Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including, but not limited to, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros. Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's note: This partially follows the canon storyline of Remus going to live with the werewolves during 'Half-Blood Prince', but Sirius is alive here and Dumbledore doesn't die during the course of this either. Also, Greyback did not bite Remus in my stories.

Love Sees More 3: Greyback's Pack

Chapter 1 - Infiltration

"You don't have to go, you know," Sirius said, leaning against the doorway of Remus's bedroom at number twelve, Grimmauld Place. "You are allowed to say no."

Remus closed his eyes, leaning against one of the bedposts. He couldn't look at Sirius. "I can't not go. We desperately need the information, and there's no one else who can go. They certainly wouldn't allow a human in among them - that would be a dead give away."

"Like the fact that you're a known supporter of Albus and Harry isn't," Sirius reminded.

"Albus has a plan for that."

Sirius laughed, a sound somewhere between mocking and disbelief. "Of course he does." He stared at Remus, almost as if daring the other man to give him a proper explanation for why he would even consider this in the first place.

Sighing, Remus turned away from Sirius and sat down on the mattress, eyeing the faded carpet underneath his feet. "Albus feels certain that I can gain Greyback's trust by pretending to be fed up with the wizarding world. Everything I've done to fit in here hasn't worked, and I'm still as much of an outcast as I ever was. Nothing's changed for me here and I'm tired of fighting for rights - a life I'll clearly never have." Remus broke off and finally turned to look at Sirius. "That's what I have to make Greyback believe."

A long moment of silence passed, Sirius continuing to stare at Remus as if he had a screw loose. "Greyback isn't an idiot."

Remus's jaw clenched. "Are you saying I can't do it?"

"No." Sirius let out a breath of disbelief, taking several steps into the room. "I just mean that if Greyback suspects, even for a second, that you're trying to deceive him, he could kill you. All it would take is one slip up on your part, just one little inkling that you're not being honest with him…"

"Yes," Remus said tiredly, "I've thought about that, Padfoot." He sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. "That's what the Order is all about. Taking chances and doing things that we may not get out of. It's never stopped us before."

"Moony…" Sirius said, but his mind had gone blank. He couldn't, for the life of him, come up with a reasonable explanation why Remus shouldn't go. He knew they needed the information, needed all the help they could get, but…

Sirius sighed heavily, pacing across the room. "I know that," Sirius finally said, perhaps sounding a little harsher than he had intended. "I don't know why this time is so different. Maybe because Greyback is a nutcase and the thought of you going to live with him…"

"It disgusts me too if that's any consolation."

"So don't go!" Sirius exclaimed. "If it's going to make you that uncomfortable…"

"You're missing the point," Remus interrupted him. He had wrapped his hand around one of the bedposts, paying much more attention to the details etched into the wood than he should have. "Are you about to tell me that you've never once, in all the years that you've worked for the Order, done anything that's made you uncomfortable?" Remus raised his eyes, watching his best friend closely. He paused for effect and added, "I know you have."

Sirius immediately opened his mouth to respond, but once again, there was nothing he could say - nothing that wouldn't make him look like a hypocrite. As a last resort, he blurted out, "This is different!" He grimaced then, knowing that wouldn't help his argument. "It's absolutely ludicrous if you ask me."

"We're in a war, Padfoot. Few things make sense anymore."

"Just think about this for a second."

"I have."

"Have you?" Sirius asked, sounding doubtful. "Have you really? Because I don't think you have."

Remus leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and running a hand through his hair. His eyes were narrowed when he raised his gaze again. "You really think I didn't give very serious thought to this before I gave Albus my word?"

"No, I don't."

"Well, think again," Remus snapped. "I do know what I'm getting myself into, all right? You may not think so, but I do, so I wish you'd give me a little bit more credit. Albus wouldn't have asked me in the first place if he didn't think I could do this."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Sirius asked, "Are you sure you aren't letting that cloud your judgment?"

Remus didn't reply, mostly because he wasn't sure what to say to that. A small part of him was wondering if maybe Sirius had a point, if maybe Dumbledore was putting too much responsibility on him.

"You told me," Sirius said, taking a few steps closer, "that werewolves like Greyback live like animals."

"They do."

"Well, you're nothing like that, Remus!" Sirius said firmly, feeling confident that he was finally getting Remus to see reason. "You've never been like that! Now you're going to go live with these werewolves and try and act like you fit in with them? Don't you see how bonkers that sounds? That would be like me going to live with the rest of the Blacks, pretending I'm just like them." He paused, shaking his head. "It doesn't work."

