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.
This time I stayed with the prompt ;) kind of
Big Bad Wolf: Version 2
Lupin could sense the moon's cycle. Not long now. Another day and he'd be out in the woods, wreaking havoc amongst the poor forest creatures. Better than slaughtering the towns folk. He thought bitterly.
"You okay Remus?" Tonks asked, smiling her bright, seemingly carefree smile.
"Yea, I'm fine." he said, returning her smile with a less obvious one of his own.
It wasn't that Lupin wasn't happy. Of course he was. He had Sirius back, after years of thinking he was a murdering traitor, he had the Order around to care for him. He had friends. He had his potion to help control himself around the moon. He was content. But something was missing. Something important he felt he should have the right to. Love. Everyone deserved to be loved right? Everyone should have an opportunity for that joy and happiness. That feeling of contentment; feeling complete in y our lovers arms, feeling whole and good. Why couldn't he have that? Because he was a beast; and if he couldn't accept that who could?
"Staying for dinner?" Molly asked, snapping Lupin out of his depression.
"No thank you Molly."
"Stay Lupin." Tonks smiled, "It'd be nice to have you."
Lupin smiled, more genuinely this time. "Well, if you insist."
Tonks looked satisfied, "I'll help." she said.
"Oh, that's okay Tonks. I've got it." Molly quickly averted, knowing what disasters accident prone Tonks could create.
"You sure?"
"Positive."
Sirius smirked slightly, clearing the tables of their days work.
"Harry gets here next week." Arthur said.
"Moody wants to sent an Advance Guard." Sirius rolled his eyes.
"Well Harry needs protection!" Molly scolded Sirius's tone.
"I know that. I'm not saying he shouldn't have it." Sirius's temper rose. "I'm just saying, Harry's a lot tougher than people give him credit for."
"There's no denying he's strong." Lupin added. "But he's still just a kid."
Sirius sighed, dropping the subject.
The Order broke up officially after dinner. Lupin said his goodbyes to the kids and adults before taking his leave for the dens of the wolves. He would find them in the slums, lurking in dark alleys, dingy sewers, any place undesirable basically, but it was his job to get as many wolves on their side as he could and to gather intel. while doing it.
He looked one last time at Tonks's smiling face as she waved goodbye before he skulked into the darkness.
Lupin was running late. He was supposed to be in the woods by now, far away from the town, ready to turn into a wolf and not worry about killing innocents. He looked at the sky as it darkened. "No." he growled to himself.
"Remus?" he whipped around at the sound of Tonks's voice.
"What are you doing here Tonks?" he asked, not bothering to sound nice.
"Running an errand. You?" she asked with a raise of her eyebrow.
"Nothing." he answered quickly, "Er, errand. For the order."
Tonks didn't believe him. He could tell. "What's with the basket?" he asked, nodding to the wicker picnic basket in her arms.
"Oh. I was bringing it back for Molly. I'm headed there now."
She's so… human. So fragile and weak. I could rip her apart. Lupin shook his head. The beast was awakening if he was having these thoughts. But he noticed too how soft her lips were. How cute she was, even with her shocking violet hair. She was so innocent. And beautiful. He reached a hand to her and took one of hers before he knew what was happening.
"Be careful." he said, dropping her hand quickly as though it burned.
She stared at him with confusion and then at her hand. "Yea. Of course."
He watched as emotions danced across her face. Confusion, sadness, but something else too… resignation? What was she resigning too? Lupin wasn't sure. He wanted to take away those pained looks though. He wanted to make her smile again like she had yesterday. He didn't want to see her in pain; emotional or otherwise.
The wind shifted and Lupin smelled something sweet. Her scent. He realized. He was close to the change now, he could pick up things he would normally miss. Tonk's natural aroma surrounded him and he breathed deeply. Meat. Kill. The beast awakened at the scent as well.
"I've, uh got to go." Lupin said hurriedly.
"Oh," Tonks looked at the sky. "Of course."
"Be safe."
Tonks nodded and Lupin didn't wait any longer as he jogged off into the woods. He could feel his limbs contorting, he could feel his eyes blurring as his vision changed from human to wolf. He wasn't far enough away from the street. He'd be too close to town.
Under the cover of the trees, in the darkness of night, the wolf howled; forgetting love, forgetting goodness, his thoughts consumed with carnage and destruction. But lurking below the smile of a girl, the touch of a hand, lingered in his heart.
