It was dark despite his dilated eyes. A sniff in the air only registered the foul smell of metal. A low menacing growl came forth. Sharpened claws lashed out, producing sparks as they slid along the metal walls. The metal was thick, but would not hold under continual pressure. Instinct took hold and after a brief moment, light burst forth, and with it, new smells. Dirt, concrete, trash, more metal, a human - child by the smell of it. Wasting no time, the wolf went on the prowl.

Canvas shoes squelched with each step as Danny trudged across the puddle-ridden bridge. Neither the unpleasant slopping sensation of liquid between his toes nor the chill of his wet clothes bothered him. Nothing much bothered him anymore.

Bracing himself, Danny walked through the boxed roller doors and waited for the pain of using his powers to subside. A warehouse filled with stacked containers of muted colors was as good a place as any to sleep for the night.

The warehouse was quiet, save for the resounding echoes of his footsteps against the metal containers. The warehouse was cold, hard, and unwelcoming, but it would have to do. Shelter was shelter after all and it did the job of blocking out the wind and rain. Picking a decent spot to rest, Danny sank to the ground and leaned against a container.

Where curiosity used to pique, there was only apathy. In a different time, he would have gazed at the container labels in wonder, fantasizing about the places they would go. Now, he didn't even care where he was. He knew he was in the UK, but that was it. Why was he there? Danny couldn't say. He was probably in a state of delirium when he stowed away on a flight to London.

As his wet clothes clung to his skin, the thought of intangibly drying himself crossed briefly through his mind before being quickly dismissed. Though his core was still destabilizing, the pain had mostly dulled to a numb hum so long as he didn't use his powers. He had his human side to thank for that. It was fighting for stability and at some point it was able to temper the storm inside his heart. He had a weak grasp of his powers, but at least he wasn't causing a blizzard at every turn. As long as he didn't think about them he would survive.

A distant clang alerted Danny to the presence of another being. He stood silently and debated whether he should stay in a place that had others lurking about. If it was a security guard, he'd have to find another place to sleep, however, if it was just another person trying to find a somewhat comfortable spot in the freezing rain to rest… Well, he could relate. Deciding to investigate, Danny began to sneak down the container-made corridor. He followed the soft sounds that most people would not have been able to hear until he was just around the corner. Peering around Danny spotted two pairs of eyes staring back.

Danny released a relieved sigh. It was just a couple of children. Siblings, by the looks of them. The girl stood in front of her brother protectively, her fiery orange hair falling forward.

Danny winced as the image stirred painful memories. He raised a placating hand. "I'm just passing by," he promised. "I won't bother you."

As he turned to leave, the children watched his movement until he was out of sight. Danny began making his way back to his original spot, ignoring his stomach as it gave an involuntary noise. His measly morsel of a baked pretzel was apparently not enough to satiate his hunger but he couldn't afford anything else. Three pounds was all he had been able to scrounge up from his day of thievery. It didn't feel great stealing from others, but he couldn't find it in himself to care anymore. Jazz would be disappointed if he let himself starve to death.

She wouldn't like what he was doing instead, though. He hid these thoughts behind the wall of numb apathy. Caring was what had caused this mess. If he didn't care then he wouldn't hurt. Wouldn't remember -

BAM!

The noise stirred Danny from his spiraling thoughts. It had come from behind. Danny frowned before continuing on. Those children were probably horsing around with the containers.

BAM!

The force was too loud to be from a child. It had to have come from someone else. Crowded warehouse, Danny mused, slightly unnerved. He turned to continue back to his spot.

"EEEEEEEK!"

Without thinking, Danny began running back to where he had found the children. The scream had undoubtedly come from them. The colorful containers blurred together as his jog became a full sprint. Rounding the last corner, Danny's eyes widened. Behind the children stood a massive beast. His fur was bristled and teeth were bared as he stalked toward his prey. Terrified, the children were slowly backing away. The wolf snapped his teeth aggressively and dashed toward the children at the same time Danny darted forward. The girl wrapped her brother in a hug as a last testament of her love just as Danny reached them. Danny pulled the group to the side as teeth came bearing down. The wolf was quick to retaliate. As his teeth met air, his claws sprang forth and sliced four deep cuts in Danny's shoulder. Danny kicked the wolf back, putting as much strength into it as he could without aggravating his core.

