A/N: Thank you to the reviews. Responding to a couple of them, the
chapters are flooded with flashbacks of Michelle's childhood, giving you
the pleasure of getting to know her past a little bit better. I have yet
to master the fine art of italicizing documents on fanfiction, so in the
mean time, I usually just come out and say something like "a fifteen year
old Michelle yadda yadda yadda." Just remember that Michelle isn't going
to do anything magical, not yet at least, she's lived as a Muggle for the
past fifteen years, and is most reluctant to go home. Secondly, I promise
you that by the end Michelle and Harry are going to have this love hate
relationship, and if I do my job correctly, you the readers are going to be
absolutely hating Michelle by the end, she is a coward, but the worst has
yet to be documented. Of course, she is strong, and when she feels she is
needed, or is threatened, that she is going to react with enormous force
and strength.
Harry Potter has returned to Hogwarts with his friends. But things have changed for him since his God Father's death last year, and he is beginning to feel the repercussions. Slowly Harry fights internal conflicts, and Ron and Hermione begin to worry about him. Then one day when Harry disappears in the middle of the night, is he just following in the footsteps of his aunt, or is there foul play afoot?
Between The Heavens, a Trial of Faith: Chapter 8, Journey Home
********************
Shadow galloped slowly along the country banks, it had been several weeks since Michelle's departure from the American soil, now only English terrain branched out before her. If she remembered correctly, tomorrow would be the day that the students returned to Hogwarts.
She stood outside the cabin, unsure of why she was nervous, but she was. Remus Lupin was expecting her, it was not as if she were knocking on his doorstep catching him completely off guard.
Her heart thumped loudly, and slowly she drew her breath and knocked on the door with her clammy hands. Human confrontation was a rare occurrence with Michelle, but it had never been nerve racking for her, she had never been shy.
"Remus," she said smiling.
He looked older, but not by age. Remus had always appeared to be slightly more strained than the rest of the gang, but Michelle figured that bigotry had finally caught up to him in his adult years.
"Michelle Potter," Remus said, smiling, "Do come in." He held the door open for her wider, and she stepped inside.
"How've you been?" She asked slowly, small talk had not come easy to Michelle, as she had never talked to someone unless she had something to say.
"Not bad myself, I heard from Professor Dumbledore that you are taking up the position of the Defense teacher."
The nervousness that had embedded itself into Michelle seemed to let go of her the moment she stepped into the house. As though she felt some familiar force, standing with her, whispering in her ear that it would be all right.
"Indeed I am, a strict favor, I never imagined myself choosing a career where I would have to spend time with more miniature adults," she said, looking around. Moving portraits and papers scattered across the floor.
"Michelle, before I forget, there's a couple of things here," he paused, and looked at her, as if wanting to read her expression further.
"Oh?" She asked.
"Well, first of all, an odd thing happened a few weeks ago, an owl flew through my window, magnificent creature really, she was very persistent."
"And is that an unusual quality for an owl, Remus? Because dare I say that my own owl is quite persistent."
"Yes, so I found out, Michelle, it was your owl, she's in the other room, her wing looked as though it had been damaged, mended then damaged again, foxes I am assuming."
"Tawny's been here this entire time? Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I was beginning to think that she'd just gone off and died on me," Michelle said, standing up, straining to see her.
"I'll get her, Michelle, what was that owl doing with your old engagement ring?"
Remus said, heading towards the other room. Yes, Michelle thought, now that I think about it, I do hear her; I did sense her when I first came in.
"Proof," Michelle hollered to him, "one does not simply just come back from the dead and trust that everyone will remember them and trust they are who they say. The engagement ring is one of a kind, and I knew that Dumbledore would recognize it as my own."
Remus walked back in with a happy Tawny flying to and fro, she clumsily found her way to Michelle's shoulder, and perched herself there restlessly. As she did this, Remus dropped the small ring into Michelle's outstretched hand; she the heavy metal cut felt warm and inviting. Michelle patted the space between her eyes slowly, and Tawny felt all this pain wash over her with the strength of a dozen lions.
Master is anxious, uncertain of her decision. She does not realize it, but she is afraid that if she meets Harry, she will not be able to let him go. She has promised herself not to give the boy her true identity for this exact reason, but it still makes her sad, for she knows that Harry is not James. How complicated these humans are, they think of their future, both near and distant, and they regret their past at the same time. And as the tides change, so does my master, and she doesn't even realize it.
If I could speak human, I would tell you everything I know about you that you have yet to realize about yourself.
It was amazing the things Tawny sensed about the people around her simply through the touch of their flesh. All their emotions would unravel at her feet, it had always been like that for Tawny, but having asked other owls and small mammals about this, they all told her the same thing: "it is rare for owls or rodents to sense the human complexity." Though, Tawny didn't feel as though it was rare at all, on the contrary, she felt that her loyalty to Michelle had sparked this, and it had grown as her love for her master grew.
"Now Michelle," Remus said, ushering her to take a seat, "you know that I taught that class three years ago?"
