The Lambs

I have come to realize I should not have held a poll, and I should have just done SOUL SEEKER. I can’t write Fenrir to save my life.

People just don’t like my Fenrir…. I got 21 reviews for 1 chapter, but I still think most people dislike him. Maybe I should give up? Fenrir is throwing me off my game, and I’m being a rubbish writer. The last chapter was terrible. It was more grammar and spelling mistakes than actual fiction – I haven’t done that badly since I was 13 and did my first fiction.

I hope this chapter is better than the first.

* * *

Words: 4,592
Chapter 2
Attempting to Meet
October 1981.

For the next year, Fenrir spent most of his time stalking the village. Hogwarts, as the whole village was known as, was protected by its magical wall, but that didn’t deter Fenrir from trying to catch glimpses of his mate. Every two or three months, Fenrir would attack anyone who dared leave the protection of the wall. He would drag them to the Forbidden Forest, and he would try to persuade them to bring Harry to him. If they refused, he would torture them, if they still refused he killed them.

The forest was to the right of the wall, and while there were other towns to the left of Hogwarts, the most prosperous and useful towns were beyond the forest. Fenrir vowed that people would not cross safely until his mate was within his reach.

Harry was fifteen months old when James Potter finally reached his limit. He had, irrationally, continued to refuse to allow Remus to rejoin them. He changed the subject whenever the werewolves name was mentioned, and he threw things at anyone who attempted to order him to let Remus come home. Peter Pettigrew was secretly very pleased by all of this. He might have been a Lamb, but he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

He had known all about Harry’s mating mark since the boy was born; he had been the only one to recognize it for what it was, out of those who had seen it. That didn’t include Remus. He had been the one to hint that it could mean something more to James, who had believed it to be a perfectly normal birthmark. Each time they spoke of it, Peter’s eyes would stray towards Remus. He didn’t like Remus. Peter’s father had been a Werewolf, and he had attacked and raped his mother who was an Elemental. When Peter had been born his mother had sent him away with a nanny, even after she had been reassured that her son was not a wolf. But he wanted to be.

He hated his mother. She was too weak to love him, to over come her fear of her attacker and love the innocent child she bore. And Peter hated her for it. He wanted to be a wolf, so he could be strong and fierce and worth something. If he gave a mate to the leader of the strongest wolf pack, surely one of them would turn him as repayment.

He hated Remus for being a werewolf, but being too much of a cowardly human to embrace the gift for what it was. It was something Peter would kill to possess.

Peter watched as James paced around his throne room. It was actually the greeting hall of their castle, named Godric’s Hollow, but James thought it sounded better as the ‘throne room’. He hoped James agreed to his plan. It would make everything so much simpler for him.

“Yes, Peter. You’re right. We should send him away. Greyback can’t keep killing our men. If Harry leaves,” Lily scowled at him and hugged her son tighter. “Just for a little while Lily, just until Fenrir goes searching for him. Then he can come back.”

“Just until he turns 21 you mean,” she hissed mutinously back at him.

“Of course not.” James frowned at her. “What about your sister? Would she take him?” Lily looked horrified.

“James! She’s a horrible, magic hating woman who is married to a magic despising horrible man!” The red haired woman shrieked at her husband.

“We’ll make it worth their while,” he suggested as his fingers brushed over his pocket. His wallet bulged through the fabric.

Peter listened intently as they worked out the details. He had rather hoped the Dursley family live to the right of Hogwarts. They didn’t, but that didn’t deter him. He would find Fenrir and he would travel with the werewolf to the south of Hogwarts, to a town called Little Whinging, where the Dursleys lived at number 4, Privet Drive.

XXX

Five days later, Harry was bundled up in a thick blanket and cradled in his mother’s arms. The woman’s cheeks were tear stained, but she agreed that Harry’s best interests should be at heart. James helped her into the black carriage. The four black horses whinnied slightly, and James followed his wife and son into the carriage. The driver cracked his whip, and the four fastest horses in Hogwarts sped out through the left door, and across the fields and hills towards Little Whinging.

Within the carriage, Lily and James rocked slightly back and forth as the wheels caught over bumps in the grass. Harry stayed snuggled in his mother’s arms, and for the entire journey, Lily refused to speak to James.

When they arrived, two hours later, Lily didn’t wait for James to help her out of the carriage. She jumped down, keeping Harry tight against her chest so she wouldn’t drop him. She strode towards number 4 and knocked on the door, just as James stepped out of the carriage.

A tall, thin woman with mousy brown hair and a long neck answered the door. “What do you wa-?” She started to ask, before her eyes fell on Lily’s face and they widened dramatically.

