Sin of Lycaos

SIN OF LYCAOS

Part Four: Walking Along the Garden´s Edge

by D.M.P.

***

When God loves a creature he wants the creature to know the highest happiness and the deepest misery ... He wants him to know all that being alive can bring.

-Thorton Wilder, The Eighth Day

***

Chapter 13

Taking the subway to Leicester Square, they arrived in front of the Odeon West End in about half an hour before the first screening. Already, the sidewalk was crowded with theater-goers, even though it was only noon time. "Hopefully, it won´t sell-out," Lupin observed as they took their place in line.

"Ze Regus London Film Festival is a big event," Claire said. "I would not doubt it if we 'ave to wait in for ze next screening. These tickets always sell fast."

"I hope we don´t have to wait for the next show," Mary commented, eyeing the long line before them.

"Really?" Lupin referred to the wand he hid within his jacket. He was dressed casually in tan slacks and a white button-down shirt with a light brown pilot jacket - items he had acquired over the weeks through Claire´s allowance. "I could sneak us in," he joked to Mary. "It´ll save on Madame de Chien-Loup´s budget."

Madame arched an eyebrow at him. "Sneaking into a movie?" she said. "Very smart, hmm?"

"Well, it was only-" he said, flustered that he could have insulted her.

"Really nice idea, M´seiur Amorality," she said in a dry tone, "You might have to teach zis miser some new tricks."

"You really want to-?" Lupin asked, puzzled.

"What do you think?" she said lightly.

My God, the woman had a sense of humor! Lupin felt taken back about the fact that she was speaking so playfully. Well, all the times they spent in her office she acted so... detached...

They moved ahead in line as she spoke. "Let´s try waiting first," he said.

Fortunately, they just made it in. Tickets were only 5 pounds each on matinee discount. Claire paid and observed that twelve pounds were saved. Lupin only listened to this with half an ear. Personally, he had never been to a cinema before, movies being a Muggle activity. He wondered if Claire ever been to one.

Even if she hadn´t, Claire acted as if she knew what she was doing. She led them inside the glass door and toward the right theater, almost having to drag to the other two out of the front lobby. Considering that Mary or Lupin had never even entered a cinema before, it was hard for them not to gawk a bit at the movie displays and the milling crowds. It was amusing to look at, in the least.

Mary tugged at Lupin´s sleeve. "Can I get some popcorn, Remmy?"

Lupin noted the exceedingly long line at the refreshment counter. "Do you suppose we have enough time?" he answered. "The movie should start-?"

"Pul-leeze?" Mary clasped her hands together.

"Maybe afterwards?" he suggested.

Mary sighed, taking on a crestfallen look. "Okay..." she agreed somberly, her head bowed.

Claire rolled her eyes. "Maybe we could...." she addressed Lupin, "Save us a couple of seats, would you?" Then, taking Mary by the hand, she headed to the nearest line, saying, "You know these snacks are just 'ot lard and sugar, do you, Mary....?"

Lupin entered the theater alone, searching for some decent seats. Most of the seating was booked in advance and so the only a scattered few remained near the back. Lupin stared at the large blank screen ahead of him. He wasn´t as clueless as most wizards; he knew that a cinema and how Muggles went to them for entertainment. But in observing an actual theater, he wondered how Muggles could be amused by staring at a blank screen for two hours straight.

He found three seats in the last row and draped his coat across two of them. Sitting in the third one, he calmly waited for the show to begin. Soft music floated in the air as he waited, and the screen showed advertisements while people filed in. The tune and products he couldn´t identify, and he watched with solemn boredom, his chin in hand and his elbow propped up on the back of the seat in front of him.

A young lady with platinum blonde hair walked down the aisle and took the seat he was leaning upon. "Excuse me..." she drawled.

"What? Oh, sorry there," Lupin took his elbow off. The lady slid into her spot. Lupin politely turned away, pretending to search for something in his coat pockets.

But the woman was staring at Lupin intently, her eyes traveling up and down his frame as if extremely pleased about something. "You into anime too?" she said in a high, excited voice.

"Annie may? Well, I-" he started. The lady kneeled on the seat to face him, crossing her arms over the backing.

"I´m been waiting for ages to this movie to come to England," the woman gushed. "It came to America last year, and is only playing here during the festival. You a fan of Miyazaki´s work?" She tossed her hair a bit. "I´m Lola," she said, sticking out her hand.

"Um, hullo." Lupin stared at the outstretched hand until his realized that she wanted to shake his. So they did. "John," he introduced, using his alias. "John Gardiner. Haven´t really heard of anything by him, actually." To himself, he wondered just what "annie may" was.

"I see," Lola said offhandedly. She held his hand tighter, and glanced down, as if checking for something. He hastily pulled back.

"You´re not one of those people who think anime is for children, right?" Lola inquired seriously. "I mean, I´ve saw anime films that were meant for older audiences, and there´re parents bringing their five-year old kids to these things like it was one of those American Disney flicks."

Lupin tried again to grasp the conversation. "Well, um-"

"No one appreciates fine animated film-making anymore," she went on. "Say animation, and all people think of are Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck."

"Who?" Lupin asked, confused.

"Exactly," Lola approved. "I mean, a talking mouse has nothing to do with quality Japanese animation. I mean, come on." She rolled her eyes. "This is the first time I meet a guy who´s seriously into stuff like this."

Mice? Ducks? Why would he be interested in that? And what did that have to do with films? "Me?" he could only ask.

"Hey, wanna go somewhere after the movie? I have a good collection of Laine series I ordered off e-Bay."

"Actually, I´m here with someone," Lupin finally managed to splutter. Was annie may a type of fish? Lupin haven´t heard any bay or harbor that was called "E." Maybe wizard geography named it differently...

"A group? Sure, I´ll invite all of ya."

The sound of footsteps, however, put a halt to whatever intentions the lady had in mind.

"Hey, Remmy," Mary chirped, carrying a large bucket of popcorn.

"Are we interrupting something?" Claire said looking down at the two.

Lola stared at the two for a few moments then hastily got to her feet. "I see how it is," she said coolly.

"What?" Lupin said blankly as Lola stormed away down the aisle.

Mary plunked down in the seat next to him and Claire took the last seat at the end of the row. "I´d be flattered to be 'it on ze second I´m alone," Claire said in a steely voice. Lupin couldn´t tell whether she was making a crack or acting indignant.

