Chapter 38- Convenient Professor
*****Severus*****
Severus wasn't sure if he slept at all that night after Dora left. He had made a brief floo call to the Headmaster, but Dumbledore had already been informed of Black's escape. And now he needed to speak to Harry. And probably Draco too, since the boy was here. And he couldn't afford for Lucius to come calling before he spoke to the boy.
It wasn't much past dawn when he went into Harry's room. "Harry, Draco, you need to wake up."
"Does Draco have to leave already?" a sleepy Harry whined.
"Soon, but I need to speak to you both first," Severus responded. That had both boys sitting up, Draco from his cot on the floor, hair messy like Severus hadn't seen it in years.
"Sirius Black escaped Azkaban last night," Severus began. Draco gasped, but Severus didn't think Harry understood any of it. "Azkaban is the wizarding prison, from which until yesterday, no one had ever escaped," Severus explained briefly, "And Sirius Black was one of the most feared Death Eaters from the war, imprisoned for killing thirteen people among other crimes." Harry just nodded, watching him. The boy didn't look scared enough for the situation, but he didn't know all of it of course.
"Draco, I'm going to send you home shortly, but first I want to give you some instructions that I hope you will follow."
"I will, Uncle Severus," the boy promised. Good.
"I do not expect that he will, but if Sirius Black appears at your house, because of his relation to your mother or any other reason, you need to stay away from him and floo over here as quickly as you can, understand?" Draco nodded, but Severus continued, "He isn't safe to be around and has a history of turning on those he aligned himself with. Do you understand?" Another nod. "Your father will already know of the escape, but you can tell him that I told you and sent you home to be with your family, will you do that, Draco?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Let's get you through the floo," Severus said, but he was looking at Harry now, the child still sitting on his bed staring at him. Harry nodded at him. The boy was resilient.
*****Harry*****
Harry stared at his father after Draco was gone. One of Voldemort's biggest supporters escaping, and from the looks he'd gotten from his father, Harry thought there might even be more to it that he didn't want to say in front of Draco. He hoped his friend would be alright and the escaped prisoner wouldn't come to his house.
"Father? Is there something else going on?" Harry asked, stepping into the main room of their quarters to see his dad staring at the fireplace as it changed back to normal flames instead of the green.
"Harry, I think it's best to not conceal information from you, because ignorance rarely preserves safety. But I don't want to frighten you."
"I can take it, I swear."
"We have reason to believe that Black might be targeting you personally, Harry."
"I," Harry hesitated. This should frighten him more than it did, he knew, "I thought so, since he was a follower of… You-Know-Who."
"Harry, there's more of a personal connection. Sirius Black was what is called a secret keeper for the house that you and your mother and James Potter hid in. So long as he kept the secret, no one should have been able to find the house."
"But, he was their friend?"
His father sighed and considered his words, "He was James Potter's best friend, from the time that they were eleven years old. You may hear- that he was your godfather. Nearly everyone was surprised by his betrayal; not even the highest Death Eaters knew of Black's involvement. But I knew he was capable of terrible acts since he was a child."
"So he turned them over to be killed?" Harry asked, feeling dim. Of course he did. That had already been spelled out. But how could someone's best friend betray him? And he was Harry's godfather?
"Yes, he did. And the next day he was confronted by another friend, Peter Pettigrew, whom Black then killed on the street along with twelve muggles."
"So, what should I do?" Harry asked. His father would have a better plan than Harry could come up with.
"We have reason to believe that he will attempt entry to Hogwarts grounds but with the protections in place, I believe it is still the safest place for you, Harry, for the time being. However, I ask that whenever you leave these quarters, I would go with you, and we will take Milly as well. I know this is confining, and when additional protections are placed around the castle by September first, we can relax the precautions slightly. And until then, I will endeavor to make your summer more enjoyable." Harry didn't like it, but his father had taken time to explain it all, and Harry understood.
"It's fine- I understand- but we can still go flying sometimes?"
"Of course. Today if you wish."
"That sounds great." Harry said, waiting to see if his father had anything else to say.
"Thank you, Harry. I would also like to increase your Defense training, just in case, though you should never approach Black."
More training would be useful, and Harry loved their lessons already, working with his dad and Tonks, when she could come. "I promise."
*****Severus*****
Walking to the Headmaster's office as requested, Severus hoped that Albus had information related to another horcrux. He wished for a problem he could solve, rather than worrying over Black's escape, what could happen to Harry, and Black's potential to find and assist his old master or to assist other Death Eaters' escape from Azkaban. Bellatrix Lestrange and a few of the inner circle could be almost as formidable as the Dar- as Riddle himself. Severus felt that he had done nothing but worry for the last week.
