Fenrir thinks you're pretty when you cry. (unmuzzled) wrote in an_ill_wind, @ 2009-05-28 05:54:00 |
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Entry tags: | - 1980/05 may, fenrir greyback, remus lupin |
Who: Remus Lupin and Fenrir Greyback
When: Wednesday, 28 May, 1980; after this.
Where: A village; Hampshire, England.
What: A little chat and then a deal.
Rating: PG-13ish.
Status: Completed log.
Fenrir flipped his journal shut and eyed the little sitting on the couch. He was young, six or seven, and clearly tired out. He had been fighting the monster of a man on and off for several hours. Right now, he was off and Fenrir pushed himself to his feet, letting out a deep sigh. What was his name? Aaron, that's right. Fenrir pulled his wand out of his pocket, half disgusted at the object, but knowing it was entirely necessary. Sirius Black had decided to add a child to the ranks of werewolves and so Fenrir would make good on that part of the promise. He cast a silencio and then a binding spell, ignoring the little boy's silent protests. "Stay here," he growled, as if the boy had anywhere to go. "I will be back for you." He said it as if it would be a comfort. The little boy simply looked more terrified at the thought. Fenrir didn't notice. He would learn as he grew. He would make sure of it. With a low pop, Fenrir apparated to the little village in Hampshire, remembering this place quite vividly. He was slightly dirty, scruffy as always and the shirt he was wearing was slightly too small for his large, solid frame, but he moved with a fluidity that should have been impossible. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, for as much as young Remus said he would be alone, Fenrir was not about to take chances on that singular word. He could smell him, somewhere close. Nothing else out of the ordinary. All werewolves had a particular scent, as did all humans. He sensed nothing amiss, and thus, relaxed a little as he prowled around to the front of the house. Remus blamed Sirius for this. Completely and utterly. After first yelling at him for merely implying that he was talking to Greyback (so what if he actually was?), Sirius'd had the audacity to actually ask him to talk to him, to find the child whose blood was in Greyback's journal entry. He hadn't planned to meet with Greyback this soon. He had only wanted to talk to him, to establish a bit of a relationship before things went any further with the packs, but now his hand had been forced by one of his supposed best friends. He had apparated to the house he had grown up in, at least until he had been bitten and they had been driven out of the village by gossip and fear. He didn't really remember the house much, he had only been four at the time, but he vividly remembered this garden, and the attack. Hearing Greyback approach, Remus stood still and waited, hand on his wand just in case. He felt sick at what he was about to do, and tried to force down just how angry he still was with Sirius. Maybe it was the pull of the moon, but he couldn't quite let go of his anger like he usually did. Not this time. Fenrir rounded the corner of the house, pausing as he eyed the wand in the other werewolf's hand. He thought the boy was a bit scrawny. Symptomatic of not letting the wolf run, he reminded himself. In any case, it was better to get the formalities over with. His instincts still told him he was safe, and so he took a few cautious steps forward. "You don't need that," he assured him curtly, gesturing vaguely toward his wand. Good that he wasn't stupid enough to not suspect a trap, though. This was neutral territory, neither of them having any more claim over it than the other. At least, not any more. And still, Fenrir could not quite help but take control a little, unconsciously standing taller, chin up just a little more as he approached Remus. "Evening, though," he greeted slightly more casually, despite the assertion. Remus tensed when Greyback came into view, hand tightening around his wand. He didn't quite relax when Greyback told him he didn't need it, but the fact that Greyback was alone as he was helped a little. This was still Fenrir Greyback, after all. "Evening," he replied cautiously, and straightened his spine, wishing he was taller. His expression was neutral, but there was something in his eyes that betrayed a confusion he was trying very hard to deny to himself. It might have been comical, the way they regarded each other if their lives weren't on the line. They looked like two animals in a silent struggle for dominance. But there was no one around to laugh. He nodded toward the porch, taking a few more steps that way. "Sit down," he suggested in as firm of a voice as he could without making it sound like a command. This time, he kept his eyes trained more singularly on Remus's face, again, a challenge of dominance even if he didn't necessarily do it consciously. "Was there something in specific you wanted to talk about?" he asked after another beat of silence. He was picking up - a little - on some of what Remus was trying to hide. It was something he could dig at and exploit, but not until they actually started talking about it. Remus looked away, his neutral expression faltering and allowing some of his troubled frame of mind to