One Year Later

A Story of Time

Written by PDMD

Disclaimer: I do not own any references to the magical world and muggle world referred to in the remarkable Harry Potter series by the magnificent J. K. Rowling. I do not own any references to any books or fan fictions of others that I use to create my very own original characters, books such as My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, or the Claidi's Journals series, by Tanith Lee to any other books and stories I have forgotten to mention, for I have lost track during the process of creating my most defined characters used in this story. I am in fact not making money of the production of this, so please don't sue me, for I do not have anything that's worth anything to you, if that makes sense. XD

Author's Notes: For the sake of making this story make as much sense as I can possibly make it, for I confuse myself far too much every day, I decided that I'm going to keep Remus at Hogwarts, because there it seems he feels like he belongs. (other side of brain hisses No! No! He belongs in my arms! Get away!)

This chapter is for all of my patient teachers who had the nerve to make me shut up, lolz, and who were there for me, and who put up with me, and…well, everything! Especially reading my work and pushing me up to where I ought to be. Thanks, much!

Oh, and I must clarify that Taia is an advanced form of an animorph, as in the ex-Nickelodeon show, and can transform into any person or any other specimen she touches.

Chapter 1:

The halls are the same. The torches are the same. The classrooms are the wait, that one's not the same, the woman thought as she walked down the corridor to the great hall. She let her rough hand gingerly graze over the grand oak of the large entry doors. The sounds of merry children discovering that dessert was being served echoed through the doors and around her in the hall. She composed herself with a steadying breath and pushed to doors open. Claidi smiled quite smugly to herself, as the whole room seemed to pivot to look at her.


"Miss… Miss… erm, Miss Freya, was it? Miss Freya, the train will be passing though Hogsmead in a matter of minutes. Shula must wake Miss Freya if Miss Freya wishes to return to Hogwarts and see her Moony."

Moony.

Her mind suddenly began to process the house elf's words all to quickly for her to handle in this state of consciousness. I'm going to see Remus. She groaned as she rolled over onto her back and sat up, bringing a hand up to steady her head as all the blood rushed down from it. Miss Freya? Since when is my name Freya? Last time I checked, it was 'Bird,' or something of the sorts. She grumbled to herself as she brushed the straw from the thighs of her pants. Clayd, or something. Clayda? No, no, it was more along the lines of…Claidi! Yes! She grinned to herself as she recognized her name. Standing, she dusted off the seat of her pants and picked some clumps of dirt from her shirt.

Hogwarts. Hogwarts School of…Witchcraft and Wizardry! Pretty good, considering I've been living without coffee for two weeks now. She chuckled as she reached over to accept her sword, jacketed by its scabbard, from the house elf she had been rooming with in this empty car of the train. The house elf bowed graciously, and wasn't as surprised when Claidi bowed back as she was when the woman had first displayed this gesture.

Claidi began to pace about the cargo car as she secured the animal skin belt that the casing of her weapon was fastened was to. She did this ritual of pacing just about every time she woke, night or day, rain or shine. Time had changed everything. She smirked as she felt the need for caffeine kick in. Well, almost everything.

"Miss," the elf imediatly began, "before Shula and Miss Freya get off at the station, may Shula point out that Miss Freya's feet are rather full of splinters?" Hmm? Oh, so that's what that twinging feeling was. It was true that she was barefoot, and that she had been for quite some time. She smiled down on the fae elf and fell backwards onto her buttocks to examine her feet. Shula offered her a smile and began to pick out splinters, despite Claidi's protesting. "Shula is very grateful for Miss Freya's kindness and hospitality during Shula and Miss Freya's trip to visit the great Albus Dumbledor." Claidi sighed and forfeited to the war of capability that had been going on during the whole journey.

After the two had finished removing splinters and such from both pairs of feet, the screeching of the breaks sounded, a signal that they were slowing as they passed on through the station. They lept to their feet and hurried to the door, whipping it open and standing on the edge of the wooden side. Claidi looked down at her newfound companion, and gave her a nod of confidence, though anxiety pooled in the pit of her stomach. Taking a deep breath, she said, her accent thick, "On dee count of dree. On'… two…dree!"

They jumped


Silence had never been so loud. None of the first years even let out one curious whisper as she stepped into the hall. She willed her eyes to keep complete focus on the Headmaster at the end of the isle, but they were very tempted to wander.

