Rise from the Ashes

Chapter 6: the deepest of needs

Bloody hell. It was his father. His father was going to kill him. The irony of the situation did not escape him, though at least Cedric hadn't threatened to kill him at the time. "P--Professor," he rasped. "It's me, sir. R--Roger."

Remus' eyes narrowed. "Nice try. If you lie again, I'll Stun you and send for the Dementors. You can answer to them."

"No, wait! Please," Teddy croaked. He licked his lips, but his tongue was like sandpaper and offered no relief. "I--I can explain."

It was then that he saw what his father held clutched in his other hand. He stared at the familiar parchment and swallowed over the lump in his throat. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged.

"Professor, sir, please, we--" Cedric took a step forward, but Remus pressed his knee harder into Teddy while he pointed his wand across at Cedric, cutting off his reply.

"Stay where you are Mr Diggory, if you please. I would think you're in enough trouble already."

Teddy laid still, a wash of guilt sweeping over him. I'm sorry, Cedric. This is all my fault. I stayed too long.

Remus flicked his wand back and jabbed Teddy in the chest. "I repeat, for the last time. Who are you? I know you're an impostor, and I know the real Roger Davies is, at this very moment, in his dormitory. Answer me!"

"The Marauder's Map never lies," Teddy whispered, so softly that Remus had to lean closer to hear him.

The blood drained from his face, though he continued to press his wand tip against Teddy's sternum. "What did you say?"

"The Marauder's Map never lies," he repeated, louder, though his voice was still thin with fear and anxiety.

Remus rocked back as if he'd been slapped, though he kept a firm grip on his wand. "How could you--? Nobody..." Remus leaned forward and gripped him hard by the shoulders, the map crinkling against Teddy's skin. "What have you done to Harry? Did Black send you?" His voice was angry as he shook Teddy hard.

Teddy reeled. This wasn't supposed to happen. How did his father get Harry's map? His belly still writhed in fear, but also with a strange kind of hopeful longing. He had run out of options five minutes ago, so he did the only thing left to him. He inhaled a shaky breath, exhaled, and slowly relaxed his features.

Remus recoiled as Teddy's hair grew and faded into a familiar light brown, his jawbone thinned, cheekbones rearranging beneath fluid flesh, solidifying around unchanging, golden brown eyes. Teddy heard Cedric exhale loudly from across the room as he met his father's startled gaze.

"How--? Polyjuice," Remus rasped.

"No," Teddy answered, shaking his head. "Metamorphmagus."

Remus blinked. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it, silent.

"You saw the map," Teddy said softly. "You saw my name. Sirius didn't send me, Sirius doesn't even know me, and Harry doesn't know I exist yet, either. It was an accident. I didn't know..."

He bit his lip. "The Marauder's Map never lies. You told Harry that, or you will. Everything is so confusing. Anyway, you'll have to tell him now, because he told me." He paused.

"Moony." The word sounded strange in his ears, no matter that he'd said it a thousand times and more to himself. "You know who I am."

Remus' eyes widened, but he still wouldn't speak.

Teddy raised his head, turned to his side and pointed his chin at his robes on the floor. "Right side pocket." When Remus didn't move, he added, "I'm flat on my back and I'm unarmed. Please."

Remus nodded and stood, slowly stepping backwards. He transferred his wand to his left hand, which still held his copy of the map, never taking his eyes from Teddy. He leaned over and picked up the crumpled robe, fumbled in the pockets, and drew out the map's doppelganger. He tore his gaze away to stare at the blank parchment, clearly not believing what he was seeing.

"It's impossible," Remus breathed, staring at the two maps in his badly-shaking hands.

Teddy sat up slowly and nodded absently. "Three months ago, I would have agreed. But obviously it is. Possible."

Remus looked at Teddy and crumpled to the ground, his wand clattering to the floor with a rustle of parchment, and covered his face with his hands. Teddy cried out and scrambled over to him, throwing his arm around his father's shoulder without a thought.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry. I never meant, I mean, I never expected, and then I was here, and you were here, and I had to lie, I couldn't be me, how could I be me?" He was babbling, and Remus was trembling beneath him, and the reality of the situation struck him like a blow.

"Oh my god. I'm naked. I'm bloody starkers! I'm sitting here with my father who tried to kill me and I just had sex with my... my... boy--my... Merlin's balls on a broomstick!" He ducked his head, blushing profusely, banged his forehead against his father's shoulder and buried his face against his robes. "I want to die right now," he mumbled into the fabric.

