So what did ya'll think of the joke at the end of my last chapter? Reasonable time. LOL. Sorry. Anyway, I now have all the chapters outlined. Only four more to go. Thanks for sticking with me.
We were eating dinner when we heard the door slam. Mrs. Black's portrait announced the arrival of an Order member. Remus growled at the noise and started to get up.
"No worries, Prof. We got it," Fred said hurriedly as he and his twin got up to close the curtains. Remus' only response was to take a big bite out of his rare steak. I'll say this, we ate well, thanks to Dumbledore funding the Order. I took a bite out of my own steak. The screaming stopped and the twins came back through with Kingsley Shacklebolt. Kingsley had parchment in his hand.
"Thought you two would like to see how they turned out," the bald man said, offering the papers to Remus and me. The twins, Molly, and Sirius crowded around to see. Everyone else was cleaning the house while Remus and I had our early dinner; we tend to get a little unseemly when we eat food this close to our transformations and the few in the room came to keep us company. The parchments were warning posters- one of Remus and one of me- showing everyone who to look out for and to stay away from such dangerous werewolves. We had our pictures taken two days ago. Dark circles rimmed our eyes, making them look sunken and menacing. Our hairstyles were unbrushed and unkempt. It took a bit to get it down, but we had also managed to portray a ferocious, hungry look with our eyes and smiles. We looked like predators.
Sirius gave a low whistle.
"That looks nothing like you, Moony. You look scary. And kinda cool." My husband frowned and took another big bite of his dinner.
"They came out well," Molly said. "You look rather wild, dear." After a decisive nod, she went back to cooking for the rest of the household.
"Wild is a good word for it, Molly," Sirius agreed then added in a lower tone so she wouldn't hear, "Kinda like a ravenous sex kitten." He barely managed to dodge my husband's hand as it came to smack him upside the head. I shook my head, knowing our friend was joking. Over the years, Remus developed the tendency to get more irritable and angry on the days leading up to the full moon. I was easily irritated, but mostly drained of energy. Kingsley sat across from us.
"Satisfactory?" he asked.
"I should think so," Fred said. George nodded as well and looked around.
"Where's everyone else?" he asked, referring to the people who now lived at Grimmauld Place. Remus swallowed his large bite of steak, at least having the semblance to wipe his mouth with a napkin.
"Upstairs cleaning. Except for my kids. They're napping," he explained. 'Kids'? Since when are they kids? Frowning slightly, I shook it off. It's probably nothing. Kingsley leaned forward.
"The full moon is in two days. When will you two go to Beckley?"
"Afternoon of," I told him. "We've been taking the wolfsbane potion, so our minds will be human. We'll run loose through the forest and town then hide." Hopefully Fenrir will want us. Otherwise this will all be in vain.
"I'll run with you two through the village," Sirius said firmly. It wasn't an offer. Honestly, I was glad of it. It was always easier to keep our minds when we were with our friends. The potion should keep us safe, but an extra precaution couldn't hurt.
"A failsafe?" the tall, black man asked. Sirius smirked.
"You could say that." He placed a hand of Remus' shoulder. My husband hesitantly put his hand over his friend's. I could tell what they were thinking. The last time Sirius and Remus ran alone, I had gotten bitten. If, Merlin forbid, the potion failed, Sirius would have two fully grown werewolves to control. Sirius was promising that he wouldn't let anyone come to harm this time.
/ / / /
Beckley was quite lovely. A quaint little town, it almost seemed to have fallen out of time.
"We will be noticed, won't we?" I asked. After all, that was the point. Sirius nodded.
"Sure. Plenty of muggles and wizards here. The way news travels, Fenrir will hear about it." We walked into the village, looking around at the shops and sights, making sure my husband and I were seen. Beckley, well known for its glass blowing and iron forges, did not disappoint. Wearing muggle clothes, we blended in easily with the rest of the small town; very few gave us secondary glances. I suspected they weren't muggles. The further the sun went down, the worse Remus and I felt. Knowing we looked as bad as we felt, the three of us left the small town and took refuge in the small forest just outside the gates.
