the-wolf-within-blog

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[a-fairfury‌:]

“Can you blame me?” Alecto sniffed in a dignified manner before she giggled at the gentle tickling and snuggled into him. If only life could always be this easy, this effortless. The blonde witch smiled while Remus gushed about the new (to him) books that he’d found and there was a warmth in her chest at his happiness and excitement. He was easy to please, that was for sure. Remus wasn’t the type of wizard who wanted expensive gifts or the flashiest of fashions. He was content with an old, used book and a nice sweater. The way his face lit up whenever she’d present him with a brand new book… it was enough for her to fall in love with him… more than she already had. 

“You know, that sounds like a perfect day, actually,” Alecto murmured, burying her face in his chest, and inhaling deeply. He was her peace. “Lounging in bed, surrounded by books and an extremely handsome man,” she said, looking up at the wizard and flashing him a grin. She could think of more than a couple ways to spend an afternoon in bed with Remus, but she had been very careful about letting Remus make the moves, all while she led him on in a way that should have told him that she was okay with any move he wanted to make. She was used to Death Eaters and Psychopaths when it came to men, not someone like Remus, who respected her and her space. Her smile dropped and her features took on a very serious edge. 

“No, I’m not. You get exactly what you deserve from me, maybe less. Remus Lupin, you deserve the world,” she said seriously. “And if it’s within my power, I’m going to give it to you.” It was a shame he didn’t know just how serious she was. There was a part of her that fully believed she could deliver the wizarding world to Remus on a platter, but it would take means that would make it so Remus wouldn’t ever want to speak to her again. She was already so careful to keep that darkness inside of her away from him, though he sensed it, she knew. He was intelligent and only an idiot wouldn’t see the signs swirling around her head. Alecto was just thankful the voices hadn’t completely shattered her while shew as around him. She didn’t want to have to explain them to him. 

“A handsome man is a matter of perspective, I think” he chuckled, rolling his eyes. He was far too scarred to be handsome. He was also a bit sickly looking and dishevelled. The only aspect of his appearance that Remus truly considered good looking were his eyes. And that was solely because he knew he had his mother’s eyes, and to him, Hope Lupin had the prettiest eyes he had ever seen, only to be matched by Lily Evans’s and Lecty’s, of course.

There was something easy going about being with Alecto. Generally, Remus was quite slow with relationships. He was extremely shy, an introvert, and very reluctant when it came to physical contact. Besides, he had always had that sort of feeling in every relationship that they were eventually doomed to end. Hence, he tried to stretch the time together as much as possible. He did not have that same feeling with Alecto, though it was hard for him to figure out why. Maybe he was older and more mature, or maybe he just felt like they were in similar paged o the Book of Life, so to speak. He was still taking things quite slow, mainly not to rush her and because he was still Remus Lupin, but unlike in previous relationships, he did not feel self-conscious about it. Everything was just perfectly natural with Alecto.

“Lecty, it’s okay, really. You don’t have to trouble yourself over me” he commented somewhat awkwardly. He never knew what to do whenever someone, be it his girlfriend, his best friends or even his own mother; said that he was worth something big. And Alecto said it with such intensity, almost like a manifesto. Sometimes, he could not help but get the uneasy feeling that she knew something he did not. Though he could not possibly imagine what that might be. “You give me you, and for me that’s perfect” he smiled, bumping his nose softly with hers before leaning closer for a kiss.

Sweet With No Bitter Edge || Remus & Alecto.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[head-auror-moody‌:]

Remus didn’t seem to take his questions as well as the Auror would have thought. He wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve the tones coming from the younger man, but he shrugged them off. Maybe he’d hit a nerve, but that was irrelevant to this conversation. Whatever Remus’ problem was, he wasn’t going to get into a big row over it.

His questions were more out of curiosity than anything. He was interested in knowing how people would handle situations like confronting someone dangerous and possibly a murderer. Some of the answers he’d gotten over the years were rather interesting and flat out dangerous in his opinion. He hardly recommended anyone get into a duel with the culprit regardless, but a lot of it depended on the confronter’s skills. In Remus’ case, the man had obviously survived in the werewolf community up to now and he’d received some training that all Order members received. Alastor was pleased to hear that the man had a reasonable plan.

“It’s nice to hear you aren’t going to try to take on a werewolf by yourself,” he said rather dryly. “I’m going to make some suggestions, if I may.” It wasn’t a request and he didn’t give Remus time to interject. “First, I don’t much care how you get your information, so long as it’s good information and you aren’t jeopardizing anything.” This was something he told everyone; good information these days was hard to come by. “Second. Don’t assume the suspect is he. Could be anyone.” He was sure there was probably female werewolves that were quite deadly as well; it probably didn’t matter too much if a male or female werewolf attacked Kelly, as the victim would still be dead by the end of it. “Third, since any sort of intelligence you get is off the books, you tell me or Dumbledore directly. Since your plan doesn’t sound like a suicide mission - trust me, I’ve heard terrible proposals -  I’ll agree to you keeping your ears to ground and see if you come across anything related to the case. If your theory has the possibility of being correct and you happen to hear anything, I’d like to know about it before you go sleuthing. How does that sound?” Alastor thought it was a fair compromise. He couldn’t go throwing resources at every theory that walked through his door.

Knowing that Remus did snoop around the werewolf community got the Auror wondering what sort of information the man had collected. Surely, Dumbledore knew, but as was custom, the Headmaster didn’t always share things with him. “While you’re here, why don’t you tell me some of the information you’ve picked up about these werewolves you’ve been snooping around.”

He awaited for the Auror’s answer, aware that he was moving through dangerous territory. This was a well-respected man the community and especially amongst the Order’s flanks, and Remus certainly wanted to be in his good graces, rather than look like a complete joke. Thankfully, he finally seemed to win the man’s attention over in order to be taken seriously.

