The Coming Curse ((closed))

[Loki Fen'Rolphus G6]

Loki pulled his cloak tighter around him as he walked away from the cottage where he had just left Carry. She had a business meeting with her father today, which occasionally happened. Her father tended to schedule meetings around the times when he knew Carry would have a Hogsmeade trip. Sadly he had kissed her softly and told her he loved her and he’d see her in an hour and she had kissed his cheek and gone on into the warmth of the cottage. It was still early in fall, but it was most definitely fall, and Loki had never done well with the cold. He was already wearing gloves and scarf, despite the fact that some students were content to just go out in their summer wear. Loki needed his heavy cloak even for weather such as this. It was a breezy day as well, which only added to the cold. The wind nipped at his ears and he pulled his hat down over them. Loki must have looked slightly foolish to some people, with how low his tolerance for the cold was, but honestly he didn’t care. He was cold, so what? Besides, who other than a Slytherin would ever give Loki Fen’Rolphus a dirty look? Sure, Loki had a bad habit of being a big arrogant, but people liked him nonetheless. If he got anything he’d get a chuckle and a nudge about how a big guy like him could get so cold.

Loki walked slowly through the town, the time still being at least ten minutes before noon. Loki was still in the middle of a crisis. Should he go? He reached into his pocket, retrieving the letter he had kept with him since he had received it. He had told Carry about it the day before the Hogsmeade trip, and yes she had been upset with him about not telling her sooner, but she had forgiven him. But, she had not stopped arguing with him about it since then. Even five minutes ago, when he had dropped her off at the cottage she was still doing it. “Loki...please just let me go talk to my dad, I’ll cancel, it’s no big deal.” “You can’t do that and you know you cant...as if your dad needs any more reason to hate me.” “Don’t talk like that Loki.” “Fine, fine, but you’re not going...I’ll be fine by myself I promise.” “And what if something happens? You don’t even know who this person is. You shouldn’t go alone.” “Honey...trust me ok? You go meet with your dad and I’ll be back here in an hour.” “...Be careful?” “I promise I will.” With that she had finally, reluctantly, agreed. And yet still, Loki wasn’t even sure if he wanted to go meet this person. For all he knew it could have just been someone messing with him, there might not even be anyone at all. But at the same time, Loki didn’t like the prospects of possibly being a blood betrayer. Especially with the warning that had been implied. ”Choose wisely, Loki.” He repeated to himself as he once again folded up the letter and shoved it into his pocket.

Loki made up his mind and thought over the letter. The less crowded pub...how quaint. Loki shook his head and walked off towards the Hog’s Head, the pub he figured the letter had meant. He walked quickly now, eager to just get this all over with, and knowing that he only have about three minutes left to make an appearance. He honestly didn’t want to make any wrong moves if, and he suspected it was, the werewolf culture was involved. He may not have remembered much, but what he did remember was the fact that they were a people not taken lightly. And this Anubis person was most definitely cryptic enough, too cryptic for Loki’s taste. He approached the deserted pub and took a deep breath before pulling open the door and looking inside. Other then the bartender there was only one other person in the place. At first Loki didn’t even see the man, seeing as he was sitting in the farthest back corner someone could have chosen to sit. The man was looking straight at Loki, and as Loki made his way towards the table, the man stood. Loki tried to keep a casual look about him, though he knew his heart was pounding. And that was something he needed to get in check quickly. If this man was the kind of man Loki imagined him to be, he would smell the fear and have heard the heartbeat the moment Loki entered the room.

[Loki Fen'Rolphus G6]

ANUBIS:[/i]

Anubis had arrived in Hogsmeade a day early, and had stayed on the edge of town in a tent since his arrival. It wasn’t the type of tent a normal wizard might have chosen, no, no not at all. This was a muggle tent. Simple as simple gets. Anubis did not believe in the niceties the wizards needed to please themselves. All the fine things they needed to survive only made them weak. That was obvious, seeing as the wizard was nearly the weakest thing on the planet, even the house elf knew how to live simply, and to be grateful for what he had. The wizard was never grateful, he only wanted more. More, more, more. Always more. Did they not ever learn from their mistakes? You would assume they would. All the great cultures of the world fell at the hands of greedy wizards. Always the wizards, what was not their fault? Everything was their fault. And most off, the decline of the werewolf, that was their fault. Who did they think they were? To condemn an entire race of people for being different. They were no better than slave owners, in fact that’s all the wizards were. Slave owners. No matter, I am getting distracted.

