And here's the next chapter. It may have a few errors; I attempted to write through all the way to the end of what I had in mind to happen here. And I'm tired. And I couldn't bear to come back to the second part (chapter 9) and be like "What was supposed to happen?"

But you're only getting 8 for now.

I may or may not go back and fix a few things-you can tell where I just pushed through and got a basic idea down, but whatever. Means I can focus on my Art History stuff knowing I have something to put up here next week or so...

Thank you, lovelies, for the reviews, adds, etc. :)

She found herself curled up, chin deep in hot water. It was the second thing she had set her mind to when she woke up, tangled in the blankets. The first had been to take in the fact that Scabior had, for once, stayed through the night. She had woken to being ensnared in arms that usually weren't there, holding her to a warm chest.

Riley had run a hand down his bare skin, looking at how peaceful Scabior looked in his sleep. His hair had decided to fall out of the ribbon that had held it at some point the previous night, and was falling over his shoulder, tickling her nose. His blue eyes, usually carrying light shadows under them, were closed but still carried traces of light shadows. He still wasn't sleeping properly. She never really noticed how rugged his face was, how much older he seemed at a glance.

She blamed Azkaban, but in truth she didn't mind how old he looked. Nor did she care about the age gap between them. A part of her knew she should be out with other guys, more her age. Ones that had been on her side of the war. But there was no war now and she failed to see how it mattered anymore. Riley could never stand the men her age. More boys than men, she always thought.

Holding her breath, she dipped her head under and brought it back up, slicking her wet hair back out of her face. She could hear Scabior in the kitchen, just barely. The patter of bare feet, the clinking of a mug from the cupboard, the owl tapping the window and delivering the Prophet. Normal sounds. As if they truly belonged there.

He had found it strange how natural it seemed, waking up to her looking at him. She had pecked his lips, grabbed some clothes and darted into the bathroom to wash, leaving him to his thoughts again.

Scabior had set a mug of tea down on the table, and retrieved the newspaper from the pesky barn owl. It nipped at his finger, demanding a treat. It had gotten one and was sent on its merry way in the cold morning.

He stared at the headline, bold letters telling of another, far more vicious incident.

Greyback and his men had slaughtered nearly an entire village. No one had been spared. Bodies were mutilated; bite marks riddled into necks and shoulders and arms. Children laid where they had been killed, wide eyes open and blank. Blood stained the snow, ruining the charming quality of the village. Some of the victims had tell-tale signs of having run in with Greyback themselves. Some women had bitemarks along their inner thighs, obvious trauma, necks barely still attached. The article skirted around the messy details, but he knew. Greyback was brutal when it came to women. There was only a picture of the village, and a mug-shot of Greyback, no pictures of victims.

A flicker of fear ran through Scabior. If he went through with his plan, if Greyback learned of Riley's existence…

He threw the paper on the table, a loud slap running through the silent apartment. Fuck. Shitfuck. There didn't seem to be any words in creation that summed up how he felt.

He was not going through it again. He couldn't lose her because he got himself locked up or received the Kiss. But he couldn't lose her because he had opened his mouth, either.

The door had opened silently, and he wished he was as calm as she looked to be. He stood in the doorway, pajama pants slung low on his hips.

"Riley?"

Her eyes snapped open, finding the source of the sound.

He looked so…nervous. Confused. Like he was carrying a huge burden and needed to tell someone.

"Scab…" Her tone said what she couldn't; he had interrupted her thoughts when she had wanted to be alone, like a child who wanted to stay in bed later than possible.

"No, Riley, it can't wait."

He ran a hand down his face as he sauntered over to the tub, waving his wand and conjuring up a small stool. He sat down, elbows on his knees and was silent, thinking of his words. She was watching him, trying to figure out why he had interrupted her peace.

"I wanna turn m'self in."

Her expression said it all.

