Chapter 11

Hermione woke up with a groan. She raised her hand to her face and felt the swollen bruise confirming where the centaur had hit her. Centaurs, her mind rushed immediately back to the fight. With a quick surveillance of her environment she realized that she was in some sort of hut. The floor beneath her was made of dry straw and the walls were no more than an equally primitive construction. It would be easy to escape save for the chain bolted to her ankle. She gave it a tug and saw that it was held to the ground with a giant metal stake. After several violent attempts she accepted that it wasn't going to budge. It was so dark inside the space Hermione was thankful for her prenatural eyesight that allowed her to see clearly despite the dim surroundings.

"Greyback?" She whispered. Nearby behind a mound of straw Hermione heard him cough which at least confirmed he was still alive. She exhaled a sigh of relief, unaware that she had been holding her breath.

"Over here," he said faintly.

Hermione dragged the heavy chain and kneeled beside Greyback, helping prop him up against the wall. He hissed, his hand instinctively lingering over his ribs. If not for his body's healing properties he likely would not have survived his injuries. As it was they both knew he was still in no condition to move. It was strange to see the normally formidable large man in such a dire state and Hermione felt a pang of sympathy at seeing him suffer. When only a month ago she might have wished a worser fate upon her enemy, Hermione saw only a fellow companion enduring excruciating injuries and she wanted nothing more than to help him.

"What do you think they want with us?" Hermione asked.
"Since neither one of us are dead yet I'd say entertainment or sacrifice," Greyback said and scratched his cheek absently. It was something Hermione noticed he did often when he was concentrating on a matter. "Or both. They are all a bunch of savages."

Given what Greyback had told Hermione of pack life among werewolves in addition to what she had already observed in his character, his comment about the centaurs being savages seemed ironic. However it did not seem like the time nor the place to really appreciate the humor of his observation. They were both now in a worse place than they already been in; surviving the wilderness was one challenge, surviving as prisoners of centaurs was going to be another matter altogether.

"We have to get out of here," Hermione said as she scanned the space for a possible escape. Without any windows it was impossible to tell where they were but her innate heightened senses told her that it was night time outside. They could not be sure what purpose they served to their captors but it was clear that it was in their best interest to not stay in their custody for long to find out. Centaurs did not have a reputation for kindness to their nonkin counterparts.

"First opportunity you see to escape, take it. Don't hesitate," Greyback said and Hermione shifted her gaze back to him with a frown.

"I am not going without you," she replied, her lips forming a hard line of resolution. If she had not been sitting down, he surmised she would have had her hands on her hips. All the same Greyback recognized that look as one he had seen on her face countless times since their paths had crossed. It meant he was likely going to lose whatever argument unfolded.
Weary, Greyback steeled himself.

"You may have to," Greyback said, hoping in futility to convince the strong-willed woman. "It will take time for me to heal and if you have a chance to get out of here you must take it regardless of whether I can go with you."

"You didn't leave me behind, Greyback," Hermione reminded him. "You could have left me back at that cave or let me die any number of times but you didn't. I refuse to abandon you here. We have come this far, we are in this together."

"That's noble but foolish," he said but there was an unmistakable tone of tenderness in his voice. Despite their contentious past their trials and tribulations had altered the fundamental nature of their relationship. It was a realization that both werewolves avoided addressing directly.

Hermione ignored the insult, she was not going to be derailed. She would make him see. "Tell me then, why did you save me? We were sworn enemies but you helped keep me alive."

He did not reply immediately. They had this conversation several times before and each time he evaded answering in her in full but it felt as though it was finally coming to a crosshead. Greyback could not ignore the truth even at the expense of his own vulnerability.

"Because I knew," he started and then stopped, trying to pick his words carefully. "I knew deep down you were worth saving. The man's mind is supposed to be rational but it is easily tricked. It can be obliviated and altered...but the wolf is..The animal soul is different. It knows only truth. The moment I saw you unconscious on the ground, I knew-the wolf knew-I needed to keep you safe."

After a long moment Hermione reached over and took the werewolf's hand in her own and gave it a squeeze. There were words left unsaid between the two but understood by both all the same.

"I'm not leaving you," she said with finality that Greyback could not argue against. One way or another they were going to make it out of their situation together. Or at least that was what he would lead Hermione to believe. In truth Greyback was planning to make sure that if and when the opportunity arose the other werewolf would be able to escape-with or without him.

He had not told her all of the truth. While the wolf had made the decision to save her, the man had become endeared to his companion too. She was bright, a sharp mind guided by a kind heart. If the circumstances were different Greyback would have been proud to have her as a packmate. But he knew the courageous woman was meant for a different world. One in which neither of them could exist as equals but as enemies on different sides of the battlefield. Would all they had been through change that? Could either of them go back to fighting one another?

