Remus Lupin lay in bed, his arms tucked over the covers, breathing very carefully to keep Sirius from feeling his anxiety through his love magic. Sirius lay against him, head on Remus's shoulder, having knackered himself out talking about his and James's day.

Remus had a feeling he had an idea how James had come to be confunded - or at least by whom - but wasn't sure why. But he planned to ask Dumbledore when he got to the Headmaster's chambers.

He just had to figure out how to slip out without waking Sirius.

Remus shifted his weight slightly to the left, edging toward the side of the bed, and held still a moment before making another slight shift, this time sliding his palm just a tiny bit under Sirius's head to ease the landing from his shoulder down to the pillow. It took a process of sliding and pausing several times to manage to get out from under his husband's snuggles, but finally Remus had managed it, and he snuck over to where he'd neatly folded his clothes on top of his loafers, and plucked the whole thing up, carrying them out of the room, closing the door with that old turn-the-knob-and-hold trick they'd perfected back at school years ago.

He was a Marauder, after all, and sneaking about was sort of a specialty of all four of them - wasn't it?

Well. Maybe not Peter.

Peter's light was on, though, visible under the jam of his door. Remus was still working up the courage to ask Peter about moving out so Spencer could move in. He felt guilty every time he'd thought about it and chickened out.

He paused in the hallway and quickly pulled on his trousers and jumpers, along with a knit cap he tugged down over his ears, and he carried his loafers across the living room as he tip toed to the door. He was nearly there and just congratulating himself on a sneak well done, when Spencer's voice cut through the dark.

"Rey? That you?"

"Shh," Remus replied.

Spencer had sat up and was rubbing his eyes from sleep, looking over the back of the couch, where he'd been sleeping. "Where you going?" He asked.

"I'll be back, don't worry about me."

"But it's the middle of the night," Spencer argued.

"Really, it's alright."

Spencer had pushed back the blankets, "Is something the matter?"

"No, really, everything is just fine. Go back to sleep."

Spencer was pulling on his trousers. "I'll come with you."

"You can't."

"Why?"

"You're a muggle."

"So?"

"Muggles can't see Hogwarts."

"Is that the wizard school?"

Remus nodded. "Just stay here, alright, Spencer? I promise everything is alright. I just need to go and speak with a friend of mine about some things, and I'll be back right after. Gone maybe an hour or two at most."

"But I thought the wizard school was in Scotland?"

"It is."

"You know we're in London?"

Remus nodded. "I'll explain wizard travel tomorrow."

"You're sure you're alright?"

"I am."

Spencer reluctantly sank back into the couch, "Alright," he murmured.

"Sleep tight," Remus said awkwardly, remembering a phrase his Mum had always said to him, "Don't let the bed bugs bite."

Spencer didn't react, and Remus felt silly for having said it. He turned and slipped out the door into the night, kicking his loafers on before descending down the stairs to the alley. He snuck out to the road and stuck out his wand hand, taking the Knight Bus to Hogsmeade.

Hagrid was waiting for him when he arrived to the gates of Hogwarts, Fang by his side. He greeted Remus with a hug of familiarity and lumbered along side him all the way up to the castle, chattering excitedly to Remus about a unicorn foal that had been born in the forest that month. "Yeh should come by my hut an' see it before you leave out, if yeh have the time," Hagrid said, "I'll take yeh out to the nest the mum's made."

"Not tonight, Hagrid, I'm actually very tired already, but Dumbledore insisted on a meeting - Order business, you know," Remus said.

"Oh well some other time then," Hagrid said. "Let me know in advance yeh'll be comin' and I'll bake yeh up some rock cakes!"

Remus nodded. "Thanks Hagrid."

"Didn't know unicorns made nests, but Kettleburn says it's rather common! Innit sommat, that?"

"I'm surprised Mr. Scamander isn't visiting, if there's a foal," Remus said.

"Said he's goin' to try at comin' 'round but he's right busy in New York, says lit'le Bradley's started muggle children's school and he's getting on just swell. Wrote me a letter and all, Bradley did, innit that nice of the lad!"

"Very nice," Remus nodded.

"Drew me a grand picture of Mr. Scamander's Occamy! With color pencils and everything. Got it framed in me hut, right up on me wall and all!"

Remus smiled.

"I'll show that to yeh too when yeh come and visit," Hagrid said.

Remus nodded. "Excellent," he replied.

