Disclaimer: I do not own because my name is not Jo Rowling. Shucks.
Marauder's Era:
AN: A prompt given to me by my lovely: The thoughts the big bad wolf has during Red Riding Hood when he meets her in the woods and or when he meets her at Gran's.
As you can see I completely deviated from this prompt to the point where it might as well not have been there xD I took the idea of the big bad wolf however and applied it to HP in hopes that something fun would come out of it. And it did. I may work on a different one with the /actual/ prompt. But for now, here's this! And thank you to my lovely for inspiring me.
The Big Bad Wolf:
James slipped out of the castle after Snape. It was wrong of Sirius to tell Snape about the Shrieking Shack; James only hoped he could reach Snape in time. He may have hated Snivellus but he didn't deserve to come across a changed werewolf either.
"Potter!" A feminine voice hissed from the edges of darkness.
"Evans, as much as I love our conversations I really don't have time to talk to you right now."
"Where is Severus going? What are you doing out here?" Lily started following him.
"Lily, please just go back to the castle. You can yell at me all you like tomorrow."
"Potter!" Lily hissed again as she caught up to his long strides. "Just tell me what you're doing to Severus."
"Trying to save his life. Now please Lily go back." The desperation in his voice must have hit a cord in Lily because she stopped walking.
"Fine."
"Thank you."
James hurried off before any more could be said. James caught up to Snape in the tunnel.
"Snivellus, er, Snape, don't go in there." James pleaded.
Snape whipped around and scoffed. "Like I'd listen to you Potter."
"Snape seriously, don't be an idiot." a loud howl echoed through the tunnel.
"What was that?" Snape asked.
"Snape, please." James begged.
It was too late, they were in the shack.
"Go back Snape!" James ordered.
Snape glimpsed the wolf before James could stop him. "Werewolf." Snape gasped.
James didn't know what else to do, "Stupefy!" he shouted an Snape fell to the floor stunned. "Locomotor." Snape rose off the ground and hovered.
James raced out of the shack, through the tunnel, floating Snape along. He ran into the castle and to the dungeon, leaving a stunned Snape in front of the portrait of Slytherin's common room. James flew up the stairs to Gryffindor tower where Sirius was sitting in an armchair by the fire and Pettigrew was looking anxiously out the window.
"I can't believe you went after him." Sirius said haughtily.
"Should I have let him die?" James asked back, his tone tinged with annoyance.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Well, guess we'll go to bed."
"Did Lily come back?" James asked.
Sirius shrugged. "Didn't see her."
James had an uneasy feeling but he shrugged it off, she certainly would come back. She'd have no reason to go to the Shrieking Shack, she was too much of a goody-goody for that. "Yea, let's go to bed." he said and followed Sirius upstairs.
~ Meanwhile ~
Lily watched Severus being dragged off by that toe-rag Potter. Rather than follow them she set her sights back at the Whomping Willow. She levitated a twig and found the knot she'd seen Severus push earlier, the tree became immobile and Lily snuck into the alcove. The long winding tunnel had her anxious enough but then she heard a horrific howling coming from the doorway ahead.
"Could that be-" she said this out loud and the howling ceased. Oh no, it's heard me.
Lily had begun to back out of the shack when she saw the creature. It was a werewolf all right. Tall but hunched, its legs long and sinuous. Lily noticed that it was more forlorn than terrifying. The wolf looked up and saw her. She gasped slightly and started backing up.
"I'm sorry. I'm leaving." she said stuttered, trying to get out the door without taking her eyes off it.
The wolf roared and lashed out. Lily screamed but the wolf snapped the writing desk and a piece of the broken desk speared Lily through the stomach. Lily barely felt the deep wound but she knew she was bleeding heavily. Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor; her body in shock. She saw in the corner a Gryffindor uniform; as her mind struggled to remain conscious the pieces of the night started fitting together. Sirius had told Snape there was something cool in the Shrieking Shack (which had obviously been a trick), James's involvement and the Gryffindor uniform, in addition to Lupin's poor attendance could only mean one thing.
"Lupin…" she whispered as her brain registered the information.
