Chapter 7: Moony Returns
"So what about this bit of news you three had for me yesterday?" asked Harry as they walked down to double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs the next morning. "Oh, that!" said Hermione, "Ron I thought you were going to tell him!" "I forgot," said Ron, "I had to take care of some business first," he added, looking at Dean Thomas, who was walking along further ahead with Seamus and Neville. "Anyway, what is it?" asked Harry. "Well Harry, yesterday we were in the prefects compartment when we saw Malfoy, and we overheard him talking to Crabbe and Goyle about 'Dad breaking out soon,' or something like that." Harry stopped abruptly, "You heard that from Malfoy?" Ron nodded, "Yeh, but as soon as he noticed us he shut up. Wish we'd had some Veritaserum to get it out of him, the stupid git."
Harry reflected on this for a minute as they continued down to the greenhouses; he'd need to Owl Lupin over lunch to make sure he knew about it. And with the thought of Lupin, something else struck him, "Did either of you hear Dumbledore announce a new Dark Arts teacher last night?" Ron and Hermione both shook their heads, "Come to think of it, no," said Hermione. "Then who will be our teacher?" asked Harry.
They discovered that answer the following afternoon when through the door walked none other than Professor R.J. Lupin. The class immediately stood and whooped and hollered, applause shattering the silence. Lupin grinned and gestured for them all to sit, although it took a few minutes for the applause to die down. "Yes, thank you, I appreciate it. Mr. Finnigan, please take your seat. You too, Mr. Thomas." He straightened a few items on the desk compulsively, then looked up, "I'm sure a few of you are wondering how I got this job again after somebody had the will to let slip that I'm a werewolf. Well the Headmaster saw me a fit Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and as a few of you know from your parents, he issued a vote of confidence to all the parents. They overwhelmingly voted for Dumbledore, and in turn signed a form to let me teach here. Luckily, I have three fourths the majority of parents here on my side."
A few people muttered the word, "Slytherins," under their breaths. Malfoy's mother Narcissa had probably attempted to intimidate as many people as possible into not signing the vote of confidence since her husband was currently in Azkaban. Obviously, not enough. Harry was so happy throughout his entire lesson that he barely noticed when he was bitten by a grindylow, although he certainly noticed it later. "I can't believe it!" said Harry, as soon as the lesson was out, "I'm so glad you're here sir!" he said to Lupin. Lupin smiled, "I'm glad to be here Harry. But you know I'm here not just to teach." Harry nodded, "I know."
A few minutes later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed to dinner, discussing the re-appointment of Lupin. "Finally! Back to having a real Defense teacher again!" said someone walking by them.
The three of them grinned.
Now Harry had no need to Owl an Order member with the arrival of Lupin, although he felt a vague sense of guilt at having ignored Snape yet again as he had last year. 'A member of the Order is a member of the Order,' he tried to tell himself, though not to much avail, 'regardless if it means telling Snape or not.' That Saturday Harry approached Lupin, who was in his office, "Professor?" he asked, knocking on the open door. "Come in Harry, please," said Lupin, gesturing to a seat. "Thank you sir," he said, closing the door behind him. "Ah, I have something to tell you," he said as he sat down. "What's that Harry?" asked Lupin. He told him what Hermione and Ron had said about Malfoy's comment. Lupin sat back for a moment, "Interesting. With the dementors gone from Azkaban I have no doubt that it's possible for Malfoy and his cronies to do it."
He sat in deep thought for a moment, then said, "Thank you Harry. I'll relay this to Dumbledore and see what he thinks on the matter." Harry nodded, "Just thought someone should know. I was going to Owl you but then...well...now you're here!" Lupin smiled, "I'd much rather be here than Grimmauld Place, believe me. But Harry, don't forget that there's another member of the Order here too. Don't wait to Owl the Order even if you'd much rather talk to one of us than Professor Snape." Harry nodded guiltily, "I know, it's just that Snape is so..." "Professor Snape, Harry," corrected Lupin. "Professor Snape hates me," Harry finished off, correcting himself.
Lupin shrugged, "If that's how you want to look at it." "What do you mean if that's how I want to look at it? That's how it is!" said Harry indignantly. Lupin shook his head, "He doesn't hate you Harry. He just resents what James did for him." Harry suddenly felt a pang of guilt remembering what he had seen in Snape's Pensieve last year; the way his father had tortured him...it was horrible. But at least his mother had shown some kindness... "I have to go," said Harry, "I'll see you at next lesson." "Harry..." said Lupin, as he was leaving, "...don't...ah, don't forget to be thinking about what animal you are going to choose for your Animagus form." It didn't look like that was what he had intended to say at all, but Harry wouldn't argue the point, "Yes sir."