Alastor Moody could be a man hard to deal with, he had a temper to be feared and a bluntness that stung more than any jinx. But he was serious and straight to the point, and above all, a reasonable man, not a mere hothead (of those, Remus knew plenty, and while he cherished them dearly, he had more than enough). So he listened carefully to his instructions and nodded to each of them while admiring the man’s capacity to inspire leadership and trust. There was no denying that between him and Dumbledore, they were the strongest pillars of the Order.

“Sounds more than reasonable to me, Mr. Moody. Frankly, I just was to serve as best as I can, without becoming a liability. Things are tough enough as they are” he shrugged. He had no intention of getting into unnecessary trouble, especially if that meant jeopardizing in some way the precarious trust he had finally achieved amongst the werewolf community. He would do exactly what he had offered and what he had been told: keep an ear to the ground and inform. He was a capable fighter, yes, or so he wanted to believe, if the situation required. But he believed that, if possible, it was in everyone’s best interests to let professionals handle things like that.

He shifted somewhat uncomfortable at the questioning for information. It was not that he did not trust Alastor, but he was no Dumbledore. Which basically meant he was not aware of Remus’s lycanthropy. But he would not deny him information that, he recognized, could be useful for the man. He could only hope the Hogwarts Headmaster would not be against it.

“There is this man, Fenrir Greyback. He’s well known around the werewolf community, what they call an Alpha. Quite the colourful reputation too. Vicious, savage, some might even describe him as more of a beast than a man. Great fan of the full moon, as you can imagine” Remus grimaced in disgust just by thinking about his so called creator, but made his best to set his personal feelings aside “Others, they respect him, whether if out of fear or admiration. Rumour has it he’s been recruiting for Voldemort. He holds secret meetings to which those who are interested might go. I know, for a fact, that such meetings are held, but I still haven’t been able to infiltrate one so as to confirm or deny that what he does in said meetings is recruit followers for the Dark Lord”.

The Tongue of Wolves || Remus & Moody.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

The ABC of Defense || Daisy & Remus.

@daisyhxxkum

It was a busy day at work. The monthly delivery of parchment had failed to arrive, sending the Editorial Press into a frenzy as they were quickly running out of their core material. People were rushing in every direction, practically fighting over every last sheet of parchment because nobody wanted to be left with work they would have to eventually take home. Remus Lupin was no exception. Because he was careful, he still had quite a decent supply of parchment hidden inside his desk, and he was ever so carefully and quietly, taking page after page and slowly working to finish his article, looking over his shoulder every now and then to make sure nobody had noticed. Because if they did, Hell would break lose as they tried to get their hands on his precious parchment. He knew he was being rather selfish but he simply had to allow himself some moment of egoism. Otherwise he would never get anything done.

The chaos around him was stressing him out, but the man did his best to ignore it and tune it out, submerging himself into his work. He seriously needed to find a more quiet job though, he was getting more headaches because of all the noice and activity with every passing day. Easier said than done, of course. When you were a werewolf, it was not so easy to simply quit your job and get hired somewhere else. Mainly because the latter rarely happened. Besides, he did not want to seem ungrateful towards Dumbledore, who had helped him to aquire that position in first place. Merlin, life was a jigsaw with no solution.

Focused as he was, it took him a while to notice someone approaching his desk, but when he did, Remus’s first reaction was to panic, fearing his secret stack of parchment had finally been discovered. In fact, is hand flew instinctively to protect the drawer, but as soon as he lifted his head, he realized there was probably nothing to fear, as there stood red-headed Daisy Hookum. Why Daisy would be there? He had no idea. But at least it was not to steal his parchment.

“Daisy, what a surprise” he greeted her, snapping out of his workaholic trance “Uh...What are you doing here? Can I help you?”

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[head-auror-moody‌:]

Werewolves and dark forces, why wasn’t he the least bit surprised? He wondered if werewolves were troublesome before they were turned or if they just ended up that way. No matter. It sounded as if Remus did have some good insight into the werewolf community though, which was certainly helpful. Though, he wasn’t sure how helpful it would be for this.

Alastor was glad that his office was mostly sound proof, meaning that someone outside would be hard pressed to hear what was going on inside. At the mention of the Dark Lord’s name, he was even more glad of the privacy. It didn’t matter to him if anyone used the name; all the better actually, but it was good to know that someone wasn’t going to overhear and then cause a panic.

Once again, the man was getting ahead of himself by talking about investigating and seemingly alluding to going after werewolves. Alastor would have to nip that in bud before Remus got any more ideas. Though the theory fit in with Kelly being targeted, badly mauled and left to be discovered, it still didn’t sound like a concrete theory to him. There were a few things that were still left unexplained.

“Right, so let me be perfectly clear about this, Lupin. You’re not going to be going around confronting werewolves and trying to solve this case just because they may not suspect you. If anything is going to be happening with this, it’ll be you continuing to keep your ears to the ground to see if you hear anything about it. I don’t want you damaging any sort of trust you might’ve earned.” As terrible as it may sound, there were more important things than trying to pin Kelly’s murder on a werewolf who might be in contact with Voldemort. “I will have someone examine Mister Kelly’s wounds to see if they are consistent with a werewolf attack, but that’s about as much stock I’m willing to put into this.”

Taking his quill, he made a note about the additional examination. “It’s not a crazy idea, but I’m still not convinced enough to agree to whatever plan you have to try to find a murderous werewolf.” Alastor finished his note and put his quill back into its holder. “I am curious though, what would be your plan to try to one, see if a werewolf committed the crime, and two, what to do if you did find said werewolf?”

All right, though clearly it had not turned out for the best possible result, it seemed that for the moment Remus had dodged the hex of looking like an absolute idiot in front of the Head Auror, which he supposed, was really more than many could hope for. And to be honest, Remus had not been asking for anything at all, he had just added the part about looking into it himself so as to add seriousness to a matter that he knew, could sound rather silly. What he had really intended, after all, was merely put the suggestion out there.

