Written for round 3 of the Speed of Lightning Competition at the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum. The prompt was to write an AU one-shot.

I don't really know how I wrote this. I just sort of... happened. It's a one-shot, yes, but I might turn it into a multi-chapter if I see that people like the idea.

And I apologize for the ending, but I don't have time to write anything better right now. It's called the Speed of Lightning Competition for a reason.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Happy reading! Reviews are appreciated!

Sacrifice

The sun shone brightly, as if it was emphasizing the fact that it was the hottest day of the year. The many peasants who lived in Gryffindor Village stood in a line in the village square, not saying a word. Only the footsteps of Rodolphus Lestrange could be heard as he walked slowly, confidently along the line. Most of the villagers were terrified of him, for he belonged to one of the most ancient, pure-blooded wizarding families and was one of the few people in the entire kingdom who had been granted the honor of being a wand-carrier. He was almost as powerful as Lord Voldemort himself.

"I am sure you all know why I have summoned you here, Mudbloods," he drawled, still walking. "Tonight there will be a full moon."

A few people winced, while others gasped quietly.

Lestrange smirked. "Yes, full moon. And we all know what happens when there is a full moon, don't we?"

Some of the children couldn't hold back a sob, and their mothers tried to hide them from view. Lestrange sneered at them, coming to a stop.

"One of you filthy little brats gets to spend the night in Slytherin Forest," he said, trying to hold back a laugh as he watched the villagers' horrified reaction.

They were faced with the same situation every month, but they had yet to get used to it. Whenever there was going to be a full moon, they were summoned to the square. Parents would stay close to their children, silently praying for them not to be chosen, that someone else would... Because when a child was chosen, he or she was taken to Slytherin Forest, and there were hardly any differences between that place and Hell.

What exactly was in that forest, nobody knew. There were so many legends about the place that people did not know what was true and what was not. Some said the Forest was the home of the centaurs. Others said that a treasure lay deep in its heart, protected by a guardian who possessed unlimited power. Most did not pay attention to such a tales and simply pretended that the Forest did not exist. There was only one thing they all agreed on.

Once a child walked in there, he or she would never come out.

"So... Which one of you little Mudbloods should I choose?" said Lestrange, scrutinizing every child. Most of them were already shaking with fear and a few had started crying. 'How pathetic', he thought.

And then, his eyes met those of a little girl who stared back at him, her dark brown eyes blazing with defiance. She looked no older than ten or eleven, yet she stood there proudly, which made Rodolphus feel a surge of disgust towards her, but he also felt somewhat smug.

He had found his victim.

"Come here, girl," he said, beckoning her forward with a sinister smile.

The girl looked slightly taken aback for a moment, but she stepped forward. Well, she tried to. A woman with uncommonly pale skin and wild, light brown curls grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Stay where you are, Nymphadora," she said sharply.

Rodolphus Lestrange raised his eyebrows, surprised by such a deliberate act of disobedience. Thinking that the woman needed a Crucio or two, he took out his wand, but froze as the woman looked at him and he recognized her face.

"Hello, my dear brother-in-law," said the woman, smiling sweetly.

He growled. "Don't you dare insinuate that you are still a Black, blood traitor."

The woman was about to reply, but she was interrupted.

"Andromeda!" Bellatrix Lestrange, looking slightly mad with rage, raised her wand and was about to curse her when she was stopped by her husband.

"Please be patient, Bella," he said.

"Patient? Get away from me, Rodolphus, and let me give that bitch what she deserve-"

Andromeda laughed. "Do as you're told, Bellatrix, or you might regret it."

"Regret it?" Bellatrix sneered. "You are not a threat to me, traitor. You are weak, you are wandless and, if I so wished, I could kill you right now just like I killed your filthy husband!"

Andromeda lunged at her sister, her calm façade disappearing as her face twisted with hate. Before she could touch her, however, she was thrown back by a well-aimed jinx. The little girl, Nymphadora, screamed as she ran up to her mother.

Rodolphus chuckled. "Well, know that that's been taken care of, you're coming with me, brat," he said, grabbing Nymphadora roughly by the arm.

