Author's note: Thank you to those who have reviewed already. Your kind words mean so much to me, and I'm so glad that people are enjoying this.

For those who are curious, this story is already completed. It stands at twenty-five chapters, and I've been posting about a chapter a day, so you'll be able to read the whole thing soon.

Love Sees More 3: Greyback's Pack

Chapter 4 - The Choice

Number twelve, Grimmauld Place wasn't exactly the most welcoming house in the entire world. Despite their best efforts to clean it last year, it remained dirty and musty, and there was still the odd creature or two lurking in the nooks and crannies. Remus, however, wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else in that moment.

It had only been his home for a little over a year, but it had seemed much longer than that. Other than his childhood home, it was the only place Remus had lived where it felt like he truly belonged. The only place where he didn't have to worry about what people thought of him. The only place that accepted him the way he was.

As soon as he stepped over the threshold, it felt like the entire house was hugging him, welcoming him home. He had been gone for three weeks, but it felt much longer than that. It felt like it might have been years, in fact, and it felt so good to be back.

Remus closed the door behind him and let out a heavy breath. He grasped the doorknob tightly and leaned into the door, still trying to calm himself after everything that had happened. He stood there for nearly five minutes, not moving, just reabsorbing the feel of the house. Remus was actually surprised the house was still quiet; he had been expecting Sirius to come running the moment he heard someone enter the house.

"Padfoot?" Remus called. More silence met his ears. Remus frowned and tried again, louder this time. "Padfoot?"

That did it. Footsteps pounded up the kitchen stairs, sounding vaguely like a herd of elephants. When Sirius emerged into the entryway, he was going so fast, he nearly toppled over. He had to grab onto the wall to steady himself.

When he straightened up, he stared wide-eyed at Remus. Bright blue eyes met deeper blue for the first time in three weeks…which felt much longer to both of them. No one moved a muscle.

Sirius almost couldn't believe the state that his best friend was in. He was messy, rumpled, dirty, and he looked thinner than Sirius could ever remember seeing him. Even when he wasn't working (which was most of the time), he'd never been this thin before. Remus's robes were always in a state of disrepair, but he at least liked to be clean and presentable. He was just an absolute mess now - nothing at all like he usually was.

"Moony," Sirius breathed. "I didn't…hear you come in. And then you called for me and…I wasn't sure if I heard you or not. Thought I might be imagining things." He laughed nervously. This felt even more awkward than when they had met after all those years in the Shrieking Shack. "I missed you."

Remus closed his eyes, still pressed up against the front door. "Me, too."

A small smile appeared on Sirius's lips then, and he stepped forward. He reached his arms out, trying to pull Remus into a hug, but the werewolf flinched away. Sirius pulled back like he'd been burned, and Remus stared down at the floor, pressing himself into the door as hard as he could.

"Moony…"

Remus shook his head and pleaded, "I can't, okay? Not right now." He looked up at his best friend again, a look of deep hurt on Sirius's face. "I'm sorry," Remus apologized. "It's not you, it's me. The only person to touch me in the last three weeks has been Greyback. Anyone else touching me right now just makes me think it's him." Remus swallowed hard, shivered, and stepped around Sirius and further into the entranceway.

"I'm not Greyback."

"I didn't say you were."

Sirius watched him carefully, not saying anything for a long time. "He didn't…do anything crazy to you, did he?" Sirius's voice hovered on anger.

"No," Remus whispered. "Nothing like that. He's actually been nice to me. As nice as I think he's capable of being, anyway. It's just…" He broke off, rubbing at his temples like he was getting a headache. "You have no idea how much that man - werewolf disgusts me. He is, without a doubt, the vilest creature I've ever had the unfortunate experience of coming across. I can barely stand to look at him…and the smell! God, Sirius, the smell. I mean, you thought you were nasty after Azkaban, but it's absolutely nothing - nothing - compared to what Greyback is like. He chooses to live that way and then wonders why people treat him like a disease!" Remus laughed, sounding a bit hysterical. It seemed like everything he had thought in the last three weeks was suddenly pouring out of him, and he couldn't (or didn't want to) stop it. "That's one of his favorite expressions - that people treat him like a disease."

Sirius watched him closely, his eyes following Remus as he paced the entrance hall. He wasn't quite sure what to say; he had never seen Remus this agitated before, and that scared him.

