His Greatest Wish by AndromedaMarine

The Forgotten Foes

"Did any of you see this?" Remus asked angrily as he threw the Daily Prophet down on the table in the library. The Circle of Seven looked up at him, and then down at the paper. The front page showed the image of Titus Rosier, the last living Death Eater, pulling at his bonds and baring his yellow teeth at the camera. The headline screamed: Rosier Sentenced to Dementor's Kiss.

"Everyone saw it, mate," Regulus said warily. "Are you tetchy they're killing off the last one?"

Remus, to everyone's surprise, glared at the younger Black. "I'm talking about what they printed on page six, in a little itty bitty square the size of Merlin's saggy left ball."

Lily didn't know whether or not to laugh. Their usually calm and collected friend had apparently lost his temper over something in the Prophet.

Sev gingerly picked up the paper and opened it to the specified page. He scanned the text until his eyes went to the bottom. Then they widened. He swore, and Madam Pince burst from behind the bookshelf, brandishing her feather duster at the entire group.

As they fled the library, Remus was in the back looking harried. The group gathered in a deserted corridor and Sev passed the paper to Lily. He turned to Remus.

"She can't get away with it. She won't. You're not a threat. Not anymore."

Remus's grey eyes were wrought with internal pain. "It's not fair. She can't do this, not now! After all you've done!"

Alice still hadn't gotten a look at the paper. "What's going on?" she asked as a general question.

Sirius's widened eyes were still trained on the Prophet when he answered. "That hag Umbridge has managed to write a law banishing all werewolves from Britain."

Alice clapped her hands over her mouth, horrified. Lily abandoned all attempts of composure and rushed to throw her arms around Remus. He staggered back about a foot from the impact, but reciprocated and hugged his friend.

"While everyone else was caught up in the celebrations following Voldemort's defeat Umbridge busied herself with writing all these proposals. With no one paying attention, they went through." Remus Lupin looked like he wanted to rip Umbridge's throat out. Sev didn't blame him. Lily squeezed Remus tightly for another moment and then stepped back to Sev's side, wiping her eyes.

Sirius continued, quoting: "'While Miss Umbridge is confident that these laws will pass without much difficulty, she must present her case for the laws to the Wizengamot as the final step before they can be enacted.'"

"It'll never go through," Peter said confidently. "Dumbledore's the Chief Warlock. He won't let her do it. Besides, wouldn't the International Confederation have a problem with this, since the werewolves would have to relocate to their countries?"

"Dumbledore's the Supreme Mugwump of the Confederation as well as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. If Dumbledore doesn't approve of these laws, they won't pass," Frank supplied.

"I want to talk to him," Remus said.

"I'll go with you," Sev offered, and Remus looked a little relieved. "The Wolfsbane is still in trial testing at St. Mungo's. Of course we already know it works, but the Healers there have been toying with it and quite honestly, trying to improve upon it. Once they're finished it will be made available to the public, and it is my wish that it be possible for everyone to get it, even if they think they can't afford it." Remus never had the Wolfsbane before I made it for him in that other life. I was his only hope. "It's not fair to make people suffer because they're poor."

Remus looked as though he didn't know how to thank Sev.

Sev continued by saying, "Besides, with the Wolfsbane Potion going to be available to the public basically for free, rendering the werewolf population for all intents and purposes harmless, Umbridge's laws won't make any logical sense."

The Circle began to move down the corridor towards the staircase so they could head back to Gryffindor Tower. As Madam Pince had shooed them from the library they needed a place to study, since the second term of fifth year was upon them and O.W.L.s were practically right around the corner.

Sev lowered his voice and spoke to Remus. "We're the only ones who know about your furry little problem, besides Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey. It wouldn't do to seek him out say, during a meal. Owl him and ask to meet with him soon."

"Right," Remus said, his voice and face still written with anguish and anger over Umbridge's proposed laws.

Lily touched Lupin's forearm gently. "Even if it does get passed, there can be appeals. And you know that none of us would abandon you, Rem. We'll hide you."

