Disclaimer: I took inspiration from an old English myth. Hope you'll enjoy the chapter!

The day Remus feared finally came. Once the rays of the morning sun found their way into the interior of the cabin, he woke up from his anxious sleep. Dreams haunted him all night - he saw himself as a werewolf, finding the cabin, breaking into it and attacking Tonks - fortunately, he always opened his eyes before anything could happen.

Tonks was at the same mood as him all day. He was quite glad she tried to be humble and kind to him, and he regretted his short and brief answers containing mainly "yes", "no", or "I don't know". He felt sick and tired - that's why he was so unpleasant. Tonks fortunately understood his mood and feelings, so they didn't really talk during the day. Though one thing changed - he wanted to be closer to her. He wanted to be comforted by her not by mere words but by gentle touch or a warming hug. These actions of attraction or liking were important to him, and he thrived them above everything else.

He supposed this was the reason why he found himself sitting on the bed with Tonks in his lap. The evening was coming closer and he was more and more scared. If it wasn't for the girl's intuition and sacrificing nature, he would feel like a total crap. He didn't really ask her to sit in his lap - he was resting on the bed and thinking when she came and gestured that she wants to sit beside him. Once he sat down, she sat on his knees and he gently put his hands on her waist. They were both comfortable in that position - Remus thanked Tonks for her willingness and understanding of his struggles. Not a word was spoken between them - and they didn't mind.

Remus couldn't eat all day, he felt tired and exhausted already. His thoughts were killing him - the possible outcomes of this night, the situations he may cause... The plan was to leave the house a little earlier than he usually did, so he can be in a safe distance from the cabin once the moon comes out. He has a goal destination in the forest - it's an old ruin of what used to be a cabin of the same kind as he and Tonks are in. It was not really safe but he didn't know about any other place where he could hide during his transformation. He didn't have the Wolfsbane potion - mainly because he was bad at potions and the ingredients were expensive.

Remus knew the moon should show itself at quarter to seven in the evening. He decided to leave the house at six o'clock - he should be able to reach his hideout in time.

At quarter to six, he started to prepare for the night. He was shaking all over when he was putting his cloak on - and it was not because the evening was cold. Tonks was silently looking at him. Finally, the time came.

"Alright, said Remus quietly," stay safe, Dora. Lock the door. I should be back in the morning."

The girl just nodded. He noticed a few sparkling tears on her face.

"What's up, darling?"

He didn't get an answer - instead Tonks got up and hugged him tightly.

"Promise me you'll return," she whispered," I'm afraid for you, Remus, promise me you'll come back.."

"Don't worry, dear," the man smiled and soothed her back," I'd always come back to you." He was quite surprised he didn't have a breakdown himself. He supposed it was because of Tonks - he has to be strong for her.

"Okay," she slowly went out of the hug and looked him in the eyes. They were shining with tears, but there was longing - they gave him a weird sensation in his stomach. Tonks was close - one move, one little move... but none of them dared to fulfill their desires. Remus smiled and brushed her face with his hand. "Goodbye. Stay safe."

He left the house with one last glance at Tonks's face - even she managed to give him an encouraging smile. The night was warm and the sun was slowly setting. But Remus didn't really care about nature and views this time - the only thing in his mind was his destination and what is waiting for him there. He quickly strode throughout the fields and reached the darkening forest. It looked eerie - but after all, he was preparing to become the most eerie thing about the place. He was used to it. He felt like he's used to everything. Everything except the pain he is yet to survive again.

He soon left the trail and headed under the seemingly haunted depths of the forest. The high trees were giving him goosebumbs. Now and then an animal made a noise or he saw something move in front of him - but he was in such apathy that it didn't disturb him.

After about twenty minutes, he knew he is close to the cabin. His heart was pounding hard against his chest and his breath was becoming faster - here it comes. The moment he feared. His head was spinning with all the sensations of the forest - his human mind couldn't make out anything - this was the product of his heightened senses. The cabin was even visible in the distance when he heard voices.

He stopped and instinctively hid behind a tree. Death Eaters? Hunters? Who were they? His heartbeat rised. If they didn't leave the place in time, they would be in grave danger.

