A/N: Again a lot of stuff happened in this chapter. These are fairly long chapters, at least by my standards, and a lot of things do happen in them. I know I'm introducing a lot of new characters, some even canon, but they all have a purpose, trust me. I'm not just making them for short-term purposes. As I said, Lyall is going to have a rather large part to play in the events to come, and I thought now would be a good time to start that story arc. Now, the little authorial notes aside, I have something to say to all of you:

If you have read this far, you have done me a great favour. Just by reading this, you have made me feel so happy about writing this. Everyone enjoys being appreciated, and it's the people reading this that have driven me to carry it on now past 20,000 words, with only two weeks (to the day) having passed since I began writing this. If you have read this far, and you actually enjoy the story, please do review or favourite, because you wouldn't believe how much it helps me to write, actually being able to know someone does give a damn about this story, apart from me. To the people who follow this story, thank you so much, as you guys are the ones I know actually like the story :P To those who have reviewed it, thank you so much. Hearing your words of praise gives me so much confidence to write, and I love hearing your views. I'm halfway to my 40,000 challenge, and I have about seven weeks left to complete the rest. Your support means a lot to me. Also, I have much more respect, after writing this, for the community that surrounds this medium of writing. Everyone always assumes (as, admittedly, did I) that fanfiction readers are only here for smut, and I think that's true to some extent. But I've got over 350 views on this fanfiction alone (to the date of publishing this chapter) and I like to think that some of those 350 liked it. So, thank you for your support, and I look forward to writing the next parts of this story (there will be a lot.) With that, on to the chapter! :D


Remus was walking very quickly down the Marble Staircase, almost tripping and falling on the trick step. With a low growl, he swore under his breath, and kept going. There were very few people outside of their Common Rooms now, and Remus looked around at the sparsely populated staircase. Only now did he hesitate. What in Merlin's name was he going to say? What was he going to do? Remus groaned out loud, and span around. Maybe I should just go back to the Common Room. He thought, and nodded with that thought turning around. Unfortunately, as he did, he collided with someone. One second, he saw the figure approaching at speed and, the next second, he was flying through the air. 'Arresto Momentum!' A voice rang out, and Remus landed lightly on the floor. Remus blinked up at the staircase. "Heading somewhere?" Evan asked, chuckling.
"Erm, yeah, actually." Remus blinked, and blushed softly. "I'm trying to get to Ravenclaw tower."
"Oh." Evan looked at him, blinking, confused as to why he would be heading to another House's tower. "Why?"
"I have to discuss something with Keiran." Remus said quickly. He wasn't lying, per se, just not telling the entire truth.
"Want me to walk you?" Evan asked, smiling at the boy he'd just knocked downstairs. Remus finally got up, and shrugged, smiling.
"If you like." He said, and the two boys wandered towards the spiral staircase, at the top of which was the Ravenclaw Common Room. Their conversation consisted mostly about the Duelling Club, such as the progress that certain people had made in one short lesson, and the names of some people who needed to progress more. Evan himself admitted that he could have been doing better, and had been partnered with Mary McDonald, who had been rather 'skilled' at the spell. Remus nodded.
"It's very simple, but it requires a fair bit of concentration." Remus smiled softly. They approached the Eagle Knocker, which uttered a simple riddle:

'Bury deep, beneath those stones,
No matter how deep, I'll always bare your bones'
The Knocker asked, and Remus answered, rather quickly. "Memories." The door opened. Remus smiled with satisfaction.
"Nicely done, Remus. Should we be here, though?" Evan asked warily. Around the room, various Ravenclaws were staring at them, scattered around the airy, spaced-out room. Remus spotted Keiran, sat on a plush blue sofa. Once again feeling hesitant, a Ravenclaw student, a friend of Remus', walked over.
"Hello, Remus!" The boy said cheerfully.
"Hey, Joel." Remus smiled at him, glancing at Keiran, who'd since noticed his presence.
"What are you doing here? Did you get lost?" Joel smirked softly.
"Not quite, no." Remus chuckled nervously. "I was looking for someone."
"Oh, who?" Joel asked curiously. "Must be important, if you've actually come to our Common Room. That is breaking school rules, Mr. Lupin." Joel smirked at him, and Remus rolled his eyes.
"Doesn't matter. I can see him. I'll talk to you later, Joel." Remus said, and began to walk over. A hand on his arm stopped him. It was Evan.
"Remus... Are you sure we should be here?" He whispered. They had attracted a few glances, and Keiran, behind the slightly cocky smile, looked a bit confused.
"Yes, I'm sure. Half the people here were at the Duelling Club, Evan. We're safe." Remus smiled reassuredly at his friend. "Plus, I know a few people here. Don't worry." He said, before continuing to walk over to Keiran. He made sure to prevent anyone else talking to him, and blushed at Keiran's grin.
"Hello, Lupin." Keiran said, in a mock-formal voice, "You are aware this is the Ravenclaw Common Room, right?"
"Yes, perfectly aware, thank you Mr. Decebal." Remus rolled his eyes. "I'm here at my friends' insistence." Remus said.
"Which friend?" Keiran asked, smirking at him.
"All of them. Now, would you care to walk with me?" Remus asked.
"I think that would be most agreeable, Mr. Lupin. We can discuss duelling techniques." Keiran answered, and they stepped out together.

