Fae arrived in Lincolnshire a few days into June, looking mostly like herself, although a little of Isla had remained. Regulus had really outdone himself with this one. The glamour-infused studs worked for a complete change when wearing both. However, if she just wore one, then only half the changes would take place. The exact changes that Fae had asked him for.
She kept her tan, dark skin, her fae-like grin, her lean 5 ft stature. However, her long and wild hair had turned blood red, her scars had faded in many places, and her tattoos were hidden. Her face was a little rounder, her eyes a little more slanted. Couldn't look too much like herself, after all. But she felt like herself, felt at home in her thin, strong body.
Of course, Romilly had outdone herself too. Thanks to her spying, Fae had a complete and fairly detailed list of every werewolf currently in Fenrir Greyback's pack. And for whatever details Romilly couldn't supply, Fae's inside spies could. Celeste must've worked some magic for Romily to not only be subtle enough to spy and not be caught, but to make contact with two members of said pack and not have anyone detect her scent or presence at all. They'd passed along key information and now Fae was here to meet them.
Fenrir Greyback had bitten no less than 105 people in his lifetime. Of those people, 46 had already died, being hunted and killed, murdered by Greyback, or having taken their own life. 24 lived around the world, having never come into contact with him again and having learned to live with their lycanthropy. Those were the lucky ones, like her darling Remus. The remaining 35 were part of his current pack.
Here were the facts.
There were 35 werewolves in Greyback's pack. He never accepted anybody in who hadn't been bitten by him, or bitten by one of his named children. Some he sought out himself, some found him, and most just had nowhere else to go.
He referred to himself as their father and gave names to the 'children' who were his most favorite and strongest. There were four currently - Prim, Zweite, Dritte, and Nlejas. Or, one, two, three, and four, depending on what language you were speaking.
Once you were in the pack, you followed every order obediently or you were punished. Father's word held above all, and then the named children came next. If you tried to leave, you'd be killed.
Fae strolled right into Greyback's territory and grinned when she was attacked by two werewolves fifteen minutes in. Two young men, blonde hair and brown hair, similar green eyes, long limbs, and pointed noises. These two were important ones - Zweite and Dritte. Or, two and three. Good lord, Greyback was uncreative with naming. Or probably just dumb.
Fae dodged them easily, launching herself high into the air so they charged right into each other. They collided with a loud smack and fell over in a pile that she landed on top of easily. Then vines erupted from the ground and took care of the rest, leaving the two werewolves struggling and cursing while she bent over and inspected them cheerfully. Then Jim and Maddy Hanson walked into the clearing, Jim chuckling deeply.
"We warned you not to attack her. She's not human, obviously," Maddy said.
"What! What's happening? Let me go!"
"Okay!" Fae said cheerfully, rolling off them and letting the vines go.
The two brothers scrambled away and barred the teeth at her. "Who are you?"
Jim and Maddy took their places on either side of her. "She is Athena."
"Hey guys! It's good to see you again!" Fae said, grinning and giving them hugs and kisses on the cheek.
Jim and Maddy ignored Zweite and Dritte's arguments and attempts to tell Fae to go away. And then Fae had plenty of fun dodging their attacks for the entire way to Greyback's camp. They were spirited and impressively strong, but clumsy and so loud. These were named children? Ouch.
Fae was led to the rest of the pack and was both pleased and pissed off by what she saw. It was always an amazing thing to see so many of her kind altogether. Even better to see that in addition to Jim and Maddy, she recognized her longtime penpals Mirabelle, Tristan, Drew, and Velma. Penpals that she'd corresponded with privately when Athena and Romulus had split ways temporarily.
As far as Romulus knew, they'd gone their own ways and had just never written back one day, as is what tended to happen eventually. What really happened is that Athena had taught them and guided them and then asked for their loyalty and help. These four, who she'd recognized as victims of Greyback easily, agreed to serve her faithfully.
And then there were seven others that Fae, and Romilly, were pretty sure had corresponded with Athena at some point too in the last four years. That was 13 of 35, not a bad start. Overall, there were lots of smiling, welcoming faces, plenty curious ones, and only a few threatening and murderous glares.
Unfortunately, Fae hated to see the sorry states of all of them. Dirty in an impoverished, inescapable, no-other-option, kind of way. Thin and hungry. Twitchy and bruised and affection-starved. This pack was not healthy and thriving like Christian's, nor was it united and powerful like Celeste's. These werewolves were caged, circus creatures. Like pacing, emaciated tigers. Held in confinement and whittled down and down until aggression was the only response. It was sickening.
And then Fenrir Greyback dropped right in front of her, hitting the ground with an imposing growl and straightening to tower over her and bare his teeth. He wasn't as creepy looking as the movies and books made him out to be. Clearly feral with his pointed fangs and violent eyes, dangerous with his large, muscular frame and sharpened claws, but mostly he looked a lot like them. Normal, but a little on the rough side and with lots of scars.
His presence, at least, lived up to his reputation. Fae had to make herself pretend to cower at least a little bit. Any show of alpha behaviour would be taken as a challenge immediately and she couldn't kill him just yet. So Fae ducked her head, tilted to show her neck in submission just a tad, and peered up at him with her best fake-ass waitress smile.
He leaned in and sniffed her intently. Then reared back and growled. "You are not one of mine. You were not blessed by one of mine, either. Tell me who you are and why you are here before I kill you."
"I am Athena. I am a teacher of sorts. A guide for my fellow werewolves. I have come here to learn the ways of your pack and in return, teach what I can," Fae explained softly, but assertively. She then met his eyes and smiled brightly, despite the urge to rip his throat out.
