When one is an unemployed werewolf struggling to earn enough to buy food, let alone pay rent, one does not pay much attention to the holiday season. If he had bothered to look at a calendar, Remus Lupin would not have dared to enter Diagon Alley two days after Easter. He had never been much of an Easter celebrator, as it was synonymous to the full moon for him.
As it was, Remus hadn't seen a calendar in weeks and was mostly preoccupied with a bite mark on his leg that was strategically placed on the most crucial muscle for walking in the human body and the fact that his favorite robes had developed a large tear that even his most trusty sewing spell couldn't fix. That's why, two days after Easter, he Flooed into the designated Knockturn Alley grate for werewolves, unaware of the huge influx of Hogwarts students milling about.
It only took him long enough to turn the corner form Knockturn Alley into Diagon to realize his mistake. On his left were Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet ogling broomsticks while first-year Romilda Vane sat cross-legged outside an apothecary waiting for her parents. Lee Jordan, looking rather strange without a Weasley twin on either side, was talking very quickly into what looked like a Muggle walkie-talkie, narrowly avoiding walking into passers-by. Remus, his throat closing at the sudden onslaught of his former students and the unbearable prospect of having to talk to any of them, limped his way through the throng of people, keeping his head down. Hogwarts was on holiday. What hadn't he realized this? Hoping beyond hope no one recognized him, he made his way towards Secondhand Robes, clutching the small fistful of Knuts and Sickles in his pocket.
When he managed to duck into Secondhand Robes, he felt a strong sense of relief. Feeling cautious, he checked around for bright red hair. Not seeing any, or anyone else he recognized, he relaxed a little and moved farther into the shop.
"Ah, Remus," greeted the shopkeeper. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
The last time he'd been in this shop, Remus remembered, had been right after he'd resigned from Hogwarts. His pockets full of his salary money, he'd treated himself to a single set of used robes and put the rest towards rent on a tiny apartment.
"Yes, I think so," he replied. "I'm afraid I won't be able to splurge like I did last time, though. I'm due for some Quick-Patch Solution, I can't seem to patch a tear on my favorite robes."
"Did you wear the robes during any large magical experiments or demonstrations?" asked the shopkeeper, rummaging around the shelf behind the desk for the Quick-Patch Solution. "That'll do it."
"I think I might have worn them during several classes," said Remus, thinking out loud. "I do remember a particularly trying lesson involving defending against advanced hexes..."
"Oh, you're a teacher?" said the shopkeeper in a tone of great surprise. Remus couldn't blame him; he'd been frequenting Secondhand Robes for a decade and probably gave the impression that he was a rather bad pickpocket.
"Formerly. Worked at Hogwarts this past year," Remus admitted.
The shopkeeper gave him a sudden hard stare. "I have a niece at Hogwarts. Nice girl, don't know why she got Slytherin. Said one of her teachers left because it got out that he was a werewolf."
Remus felt his face go warm and suddenly realized how interesting the floorboards were. He'd met a lot of interesting floorboards in his time. The shopkeeper seemed to be expecting a reply, so Remus managed, "Oh...well..." before lapsing again into silence. He tried to remember where that robe place was in Knockturn Alley. Was it before or after the place that sold human organs? He'd tried buying robes there once but they'd turned out to have some sort of gooey, unidentifiable reddish liquid in the pockets and he'd sworn never to set foot in there ever again.
On the other hand, that could have been a fluke. Second time's the charm.
He felt something pressed into his hand and realized it was the shopkeeper with the Quick-Patch Solution. He looked up into the shopkeeper's smiling face.
"This is a secondhand robe shop, son," he said, suddenly sounding rather paternal. "If you want hoity-toity folk who care about things like that, you'd be better off at Twilfitt and Tatting's or Madam Malkin's."
"I-er-thanks," said Remus, who was unaccustomed to fatherly concern in people other than Dumbledore (and occasionally McGonagall). He pulled out the money to pay for it, but the shopkeeper just patted his hand and smiled. Feeling rather confused, but in a happy sort of way, Remus pocketed the Quick-Patch and limped towards the door.
Just as Remus reached the entrance, the door opened, and it was too late for remus to do anything but bump into the poor kid and apologize for it.
"Sorry," Remus said sincerely. "Excuse me, I'll just be-"
"Professor Lupin?"
Remus's stomach plunged. He looked down and saw the surprised face of Dean Thomas.
"Oh, hello, Dean," said Remus slowly, who suddenly wanted nothing more in the world than to disappear off the face of the planet as quickly as possible.
Dean bit his lip. "I was only coming in here to look around," he said. "My mum's gone shopping in London, do you want to...?"
Did Dean know he sounded like he was asking his ex-teacher on a date? Remus tried to think of any excuse to leave. Any excuse at all would do. He went through a quick rundown of his old full moon excuses and ended up saying, "I'm sorry, Dean, I can't, I've got an ill-"
"Please? We can go to Fortescue's, they have great ice cream. Moody's good, but he isn't the same as you were!"
Again feeling confused, but in an entirely unhappier way, Remus said he'd have ice cream with Dean Thomas.
Dean walked through the crowd quickly, and Remus had trouble keeping up with his limp, clutching his leg and wheezing and feeling entirely too much like an old man. When they arrived at the ice cream parlour, Remus didn't give Dean a chance to think about it and headed towards one of the back seats, where almost no one would be able to see them.
"So, Dean," said Remus hesitantly as Florean Fortescue came by to take their order. Remus asked for a water, while Dean ordered a large sundae. "How's school been?"
"Like I said," said Dean. "Moody's cool, and kind of scary, but he's got nothing on you."
