Disclaimer: Standard

A/N: Here I go out on a limb giving a little more background about the Nemorosi mages. Some of the terms are Latin-derived, and some are well, just Nemorosi. There's a chapter up now as a separate story that acts as sort of a mini-prequel to WW&S called Decisions.

Surprise Visits ~*~

Lorien was looking forward to the weekend. Remus was busy with classes at present and she would be glad when he had a little free time that they could spend together. She was thinking about her conversation with him last night, and it was only when the large owl on her desk nipped her gently on the finger that she became aware of the bird with the letter.

It was from Poppy. As usual, it contained several reminders and suggestions, but this time there was also a picture. Two small infants cooed and kicked their feet in front of her.

She made a mental note to bring the picture with her later to show McGonagall and Sprout at dinner.

She had turned back to updating some medical files when the second bird flew into the room. Not an owl.

"Fawkes," she greeted the striking bird. "What can I do for you?"

The phoenix held out his leg and deposited a small note in her hand.

She opened it and her brow furrowed slightly. "He wants me to go now?"

The bird regarded her with a bright eye.

"Ok."

She rose and went to see the headmaster.

"Come in." She heard the headmaster answer her knock.

She stepped through the door.

"Lorien my dear. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you. You wanted to see me, Headmaster?"

"Yes. It seems you have a visitor." The blue eyes twinkled.

Lorien turned to look behind her and her eyes went wide when she saw the simple green robes and steel gray hair.

"Sylvani Ator ." She bowed her head as a sign of respect for her mentor. "This is such a surprise!"

Perth Taber smiled at his former apprentice. "Sylvanesti." He nodded acknowledgment. "Come here."

He embraced her warmly as a father would a daughter. "You are well?" he inquired.

"I am."

"She is... behaving?" Taber released her and turned to the headmaster.

"So far." The two older men were teasing her.

"What brings you here? You're not checking up on me, are you?" Lorien asked of her mentor.

"Perhaps a little. Professor Dumbledore and I also have business." He regarded her with patient brown eyes.

Lorien knew it would be rude to ask, so she didn't. Her former teacher would tell her later if he thought she should know.

"Are you free at the moment?"

"Yes."

"Good. Your Headmaster and I are finished, I believe, and I thought we might go for a walk before I leave."

Lorien nodded.

"You'll excuse us?" The Nemorosi wizard bowed slightly to the white- haired mage.

"Of course. Thank you for coming, Perth." Dumbledore rose and returned the small bow.

Perth Taber walked with Lorien outside. The air was crisp and hinted at the colder weather to come.

"So, tell me, Sylvanesti, truly things are well with you?" he began.

"Yes, never better," she replied.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes." She nodded and smiled.

He questioned her further. "You are enjoying your work here?"

"Yes. I'm enjoying the students very much," she replied.

"And the staff?"

"They're wonderful. A very talented group of wizards. I'm very lucky to be working with them," she told him.

He seemed pleased with her answers. "Good. There's something else, though isn't there?" The brown eyes gazed at her steadily. "Someone?" It wasn't really a question.

Lorien smiled. He knew her so well. "Perhaps."

"I see," he said softly, but decided not to pry further at this point.

The older wizard paused on the grass a fair distance form the castle.

"You haven't asked why I'm here," he said with a sideways glance at Lorien.

"You'll tell me if you decide I need to know," she answered patiently.

The Nemorosi mage laughed. "I will tell you."

"Thank goodness! I couldn't stand it if you hadn't." They laughed together.

Taber sobered after a moment and looked at her intently. "It's about Voldemort," he began.

"Voldemort? What did the headmaster say?" Lorien was definitely surprised.

"He asked if the Nemorosi would stand with him against Voldemort when the time comes," Taber explained.

"I see. What did you tell him?"

"He knows that I must consult the other Elders, but I assured him that it was very likely that we would," said Taber.

"Really? The Nemorosi have always tried to remain neutral, have they not?" Lorien asked.

"We have always tried to maintain balance, Sylvanesti. Usually this is best accomplished when we stay out of the way. This time the balance has shifted too far. It is our duty to help sway things back into equilibrium." Taber was very serious. "What do you think?"

Lorien considered her answer carefully. "I believe this is a wise choice."

"You would stand with the Headmaster? Good. I will tell the Elders this as well." The gray haired wizard looked at her closely. "I must go soon, but there is something else I would ask."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Have you resolved your conflict yet, Sylvanesti?" He looked at her steadily.

"I am undecided on the matter," she answered.

