Chapter 2:
Cassandra Mina stood over James Potter, wand pointed at his face. He was red in the face, and Sirius black was doubled over, laughing like a mad man; Peter was beside him, snickering quietly.
"What did you say to me, Potter?" She said, focussing on the tickling hex.
"Nothing, I swear!" he cried, tears of laughter falling from his eyes. "Please, please, stop!"
"No, no, please don't!" Sirius cackled.
"I said-" James tried, before dissolving into another fit of giggles. "I said you're a lovely witch!"
"At least, it rhymed with that," Peter chuckled.
"Ass," Cass said, stepping off of James, releasing him from her hex. Despite that, he kept laughing.
"Merlin, Argent, why must you pay attention in charms class?" he groaned, rolling to his feet.
"And every other class?" Sirius chimed in. "Though, I have to say, I'm glad you do. I'd be lost without your guidance."
"Ha, guidance. More like answers." Argent laughed. Cass had inherited that name from her fellow marauders when she had mastered her ability to turn into an animagus in their fifth year; a fox. Her fox though, rather than turning a rustic red, was a stunning silver, much like her hair. The cunning and intelligence just made the package whole.
"Speaking of answers," Sirius said coyly. "Do you think you could-"
"No!" Cass said, thumping him on the arm. "Honestly, it's only first term. How on earth are you behind already?"
"Ow, unnecessary," he said, rubbing his arm. She smiled.
She'd met the maruader's in her first year, after Remus had introduced her to them once she'd been sorted into Gryffindor. She'd met the werewolf on the train, and they'd bonded over books and excitement for their first year at Hogwarts. At first she'd been shy and bookish, but the four boys had managed to turn her into as much of a marauder as the rest of them. They'd become her family, and they were inseparable. Even when they had their bouts over what now seemed like silly things, like who really put the dung bombs under Peter's pillow, or who actually set the toilet on fire, or who dated who, who said what... they always came back to each other.
"I wonder how Moony's doing," Cass said, sitting down on the red lounge in front of the common room fire beside Sirius. She curled her legs up underneath her and leant on his shoulder. She was still exhausted from the night before last. Moony had been particularly aggravated that evening, and even Padfoot had found it difficult to communicate with him. And because Remus was still recuperating in the infirmary, none of them had been able to sleep easy the night after. Especially because he had to share the room with that psycho who'd attacked Peter. They'd all begged the headmaster to move either one of them, but he would have none of it, so they were all a bit on edge. All it took to bring them back though was a friendly duel, in which jokingly harsh words were exchanged, one thing led to another, and James was being mauled by a tickling hex.
"He's probably fine. This happens." James said, leaning against the front of the one seater chair that Peter had fallen asleep in. Man, it was only lunch time, and none of them could keep their eyes open. You'd think they'd be used to it by now, but sleep deprivation was sometimes just too much.
"Yeah, Moony's fine. The old coot across the room from him, however, is a different story." Sirius sighed into Cass' hair. She could hear the drowsiness in his voice.
"What was his deal? Where do you think he came from?" Cass asked.
"He's probably a drunk that Dumbledore picked up from the The Three Broomsticks on one of his "late night trips"." Sirius said. James exhaled in amusement. On more than one occasion, the marauder's had been caught out of bed after hours by Dumbledore after he'd apparated right in front of them. He'd always smelled like fire whiskey, so James and Sirius did some digging (more like Sirius sweet talked Rosmerta) and found out that The Three Broomsticks was in fact where their headmaster had been disappearing to. She'd said that he drank like a sailor, but whenever they'd come across him he'd seemed as sober as ever.
"I honestly cannot imagine him intoxicated." Cass said.
"But alas, the proof is all there." James said.
"Either he's really good at hiding it, or he's always plastered." Sirius chortled.
"That explains soooo much." Cass moaned, letting her head fall back.
"What does?"
The trio spun around to see Remus entering the common room through the portrait. He still looked grey and weak, but better.
"Moony! Nice of you to join us!" James said happily as Remus sat himself down on the floor in front of them.
"Hope you didn't get attacked by a crazy drunk on your endeavours." Sirius said pleasantly.
Remus looked at Cass in confusion. "What...?" Argent quickly explained the fiasco with the man in the infirmary, and their theories as to how he ended up at Hogwarts.
"Jeez," Remus said, rubbing his hands over his eyes. "Is Pete alright?"
James shrugged, glancing over at the small, chubby sixteen year old snoring softly on the lounge. "He seems fine. Just a bit shaken up is all."
