Magic in the Moonlight
CHAPTER Fifty Two
Around her she could feel her small group shrink back a little, becoming quiet and withdrawn. Those were her actual thoughts, they were her group now. A sense of protectiveness had fallen across her mind like a heady cloud. Usually this would have sent warning signals off in her head. This close to the full moon every werewolf had to control their emotions especially as they aged as more of the werewolf slipped in with the closing full moon, less of the human witch remained. When unrestrained these emotions would run rampant until they consumed the person and they became more werewolf than human even while in human form. This could be seen in the feral looking witches and wizards that prowled the rim of the clearing, the animal gleaming in their eyes despite their human skin. These feelings always seemed to grow when surrounded by other werewolves, almost like cabin fever, which had stopped her from coming again after the first time.
Things had been going better than expected. Lyra had been welcomed warmly into the circle of werewolves, greetings and names being passed around. The stories of subjugated werewolves put a downer on the day but otherwise she enjoyed the situation. Sat beside Remus as they all gathered round the fire as the sky darkened, his arm round her comfortably, Lyra felt at home with the stars rising above them. It was good to let loose in a time when Voldemort's forces barely gave them time to sit down and rest, and their small gathering was away from those that had sided with the dark lord.
Lyra had left Remus a moment to relieve herself amongst the bushes, not something she practiced regularly but when surrounded by nature there were hardly any porcelain toilets waiting for them. The sound of the nocturnal wildlife filling her senses it was almost overwhelming. The full moon was only a few days away but the pull had always been strong with her, even more it seemed around these other werewolves. Since childhood she had only ever been around Remus but she was actually excited at the prospect of the full moon and running across the Moors with the pack without a care in the world. Heading back to the gathering Lyra froze. One of the women who had been sat around the fire had taken her spot beside Remus. Normally she would not have minded, Lyra was not the jealous type when she knew that Remus had eyes for no other than herself, but her back straightened at the sight of the woman placing a hand on Remus' leg and a primal voice sounded in her head.
'Mine.'
Almost leaping at the woman, unable to control herself, she growled shocking both her and Remus. Quickly pulling back her hand, the woman stood up and held up her hands defensively, proclaiming that she was sorry and didn't realise they were together. But Lyra was too far gone. She grabbed the woman by the front of her cloak, eyes narrowed dangerously, teeth grinding loudly.
"Lyra don't!" Remus quickly intervened, grabbing her wrist and pulling her off the scared woman, "it was a silly mistake, calm yourself!"
Despite knowing what she was doing was wrong she turned on Remus with a growl, her nails raking across the front of his jacket as if they were claws, pushing him backwards until he fell to the ground. Pulling her with him, Remus grappled her to the ground as she began thrashing wildly, uttering soothing words reminding her who she was. Deep in her mind she could feel herself scoffing and laughing at him wondering why he was telling her who she was, she knew who she was. Until she couldn't recall her name. Shocked and scared, Lyra snapped from her rage, staring up at Remus horrified.
"Re-Remus?"
Without another word he pulled her close to his chest, holding her tightly as he breathed heavily, Lyra shaking in his grasp.
"It's okay Lyra, it's okay. Shit! I should have warned you sooner!"
She knew things were bad if it had Remus swearing, he never swore. But she could say nothing, only lay limp in his arms as she shivered from the memory of feeling so wild and alive, and yet so cut off from everything she knew. She never wanted to forget who she was ever again.
Forcing herself to calm down, Lyra's steely eyes followed Fenrir Greyback as he stalked across the clearing, sniffing loudly on the prowl. Most shied back from them, the only ones to stand tall were those part of his entourage that followed closely behind him. The patrollers around the border of the camp seemed to have moved nearer as if to pen them in. Spotting Remus again, said man was looking her way knowingly, shaking his head telling her not to run or do anything yet.
"A good turn out again," Fenrir rasped, his voice gravelly as if unused, a low growl that set her teeth on edge, "the dark lord will be pleased. We are in need of a number of volunteers, any offers?"
Silence fell across the clearing, clearly the only ones left were those that did not particularly feel like joining Voldemort. Perhaps all was not lost after all.
Hearing no volunteers Fenrir chuckled lowly before inclining his head.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
As he finished speaking one of his followers had moved, grabbing someone from a nearby huddle and pulling them back to the centre of the clearing where they stood. Lyra felt her mouth dry as a young boy shouted to be let go of, Tommy struggling in their grasp. Quickly looking around her even though she knew he would not be there, she inwardly cursed wondering when he had vanished from her side. Hands curling into fists, she looked on frozen in her spot.
