Hogsmeade ~*~

Harry was please when the owl post arrived with another letter from his godfather.

Dear Harry,

Thanks for your last letter. It was good to hear from you. I wanted to let you know that Snuffles will be paying you a visit for sure this weekend. You know where. One o'clock. Remus knows.

Sirius

Harry was excited. A trip to Hogsmeade was usually a great deal of fun in itself, but he was looking forward to this weekend more than ever know that he knew he'd get a chance to see his godfather. Although Sirius wrote to him periodically, it had been quite a while since he and Harry had seen each other.

He was anxious to talk to Professor Lupin, and classes that afternoon dragged by. As the Gryffindor students filed into their last class of the day, Harry could see that Lupin looked very tired and pale. Eyes lined with dark circles met Harry's, but the Defense professor was smiling.

Lupin let the class out earlier than normal. He was not up to lecturing for another complete class, and he suspected he wouldn't have any complaints from the students.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed behind.

"How are you three?" Remus asked them.

"Great," Harry answered.

Hermione was frowning slightly. "Professor, excuse me for saying so, but you don't look well. Are you ok?"

Remus had leaned his head forward and was pinching the bridge of his nose between his eyes.

"I'm fine, Hermione." He smiled weakly. "You received an owl?" He turned to Harry, who nodded. "Good, it'll be nice to see Snuffles again, won't it?"

The three nodded in unison and then looked up to see Lorien walking in with a steaming goblet it her hand.

"Well, if you three will excuse me, I have some, um, preparations to make for this evening."

They understood exactly what he meant and they headed for the door. Hermione hesitated in the hallway for just a moment and looked back as Harry and Ron kept walking.

"Come on," Ron called back to her.

She watched for a moment as Remus drank the potion that Lorien brought him, and turned to leave with a smile after she had seen the blonde witch reach to smooth his graying hair out of his eyes.

"What on earth is up with you?" Ron saw Hermione grinning as she caught up with them.

"It's just so nice," she said.

"What?" Harry asked.

"About Remus."

"That he's a werewolf? Are you mad?" asked Ron.

"Not that. You two don't know, do you?" Hermione looked smug.

"Know what?" they asked.

"Don't men ever notice anything?"

Harry eyed her curiously. "Evidently not. What is it, Hermione?"

Hermione beckoned them closer to whisper to them. "Haven't you noticed the way they are together?"

"Way? What way? Who are you talking about?" asked Ron impatiently. He looked at Harry questioningly to see if he understood Hermione.

Harry looked just as confused as Ron for a moment and then his expression showed that he was beginning to comprehend. His eyes grew wider as he spoke. "You really think?"

"I'm almost positive."

"What are you talking about?" Ron was getting frustrated.

Harry turned to Ron. "Remus likes Lorien."

"So. She's nice. So what?"

"No," Harry continued with a meaningful look. "He likes her."

Ron's eyes went wide. "Whoa! No way!"

Hermione told them about the afternoon on the lawn and the other night at dinner after the quidditch match.

"Do you think she likes him?" Harry was worried that Remus might be on his own.

"I'd bet on it." She smiled.

As the three walked away together, Harry spoke with a hint of mischief in his voice. "I think, um, that we should fill Snuffles in about this."

Lorien shut the door and locked it. She sat down with her back to the heavy wooden door and braced herself mentally. It would happen soon. She cringed when she thought about what she had heard the last time, but she was able to take comfort in the fact that at least now he wouldn't have to go though this alone.

By weeks end, Remus was fairly well recovered. Friday afternoon between classes he went to find Professor McGonagall. She was in her office when he knocked.

She looked up from her desk. "Hello, Professor Lupin. How are you?"

"Fine Minerva. You?"

"Fine, thank you. What can I do for you, Remus?"

"Have you already made up the schedule for the staff?"

"For supervising in Hogsmeade? Yes, but I haven't posted it yet."

"Can I request a particular time slot?"

"I don't see why not. Which one?"

"First."

"Let me see...Sinistra, Hooch, Desjardins... I don't think any of them would mind if I switched you." She picked up a quill and noted that Remus looked like he wanted to say something. "Yes?"

"I'll switch with Sinistra. If that's ok?"

"I think so, let me see..."

"Or Hooch, if that's easier."

"Sinistra should work." She made the switch. "So then first shift will be you, Hooch, and Desjardins. OK?"

