Chapter Two

"Jaggers?" Selene felt her voice shake, that one word stumbling over her tongue and falling flat on the floor.

"Ol' Camel says if you do not come now, kemeo, she'll feed you to the wolves," Jaggers sighed as he came into sight. Selene didn't answer. He came up the short steps that led to Madam Maguchi's caravan door, and gently took Selene's hand, helping her down the steps. There was a strange silence. It was very rare that either of them would not find words to say to one another, they had been friends since childhood. Jaggers seemed distracted and nervous about something.

"Lately you have seemed...so sad, kemeo," He said quietly, walking with her back to the camp fire. Jaggers stopped and looked at her, still holding her hand. Selene stared back at him slightly confused. He had an indescribable look on his face that she had never seen before. Why was he acting so differently? She watched him silently. It looked like he was eager to ask a question.

"You're acting strange," Selene accidentally blurted out, chuckling and pulling her hand away, still studying Jaggers' complicated face.

"Am I?" His cheeks blushed as he tried to laugh, rubbing his upper arm. The quietness of the slow sunset sunk in. They had never had an awkward moment like this before.

"What I mean to say is-," Jaggers paused, then it seemed his courage failed him as he finished with a sigh, "Cheer up, kemeo.... It's no fun when you're not yourself." He forced a smile and touched the tip of her nose.

"You should visit more, Uncle Richard," Selene said as they sat together by the fire after dinner. "Everyone always misses you."

"Well, yes...it is very nice to be back..." He sighed, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I wish my stay could be longer..."

"How long will you stay?"

"I'll try for a week," He looked up at the darkening sky, which was growing very cloudy and gray. "We better get more firewood, before it rains."

Richard stood, and Selene followed him into the forest. They walked along in silence, until they came upon a large fallen tree, it having given in long before autumn was over. Not even trying to fight the battle of winter, not even holding on to see the beauty of a new year, the beauty of spring. Had it known the battle would end, as all things do, would it have bothered to lift once more, it's leafy elegance, feel the sun on it's bark, and shimmer with that very essence, that is life, that is survival? But now, Selene saw with heartrending tenderness, the first flakes of snow, fallen on it's forever lost magnificence. Without even the dignity its glorious existence merited... and merits still. No, now it is the business of carpenters, paper mills, and perhaps the odd unsettled Selene; who saw it not as a dead thing to be used, but rather, a remembrance to be cherished. They stood for a minute, staring at it, almost as if it was a moment of honorary silence. Richard walked up to it, placed a hand on its trunk and exhaled deeply. After a moment, not wanting to disturb the defeated tree's eternal rest, He walked back and took a left. Selene followed, not without looking back.

"Why do you have to leave?" She asked, looking up at the cloudy dark sky.

"Albus Dumbledore requests my aid," Richard sighed, stepping over a large log, and putting out a hand to help Selene. "A task that is extremely important."

"Albus Dumbledore?" She asked, almost tripping. The name sounded so familiar.

"He is the headmaster of the human school, Hogwarts."

Now she remembered. "Is he a good wizard?"

"Oh, yes; wise, kind, and noble. Only Merlin out does him, in my own opinion..."

She fell silent, watching the leaves crunch under their feet as they walked. It continued to get darker, but neither of them needed a source of light, for their heightened sight allowed them to see, to an extent, through the blackness of night.

"Is there a problem, Selene?" Richard asked, glancing at her from over his shoulder.

"How do you always know?" Selene sighed, bending and picking up wood that had fallen from the trees.

"You are not yourself," He replied, affectionately patting her light blonde head. Not myself? Selene thought rather angrily. I have to be happy all the time to be "myself?"

"I've been thinking," She said slowly, choosing her words carefully. "You went to Hogwarts for a few years. Was it a good school?"

"Of course," Richard said, nodding. "One of the very best." There was a loud crack as he broke off a branch from a fallen tree.