As the wolf soared through the air, Danny grabbed his bleeding arm. Crying interrupted his thoughts of revenge and he looked at the boy who tearfully looked at his sister. Blood was spreading across her back, signifying that the wolf's claws must have reached her as well. The hysterical brother was uninjured. Danny winced. If he had previously thought the brave girl was Jazz, then this sobbing mess of a boy must have been himself.

Danny decided to offer some comforting words. "You, boy. You-you've got to pull yourself together!"

The kid blinked before bursting in renewed tears. Danny sighed. He was no good with children. He looked over at the ferocious beast. The wolf was regathering himself and Danny had to act fast if he wanted the children to leave safely. "Look, your sister needs you," he tried again. He saw he had the boy's attention. Good. "That wolf is going to try to attack us again. I'll distract it, but you got to help her up and get to safety."

Danny turned back to the wolf only to get a face full of claws. Instinct took hold and Danny threw up a shield. He grit his teeth when he saw the boy staring wide-eyed at the shield. "Go! Now!" Danny yelled angrily. The boy jumped and got to work. As soon as the pair rounded the corner, Danny turned back to the wolf and grinned savagely. "Just you and me, Fido." He gave a quizzical glance at the shield before letting it go. His power had come to him easily, without any pain. There had been no resistance building his shield, but more importantly, there was no pain. It was as confusing as it was advantageous.

The wolf snarled angrily and lunged toward Danny. Danny welcomed the chill of intangibility. He regretted the decision as soon as the wolf paused in his counterstrike and turned toward the path the children had taken. Danny threw an ectoblast at the head. "I don't think so. Your fight is with me."

The wolf quickly accepted the challenge and sprung forward. Danny barely had time to think before he was dodging the attack. He made to create another ectoblast, but the pain was returning full-force. Danny cried out and grabbed his wrist, looking up in time to see sharp teeth. Instinct took hold and Danny swung his fist. He made contact and the wolf's head moved to the side, though his body's momentum was moving full-force at Danny. The wolf's shoulder met Danny's stomach and Danny flew back from the force. His head hit the container and he sank to the ground. Everything hurt, and Danny was embarrassed to admit that his punch was weaker than it used to be. His weeks of hunger and being on the run were showing their effect and Danny struggled to get up. The room spun as Danny picked his head up off the ground. He stood, ignoring the blood dripping from his shoulder. He shook his head in an effort to clear it, but it only blurred the trousers on the wolf's legs more.

Trousers.

The wolf was wearing trousers. As the image cleared, Danny saw that his mind was not fooling him. The wolf was wearing trousers. Danny quietly stood and rounded the corner in an attempt to hide as memories flooded his mind.

'Danny, were you able to find Wulf?'

He hadn't. He knew where this conversation was going. They had had it months ago. It was after their conversation with Dumbledore. Back when she was…

"I was looking into the ministry's policy on werewolves, and if your assumptions are correct, then Wulf had a much more difficult time than we had originally thought."

Danny cried out in pain. Now was not the time for this. His core protested and sent a painful shiver through his spine. His outburst must have alerted the wolf, if the sounds of movement were anything to go by.

"They're required to register with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Creatures, Danny. They're not even considered humans anymore."

Danny could barely see as he stood to move. Pain and tears clouded his vision.

"They're forced to report on an uncontrolled cycle, and if there are 2 consecutive cycles, they're forced into kennels for their next one."

Danny slumped and tried to block Jazz's voice out of his head while simultaneously longing to hear more.

"Danny, I think I want to help them, too."

The wolf had found him. It was foolish to think he could sneak away from a werewolf. A normal dog's scent was ten times that of a humans. A wolf's was probably even more keen.