“I understand perfectly, Mr. Moody. I just wanted to get the option out there, and well, offer to help if necessary, nothing more” he assured the man with a respectful nod. It was obvious there was no more to come from this conversation, or so Remus believed. He did not want to continue wasting Moody’s time, so he preparared to stand up and leave, when the man inquired about his contacts. Remus froze, though he managed to catch his expression (barely) before it became awkward and visibly uncomfortable. He had not wanted anyone to know what he was, ad Dumbledore, Merlin bless the man, had helped him keep the secret from the rest of the Order. While had no doubt that all of them were good people, he knew that even the kindest could react negatively to that which they did not know well, especially if it had a reputation of being dangerous. Proof of that was the fact that the man in front of him had used the term “beast” to refer to werewolves just a few minutes ago.

“I’m a resourceful man, Alastor. More than I seem” he observed, somewhat bitterly, because he was aware people did not think much of him...just a small, sickly looking copy-editor, wasting away. “I know many things, and I’ve got a surprising capacity to persuade people” a shrugg lifted his lanky shoulders. “Werewolves are people for the most part of the month” he reminded the man somewhat shortly. It was an central aspect most people tended to forget, and it was quite frustrating. It made him feel even less human.  “If this crime was indeed committed by one of them, I guess I will do exactly the same that I would with any other criminal. Neutralize him if possible, and alert the proper authorities and let them handle it, as it should be” he assured the man “I know the law”.

The Tongue of Wolves || Remus & Moody.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[head-auror-moody‌:]

So far the words out of Remus’ mouth weren’t doing a very good job of building any sort of confidence that what the man was about to say was going to be helpful. The word vague used to describe the theory also didn’t help. Alastor had half a mind to tell him to just get on with it, but he told himself otherwise and let Remus collect his thoughts.

When the man did get to talking, the Auror dipped his head as he listened. Right off the bat, he didn’t like that Remus got the idea from listening to a neighbourhood chat. People tended to come up with wild theories that didn’t hold up upon the slightest bit of investigation. Though, it sounded like Remus had already thought of that and had done a bit of reasoning on his own. It was true that the idea of a werewolf being the attacker hadn’t and wasn’t a theory that the department was working with. The condition of the body only indicated that a beast had definitely been involved. If it had been left to just that, then perhaps the werewolf theory would be a more solid one; however, the presence of curse work made things more complicated.

There was another pause, but Alastor didn’t jump in. Something told him that there was more the man wanted to say. Well versed in the werewolf world, he asked himself. He wondered why Remus would be well versed in that. Hearing that Dumbledore had asked him to have an ear to the ground in the werewolf community made Alastor even more curious. However, for now, that was neither here nor there. Knowing the Headmaster, there was likely some good reason for it, even if he decided not to share it.

Lifting his head, he took a breath. “Before we get ahead ourselves here and you go off running around with werewolves, we need to go back a page or two. Now, let me get this straight. You had the idea that a werewolf could have killed Mister Kelly because of some neighbourhood chitchat and you want to go asking around some very dangerous people about whether they’ve killed anyone recently or maybe their best mate has. Forgive me if I’m missing something, but that doesn’t sound like the best idea. There are lots of beasts in those woods, so any one of them could’ve done it and left the body in a bad state. I’m going to need more than what you’ve just told me, if I’m going to be allowing anyone to make further inquiries about werewolves. So, is there more to your theory, or is that it?”

He winced a bit when the man referred threw werewolves into the beast lot. He wanted toa rgue that they were still people (most of the month, anyways) but bit his tongue. Remus frowned, realizing everything was turning out exactly like he had wanted it not to, with him pretty much making a bloody fool of himself and wasting Moody’s time, which not only was probably annoying, but he feared it might also be dangerous for his own well-being. He desperately fcused on improving the situation.

“Well when you put like that...” he hesitated, but suddenly remembered why it was that he had thought of everything to be so important in first place “There’s something else. Some werewolves have been associating with dark forces...Voldemort’s name runs like powder amongst them. If the attacker was a werewolf, there might be a chance that Death Eaters might be connected. Or the person might be a Death Eater themselves. The attack...it seems to have been awfully violent. Like...Death Eater level of violence. I guess I thought, if werewolves were indeed involved, and I investigated from there, they might not see me coming, while they probably are prepared for the authorities to go after them”

He hoped he had somewhat made himself look more serious and less like an insane conspiracy theory follower. Though he was not just talking to save himself from the embarrasment. It was true that things were shifting in the underground world, and not precisely for the better. Everyone was restless, and only a precarious order was keeping Hell from breaking loose. Perhaps this murder, if it indeed had been executed by a werewolf, was one of the first signs that said order was tearing apart at the seams.

“And just for the record, I did not get this theory from some chatty neighbours. I mean, I overheard some wild guess involving werewolves, and it was only the mention of the word that got me thinking. It caught my attention, I guess. I wanted to know what would make them say that. It wasn’t until I learned mroe about the case that I started to think that maybe the idea wasn’t all that crazy.

The Tongue of Wolves || Remus & Moody.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[a-fairfury‌:]

“I certainly feel special,” she said with a nod. Alecto sank into Remus, letting her legs drape over his and leaning against his chest, letting her eyes fall closed. It was amazing how much she felt changed when she was in his presence. The witch would always be Alecto Carrow and her personality didn’t magically change just because she was around someone that was so good, but she felt more at peace, and that alone could often quiet the demons the whispered to her. Not completely, but it always helped. Chill bumps pebbled over her skin from the feeling of Remus playing with her hair, the sensations light and delightful on her scalp. 

“I might cry,” Alecto answered honestly without even opening her eyes. She tried to make it sound like she was joking, and it had been a while since Alecto had actually cried, but if Remus denied her, it was entirely possible. She didn’t have to seriously contemplate that scenario, though because Alecto knew that even if Remus actually wanted her to leave… He probably wouldn’t have the heart to say so. It was why she was so careful, watching his physical cues to make sure that her presence was wanted. He never let her down. Sometimes tuebwitch toyed with the idea of moving in with the handsome, loving wizard, but it wasn’t going to be possible for as long as Master Carrow was still alive. Someone really had to do something about him.

