Sign it [Lupin's Daughter]

Chapter 28

"That's not very nice," scolded another first-year, that she recognised to be Astoria Greengrass, "She's very smart and sweet. We've had lessons that she attended to all year."

Maddy gave Astoria a weak smile, before returning her attention to Snape. I can't believe you! Do you think only of yourself! You selfish, snivelling git! She grabbed a small container of yoghurt and a spoon off the Slytherin table and bolted to Hospital Wing.

She threw the yoghurt on the end table by her father's bed, shocking him, and let out a fluent string of curses.

"Maddy! Madeline! What's wrong?" Remus asked frantically.

That ― that. Remus scolded her slightly for her choice of words. Outed you. The Slytherins! They know! Snivellus told them!

Remus's eyes widened with fear and he stood up. "Go pack, Maddy."

What?

"I'm resigning. I said go pack."

Dad! You can't ―

"The letters will start tomorrow, no doubt. I'm off to see Dumbledore. Go to my office when you're finished."

Before she could protest anymore, he left.

■□~□■

Maddy quickly changed her outfit, realising she was still wearing the same clothes from the day before, and began to pack, tears flooding down her face. She kept Matilda and Quidditch Through the Ages separately, planning on keeping both with her to reread on the ride home. She also didn't pack her Nimbus 2000, regarding it as too special for her trunk. She put the books in a small rucksack she threw over her shoulders, and dragged her trunk in one hand, and her broom in the other, slowly making her way to the office.

Maddy sat on her trunk while she waited for her father, rereading the beginning of Matilda. Remus joined her shortly after, or so she thought. She failed to realise, being so engrossed in her book, that it had been a few hours. Remus had his stuff already packed in a small trunk. He took out the Marauder's Map, and laid it on the table, opening it with the simple phrase. He bent over the map, only looking up when there was a rap at the door.

"I saw you coming," Remus said. Harry stood in the doorway, causing Maddy to put a bookmark in her book, and stand up.

"I just saw Hagrid," he panted, "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"

Maddy clapped to alert him of her location. It is.

"Why?" questioned Harry, "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?"

"No, Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was saving your lives." he sighed, "That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he ― er ― accidently let it slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."

It wasn't an accident. Maddy signed bitterly.

"You're not leaving just because of that!" exclaimed Harry flabbergasted.

Remus gave him a wry smile. "This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents.... They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. After last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you. That must never happen again."

"You're the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we ever had!" pleaded Harry, "Don't go!"

"From what Maddy and the Headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night. If I'm proud of anything, it's how much you learned.... Tell me about your Patronus."

"How d'you know about that?"

"What else could have driven the dementors back."

Maddy had a feeling that Harry knew that she told her father about it, but he explained it anyway. Remus was smiling broadly by the end.

"Your father was always a stag when he transformed. You guessed right, that's why we called him Prongs. Here ― I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night." he handed Harry the Invisibility Cloak she and Snape had used the night before. He gestured to the Marauder's Map. "And.... I'm no longer a teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving this back to you as well. It's no use to me, and Maddy won't start here until next year, and Hermione, Ron, and you will find uses for it." Harry took the map eagerly.

"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of the school... you said they'd have thought it was funny."

"And so we would have," replied Remus, shutting his case."I have no hesitation in saying that James would be highly disappointed if his son didn't learn the secret passages out of the castle."

There was a brief knock, and Dumbledore walked in. "Your carriage is at the gate, Remus, Maddy." The reality of the situation hit Maddy like a freight train.

"Well ― good-bye, Harry," Remus said with a smile, "It's been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see us to the gate, we can manage."

Maddy walked up to Harry. I'll miss you.

Harry gave her a weak smile, "I'll miss you too. You're coming to Hogwarts when you're eleven, right?" Maddy nodded quickly. "Well, I'll be seeing you in a little over a year then! This is a see-you-soon rather than a good-bye. Just keep practicing what I taught you, and maybe we'll be on the team together."

Maddy pulled Harry into a hug, allowing tears to flow down her face. She let go, and wiped them quickly.

Thank you, Harry, for everything.