Ch.2 It was dark and cold, as Remus stumbled down the narrow ally between two large stone buildings, he was completely exhausted, only some crazy calling pushing from the back of his mind forced him to keep putting one foot in front of the other, keeping him from sinking to the cold stone beneath him.

Then he heard it, Peter's voice, shrill with anger and fear.

"Sirius how could you do it? Lilly and James, they trusted you. How could you kill James after all the time you've spent together? How could you sell them to- to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? You killed the Potters Sirius! You killed Lily and James!"

Remus was pushing through people, muggles, and Ministry official's called to the scene. He burst through the outer ring of people, for a moment he could see them, Peter staring up at Sirius, who stood tall, framed against the fading sunset, a slight wind ruffled his thick black hair, and his eyes stared down at the man before him with a look of complete loathing.

Then Remus felt a hand on his shoulder pulling hand backwards back into the crowd. "We'll deal with this one Remus, your exhausted already."

Remus turned driven by some desperate energy he tried wildly to yank away from his captured he could see arms, Ministry robes, the face was blurred irrelevant to his mind detached from reason.

Suddenly there was a loud explosion bursting into silence. Remus opened his eyes, suddenly he could see. There was nothing between him and Sirius, he looked down. His robes were covered in blood. Everywhere in front of him there were bodies, torn apart by the explosion and blood. so much blood.

He looked up Sirius stood there wand still poised. Then he tilted back his head and laughed a cold humorless laugh that chilled Remus' bones echoing throughout his skull.

Remus awoke with a jerk. It was dark. He felt around, disoriented. He moved instinctively, drawing his wand from his robes. He felt the cold chill squeeze down his spine, there were dementors about. There were voices around him, he forced his mind to focus. "Come in and sit down." Said a girl's voice.

"Not here, I'm Here !"another voice cut in.

"Ouch!" someone cried

"Quiet." Remus cut in hoarsely.

Remus murmured a spell, filling his hand with blue flames. A flickering light filled the room, he could see five confused students tangled together in a corner as if they'd fallen over each other in the dark. Remus stiffened, the creature was coming closer.

"Stay where you are." He commanded, his voice still coming out hoarse.

He stood up quickly and strode towards the door of the compartment. Before he could reach it the door slid slowly open. A dementor stood in the doorway, searching the room with hidden eyes.

Wakefulness suddenly washing over him, Remus stared in confusion, what was a dementor doing here? Dementors worked for the ministry now, guarding Azkaban, they shouldn't be out. Unless... of coarse, they were searching for Sirius. Remus knew he should have felt relieved, with dementors after him not even Sirius could stay hidden long. But instead he felt a burst of anger.

He pulled out his wand. "None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks." He said quietly "Go." The creature didn't move, he hadn't really expected it to.

"Expecto Patronum!" he whispered, his mind flick quickly back to his first full moon adventure, romping free with the other marauders, in the Forbidden Forest.

A silvery tiger glided from his wand tip. It turned emitting a silent hiss of challenge it bounded towards the hooded creature. The dementor turned quickly gliding away .

Remus turned his attention to the floor. A boy had fallen from his chair, and now lay curled on the floor. The shaggy black hair sent a shudder of familiarity through Remus. He looked so much like James...

Remus shook himself, two of the students, a girl with thick fluffy brown hair, and a tall boy with flaming red hair had rushed to the boy's side.

The black hiared boy jerked, the hair on his forehead shifting, and Remus caught site of a thin lightning shaped scar. Of coarse, this was Harry Potter, James' son.

"Harry, Harry! Are you alright?" The girl was asking anxiously.

The boy's eyes flew open, they were same intense emerald green that had so ensnared James' young carefree heart.

The boy -Harry- moaned, pushing his round glasses up his sweaty nose. His friends heaved him into a seat.

"Are you OK?" Asked the red-haired boy.

"Yeah," Harry mumbled his eyes flicking to the door. "What happened? Where's that - that thing? Who screamed?"

Remus, who had been pulling the chocolate bar Ollivander had given him out of his suitcase froze, realizing what must have gone through the boy's head when the dementor entered.

"No one screamed." The other boy said looking nervous.

"But I heard screaming." Harry was saying uncertainly Remus snapped the chocolate in half, trying to wake himself up from his stupor. Everyone in the compartment jerked, whirling to look at him.
Feeling very much the intruder, Remus concentrated on breaking the chocolate into pieces.
"Here." He said rather gruffly handing a large piece to James' son. "Eat it, it'll help." Then he froze, James' Son! Of coarse, He thought Sirius is was after Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived.

He shook himself mentally, careful to keep the sudden surge of emotion hidden.

"What was that?" Harry was asking.

"A dementor." He replied, concentrating on handing chocolate out to the other children. "One of the dementors of Azkaban."

His fist clenched suddenly, crumpling the wrapper in his hand. Remus tried to make it look casual, stuffing the wrapper into his pocket.

"Eat it. It'll help." Realizing he'd just repeated himself he added quickly "I need to speak to the driver, excuse me." He had to get out of there! He strolled passed them as calmly as he could.

