Chapter Text
The door to the small cottage creaked as Regulus pushed it open. Sirius and James haven’t still haven’t returned from the mission Dumbledore sent them on two days ago and Regulus was starting to get worried. Last night had been a full moon, a blood moon.
His brother had told him not to leave the cottage until they returned, but winter was fast approaching, the weather getting colder and Regulus had run out of fire wood to start up the fireplace. Surely Sirius wouldn’t mind if he just went around the house to get some from the shed.
Regulus wrapped his green and silver scarf tightly around his neck and held his wand out in front of him as if waiting for an attack. He looked around nervously, making sure that no dark creatures were lurking around the house before stepping out and shutting the door behind him. He felt the resistance of James’s wards as he walked around the side of the house, James’s magic circling him like a warm hug. Regulus let out a shuddering breath. He really hoped that they’d come home soon.
Regulus walked towards the small utility shed at the end of the property, James’s magic getting thicker and thicker the further he went away from the house. Regulus pushed on, if he didn’t do this now then he wouldn’t pack up the courage to do it later. And he was so cold.
He made it to the shed without any interruptions, grabbing as much wood as he could carry. Hopefully it would be enough until his brother came home. Regulus shut the door to the small shed behind him, trekking back towards the house. He stopped short when he heard low groaning coming from the other end of the property.
They’d had to move out of the city after their old flat had been broken into by rogue werewolves. The cottage that Dumbledore had procured for them was deep in the woods and surrounded by tall oak and pine trees.
Regulus squinted, surveying the area. There was another groan, louder this time. It was accompanied by some unintelligible murmuring and rustling leaves. Before he could stop himself, Regulus took a few steps towards the sound, all of his Slytherin self-preservation instincts leaving his body.
At the very edge of the property, just outside of the wards, Regulus found a young man, not much older than himself, laying in the grass looking half dead. He gasped, almost dropping his wood as he looked over the large scratches on the man’s face and torso. He was naked, Regulus realized after a moment. The bite mark on his hip stood out more than all of the man’s other scars and Regulus really did drop the wood this time.
The man stirred, groaning and moaning in pain, his blood dripping out onto the ground beneath him. Regulus took a few frightened steps back, eyes wide as he looked at the werewolf. Regulus knew that full moons affected a werewolf’s health the day after, bones and joints that need healing and such, but he’d never heard of werewolves being scratched and cut to such an extent.
Regulus examined the tawny haired man from afar. He looked like a normal bloke, if you ignored the scars that littered his body. He also looked pale and thin. Beast or not, Regulus could not leave him out there to bleed out. He wished that Sirius and James were here to take care of the wolf boy for him.
After collecting his firewood again, Regulus pointed his wand at the wolf. “Wingardium leviosa.” The werewolf levitated into the air, hovering just outside of the wards. Regulus quickly disabled James’s wards to let the injured creature in and then put them back up once the werewolf was inside.
Using his wand, he levitated the injured werewolf towards the house and up the stairs into his bedroom where he set him down on his bed. Locking the door behind himself, Regulus went into the bathroom to get all of the healing potions that he could find. He grabbed Sirius’s jar of dittany and went back to his room.
The werewolf was still unconscious when Regulus came in to heal him, but the wizard was still nervous about being mauled. Logically, Regulus knew that werewolves were only really dangerous on full moons during their transformations, but Regulus had also read in school that they had supernatural strength.
He took a deep breath and clenched his eyes shut for a moment, building up courage to approach the bed where the werewolf was sleeping soundly. Regulus crept forward slowly, vigilant as he brought his first phial close to the werewolf’s mouth. He had to use one hand to prize the werewolf’s jaw open while the other hand poured in the blood replenishing potion. He forced in a pain potion next as well as a sedative.
Regulus pointed his wand at the werewolf’s chest and healed the scratches with the few healing spells that he knew and hesitated before lathering on the dittany. Brushing the hair out of the werewolf’s face to get a good look at it, Regulus studied him for a long moment. He wasn’t ugly, but the scars distracted from his handsome face. Sighing, Regulus muttered a quick binding spell, ensuring that the werewolf wouldn’t be able to leave the bed and attack him.