The fact remains, Anubis arrived early. He had gone straight to bed, apparating had always taken a lot out of him. He was much older these days. It was odd to him, that in a day’s time he might be seeing Loki...after so many years, he would see the boy. The boy who was so infinitely clueless to what he had missed over the years. Oh goodness, as Anubis washed his face in a nearby stream he sighed, thinking about how much explaining he would have to do. He had no idea where to start; it was such a complicated story. The best place to start more than likely, would be at the beginning, but then came the question of, what was the beginning? Loki’s birth? Surely not, the beginning takes place long before that, and to be honest, long before even Anubis’ birth. The story begins, hundreds of years before. Back before the werewolf even existed. Aha, that was it. Anubis would need to begin by explaining the origin of the wolf. That would make sense, because in honesty, that’s where it all begins. From there Anubis could better explain all the culture, the history, the things that Loki had missed out on. Oh if Fenrir had not been so stupid! Or well, smart rather. But stupid in his own way as well. Smart to see the truth, but stupid to go about it the way he had. It had happened so long ago, it was a distant memory now, but a clear one. It was like looking at a star through a telescope. You know the thing you see is infinitely far away, and yet at the same time, it shines so brightly.

Anubis dressed in the wizard cloaks he knew would be appropriate for the town, and combed back his black hair. As he lifted a glass to see himself in it, he wondered how Loki would look. Would he look anything like his father? Or would he hold the features of his mother? It was a question Anubis could not answer. When the boy was young he had looked a great deal like his mother, but his hair had been just as black as his fathers were. And he had his father’s eyes. Brown and deep. Anubis set down the glass and turned to leave his tent, grabbing a vile on his way out. He headed straight for the pub he had been told existed, and made his way inside, at least a half hour early. He ordered two drinks from the man behind the counter, and took them to a table in the far corner. As he sat, he emptied the vile into one of the glasses, and pushed it to the other side of the table. It would take at least a half hour’s time to settle. And when the boy sipped it, it would take a good half hour to set in his system. If the boy showed up at all that was. Anubis sat quietly, staring straight at the door he had entered through, the door that he assumed Loki would enter through. His eyes did not move from the door until it finally opened. He did, Loki looked like his mother still. As Loki moved towards Anubis, the man stood, admiring the fact that Loki still had his father’s eyes and his father’s hair. Would he recognize his father if he saw him? No. He would not. That was apparent as Anubis held out his hand for the boy, smiling calmly, trying to ease the fear that was so obvious in him. Anubis could feel Loki’s quick pulse through their handshake. “Nice to see you again, Loki. I believe you already have a suspicion who I am?” Anubis cocked his head slightly before sitting and offering the opposite chair to Loki. “My name is Anubis.”

[Loki Fen'Rolphus G6]

Loki stared at the man for a while, unsure of how to reply to his casual attitude. It was as if sending threatening letters was something this guy did every day, then again, as far as Loki knew it might have been something he did every day. Loki shook his hand and then he could not hold in his confused look as Anubis introduced himself, and sat down at the table. Loki hesitated for a moment before sliding into the other chair. “I would introduce myself, but you obviously already know who I am.” Loki sat there; waiting for the other man to say something, some sort of explanation, but when he didn’t Loki sighed and looked him in the eye. “You owe me an explanation...Anubis. I know your name but I have no clue who you are. I believe it’s about time for you to do some talking.” It struck Loki just how aggressive he was being towards Anubis. But something about the man inspired Loki to do so. Something about the man...perhaps it was the way the man looked. He was a large man, not exactly tall, but thick. Not thick like overweight, but thick like he could break you in half without even trying. He had black hair, only a few shades darker then Loki’s, and dark brown eyes. The man’s skin was pale though, as if he didn’t see the sun very often. He looked tired, and yet at the same time, his eyes were awake and energetic. The tired look, Loki suspected, was an effect of the recently passed full moon.

While Loki had been given no reason to assume that this man was a werewolf, all signs pointed to it. The man’s appearance was a huge clue to it, and also his letter. Only a werewolf would have known about Loki’s parents, and been able to suspect that information on them would be able to lead him into a meeting. Loki had still not figured out however, why a werewolf would want to meet with him. All his life Loki had suspected that he was banished, that he was a cursed soul and that the rest of the community had probably been forbidden of seeking contact with him. He had been a traitor had he not? He had gone off to Hogwarts. Now, of course this could not all be held on as Loki’s mistake. He was a child. It had been his parents who had made the decision, but Loki had always suspected that the society had decided that Loki had been tainted. And a tainted child could not stay in the community. So Loki was banished. It made sense. It had always made sense in Loki’s head. He had given it a lot of thought, and yet that was the only answer he had ever been able to figure out. The only answer that had made any sense.

