This Sporting Life

This Sporting Life

Lupin likes to pretend that man and wolf are separate entities. It is not true. In his dreams he runs through the long grass, scenting the rich earth, the damp trace of rabbits. Three shapes run beside him, undefined, but he does not turn round. He wakes to the ecstasy of blood in his mouth.

--

'Thank you, Severus.' Ignoring his aching joints, Lupin climbed to his feet. Snape watched him as he rose. Lupin met the stare with one of his own, and after a moment Snape averted his eyes.

'Don't thank me, Lupin.' Snape held out the smoking goblet. With a tiny shrug, Lupin took it. Draining the contents, he looked up to find Snape gazing at him once again, and once again the other man looked away.

Lupin wiped his mouth with his sleeve, grimacing. 'The taste doesn't get any better. But then I suppose they have you working on other things these days.'

For the briefest of instants he saw shock flare in Snape's eyes. 'Yes,' the Potions Master agreed, in a voice that might have sounded normal if Lupin had not known him so well. Taking the goblet from Lupin, he turned towards the door. 'I wouldn't worry about the taste,' he said, in a high, unsteady voice. Then he was gone, pulling the cell door shut behind him. Lupin frowned.

--

When the cell door next scraped open it was Malfoy. He stood for a second surveying Lupin, wand hand resting lazily against his thigh.

'On your feet.'

Lupin raised an eyebrow. 'Make me.'

Malfoy shrugged, and raised his wand. 'Imperio. On your feet. Unlike you, Lupin, I don't have time to waste. This way.'

His feet moving of their own volition, Lupin followed Malfoy through the door and along the passageway. A double door gaped open at the end of a flight of stairs. Malfoy stopped just inside it and gestured out.

'We're setting you free.'

Lupin did not move. 'What's the catch?'

Malfoy smiled. 'How well you know me. It's very simple. Moonrise is in eight minutes. I'll give you five more after that to get as far as you can, then I let out the dogs.' He smiled again. 'If you're lucky you might even survive the night. If you can get out of the grounds, you're free to go. The main gate is to the south.'

'Some chance,' Lupin said bitterly.

'It's the best you'll get.'

Lupin gave him a narrow stare. 'I might not run,' he suggested. 'The thought of tearing you apart has a certain appeal.'

Malfoy laughed. 'Try not to be stupid, Lupin: it doesn't suit you. Werewolves are resistant to magic, not immune. And even if you were -' his hand strayed to the double door '- all I have to do is close this.' He tapped his wand against his thigh. 'Seven and a half minutes. Any questions?'

'Only one,' Lupin said. 'Why the Wolfsbane?'

'Because I want you to understand what is happening to you.' Malfoy jerked his head. 'See how far you can get. Run.'

Lupin ran.

--

Climbing a tree was futile: the wolf would panic and fall. Unable to decide whether Malfoy was telling the truth about the gate, he took his bearings from the stars and headed west, keeping Orion to his left as he ran. Frozen twigs crackled and snapped under his feet, and more than once he skidded and fell headlong on hidden streaks of ice. After a few minutes five six seven? he found himself in a clearing and halted. His breath fogged in front of him as he gasped in cold air and his heart jerked painfully in his chest. Out of condition, he chided himself. It had been a long time since the wolf had had a chance to run free.

Hr stripped off his clothes and stuffed them high in the branches of an ancient oak. If he was lucky they would distract the hounds and buy him some time. Blowing on his hands to warm them, he stamped back and forwards, shivering and glancing occasionally to the east for the first sight of the rising moon.

--

The moon is a white glow in a mist-covered sky; the frosty ground is hard beneath his pads. He has spent too long indoors, fettered by cushions and curtains. The wolf lifts up its head and howls in exultation.

--

He ran in a straight line, heading for the boundaries of the Malfoy estate. He had gone perhaps half a mile before a spatter of yaps and barks rose up in the distance. At once the wolf surged up within him, scenting blood and willing him to turn back. With an effort, he forced it down.

As the wolf raced through the undergrowth, Lupin examined his options. He had been unconscious when they had brought him here, the victim of two simultaneous Stunning Charms, and he had no real idea of the layout of the estate, nor what awaited him should he manage to reach the gates. It was unlikely, he thought, that he would simply be allowed to leave, but it was the only chance he had, and Lupin had grown used to taking his chances where he found them.

Inside him, the wolf lay quiescent, waiting for its moment.

--

The barking was loud in his ears now, and for the first time Lupin heard the sound of pursuit crashing though the bushes behind him. They were getting closer. He ducked and swerved as he ran, but the hounds were hard on his trail. Dark shapes flickered at the edges of his vision as he hurtled into a tiny clearing. He had run out of time.

Here, then. He backed up against a tree, determined not to be outflanked, as three dogs advanced into the clearing, eyes glowing in the moonlight. Ears flat back on their skulls, they edged forwards, staring at their prey, each one careful not to get too far in front of its companions. Eyes darting from side to side as the dogs approached, Lupin waited.

They were the size of foxhounds, smaller than the wolf and more agile, and well used to working as a team. The dog to his right feinted; as Lupin's eyes slid towards it, the dog on his left lunged at his throat and he leapt sideways, only just avoiding the bite. Tensing his hind legs, he sprang, hurling himself at his attacker, and they rolled together, snarling.

