Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Phoenix Eclipse
Chapter Twenty- Elven Justice
__________
Tuesday saw Remus preparing himself for the day. He had arrived the previous Friday with the ragged luggage he had back from third year. The Blood Elves had taken kindly to his arrival, giving him a bed in one of the rooms in the public bedrooms in the royal palace. He had spent the weekend walking around the immediate area with Sorin Stela, a Blood Elf, learning a little about the culture and traditions of the magical race that were not written in the books sold in Wizarding book stores.
The werewolf checked over his clothes, a simple robe that he had bought at Madam Malkin's with the money James had given him. Remus flushed at the memory, severely uncomfortable with the charity. Before Severus had snidely commented on his lycanthropy in front of a couple of older Slytherin students, he had been able to find steady jobs in tutoring magical children who stayed at home instead of going to Hogwarts. Afterward, no one would bother hiring him, despite the fact that he was the best friend of the Head Auror and an honorary uncle to the Boy Who Lived. Nothing was good enough to overcome the shadow of the fact that he was a werewolf.
James had helped him so much, covering the fine that the Ministry had levied on him when he had been forced to register himself as a werewolf. His best friend had also given him food and board at Potter Manor when his tenant had kicked him out. People on the streets would scurry around him, eyeing warily like some dangerous animal. His friends outside from the Potters and Sirius would no longer talk to him, stating quickly that they had some unfinished business to attend to somewhere.
But that could change.
Albus had told him of the two werewolves now studying at Hogwarts who came from Romania that they had learned to control their inner wolves with help from the Blood Elves, something that was unprecedented in the magical community. If he could at least control some aspect of the inner monster, Remus would find this mission successful.
He only hoped it was enough to win the werewolf clans from Voldemort's side.
Most of those who had joined Voldemort had done so as they believed a reign under the Dark Lord would more bearable than the rigid control and continual degradation under the current Ministry. Remus knew that the moment the war was won, Voldemort would turn on all races that were less than pureblood wizards but the werewolf clans refused to even think about it. The lone werewolf knew that Fenrir Greyback loved the free rein Voldemort gave him, as the wizard was in fact a psychopath. The crazed werewolf loved the taste the human blood and the ecstasy of the hunt itself.
A knock at the door brought Remus out of his dark musings. Going to the door, Remus saw his Blood Elf guide standing there, dressed in a green tunic and white pants. Sorin smiled at him. "Hello, Remus. Are you ready?"
"Yes, just give me a moment to collect my things." Remus went to the table, quickly grabbing his small satchel that carried his journal and writing utensils and cloak. Closing the door behind him, Remus followed Sorin down the halls. "Where are we going today?"
"The two prisoners captured from the attack more than a week ago have fully recovered from their wounds. The woman Death Eater will no longer be able to walk with the wounds she received to her back but nonetheless, she will face the court today along with her companion." Sorin answered, turning down a grand staircase that circled a large Blood Tree. On the way down, they passed a few soldiers dressed in light infantry armor who were patrolling the halls. Sorin nodded at them as the guards walked up.
"Will you keep her here in your kingdom or have her transported back to England for imprisonment? What about her fellow Death Eater?"
"It will depend on the sentence she will be given today." They approached a double door guards in infantry armor. "Remember our justice system is not like yours." The doors opened silently, Remus frowning at the ominous warning.
The court room of the Blood Elves was constructed similar to an arena, the seating quartered evenly into four sections. The quarter opposite of the doors were separated from the rest as they held the representatives of the Houses and officials of the government. The three lowest rows held the court itself which included the Iuria, the Judge, and the court scribe. The Iuria consisted of fifteen randomly picked Elves who would hold the lives of the prisoners in their hands, deciding the final sentence of those on trial. The remaining three quarters were now filling with interested Elves from the surrounding lands. Remus' sharpened eyesight caught sight of a few Romanian officials in the lowest public seating opposite of the court.
In the sunken middle section were D-rings and simple chairs, unused at the moment. They were similar to the chairs kept in Courtroom Ten at the Ministry.
