Miasma

Miasma

By Dimgwrthien

Friday

The parchments in Remus' pocket were starting to annoy him from their crinkling every time he moved. He had been trying to avoid reading them for a reason he did not know, but he took out the handful by noon and glanced through them. The first one had the list of spells to teach Harry, which Remus decided on starting once he finished reading the others. The second was more torn than before, thin, black ink in cramped handwriting with a blurred address, which Remus set to the side.

Finally, he reached three letters from parents of students from Hogwarts.

The first one was from a woman he recognized, Augusta Longbottom, who was the mother of Frank Longbottom, who Remus knew so well before he went insane. Her handwriting, both loopy and light, read:

Headmaster Dumbledore,

I trust your choices enough to believe that Mr. Lupin would be a fine teacher. I remember meeting him on several occasions also and know that he was a friend of my son’s. Could you pass on my acceptance of him teaching Neville? Neville seems to be getting a slow start with magic, and maybe a change of setting and people could coax something out of him. He could do with proper learning that I am afraid I am unable to give to him at the present time. I'm always free to drop him off on Fridays and Saturdays. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Augusta Longbottom

Remus glanced through the letter again and placed it down on his lap, glancing up to see Harry reading a book he had taken down from a bookshelf.

“What do they say?” Harry asked, seeing that Remus spotted him.

“Just people saying that they want me to tutor their children,” Remus answered, trying his best to mask the hint of pride in his voice. Harry grinned.

“How many?”

“Three.” When he saw the eager look on Harry’s face, he asked, “You want to meet them, don’t you?”

Harry failed just as badly as Remus at hiding his true feelings. “Well, it’s interesting to meet other… people with my talents.”

Remus nodded and glanced at the second letter, which was in a handwriting he did not recognize.

Albus,

Personally, I would never let a werewolf teach my children, but after going to your school for seven years, I have to say that you were always good at choosing teachers. I hope you haven’t lost that talent yet. I think Phoebe might be better off getting some tutoring before her N.E.W.T.s. Tell Lupin that I accept. Phoebe is free on Wednesday for as long as needed, so I hope he's ready to teach her on those days.

Sincerely,

Nick Johnson Jr.

Frowning at the crudely hidden prejudice, Remus set that letter aside. Harry heard the shifting of the parchment, Remus guessed, for he looked up again.

“How did that one go?”

“I’m not sure they’ll like me,” Remus answered lightly.

Mr. Dumbledore,

Whitney, my daughter, is in need of as much tutoring as possible. She’s not doing too well at this point. I see that you are offering a man by the name of Remus Lupin for tutoring. Although wary of this choice, I need someone to teach her while I work. My wife left a while ago, as you know -

Remus did not want to hear of the man’s problems, and skipped to the bottom, to see the surname ‘Wesley’. He placed the final letter on top of the other two and folded them all back up.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” Remus told Harry, getting up and walking into his bedroom. He shrugged out of his robe, taking off his belt and letting his large shirt hang loose on him. He took a slip of parchment from his desk along with a quill and sat down. He wrote a reply to the first person, Augusta. Once he finished, he glanced over the letter again.

Mrs. Longbottom,

It's been a long time since I've spoken to you. The Headmaster has passed your letter on to me, and I would be overjoyed to help work with Neville. I'm free to tutor him at any time you wish, so Fridays and Saturdays would be perfect to tutor Neville. Just send a reply back and this weekend we'll be able to start. Thank you very much for considering this. It means a lot to me.

Yours sincerely,

Remus Lupin

He figured the letter would work for the time being, and took another parchment from the stack before writing a reply to the second and third. He had to suffer through the complaints of Wesley's loss of wife, and had to dig through the schedule he made for himself in self pity. It appeared that on Sundays, he remembered back when his wife and he cooked large meals and made out halfway through cooking. Mondays were when he remembered when his wife left him on a Monday months before, throwing open the door with a "blazing passion" and having her "golden tresses of hair" flat about her face that was "full of rage, and yet so beautiful, pearly tears streaming from her chocolate brown eyes." Tuesdays were when he remembered going to the beach with her and swimming with her in some distant country, while, "I forgot", Thursdays were the days in which his could give up his daughter to learn.

