"Tell me again how you managed to convince the dragon to let you come here" Harry said as he and Remus strolled down the waterline.

"She has a soft spot for you Harry. I told her that you were working too hard and that you'd never seen the sea. I said you needed a break, away from Scotland and away from the castle."

"That's all? You're not serious surely?"

"Nope. I'm Moony through and through!" Remus winked. "Poppy knew we would come anyway, if she let me come it could be on her terms."

"The old jokes are still the best, huh?" Harry gave Remus a playful shove before his face darkened. "I miss him Remus."

Remus pulled the boy into a strong hug. "So do I Harry. As I miss your parents. But getting to know you has been the best thing for me. We should really go and visit my mother-in-law. I haven't seen my son much whilst I've been recovering and I bet Dromeda has got some stories about Sirius when he was a kid!"

"When do you want to go?" Harry asked.

"Whenever you do."

"Okay. Remus?" he stopped and looked almost fearfully at the older wizard. "Will you teach me to swim?"

In the week that the two spent there, they spent nearly all of their time in the water. The combined fresh air, exercise and both of them beginning to relax and enjoy themselves meant that they were in much better form both physically and mentally by the end.

"We have to do this again Remus. I wish we didn't have to go back" Harry said as he flopped onto the sofa on their last night.

"I agree entirely Harry. But we had better appease the dragon, lest she come looking for us. I don't think she'll mind us coming back again though! I haven't felt this good in years!"

"Me neither Remus. Are you still going to see your family tomorrow?"

"We are. A boy needs to know his godfather."

"You didn't just mean Teddy there did you?"

"Nope! Have you decided on the courses for your school yet?"

"Yes. I'm just stuck for ideas for a History teacher and a Muggle Studies teacher."

"The Blacks were all drilled in history from a young age. I imagine Dromeda knows a fair bit. Why don't you ask her tomorrow?"

"Mmmm."

"As for Muggle Studies, you want a squib to teach that. They know both worlds but have to use muggle means to do things. Especially if you want to keep it up to date, a squib is by far the best person."

"Thanks Remus."

"No problem! Do you have a building?"

"There's three that could work. I was saving that until you could look around them with me."

"You really want my help?"

"Yes. I want you to teach Defence."

If Remus was shocked before it was nothing to what he was now. He sat in an armchair with a glazed look on his face.

Harry swore. "Madam Pomfrey is going to kill me. Accio calming draught."

When Remus came back to awareness a few moments later he found Harry rummaging in his backpack.

"Alright there Remus? I was just looking for those portkeys we were given in case I had to use one!"

"You would inflict Poppy on me again?" Remus asked with a smirk.

"I'm glad I don't have to. She told me not to cause any undue shocks or stress to you. That would have been an awkward conversation!"

"Yes. Well. I imagine you know the reason why I can't accept?"

"Can't say I do. Nothing springs to mind."

"Harry, the world knows I'm a werewolf. I can't teach children!"

"Are you going to bite me Remus? Or perhaps Ginny? Or even Malfoy?"

"Of course not. What are you talking about Harry?"

"I don't see your problem then. I can cover your lessons around the full moon. You'll have wolfsbane and if you really insist I can give you locked stone chamber to transform in, or a passage to the Shrieking Shack. You stood by me when I needed it most. You gave me a link to my parents. Least I can do is give you a job. You said everyone knows about your furry little problem - great! Let's tell the ones who don't know as well! If the parents don't like it, they can go somewhere else. You are a great teacher Remus. Do you want to teach?"

"It would be a dream come true. But I cannot."

"You can and you will."

"What if I bite someone?"

"You won't. Get Minerva to accompany you when you transform if you wish."

"Harry..." Remus trailed off. "Thankyou."

Harry inclined his head. Potter: 1 Lupin: 0.

"I'm heading to bed now. We need to look our best if we're interviewing tomorrow!"

