Seeing Grey - Part LXIV - Requiem

He had lost track of the time hours ago, and he was too tired to read the great grandfather clock correctly. Dim light peeped through the bottom of the dorm room door, so Remus figured the sun was starting to rise by now.

They had departed to the boy's dorm to avoid being seen for the night. Hours, long hours they spent talking, catching up, but neglecting explanations. True to their nature, no one had meddled and pried for a reason and just welcomed him home all the same.

How very lucky he was. He had been pondering that very though for some time back in the common room, having retreated once everyone fell asleep.



He looked up and saw a very stressed professor McGonnagal standing before him, though in an entirely wrong dimension.

Remus rolled over so he wasn't staring at her upside down on the couch.

I believe you have some examinations and paperwork to complete before we can allow you to graduate. she said quickly, her lips stiff. She was clearly not pleased with his conduct, though fighting a smile of relief to see him returned in one piece.

Exams. How many days of class had he missed in total? There was no way he could take his exams now, and so soon before...

Graduation is to commence in thirteen hours. There is much to be done by then, Mr. Lupin. You would be wise to follow me.

She did not hesitate, and climbed out of the portal, Remus frantically stumbling after her.



You will only be permitted to graduate if you pass all of your required examinations. You are allowed to exempt two of them, as under the circumstances the Headmaster granted you an exception. Your base courses may not be exempted. You will have until noon to finish them, and will be notified of your qualification to graduate this school soon after. Assuming you pass, you are to report directly to me in the Staff Quarters planning room, located-

I know where it is. he said without thinking. She looked at him suspiciously, but continued walking much too briskly towards her classroom.

Very well. she uttered. You are to divide your time as you see fit, but I would suggest to hurry. These exams were to be completed several days ago, and there was a rather heated debate over allowing you to take them late at all. You will not be granted a second chance or any sort of leniency.

They were outside her classroom door now, and she stopped for a moment, wand in hand.

she started, surprising him. Very few professors ever called him by his first name alone. I can only begin to imagine the sort of things you face, and quite frankly, I don't wish to understand them in full. But you remain to be one of the brightest students I've ever had the fortune of instructing. I'm sure you know very well the consequences of your return, and you know that we're powerless to intervene-

I know.

-but you should also know that all of us are in full opposition of what is going to inevitably occur tonight.

Does everyone know now? he asked, looking straight ahead, avoiding her eyes.

Yes. We had to inform all of the staff, and then some. Remus, if you change your mind, we've prepared-

he said firmly, staring down the empty halls. This is something I have to do.

She tapped the doorknob three times, and he followed her inside.

Take your seat and we'll begin. she said, her voice stiff.

Funny how during my last hours at this school I'm busy filling out nonsense about Muggle Secrecy Acts instead of being with my friends.' Remus mused to himself, tapping his quill on the wooden desk. He shifted his weight, the chair screeching from the change.

Even more amusing how I used those very charms to help the Underground.' he added to himself, smiling. One dip of the quill, and he began to scratch away at the thick off-white parchment.

The Underground... What would happen to them now? Caleb would never recover from his injuries well enough to lead raids, especially not with the security increases. And the Dark war, how many of his kind would fall prey to their very on blood?

Thirty minutes, Mr. Lupin.

He knew more about secrecy tactics than his professor. It didn't matter to hide that any longer, so he just let out a small sigh and went into startling detail.

After all, he mused, he wouldn't be a Marauder if he didn't go out with a bang.

Remus glanced at his watch, his lips pursed. His exam was supposed to have begun eighteen minutes ago. Idly he started to tap his quill against the desk, forgetting it was one of the testing quills and not his own. It spit out a fountain of black ink all over him, covering his hands and the front of his dull robes.

Oh, bloody Christ. he muttered. He was supposed to graduate in a few hours and his hands were bathed in black stain.

He gave one final peek towards the south entrance to the classroom, and decided he could rush to a restroom before his professor ever showed up. Leaving his books and things behind, Remus hurried out the main door and down the empty hallway.

Now this is just absurd! How dare you fly in here with such weighty accusations, I'll not allow-

Albus, we have proof.

... I will not allow this to occur within my school.

Remus stopped, his eyes to their full diameter, his heart beating furiously. That scent, his mind roared, that scent! There was lead in his shoes, he could swear upon it, they would not rise. He was frozen to the spot, leaning ever so slightly around the corner. That scent, that scent. You must flee, now!

Then we shall wait, and gather him after. He is legally an adult the minute he steps off your stage, we'll detain him then. Does that suit you? It is the law, Albus, you cannot break it once again.

I did not break the law, Samuel. There is nothing explicitly written forbidding a student afflicted such as him from attending Hogwarts-

Loopholes, Albus, you're just finding broken lines in our law! This is absurd, and an outrage. Why, when word of this comes out they'll have your head for endanger the students! I'll not allow this, Albus, not at all.

That voice, so urgent and worried, so full of a suppressed anger... Remus felt a chill drip throughout his blood ever so slowly, freezing him still to his place. He wanted to move, whether to flee or investigate, he could not decide. His mind was split upon fear and curiosity, though both would yield the same result.

There was a slight sigh, and the sound of a chair creaking as it leaned backwards. Two heavy shoes clunked onto a table.

I cannot allow this to pass, Headmaster, you're aware of the law and the public's general dislike for his kind. another voice said, dark and monotonous. There was a foreign drawl to it that Remus couldn't pinpoint. Perhaps his heart was thundering too loudly in his ears. I'll imagine a distinctly venomous reaction, yes, they'll not be pleased. Whatever made you think that this would be a wise idea, Albus? I never thought you a fool for certain, but this is just unnerving. Do they not screen Headmasters in your region?

