Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of J.K Rowling's wonderful Harry Potter books. I only own the plot (when one forms lol) nor do I own any of the characters or references to the cartoon X-men: Evolution. The content of this story is not meant to offend anyone and is purely written for you enjoyment so please...enjoy it!

THE NEXT STEP

There generally weren't a lot of clocks peering out at the streets of muggle England, though, in its defense it was quite the same in the wizarding world.

After having bubbled through the various stores of Hogsmeade, each of us alternating shopping partners in order to receive time to search for an appropriate gift for everyone, we trudged our way back to Hogwarts, hands laden with heavy bags and my mind wandering off into an entirely different place.

No living soul could positively tell you if I was afraid or not, no not even myself. The feeling bubbling in the pit of my stomach seemed to be a mixture of anxiety, anticipation and curiosity. As if all feelings were rainbow varying colored paints, slewn lazily onto the canvas of my nerves, each running into the other on its way to the bottom.

We had slipped casually out of the grounds we had each called home for six years and I was left wandering, not only what we were doing, but also how we expected to sneak one past the ever attentive gaze of our headmaster.

However much to my relief there were no howling, screeching noise to detect our departure though I had figured as much, and in what seemed like no time, the four of us were hesitantly making our way to the address scrolled at the bottom of the letter I had early received.

I was guessing that it was only 9:00 o'clock though I had no way of knowing. So I instead asked my friends who were talking and joking amongst themselves as if just along for the ride.

"Do any of you guys know what time it is?" I questioned them patiently waiting for a smart ass comment before getting my requested information. Sirius just aimed a toothy grin at me, much like a drunken man would give the bartender that reunited him with his deadly nectar and he stayed grinning like that for a moment or two.

"It's only 9:25." He responded to my prodding and then looked at my face as if critiquing his latest half assed assignment before speaking. "You shouldn't worry so damn much. You're not going to be late. James said it's not too far away."

"Stop doing that." I snapped irritably at him as he walked away from James and Peter to walk alongside my agitated self. He looked down at me, his height at least a head above my own.

"What?" he asked in such innocence that I felt bad at saying anything at all. I sighed and crossed my arms like a huffy teenage girl in a petty argument with her boyfriend though this wasn't too off the mark.

Unbeknownst to our friends Sirius and I had tried to form a somewhat healthy relationship in our third year. Simply because there was a spark that, in all honesty had not quite faded and appeared enough to the point that our friends were starting to take notice.

It was just a state of balance it seemed, Sirius was such a casual laid back person, and the only reason that we had ended the failed attempt, which we had surprisingly pretended to forget, was because we were both so swamped....so caught up in everything around us that we called life that it had smothered and dampened our spirits and we simply weren't mature enough or steady enough to keep trying. And though it had, and still did sometimes, feel like a huge mistake, we left it that way and tried to move on.

However one of the things I really admired about Sirius was that he could look at me and tell me what I was simply feeling. As if at any moment he would tell you your deepest darkest fear and then walk away whistling like nothing had happened.

"Trying to tell me what I feel." I told him in a mumble, not looking up to see his face. I would rather keep my misery to a low without seeing his hurt expression. However I did keep talking. "How did you know what time it was?" I asked him not to make small talk per say...but to simply know.

I watched as he pointed his slim finger to a person in front of us. "That guys got a watch on." He said simply and I frowned.

"How," I paused for a moment " I muttered as we walked on in silence until he began to poke me in the ribs and complain about how I should eat more. I simply told him he was becoming more like James every second and this seemed to upset him and result in and insulted James, which led to a large squabbling.

The bickering had died down and been contained to James and Sirius, giving me the opportunity to slink away from Sirius and his pocket full of awkward moments in favor of Peter's company.

So there we prowled the gray skied night, our tired feet scraping the tarnished sidewalk as we made a turn on another nameless street, and I had to go and trip over and upturned piece of stone in the side walk.

"Oh shit Remus! Are you okay?" asked Sirius rushing forward and sliding on his knees next to me, more than likely wearing holes into his somewhat faded muggle jeans.

Groaning I pushed myself up, slightly swatting at Sirius arms pulling me up. He didn't let go the stubborn bastard. Aw to hell with it. I allowed him to pull me up and flop me against his chest.

"My ankle hurts...and I think my lips busted again." I told them feeling slightly guilty that I kept getting all banged up. It was a stupid thought. I watched as James tutted, shaking his head from side to side before leaning down to check on it.

"Honestly Remus." He muttered as he squeezed my ankle lightly provoking a sharp intake of air from me. He nodded at my response, "I think you twisted it. Does it hurt to walk?" he asked and I glared.

"I wouldn't know James, Sirius won't let me stand." I told him and he punched Sirius in the shoulder to give me ease to stand. I stumbled to my feet only to fall headfirst into Sirius's arms.

I sighed as James shrugged. "Go ahead and carry him then Romeo." James told Sirius in an amused tone which left me confused. The statement not the tone...I wasn't dense.

Was that why Sirius had been so nice lately? He wanted to fix what was never broken?

