"Name."
The department was crowded today. Haggard employees sat hunched at cluttered desks, filling out paperwork from their ever-growing stacks. Sitting across from them, people were nervously wiping drips of sweat from their brows. The paper memos in the air could be confused with a swarm of cornish pixies as they flew left and right to their destinations. The atmosphere was as suffocating as it was hectic.
An unimpressed gaze bored through him.
He coughed hesitantly. "Remus John Lupin."
Mildred Gibson, the old secretary at the Department of Regulation and Control for Magical Creatures, dully wrote down his response.
"Registration number."
"2910099."
"Status."
"Lycanthrope."
"Papers."
Lupin passed them over quickly. The papers were documents he was required to carry with him at all times. They were the same papers his father had clenched in angry fists when he swore to overturn anything that reduced a person's status from human to creature. "Never again," he had said almost remorsefully. A great man, his father. Sadly, he had died early with many regrets.
"Your last incident report was less than a year ago," Gibson noted with a grunt.
Lupin gave a tight smile. "That's right."
She eyed him reproachfully over her bejeweled half-moon spectacles before handing his papers back. "A representative will be with you to go over your papers," she droned in a bored voice.
"Thank you," Lupin replied quickly.
Ignoring the responding 'humph', Lupin waited patiently with the other creatures and beings for his name or number to be called. It would depend on which representative he got as to how they would refer to him. Lupin often found that the employees of the Department of Regulation and Control for Magical Creatures were rarely the passionate activists who wanted to help the unfortunate, but more often the stubbornly uncaring sort.
Lupin looked around the room and wondered how many of those waiting were also lycanthropes who had had an unfortunate night. He couldn't have been the only one who had gone to Silas for Wolfsbane. How many were also stranded right before the full moon? He pondered this as he patiently waited in the queue.
It was an hour before his name was finally called.
"Lupin."
Amos Diggory was not the worst employee he could have ended up with. He could be a stickler at times, but at least he had some common decency not to refer to Lupin as an 'it'. The short man had an air of silent professionalism as he led Lupin to his desk.
As soon as they sat down, Diggory got straight to business. "Right, says here you got yourself in a bit of trouble last night," he started.
"Er, yes."
"What were you doing in a muggle zone on a full moon?" he asked.
"I was purchasing Wolfsbane from Silas Augborn. I didn't realize he would irresponsibly throw his stock out."
"Silas is not the one who is responsible for your shift, Remus," Diggory strictly scolded. If the man had had other cases related to Silas' untimely decision, he didn't show it.
Remus flinched. "I'll admit I was running late, but everything that was required was done. There was a plan for the shift. Silas knowingly-"
"Silas aside, Remus! This is your second incident in one year!"
Lupin wouldn't back down. "Once I found out the old man had carelessly thrown his stock out the night of a full moon, I had thought locking myself in an empty warehouse would suffi-"
"Both incidents involving children no less!"
Lupin stopped. There was no sense in continuing if the man wasn't listening, and, though he'd hate to admit it, Amos had a point. It was less than a year ago when he attacked Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They were lucky no one was harmed.
Diggory took a deep, calming breath. "You'll be happy to hear the two muggle children were found and dealt the memory charm. They will have no recollection of what transpired last night." That was something. At least they wouldn't be sleeping with nightmares. "Now, besides the children, were there any others who had witnessed your transformation?"
Lupin thought of the homeless boy who boldly faced his brutish form, but flinched at the sign of a simple repair spell. "There were no others, sir."
Diggory made a note and flipped through his papers. Lupin watched and waited for the man to state his decision. Several minutes passed in apprehensive silence.
Amos finally turned to him. "The only logical step is for you to stay with the ministry for a few months until you can take better steps in the future."
So that was his verdict. The 'kennels'. Lupin held in a shudder as he remembered the last time had been there during the full moon after the Potters had died. Since then, he had avoided the place at all costs. It would seem his luck had finally run dry.
"This is going to add another hour to my load," Diggory sighed to himself.
Lupin hummed distantly, struggling to come to terms with the decision. He could care less about the added work Amos decided to put on himself.
"Didn't want to be here myself, but with all the paperwork Silas has given me I couldn't even spare a moment to celebrate." Confirmation of Silas' misdeeds did not feel as good as he thought it would. At least he wasn't the only in this predicament, though he hated to take solace in that.
Diggory was obviously fishing for Lupin to press the matter. "Celebrate?" he asked half-heartedly, if only to get the man off his back until the aurors arrived to take him away.
Amos' entire demeanor changed from a stiff professional to a doting overbearing parent. A proud smile broke his face as he giddily boasted, "My Cedric won the second task! Knew he would. Brilliant boy, Cedric, could transfigure a mouse to a teacup when he was only seven years old! Er, Probably best not to mention that to the officials. Underage magic and whatnot. But bless him, he's managed to beat the Black Lake and earn first place in the Triwizard Tournament!"
Lupin faintly smiled at the thought of his former student. "I hope my lesson on Grindylows stuck. The Revulsion Jinx would have come in handy if he had to go in the Black Lake. Hogwarts is known to have a surprisingly violent swarm."
Amos paused and looked at Lupin as if seeing him for the first time.
"He told me he chose to use the bubble-head charm so that his incantations would be cleaner to cast… mentioned there would be grindylows in the lake too…" He stared at Lupin uncertainly. "Quite taken with you, Cedric was. Said you were that best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor he'd ever had, despite your, well, circumstances…."
Lupin watched Amos sort through his thoughts.
"I suppose… in light of what you have done to help my son, a warning would be sufficient to prevent last night's bout from happening again."
A weight lifted. "W-what?"
Diggory cleared his throat. "As you say, no one was harmed, and the appropriate authorities were notified. As long as you stay on the straight and narrow… I don't see why we'll need to meet before your annual check in."
"Thank you, Amos, Really."
"Not at all, my old friend." Lupin didn't mention that his 'old friend' was a minute away from dragging him away to be caged in isolation for several months. Amos was looking rather pleased with himself, and Lupin had no intention of changing that.
He watched the man pass back his papers. "Give this to Millie and you should be on your way."
"I will, and send Cedric my greetings." Lupin left before the man could change his mind. From Mildred's face, he could tell that she was unpleasantly surprised to see him back again. He watched her begrudgingly stamp his papers.
His plans for leaving as quickly as possible were tossed when a stressed voice called out his name.
"Agnus? What brings you here today?" he asked calmly.
"It's Ugdor, he's missing." Agnus Talbot was a middle aged woman who he found here often enough that they eventually became somewhat friends. She had her own fair share of trials, one of which being her giant half brother, Ugdor.
