A/N: Sorry this took so long and so sorry I spazzed because of my lack of reviews. I didn't know I wasn't accepting anonymous reviews, thanks to Kiyoshi for pointing that out to me. Not much more to say, just read and enjoy and review!
Disclaimer: Everything except for the character Hope belongs to J K Rowling, various publishers, and Warner Bros. No copyright infringement intended.
Light streamed through the windows, and the smell of strong coffee came from the kitchen. Remus rolled over and nearly fell of the couch, then opened his eyes.
"Good morning!" came a cheerful voice from the kitchen. "I hope you like your coffee strong. Do you want pancakes for breakfast?"
These questions came rather quickly, and it took him a minute to register them. He replied, "However you like your coffee is fine for me. You don't have to make anything special for breakfast. I don't want to be any trouble."
"No trouble at all. I like to cook." Hope came out of the kitchen and handed him a mug, which he accepted gratefully. "Dumbledore sent you a reply. I hope you don't mind that I opened it, but he wants you to come to the school today, to work out a curriculum and to discuss some other things."
"Today? I suppose that would be alright." He thought about this for a moment, then it occurred to him he didn't know what day it was. "So, what is today? I kind of lost count a while ago."
"December 27th. It's too bad you missed Christmas at Hogwarts, the food was amazing this year."
"That is too bad," he said softly. It was almost January. Who'd of thought. It had been nearly five months since he looked at a calender.
"A carriage should be coming in a minute to take you to the school. There aren't too many people there, so most students won't know of your arrival until classes start."
Remus nodded softly. He was tired, his night's sleep interrupted by nightmare early on, but it was the sleepiness of one who has just climbed out of a warm bed and wishes to return. It was such a change from the exhaustion to which he had become accustomed.
"I have to go downstairs," Hope said, interrupting his reverie. "The bookstore opens soon, and someone needs to be there."
"That's your store?"
"It was my fathers. He left it to be and my sister when he died, but she didn't want it, with three little kids to look after. When I got this job at Hogwarts, I took the store with me."
He nodded again. "Would you mind if I looked around? I can't buy anything, but I would like to see what you have in stock."
"That would be fine. It'll be nice having someone there early, when customers start coming."
They walked down to the small shop, and Remus marveled at the selection. It seemed to be filled with Defense Against the Dark Arts texts, books that were perfect for students, books he could plan a curriculum around. But there were others, less traditional, with titles like To Stake or Not to Stake: Humane Ways to Deal with a Vampire and So Your Neighbor is a Werewolf: Learning to Live with Partially Non-Human Wizards. "This is amazing," he said, as he picked up one of the books.
"You like it? I thought you would. If you want to use any of these for your classes, I'd be happy to give a discount."
"That would be great." Just has he began to read the book he was holding, however, a carriage pulled up at the door, pulled by a pair of thestrals. "I guess that's for me. I'll see you soon."
He stepped out into the snow and shivered. With a glance at the horse-like creatures, he climbed into the carriage, thankful for the warmth it provided. He had always hated thestrals, the constant reminder of the darkest days in his life. He had beared witness to three deaths now, and couldn't help but wonder how many more it would be when the coming war was over.
His thoughts were interrupted when the carriage stopped, and he could see the looming castle of Hogwarts. There were some students having a snowball fight on the grounds, but the appeared not to have noticed his arrival. One of the girls had a flaming red ponytail peeking out under her hat, and he recognized her to be Ginny Weasly, the other students Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He was glad the didn't notice him. This would be a surprise.
Remus walked up the stone steps, and was greeted by Minerva McGonagall in the Entrance Hall.
"The headmaster would like to see you straight away, Professor Lupin. If you like, I can take you there."
"No, Minerva, I can find his office myself. But why so formal. Just call me Remus."
"Right, of course. Sorry, it's just that many in the staff have become strangely uptight recently. You'll see for yourself eventually."
"Strange. See you at dinner, I suppose." He turned, and headed up the stairs to Dumbledore's office. He was halfway there before he realized he didn't know what the password was. He continued down the corridor, and was happily surprised to see the headmaster standing his door.
"Remus," he said happily, "it's so good to see you again. How have you been?"
"Well enough, I suppose. And you, sir?"
"As good as one can be in times like these. Come in, come in, don't want to talk standing in the hallway, do we?"
Remus followed Dumbledore into the office, and took a seat facing the desk.
