Chapter 18
"Lupin-" the older Gryffindor paused before turning on his heel and taking in the Slytherin Prefect.
"I told you to go home."
"I didn't want to leave him." Lupin's shoulders dropped as if knowing.
"We're gonna need to figure something out with you, come on." Regulus followed loosely behind, "I think it's gonna be a mix of a feral wolf and a scared dog. I also have a feeling he's gonna look more like a wolf than a werewolf."
"Figure something out with me?"
"Yes." Lupin opened a door and a black dog laid with a large gold and brown wolf. "They became animagi why?"
"To help you on full moons."
"Mostly." Lupin admitted and the black dog perked up, tail wagging before it nudged the wolf with his nose. "But also so they could avoid the temper of the wolf while sticking around to make sure I don't hurt anyone."
"How are you still...?"
"Human?"
"Yeah."
"I've got a few more minutes before I don't have a choice anymore. And that is Jem." Regulus looked to the wolf that was stretched out with the much smaller black dog. Thick gold and brown fur shining under the soft light, ears twitching as it dozed.
"Pretty."
"Might even be sweet enough to attempt cuddling."
"Not gonna bite me?"
"Shouldn't. Padfoot how about you take a risk for the team? If he can tolerate you he should be able to tolerate just about anyone, you're the most annoying." The black dog changed into Sirius in a blink of an eye, poking at the wolf who opened an eye.
"Jem," he sang the name and the wolf rumbled before laying it's head back down on its paws. "Jem." A soft growl before he relaxed. Tail thumping slightly against the bed of blankets and pillows. "Hey!" It's ears flicked and he brought a paw down to keep Sirius' arm down and his fingers from messing with his ears again. When Sirius tried to wiggle out from under him the wolf gave a growl and he went still.
Lupin returned the sound and the wolf looked up. "Pads may be an idiot but he's mine." The wolf lifted his paw letting Sirius up. "Thank you. I brought your idiot, be nice or I'll take him away." The wolf's eyes narrowed and he ran a paw over his face before settling back down as Sirius stood up and stretched.
"Jem?" Lupin nodded and Regulus was quick to leave his side, the wolf made this soft happy rumbling noise when Regulus sat down, "Hi to you too."
"Later he'll be less inclined to lounge around but currently he's too sore to do much besides lay there."
"What happens then?"
"Hopefully, he'll just walk out. If not I'll be sure to tell James to stay nearby. If he leaves, just stay here, he'll come back." Sirius ducked under Lupin's arm when a tremor wracked his body. "Pads...tell Prongs-"
"To stay close in case Wolfy goes crazy, don't worry. I've got it. Come on, Moony." His eyes met his brother's, "Be careful. Jem might be well tempered but that doesn't make him safe."
"Okay." Then Sirius led Lupin away and Regulus ended up laying with Jem. The wolf laid his head on Regulus' stomach and made this soft almost chuffing noise when Regulus dragged his fingers through the fur at his neck, thick and surprisingly soft. "We're gonna be okay." Gold eyes opened before Jem pressed more weight into Reg's chest then the wolf yawned flashing sharp teeth before resting back down. "Any protests to me using you as a pillow as you use me?" His ears flicked but he didn't move. "That's good."
"What do I do?"
"You sit," Sirius answered handing Regulus a cup of tea, "You try to coax him into eating something at least once a day and you be as patient as you can manage otherwise he'll think you're upset with him."
"Why would I...?"
"They don't think normally like this. Jem woke up tasting blood in his mouth, he's being wracked with guilt and fear. And he's in pain, literal and metaphorical."
"He's gonna be okay?" Sirius nodded.
"Go on, and be open minded."
"How do you do it?"
"I'm patient, I let Remus snap and yell, then I hold onto him as tightly as he holds onto me as he mumbles apology after apology that I tell him he doesn't need to be sorry for, until he believes me."
"Does it work?"
"Sometimes."
"And when it doesn't?"
"Every now and then all of us need our minds forced off of our thoughts. Sometimes it's harder than others, sometimes it's easy." Sirius sighed, "Just be there for him, don't let him push you away." Regulus nodded and slipped back into the room, shutting the door slowly with his heel while setting down the mug on the bedside table near him.
Then it was sitting down and running his fingers along the paw prints on Jem's spine, tracing the scar. "Hey," a noncommittal hum was his answer. "I'm worried about you." Regulus was careful where he touched, avoiding the new marks, bright red and bleeding still in some spots, the bite mark had completely healed, leaving a deep scar acting like a brand on his neck.
But when he didn't think about his moves is when he got a reaction, dipping down and pressing a soft kiss to the bite mark. A barely there whimper escaped as hesitant hands tugged him forward and into a hug. "I'm right here," Regulus reminded softly, petting through his hair, "Relax Jemmy." That got another soft sound and Regulus just held on. "You did nothing wrong, know that." A low much softer sound, "You're gonna open one of the cuts if you keep holding me like this." That didn't seem to be of his concern but Regulus decided Jem was far more relaxed as they just sat.
"Don't leave me." Regulus shook his head while continuing to play with Jem's hair.
"Never." Regulus pulled back and Jem didn't seem a fan but let him move and tilt his face up, "I'm never going to leave you. Okay? I promise." A soft stuttering breath and Jem leaned into Regulus' hands, eyes falling shut, "Never."
Jem tugged a bit, Regulus letting himself be pulled flush when Jem's body. Soft kisses were pressed to his shoulder and neck as Regulus combed through his hair. "I'm so sorry," his entire voice broke, a tremor wracked his body and Regulus tightened his hold, "I'm so so sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. Jem, nothing at all. It was never your fault, none of this. It was just some stupid accident that could've never happened."
It was the next whispered words that had Regulus going still, "He's gonna kill me." Voldemort was no doubt who he was talking about
"I'm not gonna let that happen." A low laugh that had the hair on Regulus' arms standing, it was dark and didn't hold even a hint of amusement.
"He almost did when I protected you, what do you think he will do now than I can't do what he kept me around for?"
"You're still quick and lethal."
"But my senses are wolf and my mind is compromised with loyalty. The wolf listens to Remus, something tells me it won't hesitate to tell Voldemort off. Whether I get killed in the process or not is irrelevant to him."
"So we finish school, we've only got a year left. And we go, we go as far as we can."
"Hide?"
"Maybe. We can find one of the horcruxes before we go, use it as leverage to be left alone."
"He'd kill us first."
"Not if he didn't know we had it until we were gone."
"And what about Sirius? Or Remus, James, Barty-"
"I'm not sure. But we'll figure it out when we get to it."
"You're hoping what? We avoid meetings for the next year?"
"You do. Make up something. I don't know. But don't be there. Barty, Evan and I can handle it. We make it through this year, pass our owls and leave."
It was quiet for a moment and then Jem loosened his hold on Regulus. "Okay. If you think this'll work."
"I do."
"Then I trust you."