"But she wasn´t doing anything," he started. "We were just talking about fishing and talking mice or ... or something..."

Claire rolled her eyes in response.

"Well, do you know what annie may is?" he inquired.

"What?" she shrugged. "Japanese cartoons, I guess."

"Oh." Yet what were cartoons? Lupin sighed, dropping the subject entirely. There were too many aspects to Muggle culture that he could never understand.

"Want some?" Mary asked, holding up the bucket. Lupin eyed the gooey yellow kernels with distaste. "What is this?" he asked.

"Popcorn. Supposedly," Claire tossed a few pieces in her mouth. She chewed slowly, then coughed in an attempt to swallow. "I 'ave no idea 'ow you children can eat zis junk," she said dryly, spitting the hard, oily bits out into a napkin.

" ´S not poison," Mary grabbed a handful and shoved it in her mouth.

"Not yet, but in thirty years when your arteries are all clogged up, I´m sure you´ll think differently," Lupin said.

"Wha?" Mary asked, mouth full.

"Never mind."

Annie may, Lupin discovered, considered of moving drawings that played on screen. Almost like magical moving pictures, except that these figures were drawn, voices dubbed, and moved about in painted backgrounds. Almost disappointing to see that Muggles haven´t figured out how to show moving pictures in real life.

However, this annie may contained many magical aspects, like natural magic and forest gods, yet filled with Muggle things too, like guns and the iron industry. The film was something about animal gods and a wild girl going up against an industrial city that invaded their forest, with a young warrior trying to mediate between them.

What interested Lupin the most was the fact the heroine was raised by wolves and struggled between her raised instincts and human nature. Not to mention that the complexities between the two sides made it clear that the industrial human city wasn´t the bad side, but neither were the forest dwellers. The ending, at most was very touching; overall, Lupin was impressed with the Muggle film.

There must have been at least a couple shots of caffeine or something in that popcorn, for afterwards, Mary became very hyper when the film was over. She was practically bouncing off the sidewalks when they stepped out of Odeon West End.

"Princess Mononoke is so cool!" Mary squealed. "I liked it when she talked to the animals."

"Hmmm... it was rather interesting to see, don´t you think?" Claire replied. "I wonder why wizards don´t indulge in films as much."

Lupin kicked at the sidewalk a bit in a casual step. "I like it when wolves are portrayed as noble," was all he said. "Only wish that was true in real life."

The three were quiet for a moment. "Yeah," Mary agreed thoughtfully. "I hope we get to be nice wolves like that..."

Sneaking a side-glance at her, Lupin saw the girl shudder a bit at the mention of their identity.

The film was only an hour and a half, leaving them with another 90 minutes to spend before going back to the Safehouse. That time was spent walking along the commercial side of London, filled with tourist shops and boutiques. Mary loved to go window-shopping, pointing to all the millions of toys, candies and expensive dresses she would like to have someday. Lupin and Claire let her run ahead to find new items she´d taken an affinity to. After a while of walking with Madame de Chien-Loup by his side and watching Mary call out to them in her excited little voice, he realized that this actually felt... well, fitting, for lack of a better word. As if his life was suppose to be like this. Perhaps even more than that.

They came to an outdoor cafe during their walk. A half-dozen little circle tables were on the walk, all filled with eating customers. A pair of musicians were playing as well, a saxophone player and a pianist, plus a gray-haired singer. The trio was playing a lively jazz tune. A few couples were dancing to the music.

"Can we stop and listen?" Mary asked.

Lupin noticed that she looked tired from their long walk. The popcorn high only lasted so long. "Why don´t we sit down?" he suggested and pulled up a table for the three of them. They watched the small band play and the Muggles parade themselves around. Claire and Mary compared couples, seeing which ones were better dancers.

Mary had her eyes locked on a fast-moving pair, doing quick, complicated moves. They were very talented, and Mary pointed out, "I think they might be the best."

" ´Ow about zem?" Claire pointed to an elderly pair swaying gently to the tune.

Mary wrinkled her nose. "They look like my grandparents."

"I think zey look very sweet," Madame de Chien-Loup countered. "Zey must be married for many years, and yet still 'ave ze love to go out and dance together like zat."

Mary considered the couple thoughtfully. "I guess you could be right," she said finally. "I wish I could have someone to dance with when I´m old."

"True..." Claire murmured in a quiet voice that Lupin could barely catch. "So do I."

The jazz riff ended, and the group of customers and passer-bys clapped enthusiastically. Some threw a few quid into the open saxophone case by the band´s feet. The singer conferred with his two partners, and a new song commenced, another lively saxophone tune, almost like swing music. Mary watched the dancers move about with a wistful look on her face as she swung her legs to the music, which were too short touch the ground. After a few minutes, Claire noticed, and silently pointed that out to Lupin with a quick gesture of her eyes.

Lupin got the message. He stepped forward, offered his hand to Mary and asked in his most formal voice, "May I have this dance?"

Mary practically lit up with joy. "Really?"

"If you want to..."

She hopped out of her chair and Lupin took his hands into hers. The young girl was barely half his height, and the two made an odd couple. Not knowing really what to do, Lupin took the girl by the hand and spun her around. Mary giggled and twirled about a few times on her own when he let go, arms above her head like a ballerina. The move was totally out of sync with the type of music, but it didn´t seem to matter.

"Whoa.... whoa...." Mary squealed when she stopped, teetering a few steps.

"Want to have another go at it?" Lupin replied.

"Well, watch this." The girl pretended to be a jazz dancer and jumped up and down, pumping her arms and moving to the beat.

"That´s what you call dancing?" Lupin laughed and grasped her just under the arms and whirled her around in the air a couple times during the high points of the saxophone riff.

Mary initially gasped in surprise, then cried out gleefully. "You only know how to make me dizzy!" she accused playfully. "Let´s see how you do it."

"All right then." Lupin slid out further into the street walk and flourished his arms out as if to clear the space. In an exaggerated motion, he made a sweeping bow toward Mary, as if waiting for her cue. Mary loftily waved a hand for him to go on.

Quickly, he pivoted in the side and moon-walked three steps, with the back of his wrist placed on his forehead while his other am stretched out in front of him. He ended that by spinning around on one heel and repeating in the steps in the opposite direction. It looked like a cross between a horrid Michael Jackson move and something done back in the eighties.

Mary covered her eyes at this display and groaned aloud. "That´s really bad!"

