══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════
"And this... is my classroom." Edith grinned as she opened the door, letting Remus stroll through before going in herself, leaving the door partly open.
Remus gazed around the room through an ajar smile, his eyes set on the curtains hanging at the sides of the tall windows on the left side of the room, and the fairy lights wrapped around the stone railing at the back of the room, leading up to where he remembered his office had been.
A fond laugh was huffed out of his chest when he spotted the glass cabinet under the stairs, with two themed beaters bats and an old bludger sat in-between them.
Edith followed behind him with her arms loosely folded over her chest, watching the small reactions in his expression when he spotted other decorations around the room like the wire lights and the curtains.
And she didn't miss his look of pride and awe at the sight of the enchanted ceiling above them both, an amber sky shone down on them to match the light outside the towering windows that lined the room.
Remus strolled up the isle between the desks, his gaze drifting upwards again and spotting the planetary display that he once had in his own office.
"Darling.... are those my planets?" Remus asked over his shoulder.
"Our planets. When you left, Moody didn't want them. He took the Hebridean Black skeleton and I asked him for the planets. He said yes. Oh, now that we're a bit more public, I suppose that display can be lower....not, not that anyone would really pick up us being together from some candles though." Edith slipped her wand out of her sleeve as she shrugged, pointing it towards the planetary rotation hanging from the roof.
She concentrated, pulling her wand downwards in a slow gesture, watching as the heavy display lowered with her movement, now in plain view to anyone who came inside the room.
Remus squinted his eyes. "Those candles... are those the same ones that I set up for you last year?"
"Mhm. I didn't have the heart to get rid of them. I think they made it look even more beautiful. Y'know... that gives me an idea." Edith waved her wand again, watching as the tiny wicks atop each candle sprung into light, with small orange flames beginning to dance at their tips.
"There. Back to normal." Edith nodded in satisfaction, putting her wand away.
"I can't believe you kept them." Remus sounded pleasantly suprised, pivoting on his heel to smile at her over his shoulder, his head lopsided with a lax fondness.
He was beautiful.
"'Course I kept them. That night meant a lot to us. We found out the truth about Pettigrew, Sirius was freed, and the Wolf didn't harm anybody, even without Wolfsbane."
Remus' smile lessened, but there wasn't any sadness in his eyes, more of a resigned and exasperated acceptance. "Yes, I remember that well."
A pinch of guilt tugged at Edith's heartstrings, and her voice was quiet across the empty classroom. "...Sorry."
"No. Don't be. The Wolf is... questionable, at times." Remus paused, glancing down at his hands.
"But he isn't shameful." Remus continued. "Nor is he a monster. Actions make people monsters, not their given nature. I'm trying my best to remember that, but let me apologise in advance if sometimes I'll fail to hear my own words if you ever speak them back to me. But I am trying." Remus told her, tearing his eyes away from his hands to look over at Edith.
"I know. And I'm really proud of you, Remus."
"Thank you, sweetheart. I appreciate you saying that. Truly. I... I feel as if I've been given a second chance in life. Being here with you, Dumbledore and Minerva granting me a place here again, Murphy living a life of their own design like they so deserve, Sirius finally experiencing a somewhat limited, but still liberating freedom... I think it's finally looking up for us all."
Edith fought to not let her smile waver at his words. The endless loop of 'he doesn't know' still sung in the back of her mind, hidden behind every happy or calm thought like a bottomless shadow.
Somehow, she succeeded in keeping a light expression, pushing the harrowing words further back into her head.
Again.
Where they'd stay, with any luck.
"Did you need any help with moving your belongings back into Hogwarts?" Edith asked instead, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the desk behind her.
If Remus noticed the change of subject, he didn't show it, instead he shook his head.
"Everything's already been moved. One word to the house-elves and they were popping trunks into my quarters with a click of their fingers. I've yet to properly lock up my cottage though, that's still on the to-do list. I suppose now it'll be a home for the summer. Although, I could always give it to Padfoot for the time being. I think he's yet to decide where he'll stay once the Ministry loosens their grip on him a bit."
