This position was really quite uncomfortable. He was taller than this werewolf so his hold on Remus' neck forced Remus to stoop slightly.

"Brendan, release," came another, rather stern, voice from behind him.

It sounded like a command you would give an unruly dog. Hopefully it worked; this wolf was dangerously close to being totally feral in Remus' slightly intimidated opinion.

It was another werewolf, an older one. Hopefully it was the alpha, Derrick O'Gaffrey but the wind was blowing in the wrong direction for him to be sure.

The werewolf, Brendan, released him unwillingly; obviously the order came from someone important. He resisted the urge to glare, that would not start him on the right foot with this lot. Grumbling Brendan backed away and Remus could sense the other wolf's presence.

"I do apologise. He's, ah, very territorial," he explained. It was Derrick.

"No problem," Remus replied dryly, rubbing his neck. "I've come to accepting random greetings in the past few weeks."

Derrick chuckled at that partially true statement.

"Welcome Northern Ireland. I am Derrick O'Gaffrey of Pack Credo." He introduced with a smile, though he didn't offer a hand to shake. That would have meant that he had accepted Remus' presence as Remus' scent would be present on his hand.

This man was very like the public appearance of Albus. He was unassuming, appearing not weak but not exactly strong either. There was a feeling of authority around him. All that he was missing was the ridiculous amount of power. The werewolf probably had more physical power than magical.

"Jonathan Xander," Remus replied jovially, well as happily as a soaking wet person could when the smell of damp dog emanated from you (Another downside of being a werewolf).

Derrick nodded and asked, "Do you need a place to stay?"

Remus must have looked more dishevelled and sorry looking than usual. That, or Derrick was just a kind soul. Probably a mixture of the two. Hopefully his offer was more due to the latter.

"If you can put me up for a few days. I'm not really sure what I'm doing, yet."

Derrick grinned, showing yellowing teeth. "I figured. Your accent is not like ours. English?"

Remus nodded, wary to give this man too much information at once. He didn't want to sound too rehearsed.

After a few moments of just looking at each other, Remus tried not to blink; Derrick smiled a true smile and clapped him on the back. Remus let out a breath he wasn't aware of holding. He felt like he had passed some sort of exhausting test. Did Derrick know how to wield some magic?

"Welcome to Pack Credo, Jonathan," he welcomed, spreading his arms out rather dramatically, especially since they weren't at the camp yet.

"I can stay?" Remus asked hopefully, not daring to believe that he would accept him just like that. Being a werewolf tended to make one rather bitter about the human race, the normal race.

"Aye, I'll discuss it with my Beta's and partner but we rarely turn a person away. Unless, you are really a Greyback follower in disguise? Though somehow you do not strike me as the type..."

Remus chuckled. "He was the one who turned me as a small child. I have no fond feelings towards that beast. Though, I suppose I should be thankful that I do not come across as the type that would follow Greyback."

"Not willingly perhaps," Derricks says with a grim smile, as if someone he knew has done just that. Okay, avoid talking about Greyback for further notice then.

Remus frowns. "He grievously injured my father once he realised that he could not get at me. I would never join him." That was true; Greyback had injured his father once he was thirteen. He had been home from the holidays.

Remus was curled up in the Living Room with a Defence Textbook, 'Effective Stances'. It was fascinating.

"You need to report him, Lyall!" his mother was whispering to his father.

"And get this whole family investigated? And brand my son? No, I can handle this Hope."

"You are a underestimating him! Fenrir Greyback is magical and a dangerous bloodthirsty werewolf! Even I know that and I'm a bloody muggle"

"I am aware of that. And don't refer to yourself in a degrading manner!"

"Please don't argue about this!"

"I am not arguing!"

"I don't think you fully understand!"

"Hope, I think I understand that some feral idiot wants me dead!"

"Why did you not just give him what he wants?"

'Knock, knock'

"Little piggies, little piggies, let me in!"

Growling

Splinters of woods exploded inwards.

Blood...so much blood

"Dad!"

"Lyall!"

'BANG!'

"I always get my revenge..."

Broken sobbing

Blood splattered up the wall.

His father's limp body oozing blood

Remus would always be thankful for the Healers at Saint Mungos. Greyback had slashed at his father's chest but they had fixed him though it was rather odd seeing his father develop some wolfish traits.

Derrick nods. No pitying glance or stupid attempt at a smile pretending all was okay, it was just accepted. Everyone here was in the same boat after all. Maybe, this would be alright.

Compassion was nice, pity got annoying and demeaning. Unfortunately everyone just saw the bad things and not the good, not that there were many good things about being forced to turn into a monster once every month except for the enhanced senses.

"How do you know for sure?" Brendan growled

Remus almost jumped, he'd forgotten about Brendan, he had just moved off slightly to the side when Derrick began talking to him.

"Brendan..." Derrick warned.

"I'm just saying! An English Werewolf turns up soon after a war is declared against Voldemort for the second time?"

The man's eyebrows were fascinating. They were thick and bushy and appeared to have a life of their own.

"I need to escape him," Remus defended himself; at least they were aware of the recent goings-on. "I do not want to die, which will happen if he comes for me, again."

"How would he even know you?" Brendan sneered, his overly large mouth pulled back to show his enlarged canines.

"He bit me, as you very well know as you were listening the entire time," Remus said quietly, an undertone of anger in his voice.

There was no need to get angry; Brendan was just protective and wary. He could smell the fear on him, of the unknown, of him. No one had ever been afraid of Remus, scared of Moony but never Remus. It was...different. He found the very idea a little disconcerting and disgusting, how could Greyback even live off this type of fear? It felt like slime had been thrown over him, Remus felt like he desperately needed a shower. He needed one anyway.

"Jonathan, Brendan…" Derrick warned again.

They both fell silent, though Brendan was still glaring at him. Remus resisted the childish urge to stick out his tongue and pull a gruesome face. That meant Moony had accepted Derrick as an alpha.

Derrick grinned at them, "I think we'll all get on just fine!" he said cheerfully and clapped Remus on the back. "Camp is this way!"

Remus sighed in relief as Derrick slung an arm around his shoulders, leading him. Brendan trailed behind, pouting (though Remus would never dare say that to his face. He liked his throat where it was thank you very much!)

Remus didn't stop grinning the whole walk to their camp. This experience was definitely going to be interesting...