***Canon Divergence Disclaimer: Remus having a cane is not canon in the books, however I thought him having a mobility aid made sense.

From the playlist:

In My Life - The Beatles

Welcome Home, Son - Radical Face

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Ch. 3 - Home

Before he even opened his eyes, the smell that hit him as he stepped out of the green flames was enough to make his insides flutter. That musky, saccharine, and at times, sort of sweaty smell was not only instantly recognizable; it flooded him with nostalgia to the point of giddiness. Dumbledore had very kindly requested that he Floo to this fireplace, as opposed to the one in the Defense Professor's office on the second floor. When he thought about it, it would've made more sense to meet there - but Remus suspected Dumbledore was granting him a bit of time to relive the good old days first.

So he capitalized on it, and arrived a few minutes early to do just that. As soon as the crimson carpets and furnishings came into view, Remus felt an overwhelming sense of calm; he couldn't describe what it was. Helping himself to a seat in a cushy armchair across from the hearth, he ran his hands down the upholstery and let out a chuckle.

There were few places that held fonder memories than the Gryffindor common room. And if Remus concentrated very intently…

Merlin, I can still hear them.

"Saint Moony!"

"What've I missed?"

"Wormtail's making grand plans to ask out Mary."

"Godric- Prongs- Could you keep your voice down? I am not!"

"Well, you ought to be."

"And are you offering your expertise?"

"What expertise? Evans must've turned him down a hundred times!"

"She'll come 'round one of these days, you'll see. Now that this is all of us, we need to discuss the aging potion prank. As much as I'd love to target Snivellus, I think he might be too obvious. Thoughts, Padfoot?"

"Who cares if it's obvious? It'll be well worth it to see how huge his proboscis gets when he's a geezer!"

At the sound of the last voice, Remus shoved the memory back down to its depths.

He stood and strolled by the empty notice board, brushing his fingertips against the cork and remembering positively nefarious messages they used to leave for him to remove as part of his prefect duties:

Dear Remus,

I cannot deny my feelings for you any longer. I need you like a flower needs a bumblebee. Meet me at the Three Broomsticks this weekend so we can finally run away together.

Sincerely,

Madam Rosmerta

To the particularly flatulent resident of the boys dormitory,

Please, for the love of Merlin, stop by the hospital wing and have Madam Pomfrey test you for a food allergy. You're disturbing the peace.

Sincerely,

We can smell you from the top floor

Ladies and Gentlemen of Gryffindor House,

We are pleased to inform you that Mr. Peter Pettigrew is single and accepting applications. Bribes welcome and encouraged, particularly if they are paid in homage to his roommates. Must be sixteen or older to apply.

He couldn't help but laugh again. Gits. Only when James became head boy had they let up a little - and only a little.

Passing the staircase, he had half a mind to go take a peek at the dormitories, but even with them empty, it felt improper. Instead, his path took him all the way up to the large window facing east. It was a lovely, sunny afternoon in the highlands, and the visible stretch of the lake sparkled. He couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.

Recollections seemed to hang in the air like that sweaty smell: Post-quidditch celebrations; Gobstones; card games; the collective huddle around the fire after a wintery weekend trip to Hogsmeade; Remus could've plucked them out of the air like lacewing flies and kept them in a jar. Even with the headlines circling about civil unrest and talks of war back in those days, it seemed things like that could never touch them in here. Not in the common room. This was their sanctuary.

Hearing the portrait hole open, Remus turned. He expected Dumbledore, but was thrilled to see the conical black hat instead.

"Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall," he called out with a wide grin, suppressing the great urge to embrace her.

McGonagall inspected him over her square glasses. "Back to cause more trouble, Mr. Lupin? Or should I be calling you Professor?"

He came away from the window. "Let's not jump to conclusions until I've spoken with the Headmaster."

When he reached her, she surprised him with an uncharacteristic squeeze on the arm. "Welcome home."

Ah. That's what the feeling was.

"...Thank you," he murmured earnestly.

McGonagall promptly turned and beckoned for Remus to follow her out of the common room. He wished to drag his feet and stay a bit longer, but McGonagall rarely abided such things. With one more glance over his shoulder, he trailed after her.

The portrait hole sealed behind them, revealing another familiar face. "Looking lovely as ever, dear Lady," Remus greeted her.