"Last year he said he had somewhere to go, in time. I tried to offer him the key to my place, the one on Orcas' Island, I mean. But he seemed pretty set on somewhere else."
"Ah, I suspect that would be Grimmauld Place then, in London. I believe it belonged to his mother and father before they passed. With Sirius' brother Regulus, dead, Sirius was the sole heir of the property, even despite being incarcerated. I can only assume the Ministry left it in his name so that when the day came that Sirius passed away in Azkaban, the house would automatically become the Ministry's property. Removing it from his ownership while he's still alive would be... difficult, for lack of a better term."
"Even though he was locked up?"
"Oh yes. Pureblood's have a certain way of conducting those affairs. Technically speaking regardless of Sirius' actions -- or his alleged actions -- by right of blood, whether he liked it or not, the property was his by law. But I can only assume that his mother simply never got around to properly removing him from the contractual agreements they had with the Ministry. Or another family member could've changed it themselves. I recall there was an uncle on Sirius' mother's side that was quite fond of him, even after Sirius left home."
"Could it have been Regulus who made sure Sirius was still on the inheritance?" Edith asked, raising her brows.
Remus settled onto the desk behind him, mirroring her posture. He crossed his ankles, letting his joined hands fall between his legs.
He sighed before replying.
"Maybe," Remus hummed, shrugging. "I couldn't say for certian. Regulus and Sirius had a... delicate relationship. There was love, and a deep sense of betrayal too. On both sides. Sirius had to choose between who he was by choice, and who he was by blood. His mother and father were easy to rebel against, he hated them. But I know Sirius cared for his brother. He was -quite possibly excluding the uncle I mentioned- the only Black that Sirius could never bring himself to fully hate."
"What happend to him? Regulus, I mean. Did you know him?"
Remus let out another struggling sigh, caught somewhere between knowing he should stop talking and wanting Edith to know the full story. If there even was one to tell.
"We went to school together. Regulus was only two years younger than the rest of us. He was Slytherin, like the rest of his family. He excelled in Potions and Quidditch. He was a Seeker, and ended up captaining the Slytherin Quidditch team in his later years at school as well. James and Sirius played against him several times, but despite their shared... devotion of the game and their challenging nature when it came to matches, Sirius never spoke outright to his brother after a certain point. It was almost sad to watch."
"I'm an only child, you see, and coming from a family of both Muggles and Wizards, I couldn't understand turning your back on your own blood without a sound reason. But both made their choices in the end. I often saw Regulus going around with a girl in his year, a Ravenclaw I think. What was her name... what was it, what was it?... I think... Rosier rings a bell? Pandora Rosier? That was it. Yes, she was Evan Rosier's sister. I always thought there was something going on between them. Regulus and Pandora, I mean. They were always together, it was quite sweet. Though I believe she went on to marry Xenophilius Lovegood, if I remember rightly."
"Sirius' brother was best friends with Luna's mom? Huh... small world." Edith said quietly, a small sense of awe in her tone.
Remus chuckled. "A very small world indeed." The smile then fell from his face.
"Sirius learned of the death of his brother about half a year before Harry was born. The uncle I mentioned earlier was kind enough to send a letter to him, letting him know what they thought had happened."
"... No one stops being a Death Eater." Edith stated quietly, echoing the very words Sirius himself had said to her when her and Harry spoke to him in the Floo Flames a few months before.
Remus nodded solemnly.
"We think he got too far in. That he was caught up with this idea of being around people who shared his family's values, and perhaps his own. Maybe it all became too much, and Regulus tried to find an exit. But you don't leave that kind of circle easily. And if you do, you certainly don't make it out alive." Something behind Remus' eyes hardened, and Edith was overcome with the urge to hold him.
"... I truly hope that Harry, Ron, Hermione... that none of them ever need to be trapped in the middle of a war, fighting for their chance at a tomorrow. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone. We were too young to be fighting a war, anyone will tell you that. I came out a changed man. With new scars, physical and mental, my friends dead and gone, and a world that hardly even cared to look my way in the aftermath."
