"What's he doing here?" Harry asked. His gut was twisting and he couldn't figure out why.

"I don't know, the defense position isn't open again," Ron said.

Hermione came up behind them as they stood in line outside the Charms classroom waiting to be let in.

"Did you see Professor Lupin?" she asked. "He arrived this morning."

"Why?" Harry asked, still feeling uneasy about his presence in the castle.

"Everyone knows he's a werewolf," Dean said from behind them. "You know after that hunter came on the grounds they've been checking beds and everything to see if anyone here is a werewolf. I bet he's here to see if he can figure out who."

Harry and Ron turned and stared at Dean open mouthed. "What?" Dean asked. "You don't think so?"

"Bet his nose leads him straight to Slytherin," Seamus said knowledgeably. "You know how Draco was boasting that he was one."

"Shut up Finnegan!" Draco snapped at him as he passed on his way to another class.

"It'll be nice to catch up with Remus," Hermione said as Professor Flitwick let them into the Charms room. "We haven't seen him in a while."

"Yeah," Ron said when Harry didn't answer. "That'll be nice." He smiled at Hermione as they sat down.

Harry couldn't concentrate through class though, because he felt too uneasy to do so. Remus could be there to rat him out to the Headmaster. Harry had a feeling Remus was there for something else but he couldn't figure out what. All he knew was that he didn't like it.

Harry didn't see Remus again until after study hall later that day. It was their last class and Harry and Ron had gotten up to leave class in the Great Hall early, thinking they'd go to the library to read.

"Hello Harry, Ron," Remus said as they came out of the great Hall. He had a smile, which Ron returned, but Harry turned and let out a low growl, eyes locked with Remus'.

Surprise flashed over Remus' face. "Whoa, easy cub," he said quietly, and put his hands up as he took a step back at another low growl from Harry.

"Harry!" Ron chastised in a whisper tinged with disbelief, tugging on his friend's sleeve. "What are you doing?" Harry growled again as his eyes turned yellow, and he shrugged out of Ron's grasp.

Hands still up to show he wasn't a threat, Remus said, "I'm not here to take your territory. It's yours, all right?"

Harry's eyes slowly changed back to their normal green, and the hair on the back of his neck stopped standing on end. Harry wasn't sure what had come over him, but as soon as he'd heard Remus' voice, he'd felt threatened. Remus had seemed to know just what to say to calm him down however, because he no longer felt on edge. He supposed he did consider this his territory. Why didn't he get this upset when Ethan had come into the castle?

Harry turned to look at Ron, who was giving Harry a look like he'd temporarily lost his mind. "What?" Harry asked, as if he hadn't just freaked out on Remus.

"It's ok," Remus said, voice quiet. "Let's talk in here." He led them into an empty room and warded the door shut. Harry pretended to be interested in a Prefect schedule that was posted on the wall, since Remus had brought them into the Prefect's meeting room, and when he turned around found Remus giving him a look he couldn't distinguish. He wasn't sure if it was sadness, uncertainty, or amusement. Perhaps somehow it was all three.

"When the Headmaster asked me to come to the school to see if I could spot two werewolves, I didn't think it would be you two."

"Un uh, not me," Ron said, holding up his hands. "Mum'd have my hide if it were me."

Harry wanted to ask how the Headmaster knew, but it was obvious with the wolf-hunter coming onto school grounds and with the mess they'd made and hadn't cleaned up in the potions lab. Everyone seemed to know the staff was on the search for werewolves.

"Who is the other person?" Remus asked quietly. Harry could clearly detect the sadness in his voice now though it was well masked as calmness.

"It's not a student," Ron said. "His name is-" Ron didn't finish though because Harry had elbowed him hard in the ribs. Ron shot him a look and rubbed his side.

"He's been helping me," Harry said. "Teaching me. He helped me get away from the Flagari and brought me to Hogwarts."

"And which one of you did the hunter injure over the weekend?" Remus asked seriously.

Harry and Ron gave each other a look, remembering all the blood the night they'd helped Ethan.

"Him," Harry said. "They got him with a tipped arrow. Remus-," Harry stuck his hands in his pockets as he suddenly began to feel nervous. "You're not gonna tell them are you? About me?"

Remus stood straight and sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Harry how did this happen? Who bit you?"

"It happened this summer. I'm still not really sure how. I just have random images of that night. I must have been out after dark when it happened. Mostly I just remember waking up all covered in bites and scratches and bruises the next day. Then I got angry and transformed there in the house a few weeks later, right after I figured out what was happening to me, and I had to run. That's when the wolf-hunter first spotted me and tried to kill me. I spent almost a week trying to get to Ron's house and that's when I met my other friend who's been helping me."

