"Cauldron Cakes."
As soon as the griffon statue started rotating to reveal the circular staircase, the smell of a delicious tea wafted down toward Remus. A strong earl grey with overlying hints of cinnamon, cocoa, orange, and bergamot filled the air. It was his favourite tea, and the fact that Professor Dumbledore had bothered to procure some meant that this was likely to either be a long or uncomfortable conversation. Probably both.
Remus followed his nose into Professor Dumbledore's office, then continued up another set of stairs and into the headmaster's personal quarters "Ah, Remus, my boy, sit down." Albus gestured to a plush, purple chair, but Remus had trouble tearing his gaze away from what was perhaps the most eccentric tea setting he had ever seen. The otherwise fine china was covered in polka dots of a terrible rainbow of obnoxious hues. So stunned was he that the werewolf was only able to look away and take a seat when his eyes started watering from the strain.
Lifting his teacup, Albus began speaking, "I'm sure you saw the newspaper this morning. It's truly a tragedy that Sirius has escaped from Azkaban. No one even knows how he did it."
At the thought of his one-time friend turned murderous lunatic, Remus slowly reached for a cup of the delicious tea and added a sugar cube, ignoring the hideous pattern. He wouldn't focus on Sirius. His feelings, even after all these years, swirled within his chest, threatening to drag him to the edge of sanity. He nodded silently at the headmaster, not trusting his voice.
"Fudge has already been to see me this morning. Before Sirius escaped, he had been muttering something to himself over and over again: 'He's at Hogwarts, he's at Hogwarts.' I'm worried, my boy, that Sirius might be coming for you: the last of the Marauders."
Remus gripped the teacup a little harder. Life was so unfair, especially considering he'd moved back to England for this position. The promise of wolfsbane potion and the chance to help his favorite professor had been enough to draw him back to the bigoted cesspit that was Wizarding England. Eventually, he found his voice, edged in disappointment. "Of course, I understand that you wouldn't want to put the children in any more danger than my condition already causes. I'll resign."
"I think you've misunderstood me a tad. I still want you to teach. True enough, it cannot be at Hogwarts, considering that Fudge wishes to place Dementors here if you stay, and having those things so close to the children is unconscionable. However, if you agree, I know of another teaching position. I'm afraid you'd have to leave the country again, but I'd arrange to have Fawkes deliver the Wolfsbane once a moon nonetheless. The pay would be less, but room and board would still be included."
Remus considered this. It was better than joining a werewolf colony or going back to eking out a living with his knowledge of other magical creatures. To think that another school out there would hire him despite his condition… it was too good to be true. "What school would this be?" he asked hesitantly.
Professor Dumbledore had the decency to turn a little pink. "Well, it's not a school per se. I have an acquaintance who tutors magical children, but she is getting on in years. She already has a cadre of students who come to her for education, but she lacks the knees to go traipsing off into a marsh to catch a Grindylow, for example. She recently expressed an interest in a partner to help her with some of the more active parts of magical education, and I would recommend you if you're interested…"
It was the best offer he was likely to get, and Remus knew it. With room and board and Wolfsbane potion, whatever money he made could go straight into his savings for whenever he needed it. Given his condition, that day would likely be sooner rather than later. Well, he'd give it a shot. "It was good to be back at Hogwarts, Headmaster, as short as it was. I do appreciate you breaking the bad news in person. Let your friend know I'd be happy to work with her."
"Absolutely, Remus. I actually think you're getting the easier end of the deal: I have to find another Defense teacher, and I only have a week to do it!" The two men shared a laugh and finished their tea before Remus departed Hogwarts once again, melancholically hoping it wasn't for the last time.
~~~~~~~~~~ Y ~~~~~~~~~~
Remus checked the paper Albus had given him against the mailbox on the street before walking up to the door. The neighborhood was nice enough, but seeing a couple of magically warded houses mixed in this muggle neighborhood was very strange for him. He supposed it wasn't much different than the Black family townhouse in London, but at least that had the excuse of being hundreds of years old. These houses looked fairly new and freshly warded.
