Remus sighed. He had just sent an owl to Professor McGonagall about Potter and the Dementor. He felt that, as Harry's Head of House, she needed to know that Harry had been attacked and had fainted. He knew that she would take some measures, and although Harry mightn't like it, Remus felt an odd bit of responsibility for him.

After that, he'd had an encounter with the driver of the train (who had told him that he had orders from the Ministry to let the Dementors on the train) and there was now no other reason not to re-enter the compartment where he'd seated himself.

Remus thought about Harry, and how he seemed to be the one most affected by the Dementor. How could it be? Sure, the Dementors were foul and loathsome, but why did he faint and the other ones didn't?

At the thought of the Dementor, he shivered, but it also brought an idea. Of course! Why hadn't he thought of it sooner? Harry was more vulnerable to the Dementor because of his past! Who knew what kind of horrible images or things he heard when a Dementor came close? Remus himself could hardly imagine through what kind of horror his friends had been before they were murdered! And this boy had been there! Not that he would remember it, but his life was obviously more affected by it. Slightly distressed as to his lack of thought, he walked to the compartment and opened it.

The kids all looked up when he entered, and he smiled at Harry, who still hadn't eaten his chocolate, and was still very pale.

"I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know . . ." he said, and he saw James – no, Harry – take a bite.

When there was a silence, Remus continued, "We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes. Are you all right, Harry?"

The boy seemed to Remus to have more colour in his face than before, and seemed a bit embarrassed. Remus was as well; he had just called Harry by his first name, while Harry himself didn't know who he was. Harry did not ask, (thank God, thought Remus,) how he knew his name, but stared a bit, until after a few minutes the towers of Hogwarts could be seen outside. Remus resumed his seat by the window, looking out at the place where no one had known of his illness. Except, of course, Severus Snape.

At that thought, Remus unconsciously held his breath. It had been a long time since he had seen the man to whom he, with the rest of the Marauders, had once brought so much misery, and who had once caused them so much torture.

And when they stepped off of the train into the carriages, Remus knew that there would be at least one person who would not welcome him into the well-lit castle.

The ride to the castle made him a bit sleepy, but the pleasant feeling was quickly drained from him as the carriage rode through the gates, where two more Dementors were standing to protect the children from his long-lost friend.

When Remus stepped out of the carriage, he saw the three children being pestered again by the blond kid from the train.

"Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?" He heard the blond say.

The sense of responsibility resurfaced, and Remus stepped forward.

"Is there a problem?" he asked. He knew that if the kids had obeyed him in the train, they would certainly do so on the Hogwarts grounds. However, he had forgotten that the blond hadn't actually obeyed him; the trio and their friends had done so, not him.

"Oh, no-er-Professor," The sarcasm in his voice hurt Remus more than he would have admitted.

He followed Harry and his friends to the oak front-doors and into the Entrance Hall, when he suddenly heard an all-too-familiar voice.

"Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!"

There on the stairs stood Professor McGonagall. It was hard not to laugh. Although Remus could see that she was definitely older, she still had the same stern look, the knot on the back of her head, and the same tone when she pronounced Harry's last name. The sound of "Potter!" being yelled over the humming of the student body was so familiar it nearly gave him chills.

From a distance, Remus saw that Harry and the girl were looking at the professor and that the red-head was looking from them to the professor.

"There is no need to look so worried – I just want a word in my office. Move along there, Weasley."

The red-head was looking now even more surprised, and Remus was also a bit inquisitive as to why McGonagall would need to see the girl.

Rather than dwell on it, he entered the Great Hall. When he proceeded towards the teachers' table, he felt a pang of pride. He had done it. With some help from a friend who had never abandoned him, he had become a teacher, a job that he had secretly wanted during his own schooling, but which would never have been possible then.

He sat down on one of the empty chairs, and felt a few eyes on him. Instead of looking back, he turned to his left, where Professor Sprout was sitting.

"Hello Professor Sprout," he said, hoping that they might start a conversation that might save him from facing the students. He didn't want to, at least, not yet.

"Well! Mr. Lupin! What a nice surprise to see you here! I hear that you will be doing Defence Against the Dark Arts?"

Remus nodded.

"Well, what a brave young man you've become! It was a shame Dumbledore wasn't looking to replace me; you were one of the best in my class as I recall!" She laughed and Remus joined in.

"It is indeed a shame. But I also was quite good in Defence and when Dumbledore asked me, I couldn't say no of course, Professor."

"It's Pomona to you, my friend. You're one of us! I do hope that you know what you're up against: The person you're replacing left quite an impression on the children, seeing as he erased his own memory last semester. You're not scared, I hope?"

Before Remus could answer, little Flitwick walked up to the teachers' table, holding a hat and a stool and was followed by a group of first-years.

