[Author's Note] Oh sweet patient readers thank you so much for waiting on the release of this chapter. I had predicted that school would take a toll on my progress with Untamed and sure enough it did. However with school winding down for the summer I am intending to have this fic finished in the next couple months (I am well aware of how ambitious that goal is too). I am so excited to share more about the Knights of Walpurgis and relish all the questions!
Please pardon any errors, in my eagerness to get this chapter up there might be a few.
Chapter 14
Five Years Prior
It was hard for Hermione to stay sane as the days slipped by and soon became weeks. She was grateful in many ways for Greyback's steadfast company while they weathered captivity. As each night grew closer to the full moon Hermione found herself pacing with a nervous energy in the small confines of their cell. Greyback, who had for the duration of their imprisonment, been so far surprisingly optimistic and calm. She could sense that he too was feeling the weight of the upcoming full moon's magic but unlike her he had many years of concealing the effects. Whereas agitation seemed to etch itself into every fiber of her being, Greyback was simply quieter than usual.
Everything that seemed to bother Hermione felt amplified by the heavy air of the moon's magic drawing closer. She was frustrated that she was captured but moreso than anything because she still had not found a way out. All through the years Harry and Ron had counted on her to outsmart their foes. For being the most gifted witch of her youth, she didn't like when an obstacle crossed her path she could not surmount.
"You are going to wear a hole in the ground at this rate," Greyback said and that alone gave Hermione enough to pause and turn her energy on him.
"How are you so calm in all of this?" Hermione asked.
He shrugged. "Perspective, my pet. I have dealt with worse situations."
"Worse than this?" She said with a frown.
He raised his arm into the waning light of their shared cell and beneath the shadows and scars Hermione could perceive faint numbers burned into his skin. "I don't suppose your professors ever taught you about the werewolf internment centers."
"No," Hermione shook her head. "I've only read a little on it." In truth she had only heard of it in passing excerpt in her own personal research. During her zealous campaign to help House Elves she had learned what she could of the government's unpleasant history towards magical creatures. Back before the official start of the first wizarding world the ministry had sought to register the werewolves of the UK in hopes of reducing the public pandamonium caused by attacks during the full moon. She knew from records that the werewolf attacks had actually been but a very small number, however nonetheless werewolf safety became a campaign platform for the politicians all the same and it wasn't long after before the centers were built. Hermione could recite the brief passage word for word even to this day, the text glossing over the actual details of how the werewolves were treated.
"It was one of the hardest times in history for werewolves," he said. "Many lives were lost and without recourse because the ministry reduced us to nothing more than numbers. I was one of the lucky ones to survive."
"They branded you?" She said, taking his outstretched arm. There was an element of tenderness as she traced her fingers over the scars however after a brief moment Hermione collected herself and let go.
"Among other things," he replied with a neutral tone.
Whether she wanted to or not Hermione had begun to truly see Greyback for who he was in their time together. It was instances like these that she realized his worldview was molded by experiences she had no perspective on. He did not need to elaborate for Hermione's imagination could fill in the unpleasant details.
"But take heart, we will get out of this," Greyback said to lighten the mood, summoning his bravade once more as he flashed a contagious smile.
It was a few hours later as the sun began to set that the door flew open. Greyback and Hermione both stood immediately as three unfamiliar centaurs stepped into the space. Two of which carried long sharp scythes that they pointed at the werewolves. Greyback did not blink as one of them raised the blade to his neck he merely stared at the centaur until the other creature stepped back. Despite the fact that the centaur brandished the weapon it was Greyback that won the battle for dominance in their mental match.
The leader of the group unlocked the chains bound to the ground, giving it a pull so that both Greyback and Hermione were forced to move forward. Neither werewolf spoke as they followed behind their captors but Hermione could see Greyback was examining their surroundings as keenly as she was. They were surrounded by large stone and log huts, campfires dotting the field around them. It did not take long for Hermione to see where they were heading. In the distance was a makeshift stadium. She could hear the distant rumble of thunder but as she approached Hermione realized the sound came from within the walls of the stadium and not the sky above.
The charmed shackles at Hermione's feet suddenly unlocked as the two werewolves were shoved into the middle of the arena. The large door behind them swung shut and locked, removing their only possible exit. The cacophony of the centaurs' stomping hooves and high-pitch screaming was 's heart began to race. She could feel the adrenaline already coursing through her veins, her skin itching with the promise of the evening's transformation ahead.
Hermione was embarrassed with herself as she trembled so she bit her lip to quell the rising fear that cradled her heart. If tonight was the night she would die, Hermione Granger promised herself she would die bravely.
Greyback took her by the hand and cast a reassuring gaze. "Follow my lead," he said. For once she did not argue with him but simply nodded.
As the first tendrils of the full moon's light hit them, Hermione's vision blurred to the outside world. She let go of his hand as the transformation set in, fur replacing skin as bones cracked to take on her wolfen form. As a wolf, Hermione's senses sharpened to a fine blade: she could smell the violence in the air, the anticipation of whatever laid ahead of them churning in the crowd looking down upon them.
When she rose to her full stature Greyback was still by her side, his tall silver wolf form towering over her. Follow my lead, the words reverberated in her mind. Each passing moment her human thoughts blurred and faded, replaced by the more primal communication of her animal form. She didn't need to understand words anymore. As wolves they responded to one another instinctively, tapping into a language that transcended human comprehension.
