"We have preliminary information," said Remus, stepping into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, his voice weary but firm.
Aurora was seated at his desk, her quill frozen mid-air over a stack of parchment. The afternoon sunlight spilled through the high windows, casting long shadows across the room. It had been a grueling few days. Everyone knew the Ministry rarely functioned on weekends, but Dumbledore had essentially dragged the Minister of Magic into his office on Saturday morning, demanding immediate action.
While Remus stayed in London with Dumbledore, advocating tirelessly for Harry, someone had to take over his classes. Aurora hadn't even paused to think, she volunteered before Snape could open his mouth, a decision she made with unwavering certainty.
"What decisions have been made?" Aurora asked immediately, her voice tense with anticipation.
"The Dursleys were arrested on Saturday," Remus began, his tone tight and clipped, as though every word pained him. "Vernon Dursley is to be questioned under Veritaserum today. Petunia, Lily's sister, was questioned earlier. She admitted that Harry was beaten by her husband... and that they both abused him mentally."
He delivered the news in one breath, as though rushing through it might lessen the weight of the words. When he finally stopped, he sank onto a nearby desk, his shoulders sagging under the strain of the past few days.
Aurora stared at him, her chest tightening. She had expected this, but hearing it out loud still felt like a punch to the gut. "What about Harry's care? Who became his temporary guardian?"
"The Minister wanted him placed under the Ministry's care until the court hearing," Remus said, rubbing a hand over his face. "But Dumbledore refused. He said he wouldn't let Harry be reduced to a case number or sent to a place where he'd feel even more alone."
Aurora nodded, relief flickering through her features. "So Albus took him in?"
"No." Remus shook his head, his gaze distant. "Albus doesn't think he's the right fit either. He believes Harry needs someone who can focus on him completely."
"Then who?" she asked, confusion knitting her brow. "McGonagall?"
"Me."
Aurora blinked, stunned. "You?"
The disbelief in her voice was palpable. She couldn't hide her surprise, not because she doubted Remus's ability to care for Harry, far from it. She thought he was perhaps the best person for the role. But she also knew the law. Werewolves weren't allowed to adopt children, even temporarily.
"Remus," she said carefully, her mind racing, "how is that even possible? I thought—"
"I know what I told you," he interrupted, his voice calm but edged with frustration. "This isn't permanent. It's only until the court hearing. The Minister wasn't happy about it, but Dumbledore insisted. He argued that as Harry's teacher and someone James and Lily trusted, I'm the best choice. For now, they're... bending the rules."
Aurora studied him, her expression softening as she took in the exhaustion etched into his face. He had been through so much already, and now this responsibility was being placed on his shoulders.
"How do you feel about this?" she asked gently, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Strange," Remus admitted, his voice thoughtful and distant. "I never thought Harry would be in my care."
"What do you think will happen after the trial?" Aurora asked softly. "Will they let him stay with you?"
Remus shook his head, a shadow of sadness passing over his face. "They'll never agree to that. It was a miracle that Dumbledore managed to negotiate temporary custody."
Aurora's expression darkened, irritation flashing in her eyes. "This is proof that they never truly consider the welfare of the child. By then, Harry will have grown attached to you, and what will they do? Make him leave, force him into yet another unfamiliar family?"
"I don't know, Aurora," Remus sighed, the weight of uncertainty pressing heavily on his shoulders.
She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Will you tell Harry?"
"About what?"
"About your little... furry problem," she said carefully. "He should know. Otherwise, he'll feel betrayed when he finds out on his own."
Remus looked at her, his brows knitting together. "You're asking some very difficult questions today, you know that?"
"That's my specialty," Aurora replied with a small smirk. "I teach History of Magic, remember? The entire subject is based on questions, why, when, where, how."
"And what if," Remus quipped with a faint smile.
Aurora chuckled softly, the sound surprising even herself. Merlin, she hadn't smiled all weekend. In that moment, it felt as if a heavy knot in her chest had loosened. The stress of the past few days momentarily receded.
Remus took two small steps closer to her. Their eyes met, both reflecting a weariness that words couldn't capture. Without thinking, Aurora leaned forward, resting her forehead gently against his chest. She exhaled deeply, as if grounding herself.
Remus didn't hesitate. He wrapped his arms around her in a warm, steady embrace, his touch radiating quiet strength. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, a silent reassurance that they would get through this together.
"Um... sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," a voice suddenly broke the moment.
Aurora and Remus turned sharply to see Harry Potter standing in the doorway, his expression a mix of confusion and embarrassment.
"You're not interrupting, Harry. Please, come in," Remus said calmly, releasing Aurora and taking a few steps toward the boy to encourage him further into the room.
