Call of the Wild
Chapter 1
A resounding crash sounded from behind John Lupin. Acting purely on instinct, he whipped around and yanked his wand out from beneath his robes, casting suspicious glances around the tiny courtyard he just entered. The portal to Diagon Alley had been blasted open and he found himself standing face to face with the most infamous werewolf in the wizarding world.
"I've told you already, you floppy-wanded dementor booger," he yelled so as to keep the fear out of his voice, "Hell will freeze over before I join your band of lunatics!"
Fernir Greyback stared back with an enraged, almost insane, glint in his eye. He lunged at Lupin suddenly, growling like the vicious creature he became each month, but crashed mightily into the shield charm that Lupin immediately cast.
"Is that your final decision?" Greyback hissed, "Make sure it's the right one, I feel like sinking my fangs into tender flesh tonight. If you haven't noticed, it's full moon and I heard you've got cubs."
Lupin paled visibly as Greyback strode off past into the Leaky Cauldron and back into the crowded London streets.
* * * * *
Wind whipped through the trees as Remus Lupin bid his friends goodbye and strolled along the path back to his own home, whistling happily. It was a wonderful evening, the moon was full and it was as bright as day.
Remus decided to take a detour through a pathway that wound through the woods, smiling to himself and appreciating the way the moonlight illuminated shadows and cast a magical glow upon everything it fell on. "I'm going to Hogwarts in a month!" he thought excitedly and wondered if the forest there would be as magnificent as this one. He would probably not be allowed to wander around it at night though. He'll sneak out, he decided with a grin. Remus had gotten his letter just a few days ago and was anticipating the day which he could finally go to the most famous wizarding school ever.
As his mind wandered over all he had ever heard about Hogwarts, a howl interrupted his chain of thoughts. He had never heard anything like it before but he had never been out this late before either. It was repeated close behind him and he began to get frightened. Remus turned around slowly and saw a dark creature pacing in the shadows. The full moon shone upon it and with a gasp of horror he realised what it was. He began to run, as fast as his legs could carry him, faster than he ever done before. He did not dare to look back and felt the werewolf chasing him. He reached the edge of the woods before it caught up with Remus and snatched him up viciously.
John Lupin sprinted out the house, in too much of a hurry to even close the door behind him. He had to reach his only son before Remus set off from his friend's house. What had ever possessed him to allow him out so late at night, especially on a full moon? He raced past the outskirts of the village, ignoring the many stares from his fellow villagers. As he neared the edge of the woods, he stared in horror at the small figure huddled up on the ground.
* * * * *
The doors of St. Mungo's slammed shut. A light drizzle was falling from bleak, iron-coloured clouds. It was all too fitting. Outside a small private ward, John Lupin groaned and buried his head in his hands. The ward door creaked open and John looked up hopefully.
"I'm sorry," the Healer said with a shake of her head, 'but you do know that there's no known cure for a werewolf's bite, don't you?"
Lupin stood up.
"I want to see him. Now."
"But, sir. No one is allowed to…" the Healer said, trailing off as Lupin pushed past her.
* * * * *
Remus felt a sense of impending doom. It crept forward on silent paws, foreshadowing the dazzling light of full moon. It was dusk and he was imprisoned in the "safehouse", shivering and awaiting his first ever transformation.
