A Love Without Time (Remus Lupin)

Forty-Nine.

Everything seemed to be pretty normal around here, if you just ignored Umbridge like I try to do. I did pretty well at it, too. It was November now, it was the first actual Quidditch game of the year. Angelina Johnson was very excited to be Captain of the Gryffindor team this year. I usually watch the games, but I had to sit this one out because I had a lot of star charts to grade from my first year class.
   
I was grading away when my daughter and son ran into my room saying, "Mum! Mum, come quick! Harry and George were in a fight."
   
"Potter and Weasley were in a fight?" I asked as I put my quill back into the ink pot, "You mean they fought two other people, right? They didn't fight each other, did they? Harry has been very unpredictable lately and he surely has his parents' temper."
   
"They fought Draco!" Lyanna exclaimed, "Draco was egging them on, talking about their mums. He kept calling Molly fat, and said that the Burrow smells."
   
"And then he asked Harry how he stands it when he's there, and then brought up how his mother was Muggle born and said she probably smelled too. That's when they jumped on him."
   
"Harry was holding George back until he brought up Lily. And it took the three Gryffindor chasers to hold back Fred."
   
"And Ron?" I asked, "Was he around for this?"
   
"I held him back with Hermione," said Bradley, "And Lyanna got Ginny away before she heard anything."
   
"That was smart of you, Lyanna, Ginny probably would have killed Malfoy herself. Now I need you two to go find both the twins and send them up here."
   
"What about Harry?" Bradley asked.
   
"I'll talk to him separately," I said, "He won't talk if Fred and George are here."
   
I started some tea, and Fred and George were both in my office about 30 minutes later. Both of them had wet hair from showering and they were out of their Quidditch robes. "Hello boys," I said, trying to stay cheerful, "Have a seat."
    They both sat at the two chairs in front of my desk, and I asked them if they wanted tea, and when they said no I brought the entire kettle over anyway to make my own cup. It would be there if they changed their mind. I stood in-between the two chairs, sitting on my desk.
   
"I heard you and Harry got into a fight with Malfoy today, George."
   
"Yeah, the prick deserved it," he said through his teeth. Normally I wouldn't let that kind of language slide, but I could tell that he was still obviously upset so I let it go this time one time.
   
"What punishment did you get?" I asked curiously. "Is she going to make you write lines?"
   
"No," George said, shaking his head, "She kicked Fred, Harry, and I off the Quidditch team and took our brooms."
   
I took in a sharp breath. "That is not the right punishment for this crime, I can tell you that. But have you boys heard of the Defense Against the Dark Arts Rumor?"
   
"You mean that the position is jinxed," said Fred, speaking up for the first time.
   
I nodded, "Exactly. Here at Hogwarts, for the past, well, Merlin knows how many years now, there hasn't been a single Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor that can last more than a year. My own husband was even affected by this curse. They always quit, or die, or get their memory wiped out, or it turned out that it wasn't them at all, just some nutter with Polyjuice potion. The point is, next year Umbridge will most likely be gone."
   
"Yeah, but so will we," George pointed out.
   
"So if she stays you won't have to deal with her either way, because you'll be gone." Fred cracked a smile at that. "Listen, I know what Malfoy said was foul. He's cruel, and vile, just like his father was when he was here. Granted I didn't really know him since he was only here my first two years. But from what I remember, Draco and Lucius are very much alike. Take what they say with a grain of salt. They're both very close minded people. They don't deserve our energy or our time, right?"
   
Fred nodded, "Right."
   
George put his hand up to his chin, resting his head on it with his elbow propped up on the chair. I noticed the brushes, cuts, and small scrapes all across it.
   
"Georgie, give me your hand, sweetie. You're all cut up." He listened and held out his hand and I performed the spells to heal it. "Don't go telling Madam Pomfrey that I did her job for her."
   
"I won't," George assured me.
   
"There, all better," I said, and I kissed his hand before I let it go and he rested his head on it again.
   
"Ellie," Fred said, "My lips hurt. Do you think you could kiss it and make it feel better?"
   
"Frederick Gideon Weasley, I am a married woman," I scoffed. "Well, I guess you are one of my favorite kids." I leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I know you guys are going to miss playing Quidditch, but you know Dumbledore will make sure you guys get your brooms back when you finish here. She can't keep them forever."
   
George scoffed, and shuffled in his seat. He was more upset about this than Fred was. "You okay, Georgie? You look more angry than Fred is."
   
"She kicked both of us off of the team, it's not fair," he said quickly, he was obviously full of rage. "When Fred didn't even fight. It was just me and Harry. But because he's my brother he got kicked off too. It's not fair."
   
"I know it's not fair, sweetie," I said, and I caressed his face, "But Fred doesn't seem too angry with you about it. Now you can use all of your extra time on your joke shop. You've both got a bright future ahead of you."
   