"Agnus, he's the size of a building, how could he go missing?"
"Don't get smart with me, boy," she snapped. "Ugdor's already caused mischief in the highlands and now the trackers are trying to find him. I need to get him back home first or who knows what those blasted trackers will do to him." Lupin did not want to follow that train of thought. Apparently neither did Agnus. "You keep your eyes peeled, Remus."
While those at the bottom of the wizarding world like Lupin did not have much in the way of support from the ones higher up, there was a strong connection within that community. A network of some sort.
Lupin gave her a reassuring look. "I will, and if you need help wrangling him in when you find him, send me a patronus."
With a curt nod she turned and left.
Lupin watched her go with a sense of foreboding. The older lady probably knew he'd be traveling looking for a new supplier, or a new job. Word did travel fast unfortunately. With a heavy sigh he turned to leave. He'd be sure to keep an eye out as he sorted through his own predicaments.
"I thought it was odd at the time, the headmaster asking me to meet him in the boathouse after dark," Ron explained to an eager group of classmates. "But I went anyway, it being the headmaster and all. Had a nasty run in with Filch too on my way down. Tried to put me in those manacles he's always polishing." Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation. "He didn't stand a chance, being a squib and what not. I was able to fight him off eventually and made it just in time to meet Dumbledore, but the old man was nowhere to be found. Then an arm came out from the water and pulled me in. I was instantly surrounded by merfolk. I fought off about fifty before they-"
"That's enough Mr. Weasley," McGonagall called out sternly. "I hope that bouquet you are supposed to be conjuring is as tall as that tale you are spinning."
Caught red-handed, Ron gave a sheepish smirk and handed the transfiguration professor his bouquet of baby's breath. McGonagall looked unimpressed and turned to address the class. "Two rolls of parchment on the importance of proper incantation and wand movement in relation to the size and type of flower produced in the bouquet conjuring spell, due Monday. Leave your bouquets on your desk and I will collect them later. Class dismissed."
The class grumbled as they put their books and wands away.
"Nice going, Weasley," a Hufflepuff sneered.
"Potter, I need a word with you before you leave," Professor McGonagall said, leaving no room for argument.
Ron gave Harry a pitiful look. "See you in potions."
When the class had left, McGonagall turned to Harry. She eyed him appraisingly.
"Is your family on holiday?"
Harry was taken aback by the question. "No?"
"An owl I sent a few weeks ago returned with its note still attached."
Harry's gut dropped. Jack and Maddie were probably too busy to notice the owl, and Jazz and Danny were probably adhering to his wishes. He gave a shaky laugh. "The last time I spoke to them wasn't, er, on the best of terms."
McGonagall pursed her lips. "That's not a reasonable explanation," she stated logically.
Harry shrugged. "They're stubborn to a fault."
"Can you think of anywhere else they might be?"
"They sometimes go to visit my aunt in Spitoon. It's, er, in the middle of nowhere." Though he didn't actually think they were there. Jack and Maddie wouldn't leave Amity unless something terrible had happened.
Seeing that she wasn't going to get much information from him, she stated. "Thank you, Potter. I'll look into the matter."
Harry left her room. He hadn't given his family much thought. The last time had been the dream he had right before the second task. It had left him unsettled. He knew it was just a dream, but Phantom's blank stare and the lab's eerie feeling was hard to get out of his mind. Harry shook off the thought. He had double potions next and dealing with Snape was not something he could do while thinking about home.
His stomach growled miserably. All day he had searched for food. It was as exhausting and frustrating as it was trying to remain dry. Danny growled in annoyance. He was past the point of self pity; he was angry. He cursed and jerked his hand away. A sharp piece of broken glass had sliced through his finger.
"Stupid!" he seethed with gritted teeth.
He clutched the offending object, a broken lamp, and threw it across the alley. A loud crash rang out as the glass shattered on impact. It was satisfying, but it wasn't enough. He dug violently in the dumpster for more, grabbing the closest breakable object.
BANG!
The now-warped microwave was on the ground. His original intent of finding something to eat was far from his mind now. He was too worked up to acknowledge it anyway, and the loud rumble of his stomach was drowned out by the clanging metal of his rummaging. He had accepted the fact that he was going to spend another night with an empty stomach.
"Pathetic!"
Why was he always hungry?! He should have figured out how to eat by now!
SMASH!
He refused to give his loud stomach any further thought and sifted through the garbage with renewed vigor. The cold damp air condensed his breath and a light drizzle persisted in the air. His clothes were already wet and clinging to his skin. The added precipitation instantly chilled him to the bone.
RIP!
The torn canvas frame was waterlogged as soon as it fell into a puddle. The anger was poison. It saturated him like the rain above. Why had he even come to England in the first place? Itnever.stopped.raining! He'd have to find shelter soon or spend the rest of the night awake in the frigid rain.
CRASH!
"Useless!"
He panted heavily. His thoughts were all on his dismal circumstances. It was easier to blame them for this anger instead of the stronger resentment he felt deep inside.
He heard a rustle of movement behind him. Something was lurking behind the bins.Following me,Danny thought as anger coiled around him. He lifted a broken space heater and threw it at the unknown lurker. Before the person could recover, Danny grabbed his flannel shirt and threw him against the wall. Familiar eyes stared fearfully back. He must have looked unhinged if the Box Ghost was looking this frightened. Danny didn't care. "What are you doing here?" he seethed. The Box Ghost gaped like a fish. He sputtered incoherently, until a violent shake from Danny made him stop. "Are youspyingon me?!" Danny yelled. How did the Box ghost know he was here? Was this some ploy from Vlad?
"N-No no no-" gone was the ghost's normal whimsical tone. "My king I-"
Danny's grip tightened with anger. "What did you just call me?" The Box Ghost began to sputter again. "I've told you all a hundred times, I'm not your stupid king. I will NEVER be your stupid king. I'm done! I quit!"
"B-B-But-"
"I won't say it again," he threatened. The Box Ghost looked like he wanted to protest, but gulped and nodded instead.
Danny moved on. "What are you doing here?!"
The Box Ghost was reluctant to speak, but another violent shake got him talking, "T-t-the Ghost King c-c-can open a portal home."
Danny narrowed his eyes. "What are you implying?"
"Nothing! B-But-"
"Get out of here," Danny shoved the ghost.