Shrugging it off as an eccentricity of Australian wizards, Remus raised his hand and knocked on the door. Hearing some bustling about inside, Remus waited for a few moments until the door swung open, revealing a wizened woman. "Hello, ma'am. I'm looking for Mrs. Wilkins."
Greeting him with a smile, she acknowledged him, "Me, that is. And you be Remus Lupin?"
Taking a moment to try and puzzle out the older woman's strange speech, Remus responded, 'Indeed. It's good to meet you, ma'am." He reached out his hand for a handshake, which Mrs. Wilkins returned.
"It's Monica, please. Formality will not be need here. Please coming, and I have shown you around." Remus followed his new associate into the house and up the stairs to a room that he presumed would be his. "Please take a moment to be settled, and meet me downstairs for tea when done." Monica turned and walked back down the stairs.
Looking around at his room for the foreseeable future, Remus reached into his pocket and grabbed the matchbox containing all his belongings. Emptying it onto the dresser, Remus unshrunk his things one by one, packing away his few well-worn clothes, mementoes, and toiletries. Then he lay on the bed, luxuriating in being able to relax for a moment. Albus had insisted that Remus travel "full muggle" so he would be completely untrackable if Sirius still had any Death Eater connections in the ministry who could report him taking an international portkey.
The trip had been long, and while the view out the aeroplane windows had been stellar at times, he didn't like sitting still for that long. He was used to stalking magical creatures for useful potion ingredients, and being cooped up in his seat for hours didn't agree with him.
Deciding that he should really get downstairs before he fell asleep, Remus got up and stretched before walking to the door. Falling asleep and missing an invitation to tea would not be a good first impression to make on his new employer.
Remus, not exactly knowing where to go, looked around until he found Monica sitting in a rocking chair reading a book in what looked like her library. He sat down next to the cup of tea he presumed had been set out for him and began sipping the soothing jasmine blend. Her shelves were filled with one of the most impressive collections of magical history books ever written, including, much to his personal envy, several first-edition copies of Bathilda Bagshot's landmark history books. This woman must either be a historical scholar or a big Bagshot fan.
Interspersed among those books were several pictures, most depicting Mrs. Wilkins with either a middle-aged couple or two young children, presumably her children and grandchildren. One of the children - a boy - looked familiar, but it was hard to tell from this distance. He put his plain, white china tea cup back down, secretly thankful that Monica didn't share Albus's sense of 'style,' and was about to get up to look at the pictures when Monica closed her book, shocking Remus free of his reverie. "Thanks for your patience. I will be at a really good spot."
Gathering his wits, Remus responded, "I wouldn't dare to interrupt a woman reading in her library." Remus smiled. "I'm not sure I would survive the experience."
Monica laughed, much to Remus' relief, "So you has a sense of humor. That's good. I think we were getting along just fine."
Monica then gave him his official welcome and started explaining his job to him.
"You be working with my two most promising charges, Jamie and Hermione Granger. They is both extremely talented children and can surpass what I can teaching them. So, I've be taking charge of finding them tutors appropriate for their talents. You coming with Albus' recommendation and a fairly impressive list of accomplishments to your name, so I'm glad to having you along."
Remus blushed slightly at the unaccustomed praise, "I don't think I'm quite that good, but I'll try my best."
Bathilda smiled genially before leaning back in her chair, "That's a start. Now, you has until Monday to get settling in and deal with your jet lag. Then, I'll introducing you to your two students, and you start teaching."
~~~~~~~~~~ Y ~~~~~~~~~~
Hammocks were the best. At least, as long as no stubborn bobcats came along and decided they urgently wanted petting, whether you liked it or not. After the third time Bedlam had flipped her out of the hammock while she was reading, she had decided that all was fair in reading and war and had warded the area. She had also considered warding her favorite tree, but Bedlam was warm, and she had always run a bit cold after her childhood experiences with the wandless flame-freezing charm.