The blonde smiled and opened her eyes, nuzzling her cheek against his. A feeling of safety bloomed in her chest because even though she was sure he wouldn’t turn her away, he always had that choice, that right and there was a part of her that was just waiting for him to use it. He didn’t and for tonight she was safe, safe from the responsibility of being a Death Eater, as long as nothing called her away and especially safe from her father, for one night at least, or maybe she would make a week long ordeal out of it - if Remus could put up with her for that long. “I think I want to keep you all to myself tomorrow, stay in and just read together, or spend all day in bed,” she said with a sly grin.

Alecto sighed; she felt like a spotlight had been pointed at her and her slender fingers wrapped around his larger scarred ones, bringing them to her lips to press a chaste kiss to the marred flesh. “As long as I have you… I’ll be okay. I promise.” How much he cared for her, it was wonderful to be so cared for, but it made her realize that now she had someone that paid close attention to her. It was unnerving.

“Of course you do, you greedy little minx” he teased her, tickling her side softly with his scarred hands before pulling her close to him once more. Though no one would ever hear him complain about spending a day lazying around in bed with his girlfriend (how insane was it that he could allow himself to think that way of Alecto Carrow?). “Or we could do all of the above. There is such thing as reading in bed, you know?” he laughed “I think I’ve got a couple of new books I’ve been meaning to get started on. Found them at a second-hand bookstore. They even have sidenotes at the margins”. He loved founding books like that, because then he got to read stories, many times stories he had already read, through a different person’s eyes. It was no secret that he loved collecting old books. And fortunately, it was a hobby he could actually afford.

He chuckled, noticing Alecto’s appreciation when he smoothed his fingers through her hair. His chuckle was soon joined by a bashful grin and an unusual blush over his cheeks and ears when she claimed that she would be okay while she had her. It felt nice, to be told that he did something good to other, that he was not a liability or a pity subject. He had been told he was a monster and a disgrace by others, but mostly by himself, countless times, countless nights without sleep. It was hard to argue against your inner voice, and when someone from outside was able to shush it for you, the relief was close to undescribable.

“You’re too good to me sometimes, you know” he commented, smiling, though there was a flicker of melancholia in his voice when he spoke. Sometimes he felt like he was stealing from her. She did not know anything about who he was...about what he was. A monster, and she treated him like he was a good man and not a potential danger to...Well...everyone. He knew everybody hd darkness in them. He knew Alecto had shadows in her too. But his darkness kept a monster hidden, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt her. But he knew he could not hide it forever.

Sweet With No Bitter Edge || Remus & Alecto.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[head-auror-moody‌:]

Smoke hung from the office ceiling as more rose from the end of his cigarette. Ashes fell on the file he was reading, and he shook the parchment to get them off. He had been spending most of his morning reading files and crossing off names of those he thought were unlikely suspects. Alastor rubbed his forehead as he read through the page once again to see if there was something he had missed the previous three times. The Aurors outside were trying to string together the little evidence they had and tie the murder to the many people on the list of suspects. 

When he heard knocking on his door, he didn’t look up. “Come in.” He was expecting one of the Aurors to start talking, but the voice didn’t belong to any of them. Looking up, he saw Remus instead. The morning greeting hardly suited the day; it wasn’t a very good one, or even an average good day. “Sure, why not.” Alastor set aside his quill. It wasn’t like he was about to have an epiphany or anything. Normally, he didn’t allow civilians to waltz into his office wanting to make a comment without first putting them through the proper process and procedure, but he knew Remus enough to know that the man wasn’t going to waste his time. Not that there was much time to waste; the words on the file weren’t going to rearrange themselves to spell out the murderer’s name. “Sit,” he gestured to the chair. Raising a finger to indicate that Remus should wait, he got up from his chair and went to open his window to let some of the smoke out. “Alright. Must be important, considering you came all the way here. Let’s have it.”

Alastor sat in his chair again and rested his clasped hands on his desk. As far as his memory was concerned, Remus’ name hadn’t cropped up anywhere in any files, so the sudden involvement made him mildly surprised to see Remus here, let alone offer up something pertaining to the ongoing case.

He stepped in with his head slightly bowed. He held deep respect for the Head Auror, and trusted him completely, but only an idiot would not be intimidated by Alastor Moody. Remus was fully aware that, if he wanted, the older wizard could make him snap like a twig. Fortunately, they were both on the same side, and Remus was a law-abiding citizen...mostly.

He breathed in the heavy scent of smoke suspended in the office, all too used to the smell, the sensation of corrupted air feeling his lungs. He smoked like a chimney himself, after all. 

He dutifully followed the man’s command and sat down. He laid his scarred hands on the table, drumming the wood absently with his fingers as he breathed in. “It’s not hard information, but just a...a thought that occurred to me that I believe might be worth to share, with you. I mean, I guess I could have told someone less important, but I wasn’t quite sure if they would really listen to me. It’s somewhat vague”. He took a moment to go over the mental plan he had made so as to not sound like some underground conspiracy magazine fanatic.

“The day of the murder I went to Hogsmade early in the morning and I...I overheard this banal conversation between two neighbours that none the less got me thinking. They were speculating about the attack being accused by a werewolf, given the bad shape the body was found in. For obvious reasons this caught my attention, and I...well, I checked whether if it was plausible to consider that theory, and for what I understand...it’s not that farfetched, but no one has seriously considered it yet” he took a deep breath, wanting to make it clear that was not there suggesting that Moody ought to chase after mere speculation “As someone who is...well versed in the werewolf world, I really think it’s worth giving it a shot. You don’t even have to get your people to look into it” he bit the inside of his cheek, because this was the part he had given the most thought to. He was fully aware of the risks he was putting himself in, but the chance to make of his curse, for once, a useful tool, was too good to miss. “I’ve been sticking an ear to the ground in the werewolf community for a while now. Dumbledore’s orders. I can...I can investigate that for you, see if I hear something, or if someone knows anything. If there is the slightest chance that this poor bloke was killed by a werewolf, I believe I could help you find the culprit”.

