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Remus John Lupin ([info]lunaraffliction) wrote in [info]strugglewithin,
@ 2008-12-29 16:34:00

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Entry tags:*complete, gawain robards, remus lupin, september 1997

RP: Do you bite your thumb at me, sir?
Date: 29 September 1997
Characters: Remus Lupin and Gawain Robards
Location: Hogsmeade
Status: Private
Summary: Two men who are sort of in Tonks' life meet.
Completion: Complete



Remus had finally managed to escape the Death Eater who had been dogging his trail since that morning. He intended to go back to the Shrieking Shack. He was spending most nights there these days, under a cloak of protective spells. Occasionally, Arthur and Molly would put him up in one of the boys' rooms, but he didn't like to impose very often, and the Shack was more of a home than anything else was, these days. He was waiting for one of their safehouses to become fully functioning, because at least then he'd be afforded a bed or a couch to sleep on. There was nothing that could make him feel his age more than spending a night on the floor, Transfigured cushions or no.

Walking down the cobbled road, he narrowed his eyes at a figure some ways down. He saw the tell-tale glimmer of a Probity Probe and watched another person pull something out of his pocket. Identification checks, he realized grimly, and decided to slip into the Three Broomsticks before he was asked to show his. There was no telling whether the person would be a Ministry employee or a Death Eater, and frankly, he wanted to run into neither.

A tired, frazzled looking Madam Rosmerta was behind the bar, and she gave him a thin smile and a pint before he headed to one of the back rooms, looking for a moment of solace and warmth.


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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-29 04:22 pm UTC (link)
Buggering git, Gawain thought as he pushed open the door to the Three Broomsticks. Yes, he had his sodding identification, but the little pillock had had the nerve to see if it was a forgery. It was all Gawain could do not to swat him. He understood the need for properly identifying everyone, but that was a bit much.

Giving Rosmerta (who looked a little worse for the wear, honestly) a faint smile and the payment, he took his pint and headed to the back room. She'd promised to bring his meal in.

The days at the Ministry were getting longer, which was odd because there didn't seem to be more crime. In fact, there weren't many at all. At least not ones he was allowed to investigate. He'd been informed by Yaxley that there were certain operatives working for the Ministry that would not be interfered with.

Operatives his arse. Death Eaters was what they were.

Glancing around, quite aware of the eyes on him (things were getting more tense everywhere these days), he spotted a faintly familiar face in the corner. He moved in that direction, trying to put a name to the man. It came to him as the light hit his face.

Lupin.

He sat down at the table next to him.

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-29 04:40 pm UTC (link)
Hearing someone shuffling towards the back, Remus gripped his wand under the table. He wasn't fond of dueling in pubs, but if it was a matter of life and death, there was little choice in the matter. Hopefully he could stun the person and Disapparate before things got ugly.

He hadn't realized he was holding his breath until the person entered the room, and then he exhaled slowly, keeping his eyes on the man. It was Gawain Robards, Dora's boss. She'd always seemed to like him, but that didn't stop Remus from being weary of him. Perhaps it was his own insecurity about his relationship with Dora - a relationship, he reminded himself, that no longer existed. The thought had him taking a long draw from his pint glass.

Robards' proximity put him on edge, and he kept one hand on his wand before giving him a slight nod. "Robards."

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-29 04:50 pm UTC (link)
The man knew him. Good. It saved having to introduce himself. And from the stiff was he was sitting, he had to be holding his wand under the table. Otherwise, it wasn't good form to keep one's hand hidden.

"Lupin."

He glanced down at where he approximated the wand was.

"There a reason you're pointing a wand at the Chief Auror?" he asked, his own hand dropping as well. As far as he knew, Lupin was firmly in the pocket of the Order of the Phoenix. Well, he was a member, of course, but a vigilante group was a vigilante group.

Even if the people they were fighting were murderers.

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-29 05:12 pm UTC (link)
Apparently Robards knew him, too. He couldn't say he was surprised; his identity as a Werewolf wasn't exactly secret, and neither was his affiliation with Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. He was sure his name was on several Ministry lists, which, at least, made him feel like he'd done Dora more of a favor than she'd realized.

