A/n – I hope the dialogue in this section flows alright, I love writing Sirius, but Dumbledore is harder for me. Thanks a bunch to all those who are reading! As a new fan fiction writer it makes me all giddy that people actually like this!
A Werewolf's Prophecy
Part 2: Back to Reality
Why did he have to bring this up now! I don't see how any of it is relevant to Nymphadora! I don't see how any of it is true for that matter. And how can he just assume that we are in a relationship, it's not as if we are skipping down the street holding hands, I believe we have been very discreet. Even at Order meetings I barely look at her, I make it a point to speak only minimally to her. We even got into an argument about it the other day. She doesn't think I care about her, or doesn't think I show it enough. How can I? How could I possibly do that, then everyone would know, and, well, I don't know, something bad will happen. What if people laugh at us, or worse, convince her she's too good for me. Because she is. She deserves so much more than me, deserves a man whose future isn't doomed…
January 7, 1996
A fierce wind shook the windows panes causing the already irritable wizard sprawled out on the couch to wake with a start and swear under his breath. "If I could only just get one more hour of sleep," Remus mumbled to himself. Just then a repetitive thumping on the stairs caused the aching wizard to swear in a more audible tone, "Sirius, you ass! I'm trying to take a nap!"
An animated Sirius appeared in the doorway; "If you wanted to sleep, Moony, why didn't you stay in bed?" he replied as he walked over to the couch and threw Remus's knobby legs to the floor before plopping down in their place.
Remus let out a heavy sigh before responding pointedly, "Because I didn't want to sleep, I just wanted to take a nap."
Sirius could only giggle in response to his pitiful friend. "I see your still suffering from your moonover."
"What in Merlin's name are you talking about Sirius?"
"You know! Moooonover, like hangover, except after the full moon!" Sirius's smile was much too wide in Remus's opinion.
He could only shake his head while running both hands through his hair. "You really do have too much time on your hands, don't you?" And with that he got up and headed toward the kitchen.
Sirius jumped up to follow. "And if I didn't there would be no one to watch over your sorry arse every month!"
"Very true, my friend, very true." Remus smiled as he heated a mug of milk for his hot cocoa.
"Anyway, I'm sorry for waking you, but this came while you were asleep." Sirius held out his hand, which held a neatly folded piece of parchment addressed to:
Remus Lupin
Tapestry Couch in the Den
Number Twelve Grimmauld Place
London, England
"This is from Dumbledore" said Remus, recognizing the handwriting.
"Do you think something's happened to Harry?" an alarmed Sirius asked.
"No, I'm sure he's fine. If it was something urgent I'm sure Dumbledore would have used his patronus." Remus sat down in the chair closest to him and quickly opened the parchment, his interest in its contents just as great as Sirius's.
Sirius stared at him, his eyes wide, impatiently tapping his fingers on the table. "Well!"
"It just says he wants to meet with me tomorrow afternoon in Hogsmeade."
"About what?"
"I don't know, it doesn't say." Remus slowly sipped his hot cocoa with a faraway expression on his face.
"So what am I suppose to do tomorrow?"
Turning back to his friend, Remus replied frankly, "You are NOT coming."
Sirius groaned, his fingers tapping the table again. Suddenly he stopped and spoke with an irritated tone, "Is your girlfriend going to meet you at Ma-dam Pud-di-foot's while you are there?"
"What are you talking about, Sirius?" Remus countered calmly, trying to pretend that he hadn't noticed the increasingly jealous attitude Sirius adopted every time Tonks was mentioned or came to visit.
"Oh come on Moony! You think I haven't noticed what's been going on between you two. She's coming over two, sometimes three times a week now and she's still here in the morning, and I know she's not sleeping in one of the spare rooms."
"She's not my girlfriend, we just… We just like spending time together." Remus was struggling with how much to reveal. Part of him wanted to tell his friend, but how could he, he couldn't even tell her how he felt.
Sirius's response was partly snorted through his nose, "Yeah right, Remus, and I'm a blue fairy flittering around the room waiting for the poor lonely green fairy to notice me." Sirius demonstrated his fairy skills by flapping his arms wildly and running across the kitchen.