Edith pushed off of the table behind her, taking a few steps towards Remus before settling against the table behind him, bringing an arm up and around his shoulders.
A silence settled between them, and Edith rested her temple against the warm wool cardigan covering Remus' shoulder.
".... You deserved... so much more than what the world gave you."
Remus' soft silence almost seemed to stretch on for miles.
"And I'm just so glad I had the chance to meet you. To love you." Edith continued quietly, feeling Remus lay his head over hers.
With a breath that trembled, Remus' shoulders dropped with a released tension.
"You're the best of me, Edith. You truly are." Remus admitted quietly, not allowing the rest of the world to hear his words. They were for her, and her alone.
"You're the best of me too." Edith's words were as soft as his own, and she closed her eyes, reaching over with her free hand to cradle both of his in-between her own.
Together they watched and listened as the small, fiery leaves burned with the shades of autumn daintily drift down from the endless sky above the cosy classroom.
══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════
The Great Hall was warm and full of lively, happy bodies.
Students of all ages sat with their friends, enjoying the delicious food piled onto each of their plates with wide smiles on their faces.
Harry sat with his friends, resisting the urge to scratch the still-healing gash on his face given to him by the Horntail during the last task. He watched as Hermione chatted quite happily with Ginny, and Ron with his brothers.
Harry let his gaze wander the hall, passing the dotted-around students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang sitting around the hall, quite happily mixing with all houses throughout the room.
Finally, Harry's eyes found the staff table. Dumbledore spoke with Professor Flitwick, Hagrid conversed with Professor Sprout about something quite exciting judging by the formers wide grin and wild gestures.
McGonagall was on the other end of the table, watching the couple beside her speak to eachother through loving eyes and sweet smiles.
Harry blinked, snapping himself out of the daydream.
He watched as Edith's hand found Remus' arm, leaning further into the man's shoulder as he continued to speak to her in a soft tone.
He brought a hand up to cover her own, brushing his fingers across the back of her knuckle.
Something Edith said made him laugh, a bright sound that made Harry smile even just hearing it from across the hall.
"They look so happy." Hermione's voice made Harry turn, to where she and Ginny had both followed his gaze, their own eyes easily spotting the joyful couple at the table.
"I've never seen Edith so happy. Or Professor Lupin, for that matter when he was here last year. It was kind of Dumbledore to invite him to the feast. Do you think he'll stay long? Edith could really use the company with all the stress from the Tournament." Ginny asked as she looked towards her brothers and her friends with a questioning glance.
"I'd hope so. I couldn't tell you the last time I saw her smile like that." Hermione voiced, her eyes still stuck on Edith and Remus across the room.
"It's a shame that we can't have Professor Lupin go back to teaching DA. Moody's.... enthusiastic for sure, but Lupin had a way of making it actually fun. He made me want to do my homework. Anytime I hand something into Moody I'm expecting a piece of chalk thrown at my head while he screams at me." Ron said next, crossing his arms and slouching on the table's bench.
"Talking about teachers... did Professor Binns miss your classes as well today? Professor Sinistra covered us today and yesterday. That's not like him, nothing in the world could stop him from talking about a Goblin Rebellion that happened a good three hundred years ago." Ginny huffed a laugh, watching as Hermione tilted her head.
"I meant to ask you about that. We had Professor Flitwick cover our History of Magic period instead. He just told us to use it as a study period to catch up on any work we might've missed at the start of the week." Hermione replied, shifting to rest her chin in the palm of her hand.
Ron jumped in, pointing a thumb over in Hermione's direction. "Then this one decided to ruin the peace by asking Flitwick where Binns was! Why would you ask him? Who cares!? We should've been thanking Merlin himself we didn't have to hear another lecture on a British Witch Hunt or I'd have thrown myself off the Astronomy Tower."
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's words, something she had seemed to be doing regularly at this point. After their.... altercation after the Yule Ball, the subject of any frienships made outside of the Hogwarts population were silenced.
