Chapter 4- The truth of professor Potter
The Halloween feast went splendidly. I charmed one of Hagrid's famous giant pumpkins to chase me, as entertainment. As it did I flung hexes at it. I did all sorts of things to it. I turned it green, set it alight, made it bouncy- all things which James and I used to do to each other when we had our mini prank wars. The students seemed entertained anyhow. I know I was.
After that we enjoyed the feast. The food was wondrous, the type you could only find at Hogwarts. I discreetly watched my nephew. He was laughing with Ron Weasly. By now I realised they were best friends. Minerva told me how they were always there for each other as well as Hermione Granger (Who at this point was looking a little disgruntled.) Ron's red haired sister- Ginny, came over to sit with them as well a blonde haired girl- Abigail, who whom was a year younger like Ginny. Shortly Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas joined the conversation. Just seeing little round faced Neville looking so much like his mother, it reminded me of the Longbottoms and their fate. I am often called to the Hospital; St Mungo's to do the patients of the magical maladies ward's hair. They are there on a long-term basis. I see Frank and Alice, mere shells of what they used to be. Kind hearted and generous souls.
"Makes you remember your days at Hogwarts doesn't it... Seeing them I mean." I looked behind me to see the Ravenclaw ghost floating smiling at me.
"An... Andi? Andromeda Black?"
"First off, it was ANDI, but now I am the grey lady. Ravenclaw house's ghost. I came here after I died." I opened my mouth to talk, but she continued knowing what my questions would be. "I came here because I wanted children and never got to have them. Here I have thousands of them to look after. And yes. Sirius did know I was here. I told him just before it all started. And... And I spoke to him, Harry's fourth year. Just before he moved on. Anyway, Don't they remind you of our younger years? Sirius and I fighting, Lily and James all shy of each other."
"Do you think Harry like's the red head?" I asked amused.
"Ow yes, look at the way he keeps glancing sideways at her. I've been here too many years not to know when a romance is blossoming." I smiled at her.
"Yes like father like son." we laughed. Then Andi suddenly got serious.
"Look." She pointed at Harry and Ginny talking closely then quickly moving apart when they realised their proximity. "There even like you and Remus, In denial." My mouth flew open at her. That happened after she had died.
"Yes I know about you. I still think you would make a lovely couple. You've never been happier with anyone else."
"How do you know all this?" I asked.
"Well I never let my presence known but I do occasionally check up on you guys. Remus still has a picture of you on his bedside table- did you know that?"
"He does?" I asked. She just smiled at me, a glint in her ghostly eyes, like there used to be when we were younger.
"I'd best be off." She said and floated back towards the Gryffindor table. I looked back towards Harry, He was my world. Yet he didn't know it.
That Night I also received an owl. Surprisingly it was from Remus. Yet tonight it wasn't just one checking up on me. Tonight it was different. It read;
Dear Claire,
I wish I were there at Hogwarts with you. I would love to witness your reunion with Harry. He is a great boy, James and Lily would be proud.
This is incredibly hard for me to write. I have several screwed up pieces of parchment already. But I just can't hold it in any longer. I just wish I were gazing in your eyes. I know it's unfair of me to say, but I've been holding it in so long now. I just can't help it. I regret our break up, I haven't been happy since. I miss you so much Claire. Your warm touch, your passion for life, your dazzling smile. I will stop now and send this to you before I bottle out.
Yours undeniably, Remus. J. Lupin.
I looked at it, tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe it. He still felt that way after all this time. It seemed inevitable that we were two people brought together by our friends and would not be happy unless in that scenario again. How I longed for him. But my mind told me no.
Whenever I went on dates, I had always felt uncomfortable and almost guilty- I believed myself when I told myself that everyone was out to get me for my money or something alike. But buried deep into my heart, I knew that I felt guilty because I was still emotionally attached to Remus. I felt unfaithful. And although we had parted company, I still loved him.
I couldn't bring myself to reply to that owl- I didn't know how. The tatty piece of parchment stayed folded up on my desk, waiting to be read over and over.
