Waning Moon III

Notes:

Welcome back my dear readers to another chapter of Under the Hunters Moon.

This chapter marks the start of the end, I do hope you all enjoy what I have in store for our best boy.

But as the Full Moon rises, we must get on with the show!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Remus Lupin, the Shrieking Shack.

If you would have told Remus a few weeks ago that not only was Sirius Black innocent, but the man who betrayed the Potters was the man Sirius was framed for killing and when he learned that, he would meet a Goddess, well he would either say you were mad or hex you out of his office, or both. But here he was, standing in a place he had a dislike for since his school days both believing and not as he looked into the eyes of said Goddess.

"Hestia," Remus hears Sirius breathe out as the Goddess looks into the eyes of Lupin with a stern disappointment. Lupin swallows the lump in his throat as he, with great difficulty, looks away from the Goddess with guilt in his chest and looks over to Sirius as he stands from the ground.

"Wha-what can I do for you, my Lady?" Sirius asks, sounding unsure as to how to address the Goddess before them.

Hestia just smiles at Sirius before saying "I'm not like the rest of my family, Sirius Black, I do not demand respect nor demand anyone to call me their Lady. I am just Hestia to you, if you do not mind, but I still thank you for the show of respect." Before she moves to the fireplace in the room, Lupin scrambles back from the Goddess before standing.

"So, you're the one who helped Sirius escape the Tower?" Lupin asks and the Goddess simply nods her head, "Why?" Moony asks as Sirius' head snaps to him and shakes his head, telling him to stop, but Moony carries on, "I ask with all due respect, of course, but I'm not used to people acting out of the goodness of their heart." The werewolf admits.

The Goddess tilts her head as to think over the question before with a wave of her hand restarting the fireplace to bring a comfortable heat back to the room before she answers, "It is probably because I am not a person, Remus Lupin, I am a God. It is a part of my nature to defend the Hearth, the Home, and Family." Hestia says with a shrug.

Remus looks at Sirius before turning back to the Goddess, "But none of us were Family." Lupin says, confused.

Hestia is quiet for another moment, looking into the fire before she speaks again, "Is that what you told yourself for all those years to ease the burden of your guilt Remus Lupin, that you were not family to James and Lily Potter? That you did not care?" She asks in a soft tone as she turns to Remus, eyes filled with disappointment.

"I never said that," Remus snaps at her, before looking away and to his feet, feeling as if he was a child being scolded by his mother again for being out too late, "I'm sorry, …" He whispers out.

"You are, but over the wrong thing," Hestia says, as she brushes aside the disrespect as it was nothing to her, "You had the power to change the boy's fate but you never once did so, he was locked away in pain without knowing the warmth and comfort of a real family and that damage is nothing something that can be washed away by teaching the boy a charm."

"I-I couldn't have taken him in any way," Remus speaks his excuse before the Goddess nods her head in understanding.

"I know," she says, "With the curse that runs in your blood you could not take care of a child so young, but you needn't have taken him in, just visited once, and you refused to even do that, so deep into your guilt and self-hatred that you heaped on yourself without cause," Hestia tells him like a cruel mirror, "Family is more than those who we share blood with Remus Lupin, some family we choose ourselves and you did choose your brothers, right here in these walls, and when you both choose something else over taking care of one of your brother's sons, you broke that oath," Hestia speaks a truth that Remus had long ignored, he does look up to see her face, the werewolf could feel her eyes on him.

"You asked why I am helping, then take this as your answer," Hestia continues, "It is because I refused to allow this travesty to continue. You will both set aside your self-hatred and your thirst for vengeance to make right the wrongs you have committed, or you will face the rarest thing in this world; My Wrath." As Hestia speaks the Hearth behind her roars spreading an unfriendly cold heat throughout the room, "and heed the words of Hestia if you do not, if you fail the task in which I have given you, no home will shield or welcome you, you will feel no warmth by a hearth, and find no comfort with family. Only the cold fury of a Goddess; do you understand me?" Hestia doesn't threaten, merely telling them what will happen, but both men nod all the same.

"Good," Hestia says, turning from Remus and back to the hearth.

Lupin is quiet for a moment before asking, "How do we even know he's in the castle still? He could have left weeks ago, I haven't seen him on the map either," he says as he runs his hand through his hair, sighing.

"You have the map?" Sirius asks, shocked. He was sure it was gone forever, lost in Filch's office.

Moony chuckles a bit, "Yes, and you won't believe where I found it," he says with a smile, "Harry had it."

Sirius smiles, looking more like himself than ever before, "How the bloody hell did he get that, I thought Filch would have kept it looked up."

"I won't lie, that was the first place I checked for it to keep a lookout for you, but it wasn't there," Moony says, "Harry had it with him a few weeks ago and I had to take it from him to try and find you, but that wasn't all he had, he also had James' old cloak." He says with a smile.