I'm nothing of a fool, not for this Fleischer. Dumbledore said, almost chuckling to himself. Imprison me if you must, I broke no laws, and I do not regret my decision. In fact, my staff will back me one hundred per cent on this, I can assure you. Half of them hate me, surely you're aware of that. They think me a right codger, but for this, they will agree in their hearts. It is society that is wrong, Fleischer.

Several men in the room chortled, whether at the notion of society being the greater evil, or the comment being directed to the foreign man.

The laughter died, and so did the conversation. Remus faintly heard a rustling of papers, the scratch of a quill from within the nearby office. Here, and there as well. Hurry now, it'll make things easier if you just sign him over now. He'll still be a juvenile if we hurry, it'll be so much easier for the lad. he overheard from some hushed old man with a shaky voice.

There was a most inappropriate snort from the other side of the room. A chair screeched, being pressed backwards as someone got to their feet.

You really think that makes a damn difference, McNeil? You know as well as I do that the kid's as good as dead the moment you lot get your grubby little hands on him.

Now, Celia, that's simply not true. Under law, we can't ex-

Under law? What law, there is no law! she yelled, her voice cracking once in anger. She paced, quickly and unevenly, and Remus assumed she had advanced on someone because there was a shuffle of bodies soon and brief shouts directed to her.

Law is dead and powerless in this land, my good sir. she breathed vehemently. Law died the first time you were helpless to stop the uprisings, the first time, generations ago, that this society allowed the condemning of innocents. It's happening again, McNeil, except this time the victims are becoming the enemy.

Remus jumped back as the door flew open. He wasn't quick enough on his feet to duck behind the corner again, and the flaring, wide eyes of his Dark Arts Professor met his own.

Well, I think you have an exam to attend to. she said through fixated teeth. No rush, of course, they won't dare touch you while I'm around, I'll see to it myself.

In silent awe and fear, Remus followed the billowing robes of the young woman. She walked with her own private, unseen furry of power and an air of dismay that was so powerful it caught him off-guard.

Pick up the pace, kid, we have a lot to do.

His hands were itching so much, covered in uncomfortable sweat, and he couldn't wipe it away. He kept them clamped to his robes, bunching up the fabric to keep his palms dry.



You have the nerve to tell me to relax when Death is waiting for me outside that door? he barked, his voice broken. She laughed, hallow, and it rang around the empty classroom. Everything had been packed away for the summer break days ago.

You have precognitive abilities, do you not? Since you're still sitting here I'll assume you haven't seen your head chopped yet, kid.

That would be a merciful death. he whispered to himself, though loud enough for her to hear. Whatever papers she had been gathering and marking, she set down, and she turned to him.

Remus, you don't need me to tell you that this is probably the end of your normal life, or however normal it has been. There's nothing we can do to keep them from taking you away once we swear you in as a graduate.

Two grey eyes sparked to life, igniting a feeling all throughout Remus' body. His shoulders went back, he raised his heavy head, and his fists clenched with new intention.

No, I won't-

Remus, if you don't graduate, they have to authority to declare you an adult. This can be pushed as a juvenile case, and you'll keep your life, Dumbledore was promised that they can't execute a child once it's public.

Head shaking, Remus uttered a repeated No.'

You know I can't do that.

Her chest heaved, head thrown back, blinking up at the gently swirling ceiling.

I've contacted Caleb, you brother, everyone. If you leave now, I can get you to their location in twenty minutes and you'll be safe from the Ministry. They can't do a thing if you-

I have given up so much of my life to get here. he interrupted, his eyes watering. The past was painful, but he understood everything. Maybe he didn't then, but he was here, now, and it all made sense. Walking on stage and accepting my graduation is a death sentence, I know.

Her eyes blinked, and once open, showed an endless depth of sadness. There was no anger at the Ministry, no hatred for society, not rushed panic and want of action; only sadness. It hurt him, but there was nothing he could do.

You've already wasted too much effort on me, Miss Horder. Your job standing, your time, everything. I've been dead since I was bitten by that wolf so many years ago, he started, closing his eyes and nodding his head down. Blindly he felt for a wall and leaned backwards, his head swimming in buried memories. Fingers found their way to his forehead, and once more, traced the small circular scar given to hi by his father. I've been dead for so long, inside and out. I never should have survived, Romolus never should have had to sacrifice his own life to carry mine on. But it happened, and here I am now, a werewolf thrown into Hogwarts, about to graduate, about to die. I've not had a choice in anything most of my life... I didn't choose to be bitten, I didn't want my parents to disown me so, and I certainly didn't wish all the pain and misery of me to be forced onto others. That hasn't mattered until now, because here I have my own choice.

Their eyes met, and both shared a breath of reasoning. I'm not running anymore, Miss Horder. This is my life, and it's taken me so long to find my own voice, but I have it now. I won't run away from my problems any longer. I've said that to myself so long, and for once, I'm going to stop making excuses. This is what I want, and I'm sorry... But there will be no more narrow escapes.

A/n- Aren't I evil?

Sorry for such the absence everyone, you all know how life can be. I'm going to try and get the hopefully final chapter out for Christmas, but we'll see how that goes. I'm a NaNoWriMo ) participant and took up too much time finishing this off to begin with.

Hate to be brief, my loving readers, but I've other matters to attend to. Hope you've enjoyed the frustratingly slow progress of SG's finale.

-Iggie