Chapter 25 Remus's Plan
Sirius looked up to check on the match and Harry. He noticed Harry was paying more attention to what was going on with Remus than the match. Come on Harry, pay attention. Don't want to embarrass your Uncle Remus in front of his girlfriend. Sirius kept dividing his attention between Harry and Remus. The match was going very well for Gryffindor, they were scoring constantly, and the stands were really wild. He looked back at the Gryffindor stand again that cheer, something about it seemed so familiar, suddenly everyone in the stand jumped up and started yelling. Looking up Sirius saw Harry and the Hufflepuff seeker streaking towards the snitch. come on Harry, go, ..go, you can do it, almost there, come on ... Sirius had become so excited he began barking and jumping enthusiastically, causing the crates he was standing on to topple underneath him.
Cat and Remus were too busy cheering on Harry to see what had happened to Sirius. Snape however saw the whole thing. As soon as Harry had caught the snitch and Remus and Cat calmed down, Severus quickly grabbed Cat by the hand, turning her towards him. "Congratulations Miss MacLeod, it seems you have won this bet. Perhaps you would like to wager on the next as well. Slytherin is competing against Ravenclaw." Severus looked over Cat's shoulder to see where Sirius had gone. "I hope you will join me in the teacher's stand in the future." Severus said pointedly. Cat smiled her goodbye's as Severus went off to talk to Professor Sprout.
Turning to Remus Cat smiled knowingly, "Okay Lupy, 'fess up. You brought me to Gryffindor's stand just to keep me away from Severus, didn't you?"
"Why Miss MacLeod, you wound me." Remus said, holding his hand over his heart "And yes, I did."
Cat sighed heavily, "Remus I thought the two of you buried the hatchet." she leaned against him "What's going on? I can see the wheels spinning in that head of yours"
Remus simply smiled back at his friend, putting his arm around her shoulder again....
Albus Dumbledore had witnessed everything, including Professor Snape's reaction. Stroking his beard, he had a very thoughtful expression on his face as he made his way to the pitch.
"Professor Lupin, would you be kind enough to join me in my office, we need to discuss some arrangements. I am sure Miss MacLeod will not mind" Albus said.
"Hello Albus. Go on Remus, I'll see you later. I want to find the kids and congratulate them." Cat was all smiles, it was obvious she had no idea what had gotten Snape so upset.
Remus and Dumbledore waved goodbye to Cat as she ran towards the lockers to see Harry and the rest of the team. "She really does enjoy the game, and the students." Remus said to Dumbledore.
"Indeed, she has a wonderful sense of joy regarding life in general. I am hoping she will be able to spread that joy to a particular friend of yours." Albus said cheerfully. "I think it is long overdue."
Remus paused for a moment as he stared at Professor Dumbledore "Does he know she's here? Have you told him?"
"Not yet, I thought you would like to be the one to tell him." Professor Dumbledore winked.
They didn't talk the rest of the way to Dumbledore's office, Remus was too busy trying to think how he was going to tell Sirius that Cat had returned to Hogwarts'. If only he knew for certain what Cat felt, he was positive she still cared, but with Snape in the picture......
Sirius jumped up out of his seat when he saw Remus enter the office. Hugging his friend tightly, Sirius couldn't wait to talk to him about everything that had happened. "Soooo, Remus, who's the looker then, finally find yourself a girlfriend have you?" you couldn't have wiped the smile off of Sirius's face if you tried.
"Sirius its not what you think, really" Remus tried to explain to his friend.
"Sure its not," Sirius replied sarcastically, "is it serious? Are there wedding bells?"
"Perhaps you and Professor Lupin would like to discuss that at a later time, Mr. Black" Professor McGonagall said flatly "Right now, we have more pressing matters to attend to."
Sirius gave Remus a look, but sat down obediently as Dumbledore began to speak. "Sirius, we are very relieved to see you, I had been told that you were no longer among us. I am overjoyed to see that is not the case. However, many things have happened in the last six weeks, some of them quite alarming." Albus went on to explain the stance the MOM had taken on Voldemort's return, and their refusal to even investigate Sirius's innocence. As far as Albus knew Arthur Weasley was the one person in the MOM that they could trust without reservation. And on it went for nearly and hour, after which Sirius and Remus left to have a talk of their own. Leaving only Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore in the room.......
