Remus was intensely aware of his strong body odor as he slipped into the church basement. Bathing wasn't common in the forest, and the other werewolves thought of him as meticulous because he did it occasionally, despite the freezing water in the river. Here in town with humans--normal humans--he could see himself as they saw him: unshaven, with a thin scree of dirt all over his skin, his clothes tattered, his shoes held together with fraying string and hope. He could almost see the stink rising off of himself, and he didn't need to wonder why an older woman coming out of the confessional had looked at him with great distaste.

He stopped in a shadowy alcove and took several shallow breaths, trying to calm himself without smelling it too much. He could feel the blood in his face, and waited for it to fade before going into the small crowd milling around the charity tables. He didn't look different from most of the men and women already here, and as he drew close to them, he realized he didn't smell much different, either. He looked at the scarves and hats without much interest, and stepped out of the way when others grabbed protectively at them.

"Mr. Lupin?"

He turned around. "Father Montgomery?"

The priest nodded. He was a short, dark-haired man with the kind of animated features Remus had long associated with restless intelligence. "Mag told me you'd come. I wasn't sure. It's..."

"Getting toward afternoon, so I'd best hurry."

"Yes, er. Please, come to my office so we can talk. Would you like to clean up?"

"Yes, but it would be somewhat pointless."

Montgomery led the way into a small, dark-paneled office with a window near the ceiling. The shelves were lined with old books, and it smelled of candle-smoke and wood-polish. Montgomery slipped around behind his desk, opened a drawer, and came out with two plastic grocery sacks. Remus could see the edges of Muggle notebooks poking at them. "Mag says that Greyback doesn't like them taking charity. I was surprised to hear you would take these where he can see them."

Remus smiled faintly. "Yes, well. I told him that if he could teach me to forage for paper and hunt dangerous wild pens, I'd be happy to do so."

Montgomery laughed. "I'm glad to hear they're getting some education. I've tried to get Mag to bring them here, or bring me out there, but she refuses."

"Quite rightly." He took the offered materials. "I do appreciate it. They've been doing sums in mud spread on rocks."

"Clay tablets. It's old but effective. I think they'll find the paper better, though."

"I appreciate it. Thank you."

"There's no reason to thank me. You're doing God's work."

Remus nodded politely, not wanting to get into a theological debate with a priest about why these children needed to beg for paper and pens in the first place, or exactly what sort of forgiveness he offered Old Mag for taking part in Greyback's feasts. Thanks to Greyback, he had more to ask of this man. "I wonder," he said, "if I might... well, if you could do a second favor for me. Quietly. Mag doesn't know about this."

Montgomery nodded and closed the door. "Consider yourself in a confessional."

"I was never confirmed."

Another laugh. "I mean, say what you need to say, and it won't pass this door."

"Oh. Yes. Of course." Remus opened one of the packages of pens and drew one out. It felt hard and awkward compared to quills, but strangely comfortable after using them all year at Smeltings. The sensation filled his mind with memories of laughter and long talks, and he pushed it away. "Mag told me that your sister is a witch."

"My brother is a wizard, actually. I think Mag heard me talking about my sister-in-law. My brother was a Ravenclaw. I find myself trying to guess your House."

"I was a Gryffindor."

"Good."

"I mention it because... do you know how to use the owl post?"

"Yes, of course. My nieces write to me from Hogwarts frequently, and I just sent a birthday present to my nephew. I got his thank you note today. I still have to send the bird back."

Remus nodded. He drew out one of the notebooks and scribbled out a quick note to Molly Weasley. "I wondered if you might send this for me. Strictly confidentially."

"Molly Weasley," Montgomery read from the folded paper. "And the owl will know where to find her?"

"Yes. Would you be able to send it tonight?"

"Of course." He took the paper and tucked it into a folder without examining it. He looked thoughtfully at the edge of the desk. "My brother has told me... unusual things that are happening. More unusual than, well, usual."

"Yes."

"And the werewolves... where do they stand on this? Ralph--he doesn't know about Mag, of course--says that the werewolves will side with... I'm sorry, but I don't remember the name."