"As it happens, there are some among you who I have already had the pleasure of teaching. They can vouch for me. And I suspect, there may be a few more here who I've written to over the years?" she said, glancing around them. Greyback followed her gaze to Jim and Maddy, and to the few others who were nodding and grinning excitedly.
Then Fae forced a shy blush and a coy, sweet expressions as she said, "As for who bit me, I can't tell you who I was bitten by, but I must confess that I am disappointed that it was not you." Ugh, gross. Regulus would be proud of her little performance.
The flattery worked and he smiled just slightly. "Oh?"
"You see, I'm kind of a big fan. I've always wanted to meet you. I figured out almost everything I know about being a werewolf from studying you, after all." At least, that was true.
"And just what have you 'figured out' about being a werewolf?"
"What hasn't she figured out about being a werewolf?" Maddy said laughing.
Fae grinned at the curious look on Greyback's face. Wary, but interested. "Shall I tell you? Or should I let them?"
Six werewolves spoke up all at once.
"She can see in the dark, as if it were clear as day!"
"She taught me how to enhance and suppress my sense of smell!"
"Athena knows how to ease the pain on the day after almost ten-fold!"
"She's the reason I can hunt deer!"
"I would never have made it without her!"
"Athena can control her transformations!"
It was so sweet. Then she silenced them with a wave of her hand. "Or better yet, should I show you?"
Fae pulled out all the stops. The night was spent explaining what she was capable of, demonstrating her strength by fighting off Zweite and Dritte several times over because they were really quite determined things. And then she fought off others, wrestling them down into submission. Easily outrunning several pack members. Easily out maneuvering several pack members in their own territory. Easily hunting several pack members in their own territory. Identifying them all by scent and names within a few hours. Hunting a huge grizzly bear on her own, in the night, to present to Greyback as a dinner offering. And then, just for funsies, some howling. Some singing, of course, but some howling as a wolf as well, soulful bays coming out of her human lungs with practiced ease.
Before Greyback left them for the night, he fixed her with an intimidating and sharp gaze. "You will stay and you will teach my pack these tricks," he demanded, teeth in a sharp grin. No doubt thinking she could train his pack to make the Dark Lord happy.
Oh, the fool. He had no clue. Fae grinned back just as sharply. "I'd be honored to."
It was a thin line that Fae had to walk, but Romilly, Jim, and Maddy had prepared her well for it. How to gain trust and maintain just enough control to command a pack and achieve significant results without overstepping her boundaries and coming off as too much of a threat. Thankfully, she'd had practice doing this with two packs before. And while she didn't have Remus helping her here, she did have Jim and Maddy who knew how she worked and how to work this pack. They'd been members for four months now and were among the strongest. It was only because they'd been here for such a short time that they hadn't achieved name status, Fae suspected. They were sent hunting often enough and were often tasked with teaching the younger ones.
Fae split up the pack evenly, 17 each to Jim and Maddy while she spent the days going back and forth between. Whilst teaching them strength training, running drills, and techniques for enhancing their senses, Fae met and learned each and every werewolf beyond what Romilly, Jim, or Maddy could tell her. Many had the same air about them - trapped. It was horrifying. It was good news for Fae and her goals, but generally sickening and sad.
They were cautious and wary of her at first, but when Greyback made it clear that to learn from her was an order of Father and to do well would mean being rewarded, all of the pack members were eager to listen to her, so long as Fae didn't push it too hard too fast. Greyback circled on the outskirts some of the time, watching. Most of the time, though, he left it to Prim to watch after Fae, while he stayed inside his conjured cabin, the only cabin around for miles, and ate whatever he wanted, slept as he wanted. Clearly, he was an absent leader who ruled with fear. So easy. So arrogant.
Fae spent the first week as an objective teacher working to teach them all about enhancing their skills as a werewolf and nothing more. She couldn't tell her stories yet. Couldn't give them options more than this life, couldn't encourage seeking a peaceful and happy life with humans. Couldn't give them hope for something better than Voldemort using them and making the general population fearful of them and regretful of how they'd treated werewolves historically. Proving her use and making it a necessity for Greyback to have her was key. Making everybody stronger and more useful. That's why she was here and why she needed to be here, as far as Greyback and his few actually loyal werewolves knew.
Oh, but it was so hard to play it cool when it came to the young ones. Martha was 10. She was 10. And she'd only been around for a month or two, but already she kept herself away from most everybody. Always kept other people in her sights, moving in slow side steps and backwards whenever she went anywhere. Quick swipes at the food, not nearly enough to satisfy her surely, but not willing to fight with the older wolves for more. Fae could hear her crying at night, as far away as she could get without being suspected of running away. She was a survivor, a strong one, and Fae made sure to pay positive attention to her whenever she could.
Fae coaxed her out slowly. Martha was given an objective, like keeping up during a morning run, and then achieved it and was given praise. Positive feedback that had nothing to do with physical strength or their ability to hurt someone. And then, just as Fae always did, she pushed her harder, pacing her as properly without it being too easy, taught her new abilities, how to view what might've been considered downsides as upsides, showered Martha in casual, teasing jibes to motivate her and cheerfully shouted out compliments when she succeeded. She did that for all her wolves. Of course, the best part was always seeing them become surprised at what they could do when someone believed in them. And then become addicted to going as far as they could once they believed in themselves.
Martha, and many others, were hooked just like Fae had been once upon a time. Running faster, working harder, getting stronger, discovering what they could do, celebrating it, pushing it further, discovering more, and repeating. Believing that it was possible to be aware during their transformations. High on having control of their bodies for once. And they all looked to Athena, eager to learn more.
The week pushed on and Fae paid attention. Analyzed. Began to see their individual strengths and play to them, encourage them, challenge them, organize them.