"Are you-"

"Yeah, I'm sure, love. I…'member when I said I was done wit' tha' life? I mean, I miss it, don' get me wrong. But it's no' possible for me to get it back and I meant wha' I said…I can' 'ave a repeat of the past again…"

He wasn't telling her everything, Riley knew that. The way he was staring off, hands resting right under his eyes and over his cheeks.

"I don' even know 'ow to explain it." He whispered.

She lounged back, arms resting on the rim of the free-standing tub and settling in for a long story. "Start from the beginning."

Scabior sighed heavily, the mark on his neck itching as he dug up old memories that always worked their way into his dreams.

"I 'ad this girl, years ago. Beau'tiful. Clever. Extremely ambitious. A Gryffindor. I was a Slytherin, obviously. I would tease 'er, but it got to be too much, and by fifth year I 'ad plucked up the courage to admit to 'er I liked her. 'er friends 'ated me, 'ouse prejudice and all tha'. But we'd worked it out. We'd moved in together after graduation, me goin' to Auror trainin' and 'er 'eadin' to St. Mungo's to be a mediwitch.

"When I was 'round eighteen or so, I 'ad gotten in deep wit' some of the wrong people. Wizards 'oo had gone into the careers of livin' off others, stealin' and nabbin', and makin' a hierarchy of 'oo was the better criminal. It's 'ard to pay for things when you're only paid for when you go into the field, you know that pretty well. One job led to another, an' I found myself shirking trainin' to sleep and convincin' 'er I'd get out of it.

"I came 'ome one night and found her laying on the floor, blood everywhere, clothes gone. Aurors arrived shortly after and they refused to believe I didn't do it. There was no evidence as to 'oo had done it and they needed to close the case.

"She 'ad been killed because I tried to get myself out of the mess I created."

Scabior closed his eyes, hands running through his hair for a moment before he looked back up at her. "I can' 'ave it again. I won' let 'arm come to you because of my choices. I know stayin' quiet sounds like more of an option, but I can't 'ide anymore. I can't. I wanna be able to 'ave a life wit' you wit'out 'avin' to worry that I'll be yanked away. I couldn' do that to you."

She was silent, looking at him with a strange understanding. It was brief, and gone as her thoughts collected themselves. "Do you have anything the Ministry can use?"

"Names. Potential spots Greyback could be 'idin'. We used some of them occasionally, when we 'ad to. I've 'ad it with 'is name in the paper."

Riley nodded. "You say nothing. Let me see if I can pull some strings. I know the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I'll see about getting her to meet with you. See if she'll settle it without a trial, a deal of sorts."

Scabior blinked. "You're takin' this far better than I thought."

"It hasn't set in yet."

She looked away, out the window and into the grey sky outside. A silent message that told him to get the hell out of the room. Scabior brushed his thumb on her hand before retreating back into the open living space.

Riley heard the door close, and dunked herself into the now lukewarm water. She had only felt the overwhelming urge to break down twice in her life, and she hated it. The burning behind her eyes, the need for tears to free themselves and run down her cheeks. The urge to let out a strangled cry. But she stayed silent. She had said she would handle what she could, and she had to be strong.

The Ministry, while under new management, would not treat a Snatcher who's considered a war criminal fairly. This was not good.

Her hopes were placed in the one who had taken her case only a few years ago. Scrimgeour was gone, and she doubted he would have treated Scabior as fair as he had her. But…perhaps…

She had spelled herself dry, thrown on a presentable outfit, and embraced Scabior longer than intended before she darted out of the Alley and into London.

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement looked the same as she remembered, at least the layout did. It seemed far less dreary than it a year ago. Brighter. She saw familiar faces, sporting scars large and small, permanent injuries of sorts. She gave a smile and a nod, looking so out of place wearing a pea-coat rather than business robes.

A secretary sat outside the office, quills scribbling furiously of their own accord. The young blonde, who must have graduated Hogwarts after her, was sorting through files, looking quite agitated.