Sorin and Remus settled themselves on one of the highest rows next to the door, overlooking the court. The door in the Royal section opened, King Shahriar walking to his seat with Akane by his side. The chair set aside for the Elf Prince was left empty, signaling his absence from the trial. The Iuria began arriving, dressed in simple black robes with silver lining. The judge entered in his white robes, a white stole falling from his shoulders, face hidden in the depths of his hood. The Lords of the Houses were wearing elegant black robes with their respective crests stitched neatly over their left breast.
"How long will the trial take? Remus asked softly, the public seating a quarter full.
Sorin leaned closer to the werewolf. "Unlike most justice systems, any prisoner caught on the battlefield is immediately guilty, a status that waives all human rights. Officials from our justice system will immediately pull copies of all their memories into special basins for later analysis by the Iuria. As they go through them, the officials will take note of any significant event that is important to the person's character as well as to the crime itself. If there are mitigating circumstances, the sentence may be lessened or even dropped. But if the memories prove the person acted of their own free will, then they will receive full punishment. During peace times, criminal justice is a little harder to describe."
"But isn't that invading the rights of the individual?"
"It is war, Remus. People live and die on the battlefield; one less man to fight." Sorin studied the man beside him. "How many times would you have had to fight if they were sentenced in your justice system?"
"Azkaban is the securest prison in the world."
"You would have to assume they are actually found guilty and sent there. How many Death Eaters were sent after the first war? We have heard the Dementors are growing restless, demanding that they be allowed to feed. How long will they stay loyal to the Ministry when all they have to do is switch sides so they can feed indiscriminately? I'm sure you want to do the right things, Remus, but sometimes doing the right things isn't doing the right thing."
Remus straightened up, amber eyes flicking back to the court whose members were now accounted for. The judge stood up.
"This trial will come to order. Bring in the prisoners." The judge commanded. There had to be a set of doors under section he was sitting in as a group marched out from under the rows to the center of the arena. The woman Death Eater was sitting in a wheelchair that rolled by itself, no doubt under the control of one of the guards. The male Death Eater was walking unassisted, supporting no wounds that Remus could see from his view point. The guards sat him down on the chair, anchoring the chains from the shackles around the man's wrists to the D-rings on the floor. The woman's chains were anchored as well.
Before the judge could continue, the woman started yelling, spittle flying from her foaming mouth.
"You will ALL die! The Dark Lord will crush you all and there will be no mercy for filthy creatures like you!" The woman spat, her upper body struggling against the mithril chains. Her hands strained to pull themselves from the shackles. "Your insignificant kingdom will fall like toothpicks before the Dark Lord's vast army!"
"Silence her." The guard next to the woman jabbed around the neck, her rant stopping in midsentence. Her fellow Death Eater was quiet.
Remus leaned over to Sorin. "What did they do?"
"Magical pressure points, similar the muggle style from the East. I suspect they just locked her jaw muscles shut. It still allows her to breath." Sorin whispered back.
"Alecto Carrow, you were captured during the skirmish at Uaithne. Memories taken from your mind prove that you are responsible for the deaths of Doru Cosmin and Emil Horea. You are hereby sentenced to death. However, due to your condition, normal tradition cannot be carried out. Instead, you will be executed by beheading by the House of Cosmin and burned by the House of Horea."
"Silas Jugson, you were captured during the skirmish at Uaithne. Memories taken from your mind prove that you are responsible for the deaths of Crina Decebal. You are hereby sentenced to death. You will be executed under Blood Elf tradition of a fight to the death. If you win, you will live out your days secluded from the rest of society."
Remus was horrified. A fight to the death? "Should they just kill him? Why risk the life of a Lord of a House?"
"It's an ancient tradition during times of war." Sorin answered. "Dignity before death; it gives the prisoner a chance to die honorably by the sword or live naturally to their dying day. As for the risk of life of a House Lord, how many people in your magical community practice with a sharpened blade?"
"Hardly any." Remus admitted.
"There's a reason why we are called Blood Elves." Sorin grinned darkly.
"Prepare the arena." The judge ordered.
