This is a really different from what I usually do but I hope you guys love it as much as me.
Travelling with the Doctor had changed Clara's life forever. As it would anyone's really. She'd saved the lives of the people on earth, other alien species—as well as fighting and running from them. She'd seen other planets, universes, and experienced things you could never explain or write about because they are too wonderful and extraordinary.
She'd been in the Tardis, she was a time and space traveller, and it meant you could see things no one else ever could.
But just when Clara thought her life couldn't possibly get any better, that she couldn't have any more surprises or find anything out of the ordinary—not after so many years of travelling with the Doctor—one of their trips caused a chain of events that changed her perspective…and her life.
Clara had skipped into the Tardis as usual, with a grand idea of where she wanted to go. "Let's go back and visit Vastra and Jenny. It's been so long—and I do love the nineteenth century." She started putting the coordinates into the Tardis, but didn't expect the Doctor to return them back to neutral.
"No, Clara."
It was then that she noticed what was already on the screen…the Tardis scanners had picked up something odd inside her town. They weren't travelling through time and space today.
She pulled the screen closer to have a look at the DNA sample it had brought up. "What is it? It looks human…"
"Not quite." The Doctor murmured. "Look closer."
Clara obeyed, only then seeing what it was he wanted her to see. Mixed into the strands of the DNA was something else. Clara expected it to be some sort of alien—why else would the Tardis scan it and the Doctor look so serious about it? But it wasn't alien. At least, not quite.
"Werewolf?" she whispered, almost incredulous.
"Apparently so." The Doctor spun to the other side of the console, preparing to take off.
"But…is it actually a werewolf—like a real one?" Clara folded her arms, still staring at the screen. "Because you told me all these story books monsters generally aren't properly real. The myths and legends about them come from others things and get a different name…"
"I've come across a werewolf once before when I had a visit with Queen Victoria." The Doctor answered rather abruptly, waiting for her to grab onto the railing before he pushed the lever down and the Tardis went into flight.
"Queen Victoria was a werewolf?" Clara spluttered just a little.
"No—well possibly. Anyway, the point is werewolves—at least the one I encountered—are quite real and you don't want to get bitten by one." He put the brakes on once they landed, heading down the stairs with Clara on his heels. He paused before opening the door. "Although I am slightly confused as to how it got here…" he frowned at the thought, but before Clara could ask why that was he pulled the door and disappeared outside.
They had landed in a nearby park, quite close to where Clara taught at the school. "It's day time…so we won't actually find it in it's…wolf form." She pointed out, watching as he held his screwdriver to scan the area. He didn't reply so she continued. "And they only change at full moon so tennically it won't be dangerous again for a few weeks."
"Yes, Clara, you don't need to point out the obvious I'm not stupid."
Clara rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and watching him walk around mumbling to himself and checking the signals his screwdriver gave back to him. "My point is, *why* are we here?"
"It travelled through time." The screwdriver latched onto something and the Doctor walked off. Clara ran after him, her tiny legs now good at managing to keep up with his ridiculous stride.
"The werewolf time travelled?"
"Yes."
"How is that even possible?"
"Well, there are several explanations; one of them being that there's a time lord that has been bitten by a werewolf and subsequently turns into one every full moon. But I highly doubt that is the case."
"So you don't know." Clara glanced around, noticing how there were hardly any people even around despite it being after school hours. Normally the kids were mucking about playing football or something. Where was everyone?
"We're here to find out how." The Doctor replied, coming to a halt. Clara nearly smacked into him. She looked up, following his gaze.
There was a single man, the only one in the entire park, sitting on the ground underneath a tree. He'd fished out a piece of the local newspaper from the rubbish bin and was reading it.
"That's him?" Clara whispered. He looked…normal. Except a bit poor and raggedy—like a homeless person, really.
The Doctor double-checked his screwdriver before putting it in his pocket. "That's him."
They walked over, the Doctor reaching into his jacket and pulling out the psychic paper and holding it out. "Good afternoon, I'm the Doctor and this is my friend Clara."
The ragged man glanced up briefly and Clara started a bit when she noticed the scars running across his face. He stared at the psychic paper the Doctor was offering and frowned. "You're from the Ministry?"
"Yes." The Doctor answered simply. "From the Ministry. That's exactly us." He pulled his paper away, taking a brief glimpse and about to put it in his pocket when he too frowned and pulled it back to look properly. "Ministry…of Magic…."
Clara blinked, peering over his shoulder at it. What was the Ministry of Magic? She cast a sideways glance at the man who had stood up and was watching them carefully.
The Doctor shrugged it off, stuffing the psychic paper back in his jacket. "Yes. So. Where were we?"
"You're not from the Ministry….don't look the type, don't act like the type." He replied pointblank, giving them both a look that made Clara uncomfortable. "But you know about them…so who are you?" He reached inside his jacket with one hand, like he was going to pull a gun and Clara quickly exchanged a look with the Doctor.
"We're here to help you." The Doctor replied carefully, taking one step back.
"Help me?"
"Yes." The Doctor hesitated. "I know you're not from here—this time. I can help you get back."
The scarred man stared at them for a long moment, frozen. Then very slowly, he let his hand fall back to his side. "Then I suppose we should have a chat…so you can tell me how you know this, exactly." He paused, glancing around. "And explain to me where I am."
"Good." The Doctor forced a smile, "Clara knows a place—don't you Clara?" he gave her a nudge.
"Um, yes." Clara answered hastily, jerking her gaze away from the stranger. "Just this way."
They walked the very short distance to a café Clara often stopped at for coffee after work. They sat in a booth in the back, their gust looking rather uncomfortable and out of his depth. Clara wondered *where* he was from exactly. And she was trying not to stare at the scars on his face. She pushed the coffee filled mugs across the table to both men and sat down beside the Doctor.
"So, if I am correct you are from 1993?" the Doctor stirred his coffee with a spoon his produced also from his jacket, glancing up at their new 'friend'.
"Forgive me for not answering. But I would rather like to know who I'm talking to and how you know this before I answer any questions." He replied quietly, ignoring the steaming drink in front of him.
"It's rather complicated." The Doctor took a sip of his drink. "And most people do not handle the explanation well."
"I think I can handle it." He met the Doctor's gaze with a level expression.
"Alright." The Doctor pushed his cup aside. "I own a time machine that did it's usual surroundings check when I landed and it picked up an unusual signal coming from you."
Clara was watching their guest while the Doctor spoke, her coffee also untouched. She noticed something flicker in his eyes briefly at this. Unease.
"It said you're part werewolf." The Doctor shrugged like it was no big deal, taking his coffee to take another gulp. "And since I'm the protector of this planet I thought I'd come along and check you out. Especially seeing as you're supposed to be in 1993 and obviously…are not." He finished his coffee and turned to Clara. 'Are you going to finish yours?"
She shook her head, ignoring him when he took her cup and proceeded to down it instead.
The scarred man obviously had no idea how to take this. His eyes flickered back from Clara, then to the Doctor. "Why did the paper you showed me say you were from the Ministry?"
"It's psychic" The Doctor explained simply. He pushed his second empty coffee cup to the side. "So, Mr. Werewolf…what about yourself? How did you get here and what exactly is the Ministry of Magic? I've visited a lot of places and I can tell you I've never heard of such a thing…"
He sat quietly, his gaze darting past them to the other people in the café chatting quietly amongst themselves or on their cellphones before he gazed back at them both.
"My name is Remus…Remus Lupin." He replied finally. "And like you say, it's rather complicated."
