Disclaimer: Alas and alack, I am not J K Rowling and I own nothing remotely connected to Harry Potter except well-thumbed copies of the books and an over-active imagination. Also, I have borrowed some of JK's actual dialogue at the very end of this chapter. I am very, very sorry! Please don't sue me, or burn me alive, or any other unpleasant such things.

Rating: PG

A/N: Back to Remus for the last chapter, which takes us right up to Remus' introduction in the book.

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Remus was up before dawn to catch the train to Kings Cross. A Muggle train, of course. He wore old jeans and a threadbare jumper, and carried his robes in a small bag as well as his suitcase. He had been right; it would not stay shut, and he had knotted a large quantity of string around it to hold his belongings inside.

As he sat on the train, staring glumly out of the window at the dark countryside speeding past, he wondered why Dumbledore had suggested this. Not that he was not grateful to have a job, and this proof that he was still trusted, still thought of. But he wondered. Did Dumbledore think he would be a good teacher? Defence Against the Dark Arts had always been his best subject. Or did Dumbledore just see the boy who had once loved Sirius Black, the last of the Marauders?

Well, his letter answered that. "We know that Sirius' goal is Harry, perhaps to take him to Voldemort or perhaps just for revenge, but he was responsible for the deaths of Lily, James and Peter, and it is not inconceivable that he might come after you as well." Dumbledore wanted to keep him safe. He supposed it was better than wanting to keep an eye on him, in case he joined his old friend.

He shifted a little in his seat. He was so tired. The full moon had been only a couple of days ago, and with all the hassle of getting ready for this new job, he was not yet fully recovered. He knew he must look terrible; he had seen some of the Muggles at the railway station shooting him concerned glances. You don't know the half of it, he had thought.

He glanced down at his arm. The wound had almost healed now; he did not think this one would leave another scar to add to his collection. That last full moon had been the worst for a long time, perhaps because he was so preoccupied. He had even been hallucinating, sure for a moment or two that he had heard a second howl in answer to his.

Not that any would be as bad as the first full moon after Sirius was sent to Azkaban. He had really thought – before the world he and his friends had built came crashing down around them – that he would never have to spend another full moon alone. After all, Sirius never broke his promises.

He found himself suddenly bitter. Never broke his promises – hah! He had promised to keep James, Lily and Harry safe, just as he had promised to keep Remus safe, and he had failed them all, hadn't he? No, not failed. Betrayed. Betrayed them all.



He arrived at King's Cross earlier than he had expected, and crossed to Platform 9 and 3/4. The train was sitting waiting, though it would be half an hour or so before any students arrived to join it. He chose a compartment right at the very end of the train, trying hard not to remember that he, Peter, Sirius and James had always done the same thing, from their very first journey to Hogwarts. Leaving his suitcase in the luggage rack, he made his way up to the front of the train, to introduce himself to the driver.

Dumbledore's letter had contained more than an invitation to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts and a warning that Sirius might come to finish the job, as it were.

"As I am sure you will understand, given the circumstances, the Ministry are placing added security around Hogwarts this year. Dementors are to be stationed at all entrances and exits to the school. You are as little fond of them as I, I recall, and they will no doubt affect the atmosphere within the school. I am afraid this will not be an easy year in which to teach, but I am confident you will be up to the challenge.

If you accept this post – as I hope you will – I have one further favour to ask of you. The Minister for Magic, who has naturally taken a personal interest in this case, has mentioned that he may have the Hogwarts Express searched before it arrives at the school. I am not convinced that this measure is necessary, but as I do not wish to take risks with the safety of my students, I have agreed.

Remus, I would be very grateful if you would travel to Hogwarts on the train, at the beginning of term. The Minister insists the Dementors will be no danger to the students, but their nature being what it is, I would be much happier if I knew there was an experienced hand on the scene. Someone I know I can trust to handle the situation."

Well, Remus could hardly refuse. The thought of a handful of Dementors on a train full of students unsettled him as much as he was sure it did Dumbledore.

His introductions over, Remus headed back down to his compartment. Soon, the first students would begin filtering onto the station. He would try and catch just a little sleep before they arrived and their noise made it impossible. He wondered absently if any of them would prove to be as... unruly as the Marauders. Unlikely, he thought with a wry smile. Though in his case it was only reflected glory, he did not think any student would ever manage to top the feats of he and his friends. He yawned and settled more comfortably into his seat.



"We are going to be in so much trouble," he hissed. He crouched under the Invisibility Cloak with James, Sirius and Peter. They were pressed against the wall of the corridor, trying to make sure one of their feet did not slip out and give them away, certain that any second now, Professors McGonagall and Kettleburn would come those few inches closer and bump into them. Invisibility Cloaks were all very well, thought Remus, but he would be eternally grateful when someone came up with a cloak that could bestow common sense on his two best friends.

"Shh!" McGonagall and Kettleburn were talking loudly, but not so much that they might not hear a conversation where there should not be one and find four students out of bed long, long after curfew.

It had seemed like such a good idea, when Sirius and James woke him and Peter at half past eleven and suggested going for a walk in the Forest. They were planning an excursion in there on the next full moon, and even Remus agreed it would be useful to know the territory beforehand.