Illiana had unbelievable reflexes. Never tripped while running through the woods, never got surprised by any animal, always managed to get a good share of food without colliding with anybody, was damn hard to hit when she got into little skirmishes with the more aggressive ones. Nobody could ever sneak up on her or surprise her and Fae made a game of it quickly, disappearing on runs and trying to jump out and trip her. She'd growled and barred her teeth the first few times, but caught on to the playful nature of it all quick enough and had eventually taken to laughing and teasing Fae to try harder next time. Next time had Fae apparating right in front of her running path out of nowhere and Illiana just jumped right over her with a happy cry.
Hamish had a talent for identifying animals. Maybe it was just because he was a big guy and got hungry so often, but he could call out any creature in a mile radius. He was a gentle kind though, and hid his ability because he didn't like to see his fellow werewolves tear apart the cuter and smaller animals. Fae had found this out after discovering him taking care of a den of abandoned baby foxes in secret. After Fae taught him to tap into his hearing and smell, that radius increased to three miles and his precision increased enough that he could easily tell a baby bird from a hulking boar. He could sense them all and he proudly became key to the hunting groups, able to direct several at once and not witness the actual hunting himself.
Troy, 13, was harder to win over. He had an attitude and was hellbent on getting strong. Greyback clearly praised strength, and that was it. The strongest got the first servings of food. The strongest ordered them around and hurt them when anybody disobeyed, no matter how ridiculous it was. The strongest were named and rewarded.
So Fae showed Troy how to be strong in other ways - namely by showing up Zweite and Dritte frequently. It was easy and fun to rile them up, get them to try and fight her into submission. Fae always dodged them, outmaneuvered them, tricked them into getting stuck in trees, falling in rivers, dropping into pitfalls, pissing off bees. It was good that the brothers had a lot of energy though, and good-humored, determined attitudes.
They liked Athena. Zweite and Dritte liked a challenge, which was why they usually brushed off Troy's daily attempts to challenge them, because Troy wasn't strong. What Troy was though, was agile, flexible, and quick. And hot-tempered. So Fae poked and prodded and teased him, challenged Troy to run faster, jump higher, try and climb trees like Patrick, and weave in and out of the woods like Hannah from the western pack. Kept wrecking Zweite and Dritte playfully, and having a blast at it honestly.
It was only a matter of time before Troy came to her, reluctantly and petulantly asking her how to beat the brothers. Grinning Fae-like, she taught him, and reveled in the look of triumph on his face when he stole food from the brothers the next day, only to lead them right into a mudpit where they got very messy and very stuck. Fae helped them out, laughing wildly the whole time. At least, they took their loss gracefully. Told Troy to eat his winnings and put some proper meat on his bones.
The only ones who didn't seem to fall for Fae's charms were Prim, Neljas, and three other werewolves. Older ones, two men and a woman, who were eating up her strength training lessons eagerly, but seemed to hate Fae's actual presence and didn't bother with learning how to smell, see, or hear better. Or sing. Or stretch.
It wasn't until the second week and Greyback becoming less present did Fae begin to tell her stories. Usually, that was when she introduced Hide and Hunt, but the stories were more important. So she left Maddy and Jim to teach Hide and Hunt to some of the more stubborn ones while Fae started talking about her life, her story, her strengths and successes, her weaknesses and failures, and all the options and opportunities she had made for herself.
How she was bitten at 14, grew up with a regular magic family who loved her anyways, had friends who knew and loved her and became animagus to help her, how she strived to become strong and sought the woods because she felt at home, but still finds her way through the wizarding world with ease. That there were ways to get by as a werewolf undetected, ways to manage it without clueing anybody in. She told them about other werewolves she'd met and how they found lives in the wizarding world. And happily without, together as a proper pack that supported each other.
And when Fae charmed even the stubborn ones with her stories and impossibilities, she asked why they worked for a man who does evil things and thinks nothing of those who are not normal, magical beings like him? He destroys all that is different, rather than celebrating it and protecting it. Sure, Voldemort may make a place for them, but a place where they will still be feared and thought of as lesser. It doesn't sound like much of a future and she wanted to understand.
Very few had an answer for her. And with the full moon, Fae made her strongest play to win them over to her side. It was for love that she'd become strong. To protect instead of hurt. That is what drove her and what pushed her so far. Some laughed at her, but the laughs disappeared with the full moon and Fae's display of unequal power and control, even over Greyback.
She'd been training all her life in this world for this. From that very first night of pain and despair, through all the blood, sweat, tears, and strife. Joys and triumphs. Scores and sores. New ideas, failed ideas, simple successes, complex lessons.
The moon rose at about 9:30 and fell around 4:30. And for those 7 hours, Fae didn't lose consciousness once. She maintained awareness for the whole night, and with it, she led the entire pack as a true alpha. They followed her through the woods, howled when she howled, hunted when she commanded, showed mercy when she demanded, submitted when she displayed her prowess. Even Greyback.
The looks on everybody's faces in the following morning were varied. Mostly in disbelief and impressed. Prim, Neljas, and the few remaining single-minded loyalists were angry and offended. Greyback was horrified, but hell bent and determined to learn how Fae had done it before he tossed her out or killed her. Fae basked in the wonder, the awe, and it only got better. Knocking back two of Romilly's improved Miracle Shots, she was up and running at nearly full energy again within half an hour of transforming back. With her liveliness, she set to healing the injuries, rubbing lotion and teaching stretches to those who were especially sore, providing comfort and love as they recovered.
They all watched her, amazed and hungry to be like her one day. To be completely okay. To thrive with the moon instead of suffering. To run and lurch happily into the night, unbothered or burdened by the pain. To walk tall and strong right out of transformation as if it were easy. To be a wolf and a human in her every movement, seamlessly, proudly, truly.
