LINER NOTES:

Here is a nice long chapter to make up for the length of time that I wasn't writing! I think I'll continue writing in WordPad - I don't have to go back and fix all the quotes marks to aim the right way, YAY! As you know, this chapter was originally going to be much different, but it refused to write . . . so here is the version that I came up with. And I would like you all to note my careful use of language from the seventies in the scene with the "punk" boy. As you'll see a few moments after reading that scene, there is a very good reason the boy is talking so oddly . . . ALSO, I HAVE TRIED AND FAILED TO FIND A REASON WHY MY TEXT KEEPS RUNNING TOGETHER. I'm really, honestly sorry - I've tried reposting, different formatting, etc. and NOTHING WORKS. Please forgive the oddnesses of things like "Remusreplied" or "butthenhe," because I thoroughly check my work before I post it. All I can figure is that perhaps it's some kind of glitch between the site and my account, because I also tried editing from Alicia's house and had the same results. Thanks to Eleonora1 for drawing the problem to my attention - I will continue to see if it can be fixed.

UPDATE, 3 JUNE 2005: This problem appears to be fixed -crosses fingers in hope- but I can make no promises. Please let me know if it continues to be a problem for you!

DISCLAIMER: Clearance clothes + secondhand sweater + bad case of acne equalsa clear lack of money, ergo I am not J.K. Rowling and I DON'T OWN IT. Is that my final answer? Yes, that's my final answer. Melody Lupin is mine, though.

RATING: This chapter is rated PG-13/T for language and homosexuality.

REVIEWS:

Eleonora1: In a word: No. Remus is Remus is Remus. He won't be changing. Really, the point he was getting across is that he would have been pudgy, redheaded, full of freckles, and a bit of a whiner (Dudley). Not too attractive. Really, he's much better off as is, trust me. Remus has never been able to really forgive the Moores, but he is an optimistic dreamer, so he doesn't really dwell on it - he's long since given up the idea that he has to go seek bloody, hellbent revenge for what they pulled. And I agree with you, Joan's a . . . erm . . . nice mate for Padfoot, of course! (LOL . . . dog lovers should know what I'm talking about - see Aunt Marge) Can't hold too much against her husband (what was the name I sent you in that timeline? Mine got deleted . . . dangit!), though, he REALLY doesn't wear the pants in their family. I actually stole the packs and mates thing from you . . . LOL . . . I liked it! And I could be wrong, but in one of your newer chapters (the one where Severus is turned into a werewolf, that story), did you cop my "justifiable attacks" thing? Severus' attack on that brat seemed quite familiar . . .

Miss Anonymous hp: I'm glad you're liking it so far! I feel very bad that I haven't been able to get anything out . . . my muse went on strike . . . and my plot bunnies . . . well . . . :suddenly goes into Hermione mode: Did you know that if you store plot bunnies in an airtight container, they die? It's true, it's in Hogwarts, a History . . .

Yulara: :also wipes tear: Love you. Love Remus. Love Severus. Love your story. Love updates. :hint, hint . . . not that I'm any better:

Princess Nat: I find your name amusing, probably for obvious reasons . . . LOL. Anyway, I'm glad you're liking it - I found it hilarious that while I tried so hard to keep it a secret, I simply . . . couldn't. Eleonora outed me. Well, then she stuffed Severus back in the closet . . . that was a bad, bad analogy, wasn't it? Anyway, she outed me, and from that point on I was desperately trying to make it seem like it simply couldn't be him without making my own task (justifying each and every single one of his idiosyncracies, i.e. dislike of Tolkien) any harder. All this at a pace of about 3 days between chapters? No wonder my muse ran away from me!

And as always . . . enjoy!

"Hurry, Harry, we're going to miss it! Why didn't I put an Amplifying Charm on the alarm, today of all days - here, now, I'll see you on the other side, Harry, make sure you have everything - Ron's bringing Hedwig?"

Harry nodded at his guardian, somewhat overwhelmed by the flow of words.

"Good, that's good . . ." Remus murmured distractedly, disappearing through the gateway to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Remus had some sort of guard duty on the platform. Harry turned, facing the solid brick partition (1), and began walking purposefully toward it with his trolley. He was almost ready to go through when a sulky-looking boy with an impossibly long black braid and general Gothic style stepped in front of the barrier and then slouched against it. "Hey, man, woss yer name?" Harry almost groaned aloud. He'd heard of 'punks' like this boy, and he was going to miss the train because of him! Better to just tell him . . .