"Had?" Sirius asks, catching the word, "What do you mean had?" His eyes narrow as he tilts his head.

"Well, I wasn't the only one who had caught him sneaking into to see Atalanta, Severus was the first one that found him," Moony says, before Sirius' face turns from one of anger to confusion.

"Snivellus is here?! At the castle!?" Sirius half yells at Moony

Lupin just shrugs and tells him "Yes, and has been for the last 11 years or something like that, he's the potion master now." He tells Sirius shocked face.

"This is dragonsh-" Sirius begins before Hestia coughs just loud enough for both men to hear it before turning to her seeing that her head was turned slightly away from her hearth and was looking at Sirius with an unamused expression, "Spit," Padfoot says, looking at the Goddess with wide eyes, "Dragon spit is what I meant to say," Sirius says, and Hestia just smirks before turning back to the fire.

"We're getting off track, Padfoot," Moony says, "Severus confiscated the cloak after he found Harry sneaking around with it, I took the map but I haven't seen Peter on it at all."

"Snivellus took the cloak!" Sirius says, anger growing in his voice before Moony gives him a look, "Fine, fine. Curse that person when we cross them, the rat first." Sirius says.

"As I said, he could be long gone by now," Lupin says before Hestia speaks again.

"Just because you don't see him on the map, doesn't mean he isn't around Remus Lupin," Hestia says with certainty, "I know for a fact he has warmed himself by the Hearths of the castle in the late hours of the night." She informs them.

Both men look at each other before Remus speaks up, "couldn't you, …snatch him? While he's doing that?" He asks with trepidation.

"I could, yes." Hestia says, "But I won't."

"And if you don't mind me asking, why not?" Moony asks cautiously.

Hestia turns to look at him, as the room becomes uncomfortably hot again, "Because Remus Lupin, it was not I who broke oaths to family, and abandoned a child they should have cared for. This is your quest for redemption and absolution, not mine, I am here to set you on the path and help in small ways, but otherwise, it will be up to you and Sirius Black to capture the rat and see justice done." She informs him.

Remus opens and closes his mouth a few times before turning back to Sirius with a sigh, "So, the hard way, huh?" And Sirius just nods.

The two men were quiet for a moment both solemnly swearing they would catch the rat, and as they looked into the eyes of each other, they both smiled, it was time to do what The Marauders did best; Scheme, plan, and execute.

"Okay, so If Peter doesn't show up on the map he has to stay off grounds, which means either the forest, Hogsmeade, or here," Moony says looking at Padfoot.

"He hasn't been here, I've been sweeping this place every time I come here and only find normal rats, and I've been posing as a stray in town and sniffing around, and nothing there," Padfoot says, "He has to be in the forest."

Moony almost curses before holding it back for the Goddess in the room, "The forest is too large to search by ourselves, are you sure about not bringing this to Dumbledore?" He asks.

"Yeah," Sirius says with a nod, "Next time I see him it's to throw Peter at his feet and then punch him in the face." Moony rolls his eyes but nods.

"This would be easier if I had my wand," Sirius sighs out, knowing it was in Ministry custody.

"A wand?" Hestia asks in a soft voice, "Yes, I think that could work." She says

Both men look at the Goddess before Sirius speaks up, "What? You have a spare wand you carry around with you, Hestia?" He says with a chuckle knowing the eldest Olympian did not need a mortal tool to bend the world to her will.

Hestia turns to Sirius before smirking, "Not exactly," she says before kneeling before her Hearth and reaching into the flames and pulling out a still burning coal, "I do not know much of the craft, but I think I can make an approximation," she whispers as the last two true Marauders watch as she blows the flame out on the coal and spins it between her fingers as it lengthens and twists in her hands and under her care before long Hestia holds a wand If a smoldering ember in her hands. It looked burnt black with cracks and seams that glowed with the inner fire of the Hearth of Hestia, she turns to face Sirius and holds it out for him. "Go on, it won't burn you, Sirius Black." She says that after seeing hesitation in his eyes.

Sirius swallows before reaching and grasping it by the handle and gasps as he feels his magic flow through it, however…"It's not a perfect match," Sirius mutters and Hestia looks at him confused, "oh, I didn't mean, it's not, thank you for the wand Lady Hestia, I, ah, didn't mean to insult you." Padfoot says with a cringe.

"Once again, Sirius Black, it is just Hestia," she says, "and you did not, as I said, I do not know much of the craft, this is just a divine approximation of a wand. You can not use it for any curses or offensive magic, but your charms and transfiguration should work fine, and any spells created for cooking will be more powerful when you use them. I was just confused at the perfect match you had said." The Goddess of the hearth tells him.

