Author's note and review response at the bottom.
Chapter three: The Alpha and the beta.
James lay in the bed, looking at the strange wizard-werewolf sleeping on the small sofa, sprawled across it like a rag doll. He had been doing so since waking up and his mind had caught up with the fact the fact that he was still in the bed, warmed by blankets and his back only aching slightly.
James ran the events of the night before through his mind yet again.
This werewolf was far more pleasant in appearance than his master, even if he did look like he had been run ragged for…forever. And he was, quite clearly, very, very lonely. No wonder, without a pack of his own. Who had ever heard of such thing? True, most of the things James knew about his kind he'd be pleased to see disproved, but living without a pack just wasn't natural. They were-wolves after all.
It was sad for the other werewolf but advantageous for James, though. This werewolf might not have the power of a pack to back him up but he did have a wand. He was both a werewolf and a wizard, something else that just did not make sense. His master had always held wizards in a slightly higher regard than muggles, but aside from allowing some wild magic their magical abilities were never trained. His master…
Greyback. The name of the leader of a pack he had once belonged to was Greyback. Not master, not anymore, not ever again.
As that realization began to sink in James felt a bubble of happiness swell inside him like he hadn't felt since being taken by the cruel, nasty werewolf.
Again he looked at the strange other on the sofa. He had taken him in, had given him food and even had him shower and cleaned his wounds. And it seemed that he wanted nothing in return. Of course he would want something, James was not stupid and he knew, better than anyone the costs of submission but he found that he wasn't too concerned about it.
This werewolf had treated him with a kindness he hadn't known existed amongst their kind, and he said he denied his baser urges. The boy was reasonably sure that meant that if he behaved he'd be treated well and that was more than he could hope for.
James slid out of the bed silently and tip-toed over to his new master. He had always hated this with Greyback but this time he didn't mind. This master deserved to be served well.
The sprawled position of male made it easier for James to kneel between the man's legs and started to unbutton the trousers.
He had barely done the second one when he heard a startled cry above him and suddenly went flying of the sofa and landed on the floor on his bum.
Habit and shock had him on his knees instantly, his down and his hands palm upward in supplication, without looking once at his master. How had he managed to fumble things already? He had not even started yet.
"James?" came that soft, kind voice above him but James did not react, of course, he knew better than that. Instead he gnawed on his cheek, wondering what he done wrong and more importantly how he could make it up again.
From his peripheral vision he saw that his master had straightened himself into a sitting position. A hand stretched out in his direction and James flinched out of habit. The hand wavered for a moment before it moved towards his face slowly and tilted his chin upward.
"Come here." His master said in that same gentle tone and James looked up warily to see him patting on the sofa next to him. His master had allowed him to sit on a chair the night before and sleep in a bed, and now a sofa. Obviously the ban on use of furniture, other than closets, had been lifted now. Still, James wasn't eager about it. He knew all about hidden traps. Just because this master reminded of a father instead of a master, didn't mean he couldn't still be very mistaken about everything.
When he had made it to the sofa, sat on it gingerly and kept on his eyes on his hands, which he kept in his lap.
A hand touched his shoulder.
"James, look at me." Again a gentle command and the boy looked up.
The master looked kind but serious.
"I thank you for the gesture but you are never, ever to do that for me again." he demanded in that same tone of voice but James felt the imperative hidden within.
"Yes sir. I'm sorry sir." James murmured obediently but without understanding.
His master sighed deeply before giving him a bit of a sad smile. He cupped James' cheek and James couldn't help but lean into caress, almost shamelessly.
"I need to leave now for a bit but when I get back you and I need to talk, alright?" his master was still caressing his face and making no motion to move. There was a somewhat expectant look on his face though and it took James a moment to realize that he was waiting for a reply. James did not understand that but gave a small nod nevertheless.
The sad smile didn't disappear but the hand unfortunately did as his master stood up and walked towards the low burning fire.
"I'll be back in half an hour." He said pleasantly before flooing out of the small home, in direction of somewhere unknown.