He must know who they are and where they are. Shifting his position and changing his cover, he slowly came closer to the cabin. It wasn't Death Eaters - just three hunters with shotguns on their backs. They were looking around the cabin. Once he came a bit closer, he could hear what they were saying.

"Saw that stag I took down," said one enthusiastically," what a shot! He was down with one bullet!"

"Yea, we saw that, Mark," said the other one in a tone of voice that clearly stated he doesn't want to talk about the stag anymore," today is a strange day, ain't it?"

"You're right, mate," grunted the third one - his voice was deep and it was obvious that he was the oldest of the group," I'd say it's because of the moon. It's full today," he whispered," you know, animals behave differently than usual."

"Yes, I was able to see that," added the second man - Remus supposed he didn't really have a good day on the hunt.

"You know why there weren't animals to shoot today?" asked the stag-killer, "they are afraid."

"Of what?"

"Werewolves," he said in a scary voice," don't you know? The full moon. Werewolves."

"I'm not that stupid," said the middle one in a bitter voice," but I'd think you are mature enough to not believe in these tales that were made to scare you when you were a child."

"Oh, not that quickly, son," exclaimed the eldest," this forest is told to host a werewolf on full moon nights. The villagers believe he is there. Somewhere around. What if it's true? Are you afraid?"

Both younger man laughed. "Afraid," chuckled the first one," of a wolf-man that becomes a beast once he sees the full moon? Come on, it's just a silly tale for children!"

"I wouldn't be so sure," said the eldest.

Remus trembled. He lost some of his precious time. The moon was to come in a few minutes. He has to get them out of here. They are in real danger with him being so close. But he has to create a plan...

"So you believe in them?" asked the middle man," you think they are real?"

"Who knows," muttered the eldest," maybe they are... once you'll hear a howl, you'll know the truth," he chuckled.

Howl. That was it. Remus lifted himself a bit. The men were a something about twenty meters in front of him. One moment - now.

"Did you hear that?!" the first man jumped," did you hear the howl? It was right there!"

"Yea, we did," shouted the second one and if he was a bit closer, Remus would swear his face was crippled with fear.

"I think we should get going guys," said the eldest man," now!"

They set of running towards the edge of the forest. Remus made a few other howls, believing that will keep them out of the forest on full moon nights.

"Wow... that was close.."

He doubted the men will return and he hoped they will not. Quickly running towards the cabin, he put his cloak on a tree next to him - he always left himself only a few clothes when the full moon came. While transforming, they tear apart and he wanted his cloak to stay useful. After he transforms back into his human form, he'll take it from the tree - who would want to spot a naked man in the forest in the morning?

He started to shake - without his cloak, he felt the cold night. Reaching the treshold, he pushed the door - nothing happened.

"What the hell..."

He tried again. And again. Nothing happened. The door was stuck. He kicked. He pushed. Nothing. Desperation creeped over him. If he didn't get in the cabin in time, he would be free in the forest. That's not a thing he wanted.

He now regretted he didn't take his wand. Usually, he left it at home so there's less possibility of losing it in the forest. Now it would be useful.

A weird sensation filled his body. It was near. It was so near. He knew - only a couple of moments until the moon comes out. He shouted at the door in hopelessness - he kicked with all his might - it didn't move.

"Come on! Move! MOVE!"

Crack.

Finally, the door opened. A relieving smile appeared on his face. But then, just as he wanted to enter the cabin - he felt it.

His body froze - he could even feel the moonlight on his back. Closing his eyes was for nothing - he turned around as if he was in a transe and spotted his biggest enemy - the moon.

His hands started to shake. He was frozen, yet his limbs were moving and trembling. The pupils of his eyes expanded as he stared at the moon - he felt his human mind was leaving him - the only thing he felt was the pain spreading all over his body - there were suddenly new desires, new thoughts - the transformation began.

A cry of pain echoed throughout the forest. The man was shaking, trembling - his limbs were lenghtening and his whole body was not really human anymore. His fingernails looked like claws, sharp and deadly - his body was furry, his clothes tore apart - he was not a man. He was a beast.