Training Harry had been a productive outlet that they both enjoyed. Harry had progressed to having a pretty good stunning charm, which Severus had instructed Harry to use first in any combat situation. It was better than a disarming charm in most cases. An opponent's wand could be collected and pocketed or snapped after the assailant had been stunned.
Severus could still block all of Harry's curses, and usually got a stinging charm past the boy in retaliation, but Harry was improving. If any peer were to attack Harry, even a much older student, they would be surprised at the challenge the boy would present. Unfortunately, it wasn't teenage wizards who posed the threat that Severus was worried about, with an escaped murderer loose. Outside of working with Harry, little else seemed fruitful.
"Albus, I hope you have good news," Severus said, taking a seat before Albus even indicated one. It had been a long week.
The Headmaster smiled, "I do have good news, though I am not sure that you will see it as such, so I wanted to let you know personally."
So, not about a horcrux, and not about Black being captured or killed.
"What?" he may have sighed.
"I have hired a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Albus announced. It was only surprising that Albus was still able to find anyone to take the job.
"And what? I don't have time for this, Albus." Though Severus had arguably had too much time this summer, with little to fill it.
"Our new member of staff is Remus Lupin."
No.
"Albus, you can't be serious." The man was finally going senile.
"Severus, with current advancements, Remus can be a useful addition to our staff without fear of his condition endangering students."
"I don't care!" Severus hissed. "I am not even most concerned that he routinely turns into a bloodthirsty beast! Though I will get back to that reckless point in a moment. Don't you think it is too convenient that Sirius Black escapes Azkaban, and only a week later, his best friend left that he hasn't murdered is seeking employment at Hogwarts!" he might have been yelling at the end.
"Severus, I extended this offer over a month ago now, just after Gilderoy left us. And the aurors have already questioned Remus. Don't you think he would be the first person the Ministry would wish to suspect, a werewolf with past association to the escaped prisoner? Adult life has been difficult for Remus, Severus."
"It hasn't been easy for many of us, Albus. You what, expect me to trust the Ministry that they have done their job thoroughly, and for me to brew Wolfsbane, a time consuming and difficult endeavor, for a man I have significant reason to despise?" He had not heard any specifics of the investigation, other than that Dora had managed to be placed on the team hunting Black. He hadn't seen much of Dora at all in the week since Black's escape, and he would admit that her being away did not improve his mood.
The old man was as calm as ever, "You would be compensated for your time in preparing the Wolfsbane for Remus, of course. It would save the school a significant amount of money if you would prepare it rather than forcing me to find another brewer. I may also ask if you would be able to take on his morning classes directly after a full moon, with additional compensation, of course."
This plan of Albus's was insane. What would the parents think if they knew their children were being taught by a werewolf? Less concerned than they should be about the man being the friend of a mass murderer.
"I want to question Lupin personally, under the influence of Veritaserum if I feel needed. Or I will find it necessary to relocate for the protection of my son, and you will find yourself in need of more than a brewer for the Wolfsbane." Severus had never made such a threat to Albus Dumbledore in all the years he had served the man. But he would leave his castle and all of his work for Dumbledore if it was best for Harry. The boy would hate it, and would possibly grow to despise him for it but…
Albus merely smiled, "I did not truly expect any less. I do not believe Remus will object to your request."
"Fine," Severus said, sweeping out of the room feeling wearier than when he stepped in. But perhaps the wolf would be the lead they needed.
*****Severus*****
"Hello Severus," the shabby looking man said, holding out his hand. Remus Lupin hadn't aged well, hair half grey, defined lines on his face. "Thank you for being willing to meet with me," he said nervously.
"I care very little for anything you might say without guarantee that you speak the truth, wolf."
"Severus, I believe second chances are worthy causes, and ask you to take that under consideration," Albus reminded him. The old man might have even thought he was being subtle. Lupin might be too thick to catch it, but no Slytherin would be.
"Severus, I understand. And I'll take your potion willingly. I don't have anything to hide."
"Good."
Three drops later, and Severus could ask whatever he wanted.
"Do you have any knowledge of Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban, other than that from the Daily Prophet?"
"No, I do not," the man replied evenly.
"Do you know how Black would have escaped?" A person had to be careful of the subtleties of their questions.
"I assume it is some dark magic that he learned from Voldemort." Severus was ashamed that he flinched at the mention of his old master. He turned for a moment so Albus wouldn't see. The wolf wouldn't notice in that state. Severus needed to be better than that, but idiots didn't have to keep throwing around the name.
"When was the last time you saw or in any way communicated with Sirius Black?"
