A/N: Apologies for the delay, bit of a family emergency going on here. I may not be updating quite as regularly for a while. My continued thanks to all those who have Story Alerted, Reviewed, or Favourited this story. Keep reading. LB

Chapter Eighteen

Remus Lupin stood in the middle of the forest glade and closed his eyes. He could hear the rustle of new spring leaves and the various calls of birds - invitations to mate or warnings to stay away. In the undergrowth the smell of a foxes den permeated past the sweet-smelling plants. Beyond his usual five sense Remus could detect the silent approaches of six other werewolves. He smiled and opened his eyes.

When Albus Dumbledore had asked him to contact the werewolf packs, to try to bring them over to their side, or at least away from the Dark Lord, Remus had never imagined this would be the result. A meeting between the seven strongest werewolves in the country. All Alphas, all powerful, all with an iron grip over their territory. Two muggles, five wizards; one woman, five men. And him. Not quite a werewolf anymore, but certainly not human. It was at his request that this was even happening, and Remus knew that the main reason they came was curiosity.

The first into the glade was a big man wearing studded black leather and a bland expression. He greeted Remus with a grunt and folded his arms to wait. He didn't have to wait long. Hot on his heels was a wiry man with pitch black hair and demanding eyes. On the other side a woman accompanied a strident man from Birmingham and a shaggy looking redhead who was speaking to her in a soft lilting Scottish brogue. They joined the circle and paused, each assessing the others. They knew of each other but a meeting of the Alphas was rare, rare enough that most had never met. Finally the last to arrive made his way into the circle, dark bags under his eyes and clear scars down one cheek.

"Shall we get on wit this, some o' us have more important things t' be doin," said the big man gruffly, his origins as clear as his Yorkshire accent.

"All of us have better things to do," murmured the woman.

"Yet you came, so let us hear what is to be said," the wiry Welshman said.

"We've all 'eard t' rumours comin from thy pack. Is it true?"

"Yes. Is it? You're really some kind of animagus werewolf?" asked the late-comer, his fingers twitching on his cuffs.

Remus looked around, nothing could get done until this was sorted, that much was written clear on the faces of all. Taking a deep breath he shrugged off his thin robe, leaving him in nothing but his loose shorts. The Cumbrian woman made an appreciative noise at his honed physique, and he shot her a glance before refocusing. The transformation started slow but quickly picked up speed and within a minute the man had become the wolf. Moony sat back on his haunches and took the opportunity to assess the others with his more acute senses.

The late-comer, from Norfolk, smelt of nerves yet the cause was not those around him. Moony didn't have to think hard to know what was bothering him, though. On his southern border lay the pack commanded by Greyback - and he was always looking to expand. The two Muggles: the Hell's Angel from Yorkshire and the businessman from Birmingham, were obviously different to Moony. There was a layer missing that was clearly present in all the others; magic changes people beyond the knowledge of wizards. Moony's main threat that he could see was the Welshman, he was intense and focused, and even as Moony looked towards him he looked back. If he couldn't bring him round to his was of thinking it could cause dissension.

Transforming back, Remus picked up his robe and waited for the inevitable question.

"How is that possible?" It was the woman who asked.

"The Wild Magic changed me," he replied, stopping the shrug of his shoulders before it began.

"It is true that there's more wild magic now than there was last moon, but the rumours have been abroad for longer than that," challenged the Welshman.

"I came in contact with the source of the wild magic two years ago," Remus explained, meeting his eyes.

"So you were there. In the place where the elves come from?"

"Yes. I was there."

"This is all very nice, I'm sure, and I think we can agree that if there was a way for this change t' occur t' all o' us we'd take it, but clearly there int," The Hell's Angel spread his arms in declaration. He was still a werewolf despite the increase in Wild Magic, and that didn't seem likely to change any time soon. "So what is t' tru' purpose o' this meetin'. You called us here."

"This is aboot the wee elves, isnae it?" The Scotsman interjected.

"Yes," Remus confirmed, "I have information."

"More than the rest of us," the Welshman muttered, the 'I bet' in his tone.

"If that's the case," the woman, overhearing the comment, asked, "Where did you get it?"

Remus took breath and said, "I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix, headed by Albus Dumbledore." There was a silence. Somehow he'd been expecting more of a response, but the clamour never came. Most seemed to take the announcement with calm 'so what' attitudes, though there were a few blank faces.

"Never heard of it," the Brummie said cheerfully.