The pigment on the Fat Lady's rosy cheeks appeared to deepen. "Flattery will not grant you access."

"That won't be necessary, but it's nice to see you again."

"I've been instructed to escort you to the Headmaster's Office," McGonagall reported, beginning her descent down the steps.

"That's very kind of you, but I remember the way." It hadn't been that long since he'd been back.

"As I recall, you and your compatriots had an uncanny talent for wandering off where you weren't supposed to be."

Well, he couldn't argue with that.

Dumbledore's office was on the same floor as the Common Room, but since there was no connection between Gryffindor tower and the Headmaster's tower, they had to navigate a few staircases. Remus did not recall those moving stairs being quite so wretched in his youth. He'd been thinking about getting a cane for a while, but depending on how his chat with Dumbledore went, perhaps now was a good time to invest. He was struggling to keep up with McGonagall, who seemed wholly unfazed by the hike.

When at last they climbed the penultimate set of stairs, Dumbledore was waiting for them out in the corridor, standing with his hands behind his back and looking over the grounds in his usual contemplative way. "Thank you, Minerva," he politely dismissed her.

Professor Mcgonagall gave Remus an encouraging wink before taking her leave.

With his hands in his pockets, Remus strolled closer to where Dumbledore stood. "Hello again, Headmaster."

"We had a bit of trouble with the other fireplaces," Dumbledore blatantly lied. "Did you enjoy your detour?"

"Very much," Remus said with a grateful smile, though he was still winded.

Turning back to the window, Dumbledore sighed contentedly. "…I do occasionally like to stand here in the summer, because if you listen very closely, you can hear woodpeckers in the trees some distance away."

Coming right up alongside Dumbledore, Remus listened carefully. "...I don't hear anything," he admitted. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears anyway.

"Well, all the same. I am old, and often hear things that aren't there," Dumbledore shrugged, peering sideways at him. "I won't keep you long, Remus. Have you reached a decision?"

"I have."

"And what might that be?"

Remus nodded resolutely. "...I'm delighted to accept your offer, Professor. It would be an honor to teach at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore's inquisitive grin grew into a large, toothy one. "Splendid. That's splendid news," he rejoiced, shaking Remus's hand. "Come along, we have much to discuss."

As they strolled along the corridor, they began fleshing out specifics: Dumbledore reminded him of where his office and living quarters would be. Remus pretended to act surprised when the faculty entrance to the kitchens was brought up, but was thrilled to learn that he could use it freely should he wish to eat between designated meal times - a luxury which he could scarcely fathom. They spoke about the logistics of his transformations; which, as it turned out, wouldn't be all that complicated. With the Wolfsbane, there would be no need for Remus to leave his office so long as he used a silencing charm. He certainly wouldn't miss the Shack.

"Do professors ever take the Hogwarts Express?" Remus asked as they ambled towards Dumbledore's office to go over some other details.

"On occasion, yes."

"Sir, if you don't mind, I'd really like to take the train."

"Then I will make sure there is a place for you on it."

Christ, it's like Christmas.

In no time at all, they rounded the corner and saw the gargoyle. Remus could recall, on several occasions, passing this corridor with his friends and blurting out guesses as to what the password was; none of which ever ended up being correct.

"Cauldron Cakes," Dumbledore stated loud and clear.

The gargoyle stepped aside, allowing them to ascend the spiral staircase. Remus was fairly certain James had thrown that one out once or twice. God, if James could see him now. Professor Moony.

"And now for a nice celebratory tea, as promised," Dumbledore fizzed, starting up the stairs.

Remus stared begrudgingly at the steps, but followed nonetheless. "I meant to bring some biscuits, but the ones I had were stale."

"That's alright. I keep some in my desk for emergencies."

Remus had just made it up the spiral staircase when he saw that there were four or five people already in Dumbledore's office, one of them being Cornelius Fudge. He also recognized Amelia Bones - the late Edgar's sister - now the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Remus tensed up a bit, as he always had around personnel from the Ministry.

"I thought we agreed on two thirty, Dumbledore," Fudge quibbled disapprovingly. "I hope you won't mind, we've helped ourselves to the tea that was set out."

"My sincerest apologies Minister, I must have lost track of time. I was orienting our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Albus stepped aside so that the wizards and witches present had a clear view of Remus.

Across the office, a teacup shattered on the floor.