Chapter 5: Confessions

            Remus Lupin stood looking out the window of the third-floor corridor at St. Mungo's. The full moon stared back at him, bathing him in its glow. He could only stare at it in amazement. For most of his life, he had feared the full moon. Now, thanks to a woman he had until recently thought dead, he could see its true beauty.

            So much had changed that night. He was fully human now. The healers had already determined that there was no longer any trace of the curse. And he was a father. It was a joy he never thought he would be allowed to have.

            He heard someone clearing their throat, breaking into his thoughts. He turned to see Hermione standing there. His daughter. He still couldn't believe it. "They said you were up here," she said nervously.

            "I never knew that the moon was so beautiful. I find I can't stop staring at it."

            She smiled, looking very much like her mother at that moment. "A-a lot's happened."

            "Yes it has."

            She looked down at her feet. "I'm not sure what to call you now."

            He chuckled softly. "Neither am I," he answered.

            She laughed with him.

            "You may share my blood, but Dr. Granger is your father in every way that counts. Just call me Remus."

            She nodded, looking back up at him.

            "What do you think will happen now?" Hermione asked, changing the subject.

            He shook his head. "I don't know. She's wanted for a long list of crimes. At the very least, she'll get life in Azkaban."

            "But she cured a werewolf. No one's been able to do that since Merlin's time. That must count for something."

            "We can only hope. Unfortunately, there's very little evidence in her favor, and a great deal against her."

            Hermione was thoughtful for a moment.

            "There's more," he spoke into the silence.

            "What?"

            "She was keeping a secret from me when we were together."

            "That she was a Death Eater."

            "No. It was more than that. I had seen the Mark on her a number of times despite her efforts to hide it. There was something else she was afraid to tell me."

            "Do you know what it was?"

            "Not for certain, but I think that she was bound to Voldemort in a way that none of his other servants were."

            "Bound how?"

            "I suspect by blood."

            Her eyes widened in understanding.

            "Hermione? Professor Lupin?" Harry interrupted from a few feet away.

            "What is it, Harry?" Remus answered.

            "I just heard that she's awake. She's being interrogated by the Minister of Magic."

            "Thank you, Harry." He turned to Hermione. "We should be there."

            She nodded in response and followed him down the corridor.

            Celeste woke in a place she didn't know. Cautiously, she opened her eyes. Mina was sitting on her chest, the house-elf's worried face only inches from her own. "Mistress! You're awake!"

            "Where am I?"

            "You're at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies." Celeste looked to see who had spoken as Mina climbed off the bed. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. Beside him was Professor Dumbledore and a young wizard with a quill and pad of parchment. A journalist, she thought.

            "Why am I here?"

            Dumbledore answered. "We thought it best under the circumstances."

            He was being cryptic. That usually meant that something big was about to happen. She took a quick glance around the room. It was a public ward, but most of the beds were empty. There were no other familiar faces. "Where's Remus? Hermione?"

            "They're both fine," Dumbledore answered reassuringly.

            "I wanted to ask you a few questions before we let you see them," Fudge said officiously.

            So this was it. One final interrogation and then off to Azkaban prison. She sighed deeply. "Ask your questions."

            Dumbledore took out his wand and created a shield over them for privacy, then he stepped back while Fudge took over.

            "Now. Let's start with the easy questions, shall we," he said mostly to himself. "Where have you been these last seventeen years?"

            "Well, for the last four years I was at Hogwart's disguised as a cat. Prior to that, I spent seven years living as a Muggle in America."

            "And before that?"

            "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Mr. Fudge."

            "Indulge me, Ms. Stargazer. Where were you?"

            She looked into his eyes for a moment, then at Dumbledore and back again. "In Avalon."

            Dumbledore looked genuinely surprised, something she hadn't thought possible. Fudge simply goggled at her.

            "Avalon? But Avalon is only a myth."

            She shook her head. "No, it isn't."

            "Avalon is real, Cornelius," Dumbledore interjected. "Although, it was my understanding that only the old Masters could go there."

            "Or those they believe have potential," Celeste replied.

            "The Masters taught you their secrets?" Fudge asked, still sounding stunned.

            "Yes."

            He was thoughtful for a moment. "Professor Dumbledore tells me he witnessed you cure a werewolf."

            She nodded.

            "How?"

            "One of the secrets I learned on Avalon. It's impossible to explain unless you've been trained."

            "Have you done it before?"

            "Only once."

            "When you infiltrated Hogwart's, you chose to attach yourself to Hermione Granger. Why?"

            "She's my daughter."