"Harry."

"Harry what, man?"

"Er . . . Potter . . . ? Who are you?" Harry shot back.

The boy appeared completely unperturbed by Harry's question. "Man, that's groovy. Great year, Cat." He reached out, all but forcing Harry to give him a high five, and as he did Harry felt the boy finger the wand hidden in Harry's sleeve. The boy stepped aside, and Harry hurried through the barrier, quite unnerved by the entire exchange.

"Harry, great to see you, mate! What's new?" Harry was relieved to be back among the familiarity of his friends, and he'd just begun to answer Ron's question when Remus jumped up in alarm. "Where's Severus?" Ron, who was blissfully oblivious to "Nate's" true identity, saw no reason for Remus to be so cut up over the missing Potions Master.

"HEY!"

Remus raced to the door and threw it open, grabbing onto the handle inside the compartment as he did so. Harry and Hermione both peered out the windows, while Ron just looked confused. Suddenly Harry gasped - the punky boy was running down the platform with far more energy than Harry would originally have credited him with. He saw Remus hanging out the door and reached for his guardian'shand to keep him from falling right off the train. Remus grabbed the punkyboy's wrist and heaved him up, and the next moment Hermione slammed the door shut and the pair on the floor rolled off of each other.

"We do seem to be having that problem a good deal lately, don't we, Severus?" Remus chided. He and Harry had attempted to teach Severus to roller skate (an amusing sight if Harry had ever seen one), and the attempt hadn't gone too well. Harry was too busy gaping at his Potions Master to pay any mind to thoughts of what had transpired over the last two weeks. The seventeen-year-old "boy" Harry had seen on the other side of the barrier was now stripping off a black and silver "Nirvana" hooded sweatshirt and a garish yellow Walkman CD player.

"Damned Muggle clothes . . . smell likedog shit . . . thebarrier wouldn't let me through, did you have any problems with it?"

Remus shook his head, and Ron stared at Severus with a look that surpassed hilarity. "Bloody hell, that bloke was you, Professor?"

Severus reached back behind his head and very slowly removed several hairpins. The knee-length braid fell to the floor, and he shook loose the tumbled, slightly curly locks that had been held fast behind it. "I always knew this bloody thing would come in useful someday," he commented, picking the braid up off the floor and beginning to roll it up around his hand. "And yes, Mr. Weasley, 'that bloke' was me. The headmaster felt it prudent to add extra security this year. Does your mother know what kind of language comes out of your mouth?" He fastened the braid in a roll by way of the hairpins, handed it to Remus (who promptly deposited it in the battered suitcase Harry remembered from his third year), pulled off the white T-shirt he'd been wearing underneath the sweatshirt, and turned it inside out. Ron stared openly and Hermione let out an "oh" as it turned itself into a black and white button-down shirt similar to the ones Remus wore. As Severus finished buttoning it, he commented, "Now I feel somewhat human. Bloody thing -" he pointed at the sweatshirt - "the person I borrowed it from doesn't seem to believe in washing things."

The morning hours passed quickly, with two new, interesting people to talk to in addition to catch-up on the summer's activities - Severus seemed much more approachable sans the black robes and wearing blue jeans. Ron had been stunned at the news that Nate had turned out to be Severus, but he was equally stunned that Severus had not recognized Remus - the redhead felt certain that Harry should have been a dead giveaway.

"I never considered the possibility that I was writing to someone I already knew. The odds must be simply astronomical, Mr. Weasley. Can you tell me in all honesty that you would have conjectured such a thing?"

Ron stared at Severus, his brows slightly furrowed. Finally he spoke. "Er . . . conjectured?"

Severus snorted impatiently as Remus, with the dedication of a saint, set about trying to explain 'conjectured' without sounding like he was talking to a three-year-old. "If you conjecture something, Ron, you're guessing about it - only a conjecture is more sophisticated than a guess. It's more like a deduction. Don't feel bad - almost every time I try to talk to him I have to go find a dictionary." Ron just stared, openmouthed, before trying to answer the original question. "Well, I mean, a lot of stuff would seem way too weird - like Harry being his - ward, right, mate?" (Harry nodded.) "And stuff like that, that you'd already know abo- bloody hell!"

Remus and Severus jumped to their feet as the train shivered to a halt. Hermione whimpered. "What's going on, Professor?"