"It's not often spoken." Remus sighed. "I wish I could tell you differently. But helping me is not helping Voldemort. And the letter is just to reassure people I care about that they needn't worry about me."

Montgomery nodded. "I'll try to impress upon my brother that he shouldn't make such sweeping judgments."

"No. He should stay careful." Remus stood up and extended his hand. "Thank you, Father. For all of your help."

"Come any time," Montgomery said, shaking his hand. "Any time at all. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Thank you."

Remus gathered up the school supplies and left. It was already past noon; he would have to hurry back to his shed if he was to get to the gathering in time to eat. By the time he got there, he was sore from the run and his breathing was ragged. He put the notebooks in a stack beside his bed, tore another page from one and wrote out twenty sums, from single-digit to four digits with decimals, and impaled it on a bit of broken wood on the wall. He went to the gathering spot.

"Ah. Lupin," Greyback said expansively. "Thought we might have seen the last of you."

"I told you I was only going to get pens and paper if I could."

"Right. From charity tables."

"Actually, there weren't any there. A gentleman went and bought some for us."

"We have paper?" Evvie said, dancing over and clapping. She had been doing her sums better than anyone, and she hated erasing them. Sweet said she'd been scratching them onto the walls in the girls' cave, using a sharpened rock. "Oh, that's lovely!"

"Yes. I left the notebooks in a stack in my shed, and there are problems on the wall for you."

"And books?" Blondin asked. "Did you leave that one what has the singing dwarves and the bloke who lives in a hole in the ground?"

Remus tried not to smile. For the one who had been most resistant to the idea of reading, Blondin had taken to it with enthusiasm, and was struggling through the opening chapters of The Hobbit with a great deal of pride, though his retention for details was still poor and he had to go back and re-read several times to remind himself what was there. "The books are all on my table," he said. "When we come back, I thought perhaps we could start reading one together, for Christmas. It's about ghosts and a nasty old man called Scrooge."

Greyback huffed out his breath in an irritated way, and Remus directed the pup's attention back to him. It wouldn't do to have him ignored at moon.

"Pups!" he said, and the children came over to him, nearly as happily as they had during the summer. Only Alderman hung back, and that, Remus supposed, could slip by because he was being counted among the men. Greyback held out his hands. "Now, I've gone ahead and put the rabbits in the caves. You all know what to do. Mina will watch out for you while we're all gone. We should be back Thursday evening."

"Are you hunting?" Sweet asked.

"Well, I reckon we might catch something or other, but we're mainly going to be running tonight, get as far as we can while we're strong, right?"

There were grunts from the men.

"And we may bring back better presents than pens and paper!"

The pups, energetic and ready for transformation, cheered this.

"Then for now, let's eat!"

They spread the day's catches out, and huddled much closer together than they had in warm weather. Mag got a fire going, and they seared their meat over it while warming their hands. Remus talked briefly to the other men--none of them knew much more than he did about where Greyback was planning to take them, but they didn't seem concerned about it--and ascertained from a mocking promise that the forest was, in fact, empty of campers. He could only hope that Greyback's path wasn't going to lead through populated areas. He suspected it wouldn't. He suspected that whoever they were going to see tomorrow was keeping a low profile.

He entertained a mad, fleeting hope that it would be Voldemort himself, that he could end it here and now, but he knew it was wishful thinking.

A heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he wasn't surprised to see Greyback sit down beside him, looking pleased. "I'm glad I was wrong, Lupin. Really thought you'd bolted when I said we were going. There are some who reckon you might not be what you say you are."

"Who?"

"Oh... some." Greyback tore at a raw piece of meat. "You ever run under the moon?"

"Not often. But yes. I have."

"Best feeling there is, I think. Except for hunting."

"I do recall enjoying it."

"You tell anyone what you see tomorrow--"

"I know, you'll track down everyone I care about and rip their throats out. You do know I don't actually have anyone left, don't you?"

"Oh," Greyback said, looking significantly toward the pups, "I wouldn't say that."

Remus didn't answer this. He knew Greyback meant it, and didn't want to satisfy him by an expression of horrified outrage. Instead, he turned his head to watch them as well. Blondin was climbing the trees and Hamilton was crouched at the bottom, eating. Two of the other boys were challenging one another to see who could hold handstands longer. Sweet and Evvie were arguing over something.

