Love Sees More 3: Greyback's Pack
Chapter 18 - Unlocking the Cage
Remus stood and stared at Althea for a long time, almost like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. She was standing so close to Greyback, just in front of him, and his hand remained on her shoulder. It didn't seem to perturb her in the least. Quite the contrary. Althea seemed to be perfectly at ease next to the werewolf, the one that she always claimed made her sick to her stomach. Why hadn't he ever noticed it before?
It still didn't make any sense to him. Remus was beginning to trust Althea, and he had come back here for the sole reason of trying to help her, of giving her a better life than the one she had now. Had he really misjudged her that much? Was his trust really that misplaced? Then again, he had trusted Peter, too, and he had betrayed them all.
For a moment, Remus didn't even care that Greyback was there. All he wanted was to talk to Althea, to ask her why she was doing this. He focused on her for a long time, the hurt evident in his eyes. "You said you were my friend," Remus said quietly. They were probably going to laugh at him for it, for being so gullible, but he didn't care.
Althea remained silent and finally broke eye contact with Remus. She turned her head to the right, towards Greyback, almost like she was waiting for him to speak for her.
"Remus…" Greyback hummed, shaking his head. "You see what those humans have done to you? Friends - those are human things, and feeling anything for them are human emotions. Animals do not need friends. Allies, yes, because there is safety in numbers, but never friends. You think I'm going to miss you once you're gone? You think I miss Talon? Given, I am angry with you - very much so - for the way you've interfered in my pack. I will deal with you accordingly, but do you think I care that Talon's gone forever?" Greyback scoffed, waving his hand like there was an annoying insect buzzing around his head. "He was dispensable. You all are. I'll replace you the same way I replaced him, and I won't spend one moment missing either one of you."
Something occurred to Remus, and he crossed his arms over his chest, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. Since he didn't have a plan of escape at the moment, he figured that the best way to distract Greyback from attacking him was to keep him talking. "So tell me," Remus asked smugly, "where does the fact that once we join the pack, we're never allowed to leave fit into that? If you don't get attached to any of us, why would you care if-"
"It's for our own safety!" Greyback roared, cutting him off. "I can't have my pups running off, telling humans where we are or about what goes on here. One word to the Ministry, and the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures would be here in a second, taking us all into custody. Use your brain, Remus. I do it for our safety, nothing more."
"That's what you say, but…" Remus paused for a moment, shaking his head. He knew he was treading on thin ice, but he doubted there was anything he could say or do that would make Greyback angrier than he already was, so he decided to stick with his present plan. "I wonder how much of that is true. Are you afraid of being abandoned, perhaps?"
"I'm not afraid of anything!" Greyback snapped, and Remus knew he had hit a nerve. Greyback growled, a sound from deep in his throat. "The wolf doesn't know what fear is. You know that." He looked Remus up and down for a moment, considering his next words carefully. "Or perhaps you don't. Have you been tamed so much, that your wolf has gone soft as well?"
"I'm not talking about the wolf," Remus replied. For the very first time, he saw the tiniest hint that maybe Greyback wasn't entirely an animal after all. "There are human emotions inside of you after all, aren't there?"
Greyback narrowed his eyes, then he laughed. He tried to make it sound mocking, but didn't quite succeed, not in the way Remus knew he'd intended. "I know nothing about what it is to be human," Greyback snarled. "I haven't been human since I was ten years old, and no, I don't remember what it was like. Whatever human emotions might have remained afterwards were quickly stamped out by the way humans treated me. They saw to that. I was forced to become an animal to survive. That's something you wouldn't know about. Your humans have coddled and kept you like a pet."
Remus shook his head. "If you believe that, then you are sorely mistaken."
"Keep telling yourself that." Greyback sighed overdramatically. "I had hoped that you would be able to let go of those things in time - of the bad habits and the molds those humans forced you into. But now I see that you never had any interest in leaving those things behind, have you? This has all been one big joke to you, so I ask you again, Remus. How would you like to do this? Would you like to run and see how far you can get? Or shall we just put you out of your misery now?"
Remus steeled himself, clenching his hands into fists at his sides and standing his ground. "I'm not going to run from you." Remus wanted nothing more than to turn and run, but he knew that was exactly what Greyback wanted - to chase him like he was nothing more than prey - and Remus wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. "That's what people do when they're afraid, and I'm not afraid of you, Fenrir."
A gigantic grin broke out on Greyback's face, perhaps the largest one Remus had ever seen. Remus thought he could see every single one of Greyback's teeth, gleaming in the moonlight. "Perhaps you're not quite as human as I thought, because you should be afraid."