Back at the table, Claire doubled over in laughter. She slapped her hand against the tabletop, her eyes filled with mirth. She paused once to call out, "Remus, you´re disgracing yourself!"

"At least I have the will to do so." Lupin gestured with a hand to join them, but Claire shook her head.

"Oh, no, no, no," she replied, raising her hands in defense, "you´re not going to get me into zat!"

Nearby a dark-skinned man and his Angleo-Indian dance partner did a complex swing dance involving many lifts and moves. Lupin watched them for a moment, then clasped Mary´s hands in his and started to jitterbug, imitating them. "Much better," Mary commented, referring to his choice of dancing.

Soon, the song died away to be replaced by another one. This tune was soft and fluent, focusing on the lonely cry of the saxophone while the piano played a steady back up. In a low, soothing voice, the singer began:

"She'll let you in her house
If you come knockin' late at night
She'll let you in her mouth
If the words you say are right..."

"Which song is this?" Mary wondered. They exchanged clueless glances.

"If you pay the price
She'll let you deep inside
But there's a secret garden she hides..."

The smooth jazz was a great contrast from the foot-stomping dance beat of before, creating a more passive atmosphere. The dancers became more lethargic and moved with a sweeping grace.

Together, Lupin and Mary danced by simply turning in place. Upon the third turn, Lupin saw Claire sitting off by herself, giving them a small grin. Her hands were folded primly in her lap, and she looked quite alone by their table. He bent his head toward Mary and observed, "Do you think Madame looks a bit lonely?"

Mary turned her head at Claire as they continued turning. "Maybe you should dance with her too," Mary said.

"The next dance?"

"She'll let you in her car
To go drivin' round
She'll let you into the parts of herself
That'll bring you down..."

"I think she may need this dance more than I do," she said in a hushed whisper, leading them back to Claire.

Claire gave a surprised look when they came over. "Tired already?" she asked.

"I just thought you might want to dance as well," Lupin said. He was gazing at the crowd so he wouldn´t see her response. He glanced over when she took hold of his arm. "If Mary doesn´t mind..." she started.

Mary pushed the two with the other dancers. "Go on," she said. " 'Sokay with me."

"She'll let you in her heart
If you got a hammer and a vise
But into her secret garden, don't think twice..."

Lupin and Claire looked at each other. "Well, how would you start?" he inquired. He made as if to take her hands, like he did Mary´s, but put them back down. It was different when you danced with a child and a woman, wasn´t it? He peered up at Madame. When had they ever touched at all? Sure, Lupin had hugged Mary tight and carried her in his arms, but she was just a child, and so loving contact seemed paternal and therefore deemed proper. But with Claire... He cleared his throat and gestured around at the other people in the crowd. "Shall we...?" he started.

She replied uneasily, "I´m not sure... I´ve never danced like zis before."

"Then we have to make it up as we go along then, don´t we?" Lupin carefully encircled Madame´s waist as she looped her arms around his neck. He felt his heart beat faster at this close touch. He tried meeting her eyes and she turned away. Was she feeling the same way as he? Then, ever so carefully, the two began to move gently to the music.

Lupin felt his palms begin to sweat as he placed them at Claire´s waist. He hoped she didn´t notice, and this worry even caused more nervous reactions. He fumbled a bit, stepping on Claire´s foot.

She gasped, "Oh!"

"Sorry," he covered.

Claire gave a lopsided smile. "No 'arm done," she said.

"You've gone a million miles
How far'd you get
To that place where you can't remember
And you can't forget..."

As the two moved together, Lupin tried recalling the last time he ever danced with anyone like this. The only person he could think of was Lily Potter. It was during a Hogwarts dance, years and years ago. But Lily had danced with all her male friends. Also, they had made light of their twirl on the dance floor by purposely ramming into the other couples. Yet this dance with Claire wasn´t anything like bumper-dancing with Lily. And Lupin had never felt this nervous around Lily either....

"She'll lead you down a path
There'll be tenderness in the air
She'll let you come just far enough
So you know she's really there
She'll look at you and smile..."

All the while, each tried not to make eye contact with the other. Madame had her head low, staring at their feet. How tender and delicate her hair seemed - now that it was the only thing that Lupin saw - with that little wisp of black down at the nape of her neck. And how gently it swayed with the motion of their dancing. Why, he could blow across her neck, just to watch how her hair billowed-

Lupin stopped himself, embarrassed that he would notice such a thing. Wait.... Did she just notice his reaction? How he halted for that split second before continuing the dance? Oh, if she didn´t have her head bowed like that! Maybe he could tell what she was feeling if he only saw her face...

And yet... if she looked up, then she´d see him as well. Oh, that would be worse, wouldn´t it? No, not exactly...? If they met eyes now, while dancing like this... well, they were suppose to do that, right? They did decided to dance together after all. Oh, if only Lupin´s fluttered feelings weren´t confusing him like this! He normally thought logically - really, he did!

Just to see her face, he couldn´t help but ask, "Afraid I might step on your toes again?"

Claire looked up with a start and chuckled. "Might as well," she replied, "at ze rate you´re dancing."

Lupin swallowed hard and reminded himself that she was only joking. But why only now, after all the time they had spent together, is she finally lightening up? It made him feel uneasy, like he didn´t know her. Well, that was true actually. All the contact he had with her was to plan and arrange things from himself and Mary, and those legal discussions every night when Claire had the time. It surprised Lupin to discover that the businesswoman attitude only be a facet, not the core, of Claire´s personality. Suddenly, this dance became alarmingly personal and intimate, only because he had never been this close with her before, physically and emotionally.

"And her eyes will say
She's got a secret garden
Where everything you want
Where everything you need
Will always stay
A million miles away..."

As the song came to a close, Lupin noticed all the nuances about her that he didn´t recognize before. Like the way she limped a bit as they moved, a subtle slump on one side. Did she break her leg once, and the limp was the result of the injury?

The scent of lavender came to his nose. Was she wearing perfume? How come he didn´t discover that before? This was how close he was to her: close enough to notice her scent. God, that didn´t sound right, did it? Geez, Remus, it makes you sound like a wolf during mating season-

Oh, bad thought! Lupin ducked his head quickly.

Claire looked up at him. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You´re blushing."

"So are you," he replied.

So she was. Her cheeks grew a faint pink that showed through her make-up. "I guess zis is really awkward zen, isn´t it?"

"Not that bad..."

