It was a wild and stormy night on the small island occupied by Azkaban prison. Then again, it ALWAYS seemed to be wild and stormy. Inside the screams of insanity were ringing throughout the prison. Any little bit of happiness shown by the inmates was immediately sucked right back out by the Dementors.

It was Bellatrix LeStrange who first noticed that her Dark Mark had reawakened. She laughed crazily as she licked the Mark. She knew her master wouldn't leave them in here for long now. Around her, Dolohov and the LeStrange brothers were looking at their Dark Marks, also.

"He's back, Bella! He's back! He'll be here soon." Screamed Dolohov.

Fenrir Greyback, imprisoned for biting too many children to add to his pack, silently listened to them. He was simply waiting out the remainder of his sentence. A few more weeks and he'd be out of here and able to rejoin his pack. He was not really interested until he heard a familiar name. "Voldemort? You're waiting for Voldemort? Thought he was dead. Killed after trying to kill the Potter brat."

"Our marks have just awakened. He's back, Fenrir, he'll be here to free us, you'll see. We'll make sure he takes you as well, dear." Bellatrix told him.

Fenrir didn't dispute the matter. It didn't pay to argue with Bellatrix, she was mad as a hatter and would argue with a tree stump. He just closed his eyes, leaned his head back and thought quiet thoughts about nothing. He had quickly learned to keep his happy thoughts tucked away or have them sucked out.

He needed to get back to the pack. He had young pups who needed to know how to survive in the outside world. He wondered how his youngest human pup was faring. He was one of the few bitten by a wolf other than Greyback. That wolf had been a loner and had no pack. He'd bitten the boy just for the sake of killing. The humans had taken great pleasure in killing him. Unfortunately, they hadn't felt enough compassion to care for a seven year old child, bitten and almost killed. His scouts had heard the screams, the fight and the abandonment of the child. They had picked him up, confirmed the other wolf was dead and brought the child to Greyback. The boy, in shock and close to death, was only able to give him one name, Scabior. Fenrir was never able to confirm whether it was the first, last or only name the child had ever known.

Bella thought of all the things she wanted to do as soon as she was freed. First on her list was a nice, long, hot soak in the biggest tub she could find. Maybe she would go to one of those Muggle spas she was always hearing about. They actually covered a person in mud and, supposedly, it helped keep the skin soft and smooth! Ha! Fancy that! Seeing as how it was her own sister, Narcissa, who had heard about them through their other sister, Andromeda, this might be something worth checking into. She did so love having baby soft skin!
The next thing she was going to do was let Narcissa take her shopping. Of course, she had absolutely no interest in going shopping but it was one of her sister's favorite things to do. If letting herself be pulled into a blue dozen shops, trying on god only knows how many dresses, would make Cissy happy, so be it. All she was worried about was spending time with her little sister.

The last thing on her list was the most worrisome. The LeStranges homes were all confiscated and auctioned off after they went to Azkaban. If they were ever released, they would basically be homeless. Maybe Cissy would talk to Lucius and they could stay there until they had a home of their own again.

Antonin Dolohov hated Azkaban! Of course, he knew he'd done wrong and needed punishment. He'd thought they would send him home to Russia for his punishment, though. At least there, he would be close to his family. Now, it was too late. He'd been informed, by a lawyer about two years ago, that his wife and children had been killed. While shopping in their local wizarding village, they had been caught in a crossfire between Death Eaters and Russian Aurors. He felt like he had nothing left to lose and so he allowed the insanity around him to draw him into its depths. He dredged up old memories every night of his family and friends back home, just so the Dementors would have an excuse to hover around his cell.

Dolohov had joined the Death Eaters on a whim. They had first been a political group with very sound goals. When it had changed over to all violence against anyone opposing Lord Voldemort, he wasn't sure but before long, he found himself in the middle of a fight he wasn't sure he even wanted to be involved in. Soon after that, he'd found himself in life or death struggles where it was kill or be killed. He might be on the wrong side of the fight but damned if he was just going to sit there and let someone try and kill him without fighting back, no sir, not him! That's how he came to be known as a murderer. It wasn't that he wanted to kill, he had to kill, in order to survive.

