LINER NOTES:
I apologize right now for the cliffhanger at the end of this one. It's midnight here as of the time I'm posting this, but I'm already
working on the next chapterwith the hopes I can finish it and get it posted before either a) 2 am or b) the time I fall asleep. I
feel terrible for leaving you all right here, but at the same time . . . I think it's a wonderful cliffhanger and my chapters have
been getting longer since I started writing in WordPad, so I don't feel too guilty . . .
DISCLAIMER: Fright Night is MINE, do you understand? MINE! I CREATED IT! IT IS MIIINNEE! (But you notice
I'm not laying claim to anything else.)
RATING: This chapter is rated PG-13 for heavy language.
REVIEWS:
ThePurpleEmperor: I'm quite flattered, Sho! Honestly, I am. I try to emulate Rowling's writing style, right down to the habit
of throwing in clues and puzzles ranging from the blatant to the unbelievably obscure (NOTE: People who care might want to
go back a couple of chapters and think very, very carefully about Tonks' work partner, Ferrum, and perhaps look his name
up on Google or MSN. I guarantee you'll see him again), and I, too, take notes - my copies of Goblet of Fire and Order of
the Phoenix were the first I started taking notes in when I started writing fanfiction, and they're positively shameful. Today I
even bought the ultimate clue guide to Harry Potter in the hopes of laying bare some mysteries that have puzzled me, and
perhaps even being able to create some more of my own . . . taking notes might be a good idea on your part, not just for this
story but for the next book - July 16th is much closer than it seems! (I keep telling myself that so I won't go crazy.)
Eleonora1: Yes, Malfoy's a right little beast, isn't he? He's going to find himself in far more trouble before too long, but
unfortunately his abuse of Remus has only begun. (Come on, I've gotta torture the poor guy somehow or it'd just seem too
much like a fuzzy faerie tale.) At least I didn't turn Remus into a panda and then seemingly drop the storyright when it started
to get good-get the hint-I revised the last chapter - it does in fact end with a kiss, but apparently I shadowed it too much. I
was trying to focus on what surrounds it (comfortable silence, a gentle touch, peacefulness, romanticism, loss of frustration)
instead of on the kiss itself, but in the process I lost it. It's my own personal philosophy that love and a hot cup of tea are the
best remedies for almost anything (although unfortunately that won't do too much for Remus in the next chapter - er, forget I
said that, would you please?), and I was drawing on that belief when I crafted the last bit. If it's still too fuzzy, emailme (or
cuss me out in your next review, I guess that works too) and I'll see what I can do. Comprende? You're gonna love what
Harry finds out about the letters of recommendation, and why he'll warm up to Severus at last, in the next chapter or two (I'm
not sure exactly where it's gonna fit), I guarantee it!
Dedicated, of course, to Eleonora1, ImmortalFlick, and my best friend, Alicia.
As always . . . enjoy!
.:Haruka:.
Dinnertime at last. The last Friday in September had also been Harry's first Quidditch practice, in addition to being the first
practice under the new Captain, Alicia Spinnet (1). Harry looked up as Remus tapped a knife against his waterglass. "Excuse
me, everyone! I have an announcement to make . . . " The hall fell silent (Remus seemed to have somehow picked up on
Dumbledore's amazing ability to quiet everyone just by standing up and leaning his weight against the table). Dumbledore
smiled and popped a lemon drop into his mouth as Remus continued. "I'm going to apologize to the other teachers for boring
them to death momentarily, since they're all perfectly aware of the background information I'm about to give you, but it is
quite important for all of you to hear."
Remus took a deep breath and continued. "When I was here as a student, there was a yearly tradition known as Fright Night.
Roughly speaking, Fright Night was a dance and party sort of thing held on Halloween in the Great Hall. It was sort of a nice
one-night break between the start of school andChristmas. Everybody dressed up, everybody had fun. Unfortunately, about
two years after I graduated a nasty and potentially life-threatening prank was pulled at Fright Night, and it was discontinued."
Remus paused and looked around at everyone. "I'm proud to announce that this year, with help from several of your other
teachers and a few discreet students, Fright Night will be returning."
Several people cheered and whistled, and scattered applause sounded throughout the Hall. Remus held his hand up for
silence. "I must impress upon all of you the fact that we can only continue this tradition with respect, a small amount of
maturity and consideration from you, the student body, however. Costumes may not be particularly revealing, nobody is
allowed to bring alcohol, and general school rules must be followed. Otherwise its fate is sealed. Everyone is required to
dress up, though your costume does not have to be at all elaborate. Satirizing teachers or other authority figures is acceptable
if it is done tastefully. And in keeping with the tradition of the original Fright Night, there is a costume theme. This year we
have determined that everyone must wear a mask that in some way completes or compliments your costume, and it must be
worn on the face and cover at least both of your eyes. It must also be removable, as you will be taking your mask off at
midnight. I would advise that you keep your costume fairly simple, as the dinner will begin promptly at six o'clock, and I do
believe that's everything." Remus glanced for a moment at the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall before nodding and
sitting down, and chatter began again at all four student tables, though this time it was chatter of a very different vogue.