They didn't get very far before Keiran turned to Remus, a level-headed look in his eyes, and a knowing grin on his face. Remus gave a nervous smile back, looking around to make sure they were alone. "I know why you're here, Remus." Keiran said, his voice casual, and the smile turning lazy. "Don't think I don't."
"Why am I here, then?" Remus asked, feeling a wave of that Gryffindor courage wash over him.
"Well... We both know, I think." Keiran was staring at him with those dazzling blue eyes that made Remus feel disarmed. They swept over him, with an intense focus, as if trying to remember every feature of his face at once. Remus' hands fumbled at his side, and he could feel colour rising once more in his cheeks. "Do not forget, Remus, that people are capable of love, without knowing the other too well." At this, Remus' gaze shot up at him and now there was something different gripping him. It wasn't nerves. No, it was stone cold fear. Remus ran. He ran and ran and ran until he got to the Gryffindor Common Room, almost yelling the password. The portrait swung open, and he paused, the sudden burst of adrenaline gone. He heard the others talking, and they immediately fell silent. When they heard the sound of him collapsing into a heap in the portrait hole, they shot up, and James and Sirius grabbed him, almost carrying him into the Common Room and placing him in an armchair.
"What's the matter?" James asked, while Sirius went out to check the staircase, wand in hand. "Were you being chased?"
"No... It's-" Remus cut himself off, having been about to tell them the entire truth. "It's nothing."
"Where did you go?" Lily asked him, taking his hand and squeezing it reassuredly.
"Just... For a walk." Remus shrugged, not looking at any of them. His eyes were focused on nothing, and he was simply staring into the fire.
"Why did you collapse?" James asked, frowning at Sirius, who returned with a shrug.
"Erm... Ill." Remus gulped, glancing at Marlene, who looked concerned from beside Lily. James, Lily and Sirius nodded in understanding. "I'm going to bed."

Remus, as he had done too many nights previous, was in the dormitory alone. He was awake, and had no misconceptions of the lack of sleep he'd suffer that night. Mixed with all the anxiety and self-consciousness was guilt. After all, he'd ran so quickly away, he'd left Evan in the Ravenclaw tower. When the boy finally trundled in, he looked mildly annoyed. They were both alone, as James, Sirius and Peter were still downstairs. "Evan, I'm so sorry!" Remus said, and Evan turned to him, the annoyed expression turning weary and concerned.
"Don't be. What the heck happened, Remus?" Evan asked, eyeing him, "Keiran told me that you were talking and then you legged it?"
"It's complicated." Remus sighed. "I bet he hates me." Remus looked down, and Evan sat on his bed. Lighting the candles beside Remus' bed by magic, Evan looked at him.
"Remus... He doesn't hate you. I don't think he has it in him to hate you." Evan sighed, then smiled softly. "He looked worried."
"Why?" Remus asked, slightly confused. Admittedly, running off wouldn't warrant 'normal' behaviour, but he didn't think Keiran would be worried about him.
"Because he likes you, idiot." Evan laughed. "Now, I don't really understand how all that stuff works between two blokes, but... It's a free world."
"He doesn't like me, Evan." Remus shook his head. Remus had no clue why he was discussing this with Evan. Admittedly, Evan was his friend, but they had never been close. Now, though, he was putting his trust in Evan. "Why would he? Look at me." Remus opened his arms. "I'm nothing special."
"He obviously thinks so. He looked as pale as you do now, Remus." Evan smiled kindly at him. "There were about four Eagles surrounding him," Evan continued, using the slang term for Ravenclaws. They'd gone out of use mostly, and the Ravenclaws were the only ones still named as such, mostly out of the irony of their House Mascot. "And he looked a bit shaken, not to mention sad."
"Well... Still," Remus frowned, unconvinced. "He probably thought I was annoyed at him, that's all." He said, rather stubbornly. Evan rolled his eyes.
"Whatever you want to believe, Remus. I've never been in Ravenclaw tower before." Evan chuckled, changing the subject. "It's nice, though I still prefer ours."
"Yeah, it's fairly nice. More spaced-out than ours." Remus nodded. "But ours is cosier." Remus did love their Common Room, with it's red and gold interior; the old, rather battered chairs and sofas; the fire roaring, spreading warmth throughout the room; the cosy interior... Remus loved it with all his heart. Even though he was only a few steps away, he felt like he missed it. He was suddenly gripped by the urge to stand up and just sit there. Not talk, just sit and absorb the atmosphere of the wonderful room. In fact, as Remus thought, he discovered his love for all of the castle. The staircases, with their tendency to change; the Entrance Hall, lit by magic torches, currently sporting Christmas decorations; the Courtyard, with it's constant noise and commotion between students on their lessons. Remus found himself smiling into the distance. His father had once told him about his days there, about how he similarly enjoyed the place. In fact, his father was very vocal about missing his school. Remus' looked at his chest, which contained a letter from his father, which he received on his first day. Remus could remember it word-for-word.