Remus' shaking intensified and a slow rumbling reverberated through Teddy's cheek. He pulled away slowly, afraid his father was crying, and began patting him awkwardly on the shoulder when Remus suddenly threw his head back and burst into peals of laughter.

"You're laughing? You're laughing at me? I thought you were crying, you sadistic bastard! It's not funny!"

Cedric was laughing now, too, hesitant at first, but when Teddy looked over at him, he was wiping tears from his eyes and gasping for breath while trying to keep his towel from slipping off his hips. Teddy glared at him. "Traitor. 'S'not funny."

Both Cedric and his father continued laughing, and he felt the corners of his mouth lifting. "It isn't," he insisted, like a petulant child. Merlin, how ridiculous am I? I'm sitting here with my cock flapping in the breeze! He burst out laughing despite himself, and the other two howled even louder.

He wiped his nose and lifted his chin when he felt a touch on his arm. His father was looking at him solemnly--though his lip kept twitching--offering Teddy his robes as a peace gesture. "The Lupin family jewels are looking a bit... chilly."

Teddy snatched his robes and threw them over his head, twisting them to find the sleeves and neck. "Quit peeking," he said as he struggled.

"What was that?" his father asked. "I didn't quite catch that."

He poked his head through the neck of his robes about to retort, but his father was looking at him with such a profound expression of joy that it left him quite breathless. His father reached out a hand and gently traced a finger down the side of Teddy's cheek.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"No, Dad." Teddy swallowed, blinking back tears. He cleared his throat. "I'm the one who should be sorry."

"Well, then we'll both be sorry and leave it at that."

Cedric cleared his throat behind him and he turned. When had he got dressed? He was jamming his foot into his trainer and looking a bit awkward. Teddy stood and gently laid a hand on his arm.

Cedric smiled. "I think that's my cue to leave. That is unless, sir--" He turned to Remus, his face serious. "--unless you intend to give me detention."

Remus smiled. "I think we can let this one slide, Mr Diggory. I do, however, expect you to go straight back to your dormitory. If you don't--" He waggled the map in his hand. "--I shall know."

"Bugger," Cedric muttered.

"I heard that. I also expect that you'll be, ah, discreet with regard to the events of this evening," Remus added, raising his eyebrows.

"I think you can depend on that, professor, sir."

"Good. Then I won't have to spit and roast you over a slow fire for seducing my son."

"Me? He kissed me first!" Cedric spluttered. "Besides, he's older than I am, much older."

"Hey! I'm not that old, and you were born years before me. And it was your fault. But I'm glad." He looked Cedric in the eye and smiled. "Really glad."

Cedric grinned back and thumped him gently on the shoulder, his hand lingering for a moment. "Look me up in twenty years, yeah?"

Teddy nodded and watched him walk away. Before he opened the door, Cedric turned around and walked quickly back to him, grabbed him by his shoulders and kissed him hard. Teddy kissed him back, his hand cupping Cedric's cheek and jaw in a gesture that was far too tender for the furious duel of lips and tongue.

He waited until Cedric pulled away first, reluctant, almost forgetting that his father was standing a few feet away. He kept his eyes on Cedric, however, on his lopsided grin and clear grey eyes, before Cedric finally turned and strutted--the cocky bastard--to the door and left Teddy alone with his father.

"Well then, I suppose I'm too late for that particular father-son chat."

Teddy turned to his father and raised his eyebrows. "You have some sage advice to offer on the subject, do you?"

"You've no idea." He handed Teddy back one of the maps. "Come, let's go up to my office, shall we? I could do with some tea, and it will be good to have some privacy. I'm sure Myrtle is lurking somewhere in one of the taps, she's been spying on students since long before I was a student here."

"Moaning Myrtle? The ghost from the girl's toilet?" Teddy shuddered.

Remus put his arm across Teddy's shoulder and walked with him to the door. "I don't imagine life, or death really, as a ghost is very exciting. She has to find her entertainments somewhere, don't you think? We used to catch her all the time. Sirius in particular took great pleasure in--" He stiffened and exhaled loudly. "Yes, well, tea then," and he closed the door behind them.