"Pretty, aren't they?" Greyback asked.

Remus felt his gorge rise.

As they watched, Evvie broke away from Sweet and marched straight toward them. Sweet followed, looking annoyed.

"What is it, little Eve?" Greyback asked Evvie.

"Sweet said we're 'dark creatures,'" she said. "I told her we aren't. I told her we're just special people who can be wolves. I'm right, aren't I?"

Greyback narrowed his eyes at Remus, then turned to Sweet. "Now, where did you hear about Dark Creatures?"

"I said it," Remus said. "I didn't realize they didn't know we were called that by the outside world."

"I told you!" Sweet said.

"No, you didn't. You said it's what we are, not what people call us."

"What's the difference?"

"I'm not a dark creature! I don't care what anyone says." Evvie stomped her feet.

"It's just a name!" Sweet said.

"It's a bad name," Greyback told her. "We're strong creatures. Better creatures."

"See!" Evvie said, glaring. "I told you, I told you, I--"

"Oh, shut up!" Sweet yelled, and suddenly the clearing was quiet. Evvie's hand flew to her mouth.

Which had somehow been sewn shut.

"Mmmph!" Evvie said and winced. "MMM-MMMMPH!"

"I'm sorry!" Sweet looked around frantically and patted Evvie's shoulder. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

The adults were all forming a circle, paying no attention whatsoever to the girls. They were facing outward. Remus looked at it with some confusion. He moved toward Sweet and Evvie, but Greyback held up a hand.

Everyone remained still for nearly five minutes.

"All right," Greyback said at last. "Those Accidental Magic blighters aren't coming. Had to kill the last one," he said, grinning at Remus. "Made her undo Hamilton's last little accident first, though."

"Mmmph-MMMMMPH."

Greyback turned to Evvie and frowned. "What should we do about that?" He reached into his pocket and drew out a wand, holding it awkwardly. It was shiny and obviously new. "I think..."

"MMMMMPPH!!!!"

Greyback shifted. "Reckon Lupin's probably done this a bit more recent." He looked carefully at his wand. "Sweet, come here." Sweet went over to him, looking confused, and he put one large hand over her neck, then held out the wand to Remus. He didn't change his jovial tone when he said, "Fix it if you can, and mind that's all you do," but Remus could see that he was putting pressure on Sweet's throat.

He took the wand carefully. "This is quite new," he said.

"Friend of mine made it special," Greyback said. "It's hawthorn, and it's got a hair from every one of my pups in the middle." He grinned. "Including you, Lupin. Found one snagged in the cave last month."

"Charming," Remus said. The wand took on an unpleasant weight.

"Mmmmph."

He turned to Evvie and touched the wand to her mouth. "Finite incantatem."

The stitching melted away and Evvie whooped in a great breath. "Oh, thank you!"

"I am sorry!" Sweet said.

Greyback still had her by the neck and was holding out his other hand. "I'll have that back now, Lupin," he said, still smiling.

Remus gave him back the wand.

Greyback patted Sweet's head and said, "Now, there's a good girl. Go on, now." He watched her run off. "Little ones," he said. "Sometimes it just slips out of them." He glanced up at the sky. "Reckon we'd best get ready now. Mina?"

Mina came over, averting her eyes, and he handed her the wand. "You take the girls back to their place, and put that somewhere safe before the moon."

Mina nodded and scurried off to where Mag and some of the other women were marshaling the girls.

Greyback gestured to the boys. "All right, boys," he said, "we big ones are off. Blondin, you get them back and you're in charge of them tonight. You know what to do."

"Why me?"

"You don't want to be in charge?"

"Oh, no. I didn't say that."

"Good. Then you're in charge."

Blondin gulped, then got the boys together and led them off down another path.

The men were alone.

Greyback's smile faded, and he pulled his robe off, tossing it indifferently into the same wooden crate he'd used the month they'd chased the campers. "Well, get to it," he said, pulling off his shoes, and the rest of the men stripped their clothes off. The late November air was brutally cold, and Remus wished for the wand again to do a warming charm. Beside him, Alderman jumped from foot to foot to keep warm. Remus just crouched on the ground as he had before, though it was less from modesty now than from a desire to conserve his body heat.

