In Flesh and Bone

Chapter One: The Rules of War

    Remus Lupin was drumming his fingers on the table, absently. Across the room, Kingsley Shacklebolt was showing faint signs of tension as he scanned the volumes on the bookcase for the fourth time in as many minutes. Arthur Weasley was staring out the window, hoping that Ginny was safe, though she had gone out four hours before and had yet to return. Severus Snape was pacing back and forth in the room, irritating everybody who had managed to stand still, no matter how little they felt like doing so. All this was because upstairs, Harry Potter was preparing to go forth into battle that night. He was closeted with Dumbledore, and everything else had been put on hold. It had been judged that all Order members should wait until night to accompany Harry, so that there would be no chance of anyone being lost in a minor skirmish. They would need everybody that night.

    And then Alastor Moody strode into the room, giving a muted roar. "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen!"

    The slight tension in the room broke as everyone looked up at the obviously irate Moody. Snape stopped pacing, though his hands were clasped firmly behind his back, a look of irritation on his face. Kingsley had settled himself in a chair next to Remus, and Arthur, who had barely glanced away from the window, had turned back to it. Remus broke the silence that had settled after Moody's outburst. "While I'm inclined to agree with you, Alastor, we don't have any other choices. Dumbledore-"

    "Dumbledore needs to learn a thing or to about combat," Moody growled.

    Remus stood, stoked the fire, and started a pot of tea. This was more out of a courtesy than anything else, for he knew no one would be interested in a cup. Everyone was much too anxious.

    Kingsley broke his habitual silence to say, "It's true. It's not safe to send the only person who can defeat Voldemort into an unsecured area."

    "Exactly," Moody snapped. "And we're all sitting here making tea," he said, with a withering glance at Remus.

    "I don't know what else you'd have me do," Remus said mildly. "Dumbledore's orders are very clear."

    Arthur was still staring out the window. "They always are."

    Snape, who had been looking more and more irate, looked straight at Moody. "Are you suggesting that we defy Dumbledore's orders?"

    Moody sighed. "I suppose I am, though I don't know how to tell him."

    Snape continued. "Then I would suggest that it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission." He looked around at the other men in the room.

    Remus looked up at Snape, frowning a little. He had been in the middle of pouring tea, and stopped, the kettle still in his hand. "We can't go," he said firmly.

    Moody bristled slightly, about to speak, but Snape turned, robes swirling about him, and cut him off. "What other choice do suggest, Lupin? To sit here and let it happen?"

    Kingsley stood again, moving to the window that Arthur was still staring avidly out of. "We won't be gone very long," he said slowly.

    "Unless of course, it IS a trap," Snape cut in. "In which case, as was pointed out, sending Potter there would be a rather poor decision."

    Remus was still frowning, but realized he was going to be outnumbered. Even if Arthur agreed with him, Snape, Moody, and Kingsley were hell bent on going out. "Fine," he said finally.

    Moody nodded. "Let's Apparate at Potter's insertion point. We'll fan out from there, and search the area. We'll just make sure it's secure, and then get back. Dumbledore probably won't ever know we were gone."

    There were varying levels of agreement, and one by one, the men Disapparated. They appeared at the edge of a dark wood. "How do we do this?" Remus said, resigned.

    Kingsley answered, "Alastor and Severus can circle to the east, and you and Arthur and I will go the other way. Anyone who gets into trouble, or finds something, send up a stream of red sparks. We'd better go Disillusioned." They all performed Disillusionment charms, and set out through the trees, moving quietly.

    Half an hour later, Moody and Snape heard a very loud, very feminine scream. Without wasting time, the hurried through to a clearing where they saw Ginny struggling with a Death Eater. Before either of them had time to raise their wands, a shout of "Stupefy!" came from the other side of the clearing. The Disillusionment charms were raised, and all five wizards hurried to the unconscious Death Eater, who was lying frozen atop Ginny. Moody levitated the body away, casting another binding charm, just to be safe, then turned back, seeing Arthur hovering over his daughter.

    "Daddy," Ginny sobbed into her father's robes. "He... he..."

    But no words were needed. On a surveillance run with Hermione and Tonks, it was obvious they had gotten seperated. Ginny's robes were torn and bloodied, her knickers lie abandoned and in tatters a foot away. Arthur clung desperately to his daughter as Moody lifted the hood. Pettigrew. Pitiful little Wormtail. Lupin made a noise of disgust and horror. The only other sound was Ginny sobbing into her father's chest and his soft, wordless humming as he desperately tried to console his daughter.

