...Meanwhile Remus Lupin, who was thinner and more ragged-looking than ever, was sitting beside the fire, staring into its depths as though he could not hear Celestina's voice.

'Oh, come and stir my cauldron,

And if you do it right

I'll boil you up some hot, strong love

To keep you warm tonight.'

Molly Weasley glanced over at Remus. She wondered if he was thinking about Tonks.

Remus watched the flames and reliving some of the best times of his life. He was thinking wistfully of how his life might have turned out, if things had been different. If she had been able to stay with him…marry him…live with him and love him forever. Ana.

Autumn 1980, approx. 1 year before the deaths of Lily and James Potter.

Remus banged on her front door, and called out 'Ana!' Rain poured down, mingling with the blood on his forehead and trickling down his face in red rivers. 'Ana!' Remus called out again. He was having trouble standing. Wincing because of three broken ribs, Remus raised his arm and thumped on her door again. Then the pain became too much and he blacked out.

Ana opened the door in time to catch Remus as he slumped against her. She lowered him gently to the floor and shut the door and pulled out her wand. 'Mobilicorpus' Remus's body rose off the ground as Ana guided him into her living room and laid him gently on her couch.

Ana bit her lip as she looked down at Remus, his face was pale beneath the blood. She knew the work he did for the Order of the Phoenix was vital in the war against Voldemort but she hated that he was risking his life. He protected her and looked after her when they tranformed together every month. The two werewolves had developed a bond beyond words. One might say they were in lov- Sighing Ana retrieved her wand from her pocket and set about healing Remus's various wounds. When she was finished, she disappeared into the kitchen for a while with a bottle of firewhiskey.

Remus came up slowly from his sleep. He was drowsy, he could feel and hand on his forehead, stroking his hair, now his cheek. Slowly he opened his eyes. Ana was there, gazing down at him with a most tender expression on her face. 'You can't sleep out here, Remus, love. You can share my bed.' Then she disappeared down the hall. Rising stiffly, Remus followed her, noting the pain, or rather, the lack of pain he felt. She must have healed him while he was unconscious.

Ana's room was warm and dim, thanks to a roaring fire, which gave off the only light in the room. She had already turned down the covers and changed into a plain cotton nightgown. Remus couldn't help but notice that even this simple garment couldn't hide her lovely slim figure. Ana turned to him, her face in shadow. The firelight shone out around her, haloing her with darkness. 'Remus, you're all wet, you can't sleep like that!' she exclaimed. 'Here,' Ana went over to him and helped him to remove him robes, and the shirt he wore underneath, leaving Remus in his jeans. 'That will have to do,' she said as she laid his clothes beside the fire to dry.

Remus felt vaguely uncomfortable standing near her without his robes, or shoes, or shirt. He knew that it was just foolish, he had transformed back from a werewolf hundreds of times on front of her. But he couldn't keep from blushing as they clambered into the bed together. For a few moments they simply lay there next to eachother in silence, the he turned to her and said softly 'Ana, thank you.' The words went beyond what she had done for him that night, they both knew it. Gently she patted his arm and smiled at him. 'Anything, Remus' And they fell asleep, side by side.

Remus turned his head slightly, coming out of his past to listen to Harry Potter and Authur Weasley talking. He joined the conversation as it moved over a series of topics; Snape, lycanthropy, life with the werewolves. Then Harry asked 'Who's Greyback?' Remus felt his fists clench in his lap. He couldn't stop it. Fenrir Greyback. Possibly the most loathesome werewolf in existence. Greyback had taken everything from Remus. Ruined his life. Twice. Remus knew that if the chance ever presented itself, he would kill Greyback. Shortly after, he headed off to bed.

When Harry and the others went back to Hogwarts after Christmas, Remus headed back 'Underground' with the werewolves. He didn't stay with them for the full moon though. It was to risky, they might influence him. It was unbearable being so close to Greyback, having to live under his rule. The werewolf clan lived in an old abandoned factory on the outskirts of London. They mostly stayed in the cavernous storage rooms under the factory, venturing above ground only when necessary. Once, while staying with the clan, Remus thought he saw a familiar face. But it couldn't be, she couldn't be here. It wouldn't be allowed…