**

Teddy sat sipping his tea in the same chair in front of his father's desk, but this time Remus sat beside him instead of across from him. They hadn't said much since leaving the bath, and instead discovered a tendency to stare at each other. Teddy was memorizing his father's features, every nuance, every crease, every grey hair, the way his golden brown eyes stared back at him in the same way, so like his own, but with a deep sadness that shone like a beacon, something he hadn't noticed the last time.

He realised then that his father was a consummate liar. Not maliciously, no, but for self-protection. Even without the abilities of a Metamorphmagus, his father wore two distinct faces. The public face that he'd seen as Roger, the face that lied, and the private one he wore now. The honest face. It hurt him to see his father so naked before him, but it was heartening, too, the depth of trust, the vulnerability his father allowed him to see.

As he watched, he saw a look of awareness blossom on his father's face.

"It was you," he said, putting his teacup down on the small table he'd conjured. "That evening in my office, the discussion about werewolves." Teddy nodded, grinning shyly. "I couldn't quite work it out when Roger handed in his essay and he'd written about vampires. I said nothing, of course, but now it makes sense. I would assume you know then. My deep dark secret."

"Of course I know. I am your son. And, no, before you say anything more, I don't care, and all that rubbish about beasts and sub-humans you had me arguing with you about is just that: pure and utter rubbish."

Remus' smile was wide and genuine, and it thrilled Teddy to see it.

"I'm sorry I deceived you. I just..." He shrugged. "I wanted to meet you. I'd stand outside your classroom door for hours, listening to you teach. Harry and Her--the others," he amended quickly, "they always said you were the best Defence teacher they had. I figured they were biased and exaggerating a bit, to make me feel better, maybe, but they weren't. They were right."

Remus smiled and a faint blush stained his cheeks. "I'm flattered. I'm sure they did exaggerate, but it's a lovely compliment all the same. I didn't think I'd enjoy teaching as much as I do. I've been very lucky this year, considering, well..." He trailed off.

"The Dementors. And Sirius." Remus stiffened and the beacon was back at full intensity. "Dad..." Teddy licked his lips and swirled the dregs of his tea in his teacup. It was wrong. It might even be suicidal. He'd find out the truth soon enough, but the pain in his father's eyes wrenched at his heart.

"There's something I have to tell you, but you have to promise me. It's something you're going to find out anyway soon, but--"

"Why do you call him by his first name? You did that earlier, as well." Remus' voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

"That's what I need to tell you."

"You shouldn't. Messing with time, it could have dire consequences. If you've noticed, I haven't asked you about your mother."

Teddy laughed and it was a hollow sound. "I wouldn't tell you, but now that we've met, I'd bet you a thousand Galleons you'll figure out exactly who she is the moment you meet her, if you haven't already, and if either of us had a thousand Galleons to spare. I'm sorry about that. That puts a bit of an obligation on you. Will you marry her for your sake or for mine? I suppose now we'll never know, though I do hope you come to love her for her own sake."

Remus inhaled sharply in surprise. "That... that's extraordinarily perceptive. And quite the conundrum. You're right, I don't suppose I'll ever know the truth. Perhaps it's best that way. I'd hate to do her a disservice. Maybe you shouldn't tell her about this part."

Teddy nodded and changed the subject. "So, Sirius." His father stiffened again at the name, his entire body channelling his sorrow.

"Please," Remus said. "You say it with such familiarity. I don't know if I--you do know what he's done, what he's trying to do even now?"

"Yes."

"Then how...?"

"Will you promise me something first? No matter what I tell you, you have to keep your word. The entire future and the lives of so many people depend on you keeping this promise. It's something you won't want to do, but you have to. You were right about messing with time; the future has to remain intact. Will you trust me?"

"With my life," Remus replied immediately, leaning forward slightly in his chair. "I've borne heavier burdens. And for you, I can't imagine there's anything I wouldn't do."

"We just met," Teddy said with some surprise. "How could you...?"

Remus smiled. "I never expected to have a child. I've always believed that werewolves shouldn't reproduce. What if I passed on my condition to an innocent child, a child of my blood? I don't think I could live with that. The guilt would devour me whole. But seeing you," he said, and his smile was one of pure joy. "Oh, Teddy, I don't think I can even articulate." He reached out and clasped Teddy's hand, squeezing.

"It doesn't matter that we met only a short time ago. Don't you see?"

Teddy nodded and swallowed over the lump in his throat. They sat that way for a while, holding hands and smiling at each other, holding a silent conversation, a communion, without saying a word.

