A/N: This has been swimming through my mind recently. This is my first published Harry Potter story, although a few things are lurking on my desktop. I hope you enjoy the story. Please review and let me know what you think.
"Offer of a Homecoming"
The oppressive late summer heat beat down upon Remus's tattered coat, so he took it off and slung it over his arm. In his right hand, he clutched a neatly folded parchment note.
July 1, 1993
To: Mr. Remus Lupin
Remus, I hope you are well. I would greatly like it if you came to Hogwarts. I have a question I must ask you.
If it is possible, please come on July 31st. Meet me in my office. You may use this owl to send your reply.
Thank you,
Albus Dumbledore
He read the note over again, as he stepped off the train platform. He began to hike up the hill, wishing the thestrals that drew the carriages did not rest over the summer. The large wooden doors of the castle opened for him, and he stepped inside.
The hallways were as they had always been, proud and echoing with memories of centuries of students and professors. The stone walls seemed darker and colder than they had when he was a student, but they hadn't changed, he had. He tried to smile and remember the happiest days of his life. However, it was difficult. There were no students laughing in the hallways to soften the hard edges of the castle, and those times were just far too long ago.
As he made his way to the headmaster's office, he heard the clack of heeled boots in a familiar, determined gait.
"Professor McGonagall." He greeted, as the woman marched in front of him.
She turned, and her eyes widened for a moment before she smiled warmly. "Remus." She walked forward, taking his hand in hers, her other hand coming to rest on his shoulder. She dressed as he always remembered, and her eyes were the same piercing black. She looked very much the same, if perhaps a little worse for wear, with several more lines around her eyes than the last time he had seen her. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, thank you." He nodded and smiled. She had always been a favorite professor, and he liked to think he had been a favorite student. "And you? How are you doing?"
"Well enough." She looked tired. Her eyes studied him. He felt his stomach pitch from the pity he knew she felt. He had several more lines on his face, too, and a few more scars than the last time he walked through these halls.
"I'm here to see Professor Dumbledore."
"Yes, I know."
It surprised him, though he didn't know why, that she knew. "Oh. Well, I should get to his office soon, actually. It was nice to see you."
"And you." She turned and began to walk to the hallway.
"Professor!" He called and she turned back to him, "Could you tell me the password to the office? He didn't tell me."
"Of course, 'licorice wand.'"
"Thank you." He continued his path to the office. He counted the steps, as he turned the corner. The door waited at the end of the corridor.
He was nearly to the door, when the gargoyle turned to let out a far too familiar man. Suddenly, he wished to fade into the hallowed stone walls, but it was to no avail. The man looked up, shaking aside the fringes of greasy long, black hair.
Remus tried to smile, as they locked eyes. "Severus." He greeted with more enthusiasm than could ever been considered natural. He stood straighter than usual and walked forward, and stretched out his hand.
Snape just glanced at the hand before returning his cold eyes to Remus's face. He walked away, forcefully brushing by Remus.
Remus sighed. He couldn't think of a reason such a reunion would have gone any better.
"Licorice wand." He muttered, and the gargoyle spun to admit him.
As he entered, he saw the office had even more obscure knick-knacks decorating the walls than had been there nearly fifteen years ago. Fawkes perched proudly, and Remus walked up to stroke the bird's soft red wing. It bowed it's head to Remus.
"I'm fine, Fawkes. Just tired." He cringed thinking about the moon in only two days.
Then, he took a seat at Dumbledore's desk, where a copy of The Daily Prophet displayed a large headline of Sirius's escape from Azkaban. Dumbledore must want to ask him questions about Sirius, but he hadn't seen him since he was imprisoned. Once, he had tried to visit Azkaban to ask Sirius why he did what he did, but in the end he couldn't bring himself to go. He swallowed hard. The man screaming and thrashing on the front page was not his friend, not the man he loved. He couldn't be. Eyeing the fire, oddly burning in the office during summer, he picked the newspaper, crossed the room and threw it in.
"You threw my newspaper in the fire."
