Lupin's True Love Returns

Carey Ann Lupin

Story Summary:
Eighteen years have passed since Veronica was at Hogwarts. The Memory Charm is failing and Veronica is beginning to remember the times of fun and horror at the school. As a teacher she knows how to make class fun. She learned a lot while away including how to fight. Will she be able to teach Harry all she has learned or will she have to bring others in to help

Chapter 35 - Chapter 35 - Who's Back?

Chapter Summary:
A crumbling archway stood on a dais with a single veil fluttering over the entrance. It moved slowly with an unseen breeze. A thin, pale hand reached around the side of the Veil and pulled it to one side. A man heaved himself onto the dais and collapsed. He looked half starved and filthy. His black hair was matted and hung almost to his waist. His beard held streaks of grey, showing his age. His piercing blue eyes took in everything around him. He raised his hands into the air and screamed with all the pent up fury within himself.
Posted:
04/06/2006
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303
Author's Note:
Here's a bit of background for you. Tori and Veronica can both see things in their dreams. Tori can see the furture and Veronica often sees the past. One this night they both are watching the present and an old friend returns to them.

September 15, 1996

Remus sat up and watched Veronica toss and turn beside him. Meanwhile, in Room Sixteen, Sessho-Maru was doing the same thing. Both men wondered what their wives were dreaming.

A crumbling archway stood on a dais with a single veil fluttering over the entrance. It moved slowly with an unseen breeze. A thin, pale hand reached around the side of the Veil and pulled it to one side. A man heaved himself onto the dais and collapsed. He looked half starved and filthy. His black hair was matted and hung almost to his waist. His beard held streaks of grey, showing his age. His piercing blue eyes took in everything around him. He raised his hands into the air and screamed with all the pent up fury within himself.

He buried his filthy face into his calloused hands. Tears leaked between his fingers and fell onto his tattered robes. He collapsed back onto his knees as he tried to keep himself from falling back into the archway. Terror shown on his face of the trials that he had suffered behind the Veil. His head jerked up as if on invisible strings. He looked around trying to find the person or persons that were watching him. He smiled when he saw the entities of two women floating near him. He reached a hand out to them.

"Hello, Vee and Tor." He smiled the mischievous smile that they both knew so well.

The women looked at each other and then turned back to the man before them. They both spoke a single word. "Sirius?"

Tori jerked up and looked around the room. She flung her arms around Sessho-Maru. "Sessho-Maru, it's a miracle."

"What is, my love?" Sessho-Maru stroked Tori's sandy blonde hair.

"Sirius is alive." Tori flung the covers off of her and began to get dressed. "We've got to tell Remus and Veronica."

Meanwhile, in Room Nine, Veronica jerked herself awake. "Remus, he's back."

"Who?" Remus watched his wife scramble from the bed and get dressed all while she was humming the theme song from Scooby-Doo. There's only one person she sings Scooby-Doo for and he's dead.

"Sirius. He climbed from behind the Veil and is waiting for us in the Death Chamber." Veronica swung her cloak around her shoulders and looked at her husband still lying in the bed. "Let's go."

"What? Veronica, you and I both saw him fall. Theres' no way he could still be alive." Remus watched his wife pull open the door and reveal Sessho-Maru and Tori dressed and ready to retrieve their packmate.

"Why aren't you dressed, Remus?" Tori glared at the man still in the bed. "We've got to go get Sirius."

"Sirius is dead. No one has ever come back out from behind the Death Veil." Remus reached for his robes and pulled them on over his pajamas.

"Remus, do you remember in school when I would have dreams about the past?" Veronica placed a soft hand on Remus's shoulder.

"Vaguely." Remus looked up into his wife's eyes.

"What I dreamt tonight was the present. Sirius is alive. Trust me."

"I do trust you, luv, but I know what I saw in June. We both saw it."

"Death won't keep Sirius away. Not when his son is involved." Veronica handed Remus his cloak. "I think we'd better get Moody. Remus, Sirius is going to need clean clothes."

"I'll get them." Remus watched Veronica race out of the room.

"She isn't the only one who dreamt it, Remus." Tori watched Remus look up from the clothes he was gathering.

"What do you mean?" Remus turned to face Tori.

"Over the centuries I have seen things in my dreams. Most of the time it's the future. In fact, a few months ago I saw your marriage and the birth of your triplets." Tori watched Remus drop into a chair by the fireplace.

"T-T-T-Triplets?" Remus shook his head in denial. "No way."

"Yes. Veronica is pregnant with triplets. And they are all healthy."

Remus buried his head into his hands. "She's going to kill me."

Sessho-Maru laughed. "We won't tell her. Let her find out when it is time to have them."

"That's right. Have me keep a secret like this from my wife. I'll be dead at the end of the week." Remus ran a hand through his hair. "I have to tell her."

"I'll tell her, Remus. It'll be better if she hears it from me." Tori took the packed bag from Remus and walked out into the corridor.

Meanwhile, Veronica raced up the stairs to the third story of the Leaky Cauldron. She raced to room Number Nineteen and pounded on the door. The door swung open and Veronica found herself facing a wand.

"Put it away, Alastor. We've got to go to the Ministry." Veronica panted slightly. Exercise was good in her condition but not the way she had just done.

"Who gave you your career advice the summer after your Fourth Year?"