On the second reply, however, Remus froze. The girl would be free on Wednesday, which was less than two days after the full moon. Remus had no clue how long he would take to heal after testing the potion, and replied that the time was subject to change, depending on several matters. He felt that was enough to say to the man, and sent the letters off.

He placed down the quill again, stretching and glancing around. It was nearing one already. He got up, walking back to where Harry was and asked, "Do you want lunch now?" before taking out two plates and opening the ice box. He glanced in. "Would you like sandwiches?"

Harry stood up and walked over. "Sure," he answered, helping Remus get out several ingredients. He directed his wand to the knives, getting them to start chopping the lettuce and tomatoes before getting the rest out by hand. Harry and he made their sandwiches rather fast, sitting down to eat within minutes.

"When are you going to be teaching them?" Harry asked, still apparently amazed at the fact that he would soon be meeting other magical children.

"Phoebe is coming Wednesday, Whitney on Thursday, and Neville on Friday and Saturday," Remus recited, looking up as he tried to remember their names and the dates. "Phoebe is sixteen or seventeen, I'm guessing, Whitney is fourteen or fifteen, and Neville is a day older than you."

Harry brightened up at the mention of Neville being only a day older. "Have you met the last one? Neville?"

"I haven't actually met him, but I knew his parents," Remus answered, picking up a fallen tomato slice. "Your parents knew them, too." He glanced over the table to Harry, who started putting down his sandwich, listening intently. "I'll make you a deal," Remus said to Harry, placing down his own sandwich. "We're going to head down to Diagon Alley when we're done, get you a wand, and then we're heading back here. For every spell you learn, I'll tell you anything you want about your parents to the best of my knowledge."

Harry grinned widely, more so than Remus had ever seen on his thin face, and gobbled down the rest of his sandwich as fast as he could. Remus smiled and tried to finish just as fast. When they were both done, Remus got the dishes to start washing themselves and got the Floo Powder again.

"Sorry, Harry, but it's the only way to get their fast for now."

Harry grimaced and took the powder, throwing it in and disappearing with a sharp cry of the name. Remus followed, and repeated the process, finding himself covered in a bit of ash behind Harry, who was wiping his glasses.

"I really hate that," Harry muttered, fixing the glasses on his nose. He glanced around. "Where are we?"

"This is the Leaky Cauldron," Remus answered, looking around at the full bar. "That's Tom, the inn-keeper."

The old man smiled at them when he saw them enter and waved. Remus waved back, leading Harry to the backdoor. He saw the brick wall before them and said to Harry, "You get into Diagon Alley through this. You just..." He reached up and tapped several bricks, then watched them moved around to form a magnificent archway that he remembered seeing when going to buy his own Hogwarts supplies.

Harry stared at the arch, mouth open, then saw what was beyond it. His jaw dropped more and Remus smiled to himself. He led the boy down the busy street, leading the way to the near back, right-hand shop, seeing the single wand in the window. "You can look around after this. We just need to hurry."

Luckily, Harry did not ask why. Remus assumed he was smart enough to catch what was going on.

They entered, the musty smell of wood and dirt filling their nostrils. Harry walked up the counter, hands in his pockets and glancing at the shelves of wand cases while Remus stood behind him.

Reaching out a hand, Remus grabbed Harry's shoulder, squeezing it gently, hoping to ease the boy's anxiety.

