Written For:

Gringotts Prompt Vault:

A-Z AU (Witch Hunter)

Various Prompts: Charmed (Quote: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.")

Words to Use Instead of Said: spat

Pocket Morty Competition:

One True Morty: Write about your OTP

Remus jolts awake at the sudden urgent knock on his door. With a groan, he lights a candle and makes his way to the source of the noise.

Vernon Dursley awaits him, and Remus knows that this can't be good. Dursley is a notorious brute, as unpleasant as they come. Remus tenses, preparing for a fight. "What sort of hour do you call this?" he asks, unable to fight a yawn. "You ought to be in bed, Dursley."

"In bed, indeed. While you're busy slumbering away, my wife noticed something in the forest."

Remus is hardly surprised. Petunia is always seeing things, always gossiping. It's just a shame she couldn't wait for a more reasonable hour to tell a tale. "Whatever she's seen, I'm sure it can wait until morning," he says dryly.

"Some witch hunter you are. My wife sees someone stealing away into the woods in the middle of the night, and you're more concerned about your rest," Vernon spits. "We pay you good money to keep our village safe from these demons and heretics, Lupin."

With another yawn, Remus nods. "If it means that much to you, I shall investigate," he assures the other man grudgingly.

"You'd better."

Remus closes the door and quickly changes into his day clothes. He wonders if he could just disappear for a while, perhaps nap somewhere quiet, and return with the news that Petunia had been imagining things.

But he knows he can't. He has a duty to the village.

Armed with his Bible and a pistol, he tops his head with a hat and prepares his lantern. "Let Thy grace guide me, Father," he prays. "Let Thy light never lead me astray. May You grant me the strength and courage to do Your work without fail. Amen."

…

The darkness of the woods has always frightened him. Even now, as an adult, he still feels the cold, creeping hand of terror tighten around his chest at every distant howl and snap of a twig.

"Guide me, Lord," he whispers, pushing aside his fear for the greater good.

He can hear the crackle of fire and smell the smoke and wood in the distance. For once, Petunia hadn't been just telling tales. He's almost disappointed.

As he gets closer, he hears chanting. Worse still, he hears an all too familiar voice speaking the words he does not understand.

"Sirius," he says, his heart freezing as he pushes aside the the brush and enters the clearing.

Sirius stops mid-step and looks up at him. "I had hoped you would never find out," he admits.

"Dancing with devils?" Remus demands heatedly, shaking his head.

Never, in all his years, would have expected to find Sirius at the end of one of his hunts.

"My family honors the old ways," Sirius says simply. "The ways that were before your God was forced upon us."

"You know the law," Remus says, his voice tight. "Anyone caught must be brought in for trial."

"For murder, you mean," Sirius says sharply, taking a step closer, his grey eyes so calm in the fire's light. "You know it's little more than excuse to execute us."

"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live," Remus quotes.

Sirius laughs. "I also recall a passage about not lying with a man, but I see you've chosen to ignore that bit," he says with a smirk, closing the distance between them.

Heat floods Remus' cheeks. He tries not to notice the way Sirius places his hand on his chest. The touch is so familiar, so maddening, and Remus knows that he cannot give in this time.

"I have to bring you in for trial," he says quietly, refusing to look Sirius in the eye. "It is my duty to the village to-"

"To see me burn?" Sirius interrupts. "Can you really bring me in knowing that you're bringing me to my death, Remus? After all those nights I've shared your bed? After all those little whispered promises? You cannot even look me in the eye. Coward."

"Go," Remus says at last. "Run away, Sirius, and never look back."

"And if I refuse?"

Remus finally drops his gaze to the other man's, and he immediately wishes he hadn't. Sirius' eyes swim with betrayal so deep that Remus almost feels as though he is drowning.

"If you refuse, you will leave me no choice. I am a man of my word, and I've given my word to this village."

Sirius laughs dryly. "Of course I would fall in love with an honest man," he mumbles.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Sirius sighs. "I will see you again. Just wait, Remus. Our souls are connected. The gods have told me so."

Remus leans in, pressing a quick, chaste kiss to his lover's cheek. "Go," he says.

With a quick bow of his head, Sirius steals off into the night.

…

"Well?"

Remus fights back a scowl. He hadn't expected Vernon to still be waiting for him upon his return. "Well?" he echoes, brows raised.

"Who was it, then?" the other man demands. "Out in the woods. I know Petunia saw someone!"

Remus shakes his head. "There was a fire, but it was little more than embers when I found it," he answers. "Whoever it was is long gone now. I saw footsteps heading east, so I assume they won't bother this village again."

"Should have put a bullet in them," Vernon growls. "We have no time for these filthy-"

"Goodnight, dear sir," Remus interrupts, shutting the door in his face.

As he dresses for bed once again, he wonders how long it will take the town to make the connection. Petunia will undoubtedly tell everyone that there had been someone in the woods. When would they realize that Sirius had disappeared almost immediately after? Would they chase after him or leave the matter alone?

Whatever the outcome, as Remus climbs into bed, he decides that maybe it's time to find a new village to call home.