Fae had intended to hang out for another week or so following the full moon. No way would she last much longer than that. Greyback may have been interested in keeping her, with her power, but she could see the fear in his eyes, the concern that she might truly be stronger than he was. So one more week, convince a few more to turn on him, and then take the pack.
But then Greyback nearly killed Troy, making an 'example' out of him and tearing chunks out of the boy's back for attempting to steal food from Greyback's cabin. Fae had rushed in immediately, sent Greyback flying with her wild magic, secured Troy and given him to Jim to be healed, and then challenged the other alpha for rights to the pack as leader.
The fight between them was boring, almost. He prioritized strength and even though Fae was weaker, she had an entire arsenal of other strengths. To prove her superiority as a werewolf to not just him, but the pack, she didn't use magic. Didn't apparate. It was a close thing at first, she took one hit from him and nearly blacked out. After that, she got real good at running circles around him, ducked in and out of his attacks, wore him down and pounced for the throat. Used his own clumsy barreling strength against him. Dumbass knocked himself dizzy against a tree and Fae took advantage, tripping him and sending him sprawling to the ground. She pinned him, held him down as he struggled to escape, punched him unconscious and sent blood from his broken nose spraying over the dirt.
Hell, Christian had honestly been harder to fight. And as it happened, the combined strength of Neljas and Prim was actually pretty tough. Fae had to take to the trees and used her speed to startle them, used her vines to subdue them and eventually strangle them to death when it became clear they were never going to listen or change their mind about 'avenging' their father.
The three other loyal werewolves attacked her too, but she could sense their hesitancy. Fear radiated off them as her vines wrapped around them securely. But she didn't kill them. She addressed them, and the rest of the pack, as their new alpha. Gave them something they'd never been given by Greyback - choices.
She took out her stud earring and revealed her true identity. Apologized for lying. She had always been both - Athena and Fae Potter, but this was her true appearance. She was here to help them reach a truly better future. She was here to ask for their help in fighting against their true oppressor - Voldemort.
They were all free now. Free to leave here and do what they pleased. Jim and Maddy could take them to the western pack. They could try their luck with the northern pack. They could return to the wizarding world and try to live easier lives. They could go somewhere else entirely and escape the war.
But if they chose her, if they chose to follow Athena, they'd be put to work. They'd have to get stronger and fight on behalf of normal, magical people and risk their lives to show the world that werewolves were more than just dark creatures. They were strong and proud and had just as much of a capability and ability to be good and do good as anybody else. They could change history and change the world. They didn't have to hide or be ashamed, they just had to choose to be good and to stand tall against naysayers no matter what. They just had to choose to fight, believe in themselves, and never give up.
And as for those who remained loyal to the Dark Lord? Go ahead. Go crawling on back to him and continue being his threat pets. Continue being treated as lesser and as awful and as unworthy. Just do be careful, he hadn't reacted well to the last messenger who showed up with bad news about Fae. And pray that they don't encounter her again on the battlefield or go after her loved ones, because she wouldn't show mercy again. She would kill them.
35 dropped down to 32 with Greyback captured and Prim and Neljas dead. Six werewolves uncertainly proclaimed their loyalty to Voldemort. Or at least, declared that they would never help her. That left 26. Of those, 17 decided to pledge their loyalty to Fae. Jim, Maddy, Dritte, Zweite, Troy, Martha, Illiana, and so on. The other 9 were split between making attempts to join the other werewolf packs. And 2, Hamish and Robby, decided to leave the country and do the start-over thing. Fae beamed, gave thanks, and bade good luck.
Once the dissenters were gone, Fae settled down with her remaining pack members for the night. Made sure they were properly fed, conjured pillows and blankets galore around a roaring bonfire so they could sleep properly together, warm and satisfied and safe. Zweite, Dritte, Troy, and Martha would watch over them. And, they promised, they would make sure nobody came after Fae that night for any reason.
Fae gathered up Greyback and walked into the woods with Jim and Maddy flanking her. They walked a few kilometers and came to a stop at the nearest farmhouse. Abandoned, nobody wanted to live there after the rumors of a werewolf pack inhabiting the area had floated around. She settled the unconscious alpha into a chair, wrapped him up with vines, and then helped Jim and Maddy set up the cameras, pointing it right at Greyback.
"You two don't have to stay for this if you don't want to. There will be no mercy. It will not be pretty. You will not be able to unsee it unless you check yourself into St. Mungo's to Obliviate yourselves," Fae said as she opened her bag and began pulling out her tools for the night.
"We're staying."
"We want to see that fucker die slowly," Maddy said.
"Alright then. Turn on the camera please."
Fae stood between the camera and Greyback, wearing her prettiest skirt and her favorite t-shirt. Remus' t-shirt. She smiled excitedly, filled with happiness at the idea of who she was speaking to. When Jim gave her the thumbs up, she began to talk.
"Hey guys - Fae here," she said, waving and smiling into the camera. To the Order of the Phoenix. To Sirius and Remus. "I hope you all have been hanging in there. I'm sure I stirred things up a bit when I disappeared, but don't worry, I'm alive and kicking and they don't have a snowball's chance in hell at hunting me down. I just hope it hasn't made things worse for you lot there."
It was probably inevitable that it had, but she was holding out hope that the Death Eaters were busy searching for her instead of terrorizing the Order.
She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I know I've probably made it difficult for you all to trust me, what with how I've run off. But I want you all to know that I have a plan. I'm going to take down Voldemort," she declared fiercely.
She said his name, out loud, punctuating it with disdain. It was risky - using his name with the taboo possibly active. He could find her. But she was banking on the Death Eaters writing it off as Greyback himself or just checking up and steering clear of actually confronting the pack for details. Two Death Eaters had actually appeared during her time there and neither had recognized her or suspected anything wrong with this faction of Voldemort's forces. Fools.