Ron snorted and Harry and Remus turned to him.

"He's not your friend Harry."

"He and Ron don't get along," Harry told Remus.

"It's not about us getting along!" Ron said hotly. "He gives you a bare minimum of information to make it seem like you have to keep depending on him, he doesn't show up for the full moon to help you out, and only comes around when he's been shot like we owe it to him to dig the arrow out of his gut. We're risking our necks for him Harry. Doesn't seem like much of a friend."

Remus looked to Harry to see what he had to say, but Harry didn't know what to say. Ron was right, and he'd thought the same thing several times. On top of what Ron had said, Ethan was moody and often short with them. He was marginally nicer to Harry than he was to Ron, but that wasn't saying much. On the other hand, Harry felt connected to Ethan, almost like he felt connected to the Alpha.

"He knows who bit me," Harry finally said.

"You don't?"

"No." Remus waited patiently for him to continue and Harry said, "If I ever want to be me again, I have to kill the alpha."

"That's a legend," Remus said seriously.

"No it's not. Not for us. And I have to kill him anyway because he keeps trying to call me out while I'm sleeping."

"You can't be serious." Remus suddenly sat up straighter. "You're a Norwegian Lycanthrope."

Harry nodded.

"I've only met one before. He was from Narvik and he killed his Alpha because he was trying to exert too much control over him." He paused. "Harry-" Remus leaned back against the wall. "I know I don't have to impress upon you how serious this is."

"I'm handling it," Harry said.

"The Flagari aren't leaving. They think there are two students here to hunt, and the Headmaster thinks there are two lycans here as well. I don't know how you'll keep this hidden with the alpha trying to call you out on top of that."

"But you can help us, can't you?" Ron asked. "You know more about this than we do and Ethan isn't telling us enough."

Harry elbowed Ron hard again and he finally said, "Hey! Cut that out!"

"Ethan is his name?" Remus asked.

"He told Harry not to tell anyone that he was helping him or who he was."

"Packs work differently amongst the different types," Remus said. "It's taboo amongst Norwegian lycans to help someone who isn't in their own pack. I can't imagine he would help you if you weren't in his pack. It's possible the Alpha, he said he knew him, correct? It's possible the Alpha doesn't want anyone to help Harry and this Ethan is doing so against the Alpha's wishes."

"He acts like he's ashamed to know the Alpha," Harry said.

"But he said he would help you kill him?"

"Not exactly," Harry hedged.

"What exactly did he say?"

"He said he'd help me but he hadn't decided how yet."

"You haven't- eaten yet have you?" Remus asked.

"No," Harry said vehemently.

"If Ethan and the Alpha believe the legend is true, then I would wager that the Alpha continues to try calling you out to hunt with him so that you'll eat. Then killing him to regain full humanity wouldn't be an option anymore. Once that's off the table you'd have little reason to kill him. If you try to kill him after you've tasted human flesh, you'll become the alpha instead."

"I know," Harry said.

"Then you should be wary of others killing the Alpha. If Ethan, or anyone else in the pack kills him first, you'll lose your chance."

Harry and Ron looked at each other. "He wouldn't do that," Harry said, though he wasn't certain. Ron didn't say anything about it though.

"I want you to be careful Harry." He turned and looked at Ron and said, "and you should be as well. I'd like to advise you both to steer clear of the entire issue as well as of Ethan, but it seems you're both already too involved. It was more than bold to bring him into the castle when he was hurt, especially since you don't know much about him."

Harry and Ron both felt properly chastised. It had been a dangerous thing to do to bring him in. Now that Harry thought about it, this was the kind of thing that might get them both expelled.

"It's all a big mess," Harry said, thinking again about how these things seemed to follow him around.

"How have you been handling the full moon?"

"Not well," Ron said when Harry didn't answer.

Remus gave them a questioning look and Ron filled in the details for him.

"The Headmaster brought me here to see if I could find out who it was," Remus said. After a long pause, he continued, "I'm not going to tell him, but I think you should Harry."

"Why? I'll get kicked out of school for sure! He'll make me register with the Ministry! That's why we haven't told Hermione."

Remus sighed. "It's your choice Harry. I'm not going to make it for you. I know you and I trust that you're taking precautions to keep others safe. It's not others I'm worried about though. You and Ron are in real danger, both from the Flagari and the Alpha. I can't say for certain what the Headmaster will do, but I don't believe he asked me to come here with the intention of turning you in to the Ministry or making you leave school. It's his job to keep all students safe, including you. I think he wants to help you and make sure everyone stays safe."

