A/N: I miss Veronica.

"Professor Lupin," Snape sneered, "and I do use that term ironically, there will never be a time when I need your assistance or advice on anything, let alone relating to the students in my House."

"Severus," Lupin loved the look on Snape's face when he called him by his first name, "I was merely trying to help. Daphne Greengrass expressed concern about her grades, and I tried to comfort her. I would expect you to do the same with a troubled student, regardless of their House."

"You should have referred her to me."

"I'm talking to you now, am I not? I acted as I saw fit, Severus, and will continue to do so. We are colleagues and I expect you to treat me with the same respect I show you." Lupin was tiring of Snape's condescending manner. Despite their past, he honestly tried to get along with the man - professional ethics required it if nothing else. He knew a little of Snape's history, and he tried to take it into account; he remained grateful for his wolfsbane potion, too. Still, nothing changed the fact that Severus Snape was an insufferable git.

"Lupin, as Head of Slytherin House, I am technically your superior," Snape reminded him. "As a mere professor, and a substitute at that, I expect you to always come to me when my students are in trouble. I do not wish to speak of this again. If Miss Greengrass approaches you again, you will bring her to me. Is that understood?"

Lupin bit back a retort and nodded curtly. He turned and started out of the staffroom so he would not have to see Snape's self-satisfied smirk. He certainly felt it, though; in a moment of anger he whipped back around. "And what will you do with any wayward Gryffindors you wander across, hmm? Deduct points and make them cry?"

"I treat all of my students with the same respect, Lupin. Even the dunderheads of Gryffindor."

"So lovely to see the teaching spirit in you, Severus old buddy," Lupin laughed. "Really warms the heart when I think of all the good you do."

"Well at least the students don't have to be afraid that I might one day turn around and bite - Headmaster."

Lupin turned back around to see that Dumbledore had entered the room. He shook his head sadly at the two men.

"I was hoping to see a bit more of a cooperative spirit between you gentlemen this time around," Dumbledore said. Lupin looked embarrassed but Snape merely raised his eyebrows. "Perhaps it will be my job to encourage you both."

"Headmaster?"

"Severus, I believe it's time you and Remus demonstrated house unity to your students. I would like you to work together to conduct a seminar on the importance of potions to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I believe that a week should be enough time for you to plan. How does next Saturday sound?"

"Headmaster," Snape began, completely aghast.

"Then it's all settled," Dumbledore stated. "How nice. I'm sure the students will be very excited, and so I am I. I do so love to see colleagues working together seamlessly." He gave the two horrified man a trademark smile and left the room.

Lupin sighed. He could work with Snape; at least, he could bite is tongue for an hour or so for the sake of the students. The question was, could Snape work with him? He opened his mouth to speak and was cut off by Snape stomping out of the door. Perfect.

O O O O O

"This I've got to see," Harry remarked, reading the message board outside of the Great Hall. "Look at this, Hermione. Lupin has to hold some sort of lecture with Snape."

"Oh Lord, how horrible for him," Hermione shuddered. "Why is Lupin getting involved with Snape?"

"Sounds like Dumbledore's doing," Harry reasoned.

"Sometimes that man's thought process escapes me. I believe I'll be skipping that train wreck."

"You can't, Hermione. We have to be supportive."

"I have to see that man several times a week in class, Harry," Hermione argued. "I'm not spending one extra second in his presence, Lupin or no Lupin. He'll understand."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"That's all you. I'm sure you can get Ron to go with you. I will be as far away as possible. If Lupin taunts Snape, though, let me know. Hey, what's that beside it?"

"Auror interviews," Harry said, trying to sound casual. He had noted the advertisement the second he walked into the hall. He knew his Auror aspirations were a thing of the past - there was no way he would get hired after being involved in Ginny's death, and it hurt to see reminders of his previous life.

"What kind of interviews?" Hermione asked, aware of Harry's feelings. They continued into the Great Hall and sat down. Lavender gave Hermione a friendly smile that she returned.

"I think it's just informational, you know, to tell students about working as an Auror."

"Great job - 'You too can muck up the murder investigation of a young girl.' That should sell it."

"Hermione - "

"I'm finished, Harry," she said, sighing. "Who do they have coming to speak? Are you going to at least check it out?"

"Probably not."

"Well, if anyone should be giving a lecture, it's us," stated Hermione. "We're the one that actually know what goes on around here. Maybe we can give the Aurors a few pointers, what do you think?"

"My crime solving days are over," Harry protested. "And so should yours be."

