Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters within the books; J.K. Rowling owns them. I own all characters you do not recognize. I am not making any money for writing this. I am just earning a bit of enjoyment.

Betas: Special thanks to Cherrypit8 and Phoenix for all their hard work and to JenKM1216 for helping me out so much with this chapter! You ladies are just too good to me!

A/N: This story has been nominated for a Multifaceted Award in round six in the category of Identity! Voting starts on Wednesday, July 5th if you would like to vote for it!

Chapter 2-Introductions

"I think you should come up with a glamour to use while at the Ministry," Anastasia told Victoria once they had gotten to the room. Anastasia surreptitiously scrutinized Victoria as she spoke, wondering how long it had been since the woman had eaten or slept.

"What's the point?" Victoria asked wearily. "People have already seen me at the Ministry as myself." She couldn't help but wish the Auror would leave already. Victoria had the sudden urge to be left alone. Anastasia had been wonderful, but the mourning woman just didn't want to be bothered by company right now.

"The point is that the Ministry was in an uproar today. No one will remember you. However, if you keep coming and going as yourself, someone may notice you. They could follow you back here, and we haven't found all the Death Eaters yet. You can bet that they are just as confused as we are right now, maybe more so.

"Your sister was an Auror, and you are an Unspeakable. They may think that you know something about what happened to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Anastasia said coercively. "Please, just think about it, and try to get some rest. I will be back as soon as I know anything."

"I'll think about it," Victoria conceded. "Thank you for everything."

"Not a problem," Anastasia replied, moving toward the door. "Lock and ward this behind me."

"I will," Victoria acknowledged, relieved that Anastasia was leaving.

Victoria, true to her word, locked and warded the door as soon as the young Auror left. Tossing her wand on the bedside table, she laid down on top of the comforter. Her mind wandered to Caitlin, and her eyes burned with tears as her vision blurred. It had been so horrible to tell her best friend that Cassie had been killed.

Caitlin had not been well enough to leave the hospital to accompany Victoria to England. She had wanted to, but was still too weak to be released. Victoria couldn't help but be a bit resentful and angry that she had to deal with her sister's death alone. She didn't want to feel that way because it wasn't her friend's fault that she had been attacked, but Victoria just could not seem to help it.

The silence and loneliness of the room pressed in upon her. Suddenly, the witch couldn't stand to be left alone and, after blowing her nose and washing her face, Victoria left the room for the pub.

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Remus downed his shot of whiskey and ordered another as his thoughts chased each other. He thought about his days as a Marauder at Hogwarts. His friends had been there for him as no one else--excluding his parents of course--had ever been. Still, his friends had never been perfect. Perhaps he should have known that Sirius was capable of this. He remembered how James and Sirius had humiliated Snape by hexing him until he was unrecognizable. It had been in retaliation for Snape casting a hex that had caused both of their toenails to grow quickly and painfully during the end of term feast. Not that they had seen Snape cast the spell; Sirius and James just assumed that he had done it.

He reminisced about the day Harry was born. James and Lily had been so happy, and there had been tears in Sirius' eyes as he told them that he would be honored to be Harry's godfather. Had that all been just a lie? Just a way to get even further into their good graces? Remus swallowed another shot at this thought, feeling the liquid burn down his throat.

He was beginning to get very drunk, but it did not help to dull the pain in the way that he had hoped. In fact, the alcohol actually seemed to be making everything worse. Peering blearily around the room, he saw a distraction coming down the stairs in the form of the woman he had noticed earlier.

Remus watched her hesitate before making her way across the room to sit at the bar a few seats away from him. He watched the owner approach her with a kind, sympathetic smile, asking her if there was anything he could get for her. She looked momentarily confused and glanced around before realization flooded her face. Remus frowned, wondering what had confused her, as she requested a soda and a menu.

The woman began perusing the menu, only to stop suddenly and look over at him. He felt his cheeks flush slightly as he tried to smile at her. In his intoxicated state, however, the werewolf feared he may have leered at her. Yep, must have been a leer because she narrowed her eyes and frowned at him. Remus quickly turned away from her and went back to his drink, humiliated.