"Unless we start finding volunteers we are going to have to enforce population control," Fenrir growled out with a sickening grin, "we can't have too many werewolves running round free with their tails between their legs. Now! Any volunteers?"
"Don't do it!" Tommy yelled still thrashing in his captor's hands, "we all want to be like Miss Lyra who lives with the normal people!"
"Shut it you damned brat," the man holding him roughly slapped the boy around the face, knocking him momentarily senseless and it was enough to snap Lyra from her position.
"Don't you touch another hair on his head," she all but growled, stepping forwards into the light.
Several of them leapt back looking suddenly alert at the presence of an Auror among them, even Fenrir looked momentarily taken aback before he laughed loudly, a horrible sound that grated at the ears.
"Isn't this funny, I still remember the first time we met, she-bitch."
"You should do as I left you with a nice little hex to remind you by, mangy mutt," she shot back with a glare.
"What are you going to do?" he proclaimed almost excitedly, eyes gleaming at the possibility of a fight, "there is but one of you this time."
Catching movement at the corner of her eye she raised her hand behind her back, signalling Remus to stay back. This was her fight. Feeling the boiling emotions mixing with her werewolf instincts, Lyra felt herself coil up as if ready to spring into action.
"I'm taking over this pack and you are no longer welcome here, Fenrir Greyback, neither you nor your followers."
Her words were followed by jeers until Fenrir silenced them with a dark look before eyeing her, cocking his head slightly as if weighing her up properly this time before a smirk fell onto his ragged face.
"Take them if you can."
He hadn't even finished speaking when Lyra had taken up his offer. Quicker than he could catch, her wand was in hand and a shower of stunning spells flying at the group that stood behind him. Most connected with their targets, all too stunned to move aside of defend themselves before they fell back completely paralysed. Tommy was released as his captor toppled backwards, the little boy scurrying without a pause until he was behind Lyra and she could fully let loose. Spells flew from her wand without so much as a thought, responding instinctively as her opposition took up arms finally. In the back of her mind she noted others had joined her, shooting spells into Greyback's gathering. Several curses and stunning spells flew her own way, a couple even looking particularly threatening but with her heightened senses Lyra dodged and blocked them all, even going so far as to bewitch a nearby oak tree to bend and absorb a series of attacks. Lyra was a flurry of movement, dancing about the clearing whipping her wand like an extension of her arm until flames erupted from the end. The flames enlarged in the air until a roar filled the forest, dragon fire rising above the gathered crowd of werewolves that had come with Fenrir. It was risky magic she knew this in the back of her mind but somehow she felt that it would be fine, that she had control this time. Maybe Dumbledore had known this would happen somehow, that her instincts would kick in and she would take over leading the werewolves from the oppressive Fenrir as his Dark Wizard master. At that moment the opposing werewolves did not look particularly happy to be stood beneath the dragon fire that looked down at them with fiery rage. Many turned and ran then not daring to withstand what they knew was magic they could not stand against, and when the last noticed they stood alone they too ran for their lives. Feeling smug, Lyra let the dragon fire erupt upwards into the sky, exploding in a shower of flames that dwindled like firecrackers harmlessly.
Something connected with her middle knocking the wind out of her and sending her sprawling. Lyra's wand fell from her hand as she hit the ground, dazing her for a moment until she realised what had sent her falling back. Fenrir had leapt at her, dark and wild eyes gleaming at her as he attacked her, teeth fastening into her arm. Screaming in pain, the man's jaw felt like a real animal trying to tear her apart, the wild instinct kicked in. With eyes flashing angrily, she raised her feet beneath her and kicked him off, watching him stagger back to his feet she gave him no time to right himself before she launched herself at him. First her fist smashed into his face leaving a satisfying crunch sound behind before she kicked his feet out from beneath him. Finding her wand not two feet away, Lyra languidly retrieved her wand before turning and pointing it squarely at Fenrir's chest, breathing heavily as if she had run a mile. She could end it right there. Pay back for all this horrid man had done, and with the distant throbbing of her arm in the back of her mind, she had half the mind to do it then and there. But she couldn't, she had to control herself or she would lose herself.
'I am Lyra Sanguine, an Auror and werewolf but above all I am myself,' she thought determinedly.
Taking a deep calming breath she glared down at him as the werewolf held his bleeding nose, angry eyes burning up at her but he did not move.
"Go back to your master and tell him that this pack will not be joining him. Tell Voldemort that Lyra will not let him win this battle or the next. Go!"