His mind was screaming. It felt like darkness. The darkest place of all. As if it was a dark cloud full of sinister longings and yearnings. As if the cloud swallowed everything he loved and lived for, everything he valued - as if it took every light, every happy memory, and killed it.

The pain. The pain seemed unbearable. His bones cracked and broke, then grew again - his heart didn't feel like heart at all - it was just a pumping dark thing that kept him alive against his will.

He leaned against the cold wooden wall next to him. His legs were lenghtening, bones were cracking, his voice seemed to not be able to make a sound anymore, tears were falling from his new-coloured eyes and he knew he is lost again. Lost in a dark forest of his mind where the only things that exist are hunger and an uncontrollable desire to kill. Where there is nothing but an animal's yearning to stay alive, to live and fulfill it's deepest longings.

Then, at one little moment, he felt that a part of his mind fell unconscious. The human in him has been kicked down to unawareness by the wolf that was empowered with the strenght of the moonlight. He couldn't think as a human being anymore - he was not.

The transformation ended. There, in the middle of a forest, in a shadow of the trees around, stood a beast with claws, with teeth like razors and with a mind that overpowered the weak human being. It was not Remus - he, in his human form liked to say that, but he knew it's not really true. It's a part of him. This werewolf was him. And no matter how much he hated it, it was true.

The moonlight monster opened it's eyes. It felt only one thing - freedom. Too many times it was locked in a building to know this is a special chance to do whatever it wants to do. The werewolf glanced at the moon. The human would say it was his prisoner - the wolf thought it was his savior. A howl echoed through the darkness - as if the werewolf thanked the moon for freeing him from his human form.

It looked around and carefully set of into the forest. It was excited for the possibilities - for the chance to kill - to calm down it's hunger and desire for blood. For human blood. It could kill animals, yes, but the main priority were human beings, weak and small, unable to protect themselves. Their blood was what the beast wanted. It caught a trail - someone went this way - a weak voice in the wolf's mind tried to stop it. The werewolf was not stupid or silly - after all, it had an intelligent human mind to it's use. And just like the human didn't like the wolf to control him, the wolf didn't fancy listening to the human. The only thing it wanted was revenge for being stuck in the person's body for so long. It wanted revenge for being hated and judged. With that, it followed the human trail that led throughout the forest.

--

Tonks was sitting on her bed. She couldn't sleep. Not this night. The only thing on her mind was Remus and the pain he has to go through. She was not afraid of the werewolf, she feared Remus might not survive it all.

She listened intently to the sounds outside. In one moment, it seemed like she heard a howl in the distance. Goosebumps spread over her body. It was Remus. She knew.

Maybe the howl woke her up - she realized she had not locked the window. Standing up, she sighed deeply and went over to the window pane.

"Ouch!"

The window was old and the glass was craking in many places - she cut herself on a sharp edge. A few blood drops fell onto the ground and onto the ledge. She didn't mind it much. After all, this was nothing against the pain Remus has to go through today.

She sat on the bed again and with a flick of her wand cured her little injury. It was so small she was able to heal it herself.

Again, she dived into her unpleasant thoughts. Was Remus alright? If only she could know. Hope was the only thing that fed her troubled mind. Hope that in the morning, she will see her beloved friend again.

--

The wolf stopped. While following the trail with footsteps and umistakable smell, it noticed a few scared animals running away. The beast didn't care about them. It had much more interesting target today.

The smell of a human being led it to the edge of the forest. The wolf looked carefully around - a long field, lighted with the moonlight. It set of again, slowly and carefully - prepared to attack everything that comes in it's way.

Suddenly, a new scent filled it's mind - and this one was pleasanter to feel. Blood. Human blood. The sensation was weak, yes - but the feelings it awakened in the wolf were incredibly strong. The wolf's senses sharpened.

Excited for being so close to it's target, it ran faster, catching the right direction. After a few moments, a little cabin with visible lights appeared in the distance. The wolf felt the human inside his mind is moaning and begging it for turning around, for leaving it's prey - this fact only made the werewolf hungrier.