"I do now," she said, continuously scratching Tawny.
"Well, for the most part I think that they're up to speed, but Michelle, do me a favor, try and keep Harry challenged, he's got a real talent for the class, you know," he said, tapping his fingers against his knees in a way that gave Michelle the impression that he must be tone-deaf.
"Yes, it would make sense, considering his past and everything, I suppose, I'll try and keep them all challenged, Remus, and Harry will probably have a tougher time than the others, because we have all learnt to expect it, haven't we?"
"I suppose we have, but just get him prepared," Remus said, the tapping had stopped now, replaced with an urgent pleading in his voice.
"Remus, my old friend, I promise you, on my brother's grave, I will make sure his son can kill a dozen Death Eaters with one hand behind his back by the time he reaches seventeen."
"And that's all I ask," he said beaming.
"You're tired Remus," Michelle commented, "age, it appears has finally caught up to the last Marauder."
"Michelle," he said slowly, disregarding the previous comment, "how exactly do you plan to explain to Harry your whereabouts for the last fifteen years of his life?"
"I don't suppose that telling you that I was hoping you'd break it to him is a very effective answer, Remus?"
"Not in the slightest, he'll be mad, Michelle, he doesn't know you like we do, he won't understand what happened."
"I know, he's a Potter for heaven's sake, of course he won't understand, but I must have faith in the greater good, Remus, dear, they have not led me astray thus far," daring a side glance out of the corner of her eye, Michelle saw Shadow bucking a rearing through the window. "Now if you'll excuse me, I really must go, you see Shadow? He senses something that is making him anxious. Thank you for the tea, Mr. Remus Lupin, we shall touch base, and perhaps some drinks in Hogsmaede will be suiting, eh?"
"Goodbye Michelle, send me an owl once you have settled into your office, and we will most certainly arrange some form of meeting."
Michelle got up to go, and Remus knew better than to see her to the door. She was not a person who you said good bye to while standing awkwardly, instead, Remus knew that she was a writer, and her time was better spent doing things for herself.
When he heard the familiar click of his door, and heard the clucking of a horse's hooves riding off into a distance, Remus walked briskly across the den where they had been sitting, and up to the kitchen table. Then was ink and a quill already there, the parchment appeared magically beside it as he sat down.
Michelle was back, and Remus knew that this was going to mean trouble in one form or another. Molly Weasley was the first person that he could think of who really was like Harry's mother. She had probably heard of James's little sister, killing herself not even six hours after James's died, she had to know, and she had to be on guard for something that he knew Michelle was capable of.
I'm not tired, Michelle, he thought, just prepared, as always, just cautious.
********************
A/N: Wow, Remus is getting crafty, who woulda thunk it? And yes, I am supposed to be in advanced English with that grammar. Anyways, I'm rather enjoying this choppy chapter action I have going on here, I want to try and smooth it out, but really....
Harry Potter has returned to Hogwarts with his friends. But things have changed for him since his God Father's death last year, and he is beginning to feel the repercussions. Slowly Harry fights internal conflicts, and Ron and Hermione begin to worry about him. Then one day when Harry disappears in the middle of the night, is he just following in the footsteps of his aunt, or is there foul play afoot?
Between The Heavens, a Trial of Faith: Chapter 8, Journey Home
********************
Shadow galloped slowly along the country banks, it had been several weeks since Michelle's departure from the American soil, now only English terrain branched out before her. If she remembered correctly, tomorrow would be the day that the students returned to Hogwarts.
She stood outside the cabin, unsure of why she was nervous, but she was. Remus Lupin was expecting her, it was not as if she were knocking on his doorstep catching him completely off guard.
Her heart thumped loudly, and slowly she drew her breath and knocked on the door with her clammy hands. Human confrontation was a rare occurrence with Michelle, but it had never been nerve racking for her, she had never been shy.
"Remus," she said smiling.
He looked older, but not by age. Remus had always appeared to be slightly more strained than the rest of the gang, but Michelle figured that bigotry had finally caught up to him in his adult years.
"Michelle Potter," Remus said, smiling, "Do come in." He held the door open for her wider, and she stepped inside.
"How've you been?" She asked slowly, small talk had not come easy to Michelle, as she had never talked to someone unless she had something to say.
"Not bad myself, I heard from Professor Dumbledore that you are taking up the position of the Defense teacher."
The nervousness that had embedded itself into Michelle seemed to let go of her the moment she stepped into the house. As though she felt some familiar force, standing with her, whispering in her ear that it would be all right.
"Indeed I am, a strict favor, I never imagined myself choosing a career where I would have to spend time with more miniature adults," she said, looking around. Moving portraits and papers scattered across the floor.
"Michelle, before I forget, there's a couple of things here," he paused, and looked at her, as if wanting to read her expression further.
"Oh?" She asked.
"Well, first of all, an odd thing happened a few weeks ago, an owl flew through my window, magnificent creature really, she was very persistent."