"No way. If you'll remember correctly, Harry Potter, before we got involved in "crime solving," as you so melodramatically put it, we were a couple of outcasts who didn't even have each other."

"Yes, and besides our friendship nothing has changed," he stated. "The only difference is now people ask you for favors while they're talking behind your back."

"We're a little friendlier with Ron now," Hermione protested. "Dean and Lavender, too."

"You are friendly with Dean, despite my advice. I continue to hate him. Don't get ahead of yourself, Hermione."

"I'm not, Harry," she sighed. "Forgive me for being somewhat positive for the moment. I remember that everyone hates me now, that you so much for the reminder, and if I run across some poor wayward soul shoved inside a suit of armor or the missing diadem of Ravenclaw, I'll stay well clear, is that enough for you?"

"Hermione, I just don't want to see you get hurt by possibly sticking your nose into something dangerous."

"I get the message, Harry," she said, rising to her feet. "We've had this argument before, remember? Lord knows what I'd do if my life got unpleasant or dangerous."

"Hermione, sit down," Harry ordered. "I'm not trying to pick a fight with you. I just want you to leave well enough alone. We have enough schoolwork to do, and there's no reason to get involved in something that doesn't concern us."

"Whatever you say, Harry, "Hermione said. "I'll try to keep me nose clean. Meanwhile, I want you to go to that Auror interview. I'll go with you, okay?" Without waiting for his response, she turned and left. She paused once more beside the notice board. The Auror interviews were being conducted by Nymphadora Tonks (yay! Hermione silently crowed), John Dawlish (boo) and - well, well, well. Oliver Wood, junior Auror. If Tonks and Oliver couldn't get Harry back on board with his dream, no one could. Hermione grinned to herself and fairly skipped back to Gryffindor Tower.

O O O O O

"Oh, that's brilliant," snarled Snape, pacing around the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. "Perhaps then we could advise our students to throw caution to the wind and see what happens when they mix dangerous potions for "the fun of it. Maybe we could ask Miss Granger to give tips on how to steal from my cupboard while we're at it."

"For Heaven's sake, Severus," Lupin sighed. "I was merely suggesting that we mention ways in which Potion making can be creative. You invented tons of spells and potions when you were a student here. Don't you want to impart some of that same fearlessness to your students?"

"No, I do not," said Snape. "I wish to hold on to both my job and my life. Students should not be encouraged to mess with things they cannot control. Surely you would agree to that."

"Well, I'm not saying we should tell them to throw caution to the wind, but -"

"Maybe we can impart on them the knowledge of secret passages and the benefits of becoming an unregistered animagi."

"Now you listen here - "

"Professor, excellent, I was hoping you would be here!" Hermione burst in, breathless. "You have to help me - oh. You have company." Hermione spotted Snape and narrowed her eyes at the hated man, folding her arms across her chest.

"Miss Granger," he purred, amused by her confrontational stance. "We were just discussing you."

She fought to control her voice, and her trembling. "Oh?"

"Quite. Have you come to ask me to just leave my stores unlocked for you from now on, to save you the trouble of breaking in? Are you going to just start offering up points for me to take from Gryffindor, or perhaps you're here to spin some more tales involving Slytherin boys."

"You -"

"Hermione." Lupin put a calming hand on her arm and glared at Snape. "What can I help you with?"

"I'll talk to you about it later," said Hermione, keeping her eyes on her nemesis. Well, one of her many nemeses, she silently allowed.

"That's not necessary, Miss Granger. Your learned professor and I are finished for the day. I've no doubt he'd love to provide you with assistance and bad advice." Snape smirked at the pair and swept out of the room.

"I hate him," Hermione said flatly.

"I know, sweetie," Lupin said, pulling her into a fatherly hug. "It's okay. He's a total tosser. And you did not just hear me say that, nor are you allowed to repeat it."

She gave him a grateful smile and sat down at a desk. "Did you see the notice about the Auror interviews?"

"I did," Lupin nodded, thinking simultaneously how nice it would be to see Tonks, and how he should keep away from her.

"I want you to convince Harry to go. Harry says he doesn't want to be an Auror anymore, but I know that's rubbish. He's just afraid to get his hopes up, because he thinks being connected to Ginny's death makes it impossible for him. Even after everything that happened last year, I still think it's the only thing he really wants, though. He should at least go to the meetings, don't you think?"

"Do people really think Harry was involved in Ginny's death?"

"Not as much as they think I was," she said. "Even though we both know Mundungus had nothing to do with it either, at least it gets some pressure off Harry. I just hate to see him give up before he even tries. That's not Harry."

"No," Lupin agreed. "I'll see what I can do. I'm sure Dora will help, as well."

