A/N: I did what I have been trying not to do- I put the same POV in a row, but with my mini outline of where this is going it was the only way to fit this in! Also shout out to cloudshape to ennien for catching a total brain slip in the last chapter that Remus didn't transform if he took Wolfsbane. This quarantine has got to my brain- so I'll be fixing that later on.

Here you go- I hope everyone is doing well and if there's a POV you want to see or a part in this or future books you want to see from the SS/MM relationship angle, let me know!

Remus coughed uncontrollably as he choked on his pumpkin juice and rudely let some of it leak out of his mouth. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"They've been seeing each other for years," Pomona said gently.

Trying not to draw the attention of any other students, Remus leaned in so he could hear Pomona without being overheard. "Years?"

Remus glanced over at the Potion's Master who was seated next to their former teacher, a scowl across his face. He looked nothing like the man he'd seen down at the lake days before. "I saw them down by the lake last week."

Pomona nodded and smiled, patting his hand. "Were they okay?"

"They seemed so…happy…"

The Herbology professor smiled. "Merlin, they've been fighting enough the last few weeks; I'm glad to hear that."

"It didn't seem like Snape."

Pomona laughed, taking a bite of her toast. "Yes, well; people aren't themselves when they're in love."

"You think they're in love? It's that serious?"

"I thought Minerva was going to tear him apart when he came back to work here," she admitted.

"I was shocked when I'd heard he'd…changed sides."

"We all were," Pomona agreed. "The fights between them, well, they weren't quite as bad as what's going on between you two, but Minerva has quite the temper."

"That much I remember from my school days." Remus couldn't help but laugh. The Scottish woman had always been equally respected and feared by them when they were students. She'd always been kind to Remus, especially with his condition, but the few times he'd gotten detention from her had been terrifying, especially as a young first and second year. In some ways, he thought, she was as strict as he'd heard Snape was.

"But, in time, none of us really know what happened between them, she came around. I, for one, tend to follow Minerva and Albus's leads. If they trusted him, so did I."

"They become…lovers…his first year here?"

"Goodness, no!" Pomona exclaimed. "But, Merlin the tension grew! We all saw it; well, except for Poppy, she detested the idea of them being together. She's come around. I think her and Severus have developed a strange friendship in the last few years."

Remus nodded, remembering how patient Poppy had been the first night he took the Wolfsbane, both with him and with Severus. "You trust him?"

"Who? Severus?"

"Yes."

"Of course," Pomona replied, looking take back by his question. "He's more than proved himself."

"I can't help but wonder," Remus said hesitantly. "That this thing between him and Minerva…you don't think he's using her for something? I mean, let's say, if he hadn't really changed sides. She's Albus's right hand…"

"Typical that you would point fingers," came a deep voice from behind him. Remus froze, cursing himself for being overheard. Slowly, biting his lip from exploding with anger at himself, he turned to face Severus. "Since your record is so squeaky clean."

Remus sighed; the man's voice was calm and emotionless, something that he hated. Somehow, Severus was easier to deal with when he was yelling- he was more vulnerable that way. Before replying, he searched in the man's cold eyes for any sign of the compassion he'd shown Minerva days before, but Remus found none for himself, not even a sign that it had happened. "Severus…"

Severus sneered. "If you have a problem with the extracurricular activities of our Deputy, perhaps you should bring it up with her instead of gossiping like an insolent fifth year."

Without another word, Severus was gone, lost in the crowd of students scurrying to their classes. Pomona gave him a sympathetic look. Remus groaned and threw down the fork that he hadn't realized he'd been gripping tightly in his hand. "I knew we weren't going to be friends, but Merlin, that was the last thing I needed."

"Yes; that was unfortunate timing."

"I was supposed to have tea with Minerva tonight anyway," Remus explained. "Perhaps, she has advice."

Pomona squeezed his hand. "She's happy, Remus."

"What?"

"Remember that, before you go into this thinking Severus is using her for some game. I know he's been particularly unpleasant towards you, but she's important to him. I'm not sure of many things, but, that I can tell you."

Pomona bid him goodbye and hurried off to her classes.

A few hours later, Remus found himself standing outside Minerva's rooms, knocking on her door. He was a few minutes early, but the marking he was doing was getting taxing. He had needed to clear his head. The door opened to reveal a rather exhausted looking Deputy, dressed in a lighter version of her usual robes. "Hello, Remus!"

From behind her, Severus strode into view, his eyes heavy upon Remus. "I should be going, Min," he said, anger flashing across his face. "It seems your guest is a bit early. The full moon did just past; I suppose your sense of time is still out of sync. They say time passes differently for animals."