Regulus pulled his rocking chair closer to the bed and sat with a book in his lap, waiting for his guest to come to. It was more than two hours later before the werewolf started stirring, mumbling quietly to himself. Regulus looked up from his book, grey eyes landing on amber. Regulus jumped to his feet, raising his wand as the werewolf tried to wriggle out of his invisible restraints.
“Don’t- don’t move or you’ll open up your wounds again,” Regulus blurted, eyeing the werewolf with wide eyes. The man stilled for a moment, his eyes boring into Regulus’s.
“You healed me?” Asked the werewolf, his face unreadable. Regulus gulped and nodded slowly, his hands shaking as he inched closer to the predator.
“You were bleeding out on my property,” he replied, voice trembling. “I couldn’t leave you out there.” The werewolf studied him as the boy shuffled closer, holding out a phial as a peace offering. “It’s a Pepper Up potion. It’ll warm you up, you were shivering when I found you,” Regulus explained as he held the potion above the werewolf’s mouth.
“Do you think I’m stupid?” The werewolf scoffed, baring his sharp canines. “I won’t accept that poison!”
Regulus frowned, offended by the accusation. “Why would I heal you if I was going to kill you? I’m trying to help you, you pillock,” he replied angrily. The werewolf considered him for a moment, his dark eyes searching Regulus’s face for any trace of deception. He found none.
“Fine,” he said after a moment. The werewolf opened his mouth and allowed Regulus to pour the Pepper Up down his throat.
“You’re naked,” Regulus stated once he’d stored the phial away for another time. The werewolf stared at him, watching as Regulus’s cheeks flared red. “I, erm, I didn’t mean to touch you without your permission, but… well, you were dying so I thought…” Regulus cut himself off as the werewolf smirked devilishly.
“I suppose the state of my body won’t matter much when the Aurors take me away,” the werewolf said, his smirk disappearing. “I bet they’ll give you a nice reward for capturing me.” His tone was bitter and Regulus flinched unwillingly.
“I didn’t- I’m not going to give you in to the Ministry,” Regulus told him, solemnly.
The werewolf raised his eyebrows, eyeing Regulus in disbelief. “Oh? Then why have you tied me up?”
Regulus bit down on his bottom lip and eyed the werewolf warily. “I didn’t want you to kill me,” he replied honestly. The werewolf laughed then dissolved into coughs as his chest ached.
“You’re the one holding the wand,” the werewolf said, looking at Regulus pointedly, “you could kill me before I even got my hands on you.”
This was true. Though, it did not stop Regulus from fearing the worst.
“You were bitten,” Regulus said, changing the subject. He moved back to sit in his rocking chair, keeping his eye on the creature in his bed.
“Yes,” the werewolf said, suddenly looking put off.
“How- I mean, when? What age?” Regulus asked, curious as always.
“When I was five,” the werewolf replied.
“You were- what were you before?” Regulus asked, tilting his head the way he did when he was curious about something.
“Mum was muggle and dad was a wizard. Guess that makes me a half-blood. Halfbreed now, though.”
“Was? They’re dead?” Regulus asked, frowning. The werewolf nodded, turning his face away from Regulus.
“Mine too,” Regulus mumbled causing the werewolf to look at him again. “They were both pure bloods,” he added.
“That explains your fancy cloak.”
Regulus looked down at himself. He’d forgotten to remove his outdoor cloak. It was black and velvety, trimmed with gold details and gold buttons. Regulus blushed and removed his cloak, revealing his less fancy– although still expensive– robes.
“My name is Regulus,” he introduced himself, folding his hands nervously in his lap. The werewolf studied him, pursing his lips.
“Remus,” he said eventually.
Regulus perked up, a small smile on his plush lips. “Like the Roman tale?” He asked. Remus furrowed his eyebrows, looking at Regulus questioningly.
“What?”
“Never mind, it’s a muggle thing. I suppose that you wouldn’t know about it,” Regulus muttered.
“My mum was muggle, I probably know more than you,” Remus retorted. Regulus looked uncertain. He’d been told that werewolves didn’t get any proper education. Beasts don’t bother with school.
“Maybe,” he said after a pause. “I don’t actually know much about muggle things. Just what I’ve read in books.” Remus watched him for a bit longer, not uttering a word.