Though he berated himself for his lapse in sanity, Remus could not help but look at her again, a few minutes later. She was very pretty, he decided. The wizard wondered why she looked so scared and so sad and why her eyes were red-rimmed. What had she been crying about? Her eyes… Uh-oh, she had caught him staring again…

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Victoria came down the stairs and hesitated for a moment before walking over to sit a few seats away from the man she had seen earlier. She could feel his eyes on her as she took her place at the bar.

"Can I get you something to drink, Kat?" Wesley asked her immediately.

Victoria hesitated, looking around to see who he was talking to. After a second, she realized that she was Kat, and he was talking to her.

"Um, just a soda, please, and may I see a menu?" Kat asked hesitantly. She really wasn't hungry, but felt that she should at least attempt to eat something to keep up her strength.

Wesley put her soda down on a napkin and handed her a menu. "Just call for me when you are ready to order," he said with a kind smile.

"Thank you," she replied, returning the smile. She began to look over the items listed, trying to make herself hungry for something.

The feeling of being watched had not abated at all. She could not take it anymore and looked over at the other occupant of the bar. He leered drunkenly at her. Narrowing her eyes and frowning slightly, Kat found her original opinion of the stranger rapidly changing. The guy quickly turned away after seeing the expression on her face. Satisfied, Kat turned her attention back to the menu.

Suddenly, Anastasia's words of warning ran through her mind. "Your sister was an Auror, and you are an Unspeakable. They may think that you know something about what happened to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Could this man have looked as though he was in mourning because he was grieving the loss of his master? Had there been a leak at the Ministry? Did the Death Eaters indeed want her and know that she was here? Was he one of them? How many of the Dark Lord's followers were in the bar now?

Panic pounded through her veins as she looked around the bar. There were not many people and most seemed to not even notice her presence. Maybe she was losing her mind; lack of sleep and grief could do that to a person. Kat began taking deep breaths, fighting the fear and panic that swelled inside her like a balloon. She knew that she was panicking for no reason because there were Aurors watching her and she was safe.

Kat forced her mind back to her choices for lunch; it was true her hands were shaking slightly, but she was calm again. A few seconds later, she felt someone watching her again. Turning, she looked at the man again. He was looking at her in a very curious and sad way.

"Can I help you with anything?" asked the witch irritably. "Do I have something on my face?"

"W-What? N-No, I-I'm sorry. You just looked very lonely and sad. I w-was wondering why," Remus said lamely, feeling like an idiot.

Kat watched the man flush guiltily. He was definitely drunk, but not a Death Eater. She had the impression that a Dark wizard would be smoother, sober, and would have approached her first.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped down your throat, but all the staring was freaking me out," Kat said, her anger and fear dissipating quickly. "I've just been… stressed."

"I shouldn't have been staring; it was rude," Remus said regretfully, relieved that she didn't seem angry anymore. "Are you American?"

"Yes, born and raised," Kat said, smirking slightly.

Just then, Wesley came bustling over. "Have you decided what you would like?" he asked Kat, frowning at Remus.

Kat placed her order--steak, a baked potato with butter and sour cream, and steamed broccoli.

"May I get a cup of tea?" Remus asked Wesley when Kat was done.

"You want a cup of coffee if you're trying to sober up," Kat suggested.

"Alright, coffee then, please," Remus said with a thankful smile at Kat. "My name is Remus Lupin, by the way," he added, standing up a bit unsteadily and moving to the chair next to her. He offered her his hand in greeting.

Kat took the proffered, scarred, and calloused hand and introduced herself as Wesley put down a mug of coffee, cream, and sugar packets.

"I'm Katerina…" she began, only to stop, panicking slightly as she could not remember what the hell her last name was supposed to be. "Just call me Kat," she said, recovering quickly. He really didn't need to know her surname anyway, she decided. Besides, he was probably too drunk to realize she hadn't given it.

Remus was not too drunk to know that he should avoid telling her that, with his keen sense of hearing, he had overheard her earlier conversation with Wesley and her friend.