be revealed before the mask slid back into place. Taking a deep breath, he slid his wand into his pocket, then moved over to the porch and sat down. Later he would kick himself for following Greyback's orders without question but was too preoccupied to realise right now. "I don't know," he said finally, trying to remember what he had written in his journal. "I had a fight with my best friend today and I guess it got to me more than I realised." How am I going to do this? he wondered. For all he knew the kid was already dead, but if he wasn't, how was he going to convince Greyback to take him to him without making him suspicious. Fucking Sirius, he thought again, his fist clenching. Fenrir waited until Remus was seated before sitting as well (a stair above him). He was slightly more relaxed this way, focusing his immediate attention on what Remus was saying. "Your best friend," he repeated, unable to hide the slightest bit of mockery in his voice... and not really putting forth any effort to. "About what?" Could he really admit to what it was about? What else could he say? Remus generally felt the truth worked best when twisted to suit his purpose rather than an outright lie. "You," he said bluntly, glancing up at Greyback with a brief flick of his eyes. "He seemed to feel quite strongly that I shouldn't speak to you at all." Fenrir lifted his brow slightly, lips twitching upward for a second. "Do you always let him tell you what to do?" he asked curiously, still vaguely amused at the notion. Remus snorted, but immediately memories of all the times he had backed down and agreed with the other three just to keep the peace (keep his friends) flooded his mind and his jaw clenched. "I'm here now, aren't I?" Because of Sirius, a traitorous voice whispered in his mind. You're here because he told you to. "Yeah, you're here," Fenrir agreed evenly. "And have you thought about my invitation for Friday? You'll feel better if you let the wolf run. If the wolf is happy, so are you." Remus certainly couldn't deny that. He had endured so many years of being locked up and tearing himself apart and had the scars all over his body to prove it. He was afraid though, of what the Ministry might do. The closer they got to Friday with no word from the Ministry made Remus think they were more focused on their restructuring and might leave the werewolves alone this time. It was only a matter of time though before someone wanted to know where he spent the full moon. "I've thought about it," Remus admitted, his foot beginning to tap a fast rhythm on the step below him. "I don't think I can though." He wanted to let the wolf run but he had heard the stories, he knew what the wolves with Greyback did and he wouldn't be a part of that. Fenrir could almost feel the apprehension baking off of the young man and his eyes locked on his fidgety leg. "You can," he corrected him. "I would make an exception for you if you like, to stay somewhere remote. You don't want to hurt anyone, that's fine, I'm not about to tell you you have to. But let yourself out. You'll feel the difference." He was making promises that would be difficult to keep - he had a timetable to work with after all, when it came to the other packs and he couldn't afford to run out of time. But Remus was one of his and so, he would make the necessary changes if he had to. He still had some time before things were supposed to be ready for the Dark Lord. "I know the difference," Remus corrected. "I haven't been locked up for a full moon since I was fifteen, save the odd one when-" Cutting himself off abruptly, he shook his head. "I just don't think I should this time, not with what's happening at the Ministry. It's a risk, and an unnecessary one at that. I survived being locked up for years and I can again." Fenrir sighed heavily, clearly displeased at the provided explanation. There were parts of it, of course, that he noted silently. But he had to pick and choose what to respond to or else this conversation would get wildly off track. And so, that bit about having not been locked up since he was fifteen (and the way Remus so quickly cut himself off) went into Fenrir's head and stayed there. They could talk about it again later. "Why are you scared of them?" he half-growled, distaste clear in his voice. "They only have the power you give them. Why do you let them turn you into nothing? Why are you ashamed of yourself?" Remus leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees, head bowed. He didn't know how to argue against the charge that he was ashamed, so he focused on the part he could argue with. "They have power because they're the fucking Ministry. They're the ones who make the laws and enforce them. And maybe one day they'll change those laws for the better, but until that day comes, I have to live according to their rules as they stand right now." Fenrir sneered, brow furrowed. "No you don't, pup. You can stand up and take control of your life like they would never let you. You're just a number to them, Remus, and I bet they made you memorise it. You're worth more than the registration code they slap on your papers, like you're some pedigreed animal to be shuffled around until they get bored with you." Remus was beginning to realise just how far he had let the