Instead, a large full-length mirror stood propped against Lupin's desk. Harry was strongly reminded of the Mirror of Erised, but it couldn't be – the frame was entirely different, and it was the wrong size, being somewhat smaller than the Mirror of Erised, and quite a bit shabbier.

The rest of the class, not sure what was going to happen or who would be teaching, were sitting quietly at their desks, silently praying that Snape was not going to burst out of the office door.

"I guess he's not here yet?" Ron asked nervously.

Hermione stepped into the room, busily pushing some hair behind her ear, and tried to walk around them several times before she stuck her hip out and asked, "Are you lot planning to sit down?"

"We were just trying to figure..." Ron trailed off, staring at the mirror.

"Maybe...maybe the mirror is teaching class?" Neville ventured timidly. Several students chuckled.

"Wouldn't that be one of those magical objects where you can't see its brain?" Harry asked nervously.

"Excellent point, Mr. Potter. Five points to Gryffindor," came Lupin's cheerful voice. Suddenly, the reflection in the mirror fogged over – through the misted surface, Harry could see the shapes and colors slowly shifting, and the emergence of a gentle, flickering glow...suddenly, the fog began to clear, and Remus Lupin was standing in the mirror.

"I believe one of your previous professors put it best..." he grinned, "Constant vigilance!"

Indeed, it was Lupin standing in the mirror, and Harry could dimly make out the ugly carpeting in the study at Grimmauld place, lit by several candles on the armoire shelves.

"Lupin!" Harry exclaimed delightedly.

Lupin frowned a bit.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" he asked, sounding half amused and half offended. A few of the class tittered.

"Err...just...hello, that's all," Harry said, confusedly.

"Sorry we're late, Professor!" Hermione added courteously. She gave Harry a meaningful look, and Harry stared back bewildered.

"Not at all, Miss Granger. Please take your seats everyone!" Lupin said, sounding more like himself. But Harry hesitated...why was Lupin snubbing him in front of everyone? But Hermione took his arm and dragged him to a seat next to Ron and Neville.

"Well! Excellent to see you all again – in a manner of speaking at least. I think for our first lesson, we'll be starting with—yes, Miss Brown?"

Lavender lowered her hand dubiously, "Err – will you be teaching us through this mirror for the entire year?"

"No, not at all," Lupin said with a bracing smile, "only some of the lessons."

"Lessons where there's a full moon?" she asked pointedly. Harry turned in his seat to glare at her, but she seemed highly unapologetic.

Lupin sighed from his place in the mirror.

"I thought we might run into this. Well, werewolves [I]are[/I] on your syllabus for sixth year, so we might as well get it out of the way today."

He took a deep breath, and paused for a moment, choosing his words. "You all probably know by now that I am, in fact, a werewolf." Harry saw Neville fidget slightly with his pencil. "I got the bite when I was very young, and I've been living with the condition my entire life."

By now, Lavender looked quite abashed.

"I imagine that because of this, you all have some level of uncertainty about my returning here to teach, particularly after having withheld this information from you several years ago—"

"Well, that's true!" Lavender said, and she turned to plea her case to Harry and Ron, who were scowling at her, "I mean, he could've killed us! Not...that he'd [I]want[/I] to," she added, eyeing Lupin apologetically, "But he can't help it! It's in a werewolf's nature!"

"Yes, Miss Brown, that is very true, and therefore, some of your fears are valid. As you'll note, however, I have taken many precautions to ensure that I am of absolutely no danger to you. Who can name the first one?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air.

"Yes," he smiled, "Miss Granger?"

"Well," she said, sounding very pleased with herself, "The most obvious one, of course, is that you've used a two-way mirror to ensure that you won't actually be in the classroom during the full moon. But you've also –"

"Ah! Give someone else a chance," Lupin smiled, "Miss Brown – what do you notice?"

She "ummed" and "erred" for a minute, until Lupin prompted, "Take a look out the window."

She looked at the beautiful September afternoon. "Oh! It's not even dark yet!"

"That's right!" Lupin said, "And as you'll note, the room I am in is completely dark. I have ensured that every window in this room is magically sealed, so that should I ever lose track of time, or need to see you in the evening, I will be able to hold office hours via the mirror. Very good! Five points to both of you. Now, if you could all squish your desks to the center of the room, please? I want to be sure I can see you all."

There was a scrape of desks as they formed two rows down the center of the classroom.

"Good, then," Lupin continued, "You should also be aware that while there is no cure for LRS, or 'Lupine Retroviral Syndrome,' as it has come to be known, there is a powerful draught that Professor Snape prepares for me, which ensures that [I]if[/I] I do indeed transform into a werewolf, I keep my mind – rather than rampaging and attacking the innocent, I simply curl up and wait for the full moon to pass."

