The London Werewolf Trials

Rating: K+

Description: When Muggle tramp Fenrir Greyback is interrogated for the deaths of two Muggle children, it is the one trial that changes the Lupin family forever.

Extra Description: Can be read alone, but is also a prologue of my upcoming story, which will be published, the latest, on May 24th. Currently untitled.

Warnings: Has a teeny bit of violence and a a little language toward the end.

Disclaimer: Rowling's, what, thirty-six years older than me?

"Fenrir Greyback, you are brought here for an interrogation regarding the deaths of two Muggle children. On September 8th of the current year, two Muggle children were found dead. There was evidence of scratches, reminiscent of werewolf claws. After scouting the area, what looked like a werewolf pack was found. You, Greyback, were in it, and you, the only remaining, were arrested and brought here to be questioned. Do you want to defend yourself?"

The questioned was a filthy, slouching man with an unkempt appearance, who also was bound in a chained chair in the middle of the room. His eyes were wild and wide in astonishment and curiosity, taking in the surroundings and the audience's choice of attire. A spectator would say he looked like an innocent Muggle tramp just caught in the midst of a murder scene. The almost unnoticeable glint in his eyes proved otherwise.

Greyback's voice trembled as he focused his attention back to the front. "I dunno none about it, wizards. I have no idea what 'reminsening' means. The 'pack' you talk about-those are my friends. We're what people call tramps, but I don't get what a Muggle tramp is. Whatever you say, I got nothin' to do with the poor, poor children."

He continued, "I'm orphaned-my mum's ran over and my dad's died felling a tree. I don't want to get stuck in an orphanage-I'd die way before I got to my peak in life-so I ran, and met the same mates I'd got now. I-I got to get back to my mates. Garry Helwit, Larry and Carlus Tresbark, Terrell Carrow, you might know them. Or not, it's the same thing." He shrugged, and wouldn't have said any more, having dropped his jaw at how a witch's hair had turned colours. "Dear Lord, did her hair just turn blueish? I swear, it seemed brown just now!"

A member from the questioning committee called, "Gertrude Varance is indeed a Metamorphmagus. Surely they taught you in school? Or were you homeschooled?"

"Ooh, nice word, Mitamorfu-whatsit. Is it what the lady's hair was doing?" The accused's eyes was filled with excitement. "Can you wizards really do magic? It'll be mighty cool to witness it. Gary might think it's fantastic!" He frowned, contemplating. "He will, right?"

One of the spectators leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. With light brown hair flecked with early streaks of grey, the man was Lyall Lupin, world-wide famous expert on Non-Spirituous Apparitions. He inspected Greyback's form carefully, noting the long and yellowing fingernails and filthiness. He had a lunarscope that, when he had observed yesterday's waxing moon, had said: 1 DAY UNTIL FULL MOON. This meant that tonight, werewolves would transform. That, and Lupin had gotten the best grades and an Oustanding in Defense Against the Dark Arts. His suspicions were only confirmed when slightly yellow eyes, thinning hair, and the hint of prematuring age were witnessed by his own perfect-vision eyes.

"Thank you for your testimony. The questioning committee will now discuss the facts." The Head of the committee stood up, the rest of them following suite. One by one, they filed silently into a room with many Silencing Charms cast on it.

Lupin cast another suspicious glance and hurried toward the door. He knocked on the door and stepped back, and was greeted a minute later with curious eyes.

"Do you have any opinions or testimony you wish to show?" A wizard with a scruffy, coffee-brown beard said politely.

"Yes, I do." He closed the door quietly behind him, then turned to face the committee. "I think that the accused is a werewolf. If you could detain Greyback until tonight's full moon, there could be a chance that he is one."

Gertrude Varance raised her eyebrows. "And is there evidence of that? He does seem like a regular Muggle tramp. We have already decided to remove his memories of this trial and of wizards after the meeting is discoursed."

"The Werewolf Registry has been kept very loose for the past ten years," Lupin said hotly, "During this time, it's possible that the werewolf population has grown in numbers, and it is only fitting that they try to mask their true identities. A tramp could very well be one in disguise."

There was a silence, and the wizards and witches burst out in incredulous laughter. Chatter was heard about how the poor Muggle man was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that surely Lupin had been Confunded.

"I still stand by my previous suggestion." Lupin's voice was rapidly rising, and he could sense unease and terseness in the group. "This is an age of Dark creatures, and I cannot believe you are doing nothing against it!"

"Please remove yourself from the premises, Mr. Lupin," the Head said quietly and calmly. "If you are incapable, I will call Aurors to escort you-"

Lupin put one foot out of the door, and shouted, "Werewolves are dark, untameable creatures that will one day kill all your children in your sleep! They are soulless, evil, deserving nothing but death! Do you want to take the risk and unleash Greyback from the Ministry without any precaution at all?"

"Aurors!" Immediately, two burly Aurors appeared at Lupin's both sides and grabbed both his arms, while he continued to rant. "Meeting adjourned." As Lupin was dragged away, his blazing eyes followed the path of the Head, who was apologising to Greyback.

"...I am extremely sorry for the chaos and taking time away. I will now erase your memory of this, and magic. Yes, I'm sorry, but it's against the wizarding rules. Richner, erase his memory of the questioning and everything else from ten o'clock this morning."

The indicated Auror raised his wand. "Obli-"

The air was suddenly ripped apart with an alarm's shriek. The Head, Richner, Lupin, and his two Auror escorts jumped, looking toward the far end of the hallway, where a cluster of what looked like hobos rushed forward, each wielding a wand. Greyback took this oppurtunity to slip his own wand out of his Muggle coat and blasted a hole in the floor with a powerful Reductor Curse, sending all nearby people flying in several directions.

Lupin himself was thrown against the wall and wrenched from the two Aurors' grasps. He struggled to stand, coughing dust out of his throat and blinking rapidly in the dusty air. Straining to see through the wreckage of tiles, he could just make out Greyback run toward the invaders, who were greeting him with slaps on the back. It was with this sight that fueled Lupin's hatred for werewolves even more. Coward, he thought fiercely. Coward and a liar. He is a werewolf after all.

Greyback's group began running toward the stairs to the lifts, but Greyback apparently told them to wait. He stood in front of the pile of tiled flooring, scanning the faces of his victims. Locking eyes with Lupin, he grinned wickedly and raised a hand in salute. He shouted something that made Lupin's red face turn white, and sprinted after his werewolf pack.

Fenrir Greyback's parting words were ones Lyall Lupin would never forget.

"I know how you insulted us, and I'll have my revenge."