Ebb and Flow

Hogwarts, September 1, 1993

***

Black and cloudy, Althea thought disappointedly, as she gazed up at the Great Hall sky. You'd think they'd charm it to a more impressive sky, especially on an evening such as this. Soon students would file into the Great Hall and the celebration of the new school year would begin. New students sorted into their Houses--all eager, excited, and scared at the possibilities before them. Althea sighed and remembered her sorting--how anxious and unprepared she was for it. I was convinced it was an exam, she thought, smiling weakly as she fiddled with the hem of her sleeve. What relief I felt when I saw that I only had to wear a hat.... I'm still surprised I didn't faint.... Oh, the poor girl, she had just as little preparation as me.

This was the year. The year her dream to see a particular first-year student would be fulfilled. A student she had been waiting almost twelve years to see. I wonder which House Prudence will be sorted to, she thought, looking at the empty House tables before her. I must remember not to show extra emotion--don't you dare begin to cry! No matter how much I want to run and hold her, only a polite clap will do. Althea patted the robe pocket with the empty vial. This mild Sedative Potion should help, I hope.

The chair next to Althea produced a loud creaking noise as it scuffed across the floor; the noise broke her from her thoughts and she jumped slightly. She turned her head toward the moved chair and smiled warmly. Standing to her left was Remus Lupin--tall, somewhat handsome but his expression tired, and with grey interspersed in his light brown hair. The robes Althea had insisted on buying him on his last visit were tattered and worn, probably from his travels for he never took care of his clothes. Look at that horribly mended sleeve, she thought as she stood to hug him. I told him not wear these robes during a field study, but does he listen? Of course, he doesn't listen. It had been almost two years since their last meeting, and much too long for her. He never spent long enough at one place for her to visit.

Althea felt Remus laugh. "Althea, Althea, you can let go of me now," he whispered, rubbing her back.

"No," she murmured, holding him tighter. "It's been so long since I last saw you, almost two years."

"It has been too long," he replied, loosening her arms. "Oh, don't frown. Think of all the years we will have together here," he continued and pinched her nose. "You'll tire of me."

"I could never tire of you," she replied as the other professors filed into the Great Hall--the students would soon arrive. "You know, we had a nice 'Welcome, Professor Lupin' party without you. Professor Sinistra almost drank an entire bottle of wine--oh, look! She collided with her chair!" she continued and covered her mouth to suppress a giggle.

"Not as funny as the time James snuck Firewhiskey into Flitwick's tea," Remus commented casually, looking toward Sinistra. He laughed quietly and shook his head. "Here," he continued, offering Althea her chair.

"Thank you," she replied, sitting. "Why did you take the Hogwarts Express?"

"Oh," he began slowly as he sat, "I had some business to attend to in London."

"London," she murmured to herself and suddenly her eyes grew wide. "Did you see her?" she asked excitedly, resting her hand on his forearm. "Did you see her on the train?"

Remus shook his head. "No, not her," he answered, furrowing his eyebrows. "I saw Harry," he continued, leaning back in his chair. "God, he looks like James."

I remember the first time I saw him, she thought, stroking Remus's forearm. I almost fell out of my chair. I've had two years to grow accustomed to his face; now, Remus must do so as well.

"It was unnerving the first time I saw him," she replied as Remus placed his hand over hers. "The faculty and staff all took a collective breath when he entered."

"Thankfully, I was asleep for most of the journey," he replied and laughed hollowly.

Althea perceived his exhaustion--a full moon had just passed. "Are you taking care of yourself? How was the last...you know?" she insinuated, inspecting him further--he was very thin.

"Oh you know...the same," he answered and sighed, gently patting her hand. "However, now I have a Potions Master, so things should be looking up," he explained, attempting to sound cheerful. "I'll have the potion every month instead of every two or three."

Althea looked in the direction of Snape, who was looking at the two of them with the utmost loathing. She rolled her eyes out of disgust and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. When Dumbledore hired Althea as the Muggle Studies professor six years ago, Snape was the only member of the faculty vocally to oppose his decision. He never wasted a moment to tell Althea so, and the dislike was mutual. Althea did her best to avoid him unless it was necessary--she never had much use for the dungeons. After Remus was fired from his last teaching job, Althea brought his teaching skills to the attention of Dumbledore--who was in need of a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Dumbledore happily agreed--as did most of the faculty--to hire Remus for the position. The only vote not to hire was Snape.

"Althea, I know he was the only vote no," Remus said with a faint smile. "He told me himself before I came into the Great Hall. He seemed to enjoy telling me, too."

