* * * *
Lucius stared in shock as Glory backed away slightly from Lupin, her hands trembling as she held them in front of her. Lupin moved toward her slightly, crawling forward on his hands and knees, his body shuddering with every move he made. His shoulders broadened, stretching and ripping the material that covered his back. Muscles rippled through his body as his legs bent backward, throwing his form into that of a dog. His face lengthened and his ears moved back as hair sprouted over his body.
"Oh Gods," Daphne whispered from beside Lucius and tried to make a run for it. He grabbed her arm tightly and pushed her into the classroom.
"You're not going anywhere," he growled, pointing his wand at her. A length of rope shot out from the end and wrapped around Daphne's body, then tied her wrists and ankles tightly. She tumbled to the floor, cursing Lucius and working on the ropes that bound her body.
He darted back into the hall, leaving the Death Eater on the floor. Outside, Lupin had shed his clothing and had fully turned into the wolf. He was hunched low on the floor, his legs quivering with tension as he glared at Glory. His yellow eyes never left her face, even as she edged away from him, her own body shaking as she went.
A snarl filled the hall, chilling Lucius and sending Glory back against the wall, whimpering. Her eyes shut automatically and tears squeezed from beneath her lids as she pressed herself into the stone, willing herself to melt right into the wall. Her trembling hands scratched at the stone and Lucius wanted to yell at her, tell her to stop. If her mindless scratching tore a nail and drew blood, Lupin would be drawn into a frenzy. He was a wolf. He relied on the scent of blood.
"Lupin, no!" Snape called sharply and Lucius turned to see him standing down the hall with a steaming goblet in his hand. "Stay away from her!"
"You can't command a wolf," Lucius hissed fiercely. "Just shut up."
Snape glared at Lucius, but said nothing.
Lupin growled deep in his throat, moving closer to Glory and sniffing her arm. A terrified moan escaped her throat and the wolf jumped backward, growling cautiously as he studied the woman against the wall.
"Lupin!" Snape called again, dropping the goblet with a clatter.
The wolf whirled around at the noise and glared at Snape, his glowing eyes narrowing at he stared down the hall. Snape stared back, his hands steady as he brought them slowly to his side. Lupin advanced on him, his padded paws making barely a sound on the cold floor. As he approached the Potions Master, Snape caught Lucius's eye and nodded toward Glory.
Lucius realized with a start what Snape was trying to do. As he distracted Lupin, Lucius gestured toward Glory, but her eyes remained closed and she stayed pressed against the wall.
"Get her," Snape hissed.
Lucius nodded, then reached out. "Glory," he whispered, trying to get her attention. He moved toward her slowly, not wanting to distract Lupin from Snape. "Glory," he said a little louder.
Her eyes opened slightly, but they didn't focus on him. Instead, she stared at the wolf advancing on Snape, then shut her eyes tighter than before. Lucius swore under his breath, then froze as Lupin swung around to stare at him. The wolf didn't seem to be interesting in him as he turned back to Snape and Lucius felt his shoulder sag with relief. He looked at Glory again, then took another step toward her.
"Glory!" he said, a bit louder this time.
Lupin snarled and turned, taking a bounding leap and launching himself at Glory. Her eyes opened immediately and she screamed, throwing her hands up in front of her. He came down on her, his paws thumping painfully against her chest and grappling for a hold in her skin. One of his claws tore through her robes, slicing deeply into her shoulder and she screamed again.
"Bloody hell!" Snape growled, darting forward.
Lucius remained frozen where he was. He couldn't believe what had just happened. A werewolf had scratched Glory and there would be no escaping the fact that she would be a werewolf even if she lived through the attack.
Lupin's jaws snapped angrily in the air, his teeth clacking loudly. Glory fought him off, her hands pressed against his throat and her knees pressed into his stomach. Another scream ripped from her throat just as a low howl escaped Lupin. The combined sound was chilling and Lucius felt his legs weaken. A moment later the ground came rushing up to meet him and his jaw slammed painfully onto the stone floor.
