Remus sat at one of the inner seats of the booth, nursing his half-touched drink. He wouldn't have minded letting loose a bit, but if he didn't stay relatively sober and pay attention, James and Sirius and even Peter had a knack for getting into things well worth regretting come morning.

He licked his lips and took a small sip of his firewhisky.

He hated the stuff, actually. It was strong, too strong to have by itself, but the burn felt pretty good. He couldn't understand how Sirius could just throw back glass after glass like it was water, but Remus supposed that it came from years of practice.

"Have you heard from Chaplin, then, Moony?" Sirius slurred.

Well, maybe it was only like water for the first six or seven.

"She said she's fine," Remus said with a shrug. "Other than that, no. And that was through Dorcas, anyway. My concern is, has Fabian heard from her."

"Maybe if he'd stop being stubborn," James said with a shrug. "I think he's still afraid. He's got a bit of a point, actually." James pushed his glasses higher up on his nose. His nose sweated when he drank, and his glasses had nearly been lost a time or two because of this. "I mean, being seen with one of us is one thing. The more of us she's been with…. I mean, seen with…. I mean…. You know."

Remus nodded.

The more Order members she became associated with, the more likely they would try to use her to get to one of them. And it wasn't as if there were any Order members safe to associate with. Some were, perhaps, safer than others. Remus was still fairly low-key, and perhaps Peter. But Fabian had been throwing himself into the action from the first day.

Fabian and Gideon both, actually, and whether or not the Death Eaters who saw her with either could tell the twins apart was irrelevant. Either way, she was associating with dangerous Order members.

Perhaps Fabian did have the right idea after all.

Remus had appreciated the book she had recommended. It had taken care of the problem very well, although he was curious about her book. He'd felt bad about not buying a copy, as someone who had gone to school with her, even been something of a friend of hers at one time. He'd seen that Fabian had a copy. Perhaps he'd borrow it, just so he could say he'd read it, at least.

"Do you know anything about Caradoc's mission?" Peter asked, frowning at his drink. "I get this impression like it's so important, like so many of the things we do contribute to it, but none of us know what it is."

"Something in Wales," James said with a shrug. "I heard him telling Albus something about Cardiff Bay the other day." He scratched his chin. "Or maybe that's because he lives in Cardiff and he was talking about where he went for lunch." He shrugged and then Remus reached over and pushed his glasses up again because they were dangerously close to leaving James's face.

"Does he?" Peter said, scratching his own chin. It was a habit he had picked up from watching James. "I could have sworn he'd moved to London."

"Nah, he got a place in London when he was still dating Holly Elizabeth," Sirius said, his words becoming clearer with each syllable. Any minute now he would take another shot. "When they broke up, he sold it about two days later and got one in Cardiff instead."

Remus remembered that awkward situation well. Holly Elizabeth was a girl who could get nearly anyone to agree with her, and to do what she wanted, but Caradoc had a certain amount of pride. Remus had thought it strange that he would take such offense to Ravenclaw losing Quidditch, but he knew after the fact that it was actually a front. Caradoc knew that he would be fighting and Holly Elizabeth would not, and he thought she would be safer and happier without his dangerous activities hanging over her all the time.

He also knew her pride would not let him leave her over something like that, so he'd all but made her wish they were done with the to-do he made about Quidditch.

And then they were.

Sirius downed two more shots, one right after the other, and Remus groaned.

"I think that's all for tonight," he said, helping James adjust his glasses once more. "Come on. I'm getting you all home."

"I can help," Peter squeaked, and Remus blinked at him with surprise, realizing that Peter was indeed rather sober.

"If you'd like," Remus said. "You take James. He'll be easier. I'll take Sirius. Just don't lose his glasses, or break them."

Peter nodded, and a moment later Peter and Disapparated with James in tow. Remus paid the bill from Sirius's pocket, which seemed fair given that Sirius had promised to pay and could best afford it anyway. Then he, in turn, Disapparated holding onto Sirius, who was mostly conscious. Thankfully, no Splinching occurred, and Remus tucked Sirius in for the night unharmed. He contemplated staying with Sirius to make sure he didn't have any…adverse alcohol effects. He paced for a moment, trying to make up his mind.

And then he heard the sound of peaceful snoring that made up his mind for him.

If Sirius thought he was invincible, who was Remus to argue? He decided to come back in the morning on some unrelated pretense to make sure Sirius was fine and then promptly returned to his own home. Remus kicked off his shoes first thing in the door, peeled off his coat, and crossed to his small bed. He was too tired to think about anything but sleep, so he didn't bother even peeling off his shirt or trousers before climbing into bed and closing his eyes.

Sleep came easily as it had for Sirius, and Remus forgot to set an alarm.

Sirius was fine, anyway, and even came to check on Remus the following day.