"Nice to meet you, Kat," Remus said with a smile. "So, what brings you to London? Are you on vacation?"

The lycanthrope watched the woman's face cloud with pain, and her eyes fill with tears. He could almost feel the emotional turmoil rolling around inside her.

"I wish I was here on vacation," Kat said, his face swimming in her vision due to her tears. She resolved to tell him part, but not all, of the truth. "My younger sister was transferred here by the company she worked for. Someone broke into her house to rob her, and she was killed." Her voice broke slightly with emotion as she impatiently brushed a tear from her cheek.

Remus' heart ached for the young woman. The werewolf knew all too intimately the pain associated with the loss of a loved one.

"I am sorry to hear that. There have been a rash of… burglaries recently. One of my best friends and his wife were killed when someone broke into their home," Remus told her sympathetically. The pain settled itself back in his chest as he thought of Lily, James, and poor little Harry. He could not tell the Muggle woman the whole story, but he could let her know he understood how she felt. He wondered if her sister had been killed by Death Eaters during one of their Muggle hunting trips. He hoped not.

"I am so sorry! That is just horrible!" Kat exclaimed. She briefly wondered if these murders were both committed by Death Eaters. She forced the thought away; she did not want to think about this now. "Let's talk about something more pleasant," she said with false brightness. "Um, what do you do for a living?"

Remus choked on the mouthful of coffee he had been about to swallow and began to cough hard.

"Are you alright?" Kat asked, alarmed.

"F-Fine," Remus sputtered, his mind working furiously, as he fought to regain his breath. He had no idea what to tell her. i I'm a werewolf, so I have a bit of trouble holding down a job/i was not something he thought he should tell her. He might as well add, i By the way, did I mention that I am also a wizard? That should really scare her senseless/i he thought miserably. Or she would think him mad. Neither idea was very appealing. Remus knew he was still too befuddled by liquor to consider how he would explain away a job. The lycanthrope needed time, and sobriety, to come up with something plausible.

Once Remus recovered, he said, "Actually, I do b not /b drink that often, and I'm not feeling well. I think I'm going to go take a nap."

"Okay, I hope you feel better," Kat said, disappointed. She had been enjoying his company in spite of, or perhaps because of, the fact that they were both lamenting the loss of loved ones. He understood the pain she was in. Then, an idea came to her. "Maybe, if you are feeling better later, we could meet for dinner?"

"If I am well, I would like that very much," Remus told her truthfully. "Until tonight, then," he added before retreating to his room to sleep off his inebriation.

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Remus woke up to inky darkness, fear and anger coursing through him. Images of Sirius laughing with Voldemort over the bodies of James and Lily were still fresh in his mind. Taking a few deep breaths, he recognized that it had only been a nightmare. Remembering his conversation with Dumbledore, Remus realized his nightmare did indeed still continue.

It took a few seconds for him to comprehend this and that he had a hangover—complete with headache and upset stomach. The memory of his meeting with the woman named Kat came rushing back to him. He let out a low groan. What a way to meet someone! Drunk!

He quickly went over what he could remember of their conversation, making sure that he hadn't slipped up about being a wizard or a werewolf. As far as he could recall, he had managed not to say anything incriminating.

Relief swept through him until he realized he had to come up with some kind of gainful Muggle employment. Remus sighed and sat up slowly, swinging his legs down to the floor. He closed his eyes as the pain in his head intensified for a few seconds before receding back to a dull pounding. Opening his eyes, the werewolf turned on the bedside lamp. The light burned his sensitive eyes and caused his headache to worsen again. A wave of nausea swept over him, and Remus fought to control both his stomach and the pain.

After taking a few deep breaths, the sick feelings subsided again, and Remus checked the time. It was a quarter to ten in the evening. He sighed, assuming that he must have missed Kat by hours.

Still, maybe he would feel better if he ate something, and the pub should still be open. The wizard stood and made his way to the bathroom for a shower.

At least this gave him some time to come up with a job. What could he tell her? He wracked his brain to come up with a nice, normal, non-magical occupation. He would also need a plausible reason why he had not been at said job today.