"This wand was pointed before I knew that a Chief Auror was entering the room," he replied frankly, and watched Robards reach for his wand, too. The muscles in his jaw ticked. Perhaps Robards had chosen a side in this, and not the one Remus supported. He was a quick draw with a wand, but did not ease his hand away, unwilling to allow himself to be at a disadvantage.

"I'm sure you realize how one must be careful these days. You can hardly fault a man for protecting himself from oncoming footsteps."

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-29 05:17 pm UTC (link)
Gawain nodded carefully. The man was on edge, clearly. He looked worse off than Tonks, though, which sent a rather cruel sense of satisfaction through them.

"Of course. These are troubled times," he said, easing his hand away from his wand. He didn't want to hex Tonks' husband if he could help it, though he would if necessary. "Though I find it's when you don't hear the footsteps that you have to watch out especially."

Raising his brow, he cocked his head. It wasn't any of his business. None at all. And yet the words came out of his mouth anyway. "Seen your wife lately?"

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-29 10:10 pm UTC (link)
Personally, Remus felt 'troubled times' was a gross understatement.

"That's true," he said, watching Robards tiredly. He was really tired of alpha male behavior. He didn't want to argue or encourage it, but when Robards had the nerve to ask him about Dora, he wasn't really afforded a choice.

With a sigh, he looked sideways at Robards, making sure he'd realize he'd overstepped his bounds.

"That's a personal question, considering we've not formally met."

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-29 10:42 pm UTC (link)
Deciding that Lupin probably wouldn't hex him - at least not in front of witnesses and here came his food right now - he picked up his beer.

"Then let me introduce myself. Gawain Robards," he said, holding out a hand as Rosmerta set down his fish dinner. It wasn't his business. He knew it. Buggering hell, he was being an interfering git.

After Lupin shook his hand, he pulled back, eyeing the other man as he sipped his pint. It really wasn't his business. The stress at work was clearly getting to him. "She's looking tired, but she's handling the stress of having Lestrange in fairly well," he said finally, as a quasi-peace offering.

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-30 07:46 am UTC (link)
Remus wasn't the type of person to turn down a handshake, even if the person offering it seemed like an arse, but this was downright cheeky. He hesitated, and then reached across the table, shaking his hand.

"Remus Lupin," he said. "And it's still a personal question."

He hoped that might nip things in the bud, and sank back into his seat, thinking of Dora. The more time that passed, the more he missed her. He was beginning to question his thoughts on their marriage, and their child; he wasn't sure if that was because he was beginning to see the light, or if he was being blinded by his own loneliness. It was probably a bit of both.

"Lestrange?" His eyes cut to Robards, narrowing slightly. He should have appreciated the comment for what it was worth, but the news was unsettling. "Lestrange is in the Ministry? On a regular basis?"

Kingsley had told him of the pardoning, but Remus had had no idea that the Lestranges were flouncing about the Ministry. God. He could just imagine what Dora thought of that, and felt a stab of worry for her. The lunatics that had all but killed Frank and Alice were on the prowl again, and Bellatrix had been out for Dora's blood the last time. There was no telling what she'd do.

"You don't have contact with them often, do you? Alone?" It was madness.

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-30 07:55 am UTC (link)
Where had the man been?

"Yes, along with others, of course," Robards said, glancing toward the open door. He wouldn't put it past someone to be listening. "The Ministry has several independent advisors now. Or rather, parts of the Ministry do. The MLE is sometimes one of these parts."

He shrugged, picking at his chips. "I'll assume you're asking after the MLE employees in general, and not me personally," he said, popping a chip in his mouth and thinking. "There are times, yes, when individuals speak with individuals."

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-30 06:13 pm UTC (link)
"Yes, but they're actually doing things within the Ministry?" He wanted to know more. "I expect that they have a lot to do with the Muggle-born Registration Commission, too." He expected no confirmation on this, but he couldn't keep it to himself.

Remus knew they were out, but the fact that they were waltzing around the Ministry and advising was more than worrisome. That meant Dora wasn't safe there, either. What was she thinking, staying there? And what did she plan on doing once her pregnancy became obvious?

"It was a general you, yes," he replied, and hoped that Dora knew better than to put herself in a situation when she spoke to Bellatrix Black alone. "It sounds dubious, particularly considering certain people's histories."

