"Well, Sam, it was certainly good to hear your thoughts on the lesson plans for the year," Lupin said, smiling as he rolled up a piece of parchment and placed it inside his desk. "I quite like your idea to focus more upon the spells effective against the Dark Arts, especially with me focusing on the creature side of things. Speaking of which, do you think Dean would be able to get me a banshee, perhaps a wendigo?"

Sam blinked in surprise. "You know about Wendigos?" He asked, shocked. He knew for a fact they had never been mentioned once in the books. This was probably yet another twist the Guide had thrown into the world. "Sorry, didn't think they were common around here."

"Oh, they aren't," Lupin assured him. "In fact I haven't ever even heard of one around this area. Near as I can tell they are only found in the United States and occasionally Canada. I only asked because I thought it might be good for them to see something more exotic."

"Wouldn't a phoenix or a griffin be better then?" Sam asked warily. He had seen firsthand, many times, just what a wendigo could do to people. He certainly did not want to see the students placed in any danger, particularly one as violent as a wendigo. "Wendigos are, well, they're not for students."

"I understand your concern," Lupin smiled. "Don't worry, I wasn't planning on making them battle the creature. I wanted merely to show them that there are some creatures in this world that are purely evil. But if you think it unwise, I suppose you would be the subject matter expert. You know, the rumors of you being a cold-blooded Dark Wizard hunter are quite unfounded."

"I don't pay much attention to rumors," Sam shrugged. "So, that everything you wanted to talk about?"

"Yes, I think that wraps things up nicely," Lupin said, rising from his seat and extending his hand to Sam. "Let's have a good year then, shall we?"

"Absolutely," Sam smiled, shaking the proffered hand.

Just as Sam was about to step out, Lupin cleared his throat and called, "Sam, would you mind doing me a favor? My… condition… is known only to a select few. I figured with your and Dean's resumes you would inevitably figure it out so I thought I would save you the trouble but I would prefer if the information was not common knowledge."

"Of course, not a problem. I'll tell Dean when I see him," Sam nodded. He exited the office then, nearly crashing into Dean who was looking remarkably pale. For a moment Sam thought that he had a scarf around his neck. That is, of course, until the scarf hissed at him irritably. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Don't ever go too deep into the Forbidden Forest," Dean told him, giving a shudder of disgust. "They have spiders the size of freakin' houses and that giant dude, Hagrid? He calls them pets!"

Apparently Dean's loud voice could be heard inside Lupin's office as the professor opened the door and poked his head out. He smiled when he saw Dean and then a curious look fell over his face when he spied the serpent around the Winchester's neck. "Aah! I had heard you had managed to domesticate a basilisk but I thought they were just rumors! May I see her?"

"Uh, yeah, sure if she will let you," Dean said, uncoiling the serpent from around his neck and handing her to Lupin. The snake hissed in annoyance but tolerated Lupin's inspection for a few moments before writhing free and slithering back onto Dean's shoulders.

"Remarkable creature," Lupin breathed, stroking her scales with interest. "I don't suppose you would be interested in a joint class at one point? She would be a brilliant lesson topic. What's her name?"

"Lucy," Dean said, puffing out his chest in pride.

"Lucy?" Sam repeated, raising an eyebrow. He had expected something much more dramatic from Dean. "Why Lucy?"

"Her full name is Lucy-fer," the elder Winchester smiled, clearly pleased with himself.

"Interesting name choice." Lupin admitted, still fixated on the serpent.

While Lupin was preoccupied with the basilisk Sam sent his brother a 'really-dude?' look. Dean frowned at him and said, "Don't judge me, it's a great name."

Apparently thinking that this was directed at him, Lupin smiled fondly. "Oh, my apologies, I was not critiquing your choice of name. I think it suits her well, I am sure."

"See, Sam?" Dean said pointedly, "Remus has the right idea here, Lucy is a great name."

"Yeah, sure," Sam said with a snort of derision. "Whatever you say Dean."

"Well, I am going to get some sleep," Remus said, stifling a yawn. "I suggest you two do the same, we have a busy day tomorrow."

"Hey, is there some place I can grab a shower around here?" Dean asked quickly.

"Oh, yes of course," Remus said, pointing down the hall. "Down the hallway to the right, the painting beside your rooms of the knight cutting an apple. The password is 'Water Color'."

"Thanks," Dean said, heading down the indicated direction with a wave of goodbye. Sam followed after him a few moments later. "So, get everything done with Remus?"

"Yeah, got everything figured out I guess," Sam sighed. "I have a lot of research to do."

"Yeah, so do I," Dean agreed. "Hagrid wants to show these kids all kinds of dangerous stuff, dude even asked if I could find him a guy who could sell him a lamia. I mean, come on, those things are dangerous."

"Yeah, no kidding," Sam agreed. "Remus asked me if you could get him a wendigo for a lesson."

"A lesson?!" Dean asked incredulously. "What's the lesson going to be, how to not die when being chased by a freakin' monster?"

"Keep your voice down, Dean." Sam said as they rounded the corner. "The last thing we want is to wake someone up."

"Yes, yes, ittle professors," a sing-song voice said from behind them. The brothers turned around as one and saw a fellow wearing an outlandish outfit and a hat with bells on it floating several feet in the air. "Don't want to wake up the students do we? Might be quite a shame if they was to get no sleep the day before their first day back."

"Who the hell are you?" Dean asked, frowning at the poltergeist.

"Peeves the Poltergeist at your service," the ghost said, swooping forward and giving a mocking bow. "Or, at your disservice." The ghost cackled and floated back up, looking at the brothers through his legs.

"Peeves is the one who causes a lot of trouble for the students and teachers," Sam explained under his breath. "He says they are pranks, but they get the kids hurt a lot too."

"Hey, douchebag, why don't you just leave the kids alone?" Dean snarled at the ghost, "Why don't you go haunt a cemetery or something?"

"Oh, I don't think I like you very much professor," the ghost cackled. "Maybe I will take that little bitty snaky and put it on top of a tower? Might be lots of fun, that."

Apparently intending to do just that the poltergeist swooped forward to grab the snake. Dean backed up a step but the measure proved to be unnecessary. Just as Peeves was about to grab Lucy the snake's head whipped around and Peeves stopped dead in his tracks. Evidently frozen, the poltergeist floated up slightly in the air in the same position he had been in when the snake moved. Lucy hissed once more before returning to being coiled around Dean's neck. "Huh," Sam said, impressed. "That's handy."

"So what the hell just happened?" Dean asked, looking down warily at the basilisk.

"Lucy petrified him," Sam explained. "Basically froze him I guess."

"See?" Dean said, raising his chin slightly with a smirk. "She's awesome."

Sam rolled his eyes and the boys went along their way, leaving the poltergeist to float harmlessly in the air.