Title: morris-dancing werewolves
Challenge: #312: … and Dance
Word count: 4 x 100
Rating: PG-13
Warning: sweary language
Summary: when in dread and heavy in anger, think of werewolves morris-dancing. not that it'll help much, but why not try?
A boy was sobbing uncontrollably some ways away from where Severus and Perry were standing. One of their minders, a smallish man with an patch over his left eye walked over to the boy.
The man patted the boy on his head and said, "No need t' bawl yer head off for yer friend there. He's gowan to a good fambly, he is. Some good, rich fambly that Ol' Greasy Grumby'll make pay a lot for 'im. In fact, you should dance fer joy fer yer friend."
"W… w… will I ever see him again?" the little boy asked meekly.
The man's laughter was loud and rough, surprising everyone in the room. He laughed for a long time until a tear fell out of his right eye. "No, no, no, my boy. Or at least, I don't think so." the man said, still chuckling every so often.
The man looked contemplative for a while. "Yer friend's off to good and better things. Can't say the same 'bout youse lot." he looked up and across the room to the other minders watching him with a certain kind of amusement.
"If I were you, boy, I'd be crying for me own misfortune."
Severus and Perry, along with the other children in the room, listened with growing dread as the man outlined their bleak future. The illegal magical carpet workhouses in Manchester, working the streets as beggars and things unmentionable to little kids.
How Severus wished he could just hex each and every one of those smug adults.
So, Greyback thought himself a modern day Bill Sodding Sykes, eh? Bloody Greyback and his band of merry werewolves arse-dancing in a row.
Around him more children had started to cry, and the men seemed to take perverse delight in causing such a fright.
The children were soon fed and potioned off. Then, they were sent to the communal lavatory for a "quick piss and shit" (as their minder said).
Back in the room, the children lay cramped like kippers drying in a rack.
Perry soon slipped into an exhausted slumber. Severus though, found it hard to sleep. He stared at the ceiling, counting down to that small window where he would be strong enough magically to contact Remus.
In his mind, he conjured up wolves standing on their hind legs, morris dancing. It did little to alleviate the dread growing in his soul.