Chapter two: The boy and the man
Remus Lupin had barely enough time to catch the boy before he hit the ground. He had known someone was tracking but knowing Greyback, Remus had expected it to be someone who actually might be able to take him on, and not this emaciated shadow of a boy. A boy who clearly was a werewolf. The scent gave that away.
But it also told Remus Greyback knew this boy on an entirely too personal level and Remus felt his hatred for the monster that had made him into one reach new heights, if that was at all possible. Greyback was a vicious bastard, not particularly concerned with the well beings of humans but Remus always believed that he took care of his pack. The times he had encountered any of them they had looked well cared for and they had never reeked of …defilement.
Looking down again at the boy he made a decision and disapparated them to his home.
His home was small, nothing more than a shack really. It was rather open plan but Remus liked it that way. He did not particularly liked to be confined and being able to oversee the rest of his house from his bed from his bed helped him with that and, contradictory enough, he liked the smallness. It made him feel safe.
Remus heaved a sigh as he put the still unconscious boy down on his bed. Something was really wrong here, aside from the fact that any child being taken by Greyback was entirely wrong in the first place. Taking a closer look at the boy Remus saw bruises on his arms, hidden by the short sleeves of his ratty t-shirt and he reeked of dried blood and filth. Deciding that the boy would undoubtedly be thirsty and hungry when he came to, Remus let the boy lie and took all of the seven steps to his kitchenette and tapped his kettle. The only thing in the way of food he had was some not quite stale bread, which when toasted would be enough for a stomach unused to regular meals. His own life was irregular enough to know this.
Before the water was boiling a soft murmur could be heard from the bed and Remus turned towards it. The boy was slowly sitting up, touching the bed and taking in his surroundings with obvious grogginess. Remus took a couple of steps towards the bed and the boy's head shot towards him. Remus stopped in his tracks and there eyes locked. For a couple of seconds Remus only heard his own breathing as he saw the wooziness lift from his guests eyes, only to be replaced in rapid succession by confusion, recognition, and then fear.
In the blink of an eye the boy scuttled backwards and fell off on the other side of the bed with a small squeak.
If the boy wasn't so obviously scared out of his wits, Remus might have laughed but as it was he moved around the bed to see if the boy was alright. Shock hit him hard as he saw the horrific display before him. The boy was prostrating himself before him, baring him his neck, making small keening noises in the process.
Forcefully swallowing down the rising bile in his throat, Remus thought quickly on how to handle this, shoving all thoughts of Greyback's death to the side.
Remus knew what this behavior meant, of course he did. He himself had shown his submission to pack leaders on occasion but never ever like this, or even by getting on his knees. Next thing he knew the boy would be rolling over to show his stomach.
This boy was the omega in Greyback's pack, it explained everything perfectly. He had been used as nothing more than a thing, and probably by the entire pack too.
One day Remus was going to make sure that Greyback died a slow and torturous death.
But right now he needed to focus on this boy. Remus crouched down before him and very lightly touched his shoulder.
"It's alright, no need for that now." Remus said softly, withdrawing his hand as the boy tensed beneath it. He bit his lower lip in indecision before he got up briskly and walked back towards the kitchen where the water had started to boil.
"Why don't you come, sit over here and have some tea with me." Remus said warmly as if he hadn't witnessed the display. He hoped that was the right thing do. He wanted the boy to at the least feel comfortable with him and after having made clear that such submissive behavior was not needed Remus would simply ignore any other such manners as they came to pass. Which they, unfortunately, undoubtedly would.
Remus busied himself with preparing the tea, putting cups and saucers on the table and toasting the last pieces of bread, all the while monitoring the boy from the corner of his eyes.
First the boy's eyes peeked over the edge of the bed observing Remus' every move. Then he slowly crawled back unto the bed, radiating uncertainty even if he kept his face blank. As Remus poured the tea, he slid of the bed and very walked over cautiously but clearly drawn by the smell of the food. Remus felt his heart almost break at the hopeful look the boy tried to hide so valiantly.
Remus sat down, picked up his tea cup and smiled at the boy, who had stopped at two feet from the table, still looking hopeful but eyeing Remus with some suspicion too.