"Sorry," Harry mumbled, his gaze darting to the floor.
"For what, Harry?" Aurora asked, her voice soft and steady. "You have nothing to apologize for."
"No... for catching you," the boy muttered, shuffling his feet.
"Harry," Remus said with a light laugh, "you didn't catch us at anything, trust me. And even if you had, we should be the ones apologizing to you. But really, Professor Moonridge and I aren't—"
Harry hesitated, then blurted out, "There are a lot of rumors that you, Professors, are... you know, in a relationship."
Aurora rolled her eyes, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "We know, Harry. Lucrecia can't keep her mouth shut, can she?"
The mention of the gossipy student made Harry smile faintly, though he still seemed uncomfortable.
"But," Aurora continued, "like Professor Lupin said, we're not in a relationship. We just... like each other."
Harry nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on the floor. The topic clearly made him uneasy, and the room fell silent for a moment.
"Is something wrong, Harry?" Remus asked gently. "You came here for a reason, didn't you?"
"I..." Harry began, hesitating as if unsure how to continue. "I just wanted to check if you'd returned from the Ministry, Professor."
"Yes?" Remus prompted softly.
"I just wanted to know if there was any information," Harry said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Remus exchanged a glance with Aurora, then stepped closer to Harry, crouching slightly to meet his eyes.
"We've managed to agree on temporary terms," Remus said. "Dumbledore fought hard for it."
"I don't have to go back to the Dursleys, do I?" Harry blurted out, his voice trembling with fear.
"No, Harry, you don't," Aurora assured him, moving to his side. She rested her hands gently on his shoulders, her touch grounding and protective.
"I'll be your temporary guardian until the trial," Remus said, his voice steady but kind, drawing Harry's gaze toward him.
Aurora took a good, long look at the boy's face. His green eyes glistened with unshed tears, tiny droplets pooling in the corners. They weren't tears of sadness—no, these were different. Gratitude. Relief. The kind of tears that came when a weight too heavy to bear was finally lifted.
Acting on instinct, Aurora stepped closer and pulled Harry into a gentle hug. She didn't know how he would respond, but her heart told her this was exactly what he needed. At first, his body tensed against hers, stiff and uncertain, but slowly, he began to relax. She felt his thin arms hesitantly wrap around her waist, and the boy melted into the embrace.
Remus stepped closer to them, his expression a mixture of tenderness and sorrow. He rested a steady hand on Harry's shoulder before running his fingers lightly through the boy's unruly black hair—a quiet, fatherly gesture.
"Harry," Remus said softly, his voice calm but laced with regret, "you need to know... this is only a temporary solution. Due to... health reasons, I won't be able to become your legal guardian once the trial is over."
Harry immediately stiffened, pulling back slightly from Aurora's embrace. He looked up at Remus, his expression filled with sudden alarm. "But you don't..." Harry's voice wavered. "You don't have cancer or anything, do you? You're not going to die?"
Remus knelt slightly, bringing himself to Harry's eye level. His voice was firm but kind. "Don't worry, Harry. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
The boy searched Remus's face, as if trying to gauge the truth in his words, then gave a small, hesitant nod.
"I... I think I should go now," Harry said quietly, stepping back and freeing himself from Aurora's arms. His voice was steady, but there was an edge of nervousness to it, as if he were still processing everything that had been said.
He turned toward the exit and began to walk away, but just as he reached the door, he paused and glanced back at the two teachers.
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, his voice earnest.
Aurora and Remus exchanged a brief, knowing look. They didn't need to say anything. They understood.
Remus had been waiting in front of Aurora's office door for several minutes, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Moonridge had completely forgotten about the night patrol, and now he was waiting for her to change out of her pajamas. It wasn't that she hadn't invited him inside, she had, but Remus had politely declined, feeling more comfortable waiting outside in the cool classroom.
"Aurora, please hurry up," he called through the closed door, his voice edged with impatience. "I'd like to finish this patrol earlier. Tomorrow is the full moon."
The door burst open thirty seconds later, and Aurora came running out, nearly tripping over her own feet. Her hair was still a bit messy, and her robes looked like they had been thrown on in a hurry.
"Sorry, it just completely slipped my mind," she said, adjusting her sleeves as they began walking. "Winter is ending, though, you must be happy."
"Why should I be happy?" he asked, his tone sharper than usual.
It was clear from the way his shoulders tensed and his jaw tightened that Remus wasn't in a good mood. He had been walking around irritable all day, snapping at students during class and even docking points from Slytherin when they got a little too rowdy.
Aurora glanced sideways at him but chose her words carefully. "The nights will be shorter, which means the full moons—"
"Let's not talk about it," he interrupted, his voice firm.