“May we come inside Petunia?” Lily’s family were humans, ordinary non-elemental humans. James hoped it would be enough to protect and hide Harry from the werewolves.

Petunia swallowed heavily and stepped out of the way, far to afraid to actually argue with them. “Who is it, pet?” a voice called from the living room. Lily nodded to Vernon Dursley as she passed him to sit on a sofa.

“Hello,” she smiled softly, before looking down at her son, who was now wide-awake. The Dursley’s own child, Dudley, was asleep and the adults had been watching television.

Lily put Harry on the floor, and untangled him from the blankets. The boy gave a delighted shriek and started to toddle towards Vernon. “What do you think-? How dare you!” The man shouted, his moustache wiggling on his upper lip. Harry just giggled again, trying to reach up and pull at the moustache. “Now see here boy!”

“His name is Harry.” James spoke for the first time. He moved out of the doorway and sat beside his wife. “We would like you to keep him here, with you, for a time. We would pay you of course, but you must promise to take care of him and keep him safe.”

“Safe from what exactly?” Petunia asked. She was the shrewder of the two adult Dursleys, and she wanted to make sure they weren’t in over their heads before Vernon jumped at the offer of money.

“A werewolf has chosen Harry as his mate. Harry needs to be kept away from the werewolves till he is 21.” Lily said quietly. Half of her still hoped to wake up in the morning and realize this had all been a bad dream. “Guards are on their way. They’ll inform us if anything happens to Harry, or your family. They’ll help protect you all.”

”You won’t need it. Those animals will never find Harry here.” James spat, a dark look forming on his face.

“You want us to keep the boy until he’s 21?” Vernon roared, standing from his chair and knocking Harry over. The boy huffed slightly and shakily got back to his feet. Harry, like most princes, was spoilt. Not overly so, like Draco Malfoy, but enough for Harry to have learnt that he always wanted his own way. He balled his right fist up and punched Vernon behind his knee. The elder man gave a surprised cry and fell back onto the sofa as his leg gave out.

Lily looked appalled, while James personally thought Vernon deserved it. Harry was strong for his age, and everyone said it was because he was expected to mate with a werewolf, but James wouldn’t hear any of that. He used to say it ran in the family. No one really wanted to argue with his or her king.

“Runs in the family.” James told a shocked looking Petunia.

Apparently a little violence was all it took to win Vernon over. “Strong little tyke.” He cooed, leaning forward to pick the boy up. Harry sat in his lap, looking pleased with himself.” “Just like our Dudley, pet. Could be a boxer when he’s older.” The man thought out loud. Harry tugged on his moustache, and Vernon laughed even though it hurt a little. “Cheeky bugger, like our Dudley too.” Petunia just nodded her head slowly, like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“You only have to keep him until Fenrir realizes that Harry is no longer within Hogwarts. Then the werewolf will go away, and we can take Harry back.” Lily said quietly. She rather hoped Fenrir left as soon as possible. She didn’t want to live without her son for long. She’d miss so much of his life.

“Of course, we’d be happy to wouldn’t we, pet?” Vernon seemed to be besotted with the boy. Petunia wondered if it would last once Dudley woke up and threw a tantrum? She shook her head, putting the thought out of her mind, and held her hand out for the handful of notes James offered to her.

“Take care of him.” James said. He took Lily by the elbow and pulled her from the house. She cried and begged him to let her stay, to change his mind and bring Harry back with them. But he didn’t listen, he couldn’t. If he listened to her pleas he might have to grant them, and that wouldn’t be in Harry’s best interest. He helped Lily into the carriage, and sighed as she turned away from his arms and sobbed against the back of the seat instead. She cried for the entire two-hour journey back to Hogwarts.

XXX

January 1982.

Harry was eighteen months old that day, and the boy was shrieking with happiness as Petunia dressed him and Dudley and carried them out to the car. The Dursleys had grown rather fond of the boy, except when he was angry or crying. Petunia had decided, at first, that Harry was obviously not as important as Dudley. Dudley got more food, more toys, nicer clothes and longer nap times, two bedrooms while she left Harry in the cupboard under the stairs. Harry hadn’t been too impressed with that.

He had cried for an hour straight, so Petunia moved him to Dudley’s second bedroom so she wouldn’t have to hear him. Because she couldn’t hear him, she forgot to feed and change him, and Harry had cried more. At one point Petunia was convinced she had heard thunder and saw lightening. But she pushed that out of her mind, lightening storms did not happen in the middle of a heat wave. But then she remembered the strange scar on Harry’s forehead, and she went upstairs to check on him.