Greyback dropped down to mirror the posture, and after a moment, all of the men did, coming in to huddle in a tight circle that brought at least some warmth. Jamison gave Remus a sour look. Alderman, at Remus's side, was tense.

"All right," Greyback said. "Lupin and Alderman haven't run with us before, so I'll go over it. When you change, stay with the pack. It's all there is to it, and I reckon you'll want to at any rate. I'm going to keep us along the river until we smell a sign my friends have left for us, and then we'll just follow the scent."

"Er," Alderman interjected, "what kind of sign are we talking about?"

"Lady's blood, most likely." Greyback glanced at Remus for a reaction, and must have seen one, though Remus thought he was controlling his face. "Now, Lupin, don't be squeamish. Not everyone wastes the stuff like Dumbledore tells you to up at that school. Makes a right good scent marker, and I think they use it in potions or whatever it is they do up there. They don't even have to cut anyone for it. Some of the girls sell it up at Knockturn Alley and get fine new clothes for it."

"I see."

"Hardly fair they can make money we can't," Stanfield said.

"Well, I reckon no one needs to buy what you can get from a bloke," Greyback said, then laughed. He looked up. "All right, lads," he said, "we're nearly there."

Remus felt the nervous twitching in his muscles, the pull on his eyes to look up to the heavens, and he gave in to it. The clouds parted, the moon hung in the sky, and

the wolf draws air into his burning lungs, his twisting, writhing limbs clawing at the air and the earth as he flings himself over in the agony of transformation.

was seeping out of the pads of his hands when the claws pulled back into them, but he didn't notice the pain of the little cuts until much later. At first, he felt somehow cheated as the wolf ripped itself away, then he tasted mouse fur in his mouth, and his human mind shied away from it in revulsion. He reached into his mouth with his fingers and pulled out a scrap of furry skin still stuck in there. He flung it away.

"Where are we?" Alderman asked.

Remus looked around, but didn't recognize any landmarks. He shrugged. "No idea at all."

"That's the point," Greyback said, standing up. "I reckon they'll send us back by magic as well." He stretched in the morning air, seeming to take pleasure at the frosty chill on his body.

"I don't suppose they'll bring us clothes?" Remus asked.

"Right," Alderman said. "I don't fancy the idea of meeting your friends starkers."

"Besides," Jamison added. "It's bloody-damned cold. Did you think about that?"

"Have a little faith in me, lads," Greyback said. "They'll be along, and I'm sure they'll give you pack of nancies tea and a nice hot bath."

"Don't count on it," someone said behind Remus, and the hair stood up on the back of his neck. "We have better things to do today," the voice went on. "Though I do think I'd rather not spend all morning looking at your filthy bodies. Vestio!"

In an instant, Remus found himself dressed in a scratchy black wool robe. The others were also wearing them.

He stood up and turned around, already knowing exactly what he'd find.

Bellatrix Lestrange gave him a mocking bow.

Her mouth curled up in a dagger of a smile, a mockery of Dora's look of fond amusement. "Well, well," she said. "Remus Lupin." She pointed her wand at him, and there was no chance to avoid the spell: "Legilmens!"

Remus blanked his mind as quickly as he could, but Bellatrix was quicker than Severus had been when he'd tried this at Hogwarts. His thoughts were of Dora--Lord, he had forgotten how like Bellatrix she looked--and he felt images of her escaping him, pulled unwillingly from his mind.

Bella hissed. "Useless. I already knew you had designs on Andromeda's brat."

"His girl walked out," Greyback said.

"Yes, well. Who could blame her?" Bella wrinkled her nose. "What a cheap little trollop she is. A clown. Little half-blood whore. But even she has higher standards." Her eyes were narrowed, and Remus knew she was trying to get a reaction from him. He cast his eyes down, trying to look ashamed instead of furious. The tips of Bella's shoes came into his field of view, and he felt her long finger under his chin.

I could reach up and strangle her.