As the wolf stalked forward, Danny observed the canine. The trousers were easy to spot now. Why hadn't he noticed them earlier? The wolf was clearly unhealthy, with patches of fur missing. Danny looked into the snarling face of the beast and felt that he was looking into a story that was stuck in pain and exhaustion. Of a mind that slowly deteriorated until it was forced into a savage being it didn't want to be, to do deeds it didn't want to do only to repeat the cycle a month later. It was of defeat and hatred, but not at Danny, an innocent bystander, but himself.

"Danny, I think I want to help them, too."

Me too, Jazz.

Something broke the silence and the pair took action simultaneously. Not trusting his powers, Danny grabbed the metal pole of the container and pulled himself up. The wolf narrowly dodged getting his head smashed, but his body gave a resounding thud as it hit the container.

The pain in his core was receding and Danny was finally able to stand straight without a wince.

"You aren't a monster," Danny told the beast. "You're just human."

The wolf snapped his teeth and charged. Danny made no move to dodge. He stared the wolf in the eye. "I'll protect your humanity." As the wolf came down, Danny put all his strength in his next attack. With glowing hands, Danny felt his fist connect with the jaw. The wolf sailed through the air and hit the opposite container with a resounding thud. Danny paused and waited for movement. When none came, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Nice hook, kid."

Danny spun around defensively. From the shadows, a deeply scarred man stepped forward. Long jagged lines cut through his mouth and along his neck. It was grotesque and ugly. He looked in all sense of the word deformed.

The man held out his hands placatingly. "'Ey now, I'm not 'ere to fight yer."

Danny wasn't buying it and refused to let his guard down. The man shrugged and limped over to the fallen werewolf. He gave the beast a tap with a hesitant foot.

"Heh, really did a number on Remus, didn'cha kid."

"What do you want?" Suspicion laced Danny's voice.

The man scratched his head and looked back at the wolf. "Well I was lookin' for this poor sod. Heard old Silas was planning on stiffin' him. Figured it were a good time ter…" he trailed off in thought as his attention shifted to Danny. Coming to a decision, he gave Danny a smile. "But this could be mutually ben'ficial."

Danny took a step back and crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"

"Yer don't look to be well off, mate." He gestured at Danny's ragged clothing. "I know a guy who could give ya an income, no questions asked."

Danny narrowed his eyes. "And what would he want in return?"

The man scratched his chin. "Well that power of yers is mighty interesting..."

"Forget it." Danny turned to leave.

"Look. I know how yer feelin'. Stuck in a lousy shithole where the normies walk free and hybrids like you an' me are left to scrounge for the scraps they leave behind." Seeing Danny stop, the man eagerly continued, "Hey now, it don't have ter be that way! Me an' that guy over there, we're in the same way. It's not like Ivo'd ask yer ter kill nobody, prolly just scare some dirty purists," Danny opened his mouth, but the man cut him off before he could say anything. "Before yer go off yammering no - I saw how yous fight, don' deny it. Yer loved it! It satisfied a part of yous that can' be tamed. An instinct or obsession. It was wild."

At that, Danny started. "I'm not interested in being someone's lackey. No offense, but working for Ivo seems like more harm than good." He gestured at the man's face.

The man laughed. "I didn' get these scars from Ivo! Nah, some no good werewolf gert me good. Didn' even wait ter the full moon, bastard. Still, don't stop the discrim'nation, ya know?

A heavy silence fell between the two. "Was it him?" Danny finally asked, pointing at the fallen wolf.

"Who, Remus?" A hearty laugh broke the silence. "Wouldn' 'urt a flobberworm, tha' one."

Danny shifted uncomfortably. It was clear the man was still waiting for a response. "I don't need your money."

