QLFC: Season 11, Round 2
Team: Kenmare Kestrels
Position: Chaser 1, Captain
Prompt: Celestite - Blue: Write about sleep.
Additional Prompts:
[genre] Suspense
[spell] Periculum
[object] Wand
Word Count: 1030
Warnings: Implied death of a child, blood
Notes: I use a few Welsh word in this. Tad which means 'dad'; y pwca which means 'the pwca' (a welsh boogyman); and mam which means 'mom'. I also reference the welsh legend of Gelert the Wolfhound. Song lyrics are from Bayu Bayushki by Ashley Serena.
Sleep, my darling, tiny one
Tucked within your bed so tight
Else the old grey wolf will come
And grab you by your side
"Come on Remus, it's time for bed," Tad said.
Gelert watched as Remus shook his head stubbornly. "Uh-uh, it's light outside," Remus said.
Tad sighed. "It's just the moon, Remus! It's two hours past your bedtime.
"But, Tad! I don't wanna go to sleep!" Remus said. "What if a monster comes, or… or a boggert… or y pwca!"
Gelert stifled a giggle. Remus was always afraid some monster would come.
"It's not funny Gel!" Remus shouted.
"Remus!" Tad said, rubbing his hand down his face. "Nothing bad is going to happen. It's time to sleep." Tad gently laid Remus back in his bed and pulled the duvet up to his chin. "Goodnight, sleep well."
Remus continued to protest as Tad tucked Gelert in, but Tad didn't respond. He simply turned out the lights and shut the door, leaving it open only a crack.
Gelert stared up at the ceiling, waiting for Remus to fall asleep. The moonlight through the lightweight blue curtains made it look like the whole room was underwater. Gelert loved the color blue. It was his favorite.
"I can't sleep," Remus mumbled, sounding half asleep.
Gelert sat up in his bed and reached his hand under his pillow. "Don't worry, Rem," he said. "I'll keep you safe. Look what I have." He pulled Tad's wand from underneath his pillow. He wasn't supposed to touch it, Tad always said it wasn't a toy, but he couldn't help it. Besides, if it helped Remus sleep…
"You don't even know any spells!" Remus protested. Sitting up straight in his bed.
"That's not true!" Gelert said. "Besides I read in a book that some wands can cast spells all by themselves."
"I don't think that's true," Remus said. He laid back. "You promise you'll protect me?"
Gelert nodded. "I'll always protect you. I promise."
It didn't take long for Remus to fall asleep after that. Gelert turned the wand carefully in his hands. As silly as it was for Remus to be scared of monsters, Gelert had a funny feeling in his stomach too. That's why he had taken Tad's wand. He wanted to feel safe. He looked at the moon again through the blue curtains. They would be alright. After all, he had just learned the story of Gelert. Gelert the dog had protected the little baby, and he was a dog, Gelert the boy was a wizard, he could protect Remus!
Gelert froze at the sound of something scratching at the window. He gripped the wand tighter in his hand and slowly sat up, pushing off his blue blanket. Something was trying to get in. He watched the dark shadow as it continued clawing at the window frame. Gelert glanced at Remus but he was still asleep. That was good, he'd be scared. Gelert was scared, but he wasn't gonna show that.
The shadow flung itself at the window once, twice—Gelert stood up out of bed and held Tad's wand in front of him. The third time the shadow flung itself at the window the glass shattered, and the creature fell though, tearing down the blue curtains.
It was a wolf. Gelert stood a little taller. In the story it was a wolf that Gelert the dog had saved the baby from, that meant he would win, didn't it.
"Stay back!" he said.
The wolf growled and began stalking towards Gelert. He stumbled back, his confidence wavering.
"Periculum!" It was the only spell he knew. It didn't work. The wolf was coming closer. He tried again. "Periculum!" again, nothing happened.
"Periculum!"
ooOoo
Lyall sat upright at the sound of a loud scream from the boys' room. He swung his legs off the bed and opened the drawer of his bedside table. His wand was gone. He shuffled through the drawer, and the cabinet under it. The boys were still screaming.
"Lyall what's going on?" Hope asked from the other side of the bed.
He swore underneath his breath. He couldn't find his wand. "I don't know," he stood up and made for the door. He'd just have to do without it.
Something had pushed the door to the boys' room shut. He turned the knob and pushed, surprised at the resistance he felt. It wasn't too hard to push it open, especially not with the sounds of Remus screaming and crying. He squoze his way past the door and looked to see what was blocking it. It was Gelert. He was slumped against the door, Lyall's wand in his hand and— Lyall coked back a sob.
A low growl pulled Lyall's attention away from Gelert's body. A large werewolf was standing over Remus, blood dripping from his snout. Lyall dove for his wand and began firing curse after curse at the werewolf. He wouldn't lose Remus too. He wouldn't.
ooOoo
Lyall tucked Gelert's blue blanket under Remus' chin. He refused to sleep without it, ever since that night. The boys— Remus' room felt empty now without Gelert's presence.
"Is it my fault?" Remus asked, staring out the window at the almost full moon.
Lyall froze. If it was anyone's fault it was his, never Remus'. "Of course not," he said. "Why would you think that?"
Remus tucked his chin into Gelert's blanket. "Well, cause I asked Gelert to protect me and if he hadn't stayed to protect me he could have gotten away and—"
"Remus, listen. It's not your fault. You couldn't have known what was going to happen, and Gelert tried to protect you because he loved you, not because you asked him too."
Remus sat up and buried his face in Lyall's shoulder. "I don't wanna sleep," he said.
Lyall sighed and wrapped his arms around Remus. "Do you want to sleep with your Mam and I?"
Remus nodded. "I'm scared," he whispered.
Lyall held back tears as he picked Remus up, bringing Gelert's blanket with them. I know.
So, close your eyes, and fall asleep
Count the little wooly sheep
Tucked so tightly, you must keep
Or he will come... for you