The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

The Werewolf Patronus

The Werewolf Patronus

...the rise of the goblins in 1465 led to an unease throughout the magical communities. Wizarding relations with other magical species were strained and this led to talks between the non-human species such as the goblins, mermish, and centaurs...

"Fuck it!"

Remus looked up from the paragraphs upon paragraphs of goblin uprisings he'd been sifting through in his textbook all evening at the sound of Sirius Black's voice breaking the silence... "What?"

And before he'd known it, Sirius's hand was in his hair, Sirius's face was hovering over his, Sirius's mouth was against his mouth... Remus was certain it was a dream. Certain that this couldn't possibly be happening. He'd fallen asleep by the fireside while the boys were at the Yule Ball and this was nothing but a vivid dream.. But it wasn't a vivid dream, it was real... it was real and one of the most happy memories that Remus Lupin had.

And that was why he used it for casting his patronus.

The wand burst with light as the form fell forward, running before Remus merrily... and his heart skipped a beat for at first glance he thought it was a dog, thought it might be Snuffles, and thought of how happy that would make Sirius... He had hoped that it would be Snuffles, he'd wanted it to be Snuffles. Relief poured through him at the sight of the four legged, waggy-tailed creature running before him, glowing brilliantly light.. But then he blinked and the patronus turned about and came a bit more in focus as it stopped running, and the other students in the room, people who had been clapping and cheering a moment before suddenly gasped and one girl screamed loudly.

It was no dog that stood before him.

It wasn't even a regular wolf that stood there.

It was a werewolf.

Remus's heart skipped a beat for it wasn't even just any werewolf...

It was himself.

He stared at the werewolf facing him and they stared at one another and Remus felt like he was going to throw up as his breath caught up in his throat sharply, burning as it went down...

Sirius skid to a stop behind him so hard that he slammed into Remus's back with a thump and hooked his palms over Remus's shoulders. James and Peter came right up behind him so there were a cluster of Marauders at one end of the gap among the students, where they'd all backed away from the shimmering werewolf.

"Oh fuck," Sirius whispered, filling with dread.

"Isn't that --" Peter started, but James stepped on his foot to shut him up.

Lily looked from the wolf to Remus her eyes wide with nervousness.

"Very good master Lupin!"' called Gideon Prewett, who was beaming - beside him, Fabian nodded enthusiastically, grinning.

No, not good at all, Remus thought. Very, very bad, actually.

Frank looked at Remus with a stunned expression on his face and all seven of the first years were gaping at it from where they sat on the floor, watching the older kids producing their patroni.

"Ooh a wolf!" said Macy, with excited eyes.

"That ain't just a wolf," whispered Liam, "That's a werewolf."

"A werewolf patronus?" Harry Warbeck's voice carried through the silence. "Is that... is that even normal? I mean for a boggart, sure, but... but a patronus?"