Disclaimer: I don't claim ownership over anything from the Harry Potter books, and if I did, I think I'd need my head examined.
Jeramiah was gaping at Remus in disbelief. "You were his teacher?"
Remus nodded, smiling at the stunned look on Jeramiah's face. "I taught Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts for a year. Harry was one of my third years."
"What's he like?" Jeramiah asked eagerly. "Harry Potter, I mean. Is he a very powerful wizard?"
Remus took his time in replying, as he considered how he might best satisfy Jeramiah's curiosity while still respecting Harry's privacy.
"He's a very brave young wizard." Remus spoke slowly, carefully weighing his words. "He's been through some very scary and very difficult times, but he never gives up, and he never runs away when he's afraid. He's very loyal and kind to his closest friends. He enjoys playing Quidditch and swapping Chocolate Frog cards with his friends."
Jeramiah's face broke out into a smile. "I collect Chocolate Frog cards, too. I want to learn how to play Quidditch. I always have, but my parents say I'm not old enough. Maybe Harry Potter can teach me, if you know him. Oh, Remus, can I meet Harry Potter?"
Remus laughed, pleased to see Jeramiah so excited. "Maybe," he replied. "I'll need to ask Harry first. He's a very busy young man. I need to see if he has time for either one of us." Remus paused to listen to the announcement being broadcast over the intercom on the train. "We get off at the next stop." he told Jeramiah.
Two days later, Remus was awakened by the sound of post owls tapping on his bedroom window. Groggily, he cracked one eye open. He'd been having an extremely interesting dream, involving all the chocolate he'd eaten in his lifetime growing, limbs, eyes and mouths, and knocking on his door demanding shelter from the evil coconut monster. A chocolate frog had been on the verge of telling him a story of how he'd escaped a rapid grindylow. Remus had been quite curious as to how that story would unfold. Now, however, the owls had succeeded in tearing Remus from his dream, yet they had so far failed to rouse him from his sleep induced stupor.
Years earlier, during the when the first Order of the Phoenix was active, Alastor Moody had trained his fellow Order members to transition from a state of deep sleep to full alertness in a split second when faced with a crisis situation. Remus had worked hard to master this skill, and it had served him well in past situations, when Death Eaters or Dementors were involved. However, the persistant an irritating tapping of post owls did not produce the necessary surge of adrenaline, without which, Remus woke extremely slowly. Back in his Hogwarts days, Remus had lost count of the times he had been jolted into wakefulness by a deluge of ice cold water, then greeted a grinning Sirius Black unsuccessfully trying to hide an empty bucket behind his back.
Who would the owls be from? The thought just barely penetrated the groggy fog filling Remus's mind as he slowly lifted his other eyelid. The Daily Prophet, naturally, but why does it sound like there's more than one? Could Harry be writing me back?... Harry!
With that thought, Remus Lupin's brain instantly achieved a state of full alertness. Within seconds, he was stretching weary muscles and trudging over to the window, where two owls waited. One owl bore what was unmistakably the Daily Prophet. The other owl, Remus recognized from Diagon Alley two days earlier.
Harry's reply!
Remus considered the small scroll of parchment attached to the second owl's leg. It bears no resemblance to a Howler. That's a good sign.
Both owls gazed reproachfully at Remus as he relieved them of their burdens. Remus supposed that he had spent too much time mulling over the Chocolate Frog's ordeal with the rapid Grindylow.
Remus paid the first owl, giving an extra knut out of guilt, then threw the Daily Prophet aside. He then brought Harry's reply to the makeshift desk he had created with a stack of old textbooks and a trunk from his Hogwarts days, and carefully opened it.
The handwriting was very similar to how Remus remembered it from his year teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. The scrawl was slightly tidier and more refined than before, but otherwise, it was exactly the same. Remus felt a slight pang at the realization that it had been more than three years since he had last seen that handwriting, and that was most likely no one's fault other than his own.
Remus shook himself away from downward spiral his thoughts were rapidly leading to. There was nothing to be gained from agonizing over the mistakes of the past. All he could do now was read Harry's note in hopes of finding within it some indication that he had a chance to make amends in the immediate future.
Heart pounding with anticipation, Remus began to read the note he held in his hands.
Remus (it feels strange calling you that, but I suppose I'll get used to it),
I'm at GH right now, with R and H. Perhaps we can meet there on Saturday at around two in the afternoon? You can meet me where L and J live now. I'm sure you've been there before.
I don't want to say too much here. We'll talk more in person.
I hope to see you soon.
Harry
Remus laughed to himself as he gathered up a quill, parchment and ink. Harry had clearly taken great care to keep his letter as indecipherable as possible in the eyes of any possiple interceptors. It reminded him of another carefully coded letter Sirius had read out loud to him nearly two years earlier.
As Sirius entered into his thoughts, Remus steeled himself for the inevitable wave of grief rising within him. Remus set his jaw as he summoned every ounce of willpower he possessed to push that wave down far below the surface. Wallowing in grief would get him nowhere. It would be far more productive to focus on the living. He could do far more for Jeramiah, Tonks and Harry than he could for Sirius at this point.
Harry. He's giving me the chance to redeem myself for my previous negligence of him. For both our sakes, I need to take that chance.
Remus dipped his quill into the ink bottle, turned to the parchment he had laid out before him, and penned a brief reply.
Harry,
I'll see you then, at the location you specified. I look forward to it.
In the meantime, take care of yourself.
Remus
Remus sent the owl off with the letter, then allowed his face to sink into his hands. He had reached out to Harry, and the young man had reciprocated. The risk had been taken, and nothing catastrophic had happened -- yet.
It was quite possible that Harry was merely responding out of politeness to protect the feelings of his damaged former professor. It was also possible that Harry genuinely wanted Remus to take an active role in his life. If that was the case, Remus knew that he couldn't back out now. Harry had suffered enough loss already, and he would never intentionally add to that.
No point in wasting mental energy thinking about that now, Remus told himself firmly as he stood up and began putting on his dressing gown. He had a child to care for now, and he needed all the energy he could muster for that. All he could do now was wait for Saturday afternoon, and see how events unfolded.