The beast slowly and quietly reached the cabin. The smell of humans made it more deadly and bloodthirsty than it had ever been. Looking through one of the windows, it spotted a person sitting on a bed. The girl couldn't see the wolf - she was looking in another direction.

--

Tonks was deep in her unpleasant thoughts when she heard a noise outside. She didn't know what it was. Carefully, she stood up and looked around, glancing out of the windows. She saw it. A pair of green, nearly shining eyes and a wolf-human head was staring at her right through one of the many windows. She froze. Her heart was beating furiously. She did not scream - it would made the wolf more dangerous and aware of her existence. At least she thought so.

The wolf's head dissapeared. The girl quickly drew her wand at the ready, but what it was for? She didn't want to hurt Remus. There was no way out. The door was locked but she knew it cannot keep the strong werewolf outside. She was lost. And scared. And so close to death.

She heard the beast tried to open the door. The sound the sharp claws made was unmistakable. Then it tried to kick it. She could see the lock is moving and close to unlocking.

Tonks was standing in the middle of the cabin, her wand pointed at the door. Millions of thoughts were sprinting through her head but she couldn't listen to any of them. She could barricade herself - but what to use for it? The werewolf would move it easily away. Her wand was for nothing - who knows if the stunning charm or any of the charms are useful against a beast like this? Would it work? And would it hurt Remus?

BANG. The lock fell on the floor. The girl squeaked in fear. Her hands were trembling. The werewolf opened the unlocked door and she saw it for the first time in her life. A tall, human-like wolf was standing in front of her, it's mouth opened, it's deadly eyes fixed on it's prey. The beast looked eerie. And there was no way to protect against it.

The two of them stood like that for a few moments, frozen. The girl could not make a sound. The wolf was enjoying it's seemingly certain victory. Tonks's mind went pitch black. She was lost. Looking right into the eyes of the werewolf, she thought she saw a glimmer of light - as if Remus was there, scared and weak just like she was.

The wolf rised it's hand and prepared it's claws for attack. The girl just stood there. She was so shocked she couldn't move. But the wolf did not attack - it did not switch it's hand to kill the human - it couldn't. There was a visible effort in it's eyes - but it couldn't. It's own strenght stopped it. Suddenly, it's enemy, the provider of it's own body stopped it with all his might. The beast was not able to finish it's desires. The human inside was suddenly stronger.

Tonks saw it's inner struggle. She saw the beast is not able to move it's hand towards her. And if this was the impulse for what she did next, she didn't know.

"Remus?"

The wolf looked at her.

"Remus?"

It stared into her eyes. It looked scared.

"Darling? Are you here? Remus?"

Something changed in the monster's eyes. They changed their colour.

"Remus?"

The wolf looked utterly bewildered. As if something was different. As if the name was making it weak. Just as it realized what is the sound doing with it, it stared at the girl and raised it's hand once more. The last chance. Clenching and showing it's teeth, it made a few steps forward.

Tonks staggered but didn't fell. She quickly leaned onto the wall behind her. There was no way to run. She saw the wolf is rising it's hand, she saw the claws preparing for the move - just one swish and she will be at peace again -

"REMUS! NO!"

She closed her eyes, prepared for the pain. But nothing happened. The hand did not fell down. The claws did not carve into her skin. The wolf was now the one who staggered. It was scared. Even more than her. As if something from inside was overtaking it. As if the human inside was stronger.

"Remus? Come on, darling, come on... you'll be okay.."

Tonks was whispering to the wolf. She realized what an impact she can make with talking to it, with saying his name... The werewolf was shaking. It raised it's hand once more, but this time, there were no claws. The fur started to fade. It's whole body was becoming smaller, looking more like a human being. Tonks stood there, amazed and nervous about what is going to happen next. It looked like the werewolf is fading away - and instead of the beast there is a normal looking man.

The transformation went backwards, but the moon was still shining outside. The wolf was dissapearing. The fur was not there anymore. Claws changed to nails and the teeth was human once again. It's legs and hands became smaller and shorter. It's head looked human again. In the end, the wolf transformed. Where once a beast stood, prepared to kill a person, there laid a scarred man, unconscious and shaking.

