The Waning Gibbous

"He's a werewolf!" A panicked shout emanated from somewhere at the Hufflepuff table. The outraged Gryffindors all stood up, ready to contribute to a shouting match; the Ravenclaws were divided; half were cowering, and half were on their feet with the Gryffindors; and the Slytherins simply snickered and whispered sneering conversations amongst themselves. The newly re-instated Professor Lupin simply stared at the edging on his dinner plate. Headmaster Dumbledore, as calm as ever, motioned for quiet, and for once was ignored. The Great Hall settled down only when Professor Severus Snape spoke.

"He is safe. A draught which I prepare for him on a monthly basis makes him perfectly able to teach and to safely live at Hogwarts." With a flourish of his sweeping black robe, he sat down again. The Great Hall was silent. Dumbledore took this quiet opportunity to continue on to other Start of Year business.

"As always, students, remember that the Forbidden Forest is off-limits, or in other words, forbidden...."

At the completion of the Start of Year Feast, Harry rushed towards the Staff table to greet Remus Lupin. Ron and Hermione had to carry out their Prefect responsibilities, and so, had left Harry on his own at the Gryffindor table to finish his dinner. Once Harry finished picking at the food on his plate, he decided to welcome his friend back. Pushing his way through the clamoring crowds, he had just about reached the Head table, but stopped when he saw Lupin talking quietly with Snape. Inching closer, wishing that he had some of Fred and George's Extendible Ears on, he strained his hearing to listen in on their conversation. Snape looked like he'd rather be anywhere else on the planet. Lupin, too, Harry realized, but Lupin put out his hand. Harry caught the last bit of their conversation.

"I wasn't sticking up for you, Remus," Snape spat. "I was merely standing up for my own ability to brew a draught," Snape said coldly, ignoring the proffered hand. He spun on his heel and stalked away.

Lupin put his hand down, turned his head and saw Harry. A smile broke out on his face as Harry came over to say hi. Lupin clapped Harry on the shoulder and beamed down at him. "How've you been doing, Harry?" he asked quietly.

Harry half-shrugged. He recalled his summer quickly. "The Dursleys were alright. They were almost half-way to treating me like a normal person. Which is a big improvement. Otherwise..." Harry shrugged again.

Lupin nodded soberly. After clapping Harry on the shoulder once more, he said quietly, "Come to my office later, we'll talk." Then Remus Lupin moved on to the rest of the students who had come to welcome him back. Harry watched him for a few moments, admiring the way he patiently talked with everyone. Harry didn't really want to go to Lupin's office to talk about Sirius (which he was sure the conversation was going to turn to sooner or later). But, as Harry stood there, he looked over and saw Ron and Hermione meeting with all of the other Prefects. 'It's going to be a lonely year,' he thought, watching them. Sighing, he peered over at Lupin again, who was still talking to a third year Hufflepuff. Lupin suddenly looked up, straight at Harry, and smiled kindly. Harry grinned back, thinking that perhaps this year wouldn't be so lonely. He decided that he would go over to Lupin's office, after all.

"Harry!" Remus smiled as he stuck his head out of his office door. Harry smiled back at him, as he stepped into the dimly lit room, and moved to close the door behind him.

"You can leave it open. The air is so musty in here. I don't who they had in this office last, but..." Remus shook his head, and flicked his wand, sending several books and papers flying off of the cushy green couch and onto their proper places on the bookshelf. "Please sit down. Would you like something? Tea?"

Harry, who had been gazing around the small room, fascinated, flapped his hand and shook his head. "No, thanks, Professor."

"Harry, you don't have to call me that." Remus' eyes twinkled. "It makes me feel old," he said as he poured a cup of tea for himself. Holding the steaming teapot up, he asked again, "You sure?"

"Yeah, thanks." Harry's eyes roved the room as Remus lowered himself onto the easychair closest to Harry's spot on the couch and placed his sneakered feet up on the small table in front of them. "So, er... How was your summer?" Harry asked after a few silent moments.

Remus smiled and shook his head. "Molly Weasley is going to be the death of me." He fingered one of the hardly visible stitches in his shabby robes. "She spends her spare time mending all of my robes, lecturing me on laundry and darning. She's also taught me a neat little charm to take wrinkles out. Obviously, I couldn't be bothered to use it." Remus flicked at his sleeve as he laughed kindly. "She's a wonderful cook, and insists on me eating three times as much as anyone else. She almost takes better care of me than her own kids!" Harry looked at Remus, and noticed for the first time that he actually appeared healthy.

"You look good." Harry closed his mouth with a snap. "I mean, healthy. Er... Mrs. Weasley treats everyone well. I'm one of her adopted, too," he hurried on.

Remus held his large mug in one hand and extended the other to Harry, as if to meet him for the first time. "So nice to make your acquaintance, Harry Weasley."

It took Harry a moment, but he responded in kind, shaking Remus' hand. "And yours, Remus Weasley." He grinned broadly as Remus chuckled and slurped his tea.

"Have you talked to Ron much?" Remus asked after their comfortable silence wore out.