"Come on, sit down and have a cuppa." Remus said, again warmly, and gesturing emphatically towards the seat opposite of him, as to avoid any misunderstandings.
The boy looked at Remus and then the chair with same suspicion before apparently making up his mind and sitting down.
Silence fell between them as the boy looked at the teacup, the teapot and finally the bread but he never made a move, not even lifting his arms from his side.
Remus frowned for a moment, again feeling unsure of himself and getting the feeling he was in way over his head. Of course this boy wouldn't just accept anything, as he was evidently apprehensive about Remus' intentions. But how to break that without calling attention to things which would surely embarrass both of them? Then inspiration struck, or at least Remus thought so.
"Oh, how terribly rude of me," Remus said stretching out his right arm over the table, "I'm Remus Lupin," when the boy just eyed the hand Remus decided a handshake wouldn't be forth coming and instead made a sweeping motion with arm, "And this my humble abode."
Silence fell again and Remus was at a loss. Should he pressure the boy? Remus didn't think so but this wasn't getting him anywhere either. He took a sip of his tea and slid the plate with toast closer to the boy. Remus was immensely pleased as he saw the boy's hands come up, even if they only gripped the edge of the table.
"Why am I here?" the boy asked, very softly and Remus almost thought he imagined it.
"Well, you passed out and I didn't think the forest was the place to leave you." Remus said, giving the boy a small smile, which the boy couldn't see as he had his eyes firmly trained on his hands.
"What's your name? I can't really go around calling you 'boy' all time." Remus asked in a slightly joking tone, hoping the boy to feel more comfortable.
The boy's eyes shot up and back down again and he seemed to sneer for a second. The expression was eerily reminiscent of someone but Remus couldn't recall of whom.
"My master calls me 'boy'." as the boy spoke again his face blanked out again but he sounded resigned.
"Well then all the more reason to call you by your proper name then." Remus said matter-of-factly, taking a leisurely sip off his tea and ignoring the way the boy's eyes shot up and down again or how he clenched and unclenched his hands on the side of the table.
"And, please drink your tea and eat something, you must be starving." he added, not surprised when it seemed to have no impact. Instead another silence followed, with boy's knuckles turning white.
"You should take me back, sir." The boy said abruptly, startling Remus out of his observational gaze.
"Do you want to go back?" Remus asked softly.
This time the boy's head shot up with his eyes and for a moment he looked straight into Remus' eyes. It was clear the boy did not believe the intention behind the question but there was almost a desperate wish to believe. The boy had unusually expressive eyes, Remus noted. Something he normally didn't associate with grey eyes.
Too soon the boy's head shot down yet again.
"My… The leader of my pack will angry with me for me being late," the boy said softly again and after a pause he continued, "and with you for taking me here instead of to the lair. His anger is not pretty, sir."
Remus considered the boy's words. He felt heartened by the fact that the boy had changed his form off address of Greyback and that he seemed to take Remus' well-being into consideration, although that might be a ploy to convince Remus to take him back.
"Oh but I've done more than enough to ensure his wrath. Trust me, my taking you here is only fuel to the fire, nothing more and as he doesn't know where I live I'm quite unconcerned. So do you want to go back or not?"
The boy looked up again and held his gaze again, a bit longer this time. Although the boy's behavior was frustrating Remus did get feeling he was making some head-way.
The sheer disbelief seemed have vanished leaving only that desperate hope in its wake.
"Would your pack accept me?" the boy asked. Remus was again taken with his formulation. No obvious pleading, no obvious despair, no endless questions but one simple question, the answer to which would help the boy to assess Remus' position and power. How absolutely Slytherin and confrontational, too. The fact that he was all alone was a very sore point for Remus even if he did his best to hide it.
"I have no pack." Remus admitted, drinking his tea quickly to avoid too close scrutiny.
"But…how?" the boy asked with genuine confusion, this time looking up, and even if it was a sore point Remus couldn't repress a small smile.
"I don't …care much for indulging…my baser side." Remus chose his words carefully; suddenly aware of how adverse the boy in front of him might react. After all being raised by Greyback came with a set disrespect for human life and the fact that the boy was an omega didn't exclude the possibility that he had tasted human flesh or believing the monster's teachings.