The lycanthrope had been a member of the Order of the Phoenix since graduating Hogwarts. He'd had a few jobs, but nothing wonderful, and nothing lasting more than a few months. His secret was a difficult one to keep, and once discovered, no one wanted to keep him as an employee.

The only post he had been able to maintain was working for the Order. Helping the Light to bring back security to the terrorized wizarding community had been his most important, most enduring, job.

"Wait a minute, security. Now that's an idea," Remus said.

Feeling a bit better about how he would handle any future conversations with Kat, he let his mind wander toward the other members of the Order. He pondered what they were doing now and if any of them had been told to lay low.

He couldn't help but feel a bit bitter and resentful. He did not want to be here, he wanted to be out helping to round up the rogue Death Eaters. He wanted to get his hands on Sirius and find out exactly why he had done this to his best friends.

Forcing his thoughts away from his traitorous friend, Remus wondered how long it would be before the funerals for the Potters and Wormtail. Surely, they would be buried with honor, with heroes' burials. He would have to find a way to owl Dumbledore to see if a day and time had been set yet. He was sure the headmaster would have told him if that had been decided, but still felt the need to ask.

Remus used the loo, then turned to the sink to wash his hands and face, and to brush his teeth. His head was really hurting him. Wistfully, he wished that he had enough wizarding money to buy a headache draught. After looking up in the mirror above the sink, Remus decided that he could do with a Pepper-Up Potion, too. He looked awful. Oh, well, he could only hope that he looked and felt better after his shower.

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Victoria sighed moodily. She was making a gallant effort to get some sleep, but to no avail. Her mind kept running through what had happened after her new acquaintance, Remus, had left.

Victoria had picked at her lunch, not eating very much. That was how it had been since Cassie's death. The mere thought of food turned her stomach, but she had made valiant efforts to force at least something down. She knew her sister would not stand her for making herself ill, and she could practically hear what Caitlin would have to say about the matter.

Just as she had been assuring Wesley that the food was fine, she just wasn't that hungry, Anastasia had come back. Sirius Black was insisting that he had not betrayed the Potters. He had already been sentenced to life in Azkaban by the Wizengamot.

"We will find out who killed her, Victoria, I promise," Anastasia had whispered to her reassuringly.

Victoria had just nodded to her. They went upstairs to Victoria's room so that they could talk privately.

"I need to go make funeral arrangements," Victoria said bluntly.

"Have you come up with a glamour?" the Auror countered.

"Yes, actually I have," she said, tapping herself on the top of the head with her wand. Her hair shortened to her shoulder blades and darkened to black, her eyes turned green, and her skin became slightly darker in color. "Well, what do you think?"

Anastasia looked her over critically for a second. "That will do just fine. Aurors will take you where you need to go. Come on."

"Wait, won't the bartender notice that the girl who came up here is not the same one who comes down? Not to mention everyone else?" Victoria asked incredulously.

"They won't even pay attention," Anastasia said with a dismissive way before casting a Disillusionment Charm on Victoria.

Victoria had been escorted by two Aurors who looked like Men In Black in their expensive black suits. She wondered with amusement if this was where Muggles got the idea.

Victoria had spent the better part of the day making funeral arrangements. She had never before realized just how much planning went into even a simple burial.

Turning over irritably, Victoria punched her pillow, trying to get comfortable. She must have missed Remus at dinner; he had been nowhere in sight when she had returned. Guilt spread through her as she realized how callous it was to not have left him a note. He probably thought she stood him up.

What in the world had possessed her to ask a drunken man to meet her for dinner anyway? Perhaps she really was going crazy, she mused.

No, that was not it. She knew it was his pain, so much like hers, that had drawn her to him. He may not have lost a family member, but he obviously cared a great deal about the friends who had been killed.

With a low groan, Victoria decided she was not going to be able to sleep any time soon. Getting up, she glanced at the clock. It was just about to turn ten in the evening. She wondered if she could get a hot chocolate this late as she changed out of her pajamas.