Chapter Text
Brutal werewolf attacks send shockwaves all over wizarding Britain
The casualties of the October full moon are fatal! 12 victims were killed, an unknown number of witches and wizards injured.
The bloodshed of the past night has raised questions and concerns of wizards and witches all over the country.
Was the threat of werewolf attacks underestimated and neglected by the Ministry?
Was the killing only made possible by the lax handling of dangerous creatures?
While these questions are already concerning enough, some reports that were collected by our reporters imply an even darker story.
A ministry worker that wants to remain unnamed told our reporters that there were recent sightings of the infamous werewolf Fenrir Greyback.
„Greyback is a very dangerous individual! The ministry´s information that he left the country might be outdated. If he is back now… no one is safe until this monster is caught!“
Greyback, a known supporter of You-know-who, is feared for specifically targeting children.
Is he building an army of dangerous beasts under the ministry´s watch?
Several well respected families in the wizarding society demanded stricter restrictions towards werewolves.
„The minister has a duty to protect our citizens! If he is not willing to initiate the necessary steps he should step down for a stronger leader!“
Abraxas Malfoy stated this at a press conference at Malfoy Manor this morning.
The minister needs to act fast to provide our security going forward.
- The daily prophet
The wind was biting on Regulus skin. The day following the November full moon brought ice cold drizzling rain down on the unfortunate beings that chose to spend their day outside. Of course, it was even worse high up in the sky but Regulus didn`t care. The needle like sensation was a welcome distraction to everything that was flying around in Regulus mind.
The monster in his chest roared in protest but he had to ignore it. There was no other choice. He couldn´t let it take control over his mind, his body, his actions.
The words of the „Daily Prophet“ article had carved their trace into Regulus skull. He knew that „his kind“ was responsible for what happened the previous night. It felt unnatural and wrong to think of werewolves as his kind but that was the reality now. If he hadn`t been locked up in the shack he would have went on a killing spree just the same.
He pushed his broomstick downwards to go into a reckless dive toward the ground. Only moments before he would have crashed into the ground, and most likely killed himself, he pulled upwards again. His body now barely a meter over the grass while speeding forward.
And then there was said night in the shack. It was a flicker of emotions. Most of the night’s events stayed hidden in a blissful darkness, but short bits blinked up in his memory. The wolfs rolling around on the wooden floor in a playful fight for dominance. Lupins wolf was way stronger and always won. But Regulus had the dreading suspicion that Regulus wolf wanted to submit towards the older wolf. That there was something in his animalistic nature that was drawn to his creator. And the worst was that he had the feeling that this magnetism was not limited to the full moon nights. Whenever he caught a glimpse at Remus Lupin during the day there was a desperate pull in his chest. He wanted to run. If toward him or away, he didn`t know.
Regulus did his best to supress his urges, so he put great effort into avoiding the Gryffindor. He could see him watching him sometimes, a fidgety hesitation in his gaze. Hesitation to do or say what, Regulus couldn´t tell.
„Running of something, Black?“
Startled by the sudden voice, he turned around abruptly.
There, floating on his broomstick, was James Potter. His black, dishevelled hair was even worse than normal as it was soaked of the rain that got worse every minute. His gold-rimmed glasses sat crooked on his nose what gave him a slightly crazy look in combination with the blinding James Potter signature grin on his face.
For Regulus, this grin only fuelled his anger even further.
„Piss of Potter! I can´t recall inviting you here!“, he snapped at him and gave his broom a new kick to get away of the unwanted intruder.
However, James Potter can´t take a fucking hint. Or even a direct rejection. Poor Lily Lily Evans could tell you a thing or two about that.
„Why, is there something on my face? You could just tell me Reggie, you know?“
„Yes! It is your face! And don’t call me that!“
He finally turned his broom toward the black haired boy, if only to glare at him.
„I just wanted to check in on you! I saw the headlines about last night and Remus is not talking to Sirius right now and-“
„I don’t want to hear anything Sirius have to say!“
His breathing turned uneven, Potters words stirred up memories of Sirius's betrayal that he really didn`t want to confront yet.
„Come on, you really should hear him out. You know how hot heated he can get-“
„Hot heated enough that he sends me to face a monster to get killed? Really, I can´t wait to forgive everything he did to me!“
It stirred up memories of Sirius's betrayal that he would rather forget. Potter´s audacity was unbelievable. How dare he to excuse Sirius destroying his life, even expecting him to forgive him.
No, if anything he would make him pay. Every single piece of pain his brother inflicted on him he would pay back. By all means necessary. Regulus didn´t know how yet but he knew he would find a way.