But before he had time to analyze the thought, she let go of him. "Wormtail!" she called, and Remus felt his heart sink. "Wormtail, come here!"

The air shimmered some distance away, and Remus watched a Disillusionment spell fade away as Peter Pettigrew waded through the tall grass. Damn Harry's noble instincts; they should have killed him when they had the chance.

"Y-y-yes, B-bella?" he said.

"You know him. Is he spying?"

Peter paused, then bent over and looked into Remus's eyes. Remus looked back, not even knowing what he expected to see. Peter's eyes were distracted and distant, shifting back and forth in a pattern Remus remembered from their school days, at times when he was in charge of fabricating a story for the teachers to cover one prank or another. His hands weren't shaking, as they always had then, but he might have learned to control that in the interim. Remus frowned at him.

Peter stood up and shrugged, and Remus knew that the vacant expression he'd always settled into was on his face now, even though he'd turned back to Bella. "He wouldn't be here if he didn't have to be," he said. "Reckon even Dumbledore runs out of patience sometimes." He looked over his shoulder at Remus. "You were in charge of that fiasco at the Ministry weren't you? For the Order? The one that got Sirius killed?"

What game are you playing, Peter? he didn't ask. "Yes." He glanced at Greyback and improvised bitterly. "Of course, if I hadn't been a werewolf, he'd have given me another chance. He's full of chances for some people."

Bellatrix laughed richly. "Ah, yes, Dumbledore... he would alienate his most loyal dogs to coddle a serpent, wouldn't he?"

Feeling genuinely disloyal, Remus said. "Yes, that's just so."

"What an old fool he is." She spun on Remus. "But you're not quite one of us, are you?"

"I'm not one of anybody at the moment."

"Rubbish," Greyback said, almost kindly. "You're one of mine."

"Well, I hope he suits you better than he suited my niece," Bella said.

"I'm surprised you've taken to calling a half-blood your niece."

Bella looked disconcerted for a moment; clearly she hadn't planned to call Dora any such thing. She moved her hand in a distracted brushing motion and moved on into the pack. She paused by Stanfield. "The Dark Lord owes you thanks for delivering his message to the hag Hilda Norris. Her potions have proven most useful since you persuaded her to come to us."

"Any way I can help, Miss," Stanfield said, giving her a look of unvarnished awe, which confused Remus--Bella had once been a great beauty (on the outside, at any rate), but those days were long behind her--Azkaban and madness had ravaged her face and figure--and her current manner was hardly attractive.

She stepped back and sat on one of the boulders that circled the clearing, then tossed her hair flirtatiously over her shoulder, a gesture that Remus found positively grotesque in her current state, but which met with more appreciative stares.

"I've met some of you," she said, "but we've never spoken as a group, and the Dark Lord wanted me to assure you all that it is not merely your leader we plan to honor. It is all werewolves we invite to join in the new order, in the fight against the government which has beaten you down until you strong and powerful creatures are forced to live like vagabonds in the cold forest, starving but for rabbits and berries."

"And what are you going to do about it?" Greyback asked cheerfully, obviously on a cue.

Bella leaned forward confidentially. "We're going to tear them down," she said. "We'll tear down their prisons and their cages and their registries, and we'll give them all into your claws to do with as you wish." She sat back again and smirked. "Oh, but you're only getting one side, aren't you? Really, I think you should get the other. It's only fair. We wouldn't want you to think we were trying to brainwash you. Lupin. Forward."

Startled, Remus just looked up sharply. "I told you, I--"

"You said you're not one of anyone. Surely, you're capable of telling them what these 'friends' of yours favor for them."

"Bella..." Peter started, but couldn't seem to finish. He sat cross-legged on the grass beside her rock and began picking at the grass.

Bella rolled her eyes at him, then summoned another boulder and sat it beside her. "Well, up with you, Lupin. Tell them about the 'morally superior' side of all of this."

"I'd prefer not to discuss this."

"I didn't give you that option." She pointed her wand at him, and he felt himself jerked forward. His shins slammed against the boulder, and he turned and sat. Bella smiled. "Ah. That was easy. When the Dark Lord rises, we will give prey into your hands. Werewolves will have the property they have been denied, and will be given a place of honor. What, exactly, does the Ministry offer them, Lupin?"

