The Flower and the Badger

Year 4: Chapter 1

It was mid July, and Anna was in the garden behind Remus' cottage, basking in the sunlight. It had been the first day in about two weeks that it hadn't rained, and she wanted to enjoy the sun while she could. Bees buzzed all around, settling in the flowers to collect their pollen. Cody yipped as he chased a rabbit out of the garden. Yes, things seemed to be perfect, but that would soon change. Because that night, Anna was going to sneak into Edward's parents manor and get the pocketwatch that he had said had recorded his death. She had talked to Savannah, and she had agreed to help sneak Anna inside. She knew the types of wards that her father used, as well as how to take them down. Anna hadn't told her that her father was the one responsible for killing Edward. She wanted to, but after all, she had promised Edward that she wouldn't. Besides, she would find out eventually when Aurors came to arrest her father and bring him to Azkaban. At least, that was what would happen if everything went according to plan. But naturally, as all well laid out plans seemed to have, there was always a flaw, something that seemed to go terribly wrong.

Anna waited until she was sure that Remus was asleep before sneaking down to the study. She hadn't told him about her plan because she knew that he wouldn't let her go through with it.
She was supposed to meet Savannah at the Leaky Cauldron, and from there they would Floo to Savannah's place. Anna grabbed some Floo powder and threw it into the fireplace.
"The Leaky Cauldron." She said firmly before walking into the flames, and appearing in the familiar pub. She looked around, but Savannah hadn't shown up yet. Anna sighed as she worriedly bit her lip. She hoped that Savannah hadn't gotten caught or anything like that.
Finally the other girl showed up about ten minutes later.
"Sorry I'm late!" Savannah said in a rushed tone. "It took ages for Mum and Dad to fall asleep."
"That's alright, I'm just glad that you didn't get caught."
"I'll do anything if it means finding out who killed my brother."
Anna bit her lip.What would Savannah's reaction be when she found out that her father killed his own son?"
"Well, come on." Savannah led her back through the fireplace to what must have been her family manor. It was dark and cold, and Anna got the feeling that it had the same atmosphere at Malfoy Manor.
"We're going to have to be really quiet." Savannah whispered as they crept out into the large hallway. "There's a bunch of house elves that patrol at night, and they tell Dad if anything is amiss."
Anna nodded silently, not daring to make a single sound. Savannah led her into a study, and there was a glass case with multiple items.
"Dad never told me where he got all of this stuff from." Savannah explained in a quiet voice. "But Eddie's watch is in there. There's a ward on it so if you don't know how to disarm it, and you try to get into the case...well, you basically just turn into a pile of ash."
"Lovely." Anna commented in a sarcastic tone. "I don't suppose that you would know how to disarm it would you?"
"Actually-" Savannah froze as the door began to open.
"Hide!" Anna hissed and Savannah dove behind a desk. Anna however, didn't have time to hide. Savannah's father came in, and he pointed his wand at her. "Identify yourself."
"Why would I do that?" Anna retorted, her tone masking the fear that she felt. "You might kill me as soon as I tell you."
Savannah's father gave a chuckle that was so cold that it chilled Anna to the bone, and she had to suppress a shudder. "Oh come now, I wouldn't kill a mere child, as it's obvious that's what you are."
"But you would kill your son in cold blood?"
His glare darkened. "I haven't any idea what you're talking about."
"No? His pocketwatch is in that case over there. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that everything in that case is a momento from every person that you killed when you were a Death Eater. Oh yes, I know all about your Death Eater days. Edward told me. You see, I have this uncanny  ability to talk to ghosts."

He grinned sadistically at her. "And a werewolf on top of it all? My, my, you are just full of surprises aren't you? Savannah my dear, you can come out now."
Anna watched in shock as Savannah went to her father's side.
"Surprised?" Savannah's father chuckled. "Oh, I would imagine that you would be. You never would have suspected that innocent, naive Savannah would be following in her father's footsteps now would you?"
Anna looked at Savannah in utter shock and betrayal. "Tell me that it isn't true."
Savannah shook her head as she rolled up her sleeve, showing the dark ink that was imprinted on her arm. "It is." Her voice was cold, it didn't have the warm tone that it usually did. "My brother chose the wrong side, I'm not going to make the same mistake and share his fate."
"Savannah is much smarter than her brother was." Savannah's father said with pride. "Savannah, be a dear and go summon the hunters for me would you?"
"Yes Father." Savannah said before leaving the room.
Hunters? The man chuckled at the look of confusion on Anna's face.
"I believe that you and your godfather had a run in with a certain group of werewolf hunters a while back."
Anna gasped and her face paled considerably. "No...."
"Oh yes."
There was a cracking sound as multiple people apparated inside of the house. The hunter who had attacked Anna that day at Remus' cottage smirked at her. "We meet again."

In a flash, he had advanced upon Anna and taken her wand away from her.
"Incarcerous." He said, and immediately, ropes wound around Anna, restricting her from moving. He took a vial from his pocket, and forced her to drink the contents.
Anna groaned as she felt her transformation begin. But that didn't make any sense, it wasn't the full moon yet. Whatever he had made her drink, it must have sped up the process. She was dragged outside where there was an iron cage, and she was thrown inside. Four men lifted the cage, and they apparated away.

For some reason, Remus had woken up in the middle of the night. Something in his gut told him to check on Anna. He went up to her bedroom, and he paled when he found her bed empty. She hadn't been kidnapped, there were no signs of a struggle, and her wand was gone, so obviously she'd had time to grab it. He went back downstairs and entered his study. Kneeling down,  he noticed a bit of Floo powder on the floor. It couldn't have been from him, Remus always kept his study extremely clean, so it must have been recent. Where had Anna gone? Had she gone on a midnight rendevouz with Fred? Remus apparated to the Burrow and he rapped on the door. Molly answered, tying a robe around her waist.
"Remus, it's the middle of the night! Is everything alright?"
"Is Anna here? She wasn't in her bed and I couldn't find her anywhere."
Molly shook her head. "No, she isn't here, and Fred is sound asleep. Here, come inside and we can figure this out." She stepped aside so that Remus could walk in. Molly went upstairs and brought down a sleepy looking Arthur. After Molly explained the situation to him, Arthur looked somewhat more awake.
"Not good at all." He said. "We could perform a tracking spell, that would give us her general location. I'll come back with  you to your place. She's still staying with you isn't she?"
Remus nodded. "She is."
Remus and Arthur apparated back to the cottage, and Arthur grabbed an article of clothing from Anna's closet. Smoke appeared, and it wafted into the middle of the room, where it took the form of an arena. Arthur's face turned serious.
"Remus, I'm afraid that Anna is in grave danger."