The Veil’s Aftermath
Harry’s eyes fluttered open to darkness, his mind swimming in fragments of memory that didn’t quite fit together. His head throbbed with a dull ache as he tried to lift himself up, only to feel something sharp digging into his ribs. He groaned, looking down to find his wand, his only weapon, his constant companion, snapped in half at his side. He felt an overwhelming surge of panic, his heart racing as he glanced around, struggling to piece together what had happened.
The screams of his friends still echoed faintly in his mind, a haunting reminder of the battle they'd fought. Flashes of Bellatrix’s curses, Greyback’s snarling face, and then… the veil. He remembered the veil, its tattered edge calling to him, pulling him into its depths. But where was he now?
As his eyes adjusted, he saw the faint silhouette of a body lying nearby, close enough that he could reach out and touch it. His stomach dropped when he recognized the familiar, weary face of Remus Lupin, his friend and mentor. Harry forced himself to take a steadying breath, leaning forward to check for any sign of life. To his immense relief, he could feel Remus’s faint, shallow breaths against his fingertips.
“Come on, Remus,” Harry murmured, gently shaking his shoulder. “Wake up, please. I need you.”
Remus stirred, but he didn’t wake. A chill crept over Harry as he took in their surroundings. He could make out the faint rustling of leaves and the scent of damp earth, they were somewhere in the woods. His first thought was that they might be near Hogwarts, but something in the air felt off. Different.
He needed light. With a steadying breath, Harry whispered, “Lumos.”
A small, flickering light appeared between his hands, casting eerie shadows against the trees. But the relief of finally seeing was short-lived, before he could even process it, a powerful weight slammed him to the ground, knocking the breath from his lungs.
"Ah, ah, little wizard," a rough voice sneered close to his ear. A hot, rancid breath washed over him as claws dug into his shoulder. “Not so fast, precious savior. Don’t want that pretty throat of yours ripped apart.”
Harry twisted and struggled against the iron grip, gasping as he looked up into the wild, blue eyes of Fenrir Greyback, his face a twisted mask of feral delight. Panic surged through Harry’s veins as he fought to break free, but Greyback’s hold was relentless.
“Get off me!” he spat, his voice hoarse with anger.
Greyback only grinned wider, his claws tightening. “I don’t think so, Potter. You and I have a lot of unfinished business.”
Harry could feel his pulse hammering in his throat, terror clawing at his resolve. He was sure he was about to die, right here, alone in the forest, when a sudden blast of force knocked Greyback off him.
“Get away from my cub,” a voice growled, low and deadly. Harry looked up, dazed, to see Remus standing there, wand raised, eyes blazing with a ferocity he rarely showed.
Greyback laughed as he climbed to his feet, brushing the dirt from his clothes with a maddening calm. “You’ve grown stronger, Remus,” he sneered. “Finally embracing what I gave you, I see.”
Remus’s expression darkened, his jaw set in grim determination as he positioned himself protectively in front of Harry. Harry scrambled to his feet, breathing heavily as he glanced between the two men, feeling the tension thicken around them like a physical weight.
“Enough!” Harry said, his voice rough but steady. He forced himself to stand tall, even as Greyback’s feral gaze slid back to him. “We’re clearly not where we’re supposed to be, and if we start fighting each other now, we’re as good as dead.”
Remus glanced over his shoulder, concern flickering in his eyes, but he gave a short nod. Greyback tilted his head, a hint of mockery in his smile as he crossed his arms.
“Fine,” Greyback said, his tone laced with amusement. “Lead on, Potter. Let’s see if you can play hero one more time.”
Suppressing a shiver, Harry met his gaze with as much confidence as he could muster. For now, it seemed they would have to work together, whatever this dark, unfamiliar place held, he knew they would need every ounce of strength and skill to survive it.