Chapter Text
Every so often she has the same dream. Or rather night terror as Remus would put it everytime, because well, it had actually happened to them a few years ago, I suppose you could call it a living nightmare. It always starts out the same, She wakes up to blood curdling screams and in a moment of terror shakes Remus awake, shaking and crumbling onto the boy's bed. On this night she was five and her brother was six and it goes on like this. Her brother shoots up out of bed after hearing all the commotion and screams outside and grabs her. As gently as possible he shields her in his arms and blocks her ears from the on going screams and shouts and then, there's pure silence, you could hear a pin drop if one had fallen. After a few more silent moments, he pulls his hands away, tense, face as pale as winter and their bedroom door slowly creaked open. She begins to silently pray to whatever gods and goddesses reside above that this is her mum or her dad coming in to comfort them and tell them that it's all going to be okay but, her prayers are immediately shattered, because, as she slowly looks up, her world is completely diminished when, instead of it being her mum's warm, comfortable eyes or dads reassuring gaze she's met with the sight of a terrifying human being, no. He could only be described as a monster.
He was utterly grim from head to toe. He had a pointed face and two huge black raging eyes that hungrily eyed her and her brother, and oh gods his hair. Lots of raggedy matted brown and grey hair covering the side of his face and his hands and even some of his neck. He was sickening to look at and he terrified her in every way, Remus (bless his protective heart) in that moment was definitely as equally terrified as Cam was, but he hid it so well because he knew he had to, he had to protect her. They sat there frozen for what felt like hours and Remus was the first person in the room to speak up. “Who are you?” he questioned the monster with more fear than determination in his voice “what do you want with us, please leave us alone” his voice wobbled out, and the man laughed he had the audacity to laugh at two terrified children. That's what scared her even more. His chilling laugh still haunts her to this day, almost 6 years later. “I'm here to collect you two of course” he smiles, sending a complete chill down Cam's spine. “What do you mean you're here for us? '' Remus breathes out, slowly pulling her further behind him. “We have nothing for you please just leave us be. We've done nothing wrong” and the man just smiled again, inching closer towards them.
“Why Remus my dear boy, that's exactly why I'm here for you and little Camyron.” Remus’ grip on her tightiend momentarily fears flashing all over his face. He looked at her as he continued on “You two will be my prodigies one day, my prize pups, and you're going to make me so proud I'm sure of it.” Cam felt Remus start to shake at that as the man continued towards them. By this point he had already pulled her fully behind him and she gripped his arm in his best efforts to protect her. But too soon, he was pulled away from her, the monster had grabbed his arm and tugged him away. She cried out for her brother while sobbing and wished that her mum was here with her. This monster took her brother from her and she was so scared. She wanted it all to stop, she wanted him to go away, but more than anything she wanted Remmi back. Remus was thrashing harshly in his grip and crying and doing everything he could to try and break free from his grasp. So Camyron in her 5 year old mind set did the only thing she could think of to try and block out the situation. She dived under and covered herself with the covers, blocking her ears and humming a lullaby tears streaking her little, but even as she was rocking back and forth, she could still hear the exact moment he screamed.
The scream that came from receiving the bite. The blood curdling pained scream of a little boy who was slowly having his life altered, a little six year old being infected with what they would learn is lycanthropy and Cam knew, she knew in her heart that she was next. She had thought he was dead, her big brother, her rock and best friend. He was gone in her mind, he had to be. So she let him take her, she let herself be pulled out from the covers and dragged towards him, salted tears flowing, and whole body trembling as she was put next to her brother. She couldn't even open her eyes to look at him, so she kept them shut tight to prepare herself for what was to come and she was ready to let it happen. But then, instead of killing her he spoke, those few words he spoke would keep her and her brother up with sleepless nights for years to come. “I will return for you two one day little one” he drew out slowly, brushing her blonde curls away from her face and tucking them behind her ears. She was frozen in place, paralysed with fear and confused.
“It's time for your gift now, Camyron.” He smiled, continuing to brush the curls out of her face and soothe her cheek with his thumb. “This is a very special gift, little one. It means I'm your Alpha now, you are part of my pack, you and Remus are my pup’s. And I always return for my pups” she could feel his grin from here and was terrified of what was about to happen to her. She didn't know what he was going to do to her and as she lay there begging and pleading with the gods to take her to her brother, she felt it, the searing hot pain of the bite. The bite that would completely change the rest of her life, and as she screams out jolting in pain, everything goes dark.
Cam woke up in a cold sweat and shot up out of bed, shaking and grabbing at her thigh. She felt a hot, flush of pain where the scars he had left her with were and she sighed standing up and remembering that night, silently crying, before she remembered where she was. She looked over to Remus and thought about waking him up. She thought about telling him that it had happened again,and seeking the comfort he usually brought to her. But conflicted, she decided against it. She was still mad at him after all so instead, she silently left the hospital wing, tears still flowing and body still trembling beelining for the dungeons. Once she was in the safety of her dorm room she would be able to cry her heart out, so she ran.