It had been about two weeks since Mr. Lupin, their new magical creatures and defence tutor, had arrived. He was working out marvelously so far. Most days, lessons started straight after school, but today was Monday, and Jamie had Quesyn Club while she had gymnastics on Thursdays. Mia relished the opportunity to relax with a good book, though she sometimes wondered what Jamie did with his free time without her. Regardless, Mr. Lupin understood their extracurricular activities, even if he'd never heard of quesyn before. Mia and Jamie had grown up playing the sport and enjoyed teaching their tutor a thing or two about it. Apparently, the first magical families had travelled from the British Isles to Australia via muggle boats since portkey coordinates hadn't been mapped out for the continent. Getting terribly bored on the way over, they'd looked to their quidditch balls. Unfortunately, the boat lacked the space to play, and the snitch blew away in a storm, leaving them to create another game entirely. One of the Welsh sailors had called their new entertainment chwe swyn after the six spells used in the game, and quesyn was born.
The door into the backyard creaked, and Mia looked over to her brother. "Ten-minute warning, Mia. I just need to get showered, and then we can head over."
Mia climbed out of the hammock, grabbing her book to replace in her room. "What position did you play today?"
"Raider. Not my favourite, but it was good fun." Mia smiled as her brother disappeared into the house. He loved to fly, so beater, the only flying position, was his favourite. The remainder of the positions were grounded and focused on casting the six legal spells. When she played, she liked the strategy of playing as the factotum. Heights really weren't her strong suit.
She grabbed The Monster Book of Monsters and The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts, the only two magical textbooks they had this year. Mr. Lupin preferred practice to theory, and his lessons showed it. Last week, he'd even taken them to the farm where the Monster Books of Monsters books were bred so they could pick their own. She'd chosen one with gorgeous auburn fur, while Jamie had picked one with more white since it reminded him of Bedlam. It only took a few chewed-up pillows before Jamie figured out that they would behave if you stroked them a couple of times before bed every night.
Soon enough, the siblings were traipsing across the adjacent lawns to Mrs. Wilkins' house. Strangely, Bedlam was far from his usual exuberant self. He was placidly walking beside Jamie, looking distinctly unhappy. When Mr. Lupin opened the door, she would have sworn Bedlam gave a soft growl under his breath before turning to dash away. She ignored it and followed her brother into the cheery cottage they'd grown to love.
The two children sat at the kitchen table, the only other object present being an upside-down glass containing a blue insect buzzing angrily. Mia eyed it suspiciously, their last lesson with pixies still fresh in her mind. She glanced towards Mr. Lupin, trying to gauge the nature of today's lesson. Was the insect as harmless as it looked, or was closer to the drop bears they had encountered last week? He just looked drained and tired, though, more so than she'd ever seen him. Perhaps he was sick? Probably not as… energetic a lesson, then.
Mr. Lupin smiled gently. "This wasn't the lesson I had planned for today, but when I caught this flying in through the window, I couldn't resist showing you. It's a narky, a magical insect native to Australia. While I've learned that most muggle insects here are poisonous, the magical insects can be much less dangerous. For instance, the narky causes you to become unreasonably angry for several minutes, but other than potentially ruining your relationships with friends and family, it has no other lasting effects…"
~~~~~~~~~~ Y ~~~~~~~~~~
CRACK!
The distinctive sound of wizarding apparition shattered the crepuscular silence of the Tamari desert, sending several foraging field mice scurrying away from Remus Lupin's sudden appearance.
As the sun began to set below the horizon, Remus held up the last bottle of Wolfsbane potion in the set Fawkes had delivered earlier that week, swishing around the liquid that held so many promises. It was his first time trying the potions regimen, which might allow him to keep his mind during the werewolf transformation, and he was still skeptical about it. How much of his mind would he keep? Would he still feel compelled to attack anything that moved, especially people? Would he attack himself when he couldn't find anyone as he had become accustomed? Despite Dumbledore's assurances, he wasn't confident enough to trust the potion yet, so he had come to the Tanami desert for his first transformation on wolfsbane.