A saxophone solo came next, and the two didn´t exchange another word until the song ended. As the others around them clapped at the players and threw more money, the two detached from one another in a hesitant way.

Claire put a hand up to adjust her hair and Lupin waved back at Mary. Mary had her chin in her hands as she stared at them, a dreamy look on her face. Now what was she thinking about them?

"That was, um..."

"Rather pleasant," Madame put in.

"Yes," he affirmed. "You are, uh, a good dancer."

"And you could be a good dancer... eventually," Claire replied with that familiar bluntness. The two cracked a smile at each other.

Then Claire checked her watch and gasped.

"The phone call!" she said. "My cousin will be calling in fifteen minutes!"

Lupin then checked his watch. "I apologize for keeping us so late out here-"

"Only three 'ours," Claire was saying.

"I could Apparate us back," Lupin offered.

"With all these Muggles around?" Claire said. "And you know all Apparation Spells leave a certain magic trail..."

"Just this once," Lupin said. He gestured over to Mary and she skipped up to them. "You two looked wicked nice together," she said.

"Um, thank you, Mary," Lupin said quickly. "C´mon, we have to get back to the Safehouse for Claire´s meeting."

He ushered them to a nearby alley. "I can Apparate, but you have to hold on to me. It´s harder if you´re doing more than yourself."

Mary had no idea what Apparation was, but she nodded and took hold on Lupin´s hand. He and Claire gave each other sideways looks, but wordlessly, Claire put her arm around Lupin´s waist. He got that same jumpy feeling at this touch, but focused on the he had to do. After making sure none of the Muggles were looking, he took out his wand and waved it in the air.

"Apparatus," he commanded.

The world dissolved and faded for a split second. When their surroundings reverted back together again, they were across the street in front of the Safehouse. "Just in time," Claire said, relieved. She leaned her head against his shoulder and held him tighter for a spilt moment, as in a brief hug. "Merci," she said, before leaving for the house.

He was shocked at her affectionate touch. Yet how was it different than all the times Mary had held his hand, or he had carried her up on his shoulders. How can he differentiate so much between feelings for a child of his and this woman - practically a stranger. He couldn´t answer that question, but, for whatever reason, her touch seemed to burn. Burn, yet not hurt.

Mary had to guide Lupin back to the building, asking, "Remmy, why are you acting so weird today...?"

Chapter 14

Almost a month into their stay at the London Safehouse, Lupin found Claire sitting in the kitchen pouring over the Daily Prophet. Every day at exactly six o´ clock in the morning, he would wake up, dress, and come to the kitchen while Mary was still in bed in order to figure out what to plan to do that day and sort it out with Madame over a cup of café au lait.

One of the things they went over was a payment plan. He felt guilty for asking for so much money to take Mary places, but he and Claire officially made an agreement in which she would supply him with the cash in exchange for Lupin to do minor jobs around the Safehouse that she couldn´t do on her own. She rejected using magical means for most things. Lupin personally thought that Claire detested magic only because she could never perform so openly like he did. By now, he figured how that Claire knew more about magic than she let on. If she ever possessed her own wand, though, her attitude toward magic might change drastically.

"Good morning, Claire," Lupin said when he sat down at the table. He picked up a hot croissant from a nearby plate and bit into it.

"Bonjour, Remus," she replied cheerfully, taking a sip of coffee as she scanned the headlines. Since the outing to the movies, Claire had greatly improved in her disposition towards Lupin. Looking up, she handed the paper to him. "You might be interested in zis article 'ere," she commented.

He read it out loud. " 'Heroic Harry Potter Boldly Faces Challenges of Triwizard Tournament.´ " Lupin glanced at Madame. "Since when did Harry make it as Hogwarts champion?"

" ´E isn´t, technically," Claire verified. "During ze selection ceremony of champions a few weeks ago, ze Goblet of Fire picked out 'is name along wiz three ozzars." She shrugged. "Officials 'ad no choice but to put 'im in."

"That´s odd..." Lupin went on to read the rest of the article, written by Rita Skeeter. It mostly contained a very descriptive look at Harry and his life. Some parts Lupin was surprised to read.

Tears fill those startling green eyes as our conversation turns to the parents he can barely remember. [Lupin skimmed aloud.] Harry recalled fondly his loving parents, who, as the entire wizarding world knows, were tragically murdered by He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named during Harry´s mere infancy.

"I suppose I get my strength from my parents," he explained tearfully. "I know they´d be very proud of me if they could see me now.... Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I´m not ashamed to admit it..."

Lupin went on to read the rest, pointing out more comments that didn´t seem characteristic of Harry to say.

"I had a hard life, indeed. Being labeled as an orphan from the very start, I struggle daily with my identity and proving myself to others," were his noble words. "Yet my personal philosophy is not to care what others say, and just to try to live everyday knowing that my fate must lie in a prominent spot in the grand scheme of things."

Soon, we began to talk about his odds of success in the Triwizard Tournament, which is known as much for its fatalities as it is for its winners. "I know it is not likely that I shall win this Tournament, but I shall try," Harry told me with grim determination in his eyes. "When I was selected by the Goblet I know that it was my duty - it was my destiny - to represent Hogwarts with as much strength and courage as I can muster."

The one of the last bits about Harry´s life was especially surprising:

Harry has found love at last at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in school....

Lupin put down the paper, stunned. "This is one of the most ridiculous articles I´ve ever read in my life," he finally managed to say. "Either I don´t know Harry at all, or this Rita Skeeter is grossly exaggerating things."

"Ze First Task is going to be 'eld November 25," Claire supplemented. "Ze full moon is in two days. You could still travel to witness ze task if you would like."

He sighed. Something strange was going on if Harry was selected to be in the Tournament. It went against the regulations for someone his age to qualify. Someone could have sabotaged with the Goblet to let him participate.

The whole thing reeked of suspicion. Lupin wondered how much Sirius knew of this situation. Black was the boy´s godfather, yet being a current fugitive he might not be able to be there for Harry at the Tournament.

Lupin was in danger if he went there too. Yet the werewolf attacker of Havenshire was still a mystery to the Registry of Magical Creatures; he had paid special attention to the news to be sure of that. There was the possibility that he could return to Hogwarts to witness the First Task and not be caught....

"November 25?" Lupin said thoughtfully. "That´s 13 days from now."

"Plenty of time to travel," Claire said, "since 'Ogwarts and ze surrounding area are shielded from Apparation spells." She paused. "I know a man who can 'elp get you zair."

