Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. It was a bad timing of vacation and computer problems. Anyway, on with the story! As always, I do not own anyone or anything you recognize.

After breakfast and a quick stop to gather her dog, Celeste's guided tour of her old school commenced. Dumbledore led the way, nodding at some pupils, stopping to exchange a few words with some of the portraits. He started to point out a few of the school curios, but stopped with a smile. "Though, of course, there are many you already know. I tend to forget all these adult wizards and witches were once students here." He led them through a maze of corridors and stairs, which mercifully stayed still, to the Transfiguration classroom, where they were almost knocked down by a stampede of third years rushing out. When the last small pupil had scampered away, he knocked on the open door. "Tired, Minerva ?"

Professor McGonagall gave a nod as she joined them in the corridor. "They all get there in the end. The road is just much longer for some of them."

Dumbledore smiled."Quite so, quite so. I'd like to introduce our new Arithmancy professor, Celeste Lupin; what am I saying, you already know each other,"

"Hello, Professor McGonagall. It doesn't seem like all that long ago when it would have been me running out of those doors after one of your lessons." Celeste greeted her former teacher with a smile. "It's good to see you when I know I don't have a grade at stake. Have you met my dog...Padfoot?" She asked, motioning to where Sirius stood next to her. He looked up at her and gave a growl; to which she raised an eyebrow in reply.

Professor McGonagall returned the younger witches smile. "Why Celeste! It's always a pleasure to have one of our students return to us as a teacher. It is reassuring to know we haven't scared them all away from the teaching profession forever." She said dryly.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow over her half moon glasses. "Padfoot?"The rest of her query got interrupted by the growing noise of students coming up the corridor. "That would be my next class, fifth years, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff." Even as she spoke, a rather muddy Dean and Ron came in to view, the latter complaining loudly, unaware of the small gathering of professors. "...all the teachers, except Snape, adore her. Especially old McGonagall..."

"Mr. Weasley!" McGonagall's dry voice rang out through the hall. "I do wish you would rid yourself of that dreadful habit of referring to me as "Old McGonagall" and also the equally unfortunate one of speaking without thinking."

Ron looked sheepishly over at Professor McGonagall, a crimson blush creeping up his neck. "Sorry, Professor McGonagall" he murmured.

Celeste bit back a laugh as Sirius gave Ron a low bark, as if trying to lightly admonish the boy, while he was still in dog form. She was very tempted to ask him: 'friend of yours?', but refrained, she didn't need to draw anyone's attention enough to Sirius who might think he was something other than a dog...like, say, he might also be the only known prisoner to escape from Azkaban. Instead, she turned her attention to the students gathering around the classroom; no Harry she observed silently. She glanced at Dumbledore to see if he planned on introducing her or continuing the tour, and that's when she saw him...

Harry emerged from the passel of students, his bag loaded with books over one shoulder, his attention focused on the bushy haired girl Celeste noticed that morning. He appeared to be attempting to calm the girl down about something. His path was suddenly blocked by the large black dog that bounded around

Celeste and skidded to a halt in front of him. The dog beat his tail wildly against the floor and was looking at Harry rather proudly for a dog. Harry looked back at the dog blankly for a moment, before recognizing his godfather in his other form. With a wide grin, Harry patted Sirius' head and greeted him.

"Hello!" He was about to ask his godfather what he was doing in Hogwarts, when the only person he didn't know walked over.

"Well, hello, Harry." Celeste smiled down at the boy. "It seems Padfoot was as anxious to see you as I am. I was a friend of your parents, we all went to Hogwarts together. I also happen to be Remus' little sister, Celeste Lupin." She held out her hand for Harry to shake. "If you have Arithmancy, I'll be your new teacher."

Ron, who was listening to the introduction with interest, joined his friend's side. "Does that mean you're a..." he began, then stopped, yet again looking terribly sheepish.

"No." Celeste explained to Ron with a pleasant smile. "My brother is one, but I am not."

Harry looked over Sirius' head at Celeste with a look of growing fascination. "You knew my parents?" He asked quietly. He wanted to ask her more, much more, it was blatantly obvious in his face, but not in the school corridor, and not with so little time.

"Harry, I believe Professor McGonagall would like to start her class soon, and I must let Professor Lupin prepare for her own classes. Why don't you stop by Professor Lupin's office after you finish your classes today? You can all talk better then."

Thankful, Harry nodded wordlessly before hurrying into the room to catch up with Ron and Hermione before their next lesson.

Dumbledore nodded to himself as the remaining students slipped into the classroom. "Celeste, I am afraid I shall have to leave you to reacquaint yourself with the school. I promised Madame Pomfrey I would meet with her about a bogart which has taken up residence in the Infirmary wing." With a bow to both witches, the silver haired wizard popped a lemon drop into his mouth and ambled off down the corridor.

After saying her own goodbye to McGonagall, Celeste and Padfoot returned to her office, where she immediately drew the curtains and locked the door behind them. "He looks good." She remarked after lighting a fire in the fireplace.