"NO! Let me go!" she yelled, trying to break free. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the smell of burnt skin filled the air. Hissing with pain, Rodolphus stepped away from her, clutching his left hand.

"Why you little-"

Bellatrix glared at him, which made him stop talking immediately.

"Well, Nymphadora," her tone was mocking as she twirled her wand in her fingers. "It's such a shame that Mummy'll be left all alone, isn't it?"

But Nymphadora wasn't listening. She felt extremely dizzy and couldn't really focus on anything. Using magic always exhausted her and, after what she'd just done, she could feel her consciousness slipping away. She staggered and tripped on her own feet, landing rather painfully on the hard stone floor.

"Don't... Don't call me Nymphadora... S'Tonks..." was the last thing she said before she fainted.

When she woke up, she felt very sore. Wincing, she sat up and looked around her, eyes widening with shock. It was dark, but, from what she could tell, she was sitting in the middle of a forest clearing.

'Slytherin Forest', she guessed, trying not to panic.

She stood up slowly, afraid of making even the smallest noise. The cold air made her shiver, so she wrapped her thin cloak around her, but it didn't make much of a difference. Feeling lost, but thinking that she couldn't just stand there, she began walking.

As she tripped time and time again over tree roots, she tried to remember whatever she knew about the forest. Most of the villagers told their children that it was haunted, but she didn't believe it. She also didn't believe all that rubbish about there being a treasure somewhere. Once, a boy called Frank Longbottom had told her that werewolves hid in the forest, but that was just plain ridiculous. Werewolves were extinct now, thanks to Lord Voldemort and his pure blood mania. The only reason Muggleborns hadn't been killed was because, as she had often been told, 'every master needs a servant'. So, the werewolf story was just a big, fat lie.

And at that precise moment, the sound of a wolf's howl pierced the air.

Tonks jumped, all color draining from her face. "Bloody Hell..." she said faintly.

Maybe the werewolf story was true...

Suddenly, she felt someone grab her waist and drag her towards a nearby group of trees. When she tried to scream, the person covered her mouth with their hand. She struggled, but to no avail.

"Shhh! Do you want to get us killed?" hissed the person. Judging by his voice, Tonks could tell that he was a boy.

She stopped moving and the boy slowly, cautiously let her go. There was a sudden sizzling sound and a tiny ball of light appeared in mid-air, enabling her to see the boy's face.

He was older than her, fifteen years old by the looks of it. He had sand-colored hair, slightly tanned skin and deep blue eyes. He was thin, too, which made Tonks wonder how he'd managed to grab her like that. The weak light cast shadows on his face, and she could see that he was tired, very tired.

"Who are you?" he asked, still cautious.

"Who are you?" she asked, eyes narrowed.

"I asked you first."

Grimacing, Tonks had to admit that yes, he had asked her first.

"Tonks," she said curtly.

He raised his eyebrows. "That's... unique."

She felt the sudden, strange urge to tell him her real name, even though she hated it with a passion. "Um, Tonks is my surname. My actual name is Nymphadora." She scowled as she said it.

"Nymphadora..." he repeated, as if he were tasting the sound of the word. "It's prettier. I like it."

She snorted, crossing her arms. A strand of hair fell in front of her eyes and, groaning internally, she noticed that it had somehow turned pale yellow. She'd probably changed it subconsciously when the boy had scared her half to death. She concentrated for a moment, feeling satisfied when it turned back to her favorite shade of red.

The boy was gaping. "How... How did you do that?" he asked weakly.

She smirked. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Ah, right," he said, as if he'd forgotten about it. "Er... I'm Remus. Remus Lupin." He held out a hand for her to shake, and she did so. She noticed that his hand was full of scars.

"So, back to my question," he said. "How did you do that?"

"I'm a Metamorphmagus," she said simply, shrugging.

He shook his head. "That's impossible, Metamorphmagi have been extinct for years."

She couldn't help feeling offended. "Oh, really? Then how do you think I'm doing this?" She changed her hair to bright pink, like the flowers she liked to pick during spring and summer.

"B-but Muggleborns can't be Metamorphmagi!" he exclaimed.

"It so happens that I'm not Muggleborn."