The Tongue of Wolves || Remus & Moody.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[notlibatiusborage‌:]

Severus lip curled further and one long finger poked Lupin’s chest, hard. “I was wise to you when we were at school and I’m wise to you now.” No matter what came out of Lupin’s mouth, no matter how much he said he was innocent, and indeed no matter how much Severus thought he was innocent[which he didn’t] This was not a case of settling for close. IF, god and merlin forbid, Tilden ended up dead and it DID relate to Lupin in any way whatsoever, Severus could never forgive himself for having been able to stop a friend’s death.

The thought suddenly rankled as he remembered that indeed friends (or classmates) had died. And he had been in a position to at least try to prevent those deaths. But this was certainly different because Tilden was also a smart Halfblood like himself and surely the Dark Lord would see Toots’ worth. Surely Tilden could be shown the worth of the Cause. 

He didn’t like the way Lupin was squaring up to him, and he pulled back his own rounded shoulders, not backing down a jot. That was probably why the drew the attention of a passing witch, who muttered “some wizards never change” as she passed them. 

Severus took a breath. He didn’t want to make a scene. He calmed himself, took a single step back, spat on the ground at Lupin’s feet and gave the other wizard a searching once-over. 

“Silver daggers are a potioneer’s tool, Lupin. Don’t forget that.” 

And with that he began to walk away, one hand gripping his wand tight, ever expecting the attack.

Remus looked down at the finger poking at his chest, feeling both invaded and insulted. He slapped Snape’s hand away harshly, in a rare display of physical aggression from his part. Normally Remus recoiled from touch he considered unwelcomed, he backed away from confrontations, always preferring peace over chaos (he had enough of that on his own). But there was something so frustrating, so incredibly unfair about Severus Snape always reducing him to the lowest of scums. Perhaps it was easier to rebel against claims he would have normally bowed his head to when the person formulating them was in a level as low as he was. A werewolf being accused by a traitor was not so unbalanced after all, or so Remus felt.

A faint blush coloured his cheeks as a reaction to the muttering witch, realizing how immature this whole situation must have looked to foreign eyes. He did not want to be that kind of person that people thought of in that way on the street. The kind of person who got into fights with old school rivals in the middle of town, even when a murder investigation was being opened. That was not who Remus Lupin was nor who he desired to be.

Snape’s words were sharp enough to cut through skin and bone, but Remus was used to sharper wounds. So he simple returned his gaze, firmly but with no aggressiveness, not lowering it for a moment, not even when the other man spat at his feet. “Your bitterness will be the end of you long before your silver daggers come anywhere near me, Severus” he pointed out tiredly, before turning on his heels and walking away, breathing in deeply. There was already too much turmoil inside his head to be bothered with Severus Snape.

Until Proven Innocent || Remus & Severus || Whodunnit || May 15th, 1980.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

The Tongue of Wolves || Remus & Moody.

@head-auror-moody

Remus had had no intention whatsoever of getting involved in a criminal case. Others might have been more curious and eager for the gossip, but he preferred to stay out of trouble, even when trouble had nothing to do with him. But since his oh-so-friendly encounter with Severus Snape in Hogsmade, a thought had been rounding his head and simply would not leave him alone. No, of course he knew he had not been involved in the murderer, but Snape seemed to ahve been pretty convinced that he had. And that got him thinking. Not him, but maybe another werewolf? So he had done some digging on the subject. Not much, just enough to know whether if it was possible. And it turned out that the trauma presented by the body was perfectly compatible to the harm that could be inflicted by a werewolf. Reus would know.

He did not want to waist anyone’s time, but he felt like he ought to mention this to someone. It was quite obvious the authorities were not really considerin that possibility. Though he was no one to question their investigation, he simply believed nobody lost anything if he mentioned the thought to Alastor Moody. So he had headed to the Auror’s department, hoping to catch the Head Auror in a somewhat less busy situation and able to receive him. 

The chaos of the Auror division was nerve-wrecking for quiet, mousy-like Remus, who always sought out peace and silence. People rushing, shouting, in and out all the time. It was enough to drive any quiet, tranquility friendly soul. But Remus did his best to ignore the bubble of stress around him and simply knocked on the door of Alastor Moody’s office.

“Good morning, Alastor” he said as a manner of greeting, an awkward smile dancing on his patched-up face “I don’t mean to bother you, but do you have a minute? There’s something I wanted to comment on that murder in Hogmade a from a few days ago”.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[padfoot-ing-around‌:]

It took him a second to loosen the tension that was building in his shoulders and neck, as he continued to cover his head for protection. His shoulders were up to his ears and he continued to wonder when- or if it would happen, how would it begin, had it already started? 

Remus’ voice was what had called him back to the present and he frowned behind his arms. He was at school, he wasn’t at home. His father wasn’t here, that would be impossible. 

His breathing remained shallow and his brow deepened into a frown, puzzled by such an immediate and the somewhat uncontrollable reaction he’d had. Remus’ voice and what he was saying was being drowned out by the hallow thumping of his heart in his ears. It sounded like he was playing a Quiddich game, only he wasn’t, he was still just sitting on the grass. 

Sirius lowered his hands and glanced at the view Remus was referring to, still preoccupied with the confusing terror that was slowly leaving his body. He scowled at the lake that was peaceful, blue, and glistening- harmless. There wasn’t anything around that could hurt him. 

The sudden touch of Remus’ arm made Sirius flinch even though he saw it coming. When he could see a hug or some kind of contact was on its way, he was usually okay. It was only in the surprises that he found himself ducking out of the way, tensing or flinching, and being made extremely uncomfortable by it.

 He could hear Remus’s voice now and what he was saying but the words were just words and Sirius was more curious (and frightened) by the reaction he’d just had, than anything his mate had to tell him. 

“I just don’t like yelling,” he scowled, his voice sounding as though he’d just woken up from a nap- that was sort of how he felt, he decided. Like he’d just woken up from a dream, a really intense and scary nightmare where his eyes were open. “I don’ like yelling,” he repeated and shook his head. 

