Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Life Changed Year 3
Chapter Nine
Remus Lupin leaned further on his cane as he watched the only Slytherine and Gryffindor willing to sit next to each other without being forced to. Actually, the Slytherine girl was surrounded by Gryffindors which was almost never heard of unless they were fighting, and even at that there were usually more Slytherines then just the one.
This Slytherin girls name was Terry Potter. And she was sitting next to her twin brother, Harry Potter and his friends, who Remus had noticed, had rapidly become her friends as well. Even though she was in the Slytherin house, she was an outcast there. Mainly because her two brothers were Gryffindors; the enemy of Slytherin house. But also because her twin, Harry, was also the raval of one of the self proclaimed leaders in Slytherine house, Draco Malfoy.
Remus had met the Potter twins older brother, Matt earlier in the week in class. But he had yet to meet any of the Potter children formally. They had no clue that he had once been a best mate of their parents.
Remus let a grin escape at the thought of Lily and James Potter. He'd recieved a letter from them just a day before. He was so happy to hear of their survival of Voldemorts attack. He was even more happy to hear that Harry was again reunited with them and that things seemed to be progressing well for them.
After their believed deaths, he'd attempted to gain custody of eighteen month old Harry, but the Ministry of Magic had forbade it. He'd been told to not visit him at his relatives, the Dursleys. Had he visited then he'd have been detained then fined. A fine which he could not afford to pay.
He shook his head to clear those thoughts. Those were in the past. The bell signalling the end of class rang loudly and the students began packing they're belongings.
"Please read through chapters 5 - 7!" He managed before they made it out the door. As the door closed he sighed again and entered his office. He doubted they paid attention to his homework assignment, but it would make class go smoother if they read the sections he'd asked.
Going to is desk drawer he pulled out a Muggle envelope and opened it up, taking out its contents; two peices of muggle note-book paper. It was from Lily and James. He'd read it so many times already it had crease marks and smudges in the ink. Most of it was written in Lily's neat scrawl, but it was hard to miss James' messy all-over-the-place writting.
Dear Remus, (in Lily's writting)
How have you been? I imagine its been a shock, learning that we are in fact alive. I'm sorry we haven't contacted you before now. We had no way of knowing where you were until Professor (old habbits die hard! Still calling him Professor and all that) Dumbledore informed us he'd found you and had hired you as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Congratulations on the job!! I always knew you'd make a good teacher, and I'm sure you'll do great!
Anyway, as I'm sure you have heard, we have Harry with us again. It's really amazing. Last I saw him he was still so small. He's still small now, really (Please don't tell him I've said this! He seems self concious about this already). but he's grown soo much. I can't believe he was sent to live with my sister. My sister, of all people! Honestly!
He seems to be doing fine with us. He was very uncomfortable when he first came to live with us. He seemed so unsure of how to act or what was expected of him. It took a while to get him to relax around us, but he seems to be handling things much better now. He absolutely seems to adore Corbin, our youngest.
Mathew, I'm sure you remember him! How can you not! I still can't forget that time when he'd began accidental magic and knocked you cold after hitting you with one of his toys! He's now fifteen and has gotten his drivers permit and is learning to drive. He loves driving. He's into most things teenagers are into.
Hey, Moony!
That was James, incase you haven't guessed. I've told him to kindly wait until I'm finished, then he can write what he wishes to. Now he's sulking in the other room.
Anyway, onto your nephews and neice.
Terrance, or Terry as she prefers, is now thirteen. She loves to read. She's always asking to go to the book store.
Harry, as we've learned also loves to read. He has also gotten into Muggle video games, which he plays with Jamie often. Harry also loves to watch movies. Terry and he can often be seen watching movies together. He fell in love with a Muggle movie we watched earlier this summer, 'Fast an the Furious', and is eager to learn to drive when he's old enough. He's very smart, though he doesn't believe it.
Jamie has a lot of James in him. He loves sports. He loves to show off. And he loves pranks. You wouldn't believe how often we get called to his Muggle school because he's pulled a prank on another classmate or his teacher! I'm surprised we haven't been called to Hogwarts yet because of something he's pulled.
Corbin is our youngest. He's a cutie. He's now five years old and loves to bake cookies with me. He loves art class. Ever since he was three we had to sign him up for an summer art class, where he does clay, paint, sicks and glue and all sorts of art work. Our home is filled with his art work. He engaged Harry into painting by numbers (a Muggle painting set), and clay this summer. Harry didn't seem to mind though.
Well, that's our brood. Quite a house-full, but we love them. We have yet to tell them we know you. We're planning a visit to Hogwarts within the week and would love to have a sit down with you and properly introduce you to your neice and nephews.
We'll I'll tell you more when we see you. I have to let James write or else I'm afraid he'll barge in here and demand to. He keeps peeking in here to see if I'm finished. Maybe I'll have to do something to him to show him patience is a vertue, you recon? I hope you are well, Remus. I love you! And I can't wait to see you!
Remus!
Now that I've finally got Lily out of the room and the paper to myself! Honestly, kicking me out of the room like that!
I am at a bit of a loss of what to say. And Lily's already explained our children, or what can be explained on paper, anyway.
I do want to again appologize for loosing contact with you. We should have checked into it more. We should have somehow known we were being lied to. We should have never lost contact with you.
I couldn't believe it when McGonnagal told us Harry was alive. Sometimes I still can't believe it. I still sneak into his and Jamie's room just to watch him sleep, just so I know he's really alive and really home with us.
I can understand if your angry at us for loosing contact like we did. I couldn't blame you for it. It's certainly deserved.
I do want you to know I love you. You and Padfoot are my brothers, even if your angry.
We're working on getting Sirius released. Fudge, the jerk, won't let him out without proof Peter's alive. But we're not giving up. We're still working on freeing Sirius.
