A prequel to:

1. The secret of Remus Lupin A prequel to:

2. The sun had already set behind the highest of the craggy mountains that were a familiar sight to Remus Lupin, who was trudging through the newly fallen snow on his way home. He was slightly distracted from his journey as his eyes were scanning the rocks for moonstones that his mother had asked him to collect for her potion (she was making a Draught of Peace for his father who had a hearing at the Ministry the next day). The sky was darkening, he stopped scouring the ground and looked up at the mountains of which the full moon slid out from behind. A strange ghostly light caught his eye – moonstones! He shoved them in his bag and walked off into the snow.

3. He had been scrambling up the mountainside for 10 minutes when he began to feel a little uneasy. It had never taken him this long to get home before. He shrugged and walked on, until he came across a clearing in the yellowing grass that rose above the snow, where there was not only the underside of his own boots printed in the snow, but also deep imprints that must have been a metre long, with marks of four long claws at the end. He had never seen footprints like this before, but from his Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons at Hogwarts, and the fact that it was full moon, he knew they belonged to a…

4. “…werewolf” he whispered, and as he turned, sure enough, there was a ten foot silhouette against the silver orb in the sky, it had two pointy ears, long claws, black and bloodshot eyes, a long, scarred and hairy face, and two very long feet. Remus knew this werewolf from lessons. This werewolf was the most dangerous. This werewolf, or man, was called FenrirGreyback. Remus froze on the spot. He tried to run, but he couldn’t. It was like he had a permanent Jelly-Legs Jinx. Greyback was breathing heavily, steam emerging from his terrifying fanged mouth into the wintery air. A blood-curdling howl rang through the silent valley, echoing back to Remus hundreds of times. With Greyback’s back turned, he regained the use of his legs and he ran with all his might up the mountain to his house.

5. Greyback sharply turned his head over his shoulder and, now on all fours, galloped after Remus. He chased him all over the mountain, Remus frantically turning left, right, and hiding in the reeds, but it was no use, he had no time to draw out his wand and make his footprints vanish, anyway, he would be expelled from Hogwarts if he did (underage wizards aren’t allowed to use magic outside of school). Finally, Remus’s house came into view, but before he got there he was dragged back into the shrubbery by two furry paws, the hot breath drawing closer, and sharp fangs sank into Remus’s arm. Greyback as a man

6. Remus suddenly felt his feet lengthening, his body growing taller, his fingers and toes sprouting claws and fur growing all over his body. His pale blue eyes went black and beady and his clothing fell to the floor in pieces where his body had grown, stretching and ripping them apart. Greyback howled, satisfied, and galloped into the distance. Remus howled just like Greyback, and started running after him but the moon then disappeared behind the mountain and he felt himself returning to normal. He ran home, crying, shocked and scared, to tell his mother he would be a werewolf once a month for the rest of his life.

7. The End Press ‘Esc’ to exit