James sat on the sofa staring into the fire.
Slowly several thoughts came to him at once. His new master had left him alone. His master had rebuked him and had then left him alone. He had let his master down. Yet his master had touched him too, kind and gentle.
James let out a sigh. His new master might be all that but he was bloody confusing too. But he had said they'd talk, so that was probably a good thing. This werewolf clearly did not mean that as a code for other things. He let the realization sink for a moment that he would not have to do that again and felt an odd pang at the thought. He was good at it, he knew that much, it was one of the few things he had been allowed to do anyway.
He wondered how he could please his master now. He thought back to his father, suppressing the dull ache that always caused, and tried to remember what the man had wanted him to do. Suddenly a thought came to James and he looked around the cabin appraisingly.
Cleaning. Yes, this place could use it and James could do it. His father had mostly used magic in the upkeep of the house but on Saturday mornings James had been put to work the muggle way.
"You should always know how to do things the muggle way, so that you neither take the gift of magic nor the gift of servitude for granted." His father had said that every single time yet James remembered it only now. Well, James knew for a fact he'd never take anybody serving him for granted, not that that was ever likely to happen.
James glanced at the fireplace again and the clock above it caught his eye. 'Meat time' it said and James thought that was stupid mistake on a clock but he did acknowledge that meat would be a nice thing right now. Just as long as it was cooked properly.
But first he went about to finding a bucket and a rag, which were found underneath the sink. He even found an old bottle of muggle cleaning fluid and another old memory came back to him, of a commercial he had seen on television of women dancing while they were mopping the floor. James wouldn't be doing that but he did set out to the bathroom, with a rag and the bucket.
By the time James had finished cleaning the bathtub he decided cleaning was a nice chore. He had really thought of anything and it had calmed him down. He hadn't even realized he needed it. He was so lost in his cleaning trance that he didn't hear his master coming back through the floo or calling out for him.
So he got the living daylights scared out of him when he heard a soft cough behind him just as he was wiggling out of the room as he finished the floor. James looked up at his master over his shoulder, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Thank you for this." His master said with a lopsided grin, "I'm not much when it comes to cleaning but I didn't think things had gotten this bad. Now come on, I think you've done enough for one day."
And with that he put the parcels he had been carrying down on the counter and started unpacking them. James waited for a moment until his heart slowed down a little. His master looked pleased and was even softly humming a tune. James noted that the werewolf was slightly tone deaf before he noted exactly what it was he was doing and James jumped up to help him.
As he reached for one of the un-opened boxes his hands were swatted away and he looked up with a hurt look. Actually he felt a little insulted. But it couldn't hold up against the smile he got.
"Go. Sit down. You've already done more than enough." James was told but the voice was filled with amusement not reprimand. Somewhat bemused he sat down and watched his master putting things away. One parcel remained conspicuously untouched and James wondered what was in it. Not that he'd ask or show any curiosity, of course, but still he wondered.
"You should have stayed in bed or something, instead of doing all that work on an empty stomach." He scolded lightly without looking at James, instead tapping the kettle with his wand and rummaging through the counter cupboards.
James looked at the back of his master in a mild but definite state of shock. Could he be anymore confusing. This werewolf was his Alpha and his master, yet he was acting like his father used to. Greyback had made it clear that werewolves did not copy the pathetic human familial ways. The Alpha was lord and master and unless you were a highly valued Beta, you did not think for yourself. Everyone else lived to serve, especially the omega.
"Aha, I knew I still had one somewhere." James' master cried out, giving James a triumphant look, holding up an ordinary frying pan, before
"Now, I figured pancakes for this morning but if you'd rather have eggs, I've got covered, or toast, or grapefruits. Maybe toast and grapefruit would be best; your stomach will not be able to handle anything too hefty yet. But first tea. One should never leave the house without having had a cup. Well unless one ran out of it the night before, like I did…"
James' shock grew considerably at his master's rambling. This werewolf was definitely acting like a father, like a human even. He did not act like James' father who, indeed had never run out of tea or misplaced a pan, as far as James could remember but still. Why did his master have to be so bloody confusing.
