Place: confidential…

Remus wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand and checked the card again.

He'd apparated in a familiar spot and then chosen to walk the rest of the way.

It took Remus exactly five minutes to figure out that this was an increasingly bad idea. The sun was unbearably hot – too hot for July even – and the material of his robes was drenched and sticking uncomfortably to his skin. His shoulder length hair, which he'd taken the pain to gel back and tie into a ponytail, now hung in loose strands around his face, as rouge as the day he was born. His skin had already turned a violent shade of red, and it would seem that no amount of cooling charms was going to help. The day hadn't even started and already Remus looked like shit. He still had to visit Sirius in their new apartment and pick up the cheese cake his mum had wanted. This was going to be a long day.

Remus stared at the wrought iron gate in front of him, his eyes trailing the spreading rust across the surface. The rust had even grown onto the sides of the walls like a relentless epidemic, yet the sturdy gate showed no signs of collapsing. But it wasn't the corrosion that disturbed him. No, it was the walls. Nearly every inch of it seemed to be covered with jagged pieces of broken glass – butterbeer, soda bottles, maybe even windows. Either way, the glass seemed sharp and literally ingrained into the cement itself. Should anyone ever make the mistake of leaning on any of these walls…

It was an unnecessary precaution given that the top was already heavily barb wired.

This simply could not be a school. It was impossible for a child to live in such an environment and keep his sanity intact – werewolf or not. Surely there had been a mistake? But no, the address on the card had been specific and all the details led here - in front of what could only be described as the gates of hell.

Remus felt sweat trickle down his forehead and wiped it away quickly. He was nervous. Now more than he'd started out because of what stood in front of him. I should go, he told himself. I should really go. This place isn't right and what if they don't like me? What if I don't belong?

Remus bit his lip and against his better judgment, rang the bell. After that, he'd had exactly two minutes and thirty five seconds to run and never look back again. He didn't. Instead, he waited until the door opened and his heartbeat had increased tenfold.

'Mr. Lupin, we've been expecting you.'

Remus shook Greyback's hand, trying hard not to grimace at the crooked smile the older werewolf shot him. 'I hope I'm not too late.'

Fenrir's hand squeezed his tightly before letting go. 'Not at all. Why don't you come in?'

Remus smiled weakly and stepped in. As soon as he entered, he found himself surrounded by a dense crowd of trees, and then it hit him before he could register much else.

The smell, the look, the feel – every sensation amplified; and a powerful voice in his head, so similar to his but with the confidence of a king. You're home, Remus. Overwhelmed and caught by surprise, Remus grabbed the sides of the gate and breathed deeply. Home. Nowhere else. Only here. Stay. Stay.

'Take off your shoes, Mr. Lupin,' said Greyback, smiling as he watched Remus's eyes darting frantically.

Remus found it hard to look at Greyback right now or even concentrate on what he was saying. His eyes as if on their own accord, wandered haphazardly, trying to find a source for so much sensation. There was nothing, nothing but trees and yet, what he felt - it had to be attributed to something, coming from somewhere.

He vaguely felt a hand help him take off his shoes and blindly submitted to it. It wasn't until he felt his feet touch the smooth, cool ground that the world righted itself and his head finally stopped spinning. Remus took a deep breath and finally looked up at Greyback.

'It's beautiful, isn't it?' asked Fenrir knowingly, placing a calloused hand on Remus's arm and leading him across. 'The power of the forest?'

It was beautiful. Not like that of the Forbidden Forest, but wilder. Magical. It possessed a raw, untamed beauty that had grown scarce over the years. Nothing here had been cultured; they grew on their own accord and died the same way. Survivors blossomed blood red and the rest wilted to brown – just as nature had intended.

'That's our school. It's not much, but we try.'

The school itself wasn't as mesmerising as its surroundings; with its cracked light grey walls and bendy plumbing. It looked far more welcoming than the front gate but as he entered inside, Remus immediately began to miss the rich earthy scent of the forest and primal freedom that accompanied it. He felt claustrophobic, constrained within these four walls and something in him screamed to get out; to go back; the forest was home.