"And you want to know what the worst part of it is?" Remus asked. "It's this pretending. Pretending that I'm loyally following him when that couldn't be further from the truth. Pretending that I don't want to be sick at the sight of him. Pretending that…that I…" Remus stopped and shook his head, not quite ready to even repeat what it was Greyback wanted him to do.

Remus felt tears prickling at his eyes, but he refused to cry again. He had wasted enough time on that back in his cell at the compound. If he was going back at all, he had to return before Greyback came to wake him for breakfast. That didn't give him a whole lot of time…not as much as he would have liked. Then again, would any amount of time be enough?

Now that he was back at Grimmauld Place again, a small part of Remus was seriously considering never going back to that hellhole. But he had given his word to Dumbledore that he would try his hardest to get as much information as he could. If he passed Greyback's test, there was no telling what he would reveal to Remus. He knew his time at the compound wasn't over - wouldn't be over until he was satisfied that he had gotten every bit of information possible out of Greyback.

Remus, however, was tired. He hadn't really realized it until he had stepped into number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Even though he still felt like he was tied up in a million knots, just being here made him feel better. He must have been running on pure adrenaline, because now that he had calmed down a bit, his exhaustion seemed to hit him like a ton of bricks. He wanted nothing more than to trudge upstairs, take a nice hot bath, and crawl into his bed (not that ruddy cot at the compound), but that was entirely out of the question.

Unable to remain on his feet anymore, Remus grabbed the railing of the stairs leading up to the first floor. He sat down hard on the third riser, leaning heavily into the wall and closing his eyes.

Neither he nor Sirius said anything for the longest time. It was so quiet that Remus hovered on the edge of sleep, thinking that sitting on a set of stairs was a million times better than the "bed" that Greyback had provided him with.

"Good lord, Moony," Sirius broke the silence, taking a few steps closer to his friend. He almost had the urge to put a hand on Remus's shoulder, but knew that wouldn't be welcome at the moment. "I didn't…I thought you said you knew what you were getting yourself into."

Remus cracked an eye open, giving Sirius a piecing look. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Sirius said defensively. "I'm just thrilled to see you, all right? You've been gone for three weeks and one day, and I was worried in case you couldn't tell. I've been wondering if maybe Greyback just killed you the moment you got there."

"I would have come earlier if I could have," Remus argued. "Is being locked in a cell a good enough reason for not doing so?" Remus pushed himself to his feet and paced back towards the other end of the hall. Being too close to Sirius was making him…uneasy.

"What?"

"You heard."

"He's…he's keeping you locked up?"

"He doesn't trust me completely yet, Sirius," Remus hissed. "Why would he? I just show up out of the blue, wanting to join him - as you've said, Greyback isn't a moron. I have to prove myself first." He began to pace back and forth in the foyer. Now that he had some space to walk around in, he seemed unable to stay still.

Sirius blinked wearily. "By doing what?"

Remus sighed heavily, staring up at the ceiling. "Can we Floo Albus first? I'd rather tell it to the both of you at the same time instead of having to repeat it."

Sirius didn't exactly need Remus to explain anything then. He could tell…by the look on Remus's face and his tone of voice that it wasn't good. Sirius's mind raced with all of the possibilities, but a couple stuck out in his mind very prominently.

"Tomorrow night's the full moon," Sirius said tonelessly.

"Which is why I had to come tonight," Remus added. "Please believe me when I say that I couldn't come before now. It wasn't because I was trying to make you worry or anything…I just couldn't."

"Which is why I thought you'd be happy to be here," Sirius said, "and you're not."

"Padfoot," Remus said immediately, "please don't think that. That couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, this is the first time in weeks that I've felt even remotely safe and comfortable."

"Then why won't you let me come within five feet of you?"

"I told you!"

"Or why you're pacing around like a caged animal?"

Remus immediately froze in his place. He frowned deeply and stared at a random spot on the wall, still unable to meet Sirius's eyes. "Sirius. Just don't," Remus said, biting out every word. "I've been through enough hell these last three weeks without you pointing out everything I'm doing wrong now."

"Sorry," Sirius whispered. He took a few steps towards Remus, being careful to stop before he got too close. "I didn't mean anything…I do that a lot, you know. Say things without thinking." Sirius laughed breathlessly in a fruitless attempt to lighten the mood. "I was so excited to see you, but…this isn't quite what I was expecting."

"What were you expecting?"

Sirius shook his head. "I don't know. I guess I knew you wouldn't be exactly the same, but I wasn't expecting you to be completely different either. This isn't you at all and I still miss you - the Remus and I know and love."

A small smile crossed Remus's lips and he suddenly felt much better; he supposed that was something he needed to hear - that he was loved - after what he had been through. Remus ran a hand through his hair, took a deep breath, and continued. "Just know that it has absolutely nothing to do with you, but everything to do with the fact that I've spent the last three weeks in a hellhole, okay? The only social contact I've had has been with werewolves that live like animals. The only physical contact I've had has been with a werewolf that makes me feel sick to my stomach. I know I'm not the same person I was, but try and understand. I just…can't be that same person right now. Not when I have to go back there again. Once this is over…I will be okay. Just not now. I thought you of all people would understand that, because if I remember correctly, you weren't exactly the most sociable person after Azkaban, either."

That forced Sirius into a temporary silence as he considered everything Remus had said. Sirius thought back to that time - the most miserable time of his life - when his only contact had been with dementors. He hadn't really thought about the fact that Remus's time with the werewolves would leave him feeling the same way.

"I…I guess I wasn't, was I?" Sirius asked uncertainly. He knew it was the truth, but it made him feel worse to acknowledge it. He growled in frustration and ran his hands through his hair. "Moony, I'm sorry. I know you've been through hell these last few weeks, and I'm not even trying to understand. I was just so upset over worrying how you were…I didn't even stop to think about what you were going through."

"Don't apologize," Remus said. "To be honest, I didn't even know how much this would affect me. I knew it would be hard, but…this has taken a much bigger emotional toll on me than I thought it would."

Sirius nodded. "All it takes is one look at you to know that."

One of Remus's eyebrows went up. "Thanks, Padfoot."

"Well…" Sirius said sheepishly, "you do look like hell."

"You didn't look so hot after Azkaban yourself."

"Yeah, don't bring that up," Sirius muttered. "Why don't you get yourself cleaned up?"

Remus shook his head. "Can't. If I go back looking significantly cleaner than I did before, that would be somewhat of a giveaway."

"Then how about something to eat?"

Remus's face scrunched up into a look of disgust. "Please, don't even mention food."

"From the looks of you," Sirius argued, "you haven't been eating much."

"If I don't want to eat live things," Remus said, "there's little else to eat."

"I lived on rats for a while. It's actually not as bad as it sounds…you get used to it after a while."

"I'm not eating anything that's alive when I get it," Remus said flatly. "That's exactly what Greyback would like."

"And I promise you," Sirius said, "that nothing in my kitchen is alive."

"I can't," Remus insisted, that ill look passing over his face again. "I actually need to Floo Albus before it gets too late." He headed for the kitchen stairs, but then he stopped and looked back over his shoulder at Sirius. "Once I do…then maybe you'll understand why I'm not exactly in the mood to eat, either."

Remus disappeared down the stairs, leaving Sirius with his own thoughts. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what Remus was going to tell them. Judging by the look on Remus's face, it wasn't good, and it pained Sirius to see Remus going through any of this at all. Sighing heavily, Sirius forced himself to move, following Remus down into the kitchen.

Nearly an hour later, Sirius had at least gotten Remus to have some tea. The werewolf was sitting at the table in the kitchen, steaming teacup in front of him. Dumbledore sat across from him, listening to everything Remus could possibly remember about the werewolves - their names, ages, how many there were, their ranks, and everything they'd ever told Remus.

Sirius, meanwhile, alternated between leaning against the wall and pacing the floor; he had to seriously control himself to keep from ranting about how ridiculous this entire thing still was. Sirius was, however, relieved that Remus had seemed to calm down at least a little bit in the short time he'd been there.

"Have you tried talking to any of them yet about joining our side?" Dumbledore asked.

Remus shook his head, taking another sip of tea. "I don't think it's wise yet. Not until I've been there longer."

"I agree," Dumbledore said. He paused, looking at the piece of parchment where he had written down all the information on Greyback's werewolves. "Which one would be the easiest to sway, do you think?"

Remus considered this. "Probably Althea. She's the newest other than me - and some poor bloke that didn't make it past his test. She doesn't really know anyone else…too afraid to even try to talk to them. When she found out she wasn't the newest any longer, she sort of…attached herself to me."

"You've got a girlfriend, eh Moony?" Sirius teased.

"Hardly," Remus snorted. "She's young, in her early twenties."

"So is Tonks."

Remus stiffened. "And that obviously didn't work out, so what's your point?"

"Nothing," Sirius insisted, "but she's a werewolf." The way Sirius made it sound, that one little fact might have made her the perfect girlfriend.

"Currently in Greyback's pack," Remus reminded. "If it's all right with you, I'm not about to get involved with any of them."

"Did she ever tell you why she joined him?" Dumbledore asked.

Remus was thankful for the distraction from Sirius's questions. "She doesn't like to talk about it very much," Remus said, "but from what I can gather, it was mostly as a last resort. She was eighteen when she was bitten, and her parents didn't want her after that. It was impossible for her to get a job, of course, and she really didn't have anywhere else to go - no other family or anything. It was mostly just coincidence that Greyback found her first."

Dumbledore hummed in response. "She went to Hogwarts. If I had known she was bitten afterwards, I would have been more than willing to help her."

"I suspected as much," Remus replied. "She mentioned that she knew you, although she wouldn't say from where."

"Moony?" Sirius asked. "Is it really a smart idea to go around asking these people if they know Albus?"

"I didn't," Remus said, rolling his eyes. "Do give me some credit. She knows who I am, and she started asking about Albus one day."

Sirius frowned. "She's not suspicious of you then?"

Remus shrugged. "I don't think so. Or if she is, she's at least giving me the benefit of the doubt, since she remembers what it's like to be the new one there. I think she's just thankful to have someone halfway sane to talk to, since all the others have let their seniority go their head." He paused and added, "Like Talon. I'm rather concerned about him. He seems to think I'm a spy," he said sarcastically.

Dumbledore smirked. "But Greyback isn't listening to him?"

"Not at all," Remus replied. "If anything, it's helped my position. If there's one thing Greyback hates, it's being questioned or being told that he's made a mistake. Since it was his decision to let me in, it only infuriates him when Talon makes those accusations."

"But you're still concerned about Talon?"

Remus nodded. "I don't think he's going to trust me no matter what I do. I'll have to be extremely careful around him and about anything I say or do potentially getting back to him." Remus paused, staring down at the tea in his mug. "Even after I prove myself."

"Did Greyback tell you what that entails yet?"

Clenching his jaw tightly, Remus nodded. He was beginning to feel sick all over again, not sure if he could even repeat the words. He stood up and walked to the other side of the room, his back to both Dumbledore and Sirius.

"Remus," Dumbledore said, "you know I won't force you to do anything. I told you that before you went. If you'd rather stop right now, just say the word."

Remus shook his head. When he turned back to them, he said, "I can't quit now. I'm sure as hell not going to do what Greyback wants, but I'm not going to quit either. I didn't spend the last three weeks trying to gain Greyback's trust only to give up. Not if there's a convincing way for me to get through this."

After a long moment of silence, Dumbledore said, "You do have to tell me what it is Greyback wants you to do. I can't help you otherwise."

"I know," Remus whispered. He fidgeted, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. Before he could lose his nerve, he quickly said, "There's a boy. Not far from the compound. He's seven. Greyback had an argument with his father and…he wants me to bite the boy. Tomorrow night."

"Oh, bloody hell, no!" Sirius screamed. "I've been quiet through this whole thing and I've let you go and infiltrate those damn werewolves, but we are not having his conversation! It stops right now! I put my foot down at the biting business!"

"I'm not going to do it, Padfoot," Remus said calmly. "There's no need to shout."

Sirius gaped. "But you said…!"

"I said," Remus interrupted, "that I'll do it if there's a convincing way to get through this."

"Like we all know," Sirius argued, "Greyback's not an idiot." He suddenly frowned and added, "Well, then again, if he was all that smart, he wouldn't have let you in in the first place…"

"It's his arrogance," Remus supplied. "He's just blinded by the possibility of his pack growing larger, and then he's even more blinded by thinking he isn't capable of making a mistake. It's actually pretty convenient."

"All right," Sirius said, "but he still isn't entirely stupid. What in the bloody hell do you mean, 'get through this convincingly'?"