Dear Remus,

Son, we are so proud of you. I know we might not have seemed it when the subject of your education was first brought up by Professor Dumbledore, but we are so proud of you. This is a chance that no-one else like you has been given. This is a chance to show the world that they're wrong about your kind, that I was wrong about your kind. Show them that your 'problem' does not make you any less a great wizard, or any less a good person. I know it may be difficult to make friends while you are at school, and I am sorry we did not allow you to make any when you were here. Like many of my decisions, I regret it. Hogwarts is full of amazing things, and amazing people. Mind you, when I went there, I was aware of a boy, rather skilled. Of course the world knows him better by a much different name nowadays: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. And there was Hagrid, of course, someone I knew rather well. Do tell him I said hello, won't you? In my time of Hogwarts, we were faced with a much different war, one with global consequences. Gellert Grindelwald had, of course, started his revolution. Professor Dumbledore, who was not Headmaster in my time, defeated him in my fifth year. The Muggles too, had their horrible war while I attended the school, with disastrous consequences for our kind. I do hope that you will have a much less perilous time at Hogwarts, as it is the best Wizarding School in the world, no matter what the Durmstrang students may say. Do write soon, and we'll see you at the next full moon.

Your father,
Lyall Lupin


Remus smiled fondly, thinking of his father's smiling face. He had taken the Marauders there several times, most recently during the Summer, and showed them around their country estate. It wasn't large, but it was perfect to lounge about and, at Remus' slight bemusement, play Quidditch around. His friends seemed to like his house, for rather obvious reasons. Sirius and Peter both lived in the city, while James' estate, while big, was surrounded by Muggles. Remus', on the other hand, lived in the middle of nowhere. His parents had chosen it for that specific purpose, so Remus could transform without hurting anyone but himself. His parents were kind, and they loved him dearly, though Remus worried if his condition didn't hurt his father's reputation at the Ministry, though he very much doubted anyone knew. His parents had been together a long while, after his father had defeated a Boggart and saved his mother. His mother, Hope, was a Muggle. After Lyall had 'saved' her, from the (he admitted later) harmless Boggart, they began a relationship. It survived the shock of Remus' lycanthropy, which could have torn apart most families. Remus loved his family very deeply, and looked forward to seeing them in the Summer.


Lyall Lupin was home, finally. After an extortionate amount of hours at the Ministry, he was home. He walked through the front door, looking around the rustic decorations, with various magical objects placed on the walls, bewitched to detect anyone with malicious intent. Thankfully, they were all perfectly normal. They were the first thing he checked when he entered the house. Just because he was out in the sticks, didn't mean he was lax in his security methods. Lyall placed his wands in his robes, and stepped into the kitchen, which was the first room you got to from the hall. On the fridge, a Muggle version, as all the kitchen was, there was a note. 'Gone into town to get some things. I'll be back at about 9.' Lyall looked at his watch. It was barely 8. Lyall smiled, having the house to himself. Hope seemed to be getting better from her illness, being more active and happy than she had been for the last few months. Lyall smiled and opened the fridge, getting himself a Muggle beer. Admittedly, Lyall did enjoy the Muggle style of life. He would never admit it to his co-workers, but he almost preferred it. It was simpler, though Lyall couldn't live with magic. A mix, he decided, was how he'd like to live. As if to prove the point to himself, he opened the bottle with his wand, a small spark jumping from the cap, landing on the floor with a rattle. He took a deep gulp, loving the taste. Setting it on the kitchen table, a rustic, oak table, he leant against it. Once again waving his wand, he set the radio on, and was immediately treated to a song by his wife's favourite bands. Lyall heard the distinct sounds of an instrument Hope told him was called a 'gee-tar'. He smiled and tapped on the table with his wand, in time with the beat. All was well in the Lupin household, or so it appeared.