Remus shook himself. He was being stupid. After all, hadn't he spent most of his life like this? Then why these sudden urges for open air when he was nowhere near a transformation? He convinced himself to ignore his heart's pleas, and concentrated on Greyback instead. He seemed to have been talking for a very long time, but Remus only caught snitches of the conversation, preferring to inspect with his eyes rather than Fenrir's words.

The interior was no more impressive than the exterior. The rooms couldn't be bigger than Remus's bathroom at home, the only furniture being the three narrow beds squashed together. The doors looked ready to collapse under the abuse of children closing and opening them continuously; and the floors had dents in several places, quite a few of which Remus nearly tripped over. Still, there was a merry chatter of students and laughter reverberating across the damp halls brought a certain cheer to the place that overshadowed any constructional drawbacks. These children seemed genuinely happy to be here, despite Remus's quick assumptions.

'Classes are upstairs, but we usually don't start until the evening,' Remus heard Fenrir say.

'Why not?'

Greyback smiled, his gaze following two students walking past them. 'Well, I find that the children concentrate better after sundown. Being creatures of the night…'

Remus opened his mouth to retaliate but found that he had nothing to say.

Greyback's smile fell and his face twisted into an inhuman sneer. 'You see, Mr. Lupin, over here, we teach our students to be themselves. Denial of what they are will only make them weaker in the eyes of human beings.' His tone neared maliciousness, and Remus took a slight step back, suddenly intimidated. 'The Ministry believes in suppressing our strength, our power…and while some of us might follow these rules, I personally find them a hindrance and a pull down for the student's self esteem. What they are is nothing to be ashamed of and certainly not to be ignored. By pretending to be human, they will get nothing…they will be nowhere.'

Remus looked away, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

Fortunately, he was saved from an awkward conversation when a blur of something nearly ran into him; and it was only Remus's quick reflexes that saved him from being knocked down. It was a child, he realised, as he grabbed in time and held the squirming thing at eye level.

Greyback laughed, breaking the tension in the air. 'I see you've had the misfortune of meeting Rubel.' He reached out a hand, gently caressing the child's strawberry blonde hair. 'Shh, cub,' whispered Fenrir, coming closer, and Remus saw true affection in those yellow eyes. 'He's our youngest. Only five years old, but he can run like the wind. We found him in a muggle clinic, where the doctors couldn't figure what was wrong with him or even where he'd come from.'

Remus's hold tightened on the boy. 'What about his parents?'

There was a sudden fire in Fenrir's eyes as he looked up at Remus fiercely. 'I'll tell you this Remus Lupin, and I'll tell it to you only once, so I expect you to remember it. I brought him in, I gave him a name, I gave him a life, I gave him powers he could never have imagined having. He doesn't need any parents. He only needs me. Do you understand that?'

Remus, too shocked to reply, simply nodded and turned towards the boy instead. He could understand Fenrir's possessiveness, he supposed. After all, he had personally raised these children, hadn't he? A sort of admiration for Greyback bubbled up inside of Remus, and he looked at the older werewolf with new found respect.

Rubel cocked his head inquisitively at Remus's nervous gaze and the brunette couldn't resist copying the movement. 'Who are you?' asked Rubel, furrowing his eyebrows so deep that only a slight sliver of his azure eyes peeked out beneath his lashes.

Remus smiled warmly, his discomfort after Fenrir's speech slowly dissipating. 'I'm Remus Lupin.'

'You're not a student,' Rubel stated obviously, frowning and looking questioningly at Greyback. When all he got was an encouraging smile, he brought his face closer to Remus's, slowly nuzzling his neck. Like a dog, realised Remus, or a wolf. 'But you're one of us.'

The situation should have been uncomfortable – a strange child trying to smell him. But it wasn't, and Remus was again overwhelmed by the sensation of home and pack and people, my people, and the need to stay…

'Why are you different?' asked Rubel, looking up at Remus and balancing his hands on the older werewolf's shoulders. 'I don't understand. You smell…different.' His eyes mirrored the curiosity in Remus's own amber orbs, as he struggled to find the right words. 'It's nice…clean.' He came closer to Remus's right ear and whispered for only them to hear, 'Human…'

'Is that good?' Remus whispered back, surprisingly unaffected by the statement. It made sense for him to smell human. He had spent most his life with them and all of it pretending to be one of them. But the conversation had aroused something inside of him - a need to find out who he truly was and perhaps even accept it instead of looking at it as a curse.