Guards stationed around the lower seating area stepped up to their posts, arms weaving in the air. A shimmering dome of blue began rising from the raised floor, arching above them to enclose the arena below. The blue dome flared before fading to almost clear blue color. The two guards on either side of Alecto Carrow directed her wheelchair out, disappearing back underneath the stands. The guards with Silas Jugson began unlocking the shackles. The chair disappeared, leaving the area open.
Out from under the court seats, a third door opened, an Elf dressed in a black and white tunic appeared, carrying a sword.
One of the guards pulled out his sword, handing it to Jugson before leaving with his partner out under the door under the public seating.
"Begin."
"Give me my wand and I'll give you a real fight!" Jugson yelled, circling away from the approaching Elf. "Stupid creatures! You can't even fight decently with magic! You don't deserve to live!" The Death Eater swung his sword only to be met by his opponent's. The metal clanged, the Elf Lord pushing the man back until he fell from sight. The next second, Jugson was flying through the air to land on his back before the court. The sword followed, clattering to a stop before Jugson.
He scrambled to his feet, holding the sword before him. His face was pale, sweaty. "Wretched creature." Jugson spat at the feet of the Elf. The Lord came again, sword glinting as it swung upward, Jugson trying to block. The Death Eater was thrown off balance by the blow. The Elf Lord moved again, driving the blade deep into Jugson's stomach. Remus closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he heard something wet thump to the floor.
"Bring in Alecto Carrow." Remus opened his eyes, watching as the final Death Eater was brought in. She was struggling again, her jaw still locked from the spell. The guards stopped her in the middle of the arena, grabbing her by the arms and dragging her to the floor on her knees. One guard grabbed her arms, removing the chains and securing them behind her back with his own. The second guard walked out of the arena, guiding the wheelchair out.
A second Elf Lord came out, dressed in pure black. In his hand was his own sword. He walked calmly, taking his position next to Carrow. From where he sat, Remus saw the second Elf Lord look to the judge and King. The judge nodded; the King did not move.
The Elf Lord raised his sword before bringing it down on Alecto Carrow's neck, neatly slicing off her head. The bloodied object fell to the ground, blood squirting out from the sliced arteries and veins.
"The court sees this case closed." The Judge motioned for the guards to take the bodies away. The Elves began filing out, whispers breaking out among them. The King himself sat quietly in his chair, watching the guards picking up the two corpses and laying them on gurneys, waiting to be taken to the Mortuary. The two Elf Lords in the arena moved together, talking quietly. A third came out and joined them.
"Come, the King will like to you." Sorin said. Remus followed the Blood Elf out the doors but instead of going down the same hallway they came through they turned to the left down a narrower hall.
"What will happen to the bodies?"
"The Lord of the House of Horea will oversee the burning of Carrow's body and scatter her ashes in some unnamed region. The same will happen to Jugson's body but by the House of Decebal. In our society, the absence of a burial site is one of the highest insults, similar to the tradition of the Romans in the Muggle world."
The pair entered a garden which looked to be set in the mountain side. One side was an open view over the canopy of the Blood trees, a few houses visible here and there.
"And it is here I will leave you." Sorin announced. "The King only wishes to speak with you so I will attend to my duties elsewhere. Once he is finished speaking with you, I will return and escort you back to your quarters."
"Would you mind on finding books on the justice system for your kingdom? I would like to see how it differs between the justice system of my government and yours." Remus asked.
"As you wish." Sorin gave a small bow which Remus returned before leaving the werewolf in the garden.
Remus approached the marble railing, leaning against it.
The cool mountain air swept past him, bringing in the familiar scent of the forest with it. Remus closed his eyes, trying not to see the images of the two Death Eaters lying in the pool of their own blood. To him, so used to having criminals given the Kiss, it felt more violent.
"You are troubled." Remus spun around to see the Blood Elf King there, his golden eyes staring into his.
"A little."