Remus cleared his throat. "So you have my promise," he said, gently detaching his hand and reaching over to pour them both another cup of tea.

Teddy watched the steam rising from the deep brown liquid for a moment and rose to his feet. He moved the table over a few inches and knelt on the floor before his father's chair, and took his hands in his.

"When I tell you, you can't go running off. You have to let things happen as they're meant to, and it won't be easy. There are too many things and the timing is everything. But I'm telling you because I think it's important that you know the truth. I can't bear to see you in so much pain when I know I can help ease it. Although that's a double-edged sword. It's not a pleasant story, Dad, not by any means but, as I said, it's something you'd find out anyway, whether I were here or not."

Remus nodded, and Teddy could read the anxiety in his expression too easily. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, carefully watching his father's face.

"Sirius is innocent. He was never the Potters' Secret Keeper."

Remus started violently and tugged his hands away, but Teddy held on tight. "No!" he cried and his eyes were wild. "That's impossible! He killed--he never--"

"He never had a trial," Teddy interrupted. "Sirius never said, but Harry and I talked about it once. We're convinced it was his guilt over persuading James to switch to someone else at the last minute, over his misplaced doubt in you... That he felt he deserved the punishment because he let James and Lily die."

Remus had tears in his eyes and a look of abject horror on his face, but Teddy still held fast to his hands. "No. He killed Peter," he whispered. "There were a dozen witnesses..."

"--who heard Peter say that Sirius was guilty."

"The street, the Muggles..."

"Peter used what was probably a Blasting Curse behind his back. I'm sorry, Dad. I'm so sorry." Tears were spilling down Remus' face and his own eyes welled with tears. Pain was radiating off Remus in waves.

"Peter was the Secret Keeper. Peter was a spy for Voldemort, a Death Eater, a traitor, a coward. That's why Sirius went after Peter. I imagine he wanted to kill him at the time, but not for the reason you or anyone else has believed all these years."

Remus bowed his head and wept. Teddy released his hands, tugged him down onto the floor beside him and held him, rocking them both gently.

It was strange, this parental role reversal. Suddenly all the years of longing, all the anger and annoyance at what, in the end, amounted to something so trivial, were pushed aside, broken down into their basest components and reassembled into something new, something bright, something gratifying, and he was almost ashamed of some of his past behaviour. When he returned home, and he knew now that he had to leave, there would still be emptiness, a deep loss, and it would hurt more than anything he'd ever experienced. But now he had memories with which to fill the void. He'd heal.

He smiled. His father had stilled and was simply embracing him now. It was all a bit unmanly, perhaps, but he didn't particularly care right now; One more thing to treasure, to fill the void.

Remus pulled back and Teddy reluctantly let him go. They looked at the jumbled mess of their long limbs entangled with each other and the chair legs and laughed, and it was a good laugh. They disentangled themselves and stood.

Remus looked at the tea. "It's cold."

"Did you need me to teach you a warming charm?"

Remus smacked him playfully on the arm. "Don't get cheeky with your old man."

Teddy raised his eyebrows, feigning innocence, and Remus narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, really?" Remus took his wand from his pocket and emptied their teacups, tapped the kettle, and when it steamed, pocketed his wand and poured two fresh cups. "Warming charms are crap," he said with satisfaction, sitting back down in his chair. He picked up his cup and sipped. "There are still a number of things that don't make any sense."

Teddy grinned as he watched his father, and really, who was the cheeky one? He raised his eyebrows again at his question. "What's that?"

"First, why has Sirius been trying to break into Gryffindor tower? Ron Weasley swore he saw Sirius standing over him with a knife."

Teddy nodded. "Ron Weasley has a pet rat," he said simply.

The look of incredulity on Remus' face was almost comical and he might have laughed if the subject hadn't been so grave.

"Wormtail. That bastard! And I suppose that answers my other questions of how he disappeared the day Sirius supposedly killed him." Remus snarled and slammed down his teacup, sloshing liquid all over the table. "I'll kill him, if I ever get my hands on him, fuck magic, I'll wring his bloody rat neck with my bare hands!"

"Dad..."

"What!" Remus snapped. Teddy recognized his anger; he'd seen it directed at him only a short time ago. His father was furious. This wasn't going to be easy.

"You promised you'd do something, even though I told you that you wouldn't want to."

"I know I did!"

Teddy sighed. "You can't kill him."