Rubel nodded. 'It's good. I like it.' His face broke into a beatific smile, and Remus was sure he'd never seen anyone this adorable his entire life, 'I like you. Will you stay? He bit his lip and fisted Remus's shirt nervously. 'With me?'

Remus beamed and looked at Greyback who for the first time since they met, looked slightly apprehensive. 'Yeah. Yeah, I'll stay.' He ruffled Rubel's hair, enjoying the small giggle that escaped the boy's mouth. 'But not until Monday, alright?'

XxxxX

Remus felt himself expanding as he apparated into Sirius's flat and on a dirty pile of laundry. He looked around, trying to disentangle his feet from between the piles sheets and underwear.

It would seem that Sirius had been cleaning up or at least, attempting to. Empty boxes lay scattered on the carpeted floor; most of its contents strewn about nearby, while others were haphazardly arranged around the house. Remus was pretty sure that the tea pot did not belong on the book shelf beside his favourite issues of Marvin the Muggle (mint condition, mind you).

'Sirius?' Remus called out, folding a few of the clothes out of the way and placing them on the kitchen counter. 'You there? Padfoot?'

'Left bedroom!' Remus heard Sirius's muffled voice call out.

He carefully maneuvered through all the strewn furniture, passing the conjoint living room and into the left bedroom. 'Padfoo-' He stopped when he entered the room to see only the tips of Sirius's neon yellow socks peeking out from under a queen sized bed. 'Well, look at you…'

Sirius slid out from underneath and grinned. 'Hey, Moony. Just fixing up the bed.' He got up and dusted himself off before kissing Remus lightly on the lips.

Remus grinned back, brushing off the remaining dust from Sirius's forehead. Sirius looked quite a sight in too small overalls and covered in filth. His black hair, shorter than Remus's, but still long by normal standards, stood up in disarray at the back of his head where he'd obviously been lying down. Remus curled his fingers around the silky (if not dirty) strands, smoothing them out and taking pleasure in the benign smile that spread across his friend's face.

Sirius hadn't changed much over the years. He'd grown taller, almost to Remus's height, with legs tantalizingly long and thin. His face had remained the same, perhaps a little more angular here and there, but he was still the same handsome boy that Remus remembered from their first year and grown to love over the next few. Remus could say that Sirius had perhaps grown manlier since then, but figured Sirius's inability to grow anything more than a few wisps of hair on his chin spoke for itself.

'So, what do you think of your bedroom?' asked Sirius, casually laying an arm across Remus's shoulders. 'I furnished it and everything. It's still a little dusty, but I'll clean it up once I'm done with my room.'

Remus's heart sank. 'It's nice,' he murmured. It was silly really, but he had been expecting for them to share a bed now that he was moving in. Clearly a ridiculous notion, especially since Sirius had gone to the lengths of furnishing a separate room for him.

The black haired boy smiled slyly. 'You'd think so, wouldn't you? Too bad it's just a decoy for when your parents come over. Truth is…' he whispered, letting his lips brush over Remus's neck and sending shivers down his spine. 'Night or day, I'd really rather you sleep underneath me.'

Remus blinked. Did Sirius-? And then he burst out laughing, probably more out of relief than the cheesy innuendo.

Sirius pouted, disentangling from Remus. 'I didn't think I was doing anything particularly funny.'

Remus only laughed harder, grabbing Sirius into a tight hug. 'You are just too much, you know that? God knows, why I lo-' Remus shut his mouth abruptly, cursing himself. That had been close, too close. He'd almost said it – those three dreaded words. He'd have to watch himself better next time He couldn't take the risk, not now when things were so perfect. The very thought of Sirius leaving him because of something so stupid was too painful. Perhaps Remus would tell him later when the time was right.

Sirius looked up, smiling despite himself. 'You what?'

Remus hacked his mind for a good excuse. 'I want a tour of the place.'