"Really?" Lupin looked at her curiously.

" ´E boarded 'ere a couple years ago. 'E... specializes in a few things."

"What things?" he asked cautiously.

"Nothing zat bends ze law too much. Only minor things. Just to get by." Claire seemed to stress this part greatly. Just to get by. That was Lupin´s justification as well.

Lupin thought it over. Stealing train rides, food, and clothing was one thing. Practicing magic illegally and sneaking into a publicly-restricted tournament was another. And to think he was known as the morally straight man. And to think she was known for hosting a government-endorsed program for the poor and homeless. Lupin wondered whether hypocrisy was something common in all people, or was it just werewolves.

The thought that maybe he would be going to far with his standards by sneaking into the games bothered him. Yet, as he suddenly realized, what was far? Life wasn´t fair, was it? He confirmed that long ago. Only thing there was to do was the right thing. For instance, raising Mary was the right thing.

So he was going for the better good: to look after Harry. Sirius was a fugitive; he couldn´t possibly attend. He would have wanted someone to look after his godson, right? Over the summer, the two had crossed paths. It wasn´t for very long; Sirius was still constantly on the move and didn´t want to drag the werewolf down with him if he were caught. But for the scant few days they had been together, their friendship had been quickly renewed. Now that the long-held suspicion of Sirius was wiped away, Lupin felt the need to make up for it. He should go to look after Harry, for his and Sirius´ sake.

It was, all in all, the right thing to do.

"And you would keep an eye on Mary for me while I´m gone?" he said slowly.

"Of course. I know zat you might need to be zair for 'Arry. 'E was a former student of yours, non?"

"More of a friend than a student." Lupin picked up his jacket on a hook by the back kitchen door. "I´ll leave after the full moon."

"Where are you going now?"

"I have to buy some paint. Need to have a room painted before I go. Oh, you wouldn´t mind that, would you Claire?"

"Paint?"

"Decorating can liven a place up a bit," Lupin winked, gesturing to the plain walls.

"All right," Madame said, taking a sip of her coffee. She gave a little smile to herself as she watched Lupin slip out of the door. "I suppose."

***

Mary was having breakfast when Lupin returned.

"Hi Remmy," she greeted. "What´s that?"

"Just some paint." Lupin put down the large bag his was carrying on the table and took out a gallon can. "Will this shade of green do?"

"We´re really painting?" Mary asked joyfully.

"I promised we would."

"I thought you forgot!" Mary slid down from her seat and reached up to try and see the rest of the bag´s contents.

"C´mon." He took up the bag with one arm and grasped Mary´s hand with the other as they headed upstairs.

"We´ll have to get some painting clothes for you," Lupin was saying as they ascended the stairs. "Then you can help me lay out the drop cloths and we can start."

"I want to paint the unicorns," Mary said excitedly. "And a castle too, with a princess."

"You mean one of those medieval types? With the moat and the towers?"

"And the dragon!" Mary added.

Entering their room, Lupin fished out some spare robes that he had gotten from Claire earlier. "Try these on," he said while putting on his.

Mary threw the robe over her head. It trailed down along the floor; she was much too small for them. She lifted the extra cloth and tucked it into the robe´s waist belt.

While she changed, Lupin moved the furniture out of the room. He used his wand for this, and Mary watched with awe as the heavy pieces were lifted and quickly shoved out into the hallway. In seconds he had the drop cloths laid out and taped down in the same manner.

"Ready to start?" Lupin handed Mary a wide-handled paintbrush and got one from himself.

"Mind if I 'elp?"

He looked up to see the head mistress at the front of the room. She was dressed in a set of dark gray robes, with a green bandanna to tie back her black hair with. Claire arched an eyebrow at them. "Might as well supervise at least. I do own ze building."

Lupin tossed her an extra brush. "This is a non-magical venture," he informed her with mock seriousness. "Manual labor is something you prefer?"

Madame de Chien-Loup pretended to look shocked. "Oh? Moi? You expect me to get my 'ands dirty?"

"Better late than never." Lupin opened up a paint can by hand and dipped his brush in. Flicking the bristles, he splattered a bit of paint at her. Claire jumped back, letting the drops hit the drop cloth.

"Was zat on purpose, Monsieur?" she said haughtily.

"Only if you think it is."

Mary dragged the wet brush along the bottom of Lupin´s robes. "Got ya first!" she giggled.

"Why you-" Lupin swiped his brush at her, getting paint across the front.

"Hey!" Mary grinned, dripping the brush in the can again and giving a return swing. She missed by a wide shot.

"Want to try again?" Lupin teased.

"I would." Claire stood behind him with a paint-soaked brush and whipped a line of green on his back. "Perfect."

"Really?" Lupin whirled around and got paint up her sleeve. "Bet you can´t do it twice."

"Is zat a challenge?" Claire took a defensive stance with her brush. "En garde!"

"Oui!"

The two parried with their brushes across the room, making exaggerated thrusts and blows. "Got you!" Claire said triumphantly, swiping her brush at him.

Lupin ducked. "Missed!"

"You say." Claire pointed behind him. Lupin turned to see that Mary was painting little circles and dashes across the back of his robes.

"Viva la femme, Mary?" Claire asked jokingly, picking up the paint bucket.

"Girl power!" Mary declared and the two attacked with their paint brushes, making random streaks of paint across his already stained robes.

Lupin laughed out loud. "It´s not fair!" he protested, raising his hands over his head. "I´m outnumbered!" He grabbed Mary by the waist and gathered her up in his arms. She cried out in surprise as she was lifted up on his shoulders.

"How dare you side with the bossy landlady?" he chided merrily.

"Bossy am I?" Claire said. She put a hand to her hip and held out her brush with the other one. "Maybe I should order you to wash ze floors and clear out ze sink pipes again. Teach you your place!"

"I think the terror of that stove of yours taught me my place," Lupin scoffed playfully. "I´m just the handy-wolf around here, huh?"

"You´re more than that, Remmy." Mary confided. She leaned forward and daubed a bit of green on his nose. "You´re fun to tease."

"Like now with me covered in paint?" Lupin put her down and flourished the splattered robes. "I thought we were suppose to be painting the room." He waved a hand to the immaculate white walls.

"Painting you is much more entertaining," Claire winked. "But I suppose zat we 'ave to use some of zis paint appropriately. Bossy landlady´s orders," she added slyly.