"Cool!" breathed Dean.

"And it's name?" Lupin asked, raising his eyebrow.

Neville's hand shot up.

"Ah! Neville?"

"Wolfsbane potion!"

"Very good. Five points!"

Harry grinned and chucked Neville on the arm. He'd always been good at Herbology...

"I am also in the habit," he continued, "of taking the potion several days prior to the full moon, and continuing for several days afterward. Those of you who were good in Astronomy could tell me that the full moon was actually yesterday. Now, why do you think I do that? Anyone?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air.

"Anyone else?" Lupin smirked, and there were chuckles in the classroom again, "Very well then, Miss Granger?"

"Well, for one thing, the effects of the potion are cumulative...meaning that it builds up in your bloodstream. Similarly, the effects of LRS are also felt during the days approaching and after the full moon – you can't fully transform, of course," she hastened to add.

"No, but it is awfully unpleasant," Lupin said with a wry smile, "and it tends to make me a bit cranky." The class chuckled. Even Lavender was beginning to relax.

"But sir, how did you get the job?" Dean asked, "I mean – aren't there laws and all?"

"Indeed there are, Mr. Thomas," Lupin said, "The Werewolf Registration Act was passed by Newton Scamander in 1947 – you'll recognize his name from your Fantastic Beasts textbook. Your previous Professor, Dolores Umbridge –"

But the utterance of her name caused several snorts of indignation, muffled curses, and dire threats...

"Yes," Lupin smiled, "She's just about as popular with me. You see, in addition to interfering at Hogwarts, Miss Umbridge also enjoys needlework, and passing blatantly discriminatory legislation which prevents werewolves and other 'dangerous non-humans' like myself from getting work."

"But werewolves aren't non-human!" protested Dean, and several others nodded.

"This, unfortunately, has been the subject of much debate," Lupin said, shaking his head, "In fact, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures is divided into two divisions – the Beast and the Being Division. And for years, the Ministry of Magic has been unable to place certain magical...well, entities, including werewolves, centaurs, and the like. But I think Hagrid is planning to discuss that somewhat," Lupin said smiling, "and I don't think I ought to upstage him. Suffice it to say, you know where I stand on the issue."

The lesson went smoothly from there, until the end of class.

"Now if you don't mind, please, take one each from that stack of scrolls on the desk – Madame Pince was kind enough to Copyquill them for me – it's the introduction to [I]'Hairy Snout, Human Heart.'[/I] And while it is at times," he smirked, "[I]obnoxiously[I/] sentimental, it is, in fact, one of the best arguments for placing werewolves in the 'Being' division available."

He looked down at his feet for a moment, and the class waited curiously to be dismissed.

"And..." he continued in a muffled voice, "I'd like a foot long essay on how to recognize and kill a werewolf by next class. Right then, off you go!"

There was a stunned silence in the room, followed by Ron's sputtering.

"B-but...Why?...No!" Ron said indignantly.

"Yeah!" Dean added, "It's not like we're going to need it! We're perfectly safe!"

"Yes!" Lupin snarled, "You [I]do[/I] need it, Mr. Thomas!"

The entire class sat up straighter. Lupin rubbed his eyes, and then ran a hand over his straggly hair. Harry noticed the circles under his eyes were even darker than usual. Finally, he smiled gently.

"I didn't mean to snap at you, Mr. Thomas. But you see, that's exactly the point – a werewolf never means to do the things he does when he's in wolf form. And despite every precaution I may take, I never know what unpreventable circumstances might lead me to transform. I learned that lesson the hard way," he added, more to himself. Harry recalled their third year, where Lupin had almost killed them all...

"Besides," he said, with false cheeriness back in his voice, "I'm not the only one of us running around, am I? Not if there's an entire Registry? And what did Professor Moody always tell you?"

"Constant vigilance," the class replied, but they were clearly upset by their essay topic.

"Right then! Class dismissed," Lupin said, waving them to the door. "Oh, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss – oh, [I]you[I] lot," he said with a grin, "Hang out for a moment, would you?"

Everyone else filed out of the room, while Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed behind. Neville lingered at the door.

"Shall I save you a spot at dinner?" he asked.

"Err...no, sorry," Harry said, making eye contact with Lupin, "This'll probably take a while. Sit with Ginny and Luna. We'll try to catch you."

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

"Well," Lupin said with a smile, "I was just wondering when the D.A. was starting up again."

There was an awkward pause as Ron and Hermione shared a squirming glance.

"It's...not." Harry said through gritted teeth.

"Harry, it's perfectly understandable if you don't want to lead the D.A. anymore," Lupin said, "But I think that it's absolutely necessary that all the Hogwarts students that feel the need be able to defend themselves. I'm going to have my hands full with the first and second years alone, and the third and fourth are hopelessly behind. Only the D.A. members are going to be able to hold their own, and that's mainly Gryffindors. Most of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are still rather hopeless, and all Slytherin knows how to do is jinx each other."

