Chapter Forty-Five – Flight of the Fat Lady
The Great Hall was already bursting with students when the trio arrived. As usual, live bats flitted across the enchanted ceiling, while floating jack-o-lanterns illuminated the happy faces below. Although the feast had not officially begun, there were large piles of sugary treats adorning each house table.
"What do you think it will be this year?" Blaise asked as they took their seats with the rest of the Slytherins.
"What do you mean?" inquired Harry.
Blaise laughed a little, and replied, "Something always happens on Halloween. There was Quirrell and his troll, then our run-in with Fluffy the same evening. And let's not forget Millie's little episode with Mammon."
Millie swiftly punched him in the arm for reminding her of the terrible circumstances surrounding her cat's petrification last year, but Blaise merely laughed it off. Harry didn't think it was funny, but he wasn't about to insert himself in a dispute between his two best friends. Instead, he sought to change the topic, hoping to distract them both before the argument got out of hand.
Casting his eyes around the room, he took note of the staff table, and observed aloud, "Lupin isn't here."
Besides Hagrid, who they had left behind in his cabin, every other teacher in the school was present. Even old Professor Nobilis and Professor Trelawney, the reclusive Divination teacher, made an appearance for the festivities. Their presence at the staff table made Lupin's absence all the more conspicuous. Both Blaise and Millie followed Harry's gaze, and expressed their wonder that the professor should be missing tonight of all nights.
Harry shrugged it off, saying, "It's fine, I can ask him about the dog later."
At that moment, Headmaster Dumbledore ceased gossiping with Professor McGonagall, and made a sweeping gesture with his hand for the feast to begin. As the giant silver platters that were not already filled with sweets suddenly blossomed with cooked meats and buttery vegetables, Harry felt a gentle tap on his shoulder.
He turned to see Neville Longbottom, looking shy and out-of-place without Hermione Granger's domineering form directly in front of him.
"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked. "I don't have anyone to sit with at my own table."
Hermione and Neville had taken so many meals with Harry and his friends that by now, the Gryffindor's presence didn't generate a single side-eye from any of the surrounding Slytherins.
"If you must," Blaise said with a groan, though he budged up to make room for Neville next to him.
"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked. It was unusual for Neville to be seen without his bushy-haired companion.
Neville shook his head and leaned toward Harry with a conspiratorial air.
"She's still in the common room – doing homework."
Millie scoffed, "That's too much! Even for Granger."
Neville nodded his head in agreement, "It's all those classes she's taking! Even Hermione can't keep up with the assignments. I think she's going mad." He paused, looked at Harry, and in a serious tone added, "I think you need to have a talk with her."
"Me?" Harry asked, flabbergasted, "Why me?"
"Because she'll actually listen to you, Harry. She respects you, y'know?"
"What about you?" Harry asked.
"I listen to her," Neville said, helping himself to some of the steak and kidney pie on the table, "It's a completely different arrangement."
Neville proved surprisingly stubborn, and Harry found himself promising to talk with Hermione by the time the feast was finished. They parted ways as they exited the Great Hall, Neville pleased with himself, and Harry wondering what on earth he was supposed to say to help Hermione manage her time better. Was he supposed to tell Hermione "Brightest Witch of their Year" Granger to drop a class? Not bloody likely.
"Funny, isn't it?" Blaise commented as they prepared for bed in their dormitories, "Having something like a normal holiday at Hogwarts?"
He had spoken too soon. Harry barely had time to put on his pajamas before Adrian Pucey came bursting through the door, nearly knocking Crabbe over in the process. Crabbe was not a small boy, by any means, so this was particularly impressive.
"Downstairs. Now. All of you," Pucey said shortly, "Snape's orders."
Harry and Blaise exchanged a wary look. Draco, pulling a robe around himself, demanded to know what was going on, but Pucey had already dashed out of the room again, and was heard giving similar orders to the boys in the second-year dorm.
They made their way downstairs, where they found the rest of their house already gathered. Some looked grouchy, while others were merely chattering with their friends. No one was sure what was going on, but a tense sort of excitement pervaded the group.
"Excuse me! Hey, everyone! You there, going up the stairs! Come back down! No one should be going back to their dorms!"
Gemma Farley, former prefect and current Head Girl, was calling out for attention that no one seemed inclined to give her. She jumped on her short legs, trying to see and be seen over the tops of everyone's heads. Her short stature put her at a disadvantage, and no one but Harry and Blaise, who were standing closest to her, paid her any mind. It took the reappearance to Pucey, shepherding the last of the stragglers from the boys' dorms, to call for order.