"We were formed some time ago to fight back the Death Eaters. To do what the Ministry appeared incapable of doing and take on the greatest evil this country had seen in a hundred years," Remus said, trying to provoke a response now. He was sure that knowledge of the Order hadn't spread beyond a small minority, yet the reactions continued to disprove that. No one seemed shocked by his blatant slandering of the Ministry or of the fact that Dumbledore had set up his own fighting force.

"I'm sorry," the Brummie said holding up a hand, "But who is this Dumbledore? And why would be do that: set up a group of fighters. Is he some kind of Official Policeman guy, 'cause the Death Eaters? Them I know of."

"He is the Headmaster of Hogwarts School and High Mugwump of the Wizengamot."

"That I've heard of. Some of my pack are wizards," The Brummie looked over at the other Muggle and grinned. It was not returned.

"He's the one who sent you out isn't he?" said the Welshman slyly, "You're not truly an Alpha."

Hackles rose and growls resonated around the clearing. To challenge another wolf was fine, but to challenge the status of an Alpha like this was simply not done. Remus, fighting to control his instinctive reaction, snarled out, "I may have begun this on his order but I am not controlled by him. I didn't become leader of my pack by deceit, I did it the same way you all did: time, skill and power. I have as much right to stand here as any of you."

The hackles died down and calm eased its way back into the circle.

"He wanted you to help fight Greyback, didn't he?" asked the nervy Norfolk werewolf.

"Yes," snapped Remus.

"That doesnae really matter any more, sorry, but it doesnae. Not tae rest of us. It's your border, your problem. An' Ah don't imagine that ye speart us here tae deal wi' a body rogue an his pack."

"No, I didn't," Remus calmed himself. A threat to him was a threat to his pack, and the more time he'd spent with werewolves, the more he'd come to realise how important those bonds were. Taking a breath he centred himself and focused on the reason he called them here, "I called this meeting to ask you what your plans were with regards to the new evil that is stalking all our lands. The elves."

"Nothing," said the woman, "Nothing needs to be done. The Ministry will handle it."

"And if they don't?"

She shrugged, saying, "We're werewolves. We have nothing to fear from elves."

"How can you be sure?" Remus pressed, "I've seen the reports, heard from people who have fought them, and...has any one heard from the Somerset Pack lately?"

Sharp glances were exchanged, no one had heard any news from the South West and Remus knew it.

Timidly the Norfolk man spoke up, "Are you saying they'll attack us?"

"I think it's highly likely."

"Sae what dae ye want? Ye want us tae attack them? Ignorin' th' fact that they're at th' other end o' th' country-"

"For some of you."

"Not all of us are wizards, not all of us have magic t' defeat these creatures," interjected the Yorkshireman.

"Magic doesn't seem to be working on them actually," Remus said.

"What?", "How do we kill them then?", "Magic's not working?" The voices of the werewolves ran over each other, all protesting at Remus's statement, all worried now.

"We're wizards, not-"

"Muggles?" cut in the Brummie, "Excuse me, but what have you people been doing then?"

All eyes turned to Remus now, their only source of information, "There is a way to kill them," he revealed, "With iron. It poisons them."

"You mean swords?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. Swords, iron railings, anything made of iron will work. One small cut and they die within seconds." Remus looked around and caught every man's eye, "If we don't fight them they'll overrun the country and there won't be any room for werewolves, wizarding or otherwise. But I wasn't thinking of us fighting them now. I was thinking of attacking them in two weeks. Why use weapons we're unfamiliar with when we have a whole host of weapons available to us every month?"

There was silence. Remus had been thinking about this for a while. He hadn't talked to anyone about it. Albus thought that this meeting was just to ascertain the mood of the werewolves, whether they would side with them against the elves, but Remus had been planning this move since first he heard about the elves coming through. He even wondered if it had been in the back of his mind ever since that day when the doors were opened and he heard the army marching their way. With just one aware wolf at the front of the joined packs the power of nearly a hundred werewolves could be directed, directed right at the elves.

"It's a nice idea. But, Remus, You're forgetting one vital point. Werewolf packs don't work together," the Welshman snorted, "Wolf packs don't work together. There's tension here and there's only seven of us. Get all our packs together and there'll be bloodshed alright. Our blood."

Remus nodded, he knew the difficulties his idea presented. He also knew that the elves would leave none of them alive, and the werewolves of Britain, blighted as they were, deserved to survive as much as any wizard. He looked up at the half moon and then around at the men and woman standing with him, and said, "If we don't work together then we will fall."