Sirius couldn’t see anything that needed to be forgiven on Remus’ end, nor had the embarrassment settled in yet over what had just happened. That was to come eventually. For now though, Sirius was just having trouble processing the present. 

“I think we should go inside,” he said suddenly to his lap, shutting down. “It’s chilly out,” he shivered. Not because he’d said he was cold, but as soon as he said it, he realized just how cold he was. The combination of adrenaline and sweating, left his body feeling the shiver of numbness, like his foot was asleep- only it wasn’t just his foot, but his entire body.

He remembered what they’d been talking about before all this- what had gotten Remus so angry in the first place. He couldn’t bear to bring it up again after all that. That was a problem for later. 

“I know you don’t” Remus nodded, patting his best friend’s back lightly “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...I didn’t mean to upset you”. Perhaps it was easier to hurt others, but it was not in Remus’s nature, despite the werewolf. He would rather turn that dark desire to hurto agaisnt himself. Nobody should suffer from his own frustrations but himself, and he felt really angry for having lashed out at Sirius the way he did. He could not help but think of cornered animals. They never meant to hurt you but they did. They were scared, uncertain, running out of options, no where to turn. So they lashed out. In the end, perhaps that was what he was: a wild beast who liked to pretended he was tamed. But when his dark secrets were exposed, he returned into that primal feralness that lived within him.

“Yeah, sure, we can do that” he smiled half-heartedly. To be honest, he was not cold at all, and frankly, would have preferred to stay outside and enjoy the good weather and the fresh air. But he understood that Sirius was upset. Anxious. In the end, Remus would always put his friends’ needs before his own. It was the least he could do for them. The only way he felt like he could, however poorly, compensate the fact that they had willingly chosen to befriend a creature such as himself.

Right now, he was relieved to be able to release the breath he had been holding. His neck felt tense and there was a hint of headache starting to build, but he had dodged the curse for the momento. He knew it was only a matter of time before Sirius recovered from his shock, before the nagging thoughts starting getting at him again and soon enough, Remus would have him pushing once more on the subject of the scars that markled his mody, those thin little pink lines too delicate to be caused by teeth and claws. Scars too precise, carved into his flesh by a blade, by his own hand, by his own choice. His friends would never understand. They did not comprehend that in destroying himself he destroyed the monster. They just saw a boy that needed fixing, bless their hearts. They would try to patch him up as always, because that was what good friends did. What good people did. They did not understand he did not want this nasty habit to be taken away from him. They did not understand, he was cursed for life and the burden was his alone.

END.

Tracks|| Remus and Sirius|| April, 07, ‘75

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[a-fairfury‌:]

“That sounds absolutely riveting,” Alecto said with a grin, liking it when Remus used sarcasm. It was reassuring to know that he’d been sarcastic long before he’d met her, that it was just an important and base part of his personality and not a part of him that she had ruined. Though he’d just come from outside, his hands felt warm on her legs as he moved them into his lap and that warmth spread up and warmed her completely, letting her settle further into the couch and into his touch.

“Pfft,” she responded, humming a little when his lips caught hers and returned the kiss before they parted. “For all you know, I arrived right after you left for work and have been working on those four chapters all day,” she teased with a grin. Alecto moved the book to the side table. The witch enjoyed that Remus had gotten more confident around her, that he kissed her when he felt like it and he didn’t seem afraid to show affection to her, nor she with him. She wiggled down the couch a little, getting closer to the handsome wizard.

“Hmm, not just yet, though that sounds great,” Hope Lupin was a fantastic cook. It made her wonder if her mother had ever given a damn about her and Amycus, if she’d known how to cook… or do anything other than drink herself into a stupor. “And you’re not totally lanky, I’ve seen muscle on you. I just want to sit here with you for a minute. It’s been a long day and I didn’t even go to work,” she said, leaning her head back against the couch and closing her eyes. Oh yes, Remus was her sanctuary. “Do you care if I stay the night?” Her voice was pretty timid even though she was sure that he would say yes. He always said yes, except for the one odd night a month.

“Well, that’s because you are a privileged girl. I don’t show my muscles to anyone” he joked before tilting his head to place a chaste kiss on her lips. Smiling softly, he playfully tugged at her legs to pull her closer until he was almost cradling her, one hand resting on her upper leg while the other played with the ends of her golden locks.

“What would you do if I said no, huh?” he teased, because they both knew the answer was an afirmative one. If it were up to him, he would have Alecto over every night. There was a sense of belonging when she was around him. While he felt he belonged whenever he was with his best friends, he felt like Alecto also belonged there with him. Not in a possesive manner, but simply in a place of existence, of being part of something. Sometimes he wondered if he might not be falling too hard too fast. Because past experiences has shown him he had a tendency for doing so, and it had never ended well for him. Yet there was something else with Alecto, something that made him feel hopefull, a certain maturity to what they had, as if they went way back. It was sort of ironic, given the fact that, of all the relationships Remus had ever been in, he had never been with someone so foreign to his own reality as Alecto. Yet they fit.

“Of course you can stay” he bumped his nose softly against hers as he smiled “I actually have the day off tomorrow. We can stay here and do nothing. Or go out and do something...or still do nothing”. A chuckle escaped his lips before he leaned to claim another soft kiss from those rosy lips of hers. One scarred hand rose up to push away some loose strands of gold away from her face before looking somewhat solemnly into her beautiful eyes. 

“You will be all right?” he asked, the only reference he ever made to whatever struggled Alecto might be facing. He did not push her, just check on her, and made sure that she knew that if ever she needed to let go, he would catch her.

Sweet With No Bitter Edge || Remus & Alecto.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

GRYFFINDOR:

“I’m not scared of what you’re gonna tell me, No, I’m not scared of the beast in the belly”

–Imagine Dragons (Machine)

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[notlibatiusborage‌:]

“I don’t care what you want, Lupin, and I cannot pretend to be able to fathom the thoughts of a monster.” It was truly an unkind thing to say, but Severus did believe it. He had seen it after all, seen the awful deadly Not Human side of the man before him. He had seen similar awful deadly lycanthropes since then though only wearing human forms, and had seen ordinary uninfected humans do awful deadly things. But Lupin was a special case.