Pucey, quite a bit taller than Gemma and far more intimidating, shouted, "Everyone shut up and pay attention!"
The room immediately fell silent as the students' laughter and conversation died on their lips. As one, they turned to see what the Head Girl had to say.
Gemma cleared her throat, "Thank you, Adrian. Everyone, please pay close attention. We've all been called back to the Great Hall for an important announcement."
Several whispers broke out as Gemma and Pucey began to shuttle the younger students out the doors first, telling everyone they must return right away.
Blaise alone cheered as he punched his fist into the air, "I knew it! Something always happens on Halloween!"
Millie, who had just found Harry and Blaise in the crowd, sighed a response, "Do you think we'll ever have a normal year at school?"
"Millie, it's Hogwarts. This is normal."
"What do you think it is this time?" Harry asked.
Blaise and Millie looked at one another, but neither had the slightest idea. Blaise merely wrapped a brotherly arm around Harry's shoulders, sighed deeply, and said, "Whatever it is, Harry, I'm sure it has something to do with you."
By the time they had reached the Great Hall, they saw that it was already filled with the students of Gryffindor house. The were huddled close together, all murmuring, and some looking very scared. A few Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students loitered nearby, but it was obvious from the steady stream of yellow and blue that continued to flow into the Great Hall that Gryffindor had been there first.
Harry scanned the faces of the Gryffindor students, searching for his two favorites. Thinking of what befell Hermione only last year, Harry was worried when he didn't see them right away. He was relieved when one of the Weasley twins stepped aside, revealing the pale and sweaty face of Neville Longbottom. He had his arm around Hermione, who was mournfully clutching her large ginger cat in her arms, her eyes fixed on the floor. Harry wanted to speak with them, but at that moment, the last of the students entered the Great Hall with Dumbledore following close behind.
He was flanked by McGonagall and Snape. Behind them, Harry spied the other teachers, in the process of splitting into pairs, and apparently receiving instructions from Professor Flitwick. They were too far away for him to make out what was being discussed, but he didn't have long to wait. Dumbledore had lifted his wand to his throat, a telltale sign that he was about to speak to the whole school.
There was no need for him to call for attention. With the stern and glaring visages of McGonagall and Snape staring them all down, silence filled the hall, and the confused students waited to see what would happen next.
"I am sure that some of you have already heard the news," he said, his gaze drifting toward the highest concentration of Gryffindor students, "We believe there is an intruder hiding within Hogwarts. The other teachers and I must conduct a thorough search of the school. For your own safety, you must remain together until our search is complete. I am afraid that tonight you must all sleep in the Great Hall. Prefects, assist the Head Boy and Girl with watching the others. They are in charge until my return."
Harry noticed a red-headed boy among the Gryffindor students puff his chest out proudly. He recognized him as one of Ron Weasley's older brothers, and he noted a shining Head Boy badge pinned to his robes.
"Ah yes, I nearly forgot," Dumbledore said once this instruction was given. With another wave of his wand, a large pile of puffy purple sleeping bags appeared in the middle of the floor. With another wave, the tables vanished, and there was plenty of space for everyone to lie down.
"Pleasant dreams," said Dumbledore, and with a gesture toward Professors McGonagall and Snape, he moved quickly out the doors of the hall. Harry craned his neck to see if he could spy Lupin among the professors waiting in the passageway, but was disappointed to see that most of them had already moved off on whatever errand Professor Flitwick had given them.
Millie moved off to fetch a sleeping bag from the pile for each of them. Being rather large, she was able to bully several smaller students into giving up their spot in the cue, and returned quickly. To Harry's surprise, she toted Ned Willowby along behind her.
"Alright, Harry?" Ned asked.
Harry returned his greeting, then asked if he knew what was going on. Ned shook his head and replied, "I was hoping you would know."
Harry shrugged, though he was certain it had something to do with Gryffindor house. He had never lost sight of Hermione and Neville as the students fanned out to find sleeping places. With his sleeping bag in hand, Harry led Blaise, Millie, and Ned to a spot near one of the walls, where Hermione and Neville waited.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione cried, a few tears standing in her eyes. She dropped her cat to the floor and rushed toward him, arms out to wrap him in a tight hug. Harry returned the embrace, but with awkwardness, as he still didn't know what was going on.