"As I explained, Remus and I are just catching up on his courses and students," she replied, clearly annoyed. "You're welcome to stay; otherwise, it won't be more than an hour or two. If you would like, I can summon you when we're finished."

"See you at breakfast, Minerva," he snapped, shoving past Remus as he left for the evening.

"Minerva…I can go," Remus said, not wanting to cause an argument between the two.

"No!" she exclaimed, moving aside for him to enter. "We don't all need to behave like children!" she shouted after Severus, slamming the door to the hallway.

Remus looked around her rooms for a moment, trying to take note of the changes since his youth. Not much about them had changed; her rooms had the same welcoming feeling that they had then, a fire burning in front of a warm looking carpet. "Always the Gryffindor," he laughed, more to himself than to her.

Minerva came behind him with two cups of tea, motioning him to the couch. "Did you expect anything less?"

They settled in on the couch, and Remus felt an odd discomfort sitting next to his former teacher. It was hard to imagine her as his now equal. Though, he thought to himself, I could never be equal to Minerva McGonagall. It was something he knew to be true as he smiled at the woman that was still as formidable in her older age as she had been twenty years before. "Thank you for having me."

"Of course! I do try and make a habit out of personally welcoming all the new staff. Admittedly, we're a bit late for a welcome as you've been here for over a month. Things have been busier than usual."

"It's alright, Minerva," he said, taking a sip of his tea. It had a familiar taste. "Ginger?"

She nodded. "Same flavor as the biscuits in my office, if you remember."

"That would be it!"

"How are you adjusting, Remus?"

He thought about it for a moment. "It's nice to be home," he replied. "It's…the…happiest I've felt in a long time."

Minerva smiled and patted his arm. "I'm so glad it's able to work out. And last month went smoothly?"

Remus laughed. "Aside from the…episode you saw in the hospital wing, yes. The Wolfsbane makes for a very…different…transformation, but much more pleasant."

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Yes, I did see that episode as you call it."

Staring at her for a moment, Remus debated asking her about Severus. His mouth took over his brain, and it spilled out. "What do I do about Severus?"

The question didn't look to shock her. She knew this was coming, he thought to himself. He could have laughed. Nothing ever seemed to get past her. "I don't know if there is much any of us can do."

"I…"

"You know we're involved?"

"Yes," he admittedly sheepishly.

"Mm, I figured you'd figure it out sooner rather than later," she replied, standing to fetch the tea pot that still sat on the table behind them. Pouring him a fresh cup, she laughed. "The staff is full of some gossipers."

"Pomona confirmed my suspicions." I can't tell her I saw them snogging by the Great Lake!

"I'm rather surprised it wasn't Rolanda," she laughed. "It's one of her favorite topics."

"It's none of my business…"

"No; it's not. But, I assume you came thinking that I can give you some sort of solution to make amends with Severus?"

"No, I-,"

"I can't, Remus. Frankly, this is between the two of you. I care for you both, and that's the best I can do."

"I'm sorry if I caused a fight by coming."

She waved him off and leaned back more comfortably into the cushions. "I'm allowed to share a cup of tea with one of my staff members."

He smiled at her frankness. "I appreciate the invitation. I still don't feel as though I've made many connections to the staff."

"It'll come," Minerva assured him. "We haven't had much time for social activities; the beginning year is always like this. Things will relax."

"It's funny," he started, staring at the hot liquid in his cup. "Harry is so much like James. It's been…wonderful…but difficult. I've been able to spend most of my free time with him."

Minerva smiled. "He is."

"His eyes, though," Remus cut in. "They're all Lily."

"Being here must be hard," she commented, examining him with a practically clinical look in her eye. He knew he looked less than presentable- too thin, too many lines under his eyes, aged beyond his years.

"It was the only place I had a family…it was them. And, being back here, it's wonderful, but in some ways, painful."

"I'm glad you're here," she said genuinely. "Would you care for a game of chess? I find that conversations like these are always lightened with a game."

Remus smiled. It had been years since he'd had a friendly game of chess with anyone. "I'd love that. You know, you sounded like Albus there."

Minerva laughed. "We've been best friends for forty years; I suppose some of his mannerisms have rubbed off on me."

The Head of Gryffindor and her former student sat through not just one game of chess, but two and three as the evening passed by. For the first time since he'd arrived at Hogwarts, Remus felt truly welcome back. The comfort of the familiar figure and the warm cup of tea had been more hospitality than he'd been shown in years. Thoughts of his ongoing feud with Severus faded from his mind for a few hours, as he reminisced on memories of his friends that he had been trying so hard to push back since his arrival.