conversation get off track. But maybe a deal could be done. Maybe. "I'd rather deal with all of their bullshit than put people's lives at risk," he said, glancing up at Greyback. "Like that child you were talking about in your journal." Fenrir didn't respond right away, considering Remus for a long moment. Was this really what he'd asked him here to talk about? About the boy? "What about the child?" he asked, a dangerous edge to his already low growl of a voice. Remus didn't look away though the warning tone of Greyback's growl sent a shiver down his spine and he knew he had to tread carefully. "Is he still alive?" Another beat of silence before, "Yes." Very dangerous ground, Remus realised as he stared at the foreboding figure of Fenrir Greyback. He had to at least try though. He knew he wouldn't forgive himself if he could have done something to save the child and didn't. "Give the boy to me and I'll run with you on Friday." So that was why. Fenrir felt rather betrayed against his better judgement. He had come here, after all, against his better judgement, to find out now it was under false intentions. Of course, the little boy was of nearly no consequence to him. It was a game and Fenrir couldn't really have cared less about what happened to him. He took no responsibility for him until he bit him. Until then, he was live bait for whatever he wanted. And so, for a long moment, he considered the deal. "You can have him on Friday," he said finally. "Just before sunset. Bring a friend--" the word was pure mockery "--to take him away. You will stay with me once they have both gone." He held Remus's gaze, just short of murderous. "No tricks, pup," he warned seriously. "Or I will massacre a nursery and let the parents know who to send their complaints to." Remus swallowed hard, hoping like hell that he wouldn't end up regretting it, but at least the boy would live. Or would he? He wouldn't put it past Greyback to deliver a dead child. He wanted to insist that Greyback go and get him now but he knew he was on thin ice as it was. Chances were high that Greyback would simply leave and not come back. "The boy will still be alive and relatively unharmed on Friday? And I have your word that you won't hurt my friend?" "As much as I loathe playing babysitter, yes, he will be as unharmed as I can bother with," Fenrir almost drawled the sentence, idly rolling his eyes. "I will not hurt your so-called friend so long as everything goes according to plan. If I get a whiff of anyone else, I will not fucking hesitate to kill all of you as messily as I know how." Again, it was on the tip of Remus' tongue to ask why he couldn't just go and get the boy now and he couldn't hold it back this time. "We could make the exchange earlier than Friday," he suggested, deliberately blanking his mind to his role in that suggested scenario and what that might entail. "And for such an advance, what can you offer me?" Fenrir inquired, not looking very pleased with the suggestion. He didn't want to give up his leverage over Remus unless there was a very good reason. "I have guarantee but your word that you won't just run." Remus thought for a long moment but could only think of one suggestion that might make Greyback agree to this plan that was sounding crazier by the minute to Remus. I am one of the good guys, he told himself firmly, to reassure himself that this wasn't as stupid as James, Sirius and Peter would probably tell him it was. And we don't let children die if we can help it. "What if I give my wand to my friend before he takes the boy away?" He wasn't really sure what he would do after the full moon, but he would figure that out later. Fenrir frowned. "...How about you give it to me before I hand the boy over?" He didn't want to risk any fake friend of Remus's apparating back to get him in the day and a half between handing the boy over and the full moon. "Will you give it back to me after the full moon?" Remus asked, as every instinct he had screamed at him not to trust this man. "Yes. In the morning. I have no use for two wands," Fenrir replied, clearly beginning to find this entire conversation tedious and boring. Salazar, he should have just killed the idiot child twelve hours ago. "It's collateral." "Fine. Then when and where do you want to make the exchange?" Remus asked, wanting to get the whole thing over and done with as much as Greyback clearly did. "Tomorrow. Noon. Right back here," he replied shortly, pushing himself to his feet again. "I mean it, Remus. Nothing will go wrong, or you'll wish that boy's life was the only thing ending in a bloody mess." Fenrir was faintly aware that he might be losing any ground he might have made with Remus. But if the exchange had to be earlier, he had lots of things to take care of tonight before having this pup following him around. Remus scrambled to his feet after Greyback stood and nodded. "Noon tomorrow. We'll be here," he agreed. "Nothing will go wrong. I'll make sure of it." "Good," he said gruffly, inwardly amused that Remus was nearly falling over himself to try and stay on somewhat even ground with him. "I'll see you tomorrow." One, two, three steps and pop. Fenrir, large man that he was, still disappeared into thin air as seamlessly as anyone else. Now he was in a hurry. |