Chapter 1 - Lying Low at Lupin's (Part 2)

"The Order's reforming." Sirius said simply.

Remus shut the water off and turned, "What's happened?"

"I take it you know about the Triwizard Tournament…" At Remus's nod, Sirius recounted the events of the previous evening. Halfway through the tale, the other man sat down heavily at the table.

"So Harry saw James and Lily?"

"That's what he said," Sirius nodded, "Dumbledore said it was…"

"Priori Incantatem, yes," Remus said.

"You've heard of it?"

Remus nodded again, "Of the concept yes, but never of the actual event. Twin wands," he murmured thoughtfully.

"So Dumbledore sent me here. I've spent the past week making contact with the rest of the remaining order. Albus said he'd be in contact me here tomorrow. Wasn't sure I'd make it in time. He's sending Harry back to the Dursley's, which is insane if you ask me. If he were with me he'd be protected. With muggles he's an open target," Sirius fumed.

"No." Remus said quietly, "he's best protected there."

"How could he possibly be protected at a place where he's ignored and neglected?" Sirius growled.

"I agree that the Dursley's do not care for him properly, but he is protected from Voldemort," Remus held up his hand to forestall the coming protest, "After you were sent to Azkaban, I went to Dumbledore and asked to be allowed to take custody of him. Wizarding law prevents me from adopting him, but it doesn't prevent me from having guardianship. A loophole, James looked. After Harry was born, James took me and Dumbledore aside and said that if anything were to happen to him, Lily, andyou, that he wanted me to take Harry, but he didn't want to put it on paper because he was afraid that some bureaucrat would catch it and fix the oversight. With Dumbledore as witness, he felt it was enough to ensure Harry would be cared for. As you know, I was…absent the night James and Lily were killed. I thought that Dumbledore did the only thing he knew to do, take Harry to Lily's relatives. When I went to him, he told me that Harry is protected there because of Lily's sister."

"That bony bag?" Sirius said indignantly, "She wouldn't hand him a tissue if he sneezed! We met her, remember, when we were packing Lily's things before the wedding. Her and that great lump of a boyfriend Vernon. Turned their noses up at us the whole time. You remember, she wouldn't stop washing her hands after James took hers to help her up the stairs."

"That's because James had put slug slime in his palm," Remus crossed his arms.

Sirius smirked, "I know. I love that memory. I didn't know a voice could reach that octave. But that's all the more reason she still wouldn't lift a finger to help Harry."

"You're right," Remus sighed, "but fortunately she doesn't have to. As long as Harry can call her house his home, he's protected by the blood of Lily's family." Sirius stared at him, "The night Voldemort came to their house, he apparently did not intend to kill Lily, only James and Harry."

"But why…"

"I don't know," Remus interrupted him, "Albus wouldn't tell me why. If Lily had stepped away from Harry, she would have lived."

"No mum would step aside and allow their child to be murdered," Sirius said.

"I can't imagine one that would, but when Lily stood between Harry and Voldemort and died for it, her sacrifice saved Harry."

"Ancient magic," Sirius breathed.

"Yes, ancient magic. Love, family, blood sacrifice…things that Voldemort would never think about. When Lily died, her blood in Harry protected him, and as long as Harry's home is with Lily's blood, he's safe. Until he comes of age, he must call the Dursley's house his home."

"But that doesn't mean he couldn't come stay with me during the summer," Sirius protested, "He's stayed at the Burrow before, hasn't he?"

"Yes, but he must initially return to them. I don't know for how long."

"Dumbledore should be coming by in the morning," Sirius said, "I'll ask him then. I think Harry should come to stay with us as soon as possible….that is, if you don't mind me kipping here?"

"Sirius, if you'd come to me a year ago, you could've been staying here all this time," Remus replied.

"I didn't want to create trouble for you, Moony. I know the Ministry must've given you a hard time," he held up a hand to stall the protest forming, "Don't even bother, I can see it in your eyes."

"They just questioned me, that's all. It's really nothing to bother about."

