Shoes crunching up the gravel drive Anastasia makes her way up the path to the Lupin family home. Mr Lupin had called her last minute to come babysit their young son Remus, something about problems at the Ministry she hadn't really been sure. Nonetheless here she was, dressed in a light hoodie, a comfortable t-shirt, and jeans a backpack of board games and puzzles tossed over her back. Tossing her onyx hair over her shoulder she waits for them to answer the door, the late evening light glaring on the windows of the foyer.
"Oh thank goodness Ana, you came." A rather distraught Mrs. Lupin answers the door, she was half dressed in business cloaks her husband rushing up behind her hands on the tie he was trying to knot.
"I told you she would love, Remus loves her. Remus, guess who's here to watch you while we go out!" A small gasp from the den followed by the small patter of feet sends a small golden haired child running past his parents and into the young witches arms, squeals of excitement erupting as she catches him.
"You know the rules don't you Ana; no going out after dark, never leave Rem alone especially if the doors aren't locked, the wards are up tonight so no one is to come over, and please keep him safe." Hope looks down at the fourteen year old witch with the look of a pleading mother. She wasn't asking for those rules to be followed, she was begging.
"Of course Mrs. Lupin, you know I would never do anything to put Remus in danger. He is like my own I would never let anything happen to him." The mother gives a soft smile and hugs the young girl, her husband cursing at the mess around his neck.
Hope turns to her husband swatting his hands away from the mess he made of his tie so that she can fix it with expert speed. Within ten minutes the Lupins were in the chimney and gone in a flash of green flame. Giving the little boy in her arms a sly smile she sits him down and takes her backpack off. Puzzles and games scattered across the living room rug a five year old Remus sorts through the games they had played thousands of times, a serious look on his face.
The large grandfather clock in the hall strikes six o'clock catching their attention, sharing a look Anastasia stands up and reaches down for the little ones hand. Walking into the kitchen she goes to the fridge, taking her wand out of her pocket sitting it down on the kitchen counter. Searching through the fridge she lists off a few things that she could make, all turned down by the giggling five year old.
"Fine, squirt, what do you want?" She giggles turning to face him as she leans back against the fridge.
"Hmmmm…" Remus slides off his bar stool and walks over to the cupboard looking in it with a serious expression. "Mac and Cheese" he leans into the cupboard and pulls out a box of shells and cheese a large grin on his face.
Erupting into laughter Ana picks him up sitting him back on his stool and getting things ready for cooking. Standing over at the stove and waiting for the water to boil she lets her gaze wander to the moon lit backyard. Someone moves on the edge of the yard catching her attention, making her lean in closer to the window. A large man clad in black robes stands between the apple tree and Remus' tree house, the sun almost to setting behind him.
Seeing that she had noticed him the man smiles wide turning his already wolfish features even more animalistic. Heart pounding in her throat she backs away from the door taking Remus' hand she brings him and his stool over to the stove so that he was closer. The man couldn't get in the house without setting off the wards and notifying the Lupins, that small thought the only safety net that she could think of. Thinking quickly Ana grabs her wand and closes all of the blinds, coming back to the stove with a confused looking Remus.
"After dinner can we go play?" Those innocent green eyes look up into her own darker ones, begging as much as he can.
"How about we go play in the front yard ok?" She stirs the mac and cheese together and scoops some into a bowl before pushing him and his stool back over to the island.
"But I want to show you my fort!" He pouts giving Ana a grouchy look before taking a bite of mac and cheese.
"If we play in the front yard we can stay out longer." She lies hoping he won't think about it too much.
"OK!" He smiles happily and continues to eat his food, talking occasionally.
Ana moves to the sink rinsing out the pot she had used and peeking through the blinds again, the man was gone. He was probably just a drunk camper. After Remus finished eating she puts a light jacket on him followed quickly by his shoes as they run through the front door into the late autumn breeze. Wand tucked safely in her back pocket Anastasia chases after the squealing five year old, playing tag and bouncing in the piles of leaves. Until the sun's light turns a bright amber, signaling the setting of the sun.
Stopping in the middle of chasing Remus, Anastasia goes rigid her blood going cold. Something wasn't right. Running over to scoop the little boy into her arms she looks around trying to figure it out. A soft tugging pulled at her core, pulling her back to the house. The wards.
Blood wards when broken alert the casters, or in this case temporary one, by pulling at their blood drawing them back to the object it was protecting. Terror gripping her stomach she rushes him back in the house and up the stairs. Checking his bedroom first she sits him on his bed listening to the sounds of the house for any inclination that someone was in there.