"Fine." He smiled. "Thank you, Minerva." Remus turned and left.

McGonagall went back to writing but it was only a moment before she realized what he had actually been requesting. She smiled to herself as she continued to write.

The Gryffindor quidditch team normally practiced hard, but training over the past week had intensified since the Slytherin win. Harry had been flying hard through all the drills trying to get ready for their first game, and was exhausted Friday when practice was over. Not to mention sore. He'd been involved in a minor collision with Angelina and his right hand had been caught between broomstick handles.

He winced when he tried to flex his fingers as he walked back to the castle. They were starting to swell. He figured he'd better have his injured hand looked at, and went to the hospital wing.

Lorien heard him come in and left her office. "Hello Harry. What can I do for you?"

"Hello, Mistress Lorien. I did something to my hand."

"Let me see. Hmm. Those are some pretty swollen fingers."

Three of Harry's fingers were now turning purple.

"Let's see if they're broken." She made him sit down and took his right hand in hers. She spoke a word Harry didn't recognize and ran her fingers along his while she concentrated.

"Hmm. This one is just bruised, these two are broken. We'll have to fix them."

"OK."

" I'll need you to relax and hold very still. Ready? This may be a little uncomfortable, but it won't hurt for very long"

Harry watched as she closed her eyes and concentrated. He was waiting for her to open them and pick up a wand when he felt his fingers become warm. The warmth soon intensified and Harry's fingers were aching a great deal. Several minutes went by and Harry found that this was definitely uncomfortable. Just as he was hoping it would be over it was. The ache was gone along with the heat, and a little discoloration was all that was left.

"Better?" Lorien asked.

"Yeah. How'd you do that? I've never seen Madame Pomfrey do it that way."

"Well, Harry, there are all sorts of medical techniques. We just happen to use different ones."

"It surprised me when it got warm. I wasn't expecting you to start when you did. I mean I kept waiting for you to get your wand."

"I don't use a wand, Harry."

"Do you fix worse broken bones without a wand too?"

"Yes. Harry, I don't use a wand at all."

"Really? Not at all?"

"No."

"You can do non-medical magic without a wand too?" Harry's eyes were wide.

"Harry, most wizards can do at least some magic without a wand."

"Yes, but you really never use a wand?"

"Yes. I'm a Nemorosi witch."

"A what?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about it some time"

The door opened and Remus walked in. "Hi, Harry," he said as Harry was leaving. He noticed the boy was smiling at him in an odd way.

"Hi, Professor." He turned to Lorien. "Thanks very much for fixing my hand."

Harry looked back at Lupin and smiled mischievously before he left.

Back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry related everything to Ron and Hermione.

"She's a Nem-what?" Ron asked.

Hermione launched into a detailed description and history of the Nemorosi that she had read on one of her frequent trips to the library.

"Wicked," Gasped Ron.

Harry had been staring off into space as Hermione was talking. There were several times in his life that magical things had happened when he didn't have his wand. He decided that he would go to see Lorien at some point to talk to her about it more.

"Well, it's getting late. We should get some sleep." Hermione stood and was yawning.

The three friends went to bed, each looking forward to the trip to Hogsmeade in the morning.

Remus and Lorien had arrived with Madame Hooch as the first shift of teachers who would be staying around town to act as chaperones. Each of them was glad to have the first shift so that they could be done with their responsibilities and enjoy the rest of the day.

Lupin was looking forward to spending the afternoon with Lorien, but he was also anxious to see his long-time friend. He had told her a little about his old friend, but hadn't yet told her that he was meeting the escaped convict. He had decided that he would slip off for a bit to see Sirius and then decide if he should introduce them.

As one o'clock arrived, the second shift of teachers did as well. McGonagall, Snape, and Sprout came to relieve the first three.

Lorien and Remus had planned to meet after their shift at Dervish and Banges, but he had told her he might be a little late and to go wherever she wanted. He'd catch up with her later. Shortly after one, he walked toward the other end of town.

The October day had dawned bright and clear, and by early afternoon a slight breeze had picked up. The very large black dog had been hanging around the outskirts of Hogsmeade since the students had started arriving that morning, and he now lay with his large shaggy head on his paws, waiting. Occasionally, as he waited, he would lick his front paw. The day- old injury was bothering him and he worried it in canine fashion.

Just about one o'clock he sniffed the scent he found on the breeze, and picked up his ears as well as his head. They were here.