"Okay then." Mary picked up the brush again. "Ready for the dragons?" she asked Lupin.

"I could pass off for a Welsh Green in this," Lupin replied.

"With ze same attitude as one as well," Claire chimed in.

"Touché."

"Picking up some of my French now?"

"Welsh Greens are known to be intelligent creatures."

"Betcha I can paint more than a Welsh Green or a bossy landlady," Mary cut in, smirking as she started to paint sideways across the wall.

"Are you sure to want to bet?" Lupin asked readily.

***

The three of them spent all day painting. Half of the paint they managed to get on themselves rather than the walls, but the little they had covered well enough. When the base coat dried, Claire showed Mary how to lay out the outline of a basic castle picture on the walls and painted it in with grey and silver. The girls worked on the castle details, while Lupin attempted to draw a Hungarian Horntail. Madame de Chien-Loup commented on how the Horntail looked more like a spiky dog than a dragon, but Mary loved it nonetheless.

Claire seemed the only one with the knack for mural painting ("Among ozzar mundane things," she had hinted) and placed a life-sized unicorn by the window for Mary. The stallion was as tall as herself, with a flowing mane and a spiraling horn that touched the ceiling. If Madame didn´t have her Safehouses to run, one would think that she would have become an artist.

At the end of the day, they all sat down in the center of the room, gazing at their work. A towering castle stood in the center of the far wall. A little princess leaned out of the battlement, waving a handkerchief at the sea serpent stretched out in the moat. The mural went on to depict a knight in silver-plated armor, fighting the Hungarian Horntail with a sharp tipped lance. The unicorn was separate from the medieval scene, prancing by in a forest of greens and browns.

"Not bad," Claire assessed, reclining on the floor. She took off her bandanna and brushed her hair back. "Not bad at all."

"I think it´s very pretty," Mary said. She was leaning against Claire´s side. Mary yawned. "Could we do this again sometime?" she asked sleepily.

"If you want," Lupin mused. "We could have the whole house done if we had the time." He ruffled Mary´s blonde hair. "You tired?"

"A little..." Mary snuggled against Claire and sighed.

"We will 'ave to find anuzzer room for you two to sleep in tonight," Claire said, "while zis one dries."

"It is rather late is it?" Lupin looked out the window at the black sky. "We spent all day...?"

"Manual labor 'as a tendency to take awhile to accomplish." Claire rose to her feet, holding Mary in her arms. The little girl´s head drooped forward on the lady´s shoulder; Mary had fallen asleep.

"You want to take 'er?" she whispered. Lupin nodded, and Claire passed the child for him to hold. Their hands touched. They let go quickly as Lupin supported Mary.

"Well, um, I guess I´ll take the room next door," he said quickly.

"Oh yes," Claire agreed. She looked down at her feet with slight embarrassment.

Lupin carried Mary out of the room. "Good night, Claire," he called over his shoulder.

"Bon soir, Remus." Claire watched him enter the room across the hall. An endearing sight, with the angelic child over his shoulder clutching at his paint-covered robes. She quickly shook her head as if dismissing the thought and left the room, turning off the lights behind her.

Chapter 15

Time flew and the night that Lupin had been dreading all month arrived at last. The night of November 14, the night of the full moon.

He paced their newly painted room, trying to find the right words to say. The sun had already set and in a few minutes the moon will rise. They had spent all day at the Safehouse, with Lupin explaining to Mary exactly what would happen. What the change felt like, as her body metamorphosed into that of a beast. What her mind will become, as her human mind would shut down and be taken over by the base instincts of a ravenous wolf. What the outcome would be, as Mary lost her humanity, her consciousness, her soul.

Oh, and her reaction to these explanations! Mary was completely silent that day, huddled up on the bed sheets. She seemed to absorb all this information he was telling her and looked as if she was about to explode if another point was added. Lupin felt wretched to tell her this, but this was the truth that she needed to know in order to survive the change. He feared that she would turn insane after the first time. He almost did.

Mary sat on the bed, watching him with anxious eyes. She knew the importance of this night also, and the fear was evident on her face, which was very pale. Her lower lip quivered as if she might break into tears.

I don´t want it to be like it was with me, Lupin reasoned. It was a disaster, that time. Murphy and I had no idea what to expect.... But he knew what to expect this time around. He determined not to foul up the first transformation with Mary.

"Mary," he suddenly addressed, turning to face the girl. "I know that we´re a bit worried about tonight..."

She sat there hugging her knees, not answering. She was always silent when upset.

"But I want you to remember one thing." Lupin kneeled down to her level and took hold of her hands. "Mary, are you listening?"

She met his eyes with a trembling stare. Her eyes were glassy as she held back her tears.

"No, no, it´ll be all right," Lupin comforted, brushing a hand against her cheek. She sniffed and let the first tear fall.

"I´m scared," she said in a tiny voice, the first thing she had said all day.

"I know," he replied. "I´m scared too. But we have to be very brave tonight. Can you be a brave little girl for Remmy?"

Mary nodded.

"That a girl." Lupin hugged Mary tight, and she threw her small arms around him in return.

"I won´t hurt anyone?" she asked timidly.

"No." Lupin tugged at something around his neck and took it off. It was that silver chain with the holy cross and the identification tags. He had fixed the clasp the day Mary had returned it to him and had not taken it off since.

Lupin showed the chain to her. "I take courage from this," he said softly. "Whenever I was alone or scared, I would take my strength from the cross. It was my father´s. It had helped me many times in the past." He carefully put the chain around Mary´s neck. "I want you to wear this tonight."

Mary touched the warm metal. She was confused. Didn´t this chain belong to that wolf who-? Mary looked up into Lupin´s eyes. She wanted to ask about this, but her apprehension for what will happen superseded that concern. Instead, she asked, "You sure you won´t need it?"

"I don´t need it as much anymore." Lupin smiled with sincere eyes. "I have you."

Knock, knock, knock.

Lupin got up to open the door. Mary followed him.

Madame Claire de Chien-Loup stood outside. Her face seemed drained of color and she was holding her hands together anxiously. "It is time," she said solemnly.

Silently, they made their way down the hall. Claire steered them toward the basement, opening the door and letting them pass before she shut it behind her. Lupin took note that the door was made of solid steel.

A long wooden stairway descended before them and Claire took a Muggle flashlight and flicked it on, giving them enough light to see by. Climbing down the stairs, Lupin felt Mary grab his hand. He squeezed it reassuringly.