Ron didn't want to hear about it, and Hermione didn't want to talk about it. It seemed to Harry like it was as simple as that.
.... He hoped it was as simple as that.
══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════
"This is making me nervous, and it's not even my announcement." Edith rubbed a free hand against her leg, glancing over Remus' shoulder to look at Dumbledore, who had yet to make the announcement to the school that Remus would be teaching again.
Remus chuckled, keeping their shoulders together as he shifted in place, both elbows on the table.
"I was nervous last year, when my place as Professor of DA was first announced. This year though, I feel considerably calmer. I think I was afraid of coming back here, despite the job security it would give me."
Edith tilted her head slightly, a questioning glance in her eyes as she continued to look at him. Her question didn't need to be said aloud for him to understand.
Why were you afraid?
"My years at Hogwarts were the best years of my life. After everything that happened with.... after everything that happened, I never thought I would step inside these walls again. I always assumed that the memories would be too much to handle. And yet, here I am. Taking up my second teaching post. With you as a colleague, no less. I only hope my lessons are more gripping than those of Professor Binns." It was Remus' turn to house the nervous look on his face, picking up his fork with the hand not covering Edith's and poking the small amounts of potato left on his place.
Edith brought up a hand and turned his face upwards to where he met her eyes.
"You'll be fantastic, I know it. They'll love you, just like we all did last year."
Remus' eyes were half lidded as he smiled at her. An infectious expression that Edith couldn't help but mirror.
A scuffing sound of wood against floorboards snapped them both out of their admiration of eachother, and Edith and Remus watched as a chair was moved to the space in-between them, and an arm went around Edith's neck.
"Good evening, my lovely." Remus watched as Edith smiled at the stranger who had inserted themselves into the moment. The woman was vaguely familiar, and Remus noted a strong accent through her words.
"Daria! Hi! I didn't see you when we got here. Is everything alright on the ship?" Edith asked, the smile never leaving her face.
The name sparked a memory in Remus' head, he remembered the night before when the two were leaving the Great Hall. Edith had called her Daria Visan, along with mentioning her in a previous letter. A fellow Professor from Durmstrang, and a young one at that. The accent made sense now.
"Fret not, my darling. All is fine. My day has been busy, but not busy enough that I cannot see my favourite lady." Daria's grin was charming as she leaned closer to Edith, perching her chin on the woman's shoulder.
Remus watched the stranger with a still expression, something ugly wriggling in the back of his throat.
He coughed, speaking up.
"Who's this, darling?"
At his question, Edith smiled at him, and Remus swore he could feel his heart melt. The tension in his shoulders slipped away.
"Oh you haven't met, of course. Remus, this is Daria Visan, a Professor of Magical Theory at Durmstrang. Daria, this is Remus, my partner. He taught at Hogwarts last year and now he's actually just been given another position here. He'll be teaching History of Magic now."
The word 'partner' made Remus sit up straighter, a smile lifting up the side of his mouth.
Daria dragged her eyes over him, pausing for a moment before she smirked, and nodded to herself. There was a look in her eyes that he couldn't quite decipher, something almost like approval, if he had to guess.
"It is nice to meet you, Professor. Congratulations on your new position. My lovely Spitfire has spoken much about you. You are a very lucky man to have the heart of such a vonderful lady."
"You as well, Professor Visan. And thank you, I'm very lucky indeed." At the shameless praise, Edith flushed in her seat.
"Please, just Daria is fine."
"Fair enough, Daria. Call me Remus. Are you enjoying Hogwarts? I imagine it's quite different from Durmstrang."
Daria lounged back on her chair, kicking up a leg to rest it over Edith's lap. The woman was quite happy, crossing her arms over Daria's shins.
Watching their mannerisms made Remus think of Murphy. He missed the eccentric Hufflepuff greatly. Hopefully during the summer the metamorphmagus could join them for a while, and maybe Sirius too, if fate was kind enough.