"October 31st, 1981, I sent him a letter that he never responded to. I wanted to see him after Lily and James were dead. I didn't know anything about a secret keeper or much about the protections around Lily and James and Harry at all."
"And if you were to encounter or learn any information on Black today, what would you do?" Those sorts of questions were shakier, because it would only be a truthful answer based on the drugged person's current state and available information but… the wolf had answered well so far.
"I would go to Professor Dumbledore."
"Not to the Ministry directly?" Severus asked, though he wasn't surprised.
"I trust Professor Dumbledore, not the Ministry." As a werewolf, Severus couldn't even blame him for that. It wasn't anything that he didn't expect. And telling Dumbledore was sufficient. The old man had been disillusioned to that particular Gryffindor's true nature over a decade ago.
"Are you satisfied, Severus?" Albus asked.
"Will you do everything possible to prevent your lycanthropy from being a safety issue for anyone in Hogwarts or Hogsmeade?"
"Yes."
The wolf had held up under Veritaserum, and Severus hadn't noticed any signs of falsehood, and there were two of the most accomplished Legilimens in the world in that room.
"Fine. I shall brew him the potion. But he'll be coming to my office each evening he needs it, so I can be assured that he takes it," Severus said, walking out of the room. Severus knew enough that he didn't feel like he needed to remove Harry from the castle, but that didn't mean that he wanted to spend any more time in the room with the man. It was small consolation that Severus thought the werewolf might actually be a decent teacher, which those students sorely needed.
*****Harry*****
"Harry?" his father called. Harry had been stuck in their rooms until his father returned.
"Yes?" Harry answered.
"I have to discuss something with you regarding your new Defense professor," his father said stiffly.
"What's wrong?" Harry hadn't had the best luck with Defense Against the Dark Arts professors.
"Nothing, necessarily, if enough precautions are enacted," his father said slowly. "It is not something that the rest of the student body will even be aware of, understood?"
So it was a secret. "I don't even have to tell Ron and Hermione," Harry offered hesitantly
"That might be for the best, for the time being. Your new Defense professor is a werewolf," his father stated.
"Werewolves are real?" the Harry blurted out, and then felt silly immediately. "I mean yes, I knew that, I just-" Hadn't one of Lockheart's books been about werewolves? But Harry hadn't actually read any of them past the first few pages. And it… just seemed like something out of a story book- but then again, so did elves, goblins, and unicorns, and he'd seen all of those. Not to mention thestrals, which were most remarkable because he couldn't see them.
"It is- an unfortunate affliction that causes those affected to transform once a month on each full moon."
"Is he dangerous?" Harry asked. His father wouldn't think too badly of him for asking a silly question.
"He shouldn't be," his father said slowly, but Harry didn't think he sounded that confident. "I will be brewing him a potion so that he will remain in control of his mental faculties during transformations. And I may be substituting for some of his classes directly after the full moons."
"Well, you'll be really good at it," Harry offered politely. Then he wondered something else about the new professor, "Do you think he'll be a good teacher?" As Harry's dad had said before, they hadn't really had a good Defense teacher yet.
"He was... a good student when we were in school. I believe he will be a more competent instructor than you have previously had, though that is saying very little. You will have to tell me how the class progresses." Harry got the impression that his father wanted to keep track of the werewolf professor.
"You went to school at the same time?" Harry asked curiously. That was too interesting a piece of information to not question.
"Yes," his father hesitated. "He was a friend of James Potter and Sirius Black." He sounded… final, like he was hoping Harry wouldn't ask about it.
"Is- there anything else you want me to know?" Harry asked carefully instead. He usually got more information out of his dad that way.
"I had already had him questioned, and he had no knowledge of Black's escape prior to it being publicized, or of his current whereabouts, or any intention to assist the man. I just want you to be exceptionally careful during full moons, especially conscious of when moon rise is during those times."
"I will," Harry promised. A werewolf teacher. That was actually pretty cool. The man probably had some really unique experiences because of that. But, Harry supposed he shouldn't ask about them if most of the castle, or at least the students, wouldn't know about the professor's condition. But, he almost couldn't be worse than Lockheart. Harry wondered if the library had a better book on werewolves than the one Lockheart wrote.
Harry smiled to himself, thinking that he couldn't tell Hermione that thought, or she'd never let it go.
A/N: Please let me know if you liked it! This chapter was a little short, but some scenes that I wanted to get out, and I am currently scrambling to write Harry's third year. I did make a few changes to the questioning portion after first posting. I couldn't imagine Severus not questioning a friend of Sirius Black just happening to come to Hogwarts.