My thoughts were sadly interrupted as a voice called out from the shadows behind us. "Is everything alright boys?" rang a feminine voice followed by the gentle pacing click of high heels.

We looked over as the tapping led our eyes to a dark haired woman, her shapely body was cladded in a tweed, gray suit and her dark eyes hid behind a pair of half moon glasses that gave her an air of intimidation though not unfriendliness and her glorious colored hair was imprisoned in a tight bun that had a way of making her look somewhat uptight.

I found it strange that for her age....her fingers were bare of any golden bands and her hands were completely empty, as if she were out for a midnight stroll.

James spoke first. "Our friend just tripped and hurt his ankle a little bit. Thank you for the concern." He told her slowly and politely. James always did have a way with people. He never irritated adults like Sirius or closed off to them like myself.

The woman smiled pleasantly and I could see the tension disappear from the air and even took time to wave goodbye. "I can see that. My name is Raven." She told us and approached me from my new position on Sirius's back and slid, never stuck, out her elegantly small, ringless hand. I took it.

"You must be Remus." She spoke in a honey tone, though very alto. "I'm a...an employee of Mr. Lensherr's. If you'll follow me I'll show you a shortcut to his office."

I didn't ask how she recognized me. Because nothing was too strange, it seemed, for this man. He was a muggle that knew about the wizarding world. He had cured his werewolf daughter? It was bizarre enough that the only thing that worried me were the pause in her speech and the fact that we would have traveled a longer route to get to this office of his.

I pondered the recent events of the day as I allowed Sirius to carry me after the woman. I knew that James was rather worried about the whole suspicious ordeal, as, honestly, was I. However Sirius made a good observation when he mentioned that the man was a muggle.......it would be fine.

When we rounded the corner of Lament Drive I let my eyes widen at the sight before me.

The building was like a large clinic, only one floor and every window was accompanied by shutters. The grass was dying, as could be said, was the building. I found it odd that there was a chimney perched on the otherwise flat roof, but I gave no indication of said suspicions as we followed Raven up the ratty walk way.

At the end of the stone bordered path we stopped at two large metal doors, the handles were padlocked. Raven turned abruptly. "The key?" she asked and I watched James fish it out of his pocket, I had never trusted myself with important things I knew I would lose, and hand it to her.

Unlocking the door she stepped back and gave a slight push that sent the double doors creeping backwards with and agonizing creak. The click of her heels led us in.

The floors were marble and there was just enough light to see. The front desk was empty and yellow pages, dusted with time flew in every direction across the desk. It was so lonely that I actually waited for a breeze to come whistling thorough a window just to give it life.

"How depressing." Peter said his first thoughts out loud and we nodded in agreement. Sirius slipped me off of his back like a shirt and helped me stand. I felt Raven's hand on my shoulder.

"I'll take it from here." She told him kindly as she supported me and motioned to a bundle of chairs behind her, "the all of you can wait here if you like, I'll join you shortly, Mr. Lensherr wants to speak to Remus alone. Is that alright?" she asked in such a kind school teacher voice that all my friends nodded and reluctantly sat down and I waved to them as Raven assisted me in my limping down the room filled hallway to our right.

The ebony haired woman stopped gracefully in front of the room at the end of the hall and helped me through the already opened metal door. Scuffling inwards she sat me down on the patients table. I watched as she shuffled through a medicine cabinet to the left of me and above a silver sink.

"There should be some aspirin in here," she said distractedly as she tossed out various bottles, "For your ankle. It's some brand made here I think. I have a boy that lives at a boarding house that gets terrible headaches and the stuff always makes him feel better."

"America?" I asked referring to where the boarding house might be located. She nodded and smiled as she found a bottle labeled with a brand that I had seen my father take once before for his bad knee. She handed me the bottle and told me to keep it and to take some before I left or else I would have to be carried.

"So....does Mr. Lensherr run this boarding house?" I asked once again seeing a nod of her head. She moved to sit in the rolling doctor's chair as we waited for said person to arrive.

"Yes it's for young boys and....sometimes girls much like yourself." She said in a prim manner as she glanced at her watch. I felt slightly surprised at her last statement.

"You mean they can do magic?" I asked her assuming that Lensherr's assistant if anyone would know about the magical realm. She let a slightly uneasy smile grace her lips and shot me a glance.

"You could say that. They are quite the magicians." I could sense some sort of irony and inside joke in her tone that I wished to pursue. However my chances of doing so were put on hold as the door behind Raven creaked open and the shadows cast forth the strong built of the man I could only assume was Eric Lensherr.

It was suffocating the intimidating aurora that surrounded him. He was broad shouldered and reminded me slightly of a boxer. His most admonishing features were his cold steely blue eyes and snow colored hair. There was a certain glint in his eyes I couldn't place and the bags and permanent smile on his face and under these eyes told me that he had seen and done many things. But the best thing he had to have going for him was mystery. No matter how hard I looked I couldn't figure out a damn thing about him. Sirius would have had trouble with him.