With a laugh, she continued. "I know, I know, it sounds silly and cliche. 'But Fae, you're just one tiny werewolf, what could you possibly do?'"
She crossed her arms, raised her chin proudly. "Well to answer that, I've killed off or otherwise made unavailable ten Death Eaters since I've been gone. And for my next trick, I'm taking out his reserve of pet werewolves. That's right - I've dismantled Fenrir Greyback's pack. As it so happens, I've got Fenrir Greyback tied up and at my mercy right behind me as we speak. Say hi Fenny!"
Fae twisted to the side to reveal the tied up werewolf. She flicked her wand to remove his gag just long enough for him to shout, "Go fuck yourself you fucking bit-"
"Delightful isn't he," Fae said, chuckling and replacing the gag. "Anyways, I've included a second video which shows what I'm going to do with him, for any of you curious viewers. I'm warning you though - it's graphic."
And she hoped they took her warning seriously. She knew how queasy some of them got. Remus didn't like blood at all. He probably hated when Fae got violent just as much as Fae hated the look of fear on his face when he watched her. She wasn't sure if she wanted him to watch the second video all the way through so he could see her avenge him or if she didn't so he wouldn't have to be disgusted by her actions.
"As it happens, it's a message to Voldemort that I'd greatly appreciate if you all could get to him somehow. Glue it to a Death Eater, send it with flowers, I don't care how. Just make sure he gets it, please and thank you, and seriously, watch at your own risk. By now you know how violent I'm willing to get to protect the ones I love. As this video serves to be a message and a threat as well, it is pretty brutal, nasty, and bloody."
That was key. She had a feeling those few dissenting werewolves wouldn't be going back to him, so she had to make sure Voldemort knew exactly what she'd done to his werewolf forces. He should know what she was capable of. He should be scared of her.
Fae took a deep breath and gazed intently into the camera, confident and bold and deadly serious. "It's time for this war to end. I know how to do it and everything is coming together just like I planned. I will be calling on you all in the near future, but I don't expect that you all take a blind leap of faith and stand with me. I just hope you do."
Even in the Order, there were going to be plenty of people who wanted nothing to do with werewolves. And after seeing what she was about to do, they'd probably want nothing to do with her. But she knew she could put her faith in those like Moody. Kingsley. Diane and Daedelus and Mary. She hoped there was enough support for her that they'd support Remus too.
Then she smiled sweetly. "Until next time." She blew a kiss.
With that video done, Fae's grin only grew wider. This second video was where the fun really started. Jim and Maddy bickered softly over changing the film and gave her the go-ahead ten minutes later. Fae stared into the camera and beamed.
"Hello Motherfucker! Yeah, I'm talking to you Voldemort," she said, grinning toothily.
Then laughed. "Voldemort.. What a precious name. I'd call you Morty if I didn't find your real name more fun to say," Fae mocked. Then hummed wickedly. "Should I say it? What would everybody say if they knew? I think I'll hold off on that for now so just keep it in mind, I suppose."
It was a little hint, but he'd probably only take it as an empty threat. Maybe not even believe her. Or maybe he would believe her, freak out, and hate her more. Chase her harder. Either way, more's the better for Fae's plan.
"Anyways," she said, shrugging easily. "I just wanted to say hi. Hope you're having a shitty time, wherever you are. Oh, and thanks for the toys you sent me! Feel free to keep sending me more. I know I play rough and break them a little too easily, but I really am bored by your incompetence at trying to hunt me down."
He wasn't as scary as he thought he was, not by a long shot, and she would make damn sure he knew that. That everybody knew that. His Death Eaters were like flies, his werewolves were now hers. Everything he'd thrown at her so far had been nothing.
"You suck at this, Morty," she taunted.
"I'm just one girl. Not even a great witch - I was like the world's okayest student at Hogwarts. And you and your all powerful Death Eaters can't find me? Weak." she said, chuckling.
To add insult to injury, she challenged him. "It's like you gave up after I killed the last bunch. Seriously, I've had more fun playing tag with baby Jarveys. Step up your game," she commanded.
Then her grin settled into a thoughtful and dangerous, predatory thing. Darker than even he could express. "It feels strange, speaking to you like this when we've never met. But make no mistake - we will. Soon. You went after my family. You hurt people I cared about. And now? I'm coming for you."
She let the silence enforce her threat. And then smiled and giggled sweetly. "Until next time - here's a little preview."
Fae turned to Greyback, ungagged him, and waited until he'd yelled himself out of breath, silencing himself as he ran out of things to say and air to say it.
Then she said, "Now tell me, Fenrir Greyback, does the name Yelena Cross mean anything to you?"
"No," he growled.
Fae hummed. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm- AAGHGGHHH!"
Greyback screamed as Fae used pliers to rip off his left big toenail. Or claw, as it appeared. With a wave of her wand, she dropped it into the bucket to the side.
"Wrong answer," Fae said coldly. "She was the first person you ever bit. 15 years old. She hung herself in her hospital room before the week was out."
Then Fae waved her wand again and Yelena Cross' name was seared into Greyback's left calf in small, delicate letters. Had to save room for an awful lot of names after all.
Her mouth spread in a sharp, euphoric smile. "How about Humphrey Midgeson? Do you remember him?"
Greyback had 105 victims. Incidentally, he also had 32 teeth and 20 claws. So she ripped them all out, one by one, naming his victims in chronological order and what had happened to them. When the first 52 were up, she force fed him the curse-enhanced Skele-Gro that Regulus had whipped up for her. His claws and teeth were back in five minutes and she started again.