"Yes, he does." Sirius replied, back in human form and sinking into an armchair.

"This isn't going to be too risky is it? You staying here, I mean."

"Not if it means keeping Harry safe." Sirius answered, watching Celeste absentmindedly arrange and rearrange things around her office. "You're stalling."

"What?"Celeste asked, looking up from the framed picture she had just moved to a new location for the third time.

"You're stalling."Sirius repeated with a grin. "You should be getting ready for your first lesson, instead you're...puttering."

"I do not putter!"exclaimed Celeste, indignantly.

"You've puttered as long as I've know you,"Sirius laughed. "Especially when you're nervous and delaying something."

Ignoring his comment, Celeste picked the picture up once more, moving so he could see the contents. A group beamed up at them. A younger Sirius in the middle, impeccably dressed, one arm around the shoulders of young James Potter, the other arm settled around Celeste's waist. Remus stood happily beside his sister, and the new Lily Potter was nestled beside James, both her arms wrapped around his waist. The picture Sirius moved to kiss Celeste's temple, as James and Lily turned to gaze lovingly at each other.

"Their wedding day..."Sirius said, lowly, swallowing a sudden lump that formed in his throat. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone as happy as they were...as we all were that day."

"We were, weren't we?"Celeste observed fondly. "You always have cleaned up nicely..."She trailed off, gazing at the images for a moment, before snapping out of her reverie. "I should go to class."

"Celeste...?"Placing a hand on her wrist to stop her, Sirius looked over at her, an unasked question in his eyes.

"Sirius..."Her face melted into sadness. "Don't ask. Please? You know why. I really should go to class."With a small, sad smile, the witch slipped out the door, leaning against the wall for a moment to collect her thoughts. There was too much of her past that she did not want to have resurface. It was difficult enough dealing with them when they were the present.

Professor Severus Snape's mood had not improved since breakfast. In fact, it seemed to grow blacker with each class; his scowl growing deeper at any whispered mention of the new Arithmancy professor. One Ravenclaw sixth year received detention when Snape overheard the boy's comment of how "The new Professor Lupin is a lot easier to look at than the former one." He rationalized to himself the detention was for the talking in class, and had absolutely nothing to do with the subject matter. However, by the time he stalked down the corridors to the Great Hall for lunch, his foul mood was so perceptible, that many younger students scurried for cover at the mere sight of him. As he was directing his scowl at a group of cowering second years, he felt himself collide with something warm and solid. Turning his glare, he meet the widened grey eyes of Celeste. That did nothing to improve his day. "It would appear as though you are no more capable of paying attention to where you are going than a first year." He growled, stepping away as though burnt from the contact. "See that you improve on that skill."

Celeste watched him stalk away, her breath still caught in her throat. Her eyes stung from tears threatening to form as she stared mutely at the sweeping black figure. Appetite vanished, she quickly turned on her heel and walked as fast as she could manage without running, while still trying to appear calm. She surprised Sirius as she flung open the office door, he had been napping in a chair, thinking he had the day to himself. "What do you think you're doing?" She hissed. "What if someone other than me had come instead?"

"Celeste?" He asked, his voice full of concern as her tears began to brim over. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Why didn't you tell me Severus Snape was a professor here?" She asked. "Why didn't you warn me?"

Sirius felt his stomach sink to the dungeon. "It didn't cross my mind that you would need warning. What happened?" Anger suddenly flared up in his eyes. "What did he do to you? Did he say anything to you?"

Celeste shook her head, as she wiped her eyes. "Nothing happened, really. He just...he made me feel like a child."

"Oh..." Sirius seemed to visibly relax. "He does that to everyone."

"Not to me." she whispered, more to herself than to Sirius. "Not that I've even seen him since we were...students."

"Forget about Snivellus," Sirius soothed. "You're a beautiful, intelligent, grown witch. He has no power over you." He prayed to Merlin that would be still true.

Back in the Great Hall, Snape's mood had plummeted even further. When the second teacher politely excused themselves from sitting next to Professor Snape, Dumbledore took notice. "Severus? Is there anything you would like to speak with me about?" He asked quietly, leaning over to speak in Snape's ear. "You seem to be frightening the professors."

Physically repressing the urge to scowl at the Headmaster, Severus shook his head. "No, thank you, Headmaster. I am simply...troubled by the sudden reappearance of my daughter." He lied swiftly. "I'm beginning to think bringing her here was a mistake. She would rather spend time in my quarters than in her dorm and she doesn't seem interested in fitting in with her house."

"I see..." Dumbledore nodded with a smile. "Well, it has only been a few months, I'm sure you both will adjust to each other given time. I must say, I am relieved." The old man chuckled as he rose from the long table to make his departure. "I was worried your mood was somehow related to Professor Lupin's appearance on our teaching staff. Good to know I was mistaken." He gave Snape a final smile, his eyes twinkling teasingly over the rim of his half moon glasses.