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The Briefcase Laboratory


It took a few minutes for the stag and rat to catch up to the swift moving dog - mainly because he’d had a head start and it took James some getting used to his stag legs every time he transformed. But once he had his legs about him, James was much faster moving through the trees and he easily caught up to the shaggy black form of Snuffles in the dark and turned, cutting him off, before transforming back into James - the shivering rat that was Peter settled into the hood of James’s sweatshirt, twitching nose and paws clutching, peeking over James’s shoulder.

“Look, mate,” James said to the dog, who growled, angry with James for coming after him -- James grabbed a fist full of Snuffles hair to keep him from running off again, “You have to wait for Dumbledore’s word. Druella could’ve been talking ‘bout anybody, it doesn’t have to be Remus. But if it is, you need to wait for Dumbledore’s word.”

The dog tried to shake off James, but James’s grip in his hair didn’t let up. He knew no matter how the dog growled and snapped, he wouldn’t ever actually hurt James. It was empty threats.

“Sirius, if Dumbledore comes and says it’s happened I’ll run with you to the ends of the earth, alright? But you gotta wait for Dumbledore.”

The shaggy dog whimpered at this.

James sighed and said, “I know you’re worried.”

The dog stared up at James.

James was about to say something more - something that felt as to him as though it might come out quite profound, though he wasn’t entirely sure exactly what it was he was - when a magnified voice echoed through the dark.

“SIRIUS….. JAMES….”

It was Dumbledore.

Sirius turned and James let go of his hair and hissed, “Transform!” quickly to remind him he was currently Snuffles and with a pop Sirius changed back only just as Dumbledore’s voice echoed through the trees a second time. James pushed Peter low in his hood and he could feel Peter trembling in there nervously as the two boys ran back through the trees to the Potter house. Sirius’s breaths came out in heavy, lung-burning gasps.

Dumbledore, Dora, and Charlus stood on the patio in the backyard and all looked quite relieved as James and Sirius jumped over the low hedges at the far side of the yard. “There you are!” Dora exclaimed, “What on earth took you so long to dispose of a rat?!”

“Wanted to make sure it was near the water,” James panted, “So it wouldn’t go thirsty or come back or -- whatever.”

Sirius seemed not to hear the question or even to notice anyone was there except Albus Dumbledore. He grabbed onto the headmaster’s hands, his eyes pleading, wide with worry, “Remus -- is he --?”

“Come with me, Mr. Black,” Dumbledore said, and he led Sirius into the house.

James’s eyes widened and he hurried after the pair of them as Dumbledore led them into the living room, Charlus and Dora taking up the lead of the little procession, and he waved his hand at the briefcase of Newt Scamander on the coffee table. “After you, Mr. Black,” Dumbledore said.

Sirius looked at Dumbledore, then at the suitcase… he went over, peered down into the laboratory below, and, feeling quite odd in the motion of it, swung his leg over the side of the suitcase, stepping down on the ladder and climbing in. Dumbledore followed. James started to, too, but Charlus caught him and whispered, “Give them a moment.”

James hung back. “But he’s alright, isn’t he?” he asked.

Charlus nodded.

Sirius reached the floor of the laboratory as Newt Scamander was back-to, leaning over the body that laid upon the table before him. Tina Scamander smiled and beckoned Sirius over. He inched up slowly, nervously, and stared down at the sleeping form of Remus Lupin. Because Newt had been operating upon him, the boy’s shirt and makeshift bandages had been removed completely so that he lay there with a bare torso, his eyes fluttering with dreams… Across his shoulder was a harsh, jagged black line - the stitching - that held down flesh much newer than the flesh surrounding it. Shivering, Sirius reached out and grabbed Remus’s hand in his own. “He’s okay?” Sirius breathed.

“Will be good as - as new,” stammered Newt, pulling the magnifying glasses from his face and tossing them onto a table near by gently. His sleeves were rolled up above his elbows for working and he rocked on the balls of his feet, “I’ll be able to take the stitches out, even, in about a week or so. Bit of scarring, of course, but, uh, a small price to, uh, to pay, given the circumstances. Or the near circumstances, that is. He, uh, he’s very lucky.”

“I’m very lucky is more like,” Sirius said and he pressed Remus’s hand to his cheek. “Bloody hell,” he whispered, “I thought I lost you, Moony,” he whispered.

Dumbledore put a hand on Sirius’s shoulder.

“Mr. Scamander has offered very graciously to take Mr. Lupin for the summer,” Dumbledore announced, “Circumstances being what they are and all, I must say that Remus will be best protected in Newt’s care, as the laboratory’s nature means absolute protection from the outside world, should he need it. Until Greyback’s anger has cooled, I have recommended Remus avoid being seen for a time…. This situation, however, means that Mr. Scamander will be taking Mr. Lupin with him when he departs the Potter home this evening.”

Sirius looked up. “But - but then I won’t see him until next term?” he sounded horrified.

Dumbledore frowned, but he nodded. “For both of your safety…”

“No, Remus needs me,” Sirius argued, “He needs me.”

Dumbledore said, “You need to stay with the Potters, Mr. Black. For your safety.”

Sirius’s eyes filled with tears and he clutched onto Remus’s arm all the harder.