"I can't. I'm stuck here your maj- sir. T-The p-portal it-"
"I SAID LEAVE!" His eyes flashed angrily green. The Box ghost gulped fearfully and disappeared. Danny took a deep breath. He didn't need the reminder that the ghosts were stranded just like he was. That the portal was… was gone…
"Vlad has a portal," he grumbled to himself, despite the fact that the stingy old man only gave access to those he considered useful. "Besides, both Wulf and Clockwork could create a portal." Though, the former did not frequently traverse the mortal realm and the latter… well, "Bastard turns his back if it doesn't help himself." Many nights had been spent growing hoarse with grief and begging the ghost to turn back time. His former mentor had chosen instead to leave him stranded and alone.
"You don't look too good, kid."
Danny whirled around and found the grizzly form of Duko leaning against the wall.
"Back off!" Danny snarled, clenching his fist. He took a step back, only to belatedly realize his actions and spitefully step forward.
Nonchalantly, Duko waved a hand. "Easy now, I meant nothing by it."
"If you're friends with that wolf guy, then you're magic as well," Danny replied. He felt his shoulders creeping up to his ears.
"Geez, I didn't mean ter frighten ye," Duko said, a little put out.
Danny bristled. "I'm not scared!"
"Yer shaking, kid," Duko stated bluntly. "Why ye heading up north anyway? Didja miss yer train ter Hogwarts?"
Danny was taken aback. "What?"
"That's where yer headed, right? Not much further teh go too. Good ol' Hogwarts. Is that old coot Trelawny still teachin' there? Never was good with academics - not like it did me any good anyway."
The man continued down the road of nostalgia, but Danny was too shocked to listen. Hogwarts? Was he really that close? His hands balled into fists. Of course his body would subconsciously take him there.
"-Say do ye know that Potter kid? Talk of the town that one is. Say he's goin' teh win that tournament everyone's been yammerin' on about. Champion of Hogwarts that one."
Harry was probably up there in his precious castle right now, using his precious magic. Had he even heard what had happened?
Did he even care?
Danny glared at the man fangirling about the golden wizard boy. "Are you done?" His hackles rose when the man paused and met his gaze. Danny narrowed his eyes and hid his fear behind anger. "Then you can leave and stop following me."
"Wasn't lookin for ye, ter be honest," Duko shrugged. "Lost a beast. Chimera ter be exact. Thought she was rummaging about back 'ere. 'magine my surprise when I find yous mucking about."
"She's not here. Leave."
Duko scratched his head before throwing his arms in the air. "Bah, Ivo's probably goin' ter have a fit, but it's a lost cause at this point. Trackers and what not. Better ter cut the losses." He gave Danny one last look and tipped his hat. "See you around, kid."
The silence that followed the man's absence did not not lighten Danny's mood. It stirred up the emotions of the past week and his deep seeded anger rose.Wizards,he thought spitefully. They couldn't just leave him alone! They hurt his friends, killed his family. They ruined his life.
Danny threw a fist instead of an object this time. His knuckles throbbed in time with his burning emotions. He wanted justice- he wanted to never see a wizard again-Hewanted to stop running away like a coward when one turned up.
All this anger he felt, with its many branches and stems, was rooted in one seething resentment. How could he have become so cowardly? He couldn't defend his home. They barged in and he did nothing! Heck, he couldn't even face a wizard anymore. It was pathetic! He thought of the man who had repaired his hoodie. Why had he been so frightened when Remus had pulled out his wand? It was weak. Useless!
Wizards.The more he thought about them the more anger flooded through him. He couldn't save the only thing that mattered to him. He rubbed his aching chest. Not only that, he was broken by them. Cursed with powers that fought against him while at the same time demanding his usage.
"Gah! I hate wizards!"
He glared in the direction the man had left and a desperate thought grew. Duko had abandoned looking for the lost monster. A monster that was thought to be roaming this part of the town. During Danny's fight with Remus, his core was calm. It felt as if an old part of himself had surfaced. A chimera was no different than a werewolf, right? She might not have been in this alley, but perhaps Danny could find her in another.
With his mind made up, Danny stalked away.
It took hours, but Danny found the beast with its head in a knocked over trash can. He reached for his invisibility, but a sharp pain pulled him to a stop. He glared at the inconvenience but refused to acknowledge it as anything other than nerves. Regardless, sneaking up on the chimera was out of question.
As if sensing his presence, the chimera pulled its head out of the trash can and growled. Its entire head had the full mane of a male lion and its body was that of a giant goat. Its dragon tail swung with spiked ends. The beast was as ferocious as it was odd to look at.
Danny could care less what it looked like; he was ready to fight. Shaking off the initial pain of denied invisibility, he crouched low and bared his teeth. He watched the chimera do the same. It tensed as his ghostly aura finally reached the beast. The looming scent of death and decay had all animals reeling and this one was no different. Any moment it was going to attack.
With a roar, the beast sprung forward. Danny threw up a shield, only to watch it flicker away uselessly. The chimera jumped up and Danny tried to dodge, but its dirty claws sliced through the side of his face. Off balance, Danny stumbled. He felt blood drip down his face as he looked to where the chimera had landed. Danny wiped the blood off and filled his hand with a powerful ectoblast, only for it to fizzle out before it was even fully formed. He gritted his teeth and stubbornly demanded action from his core. He pulled on its power and tried to reform the ectoblast. He winced as his core retaliated. The ectoblast petered out once again.
His powers clearly did not want to make an appearance and if things continued like they were, Danny was in a lot more trouble than he had originally thought. Amid these morbid thoughts, Danny found the chimera hopping on top of the dumpster. His core uselessly writhed with pain as he watched it stalk forward. Danny shook the feeling of anticipation off. He'd fought and won without his powers before; he could do it again.
The next time the chimera charged, Danny balled his fist and tried to hit the side of the beast's head. The chimera easily dodged, and snapped its large jaws around his arm. Danny cried out in pain. The chimera pulled, he was dragged forward. If he didn't do something quick, he'd be chimera food. Danny pulled back and found that though his powers were finicky, his ghostly strength was still there. He could work with this. Using his free hand, Danny grabbed the chimera's giant mane and, using all his strength, swung the chimera into the brick wall. He sighed in relief when he felt the jaws release his arm.
He didn't have time to survey the damage the chimera had wrought on his arm before the beast tried to snap his massive jaws around Danny's neck. Danny narrowly dodged, but the chimera was ready. As it passed Danny, its spiked tail caught him in the stomach. Danny flew in the air and fell on top of a wooden chair which broke on impact.
Danny gasped as the air left his lungs. He couldn't recuperate for long. The chimera could be on him at any moment. With a pained grunt, he stood quickly and looked around. He wrapped a hand around one of the chair's broken legs and held it up threateningly.
"Here kitty kitty."
