I would like to apologise for how late this is and warn you that this is the first part of a mini plot story.
I would also like to say thank you for the lovely reviews you all leave me, it's so nice to see! That PM on Tumblr made my day~
Dead things kept getting found at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Normally, Hagrid would have come across it first during his grounds checks, but unfortunately, it was a second year who had discovered the first carcass.
They'd screamed so loudly that even Madame Hooch had heard, travelling back from the Quidditch Pitch to the Castle. The second year had then been engulfed gently by Hagrid's massive arms as he shielded the youngster from the grizzly sight. It looked like a deer had been twisted about the abdomen, then had it's ribcage pulled open. Not to mention the various gashes mutilating the body.
McGonagall had informed the parents and had suggested the boy be taken home to recover from the shock. She then issued a temporary ban on any student from walking within 50 feet of the forest. This made Care of Magical Creature classes a little difficult, but Hagrid was able to relocate to a patch of grounds near the Greenhouses.
At first, it was just a couple more findings of mutilated game appearing at the fringes of the tree line. Then they got bigger, more numerous, and more frequent. Hagrid reported all his findings to McGonagall upon their discovery and it wasn't long until Professors were patrolling the edge of the forest in pairs. What was most disturbing was that they were discovering bodies that were no longer just ordinary game. Remains of Acromantula, Kelpies, a Thestral, and even a Unicorn were found in the few weeks after the initial finding.
Eventually, it came down to a serious discussion in the staff room about how they were to tackle this incident. All of the teachers were called in to sit down and offer suggestions on who, or what, was behind the attacks, and how to prevent it. Obviously, the cause was in the forest, and until they flushed it out, the being responsible for these killings would continue. Hagrid was able to rule out most of the suspects in the forest, the most likely being Acromantula. He argued that these bodies hadn't been eaten, just maimed and disfigured, and after the remains of an Acromantula itself was found their list of suspects dried up.
Until, Remus hesitantly gave his suggestion.
"There is one creature we've overlooked."
Flitwick turned to give him his attention, but Remus was staring at Hagrid.
"No, Professor! There can' be one in there, I'd 'ave seen mor'an this," the giant man exclaimed, but he looked more than a little worried.
"Not if it's smart," Remus argued, "it would know not to make too much noise, just enough to spook us. By only leaving evidence outside of the Forest."
"Sorry," Slughorn interrupted, "but for those of us not following?"
Remus took a deep breath, "I believe, we have a werewolf in our forest."
The reactions from the staff were somewhat predictable. McGonagall exhaled loudly, while Slughorn, Flitwick, and Sinistra looked shocked. Sprout ran a hand down her face, and Augrect let himself flump back against his chair mumbling, "oh, Merlin." Sage's eyes widened alarmingly, before blinking rapidly and looking at the floor.
"Are you certain?" Clement asked, "not to be insensitive, but can you actually tell if a werewolf is there?"
It was a logical assumption and he tried to arrange his face into an understanding expression, to let them know not to feel bad.
"Not strictly speaking no," Remus admitted, "but I noticed that the forest hadn't been feeling as oppressive as I was used to at the start of the year. Now, however, it seems terribly foreboding. Though whether that's due to our... findings," Augrect shuddered, "or any genuine sixth sense I might have is uncertain."
"Regardless, a rogue werewolf is our most likely culprit as of this moment, and a serious threat. I shall inform the minister," McGonagall announced, standing quickly and leaving the staff room.
There was a moment of quiet as they each contemplated how to address the students, when Trelawney, who had been silent the entire meeting, raised her voice.
"Forgive me, but I was under the impression that there already were werewolves in the forest."
A slight pause as everyone in turn looked over to Remus, who was blinking at the floor stupidly. He'd forgotten about that little rumour.
"Actually," he looked up to make eye contact with them all, "there never has been any werewolves in the forest. Besides me every once in a while."
At his sheepish expression, Hooch snorted, but Sprout, holding back a smile, carried on where Trelawney had stopped.
"Then why are we all told there were? Don't tell me, another deterrent to keep the youngsters out?"
"Partly that, partly because I did used to be in there. But the main reason is a little more ... complicated," Remus finished, fidgeting a little under so much scrutiny.
"But I've heard howling in there!" Slughorn interjected.
"Not always on a full moon, I bet," Hagrid answered genially, "nah, there never been any in there."
"Then why-"
"Because there are wolves in there," Remus placated, "just not the were variety."
He took a deep breath and explained what Dumbledore had told him, while he'd been a student. "There is no such thing as were-cubs - sorry to disappoint Hagrid - but werewolves can reproduce in their wolf form. But they give birth to a litter of wolf cubs. They're actually supposed to be incredibly pretty wolves, and very intelligent, but still just regular wolves. No where near as dangerous as some of the things in that forest, I assure you." He paused before adding, "and no, they're not mine."
Vector let out a bark of laughter before slapping a hand over her mouth, and Flitwick looked fit to burst with contained mirth. Augrect still looking slightly bemused, leaned forward to rejoin the conversation, but Slughorn beat him to it.
"If there have never been werewolves in that forest, then how on earth did a litter of were-cubs," Slughorn ignored Remus rolling his eyes, "end up in the forest?!"