George scoffed, "You try telling our mother that."
   
"Molly will come around once she sees how well your shop is going to do," I assured him.
   
He rolled his eyes, he obviously didn't believe that. It was sad that he did believe that his own mother believed in him and his brother just because they don't want to work at the Ministry. "George, why don't you skip my class tonight." I said, smiling at him. "Both of you can. I won't tell anyone. You take the night off and don't worry about it."
   
I could see George's spirits lifting at this news. Astronomy was one for the few classes that Fred and George were still taking. They haven't taken a lot of classes since they took their O.W.L. Exams and only passed three of them.
   
"Really?" Fred asked.
   
"Anything for my favorite Weasley's. Don't tell your siblings that I said that."
   
They both smiled. "Thanks Ellie," George said.
   
"No problem boys, I'm here if you need me, remember that."
   
"We will."Fred assured and they both stood up and I hugged both of them and they left my office.
   
The next day I spoke to Harry separately, so he would have all of my attention. Like George was, he was most upset that Fred got kicked off the team as well when he wasn't involved in the fight, but I assured him that Fred wasn't upset about it, and he felt better when he left my office.
   
The rest of November came and went quickly, and Christmas was at the castle again. Right before the Holiday break was about to start, I was called into the headmasters office by Minerva in the middle of the night. As we walked there she told me that Harry had a vision in a dream, like Dumbledore was scared would happen, and that he saw Arthur attacked by a snake.
   
All of the Weasley kids were here in Dumbledore's office, Harry was here too. Harry was very shaken when we got there, so I hugged him. He stepped out of my hold, so I knew he didn't want to be bothered. So I headed to Fred and George. "You guys okay?" I asked.
   
"We want to know if our father is okay," George said quickly.
   
"You'll find out soon, dear, don't worry too much. It'll give you a stomach ache." I kissed his forehead. "Just remember to breathe."
   
I hugged Fred then, who hugged me tightly. He was more scared than he was letting on. "Eloise, dear, I'm afraid I need you to go to your husband and tell him the news immediately. I'll tell Umbridge that you received a letter from Remus about your daughter and you needed to go."
   
"And what will you tell my older children?" I asked.
   
"I will assure them that everyone is safe and sound, don't worry." Dumbledore said.
   
They lit the fire, and I hugged all the kids before I left. Remus was asleep, and I had to wake him. He was surprised to see me, so I let him wake a bit more before I told him what happened to Arthur. He was saddened to hear the news, and when we awaited the news about Arthur. We were sent a letter from Sirius stating that the Weasley kids and Harry were at Number 12, Grimmauld Place and that Molly had sent word that Arthur was going to be okay.
   
That was when we decided to go to sleep, but Lily had us up bright and early. I headed back to the school not long after that. I had missed breakfast, and I knew that the new High Inquisitor wouldn't be happy about that, but she wasn't the headmaster and it's not like I missed teaching one of my classes or anything like that.
   
My older children came to my office to find out what exactly happened with Arthur and where the Weasley's and Harry were. I told them that they were safe, they weren't at the Burrow, and that Arthur would be just fine. I didn't exactly tell them where they were, because I didn't know who was listening in on our conversation.
   
When the Christmas Holidays came, I took my children to headquarters to be with the Weasleys and Harry. George was happy to have Lyanna back, and Fred was happy whenever I was in view. Remus thought it was cute that Fred had such a crush on me, but Fred was dead serious. If I told Fred I wanted to run away with him and be with him forever he'd have my bags packed before I even finished the statement.
   
We had a lovely Christmas with just our two families, and Hermione even joined us too about wo days after we arrived. I invited my mother for breakfast, and she was so happy to see Sirius. She hugged him and said, "I'm so happy that you're out of that prison, dear. You know I've always loved you like my own son."
   
"Thank you," Sirius said, "I've always loved you, too."
   
They hugged for a moment longer before they let go. It was sweet to see. Sirius needed everyone that believed in him that he could get right now. This was the first time that Harry was meeting my mother, and she gushed about how much he looked like James and how handsome he was.
   
Molly and Mad-Eye took the kids and visited Arthur in the hospital. I decided that I want to stay behind and spend some time with Sirius and Remus without the kids here. It was always nice to have this time with them, since we don't get it often anymore. Sirius said he didn't mind being alone, in fact he was used to it, but he did miss having the house full like it was this summer.
   
I wish that we could do that every summer, and in fact we just might have to in order to keep the kids safe. Sirius says that it feels like it did last time, but I disagree. This time it's much, much worse.

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Here's part 49!

I will not leave this story unfinished. I promise. Even if the updates are few and far between.

It will be a finished story.

-Emily Winchester.