Chapter Twelve: In Which Reasons Are Vilified
"James would have wanted me to stick with you, Harry —"
"First of all," interrupted Harry. "I have no idea whether that's true because I never knew him. You could say just about anything with that excuse. Second, from what I know about him, he would kick you in the nuts and tell you that you're being a jerk. He would then send you back to where you came from in the most humiliating way possible."
"You don't understand," said Lupin at last.
"Explain, then," said Harry.
Lupin swallowed.
"I — I made a great mistake in marrying Tonks. I did it against my better judgement and have regretted it very much ever since."
There was a pause.
"O-kay," said Harry. "Does Tonks know about this? Are you two getting a divorce?"
"I — that is —"
He held up his hand and Lupin shut up.
"You regret marrying Tonks, who is now pregnant with your baby. She does not know about you getting cold feet. Very convincing," he said sarcastically. "Anything else that could possibly justify you leaving them to come with us?"
"Don't you understand what I've done to my wife and unborn child? I should never have married her, I've made her an outcast!"
"I hate to break it to you mate, but Tonks is a half-blood who's in the bloody Order. I don't think she could be any more of an outcast than she already is," dismissed Harry. "You know what's funny, though? The more you talk, the more incentives you are providing me with to not take you with us."
This effectively shut Lupin up.
"From what you've told me, all I see is someone who wants to do the right thing —"
He perked up.
"— for some seriously wrong reasons. You should help us because you want to help us, not because you want to get away from a marriage that you regret. Even if you did make Tonks and the child outcasts (which you totally didn't), would abandoning them make things better? It would probably make things worse, actually. Tonks would probably be bitter for the rest of her life and the child would grow up blaming himself or herself for that."
There was a stunned silence as everyone contemplated this.
"You have five seconds to come up with something in your defense before I jinx you in the most painful way possible, Remus," said Harry, pointing his wand straight at him. "You know what I'm talking about."
"Ah —"
"Four."
"Well —"
"Three."
"I'll do it, I'll do it!" said Lupin, raising his hands in surrender. "I'll go and talk to her properly about everything!"
"That's more like it," said Harry approvingly. "And remember, her parents don't hate you because you are a werewolf."
"Really?" said Lupin, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
"Yeah. It's because you're old enough to be her father, jobless and self-piteous."
"What about Tonks?" she asked.
"What about her?" said Lupin.
"Well," said Hermione, frowning, "you're married! How does she feel about you going away with us?"
"She doesn't like it, but she understands that your mission is important in the war effort," explained Lupin.
"But —"
"But nothing, Hermione," said Harry suddenly. "Tons of people leave their families for fighting wars, don't they? If he doesn't, there might not be a family to go back to!"
Hermione considered this.
"Besides, we've all made sacrifices," he continued. "Maybe its time we give someone else the chance."
"Does that mean I'm in?" said Lupin brightly. "I have some very useful spells for you all . . ."
"So . . . do you accept my offer? Will three become four? I cannot believe that Dumbledore would have disapproved, he appointed me your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, after all. And I must tell you that I believe that we are facing magic many of us have never encountered or imagined."
Ron and Hermione both looked at Harry.
"I'm just confused," he began, "as to why you think that being appointed the DADA teacher at Hogwarts would make you suitable for accompanying us. Dumbledore wasn't exactly appointing the best people, if you know what I mean."
"An understatement if there ever was one," snorted Ron.
"Lockhart," continued Harry, "Crouch Jr, Quirellmort, Umbridge and Snape. Do I need to say more?"
Lupin swallowed.
"Relax, I'm just messing with you. However bad your sales pitch was, you're a good guy and want to help. There is just one requirement you must fulfill," said Harry gravely. "You must know how to . . ."
"Yes?"
"Cook," he finished dramatically.
"I do, actually."
"You sir, are hired!"
AN: The first part is the real one which accurately reflects my views on the Lupin matter. I'm fully supporting Harry when he said Lupin was being a total a-hole because he a) married Tonks, b) got her pregnant and c) is calling the whole thing a 'mistake'. Because of course, nothing says tough love quite like abandoning your poor kid without an explanation. Thanks Dad!
The second part is just a very scary possibility, of course. Not one that I want, but it just kind of popped into my head, if you know what I mean. If Lupin had been a bit cunning, he could have easily obscured the whole Tonks being pregnant thing. No one would have known and then Harry would probably have taken him in. Just imagine . . . the possibilities!
The third one was me just having some random fun. Seriously, just don't take it seriously. Wait, that doesn't sound right . . .