"Is English hard to speak?"

"I don't believe so," He said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "But, your grandfather taught it to me when I was very young. It's not as difficult as Elven. Why do you ask?"

"My..." Selene hesitated and bit her lip. "My mother is making me go to Hogwarts." And then what she had wanted to say all day spilled out, some of the words sounding as if they were dragging their feet.

"Have you talked to your father about this?" Richard asked, sitting down on the log he had been pulling branches off of and inviting Selene to sit next to him.

"No," She said, sitting down and lowering her voice. "I love Father, but-you-you know how he is...he doesn't like to hear about problems..."

Richard nodded before she even finished.

"Did your mother tell you how long she wanted you to stay?"

"I don't remember," She sobbed, soft tears falling from her eyes. She waved her hand elegantly and her mother's letter appeared in her hand. Her uncle took it and read it carefully.

"I see," He said softly. Richard put a strong hand on her shoulder. Selene wished he would embrace her; she needed the comfort. But, that was not the way Uncle Richard was; she knew that.

"I don't want to go..." She whispered, putting her head on his shoulder. Richard was silent for sometime. Eventually, he put his hands on her cheeks and lifted her tear-stained face so he could see her eyes.

"Sometimes," He started, "Life throws unexpected turns into what looks like a straight path. These steep slants, these abrupt turns in the path, whether leading out to be a best time or worst time, always have their own invaluable lesson for those who travel to their end." Selene stared at him.

"That's beautiful," She whispered, feeling slightly embarrassed at her crying. Uncle Richard never seemed to need to express emotion with tears, he usually found a way with words or looks. Selene wasn't that way at all.

Her feelings seemed to surface no matter what she did.

"I believe, that by going to a human school," Uncle Richard continued, "You could learn many things, and teach many things. You may find that humans are not as obnoxious as they can sometimes be." He chuckled and Selene giggled a little.

"I'd be away from everyone, though..." She said, scratching her neck worriedly.

"Maybe being away from everyone will help you spread your own wings."

"I'd stay in the same place..."

"It would give you time to smell the flowers," Richard said, smiling now. "Instead of picking out the negatives, concentrate on the positives. It makes a decision much easier...."

"Your too much of an optimist, Uncle Richard...do you really think I should go?" Selene asked, feeling a slight protest burning in her chest.

"Yes, I do. And, if you hate it..." Her uncle stood and brushed himself off. "We'll say your father was kidnapped by gnomes and they will not return him until they see your beautiful face." She laughed. Richard bent over and picked up the large pile of firewood he had collected.

"I believe," He said as they made their way back to camp. "A good friend of mine teaches at Hogwarts...."

"Really?" Selene asked.

"He's always been a very good teacher, even when he himself was a student."

"What's his name?" She asked, almost tripping over the same log that she had before.

"Remus Lupin, he teaches Defense Against The Dark Arts, at least, the last time I spoke with him he did," Her uncle said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Selene asked, curious. "Why wouldn't he teach there any more?"

"Some say the job is cursed," Richard said. "All the teachers who apply for it only last, at the most, one year." He laughed. "Maybe some of the teacher's believe he is the curse..."

"Huh?" Selene asked, giggling although she did not understand the joke.

"Well," Richard sighed. "Remus has trouble finding work."

"Why?"

"He was bitten by a werewolf when he was very young..." Selene stopped in her tracks.

"Beware the wolf in man's clothes."

"Remus is a very kind man and does all he can to prevent hurting anyone." Uncle Richard said, getting a firm edge in his voice as he stopped and looked back at his niece. Selene nodded, though she still suffered from a slightly nauseous feeling. She never felt fear or hatred toward someone just because of their lycanthropy, but the warning from Madam Maguchi.... She wasn't very sure about this 'Remus Lupin'.

"Maguchi might have seen a different werewolf...Remus Lupin might be alright..." Selene thought hopefully. She didn't like having to be suspicious of people....