At the bottom of the stairwell were several doors, each made of heavy wood and iron crossbeams. They all faced the direction of the moonrise, so that the single moment that the moon rose, each would be filled with its light. This must be so that one wouldn´t have to wait too long until the change occurred.

Claire opened up the first door and pushed it open. The room was four by three metres, with brick walls and a small window blocked with thick bars. "Ze holding chambers are made for one only," she explained. "Which of you would like to go first?"

"But this is her first time," Lupin objected. "I want to be there with her."

Madame shook her head. "Ze wolf spirit takes over, do you not remember? You won´t be yourselves. What if you attack each ozzar?"

Lupin placed both hands on Mary´s shoulders. "We won´t. A wolf never attacks its pup."

Mary looked up at him in amazement. She knew it, she knew it! But she couldn´t make herself say anything of it, not when the moon was so near. Her stomach jumped and a strange feeling grew inside her. The changes were about to begin.

Claire crossed her arms over her chest, looking at her tenants. It was the first time Lupin openly acknowledged his parentage. She sighed and gave in. "But be careful," she said. She leaned down to kiss Mary on the top of her head. Claire then leaned forward, but placed a hand on his shoulder instead. "Good luck."

The heavy door shut behind them, and the sound of locks fastening was heard. A few moments later, another door slammed shut as Claire locked herself in a holding chamber next door.

Lupin sat down with his back pressed to the wall, facing the small window. The moonlight flowed into the room and fell on his lowered head.

Mary groaned and curled up into a little ball. "I...I... don´t feel so good..." she whimpered. The light graced her hair, turning it white.

He nodded in reply. The transformation was just beginning for him too, but Mary, being the younger one, would be the one to start changing first.

"Remember," he whispered, straining against the magic in order to tell her one last thing. "You are human, Mary. You´re never the wolf. Always. Human."

From outside the room, they heard Claire scream from the next room. A loud thud was heard as the lady werewolf threw herself against the brick wall. The changes had already begun for her.

She was yelling something in French, too fast for Lupin to decipher. "Mon Dieu, mon Dieu, mon Dieu, mon Dieu, aidez-moi, aidez-moi Dieu...!"

Mary shuddered and cried out and Lupin lifted his head toward the sound. The wolf was already taking over for her.

Her face was lengthening, with her ears stretching and moving toward the top of her head. Her clothes were melding with her body and blonde-gold fur shot out. She was yelling out too, in fear and pain.

A sharp stab shot up his spine and Lupin knew his time had come as well. Muscles twitching, body shaking, he collapsed onto the concrete floor, clawing it with his bare hands. His shoulder blades moved back as his arms and legs shortened. A sickening crunch was heard as his knees reverted themselves. "God!" he gasped, his vision blurring.

Mary was still changing with him. Her small hands and feet were becoming twisted into wolf paws. The tail shot out and the fur grew longer, shaggier. Her size increased twofold; she was becoming larger and shaggier.

"Papa! Papa!" She was yelling, she was twisting, she was changing. It was horrible, this pain, this agony, this monthly torture!

And with every moment of the transformation, the steady amount of pain increased. It was always painful and Lupin shut his eyes to Mary. The girl-pup was rolling on the floor, with her shaggy, grotesque head whipping about, a long yowl escaping her lips. Claire´s shouting echoed from the next room, except her voice was becoming more bestial. She didn´t call out for God to help her; she had no voice. She wasn´t speaking anymore - none of them could. All that could arise from their savage throats was the inhuman wail of the beast within.

"Hooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwlllll!!!" Lupin could hear Claire call in her wolf body. Then...

Thump! Thump!

The walls shook around them as he and his pup changed. Claire the Wolfhound was banging against the door to her holding chamber.

God, god, god, god! Lupin felt like he was about to pass out before the change was completed, that he would die before it was all over. Yet Mary´s screams made it all worse. The night of the change has eerie parallels to the night she was made. The illusion memory came back of him holding Mary down, ready to rip at her voice out as she screamed-

"Papa...!" Mary gasped from the concrete floor. "Papa...! Pa- rrrrooooooowww... Rowwwlll!"

Thump! The walls shook again.

This is hell, he thought deliriously, his eyes rolling towards the back of his head. This is hell and I´ve sent Mary to hell and I´m the devil.

That was the last human thought he had.

His humanity was like sand pouring through a sieve. Faster and faster and faster, draining, leaving him, leaving Mary, leaving Claire.

And then, suddenly, the wolf howled from the depths of his soul. This howl seemed to grow larger and larger, taking over any sane thought, absorbing any logical reasoning, destroying any human nature within him.

He wasn´t Remus Jacob Lupin any longer. He wasn´t a man any longer. He wasn´t even Moony, that friendly nickname of his childhood years. For this monstrosity could not be classified by any human title.

He was the wolf. He was savagery.

This was the curse of the werewolf.

This was the sin of Lycaos.

"Hooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwlllllllllllll!!"

Chapter 16

On the other side of London at the Bowingburg Center for Animal Research, a Muggle security guard looked up from his newspaper. He was quite fat, bald, and up there in the years, but his hearing had always been very keen. Keen hearing was an important plus to his job. And that Muggle security guard could have sworn that he heard an animal howling.

He sighed and looked out his open window. Nothing. It had to be nothing. The security guard checked the various monitor screens in front of him. Again nothing.

Well, he couldn´t help but be a little paranoid, now could he? The Bowingburg Center had procession of some extremely valuable animal DNA samples in their laboratory. The samples had something to do with that animal attack in Havenshire about a month ago. Several veterinarians and zoologists were called down there to identify some fur samples found at the site, and now they were all excited. A whole new DNA spectrum, they were all saying. A new animal discovered in England! A wolf with human DNA! The scientists already had an unofficial name dubbed for it: Homo lupus.

The Muggle security guard leaned back in his swivel chair and took another sip of his coffee. To him it was a personal thrill to know that he was guarding a breakthrough in the animal kingdom. He checked the monitors again. Nothing. Ah, just another night on the job.

***

Meanwhile, in laboratory 7, a wizard Apparated. He was dressed in clean-cut black Muggle clothing for the job, since robes would have been much too cumbersome. If the Muggle security guard looked into the monitor for laboratory 7 at that moment, he would have been surprised to see a man with dressed in black who was missing half an arm. The wizard didn´t really miss half an arm however; he just had an Invisibility Cloak slung over it. The wizard then put on the cloak and disappeared entirely from the cameras.

