Chapter 8- In Order to Own
The sharp stones of the wall were digging hard into his back as the cold wind sent chills down his spine. The boy shivered involuntarily. A large hand clenched his wrist, and a body, much larger than his own, was holding him up against the wall.
"If you embarrass me, Remus…I'll make you pay."
Silence settled over the pair and the shorter figure, trapped against the wall, remained still.
He could hear the other's rapid breathing and looked up to see the eyes boring into his own, daring him to try to escape.
"Be a good boy, Remus," he said finally. "For your sake…and Black's."
With that, the hand encircling his wrist pulled him away from the stone wall…farther into the dark…
It was the last night of winter and throughout the day, all the men of Hogwarts had been staring ever more intently at the floating building that housed the untouchable.
They had been expecting this day.
As night fell, the sound of galloping hooves echoed in the distance. The minutes ticked by slowly as the sound became more and more audible through the pouring rain.
The men took their seats in the Great Hall, anticipating the arrival of something ominous.
The sounds of hooves came to a halt outside the school. Through the windows, the men could see the smooth coats of the large, formidable-looking horses. The darkened carriages they pulled could have held any number of things.
But they all knew what it was.
The boys stared silently as one after another, more carriages continued to pull up.
There were fourteen in all.
Once stopped, the doors of the carriages opened, and simultaneously, fourteen sets of black, leather boots emerged. The men inside Hogwarts blinked once and, in a flash, fourteen figures stood menacingly outside the carriages.
Their movements weren't human.
As the figures neared the light, their impeccably dressed forms were watched in envy by every student in Hogwarts. Black, billowing robes outlined the formidable forms and each of the fourteen men's faces expressed their superiority. Their sinister eyes were dark and void of any tender emotion.
If this was not enough to command the attention of every student in Hogwarts, the events that followed would.
In a flash of gold, fourteen petite, hooded figures appeared by the men's sides. The students sat up eagerly in their seats.
The group of men and their companions disappeared from view but the sound of their footsteps, walking briskly in tandem, could be heard echoing through the halls, edging closer to the room that held the entire population of Hogwarts' males.
The footsteps came to a halt and the doors opened, seemingly of their own accord. The large figures appeared in the doorway.
Their black eyes were fixed straight ahead, a look of disdain on their faces. They leaned down in sync to whisper something to the hooded figures.
The figures remained unmoving for a moment longer before reaching up to lower their hoods. If it was possible, the silence within the great hall became even more deafening.
Upon each man's arm lay a hand of perfection. Fourteen beauties stood elegantly by the men. Their mesmerizing eyes were focused on the ground a few feet in front of them and they looked as if the only emotion they knew was despair. On their slender necks, each of them wore a necklace that was inscribed with indecipherable words.
Nevar appeared in front of the formidable-looking group.
"Gentlemen. Hogwarts welcomes you…"
The skin on his arm was burning.
Asher still had his large hand wrapped tightly around the sensitive spot just above his elbow. The slight reluctance in Remus' steps was enough to incite fury within the larger boy and he tugged harder at Remus as they made their way across the rain-soaked grounds.
Remus had been reading in the study earlier—something he found himself doing more often lately— when Asher burst through the doors.
Asher's hair was untamed and his face was flushed—an unflattering shade of red. He was breathing heavily. To Remus, it looked as if the boy had not slept in days.
Bloodshot eyes scanned the room carefully before locking onto Remus' calm form. The sight of Remus' flawless face and golden eyes did nothing to slow the other boy's rapid breathing. At that moment, it looked as if the boy had forgotten his original reason for entering the room.
He strode across the study and, in one fluid motion, Remus was being held up by his shoulders and his back was pressed against the wall of the library.
Up close, Asher smelled of sweat and something else that Remus could not identify. He held his face close to Remus' and continued to breathe heavily. Remus tried to turn his head away, but a calloused hand flew up and tightened painfully around his jaw.
"Look at me," the harsh voice demanded.
Remus continued to struggle, but as another hand appeared and pulled his hair roughly, he relented and looked into the other boy's eyes.