As always, the moon seemed to rise too quickly while our transformations seemed to last forever. Pain filled howls filled the night air. However, to the quiet town of Beckley, it only sounded like wolves were on the hunt. When Remus and I had our wits about us, a large black dog made itself known. Sirius huffed his greeting. I yawned mine. Remus simply looked over at the town. He hated what we were about to do, but we had to get attention drawn to us somehow. The plan was just going to break some things and eat a little food if we could get our paws on it. If our wolf instincts took over, well, that's why Sirius tagged along.
As always, Remus was pack leader; Sirius and I looked to him for the signal. He shook himself, helping his new skin resettle across his reformed bones. A long, mournful howl pierced the night. To us, it said Let's do what me must. We ran.
We bounded through the village, destroying random things in the square, giving the appearance that we were looking for food. The few people that were still outside made themselves scarce. One man stumbled into his house and slammed the door so hard, it banged back open. I could smell magic on him. Perfect. With a small yip to Sirius, I improvised. Slowly, I stalked into his home. The fat wizard cowered in the corner, trying desperately to remember a spell to save him. Though his wand was out, it shook uselessly in his hand. He smelled so strongly. The meat part of him was tempting, but the smell of fear ruined it. Only cowardly beasts like hyenas salivated at the smell of fear. I shook my head to clear it and proceeded to look menacing for another moment.
"Come on men! Let's get 'em!" a voice called out. My delicate ears picked up the sound of humans racking the slides on their rifles. My mate howled again, so I ran out of the house and followed him up to the safety of the woods. Hidden far enough inside, the humans didn't try to follow. Now all we had to do was make sure we were seen in town the next day. Hopefully we made enough of an impression to get Fenrir's attention.
We made it back to the small clearing we were going to sleep in. Sirius had already told us he was going to stay awake to keep an eye on us. That was fine. I needed rest. Remus curled up so I went to sleep with him. As soon as I sat down, he got up and moved to the other side of the clearing. I whimpered, curious and hurt, but he ignored me and slept alone. Not knowing what I had done to make him so upset, I curled up alone and tried to get some sleep myself.
The next morning, I woke up under a small blanket that had been thrown over me at some point. Sirius was nowhere to be seen. On the other hand, Remus was leaning against a tree, fully dressed. Saying he looked ragged would be a kindness. Granted, I probably looked worse.
"Mornin'," I said with a yawn and proceeded to stretch. He huffed at me. "What?" I asked, confused. After considering me for a moment, he stood up straight and walked over to me, looming over my still sitting form.
"What did you think you were doing last night?" he asked slowly. His voice sounded almost casual, if not for the dangerous edge to it. Lowering my gaze, I shrugged. "That's not an answer."
"I followed your lead. We ransacked the town. Isn't that what the plan was?" I asked, still confused. When he didn't respond, I tilted my head a little to expose my neck. Shaking his head, Remus stalked off toward the town. I looked around for my change of clothes and, huffing, put them on.
The town was a-jitter when I walked in. Everyone was jumpy and distrust lingered in the gaze of the wizards. They knew they encountered werewolves but they didn't know if the beasts were still in their midst or if they had moved on. The muggles were just worried about wolves attacking out of the blue. After all, wolves usually didn't come close to humans unless they were starving.
Sirius and Remus were sitting at a small, outdoor café, sipping on tea. Quietly, I joined them. We acted casual but, naturally, wizards regarded us newcomers with uncertainty. Sirius could probably feel the tension between Remus and me. He was saved from having to try to say anything by the waitress coming up.
"Can I get any of you some breakfast?" she asked. Sirius treated her to a charming smile and shook his head.