Sirius raised a sardonic eyebrow. 'The apartment's twenty feet long. There really isn't much to see. We have the living room and kitchen, which will be really pretty once I get it cleaned up. That's what the brochures said anyway.'

'I'm sure.'

'We have a joint bathroom where we can take a piss in,' Sirius gestured outside to his right.

Remus tried not to comment on Sirius's crude description.

'And in the next room,' Sirius moved closer, wiggling his brows suggestively. 'Is the bed we'll be having hot, passionate sex in…'

XxxxX

Remus rang the doorbell, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration as he watched the big black dog jump around him playfully. 'Sirius, will you just stop that!' The dog did nothing but bark mischievously and continue its game. 'Sirius, bad dog! Sit! Heel!'

Padfoot whined pitifully, his tail promptly falling between his legs and paws settling over his head. He looked up at Remus with large grey eyes and Remus groaned.

'Don't me such a drama queen, Sirius. It's your fault and you know it.'

Grey eyes, if possible, grew even larger.

Remus averted his eyes. 'You're not guilt tripping me. This is one game I'm too used to, to actually fall for.'

If Remus thought that was going to make Padfoot stop, he was sadly mistaken. Instead, Padfoot increased his 'please pity me' charm tenfold and whimpered to an impossibly pathetic degree.

It didn't take long for Remus to change his mind and had it not been for the clacking of heels coming from the other side of the door, Remus would have surely knelt down beside Padfoot to reassure him.

'Who is it?' sang out a female voice that could only belong to his Aunt Nash.

'It's me: Remus.'

'Remoo? I don't think so!' she sang again and it made Remus want to strangle her. He loved her, he really did, but her antics were a whole other matter. 'Tell me what your Halloween costume was when you were three.'

Remus felt the blood drain out of his face. His Halloween costume? Now? He looked at Padfoot from the corner of his eyes, noticing how his ears perked up curiously, all whining forgotten.

'Come on, Aunt Nash! I got through dad's barriers, didn't I? Just let me in!' he pleaded desperately.

He heard his aunt chuckle. 'Barriers can be broken, sweetheart, especially if you're You Know Who!'

Remus thumped his head against the door. He remembered that Halloween; how could he not? His parents had left (abandoned) him to trick or treat with his aunt while they enjoyed a quiet couple's night out (snogging). Back then, he'd enjoyed it, he really had. He'd been three after all, with hardly enough brains to fill an egg cup. But the memory haunted him now, especially considering that there were pictures- ones that made him want to drown himself in the toilet.

'I'm waaiitiing!!!' his aunt called out cheerfully, obviously taking sadistic pleasure in torturing him.

'Fine!' he spat. 'I was a pujghjd.' Remus mumbled, carefully avoiding Padfoot's eyes.

'What? I didn't hear you!'

'A princess, alright? I was a bloody princess!' All the comments about what a pretty girl he'd been came rushing back to him, and Remus shuddered involuntarily. Why hadn't he realised it sooner? It was his aunt's fault he was a ponce.

The door swung open and Remus was enveloped in a bone crushing hug and strong jasmine perfume. Nash pulled away after a kiss on each cheek, but her smile fell as soon as she chanced a glance downwards.

'John!!!' she gasped, her hands promptly going to her mouth. 'I'm dying!' She blinked rapidly, her large blue eyes growing enormous. 'There's a Grim on our front door and he's grinning at me…very, very evilly.'

Padfoot growled, and Remus knew Sirius's ego had been brutally bruised at being consorted with something as ugly as a Grim, especially after he'd spent an hour in the shower (with Remus).

'Relax, Aunt Nash. It's just Pa-' Remus stopped himself just in time, realising that Sirius had been to his house enough times for everyone to know they called him Padfoot. 'Snuffles,' he finished, ignoring the disgusted look Padfoot shot him and walking in.

He found his father sitting in front of the TV watching the muggle news, least bothered about the dramatic revelation about his sister dying. 'You're late,' he stated, not taking his eyes off the screen.

Remus sat on the couch beside his, setting the cheese cake down on the coffee table. 'Got caught up in traffic.'

John Lupin raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing the story. 'And that stray followed your car home?'