"Do you remember Oliver Wood? Gryffindor Quidditch captain? He's on the list, too."

"I'm sure between the four of us we can work on Harry," Lupin smiled. "Of course, this means you're going to have to come to my seminar with Professor Snape. No arguments. Fair is fair, Hermione."

"Fine," she said, rolling her eyes and collapsing dramatically against the desk She couldn't be mad at Lupin; it wasn't as if he knew why she hated Snape so much. Still, it irritated her to think she'd have to listen to more of his self-important lectures. "But I can't promise I won't heckle from the back."

"I can live with that," Lupin said. "Are you planning some sort of Hermione Granger scheme to get Harry to the interviews, or are we to go bombard him right now?"

"Scheme, of course. It involves telling him to go to the interviews."

"Ooo, sneaky," he teased. "Are you sure you don't belong in Slytherin?"

"Bite your tongue," she replied, grinning. "Come one, you're on Tonks, and I'll go talk to Oliver."

I'm on Tonks, Lupin thought ruefully. Good thing she hadn't heard that. He could not encourage the much-too-young-for-him metamorphmagus; he just couldn't. He sighed. Why couldn't he have nice things?

O O O O O

"Hey, Oliver," Hermione plopped down next to her former housemate, shivering at the cold January wind. "You're very much the person I wanted to see."

"Hey, Hermione," he grinned at her. "How's my favorite brainiac?"

She blushed; she and Oliver had never been more than casually friendly to one another, but she had always been rather fond of the burly Keeper. Although Quidditch was not her personal favorite thing (odd, considering her past choices in romance), she had enjoyed watching the games with Oliver Keeping; his passion and enthusiasm had been extremely infectious.

"Staying sharp as a tack," she replied when her cheeks had cooled. "How about you? I thought you were playing for Puddlemere United."

"One too many balls to the head," he said. "The Healer at St. Mungo's said I was looking at possible long-term damage if I didn't give it up."

"So you decided to take a nice, safe desk job instead?"

"I got bored not playing," Oliver admitted. "I couldn't stand it so I applied to be an Auror. Turns out I was better suited to it than I thought. I should be promoted to full status pretty soon."

"That's great," said Hermione. "I'm hoping that you can help me. It used to be Harry's dream to be an Auror, but the last year... has been rough."

Oliver nodded sympathetically. He hadn't exactly been living under a rock for the last year, and had actually been involved in the arrest of Mundungus Fletcher. He knew that despite Fletcher's admitted guilt, Harry and especially Hermione still did not have good names in the wizarding community anymore.

"I think he should at least go to the information sessions," Hermione continued. "What could it hurt, right? I hate to see him giving up on things that matter to him. First Quidditch, and now this. He's made some progress in the last few months, but he hasn't seemed to change his mind about this one."

"I'll see what I can do," said Oliver. "Harry was a born Auror. His reputation is damaged, but not beyond repair, not with him being The Boy Who Lived. Besides, Fletcher confessed. What more is there to the story?"

"What indeed?" Hermione said mildly. "Thanks, Oliver. I asked Professor Lupin to talk to Tonks about it, too. It's really important that Harry get back on track."

"Tonks is great," Oliver said enthusiastically. "She's really fun to work with. Dawlish, not so much. He's kind of a prick, actually, but he's got a lot of experience and clout, so I have to stay on his good side."

"Well, we all have to put up with assholes in this world, don't we?" Hermione said, thinking specifically of Draco and Snape.

"That we do. Hey, Hermione, if I'm going to be helping you with this little project, why don't you pay me back by going to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?"

Hermione blushed again and started to politely decline - the last thing she needed was to get involved with another Quidditch player, and then stopped herself. She remembered Oliver's name being mentioned in conjunction with Mundungus's confession and arrest. Maybe if she played her cards right he could give her some information. She still didn't believe the Order member could be guilty, and she needed to keep working to find out the truth.

"I'd love to," she said instead, beaming at him. "You can regale me with Auror tales and I can give you an inside look being into a social pariah."

"Then it's a date," Oliver said, knocking her lightly with his shoulder and grinning at her. "I'm going to go hunt Harry down now. I'll talk to you soon."

She nodded. Once he was gone she felt a little guilty, but if she could learn something that would help her find Ginny's killer, it was worth it. Anything was worth it.

O O O O O

"Hey, stranger," Nymphadora Tonks greeted Lupin as she slid in next to him at the staff table. "Have you been avoiding me?"