It was again silent but for the first time it was deafening to Remus. The boy was still looking at him, apparently having discarded his shyness and nervousness in favor of observing this anomaly.
"So you're a nice werewolf then." The boy stated simply, looking Remus straight in the eye. Remus almost choked on his tea. That statement captured what he had been striving for all his life in the simplest of terms. A self-deriding smile touched his lips and for a moment Remus swore he saw the lips of the boy quirk upwards before the boy's head shot back down. To Remus' great relief and joy the boy now actually swiped one of the, now cold, pieces of toast and started to nibble on it. Remus watched the boy savor the toast as if was the best thing in world and a dangerous thought crossed his mind.
This boy, afflicted the same way he was, and in obvious need of protection and care, had accepted him. He could raise this boy, could he not? They could be a pack together. He could have a pack again. He would have someone to care for and to share his life with. A feeling of euphoria started take hold of Remus before his more rational side intervened. If the boy's parents were still alive he should be returned to them and he could not deny the boy that. Of course, changes were that his parents might deny them, after all Remus' own parents had been an exception to the rule. But then again the boy's statement could be proof of an open-minded upbringing, or fanciful dreams of an abused child. But with a little guidance
The boy's soft voice broke Remus away from his own fanciful dreams.
"James." was the only thing the boy said and this time Remus did choke on his tea. Part of it shot down the wrong pipe and part of it shot through his nose, resulting in a spray over the table.
"Excuse me?" Remus asked after he had recovered from his coughing fit.
"My name is James." Barely more than a whisper.
Remus looked at the boy, who seemed to have shrunken into his seat and he felt stupid for his reaction. James was a common enough name and Remus had met other namesakes over the years and had never reacted like this. It was just a little unexpected and sudden.
"I'm sorry, but it was a little unexpected. A very dear friend of mine was called James." Remus explained. Unwilling to dwell on the matter any further he shook his head forcefully and looked up at the boy who was looking at him curiously with his head cocked to the side ever so slightly. Again something about the boy reminded Remus of someone else but he was too tired to give it any serious thought. Tired, now there was a thought. Remus glanced at the clock above his fireplace and wasn't surprised when it read 'Long past the time for all furry things to be in bed'. Remus grinned at the clock and memory of his seventeenth birthday, when James, Sirius and Peter had given him this clock. Even after everything that had passed since, he still loved that clock. Again he shook his head and turned his head to face the boy.
He was still being observed but now the boy was looking over the rim of his teacup. Remus had feeling the boy was trying to unravel a great enigma. Well, in the morning he'd talk to boy some more and end that delusion. But for now, the clock was correct and it was time for some rest.
"Well James," Remus started a little too loudly and the boy startled, immediately lowering his eyes and putting the cup down so quickly that it connected with the saucer with a clang. Remus refrained from sighing, knowing that a half hour of sitting together and some progress weren't going to magically heal the boy, if only it were that simple. So Remus continued in a quieter tone.
"What do you say you go and take a shower and then we'll get some sleep, alright?"
The boy looked up again with that heart wrenching stunned look but nodded slowly. And stayed firmly planted in his seat. Right, the boy did not handle an unclear orders well, it seemed.
"Come on you go and shower. The bathroom is right over here," Remus said, pointing towards the only other door in his house besides the front door, just to the side of his kitchenette, "There are towels underneath the sink and I'll find you something to wear. Those things we'll burn." Remus finished, waving a hand at the boy's… at James' clothing.
James looked up at him again, nodded again and this he did get up and walked over to the bathroom. He stopped at the door and looked over his shoulder at Remus, silently asking if it was truly alright. Remus gave him an encouraging nod and the boy opened the door.
"Toss your clothes out and I'll burn them. I'll put new ones on the counter in a minute." Remus called after him as the bathroom door closed, curious as to what James would do.
Remus was finishing up the dishes when the door was opened only slightly and a tattered t-shirt and jeans were unceremoniously tossed onto the kitchen floor. Remus smiled slightly in amusement and went to pick up the clothes.
