Title: Glass Hearts

Rating: PG-13

Summary (of chapter): Peter's alive! Remus asks his parents about Fenrir Greyback.

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Peter gazed out of his window, sighing. He did not want to be in his house anymore. His mum was making him clean, cook, fold clothes. Of course, she could have done any of it herself, her wand much quicker, but she was trying to distract him.

Only sixteen days until July 20th, when he would turn seventeen. He had already scheduled his Apparition test for July 21st. Then he could leave when he wanted, do magic when he wanted. He knew his mum was just looking out for him, but that didn't make it not annoying. His three older friends were already of age, so they were helping at St. Mungo's, regardless of what their parents wanted.

Peter moved away from the living room window and lay down on the couch. On the coffee table was the Daily Prophet, an article about the mysterious werewolf attacks gracing the front page. Peter thought about Remus, frowning. James had written him a letter a few days ago, letting him know Sirius had been attacked by a werewolf and he was in St. Mungo's, but there had been no word since then.

"Peter!" his mum called.

Peter groaned. "What?" he asked. Not the china, please, not the china.

"You've got an owl," his mum said.

Peter jumped up and jogged into the kitchen. He took his owl from his mum. "Excited?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Thanks," Peter said. He took it up to his bedroom, closing the door behind him. There were Gryffindor and Wimbourne Wasps posters and pictures around on the walls. His room was always a bit messy, he had gotten out of cleaning it so far this summer.

He ripped open the envelope and found a letter from James.

Peter,

Hey, mate, how's it going? Let your mum know she should let you out of the house - you only have two weeks until you're of age. You should be here at my house.

Sirius and I saw Remus the other day. We actually got attacked at The Three Broomsticks. Death Eaters tried to hex Remus into that werewolf-for-one-night thing. Dumbledore says it's really hard magic and it involves some really rare potion, too. I would tell you where Remus is right now, but Dumbledore also said that Death Eaters intercept a lot of owls. He's safe, though.

Sirius is in St. Mungo's again. That place is driving me crazy, so I helped for a few hours then came home. My mum says hi.

You're coming over here for your birthday, right? When's your Apparition test? Sirius and I'll go. Maybe Remus will be back from wherever he is. I'm gonna go. Write back.

James

P.S. This war SUCKS.

Peter read it over a few times again. Werewolf-for-one-night. Without the full moon. He wished he could see Remus, but he had no idea where he was. Death Eaters intercepting owls . . . who knows what they had found out through other people's letters.

Sighing, Peter got out some parchment to write James back.

--

Remus braced himself before walking up the street towards his uncle's house. He had no idea how he and his parents were going to explain his disappearance to their relatives. Then there was his father. He thought back to what Dumbledore had said about Fenrir Greyback, the man who had bit him.

It was another sunny, humid day in Greece. Remus looked out at the crystal blue water as it moved back and forth from the shore lazily. He would be here for a few more weeks with his family. The Muggles in his family had no idea what was going on; they were oblivious to the terror and horror of You-Know-Who and his power. But this was where Dumbledore thought he would be the safest, and he trusted Dumbledore.

He started to walk up the street, past other houses, past other people outside of their houses. He saw the front door open and his younger cousin Moira playing with her friends in front of the house. It wasn't like this in the wizarding world anymore. People locked their doors and kept their kids inside unless an adult was present. "Remus!" Moira exclaimed. "Everyone's been worrying about you."

Remus nodded. "Sorry about that," he said. "I had to run home really quick."

His mum came out of the house, looking frenzied. "Remus!" she exclaimed. She threw her arms around her son. "Oh, my goodness. You should have written us more! Where did you go?"

Remus hugged her back, declining to answer.

She pulled away, looking at him worriedly. She took his hand and pulled him inside. The adults were sitting around in the living room.

"Remus!" his aunt said. She stood up and hugged him. "We were worried, you know."

"I'm sorry," Remus said. "There's just some stuff going on back home. My friend had to go to the hospital. I wanted to visit him."

His uncle and dad stood up, both of them looking concerned. "What happened to him?" his uncle asked.

Remus hesitated before responding, then said, "Car accident."

"Oh, no," his aunt gasped. "Is he going to be all right?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he is," Remus said. He thought of seeing James and Sirius in the infirmary at Hogwarts; how they had been fought for him. He had no doubt they would have died yesterday if it meant keeping him safe. "I just . . . I'm sorry, I should have let you guys know."

"Oh, it's all right," his uncle said. "Your parents were worried, though."

Remus nodded. He glanced at his dad, meeting his eyes. His dad gazed back at him, a solemn look on his face. "I'm glad you're all right," he said.

"Thanks," Remus said.

"Are you hungry, dear?" his mum asked. "I'll get you some brunch."

Remus looked at her gratefully. They sat down and ate a bit. He didn't say much to his dad, wanting to ask him about Fenrir Greyback later. His aunt and uncle were planning a trip to the market later on that afternoon. "I think Nancy and I should stay here with Remus," John said.

There was a moment of silence. Remus's uncle nodded. "All right," he said. "That's fine."

"Maybe we'll meet you there, though," Nancy said softly.