He looked to Neville for help from over Hermione's shoulder, just as Blaise said, "Alright, Longbottom. Spill it."
Neville's eyes were wide with fear.
"It was Sirius Black," he said, "He was here. He tried to get into Gryffindor tower."
Hermione, her arms still wrapped around Harry's neck, softly sobbed into his shoulder. Harry, gently releasing Hermione to look into her face, said his immediate thought aloud.
"That's not possible."
Hermione, still tearful and clearly shaken, quietly said, "It's true, Harry. I was in the common room when it happened. I heard everything."
Harry exchanged a look with Millie and Blaise. He had already dropped his sleeping bag to the floor, and with a gesture to his two friends, they threw theirs down likewise. Ned was kind enough to unroll Harry's bag for him, while Harry did his best to comfort Hermione with Neville's help. Hermione was sufficiently calm by the time they had settled, and with the others forming a tight circle around her, she began to explain what she had heard.
"I was doing homework, so I didn't notice anything wrong at first," Hermione said, "I remember it sounded like someone wanted to get through the passage, and I thought somebody had returned from the feast early. But then I heard raised voices. The Fat Lady wouldn't let him through."
"She's the portrait guarding the Gryffindor common room entrance," Harry explained to Blaise, Millie, and Ned. Harry had once escorted Neville back to his tower after an adventure in the Forbidden Forest, but he'd neglected to tell his friends of this one detail before.
Ned nodded to show his understanding, and said to Hermione, "Go on, what happened next?"
Hermione's eyes began to brim with tears again, but she held them back as she continued, "I heard her scream, and then there was this horrible ripping sound. I didn't know who it was, but I was too terrified to move. I didn't know what to do. I thought he would break in and find me there and then..."
Hermione took a shuddering breath, unable to continue the thought. Neville, seated directly to Hermione's right, reached over and rubbed her back comfortingly as he finished the rest of the story.
"Hermione waited in Gryffindor tower until everyone returned from the feast. That's when we saw the portrait. It had been cut to shreds, and the Fat Lady was missing."
Harry was horrified. He thought of Hermione, alone and scared, waiting in the tower for someone to come along, thinking every moment that the intruder could break in.
"Hang on," Blaise interrupted, "We don't know it was Sirius Black that did it. No one saw him. Maybe it was just a prank."
"Peeves saw him," Neville said with confidence, "He was on the same floor when it happened. Heard the Fat Lady screaming and flew down to see what was the matter. Probably thought he'd catch someone in the act of something dreadful and wanted to join in on the fun. He turned up just as Black fled the scene."
"Can you really trust anything that poltergeist says?" Blaise asked, "Maybe he tore up the portrait himself, and is just trying to scare everyone."
"Zabini's right," said Ned thoughtfully, "It can't have been Black. How would he get in? There's dementors patrolling all over the school grounds. They're at every entrance. Someone would have seen him."
"Could he have apparated?" Blaise suggested.
Ned scoffed, "You can't apparate in or out of Hogwarts. Haven't you read Hogwarts: A History?"
"No. You see, I have a social life."
Ned rolled his eyes and said, "Hogwarts is heavily protected. Not just by the dementors the ministry added this year, but by a series of protective spells and enchantments. It's impossible to enter the school grounds by apparition or floo powder. You have to go through one of the entrances."
"Harry and I got into the school by floo powder last year," Blaise argued, but Harry was forced to correct him.
"We got special permission from Dumbledore for that, remember? I don't think they'd keep the same path open with a killer on the loose."
A discussion of Hogwarts' defenses seemed to revive Hermione, who regained some of her usual demeanor.
"He's right, you know," she said, "And Black couldn't have used a disguise, either. The dementors would still be able to sense him."
"What do you think, Harry?" asked Neville. Both he and Ned looked as if they were very curious for his opinion on the subject.
"A secret passage?" he suggested.
Blaise shook his head, "I've heard there are a few passages leading in and out of the school, but Filch seems like he's been working here for centuries. He'd have all of those passages barred or under surveillance."
Harry looked to Millie, wondering what she made of all of this. Millie was studying him quietly, as if deep in thought. Slowly, she raised her finger to tap at the Slytherin house insignia on her robes.
Harry felt he understood her, and said aloud, "Hang on... If it really was Black, then why was he trying to break into Gryffindor tower? He's supposed to be after me, right?"