A sudden idea came to Sev. "In fact, if it does come to that, we can relocate you and your family to the Prince Manor. It's warded, Unplottable…Umbridge would never find you."

Remus stopped walking and stared at Severus Prince. His eyes were filling with tears, Lily could see the shimmer in his grey eyes, and the poor werewolf seemed lost for words.

And then Severus felt his face get hot, and he tried to look away from the young werewolf who, in another life, had been made to suffer through his transformations with no one but the Marauders, and without the Wolfsbane. But as much as he sought to make his dark hazel eyes move anywhere but the pale grey ones, he could not. "We're here for you, mate," he said awkwardly.

Remus didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say. Everything was overwhelming: the proposed laws, the support from his friends…the offer to keep him and his family safe if the hag got her way. He felt as though a great boulder had been lifted from his shoulders. Everything that Severus Prince had done for him was more than what someone could expect from a friend. Severus was treating him like family. And then Rem realized that they were a family. The Circle of Seven was bonded, whether they knew it or not.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I…I don't…"

"Don't think about it," Sev said. "Let's talk to Dumbledore as soon as we can, and make sure that you never have to go into hiding."

Remus swallowed and nodded, blinking the unshed tears from his pale grey eyes.

When they reached the staircase Regulus said, "I doubt anyone in Slytherin has heard about this, Remus. But I guarantee that once they do, a lot of them will be in favor of her laws. I'll try to talk some sense into the smarter ones." With those words he left the seven others, and turned to go down the staircase while the Gryffindors went up.

Once back in Gryffindor Tower they resumed their studies, whilst Severus Prince thought of all the ways Umbridge's laws could make Remus's life a living hell.

It was a couple weeks before Dumbledore owled Remus back, with an invitation to come to his office that night at seven. Severus had been mentioned in the original request, so both Sev and Remus had been invited. Sev knew some shortcuts from the Tower to the Headmaster's office, and led Rem through a few tapestry-hidden tunnels and they were at the stone eagle with plenty of time to spare.

"Chocolate Frog," Remus said to the stone gargoyle, which leapt aside and let them through to the stair. It began moving up.

Remus had been silent the entire walk from Gryffindor Tower, and was as silent waiting for the stair to reach the Headmaster's door.

Sev knocked, and they received a faint "Come in" as reply. He pushed open the door.

"Might I offer you a lemon drop?" Dumbledore asked when they entered.

Sev declined, but Remus delicately picked one up with his long fingers and sucked on it, letting his companion make the introduction.

"You know why we're here, sir," Sev said. He took care not to use the Headmaster's first name as he often had during their sessions together discussing the destruction of Voldemort. "The Wolfsbane Potion has rendered Dolores Umbridge's proposed laws unethical."

"Mr. Prince, the laws were unethical to begin with," Albus replied.

"So you'll block them?" Remus asked after hastily swallowing the lemon drop. A moment later he regretted it, as his eyes began to water.

Dumbledore regarded Remus for a couple moments. "I intend to do everything in my power to keep Dolores Umbridge from banishing werewolves from Britain. This woman has a tendency to make everything harder for everyone, as you might remember from Rabastan Lestrange's trial in December of 1972. She succeeded in delaying us two months, and the delay resulted in several avoidable deaths."

"Sir," Severus cut in, "Are you saying it could be months before we know for certain whether or not she gets her way?"

Albus dipped his head, peering at the two boys over his half-moon spectacles. "I am."

Remus was about to say something when the Headmaster continued.

"But in the meantime, using her new position in the Ministry, Dolores Jane Umbridge will still try to make it nigh-impossible for werewolves to do anything except exist. She has, on her ledger, a proposal to limit work opportunities for werewolves, prohibit children from attending school, and make it a capital offense to fail to register with her."

Remus's jaw dropped. "She can't—"

"She can, and she will try."

Severus saw the cold fury flash in his eyes. He had once been on the receiving end of that gaze, but Sev knew it wasn't directed at Remus or himself. It was meant for Umbridge.

"Sir, is there anything we can do?"

"Keep his secret. The only ones who know of his sickness are his parents, three staff members, and his close companions. If no one betrays him, no one will know his affliction."