He took a better look at the rags and, as expected, the back of the t-shirt was stained with blood, some of them fresh, others months old. Remus hadn't wanted to bring up any possible wounds with the boy just yet, either physical or emotional, but the fresh marks meant that he been bleeding even this night and so they would have be treated. Remus sighed again as he dropped the clothes and burned them with a simple Incendio. Then he opened a drawer of his cupboard and got out a carton shoe box. Inside he found what he was looking for at the bottom. An old set of pajamas, the last Christmas present his mother had ever given him. They'd still be far too big for the boy but it was the best he could do. Remus enlarged them back to their original size and headed towards the bathroom.
The door opened before Remus had a change to and a freshly washed James appeared in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his chest as girls were prone to do. Cleaned and in his towel the boy looked even younger and more frail than he probably was and Remus felt another surge of protectiveness.
"Sorry sir." James said softly, stepping back inside into the bathroom and looking down at his feet.
"Never mind, James," Remus said warmly, holding out the pajamas, "I brought you something to wear but first I'd like to have you a look at your back."
The boy stiffened visibly and Remus was tempted to retract his offer but he knew he couldn't. If the boy had any recent wounds, they'd have be cared for before they went to sleep.
"Just put on these pants and lie down on the bed please." Remus almost ordered. The boy relaxed a little and accepted the clothing before walking over towards the bed.
Remus turned away to give the boy some privacy and after a few a moments he heard James' soft voice, filled with uncertainty.
"I'm ready sir."
Remus turned towards the bed and found James laying there with his head resting on his folded arms outwardly relaxed.
Remus was appalled by the sight before him. He knew there'd be scars from the transformations, he had reckoned with scars and wounds from beatings but to find James' back utterly littered with scars and fresh welts was a too much too take. Swallowing convulsively and blinking away a few tears Remus ignored his impulse to take James into his arms and try to comfort him but that wouldn't do, at least not now.
"James?" Remus asked as he backed away from the bed towards the bathroom.
"Yes sir?" James asked in return, not moving an inch, but his voice was a little strained.
"I'm just going to get some salve for your wounds and a potion against the pain. Alright?"
Remus hardly heard the boy's soft affirmation as he took out the medicines from the bathroom cabinet. Sometimes his wolf's senses were a blessing.
James did not move a muscle as Remus sat down next to him on the bed, keeping as much distance between them as he could. He opened the jar of healing salve Severus had made for him and started to lightly rub it in the wounds. They were both silent as Remus applied the salve, aside from James gritting his teeth and an occasional moan of pain. He should get the boy to Poppy as soon as possible for a thorough check-up but, that too, could wait until morning.
When he was finished he picked the pajama top which was laid out at James' side and put it the boy's hands.
"Put this on and get under the covers and I'll give the potion before you go to sleep."
Remus got of the bed and turned his back towards the bed once again and as he heard the rustle of fabric he decided to make some chit-chat, in the hope it would the make boy trust him better. Although he did have the feeling he could ask James to jump of a bridge and the boy would simply obey him.
"The salve and potion were made by a ...friend of mine. Right now he's working on something which will help us with our…situation. He's one of the best potion masters in the wizarding world, so it'll only take time before he comes up with something." Remus stopped his talk when heard a final a rustle and was sure the boy was settled in.
Well, James was under the covers, as Remus had told him to but he was distinctly uncomfortably, fidgeting with cover as he had been clutching the table and looking down on his hands. Remus couldn't help himself he leant over James a little, pushing the vial into one of his hands and tugging the blankets up with his free hand. The boy's body was taut as string but he did accept the potion and raised his eyes to meet Remus' once more. Remus stepped away but kept James' gaze. It only took a few seconds before James uncapped the vial and threw down the contents.
"Thank you sir." James said, handing Remus the empty vial and laying back against the cushion.
"You're welcome James." Remus said softly as he watched drifting off almost immediately.
He watched the boy a few moments longer until his breathing had evened out. Then he took out one of kitchen chairs and transfigured it into a for more comfortable chaise longe.
Covering himself with an old quilt Remus settled himself for night, or morning, of vigilance but all too soon he dosed off with thoughts of his own pack, grocery shopping, and contacting Poppy on his mind.
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Author's note:
Well, that's the third chapter. Unfortunately things will not work out in Remus favour.
I apologize for mixing American and English wordings but being a non-English speaker and influenced by both I tend to mix them up.
Thank you emeraud.silver for your review. I hope you still find it interesting and will kep reviewing.