His vision blurred with the impact, but Lucius refused to let himself pass out. He saw Snape's boots come near his face and pass by. He could hear Glory's pained screams and Lupin's snarls of rage, he could only imagine what the werewolf was doing to her. From the corner of his eyes he saw a pair of tiny feet emerge from a classroom, pause for a moment, then dart down the hall. Daphne had escaped his ropes.
"Dammit, Lucius," Snape called, "get up and help me!"
Lucius blinked, then slowly rose, steadying himself. His eyes fell on Glory and Lupin and he nearly collapsed again. The wound on her shoulder was steadily pouring blood, staining her robes, the floor and Lupin's brown fur. She had a thin cut above her eyebrow and blood was dripping into her eye, smearing on the shining skin of her scar.
He took a step forward, then another, unsure of what Snape wanted him to do. The Potions Master was trying to get between Glory and Lupin without getting himself scratched or bitten, but it didn't seem to be a very good plan.
"You're hurting me."
Lucius barely heard the words under the snarling wolf, but he froze the moment they reached his ears. It was been those words that had started Glory's strange ability to pull power from anyone who hurt her. Those had been the words that had helped her to take a little piece of every man who had ever hurt her.
"Glory, no," he said urgently, rushing forward.
Before he could reach them, Lupin howled in pain, dropping away from the woman he had intended to kill. Her hands were still tangled in his fur and she hauled him back toward her, her arms shaking with exertion.
"What the hell is she doing?" Snape cried, alarmed.
"She's taking his power," Lucius answered.
Lupin howled again, trying to escape her clutches, but she held him tightly. The cut above her eyebrow slowly healed, leaving only the tiniest mark behind. Her shoulder stopped bleeding and closed slightly as she drew power from the werewolf.
The fur began to melt away, the powerful muscles of the wolf giving way to the lean man. Still, Glory clenched his arms tightly, keeping him close to her. Her entire body shook, power surging through her and her eyes fluttered. Lucius looked away when he caught a glimpse of the wild golden colour in her own eyes.
"She did this to all of us?" Snape asked.
Lucius shook his head. "Not like this. Never to this extent. But she never had to fear for her life before this."
Both men fell silent and watched as Lupin's body dropped to the ground. Glory remained where she was, still trembling, her eyes still blindingly yellow. Snape took off his cloak and draped it over Lupin's weakened body, then touched Glory's arm.
She blinked and the yellow was gone.
"What happened?" she asked, then put a hand to her stomach and doubled over. She retched on the floor, her stomach heaving again and again. "Oh Gods," she murmured finally. "I took his power, didn't I?"
Lucius nodded slowly.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
Snape stared at her, completely speechless.
"I don't know," Lucius answered.
"It means she took the wolf out of me," Lupin breathed, his chest hitching painfully as he turned to look at them. He sat up and pulled Snape's cloak tighter around his shoulders. "I can't feel it inside me anymore."
Glory looked horrified. "Does that mean that I'm . . . that I'll turn?"
Snape walked down the fall and picked up his fallen wand. "Go to the window," he said. "Look out at the moon. If you turn I'll subdue you."
Glory nodded, then slowly stood and went to the window. Her eyes moved over the sky, finding the silver orb and she stared at it, aware of every sensation in her body. Nothing happened. No muscles stretched, no fur grew on her body.
She just felt powerful.
Lupin lowered his head. "She cured me," he whispered.
Glory turned toward him, a smile breaking out over her face. "I did. I took the wolf out of you."
Lupin slumped against the wall, tears collecting in his eyes and trickling down his cheeks. "Gods . . . I'm free. I'm finally free."
Lucius nodded slowly, then turned back to see the abandoned ropes in the classroom. "Daphne escaped," he said softly. "Not to take away from this, but she's after you, Glory. She's not your best friend anymore."
Glory let out a deep breath, then leaned against the wall beside Lupin and dropped down beside him. "One thing at a time, Lucius."
