Interview With a Werewolf
Sunlight poured into the room from the large windows, but I was unnerved by the lateness in the day. I had meticulously checked the calendar, and come nightfall, there would be a full moon. I set up Audio and Video equipment, and my subject watched with a mild, puzzled look on his face. It was clear he had no idea what I was doing, or why.
He spoke. "Why tonight?"
I hadn't had any intention of answering his question, but there was something compelling in his voice.
"I want to see it happen; I want the world to know. They...I mean you, exist."
He seemed to ponder for a moment. "I see" he said. "But what makes you believe that they'll believe you?"
"Video doesn't lie. And if they don't believe it, it'll make a fucking great horror flick." I said with a bit more edge in my voice than I should have. "I'm sorry...Nervous, you know."
He sipped from a goblet filled with something that smelled and looked quite foul. "This should keep you reasonably safe. Wolfsbane Potion. Severus made it just today. I'll still turn into a wolf, but my mind will stay within my control."
I nodded, and kept at my work. The hour grew late, and I still had questions to ask.
Finally, I was ready. I turned on my equipment and hoped for the best. I should have stopped at that dingy pub for a stiff drink before I came here. Deep breath. Okay.
"Interview With a Werewolf. A documentary film, directed by Robyn Larsen." I spoke clearly into the microphone, "First question:"
"Remus Lupin. Funny coincidence that a werewolf should have a name such as that. Was it changed after you were bitten?" One question down, a hundred more to go. Deep sigh.
"No. Lupin is my family's true surname. My brother and I were named after the twins of legend. Romulus and Remus. My parents always had a fascination for wolves and werewolves. It was natural when they found out there were two of us to name us that."
"So there IS a Romulus Lupin?" I was surprised. My sources told me he wouldn't talk about him.
"WAS a Romulus Lupin." He corrected, gently. "He was killed by the same werewolf that bit me"
"I see." I wasn't prepared for that. "Are you willing to tell me how it happened?"
"Yes." He sipped from the goblet, and grimaced. From the taste, or the task at hand, I couldn't tell.
"You don't have to, really. I have other questions. I was just..." I trailed off.
"Surprised I volunteered the information?" He finished my sentence for me.
"Yeah" I said, lamely.
He sighed, and offered a small, sad smile. "I need to get this off my chest. I've never really talked about it to anyone, but Dumbledore."
At least he knows who my source was now, I thought. I remembered meeting the eccentric man known as Albus Dumbledore. How I got a feeling of being searched and sifted through, like looking for treasure in the sand. He exuded a feeling of raw power, which was unexpected for a man so elderly. His last words to me echoed suddenly through my head, like an explosion.
"You will not harm this man. In turn, he will not harm you." I gave my head a shake and turned my attention back to the present. Lupin had begun to speak again.
"Mum and Dad were on an expedition. Our nanny had recently quit, but they had heard there was a werewolf in the area. They couldn't resist the call. Studying wolves was their life's great passion. Rom and I were little, and in the back of the carriage that they used to chase the wolves with. They spotted the wolf, and gave chase. They lost him. They knew he was still in the area, but the woods were too dense for the horses and the carriage. They drew their wands and began searching the forest for it. I think they forgot about us." He sipped again.
"They forgot about their own children?" I was incredulous. "What kind of parents would do that?"
"It was the heat of the moment, I'm sure" he said. "May I continue? It's getting late."
All I could do was nod.
"Rom was really clever. He was able to climb up on something and undo the latch on the door of the carriage. He tumbled out of the open door and I, of course, followed him. We basically stayed by the carriage, hiding from each other. Ducking behind trees, boulders, having a good time. Rom got really quiet. I just figured he was still playing. I heard scuffling sounds in the leaves that had fallen. I called out to him. I looked for him. I found him. He was..."
"Dead?" I said softly.
"Ripped apart." He murmured. His eyes misted over.
"We can take a break. Do you need one?" I sure could have used one.
"No. Better if I finish it fast. Do you mind?"
"Not at all" I said. "Go on, then."