He liked his master, he had felt safe with him almost from the moment he had woken up in his house and he wanted to please him but how he was to do that if he didn't know where to start. He had thanked him for the cleaning, which was unbelievable and unnecessary, yet had scolded him for it. He had given choices for food, which was unbelievable and unnecessary too, yet had decided for him. James came to an outrageous decision.
"Master, sir." he interrupted his Alpha boldly and even looked up at him. The werewolf stopped mid-sentence, his expression changing into something unreadable but clearly not good. Still James decided to continue, lowering his eyes respectfully, "I'd like toast with grapefruit, sir, and maybe we could have pancakes for lunch, sir."
His master heaved a deep sigh and James knew he shouldn't have opened his big mouth. It was almost funny that talking about food would land him into trouble with his new master, not a day after it had done the same with Greyback.
"I think that sounds lovely."
And James was almost knocked out of his seat by those words. He honestly did not understand his Alpha. He did not dare to look up.
His master was busying himself again and soon a mug of tea was placed in front of him. This time did James did hesitate and picked it up immediately, only the burn of hot mug reminding him that it couldn't be drunk yet. He felt a hand lightly ruffle his hair and that same gentle voice.
"Careful, that's still hot."
Tears suddenly sprang into James' eyes because that had been exactly like his father and suddenly James felt enormous grief for his father and the life that had been taken from him. He tried to blink the tears away and focus on the half piece of fruit being placed in front of him but it was no use. The tears fell and James curled into himself.
He felt his master crouching down beside him and tentatively place a hand on his shoulder. Not thinking about acceptable behavior or anything but that this stranger, his new master, had shown him nothing but kindness James flung himself at the male. Knocking them and his chair over in the process and landing with his face on his Alpha's stomach.
But James hardly that or that he was lifted in strong arms and carried towards the sofa and settled on a lap. All he did was clutch unto the shirt and body and cry, while his back was rubbed softly and soothing words were spoken into his ear.
He had cried when he had been with Greyback, of course he had. It was quite difficult not to when he kept beating and humiliating you until did. But that had been the only times, often as they were. He had not cried for his father like this, never. Not when Greyback had shown him the mangled body, not when Greyback locked him in the closet, not when memories had come him. He simply had not. Until now and he couldn't seem to stop.
If anything, his master's, his Alpha's, tenderness only made it worse, bringing back even more memories.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
The question was asked louder than all the nothings had been and it penetrated James' brain but barely. James shook his head in denial but words started pouring out of his mouth despite his desperate wish to keep everything to himself.
"Papa told me to hide. But he came and he clawed him to pieces," James said between sobs, taking all the comfort he could, "He found me the next day and he showed me his body and told me that 'that was the glory of the wolf'. The pack, they took me away and I saw the village and the pack was everywhere and they were showing him the bodies and…"
James buried himself into the chest before him, wreaking big sobs once more.
"It's alright, cub, it's alright."
The words were comforting but not helping one bit to stop the tears, or the words.
"He bit me, told me that he couldn't have him accidentally maul such a prize… He told me I was a toy for him and the pack. He always told me that…"
James let his words trail away, finally able to control his mouth, if not his tears. He had never felt so ashamed in his life and yet he felt better too.
After what seemed an eternity James began feeling more calm and the tears lessened.
His master caught his chin and tilted his head upwards using his other hand to wipe away the last of them.
"If you ever want to talk about it again, that's fine. And if not that's fine too, alright?" he said softly, giving James a serious look.
James nodded hesitantly, unsure of how to act after that entire display and confused about his master even more.
"Now, we'll have breakfast and we then we'll talk about some other things. Come on." James was gently pushed off his lap and pushed towards the kitchen table.
