Should be revising. Not gonna. :sticks out tongue at AS levels:
I am really sorry about the speed of my updates at the moment- with everything. I am trying, I really am… but with college and work I don't have as much time to write as I used to.
Mention of rape in this chapter. Nothing graphic, I was writing pr0n this morning and am now all pr0ned out.
Remus shuffled nervously. He didn't really want to be here. Anywhere else would be preferable. Then he wouldn't have to answer questions. And lie, as he knew he would. The desk in front of him was covered in random pieces of paper, different languages and alphabets combining in codes he wasn't good enough to read. Dumbledore wouldn't leave important things lying around.
At least he wasn't back with James and Lily, their accusing eyes following him. James was glaring at him at every given opportunity, blaming him for the fact that Sirius wouldn't come round to the house any more. Remus drew his knees in absentmindedly, hugging them in a vulnerable gesture. He knew Sirius wouldn't tell as to what had happened. After all, it was that which had driven Remus away in the first place. Lily was more on Remus' side, but only because she felt the need to mother him. Every chance she got she would try to feed Remus, try to get him more clothes. At times Remus felt as though she treated Harry as more of a grownup.
"Remus?"
The werewolf turned his head slightly to see Dumbledore enter the room. He was smiling, so this couldn't be too bad. "Professor."
A hand was waved. "Please, you're not at school anymore. And you've been working for me."
Remus shuffled nervously. He didn't want this. Somewhere, he knew, there had to be a place where he could curl up and never face the world again. "Yes."
Dumbledore sat in front of him, steepling his fingers and surveying him through them. "Would you like to explain what happened while you were over there?"
Full report, in other words. Remus glanced at the stone Dumbledore had just touched. A recording device. Whatever he said would be listened to by more than just them. He took a deep breath, and began. "As requested, on 29th January 1999 I Apparated to Dover and stowed away on a boat. Once in France, I made my way across the continent, teaching in various places along the way in order to earn enough money to survive. Then, in 2001, I ended up in Lithuania, at the werewolf colony. I gained admittance by claiming that I had only just heard of the place."
Dumbledore leant forward. "How many werewolves were there?"
Remus made a swift calculation. "About… twenty at any one time." His face darkened. "Although others came and joined, others were always being killed."
"How?"
"Some by the humans." Bitterness had crept into his voice, and he wasn't going to do anything to stop it. He'd lived with the wolves, knew their grievances, and agreed with one hell of a lot of them. "Others killed during the full moon. There was never enough food in the colony. The colony was allotted some, given after every full moon, but it wasn't enough. And so, when it was full moon, one or two would be killed when no one could control themselves."
"Was there a leader?"
Remus looked up at Dumbledore. He knew the older man knew that, it was a point of werewolf society. But the other just gestured at the stone. Of course, it all had to be recorded. "Yes, as there always is in werewolf groups. An alpha male. His name was Gerard."
"What did he think about the killings?"
"He wanted the werewolves to survive. So he allowed it to continue, and anyone who interfered was… attacked." Remus swore inwardly. He shouldn't have paused then. Dumbledore would pick up on it, he always picked up on the things you didn't want him to.
Sure enough, the professor had one eyebrow raised. "What happened while you were inside the colony?"
Remus shrugged, carefully smoothing his features into total blankness. "Nothing. I went in, spent time with them, and came out again."
"Did you know they were on the move?"
"What?" Remus could feel the panic rising inside. If they were moving, coming here… he didn't really want to think about it.
"Yes." Dumbledore quirked an eyebrow. "Would you happen to know why?"
Remus weighed up the possible outcomes in his mind. If he told Dumbledore what he knew, then he could be protected from any possible reprisals from the colony. Then again, he'd probably be stuck in Azkaban or worse. "No."
Dumbledore seemed to see through the façade, leaning back with a disappointed look. "All right. Well, if we need to speak to you about anything else I'll send an owl."
Remus got up, making a small noise in farewell, and left. Outside, the rain was falling from the sky. He raised his face to the sky and let it wash him. He didn't want to think about it, but he knew he had to. This meant it would be difficult to stay with Lily and James. He didn't want to put them in any danger. Or Harry, especially. But then again, he didn't really have any money. Oh, Dumbledore had organised a little wage in return for what he'd done in Lithuania… but it wasn't really enough to get a flat.
"Remmy? Remmy Lupin?" Remus turned, to see a slight figure stood behind him on the dirty pavement. She smiled disbelievingly, letting one hand trace the shape of his face. "Oh, Remmy, it is you!"
Then Remus found himself hugged, something that was becoming a regular occurrence. He hadn't been called Remmy in a long time. The girl raised her face to him, and the smile that spread across her lips made him smile in sympathy. "Selene." What was it Sirius used to say? That looking at Selene was like looking at Remus, only with deliberate mistakes. There was the strong family resemblance in the faces. Both of them Lupins, small noses and full lips. Only, instead of Remus' dirty blonde hair, Selene's was dark. And her eyes were brown rather than amber.
"I've missed you."
More recriminations. Remus sighed. "Selene, I'm-"
"Hush." She placed one finger to his lips. "I don't need excuses."
"I'm sorry I haven't been to see you yet."
"I know you're busy. Anyway, I'm coming to the party."
Remus didn't grimace, which he was quite proud of. This was one of Lily's more ridiculous ideas. Have a 'welcome home' party, invite round everyone who had known him… Remus was dreading it slightly. "That should be fun."
She grinned. "Yup. And I can tell you about my new boyfriend."
"Serious?"
"I hope so. We're talking about moving in together. Remus, I love him. Oh, crap." She pulled out of the embrace, still smiling. "I've really got to go… but I'll see you tomorrow night. Yeah?"
Remus nodded. "Yeah."
And she sped away, bag trailing after her. Selene had always been the more impulsive one. She'd never had to try and control herself. The other Marauders had always wanted to know if that was how Remus would have been if he hadn't been bitten.
Remus dug his hands back into his pocket. Yet another mystery to add to the pile- who was it that Selene loved? Probably some grotty nosed kid he'd never noticed at school.
---
The older man stalked forward. He was naked, oiled torso showing sinewy muscles moving slowly. Remus shook his head and tried to move away, but was held tight by the bonds around his wrists. He couldn't escape from this. A predatory smile spread across the face of the other man. The silver eyes were savage.
"Naughty puppy." He ran one hand down Remus' cheek, leaning in close to blow stale breath across his skin. "You shouldn't have done that."
And what was it Remus had done? Defended another wolf from the attack. Stopped people he was beginning to count as friends from becoming cannibals. "I'm sorry." He bowed his head to the other, acknowledging dominance.
His chin was grabbed and forced upwards painfully, bones in his neck cracking. "And what should I do to make you pay?" Skin curled back from the upper lip in a snarl.
Remus tried to stop himself from shaking, but it was a hopeless task. He was afraid. This man could do anything to him, and Remus would die out here with no one to ever know.
A cruel grin spread over Gerard's face, and he walked round to stand behind Remus. "I know…" Remus shut his eyes in pain.
---
Remus staggered upright, the bonds that had held him earlier now worn away completely. He wrapped his arms around his scarred body. He felt so dirty, and the sobs that racked his body were doing nothing to cleanse him. He glanced down at the sleeping figure on the floor, and was filled with anger. Picking up a rock from the floor, he brought it down upon the dark head again and again, ignoring the groans. He didn't stop until the figure was still.