"No. We didn't get much time at dinner. He and Hermione both needed to be on the Prefects' car on the train. Then after the Feast tonight, they had another meeting." Harry sighed, his fears that it was going to be another long year resurfacing. 'At least this year, we'll have a proper Defense teacher.' He smiled at that thought and Remus caught it, smiling back with a raised eyebrow. Harry continued his slow examination of the interesting room from his spot on the couch, embarrassed that Remus had seen him smiling. "Nothing. Just thinking."

"Mmm-hmm." Remus blew on his tea for a bit, smirking. Another comfortable pause spun out. Harry scrutinized the bookshelves.

Remus stared up at the ceiling, and Harry noticed for the first time the window that was there. But it wasn't a window. It looked a lot like one, but the night outside was overcast. This "window" showed the moon as bright as it would be on a clear winter's night; crisp and white. It was centered in the window, unmoving. Remus' voice startled Harry as he stared at the moon. "It's the Waning Gibbous, the phase of the moon just after Full, and just before Last Quarter. The window doesn't show the actual moon. Tonight is cloudy, and the moon is just above the eastern horizon now. This window, courtesy Headmaster Dumbledore, lets me see the phase of the moon at any time. Very useful."

"Oh." Harry looked at the bright circle, taking in its markings, the cratered areas and the brighter ridges and flat regions.

Remus pointed. "That dark area, there, that's Oceanus Procellarum. The Ocean of Storms. To its right is Mare Serenitatis, the Sea of Serenity. It's funny, don't you think?"

Puzzled, Harry looked over at Remus, whose eyes were trained on the moon. He was smiling, but it was a sad smile, the light of the moon casting a steady light on his upturned face. Harry said quietly, "I don't understand, Profe-- Remus." Remus continued his study of the moon, but he chuckled a bit.

"Sorry, Harry. I was just thinking out loud. The Ocean of Storms is much larger than the Sea of Serenity. That's just the way life seems right now. There are little pockets of happiness, nearly overshadowed by sadness and strife." Remus sipped a bit more of his tea, then set the mug back in its precarious position on the arm of the chair before apologizing. "I'm sorry. I invited you here because you looked depressed, so I should be the one cheering you up, not dragging you down."

"It's okay."

"No, it isn't." Remus looked at Harry. "The last thing you need is to visit with someone who is as depressed as you are."

Harry turned away, trying to find something to look at, anything at all. He bit his lip as anger welled in him and he stared furiously up at the moon. The shining brilliance mocked the rage that he felt. There was nothing else to look at though; he could only meet the steady gaze of Remus. Finally, after a struggle, Harry exploded.

"What makes you think that you know what I need and don't need? Why does everyone patronize me? No one thinks that I can handle anything myself, even the simple little things of daily life! I'm so sick of being coddled and babied! How was my summer? It was great! The Dursleys let me brush my teeth by myself!" Harry ranted until his throat hurt. He sank back into the couch and stared at Remus' feet on the table in front of him. Remus followed his gaze and put his feet on the floor, leaning forward to intercept Harry's line of sight. When Harry finally looked at him, Remus smiled sadly.

"I know, Harry. I know that you can handle yourself. You are a very talented wizard, and a wonderful person. I know that people tend to be overprotective of you, and I'm sorry for coming across that way. I don't mean to patronize you." Remus sat back in the easychair and picked up his now-empty tea mug.

Harry, now feeling like a complete ass, muttered an apology. Remus seemed not to notice, busying himself by pouring a new mug of tea. When Remus finally sat down, Harry said again that he was sorry. Remus heard it this time. "I understand, Harry. Believe me. Everyone has to vent once in a while, and quite frankly, I'm surprised you haven't done so sooner. I understand." This last was said so sincerely that Harry was stunned.

"How could you understand?" Harry whispered.

"Dumbledore told me (and some of your other teachers) to expect this," Remus said simply, and upon seeing Harry's expression, he hurriedly added, "And no, Severus wasn't one of them." He stopped to take a sip of his tea, while Harry felt his anger rising again. "And I also understand because you weren't the only one who lost a friend this summer." Remus said quietly.

Harry felt as though he had just been plunged into a cold lake; his body felt numb and he couldn't take a breath. His anger dissipated as he realized his selfishness. Overwhelmed, he put his head in his hands and wept. He soon felt a warm hand on his shoulder. It was very comforting, and Harry leaned into it. He wrapped his arms around his middle and let the tears slide down his face. When he looked up, Remus had a pained expression on his face. "Oh, Remus, I'm sorry! I should go!" Harry leapt up off of the couch and was starting for the door when he was pulled into a tight hug.

Remus said into his ear in a tight voice, "It's alright, Harry! Let it out." Hearing the tears in Remus' voice, Harry's resolve failed, and he broke down, sobbing into Remus' warm shoulder. He cried for several minutes before he was able to talk.

"I miss him. I hate them for doing this to me. They've taken nearly everyone that I care about!" Harry said into Remus' shoulder. Remus only patted Harry's shoulders. Harry pulled back and was saddened to see that Remus had been crying, too. His jaw clenched and he put his arms around Remus again, and they held each other, standing there for close to an hour; Harry's temple against Remus' cheekbone. He felt Remus' tears falling into his hair. When he shifted back after a while, Remus put his forehead on Harry's and they stared at each other for countless minutes.

When their lips met, it was a relief for Harry. Troubles seemed to melt away, and all Harry did was enjoy the soft warmth that met his mouth.