Remus noticed that just after the sorting, Harry and the girl from the train were taking the seats next to the red-head. Dumbledore stood up to make the traditional start-of-term announcements. When he started talking about the Dementors surrounding the school, Remus glanced to his right, and his eyes immediately found Severus Snape, who was staring at him, his eyes full of hatred. Without knowing what he was doing, he gave the man an apologetic smile, but this only seemed to make him angrier, so Remus turned around to face the house tables again. He felt Snape's eyes still burning on his back, but tried to listen to Dumbledore instead.

"On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. Firstly, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Lupin smiled towards the children, and saw that the kids who had been in the same compartment with him, clapped enthusiastically. Other than that, his reception was rather lukewarm.

The rest of the feast went by in a flash. That Hagrid was also made professor wasn't a surprise, as Dumbledore had already mentioned it in his letter. Once they began to eat, Remus enjoyed the food almost as well as the company. With Professor McGonagall on his left, and Sprout on his right, there was plenty to hear and tell. While Minerva was telling him everything he needed to know about Hogwarts, his classes, and some special students (which answered Remus' question as to why Harry's friend had also gone to see McGonagall), Pomona was talking to him about old memories, while carefully avoiding the subject of what had become of all of his old friends. Remus thanked her silently for that.

When the feast was over, Remus saw a glimpse of Harry and his friends, rushing over to congratulate Hagrid. Suddenly, Dumbledore was standing beside him.

"Good evening, Remus," he said softly, smiling.

"Hello Professor Dumbledore," Remus replied.

"Remus. It's Albus now. Please walk with me to my office, I'd like a little word about the small precautions we will be taking for you."

Remus stood up and followed him through a deserted hallway.

"I understand you're already taking your position as a professor quite seriously." Seeing Remus' surprised expression, Dumbledore continued, "Minerva has informed me of what happened on the train."

"Well . . . yes . . . the students who were sitting in the compartment with me seemed to have some trouble with the Dementor."

The wrinkles on Dumbledore's face deepened a bit, but he continued.

"It was against my better judgment to allow the Dementors onto the grounds, but Cornelius insisted upon it, and I prefer to choose my battles. I was glad to hear that you were there."

Remus found it difficult to say something back. It was strange to call the headmaster Albus, especially after he had given him such a compliment. He nodded and smiled a bit, and Dumbledore continued, "A bit of a coincidence, don't you think, that Harry and his friends were occupying the same compartment?"

"Yes, quite the coincidence. Especially since . . ." He didn't want to finish his sentence, but when Dumbledore looked his way, he continued, stammering:

"Since . . . since the resemblance between him and James is so . . . so . . ."

"Striking?"

Remus nodded.

"Yes, well . . . Harry is a great deal like his father in many ways. The same Quidditch skills, the same disregard for the rules . . . But he does quite well in an area where James usually failed – modesty." The smile on Dumbledore's face grew wider, and Remus could do nothing else but grin.

They arrived at the gargoyles, and entered the stairs that led them to Dumbledore's office. The password was Abba-Zabba, a Muggle candy Remus had never heard of.

As Remus seated himself, he looked curiously about the office. It hadn't changed much since he was asked in after the prank his friends had pulled on Snape in 6th year.

Dumbledore poured some wine into a glass and handed it over to Remus.

"Remus, let me first tell you how glad I am that you accepted my offer of teaching here. I am absolutely sure that you will do a great job, and that you have enough knowledge to handle the position. No, let me continue," he said, when Remus seemed about to interrupt, "I think that it is important for you to know that I think very highly of you, and that I didn't give you the job as charity. You are skilled enough for it, and I thought that it would be wise to have you here, seeing how the . . . ah . . . circumstances . . . are. Your old friend Mr. Black is currently on the run, and although the Ministry is nearly sure that he is coming after our young Mr. Potter, you might also be a target."

Remus looked surprised. The possibility had never occurred to him. Certainly he had considered that Sirius might attempt to find him, but . . . murder? Remembering that Sirius had done much worse, he forced his attention back to Dumbledore, who continued.

"Now, concerning Harry Potter. I know that it is a bit awkward to be around him, especially knowing what you do. However, as Harry strongly reacts at the Dementors, I wish for you to keep an eye on him. As his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and as the last of his father's friends, it is your duty to look after him." Remus nodded.

"For the safety for those around you during the full moon," Remus shifted a bit and took a gulp of his wine, "I have also taken some actions. You have probably already heard of it, but there are some new products available against your . . . shall we say . . . furry little problem."

Remus was startled to hear the words of his old friend coming out of his former headmaster's mouth, but he managed to say, "The Wolfsbane potion. Yes, I've heard of it. I was one of the first to use it, when it was still being tested in St. Mungo's. But it is very difficult for even the most experienced brewers, and I was never terribly adept at Potions."