"Perhaps it would have been prudent of me to have Sorin give you details on our court system." King Shahriar moved to join Remus at the railing. "I spoke with Headmaster Dumbledore before I left the Ministry. We discussed a few things regarding Voldemort and relations between the Blood Elf Kingdom and your Ministry. Cornelius Fudge is adamant that the Dark Lord is dead and another Death Eater is the one in charge of these attacks, more specifically the one called Harry Potter."
Remus winced. "All they have is a witness claiming after he spoke. It means nothing."
The King stayed quiet for a moment before speaking. "Because of the ignorance of your Minister, the Blood Elves will only focus on the Giant clans near our borders. Russia has already given us reports of suspicious clans that are moving toward their western border. The moment, a muggle or wizard is killed by them our legions will march and engage them. Poland and Ukraine has agreed to the same conditions as Russia. The only stipulation is that we ensure the secrecy of the magical world is not place in jeopardy. As for the second issue we discussed, we have agreed to let one of our refugees fight. He will be arriving here soon to meet with me. If he agrees, then he will head to England to assist your Aurors in the battles against the Death Eaters."
"Will I meet him?"
"For his safety, no. Due to the absence of an alliance between us and your Ministry, he will be forced to work alone. If he is caught by the English Aurors, he will be left alone. The same if he is caught by the Death Eaters."
Remus was unsettled. The Blood Elves would allow one of their own to fight a war by himself, leaving him to his devices. He wasn't even sure if the Order should be allies with the Blood Elves if they were so cold. "I see."
"We also talked about the Suha siblings, specifically regarding the two werewolf twins. Albus told me you are a werewolf."
"Twenty-nine years this winter."
"I do not know if the training will work with you. The Suha brothers were young and newly infected with the werewolf virus. At such a young age, the mind is more easily trained in meditation and mental discipline." Shahriar turned to Remus, looking him over. "However, Albus tells me out of anyone he knows, you are the most self-aware individual he has met."
Remus lifted his head, amber eyes hard. "I'm willing to try this method to the fullest extent I can."
King Shahriar gave him a dark smile. "We will see if you can face your inner beast, Remus Lupin."
_________
Spyridon- I'm still alive. Keep looking to my profile on fanfiction.net for updates. PLease read and review!
__________
Tuesday saw Remus preparing himself for the day. He had arrived the previous Friday with the ragged luggage he had back from third year. The Blood Elves had taken kindly to his arrival, giving him a bed in one of the rooms in the public bedrooms in the royal palace. He had spent the weekend walking around the immediate area with Sorin Stela, a Blood Elf, learning a little about the culture and traditions of the magical race that were not written in the books sold in Wizarding book stores.
The werewolf checked over his clothes, a simple robe that he had bought at Madam Malkin's with the money James had given him. Remus flushed at the memory, severely uncomfortable with the charity. Before Severus had snidely commented on his lycanthropy in front of a couple of older Slytherin students, he had been able to find steady jobs in tutoring magical children who stayed at home instead of going to Hogwarts. Afterward, no one would bother hiring him, despite the fact that he was the best friend of the Head Auror and an honorary uncle to the Boy Who Lived. Nothing was good enough to overcome the shadow of the fact that he was a werewolf.
James had helped him so much, covering the fine that the Ministry had levied on him when he had been forced to register himself as a werewolf. His best friend had also given him food and board at Potter Manor when his tenant had kicked him out. People on the streets would scurry around him, eyeing warily like some dangerous animal. His friends outside from the Potters and Sirius would no longer talk to him, stating quickly that they had some unfinished business to attend to somewhere.
But that could change.
Albus had told him of the two werewolves now studying at Hogwarts who came from Romania that they had learned to control their inner wolves with help from the Blood Elves, something that was unprecedented in the magical community. If he could at least control some aspect of the inner monster, Remus would find this mission successful.
He only hoped it was enough to win the werewolf clans from Voldemort's side.
Most of those who had joined Voldemort had done so as they believed a reign under the Dark Lord would more bearable than the rigid control and continual degradation under the current Ministry. Remus knew that the moment the war was won, Voldemort would turn on all races that were less than pureblood wizards but the werewolf clans refused to even think about it. The lone werewolf knew that Fenrir Greyback loved the free rein Voldemort gave him, as the wizard was in fact a psychopath. The crazed werewolf loved the taste the human blood and the ecstasy of the hunt itself.