Aurora bit her lip, nodding quietly. They continued patrolling the dimly lit corridors in silence, and the awkward tension between them made her chest ache. Their patrols were usually filled with lighthearted conversation and laughter, but tonight was different.
As they climbed the staircase to the Astronomy Tower, Aurora noticed how Remus dragged his feet slightly, his usual energy drained. She knew he was probably exhausted, both physically and emotionally, but she couldn't resist the pull of fresh air. Standing at the top of the tower, with the cool breeze brushing against her face, always helped her clear her mind.
Remus leaned against the railing beside her, staring out at the darkened grounds. His hands gripped the edge tightly, his knuckles pale under the moonlight.
"I'm sorry," he said suddenly, breaking the silence. His voice was softer now, tinged with regret. "I was mean to you today."
"It's okay, I understand," Aurora replied, offering him a small smile, though her eyes were filled with concern. "How's Harry?"
"Let's not talk about him today, please," Remus said, sighing heavily. "I need a break from this situation."
Aurora didn't push. She knew how much pressure he had been under lately. It wasn't that Remus resented becoming Harry's temporary guardian, far from it. But the responsibility weighed heavily on him, and he was determined to do it right, even if it meant wearing himself down in the process.
Lately, Remus had been spending most of his free time with Harry, trying to earn the boy's trust and coax him out of his shell. Harry had started to open up more, and just a few days ago, he had told Remus about a particularly horrifying incident with the Dursleys.
That memory had haunted Remus ever since. He could still picture the way Harry's voice had trembled as he recounted the details, his eyes distant and filled with an old pain. Afterward, Remus had paced his office, fists clenched and heart pounding, overwhelmed by a mix of anger and helplessness. The walls of his office seemed to close in on him, and the suffocating weight of his own thoughts had pushed him to the edge. His frustration spilled out in a hoarse shout, raw and echoing, until he slumped into a chair, his chest heaving with silent tears.
Aurora turned to him, her hand brushing lightly against his arm. She didn't say anything; words weren't needed. Instead, she stayed by his side, silently offering the comfort of her presence as they gazed out at the stars.
"I'm fine, Aurora," he said, his voice steady but his eyes betraying him as they met hers.
"Remus, you're not fine," Aurora replied, her tone gentle but firm. She reached out, taking his hand in hers. "I can see how tired you are all the time."
He didn't pull away, but he didn't answer immediately either. A heavy silence settled between them, filled with unspoken words and emotions.
Finally, he broke it, his voice barely more than a whisper. "You were right."
Aurora tilted her head, urging him to continue without saying a word.
"The trial is supposed to take place before the end of the school year," he said, his gaze dropping to where their hands were joined. "And then Harry will be assigned a new guardian. And he..."
"He's started to get attached to you and trust you," she finished softly, her eyes filled with understanding.
"Exactly," Remus murmured, his voice tight. "And when the trial finally comes, I'll have to leave him."
"But you don't want that," Aurora said, her voice gaining strength as she leaned closer. "Because you love him like he was your child."
"Yes," he admitted, the word trembling on his lips.
Aurora's grip on his hand tightened, her determination clear. "Remus, we will find a way for him to stay with you. I promise you."
"You know that's impossible," he said, shaking his head. "The law forbids me from adopting him."
"There is no law that can't be circumvented, Remus. We will find a solution," she said, her voice steady and resolute.
His head snapped up at her words, his amber eyes meeting her own. For a moment, he simply stared at her, the weight of her conviction filling the space between them. Finally, he spoke, his voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Aurora. Really. You are wonderful."
"And you are a wonderful person too, Remus," she replied, her lips curving into a soft smile.
They stood there, impossibly close, as if drawn together by some invisible force. It felt natural, as if they'd always been this way. The nearness that might have once felt strange or improper had become comforting, even inevitable.
Their eyes locked, and a different kind of silence settled between them, this one electric and charged.
"Should I kiss you now?" Remus asked, his voice barely audible, but the warmth in it unmistakable.
Aurora's lips twitched into a nervous but amused smile. "I don't know," she teased lightly, her cheeks flushing. "But I guess so. That's what they do in all those Muggle romances, I suppose."
"Okay," he whispered, the word carried on a soft breath. Slowly, almost reverently, he raised his hands to her face, cradling her cheeks with a tenderness that made her heart ache.
And then he kissed her.
It wasn't rushed or uncertain, but slow and deliberate, filled with all the emotions he couldn't bring himself to say. His lips were warm against hers, and she melted into him, her hand slipping to rest against his chest as if to anchor herself to the moment.