At 104, he could no longer make much of a scream, although he certainly tried. There were great pools of blood all over the ground, all over his shaking body, and all over Fae's methodical hands. She fed him the potion once more and watched as the pain of instant growth burned all the nerve endings in the nubs of his gums and hands and feet. Then she put her wand away and took out a knife.
"There's one more victim. Can you name him for me?"
"Please! Stop! No more, please! Please, please please, anything, I'll-"
"It was 17 years ago. He was four, when you broke into his room and bit him. It was an act of petty revenge against his father who had correctly identified you as a soulless monster deserving nothing but death. You weren't even convicted and still, you bit him. Changed his life forever. Made him suffer. Do you remember him?"
"I-"
"His name is Remus Lupin," Fae said, and then she carved her darling's name into Greyback's chest, removed all 32 of his fangs, all 20 of his claws, cut out his tongue, ripped his hair out, and broke at least 82 of his bones before he looked like he might pass out. Or die.
As she slowly tortured him, she said, "But don't worry. He doesn't still suffer. I helped him learn a few things. The rest, he figured out on his own. Remus Lupin is twice the werewolf you are and a hundred times the man you could ever be. He is kind and beautiful and smart and caring. It's people like him, werewolves like him, that are going to change this world for the better and be remembered in history. You are not worthy of being even a worm in his life, let alone someone who brought him pain. You are nothing. And now you will never hurt him, or anybody, ever again."
When Greyback was reduced to a bleeding, pitiful stump of flesh, she leaned in close to his ears.
"I can heal you. I should leave you alive like this. To live out your precious existence in a form that is finally grotesque enough to reflect the truly monstrous person you are inside." Then she bit and ripped his ear off.
Greyback cried like a baby as Fae ended his miserable existence.
The next day, Jim took a chunk of the pack to the west, Maddy took half to the north, the rest dispersed as they pleased, free. With Jim was Fae's tapes and a copy of the list Regulus had compiled, containing suppliers and dirty politicians who needed to be taken down. Jim and Maddy knew what they needed to do and Fae felt confident that they'd do it.
Once everybody was good to go and on their paths, she took her own path back to Petersfield, to Romilly and Regulus. She skipped and hummed happily, reveling in her triumph and the feel of the wind and sunshine through the trees.
"Well damn," Romilly said, sighing.
"There goes that one," Regulus said, striking the dagger of Nelliel Gryffindor off their list of possible Horcruxes.
"Man, I was really hoping we'd find at least one."
"Why? The less pieces Voldemort has divided his soul into, the better for us. Less work," he said, idly wondering where he and his 'wife' should stay tonight. Somewhere with a hot tub, he decided. His legs were sore from wandering all over the city for the past few days, only to find the dagger being used as a decorative living room piece in some old bat's middle class house.
"Well yeah, but I wanted to have something for Fae when we meet up again," Romilly whined, kicking a rock petulantly as they walked.
Regulus laughed. "Still hot for her, huh?"
"What, like you aren't?"
He did his best to hide his blush, but Romilly's smirk informed him that he'd failed. "Touche." Oh yeah, after all these years, he still held a bit of a torch for Fae. She was addicting like sunlight and had not only saved his life, but changed it. Repeatedly. He couldn't help loving her. Although-
"So what was it like then?" Romilly asked a moment later, looking at him with a sly grin.
"What was what like?"
"Dating Fae? Being able to hug her and hold her hand and kiss her whenever?" his blonde friend said dreamily.
He rolled his eyes. Smiled. "It was.. Good I guess."
Romilly gave him a dubious look, stopped walking to stare at him with eyebrows arched. "Good, you guess?"
"Okay, she's a great kisser," he admitted, giving her a sly grin of his own.
"Shocker."
"She likes to do this thing with her tongue before she nibbles on you, just a bit, and it's so sexy," he said, unable to help bragging just a little. Romilly's reactions were hilarious. It wasn't often he saw the aloof and cool girl act so childishly.
"Ugh, I'm jealous!"
"Don't be," he said, and continued walking to the hotel. "Seriously."
"What? Why?"
He shrugged and his smile turned bittersweet. "It was great, don't get me wrong. I loved being able to be around her so much and to be included by her family and everything. But…"
Which was true. It had been unimaginably hard to stop being Kent at the end of the day, to leave the kitchen table and Sirius' bad jokes and Fae's easy cuddling and Peter's comfortable conversations. James and Lily's bickering, and cute little Harry. He'd never felt so welcome and included in his life. There was just the one little thing.
Romilly groaned dramatically. "Don't tell me."
"You know it's coming," he said, snickering.
"Remus FUCKING Lupin."
"They were practically attached at the hip. Spent all of their free time together and were constantly so touchy and sweet. Even when Fae and I were 'dating'. Sirius said it used to be worse before I showed up, if you can imagine that."
"Blegh!" Romilly made a gagging gesture and he rolled his eyes, mouth quirking at her unusually dramatic antics. She was so funny when it was just them and she was relaxed enough to act like a fool.
"You don't even know."
She sighed deeply. "So I guess they're for real? Like for real, for real?"
He nodded. "If I believed in soulmates, they'd be soulmates. I don't think Fae will ever see anybody but him, and he's not much better, albeit much stupider."
It made him shudder, to remember it. How sickeningly sweet they always were. And yeah, okay, there was a lot of longing on his part. But he didn't actually hate Remus. They really, really loved each other. And if he was honest, he knew he could never make Fae happy like Remus did. He just kind of hoped he'd be able to find that kind of love one day too. One day. Post-war. Way down the road.
"And here I thought I might have a chance now that I'm all pretty and strong and sleeping around with other werewolves and stuff."
Now it was Regulus' turn for his eyebrows to arch. "Oh so that's what this whole deal is about?"
