high ponytail. "My husband has...I guess you could say, family that lives near here. He felt that it was best if we protected them."

"What did Vee do to the murderer?" Sirius was watching the dark haired man making his way up the alley.

"She trapped him within his own fear. This must one of the ways that Lord Voldemort tortures his people when they fail him." Tori looked over her shoulder at the man. "Dashi, I think we'd better notify the Headmaster that one of his charges is gone."

"Of course, milady." The man bowed swiftly to Tori as she shook her head.

Tori knelt beside the still unconscious girl and gently lifted her head from Remus's lap. "I must remind Miro that around here I'm no lady." She gazed down into the face of the young lady who seemed so much younger than she was. Her fingers slid along Veronica's hairline, looking for any bumps. Not finding any, she swiftly moved Veronica back over to Remus and made her way to the small patch of weeds in the alley. "Wolfsbane...Ah... Athelas." She plucked the tiny white flower. "This should help her." She gently ground the flower between her fingers and rubbed it along the inside of Veronica's lips. "This is rarely found here."

Veronica moaned slightly and tried to turn her head away from Tori and the terrible herb. Her eyelids fluttered as she opened her eyes. The gray orbs remained unfocused for a few moments. As her eyes cleared and focused Veronica grabbed her wand and sat straight up. "Whoa! Sat up too fast."

"You've got to take it easy, Veronica." Remus wrapped an arm around her shoulders while she tried to spit out the foul taste in her mouth.

"What did you give me to wake up? Battery acid?" Veronica turned to look at Emma. "Are you okay, Em?"

"I'm fine." Emma kept swiping at the tears running down her face.

"Where's Kayla?" Veronica tried to look behind Remus but Remus managed to keep her eyes turned away.

"What do you remember, Miss Croft?" Tori leaned back on her heels slightly as Veronica closed her eyes.

"I remember Voldedork being here. He wanted me to...well...bear him an heir." Veronica pretended to gag. "But he first tortured Kayla with the Cruciatus Curse. I took out a few of his Death Eaters and got him to stop. The next thing I know he's gone and a Death Eater sent a Killing Curse at me. Emma got me out of the way and Kayla got Emma out of the way but what happened to the Death Eater?"

Sirius tapped his wand against the wooden box at his feet. "He's in here." He leaned over to help Veronica to her feet. "I don't know what you did to him but I don't ever want to piss you off that bad."

"But what happened? One minute I'm lying on the ground watching Kayla fall, and the next I'm waking up in your arms, Remus." Veronica gazed at Remus and waited for him to move slightly. She looked down at her friend. "Kayla? No. She's not..."

"I'm sorry, Miss Croft. Miro and I didn't make it in time to save your friend but make no mistake we will make sure that the man that killed her..." Tori kicked the box several times, making several screams fill the air. "...Is imprisoned until his death."

"Thank you." Veronica allowed Remus and Emma to lead her out of the alley.

Sirius watched Tori conjure a sheet over Kayla's body and levitate it. "What can I do, Ms. Rehnquist?"

"Go and tell the students that they are to return to the castle. It's not safe here for them." Tori watched Sirius run out of the alley and head down the street. "One day soon, Padfoot, we'll meet again. One day soon."

Meanwhile Veronica, Remus, and Emma were heading along the path to the castle. Remus kept his arm firmly around Veronica's shaking shoulders. Emma looked behind them to see Tori bringing Kayla's body. She shuddered to think that the Killing Curse was really meant for Veronica. If she hadn't pushed Veronica out of the way, Veronica would have been lying there on the ground instead of Kayla. Not only that, if Kayla hadn't been brave enough to save Emma, she would died instead. Emma rubbed her nose as she heard several shouts coming from the castle. Dumbledore and Miro Dashi were running toward them.

"Are you students okay?" Dumbledore took in Veronica's pale complexion and Emma's streaked face.

"We're fine, Professor Dumbledore, but Kayla isn't." Remus led Veronica past the headmaster and into the castle.

Dumbledore waited until Remus, Veronica, and Emma had gotten into the castle before lifting the sheet covering Kayla. He shook his head slightly as he let the sheet fall back to cover the dead girl's face. He glanced at the two Aurors standing beside him. "Auror Rehnquist and Auror Dashi, may I ask you to help bring the children back to the castle? I must inform them of what has happened."

Tori nodded. "I've already asked Mr. Black to round everyone up but Miro and I would be glad to be of assistance to you, Headmaster." She gave the old man a swift bow before turning to make her way back to the village with Miro hot on her heels.

Dumbledore made his way back up to the castle with Kayla's body hovering in front of him. He saw Filch standing on the steps watching him. "Argus, please see that all the students are in the Great Hall immediately. I'm afraid I have some grave news." Filch nodded slightly before hurrying to tell the rest of the professors Dumbledore's message.

