A/N: sorry for the delay. It took me a while to write this. Not used to writing Lupin. Please review! (It makes me really happy).

Chapter Three

Lupin

The day after you transform the only thing you can summon the energy to do is sleep. I say 'summon the energy' because the alternative to sleeping is curling up and dying. Easier, I grant you, but much less rewarding in the long run.

The whole process is exhausting really. Normally you spend the week leading up to the full moon feeling 'fluey and exhausted. About midweek you get this weird feeling, like there are little bugs crawling across your skin. Then the day before the full moon the bugs burrow their way under your skin and crawl around some more. Yes I know, charming. Lovely feeling, bugs under your skin.

But the actual transformation…..well that makes the bugs and the 'flu seem like minor discomforts. The achy bones feeling when you get the 'flu becomes an 'oh-my-God-all-my-bones-have-broken-simultaneously' feeling and the little bugs come bursting through your skin and then proceed to chew on it. Also your stomach decides to expel everything you've eaten. Ever.

So it makes sense that after going through that a person deserves some sleep, right?

Not according to Sirius.

"Wake up."

"Bugger off," I felt as if someone had kicked me in the head with a steel toed boot.

"Wake up, Remus," he said.

"But why?" why? Why? Why?

"There's a meeting tonight, Dumbledore wants everyone there."

"There's no meeting scheduled," I said. "Why would there be a meeting?"

"There's a new member."

"Who?"

"Andromeda's daughter, Nymphadora," he said.

"But…..she's seven."

"She's twenty-one, idiot," he laughed. "God I forgot how stupid you get after the full moon. Tell me, can you remember how old you are?"

" 'Course I'm……" shit. I could not remember how old I was.

"Merlin! I knew it. Get up, you can figure it out later." He laughed again and tossed at towel at my head. "And take a shower, you smell terrible."

"Right, right," I mumbled, rolling out of bed and heading for the shower.

Fifteen minutes later I was at least better smelling. I made my way down to the kitchen, where Molly handed me a large mug of tea.

"Thought it might make you feel a bit better," she said. She looked worried, which made me feel guilty. I didn't want her worrying about me on top of all the other things she had to think about.

"Actually I'm not feeling so bad. Got a lot of sleep," I said. She gave me a 'you're lying' look, but only said, "Drink the tea anyway, I don't like your color."

I sat down next to Sirius who whispered, "She was all for letting you sleep you know, didn't think you'd be able to handle a meeting."

"There's a difference between not being able to and not wanting to," I said. He laughed.

"Drink your tea, I don't like your color."

"Oh shut it," I said and drank some tea, which was scalding, but did make me feel a little better.

There was a crash from the stairs and a girl with violently pink hair came tumbling into the kitchen, followed by Kingsley Shacklebolt, who helped her up, looking highly amused.

The girl shook out her robes, grinned at us, and said "Wotcher, all. I'm Tonks. I'm new."

"Alright Tonksie," said Bill.

"Alright," she said, plonking down next to him. "So what's all this Mara told me about a French girl?"

Bill tugged at his collar, "Erm….."

"What French girl, Bill?" said Mrs. Weasley.

"English lessons," said Bill, coloring slightly. "I've been giving her English lessons. Works at the bank and needs…..English……look we're supposed to be having a meeting!"

We talked about the usual things; schedules for guard duty, how Bill was coming with the goblins (hadn't made much impression yet), what Snape had found out (nothing we didn't already know), and how Hagrid was doing with the giants. This last issue was the only one really worth discussing because it had failed horribly and now we had to decide what to do about it.

"They're still in the mountains, trying to find the giants who're in hiding so they can convince them to join us. Hagrid says it looks okay, but that could change at any time and I think we need to start looking at another plan," finished Arthur.

"What other groups could we look at?" asked Hestia.

"Centaurs?" suggested Emmaline.

"The Centaurs will not involve themselves in this any further than they already have," said Dumbledore. "They do not believe in interfering with wizarding dilemmas."

"Bit stupid really, as they won't be left alone if You-Know-Who comes into power," muttered Tonks. She caught my eye grinned again and I couldn't help grinning back.

"Merepeople?" said Mundungus, but in a halfhearted.

"Oh yes, they'll be a great help," said Sirius.

There were a few more suggestions, none of which would get us anywhere. I knew I had to say it, even though I didn't want to. I should have said it sooner, only cowardice had held me back.

"Werewolves," I said. "There are a significant number of them living in and around the UK. We might be able to convince a few. It's a long shot, but….."

"But most of them aren't feeling very friendly toward wizards," said Tonks. "Would they even listen if they were approached by anyone but another werewolf?"

"Not likely," said Sirius. "Which is why it's such a good thing we've got you!" he slapped me on the back in a 'go get 'em' way that seemed a little inappropriate, but very much a Sirius thing to do.

"Are you a werewolf then?" said Tonks, peering at me interestedly. "That must be a bit of a drag."

I couldn't help laughing. "Yes it is, a bit. Useful now, though."

"Aren't feral werewolves terribly dangerous?" said Molly.

"Some," I said. "It depends on the pack. A lot of them subscribe to Greyback's philosophy, but there are a few neutral packs. Those are the one's we'll have the best chance with."

"But where can we find them?" said Bill.

"There're three neutral packs living in the old industrial park, near the Thames," supplied Tonks unexpectedly.

"How d'you know that?" asked Sirius.

"Albert Cummings is in charge of monitoring werewolf activity, he had me organize his files a few months back, and copy his notes into actual reports," she was scowling. "As if the great git couldn't do it himself. Anyway, I think you should have a crack at it, Remus. S'not far from here."

And so a plan was built, something scary, and a little thrilling. I'd made a conscious decision thus far in my life to avoid others like me. I knew enough about them to feel pity, from what I could gather they lived like scavengers, they were violent, many addicted to heroine, speed, opium, or cocaine. They prostituted themselves, worked as drug dealers and petty criminals. I'd never wanted to be part of that. I'd wanted something better for myself. And wouldn't anyone?

But now here I was, stepping off a cliff, straight into it. I was going to have to convince them they could trust someone like me, half in one world, half in another. And I was afraid. And I didn't know where to begin.