Harry had one of the nastiest shocks of his life the next day as he entered Defense Against the Dark Arts. Remus was sitting
stiffly behind his desk, his jaw clenched, hands clasped together so tightly that his fingers were white, eyes blazing angrily.
Harry looked around for the cause of Remus' anger, and saw it sitting in a corner wearing an ugly black hair bow and a
disgusting pink cardigan and carrying a clipboard. Harry couldn't believe it.
Dolores Umbridge.
Harry put his homework on Remus' desk and greeted his guardian with a sunny "Hello, Remus," prompting Remus to look up,
grin back, and reprimand Harry gently. "Harry, I've told you, you can't call me Remus in a classroom setting. It's not
appropriate."
Harry grinned sheepishly. "Sorry Re- er, Professor."
Remus shook his head goodnaturedly and told Harry to go find a seat. Slowly the rest of the class trickled in, and then Remus
stood, moving in front of his desk, still seeming like their friendly, slightly fatherly professor in spite of the tension still clearly
outlined on his face. "Good morning, everyone." 'Everyone' responded with a chorus of greetings ranging from a "Good
morning" in return to "What's up, Professor?" to a simple "Hmmphho" from Neville, who was trying to dig his homework out
of his bag. Finally he extracted it, hurried up, and placed it on Remus' desk, returning promptly and smartly to his seat. Remus
picked up the stack of parchments now sitting on the corner of his desk. "So, everyone, as you know, we're continuing our
werewolf unit (2) today "
"Hem, hem."
Remus turned as though he'd just realized Umbridge was there. "Oh, I'm sorry, that was rude of me - I forgot to mention we
have a guest with us today. Miss Dolores Umbridge will be observing the class, so I'd ask you all to refrain from blowing
anything up today."
The entire class laughed - this was an in-joke involving an anecdote Remus had shared about trying to blow up Moaning
Myrtle's toilet when he was in fourth year, just to see what she (Myrtle) woulddo. Umbridge raised her eyebrow slightly, but
didn't comment - nor did she write anything on her clipboard. Remus flicked through the parchments in his hands, checking
quickly to make sure everyone had turned in the questions he would be answering in class today. Remus closed his eyes, and
Harry knew what the problem was before Remus even opened his mouth.
"Mr. Malfoy, I don't have your homework assignment."
"I didn't put it up there, Professor."
"Do you have it?"
"No."
"Would you please run back to your dormitory for it?"
"I don't have it."
Remus paused for a moment. "You don't have it."
"I didn't do it."
"You didn't do it." He took a deep breath, looking very much as though he were counting to ten before responding. "Why did
you choose not to do your homework, Mr. Malfoy?"
Malfoy sneered. "I think I answered that question on the first day of class, Professor."
Remus' fingers turned white where he was clenching them. "Mr. Malfoy, this is the fourth time since the class started that you
have chosen to not complete the work assigned to you. You may rest assured that the consequences will be a good deal
more than lost points or a detention this time. You may also return to your dormitory for the rest of the period. It is your own
choice if you wish not to learn on your own account, but displays like this also detract from your peers' right and ability to
learn. I will collect you at the end of the period and we will be having a small chat with your Head of House."
Malfoy sneered again, swung his bag over his shoulder, and sauntered out. Umbridge raised an eyebrow again and wrote
something on her clipboard, but Harry doubted that even she could turn such a masterful move into something negative.
Remus took a deep breath to compose himself before continuing.
"So, now - you were all asked to turn in at least one question to which you could not find the answer, and which related to the
lesson. After we -"
"Hem, hem."
Remus turned around and addressed Umbridge stiffly. "Yes, Miss Umbridge?"
"Excuse me, Professor, but do these - disturbances - happen often?"
Remus smiled ruefully - but still quite tensely. "I am afraid that some of the students have come to the conclusion that they
know more than their professor, Miss Umbridge. I try to keep problems at a minimum, of course, but there are always one or
two who insist upon creating discord." He turned back to the class. "As I was saying, after we get through these I have
something to hand out, and then I have an assigned reading for you. We'll have the quiz next class. So . . . " Remus shuffled
the parchments so nobody would know who had asked what. "I don't think I need to remind you all of my policy on so-called
stupid questions, but just to make sure - Neville, could you please remind everyone?"
Neville stood up and addressed Remus respectfully. "The only stupid question is a question asked for the purpose of
humiliating or demeaning a person, place, or experience. Every honest question asked out of a desire to learn is a good
question."