XOXOX

Remus paused in the hall, listening to the conversation that was going on within the meeting room at Order Headquarters. He had travelled back to London once his meeting was done only to find a note waiting for him requesting his presence in the Hebrides. There was one word on the note that had seriously peaked his interest: Tintagel. He'd entered the house expecting to find it a hive of

activity, but everyone was gone. It had taken the sound of voices for him to discover where this new

meeting was taking place.

"We don't know that there is a traitor," James emphasised from the meeting room.

"We know that there's been a lot of nasty coincidences in the last year, coincidences that can't

have happened without inside information."

That was Sirius, and he sounded determined to get across his point. Remus could easily imagine him pacing across the floor, gesturing emphatically.

"Even if there is a traitor, and I'm not saying whether there is or isn't, but if there is - we

don't know who it is, and we can't just go round accusing people."

Lily, making peace as best she could.

"He's been absent whenever there's been a problem, and he's been, well, secretive lately," Sirius

said.

"So just because someone's keeping secrets they're automatically a traitor now? I've been keeping

secrets. You've been keeping secrets. Even Lily's been keeping secrets. Are you saying that we're

all traitors? It's human nature, Sirius," James pointed out.

"He's not exactly human," Sirius muttered.

"Not?" James said in a strangled voice, "I would have thought that you of all people would know

that Remus being a werewolf doesn't matter."

"James is right," Lily said quietly, "We have all had reason to be the traitor, if there is one, at

some point. I don't think Remus would betray us. I trust him."

"Thank you Lily," Remus said, coming into the room. Sirius jumped in surprise, a guilty look on his

face. James came swiftly round the table to give him a quick handshake and shoulder pat.

"Good to see you," he said.

Remus nodded and smiled at James and Lily, giving the latter a quick hug. Then he met eyes with

Sirius and raised an eyebrow. Sirius made a sorry-but-it-had-to-be-said gesture, and gave him a flat

smile. There was too much history between them for an easy reunion, but Remus couldn't be bothered to stay annoyed at the darker man. He returned the smile with a nod and sat down at the table, James and Lily on his right, Sirius on his left.

"Ah, excellent, you've arrived. How was the meeting, Remus?" Albus came in with a serious expression on his face. He greeted the others, but looked expectantly at Remus.

"I think it was successful," Remus said guardedly. He may have informed Albus about some of his

dealings with the other werewolves, but he had gradually grown more and more protective of a world that was his and his alone. He changed the subject hastily, not wanting more inquiry in that

direction, "I got the note telling me to come here. I understand this has something to do with

Tintagel?"

"Yes," Albus took a seat at the head of the table and summoned some tea.

"Apparently we all picked up a brand new host of powers when we were there," Sirius said, lazily

summoning a scone from the tray as he spoke.

James nodded, "I was recently stabbed by an elf-"

"Are you alright?" Remus asked.

"I'm fine. That's the point. It healed rather quickly," James continued with a grimace.

"It healed almost completely overnight," snorted Lily, still annoyed that James hadn't told her

about his healing ability. She knew she hadn't told him about her power either, but somehow making light without magic didn't seem as important as being to heal from life-threatening wounds.

"And Lily can do wandless magic," James shot back, hearing the annoyance in her tone.

"Yes, well..."

"And Sirius?"

"Sirius is less effected by spells than he used to be," Sirius shared with a grin.

"I have some ideas on how this came to be, but I wonder if you have any insight, Remus, considering the effect that night had on you," Albus said, leaning forward to fix Remus with his sparkling blue gaze.

Remus felt a little trapped as the others shot inquiring words or looks at him, and trapped

werewolves were never happy. He knew why he hadn't told anyone outside the Packs that he could

control his transformation, but he didn't really want to admit it to himself, let alone his oldest

friends.

"Remus?" Lily gently asked, the kindness and understand in her voice cutting through his discomfort and fear.

"I...have my own mind when I'm transformed, and can control when that transformation occurs," he

said, closing his eyes as the inevitable exclamations rang out. When he opened them again he found

that Albus hadn't moved, his eyes still fixed on him. It was disconcerting, as if the old wizard

could see through him, right into his heart. For a moment he was lost in that light blue and deep

understanding, then he snapped out as Sirius asked a pointed question.

"Are you still a werewolf?"

"Oh. Yes, of course I am. I'm just no longer tied to the moon. I don't think it's the same as being

an Animagus, but it's a lot better than it was," Remus looked back at Albus and tried to answer his

first question, "I do have an idea about this, you're right. Being a magical creature I'm more aware

of the differences between magics, and, uh, when those Doors opened it wasn't wizarding magic. It

was Wild Magic. I thought it had only effected me, because I'm a werewolf."