„Why do you need to be so stubborn? You could just sit down with him to talk and maybe-“
„Didn´t you hear him, Potter? He told you to leave him alone!“
There was a third voice. Barty Crouch jr. forcing himself in front of Regulus in a protective manner. His wand was already in his hand, vaguely pointed into the direction of James Potter.
All the cheerful attitude left his face at the confrontation with a third party. A deep shadow fell over his face as he took a step back to evaluate the new situation.
„Crouch! Are you his bodyguard or what?“, he growled back at the Slytherin. It was obvious that he wouldn`t back down of the challenge just yet.
There was a dangerous, threatening glint in Bartys eyes now. He was always an unstable person. Maybe his father messed something up in his head but whatever it was, it turned him into a force to reckon with.
„Listen to me closely Potter, I will only say it once! This is not a quidditch match! There is no referee here to protect your posh, pretty face! I know curses that can destroy you in ways you can´t even imagine in your big, glorious Gryffindor head. And I am yearning to have someone to try them out on. So, keep bothering Regulus and you will be that lucky one!“
Maybe Potter would have fought back if he was facing anyone else right now. But it was clearly written in Barty´s face that he was not joking in the slightest. He was capable of carrying out his threats just the way he delivered them.
And he would do it!
Potter came to the same conclusion. It was perhaps the only bright moment the boy ever had. His complete lack of awareness when someone really did not want his company was almost impressive. Or perhaps his head was big enough to believe that he had a right to bother everyone he wanted to.
Thinking of it, that was most likely.
„Alright, I leave you two to it!“
He grimaced a last time in their direction before finally retreating into the castle.
Regulus released a breath he didn´t know he was holding.
„Thank you!“, he muttered toward Barty with an appreciating nod.
Barty acknowledged him with a stern look on his face. Even if he put up a silly act often, he is not stupid. Quiet the opposite actualy.
„What was that about?“
And now that intelligence was to Regulus disadvantage. Damn Barty and his perception.
Quickly he cooled his face into a blank, neutral mask. He knew how to do that, he was raised to do it.
“Nothing. Potter was just an idiot!”, he shoved him of with an eyeroll.
Barty sighed exasperated. His stare bore into Regulus skull like an unspoken accusation of a lie, piercing through the fog of Regulus denial.
“Come on Reg, don´t try this shit with me. We noticed that something is going!”
He lowered his voice, turning slightly softer.
“You know you can talk to us, right? We are family!”
An unvoluntary shiver run down Regulus spine. He knows that. Barty´s and Evans loyalty meant the world to him. Regulus never came first before.
He came second to his parents, Sirius was the first-born son. He came second to Sirius, he chose James Potter over Regulus the day he met him for the first time.
So, Evan and Barty choosing him as priority, choosing to defend him against whoever dared to attack him, yes it was very special to Regulus Black.
But this? Regulus just couldn´t tell them what happened. He couldn´t tell them that his brother betrayed him worse then ever before. He couldn´t tell them that he sent Regulus down a path that was meant to kill him. He couldn´t tell them that he survived but at a cost that he tend to question if it wouldn´t have been better when he would have bled out right at the scene of the attack.
He couldn´t tell them that he was now a werewolf, that he was cursed to turn into a deadly killing machine every month for the rest of his life.
Evan was raised in an aristocratic, pureblood family similar to the Blacks. He may rebel against his family’s strict beliefs in the shadows but even he couldn´t ignore the threat werewolves posed to every human being.
How could he expect him to look past the fact that his best friend was no longer only human but a dangerous half breed? No, if they would know he would lose his best friends. They would turn their backs on him and rightfully so. A better person would tell them the truth for their own safety, but Regulus was not that better person. He would cling to their relationship like a lifeline as long as he could before he would inevitable loose them anyway.
“I know! Thank you!”
He flashed Barty a weak smile and before his friend can say anything else Regulus direct his broom down to the ground.
The way back to the castle was spent in silence. There was nothing more to say. Barty had said his piece and Regulus refused to talk.
Barty knew Regulus good enough to know that it would do nothing to push for more.
Reaching the entrance, he realized someone was leaning against the stone wall of the castle. The glowing moon light illuminated the silver lined scars on his body and his eyes almost seemed to glow yellow in the dark. But perhaps this was only Regulus imagination. He held a cigarette in his hand, dragging lazily at it in regular intervals. Regulus catch himself following the trace of his hand with every drag.
His heart made a flip in his stomach. He clenched his teeth together to not show any reaction to the urgent pull he felt on the inside now every time he was confronted with the sight of Remus Lupin.
