The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

The Liaison

"A Keep Quiet charm," Dumbledore said, seeing Remus look about them, trying to figure out what the sensation had been. "Very similar to the muffliato that you and your friends were rather fond of in detentions."

Remus flushed. 

"It silences the space around two people as well as keeps your own sound from carrying off."  Before Remus could comment, Dumbledore said, "It is vitally important that what we say here does not leave our presence, Mr. Lupin."

"It is?"

Dumbledore nodded, stopping walking. Remus held up and clung onto the staff carefully.

"Last night," Dumbledore began, "We all suffered an incredible loss. Irreplaceable, really. The Prewett Twins were among our best and brightest fighters in the Order, as well as in our hearts - our friends, our family." He hung his head shook head, shaking it mournfully, his eyes closing as he absorbed the pain of the words.

Remus felt his eyes go a bit blurry from emotion, but he took a deep breath and looked away, sweeping his palm over his face. He couldn't let himself cry fully yet or he'd never stop and he needed Sirius to be with him when that sort of emotion finally overtook him. They'd breakdown together later - soon - when he was home from this meeting, he was sure of it. But for now he had to stay strong and say what he had to say.

"Which is exactly why I was wrong for what I did last night, Dumbledore," Remus said. "You said not to apologize and all that rubbish about leadership qualities but if I was displaying true leadership qualities I would have recognized that a leader physically compromised has no right to go into battle."

Dumbledore stared at Remus. "My boy, you are taking too much upon your shoulders. You are not to blame for the outcome of the battle. Even in perfect health, leaders make mistakes, first of all, and secondly you managed yourself quite well in the battle, Mr. Lupin. I was speaking with Elphinstone Urquart just now and he was telling me that you leveled Fenrir Greyback not once but twice, and faced down Evan Rosier as well - both of whom have been long-time enemies to you."

Remus said, "I didn't manage to actually capture either one of them, sir."

"No but you taught them both a lesson they shall not forget - and, in the case of Fenrir Greyback, you've done something extremely important."

"What?"

"Ever since last year, when you faced Greyback at Fallengunder, he has slowly fallen from the graces of Voldemort," Dumbledore said boldly, "He has gone from one of the top Death Eaters among them to one whom has pulled a lot of grunt-work missions, things that are physically tolling without much pay-off. The demotion has put quite a dent in your old enemy's reputation."

Remus raised an eyebrow, "What, because I threw him against a wall and knocked him down a couple times?"

"Remus, how you talk down your own powerful displays!" Dumbledore scolded.

Remus shrugged.

Dumbledore said, "You know as well as anyone what it means when one werewolf defeats another in battle - even when you are not in your wolfish states of mind, there is a special connection between the biter and the bitten in werewolf lore, I need not remind you how the Alpha system works in wolves, however, and Fenrir Greyback has been defeated by one of his own." 

"Good, I'm glad he's been embarrassed, then," Remus said.

Dumbledore stared at Remus for a long moment, then reached out a palm and lay it on Remus's shoulder. "Because of the loss," Dumbledore murmured, "The werewolves created by Fenrir Greyback, who are many, have no pack leader... their Alpha was defeated, Remus, which means they've a new Alpha leader, by the rites of deep magic within their community... strict laws written in their blood."