"I'm not surprised. He did enjoy telling me how awful you were during the faculty meeting, and when I disagreed--"

"Tell me, you didn't hex him," Remus interrupted, massaging his left temple.

"I didn't, but I should have," she replied, folding her arms. "Oh, the things he said! I'm just the Muggle Studies professor so I shouldn't have a say--how awful!"

"He's never thought highly of Muggles--"

"I guarantee no Muggle would ever think highly of him," she interrupted, kicking her heel against the floor. "Honestly, I wouldn't trust him with brewing the potion," she remarked, continuing to kick her heel against the floor. "I wouldn't trust him with anything."

"Become a Potions Mistress and then you could brew the potion," he replied and laughed as Althea frowned--her heel slamming against the floor. "Anyway, how has he been treating you?" he asked, moving closer.

"Oh, like always--barely civil," she explained, moving closer. "He's increased the asides and insinuations since Sirius escaped," she explained, unfolding her arms, "but I've come to ignore it...mostly."

Remus's complexion became paler as he nervously cleared his throat. "You--you haven't heard anything from him?" he asked, solemnly looking into her eyes.

"Oh God no! He thinks I'm dead, and I'd like it to stay that way," she said emphatically, herself growing lightheaded at the thought he'd know she was alive. "Have you?" she asked, resting her hand on his forearm.

"No, thankfully," he answered, placing his hand atop hers. "I'm afraid I wouldn't be much help to him; however, Snape seems to think otherwise. He has already begun with the caustic remarks. He said that what a coincidence it was that Sirius escaped and now I am at Hogwarts," he explained with perceptible bitterness.

How dare he think Remus had anything to do with Sirius's escape, she thought and clenched her teeth. Remus despises him just as much as I do! No, Sirius escaped without help. He has no one to help him, no one who cares about him now.

"Did he say he would be watching you?" she asked, taking her goblet into her hands. She took a sip and frowned. "Wine? I took that bloody sedative," she remarked, shaking her head.

"Sedative? Althea--"

"I didn't want to look mental for Prudence's Sorting Ceremony," she said, wrinkling her nose at her goblet. "It was a small vial...non-addictive and nothing to worry about."

Remus gave her a wary look.

"Oi!" she demanded, slamming her hand against the table. "Pumpkin juice!" Althea's goblet disappeared and a new goblet--filled with pumpkin juice--appeared. "Thank you!" she added and took a sip of pumpkin juice. "Obviously, confused my chair with Sinistra's," she muttered, placing her goblet on the table. "She does love to celebrate."

"I'll remember that, but I see he's already given you the speech," Remus replied calmly, and took a sip from his goblet.

Their conversation was interrupted by the laughter and banter of the students as they entered the Great Hall. Moments later the first-years entered and proceeded toward the front of the Great Hall. Althea searched the crowd of first-years for her welcomed student. Then she saw her--toward the middle of the crowd--next to a girl with straight blonde hair. Althea's heart beat wildly and her blood vessels constricted--causing her arms to ache. She bit her lip and attempted to hold back tears as she inspected her. She was tall for her age, slender, with long black curls--just like her mother. She is absolutely beautiful, she thought, refusing to remove her eyes from Prudence. Prudence whispered something to the girl with blonde hair, causing the blonde-haired girl to giggle. She looked so calm, so confident, so unlike Althea at her Sorting Ceremony.

The Sorting Hat sang its song for the new year and she waited as Professor Flitwick called out each first-year student's name. After each student was called, Althea's anxiousness intensified--she would be called soon. Damn it, get on with it, she thought, as her body tensed as Professor Flitwick read the name before hers--Prudence would be next. Finally, Althea would be close to her--closer to her than she had been those past twelve years.

"Parker, Prudence Rosemary," Professor Flitwick read aloud.

Althea sat up straight in her chair, the color quickly draining from her face as Prudence confidently walked toward the stool. They kept her name. How wonderful that they kept her name, she thought, as Prudence cheerfully hopped upon the stool. She held the sides of the chair, suppressing the overwhelming urge to stand and hug Prudence--to divulge the circumstances of her birth and her regret. She had to remain calm--Prudence did not know and it would destroy her.

Althea took a deep breath to maintain her composure. "It's..." she began, but could not bring herself to finish her sentence.

Remus's eyes enlarged. "I understand," he said, looking at Prudence with the same amount of wonder. "God," he breathed with a faint smile.

Suddenly, the Sorting Hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Althea clasped Remus's hand, holding it tightly in hers. Prudence leapt from the stool, smiling--her white teeth gleaming--and her grey eyes sparkling, just like her father.