'He's Frank Longbottom's,' Remus lied smoothly, unaffected by the way John Lupin was eyeing Padfoot. 'I met him in Mr. Baker's. Apparently, he needed someone to take care of Snuffles during the weekend. He won't be any trouble, I promise.'

John smiled. 'Hm…cute little fellow, isn't he?' He laughed as Padfoot barked happily and set both his front paws on John lap. 'Enthusiastic a bit,' he remarked, scratching behind Padfoot's ears.

Remus leaned back against the chair, heaving a huge sigh of relief. He'd been afraid his father would recognise Padfoot for who he really was, but either Sirius was doing a very good job of playing his part or he was genuinely being himself. The latter was more likely.

'Freshen up quickly. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes.' John rolled his eyes exasperatedly as Padfoot sniffed at the cake and grabbed him by the ruff. 'And take your mutt with you, hm?'

XxxxX

'You know, for Longbottom's dog, he's mighty attached to you,' Natasha commented through a mouthful of potatoes.

Remus smiled and passed Padfoot another rib to chew on. 'Are you guys free tomorrow?' he asked, deliberately avoiding his aunt's observation.

Both Natasha and Del shrugged, while John helped himself to more salad. 'It could be arranged. Why?'

Remus smirked. 'Well, I wanted to take you all out to dinner.'

Del raised an eyebrow, smiling. 'Oh? And what's the special occasion?'

Remus put his fork down, resting his elbows on the table. 'Well, I got offered a job during graduation, and I looked over it today and well…' He smiled slowly. 'It seemed nice enough, so I accepted it.'

The cheer that followed made Remus beam widely, and Sirius mused that his friend had never looked more beautiful – his face flushed and amber eyes shining behind his wild hair. Happiness suited Remus and even though Sirius couldn't quite remember who this Greyback fellow was, in his eyes, Fenrir Greyback was something close to a blessing.

Padfoot nuzzled Remus's side affectionately.

'So, what are you working as?' asked John Lupin, once the cheers had subsided and everyone was drinking a toast to Remus's new job.

'Teacher,' replied Remus swallowing his drink. 'I'm going to be the first teacher of Magic for werewolves.'

John and Del looked at each other suspiciously, but it was Natasha who voiced the question in both their minds. 'Werewolves, Remoo? You sure? I've never heard of such a thing.'

Remus nodded. 'Yeah, that's what I thought at first too, which is why I visited the school today. It's a little shabby, but Mr. Greyback said-'

Remus was interrupted by the glass in his father's hand shattering, and the multiple gasps coming from both his aunt and his mother. He looked at his father in confusion, and was shocked to see his face contorted with fury – face red and eyes bulging out dangerously.

'I'll kill him!' John shouted, getting up furiously, his plate and cutlery scattering on the ground in the process. 'I'll fucking kill him.'

Padfoot whimpered, and Remus held on to his ruff as comfort. He'd only seen his father this angry once his entire life and that had been the last time he'd visited his grandfather eleven years ago. He'd cried back then, afraid of what his father would do and scared that it had been his fault. Remus had assumed that he'd grown out of that fear, but he could feel it surfacing again as he watched his father clench his fist angrily and punch the wall.

'John, please, calm down!' yelled Del, getting up from her own chair and grabbing her husband by the arm.

John shrugged her off roughly. 'Calm down? Calm down? That bastard's come back! That son of a bitch has come back and he has the fucking nerve to try and take my son away from me! Again!'

Remus straightened in his seat, his hand fisting painfully in Padfoot's fur. 'Wait, again? I've met Greyback before?'

Everyone including John, froze. Had the situation been less serious, it would have been comical: the way his mother and aunt fell into their seats, or how his father stopped mid step, eyes twitching from Del to Remus and back to Del again.

'I-' John faltered, looking helplessly at Del.

Del massaged her temples, staring fixedly at the flowery patterns of their tablecloth. 'It was bound to happen.'

'Just tell him, John. Tell him and get over with it,' whispered Natasha encouragingly, grabbing Remus's father's hand.

John snatched his hand away angrily. 'No!'

