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Luna's Second Year: In Which Men are Dogs – But Only in the Most Literal Sense

Interlude:

He awakens to his shoulder being shaken gently - it can't be long past sunrise and his body feels simply terrible: weak, pained, and slow. So, it takes Remus a few beats of time to, not only open his eyes but to realize what must have happened the night before for him to be naked in the forest except for a large blanket (that looks like it has seen better days) draped over top of most of his body.

Although, his initial conclusion doesn't cover everything. Because, really, the full moon doesn't exactly explain why a Second Year, Ravenclaw, student, of his is the one waking him up in the pale grey light of the very early morning. (Why anyone, at all, is here to wake him up.)

"Here you go now, Professor," she says gently easing him to sitting upright before handing over a large mug of water - and he hadn't even realized how terribly thirsty he was until he saw it. His hands shake too badly to navigate the container himself though, and she has to assist him in drinking. Remus thinks this might embarrass him if he felt just the slightest bit better.

"I didn't hurt anyone, did I?" he asks worriedly, frightened suddenly over this lack of memory. He had gotten a bit used to keeping his own mind during the change with the Wolfsbane - to return to how it was previously with this utter blankness leaves him with so many questions. None of them pleasant in the least. There are so many things that could have gone wrong when the last thing he remembers before the change hit was being chained to two people (he could care less if he ate Wormtail - the traitor deserved worse, part of him thought savagely - but the Weasley's youngest boy, Ron, had been part of their group as well)

"No;" she - Luna, (it's Luna Lovegood that's right his brain starts to kick in) assures in the same dreamy tone she used in the classroom to ask questions about creatures he had never heard of, "you ran into the Forest and I made sure you got to someplace safe."

"How-" he starts to ask but cuts himself off when his eyes catch the play of light across a metallic surface and they shift away from her face to the large two sided axe leaning against the tree behind her. "Who's is that?" Remus decides to query instead.

She glances over at it as well, a small smile growing over her face as she looks at the weapon, "It's mine now."

And when she looks back at him there is something more present in her eyes (or something uncovered that is always there in wait) that makes his own dart down. Oh, this - he remembers this as much as he has been actively trying not to think about it all through the year as he taught her. (Trying to forget finding her there in the dark hall of the Hogwort's Express, bits of dementor on the floor.)

Because Remus knows he is not human, (has had that harsh reminder with every job, he was more than qualified for, declined because of what he was) but he does not quite know how to handle it when bits of the wolves mentality pop up outside of the full moon; does not exactly like to admit (even to himself) that he can feel anything beyond the normal five senses when it is not that time of the month.

But, somehow, now that he is a bit more alert and able to think about it (honestly with himself this time, actually), it truly is not surprising that this girl - all of twelve years old - knew what he was and did not fear it. Was the one to find him and keep him in check when he had not taken his potions. Because despite being a tiny blonde thing with a vague look on her face most of the time, and a dreamy disposition, Luna Lovegood was undeniably dominate to his wolf.

Somehow, more so now.

But where before where there was a stab of fear (of fight or flight) deep down every time he would sense that other part of her, now he feels...protected. An odd, but solid, instinctual knowledge that this stronger being will defend him. And Remus understands that magic plays fast and loose with logic, at the best of times, but it is still rather disconcerting that that being the wolf inside him is saying will take care of him, is in the form of someone both so much younger (a year behind Harry, Prongs' son, even) and smaller than himself. Remus does not know what happened last night to facilitate this shift in perception, and really does not have the mental capacity at the moment to ponder it.

"Professor, I'm sorry to wake you but we need to start moving. I did not think you would want me to help you through the hallways, only wearing a blanket, when students were around," her lips were quirked a bit, but her silver eyes were steady when he looked back up.

"Ah - right," he responded automatically, nodding to himself, only blushing belatedly when the implications finally reached his brain. Yes, that wouldn't be good - and would guarantee his firing even more than this incident would probably necessitate it anyway.

And so he tried to stand, but did not quite make it and had to settle for keeping a bit of his dignity in tact by holding onto the blanket while Luna practically picked him up and placed him in standing position. When she took a step away to retrieve the mug on the ground, they found out that he was not even quite up to this in his weak state. But she simply took it in stride, and moved to his side so that he could lean on her her (slump most of his weight down upon her much shorter form, honestly) as they hobbled along on a path out of the Forest.

His curiosity flared at her blatant strength but in the face of all that she had done - and was still doing - for him, Remus did not really think he could ask about something like obvious difference. Something that he knew from experience could be riddled with emotional landmines. And many people with other species in their bloodline found it outright insulting to be asked about it.

And so to distract himself from both his curiosity and the pain that flared brightly in his muscles on every step, he asked the first thing that came to mind. "Ah -um - where did this blanket come from?" It was rather obviously not one form Hogwort's bedding.