He looked alarmed for a moment, and then he narrowed his eyes. "So you're one of those Purebloods, then? Did they send you?" he asked, clenching his hands into fists.

Tonks took a step back, eyes wide. "No! I'm a Half-blood!"

She could tell that he didn't believe her.

"I am! I'm a Half-blood!" she repeated, beginning to panic. He was thin, yes, but she was sure that Remus could end her life quite easily.

"I'm from Gryffindor Village!" she blurted out, knowing that it was a rather silly thing to say.

Remus tensed. "Gryffindor Village..." he said slowly. "So, you're one of those kids..."

She quickly nodded. "Yes, one of the kids they send here every month," she said, relieved that Remus seemed to understand the situation she was in.

He frowned. "Lestrange brought you here?"

She nodded again.

Remus was about to say something else, but fell silent as a second howl could be heard.

"Come on," he said, grabbing Tonks' hand and starting to walk. He looked very pale.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Home," he said simply, waving his hand and making the ball of light disappear.

'Home,' he thought bitterly as they approached the small, wooden shack.

He opened the door and walked inside, still holding Nymphadora's hand, and quickly closed it, grimacing when he heard a third howl.

The game had just started.

Nymphadora was looking around her with wide eyes. He could see that she was trying very hard to pretend that she wasn't scared. He couldn't really blame her. There she was, in a stranger's house, at night, in a forest full of werewolves. He was surprised she wasn't crying or shaking, being the ten-year-old she was. But she was different, he'd never met anyone quite like her. He couldn't deny that he found her very interesting.

"So... This is your home?" she asked, trying to break the rather uncomfortable silence.

He sighed. "I suppose it is. I think of it as a... refuge."

She looked at him curiously. "Where are your Mum and Dad?"

"They're gone."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

Another awkward silence. Remus sighed again, thinking that it didn't really matter if he told Nymphadora about the living Hell his life had become.

"Have you ever heard of Fenryr Greyback?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Do you even know why they bring kids here every time there's a full moon?"

Again, she shook her head.

He took a deep breath and sat down on the floor, motioning for her to do the same.

"Fenryr Greyback is a werewolf," he began. "He is also Lord Voldemort's right-hand man. When Voldemort killed King Albus, he lost most of his wizard army, so he decided to make another army... of werewolves. Greyback has always had a thirst for power, so he accepted Voldemort's offer immediately. It's his job to create the new army. That's why they send children here every full moon. Greyback transforms, bites them, and they join Voldemort's ranks. They're trained to hate Muggleborns."

He paused, seeing that Nymphadora's face was as white as chalk.

"Greyback... He's in the forest right now?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Remus nodded.

"And he's going to bite me?" Her voice sounded a lot higher than usual.

"Perhaps. If they find us." Seeing her terrified expression, he smiled slightly. "But they won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I live here and I'm not a werewolf yet."

"Why do you live here?"

"You ask an awful lot of questions, you know."

"Well, maybe you should give me some answers! Why do you live here if it's so dangerous?"

Ah, the dreaded question. Remus couldn't help grimacing. It wasn't a story he was willing to tell, but he didn't really have a choice. He had a feeling that Nymphadora wouldn't shut up until he answered.

"I was born in Ravenclaw Towers, a small village that's up north. My mother was a Healer, and my father bred Hippogriffs. One day, when I was six, my mother went to Slytherin forest to look for some herbs. She never came back. Greyback had been in the forest as well and, for some reason, he killed her. My father went looking for him, seeking revenge. I followed him, even though he'd told me to stay home. When we got to the forest, Greyback attacked me. He was about to bite me when my father told him to stop, that he'd do anything if he spared my life, and Greyback offered him a deal: He would let me go if my father joined him and I was kept quiet about everything. My father... he agreed. He was turned into a werewolf and I was forbidden from leaving this forest ever again."

He stopped there, biting his lip. He'd never talked about that with anyone, and it was bringing back some very painful memories. It felt a bit relaxing, though, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"I'm... I'm so sorry. That must've been terrible," Nymphadora said quietly.

He shrugged. "I've gotten use-"

BAM!

