A/N: Sickness, PC problems, writer's block! D: But it's here now! Special thanks to Akayagi; you were the first to review this story, and have since always been the first to review every chapter. Thank you for your support!

The medical bay became too claustrophobic a place for Remus soon. He was to stay there till he had fully recovered, but he protested. Finally, he was excused from teaching for the moment, and allowed to return to his room to recuperate. The creak of the bed as he sat himself down upon it sounded like a warm welcome. But his peace was not to last, as Fenrir called for another meeting, just before dinner.

"Dinner's cancelled tonight, you lot," he scowled.

Agitated whispers swept through the pack. Remus lowered his eyes carefully, so as to avoid any eye contact. He didn't like where this was going.

"It's cancelled, because the Dark Lord wishes to speak to us, about the failure of the hunt."

Quick as lightning, many members of the pack swirled around to point accusing fingers at Remus. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see their fear glinting crazily off their wide eyes, their desperation.

"We were on track, he-"

"-we could have done it, only that-"

"Why should we take the punishment for his stupidity-"

Their voices rang out like ringing fire bells, each rambling over the other, trying to get the attention of the Alpha. However, Fenrir paid little heed to their pleas. He stared straight to the back of the room, at Remus. Remus couldn't fathom his expression. But whatever it was, the sheer intensity of that look alone was breaking his composure.

Oh god, why is he- he's looking at me; just me.

"Moony, you've finally gone loony," he muttered to himself. He pressed his head into his hands, as if it would stop the incessant pounding of his heart against his ribcage.

"Alpha, please, tell our Lord-"

"-help the children avoid-"

The stare was shattered as Fenrir finally roared out in frustration, "Shut your traps! Every one of you!"

All the yelling was suddenly cut off, and nobody moved an inch after that. Nobody, but Remus, who found himself tilting his head ever so slowly to look up, to Fenrir.

I don't understand.

He watched as that pair of eyes returned their gaze to him. The faint puffs of breath coming out from that heaving chest were the only sounds that filled the room now. Rise and fall, rise and fall.

Fenrir clapped his hands twice. The pack mutely rose to their feet. Remus followed suit, scrambling a little.

"Alright. Let's go."

As always, Remus hung around the back of the pack. His hands were tucked comfortably into the deep pockets of his used, brown coat. The children milled around him, laughing, playing with the flapping ends of his coat. Every now and then, Remus would remove his good hand from its pocket, to gently pat a child's head or to hold a small, warm hand; which served as a reminder of his humanity as the pack tromped through the pitch black woods.

Suddenly, the pack came to a standstill, just like the night of the hunt. Without really thinking about it, Remus examined the condition of his body. Limbs, still intact. Brain, a little wonky, but still functioning. Traces of silver, nil. Well, if it there was another casualty, he could be sure it wasn't him, this time.

Yet, he saw the now-familiar figure of Fenrir headed his way- again. The words "I'm not dying!", or something to that effect, almost spilled out of his mouth.

"Remus," Fenrir said, "To the front. With me."

With that, he pulled Remus roughly towards him, and grasped his good hand. He heard little gasps - of terror?- sound from the children behind him. Remus felt the blood rush to his face at the moment of contact with the calloused, rough skin. His mouth suddenly felt too dry.

"I- I- the children, and-"

"Bring those darned kids to the front then," Fenrir growled, tugging hard at Remus' hand. His grip was vice-like, bordering on painful.

The children seemed unpleased at that decision, but knew better than to antagonise him. They jostled closely behind Remus. None dared to walk behind the back of their Alpha. As the walk resumed, Remus found himself wishing that the children were tall enough to hide his and Fenrir's interlocked hands from the rest of the pack.

"Well, this is quite the family."

Remus felt his face grow warm at that familiar sneer. The last thing he wanted was to look like this- children clinging onto him, looking like the bride of the most feared werewolf in all of England- in front of Severus Snape. The man was eyeing him with obvious mirth.