Remus looked around warily. "Stay in your seat, Hermione, Ron, Harry -"

The door to the compartment slid open.

All of the compartment's occupants half expected a tall, shuddering black creature to float into the compartment to terrorize them. The five were slightly surprised, then, to observe the - fully human - being striding formally through the door. Harry leapt up. "Tonks! What are you doing here?" He tried to hurry forward to pull the currently black-haired Auror into a hug, but she stepped back, her eyes showing no sign of recognition of any of them, and she raised her wand. "Sit down."

Harry stared at her, mouth agape. Remus echoed her. "Sit down, Harry . . . Just listen to her, everyone . . . " He took a step back and followed Tonks' order, Severus doing the same. Harry finally turned around and shuffled back to his seat as a tall, thin wizard with severely combed brown hair and cold blue eyes stepped into the compartment. He, too, was wearing the light blue robes of an Auror.

Tonks and the man stared around at the five occupants of the carriage, before Tonks addressed herself to Harry. "Full name?"

Harry's mouth fell open again. "Come on, Tonks, what's going on?" Her eyes blazed coldly. "Your full name, if you please." Harry continued to mouth silently for two or three seconds before Remus prodded him gently. "Just answer her questions, Harry."

"Erm . . . okay . . . Harry James Potter, then." He expected Tonks to be satisfied, perhaps to start laughing and tell them all that this was some kind of elaborate joke, but instead she glanced down at a clipboard that had mysteriously appeared in her hand. "Age, school year and family?"

"I just turned sixteen . . . I'm going into Sixth Year . . . and . . . er . . . family?" He glanced at Remus helplessly.

"They need to know who your parents are and who you're living with, Harry," Remus informed him, all the time keeping one eye on the wands in the Aurors' hands.

"Er . . . right. My parents are - were - Lily and James Potter . . . " Harry paused, slightly stunned at the fact that he could answer the question in such a calm and unemotional manner - he normally avoided questions, and answers, involving his parents. "And Remus -" he gestured to the blonde sitting next to him - "is my legal guardian. I stayed with him this summer."

Tonks nodded. Then she took four steps forward, grabbed Harry's left wrist, and extended his arm. She pressed on his forearm through the cloth. Harry gasped and jerked his other hand toward his forehead. Tonks brushed his bangs back out of his eyes and stared critically at the scar on his forehead, then pulled his sleeve back and carefully examined his arm. Apparently satisfied with what she saw - or didn't see - she moved on to question Remus in the same manner, though instead of asking about his family she inquired as to his address.

It was only when the Metamorphmagus reached the other side of the compartment and examined Severus that anything out of the ordinary happened. She pressed on his arm, and he gasped just as Harry had done - and pulled his arm away from her in an almost involuntary action. Jerking his arm back out full-length, Tonks shoved his sleeve up to his elbow, and her eyes darkened as she saw the skull and snake just below the crook of his elbow. She turned half toward her companion, but covered Severus with her wand. "You have anything on Severus Snape, Ferrum (2)?"

The brownhaired Auror rustled through a large stack of parchment, extricated a sheet, and slid it on top of the pile. He read silently for several moments before looking up harshly at Severus. "It says here that he's currently employed by Dumbledore. He's clean."

Tonks stared at Severus suspiciously for several moments before releasing his arm and allowing him to roll his sleeve back down. Then she stepped back and addressed all five of them. "In accordance with a search ordered for security reasons by the Ministry of Magic, we are required to go through your belongings. Do any of you have anything on your personthat may be considered a Dark object or a potential tool for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, such as Time-Turners, restricted potions, or a second wand?"

Severus raised his hand slightly and then pulled something out of his shirt front. Tonks moved back toward him and examined the object, which seemed to be on some sort of chain or string around Severus' neck. She cast a Dark-detection spell on the object, and then, apparently satisfied, nodded at Severus, who tucked it back beneath his shirt. Remus leaned toward Harry, clearly ready to say something, but a sharp glare from the Auror named Ferrum put Remus right back in his seat, not moving except to raise his own hand. Tonks looked in his direction, and Remus offered, "I have two advanced books on curses - for my N.E.W.T. classes - but I think there may be an illegal spell in one of them that I haven't had the chance to remove." Tonks nodded at him, and then ordered Ron, Harry and Hermione to open their trunks. Remus pulled his suitcase down from the rack and opened it before Tonks had a chance to ask him about it. She stared, hard, at Severus. "You have no luggage?"