Professor McGonagall was the first to speak, "about Cat's being here. I must admit Albus I have grave concerns, especially now that Sirius Black is back. As it is he and Professor Snape barely tolerate each other, I shudder to think what will happen when he realizes Cat and he have become so close."
Albus looked at her with a mischievous grin "I would not worry about it Minerva, I am certain that our Miss MacLeod can handle them just fine. After all, she has managed to keep them from harming each other in the past."
"I realize that Professor Dumbledore, but the stakes are much higher now. They both feel that they have been robbed of their life, no family left, very few friends still alive.....she is the answer they have both been waiting for, only... I am not sure that she knows that." McGonagall stated "You do know how oblivious she can be sometimes, and right now her only concern is Mr. Potter."
"You really should give her more credit. I have all the faith in the world in Kitty, and I am positive she will handle any situation that arises. I just hope she decides not to use her sword this time" Albus was positively grinning "Minerva, I was wondering, would you like to place a wager?"
"Exactly what sort of wager Albus?" McGonagall said hesitantly
"I am willing to wager 10 galleons that by the end of the school year Miss MacLeod will have become a bride." Albus answered a twinkle in his eye.
"Oh without a doubt," McGonagall smiled back "the question is who's bride? She has become quite 'intimate' with Professor Snape. And I severely doubt he would give her up without a fight."
"True, true. However I think you underestimate her feelings for Mr. Black. I believe that when they finally see each other, past problems will be forgotten. And of course Mr. Potter will be certain to have some say in this." Albus replied smiling as he took some coins out of his desk.
"So, your mystery woman, Harry seems to like her. It would be nice for him to be part of a real family again" Sirius began, trying to fish information out of his friend.
"Harry.....He adores her. Seems to think she would make an idea mother." Remus had no idea how to break this to Sirius. "Spends a lot of time with her. He likes talking to her I think."
"Well that's not surprising, seeing as he and Ron are always together." Sirius was smiling at Remus.
"Ron....what does Ron have to do with anything?" Back less than 3 hours and Sirius lost him already. What goes through that man's mind sometime Remus thought to himself.
"Your girlfriend, she's a Weasley, isn't she?" Sirius asked.
"What makes you think she's a Weasley, her hair?" Remus was laughing now, this conversation was just getting too weird.
"Never really saw her hair, or face for that matter." Sirius told him "She had that stupid scarf covering her for the whole match. But I did see one of the twins fly over to talk with her."
"Yeah, the students really like her," Remus paused for a moment. "She's the new divination teacher you know."
"Really, Trelawney finally retired,... about time." It finally hit Sirius "Wait divination, isn't that Harry's major, he must be thrilled.
"Oh, he's beyond thrilled." An idea hit Remus "In fact, I know Harry would want you to meet her. All of the students should be in their houses by now, why don't we go over to divination. She said she had some work to finish up." Sirius agreed, they were walking to divination when Sirius started the conversation up again.
"You know Remus, I really hope this works out for you" Sirius said sincerely, "Its bad enough I lost everything I cared about in my life, except Harry and you of course. Its just that everyone I ever loved or cared about has either left or died. There are some days I just don't know if I can bare it. When I think about everything Pettigrew stole from me," the pain on his face was apparent, "its enough to kill me. I've lost any chance I had to have a family, to make something of myself. Right now the best I can hope for is to finally clear my name and give Harry a proper home. I hope you and your girlfriend will be part of that. You won't forget us, will you" Sirius was trying to joke his way around the pain.
"Sirius, don't give up hope yet." Remus told his friend compassionately, "I know for a fact, that things are not as hopeless as you think" He hated seeing Sirius like this, he couldn't even begin to imagine the pain that he was feeling "In fact, I am willing to bet you a year's supply of Honeyduke's chocolate, that things are going to change for you by the end of today." he finished as he gave his friend a strange smile.
"A year's supply, Remus you don't make 'that' kind of money." Sirius was getting nervous, he didn't like the look on Remus's face "And what's with the Buddha smile, what aren't you telling me?"