"I started screaming. I heard my Mum scream for my Dad. They came running. The wolf was too fast for them. He pounced on me from behind. I kicked, and flailed. He bit. Got me on the ankle."
I interrupted, unable to help myself. "Can I see it?" I blurted.
He pulled up his pants leg, and lowered his sock, revealing a fragmented white ring of scar.
"Holy Shit." It was all I could manage at the moment.
He flashed that fleeting, sad smile again. "Ugly isn't it?"
"Ugly." I agreed.
He picked up the narrative as if he had never been interrupted. "Dad always kept a Muggle weapon on him, a gun I believe it was called. It was loaded with...um..."
"Silver Bullets" I said. "Only thing that's supposed to kill a werewolf."
"Yeah. That's it. I notice you're carrying one too. You're not going to shoot me are you?" He sounded sad more than anything.
"No. I might have, before. But I can't do it, I can't." I was nearly in tears.
He reached across the space between us and squeezed my hands. "I understand."
I looked outside. The sun was low in the sky, starting to give the rosy tinge of a beautiful sunset.
He caught my glance. "Almost done. Just a few more minutes."
"Dad shot the wolf; he emptied the gun into him. The werewolf became human again. He turned out to be the crazy old man who used to hang out in front of the pub, drunk all the time. Mum held me in her arms and wailed. Her heart was broken. One son dead, one son doomed. I guess that's my story. Any other questions?"
I had a ton of questions prepared, but damn it if I could even remember one of them.
"No. No more questions." I stood up. The sky was positively red by now; I knew the time was drawing near. I looked at this shabby, brave man, who I now admired beyond belief. I took 2 great steps and wrapped my arms around his neck and embraced him, tightly.
He was surprised at this sudden affection, but he relaxed and returned the embrace. Gently, tenderly.
Aw, hell. I thought. I can't do this.
I started going around turning off my equipment. Taking down my camera, tripod. Turning off my audio equipment. My lighting.
"What in the name of Merlin are you doing?!" It was the first time I heard him have a note of anything other than politeness, or sadness in his voice. "I thought..."
"I've got my story" I said. "There's no need for me to exploit you like this. It would be cruel. I just can't do it to you. I'm just going to show it as is, and hope the people believe. Frankly, I just don't care anymore if they think I'm a blithering idiot."
He got a look of panic in his eyes. It was getting dark. The moon was on the rise. I watched him, frozen in place. I felt my bladder let loose. He began to growl. His features lengthened and became wolfish. He sprouted hair all over, and burst out of his clothes.
"Get...Out...Of...Here..." I heard distinctly, through his clenched and extending teeth.
I ran, and behind me came the howl of the werewolf.
The next morning, I went to the house, to collect my equipment that I hoped was still viable. It was all where I left it. There was a scroll of parchment on the table:
Dear Friend,
Thank you for helping me tell my tale. It was a long time coming. I'm sorry you had to see me last night. You were frightened, I know.
Yours,
Remus J. Lupin
With the letter, I noticed there was my video tape.
Odd. I thought
I shrugged, gathered up my things and went back to the office. Stranger things had happened to me.
I watched the interview, wondering if it would all be a big waste of time. At the end of it, as I was getting ready to turn it off, something came on the screen. At first, it was just a blank wall; I heard a series of growls, and the clicking of long fingernails on plastic.
"Muggle...stuff...don't...understand...." Words within those growls, I heard.
A looming shadow touched the wall, a human shape, but different. Then, he moved into the viewfinder of the camera. He looked straight into the lens with eyes glowing green. He let out a howl, turning his nose skyward as he did. Then, he disappeared from the view of the camera. It went blank again. A moments' darkness, and another image appeared. The blank wall, this time, with a chair.
Remus Lupin himself, nude, but swathed in a blanket appeared in the viewfinder. The palest hints of daylight touched the room. He sat in the chair, clearly exhausted.
"I hope I'm doing this right. Muggle stuff" He said with a rueful laugh. "I wanted to make sure you got your footage. I wanted to thank you again, so much, for letting me tell my story. I wish Mum and Dad were here to see it."
He stood, walked to the camera, and the screen went blank. For good this time.
Fin