Absence of Light

In the absence of light, Padfoot is hunting.

bent leaves mud musk fear scent- bitter metal- silver.

blood- where?- Harry Voldemort Wormtail Remus- where oh where-

Wait. Noise.

"M-m-master, I cannot-" Wormtail's voice.

"You damned fool!"

Snarls. Sniveling. Slap.

Quiet murmurs, soft and scared.

"Imperio!"

A scream explodes at the base of his skull. Remus's.

Before the scream dies, Padfoot tears his claws into the ground, pushing the earth back in his urgency. When the bitter-sour scent of fear fills his nostrils he drops to his stomach. The thick undergrowth conceals his form. His fevered pale eyes betray his hiding place, but nobody sees.

Hoofbeats echo behind him. He turns back to look. Nothing.

They are in a clearing in the Forbidden Forest.

dry pungent snakeskin wet wool robes blood... whose?

Death Eaters. Shouting- fear- flight- no let them leave ignore them not important-

Where is Remus?

Choking cry no no oh God no not Moony it is- it is him-

On the ground- silver- agony- Wormtail on top of him no don't kill him too-

A shout. Harry. Torn, which way to turn-

A laugh. From Remus? What?

It shocks him to hear Moony laugh, Moony who is dying under Wormtail's silver hand. He looks at the spectacle in morbid wonder.

Light!

Music!

Beyond Remus are Voldemort and Harry, floating. Harry's kept his wand somehow. Voldemort can't finish him off yet. Remus is laughing because Harry did it and he isn't dead. Phoenix music fills the clearing, bringing a warm glow.

There's nothing to be done for Harry now, inside the shield of phoenix song. Padfoot turns from the scene.

Hoofbeats echo behind him again. He looks into the forest, but sees nothing in the absence of light.

Remus gasps. He and Wormtail are strangely still. Wormtail leans over Remus, pressing a hand into Remus's chest. Their gazes are locked, one into the other.

Try to sneak- slip behind that tree- stay in shadow closer closer when is there- now lunge into the open toward Wormtail must kill him finish him save Remus-

Pounding hoofbeats overtake him. He doesn't look up as they rush by him.

He flings himself onto Wormtail. Tears Wormtail away. Remus moans.

Teeth sink deep into thigh with a satisfying pop as he drags Wormtail back. Shrill, panicked shriek from Wormtail.

The hoofbeats resonate on the ground again. A shout, like a clarion, echoes through the forest. Then the sweet twang of a bowstring being released. Then again, and again. An enraged scream. He hears Harry panting.

The golden light is drained away as an inhuman wail builds to a peak. An instant of purest black, and then a rushing feeling passes- like the Killing Curse unfinished.

Torn. Remus- Harry- let go of Wormtail-?

"Lumos," Harry whispers.

Padfoot's jaw goes slack as he sees the lone centaur in the clearing, holding a bow with one hand and clasping Harry's shoulder with the other. In his jaws, Wormtail shudders in relief before lying very still. Padfoot leaves him there. A crumpled figure, unnaturally thin and tall, lies beyond Harry.

"Firenze," Harry gulps, "Thank you."

Remus. He forgets Harry, changes to human form, and spans the steps that separate him from Remus.

"Remus," he whimpers urgently. He falls to the ground next to Remus. Remus's eyes are closed, but a peaceful look is on his pain-drawn face. A hand-shaped burn is imprinted over Remus's heart, a shallow pool of blood filling it. Beneath it Sirius thinks he can see bone.

"Remus, don't die, God I couldn't live if you were..."

Silence.

Harry and Firenze are behind him, standing over Peter.

"...Imperius Curse..." Harry murmurs, looking down at the still form, which is resting in a pool of blood-soaked dirt. "Pettigrew tried to fight it. He did." His voice cracks. "He almost had it..."

Sirius grabs Remus by the shoulders and pulls him to his chest, rocking.

Remus's eyelids flutter open.

"Not... dead... yet, Padfoot."

Sirius weeps, cradling Remus like a doll.

As Harry holds his wand high, Firenze kneels to lift the body of Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius lifts Remus. Harry nervously looks at him, and Sirius gives a slight nod. Man and centaur carry their burdens silently, and Harry walks between them to illuminate the path home.

"Dark," whispers Remus, his face buried in Sirius's shoulder.

"It'll be light soon, Remus, I promise."