Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, events and/or places that are recognized as being written and created by J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling owns all the characters and places from the Harry Potter books including the ones used in this story.

A/N: Thanks again to my lovely reviewers!!!! I'm glad no one is mad at Remus anymore, lol!! :D

Clea awoke the next morning from a perfect dreamless sleep. She couldn't remember the last time her mind was not plagued with nightmares.

A thin stream of sunlight fell across Clea's bed. She sat up abruptly remembering that today was actually the first day of classes. A tight nervous pain whipped through her stomach, and Clea decided that she needed to spend the entire morning going over her notes one last time.

Clea filed every lingering thought about Remus into the very back of her mind. If they were just going to be friends, then there was no reason to think about him all morning, when she should be concentrating on teaching.

Finally, the howling pain in her stomach became too loud to ignore. Clea glanced up at the clock on the wall in her office; it was nearly lunch time.

Grabbing her notes and her glittering box of runes, she stormed out of her office and down to the Great Hall.

Clea collapsed into her seat at the staff table, once again in between Remus and Snape, and slid her runes safely underneath her chair. She pulled herself in, under the table, as close as she could possibly get.

Reaching with her fingertips, Clea was just barley able to grab hold of the giant bowl of stew at the front edge of the table and pull it towards her.

She sighed triumphantly as she ladled the steaming hot stew onto her empty plate. Her spoon was soon piled high with food so hot that the steam was making the pores on her nose glaze over with sweat.

Clea was about to shove the entire overflowing spoonful into her mouth, when a hand reached out from her left side and stopped her.

"It scalding hot," Snape said, taking his hand away from Clea's. "You're going to burn your vocal cords off if you swallow all of that."

Clea smiled and shook half of the stew off of her spoon. "Thank you, Severus. The last thing I need is to not be able to speak."

"You weren't at breakfast," Snape said.

Clea turned her head to the left, looking at Snape, who had a discomforting concerned look on his face. "I was just going over my lesson plans," she said, slightly laughing for a reason that even she didn't understand.

"You must be starving."

Clea snapped her head towards her right and her eyes fell on Remus. He looked much more rested and healthy than the night before. "I'm more nervous than hungry," she said, not able to hide the wide smile and deep blush that creeps onto her face every time Remus's eyes melt into her own.

"You have your first class this afternoon?" Snape asked.

Clea turned her head back to him. "Yep," she said, nodding.

"What time?" Remus asked, causing Clea to look back at him.

"Directly after this lunch." Clea faced forward and scooped up some stew, which was much cooler now, with the intention of finally eating.

"What years do you have?" Snape asked her.

Clea turned her head towards him, her mouth still hanging open and her spoon held up to her face. "I have back to back classes and both are with fifth years," Clea said, trying hard not to sound annoyed.

"What house do you have first?" Remus asked.

Clea lowered her spoon back down to her plate and turned her head towards Remus. "Hufflepuff," she said.

"What house do you have after that?"

Clea snapped her head back to Snape. "Slytherin, actually."

"Good luck," Remus murmured in Clea's ear. Clea snapped her head back to Remus giggling madly.

"I'll make sure they don't give you any trouble, Cleopatra," Snape said. She snapped her head back to him and smiled.

Clea once again scooped a new spoonful of luke-warm stew up and quickly shoved it into her mouth.

"You shouldn't be nervous about teaching, Clea," Remus said. Clea brought her eyes up from her plate, and towards Remus's direction.

"You'll be fine," Snape said. Clea's hair flipped up wildly, as she snapped her head around.

"You're a great teacher," Remus said and Clea snapped her head back to face him.

"They're lucky to have you teaching them." Clea looked quickly back at Snape.

"I have a break during your second class,"—Clea turned her head quickly towards Remus again—"if you need to talk to me."

"I have a class,"—Clea snapped her head over to Snape—"but you can come see me after that...if you need to"

"But," Clea sighed and looked back at Remus. "You won't need any advice anyways. You'll be perfect."

"Can you pass the salt?" Snape asked.

"Remus..." Clea said, pointing at the salt shaker that was in front of him.

"Here you go, Clea. Can you pass me the pepper?"

"Severus....the pepper."

"I'm using it," Snape said, taking the salt from Clea's hand.

"When he's finished," Remus said, straining to sound polite.

"It'll be a while," Snape practically hissed.

"I can wait," Remus said, his voice sounding more aggravated than friendly.

"Always the gentleman, aren't you Lupin?"

Clea sighed loudly. She grabbed the pepper from Snape's hand, reached over to Remus's food and vigorously shook the shaker up and down; and then slammed it back down in front of Snape.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Snape look at her and open his mouth. Clea narrowed her eyes and shot him what she hoped was an angry, impatient look. Snape's mouth snapped shut. Clea only had to merely glance at Remus, who laughed silently and nodded his head.