Harry, Ron and Hermione rounded the corner of the path they had been following and came face to face with Snuffles. There were smiles from all three of them as the large black dog rose and trotted over to them.

In an instant, the dog was gone. In it's place stood Sirius Black, and he grinned as he greeted his godson. Harry noticed that he looked healthier, and that his longish hair, although slightly disheveled, had been cut.

"Harry! It's good to see you." He embraced the boy warmly. "Are you well?"

"Yes. It's really good to see you, Sirius."

The dark haired man turned to Ron and pounded him on the back heartily. "All right there, Ron?"

"You bet."

Sirius gave Hermione a quick hug. "How about you, Hermione?"

"Never better." She smiled until she noticed his hand. "Sirius, what happened?"

"Oh, I stepped on something sharp. It's nothing."

"It looks bad." Harry looked concerned. "You should have that looked at."

"I'll have Lupin look at it, ok? Shall we sit?" Sirius indicated a grassy spot, and the four settled down on the ground together.

"We brought lunch." Harry indicated the packages that they were carrying.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Sirius ate as the three friends talked, telling him about everything that had gone on since the last time they saw him. They told him about the last quidditch match and how Slytherin had won. He said nothing but his eyes narrowed as he chewed.

A sudden noise up the path caused them all to look up. Harry, Ron and Hermione scrambled to their feet as the large black dog reappeared beside them. A moment later Lupin rounded the corner and waved to the group as he approached.

The dog narrowed it's eyes for a moment and to the surprise of the three young Gryffindors, launched itself across the grass.

Lupin spotted the three students with the dog and waved and he smiled as he walked toward the small group . The smiled disappeared quickly when he saw the dog move.

It was thundering at him.

'What's he....oh no!'

Lupin had no time to act.

WHUMP!

The dog hit him square in the chest as it leapt, knocking him off his feet and onto his back. It sat on top of him panting very close to his face with it's tongue lolling out.

"Sirius!" Gasped Lupin. "Black...get...off!"

He was rewarded with a large sloppy canine kiss.

"You're...crush...ing...me!"

The dog was gone, and in its place Black was kneeling astride his friend on the ground, laughing.

"Moony! Long time no see. Give us a kiss, love." Sirius puckered and made as if he were going to plant a wet one on the werewolf.

"Get the hell off me, Black." Remus could breath a little now and was trying to get up. The three students were beside themselves with laughter.

Sirius got up, yanking Remus off the ground by the front of his robes at the same time. He sobered for a moment and embraced his long-time friend.

"How are you, Remus?

"Besides the broken ribs? Excellent. Good to see you old friend."

The two men walked to where Harry, Ron , and Hermione were wiping the tears of laughter form their eyes.

Hermione jumped in. "You need to look at his hand."

She indicated Sirius.

"What is it? Hmm. That looks nasty." Lupin had looked where Hermione indicated. "Step on something?"

"Yeah."

"You've been licking this, haven't you, Padfoot?"

Black looked sheepish. "Well, it stings!"

"You need to have this taken care of."

"Yeah, right. Do I march right in to St. Mungo's ? You don't see a problem with that?"

"I know someone that can help us."

"I don't know, Moony. I really..."

"She can be trusted."

Sirius looked at his friend for a long moment. "OK. Where do I have to go?"

"I'll bring her here, ok? Be back in about three."

"Lupin. Let her know she's treating a dog." Sirius was still a little mistrustful.

Remus nodded and was gone.

"I hope he knows what he's doing," Sirius worried. He looked at the three teenagers and saw them smiling knowingly to one another.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Hermione said, smiling.

"What? What's up with you three?"

"It's about Remus," Harry began, still grinning.

Sirius knew this had to be good by the look on Harry's face. He'd seen that same look on the boy's father enough times to know. His eyes narrowed a little.

"What about Remus?"

"He's gone to get the witch that we told you was filling in for Madame Pomfrey," Hermione added."

"Sooo...?" Sirius encouraged.

"You can trust her," said Ron, with a sly look.

"Aaand....?"

"She's cute," Harry informed him.

"Excellent. What were you going to tell me about Remus?"

They all looked at Hermione.

"Remus likes her."

Black's eyes went wide. "Wait, likes her, or likes her?"

He likes her," all three chimed together.

Sirius was now the one with the mischievous grin.