"And is that an unusual quality for an owl, Remus? Because dare I say that my own owl is quite persistent."
"Yes, so I found out, Michelle, it was your owl, she's in the other room, her wing looked as though it had been damaged, mended then damaged again, foxes I am assuming."
"Tawny's been here this entire time? Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I was beginning to think that she'd just gone off and died on me," Michelle said, standing up, straining to see her.
"I'll get her, Michelle, what was that owl doing with your old engagement ring?"
Remus said, heading towards the other room. Yes, Michelle thought, now that I think about it, I do hear her; I did sense her when I first came in.
"Proof," Michelle hollered to him, "one does not simply just come back from the dead and trust that everyone will remember them and trust they are who they say. The engagement ring is one of a kind, and I knew that Dumbledore would recognize it as my own."
Remus walked back in with a happy Tawny flying to and fro, she clumsily found her way to Michelle's shoulder, and perched herself there restlessly. As she did this, Remus dropped the small ring into Michelle's outstretched hand; she the heavy metal cut felt warm and inviting. Michelle patted the space between her eyes slowly, and Tawny felt all this pain wash over her with the strength of a dozen lions.
Master is anxious, uncertain of her decision. She does not realize it, but she is afraid that if she meets Harry, she will not be able to let him go. She has promised herself not to give the boy her true identity for this exact reason, but it still makes her sad, for she knows that Harry is not James. How complicated these humans are, they think of their future, both near and distant, and they regret their past at the same time. And as the tides change, so does my master, and she doesn't even realize it.
If I could speak human, I would tell you everything I know about you that you have yet to realize about yourself.
It was amazing the things Tawny sensed about the people around her simply through the touch of their flesh. All their emotions would unravel at her feet, it had always been like that for Tawny, but having asked other owls and small mammals about this, they all told her the same thing: "it is rare for owls or rodents to sense the human complexity." Though, Tawny didn't feel as though it was rare at all, on the contrary, she felt that her loyalty to Michelle had sparked this, and it had grown as her love for her master grew.
"Now Michelle," Remus said, ushering her to take a seat, "you know that I taught that class three years ago?"
"I do now," she said, continuously scratching Tawny.
"Well, for the most part I think that they're up to speed, but Michelle, do me a favor, try and keep Harry challenged, he's got a real talent for the class, you know," he said, tapping his fingers against his knees in a way that gave Michelle the impression that he must be tone-deaf.
"Yes, it would make sense, considering his past and everything, I suppose, I'll try and keep them all challenged, Remus, and Harry will probably have a tougher time than the others, because we have all learnt to expect it, haven't we?"
"I suppose we have, but just get him prepared," Remus said, the tapping had stopped now, replaced with an urgent pleading in his voice.
"Remus, my old friend, I promise you, on my brother's grave, I will make sure his son can kill a dozen Death Eaters with one hand behind his back by the time he reaches seventeen."
"And that's all I ask," he said beaming.
"You're tired Remus," Michelle commented, "age, it appears has finally caught up to the last Marauder."
"Michelle," he said slowly, disregarding the previous comment, "how exactly do you plan to explain to Harry your whereabouts for the last fifteen years of his life?"
"I don't suppose that telling you that I was hoping you'd break it to him is a very effective answer, Remus?"
"Not in the slightest, he'll be mad, Michelle, he doesn't know you like we do, he won't understand what happened."
"I know, he's a Potter for heaven's sake, of course he won't understand, but I must have faith in the greater good, Remus, dear, they have not led me astray thus far," daring a side glance out of the corner of her eye, Michelle saw Shadow bucking a rearing through the window. "Now if you'll excuse me, I really must go, you see Shadow? He senses something that is making him anxious. Thank you for the tea, Mr. Remus Lupin, we shall touch base, and perhaps some drinks in Hogsmaede will be suiting, eh?"
"Goodbye Michelle, send me an owl once you have settled into your office, and we will most certainly arrange some form of meeting."
Michelle got up to go, and Remus knew better than to see her to the door. She was not a person who you said good bye to while standing awkwardly, instead, Remus knew that she was a writer, and her time was better spent doing things for herself.
When he heard the familiar click of his door, and heard the clucking of a horse's hooves riding off into a distance, Remus walked briskly across the den where they had been sitting, and up to the kitchen table. Then was ink and a quill already there, the parchment appeared magically beside it as he sat down.
Michelle was back, and Remus knew that this was going to mean trouble in one form or another. Molly Weasley was the first person that he could think of who really was like Harry's mother. She had probably heard of James's little sister, killing herself not even six hours after James's died, she had to know, and she had to be on guard for something that he knew Michelle was capable of.
I'm not tired, Michelle, he thought, just prepared, as always, just cautious.
********************
A/N: Wow, Remus is getting crafty, who woulda thunk it? And yes, I am supposed to be in advanced English with that grammar. Anyways, I'm rather enjoying this choppy chapter action I have going on here, I want to try and smooth it out, but really....