At the castle, Hagrid waved goodbye and started off down the hill toward his hut as Remus climbed the stairs. The door opened just as he was reaching the top step and Dumbledore come out into the night. "You've made it!"

Remus nodded. The headmaster smiled. "Are you hungry at all? I can have an elf bring you some of the left overs from dinner - we had quite a delicious stew last night..."

"No, thank you, Dumbledore."

"Suit yourself!" Dumbledore said, smiling, and led the way across the entrance hall to the small room off the Great Hall, which McGonagall used as a holding area for the first years each year. Inside, a fire was burning in the fireplace, and Dumbledore had led the way to a couple of plush armchairs he'd magicked before it. "I thought this might be a bit more comfortable than my office," he explained, and as Remus closed the door behind him, he heard the soft suctioning sound of a silencing charm on the door, and knew that the room was entirely and completely private.

Remus made his way to the chairs as Dumbledore pulled a kettle from the fire. "Why did you confund James Potter today?" Remus asked point blank.

Dumbledore looked up as the kettle poured itself into the two magenta and gold cups he'd produced. "Who told you that?"

"I figured it out when they said he was investigating in Blackburn today. Was he your source? Before you confunded him, of course?"

Dumbledore sighed heavily as Remus took his cup of tea and sat down in one of the arm chairs. "I am not proud of having to do it, but the Ministry for magic simply cannot find and destroy Greyback before we have run our mission, I am afraid."

"Why?"

Dumbledore drew a deep breath, "Remus, I know you have not grown in a pack environment, and therefore some of the politics may be a bit confusing. But here is my reason: the Alpha in a pack, that being Greyback in Blackburn, can assign a successor, someone to inherit the title of Alpha should something happen to him. The pack mostly transfers to that second in command, but some of the members might default differently, depending who bit them, and the strength of that second in command. That said, the pack in Blackburn, as well as the packs in other locations, such as the Great North Woods, would likely be transferred directly to Greyback's second - a man named Ed."

Remus, who remembered Ed far too well from a brief time he'd spent in the pack house in the North Woods, shuddered.

"However, there is a slight possibility that Greyback has found a way to directly name Voldemort as his second, though I am unsure how well this tactic would work, as Voldemort is not a werewolf himself. But either way, the results would be catastrophic. All the wolves currently under Greyback's leadership would transfer their allegiance. The only way to ensure the change of allegiance did not fall to either would be for a lone wolf to challenge and defeat Greyback to take on the title of Alpha."

Remus said, "But I'm not --"

"You are a lone wolf, Remus, for you do not belong to any pack and you have thwarted his Alpha controls over you more than once, even when he has managed to regain them."

"Well then oughtn't the pack have already transferred to me if that was how it worked?" Remus asked.

"You have defeated him with your skills as a wizard," Dumbledore explained, "To gain the pack, you must defeat him as a wolf."

Remus felt his innards twist.

"Do you see now why I had to confund James Potter?"

"Why didn't you just tell him it was for Order business that he couldn't go to Underhill?" Remus asked.

"I did try," Dumbledore said. "But he refused to listen. He chose Underhill over me."

Remus tried to keep his face still - he wasn't surprised James had done so. He'd been challenging Dumbledore's trustworthiness for some time now, and while Remus didn't understand how anyone could not trust Dumbledore, he knew James must have his reasons. He didn't wish to end up in the middle by confirming or denying James's distrust in the Headmaster, even if Remus did think he was mental for doubting him.

Dumbledore had been nothing but benevolent to Remus, always giving him a chance when no others would trust a monster. How anyone could doubt someone like that was beyond Remus's comprehension.

Dumbledore continued on, "What do you think about this little plan of mine?"

"I'm - I'm not sure I can defeat Greyback as a wolf, my wolf is considerably weaker than his. And Greyback's... I'm not certain my wolf has the strength."

Dumbledore mused, "I can see your apprehension, however, you must remember that you now have access to Wolfsbane... do you not?"

Remus blinked in surprise.

"You can keep your wits about you, Remus, and defeat Greyback by using logic."

Remus frowned, clearly still very nervous.

Dumbledore's smile was gentle as he leaned forward. "Remus, we as humans are born to great destinies. We may not realize the moment is upon us to fulfill them until we look back. Many people's purposes are fulfilled in moments they do not see the importance of as they live in them. You, my boy, are upon one now. One day, you will look back upon this night, this choice, this sequence of events with the realization that it was here in which your destiny's fulfillment began. Seize the moment now, while you live in it, Remus, for it is yours to take. You may very well see when it is over that you have really been preparing for this moment, heart and soul, for your entire life."