Only when he closed the compartment door behind him, could Remus think clearly. So Sirius was after Harry Potter. Wanting to finish the job, Remus supposed, perhaps to bring Voldemort back, but then perhaps not, Sirius had never liked having to follow someone.

Suddenly Remus felt himself stiffen. So Sirius wasn't after him, it didn't really matter, they'd have to fight anyway. The last of the Marauders couldn't stand by and ignore such a threat on James' son. Couldn't cling to childhood hopes and memories when the real world called him. Whether Sirius wanted it or not he'd have to face Remus one more time before he died.

Feeling better now Remus entered the engine room. A harassed looking which glanced up. "Yes. It was a scheduled search, we'll be at Hogwarts in fifteen minuets" she said rather tiredly.

"Thanks." Remus replied, "I was wondering if there was a way I could owl ahead?" The witch blinked. "Sure, we've got a post owl, we keep in case of emergency."

Remus thanked her quickly scribbling a note to Dumbledore, explaining Harry Potter's reaction to the dementors. He wasn't sure why, but it was one of those things that Dumbledore would like to know about.

Remus paused in the doorway to the last compartment.

"I haven't poisoned the chocolate you know." he said, slightly amused. Harry glanced up distractedly, taking a bite of the chocolate.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minuets." He added. The boy was still looked pale. "Are you alright Harry?" Remus asked trying to hide the anxiousness in his voice.

"Fine," Harry muttered looking away.

Remus climbed quickly off the train at the Hogsmeade station, wincing at the sigh of the thestrals which waited patiently in the harnesses of the carts that carried students to the castle.

He could barley remember a time when these creatures were invisible to him. When thestrals were just creatures seen by other people who had lead a more tragic life. Now he doubted anyone who had survived Voldemort's short but terrible reign could remain oblivious to the creatures.

As the carriage came to a stop he noticed someone speaking in the crowd of students in front of him.

"You fainted Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth, you actually fainted?" A cold voice crowed with delight.

Remus glanced up as he climbed out of the carriage. A pale boy with silvery blond hair stood blocking Harry's way to Hogwarts castle.

"Shove off Malfoy," the red haired boy -Ron they'd called him- pushed in front of Harry.

"What's the matter Weasly? Did the scary old dementors frighten you too?" The boy sneered.

"Is there a problem?" Remus asked mildly.

Malfoy, he assumed this was Lucius' son, glanced up.

"No. er.. professor." Remus caught a hint of sarcasm in the boys voice, but decided to let it slide.

Walking past them he entered the castle through the large front doors. Pushing through the crowed of students that streamed into the great hall, Remus made his way towards the staff table.

"Lupin! what are you doing here?" a cold voice asked.

Lupin whirled. "Hello Severus, Dumbledore's asked me to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts." He said curtly.

"So I heard, much against my personal judgment I might add." Severus said. Before Remus could reply Dumbledore hailed him from the staff table.

"Remus! You're here."

The sorting went rather uneventfully, and Dumbledore stood up to give his customary speech.

"Welcome!" He cried, as enthusiastic as always. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to all of you one of which is very serous, I think we'd best get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. As you will all be aware of after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us I must make it plain that none of you are to leave the grounds without permission. Dementor are not fooled by tricks or disguises, or even invisibility cloaks. It's not in the nature of dementors to understand pleading and excuses, I therefore warn every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects and new head girl and boy to make sure no students run afoul of the dementors. "

Remus noted the tension in the hall, when Dumbledore paused.

"On a happier note," Dumbledore continued, "I'm pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.

"First of all Professor Lupin has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark arts teacher," As a quite unenthusiastic applause rippled through the Great Hall, Remus was uncomfortably aware of the chilling glare of complete loathing he was receiving from Severus Snape. Remus was unsure what to think of the potion master's attitude. Severus of course, had had good enough reason to have despised the marauders in their years at Hogwarts, but that was eighteen years ago. On the other hand, as much as it felt like betrayal to admit it, Severus seemed to have been write about Sirius.

Remus shook himself back into realty, Dumbledore was speaking again.

"...None other than Rubius Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties." The empty golden platters and goblets skidded across the table, as Hagrid lifted the table cloth to wipe his eyes.

"Well I think that's all of importance." Dumbledore sad, "Let the feast begin!"

Remus was delighted to get to the feast, he hadn't eaten all day and the food tasted just as good as he remembered. When the last bits of treacle and plum cake disappeared into the golden plates, Remus watched Harry, Ron, and the girl -Remus was not sure of her name- make there way towards the staff table.

"Congratulations Hagrid!" The girl cried.

"All down 'ter you three." Hagrid was saying wiping his face on a napkin. Remus smiled. It looked like Harry had good connections. Having a friend that was half giant was always a bonus when one of the darkest wizards of recorded history was on your trail. Remus left quickly, thinking of a nice hot bath before bed. He paused in the doorway, glancing back at the great hall, and he couldn't help but feel that he was home.