"Remus.."

Tonks was frozen again. She couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed. Quickly, she threw one of her blankets on the trembling man. He was breathing hard, but didn't seem to be aware of where he is or what happened. The girl was really nervous and curious at the same time. She knew she would not be able to make him stand up, so she flicked her wand instead and floated the man into her bed. There, she covered him with more blankets.

His face was scarred and so was his whole body. Some scars were fresh and red, the older ones seemed to open yet again. Sweat drops were gliterring on his forehead and his breath was fast. The transformation back to human was aparrently as hard as from human to werewolf.

"Remus, darling..."

Tonks caressed his face with her finger. The trembling and shaking seemed to stop. The man opened his eyes.

"Where am I? Tonks?"

He was confused and scared. His voice was trembling.

"It's okay, dear, we're home now," Tonks gave him a reassuring smile.

"Is it morning?" he glanced to the window - his eyes widened with fear once he saw that the sun had not risen yet. "How... How is this possible? What happened? Why am I here -"

"Shhh," whispered Tonks and took his shaking hand," don't worry about it now. You're safe. I'm with you. Try to sleep and I'll tell you everything in the morning, okay?"

"I - okay then," said Remus quietly, though there was obvious confusion and fear. He chose not to think about what happened, he chose to not think about the pain spreading through his body, he chose to not know there was the shining moon outside. Instead, he chose to be aware of Tonks's presence and her warm hand, soothing his face and hair.

"Alright," she said and gave him a small kiss on his cheek," sleep well."

"Tonks, wait," whispered Remus with an obvious effort - the transformation weakened him," could you give me my clothes, please?"

The girl nodded, fullfiled his wish and after a while Remus was dressed again. It took him some time - he didn't want to stand up - he was too weak for it.

"Okay," said Tonks with an encouraging smile," have a calm night."

"Tonks?"

"Yes?"

"Could you lay with me tonight?"

The girl smiled and instead of saying something, she went over to Remus's bed and curled herself next to the man. He put his hand around her and drew her tightly to his chest. She could feel the beat of his heart was becoming calm again. His body was warm and she was content in his arms.

None of them knew what happened that night. Or what was the reason for what happened. And both of them wondered and made their theories in their heads, both of them could not sleep for their racing thoughts and ideas. Remus didn't understand. Everything he did in his wolf form seemed black and foggy. He could not make out the whole picture, only bits of it. What magic made him transform back to human when the moon was still outside? How? It never happened before. This night seemed a bit clearer than others, to tell the truth. But he soon fell asleep, hoping Tonks will be able to tell him what happened it the morning.

The girl was wondering just like the man. She couldn't sleep for a long time. The fear and adrenaline were flowing in her veins. She never saw a werewolf - until today - and she never knew they can transform to humans before the moon sets down. How did it happen?

She could not finish her wondering and find the right answer. Drifting into a short but welcomed sleep, she saw the horrifying scene once again - the claws, prepared for attack - but the hand didn't fall. Why?

Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter! And now to all of you who are confused just like Remus and Tonks - I took inspiration from an old English myth. It says that once a werewolf is transformed and someone whom he truly and honestly love says his name (the person who is saying the name must love the werewolf, or rather the human, too) the wolf will transform back into human. Yes, I know, you may oppose with Marauders and that they loved Remus and he loved them and that they certainly said his name in front of him when he was a werewolf, but I like to think that it must be the kind of love Tonks and Remus feel to one another. Not the friendship love. Their kind of love. The one you feel towards someone who amazes you, who atracts you, who captures your whole being... ya'll know what I mean:). So, I hope you'll be okay with the fact that I used this as a plot for this chapter😊. Stay tuned for the next one!

P.S. - I wrote the werewolf vs. human part in a different kind of manner - I mean like the battle inside the wolf and the same battle inside the human, the two parts influencing each other and fighting... It is my personal view on lycantrophy - it is very close on how I understand Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (one of my fav books:) - I always thought these two things were very similar to each other, so I imagined Remus's mind working like that.