"Tea, Severus? Thought I'd sidle into your frame."
"No, Headmaster."
"Bit of an Acid Pop today, are we? Bezoars Bicentennial? Put that book down Severus and have some tea."
"I find Bezoars infinitely more platable to the mind than tea."
"Bezoars? Nothing on dragon's blood though."
"Ah, expounding your virtues. I'm afraid I have no miraculous Potions discovery, let alone procuring the thing some easier way than chasing after a goat."
"Aberforth may have some advice on that. And I daresay there are more important things than a lost Order of Merlin, First Class, especially if it were to be issued by Cornelius Fudge."
"Thank you. I forgot about that. Though I was more concerned with an errant dog than a medal and mention."
"Good man. Tea?"
"I suppose."
"The Fallen are to be made Honorary Aurors by the Ministry, you've heard. Plaques and portraits to be issued and hung in the Department and Hogwart's Halls. Splendid to see the Lupins again. And Colin Creevey. I never posed for that picture for him. I should make up for it now. You never really hated Remus, Severus."
"Dumbledore I detested him."
"It wasn't a question. You didn't."
"He colluded with them, was played their tricks. Dumbledore, he almost killed me one night. And even in adulthood as a teacher he stoops to play the lackey of James Potter's son. His pity revolts me."
"He needs forgiveness. Of all those styled Marauders he hated what they did to you. He regrets it and carried it with him."
"Lupin pitied me falsely, it doesn't amount to pity as he was never worthy of it. He played along with them but felt sorry for me? I am the better man, I need his graces not. For I managed alone – even if Lupin felt some semblance of guilt he still stuck with Potter's Lot. His fault was to make everyone like him, no matter the cost. I went alone."
"That may be. But forgive his trespasses now, for now he is like you and I. We are dead men, Severus. Our presence of the earth has blown away from where we once stood, like sand in a storm. And that storm is over. Can we not forgive. His pity was enough, it was for you. You forget, that Teddy Lupin is alone, as were you, as was Harry Potter. I only hope that someday he may be comforted by friends of his parents, and be told the truth, the clear unbiased truth of them. And may he look upon the portraits of them in the corridor off the Great Hall, and find solace, though I hope he won't wallow in what he can't have.
I do apologize, Severus, but I promised to bring the contents of this teapot to Dilys hot.
You will be remembered, the man who held the key to the Fall of Voldemort. Fame is rather a raw deal though, I'm afraid. Apparently Rita Sketter is churning out an awfully alliterated title of you.
And, if hearsay does ring true, I believe it was your knowledge of bezoars that saved one Ronald Weasley's life."
"Shame, that."