"You and Thomas Potter. You both wanted me to become an Auror but I wanted to teach."

"Sweet Merlin, child. You know better than to be racing down the halls like that." Alastor slid his wand back into a pocket.

"I've got a good excuse." Veronica took a deep breath. "Sirius is back. He climbed from behind the Veil and is waiting for us."

"What are we waiting for? Christmas? Let's go get that boy back." Alastor started to close his door but pulled it back open. "Apparate directly into the Atrium. Madam Bones should be working. Go up and get her. I'll meet you in the Atrium."

"Got it." Veronica raced back down the hallway and the two flights of stairs to the large common room of the pub.

Remus saw Veronica running down the stairs. "Shall we head out?"

"Alastor said to Apparate into the Atrium. We'll have to go and get Madam Bones." Veronica grabbed Tori's arm. "I'll take Tori."

"I guess I've got Sessho-Maru." Remus sighed as his wife and Tori disappeared with a soft pop. "Hold on."

Remus and Sessho-Maru arrived in the Atrium of the Ministry. He noticed that the fountain still hadn't been fixed. Veronica and Tori were sitting on the rim of the fountain. Madam Amelia Bones stepped from the lift at the end of the Atrium. She stopped at the guard station.

"You said I had visitors, Eric." Amelia looked in the direction that Eric the guard had pointed. "Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Lupin." Amelia moved past the guard station. "What brings you to the Ministry?"

"We would like to go to the Department of Mysteries, Madam Bones." Remus moved toward Amelia.

"Yes. Alastor contacted me a while ago and said something about Sirius coming from behind the Veil." She looked at the demon lord and his wife standing behind Remus and Veronica.

Veronica looked behind her and motioned to Sessho-Maru and Tori to come forward. "I'd like to introduce Lord Sessho-Maru and his wife, Lady Tori."

Amelia bowed slightly. "A pleasure to meet you both."

"And you, Madam Bones." Tori returned the bow while Sessho-Maru inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"Come along. We'd better go down to the Department of Mysteries." Amelia whirled around as a pop sounded behind her. "Oh it's you, Alastor."

"Good morning, Madam Bones." Alastor watched her slide her wand back into her pocket. "Are we going to the Department of Mysteries?"

"We're headed down now." Veronica hurried past Alastor and Amelia and into the lift.

Remus rolled her eyes as he followed his wife. Sessho-Maru, Remus, and Alastor waited as the women climbed into the lift. They followed the women into the lift. Veronica reached over and pressed the number nine. The lift began to clatter as it descended. All too soon the doors open to the lone corridor that led to the solitary door at the end of it. Veronica grabbed Remus's hand and raced down the corridor. Sessho-Maru, Tori, Alastor, and Amelia hurried after them. Veronica wrenched the door open. Remus ushered everyone into the circular room. He pulled the door closed and the doors along the wall began to spin. Sessho-Maru reached for one of the swords hanging from his waist. Tori placed a hand over his.

"No need for Tokijin, Sessho-Maru." Tori watched as the doors stopped spinning.

Alastor stepped toward the doors. "Which door goes to the Death Chamber?"

The door behind them swung open. They stepped through one at a time. They looked toward the dais. There sat a man. His robes were tattered and his hair and beard filthy. He looked up at them and laughed. Veronica started down the steps, jumping from one to the next. Remus followed after her with Tori hot on his heels. Sessho-Maru stood at the door flanked by Amelia and Alastor. They could see the faint smile gracing the demon lord's lips. They slipped back through the door and left the friends alone.

Veronica scrambled onto the dais and crossed her arms. "Well, Sirius. I guess James and Lily had to kick you out."

"You know that James loves me more than you." Sirius gave a bark of laughter. "He asked me to give you this." He pulled Veronica into his arms and hugged her tight before swinging her around in a tight circle. "Lily also wanted me to give you this." He kissed her cheek as he continued to spin.

Remus stood near the edge of the dais. "Do you mind putting my wife and babies down, Padfoot?"

Sirius stopped spinning and put veronica down. He stared at her. "Babies?" He glanced between Remus and Veronica. "You mean you got her pregnant with more than one?"

"Yes he did." Veronica hit Sirius lightly.

Tori had climbed onto the dais with Remus's help. She stood there with her hands fisted against her hips. "Remember me?"

"Tori!" Sirius crossed the dais and wrapped Tori into a bone-crushing hug. He glanced up the steps and saw Sessho-Maru. "Sessho-Maru! Come on down here, man!"

Sessho-Maru jumped and landed next to Sirius on the dais. "You saddened our pack and my mate, my brother."

"Sorry about that, my friend." Sirius held out a hand to Sessho-Maru.

"You are forgiven." Sessho-Maru gripped Sirius's hand.

"If y'all don't mind, we'd better get back before some teenagers start to wonder where we are." Tori took Sessho-Maru's arm.

Sirius looked down at his tattered robes. "I think I'd better get cleaned up first."

"You can use the shower at the Leaky Cauldron." Veronica pulled Sirius up the steps.

The small group made their way back out of the Death Chamber and through the doors. When they got to the Atrium, they Disapparated back to the Leaky Cauldron.


:Ducks flying dishes: Hey! I had a fan ask me to bring Sirisu back. Besides Draco needs someone to teach him a lesson in manners.