"Of what exactly?" Remus asked incredulously. "Oh, don't get me wrong. I was very afraid of you when I first came here, but…you're nothing more than a bully. A werewolf who uses physical means to intimidate those in his pack."
Greyback suddenly stalked forward, brushing Althea out of the way as he went. She stumbled a bit, but caught her balance. She hadn't said anything for a long time, and she didn't even seem like she was paying any attention to either of them. Her eyes had wandered off towards the woods, and she almost appeared to be caught up in a daydream of some sort. It was like she had mentally checked out of the entire situation.
Meanwhile, Greyback had paused just a few feet in front of Remus, his teeth bared still bared. "I told you," Greyback rumbled, "when you first came here that I could rip your throat out so fast, you won't even realize what's happening. That doesn't scare you in the least?"
"Why should it?" Remus asked simply. He smiled a bit, remembering something that Dumbledore had told him many times. "There are far worse things to fear than death."
"Let's see about that," Greyback growled, stepping even closer to Remus. He had that look in his eyes again - the crazed look that meant he was hungry, and he was ready to devour his meal.
Remus stepped backwards, swallowing hard. His eyes darted around, hoping to spot something, anything that would help him to escape. He tried desperately to think of something else to say, some other way to distract Greyback, but his mind blank. Besides, once Greyback fixated on a target, he wasn't easily sidetracked.
"Look at you," Greyback laughed as he came drew closer. "You look like a deer caught in a trap. A poor, defenseless animal that knows his time is up. And you tell me you're not scared."
"I'm not," Remus insisted, "not of you." He wasn't sure that he believed that any longer, but he knew that admitting to fear would only make Greyback even crazier, hungrier.
Remus began to think that the only option he had left was to run. He didn't want to. Greyback would just love to chase him, to know that Remus really was terrified, but on the other hand, Remus wasn't about to stand there and let Greyback attack him. He was simply out of choices, but Remus didn't have time to decide.
Greyback staggered. His arms flew out in opposite directions, trying to catch himself, but there was nothing to grab on to. He lurched forward, and for a very precarious moment, Remus thought it was part of Greyback's attack. But it wasn't. Greyback kept falling downward, well short of Remus. With a thud, Greyback slammed in to the ground face first.
The oddest thing passed through Remus's mind at that moment, an expression he had heard many times - the bigger they are, the harder they fall. It almost made him laugh, but he tried to push it from his mind, because this was certainly not the time to be distracted by such petty amusements. At first, Remus wasn't even sure what had happened. True to his animalistic reflexes, Remus had never seen Greyback lose his footing a day in his life, and definitely not when Greyback was about to feast. It was almost like he went on autopilot during those times, and his body automatically did everything it was supposed to so that Greyback could focus on his meal.
It was then that Remus noticed Althea was gone from the spot she had been standing in. Remus looked around, and then he saw her. From his vantage point, he could only just make out the top of her blond hair over Greyback's massive form on the ground, but Remus now saw what had happened. Althea had tripped him. She had grabbed Greyback around the ankle, sending him to the ground.
Before Remus even had a moment register anything more, Althea pushed herself up a bit, still keeping her hands firmly around Greyback's leg. She looked up at Remus, her pale blue eyes partially obscured by the strands of hair that had fallen into her face.
"Go, Remus," she said quietly.
Greyback roared in anger, flailing around on the ground. He quickly got his limbs under him, easily ripping his ankle from Althea's grasp. He spun around on all fours, turning on Althea. He growled again, and for a moment, Remus almost forgot that Greyback wasn't in his wolf form. He was so wild, so animalistic crouching on the ground in such a fashion, it was an easy mistake to make.
Althea kept giving Remus a pleading look. She mouthed the word 'go' to him again, almost like she had lost her voice.
Remus knew this was his chance. Indeed, once Greyback was fixated on a target, he wasn't easily torn away from it, unless he was angered so severely that he had no other choice. Greyback was so consumed with Althea right now, in taking his fury out on her, it didn't seem like he knew or even cared that Remus might get away.
But Remus couldn't. It was the very same reason why Harry had refused to leave Remus behind at Hogwarts and save himself. It was the very same reason why Remus had come back here to begin with. He couldn't just walk away, he couldn't just return to his life and let Althea be mauled or killed because of him. Because she was trying to help him. He wouldn't. He wasn't that kind of person.