"The veather is a nice change. It is effortless varm here, something I am sure I vill miss when the time comes that ve return home. My students are enjoying their time here, as am I. I vill admit, I was skeptical of your lands, your people. But a travelled mind is a mind that has learned. And who am I to deny my mind the chance to learn new things?" Daria asked rhetorically, her hands were laced over her stomach, a booted shoe bobbing in place over Edith's lap.
Remus hummed in agreement, nodding to himself at the woman's words. He had to admit, her place of work, and more importantly who she worked under, was a cause for concern. But it was clear by their mannerisms, Edith and Daria were good friends. And the latter was definitely fond of the younger Transfiguration Professor.
It soothed something in Remus, knowing that despite him not having been able to visit Edith since the summer holidays, that she had someone else at arms length to rely on.
Edith watched as Remus started another conversation with Daria, who happily replied with her own take on the subject.
They were getting along, that was all she could've asked for.
Daria shuffled closer to Remus as she insisted on another point, her hand rubbing Edith's shoulder before bringing it back to her front and pointing at the ground to animate her words.
A voice from over Edith's shoulder made her turn.
"Well.... when exactly did this happen?" Minerva watched her protégé from over her thin glasses.
Edith's eyes widened.
"... When did what happen?" Through a small smile, Edith tried playing dumb, but remembered too late who she was actually speaking to.
It seemed that Minerva had a similar thought, her curious gaze turning into more of a stale judgment. Edith could almost hear the words going through the woman's head.
"Seriously? You're trying that with me?"
Instead, the woman sighed. "You know what I mean, darling. I've never seen you so happy."
".... it didn't start at school. It wasn't like that, he wasn't like that, believe me. We were friends here, yeah, but that's it. We ran into eachother over summer... and it went from there. It wasn't planned, Merlin knows it wasn't planned—"
"— The best things that come into our lives rarely are." McGonagall interjected, a thin smile beginning to grow on her face.
Edith had a small pang of guilt in her chest for lying to the woman, seeing as her and Remus' relationship did indeed start during her time at Hogwarts last year, but surely what the woman didn't know couldn't hurt her?
"I've never been happier, that's all I know. It's like I've got something back that I've been missing." Edith paused, glancing down at her hands.
"It doesn't fix everything that's happened, with my mom, my dad, with Lewis and Milton. It doesn't fix how Pettigrew betrayed the Potters, it doesn't fix how the rest of the world looks at him sometimes. With this disgusting look of judgment at what he is when they don't even know him as a person. What we are doesn't fix any of that, and it shouldn't. But it helps to have someone there, to have someone who can look past everything about you that you've convinced yourself makes you so unlovable. And they still love you anyway. That's why we're together. We can both look past everything else in the background and in the past, and just love the person for who they are."
Minerva watched her for a moment, her expression had softened.
"Remus is a good man, and you are a good woman. Regardless of the ghosts in your pasts'. As long as you both take care of eachother, I have no reservations about your relationship. You certainly do not need my blessing, but you have it, if it means anything to you. You deserve the same happiness you have given to others again and again during your life. You both do." Minerva held her head high, a hand reaching to brush a stay piece of hair behind the girl's ear.
Edith beamed. Professor McGonagall meant the world to her. She had given Edith trust, mentorship and friendship, countless opportunities to expand and develop her skills in Transfiguration, assisting her in becoming an Animagus and even giving her a job to take over her position one day.
And hearing such words from the woman only made everything around her that much better.
The worry from her previous episodes around the castle were far from her mind. How could anybody harm her here, with such a strong circle around her?
"Did Remus have a chance to catch up with Professor Moody? It's been a while since our years in the Order, but I would've thought Professor Moody would've at least approached the man to see how he was doing." Minerva asked aloud, glancing down the table to where Professor Moody sat, his bright mechanical eye darting down to stare right back at her before it settled on Edith for a while.
Edith paid it no mind, instead turning in place to where Daria had just stood up.
She was staring with disinterest down the table, to where Karkaroff was waving her over through a dull glare and a tight jaw.