The man gave him an unbelieving look. "Kid, yer stomach tells me otherwise." There was no way the man could hear Danny's hunger pains from so far away. At Danny's questioning look, the man grinned mischievously. "Perks of being mauled hafta death by a werewolf, got me be'er senses. I can 'ear your stomach from 'ere." He wrinkled his nose. "And smell yer." He chuckled when Danny took a step back. "Look, yous don' hafta decide now. 'ere's my card. If yous ever jus' want teh talk you can find me by usin this." Danny grabbed the card and eyed the man warily. To reciprocate, the man simply tipped his hat and disappeared with a crack.

Danny looked back at the card. His initial reaction was to burn the card right on the spot, but he couldn't deny that what the man had said was true. Everything.

Danny put the card in his pocket and turned to leave. In that moment, a sharp pain travelled through his chest. Fighting his writhing core, Danny looked back at the wolf. As much as he hated to admit it, fighting the wolf had made him feel better than he'd felt in months. He felt as though he was actually doing something right for once and his core had actually responded to his demands without any pain. A fleeting thought seeing as his core was acting up now. Danny seized and clenched his chest.

Vlad had told him he needed to refocus his obsession, but how could the grudge-holding billionaire know anything about that? The man couldn't let go of the fact that his mother was married to another man.

Pain raced through him at the thought of his parents. Images flashed through his mind; His dad's goofy smile when he blathered on about ghosts; His mother's doting eyes during the rare times that she was free to spend time with him.

Vlad didn't know what he was asking of him. He couldn't let go of everyone he knew and loved and just move on. It would be an insult to their memory. To their sacrifice - Jazz's sacrifice.

Danny cried out in pain. He slid against a container until his butt hit the concrete.

What had he done to show his appreciation to Jazz? She had sacrificed so much for him - her time, her sleep, her grades, even her life to help Danny. How had he repaid her efforts? With sarcasm and back-handed compliments. He didn't deserve her sacrifice.

And what of Sam and Tucker? Their willingness to help and aid him ended with what? A wand in the face and wiped memories.

He didn't deserve them, any one of them, but he couldn't find it in himself to let them go. As sick as it was, he still needed them.

What Vlad was asking for was impossible.

Danny gazed back at the wolf in a seemingly futile effort to make his mind off of his spiraling thoughts.

The wolf was battered and bruised, but peaceful in his slumber. It was going to be pretty disorienting when the man eventually woke up. With all Danny's years fighting ghosts and waking up in a different place, he could relate. The pain in his core began to subside when he thought about staying and helping the man gather his bearings when he woke. It felt like the right thing to do and to solidify the decision, it was what Sam and Tucker would have done for him.

Exhausted, sore, and injured Danny waited. The thoughts and emotions that were slowly creeping their way towards finally broke free and Danny cried in silence as the rain continued to pour outside.

Come seek us where our voices sound…

His breath clouded his face as he released a heavy sigh. The air was moist and crisp in the early hours of the day. It was clear it had rained the night before with each splash of his shoes on the soggy dock. A deeper splash resounded, signifying another contestant's entrance into the lake. He gazed out with hesitancy.

…We cannot sing above the ground…

He had to find the merpeople's lair, but the problem was, he still hadn't figured out how to travel underwater for long periods of time. His fellow contestants were not giving him any insights either, seeing as they disappeared almost immediately after entering the lake. He was going to look like a complete fool if he didn't figure something out soon. A cannon fired and Cedric Diggory gave Harry a confident smirk before joining the others in the lake. He was now completely alone.

Harry gulped and considered forfeiting the tournament and just walking away. No one could blame him for wanting to leave when he didn't have a clue what he was doing. This whole thing was madness anyway.

A cannon fired and before Harry knew it, he was jumping into the lake.

Icy water instantly chilled him to the bone. His chest seized as he wheezed in cold air and water. His drenched robes began to drag him further into the water and fear raced through him at the thought of drowning. Surely someone would come to his rescue if he couldn't make it back out. He turned around and instantly regretted it. In the crowd, faces showed both pity and mockery. He was a complete embarrassment to his house and school.