"They know what the Ministry offers."

"Registration!" Jamison sneered. Others laughed and added, "Werewolf laws" and "Azkaban."

"Oh, please," Bella said. "Surely, it offers something more. What, exactly, did it offer you, that you stayed so long, Lupin?"

"It's civilized," Remus muttered. "I could live as a man instead of an animal."

This was met with a great deal of laughter from everyone except Alderman, who was trying to be as unnoticeable as he could be in the back.

"Lupin's turning the pups into a pack of Hogwarts dandies," Greyback said when his amusement at the concept of civilization faded enough to speak. "Got them reading and writing. Next thing you know, they'll be writing poetry."

"Why shouldn't they write poetry?" Remus asked.

This was apparently too absurd a question to elicit a response. Several of the men rolled over in the grass and laughed roundly at the morning sun. "I got a poem!" one of them offered. "Starts out, 'I once knew a girl on the hunt, and she led me around with her--' Hey!" He rubbed the back of his head, which had been hit with a pebble, then looked back at Alderman, who, Remus was horrified to note, looked furious.

The boy's expression recovered and he pointed to Bella with the same over-performed attentiveness as the others. "There's a lady here."

"And she can lead me around with anything she wants!"

Remus chanced a glance at Bella, and was strangely glad to see that she seemed rather put off by their behavior, despite her initial flirtatious approach.

She steered the conversation back to the fantasy world Voldemort was promising them, egging Remus at various points to put in token arguments bound to be laughed at raucously. The werewolves had been living in Greyback's world for years, and the rewards Bella was offering were rewards they understood--rewards to their lower appetites. There were promises of prey, veiled promises of mates and packs of their own (not that Greyback would ever allow that, but apparently even he knew it was all a fantasy, because he didn't bother to argue), promises of riches. Beside that, Remus's arguments--hobbled by the necessity to pretend he didn't really believe them anyway--in favor of living a civilized life under a wiser philosophical system always seemed to come up short.

Close to noon, Peter set out a lunch, and they all fell to it. Remus himself was famished, despite having eaten while transformed, and--

"I thought you didn't attack non-humans."

He looked up. Peter dropped down beside him, for all the world as though they were at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. "I beg your pardon?"

"I heard Greyback say you were eating rabbits and mice on the way. I thought you didn't attack non-humans when you were a wolf. I might have thought twice about wandering around as a rat."

Remus blushed, then blanched at the implications of what Peter had said. He'd never in his life eaten transformed before coming to Greyback's pack, but he'd taken to it with almost no prompting, just the blood-stained rabbits the first month. Then he remembered that Peter was directly responsible for James and Lily's deaths, and Lord knew how many he was indirectly responsible for. One crack of his jaws and...

He looked down.

That wasn't the way. Peter hadn't been guilty then, anyway. "It's hunger and pack habit, I think," he said. "I don't actually seek out other prey. I just eat if it comes to me. And with James and Sirius there, there was nothing for you to have been afraid of. Of course, they aren't here anymore, are they?"

Peter's eyes widened, then he stood and scurried over to Bella's side. He remained quiet in her shadow for the rest of the day. After the meal, Bella started speaking again. Remus had heard that she was quite the speech-maker at Hogwarts, but he had never heard her, and he had to admit, she did have charismatic speaking style, even hobbled by her madness and cruelty. She spun castles of blood in the air, and offered them to men who had nothing at all. She was forced to admit at one point that a grand plan hadn't come to fruition as intended--"You have Lupin's little friend to thank for that," she said bitterly, and Remus felt a sick fear for Dora's sake seep into his bones--but said that she had arranged to have wands made for each of them, each with his own wolf hair, if they would just see to it that Greyback got some. As soon as the war was won, they would be given the wand-carrying rights of full wizards. Remus wondered idly if that would include Muggle-born werewolves, but opted not to ask. The sham of mocking debate had already gone on too long. Toward late afternoon, they drifted into different groups. Remus saw Bella talking urgently to Greyback (Peter was cringing between them). Greyback looked irritated with her. Remus turned away with effort and spoke to Alderman about inconsequential things.