Dumbledore put Kayla's body into an unused classroom before heading to the Great Hall. He saw that Remus and Emma were seated on either side of Veronica. He heard the students flooding the halls and returning from the village as he made his way to the staff table. James, Sirius, Peter, Jessica, Lily, and Patricia quickly made their way to the empty seats around Veronica, Remus, and Emma. James practically shoved Emma and Remus away from Veronica so that he could hug her tightly. As Dumbledore turned to look around the Great Hall, he saw Severus clenching his hands into fists at his sides. He waited until all the teachers had made their way through the milling students to the staff table. The two Aurors went unnoticed by Dumbledore and the staff.

Minerva McGonagall knew that something was wrong. The students were back from Hogsmeade and it wasn't anywhere near their curfew. She made her way to Dumbledore. "Albus, what is going on?"

"Kayla Saxon was killed at Hogsmeade this afternoon." Dumbledore watched the tears gather in the usually stern woman's eyes. "I'm about to tell the students."

"Of course." Professor McGonagall moved toward the Gryffindor Table to stand with her House.

"May I have your attention please?" Dumbledore barely had to yell. "I know that you are supposed to be having fun in Hogsmeade but I'm afraid that I have some bad news for you. Lord Voldemort has killed one of the students here while trying to capture another. I am reluctant to tell you this but Miss Kayla Saxon is dead."

"NO!" A Ravenclaw boy jumped to his feet. "That's not possible!"

Veronica shook her head slightly as she climbed to her feet. Remus laid a hand on her arm to stop her. "No, Remus. I have to tell him...them all... the truth about what happened today." She made her way to the Ravenclaw Table and laid a gentle hand on the boy's arm. "I'll explain it to you..." She looked around the Great Hall at the students staring at her. "...All." She slowly made her way to Dumbledore. "Perhaps it would be best if someone who was actually there could explain, sir."

"Of course, my dear. Please explain." Dumbledore moved to one side to allow Veronica an unobstructed view of the Great Hall.

Veronica took a deep breath and clasped her hands together. "Voldemort was trying to kidnap me when Kayla was murdered." Several protesting voices were raised so Veronica simply raised her voice a little higher. "As you can tell he didn't succeed. Unfortunately, one of his Death Eaters managed to kill Kayla before we got to safety."

"Why does he want you?" A Slytherin girl stood up. "You're just a Mud...I mean, Muggle-born."

"Power. He said that I had the power he wanted. I know that I can't bring back Kayla or anyone's family but I'm going to try to help bring this lunatic down." Veronica slowly made her way back to the Gryffindor Table while the Ravenclaw boy made his way over to her.

The brown-headed boy pulled Veronica into a bone-crushing hug. "It wasn't your fault Kayla died. If I know her she saved your life and Emma's. I'm with you no matter what happens in this war."

"You want to let her go, Dearborn?" Remus had climbed to his feet to glare at Cardoc Dearborn.

"Sorry, Lupin. I forgot she's yours." Cardoc smiled and gave Veronica a flash of his dimples. "See you both in Care of Magical Creatures Monday."

Veronica and Remus nodded as Dumbledore watched them with interest. She's making powerful friends. This is going to be very interesting to watch. He raised his hands. "We'll be working with the Ministry to protect you while you are at Hogsmeade. You are dismissed."

The students climbed to their feet and slowly made their way out of the Great Hall. Several of the Gryffindor Seventh Years were shooting looks at Veronica and Remus. One of the girls actually shoved her way past Veronica and Remus.

"I don't see why Dumbledore is willing to let her stay here in the castle. I mean if it were me, I'd give her to the Dark Lord." The girl flicked a stray piece of dirt from her sleeve.

Sirius whirled around and glared at the older girl. "Listen up, Mika. She's just a pawn to that madman. Once he has what he wants, he'll kill Veronica."

Veronica laid a hand on Sirius's arm, effectively making him stop. "Do you want to know what happened to the man that killed Kayla?" She tilted her head slightly as several others stopped to hear what else had happened. "He wound up locked in a wooden box with spiders and other insects crawling all over him. Apparently that's what Voldemort likes to do to torture his followers. If you think for one minute I'm going to turn from the side of good and join up with the idiot that murdered my parents you'd better use the brain that is in your head and think again. I'm not that big of a moron." Veronica straightened slightly and passed by Mika like a queen passing her lowliest of servants. "By the way, I didn't make Kayla save Emma. That was her choice, not mine."

James, Remus, and Sirius looked at each other and grinned. They didn't know that Veronica was in the safest place in the Wizarding World, given to the fact that Tori and Miro were still at the castle watching over her and her friends.