Reluctance

"I know not from what distant time
thou art ever coming nearer to meet me."

-Rabindranath Tagore

A small boy of eleven stood in front of the headmaster's desk, trembling slightly. He had only been this close to the impressive headmaster once before, but that time he had been accompanied by his parents. Not that they had given much comfort to the previous situation. The boy hoped he wasn't in trouble, and despite the friendly look on his headmaster's face, he still was very frightened. Had Dumbledore changed his mind about him? Was he to be sent home after only a few months of magical learning? The very idea of going home to a drunken father and neglectful mother scared him even more.

Dumbledore gazed over his half-moon spectacles at the young Gryffindor. He pondered the eventual fate of the poor boy as he set down the quill he had been using moments before.

"Mr. Lupin, please have a seat," Dumbledore said gently to the boy. The boy sat down, and Dumbledore chose his next words carefully. "I can assure you that you are not in trouble, I simply wish to speak to you about what you heard Professor Leyshon say."

The boy's tense and shaking shoulder's relaxed, and he settled down into his chair a bit more.

"Could you perhaps tell me exactly what Professor Leyshon uttered?"

"I'm sorry sir, but I cannot remember all of it. She startled me so bad that I didn't pay a lot of attention to what she was saying," Remus Lupin said apologetically and slightly fearful.

The headmaster had feared as much. When a seer suddenly utters a prophecy, it was not always remembered. Noting the return of Remus's fright, Dumbledore smiled a placating smile.

"It's alright my dear boy, I know of another method of remembering things. Do not worry; it is simple and absolutely painless."

"Alright sir, what do I need to do?"

Taking out his wand, Dumbledore conjured a glass vial and removed the cork. "All you need to do is think of the memory of your encounter this morning."

Remus closed his eyes and focused on the strange occurrence. He felt the tip of Dumbledore's wand touch his temple. But, trusting him, Remus did not flinch in the slightest. After mentally reliving the memory as best he could, he opened his eyes and saw Dumbledore guide a silvery cloud of… something into the vial and put the stopper in it. Remus and Dumbledore alike gazed, transfixed at the shifting cloud that was encased in glass that the headmaster held.

Remus's head snapped up when Dumbledore spoke. "You should get to class, Mr. Lupin. Tell Professor Slughorn that you were in my office when you reach his classroom." Dumbledore's eyes remained fixed on the mass of memory.

"Yes, sir." Remus murmured as he rose from the comfortable chair and pulled his bag over his shoulder.

Dumbledore watched the young werewolf depart from his office with sorrowful eyes. Remus Lupin was going to have a hard life.

One of the portraits on the wall piped up-it was the headmaster from when Dumbledore had been a student. "Surely you must have an idea what this prophecy holds, Albus."

"Indeed, Melantho, I do."

Remus made his way down the steps to Professor Slughorn's classroom, wondering what could possibly be so important about what Leyshon had said. The door creaked as he slipped inside the potions room. Slughorn stopped mid-lecture and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Remus.

"Mr. Lupin, thank you for joining us," Slughorn said, none to kindly. He must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed, mused Remus.

"Professor Dumbledore wanted to see me in his office, sir. That's why I was late," Remus explained. Slughorn nodded and Remus moved to the table his friends were at. He set his bag down next to the seat adjacent to Sirius.

"What did Dumbledore want to see you about, mate?" Sirius asked in a whisper.

Remus shrugged. "I dunno, something about Leyshon."

"That old bat? I didn't think she ever came down from her tower," muttered Sirius.

"Neither did I," Remus uttered back as he pulled out his potions book.

Up several stories, Dumbledore finished watching Remus Lupin's memory with a smile on his face. I do hope that Mr. Lupin finds this lovely young woman. He will definitely deserve her, and I fear for him if he doesn't, Dumbledore mused.

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Thank you all,

Ica