When I wake up, it's already light and the bed next to me is empty. I sit upright with a jolt. Remus is at the window, dressed already, and looks out into an exceptionally fine summer morning. Now he turns to me and for a moment, his face is alight with tenderness.

'Morning', I mutter.

Getting up has never been my strong point, and this night was particularly short. Bet I look like a banshee.

'Good morning. Would you like some tea?'

He's busying himself at the table and squinting over, I discover that yesterday's soup has been replaced by a tray with tea and toast.

'Tea, thanks. Where did you get it from?'

Remus shrugs and carries over a mug.

'It was there this morning.'

'With two mugs?'

'Yes. The houseelves are quite astute, you know' he says.

For a moment it looks like he's about to sit down on the bed with me, but then he thinks otherwise and paces around the table as I sip my tea. I'm a little confused, but my head is too heavy still to think properly.

'What's the time? And has there been any news of anything?'

'It's around seven. No news, but I thought about going to the hospital wing to see how Bill and Neville are doing.'

'Mmh, sounds good. Give me 10 min?'

Right as we leave the room together, another door opens and produces Molly and Arthur, obviously headed for the same direction. Remus blushes slightly when we wish each other good morning, but Molly beams at me behind his back and I can't help winking at her with a grin.

Both Bill and Neville are awake when we enter the hospital wing, so we mutely decide to allow the Weasleys some family time.

'How are you, Neville?' Remus asks and pulls up two chairs.

'I feel fine, thank you, Professor Lupin. Madam Pomfrey says I'll be discharged later today.'

'I'm very glad to hear that. You did incredibly well yesterday.'

'Thank you, Professor. We were lucky though. And I'm sorry about Ron's brother...,' he nods in Bill's direction, then he lowers his voice, his expression urgent.

'Is it true? Snape killed Professor Dumbledore? Madam Pomfrey says she can't tell me more.'

'It's true,' Remus says, 'when he came running with Draco Malfoy, he had just killed him. Harry saw it happen.'

'And we didn't stop him,' Neville whispers, looking pale. 'He ran right past me.'

'You didn't know what he had done and thought he was on our side, just as we all did. Do not blame yourself, Neville.'

'And now, is he -?'

'They have both escaped, as well as the other Death Eaters, except for the one who was killed by that Curse.'

'Professor Dumbledore dead...' Neville stares at his hands on the white bedcover, a personification of misery.

'I know.'

Remus gently puts a hand on Neville's arm and they remain silent for a while. Once again I marvel at Remus's ability to make people feel better about themselves, only that skill doesn't extend to himself. Neville is turning into a cool guy, I think. On one of our first excursions together, Remus told me about the boggart class he taught in Harry's year, mentioning that Neville had been a bit of a laughing stock among the students. However, the two times I've ever met Neville, in the Department of Mysteries and yesterday during the fight, he was far from being ridiculous.

'Do you know if your grandmother has been informed that you were injured?' Remus now asks.

'Yes, she's already sent an owl that she'll be here soon.'

'Good. She can be very proud of you, Neville, and I'm sure the others will be glad to see you later.'

We say goodbye to Neville and walk over to Bill and his family. Bloody hell! My features must have slipped, because Bill's greeting smile fades when he looks at us.

'I'm not being given a mirror, but according to your faces, it must be pretty bad.'

'Let's say Mad-Eye probably will have competition!'

I mean it as a joke, but Fleur darts a scandalised look at me.

''Ow come you don't 'ave any scars, we vere wondering?' She addresses Remus rather brusquely.

'I have,' he says, caught off guard, 'just not in the face. I was bitten in the chest and flank.'

'The others told me that you guess there will be some degree of contamination, even though Greyback hadn't transformed,' Bill frowns, 'but how would I know in what way I might be contaminated? Do you feel it?'

Everybody is looking expectantly at Remus now, who thinks for a moment before speaking.

'As I've already said, your case is exceptional, if not unique. There is no rule as to how being a werewolf affects your behaviour while human. I've met werewolves eager for meat, werewolves solely acting on impulse and instinct, rejecting reason on principle, or werewolves who have a compulsive need for dominance and violence. Fenrir Greyback certainly represents an extreme, there are others who would class somewhere in between in terms of wolfish characteristics. I like to think it's a psychological challenge how much you allow the wolf to run away with you, so to speak. Unfortunately you were bitten by a man who has fully embraced the beast.'

Remus runs a hand through his hair while keeping his eyes on Bill.

'Still, I'm more and more convinced that the effects of your bites will probably be small, in terms of personality, as the link to the moon is missing and you won't have the pain of transformation. This is where my symptoms come from, the temporary fatigue, the fact that I look older than my real age...that's years of transformations taking their physical toll, but I don't think you'll be affected by the moon at all.'

I can tell Remus is uncomfortable talking about these things, but does it for Bill's sake. They really like each other. The image of Remus searching for Bill's pulse comes back to me, his face ashen while kneeling in a puddle of Bill's blood.

'And ze soul?' Fleur wonders aloud, looking at Remus somewhat appraisingly, 'will eet make trouble with the soul?'

'Excuse me?!' I blurt out, glaring at her.

'It's ok,' Remus brushes my elbow and takes a deep breath. 'Being a werewolf certainly troubles the soul, I'd be the last to be able to deny that,' he says with a wry smile that makes me want to punch Fleur in her pretty face, 'but there are no generic consequences, it depends on the individual werewolf's personality and circumstances whether he or she drifts towards, say, aggression or depression. But again, as Bill is not a werewolf and therefore not...limited within wizarding society, I daresay psychological damage will be small.'

'There you are,' Arthur quickly steps in, 'there's no need to meet trouble halfway. I'm very happy to find Bill unchanged in spirit, and after what Remus has just explained, I think we needn't fear that he will.'