Dumbledore nodded and answered, "Yes, the procedure to make it is indeed a bit complicated. But I really find it necessary for you to take it during a full moon, so I have asked a person who is capable of brewing it to make it for you. You will still have to hide during full moon however . . ."

"Not the Shrieking Shack?" Remus couldn't quite hide the tone of horror in his voice; he definitely didn't want to go there anymore. Even the good memories of nights spent there with three Animagi had turned sour.

With a little smile playing around his mouth, Dumbledore said calmly, "No, that doesn't seem to be the best idea. The memories both you and the brewer have of that place aren't quite . . . good."

"The brewer?"

At that moment there was a knock on the door, and Dumbledore bade the person to enter. Just a millisecond after Remus realized who would have to be the brewer, the potion maker himself stood in the room.

Severus Snape.

"You wanted to see me, Albus?" His lazy voice seemed to stick a bit at the end of the sentence, when he saw who else was sitting in the office.

"Yes, Serverus. I wanted to discuss the matter of the Wolfsbane Potion in more detail."

"The Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Yes. I did ask if you could make it, didn't I?"

"Yes, but . . ."

"Well, then you can make it monthly for our new teacher here, can't you?"

"Yes, but . . ."

"Perfect!" Dumbledore smiled serenely at Snape, who still stood by the door as if he was made out of stone. Suddenly, he shook his head, gave Remus a look of utmost loathing and asked quickly, "But Albus, do you think that it would be wise to have an old friend of . . .him teaching here at the present time?"

"I trust Remus as much as I trust you, Severus. The only time when I wouldn't would be at a full moon, but seeing as the Wolfsbane will take care of that, I can now have no worries over the Defense Against the Dark Arts post." He smiled warmly at Remus and continued, "And I have to say, that that is quite a nice feeling, as I have worried over the post for quite some time now." Remus grinned. He had heard from Professor Sprout (it still felt a bit odd to call her Pomona) during dinner that there was a rumor that the Defense post was cursed. Dumbledore still smiled and Snape was still standing as though he were a stray bouler.

"Seeing as you will have to spend a great deal of time together this year, I would like to see you shake hands," Dumbledore said suddenly. He stood up and walked toward Snape. Remus followed.

"It will mark the fact that you will each forget the mistakes of the other," he said, while both men suddenly looked like two foolish little boys who hated each other and were forced to make up.

Remus felt Snape's cold hand and quickly let go. Snape's look hadn't changed in the slightest.

"Thank you both for that. Now, if you will excuse me, I have an early morning meeting with Cornelius. I will see you both at breakfast. Good evening."

And with that, Remus followed Snape out of Dumbledore's office.

They descended the stairs in an almost unbearable silence, but when the gargoyles opened for them to leave, Snape suddenly turned around, almost causing Remus to bump against him.

"Look, I don't know how you seem to have fooled Dumbledore, but you won't fool me, Lupin. If there is even the slightest hint that you're helping Black into the castle, you can count on it that I will investigate it thoroughly."

A hot wave of anger went through Remus. If Snape wanted to play this way . . .

"Do whatever you want. There won't be any evidence, because I am definitely won't be helping Black in to the castle. Yes, we were friends, yes we taunted you when we shouldn't have, but as Dumbledore said, we should forget about the past."

"That's easy for you to say. You got away with everything. If Black or Potter did anything, you never stopped them, did you? A bit easy to say that we should forget everything that happened, don't you think? Because when it was happening, you were either trying to ignore it, or you were helping them. And now I am supposed to act as though you wouldn't help him get in? Now I am supposed to help you during a full moon, Moony?"

"Well, Snivellus, if you want it that way, do what you can't resist, but don't say that I tampered with the Wolfsbane when I suddenly go wild and bite you!"

With that, Remus walked away. Speaking so lightly of biting someone was not his style, but if his face could express the anger he felt inside, steam would have been coming out of his ears.

Of course he had expected that Snape wouldn't welcome him with open arms. But accusing him of helping a mass-murderer . . . And why did he have to remember him about his old nick-name?

Then he softened a bit. Snape is just bitter, he thought.

He got to his office, and sat on his bed. Tomorrow the lessons would start – his first lessons as a teacher.

He pulled from his pocket his teaching schedule, which was quite full. The first and second years would take their classes with another house: Gryffindor and Hufflepuff together, and Slytherin with Ravenclaw. The third years and higher however, would take it with only their individual houses; the NEWT-classes were bundled again together. That meant that Remus would be teaching nineteen classes a week.

He looked at the schedule and sighed. Tomorrow, there was a first year class in the morning, a seventh before lunch and a fifth afterwards. It would be a rough day, and he actually should start with making a plan of action for the classes, but all he could do now was just lie down. Without undressing, without even taking of his shoes, he fell asleep.