A/N… I'm updating! Finally! Let me know what you think. Sorry for the delay.

The next morning showed Rueben and Aaron still sitting by the now dead fire, both fast asleep, finally. It was extremely quiet in the house, and the only sounds were the birds chirping in the background and a neighbor cursing at the squirrels in his garden. Suddenly, three loud cracks split the morning air.

Reuben and Aaron's eyes snapped open. Reuben sat up and leaned toward the window in annoyance. "If that idiot is using Reducto on the squirrels again…" he growled, referring to the aforementioned neighbor who had been raining down his choicest profanity on the hapless squirrels. But no more curses, magical or otherwise, was heard now. Instead, there was slightly hysterical laughter issuing from the front yard and the breathless exclamation: "We are never doing that again!"

Aaron and his father looked at each other.

"Dad, that sounded like Aunt Donna."

"Yes…"

"And didn't she go with Mum?"

"Yes."

"And doesn't that sound like Mum's laugh?" continued Aaron excitedly.

"Yep!"

Reuben sprang off the couch and ran toward the front door, Aaron at his heels. Flinging the door open, they rushed out onto the front steps where an amazing sight met their eyes.

Ari, Anna, Donna, and a strange boy were sitting down in the grass, laughing uncontrollably. Donna was trying to talk though her laughter.

"Oh, Merlin," she choked "If I ever –do that again –it will be –too soon!"

Anna had gotten somewhat more control of herself. "Did you see the look on Harrison's face just before we Apparated?" she demanded breathlessly. "That was one mad Voldemort-wannabe!" Then, looking up and catching sight of Ari's husband and son standing open-mouthed in the doorway, she burst out laughing again, and waved a hand in their general direction. "Do you see the look on their faces?"

Ari glanced over and her whole expression lit up. She scrambled up off the grass and held out her arms to her family. Aaron jumped off the porch, hurtled across the lawn, and straight into his mother's arms.

"You're safe." His voice was muffled. "You're all right. But Mum…" he continued, stepping back some and wrinkling his nose, " …you're filthy!"

Blake grinned and Ari laughed. "Aren't we all!" Her eyes twinkled as she brought Blake around in front of her. "This young man here however, is in need of about three good baths." Blake blushed and shifted from one foot to the other, looking embarrassed-but-pleased at the attention. Reuben had reached Ari by this time and had enfolded her in a huge hug. Blake managed to avoid getting squashed between them at the last moment. As Rueben began to berate Ari for undoubtably getting into trouble, Donna and Anna came over to Blake, apparently having gotten up finally. Anna leaned down to speak to him. "Donna and I are going back home for now," she said quietly. "Let Ari know, will you, please?"

Blake nodded quickly. Anna smiled reassuringly and squeezed his shoulder; then she and Donna Disapparated.

Blake turned back to Aaron who was eyeing him curiously. "What?" asked Blake nervously.

"Who are you?"

Blake gave a small laugh. "I'm Blake Winters. But you might as well ask me what I am."

Aaron looked confused. "What are you then?"

Blake hesitated before answering. "I'm a werewolf."

Aaron's eyes grew wide. "No way. Really?"

Blake nodded, wondering if this boy would react the same way as his mother.

"Cool!"

Blake blinked in surprise. Well, there was that question answered.

"I've never met a werewolf before." Aaron informed him. "Are you one the nicer ones?"

"Urm, I think so."

"Well if you don't know, who would know?" joked Aaron, grinning. It was one of his favorite jokes and one his mother was exasperated with.

Blake smiled. "If I don't know, your mum would."

"You know my mum pretty well?" inquired Aaron.

"Yeah, I live at the inn where she was looking for Remus and she's always really nice."

"She's pretty good for a mum." Aaron said in an offhanded, careless way that didn't fool Blake for a second.

"She's really good for anybody." He said fervently, with a satisfied look on his face. "She punched Harrison when he was about to pound me into the floor."

"What?!" yelped Aaron "Mum punched someone? Mum!" This last was directed at his mother who was still talking to his father.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Did you actually punch someone?"

Ari smiled ruefully, "Yes, I'm afraid I did."

Reuben laughed quietly.

Aaron face was a study of delighted shock. "You punched someone!" he crowed. Turning to his dad, he exclaimed, "Guess you were right, Dad! There is more to Mum than meets the eye!"

Ari narrowed her eyes at her husband. "And what, pray tell, have you been telling him?"

Rueben patted her shoulder. "Nothing incriminating, dear, I assure you."

Ari rolled her eyes. "Somehow, that doesn't make me feel any better."

"Well, we are standing around outside in the cold," pointed out Aaron.

"Right, right, everyone inside." Rueben shooed them toward the door. "And where did those two crazy friends of yours go, Ari?"

"They left to go home. Said for me to tell you." Blake piped up.

Reuben gave the boy a curious glance. He looked sideways at his wife and raised his eyebrows questioningly. Ari put a hand on his arm. "I'll need to talk to you once we're inside."

He sighed. "Of course."

Ari turned to Aaron as they walked through into the house. "Would you mind showing Blake to the guest room and find him something clean of yours to wear?"

"Sure, no problem, Mum. C'mon, Blake!" Aaron called as he raced for the stairs. Blake followed at a more sedate pace.

Reuben, who had been studying Blake, said quietly to Ari, "That boy is a werewolf isn't he? If you found him where Remus was living?"

Ari nodded soberly. "Yes, and that's what I need to talk to you about; about where Blake was living, and where I hope he will be able to live…"

Rueben looked like he knew what was coming, but he didn't necessarily seem to be put out by it. He followed Ari into the kitchen and shut the door on the sound of Aaron's chatter that drifted down from upstairs.

Up on the landing, Blake looked down at the closed door, wondering what was going on. And hoping that he wouldn't wake up from this really good dream he was having.

********************************************************

Back at The Moon, Remus stepped in the door and stopped dead in surprise.

"Harrison!" he said suspiciously, "What are you doing here? I was under the impression that you were going with Fenrir today."

Harrison had been sitting at the table, cleaning a long cut in his arm. The other werewolves were staying well away from him, congregating in corners of the room. When Remus entered and spoke, however, all conversation was stilled and Harrison abruptly stopped cleaning his cut. Not looking up, he growled, "We got interrupted, Lupin."

Remus looked closer at Harrison's face and noticed a deep bruise spreading along the left side of his jaw. "I'll say you did, Harrison! Who decked you that good?"

"Shut up!" snarled Harrison. He glowered at Remus, lip curling in a sneer. "For your information, Lupin, three of your little friends were here. They started this mess, not us! It's always those damn wizards. Always!" He gave Lupin a very ugly look. "An' they took the Winters kid."

Remus frowned, "What do mean, friends of mine? And who took Blake?"

Harrison smirked. "Well, now, you've got yerself a mystery, don't ya?"

"You…Where is Blake?!"

Harrison shrugged and turned back to clumsily bandaging his arm.

Remus stared furiously around the room at the others, but apparently they were all more scared of Harrison and Greyback right now, than they were of him. They all avoided his eyes and started muttering among themselves again. Clenching his teeth in frustration, Remus turned and made his way upstairs, promising himself that he would find out where Blake had been taken. And if Greyback was responsible… Remus took a deep breath and let it out in an angry hiss. Shaking his head, he slammed his door closed. Didn't he have enough to worry about already?