Remus watched the exchange of expressions between his parents and aunt – anger, frustration, protectiveness, but it was the stench of fear emanating from his father that overpowered it all.

'Can someone please tell me what's going on?' Remus pleaded, if not a little angrily. He felt Padfoot growl lightly, warning him of the danger that was to come.

Aunt Nash placed a hand on top of Remus's and squeezed tightly. 'Remus, Fenrir Greyback…he's the werewolf who bit you.'

Remus felt like he'd been punched in the gut.

'…and he did it on purpose…'

John Lupin punched the wall again, muttering 'fuck' and other obscenities under his breath.

Remus's mind was whirring, protesting at the sudden onslaught of information. It was impossible, it had to be. His father always told him everything. Surely something like this wouldn't be kept hidden, would it? 'You're lying,' he whispered, trying to convince himself more than anyone else. 'You're all lying.'

Del shook her head. 'It's true, Remus.'

'You told me you didn't know! You told me it had been an accident!' he accused, angry at how his father deliberately avoided his eyes. He vaguely felt Padfoot put a comforting paw on his lap, but he pushed it away.

'It was an accident! If I'd been careful enough, then Greyback would never have gotten to you!'

'How-' His knuckles were turning white where his hands gripped the table.

'Greyback wanted a favour. It was immoral and back then, against my somewhat harsh view point of werewolves…' John bowed his head dejectedly. 'I didn't fulfill it. In return, his idea of a suitable punishment was you.'

Remus's mind didn't want to register what he was hearing. 'A punishment?'

John Lupin nodded, turning his back. Even Del and aunt Nash looked away.

He was a punishment. That was all he was - something to settle his father's internal battles with. 'Is that why you kept me? Out of guilt?' Was pity all there was to his fucked up life? How many lies, how many? Were they lying to him when they told him they loved him? The hugs, the kisses – were they lies as well? Just a cover up for the life they ruined?

Del looked at him sadly. 'Is that what you think, Remus?'

'Dad said so himself that he hadn't been in favour of werewolves back then!'

'Times change,' John growled.

'How do I know then?' asked Remus getting up and ignoring Padfoot tugging at his jeans. 'How do I know that Greyback's not right? Maybe…maybe you deserved it.'

Nash stood up from her own seat, glaring at Remus. 'You think you're the first child he's bitten?' She shook his shoulders roughly. 'Wake up, Remus. Every child in that orphanage is a victim - sometimes of blood lust, sometimes of revenge - the man's as close to a murderer you can get.'

Of course she'd defend her brother. Maybe he was lying to her, too. Maybe they were all lying. Remus looked at his father hard in the eyes. 'He offered me freedom to be who I was while you suppressed it.'

John snorted. 'He uses freedom as an excuse for murder.'

'He offered me a place with my own kind, while you put me under the delusion of being human,' Remus retaliated.

John banged his fist of the table. 'You're fucking human thirty days out of thirty one!'

'He told me the truth while you lied!'

John fell silent.

Remus sneered. 'Was it fun, dad? Was it amusing to watch me wander about like an ignoramus - the oblivious creature of mockery – pouring out my fucking heart to you while you kept secrets of my life locked away in a cupboard?' Padfoot nipped at his fingers, but he ignored it. Sirius didn't know how it felt. This wasn't about Greyback; this was about trust. All his life, he'd assumed that father and he were close; that they were equals, but perhaps even that had been a lie.

'Remus, that's enough,' warned his mother.

'I'm not having this conversation.' John started walking away, his hands clutching at his hair in frustration.

'Why? What are you scared of?'

John turned sharply. 'This! This is exactly what I was scared of! Do you even hear what you're saying, Remus? You hate me.' His voice wavered slightly, but he held his gaze. 'You hate me and it's justified because it's my fault your life turned out like this. And you can leave if you want to, I'll understand that but take my advice on this: don't go back to Greyback. He might promise you a lot, and he might give them to you as well, but at the cost of your sanity. Those children you saw today are being taught how to kill, do you understand that?'

'How do I know you're telling the truth?' Remus didn't flinch away when his father touched his shoulder. 'How can I trust you when all my life you've done nothing but lie?'

'I can't help you with that, Remus.'