    It was Snape who managed to speak, who broke the silence. "Arthur. You need to get her to Hogwarts."

    Arthur lifted his tear-stained face, and nodded, before his gaze fell on Pettigrew. Suddenly he broke away, and threw himself at the unconscious figure. Kingsley, Remus and Snape all sprang into action, trying to restrain him. They barely managed it. Moody just stood watching dispassionately. "My little girl," Arthur sobbed, still trying to get free.

    "Arthur!" Snape said sharply. "You need to take her to Hogwarts. She needs you."

    Fists clenched, Arthur somehow managed to restrain himself. "I'm coming right back," he said sharply, and no one disagreed.

    Fifteen minutes later, they were standing around the clearing, all looking down at Pettigrew, who was conscious and still tied up, looking rather pale. Arthur had removed himself from the circle slightly, as if he didn't trust himself not to kill Pettigrew where he sat. Moody spoke first, breaking the heavy silence. "Where is Voldemort?"

    "The Dark Lord is everywhere," Pettigrew answered, glaring up at Snape.

    Snape wrapped his cloak tight around himself, but remained silent. Moody tried again. "He's supposed to be meeting you here in an hour. Is that correct?" Pettigrew stayed silent. "Snape," he barked, turning, "did you bring any truth serum?"

    Snape shook his head. "Fool that I am, I didn't."

    There was a long silence. "There has to be a reason he was here," Remus said. "Voldemort wouldn't just send him out for no reason. Something's going on."

    Moody nodded. "There has to be a reason, and when there's a Death Eater involved it's never a good one. Potter could be walking into a trap."

    "But what are we supposed to do?" Remus asked. "I suppose we can take him back to Grimmauld Place, tell Dumbledore."

    "We could do that," Moody said, his tone making it clear what he thought of the suggestion.

    Kingsley spoke. "Or we could find out where Voldemort is hiding, and have Potter take him just when he thinks the trap is sprung."

    "Since Severus didn't bring anything," Remus said, ignoring the glare from him that followed, "how do you plan on getting that information?" He knew he sounded high and mighty, but he had believed this a bad idea from the start.

    Moody's lip curled into a slight grimace, but there was a small hint of amusement in it. "There are other ways of making a man talk without veritaserum, Remus."

    There was a silence in which only a tiny whimper was heard. They all looked down at the cowering Death Eater. "I'm not taking any part of this," Remus said, feeling faintly ill.

    Pettigrew smiled. "Of course you wouldn't, Remus," he said, almost a whisper.

    "You'd do well to hold your tongue, rat," Snape said angrily. "Unless you'd rather make this worse for yourself."

     Pettigrew continued. "Remus won't let you hurt me. Remus is a good man, aren't you? Not like the others. James would have done it, and he's dead now, and so is Sirius. All dead except you and me, Remus. You won't let them hurt me."

    "Half-mad," Moody said conversationally, as Remus stared down at Pettigrew in horror. "I hope he still has a grasp on essentials."

    "I'm sure," Snape said. "Voldemort has no use for those who cannot perform."

    Moody looked around. "Whatever happens here, ends here, understand? Anyone who thinks otherwise can get out now."

    The silence was broken by a whisper from Arthur. "Torture the bastard."

    Moody quickly transfigured a small stone into a rather large boulder in which Pettigrew was immediately strung, face against the rough surface. Remus stepped back, feeling the situation surreal, but not about to stop his fellow members of the Order from giving Pettigrew what he deserved. Snape pulled from the depths of his robes a rather deadly looking dagger, and passed it to Arthur, who took it silently, but did not move.

    "His hand," Moody grunted, nodding at the silvery right hand.

    Arthur stepped forward, taking a breath, then grabbed Pettigrew's already bound wrist, raised the knife, and brought it down quickly, severing the magical hand from the body. Pettigrew screamed, Remus and Kingsley winced slightly, but those were the only reactions. The magical hand faded, then disappeared.

    "Where is Voldemort?" Moody said in a low voice.

    A mad babble fell from his laps. "My Master will give me another, Master will reward my loyalty, I have never betrayed him, never..." he sobbed.

    Moody's lips set tight. "Crucio!" he shouted, and the forest resounded with screams. He ended the spell after a few moments. "What does Voldemort have planned here?"

    "Potter will die!" Pettigrew screamed. "Just as his father died, just as they all will die!" His head turned to look at Arthur. "All the beautiful red-headed children will die!"

    Arthur's eyes widened, then narrowed, and he drew the knife up Pettigrew's arm, avoiding the arteries, watching as the blood beaded and welled and wept down the skin. "Tell us how," he hissed.