Raven stood as he entered which I found strange. She wasn't the ass kissing type as far as I could see and yet she stood. I had a feeling that had I been able I would have done the same.

After glancing at Raven and allowing her to shuffle out behind him, a smile aimed at me over her shoulder, his eyes rested on me. He showed me his pearly whites by breaking out into a smile that had been on his lips since he walked in.

"Mr. Lupin." He said in a way of greeting with a curt nod of his handsome face. "Your ankle hurts?" he asked and I noticed he was not looking at me and was rather shuffling through a brown and cracked briefcase.

I lowered my head suspiciously. Who had mentioned my ankle? "Not so much." I replied. He smirked and nodded, turning around to face me, a needle in his hand.

Lifting the injector to his face he motioned to it. "This needle contains a gene called the X-gene which has for some unknown reason, been able to cure many a strange case or disease. When I used it on my daughter she kept some of the same side effects of being a werewolf for a couple of months. Those times may vary more or less from person to person." He told me monotonously, like a stewardess repeating the pre-flight instructions for the thousandth time.

"Such side effects include the deadly ness of silver and heightened senses. I am simply going to inject the gene into your bloodstream and let you wait for the results during the next full moon. If you have any doubts of its accuracy or if anything develops you let me know. You can reach either myself or Raven at this number or address." After saying this he handed me a beige card. It was slick and clean cut much like it's previous owner and had the words 'Brotherhood Boarding House' at the top.

I suddenly didn't feel the need to ask the man about his daughter. The air of intimidation and authority that hung around him told me that I just wanted to get this over with and pray to God that there wouldn't be any complications as to postpone my next meeting with the man.

Though I had only just met him, my instinct was usually accurate and it was currently telling me that this man wasn't someone that appreciated personal chit chat. So I simply smiled and bobbed my head up and down.

Finally he said, "Any questions?" and I shook my head horizontally instead. Even though I did have a question. Even though I did want to know why he was doing this. Was he some crusader? Traveling the world to cure the disease of lycanthropy? Make the world a better place? Or something else? Something less....noble yet still full of purpose? But like was hell was I going to ask that. I mean how rude with that be? Questioning his motives........

"Very well then." He replied and motioned for me to hold out my arm. I gave him my left, since I was right handed and didn't want to have to worry about hurting my wand arm.

Taking a light hold of my wrist he located a bright blue spider vein trickling down my pale arm and injected the needle's contents into my body's blood. I didn't bother to wince or anything of the like, which seemed to please him but in a way that told me it was something he hated. I was use to worse pains than that of the medical sort, yet when he was done I still found myself relieved.

Turning my head I saw that Raven had come in again and I watched as she spoke to Mr. Lensherr in a quick whisper. All I heard was something that sounded like "Quicksilver." But I couldn't have imagined what she meant. Wasn't that another word for Mercury? He turned to me and nodded what I was guessing was a good-bye. Well that was quick wasn't it?

"I'm afraid something has developed that may acquire attention. I hope everything goes well for you at school and I expect to hear an update on your condition. Have a nice holiday." He said solid as stone before he turned and left. Cracked leather briefcase and all. He was about as cheery as I was in the morning. Which was....not so much.

"You'll be fine Remus. And if anything does happen." Raven took a cautious look around as if the walls watching us would spill her secrets. She leaned down more. "Call this number and ask for a man named Xavier. Okay?" she asked cautiously. I nodded feeling slightly stupid. I wasn't sure what the fuss was or why Raven was changing my contacts so quickly. Finally I spoke.

"Why here? Why not this Brotherhood place?" I asked curiously. She shook her head and closed my hand tighter around the paper. Pushing my closed fist to my chest she smiled and I saw her eyes soften even more from her more hardened and guarded gaze.

"Because if anyone can help it'll be him." She placed a quick hug on my now tense shoulders. "Be careful Remus." And with one more suspicious glance at her surroundings she was gone.

Standing on my somewhat shaky legs I decided to see if there WAS something on the wall, but found nothing and decided not to worry as I wobbled out of the room, all of the hushed whispers and warnings having seriously gotten to my head.

Partially gliding in a somewhat dazed fashion I rendezvoused with my friends. Two of whom rushed to grab my shoulders and the other whom asked if everything was alright.

Looking up I seriously considered the questioned, Peter didn't ask crap for nothing. And I wondered momentarily if I should tell them about the paper in my hand.

I clutched my fist tighter. I would keep that to myself. I let a closed lipped smile slip onto my face and found myself feeling oddly uncomfortable around my friends. You know with secrets and shit. "Everything's fine." I told them and they smiled and nodded.

And everything would be. Right Mom? Everything would be fine.......there would be no complications. Right? Mom? You always did say everything would work out.......today is the day I miss you most mother.

DigitalAngel4U: Okay the ending was kind of weird but I just wanted to put something in there about his mom. Also I'm sorry I've been so slow to update but I have colorguard camp until Saturday and my brain and life has been put on a straining hold. I'll try to add more soon. Tell me what you think, anything is welcome!