That night Remus sent a letter to Greyback resigning from his position. He didn't mention any reasons, or show any signs of accusation. Just a short apology and a polite declination, which only left many questions in Remus's mind unanswered. Sirius had stood by him the whole time, saying nothing, but only providing a comforting presence.

They'd had sex on Remus's bed after that; Sirius on top, kissing and touching Remus in just the right places without any words exchanged in between. He'd held on to Remus as he'd come soundlessly with Sirius inside of him, outlining the dark circles of his eyes and smoothing errant brown strands out his face.

'He's scared, you know…your father,' whispered Sirius once he had slid out, breath still coming out raggedly

Remus said nothing.

'He's afraid you'll leave…that you'll think Greyback would serve as a better father to you…'

When Remus still didn't reply, Sirius sighed heavily. He kissed Remus lightly on the forehead, and they remained a tangle of limbs till sunrise.

Remus didn't know it at that moment as he slept quietly in Sirius's arms; but by morning, he would have forgiven his father and in some ways, understood why he did what he did. But the issue itself would never be brought up. Remus would pretend nothing had ever happened between them, and John would only be happy to oblige, even though his fears would remain until a lot later. They would both play fetch with Snuffles until they were breathless and later, drive together to the nearest Chinese restaurant to order take out because even though Aunt Nash was a wonderful person, she was a horrible cook.

XxxxX

DeNada: I'm not sure how many chapters there are going to be, but if I ever get near the end, I'm going to tweak it a bit, cuz I'm not too fond of the Sirius dying thing either. Seve-Suzie: I think you've already got your answer, so that leaves me with nothing much to say. Demon fritillary: Transcriptome analysis sounds boring, whtever it is. Anyway, thnx for all your compliments and I hope this chapter was just as great for you. mad.hot.love: Greyback is just going to get eviler (is that a word?) No further comments. Freakanature: Things get a lot more unbelievable, but I'm not going to reveal much, because a lot of it is still a mystery to myself. BlackMercifulFaerie: Your enthusiasm is contagious. Yurikitsune: Well, Remus did sort of take up the job, didn't he, but I'm guessing this wasn't the turn you were expecting. jezz rivet: Yeah, there might be more, but I'm not entirely sure how much. Mysid: You know what else spells disaster? Voldemort. Shinigami's Demon: Keep running with the pitchfork and Greyback might appoint you as a teacher as well. Goldfish682: I think the Greyback incident caused John a lot more stress. Pills for both of you! FangQueen13: I love writing twisted plot lines. So, don't think this Greyback thing's over yet. Damn, I just gave away the next chapter, didn't I? Crowley Black: I guess my speedy update compensates for this not so speedy one. Keep reading! Paddywaddy: I'd really rather not answer your question. I might let the plot slip. KawaiiMegami86: Going with the wind it is. Writing is art after all, and planning is not (even if it is essential). Onlytomriddle: Well, I included descriptions just for you. I'd actually forgotten about them. I guess I took it for granted that they are such well known characters. Ahem…and plot never interferes with romance! Well, it might increase the romance, but how it does that is for me to know and you to find out. As for the reviews, I wish I had the time to sit and click on reply for each and every one of them, but I usually get all my writing done in a span of two hours in one single day. Hectic isn't the word. And I think that a couple of the readers, such as yourself indulge in reading most of the replies. MagicalWinry: Remus is hot, despite some of the nerdy descriptions that we get. LunasStar: Yes, Greyback needs to die, and if we're lucky he just might in the last book, along with Harry and Voldemort. Muppetmadness: Cute review. Sirius is mad, Greyback is evil, John is misunderstood, Remus is angry. I think that about summarises things. Serpent91: Thnx, keep reviewing. Hope you liked this chapter. VG Jekyll: Are you planning to sit back and relax? Don't. Faery Goddyss: I love Greyback's character too. I've always pictured him to be ruthless towards others, but protective of the ones he'd bitten…not because he loved them, but because he's proud of his creations. Tyleet27: Wow, you have things thought out even farther than me. I just included this bit cuz it came to me, but now that you mention it, it does provide good grounds for Sirius to get suspicious. Thanks for that, by the way.