Author's Note: Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The following characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and this story derives from her original works, storylines, and world. Please do not sue me, I can barely pay tuition.

Warnings: Mentions Remus Lupin's canon history of exclusion, isolation, and discrimination. Openly refers to Greyback as the thinly-veiled pedophilia metaphor that he is in canon.

Stacked with: MC4A; By Any Other Name; Snicket Fence; Specious Narratives

Individual Challenge(s): Gryffindor MC (x2); Neurodivergent; Short Jog

Representation(s): James Potter and Remus Lupin Bromance; ADHD James Potter; werewolf social dynamics; insecurity; manipulative Fenrir Greyback; institutional violence/discrimination allegory in canon

Bonus Challenge(s): Found Family; Chorus (Wabi Sabi); Machismo

Tertiary Bonus Challenge(s): Ameliorate; Spare

Word Count: 1122

Different Veins

James joined Remus on the shitty little fire escape outside the shitty shoebox apartment he and Sirius shared. Against a thousand different fire hazard codes, they were treating it as a balcony and had even managed to grow tomatoes and dittany there.

"Hey," James said, sitting down.

"Hey," Remus mirrored. In James' opinion, a sure sign that Remus had disconnected from the world. James glossed over many things and couldn't seem to focus on a lot of important bits, but he knew how to read his friends. The important things, he always managed to pick up the details on.

"So," James said. "Don't be offended when I say this—"

"We're off to a great start."

"Sorry, mate. I just know you hate hearing this, but I need to bring to your attention just how much you look like shit," James said. "And we're not that close to a full moon. The others and I were talking, and we noticed that this particular bout of shittiness is timed with that last Order mission you went on with Fabian."

"Okay," Remus said. He scratched the back of his head. "I mean… I can't stop you from thinking that."

"What happened?" James asked. "You don't owe us any stories, but I know you were alone for a while after those Death Eaters knocked out Prewett, and something's been bothering you since."

"I met Fenrir Greyback," Remus said simply.

James' eyes widened behind his glasses.

"The one who..?"

"Bit me. Yes," Remus said. He tugged at his hair. "He knew who I was."

"How?"

"He said he'd seen my picture in the paper, in seventh year when they took that picture of everyone who'd graduated with honours together…" Remus said.

"Remus, I'm sorry. What did he say?"

"A lot of things," Remus said. "He… he was surprised I hadn't joined him."

"Joined him? Whatever the fuck for?" James asked. "Biting children?"

"He has a pack," Remus said. "Like… like an animal."

"Remus…"

"He asked me to follow him. He told me I should—that I'd had my fun in the Wizarding world, but should come to my senses and think of where I really belonged," Remus said. "He couldn't believe I hadn't come to find him myself earlier."

"What did you say?"

"I'm here aren't I?" Remus grimaced. "But the way he talked about me—about biting me… James, I don't think it was an accident. I think he did it on purpose. I'll have to ask my parents, to check, but he… he came for me. He called it 'claiming me.'"

"That's some hot bullshit," James said.

"Yes," Remus said, exhaling heavily. "That's what I told him."

"Good."

"He said I'd change my mind once I saw what wizards were really like, once I left Dumbledore's protection," Remus said. "I don't know, James. I don't think I will. Greyback is… Greyback is despicable."

"You're right," James said. "I'm sorry you had to deal with him."

"I think he can be despicable and right, though," Remus said. "I'm not going to run off and join him, don't worry about that. I'm just… He's right that I don't belong in the Wizarding world—not the real one, outside of Hogwarts anyways. I'm barely employable as is, and that's only going to get worst. The laws are getting tighter and tighter. There's talk of a werewolf registry and monthly check-ins, as if we're on probation. James, what if he's right?"

"About what?" James asked.

"That I belong to him, somehow?"

Remus may have kept the issue to himself for over a week, but James saw frustrated and scared tears glinting in his friend's eyes. He could tell by the flood of words that this had been weighing on Remus' heart and conscience.

"James, I know nothing about my condition outside of what dated magizoologists and straight-up executionists have to say," Remus said. "He bit me. Part of him is in my veins—I share something with him, no matter how much I hate him. He gave me my first, my most painful, scar. James, what if I really, really am not meant to be in this world? What if I belong in his? Between Greyback and the rest of the world, all the signs… And then he just let me go. As if he thought that I'd come to him, so why bother?"

"You're talking about signs an awful lot for someone who dropped out of Divination after one class," James said firmly. "Look, I can't pretend I understand what it's like to be you. Never have, never will."

Remus chewed his lip.

James put an arm around him.

"Greyback's a mercenary and a predator and he preys on children. He's cruel and violent and disgusting. I know that he bit you and that that's… that's a kind of relationship, I suppose. But you're two very different people. You have different veins. You're not like Greyback, and he can't pretend to know you. He has no right to. There's got to be an in-between place, between being like Greyback and being…"

"Human?"

"You are human," James insisted. "You're a good man. Not 'a good man for a werewolf,' you're just a good person. Greyback's not. That, to me, is different enough."

Remus looked out at the street beneath them. A triad of very drunk people were making their way home, presumably from a party, laughing with one another. One of them stopped and puked in a trashcan.

"Life's about choices," James said. "You know how Lily always calls out 'make good choices' when we're bolting out the door? Those guys down there… bad choices. You? You make good choices. Kind choices, intelligent choices, careful choices. And yet you still punish yourself and feel so guilty about the things nobody gave you any choice about. It's not your fault that you've been bitten, Remus. I'm sorry if the world's not making that clear, but you're doing everything right. I think Greyback looks at you and sees the one that got away. He'd probably kill to have you join, but you won't."

"I won't," Remus said quietly. "I know I won't. I just worry."

"We need to get you a hobby instead," James said. "Lily's been getting into knitting, if you want to join her in her textile endeavors."

"Make myself a wolf in sheep's clothing?" Remus suggested, smile teasing his lips.

James burst out laughing.

"Okay, maybe not knitting. Stamp collecting?"

"No."

"I hear Muggles make model trains?"

"No."

"Photography?"

"We're going to be here a while, aren't we?"

"Yup," James said. "See; you slipped away from Greyback, but you're stuck with me. So how do you feel about birdwatching?"

"Now you're just fucking with me."