Merlin, what a sight I should be, Claidi thought as she remembered seeing her appearance in a puddle on the hike up to the school. She was wearing jeans that were torn to near shreds, now seeming to be confused about whether to become Capri's or shorts. A grungy males' white undershirt rested over her own. The illusion she had built up around herself over the years had fallen from exhaustion during her expedition. Her skin tone had become a more healthy color, and her numerous scars had become a dark peach hue. Her hair had certainly changed; while it had once been shoulder length and a golden brown, it was now silver, - not gray, but a metallic coloring of silver - chin length, and her bangs were angled into her eyes. Her physical appearance looked both gaunt and well built at once. She grinned inwardly as she earned a few appreciative murmurs from some sixth year Hufflepuff's as she slowly made her way down the isle.

Her eyes rested on Harry's for a small moment in time, before she tore her gaze from her cousin and forced her stare to remain frontward. No one knew who she was. They all seemed to over look the feather shaped scar that rested under her left eye, the flame pendant she had always worn, and her own deceased father's necklace, a foggy blue orb that hung from a rustic chain. They all seemed to be so taken aback by her exterior looks, that they didn't seem to notice the tell tail signs of who she really was.

Claidi mentally scowled at this thought. You disappear for a single year or so, and you come back a complete stranger. Great, just great. She forced all irritation that had suddenly flared up into the back of her mind as she approached the faculty table. Bowing to Professor Dumbledor, she earned a bow of the head and a heartwarming smile in return. "Welcome back," Albus greeted her, eyes glistening at her through half-moon glasses. She flashed him the single most earnest grin she had produced in months, and made her way around the table.

Professor Grubly-Plank, seated in Claidi's former seat between Professor Sprout and Professor Lupin, became tense as she approached her. Leaning over so her face was inches from the other witch's, Claidi said so only the teacher in her seat could here, "Scusi, Ms. Grubly-Plank, but I believe you are in meh seat." It was evident that she had forced as much of her accent out of her voice as possible.

The professor's eyes widened in surprise. Claidi sensed the question forming on her associate's lips, so she cut her off, "If you do not mind, may I take meh seat?" Still to shocked to speak, Grubly-Plank nodded and slipped out of the chair, allowing herself to scoot by Claidi, still holding her stare on her. Claidi sat down next to Lupin who seemed to be in a state of shock.

The look on Remus' face as he struggled to compose a sentence, but only succeeded in maintaining his gawking stare, greatly amused her. "Yeah, I get dat a lot," she said calmly, as if she had just gotten back from a trip down to the corner store. She really didn't feel like acknowledging the fact that she had just made her first formal appearance in a full year.

The whispers were growing louder now, and most of the first years were standing up on their seats to get a better look at her over the heads of their older classmates. Dumbledor did not seem irritated by this, just delighted. He stood suddenly and the rest of the hall quickly took their seats. Clearing his throat, he spoke in a voice Claidi remembered well, "If you are all finished gawking at your teacher like she is Firebolt in the store window, I have a few announcements before you retire to your dormitories. First years," he continued, "please note that there shan't be any tolerance of horseplay in the halls, for Mr. Filch has reported to me numerous times on these accounts." Claidi bit her lip to keep from giggling as a few Gryffindor's shifted uneasily. The headmaster added, "Oh, and a notice for all of you: Please respect Ms. Falcon as well as you did before she took her leave."

Nearly all of the first years looked confused, though some of them seemed to have older siblings who had been taught by or had known Professor Falcon. The older children were trying to decide whether to cheer or to continue whispering. A second year Ravenclaw settled it for them as she jumped up from her seat and cheered, "Professor Falcon's back!" The whole Ravenclaw table was on their feet cheering, followed by Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. But Slytherin refused to participate in this event, and instead began to Boo.

Claidi couldn't restrain her grin any longer as the applauding continued. She turned her gaze out of the corner of her eye at the Slytherin table, and showed them what she thought of them by sticking her tongue out at them briefly. Withdrawing her tongue, she noticed that Dumbledor and the rest of the staff were clapping as well. She nearly died when she saw Severus Snape barely clapping, and only out of politeness.