"Well, that just tells me all the more that it is something to bother about," Sirius glared at him, "I know they moved werewolves back to the Beast division last year, Remus, which means you have no rights under wizarding law, and from what I hear, Snivellus made sure that the entire world knows you're a werewolf, and after that article by Rita Skeeter…"

"Sirius, I'm quite aware that the word of my condition has spread," Remus interrupted, calmly sipping his tea, "I'm probably the best known werewolf in the wizarding world after Fenrir Greyback, which is why I've been staying here. There's no point traveling and looking for a job. It'd be next to impossible to get one with the new law changes and that's without being stared at from the moment I enter a building until I leave and they bring out the cleaning spray. This house is paid for and I'm able to make a bit of money writing journal articles for Defensive Magic Monthly and a few others under a pen name."

Sirius shifted in his seat.

"There's no need to look awkward about it," Remus shrugged, "I'm quite used to my existence being objectionable."

"A year's not long enough to be used to it," Sirius argued, "Hardly anyone knew before."

"Let's just say I accept it then. You, Peter, and James were a little wary when you first found out and don't try to argue," he said over Sirius's protests, "It was only natural that you were. Lily is the only person I've ever met that wasn't a bit put off at first and that's only because she was Muggleborn and didn't know any better. Anyone brought up in the wizarding world is taught that werewolves are dangerous, and that practice is not without merit. Very few werewolves choose living in wizarding society because of the prejudices they face. Most of them live in feral packs and are very much a danger."

Sirius tilted his head to the side, "You never knew that much about other werewolves before."

"It has been almost fourteen years, Sirius. I've picked up a few things."

"But why would you want to learn more about ferals? You're not one of them, Remus." Sirius said.

Remus sighed, setting down his mug, "During the war, Dumbledore came to me and told me that Voldemort was recruiting werewolves to employ in his service. It was the last time that werewolves shifted again to Beast status after having been in Being for most of my life, which meant the loss of many rights that we were used to having."

Sirius nodded, "I remember."

"Yes, well, Albus pulled me aside after one of the meetings. You, Lily, and James were headed to Godric's Hollow because Harry had a cold. He told me that there was a growing werewolf support for Voldemort under Fenrir Greyback. He asked me if I would be willing to go undercover with the pack, gain Greyback's trust if I could, and gather intelligence."

"He did what?!" Sirius squawked, knocking his chair over as he surged to his feet

"I told him no, Sirius," Remus said, studying his hands, "I've never wanted any part of those werewolves that decide to embrace the wolf side of them. They seem to think there's something spiritual about embracing that primal side of the condition," Remus looked up, disgust on his face, "Its being an animal, Sirius, and I've never wanted any part of it. I've spent my entire life trying to be as human as I can be…"

"You are human, Remus," Sirius insisted.

"No, I'm not, Sirius," Remus's tone stopped his friend cold, "It was a childhood delusion to think that I could be. I choose not to be an animal, but I've not been human since I was five."

Sirius growled, "This discussion isn't over, but getting back to Dumbledore having the nerve to ask you to infiltrate the werewolf pack, what happened after you told him you wouldn't?"

"He told me about Greyback. Do you know anything about him?"

Sirius shook his head.

"Greyback has been in operation for fifty years, as near as anyone can figure. That's how far back his file goes in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Remus stood up, pacing the kitchen, "He embraces being a werewolf. He recruits other werewolves and preaches the injustices of wizarding society and how oppressed we are…"

"Stop saying we," Sirius insisted, but Remus continued over him.

"He incites them to revenge. He tells them it's their right to prey on a society that rejects and vilifies us. Sirius, he purposely places himself near humans, particularly children, at the full moon so that he can attack them when he's changed. The adults, he usually kills. The children, he takes away to raise as ferals." His voice quieted, "It was Greyback that bit me."

"How do you know that?" Sirius asked, "I thought you didn't remember what happened?"

Remus glanced at him guiltily, "I didn't remember, not until Albus told me he was the one. Then I started remembering…"