Chapter 26: The End ( For now)
Normal Pov
When Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Juliunna left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmead visit. Neither of the four felt like going however, so they and wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, Harry lost the thread of the conversation as he looked across to the opposite bank. Where he had cast his first true Patronus and saved Sirius and Hermione from death. A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his table clothed sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them.
"Know I shouldn't feel happy, after what happened last night." He said. "I mean, Black escaping and all, but guess what?" He said.
Juliunna, who looked up with small silver eyes smiled brightly. "What?" She said, already knowing what he was excited about.
"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebrating all night!"
"That's amazing!" Hermione said.
"Yeah… Can't have tied him up properly." Hagrid said, gazing happily out over the grounds. "I was worried this morning… thought he might've met Professor Lupin on the grounds but Lupin says he never ate anything last night…"
"Wait what?!" Harry said quickly.
"Blimey haven't you heard?" Hagrid said, his smile fading a little bit. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight.
"Err, Snape told all the Slytherins this morning… Thought everyone would know by now… Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see? And he was loose on the grounds last night… He's packing now of course-!"
"He's packing?!" Harry said in alarm. "Why?"
"Leaving isn't he?" Hagrid said, looking surprise that Harry had to ask. "Resigned first thing this morning. Says he can't risk it happening again."
Harry scrambled to his feet.
"I'm going to see him-!"
"I'll go with you." Jules yawned, throwing her expensive shawl over her shoulder.
"But if he resigned-!" Hermione said.
"- Doesn't sound like there's anything we can do!" Ron said.
"I don't care. I still want to see him. We'll meet you back here."
…
Lupin's office door was open. He had already packed most of the things. The Grindylows empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk, and looked up only when Juliunna knocked on the door.
"I saw you both coming." Lupin said, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map.
"We just saw Hagrid." Harry said. "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true is it?"
"I'm afraid it is." Lupin said. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.
"Why?!" Juliunna whined. "The Ministee of Mageek dough think you were helping Uncle Sirius do they?" Juliunna said, and Lupin raised a curious eyebrow.
"She's six. Her vocabulary goes on and off." Harry shrugged.
"Ah. Well to answer your question Juliunna, no. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives." He sighed. "That was the final straw with Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he err, accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast.
"You're not leaving because of that?!" Harry said.
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 points. I could have bitten any of you… That must never happen again."
"You're the best Defense against the Dark Arts teacher we ever had!" Juliunna said. "Don't go!" She cried.
Lupin shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harry was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin talked.
"From what the Headmaster told me Harry, you saved a lot of lives last night Harry. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned… Tell me about your Patronus."
"How'd you know about that?" Harry asked.
"What else could have driven the dementors back?"
Harry told Lupin what had happened. When he'd finished, Lupin was smiling again.
"Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed." He said. "You guess right… That's why we called him Prongs."
Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry.
"Here, I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night." He said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. "And…" He hesitated, and then held out the Mauraders map too. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you two, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it.
Harry took the map and grinned.
There was a knock at the door before Juliunna could say anything. When it opened, it was revealed to be whom other then Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Harry and Juliunna.
"Your carriage is at the gate Remus." Dumbledore said.
"Thank you Headmaster."
Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank.
"Well, goodbye Harry, goodbye Juliunna. It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, no need to see me to the gates, I can manage…"
Harry had the impression that Lupin wanted to leave as quickly as possible.
"Goodbye then Remus," Dumbledore said soberly. Lupin shifted the Grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and Juliunna, and a swift smile, Lupin left the office.
Harry sat down in his vacated chair, staring glumly at the door. Juliunna sat down on the desk next to him, but they didn't say anything.
…
Nobody at Hogwarts new the truth of what had happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and Jules. As the end of term approached, Harry heard many different theories about what had really happened but none of them came close to the truth.
Draco was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found a way to smuggle the hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper.
The exam results came out on the last day of term. The Golden Trio and Juliunna had passed every subject. Harry was amazed that he had passed potions. He had a shrewd suspicion that Dumbledore might have stepped in to stop Snape failing him on purpose. Snape's behavior towards Harry over the past week had been quite alarming. Harry wouldn't have thought it possible that Snape's dislike for him could increase, but it certainly had. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at Harry. And he was constantly flexing his fingers, as though itching to place them around Harry's neck.
…
As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Hermione gave Harry , Jules and Ron some surprising news.
"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle studies."
"But you passed your exam." Juliunna cooed.
"I know." Hermione sighed. "But I can't stand another year like this one. That time turner is driving me mad. I've handed it in."
Harry frowned. He was watching Hogwarts disappeared from view behind a mountain. Two whole months before he'd see it again…
"Cheer up Harry." Jules said.
"I'm okay. Just thinking about the holidays."
"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too." Ron said. "Harry, you've got to come and stray with us. It's the Quidditch Cup this summer! How about it Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it. Dad can usually get tickets from work."
"Yay! I'm going too. Daddy's got an invitation from the Minister." Jules said, throwing her hands in the air.
"Cool. So, I guess we won't be seeing you until then." Harry said, but that made Juliunna smile.
"I don't think so." She smirked. "I'll visit you sometime during the summer." She said nonchalantly. Harry looked up with despair.
"I doubt the Dursleys will let you." Harry said.
"Dursley eh," Juliunna said, writing the name down on her hand with a marker.
"I'll make it work. I am a master at manipulation. I am a Slytherin after all." Juliunna smirked, looking out the window.
Hmm, Harry thought excitedly. How nice of her.
Authors Note: Yay! I'm finally done! I'll be making the next book later. Story name to be posted soon.
Love,
BellatrixRemiraBlack