Remus jumped. He hadn't heard the old man enter, but Dumbledore stood serenely at his desk. "I-I'm sorry." Remus stammered and glanced at the fire. "It's just hard to see Sirius in the papers." He cringed at how familiar the name sounded from his mouth. "It's hard to believe…I mean I know he did, but I just-"
"I understand." Dumbledore mercifully cut off his rambling. "Please, sit down."
Remus obeyed.
"Peppermint humbug." Dumbledore offered, as he sat.
Remus shook his head, "Ah, no. I'm fine, thank you."
They sat in silence for several moments, as Dumbledore seemed to gaze at Remus seriously. Remus just looked back uncertainly, unsure if he should begin a conversation. But, he stayed quiet, since Dumbledore was the one who asked him here in the first place.
"How are you, Remus?" Dumbledore finally asked softly.
"I am…doing well. I have a small flat outside of London…" He answered slowly, "It's not much but comfortable enough."
"Are you working?"
"I…" He trailed off and grimaced. "Not right now. Most of my jobs last two or three months before employers wonder why I'm always taking sick leave around full moons. I can't lie to them about what I am. I don't think they'd believe me if I did, so I tell them the truth, and they tell me where the door is." He attempted to laugh at the end, but it sounded forced, even to his own ears.
Dumbledore smiled, "Would you like to teach here?"
"I-Excuse me?" Remus's eyes widened, "You want…what?"
"We need a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I remember you having an aptitude for that subject and many others. I think it would be a good post for you." Dumbledore spoke calmly, as if he had just asked Remus he wanted some tea.
"You want me to teach…" Lupin deadpanned. "I…"
"If you don't want to take the job, that's fine. I just think you-"
"No! No," He cut the old man off, "Of course, I'd love the job, but wouldn't people object to…well, me."
"Very few people would need to know about your condition. Professor Snape would make you a wolfsbane potion-"
"I don't think he'd do that for me." The list of reasons Snape had for not helping him was far too long.
"He will," He said with certainty, "And he will take over the class on days you need to recover from your transformation, which he will like."
Remus didn't think a few days a month would placate Severus, but Dumbledore didn't seem worried, so he let the subject drop. "I…I don't understand why you want me to teach here."
Dumbledore's eyes became very solemn and he frowned, "Because I do not believe in keeping a qualified man from a post where he would do well because he suffers from an affliction he can't control."
Remus felt tears prick his eyes, as Dumbledore took a long pause and sighed.
"Also…now that Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban, Harry will begin to hear things about his past that will worry him. I think he needs a father figure now more than ever."
"I think I am the last person Harry should ever consider a father figure."
"On the contrary. You were one of his father's close friends, and the only remaining one that is neither murdered or a murderer."
"But, sir-"
Dumbledore spoke slowly and methodically. "Remus, you were always the most responsible of your friends. Perhaps Sirius will be caught, and Harry will be fine this year, and need no help from either of us. But, in case, I think it would be beneficial to have you at Hogwarts. Regardless, I do believe you can teach the class and teach it well, something all the students here desperately need. The only question lies with you. If you want the position, it's yours."
"I…" Remus wiped the tears from his eyes, "I would love that." He took a deep breath, hoping he had made the right decision.
Dumbledore smiled. "I know the beginning of the term will be very soon after the full moon, therefore, you may take the extra time and ride the Hogwarts Express with the students. You'll have more time to rest. You may also run into Harry, then." He paused. "Today is his birthday, you know."
"Yes, he's thirteen." Secretly he celebrated the birthdays of James, Lily, Harry, and Peter each year.
"Yes. I will send you more information on your post by owl. Now, I must ask you to leave, as there as things to which I must attend."
"Of course." Remus gathered his coat, and Dumbledore stood.
"I look forward to further communication with you in the coming weeks and to hearing about your lessons during the year."
Remus smiled for the first time in what felt like years. "Yes." He moved to exit. "And, um, thank you, sir." He said just before leaving. Dumbledore nodded and smiled silently.
Remus Lupin exited through the gargoyle and strode down the corridor. He passed Professor McGonagall, who smiled at him again.
The heat permeating the castle now felt welcoming. The aged stone walls seemed sturdy and comforting, as the had when he was a student.
Remus Lupin was coming home.