"That's where you're wrong."

Sirius blinked. "What?"

"It's not as bonkers as you think it is," Remus said firmly. "On the contrary, acting like the rest of them will be the easy part."

Shaking his head in confusion, Sirius said, "I don't follow."

"I've told you," Remus explained, "that controlling the wolf is hard. Doing what they do - letting it control you - is easy. That's all I have to do…let Moony out a bit. No, it's not something I'm accustomed to, but it will be pretty natural for me. Moony is who I am. I just don't show it, but I am capable of doing so."

"That sounds even more insane!" Sirius hissed. "I mean, are you listening to yourself? 'Let Moony out.' I can't believe I'm hearing this!" He covered his eyes with his hands.

"It has to be done, Padfoot." Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but Remus talked over him. "Put yourself in my place for a moment, would you? What if Albus had asked you to go and live with the rest of your family, pretending that you had changed your mind about everything for the purposes of spying on them. Are you honestly telling me that you wouldn't do it, just because you would be out of your element? Or would you go, do your best, and use the information you gained to our advantage?"

Sirius couldn't lie, of course; it was funny sometimes how well Remus knew him. He sighed heavily. "You know I would do it. I'd go in a second."

"So why do I get a double standard?"

Sirius struggled with his possible responses to that. "Because you're Moony!" he cried, throwing his arms up in the air. He was relieved to see a small smile present on the werewolf's lips. "You're my best friend. You know I'm not about to let you go and do something completely crazy without a fight."

"I know," Remus whispered, "but I don't think there's anything you can say to change my mind. You know why I have to do this. It's the same reason why you would do it."

Growling in frustration, Sirius muttered, "I know." He took a deep breath, held it, and then let it out slowly in an effort to calm himself. He threw his hands up again in a sign of defeat. "I still think this is nuts, but if you insist on going…"

"I do."

"When are you going?"

"Next week," Remus replied. "Albus wants me to go as soon as possible before the next full moon gets too close. I have to get as established as I can with them before I even think about how I'm going to get through a transformation with them."

Silence fell, and the two men stared at each other for a long time, not saying anything. It was hovering on the edge of being uncomfortable, but it hadn't quite reached that point yet. After a while, Sirius said, "Just…try not to get yourself killed again, all right?"

"I don't intend to." A strange expression overtook Remus's face - something in between a smile and a grimace. "And the same goes for you. No running off and finding curtains to fall into while I'm gone."

"I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?"

Remus looked smug now. "No."

"Good." When Remus gave him a strange look, Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "You can't die now, because you just said you'd bug me about that forever."

Remus smirked. "I will, Padfoot. For as long as you need me to."

"Forever," Sirius reiterated.

"Forever it is, then."

The werewolf compound was partially housed in an abandoned colony which Remus found strangely ironic. But then again, it was just like Greyback to want to make a werewolf colony over into his own personal dominion. Remus imagined he found that vengefully satisfying.

The compound itself stood at the edge of a forest and not very far from a small village - the perfect spot for Greyback and the rest of his pack to whet their appetite for flesh.

Much of what remained of the colony had fallen into disrepair. Some of the buildings had been destroyed completely by the werewolves, leaving only stone foundations behind. The chain link fence surrounding the colony had long since been torn down, the victim of many full moons past. Just a few sections of the fence still remained, clinging to the forest floor, intertwined with underbrush and weeds.

As the pack's numbers increased, their territory had grown beyond these boundaries and into the neighboring forest. There was a cave not far from what used to be the colony's mess hall which Remus could tell the pack now used for shelter as well; there was a clear dirt path to it, the weeds having been worn away by years of use.

The entire place smelled of blood and decay, making Remus's stomach curl up into an uncomfortable knot. He wasn't sure how he was even going to make it through one night here, let alone weeks, or months, or - Merlin forbid - years. But Remus would try and integrate himself into the pack as best he could.

Remus had nothing with him, save for the clothes on his back. The werewolves lived off the land (and people) and they had very few possessions, relying on the ability to quickly pick up and leave if need be. Possessions and settling down were human things.

Remus didn't even have his wand, which made him feel almost naked. He didn't think he'd ever been without it, not since he'd first gotten it when he was eleven. His hand kept instinctively going to his pocket to feel for the handle, but it wasn't there; he had left it behind in the safety of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Magic was for wizards, not werewolves. If Remus was going to fit in at all, he had to play the part as much as possible.

Shivering against the crisp autumn air, Remus's eyes scanned the buildings, wondering which one Greyback used for his quarters. Remus knew he had to find Greyback first; if anyone else caught him sneaking around, Greyback would be less than sympathetic.

