Dirty Dishes

Saucers, plates, and pans with baked on crumbs filled the sink like a tower. Remus Lupin balanced a bowl on the very top, careful not to upset the intricate structure.

The dishes had been there for two weeks, and he was starting to run out of clean ones. Remus couldn't bring himself to washing them and he didn't know why. He had resigned from his teaching job and came back home to his small apartment. Before he left Hogwarts, something happened that changed his whole life. He saw Sirius again.

And not only did he see him; Remus touched him and learned of his innocence. Sirius was innocent. That thought alone brought a glowing smile to Remus's face no matter what he was doing.

To wash the dishes would be to go back to his life before. Remus worked as an accountant in a stuffy Muggle factory. He earned a living, but dealt with numbers all day and hated every second of it. Remus thought that working with pointless numbers harmed his soul and killed his creativity. Every day he woke up, only to do the same tasks that he did the day before. It was so mundane to Remus, who had always fancied a little harmless adventure and loved the outdoors.

In July of last year Remus received an unexpected letter from Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore offered Remus the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Remus readily accepted. It was his dream job, and it sparked his intellect. Being back at Hogwarts brought back healing memories of the past and lighter, happier boyhood days.

But now Remus was back at his old apartment, filled with all his possessions that he had collected over his lifetime. He had quite a large collection of complicated spell books, as well as novels written by famous wizards and witches. Multiple framed people in pictures smiled at him as he walked by the fireplace mantle. There were pictures of Harry, James and Lilly, a younger Remus at Hogwarts graduation, and even a picture of a big black dog balancing a biscuit on his nose. But Remus ignored all of the pictures until he reached the last one. His hands carefully picked up a picture with a sleek wooden frame and he carried it with him to the couch.

Remus sank into the battered brown leather couch and examined the picture. It was of two boys about seventeen. They both smiled enormously and waved happily at him. The taller boy had his arm around the smaller boy with long, light brown hair. Remus remembered the occasion when this picture was taken very well. It was his seventh year at Hogwarts. He and Sirius had just gotten back to the dormitory after a walk on the grounds (or at least that's what they told James and Peter). Lily had her camera out; she wanted to document everything about Hogwarts in her last year there. She saw Remus and Sirius standing together and snapped a quick picture. Lily told Remus later, when she gave him the developed picture, that she had never seen two people so in love. Now that Remus looked at that picture, he agreed.

Three short raps on his door broke Remus from his thoughts about the past. He got up and pulled open the front door. A grey owl flew in and Remus quickly removed the owl's parcel.

"Thank you. Would you like some water before you leave?" Remus tried to coax the owl to take a drink. The owl eyed Remus suspiciously and flew swiftly out the door. Animals never warmed up to Remus; they all sensed something unnatural.

Turning back to the parcel, Remus unfolded a letter. Written carefully on good parchment was a note from Albus Dumbledore. Remus read it quickly.

Dear Remus,

I hope this letter finds you doing well. I still regret the unfortunate situation that prompted your resignation. I know we will find no better teacher than you; however, this is not my reason for writing.

As you know, a friend of yours (who I will not name, should this letter inadvertently lose its way) cannot live openly in public. I know he is currently safe, but he can't stay in the same place for long periods of time. His physical and mental condition doesn't have much room to improve in his life on the run.

I hope that I was not wrong when I suggested to him that he come stay with you. I am willing to help you both financially, and in any other way I can.

Remus, I know that you are the best thing for him right now. The demons of Azkaban do not easily leave, but they can be remedied. I wish you both the very best.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Remus was stunned. Sirius Black, here? They had shared this same apartment many years before. Happy memories of their life together rushed into Remus' head. But so many things had changed. Sirius couldn't possibly still be the same person that he was before.

Remus moved away all his thoughts, pushed up the sleeves to his shirt, and filled the sink with soap and water. He grabbed the first plate and started washing.