"I barely had anything to drink," Remus said in protest, checking his clock. "How are you even conscious? You drank a bottle and a half!"

"Never mind that," Sirius said, waving off the question as he cooked Remus breakfast. "Gideon asked me to make sure you were on time for your mission."

Remus groaned, turning over and burying his face in the pillow.

There were only a few things he hated more than chipper Sirius so early in the morning after a night out with the Marauders. One of those things was when Sirius was the responsible one. It just defied all logic, and for a moment, Remus was sure that he was still asleep and this was some sick dream.

But the smell of bacon called him out of bed, regardless, and he eventually decided halfway through breakfast that it wasn't a dream, but he strangely minded much less.

"So, what are you and Gideon off to do today?" Sirius prompted.

"Nothing I can talk about," Remus said honestly. "Gideon was even told not to discuss it with Fabian."

At that, Sirius didn't even jokingly press. Remus, being an only child, did not fully understand the bond between siblings, but he imagined that the bond between brings was something like a sacred oath, untouchable, unbreakable…

He thought it must be quite difficult for Gideon to keep secrets from Fabian, like it seemed impossible for Sirius and James to keep secrets from each other.

"Well, you've got about twenty minutes to finish breakfast and meet him, if the times haven't changed from when he told me," Sirius said with a frown at his watch before pushing some more bacon onto my plate.

Remus was at the meeting point at the chosen time, and Gideon stood there, blue-green eyes a bit dark as he watched Remus appear.

"Excellent," Dumbledore's voice said from behind Remus, who moved to see both men more or less at once. "Right on time, both of you. You have the train tickets, I presume?"

The young men nodded.

Dumbledore gave them brief reminders of their instructions and Gideon and Remus hopped onto the train from New Street Station all the way down to Victoria Station in London.

"Any guesses why this particular train?" Gideon asked as they sank into our seats.

"Haven't a clue," Remus admitted. "Do you have any idea what's in that vial?"

Gideon shook his head, patting his breast pocket absently. All they knew was that they were to ensure that the vial got handed off to Mad-Eye in Victoria Station, although Remus didn't really know why they were taking the train instead of going there directly by Apparition.

Gideon was right. There was something very odd about the whole mission.

Still, nothing eventful happened during the train ride, and the pair got off the train at the proper station.

"Do you know where exactly we're supposed to meet him?" Gideon muttered. "It's not as though this is the world's smallest train station."

"No," Remus agreed, frowning. "But I have a feeling Mad-Eye is going to be fairly easy to spot amongst all these Muggles."

Indeed, they spotted him limping through the crowd on platform six, and they rushed toward him as discretely as possible in such a crowded place.

"Freeze," Mad-Eye said as they neared him, and Remus could see his wand poking out of his baggy coat sleeve, pointed straight at them. "Prove you're Lupin and Prewett."

Gideon sighed.

"What do you want us to do, Mad-Eye?" Gideon said wryly. "Do you want to see the bite-marks on Remus's arse? You know Polyjuice doesn't work on werewolves."

"What about you, then?"

Gideon glanced sideways at Remus before saying, "Jellyfish. Spring. Left knee."

"Good enough," Mad-Eye said gruffly, and Remus raised his eyebrows, curious as to what that was all about, but he had the distinct impression that neither man would tell him.

"So, what is this thing, anyway?" Gideon asked, pulling the vial out of his pocket and handing it over to Mad-Eye, who quickly slipped it into his own pocket, his magical eye whirring under the hat he used to keep from freaking out Muggles.

"It's worth more than your life, boy," Mad-Eye said gruffly, patting Gideon's shoulder. "That's all you need to know about it."

Remus just watched, assaulted by the sounds of train whistles that made him uncomfortable.

"We'll report back, then," he said softly, leaning in closer. "Is there anything want us to say in addition to the basics?"

"Yeah," Mad-Eye snorted. "Tell him Gideon's not half as stupid as his brother."

Remus forced a smile as Gideon laughed and pretended that he knew what they were on about, deciding he wouldn't mention it, and parting from Mad-Eye in the way the man deserved respectfully. He would have thought, after spending so much time with the Marauders, that he would get those jokes, but he still didn't understand Mad-Eye Moody.

Gideon and Remus stayed on alert all the way back to Birmingham where Dumbledore was waiting for them in the safe house on Cannon Street.

"We passed it off," Gideon said solemnly. "Anything else?"

"Not today, Mr. Prewett," Dumbledore said with a soft smile. "Remus, I'm going to need you for something later, but I haven't worked out all of the details yet. Keep your calendar open."

"Yes, sir," Remus said softly.

He and Gideon parted ways and Remus decided that he would do some grocery shopping, since he'd gotten a small gift of coins left at his flat, probably from Lily who hated seeing how little he had and would leave money around when he wasn't looking.

