Lupin's growls rang into Aine's ears and she watches as her professor's eyes slowly changing, she started to back away. There's no way today was the day where he changes into a Werewolf. Sure that was a little exciting to watch for Aine; experiencing the transformation first-hand was something she never thought she'll see in her life. But snapping back to reality, it could mean that she and her friends would be in danger since whenever a person transforms into a Werewolf, he or she loses memories and starts going violent and slowly becoming a monster that many feared.
"Professor!" Aine calls again, "Your medicine, where is it!" She remembered about the Wolfsbane potion that Professor Snape had told her once. If he took the potion, it would prevent him from losing his mind. But the man was already breaking apart, shivering and threatening to transform here. "Harry!" Aine hears Hermione calling out to her friend for help, noting what was happening. Lupin's gaze fell ahead at a patch of grey thick clouds, revealing the Moon. A full Moon. The beautiful dazzling moonlight shone down onto Lupin and his light blue pupils started to dilate, changing into a shade of bright green. He froze, groaning from the pain of the transformation.
Aine watches as Black runs towards them, grabbing Lupin by the shoulders, "Remus, my old friend! Have you taken your potion tonight?" However, Lupin couldn't do anything more than painfully change, his cries slowly progressing to a long low howl.
"You know the man you truly are, Remus! This heart is where you truly live! Here! This flesh is only flesh!" Black reminds him, and Aine panics, What should I do? What should I do? She holds onto her wand, then turning behind to the floating Professor Snape, "Accio Wolfsbane!" she shouted, it was worth trying and hoping to see a vial fly right into her palms. However, just like she expected, there was nothing... Damn it! "Professor Lupin!" she exclaimed, worry all over her face as she fears for the fate of her Professor.
Harry quickly pulls Aine back together with Hermione and Ron who looked at their professor, fear coursing through their veins. She bites her lip, there must be a way to help him! Feeling the same as her, Harry was equally worried, but all he could do was watch the torturous transformation that his mentor had to go through.
Lupin's cries erupted, it almost looked like he was suffocating from the pain. He soon started to lose himself, dropping his wand onto the grass as he succumbs to his shift. Taking the chance, Aine watches as Pettigrew sneakily crawled to grab the wand, attempting to shoot a curse to his friends. "Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted in Aine's stead, and the wand flew from Pettigrew's hand. The balded man grinned, showing his buckled teeth as he waved, transforming back into a rat that scurried away. "NO!" Aine yells, running after him, she shot a few spells at the running rodent, only to see Pettigrew dodging it. She clicks her tongue, He can't get away now! They needed him to testify for Black's innocence.
"Aine!" Harry calls out, grabbing her back, "Let go, Harry! I need to catch him! We need him! He needs to be punished!" Aine tells her friend, writhing in Harry's arm. "It's fine! It's okay! We can catch him later!"
"But—"
"It's okay!" Harry tells her, but Aine knows deep down how much Harry would have wanted him captured. Just that now, there were far more important things to handle. She stopped thrashing around and turned to look at her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, his face contorted, and his ears started to elongate backwards, his nose growing into a snout, and his hair slowly becoming a part of his grey fur. It was truly a gruesome sight that even Hermione had closed her eyes, not wanting to see the transformation.
"REMUS!" Black shouts, trying to carry his friend who was growing taller than he is. Black groans at the weight, and also the pain behind his back that was increasing. The sharpness of Lupin's nails had grown and now digging into Black's skin like sharp blades. "Arghh— Remus!" Black continues to call for his friend, then he turns to the kids, biting down on his lips, he managed to tell them, "RUN! GO!"
Hermione grabs onto Aine, terrified, and Ron's eyes bulged wider, seeing the complete transformation of their professor, terror struck onto their faces. This being in front of them was no longer their kindhearted teacher, but a ferocious beast that could kill. The four Gryffindors watched as Lupin flung Black away, like a rag doll that a child who doesn't want it anymore. Harry held his breath, fearing for the life of his Godfather, being tossed off a cliff at this height and surviving was questionable. He wanted to run, to make sure that Black was fine, but he couldn't leave his friends here, in front of a beast that has no recollection of his memories. It was just too dangerous.