"No, thank you, love. We ate pretty late last night." She nodded and walked off. However, a couple walking by slowed and regarded us warily, as if mentally confirming their suspicions. The smell of magic was all over them. This is good. We want to be recognized. That was the point. Despite knowing this, I was still nervous. My husband noticed my change in demeanor and raised a questioning eyebrow. Shrugging, I murmured that I was afraid of being caught. His face relaxed into a comforting half-smile and he put his hand on my cheek.
"It will work out. Just…just keep the wolf in check," he whispered, hardly moving his lips. I nodded, glad he wasn't mad at me anymore. Sirius tapped the table lightly to get our attention and nodded to the couple from before. They were holding a paper between them, looking back and forth from it to us. We had been recognized. Now all we had to do was wait for them to call it in to the Ministry. With luck, Fenrir wouldn't be too far behind.
Unfortunately, luck was with us. Late that night, a large group of people apparated near our meager campsite. One of them came forward. He was larger and looked more animalistic than the others. Remus stiffened next to me. That could only mean one thing…
"Fenrir Greyback, I presume?" I asked. It took all the willpower I had to keep my face straight and voice neutral. I knew better than to sneer openly, especially with such a powerful alpha and his huge pack in front of me. Long nails threatened to be claws, even in his human form. He was well muscled and his clothes didn't fit him properly. Parts hung on him while others were too tight. His hair was long, matted, and wild and his face…the wolf lingered there so clearly, it was almost as if he never finished shifting back to human. He took a few deep whiffs of us and laughed.
"Oh, this one would know it, lass," he said, indicating Remus. "I know my handiwork." I could feel Remus tense beside me but a sidelong look at him showed only a tired, vaguely pleasant expression. "I see you've been keeping up the line." It took a second, but I realized he meant me. Duh. My husband nodded and casually put an arm around my waist. Some of Fenrir's pack were talking quietly amongst themselves, but I didn't pay them any mind. I kept my gaze on the most dangerous party- Fenrir. The alpha pulled some papers from his ratted coat, revealing them to be our warning posters.
"You shouldn't have to hide," he said. "You shouldn't have to scrounge for food. In the new order, we'll be where we belong- at the top of the food chain. Join us. Fight with us. Unless you think there are other alternatives?" He growled and leaned forward, obviously showing his dominance over Remus.
My husband cocked his head ever so slightly to the side and said conversationally, "We'd thought you'd never ask."
Fenrir offered his arm to Remus. It was only because I had known my husband for so long that I noticed the tenseness around his eyes; I doubt anyone else did. Seemingly with no compunctions, Remus clasped his hand around the offered forearm. With only a smile that was more akin to a snarl, Fenrir initiated the disapparation.
The next few months flew by. We had been taken to the base-den of Fenrir's pack. It was a huge house and, sad to say, even Grimmauld Place was more homey. Granted, they didn't have Molly, but still. The pack seemed to like it. And, much as I hated to admit it, I almost did too.
Remus' POV
Lydia was starting to worry him. She had always been a little more…wolfish outside her transformations. Now, being around a pack for weeks at a time, she seemed like she was slipping away. Remus had always fought the urges of the wolf inside, hating every shred of its existence. If the wolf longed to be outside, he would bury himself in the most civilized place he could find. If the wolf wanted carnage, he distracted himself with any delicate task. Lydia though, seemed to be at peace with the idea. Was extended exposure really a good idea? What if she lost herself? What if he lost her?
They only stayed for a couple weeks at a time and sometimes not even that. The couple did everything with the pack, from lounging to hunting. On the days leading up to and through the full moon, they drank their wolfsbane in secret, not wanting to harm anyone, even if they were undercover. Lydia, being the more intuitive of the pair, would pick up on those who didn't have their hearts in Voldemort's cause. Remus would then start to chip away at his or her resolve and reasoning, trying to make them understand that Voldemort's way wasn't the only way.
Terry was their first convert. Powerfully built with shaggy, dirty blonde hair, he looked as if he'd had to fight for every scrap he got so he got very good at fighting. Lydia said his eyes were too soft to be from Fenrir's core pack. After a week of probing and needling, Terry asked to talk to Remus alone. They went to 'find a snack' in town.