"Of course not," he said, flustered. "I've just been busy. Professor Snape and I are working on a presentation, and of course I have lesson plans, and student counseling, and -"

"Calm down; you don't have to run through every excuse in the book," she said to him. "I was just hoping we could spend a little time together while I'm here."

"Well, I did want to talk to you about Harry," said Lupin. He noticed her face fall; clearly she was hoping he would re-open the conversations they'd had over the summer, but he still felt that a romance between them was out of the question. It was simply too dangerous for her.

"I'm all ears," she said, attempting a cheerful smile. He could try to fight it all he wanted, but Tonks knew Remus felt the same way she did. Never fear; she would eventually get her man.

"Hermione wants Harry to come to your information interviews, but he's not budging. Do you think you could talk to him about it?"

"I can try," she replied. "Harry's a born Auror. All that stuff with Ginny... It was horrible, of course, but no one at the Auror department ever thought Harry was actually guilty, and it shouldn't stand in his way."

"Did they honestly think Hermione was?"

"I didn't, obviously," Tonks answered. "Dawlish had it in for her, for some reason. Between you and me, I think he still does. It was completely ludicrous; there was absolutely no way it could have been her, or Harry. I mean, who did they think knocked them both out? Ron found the three of them, but he was no help - he was practically catatonic. It was horrible, and the first thing the Aurors wanted to do was blame the muggle-born. Arthur went a long way towards getting the investigation against her dropped, but the damage to her reputation had already been done."

"And you really think Mundungus killed Ginny?"

"He confessed, Remus," Tonks said. "That's all there is to it. It doesn't have to make sense. You know Mundungus, and he's always been out for number one. If he didn't do it, he wouldn't have said he did."

"I suppose," Lupin said doubtfully. "Anyway, will you talk to Harry?"

"I'll do my best," she said. "When is your little session with Snape? I'll be there with bells on."

Lupin grimaced. "Tomorrow afternoon, if we don't kill each other first. That man..."

She grinned at him. "I was in Hufflepuff; I know what he was like. If you're not Slytherin, you might as well forget it. He usually has one student in particular that he despises, and one he loves. Who is it now?"

"He used to hate Harry, but now I think Hermione's taken the top spot," Lupin said. "And young Malfoy, of course, is his particular pet."

"Hmm... That was Ginny Weasley's boyfriend, right? Isn't he friends with Harry and Hermione? Can't he tell Snape to back off?"

"They used to be friends. Not anymore."

O O O O O

"Madam Puddifoot's a bore," Hermione said to Oliver.

"I don't want to go to The Hog's Head," he returned. "You don't need to be going to places like that, Hermione. Lots of unsavories there."

"Three Broomsticks is too crowded."

"Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?" Oliver teased.

"No, but you should be ashamed to be with me. So where does this leave us? Walking and enjoying the bracing January air?" She punctuated this with a shiver.

"Alright I get the message. I can't help it if I love the cold. How about I run in and get us a couple of butterbeers; that way we can at least be somewhat warm as we walk around."

She nodded in assent and thought about how she would broach the subject of Ginny with him. Harry had always spoken of Oliver's near-fanatic need to win and his long-winded pep talks. She realized that she actually didn't know him that well and was surprised that he was interested in her. She'd been much too young when he was still at Hogwarts; now that she was seventeen and he was twenty-one it didn't seem so very out of the question. It was the same age difference as she and Viktor, after all. And look how well that turned out, shall we? But this wasn't the same, she reasoned with herself. She liked Oliver, sure, but her main interest was for information.

"Granger, always a pleasure," the dry voice of Draco interrupted her thoughts. "Oh wait, that's not pleasure, is it? Always a what? Disappointment? Horrorshow?"

"Sod off, Draco," Ron put in, laying a warning hand on his friend's arm. "It's too cold to stand here and listen to you two."

"Arguing warms me up," Draco countered.

"Here you go," said Oliver, returning and placing a warm drink in her hands. He nodded pleasantly at Ron and Draco, who seemed extremely shocked to see him. "Shall we? Can't stay and chat, gents, the lady and I are off. Ron, if you see Harry, tell him I'll come find him later, okay?" Oliver didn't wait for an answer before leading Hermione away, but she looked over her shoulder at the boys. Draco was speaking softly to Ron, who appeared to be in a daze.

"I still can't get over you guys hanging out with that Slytherin," said Oliver as they walked through Hogsmeade. "I know Ron's sister was dating him before, but really! Draco Malfoy? He was such a little punk when I was still here."

"He still is," Hermione said. "I'm not friends with him, believe me, and neither is Harry. You know what happened after Ginny died, right? Everyone abandoned us. I know you weren't an Auror yet, but it's not like you've out of the country or something for the last year."

