A/N:

At last, the long planned and awaited (well, by some ; ) sequel to 'Behind You'! This was inspired by and based on rp with Amber Stitt and Lindsay Fisk.

I'm not gonna say any more about the story, other than it deals with some of the questions that would have come to mind after reading the first story. Also, it deals with people's relationships, and the consequences of one's actions. Stay tuned for the next (and final) chapter, coming soon!

Kaedi MacNair (c) me

Haylin Daire (c) Lindsay Fisk (used with permission)

Professor Remus Lupin and all other characters, places, items, ideas, and elements canon to the Harry Potter universe (c) JK Rowling

Before reading this story, I STRONGLY suggest reading it's precursor, 'Behind You'. Otherwise, you may end up completely lost. Also, the disclaimer that I placed on 'Behind You' applies to this story as well. For anyone who doesn't want to go back and read that disclaimer, I'll paste it in here:

I do NOT hate a certain character who was the antagonist in the previous story. In fact, I am a huge fan. I chose said character as the antagonist previously, again, to make a point. Please do not flame me because of this. Such comments will be ignored.

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Early-morning darkness rested on the snow-covered Hogwarts grounds and surrounding forest. In the stillness, the sound of snow crunching and soft voices every now and again could be heard. If someone in the vicinity of Hagrid's hut were to strain their eyes, they might see two shapes, male and female, detach themselves from the darkness. The taller of the two paused, breathing heavily as he leaned gently on the tiny girl by his side. "Let's rest a moment, Kaedi."

Her dark mahogany eyes glanced up at him, guilt growing in the girl's heart as she saw again the fresh scratches on his face. "Those were my doing, Professor…" she whispered, her soft brogue making the words slightly harder to understand. Looking down, Kaedi allowed herself to remember the last time she'd seen the man by her side, Professor Lupin. She'd hurt him even more then.

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One month earlier

Shouts and laughter filled the streets of Hogsmeade as Hogwarts students third year and older invaded the small wizarding village that radiated an aura of English antiquity. Many could be seen clustered about shop windows, some choosing to go into this shop or that pub. In the midst of all the hubbub, a solitary figure veered away from her schoolmates. Kaedi MacNair wrapped her black jacket more tightly around her slender frame as she looked about. "Not the Three Broomsticks. Too many students go there. Same for Madam Puddifoot's." She shook her head slightly in an attempt to get locks of obsidian hair from her eyes as she turned towards the Hogs Head. Kaedi knew that most students preferred to avoid the seedy pub. That suited her just fine.

As the petite girl made her way towards the decrepit building, she battled the weariness that seeped into her eighteen-year-old body every time the full moon drew near. 'Stupid lunar cycle…I can't wait until it's over.' Although it'd only been a few months since Kaedi'd begun to struggle with this new challenge, she felt as though she could barely remember what it felt like to not fight this exhaustion, or the despair she felt along with it.

It was with a sigh of relief that Kaedi pulled the door to the pub open, feeling welcome warmth blow against her face. As she stepped into the Hog's Head, the lass looked around for an out-of-the way table to sit at. 'That table's too close to the front…that one has too many people near it….that one's too close to the fire…maybe that table against the back w—'

"Kaedi?" She was jerked out of her thoughts by the sound of her name, followed by a happy gasp. "Oh my goodness!" The voice was familiar…as was the faint scent of chocolate and fabric softener that was flooding her nostrils. Looking up, Kaedi's eyes widened. Loping towards her, arms open wide, was the man that she had almost considered a father…and the man who had made her into the creature she now was.

"Professor Lupin," she murmered, looking at the floor as he enveloped her in a hug. Although Kaedi tried not to stiffen, she couldn't help it. Years of pain at her own father's hands had made the girl fear almost anyone's touch. To have someone else who'd hurt her, someone she had trusted, try to embrace Kaedi now sent waves of confusion through her.

