"Staff, please gather round!" Minerva shouted, her voice amplified as her wand rested against her throat. "I know it's cramped, but please do your best to come together."

Pomona pushed through the crowd to try and get to Filius and Severus, an attempt to keep the Heads of houses together. Aside from Minerva, they had the most to do for the sorting ceremony. When she reached them, she placed a hand on both their shoulders. "Time for the drill sergeant to tell us what to do next!"

Filius smiled at her, patting her hand, but Severus grew stiff under her touch, not even looking at her. "We will proceed as usual. Rubeus is with the first years, and I am about to go meet him in the hallway. The Head Boys and Girls are ushering the other students into the Great Hall- Argus is keeping eyes on them. I know we are all tired from the late staff meeting last night, but I want to take a minute to introduce our newest staff member, whom I told you all could not join us until today. Please put your hands together for Remus Lupin!"

Everyone clapped, and Pomona looked behind her to see Remus pushing through the crowd towards Minerva. "Thank you, Minerva," he said softy.

Pomona remembered the man from his school days, but he had changed drastically. His robes were tattered, and he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. Dark circles were under his eyes, and her heart broke at how sad her former student looked. He'd always been a sweet boy, troubled, but sweet. Pomona reached out and grabbed his arm as he came to stand between herself and Severus. "Hello, love." Remus turned and looked at her, smiling slightly. The smile did little to ease the anxious expression on his face. She hugged him, and he felt far too fragile. "We need to fatten you up this year!"

"Oh, I'm sure there's plenty of meat available," Severus muttered from behind them.

Remus stiffened in her arms, and Pomona pulled back from the hug and raised an eyebrow. She knew Severus and the Gryffindor hadn't gotten along as students, but she hadn't thought the animosity still ran between them. Remus turned away from her and faced Severus. "Severus," he nodded, putting out a hand to shake.

Severus stood with his nose turned up, leaving Remus's hand unshaken. "If you're looking for a welcome party, I suggest Filius or Rolanda."

As Minerva pushed her way out of the crowd, she stopped in front of Severus and Remus, her face wrought with anxiety. It was clear she knew something about the two of them that Pomona didn't. "I'm off to greet the first years."

Severus nodded, and Pomona, only from years of knowing the couple, saw him reach out and squeeze her hand as she walked by. Remus was still concentrated on Severus's face. "I did not come to Hogwarts with bad blood, Severus. I was rather hoping you'd have put our…differences…aside, seeing that we will be colleagues now."

"I haven't put anything aside," Severus hissed, his face growing redder than Pomona ever remembered seeing it. For a man that was consistently monotone, it was a bit unnerving to see him so angry. Pomona knew that there had to be more between the two than James and Sirius's bullying. "And as I recall, we have a bit more than a few differences between us."

"Severus-," Filius cut in, clearly having noticed the animosity between the two. Severus glared down at the small man, then at Remus, and then swept himself up in his robes and stalked towards the Great Hall.

"So much for the Heads of Houses staying together," Pomona muttered. "I'm sorry, Remus," she said apologetically to the new staff member.

Remus shrugged. "Contrary to Severus's beliefs, I did not come here with any fantasy we'd be best friends."

"He'll come around," Filius said, his voice deceiving his words. "It's good to see you."

Remus smiled and bent down to hug him. "You as well. I suppose we best be off to the Great Hall, hm?"

Pomona nodded and watched as Remus picked up his tattered brief case and was lost in the crowd with the rest of the staff. "That situation is going to take time," Filius said once Remus was clear of ear shot.

Beginning their walk to the Great Hall, Pomona sighed. "I know that they didn't get along as students, but I didn't know that Severus still held such a grudge."

"I think it's more than just what we saw when they were young," Filius added.

"It has to be."

"Minerva came to me the other evening…after she found out that Remus would be teaching here."

"And?"

"She saw this coming; she didn't disclose to me any more specifics about the animosity between them. All she told me is that she felt there would be a time when he didn't want to talk to her about the situation once Remus was here."

"And she thinks Severu may come to you?"

"Precisely!" Filius exclaimed. "Minerva seems to think that the Head of Gryffindor and Remus's Head of House during the time all this happened may not be the best person for Severus to express his frustrations to."

Pomona had to laugh at the hint of sarcasm that was so rare to hear from Filius; when the man spoke, he was almost always a straight shooter. "Black on the loose, Dementors in the castle, and those two about to blow a gasket…we have quite the year ahead of us."