One night soon after the Marks came back, there was a huge boom. Bella screamed with laughter as the whole side of Azkaban fell into the ocean. She, Dolohov, her husband and brother in law as well as Fenrir Greyback, as promised, were freed from Azkaban.

They Apparated to the mainland. "Greyback, when you get through checking on your pack, come to Malfoy Manor and meet our master, he might have a few jobs for you." Bella told the werewolf. He dipped his head and disappeared without a word. 'That was Fenrir for you' she thought. 'Never had too much to say, that wolf'. She shrugged it off and clasping hands with Rodolphus, Rabastan, and Dolohov, she Apparated to the Malfoys Manor and sent a Patronus to her sister.

A few minutes later, they were inside and being shown to guest rooms. They were told to report to the drawing room as the Dark Lord had some interesting news to tell them. Dolohov was the first to make it back down. He showered, threw on some clean clothes and came down to casually lean against the wall to the right of Voldemort. The LeStrange brothers were next. Bella was the last one down, due to the fact that she had to almost be dragged out of the shower by Cissa.

"Cissy, I'm not done yet!" Bella whined.

"I promise you, this will be worth hearing, afterwards you can come back, run the tub full and stay the night if that's what you want. Then tomorrow, we hit the shops!" Cissy, happy to have her sister back, squealed with joy.

Bella, unable to resist the excitement in her voice, hurriedly dressed and followed her downstairs. They walked in and all sat down in a circle around him. "Was there not anther with you? Where is he?" inquired Voldemort.

"Master, he had to go home and check the status of his pack. It's been a while since they've seen him. I told him to return soon as you might have some jobs for him." Bella reported. Voldemort nodded. 'A werewolf? Maybe Fenrir?' "Was his name Fenrir Greyback?" he asked. Bella nodded. 'Yes, Fen would be a good ally. The wolf pack was strong. He knew Fen had a thing for biting children young to raise them properly as his mate was unable to bear children. Possibly he had a suitable son who might be the perfect mating age to match up with his daughter.' Chuckling at the thought of matching her up to be married before he ever met her, he turned his thoughts and attention to the group before him. He decided to just spring it on them all at once. "First of all, I am a halfblood. My father was a Muggle. Second, I am no longer interested in fighting. Therefore, as far as I'm concerned, the war ended three months ago. I wish to reenter the world of politics. Third, we are once more on a political revolution, not a physical war. Fourth, and this might be the biggest shock to you, I have a daughter. I need to change some things before I contact her but you need to know, she is the best friend of Harry Potter. You would know her as Hermione Granger. If you encounter her, she is NOT to be harmed in any way, shape or form. Am I understood?" they all nodded, in shock as he said. "Good, this meeting is adjourned for now. Whenever Greyback gets here, bring him directly to me."

Fenrir Greyback walked into his camp. All the wolves stood at attention. He smiled, at least they still remembered who their Alpha was. He snapped his fingers and his Beta came running.

"Alpha, it's good to see you home, we've missed you." He and Fenrir began strolling towards Fen's house. "Alpha, there is something very important that I need to tell you, sir, before you go home. Your mate has been trying to establish another wolf as Alpha. He's there now, with her. He has been beating the younger pups for not referring to him as alpha, especially the young human pup we brought you. He has almost beaten him to death a time or two. Your mate stands by, sir, and lets him do it."

Fen drew a deep, angry breath. As he walked by a small fire, the young woman sitting there, looked up and climbed to her feet. "Alpha," she lowered her head in respect. She was an attractive young wolf that he had noticed before. As he passed her, her scent told him she was not only unmated but also untouched. He smiled over his anger. That might change shortly. He motioned his Beta to remain outside. He walked through the door and saw his mate and the other wolf, standing there, defiantly. "Get your belongings and get out. You are no longer my mate." She gasped. "You can't do that. I should be the one who stays." He stepped closer. "One last chance to do this without him dying. We were never officially 'married'. Get off your high horse. This is MY house, MY pack, MY territory. I'm giving you a fair chance here. I could easily rip his guts out and throw him outside to be devoured by the rest of the pack. Are you leaving peacefully or are you both dying, right here, right now?" the male wolf grabbed her arm and pulled her away. He was interested in being Alpha but not enough to take on THIS particular Alpha. He'd heard stories in his old pack about Fenrir Greyback. They gathered all her belongings and his few belongings and left, glad to be walking away in one piece.