Remus kept smiling and started walking quicker, he wanted to get to Cat before Snape did. He wanted this to go perfectly, just the three of them together in a room, no one would be able to leave until they had settled the past, and then he would slip out leaving Sirius and Cat to re-ignite the flame that he was positive never truly died out.
"Come on Moony, I'm serious" Sirius was running to catch up with him.
"No,... you're Sirius, not serious,... world of difference. Trust me, I know." Remus was grinning now, only a few more yards until they were there. Turn a corner and up some steps and taa daa.
As they rounded the last corner Remus's heart was practically pounding through his chest. He was almost giddy, until he saw Severus Snape walking towards them, he had just come from the divination classroom. This was one of the few times Remus actually wished he could transform into a wolf at will.
"Well Professor Snape, fancy meeting you here" Remus said as politely as he could. "Come to pay your debt have you."
Snape gave him a mean stare, "Am I correct in believing you are bringing 'him' to see her. I thought even you would have more sense than that."
"I have more 'sense' about this than anyone else in this school Severus." Remus replied tersely "Not to mention Professor Dumbledore thought it would be for the best." he added, not really knowing whether it was true or not.
"Just because she can forgive a werewolf, does not mean she can forgive him." Severus was practically yelling now.
"Why don't you stay out of this, you greasy haired git. You know full well I didn't do it, and as soon as I find Pettigrew everyone else will know to." Sirius was filled with rage, how dare Snape talk to Remus about his own girlfriend like that. "And I'm sure Remus knows more about what she would or would not do than you ever would."
Snape walked up to Sirius until their faces where mere inches apart. "Do you really think she would let you back into her life now, after everything you have done?"
"Back into her life, Snape you idiot, what are you talking about" That was it, Sirius had completely lost it. The strain of the past few weeks had been too much, and now Snape was speaking in riddles and making strange accusations about Remus's girlfriend. If he didn't back down and quickly, Sirius decided right then and there, he was going to take him down himself.......
Meanwhile, Cat was running behind, she had spent far longer than she had thought she would with Harry and the team. The twins were priceless, Fred couldn't get over her playing along with him when he came over to harass Snape. And of course her Harry, she couldn't tell him enough how proud she was of him, then Hermione had come in to speak with Ron and Harry, but when she saw MacLeod, she immediately began asking her all sorts of questions about the spells she had cast during the battle. Good heavens but that girl was bright, to bad she didn't use her instincts more though. And even though Cat had tried to get away, Hermione had followed her, still trying to get all the information she could.
"So, what you're saying is, there is no defined patterns for the cloaking and speed enhancing spells you used," Hermione was still questioning her about all the details "You just 'make it up' as you go along. That's impossible, spells are very precise, you have to make sure they are done correctly."
"That's true Hermione, they must be done 'right', what I'm saying to you is there is no 'precise' spell for anything in my culture, and as for 'making it up' as we go. I suppose in a sense that is true, but the words aren't that important, it's the thoughts and feelings behind the spell that gives it its power, not some formula."
"But, how do you know if you've done it correctly" Hermione was becoming exasperated "If you don't have anything to base it ........do you hear something."
Cat had stopped at the same time Hermione did. "Yes, sounds like a fight. But there's usually nobody in this hall unless they're going to my class. Maybe you should go back to the tower now Hermione." Cat said as she walked towards the voices.
Hermione decided to follow MacLeod instead, she didn't like the sounds of those voices, but she couldn't leave Miss MacLeod alone to see what they were, what if the deatheaters had come back. Harry would never forgive her if she left and something happened to MacLeod.
Cat and Hermione quickly ran to the end of the hallway, Cat paused as she noticed Hermione was still there. Looking over at her, she motioned for Hermione to stay behind her. Carefully Cat peeked around the corner and saw Remus, Severus and another man she didn't recognize arguing about something. Quietly she approached the threesome, and nearly fainted when she heard the third mans voice.
She knew that voice, it had been engraved on her heart 17 years ago, sweet mother of heaven, Sirius, it had to be him. She swayed slightly before regaining her composure, what could they be fighting about now. Talk about some things never changing, Cat wanted to run in the other direction, but Hermione was here and she didn't want to frighten her. Plucking up her courage, she lifted her head high and walked towards them, just as Sirius was calling Severus an idiot............