The following Tuesday I eagerly waited at my desk. Tonight Harry would be all mine to teach and to tell the truth.
He entered the room and my breath froze in my chest.
"Good evening Mr Potter." I said.
"Professor Potter." He replied with a smile, noting the irony, which was sounded.
"We... well tonight I am going to... to show you, how it is best to block some of the stron...gest curses a death eater is likely to u...use against you." I started nervously.
"Professor, do I make you nervous?" Harry asked me. "Don't be this is no different to any other class." Well it was now or never.
I chose never.
"I will explain something to you in a bit." I procrastinated. "At the moment it is more important that we learn how to do this. Now I understand that we learnt a simple blocking charm the other week, and Professor Moony taught you about the unforgivables, Professor Lupin (That was hard to say) taught you about dark creatures and the patronus. Now Professor Umbridge, professor Lockhart and Professor stoaker weren't the best assigned to teach, but we can get past those years. The headmaster informed me of how advanced you are, and how you are, well lets say targeted by the dark lord more then others. What I want to do, is not so much teach you more- because well lets face it, you were teaching fellow students a couple of years ago." Harry's face was changed from one of sympathy towards me, to one of utter unbelief that the headmaster told me all this. "What I want to do is to help you advance your powers, so you can use them to the max. We want you to the most powerful we can get you if you even stand a chance of beating the dark lord."
"His name is Voldemort." Harry spat. "And what makes you think you can achieve this of me, as I am so incapable of doing it myself?" I was taken aback, obviously my little speech had come out undesirably.
"Harry don't get me wrong, we think you're very capable. I was chosen because I was the one who knew your father better then anyone in the entire world. Even better then both Sirius and Lily."
"You mean you..." He was concentrating very hard.
"Harry please will you go into my office and get the book off my desk?" I asked him.
He obliged, if just to get a little extra time to think.
I followed as he slipped through the door.
I found him standing as still as a statue staring at the big picture of James and myself on the wall. I could see him taking in our appearances, our matching hair, eyes and our identical grins.
"Harry, James is my brother." I choked out letting just one tear fall.
The Halloween feast went splendidly. I charmed one of Hagrid's famous giant pumpkins to chase me, as entertainment. As it did I flung hexes at it. I did all sorts of things to it. I turned it green, set it alight, made it bouncy- all things which James and I used to do to each other when we had our mini prank wars. The students seemed entertained anyhow. I know I was.
After that we enjoyed the feast. The food was wondrous, the type you could only find at Hogwarts. I discreetly watched my nephew. He was laughing with Ron Weasly. By now I realised they were best friends. Minerva told me how they were always there for each other as well as Hermione Granger (Who at this point was looking a little disgruntled.) Ron's red haired sister- Ginny, came over to sit with them as well a blonde haired girl- Abigail, who whom was a year younger like Ginny. Shortly Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas joined the conversation. Just seeing little round faced Neville looking so much like his mother, it reminded me of the Longbottoms and their fate. I am often called to the Hospital; St Mungo's to do the patients of the magical maladies ward's hair. They are there on a long-term basis. I see Frank and Alice, mere shells of what they used to be. Kind hearted and generous souls.
"Makes you remember your days at Hogwarts doesn't it... Seeing them I mean." I looked behind me to see the Ravenclaw ghost floating smiling at me.
"An... Andi? Andromeda Black?"
"First off, it was ANDI, but now I am the grey lady. Ravenclaw house's ghost. I came here after I died." I opened my mouth to talk, but she continued knowing what my questions would be. "I came here because I wanted children and never got to have them. Here I have thousands of them to look after. And yes. Sirius did know I was here. I told him just before it all started. And... And I spoke to him, Harry's fourth year. Just before he moved on. Anyway, Don't they remind you of our younger years? Sirius and I fighting, Lily and James all shy of each other."
"Do you think Harry like's the red head?" I asked amused.
"Ow yes, look at the way he keeps glancing sideways at her. I've been here too many years not to know when a romance is blossoming." I smiled at her.
"Yes like father like son." we laughed. Then Andi suddenly got serious.