"So what about this bit of news you three had for me yesterday?" asked Harry as they walked down to double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs the next morning. "Oh, that!" said Hermione, "Ron I thought you were going to tell him!" "I forgot," said Ron, "I had to take care of some business first," he added, looking at Dean Thomas, who was walking along further ahead with Seamus and Neville. "Anyway, what is it?" asked Harry. "Well Harry, yesterday we were in the prefects compartment when we saw Malfoy, and we overheard him talking to Crabbe and Goyle about 'Dad breaking out soon,' or something like that." Harry stopped abruptly, "You heard that from Malfoy?" Ron nodded, "Yeh, but as soon as he noticed us he shut up. Wish we'd had some Veritaserum to get it out of him, the stupid git."
Harry reflected on this for a minute as they continued down to the greenhouses; he'd need to Owl Lupin over lunch to make sure he knew about it. And with the thought of Lupin, something else struck him, "Did either of you hear Dumbledore announce a new Dark Arts teacher last night?" Ron and Hermione both shook their heads, "Come to think of it, no," said Hermione. "Then who will be our teacher?" asked Harry.
They discovered that answer the following afternoon when through the door walked none other than Professor R.J. Lupin. The class immediately stood and whooped and hollered, applause shattering the silence. Lupin grinned and gestured for them all to sit, although it took a few minutes for the applause to die down. "Yes, thank you, I appreciate it. Mr. Finnigan, please take your seat. You too, Mr. Thomas." He straightened a few items on the desk compulsively, then looked up, "I'm sure a few of you are wondering how I got this job again after somebody had the will to let slip that I'm a werewolf. Well the Headmaster saw me a fit Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and as a few of you know from your parents, he issued a vote of confidence to all the parents. They overwhelmingly voted for Dumbledore, and in turn signed a form to let me teach here. Luckily, I have three fourths the majority of parents here on my side."
A few people muttered the word, "Slytherins," under their breaths. Malfoy's mother Narcissa had probably attempted to intimidate as many people as possible into not signing the vote of confidence since her husband was currently in Azkaban. Obviously, not enough. Harry was so happy throughout his entire lesson that he barely noticed when he was bitten by a grindylow, although he certainly noticed it later. "I can't believe it!" said Harry, as soon as the lesson was out, "I'm so glad you're here sir!" he said to Lupin. Lupin smiled, "I'm glad to be here Harry. But you know I'm here not just to teach." Harry nodded, "I know."
A few minutes later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed to dinner, discussing the re-appointment of Lupin. "Finally! Back to having a real Defense teacher again!" said someone walking by them.
The three of them grinned.
Now Harry had no need to Owl an Order member with the arrival of Lupin, although he felt a vague sense of guilt at having ignored Snape yet again as he had last year. 'A member of the Order is a member of the Order,' he tried to tell himself, though not to much avail, 'regardless if it means telling Snape or not.' That Saturday Harry approached Lupin, who was in his office, "Professor?" he asked, knocking on the open door. "Come in Harry, please," said Lupin, gesturing to a seat. "Thank you sir," he said, closing the door behind him. "Ah, I have something to tell you," he said as he sat down. "What's that Harry?" asked Lupin. He told him what Hermione and Ron had said about Malfoy's comment. Lupin sat back for a moment, "Interesting. With the dementors gone from Azkaban I have no doubt that it's possible for Malfoy and his cronies to do it."
He sat in deep thought for a moment, then said, "Thank you Harry. I'll relay this to Dumbledore and see what he thinks on the matter." Harry nodded, "Just thought someone should know. I was going to Owl you but then...well...now you're here!" Lupin smiled, "I'd much rather be here than Grimmauld Place, believe me. But Harry, don't forget that there's another member of the Order here too. Don't wait to Owl the Order even if you'd much rather talk to one of us than Professor Snape." Harry nodded guiltily, "I know, it's just that Snape is so..." "Professor Snape, Harry," corrected Lupin. "Professor Snape hates me," Harry finished off, correcting himself.
Lupin shrugged, "If that's how you want to look at it." "What do you mean if that's how I want to look at it? That's how it is!" said Harry indignantly. Lupin shook his head, "He doesn't hate you Harry. He just resents what James did for him." Harry suddenly felt a pang of guilt remembering what he had seen in Snape's Pensieve last year; the way his father had tortured him...it was horrible. But at least his mother had shown some kindness... "I have to go," said Harry, "I'll see you at next lesson." "Harry..." said Lupin, as he was leaving, "...don't...ah, don't forget to be thinking about what animal you are going to choose for your Animagus form." It didn't look like that was what he had intended to say at all, but Harry wouldn't argue the point, "Yes sir."