It's Saturday again- my favourite day of the week :) thank you for all your reviews, they mean a lot to me :) sorry I haven't replied to any of your reviews this week- my hours at work have increased. A colleague is going to be off sick for an extended period of time and I'm being trained so that I can take on her duties as well as my own. I'll be working a lot of overtime in November and December which means more money (yay!) but less time to reply to your reviews- as I'm spending most of my free time on the story. But I will reply as soon as I can!

Anyway, I'll stop rambling. Oh, and the usual disclaimers apply. Enjoy!

Over the next few days, Remus and Hermione settled into their happy new existence together. Hermione spent every spare moment she had with him. She cancelled her social engagements- including a date with Ron- without a second thought. And Remus started to notice a change in her.

She smiled, she laughed and she sang her favourite Muggle songs. She was eating healthily and starting to put on some much needed weight which she'd lost during her years of mourning. Even her skin and hair looked healthier. She was glowing with happiness.

Remus, who had watched her years of worrying decline, was delighted by her slow recovery. Despite his concerns about the situation, Hermione's mood affected his own. For the first time since he died he was experiencing feelings of joy and contentment. His attitude made him work harder to re-corporealise himself.

He practised for hours and he was soon able to turn the pages of the book Hermione had bought. He was overjoyed that he was able to read again. Before Hermione went to work each morning, she made sure to leave a book open for him on the sofa. He couldn't lift a book but he was strong enough to turn pages and he spent hours reading old favourites and discovering new ones in Hermione's personal library.

A few days after his return, he asked Hermione to get another book for him.

'What kind of book?' Hermione called from the bedroom, where she was getting ready for work.

'Any kind,' he called back. He smiled to himself. 'I'll leave it in your capable hands.'

'You know, I've got more books in the spare room,' she said. 'I just don't have room to keep them in here.'

She emerged from the bedroom wearing her usual blouse and skirt. Her unavoidably messy hair was tied back into a ponytail. Remus watched her fasten her necklace, thinking that she looked sexily professional.

'You can browse the other shelves if you like,' she continued. 'I'm just going to brush my teeth.'

Remus passed right through the wall of the living room and into the spare bedroom. Not having to open doors was a small advantage of his condition. He scanned the bookshelves and immediately saw several titles that he thought might interest him: Humane Defences Against Dark Creatures, Expert-Level Defensive Spells and the Principles Behind Them,

On the far end of the shelf another book caught his eye. It was bound with white leather and its spine was unmarked. It looked familiar. He felt that it was important somehow. He reached out to touch it, wishing that he was strong enough to lift it off the shelf.

'Have you decided yet?' Hermione said, poking her head round the door.

Remus quickly drew his hand away from the white book. It seemed to be a journal of some sort and he didn't want Hermione to think he was snooping. He glanced at her and nodded. He pointed to a random book on the shelf below.

'I think I'll try that one today,' he said.

Hermione picked up the book he indicated and looked at the cover. 'Oh, I haven't read this in years. This was a research paper written by Tammy Gardener, a girl I met at the Wizarding University. She was studying for a degree in Magical Defence and she was fascinated by the Patronus Charm. I think you'll enjoy this.'

'Could you leave it over there?' He asked, pointing to the cluttered desk in the corner of the room. 'I think I'll read in here today.'

'Of course,' she said, opening the book and placing it on the desk. She glanced at her watch. 'I'm going to have to get going. I've got a staff meeting this morning.'

She sounded less than enthusiastic about the prospect.

'Okay,' Remus said. 'Will you be back here for lunch?'

She shook her head apologetically. 'I can't.' She sounded as disappointed as he felt. 'The staff meeting is going to last all morning so I'm going to have to work through my lunch break to keep on top of my paperwork.'

She went into the living room to retrieve her bag and wand. Remus trailed after her, feeling like a puppy being left alone in the house for the first time. It would actually be his first full day without her. He was afraid that with no interaction he might begin to lose his grip on this world and start to fade again.

'See you later,' Remus said softly as she was leaving the apartment.

Remus sighed and went back into the spare room. His attention was caught again by that white leather-bound book. He tried unsuccessfully to figure out why it was so familiar to him. He tried to put it out of his mind. He knew that he wouldn't be able to pick up the book so there wasn't much point thinking about it. He settled into the chair at the desk and began to read the book Hermione had given him.