"Look." She pointed at Harry and Ginny talking closely then quickly moving apart when they realised their proximity. "There even like you and Remus, In denial." My mouth flew open at her. That happened after she had died.
"Yes I know about you. I still think you would make a lovely couple. You've never been happier with anyone else."
"How do you know all this?" I asked.
"Well I never let my presence known but I do occasionally check up on you guys. Remus still has a picture of you on his bedside table- did you know that?"
"He does?" I asked. She just smiled at me, a glint in her ghostly eyes, like there used to be when we were younger.
"I'd best be off." She said and floated back towards the Gryffindor table. I looked back towards Harry, He was my world. Yet he didn't know it.
That Night I also received an owl. Surprisingly it was from Remus. Yet tonight it wasn't just one checking up on me. Tonight it was different. It read;
Dear Claire,
I wish I were there at Hogwarts with you. I would love to witness your reunion with Harry. He is a great boy, James and Lily would be proud.
This is incredibly hard for me to write. I have several screwed up pieces of parchment already. But I just can't hold it in any longer. I just wish I were gazing in your eyes. I know it's unfair of me to say, but I've been holding it in so long now. I just can't help it. I regret our break up, I haven't been happy since. I miss you so much Claire. Your warm touch, your passion for life, your dazzling smile. I will stop now and send this to you before I bottle out.
Yours undeniably, Remus. J. Lupin.
I looked at it, tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe it. He still felt that way after all this time. It seemed inevitable that we were two people brought together by our friends and would not be happy unless in that scenario again. How I longed for him. But my mind told me no.
Whenever I went on dates, I had always felt uncomfortable and almost guilty- I believed myself when I told myself that everyone was out to get me for my money or something alike. But buried deep into my heart, I knew that I felt guilty because I was still emotionally attached to Remus. I felt unfaithful. And although we had parted company, I still loved him.
I couldn't bring myself to reply to that owl- I didn't know how. The tatty piece of parchment stayed folded up on my desk, waiting to be read over and over.
The following Tuesday I eagerly waited at my desk. Tonight Harry would be all mine to teach and to tell the truth.
He entered the room and my breath froze in my chest.
"Good evening Mr Potter." I said.
"Professor Potter." He replied with a smile, noting the irony, which was sounded.
"We... well tonight I am going to... to show you, how it is best to block some of the stron...gest curses a death eater is likely to u...use against you." I started nervously.
"Professor, do I make you nervous?" Harry asked me. "Don't be this is no different to any other class." Well it was now or never.
I chose never.
"I will explain something to you in a bit." I procrastinated. "At the moment it is more important that we learn how to do this. Now I understand that we learnt a simple blocking charm the other week, and Professor Moony taught you about the unforgivables, Professor Lupin (That was hard to say) taught you about dark creatures and the patronus. Now Professor Umbridge, professor Lockhart and Professor stoaker weren't the best assigned to teach, but we can get past those years. The headmaster informed me of how advanced you are, and how you are, well lets say targeted by the dark lord more then others. What I want to do, is not so much teach you more- because well lets face it, you were teaching fellow students a couple of years ago." Harry's face was changed from one of sympathy towards me, to one of utter unbelief that the headmaster told me all this. "What I want to do is to help you advance your powers, so you can use them to the max. We want you to the most powerful we can get you if you even stand a chance of beating the dark lord."
"His name is Voldemort." Harry spat. "And what makes you think you can achieve this of me, as I am so incapable of doing it myself?" I was taken aback, obviously my little speech had come out undesirably.
"Harry don't get me wrong, we think you're very capable. I was chosen because I was the one who knew your father better then anyone in the entire world. Even better then both Sirius and Lily."
"You mean you..." He was concentrating very hard.
"Harry please will you go into my office and get the book off my desk?" I asked him.
He obliged, if just to get a little extra time to think.
I followed as he slipped through the door.
I found him standing as still as a statue staring at the big picture of James and myself on the wall. I could see him taking in our appearances, our matching hair, eyes and our identical grins.
"Harry, James is my brother." I choked out letting just one tear fall.