I love you, Moony,
James Potter
Lily Potter
Remus sighed again and folded the letter back up and sealed it in its envelope and placed it back in his desk draw. He couldn't wait to see them.
"James," Lily rolled her eyes. "Stop running your hands through your hair. You'll be bald soon if you continue."
It was James' turn to roll his eyes. Lily had been saying that since they were in school together, and he hadn't yet lost his hair. He couldn't help but run his hands through his hair. It was a nervous habbit. And he was nervous.
The door opened and his breath caught in his throat. They'd been let in Remus' quarters by Dumbledore. According to Dumbledore, Remus had a class he was finishing up and he's already concented to their being let into his rooms. Something still felt odd about it though. He hadn't seen his mate in years. He felt like he was invading the mans privacy by being in his rooms without Remus being there too.
A tall, thin, skinny man stepped through the portrait door and the door closed behind him. The first thing both Lily and James noticed was that they're friend had obviously aged. That was probably to be expected with him being a werewolf though.
Remus stood there for several moments, seeming unsure of what to do. The Potter's also had this problem.
"Hello, James, Lily." He finally spoke with a smile that reached his eyes.
"Hi, Remus." Lily took a step forward and Remus immediately brought her into a hug, which Lily returned happily. After he'd released Lily he moved toward James, and James found it hard to breath.
They stood there for several moments staring at one another. Finally Remus sighed before speaking.
"I'm not angry, James. Really I'm not. Maybe I should be, but I'm not. I'm happy your alive. I'm happy to see you." And he stepped forward and wrapped James into a brotherly hug.
Finally they parted and Remus motioned everyone to sit down.
"How have you been?" Lily asked biting her lip.
"I'm well. Better now. How have you been?"
"Well enough. It's deffinately been hard, but we had to move on for Matt, Terri, Jamie and Corbin. Now that Harry's back, I'll admit there have been there awkward times, but its been good. Everyones accepted him home. But there are deffinately some issues we're still dealing with." A dark look crossed James' face as he said this but he quickly covered it up.
"I'm excited to meet your kids." Remus spoke up.
Lily spoke up. "Dumbledore's looking after Jamie and Corbin at the moment. He said we just have to floo him and he'll send everyone down." Remus nodded feeling excited and a bit nervous.
"The Minister won't even consider letting Sirius free?" He asked curiously. He'd read the reports in the Daily Prophet, but those were hardly relyable. Both his friends shook their heads sadly.
"No. He's admitted the Ministry was wrong in telling the Wizarding community that Sirius was our secret keeper and that he let Voldemort," Remus suppressed a shiver, "know our location; and even that took a lot of convincing. We had to agree not to push humiliating the Ministry by telling everyone who we were lied to and they were lied to. This allows Sirius' sentense to be reduced to five more years."
"Why is he still charging Sirius? Because of the Muggles deaths?" Remus asked frowning.
"Yeah. He says that unless we can prove that Peter is alive, then Sirius can not be absolved of his supposed crimes." James explained.
"We're still working on getting Sirius' name cleared. We're not giving up on that." Lily continued. Remus nodded.
"I'll help in any way I can too." After an awkward silence, Lily spoke.
"Well, are you ready to meet the kids?" Remus nodded enthusiastically and Lily stood from her place on the couch next to James and went to the fire place. After a short fire call she returned to her seat. "They'll be here soon."
"Will they like me?" Remus asked unsurely.
"Of course!" James said grinning broadly.
Fifteen minutes later there was a knock at the door and Dumbledore stood there with who Remus thought to be Lily and James' two youngest children. Dumbledore left after handing over the two kids to Lily and James after saying Harry, Terry and Matt would be up soon.
"Remus," James said standing next to the older boy, who looked much like himself. "This is Jamie. And this is Corbin." He pointed to the youngest who was standing with Lily. "Jamie, Corbin, this is Remus Lupin, your uncle."
"Hello." Remus said smiling, carefully kneeling down to eye level with Corbin. Jamie replied with a smile and a small 'Hi.' A moment later, Corbin stepped forward and held out his hand; shyness forgotten.
"Hi, Uncle Rem's."
Remus couldn't help but laugh. "Hi, Corbin. Nice to meet you!"
There was a knock at the door and Professor McGonnagal stood there with Matt, Terry and Harry. She left moments later.
The three older kids looked very confused. They didn't know why there parents were in they're teachers rooms.
"Have we done something wrong, you think?" Terry whispered to Harry.
"I don't think so."
"Don't look at me! I haven't done anything!" Matt whispered.
Their Dad snorted. "You haven't done anything wrong. We just came to see a school mate of ours and your uncle." At they're confussed looks he elaborted. "Your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is also your uncle, Remus."
End Chapter Nine
A/N: I am SOO sorry for the long wait!! I haven't really got a good excuse either. I lost my origonal notes on this story. I had it all planned out too! And I lost the notes! I've been very busy also. But again, I am soo sorry for the long wait. I hope my next update isn't too far away. I have the next few chapters planned out.
The Yahoo group: I am not using that group anymore. I've posted on there that I'm displeased with how that posting program works. I'm working on building a site where you can find updates, and a forum where you can better get a hold of me. I check my forums at least once a week, if not more. And with the forum system that I use they have a PM (Personal Message) system. I'll have the site and forum link up by my next update. The forum is free to join and won't require an e-mail verification notice. I will try to answer anymore concerns about the forum on the site.
Thank you soo much for your patience with me on this story. I'm again terribly sorry for the long wait for an update!! I hope this chapter was okay. It is un-betaed. Which I appologise for. But I figured the sooner I get this up, the better. I will be going back and reviewing my past chapters of Life Changed Year 3. I will be sure to tell you of any changes that are made.