Marauders - Always - Part One

Find Lyson

The man in the tree stayed still in the bushes below the window, scarcely daring to breathe when he saw the shadow of Harry Underhill as he peered out into the yard behind his house. When the curtains closed, the man sprinted for the trees, ducking into the darkness they offered, dodging branches and logs, returning to where his Alpha sat, waiting.

Fenrir Greyback sat on a large protruding root at the foot of a particularly thick trunk, legs crossed, and glowering up at the nearly full moon overhead, peering through the branches and leaves of the forest canopy. "You couldn't be any louder about it if you tried, could you, Ed?"

"Nearly spotted me," Ed rasped as he came to a halt.

Greyback lazily waited for Ed to catch his breath. "Did you find them?" Greyback demanded.

"Looked in every window, and not a trace of 'em. Place reeked of Lyson, though. Underhill's got him hidden some place." Ed paused, then grinned, "He's got Veigler's little one, too."

"Yes, I know," Greyback said. He was studying his fingernails.

"And I smelled Lupin."

Fenrir Greyback looked up at this, quicker than he meant to. "What?" he hissed.

"Remus Lupin was here. Recently. Smelled him in the yard. Smelled like him and Lyson might've talked a bit."

Greyback sat up, eyes flashing with anger.

Ed looked at Greyback with one brow raised in question.

"Find Lyson. Now." Greyback's voice was a growl.

Ed shivered, magic tingling through his veins. He nodded, turned, and hurried back through the trees toward the house.

In the basement, Carl Lyson stood in front of the stairs. Behind him, tucked into a cupboard beneath the stairs, was his family. Carl's eyes shifted constantly between the walk out door and the door at the top of the stair.

His nose burned with the scent of Greyback. The pull of the Alpha command was strong, his blood felt like it was boiling in his veins. He clutched tighter the mallet he had found in the cupboard that now held his family, wishing he'd found something more lethal. It was the only weapon he had, the only thing he had besides his strength to protect his family with.

He knew they would come for him. Even as they had snuck out of the tower in Blackburn, he had known. The full moon was in less than a week now, and Greyback wanted them all under his command for the full moon. It was a wonder he hadn't come before now.

A shadow passed by the walk in steps, and Carl's body wound tighter, a spring ready to unhitch.

Ed passed by without descending the steps. Ed must be doing the dirty work for Greyback, Carl thought. He could smell both now, with Ed so close. Greyback's scent carried further, stronger as the Alpha, and he could be anywhere. Carl was willing to bet he was in among the trees that lined the small yard.

Storm whined, "I'm cold!"

"Shhh," his mother adminished him. "We're being very quiet right now, remember?" Her voice was barely a breath.

Storm sighed.

Carl stepped quickly to the bed and grabbed a blanket from the bed, handing it into the closet hurriedly. Storm pulled it over himself and covered his sister and mother with the other end carefully.

The door at the top of the stairs up to the kitchen creaked. Carl swung himself about to face them, eyes wide in the darkness. A slice of light cut across the stairs, and the shadow of legs...

"It's us, just us," Underhill hissed, seeing Carl with the mallet. "Everything alright down here?"

"Greyback is lurking," Carl replied. "Close enough to scent."