the_bigshow: 2.1.F8. Hunting.
ooc: ...Remus hates me. Every version of him, because this is for any and all 'verses. I labeled it as such, but I'll say it again: This is a nightmare. If events seem...odd? It's because it's all in his head.
Prompt: You have to hunt, and kill, someone or something. Use as much information, tension and buildup as possible. Cut is in place for length, plus violent and graphic content.
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Remus usually did a good job at keeping his head leveled when it came to battle. He had learned this skill in his late teens, while fighting in the first war, and he also knew it from years of keeping anger - and almost every other emotion - in control. He couldn't let the wolf take over, no matter how hard it could get.
As the battle raged on, however, he was finding it extremely difficult to focus let alone keep that control that he was usually so proud of. It was probably the fact that everything was taking place within Hogwarts. Or it was probably that he kept hearing children screaming, because Death Eaters didn't seem to care about the age of their opponents. He kept trying to yell over the curses and hexes that the students needed to leave the school, that they needed to get to safety, but no one would listen. The fighting continued, even if his throat felt almost raw by this point.
Then, out of the corner of his eye he saw it. Antonin Dolohov using his 'famous' spell on a student that couldn't have been older than thirteen. The boy looked so much like Harry that for a second Remus seemed to freeze, but it didn't last long at all. That anger that had been growing within him only seemed to heighten, finally reaching the brim and spilling over so he could feel that hatred burning within him. He could feel it in his veins, running all through him, and at once Remus pointed his wand in Dolohov's direction, sending him flying back against the wall. They dueled for just minutes before the light of another curse going in his direction distracted him, so Remus took his attention away from Dolohov to use a protego to shield himself against it.
When he turned back, however, Dolohov was gone. This should have been enough for him to move on, continue fighting with the other Death Eaters, but he didn't. As soon as he spotted him, and how he was running towards the front door, Remus set out after him at once. Why, exactly, he didn't know; instead he just kept running as his jaw clenched tightly and his vision seemed to turn even more red with each step he took.
Just as he aimed his wand at Dolohov once he was at a close enough distance, a twinge in his muscles made him stop almost at once. No, he thought, it couldn't be. It wasn't... No. No, it couldn't be.
Another twinge, and then another far more painful than the rest was felt, and he finally looked up to have his fears confirmed. The full moon was rising, and no matter how much he tried to tell himself that it couldn't be, that it wasn't right, his body didn't agree with anything that his mind was saying. Instead bones kept stretching, they kept breaking as the skin adjusted and, unable to hold it back, a scream so full of pain and rage escaped from his throat. The scream didn't last, though, because half-way through it something else replaced it - a howl that seemed to echo into the night.
This had been enough to catch Dolohov's attention, for he had stopped in his tracks as Remus' transformation had begun. Now that he stared at the werewolf in front of him, he smirked. "What, did you decide to make this easier for me? Cruc--"
The red light had barely started to make its way out of the wand when Moony - because Remus no longer existed in this form - moved out of the way and leaped in his direction. Remus' ripped clothes and wand remained behind, but Moony didn't care. Moony had no notion for anything that Remus or any human could need. Right now it was all about what he wanted. What he needed, and what he was going to get at any cost.
Catching that dangerous glint in Moony's eyes, Dolohov began running again. He had expected the werewolf to be controlled, because the Wolfsbane potion was supposed to keep Remus' mind in the animal, but what he hadn't counted on was that the potion hadn't been taken. There was no Remus anywhere to be found.
For tonight, he no longer existed.
As Moony chased after him and they ran into the forest, Moony let out a low growl under his breath. Dolohov wasn't saying anything, and he wasn't screaming, but Moony could feel the panic that intensified with each pant. The werewolf snapped his jaws loudly, as if making an attempt to bite him but missing, and the fear was so strong that he could taste it. He could feel himself salivating, but he didn't attack yet. His prey wasn't ready.
Suddenly Dolohov fell, tripping on a branch. Moony leaped easily over it and landed a few feet away from him. Slowly, snarling, he walked closer to him. Dolohov tried to sit up, move away, but before he could actually get up Moony leaped on him and pinned him down with all his strength which made Dolohov wince.
"Let me go," he started muttering. "I swear, when I get away from here--"
Once again, he was cut off but this time it was because Moony growled as he lowered his head so Dolohov could hear him better. So he could hear that panicked heartbeat beating so strongly before he made it stop, so he could sense that fear better.
Just as Dolohov opened his mouth to shout for help, Moony decided he had waited long enough. His stomach was growling almost as fiercely as he had been just seconds earlier, and without thinking about it twice he bit into the man's neck in one swift motion. The rage that had been consuming him earlier made everything seem like a blur, one filled with an occasional struggle and attempts to scream, but Moony didn't care. He took it all in instead, letting it fuel his desire for everything he was denied every other night.
Running on pure adrenaline, he set out once his job was done to look for more prey. As he did so the sky became lighter, and a twinge along his body warned him that the change was coming, but before he could brace himself for it it happened. Bones broke, rearranged, skin stretched, and now instead of the wolf Remus lay on the tall grass, panting. Every inch of him hurt, his lungs felt as if they were on fire, and the taste in his mouth...
Merlin, that taste.
He waited for the nausea to begin, he tried to brace himself for it, but instead his body started shaking more than what it already was after the change. Slowly at first, and then harder as a sound escaped his throat. Not a growl, not a snarl. Not a howl, nor a scream.
Laughter. Laughter so...natural, that he just closed his eyes as the sun started to rise.