The chimera answered the call with its own roar. It pounced just as Danny swung the makeshift bat. His heart dropped when he felt the wood give, but, through a stroke of luck, the leg snapped, throwing wood chips everywhere. The chimera yelped in pain as a particularly big splinter hit its eye.
That had worked out surprisingly in his favor. As he watched the lion's head swing back and forth, Danny tried to weigh his options, but instead his thoughts began to rapidly spiral. He hated to admit it, but he hadn't thought this through. Why had he come here anyway? To unleash some misplaced aggression and be on his way? A chimera couldn't be stored in a thermos, and there was no 'Chimera Zone' to throw the beast in once they had finished their fight. What would he do once he got one over the beast? Kill it like he did Pariah Dark? His memories flashed and he saw the Box Ghost's fearful gaze.
He winced in pain and shook the memory off. That wasn't why he had come here. His core hadn't hurt with the werewolf, and all he wanted to do was feel normal again. Without pain, without hurt. He was sick of it. This fight, it wasn't helping him heal. Instead it was doing the opposite. Anger filled him. Everything he tried failed so miserably!
He glared at the beast, and, though Danny had no intentions of continuing the fight, the chimera was far from done. Danny barely had time to dodge as the beast jumped out at him. The giant claws missed his midsection, but met the flesh of his thigh. Danny crumpled to the ground as the beast turned around. Without his powers it would be impossible to dodge. He looked the beast in the eyes. Did he even want to dodge anymore? The chimera ran at the same time that Danny accepted his fate.
At least he would see Jazz again.
"Protego!"
The beast bounced off the barrier, flew through the air and fell through the crates that lined the walls.
"Well, this is a surprise."
Danny turned and found Lupin with his wand outstretched. He was panting heavily as if he was called to action from the sounds of the fight. He let out a shaky smile. "Danger must have it out for you." He looked away from the pile the chimera was under and gave Danny a scrutinizing look. "Or perhaps it is you who seeks the danger?"
Danny's face soured. "I had it handled."
"I can see that," Lupin replied calmly.
Danny looked over apprehensively as the crates began to shift. Lupin was unfazed and searched around the alley until he finally settled on the lid of a trash can. Danny flinched involuntarily as the man lifted his wand to cast another spell. The man either didn't notice the movement, or chose to ignore it.
"Portus,"he muttered.
The attention of both men were drawn to the opposite end of the alley as the chimera burst out of the crates, rage clear on its face. It roared so loud that Danny covered his ears. Lupin picked up the lid and waited for the beast to pounce. When it did, he threw the lid like a frisbee. The chimera met the trash lid mid air and disappeared.
Silence fell on the alley.
"I sent it to the Forest of Dean. There's a thriving pride-herd there; it would do a lot better in the lush forests of the countryside than in the alley of Barlow."
Lupin noticed Danny eyeing the wand skeptically and carefully stowed it in his jacket.
"I'm not sure how this came about, but taking on a chimera on your own was either very foolish or very courageous," Lupin commented evenly. "Some would argue that it was both." Danny tried to get Remus to leave by his glare alone, but it wasn't working. "There is only one case of someone killing a chimera, and even then they died immediately after."
"I wasn't going to kill it," Danny snapped.
"What were you doing then?" Lupin asked curiously.
"I was just defending myself," he deflected. Danny didn't need to explain himself to this stranger.
But Lupin saw straight through him, despite his corporeality. "If you were just defending yourself, you would have run like any sane person, not stood and welcomed death in the most gruesome way possible."
"It wasn't- I didn't- ugh you people show up at the worst possible time!" And now he sounded like a melodramatic wimp. Jazz would be disappointed.
"I'd say my timing was pretty fortuitous." His gaze went to Danny's wounded arm. It was clear he wanted to take out his wand and heal him, but was refraining for whatever reason. "You look like you could use a meal," Lupin said instead.
"Well you look like you could use a tailor," Danny shot back.
Lupin chuckled. "I suppose you're right." He didn't point out that Danny's clothes were currently in worse shape than his. "Danny," Ugh, he had forgotten he had given the man his name. "I know you have your reservations about wizardkind-"
"Your kind are vile and cruel. I don't want anything to do with you people," Danny interrupted.
Disheartened, Lupin tried again. "Could I at least give you a bite to eat-"
"NO!" Danny took a breath, ready to yell at the man for all he's worth, but was distracted when a small glowing ball flew to Lupin. It lit up the entire alley with its silver-blue light. It was… beautiful.
The glow grew, taking the shape of a majestic beaver. It looked at Lupin and cleared its throat.
"I found him. He's headed towards Godric's Hollow. Hurry!"The beaver dissipated in a wispy glow.
"What… was that?" Danny couldn't stop the question from leaving his mouth. It had been opened with awe a moment earlier against his will. He gave the man a suspicious look to compensate.
Lupin blinked at the empty spot and cursed silently.
"Who's heading towards Godric?" Danny tried again, almost accusingly.
Lupin gave Danny a half-hearted glance. "A friend of mine has lost her brother." Those words hit Danny hard. "It's been almost a week. I had thought…" he trailed off in thought. "He's like us you see-"
"I am nothing like you," Danny glared.
Lupin gave him a patient smile. "I merely meant that he doesn't fit in with the normal crowd. An outcast of a sort. He's a giant." He smiled at an untold memory. "Have you ever met one?"
Danny ignored the question. "What are you going to do with him when you find him?"
Lupin came out of his thoughts. "Why, bring him back home of course. His sister has been desperate to find him."
"Sounds like he understandably doesn't want to deal with your magic. Shouldn't you just leave him alone?"
"Giants… They're not very intelligent and don't know their own strength. Often they don't mean to cause harm, but do so because they are not careful. They're almost like a toddler in a rather large grown up's body." Danny kept his glare, but knew what the man was saying. Giants were probably like Klemper, whose heart was in the right place despite his destructive tendency. Perhaps Klemper was a giant during his life.
Lupin rolled his shoulders and pulled out his wand. Danny stiffened, but Lupin had already turned away. "The people of Godric's Hollow are not prepared for a giant in their village. They'll need help keeping the people safe while Agnus convinces Ugdor to go back home." A sudden thought flashed on his face and Lupin looked over his shoulder. "We could use your help."
Danny recoiled at the writhing urge to follow the man. Go with a wizard? What was he thinking?!
"I'm not getting involved in a wizard's mess."
He expected Lupin to fight back, but was surprised when he merely shrugged. "If you change your mind, Godric's Hollow is a couple of towns in that direction." He pointed. Danny hated that his eyes followed the gesture.
Lupin smiled. "I hope we meet again."
Danny scoffed. "Not likely." He watched the man disappear with a pop.