As he read, he felt himself going back into teacher-mode- something he hadn't done in a very long time- as he began to analyse the piece with academic interest. Many people would have said that the paper was unfocused because it explored many aspects of the Patronus Charm but Remus rather enjoyed it. It was less a research paper and more a short non-fiction book on the topic. It discussed the relationship between a witch or wizard's personality and the physical form of their patronus. It attempted to identify the reasons why one's patronus could change. It mentioned the phenomenon of otherwise magically incapable squibs suddenly being able to conjure a patronus when in great danger. It even entered the field of Muggle biology when it explained, in scientific terms, what physically happened in the body when a patronus was cast (a mix of endorphins and adrenalin made the Patronus Charm possible).

Remus read for about a while, but the research paper was quite short and he finished it quickly. He left the book on the table and got up. He went into the living room. It was only eleven o' clock. He began pacing up and down, working on the assumption that being active would prevent him from slipping away.

Soon, boredom had begun to set it. Before he had died, he had rarely experienced boredom. He had always been very good at keeping himself entertained, whether that was simply sitting and reading, going out for a walk with his trusty camera or even cleaning the house. He had found comfort from the methodical routine of cleaning. He hadn't been obsessive about it but his enjoyment in the task was unusual. Right now, that's what he wanted to do. Although it required little thought, the activity would serve well to ground his being in this world.

Remus went into the kitchen. He had already noticed that Hermione kept most of her house spotless and he was pleased that she possessed the cleanliness trait. Hanging on hooks fixed to the wall were a few cleaning implements such as a feather duster, a mop and dustpan and brush.

He reached out and ran a finger lightly down the end of the feather duster. At first he couldn't feel anything. But, slowly, he began to feel a tickling sensation from the feathers. It was another improvement. He could make his hands fully corporeal; he now had a complete sense of touch. He raised his fingers to the handle of the feather duster and felt its smooth plastic surface. He realised that if anyone was watching him, they'd think he was peculiar but his newfound ability meant a lot to him.

Concentrating intensely, he wrapped his fingers around the handle, making sure to keep them solid. He sent as much strength into his hand as he could muster and then he attempted to pull the feather duster from its hook. At first, it would not budge but he renewed his efforts and suddenly it slipped away. It felt unexpectedly heavy and he nearly dropped it but he managed to hang on.

He raised the feather duster, noting how exhausting it was to hold an object as simple as this. Slowly, falteringly, he began to move the duster back and forth as though he were actually cleaning something with it. It was very difficult at first. The act of holding the duster and moving it required twice the concentration. He practised until it became relatively easy.

He carried the duster into the spare room. It was the only room in the apartment that suffered from lack of attention. Remus sensed that Hermione rarely ventured inside so it was a less clean and tidy than the other rooms. Earlier, when he had been browsing the bookshelves, he noticed that the books were rather dusty. Now he had got the hang of it he set about dusting them.

Although he had difficulty navigating the duster over the spines of the books, he was pleased with the slow progress he was making. The familiar act of cleaning gave him a brief return to normality that he had missed for six years. As he worked, his gaze was drawn, once again, to that white book. But he continued until he had dusted the bottom shelf.

He straightened, groaning in exhaustion. He didn't think he could hold the feather duster much longer. His hand was beginning to weaken; he could feel it becoming less corporeal. He turned away, about to return the duster to the kitchen but he glanced back at the shelves. The plain white book had piqued his curiosity. He reached out his hand and stroked the smooth leather on the spine. Redoubling his strength and concentration, he grasped the book and began to pull it off the shelf.

He grunted with the effort of holding it. It was quite a bit heavier than the duster and required two hands to carry it over to the desk. He sank into the chair and used his remaining energy to turn back the cover. As soon as he saw what was written on the first page he remembered what it was. He was faced with his own writing:

To Hermione,

Happy birthday, my darling. I'm sorry we can't be together today. I thought that this book would be the perfect way for you to keep in contact with me while you're gone. It is magically linked to my own journal; whatever you write on these pages will be transferred to me. Never forget that I'm always close, should you ever need me. Be safe and remember that I'm always thinking of you. I love you.

Remus

This book was the one he had given Hermione all those years ago. This was the book that she had written in daily, asking about his life, asking for news of the Order, telling him a little of her activities, telling him how much she missed him and, above all, how much she loved him. How could he have forgotten? With slow deliberation, he started turning the pages and began reacquainting himself with the letters that they had sent to each other.