"I see. There is no rush. You will decide what is best for you when the time is right. Perhaps while you are here?" He indicated the castle.

"Perhaps," she said quietly.

"I must go. Please give my thanks to Albus. I will see you soon, I hope," he said.

"Doth artou, Sylvani Ator." Lorien bowed her head.

"Doth artou, Sylvanesti." He bowed slightly in return.

Lorien watched him walk to the edge of the school grounds and then he was gone.

Snape had seen Lorien leave Dumbledore's office with her arm on that of the older wizard as he came down the hallway.

It bothered him that the green robed man looked so familiar to him but that he couldn't put a name with a face. The Mistress of the Healing Arts obviously knew the man well, but why?

He cursed himself when the answer he sought did not leap into his mind. Well, it would come to him eventually.

Remus met her in her office after dinner

"Hi." He was cheerful and dropped into the chair next to her.

"Hi." She seemed distracted.

"Everything ok?" he asked.

"Hmm?...Oh, yes." She brightened and turned to face the Defense professor. "How were your classes?"

"Fine." He smiled. "How was your day, dear?" He grinned as he teased her.

"Fine. Well, interesting," she said.

"Interesting?" he asked.

"I'll tell you about it in a bit. I need to check something first." She looked serious.

"What is it?" Remus was afraid something was wrong.

"This." She stood up, leaned over, and kissed him on the mouth.

Remus was slightly out of breathe when she pulled away. "Well?"

"I still don't mind." She was grinning at him now.

"Is that the best I can get from you - just 'I don't mind'?" He tried to look hurt but couldn't help laughing.

"I think I like it," she said in a hesitant manner to tease him.

"You aren't sure?" A wicked smile appeared.

"No."

"Let me help you decide." He grabbed her and pulled her into his lap. She let out a small scream and giggled. The giggling quickly subsided as he pressed his mouth against hers and kissed her deeply.

"I...definitely.....like it," she said breathlessly, when he pulled away. She looked at him playfully. "I definitely like you."

"Do you?' He was serious.

"Yes."

"Really?" He was leaning toward her again.

She answered him tenderly. "Yes."

He was about to kiss her again when they heard the door to the hospital ward open outside the office. Lorien composed herself as she stood up. It could be a student.

"That's definitely what I was looking for," she spoke a little louder than normal. "Thank you so much for your help, Professor Lupin."

He winked at her before he stepped out of the office.

"Glad to have helped. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance, Mistress Lorien....." He broke off as his eyes fell on the headmaster, who was obviously very amused. Remus felt his face go red.

"Good evening, Remus. I take it Lorien is in her office." He smiled at the younger wizard.

Remus could only manage a nod.

Lorien's reddened face had appeared in the doorway.

"Ah, Good evening, Lorien. Might I have a moment of your time? That is if you are finished helping her, Professor Lupin?"

Remus managed another nod as Dumbledore stepped close to him and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Have you got around to asking her to have tea?" The blue eyes twinkled as the werewolf's face went even redder. "Don't be shy, son." Dumbledore spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. "I think she likes you."

Lorien went to find Remus after Dumbledore had left. The headmaster had come to speak to her about his visit with Perth Taber, and she reassured him that it appeared that the Nemorosi would likely side against Voldemort.

"I know I will. I believe with almost certainty that Perth will convince the Elders with little trouble that this is the right thing to do," Lorien had informed him.

She stood, once again, outside his door.

She knocked.

"Come in," came Remus' voice.

He was sitting at his desk with a stack of parchment before him, and stood as she entered. "Lorien, I apologize for....."

"For what? We didn't know Dumbledore was there. Besides, he obviously thought the whole thing was very funny." She was amused now as well.

"I guess. He's being trying to fix me up with you since the moment I set foot back at Hogwarts," he told her.

"No!" she said incredulously.

Remus held up his right hand. "I swear."

Lorien found herself laughing at the thought of Dumbledore playing matchmaker.

"You know, he's not the only one spying on us. I had a run in with Professor Sinistra after she walked in on us." Lorien told him of her conversation with Sinistra, and of her subsequent collision with Snape.

"You were ok?" Remus asked, sounding concerned.

"Yes. Snape helped me to the hospital ward and checked my ankle to see....."

"Wait. Snape helped you?" Remus asked.

Lorien nodded.

Remus wrinkled his nose. "You mean he had to touch your ankle?"

Lorien noticed a strange note in Lupin's voice. "Yes. It hurt too much to do it myself until after he gave me the potion," she explained.

