Phases of the Moon

"And I landed here, you took the fall. It's funny how the backdoors swing on call. And the lessons I've learned, end in depressed. Is it the same way with you, my friend?"

-- "Scared of Me", Plankeye

Chapter Four:

Phases of the Moon, The Warning

Two days later, after his very close incident with Hermione, Remus returned to work. He entered the Great Hall on a dull, bleak Wednesday morning looking very drained, but glad to be back.

"Glad to see you back, Remus," Snape sneered icily as Remus took his seat. Remus's hair was graying more quickly, and he shot the Potions Master a cool glance. He had a bone to pick with him, anyway.

"Wonderful of you to make me my potion. However, I do believe you had some fun with it this time? I nearly attacked an old...alumni, shall I say. Either you're losing your touch or trying to kill us all." Remus smirked.

Snape knew; he always knew. He'd somehow known of Hermione's appearance, and well, it didn't matter what else. Snape always knew.

"Why, Remus. I daresay such accusations are beneath me. You aren't supposed to be in the Shrieking Shack, you know," Snape mumbled, taking a sip of his goblet.

The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor knew he should reply with some witty one liner, but with Dumbledore taking his seat next to him, Professor Lupin knew that he'd better not address the issue now.

Dumbledore's silver hair brightened up the room, although not much. His seat was at the center of the Staff Table, and he carried on a brief conversation with Hagrid before turning to Remus.

"Do you have any class now?" he said out of the corner of his mouth. The professor looked up from his sausage and eggs, mildly surprised.

"I have the Fourth year Ravenclaws but I don't have any class after them until after lunch...Then it's the Sixth Year Gryffindors," Remus said, slightly taken aback. The wise professor set down his cutlery.

He took a sideways glance at the other professors before proceeding. "Well, I've gotten Severus to cover you for this morning, because we need to have a very serious discussion. In my office, alright?"

"Yes, Albus," Remus said, wiping his mouth. The last time he'd want to see Remus alone in his office was to discuss his future at Hogwarts, since many people were not so keen on the fact of a professor being a werewolf. And then Dumbledore had told Remus he should resign. Surely, he'd not have to give up a job he loved for a second time?

After the plates had cleared, and the students were scattering to their classes, he had noticed Snape staring at him, as if he were wanting to say something but even he couldn't dare himself to say it.

"Come, Severus," Dumbledore beckoned him to the students. "Your pupils are waiting. Remus, this way please." The crowds parted instantly for Dumbledore, as if he were Moses and the Red Sea. "Now, Remus, you must not worry, it's not all of a big deal --"

The slightly graying professor smiled kindly but firmly. "If you cancelled my classes, Albus, then I think I must worry. Now, what's it all about?"

Dumbledore muttered the password to the Gargoyle (this year it was Peppermint Toads) and allowed Remus to step in first. He cleared his throat. "Well, I can't really do an adequate job of explaining. Perhaps, Remus, you can take a look for yourself." He added Remus a copy of the Daily Prophet, which he saw was dated 21/09/01 -- today's date.

"Page 14," Dumbledore said sadly.

Ministry to Liberate All Magical Institutions of Half-Breeds

Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic for 15 years, has declared last night that all-magical institutions shall be rid of Half-Breeds as soon as possible. These places include St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Diagon Alley shops, Knockturn Alley shops, and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Since the return of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, the Ministry is doing all that it can to shield places of anyone that could be thought dangerous, or in ties with the Dark Lord. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is expected to rid all Half-Breeds (previous articles have said that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had instated Half-Giant Rubeus Hagrid as a Care of Magical Creatures Professor, and that he reinstated werewolf Professor Remus Lupin as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher) by next week.

Dumbledore, who is said to be the only wizard that You-Know-Who fears and had helped Nicolas Flamel along with the Elixir of Life, or the Sorcerer's Stone, had received an owl three nights ago about how to lay off the Professors in Question.

Ministry inspections will be at Hogwarts on the twenty-eighth of September this year, and any Half-Breed still present in the school will be sentenced to Azkaban.

Remus stared up from the article. "They can't be serious, Albus." Dumbledore took back the Daily Prophet and sighed.

"I'm afraid they are, Remus." He stared at Remus intently, as if he was searching for the right words to say, or he was waiting for Remus to read his mind and then speak the words. Remus took out his wand from his robe pocket and hastily ran a finger over it. Silver wisps came floating out.

He cleared his throat. "Am I being fired?"

"No."

Remus grabbed the article again, his heart racing. Azkaban. He knew, and so did every other wizard and witch in their right mind, that the last place he'd ever want to go was Azkaban. He'd knew what it was like from his best friend, the late-but-innocent Sirius Black.

"I don't want to go to Azkaban, sir," Remus said, feeling all walls close in on him. What was he to do? He trusted Albus, but even now he wasn't so sure about the plans on the rise.

"You've got to run, Remus. Just get out of Hogwarts as fast as you can. I would never fire you, and over my dead body are you going to Azkaban. Now, go." Dumbledore said firmly, with an edge in his voice that Remus never heard before.

Without another word, Remus left the office. His mind was filling up with things to ponder. Where to go? What to do? Then it dawned on him. Who was his ally when a few years back? Who did he swear to protect and vice versa? It was the only way. The only person to go to.

Hermione.