Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters in this story, they belong to J.K. Rowling. This story is an AU based on the story of cellorocksmyworld. The tittle of her story is "Give me up for gone" and it is amazing!

A/N: I hope you like the story!

To go berserk

It didn't make any sense to follow unknown people around in a dark forest, let alone Berserkers who a minute beforehand had been pointing their weapons at your throat, but Moony had said to follow them, so they did. Sirius didn't like their guide, he was cold and distant and treated him like a child, he admitted he had messed up yesterday with his wand but was it his fault he had never gone camping, let alone the muggle way?

It had almost been the end of the day when they met those Berserkers and Sirius had been looking forward to food and rest but apparently that wasn't on the program anymore. It was well past dark and still, they kept walking!

He stumbled over a root and almost fell but a heavy hand on his shoulder kept him from toppling over. The three Berserkers, who had been joined by four others, had stayed close to him and James to help them navigate the mountain in the dark and although it would hurt his pride to admit it out loud, he was grateful for their help. Moony was walking in front and still talking with the leader, it looked like they were going along splendidly.

"Shit!" he could hear James swear behind him; apparently he had just stumbled over the same root but landed on his hand and knees. Sirius lent him a hand to get up.

"Until when do you think we will keep going?" he asked his friend.

"I don't know," James answered irritated, "ask Moony!"

"Yeah right, like he is ever going to tell us!"

They didn't need have worried, not two minutes later they entered a clearing. A fire was already burning and a small boar was roasting on a spit above it. Tents were set up around, made of wood and tree branches. They were rudimentary and didn't look like they could protect from much, but then again, the Berserkers didn't look like they needed a lot of protection either.

"We will stay here for tonight," Moony announced, "set up your tent quickly; they offer us dinner."

If James had any reserves about staying with dangerous berserkers –does it need to be reminded that berserkers are classified XXXXX by the Ministry?- he didn't show it. Sirius may have complained had their not been the prospect of nice warm food.

When they joined the others –it took longer to set up the tent than the day before, but they did it without Moony's help this time- dishes of meat were already being passed around. Sirius attacked his meal with at least as much enthusiasm as any Berserker. One of the creatures said something and everyone laughed. Sirius was convinced he had been the pun of the joke.

"What did they say?" he asked Moony.

"I don't know," he lied, "I didn't understand it!"

Sirius doubted that very much because he had been laughing along with the others.

"Then ask them!" he replied but Moony just rolled his eyes and continued his dinner.

Enough was enough! Sirius was a very likeable person, even if he only said so himself, and he would be damned if he would spend the evening as the laughingstock of the group. He stood up and outstretched his hand to the berserker next to him;

"Hi, I'm Sirius Black" he introduced himself, "nice to meet you!" The Berserker looked taken aback by Sirius' bold approach but smiled at him. He shook his hand with his own big paw and answered something that sounded like "Bernik".

Sirius went around the group, introducing himself, and everyone answered him friendlily. He did not understand all of their names but he caught a few; there were Bernik and Bjorn of course, but he also remembered Narg, Jarn and Badrog.

Moony scowled at him when he wanted to introduce himself to him again.

"I already know who you are!" he said. This time, when the berserkers laughed, Sirius was sure it was at Moony's expense.

James introduced himself more casually, just saying his name out loud, and afterwards they both felt much more included. At least the Berserkers tried to talk to them, even though the language gap was a real problem. James took out the little translation book he had had the foresight to buy before they left for Eastern Europe, but it didn't help much. More often than not Moony was asked to translate and apparently he felt like he could not refuse their hosts because he complied. When Badrog took out a bottle of alcohol, words weren't necessary anymore.

The evening was much merrier than the previous one.

xxXxx

When Sirius offered him a glass, James answered he would pass for tonight. He didn't stomach alcohol as good as Sirius did and someone had to stay sober to drag him to bed afterwards. He looked over at Moony who was in a deep conversation with Bjorn. They were bent over a map and it looked like Moony was asking questions.

James went to sit next to him.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing!" Moony was quick to reply, he was about to fold the map but Bjorn stopped him and said him something James could not understand.

Moony unfolded the map again and unwillingly explained, "Apparently, Greyback's on the move, Bjorn just explained that he intends to cross this valley," he pointed at a place, "we need to cut him off before he does or we will never catch up with him."

"So, what do you suggest?" James asked.

"We leave very early tomorrow morning" Moony replied, looking as if James was stupid. Bjorn intervened again.

"What did he say?"

"He said they will accompany us to the borders of their territory, they know their own lands like no one, it will be much faster," he translated.

Bjorn pointed at Sirius, saying something else, but before James could ask what he said, Moony cut him off, "He advises you to go save your friend; if he decides to participate in their drinking contest he will never survive it!"

James had to agree that tonight wasn't perhaps the best time to get completely wasted; they still had a long walk tomorrow. He also understood that Moony was trying to get rid of him and he wasn't going to let him off that easily.

"We need to talk," he said.

"About what?"

"About the way you handled the situation earlier!"

Bjorn, sensing an argument was blooming, clapped James on the shoulder, as if to wish him good luck –that was weird, should he not encourage Moony, to whom he was closer?- and left, probably to save Sirius from his companions.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Moony answered, he folded the map again and put it away in his bag. He got up but James pushed him back down.

"Sit down!" he hissed and Moony scowled, "You left us completely in the dark! You didn't tell us you knew those people, you didn't say where we were going and when we would be there, and if Bjorn had not been there you would not have discussed your plans for tomorrow either!" James accused angrily.

"I don't need your approval, you hired me to bring you to Greyback and that's what I'm doing! I don't need to discuss anything with you!" he replied.

"Yes, you do! We are in charge of this case and we should take the decisions together!"

"Fine," Moony sighed, "what do you want to know?"

"Who are those people, do you know them?" James asked.

"I don't know them personally, but I know other clans," Moony answered, "and apparently they did know me." James decided not to elaborate on that last statement, it was strange but he would ask about it later. "Why did we follow them here?" he asked instead.

"Because they invited us!" at James' sceptical raised eyebrow he admitted, "It's a shortcut."

"So why didn't you take us this way in the first place?" James inquired.

"Oh, I don't know... Maybe because you two work for a bigoted, biased Ministry who hunts down half-breeds to mark them and kill them?" Moony shouted back angrily before getting up and leaving.

"Ooh..." James stood there gaping; he had not expected such an outburst. What Moony said about avoiding the Berserkers in the first place made sense but it didn't warrant such a cold behaviour on his part.

Perhaps one of his family members is a half-breed; James thought when he lay in bed that night, listening to Sirius snore beside him. If he had to leave Britain –because Moony was definitely British, he had kept the accent- because a member of his family fell under the conditions of the Regulation Law, then he could understand his anger at Aurors and the Ministry.

R&R