Just as the feelings of failure began to settle in, a hand grabbed Harry's ankle and pulled harshly down. Completely underwater, Harry searched for the perpetrator but could not see anything in the murky water.

…And while you're searching ponder this…

The invisible hand continued to drag Harry through the depths of the lake. Harry's chest burned with the lack of oxygen. If he didn't get air soon, he'd drown. Harry thrashed in the tight grasp, but the being either didn't notice or didn't care. His struggles were in vain. Harry's lungs couldn't hold out and soon he found himself sucking in water. Not finding the relief of air, he kept breathing the water despite the pain it brought. It was all too much.

Just as Harry felt the clutches of death closing in on him, the being had finally found its destination. Harry was dumped unceremoniously in a spacious room. A room that was miraculously filled with air.

Harry heaved and coughed as buckets of water empty from his mouth. He couldn't even imagine his lungs being able to hold the amount of water he was releasing. He sat there coughing until he had nothing left to give. After a moment of peace, Harry gave a shaky breath and stood on wobbly legs. He had to gather his bearings.

…We've taken what you'll sorely miss…

He knew this place. The sterile air, the equipment lining the walls, and the jars of ectoplasm on the shelves.

"W-What?" Harry whispered in utter confusion. He staggered around and found the being that had pulled him under.

The ghost was not smiling his signature smirk, nor did he show fear of the place they were both in. His face was void of emotion though his eyes were piercing. As if they could read all of his thoughts. It was unsettling, and he wished for the ghost to disappear. Still, wishing did not change the fact that the infamous Phantom was floating in the middle of his parents' lab.

"Why did you take me here?" Harry asked almost accusingly, refusing to be rattled by the piercing gaze of the specter.

…An hour long you'll have to look…

Harry shook his head. "I don't have time for this. I have to get back to the lake. There is a task, something I must find." He walked away toward the exit, Phantom's eyes following him as he went. The doorknob wouldn't budge. Harry yanked. Nothing. "How do I leave?"

No response.

…To recover what we took…

Urgency flooded through him as a chill began to creep up that had nothing to do with his wet clothes. Harry's nerves heightened and he looked around the eerily quiet lab. Something wasn't right.

"What, what have you done?" Harry asked nervously, turning to the ghost. Anger took hold. "You brought me here… send me back!"

Phantom blinked and turned to look at the portal's closed doors.

…But past an hour, the prospect's black…

"Aren't you listening to me? Something was taken. Something was taken and I won't be able to get it back if the task ends. Don't you understand? If I don't hurry they'll be gone forever-" wait… they'll?

…Too late, they're gone, they won't come back…

Harry jolted awake with a snap. Disoriented, he apprehensively took in the fuzzy surroundings, unsure of where he was. His blurry vision was drawn to a swinging object hanging off his book bag on the desk in front of him. Grasping around, Harry found his glasses askew on his forehead. He must have fallen asleep with them on. When his vision was restored, the swinging object came into view. There was the familiar chip of orange paint and a black nose that had been worn into a pale gray. Harry had forgotten about the object long ago. Now, he used the rocket keychain to center himself.

Courage in the face of the unknown.

It was just a dream.

Taking a deep breath, Harry scrubbed his face and looked out the common room window. A bold, fiery moon was setting in the distance just as the sun was beginning to light the fields below.

The voice of Trelawney floated through his head "Dreams run wild during the night of a full moon."

The grit of a cold hard surface on his bare stomach greeted Lupin into consciousness. An aching pain wracked his brain as his head tried to split itself open. Groggily, he turned over only to squint from the blinding light creeping through tall windows. Holding his head in his hands, Lupin released a groan and sat up. This had to have been one of the worst transformations he had gone through yet. Questions began to trickle their way through his mind, with the more prominent one being What happened last night?

Wolfsbane usually made it so that the user still transformed, but retained human consciousness throughout the process. Missing a dose meant that Lupin had to rely on fragmented memories that offered more questions than answers. He raked through his brain grasping at any snippet his wolf side could provide.

Darkness and the smell of metal.