Remus glared at him. "Of course I can. And I plan to do it slowly with as much pain as humanly possible."

"That's the promise. Peter has to live. And not only live, but the night you capture him, the night of the June full moon, he has to escape."

Remus gaped. "You can't ask that of me. After all he's done..."

"But I am asking. Peter has to escape. There are things that Peter needs to do, and if he doesn't do them, and I say this knowing what he's done, and what it's cost you and Sirius, and Harry's parents, not to mention Harry himself. If he doesn't do these things, then Harry will die."

"You can't know that!"

"I do know it."

"You can't--"

"I do!" Teddy yelled. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Dad, do you think I would ask you to do this if it wasn't important? I know you're angry--furious!--and Merlin knows you have every right to be, but please. For my sake, for Harry's sake, and for the sake of wizardkind. Please."

Remus sighed, his shoulders slumping, then nodded.

"One more thing."

"Just one?" Remus said with a hint of sarcasm.

Teddy exhaled sharply through his nose and ignored his father's tone. He knew he didn't really mean it. "You'll both want to kill him, or, at least Sirius will, and you'll threaten to do so. Harry will stop you, so let him."

"Harry will be there, too? No, I won't let him be harmed, Teddy. You said it's the night of the full moon!"

"Harry will be there, and he won't be in any danger. Sirius will be there, and you'll be there, and you have the Wolfsbane Potion so you won't be dangerous. Trust me. Trust yourself. And above all, trust Harry. Listen, Sirius is going to need you. He's your friend and he's completely alone in the world right now. Sirius is more important than any revenge you would take on Peter and--" He ducked his head. "--and Moony needs Padfoot."

Remus looked at his son with narrowed eyes, exhaled loudly and threw up his hands. "Do I have any secrets left?"

Teddy stood up and began to pace. "What? Because I know what your friends did for you so they could be with you during the full moon? So you wouldn't ever have to be alone? Why wouldn't I know that? Of course Harry told me. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, but you need him. You shouldn't have to be alone. You've missed him, I know you have. He was your best friend. You've both been alone all these years, and he needs you, too."

Remus shook his head and grinned ruefully. "I'm going to have to have a chat with your mother, because you did not get this from me."

"I'm sure she'd disagree," he said lightly.

"Teddy."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Teddy grinned and sat back down. "Drink your tea before it gets cold again."

"Smart arse."

"At least I come by it honestly."

Remus chuckled ruefully and sipped his tea. They sat in a quiet, companionable silence for a few minutes before Remus said, "You have to go back," and there was regret in his voice.

"I know."

"If... I'm not trying to get rid of you."

"I know." Teddy sighed and held his feet out straight in front of him, flexing his toes. "I was afraid I'd stayed too long already, knew I probably had, but I couldn't..." He shrugged and looked at his feet, kicking them aimlessly. "I need to say good-bye to Cedric."

"You really like him," Remus said softly.

Teddy looked up sharply and raised his eyebrows. "I thought that was fairly obvious."

"It was."

"You're not, you know, angry? Upset? Ashamed?"

"Of course not."

"It just sort of happened, kind of surprised me, too. I didn't--I mean..."

"Love is love," Remus said simply.

"I'm not, I--we're not... it's not love."

"All relationships are a kind of love, in their own way."

Teddy shrugged. "Like you said, I have to go back. It can't ever be anything more than what it was. Do you think he's still awake?"

Remus shook his head. "Possibly, I wouldn't know. But you already said your goodbyes. He's a smart young man. He knew when he left you earlier. You knew, too."

"Yeah. Tell him..." He looked down at his feet again, biting his lip. No, he couldn't change anything. He'd already risked enough. Enough. How does one measure the value of a human life anyway? He thought about Cedric's portrait, back home and waiting in his common room. Would it--he remember? Could he bear to see Cedric again like that after everything that had happened between them? So distant, and utterly untouchable...

Remus inclined his head, waiting.

"Nothing. It's... nothing. Sorry." He shook his head and looked back up at his father. "Be nice to him, by the way. Even if he did."

"Did what?"

"Seduce me. Although he was right in that I kissed him first." Teddy grinned impudently

"You realise all this is much more than any parent needs to know."

"It'll be good practice."

"I'm sure I'll be grateful," Remus said and rolled his eyes with mirth.

Teddy stood up and put his cup down. "Thanks for the tea. I'll--I'll miss you, this time we had. It was... special."