"I'm starting to see what you're on about," Terry said, once they were out of range. Remus merely cocked an eyebrow. "Greyback is so…aggressive. I actually like muggles, for the most part. You know, without them, we wouldn't have Café Nero. And they didn't ask to be muggles. Not any more than we…"
"Asked to be turned?" Remus finished softly. Terry nodded, blue eyes sad.
"You know, it surprised me when you started talking to me. I thought it might've been one of Greyback's tricks. You still carry his scent." Remus frowned at that, feeling even more disgusted with the blood coursing through his veins. The only thing worse than being a werewolf was being reminded which werewolf cursed him.
"I can understand that."
"Oh, look! A Café Nero!" Remus smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He followed Terry across the street and waited patiently as the younger man ordered. "I really like the idea of co-existence," he said once the waitress left.
"It's a wonderful idea. But it can't happen if muggles are wiped out or enslaved. It may not happen in our lifetimes, but perhaps in the future. For…for our pups and their pups. The future has to start today." Terry had a distant look about him, as if considering the idea of pups of his own. Or perhaps he was wondering if working for the future really mattered to him. Remus tried to give the outward appearance of nonchalance while internally shaking in anticipation. This was it.
"How do we proceed?" Terry asked. Remus smiled. It was a very wolfish smile, but he was so happy, he didn't mind.
"The same I did with you. We whittle away at Greyback's forces, turning them to equality, not tyranny. The Dark Lord doesn't stand a chance against Dumbledore. But we need all the help we can get. If we can turn the whole pack, we can save so many lives."
"Got it."
"Don't be too overt, though. I don't want you getting hurt. Unless it's a sure thing, wait for me or Lydia to point you in the right direction," Remus said, nerves still on end. Terry only smiled.
"No problem. We can do it."
Remus sighed, "I wish I had your surety."
Lydia's POV
It was about a week before Christmas when we got the news. Remus and I were on one of our breaks from our 'new pack' and were gratefully lounging about Grimmauld Place. At least, we were until word came that Arthur Weasley had been attacked while on guard duty. He was being taken to St. Mungo's. Molly and Bill went dead white from the news.
"I have to go to him. I-I have to go." Neither seemed to be in any state to be performing spells. I looked at my husband, who nodded.
"You go with them. I'll keep an eye on everyone here." Molly tried to smile gratefully at him, but couldn't quite manage it.
"Hold on," I told her gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. I gave her a moment to brace herself before leading her to the doorstep and apparating to the hospital.
As soon as we arrived, Molly ran inside the building and latched onto the first healer she could find. Bill and I were on her heels. She demanded to see her husband and know what his condition was.
"Molly, dear, give the Healer a chance to answer," a warm voice said from behind us.
"Professor Dumbledore!" she gasped. For some reason, that seemed to be the last straw and tears gushed from her eyes, making their way down her cheeks with no indication of ceasing any time soon.
"It's alright. He's going to be just fine," the healer said now that he had been given the chance to speak. "You'll have to ask the reference desk where he is, though." Taking his direction, Molly gave Arthur's name to the lady at the desk.
"When can I see him?" The lady looked through her folders.
"Weasley…He's still unconscious, but you can sit with him. Room 208." Halfway there, it occurred to me.
"We didn't tell the others. Shouldn't you let your kids know what happened?" I inquired, glancing at the Headmaster.
"I've already sent a message," he answered, "Fawkes delivered it himself." I nodded, understanding. "However, I need to get back to the school. I will check in on everyone later," he informed us.
We found Arthur's room. He looked pretty bad. There was little color in his face and the bandages gave us an idea of how bad the injury was. Molly's tears came out full force this time but she refrained from throwing herself onto her bedridden husband, instead gingerly touching his face and holding his hand. Bill and I could only watch his sleeping form and her shaking one.