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-30 06:21 pm UTC (link)
"They're not there as often as that. Just for ... special occasions," he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. He shrugged. "I don't know about that, but it's a fair guess."

He tried to stay away from Level Ten. Cowardly, perhaps, but he had a feeling he'd do something rash if he wandered down there. Besides, Dementors made him cold for days after.

"The MLE does, from time to time. They're taking a particular interest in looking for ..." He snapped his mouth shut before he could say anything else. What was wrong with him? Lupin wasn't an Auror, he wasn't a member of the MLE - he wasn't even a member of the Ministry. He was a member of a vigilante group.

Taking a bite of fish, he shrugged again. "I'm sure you can guess, but I probably shouldn't say."

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-30 07:06 pm UTC (link)
Special occasions? Remus could only imagine what that might entail. Torturings, perhaps? Finding people to keep the Dementors fed? His mouth twisted. Bellatrix Black had killed Sirius. He had to admit, he'd like nothing more than to make sure she met the same end. She was a liability to everyone he cared about, not to mention the rest of the wizarding world.

"I see," he finally said. It was a pity that the people had no one to complain to. He already knew his complaints would go unnoted because of his blood status, and not as a wizard but as a beast.

Leaning forward, he lifted his brows expectantly, waiting for Robards to finish his sentence. He didn't - but he was right, Remus knew who they were looking for. Harry.

"I can guess," he said. "It's not exactly a new interest. This has been seven years in the making, now."

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-30 07:31 pm UTC (link)
"Longer, if I don't misremember," Gawain answered, mentally cursing himself. Was it him or was it Lupin? Was he so without blokes to talk to that he was willing to discuss Ministry Matters with a complete stranger?

Apparently he was.

"Regardless, the Auror investigation is not entirely in our hands any longer." Buggering hell, had Rosmerta put something in his beer? He pushed it away, the remains of his meal too, just in case.

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-30 07:59 pm UTC (link)
Lupin grunted in acknowledgment, thinking back to James and Lily, and the night they'd died. Robards was right. Remus had just been through the first war too, and tended to separate things into before and after.

He took a drink from his pint, lowering his brows as Robards pushed everything away.

"That's not surprising, but I'd be frustrated, too," he said. "But it's not just the Ministry any longer. It's Hogwarts, and the shops in Diagon, businesses here. They've effectively limited what anyone can do. It used to be a select few who were held under the crippling hand of the Ministry. Now everyone has a taste of it, and instead of actively protesting, they're acquiescing. Or fleeing."

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-30 09:21 pm UTC (link)
Gawain listened to Lupin, picking up a chip idly and popping it into his mouth before he remembered his worry about them. Ah well. Too late now. He reached for another.

"I don't get out much these days. Are many fleeing?"

He knew of those who had neglected to show up for their trials - the lists grew weekly it seemed - but was it more than that? Were half-bloods going too?

"It seems people are scared." He shot Lupin a look. "Not everyone can be brave, you know."

He watched the other man closely now, curious as to his response. There was nothing brave about people who took the law into their own hands, but he kept his mouth shut about that.

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-30 09:38 pm UTC (link)
Robards didn't know people were fleeing. Remus wasn't sure if that was good news or not; it meant that the Muggle-born Registration Commission was handling things on their own (and he could only imagine who was handling things), but also that fleeing Muggle-borns weren't yet a priority.

"At the risk of saying too much, yes. Many are. It's that or being placed in Azkaban. People are leaving to protect their families."

He wasn't exactly surprised by Robards' look, but returned it with one of his own. "That's true," he said, thinking about it. "I realize that. But if no-one shows resistance, it will only get worse. I've no doubt it will go beyond what's happening here, with our Ministry, and beyond the issues of Blood Purity."

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-30 09:44 pm UTC (link)
"I knew there were many who failed to show up for their trials, but I wasn't aware that others were fleeing as well." He wiped his fingers on a napkin and balled the paper up, tossing it on top of his plate. Shaking his head at himself, he sighed. "Logical, though."

And he was a bloody idiot for not thinking that one through sooner. He was the sodding Chief Auror - he should be focused on the big picture, not just what was going on in the Ministry.