"Ok, Rem, we are going to play hide and seek. You have to stay in here to hide though. I am going to go in the kitchen and count to 100. Until you hear me yell 'Ready or Not' don't unlock the bedroom door ok? Don't want me cheating." Giggling Remus nods and ushers her out of the room, locking the bedroom door behind her.
Taking a long steadying breath she makes her way down the stairs into the darkening house, her wand gripped in bone white hands. Rounding the corner she makes her way into the kitchen to find that the door had been knocked off of its hinges, heavy footsteps pound their way up the stairs. Letting out a small gasp of horror Ana turns on her heel her long black hair swirling around her as she runs for Remus. Reaching the stairs she stops dead in her tracks.
The man from the yard stands on the landing halfway up the stairs, that wolfish grin turned to her. Before she can do anything a blast of magic knocks her to the ground making her cry out in pain. Walking back down the few steps to her he puts his large dirty boot on her throat pinning her to the ground. Reaching down he grabs her wrist and rips her wand from her grasp and snaps it in half like a twig.
"Why 'ello there lil miss." His voice comes out as a harsh snarl, almost as though it was hardly used.
Gasping and struggling to get up Anastasia pushes on the large man's leg trying her hardest to get away from him. He pushes down harder on her throat crushing it as golden sunlight shines in through the front of the house catching in his graying hair. Smiling wider, Fenrir Greyback crouches down by his prey and replaces his boot with a dirty hand. Fingers tightening around that young pale throat he leans in and takes a deep breath, smelling her.
"I 'ave 'alf an hour till the moon comes out, an hour before the Lupins get 'ome and see the mess I've made, I guess I could enjoy the snack they left me right Deary?" He continues to choke her, her small nails digging into the rough skin of his hand as she gasps for air.
"P-ple-ea-ease" Tears form in her forest green eyes as she tries desperately to breath. Would the Lupins just think that she had a friend come over, would they not know what happened?
Seeing stars and blood pounding in her ears Anastasia's kicking and struggling gets weaker as her body fights for consciousness. A rough hand slides under her jacket and shirt scratching along the soft ivory skin. Dirty nails dig into the sensitive flesh drawing ruby beads of blood into the scratches left behind. A loud scream sounds over the blood in her ears causing her eyes to wander lazily up to the banister, where a small Remus stands looking absolutely terrified. Letting out an inhuman growl Greyback stands and rushes up the stairs after the small boy.
Choking and coughing, Ana rolls over on the ground gasping for air. Pushing herself weakly to her feet she hears banging and screaming from upstairs. Grabbing the banister for support she drags herself up the stairs to find Fenrir slamming his body into the master bedroom door snarling and growling profanities. Remus was inside, the screaming had stopped.
Snarling Fenrir turns his attention to the weak girl clinging to the banister. Slamming his body into hers he shoves her back to the floor those dirty nails digging into her throat. Body tensing over hers he jerks away rolling on the floor as his bones begin to snap and elongate. Crawling away in the floor her hand comes up to her bleeding throat.
Panting and snapping at seemingly nothing Fenrir forms into a werewolf. Letting out a loud ear splitting howl the wolf snaps his head back to Anastasia. Snarling, he pads over to the trembling girl bringing his drooling maw up to her bleeding neck. Nose curling up into a wolfy grin Greyback lunges his fangs attempting to wrap around her throat and rip at the flesh there.
Forest green eyes wide, Anastasia's scream is cut off as her arms come up to protect her. His fangs sink into her arm causing the bone to splinter and snap her blood splashing into his mouth. Claws dig into her blood covered stomach ripping at the flesh there hitting a few of her organs. Growling in anger the wolf jerks his head away and licks his bloody maw getting ready to once again lunge at her throat.
A loud yet distant scream reaches the dying girl as little Remus stands shimmering and blurry in the bedroom doorway. A terrifying snarl rocks the little boy making him cringe back from the monster. Lunging for the child Fenrir's teeth clench onto the boy's shoulder. Crying out Anastasia reaches weakly for Remus, casting the only spell she could think of at the monster attacking him.
Howling in pain, the wolf jerks away dropping the crying child on the floor. Singed fur smokes as he turns his attention back to the girl. Again he lunges at Anastasia his sharp bone ripping fangs latching themselves into her skin once more. Tearing at her arm he jerks her forearm shaking his head violently as he rips her arm out of socket. Viciously the wolf continues to shake and tear at her arm ripping the flesh even more.
"Anastasia! Remus! No!" A man's voice splits through the pain in her body, a cold settling over her.
Warm hands are holding her now, pulling on her, trying to wake her up. Weakly those green eyes flutter open to look up into blue ones. I want to sleep. Those hands belonging to the blue eyed man continues to pull on her lifting her into a warm embrace. I'm too cold.
Her world fades to a sleepless pit of pain and torment.