"Oh, that's good to know," Sirius says, "and when we get our wands when wixen are eleven we don't really pick it, for it's the wand that chooses the witch, Miss Hestia," Padfoot says in a poor imitation of the man who had sold him his wand long ago, Hestia just nods accepting it his words.

"You must promise me, Sirius Black, to never leave the wand behind, to carry it with you at all times. For, in the end, it will save you." Hestia says in an ominous tone of voice and Sirius nods, vowing to follow what the Goddess had told him.

Hermione Granger, Hogwarts.

There was something wrong with Harry Potter, this wasn't the first time Hermione Granger had this thought, and if one were to ask her, it won't be the last. For the last few months, Harry had been on edge more so than ever before, the dark bags under his eyes, the nodding off in class, how he would twitch or jump at every loud sound or person coming too close to him, even her and Ron, she had even seen him jump at Atalanta's touch a few times.

Thinking back to the previous years, Hermione had picked up a pattern, as the school year was coming to a close, Harry would become more stressed, antsier, and more on edge. She now knows why, Harry didn't want to leave the school and go back home, to the abuse he had endured for an untold amount of time. She had written to her parents explaining it all, skimming over how it came out, but that it had come out. She had confessed that she didn't know how to help Harry, that she wanted to more than anything, her parents had written back asking for more details and telling her to talk Harry into going to a teacher or their head of house to report it. She had once again tried to talk him into doing it but once again, it had gotten her nowhere, in Harry's own words

"They never helped before, so why try again knowing they won't help anyway." He had said before walking off.

Then Sirius Black had broken into the tower and Harry had gotten worse, snapping at people, isolating himself more, She and Ron had tried to stick with him so he wouldn't run off and do something foolish and so he wouldn't be alone. Without the map and his invisibility cloak he was much easier to find, normally wandering the corridors less traveled or in the owlery with Hedwig. Harry had apologized for how he had acted that night, Hermione couldn't blame him, not entirely, it was hardwired into him to hunt, and who he wanted to hunt had just made it worse. But it didn't stop Hermione from shivering at the memory of that night, the look in Harry's eyes when she had tried to stop him from going after Black, he had looked at her like she was an obstacle, something to be removed so he could continue his chase. It had scared her deeply to be on the receiving end of that look, the look of a hunter who had prey in front of him, but that wouldn't stop her from trying to help him, so that's why Hermione was standing outside to portrait of Medea near the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. If she couldn't talk Harry into going to an adult, she knew someone who could and would do it, even if she had to twist his arm the whole way to do so. She was supposed to be in Ancient Runes right now, and she was, she had used the time turner to go back two hours to meet with her.

"Excuse me, Miss Medea?" Hermione says, waiting patiently for the painting to turn her head from the cauldron and goat to look at her.

"Oh, yes dear?" The hooded witch asks

"Is Miss Atalanta in?" Hermione asks, "I need to speak with her about something important," knowing she was thanks to checking with Harry, he had said she normally sleeps in on days they didn't have training.

"She is dear, let me see if the lazy cat is up for visitors," the Ancient Witch says before standing and walking from her frame. Hermione didn't have to wait long before the portrait opened up and the drowsy face of Atalanta pokes out.

"Bookworm?" Atalanta says as she blinks the sleep from her eyes, "What's up?"

"May I come in? We need to talk," Hermione says, "it's important," Hermione ignores the bookworm comment, she had been called worst over the years and it was also how Atalanta said it, more of a greeting or a nickname than an insult of any kind.

Atalanta looks confused for a moment but shrugs before opening the door wider letting Hermione into the room, Hermione takes her seat on the couch as Atalanta takes the high-back chair, folding her legs under her and stretches her back and groans at a few pops.

"So, what's up Hermione? Here to ask to join the hunt? I mean it is a pretty sweet deal." Atalanta says with a smirk.

Hermione rolled her eyes before shaking her head, "No, I'm not even sure what I want to do after school yet, and I would want to finish before making any decisions like that, this is about Harry." She says.

This gets Atalanta's attention as she wakes up a bit more at the name, "What happened with him now?" Atalanta asks with a sigh, the boy was a trouble magnet, honestly.

"You've seen what he's been like in the last few weeks, right?" Hermione asks, but she already knows the answer as Atalanta's face goes flat.

"Yeah, he hasn't gotten a lot of sleep, been in a horrible mood, one would think winning the cup for the broom sport would have put him in a better mood," Atalanta says with a sigh because like Hermione, Atalanta had seen the signs of exhaustion on Harry's face as well, and it had worried her as well. For the Hunt fed on emotions of those who use it, and used those emotions to get a grip on the person to push them further into the Hunt.

