Remus had been feeling good after his talk with Andromeda. She admitted to having misgivings about werewolves and old prejudices, and interrogated him about how he planned to protect and support Dora and Teddy in the future. At the end of it all, he still wasn't sure if she liked him, but there was a mutual respect. Which, he supposed, was how it had been before.

And then Dora had come home. She had told him of Petra's arrest first, and then the fires. Remus hadn't known exactly how to react- he was relieved, thrilled, that Petra had been arrested... Death Eaters burning down two houses connected to Order members, on the other hand, left him feeling worried for a new reason. Would they just stop at these two houses?

They went to see how bad it was, and it had been exactly what Remus expected. There's no way it would have been a small fire.

Remus stared at the remains of the small home. There was a charred stuffed bear at his feet, a few less recognisable items strewn about. He couldn't remember when he had gotten the bear, but it had never been unpacked from a box of his old toys when they moved in here. Starting school had made him too mature for that sort of stuff, his mother had joked.

"I'm sorry." Dora said, taking his hand.

"Possessions can be replaced." Remus said.

"But this was your childhood, Remus-"

"You already brought everything to the other house that meant the most to me." Remus said, turning to her. "I've never had much of a use for too many material possessions, anyway. It would make it too complicated when I had to pack up and leave-"

"Which you don't have to do anymore, you understand that, right?" Tonks asked. "It's okay to be sad about things you lose, Remus. Even if it's a silly little stuffed bear, or- or-"

"A Weird Sisters shirt?" Remus asked, and she laughed.

"Yeah, I- uh- I guess a bunch of my shit's gone too, huh? And Alastor's. Bill stored a bunch of his stuff here for me."

"I'm sorry." He said, wrapping his arm around her.

She shook her head, leaning against his chest. "He didn't want the Death Eaters getting ahold of any of it, I'm sure. Now they definitely can't."

"I'm just relieved no one was here." Remus said quietly.

"You would have been here if you had your way last night." She said. "And Harry's vision..."

"I know." He said. Dora didn't need to finish. The silence hung heavy between them for a moment. "I guess the Death Eaters made the decision for us."

Dora leaned back, a questioning look on her face.

"We're staying in Dartford." Remus said. "I suppose the Accidental Magical Reversal Squad will need to get used to us."

"You know, it wasn't an issue until I was old enough to start taking off the hats Mum made me wear. Usually my hair was the problem. Other things weren't really noticeable."

"How old were you when it became an issue?"

"I have no idea, we'd have to ask Mum, but I'd bet it was pretty much from birth." She said. "Once I was a teenager and stuck on the pink hair, it was easy enough for Muggles to just assume Mum and Dad let me do that to my hair." There was another silence. "So, what do we do here?" She asked.

"Well, I assume the rest of the house will need come down." Remus said, releasing her and looking back at the house. "But, we can still sell off the land. If we can manage it, maybe we can put the money away for Teddy when he's older."

Tonks nodded. "Harry's staying with us permanently too, just so you know. I already told him."

Remus let out a quiet laugh. "I would have insisted on it."

The arrival of Minerva on the second day of classes was surprising. As a busy woman, she wasted no time getting to the reason for her visit as soon as they all sat down. "Miss Weasley told me where you would be." Minerva explained. "I've come with an offer. It would appear that the Professor I hired for Defense Against the Dark Arts is a drunk fool. He failed to show up to yesterday's lessons and was found in Aberforth's pub this morning. I need a competent replacement." She looked at Remus. "You were the first I thought of. I understand it would be short notice."

"I- really?" Remus asked.

Minerva gave a curt nod. "I can manage the lessons through the end of the next week, but after that, I really do need someone. I know the sixth and seventh years would really enjoy it."

"This is great!" Dora said. "Remus, you really enjoyed teaching-"

"Yes, but you're about to leave for training for a few weeks and who would watch Teddy if I were at Hogwarts?"

"I would not expect you to live in the castle. I would only ask that you stay one or two nights a week, perhaps supervise the occasional Hogsmeade visit and any detentions you set. Other than that, you could be home every night. I will also find someone to cover lessons around full moons, as needed. For now, it would likely be me, but I would not mind."

"Well, what about the rumours of that jinx on the position?" Remus asked. "Teachers never last more than a year, for one reason or another."

