When Gwen, Harry, Ron and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering heat and the end of exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade trip. Gwen, Ron and Hermione did not feel like joining their classmates, so they wandered the grounds with Harry, still thinking about the extraordinary events of last night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, Gwen felt herself leaning back, enjoying the sun beating down and warming her face and legs. She glanced across the lake to the opposite bank and remembered, with a sharp thrill, her lynx from the previous night.
A shadow fell across them, and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth sized handkerchiefs.
'Know I shouldn' happy,' he told them, 'af'er wha' happened las' night-- I mean Black escapin' again an' everythin'-- but guess what?'
'What?' they said, feigning curiosity.
'Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!'
'That's wonderful!' said Hermione, flashing her dark eyes at Ron who was close to laughing.
'Yeah... can't've tied him up properly,' said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. 'I was worried this mornin', mind... thought he mighta met Professor Lupin in the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night...'
'What?' said Harry quickly.
'Blimey, haven' yeh heard?' said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. 'Er-- Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'... thought everyone'd know by now... Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose in the grounds las' night. He's packin' now, o' course.'
'He's packing?' Gwen gasped. 'Why?'
'Leavin', isn' he?' said Hagrid, looking surprised that she'd even asked. 'Reisgned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can' risk it happenin' again.'
Gwen and Harry scrambled to their feet.
'I'm going to see him,' Harry said.
'Me too,' said Gwen.
Ron and Hermione looked at them awkwardly.
'But if he's resigned--'
'-- doesn't sound like there's anything we can do--'
Gwen didn't care, and by the look on Harry's face, he didn't either.
'We'll meet you back here,' she said, and she and Harry set off, almost at a run, for Lupin's office.
His door was open when they arrived. He had already packed most of his things. The empty Grindylow tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk, and only looked up when Gwen and Harry knocked on the door.
'I saw you coming,' he said, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map.
'We just saw Hagrid,' Harry said. 'He said you've resigned. It's not true, is it?'
'I'm afraid it is,' said Lupin. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.
'Why?' said Gwen. 'The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?'
Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind her and Harry.
'No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save 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-- accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast.'
'You're not leaving just because of that!' said Harry.
Lupin smiled wryly. 'This time tomorrow , the owls will start arriving from parents-- they will not want a werewolf teaching their children. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you... and that must never happen again.'
Gwen felt she had to sit down. 'You're the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had! No one wants you to leave, we need you here!'
'Don't go,' Harry said weakly.
Lupin shook his head. He didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Gwen and Harry looked at each other helplessly. Even though she didn't want to believe it, she knew Lupin was right. She didn't think that her mother would be too happy knowing her children had been taught by a werewolf all year. She was casting around for a good argument to make when Lupin spoke.
'I hear you both saved a lot of lives last night. From what the Headmaster's told me, you both acted admirably. If I'm proud of anything, it's how much you've both learnt. Tell me about your Patronuses.'
'How'd you know?' asked Harry.
'What else could have driven the Dementors back?' said Lupin, looking between them with a sparkle in his eyes.
Together, Gwen and Harry told Lupin what had happened. When they finished, Lupin was smiling.
'Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed,' he told Harry. 'You guessed right... that's why called him Prongs.'
Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers and turned to look at the two of them standing there, helplessly.
'I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night,' he said, handing Harry the Invisibility Cloak. 'And...' he hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map, too. 'I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty giving you this back as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay both of you, Ron and Hermione will find uses for it.'
Harry took the map, grinning. Gwen, too, was smiling,
'You said,' Harry began, 'that Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs would've wanted to lure us out of the school... you said they'd have thought it was funny.'
'And so we would have done,' said Lupin, now reaching down to close his case. 'I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son never found any of the secret passages out of the castle.'
There was a knock at the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket.
It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Gwen and Harry there.
'Your carriage is at the gates, Remus,' he said.
'Thank you, Headmaster.'
Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank. He turned, smiling. 'Well... goodbye, Harry. Goodbye, Gwen. It has been a real pleasure teaching you both. I feel sure that we'll meet again some time. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates. I can manage...'
Gwen got the impression he wanted to leave as quickly as possible. But there was still so much more she wanted to talk to him about...
'Goodbye, then, Remus,' said Dumbledore, soberly. Lupin shifted the Grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then with a final nod and smile at Harry and Gwen, Lupin left the office.
Gwen hesitated. She stared after him, feeling oddly empty. Dumbledore caught her eye, his own light blue ones twinkling, and smiled knowingly.
'Excuse me,' she said, then followed Professor Lupin.
She caught up to him quite quickly, and fell into step beside him. He did not question her presence.
'Professor,' she said, unsure where to start. 'Where will you go?'
'Home,' said Lupin lightly.
Gwen sighed. 'I can't go home.'
'Why's that?'
Gwen glanced around the empty corridor. 'After what Pett-- Wormtail did. I've-- I've never had real-- I've never--' She took a deep breath. 'I've never had anything concrete to tell me what my parents truly are. I always... I always knew, but-- but there was never anything real to tell me... and then-- when I said my dad's name-- and Pett-- Wormtail--'
She broke off. She didn't need to say anything else. Lupin understood. He smiled down at her.
'Gwen, you are not your parents,' he told her. They were descending the marble staircase now. 'From what I've heard, you've proven that three times now. Who they are does not define you.'
Gwen felt her insides churning. 'But you don't understand, if Voldemort ever comes back, I won't have a choice.'
'Gwen, you always have a choice,' said Lupin, pausing his step. They were in the deserted Entrance Hall. 'You have shown your choices throughout your academic career. You have shown what you stand for and what you believe in. You've proven yourself to be different from them.'
Gwen mulled over his words. He continued walking, and she jogged to catch up.
'But what if-- what if Voldemort does come back? Pett-- Wormtail escaped--' she was speaking in barely more than a whisper, '-- and if he manages to find Voldemort and help bring him back or something, or the other supporters do, I won't have that choice.'
Lupin smiled at her. 'You are not your parents,' he repeated. 'You never once wavered in your position by Harry's side. You've shown yourself to be a true Gryffindor. Your parents were in another house, no?'
'Slytherin,' she said.
'As are your brothers. You changed tradition. You've begun to forge your own legacy.'
Lupin's words echoed in her brain. They were crossing the grounds now. In the distance, Gwen could see the carriage awaiting Lupin's arrival.
'You have a good heart, Gwen,' Lupin said.
'Sometimes I'm not so sure.'
Lupin surveyed her. 'You know, I once knew a boy who went through the exact same thing that you're going through now. He was one of the bravest, kindest, most loyal people I ever met. His family were Voldemort's supporters. He stood his ground. He refused to follow their example.'
'Really?' said Gwen. 'Who was he?'
'Someone you've met,' said Lupin mysteriously. 'It's not my story to tell. Don't let self doubt consume you.' He smiled at her. 'You are stronger than you believe.'
They walked in silence until they reached the gates. Lupin's carriage stood before them, one of those skeletal horses reigned to the front. He placed his suitcase in first, then the empty Grindylow tank.
'Professor?' Gwen said. Lupin turned back. 'Thank you. For everything.'
He smiled. 'Goodbye, Gwen. Remember what I've said. You are not your parents.'
As he climbed into the carriage, Gwen kept her eyes on the mysterious black horse.One more question came to mind.
'Professor,' she said, 'can you see them too?'
Lupin stopped. He looked at her, then followed her gaze to the horse. He looked back at Gwen. 'See what?'
She shook her head. 'Never mind.'
Lupin's eyebrows furrowed, not out of concern, no. He merely looked curious. He sat back in the carriage and the horse pulled away.
Gwen watched the carriage grow smaller and smaller down the dirt track, until it turned down a bend and out of sight.