Severus shook his head. "I moved back up to the school last week so I could prepare the Potions classroom for use. My presence in London today was only as a member of Dumbledore's faculty guard - a precaution to make sure that only students boarded the train. I arrived at six o'clock this morning and left on the train - obviously."

Tonks stared at him for just a moment more, clearly waiting for him to make some kind of guilty movement, before she turned back to Harry's trunk, which she was searching. After a moment she pulled out his Invisibility Cloak. "You didn't mention this."

Remus spoke before Harry had the chance to. "I tried to tell him he should say something about it, but your partner -" here Remus indicated the Auror named Ferrum - "didn't want me speaking to him."

Harry mouthed for only a moment before coming up with an explanation. "I'm - I'm sorry - I didn't know. That I should, I mean. Mention it. I didn't think it was important." He paused only a moment before adding, "It belonged to - to my dad. I got it from Dumbledore when I was in First Year. Mydad left it with him, or something like that.I've never used it except in school."

Tonks performed the same spell she'd performed on Severus' mysterious object, then handed the cloak back to Harry. The Auror named Ferrum questioned Hermione thoroughly on the spellbooks in her trunk (apparently a good deal of them were not required for school, and she was carrying them around as extra reading material) before nodding, ticking something on his paper, and closing the lid of her trunk. In less than ten minutes he and Tonks had finished with the boys' trunks and Remus' suitcase (apparently there wasn't too much of interest in a few pairs of socks and underwear), closed them all, and glided out the door silently as they had come, Tonks instructing them to stay in the compartment until the train was again in motion.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron asked, perplexed. Severus answered him.

"Apparently the Ministry is searching the train for Death Eaters. It doesn't surprise me. It would be quite easy for someone to Polyjuice into the form of a student, for example, and gain entry to the school. I was checking wands outside the barrier today, but it's possible that someone could have got through as a parent - I couldn't prevent them from going through, especially if they had a First or Second Year student with them - and then Polyjuiced on the other side of the barrier -"

"It's not possible," Remus interjected. "Minerva, Filius and I were all checking for possible Dark activity, Severus. Nobody could have worked a switch without one of us noticing."

"Well, Icertainly dohope you're correct, Remus - what the hell?" Severus stared as the compartment door slid open again. This time the man framed by the door looked much friendlier, but still quite formal and strict. Everyone fell silent again as he stepped in.

"My name is Pascal Anion. I am a representative of the Bureau of Dark Creature Control in the Ministry of Magic. As I am sure you are aware, a Ministry team is searching this train to ensure the safety and security of the students." He paused and glanced at each of them in turn. "Do any of you fall under the classification of a Dark creature?"

Remus raised his hand, and upon receiving a questioning glance he pulled out an ID card from his wallet and handed it to the slim, darkhaired representative. Pascal Anion raised his eyes from the card, to Remus. "And you have a scar or werewolf identification number?"

Remus hesitated. "Both . . . but the number's not accurate. It was changed when I was six." At the man's nod, Remus bared his neck, showcasing the long, crescent-shaped scar on the right side for about ten seconds before pulling his robes back up to their proper place.

"And your number?"

Remus pulled his robes down slightly, revealing a rather intricate bird (Harry thought it might be a phoenix) tattooed just below his collarbone. "The number is in the feathering. I got tired of people asking me why I had a number on my chest, so I got permission to cover it." Pascal Anion examined the tattoo minutely before nodding. "I will, of course, have to check the number, as you state it is no longer current, but it appears to be in order." Remus nodded in understanding as the representative voiced his next question.

"Have any of you been marked by a Dark creature?"

Remus nudged Harry's elbow. "That's you, Harry."

Harry stared at him. "Me? Why me? I've never -" Pascal Anion stared at him, and Harry's insides squirmed. Fortunately, Remus stepped up for the defense. "Harry is my legal ward. I gave him a Pack sign before the July full moon, as he chose to stay with me instead of with a friend."

Harry's jaw dropped. "You never told me that!"

Remus shrugged. "I didn't see a reason to."

"And if I may inquire, why not?" Harry didn't see how Remus could stay so calm under a stare like that. The man obviously didn't mean them any harm, but he had the kind of gaze that simply forced you to be unsettled no matter how friendly he seemed.