"Thank you, Neville. Now . . . " Remus extracted a piece of parchment and read the question written on it. "'Are werewolves
and vampires related?'" Remus set the parchment down on the desk as he answered. "Nobody is really sure whether or not
vampires and werewolves are related. There are definitely several similarities that bear looking into - for example, after a
werewolf's eyes will turn gold or amber after they have been bitten, and a vampire's eyes will turn silver or black with silver
for the same reason - but as of last year there was no fully conclusive evidence." Several students wrote down notes on his
comments as he pulled another sheet at random from the pile. "Do werewolves transform on a 'blue moon'?" Remus smiled.
"I've actually never had that question before. Yes, we do - and quite often the second transformation is of a greater magnitude
than a normal transformation. On a similar note, werewolves also transform - temporarily - during a total eclipse of the sun,
but if a total lunar eclipse occurs on a full moon night, there is no transformation until the eclipse has passed."
"Hem, hem."
Remus turned again, clearly fighting for patience. "Yes, Miss Umbridge?"
"Forgive me for interrupting - but do you often refer to your own experience in your teaching, Professor Lupin?"
"I find that experience is the best teacher, Miss Umbridge, and as the students were informed at the Welcome Feast, I have
no qualms about answering personal questions as they relate to Lycanthropy or other subjects from which they might glean
important real-world information." He turned back to the class and pulled another parchment from the larger stack that he'd
placed back on his desk. "'Is it possible for male werewolves to carry a child as it is possible for male vampires to do?' Quite
a few werewolf/vampire questions in here. It is possible, but it's also quite rare - I believe there have been only 200 cases of
male lycanthropic pregnancy out of a 3.5 million lycanthropicpopulation worldwide in the past ten years. Usually spells or
potions must be used if a male werewolf wishes to conceive, and of course that practice is closely monitored by the Ministry
to make sure it's not abused."
"Hem, hem."
Remus clenched his eyes shut and opened them abruptly before spinning, his composure clearly spent. "Miss Umbridge, I
would be glad to answer your questions at the end of the period as I do for my students, but I do ask that people not interrupt
unnecessarily during the period or we'd never get through a lesson."
Umbridge scribbled madly on her clipboard as Remus again addressed the class.
It took most of the rest of the hour - even without Umbridge's constant interruptions, which Remus had thankfully silenced
with his comment- to get through all the questions, and then Remus pulled another stack of parchment out of his desk
drawer. "I believe it was Lavender who asked me last class what a werewolf registry form looks like, so I went up to London
this weekend and got a copy of mine - I thought it would be rather more beneficial if you could see one that's actually filled
out. Most of the categories are self-explanatory, but some of them - I mean, 'indications,' what's that supposed to mean if
you're not familiar with the subject? Coughing, sore throat, runny nose, fever?" Almost everyone laughed (even a few of the
Slytherins) as Remus passed out small piles of the sheets and instructed the people in the front rows to take one and pass the
rest back. Lavender raised her hand almost immediately. "Professor, the dates on here don't match. It says the bite was in
October of 1964 but the registration was in July of 1966."
Remus closed his eyes. "I was registered for the first time two days after I was bitten, Lavender, but I had to be reregistered
when I was six for reasons I'd rather not go into." He opened his eyes again and addressed the class at large. "I think
everything on there is mostly self-explanitory, but that could just be because I'm familiar with it by now, so if anything isn't -"
It was Alkyne Macnair (3) who destroyed Remus' anonymity. "There's two registration numbers on here, Professor."
"My registry number was changed when I was reregistered."
"But the first number starts with a seven. You weren't a seven number, were you, Professor?"
Remus tensed as Neville asked the Slytherin what was wrong with being a 'seven number.'
"Numbers starting with seven belong to wards of the Ministry. Were you adopted, Professor?"
Remus sighed shortly. "I was, yes, Alkyne. But this is the same sheet all new registering werewolves have to fill out, so I didn't
bother asking for a copy of the old one. I think it was destroyed anyway."
Several students asked other questions about the sheet, and then Remus passed out copies of a Daily Prophet article relating
to the Werewolf Code of Conduct. "Now, all of you - homework for the next class, read the article and write between six
and eighteen inches about your feelings on what you've read - no, Hermione, you can't write more than eighteen
inches,there's a reason I put a maximum on it- whether or not you feel the regulations are fair, if and how they could be
improved, and how they affect the rest of the world, both Wizarding and Muggle. You may use outside resources if you
choose so you can gain a better understanding of the Code. Don't forget to study for the quiz. Harry, Hermione, Gregory -"
Remus indicated Goyle -"A word after class, if you wouldn't mind." The three nodded.