She huffed, raking a hand through her blonde and silver hair. Through a groan, she turned to Edith. "This insufferable man... please excuse me, my darling. The ogre wishes to speak with me." Daria brushed her palm down Edith's arm before striding away, arms crossed over her front as she approached Karkaroff with a bored expression.
"So.... what do you think?" Edith asked Remus, who watched Daria go with an amused smile.
"She seems lovely. At first glance, I'll admit I expected another tight faced, stone cold Professor. But I do believe Daria is the happiest member of staff from Durmstrang I've ever seen. I know I shouldn't judge, but I would've expected her to attend Hogwarts in her youth, not Durmstrang."
"It paints Durmstrang in a nicer light, I suppose. But the students under her care have the same happy looks, once you get past the stern faces probably encouraged by Karkaroff." Edith shuddered. "I don't like him."
"And neither does Daria, it seems." Remus agreed.
"McGonagall was telling me that Professor Moody had been in the Order with you all in the war. Have you talked with him yet?" Edith faced the man, smiling as he moved his seat closer to hers, reaching to take her hand in his again.
Remus shook his head. "I tried approaching him last night when I first arrived at the Yule Ball, but he was quick to move away from me. He muttered something about his leg feeling loose, but that was about as much as I got from him. Those of us in the Order ended on good terms, well, as good as terms could be after everything. Besides Padfoot and myself, everyone was on common ground."
"That's weird. He's been happy enough to help Harry through the Tournament. He even defended me against Karkaroff when he accused me of putting Harry's name in the Goblet. I grabbed him out of that room and dragged him right to my chambers. Nobody saw us for the rest of the night. As if I would've let that idiot Crouch talk more rubbish about 'binding contracts'." Edith recalled through a scowl.
Remus watched her, a small smile growing on his face.
"What?" Edith blinked, furrowing her brows.
"That sounds like you might have a bit of 'maternal fondness' for Harry, sweetheart."
Edith gaped.
"You... you ass!" Edith laughed through her shock, watching as Remus dissolved into a small laughing fit, hunching over on himself to try and conceal his amusement from anyone else in the hall that might've been watching them.
"You've read her stupid article!"
Remus kept laughing, shoving his head into the forearm that rested on the edge of the table.
Edith slapped his shoulder through another smile, the shock melting into another laugh.
"I'm— I'm sorry, darling! I didn't mean to—" Remus cut himself off with another laugh. He sighed, trying to collect himself long enough to explain. "I... aha, okay, okay. I was skimming the Prophet, like I always do, and I saw your name mentioned. I couldn't help but give it a read. I, I do agree with you, darling. She clearly doesn't care about the truth, and only cares about the popularity of her lies. The people who matter know the truth, and that's all we should care about."
Edith crossed her arms, unable to fight the smile on her face.
"You're still an ass."
"And you still love me for it."
Another grin was shared between them before Dumbledore stood, tapping his wand against the edge of his goblet in order to bring the hall's attention to his form.
It worked, and the hall turned towards him with a sea of confused faces. Normally all announcements would be at the beginning of the feast, not the end.
Remus' smile became smaller, and he reached under the table to take Edith's hand, lacing their fingers together. His other hand reached up, rubbing a palm over the stubble around his mouth through a short breath.
Even the strongest of us can still be afraid.
Edith squeezed his hand, lifting a more genuine smile from the man.
"I hope you are all enjoying our wonderful feast as much as I am, but seeing as we are already in such good spirits after the Yule Ball, I only wanted to add to the positive atmosphere. As many of you will have realised yesterday and today, Professor Binns did not attend his classes as he usually does. What many of the older students among you, as well as the longer serving faculty will know, is that Professor Binns has taught at Hogwarts for a number of years, endlessly passing down his passion and knowledge of the subject of the History of Magic to all students within our walls."
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the twins watched Dumbledore with confused expressions. Seamus, Dean and Neville also wore varying expressions of confusion. And one question was in everyone's minds...
