Nine Lives ━━ Remus Lupin

[ 007 ] Overheard Outbursts

[ August 6, 1995 ]

As the Advance Guard shuffled into the front room of Twelve Grimmauld Place, Phaedra shivered at the chill that swept over the air; it hadn't been like this when they'd left. While she surveyed the room's tense occupants, Phaedra couldn't help but notice that Sirius was missing.

Footsteps reached her ears, then, and Mrs. Weasley's sudden appearance drew Phaedra's attention away from Sirius' strange absence. The red-haired woman smiled at Phaedra, then approached Harry, who was standing next to Remus.

"Oh, Harry, it's lovely to see you!" she whispered, then turned to the Order members. "He's just arrived, the meeting's started. . ."

Phaedra exchanged a look with Remus, a cold pit of dread having settled in her stomach at Mrs. Weasley's words.

Snape was here.

Hesitantly, Phaedra followed the others into the kitchen as sat down at the table. Snape hadn't bothered to wait for everyone else, and was now speaking in his usual monotone voice. Phaedra felt a spark of annoyance flicker to life in her chest, but she managed to look past this as she listened to his report. The Potions professor's voice was hoarse, as though he had not spoken for a very long time, and he was pale and shaking—perhaps this was the effect of coming into close contact with Voldemort. Whatever it was, Phaedra decided she didn't want to know.

"He is becoming aware," Snape said as Phaedra sat down next to Hestia and Tonks. "The Dark Lord is not stupid, he suspects one of his numbers to be—"

"Are you implying, Snivellus, that you've become all buddy-buddy with Voldemort?" snapped a familiar voice from the back of the room.

Turning around, Phaedra caught sight of Sirius standing in the doorway, shadows obscuring everything except his steel-coloured eyes and pale, defined cheekbones. His expression was sour, like Snape's very presence disgusted him.

Remus, who was sitting in the chair closest to the doorway, caught the other man's eye and shook his head wordlessly. Frowning, Phaedra watched as an unspoken argument seemed to pass between them; she wondered, not for the first time, if the two shared a past far more complicated than she'd originally thought.

"If you were to pay more attention during meetings, Black," Snape began, leaning forward, "you would know that gaining the Dark Lord's trust is essential to turning the tide in this war."

The sudden sound of shouting cut off Sirius' half-formed answer. Harry's voice, loud and clear, echoed through the ceiling—and his words made Phaedra wince.

"—YOU'VE STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN'T YOU? YOU'VE STILL BEEN TOGETHER! ME, I'VE BEEN STUCK AT THE DURSLEYS' FOR A MONTH! AND I'VE HANDLED MORE THAN YOU TWO'VE EVER MANAGED AND DUMBLEDORE KNOWS IT—WHO SAVED THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE? WHO GOT RID OF RIDDLE? WHO SAVED BOTH YOUR SKINS FROM THE DEMENTORS?"