A knock at the door brought Remus out of his dark musings. Going to the door, Remus saw his Blood Elf guide standing there, dressed in a green tunic and white pants. Sorin smiled at him. "Hello, Remus. Are you ready?"
"Yes, just give me a moment to collect my things." Remus went to the table, quickly grabbing his small satchel that carried his journal and writing utensils and cloak. Closing the door behind him, Remus followed Sorin down the halls. "Where are we going today?"
"The two prisoners captured from the attack more than a week ago have fully recovered from their wounds. The woman Death Eater will no longer be able to walk with the wounds she received to her back but nonetheless, she will face the court today along with her companion." Sorin answered, turning down a grand staircase that circled a large Blood Tree. On the way down, they passed a few soldiers dressed in light infantry armor who were patrolling the halls. Sorin nodded at them as the guards walked up.
"Will you keep her here in your kingdom or have her transported back to England for imprisonment? What about her fellow Death Eater?"
"It will depend on the sentence she will be given today." They approached a double door guards in infantry armor. "Remember our justice system is not like yours." The doors opened silently, Remus frowning at the ominous warning.
The court room of the Blood Elves was constructed similar to an arena, the seating quartered evenly into four sections. The quarter opposite of the doors were separated from the rest as they held the representatives of the Houses and officials of the government. The three lowest rows held the court itself which included the Iuria, the Judge, and the court scribe. The Iuria consisted of fifteen randomly picked Elves who would hold the lives of the prisoners in their hands, deciding the final sentence of those on trial. The remaining three quarters were now filling with interested Elves from the surrounding lands. Remus' sharpened eyesight caught sight of a few Romanian officials in the lowest public seating opposite of the court.
In the sunken middle section were D-rings and simple chairs, unused at the moment. They were similar to the chairs kept in Courtroom Ten at the Ministry.
Sorin and Remus settled themselves on one of the highest rows next to the door, overlooking the court. The door in the Royal section opened, King Shahriar walking to his seat with Akane by his side. The chair set aside for the Elf Prince was left empty, signaling his absence from the trial. The Iuria began arriving, dressed in simple black robes with silver lining. The judge entered in his white robes, a white stole falling from his shoulders, face hidden in the depths of his hood. The Lords of the Houses were wearing elegant black robes with their respective crests stitched neatly over their left breast.
"How long will the trial take? Remus asked softly, the public seating a quarter full.
Sorin leaned closer to the werewolf. "Unlike most justice systems, any prisoner caught on the battlefield is immediately guilty, a status that waives all human rights. Officials from our justice system will immediately pull copies of all their memories into special basins for later analysis by the Iuria. As they go through them, the officials will take note of any significant event that is important to the person's character as well as to the crime itself. If there are mitigating circumstances, the sentence may be lessened or even dropped. But if the memories prove the person acted of their own free will, then they will receive full punishment. During peace times, criminal justice is a little harder to describe."
"But isn't that invading the rights of the individual?"
"It is war, Remus. People live and die on the battlefield; one less man to fight." Sorin studied the man beside him. "How many times would you have had to fight if they were sentenced in your justice system?"
"Azkaban is the securest prison in the world."
"You would have to assume they are actually found guilty and sent there. How many Death Eaters were sent after the first war? We have heard the Dementors are growing restless, demanding that they be allowed to feed. How long will they stay loyal to the Ministry when all they have to do is switch sides so they can feed indiscriminately? I'm sure you want to do the right things, Remus, but sometimes doing the right things isn't doing the right thing."
Remus straightened up, amber eyes flicking back to the court whose members were now accounted for. The judge stood up.
"This trial will come to order. Bring in the prisoners." The judge commanded. There had to be a set of doors under section he was sitting in as a group marched out from under the rows to the center of the arena. The woman Death Eater was sitting in a wheelchair that rolled by itself, no doubt under the control of one of the guards. The male Death Eater was walking unassisted, supporting no wounds that Remus could see from his view point. The guards sat him down on the chair, anchoring the chains from the shackles around the man's wrists to the D-rings on the floor. The woman's chains were anchored as well.