Where was Dumbledore going with this?
"While it does pain me to acknowledge his choice, my respect for Professor Binns and his choices are held higher. Professor Binns has expressed to myself and the rest of the staff that he has chosen to begin the process of passing on." Dumbledore's words sparked a low chatter among the hall, with older students raising their brows in suprise while the younger ones looked to their friends asking what that meant.
Dumbledore knew this, and explained. "For our younger students, let me explain the process. All wizards and witches have the ability to continue through the mortal world after death as a ghost, although most choose not to for a range of reasons. Eventually, when a higher purpose is reached or fulfilled, a ghost can choose to pass on, leaving the mortal realm entirely while also giving up their fragmented, transparent form to fully fade away from the world, letting their soul rest on the other side. Out of respect to Professor Binns, I will not speak of his reasons for considering this. The important part is that the decision has been made, and I do not expect Professor Binns to return to the school again."
"I understand this will be saddening to hear. Professor Binns has been a part of Hogwarts for over a hundred and fifty years. And no doubt, his absence will be felt by us all. But, when one door closes, another will most definitely open. With the teaching post now empty, a fantastic twist of fate now gives us an equally fantastic solution. Those here who were with us last year will no doubt remember our previous teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Lupin. Professor, if you could stand for us, please?" Dumbledore turned, sporting a wide grin as he watched Remus.
Edith let his hand fall from her own as Remus stood, smoothing down the front of his new brown waistcoat and fixing his tie before letting his trouser pockets swallow his palms. He smiled a little awkwardly into the hall full of students.
"It's been decided that Professor Lupin will become our new History of Magic Professor, and take Professor Binns' classes for the foreseeable future. I expect all of you to graciously welcome Professor Lupin back into Hogwarts, where he belongs." Dumbledore could barely finish his sentence before all students from second year, all the way up to the seventh years were cheering as loud as they could.
It was almost like a bomb had gone off in the hall, loud and exciting.
Fred and George stood, whistling sharply across the hall, Seamus followed suit. Dean cheered, wooping as his arms were swung around Seamus and Neville. Edith was sure that she heard a loud 'YES!' being screamed from somewhere along the Gryffindor table.
Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione all stood as well, clapping loudly and cheering.
From the Ravenclaw table at one end of the hall, to the Slytherin table at the other, nearly every student was on their feet.
Those from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang clapped politely, some with amusement in their faces at the reaction of their hosts at the news.
All the while, Remus' face was as red as the wine left in his goblet.
Dumbledore let the hall celebrate for a minute, watching with amusement as Remus continued to flush under the attention. His mind wandered to how similar a reaction that Edith had at the start of the year. Minerva had a similar glint in her eye, smiling into her goblet.
Snape however, looked as if he was trying to burn a hole right through Remus' head, he gripped onto his fork with such strength he was suprised it didn't snap in two.
Hagrid cheered along with the students, and Professor's Sprout and Flitwick also wore happy smiles at the news.
Dumbledore held up a palm, attempting to calm the hall and after a few seconds, it worked, with the hall falling into a quiet yet still excited chatter being thrown around.
"Well, thank you all for your enthusiastic support towards Professor Lupin and his new role. History of Magic classes will resume as normal in a week's time, after Professor Lupin has had some time to finish his lesson plans. I hope you all continue to respect and support Professor Lupin during this time of transition. That is all I wanted to share with you all tonight. Once you have finished your dinner, you may all return to your common rooms. Goodnight all."
Remus sat back down, huffing a shaking breath as he flexed his palms on his lap.
"... What did you say about feeling calmer this time?" Edith asked through a raised brow, another cheeky smile on her face.
Remus faced her, a warning glint in his eyes, and grinned.
"Careful, Professor. Maybe you need an evening in my quarters with me to have a small chat about your attitude?" His voice was low, quiet. Yet strikingly bold at his insinuation.
Edith flushed, a small smile grew across her face. She liked this. A lot.
"Well.... Maybe I do, Professor." She shrugged, her own hands finding her pockets as she leaned back on her own chair.