That's right. He had locked himself in a crate. Lupin took in his bearings, noting with dread that his previous confines were nowhere in sight. In his view, he spotted piles of crates, some of which were broken from a recent tussle. Thankfully, there were no signs of blood or bodies. Lupin realized that he was still in the abandoned warehouse and there was a high chance that nothing had happened. He leaned back and breathed a sigh of relief.

A quiet scuff of dirt set Lupin's ears alert. Looking towards the sound, he found a pair of gaunt blue eyes staring at the ex-professor.

Green, wild. Eyes of a predator, promising death.

"Here's your shirt," the boy offered awkwardly from his place on a pile of pallets. "It was folded in the container you, uh, broke out of." He tossed the piece of clothing.

Lupin barely caught the shirt before it nailed his head. He was too shocked to respond.

The boy patiently waited while Lupin subconsciously tugged on his button down. The urgency to remember was shooting through him. What happened last night?!

Fear.

He had tasted fear. It was abundant in the air. He looked back at the boy. Based on his neutral expression, it couldn't have been from him. But then, who?

Lupin breathed sharply as memories began to flood through.

A boy with frightened eyes and a girl with blood all over. He knew those children. He had just seen them in the streets yesterday. Had he? Did he? What had he done?!

All he had were broken bits and pieces of memories. It wasn't a full image, but there was enough to fill the missing gaps. There was just too much blood to deny it. Last night, under the light of the full moon, he had broken out of the container and murdered those poor children.

Lupin put his head in shaky hands.

They were so young.

Too young for the life they were given, too young to be shredded apart by a violent, out-of-control wolf. He felt disgusting.

Cold hands landed on his shoulders as the boy crouched next to him. "It's okay," he spoke in a soft voice.

Lupin remembered trying to tear the boy's throat out and the fight that had ensued. It was a surprise that he was sitting here next to him without fear, hatred, or disgust. The boy just looked concerned.

"You're gonna be okay," he said calmly.

Lupin gave a humorless grunt.

"It's true," the boy continued. "You've returned to your human form, and besides a couple of dents here or there, there is no damage. No one was hurt either - well, nothing that couldn't be healed…" as an afterthought he added, "... and you didn't bite anyone."

"W-What?" Lupin finally croaked.

Understanding filled the boy's eyes. "You heard me. No one was injured beyond repair. Scared the kids, sure, and one of them probably needs stitches, but a couple of cops spotted them outside the warehouse and took them to a hospital. They're both safe."

Lupin released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Merlin's beard." he muttered shakily. Exhaustion encompassed him and he felt the weight of his 35 years as a werewolf lighten just a bit.

"No worries man, shift happens," a ghost of a smile twitched on the boy's lips.

Remus blankly stared at him. Finally shaking his head he wearily chided, "You shouldn't joke about this."

The boy shrugged and looked out the window, "It's the way I cope," He winced slightly and added morosely, "but I've been told it's inappropriate." A deep sadness took hold of him.

It was quite unlike the boy from his fragmented memories who was determined, fierce, unyielding. His eyes and fists had glowed with a cold fury as he had fought for his and the children's lives.

This boy was sullen, traumatized, and defeated.

Danny looked at the man and saw that he was working up a way to cheer him up. This set a guilty pit in Danny's stomach. He was here to help the man, not the opposite. He sighed glumly and waited for the man to speak his piece.

"So, what should I call the knight in shining armor who rescued poor children from the evil monster doomed to be cursed for all eternity?" Cringy and self-deprecating. It was pathetic.

"Danny," the teen mumbled somewhat reluctantly. There probably wouldn't be any harm in giving the man his name. He was never going to see him after today anyway. He brought his knees to his chest and rested his head on it. Back to the task at hand. "It's not your fault you're cursed. You never asked to be bitten, and it's not like you had any control last night."

The man pondered his words before offering Danny a smile. "I am Remus, and thank you, Danny. Your words are kind, and though this curse might not have been my fault, it is my responsibility."