Ron was holding Hermione and Aine so closely, his agape mouth quivering at what happened. The shocking sight even made him forget the piercing pain on his leg for a moment. Even so, Hermione was just as appalled as he was, but a gasp managed to leave her mouth. Her hand was around Ron's shoulders, ready to pull him up to escape when the need arises. Perhaps even sooner.
Aine's breath hitched, her fingers shaking so badly. This is bad... She thought to herself. She stares at the werewolf ahead of her, cowering, whimpering. She could see Lupin in a human form like this. "Wait," she told Harry and Hermione who was already holding Ron up in their arms, slowly retreating away. Perhaps she could talk to their professor, perhaps he could still hear her, perhaps she could—
Her steps were slow and steady, careful not to make any startling sounds that could make the beast misunderstand, "Aine!" Ron whispers loudly, worried for his friend. "Bad idea, Aine..." he trails off.
"Professor...?" Aine called softly, taking another steady step towards the crouching beast. This gave her a sense of Deja-vu, it was like in her dreams, in one of her nightmares she had. A beast shrinking away in fear and just like in her dreams, she could calm it down, even just for a little bit. Perhaps she could calm her Professor down, to give her friends enough time to get help— "Professor Lupin...?" she calls him again, this time, the werewolf slowly looking up, furrowing and his glassy eyes stared back at the child.
It took a step closer to Aine, its breathing slow and its ears pricked up. Then it whimpered again, Aine's eyes soften, "It's okay, Professor..." she calms him, slowly retracting her wand but making sure she held it tight just in case.
Deep down, Lupin knew that there was no way to reverse this curse. He hated himself, then and now. He hated himself for being bitten, he hated himself for not being able to control himself whenever he transforms. And right now, he hated to see his students terrified of him, and the fact that he couldn't do anything. Stop... Stop... Stop...
"Remus...?"
He shot up, looking at the girl in front of him. She was shaking from head to toe, but still held out a smile, she was so brave. Just like before, she would always be there for him when the full moon came, and although he couldn't control himself, she never left him alone, just like his friends. Even though he knew he was ugly, and a monster. She never hated him, not even for a moment.
Remus...
Stop... He says in his head, clutching it tightly, he didn't want to recall these memories now, the memories from before. It was a dilemma, he could feel himself slowly slipping away, like always. He could feel something overpowering him, controlling him and like always, he could feel himself going mad. Stop...
STOP!
Aine smiled, holding out a hand to Lupin, for a moment he considered, for a moment he was sane. But now, he wasn't anymore. The werewolf snapped at her so sudden that she flinched, almost tripping on herself. The eyes that were once filled with tenderness now were glaring straight at her, she gulps. "Professor..." she says once more, this time bracing herself. If she could just get through him—
"Prof—"
AWWOOOO— The sound of the beast loud pitched howls rang through their ears, Aine squinting at the sudden howl, it sounded like a cry for help, but also a signal. Shit. If more of his kind come here, we wouldn't stand a chance. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't feel Hermione's touch as her friend pulls her back quickly, and she was embraced by her friends. Ron, clearly shaken, clutched onto Aine's shoulders tightly, "Good doggy... Good doggy..."Her red-headed friend whimpers, attempting to calm the agitated wolf, and himself.
Slowly, steadily, the werewolf took a step towards the group, baring its large fangs as it roars at them: sending goosebumps down their spines. "We got to do something." Hermione tells them, and Aine whips her wand out, before Harry pushes her hand down, "NO! We can't hurt him!" He says to Aine who rolls her eyes, "Well, if we don't hurt him, he'll hurt us, Hell, he'll kill us!"
"I don't want to get bitten, and turn into a werewolf too!" cries Ron and Aine turn to him, grabbing his cheeks, "You won't, Ron. I'll make sure you stay as a Ginger boy and not some fluffy beast, okay? Just prepare to run, alright? We'll support you."
It was weird to Ron, having a younger friend comfort him, his leg was hurting so bad, but the beast they were facing was a lot worse. He nodded to his friend, who smiled, "That should be what I should say to you."