He found he needed little encouragement when he spotted the mug of, now, cold tea. Scrambling unto his chair he grabbed it with both hands and downed it in one go. A tall glass of juice was put in front him as well and before James started on his fruit he downed that one as well. And then he looked up at his master with a slightly sheepish look, he was having a field day breaking every possible rule about proper pack behaviour. But the other werewolf only gave him soft smile as he tapped James' empty glass with his wand to refill it and took a bite out of own piece of toast. And, strangely enough, James had been expecting that much. Maybe he was starting to understand him.
Picking up his spoon to dig into his grapefruit James wondered what it would take to make this one angry. But he cut his own thoughts off short. It'd be ridiculous for a start and James doubted he wanted to actually see his Alpha angry. For all the gentleness and friendliness, there was an undercurrent that James really did not want to see brought to the surface.
"Greyback was the one to bite me as well," his master spoke suddenly. James kept his eyes on his food. "But he had been alone that night and my family managed to chase him away. Otherwise he would have taken me to raise me himself too. As it stands I'm a complete and utter disgrace to our kind, a pathetic excuse, not worthy of our proud heritage."
The last words were spoken such venom that James looked up, surprised to see a look of pure hatred, which transformed into sadness as the two locked eyes.
"Tell me James, who am I?"
The question took James by surprise but he knew the answer.
"You are my master, sir." He said, proudly.
The smile he got wasn't as brilliant as he had wanted and expected, in fact it turned even more sad than before.
"I was afraid of that." his master said, his entire tone downtrodden. Annoyingly confusing Alpha, of course he was his master.
James' feelings must have shown on his face because the other werewolf raised his eyebrows at him and even chuckled very faintly.
"When Greyback told me what a pathetic werewolf I was, he meant every single aspect of what, according to him, it means to be werewolf. I was bitten when I was eight and raised by my parents. I do not have the same outlook on being a werewolf as he does. If anything there pretty much as opposite as they could possibly be. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir." James answered politely, even if he didn't. He was quite sure his Alpha, as he probably should refer to him seeing as he clearly had a problem with master, would start that promised talk now and he really wanted to understand this werewolf. Both for the sake of his position in this two-wolf pack and simply for the sake of the other.
"I consider myself a human with a very serious, very lethal illness, which affects every aspect of my life. Thankfully I've never eaten or bitten another but every full moon I'm scared that it will happen."
A silence fell and even though he still was looking into his eyes, James had the distinct feeling his Alpha's mind was elsewhere. But James finally found something that would please his Alpha and he had Greyback to thank for it.
"I've never eaten or bitten anybody either, sir." He said quietly and not too proudly. He would, after all, have jumped at the first opportunity to be actually let out of his cage.
Another frown.
"He kept you locked up." the Alpha stated, his voice an odd mixture of disdain and relief.
James only nodded.
"Its hell, isn't it? Waking up covered in scratches and bites because the wolf just has to get at something."
James nodded again and shuddered. He might not be able to remember the nights but the days after were always painful.
"In school I had a pack and with them I was able to run freely with them through the nights…"
"You went to school? With werewolves?" James interrupted surprised. Greyback had never said anything about school. Except that he would love to set his teeth into 'Dumbledore's precious charges'. James knew of Dumbledore, his father had always praised the man, always praised the school he ran, Hogtarts or Hogfarts or something like that, he couldn't remember but the name had always made him giggle.
His Alpha smiled at his question, a small smile but definitely amused, not sad anymore.
"Yes, I went to school. But no, I was the only werewolf there. At first the Headmaster was the only one who knew but then I got friends and when they found out they didn't cast me aside but helped me. It were a good ten years." His Alpha glanced at the clock above the hearth and James followed his gaze. 'Time for pack bonding', it read.
"They made that clock for my seventeenth birthday. We used to make all kinds of things, or James, the one I mentioned, and Sirius did at least. Peter and I just played with them."
James thought about those words. They didn't make sense. His Alpha was an Alpha. Not just because between the two of them he obviously was the older and more powerful one but also because he smelled like one. The scent wasn't very strong, though and James remembered how long it had taken him in the forest to actually place the scent. Still, his Alpha made it sound like he had been a beta and that couldn't be, Greyback had always been very clear about that.
