Marriage is Murder

Khaat got up before Brian. She felt restless, and she didn't know why. She showered and dressed and found no one was really up yet. She saw the glowing ring on the desk, but something felt mroe pressing. She reached for her wand, and to her surprise, Remus's wand shot to her hand. She went out into the hallway and saw Andrew padding around in his pajamas.

"Go back to your room, Andrew," she whispered. "Its too early to be up yet. Shut your bedroom door very quietly and don't make any noise. Wait for me. I'll be back." She heard the clock chime. It was three in the morning. Not time for anyone to be up yet. The house was pitch dark. "Lumos," she said in a whisper, pointing the way for Andrew to go back to his room. Once he was in his room, she slipped silently through the house. When she got out to the living room, she heard a familiar voice.

"Oh well done," the voice said. She spun with almost a lightning swiftness to see someone had brought Remus's portrait from her bedroom at home and had hung it over the fireplace mantel. It was his portrait talking to her now.

"Remus," she said. "Something's wrong."

"Indeed," he said. "You might want to wake your father. He's coming back. He ripped out a lock of your hair yesterday and he's used it to fix solely on you. Don't ask me how I know. We dont' have that much time. It was through the portrait network. He's got a book of ancient magic. He's using it to try to bond to you. Warn your father. He'll know how to interrupt him. But wake him now. They're almost here." The image turned to leave the portrait and then looked back at her. "Oh," the image said. "Take your own wand with you. It will have more power for you than mine, Child."

She woke Brian first and then her parents. Brian went pounding on Jack and Jess's door, Steven's, and Angus's. Khaat grabbed her own wand. Brian transfigured his clothes to fighting clothes, and her parents came out of their room, geared to fight. Angus met them wide awake and dressed in black leather form head to toe, wand in hand.

"I say lets get him this time," Angus said.

"Khaat," Robert said firmly. "You're what he wants. Don't let go of one of us. No matter what. Hold tight. Literally. I mean it."

"We have to protect the kids," she said.

"Believe me, we will," her mother said.

"He doesn't enter the house," Robert ordered. No matter what. "Got that, you lot? I don't want that bastard in my house. Ever. If you get a chance to kill him, do it. Khaat has orders to not be alone. Ever. She has orders to be with one of you. And I do mean physically touching. Don't let him apparate her out."

"She's with me," Brian said firmly.

"I'll try to draw his wand fire. You lot try to reduce his numbers. I doubt he's stupid enough to return alone now," Robert said. "Kate and Jess, you get the kids downstairs. Now. Right now."

"The stones and the book, Robert," Remus's portrait said. "Dont let them fall into his hands."

"He's not getting inside, Remus," Robert glared hard at the portrait.

"I hope you're right. Khaat is both your weakest link and your strongest weapon."

"I know. I've got this," Robert said.

"He's here," Khaat said, feeliing deep dread, as if he was working on bonding with her even now. She pulled free of Brian's hand and started outside, emotionless.

"Robert!" Remus said.

"I said I've got it," Robert said calmly, takiing strong strides and going outside with Khaat, snatching tight hold of her hand. He could feel James interfering even with his own bond with Khaat, and it infuriated him. Robert didn't want anything coming between him and his family. Nothing. Especially not James. "Focus, Khaat," he told her. "Focus on me. You have to."

"I know, but he's calling," she said softly.

"So where is he?" Robert asked. "Jack, where the hell is he?"

"Come on out, Ladies," James called. Around from a huge tree came one owman. Khaat didn't think she did Jack's family any credit. She had plain, dull, mousy brown hair and was dressed in muggle goth clothes. Khaat could already see the werewolf in her, and neither she nor the werewolf were very attractive. Then around the other direction from the same tree came a woman with dirty blond hair, in similar dress. Khaat could see the family resemblance of both the women to James. And they were doing their best not to change right now. Khaat didn't think they had the control that James did. Not nearly. And not nearly the control that Jack did. Khaat wrapped her hand around her necklace that was already begining to glow.

"And last but not least," James said, "lets complete the reunion, Jackie Boy." From around another tree came Jack's mother. Khaat remembered her from the wedding. And Khaat saw that her hands were already claws.

"Well, well," Robert said. "It seems we have a family standoff."

"No," James said. "What we have here is a very well planned Lupin family massacre. One last chance, Jackie boy, stop pretending to be a Lupin. You'll never be good enough for them. We're your family. Not them. Stop pretending to be something you're not and come back to the only place you've ever belonged." Khaat could hear Remus again in her head.

"Khaat. James doesn't intend for any of you to live tonight. He's lying to Jack," Remus said. "He's gearing up to change. Feel the stone in your hand. It knows already." She felt the stone. The more it glowed, the hotter it got in her hand.

"Let go of it," her father said very softly to her in her ear. He wanted her to stop hiding the stone and let it do its work.

"I TOLD him to do that! I didn't want you to be just a puny human! I wanted more for you, you fool!" his mother said sharply. "I arranged it! I planned it so you would have a better life! And you married a human and gave me halfbloods? What the hell's wrong with you? I thought you were smarter than that!"

Kate watched the drama unfold and said softly to Jess," No, he's not facing his family, Jess. He's standing with us. Jack knows the difference. Listen to his anger. Listen to theirs. That family came apart a long time ago. Jack made up his mind who his family was and what he wants for you and the kids. And he's sticking with it." Kate watched Robert move his hand up to Khaat's arm and yank it hard, forcing her to let go of the stone. It immediately began to glow with a blinding light and shrieking like never before. The piercing pain felt to Khaat like it was going to break her eardrums. It made her cry out in pain. She went to cover it with her other hand, and her father gripped her hands hard, not allowing her to stop it.

"Get her!" James commanded. "Must I do everything myself?" The women flew to Khaat. One dared to touch the stone and instantly let go, screaming in utter agony, her skin sizzling from a toxic burn. The other two women grapsed the chain and began to yank at it. Before Khaat even thought, she heard her voice calling for Remus at the top of her lungs. She felt her life energies being pulled out of her sharply, suddenly. And her vision blurred as she got suddenly very weak. She thought she heard Brian punching one of the women in the jaw. And then she heard an explosive blast from her father's wand.

"I'm here, Shorty," it was her father's voice, but Remus's pet name for her. The other woman let go of her too, and she began to fall. She was confused. She thought she smelled turkish cologne, but she felt that all too familiar touch of her fathers arms wrapped around her, catching her.

"Remus," she heard Brian, but he sounded far away, and his voice was soft and respectful. "I'll take her."

"Not yet. I need her contact. Hold her up. Its Jack's move now," the voice said. That was the last Khaat knew.

Khaat thought she heard fighting, but she couldnt' see. From her viewpoint all she could see was Remus standing in front of her, blocking her view. She wasn't sure where she was. Everything else around her was a blurr except for Remus.

"Give it up, James," Remus's voice shouted, but for some reason, it seemed muddled with her father's tones. "You will never, never have her. Do you think for one fleeting moment I would ever, ever let you touch her again? I'll take her with me first. Forever. And she will more than gladly go. Leave."

Brian saw James give Robert a somewhat confused look. "You aren't Remus Lupin. He died almost 20 years ago," James said.

"I am whoever you want me to be," Remus laughed. "Get those monsters out of my family's house." The look shot to Brian and Jack and Steven quickly. Brian knew in that very quick moment he was again looking into Remus's eyes.

"Move," Brian ordered, not questioning it for one moment. "They leave now. " He knew Remus had every intention of using Robert's powers, combined with Khaat's energies to drive james back. That left the women. And Remus wanted them gone. Right now.