Not much was known about this wizard in particular. He worked for the Department of Mysteries, but that was it. He had no official file, no name, no true identity that could be associated with the Registry of Magical Creatures or the Ministry. This wizard was a covert operations expert, a spy, known to wizards as one of the Unspeakables. The type of wizard that no one was suppose to know about other than the top officials. He was only known by one code name: Croaker.

The wizard was an expert in the Muggle world; it was part of his job. He was assigned to cover up any evidence that may lead the Muggle world to believe in the existence of magic. The past few weeks have been hell for him, with this werewolf attack.

Always one step ahead of the Muggle authorities, he planted predator evidence in the woods surrounding Havenshire to be picked up by the Muggle´s Animal Control. Making a false den for this "unknown animal," placing prey remains and feces around the woods (much to his disgust), releasing recordings of animal howling into the air every few nights - Croaker established this elaborate cover up to make the Muggles think that there really was a rabid beast roaming the woods. False articles were printed in papers, warning of a wild dog rampaged the countryside, origins unknown, and yet was alarmingly possessed rabies (Muggle authorities were still investigating where the beast came from, of course). Yesterday he dumped the corpse of a timber wolf, dead from rabies, a kilometre into the woods surrounding the town. Once the Muggle police find that, then all questions concerning Mary Grisham´s death would be neatly covered up. Only one thing remained, which he was now in the process of resolving.

Tonight´s assignment was to steal a certain sample of werewolf DNA.

Croaker pointed his wand at several cameras that were situated around the room. At his magic, their tapes froze, so the scene that showed up at the security monitor would be at a standstill. Then, the wizard pointed to the locked box in the corner - the laser control mechanism. It immediately shut down, and the invisible detector lasers disappeared.

Too easy. These Muggles and their poor protection methods... Croaker smiled to himself as he looked around. Near the back of the laboratory were several cryogenic chambers, where the samples were kept. Walking his way over, he lifted up the cover to the first one, releasing a small hiss as the cold camber was unlocked. Each DNA sample was hooked into a column-shaped shelf and clinked together as he pulled them up. Wisps of cold vapor snaked its way into the outside air as Croaker scanned the samples. Homo lupus...Homo lupus... Homo lupus.... nope not here.

Turning to the next chamber, he opened it and lifted up the samples. Yes, here it was! The sample was extremely small of course, only half a vial. Easy to dispose of.

He picked the sample up, replacing it with an identical one containing blood from the rabid wolf. Croaker didn´t bother thinking about changing the reports and paperwork on this case. Once the Muggle scientists test the sample again and find the human chromosomes gone, they´ll just admit that they had a mistake and change the data themselves.

Glancing at the vial, he shook his head. Muggles and their damned technology, so easy to manipulate. He wouldn´t destroy the werewolf DNA sample here, but when he got back to the Registry of Magical Creatures. Yet he could do something....

He waved his wand and whispered, "Idemus."

The vial glowed red and a voice whispered in his head, "Registration Number 4765."

Ah, it was a registered werewolf! When he returned, he would report this information to the Head of the Registry. After that, hunting this creature down would be only a matter of time.

Croaker tucked the sample into his robes, congratulating himself on another job well done. He Disapparated.

***

Sergeant Bailey put down the file and rubbed his eyes. A single desk lamp provided the light he needed. His office was littered with various folders and papers, and on his desk were several other cases he still needed to review and do the paperwork for. All minor crimes: an auto theft, a mugging, and some vandalism. Yet the files still needed to be processed for the courts tomorrow; he had to get them done tonight. The officer sighed and slumped forward, putting an elbow up on his desk. He hated working overtime.

The police station was quiet, all except for a few others staying late for their own work. The Sergeant himself was reviewing a supposedly simple case. A girl from Havenshire had been killed last month, mauled by a rabid wolf. A week or so after the incident, police found the creature´s lair, featuring various animal remains. The creature itself appeared to be a rabid wolf, whose carcass was found only yesterday. It seems as if the creature died from its own disease before attacking anyone else.

However, this creature could be no ordinary animal. Sergeant Bailey had just finished looking over a scientific report sent in from the Bowingburg Center for Animal Research in London. According to the DNA analysis, this creature was could be an entirely new animal species. For, it said in the report, two types of DNA evidence were found at the crime scene. One was blood and tissue remains of the victim, a Mary Grisham. Several fur samples, however, revealed a strange combination of genetic material from a wolf and a human, combined to form a whole new organism. The homo lupus, the report called it.

Sergeant Bailey was never a very intellectual sort of person, and so he accepted all the scientific information without a second thought, figuring it was all over his head yet still undeniably true. However, two things still bothered him. Firstly, according to the victim´s father, a Reverend Kevin Grisham, he talked with Mary in the Havenshire church at 6 o´ clock in the evening. Mary left the church first for home about five minutes later, and by unfortunate accident, Reverend Grisham tripped upon the stairwell and broke his glasses. Upon repairing them, which took about fifteen or so minutes, he first heard Mary´s screams from outside. He came out of the church to discover the bloody remains at around 6:20. That would calculate that in the total amount of fifteen minutes, Mary Grisham was killed and the body dragged off for consumption by the wolf. Secondly, the wolf had rabies. Neither wolves nor the disease should exist in England.

Now, Sergeant Bailey had been on the force for some twenty-odd years, and he had seen several animal attacks on children in his time. Yet for one killing to occur so swiftly, and by such an unusual creature carrying such an unusual disease, and to have both the creature and the victim to leave the scene in under fifteen minutes? Impossible!

He gave one last look at the file containing the animal attack and put it down in his "Resolved Records" pile. It was an open and shut case, this one. A rabid wolf killed Mary Grisham and that was that. He didn´t have any information to explain anything else. The Center for Disease Control will be having a hell of a time with this incident, but then again, if something like mad cow disease could crop out of no where and bloom out of control, who could say that all the animals here were rabies-free?

Sleepily, he picked up the vandalism case. Geez, he could go for a cup of coffee right about now.

***

While one case was ending, another was just going into full swing. Croaker was on the move with this new information he had, his sample of werewolf´s blood. In a few hours of time, the Registry of Magical Creatures would send an all-out alert to Ministry officials everywhere to be on the lookout for werewolf Number 4765. Remus J. Lupin.