It was then that Ollivander appeared, large grey eyes staring them down in the shadows. "Welcome, Mr. Potter, Mr. Lupin. I heard the news that Mr. Potter was with you," he said to Remus. Remus nodded, remembering the Daily Prophet. "He's here very early. The Headmaster told me he would be coming at this early age. It's a pleasure to see you again after all these years. Twelve inches, oak, with unicorn hair, I believe. Very good for charms, sturdy make." Remus nodded. "And, Mr. Potter, your parents -"

Remus listened to him list of Lily and James' wand makes, listing the characteristics of them. He waited through Ollivander's measurements of Harry, and watched with mild amusement as the wands showed no acceptance of Harry. He waved them around until they were snatched from his hand, then replaced with another. Remus took to watching the people outside the window after about four wands. Finally, he heard something - not quite a sound, but more the feeling of a sound passing by his ears. He turned in time to see the red and gold sparks shoot from Harry's wand and disappear before they hit the ground.

Ollivander grinned and yelled out, "Bravo! Well done, Mr. Potter." Remus smiled despite himself and Harry turned to him, raising the wand with a look of triumph. "Very well done, however curious it may be."

"What's curious?" Harry asked, his smile starting to fade.

"I remember every wand I have ever sold in my life," he explained. "Each wand is different you see, though sometimes elements from the wand match, such as the same yew tree's wood. However, the phoenix who has their tail feather in your wand gave one other feather, only one, and it resides in the wand of he who gave you that scar." He pointed to Harry's forehead and Remus felt his hands tighten around his other behind his back. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches, yes, phoenix tail feather. The wand always chooses the wizard, remember that. I think that everyone can expect plenty of great things from you. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible, but very great."

Harry's brow was furrowed. He did not say anything however, and Remus dug in his pocket for the money and handed it over before guiding Harry back into the bright street.

"That was weird," Harry said as they exited. Remus was holding his shoulder and had a hand on his wand, just in case. Ollivander's mention of Voldemort reminded him of the threat that followed Harry everywhere he walked, no matter now protected. Remus nodded and saw that Harry had taken to looking around once again. His eyes landed on the brooms in Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Wizards do use brooms?" he asked, craning his head to see it again.

"Yes," Remus answered. "For traveling and a game called 'Quidditch'."

"How's Quidditch work?"

"There are two teams, seven players each. There's a Keeper, who blocks the goals -" Remus spent the entire walk back to the Leaky Cauldron explaining how Quidditch is played, trying to remember the games he watched James play back at school. "You father played on a House team at school. Chaser." Harry smiled.

"Neat! Can I be on a House team?"

"Once you're at school and know how to play," Remus told him, also grinning. "I have a feeling you will have inherited that talent from your father." The bar was still rather crowded, and Remus led Harry into the front of the room, watching him disappear from view through the fireplace. He followed yet again, wondering if a day would come when he would not have to use Floo Powder.

Harry was already waving his wand around, looking at every inch of it, amazed by the wood, it seemed. "Can we start now?" he asked eagerly. Remus nodded and pulled out his own wand. "Accio parchment," he said clearly, and the parchment Dumbledore had given him zoomed towards him. He caught it with his left hand and soothed it out on the table.

"First, it looks like, I should show you Apparation. Well, Side-Along, you're too young to actual Apparate. It's simple," he explained to Harry. "It makes you appear somewhere else. For this, all you have to do is grip my arm. Should we try it?" Harry nodded, obviously too eager to try magic for words. "Tightly, please. I haven't done Side-Along in a long time." Remus closed his eyes, concentrating on a spot just outside the house, then started a turn while stepping forward, feeling Harry still o his arm. He took in a breath before he felt himself jammed into a tunnel, traveling fast, before hitting the ground again and ending the turn. Harry was still on his arm, which was lucky, as he fell forward and was able to get his balance back.

"That - that was..." Harry gasped, staring wildly around. "That was almost as bad as Floo Powder, no offence." Remus smiled.