Before the judge could continue, the woman started yelling, spittle flying from her foaming mouth.
"You will ALL die! The Dark Lord will crush you all and there will be no mercy for filthy creatures like you!" The woman spat, her upper body struggling against the mithril chains. Her hands strained to pull themselves from the shackles. "Your insignificant kingdom will fall like toothpicks before the Dark Lord's vast army!"
"Silence her." The guard next to the woman jabbed around the neck, her rant stopping in midsentence. Her fellow Death Eater was quiet.
Remus leaned over to Sorin. "What did they do?"
"Magical pressure points, similar the muggle style from the East. I suspect they just locked her jaw muscles shut. It still allows her to breath." Sorin whispered back.
"Alecto Carrow, you were captured during the skirmish at Uaithne. Memories taken from your mind prove that you are responsible for the deaths of Doru Cosmin and Emil Horea. You are hereby sentenced to death. However, due to your condition, normal tradition cannot be carried out. Instead, you will be executed by beheading by the House of Cosmin and burned by the House of Horea."
"Silas Jugson, you were captured during the skirmish at Uaithne. Memories taken from your mind prove that you are responsible for the deaths of Crina Decebal. You are hereby sentenced to death. You will be executed under Blood Elf tradition of a fight to the death. If you win, you will live out your days secluded from the rest of society."
Remus was horrified. A fight to the death? "Should they just kill him? Why risk the life of a Lord of a House?"
"It's an ancient tradition during times of war." Sorin answered. "Dignity before death; it gives the prisoner a chance to die honorably by the sword or live naturally to their dying day. As for the risk of life of a House Lord, how many people in your magical community practice with a sharpened blade?"
"Hardly any." Remus admitted.
"There's a reason why we are called Blood Elves." Sorin grinned darkly.
"Prepare the arena." The judge ordered.
Guards stationed around the lower seating area stepped up to their posts, arms weaving in the air. A shimmering dome of blue began rising from the raised floor, arching above them to enclose the arena below. The blue dome flared before fading to almost clear blue color. The two guards on either side of Alecto Carrow directed her wheelchair out, disappearing back underneath the stands. The guards with Silas Jugson began unlocking the shackles. The chair disappeared, leaving the area open.
Out from under the court seats, a third door opened, an Elf dressed in a black and white tunic appeared, carrying a sword.
One of the guards pulled out his sword, handing it to Jugson before leaving with his partner out under the door under the public seating.
"Begin."
"Give me my wand and I'll give you a real fight!" Jugson yelled, circling away from the approaching Elf. "Stupid creatures! You can't even fight decently with magic! You don't deserve to live!" The Death Eater swung his sword only to be met by his opponent's. The metal clanged, the Elf Lord pushing the man back until he fell from sight. The next second, Jugson was flying through the air to land on his back before the court. The sword followed, clattering to a stop before Jugson.
He scrambled to his feet, holding the sword before him. His face was pale, sweaty. "Wretched creature." Jugson spat at the feet of the Elf. The Lord came again, sword glinting as it swung upward, Jugson trying to block. The Death Eater was thrown off balance by the blow. The Elf Lord moved again, driving the blade deep into Jugson's stomach. Remus closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he heard something wet thump to the floor.
"Bring in Alecto Carrow." Remus opened his eyes, watching as the final Death Eater was brought in. She was struggling again, her jaw still locked from the spell. The guards stopped her in the middle of the arena, grabbing her by the arms and dragging her to the floor on her knees. One guard grabbed her arms, removing the chains and securing them behind her back with his own. The second guard walked out of the arena, guiding the wheelchair out.
A second Elf Lord came out, dressed in pure black. In his hand was his own sword. He walked calmly, taking his position next to Carrow. From where he sat, Remus saw the second Elf Lord look to the judge and King. The judge nodded; the King did not move.