His friends fell silent. It hadn't occurred to any of them that this was a major flaw in all of their theories. Finally, Blaise spoke up, saying, "Maybe he's confused. Remember how Snape kept taking points away from Gryffindor our first year here? Maybe Black got the wrong house!"
He laughed, but Harry didn't find the situation very funny. If Black really had broken into the school and was after Harry, then once again the people around him were in danger. What if Black had gotten into the Gryffindor common room? What would have happened to Hermione? What if instead he had waited until long after dark, when everyone was already asleep in their beds? Would Harry be sitting there now, talking to Neville and Hermione, or...
The alternatives were too dreadful to imagine, and he tried to put them out of his mind. All at once, the lights in Great Hall went dim, and the prefects began to call for quiet. None shouted as loud as the Head Boy.
"Everyone, in your sleeping bags!" he commanded, "That's enough chatter for tonight! I don't want to hear any whispering!"
He could give the order all he wanted, but that did not stop the flow of low, hissing whispers from being exchanged long after the lights went out. Harry and his friends were an exception. After they had crawled into their sleeping bags, there was little more for them to discuss. Before long, Harry could hear deep snores coming from Neville's sleeping bag, until Blaise kicked him, forcing him to roll over. Blaise was soon fast asleep as well, and Harry was alone with his thoughts.
He stared at the enchanted ceiling, where the night sky was perfectly reflected, cloudless and full of stars. He couldn't stop thinking about Sirius Black, wondering if he was in the castle at that very moment. Had Dumbledore already contacted the ministry? If he was caught, did that mean the dementors would be taken away?
Harry cursed himself for leaving his cloak in his dormitory. He hadn't had time to grab it when they were called down to the common room, and so it remained locked in his trunk. What was the point of owning an invisibility cloak if he didn't ever have it with him when it mattered? If he had brought it along, he could have slipped out of the hall, and joined the search for Black...
Harry caught himself mid-thought. He was contemplating exactly what Cornelius Fudge had warned him not to do. But Draco Malfoy's words were just as strong in Harry's memory, and he was itching to confront Black himself, to see once and for all if the rumors were true...
He had been listening to the footfalls of the prefects as they moved about the sleeping bags, when he heard the Great Hall doors swing open again, and two more pairs of footsteps joined the others. He turned his face toward the doors as unobtrusively as possible, not wanting to be scolded by the Head Boy for remaining awake. Much to his interest, the returning party was Dumbledore himself, who had stopped to give additional instructions to Gemma and the Head Boy.
Harry saw a slight movement nearby, and his excitement turned to scorn as he realized the second set of footsteps belonged to Snape. The Potions Master waited patiently by the headmaster's side, like a dementor in his black robes. After Dumbledore finished speaking to the Head Boy and Girl, he moved off, beginning to walk among the students. Snape fell into step beside him.
Harry realized with a quickly beating heart that they were drawing closer to his location, and he could now make out their whispered voices, in what sounded ike a heated debate. At least, Snape sounded heated. He was speaking quickly, and having a harder time keeping his voice down. Dumbledore, in contrast, sounded calm, even serene.
When they were nearly level with his head, Harry quickly shut his eyes, not wanting to be observed eavesdropping, and pretended to be asleep.
"What I mean to say, headmaster," Snape was saying, "Is that I find it highly unlikely... Perhaps even impossible... for Black to get into the castle by himself."
Harry did his best to mimic the slow, rhythmic breaths of deep sleep. In reality, he thought his heart was beating loud enough for the professors to hear. Sirius Black had been in the castle. Snape's comment confirmed it. He kept listening, waiting to see if they would reveal the convict's capture.
"If he had an accomplice, on the other hand... Someone inside the castle."
"We have been over this, Severus," Dumbledore replied. His tone was still soft, even kind. But there was a hard edge under the surface that showed he was tired of having the same conversation with the Potions Master, and that this would indeed be the last time the subject was discussed between them. "I have the utmost confidence in each of my staff members. I would no more suspect Professor Lupin of helping Sirius Black that I would suspect you."
Harry nearly gasped aloud, but swallowed the response as Dumbledore and Snape continued on, Snape's argument dying into a surly silence. Harry didn't fully understand what Snape was implying, but it was obvious he suspected Professor Lupin of conspiring with Sirius Black.
Harry said nothing to his friends of what he overheard that night. He wasn't the type to go around spreading rumors, much less a rumor started by Snape. But he didn't want to wait any longer to speak with Professor Lupin directly, and he already had a perfect excuse.
