A/N: Well, here's chapter 2. As before, this is unbetaed so please excuse any mistakes or if anyone is ooc. This one is quite a bit longer so I hope that's okay. I realize that I forgot the disclaimer in the first chapter so here it is:
DISCLAIMER: The characters and story line (well...chapter 2 anyway) belong to JKR. I'm only borrowing them for a short time and I promise I will give them back unharmed...eventually. I am not making any money or anything so don't sue. You wouldn't get anything.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Untitled - chapter 2
1993, September
The train ride to Hogwarts was, for the most part, uneventful for Remus. The only exception being when that dementor attacked his godson, Harry Potter. Of course, Remus was the only one who knew that Harry was his godson...and he intended it to say that way.
"I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know," he had said when he had returned from speaking with the driver. He smiled at the memory as he waited for his third years to arrive. He couldn't wait. Harry was in this class. He looked up and noticed the students were arriving. He smiled and left his office.
He looked out at the students and took a deep breath. Something in the breath bothered him. Something was off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was different. He'd felt it in the Great Hall too, but he'd passed it off as being so soon after the full moon.
He came back to himself and began his class, but the feeling never went away. In fact, it got stronger the closer he physically got to the class. Luckily the class was amusing enough to take it off his mind. Well, until Harry's boggart became the unexpected dementor and he thought he'd given his secret away to the entire class when he jumped in front of it.
He dismissed his class and went back to his quarters. He was glad they had been the last class of the day. He stared into the fire and thought hard. Something was bothering him. The smells in class were off.
He sighed. I'll talk to the Headmaster tomorrow, he thought to himself, before deciding to take a quick nap before dinner
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
The next day, Remus went to Headmaster Dumbledore's office. He stood outside the stone statue for at least half an hour, shouting every candy he could think of.
"Cock Roach clusters!" he shouted for about the fourteenth time. "Open up already!"
"Twizzlers," said a voice from behind him. He spun around to see Hermione standing behind him. "He changed it yesterday when Dean gave him some of the muggle candy."
"Thanks," Remus said, smiling.
"You're welcome. "See you later."
Remus watched her go before turning back to the open statue. He had felt that odd feeling again and was really getting tired of it. Usually his wolf senses helped him but today they were just playing with him. "Twizzlers" he said quietly to himself, shaking his head as he went through and up the stairs.
He stood in front of the door for a long time. Now that he was here, he didn't quite know what to say. Hey Headmaster. Wanted to let you know I smelled something strange and it's bothering me. He snorted. Right. He was just about to turn and leave when the door opened.
"Remus?" Dumbledore said, somewhat surprised. "What can I do for you?"
"Well. I actually needed to talk to you about something."
"Well come in, come in," Dumbledore said, closing the door and moving behind his desk. "Sit down, please. Lemon drop?"
"Ah no. Thank you."
Dumbledore took one for himself, then sat down.
"Now", he said, looking at Remus from over his glasses. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Well," Remus started. "I'm not sure exactly how to explain without sounding stupid. I...um...I smelled something."
"You smelled something?" Dumbledore said, suddenly becoming serious.
"Yes, Sir. Something that seemed off. It bothered me a bit, but I brushed it off. That is, until it happened again. It's unlike anything I've experienced and, frankly, it's beginning to annoy me."
Dumbledore smiled, then got serious again. "When did it first bother you, Remus?"
"The first time was on the train here, Sir. I was in a compartment with Harry and his friends."
"I see. And how many times here at school?"
"Three, Sir. In the Great Hall at dinner night before last, in my classroom yesterday and this morning in the hallway."
Dumbledore nodded and smiled. Remus hated it when he did that. It was like he knew something you didn't and it amused him.
"Have you been able to connect the occurrences?"
"Connect them, Sir?"
"Yes. Common factors. Something or someone that was present at all occurrences."
Remus blinked a few times. He hadn't even thought of that.
"I hadn't thought of that, Sir. I suppose the only things present at all occurrences were Harry and his friends," he said, then thought about earlier in the hall. "No," he said, looking up at Dumbledore. "The only one present at all was Hermione. But why would she effect me that way?"
"I don't know, Remus. But I think it warrants some thought."
"I think so too, Sir. Thank you for listening."
"That's what I'm here for, Remus," Dumbledore said as they both stood up. "Don't hesitate to come to me if you need to talk."
"Thank you. Goodbye, Sir."
"Goodbye, Remus," Dumbledore said as Remus left his office.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Remus walked down the hall deep in thought. What could it be about Hermione, he thought. He turned the corner and leaned against the wall. He almost wished he smoked those muggle cigarettes because he really needed one.
He looked down the hall when he heard arguing. Hermione was trying to get the boys to do some studying and they, understandable since it was Saturday, didn't want to. It reminded him so much of himself with Sirius and James when they were young. Suddenly, the argument was over and Hermione was stomping past him.