Harry's eyes widened, "You want the D.A. to train the entire school...make up for years of missed work...it just can't be done!"

"Well, it's not as bad as all that," Hermione added helpfully, "I mean, Lupin [I]is[/I] taking the actual classes...it's more just to help everyone with their spellwork –"

"I know what it's for, Hermione," Harry said heatedly, "It's for defending ourselves from Lord Voldemort –" She winced uncomfortably, "-and for getting ourselves killed in the process. I won't have it."

"You mean you won't do it," Lupin said gravely, "But whether or not the D.A. reforms isn't entirely up to you, Harry. It seems you're the only person who doesn't want to reform."

"How can you say that?!" Harry blew up at Lupin, "I thought at least you, of all people...what about keeping my head down and being a normal student? What happened to 'Just play Quidditch,' Harry, 'Have fun at school, Harry!' And why were you so...snarky at the start of class?"

Lupin smiled, and looked at his feet. Hermione and Ron stifled a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked with a nasty

"Snarky?" asked Ron.

"It's because he's a Professor again, Harry," explained Hermione, "You can't treat him like family in front of the whole class. As far as they know, you're just a favorite pupil of his, and it's probably better if it stays that way."

"Hermione's right, Harry," Lupin said, "Besides, we already know that Voldemort can use our personal relationships against us. Better to keep things professional in the classroom."

"Err, speaking of which," Ron said, looking a bit nervous, "What is going on with...with him. Does the Order know anything about it?"

Lupin screwed up his face. "Well...I really can't tell you, Ron, I'm sorry. We've got our ears to the ground, suffice it to say. But let me put it this way – why do you think your house was attacked?"

"Well, because of Harry," Ron said, "I mean, I'm his best friend."

"Yes, yes, but what would Voldemort stand to gain?" Lupin asked, "Once you were dead?"

"Well, I'd be miserable for one," Harry added.

"Yes, Harry, but you were already miserable. Well, that is," Lupin said apologetically, "Voldemort had already used Sirius to wage psychological warfare on you. No, the attack on the Weasley home didn't fit into Voldemort's larger plans, really – it wouldn't help him on his road to domination...it wouldn't lend him any extra power. It's the kind of pointless terror-mongering he usually leaves to his minions to carry out. Yet he himself ordered this attack...Why?"

"Because I ruined his plans," Harry said, "I destroyed the prophecy, and I spoiled his return." Harry realized uncomfortably that he still hadn't told his friends about the prophecy. He wondered if Lupin knew?

"Exactly, Harry," Lupin continued, "It was not an act of calculation but of anger, of aggression...Kingsley was telling me that the Muggles call it, 'a crime of passion.' And that is very unlike Lord Voldemort's typical modus opperandi."

"You still haven't told us what he's up to [I]now[/I]" Hermione said.

Lupin sighed, "And I really can't. Partly because I can't reveal what we know, and partly because we don't know terribly much. Now that he knows he may be being watched, he's been particularly cautious with his communications...to the normal eye, it would even seem neurotic – one Death Eater seldom knows what the rest are up to. I will say this though – Voldemort is not about to give us time to catch our breath. No, now that the world has been alerted to his return, they're wasting no time. You saw the Prophet today, I assume?"

"Yes," Harry said glumly, the same photos of the escaped Death Eaters flickering in his memory again – only this time, it was from [I]today's[/I] front page.

"Voldemort has no personal attachments – the only thing he craves is power, and unless he had some plan in mind requiring his Death Eaters, he wouldn't bother freeing them from Azkaban. It seems the Dementors are falling deeper and deeper into his control. Fudge must be having a fit," Lupin worried, "Harry – the students have got to learn to defend themselves, and they've got to learn Patronuses, as soon as possible."

Harry heaved a sigh. "Alright, I'll do it."

Lupin sighed as well, and looked at Harry with a careworn expression. "We all know how hard this all is on you, Harry. If there were a better way –"

"Harry!" Hermione gasped, "Don't you have Occlumency?"

Harry felt his stomach fall, and cursed, checking his wristwatch. "I'm already late!"

"We'll schedule it," Ron said, "Go ahead!"

"Okay – but remember, it can't conflict with Occlumency...or Quidditch practice!"

"Harry...you haven't set the practice times yet – we haven't even had tryouts yet."

"Right...right," Harry said, panicking slightly, "So...Occlumency...and then, Pr'fessor McGonagall...for Quidditch...then Homework – Oh, food..."

"Just go!" Hermione said, and Harry turned and ran out the door, his friends eyeing each other worriedly.