"Sir, weren't you the Alpha of your pack?" James dared to ask.
"Ah, no. I think that honor went to Sirius. At that point I didn't really care about that. I was just happy to have friends and I wanted to keep them. So even when they did things I didn't like, I still went along with it. So back then I wasn't an Alpha, no."
"But..." James started only to shut his mouth again.
"I've always denied the more wolfish part of me. As I said, I deny my baser urges and I consider werewolves humans with an affliction. But I can't deny that I have sharper senses than most around me or that I tend view relationship in terms of power, no matter how much that goes against my principles. Aside from turning into a blood thirty raving monster every full moon it is the aspect I detest most. The instinct to submit or to dominate. Do you understand?"
James wanted to say that he did but he couldn't. His Alpha had said everything before but put together like this James had difficulty to follow him.
"No sir, I don't."
"What do you not understand?"
James thought about that, finishing off his cold piece of toast.
"You sound if you hate us, sir, yourself, our kind. Like you agree with the humans who want to see us all dead."
The small, gentle smile faded into a frown, more serious and more severe than anything James had seen so far and he wondered whether he pushed too far. But then, thankfully the expression softened again.
"What has Greyback taught you about werewolves?" he asked and James was quite certain that was not the answer to his question.
"We are proud creatures, top of the food chain. Humans fear us, as they should. Humans are nothing but our cattle." James tossed out a few off Greyback's teachings.
"See, I do believe not that, any of that because I believe I'm human. Yes, I am … afflicted but that does not change who I am. I still have soul, my mind, my emotions. I do not consider anybody I cross in the street as food. I do not need it to survive and giving the wolf free range would make me nothing more than a common murderer and that I refuse to be."
It wasn't the not-eating-humans rule that bothered James, or the fact that his Alpha thought of himself as human, even if he did not quite understand that. No it was the part where his Alpha denied everything else about being a werewolf.
What if his Alpha didn't have a pack because he didn't want one? What would he do with him? Did he hate him?
"James? You alright?" his Alpha asked softly.
"No sir." James said in a very tight voice. This was getting stupid; he would not start crying again, he simply would not.
"Come here." his Alpha, or whoever he was, ordered in that damned soft, gentle tone of his and James found himself in his lap and with his head against his shoulder once more.
"What's wrong?"
"You hate me, you don't want me." James spluttered out between sobs, thoroughly ashamed. He wanted to stay with this man, who did not act like a master but rather like a father, odd as that was. For this Alpha he would do anything, bear his stomach, please in him in any way he asked, simply anything.
"Oh shush, cub," the werewolf murmured into his ear, rubbing his back softly. "I don't hate you. I will never hate you."
Even through his crying, and the leap of his heart at those words, the unsaid didn't escape James. He leaned backwards so that he could face his Alpha but did not try to move out the loose one–armed embrace. His Alpha again wiped away his tears and cupped his cheek, and James soaked up the touch.
"But you don't want me?" James asked. It came out like an accusation.
The other werewolf sighed deeply, reached around James and drew back, handing him a glass of juice. James accepted it gratefully but kept his eyes on the werewolf, waiting for his answer. Although he figured the pause was enough of an answer. He held his breath as the other werewolf started to speak.
"I would love it for you to come and live with me," The other werewolf started and James let out a sigh of relief, even though that clearly wasn't all. "But there are some things we need talk about."
James let out an impatient huff at that. What had they been doing then? His Alpha chuckled softly.
"I'll need to ask you a few questions, alright?"
James only nodded. His Alpha cleared his throat and spoke again.
"Do you have any relatives where you could go? Your mother, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles?"
"No sir," James answered, shaking his head. "My mother and sisters were killed when I was a baby by the evil wizards and You-know-who." He whispered the last part, as his father had always done and saw his Alpha's eyes widen at his words. "My mother was a muggle."