The others were on him in a flash, nipping and tearing at his flanks as he jerked and twisted in a frantic effort to avoid them. The dog in his jaws went limp and he knew that its neck was broken. Tossing it high into the air, he sprang round to face the others.

Teeth slashed through his hind leg and he felt the muscle tear. He kicked out viciously and the dog on his left went sprawling. Directing his attention to its partner, he caught a foreleg between his teeth and tugged. He heard a sickening crunch as the bone snapped, and the dog yowled in pain. Lupin's stomach churned, and for a moment he thought he might be sick. Ignoring his crippled adversary, he turned to face the remaining dog, which was struggling back to its feet.

The two of them circled one another, growling. The dog's eyes were filled with hate. Deep inside, Lupin felt the elation of the wolf. He pawed the ground, waiting, knowing that the smaller dog would eventually make its attack.

He saw the other's shoulders stiffen just before it rushed him. As he sidestepped, his damaged hind leg betrayed him and he staggered and fell. He rolled as he hit the ground, and the teeth that would have laid him open from heart to groin tore a long strip of flesh from his back instead. Lupin climbed unsteadily to his feet. Beside him, the dog dipped its head and snarled, then leapt for his throat. Lupin dodged and the dog flew past him in a rush of cold air. As it tried to regain its balance, Lupin's jaws clamped down and he ripped a hole in its neck that he knew must be fatal. Blood pumped over his front paws, shockingly warm, and steam rose where it met the frozen earth. Before Lupin could stop himself, the wolf had buried its muzzle in the wound and was drinking in the rich aroma. Lupin pulled his head away sharply. Then he lurched to the edge of the clearing and was sick.

--

He was bleeding all over from countless bites and scratches, and the deep gouge on his back stung in the cold air. He was limping too, the leg wound making running impossible, and the wolf's dark fur was matted with his attackers' blood and his own. Lupin knew he was leaving a trail that was impossible to miss. He rolled in a pile of fallen leaves, wincing as their stems scraped against his injuries, and knew that it would not be enough to stop the bleeding. He needed to find water, and quickly. He stopped frequently, resting his injured leg and sniffing the night air until he found the scents he was searching for.

He followed his nose and came to the edge of a lake. The air was cooler here, and still, and the dark waters were shrouded in mist. In the distance, he thought he could make out the contours of an island. Trembling from blood loss and fatigue, it took all the strength Lupin had to force the wolf to walk into the icy water. Once in, he began to swim with steady strokes towards the island.

Pulling himself out beneath an overhanging willow, he surprised a small flock of coots huddled together in a hollowed-out heap of dry grass. He watched them running clumsily across the level surface of the lake, flapping their wings in an uneasy take-off and disappearing into the mist. Then he turned his attention to their shelter. It was still warm and he curled himself into a ball, huddling into the grass with his nose resting on his paws and his eyes scanning the darkness.

--

Dawn came, grey and cold. The sun was obscured by a white mist and a chill breeze came off the lake. Lupin uncurled himself stiffly and stood up, throwing his head back in a long painful stretch. Shivering, he waded back into the water and headed for the opposite shore. He climbed out and knelt for a moment on the muddy ground to peer at his reflection in the water, sluicing himself over and over until he was satisfied that no blood remained on his face or hair. Then he dried himself with handfuls of moss and threw them into the water when he was done. If the dogs didn't get him, he thought with grim humour, the hypothermia would. At least he was still shivering. Blowing on his hands again, he began a limping jog through the trees.

After a short while he came upon a gravelled track. He ducked behind an elm and stood for a moment, listening. When no sound came from either direction he resumed his jog, remaining in the cover of the trees but always moving parallel to the path.

The track drove a straight line through the wood. Lupin wondered how much more easy the previous night might have been had he found it at once. The ground frost was beginning to thaw and the ice turn to slush as the dawn mists dissipated, and eventually he realised that the trees ahead were thinning out. Heavy iron gates came into view, flanked by a high brick wall. Lupin crouched behind a clump of brambles to regain his breath before the final sprint. Then, clutching the trunk of an oak tree for support, he stepped out of the wood.

Hoofbeats rang out on the polished earth. Lupin turned. And in that instant he understood everything.

Four horsemen were riding towards him. Malfoy. Crabbe. Avery. Macnair. Malfoy was dressed in hunting green, a small golden horn at his side. His horse was a splendid bay, caparisoned in green and silver. His smile was as brilliant as the morning sun.

Lupin's legs buckled under him and he let himself slide down the tree until he was sitting at its base. He drew his knees up to his chest and waited. He was very still.

With a murmured command, Malfoy slowed his horse to a walk. The others fell back, watching.

'Good morning, Lupin. I hope you enjoyed our little rehearsal.'

Lupin said nothing. There was nothing to say.

The grey eyes narrowed. 'You're hurt.' Malfoy's wand came up and the warmth of a healing charm washed through Lupin's body. He flinched, staring up at the man on the horse.

From the distance came the baying of many hounds.

Malfoy jerked his head. 'See how far you can get.'

--