Asher seemed pleased and pushed forward suddenly, his mouth descending onto Remus' neck.
Remus could not keep his composure and struggled against the larger boy's hands and mouth.
"Get off," he said a little bit desperately. "You're not allowed to be here."
Although Asher's visits had become more frequent as time progressed, the boy had never been this audacious. Remus continued to struggle.
Asher was not perturbed in the slightest.
In fact, Remus noticed worryingly, his struggling made Asher all the more vigorous in his attempts.
The hand that had been holding his jaw released it and set about exploring Remus' body. Remus thanked whatever deity that had been watching over him and made him decide to wear his heaviest set of robes over his clothing.
Although not for lack of trying, Asher, in his eagerness, was too caught up in the moment to do more than touch Remus over his clothing.
He lifted Remus easily away from the wall and pushed him on his back on top of the nearest table. He smiled cruelly at Remus' surprised gasp of pain.
Remus felt Asher's mouth leave his neck and suddenly the mouth was by his ear, breathing even more heavily.
"I knew I would own you the moment I laid eyes on you."
He felt Asher's tongue lap once at his ear before he latched his mouth onto Remus' neck again. Remus felt tears stinging his eyes as the hand that had been exploring his chest and abdomen, sought lower territory.
Just before the hand grabbed roughly at his nether regions, Asher's malicious voice sounded in his ear once again: "What's it like to be owned, Remus?"
The hand clenched possessively and Remus released a guttural sound in outrage.
The sound struck something in Asher and he seemed to regain control of himself.
He gave one more lick to Remus' ear and straightened up, staring with lust-filled eyes at the picture before him.
Remus was on his back, hair mussed and angry tears welling in the corners of his golden eyes. Asher looked as if he may begin his attack again, but exhaled sharply and stepped back.
"I told you it was only a matter of time. And it so happens that the time is now," a dangerous expression altered his features. "I'll return in an hour. Your evening robes are waiting for you in your room. Be ready. Tonight…I make my claim. My father and the officials will know I own you."
I own you.
Those words echoed in his mind, as his mind snapped back to present, and he found himself being pulled even closer to the main building of the school.
It had now seemed ages ago since he'd heard those words.
Asher had returned later, as promised, to threaten his and Sirius' lives if Remus did not cooperate.
Remus would never admit it, but he was scared.
They came upon the front steps and ascended to the main hall. As they approached the double doors, Asher looked down at him and gave him a warning look. He stuck his arm out for Remus to take.
The pair entered the Great Hall and fourteen sets of piercing eyes stared unblinkingly at them.
The fourteen figures had settled in at the front tables, their beautiful partners sitting by their sides, eyes fixed on the floor.
As the pair walked past the tables filled with Hogwarts students, Remus could feel the hungry eyes on him once again. He shivered.
There was movement out of the corner of his eye and he glanced discreetly to his left. He wasn't sure how, but he could feel Sirius' eyes on him. He looked around more and eventually found that, indeed, the familiar gray eyes were watching him.
Sirius was seated between two blond boys whose eyes were also focused on Remus.
But the golden-eyed boy didn't care about them.
It had been months since he had seen Sirius' handsome face. The boy was dressed flawlessly in all black, and his dark, shining hair was tied back neatly. His look was unreadable as he stared intently into Remus' eyes.
Remus continued to watch the boy and thought he saw Sirius' eyes narrow when Asher pulled Remus closer.
As they strode forward, he was forced to break eye contact.
Asher walked on proudly. Even the officials looked impressed. It seemed Remus' eyes had mesmerized every person in the Great Hall.
Nevar's voice sounded from the right.
"Asher," he said. "Your father is waiting."
Remus followed Asher into a room in front of the fourteen dangerous-looking men. Leaving their beauties behind, the men filed in after the pair.
A man who appeared to be an older and crueler-looking version of Asher stepped forward.
Remus could not remember much of what followed. The man, presumably Asher's father, whispered some sort of spell and Remus felt drunk. His vision blurred. He saw numerous black figures surround him and begin whispering.
