Definition Of A Wolf
Part Eight-Point-Five
Disclaimer: I own them not
***
A pair of eyes in the undergrowth watched as Sirius and Remus left the forest, then a large rat emerged from the foliage and scampered towards the village.
Wormtail could scarcely believe what he had heard - Sirius and Remus in love? It was absurd - it was quite the funniest thing he had heard in a long time, and he could hardly suppress a snigger. Oh, he could only imagine what their old friend James would think. He'd have found it funny too, Wormtail thought, but for different reasons. As far as Wormtail was concerned, it was funny because both of them were total planks, oblivious to their own feelings, never mind those of another person. Sirius was always funny to watch. He was such a bumbling idiot! And as for Remus, he trailed a faint whiff of trouble wherever he went, even if it wasn't always his fault. Wormtail had kept track of the werewolf for the past fourteen years. There wasn't much Remus had done that Wormtail didn't know about - his marriage, his daughter, every sordid love affair, every job and every period of unemployment.
Sirius, on the other hand, was a fresh book. Wormtail would watch him with interest. If, of course, Sirius lived after tonight.
*** It was very nearly dawn by the time Julian and Thuban reached Hogsmeade village, which didn't make a lot of sense to Thuban.
"He'll be human when we find him," said the elder Black brother, referring to Remus Lupin.
"Good."
"Why?"
"He'll be weak."
"He'll be *human*! I can't kill a human!"
"That," said Julian, "is because you are also weak." He caught sight of something close to the ground. "And here's our pet rat. Hallo, Wormtail."
The rat dodged into a doorway and transformed back to his human shape. He had been acquainted with Black and Jackson for several months, and was very impressed with both of them so far as utter hatred for Remus went. Sirius' brother, of course, had no idea who Wormtail was. Letting that slip would cause no end of trouble. Voldemort would not be happy if he found out Wormtail was causing trouble without his permission.
"Well?" said Julian.
"Lupin's definitely here," said Wormtail. "Lock up your daughters! And your sons," he added, as an afterthought. This earned him one hell of a glare from Julian, and he fell silent.
"Be civil," spat Julian. He paused. "How do you know Lupin, anyway?"
"He was in my year at school."
"You were friends?" Thuban asked suspiciously.
"No, no! Never liked him." This was more or less true. He had been in awe of Remus, Sirius and James, and had let them think it was genuine friendship, but he had never imagined *liking* any of them. Obnoxious swots, he thought. All three had been totally full of themselves and their own cleverness, bravado and popularity. He felt sick thinking back on his schooldays. He felt even more sick as an image sprung into his mind of Sirius and Remus *together*.
"Yuk," he muttered.
"What?" snapped Julian.
"Nothing." Wormtail glanced at Thuban. "Nothing at all."
"In that case," said Julian, "let's get a move on. Sun's up."
Wormtail scampered away, and the others started up towards the house. Julian felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle. He was looking forwards to this reunion.
***
To Be Continued . . .
Part Eight-Point-Five
Disclaimer: I own them not
***
A pair of eyes in the undergrowth watched as Sirius and Remus left the forest, then a large rat emerged from the foliage and scampered towards the village.
Wormtail could scarcely believe what he had heard - Sirius and Remus in love? It was absurd - it was quite the funniest thing he had heard in a long time, and he could hardly suppress a snigger. Oh, he could only imagine what their old friend James would think. He'd have found it funny too, Wormtail thought, but for different reasons. As far as Wormtail was concerned, it was funny because both of them were total planks, oblivious to their own feelings, never mind those of another person. Sirius was always funny to watch. He was such a bumbling idiot! And as for Remus, he trailed a faint whiff of trouble wherever he went, even if it wasn't always his fault. Wormtail had kept track of the werewolf for the past fourteen years. There wasn't much Remus had done that Wormtail didn't know about - his marriage, his daughter, every sordid love affair, every job and every period of unemployment.
Sirius, on the other hand, was a fresh book. Wormtail would watch him with interest. If, of course, Sirius lived after tonight.
*** It was very nearly dawn by the time Julian and Thuban reached Hogsmeade village, which didn't make a lot of sense to Thuban.
"He'll be human when we find him," said the elder Black brother, referring to Remus Lupin.
"Good."
"Why?"
"He'll be weak."
"He'll be *human*! I can't kill a human!"
"That," said Julian, "is because you are also weak." He caught sight of something close to the ground. "And here's our pet rat. Hallo, Wormtail."
The rat dodged into a doorway and transformed back to his human shape. He had been acquainted with Black and Jackson for several months, and was very impressed with both of them so far as utter hatred for Remus went. Sirius' brother, of course, had no idea who Wormtail was. Letting that slip would cause no end of trouble. Voldemort would not be happy if he found out Wormtail was causing trouble without his permission.
"Well?" said Julian.
"Lupin's definitely here," said Wormtail. "Lock up your daughters! And your sons," he added, as an afterthought. This earned him one hell of a glare from Julian, and he fell silent.
"Be civil," spat Julian. He paused. "How do you know Lupin, anyway?"
"He was in my year at school."
"You were friends?" Thuban asked suspiciously.
"No, no! Never liked him." This was more or less true. He had been in awe of Remus, Sirius and James, and had let them think it was genuine friendship, but he had never imagined *liking* any of them. Obnoxious swots, he thought. All three had been totally full of themselves and their own cleverness, bravado and popularity. He felt sick thinking back on his schooldays. He felt even more sick as an image sprung into his mind of Sirius and Remus *together*.
"Yuk," he muttered.
"What?" snapped Julian.
"Nothing." Wormtail glanced at Thuban. "Nothing at all."
"In that case," said Julian, "let's get a move on. Sun's up."
Wormtail scampered away, and the others started up towards the house. Julian felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle. He was looking forwards to this reunion.
***
To Be Continued . . .