"But they took me to St. Mungo's when I was first bitten—the healers know—"

Dumbledore interrupted again. "Healers are required to adhere to a strict code of confidentiality. In matters of lycanthropy the patient remains anonymous, so as to lessen the effects of social segregation. No Healer but Healer Dilys knows of your sickness, and she has recently retired to Africa."

Severus stared at him. "You knew."

"Are you asking if I knew about Miss Umbridge's proposals? No. I did have an inkling, however, and made a shrewd guess. And as you know, Severus, my guesses are usually good. I counseled Healer Dilys to retire and volunteer in some of the poorer areas of Africa to help with magical maladies there."

"You knew if she stayed she would be questioned by Umbridge."

Dumbledore didn't answer, but Remus was glancing between his companion and his Headmaster. "Am…am I missing something?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck.

Sev ignored Remus for another moment. "The Wolfsbane still counteracts all her suggestions."

"Unfortunately, it does not. She is well within Ministry regulations to propose a register for lycanthropy victims, so long as it remains in Ministry hands and is kept from the public eyes. And I can guarantee you that Minister Telford will agree that even if werewolves can be given a method of control, there will be a select few who actively choose not to take it."

Remus gaped. "How can anyone want to live with this?" he asked angrily.

"Can you think of no one?" Dumbledore asked. "The werewolf who bit you, Remus, did so after positioning himself close to your family as the full moon bloomed. Fenrir Greyback is of the belief that everyone should be a werewolf."

Remus paled. "Is he still out there, sir?"

"Greyback is currently being sought by the Aurors of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. No doubt he is lying low, gathering to himself a legion of werewolves who share his taste for human blood even when the moon is not full. Lord Voldemort was not the only threat to the Wizarding world, Remus, Severus. Greyback was certainly in league with Voldemort, but merely used him as a tool to bring about his own ends. Greyback was not given the Dark Mark, however much he wished for it. He is not a new threat."

"Nor is Umbridge," Sev said.

"No," Dumbledore agreed. "She is not. I promise that I will do all I can to keep her from succeeding in any of these endeavors, but be warned. This old man's word is less regarded as of late."

"But you killed Voldemort!" Remus protested. "How can they distrust you if you gave us that?"

Albus looked at Remus mildly. "Lawmakers and the Wizengamot do what they will, and I have long been a man of differing opinions than their own. I am the Chief Warlock and will remain so for a while, but even though I am the Chief Warlock, it does not fall to me to make the decision. The laws will be decided by a vote, but I will do my best to sway those who teeter on the edge of indecision."

Severus felt angry bloom in his chest. He hadn't felt this angry in a long time, and the feeling made the memories from Lily's pendant shrink back behind the silver leaves. He looked over at the cabinet where the Pensieve was hidden. "They can't banish him," he said quietly.

"But if they do?" Albus prompted.

Sev lifted his gaze from the cabinet of the Pensieve, and gave Remus a lingering glance before turning his eyes to the Headmaster. The walls that shielded his mind willingly collapsed, and he felt the soft intrusion of Dumbledore's Legilimency. You know what I will do.

Remus Lupin and Severus Prince descended from the Headmaster's office five minutes later. Remus had lost the track of the conversation once the raven-haired sixteen-year-old and the wizened, white-bearded Headmaster locked gazes, since no words had been spoken and Remus had been ignored.

"Severus!" Remus implored once they disappeared behind one of the tapestries hiding a tunnel-shortcut. "I know less than when I walked in there!"

Sev turned on his heel midstride and Remus almost ran into him. "Dolores Umbridge is capable of far more than just causing werewolves trouble, Remus. You are not the only person in danger because of her. Werewolves are not the only ones in danger because of her. If she has her way for everything, Hagrid would be arrested simply for being a half-giant. Centaurs would be captured and confined. House Elves would suffer more discrimination than they already do. All magical creatures, all magical—as she would put it—half breeds, would be rounded up, tagged, and never let loose.

"In some ways she is more dangerous than Voldemort himself, because she is waging her war from the side of good, in a manner that is presented to be for the greater good. You will never know how much I despise that phrase, and the lengths to which I will go to prevent them from ever being uttered within the Ministry. This war isn't over, Remus. This war has only just begun."