"You really are a nut-job, you know that don't you."
"Of course, but that doesn't change the fact that you're nubbin' my cousin." Sirius sat back down, his arms crossed.
"We are not "nubbing" as you so eloquently put it- Gods Sirius, where do you come up with words like that- Anyway, Nymphadora and I just spend time together, and you too, you're always here."
"Not in your bedroom!"
"Nymphadora doesn't like to sleep alone." The color in Remus's face was now closer to that of a raspberry than that of a tired werewolf.
"HA!" Sirius eyed his friend closely but could not get him to meet his gaze. "Why don't you want to admit it? You think I wouldn't approve? I want you to be happy Moony."
Remus finally lifted his eyes, smiling faintly and sighed. "I feared that if you thought she cared for me you would think less of her."1.
"Moony Moony Moony, why would I think that? She's my family, you're my family, you guys can get married and make lots of babies for all I care!" Sirius smiled warmly and put his hand on his friend's arm.
"Babies! No, no, no babies. We're just…"
"I know, I know, 'spending time together!'"
1. Stolen from a line in the movie, "The Girl in the Café." Great movie if you haven't seen it, especially if you're interested in seeing work by David Yates before OotP comes out.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
As Remus made his way inside The Hog's Head, he stomped his feet, ridding his worn shoes of the snow. He shivered lightly as he made his way toward the back of the dark room where an elderly wizard with a long white beard sat reading a thick book.
"Hello Remus," said Albus Dumbledore without lifting his eyes from his book.
"Hello. Quite chilly out there today." Remus removed a pint glass from his cloak and set in down on the table while gesturing to the barman.
"Yes quite." Dumbledore finally looked up and swiftly snapped his book shut.
After the barman turned away Dumbledore spoke again, "I suppose you are quiet anxious to learn why I asked you here today." Remus merely learned forward. "I have recently become aware of the relationship between you and Ms. Nymphadora Tonks."
"Relationship? Ah, Professor, we are not…" Remus shook his head lightly, trying to find the right words.
"It's alright Remus, I am certainly not here to question your intentions or lecture you on the propriety of dating a young witch. I am here… to discuss the Prophecy."
Remus slowly closed his eyes and opened them again before taking a large sip of butterbeer. He didn't know how to respond.
"I trust you haven't forgotten."
"No, no of course not, how could I. I just… I just have yet to accept its legitimacy." Remus's heart began to race as he thought back to that day in May of his seventh year when Dumbledore called him into his office and gave him the shocking information that he had since pushed into the back of his mind.
"Well, in case you don't remember the particulars, it said…"
Remus interrupted him without looking in Dumbledore's direction, "The greatest and most powerful wizard of his time will be born to a wizard stricken with lycanthropy and born the third month of the year 1960, and to a witch with a very dark history."
"Very vague, that second part don't you think." Dumbledore peered over his spectacles and watched Remus grimace.
"Yes. The first part is not."
"Quite right, Remus, quite right."
"I suppose you want me to now consider that Tonks is that witch; that we're going to have this child. Well, I'll tell you now, that would be impossible." Remus shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Never mind the fact that Nymphadora hasn't done a single evil or dark thing in her life, we also haven't…we haven't consummated our…we just like spending time together." He finished the last part of his sentence rather quickly.
Dumbledore was sensitive to Remus's irritation with the topic, but felt it necessary to get his point across. "Remus, prophecies are a curious part of our world. They are hard to prove and are often ignored. Magic such as this can be very powerful when underestimated. I felt the need to address this issue with you here today to find out if you understand the importance of this prophecy and what it could mean for you."
"And what might that be Professor?" Remus had calmed down and was trying to be respectful of Dumbledore's viewpoint, but he was still desirous of the end of the conversation.
"Fatherhood is the most difficult and most rewarding gift that is bestowed upon a wizard. I only hope that you understand this and learn to accept it when it happens to you." Dumbledore picked up his book from the table and began to stand. "As for the prophecy, sometimes the answers to life's most intriguing riddles are much simpler that one could have possibly imagined." Dumbledore smiling and turned to leave, "Have a good day Remus."
"Good bye Professor." Remus muttered, swallowing the rest of his butterbeer.
