Spells and Handcuffs (Remus Lupin)

The Order

Smethwyck nodded to me and left the room, leaving me alone.

A month ... what had happened this month? Had Crouch sent anyone to save me? What had happened to Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew? Where would I go tomorrow? I had no luggage, I had nothing. Return to Sirius? After everything I did at our last meeting ... I was locked up in Crouch's mansion for a few months, I didn't send Sirius any information for me during that time. He must have been worried. But I didn't seem to have another choice. My head began to ache from all these thoughts that went through my mind.

***

The next morning I was ready to leave. Several healers came and bandaged my legs for the last time. They gave me instructions and a potion to drink in the following days. They gave me some clothes and a robe to wear. They were a little wide for me, but mines were in such a miserable condition that there was no way to fix them and I threw them away. 

One of the healers, a tall, young sorceress, pulled me aside and asked, "I'm sorry, it may sound crazy and cheeky, but is the man who came to you your husband?"

"What?" I blinked incomprehensibly. "No, I don't have a husband. "

"Oh, great. " She smiled excitedly. Then she looked at me, realizing that her words could be taken ambiguously. "I'm sorry, I'm not glad you don't have a husband. Not this. It's just that the man who came to you was quite handsome. And I was wondering if you could give him my contacts in case he was available. "

I blinked silly. What was this woman talking about? I had no idea who came to me. To my relief from the awkward conversation, Smethwyck pulled me out, saying it was time to leave, as he was expecting a patient bitten by Acromantula at any moment.

"It's a miracle he's still alive, not eaten." He told me as he sent me through the door.

Outside, I was greeted by the summer of July sun. How much time I had spent closed and in the unconscious? It was like yesterday when Sirius, Remus, and I were celebrating Christmas. My heart sank for a moment and I closed my eyes. What was Remus doing now? Had he forgotten me? He had to do it, even though a part of me deeply hoped he wasn't. How could I be so selfish? So I left him and hurt him at our last meeting. How do I expect he will still be interested in me? I sighed.

I apparated at Grimmauld Place. To my surprise, there was nothing where the number 12 was supposed to be. Number 11 moved smoothly to number 13. What was going on here? I approached the two buildings. Nothing. How was that possible? Where was the damn house?

I walked around hoping it would show up somehow. Hours passed and in desperation, I sat down on a nearby bench in the square. I had nothing in me. I had some money in Gringotts, maybe tomorrow I could go get it and figure out what to do from there. Or just stand on that bench, hoping Sirius will come out someday. But that was almost impossible, given that he hid and rarely went out.

I must have fallen asleep. A noise startled me and caught my attention. People. People in robes crossed the square and headed for where number 12 was supposed to be. As they approached, I immediately recognized one of them.

"Professor Moody," I shouted, challenging both wizards to point their wands at me in a flash. "Professor Moody," I continued, raising my hands in a sign that I was not a danger. "I don't know if you remember me, we met at the beginning of the year in Professor Dumbledore's office. I'm Ashling Karkaroff. "

They looked at each other in surprise. The other was a tall, broad-shouldered black wizard. He was bareheaded and wore a single gold earring.

"Ashling Karkaroff. You have a lot to catch on. " Moody growled. "In Merlin's name, what are you doing here? Nobody told us you were awake and they have discharged you from the hospital. "