A/N: Hey, y'all! Have some angsty FenrirLyall with some hurt/comfort LyallHope.

Word Count: 858

WARNINGS: Mentioned character death

Enjoy!

"I believed you!" Lyall's voice echoed throughout the silent chamber. It was pitch black, but he knew Fenrir was in here—knew it in his bones.

"That was your first mistake." The voice was cold, unfeeling… so unlike the Fenrir that Lyall knew.

Or rather, the one he'd thought he knew.

"Fenrir." Lyall stepped forwards, further into the darkness. His heart was beating wildly; he couldn't reconcile his lover with the monster who was wanted by the Ministry—the monster who killed a dozen children the previous night. Lyall shouldn't be there—he knew it was dangerous—but he was desperate for answers. "You said it hadn't changed you. You said it never would."

"I did," Fenrir agreed. He was still hidden by the darkness. "But I didn't know then how addictive it was, this... freedom. This power."

Lyall squinted into the darkness, dread forming in the pit of his stomach. He barely recognized the voice of his lover; a stranger might as well have been speaking to him. "It's a curse, Fenrir. It's done nothing but hurt you."

"No." Fenrir's breath was suddenly on Lyall's face, and the tawny-haired man stumbled back in surprise, only to be stopped by Fenrir's strong hands. "It's given me a power I never had before. I'm respected now, paid attention to. And do you know why?"

Shaken, all Lyall could do was shake his head.

Fenrir guided him backwards, until Lyall was directly under a shaft of light. Just enough of it was cast on Fenrir to allow Lyall to see the terrible grin blossoming across his face. "It's because I can play god now, Lyall," he whispered. "I choose who lives, who dies… who's changed." His eyes glinted horribly. "The world is at my mercy."

With an alarmed cry, Lyall wrenched himself from Fenrir's grip and stumbled backwards. "You're not Fenrir," he gasped out. "My Fenrir would never say such things."

"Oh, I'm the same Fenrir." A short, cruel laugh. "Just stronger."

Lyall's hands balled into fists. He was shaking; with fear or fury, he wasn't sure. "You're not," he said in a low voice. "You're a monster," he spat. "Soulless, evil, deserving nothing but death!"

The smile was wiped from Fenrir's face, and the expression that was left was so frightening that Lyall wished the grin would return. "You'll regret that one day," Fenrir promised, his voice a low growl. "I'll make sure you pay for that."

Lyall Lupin woke up with a gasp, sitting up and gulping in air. He turned to see Hope in bed beside him, her amber eyes blinking slowly open.

She squinted at him. "Are you okay?" she asked in a voice hoarse from sleep. She lifted a hand to his shoulder. "Darling, you're shaking."

Lyall looked at his wife. She was so different from his last lover. Her hands were delicate where Fenrir's had been rough; her face was round and his had been more square. But the biggest difference of all was that her eyes were undeniably human; no malicious hunger lingered there.

He released a shuddering breath. "Yes," he murmured. "It was just a dream."

Hope was sitting up though, grunting a bit as she fought against the weight in her abdomen. "Your boy is heavy," she teased as she reached over him to grab Lyall's wand. She handed it to him without a word.

Grateful for the silent permission, Lyall cast a quick lumos charm. Hope dropped her head onto his shoulder, and Lyall placed an arm around her. His other hand found her belly; their child responded to his touch by kicking at his hand.

Hope turned and smoothed back Lyall's hair. "What happened, love?"

For a moment, he debated lying about the nature of the dream. But Hope knew his history, and he'd never lied to her. "I was dreaming about Fenrir," he admitted. "The last time I saw him, to be exact."

A moment of silence passed before Hope said, "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself for loving him."

"I don't," Lyall said immediately. "I just wish I hadn't… that I'd been there for him, somehow." He sighed heavily. "Loving him… do I regret it? Yes. Would I do it again?" He stared long and hard at the duvet. "Probably."

Hope tilted her head up so that she could kiss the underneath of his jaw. "That's okay," she murmured. "You're mourning; you're allowed to mourn him."

He looked down at her suddenly, afraid that she thought that he loved her less. "I love you, Hope. Fenrir has never taken away from that."

Those large amber eyes—so captivating, so beautiful—sparkled. "I know," Hope told him. "I know. Believe me, I know." She kissed him again. "Remember, you can have more than one love. And besides, I know I have your heart."

Overcome with emotion, Lyall took his wife in his arms and leaned back against the pillows. He whispered to her until she fell back asleep, but he couldn't help but keep one hand on their child. He couldn't help but feel uneasy as he remembered the last words Fenrir had spoken to him.

I'll make sure you pay for that.

A/N:

Godric Says: 3. "I believed you!" / "That was your first mistake."

Herbology: Plot 2: 1. "Are you okay?"

Capture the Flag: 2. (item) wand

Fortnightly: Unfortunate Escapes: The Miserable Mill: (pairing) slash

366: 68. Delicate

Insane: 229. (dialogue) "Do I regret it? Yes. Would I do it again? Probably."