The Heart of Night

Heart of the Night

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Greet the Guests

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2 Moons, 8 Nights

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It was dark. Well, there was more than enough light for Remus's eyes, but the impression of darkness wouldn't leave his mind once it had come there. He heard voices, but couldn't connect them to any people he knew. He felt cold, and trapped, like he had been unable to move.

"Silverize," snarled a cold voice, and Remus froze in fear as he saw a beam of silvery light coming towards him. His instincts were screaming at him, telling him to run, but he couldn't. He couldn't move, and the silver light just kept coming nearer to him, and then --

"Remus! Wake up, Remus, you're having a nightmare! Hey, Remus1" called out a familiar voice. Remus woke up immediately, shaking the nightmare away from himself. Looking up, he saw two pairs of amber eyes watching him. Seeing that he was awake, both Severus and Alan looked satisfied.

"You were having a silver nightmare," Alan said. "I've been having those, too. It's horrible."

"I definitely agree with you on that, cub," sighed Remus. Then he glanced suspiciously at his pack members, who both looked perfectly innocent. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Half past nine," Severus replied. At his alpha's questioning glance, he continued, "Albus gave us all the rest of the week off. You see, Logan Matson is coming here today."

"Logan is coming?" Now, Remus's eyes widened. "Godric. The second time I see him in Merlin knows how long time, and I'm in bed for a silver poisoning. Why can't anything ever be normal for me?"

"Well, it hardly is your fault," Severus commented. "And on that note," he then added firmly, "the thing you did was extremely stupid. Honestly, what were you thinking? You could have died!"

The other adult werewolf met his gaze steadily. "What were you thinking when you killed Gisser?" Seeing that Severus flinched, he continued, "At times, there is no time for thinking. You are a member of my pack, and you were in danger. I had to save you, my own life be damned."

Severus snorted. "Try to get some more sleep now," he said, but although his tone was sharp, there as a warm light in his eyes. "I managed to convince Poppy that you would not like to meet your friend here, in the Infirmary. She will let you go this evening, but only if you get enough rest before that."

"What?" Now, Remus was more astonished than ever. "How did you manage to do that?"

"Well..." The Slytherin smirked. "I just told her that the man coming to visit you is a wild werewolf from the Forest. And she wouldn't like fleas in her dear Infirmary, now would she?"

"Severus!" Remus was scandalized. "How could you say something like that about Logan?"

Shrugging, Severus said, "It's not like he would ever find out. Of course, if you want, I can very well go to tell Poppy that I was just joking. Logan's reputation will be cleared, and you will be stuck here."

Sighing in defeat, Remus shook his head. "One of these days I'm going to die because of you and your Slytherin plots," he said dryly. "Very well. If I have to sleep, then let me sleep. And don't forget your schoolwork, cub. You've already missed a lot, you should at least try to study some."

"I'm trying, Alpha." And, with a small smile, Alan then picked his textbook up again.

*

"Good evening," said a calm voice as soon as Remus opened his eyes. "Before you can ask, it's half past two, and no, Logan has not arrived yet. However, Poppy said that you can leave already if you are careful enough. You won't be able to use your hand properly for still some time, though."

Remus cracked an eye open. "Ever the same, Severus, I see," he said dryly. Then he sat up and groaned aloud in pain. "Merlin, it hurts," he said, holding his bandaged arm. "It hurts a lot."

"Make yourself presentable, please," Severus replied dryly, tossing a robe to him. It wasn't until then that Remus realized he was wearing only his underwear. The sheets had slid down to his lap as he'd sat up, leaving his chest bare. It was only by a great effort that he could keep the blush off his face as he quickly pulled the robe on. Merlin, why did these things always happen to him?

After getting the robe on, Remus flung his legs over the edge of the bed and pushed himself up to his feet. With a flinch, he noted that his injured arm definitely didn't stand leaning on. Well, it had been a bad burn. He noted that again as he tried to walk and staggered after only a few steps. His legs were unharmed, yes, but the recovery had exhausted him. Silver injuries were always difficult to recover from.

In an instant, Severus was by his side, steadying him. Remus prepared himself for the usual sarcastic remark. To his great surprise, there was none. Instead, his beta just offered an arm for him to lean on.

"Has Albus mentioned anything about Logan bringing his mate with him?" asked Remus then.

"Well, he did mention Logan bringing his she," Severus said. "I don't know if they're mated, though."

At this, Remus raised an eyebrow. "You've well learnt the things I've been trying to teach to you, I see," he said. "However, I do think they are mated. I just can't see Logan making somebody the alpha female without mating with her properly. He and his mate form the alpha couple, after all."

"But what about if some other female werewolf challenged and won her?" asked Severus, frowning a bit. "Wouldn't Logan then start to be with that winner, who'd then be the alpha female?"

"No, he wouldn't," Remus said. "You see, although that is exactly how wolves behave, it is not so with werewolves. In a werewolf pack, there are no separated ranking orders for males and females. Anybody can be the alpha, male or female, and they form the alpha couple with their chosen mate -- alpha male and alpha female, two alpha males, or, though that is rare, two alpha females. The alpha can be challenged and won, but nobody challenges the alpha's mate as long as the alpha stays unchallenged. That simply doesn't happen -- you can't do it. It's impossible."