He didn't have to go back to Hogwarts to feel as if he was home. He was already there.
Prompt: You have to hunt, and kill, someone or something. Use as much information, tension and buildup as possible. Cut is in place for length, plus violent and graphic content.
________________________________________________
Remus usually did a good job at keeping his head leveled when it came to battle. He had learned this skill in his late teens, while fighting in the first war, and he also knew it from years of keeping anger - and almost every other emotion - in control. He couldn't let the wolf take over, no matter how hard it could get.
As the battle raged on, however, he was finding it extremely difficult to focus let alone keep that control that he was usually so proud of. It was probably the fact that everything was taking place within Hogwarts. Or it was probably that he kept hearing children screaming, because Death Eaters didn't seem to care about the age of their opponents. He kept trying to yell over the curses and hexes that the students needed to leave the school, that they needed to get to safety, but no one would listen. The fighting continued, even if his throat felt almost raw by this point.
Then, out of the corner of his eye he saw it. Antonin Dolohov using his 'famous' spell on a student that couldn't have been older than thirteen. The boy looked so much like Harry that for a second Remus seemed to freeze, but it didn't last long at all. That anger that had been growing within him only seemed to heighten, finally reaching the brim and spilling over so he could feel that hatred burning within him. He could feel it in his veins, running all through him, and at once Remus pointed his wand in Dolohov's direction, sending him flying back against the wall. They dueled for just minutes before the light of another curse going in his direction distracted him, so Remus took his attention away from Dolohov to use a protego to shield himself against it.
When he turned back, however, Dolohov was gone. This should have been enough for him to move on, continue fighting with the other Death Eaters, but he didn't. As soon as he spotted him, and how he was running towards the front door, Remus set out after him at once. Why, exactly, he didn't know; instead he just kept running as his jaw clenched tightly and his vision seemed to turn even more red with each step he took.
Just as he aimed his wand at Dolohov once he was at a close enough distance, a twinge in his muscles made him stop almost at once. No, he thought, it couldn't be. It wasn't... No. No, it couldn't be.
Another twinge, and then another far more painful than the rest was felt, and he finally looked up to have his fears confirmed. The full moon was rising, and no matter how much he tried to tell himself that it couldn't be, that it wasn't right, his body didn't agree with anything that his mind was saying. Instead bones kept stretching, they kept breaking as the skin adjusted and, unable to hold it back, a scream so full of pain and rage escaped from his throat. The scream didn't last, though, because half-way through it something else replaced it - a howl that seemed to echo into the night.
This had been enough to catch Dolohov's attention, for he had stopped in his tracks as Remus' transformation had begun. Now that he stared at the werewolf in front of him, he smirked. "What, did you decide to make this easier for me? Cruc--"
The red light had barely started to make its way out of the wand when Moony - because Remus no longer existed in this form - moved out of the way and leaped in his direction. Remus' ripped clothes and wand remained behind, but Moony didn't care. Moony had no notion for anything that Remus or any human could need. Right now it was all about what he wanted. What he needed, and what he was going to get at any cost.
Catching that dangerous glint in Moony's eyes, Dolohov began running again. He had expected the werewolf to be controlled, because the Wolfsbane potion was supposed to keep Remus' mind in the animal, but what he hadn't counted on was that the potion hadn't been taken. There was no Remus anywhere to be found.
For tonight, he no longer existed.
As Moony chased after him and they ran into the forest, Moony let out a low growl under his breath. Dolohov wasn't saying anything, and he wasn't screaming, but Moony could feel the panic that intensified with each pant. The werewolf snapped his jaws loudly, as if making an attempt to bite him but missing, and the fear was so strong that he could taste it. He could feel himself salivating, but he didn't attack yet. His prey wasn't ready.
Suddenly Dolohov fell, tripping on a branch. Moony leaped easily over it and landed a few feet away from him. Slowly, snarling, he walked closer to him. Dolohov tried to sit up, move away, but before he could actually get up Moony leaped on him and pinned him down with all his strength which made Dolohov wince.
"Let me go," he started muttering. "I swear, when I get away from here--"
Once again, he was cut off but this time it was because Moony growled as he lowered his head so Dolohov could hear him better. So he could hear that panicked heartbeat beating so strongly before he made it stop, so he could sense that fear better.
Just as Dolohov opened his mouth to shout for help, Moony decided he had waited long enough. His stomach was growling almost as fiercely as he had been just seconds earlier, and without thinking about it twice he bit into the man's neck in one swift motion. The rage that had been consuming him earlier made everything seem like a blur, one filled with an occasional struggle and attempts to scream, but Moony didn't care. He took it all in instead, letting it fuel his desire for everything he was denied every other night.
Running on pure adrenaline, he set out once his job was done to look for more prey. As he did so the sky became lighter, and a twinge along his body warned him that the change was coming, but before he could brace himself for it it happened. Bones broke, rearranged, skin stretched, and now instead of the wolf Remus lay on the tall grass, panting. Every inch of him hurt, his lungs felt as if they were on fire, and the taste in his mouth...
Merlin, that taste.
He waited for the nausea to begin, he tried to brace himself for it, but instead his body started shaking more than what it already was after the change. Slowly at first, and then harder as a sound escaped his throat. Not a growl, not a snarl. Not a howl, nor a scream.
Laughter. Laughter so...natural, that he just closed his eyes as the sun started to rise.
He didn't have to go back to Hogwarts to feel as if he was home. He was already there.