The boy was hungry and had a dirty nappy, and there was practically a lake around the bottom of his cot. As he had cried, rain clouds had gathered over his head, and rain had fallen faster and faster. Some of his cries were gurgles, as Harry spat water out of his mouth. Lightening was indeed flashing, but only over Harry’s head.

Petunia ran to the window and pulled down the blinds. She hoped no one had seen anything untoward.

She didn’t know what to do. Vernon was at work, and Vernon was the one who liked Harry. Hesitantly, she picked the boy up. He was soaking wet and shivering. But the moment he was in her arms, the rain and lightening went away. Harry started to get hot, as if the boy was slowly catching fire. In seconds he was completely dry, but still hungry.

Petunia took him downstairs, changed and fed him, and moved him into his own bedroom permanently. From that day forward, she made sure to treat him the same as Dudley. When she did, Harry acted like Dudley – normal.

At the moment, they were all going to pick Vernon up from work, then to celebrate Harry turning a year and a half. He wasn’t with them when he turned a year old, and he might not be with them when he turned two, so the Dursleys were happy enough to celebrate the unconventional age of 18-months-old.

XXX

December 1982.

Harry had been living with the Dursleys for a year and two months before Fenrir realized his mate wasn’t coming back. He had roared and growled and beaten at the doors of Hogwarts, ignoring the pain it caused and the burns on his hands. Then he had run to find his pack.

In the middle of the Forbidden Forest, Bellatrix Lestrange looked up as she sensed Fenrir moving towards them. She smiled at him and flicked her hair behind her shoulders. She sauntered over to him, and attempted to rub against him. Fenrir just wasn’t in the mood; with a growl, he shoved her to the ground.

”Remus!” He shouted, and the nervous looking werewolf who had been waiting with Bellatrix came forward. He tensed as Fenrir reached out to grab his shoulders. “Where would they hide my mate?”

Remus swallowed. As the old best friend of King James, he should have known. A part of him wanted to help his Alpha and turn his nose up at James, but there was a part of him that was afraid for Harry. Sure Fenrir didn’t seem as bad as people made him out to be, but he was still cruel and merciless. Remus wasn’t sure if he would be good for Harry, especially since the boy was so young.

“I don’t know.” He said eventually, lying. Fenrir backhanded him across the face. Lying on the ground, panting slightly, Remus looked up at his Alpha and chuckled lowly. “Ok, I have a good idea, but I’m not going to tell you.”

Fenrir growled and pulled a silver knife from his pocket. The handle was made of brass, so it was safe to touch and Fenrir made sure his fingers never strayed near the silver blade. He pointed it between Remus’ eyes. “Tell me where my mate is.”

“And while I’m at it, I can tell him what you did to his godfather.” Remus spat, looking calmly up at the other wolf. Fenrir threw the knife aside, another wolf barely dodging the deadly silver blade.

“Tell me!” He roared and threw himself at Remus. They rolled around on the floor for a while. Remus didn’t fight back, he merely tried to push Fenrir away, but the silver haired wolf was growling and snarling and biting at Remus. “Tell me.”

Bellatrix was besotted with the Alpha. She may have been turned and mated to Rudolphus Lestrange (who watched the scene quietly and with sympathy) but she really wanted to be with Fenrir. The man was gorgeous and powerful, strong, capable, agile, and a wild ride in the sack. She’d know, she had been there a handful of times.

Mostly, she kept him busy while he waited for his mate to be found. But ever since Fenrir had discovered Harry, he wasn’t interested in Bellatrix, which was stupid really, since Harry wasn’t old enough to mate anyway. Bella moved closer to the fighting wolves and placed her hand on the back of her Alphas neck. “Does it matter?” She said quietly. “The queen couldn’t possibly stand to have the brat away from her till he’s 21. He’ll be back well before then.”

“Don’t,” Fenrir snarled, turning his attention to Bellatrix. “Talk about my mate that way.” His hand gripped her throat, and he knew he was bruising her but he didn’t care. “He means more to me than you do. Remember that.” Bella narrowed her eyes at him for a second, and then bowed her head submissively. Fenrir let her drop to the ground. “Tell me where he is,” he asked Remus again.

The brown haired wolf sighed. “Little Whinging, south of Hogwarts, past the left side of the wall for two hours. It’s the only place where no one would think to look for him.” He sounded resigned and sad. Harry may have been seen fit by fate to spend his life with Fenrir, but that didn’t mean Remus had to like it. His only relief was that, as the creature in the relationship, Fenrir would be driven by his instincts never to harm Harry.