"Excuse me, is the Department Head in?" Riley asked, clearly startling the other woman.

"She's tied up at the moment. In case you didn't read the paper this morning…" The waspish tone was something she had gotten used to in serving people.

"Actually, I didn't. But I'm aware of the situation. I'd be in the same position as the rest of you if I had come back after the War. Tell her Riley Trescott is asking for her."

She received a puzzled look in return, but she stopped what she doing, knowing Riley wouldn't leave until she got an answer.

There was a quiet conversation, and the blonde opened the door further, gesturing for her to enter the office.

A dark-haired woman sat behind a desk, the same one the man who had taught them much about being Auror had sat behind. She looked thinner than Riley remembered, and wondered if it was the job or having been unable to regain whatever she had lost while on the run. Green eyes looked up at the younger woman, still as bright as she recalled them being.

Riley couldn't think of anyone better to have taken this post while Kingsley was Minister.

Audrey Kavanagh.

Riley found it horribly amusing that the man that was supposed to be Audrey's father-in-law had worked in the office she was now in charge of. Not many remembered the shock of Crouch Junior being unveiled as a Death Eater.

That same Death Eater was the only reason Audrey was alive to take the post. Tried and found guilty, given the Kiss and sent to Azkaban for the rest of his days.

Riley couldn't have that fate for Scabior.

She had been the one working Riley's case when Scrimgeour found it to be too much. She had trusted the girl, believed her. Had said if she ever needed anything to go to her.

She hoped the older woman remembered that promise.

"So, what can I do for you, Trescott?" Hands put down the quill and took up the wand instead, twirling in her hands.

"It's a multi-layered problem, for lack of better terms." Riley took a seat, not trusting herself to stand. "I…If I knew someone that wanted to turn themselves in, but had information regarding Greyback…reliable information, first source stuff…"

"Turning themselves in implies they're wanted. You've been consorting with criminals now, Riley? Someone associated with Fenrir Greyback, no less?" Audrey wasn't shocked. Nothing, no facial expression, no tones, indicated she was surprised. "What had you gotten yourself into?"

"Oh, no. No, no, no. This is strictly…can I get you to meet with him? Make a deal?"

"It's…if he's wanted, the whole Wizengamot have to deal with that. And there's a waiting list for trials, Trescott."

Riley cringed. She'd been afraid of that.

"Please, Kavanagh. There has to be a way. I shouldn't have been allowed to be Auror, but my record was wiped. There has to be a loophole. You're in charge of Greyback's case. He can offer names, locations. It's something, because you clearly don't have anything to go on, now do you?"

Audrey sighed. She couldn't help but wonder why Crouch Senior had loved his job so much. Even Scrimgeour. She just found it fucking tedious and stressful.

"Alright. I'll listen."

The younger woman nodded, releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Can I bring him in without there being a huge fuss?"

"If he's easily recognized, no. Riley, who…?"

"Let's just say he had a lot of power over Greyback last year."

Audrey's eyes went wide. "No. Riley. He's still got a sentence to finish, never mind what he's wanted for now."

"He's your only shot of getting a lead." She held her arms out to her sides, palms up, in a gesturing that said it was up to Audrey.

The Head of the department sighed. "Bring him in tomorrow." As an afterthought, she said, "He must truly be something if he wants to cross Greyback."

Scabior did not like having people look at him. Stares. Glares. He wasn't even dressed as he had been and people still recognized him.

Riley had a strong hold on his sleeve, dragging him into the Auror Department. They knew her enough. It looked legitimate, an old Auror bringing in a wanted man.

The meeting had consisted of glaring, crudely drawn maps, a quill jotting down a transcript of the conversation, and more glaring.

Audrey had decided this information was too valuable to not use. And Scabior was too valuable to lose as well. They had struck a deal; he gets his name cleared as long as he and a small team of Aurors rounded up Greyback's men, and any others still on the run from the Ministry. Kingsley needed to sign off on it, but that was Audrey's problem now.

