Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to J. K. Rowling. Only the story is mine
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4. Remus
More than 100 km away a pretty owl knocked at a bedroom window of a little house. The owner and only inhabitant rolled groaning on the other side and pulled the blanket over his head. But the owl didn't give up. She had a message to deliver and she would fulfil her task, if the receiver wanted it or not. She continued the knocking. Eventually with a groan the man threw off his coverlet and got up.
Yawning he pushed his brown hair with grey streaks out of his eyes and staggered sleep drunken to the window. He opened it and the mischief-maker hopped in. Remus Lupin yawned heartily again and laced up the message of the birds leg.
He read it and awoke instantly.
Remus,
I'd like you to come to Hogwarts and teach Neville Longbottom in Defense against the Dark Arts. You'll learn the details at your arrival.
Albus Dumbledore.
The werewolf frowned and read the message again. Neville? He shook his head. Albus would certainly explain this. He scratched his head and went into the kitchen to start the day with a tasty breakfast. The owl followed him and pinched his ear until he gave her a piece of toast. Then she left.
After a rich breakfast and a shower Remus went to Hogwarts.
In front of the Hogwarts gates he felt a great sadness. He had passed these gates many times with his friends. At that time life had been easy. The Marauders had been filled with dreams and pranks which they planned to pull on some people. Their only concern had been not to manage the mass of homework or to be expelled because of their pranks. First Remus had been afraid to be discovered as a werewolf and in later years he had suffered from the knowledge that he couldn't stand by Severus without losing his only friends. Now two of his friends were dead and the last one was a traitor. This made Remus choke. It had only been a few weeks ago when Sirius fell through the Veil. He had gone to the ministry to save harry although Remus and even Severus had tried to prevent him from going. Sirius hadn't listened to them and rushed to protect James' son.
Tears dwelled in his eyes. Very few knew that Sirius hadn't been himself after he had flewn from Askaban and his condition had become worse in the Black's House. Sirius hadn't been able to bear the darkness so his room and the floor next to it had always been brightly lit up. He had grown nervous when a door closed itself behin him and sometimes his nightmares and dark visions had become so strong that he hadn't recognized Remus and had taken him for a dementor. The worst moment had been those in which Sirius had whimpered and had implored to be left alone only to ask for Remus' company moments later. Sometimes he had transformed into Padfoot and had crawled into a corner with his tail between his legs.
From the outside you hadn't noticed anything wrong especially when Harry was near. Sirius had made jokes and had seemed to take everything lightly but inwardly he had been just a shadow of the good-looking charming boy Remus had become friends with. He had been the only one who knew about Sirius' condition, he and Severus.
One evening during a bad breakdown Remus had suddenly caught a glimpse of the potions master in the doorway. Sirius had crawled whimpering in the corner and hadn't noticed his arch enemy. It hadn't been the presence of Severus that had surprised him but the expression in the black eyes.
It had been sympathy, the feeling to know exactly what his childhood enemy was going through and to suffer partly with him. The Slytherin had left without a noise and when Remus had entered the kitchen the next morning there had been a jar on the table labelled as "Calming Draught". Remus had recognized the writing immediately and had put every morning a few drops of the concoction in Sirius breakfast. He knew that his best mate would have never drunk voluntarily anything that had been made from Severus.
Sirius' state had improved although there had been flashbacks here and then.
Now Sirius was dead and Remus could help thinking that maybe it was better that way for his friend. His muggleborn mother had taught him a little about religion and even if he was a wizard he took comfort in the imagination of Sirius going somewhere for a walk together with James and Lily laughing and talking like in the old times.
Remus took a deep breath and entered the school. It was fruitless to dwell in the past when there was a present to live and a future to build. And now he had to find out what Albus had been writing about.
"Chocolate cookies."
The gargoyle jumped aside and gave way to the headmaster's office. Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk and looked seriously at his visitor. Remus thought that he looked hundred years older than usual and his restlessness grew. Something had happened and it wasn't anything good.
"Good day, Remus. Please take a seat."
The former professor sat down.
"I called you, because … because something has happened which I had never thought about."
Pain reflected in the blue eyes.
"I need your help. Remus you have to train Neville. He trusts you."
"What about Harry?"
Dumbledore's look darkened.
"Harry is … Voldemort changed him."
Remus froze.
"What?"
"He has changed Harry's memory."
"How?"
Remus' mind misgave him. If it had only been a little modification Dumbledore would have surely removed it already, wouldn't he?
"He … he had given Harry a new existence."
Remus' stomach tied up into knots and his mouth became dry.
"Voldemort has used his connection to Harry to isolate the mayor part of his magic and changed his memory completely since his 11th birthday. Right now Harry doesn't even have the will to fight against Voldemort not to mention his magical abilities."
Remus grew cold. Immediately Dumbledore continued talking and the werewolf got the impression that the headmaster wanted to get over with everything as quick as possible.
"There are two boys who could be meant by the prophecy I told you about, Harry – and Neville."
"Neville?" croaked Remus.
"Harry and he were both born in the end of July to parents who fought against Voldemort. Tom has chosen Harry as his enemy but I think that maybe also Neville could stand a chance against him. With a fitting training of course."
Do you really believe that or do you only want to master your panic? Remus thought.
"I already asked Severus to develop a schedule for Duelling and partly Defense against the Dark Arts. Pomona Sprout will teach him in Herbology and Severus will improve his abilities in Potions. I thought it would be the best if you're taking the bigger part of the DADA-lessons and maybe improve his Duelling skills together with Severus."
"What about Harry?"
"He is with Severus."
Remus wanted to jump over the desk and strangle the old man here and than.
"What. About. Harry."
"I think that Severus could better explain it. And now please excuse me."
Albus turned to the pergament rolls which piled up on his desk. Remus clenched his fists. The old coot was impossible. Moony wanted to know what had happened to his cub and he wanted to know it now! Before the wolf could take over Remus took a deep breath and stood. He wouldn't gain anything here. He nodded at the headmaster and left his office.
In front of the door to Severus' office he took another deep breath and knocked.
No answer.
Remus knocked again.
Nothing.
He growled. Remus knew that the Slytherin could be very stubborn but this was about Harry. He hammered against the wood.
Silence.
The werewolf drew forth a piece of pergament he carried with him since Sirius' death.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."
Lines appeared on the pergament which met themselves to rooms and finally formed the map of Hogwarts.
Remus' look fell immediately upon the room in front of him. It was empty like the lab next to it. Maybe the potions master was in his private quarters but Remus didn't know where they were. He looked all over the map but he couldn't find a single room he didn't know already.
All teacher's quarters were in the West Tower but Severus' were not amongst them. The quarters Slughorn had lived in were a classroom and a storeroom for potions ingredients now. In the guest quarters was no one except him.
Where were Severus' private quarters?
The Slytherin common room and the dorms were easy to find but next to them were only thick walls and the kitchen's storeroom. Next to Severus' office was the potions classroom and next to the lab the outer walls. Underneath these rooms was only the fundament Hogwarts was build on. Remus looked over the lands. He could see neither Severus nor Harry.
His heart raced. What was going on here?
Remus thought about storming into Dumbledores office and threatening the old man, but he had the feeling that even the headmaster had no clue where in Hogwarts his spy resided. The werewolf sighed. It seems that he had to wait until his colleque would be pleased to appear again.
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What do you think? I'm not a Dumbledore-hater but he had to find a quick solution for his changed hero and of course he is in panic. I will be nicer to him in the next chapters. Promise!