"That's very kind of you, Dean," replied Remus, who was flattered by this. Ys, he'd thought he was a good enough teacher, but to meet a student nearly a year later and have them tell him so was rather gratifying.
"What's Moody teaching you?" asked Remus, curious.
"Unforgivable Curses," replied Dean promptly. "I haven't quite gotten the hang of throwing the Imperius off yet, but I'm working on it!"
Dean's sundae arrived, looking unbearably delicious. Remus took a sip of water and tried not to look at it. It would be beyond shameful if he started eyeing an ex-student's dessert.
"He's actually using them on you?" said Remus. "Dumbledore's letting him?"
"Yeah, says he's gotta prepare us for the future or something. I dunno what it's all about."
Dean suddenly leaned forward eagerly. "I was hoping we'd get a vampire or something this year, seeing as you're a werewolf and all."
Remus nearly spat out his mouthful of water. Managing to swallow it, he rasped, "I'm sorry?"
"I was just wondering," continued Dean, oblivious to Remus's discomfort. "Did Dumbledore hire you 'cause you're a werewolf, so you could teach us about other Dark creatures? You know, like how Moody's an ex-Auror so he knows all about curses and stuff?"
Remus just gaped at Dean for a moment before saying, "It doesn't exactly work like that, Dean. I only taught the third-years about Dark Creatures. That's in the curriculum."
"Oh," said Dean, looking disappointed. "That's what I thought. Seamus told me that I was being daft, that his mum said no one in their right mind would hire a werewolf, but I told him that since you chose to be one that all werewolves can't be that-"
"Dean," said Remus clearly, not entirely following the boy's train of thought but determined to set him straight on one thing. "I did not choose to be a werewolf. When I was young, much younger than you, I was bitten. I had no choice in the matter. I certainly would not have chosen the live I lead because of it. Seamus's mother is not alone in her belief that people like me shouldn't be hired; Professor Dumbledore is one of the few who believe otherwise."
Dean opened and closed him mouth, greatly resembling a fish. "Is that why you left when Professor Snape told everyone what you were?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so."
"And...and is that why he taught us that lesson on werewolves? So we'd figure it out?"
"Professor Snape holds a grudge against me for something that happened when we were Hogwarts students. That was his way of trying to get back at me."
"Yeah, well, Snape's a prick," said Dean angrily. "Everyone knows it."
Remus half expected Severus to rise out of nowhere like a looming bat. Banishing the mental image, he said, "Don't be rude, he is your teacher."
"Yeah, yeah," muttered Dean.
There was a silence, during which Dean seemed to take in Remus's even shabbier robes and pale complexion, his heavy limp, even the half-empty glass of water. He looked guiltily at his own sundae, and Remus could see what was running through his head.
"Are you curious about anything?" asked Remus, because he knew Dean possessed a great deal of curiosity, and he didn't want to hear apologies for not noticing Remus's poverty.
"About what?" asked Dean.
"Being a werewolf. I take it Professor Snape only told you how to recognize and kill one."
"Yeah, the p-I mean, wonderful Professor," amended Dean hastily. "Sure. Does it hurt, turning into a werewolf?"
Remus wished Dean would lower his voice. The couple next to them were starting to give Remus frightened glances.
"Don't start off easy, hmm? Yes, it does," said Remus honestly. "Rather a lot, actually."
"Bummer," said Dean, looking sympathetic. "Is that why you've got the limp? I wondered about that."
"Yes on that count too. A werewolf with no one to bite turns on itself. The scratches are easy enough to heal, but the bite marks take longer."
"You never limped at Hogwarts, though," said Dean thoughtfully. "Why is that?"
"The Wolfsbane Potion. It gives me a sane mind while I transform."
"Cool," said Dean emphatically. "Do you miss Hogwarts?"
"I don't think that question pertains to lycanthropy, Mr. Thomas," replied Remus, smiling. "And yes, I do. But you always miss Hogwarts once you leave; it has nothing to do with teaching there."
The man at the table next to Remus and Dean stood up and approached Florean Fortescue, who was wiping tables. They conversed in low tones, the man leaving looked relieved. Fortescue started heading towards them.
"I think I'd better get going, Dean," said Remus quickly. "I don't think I'm wanted-"
It was too late. Fortescue approached him with an apologetic look and said, "I'm sorry, sir, but one of my customers has complained about your being here and sitting next to, you know, normal people. I wouldn't have cared, but I don't want him to cause a fuss..."
Remus had dealt with this before; he just wished it hadn't happened in front of Dean. "Of course, I understand. I'll get going then, Dean."
Dean, however, had stood up and slammed his money on the table. "No, I'm going too," he said loudly. "And probably never coming back."
The couple next to them looked scandalized, Remus felt a mixture of surprise and gratitude, and Florean Fortescue looked mortified.
"Let's go, then, Dean," he said, ushering the boy out of the cafe.
"That was kind of you, Dean," he said slowly. "But you didn't have to-"
"Does that happen a lot?" asked Dean suddenly.
"I won't lie to you, it's happened before..."
"That's not right!"
"No, it's not, but there's not much I can do about it. When did you have to get back to your mother, Dean?"
Dean checked his watch and swore. Remus pretended not to hear.
"I've got to get back, my mum's waiting...it was great running into you again, I hope I'll see you again sometime!"
Remus shook Dean's hand quickly and watched the tall black boy run in the opposite direction, weaving in and out of the crowd as he raced towards The Leaky Cauldron. He waited a minute before turning away. He was, against all odds, glad he'd met Dean Thomas in Diagon Alley two days after Easter.