It troubled Fenrir to consider such a moment. In his long unnatural life, Greyback had never felt conflict in his decisions. He killed and killed, first to avenge loved ones who had been killed by wizards and then simply because it had become so routine to his existence he did not question where dark path would lead him. And yet under the earnest gaze of Hermione he felt the seed of doubt take hold in his mind.

Suddenly the door opened and abruptly their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a small female centaur. Judging from her human half she could not have been much older than fourteen-years-old. In the darkness of their confinement her fur looked nearly black. She had long brown hair that covered her bare chest. Cradled in her arms was a small basket, Hermione could smell the food even before the centaur revealed the contents.

"For you," she said in stilted English to Greyback as she retrieved a small clay pot. She slid it across the floor until it landed at their feet. The centaur pointed to Greyback's injuries as part of her instruction before motioning to the pot.

Hermione picked up the container and opened the lid, smelling the contents with suspicion. As clearly as though the ingredients were written on the clay pot she recognized what it was. Comfrey, mint, shrivelfig and spruce wood blended together in a thick paste.

"It's a healing salve," Hermione said and the centaur nodded feverently.

"I am not bloody taking that," he said with defiance. "For all I know it's poisoned."
"Not poison," the centaur replied. "Make better so you strong. Can fight."
"Fight?" Hermione asked. She was urgent now, standing up as though they would be called to defend themselves at any moment. "Who or what are we going to fight?"

The centaur hoofed at the straw floor in agitation, casting a look over her shoulder to the open door. Hermione could not tell whether it was to see if anyone was listening nearby or if she was simply confirming there was a safe exit if the werewolves attacked. Hermione took one step forward before she realized she was carrying herself in a predatory stance as though at any moment she would pounce on the small centaur. However the clunk of the metal around her foot confirmed she would be unable to do much even if she wanted to.

"Eat food, take medicine, you must be strong," the centaur warned as she turned away.

"Tell us what's going to happen!" Hermione shouted as the creature disappeared beyond the door frame and closed it behind her.

"Entertainment or sacrifice," Greyback repeated his earlier assertions. "Either way we get to be part of the show. Give me that salve would you."
Hermione handed it to him and the werewolf gave it a cursory sniff, personally confirming that it wasn't poisonous before applying it to his injured rib cage. Hermione peered into the basket of food and was only slightly embarrassed when her mouth watered at the sight of the bread. They had sustained themselves on whatever they could find in their journey. Sometimes that meant fresh meat when they (or rather Greyback) could hunt but usually it entailed whatever wild onions or berries they happened upon.

She broke the bread in half and gave the other piece to Greyback. He wiped the salve off his hand and took the shared food with gratitude. At least they were being fed, Greyback mused to himself. The container of water was also a welcomed sight.

"Well aren't we in a sad state," Hermione said, mirroring the words Greyback had once said when they first found themselves in their predicament back at the caves.

"Come now pet, you're not helping," Greyback replied and they both smiled faintly as they found what little humor they could in the moment. It felt like that initial exchange had been so long ago. Had they really changed that much since then?

"Besides, there's worse company to be in."

"Agreed," she said and despite the circumstances the mood felt lighter than it had been. Without invitation Hermione sat down beside Greyback, settling herself so that she was close enough to feel him but not so much as she would bother his injured ribs. Greyback silently wrapped one arm over her shoulders and drew her in close.

"We'll get out of this," Greyback said as Hermione drifted to sleep.

Present Day
Artemis Home

On the day of the full moon it was difficult to concentrate on much of anything inside the classrooms of the Artemis Home. Hermione was not the only one who was filling the effects of the moon's magic. Even now, invisible to human vision, Hermione could feel the draw of the moon during the daylight hours. It made her restless.

And it was clear by the bored expressions and frequent glances to the window that the other residents were feeling the same. Aisling nudged Killian who gave Tobey a shove when it looked like the latter werewolf had all but mentally checked out of their instructor's lesson.

When the bell finally rang the halls quickly filled with numerous werewolves scrambling to get outside for their well-earned free time.

"I can't wait for the full moon," Tobey said with an exhale. "My skin has been itching all day."

"Hopefully one of the pups don't ruin it like they did before," Killian said. "Not being able to run on the grounds was brutal last month."
"One of the younger werewolves found a hole in the wards," Aisling elaborated. "So we had to stay in the warded rooms down stairs. I don't like it down there, it's cold and you cannot even see the moon."
"I heard that's where Mr. Lupin goes for his transformations. He doesn't run with us."

To Hermione it sounded like a travesty. A wolf wasn't meant to be contained. The wild winds churned in their blood. They were meant to be free. How could something so obvious to her elude the older werewolf? The more she discovered about Remus Lupin's way of living with his gift the more she recoiled from it.