Remus stared at him with wide eyes. "What on earth are you talking about? How do you know all this?"

It's time someone else knew besides Lily, Severus told himself. He'd know this for a long time, for several months at least. He found that next to Lily, he trusted Remus the most. As intriguing as it was he had no time to dwell on it, and needed another ally to help bring the second-most evil person in the Britain to an end, as the first-most evil had recently been killed.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you," he led in, knowing it would make his friend even more curious.

"Try me," Remus challenged, crossing his arms.

Sev sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Not here. You never know who might be lurking around."

So back it was to the Room of Requirement, and Sev felt a sense of déjà vu when the room transformed into the same room he'd used to show Lily his memories. Though this time, with Remus, it would be different. He silently sealed the door with a flick of his wand. The Pensieve was still in the Headmaster's office, so Sev would have to do this in a far rougher manner than he ever would have done with Lily.

"Do you trust me?" he asked Remus pointedly.

"Of course I do, you've made my transformations nearly painless. All you've done for me…how can I not trust you?"

Sev thought for a moment, and without giving Remus any warning, he transformed into a black owl. As he flapped in the air level with Remus's eyes, he saw the werewolf's jaw drop and take a couple steps backwards. Sev returned to his normal form.

"How—how—"

"How did I do that?" Sev asked for him. "I'm an Animagus, Remus. I have been for longer than you've known me."

"But—but—you're sixteen! I've known you since you were eleven! What eleven-year old knows that much about magic?"

Sev gave him a grim smile. "I do."

"How?" Rem demanded.

He sighed. "I can't give you the explanation I want to, because the Pensieve is still in Dumbledore's office. If you want to know who I truly am, I need you to consent to let me into your mind."

Remus gaped. "What?"

"You've heard of Legilimency, yes?"

"You can do that too?"

"I can do a great deal of things. Yes. I can perform Legilimency, though I am a superbly better Occlumens than Legilimens. Do you want answers or not?"

Remus nodded. "I knew you were different, Severus, I didn't know you were this different… Why now? Why me?"

"Because of the laws Umbridge is trying to force through. She is a greater threat to you than Voldemort was, trust me. If she succeeds in this she will keep stepping forward, and every new law she writes will take another freedom away from every witch and wizard in Britain. And her ultimate goal is to round up all the Muggleborns and send them to Azkaban, simply because they do not have a magical lineage."

"How can you know that?"

"Let me into your mind and I'll show you."

"Wait," Remus said, "does Lily know? Whatever you're going to show me, does she know?"

"She's known since the beginning of fourth year. She was getting suspicious, she knew I was lying to everyone…but I had to wait to make sure I would never lose her again."

Remus didn't miss anything. "Again? What do you mean, 'again'?"

Sev rubbed his temple. "This would make a lot more sense if I just flat out explained it to you and then later corroborated it by going into your mind and showing you my memories."

Remus shifted on his feet. "Okay…"

With a flick of his wand and a nonverbal conjuring spell Sev produced two chairs. "This will take a while." And so when they were both sitting down, Sev leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and look at Remus. "As you have guessed, there is more to me than meets the eye."

"That's obvious," Remus said, but fell quiet when Sev gave him a look.

"I have an Animagus form, I know things about Ministry officials that no one should, I can do advanced magic past what the seventh years and some of the staff are capable of…but all that you can learn from speaking to me, except the part about the Animagus. Remus, what I have shown you, what I will tell you, and what I will show you must not leave this room. You are sworn to secrecy, bonded by the power of our friendship. Is that understood? You cannot speak of this unless I give you leave to. Not even to the Circle."

Remus swallowed and nodded.

"No one must ever know that I have died. This is my second chance. The only chance I had left."

And he talked. He told Remus about how his previous life had been wrought with tragedy and pain, about how Lily had married James and had a son, and then died trying to protect him, but then he focused on how Umbridge had imposed her Ministry regime on the school in Harry's fifth year. Whenever Remus asked a question, he answered it as best he could without giving away some of the most personal things about his past. As they sat and talked for what seemed like hours, Remus began to understand his friend so much more.

