Chapter 35:
Remus was still staring into the eyes of the dead Frederick Greyback when Esteban Estrella shook his shoulders. "Remus. Remus, come back to me." Remus looked to the professor.
He saved my life by using an unforgivable curse. Remus thought.
"Come now, you have to go back to Hogwarts. Neighbors probably heard the noise, they'll come any second now." The professor said frantically.
Remus looked down at Leonardo's body. He hardly knew me and he threw himself in front of the curse.
"Remus! Listen to me! You can't be seen here. You can't be seen with the dead. I'll make sure that they think it was only Leonardo and I who confronted Greyback. You have to go." The Professor ranted.
"Here. Here's your wand, Remus. Go home." He said as he held the wand out in front of him. Remus stared at it and thought that wand killed someone.
"Take it, Remus!" The Professor screamed. "Go, now, before someone comes!" Remus snapped into reality.
"Thank you, Professor." Remus said, wanting to say so much more but he couldn't find the words.
"I'm not your professor anymore, Remus." Estrella said.
"You've taught me more than any professor at Hogwarts. I will always call you professor. As you should always call Leonardo your husband when you tell of his bravery. A title's just a title until you add meaning behind it." Remus said very maturely. The professor looked at him and smiled.
"Your body is young but your mind is ancient, Remus Lupin. Go now." Esteban Estrella said while proudly smiling.
Remus stood up and gently grabbed his wand and the invisibility cloak by the door. He took one last look at the young professor, his husband, and the murderer and paused for a moment as he glanced at the clock on the wall.
"What is it Remus?" The professor asked.
"It's midnight, Friday May 13th: the anniversary of how this all started. Six years ago tonight Fenrir Greyback attacked me." They said their last goodbyes and Remus threw the cloak over his head and vanished into the night.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your class, Professor, but I need to borrow Mr. Lupin a while." Headmaster Dumbledore said to Professor Malfoy.
He must be going to tell me the wonderful "news" now.
"What did you do, Remus?" James whispered.
"Yeah, did you do some secret awesome marauding last night?" Sirius asked.
"No. I don't know what he wants." Remus lied.
"Come now, Mr. Lupin." Dumbledore said. Remus gathered his belongings and walked in silence with the professor to his office. His mother and father were there, sitting in anticipation for whatever news was so important to travel all the way to Hogwarts to hear in person.
"Remus, are you alright? We were so concerned that something terrible happened to you." His mother said while hugging him.
"I'm fine, mum." Remus said.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, what do you need to tell us?" Remus's father asked politely.
"Early this morning Frederick Greyback was killed in Hogsmeade." Dumbledore said.
"This is wonderful news! Finally we can sleep at night knowing that this nightmare is over!" Mr. Lupin said excitedly as he held his hand. His mother hugged Remus tightly.
"Who killed him?" Remus asked out of curiosity of Dumbledore's response.
"Yes, was it an auror that tracked him down?" Mr. Remus asked.
"No. It was actually Remus's former teacher named Professor Esteban Estrella." Dumbledore responded.
"Was that the bloke who saved the group of students just two months ago in the Astronomy tower? The one who was turned and wrongfully kicked out of Hogwarts?" Mr. Remus asked.
"Yes. It appears that he and a muggle friend tracked Greyback down by themselves. Frederick killed his friend and was about to kill him when he killed Frederick." Dumbledore responded.
"He's a true hero! Can I please meet with him in person?" Mr. Lupin asked.
"I'm afraid it's not as simple as that." Dumbledore responded.
"What do you mean?" Remus asked, suddenly drawn back into the conversation.
"Professor Estrella is being charged with using the unforgivable curse and faces up to life in Azkaban." Dumbledore said solemnly.
"Surely you're not serious." Mr. Lupin shockingly said.
"I'm afraid I am." Dumbledore said as he took a seat.
"But this is complete bollocks!" Remus yelled.
"Remus, watch your mouth!" Mrs. Lupin snipped.
"Sorry, mum. But the professor's a hero, not a criminal." Remus said.
"They're called the unforgivable curses for a reason, Remus." Dumbledore said. Remus sat in silence. "His trial is scheduled for next week Friday."
"Remus, in the meantime, I promise I will try to find Professor Estrella the best Lawyer in London and I'll talk to the ministry." Mr. Lupin said.
"What do I do?" Remus asked very upset.
"Go back to your friends. Have fun, study, and be a normal student. None of this concerns you anymore." Professor Dumbledore said.
"It's what you've always wanted, right?" Mrs. Lupin asked. Remus nodded.
"Good. Now, go back to class and enjoy your youth." Dumbledore said. Remus said goodbye to his parents and Dumbledore. He walked through the corridors partly relieved but mostly depressed by the wonderful news.
It's not fair.