The scarred boy saw them coming but didn´t move. He stayed exactly where he was, but his eyes followed every move Regulus did.
Regulus could feel sweat breaking out all over his body. The short walk suddenly felt like it took forever.
Finally, they made it. Regulus wanted to keep walking, wanted to ignore him just the way he did since everything went to shit.
But without his agreement his feet stopped a few short meters in front of the smoking boy.
“Lupin!”
“Black!”
They starred at each other. Neither of them was willing to back down, to be the first to break the eye contact. Quickly they were caught in a stalemate.
Lupin´s eyes were a mesmerizing sight on itself. Regulus really struggled to even characterize the colour. At first, they looked like they were very close to a hazelnut brown. The longer he looked at his eyes though, the more golden sprinkles he could make out.
In the dim light of the moon, they seemed to glow in a deep yellow. It should be impossible for Lupin to show this kind of wolfish traits in his human form but somehow, he made it work.
“Reg?”
Barty’s voice snapped him out of the trance like condition Remus Lupin´s eyes put him in and he finally tear his eyes away.
The bastard had the audacity to smirk so incredibly smug that Regulus wanted to lash out at him, tear his flesh of his face so he could never smile like that again.
“It´s ok. You can go to bed!”
Barty gave him a strange look but eventually nodded. On his way into the castle, he send a threatening glare in Lupins direction.
Left alone the silence drag on for a while longer. Eventually Lupin break first.
“Do you want one?”
He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, holding it out for him to take.
Regulus just stared back with a blank look on his face, not moving a limb.
Lupin sneered at him for his lack of reaction and pushed the drug back into his pocket.
“You could have just said ´no´, you know?”
“You want me to take a filthy muggle drug?”
“Oh right, I forgot that you are the posh, pureblood prince that is better than anyone else!”
Lupin raised his voice and look down at him with an expression of clear distaste.
He took a step closer toward Regulus until he is towering over the much smaller Slytherin. With a new, mocking sneer on his lips he put his hand on his face, forcing him to look up at him.
Regulus breath hitch at the sudden closeness, he can feel his heart hammering in his chest, but he refused to step away of the challenge.
“Except, you aren´t pureblood anymore! Isn´t that right, Black? Perhaps it is time to reconsider some of your behaviour. It is not very clever to lash out at the person that could be your only allie in your new life!”
He might be not as tall as Lupin but that doesn´t mean he would let this bastard boss him around.
Before he can react Regulus quickly kicked at his shin and push him away of him with as much power as he can.
Lupin get caught by surprise by the sudden attack and stumble backwards with a pained jolt.
Regulus can finally take a deep breath again, now that he got rid of the forced proximity.
Now it is his turn to laugh mockingly.
“You are the reason all of this happened to me! Don’t you dare to pull this act on me now!”
“It was Sirius that told you how to get to me that night, wasn´t he? It was his fault!”
Now that actually made Regulus pause. He had the same thoughts, of course. But Remus Lupin was a package deal with Sirius Black. One was barely seen without the other and hating one of them meant hating the other just as much.
Lupin judging Regulus brother for his actions was… quite uncommon to say the least.
“I am listening!”
Lupins breathing is going visibly faster now too. His eyes widened in an almost comical way, a fire dancing within Regulus never saw before in the boy.
“Sirius betrayed you! And he betrayed me too! I never wanted to hurt you, Regulus. I never wanted to hurt anyone to be clear. Sirius created this whole mess, and we are both suffering because of his thick head!”
Despise the fact that Regulus just kicked his shin he dared to step closer to once again.
“We need each other, Regulus! I know how it is to live as a werewolf! I know the way your emotions are running amok when the full moon gets closer. I know the way you suddenly can hear and smell thousand time better then anyone around you and I know that all of this is freaking you out because it is the same to me!”
Regulus was stunned to his core. He couldn`t move, couldn`t speak. Remus Lupin described his inner furor of the past weeks horribly accurate.
Lupin seemed to sense his thoughts, his face softening slightly.
“Let me help you, Regulus! I know how to cope with the struggles that come with being a wolf. I don’t say I can hex away all the suffering but don´t you think we should help each other out? This is bad enough as it is, let’s not make it worse by letting Sirius failure dividing us of each other!”
And that probably sold the deal. Lupin was right. It was Sirius fault. And perhaps he just didn´t have the strength anymore to resist the monster in his mind screaming at him to be close to Remus Lupin.
Wolves are pack animals. They can´t survive as a loner. They need the company of their peers like oxygen for breathing.
That night, in the light of the moon, Regulus Black found his pack!