“Then,” Fenrir said with a smirk, “that’s where we’re going.” He grabbed Remus by the collar of his robe and dragged the man to his feet. “Hurry up.”

They headed to Fenrir’s tent. Sitting inside was a ten-year-old red haired boy. He had only been there a year, but Fenrir had taken him in as a pageboy of sorts. “Charlie,” he said to the second child of the Weasley family, “find me a light sword, and something for Remus. No doubt there will be guards.”

“Of course there will be. James is determined to keep you away from Harry.”

Fenrir didn’t say anything back. Instead he nodded at Charlie, and the boy ran off to gather some weapons. Fenrir took the long, thin sword that Charlie held out and handed it to Remus. He grabbed another similar sword for himself, and then tucked a .22 colt revolver into the pocket of his jeans. “Are you ready?” His hair was tied back with a piece of string, but strands of the silver, shoulder length locks fell over his shoulder. Remus nodded.

Two howls pierced the air. Their faces mutated, their muzzles becoming longer and course fur sprouted over their cheeks and foreheads. Fenrir wiggled his nose, sniffing at the smaller creature, which whimpered. Fenrir gave another howl. He was still wearing his jeans. His hair had come free from the string that bound it, and it seemed to have fused to his back, silver fur covered his torso and back and his feet, which were bare, were arched and three sizes bigger, ending with rather sharp claws. His fingers nails were longer and sharper as well, and his fingers were narrower but his palms were bigger. He strapped the sword to his back, and watched as Remus did the same. The wolf men snarled softly as they left the tent. Where Fenrir was silver with black ears, Remus was all brown and shaggier.

Together their hands touched the ground, and using all four limbs they began running, first towards Hogwarts, and then past it. They ran the entire way to Little Whinging.

They changed back once they were on Privet Drive. “Five guards.” Fenrir hissed under his breath, but Remus heard him.

“Harry isn’t here.” Remus said, sniffing discreetly. “He must be with the family.”

As he spoke, a car pulled into the driveway. A large man with a bushy moustache got out of the drivers side and opened the door beside his own. He pulled out a large blond boy, who looked about three or so. The boy was grinning and talking animatedly. A thin woman, Remus immediately recognized her as Petunia, got out of the passenger side. She took a second child out of the back of the car. Harry was lovely, was Remus’ first thought. Lily would be heartbroken to have missed the past year. Harry was taller, still whippet thin though, and his hair was slightly longer. Large green eyes looked up at the woman who was carrying him.

“Picnic?” He asked, referring to what Dudley was babbling on about.

“No dear, it’s going to rain soon.” They had come back early from the zoo because of the weather forecast predicted rain, and Harry wasn’t pleased.

“No rain!” He said glaring at the sky.

“Vernon, he’s doing that thing again.” She whispered, covertly looking around to make sure her neighbours hadn’t noticed.

The man had the key in the lock. He pulled it out, checked the handle to make sure the door was still locked and went back to the car. “Come on then pet.” He put Dudley back in the baby chair, and jumped into the driver’s side again.

”But it’s going to rain,” Petunia complained, fastening Harry up as well.

“Harry said it wouldn’t, so it won’t.” They were quite used to the weather doing what Harry wanted it to. Sure it was a little weird sitting in the park in the rain, where the only place it wasn’t raining was right over their heads, but it had become a part of the norm for the Dursley family. And anyway, most humans knew about Elementals; it wasn’t hidden like it used to be a century ago, before Lord Voldemort.

Fenrir traded looks with Remus. While Fenrir wanted to take the child with him, Remus just wanted to see his godson again, but both agreed that meant they either waited around with the guards, or they followed the family to the park. They started running, looking completely human. The guards traded looks, all highly suspicious before one of them recognized Remus Lupin. They ran, as fast as they’d ever run. They’d been there for a year, which gave them the advantage of knowing all the shortcuts. They arrived at the park before the werewolves.

“Excuse us.” One said as he picked Harry up. “Time to come home little prince.”

“Feel free to visit.” Another said and they all ran again.

When Fenrir and Remus arrived, Harry was nowhere in sight. The remaining three Dursleys looked bewildered and horrified. The second Harry had disappeared from sight, it started raining. “They took him!” Vernon cried, jumping to his feet in outrage. “Call the police!”

Fenrir moved closer to them, listening to them. “They are his guards. They must have felt it necessary.” Harry had been with them for exactly a year, and he was now two years and five months old. They were glad they had gotten to share a birthday and a Christmas with their nephew.