Before he fell to the ground, he heard Asher's laughter in his ear. The last word he whispered would soon haunt Remus.
"Mine."
When Remus next woke, he was alone in a darkened room. His head was throbbing and he felt an unfamiliar pain on the inside of his wrist.
He ignored his aching body and as quickly as he could in his state, scrambled out of the bed.
He walked unsteadily towards the only door in the room and was surprised to find it unlocked. He hurriedly left the room and turned to find himself in one of the many hallways in Hogwarts.
Remus began walking, unsure of his destination, but too scared to stop and think what could have happened. He did not recognize Hogwarts anymore.
Becoming more and more frantic to find someplace familiar, he did not notice the figure coming towards him until it was too late.
The two bumped into each other.
Remus looked up, surprised.
"Peter?"
The boy looked excited.
"Yes," he replied eagerly.
"We were friends," Remus murmured. His mind was still too fuzzy to think about the consequences of his words.
"I'll be your friend if you let me."
There was something unnerving about the way the other boy was looking at him.
"Here, you don't look well. I'll take you to my room." Peter reached his hand out as if he intended to lead him away whether Remus wanted to go or not.
"I don't know…" came Remus' uncertain response.
The sound of footsteps on a nearby staircase startled the other boy.
The neutral expression on Peter's face changed quickly. A hunger overtook his face and he snarled once before taking advantage of Remus' weakness and shoving him into the nearest classroom.
Peter was not as tall as Asher, but everything about him was just as loathsome. He leaned forward eagerly, breathing in and out quickly—his beady eyes staring at Remus' mouth.
Remus backed up against the wall.
Peter was no more than an inch away, his breath in Remus' face. He leaned forward, intent on a kiss—or, Remus' stomach turned, a taste.
Remus turned his head away, closed his eyes, and braced himself—intent on shoving the other boy away when he least expected it. Not again, he thought.
"Touch me like you mean it," Peter whispered. "Pretend I'm Sirius."
Remus closed his eyes tighter and awaited what was to come.
In a moment, there was the sound of the door flying open and something hitting the wall across the room. Startled, Remus opened his eyes a moment later to find not small, beady eyes, but beautiful gray ones staring intently at him, concerned.
The feeling of relief that coursed through Remus' body left him weak in the knees, and he nearly fell to the floor.
Sirius gently placed his hands on Remus' waist, holding him up with ease.
He was watching Remus, his thumbs rubbing lightly on Remus' stomach. He looked as if he could be content just doing that for a long time.
"You look even more perfect than when I last saw you…if that's possible," he whispered softly.
"Sirius, how did you find me—?"
"I watched them take you to Asher's room. I wouldn't have let anything happen to you."
"What was I doing in Asher's room? Sirius, I—I don't understand. What's going on?"
Sirius reached up and ran the back of his hand down Remus' cheek.
"We don't have much time, Remus. You have to go back to the room. Asher's father…he'll…he'll hurt you if you run…I can't keep them away from you. Not yet."
Remus nearly lost his composure. He turned his face towards the ground and almost cried out at the loss of Sirius' hand on his face.
Sirius stepped forward slowly.
"Remus?"
The taller boy reached up and gently ran his hand over Remus' face again, committing the contours to memory.
Sirius' touch was so different from Asher's. It was as if he worshipped every bit of Remus.
They kept eye contact as Sirius continued to ghost his fingers over Remus' face.
Sirius sighed softly. "Perfection."
Remus lifted his hands to Sirius' face and leaned forward.
The kiss was soft and Remus felt his stomach flip. Sirius pulled back suddenly, though, his eyes full of anguish.
"I'll fight for you Remus. No matter what he…does…as long as you keep fighting too, the claiming isn't complete."
Remus felt his heart speed up.
"The claiming? Sirius, what—what do you mean?" Remus' stomach tightened sickeningly.
He looked down where he still felt the dull ache in his wrist.
There, shining in the light was a single letter. "A."
Remus could only stare down disbelievingly.
He belonged to Asher.