"Everything alright, Hermione?" he asked as that feeling he'd become familiar with washed over him.
"Oh. Hi Professor. Yes. They just don't understand how important studying is."
"I understand. Well it's their fault if they fail, isn't it? Can't say you didn't try."
"You're right," she said, brightening a little. "I did try. Thanks Professor."
"You're welcome," he said as she walked away. Oh yes. So much like himself. He stood straight up off the wall as realization struck him and he practically ran back to Dumbledore's office.
"Twizzlers," he said, slightly out of breath, and he was up the stairs before the statue was completely open. He pounded on the door and rushed in as soon as he heard a soft "Enter."
"It's her, isn't it?" he said, not even allowing Dumbledore to offer his lemon drops.
"Slow down, my boy," Dumbledore said, standing up and motioning Remus to sit down. "Now, who are you talking about?"
"Hermione. It's her, isn't' it? It makes sense. The smells, the odd feelings. She's my daughter, isn't she?"
"Remus, take a breath son."
"Please, Professor," Remus said, only a little softer than before. "I need to know."
Dumbledore took a deep breath. "Yes, Remus. She is."
Remus started to hyperventilate and was thankful he'd sat down when Dumbledore told him to. His little girl! So close but untouchable.
"Remus?"
Remus looked up into Dumbledore's worried eyes.
"Remus are you alright?"
"I've waited so long to see her again," Remus said with tears in his eyes. "My God I never thought I would see her again."
Dumbledore smiled and sat down. "What are you going to do, son," he asked.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" Dumbledore didn't know what he had been expecting but that certainly wasn't it.
"Nothing. I'm going to finish this year and then I shall move on."
"Why don't you tell her?" Dumbledore asked. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Because the law is no different now than it was twelve years ago. I'm still a single werewolf and it's still against the law for me to raise a child alone. If I told her, then everything she knows and loves becomes a lie. It would rip her world apart and I refuse to do that to her. I refuse to lose her again and if I don't tell her, then I can't lose her. I can't live through that again."
"I understand," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "Very well. We shall keep this between us."
"Thank you," Remus said, standing up. "Thank you for everything."
"You're welcome, Remus."
Remus walked back to his quarters in a daze. He walked straight to the bedroom and curled up on the bed, crying himself to sleep.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Remus spent the next months spending as much time with Harry as he could and trying his best to avoid Hermione outside of class. He agreed to teach Harry how to protect himself from the dementors which meant spending even more time with him. He had heard of Harry falling off his broom and figured it'd be a good idea.
He tried to keep Sirius' escape and the fact he might be close out of his mind. That is, until Harry saw Peter on the map. Once Remus saw it for himself, he knew something was up. The whole wizarding world, himself included, had misjudged Sirius. He should have known better.
One night, near the end of the school year, Remus made his way toward the Shrieking Shack. It was going to be a full moon and he planned on spending all night asleep. At least he hoped he did. In all the getting ready for finals, he'd forgotten to take his potion.
As he neared the room at the top of the stairs, he heard voices. One was definitely Harry and another was a voice he'd prayed he'd never hear again.
"Sirius," he whispered and thought he heard something about killing someone.
The rest of the night went by in a blur. He remembered everything coming out about Peter and how Sirius was innocent. They could be together. He could tell Hermione and they could be a family.
But then everything went horribly wrong. He was standing there with his wand on Peter when he heard Hermione scream.
"Harry!" she called.
Remus looked from her to Harry, then back to her when he noticed she was pointing. He followed her arm to where she was pointing and felt his heart sink.
Shit he thought to himself as he was the moon come out from behind the clouds. For the first time in almost 25 years, the excitement of the situation had made him forget what he came out here for. Then he started shaking.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
The next morning, he woke up somewhere in the forest. The fact that he wasn't in the Shrieking Shack like he'd planned told him that. He didn't remember anything about the night before, but he knew it couldn't have been good. That and he felt like a hippogriff stepped on his head.
He made his way back to the castle and to his quarters. It was still early so he took his time in the shower, letting the hot water sooth his tired and sore muscles. Once he got out and dressed, it was about time for breakfast.
As he made his way toward the Great Hall, he noticed students watching him. Surely he didn't look that bad, did he? But then he heard. The news was out. There was a werewolf in the castle. And everyone knew who it was. He turned and went to Dumbledore's office instead.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
As he walked out of the front doors, he thought back to his conversation with Harry. The look on his face when he'd told him he'd resigned. He'd wanted to grab Harry and tell him everything. But he didn't...he couldn't. He couldn't help but feel he'd done the right in not telling them. But he still felt like he was losing them all over again. All of them. He wanted to cry, but he wouldn't. He knew that he had not lied to Harry for he was certain he'd see them all again.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Remember - reviews are love!