Picking his way through the underbrush, Remus made his way towards the first group of buildings. The moon was waning in the sky, not providing very much light at all. He squinted his eyes into the darkness, once again wishing that he had his wand to help him see.

The very first building he came seemed dark and empty. Remus stepped up to it, quickly pressing himself up against the splintered wooden siding. He stopped and listened, waiting for any sign of movement beyond. When none came, he peeked out around the corner, where the main lane of the colony spread out before him.

The door on the next building to right stood wide open, throwing a bright golden stream of light out onto the weed-covered ground. The windows had all been boarded up, but small hints of light here and there managed to break through. Remus waited for any sign of movement.

After what seemed like forever, there finally was a sign of life. Through the darkness, Remus could just make out a figure emerging from the cave, hurrying towards the main area of the colony. Biting his lip, Remus pressed himself against the wooden wall of his building again, silently praying that he hadn't been detected.

The man - werewolf - approaching him seemed close to Remus's own age. His clothes were ripped and torn, and even in the darkness, Remus could see many places where they had grown threadbare. The werewolf's hair was long, black, and graying, but not quite as much as Remus's own. It almost reminded Remus of Sirius, making him feel slightly homesick.

Remus had to suppress the urge to let out a mocking laugh. He hadn't been here for more than thirty minutes, and already he wanted to go home, back to number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Remus shook his head harshly, willing himself to remain focused on what he was here to do.

The young werewolf hurried up the steps of the building with the light on, but then he stopped. He hovered in the doorway, standing straight and placing his hands behind his back. "Sir?" he asked quietly.

"Well, come in and get on with it!" a voice thundered from within the building, and it was one that Remus recognized immediately - Greyback.

The werewolf stepped into the shack, almost disappearing from sight completely. Remus took several steps around the building he was hiding behind in an effort to keep an eye on the werewolf. Everywhere else within the compound seemed to be deserted; the rest of the pack must have gone out on a hunt, so Remus wasn't concerned with being seen anymore.

"Talon," Greyback said slowly, his voice carrying on the evening breeze. "Did you find him?"

"Yes, sir," the werewolf - Talon? - replied. "Well, Canin did. The boy you inquired about lives not far from here, in the village in that direction." Remus could see him gesturing back toward the area of the cave.

"Excellent," Greyback drawled, and Remus could imagine him licking his lips or rubbing his hands together in excitement. "Next full moon, that is where we will position ourselves and I will turn the boy. We'll see how his father feels about us vile creatures then, when his own son is one." Footsteps echoed in small shack, quickly followed by Greyback's very pleased voice. "Well done, Talon. You may go now, and close the door behind you."

"Yes, sir," Talon replied, emerging from the shack again. "Goodnight." He pulled the door closed behind him, descending the steps, and heading back in the direction of the cave.

It then occurred to Remus how nervous he was. His heart was beating so hard, he almost feared that the other werewolves would hear, and he had dug his fingernails into the one of the wooden boards he was leaning against. Remus knew he had to go now, before the rest of the werewolves returned, but he almost couldn't make himself move.

Leaning his forehead against the building, he took a deep breath and let it out. A part of him desperately wanted to turn around, to go back and tell Dumbledore that this entire idea had been a mistake. But he knew he couldn't. He had already given his word, and he wasn't about to go back on it.

Remus's breath was coming fast and hard now, despite his best efforts to the contrary. He knew he had to calm himself; if Greyback even sensed the tiniest bit of fear in him, it was unlikely that he would be accepted into the pack. Greyback demanded nothing but strength and nerve from his followers.

The minutes began to stretch, and Remus almost lost track of the time. He kept imagining what would happen if the other werewolves came back. Even though he wouldn't admit it, he was hoping they would, so that he would have an excuse to get the hell out of here.

If he didn't move now, however, he knew he never would. Taking another shaking breath, Remus stepped out from behind the building. He clenched his hands into fists, trying his best to find that Gryffindor courage inside of him that he was supposed to have.

Striding purposefully toward the building with the light still burning, Remus hurried across the overgrown grass and up the small set of stairs. Before he lost his nerve, Remus knocked gently on the old wooden door.

"WHAT?" Greyback demanded from within. Remus didn't move, but he heard footsteps, which signaled Greyback approaching the door. "What in the bloody hell do you want now, Tal -" Greyback stopped as he pulled the door open, which squeaked loudly on its hinges. Greyback's wild and matted grey hair was framed in the golden lamplight, his cold yellow eyes immediately connecting with Remus's.

