What Have We Done?
Nothing could have sent Remus’s head into a tailspin quite as much as seeing George and Anna slowly move towards the kitchen door, both of them looking at something in the distance.
‘Is that…?’ Anna started, but George was already sprinting out of the house towards what Remus could now identify as two figures limping towards the house.
Before Remus knew what was happening, he was sprinting past George towards Angelina and Darren. Neither of them were strong enough to walk any further. Remus caught Angelina and George arrived in time to catch his son.
‘Angelina?’ Remus moved the hair away from her face and could see where the tears had dried. She just looked at the sunset, a small sigh escaping her lips and allowed her eyes to close at last. Remus lifted her into his arms and walked her back to the house behind George and David carrying Darren.
Remus felt all his emotions overcome him at once, he was so angry that she had just left like that, so filled with rage. He’d only left her alone for an hour to take Jocelyne and the children home, barely enough time for her to seriously consider her actions, but he knew that after what had happened with the minister, the only thing Remus could do was wait for her to come home.
Angelina always came home, no matter what, no matter what condition she was in, or what she needed to do to survive, she came home.
George was in and out of their rooms, Lily made a visit and helped where she could, tending to any wounds Darren had and helping Remus keep her body strong. Remus felt entirely useless and he finally felt exhaustion getting the better of him. The full moon wasn’t that far away and his body was struggling to cope with the added pressure of Angelina.
‘You need to sleep.’ Lily finally said, seeing Remus almost falling asleep in his chair next to her bed. ‘The minister will be informed soon and when that happens, he will come here. Angelina won’t be able to deal with him if you’re not strong enough to help her get through.’
‘I’ll be fine.’
‘Remus.’ Lily didn’t take no for an answer. ‘Just for a few hours, sleep.’
He knew she was right and he wanted to do what was best for Angelina, but one thing kept nagging away at him. ‘She promised she wouldn’t leave again.’ He said, prompting Lily to step a little further into the bedroom. ‘She promised me that she would let me help her recover before she did anything rash.’
‘Maybe she was strong enough?’
‘Does this look like she was strong enough to do anything?’ Remus snapped, he took a calming breath and looked at Angelina’s fragile body sleeping softly in her bed. ‘She didn’t even say goodbye and she could have died.’
‘Remus, she didn’t die, not even close.’ Lily reasoned. ‘She survived that place because she loves you.’
‘Does she?’ The words escaped his mouth before he knew what he had said and soon the tears came streaming from his eyes. All Lily could do was hold him for a while.
George was struggling badly, Anna wasn’t much better, both of them feared the ministry turning up at their doorstep, something that Benji had forewarned them about. He’d sent a patronus to Anna telling her of Angelina’s plan to go to Azkaban for Darren and that he’d done what he could to help, but it may not have been enough.
Every second that his children lay unconscious was a second he worried for his family’s survival, he would not be able to stop the minister from taking Darren away and Anna would lose everything all over again, their only hope was Angie.
George couldn’t bear the thought that his daughter was being relied on so heavily by everyone around them, it was too much pressure for a single person to cope with, no matter how special they were. Lockwoods had always been capable of handling pressure, but this was getting out of hand and the less control George had over his family’s choices, the less he was able to protect them from the outside world.
‘How is he?’ Anna asked as George stepped into their bedroom, finally feeling able to get some rest.
‘He’s doing better than expected,’ George sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands. ‘Darren should wake in a couple of days… Angie on the other hand…’ He didn’t know how best to explain.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I can’t tell if what I’m doing is helping or hindering, she just seems so different now.’ George turned to face his wife, looking at her tired and worried face. ‘I am worried that she has tampered with the brother in ways that cannot be reversed.’
Anna placed her soft hand against her husband’s cheek and gave a very tired half smile. ‘Angie is the answer, we have to put all of our faith in her. You know what the prophecy said about the-‘
‘I can’t. I can’t talk about this,’ George implored. ‘I cannot let this prophecy come true, not at the cost of one of my children. I won’t give them up.’
No more was said on the subject and soon George was lying next to his wife and finally getting a little peace back into his life.
I could hear it, the sound of five pairs of feet landing softly below the dark treeline just beyond my house. I felt my whole body surge with adrenaline, my eyes snapped open and slowly everything was coming into focus. It was dark outside, probably the middle of the night, but people were coming to the house, people who might have wanted to take Darren away from me. I couldn’t let them.
I turned to see Remus curled up next to me, he was exhausted, frail and so beautiful. ‘Remus.’ I whispered, I couldn’t feel my voice and it wasn’t nearly loud enough to wake Remus. I tried again and again until finally he stirred and opened his eyes.
‘Angelina?’ He frowned, starting to wake up properly. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Someone is outside the house.’ I quickly explained. ‘I think they’re coming for Darren.’
‘Angelina, no one is coming for Darren in the middle of the night. It was just a dream.’ Remus shook his head and tried to adjust the quilt over me, but I needed him to understand.
‘I swear this isn’t a dream Remus, please just look outside and tell me if you can see any movement along the treeline. Please?’ I begged, I knew I couldn’t force him to do anything, we were living on a knife edge in every sense, I needed him to believe me of his own accord.
Eventually Remus got out of bed and headed into my lab where he would have a clear view of the forest. I eased myself out of bed and found my jeans on the floor, trying to find the strength to put them on along with a jumper.
By the time Remus came back, I was just about dressed.
‘You were right, someone is coming.’ He panted, a little more worry lacing his words. ‘Who is it? What do we do?’
‘I have a good feeling about who it is, we need to wake my parents, I can’t do this alone.’ I explained and Remus helped me to my feet, handing me my wand.
We woke my parents I quickly told them what was going on. The minister was coming to knock on our door, a move he might have lived to regret.