When Lyall had finished his beer, he stepped out of the kitchen into the hall, leading to the living room. He still had his wand, and was twirling it absentmindedly. Briefly, he thought of his son, in Hogwarts. He had received another owl from Minerva, telling him there had been a misunderstanding, and Remus and his friends had been cleared of all blame. From an informal part of the owl, Lyall had learnt his son had stopped someone being bullied. Lyall had smiled at that, and almost whooped in his office. He refrained from doing so, and instead told (or rather, boasted) to the man he shared the office with. Lyall paused, and felt a chill run through the air. He immediately took out his wand. He could feel another person's presence. Aiming his wand into the living room, he stepped in. His heart froze, and he felt his breath hitch. The man he hated so much, Fenrir Greyback, was sat in his armchair. "Good evening, Lupin." The werewolf sneered. Even in nights like this, the beast's voice sounded animalistic, like a bark. "How is darling Remmy?" Greyback stood. With a fizzing sound, Lyall sent a Stunner at him. It was easily deflected, smashing one of his wife's vases.
"You will get out of my house." Lyall attempted to stay calm. Greyback simply barked a laugh.
"Oh, I will... In time. I have no intention to kill you, Lupin." Greyback sat back down and offering Lyall a seat, infuriating Lyall even more. At Greyback's look of malice, Lyall sat down.
"Then why, you pathetic creature, are you here?" Lyall asked, making an incensed insult.
"To warn you." Greyback ignored the insult, and lazily looked around the house. "Anyone else in the Ministry would have cursed me into oblivion. You seemed to be my best bet. I could infuriate you to the point of actually talking to me. In short, you seemed to be the least likely to arrest me."
"Warn me? Why, in Merlin's name, would you warn me?" Lyall asked, ignoring the obvious stab at his morality.
"Because it concerns your son." Greyback said, in the same lazily. The rage disappeared from Lyall's body, and was replaced with instant worry.
"My son? If you hurt him, I'll-" Lyall was cut off from his threat.
"Why on Earth would I hurt him, Lupin?" Greyback fixed him with a level stare. "I turned him. I've done my harm to him."
"Then warn me of what, Greyback?" Lyall asked, not bothering to take the hatred from his voice.
"A developments that concerns all of our kind, including your son." At Lyall's indignation, he said: "Yes, your son is our kind, whether you like it or not, Lupin. Now shut up, or I won't tell you what you need to know." Greyback rolled his eyes and, at Lyall's silence, continued, "The werewolf population is becoming increasingly peturbed. We are on the Dark Lord's side, of course... And, soon, he will be using us to his full advantage. However, the Dark Lord cannot tolerate those lycanthropes that do not join the pack, including your son." Greyback watched Lyall's expression, one of confusion. "He plans to launch several raids, taking down every werewolf that isn't loyal to him. Werewolfs and Death Eaters will attack each target. Hogwarts will be infiltrated, and your son will be killed."
"Why are you telling me this? You're risking your own mangy neck to betray your master?" Lyall had absorbed all of this, and tried to quell the increasing worry in his gut.
"I am telling you this for that exact reason. My 'master'. I am the Alpha, not some deluded 'Dark Lord'." Greyback was talking with intense bitterness. "He thinks that he can threaten and cajole my pack into working for him, paying us pitiful amounts, treating us like lessers... It will stop." Greyback said and, from the steeliness in his voice, Lyall truly believed what Greyback was saying. Lyall's personal hatred for the man was put to one side, as he nodded.
"Very well. I will inform the Minister himself of this." Lyall nodded. At a look from Greyback, he nodded, "Of course, your name will be kept completely clear from this. We can blame it on a werewolf we captured a few weeks ago, safely locked up in Azkaban. I believe he is receiving the Dementor's Kiss in a few short weeks."
"Yes... Poor Robert Banes. Well, he's hardly a loss." Greyback shrugged. "My name will not enter this, Lupin. I was never here. You can never tell anyone I ever entered this house, not your Muggle wife and especially not your son." Greyback instructed him and the steeliness returned to his eyes.
"Of course. Now, before you leave, I must know... How did you get past my Detectors?"
"Sneakoscopes are easy enough to bewitch, if you know how. As for your Malice Detectors, I didn't come here with malicious intent. If I had, you'd be dead by now." Greyback shrugged, and left the house. A sharp crack about ten seconds later told Lyall that the werewolf had departed. Repairing the vase magically, Lyall slumped in the armchair. To think he'd just had a conversation that hadn't involved hexing, jinxing or cursing Greyback into oblivion was mindblowing. Lyall felt the anger drain from him, replaced now completely with concern for his son. He got himself a beer, and made a mental note to talk to the Minister in the morning.


