Don't own it, just like playing with it.

AN: This chapter starts during the lessons at Grimmauld Place.

"...nine, ten. That should do it." Dale was leading his students through a dueling spell, making them repeat it correctly ten times.

He looked up, and noticed Remus looking at him. They both blushed and looked away.

"The next spell, Remus and I will demonstrate. I will demonstrate the spell itself, while Remus will demonstrate the proper deflection spell. Then I want each of you to do each spell ten times." The group groaned. "I can make it twenty if you wish."

"Staratha!" Five wheels with multiple points flew towards Remus. At the last possible moment...

"Shuratha!" The wheels clattered harmlessly to the floor.

"This is a dangerous spell, obviously," Dale said. "You will end up in pieces if you wait too long. It's illegal in professional dueling, but this is war, and your enemy is not going to care about legality. Now hop to it."

"They're very enthusiastic," Remus said, standing beside Dale. Merlin, the proximity is killing me.

"They are, for the most part. We're most of the way through this lesson. I only make them learn three new sets of spells a day. One well-done spell is worth a dozen shoddily done spells. At the beginning we review the previous day's spells, plus I test them on two random spells." I'm babbling. Merlin, I hope he doesn't think I'm an idiot or something. "Are you free to discuss with Ev and me those outlines tonight?"

"I am." Tomorrow night's the full moon. Should I tell him that I'm a werewolf? I need to talk to Sev and Siri. I've never really done this before. I hope we don't go on too late. I'm always tired, achy, and nauseous right before the full moon and for about two days after.

"Remus? Are you all right?" I hope he's not coming down with something. He looks as though he doesn't feel well.

"I'm all right. You were saying?" I zoned out AGAIN! How embarrassing!

"I was saying that you could come by right after dinner tonight. You look like you could use and early night." And a back rub, a hot bath, a cup of tea....

"I could." The hell with it. I'll tell him. The rest of the house knows anyway, since Sev and Ev brewed the wolfsbane together. "I need to let you in on something very important."

"All right. Just let me dismiss the class first." Remus nodded. "Very good class. Remember to pay attention to what your other senses are telling you, not just your eyes. Now on to your potions class." Everybody filed out. Dale then indicated to a chair. "Sit," he said, sitting down himself. "What did you need to tell me?"

"I don't know where to begin..."

"Simple and direct is often best."

Remus took a deep breath. "I'm a werewolf," he burst out. I wouldn't blame you if you turned and ran.

Dale chuckled softly. "Is that all? I thought it would be something worse, the way you were talking. Are you on wolfsbane?"

"Yes." Though it took superhuman efffort to keep it down for the required two hours that it took for his body to absorb the active ingredients. He usually then threw up several times before he transformed, and it was like he had a bad flu for several days after.

"Does anyone care for you before and after? My brother Carl runs a wizarding low-income clinic, and he often admits lycans that have no one to care for them before and after. I volunteer there some. So do all of my siblings. Jim does something similar in both the wizarding and muggle worlds L.A., and Bruce sees patients regardless of their ability to pay in Boston."

So he's compassionate, if he volunteers his time to help those in need. "I usually ride it out alone. Sirius helps me when he can, and this is the first full moon since Sev got his memories back."

I can offer, but it's up to him to take me up on it. It's not right for him to suffer alone. "I can stay with you, if you want."

"Are you sure it won't be a problem?" It will either make him stick around or scare him off.

"Shoot no, it won't be a problem." He reached out and laid both of his hands on Remus' shoulders. "I've been punched, kicked, thrown up on, bled on, et cetera, since I'm an emergency medic, the wizarding equivalent of a paramedic, back home. I've dealt with lycans not as up front, or as nice, as you are. I can handle seeing you at your worst. I just wonder if you can handle seeing me at my worst."

Remus gave a shy smile, feeling much lighter than he had in days.