Remus closed his palms around his cup of tea.

Dumbledore paused, then murmured, "Just think how proud Ned Veigler would be, if he were still here with us today. You, saving the werewolves of Blackburn, from the cruel treatment of one of Voldemort's most devoted followers."

Tears filled Remus's eyes at the thought of Ned Veigler.

Dumbledore put his hand on Remus's forearm imploringly, "Not to mention how proud of you I am myself, Mr. Lupin. You, my boy, who have proved time and again that I made the correct choice bringing you here to Hogwarts, when so many told me that werewolves do not belong in this castle. You have blossomed into a man of bravery, integrity, kindness, and generosity. These are things needed for this mission, and for the good of the pack. They need you, Remus, and you alone are in the unique position to help them in a way no others can."

Remus closed his eyes. "Let me tell Sirius, and I'll do whatever you think I should. But I have to be able to tell my husband."

Dumbledore sat back, an expression of frustration on his face, "Remus, I don't --"

"If my destiny is this, Dumbledore, then the man I promised my life to is as much a part of my life time's worth of preparation as you are for having brought me here. Sirius Black is by far the most important person in my life. While I credit you for a great deal, including putting me into the circumstances which allowed me to find Sirius and for him to become a part of my life, it is Sirius who has most shaped me into the man I am today. It is Sirius who has taught me the bravery, integrity, kindness, and generosity that you have attributed to me. If I have any of those qualities it is because Sirius Black has given them first to me. If I am not able to tell him where I am going, what I am doing, and why, then I will not be going and doing it, and that, Dumbledore, is my final word on the matter. Take it or leave it."

Dumbledore stared at Remus, and for moment Remus worried that the Headmaster would snap at him, would be angry with him, or worse disappointed. But instead he smiled.

"Very well, then. Do as you best see fit, Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore said, nodding. "I shall respect your wishes wholly."

It seemed like mere moments had passed between falling asleep and waking. Remus had stayed another hour with Dumbledore discussing more exact strategies for the challenge before he'd finally gone home and collapsed beside Sirius, back in his bed in East London. He'd pulled Sirius close to his chest and cradled him, whispering an I love you when Sirius murmured whats on in his sleep. Now, Sirius was anything but asleep.

"WAKE UP WAKE UP!!!!"

Remus groaned.

"MOONY!!!!! You aren't going to FATHOM what's happened!!!! It's fucking BRILLIANT! Its the most incredible -- wake the fuck up!!!"

"What?" Remus groaned. "What is it?"

"HARRY UNDERHILL'S RUNNING FOR MINISTER FOR MAGIC!!!"

Remus's eyes snapped open. "What?"

Sirius thrust a newspaper into Remus's face as Remus sat up and unfolded the paper. It wasn't the above the fold story - that was reserved for a large update on Bagnold's work as Interim Minister for Magic. But it was one of two secondary articles - the other being a story about an expected shortage in wand wood following the destruction of a large forest known to be infested with loads of bowtruckles.

THE FIRST RUNNER IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION - HAROLD UNDERHILL - DECLARES GOAL OF CHANGING THE WIZARDING WORLD FOR GOOD!

The article described the arrival of an owl in the small hours of the morning, addressed to the editor in chief at the Daily Prophet, who chose to simply shRe Underhill's letter in full, rather than attempting to paraphrase his words. "Let Underhill's words speak for themselves," the Editor wrote, "And you can decide for yourself whether you support or damn the man."

Dear Mr. Editor, I am writing to inform you, and in turn, the entire Wizarding World of my decision to run for the office of Minister for Magic in the upcoming election.

I, Harry Underhill, second in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Head Trainer of the Auror Training Center, Detective, and long veteran of the auror forces, officially put myself forward for your consideration.

While I shall work to share my full intentions and campaign promises through debates,  and interviews over the coming election period, I do wish to disclose that I am seeking change and reform, calling for an opportunity to work together to better not only the Wizarding World, but ourselves and individuals.

I believe that every one of us is important to our world. Every one that draws breath. As Minister, I wish to focus on making that belief a reality. I plan to help move us forward together - regardless of species - to realize the dream of becoming truly strong.

[He who must not be named] is only as strong as we are weak. And he is as weak as we are strong.

Together, we can defeat him and all others like him.

Together, we can change the world.

- Harry Octavian Underhill