Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. All characters belong to a woman with a great imagination and determination, capable of creating this world that is the center of so many stories.
Sins of Angels: Thank you to all reviewers! You guys rock! Well, sad to say that in this time (the time between posting my chapters), no one (who actually told me or ventured a guess) actually correctly guessed who broke the window. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing about my writing, but oh well. Anyway, there were some close ones, like people saying it was a Death Eater, which would be correct, but not accurate enough. I figured leaving you with that cliffhanger was rather mean, so I'm posting this as soon as I wrote it. Enjoy.
Chapter 33 – Werewolf Opportunities
Remus stood rooted to his spot. Was that him? Was that the monster? His friends seemed to be frozen as he was.
"Greyback?" Remus whispered. The werewolf who had cursed him with his disease smiled at the teenager. His teeth were long.
But it wasn't a full moon!
"Ah, little Remus Lupin. Glad to see you survived!" the half-human said joyfully. His figure was hunched and he was decidedly hairier than normal humans. His voice was rough, and his eyes were yellow and animal-like.
"Get out of my house!" Mr. Lupin commanded. Greyback turned his piercing eyes on him.
"Ah, Lupin, old boy. You aren't still sore about me getting your son to join us in the werewolf race, are you?" His tone was light, conversational. You would have thought he's just another guest.
"GET OUT!" Mr. Lupin screamed. The half-werewolf flinched.
"This is no way to welcome a guest on Christmas Eve, Lupin. And here I thought that you were a friendly family."
Greyback walked in lazily and sat down in a chair by the fire. He grinned again, as his hands dug into the arms. Mrs. Lupin frowned considerably, staring at the damage this…thing was doing. But she couldn't do anything. Not just yet.
"Nice place, Lupin. I would've thought, after all the money you spent trying to get a cure for this incurable condition…" He let his words linger, creating an uncomfortable silence.
"What do you want?" Remus asked suddenly. He was angry. Hadn't this man done enough to him already?
"Why, Remus, old chap, just to pay a visit to my favorite offspring, of course!" he said and laughed at the looks of disgust that passed the Lupin family's faces. "That's what I call all the people I've…blessed."
"Surprised you haven't lost count yet, Greyback!" Sirius spat venomously. The unwanted guest smiled at him.
"Ah, Sirius Black. So sad to see you couldn't join us like your brother…"
The color drained from Sirius's face. Greyback laughed again.
"I meant the Death Eaters, you silly child. He hasn't let me bite him…yet."
"Stay the hell away from my family, you monster!" Sirius yelled. Greyback just chuckled.
"Family, Black? You mean the people you left? The brother you walked out on? I must say, it's a good thing you did. I doubt he would have come around if he listened to much more of your senseless babble of right and wrong."
Once again, Sirius's face became white. He started to tremble. His brother had joined because of him?
"Don't blame Sirius for his brother's stupidity!" James yelled, jumping in.
"Stupidity, James Potter? He's the smartest kid I've met yet. Keeps to himself. Thinks, you could hear the gears moving. I daresay he's smarter than everyone in this room combined. Well," he said, his gaze lingering on Remus, "almost everyone."
"Why are you here?" Mr. Lupin asked coldly, trying to keep in front of his wife, who seems to have decided she wanted to hit the werewolf.
"Personally, I think it's high time someone told young Remus here about all the…opportunities, offered to people like us."
"If you mean Voldemort-" Remus started angrily before Greyback growled.
"Do not speak the Dark Lord's name!" he roared, baring his teeth more than ever before. "Do not utter it with your stupid, foolish mouth! He is all powerful, and you do not deserve the honor of speaking it!"
"Honor?" Remus said angrier still, scowling. "Is that what he's feeding you? Really, Greyback, I thought you were a smart, lone wolf!"
"I was," the man said, springing from his chair. "That is, until he showed me how much his power can help. Did you not wonder why I have my teeth and hair when the moon is waning?"
Remus nodded, ever so slightly. The man beamed. Behind him, Mr. Lupin held up his wand, aiming at his head.
"It's all because of him. It's a reward, Remus. It's my reward for what I'm about to do."
Remus gulped. "And what are you-"
Greyback spun around, ducked under the stunner that Mr. Lupin aimed for him, and came up, his claws digging into the man's stomach. He gave him a deep gash, and blood began to stain his shirt. Mrs. Lupin screamed in horror, all thoughts of the werewolf forgotten, and mumbled healing spells as fast as she could. Greyback grinned as he turned to Remus. "Look at the power I have, little wolf!" he commanded, overjoyed at the sickened look on Remus's face. "Look at what you are truly capable of! Join with me!"
"No!" Remus yelled, tearing his eyes away from his bleeding father. The gashes seemed to be, slowly, healing.
Sirius growled. Only it wasn't Sirius anymore that was doing it. It was a big, black dog, snarling at the werewolf.
"My, my," Greyback said, grinning horribly. "What little tricks you have."
The dog leapt, but Greyback struck it with his arm right under the ribcage. Sirius rolled into the wall, whimpering. James followed, becoming the great stag and charging, head down. He caught Greyback off guard and slammed him into the wall, above the broken window. However, foot came into the stag's chest, causing James to lean down a bit as the wind got knocked out of him. Remus took this time to rush over to his parents, leaning down next to his mother.
"Are you okay?" he mumbled hurriedly. His mother turned, her face stained with tears.
"His wounds, they just…they won't…he's bleeding…"
Remus nodded, looking at the torn flesh. Behind him, Sirius got up and jumped on James's back, clawing at Greyback. The man grabbed the dog's front paws after a few little scratches and hurled it at the fireplace. Sirius hit the mantle with a bone crushing sound and dropped limply in front of the fire.
"Mum? Get him to St. Mungo's. Go!" Remus said, looking at the fight. What could he do?
His mother nodded, gripping his father's hand. She looked at her son. "I'm not leaving you here. Not when he's already gotten to you once," she said quietly. Remus turned back to her, not hearing it entirely.
"What?" he asked, but for a response she gripped his shoulder and Apparated, vanishing the three of them with a loud "pop".
Greyback screamed in rage as he realized his target got away. He looked down at the stag.
"I'm bloody killing someone tonight!" he screamed and hit James with his fists on the stag's head.
Next to the fireplace, Sirius shakily stood up. He limped on his front left paw, which was broken. The dog growled, which caused the werewolf to stop hitting James to look at it.
From the landing, Lily raised a trembling wand. The creature was hitting James. Her hand became steady, and she aimed directly at Greyback. Only one thing stood between her and him.
Doubt.
Could she do it? She knew the incantation well enough, it was famous-for all the wrong reasons. But there wasn't any other choice. There couldn't be. She concentrated again, as Sirius tried to desperately keep Greyback's attention away from the stag that was pinning him to the wall. Lily shut her eyes. Of course she could. She had to. It was self-defense. Rather, it was in the defense of James.
Briefly wondering what the punishment would be for performing the worst Unforgivable curse, she aimed.
Sins of Angels: Please don't hate me too much. I just love to leave people wondering. Anyway, indulge me and venture a guess as to what Lily Evans will do. One, because I'm curious as hell of what my readers think, and two because I'm currently not sure myself what will happen, so if anyone gives me an idea that I like, or that will fit with the eventual story, I'll use it. Thanks!