Chapter 21- Finally Back At the Castle
Jordan was excited and happy. He just had a great adventure and learned about a lot of things first hand. The only problem he saw was to organize his thoughts and write about it. He thanked the Professor and Tyler for taking him with them. Professor McGonagall was indeed looking out for them and was relieved to see them heading in.
"Oh good, you finally made it back, I was getting a little concerned with the storm."
Tyler told her that they got a lot done and Jordan told her it was a great trip.
The boys took their packs down to the dungeon schoolroom and Tyler showed him a small room off to the side where they could put the samples that they had collected. He told Jordan that he was going to develop the pictures of the site and study them.
Meanwhile Severus and Remus asked Minerva that the Acromantula were spreading over more territory.
She became concerned as they related their story about the fight and how lucky Hagrid came by. She thought she better contact the Ministry and Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Severus and Remus agreed it was a good idea before the forest is over run with the creatures. Professor McGonagall went off to get an owl and notify the ministry while Severus and Remus went down to the dungeon where they placed their samples in the small room
Severus walked over and got the supply of wolfsbane potion for Remus and all the bottles but one was packed carefully into Remus's knapsack. Remus drank the one down with a grimace as it really tasted bad..
Severus called over to Tyler and double-checked to see if he had taken his potion, which he said he did.
The boys left the dungeon and headed towards their dormitory where they met up with Kole and Joey who were interested in how the trip went. Tyler excused himself and went to the Fifth year room where he left his backpack and got cleaned up. Jordan went up and did the same then came back down to the common room and talked to Kole and Joey who were waiting for him. He told them of the creatures they had seen and the werewolf bones in the cave. He didn't say anything about Tyler being a werewolf though, as he suspected that it wasn't something Tyler wanted spread around the school.
Jordan was thinking how he was going to write up the trip and Kole suggested that first he could make a list of what he was going to write about and then go from there.
That sounded like a good way to organize his thoughts before writing it out. He looked at his word list he was supposed to be practicing also. It was going to be a busy night, fortunately he had got his regular homework done otherwise he would have stressed out.
The list was soon writen out though he suspected there were spelling errors galore. Joey told him it was only a quick list to prompt his memory when he started to write and then he could double-check his spelling.
Jordan's eyebrow raised then he put the quick list in his pocket and picked up his word list.
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"Severus..." Remus said as he picked up his knapsack and studied Severus "Thanks for taking the time..."
"It's fine, nothing else for me to do now,"
"Sigh... has the mark totally gone now?"
"Yes, it has."
"The nightmares that plagued you all those years?"
"Faded, and few."
"Good! You think we made a mistake telling the boys the war story?"
Severus fingered the pages of the old tattered book gently as he stood beside his desk
"No, they would have read it in the history books anyway."
"Its the Acromantula, isn't it. They are spreading out further in the forest."
"I should have been more alert and steered everybody further away."
"The fight wasn't your fault Severus, the situation was long in coming and give yourself some credit. After all if it wasn't for you-- the boys, and possibly I would be spider food by now."
"You mean if Hagrid hadn't come along we would be."
"Severus,,,," Remus stood in front of Severus and placed his hand on Severus's Shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short, you did do a fine job, as for Hagrid he was a great help sure, but you were the one to think of burning them. I was a little too busy too think out such a course of action."
Severus stirred slightly.
Remus thought to tease Severus a little "Anyway Hagrid always seemed like you, and It made me wonder for years as to why he liked you so much then it clicked .you are one of Hagrid's favourite dangerous pets."
"Funny, Remus, I think he would have considered you the more dangerous one."
"But he knew you better and accepted you, he was upset about you killing Albus Dumbledore for a while but he suspected there was more to it. He was right, and felt vindicated for having such trust in you when I found the memory left by Albus."
Severus's face clouded over and Remus shut up, as he didn't think he should push Severus further into thinking about the past.
"It's all right Remus, I remember it well , you proved yourself a friend also when you let Minerva know about the memory bottle. You could have accidentally dropped it and lost my one chance of redemption."
"Maybe but then I couldn't do that, even if I had wanted to, because Albus obviously knew I found it."
"That is history now. Remus and if you don't want to spend time in your old black windowless hole of a room here, you better get moving, Tonks will be looking for you."
"Okay, I'm going, but I will be back soon."
"Great, now you're threatening me."
"After the full moon, sheesh, like you said I got to shed wolf hair over Tonks carpets."
Severus grinned, "Goodbye for now Remus, hurry on now "
"Goodbye Severus." Remus laughed and left the dungeon to head home to Tonks.