It was oddly satisfying to see him scuttle back before hurriedly shouldering his way out of the clearing, eyes like murder the entire way, but the feeling of elation and victory was like a drug that had her floating above such things. It wasn't until Remus gently took her arm sending a twinge of pain through her mind, that she snapped back. Even he had a small smile on his face.
"Let me see to your arm."
Around her everyone had gathered looking almost like a protective shield, the young and the elderly, all those she had spoken to and the others who had been inspired, all glaring threateningly out at the ferals that had moved closer to the clearing. But at seeing the number of werewolves surrounding Lyra they backed off until there was nothing but dark forestry left behind. So much for laying low.
A week's stay with the werewolves had turned into several, listening to all the stories of those that had stayed with her and of course creating contacts. All of them had agreed to help out the Order and Dumbledore when the time arose and in turn Lyra had promised to continue helping promote werewolf equality. The more people that knew she was a werewolf the better. Still they all could not linger there too long as they all had lives to return to once the full moon was over. Lyra had stayed longer mainly to make sure Fenrir did not return but it seemed she had won the fight hard enough to keep him away. Despite this she had enjoyed her time with the werewolves, promising to be there for the next one, she supposed it would be her duty now as pack leader. Yet as she arrived back at Hogwarts Lyra felt truly at home.
Walking the familiar stone corridors she idly wondered if Severus had returned from his own work with the Death Eaters and if it had been as eventful.
"Mistress Lyra!"
Blinking, she turned to see the little house elf Dobby stood behind her where he had not been a moment ago.
"Ah Dobby, nice to see you again my little friend," she smiled warmly knowing how flustered he got from the kind treatment.
As predicted he started shuffling his feet with a shy grin, his large ears flapping as he swung side to side with his hands clasped in front of him.
"It is good to see you too Mistress Lyra! You are always so kind to use house elves," before he suddenly slapped himself, "sorry! Professor Dumbledore wanted to see you as soon as you came back."
"I'm heading there right away, I don't suppose it would be alright for you to bring me some food to my rooms in a bit? I haven't had a good meal in the last few weeks."
"Of course mistress Lyra! I'll get right on it!"
"Just Lyra, Dobby. No more of this 'Mistress' it's not necessary," she chuckled before waving with her good arm, heading off towards Dumbledore's office, chuckling at hearing him quietly scolding himself before the house elf vanished.
He truly was a unique house elf.
The password didn't seem to have changed from when she had last been there but she paused at the office door upon hearing voices. Sounded like Severus had indeed returned. Readying herself, she lightly knocked before entering.
"Don't mind me," she said as she closed the door behind her, "I hate to rush but I'd like to get to my bed as soon as, Albus. As much as sleeping beneath the stars is beautiful it's not particularly comfortable especially when you've got one eye open."
Albus chuckled lightly, stood beside his pensieve idly toying with a vial containing a memory between his fingers. Likewise Severus stood off to one side, arms crossed in his usual unimpressed pose but it faltered slightly upon noticing the sling around her left arm.
"That does not look like laying low," he commented dryly.
"Very astute of you," Lyra piped back, "don't worry it's not as bad as it looks, it's mostly healed now Remus thought it a precaution since neither of us are particularly good at healing spells."
Severus ghosted across the few steps between them, taking her arm gently and removing the sling before she could argue, his eyes scrutinizing the wound. Indeed it had stopped bleeding a while ago and now looked only red and angry, probably it would scar, just another to the list.
"Was this self-inflicted?"
"Not really, Greyback bit me."
Severus' eyes widened a fraction, "Fenrir Greyback was there and he bit you?!"
"Don't worry I punched him for it, you can't just bite a lady, it's rude," she joked.
Albus cut in, offering her a seat with the flick of his hand, a curious look in his eyes but he didn't seem particularly surprised or worried.
"Please explain what happened."
Once she had finished her story Lyra wasn't sure if Severus wanted to pull his hair out or hers, a look of aggravation written clearly on his face whereas Albus merely looked amused.
"I had thought as much might happen," the elderly wizard explained, "this is good though if it means that we can gain the werewolves on our side, although it could not be avoided that Voldemort will know you had a hand in this, at least this way we can be ready."
"Be ready?" Severus almost hissed angrily, "she has practically offered herself up on a silver plate!"
"Calm yourself Severus," Albus peered at him over his half-moon glasses silencing the wizard, "things are proceeding much like I imagined, while you have both been busy I believe I have found the location of the first Horcrux."