"I'm sorry, cub." His Alpha said sincerely.
"And my father said we were all that was left." James continued, shrugging off the condolences.
"What's your last name?"
"My last name was Marmelade, sir" James said, a bit apprehensively. If these questions meant that he would be sent away to live with people he had never met, he'd rather not answer them. He wanted to stay with his Alpha.
His Alpha's eyes widened even more at that.
"I knew your father." He started and now James' eyes widened.
"He was in my house at Hogwarts."
Hogwarts that was the name, and despite everything James couldn't help a giggle. He shook his head at his Alpha's questioning gaze, instead he urged him on.
"Papa was a Gryff en dor, right?" his father had told him about the school many times.
"It's pronounced Gryffindor, but yes, he was. He was in his fourth year when I started though, so I never got to know him well. I did speak to him at the trails, he was completely broken up." His Alpha's face turned thoughtful, and James wondered what he was thinking about.
"I never knew he was the victim of a werewolf attack." he said after a minute silence, slowly.
"Sir, you're going to send me away, aren't you?" James asked after another silence, studying the glass of juice in his hand. He'd love to talk some more about his father and other things but there was no point in delaying the inevitable.
His chin was raised and he looked into his Alpha's eyes once more. They were filled hope and a bit of sadness.
"I can't make any guarantees, James. This situation is not easy. Not many people know of my affliction but it's difficult to keep a job with my affliction, so I'm not wealthy man."
James didn't really see a concern there.
"I spoke with the headmaster this morning and he has agreed to meet with us this afternoon, if you're up for it. We'll meet with him and discuss things further and get you checked up by madam Pomfrey."
Now that was something else entirely.
"I'm going to go to Hogwarts and meet Dumbledore?" James said with a smile.
"Yes, and if everything works out, and I'm pretty sure it will, we'll go shopping and get you clothes and everything."
James wanted to smack himself for even doubting his Alpha. He said everything was going to be fine, James was going to stay. They were going to go out. To Hogwarts and shopping. James felt a warmth and a gratitude he had thought impossible.
He put his glass behind him on the table, closed his eyes and barred his Alpha his neck. James never felt so confident in submitting. For the first time he chose to and it felt liberating to do so. With everything his Alpha had told him James was sure he didn't need to do this, which was exactly why he did do it. His Alpha had asked for nothing, had only been giving, so James could at the very least give him this.
He heard his Alpha sigh deeply again, and wavered for a moment, afraid he would be rejected after all. But then he gathered all his courage and lent into the other werewolf.
James himself sighed deeply as his Alpha nipped his neck sharply and laved the bite with his tongue before pushing James away from him slightly.
"Thank you." His Alpha said solemnly and James felt elated.
Until he looked at his, truly his, Alpha. He wasn't looking nearly as happy as he should be.
"James," he started and the serious note was not gone and James wondered how the hell he had managed to displease his Alpha with his offer. He had accepted it, hadn't he? Damned confusing Alpha. "I want to get thing very straight. I am your Alpha and you are my beta, but I'm not your master and you are not my slave. Understand? I'll take care of you, protect you and teach you as long as you want and need but you will not be serving me. Understand?"
And there his Alpha went again. James wanted to point out that the other was his master and that of course James would serve him but he figured that would a lost cause. Instead his Alpha had to go and act father like once again.
Not that James minded it, not in the least, but it did go to show that being raised with your own kind was better. At least there he had learned the proper ways of werewolves and he was glad to could start to show that their ways weren't all that bad. Even if James had been taking great liberties already. He'd be the best beta any Alpha had ever wished for, suddenly realizing his Alpha had made him a beta, but in a pack of two that didn't really count for much.
Still James was a very, very happy and he nodded his accord.
"Alright, so you can call me Remus and dispense with the sir."
And James had finally figured it out. His Alpha wasn't as much confusing, although he was that too, as he was confused. He was expecting him to call him by his first name, well that would never happen in a next to million years. James might have been stretching the boundaries a bit, but he wouldn't go as far as break them entirely.