He was a Snatcher again, a thrilling notion that made his stomach drop. So much for spending time with Riley again.

"'ow's this gonna stay out of the papers?" Scabior asked. "'ow will I not be dragged back in 'ere by someone 'oo doesn't know about this?"

"This isn't staying out of the papers, Mr. Scabior. It's impossible."

He shot a look to Riley, who looked back at him. He was more caught off-guard by the 'mister' part, but the both of them knew what it meant. It meant Greyback finding out.

"No, you…don't understand. If Greyback or 'is men get word I am the reason they're…I mean…"

"We'll leave your name on the roster, make it look like you're still wanted. We won't name-drop in the article, we'll call you Smith around the Ministry. Riley'll get two of my men for round-the-clock protection."

The matter was settled, because Audrey had pretended they stopped existing. Scabior, frustrated but happy to have a bit of freedom back, left first. Riley hestitated, wanting to say something to the other woman, but not quite sure what.

"He's doing it for you. I'm quite shocked, but it's so obvious. The way he looks at you." Audrey looked up from signing the paper in front of her to look at Riley. As if to tell her she was lucky that he was able to change. Or at least try.

Davidson had watched for weeks. She had the same routine. Open the shop at the same time six days a week. Close at the same time six days a week. She'd kiss Scabior goodnight, the way a lover would. Some nights he didn't come out. Some nights they'd go out, and he'd follow them.

Greyback had snarled at seeing the headline that competed with his, proclaiming someone had been given a deal with the Ministry for information regarding Greyback. Other Snatchers or war criminals were said to be given the same option now. A dirty little business, but they needed the man power to go after the werewolf and his men.

It was not hard to figure out it had been Scabior. Anyone else who knew the locations were his men through and through.

Azkaban was filling up with the strays that had been in other hideouts. Even personal homes were raided.

A dent was finally being made in the reign of terror Greyback had managed to create. Word had gone around that a team was going after a den in the north, and some bloke they called Smith (they couldn't have given him a name with a different starting letter at least?) was to head that team. He didn't know the exact location, but knew the relative area. He'd be away for a while. Leaving little Riley all alone.

Davidson had given him a schedule that Scabior's toy followed, with little variation. She had two Aurors at her building, but they would be easy to overpower with a simple snap of the neck. Perfect. That stupid man had been asking for it. Turning over a new leaf and crossing Fenrir Greyback in the process was not something anyone wanted to do.

He smiled viciously, revealing sharp yellow teeth. He couldn't wait to bury them in her flesh.

Riley climbed the stairs to her apartment, getting a feeling of déjà vu. It was November all over again. Scabior had been gone for days at a time, a week at most, trying to keep his freedom by helping the Ministry.

She was worried, always. Especially now. He had done all of this because he wanted to be with her without sneaking around, without fear of being locked up. He wanted something different, what he could have had and never did.

Riley couldn't live with herself knowing he would have gotten killed because of her. Because all he wanted was for her to be safe.

She hadn't noticed that the two Aurors were not in their usual spots. Didn't notice she hadn't seen them at all.

Normally, she would have waved her wand, illuminated the space and gotten to work on dinner. She flicked her wand, but nothing happened. No lights. The hell was going on? Light was coming from the windows, but not much.

"Lumos."

The top of her wand lit up, revealing a figure in front of her. A hulking form, much larger and wider than Scabior. She dared look up, finding a face with grizzly stubble, a wide, sick grin with sharp yellow teeth. His eyes seemed to glow in the wand-light.

She was too scared to move. Her mind wasn't working right. She couldn't comprehend what was going on. She had backed herself against the wall, the massive man crushing her against her and sniffing her hair. "You do smell wonderful, pretty one."

"Greyback." She muttered, her mind finally starting to clear.

She received no reply, only a low growl that belonged to an animal. Her fears were confirmed, and she felt her stomach drop to her knees.