The door was blasted open and Remus reacted instinctively. He stood up, dragging Tonks with him, and pressed himself against the wall. He concentrated and both of them turned invisible. It was a tricky spell for someone who didn't have a wand, and he could already feel his energy slowly draining.

A man stepped into the room, his face hidden by the shadows. He looked around, letting out a low growl when he saw that there was nothing in the room.

"Where is she?" he asked.

Another man who was breathing heavily answered. "We've searched the entire forest. She isn't here. Lestrange must've broken the deal."

"She is here, Yaxley! Fuck, I can smell her!"

"Where's the boy? Lupin's son? They might be hiding together... Should I tell Dolohov to search the forest again?"

"No..." said the first man, taking a few steps towards where Remus and Tonks were standing. "I don't think that'll be necessary..."

Remus tensed, inwardly cursing.

"Because they're both right here. Aren't you, you little brats?"

Clenching his jaw, Remus made them both visible again. Tonks gave a small, frightened squeak, but quickly shut up.

"Greyback," said Remus curtly, looking at the first man.

Greyback chuckled. "Well, well, well... Remus Lupin. You have something that belongs to me, I believe."

"Don't you dare touch her," said Remus, stepping in front of Tonks. For some strange reason, he felt the need to protect her.

"Gotten yourself a lady friend, have you?" sneered Greyback. "Don't be a fool, boy. Get away from her so I can sort her out, or you'll end up the same way your father did."

"No," said Remus, putting as much determination as he could into that simple word.

Greyback turned to the other man, Yaxley. "Tell the others to get back to the castle. These two are mine."

"Fenryr..."

"Do it!"

While the two men were talking, Remus leaned down to whisper something in Tonks' ear.

"When I tell you to, run. Get out of the forest as quickly as you can."

When Yaxley left, Greyback turned back to them with a rather sinister smile. "You really are as foolish as your father, Remus Lupin. I think I'll sort the girl out first, so you can watch the whole process, and I'll leave you for later..."

Remus had slowly taken a dagger out of his pocket. Seeing that it was now or never, he threw it at Greyback with all the strength he had, yelling: "RUN!"

Tonks was tired.

They'd been running for what felt like hours, yet it seemed as if they would never be able to escape the forest, as if there would always be another group of trees, or bushes, or rocks... It was very dark, and the feeble Lumos she had managed to cast only enabled to see a few feet in any direction. She'd lost count of how many times she had tripped and fallen, with Remus being the one to help her get up and keep going.

Run, run, run...

They could hear Greyback following them and his growls had quickly turned into howls as he transformed. He was much faster than them. Time was running out.

Suddenly, she heard Remus call out her name, but it was too late. Before she could process what was going on, she found herself pinned to the ground, looking into the yellow eyes of a huge, monstrous beast.

She screamed.

The werewolf growled and leaned down, showing its pointed teeth.

He was going to bite her. Oh Merlin, she was going to die.

She closed her eyes, trying to be brave in the last moments of her life. It was the least she could do. She could feel the werewolf getting closer, she could smell its rotten breath...

"NO!"

There was a loud crash, the werewolf yelped, and Tonks felt its weight disappear. Opening her eyes, she let out a gasp at the scene before her. Remus stood a few feet away from her, eyes blazing with determination, his hands crackling with pure, raw magic. The werewolf lay on the ground, curled up on himself as if he was in great pain.

"T-Thank you," whispered Tonks rather faintly.

Remus tried to smile, looking as if he was about to faint any second. "You're welco-"

He cut off. The werewolf, snarling, mad with hatred, lunged at him, knocking them both to the ground. They thrashed for a few seconds, and, for a moment, time seemed to freeze.

Then, Remus' scream of agony pierced the night.

"REMUS!" Tonks ran up to her friend, not caring that Greyback could finish her off at that very moment. Because Remus was her friend. She'd only known him for a few hours, but it didn't matter.

Remus was her friend, and he was dying because he'd saved her life.

Without knowing what she was doing, she collapsed next to him. He was pale, and bleeding heavily. There was a bite mark on his shoulder.

Tonks felt a tear roll down her cheek, and she didn't hear Greyback until it was too late.

She heard a snarl, a thud and then everything went black.