Loki looked down at the glass in front of him and reached a hand towards it, bringing it to him. He looked at it for a while before bringing it to his lips and taking a sip. Water. Simple enough. There wasn’t much Loki could say yet, he had no idea why he was there. The weight all fell on Anubis. Whoever he was, and whatever he wanted, Loki didn’t know. Sure, Loki knew his name, but other than that he knew nothing of the man. It was most definitely unwise of Loki to drink from the glass in front of him, but Loki’s head was so clogged with questions for the man that he wasn’t even thinking about the possibility of being drugged.

[Loki Fen'Rolphus G6]

Anubis:

Anubis nodded thoughtfully as Loki spoke, stating that Anubis owed him answers. It was true. The letter that Anubis had written indeed implied that he had answers for Loki. The big question was about how he would get the answers out. Anubis sat silent, deciding to take his own good time in answering Loki. He sat, with his hands clasped on the table, smiling pleasantly as he watched Loki for a few moments. Or at least, until Loki took a sip of his water. Anubis’ smile grew even more pleasant at the sight, if that was possible. He nodded again and cleared his throat. “You are quite right, Loki. I do owe you quite a few explanations. So shall I start at the beginning?” By this, Anubis most definitely did not mean the very beginning, but just at the explanation of his person. He waited till Loki nodded and then he nodded too. “Very well. My name is Anubis, as I told you, and as my father before me was, and his father before him, and all the way back till the beginning. What the beginning is exactly I’ll get to soon enough.” He chuckled and reached for his glass, running his finger around the top of it. “I’m sure you have suspected by now, that I am a werewolf. And this is indeed true. As a matter of fact, I was on the council that chose your name, Loki.” At this Anubis raised an eyebrow at Loki and took a sip of his water. The untainted water.

“You are, no doubt, wondering why I have written to you.” Anubis waited for a reply from Loki, but when all he got was a blank stare, one of those stares that told you to keep talking, Anubis did indeed keep talking. “As I wrote to you,” He said as he looked down at his glass again. “I knew your mother quite well. It will please you to know...” Anubis looked up at Loki. “That she was not murdered as you have always suspected she was. Actually...she lived out her life in Germany until two years ago, she died of some disease, I know not which.” At this Loki opened his mouth to speak, but Anubis raised a hand. “Surely you wish to argue with me about why you did not know, but the truth is that your mother’s memory was erased. She would not have known who you were if you stood two feet from her.” At this, Loki seemed to sink back, almost in defeat. In the silence, Anubis went on. “Your father however, had his life taken when he was banished.” Anubis looked up at Loki, debating what information he was to hold back. “I spared your mother.” Loki looked up at Anubis, anger in his eyes, but he did not open his mouth. His head lulled slightly and Anubis simply smiled at him. “It was not possible for your father to remain alive. That would have been impossible to cover up, and I was under strict orders. You are lucky I was able to keep you and your mother alive.”

Loki’s eyes were dimming. Not the color of them, but the energy behind them. Anubis could see it plainly. The younger boy moved his lips to speak, but it took him a few moments to get the words out, and when he did they sounded tired. “Who were you taking orders from?” Anubis laughed and took another sip of his water, as if the new exhaustion that was sweeping over Loki was not unusual. “Fenrir Greyback of course. He was afraid of you Loki. He wanted you and your whole family killed. Of course, I’ll explain all the details of why later. But would you like the jist of it Loki?” Anubis waited until Loki managed to nod his head weakly. “Well it comes down to the fact that your father was planning on having you usurp Greyback. Isn’t that a grand idea Loki? You would have been in charge.” Anubis looked off thoughtfully, as if reminiscing. “The sad part is that ol’Fenrir found out...and he wanted you all dead. There was no way I could let your father live, I mean, he was the one starting all the traitor talk wasn’t he?” Anubis grinned and looked back at Loki. “Too bad that Aiden Flynn never had anything to do with it. Not even your birth. Too bad I’m the one behind it all...huh Loki?” At that, Loki’s body seemed to give up and he slumped to the table. Anubis finished his water and stood. He looked over his shoulder as two large men entered the pub. “Pick him up and take him out.”