Fen rubbed his hands over his face and went to shower. He thought of the young female outside. He couldn't remember her name but she had come to them from another pack, her and her parents. After his shower, he was getting dressed. He heard a knock. It was his Beta, telling him they were having a feast to honor his return. He pulled his hair back tightly bound into a ponytail and followed the trail back to the square where his people were gathered. He noticed the female was there, along with his pup, Scabior. He walked over to talk to the boy. The teen stood straight up and tensed as Fen drew close. "Hey, pup, I hear you've had a rough time of it here lately?"

"No, I haven't. He didn't hurt me. I'm tougher than I look." The teen tilted his chin stubbornly. The black eyes and bruised face told a different story as did the handprints that stood out against the fair skin of his throat. Fen felt like chasing the male down, beating the hell out of him and then throwing him to the rest of the pack for choking this boy down. He reached out, pulled the boy to him and ruffled his hair with his knuckles until the boy was laughing. The teen squirmed to get away and walked over to his brothers, once freed. The wizard born werewolves began playing musical instruments.

"How did you get Scabior to talk to you, boy never talks to anyone. He'll barely talk to me." Fen was curious about the relationship between them.

"Scabior is like my little brother. We got here, my parents and I, shortly before you left. Soon after that was when that other wolf came around. At first he was checking out all the females. I think there for a while he was planning on kidnapping some of us. Then he met her and they began talking about merging the packs. He tried to establish dominance over the pups but Scabior wasn't having any of it. The first time he beat Scabior, I took him home with me so mum could heal him. After he began beating him on a regular basis, Scabior started staying with me and my parents. We've practically grown up together."

"He's a feisty one. I hoped he would still be here when I got back. It wouldn't have been the first time a human pup left while I was gone," said Fen, thinking of Remus Lupin.

"Um, he might flinch around you for a while. Please don't be mad at him for doing that. It's just, it'll take him a while to get used to having a male around who isn't going to beat him over every little thing. I think sometimes that male would beat him just for walking into the room too quickly." She looked at him shyly. "My name is Mary, by the way. Believe me, I do love Scabior but only as a pesky little brother," she laughed.

Fen laughed with her. She'd seen right through him. "Would you like to dance, Mary? And, please, call me Fen."

"I'd love to, Fen" Mary said, testing the name out. They walked out to join the rest of the dancers. Scabior watched the man warily. He remembered him from before, but the man had only been here two years before he left. 'Why had he left? Oh, right, prison. For? Biting too many kids? He hadn't bitten him, though, had he?' Scabior had only vague memories of his attack but he was sure the one who bit him had been killed. That couldn't have been Fenrir, then. He knew Fenrir had taken care of him. He thought he remembered him saying Scabior could call him dad. He'd told Scabior to grow up strong and smart and he might be Alpha one day. He'd have to keep an eye on him and sister wolf, she was still very naïve.

Fenrir spotted him and nudged Mary. "Looks like a little brother is keeping an eye on his sister and the big, bad wolf." He chuckled. Mary giggled, waving at Scabior. He smiled and waved back.

As the feast ended, the families began gathering up sleepy children and heading home. Scabior headed for them. "Time to go, sis." He looked at Mary. He was carefully avoiding eye contact with the older male.

"Scabior, he isn't going to hurt you, you know that, right? This is Fen, your dad, the Alpha. He's not going to let anything happen to our pack. He wants to get to know you again." Mary felt the fear rolling off her 'little brother'. It'd been a while since he'd felt safe enough to let his guard down.

"How about tomorrow night, you and Scabior and your parents come join me for dinner?" Fen knew what this invitation would mean to the rest of the pack. Scabior was his son but inviting Mary and her parents to dinner was tantamount to announcing who the new Alpha female would be.

Mary gazed at him, wide eyed a moment. "Are you sure about that?" she smiled softly.

"I'm positive about it." He smiled charmingly. They shared a small smile. Now, to get little brother used to the idea.