Three or four students came up to Remus' desk to ask questions, and then Hermione went to confer with the professor. She
nodded a few times over the parchment Remus was showing her, smiled, blushed slightly, and left. Goyle approached the
desk. Remus spoke with him briefly, received a sullen nod in reply, and, as Remus gave the stout boy a stern look, a book
was pressed into his hand - the book he'd mentioned that day on the train, with the illegal spells in it. Harry had very few
doubts as to why Goyle had wanted it - for Malfoy, most likely. Harry moved up to the desk. Remus smiled at him. "Here,
Harry, I finally finished looking this over for you." Remus handed Harry the Master thesis he was already working on in an
attempt to gain a Master in Defense Against the Dark Arts (and a leg up as an Auror, incidentally). "It's quite good for a first
draft, but you might want to consider revising your style some - it's a bit rough - and I made a comment or two on it for you.
And Harry - if you're still looking for research materials, you might want to try the Tower Library. I used several of the books
there for my own Master thesis." Harry nodded and grinned. "Get along to lunch, now."
"Sure. Thanks, Professor." Remus smiled at him.
"That's what I'm here for, isn't it?"
It was only after he'd left the classroom that Harry realized he had no idea where the Tower Library was.
"Well, that went as well as could possibly be expected," Remus informed Severus ruefullyas they both sat down for lunch in
the Great Hall. "There are very few people in this world that I really and truly hate, Severus, and even fewer women I'd ever
say a word against, but I feel no qualms about telling you I absolutely despise that bitch."
"Point taken," Severus countered as he spooned some shepherd's pie onto his plate. "The woman dared to question a syllabus
that's been honed by more than two hundred years' worth of Potions Masters, forget myself, because she was afraid students
might learn something potentially useful in the real world. Where does she get off, trying to foist her own ridiculous ideas on a
school that's been run quite well without her for the past thousand years?"
Remus shook his head moodily and stirred some sugar into his tea. "I don't know, but I don't think I'll be here much longer.
She spent a good twenty minutes going on about werewolves and the Lycanthropy Public Protection Act - apparently she's
not too happy that the Wizengamot overturned it after what she pulled here last year. I guess a lot of the laws she wrote up
are under review right now. But I have this awful feeling she's going to find a way to get me pulled out of here."
"Over my dead carcass."
"No, Severus, I'm serious - the way she stared at me all class period "
"I already told the Minister he can start trying to find a new Potions Master for Dumbledore if you get sacked with hidden
accusations used to utilize a clause that was overturned almost four months ago. I made that mistake once."
Remus stared at him in shock. "You can't be serious."
"I am."
"You told him you'd quit if I was sacked on some overinflated incompency charges that were really being used to mask their
true intentions?"
"Essentially."
"But - why? You -"
"I told you. I made that mistake once. I allowed my own prejudices to get in the way of my common sense. You're a damned
good teacher, Remus, and it would be a hell of a shame to lose you."
Remus grinned wryly. "Shouldn't use that kind of language in front of the students, Severus."
"This coming from a man who calls Dolores Umbridge a bitch. Not that I don't agree with you, mind, but that's really the
cauldron calling the cooking pot black."
"Severus?"
"Mmm?"
"Merlin, now you're starting to sound like me."
"Remus?"
"Hmm?"
"Shut up and eat your chicken."
Ten days later Remus got a letter by owl. He read it and stood up so quickly he knocked over his hot chocolate. "Oh, that
bitch." He hadn't realized until he said it that his voice had carried to even the students farthest away in the corners, as
evidenced by the students staring at him from every table. Then again, he didn't really care. By order of the Minister of Magic,
he had fourteen days to resign.
REFERENCE NOTES:
(1) Angelina, the captain in OotP, was in the same year as Fred and George Weasley - therefore, she would have graduated
at the end of OotP. After some careful research, I haven't found any indication that Alicia was in Seventh Year in OotP.
However, if she was, please email me and I will change the Captaincy (errors annoy me).
(2) For those who will argue that Severus covered werewolves with this class in their third year, he only taught ONE CLASS
on werewolves - so obviously they didn't go into great detail, plus Remus told them all they didn't have to do the essay
Severus assigned. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to me that Remus would choose to do them again - in addition, it would
also make sense that they would cover the basics when they were younger, and do a more involved unit in later years - much
as many 4th and 5th graders learn about the Civil War in the US, but then in 9th or 10th grade do a huge unit that covers
much more, in much more detail.
(3) Although this Macnair is indeed an OC (sorry - I couldn't buy the theory that there are only 4 boys in Slytherin in Harry's
year) who is the son of Macnair the Death Eater/Ministry executioner, he's not at all like his father - unlike most Slytherins,
this one is usually cruel without meaning to be, as he shows so well here. He's really a pretty good kid who just got Sorted
into Slytherin because the Hat didn't know where else to put him, so it followed his family's history.