Chapter 20
Regulus walked in to the three of them lounging in the common room, Jem with his head in Evan's lap as the Slytherin played with his hair as he slept. "He okay?"
"He wandered in a little while after lunch," Barty answered peaking over the chair, "Pale and almost passed out. Dumbledore excused him from the rest of today's classes."
"Think it's cause of the moon?" Evan asked quietly, keeping his hand in Jem's hair.
"Probably, Lupin said the first couple were going to hit him pretty hard. Why'd he collapse on you tho?"
"Dog?" Evan offered. Right he had decided on his animagus being a black lab. "Your brother and him gravitated towards Lupin right? Wolf thing. You weren't here so he went to me."
"He came looking for me?"
"Yeah," Barty answered catching the bottle he'd asked Regulus to find for him in potions. "Asked for you and then almost passed out, some first year came and got us. Evan gave him some tea and he kinda curled in on himself a little while after."
"We can round up the first, years you go get him in bed."
"Actually round them up, don't just snog in the halls."
"Yes Prefect." Regulus rolled his eyes but laughed.
"Hey, Jem," a low hum and Regulus huffed out a laugh, slipping an arm under the werewolf and picking him up, the wolf had added some density to his frame, making him a bit heavier but not by much.
Giving him a moment to settle down into his hold, Jem resting his head on Regulus' shoulder. "Night love birds."
"Get the first years back here."
"We'll do it. Stop worrying. Put your wolf to bed and give him some love." Regulus slowly closed the door behind him careful to shut it quietly before laying him down on the bed. He watched with a soft smile as he turned and buried his head in the pillows. "You okay little wolf?"
"Mhm, come 'ere...please?" He toed off his shoes and laid down on the bed lifting the blankets and trying not to smile too wide as the Potter moved under the blanket and rested his head on Reg's chest. He took a deep breathe and Regulus didn't hold back his smile when Jem pressed his face into the Black's sweater, "You smell good."
"And you are so out of it."
"Have I not told you?" He muttered pressing a kiss to Reg's cheek.
"You have."
"Then obviously I'm right." He stretched and Regulus hooked his leg over one of Jem's, watching him relax. "Mine."
"Yours silly little wolf."
"Mm, good."
"Hey," Reg nudged his shoulder. "You gotta eat something love." He shook his head staying firmly buried in the mess of blankets and pillows. "I'm not gonna make you leave the room but you still need to eat."
"'m not hungry, Reg."
"Okay, last time you ate was some toast at breakfast." He sat down on the side of the bed lightly rubbing his back, "You're running a fever high enough I think I should get Madam Pomfrey. But I'll put it off a few hours if you eat something for me. Maybe it'll go down." He paused before pressing further into the mess of blankets. "I don't know how to help."
"I don't bloody know either, it's like my body is being ripped apart and I'm cold as fuck." Reg frowned still rubbing his back.
"I'm gonna go get Madam Pomfrey."
"Okay, I'll send in Evan or Barty." Another nod, "I'll be right back."
"I'm not fucking going anywhere." Regulus smiled sadly, pressing a kiss to his hair before walking out the door running straight into Evan.
"Evan?"
"Is Jem okay?"
"Uh...why?"
"I just have a weird feeling. Like a weird tug in my chest."
"Dog thing?"
"I sure as hell hope so."
"I'm gonna go get Madam Pomfrey, mind sitting with him?"
"Not at all." Regulus nodded and Evan slipped inside the room. Shaking off the odd interaction he headed for the infirmary.
"Oh young Mr. Black what can I do for you?"
"Um..." He looked around the empty room, "what do you know about feverish werewolves?"
"Ah yes, Mr. Lupin wrote to me about Mr. Potter. Follow me." She started walking and Regulus rushed to keep up. "I assume your and Mr. Crouch and Mr. Rosier are looking after our young Potter."
"I- uh..."
"I have noticed just as I noticed when he and those boys changed for Mr. Lupin. It's good to have friends. But be careful, werewolves and unpredictable creatures." She handed him a book, "What he has is called Moon Fever, it hits the hardest for the first year, afterwards it becomes more manageable. It's not putting him in danger, not like being as sick as he seems would." She set a vial of something silver on the book, "Give him that, it should bring down the fever, not break it but make it less extreme. He's not going to want to eat, but if he doesn't eat anything before he's going to be hungry after he changes. Try chocolate, anything sweet he likes, for some reason our werewolves enjoy sweet things. Also try getting him to drink water, tea would work too. Are you keeping track?"
"Yes, what else?"
"I assume you know the hiding places they used."
"Uh, yes."
"Good. When he changes back bring him here."
"Wh-"
"If he's anything like Mr. Lupin, he's going to be in pain and hurt. Bring him here, I'll do what I can for him."
"Okay."
"I'll also patch up you there if you do happen to get hurt. Scratches won't do anything besides hurt, it's the bites you have to look out for and he has to be fully phased wolf for it to do you any harm."
"I understand."
"Good, keep away from his teeth, avoid the claws." Regulus nodded and she sat a small bag on the book in his arms as well, "Set that wherever he's hiding at the moment, it should put him to sleep pretty fast, but only after you've gotten him to eat and drink something."
"Okay. Is there anything else we could do?"
"Wolves are temperamental and territorial. Pack creatures. If you and your friends have done what I think you have, there's a good chance you're gonna be just fine. Just be careful, Mr. Potter is a good kid, and one day I have no doubt he'll be one of the best wizards to ever live but he's troubled and his dreams haunt him as much as real ghosts in his head. Keep him away from people he doesn't know."
"Okay. Thank you." She nodded and sent Regulus back off to the dorms. With a book, a vial of silver liquid, and a small pouch of herbs from what he could smell.
This would help. Right?