A/N: There we are, this is the ending. Give yourself a pat on the back for making through the first part. This is more serious action and more Lupin-oriented (and a heck of a lot shorter!). However, Snape will be at the end. No worries ;)
How Much is that Creature in the Window?
Chapter 2 of 2:
Lupin was not a happy camper. He spent half the day looking for five horribly hard items to find for his new potion and he had only found one. He looked at his watch. Four hours until transformation. Not to mention he was extremely uncomfortable, having stepped into itching plants, devil's burrs, fire lilies, and basically everything that the enchanted forest had to offer. Unk seemed happy enough. For all she knew she was just getting a very long walk. Lupin groaned.
"Where in this forest am I ever going to find flab grass…"
"You're looking in the wrong place, im afraid."
He froze. It was getting darker and he couldn't see five feet in front of him. The voice chuckled soothingly, he guessed it was female.
"What brings you here, stranger? Guessing from all those marks and bruises you're not used to the wild forest." A healthy purr sound moved towards and above him. "I see you have a changeling."
Lupin decided to be cautious. Whoever was speaking to him knew the forest, and therefore they had the advantage since he was obviously on their territory. "What's your name, creature?"
"In your human tongue it would be Olivia." The voice remarked in a friendly hiss. "Why are you here? It's going to be after dark and soon the real threatening animals will be after your fleshy hide."
"Not if I can help it."
"I could help you…but for a slight price."
"And what would that be?" Lupin remarked, still a bit skeptical.
"I want your changeling. My cubs were killed at an early age, and I have no offspring." A tremendous thump shook the earth below Lupin as he saw a dark cat-like creature walking towards him. He sighed.
"It's just as well."
"Come, this is place is dangerous even for me. What do you need to find?"
Lupin flustered for his parchment paper with the sacred ingredients. He read aloud as they walked silently north. "Flab grass, snow flower, wolf claw, and raven feather."
"The wolf claw should probably be our first destination." Olivia whispered. "There is a pack near here. No doubt they probably have been fighting and one lost a claw somehow." Olivia stopped. "Get on your knees, human." She was a rather large black animal; he would think that she was a panther of some sort. He caught a glimpse of her large white claws, and was deathly thankful she was on his side. "Quiet now, they are among us." Lupin tried to breathe as silently as he could. Olivia itched forward to a patch of clear forest.
"Olivia…" Lupin whispered despite her warning. "There is a claw…over there…" He extended his arm and pointed. Unk, being in Lupin's pocket, hopped out and mewed. Olivia turned around to look at the changeling but then four wolves suddenly jumped on top of her. Grunts and roars could be heard from every direction. Lupin, adrenaline rushing, got up from the woodsy floor and ran for the claw. Olivia shook off one wolf and it spotted him.
"NO! DON'T MOVE!" Olivia shouted before she went under with the wolf pack. But it was too late.
He picked up the claw and was face to face with a full-pledged wolf. It growled with such assertion he thought he was going to die. He saw it's bloody teeth go for his head and he closed his eyes. Nothing happened.
Unk jumped in the wolf's way with its massive tiger-like body. Lupin opened his eyes to find the huge Unk and Olivia the only animals standing.
"You fool. You would have been killed! Where would that have gotten you? You're lucky the changeling decided to save your life." Olivia sneered annoyed. Unk licked her paw. All three of them moved through the trees silently. He wanted to ask where they were going, but then decided at this point it didn't matter. What time is it? Three hours until transformation. Plus Severus had to prepare it. That gave him a good two hours.
"Flab grass and snow flower over there." Olivia said tiredly. He guessed she was in a better mood. Oh how stupid he was! How could he have thought that he could outrun a wolf? He chopped some grass and a flower with his unwounded hand and put it in the bag with the mushroom and claw.
"That only leaves the raven feather." Lupin said with a sigh. Olivia laughed as though that comment somehow amused her.
"You're on your own there. Ravens can be quite moody when disturbed. I'm pretty sure there is a nest somewhere near where you came in."
Lupin raised his eyebrows. "You were following me?" Olivia had on a smug expression.
"I was going to eat you, but then you were such a pathetic sight to see stumbling over everything in the forest. I must say I had a hard time keeping myself from laughing when you yelled at that biting bunny."
Lupin rubbed his rear, remembering. Soon after Olivia was there, she was gone. Light poured into his eyes, and he wasn't the least bit surprised when he couldn't find Unk around.
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"Did you get the ingredients Remus, or did you fail and are going to kill us all." Snape said setting up his equipment. He turned around to see Lupin full of dirt, blood, and tearing all over his clothes. "Good god what happened to you?" Snape remarked as he noted the little puddles of mud flourishing on his floor.
"It's all there. And I got attacked." Lupin handed Snape the contents in the bag. Snape looked through them and surveyed them carefully for flaws.
"Well, you've managed not to mess up this time, Remus. Which is a surprise to us all." Snape threw the mushroom into the boiling cauldron.
"Hey, Severus, Unk is taken care of. She's gone with someone who can…deal with her." Lupin rubbed the back of his neck, which was caked with mud.
"Do me a favor and get rid of your awful stench."
Lupin smirked. "Yeah, I'm going to miss her too."
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The End.
A/N: Ta da! Tis the end. Review.