As he read, he was struck by the force of their love. Even in their letters, they had been so intimate, so romantic, so passionate that it made his heart ache. He neared the end of the letters and he dreaded reading the last one because he knew that shortly after, he had lost his life and Hermione had had her heart broken. But he forced himself to press on.

The final letter had been written by her. It was dated the 30th April, less than twenty-four hours before the battle at Hogwarts began. Hermione had written to him from her bed in the guest bedroom at Shell Cottage. She had informed him that she, Harry and Ron were going to attempt to break into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault at Gringotts and Remus remembered feeling sick with worry about it. The letter finished, much too soon, and Remus turned over.

The next few pages were blank. The paper was slightly crumpled in places where Hermione's tears had fallen onto it and dried. The empty space was reminiscent of his long, lonely absence from the world. He quickly turned over again, feeling uneasy.

Next, he was looking at a newspaper cutting that had been stuck in. He was slightly startled to realise that it was an obituary for himself. It had a moving picture of him looking young and happy in his teaching robes. He knew immediately that it wasn't from The Daily Prophet. A newspaper so closely affiliated with the very anti-werewolf Ministry of Magic wouldn't publish an obituary for him. It must have been from another, more liberal wizarding newspaper. He began to read.

Remus Lupin: 10th March 1960-2nd May 1998

The recent fateful 'Battle of Hogwarts' has claimed many lives. One of these was the brave, ex-Hogwarts professor, Remus Lupin. Despite the Ministry's attitude to those suffering with his 'condition' we feel that he deserves a tribute fitting for a war hero such as himself.

Lupin was a half-blood, born and raised in the little Worcestershire village of Callowbrook to Lyall and Hope Lupin. Lyall had caused a feud with Greyback, an infamously vicious werewolf with a disturbing predilection for young children. At the age of five, Remus was bitten by Greyback to punish his father. His parents were, needless to say, devastated and hoped to find a cure for their son, to no avail.

Despite Remus's status as a werewolf, he was accepted at Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts at the time, despised prejudice of any kind and agreed to allow Remus to enrol as a student as long as certain safety precautions were met.

Remus did well at Hogwarts. He was intelligent, talented and was even made a prefect during his fifth year. He was close friends with Sirius Black, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew and when they graduated the four of them joined the First Order of the Phoenix.

Not much is known about Remus's life following the end of the First Wizarding War, though it is known that he had great difficulty finding work. He tried to keep his condition secret but it proved difficult since all werewolves must sign a register that can be accessed by the public. Once again, he was dependent on the kindness of Albus Dumbledore, who offered him the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts.

Remus Lupin was perhaps one of the most popular teachers Hogwarts ever had. Most found him to be a kind, caring man dedicated to his students and their learning. Unfortunately, when his condition was revealed to the student body, he was forced to resign.

When the Order of the Phoenix reconvened soon after, Remus proved a valuable member. His defensive knowledge and skills meant that he was an excellent dueller and he made an admirable lieutenant when Kingsley Shacklebolt became the leader of the Order in the summer of 1997.

Remus Lupin passed away on 2nd May 1998, during the Battle of Hogwarts. He was murdered by Antonin Dolohov, a particularly cruel Death Eater with a known hatred for werewolves. His funeral will be held on 12th May at the chapel in Hogsmeade. He has been posthumously awarded with an Order of Merlin, First Class and will he honoured in a memorial ceremony- along with the other people who died fighting- being held at the Ministry of Magic in June. We hope that society will learn from the example of Lupin's life and change their attitude towards werewolves but have doubts that this will happen. Remus Lupin's death has meant a true loss for the wizarding world and he will be missed by his friends, students and colleagues.

Even though the situation was surreal, Remus was touched by the obituary that had obviously been written by someone who had admired him. It was strange to see his life summarised into a biography short enough to fit into a newspaper article. They had glossed over his school days, his teaching career and his role in the Order of the Phoenix but, of course, they hadn't- and couldn't possibly have- mentioned the most meaningful, the most profound part of his life: his love for Hermione. It was during moments with her when he had been the greatest man he could have been.

Thank you for reading. There are some nice fluffy moments coming up in the next chapter, so stay tuned :)