Disclaimer: Here to pour salt in an open wound, are we?

Author's Note: Because Erin told me to.

A present day Remus John Lupin found that his heart had stopped working. He was incapable of movement, of thought, of the ability to breathe—the only thing he could do was gape, literally, with his mouth wide open, his eyes surpassing Elijah Wood's in size.

After one long, agonizing second, Lupin was able to draw himself up and take a deep, steadying breath. The three others in the room stared at him, trying their best to look casual, though the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher knew there were accusations behind their calm.

They were waiting for him to answer Dumbledore's question.

"Excuse me?" he said when he could speak without stammering, trying his best to look indignant, or appalled that they would even suspect him of purposefully returning to this Time without Hermione. Inside, though, he wasn't so sure: was he acting this way because he was, in fact, guilty of just that?

He stood up a little straighter, refusing to believe that. "No, Dumbledore, I did not leave without Hermione of my own free will. Like I said, I couldn't. She was never alone. I couldn't get to her without anyone noticing," he said, like he had said before. He fixed them all with a stony stare.

Dumbledore didn't even blink, or move, or anything. But he was obviously thinking, because a few moments later he said evenly, without taking his gaze off of the Werewolf's, "Harry, Ron. There's nothing more you can do here. I bid you, leave; I want a word with Professor Lupin alone."

Ron looked outraged. "But we want to stay! We have to help Hermione! I don't know why we have to leave anyway, it's his fault Hermione's still stuck there!" He fixed Lupin with the nastiest glare he could muster, and Lupin was taken back by so much fury in someone so young. The phrase 'if looks could kill' involuntarily flashed through his mind.

Harry placed a hand on his friend's arm and shook his head silently. "Come on, Ron," he said. With one more dark look at Lupin, Ron stormed out after Harry, his face red with anger. Lupin watched them go, amazed.

"I'm so sorry," he said to no one in particular, since the boys couldn't hear and Dumbledore was still just standing there, staring. Lupin felt like he was shrinking under his gaze, and he got the distinct feeling his mind was being examined, like none of his thoughts were safe from the powerful man in front of him.

"You're absolutely right, Remus," Dumbledore said, startling the younger man. "Not even your most private thoughts are hidden from me, nor anyone else using Legilimency against you when you're unprepared." His tone was so casual, he might have been smiling as well, but his face remained nervously expressionless.

Lupin's breath caught. Dumbledore was reading his mind? Oh, god; oh, no…what if he saw—the memories—Hermione—he couldn't… But Dumbledore was talking again, and neither his words nor his tone hinted at the old Wizard playing mind reader. At least…not yet.

"So why don't you just tell me the truth, Remus, so I don't have to take it from you," Dumbledore said calmly, and Lupin nodded, sinking down to sit in the chair with his hand over his eyes. He would tell Dumbledore some of it, but there was no way he could tell it all.

"I honestly never had the chance to get Hermione's attention. She was always with someone." He looked up to meet Dumbledore's gaze, grey eyes staring at blue. He said, firmly, "and that is the truth."

Dumbledore nodded, encouraging him on, like he would a child.

"But—and I am ashamed of this—I wish I hadn't—I was already coming back, I promise you. I had already given up trying to get Hermione alone. But there was a moment as I was traveling, that I thought of just casually…letting the Time Turner drop from my grasp, so that it would be lost to us. So that Hermione would stay in that Time a little longer."

Dumbledore did not look angry. He didn't look shocked, or surprised. In fact, he was nearly expressionless, doing and saying nothing. In the silence that followed, Lupin wanted to tell Dumbledore how he reprimanded himself immediately after thinking that, or how he had been disgusted with himself, or how he was so sorry, or at least that he knew the dangers of leaving Hermione there longer than necessary. He wanted to tell him all that.

But he couldn't.

And Lupin was too confused to even begin to ponder why he couldn't make himself say any of those things; whether it was because he had never felt or thought that way, or for some other reason. He didn't want to know; instead, he just focused all this thoughts on Dumbledore, staring at him with a look of desperation. He didn't feel an ounce of the intelligent man he was, but rather like the shy, awkward child he had once been. He wished the old headmaster would speak.

Then, after another moment, Dumbledore did say something, speaking as if there had been no silence at all between Lupin's confession and his statement. "So that she could stay with you longer, you mean." It was not a question but a statement—had he read his mind? Lupin bowed his head, because Dumbledore's tone was painfully easy to understand: he was disappointed in him. Greatly.

If he had felt like a foolish child before… Well, that was nothing compared to now. Lupin was even ashamed of himself. How could he let his memories get the better of him like this? He was a grown man, for God's sake!

Dumbledore drew a deep breath and sighed when Lupin remained silent. "Hermione meant a lot to your younger self, did she not, Remus?" This was a question, but Lupin was well aware that he already knew the answer.

"Yes," he muttered anyway, "we were good friends…for the Time she was there."

Now the smallest hint of amusement could be heard in Dumbledore's tone, and Lupin hoped that maybe he was going to be forgiven. "Friends?" was all the old Wizard said, but Lupin immediately understood, and raised his head to meet his eyes.

"Yes," he said firmly, "friends." He didn't say anything else, but it didn't take Legilimency to read what he was trying to say in his unspoken thought: 'and nothing more'.

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "I'm sorry our plan didn't turn out as we'd hoped." He spoke carefully, wording things just right. "We shall try again another time."

"Good night, Professor Dumbledore," Lupin said, trying to sound as casual as possible as he headed for the door, offering a polite but friendly smile to the old headmaster. In return, Dumbledore inclined his head in a farewell nod.

"Good night, Professor Lupin."

Coming Next Time!

WE GET TO VISIT HAGRID! And other things happen as well…but HAGRID!

Shout-Outs!

Totally CRAZY and Hyper: Are you seriously out of school now? THAT IS SO NOT FAIR! I still have all next week and a Monday after that! –pouts- Anyway, thanks for the continuous reviews every chapter—I love it when people review multiple times and not just once! –huggles-

Lady Zymurgy: Yes, indeed! Knowing your future is a terrible burden—we, as psychics, know this more than anyone. XD And if and when you find your Remus, do tell me where you got him! I think he'd get along with all my other kidnapped victims…I mean, adoring friends…

Geometry Failure: …I have nothing to say to you. You're mean!! (HAHA!)

LuvtoWrite: Dramatic music, indeed! And I don't like to tell people I'm J.K. Rowling because then they might start asking me to do things, like sign this, or answer this question, or bless this child, or something. Lol. Thanks for all your support, mate!!

Next Update: Umm…. Not a Monday this time. Only because I didn't update this Monday, because it was Memorial day. I'm thinking more…Friday-ish? (As in, not tomorrow, but a week from tomorrow. Ha!)