Finally reaching the common room and nearly forgetting to shout out the password, she stumbled in. Not looking where she was running in the middle of her cry fest while attempting to reach her room had led her into bumping head first into none other than, the lovely ray of sunshine she had met on her very first day , Regulus Black. “Watchou–” Regulus had begun to start before he saw the absolute state she was in, “woah woah” he began standing up and giving her a once over. “Are you okay Cam?” he questions, not wanting to leave his housemate in such a way. “Should we go to the hospital win…” she immediately cut off with a loud sharp “NO” before collecting herself slightly and continuing “ no, no hospital wing please” she softly breathed out, her bright blue eyes pleading, almost scared and Reg knew that look of terror and pleading almost too well, he had worn it himself only a few hours prior, he guessed it could be one of a few things. “Okay no hospital wing, '' he smiled, offering a hand to help her up and leading her to the chairs near the fireplace. “Did something happen” he asked sternly, hoping this wasnt another house targeting a first year slytherin again. “Do we need to get Slughorn, have you been attacked, or hexed or” Cam cut him off with a whisper. “ No no, I'm okay I promise, I'm sorry for disturbing you. I'll just be on my way” She started to stand up but Regulus grabbed her wrist and looked at her with worry in his eyes.
“No you don't have to go, you can talk to me” He spoke, “i know I was quite nasty to you in the great hall on our first day but, i'm not about to leave someone who clearly isn't okay alone” He looked determined and Cam, selfishly wanting to know more about the mystery that is Regulus black sat back down and started to speak. “I really don't want to talk too much about it, I'm sorry” She said and Regulus nodded, giving her more room in case she wanted to speak.”I just had a nightmare, and i know it's stupid to cry but, i was just so overwhelmed and my brother was in the room and i just couldn't. I can right now” and then in barely a whisper she blurts out, “I can't handle the fact my brother pretty much hates me because I'm in Slytherin” and the tears began rolling slowly down her cheeks again, having spoken that out-loud for the first time. Regulus sighed lightly knowing how she felt.
“You know” he drawled “My brother hates me because I'm in Slytherin too, so as much as I give off the impression of a stone brick, I do understand how you feel.” He offered her a small lopsided grin and Cam couldn't help but smile back. She laughed lightly, earning a puzzled look from Regulus and continued on again. “ oh my gosh, when i first saw you in the great hall and you cut me off when i tried to talk to you, i did think of a stone brick” and then they both burst out laughing before Cam spoke again, “but um, all that aside thank you for that Regulus, i don't think i could handle being alone right now and you even sitting here is more than i could ever ask for and i am sorry for coming in here all messed up like that” She looked down embarrassed but Regulus just sighed “Look Cam” he began “as much of a stone brick as i am sometimes, i'm not heartless, i wouldn't just leave you like that. Don't even worry about it” He smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back at him.
“Plus, honestly i have been working up the courage to come and apologise to you about you receiving the back end of my frustration on our first interaction” It was his turn this time to look down at the floor, feeling ashamed. “Je te croyais gentil, mais ça m’a fait peur.” he added out loud in french and, Cam was so baffled that he could speak french, that she didn't even think to ask about what he said. “Okay, so how about this?” She smiled after a few moments of thinking, wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt and also because she liked his comforting vibe. “Why don't we start over, pretend we've never even spoken” He looked up at her and considered this for a moment before Cam began speaking again "ill go first" she grinned, “Hi my name is Camyron Lupin, but you can call me Cam” She offered her hand to him to shake and he gained a small smile on his face, shaking her hand. “Regulus Black” he smiled “You can call me Reg '' Camyron made an ‘O’ shape with her face, nightmare completely forgotten and jumped up out of her seat. “That's why you look familiar” She excitedly started. “Our asshole brothers that hate us are friends” and then Reg completely dumbfounded joined her where she was and started “ah yes of course they’re both dumb-ass Griffins” they laughed both falling back into their chairs, the beginnings of what might be a great friendship blossoming as they stay all morning,talking and getting to know each other before heading to lunch and getting to witness, the gobsmacked faces of Remus and Sirius as they seen the pair talking and laughing all the way to the slytherin table.
The pair laugh and high-five at the reaction of their brothers, Reg slipping cam two galleons because she was right about what their expression would and then she introduced him to her friends and he introduced the girls to his, who all warmed up to each other immediately. What came after was the group planning on how to best piss off their gryffindor brothers ( james included) and laughing the whole time, wiping her exhausted by the end, so she excused her self, promising them that last night went well and adding that she would explain to regulus and the others later before heading back down to the slytherin common room, wanting to try and sleep off the rest of last nights full moon and avoid her brother as much as possible. As she slept that afternoon, she was not met with dreams of that night, but rather had dreams filled with her new friends and all the adventures they may embark on.