"You wanted to explain the curriculum that I will teach?"
"Yes, among other things. We should start with the curriculum, I think. You will be teaching a wide variety of subjects. I want first years learning about Dark Creatures. I want them able to fight as many as they will be able. Also, if you have time, teach them basic defensive magic. I want them to at least be able to disarm an opponent. Second and third years should also be doing basic defensive magic, but begin to get more complex. Teach them things they will be able to use in a dangerous situation. Fourth and fifth years should be the same thing, but much more complicated. I want all students fourth year and up to at least be taught the Patronus charm, even if they can't all do it. For the sixth and seventh years, the curriculum a little different. I want them to be able to fight."
"What do you mean, sir?"
"I want them to learn some offensive as well as defensive spells. I need the older students to be prepared. You know as well as I do that a war is coming. I can't see that Voldemort would be foolish enough to attack Hogwarts, but if he does, I want my students able to fight."
"You want me to make them into an army?"
"No. I do not want them seeking battle, but if a battle is going to come, I want them able to defend themselves, and to fight back."
"I'll do my best sir. I think you overestimate my abilities, but I will try."
"Good. I have faith in you. I believe you underestimate yourself."
"There were other things you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Yes. I wanted to explain what I am having you do for the Order."
"About that sir. I was a little taken aback by the request, simply because any other time you found a werewolf, you would treat it as any other person you were trying to persuade. You only needed me to find these people, but I wasn't the one to talk to them. I'm not the most persuasive person in the Order, and you know it."
"Yes but this group of werewolves is a little different than the others we were talking to. All of those received their bite after they attended school. They had a chance to be educated, had a chance to interact with the wizarding world. We have found a group of werewolves that received their bite at such a young age that they wouldn't have had the chance to attend school. You are the only werewolf to have attended Hogwarts who was bitten before you started school. These people are the most likely to be found and persuaded by the other side, and I need you to get to them first. I need you to prepare them for what Voldemort will say or do to get them, and I need you to explain to them what will happen if they do in fact join the side of evil. You experienced his power of persuasion, and I know you met that fight admirably."
"I didn't. I was stupid and unprepared, and it nearly got me killed. And it was the reason Lily and James are dead, the reason Voldemort is after Harry."
"Why does it seem that everyone is so willing to take the blame for things they had nothing to do with? You had nothing to do with the Potter's death . . ." but Remus interrupted him.
"I might as well have. That was the third time they faced him. Isn't that what the prophecy says? That the child of some one who has thrice faced the Dark Lord, or something like that? If it wasn't for me, they wouldn't have faced him three times."
"Now you are just being silly. They would have faced him another time, if not then, because it was their destiny, as this is Harry's."
Remus looked away, doubt still swimming in his mind. "When will I go?" he asked.
"Soon. I will give you the location and the date as soon as I can. All we can hope is that Voldemort doesn't get there first."
"And if he does?"
"We have to have hope that these people will not be tempted by empty promises. We have to hope that they show the strength that you did."
"I wasn't that strong. He almost had me believing the things that he was saying, because most of them were true."
"But you didn't give in. Lets not think about what might happen, though. It is best to keep focused on what you have to do now, as we cannot predict the future."
"Thank you sir. Thank you for giving me this job, as well. I don't know what I would have done without it."
"You can always stay at Grimmauld Place. It was generous of you to give it to the Weasley family, but Sirius left it to you."
Remus simply shook his head and looked away again. For a few happy moments the thought of Sirius had slipped from his conscious thought, and now it rushed back.
"I suppose not," said Dumbledore to himself softly. He cleared his throat and said, "Well, unless you have any questions, I think that is everything. You might want to settle into your office, or you can say hello to Harry and the others. I think they will be happily surprised to see you."
"Thank you again, professor." Dumbledore smiled as he turned to leave. It would be nice to talk to Harry again. For the first time in months, Remus felt at home.
If that seems too short, I'm sorry. Here's how it stands with my other stories. I know a bunch of people wanted an expansion of "I Am Not My Father." What I'm going to do is start a sixth year Harry-centric fic and another Snape-centric fic which contain that scene, as well as their own plot. Both will eventually tie into this fic, and the three of them will come together at one point. Now, when all of this will get done, I'm not sure, but bear with me and you will see results.
Thanks a bunch, and if you want things done faster, reviews are greatly appreciated.