    Pettigrew merely smiled grimly, then laughed. It was Snape, this time, who performed the Cruciatus on him. Remus wrapped his arms around himself, watching, listening to the screams that pierced the night.

    "Where is Voldemort?" Moody repeated.

    Pettigrew recovered from the curse, and laughed again, through his tears. "Pain means nothing. Nothing at all," he gasped.

    Arthur's hand clenched around the knife. "Then you won't mind this," he said, in a voice that most definitely did not sound like his own, and brought the knife across Pettigrew's back. The black robe split open, revealing the jagged line of crimson underneath it.

    Moody waved his wand, turning Pettigrew around to face them. "What is he planning? Tell us."

    Pettigrew laughed, and Snape strode forward, backhanding him hard.

    "Stand back, Snape," Moody said, and when he had, he pointed his wand at the ground near Pettigrew's feet. "Incendio!" A small cluster of flames sprang up, licking the soles of Pettigrew's boots. Remus swallowed as the smell of burning leather assaulted his nose. And Pettigrew laughed.

    Snape looked at Moody blankly for a moment, and then, without putting out the fire, shot out a hex that only a few of them knew. Pettigrew screamed again as his internal organs heated to an intolerable level, and after a few moments Snape ended the spell. "Tell us now, and we will kill you cleanly." The flames had consumed his boots and were burning his feet. Remus wanted very much to throw up.

    "No!" Pettigrew screamed.

    There was a slightly grim satisfaction in their faces now. Pettigrew was no longer arrogant. He knew he was losing ground. Kingsley performed another hex, which caused Pettigrew to squirm and scream as though his skin were being punctured by a thousand, tiny invisible needles. "Tell us," he said.

    "No," Pettigrew replied, a whisper among his sobs.

    Arthur's grip around the knife tightened. "Tell us." His eyes flashed behind his glasses, and he took a step forward, seemingly inaffected by the flames which were now working their way slowly up to Pettigrew's ankles, clearly charmed not to spread faster.

    Pettigrew managed a weak smile. "Your little girl," he grated out, "how deliciously she screamed. How wonderfully tight. Was she virgin flesh?"

    Arthur didn't stop, and sliced open the front of his robes, leaving his limp, bloodied manhood revealed. There was a tension in the air as Arthur drew the knife slowly closer, and began severing skin and muscle, slowly, carefully, until a bleeding wound was all that was left, and Pettigrew screamed and sobbed. Arthur didn't put down the knife, and Snape had to pull him away, as Moody cast a spell to slow the blood loss. "My little girl," Arthur whispered.

    "I know," Snape said softly, easing the knife from his grip.

    Moody looked at the bloodied burning figure who still did not speak, just sobbed and moaned, and cast a final hex. Fine strips of skin began peeling themselves slowly from flesh, and lips bitten bloody opened. "Godric's Hollow. Portkey here to send Potter to Godric's Hollow where Master will end it all, birth and death and the end of Potter."

    Kingsley and Snape reacted first, the latter making sure Arthur was in the care of Remus before the two Disapparated, intent on telling Dumbledore and the others what they'd found out. Moody stood in front of the bloodied, limp figure, no particular expression on his scarred face. "It would've been easier," he mused, "just to have said that in the first place." Pettigrew whimpered and them mumbled something. "Didn't quite catch that," Moody said.

    "Let me go," Pettigrew wheezed, the skin-peeling hex still working.

    "So you can run and tell your master that we know about his plan now? No, I don't think so."

    Pettigrew spat blood from his lips, and screamed again as the fire continued to crawl its way up his legs. "Let me go!" he begged.

    "For Merlin's sake!" Remus shouted, finally taking out his own wand, and pointing it at Pettigrew. "For James and Lily," he whispered, then, louder, "Avada Kedavra!"

     A flash of green light, and Pettigrew's body hung lifeless from the boulder. Remus stared at the dead body, almost unrecognizable. "I never killed before," he whispered.

    Moody turned his back on Pettigrew's body. "Don't know what you're talking about, Lupin. Pettigrew tried to escape, and there were a lot of hexes thrown around. Hard to know whose hit him, really. And you want to look after Arthur."

    Remus nodded. "You'll take care of..."

    "I'll do what needs to be done," Moody said. "Take him to Hogwarts. We'll meet back at Grimmauld Place to replan the assault."

    Remus and Arthur Disapparated, and began walking up the path to Hogwarts. Arthur seemed still in a haze, but managed to speak. "What do I tell her?" he whispered.

    Remus gave a long, low sigh. "Tell her that you love her. She won't ask further tonight."