"I know, sure," Oliver said uncomfortably. "I know Ginny's whole file, I'm sorry to say. I guess I heard you've had a bit of a tough year. And maybe I've read your file, too."

"There's a file on me?"

"Of course there is, Hermione," Oliver said. "You were a suspect. Not a very solid one, but your interviews are still there."

"Is that why you asked me out?" Hermione asked, incredulous. "So you could pump me for information about Ginny? Of all the nerve!"

"Ginny's case is closed, Hermione," Oliver stated. "I don't need to pump your for information, or anything else. And the only reason you said yes was so you could ask me about her yourself. I'm not stupid, you know. I like you, Hermione, but I could see you coming from a mile away. I knew the second I got here that you and Harry would want to talk about her. So far, Harry's steered clear, but you did exactly what the other Aurors warned me you would do. We barely spoke when I went to school, so it's not like your newfound interest wasn't a bit suspect."

"I haven't asked you one thing about Ginny!"

"You would have, and it was only a matter of time. I can't discuss work with you, and even if I could, the case is closed. Mundungus Fletcher killed Ginny, and he hurt you and Harry. That's the end of it. I'm sorry that the last year has been difficult for you, but it should all be over now."

"It'll never be over."

"I truly am sorry, Hermione," said Oliver again in a softer tone. "Look, I do like you, but I won't be used. If you want to continue our date, fine. If not, I'll see what I can do about getting Harry to those Auror interviews, and no hard feelings, alright?"

Hermione was chastened. Everything he said was true, after all, and she did feel bad for trying to use Oliver. He was nice, and his interest in her seemed genuine, even knowing that she was persona non grata everywhere she went. But now she had a new question to deal with: who at the Auror office had warned him about her, and why? If the case was closed, what did it matter how much she snooped around?

"Let's get another butterbeer," she said. "Then we can go watch Lupin's presentation."

"Isn't that with Snape?"

"I prefer not to acknowledge his existence, but yes. I told Professor Lupin I would be there."

"Okay," Oliver agreed, glad that she was still interested in spending time with him. He had known about her Ginny-agenda from the beginning, but hopefully she would realize that any more investigating would be fruitless. "We can meet Tonks there."

Hermione nodded and smiled. Okay, Hermione, Plan B. Her work with Oliver was not over yet.

O O O O O

"Oh my God, that was the worst," Harry groaned to Hermione as they left the Great Hall. "Poor Lupin. Did you see the look on his face when Snape started going on and on about the Dark Arts? As if Snape is more knowledgeable than Professor Lupin! I've never seen two people more ill-suited to work together. Dumbledore's heart is in the right place, I know, but that was a bad idea."

"It was pretty awful," Oliver agreed, although he had barely heard more than two words during the entire three hours. He had spent the time staring wistfully at Hermione. Despite what she said, he wasn't sure if she was still only interested in using him for information about Ginny, but he planned on giving her the benefit of the doubt. Hopefully it wouldn't bite him on the ass.

"I don't know how Lupin worked with that man," Hermione chimed in. "He's the devil."

"Fifty points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger," Snape said from behind them. "You may want check your surroundings before you insult professors. But then, you were never very discerning in what you said, were you? Oh, and Mr. Wood, Auror Dawlish is looking for you. Apparently, you were overheard divulging top-secret information at Hogsmeade. You silly Gryffindors never learn when to shut up, do you?" He smirked at the three of them and walked off towards Lucius Malfoy, who had also attended the seminar and was standing with Draco and Ron. Draco looked miserable, but for once Hermione couldn't enjoy it.

"Bloody hell." Oliver kicked the wall.

"I'm sorry, Oliver," Hermione said in a small voice.

"He was looking for an excuse," Oliver said angrily. "I didn't say anything wrong; he just wants to punish me. Don't worry about it. Harry, I hope you'll reconsider coming to those interviews. The Auror Office could really use you."

"You know what, I think I will," said Harry.

Hermione smiled at him. At least something had gone right.

More A/N: A few things - I usually prefer the "show, don't tell" mode of writing (not that I always succeed), but I do want to mention a few things. This story is AU after Book 4, and even that one is compromised to sort of begin the friendship/romance between Draco and the Gryffindors that was so heavy before Ginny's death. However, I still use people we met in Book 5, like Tonks. I'm asking you to just go with it. The Department of Mysteries never happened, but I still borrow heavily from events in the last three books. There's no real way around it, at least for me. I appreciate the suspension of disbelief in my convoluted story. Cheers!