Fudge was surrounded by four Aurors, including Benji and Kingsley. I was flanked by my parents, leaving Remus inside to keep watch over Darren. We strolled up to the magical boundary that was cast over our home and I took a breath trying to muster any strength I could.
‘It’s a bit late for a social call, minister.’ I said and I felt my parents rolling their eyes behind me.
‘You know perfectly well why I am here.’ Fudge shot back.
‘I told you I would get my brother back.’
‘You had no right-‘
‘I have the only right!’ I growled and took note of all four aurors taking a small step back. ‘I will not see my family’s name tainted by the likes of you.’ I took a breath and remembered Remus, he would want me to find a peaceful solution. ‘Now, I think we can both agree that my brother will not see the inside of Azkaban again, if you take him there again, I will simply take him back… I saw the inside of Azkaban and I walked straight to his cell and if I have to, I will do it again.’
‘And who else will you release during your next tantrum?’ The minister said, rather cockily. I frowned, what did he mean by that? ‘You didn’t just release your brother, did you? Were you trying to prove a point? Do you have any idea how dangerous he is?’
‘What is he talking about Angie?’ I heard my father ask, but truthfully I had no idea.
‘It’ll be in the papers tomorrow sure enough.’ Fudge paused a little dramatically. ‘Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban.’ I felt my whole face drop, it couldn’t have been a coincidence, how did he escape? Why now? What did I say? Was he coming to look for me? Or Remus? I could see the minister starting to look uncomfortable. ‘You didn’t know?’
I couldn’t say what it was that made me react the way I did, but nothing stopped the words flooding from my mouth. ‘Of course, I didn’t.’ I snapped. ‘You think I’d risk the safety of my family like that? I didn’t even see Black when I was in that place.’
The minister definitely believed me, with the way he shifted uncomfortably, I couldn’t say the same for my parents.
‘Minister, if you rectify the damage you’ve done to my brother’s reputation, I will help you find Black.’ I offered and for a moment Fudge wasn’t convinced, I needed him to take this deal, he needed to think I was on his side. ‘Minister, I have no desire to create anymore of a divide, you once asked me to help you and I still stand by my word to do so, but you need to see the damage your mistrust is causing.’ He was close to changing his mind, I could feel it. ‘That village in Tibet has been overrun by Yetis, I plan on going back to make up for what I have done. I made a mistake and it’s my responsibility to do something about it. I’m asking you to do the same.’
He was there, his mind was changing, but he was making a show of pretending like it wasn’t, I let him have his moment. ‘Fine. I will do what I can.’
‘Thank you, minister.’
It was only after he disapparated with the Aurors that I felt my body weaken again, my parents catching me and helping me back inside the house as the sun came up.
My father went about preparing some form of potion while my mother sat with me with a concerned look on her face.
‘Darling,’ she said and I looked into her beautiful blue eyes. ‘You’re not really intending to go back to Tibet, are you?’ She asked and I really should have seen it coming.
‘I have to.’ I sighed and watched the pain flicker over her face. ‘Mum, people died because of me, I have to do what I can to fix that.’
She didn’t speak for a moment, but soon it was painful to watch her hold back the tears. ‘Okay.’ She said and left the kitchen table, heading back upstairs to bed. My father placed a mug with some form of liquid in next to me and I automatically drank it.
‘Angie, I want you to think about what you’ve just said to your mother. I want you to try to understand the pain you have just caused her.’
I had never heard my father sound so disappointed before, it was like a whip across my chest, what had I done?
Remus couldn’t stay at the house any longer, the full moon was coming and he was finding it difficult to get around. Lily promised she would make a visit to the Lockwood house and make sure Angelina rested and Darren continued to recover.
‘Angelina?’ Remus whispered, watching her watery blue eyes flutter open. He could see her beautiful smile trying to make an appearance and for a moment he forgot why he was angry. ‘I’m heading back to the school, the moon will be up tomorrow and I need to rest.’ He brushed his finger through her soft blonde hair, noting how she tried to lean into his touch. ‘Will you be okay for a few days without me?’
‘I’ll be okay.’ She croaked. ‘I’ll make sure I rest as well, I won’t break another promise to you.’ Remus just watched her for a while, gently stroking her soft skin until she went back to sleep. They had so much to talk about, so much to repair and so much to figure out.
He made a quick visit to Darren who was awake and looking much better than he did when he first made it back from Azkaban. It suddenly occurred to Remus that he had yet to see or hear from Clara since this whole thing started. Why wasn’t she with her fiancée? Surely he would do better with her around?
‘Well, with the full moon coming up, she can hardly be blamed for staying away.’ George said, as Remus descended the stairs, gathering his green-grey jacket. ‘I’m sure she’s staying safe and I’m sure she is doing so at the request of my son, something I hoped you would do at Angie’s request.’
‘George, you know I couldn’t just sit by.’
Remus watched the aging Healer sigh and physically deflate over his kitchen counter. ‘I know and that’s what worries me… you should go. Get some rest, you’ll need your strength for Angie.’
Remus didn’t get a chance to ask what George meant, before he disappeared upstairs to check on his children. Remus made his way back to Hogwarts, feeling greasy from the heat of the sun and taking a shower the second he could. He decided to write a letter to Clara and find out what was going on, why hadn’t she shown more concern for Darren and Angie? And where was she? Where was anyone?
‘Remus!’ McGonagall came bursting through the door of his office, startling him slightly. She looked a little dishevelled and very worried about something. ‘Have you seen this?’ She was holding a copy of the Daily Prophet, he could just about see the front page and his heart dropped.
Remus turned the paper towards himself and read the bold black words. “ESCAPE FROM AZKABAN”. He felt his entire being go into freefall, what had Angelina done?