And neither was Althea. Remus knew that now. The speech she had given Greyback just moments before had been an act. If she was really as loyal to Greyback as she said she was, she would never dare to lay a hand on him, much less trip him, and especially not when he was involved in disciplining a member of the pack. She had been fooling Greyback, drawing attention away from herself so that she could have a free moment to attack him and give Remus a chance to escape. Everything made sense to Remus now.
Althea screamed, slamming Remus's thoughts back to reality. Greyback had backhanded her across the face, and she had sprawled out on her back. Greyback had dug the claws of his other hand into her leg, causing little spots of blood to appear in her tatty and worn robes. She struggled to get away, thrashing around and trying to hit at Greyback, but he wasn't the least bit perturbed by any of her attacks. He kept coming, crawling up her body until his mouth was just above her throat. He opened his mouth impossibly wide, ready to feast.
Remus didn't even know what had come over him. Perhaps it was the result of living around the animalistic werewolves for so long, but Remus had lowered himself onto all fours. It was the most insane thing he had ever done in his life, but at the same time, it felt strangely normal. He would have gone straight for his wand, but it was still back at number twelve, Grimmauld Place. He wanted to kick himself for forgetting it this time, but at the moment, he didn't think he needed it.
Remus crept slowly at first, coming around to Greyback's side so that he wouldn't be caught. When he had a clear shot at Greyback, Remus crouched even lower to the ground, growled slightly, and leapt. It was almost like he was Moony, and he supposed he understood the fondness Greyback had of giving into that side of himself at all times. It was easy to let his wolf come out, to take over his mind. It was easy to be what Greyback was. So easy.
Greyback heard him approach, and he looked up in Remus's direction, but for once, he wasn't quick enough. Putting all his weight into it, Remus slammed into Greyback's side. Greyback howled in rage and pain as he rolled over and slammed into the ground once again, losing his grip on Althea. Remus floundered for a moment, his momentum still driving him forward. He grabbed at the ground and then at Greyback, trying to remain on top of the werewolf. Remus wasn't even entirely sure what he was going to do now, but he knew he had to keep Greyback occupied. He would certainly go after Althea again if he could, and Remus wasn't about to let that happen.
Before Remus even had time to think about his next move, his world turned upside down. He hadn't even realized that Greyback was moving, he was so swift and quick, like the predator that he was. He had flipped Remus over so that he was the one on the bottom now, conveniently under the seething werewolf.
"Leave him alone," Althea said. Out of the corner of his eye, Remus saw that she had gotten to her feet and was standing just a few feet away.
Greyback's head whirled around, and he glared at her. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out at first. It was almost like he had given in to his wolf so much, things like words were failing him. Greyback took a moment, catching his breath, his entire body shuddering with each gulp of air in and out. When he spoke again, his voice rumbled with his pent up anger. "Here we are again, Jameson. Just turn around and walk away. Perhaps I won't kill you if you do as I say right now."
"You're going to kill me either way," Althea said firmly. "I'm sure of that now, and I can either let Remus die right along with me, or help him get away from your psychotic arse."
"How dare you!" Greyback exclaimed, but then his gaze suddenly went back to Remus. Then he looked at Althea again, and he froze. It was almost like he had two different targets to go after, and he didn't know which one to go after first. Remus had never seen him so indecisive.
"So many people to eat, so little time," Remus said smartly, and he realized too late that that was a mistake. A very big mistake.
Greyback rounded on him once again, and before Remus even knew what was happening, he felt pain and a warm wetness erupt in his abdomen. Greyback had buried his claws deeply into Remus's flesh, twisting his hand to cause Remus more pain. Remus opened his mouth to scream, but then he felt an odd sensation in his throat. It almost felt like he was going to be sick, the contents of his stomach rising, but not quite. It was more of a ticklish feeling almost, and it made him cough. Remus then realized that it had been blood he felt in his throat, because it splattered across the sleeve of Greyback's robe.
Greyback inhaled deeply, like he was savoring the scent of Remus's spilled blood on his clothes. "Not so funny now, is it?" he asked around a cruel laugh.
"You know," Althea said casually, "you shouldn't turn your back on people when they're talking to you. It's rude." She was trying desperately to distract Greyback, but Remus wasn't sure if it would work. Nor was he sure that he wanted it to. Althea was trying to save him, but Remus wasn't about to stand for anything happening to her as a result. For a moment, Remus almost thought that she was about to rush at Greyback just like Remus had, but she didn't. Which was good. If Remus couldn't get out from under Greyback's grasp, then Althea would have absolutely no chance against him.