He'd bet the damned Order was assisting those fleeing, though. He carefully didn't ask though - what he didn't know, he couldn't reveal, after all. Not that he approved of the Order, but still.

Nodding, he frowned a little as he took in Lupin's words. That was true enough. "Resistance is fine, to a point. But past that point the people become vigilantes, perhaps even a mob. There is no justice in either."

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-30 10:01 pm UTC (link)
"Those people who were around during the first war know what's coming," he said quietly. "And this is worse. And the older generations are likely remembering Grindelwald. It's cyclical. It's smart of them, removing themselves from the situation before they're unable to leave at all."

Robards looked old enough to remember the first war. He understood. He also seemed to be a bit terse about vigilantes - mobs. Remus shook his head slightly. He didn't expect him to agree with what the Order was doing, but he ought to understand their reasoning.

"There's a difference between being organized and being a mob," he pointed out. "And I'm hard-pressed to find justice anywhere, anymore. You can't deny that the MLE have been compromised. Our entire ruling system has been part of a coups, and a rather frightening one. If there are still people who recognize what needs to be done - to restore the wizarding society back to normalcy, then I would embrace their efforts rather than try to squelch them."

They needed all the help they could get, and for some reason, Remus felt like pointing that out to Robards. He struck Remus as an intelligent man. He made a note to ask Kingsley about him.

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-30 10:13 pm UTC (link)
"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Gawain murmured, mostly to himself. He'd watched the first war, first as a student and then as an Auror trainee, hardly able to do anything. It was ironic that twenty years later, he hadn't recognized the signs to earlier. Perhaps, if he had, Rufus would still be alive.

He reached for his beer, no longer caring that it might possibly be doped with something. Or perhaps he was paranoid. Was it paranoia if they really would kill you?

Running a hand over his hair, he shook his head a little. "Not the entire MLE. There are still ... there are many good people working in the MLE." They just needed guidance from their superiors. Like him. "While those efforts are meant in the right vein, they are not, however, legal. Those within the system would need to do things, rather than just a group of people. Vigilanteism should never be condoned, even if it's for a good cause. The ends does not justify the means."

He snapped his mouth shut, looking around quickly. Was he a fucking idiot? Saying these things without a Silencing charm, for one? And for even contemplating them in another? Fuck. He'd nearly bitten Savage's head off for something similar, hadn't he?

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-30 10:34 pm UTC (link)
"I'm sure that's true," replied Remus. "And I didn't intend for it to be a slight - merely an observance. I've had many friends who were Aurors, in the first war. And Dora."

He sighed a little when Robards went on about vigilantes, taking a long draw from his pint glass.

"They might not be legal," he admitted, "but right now, neither is being a Muggle-born with a wand. Or a seventeen year old boy. Everything we know is so skewed, who can say the system will even function properly anymore? All we can do is adjust and hope our efforts make a difference in the future. A positive difference."

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-31 09:05 am UTC (link)
Gawain nodded, not sure if he believed Lupin on not intending a slight, but unwilling to say anything about it. Sometimes it was best to just agree, he'd found.

But wasn't that what the problem was now? He rubbed at his stubbly jaw a moment.

"No, they're not," he said finally, almost reluctantly. Still, that didn't mean being a part of that damn group was right. "And I suppose we can't say, though I know there are many who will do their best to keep things the same."

He shook himself, looking over at Lupin for a long moment before he stood up, holding out his hand again. "I should be going. It was good to finally meet you."

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[info]lunaraffliction
2008-12-31 05:24 pm UTC (link)
"They will," agreed Remus, and he sighed. He'd lived most of his life hoping to see change. He could die before seeing anything done about Werewolf rights, which was not exactly surprising, though it sobered him. He thought of his child.

"That's why we must fight this war," he said finally. "To see that changes - necessary changes - take place."

He pushed his chair back too, standing up and grabbing Robards' hand. "It was nice meeting you, too. Best of luck to you." Remus rather thought he'd need it.

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[info]sir_gawain
2008-12-31 05:27 pm UTC (link)
Gawain nodded, giving Lupin a faint smile.

"To you as well." He rather thought the other man would need it.

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