"He's been a bit quiet," Cass said.
Moony nodded. "Hey, do you think he could be the replacement defence teacher?"
"What?" Sirius snorted. "Dumbledore's an old whack job, but he has more sense than that."
"Actually," Cass said. "He'd be a step up from the last professor." Their last defence against the dark arts teacher had been a lazy, good for nothing, abusive dirt ball, to put it politely.
"Amen," James said.
"C'mon guys, we better get to class." Remus said, and the others groaned. James dragged himself up off the floor and shoved Peter off the chair. He fell to the floor with a thud.
"Come on Wormtail, perk up!" Sirius said, then the five of them climbed through the portrait hole and headed to class.
"Honey badger," Remus said, reading from the parchment that had been delivered to him in the infirmary that morning. The gargoyle leapt aside and Lupin ascended the stone steps. The headmaster's office doors swung open before he reached them, and inside Dumbledore was sitting at his desk.
"Come in, Mr Lupin." he said, closing the door behind his guest. "Have a seat."
Dumbledore sipped at his tea as Remus sat. "Thank you for joining me Remus. As you can imagine, I am quite curious as to know what you do, but first I must inform you of something. Tea?" Remus shook his head. "Your theory as to how you travelled through time is, as it turns out, quite feasible. It is nearly unheard of, but it has been confirmed. The combination of two spells, spells that both mean the destruction and creation of life, is called a niscasture. This generally ends in the regeneration of a soul. However, depending on the spell, the end results can change."
"So, you're saying if someone where to cast a counter spell for... the killing curse, for example, it could change the out come." Remus said.
"What counter spell are you describing?"
"Initium finis."
"Yes... Yes, exactly." Albus said. Then he shook his head. "But we will come back to that. We have much to discuss. Please, tell me what you know, carefully. I don't want too many of the finer details."
So Remus began. He told Dumbledore about the battle of Hogwarts, first and second. He spoke all that he knew of Voldemort, of his followers. He spoke about who he was in the past- future, his position at Hogwarts, his condition... He spoke until Dumbledore raised his hand to silence him.
"Remus, do you know the identities of any of the death eaters?" Albus asked. Remus nodded. "Will you tell me?"
Remus nodded again, and slowly began listing those that he knew. Dolohov, Malfoy, Black, the list went on. Though most had graduated, this was news for Dumbledore. He kept going, until he got to Peter Pettigrew. The anger boiled inside him once more.
"And.. Peter Pettigrew, sir." Remus said quietly.
"Pettigrew?" Albus said, surprise obvious in his voice.
"Yes. I'm sure you know of the prophecy?" The old man nodded. "It's about James. And Lily. Peter sold them to Voldemort."
Silence. "Is there anyone else?"
"Yes." Remus whispered. "Cassandra Mina."
Albus didn't say anything for a long while. He seemed to be pondering this. He said nothing, then: "Do you have any idea how these two came to serve under Voldemort?"
Remus shook his head again. He didn't. Cassandra had been his best friend, all through school. But by halfway through seventh year, she became distant. She began interacting with Snape, being almost friendly, and... they'd had a falling out. It wasn't just a fight between friends, it was the end. The other marauders heard nothing of her for years, until the first battle of Hogwarts, when they found her again, only she was fighting for the wrong side. And then Peter sold James and Lily to Voldemort, and thus, Harry's legacy was created. He'd never suspected either of them, esspecially not Peter. Not until twelve years later.
"Remus, I'm going to ask you to do something that you may not be entirely comfortable with, but-"
"Professor, I have a feeling that I do not have a choice." Remus said with a small smile.
Albus nodded and continued, "I would like you to be this years defence against the dark arts teacher."
"But, hasn't the year already begun?"
"Yes, however, the previous defence teacher was... not fit for the position. I was unable to find a replacement on such short notice. Though, it seems, the opportunity has pre-"
"Presented itself, yes. It seems to be in the habit of doing so." Remus said.
"Remus, you know your friends better then anyone. You can become not only their mentors but their allies. They're sixteen, easily influenced. Will you become their good influence?"
"Professor, I'm-"
"You will be your own teacher. See that you make the right decisions." Albus said. Remus opened his mouth to say something, but thought it better not to. He took the headmasters words as a dismissal.
"Ah, Remus, you start on Monday." Dumbledore said. "You'll be staying in the defence teachers' chambers; I trust you know your way around?"
"Yes sir."
"And you would do well to inform the students of your name. Do be creative, Remus. Goodnight."