The conversation turns to Dumbledore again and as attention is diverted from Remus, I see his shoulders relax.

'Any news about Snape's whereabouts?' Bill asks darkly.

'Nope,' I answer, 'Harry chased him to the Hogwarts boundaries and he managed to Disapparate.'

'We should tighten security around all Order members' houses. Snape knows too much,' Bill says, 'have the others been contacted?'

I nod, 'I've sent word to Mad-Eye, asking him to alert everyone. Nobody should set foot in 12 Grimmauld Place for a while, now that the Fidelius Charm has been broken. We need to think of new safety precautions, or move headquarters altogether.'

'Most probably, everybody who knew about the location of the house now is a Secret-Keeper himself,' Arthur points out, 'but as this includes Severus Snape, it amounts to the same thing.'

The door to the hospital wing opens and Minerva McGonagall walks up the row of beds, she looks like she hasn't slept at all.

'I called at your rooms, but there was nobody, so I guessed correctly that you were all here. How are you, Bill?'

She winces ever so slightly when she sees his face, I guess he'll have to get used to it.

We briefly discuss Hogwarts, Dumbledore's funeral and if Harry can stay at the Burrow after he has come of age. Of course he can. Molly and Arthur are the most welcoming people I know. Arthur then mentions having to leave for work, which reminds me that I probably should go, too, though for sure I'm not keen. I can hear the Atrium buzz until here, and I'm knackered. Molly declares that she wants to stay at Hogwarts until later in the day and nobody even asks Fleur, because it is safely assumed she will insist on breathing the same air as her fiancé.

We say goodbye in the corridor in front of the hospital wing and I briefly think how much has changed since I was sitting here a few hours ago, alone in the dark. But just how much I don't dare to say, there hasn't been anything affirmative between us this morning in terms of affection.

'Dear me, it's late, I really need to be off. See you at the next Order meeting, you're all welcome to come to the Burrow, of course' Arthur says and hurries in the direction of the Entrance Hall.

'I will need to make arrangements for the funeral, invitations need to be out as soon as possible,' Minerva turns to leave, but then stops to look at us.

'Thank you for protecting the school and students yesterday.'

'Don't mention it,' I say.

'I wish we could have done more,' Remus adds quietly.

Now there we are, in the middle of an empty corridor, realising that no task is waiting for us anymore and that we're free to go. Which is exactly the point.

'What will you do now?' I ask Remus, 'you can't go back to the werewolves, Greyback has seen you.'

Inwardly, I recoil at the idea of that bastard ever setting his eyes on Remus again.

'True enough,' he says, and I think I notice relief in his voice. 'To be honest, I really don't know. I'll go and see Mad-Eye, lots of things need thinking about now.'

'And us? Will you think about us, too?'

'I...what would you like me to do?'

'To stop thinking and be with me'.

He is about to say something, then changes his mind. Instead, he takes a step closer and we kiss again. At length. How can such a simple touch be so profoundly beautiful?

'We should get going though,' Remus whispers and offers me his arm, my perfect gentleman, and together we stride along the corridor in a glow. Approaching the Entrance Hall, our bodies move apart, as on some silent agreement, although I continue to glow inside, oblivious to my surroundings. Which changes abruptly when we've made it to the landing of the Marble Staircase and pass a pair of girls, one of whom is suddenly shrieking and pulls her friend away from us, wand raised in defense.

'There's no need for fear,' Remus raises his empty hands and continues walking, motioning to me to do the same.

'What in Merlin's name was that about?' I ask as he quickly makes down the stairs.

'I taught her, she knows what I am,' Remus says in a strained voice, any trace of glow wiped from his face. I can tell he suddenly wants to leave the castle as quickly as possible, and sure enough, the few students scattered around the Entrance Hall, alarmed by the girl's shriek, break into loud whisper, pointing at us. Remus keeps his eyes on the floor and determinedly marches towards the oak doors and out.

'Professor Lupin, wait!'

Two boys come running after us, they look Harry's age. Remus reluctantly turns around.

'Hello, Seamus and Dean!' he says politely.

To my relief, they show no sign of panic at his sight.

'Professor, what are you doing here?'

'I fought the Death Eaters yesterday,' he answers, 'but now I'm afraid I must be off.'

'Will you come back to Hogwarts as a teacher?', the boy called Dean asks eagerly, 'you were the best Defense Against the Dark Arts we ever had...and given what's happened we really need to to learn as much as we can to be able to defend ourselves.'

'You're quite right there, Dean. However, I won't be able to teach you, for reasons of...well, you know. Practice among yourselves though, try to support and teach each other as much as you can. Take care!'

He waves at them as he continues walking and I turn to follow him, nodding to the boys, who look crestfallen.

'See? Best DADA teacher they ever had!', I mutter quietly to Remus as we walk in direction of the gates.

He doesn't answer but marches on, his expression gloomy. I slip my hand into his, but he lets go immediately.

'Not around here,' he says curtly, 'there are too many people.'

I swallow a remark, because I want to know something else.

'Will you come to my place tonight?'

'Yes, if you want me to,' he says, his features suddenly much brighter.

'Stop being polite! You can move in with all your stuff as far as I'm concerned!'

'Well, that's easy, given that…I don't have anything at the moment. My clothes are with the werewolves and it would be unwise to try and retrieve them. The rest of my belongings are in Number 12 Grimmauld Place.'

'Just bring yourself, I'll think of something.'

No need to tell him that I've been yearning to see him in some decent robes for a change.

'I'll see you tonight then.'

Smiling, Remus places a strand of hair behind my ear again. Just for a second, I press my cheek in his warm hand, and can't wait for the night to come.

A/N: This is what I thought so far, but I'm not sure yet where to take this story next. Any suggestions and feedback are most welcome!