Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) - Book One (Marauder Era)

Chapter Ninety - Confession

Everything was black.

But only for a few seconds.

As Remus sat up, rubbing his eyes, he adjusted to the light--or lack thereof, really. He saw walls. A giant pot. Dried blood smeared on his hands as well as his face (from what he could feel). He pushed himself to his feet, head throbbing. Where am I? He struggled to remember then everything unfolded like a hideous flower. Detention, Dedenne, the passageway with the pits.

Running with those others boys, that it's just a danger to them. That you'll kill them one day.

Dedenne.

You. Don't. Belong.

Her words.

I've told Albus all year you shouldn't be here.

Her fury, her hatred, her disgust.

You're not natural, you're not human!

He stepped out of the nook, seeing the great hole in the ground he had actually jumped over when he was an emotional mess. He was still an emotional mess, just less so. Or--really, felt more in control of his emotions now. He felt more present now. He wiped his hands on his trousers, blood flaking away. Yurgh.

He wanted to just curl back up and stay there forever but he knew he couldn't. He had to leave.

He returned to the nook, picking up his wand. "Lumos." It flickered then came on. He was a little surprised since he was so exhausted. His legs were a bit shaky to the point of him doubting he could make the jump back. He wiped his mouth off on his sleeve then went the other way hoping for a clean exit however soon he came across another pit, no way across. He'd have to jump. He returned to the first one because even though the second one wasn't quite as wide he had no idea if there were more beyond it.

Okay Remus, you can do it. He stared at the distance, heart pounding. What was at the bottom? What if he fell? He remembered vaguely jumping the first time, not caring if he fell or not. This time he did care. Okay, he thought again. You did it once, you can again. He backed up, trying to ignore how numb his legs felt. He began running--he jumped--and--

He landed on the other side. Hard. He crashed into the stone and tumbled away. He had smacked his elbow against the floor sending a jolt of pain through his body. Hissing softly, he rubbed the elbow, then rolled up his sleeve. His elbow had been split open, blood pouring out. Great, just what I needed. More blood. He rolled the sleeve down then got back up, trudging to the first pit, across the little bit of safe floor, then out the portrait onto the fourth floor.

It was dark. Very dark. He went down the hallway to one of the windows but the sky was overcast so he couldn't really tell easily. He searched his bones for the location of the moon however it didn't give him an exact to-the-minute location, just a general sense of there. His eyes snapped to the bit of clouds, not really sure what time it could mean since his head hurt too much to think. Late, that's about all he knew.

"Nox." He began walking down the hallway, keeping to the shadows as he headed to the Gryffindor common room. On the fifth floor he heard footsteps so he dove down a side corridor, finding a very dark place to hide out in until the footsteps faded. He still felt pretty foggy so he was very glad his wolf instincts were still on full alert. He returned to his walking but soon heard more footsteps. He hid again, waiting rather impatiently. These footsteps came close by him. He recognized them as belonging to Professor Flitwick who soon left the area. Remus went quicker now, going up to the sixth floor where he dove into hiding once more as Professor McGonagall went by. What are all the teachers doing? he wondered, curling himself into a smaller ball behind the bench. She went through a door. Remus hurried past then hid as she came out the door, going to another door, going in. What?