Clea returned hungrily back to her plate, and with five minutes remaining, shoved every last morsel into her mouth.

000

"Ok. You're homework will be to learn the entire rune alphabet," Clea shouted over the roomful of Slytherins that were eager to leave their last class of the day.

"And also spell your full name out in rune symbols, to be handed in next class." Clea smiled at her students and nodded her head towards the door, indicating that they may all exit.

Relieved that her first day was over, Clea began walking around the desks collecting the couple large rune stones, from her own set, that the class had been using.

Ancient Runes wasn't as mind numbingly boring as she predicted. A couple more times teaching the alphabet, she would be able to start teaching fortune telling and rune decoding, which she actually considered fun.

After Clea returned her runes to her office, she made her way down to the Great Hall for dinner.

Her feet moved faster than usual. She almost couldn't contain her excitement to see and talk to Hagrid about his fist class. Ignoring the passing giggling students, Clea skipped happily down the steps and into the Hall.

Hagrid's enormous presence was missing from the staff table. Clea waved at Remus, and then Snape, before she sat down at the opposite end; to catch Hagrid as soon as he lumbered over to the table.

But, Hagrid never came. Clea finished her meal and leaned forward, peering down the table. She thought perhaps Hagrid snuck in late and sat on the other side. He wasn't there at all, though.

Dumbledore's shadow fell across Clea, as he walked passed and towards the door. Springing from her seat, Clea jogged after him. "Headmaster?" she called, causing him to stop and turn to face her.

"Everything all right, Clea?"

"Yes. I was just wondering if you knew where Hagrid was. He never came to dinner."

Dumbledore looked down at Clea with sorrowful eyes. "He's in his hut, I believe. Hagrid is not having a very good day." Dumbledore put on a smile and turned to continue on his path towards the door.

A tight, claw-like forced gripped Clea's forearm and pulled her roughly over to the wall.

"One of the students was injured during his class," Professor McGonagall whispered to Clea, letting go of Clea's arm.

"Who?" Clea gasped, with wide eyes.

"Draco Malfoy," McGonagall whispered, clicking her tongue.

"Draco? How?"

"Hagrid taught them about Hippogriffs," McGonagall said, nodding her head. That was enough information to give Clea a clear picture of what probably happened.

"He's all right though? Draco."

McGonagall nodded her head again, and unsuccessfully tried to conceal her rolling eyes. "Excuse me," McGonagall said, walking away from Clea and over to a group of rowdy second years.

Clea exited the Great Hall and made her way back to her office.

Without even thinking about where she was going, Clea passed the hallway that led to her office and kept walking until she came to the infirmary. Clea leaned against the door frame and stretched her neck around the corner to peek inside.

Lying and moaning on one of the beds was Draco. Clea gasped slightly when she saw him; he was the spitting image of his father.

Clea nervously started twisting her fingers in her hair. Please don't let Narcissa come here, she chanted inside her head. Clea had one important rule when it came to her three cousins; unless their name was Andromeda, she didn't want anything to do with them.

"He just hurt his arm," Madam Pomphrey said to Clea, as she came over to close the doors. "He'll be fine. I can't help but feel a little sorry for Hagrid though." Pomphrey shut the doors. Clea stood there for a moment, silently agreeing with her and thinking about Hagrid and his easily bruised feelings.

Clea suddenly spun around and sprinted towards the staircase. She ran all the way up to her room and tore open one of her trunks.

Finding what she was looking for buried deep at the bottom of the trunk, Clea pulled out two large books titled, Magical Creatures: Past, Present...Future? Volumes 1 and 2. She thought that maybe these books would help Hagrid cheer up.

It took twenty minutes for Clea to lug the heavy books down to Hagrid's hut. She was about to knock on his immense door, when a loud yell from inside made her jump and almost drop the heavy books onto her feet.

Clea stumbled back, as Hagrid's door flew open. Practically thrown from the doorstep, Harry and his two best friends, tumbled onto the grass.

"...an' don't le me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!"

Clea stood paralyzed in front of the group, trying to understand what could possibly be going on.

"Oh, Hullo Professor...Patra" Hagrid said when he saw Clea, his hand still gripping Harry's arm.

"Hello Hagrid. Um, is this a bad time?"

"No," Hagrid said, releasing Harry. "I'm just takin' Harry, Hermione and Ron here back up ter the castle." Hagrid swayed a little. Clea stepped closer to him and sniffed loudly. She immediately buckled back and scrunched her nose up; Hagrid reaked of alcohol.

"Um, Hagrid, how about I take them up to the castle...it might be wise to not let anyone catch you....like this." Hagrid frowned at Clea.