"Did he help you?" Harry asked after several moments.

"As a matter of fact, he did. He kept my secret because he didn't believe I should have to be an outcast as the Ministry would have me be. He also believed I should have a full education. And it was a weight off my shoulders having adults who knew about me to help me when the full moon came around. The Headmaster and Professor McGonagall took me out to the Shrieking Shack three nights a month and three mornings a month Madam Pomfrey healed me and made up excuses about my having to miss classes while I slept in the Hospital Wing."

Harry and Ron glanced at each other again. "We thought about using the Shrieking Shack," Harry said, "but the Alpha is out there and so is the hunter."

"You have reason to be scared," Remus said, stepping forward and putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You don't have to do everything alone though. I can see that Ron has been a big help and you've obviously come to rely on Ethan, but there are others you can rely on too. People that care about you Harry. I'll do what I can to help you, but I'm not on staff and I was only invited to come for a few days until I could figure out who the lycans were. I would stay in Hogsmead if the Flagari weren't here, but that isn't a possibility. The Headmaster had me floo in directly to his office so I wouldn't have to come in from the outside."

Without warning Harry put his arms around Remus and hugged him tightly. Remus wrapped his arms around Harry as well. "I don't know what to do Remus. I never wanted this."

"I know," Remus said. "I'm sorry this happened to you. With all you've been dealing with, I never imagined this would get added to the list."

"Ethan told him it was a gift," Ron huffed as Harry and Remus let go of each other.

"Yes," Remus said, "for some it might be, especially for those of the Norwegian and Albanian tribes."

"It's not a gift," Harry said. "It's more people out for my blood. Someone's going to get me eventually Remus." Harry knew it was true. He felt it in his bones. He didn't know if he'd live to see another day, let alone another year. It was no wonder his grades had been slipping since school had started again. There was too much to be anxious about, too many things to plan and to do to spend time studying for charms exams and writing essays.

"I stand by what I said. I won't turn you in, but I think you should tell the Headmaster. He and others can be more help than you think."

"Others?" Ron asked.

Remus closed his mouth. "That's all I'll say," he said. He looked down at his watch. "The Headmaster is expecting a report in a few minutes. I have to go. I'll be around until tomorrow evening. If you want to talk I'm in the guest quarters down the hall from the Headmaster's office. I won't approach you again on this trip though or it might raise suspicion."

Harry gave him another hug and then Remus left.

"What are you gonna do?" Ron asked.

"I'm not telling anybody."

"Even after what Remus said?"

"Yes."

"I'd rather trust Dumbledore than Ethan."

"I know you would." Harry went for the door, but stopped and turned back to look at his best friend. "You're a good friend for helping me Ron, but Remus is right. It's dangerous to be around me."

"That's not what he said."

"It's what he meant though. It was bad enough for you and Hermione when it was just Voldemort, now it's the Alpha and the hunter too."

Ron shoved him lightly. "Forget it Harry, you're not getting rid of me. I'm in this now."

"Thanks," Harry said. Before he opened the door he said, "Ethan's in this too. He chose to find me and help me, I didn't ask for it. I don't know if I trust him, but I can't just ignore him either. What Remus said... him probably being part of the same pack I'm in... it makes sense now."

"What does?"

"I feel connected to him. Not like I'm his friend or anything... it's on a deeper level. It's like it's in my bones or something. I can't explain it."

"Like you owe it to him," Ron said, irritated.

"Not owing him..." Harry thought about it, trying to put words to it. "It's like, I have to help him, because it wouldn't be right not to, and I have to listen to him because I just have to."

"Maybe he's the Alpha and he's been lying to you."

The thought had crossed Harry's mind, but he'd discounted it as soon as the Alpha had started calling him out. "No, the Alpha is older, I can tell. I can tell he wants something from me. Ethan doesn't want anything."

"You can tell that?"

"Yeah."

Ron huffed. "I'm still not going anywhere. I don't have to like him either. If I have to help him, I'll do it for you."

"Thanks," Harry said.

Later that night at dinner, Harry and Ron glanced up at the head table. Remus was sitting between Snape and the Headmaster, and the Headmaster kept leaning over to Remus to whisper something as they looked out over the sea of students eating their meal. Snape seemed to be keeping an unusually close eye on the students as well. While Remus and the Headmaster were looking at the Hufflepuff table however, Snape was staring at Harry and Ron. They went back to their meal, backs to Snape where he couldn't see their faces.

"Git," Ron muttered.

Harry stuffed his mouth full of potatoes to keep from saying anything at all.