Aine chuckles, "Come on", turning back to their professor. Hermione, Harry and Aine grab their wands, aiming at Professor Lupin, sure they didn't stand a chance, but just one shot could get them enough time to escape. "Good to know, the DADA class helps with this," Harry mutters, sending the girls into grins.
"Stupe—"
"There you are, Potter!"
The students turned to the voice, it was none other than Professor Snape, and he was furious. "How dare you att—" but his words were interrupted by another raging roar and the sight of the werewolf immediately made the Potions Professor cover his arms around his students, causing them to be equally surprised and grateful. His expression was fearful, sure he dislikes the kids, but to see them die in front of his eyes was something he never wanted. "You..."
Yet, where was his wand when he needed it? Before he could reach for his wand, a scrawny limb was raised, and claws were gashed into Professor Snape, making him fall backwards, and onto the students, he groans. Hermione screams, and Ron yelped, while Harry gasped and Aine bit onto her lips. "Professor! Are you oka—" Aine asks, concerned but he waved his hands away, trying to get back up.
"Professor Lupin! Stop!" Hermione wails but it was useless. It was a monster they were confronting now, and Professor Lupin was no more; tucked and sealed deep in the monster's skin. Aine quickly aimed her wand at it, Impedimenta, she says in her head, causing the werewolf to slow down. "Get up you lot!" Professor Snape rushes, but Ron was having difficulty standing as his friends had fallen onto the bite wound Sirius Black had given him. He clenches his teeth to prevent his urge to scream.
"I'm trying!"
"Oh no." Hermione breathes, and all eyes turned around to the former professor who has already broken free of the hex. Before it could attack them once more, the grey wolf was knocked away by another smaller wolf, it was Black. "Sirius!" Harry exclaimed out to his godfather.
The two wolves tackled and battled away, rolling around and over on the velvet ground, both baring their fangs at each other. Black barked, almost as if telling his friend to stay put and stop. It was futile because Lupin had continued to claw and attack Black. The smaller dog started growling deeply, eyes narrowed at the werewolf before he sprints towards it. Both clashing once more, it was horrendous to watch.
Slowly beckoning away, Professor Snape shielded his students. He too was just as stunned and horrified by the beasts. The two beasts went at each other, one trying to get closer to the group and the other, protecting and fending it away from them. They devoured, bit, scratched each other before pausing for a moment. Just as it was about to continue, Black quickly dashed to his friend, landing a bite on his friend's boney back, causing Lupin to chase after him.
Harry's eyes went wide, and his lips quivered, No... "SIRIUS!" he yells after his godfather who was thrown down the hill. Running towards it without hesitation. Not wanting to lose another of his family... He had to help him. He had to...
"COME BACK HERE, POTTER!" Professor Snape ordered, Aine quickly went after him, making sure he doesn't do anything stupid but unlike him, her professor held her back, giving her a look, "No." He firmly says to her, "You. Stay. Here."
Aine clicks her tongue and looks back to her friend who ran after the beast, "We need to help him!" But Professor Snape simply ignored her, while Hermione hugs her friend tightly, preventing her from going after them.
Harry watches as Lupin tosses Black away, and the dog's body slammed harshly onto a large rock behind him. Landing another blow on the frail dog, the werewolf grabs Black by the neck and flung him away like a dishrag, off away from the hills. Harry hurriedly threw a stone at the werewolf, shifting its attention to the boy. It ran towards Harry before halting by the sound of another howl. Then, chasing after it, casting one last glare at Harry.
The night drew in, and it was cold. Lupin was no longer going after them, and that meant that they were safe, for now. But Harry's heart dropped, he rushed to the tip of the hill, glancing down at where Black was thrown, only to see it slowly limping, clearly injured. Soon, Black crumbles down, giving one last small whimper before it was silenced away into the night.
And then it was just Lupin and Harry...
─── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───
Anyone ever winced when watching Remus's werewolf transformation? Like how his mouth elongates to a snout and ears perked up and how his skin looks like it's going to rip as he grows taller and wilder?
Because I certainly do! Hahahaha
- Zeneria