Title: Sharing a secret
Rating: PG
Beta: Love to Hannah
Summary: Dumbledore learns a secret
Sharing a secret
Albus Dumbledore looked out of the window of his office, taking in the sight of the snow-covered landscape and the outline of the forbidden forest. A small thread of smoke could be seen rising from Hagrid's hut at the edge of the forest and vanishing in the dark night sky.
Behind him, beside the fire, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey sat drinking some tea. The head of Gryffindor house had been talking to the headmaster about some school matters when the nurse had knocked on the door. She wanted to inform the headmaster that she had escorted their special student down to his quarters for this night.
Remus Lupin had gotten a chance to study at Hogwarts because of Dumbledore. Other headmasters hadn't let him visit school because of his health. He had suffered from Lycanthropy since he was a small child and transformed into a vicious beast every full moon.
"Poor boy. I admire him for his strength, to endure this every month for so long," Poppy said, staring into the red-yellow flames of the fireplace.
"Yes, he is a true Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall agreed, taking a sip from her warm herbal tea.
Albus Dumbledore continued to look out into the moonlit night as he listened to the two women
talking and hummed in agreement. Remus was truly a special person. Strong, friendly and a good student even with his many missed classes.
"How true, and I'm very happy that Remus's injuries have gotten fewer in the last few month and he recovers faster from the moon than before." Madam Pomfrey reported.
"That's good to hear." Professor Dumbledore said from his spot at the window.
"Have you any idea why the wolf isn't hurting him as much, anymore? Not that this isn't a positive change." Professor McGonagall asked Poppy, who sat next to her in a stuffed armchair.
"Yes, I`m glad that he isn't half dead in the mornings anymore. Sometimes I had feared he wouldn't make it, so heavy were his injuries, but I have no idea what has changed, that he doesn't hurt himself so grievously anymore. I can only assume that the wolf has adjusted better to his new surroundings." Poppy theorized.
"That could be possible." Albus Dumbledore affirmed the thoughts of the school nurse, finally turning around from the window to face his guests.
But a moment before the view of the snow covered school grounds vanished from his sight, a movement caught Dumbledore's eye. Not sure if he had imagined it, Dumbledore looked out of the window once again. And then, there it was – the movement, near the edge of the forbidden forest.
Taking a closer look, Dumbledore saw something he never had seen in his entire life, or to be more precise, he never thought he would see, ever. There was a stag, a Grimm and a gigantic wolf strolling along the edge of the forest.
Interested in the strange group, Professor Dumbledore took his wand out of his robe and described a circle on the glass of the window while mumbling a spell.
"Albus, is everything all right?" Minerva McGonagall asked as she watched the headmaster.
"Yes, I only want to have a closer look at some animals down by the forest." Dumbledore answered lightly, looking though the circle, which now was working like a telescope.
Now he could take a closer look at the strange group of animals. The wolf was really gigantic in comparison to a normal wolf. Of course he wasn't a normal wolf, he was a werewolf. After that, Dumbledore's gaze wandered to the Grimm, whom Albus was sure wasn't a Grimm at all. He watched the big, black dog jump playfully around the wolf, not fearing the werewolf at all. Last there was the stag. He walked elegantly behind the playing canines, and as Dumbledore admired his impressive antlers he noticed a small grey animal on them. A rat was sitting on the stag's head, holding onto his perch for dear life.
Blue eyes sparkled at the sight of the four animals and a small secretive smile stole over his wrinkled face.
"Perhaps true friends are the best medicine," Professor Dumbledore said as he joined the two bewildered looking woman by the fire, taking his own cup of tea.
The end