James, who was standing by the case in the Potter’s living room, overheard the whole thing and he turned suddenly, running out of the living room and up the stairs to his bedroom. He grabbed the mirror from his nightstand and rushed back down, his feet thundering on the steps and, not waiting for invitation - in fact, ignoring Charlus as his father tried to stop him from going in - James climbed down the ladder into Newt Scamander’s laboratory and ran over to Sirius. “Here, Padfoot,” he said, and he thrust the mirror into Newt Scamander’s hands, “This is for Remus, he needs it by him at all times, it’s very important; that’ll help so he’s not so lonely.”

“A mirror?” asked Tina, confused.

Dumbledore’s eyes lit up, “A very special mirror, I believe?” he asked.

James nodded, “Yeah. Very special indeed.” He looked to Sirius, “See, mate, then you can stay near to him, even far off. Yeah?” They’d have to find a way to sneak off to Hogsmeade to get the other mirror from the Shack, but there was the Knight bus for that, and James’s broomstick if it came to it - they’d find a way to get it...

Sirius nodded.

James patted Sirius’s back. “It’s going to be alright, mate.”

Sirius nodded again, his throat aching despite having the connection. He’d already spent so much time apart from Remus… yet, he remembered the excitement in Remus Lupin’s eyes when he’d talked about spending the summer with Newt Scamander… He took a deep breath, “Will he wake up before you go?”

“We gave him a pretty strong sleeping draught,” Tina said, an apology in her voice.

Sirius nodded.

James patted Remus’s knee, “Glad you’re alive, mate,” he said, even though Remus was asleep. In his hood, the rat rustled about and James knew it was Peter’s only way to contribute his mutual feelings, so James patted Remus’s knee one more time just for Peter.

“Come, Mr. Potter,” Dumbledore said quietly, “Let us leave Mr. Black for a moment alone.” He guided James away from the table, turning to Ned Veigler, Tina and Newt Scamander. “Could you perhaps show us a bit of the laboratory?” he questioned.

James’s eyes lit up as Newt nodded, “Of course, uh, right this… this way…” and he waved them all along, pausing to lift the Niffler up from a tray of surgical tools, reaching in his pouch to take back the shiny tweezers he’d used in guiding the needle through Remus’s skin. “Now you know better than that, Niffler,” Newt scolded and the Niffler deflated a bit until Newt reached into his pocket and withdrew a shiney gold galleon that the Niffler happily took and held in his clawed paws, turning it over and snuffling it against his long nose.

Sirius stood, holding Rey’s hand, watching as they all walked off, Newt Scamander’s voice carrying over the pens and habitats, fading the further off in the briefcase laboratory they got. He turned to Remus after a few moments and ran his hand up Remus’s arm to gently touch the reddened skin around the wound, careful not to touch the damaged part, his eyes moving over the stitches sadly. “I can’t believe that bastard did this to you,” he whispered. He shook his head, thinking of how many times he’d kissed that very spot on Remus’s shoulder - one of his many scars had been in that very spot - the half-moon that had been Fenrir’s original bite when Remus was only three years old… “He’s the monster, Rey,” he said quietly, and he leaned down and kissed Remus’s cheek softly, right at the end of the terrible scar that ran across his nose. “Don’t forget me while you’re off being all fancy, learning all about fantastic beasts and going to far off places.” He reached across and hugged Remus carefully over the chest, noticing there were bruises across his torso and arms.

The little Niffler came back first, scurrying along the floor, her little claws clicking as she ran, and she scrambled to climb up onto Newt Scamander’s stool. She sat, sniffling and watching Sirius listening to Remus’s heart beat, then paused and reached into her pouch a moment, digging about… she looked up and tapped on Sirius’s arm with one claw. Sirius turned to look at her and she held out her little paw… Sirius stood up, drawing out of his hug on Rey, and held his hand out and she dropped a shiny butterbeer cap into his palm, blinking up at him.

“Uh… thanks,” he mumbled, turning the cap over in his palm, not sure what she was giving it to him for.

The Niffler’s nose twitched and then she sat and started going through her treasures in her little pouch, ignoring Sirius altogether.

Sirius stared at the butterbeer cap a moment, then turned back to Remus and kissed his hand as Newt, Tina, Ned, Dumbledore, James (and Peter in James’s hood), returned. “Well, thank you very much, Mr. Scamander for that very interesting tour. I have no doubt that Mr. Lupin will have a very educational summer that will serve him well all his life. I’ll of course deliver you outside of the area for safety… Now, come along Mr. Potter, Mr. Black.”

“Thanks, Mr. Scamander,” James said, “See-ya ‘round, sir,” he added, offering Newt a high-five.

Newt stared at James raised palm in confusion a moment, then awkwardly shook the hand and nodded, “Yes, yes of course, anytime.” His overlarge front teeth leaned against his lower lip and he smiled.

James waved and climbed up the ladder and out of the briefcase laboratory.

Dumbledore held out an arm for Sirius to follow.

Sirius reluctantly let his hand slide away from Remus’s and, clutching the butterbeer cap from the Niffler, he nodded to Newt, Tina, and Ned, grabbed onto the ladder, and climbed.

“Sirius,” called Ned Veigler.

Sirius looked back.

“We’ll take good care of him for you.”

Sirius smiled. “Thanks, mate,” he replied, and he climbed up into the Potter’s living room, James grabbing onto his arm to help him out.


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