* * * *
Lucius stared in shock as Glory backed away slightly from Lupin, her hands trembling as she held them in front of her. Lupin moved toward her slightly, crawling forward on his hands and knees, his body shuddering with every move he made. His shoulders broadened, stretching and ripping the material that covered his back. Muscles rippled through his body as his legs bent backward, throwing his form into that of a dog. His face lengthened and his ears moved back as hair sprouted over his body.
"Oh Gods," Daphne whispered from beside Lucius and tried to make a run for it. He grabbed her arm tightly and pushed her into the classroom.
"You're not going anywhere," he growled, pointing his wand at her. A length of rope shot out from the end and wrapped around Daphne's body, then tied her wrists and ankles tightly. She tumbled to the floor, cursing Lucius and working on the ropes that bound her body.
He darted back into the hall, leaving the Death Eater on the floor. Outside, Lupin had shed his clothing and had fully turned into the wolf. He was hunched low on the floor, his legs quivering with tension as he glared at Glory. His yellow eyes never left her face, even as she edged away from him, her own body shaking as she went.
A snarl filled the hall, chilling Lucius and sending Glory back against the wall, whimpering. Her eyes shut automatically and tears squeezed from beneath her lids as she pressed herself into the stone, willing herself to melt right into the wall. Her trembling hands scratched at the stone and Lucius wanted to yell at her, tell her to stop. If her mindless scratching tore a nail and drew blood, Lupin would be drawn into a frenzy. He was a wolf. He relied on the scent of blood.
"Lupin, no!" Snape called sharply and Lucius turned to see him standing down the hall with a steaming goblet in his hand. "Stay away from her!"
"You can't command a wolf," Lucius hissed fiercely. "Just shut up."
Snape glared at Lucius, but said nothing.
Lupin growled deep in his throat, moving closer to Glory and sniffing her arm. A terrified moan escaped her throat and the wolf jumped backward, growling cautiously as he studied the woman against the wall.
"Lupin!" Snape called again, dropping the goblet with a clatter.
The wolf whirled around at the noise and glared at Snape, his glowing eyes narrowing at he stared down the hall. Snape stared back, his hands steady as he brought them slowly to his side. Lupin advanced on him, his padded paws making barely a sound on the cold floor. As he approached the Potions Master, Snape caught Lucius's eye and nodded toward Glory.
Lucius realized with a start what Snape was trying to do. As he distracted Lupin, Lucius gestured toward Glory, but her eyes remained closed and she stayed pressed against the wall.
"Get her," Snape hissed.
Lucius nodded, then reached out. "Glory," he whispered, trying to get her attention. He moved toward her slowly, not wanting to distract Lupin from Snape. "Glory," he said a little louder.
Her eyes opened slightly, but they didn't focus on him. Instead, she stared at the wolf advancing on Snape, then shut her eyes tighter than before. Lucius swore under his breath, then froze as Lupin swung around to stare at him. The wolf didn't seem to be interesting in him as he turned back to Snape and Lucius felt his shoulder sag with relief. He looked at Glory again, then took another step toward her.
"Glory!" he said, a bit louder this time.
Lupin snarled and turned, taking a bounding leap and launching himself at Glory. Her eyes opened immediately and she screamed, throwing her hands up in front of her. He came down on her, his paws thumping painfully against her chest and grappling for a hold in her skin. One of his claws tore through her robes, slicing deeply into her shoulder and she screamed again.
"Bloody hell!" Snape growled, darting forward.
Lucius remained frozen where he was. He couldn't believe what had just happened. A werewolf had scratched Glory and there would be no escaping the fact that she would be a werewolf even if she lived through the attack.
Lupin's jaws snapped angrily in the air, his teeth clacking loudly. Glory fought him off, her hands pressed against his throat and her knees pressed into his stomach. Another scream ripped from her throat just as a low howl escaped Lupin. The combined sound was chilling and Lucius felt his legs weaken. A moment later the ground came rushing up to meet him and his jaw slammed painfully onto the stone floor.