"Here!" Clea said, smiling brightly. "I've brought you some books about different creatures,"—Clea handed Hagrid the books that were too large for her to carry but became the perfect size in Hagrid's hands. "That one has ten whole chapters about Dragons!"

Hagrid's frown turned right side up as soon as Clea uttered the word 'dragons.' "Take em right to the castle now!" he said.

"I promise!" Clea motioned for the three to come with her with a sweet smile.

Ron happily followed Clea, but Harry and Hermione hesitated. Clea, eager to see Harry up close, swung her head around to look at him. She stopped walking when she saw that neither Harry nor Hermione had moved an inch.

"It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you," Clea said in a soothing voice. "I'm the Ancient Runes professor," she added, as if that was a seal of trust. Harry and Hermione quickly caught up with Clea and Ron.

Ron walked next to Clea. "I'm Ron," he said. "That's Hermione and Harry."

"I'm Professor Patra," Clea said. "Hermione, you're taking Ancient Runes with me, right?"

"Yes," Hermione said, walking on Clea's other side. "I'm excited for that class. It sounds really interesting."

"It isn't," Clea said, causing Ron and Harry to laugh.

Clea walked towards the right slightly and away from Ron, so that Harry can fill the gap. Clea turned her head to take in a perfect view of Harry. This was the first time she had gotten to see him up close. She folded her hands together, resisting the urge to grab and hug him.

"Are you good friends with Hagrid?" Clea asked, still looking at Harry. Harry turned his head to look at her, and Clea felt her stomach drop. He did have Lily's eyes.

Clea squeezed her hands together harder and dug her nails into her knuckles, using every bit of strength in her body to not burst into tears as she locked eyes with Harry.

Harry nodded his head at Clea's question and launched into the story of what happened during Hagrid's class.

"But, it wasn't Hagrid's fault," Harry said, finishing his story.

"Of course it wasn't," Clea said. "I used to teach Care of Magical Creatures, and Hippogriffs are extremely fickle; you have to be very cautious and I'm sure Draco wasn't."

"He was just trying to show off," Hermione said, shaking her head.

"Now don't tell anyone I said this," Clea whispered, grabbing the handle of the entrance door, and turning to face all three. "I know Draco's parents; and all Malfoys are—well, I probably shouldn't say in front of students."

"Gits?" Ron said quietly and innocently.

Clea laughed and pulled open the large entrance door. "Exactly!"

"How do you know Malfoy's mother?" Harry asked, as he, Hermione and Ron passed Clea, and entered the castle.

"I," Clea started, quickly thinking of something to say. "I went to Hogwarts with her; but she was a couple years ahead of me."

"You went to Hogwarts?" Ron asked. "What house were you in?"

Clea exhaled loudly. "Slytherin," she whispered.

"Slytherin...?" Harry asked, a curious look floating through his eyes.

"Yes, but I didn't fit in with any of them. Slytherins are all snobby gits too. Oops!" Clea's hands slammed over her mouth.

Harry, Ron and Hermione's laughs echoed through the entrance hall. Red blotches started to creep up Clea's cheeks.

"Ok, I think I've said enough tonight." Clea's mouth turned up into a wicked smile. "And if any of you tell anyone what I said about Malfoys and Slytherins...just remember that I can probably have you expelled." Clea's threat lost all hope of sounding the slightest bit threatening, as her words became mixed with giggles.

"You won't have to worry about that, Professor," Hermione said, with complete seriousness.

Clea smiled at her. "I'll see you in class, Hermione. Good night." The three kids laughed good nights back to her.

Clea watched them walk away, a small frown taking over her smile. "Harry?"

Harry spun around. Clea walked up to him. She instantly thought about everything she wanted to tell him. That she was his mother's best friend. That she knew his father. That she still can't believe that they're gone. She wanted to tell him how smart and handsome he had become, and all about Sirius and his parents.

But she couldn't. He was there smiling at her, and she didn't want to throw this huge surprise in his face. Someday she would tell him who she really was, but that was not going to happen tonight.

Clea smiled at Harry. "Be careful....ok?"

Harry gave her a weird look. "You...you look familiar," he said.

Before school started, Hagrid told Clea that he had tried to get in touch with her two years ago, when he was making a photo album of Harry's parents to give to Harry. He told her about the picture he added of Clea and Lily waving excitedly at the camera, as Clea fixed Lily's hair, minutes before her wedding. Clea imagined that Harry probably spent hours staring at the life-like pictures in the album; she thought that that was probably where he saw her.

Clea smiled at Harry innocently and shrug her shoulders. "Good night, Harry," she said, taking one last glimpse of her best friends son before the two parted ways.