"I suppose we will find out next year, if you agree."

Remus looked at Dora. She wanted him to say yes, he could tell. "I can always talk to Dawlish and see if we really need to leave." Dora said. "If there's rumour of the Death Eaters travelling there, I don't see why he'd want to send us. The point of going would be to get away from them, not go towards them."

Remus really wanted to say yes.

"I can give you a few days to think on it. As I said, I can manage through next week." Minerva said.

"What would the parents think?"

"I'm not sure I care what they think." Minerva said. "They want their children taught, you were a very good teacher despite not getting the chance to be truly prepared and having to deal with the dementors. I believe you would be the best teacher for the role, considering your experience with Dark Arts."

"I am a dark creature-"

"Oh, nonsense. There were letters supporting you." Minerva said. "I am certain there will be resistance from some parents, but their children will likely speak volumes about your kindness, and after the last few teachers some of them have had... you will still be the best one they've seen."

Remus didn't have to look at Dora to know what she was thinking. She would have many of the same arguments as Minerva, but Remus was nervous. His plan had been to look for a job away from human interaction, but he did need something in order to feel like he was supporting his family. Teaching at Hogwarts had been the one job he had enjoyed over the years.

Even if it ended up being temporary again, it was a good option for now. "Okay." Remus said. "We can see how it goes, I know it may end up being temporary-"

"Not if I have my way." Minerva said, standing. She didn't seem surprised or relieved about his agreeing, it was likely that she already knew he would say yes, because he hadn't refused Albus either. "I will cover the lessons through the end of next week to give you a chance to prepare. I'll send an owl later to let you know where the students are in the curriculum."

As soon as Minerva disappeared into the alley and had Disapparated, Dora had turned to Remus.

"Let me write to Mum and let me talk to Dawlish." She said. "Once we hear back from them, we will make a plan for Teddy."

"And what if we can't figure something out?" Remus asked.

"You'd get to see some of your old students finish their years." Dora said, ignoring his question. "Hermione and Ginny would be so excited. This is what you wanted, isn't it? An actual job instead of having to scrape the bottom of some barrel for a few measly galleons a day? You didn't just say yes because you feel like you had to, right?"

Remus shook his head. "I know I need a job, and I did really enjoy teaching." He said. "But Dora, what about those visions Harry's had?"

"I think we'd be a lot better off if we didn't dwell on them." Dora said. "Really, I've been thinking about them... his vision was wrong about Sirius, even though it was right about Arthur. And if- for some reason- that is what's going to happen to all of us, wouldn't it be better if we got to enjoy whatever time we have left?"

Remus nodded. "Go and talk to Dawlish, then." He said. "I am certain your mother will help, too. After our talk yesterday, I'm sure she will be relieved I've found a job."

She was gone less than an hour, returning with the news that they wouldn't be leaving for Paris after all. He was surprised to learn that's where they had been. He had expected that the Ministry they were training at would have been further than Paris. So, he wasn't surprised that the Lestranges had been tracked there. The French Ministry was still trying to find them, so Dora and the trainees would remain here.

However, they would switch to training at nights. The Ministry would be less crowded, there would be less arrestees coming and going- this would hopefully eliminate the chance any who got released could share the fact Harry and Neville were there. Until they were fully trained, Dawlish still wanted to be careful.

Remus thought Dawlish was underestimating the two boys.

Suddenly, it seemed Remus had blinked, and it was the end of January. He only got to work for around two weeks before full moon was upon him again, but between the Wolfsbane and full moon landing on a Sunday night, he'd only missing the following Monday and Tuesday- even though Minerva had offered him the week, he was sure he didn't need it.

It had gone really well. The older students- even some of the Slytherins- were excited to have him back. Ginny and Hermione had shown up in his classroom's office before he even made it to the Great Hall on his first morning, where Minerva would introduce the new Professor. As soon as the rumour spread that they'd meet their new Professor that quickly, the two girls knew it was likely Remus.

Working days meant he never got to see Dora or Harry. There was one or two times, they'd just be getting home as he was leaving or just waking up as he got home, but usually they would not return until he was gone. Andromeda would be at the house to watch Teddy in the morning and evening during the small overlap of them both being gone- meaning Dora often didn't get any sleep until the mid afternoon so she could spend the morning with Teddy. Remus saw more of Andromeda than his own wife.