"Because Albus Dumbledore released them in there."
"He did what?" McGonagall asked sharply from the doorway, causing everyone to jump.
Remus, however, just looked rather guilty.
- - - oOoOoOo - - -
It was arranged a week later that Hagrid, for his knowledge and experience of the Forest, and Remus, as Defence professor and resident 'tame' werewolf, would enter the Forbidden Forest.
Go in, find out where the werewolf was holding up, collect information on it's dens location, and then head back. A team of Aurors would be sent in to remove and re-home the werewolf. Remus was a little worried that everyone seemed to be assuming that this werewolf wasn't right in the head. Instead of assuming that it was playing them all, going for shock and awe tactics, rather than the work of a mentally unbalanced being.
Never the less, both men, neither fully human, walked into the Forest that chewed up and spat out humans for brunch. This wasn't exactly how Remus envisioned spending more time with the other man.
"Are there really were-pups in here?" Hagrid asked innocently, fifteen minutes later, now deep into the forest. He only sounded curious but Remus knew better.
"Don't even think about it, Hagrid," he admonished, "and they're not were-pups."
Hagrid looked a little put out but he resumed his task of keeping a look out and checking behind them, as Remus moved forward.
So far, the forest hadn't given them any problems. They'd passed a gathering of Centaurs, but had kept their noise to a minimum. The Centaurs merely nodded in acknowledgment, as they passed. None of the plants seemed particularly active either; giving very half-hearted and apathetic swipes as the two men brushed passed them. All in all, it could have been constructed as a almost pleasant stroll.
Remus suddenly stopped. He'd heard movement from a part of the forest that was off their path. The kind of sound you'd expect from a slow, methodical hunter. Something was tailing them.
"Lupin?"
Remus didn't answer, straining his hearing for the sound he had heard. A rustle of leaves, a small twig snapping, anything.
"Hagrid, I think we should go-," then he caught it as the wind changed direction and blew across them. A scent he had hoped he'd never have to encounter again. "Hagrid, get back to the castle, now!"
The giant man immediately turned back and started to run back down the path. Remus knew the plan was to just gather evidence of it's resting place, but he couldn't move to follow. He stayed and tried to pinpoint the location of the man who had made his life hell. There was no way Greyback was going to be re-located anywhere, especially when Remus hunch had been correct. This werewolf may be deranged but he was still in control of his mental faculties. He would remember that smell forever, from the day when he was barely five years old, to the years he had to spend in his pack on Dumbledore's orders. To the last time he saw him across a battlefield.
"Come on, Greyback, I'm all alone. What are you waiting for?"
He spun round, trying to triangulate from another part of the forest, but to no avail. He waited for so long he was sure Hagrid must be inside the castle by now. He knew if he tried to run for it he wouldn't get far. Greyback was faster than him, but at least he had magic on his side. He gripped his wand tighter in reassurance and took a slow tentative step towards the side of the forest he knew the scent came from. But this wasn't the side the noise had come from. Furthermore, when did Greyback make such a simple mistake as lying in the winds path?
His blood chilled suddenly as he realised that Greyback would never make such a crucial mistake. He had planned this, all of it. A trail of disfigured breadcrumbs, to lead him into the forest; the werewolf Defence Professor, the obvious choice. A sound to make him stop, then to make sure he caught wind of him. Remus took quick steps forward towards the scent only to find an abandoned, tattered shirt, hung on a low branch, swaying in the slightly breeze.
He spun around quickly, eyes darting everywhere for any sign of movement. He had played right into the others claws. Send Hagrid away in warning as fear and an old grudge resurfaced, become disorientated by the different stimuli, and now he was panicked.
The forest was deathly quiet.
Remus ran, like a flushed out rabbit from the undergrowth.
He had no idea where he was going, but he could hear something running behind him, not bothering with stealth anymore. He wasn't fast enough to outrun Greyback, nowhere even close.
Deciding to turn and fire a stunner in some vain hope it might slow Greyback down, he didn't expect to meet half a tree trunk that was flung at him from the shadows.
He had no chance.
- - - oOoOoOo - - -
"I'm sorry, having a little trouble here. Did you just tell me that my complete and utter dolt of a husband willingly walked into the Forbidden Forest to turf out a rogue werewolf, that's been leaving dead mutilated bodies in the grounds for a month?!"
Needless to say, news of Remus disappearance had spread through the Castle fast, but not before Tonks had been informed at the Ministry.
"And now he's missing? I am going to kill him!" she raged, stomping across wooden floor of their Hogwarts accommodation. "I'm going to have a nice new wolf pelt rug once this is over. I can't believe he went in without saying anything. Not even a 'Hey hunny, just gonna pop into the freaky forest to evict a very possibly unhinged werewolf, nothing to worry about'."
The rest of her monologue was lost as she threw herself onto their sofa, grabbed a cushion and screamed into it.
McGonagall sighed quietly, walking over to her and sitting down next to her. She watched as Tonks furious screaming turned into hysterical sobbing, muffled by the cushion held tight in her hands. McGonagall could only place an arm around her shoulders and pull her close in comfort.
Again, sorry, sorry ... sorry - been busy at work and then I just had a very apathetic streak, but I found some chapter notes I made at work and so I just need to flesh them out!