Remus stood up, too, picked up Teddy's bag from beside his desk and handed it to him. "You have your map?"

Teddy patted his right side pocket. "Never leave home without it. I still can't believe you created it, you know. I'm glad though, it's been quite handy. Clever bastards, the lot of you."

Remus laughed. "You don't know the half of it," he agreed.

Teddy started. A few months ago, that statement would have devastated him, but now, well, he'd discovered there were more important things.

"I'm glad Harry gave it to you. It seems I'll have to return my copy to him eventually."

"You'd better," he said, glaring, then grinned. They left Remus' office together, walking side by side, arms brushing occasionally while they walked. They didn't speak.

When they reached the seventh floor corridor, Teddy turned, a shy smile on his face. "I guess this is good-bye."

"For now," Remus said softly and reached up to brush Teddy's fringe away from his forehead. He smiled sadly. "Don't grieve for me."

Teddy stared in horror as the blood drained from his face and his insides twisted painfully. "I didn't--"

"You didn't have to. Why else would you have come?"

"Too clever," Teddy whispered.

"And you. I'm so proud of you. And if I ever forgot to tell you, or if you were too young to remember, I love you." He leaned in and kissed Teddy on the forehead. "Be well. Be happy. Now go."

"Dad..."

Remus smiled. "I know."

Teddy embraced him hard. "I love you, too," he whispered, then turned without looking back, swiped his hand across his eyes and began pacing.

**

"Ow," he muttered to himself. The room could be a little gentler about these things, he thought. Still on his knees, he glanced behind him but the door had already vanished. Getting to his feet, he saw a bright flash out of the corner of his eye and ducked instinctively. Peeking around, he saw the corridor remained empty. There were no further flashes, no footsteps and no voices, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He got to his feet, but immediately noticed something was wrong.

The tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy was missing. In its place was a strange painting. Not a portrait: a landscape. An empty landscape at that. There was a hill of stubby green and yellow grass and a flat blue sky, and nothing more. Not even a cloud. Certainly nothing to cause the flash of light he'd seen. Not a very exciting painting either, unless the usual occupant was off visiting a friend.

He was about to turn away when something else caught his eye. He could have sworn a face had quickly peeked out from the side of the painting. It happened sometimes. The occupant must be shy. He sighed and relaxed, and wondered what fate had befallen poor Barnabas.

He reached into his pocket and removed his wand and the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

He gave a cursory glance to make sure the corridor and the surrounding area really was clear and sighed with relief when the map showed that nobody was nearby. He had no idea what the date was--had time passed here while he'd been away, or was it by chance the same day he'd left? The corridor was dim, but he couldn't tell if it were day or night from that. The halls were usually dim.

He checked the map: classrooms were empty, Great Hall was empty, and the dots in the Hufflepuff dormitory were still, nobody in the common room. He found Simon's dot, and Fezzie's dot, but no Gordon or Philip. Instead, he saw the dots of three different students, and it took him a moment to realise the significance of their names. "But they're in Gryffindor!"

He unfolded the map and his eyes fell on Gryffindor Tower or, more specifically, the place that used to be Gryffindor Tower. The map showed an empty space as if the tower had simply vanished from existence.

His heart raced, and he unfolded the other side to check on Ravenclaw, but that tower remained intact, students asleep inside, and the Slytherin dungeons were also visible and populated. Perhaps a little too populated, he noticed on closer inspection. He saw the names of a few students he knew from his own house sleeping in Slytherin, as well as students he knew from Ravenclaw and one or two from Gryffindor. Very strange. What had happened to Gryffindor?

He was suddenly afraid. Something was very wrong. What if the room had sent him back to the wrong time? What if he was fifty or hundreds of years in his future? No, he'd seen his friends' names. He was definitely in the right time. But something dreadful must have happened in the three months he'd been gone. He sighed. There was no help for it; he was going to have to go see the Headmistress. He hoped she wouldn't be too angry with him, after all, it had hardly been his fault that he'd gone in the first place. He'd have to explain to Harry, but that could wait. So could his meeting with a certain portrait, a meeting he both dreaded and anticipated. Would he remember?

He bit his lip, checking to see if the Headmistress was by chance awake in her office, and nearly dropped the map.

"But that's impossible! Severus Snape and Tom Riddle are dead!" he spluttered.

"How remarkable," a voice replied.