As Potter is to Snape

Chapter 48

Remus hesitated just in front of the stone gargoyles. He wondered how long he could stand there before his father was alerted to his presence. Better yet, if he could just walk away without anyone ever knowing he had been there in the first place.

But that had never worked for him before. Somehow, Albus Dumbledore always knew when one of his sons needed to talk or when one of them was stalling.

With a sigh, Remus decided that he may as well just get it over with and he gave the password: "Raspberry Tarts."

The gargoyles lept aside and Remus moved to the circular staircase that brought him right to the headmaster's door.

Before he could knock, he heard, "Come in, Remus."

He frowned and went inside. Albus was sitting behind his desk, reading from a very large book. When he saw Remus, he smiled brightly and closed it before folding his hands on top of. An overstuffed chair appeared in front of his desk.

"What's bothering you?"

"Am I that easy to read?" Remus asked before taking a seat.

"I just know you too well."

Remus gave a half-smile. "Maybe I should start with the news that will be the least disappointing?"

Albus held his hand out in invitation for Remus to start and he did so reluctantly.

"I'm not going to teach next year."

"Oh?" Albus tilted his head to the side and asked, "What do you intend to do?"

"I want to use this summer to go back to St. Mungo's and get recertified so that I can be a counselor for children and teenagers. I thought," Remus went on sounding uncertain, "that if it was alright with you, I could come back here and be a school counselor for Hogwarts."

A brilliant smile lit up Albus's face. "What a marvelous idea! Merlin knows that we could use one!"

Remus's smile was hesitant as he shifted in his chair. "You're alright with it then? With finding a new teacher and all?"

"Of course. Of course." Albus waved away his worries. "It's not as if I've never had to search for a teacher before, you know."

Remus only nodded before falling silent once more.

"I'm sure you'll feel better once you get it off your chest," Albus said after a moment.

"I doubt that very much." But Remus reached into the pocket of his robes and pulled out the map before unfolding it and spreading it out on top of Albus's desk.

"What am I looking at Remus?"

With a sigh, Remus tapped the map and uttered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Immediately, spidery webs of ink began to crawl across the parchment as Albus and Remus both watched in silence.

"This," he said once the map was complete, "is the Marauders' Map. It shows every single person that is in the school or on the grounds." Then, as if the words pained him greatly to say, he went on, "It's how you'll catch Sirius."

Albus was leaning over the map, studying it intently. "But how did you get it?"

"I made it," Remus answered quietly. "With James, Sirius, and Peter while we were students here."

This bit of information caused Albus to snap his head up. "You've had this the entire time?"

"No! I only just got it back. Filch confiscated it from us years ago but he didn't know how to work it and I hadn't given it much thought over the years." He paused. "Until I caught Harry with it on Saturday. I know I should have brought it to your attention immediately," he rushed to explain, "but something Harry said kept me from doing so."