            Dumbledore was thrown off again. He didn't suspect any of this?

            "Your daughter?! Why did you leave her with Muggles?"

            "Avalon is not a place for children. My Master didn't want my attention divided. I asked my house-elf to find a good family for her. I wanted a Muggle family in the hope that Voldemort wouldn't find her.

            Fudge seemed to run out of things to say. At that moment, Remus and Hermione burst through the door. Dumbledore let them inside the shield. "We're not finished with her yet. Wait outside," Fudge ordered.

            "What she has to say concerns the both of us," Remus said. "We have a right to be here."

            What could Fudge do but agree? They conjured chairs on either side of her bed.

            "Now that that's settled," Fudge began again. "Let us continue. Why did you serve V… You Know Who? Were you coerced?

            "No. I served him willingly and eagerly."

            "But why?"

            Celeste looked at Remus. He took her hand, looking as though he was trying to be ready for anything. He knows, she realized. She gave his hand a squeeze and turned to Hermione. She was biting her lip nervously. Celeste sighed in resignation and returned her gaze to Fudge. "He's my father."

            Celeste heard loud gasps from everyone but Remus and Hermione. Even the young reporter stopped writing to stare at her. Remus held her hand even more tightly. A look at his face told her that her hunch was correct and that he had figured out her secret. A quick glance at Hermione told her that he had shared his revelation with his new-found daughter. Celeste's gaze fell of Dumbledore. He was dumbfounded once more. "Have you any more surprises for us, Ms. Stargazer?" he asked.

            "No, Professor. I think that's it."

            Fudge was still too stunned to continue.

            Dumbledore took over. "Why don't you tell us why you left when you did?"

            "The story starts the year before. My father ordered me to seduce Sirius Black in order to spy on all of you who stood up to him."

            "He knew of the Order of the Phoenix even then?"

            She nodded. "Yes, he did. As it happened, Sirius wasn't interested in me, no matter what I tried. So, rather than return in failure, I turned my attention to Remus."

            Fudge had finally recovered his voice. "So you thought his…condition…would make him easier to win over?"

            "Yes, sir. But the joke was on me, for I genuinely fell in love with him. After a time, we went away together. We returned just in time for the full moon. Remus went to hide in safety. When I got back to my house, Sirius was waiting for me. Remus hadn't told anyone we that were leaving, and his friends were worried. Sirius and I got into an argument. He accidentally tore my sleeve and saw the Dark Mark on my arm. In order to keep him from killing me on the spot, I agreed to leave that night. He left. I had Mina pack my bags while I wrote a goodbye to Remus, and we fled." She turned to Remus. "It was several weeks later that I learned I was pregnant." Celeste had feared her confession would drive him away, but his hand remained firmly clamped onto hers.

            Fudge was silent for a moment, giving the reporter a chance to finish writing. "Celeste Stargazer," he began formally. "You are accused of heinous crimes."

            "I am aware of the charges, Minister, and I will plead guilty to all of them."

            He put up a hand to silence her. "Please, let me finish. You committed a great many crimes in your youth. However, it is clear to me that you have genuinely changed for the better. In light of the new evidence presented here tonight, I feel that it is my duty to offer you, Ms. Stargazer, a full pardon."

            Celeste was stunned. A pardon! It was the last thing she expected from the Ministry. Remus kissed her and Hermione hugged her.

            Fudge called for order. "There is a condition," he said when the din subsided. "Last year, Sirius Black was lost inside a magical device inside the Ministry of Magic."

            "Yes, I know. Is my freedom dependent upon getting him out?"

            "No. Only that you try. With the knowledge of the old Masters, you stand the greatest chance of succeeding."

            "Then I accept. I will need every scrap of information you have on the device and ample time to study it."

            "Agreed. I'll have it sent to you by the end of the week." With that, Fudge left, taking the reporter with him. Celeste sighed with relief. Ever since the incident, she had been trying to figure a way to get Black out of that cursed box, but, without their research, she was unable to do so.

            "Well," Dumbledore said after Fudge was gone. "That certainly was interesting." He conjured a chair and sat next to Remus. "I have an offer for you as well. Hogwart's is still without a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I'm offering it to the both of you, Remus, Celeste. Remus has already proven himself to be a superior teacher, and now that he's not a werewolf anymore, no one can object. Celeste, now that you have proven to the world that you have reformed, you would be an ideal choice to teach the advanced students. Besides, with two teachers instead of one, I might actually be able to keep a Defense teacher for more than one year."

            "Teach? Me?" She looked at Remus and then at Hermione. How could she refuse?