“I’m going to miss the little tyke,” Vernon said, dabbing at his eyes with his tie. Petunia patted him on the shoulder. Her eyes widened as she recognized Remus. She waved, a little hesitantly, and he waved back, and then followed Fenrir as they left the park.

“If we’re quick enough, we can get to them before they reach Hogwarts.” They changed again, becoming half human and half wolf. With a howl, they began to sprint.

The guards were only a mile from the walls of Hogwarts when Fenrir caught up to them. They had acquired a small carriage along the way. Three guards sat inside with Harry held between them, while one drove the horses on. The fifth lay upon the roof, armed with a bow and arrow. He fired at Fenrir, but it wasn’t a fatal shot. Fenrir jumped, landing on the roof and had the man’s throat snapped before the guard could react.

The fourth, the driver, stopped the carriage. The sudden halt of movement threw Fenrir from the roof. He landed with a cry, but was back on his feet in seconds. The fourth guard held Harry now. The other three were spread out around the stopped carriage, each of them holding a weapon towards the wolf man.

Remus had snuck up on the fourth guard. He had Harry in one hand, and was unlatching one of the horses with the other. He was about to mount the freed animal when Remus’ arm wrapped around his neck. Using his free hand, he pulled Harry towards himself and, regretfully, snapped the other man’s neck.

Fenrir had killed two of the last three guards. The third ran like the devil was chasing him, fleeing for his life, and not stopping to check if Harry was safe or not. Fortunately for him, he ran straight into Remus, and knocked the wolf over. His eyes widened as a child fell into his lap as he sprawled across the floor. The third guard looked around wildly, spotted the horse, grabbed Harry and flung them both on the animal. Remus jumped to his feet and started to run after Fenrir.

When he caught up, Fenrir was trying to beat down the left door to Hogwarts. The horse, the guard and Harry had made it inside. Fenrir’s hands were burnt by the time Remus managed to pull him away. Defeated, they made their way around the outskirts of Hogwarts, towards the Forbidden Forest.

“There is always next year,” Remus said attempting to cheer the angry Alpha up.

XXX

It had taken Peter a year to convince James to let him lead the next shopping expedition. Many of the food and produce needed to feed the people of Hogwarts was made inside of the walls, but some of it needed to be purchased from the towns beyond the forest. Every handful of months, depending on how well the stock lasted, a group would head out, led by one of the graduates from the Durmstrang Institute, where warriors where made. Peter hadn’t gone to that school, he had never been much of a fighter so James didn’t think it was a good idea. And then, the fact that he was James’ friend made it a bad idea for James to risk his life. But Peter had finally succeeded in convincing the King to let him outside the wall.

Now, he could go to Fenrir and tell him where Harry was being hidden. Then, he thought with a happy grin, Fenrir would make him a werewolf.

He had mounted his horse, he was at the head of four other horsemen and cart driven by two others. They opened the door on the right side of the wall, just as the left door opened as well. A guard flew through, and Lily recognized the bundle held in the man’s arms. “HARRY!” She cried, ignored Peter’s expedition team, and ran towards her son. James followed her.

The left door was slammed shut. Pounding sounded from the other side. One of the watchmen climbed up the lader beside the door and looked over the wall. “Fenrir Greyback, my king.” He shouted down. He looked harder and frowned. “Four dead guards, and an abandoned carriage and three horses, my king. And Remus Lupin,” he added after a pause.

Peter growled. Sirius patted him on the back in sympathy. No one could have actually guessed that James would be correct and Remus would betray Harry to Fenrir. He was angry too. But it wasn’t for the reason Peter was angry.

No, Remus just had to go and tell Fenrir and ruin Peter’s planning. Now, Peter was stuck as the leader of the expedition, for no reason, cause now he had no information to offer Fenrir anyway. He really hated Remus!

Harry cried for a moment, unused to the red haired woman who held him. The toddler squirmed and shifted but was quiet when a blond haired boy of the same age approached them. Harry looked down at Draco and grinned. Lucius and James watched the boys stare at each other for a second, before Harry held his hands out towards Draco. A gust of wind swept through Hogwarts, and Draco was lifted off of his feet. When he was eye level with Harry, floating on the conjured wind, Harry smiled. “Harry.” He said in his soft, babyish voice.

“Malfoy,” Draco said, imitating his father’s arrogant tone, “Draco Malfoy.”

And that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

XXX

* * *

Sigh – I wont even ask for reviews – I don’t deserve them.

Oh, I updated INDELIBLE at long last, and the next chapter has already been written.