His ghost half was both his fault and his curse. He had a responsibility to protect the ones he loved and he had failed. He grabbed his chest and winced painfully as his core throbbed. Stupid cor-

"Did I hurt you?" Remus asked with concern.

The question returned Danny to the present. He didn't want Remus to think that his pain was from him. The man probably felt bad enough as it was. "Nothing I couldn't handle, I can take a heavy hit," he forced a smile. He might have failed to protect his family and friends, but he could still help those in danger. Even if it was from self-deprecating thoughts.

"I noticed, you can give them too," Remus replied, rubbing his jaw. "I take it you're a hybrid too?"

Danny supposed the man had to have remembered some parts of the night if he had come to that conclusion. "Something like that," Danny answered cautiously. What could he say? Old habits die hard, and revealing any piece of personal information was still hard for him.

Lupin nodded. "Werewolf," he stated, lazily waving a hand at himself.

Some of the tension left Danny at the man's nonchalance. There was common ground here. It was almost… refreshing.

That is, until the man started sizing Danny up. Danny noticed as Remus' eyes went from the heavy bags under his eyes to the decrepit state of his clothing. The man was forming his own conclusions and was going to start asking questions any moment. Questions Danny had no intention of answering.

Danny stood and stretched. "Well, I should be going. I just hung around to make sure you were alright."

Remus stood as well. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Danny nodded, "Yep, nothing a good night's sleep won't fix. Perks of being what I am is that I heal quickly."

"At least let me fix your clothes," Remus said. Danny froze as he watched the man pull out a weather-worn wand. He didn't have time to react before Remus pointed at Danny's mauled hoodie sleeve and said, "Reparo!"

"AAH!" Danny leapt backward and belatedly brought his arms up in defense. When he didn't feel any magic attack, he looked around. Finally, he spotted that his slashed clothes were neatly stitched back together. He ignored this in favor of taking a defensive stance.

"You're a wizard," he accused, jabbing a finger in Remus' direction.

Startled, Remus replied, "What do you mean?" He took a step forward.

"Get away from me!" Danny shouted. He couldn't hide the fear in his voice.

"Of course I'm a wizard, Danny," Remus placated. "I wouldn't know I was a werewolf if I wasn't already a wizard. How else would I know that there are other hybrids out there?"

Danny shook his head as dread began to settle in the pit of his stomach. Trusting the man had been a mistake. "You-you were supposed to be someone who has it just as bad as me! But - but you're just one of them!"

"Danny," Lupin began taking another step.

"I said stay away from me!" Danny yelled, and he vanished. Disappeared out of thin air.

Lupin blinked in surprise. Few beings or creatures could harness the power of invisibility at will, and those that could were often tied to death in some way. Thestrals were invisible until one had seen death in its entirety. The grim, despite its controversial existence, was thought to be a spectral entity that brought one closer to their inevitable death. The rest of the spectral beings needed no explanation seeing how ghosts are created through their deaths. Demiguises, though not a death omen, were often associated with death due to their power of foresight that often told of misfortune. Lupin scratched his chin with newfound curiosity. He would think the boy was part demiguise, but with the lack of fur, it was hard to believe. Not to mention, Danny had sustained more injuries than a half being with the power of foresight would have allowed. None of it made sense. Could the boy be a ghost? Was that even possible? Lupin had thought he had heard of all hybrids and beings out there, but Danny was a new for him.

He had not meant to cause alarm. He only wanted to help the poor boy. Lupin hated to admit it, but he had an unfortunate knack for crossing paths with troubled youths, and learned that a free meal and some guidance could go a long way.

Danny's scorn for magic should not have come as a surprise, all things considered. Wizardkind had a lot to answer for when it came to hybrids and magical beings, and it was clear the boy had suffered from the hands of his fellow countrymen. Lupin rubbed his aching temples. He never had a chance to fully thank the kid either.

A/N- I rushed editing this time around so sorry if the writing is not polished. Life kinda sucks rn, but thanks for sticking around 3