That had gone… very bad. Not only did his core refuse to work properly, he got himself injured in the process. Danny surveyed the damages. The blood had slowed on his face, but his arm was still bleeding with a vengeance. It would eventually heal on its own, but it would take a lot longer with his cracked core. Danny glared hatefully at his chest. It throbbed painfully as if demanding something. In his heart Danny already knew. He felt the need for himself without his core's guidance. He looked back in the direction the man had pointed.
"A giant heading towards a village..." He already knew the decision he would make, despite his hesitancy. His core flared and he was filled with energy.
Without another thought, Danny flew in the direction the man had pointed in.
Danny heard the giant before he saw him. A roar tore through the tiny village and Danny spotted villagers fleeing into the nearby woods. Fighting against the tide of runners, he found Lupin with a half dozen other wizards. They grouped together on the quaint cobbled street and synchronized their spells. Their colorful light flew through the night and bounced off the rampaging giant. Invisibly, Danny touched down behind them right as the giant took notice of the rebounding spells. He roared in frustration and spun around until he found the wizards. Blowing air out his nose, he stomped down the street toward the defenders.
Danny felt power at his fingertips as the ground shook from each step. He released a clouded breath. The light drizzle turned to flurries. To an onlooker the ice that surrounded the legs of the giant came from the ground itself. The giant tripped and fell with a heavy thud.
"Nice work!" an older lady cried. She was probably the one in charge since she was giving orders. Agnus, Danny recalled, the giant's sister.
"Who cast that spell?" another asked. Unbeknownst to Danny, only a spell sent by a dozen wizards at once could stop a giant. It had been a morbid hope that half a dozen wizards could at least hold him off until more help arrived.
"Ugdor!" Agnus cried out to the dazed giant. "It's me Aggy! Please, brother, let's talk about this!"
The giant, Ugdor, shook his head and fruitlessly began tugging at his frozen feet. "Ugdor, no talk. Ugdor mad!" he roared. He gave up on his feet and wrenched a nearby statue of a lion off the ground. Danny watched as Ugdor reared his hand back. Before the giant could throw the statue, Danny shot a green ectoblast at his statue-filled hand. The lion burst into a million pieces.
"Oi, we're not trying to kill him!" Agnus yelled at the group of wizards. Danny was confused by the outburst, but surmised the blast must have looked like a dangerous spell, if the scathing looks the wizards sent each other were anything to go by. Ugdor simply looked at his hand and began bawling. Lupin, however, recognized the blast for what it was and began scanning the area behind the group. Danny could tell he was looking for him. He was grateful his invisibility was holding out, but hid behind a tree just in case.
Lupin's face soured as more wizards popped into view in front of him.
"We've got the situation handled, Hawthorne, your presence is not needed," he stated calmly, though his tight jaw gave away his tension.
Agnus angrily marched toward them. "You listen here, Hawthorne," she spat the name. "If you think for a second you are killing my brother-"
Hawthorne was unfazed. His face was a brick when he stated, "Your brother is endangering muggles and wizardkind alike."
"You can't believe that Ugdor is doing this intentionally. He doesn't even realize what he is doing!" Agnus exclaimed. "He's upset. Your damned ministry demands he coops up all-"
"If you can't keep a watchful eye on your brother then he will be forcibly relocated to the designated area provided for the giant community."
Agnus turned pale. "No! The other giants will kill him!"
He pushed Agnus away. "Once he is out of muggle territory, that is not my problem. Boys-Incarcerous!"
Ropes flew out of the mens' wands. Danny watched as they wrapped themselves around the giant. The situation was escalating quickly. Ugdor was now thrashing underneath the ropes. Nervously, Danny snapped a twig off the small tree he was hiding behind.
Hawthorne looked over his shoulder. "Alright boys, a stunning spell ought to put this beast down for a while."
"No!" Angus' shout was drowned out by a dozen others. One of which was Danny's.
He threw his arms out and effortlessly formed a shield right as the stunning spells were going to hit. The spells crashed into the shield and rebounded seamlessly. The loud noise of the collisions startled the giant who resumed his sobbing.
Danny stood frozen in the open street. His shoulders were creeping up when all eyes turned to him. Too late, he realized he was no longer invisible. Fear was beginning to return and he took a nervous step backward. This had been a bad idea.
"What spell was that?" A man asked. The question confused Danny until he noticed that he was still holding the twig from the tree. The man must have thought it was his wand.
"It was a protection spell…" he trailed, trying to sound wizardy. The man had inadvertently given him an explanation. It shouldn't be hard to play wizard given how they considered it perfectly normal to run out into the streets, brandishing broken sticks and spouting nonsense.
"I've never seen a protection spell look-"
"What do you think you are doing, boy?" Hawthorne cut in angrily, stomping forward. Danny took a fearful step back.
Lupin intercepted the man, standing protectively in front of Danny. "Leave the boy alone, Hawthorne. He has nothing to do with this."
"He's obstructing justice," Hawthorne countered. The phrase sparked outrage in Danny. It coursed through him as Lupin argued on his behalf.
"He doesn't know the laws. He's just trying to do what he thinks is-"
"Your justice ruins families!" Danny shouted suddenly. Both men paused and looked at Danny.
Hawthorne was quickly losing his patience. "We'resavingfamilies. That giant will continue to wreak havoc here if it is left the way it is."
Danny turned to Ugdor then back at Hawthorne. "Will he?" he angrily asked, pointing in the direction of the giant. Hawthorne turned and, sure enough, Agnus had gotten Ugdor to calm down. She was speaking to him softly and he listened through watery eyes.
Danny was disgusted.
"You people covet your precious knowledge of magic and when something comes along that doesn't fit your twisted sense of perfection, you destroy anything it has. You make demands and take and take and when it's no longer useful you leave as if you had done nothing wrong. Leaving behind broken hearts and memories along the way. You ruin lives with your powers."
Danny glared at both men. He didn't like the sympathetic look that Lupin was giving him. At least Hawthorne was still scowling. "Aren't you supposed to be in Hogwarts?" he asked stubbornly.
"No," Danny spat, "I don't have magic." Realization of his outburst hit too late. He inwardly flinched at the admission. He hadn't meant to incriminate himself.
Hawthorne looked unimpressed. "You're holding a wand."
Thankfully, Lupin came to his rescue. "I'm taking Danny to see his bedridden grandmother," he supplied helpfully. Hawthorne moved his penetrating gaze to Lupin.
"Odd place you take the kid then," he commented, pointing out their ruined surroundings. His scowl turned nasty. "Even odder that someone would entrust the likes of you with their child, knowing your reputation."
"Better him than you," Danny replied.