"Where's the Dark Lord?" Fenrir grunted simply, pushing past Snape.

"He has other more pressing issues to attend to tonight," Snape said icily, without looking away from Remus, "I have been chosen to...convey his message, to the only barely literate member of the pack."

Fenrir looked at him blankly.

"That would be your dear Lupin."

Fenrir scowled darkly, and scoffed, "I think all of us have been, and are able to digest simple messages, greaseball."

Snape rolled his eyes. Pulling Remus away from the pack, he led him to a room. Quickly, he cast Silencing charms on the walls, and magically locked the door. Remus groaned inwardly at that. All of this could only mean one thing- an assignment for the Order. And Remus didn't think his current state of mind would be able to cope with that.

"The Dark Lord allows the pack to continue its hunt for the family, until the last day of this year. If the pack continues failing, the consequences will be dire."

"That's merciful," Remus said, sinking to a chair. He kept his eyes down. Snape had not stopped staring at him, and Remus wanted to avoid eye contact, so that Snape couldn't pry through his mind. Snape now started circling around him.

"So, I couldn't help but notice...you now are...associated, with Greyback?" Snape smirked.

Remus pressed his head into his hands. He had seen this coming the moment he stepped through the door, looking like that.

"I..can..explain.." Remus said shakily, breathing in and out.

"You progressed from loving mangled mutts, to unwashed werewolves?"

Usually, Remus would snap back at him for talking about Sirius in such a manner, but tonight, his mind was fully at work on coming up with a good explanation for his behaviour. He remained silent. His eyes darted from one area of the dirty floor to another, as if the answer were carved on the stones.

Finally, he said hoarsely, "It's a plan."

He could picture Snape raising an eyebrow, as he bent down on one knee to be face-to-face with Remus.

"Care to elaborate?"

He's testing me.

"I...was thinking, that if I got close to him, it'd be easier to carry out the Order's tasks."

That should have settled it.

Snape's expression was now extremely unsettling. He looked like a cat who had cornered its prey to a tiny corner of the house.

"In that case, the next assignment from the Order should be no problem at all," he remarked sarcastically, pressing a gold coin into Remus' hand. The gold coin looked suspiciously like the ones created by the Golden Trio. But that wasn't the most urgent issue on his mind at that moment.

"Bring Greyback to a Muggle place, where you two will not be recognised. Once there are few people around you, seize the opportunity, contact the Order. They will Apparate over to take Greyback down. We will have no problems disassembling the pack afterwards."

"Merlin, why now?" Remus whispered silently to himself.

"Do you accept?" Snape questioned, with the tone of a mischievous child playing Truth or Dare.

I have no other choice. I can't blow my cover.

"Yes," he replied, in what he hoped was a firm tone. To his slight delight, though, Snape looked a bit defeated.

"Lupin, look me in the eyes, and say that again."

But Remus knew better than to. His time here had expired, any longer, and he was certain he would be found out. Rising from his chair, he shook Snape's hand and strode towards the door.

"I believe I should return before the pack gets suspicious. I'll try my best for the assignment," Remus said smoothly, without turning back. As the door swung shut, he tried not to think of the "I-know-your-little-secret" look that would be plastered over Snape's face.

Remus tossed fervently around his bed that night. His whole world seemed to be collapsing around him with every passing second. How Snape could survive as a double-agent for so long escaped his logic. He was barely settling into his duty, and he was already being torn apart by all the choices and paths he had to choose and take.

He thought of Tonks, of Sirius, of all his friends in the Order. They brought a surge of happiness within him, but that happiness felt worn, sepia-coloured. It belonged to the world of yesterday. His today belonged in the hands of Fenrir.

And he was going to make sure it was not going to fade away so quickly, like the rest of his days had.

A/N: I guess this is quite a short chapter. :X I really apologise for taking so long to update. I am still very, very interested in continuing this story, and have no intention of giving up on it, for now. Look forward to giving you the next chapter! Thanks for all the support. (: