Chapter 83: Alterum Non Laedere*

2 April 1980

The Red Lion

They landed in muggle London first, a way-between stop to pick up some last minute supplies, grab a pint, and settle their nerves away from the others before the real journey began. It wasn't that they meant to exclude the others, it was just different. They needed space, alone, to discuss what they were going to face.

"What was it like?" Remus asked as they finished their meal. "The dynamic with the werewolf you knew before you came to Hogwarts?"

"Er—"

"I imagine it was different than with me, right?"

"You'd be surprised," Hermione muttered. "I mean, you have to remember I really only knew him as a werewolf when I wasn't one. I only had a few days with him after I was bitten."

"Right, right, of course." Remus sighed. "Fuck, I guess we're totally in the dark with how to interact with other werewolves, aren't we? I mean, hell, we're so lucky Pup and Moony get along so well. Who knows how that could've turned out."

"Right." Hermione grimaced. "Wait, didn't you meet another werewolf during your first year? Isn't that what Sirius said?"

"No. At least, I don't think so. I just—It was my first moon away from home, right? I was bloody terrified. I had nightmares for the whole week before that I was going to go on a rampage and eat a bunch of students, bite everybody. I—I was scared shitless, Hermione." Remus averted his gaze, lost for a moment in his memory. "McGonagall showed me how to get to the Shack and then I was alone. All alone in an unfamiliar place with no idea what the fuck I would get up to as the wolf."

"Oh, Remus." Hermione moved to his side of the booth, scooting in close.

He gave her a half-way smile. "S'alright. Made it through, didn't I? Woke up the next morning and everything was okay. I truly thought I'd wake up torn apart, but for the first time in my life, I woke with no new scars. But I was still alone, so I—I dunno, I guess I just convinced myself that someone else had been there with me. It made the rest of the year a bit more manageable, especially after the-the rabbit. I just kept telling myself that maybe maybe some other wolf would appear in the night to keep me company."

Hermione just reached for his hand to hold between her own. Remus coughed, clearing his throat.

"Wasn't totally wrong though. Just had to wait six more years for you to show up." He bumped Hermione with his shoulder. "Now, no matter what, I'm never alone for the full moon."

"Never." Hermione felt bile sour in her chest.

"Right, enough of that." Remus cleared their glasses out of the way, pulling out the intel from Dumbledore. "Stop number one. The Taylors."

"Lewis, Erin and Hunter, family of three," Hermione recited. "Hunter is nine, and he and his mum are both werewolves. And thanks to those buggers at the Ministry—" She points to the paper before them. "We've got an address."

"They seem like a normal family."

"But?"

"But they're other werewolves. We have no idea how they—or us for that matter—will respond."

"I mean, at the end of the day they're just people, and we're on the other side of the moon. Less influence from Moony and Pup may help us out here."

"Yeah, no, you're right." Remus' eyes stayed set on the Taylor's information. "You know, I think this may be harder than I thought it was going to be."

"What? Meeting other wolves?"

"No, I mean I figured meeting other werewolves would be tough. Coming up against different dynamics and such, but I dunno. I guess just seeing what it's like. Erin Taylor?" Remus sighed when it appeared Hermione was still confused. "Erin Taylor, werewolf, and she's got a son who's a werewolf."

"And a husband," Hermione said. Remus rolled his eyes. "We don't know their situation, do we? No. But what I do know is that lycanthropy isn't genetic. You can't pass it on that way."

Remus just grumbled and turned back to their research. Hermione stared at him for a moment before looking down as well. Remus had years of history of being a werewolf already, something Hermione couldn't relate to. She'd known about the prejudice and the distrust and the treatment for years, but she'd never experienced it herself. Her life as a werewolf was protected by Remus. She grew up defending werewolves, trying to understand them beyond the scary stories people spread. She came into the change with a completely different outlook than Remus. She wasn't afraid of the wolf.

"Listen," he was saying. "Let's just get there, find a place to stay, and we'll start figuring it out as we go. You're right, we don't know their situation. We've got to fit our approach to them. No matter what we find. Dumbledore's depending on us for allies."

A hundred different responses waited on her tongue, but the conversation regarding Remus' perspective on the wolf was one that would never end. So Hermione nodded, pushed back from the table and together they left the Red Lion behind.

April 1980

It took them some time to approach the Taylors, part hesitancy, part fear. They found their little town easy enough with the information from the Ministry. They found where they lived and worked, and they watched. The Taylors seemed to live a normal life. Lewis Taylor worked full time, and Erin was a home maker, a stay-at-home mum. Hunter went off to school and came home like clockwork. By all appearances, they seemed like a normal family. Except of course, where they didn't. Hunter missed a few days of school after the full moon. When Erin dropped him off on Friday morning, she looked weary and run down. Not all too different from a mum with a rambunctious child at the end of a long week, but Hermione and Remus knew where to look.

They saw the tenderness of joints, the hands tugging at clothing to cover scars old and new, the alertness that lingered with their heightened senses. And they could smell them.

When Remus and Hermione went to sleep each night in the room they rented at a local inn, they talked about what they'd observed, the patterns they'd seen, ways to work themselves into the lives of the Taylors. They didn't talk about their reluctance to pull a family into the mess of war, but it lay like an undercurrent weighing on conversation.

It took them some time to approach the Taylors, but they did. Dumbledore, of course, was relying on them.

6 April 1980

The Corner Market

Hermione grabbed a random can off the shelf, placing it in her empty basket as she followed Erin Taylor around the grocery. She ran through the cover story she and Remus had developed as she passed aisles of packaged goods. She stepped closer, watching for the woman's reaction. Was she really doing this? Hermione glanced around. Remus was nowhere in sight, but she knew he was only a few aisles over, patiently waiting for her to make the first move. She took a step forward, then another, all the while watching Erin's breathing. She could tell the moment her scent was caught. The woman's head perked up, eyes darting around until they landed on Hermione. Wide eyes locked on each other. Here, we go.

"You're—" Erin blinked, stepping forward then back again. "You're a werewolf."

"I am." Hermione took a slow step forward, lowering her voice to a whisper. "And you are, too?"

Erin nodded. She glanced around. "I'm sorry. I smelled—" She blushed. "I didn't mean to blurt it out like that."

"No, no, I get it. It's a bit of a shock, isn't it? Do you run into, er, people like us often?"

"Never." Erin blinked again. She looked Hermione over quickly, as if trying to assess whether she was a threat. Hermione cast her eyes down demurely to the lone can of peas in her basket. Whatever Erin saw had her relaxed. She shifted her own basket and held out a hand. "I'm Erin, by the way."

Hermione glanced at the offered hand as if nervous, tentative. She took a moment and then returned a smile. She took Erin's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as she shook it. "Hermione. It's nice to meet you."

"You as well. Do you live around here?"

"Sort of," Hermione started. "My boyfriend and I are looking for our next place to land. We've been staying at the King's Road Inn. Just up the hill?"

"Yes, I know it."

"Right, well, we like the area so we've been looking around, but haven't quite found the right place yet."

"I see." Erin's smile turned forced, her nose crinkling slightly as it didn't quite reach her eyes. "My husband, son, and I live a ways outside town."

"Oh, you have a son. How old is he?"

"Hermione?" Remus rounded the corner.

"Remus, there you are." She gestured to Erin. "This is Erin. Erin, this is my boyfriend, Remus."

Remus stepped forward to shake Erin's hand. Erin took two steps back and blinked at him.

"Oh, you're-you're also—"

Remus blushed and darted his eyes to Hermione. She couldn't tell if it was real or if he was actually quite good at this. She reached for his hand before looking back at Erin. "We both are, yes."

"Oh."

"I was just telling Erin how we were looking at the area."

"Right, yes, we have been." Remus nodded. "Do you like it around here? Has it been too difficult or anything? With… you know?"

"It's been great, actually. We've only been here a few years, but—It's not easy, of course, but we make it work."

"Great, that's really good. Brilliant."

"But," Erin paused as she glanced at their clasped hands. "There's only two of us here. You understand me, right?"

"Ah, yes." Remus nodded. He'd given Erin space and moved a half-step behind Hermione.

"Right, and honestly I think that's the reason it's been easy, or as easy as it can be. We just want a quiet life, you know? Don't want to draw too much attention. With more, er, people like us, that could be difficult."

"No, no," Hermione nodded. "We totally understand. We didn't know and-and have no intentions of imposing. Right, Remus?"

"Er, right." Remus looked at Hermione, trying to hide his confusion.

"I'm sorry, I truly don't want to discourage you all from living here. It is a wonderful place." Erin thought for a moment before steeling herself, meeting Remus and Hermione's gaze with a fierce conviction. "It's my son, Hunter. He's only nine. If he was older, maybe, but he's just so young. I don't want anything—I can't let anything threaten him."

Remus reached out a hand, as if to touch her shoulder but he pulled back. "I understand. More than anything, truly."

"You don't have to worry about us." Hermione pushed on. "We'll pass through in a couple of days."

Erin visibly relaxed, exhaling deeply. "Thank you. And I am sorry. I've really never met other—I hate to put you out, but I have to put him first. It's been hard enough living with this, but my husband and I just want him to have a normal childhood. Or as close to it as he can get."

"We will be out of your hair in no time." Hermione smiled, putting her hand on Remus' arm and looking up at him. "We paid for the next couple of days, but I'm sure if we asked we could get our money back."

"Oh," Remus nodded. "Oh, right, yes. Er, hopefully, right? Would be a shame to lose that."

"Oh, I feel awful," Erin interrupted. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry. No, you all do not need to run out of town. I didn't mean—"

"No really, it's okay."

"No, I insist. And actually…" She thought for a moment.

"Yes?" Hermione squeezed Remus' arm. Come on, Erin, come on.

"Why don't you both come over for dinner tomorrow? You can meet my husband, and it may be good for Hunter to meet other… well, other people."

Yes. "We'd love to."

7 April 1980

The Taylors' Home

"Hello." Hermione plastered on a smile as soon as Erin answered the door. She held up a bottle of wine while Remus lifted a small bouquet of flowers. Erin smiled, accepting both before stepping to let the two into her home.

"It's a lovely place you've got."

"Thank you." Erin shut the door. The sound of footsteps preceded the sight of a little boy barreling around the corner.

Remus stepped in front of Hermione, pulling her to the wall as the little boy skidded to a stop against his mother's thighs.

"You guys smell weird."

"Honey, what did we say about talking about smell?" Erin straightened her son. "I'm so sorry."

"No—"

"But you said they're like me. Don't you guys smell everything, too?"

"All the time." Remus smiled down at Hunter.

A man appeared next, Lewis Taylor no doubt.

"Sorry, little man got away from me. I'm Lewis."

Remus stepped forward. "Remus. This is Hermione."

"Pleasure."

"Likewise."

"I have a scar on my eye, too."

Hermione looked down at Hunter staring up at her. She knelt down to meet him eye to eye. Remus shifted beside her as Hunter reached out to touch her face. She closed her eyes against the surprisingly gentle touch, opening them again when she felt Hunter retreat. She smiled at him.

"I think it makes us look brave, don't you?"

Above them, Erin and Lewis shared a sad smile.

Erin lasted until they opened the second bottle of wine. "Can I ask—Sorry, I really don't know the etiquette to this."

"Ask away. It's okay."

"How long have you been werewolves?"

Hermione took a sip of wine then spoke first. "It was more recent for me, just a few years ago. Everything I know, I owe to Remus."

"That's the same as us." Erin looked to Hunter beside her, stroking his hair as he ate. "Hunter was bitten—" She nodded at Lewis. "—a year ago. Wow, seems like ages and no time at all."

"That's the way of it. Do you know who?"

"No, it happened on a camping trip. He'd wandered off in the night, curious thing, and—" Erin shook her head. "Well, we don't know."

"We tried to go to the Ministry for help, but you know them. Just a few pamphlets and a load of paperwork for us to do." Lewis rolled his eyes.

"We had to figure out a lot on our own. And of course there were accidents." Erin held out her arm and pushed up her sleeve. Her forearm was marred by the pink scarring of a bite. Hunter picked up his head. Remus felt his lip curl a bit.

"He bit you?" His voice came out rougher than intended.

Erin smiled softly and nodded before turning to Hunter. She nudged him with her shoulder before tickling his side. "Turns out werewolves are a bit more rambunctious than puppies, huh?"

"Mum," Hunter groaned around his giggles.

Hermione glanced over at Remus. He was trying very hard to school his emotions, but Hermione could tell he had so many questions just waiting under the surface.

Erin and Lewis shared a look. "And you, Remus?"

"I was young," he started, glancing back at Hunter. "Had just turned four in fact." Erin gasped. "It was tough, a tough childhood, but my parents tried, like you, to give me a normal upbringing. And then I went to Hogwarts and eventually met Hermione and, well, the rest is history."

"You went to Hogwarts?" Hunter chimed in.

"I did."

"Cool," Hunter broke into a grin. "I'm going to go when I'm older, too."

"Sweetie," Erin leaned over. "We don't know for sure, right? And you love your school right now. All your friends?"

Lewis looked at Remus and Hermione. "You both went to Hogwarts?" They nodded. "Even though?"

"The Headmaster was very accommodating," Remus explained. "There were safety measures put in place for the full moon, of course. The other students didn't know, but-but all the staff were aware."

"Remus—" Hermione tried to pull his attention, but Remus was fully focused on the Taylors.

"They let in two werewolves when we were there. I'm sure Dumbledore won't turn away any in the future."

"Really?" Hunter's eyes were full of light.

"Really." Remus nodded at him. Erin and Lewis exchanged tentative, but hopeful smiles. Hermione closed her eyes and kept her mouth shut.

They spoke of Hogwarts some more and their experiences with the moons until Lewis rose to clear their places, taking away their finished plates. "Keep on," he murmured, dropping a kiss to Erin's head before heading into the kitchen.

"Mum, can I go play now."

"Veggies all gone?"

"All gone." Hunter held up his empty plate.

"Go on then." She winked. Hunter leapt away from the table and took off down the hall.

"He's cute," Hermione said.

"I know."

"I'm sorry, I—I have to ask." Remus couldn't hold his tongue any longer. "Do you blame him?"

Hermione froze. Erin was quiet for a long time, her eyes tracing Hunter's path out of the room. Then she turned to fully face Remus and placed a hand upon his cheek, giving him a look only a mother could.

"No. Never once. I have always known it was an accident."

Remus closed his eyes. Hermione's heart hung in her throat. She pushed back from the table. "Please, continue on. I'm going to see if Lewis needs help cleaning up."

She wandered away, not wanting to hear the rest of Erin and Remus' conversation. She knew how Remus was feeling. It was his greatest fear after all, biting someone. She tried to breathe. In, out, in, out. It would all be okay.

She entered the kitchen. "Need some help in here?"

Lewis looked up from the sink. "Just wrapping up, but I won't say no to a set of extra hands."

Hermione set to work helping him dry the dishes. "Your home is beautiful."

"Thank you. Took a bit of work when we first moved, but it's been good to us."

"It seems like you all have found a wonderful place for yourselves."

"Couldn't have hoped for better really. The town's nice. The school's great. And we've been able to keep a low profile."

"And Hunter?"

"We're lucky, you know?" Lewis toweled off his hands before handing a clean rag to Hermione. "He's always been such a good kid. Rarely ever needed discipline."

"And now?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Oh, he's the same. Of course, he's still a kid. Can hardly call yourself a child if you don't get a talking to from mum and dad every once and a while, right?"

"No, you're right."

"Tends to be my wheelhouse now though."

"What do you mean?" Hermione's brows furrowed.

"Since she was bitten, Erin tends to have a lighter touch when it comes to Hunter. She's bloody amazing at calming and soothing him, especially as it gets closer to the moon, but she has a harder time now with being stern with him. She will, of course, as needed, but it just—I dunno, we've found a new system that works."

"No, I-I think I understand." And she did really. She didn't dare voice her thoughts, but she reckoned it had to do with the alpha factor, the fact that Hunter had been the one to bite his mum. She could see the similarities. She had no problem standing up to Remus at times, but it was easier not to. And they'd always been able to calm each other.

"Lewis, can I ask how you handle the moons? We haven't decided what exactly we're going to do as far as when we have a house of our own. Some ideas might be helpful."

"Of course, I understand. Here, I think we're wrapped up here and they seem to be getting on well enough." Lewis started to lead her from the room. "Let me show you the basement."

The King's Road Inn

"Remus?" Hermione whispered out in the darkness. They'd been silent since they'd arrived back at the inn, but she knew Remus was still awake.

"Yeah."

She asked but she already knew. "We're not going to ask them to join, are we?"

"No, Pup, we're not."

"I don't think I can go back to their house." Hermione turned onto her back, blinking at the ceiling she couldn't quite see. "Lewis showed me their basement, how they spend the moons. It's—Remus, it's—"

"Erin told me."

"It was horrible. The cages, the chains, the—"

"That's how I grew up, too."

"What?"

"Until we moved out to the country. That's how I spent my first few moons, Pup."

Hermione clenched her eyes tightly shut. "Remus, I—"

"It's fine." His voice was tired. "Listen, they're doing the best they can. You saw them. You saw Hunter. He's a happy kid, barely knows anything is different. They love him. They care for him. Hell, most of their money goes to healing supplies, but they-they don't know another way. And he's dangerous."

"He's a child."

"He's still a werewolf." An edge was creeping into Remus' voice that told Hermione to tread carefully. "He still turns into a mindless beast once a month. They can't—He already bit his mum."

"And she doesn't blame him. It was an accident."

"But it happened. And now there are two werewolves instead of one. They have to keep people safe."

Hermione stayed silent. There was nothing she could say. Remus didn't add anything else, but it was a while before the two succumbed to sleep.

In the morning, Remus returned to the Taylors' home alone to say goodbye.

Chapter Title Translation: *To Not Wound Another