The Shattering

The Shattering

The sky outside grew dark as rain splattered down upon the grimy windows of the Shrieking Shack. Remus Lupin sat upon the tattered bed waiting for the night. Tonight would be hard...far harder than anything he had endured thus far. Tonight, he was alone.

"Thank you Professor, I don't know how I could repay you."

"There is no need for that. You have always been welcome here at Hogwarts," Albus Dumbledore nodded to his former student, a sad smile set on his face. "If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask me. I know what has happened is hard. It is hard on all of us, but you especially. I want you to know that I will always be here for you."

"Thank you Professor," replied Remus. He looked out the window to see a clouded sky covering up the setting sun. "I had better be going."

It was two weeks ago that Remus's world shattered. Everyone he knew, everyone he cared for, had left him: Peter, fighting till the last, James, standing up for what he believed in, Lily, sacrificing herself for her son, and Sirius- Sirius had betrayed them all. Remus was left to live with the scars.

"Sirius, are you sure you're okay with doing this? You know I would gladly do this for you," Remus said to his friend.

"James asked me, Remus. Not you, I told him I would do this. And I will for James, Lily, and Harry. He asked me," Sirius's gray eyes were filled with worry.

"But Sirius, Professor Dumbledore could do it. Voldemort will suspect you. He is going to come after you when he finds out," Remus pleaded with Sirius.

"No, Remus. I will be the Secret Keeper. James trusts me with his life. I would die for him. This is my responsibility," replied Sirius. "Besides, Dumbledore suggested that I go into hiding myself."

"And who would be your Secret Keeper?"

"Now's not the time Remus, you have to leave. Voldemort will be looking for me and I can't risk him finding you too."

"So you allow yourself to risk your life for your friends and yet do not wish for others to do the same?"

"Please Remus, you need to understand me. I want you to be my Secret Keeper but you can't be. The enchantment must be done by two humans." Sirius said this last part in a whisper, knowing the reaction he would receive.

"You mean-"

"You can't be my Secret Keeper, because you're a werewolf." Remus turned to leave but Sirius grabbed his arm. "Remus, listen to me! You are more human than anyone I have ever met! Nothing will ever change that. I trust you and James more than anyone alive. It's this spell. I've talked to Dumbledore and it won't work unless the Keeper is-"

"I get it Sirius. I understand." Remus's eyes met with Sirius's, a look of understanding shared between them. "If there is anything I can do for you, please tell me. You know I would do anything to protect you."

"I know Remus, I know."

A single tear slid down Remus's cheek. His thin hand wiped it off impatiently, looking around the destroyed room for some sort of distraction. There was none to be found. Remus looked again out the darkening window waiting for the night. The rain pounded upon the roof sounding as if one thousand hoofs were stomping upon the prison Remus found himself in.

"You can't be serious," said Remus looking from James to Sirius and then to Peter. "You've figured it out?"

"See Remus, we told you we'd help you! We've lived up to that promise so you have to live up to yours. When's the next full moon?" asked Sirius, his eyes glittering mischievously.

"Next Tuesday. But are you sure you want to go through-"

"Remus, we haven't spent three years learning about Animagi for nothing. We're coming with you. You've known that since the beginning. See? We've got it all down. After sundown, Sirius, Peter, and I will sneak out with the invisibility cloak. Peter can turn into a rat so he will slip into the Whomping Willow and press the knot. Sirius can become a dog so he's big enough to attack you if you get out of hand," at that Peter let out a snort causing Sirius to punch him in the stomach. "And I turn into a stag so I can keep an eye on you and cause a distraction if need be. It's all planned out," James's face lit up with the biggest smile Remus could imagine. His friends had gone through all of this for him.

"This way, you'll never be alone," Sirius patted Remus on the back. Remus turned to his friends and smiled.

A headache, one that had been growing steadily throughout the day, pounded against Remus's eyes. His friends would never be there for him. Each one had left him, most not purposely but all had left him. His muscles tensed, the night had almost come. Remus feared the night. He no longer had reason to fear it; he could let it consume him just as it had so many others.

"Professor, what's happened? I came as fast as I could," Remus stepped out of the fireplace and into Albus Dumbledore's office. Stars scattered across a clear sky outside the window. Dumbledore, who had been sitting at his desk, stood when he saw Remus. Remus took a step back at the solemn look etched into his former headmaster's old face.

"Remus, perhaps you should sit down," he motioned to the wooden chairs in front of the desk. Remus walked forward slowly, fear creeping through his veins. Something bad had happened; he could sense it. He sat stiffly upon the edge of the chair, the same one he had found himself in so many times during his school days. "Remus,"

"Who is it? Who's he attacked?" Remus asked.

"Remus, Voldemort went after Lily and James. He . Apparently, Mr. Black was the spy and once James made him Secret Keeper; Black told Voldemort. As I understand, Voldemort went after Harry. He killed James first, though James must have put up a courageous fight. Then he went after Lily. From what I've learned afterwards, he only wanted Harry but killed Lily for getting in the way." A tear slid down Dumbledore's thin cheek, his blue eyes no longer sparkled.

"And Harry?" The whisper of a voice escaped from Remus before he recognized it as his own.

"Harry survived. And even more astonishing is the fact that Voldemort seems to have vanished. I believe Lily may have sacrificed herself for her child, making an ancient pact between the two. Harry has been sent to live with his only relatives. By living with Lily's sister, he will be protected."

"And..." Remus's voice refused to come to him.

"Mr. Black?" Dumbledore answered, reading Remus's mind. "He was apprehended by the Ministry just a few hours ago. They found him in London. In his madness, he killed thirteen Muggles and Peter Pettigrew."

Remus seemed to stop breathing.

The pain surged through Remus and it was almost too much to bear. It had started. For the first time in over five years, it had started and Remus was alone. Remus tried to hold on to his humanity one last time before being consumed by the darkness.