Greyback emitted a low snarl, his hackles raised. It was only a fraction of a moment before Hermione perceived the same threat. From the other side of the arena the wide doors swung open to reveal the other guest of honor for the night. A Giant slowly ambled into the space dragging a tree that he brandished as a club. The centaur crowd's screams turned to excited fervent cheers for the arriving Giant and it did not take much for Hermione to deduce that he was a favorite in this bizarre arena.
At least they finally were able to confirm what purpose they served for the centaurs. As the Giant charged towards them and the crowd's roar grew louder it was clear: Hermione and Greyback were entertainment. Mere toys for amusement.
Hermione let out a vicious snarl, her movements a blur as she bolted to the right just as Greyback sprinted to the left in an effort to evade the Giant's attack. Her human mind wanted to fight for control, to strategize and come up with a plan to survive their predicament but the animal within commanded for control and she had not choice but to relinquish to the instincts.
There was a flicker of fur as Greyback lunged at the heels of the Giant, causing the creature to stumble. Greyback was fast, moving on his four paws just a hair's breadth from the Giant's club.
The centaurs watched from above hissing in displeasure at the werewolf's momentary upperhand. Hermione watched Greyback before mimicking his patterns, weaving and dodging the Giant's grasp as she darted in front of it. Greyback and Hermione were able to work insync with one another, causing enough confusion that as the Giant swung his club and each time missed his mark the creature grew more frustrated.
They waited for their opportunity.
It was but a fraction of a moment that the Giant tried to slam the club down on Hermione just as she evaded once more. Off balance from the momentum of it's swing the Giant could not avoid Greyback sinking his canines into the back it's achilles. The Giant let out an agonized yell as the werewolf tore away skin and muscle. The werewolf did not relinquish until the massive foe fell to the ground.
Kill it. Hermione didn't perceive the words but felt the impression on her mind. She did not know whether the inclination came from Greyback or her own wolf instincts. As the human within recoiled, the wolf did not hesitate. Hermione saw the giant's exposed throat and went in for the fatal bite.
She did not hesitate.
As the taste of blood splashed across her mouth, Hermione the witch could all but disappear behind the veil of her wolfen transformation. She gave into the animal fully if only to safeguard her own humanity and distance herself from the creature she had become.
She did not hear the clamor of the centaurs as they watched their prized Giant fall to the werewolves. Hermione did not hear anything but the ragged breaths of her dying prey. When the last light left the creature, an unbidden howl erupted from Hermione's throat. Beside her came Greyback's deep piercing howl.
The witch within would have been revolted by the scene but the wolf was only triumphant.
In the wee hours of the morning as Greyback and Hermione returned to their human forms they were once more left chained in their cell. Now clad in a coarse robe, her skin beneath it was stained with dark paths of blood. She was exhausted beyond measure, the walk back to their confinement nearly stole the life from her body. Hermione did not want to think about what she had done but the Giant's blood was everywhere and served as a reminder that Hermione had killed someone without pause.
It made her stomach churn.
One of the centaurs left a basin of water and cloths for the two werewolves. The gesture was no doubt a sign that the prisoners had served their purpose for the night's sick festivities. It wasn't until their captors left that Greyback was the first to speak, sensing the conflict in Hermione.
"You had to do it," he said. "It was the only way we were going to survive." Hermione fought back the tears, closing her eyes tightly but only to relive what she had done. She was comforted by the sensation of Greyback's arms around her and slowly she was able to steady her breath long enough to speak.
"That doesn't make it right," Hermione said.
"I know," he replied and that's all that could be said in the moment so neither spoke. She knew Greyback did not regret their actions, he likely did not empathize with her turmoil in the least. But Hermione was thankful that he did not try to press further, merely holding her as she cried.
Present Day
Harry looked over the pile of reports on his desk with contempt. The stack that had initially only had three cases of missing werewolves now had four more and underneath that stack were twelve incidents of werewolf attacks in the past two months. Chief Inspector Savage had wanted discretion in handling the cases but they both knew it was only a matter of time before the journalists started knocking at their door.
Harry's keen detective's intuition told him that the missing werewolves and the attacks were somehow connected but he could not see the connections yet for himself. Each case was unique from the next. A middle aged couple in Upton and a fifteen year old girl in Cambridge all gone. Each with family that demanded answers meanwhile insisting there was no way that these individuals ran away. The parents of the girl in particular Harry recalled were furious at him for questioning whether their infected daughter might have joined a pack.
What do these cases have in common?
With a sigh he pulled out a map spanning the areas in question. With a quill he deftly dotted out each case's location until nearly a perfect circle was formed. "Not a coincidence," he muttered to himself, afraid to be too eager in any possible leads as he inspected the map closely. It was mostly rural backcountry roads with sparse residences. Still going off his intuition, he took out his wand and tapped one of the map's dots. At once the dot glowed and gold lettering hoovered in the air to reveal the address.
Harry's eyes narrowed at the familiar name behind the address:
Nott Family Residence
Committing the address to memory he tapped the map and the glowing letters disappeared at once. Harry grabbed his Auror robes as left the office in search of answers.