Dumbledore supplied, "I suspected this was what Greyback's test would involve, and I have a plan. We'll need your help, Sirius, but if you're both willing, then I think we can fool Greyback into thinking that Remus has bitten that boy."

Sirius stared at them. "Fool Greyback," he said around a laugh, "right. Well, I still think this entire thing is completely nuts, but let's hear the plan anyway."

"First of all," Dumbledore said, "I want to ensure you that the boy will be perfectly safe. Did Greyback give you his name?"

Remus nodded. "Justin Farris. They live in the village just east of the compound."

"I'll have him moved to a safe location immediately," Dumbledore reassured them. "And then we need a decoy. Someone to drink Polyjuice Potion and pretend to be Justin. Preferably someone who's been around werewolves during a full moon before and knows what to expect from them." He looked at Sirius.

Sirius gave a nervous laugh. "I guess that's where I come in." He made a face and rubbed his hand nervously over the back of his neck. "But so far, so good. Nothing yet to indicate that this entire plan is crazy."

"Yet," Remus mumbled.

"Did I mention that that someone also needs to be an Animagus?" Dumbledore asked sheepishly.

"Yes, I've got that covered too," Sirius said. "But if I'm going to be using Polyjuice Potion, what difference does it make whether I'm an Animagus or not?"

"A great deal of difference, Sirius," Dumbledore said. He hesitated and sighed, getting up from his chair. Taking his time walking around the table, he stared long and hard at both the both of them. "This is the part that I'm not sure either one of you will like."

"Uh oh," Sirius said. "Not exactly the best way to start this, is it?" He shared a grim look with Remus.

"In order to convince Greyback of it," Dumbledore continued, "he has to see Moony biting that boy."

"No," Remus said immediately. "There has to be another way. Some kind of mind control charm, something…"

"If it was just Greyback," Dumbledore explained, "then that would be an option. But with a pack of almost thirty…" He broke off and shook his head. "A mind control charm would be far too complicated to perform on that many people in such a short amount of time. You've already said that they're suspicious of you and with good reason. If any one of them suspects that something isn't right during your test, your entire cover will be blown."

Sirius raised his hand tentatively. "Erm…don't I have a say in all this?"

"No," Remus said.

"Well…" Sirius continued anyway, "you know I love you, Moony, but I didn't exactly think that this would involve me becoming a werewolf. No offense," he added to Remus.

"You won't, Sirius," Dumbledore assured him. "I'm actually surprised that you would think such a thing."

Sirius blinked. "Oh. Well, you were talking about him biting me and all…I didn't know what else to think. Carry on, then."

"'Carry on'?" Remus sputtered. "That's all you have to say?"

"Yeah," Sirius said uncertainly. "What else is there?"

"How about that this entire plan is insane?" Remus exclaimed. "Isn't that your favorite expression as of late?"

"Remus," Sirius said calmly, "I trust you and I trust Albus. No, this may not be the safest idea in the world, but when have we ever done anything that's safe anyway?"

Remus opened his mouth to respond, but no sound came out. He suddenly felt sick again and he turned away from the others, staring at the fireplace across the room. He thought at least Sirius of all people would back him up on this.

Silence fell, which Dumbledore eventually broke. "As I was saying, Sirius will be perfectly safe, I assure you. As long as he transforms into Padfoot first, and then drinks the Polyjuice Potion. Justin isn't his true form, and as long as the last true form he takes is that of Padfoot, the bite will not affect him. It will be the same as Moony biting him while in his Animagus state."

"No," Remus said again. "I don't care how safe you claim he'll be. I'm not going to do this."

"Moony…" Sirius said, "I don't see what the problem is."

Remus rounded on him, his eyes wide and his chest heaving. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides so tightly, his knuckles were turning white. "You don't see what the problem is?" he shouted. "You were the one who was against all of this from the start, and now you don't see what the problem is?"

"No, I don't," Sirius said, keeping his voice quiet. "Do you have any idea how many bites and scratches I got from Moony in my life? If that's what you're worried about…don't be. Besides, you'll have the Wolfsbane, so you'll be in control of what you're doing. I can handle a few bites and scratches."

"Under normal circumstances, yes, you probably could," Remus agreed, "but these are hardly normal circumstances. In case you're forgetting, there's going to be an entire pack of wolves with me who won't be using the Wolfsbane. If they suspect that something's not right, they won't hesitate to rip you to pieces themselves."