"I think," Hermione begins, "that it stems from Harry's mental state." She says

Atalanta quirked an eyebrow, had the bookworm figured out the Hunt with no one telling her? Atalanta knew that Hermione knew about the Hunt but she also knew the other girl was unclear on the details of it. "How so?" Was all Atalanta asked.

Hermione sighs, "Back during our first year I had heard most of his dorm mates complain about sharing a room with Harry, even Ron, but this was back before Halloween happened so they weren't really friends. He had terrible nightmares and would wake up screaming from them waking up everyone in the dorm." Hermione huffed out a laugh, "after waking everyone up the first week or so I remember finding him asleep in the chairs and couches of the common room in the morning, I still do sometimes…" The legacy says as she looks away and out of the window with a sad look on her face.

Hermione sighs before looking back to Atalanta, "I've noticed a pattern in the last few years, his nightmares get worse when the school year is winding down to a close. I knew his home life wasn't the best but now…knowing what it's like, it's because he doesn't want to go back to that." Hermione looks back to Atalanta frowning.

Atalanta sighs, before rubbing her eyes, "What do you want me to do, Hermione? In A few months, I will leave to go back to the hunt. I want to help, I wish I could drag Harry with me, but I can't." She tells the bookworm.

Hermione's face turns red with anger, "Why not?!" She hisses at Atalanta and stands up and starts to pace, "Yes, I get it. Divine curse, but still, it would be better than sending him back there with those people! So why not?! You care about him, I know you do, so help him." Hermione says, stopping to look at Atalanta.

Atalanta sighs, "I wish I could, Hermione." She says with disappointment dripping from her voice, "but I can't. Lady Artemis hasn't said anything about bringing him with me, so I have to follow my original orders, train and protect him; that's all I can do for now." She says as she looks at the floor.

"What if that's not everything you can do?" Hermione asks.

Atalanta looks up to Hermione, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know how much you know about the modern world, but there are laws now to protect children from neglectful or abusive caretakers," Hermione says, "I've been writing to my parents about it but they can't move forward unless Harry comes forward and accuses them of what they did, to tell someone what's happened to him."

"And you haven't talked to him about this?" Atalanta asks.

"Of course I have, but he won't listen to me. He won't go to an adult who could help him because I think he resigned himself to it all." Hermione sighs before sitting back down, "He doesn't trust any of them, for good reason, I would imagine. But He trusts you, Atalanta, he'll listen to you, you can get him to talk." Hermione pushes because someone has to.

Atalanta is quiet for a moment before she shakes her head and sighs, "I'll ask him, Hermione, but I'm not about to trick him or twist his arm to do it. In the end, it's his choice." She says sadly.

Hermione's face twists into anger as she glares at the huntress, "Why aren't you helping!? Why isn't anyone helping him!? I thought you cared!?" She hisses at the hunter, as Atalanta looks back at her without fear.

"I do care for him, Hermione," the huntress says with a sigh, "But if you haven't been able to do it, what chance do I have? You know how stubborn he is, if he doesn't want to do something he won't."

Hermione just glares at the hunter because she knows she is right, before sitting back down with a sigh, "It's not fair, he's been through enough, hasn't he? He shouldn't be scared to go home." The legacy says in a small voice, upset for her friend.

"I know Hermione, I know," Atalanta says back, "but I doubt Lady Artemis would let him go back to that now that she knows." The hunter says with faith.

Hermione snorts, "You were there, Atalanta." She says, "She doesn't care about him." The bookworm says with an edge to her voice.

Atalanta lets the insult slide because she was there, she knows how her Goddess came off as, "I wouldn't say that Hermione, something has…changed between them." The lioness pauses to think about what she had seen outside the Gate, "I don't know what, but I'm certain something had happened inside that Gate."

Hermione looks at the hunter with curiosity in her eyes, "What Gate?" She asks.

Atalanta blinks, she didn't know that Harry had not told her friends about it, "Well, you see…" Atalanta begins to tell the legacy about the odd Gate she and Harry had found underneath the school.

Ron Weasley, Gryffindor Tower.

Ron didn't know what to do, if he moved his Rook to trap the King, the Knight would just take it. His Queen was unable to help, stuck in place by the Bishops of the opposition, his Knights were useless in this game, they stirred up chaos in the enemy ranks but we're not good for this kind of problem-solving. What caused him the most concern was the enemy Queen, it had yet to make a move, and Ron couldn't even begin to guess what she would do, because who could guess what a God would do?

So Ron just sighs and moves his own Bishops to protect the king, the only thing he could do was support Harry. And it infuriated him, he couldn't help his friend as he thrashed in his bed late at night, the screams he knows that come at the end of the nightmares he has never escaping the silencing charm he cast before bed. He just hopes when the enemy's Queen does move, it would shift the game in his favor, because if it doesn't, he doesn't know what he could do to win the game.