The Elf Lord raised his sword before bringing it down on Alecto Carrow's neck, neatly slicing off her head. The bloodied object fell to the ground, blood squirting out from the sliced arteries and veins.
"The court sees this case closed." The Judge motioned for the guards to take the bodies away. The Elves began filing out, whispers breaking out among them. The King himself sat quietly in his chair, watching the guards picking up the two corpses and laying them on gurneys, waiting to be taken to the Mortuary. The two Elf Lords in the arena moved together, talking quietly. A third came out and joined them.
"Come, the King will like to you." Sorin said. Remus followed the Blood Elf out the doors but instead of going down the same hallway they came through they turned to the left down a narrower hall.
"What will happen to the bodies?"
"The Lord of the House of Horea will oversee the burning of Carrow's body and scatter her ashes in some unnamed region. The same will happen to Jugson's body but by the House of Decebal. In our society, the absence of a burial site is one of the highest insults, similar to the tradition of the Romans in the Muggle world."
The pair entered a garden which looked to be set in the mountain side. One side was an open view over the canopy of the Blood trees, a few houses visible here and there.
"And it is here I will leave you." Sorin announced. "The King only wishes to speak with you so I will attend to my duties elsewhere. Once he is finished speaking with you, I will return and escort you back to your quarters."
"Would you mind on finding books on the justice system for your kingdom? I would like to see how it differs between the justice system of my government and yours." Remus asked.
"As you wish." Sorin gave a small bow which Remus returned before leaving the werewolf in the garden.
Remus approached the marble railing, leaning against it.
The cool mountain air swept past him, bringing in the familiar scent of the forest with it. Remus closed his eyes, trying not to see the images of the two Death Eaters lying in the pool of their own blood. To him, so used to having criminals given the Kiss, it felt more violent.
"You are troubled." Remus spun around to see the Blood Elf King there, his golden eyes staring into his.
"A little."
"Perhaps it would have been prudent of me to have Sorin give you details on our court system." King Shahriar moved to join Remus at the railing. "I spoke with Headmaster Dumbledore before I left the Ministry. We discussed a few things regarding Voldemort and relations between the Blood Elf Kingdom and your Ministry. Cornelius Fudge is adamant that the Dark Lord is dead and another Death Eater is the one in charge of these attacks, more specifically the one called Harry Potter."
Remus winced. "All they have is a witness claiming after he spoke. It means nothing."
The King stayed quiet for a moment before speaking. "Because of the ignorance of your Minister, the Blood Elves will only focus on the Giant clans near our borders. Russia has already given us reports of suspicious clans that are moving toward their western border. The moment, a muggle or wizard is killed by them our legions will march and engage them. Poland and Ukraine has agreed to the same conditions as Russia. The only stipulation is that we ensure the secrecy of the magical world is not place in jeopardy. As for the second issue we discussed, we have agreed to let one of our refugees fight. He will be arriving here soon to meet with me. If he agrees, then he will head to England to assist your Aurors in the battles against the Death Eaters."
"Will I meet him?"
"For his safety, no. Due to the absence of an alliance between us and your Ministry, he will be forced to work alone. If he is caught by the English Aurors, he will be left alone. The same if he is caught by the Death Eaters."
Remus was unsettled. The Blood Elves would allow one of their own to fight a war by himself, leaving him to his devices. He wasn't even sure if the Order should be allies with the Blood Elves if they were so cold. "I see."
"We also talked about the Suha siblings, specifically regarding the two werewolf twins. Albus told me you are a werewolf."
"Twenty-nine years this winter."
"I do not know if the training will work with you. The Suha brothers were young and newly infected with the werewolf virus. At such a young age, the mind is more easily trained in meditation and mental discipline." Shahriar turned to Remus, looking him over. "However, Albus tells me out of anyone he knows, you are the most self-aware individual he has met."
Remus lifted his head, amber eyes hard. "I'm willing to try this method to the fullest extent I can."
King Shahriar gave him a dark smile. "We will see if you can face your inner beast, Remus Lupin."
_________
Spyridon- I'm still alive. Keep looking to my profile on fanfiction.net for updates. PLease read and review!
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