Neither one of them said anything, but Remus stared back. He was trying to look confident and sure, but that was something he wasn't feeling at all.

"Wellll," Greyback hummed, his mouth twisting into a horrible smile. "Look what we have here - Lupin, right?"

It wasn't a question; Greyback knew who he was, but Remus answered anyway. "Yes. I didn't…have anywhere else to go." Remus had to look away, sure that Greyback would be able to see the lies and uncertainty in his eyes.

Greyback was running his tongue across his dried and peeling lips as he looked Remus over. "Uh huh. I find that hard to believe. What about those wizard friends of yours?" he sneered.

"I wouldn't call them friends, exactly." Remus swallowed, realizing for the first time just how badly Greyback smelled. It was a combination of how Remus smelled after a transformation - blood, sweat, and fur, only a million times worse. Remus hated that smell; it reminded him of a hundred painful transformations and about the time his father had taken him to the werewolf colony when he was little. He shut his eyes, trying to stop his stomach from clenching.

When the feeling passed, Remus looked at Greyback again, trying his best to keep his gaze steady. "Friends trust you."

"And yours don't, hm?"

It was difficult gauging Greyback's feelings. He always seemed to have that same look on his face - one of perverted enjoyment.

"No," Remus whispered. "Not now. Not in the way they should and not with this war going on. Actually, I can't say that they ever have."

Greyback looked rather amused. "You're just realizing this now?"

"No," Remus repeated. "I've always known that, I suppose. I'm just tired of…pretending."

One of Greyback's eyebrows went up. "So you come here?"

"I didn't…"

"Know where else to go," Greyback interrupted. "Yes, you've said." The large unkempt werewolf stood rooted to his spot for a long time, as if debating with himself. After nearly a minute, he stepped aside, gesturing for Remus to enter. "Don't think that I'm inviting you to stay, but come in."

Remus hesitated for a split second before crossing the threshold. If he thought that Greyback had smelled bad while standing in the doorway, it was nothing compared to the stench that seemed to permeate every inch of the room.

The shack was similar to one of the bunks he had seen while visiting a werewolf colony when he was young. The bars, however, that had previously divided the room into cells had been torn away. Small round holes that stood in straight lines in the wooden floorboards and ceiling evidenced this. Everything else in the room had been removed as well it seemed; the only things present were a tatty mattress on the floor, an armchair that had seen better days, and a rickety table and chairs that Remus wouldn't trust to support his weight.

Greyback shut the door, which gave another loud squeal that made Remus shiver. He didn't turn to face Greyback, but instead pretended to be taking in the room for much longer than was necessary.

"I've asked you before," Greyback said conversationally, "to join me, and you always made it quite clear that you weren't interested. Why now?"

"I told you." Remus made himself look at Greyback again, even though every sight and smell of the older werewolf made him feel sick. If he was really going to do this, he should probably start getting comfortable with the idea. "I'm tired of pretending. They didn't trust me in the first war, and they sure as hell don't trust me now," Remus explained.

"Not even that Dumbledore?"

"No," Remus said, and he let the repulsion he felt show on his face. "He actually had the audacity to ask me, just last week, if I was still loyal to him."

"Did he now?" Greyback's voice was toneless, expressionless.

"You'd think he'd know by now in the bloody second war."

This seemed to strike a chord in Greyback; that terrifying toothy smile of his was back. "He's afraid," Greyback sound around a laugh. "He's terrified that the Dark Lord is gaining so much power and so many followers."

Remus had to control the urge to laugh in return, to tell Greyback how wrong he was. Instead, he said, "He wanted to know if I had given any thought to joining my own kind."

Greyback watched him thoughtfully and then he nodded. "You see?" He started stalking forward until he was mere inches away from Remus, staring down at him. "After all you've done for them, you see how they treat you? Like you're some kind of disease, like you don't even deserve to breathe the same air they do."

"I know." Unable to stand the smell of Greyback any longer, Remus stepped away, pretending he was taking in his surroundings again. "How can I continue to pledge my loyalty to a man that doesn't trust me in return? Who constantly treats me like I don't belong? Even after I've done everything in my power to prove otherwise?" Remus clenched his teeth now as well as his fists, scowling.

"That's the way the world is, Remus," Greyback said, taking several steps towards him again. "No matter what you do, you'll never belong with them. You'll never fit in. Not like you would here."

"That's why I came," Remus bit out shakily.

"To see if you could belong here?" Greyback laughed, a horrible barking sound that was almost the exact opposite of Sirius's. That thought made Remus feel homesick again.