Remus laughed as he followed Harry from the living room. Harry really was the best thing to happen to him.

xxxxxxxxxxx

The visit to Andromeda Tonks's house was largely uneventful, if you don't class Remus's one year old son throwing anything he could at every surface at every opportunity. Thank Merlin for repairing charms. Teddy was delighted to throw something, watch it shatter and then someone repair it so he could throw it again!

Andromeda Tonks did indeed know her history and Harry hired her on the spot. She also knew a lot of embarrassing stories about Sirius, some of which even Remus hadn't heard. All in all Harry thought the day had been a great success.

Upon their return to their Hogsmeade house that evening they were confronted by a furious medi-witch.

"You said you'd be back this morning!" she started by way of greeting. She held the door to the living room open and ushered them inside. "Sofa. Now." Poppy's wand went in a series of intricate yet familiar patterns over them. "Remus Lupin, why do you have calming draught in your system?" she demanded.

"Harry offered me a job" Remus said simply.

"He what?" Poppy asked in a much softer voice, wand still raised.

"I offered him a job. Teaching Defence. We went to see Teddy and Andromeda today and I offered her the History post."

"Does Minerva know you're offering professorships?" Poppy asked, lowering her wand.

"Anyone can start a school if they wish, can't they? I was hoping you'd be the medi-witch."

"I-I-er..." Poppy spluttered.

"Hey Remus, we left the dragon speechless!"

"Yes indeed. I didn't think that was possible!" Remus laughed.

"Dragon? Your school? What about Hogwarts?"

"What about it? It's a castle with history, that's all. It has memories for many. You must remember that day seven months ago."

"Yes I do. We lost a great many that day" Poppy said sadly.

"In ten years, twenty years will you still remember it?"

"Yes. Are you alright Harry?" Poppy's fingers twitched over her wand.

"Never felt better. The seaside was wonderful. Will you tell the next generation of students about this war?"

"Of course. If they know how it started, and what happened then there is chance we can prevent it happening again. Knowledge is a weapon."

"Exactly. What's a better way of getting that message across than showing them the battleground? Many people died that day. It was me Voldemort was after, he would have left everyone else alone, at least on that day, but yet they still fought. Do you know how that feels? I have sixty deaths on my conscience. They fought and died for me. I will give them something back." He could feel the medi-witch's stare burning into him, but he kept her gaze.

"Does it mean that much to you?" Poppy asked.

"Yes. I know I couldn't have prevented their deaths. I had to find the horcruxes, and I needed the time they gave me but that doesn't help the guilt. I couldn't have done it without everyone else but it's me everyone tells of. I'm the Wizarding World's bloody saviour. This is my way of saying thankyou to everyone else."

"I will do everything I can to help you Harry. But do you know what you are taking on? Do you know anything about running a school?"

"Why did you fight that day? Why did you fight for me? Why did you never give up on me, even when all seemed lost?" Harry abruptly changed the conversation.

Poppy was shocked at the sudden question but answered as best she could. "I was doing what I thought was right."

"You knew I was in the castle long before I showed myself. Why did you keep quiet?"

"I-I-I believed in you."

"Do you still?" Harry's voice was barely above a whisper. "Am I still the man you believed in, or am I a child playing with fire?"

Silence.

"You are a man. I've nursed you through so many bumps and bruises, quidditch injuries and near-death experiences, so many trials that life has heaped on you, that I feel I know you better than anyone."

"So, now I want to do something for you in return. Do you wish to be my school's Healer?"

"Yes." The word slipped out of Poppy's mouth without any conscious thought.

"I'm sorry about today. We'd had such a good time we'd forgotten we'd said we'd be home for lunch. If we hadn't wanted to see Teddy and Dromeda we might not have come back at all!"

"What the eye can't see, the Healer can't object to! I know what you two are like!" Her wand flashed over them. "You'll ignore everything I tell you anyway so goodnight gentlemen!"

Strike three, thought Harry.