Erlkönig

Not sure if this is scary but I decided to go with Remus on this one. It made more sense with Remus despite the urge to use the obvious (to me) Harry/Voldemort combo.

Summary: The Wolf King, Fenrir, calls out for Remus.

Warning: involves another kid and I don't own the story, hence the title.

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The full moon hung high in the sky, casting its beautiful glow down onto the town. The wind wafted lightly through the streets, blowing leaves along the almost completely dark sidewalks. A shiver ran up and down one lone boy's spine while his golden eyes darted around nervously, watching the progress of the leaves before darting along every patch of darkness. The little boy bit deep into his fleshy bottom lip and pulled his traveling cloak tighter to his body, trying to bring warmth to his chilly bones.

"Remus." A heavy hand landed on the child's shoulder, tearing a loud scream from the child's throat and forcing him to whirl around and come face to face with… his father. The man looked down at him, face shocked and quite wary at the outburst.

"Oh Daddy, it's you!" Relief flooded the child and he launched himself at the large man, burying his face into the man's thick coat and trying to hide within the folds. The large hands of his father landed on his back, giving hesitant rubs as he was not very sure as to what to do.

"Child, why are you so jumpy this evening?" Dante asked of his son while attempting to keep the exasperation from his tone. The boy was small and sickly which caused him to be very shy around other people, especially children. Dante normally left the boy home with his wife (who could cater to him) when he went into the local village for meetings but Cassandra had insisted that the boy needed to get out more. She insisted that Remus could make some friends amongst the village children but now the boy seemed even more disturbed than when he first entered the village.

"Daddy, I'm scared of Fenrir getting me!" Remus squeaked into his father's stomach. Dante sighed low under his breath and continued his sad attempt at soothing his son. He knew of Fenrir, having heard the folklore as a child. The old people would gather children around and tell them of the ghost Wolf King, Fenrir that lurked along the forests and in the darkness of the streets. He would lure children into his home and never let them leave, kill them. The tale was utter nonsense but it was obvious that the village children had taken advantage of the new child and placed the frightening thoughts within his mind.

"Remus, listen to me," Dante sighed, falling to his knees in front of his son. He placed large hands on the tiny shoulders and smiled comforting. He needed to nip this in the bud right this second unless he wanted Cassandra to kill him for bringing her child back half out of his mind, "There is no Fenrir. He will not get you because he does not exist. He's just a story. Do you understand?"

Remus bit into his lip, looking into his father's eyes and nodded, trying to reassure himself that his papa was right. There was no Fenrir, despite what the kids had told him. His papa wouldn't lie but then again… the urchins had told him that Fenrir only went after children. He only wanted children for his home to be slaves for years on end until he finally tired of them and devoured them whole. So only they could see them.

Dante, unaware of his child's thoughts, hefted the two of them onto the beautiful horse he owned and they began their ride home, Remus within the warmth of his father's strong arms although he sat a little further back as he looked around at the dark trees they passed through in their forest.

"Chilllld… come to me," a deep voice carried along in the winds and caught the child's attention. Remus immediately stiffened and whipped his head around, looking over to the side. There stood a man, tall and broad shouldered with wild eyes and flowing dark robes that contradicted the scruffy hair and the long nails. He smiled a bloodstained, sharp smile at Remus and held out his hand. A scream caught in Remus' throat, heart nearly coming through his fragile bones at the sight of the man that he knew to be the Wolf King—Fenrir. Remus tried to turn as much as he could within the warm embrace of his father's arms.

"Remus, why are you hiding within my coats? You will fall with all this jostling movements," the boy's father warned gently, slowing the horse and probably sending the child into worse fits as he turned his large golden eyes up to the man.

"Daddy, Fenrir is close to us, we have to hurry! Don't you see him with his wild hair and flowing robes!?" Remus squeaked, pointing at the large man standing but yards away. Dante turned his head and searched the trees that surrounded them, seeing nothing.

"Remus, there is no Fenrir. It is just the mist rising over the ground," Dante told the little boy; he kept the horse's trot at a steady, even pace in hopes of soothing the child. Remus shook his head and looked once more to the side, seeing at the Wolf King still stood there, his smile a bit more gentle but his eyes still wide and hand still reaching.

"Oh come to me child—come with me. I have a large castle with many games for you to play and a beach with lovely flowers. My mother will make you clothes sewn with gold," Fenrir promised with his lies. Remus' let out a scream and slapped his hands over his ears, tears springing to his eyes. The Wolf King was trying to get him, even as he buried his face into his father's coat once more, he could feel the hot breath of the Wolf King on the back of his neck. He could almost taste the iron of blood that laid upon the Ghostly King's tongue as though it were inside his own mouth.

"Daddy, daddy! Don't you hear him!? Don't you feel his breath?" Remus pleaded of his father. Dante raised a hand to his son's head, trying to calm the hysterical child.

"Calm down, it's simply your imagination playing tricks on your mind. The wind is simply sighing through withering leaves falling from trees," Dante reassured his small son. Remus shook his head, tears flowing down his cheeks. The Wolf King was there, he was there and he was trying to get Remus. He could still feel the breath on his neck, taste the iron on his tongue and see the King from behind his closed kids. He wouldn't leave him alone, he wouldn't give up until he had Remus in his castle. He turned his head once more and saw the Wolf King except now he was surrounded by pretty girls with beautiful smiles and pale skin, pink hair upon their heads.

"Will you come now, child? My daughters will tend to you with sisterly care. They will cradle and rock you, sing you to sleep as long as you wish," Fenrir almost purred, sharp nails urging the girls to dance around him, coming close to the horse before jumping back to their father. Remus clutched onto his father's arm.

"Daddy, daddy, don't you see the Wolf King's daughters!? He's showing them to me!" Remus urged his father to see the wicked king and his dancing daughters but Fenrir's predatory grin told Remus that his papa didn't see him. He didn't see the girls with the pink hair or the evil ghost trying to steal him away.

"Remus, my darling child, I see it alright," Dante said, surprising Remus and bringing hope to his soul. He whipped his head up to his father and smiled, "It is the aged grey willows deceiving you." The smile that was on Remus' face fell off immediately and he looked back to the Wolf King. He looked angry. He looked so angry with his eyes burning an unholy Hell that promised pain and death to the small child. His mouth twisted in a dark scowl and the robes that once draped over him in a kingly fashion were now tattered and bloody, the hair even more knotted.

"I love your innocent beauty and, if you aren't willing then I will take you by FORCE!" Fenrir shouted, reaching out for him and this time he grabbed him. His sharp nails dug into his skinny little arm and brought blood to the surface. Remus let out a sickening howl, fighting against the monster and grabbing for his father to stop the king from dragging him off.

"Daddy, DADDY! He's got me, HE'S HURTING ME!" Remus wailed, mouth opening wide. Dante wrapped his arm around his son's middle, pulling the child high up his chest as he realized that the boy was no longer simply scaring himself but now believed he was hurt. He urged their horse to go faster, racing to their stone home where the walls should soothe the child's fears. As they exited the forest, Dante noticed that the skinny hand that had been gripping him so hard and tight was now simply limp. The man yanked his horse into a stop and looked down at his son, at his wide frightened eyes and tear streaked cheeks. His mouth was opened wide to reveal bright red. With a shaking hand, Dante placed his fingers against the boy's neck.

He was dead.

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The End

So the question is, what killed Remus?

P.S. I forgot that Remus's father's name is John (maybe) so I made up something. And I love all of your words and hope for more comments!