"I didn't ask you," Greyback thundered, "and I've had about enough about enough of your insolence! Can't even eat my meal in peace." All of a sudden, Greyback heaved himself off of Remus and climbed to his feet, approaching Althea now.
Remus tried to get up to follow, but it still felt like Greyback was pinning him to the ground. An unusual, heavy feeling had settled in his chest, making it hard to breath. He coughed again with the effort to draw in air, and more blood spilled over his bottom lip. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that that would help, but the next time he opened them, he regretted it. The sky had grown even darker in the few seconds he'd had them closed. It had gone from deep midnight blue to black, and the many stars that were out had inexplicably disappeared. So had the moon.
Remus was very tired. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to close his eyes again and sleep. To forget about everything that was happening around him for a little while. But he couldn't. He knew if he didn't act now, he would never get another chance to. If he went to sleep, he was sure that he would never wake up again, Greyback would see to that, and Remus couldn't break his promise to Sirius. His best friend had made him promise that he wouldn't die, that he would come back so that he could bug Sirius until the end of time about falling into curtains. Sirius was waiting for him, and so was Harry. He couldn't let them down.
The thought of them seemed to ease the pain a bit, and Remus used every last ounce of his strength to turn over onto his left side. Greyback was in that direction, and just beyond him, Althea. It was very dark and Remus had trouble seeing them, but he could see well enough to do what needed to be done. The only thing Remus could think of to do at the moment - the only thing he had the energy for - was exactly what Althea had done only moments before. Remus reached out in Greyback's direction, almost groping around in the darkness for his target.
Greyback was currently caught up in yelling at Althea, telling her how useless she was and how he had no choice but to kill her now. Once again, for all Greyback cared, Remus might not have even been there. He didn't even seem to notice when Remus's fingers brushed up against the leg of his trousers. Remus reached further, stretching his arms out and trying his hardest to push against the ground with his feet. Finally, Remus wrapped both of his hands around Greyback's ankle, threading his fingers together. He tightened them around Greyback and yanked as hard as he could, with every single shred of strength he had left in him.
It was enough. Greyback tripped again. He didn't fall face first into the grass as he had when Althea had grabbed him; he simply lost his footing and plunged to his knees, but Remus would take it. Greyback caught himself, planting the palms of his hands against the ground and holding himself up.
This encouraged Remus. Before he had another moment to think about how extremely exhausted he was, about how he simply wanted to sleep, Remus forced himself to keep going. He dug his fingers into the dirt, hauling himself up, and trying this best to ignore the throbbing feeling in his chest and stomach. Once Remus was on all fours, he launched himself at Greyback again, landing squarely on the werewolf's back and flattening him to the ground.
Greyback gasped for air, like the wind had been knocked out of him. Remus didn't waste any time in threading his fingers into Greyback's thick and matted hair. Remus supposed he understood how Greyback could let his anger get away from him, how he could let it control him so easily, because Remus was angry now. Mostly at himself because he had brought Althea into this, had caused her so many problems when she would have been much better off if he had minded his own business, but it drove him.
Remus pulled on Greyback's hair, and when his head came a short distance off the ground, Remus slammed it back down. Greyback yowled, his arms and legs flailing around. Even in the still growing darkness, Remus could make out a puddle of something dark forming under Greyback's head, and that was what made Remus stop. Greyback was a psychotic maniac, yes, and he tried to kill them both, but he was injured enough now for Remus and Althea to get away. There was no need to overdo it.
Greyback tried to scream, but only a strangled gurgle came out. He opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to scramble for purchase on his words. A moment later he got out a mumbled "help", and Remus realized he was calling for reinforcements.
Remus looked up at Althea, and she was already approaching him. She grabbed onto Remus's arm, trying her best to help him up.
"Let's get the hell out of here," she gasped.
Remus stumbled a few times, his head spinning now, but he gritted his teeth, determined to see this through. He finally made it to his feet only to fall into Althea, the world suddenly turning every which way. Althea stumbled, but found her footing quickly, throwing all of her weight against Remus to keep him upright. She gripped his hand next, pulling his arm up and around her shoulders, settling it into place.
"Can you walk?" she asked anxiously, looking down at Greyback and then around the area to make sure that no one else was coming.
Remus nodded, even though he had no idea how he was still moving, still standing. It wasn't just Althea, but it was like some unseen force, something much stronger than himself was holding him up and keeping him going. He got his feet moving, focusing his gaze ahead on the trees and allowing Althea to guide him. All he let himself think about at that moment was home and the fact that Sirius and Harry were waiting for him, depending on him to come back just like said he would.
