The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

The First Drops of Blood

The First Drops of Blood

"I'm so bloody hungry, I could eat a horse," Greyback groaned as they moved through the trees.

Ned Veigler shivered. He had a feeling the words were a threat to him. He closed his eyes, trying to remind himself of all of the reasons why he was ready to die tonight. Not seeing another full moon, not having to transform into the horrific beast that he would be under Greyback's full control was one of them. Ending the pain, ending the fear, ending everything he had been through all of his life... He wished things were different, wished he'd taken Newt Scamander up on his offer of safe keeping in his briefcase... But this was his destiny.

The centaurs had said so.

Orion Black paused in the path. They'd come to the top of a ridge that looked back over the forest's tree top, the village of Hogsmeade below, Hogwarts castle silhouetted far away at the horizon. He looked back across the way they'd come. "We're being followed," he said.

Greyback smiled broadly, "Do you think I don't know that?" he reached the crest of the hill. "He's been there for some time."

Rudolphus was clutching onto Ned Veigler's forearm roughly, holding so hard that Ned's skin was turning purple beneath his fingertips. "Who's followin' us?" he asked. "Dumbledore?"

Greyback shook his head, "Better." His eyes twinkled with excitement.

Ned glanced over his shoulder at the trees, wondering who was there, if whoever it was was coming to save him, if there was any hope at all.

Greyback took a deep breath as he stepped into the moonlight at the top of the ridge. The moon burned his skin, made his forearms tremble with pain and strength, and he could feel the wolf within him awakening, though not yet coming. He grinned and reached into his pocket, withdrawing the aconite leaves and shoving them into his maw. He looked at Veigler, "Aconite?" he held a couple of the purple flowers to him.

Veigler shook his head.

"Aren't you a martyr," Greyback laughed, and he shoved Ned down to the floor of the forest, slamming him into the roots of a large tree.

Orion's eyes moved along the treeline. "Greyback." He nodded to the break in the trees where a dark shadow moved closer.

The chestnut and auburn form of Neremai emerged, stepping into the clearing. He held his bow, loaded with an arrow already, at eye level as he approached.

Greyback grinned, "Hello, Neremai."

Ned looked around to see the leader of the centaurs step into the clearing. His heart rate rose quickly, his skin going cold with fear and the smallest strain of hope.

"You are not welcome in this forest," Neremai said, his arrow pointed directly at Greyback's chest.

Greyback grinned, "My omega has told me you've said this."

"The stars predict blood, Greyback," Neremai said thickly. "And I am prepared to make that blood yours."

Greyback smiled, his lips curling into a laugh slowly, eyes twinkling. They stared into one another's eyes. Neremai let fly his arrow and Greyback ducked away with his wolfish instincts, and drew his wand from his sleeve, slashing it in the direction of the centaur. "Petrificus totalus!" he shouted, cackling loudly as the centaur went stiff and fell into the snow, unable to move.

Ned Veigler's hope went out of him.

Orion Black stared down at the stiff centaur at his feet.