But she literally could have died when she turned her gaze to the man sitting on her right. Though Remus could still not construct a full sentence, he was smiling at her warmly, clapping right along with everyone else. Oh, Circe, his smile still made her feel like

Jell-o. She could feel a quivering smile form on her lips as her heart began to beat rapidly. Her palms were beginning to sweat and her left hand slipped from the handle of her blade.

Why couldn't she sit next to some one who didn't have these kinds of effects on her, like Hagrid, or Severus, or even Professor Trelawney, who she hated with most of her being?

Where was she, anyway? Claidi had not seen Sibyll at the table when she arrived, nor did she see her now. She felt dark emotions begin to float up from the depths of her soul where she had kept them. She forced the thought to the back of her mind, bringing forth the dreamy thoughts of her lycanthropic friend.

She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could do so, Dumbledor stood and dismissed everyone. In the chaos of rustling robes and the mass amount of children pushing through the door, Claidi was caught off guard as some one grabbed her wrist and pulled her out the side faculty door.

When she realized who it was, she flung her arms around his neck and engulfed him in an enormous hug, crying out in glee.

"Remus!"


Remus closed his arms around her in a warm embrace that he had been dreaming of since the time she left him. She still fit perfectly. That was a relief.

"Oh, Claidi," He whispered, feeling tears prick his eyes. She pulled back and looked up at him with a soft smile, and he did his best to blink them away.

That smile had been what always pulled him through the tough times, no matter how much he resisted admitting it. He watched as the smile gradually left her face and was replaced with a more serious look. Hesitantly, she reached her hand up to brush away a tear from his cheek, then slowly brought it down to examine it as if tears were alien to her. After staring at her hand for a moment, she looked up with wonder and stated, not asked, "You're crying."

Remus nodded and noted the new accent that hung in her voice; a mix of Mediterranean, Scottish, a hint of French, and the American that she always had. He chuckled mentally in realization as he figured out why her skin was a more healthy color, rather than the normal, deathly pale that had taken a few months for him to get used to. He wondered where and how long she had been in the Mediterranean. His train of thought seemed to disappear as she delicately ran her fingers over a scar on the bridge of his nose that had not been there the last time she had seen him.

Once more she stared as if he was foreign to her eyes. Claidi's weathered hands drifted slowly to his hairline, where she examined newer streaks of gray by ways of running her fingers into through them. He felt his skin begin to heat as her hands moved carefully through each wave, her eyes wide as she studied thoroughly. Gods, she better stop this now. His heart was now beating faster than normal as he took hold of her wrists and warily brought her arms down to her sides.

She jerked a hand free of Remus' hold and reached up to brush his final tear away. The scent of her skin was becoming overwhelming. She smelled strongly of hay, rain, pine, and citrus fruits. He willed his nose to stop as a quizzical look loomed over her face and she asked, "Why do you cry?"

Could it be true that she had no idea why he cried? He wouldn't believe that she didn't know the pain she had caused him when she left. He refused to.

He opened his mouth to answer, but stopped and looked at her questioningly as she suddenly tensed and pivoted to face the turn in the corridor. Her right hand instinctively gripped the hilt of her rapier. Professor Minerva McGonagall rounded the corner, followed by Professor Albus Dumbledor, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, Professor Grubly-plank, and Professor Serverus Snape. Ugh, even the name of that slimy name gave Remus the willies. It took a motherly smile from Minerva to make Claidi relax even the least bit. She composed herself and stood up straight, her shoulders rolled back, her thumbs stuck in the back pockets of her jeans. Funny, Remus thought, last time I saw her, she was sticking her thumbs in her front pockets.

The elder woman smiled at the younger one. "It's great to have you back Claidissa," she commented warmly. "Really, it truly is. I'll be making arrangements for Professor Grubly-plank to be moving out of your office." The younger professor behind her nodded shyly, kicking up some dust with her toe.

Claidi smiled genially in return, and protested, "No need fo' her to pack, while meh stuff is already. Honestly, Minerva," she added at the woman's troubled expression, "It's no trouble fo' me at all." She smiled at the other professor in question. "Dat is, if it's alright wit' you?" She nodded in confirmation as the other witch nodded bashfully.

