Munching on a sandwich and peering down at his appointment list, Albus Dumbledore was happier than he'd remembered feeling since before the start of school. Every January since he began his tenure as Headmaster he had made a habit of meeting with each of the seventh year students to discuss their future plans. It made him feel young again to hear all their grand hopes for the future. Marshall Brocklehurst intended to open a commercial lawn degnoming service; Lakshmi Nagra was going to work for her aunt who owned a large line of beauty potions. Lily Evans, he was convinced, was going to make a spectacular Auror and with Sirius Black joining their ranks, the Department of Mysteries would never be the same, he thought wryly. Nothing was more vital than these hopes, dreams and possibilities in times like these; when parental fear meant school enrollment was at an all time low. The classrooms were sparsely populated with a student body painfully aware of the world's capacity for cruelty. He took a spot of personal pride in the fact that his students still had the ability to dream. But as he crossed those previous names off the list he arrived at an appointment that he knew would break his heart. And then he heard a knock and invited Remus Lupin into his office.
If Dumbledore were the sort of Headmaster who played favorites, Remus would have been one of them. Calm, intelligent and thoughtful, with a good sense of humor Dumbledore secretly thought the young man had the makings of a great teacher but Regulation of Werewolves laws made it all but impossible for him to hire him. Werewolf Regulation laws made it all but impossible for Remus to get a job anywhere.
Remus spoke softly in a tone that gently bordered on cynical, "So I'm supposed to tell you what I want to make of myself."
"There are plenty of opportunities for you Mr. Lupin, have you thought about Post graduate studies?"
"I doubt St. Godric's or anywhere else would take me. It was thanks to you that I was even able to come here," Remus replied. "Besides, I don't want to keep living with my folks forever. I couldn't possibly hold down a job, turn into a monster on a monthly basis and go to school"
Dumbledore knew this was the truth, he also knew that even if it was feasible, sending Remus to higher education would probably just be cruel. It would simply be postponing the inevitable; he wouldn't have much better luck getting a job even if he graduated St. Godric's at the top of his class. The activities of some of the less civilized individuals with Remus' affliction meant prejudice against werewolves was more prevalent than ever.
"Actually, Professor, I've already got something sort of lined up" Remus piped up with a false sort of brightness. "You know there's another person like me…another werewolf who lives in Hogsmeade?"
"Yes, Benjy Fenwick, he owns--"
"Merlin's Apothecary. Well I've been in to see him a few times. He's said he could give me a job after I graduate and, and I thought maybe I'd try to write a novel on the side."
It was obvious that this was far from an ideal situation but that Remus had accepted it.
"I'm very proud of you Mr.Lupin," The old man said, his twinkly eyes looking particularly kind.
"Er—right, thank you, if that's it then…"
"Just know that there will always be a place for you at Hogwarts. I can't say in what capacity but know that you will always be welcome here."
"I'm sorry, I thought my appointment was now," drawled a tall girl standing near the bookshelf who had apparently entered without knocking.
"Yeah!" Remus said, flushing unnecessarily, "I was just leaving."
Dumbledore sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose and settling himself squarely in his chair, "Come and sit, Miss Tirian" His day certainly wasn't getting any easier. Hadn't he been thinking about what fun Seventh Year Career Counseling was just moments ago? What happened to that feeling? He wasn't entirely sure he was ready for this meeting.
On the other side of the table sat a girl who was entirely sure she was not ready for this meeting. "This meeting is for you to tell Dumbledore the great things to which you aspire and for him to assure you that you are prepared to achieve them," Professor Slughorn, the head of her house told her. The problem was, Alice wasn't really the sort of girl who "aspired". Well actually, she was, sort of, but she acted out her Slytherin ambition in a different way then the kids who planned on being Minister of Magic from the day they walked out of Ollivander's with their very first wand. What Alice wanted in life was to simply get everything she wanted, and this was something she was already quite good at. She had excellent marks, she had even better OWLS, she had a fairly serious relationship with one of the most desirable boys in the school and she had a prefect's badge. All these things gave her amazing opportunities but for the first time in her life, Alice Tirian found herself without a plan. Truth be told she planned to marry well and do whatever she pleased but she didn't think that was the sort of thing you could tell your headmaster. Dumbledore didn't seem like he'd be very pleased if a top student told him she planned on becoming a trophy wife.
Dumbledore spoke in an abruptly clear and calculated manner, "I understand you are closely acquainted with Mr. Black, Alice"
It felt odd for her to hear the professor call her by her first name, and odder yet to hear him mention her relationship with Sirius. "Yes—well, I suppose you could say that"
"You should count yourself lucky to have such a loyal friend. He's very worried about you. Before the holiday he told me that your father is putting you in danger."
"My father's actions are none of Mr. Black's business and I am quite able of taking care of myself"
"I have no doubt that that is true but I understand that the Tirian family has become involved with Lord Voldemort"
Alice shuddered at the name. It was an ugly name, one that didn't deserve to be spoken "That man, if you can still call him a man, has long been a close personal friend of my father's and so my father genuinely believes his political ideas are more than a pile of dungbombs."
"You have different views then? Would you mind telling me how you see the situation Alice?" Dumbledore raised a hopeful eyebrow.
"I believe, professor: that the way our families, the Tirians, the Dumbledores, the Blacks, have done things for centuries is no longer practical. In fact it hasn't been for quite sometime. It's impossible to even know who is truly pure of blood; it's quite likely that even you or I had a muggle marry in to our family, especially around the time of the Plague. It was necessary for survival. The Dark Lord's ideals are archaic, elitist and simply old-fashioned. And even if I did agree with his ends, his means are most
uncouth." She answered as cool and confidently as if it were a simple exam question.
