After a few long twists and turns and a visit to Old Bailey, Door and Richard found themselves in Door's old mansion with an owl, lots of baby-things, a few story-books ('The Grimm Tales' Richard knew, but 'Beadle and the Bard'? 'Rats and Snakes'? 'Knives and Spears'? What were these stories?) and a young man with amber eyes named Wolf who would come and a) teach Richard to fight, and b) teach Harry to, um, toilet, and um, stuff.

In return? Harry's baby blanket to Old Bailey, Richard's shoes ("Don't worry, you'll just wear my Dad's old shoes." whispered Door), and Harry's basket for the books. Apparently, the promise that Wolf could stay in the mansion safely, with a room to lock himself in, and food to eat, while he taught Richard and Harry their respective, erm, subjects, was enough payment.

And in this case, the Floating Market was in Knockturn Alley, allowing Richard to see London Between for the first time.

Everyone was wearing dresses.

So Richard glanced around and went straight back into Knockturn, which was wilder and crazier, but no one wore dresses and Door was there. So. It was better. (And he was shoe-less when he went into the Between-London street, so all the folks there stared. At him. Even though he wore pants and they wore dresses.)

When Richard found Door again, near a store that smelled like... um... Harry was too young to hear it, anyway... Door was writing a letter.

Using a feather. On Parchment.

"You know, you could just use a ballpoint?" He offered, even as Wolf's eyes flashed in amusement. Wolf was holding the child gently. Richard decided that if Wolf hurt Harry, then he would use Hunter's knife (even if he had no clue how to do so).

"Well, yeah. But Veela are Fae, y'know, they like the living and breathing materials. That's kinda why London Between's so old. Cause magic likes to breath and feel breath, so feathers and parchment and stone and wood instead of plastic. And yes, the Veela can sense if you write in ballpoint and get offended. They're kinda like cats - they'll hiss and make you beg. But also like rats, cause they travel in groups and are very family-orriented. So it's OK."

"Er. Ok. The Betweenness are the ones wearing dresses, then?" Richard asked. Wolf laughed out loud, and Richard snapped.

"OK, what is wrong with you? Wolf isn't a name, and you're - your eyes - look, they're all scared of you, and you don't look scary, but you are, and it's weird and -"
"I'm a were-wolf. That's why I needed a room to lock myself in, for when I turn. And the Lady Door know. You must be Richard?"

"Er." Richard's mind stopped at the word "were-wolf", then remembered that the Marquis was dead and had come back, that he had met an angel, and that Coup wasn't human, either. So he decided not to be surprised, and break down later instead.

"Um. Yes. Richard. Richard Mayhew. Dick. And you are?"

"Remus Lupin. And I swear my name's a coincidence; my parents weren't seers or anything."

Seers. Right.

"Pleasure to meet you." And that was that.