Remus shook his head, a hum sounding from the back of his throat. He reached for his goblet, sipping his wine.
"I promise you'll regret sounding so eager, darling."
══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════
"Alastor? Alastor!" Professor Moody blinked at the call of his name when he left the hall, and he limped into a turn, watching as Remus Lupin walked after him, slowing once he saw the one-eyed man had actually stopped.
"Lupin." Moody greeted gruffly, nodding at him.
"Moody. You're looking well. It's been some time, hasn't it?"
"Few years, if I 'member right." Moody agreed.
Remus watched him, waiting.
"Still with the Ministry?"
"Retired. Well, partly retired. Dumbledore called a favour. You're stuck with me till June, m'afriad."
Remus huffed a small laugh. "I don't blame you. Some say the position's jinxed. Probably safer to head out after the years up."
"Heard you caught the jinx too then. I'm guessing your... furry problem's bein' dealt with just fine then?"
Remus glanced over his shoulder, going to make sure there were no students around but Moody chimed in before he could.
"Already checked. Surely y'know I'm not as thick as that, eh Lupin?"
Remus wore an apologetic frown. "Sorry, Mad-Eye. Force of habit. You understand."
"Aye, that I do. If you ask me, you're quite an improvement compared to Binns. Never liked the old coffin dodger."
"Professor Finch told me the kids are enjoying your classes, are you sure you won't change your mind in June and stay?" Remus tried, a hand finding his pocket.
This time, Moody huffed a laugh. "Young'ins are only likin' my class because I focus on the practical. Wavin' a wands better than readin' a book. Besides, only here as a favour to Dumbledore."
"For the Tournament?" Remus asked, taking a step towards him.
"What else? Dumbledore's got his doubts. So have I. Somethin's stinking here. He wanted a fresh eye on the scene, see what I can find."
"And have you?"
"Eh?"
"Found anything? Surely you can see that Harry's been set up. We all can. You saw it too, or you wouldn't have defended Edith like you did." Remus paused. "Thank you for that."
Moody looked Remus up and down, barely moving an inch.
"Boy's in danger, nobody's doubting that. But the lad has Dumbledore and your lass behind him, think his chances are fair. Little word of advice, keep that Visan at arms length. Wouldn't go near her with a ten foot broomstick. Already told Finch, but doubt she's taking it to heart. Hufflepuffs... y'know how they are. Loving till the end."
Remus straightened, shaking his head. "Daria isn't my worry. It's Karkaroff. And Snape, honestly. It's their history that worries me. I'm here to keep myself on track and protect my own. The least I can do for Lily and James is taking care of that boy. So please, if you find anything, let myself and Professor Finch know. I'd appreciate it, Alastor. For old times sake."
The two stared at eachother.
And finally, Moody hung his head, a sigh falling from him.
"Aye, I'll keep y'both in the loop. If it's what you want, Remus. Glad you're here. You have more grey hair, that's for sure... but you're happy. Even an old git with one eye can see that. G'night, lad." Moody nodded at the man, reaching into his jacket pocket through a turn and guzzling down a flask of something, limping down the hall and down the steps, out of sight.
Remus watched him go, thinking.
He hadn't seen Mad-Eye for a while, at least ten years, if not longer. It would make sense for them both to be a little awkward with eachother.
But Remus never knew Mad-Eye to be awkward. He was too busy never giving a shit about what anybody thought about him to be awkward. That's what made him a good Auror.
Remus let it go, along with Moody's strange mannerisms at the Yule Ball. Maybe time simply changed more about a person than be first thought.
He pivoted on his heel, a spring in his step and a smile across his face as Remus wandered back to his quarters for the night, where a beautiful soul would be waiting for him.
══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════
A/N: Your patience has meant the world. And thank you for the continued support on the series.
Work has been very busy but writing is something I love deeply, so I'm learning to give it the time it deserves, even with a full time job.
Thank you all so much, see you in the next one, where we'll see the Second Task!