Dumbledore looked at her intently with his piercing blue eyes, "Alice, in all the years I have known you, I have never known you to be and ignorant young woman so you must realize that there will come a time when, because of what you have just told me, you will not be "quite able of taking care of yourself." Not alone. You are quite talented and I am sure Voldemort would be ecstatic to count you among his Death Eaters. There will come a day when he will force you to choose between your integrity and your life"
"Thank you for the compliment sir" she said briskly, attempting to shake off everything else he said.
The Headmaster refused to look away, "Alice, think about it. I know Lord Voldemort quite well, if you do not join him he will kill you."
She seemed smaller, her pale skin an even sharper contrast with her dark hair. "I am fully aware of that. How could I not be? I've constantly known that he controls my life ever since…ever since the summer before 6th year. He's far more depraved than you know"
"Alice I know," he said in a firmly reassuring tone "I suspect you and I are two of only a handful of people who are willing to even begin to understand what he is capable of. There are people who can help you Alice, and given your unique position you could be invaluable to them as well."
"You know! If you know so much how come Sirius had to tell you my father was in league with Him?"
"I've known about your father since he and Lord Voldemort were students at this school. I am sorry to say I did not know you quite so well and it was Mr. Black who told me that you would be of help to us, and need our protection"
Alice smirked, "And you believe him? You believe me? We're from two of the oldest, most stuck up pureblood families around. Maybe I've already joined him! Maybe I'm just like dear old dad! How could you possibly trust me?"
The old man smiled kindly, "I've watched you grow up for the last seven years and I don't see a bit of your father. In fact, I see someone quite like your mother, rest her soul, an intelligent, articulate young woman who has ideals to which she plans on holding strong." He paused and his expression appeared to be slightly amused as he added, "And also, Miss Tirian, you're allowing me to read your mind as easily as I read the Daily Prophet. You will be taking Occlumency lessons with me 3 times a week before you return home to start spying."
"Spying?" Alice exclaimed, "Like in storybooks? Since when does Hogwarts have spies? Isn't that something you should leave to the Ministry?"
"No, Hogwarts does not have spies," Dumbledore laughed softly," But I have friends who are like you and I in thinking that Voldemort will not simply go away. The Ministry doesn't take this seriously. Alice, you're a smart girl and with your talent, connections and the money your father already supplies Lord Voldemort with it wouldn't take you long to work your way into the inner circle of his organization. We know he was behind the murder of those parents at Platform 9 and three quarters last fall"
"The Ministry ruled those splinchings completely accidental"
"Alice, four competent middle aged wizards failing to apparate at the exact same time? You're too smart to believe that. He's never going to stop, we're losing and the Ministry is doing nothing, we need someone on the inside"
For a while her mouth simply hung open, "I thought you wanted me to pay your people for protection or something."
"No, Miss Tirian, today is called Career Counseling and I am offering you a job. Will you consider my offer?"
She straightened her spine, folded her hands and attempted to regain the haughty composure she began this meeting with, "I will consider it" But first I'm going to make sure Sirius Black enjoys a slow and painfull death, she added mentally.
"Oh, Sirius, the romantic places you take me, how could any girl resist your charms," Alice laughed, pulling a cobweb from her hair as she leaned against a dirty wall in one of the many secret passages that had played host to their extracurricular activities.
Sirius' expression remained firm, "Stop trying to change the subject. Are you going to do it? Are you going to accept Dumbledore's offer?" She turned her head and refused to look at him. A game Sirius was used to playing himself. She was tall, very tall. He liked that about her, it kept him honest, he couldn't lie to a girl who was looking him in the eye. He liked a lot about her, in fact he was quite sure it was physically killing him to have her all alone and just be talking.
"I don't know okay! And don't even begin to think I've forgiven you for telling Dumbledore about my dad. If you don't keep your mouth shut you'll land everyone we know in Azkaban" She snapped.
He shifted uncomfortably, "I know, but I was, I was worried about you. I don't live on Grimmauld Place, I'm not a part of that world anymore. I don't know how to protect you."
Alice finally met his gaze with an angry glare, "I can protect myself thank you much."
He placed a hand on her shoulder and softened his voice, "He scares me, alright. And I'd be less scared if I knew you were safer. Dumbledore thinks thing's are a lot worse than everyone's letting on"
"I know, he thinks he's responsible for those dads who died at the start of the school year, and now that I'm thinking about it, it doesn't sound ridiculous. Their kids are all in Gryffndor and they were all the right age to have been here with my father and the Dark Lord. I know dad didn't get along with Longbottom at all. It was probably some juvenile rivalry like your gang has with Severus Snape"
"Hey! What we have with Snivellus is totally justified. And I don't really see him taking over the world"
"Yeah, there's probably a looks requirement before you're allowed to be an evil mastermind" She grinned.
"Oh, so Lord Voldemort's good looking?"
"I don't know, I haven't actually seen him come around to the house since I was really small. But yeah, I guess so, in an old-enough-to-be-my-father sort of way"
"Is he better looking than me?"
"Sirius he's old," An evil grin crept across her face. "Are you jealous?"
"No, I'm just asking, if he were my age, who would be better looking?"
"I refuse to contribute to your already over-inflated ego"
"Well then," he smiled slyly, "I guess I'll just have to settle for this." He kissed her on her mouth, then her jaw, and then it hit her---she had no choice but to accept Dumbledore's offer. Not for her own safety, yes, it was very stupid, very noble and very---well, very Gryffndor. Those men at the station truly could have been Srius, James, Remus and Peter, and if something wasn't done, someday they would be. And then she wouldn't be enjoying this moment with him, she wouldn't be enjoying any more moments with him, and as it was, that was all she had.