He explained his errand to Blaise and Millie, mentioning only his intention to gather information about the black dog, and made his solitary way toward Professor Lupin's office.
There were no classes that day, so Professor Lupin was understandably surprised to see Harry at his door. But his surprise was nothing compared to Harry's when he saw the professor's appearance. Lupin looked, if possible, worse than he had when Harry first encountered him on the Hogwarts Express. His clothes seemed to hang loose upon his thin body, and his face was grey, drawn, and gaunt. Yet in spite of every sign of pure physical exhaustion, Lupin offered Harry a kind smile, and invited him into his office with an offer of tea.
Harry accepted the offer, and settled into a cushy armchair set before the professor's desk. While Lupin busied himself setting the kettle over an enchanted flame, Harry gazed about the office to see the changes made by the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
When Gilderoy Lockhart had been professor, the walls had been covered in photographs of his own smiling face. Harry never had the opportunity to enter Quirrell's office when he held the position, though since he turned out to be nothing more than a host for a parasitic version of Voldemort, Harry wasn't sure he cared to know what dark objects the office once contained.
Lupin's office, in contrast, was as warm and welcoming as the man who occupied it. In fact, judging from the blanket thrown over the back of his chair, the fire in the grate, and the conspicuous dish piled high with chocolate bon bons, it seemed it was the professor's sole goal in life to be perfectly comfortable.
Besides these few personal effects, the rest of the office had a distinctly utilitarian aspect. Harry spied a bookcase packed with old textbooks, all with titles relevant to the study of the dark arts. There was the trunk that had contained the boggart tucked neatly into one corner, now chained shut, as well as a glass tank, only partially covered by a coarse white cloth.
Harry noticed that the tank was full of a dark, murky water just as a strange creature bumped against the glass.
"A grindylow," Lupin said by way of explanation, "Just in for one of my advanced classes."
He handed Harry a steaming mug of tea, then settled into his own chair behind the desk. Harry held the mug in his hands, the liquid still too hot to drink, but warming his fingers nicely. In contrast, Lupin lifted a goblet from the desk. It appeared to be full of a black, smoking potion. Harry stared at it with obvious concern, worried lest Lupin planned to drink such a disgusting looking brew.
Lupin seemed to observe Harry's curiosity, and he quickly offered an explanation for his strange choice of beverage.
"You may have noticed that I've been feeling a bit under the weather," he said, "Professor Snape was kind enough to brew this potion for me, to help me get better."
"Snape did?" Harry asked, eyeing the potion with even more suspicion than he had before, "You're not going to drink it, are you?"
A small smile appeared on Lupin's lips, and he asked, "Do you think Professor Snape would try to poison me, Harry?"
"I think he wants your job," said Harry bluntly.
Lupin chuckled, and to Harry's dismay, he lifted the goblet and swallowed it all in one long gulp. Unsurprisingly, he pulled a disgusted face and shuddered as the brew trickled down his throat.
He looked at Harry, and the pair of them stared at each other in silence for a brief moment before Harry said, "You were in Gryffindor, weren't you, Professor?"
Lupin appeared surprised by the question, but he acknowledged that it was true. "Why do you ask?"
"Because that was either the bravest thing I've ever seen, or the stupidest."
Lupin laughed and said, "That was nothing compared to your father!"
Harry gave a slight start. He wasn't expecting that response.
"You knew my father?" he asked.
"Yes," Lupin said, his laughter dying away, only to be replaced with a gentle smile, "We were in the same year. Both Gryffindor, of course. To tell you the truth, I was a little surprised to hear you'd been sorted into Slytherin. Lily was a Gryffindor too, you see, and these things do have a habit of running in families."
"I guess I surprised Sirius Black, as well. He went for the wrong house."
Harry made the comment partially to see what reaction the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher would have. He didn't want to believe Snape's malicious rumor, but he would feel more at ease if Professor Lupin said something to contradict him.
But Lupin's reaction was hard to read. He cringed, and looked quickly away from Harry, as if afraid of meeting his eye. The smile had completely vanished from his lips, and Harry thought if he looked more ill than he had before. Harry wasn't sure if the effects of Snape's potion were catching up to him, or if Harry's question had struck a nerve.
"If you went to school with my dad, you must have known him as well," Harry continued, "Black, I mean. Is it true what everyone is saying about him?"