"Watch your tone," Hawthorne barked.
Before Danny could respond, Lupin cut in, "If you recall, Hawthorne," he said calmly, drawing the man's attention, "it is the job of the Department of Care of Magical Creatures and Beings to keep matters between your registered personnel confidential."
Hawthorne turned away and shrugged indifferently. "Everyone here already knows your status anyway. Talbot!" he called over to Agnus. "I don't want to see that damn giant around a village again or I'll kill him myself!"
Agnus looked affronted, but held back her anger. She nodded grimly, and cut the knots loose. Udgor hugged her and lopsidedly leaned on her as the pair left down the path.
Danny released a breath of air as he watched the pair turn towards the woods. Finally something had worked. His core was calm and no one was hurt. It would seem that the evening was looking up for him.
"MacNair, round the team up and start a memory charm sweep."
All positive thoughts dissipated with those words. Fear coursed through him.
"No!" he cried, rounding on Hawthorne. Hawthorne raised a questioning brow but didn't say anything. If he wanted the man to budge Danny would have to explain himself. "W-Wiping someone's memory c-could have lasting effects," he began nervously. "M-memory is one of the foundational pieces of someone's consciousness…"
Hawthorne tsked. "Erasing one hour of a muggle's life won't do anything, kid."
A panged went through him as his own words from long ago were thrown back at him. "Brain damage is brain damage. At what point is it too much?" Danny mumbled. He rubbed his aching core.
Hawthorne looked at him as if he had grown two heads. "You keep that boy in line, Lupin. There's something wrong with him."
"It's a noble thought," Lupin argued, looking proud. Now it was Danny's turn to look as if Lupin had grown two heads. He didn't like the feeling it gave him so he looked away as the man continued, "but, Danny, think of the alternative. These people will live in fear and panic for the rest of their lives. They'll start questioning their sanity leading to confusion and denial. It would be better if they forget."
Danny throws an accusing finger at Lupin. "Just when I start thinking you are alright you start pulling this shit."
"Danny-"
"If you get in the way you'll be detained for investigation," Hawthorne snapped, tired of the conversation.
Lupin watched the color drain from Danny's face. The fear was no longer hiding behind anger and before Lupin could reach out, Danny was backing away.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
Hawthorne sighed irritably. He looked back at his crew and stated. "Then stay out of our way. It wouldn't look good for you when the ministry discovers that underage magic was cast outside of school grounds."
His core demanded action, but his fear held it at bay. Jazz always suspected his core had no desire for self preservation. He wanted to run, ignore the issue and flee, but couldn't move.
He flinched when the first spell was cast. His core seized him and he clutched his chest in pain and sank to the ground.
Lupin ran towards him. He didn't want him here, he wanted to be alone - he didn't want to be alone anymore.
"Danny, your injuries-"
They weren't the issue. His healing factor had kicked in when his powers decided to work again. The wounds from the chimera were no longer pouring out blood. But Danny hadn't felt his injuries since the alleyway. The bleeding had dwindled the moment his core started responding to his needs. It was his emotions turning physical.
"It hurts," Danny gasped, finally acknowledging the pain out loud.
"What hurts?" He didn't respond. The pain was too much.
"Obliviate!"
His core lashed out. "I'll kill them!" Danny growled. But saying that only made it worse. "Gah!"
Lupin looked around at all the spellcasters, then back at Danny. "Let's go somewhere else. I can teleport us out of here if you take my hand."
"I can't leave them," Danny stressed. He tried to get up, only to topple over in a painful heap.
"And you can't help them in the state you are in. Please, I want to help you."
"Why would a wizard want to help me?" Danny asked miserably.
"Because you are still a person." Danny looked up with bleary eyes. And saw not the shabby man with whom he had followed here, but the concerned eyes of Jazz. She was standing with her hand outstretched. Without thinking, Danny took hold.
And was promptly pulled through a wormhole.
Danny gasped loudly, the unpleasant travel method seemingly dulling the previous pain. Lupin gently helped Danny sit down on a bench outside a pub and waited for him to get his bearings.
"The first apparition is always unpleasant," Lupin offered unhelpfully.
Cars passed noisily down the street. It was a busy night in London. Pedestrians walked past the disheveled pair, taking no notice of them. Apparently, it was an average display in a crowded city like this. The light rain was as persistent here as it was across the country in Godric's Hollow.
Danny looked to have calmed down, though his hand rested gently on his chest. "Let's go inside and get warm, shall we?" Lupin suggested.
Wordlessly, Danny stood and followed Lupin into the pub. He was listless, as though accepting whatever fate his agreement to apparate held for him. Lupin found a pair of seats open at the bar.
"Evening, Tom. Can you pour me a butterbeer?" The barkeeper nodded and turned to Danny.
Danny took in the man and gave him a challenging look. "I'll take a shot of your strongest whiskey," he ordered. Unamused, Tom scowled down at the boy.
"He'll have a butterbeer as well," Lupin interjected before the man pulled out his wand and hexed the delinquent. He wasn't sure Danny would mentally survive a harmless hex at the moment. He turned to Danny as the barkeeper left. "Aren't you a little young to be drinking?"
"So?" Danny deflected.
Lupin released a heavy sigh. "Why'd you want to drink anyway?"
Dejectedly, Danny slumped and looked away. "Most drink to forget," he stated cryptically.
Now was as good a time as any to bring up what had happened in Godric's Hollow. "There's a spell that can help you with that," Lupin stated nonchalantly.
Danny winced and shot him a scathing look. "I'm aware."
Before Lupin could continue, Tom came around with the drinks. "It's on the house, Remus. Heard about your last cycle. Nasty business Ole Silas pulled."
"Thanks, Tom," Lupin smiled, though he was disheartened. It was only a matter of time before word got out. The ministry never could keep secrets they were required to keep. Sadly, nothing could be done by dwelling on it. "As you could imagine, I'm on the lookout for anyone willing to brew wolfsbane."
"I'll let you know if I hear anything," Tom grunted, before moving on to other patrons.
Lupin turned back to Danny. "I've been meaning to thank you, by the way." Danny raised a curious brow. "I couldn't control my actions back at that warehouse and if you weren't there to stop me…." he trailed off, shuddering at the thought.
Danny lowered his gaze. "You're welcome," he mumbled. He took a sip of the drink in front of him and paused. Lupin expected a bigger reaction to the delightful treat, but the scrawny boy merely took another longer sip and placed the cup down.
"So what brings you to England?" Danny looked at him confused. "You don't sound like you're from here," Lupin supplied.
Danny shrugged indifferently, "I can legally drink here." Another deflection.