"Wild magic..." Albus trailed off into thought, but none of the others were really paying attention.

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked James.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Remus snapped back.

"Where have you been? Is this what you were doing? Learning to control this?" Sirius butted in

before James could reply.

"No! I've...I've been with my own kind. I have a Pack now," Remus defended his absences.

"Is that why you're different?" Lily said.

"Different?"

"You're more...confident."

Remus laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. She thought he was more confident? He looked at the

guys and could see that they agreed with Lily, they thought he'd changed too. "Did you think I'd

stay that meek bookworm who was scared of his own shadow forever? If I've changed, become more confident, then I'm glad. I've got things, people in my life now, I-" He cut himself off, forcing

his shoulders down, to relax slightly. There was no threat here, not from these people. His first

pack. "I'm not scared anymore, of myself. I can live now. I didn't want to tell you because..."

"Because then it would be real and it might go away," Lily finished for him. James looked at her in

curiosity, he hadn't know that that was how she had felt. Lily smiled sideways at him and gave a

shrug. Remus nodded, holding her eyes and mouthing a thank you.

Sirius sighed and sat back in his chair. "That leaves just one question," he said, a growing grin on

his face as he could see James and Remus coming to the same place as him. They could all run

together again in their Animagus forms and this time there would be no danger. But just as he saw

the idea blooming in their faces he turned to Albus and asked, "How did we get to be like this?"

Albus smiled at the change in direction and said, "Wild magic has a way of reorganising things. It

is a totally uncontrollable force that has no agenda or pattern. However, it is effected by the

wizarding mind." He looked around at the generally understanding faces that had been more changed than anyone else by the events of that night, "I believe that whatever you were thinking at the moment the doors opened, releasing the Wild Magic-"

"And the elves," interrupted Sirius.

The old wizard acknowledged the interruption and went on, "What you were thinking determined how the magic manifested."

"Are you saying that because I was thinking that I wanted to change right then and, er, remove the

threats, I became able to change at any time?" Remus asked, leaning forward in intense interest.

"I believe so, though you must accept that I may not be entirely accurate," Albus said spreading his

hands. No one believed him for a moment; the Headmaster of Hogwarts always knew more than he would tell and was always right.

"I was rather focused on healing," James mused, his eyes drifting, not seeing the wood panelled

walls as he looked into his memory of that moment. Lying on the floor of the cavern, vaguely hearing Lily next to him shouting at Snape, the blood pouring out of him, and an intense desire to be whole, "But I was hit by a spell not a...object."

"Was the cause of your wound foremost in your mind?" Albus asked gently, prompting James back into thought.

Sirius got up and began pacing across the floor again, turning the idea over in his mind as he

sorted through the pieces of the puzzle. He had been standing at the Doors, Key in hand, Imperius

curse forcing him. Through his mind had floated the desperate thoughts of getting free from the

spell, of not being affected by magic. The Doors had opened, there had been a wave of something, the sound of an army and he'd passed out. From then... he tried to recall if he'd been immune to spells at all before then, but nothing jumped out at him. Afterwards there were any number of incidents, each more obvious than the last when he started looking for them.

"How far do you think this goes? Is it done now?" Sirius saw the confusion on James's face and

question in Albus's eyes and explained further, "Two years ago I could get hit by the nastier curses

and hexes and they'd have an effect. Now, they don't. It's like we, I've been growing into this,

getting more resistant as time goes on. Is it going to continue? Am I going to end up totally... invulnerable?"

"I do not think so. Tintagel has now reappeared in this world, and in doing so has stabilised the

amount of Wild Magic flowing out of the elven lands. Whatever the level of your healing abilities is

currently is most likely the level at which it shall remain," Dumbledore thought aloud.

From where she was sitting, slightly stunned, Lily held out a hand and made a light appear. She

stared at it, the light remaining behind her eyes whenever she blinked. She heard the explanations

and discussions continue on around her but paid them no mind. She had spent a lot of time of the

last couple of years talking to Ollivander about the various types of magic, and Wild Magic had been of particular interest. Its unpredictable nature, the way it changed anything it came into contact with, had made her wonder if it was the origin of all wizards. This magic she now had; put in a muggle would it make them like she had been - a witch? Passed down from generation to generation, magic lingered in the blood. Lily frowned, would that mean that her children would have this power?

"Will it remain with us? In our blood?" she asked Albus quietly.

He fixed her with a knowing look, understanding her real question, "I do not know," he responded

just as quietly.