Hogsmeade Weekend had finally found its day on the calendar. There had been much talk about canceling to postponing, but in the end, Dumbledore had not reason not to allow the excursion as planned. There were no discernible threats. No dangers to keep aware of. Moira and Snape were both placed on the list as chaperones, much to Snape's consternation, just to keep an eye out.
Bundled in her warmest cloak on the crispy November afternoon, Moira walked about the street, watching as students hoarded around the small shops, filling their pockets with all sorts of nonsense she was sure would be confiscated within the week. Smaller students gathered about Honeyduke's, buying sugar quills and fizzy drops, and manner of sugar encrusted delights, while the older students sat around mugs of Butterbeer at Three Broomsticks, discussing all the important topics: Who does he like? Where'd she get that robe? What does he see in her?
All the while, Moira's eyes took in everything about the students: who they talked to, how they acted, how secretive they seemed. Some of these kids were the sons and daughters of the most powerful of Voldemort's supporters. Could one of them know something?
"Things never seem to change," a voice behind her commented.
"Well, things are much simpler when you're fifteen, Severus."
"Perhaps for you."
"Come on, Mr. Personality. Let's get a drink and warm up a bit."
Moira pushed open the heavy door and they were greeted with a rush of warm air and the indistinct chatter of a full room. The professors slipped between tables and found an unnoticed table with three chairs nestled into a cove near the back. They settled into their chairs and Snape motioned to Rosemerta. A scowl passed over his face as Raiza Runyan, a sixth year Slytherin, noticed him sitting with Moira and began whispering feverishly to the girls around her, all of whom looked over at them, giggling.
"I'm sure by this evening it will be all over the school that we were seen here together," Snape sneered under his breath.
"What's wrong, Severus? Are you nervous the students may think you're human and not hatched from an egg?"
"What the students think of me is not at issue. I rather don't care about their opinions. What bothers me is the speed with which gossip, especially inaccurate gossip, makes its way around the school."
"Especially when it concerns your private life, it seems."
"You miss the point, Moira."
"And you forget that these are teenagers at school. They are walking, talking hormones, and because they have crushes and fall in love at the drop of a hat, they believe everyone else is at that exact moment. Don't forget, Severus, we were also once just like them."
"Speak for yourself. The only thing I had in common with them was my height."
"I recall having more than one conversation with you regarding Miss Lana Grinfield's misplaced affections."
"She was a fool."
"So I take it you didn't attend her wedding?"
Snape shot her a look of pure malice.
"I'm just saying that you were more like these kids than you care to admit," she said defensively. "Unrequited love is very difficult at this age."
He raised an eyebrow at her as a thin smile spread across his face.
"I'm sure there are better experts on this topic."
"As far as experts on this topic go," Moira said, leaning across the table. "Did you know about Remus, or were you guessing?"
"As an expert, I knew years ago. All the signs were there, especially the tell tale. He distanced himself from you when you began dating Black. Even the blindest idiot could have seen it, which explains how Potter knew."
"Christ, James knew? Was there anyone in the school besides me who didn't know?"
"If it helps you sleep at night, he hid it well."
"Well thank you very much." She sighed heavily and leaned back in her seat. "So why did you finally decide to clue me in, since you dislike Remus so much?"
"Because while I dislike Lupin, I loathe Black." He smirked. "It actually gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to know he is getting hurt. You have told him, haven't you?"
"That his best friend liked me when we were in school? What would that solve?"
"I'm talking about you, Moira. Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about. If I'm nothing else, I am perceptive."
"You're a cupid from hell, that's what you are."
"Do you deny it?"
"That you're Cupid from hell?"
"That you have feelings for the werewolf."
"Gods," she exclaimed, throwing up her hands, "you know exactly how to take a perfectly adult conversation and turn it into a childish name-calling contest."
"I'll take that as a yes."
"I can't believe I'm discussing this with you."
"As opposed to whom? Black? I'm sure he'd enjoy this conversation."
"Point taken. No, I haven't told him yet. How do you tell a guy who just spent thirteen years in prison for a crime he didn't commit that you don't love him anymore?"