If there was one thing Australia had plenty of, it was abandoned wilderness. Even if his werewolf form were to run at full speed toward the nearest populated area all night long, it still wouldn't even come close to any signs of civilization, making it a perfect place for testing out the potion with no danger to anyone else. With that thought, Remus tilted his head back and downed the potion as quickly as possible, barely managing to stop at a gag. He supposed that a potion with a poisonous primary ingredient couldn't really taste good, but he had almost vomited up his first dose earlier in the week. It was truly foul, but at least he didn't have to drink it out of a silver goblet. The diarrhea from the last silver goblet 'remedy' he'd tried had lasted for weeks.
He stripped out of his clothes, carefully folding them and placing them to the side. He cast a few warming charms on himself before adding his wand to the pile and waiting a few minutes for the sun to set, nervous but excited at the same time. This potion could change his life. If he retained enough control to avoid injuring himself, he could get back to work the next day, not needing a few days to recover like usual! If it worked really well, he might not even have to leave home next time, meaning he could work right up until the transformation. He'd need to take a few pepper up and pain relief potions come morning, but he might be able to live a mostly normal life, provided he could find someone willing to employ him and supply him with the potion after his tenure here ended. The thought was intoxicating.
As his mind drifted to happy thoughts of a life with a regular job and perhaps even a family, the sun fell behind the horizon, and he was jarred from his pleasant thoughts by the pain of the transformation. He fell to the ground, screaming as his body violently stretched and contorted. His screams turned to agonized howls that sent all the nearby wildlife fleeing in self-preservation.
Minutes later, a terrifying beast lay where the mild-mannered professor had fallen. It howled into the night, as though in joy, before bounding off into the wilderness.
~~~~~~~~~~ Y ~~~~~~~~~~
Remus stretched his rather sore muscles as he woke far too early the next morning. The night had been an amazing experience. Unlike all of his previous transformations, he was no longer a prisoner, held captive by the instincts of the wolf. He had complete control, and it was amazing! The wilderness Remus had thought mostly devoid of life had come alive with hundreds of creatures. The night that had seemed silent was suddenly a cacophony of sounds. The air that had smelt of little more than dirt had held the remnants of a thousand stories. The light that faded with the sun's setting suddenly flared into perfect, bright clarity through the wolf's eyes. It had been such an experience that he almost felt blind and deaf when he returned to his human body.
He had spent an enjoyable evening running about, enjoying the freedom of being such a powerful predator. Even in a land known for its dangerous animals, he was still the most dangerous creature for miles. He had hunted a few small rats down when he had gotten bored, but the nights were short here in this season, so before long, he found himself back as Remus Lupin again. He had dressed and apparated back to his bed in time to get a couple hours of precious sleep. When morning came, he knew he would still find himself exhausted from the transformation, but the knowledge that the wolf had at last been muzzled buoyed his mood. He might even be able to make it through the day tomorrow.
~~~~~~~~~~ Y ~~~~~~~~~~
A/N
It's hard to believe that Mr. Darcy and I first started writing this a decade ago. We decided to get back to it because we still find it fun but have no idea what our posting schedule will look like. (We have a small one now, which makes things 100% more unpredictable.)
As a bonus, I went back through and edited the first 20 chapters again, so there should be fewer mistakes. Hooray! We never had any real beta readers, but I have Grammarly now, which wasn't a thing a decade ago, so that's hopefully made things better.
We're working on Chapter 26/27. If everything goes well, we're optimistic that we can push a few more out before we go silent again. :P
If you're still interested in reading this… thanks. We're very irregular posters. If you're joining us for the first time, I hope you enjoy it!