Introductions
It's always the most difficult part, introducing himself. Deciding what truths to twist, what lies to tell.
The man who greets him is barely an adult; he stares at him warily, waiting for his questions to be answered. His hair is unkempt, his thin body covered in animal skins, but it's clear he's new here as well - he can tell by the eyes, and the wand clutched tightly in his hand.
"My name is Romulus. I…thought I might find a place here."
Sheer wariness, tentative hope; none of it is fake, he just uses it to his advantage.
The man nods at him slowly, with a furrowed brow.
"You were living with them."
"I tried," Remus answers with a grim smile.
"I was even a teacher for a while. Of course, that didn't last."
No need to tell him he wanted to be an Auror first, a long time ago.
"I wanted to be a healer," the man says quietly, and Remus reaches out a hand, rests it on his shoulder. The man tenses slightly, but doesn't pull away. He isn't accustomed to gentle sympathy.
"You can heal people here, yes?" The man nods, then, earnestly, a faint smile brightening his features.
"Yes. And you…you can teach, if you want." Remus returns the smile, then, the delight genuine enough - perhaps he can at that. He's a spy, but that doesn't mean he can't help.
"What's your name?" The man hesitates, for a moment, but Remus simply waits.
"John. It's…my father's name." The smile fades, and he looks away; Remus squeezes his shoulder.
"Mine as well." John looks up at him, surprised and hopeful, and Remus is grateful that this, too, is true.
"I'll lead you back."
"Thank you, John."
They walk in silence for a while, navigating the path cautiously; this pack lives deep in the woods, past any number of twist and turns and troubles.
"When were you bitten?" John asks suddenly; he flushes, murmuring an apology, but Remus only shakes his head.
"It's fine. I was five." The wide eyes are expected, and the quiet admission that follows.
"It…it was only a year ago, for me. How did you survive on your own…?" Remus' eyes narrow, slightly.
"My mother and father did their very best to raise me as a normal person." Shock and envy fill John's eyes; he almost walks into a low branch, but Remus pushes it aside with a wave of his wand.
"Thanks. Really?"
"Yes," Remus says softly; he couldn't have kept the sympathy from his voice if he wanted to.
"My family was never the problem, it was the rest of the world. I'm…sorry - " John shakes his head.
"The pack is my family now." He sounds uncertain, and he must realise that Remus can tell, for he continues, "Even if I don't…don't agree with everything…"
The heart of the matter, before they even reach the clearing; Remus can't summon much triumph.
"What is it you…don't agree with?" He looks curious, sounds concerned.
"Well, they…" His voice lowers as his steps halt; Remus turns, gazing at him patiently.
"A lot of them want to join up with - You-Know-Who." Remus' eyes widen.
"Really? I…I suppose I can see why…"
John nods rapidly, swallowing thickly.
"They think it will be better, but I…I don't know. Seems like he's even worse - I'm not Muggleborn, but…well, they don't get to choose any more than we do." Once again, Remus finds himself reaching out, and now he's squeezing John's hand, his voice low and soft.
"I know. My father's a Muggle. Either way, I…" John looks scared, suddenly; at the thought of losing his new friend, no doubt, and Remus feels a pang of guilt.
"Should we say something?" Remus shakes his head; he can't compromise the infiltration, not now. He needs to play along.
"I think we should wait. We can't…be fighting amongst ourselves unless we need to." After a moment, John nods once more, slowly.
"I understand. …I - think I can see why you were a teacher, Remus."
Remus smiles, and vows to himself that he won't fail this one.
The man who greets him is barely an adult; he stares at him warily, waiting for his questions to be answered. His hair is unkempt, his thin body covered in animal skins, but it's clear he's new here as well - he can tell by the eyes, and the wand clutched tightly in his hand.
"My name is Romulus. I…thought I might find a place here."
Sheer wariness, tentative hope; none of it is fake, he just uses it to his advantage.
The man nods at him slowly, with a furrowed brow.
"You were living with them."
"I tried," Remus answers with a grim smile.
"I was even a teacher for a while. Of course, that didn't last."
No need to tell him he wanted to be an Auror first, a long time ago.
"I wanted to be a healer," the man says quietly, and Remus reaches out a hand, rests it on his shoulder. The man tenses slightly, but doesn't pull away. He isn't accustomed to gentle sympathy.
"You can heal people here, yes?" The man nods, then, earnestly, a faint smile brightening his features.
"Yes. And you…you can teach, if you want." Remus returns the smile, then, the delight genuine enough - perhaps he can at that. He's a spy, but that doesn't mean he can't help.
"What's your name?" The man hesitates, for a moment, but Remus simply waits.
"John. It's…my father's name." The smile fades, and he looks away; Remus squeezes his shoulder.
"Mine as well." John looks up at him, surprised and hopeful, and Remus is grateful that this, too, is true.
"I'll lead you back."
"Thank you, John."
They walk in silence for a while, navigating the path cautiously; this pack lives deep in the woods, past any number of twist and turns and troubles.
"When were you bitten?" John asks suddenly; he flushes, murmuring an apology, but Remus only shakes his head.
"It's fine. I was five." The wide eyes are expected, and the quiet admission that follows.
"It…it was only a year ago, for me. How did you survive on your own…?" Remus' eyes narrow, slightly.
"My mother and father did their very best to raise me as a normal person." Shock and envy fill John's eyes; he almost walks into a low branch, but Remus pushes it aside with a wave of his wand.
"Thanks. Really?"
"Yes," Remus says softly; he couldn't have kept the sympathy from his voice if he wanted to.
"My family was never the problem, it was the rest of the world. I'm…sorry - " John shakes his head.
"The pack is my family now." He sounds uncertain, and he must realise that Remus can tell, for he continues, "Even if I don't…don't agree with everything…"
The heart of the matter, before they even reach the clearing; Remus can't summon much triumph.
"What is it you…don't agree with?" He looks curious, sounds concerned.
"Well, they…" His voice lowers as his steps halt; Remus turns, gazing at him patiently.
"A lot of them want to join up with - You-Know-Who." Remus' eyes widen.
"Really? I…I suppose I can see why…"
John nods rapidly, swallowing thickly.
"They think it will be better, but I…I don't know. Seems like he's even worse - I'm not Muggleborn, but…well, they don't get to choose any more than we do." Once again, Remus finds himself reaching out, and now he's squeezing John's hand, his voice low and soft.
"I know. My father's a Muggle. Either way, I…" John looks scared, suddenly; at the thought of losing his new friend, no doubt, and Remus feels a pang of guilt.
"Should we say something?" Remus shakes his head; he can't compromise the infiltration, not now. He needs to play along.
"I think we should wait. We can't…be fighting amongst ourselves unless we need to." After a moment, John nods once more, slowly.
"I understand. …I - think I can see why you were a teacher, Remus."
Remus smiles, and vows to himself that he won't fail this one.