Lifemate

By LadyArre

The chilling howl resounded through the forest, carried on the cold icy wind. It was December, and the castle grounds showed it. Thick snow lay everywhere, blanketing Hogwarts in a cold snowy mantle. Kyla stood at the entrance to the forest, mere yards from Hagrids hut. She had little chance of being caught. Hagrid was away from Hogwarts on business probably unofficial business that involved heavy use of a chemical called alcohol. And no one would notice she was gone.

She took a deep breath and strode into the forest in the direction of the werewolves howl.

It was foolish she knew, but the deepest core of her soul knew it had to be done.

Snape had told her first in fifth year about Remus' …er…lupine condition but she had put it off as a scheme to degrade the marauders, besides no one believed Snape, not even her: she who had snogged him and had been his girlfriend in a weird sought of snapish way. It wasn't something she was terribly proud of either now and James and Sirius would never let her forget it. She had broke it off with Severus sometime after he had told her this, after all she was a Gryffindor and Remus had done nothing to him. She had had enough of the slurs against her house and told him so. Snape had merely grunted and returned to his potion, it hadn't even been homework either it was an experiment he was doing for his own horrid enjoyment. Kyla had gotten mad then and after yelling a fair bit and throwing a bottle of boil-giving potion at the icky slimeball she dumped him and left.

The marauders were in Gryffindor tower when she had returned still fuming at the insensitivity of it all. James had laughed at Snape, firstly, after he figured out that he was now unloved and unwanted then hugged her and told her jokingly that now she was free to date a datable lad; that was, any man of Gryffindor. She laughed a little and Remus smiled.

It had been a whole year and three boys later that she realised that she had always loved Remus. and loved him more than she had ever loved anyone else.

And that was why this had to be done.

The forest was more frightening than Kyla had imagined but purpose drove her on, purpose and a deep passion for the man at the end. On she walked ducking under the lower branches. In had not been more than a few minutes when a deep growl and a dark furred animal on all fours crossed her path, menacingly glaring at the intruder. Sirius jumped from his animagi form and tackled her to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing Kyla O'Rawk?" Sirius growled, "It's full moon, Moony's out there!"

"I know" Kyla whispered harshly

James as a stag appeared to the side of her and changed. " Kai! He's not himself he's not Remus when he's out there like this he won't see you as his girlfriend he'll see you as blood and meat …no more"

Kyla walked on, intent on her purpose. James pulled her arms back and the two boys pinned her between them.

"Kai don't do it" Sirius ordered, "what if you're bitten, what then, hey?"

Kyla grinned. "I won't be bitten, Padfoot"

James changed form and reared in front of her, his hooves trampling the air. Sirius held her tight.

"We are taking you back to the castle Kai and there is nothing you can do about it."

They began to drag her back the way she had come. Sirius and James were both taller than her now and she didn't stand a chance of getting away but she struggled, oh boy, did she struggle. It wasn't enough though and she couldn't get free of them. Until Severus Snape appeared clutching a short chubby blonde boy in a strangle hold. The sneer on his greasy face did not predict blessings.

"what is it, snivelly" Sirius demanded, incensed. He seemed offended by the boy's very presence.

"Just going for a lovely moonlit stroll enjoying the scenery, and who do I find but this little rat cowering in the corner" Snape replied.

Kyla wanted to spit on him.

"And you recognised Peter and found us, right. Well now you know that we're here you can totter off and let us be" James told him and kept walking.

" Not so fast Potter," Snape growled. " What's the girl doing here?"

Sirius and James let her go in order to grab their wands, and Kyla grabbed the opportunity to run.

It was just enough the James, Sirius and Snape darted after her. James turned angrily.

"Butt out, snivellus, you're not wanted. Peterificus totallus"

Snape fell like a floorboard and James bolted after Kyla. Peter cowered behind a tree where they had first encountered each other.

The chase was on, Kyla ran for all she was worth it had to be done tonight. It couldn't wait another month. And she had to do it now. James and Sirius wouldn't make the mistake of letting her go again. If they caught her… well she would lose her chance altogether- even Remus would insist on locking her up each full moon. And then she wouldn't be in any better situation than he was.

She was fully aware that both Sirius and James had transformed. And she knew that there was no chance that she could outrun them in their animagus form. So she hid. It was easy she had enough of a head start that they wouldn't see her.

Kyla ducked behind a tree and rolled in the bushes at its base. They'd never see her. But Sirius would smell her.

"Damn" she muttered, " he couldn't just be a goldfish, could he?"

The only thing that came to mind was to fly. And the best thing in the air was James' thorhammer 500.

They were coming closer; she would have to hurry. Her wand was already in her hand. "accio James Potters broom"

It came rattling out of the sky and landed in her hands, Kyla mounted and kicked off.

James changed back just in time to see his broom with Kyla astride it, zoom above him.

She circled around a few times to confuse them, then headed toward the howls of her beloved. It would have been the ultimate thrill ride but for the needling doubt within her. She could have been wrong it was possible Remus didn't love her. She began to descend, aiming for a glade some distance from him. Having a crazy seventeen-year old student turn up on James Potters broom would annoy any self-righteous wolf. She descended dropped James' broom silently in the heather, and continued on towards the werewolf. Kyla clutched her wand tightly just in case she had been horribly, horribly wrong. Moony had smelt her though and came bounding towards her through the forest. Sirius as Padfoot turned up just in time to tackle her away from the ravenous wolf. Prongs appeared at the clearings edge. He changed briefly to yell to Kyla: "Kai, get on my back, you gotta get away from here!"

And the stag was standing where James had been.

She didn't understand. She was so sure that she and Remus were more than all of that. Prongs jumped towards her and lowered his neck so that she could scramble up onto his back. They galloped away but not fast enough. Padfoot couldn't hold him. Moony dived at prongs, tearing at his ebony flanks. Kyla slipped and hit the ground as prongs stumbled and fell under the werewolf's cruel force. The stag tried to rise but was injured too badly. Sirius came rattling towards moony once more but was dealt with as if he was not more than a small irritation. Soon Padfoot could not hold him off any longer either. Kyla tried to move but stumbled and fell to the ground the immense wolf standing over her.

"I love you, Rem." She sobbed and reached forward to curl her fingers in his thick brown fur. The werewolf let her and his fur was the same texture as the human's hair.

Moony sniffed at her hair and turned away. He knew her and loved her, this human was his and his alone.

In the forest, Kyla cried. He knew her…

James was well enough to fly as was to be expected of him. He took sirius who wasn't critically injured in front. Kyla walked back to Hogwarts alone, undaunted now by such evil things as dwelt in the wood. The castle was dark in all rooms but the infirmary, when she returned. In that room she knew the boys would be speaking of her. And she smiled.

The next morning the two lads under Madam Pomfreys care were joined by another. Remus remembered, of the night before, only Kyla, and he splattered her face with worried kisses and berated her again and again.

Only James dared interrupt.

"Kai? How did you know?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Wolves mate for life" she answered, simply. And kissed Remus more passionately then she had ever kissed him before