Severus balled up a hand in remembered fear and present humiliation and anger. Lupin liked to play the wolf in tatty clothing did he? Well Severus had grown too. And he had learned. He remembered the books Igor had helped him to obtain, and their brief doublespeak conversations.

He had a silver knife on him now, he could kill Lupin without a care. He stepped closer, cigarette breath in Lupin’s face, “I care so little about what you want that I don’t even care if you want to keep breathing.” A Death threat in the current climate was unwise, but given their history he felt that there was less chance Lupin would report him. “Because what I want, Lupin, what I want, is for Tilden Toots to be safe in his home. And if you risk that, I would be overjoyed to help him.”

All things considered, it wasn’t a very Slytherin threat. But he wasn’t dealing with a Slytherin. So bold, straightforward and ugly it had been.

“Leopards do not change their spots, Lupin. Lupus lupus lupus est est.”

“The conversation is getting really old, really fast, Severus. Is there some other matter you want to falsely accuse me of without major proof? Poverty in Third Word countries? Hunger in Africa? The way that huge mass of a nose simply cannot find a way to fit better on your face?” the last part he could not help. Again, Severus and the likes of him brought out the worst in Remus. 

Time and experience has made him particularly inmune to the Slytherin’s name calling. Labels like “monster”, “beast” and “murderer” felt like nails slammed into his skin, except when it was Snape who pronounced them. Guilt, of course, would be forever glued to his every interaction with Severus Snape. He had been so close to end his life, and Remus had no right to do such thing, to take away lives no matter how much pain the man in front of him might have caused to a girl he though of as a sister. But with time, through rational, objective reflection, he had reached the conclusion that what had gone down had not been his fault, had not been something he was in control of whatsoever. He had taken every precaution, but could not answer for James’s acts that night. He refused to feel any guilt by Snape´s isults and attempts to blame him, frame him for a murderer that he was not.

He ignored his death threats, because they were nothing new to Remus. Perhaps he was becoming reckless, or he was simply past caring. Maybe it was all just one and the same. He simply could not be bothered any more with this man and his insanities. He frowned with that last remark, feeling like it was a chain collar closing around his neck. The ever present weight of his curse, which he was not allowed to forget. Still, he straightened his stand and looked at the man square in the eye.

“Well, you’ll just have to keep your overjoy to yourself, Snape. I have no intention whatsoever of hurting anyone. Sorry to disappoint your morning”:

Until Proven Innocent || Remus & Severus || Whodunnit || May 15th, 1980.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[a-fairfury‌:]

Master Avitus Carrow was a monster. No kinder word existed for the man, nor a harsher one that Alecto could think of, but she thought ‘monster’ fit him perfectly. It was getting unbearable and when she could, the blonde witch escaped her prison to the only safe haven that she truly had: Remus’. Far from a last resort, Alecto enjoyed her time at Remus’ flat, and the warm environment that she was always met with was one that surprised her at first, though it shouldn’t have. Remus was the kindest, warmest person alive, a true treasure that she didn’t deserve, but she was, by nature, a selfish creature. 

The day Remus had given her keys to his apartment was still a strange one for her, but possibly one of the most touching moments of her life. He was willing to open his home to her even though they’d hardly been seeing each other, and provide her with an escape from her life at the manor. On the occasions that she did use the key, it was so easy to pretend that she lived there all the time. That she was constantly surrounded by warmth and love instead of the cold hatred that greeted her at the Carrow Manor. 

Old and new books littered every inch of the apartment and she wouldn’t have expected anything else from her caring bookworm. She’d engrossed herself in one of the many books around when she first arrived, knowing that Remus wouldn’t be home for a little bit and had been found curled up with a book in her lap, a blanket strewn over her shoulders. The blonde witch greeted Remus with a warm smile upon his entrance and closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss to her temple. 

“Oh, not too long - about four chapters,” Alecto held up the book. “Work go alright today?” She asked, closing the book in her lap and sitting up a little straighter. If she kept slouching and curling up on the couch she’d be asleep in no time, and she didn’t come here to sleep. Or at least, not yet. Remus was the best part about running away to his apartment. It was startling to her how easily she slipped into a domestic role, considering what she did in secret. 

“As alright as editing an article about wand blisters and how to prevent them can go, yeah” he replied with inmediate sarcasm, it was as inherent to his speech as his mild welsh accent was. He lifted Alecto’s legs to sit down on the couch beside her, draping them over his lap, giving her calf a with a playfull little squeeze.

“Four chapters?” he arched an eyebrow “Fast reader, you might even give me a run for my money one day” he teased, leaning over to capture her lips in a quick kiss. He had become a lot more confident as far as kissing without asking went in their relationship. “Are you hungry? I think there’s still some of my mother’s stew left in the kitchen, because she cooks for an army, and forgets she has only one lanky son who can feed himself”.

They were so radically different, Lecty and him. Came from opposite sides of the background spectrum. And yet it was amazing how they had both fitted into a common routine whenever Alecto showed up. It was as if in each other they could find themselves at ease, let go of the rest of the world for some time and be at their most simple and raw selves with a calmness to them that was rare in their reality. The most homely chores like cleaning, doing the dishes, organizing   the countlesss books littered around the apartment or making the bed were source of a simple, pure kind of joy that they found in each other’s company. Remus still marvelled at how they had managed to aquire such relaxing space for each other, but Merlin was he thank ful for it. His mind, usually restless to the point  of being painful, was calm and quiet whenever the lovely little blonde witch was around him.

Sweet With No Bitter Edge || Remus & Alecto.

[the-wolf-within-blog]

Sweet With No Bitter Edge || Remus & Alecto.

One of his favourite sounds in the world was the tender crack of chocolate whenever he split a square from a tablet to pop it into his mouth. He liked it because not only was it a sound, but it had a smell, a texture and also the phantom of a taste in it, of course. He enjoyed the way that single sound was able to evocate the flavour of chocolate melting at the end of his tongue with touches of childhood, comfort and security.