Lupin stopped, hesitant as Lily said his name. The humanity burrowed deep within him paused. Lily Evans. It said, staring hard at the girl bleeding on the floor. Lily Evans, his classmate. She was sweet, funny, bright, and above all kind. Lupin remembered these facts as the beast struggled to dominate. Kill. It urged. But Lupin fought.
"Kill." The voice came out a harsh growl.
Lily didn't have much strength but she took a shuddering breath, "It's not your fault Lupin." she whispered, fading quickly. "I… don't… blame… you." Each word made her more weak.
Lupin howled but it was weak and confused. His human nature knew that he had to get Lily to the infirmary, but the beast still wanted to kill. He fought as he leaned beside her to stay in control. He reached out his beastly hand and stroked her hair back from her face. Did she always look so fragile?
Lupin the human made a decision; he lifted Lily awkwardly in his scrunched up beast arms, walking carefully through the shack and out the tunnel. The beast roared for the kill but his heart was clear. He could not harm Lily. Through the tunnel and into the open air - the senses of the night time seemed to enhance the wolf's need to kill and Lupin could feel himself losing what little margin of control he had gained.
He set Lily on the steps of the castle, not daring to go farther.
"I'll howl. Someone will hear and find you. You'll be okay Lily. Hold on." he knew the barks and growls were terrifying and not soothing but he didn't know what else to say.
He stroked her hair in what he hoped was a calming gesture, but she was likely already passed out as she made no move to flinch or respond in any way.
The wolf battled and Lupin knew he'd have to leave her here and pray she'd be okay. He howled once more, looking with pain at her unconscious for before he saw someone approaching.
"Mooney, what's wron - Lily!" James ran to her side, feeling her pulse. "Mooney what?" But Lupin had already taken off into the night.
James picked Lily up, cradling her gently as he fled to the infirmary.
"Madame Pomfrey! Help!" James called, not caring that it was after hours and he was out of bed. He could lose every house point Gryffindor had, get Saturday detention for a year, it didn't matter as long as Lily would be okay.
"What's the matter dear?" Madame Pomfrey bustled into the room, looking annoyed.
She gasped at the blood pouring from Lily's body. "Oh dear! Bring her in! Set her there! What happened?" She asked pulling bits of wood out as she spoke.
"I don't know." James answered honestly.
"I'll be able to fix her in a flash. Lucky she got here in time. You better go back to bed Potter, it's after hours."
"I'd like to stay with her, if that's alright Madame. Please?"
Madame Pomfrey looked serious for a moment but with a sigh rolled her eyes. "Fine. But stay quiet and out of the way."
James nodded and sat down.
Lily stirred many hours later, long after breakfast and James hadn't moved from the spot beside her bed.
"Evans? You okay?" he asked immediately as she opened her eyes.
"What happened?" She asked dazedly.
"I wish I knew." he said with a sigh.
Lily still looked weak. "I… I was stupid not to listen to you James." it killed her to apologize to him. "I'm sorry."
James smiled, attempting his usual cocky smirk but he was too weak and relieved to give the full effect. "I did try to warn you. But I'm glad you can see that I was right."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Go away."
The door to the infirmary opened and a very haggard looking Lupin came in. "Evans." he ran to her side.
"Lupin. You look awful." she said honestly.
"I feel awful." he wanted to apologize, to beg forgiveness, to say… anything. He knew he should be sorry for something. But he couldn't remember what.. It was like he had blacked out, but his conscious knew something was wrong. How else had he known Lily was in the infirmary?
"It's okay Lupin." she said, staring determinedly into his eyes.
He sighed and nodded once, knowing that he had been forgiven. He wish he could remember what for. And he wished he knew why he suddenly felt the need to protect Lily, to hold her hand and make things right. It was surely nothing. Just another horrible morning after his change. These feelings would go away. He looked at James, staring lovingly at Lily even then they were all so young. Far too young to know what love was but that was the look James gave her; and Lupin knew in that moment that even if his feelings were more than some bizarre guilt he would never act on them. How could he betray his best friend? And how could anyone ever love the wolf?