An hour later, the three of them were the only ones left in the house. Remus helped his mum wash the dishes. He kept his wand in his pockets, his hands itching to do something.

"Where did you go?" John asked after shutting the door.

"I just had to get away," Remus said, rinsing a plate.

"Get away?" John repeated. "We read about mysterious werewolf attacks, and then we realize that you're gone!"

Remus shrugged. He picked up a towel. His mum looked at the two of them worriedly, sensing the tension.

"I want you to say something," John said.

"What do you want me to say?" Remus said, keeping his eyes on the dishes.

John took out his wand, Summoning the towel and plate out of Remus's hands. "Don't ignore me!" he exclaimed.

Remus looked at him, gritting his teeth. "All right, fine!" he yelled. His mum jumped, her hand going to her heart. "What do you want me to say?"

"You just left!" John exclaimed. "You could have been kidnapped, killed -"

"I left a note!" Remus yelled.

"That note!" John said incredulously. "It wasn't even - you could have written that if the Death Eaters were threatening to kill you!"

Remus let out a frustrated noise. He usually got along with his dad pretty well, but right now, he wanted him to back off. "So, you wanted me to leave a long note telling you why I didn't think it was safe for me to be here?" he asked.

"Maybe I did!" John said. "Going back home definitely wasn't the best idea since that's where You-Know-Who is the strongest!"

"I was going to turn myself in," Remus admitted. He remembered telling this to James and Sirius, and the disbelief he had heard in their voices and seen on their faces.

"What?" Nancy gasped, finally saying something. "Remus, it's not your fault! Why should you have to turn yourself in? We read in the paper that the werewolves were being sent to Azkaban - aren't there those . . . dementors there?"

"Yes," Remus said. "It was the only thing I could think of. I wanted to protect you guys."

There was a moment of silence. Nancy took Remus's damp hand, squeezing it tightly.

"But you didn't turn yourself in," John stated.

"No," Remus said. "James and Sirius and I went to see Dumbledore instead."

"I thought Sirius was in St. Mungo's," Nancy said.

"Me, too," Remus said.

"What did Dumbledore say?" John asked.

"That it was really hard magic with three different spells," Remus said. "A spell, then a potion, followed by another spell. They all have to be in sequence and at the right time or the werewolf could die. He said the potion ingredients were rare, though, and getting even rarer. Then he said it was safe to come back."

Nancy sniffled. Remus looked at her. Tears were falling down her cheeks. "Mum," Remus said. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She leaned her head on his chest, letting out a small sob.

"I wish you would have let us know that you had plans to turn yourself in," John said.

"I didn't know what I was going to do when I left," Remus said. "I just wanted to get away."

John still looked disapproving. Remus looked away, annoyed. What did he want from him? Nancy pulled away from Remus, wiping her face. "So, Dumbledore thinks it's safe here," she said. "Do the Death Eaters know you're a werewolf?"

Remus sighed, nodding. Her face fell. "How?" she asked.

"Lots of ways," he said. "Dumbledore said they intercepted my owls. They've got access to werewolf registry records. And they know the man who bit me."

Nancy gasped. She looked at John, whose facial expression had changed to one of shock. "What?" he said.

"Fenrir Greyback," Remus said. He met his dad's eyes. "Dumbledore said I should ask you about him."

John stared back at him. He cleared his throat. "He . . . Fenrir Greyback," he said, "is a man . . . well, he's hardly a man anymore. I've heard that he's with You-Know-Who now. I heard that You-Know-Who threatens people so that if they don't serve him, they'll unleash Greyback on their children. That's not what happened with you, though."

He paused, taking a deep breath. He sat down at the kitchen table. Remus watched him, transfixed, wanting to hear the rest.

"We went to school together," John said. "He was bitten a few years after he graduated. He went the wrong way completely. He thinks werewolves should get revenge on wizards, that they deserve blood. He started to crave human blood even when he wasn't in his wolf form. If there is anyone to blame for the prejudice against werewolves, he is one of the few. I worked with him about thirteen years ago, and I told him what I thought about him, that he was a vile, disgusting creature."

Nancy was crying again, and Remus was pretty sure he knew where this was going.

"For revenge, he bit you," John said, his voice breaking.

So, those years of pitying the man who had bit him, of thinking it was just a mistake, had been wrong. Instead, a man who craved human flesh had ruined his life and his parents' lives. Remus exhaled a breath, a feeling of resentment rising up in him. What was happening to men today? You-Know-Who was killing because of their blood, werewolves were using their other half for revenge.

"I'm sorry," John said quietly. "I'm so sorry, Remus."

Remus shook his head. "No," he said. "Don't . . ."

"I'm . . . I should have just kept my opinions to myself," John said.

Remus sighed. "Dad, it's not your fault," he said.

Nancy let out a sob, leaning her head against Remus's chest again. Remus patted her shoulder. John looked at him, his eyes red. "Remus, it's . . . it is my fault," he said. "I wish I could make it up to you."

Remus looked away. "It was his choice," he said shortly. "You don't owe me anything, dad." If anything, he owed them.

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A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys!! You rock :) Sorry this took forever! For an apology, I posted two chapters at once ;)