A few hours later, I brought Molly another cup of tea and told her to go 'home' and rest.
"It won't do Arthur any good to wake up and find you sick. Get some rest and come back with the children. You too, Bill. I'll stay with him." She nodded reluctantly and got up. "He's not relapsing, so he might be moved. Just ask the witch at the desk on the first floor when you come in. Don't worry. I promise I won't leave his side."
An hour later, Arthur was moved from the intensive care part of the ward because he had become stable. I followed the healers to his new room. There was another man abed in the room. Glancing at his face, I knew I'd never seen this man before, but he smelled familiar. The healers left after they had Arthur settled, who was still sleeping the pain away. Curious, I poked my head around the privacy curtain, separating the two men. He was asleep. Quietly, I stepped closer to his bed and picked up the clipboard hanging from the end.
"Oh," I breathed. I see. He's been bitten by a werewolf.
"What do you want?" he growled. I didn't realize he was such a light sleeper.
"Nothin…" I said as I put the board back in place. "Just curious…" I backed away and darted behind the curtain, unsure why I felt so uncomfortable. It wasn't that I'd invaded his privacy, but it felt more like it was because I was seeing a newly bitten wolf. There were so many emotions coursing through me, I couldn't even place them.
All through the next couple hours, I kept looking over at the werewolf's curtain. Wanting to say something but unable to think of the words, all I could do was shift in my chair until Bill showed up.
I didn't go back until Christmas a couple of weeks later. We all went to see Arthur and wish him a Happy one. After talking to him for a bit, I nudged Remus and indicated my white elephant…er, werewolf. He nodded.
Remus' POV
He poked his head around the curtain. Lydia had told him about this poor bastard. While he felt bad for the man, Remus couldn't help but feel a small twinge of relief that Lydia was acting so human. Now it was time to remind this gent that being human was still an option.
"Happy Christmas," he said with a small smile. The man turned away with a growl. "Oh, don't be that way. Though, I don't blame you. You're in for a bad time. I'd say your first time would be the worst of it, but I'd be lying." The man turned over.
"What would you know about that?" he asked with obvious suspicion.
"Simple. I've been a werewolf since I was 9 years old," Remus told him quietly. "My name is Remus Lupin."
"Scott Milligan," the other grunted. "So you come by to make me feel worse than I already do?" Remus let out a soft chuckle.
"No. I'm sorry. I probably went about that wrong. Actually, I was going to say that you can still have a good, somewhat normal life if you try. It won't be easy, but there is hope." Scott seemed hesitant. "What did you want to do with your life?" Scott shrugged.
"I don't know. I'm an American cop on vacation. Maybe get promoted to detective. Get a girlfriend. You know. Normal stuff. Now I have to live in Yellowstone or something." The ex-teacher shook his head.
"I live in a house. With my wife and kids, even." Scott perked a little at that so Remus pulled out a wallet picture of him with his family and showed him. Scott gingerly took it.
"That's the nosey chick from a couple weeks ago. So she's your wife?" Remus nodded. "And is she one, too?" Remus hesitated at this, but nodded.
"Yes. I turned her. It was an accident- one I hope you never have. But we were already in love and made it work. I'm just saying that you can live relatively normally. I won't lie. It will be hard; some parts of society will be against you and you'll have to learn to keep the wolf in check. But it is manageable. The fact that you survived the bite shows your spirit is strong enough. How you manage it is up to you."
After Scott thanked him for his kindness, Remus warned him of Fenrir and his part in the war, telling him to stay as far from them as possible. Lydia poked her head around the curtain, saying a soft hello. Scott nodded a greeting so she came fully around. Awkwardly, she asked if he was feeling any better and gave him some Christmas chocolates, teasing Renus by saying that chocolate cured almost everything. Scott thanked the couple and watched as Remus put his hand around his wife's waist. She pressed into him and Scott smiled slightly at the genuine affection. He laid back on his pillows, seeming more at peace than he had earlier.
