Note: Role Reversal!
There was something about Narcissa, and Remus had to know.
She was secretive, moving through the corridors of Hogwarts like a wave urged by a gentle wave.
Remus knew that he couldn't be caught staring at the Gryffindor; he was a Slytherin, a member of an elite family that wouldn't associate with Narcissa's kind. She was a half-blood and therefore impure to him.
Yet he didn't see that. He saw the poise and grace she possessed, the way she laughed with her friends who were unruly and pranked other students. He saw the intelligence she brought in class in a way that no other pureblood he knew could.
Though that wasn't what irked Remus. It was the way she looked over her shoulder when she thought no one was looking. It was the way she would scratch her slender arms, holding the sleeves down to conceal whatever was underneath. It was the way she disappeared around certain days of the months.
It didn't hit Remus until he noted her disappearance around the full moon the last time. If anyone knew about his curiosity and fascination with the half-blood, it would be his end. But he couldn't stop until he had complete clarity about the enigmatic Gryffindor.
So he set out one night behind her as she started her trek to disappear off the grounds. It took a good sack of galleons to bribe someone to follow her and gather her patterns for this; it was going to be worth it.
He nearly stopped when it dawned on him that they were entering the Forbidden Forest, but he couldn't stop there. He had to know.
Remus continued following her, only to grip one of the trees when he heard the most vicious cry echo in the woods. He withdrew his wand, preparing himself for anything as he carefully moved into the eerie area. There was no sign of Narcissa or the reason for the scream, and that both relieved and terrified the wizard.
A growl erupted in the area close to him, and Remus froze to his spot. Whatever was there was through the bushes. It could have Narcissa, it could have something else, and Remus was only equipped with so many spells to use.
He moved a few of the branches, hoping to catch a clue of what was there. That's when he saw it.
The fur was an ash grey lined in blondish streaks. It was thick, covering the body of the creature. Its ears were perked up, its claws digging into the ground. Remus' breath hitched as he met the eyes of the creature. They were bright, golden...a unique color of sorts that made it so enchanting that he didn't want to look away. He was staring into the eyes of a werewolf. In that moment, the information spun into the only logical conclusion he could make given the reason he was there.
The werewolf was Narcissa. Narcissa Lupin was a werewolf. And she'd just eaten something immediately after turning.
The blood dripped from the teeth baring at Remus, the low growl coming from the creature. It was directed towards him.
Panic sent jolts to Remus' body, but he didn't run away. Not even when his mind told him that he should. Remus kept his gaze steady with the werewolf's, and he flexed his fingers nervously. He didn't know what was going to happen next.
The werewolf licked her lips, beginning to walk in the other direction away from Remus. She had given him a nod, and Remus knew that there was no way that it could be an illusion.
As she moved through the trees and out of Remus' sight, the breath he didn't realize he had been holding was released. This was something that Remus should tell someone else; something that the professors had to be aware of. Surely she could harm someone on the grounds!
Though, despite his upbringing, Remus knew deep down that turning Narcissa in would bring more harm than good. They'd try containing or killing her; and as much as Remus would like to not be bitten, keeping Narcissa in captivity would make her angrier and deadlier. Killing her would leave a permanent stamp on his soul that Remus couldn't bear.
The wizard took a deep breath and looked up at the stars in the sky. Their shine wasn't as bright as the moon, but the twinkle reminded him of Narcissa's eyes when she first changed...as if her wolf form coming out made her feel alive.
A feeling that Remus craved that was just beyond his reach.
With a head shake, Remus started to leave the wooded area of the Forbidden Forest. He knew being out there longer than necessary was dangerous, and his friends would be looking for him soon.
There was something about Narcissa, and now Remus knew what it was.
But now he didn't know what to do with it.
Word Count: 821