"People say a lot of things about him," said Lupin, lifting the goblet to his mouth once more before realizing he'd already finished the entire draught. Setting the goblet down, he folded his fingers together on the desk between them, "You're going to have to be more specific."
He hadn't stopped Harry's line of questioning immediately, instilling some hope that he was prepared to give Harry the answers he was looking for.
"I heard... I heard that he wasn't a Death Eater at all. But he betrayed my parents..."
Lupin said nothing, but he was no longer avoiding Harry's gaze. He was staring at him with deep sympathy, and any doubts Harry might have held against him were completely blasted away. This man was not conspiring to kill him.
"Did you know him?" Harry asked again, "Sirius Black, I mean."
"I thought I did," Lupin said quietly.
Harry expected him to say more, but he fell silent, staring down at his own crossed fingers as if lost in thought, or perhaps a memory. Harry was burning to ask him more, but he wasn't sure what else to say. It was Lupin who broke the tense silence first.
"I'm sure I don't understand what it is you're going through, Harry. But believe me when I say, you aren't the only one who has been hurt by all this. The dementors that are currently after... That are currently visiting Hogwarts... They take a toll on all of us. Their effects can be felt, even if they're not permitted on school grounds."
Another idea occurred to Harry. He watched Lupin, who had settled back into his chair and plucked a piece of chocolate off the dish in front of him, as if the mere mention of a dementor was enough to prompt a craving for the sweet candy.
"Professor, that time on the train... I heard you made the dementor go away. You used a spell..."
"A charm, Harry. The Patronus Charm to be exact."
"Right, well... How does it work?"
"It's a very difficult bit of magic," Lupin said as he slowly studied Harry, "Many adult witches and wizards never master it. I myself... Well, I haven't been able to conjure a full-body patronus in years."
"I'd like to try," said Harry. He could remember the feeling he'd had on the train, and the cold, heavy sensation he felt when he passed through the entrance of Hogsmeade. He didn't want to keep feeling that way. He wanted to protect himself.
Lupin didn't appear convinced, and Harry was afraid he'd have to try another tactic, but to his surprise, Lupin agreed.
"I can teach you. At least, I can teach you what I know. But it will have to be at the start of next term. At present... Let's just say I don't know if Professor Snape's potion agreed with me."
Harry couldn't agree more. Lupin looked like he'd barely be able to stand if he could. Harry thought of escorting him to the hosptial wing, but offered to take his leave instead. Surprisingly, Lupin was able to climb back to his feet without difficulty, and he walked Harry back toward his office door.
"Is that all you wanted, Harry?" Lupin asked, "To quiz me on old schoolmates and ask for tutoring?"
"Oh, right," said Harry, suddenly remembering the original excuse for his visit, "I went to Hagrid... That is, I went to Professor Hagrid first, but he said I might as well ask you. Do you know anything about the Grim?"
Professor Lupin quirked his brow, a shadow of his usual smile now coloring his grey features.
"Ill omens are not really my specialty, Harry. It would be better to ask Professor Trelawney. I hear she loves predicting student deaths. She does it every year. But out of curiosity, why do you ask?"
After telling Hagrid about the dog, the story was not as difficult to explain a second time.
"There's this big, black dog following me around. I saw him first this summer, but now he's here as well. I saw him yesterday. Hagrid thought it might be a Grim, the way I described him, but I don't think so."
Lupin had gone deathly pale. Harry wasn't sure if it was his description of the dog, or if the potion he drank really had made him ill.
"Can you describe the dog again?"
"Just a dog, really. I mean, he's big. And black fur all over. Shaggy hair..."
"Has he tried to hurt you, Harry?"
"What? No!" Harry said, surprised by the frightened tenor of Lupin's tone, "He's not a mean dog. We played together all summer. I just thought it was odd that he was able to follow me all the way here, even after riding the train. Unless Hogwarts is closer to Mrs. Zabini's home that I thought. I've never actually looked at a map..."
"A map..." Lupin said musingly, "Yes... Well, the dog may be as harmless as you say. But to be on the safe side, I would caution you to stay away from it if you see it again. And come find me. You understand? If you see the dog again, come to me immediately."
There was an urgency in his voice that Harry was powerless to refuse. In spite of his confusion, he made the promise Lupin exacted. Lupin closed his office door as soon has he had Harry's word, and Harry was left to make his way back to the common room, ruminating over everything that had been said. Harry was left with the conclusion that he admired Lupin a great deal, but upon reflection, he seemed just as eccentric as the other Hogwarts professors.