"It isn't legal here," Lupin deadpanned.
Danny shrugged and took another sip. After a moment he looked over at the man, calculating. "You're a wizard right? Do you know Harry Potter?"
Lupin was taken aback at the abrupt change of topic. "You know, just because I'm a wizard doesn't mean I know one of the more famous ones. That's like asking if you know someone like Vlad Masters."
Danny gave a humorless bark and looked the man in the eye. "You didn't answer my question."
Lupin shrugged. What harm would come from telling him? "I do know Harry. His father was an old friend of mine." He smiled nostalgically. "James always had his heart in the right place, and Harry's no different. As a human who had been demoted to the term 'magical creature', it has been a joy to witness his bravery and goodness. He is growing into a fine gentleman," Lupin said with pride, not noticing the dark look that passed over Danny's face.
Danny frowned into his drink. "Well, as a human who has been demoted to the term 'muggle'," he turned and glared at Lupin, "I think all wizards are full of crap."
Lupin sobered at the declaration. "Did someone do something to you?" he asked.
"If they did, it was well within their rights," Danny replied with detestation.
"Misusing magic is against wizarding law," Lupin argued.
"A law that isn't enforced is hardly a law," Danny snapped back. "Unless it causes a global problem, muggles are on their own." He rubbed his chest. It was clear that was where the boy's pain was originating from. "Not to mention there are spells that strip a human of their essence. Who they are as a person."
Lupin paused. "Are you talking about the memory charm?"
Danny nodded. "My sister always hated that name." An almost imperceptible flash of grief was quickly replaced by a frown. "She said the term 'charm' is usually used to describe a spell that is useful and has no adverse effects. They named the spell a memory charm so that people felt better about using it on muggles. 'It's just a charm, it wouldn't hurt them.'" He laughed bitterly. "'Curse' is a more appropriate term. It has lasting effects and causes damage to the brain." It was as though the boy was recounting a previous conversation. One filled with regret and bitterness. "Memories form our consciousness and we are influenced by the experiences and memories we've had. Without them we wouldn't know who we are- or who our friends are."
"Your sister is very bright," Lupin commented.
Danny looked sadly into his drink. "She was." He took another sip. Lupin's heart sank as he noted the past tense phrasing. He took a sip himself and wished he had something stronger. They sat in a comfortable silence.
Suddenly Danny turned towards Lupin seriously. "If I asked you to, would you obliviate me?" he asked hopefully.
Lupin almost spat out his drink in shock, but managed to keep it in. Taken aback Lupin sputtered, "What? Why?!"
"You owe me one for the warehouse, right? Well this is how you can repay me," Danny reasoned.
"I will not," Lupin stated firmly.
Danny frowned, but didn't lose stride. "It's obvious I know too much for a muggle. All these wizarding secrets should not be in a muggle's head." Seeing he was not convincing the man, Danny pressed on. "I also know that you're a werewolf. Muggles shouldn't even know that werewolves are real." He looked at Lupin pleadingly.
"Danny, I'm not going to obliviate you. I can tell you've been keeping the wizarding community a secret for a long time. You're trustworthy," Lupin tried to placate.
Danny's face soured. "Then I'll tell everyone. I'll tell them that magic is real. I'll tell them you're a werewolf. Heck, I'll even show them my powers to prove it," he threatened through grit teeth. Seeing that Lupin wasn't going to budge, Danny wildly turned toward Tom. "Oi, barkeep. Did you know that this guy's a wizard? Throw something at him and watch him deflect it, or better yet, you can check his pockets! He has a wand tucked in there somewhere, I promise!"
Tom gave Danny an unimpressed look and flourished a wand of his own. A soggy rag whipped across the bar surface, splashing Danny in the face before moving back to the sink and continuing its job of cleaning the dishes.
Danny deflated. "You took me to a wizard bar?" His tone was accusing but his expression was resignation.
Lupin sighed, guessing that the earlier conversation with Tom had gone over Danny's head. "I don't even know if your type of hybrid will be affected by the memory cha- curse."
"It works," Danny muttered softly.
"Then even more of a reason not to," Lupin concluded. After what Danny had said about memories, there was no way he'd just flip sides and think that his mind should rightfully be altered. Lupin scrutinized the boy. It was obvious that Danny was guarding something. "This isn't about your wizarding knowledge…" he began slowly. "Fighting deadly beasts, attempting to get drunk in a sleazy pub," Tom shot him a look, which Lupin waved off as he continued, "threatening a werewolf to remove your memories - you're, you're hurting." Danny rubbed his chest. Lupin looked at it. "But it's not the kind of hurt that can be fixed by a doctor." Danny's eyes faltered, strengthening Lupin to press on. "You want to forget what has been done to you, or… what was done to your sister," he guessed.
Danny turned away, but Lupin could see a tear roll down his face. "If I can't remember them then maybe I'd stop feeling this way. I just don't want to feel this pain anymore, please," he begged softly, fisting the hand on his chest and looking at Lupin desperately.
Lupin sighed sadly. "If the memories of your sister were taken away, you would be a shell of yourself."
"I already am," came a watery reply.
"Danny, if she saw you here, begging me to erase her love for you, and all the things she has done with you, for you, it would break her heart."
Danny didn't respond but continued to silently cry. Lupin sat in patience. It looked like Danny was carrying a heavy load, but didn't have anyone to shoulder the weight with. His guard was crumpling and Lupin was ready to help.
"It wasn't just Jazz - my whole family died, and- and my friends were obliviated," Danny finally admitted. "All because I couldn't protect them. Everyone I love is...is..." finishing the sentence was too hard for him. "I wasn't good enough, and now I'm facing the consequences." He hugged his arms. "But it hurts too much, I wish -" he stopped abruptly and shook his head, "I just don't want to feel anything anymore." He put his head on the table. "Why couldn't I have gone with them?"
Lupin put an arm on Danny's shoulder. "Those two kids in the warehouse are very thankful you didn't. They wouldn't be here, and their parents would be feeling the same pain you are."
Danny turned his head on the table. "It just hurts too much knowing that I'll never get to see them again."
"And I would have had to face the fact that I took an innocent life from this world. Listen Danny, I know that you're sad and lonely, but this pain is not going to go away by trying to ignore it. Avoiding your grief will only prolong it. It's not going anywhere. It's still gonna be there when you get off that adrenaline high of a fight, or when you wake up with a hangover. It's still gonna be there and it's still going to hurt, probably for years." His gaze softened. "But once you've come to terms with your grief, it gets easier."
Danny had never looked so lost. "How do I come to terms with my grief?"