Remus went to a Muggle grocery store, deciding he would be less likely to run into people he knew, there. Besides, he still had some cash left over from the last time Lily left Muggle money at his flat. That was how he knew it was her: none of his other friends knew enough about Muggles to think of such things.

"Remus?"

He turned at the sound of a familiar voice in the Tesco, jumping at the sight of Holly Elizabeth Allain.

The best way to describe her, he had decided long ago, was jolly. He knew that she was larger than perhaps was considered healthy weight, but he'd never thought of her as fat or even overweight. It was just a part of Holly Elizabeth. She had more on her than he did. It meant she didn't lose nights of sleep being a monster once a month. It meant she didn't burn an incredible amount of calories trying to break out and eat people.

He was actually a bit jealous that she wasn't as thin as he was, that she could put on pounds. He'd always wanted to put on pounds.

"Holly Elizabeth," he finally managed to say. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Well," she said with a smile and a shrug. "Sometimes I shop Muggle. I like to bake, and flour is cheaper in Muggle shops for whatever reason. What about you?"

"Oh, closer to home," he lied. "What have you been up to?"

"Research, of course," she said proudly.

Holly Elizabeth had been an incredibly promising student in the magical theory of most subjects, although her interest in practical matters had never been as strong. At Professor Dumbledore's urging and with his assistance, she'd gotten into the world of Alchemy.

"I would tell you about it," she said as she led Remus down the diary aisle, "but to be honest, I'm not sure I'm at a stage that would make a lot of sense to the general public."

"Fair," he said, grabbing a carton of milk. "Well, you look well."

"Thank you," she said brightly. "You look well, too."

Remus winced slightly. He knew he didn't look anything resembling well. But Holly Elizabeth, much like Lily, was one of those people who was unfailingly kind to everyone.

"How's things with the Order, then?" she asked as she led him off toward the eggs. "I mean, I know you can't tell me specifics, but..."

She hesitated, looking around the aisle like she had forgotten what she was doing.

"We're all alive and well," Remus told her bracingly. "Everybody you know. James, Sirius, Lily, Caradoc..."

Her face brightened slightly and Remus thought of how cruel and almost ridiculous it was, what Caradoc had done to keep her safe. Obviously neither of them was half as happy without the other, but maybe they'd done the right thing. He wasn't in a position to judge. He'd never had a serious relationship, never allowed himself to get this close to someone, where he would have to have these decisions made.

"That's good," she said happily. "You know, Rachel said she saw you the other day in Flourish and Blotts. Still reading up a storm?"

"I had a problem with household fungi, actually," Remus admitted with a self-depreciating smile. "But it was good to see her. We've all made hard choices, you know...with the war."

Holly Elizabeth swallowed visibly and he could have kicked himself. Remus had essentially just told her what Caradoc had done, and he was probably going to hear all about it later.

To his surprise, though, she simply smiled and said, "Yes, I know. Rachel told me that Fabian decided she'd be better off not talking to her, considering the war and everything. Ridiculous, right?"

Remus shrugged and smiled, glad she wasn't taking it personally, at least outwardly. With any luck, she was over it all anyway.

"It doesn't feel like my place to judge," Remus said honestly. "My friends... Well, most of my close friends are in the Order anyway."

She nodded at him for a moment and said, "Well, Remus, it was really nice seeing you. I should go check out, but we'll talk soon, all right?"

She hugged him, and Remus muttered sounds of assent, knowing perfectly well that the likelihood he would talk to her was fairly low. He gathered a few more basics, counting costs quickly to ensure he had enough, and made sure she'd left the store before checking out. As soon as he'd stepped outside, he Disapparated.

Remus paced the floor of his meager flat after putting away his shopping and asked himself dozens of questions.

Should he have pushed things with the whole Caradoc-Holly Elizabeth question? Should he even have said as much as he had? He even felt a bit guilty about agreeing with her, in a sense, when she said they would talk soon. Should he have made such an agreement of sorts without asking Caradoc first?

But that was ridiculous. It wasn't like they were still together. And he really hadn't agreed to anything. As he had told himself, the chances of running into her again were fairly low.

Still, perhaps he should mention it to Caradoc. Or perhaps mentioning it would be the worst thing to do. He rubbed his forehead. Sirius would know what to do. Sirius always knew what to do in these strange situations.

First things first, he was going to talk to Sirius, then. Sirius would have no difficulty hearing about the situation, and maybe, just maybe, he would have some idea on what to do. Or perhaps Lily.

On second thought, Lily would be a better choice. Sirius would go about fixing things and that might just make things worse. Remus decided to make some tea and go to bed, though, before he had even more reservations about the whole situation.