Greyback drew even closer, reaching out to grab the front of Remus's robes. He tugged on them until Remus was pressed up against him, Greyback's odor positively sickening in this close proximity.

"I don't accept just anyone, of course," Greyback said, grinning again, his unsightly yellow teeth gleaming in the lamplight. "But I don't turn away potential followers either, unlike some people. You'll just have to prove yourself."

"Of course," Remus said, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "Just tell me what I have to do." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Remus regretted them. Dumbledore was certain Remus would have to pass some kind of test. The sooner they knew what it was, the sooner they could figure out how Remus could possibly get through it, but Remus had sounded much too anxious. He knew that, and so did Greyback.

"No," Greyback said, "not yet. It's not time. You won't know when it's coming, but trust me, it is."

"But how…?"

"I'll let you know when it's time," Greyback said, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You'll have minimal time to prepare, but it will test how strong your loyalty to me is." He paused for a moment and then without warning, he shoved Remus back until he slammed into the wall. His back screamed in pain, but Remus tried to ignore it, keeping his eyes pinned on Greyback.

Greyback pressed himself up against Remus, once again so close that Remus thought he was going to be sick from the smell. "Make no mistake," Greyback growled. "I do not tolerate lies or insubordination of any sort. If you fail, if you do not demonstrate absolute loyalty to me, I'll rip your throat out so fast you won't know what hit you. If, on the other hand, you are loyal to me, you have nothing to fear. Is any of this unclear?"

Remus shook his head, not trusting himself to speak.

"And you still wish to stay?"

Remus wanted nothing more than to say no, to get the hell out of there and go back home, but it was too late now. Greyback would kill him for wasting his time before he ever got anywhere near the door. Steeling all his courage, Remus firmly replied, "Yes."

"Very well." Greyback finally released him and took a step back. The relief from Greyback's odor was welcome, but that was about the only thing that was. A part of Remus was terrified of what would happen next. Greyback extended his arm and pointed at the door. "Move."

Remus was frozen to his spot. A million questions were going through his mind, and he felt too overwhelmed to even move. He opened and closed his mouth several times before he was able to push himself away from the wall. Remus headed for the door, wondering where Greyback could possibly want him to go.

Remus went for the door and pulled it open, the fresh autumn air rushing in to meet him. Before he could take a moment to enjoy it, Greyback shoved a hand into his back. Remus stumbled down the stairs, the weed-strewn ground rushing up to meet him.

"Get the hell up," Greyback snarled. "I don't have all night to baby-sit you."

Climbing to his feet as quickly as he could, Remus felt startled by just how fast Greyback's demeanor had changed. Not more than twenty minutes ago, he had been calm and carried on a reasonable conversation; now, he looked almost ready to explode if Remus said or did the wrong thing.

"That way," Greyback instructed, pointing in the direction of the shack that Remus had hidden behind. Remus went, not wanting to do anything to upset him further.

When they got to the front door of the shack, Greyback grabbed the back of Remus's collar with one hand. With the other, he reached out and wrenched the shack's door open, shoving Remus inside.

This shack was almost completely dark, the only light provided by the moon sneaking through the boards that covered the windows. Before Remus's eyes could even adjust, Greyback pulled open another door just to the right of the entrance.

"Inside," Greyback barked, giving Remus another shove.

Remus stumbled again, reaching out his hands for support. When his fingers closed around a cold iron bar, that was when he realized he was in a cell.

"Have to keep you close," Greyback said, "so I can keep an eye on you." With a loud bang, he slammed the cell door shut, making Remus feel sick all over again. "Once you prove your loyalty, you'll be allowed with the others. I don't trust you yet, so this is for our own safety. You understand, don't you?" Without waiting for an answer, Greyback instructed, "Get some sleep. I expect you to be up early to meet the rest of my pack." Without another word, Greyback turned on his heel and left the shack, slamming the door shut behind him.

Remus swallowed and waited, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. This shack was indeed similar to the one that housed Greyback, approximately the same size, except the cells from its werewolf colony days remained. Remus thought he counted seven other cells, four on each side of the room.

They were tiny. There was enough room in his cage for a bed and a toilet, but not much else. Remus alone took up the remaining space, which was barely enough to take one step in.

Dropping down onto the bed, it squeaked heavily under him. Remus ran his hands through his hair, wondering if this had been such a good idea after all. It was too late to think about that now, of course, but the thought of what Greyback could possibly have in store for him terrified him.

But he was in.

To be continued