The girl felt Lupin hesitate. She was sure he had blinked in surprise as he felt his tiny friend go rigid. "Kaedi, what's wrong?" She glanced up enough to see his eyebrows knit together as he pulled back from her. Although she was still avoiding eye contact, she could almost guess what he was thinking from his body language: Why wasn't she looking at him? Could it be that she was afraid? "We've been close for two years, Kae.' Kaedi followed Lupin's glance over his shoulder, cringing slightly as her chocolate eyes flicked towards the curly-haired young man glowering back from the table Lupin seemed to have come from. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Nothing, Professor." Kaedi kept her eyes fastened on his shoes. She couldn't look up at his face as she spoke…what if his eyes were the eyes of the wolf that had bitten her? She'd never forgotten the terror she'd felt when she'd seen those feral golden eyes in Lupin's gentle face.

"Well…" Lupin hesitated for a moment. She knew that worry was beginning to grow in his mind. After all, she was acting as she had when they'd first met as teacher and student, two and a half years ago. "Kaedi, has your father been bothering you again? Or your mother?" As he spoke, she was certain that he was trying to catch her eye.

Lupin's gentle voice caused Kaedi to glance up briefly…if only for a second. "No, professor. My parents haven't laid a hand on me in a long time." She paused. "Not since….August." The last word seemed to catch in her throat briefly. How could she tell him what had happened?

Kaedi sensed that her hesitance was like blow to Lupin's stomach. She knew from the silence following her answer that he was trying not to act too stunned or hurt as he searched for something else to say. "Why…why don't you come and sit with Haylin and me?" The diminutive girl didn't move. "Please, Kaedi. Come sit with us, and we…we can talk."

The tone in Lupin's voice began to break through some of the confusion and fear in Kaedi's mind. This sounded like the Lupin she knew…the one who'd never hurt her. Nodding, Kaedi gave her answer quietly. "Okay."

As the two came to the table, Kaedi paused. She didn't want to sit by Haylin Daire, another person who shared a certain condition with Lupin. That boy had been hostile towards her since the middle of her fourth year…about the same time as she became close to Lupin, now that she thought about it. Lupin, seeming to sense the cause for her increased unease, took a seat across from Haylin while gesturing for Kaedi to sit next to him.

Obeying, Kaedi glanced up at Haylin. "Um…hi." It never hurt to at least be civil. The only response she got was a jerky nod. "How...how are you?"

"Enough of the blewdy small talk." The young man's words came out in a growl. "What the…" a curse that made even Kaedi, who'd grown up around foul language, wince, "is goin' on?" His eyes were a bright green that were bordering on gold as they seared into her own. The sound of Lupin clearing his throat brought her eyes towards the other man, though she still seemed to be unable to look him in the eye.

"Kaedi…have you heard anything new about people…with my condition? Anything that would make you…uneasy to be around me?" The irony of the situation made the girl want to laugh and cry at once. For some reason, she had a wild urge to say, 'You have NO idea.' As her breathing began to speed up, Lupin reached over, covering her hand with his much larger own. She knew the gesture was intended to be reassuring, but it only added to the knot in her chest.

"Is….is it very hard for you to get by?" Amazingly, Kaedi's voice sounded almost normal to her own ears. Glancing up once more, she saw her former teacher blink, then begin to smile in relief.

"Is that all that's wrong? You were just worried about us?" He paused before continuing. "It's hard sometimes, yes, but Haylin and I get by all right. Don't we, lad?" The girl's eyes flicked over to Haylin, watching his jaw clench and unclench as he gave Lupin another head jerk that she assumed was supposed to be a nod. Oddly enough, this was enough to keep her gaze fastened on Haylin's face. She noticed that her unwavering focus seemed to throw him off balance. 'Probably because the last time he saw me, I wouldn't look anyone in the eye.'

"Ye seem…different." This observation of Haylin's caused Kaedi's eyes to widen slightly. She could see the cogs working under those curls of his as he tried to figure out what she was hiding.

"Oh?" She winced at the sound of her voice squeaking. Darting another glance towards Lupin, Kaedi noticed his smile begin to die. Gritting her teeth, she shifted her eyes once more to the werewolf studying her. Dark brown eyes narrowing in a glare, she tried to silently send him the message to sod off.

"Please don't fight, you two." Lupin's voice broke into the tense silence that had settled over the table. Turning to look at him, Kaedi jumped as Haylin spoke up again.