"What potion?" There was a slight strain to his voice.

Lorien rolled her eyes. "The pain potion. I keep it in the hospital."

"Oh."

Lorien knew that Remus harbored concerns about Snape, so she wrote the incident off as him being a little overprotective. She decided not to mention the bet on the Quidditch match, however, and changed the subject. She sat with him for a while, relating her conversation with Perth Taber.

"I sincerely hope that they side with us," Remus said.

"I'm sure they will." Lorien became quiet.

"Lorien, what is it?" Remus put his arms around her, when he sensed that something more was troubling her. When she looked at him there were tears in her eyes.

"Was it something I said?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. Something Perth and I talked about."

Remus pulled her close and hugged her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She nodded.

"Here." Remus led her to a small couch and pulled her down gently to sit beside him. He waited for her to speak.

She drew a deep breath and let it out. "You know what I've told you about the Nemorosi. There are other things that I need to tell you," she began. "I'm sure you know what an animagus is, and I'm sure that you realize that there are a fair number out there that are unregistered?"

Remus nodded, smiling grimly to himself. 'I know of a few,' he thought.

"Many Nemorosi have the capacity to be animagi. It's quite obvious, I guess, when you think about our ties to the natural world," said Lorien.

Remus questioned her. "Lorien, are you....?"

"No.....um...yes.....that is..." She felt him slip his arm around her shoulders and took another deep breath. " I believe I have the ability, but I have never completed the transformation."

"Well, it is a very difficult bit of transfiguration, after all." Remus thought he was being very understanding. "It takes years for some...."

"No, Remus. You misunderstand me. I believe I can complete the transformation. It's just that I have chosen not to."

Remus began to get a strange feeling. "Why not?"

She spoke with a little hesitation. "There is an old legend that says one day a great Serpent with Nemorosi power will be the downfall of the Nemorosi's way of life."

"What does that have to do with your transformation?" he wanted to know.

"You are familiar with the animagus transformation, so you know that many of the first attempts are only partial?" she asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

She sighed and looked away. "The first time I managed a partial transformation.....Remus.....there were scales." Her voice was a choked whisper.

"Lorien, that doesn't mean that the legend has anything to do with you," he said.

"It might not.....but it could," she replied a little unsteadily.

"So you choose not to complete the transformation to keep the legend from becoming truth?" he asked her.

"Something like that." She looked back at him. "Does that sound foolish?"

"No, not at all," he said softly, pulling her close. He held her for some time and then he spoke again. "Doesn't part of you want to complete the transformation?" Remus was curious.

"That's my dilemma," Lorien said and sighed.

"What does Taber say about it?"

Lorien smiled a little. "He says that I am being untrue to myself, my abilities and my true nature if I deny that this part of me exists. He says the legend is merely that."

"I think I agree with him," Remus said seriously.

"So you think I should do it?" she asked.

"I think you need to decide that for yourself." Remus looked her in the eye.

"You sound like Perth," she smiled.

"Really, being a snake might not be all bad." Remus thought of a certain rat he'd like to see face her.

"You think?"

Remus shuddered but continued. "Sure. You could be something really cool like a cobra, or a huge python."

She knew that he was telling her a white lie. "You're full of it, aren't you?"

"Completely. Snakes give me the willies," Remus admitted with a grin.

She finally laughed. "At least you're honest. Will you still kiss me?"

"If you're a snake? No." He shook his head vigorously.

She punched him. "If I'm a snake animagus, is what I meant."

"Oh. Well. I guess so." He still sounded reluctant.

"What?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "What do you think?" He tried to kiss her but started laughing before he could get close enough.

Her eyes narrowed. "What's so funny?"

"You'd be able to hang out with me during the full moon," he informed her.

"I hadn't thought of that," she admitted.

Remus chuckled again. "Just think what a lovely couple we'd make in the moonlight."

She couldn't stop laughing with him when she pictured the wolf and the serpent cozied up together.

A/N: About the Nemorosi; They are exceedingly polite most of the time. They are tied closely to nature (hence Lorien's woodland name) Nemorosus in Latin is wooded or covered with trees. Sylvanesti is a name used to address members of the order, either male or female. (It means one akin to nature) It can also be used as a term of endearment. Sylvani is a similar term reserved for the older Nemorosi. Ator means mentor or master. Doth artou is how Nemorosi often bid each other goodbye. Literally translated it means Good hunting, but it refers more to the quest of knowledge, or a bidding of good luck.