"H-help!" came Greyback's cry from behind them.
Althea gasped, holding onto Remus even more tightly and hastening her steps. Remus struggled to keep up, clinging firmly to her, and she never faltered. Remus had always heard of people doing extraordinary things in dangerous situations, being fueled by nothing but adrenalin, but Remus had never experienced anything like that himself. Not until now.
There was a commotion behind them. Remus could vaguely hear some of the werewolves talking, perhaps asking what had happened or exclaiming in surprise, but everything was too muffled to make out clearly. It was like Remus was underwater.
"Can you Apparate us?" Althea asked in alarm as they made it to the cover of the trees. "I can try, but-"
"I can do it," Remus said firmly. He trusted Althea, but he didn't exactly trust rusty Apparition skills. He thought he would have a better chance of Apparating them correctly, even though he was injured. He could Apparate in his sleep, he knew it so well, so maybe he could still do it, more so than she would so many years since she had last attempted it. Besides, Althea had no idea where they were going, and Remus wanted more than to go home at that moment.
"I can," Remus repeated, more to convince himself than the fact that he was talking to her. He reached out his free hand, grasping onto the trunk of a tree for extra support. "Give me a moment." He shut his eyes again, trying to collect his thoughts and focusing on their destination - number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Home. He was going home.
"They're coming," Althea whispered frantically, looking back in the direction of the compound.
Remus didn't need her to tell him that, because he could hear them. Everything was still muffled, but the werewolves' cries and footsteps were definitely coming closer. Remus tried to push that from his mind; he didn't have the energy to think about anything else except Apparating. He took a few deep breaths before finally letting go of the tree trunk. He wrapped that arm around Althea as well, holding her close to him.
Remus looked back in the direction of the compound one last time. At the place that had been his home for the last two months, but would never be again. The place he was finally leaving behind once and for all. That gave Remus the extra bit of strength he needed to do this correctly. He was sure of it.
He could see the other werewolves now. They were running towards them, closing in quickly, but Remus closed his eyes against the sight. He buried his face into Althea's hair, trying to block out anything at all to do with the werewolves or their so-called home. He thought of nothing but his home, of Sirius and Harry, and he and Althea Disapparated.
It didn't quite feel right. Rather than being firmly pulled towards the destination, they were going more slowly than normal and jostling around a bit, seeming to bump into the sides of the invisible tunnel they were in. At the same time, Remus thought he could feel all of his limbs, which was somewhat of a relief. He squeezed Althea more tightly to him, hoping they were headed in the right direction and that he wasn't leading them to even greater danger. If he could, he would have apologized right then and there for any mistake he might have made in their Apparition.
When his feet found the ground again, Remus wobbled, but Althea was still there, propping him up. Remus gripped Althea's shoulder tightly, his heart thumping as he opened his eyes to see where they had landed.
They had made it. Not more than ten feet in front of them were the three steps leading to the door of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. The light from the study and drawing room windows was pouring out to pool on the ground, almost like beacons to lead them. Remus let out a bit of a sob, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Then he looked down at them, checking to make sure they were both intact.
"You okay? Anything missing?" he asked quietly, but then he wished he hadn't spoken at all. Doing so only served to remind him of how extremely exhausted he was, of how little energy he had left. He hardly had in him to keep standing, let alone speak.
"No," Althea replied. "I'm fine." She paused, looking up and down the street. "Where are we?"
"Home," Remus panted, "my home." But then suddenly, it appeared that the lights in the windows had been dimmed. Darkness was forcing its way into his vision again, making his head swim. He swayed on his feet.
"Stay with me," Althea pleaded, trying her hardest to hold on to him, but it wasn't enough this time.
Remus lost his grip on her shoulder, his fingers going completely loose, like they were full of water. He felt his arm slipping away from her, the ground rushing up to meet him.
"Remus!" Althea shouted, and he could feel her fingers scrambling against his arm, desperately trying to hold on to him, but he slipped right through them.
Somehow, though, it felt okay. Remus wasn't worried, because he was home now. He could sleep, and he didn't have anything to worry about anything anymore.
"Moony? Good lord, Moony!"
Padfoot, Remus thought, but he was much too tired to voice it. Remus looked up at the house. Everything was so dark, almost like he was looking at the world through a piece of gauzy fabric, but he could just make out the figure standing in the front doorway, surrounded by a halo of light.
It was the last thing Remus saw before the darkness encompassed him entirely.
To be continued…