"Hagrid's," she answered promptly, urging him around a sharp looking bush, "the mug is from there too. I knew he wouldn't mind. I picked it up on the way back through from helping Harry with his godfather. Grabbed the Executioner's axe from the back gardens then too," she added absentmindedly.

Remus, stopped dead in the woods, within visual distance from the exit now, but couldn't care less about that or the massive axe anymore. "Sirius? Where is he - is he alright?" he asked anxiously and could have slapped himself a second later for blurting such things. But perhaps he blame his lack of discretion on being so very tired, in pain, and the sheer oddity of the situation.

Luna urged him to start walking again before she answered. "Yes, that was his nickname," she murmured, nodding to herself. "And he will be quite safe," she looked at him out of the corner of her eye as if weighing something, before nodding again. "You're friends?" she asked but the tone of her voice said that she had already reached that conclusion.

"He's my best friend. My only friend alive anymore," Remus admitted and blinked hard as they broke the treeline and came into the rising sun.

She didn't let them stop their pace though and continued to propel him towards the school. "Write owls to the Rook. I don't know if he'll stay very long but that is where he's headed now and normal post doesn't work - our wards block individual's magical signatures," she stated matter of factly. Then when she looked him over again upon opening Hogworts large entrances' door one-handed she said, "Perhaps I should tell you again when you are feeling better, Professor."

Remus glanced over at the small blond Ravenclaw once they were inside: she was using one of her feet to make sure the door closed slowly and quietly, while still easily balancing herself - and most of his weight - on the other. "Perhaps you're right, Ms. Lovegood," was all he said but felt his lips trying to tug into a grin despite how exhausted he was.

Luna simply nodded and started to direct him towards some stairs but a moment later she froze stock still, tilting her head bird like, then pressing him back against a wall into relative shadow. "Someones coming," she whispered and Remus barely had a chance to feel anxiety before she relaxed again. "Oh, it's my Head of House."

"Hullo, Professor Flitwick," she said as she smiled over her shoulder. "I apologize for not returning to your class, there were rather urgent matters I had to attend to."

"Never mind that Ms. Lovegood, what are you doing about the hallways. It's quite early, dear," he heard a familiar, rather squeaky voice respond, a bit far away yet.

"I'm just assisting the Professor," Luna stated calmly, gesturing towards him with the mug still in her hand, as if this was all a normal occurrence.

And the diminutive teacher finally came close enough to see him, in his rather rough state. "Oh my, Remus. Are you alright?"

"Rough night, Fillius," he murmured, and the man had been a Professor when Remus was a student and was well aware of his little furry problem. "Ms. Lovegood was helping me -," he stopped then because he realized abruptly that while it had seemed almost second nature to lean upon this girl that his wolf was so very strange about, the two of them together must appear awfully odd to an outside observer. (Especially with his being dressed only in Hagrid's old blanket.)

"Of course," the Charms Professor cut him off, surprising Remus with his instant acceptance of the situation. Then he turned to Luna, "Do you need any help, Sl- Luna?"

Remus frowned, wondering at the odd slip of tongue but simultaneously nearly slid down the wall he was leaning against - would have, in fact, if not for the quick reflexes of the girl standing next to him who was immediately at his side almost instantly steadying him with a firm arm. So, he decided such thought were best left for another time when he wasn't falling asleep standing up.

"I don't know if Professor Lupin requires potions from the infirmary after the previous night," Luna answered her Head of House's question as if nothing had just happened. "I know there are a few people there right now so I don't think I can take take him without causing a fuss," she continued. Then there was a rather prolonged pause. "Professor Lupin?" Luna prompted him.

He jerked back into alertness, "Hmm?"

The teacher, much older then him, and the student, quite a bit younger, were both smiling at him bemusedly. "I'll just go ask Poppy, myself," Fillius said gently. "Can you manage Remus up to his rooms?" he asked Luna as if he wasn't there - and Remus could not find it in himself to be in the least bit slighted given the situation.

"Yes, I believe we'll manage as well as a heliopath in a volcano," Luna said cheerily and they began to part ways. Remus gave a heavy, tired, sigh as he was forced to walk. Even though at this point, you could hardly say he was contributing much to their joint effort - he was leaning to the point of nearly being carried and hadn't even bothered to open his eyes when she had started pulling him forward.

"Oh, there is one more thing, Professor Flitwick," Luna stopped and called quietly over her shoulder. "Exactly where are Professor Lupin's quarters? I'm afraid, in his present state, he isn't a very able guide."

Remus heard the other professor giggling profusely and stuck out his tongue (still without bothering to open his eyes).

At that Luna laughed as well.