His vision blurred with the impact, but Lucius refused to let himself pass out. He saw Snape's boots come near his face and pass by. He could hear Glory's pained screams and Lupin's snarls of rage, he could only imagine what the werewolf was doing to her. From the corner of his eyes he saw a pair of tiny feet emerge from a classroom, pause for a moment, then dart down the hall. Daphne had escaped his ropes.
"Dammit, Lucius," Snape called, "get up and help me!"
Lucius blinked, then slowly rose, steadying himself. His eyes fell on Glory and Lupin and he nearly collapsed again. The wound on her shoulder was steadily pouring blood, staining her robes, the floor and Lupin's brown fur. She had a thin cut above her eyebrow and blood was dripping into her eye, smearing on the shining skin of her scar.
He took a step forward, then another, unsure of what Snape wanted him to do. The Potions Master was trying to get between Glory and Lupin without getting himself scratched or bitten, but it didn't seem to be a very good plan.
"You're hurting me."
Lucius barely heard the words under the snarling wolf, but he froze the moment they reached his ears. It was been those words that had started Glory's strange ability to pull power from anyone who hurt her. Those had been the words that had helped her to take a little piece of every man who had ever hurt her.
"Glory, no," he said urgently, rushing forward.
Before he could reach them, Lupin howled in pain, dropping away from the woman he had intended to kill. Her hands were still tangled in his fur and she hauled him back toward her, her arms shaking with exertion.
"What the hell is she doing?" Snape cried, alarmed.
"She's taking his power," Lucius answered.
Lupin howled again, trying to escape her clutches, but she held him tightly. The cut above her eyebrow slowly healed, leaving only the tiniest mark behind. Her shoulder stopped bleeding and closed slightly as she drew power from the werewolf.
The fur began to melt away, the powerful muscles of the wolf giving way to the lean man. Still, Glory clenched his arms tightly, keeping him close to her. Her entire body shook, power surging through her and her eyes fluttered. Lucius looked away when he caught a glimpse of the wild golden colour in her own eyes.
"She did this to all of us?" Snape asked.
Lucius shook his head. "Not like this. Never to this extent. But she never had to fear for her life before this."
Both men fell silent and watched as Lupin's body dropped to the ground. Glory remained where she was, still trembling, her eyes still blindingly yellow. Snape took off his cloak and draped it over Lupin's weakened body, then touched Glory's arm.
She blinked and the yellow was gone.
"What happened?" she asked, then put a hand to her stomach and doubled over. She retched on the floor, her stomach heaving again and again. "Oh Gods," she murmured finally. "I took his power, didn't I?"
Lucius nodded slowly.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
Snape stared at her, completely speechless.
"I don't know," Lucius answered.
"It means she took the wolf out of me," Lupin breathed, his chest hitching painfully as he turned to look at them. He sat up and pulled Snape's cloak tighter around his shoulders. "I can't feel it inside me anymore."
Glory looked horrified. "Does that mean that I'm . . . that I'll turn?"
Snape walked down the fall and picked up his fallen wand. "Go to the window," he said. "Look out at the moon. If you turn I'll subdue you."
Glory nodded, then slowly stood and went to the window. Her eyes moved over the sky, finding the silver orb and she stared at it, aware of every sensation in her body. Nothing happened. No muscles stretched, no fur grew on her body.
She just felt powerful.
Lupin lowered his head. "She cured me," he whispered.
Glory turned toward him, a smile breaking out over her face. "I did. I took the wolf out of you."
Lupin slumped against the wall, tears collecting in his eyes and trickling down his cheeks. "Gods . . . I'm free. I'm finally free."
Lucius nodded slowly, then turned back to see the abandoned ropes in the classroom. "Daphne escaped," he said softly. "Not to take away from this, but she's after you, Glory. She's not your best friend anymore."
Glory let out a deep breath, then leaned against the wall beside Lupin and dropped down beside him. "One thing at a time, Lucius."
* * * *