Now, it was almost three o'clock in the morning, and getting back into Gryffindor Tower and their beds was proving much harder than getting out in the first place. They had already narrowly avoided the Astronomy Professor on a nighttime wander, and only their Map had kept them out of the clutches of Argus Filch, the horrible caretaker.

Honestly, thought Remus, why *were* so many teachers out of bed and roaming the corridors? It really wasn't fair. They were worse than... well, than the Marauders. They had thought they were home and dry, with only three corridors to go, when they had heard McGonagall's voice approaching. With nowhere to hide and nowhere to go, they had squeezed into a tiny alcove that held an old and particularly spiky suit of armour and were doing their best not to move or even breathe.

To make things worse, McGonagall and her conversational partner – and since when had Kettleburn ever had anything interesting to say? – had not carried on past Remus and his friends. No, for some unknown reason they had chosen just this stretch of corridor to pause in and continue their chat. Two steps to McGonagall's left, and they would walk straight into the students.

"This is ridiculous," he heard Sirius mutter. They were jammed together so closely that Sirius' breath tickled his neck. That was not helping his nerves, either.

"Shh!" warned James again. The Professors' conversation faltered, and McGonagall looked in their direction, frowning. They all held their breath, and did not let it out until she looked away.

Sirius shifted behind him and he struggled not to fall over, or let his feet stick out from under the cloak.

"Stay here," whispered Sirius.

"What?" hissed James. "What are you doing? Sirius, no!"

Suddenly Remus could not longer feel his tall friend squashed behind him. Something bumped his legs, and with a horrible sinking feeling, he looked down to see a huge black dog slinking out from behind them.

"No," he groaned through gritted teeth.

Sirius whisked past McGonagall and Kettleburn, and then barked. The sound echoed off the corridor walls, and the Professors broke off their conversation to stare in astonishment at the dog.

"How on *earth*..." he heard McGonagall exclaim. Sirius barked again, wagging his tail, and as soon as McGonagall took a step towards him he bounded to the end of the corridor. He paused and Remus heard him bark again. Kettleburn started exasperatedly after McGonagall. Sirius let them get within a foot of him, then he was off again, barking all the way, the two Professors in hot pursuit.

For a second, he, James and Peter stared after them in astonishment, then they looked at each other and broke into grins. They were creased up with silent laughter as they hurried back into the Tower.

"Larkspur," gasped Remus. The Fat Lady swung open despite her disapproving frown, and they clambered through quickly, before she could begin to lecture on them being out so late.

"The Map, the Map!" called James. Remus dug it out from his pocket and they laid it on the table before the now-dead fire.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" declared Remus, tapping the Map with his wand. They waited impatiently as their enchanted writing swirled across the page and the map appeared, and then they located Sirius, running along the third floor corridor with McGonagall and Kettleburn still after him.

They watched their friend's progress all around the castle, several times roaring with laughter and then looking guiltily up towards the dormitories. At one stage, Kettleburn and McGonagall split up in an attempt to corner the dog, but to judge from the closeness of their dots on the map, Sirius must have darted through Kettleburn's legs.

Eventually – perhaps deciding that they had been given more than enough time to make it back to the common room, or maybe just tiring of his game – Sirius slipped into one of the secret passages they had discovered. To judge from the fact the McGonagall and Kettleburn stayed at the spot where he had vanished for some five minutes afterwards, this was not one that the teachers knew.

Remus wiped the map, and they all sat back to await Sirius' return. Remus curled his legs up into his chair, James slouched in his, and Peter, sprawled across the sofa, seemed to actually fall asleep.

Sirius appeared through the portrait hole ten minutes later, sweaty and with his hair and robes in terrible disarray, but grinning from ear to ear. He threw himself down in the chair opposite James and sighed.

"I'm shattered!" he declared. "That was worth it, though."

Somehow, none of them made up to bed that night. The next thing they knew, they were awakened by the sound of laughter. Remus opened his eyes to sunlight and peered blearily up at the figure before him.

"Oh, I need a camera!" he chuckled. It was a seventh year he knew on sight, but not to speak to. "Sorry, guys, but you're a picture."

There was a sound of running footsteps, and Remus peered around at his friends. Although Peter's eyes were open, he did not seem to have moved since last night. Sirius had raised his head off his chest and was blinking stupidly at the seventh year, looking as tired as Remus felt. James had gone from slouching in his chair to drooping over its arm, and he was still fast asleep, his mouth open and snoring faintly.

Remus tried to formulate some excuse, but it felt like he had so much mush for brains, and before he could even manage a coherent sentence or summon the energy to move, the running footsteps returned. The next thing, there was a click and a bright flash, and he knew that this moment of embarrassment had been recorded forever.



He was awakened this time by a feeling of cold and by loud, panicked voices.

"Come in and sit down – " said an unidentified someone.

"Not here! I'm here!" James? That was James' voice. Surely... No, he must be imagining things. Probably still half asleep. He opened his eyes and for a moment was disorientated to find that he still could not see a thing.

"Ouch!" came another voice. A boy. Another wave of cold washed over him, and Remus felt all the drowsiness leave him in a horrid rush of realisation. Only one thing could cause such cold, such darkness... He had hoped Cornelius Fudge would think better of searching the train with Dementors, but...

As fear began to prickle its way up his spine, he got to his feet. "Quiet!"