"So make it look convincing," Sirius said.

"NO!" Remus screamed. He suddenly laughed, sounding a bit crazy. "I can't believe you're okay with this! After everything you said to me about not thinking things through and letting certain things cloud my judgment. Maybe you're the one who isn't thinking clearly now. Not all werewolves are like me, Padfoot." He took a few steps towards Sirius, looking him directly in the eye. "Some of them are vicious crazed maniacs when they're in their human forms. You have no idea - absolutely none - what they'll be like once the moon is full."

"Like Moony without the Wolfsbane, I suspect," Sirius said nonchalantly. "Only more of them."

"You've never been around that many werewolves," Remus argued. "You may know how to handle yourself around one, but when they're in a pack, it's completely different. The entire mentality is changed."

"If I may," Dumbledore spoke up, "I doubt very much that Greyback would look kindly on anyone interfering with your…test." He said the last word quietly, almost as if he was afraid of using it. "As long as you do make it look convincing, the others will have little need to act."

"How many more times do I have to say it?" Remus cried in exasperation. "I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to pretend to bite anyone. It's sadistic and I won't have any part of it. End of story." He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked toward the fire, staring daggers down at the flickering flames.

Sirius approached him, taking a moment to think about what to say. "Moony? Is that what's really bothering you? The fact that you'd have to pretend to bite me? Because I told you…"

"No," Remus interrupted, running a hand through his hair. He still refused to meet Sirius's eyes. "It isn't that. If it was you, it wouldn't be a big deal. But that's just it - I wouldn't be pretending to bite you. I would be pretending to bite a seven year old boy." He turned, finally facing Sirius and then looking past him to Dumbledore. "That's two years older than I was when I was bitten. I know it won't be real, but…just the thought…it disgusts me," he finished flatly.

"But it won't be a seven year old boy," Sirius stressed. "It'll still be me. Try to focus on that - like we're play-fighting like we used to at Hogwarts."

"I know, but…" Remus stopped, shaking his head. "Just why in the hell are you so anxious for me to do this anyway?" he asked, sounding slightly accusing.

Sirius felt his cheeks growing red. "I'm not anxious. You said so yourself that you didn't spend the last three weeks there only to quit. I…I don't want your time there to be in vain, that's all."

Remus let out a heavy breath, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at the fireplace again. "Nor do I. I keep thinking about what Greyback might tell me once he does trust me. And I want him to trust me so badly I can taste it. He almost does trust me as it is - as much as he can right now. If I pass his test…there's no telling what sorts of information he might share with me."

"Does that mean you'll do it?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

Remus stared at them both for a long time, not answering. When he finally spoke, he said, "I can't believe I'm saying this - I must be completely out of my mind."

"You're doing it for our side, Moony," Sirius said. "Nothing more."

Shifting uncomfortably, Remus controlled the urge to pace again. He hadn't realized when he had gotten this sudden need to keep moving. He supposed it was from sitting in the same cell for so long, and he wanted to ask Sirius if he had experienced the same thing after Azkaban.

"Remus?" Dumbledore asked.

Nor had Remus realized how much his mind kept wandering. In a way, it was hard for him to keep focused on the conversation at hand. He had far too much on his mind at the moment to worry about any one thing.

Remus growled in frustration, directed at both himself and Dumbledore. In a way, he still felt like he was locked in a cage, with both Sirius and Dumbledore watching him, waiting for an answer.

"It'll be getting light soon," Dumbledore said gently, gesturing to the window. "If you're going back at all, you don't have that much time to decide."

"I know!" Remus snarled in frustration. He just desperately wanted for things to be normal again. He wanted to be able to resume his life at Grimmauld Place - to go upstairs, take a shower, and go to bed like he usually would. The last thing he wanted was to go back to the compound and sit in that tiny smelly cell again. The thought of it almost made him crazy.

"You're absolutely sure," Remus asked Dumbledore, "that Sirius will be immune to the bite?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise."

Remus considered this, then shut his eyes in defeat. "I am completely out of my mind," he decided, "but fine. It's what you both want, fine."

"It'll be all right, Moony," Sirius said as reassuringly as he could. "It'll be over before you know it - tomorrow night and this whole infiltration thing. You'll be able to come home, and we'll have more information and followers for our side - it'll be okay."

So why did Remus feel like he was signing his soul away?

To be continued...