Moira walked slowly to her classroom. Remus had been missing for fourteen hours now, with no sign of where he could be. She had been out late with Sirius, Severus, and Dumbledore searching for clues about his disappearance. Disapparation was unlikely. In his transformed state, he would have been unable to do the magic, and his wand had been found in the house.
The sounds of teenage chatter met her ears as she pulled the heavy door to her classroom open and entered. Some of the chitchat died down, though not all students seemed to notice she had entered yet. She didn't bring her usual energy with her. Step quietly down the steps, she noticed several Slytherins leaning forward listening to a conversation Harry was having with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley. A few key words reached her ears, alarming her: dream, Voldemort, Lupin, scar, pain. Moira stopped where she was and scribbled a note on a piece of parchment and slid it to Harry.
"Mr. Potter, please take this not to Professor Dumbledore." She looked intently at him, meeting his eyes, then glanced down at the note, silently telling him to read it.
"Tell no students of your dream. Go directly and tell Professor Dumbledore. No delays."
Harry looked back up at her and nodded, probably feeling a little confused, then pushed back from the table, gathered his things and left the room.
"Now, Class, we shall pick up where we left off yesterday."
Harry went directly to Dumbledore's office, wondering what had happened that Professor O'Shaughnessy had become so alarmed. He paused only to guess the password to the gargoyle guarding the entrance (after a long list, the gargoyle sprung to life and jumped aside at Fizzing Whizbee) and stepped onto the foot of the spiral staircase, which moved slowlytoward the poliched oak door with the brass doorknocker. Harry knocked and waited. When no answer came, he knocked again, calling out to Professor Dumbledore. When still no answer came, he pushed tentatively at the door and it swung open.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry called, poking his head inside. Fawkes the Pheonix squawked at him. An ugly, featherless bird, Harry guessed her had recently been reborn. Harry looked around. No one was in sight. He entered the room, deciding that since he had been sent there by a teacher, he should stay until Dumbledore showed up. Besides, it was probably the most curious room in the entire castle, filled with items he had never dreamed of before. He glanced at the Sorting Hat and admired Godric Gryffindor's Sword, then noticed the stone bowl sitting out on Dumbledore's desk.
His penseive.
Harry had seen the peseive before when he accidentally fell into some of Dumebledore's memories. Eager not to make the same mistake, he ignored it and began examining the books on a shelf. His curiosity, however, was stronger than his will. Harry glanced over and saw two familiar faces floating on the top of the silver liquid.
Harry recognized Professor O'Shaughnessy, but she wasn't Professor O'Shaughnessy. She was too young, perhaps in her mid-twenties. She was sitting in the office, holding Sirius' hand.
"Professor? Sirius and I are getting married. And, well, my father- I- You've been practically a father to me since- so I was wondering, will you walk me down the aisle? Will you stand in for Papa?"
Harry heard the door open behind him and turned to find Professor Dumbledore quietly regarding him. He was smiling sadly as his eyes fell on the Penseive.
"It would have been my honor, Moira," he said to the face. "But fate would not allow it to be so."
"Professor?" Harry started, his eyes falling back on the face of his Dark Arts professor. "She and Sirius? Were married?"
"No, I'm afraid not, Harry. Circumstances worked against them. That day never came for them."
"Wormtail, you mean," Harry said. "When Sirius went to Azkaban-"
"Moira left."
"But- but he was innocent!"
"She did not know that. Neither did I, for that matter. You must understand, Harry, there was so much fear in those days; anyone could have been an enemy. Even those we loved the most."
Dumbledore stepped forward and swished the contents of the Penseive, then set it down for Harry to see. Again he saw the face of Professor O'Shaugnessy, but she was pale. He eyes were puffy and red, as if she'd been crying.
"I'm sorry, Professor. I just can't stay here, even with Him gone. There's just too much-" Fresh tears ran down her cheeks. Her lips trembled. "Too much to remind me. Of all of them." She turned away, as if to leave, then glanced back over her shoulder. "Tell Remus I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye."
"Few had more to remember than you, my child." Dumbledore's face was sad as he looked down at her. It turned quickly into Lupin's face.
"But how could she leave?" he was asking, panicked. "How could she just-"
"I'm sorry, Remus," Dumbledore said as he picked up the Penseive and set it back in the cupboard, locking the doors. "Now Harry, this is the second time you've read my thoughts." He smiled. "What can I do for you?"
Harry was stunned for a moment at what he'd seen before remembering why he had been sent.
"Professor O'Shaugnessy sent me. My scar hurt this morning, and I had a dream."
"About what?"
"Professor Lupin."
Dumbledore's closed his eyes as if in pain, then looked back up at him.
"Harry, tell me everything."