Then, he beckoned Regulus closer. “You are going to let me go, aren’t you?” Remus asked, voice tight. He was nervous, Regulus realized.
“You’re injured. I’ll heal you right up and then you can go back to your… pack,” Regulus replied, eyebrows creasing in the middle.
“I don’t have a pack,” Remus spat, eyes turning dark. Regulus couldn’t tell if he was upset that he was alone or if he was offended that Regulus had suggested that he’d travelled with others of his kind.
“You’re pretty beat up,” Regulus said, “did you get into a fight with another werewolf last night?”
Remus hung his head, closing his eyes tightly. “No. I… I did that myself,” he replied. Regulus furrowed his brows, looking down at Remus’s injuries.
“You scratched yourself? Why?” Regulus asked, looking utterly confused.
“If I hurt myself… then I don’t have to hurt other people.”
Regulus blinked, taken aback.
“You… if I untie you will you hurt me?” Regulus asked, looking nervous.
Remus quickly shook his head, eyeing Regulus pleadingly. “I promise I won’t. I’ve never hurt anyone,” Remus said. Regulus hesitantly undid the binding spell, allowing the werewolf to sit up in the bed. Regulus blushed and looked away when the blanket that he’d thrown over Remus slipped down, revealing the skin just above werewolf’s lower regions.
“Do you live alone? You look rather young,” Remus said conversationally. Regulus shook his head, rummaging through his closet to find something for the werewolf to wear.
“I live with my older brother and his best friend. They’re out on a… mission,” he shot Remus a nervous glance, “but they’ll be back any day now. They aren’t usually gone this long, but with the attacks going on in the city they’ve been staying away for long periods of time.”
“How old are you?” Remus asked him, gratefully accepting the sweater and pyjama bottoms that Regulus offered him.
“I’m seventeen,” Regulus replied. Remus stood up from the bed, dropping the blanket onto the floor. Regulus’s eyes widened and he turned away quickly, facing the closet as Remus dressed himself. Regulus’s clothes fit him snuggly. Remus had a considerable height advantage on the boy, so the shirt was a close fit and the bottoms stopped above his shins.
“How old are you?” Regulus asked, glancing over his shoulder to see if Remus was done.
“Nineteen,” Remus replied, falling back into bed. He was exhausted from his long night and his muscles still ached from the transformation.
“Are you– do you want to stay here for a bit? You’ll be safe, I have wards around the house,” Regulus offered. He knew that he was acting stupidly. Sirius and James were going to kill both him and Remus when they came home, but Regulus felt an inexplicable need to take care of the werewolf.
“You’re sure you want a monster staying in your home?” Remus asked him, raising an eyebrow. Regulus gulped, he could hear his mother’s shrill voice yelling at him to kill the werewolf in front of him and turn the body in to the Ministry. He could hear Sirius’s voice nagging him, telling him that he’s an idiot.
“As long as you don’t try to eat me in the night,” Regulus replied, only half-joking. Remus quirked a smile, shaking his head gently. Regulus thought that he looked sweet when he smiled. He immediately pushed the thought away.
“Do you want me to cast some warming charms? It’s pretty cold in here,” he offered, trying to find something to do.
“That’d be nice, thanks,” Remus replied. He watched as Regulus waved his wand, the room instantly becoming considerably warmer. Regulus conjured a glass of water and a sandwich from the fridge, setting them on his bedside table.
“Eat and then you should rest. You look tired,” he said. Remus blinked at the food and then turned his gaze back to Regulus. “You can– how’d you do that?” He asked.
Regulus shrugged, scratching his arm nervously. “Uh, with my wand?”
Remus picked up the sandwich, eyeing it suspiciously. “Have you never seen a wizard perform magic before?” Regulus asked, bewildered. Remus shook his head. “Well, I’ve seen fighting with wands, but never seen a wizard make a sandwich with one,” Remus whispered.
“I didn’t make it,” Regulus mumbled, “it was just in the fridge. I Summoned it.” Remus looked at him in confusion, but soon focused on his sandwich. He’d not eaten since the previous morning.
“I’ll leave you to rest. Call on me if you need any more potions,” Regulus said, retreating towards the door.
“Thanks,” Remus called after him before he left. “For the food and for letting me stay here.”
Regulus smiled softly. “You’re welcome.”