A/N- There are some references to the Order, Death Eaters, and Slughorn that are only mentioned in later books, but Remus would already know about them. They are part of his past. The duel between Severus, Sirius, and Remus is somethingI made up, as is Professor Kettleburn's fate. I have a whole back story planned, and that is where some of this stuff is coming from. Forgive me if it doesn't quite fit cannon. I'm trying.

Chapter Two- Continued

Remus stepped off the train and headed for one of the last carriages. As he sat waiting for the carriage to move, he watched the commotion on the platform. Hagrid called the first years andRemus sighed.He would never forget the boat ride to the castle and the first night of his new life as a student. It had been the beginning of the seven years in which he could be free of the prejudice people would invariably show toward him.

No one joined him in the carriage, and soon enough it moved up the road and through the gates. Once again he felt the cold of the dementors, and without looking, he knew that they flanked the open gates, looking for Black. Minutes later, the carriage stopped and he got out. A loud voice greeted his ears.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley? Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

The voice belonged to a pale boy with blonde hair and cold, grey eyes. The boy was blocking Harry, Ron, and Hermione's path up the stairs. Remus sighed. This must be Malfoy, the ring-leader of the three intruders to the compartment earlier in the day. Remus sighed. Once again, he chose to avert a fight.

"Is there a problem?" he asked mildly. Malfoy stared at him, his eyes traveling over the shabby state of Remus' appearance.

"Oh, no—er—Professor." Neither the smirk on the boy's face nor the sarcasm in his voice was lost on Remus, who shook his head as he entered Hogwarts castle for the first time since he had graduated.

That boy is going to be a nightmare to teach, Remus thought. But his attention was diverted by the sight that met his eyes on entering the Great Hall. He had blended into the crowd easily enough, but he quickly moved off toward the staff table, feeling uncomfortable. He was the only one in the whole crowdwho did not have anyone to talk to. Suddenly, he paused, staring at the one person he had thought to never see again.

Severus Snape, former Slytherin student and arch-nemesis to Remus' best friends, was sitting at the staff table, looking completely at ease. He actually seemed rather bored, and as his gaze swept the crowded hall, it seemed his eyes paused for a moment as they passed over Remus. Severus' lip curled when he made eye contact with Remus, as if he had seen something unpleasant, and then let his gaze move on. A moment later, Remus thought he had imagined it. He realized that he was blocking traffic, and hurried up to the staff table, followed by a few curious eyes.

Dumbledore smiled and pointed Remus to a seat. Remus took it, grateful that he was no where near Severus. When most of the hall was full and all the students seated, Flitwick led the first years in. What's happened to McGonagall? She always used to supervise the Sortings. There were two empty chairs at the table, one was Flitwick's, the other must be McGonagall's. Remus shrugged inwardly and watched the Sorting with interest.

As Flitwick left the hall with the Sorting Hat, Harry and Hermione entered with Professor McGonagall. How odd, Remus thought, but he figured it had something to do with the letter he sent after the dementors searched the train. McGonagall smiled at him as she sat down.

Dumbledore stood up and began his welcome back speech soon after. He spoke about the stationing of dementors at the school, of which Remus already knew. So he sat lost in thought until he heard Dumbledore say,

"I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Remus smiled at the scattered applause. He was pleased to see that all those who had been in the compartment with him clapped harder than everyone else. He had not expected a warm welcome; after all, Hogwarts had hired a new Defense teacher every year since no one knew when.

Dumbledore continued, "As to our second new appointment, well, I am sorry to say that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs." Remus laughed slightly, Professor Kettleburn had made a standard joke of the fact that he had lost an arm to a rampant manticore to make his students more comfortable with the fact. Remus wondered what else his former Professor had lost, and he was sorry that Kettleburn was no longer there; Remus had been looking forward to seeing him again.

Thunderous applause broke into Remus' musings. Apparently, Hagrid was to be the next Care of Magical Creatures teacher. And then the feast began.

Sometime during the feast, Remus received the message that the teachers were meeting in the staffroom after the feast. Remus was content to just listen to the talk around him as he ate; he had only recently found his appetite after the last full moon. As the Great Hall began to empty he stood up and made his way to the staffroom.

Remus stood to the side of the room, not completely comfortable in a room surrounded by people who were his former professors. And whatever his friends may have felt, Remus had always had great respect for his teachers. McGonagall tried to draw him into conversation, but Remus only smiled politely and listened as she explained the basic rules for teaching.

Remus thanked her for telling him, and she smiled.

"Really, Remus, you could call me Minerva now."

"Yes, I suppose, Professor—Minerva." He shook his head, flustered.

Minerva laughed. "I must say, I have never been called 'Professor Minerva' in my whole life." Remus had to laugh as well, which was, of course, McGonagall's intent.

Dumbledore arrived shortly after, and sent the teachers off to bed, though not in those exact words. He asked Remus and Severus to stay a moment later, though. The two former enemies had been avoiding each other all evening. The look of loathing on Severus' face was barely concealed, though Remus could not blame the other man. Remus also felt anger welling up inside himself, but years ofnot showinghis anger allowed him to hide it.

Dumbledore spoke. "I hope that you two will try to be civil. Your last meeting, I know, was not exactly friendly."

That was putting it lightly. The last time the two had met had been in a duel between members of the Order and Death Eaters. Though Severus was supposed to be on the Order's side, he had been fighting Sirius. When Remus stepped into helphis friend, Severus had broken off, which had fueled Sirius' belief that Remus was a Death Eater. Remus had attacked Severus, and both had been in the hospital for quite a few days.

"Severus," Dumbledore said to Remus, "has consented to make the Wolfsbane Potion for you."

"Thank you," Remus said quietly, afraid to meet Severus' eyes, and afraid not to. He did not want to sound insincere, for he did mean it, but he did not want to see the hatred in Snape's eyes either. The Potions Master made no reply.

"Well," Dumbledore said, breaking the silence. "You may go. Classes do start tomorrow; I trust Minerva gave you your schedules?"

Both Remus and Severus nodded, made their good nights, and left together. They did not speak until Remus realized that he did not know where his rooms were.

"Forgive me, but do you know where my rooms are?" Remus asked hesitantly.

Severus looked at him coldly. "Why didn't you think to ask anyone else?" He sighed, and before Remus could answer, continued, "The rooms arein your office. There is a concealed door in the back of the room. It should be keyed to your touch after tonight. I believe that the one in the Defense office is next to the portrait on the wall to the left when you enter."

"Thank you," Remus said again, but said no more as the Potions Master walked away. Great. Of all the people to take old Slughorn's place, it had to be him. What was I thinking, coming back? All I have met today is my past. And I am not ready to face it. But I don't have any choice now.

He was so lost in thought that he did as Snape said and went to the wall on the left. Nothing happened. Remus blinked and looked up to notice that the portrait in the room was on the right. Git, Remus thought calmly. And that portrait has got to go. I wonder if Severus picked it?

The picture was indeed ugly; it looked like a painting of a troll, though the title of the piece claimed that it was a member of the Ministry from long ago. Remus found the flowered wallpaper in the rooms repulsive as well, and assumed that an old woman had had these rooms before him. Maybe the Ministry official in the painting had been her grandfather. He laughed at the image of a wrinkled, grey woman sitting in the room chatting with the portrait and promised to change the decorations the next day.

He fell into bed after dragging on pajamas, and was asleep in minutes.