"Is the alpha's mate less important than the alpha, then?" Severus asked. He was now really interested.

"No. Although their position is dependant on the alpha, they are exactly as respected in the pack as the alpha. They haven't maybe challenged or won anybody to get into that position, but it doesn't make them any less the alpha." Remus seemed to be determined to get his point understood.

"So, while wolves have an alpha female and an alpha male, both of which can be challenged at any time," Severus then said, "werewolves can, for example, have two alpha equal males, only one of which can be challenged. But, if that one is challenged and won, the other will lose his position, too. Is that correct?"

Remus smiled and nodded. "That's just it."

"Then would the mate be able to challenge the alpha?" Severus seemed to be really interested now.

"Of course. That happens very rarely, though," Remus said then. "But yes, it is indeed possible."

Just then, Remus got a sudden, very unpleasant feeling of his pack's territory being entered by an intruder. Forcing himself to relax, knowing that it was just Logan and his mate, he glanced at Severus. The Slytherin seemed strained, but then forced himself to adopt a relaxed posture. "Let's go."

*

The few students who were outside at the moment were surprised to see two human figures walking out of the Forbidden Forest. They were a man and a woman, both wearing a bit worn-out robes. As soon as the students saw their amber eyes, everybody moved out of their way, letting them walk up to the castle undisturbed. Nobody wanted any problems with werewolves nowadays.

When they reached the castle, the two werewolves only met a very small, shy-looking boy. He had red hair, pale skin, and alert amber eyes. "Welcome to the lands of the pack of Hogwarts," he said.

"I thank you, Tiny Ginger Cub," replied Logan calmly. "We hold no ill will towards your pack or anybody within its territory, nor do we desire any trouble with either your pack or the Master of the Castle and the other inhabitants of this mighty fortress. However, to my great astonishment I see that your alpha is not here, even though I would have expected him to be here, eagerly awaiting to see his old friend. Am I not in his liking, or why is the young alpha not here to greet me personally, sending forward a cub instead?"

The boy didn't even blink at his use of the werewolf nickname. Logan suspected Remus had told him about that. He was a bit surprised, though -- although he could sense that this boy was indeed a part of Remus's pack, he didn't remember the young werewolf mentioning him. There was a hint of sadness in the boy's scent, just like there was something in his eyes that made him think of somebody who's had a great loss. But what could this small a child have lost to achieve that sadness -- except for his humanity, of course?

"My alpha will come here soon, Wise Wheat Father," the boy replied calmly. "He told me to apologize for not being here to greet you first, as well to tell you that you and your pack are indeed in his liking. However, he got a nasty silver burn just yesterday, and is not as fast on feet as usually."

"A silver burn?" Now, Melena on Logan's side frowned deeply. "Whatever caused that, dear cub?"

"A woman with a serpent's mind and a skunk's character," said a dry voice from behind the boy. Looking up at the large doorway, Logan saw Remus there, leaning on Severus's arm. The young alpha looked tired and worn-out, but still happy to see him. "Logan, it is a pleasure to see you. And is this your she?"

"A great delight to see you, too, you overgrown favoured cub. And indeed, that she is," replied Logan, smiling broadly, although the smile was partly forced. He did like Remus, and a lot, but the hint of silver in the younger alpha's scent as well as the feel of sadness in both Severus and the little boy made him uneasy. "This is Melena Matson, my she and lifemate, and the one who's born me three cubs back in times when we still could claim to love the noise and chatter. Nowadays, neither of us is young anymore, and we've learnt to appreciate the silence, although I cannot say I didn't miss the sight of a child at a time or another. You, however, do clearly not have that problem, young alpha -- there's even a cub for you in the pack."

Remus gave him a weary smile, looking down at the little boy with fondness only an alpha could have for a cub. "Yes, young Alan indeed is the cub of my pack," he admitted. "However, he is more a cub to Severus than he has ever been for me." And, as if on cue, the small boy moved to stand on the beta's side, one of his pale hands almost subconsciously clutching on the hem of the black robe.

"I do see that," said Logan, nodding. "Alan, you said, or did you not? Yes, I do see the bond of him and your beta -- two sad ones come together, how highly appropriate indeed." Then he said, "But should we perhaps move to the insides of the castle, if that is permitted? The little cub has indeed revealed it to us that you have been cursed by the touch of silver. And, although that curse is one of the kind that time will clear away, it is still not wise for a victim of its viciousness to stay out of warmth for a time too long."

Again, the darkhaired werewolf moved to Remus's to support his staggering steps, but Logan stepped forward instead. "Allow me, if it only is possible, Fierce Dark Flame," he said quietly. "I have held, and fulfilled to the best of my abilities, the questionable honour of leading him through the hardest times of the curse that we all have in common. Allow me to lead him now when he is cursed again, though not as bittersweetly as with the burden our Mistress is making us bear through our lives."

When he then took the young beta's place by Remus's side, he smelled Remus's disappointment, although he of course did not hear one complaint cross the younger alpha's lips. However -- and this was what really gave him some hope of maybe being able to make his "favoured cub" happy after all -- he also smelled something else. And that "something else" was the tiny hint of disappointment in Severus's scent.

*