Chapter Nineteen

Summoned

1985, 16 September

Remus sat in the library of Madame Crowlyn's House with Dorcas as he helped her with her book report on Silas Marner.

"Pearl's just a name, isn't it, Remus?" asked Dorcas.

"Pearl is not just a name, Dorcas," sighed Remus. Knowing he would be going over her book report he had read the entire book last night. "Silas saw Pearl as the one treasure in his life that mattered above anything. She was 'a Pearl of great price'."

"Silas was obsessing over a little girl, Remus," scoffed Dorcas. "He was a pervert."

Remus scowled, "Have you read any of Silas Marner?"

"Of course I have," declared Dorcas.

Remus sniffed. Dorcas was nervous upon him asking that question. "Dorcas?" he drawled, underlined by a warning growl. "How much of the book have you read?"

"I read the summary that Mr. Neighbors handed out to everyone," she shrugged and tried not to look at Remus.

Remus huffed and tossed the useless book report on the table. "Dorcas, you…"

A vividly agitated Mrs Treacle entered the library. She was wringing her hands and her eyes were wide. "I need you in the kitchen, Remus."

The tone of the woman's voice meant '30 seconds ago. Now!' "Read the book, Dorcas and shred your report. It's a fail." Remus stood and walked over to the agitated woman. "What's wrong, Mrs. Treacle." They left the library.

Dorcas sat up and took the book up from the table. She opened it, and began to read.

Mrs. Treacle took Remus to the kitchen but she didn't go into it. "You go, Remus." She nudged the werewolf through her kitchen door.

Remus chuckled as stepped over the threshold. "This had better not be a mouse, Mrs. Treacle. You are a witch…" Remus' jaw fell open as he saw what sat on the prep table in the kitchen eating up the just cooked bacon.

"Fawkes!" The bird glanced up at its name and tried to trill but its beak was full of bacon. Remus closed his mouth and strode over to the large bird. "Stop eating that bacon, Fawkes! What if it gives you a stomach ache?" He took a few dangling pieces of bacon from the bird's beak. It squawked in indignation and dropped the rest. He began to flap and Remus ducked. "Why are you here, Fawkes?!" he shouted.

Fawkes settled himself and then dropped the scroll he had in his claws. Remus stood and picked it up. Mrs. Treacle came in but stood close to the werewolf just in case. "Friend of yours, Remus?"

He had just broken the Hogwarts seal but stopped to reply, "That's Fawkes. He's the familiar of Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts. I haven't spoken to him in a long time." He unscrolled the letter and skimmed. "Damn!" Remus started to leave but Mrs. Treacle stopped him.

"Is it bad news, Remus?"

"Possibly," he huffed. "I've been Summoned." He then left the kitchen in a fit of pique.

Fawkes leaned towards the plate of bacon in the hopes of stealing some more. Mrs Treacle left the doorway of her kitchen and screeched at the phoenix as she waved the hem of her apron at it.

"Git! Go away!" Fawkes only hopped to the opposite side of the table where food was prepared and laid out for serving. It trilled softly to soothe the witch. Mrs. Treacle glared at Fawkes and at her plate of bacon with its contents spread everywhere. "You stupid bird! You ate my bacon!" Using her wand she vanished the bacon and then went to the refrigerator for more uncooked bacon.

Fawkes vanished.

1985, 20th September - Goodbye

Albus wanted Remus at Hogwarts as soon as was possible but he was no longer in a place where he could pack a backpack and leave. Over three years on King's Island Harbor Town Remus had become someone known by the residents and many visiting sailors on site. Agneta was not terribly pleased to let Remus go but she understood that when a body needed to go there would be nothing to stop them. The girls were all pleased to see 'Mr. Lupin' go because nearly all of them hoped that he was moving on to something better. A few girls were saddened, if not bitter, at his leaving. They had loved learning magic from him and one girl had begun creating her own Hearth charms.

Remus didn't want to see magic lessons stopped for the girls and one of the reasons he did not leave right away was a surprise he had arranged at the last minute for the girls.

On one of his sojourns into Harbor Town to pick up a few things he needed for his trip to Hogwarts, he had met the spinster daughter of Harbor Town's lawyer to the ship captains and owners of cargo. Eyvanne Dormuse was delighted to hear where Remus worked. She knew Agneta, Dorcas, and most of the working girls. She was one of the few women who looked upon all of the bawdy house as the witches they were. Their only difference to other witches in the wizarding world was that they had all made the decision to take control of their lives. Just as Eyvanne had done with hers.

Remus, had visited Eyvanne and presented his proposal to her. She was pleased to accept since she had long since tired of working for her father in his law office. That evening he was able to reveal his surprise to all the inhabitants of the Crowlyn House; Eyvanne would take his place. She would teach the girls their magic, tutor Dorcas, and Eyvanne, at 6' 2" was quite the intimidating witch when she wanted to be. She had also been a student at Hogwarts and had been at the top of her class, and quite powerful. She was wicked with non-verbal, wandless magic.

Agneta was ecstatic to have Eyvanne working with them all. Agneta had always admired the young witch. The girls were all pleased and they vowed to Eyvanne that they would teach her all the best beauty secrets charms.

Dorcas was having the hardest time and in fact the moment she learned Remus was going she had taken pains to avoid him. At the very nearly last minute, five minutes before the portkey Albus sent him would whisk him away, Dorcas came running to him. She jumped into his arms and hugged him as tight as she could.

"You're going to visit, aren't you?" she whispered into Remus' ear.

Remus kissed her forehead. "I have an excuse to visit, don't you think?"

Dorcas let him put her down and she looked up at him hopefully. "Me?" she asked.

Remus touched her nose with his index finger. "You. I love Harbor Town, Dorcas. I don't plan to be gone forever. You'll be good for Eyvanne?"

Dorcas nodded. "I like her. Will you write to me, Remus?"

"I will. I'll look into a long-distance Floo connection we can send correspondence through." Dorcas beamed. She hugged him once more.

"I love you, Remus!"

Remus wanted to reply that he felt the same but at that very moment the portkey carried him away to Hogwarts.