The whole deal being Romilly's new look. He almost hadn't recognized when he first saw her again, if not for her being on top of a dragon because only Romilly, or Fae, would do that. He'd never seen her hair so straight and manageable, nor had he ever seen her without her big glasses. The resting bitch face was still there, but he had to admit, her make-up made it look kind of sexy. Most noticeable though, was the ease she walked with now. Romilly used to slouch like nobodies business, swaggering around lazily and sloppily. Now, she walked tall, shoulders back, like some sort of model, although she definitely had the legs to be considered a model. It was nice, to see her comfortable in her skin.
As for the whole 'sleeping around' thing, that was just downright surprising. Romilly was so uncomfortable touching people. She was practically famous for it and for using her resting bitch face and cool glares to keep people six feet away, which was another thing he'd always appreciated. It was strange and unsettling to think of her touching other people and he idly wondered if she had sex with people with her gloves on. What would that even feel like on..? He blushed and shook his head, walked faster so she wouldn't see.
Romilly hummed and ran her fingers through her hair, flipping her side part back. "Well, not completely. My hair is so much easier to deal with like this."
"That's too bad. I liked it curly. Had a mind of it's own some days," he teased.
"Mmm," Romilly said, resigned to her friend-zoned fate as far as Fae was concerned. Then a few minutes later, she tugged on Regulus' hair a little, startling him. "Hey, you did really good you know. I'm glad you didn't die."
He grinned. "You didn't do so bad yourself. That's no small thing, spying on Greyback and living to tell the tale."
Seriously, he couldn't believe she'd pulled that off.
"Thanks."
"Wanna go shopping?" he asked a bit later, catching sight of a thrift store.
"Pft- yeah!"
She practically dragged him through the doors once she saw it too. Hanging out with Romilly was always so easy.
"And on the bright side, just think of how miserable that stupid werewolf must be right now? We get to save the world with Fae and he gets to stay home and twiddle thumbs," Regulus said.
He couldn't sleep, which was pretty par for the course these days. Even sleeping in Fae's room wasn't really helping anymore - her scent was fading. So he did what he always did when that happened - he went down to Lucrecia's cafe and got cooking, surrounding himself with the smells of coffee and salted caramel. He'd bring Fae's cassette player and put on the tapes with the slow songs, songs like they'd danced to on that last night. Like The Night We Met. And he'd just make whatever his hands felt like making while his mind wandered and his eyes drifted towards Fae's table every few minutes, only to feel gut-wrenching disappointment when she wasn't there.
He'd baked his way through an opera cake, a bunch of tiramisu cupcakes, a chocolate cream pie, a coffee cheesecake, and of course, his legendary coffee cake. He remembered the first time he'd made it and how Sirius had stolen it, grinned, and said Fae would love it. He'd been right and the big smile on Fae's face when she'd first taken a bite was ingrained in his mind. The cute sounds she'd make, hums and little moans, every time she ate a slice. All the tricks and bribes and favors she'd tried to pull on him so he'd reveal the recipe.
Remus had been stirring up some cream cheese icing, laughing to himself and smiling as he thought about how much Fae always liked to the lick the spoon, not giving a fuck if there were any customers in the cafe. A few tears dripped into the icing and he sniffled, reaching up to wipe at his eyes. As his hand passed over, he caught sight of his new tattoo. Merlin, he couldn't believe he'd done that. The little white rabbit was forever on his skin now and he still had no idea what it meant.
Maybe it had just been for fun, that she'd drawn it? He remembered how they had bickered early that day, laughing about which one of them was more like Alice. That day had been as close to perfect as any day in his life had ever been. Fae had laughed so hard, talking about how she and Fleamont had nearly turned every flower in Euphemia's garden pink on accident when messing with a flower color changing charm, similar to how Alice had suggested to paint the roses red.
Wanting to read that scene, and the other one's they'd joked about that day, Remus set down the bowl of icing and went over to the bookshelves in the cafe. He pulled Alice's Adventures in Wonderland off the shelf, opened it, and then froze when a letter addressed to him fluttered to the ground.
Lucrecia found him eating all of his newly baked treats on the ground behind the counter an hour before opening time, red-eyed and shirt collar still damp from sobbing. She took one look at him, sighed, smiled, and sat down beside him.
"You okay?"
"I will be."
Remus was done crying. After this, there would be no more tears. No more sulking. No more carrying on. No more emotional breakdowns or temper tantrums or whiny fits. No more depending on others to make sure he took care of himself and kept himself alive.
He handed the letter to Lucrecia and recited it, word for word, as she read it. He'd memorized it hours ago.
Dear Remus,
Here's the thing.
I'm kind of hopeless when it comes to you.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was leaving and I'm sorry I left you behind, but if I'd told you, and you asked me to stay, I would've. And if I'd taken you with me, I'd have just whisked you away to some foreign land to keep you safe. So you see? This was the only way. Just know that leaving you was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Harder than fighting and ending a war, even.
In order to end this war, there are a lot of things I need to do. They are crazy and dangerous, but well-thought out and near-impossible to see coming until they've snuck up and bit you in the ass. You know how I am, don't you? Truth be told, I learned a lot of it from you. And it's because of you and my family that I'm fighting.
However, to win this war, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to fight too. There is nothing I want more than to see you alive, safe, and happy. I'd be perfectly pleased if you took off and disappeared to Greece or Thailand and stayed safe. But I know you, my darling, and I know you'd never just sit on the sidelines while everybody else was in danger. That being said, I worry that in my absence, you've probably spent a little too much time doing just that, lost in that pretty head of yours.