At nightfall, Bellatrix and Peter Conjured a camp that seemed almost luxurious after months in the forest. There were individual tents kept warm by Heating Charms, thick blankets, comfortable camp beds, and even little lamps to read by, though no one had actually brought anything. Peter brought each of them supper. Remus heard him making the rounds, and was not surprised to find himself last on the list. Peter came in with a tray that carried two mugs of steaming hot chocolate and two bowls of hearty beef stew. He sat down without asking and Conjured a table. Remus didn't move toward it.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"I ate more this afternoon that I've eaten in the past week."

"Oh." He affected a sympathetic look. "You don't look very good, Moony. Do you need anything? Clothes, books, papers?"

"I'm figuring things out, Peter."

"Last year when I saw you, I was sure you'd never come."

"As I recall, you crushed all the bones in my hand over the issue."

"Er... yes. Sorry about that." He gave his most ingratiating smile. "But you see now, don't you? You see that there's no point in fighting? That there are perfectly good reasons to--"

"Good night, Peter."

Peter looked down. "I was sorry to hear about Sirius."

"Yes, you'll have to find someone else to frame for your murders now, won't you?"

"That's not what I meant," Peter said, and got to his feet. He went to the tent-flap, then looked back. "I just thought... that I could be your friend. We used to be friends."

Remus didn't answer. Peter left.

Remus lay back on his camp bed, his arm over his eyes, images of his boyhood forcing themselves, unwelcomed, into his mind. He saw Peter struggling through his Potions homework, asking for help with an essay. He saw the four of them sneaking into the Forbidden Forest, wands alight, and he saw Peter falling behind, and James going back for him...

He saw James on the Quidditch field, smiling and happy. He saw Sirius sitting in the window of the dormitory, looking peacefully out over the grounds. He saw--

"Lupin?"

He moved his arm. Alderman was crouched at the entrance to his tent. Beyond him, the stars seemed dim. There was no further noise.

Remus sat up. "I must have drifted off," he said. "It's been a long day."

Alderman smiled. "I know. I'm knackered." But he didn't move to leave.

"Did you need something?"

"Greyback's asleep, and that scary woman is off somewhere."

"Are you certain?"

Alderman nodded. "I think that little bald bloke went off with her. Did you... I mean... when we talked... about me..." He looked over his shoulder. "I don't want to be in this business any more than I already am."

For the first time, Remus really felt the absence of his wand. One simple Distraction Charm was all he needed. "Not here, Alderman. We'll talk when we get home."

"Promise."

"I promise."

He nodded and slipped out into the night.

Remus went back to sleep, and dreamed of the Shrieking Shack. He was young again, but Dora was with him this time, and they were exploring together. It seemed that there were a great many hidden passages, some of which went to exotic locations. One went to Grimmauld Place, another to a south sea island, and a third to Hobbiton, where Alderman and Sweet were working in Bilbo Baggins's garden. It was a pleasant, nonsensical dream that left him feeling comforted when woke up the next morning, though he only remembered it in bits and pieces.

In all, they spent three days and two nights with Bellatrix and Peter. The days were often pleasant--excluding Bella's constant sermons--and the nights the most comfortable he'd spent for quite some time. Most of the men were solidly on Bella's side before they'd finished eating on the first night, and certainly by the end of their last meal together, any chance Remus might have had of convincing them that allying with Voldemort was a bad idea had passed. He considered asking Dumbledore to send an equal envoy, but the others would know he was making no promises. He was no friend of the Ministry, but neither was he planning to radically overthrow the magical establishment in Britain--and as long as that establishment existed, there would be no rapid advances for werewolves. They were uneducated, but they knew enough to understand that much, and would recognize a bribe from Dumbledore for what it was.

Late Thursday afternoon, after one last large meal, they gathered in the stone circle again, and Bellatrix told them that it was time to go home. As she didn't want them finding their way back here just yet, she would have to do a bit of magic, which would also speed them on their way. Remus sighed, expecting a Confundus Charm, or perhaps an attempt to send them along like inanimate objects (it could be done, but it was uncomfortable and not particularly safe), but instead, Bellatrix raised her wand and cast a nonverbal spell--she smiled wickedly at Remus, knowing he would want to know how she was doing this--and a swirling cloud of mist filled the western half of the clearing. It looked like an Illusion Charm.

