Author's Note: Here it is—finally complete. It only took me how many years? This chapter was a little more cheery than I had planned—and I'm not sure I like how happy this ended (I had to rush myself a bit or it wouldn't have ever been complete), but I suppose my readers deserve a semi-hopeful ending after waiting so long for it. Who knows, maybe someday I will write a sequel or (let's not get too crazy) even finish some of my other stories. Thank you to everyone for the reviews! You are amazing!

Epilogue

Remus waved his wand and his truck squeaked closed with a pathetic finality. That was it, then. He had survived his final week as substitute Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Then why did it feel like he had utterly failed? As he made his way down to the entrance hall, the excitement of the Christmas holidays was definitely in the air, yet he felt in no way cheery.

This was not his first "final walk" through the castle. As he made his way down the long series of stairs, his trunk levitating in front of him, Remus was reminded of a time over a decade earlier when he, James, Sirius, and Peter had walked this same way, laughing and wondering at what the future would hold for them. Remus would never have guessed that he would be where he was today. Poor, old, and incredibly lonely. Then again, his friends' lives hadn't exactly turned out how they expected either, but that was a road of thought he couldn't bear to go down at the moment.

"Ah, Remus, there you are," said Professor Dumbledore as Remus finally reached the entrance hall. "Thought you could slip away without saying goodbye, I take it."

"I've never been very good at goodbyes," said Remus a little glumly. Dumbledore nodded in understanding. Remus reached into his robe pockets and pulled out a piece of parchment.

"I was going to owl this to you later, but I suppose now is as good a time as any," he said, taking Dumbledore's hand and shaking it. "I want to thank you for giving me a chance, Professor. I know I wasn't the best choice, but I appreciate your continued confidence in me."

"It hasn't been all bad, surely," Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling slightly. "I've heard nothing but praise regarding your teaching."

"I've made several mistake which I—"

"Remus," Dumbledore held up a hand and Remus fell silent. "We have all made mistakes. It is what we learn from those mistakes which is most important. And above all, we must have hope."

Remus nodded in understanding, accepted Dumbledore's wish of good luck and a happy Christmas, and made his way through the doors of Hogwarts, not at all understanding what his old headmaster was trying to say. But, if he were to be honest, that was something he had come to expect.

Laughter filled the courtyard as students from all houses enjoyed the last few hours before they would be whisked off on the Hogwarts Express for the holidays. Dodging snowballs and stepping around a myriad of snowmen, Remus only hesitated slightly as he noticed a group of Hufflepuff girls hovering in the corner of the courtyard, their laughter filling the air as they worked to finish a particularly large snow person bearing a remarkable resemblance to the Fat Friar. He caught her eye for only a moment, and then looked away quickly. That was all he would allow himself, and it was much more than he had done since that fateful encounter on the full moon. He had not looked at her, not spoken to her... It would have to be enough.

"Professor Lupin," several voices called, and Remus found himself suddenly surrounded by that same group of Hufflepuffs.

"Are you leaving?" Cooper asked curiously, patting her gloved hands together to remove some of the snow.

"Yes, I'm afraid I am," said Remus hesitantly.

"Well, good luck!" another Hufflepuff girl said as she skipped back to their snowman.

"Yes, you were a great teacher," said Lola, joining her friends as they made their way back to their corner. Remus shook his head, smiling slightly until he noticed that not all of the girls had quite so short an attention span.

Her mousy hair was barely concealed under her hat, but there was no mistaking that disappointed look.

"Ms. Tonks," said Remus, nodding his head in acknowledgement and completely unsure of what else to say.

"Wotcha Remus," said Tonks daringly in reply. Had she ever said his name before? He wasn't sure…but it sounded almost wonderful, the way she said it, even if her tone was as cold as the snow falling around them.

When Remus didn't reply, Tonks turned to join her friends. She was only a few steps away when she turned back. He was still watching her intently, ever curious as to what she would do next. She was still a mystery to him.

"I can't help holding out hope for you, you know."

"I know," said Remus, understanding more than she knew. "But it's no good."

"So you say," said Tonks with a nod.

"Tonks!" her friends beckoned to her.

"In a mo'!" she said, rolling her eyes and smiling. She was smiling when she looked back at him, the first time he had seen her smile in weeks. It was the first time he had really looked at her in weeks, and he was already reeling from it.

Another moment passed, and still he stood there, waiting for who knows what, one hand holding his wand, levitating his trunk mere inches off the snowy ground.

"In a few months, I won't be a student anymore."

Remus sighed. "It's a lot more complicated than that, Ms. Tonks."

"We'll see. It's a small world we live in," said Tonks, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face. Remus couldn't help but notice that it was a faint shade of pink. "Perhaps we'll run into one another in Diagon Alley or something."

"Perhaps," Remus allowed, and Tonks's smile gave him hope that maybe someday she would forgive him. He sighed and looked at his watch. "Happy Christmas, Tonks. I'd better be going."

"I'll see you around," Tonks promised.

As he made his way down the path to the gates of Hogwarts, Remus couldn't help but hope that Tonks was right. Raising his wand arm and quickly entering the Knight Bus, Remus allowed himself to truly smile for the first time in weeks. Yes, he was currently unemployed, it was the holidays and he had nowhere to go…but it was a small world he lived in. As Dumbeldore had said, he had to have hope. And right now, Remus Lupin had hope that anything could happen.