Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognized characters, places, or objects. I merely own the plot and Sterling.

Chapter 3: An Unexpected Person

Sterling Cazador began preparing for tonight, for her first kill. She put on a black tank top with black leather pants. This would allow her to blend better in the night so that the creature wouldn't be able to detect her by eyesight readily. She took off her glasses and placed contacts into her ice blue eyes. She couldn't afford not being able to find her glasses if they fell off. She laced up her knee high combat boots, which allowed her to move noiselessly in the forest and lent for a better grip when climbing trees or other such objects. Sterling pulled her raven hair into a tight bun so that it wouldn't get into her face and distract her from her purpose. She finished off her suit with her leather black leather gloves. Sterling turned to face herself in the mirror. Yes, she was ready. All she needed was her favorite weapon, her crossbow with specialty arrows that had pure-silver heads, and to wait for nightfall when the full moon would come out. Yes, tonight would be her first kill. Tonight, she would succeed.

Remus uneasily ate his dinner before taking the Wolfsbane potion, which would allow him to keep his mind in his other form. He knew he had to so that he could keep up his strength for tonight. It would be a long night and an even longer day tomorrow. Tonight, he would be transformed into his werewolf alter until dawn. Early in the morning, he had to catch the train to Hogwarts. Dumbledore had offered the Defense Against the Dark Arts position to him once more. Remus had accepted his offer as it was becoming harder and harder to find work. There was still so mistrust after the second war. This brought another thought of uneasiness to the surface of his mind, Hermione.

Remus had asked if he could court her, yet she had turned him down. He knew he really shouldn't have been surprised; after all he was a werewolf. She had said that it wasn't because of that, but he knew it was. He had thought that the Marriage Law might have been the answer to his prayers that he would finally have a companion. He had chosen Hermione, because she knew him, knew what he was, and still respected him. Now, he had lost her respect. He also realized that this Marriage Law had doomed him to more rejection as long as it stayed in place. He would have to continue submitting courtship proposals and continue to be denied.

Remus didn't get to dwell on his thoughts any longer as he could feel his body changing, molding to become the part of him he hated. The Wolfsbane potion lay forgotten.

The full moon was out and Sterling was out for the hunt. She could see the tracks clearly in the forest. She settled into a spot that looked promising. She knew how to attract the foul creatures. She took her blade out and made a thin cut into the flesh of her arm. Blood, it always attracted them. Now, all she could do was wait as it thought it was going to get its prey rather than being it.
The werewolf could spell the blood, knew what it meant. It sniffed the air, looking for the source. Running, running towards it. It was hungry. It had been a long time without fresh meat and it wanted it, could already taste it.

The creature stopped. There was the source of its longing, a girl, a young girl and she was bleeding. Its mouth drooling, fangs bared, the werewolf lunged towards the girl, its meal.

Then, came the pain. The girl had shot it. Writhing in agony, the silvered poison sweeping through its body. It began to whimper. The werewolf knew it wouldn't live to see another day.

Sterling ran the hot water from the shower all over her body to cleanse herself of the hunt. Yes, she had succeeded. She knew she would, she was descended from a long line of werewolf hunters. All destined for the purity of the wizarding world. She knew there were others bent on purity, called Deatheaters, but they were different from what her family did. They wanted to rid their world of anyone who was not a pureblood. Her family merely wanted to rid their world of those that were werewolves. It was much different. Werewolves were a threat. They could hurt someone. Yes, it was much different.

Exhausted from the hunt and finished with her shower, Sterling crawled into her bed, as dawn was approaching into the new day. She instantly fell into her dream world.

She often had dreams about the same man, but she could never remember what he looked like when she woke up. Sterling knew that he saved her in her dreams, always her knight in shining armor. He made her feel safe, something that no one else could do since her parents died. She just wished he were real.

Waking up the next morning, Sterling smiled to herself. She had the most wonderful dream about the same man, and she could remember his eyes. He had the most beautiful shade of blue eyes.

Sterling winced a bit as she stretched and got out of bed. Her grandfather had told her that she would sore after the first hunt. She walked slowly, as her muscles were screaming in agony, as she made her way down the stairs towards the kitchen. She expected that her grandfather would want a full report of the events of last night.

Sterling reached the kitchen and sure enough, there was her grandfather sitting at the kitchen table reading the 'Daily Prophet.'

"Did you kill one of the bloody beasts?" Her grandfather asked her.

"Yes, Grandfather."

"Are you sure you killed it? Did you watch it die?"

"Yes, Grandfather."

And the inevitable, "How did you kill it?"

"I waited were there were tracks and I cut my arm so that the scent of blood would lure it to me. Then, I killed it using the crossbow and silver head arrows, Grandfather."

"Good. How many did you kill?"

"Only one, Grandfather."

"Just one?" His eyebrow raised. "Pathetic. Your father killed three his first time."

"I apologize, Grandfather. I will do better, Grandfather."

"Bloody right, you will do better or I'll kick you out of my house. I didn't raise you most of your life for you to be a disappointment," her grandfather said in a surprisingly calm tone, but the undertones were the real threat.

"Yes, Grandfather," Sterling replied. "May I please be excused?"

"Go, get out of my sight."

Sterling left the kitchen. Her grandfather and her never got along. For the most part, she couldn't stand him. She was only fulfilling this for her parents, for what they were.

Upstairs, Sterling sat on her bed and watched her parents in the frame next to her bed. She missed them so even though she could hardly remember them. In the picture, she saw her parents and her (she was about three years old) having a picnic and laughing. Sterling wished her life still held the same joy that she saw on her face in the picture.

Being drawn out of her thoughts by a sudden rapping against the window, Sterling turned to see a large, tawny owl there. She went to her window to take the piece of parchment sealed to its leg. Unfolding the parchment, she read:

To the Werewolf Hunter,

Just thought you might like to know that a werewolf was spotted last night, and will be making other appearances near Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. Think of all the poor students.

From,

A Friend

Knowing what she had to do, Sterling dragged out her trunk and started packing. She would be heading to Hogsmeade, the village closest to Hogwarts.

In another place, a werewolf by the name of Remus was finishing packing his own trunk to head to Hogwarts. He was a bit groggy from forgetting to take his Wolfsbane potion, but for the most part, he was fine and looking forward to being back at his alma mater even with Hermione there.

Remus decided that he would make the best of the situation with her and move on. She had never asked him to place a proposal for her hand. It was his own fault and he would bare the grunt of the blame.

As he arrived on Platform 9 ¾ , he saw the familiar red hair of the Weasleys and he knew for sure that the familiar faces of Harry and Hermione would be near. He moved quickly onto the train in order to avoid a scene with them, opting to ignore what had happened with Hermione in the first place.

Finding a compartment to himself, Remus hauled in his trunk and made himself comfortable. He listened to the students boarding the train and the familiar sounds soon lent themselves to his falling asleep.