"This will take you to a place you know."

"Why that's a right clever spell," Greyback said.

"Yes," Remus agreed. "Very clever."

"Not everyone is content to rest on pre-invented spells," Bellatrix said. "Now, just give me your hands."

She took Alderman first, and slashed his hands with a stroke of her wand before he knew what was happening, and pushed him into the mist, bloodied hands first. He disappeared as Peter pulled Stanfield forward for the same ritual. They went through, two by two, until only Greyback and Remus were left. Greyback stepped back to let Remus go first.

"You can't use your own blood?" Remus asked as stinging cuts crossed his palms.

"It has to be the blood of a dark creature," Bellatrix said with false regret. "What a shame."

"And you needed all of us for it."

She smiled. "No. One would have done it, really, but what's the fun of that?" She shoved him into the mist.

As soon as the mist hit the blood on his hands, fire burned up his lower arms, and he felt himself spinning, like he was in a mad, pain-wracked floo system. He swirled forward, his stomach churning, and landed in the dirt with his palms pushing outward. Pebbles pushed their way into the cuts. Alderman tapped his shoulder and pointed to the left, where a creek--the creek he'd been living along for months--was bubbling away. He plunged his hands into it until they were numb from the cold, and clean. A moment later, Greyback appeared, his hands uncut. No one else seemed to notice that.

He and Alderman went back to the shed, where the pups had gathered and were huddled together to keep warm. The new black robes Bella had given them were duly admired, and Remus was not looking forward to the moment the Conjuring finally gave out and he had to return to his own threadbare attire. There were arithmetic problems to mark and Hamilton had written an entire tortured page on what he'd learned from reading a simple book about volcanoes that someone had put into a charity box. It was years behind what he ought to be writing, but for only a few months of lessons, he was doing well, and Remus gave him as much encouragement to keep going as he could.

Blondin rummaged around under Remus's table and came up with another battered paperback. "This is the one with Christmas and ghosts, isn't it?" he asked. "You said we'd read it together."

Remus took it and smiled. "All right," he said. "If we read a little every day, this should take us right up to Christmas. Shall I start?"

There was general agreement--they'd got better at reading, but none of them were comfortable--and he sat down cross-legged, "'Marley was dead: to begin with,'" he began. "'There is no doubt whatever about that...'" He read through Scrooge's visit with his happy nephew--Hamilton thought the argument about door-nails and coffin-nails to be hilarious--before they lost the light, and the pups grudgingly let him stop there. They wished him goodnight and headed out, leaving only Alderman behind.

"Can we talk here?" he asked.

Remus nodded. "I think so." He checked out the door, and heard nothing. "First of all," he said, "we've seen your mother, and she wants you back."

"What?"

"She thought you were dead. Apparently Greyback sent her something that convinced her of it."

"And my dad?"

Remus looked down. "I'm sorry, Alderman."

Alderman nodded. "I haven't seen him in a long time. I don't know what I'm meant to say."

"Your mum remarried and has more children."

"More..." Alderman took a shaky breath. "Greyback will--"

"We know. When you go, they'll all have to go with you and hide somewhere."

"I don't mean to make them do that!" He sat down heavily on the floor. "I hate him. I hate bloody Greyback."

"They're willing. But it's going to take a bit of time. We'll find a way, Alderman. But be patient, and for heaven's sake, don't give Greyback any reason to start paying attention to you."

He nodded tightly, and didn't say anything for a very long time. Finally, he just muttered "Good night," and shuffled outside. Remus watched him go, wondering how much he was going to turn over in his mind as he tried to sleep tonight, not knowing the best way to help him.

He turned to go back inside, and he heard a soft splash. His heart leapt into his throat, and he went around the side of the shed, where a boarded up window looked onto the hillside.

Standing there in the moonlight was Sweet, her eyes wide and solemn, one bare foot in a shallow puddle of water.