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~T.

Remus Lupin: A Moon-Lit Stroll

The light paisley curtains danced in the mid-summer nights breeze, trickling in from the open window in Remus' room, yet the air around Remus himself remained unmoved. He rearranged his limbs in an attempt to find a cooler position but only succeeded in entangling himself further into the sweat dampened sheets.

With a deep sigh, he pushed away the duvet and flung his legs over the side of the bed, his small childish feet hitting the stone floor with a slap. One glance outside the window told him it was full moon. It's cold, pale light drained the colour from the trees and wild flowers that made up their small cottage garden.

Remus hesitated for a moment, swinging his legs against the bed before making up his mind. While he was hot and restless, sleep would be unobtainable.

With a light thump, he got to his feet and headed into the hall where black outlines of doors and pictures guided him towards the back door. He paused for a moment outside his parents' bedroom. He should probably let them know what he was doing. Remus' conscience told him he should but it seemed insensitive to wake them. Especially as his father's job required that his father get all the sleep he could.

He squared his shoulders and made for the door, his feet leaving muffled imprints in the silence. His long, slender fingers grasped the door knob. He held his breath as he pulled it ajar. With one strained creak, the door drifted open, letting in the cool night air and the scent of blossoming flowers. Remus inhaled deeply before stepping out into the garden, closing the door silently behind him.

He walked down to the end of the garden where a small waist height wall stood, covered in ivy. He sat down on the cool, thick grass and tipped his head back to bathe in the icy moonlight. For a while he sat like this, letting the breeze carry away the heat and tension from his fragile body.

He was snapped back to reality, however, when a low, barely audible snarl emanated from the dense forest that stood a few feet from the perimeter wall. Remus' body tensed as he squinted into the darkness, desperately seeking out the source of the sound.

All was silent when, without warning, Remus was thrown backwards, the wind knocked out of him. Before he could even consider moving, he was pinned to the ground by an immense weight, sharp points digging into his shoulders. Remus looked up into a pair of bright yellow, hunger maddened eyes as a high, terrorized scream escaped from his lips.

The creature straddling him opened it's jaws wide, revealing a set of huge, yellow canine teeth. Its breath was the most nauseating smell Remus had ever experienced and he couldn't control the acidic bile that rose from his stomach in response.

Tears began to spill from Remus' eyes as the creature thrust its head forward and sunk its teeth into the soft flesh of his shoulder. The scream that left Remus' mouth was cut short as the weight was suddenly lifted from his body. He turned his head to see the stout, pyjama clad figure of his father, spring from the cottage, wand in hand and a look of mingled rage and horror spread across his face.

Although the surprise was apparent in his features, Remus' father was in his element. This is what he dealt with every day in his job as an auror for the ministry. As the first figure began firing complicated spells at the feral creature, a second followed. But instead of joining in the fight, it knelt down beside Remus' mangled body, tears springing to its eyes.

'Oh, Remus, my love…,' His mother's voice trailed off as she desperately tried to stem the flow of blood from his shoulder. The last thing Remus saw was the rugged tail of the creature disappearing into the trees, swiftly followed by his father before he darkness swallowed him.