The next morning, Remus awoke first. It was before four, as he saw from his watch, but he felt fully rested. The full moon was less than two weeks away now, and he knew he'd be suffering symptoms like this until a week afterwards. Insomnia, illness and stress were all symptoms he suffered regularly. Rubbing his eyes and yawning, he headed downstairs as quietly as he could. There was no-one there, as he expected, and slumped into an armchair (much like his father had the previous night though, admittedly with less dejectedness). He looked around the room, at the extinguished fire, and marvelled at how different the place looked in the dark. Remus had, of course, seen it in very dark, abandoned situations, but only now did he appreciate. It looked foreboding, and felt wrong, in a sense. He was shivering, though not just because of the cold. He wasn't afraid, of course not. Just... Nervous. That was it. Nerves. In fact, he had so many nerves, that he almost jumped right out of his birthday suit when a calm, low voice resonated through the room. "You're up early, Remus." After he recovered from the shock, he turned to see Kingsley Shacklebolt at the top of the stairs.
"Oh. Good morning, Kingsley." Remus smiled sheepishly. "So are you."
"Hmm. Well, I figure that we're both awake, and I have been meaning to speak to you about this... Duelling Club." Kingsley's voice seemed to radiate calm. Kingsley was very tall, taller than James, though not imposing. He was in the year above, and his black hair was extremely short. His face was serious, but Remus knew from experience how kind the boy could be.
"Oh yes?" Remus asked, smiling politely at him, as he sat opposite him.
"Yes. I think it's an extremely good idea, and the school could benefit a lot from it. I'd like to be involved." Kingsley said, watching Remus carefully. Remus knew Kingsley's ambition it be an Auror, and also knew it was extremely well-founded. The boy was extremely skilled at magic.
"We'd love to have you help out. As it stands, we've got Peter, James, Sirius, Marlene, Lily, Keiran, Emmeline and I in the student staff for it. We've got all of the Heads of Houses, as well as Professor Lorkiss." Remus informed him, receiving a nod in return.
"So I've heard. What roles?" Kingsley inquired.
"Lily and I are acting as healers, Marlene's planning the sessions, James and Sirius are helping the students learn, Keiran's organising the students and Peter... Well, I need to find a new use for Peter." Remus laughed. "Our 'club' isn't as secret as it started out."
"Hmm. I see. With your permission, I'd like to join your student staff in a helping position, much like Sirius and James?" Kingsley asked, looking at him levelly.
"Consider it done." Remus smiled.
"Thank you, Remus." Kingsley nodded. Their organisation was growing larger, it seemed, by the hour. Can we handle this? Remus asked himself inwardly, feeling the nerves kick in. They'd be meeting again soon, and they might have to teach the entire school. This worried Remus no small amount. Remus shook his head, and both boys moved on to other topics, concerning the Ministry and their fathers, who worked in close proximity to each other. This conversation held them until the Marauders came down, and Kingsley excused himself, going back to his dorm to get ready.

"Right... So Shacklebolt's in now?" Sirius asked, frowning. He was wearing his Gryffindor pyjamas, and looked rather dishevelled. It was, Remus decided, a good look for him.
"Yeah, he is. It'll be extremely good for us. He's really skilled." Remus said, looking at them each in turn.
"Right, okay." James nodded. "I'll tell Marlene and Emmeline." He said, still sounding tired.
"Alright, good." Remus smiled.
"It's getting a bit big." Peter spoke up. Remus blinked at him, not having heard him speak in a while. "I mean we've got us four, Lily, Marlene, Emmeline, Keiran and now Kingsley. As well as four Heads, and Lorkiss." Peter frowned. "That's just the people staffing it, too."
"I suppose. But I think we can come up with a way to solve that." Remus said, and the others nodded. "We all have a free period after breakfast, so we can all decide then. We'll meet at the lake, and then... Talk about all of this." Remus said, and they nodded. They all left to get changed, and went to breakfast. There, they saw everyone looking miserable. Even the teachers looked utterly dejected. Keiran was sat at Ravenclaw Table, near the entrance of the Hall. "What's happened?" Remus asked him, in a small voice. Keiran simply motioned at the paper in front of him. 'DARK MARK CAST OVER LONDON. 10 WIZARDS AND WITCHES DEAD AFTER DEATH EATER ATTACK' The war had changed yet again. There had been a massacre.