And he was even more grateful than before for the Wolfsbane potion and everything Sev was doing for him.

When Sev finished, Remus asked, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Did I…did I ever find anyone who…who…well…"

Sev finished the question for him: "Did you ever find someone for you?"

Remus nodded, looking as though he was afraid of whatever answer Severus might give him.

"Honestly I have no idea how it will work in this life…but in my former life you met a young Auror who was part of the Order of the Phoenix. A clumsy metamorphmagus who loved you with all of her heart. You rebuked her so many times but she never stopped persisting…you couldn't understand how anyone could love a werewolf, let alone a poor werewolf."

"Did she die as well?" Remus whispered, his grey eyes shimmering.

"You died together, fighting in the last battle against Voldemort."

Remus sat silent for a long moment.

"Who was she?"

Sev was reluctant to answer. Nymphadora Tonks had been a seventh year during Harry's first, which meant that currently she was only two years old. If Remus somehow believed that her love was destined in this life as well, he might track her down and things might go wrong… So instead he said, "Is it really best you knew?"

"What could go wrong?"

"She…she was younger than you by thirteen years. If anything, you would be waiting for her to grow up, to come to the point where she could accept you. The same circumstances of your past romance will not happen."

"But what if it's meant to be? How will I find her if I don't know who she is? Please, Severus…"

Going against his better judgment, Severus answered. "Her name is Nymphadora Tonks. Daughter of Andromeda Tonks, cousin of Sirius Black. You married Sirius's first cousin once removed."

"And…and she loved me? She truly loved me?"

Severus sighed. "Remus…she loved you so much her Patronus became a werewolf."

Remus leaned back in his chair, mouth agape, running both hands through his brown hair.

"She's only two years old right now, Rem. Promise me you won't go to Sirius or Regulus and start asking about their cousin, all right? It would be best if you put this in the back of your mind, and wait. Just wait. I promise it's not as hard as it sounds, and if it works out in the end, waiting will have been worth it."

"Right…" Remus wasn't looking at Sev. He was staring intently at the ground in front of him, his eyes a little unfocused.

"Remus!"

"I promise, Sev! It's just…it's just a different feeling, knowing there's someone out there who will love me despite my 'furry little problem'."

Severus couldn't fight back his smile. "Yes…at the moment we are beyond curfew…so it wouldn't hurt to stay a little longer. Would you still like me to show you my memories? Or are you comfortable with what I've told you? For all you know…I could have made everything up."

Remus grinned. "Except you haven't. Siri told me about when his cousin was born, because Andromeda is his favorite aunt." Almost immediately after saying that, Remus's face fell a little. "Siri would never forgive me if he knew I'm going to be with his cousin…"

"Trust me, Rem. What Sirius doesn't know won't hurt him." The Sirius I know would be horrified that his other self ever tried to kill me.

"I believe you. You've told me so much…and I guess…I don't want to see your memories. From what you've told me, they'd be too painful to watch. The owl was cool, though! It's funny…Sirius really wants to learn how to be an Animagus. But he'll have to wait until after graduation to enroll in the Ministry class."

Severus let out a laugh. "That didn't stop him before. He and Peter and James Potter all became Animagi their fifth year to keep you company in the Whomping Willow."

Remus's lips pulled into a thin smile. "Hey…I'm sorry for what they did to you…you know…before."

"I am too. Whoever gave me this second chance…I cannot thank them enough. Now that Voldemort is gone…we can focus on the other threats. Like Umbridge."

Remus's face darkened. "Like Umbridge."

They were back in Gryffindor Tower after two in the morning. Both boys tumbled into their beds and Remus fell asleep almost instantly, but Severus stayed awake for another half an hour to mull over what he and his new confidant had discussed. He felt a little lighter now that he had another person who knew his secret, and decided that unless things became dire, Remus would be the last one to know at all. The memories that had retreated behind the silver-wrought leaves crept out again as he sat in silence, and after a while, the calming effect sent him off into slumber.