I can't do this alone. I can't do this without you. So I need you to get stronger and I need you to be the man, the werewolf, and the leader that I know you can be. I need you to rally the werewolves and lead them. I need you to look after my family, Sirius especially because we both know how reckless he gets when he worries. I need you to unite the Order and the werewolves and start turning the tides of the war from right in the center of it. It's time to put that nerdy brain of yours to use.
I know you can do this. Since the moment I met you, I've seen your strength and I've seen you shy away from it out of fear of the damage you could cause. Well, I'm sorry to say I can't protect you from it or be strong for you anymore. You've worked so hard all these years and come so far. Now it is time for you to use what I've taught you and to go beyond it in ways that I know only you can achieve. Be strong. Be clever. And cause as much damage as you can - to our enemies.
Above all, keep yourself alive. I will see you again. I miss you more than you could imagine.
Yours,
Fae
"So what are you going to do?"
"Well first, I'm going to clean up this mess," Remus said.
"And then?"
He took a deep breath. "Then I'm going to fight. I've got some work to do."
"Do you know what you need to do? She wasn't exactly clear with her instructions," Lucrecia asked.
"Yeah. I know exactly what to do," he answered, mind turning and turning. He knew it all. Then he looked at Lucrecia, fingers twitching, restless with the need to get his thoughts out and begin enacting them. "Do you have a pen? And some paper?"
The first step was to get strong. After years and years of watching, Remus knew Fae's strength training routine inside out and backwards. He knew every single exercise she'd ever done, how to do it properly, where she'd started at, how often she expected an increase in reps or weight or difficulty. Sit-ups, push-ups, chin-ups, squats, tricep dips, bicep curls, incline press, bench press, lunges, and so on. Remus had tried them all and never really tried them at the same time.
Fae was right about him. He was terrified of his own strength, terrified that he'd become stronger than anything or anyone, and then just lose control. Nobody would be able to stop him. He'd become a monster. And he'd hurt people. But, well, now that was the goal. And he needed to attain it as soon as possible. All these years, worrying about restraint and control, useless. He'd made himself useless and he couldn't be useless when Fae was waging war. He would be strong. He would be fearless. He would be in control. And their enemies would pay.
So he got right to work that day. Started cooking again because he needed to eat properly and focus on protein so his muscles would grow. Plenty of carbs for energy. Water to stay hydrated. He would have to begin running again, and often. Stretching twice as much to keep himself from getting strained or injured. Start from where Fae had started, gauge what he could do, go from there. He threw himself into it and established not just a routine, but a schedule for the next three months of exactly where his capabilities should be every other week.
He'd gained his enhanced senses faster than Fae and he got stronger faster than her too. She'd been right all along. She always was.
Then he went to Fae's room and found her notebooks on Lycanthropy. All of her findings and tests and research. He spread that out on one side of what used to be her old homeschool room. On the other side, he spread out all activity and reports done by the Order of the Phoenix for the last year. He began to make connections, sketch out ideas, strategize plans. He even began to have specific names pop up in his head for this job and that, werewolves he'd met and trained over the years who could've changed the outcome of this failed mission significantly.
He compiled a thorough report and went to show it to Moody. Then the rest of the Order. After 5 meetings, he finally received a majority vote and was given the go ahead to gather their werewolf allies, bring them to London, induct them into the Order, and begin training them for missions.
However, before he could leave to gather the werewolves, they found him. Jim and Maddy arrived with 15 other werewolves and two video tapes. Remus had laughed for the first time in months, watching Fae's message for him and the members of the Order. Most people couldn't watch much of the second video, and those who did were staunchly divided one of two ways - calling her worse than Death Eaters, a sick and disgusting monster, or praising her as a brave champion and rallying behind her. The first group of people had, interestingly enough, been the same type who had been against him bringing the wolves into the war.
He watched both tapes, start to finish, over and over and over, while constructing plans in his head. He learned his werewolves over the next few days, memorized maps, ran drills and strategies, practiced spells in the woods from dusk to dawn, went hunting for reconnaissance.
A week later, eight of Voldemort's safe houses and shelters received their monthly shipments of food, potions, clothes, and other necessities. When the boxes were opened, there were only flowers. The flowers were inspected angrily, tossed all around in search of their requested items. And outside each building, the wolves watched. Made sure they had the right targets. Waited.
Remus detonated the flowers. The explosions shook London, going off in several locations and killing anybody in a few feet radius - plenty Death Eaters and supporters of The Dark Lord. The supplier's warehouse was seen on the news the following day - massive trees had grown from inside of it and destroyed it, killing four people inside, the owner and a few shift managers. Most of the workers, confused and bewildered, had been lifted out safely by vines.
And as for the sole surviving Death Eater of the attacks, Remus got to him. Worked a little magic. Obliviated him and sent him home to his Master. He stumbled and fell before Voldemort, merely making eye contact before he began to vomit a thousand flowers and a small, blast-proof, plastic container that said 'watch me' on it with a tape safely inside. Then the bomb glued to his back exploded, showering the inhabitants in the room with flesh-eating glitter that reeked of turpentine. Remus had Sirius' creativity to thank for some of that.
Nobody died, but that was fine. What mattered is that plenty of them were stupid enough to be seen in public with massive rashes that faintly sparkled in the sunlight and still slightly smelling of turpentine, no matter how many cleaning charms they used. He let his werewolves loose to hunt. Track them and follow them to new safe houses, capture and interrogate, ambush and incriminate during highly illegal deals.
When people read about this war in the history books, five, fifteen, fifty years from now, Remus would make sure it was impossible to know how the war was won without his werewolves. Even if he had to write the books himself one day.
A/N: It only gets better from here folks. Or worse, depending on your perspective.
Let's just say, the next message Fae sends to Voldemort will make this one look precious and sweet in comparison.
Happy Tuesday!