"First thing you can do is acknowledge that you're grieving and that it'll take some time before you return to some sense of normalcy. It always helps to have someone to talk to." Lupin's gaze shifted to Danny's ratty clothing. "Do you have someone to talk to?" Danny blinked at Lupin then shook his head.
Lupin gave a small smile. "You can talk with me if you'd like." Danny blinked and turned away.
"I don't have an owl and I can't make a glowing animal to send messages either," he stated. He was dejected as he looked out the rain streaked window. He grasped his hot mug as if trying to collect as much of its warmth as he could before he had to venture back out into the cold.
"My neighbor, she's an old herbologist. She has a spare room that I'd use when I was younger and down on my luck. If you need a place to stay," Danny looked over unsure, "Just to get your footing, that is. She doesn't ask too many questions. It won't be much, but it's warm, has a roof, and I'll be right across the street."
Danny hesitated. He looked over at Tom who was waving his wand to light a few more of the hanging lanterns. "Thanks for the offer, but I'd be better off on my own."
"Your powers don't bother me," Lupin reasoned.
"But yours bother me," Danny retorted, but upon seeing Lupin's disheartened expression, he quickly amended, "your magic, not you being a werewolf. That part is alright with me. Uh, a good friend of mine is a werewolf, I think." He felt the need to explain further and took a deep breath. "I've… just been… at the wrong end of a wand one too many times…"
Lupin paused at that. Danny looked around nervously at the fellow magical patrons of the pub. He acted as though one wrong move was going to set them off. "You know," Lupin began, drawing the boy's attention. "You remind me of Harry in a way." Danny's face soured. "Now, hear me out- there was something that he struggled with. Something that seemed, at the time, insurmountable."
Danny looked at war with himself until he reluctantly asked, "What was it?"
"Have you ever heard of dementors?" Much to Lupin's confusion, Danny shuddered involuntarily. He hadn't expected the boy to have come across the jailers of Azkaban.
"I don't like them either," Danny stated. "What did Harry do?"
"At first, nothing. Each encounter slowly ate away at his defenses."
Lupin paused and gave Danny a pointed look. Danny stubbornly met his gaze until the silence stretched too long and irritation grew. "Your story doesn't end there," Danny accused.
"And neither does yours," Lupin stated evenly. "But, you're right. Back to Harry. He sought help from the only person he knew who could repel them. He trained for weeks on end and was pushed to his limits. It took time, but eventually he learned the patronus charm and defeated a hundred dementors in one go."
Danny blinked. "A hundred?" he asked, disbelieving.
Lupin shrugged. "That's what the witnesses say."
Danny looked dejectedly at his dwindling drink. "I couldn't even take two," he muttered sullenly. He looked back at Lupin. "Why are you telling me all this?"
Lupin gave Danny an even look. "Because right now you feel as though you can't defend yourself against magic. It scares you." Danny frowned, but Lupin forged on. "You don't know the extent it can do and in the past, it has hurt you, and those you love, too."
"What are you getting at?" Danny growled angrily.
"Running away from magic won't help you protect yourself and those you love from it in the future. If you want to overcome this fear, you need to face it. Learn about it and learn how to defend yourself from it. Then the next time you face opposition, you won't feel so helpless to protect those you love."
Danny was silent. The frown from before was no longer there. Instead there was a pensive expression.
Finally he looked at Lupin with conviction. "You're a teacher," he stated more than asked. "You were Harry's and you helped him defeat the dementors. That's how you first met." Lupin beamed at the deduction. "Are you suggesting you'll teach me, too?"
"You are correct. I first met Harry because I was his teacher and taught him Defense Against the Dark Arts. Though it'll look different, I could teach you too."
A spark went through Danny. Somewhere deep down, an old fire rekindled. He gave Lupin a calculating look. "What's the catch?"
"Only that you'll have to endure the various magical creatures that I've left in the care of old Mrs. Caddick. The end of the school year came rather abruptly for me last year and I was unable to return some of the creatures back home."
"Animals don't like me too much," Danny commented.
"We'll make it work. You mentioned before that I owe you, and I fully intend to repay my debt- just not with an obliviation. Teaching you how to defend yourself is a perfect way to settle my debt."
Danny faltered. "I didn't actually think you owed me…" he trailed off awkwardly.
"I do, however. It's a debt I do not take lightly," he declared.
Danny pondered the offer. "I have a few terms…" he said cautiously.
Lupin smiled. "Certainly. I have a few of my own. Why don't you name yours."
Danny nodded. "Okay, my first condition is that you never tell anyone what I am. Only a couple other people know, and I want to keep it that way."
Lupin grinned. "Deal. I ask that you return the gesture and keep my werewolf identity a secret as well. Unfortunately, there are plenty of others who know, but I'd rather you not bring it up in polite company."
Danny gave a quick nod, ready to move on to his next point. He coughed uneasily. "I know that to learn new things, you'll probably need to demonstrate, and to be honest I want to know if I can avoid some spells as a- as a- with what I am, but outside of our training, you willnotuse magic on me without my permission." He looked nervous but ready to fight this point.
"I do not intend to take advantage of you, Danny. You have my word that I will never use magic on you without your permission," Lupin stated seriously.
Danny scrutinized the man looking for deception, but then nodded in satisfaction. He looked at Lupin expectantly, waiting for his next term.
"My last condition is that if you ever feel the need to look for a fight, in whatever form that takes, you talk to me first." Danny opened his mouth to argue, but Lupin gave him a stern look. "It wasn't wise to take on that chimera by yourself, Danny. I'd hoped you recognized the recklessness of that decision yourself." Danny shut his mouth. "I want to help you defend yourself and others, not help you pick fights with those stronger than you."
Danny grumbled his assent. He took one last gulp of his drink.
Lupin grinned. "Excellent, let's shake on it."
Danny gave a half-hearted smirk at the cheesy notion. He held his hand out. "You got yourself a deal."
Lupin shook his hand. "You know, the best way to get to Mrs. Caddick's is the same way we got here."
Danny's smirk dropped. "The last time we travelled, I thought I had died again."
Lupin gave him a bemused look. "Died again?" Danny nodded sheepishly. "It couldn't have been that bad." Danny gave him a dry look. "Well, when you're ready." He offered his hand again. Danny didn't hesitate to grab on.
A/N - I'm not dead yet! Ha! I absolutely love Lupin as a character and feel like his predicament is worth looking further into. I feel like one of my weaknesses as a writer is working through angst so this section was difficult to write especially since we are deviating from both series a bit. I'm excited for what's to come especially when we get closer to the end of Goblet of Fire!
This past year has been one of the most trying years of my life, but it is turning around for the better. Thanks for bearing with me 3