That seemed to end the conversation, if not the fact that Claidi had bowed a final time before walking past the group, hesitating only for a moment to spit on Severus' shoe. Remus suddenly felt the need to brace his hand against the wall for support he was laughing so hard. Snape glared at him harshly before walking past in the general direction of the dungeons. He earned a disapproving look from Minerva, but she too was fighting giggles. Albus' smile was bright with mirth as he departed, walking in step with petite Professor Flitwick. Professor McGonagall was shaking her head as she too headed off towards Gryffindor tower. When Remus turned back, it seemed Professor Grubly-plank had already made her exit, so he too left to adjust the class plan for the next day.

The thing that had him stumped, he thought as he ascended one of the great staircases, was why Claidi didn't know why he had been crying. Did she not know, or not believe, to the extent for which he cared for her? Was it true that she had forgotten their final kiss? He sure hadn't. In the past year, he lost track of the many times he had replayed that scene in his head. It was the only thing standing between him and letting go. Thank god he hadn't.

Remus sighed and plowed his fingers through his graying hair as he reached the corridor he had desired, only after a few unwanted moving staircases. He crossed the hall and reached for the door to his office. He stopped suddenly, his hand frozen in midair. It was close enough to the full moon that he could see easily in the dim light provided by the torches, even better. Someone else's fingerprints were on the doorknob. Immediately and instinctively he whipped out his wand and burst the door open with a strong, "Alohamora!"

There before him stood, well, rather crouched, the exotic woman that he had been talking to not even a half hour ago. Her blade was draw and her stance was rigid, and she seemed prepared to fight for her life. Her muscles seemed so defined and toned in the level of light. Her small chest rose up and down with each shuddery breath she took.

"Claidi," he said softly, her name rolling off his tongue like a sweet candy. Her eyes seemed to relax, though she maintained her posture. He cautiously stepped into the room, creeping towards her, holding up his hands to show that he wouldn't harm her. "Claidi," he said again. This time he continued, "What are you doing here?"

He could swear he saw hurt flare in her eyes, but only for a moment before, "I promised to come back." She slowly changed positions, moving to stand in front of him, her arms hanging calmly by her sides. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Funny, Remus thought as he grinned down at her, very funny. "Well, last time I checked this was my office," he said in a teasing, matter-of-factly voice. He brushed a tendril of hair away from her face, and felt her quiver in surprise at his gesture. This bewildered him, for normally she had always been the one to make the first move. He timidly reached out his other hand and rubbed circles at the base of her neck. He wanted to kiss her. He needed to kiss her. As he advanced on her lips, he was hurt when he noted a glint of fear in his friend's eyes. She stepped back quickly, her breath hissing through her nostrils, and her eyes widened with alarm.

"R-Remus," she stammered, her voice sounding weak and venerable. That, too, hurt him. He knew that the two things in the world that Claidi hated feeling the most were weak and scared. He forced the wolf back down as he plowed his fingers through his hair. Claidi seemed to calm down a bit after sensing with her own lycanthropic senses that the wolf was restrained. She also let out a sigh and stuck her thumbs in her back pockets again. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. "Remus, it's been a long time," she started, not quite meeting his eyes, "And I know it's seemed much longer fo' me dan it has fo' you."

Longer for her? Like hell! It was her going away that made him relise how deeply he felt for her, and to what extent. He wanted to protect her, to stay by her side forever. At least, he thought he did. Now her actions were making him rethink things. He mentally shook it off. No, he would be there for her no matter what.

Nodding, Remus still struggled to restrain, now, both the wolf and himself. "That it has," he admitted, though a bit of him refused to believe it even still.

Her cupid's-bow mouth curved into a smile as she nodded in confirmation that he under stood. "Remus, I care fo' you more than I can say, but fo' now-"

"I know," he interjected. With a steadying breath, he finished, "Let's just be friends." He forced his lips to smile back in response to her small, sad one, though his eyes deceived him. She kissed the tip of his nose in thanks and walked towards the door.

"Wait, Claidi," he said softly as he fumbled in the pockets of his tattered and tailored robes for something. She paused at the door and turned to face him. He found it and tossed her wand to her, which she caught in mid-air.

She examined it just as she had examined Remus only but several minutes ago. Looking up, she grinned wickedly. "Dis might come in handy, eh?" Remus had to laugh at this comment, and grinned back, just as waywardly. "G'night, meh Moony," she said softly as she departed.

Just like the last time she had said that to him, he felt warm inside as he retired for the night.