Andromeda had softened to Remus a lot since their talk, even giving him a delayed blessing, and now kept asking if there were any plans made for their second wedding.

No, he would always say, that would include having to see each other longer than a few minutes.

Andromeda had asked why neither wore their rings anymore. For Remus, it was easy- somewhere, during his captivity with Petra's pack, it had vanished. He couldn't answer for Dora.

Then, the thought burrowed into his mind. He was certain it was just because she didn't want to risk losing it or it getting ruined at work. Or, maybe she was waiting until they got remarried.

The longer this arrangement went on, the more anxious he felt. He knew it would be a process to find a balance that actually worked for them, but rarely seeing Dora? It hardly seemed fair.

Even during the days leading up to the full moon, he didn't see her. She'd leave his potion out and then on the Saturday and the Sunday before the full moon, left a note apologizing for not being there, but she had to work one on one with Harry and Neville and wouldn't be home all day or that night both days. She'd be home an entire day after that, though, so they would get time together while he recovered. Andromeda had taken Teddy back to her home for the night of the full moon, just to be out of Remus' way.

At least he got to see Harry for a few moments before he had to go upstairs.

The next morning when he came downstairs, the house was empty. Harry's door had been open, so he had assumed Harry would be downstairs because he didn't need to be at the Ministry that day either, but no one was home.

When Roofie showed up, he didn't have a chance to speak before Remus could tell. Just by looking at the young Auror's face, he could tell something terrible had happened.

"What happened?" Remus asked, already dreading the answer. His heart was racing.

"Bellatrix found them."

Harry could see an alley, dimly lit by streetlamps peeking between the buildings on either side.

He could see blood smeared along the ground, and two women ahead of him. One was pinning the other down, something clenched in her hand as she brought it down on the woman beneath her.

He woke with a start, his heart pounding and a wave of nausea rolling over him. He turned over, grabbing his glasses. It was still dark outside, so he couldn't go to Remus about this dream. Should he go to the Ministry? Tonks and Neville should be done their patrol, and if they weren't, it would be soon. Maybe they'd already be back at the Ministry. Would he look crazy, though?

He stood, still not sure what he had decided, when the room spun obnoxiously around him.

He was in a meadow.

The bright colours of the trees and grass faded. They became muted the closer he got to her. The flowers, a brilliant mix of blues and purples and yellows, also became muted and grey as he got closer to where Death sat upon a rock.

"Was that a warning?" Harry asked. "That dream I just had?"

"Do you believe in predetermined fate, Harry? Or do you believe you control your own?" Death asked.

"I think there are a lot of things beyond our control." Harry said. She always made him feel calm, which he thought was odd. That dream had left him shaken, but now that feeling had vanished.

She smiled. "Yes, I imagine if you had more control, you wouldn't be meeting me every night."

"Why do I keep seeing you? How do I make it stop?"

"I do not know. Maybe one day, you won't."

"Do any of us have control?" Harry asked. "It doesn't always feel like it."

"In a sense, yes. In truth, no." Death said. "The beginning and end is already written, for all of you. Your choices won't change any of it. What will be, will be."

"Not always. Things change. We can change them, can't we?"

She closed her eyes, another smile passing over her face. "You're right and wrong. You believe you change things, but you don't." She said, opening her eyes slowly. "Humans... you all believe you control things, like me. You don't. People don't avoid me."

"And you won't tell me how this will end?" Harry asked. "Or when?"

"No, I do not know myself yet." Death said. "I do know that the first repayment is coming. Will it be easier if you knew who was being repaid?"

"It's Tonks, isn't it?" Harry asked, but she didn't answer. "That dream... I've had dreams of that alley for days now-" Realisation washed over Harry. "It's already happened, hasn't it? It's unavoidable."

"All death is."

"Near death experiences-"

"Are not truly near death, it simply means it was not that person's time yet." Death said. "When it is truly your time, it is your time."

"It's been avoided before."

Death smiled softly. "An oversight that won't happen again. It's being corrected." Death said. Harry could see the figures again, standing a distance away- but then he realised there were only three. The woman had not appeared.

"She'll already be dead when I wake up, won't she?" Harry asked. "It's too late."

But Harry woke up before he could hear if she would answer.