Tobey peered at Hermione's disdainful expression. "You know he's not so bad. So what if he doesn't like to embrace being a werewolf on the full moon? He has done a lot for all of us and it's thanks to him any of us have a shot at fitting in someday."

Hermione did not want to argue with Tobey. Even if she had the full range of words to do so, she did not want to start down that path. She knew he was right about the older werewolf's intentions; she could see the kindness in his eyes as proof enough of that. And Tobey was right that it was not her business how he spent his full moons either.

So Hermione nodded in understanding and the subject was dropped.

"Did you get permission from Madame Wright for next week?" Aisling asked Tobey, ushering a change of topic among the four of them. Hermione noted the way Aisling self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she broached the question. She also saw how oblivious Tobey always seemed to Aisling's hopeful gazes.

Hermione had observed enough of their interactions over her stay to know that whatever feelings Aisling shared for Tobey seemed wasted on the unaware werewolf. These exchanges, however, did not go unnoticed by Aisling's twin brother. Killian quirked a brow at Hermione as if to say you see it too, right?

"Yeah! I had to sweet talk her into it but we should all be set for going out to Diagon Alley," Tobey said. "Killian, 'Mione, you two are coming right?"

"As long as I finish up my work for Mr. Lupin beforehand I can," Killian said.

"Go...where?" Hermione asked.
"Diagon Alley," Tobey repeated. "It's in wizarding London. It's amazing...we have to take you. I bet if we tell the staff we could vouch to chaperone you they wouldn't mind."

"Just promise not to get us in any trouble," Killian said with a cheeky grin.

Aisling rolled her eyes, "as if you two needed any help in that department."

Later that day as the sun set into the horizon, every nonhuman resident was lined up outside as the staff did a quick head count. Once it was confirmed that all werewolves were accounted for and the protective wards of the property had been reinforced the residents were allowed to run off. The staff stood at the steps of the manor knowing there was little else they could do for the residents once the full moon reached its pinnacle. They would monitor the residents from within the manor as the werewolves took to the night and roamed the sprawling acreage. Thankfully by morning almost everyone found their way back to the main gardens. The stragglers were always found shortly after sunrise. The youngest of the werewolves were the first to throw their clothes on the lawn, much to the chastisement of Madame Wright who's words of propriety fell on deaf ears of the wildlings.

"Do be careful!" The matronly woman called out to the disappearing figures.

Hermione wandered off into the forest, slipping out of her linen dress without so much as a second thought. It was easy to forget the confines of being human when she was alone amongst the trees. She tiptoed on a fallen tree trunk and there was something so oddly familiar about the sensation.

Her pulse quickened as she felt the power of the moonlight take hold of her body. The transformation buckled her to knees where she released a sound neither human nor animal as the feeling of organs and bones shifting took hold of her. The pain wasn't nearly so bad as she knew what to expect. Fear always made it worse but in that moment Hermione didn't harbor any doubts or any apprehensions. She embraced the wolf within like she was finally coming home.

And just like that the transformation was over. Hermione laid on her fur covered stomach, panting to catch her breath. She inhaled the night air, exhilaration pouring into her limbs. She had a sense of where every single werewolf in the nearby radius was currently located just by their scent alone. She let out an instinctive howl and the deafening sound pierced the night with the simple message: I am here. There was a single beat between when the echo faded and a chorus of howls replied back in acknowledgement.

It wasn't long after she felt the presence of the other werewolves reveal themselves. They dotted the landscape, lurking in the shadows of the trees under the bright light of the moon. The young werewolves were small but still much larger than their regular wolf counterparts. Three werewolves stepped forward and she at once recognized them to be Aisling, Tobey and Killian.

The siblings Aisling and Killian both had inky black coats but Tobey was various shades of gray and black, peppered with patches of brown.

Tobey whined softly as the entire assembled pack stood in stillness. They were all waiting. Intuitively Hermione knew they were waiting for her. This was her pack and she was...their Alpha.

She regarded this fact with the calm of prenatural understanding. Just as strongly as she felt the pull of the full moon's magic, she felt the weight of a different sort of magic settle into her body's frame. It was the sort of power that meant she could command every single one of the wolves assembled; it also meant that she drew her strength from them. It was strange how innate and natural this knowledge felt.

As though she had known who and what she was all along. Just beneath the surface.

Hermione howled once more, charging off into the night and setting the pace for the evening run. She was followed by the thunder of paws darting in her tracks. Hermione embraced the familiarity of her stride, bounding over boulders and bushes with blinding speed. Out here she did not have to be the woman, she could be entirely and unapologetically, the wolf.

High above the moon cradled its children in silver light.