His Alpha apparently picked up on his resistance.
"What would you like to call me then?" he asked a bit warily, before adding hastily. "Except Mr. Lupin, I'm old, but not that old."
"I could call you Alpha, sir?" James offered. He thought it more respectful than master, actually, more personal.
"Well, it isn't master or Mr. Lupin, at least. But I would really like for you try and grow comfortable with Remus though." His Alpha said with a wry grin before he pushed him of his lap.
His Alpha got up and picked up the unopened parcel from the counter and handed it to him. James accepted it with wide eyes.
"You can't very well go into Hogwarts in my old pajamas, now can you? So go and put them on and we'll be off."
James opened the package almost reverently and took out the contents. A pair of black cotton trousers, a green t-shirt, a green button up shirt, boxers, sox and a pair of trainers.
"I hope it all fits, but it should be enough for next few hours, at least." His Alpha added as he gave James a gentle push towards the bathroom.
James wasted no time in the bathroom. He went about his business quickly before dressing himself with almost the same reference as he had unpacked them. The clothes were a bit big but when he looked into the mirror he barely recognized himself. He looked like a normal kid, well kept and everything, instead of the cast-off he had always been with Greyback.
How much a life could change within a day.
James smiled proudly at his reflection, ran a hand through his hair, which was actually blonde once again, and left the bathroom, strutting.
"Ah good, they fit." his Alpha said approvingly as he looked James up and down. "And you can still grow into them."
James could feel himself glow.
"Now, we're going to floo into the Headmaster's office directly, as I wouldn't want to spoil your first view of Hogwarts when you'll start there." His Alpha was smiling decidedly secretive and James really wanted to know what that was about.
"When will I start?" James asked as they both stood before the fireplace. His Alpha looked down on him with a smile.
"When you're eleven." He stated before asking. "How old are you anyway?"
That was a good question, James thought.
"I'm ten, sir. I think."
His Alpha gave another smile, a proper one this time. James liked those the best.
"Well, Dumbledore will undoubtedly able to figure that out."
And with that he threw an arm around James' shoulders and tossed the floo powder into the hearth. James watched the flames flare like he hadn't seen in many moons and stepped into them with his Alpha.
They stepped out into a large circular room and the first thing James noted was the enormous desk in the middle. Behind it sat an old man with a long beard who got up as soon as they made it through.
James had forgotten the way flooing dirtied clothes and bent forward to dust off his Alpha's robes. It wasn't as if they could take much more abuse. His Alpha, however gave a small smile and waved him off. So instead he brushed of his own clothes and hid behind his Alpha as the tall wizard, whom he presumed to be Dumbledore, came closer. Not as impressive in person as the stories made him out to be but he had a strong scent.
"Welcome Remus, why don't you introduce to your young charge." Dumbledore spoke in a pleasant voice.
His Alpha had already taken his hand, pulling him forward a little when a deep voice on the other side of the room was heard.
"Yes Lupin, do introduce us to the boy bit in order to get yourself some. Always knew it would happen."
James heard both his Alpha and Dumbledore inhale sharply but before either of them could reply he turned towards the source of the voice and locked eyes with him fearlessly.
"My Alpha did not bite me, Greyback did, my Alpha saved me from him. Insult him once more and swear that I will scratch your eyes out, human."
The man who had spoken was as pale as a corpse, tall and imposing, and if it weren't for the completely stricken expression on his face James would have eaten his words out of sheer terror.
But as it was he stood in front of his Alpha and did not move an inch. His Alpha placed a hand on his shoulder but the tall man spoke.
"Draco?"
End of part one
Author's note:
Okay, finally this chapter is done. I did not mean to take this long but alas.
I had an entire note planned out but I actually find it unnecessary. If you have questions, ask me, or wait for the rest of the story to have them answered. Not to worry, there will no RL/DM in this story; theirs is a familial relationship, although it might be more tactile.
Spikeddraco666: Thanks for your review! And I hope this chapter answered your question :).