"Ye got bitten, di'n' ye?"

The girl's head whipped around fast enough that her black hair smacked against her face, eyes flickering from brown to gold as she glared at Haylin again. At the same time, a crash was heard as Lupin knocked over the mug of butterbeer by his elbow.

"NO. She can't ha--" Lupin's voice faltered. He must have seen her eye colour change. "KAEDI?" Grabbing her shoulders, he studied her face intensely.

"Thought so." Haylin's mutter didn't help matters. By this time, Kaedi felt there was no point in trying to hide that much of the truth any longer. Shoving her jumper sleeve up, she allowed the scar left behind from the attack to be seen.

"Oh my G—" Lupin covered his mouth with one hand, looking like he was going to be sick and pass out, in that order. The older man swallowed before beginning to mutter softly, taking on a too-calm tone. "No. No. Okay. We'll handle this. Kaedi, did you see what the wolf that bit you looked like? Was it a man or a woman? What was it's fur color?"

"I didn't see, it happened too fast." The words felt wrong to her. She knew that they had a hollow ring to them, one Lupin would probably see through. Once again, she heard Haylin jump into the conversation.

"Does it really matter?" Glancing up at him, Kaedi knew by the expression in his eyes that the older lycanthrope had figured it out. Lupin's quietly frantic voice brought her eyes back in his direction.

"Yes, it does matter! It might have been on purpose!" Taking Kaedi's shoulders again, he tightened his grip slightly. "Come Kaedi, you MUST tell me what you…" Lupin's voice puttered out as he looked at Haylin. "What are you on about, anyway?" His tone changed slightly.

Kaedi looked up as a stunned expression began to come over her old teacher's face. 'Oh, crap. He's figured it out!' She prayed she was wrong, but the evidence to the contrary was increasing by the second. She watched as Lupin swallowed.

When he opened his mouth again, his voice was a hoarse croak. "I…forgot…to take my potion one night…last summer. I'd gotten…an urgent...owl…." Lupin turned to look at Haylin. "You told me that it had taken you hours to find me."

"I don' really remember, it was s'long ago." Haylin was lying, Kaedi was sure of it by the way his cheeks were turning pink. Trying to carry on the lie, she jumped into the conversation.

"I'm sure you couldn't have gotten to where I was, Professor. I mean…." She stopped as Lupin leaned over her, his grip on her shoulders growing ever tighter.

"You're not looking at me when you say that. Kaedi, why won't you look at me?!" The six-foot-three man hugged the tiny girl, his body shaking with almost silent sobs. She knew then that there was no chance of convincing Lupin that he wasn't the wolf that had bitten her. Why was it that she, an accomplished liar by necessity of circumstances, couldn't lie to him?

Suddenly, Lupin straightened, backing away from Kaedi slightly. Looking up at him in surprise, she finally met his eyes. There was no hint of gold, not even a trace of the beast that had bitten her there…only tears, sorrow, and overwhelming guilt. "I've never done it before…I've never…Kaedi…"

"Professor…." Kaedi's heart ached as she watched his reaction, wishing that she'd gone to a different pub, or that she'd stayed at the school…anywhere that would have kept this from happening. " I don't blame you at all…"

"YOU DAMN WELL SHOULDN'T!" Haylin's shout made her cringe. "It wasn' his fault in the firs' place!" It was plain to see who's fault he thought it was. Kaedi checked herself before she began to glare at him again. That would just lead to another fight, and Professor Lupin most definitely didn't need that now.

"I should have been more responible." Lupin seemed to be bent on blaming himself. Kaedi looked up at him, opening her mouth once more.

"It's not your fault!" Two voices, male and female, Irish and Scottish, rose together in protest.

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"Oh, dear girl, it's not your fault." Lupin's quiet, kindly voice brought Kaedi to the present with a start. She blinked up at him, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks once more.

"But…"

"But nothing. Kaedi, it's not your fault, and I don't blame you for what happened tonight." Gently, he squeezed her in a fatherly one-armed embrace. "Please forgive yourself." Kaedi nodded slowly, though she doubted she'd ever be able to. What had happened tonight…she was certain she'd never forget it.