"I didn't think he'd take too kindly to the idea of how a Pack mark is formed, but I wasn't going to let him stay the night without one. I thought it was an unnecessary risk to take, even with the Wolfsbane Potion."

Pascal Anion nodded, seeming to understand Remus' predicament, before scribbling something on a sheet of parchment, thanking them, and leaving. About five minutes later the train started up again, and they were on their way.

"Kline, Rose-Marie!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Lancer, Jordan!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry stared up at the Head Table as the Sorting continued, long and monotonous. There had been nineteen people under the letter "D" alone. Suddenly Remus' face lit up, and Harry turned back to the Sorting just in time to hear Professor McGonagall call "Lupin, Melody!"

A long pause. It stretched on . . . and on . . . and on. Finally Hermione whispered, "She's been sitting there for more than a minute and a half! I wonder if something's wro-"

"GRYFFINDOR!" Harry clapped loudly, and continued all the way up to the time that Melody Lupin hurried up and collapsed onto the bench on the side of the table opposite him. Harry grinned at her. "Congratulations."

Melody smiled at him in the same breathless way he recognized from Remus. It still stunned him that the two weren't actually related. "Thanks."

The Sorting went on . . . and on . . . and on . . . and finally Dumbledore stood from his place to make his announcements as "Zircon, Melanie!" was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"I have several announcements this year . . . First Years should be aware - as should all older students by this time - that the forest on the grounds is strictly off-limits unless you are entering with a teacher and during daylight hours." Ron, Harry, and Hermione all shared startled glances. Before, the forest had been held in strict taboo. What had changed?

"Secondly, we are welcoming back Professor Lupin as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor." Almost everyone who had known Remus during his last term at the school applauded loudly, as did many of the younger students (who assumed that if he received such praise from the older students, he must be a pretty decent teacher). Dumbledore motioned for the applause to die down, and as it did he continued. "Older students will already know this, and so it is to the younger students that I address myself - you should all be aware that Professor Lupin is a werewolf." Whispering broke out, and even Dumbledore's efforts to quell it did not succeed. Finally Remus stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled shrilly. Silence reigned instantly (though several students threw their hands over their ears - Remus' whistle wasn't particularly pleasant when he was aiming for volume). Dumbledore smiled and went on. "Your parents and guardians have all been informed of the fact, and I should tell you all that all possible precautions have been taken to prevent any accidents from occurring. Professor Lupin has also requested that I inform you all that he is perfectly willing to answer any questions you may have and to assure you all that his condition will not negatively interfere with your educations."

Remus smiled shyly, and Harry took his eyes off his guardian to stare at Severus, who was sitting on Remus' left. Severus, Harry determined, was a fantastic actor - there was no sign that he'd ever known Remus in more than a casual/professional way. He applauded disinterestedly with the rest of the teachers - but Harry, who was watching for such things, saw him slip a piece of parchment into Remus' hand. As the headmaster proceeded with his announcements, Remus unfolded it and began to read, blushing scarlet almost immediately. Harry turned his attention back to Dumbledore.

"Thirdly, as you are probably all aware after the search of the Hogwarts Express . . . the Ministry of Magic has requested our cooperation in the war against Lord Voldemort." Whispers and shudders again washed over the hall, but quickly receded as the headmaster raised his hand. "Aurors have been stationed within the school, and I must ask that you show them the utmost respect and that should they request your aid, you would be so good as to give it to them. I have been assured that their presence will be much more discriminatory than that of the Dementors three years ago, and that they will not attack or unnecessarily follow any student. If you have any questions on the state of affairs within the Wizarding community, they will also be happy to give you as much information as they can. It is only together that we can overcome our problems and win this war." Another wave of murmurs. Another request for silence. "Now, as I'm quite sure you're all extraordinarily famished by now . . . tuck in!" And with that, Dumbledore sat down, food appeared on the plates, and the new year at Hogwarts had begun.

REFERENCE NOTES:

(1) I'm using the movie version of the train station for this - don't kill me! I know the book says it's metal, but somehow I just can't see it . . . kinda like my feelings on Remus with brown hair.

(2) I raided my Chemistry text during a particularly boring class period yesterday (our substitute didn't know ANYTHING). "Ferrum" is the Latin/old word for iron (as in the metal). Gotta love the Periodic table . . . you'll be seeing a lot of Chemistry- related names popping up in my work from now on . . . I wrote out a whole long list of cool names I can use or adapt for my evil purposes . . . muahahaha . . .