"Apparation is the fastest way of travel, though it's the hardest and takes the longest to get used to. Just between the two of us, I almost tried to fail my test, I hated it so much as first." Harry gave him a weak grin. "Should we try once more? Back to the front door? We won't be able to Apparate inside with the charm," he said in a low undertone. Harry grabbed his arm again, and Remus concentrated on the wooden front door, finding himself there seconds later. He tapped the door with his wand, hearing a chain fall and a trace of sound from spells being broken through, then entered, sealing the door again.

"You've mastered that, I'd say," Remus told him.

"I didn't really do anything," Harry answered, shrugging and sitting on a chair. Remus perched himself on the edge of the table.

"However, it's an important skill. And I believe I told you that for every spell you mastered, I'd tell you something about your parents." He placed down his wand and glanced at Harry.

"What were my parents like, personality-wise, I mean?" Harry asked.

Remus chewed this over. "Your mother - she was witty and charming, I'd say. She was kind to friends and strangers, but when someone got on her nerves, she was quick on her feet, able to think up anything in the world. Very talented, too. Your father. He was... a trouble-maker, no doubt about it. All four of us were," he said with a smile. "But James was the one with the ideas and able to carry out any plan, no matter how hard or strange. I think that's why they clicked together. I would not be surprised to find you able to think up a world of possibilities in a second."

Harry smiled.

"Next spell time, I think," Remus said to Harry, glancing at the list. Body-Bind Curse. It stops the other person from moving by freezing them, really." Remus picked up his wand from the table. "The incantation is Petrificus Totalus," he said. "And you move the wand like this." He gave the wand a jabbing sort of motion, though pointed upward. "Try it on me once I move over here." He moved in front of the couch, which was sure to break his fall.

Harry raised the wand, making the jabbing motion rather violently, and saying, "Petricifus Totalus!" loudly. Remus did not feel his limbs snap together.

"It's Petrificus," he told Harry. Try again. And smoother motions may help, too."

"Petrificus Totalus," Harry said, jabbing the wand slower, concentrating on the upwards movement. Remus started to feel a bit stiff, and his arms would not move, though he was still able to walk. 'I must look like a penguin,' he thought, smiling to himself.

"Well done!" he told Harry. "It's not fully done, but that's better than most tries I've seen. Concentrate on freezing me, not just the motions. It takes a split mind to perform some spells. After a while it will be more natural."

"Petrificus Totalus," Harry murmured again, this time quietly, eyes narrowed on Remus, obviously concentrating as much as possible. Remus felt his legs snap together this time, leaving him to fall onto the couch, feeling his head make contact with the hard top of it. He was unable to close his eyes against the pain, and was motionless on the ground.

Harry rounded around him, looking scared, already with his wand dropped in fright. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Should I do anything?"

Remus tried to shake his head and tell him he was fine and that the spell worked, but he could not move at all.

"Is there anything to stop it?" Harry asked. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Remus tried to grin again. Within minutes, Harry had taken to sitting next to where Remus had fallen, watching him, curled up in a ball. Another few minutes passed, and Remus felt an ease over his fingers, and started to move them. When he face became unfrozen, he was left there, still, his legs frozen.

"Well done," he said to Harry, clearing his throat. He hated the feeling after coming out of the jinx. He felt sore an cramped up for at least an hour after it wore off. "I say you've managed that one rather well. I suggest trying it more to make sure you can get it on the first try rather than the third." He shook his legs, getting the last of the feeling of numbness off. "Try it again."

"First," Harry said to him, "is there a way to make it come off faster."

Remus smiled, glad that he asked. "Finite," he answered. "Same wand movements."

Harry raised his wand, using the Body-Bind Curse once more, getting Remus full-on this time. He walked next to him, making the same motions, muttering, "Finite" under his breath several times before Remus felt himself move again.

"Very good, Harry!" he said. "Excellent. I think you've got that spell down perfectly. Keep this up and I think we could have the basics own within two days! Possibly less!" He was smiling widely, proud of what Harry had managed so far. "What would you like to know this time?"

"The truth," Harry answered, staring him down. "I want to know full details of the night my parents died."