He had stopped by a small shop to buy some chocolate on his way back home from work that evening. His thick wool sweater was draped over his arm, because the walk had made him hot, though now a light breeze was running and he felt a touch chilly. But that was just Remus, either he was heavily wrapped in winter clothes, or in light, summer ones. This was because he was a firm militant of the ALS Movement, formally known as the Anti-Light Sweaters Movement, of which he was probably also de only militant, but not because of that was he any less enthusiastic about it. Sweaters were either thick, or not sweaters at all and that was just how the world was supposed to be.

Of course, he could have put on a jacket, but he had only one and it had officially reached the end of its usable days when, a couple of weeks ago, someone on the street had offered to give him money, mistaking him for a homeless person.

These thoughts, so shallow and yet uplifting in their rare simplicity, were what crowded his head when he crossed through the protective charms of his apartment (including the regular lock on the door) to find Alecto Carrow curled on his couch.

“Lecty” he smiled upon seeing her, her name rolling out of his lips like poetry. Remus left his things on the table before making his ways towards her to place a kiss on her temple “Hey, you’ve been around for long?”

 Some time ago he had given her a copy of his keys to let herself in. Even if they had only been seeing each other (and man, did it still feel strange, exciting and utterly terrifying to even think of it) for a couple of months, it did not take a genius to realize the beautiful Carrow princess was not 100% content with her home, though he ignored the reasons why. Remus had no interest in pressing the matter on her, after all, he had his own secrets he (if not happily, but confidently) kept from her. But, without knowing the whole of the situation, he had figured that he could at least provide her with a little corner in the world to which she could escape to when needed. This was why her announced presence in his tiny living room was hardly a surprise anymore (aside from the fact that well...Alecto Carrow considered his book infested apartment as a place worth of her heavenly presence).

@a-fairfury

[the-wolf-within-blog]

[notlibatiusborage‌:]

If anything was proof of Lupin"s guilt, this was. He had been surprised by the truth of his actions being spoken to him and now he was trying to play it all off. Severus wouldn’t let him. He stepped closer, determined to join Lupin for the rest of the day if that was what it took to get him to leave Toots alone.

“you’ll listen all the same,” he spat. “Very unwise of you to come back here. Tilden Toots is far too capable for the likes of you.” Seven plus years of bitterness were injected into that one word, though whether it was plural or singular was hard to tell.

“They say the victim was mauled. What kind of beastly creature do you suppose did it, Lupin?” He had called Lupin ‘Remus’ at one time to try and get back at him for the way Lupin continued to call him Severus, but it had felt strange on his tongue and too soft for Marauder Scum. Lupin sounded much colder and in some distant part of Severus’s head, made this new period of his life attach to the old one at Hogwarts. That meant that when he had bbested Black in Knockturn and taken his cigarettes, he had clawed back a little Slytherin respect. It meant Lupin murdering that wizard was further proof that the man had never been suited to be a prefect. If he couldn’t control his own lycanthropic nature there was no chance he could have controlled the far more savage and animalistic Marauders. Severus bared his crooked teeth slightly.

“You’ve no need to speak to Toots. He was never one of Potter’s cronies and he certainly can’t be interested in your personality. ” Ironic though it was, coming from Severus, it was all the more ironic because Severus had at one time considered Lupin interesting and sensible and probably good friend material. That had been a very brief consideration but it had been there.

.He inhaled deeply through his nostrils, closing his eyes for a moment as if he pretended to summon patience from everything around them. It was a common gesture from his part whenever Severus Snape was concerned, which fortunately was not often. Unfortunately, it was not impossible either. And now whatever insane idea had the man obsessed this time, he had decided to project it on Remus. He knew, without doubt, the day was going to be long if it meant starting it by trying to get rid of Snape’s poisonous company.

“I don’t doubt Tilden’s capacities, Severus. He’s a brilliant man. And your point is?” he raised his eyebrows tiredly, glaring at him in such manner that it was a clear indication for the other man to cut the crap and go straight for whatever reason he had for speaking to him now.

The next words that came out of Severus’s mouth, however, were not what he had expected. He thought this might have been some attempt to mess with Remus’s friendship with Tilden; if anything could be bored enough to focus on other people’s friendships, that was Snape. But apparently, this was not quite the matter. He stopped and looked at the other man with a clear frown of confusion.

“Victim? What victim? Someone died?” he asked, frankly lost to the whole conversation. But then it made sense, the eerie feeling he had captured upon arriving at Hogsmade, the heavy atmosphere charged with tension, with that acid stench that he know could identify as fear. The whole village holding its breath in horror.

And what was more, he finally caught on what strange idea was rounding Severus Snape’s head now. And he was mildly horrified, mildly exasperated. A mauled victim, the full moon last night, him showing up, of course someone like Snape would immediately jump to conclusions. He had a simple excuse: he loathed Remus. Now that he knew someone had died so gruesomely, yes, there was a brief second in which Remus feared he might be guilty of murder without knowing, but then he told himself it was physically impossible. He had spent last night in an abandoned, isolated hut half-hidden by fog in the Welsh mountains, and that was where he had woken up the next day. Not even a werewolf could cover all the distance between there all the way up to Hogsmade, had time to freshly murder someone, and then come home for sunrise. 

There was no real fear or guilt in him this time. Just the uncomfortable annoyance of knowing this man knew his darkest secret, even though he (fortunately) had no idea what to do with it apart from coming at him with insane accusations.

“A mauled victim...You think I did it. And that now I want what? To add Tilden to the murder list? You might be not be as familiarized with the notion, but unlike others, I don’t like to hurt my friends” he rolled his eyes “An insightful theory as usual, Severus. But also as usual, you are completely wrong. I was nowhere close to Hogsmade until about half an hour ago. Sorry for disappointing you”

Until Proven Innocent || Remus & Severus || Whodunnit || May 15th, 1980.