"As cruelly as you can," Snape offered with dark smile.
Remus was jolted awake by the scrape of metal on metal, a latch being lifted on his heavy prison door. He watched as a small flap at the bottom of his door was lifted open and a tin plate screeched across the floor and stopped just a few feet from him before the flap was closed again and re-latched. He had to reach out with his foot to catch the plate and pull its meager contents closer. Although he was starving, his stomach tightened at the sight of it.
Stale bread, and not much of it. He picked up a piece and, dipping it into his water to soften it, took a bite, fighting his gag reflex at the taste and smell of mold. The last time he'd been given food was three days ago, and, not knowing when the next meal would come, he could not waste what he was given.
His meager meal finished, Remus slumped back against the wall, too weak to move more than was necessary. He knew that, soon, Peter would return with his fellows in black robes. Death Eaters. He always brought two with him, since their first meeting together. They would stand back silently while Peter reminded him what a monster he was and how the others looked on him as a pet rather than a man. Then, those two men would step forward and torture him until he blacked out. They seemed to take pleasure in that. It was a schedule, a cycle that seemed to have no end. He had nothing to do but wait for the next one and hope that he would be found soon.
But then, they may not even be looking for him. He had attacked Moira, he as sure of that. Perhaps he had even killed her. If that was so, he might as well just wait for the death stroke. It didn't matter from whence it came.
Remus hung his head into his arms.
Gods, Moira, I'm sorry.
Evening was settling over Hogsmeade, and it was time for Moira and Snape to begin corralling the students back toward the school. Snape made the announcement within Three Broomsticks, much to the students' disappointment, and began pushing them out the door. Once the pub was cleared, Moira emerged onto the street, relieved that the trip had been relatively uneventful.
Until she saw a hole forming in the crowd of students. And heard the yells.
Racing toward the fight, she called out to Snape to follow and knew he was directly behind her. They pushed through the students and found in the center Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy with their wands pointed a teach other. She disarmed the two boys and stepped between them.
"What is going on here?" Snape demanded.
The boys gave no answer, but merely stared daggers. A murmur spread through the crowd.
"All of you, get back to the school," Moira yelled. They were moving slowly, until she cried out, "Now!" The crowd dispersed quickly. "Now," she said, turning back to the boys, "I believe Professor Snape asked you a question. What is going on?"
"Nothing," Draco answered, "except that Potter here was upset by something he heard." He smiled mischievously.
"And I'm sure you're innocent in all this?" Moira asked.
"I didn't do a thing. I just asked him if he heard the same conversation I did."
"And what conversation would that be?" Snape asked.
"The one between you and Professor O'Shaughnessy. I know how much Potter respects her, and I thought he might be interested."
Moira glanced at Harry. His face was red with fury. When he turned his gaze toward her, Moira was taken aback. His anger seemed to increase. His jaw trembled the slightest bit, and Moira knew his fury was about to be unleashed. Lily had always done the same thing.
"I can't believe you would leave Sirius for this ugly-"
"Potter!"
"-big nosed-"
"Harry!"
"-slimy git!"
Moira hit him with a silencing spell, and turned toward Snape while Harry's mouth continued to form a line of insults.
"Severus, take Mr. Malfoy back to the school. I'll deal with Potter here." She handed him Malfoy's wand.
"Moira, he is not going to get away with this."
"He won't. I certainly will not put up with it."
Snape scowled at a lost opportunity to punish Potter, but knew Moira would deal with his insolence immediately. It was not in her nature to give anyone special treatment in such a case, and he knew that. Especially since he had been yelling at her as much as at him. He led a smirking Malfoy away, leaving Moira behind with the boy.
Moira regarded Harry for a moment, ignoring his angry looks.
"Harry, I'm leaving this spell on you, because quite frankly, I don't care what you have to say right now. And you will not be speaking again until you have calmed down. Now turn and march."
Harry glared at her before turning around and walking back up the road toward Hogwarts, with Professor O'Shaughnessy directly behind.