The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part One

XXI: 1 November, 1993

At Hogwarts, the morning after Halloween, there was quite a stir about the castle. Everyone had been talking about it - the portrait that had been destroyed.

Dumbledore stood in the corridor, staring at the torn shreds of the canvas. McGonagall stood beside him, as did Flitwick, staring at the wall.

"This feels awfully familiar," Flitwick finally said in a defeated little voice. "Didn't we do this precise thing only a handful of years ago? It seems like just yesterday that we stood suspecting a Black of having done something unheard of with a portrait."

"Indeed..." Dumbledore murmured, running his palm over his beard. The slightest flicker of amusement danced on the lips of Albus Dumbledore.

McGonagall's face was pale and deeply serious. She looked at the other two and caught the humor twinkling in Dumbledore's eyes. "You can't possibly find this funny?" she demanded, the pitch and ferocity in her tone lilting with her Scottish accent. Her eyes were glowering out from behind her spectacles.

"Only in the most ironic sense, Minerva, I assure you," Dumbledore replied. He coughed and turned away, the amusement melting from his face as he reformed into seriousness once more.

"How do you suppose he got into the castle?" Flitwick asked.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment there was a clearing of the throat behind them and all three heads snapped to look. Remus Lupin stood in the hall behind, his shabby appearance perhaps even more undone than usual, and a look of apology upon his face.

"Remus, my boy," Dumbledore said jovially, turning from the portrait.

"Professors," Remus answered, ducking his head in a little bow of reverence. He paused, then, "Dumbledore - er, - sir, I was hoping... a word?"

McGonagall looked concerned, as did Flitwick, their eyes meeting one another's and then moving to meet Dumbledore's. He nodded then said, "If the two of you will excuse me - Mr. Filch will arrive shortly to take the poor Fat Lady for repairs."

"Yessir," Flitwick replied.

Dumbledore led the way down the corridor and Remus followed. He expected they would go to the Headmaster's office, but instead Dumbledore turned and they ascended the spiral staircase to the top of Gryffindor tower. They came out onto the balcony on a rainy morning, dismal and gray with the smell of snow threatening the air. Far off, the Forbidden Forrest lined the edge of the grounds and beyond that the cliffsides that overlooked Hogsmeade. Dumbledore stared into the distance and Lupin stood beside him, a bit awkward and unsure how to begin.

"It seems, Remus, that I owe you an apology," Dumbledore said, "And I am frankly quite hlad you have come to me to collect it."

"No sir," Remus said quickly, then as Dumbledore's words sank in, "I- what?"

"During the summer, when I came to request your talents as a teacher at this school, I promised and assured you protection from the presence of Sirius Black. It seems, after the attack on the Fat Lady last night, that I am unable to protect you from Sirius Black after all." Dumbledore was staring, Remus realized, at the Whomping Willow. "And for that, I must extend an apology."

Remus hesitated. "Well, headmaster Dumbledore, there's something that I think you ought to know, and it's just that -"

Dumbledore held up his hand, "I refuse your resignation, Mr. Lupin."

Remus stuttered, "My resig--"

"Is that not what you are standing here to serve me?"

"Well alongside a rather longwinded explanation, but -"

"I will not accept, and so there is no need for the explanation, Mr. Lupin, but rather you may keep your wind. I am sure that you will need it."

Remus was confused by these words, by Dumbledore's general air. "But sir," he said, trying to regain himself, "I think that I know how Sirius might have got into the castle."

"I know precisely how Sirius Black entered Hogwarts," Dumbledore interrupted.

"Y - You do?" Remus doubted that very much.

But Dumbledore was adamant. "Yes, I do." He turned and looked Remus in the eyes. "Thank you for being willing to step forward, but Mr. Lupin you are not to blame, whatever false accusations you hear from... others... in the staffroom."

"Oh. I - wait, who --"

"Don't you have a class to prepare for, Mr. Lupin?"

Remus blinked. "Yes, I do, I suppose."

Dumbledore smiled, "Then, seeing as you have not resigned, I do recommend you get on with your work."

"Yes sir," Remus murmured. He turned and went down the stairs back into the castle feeling a bit confused. He had meant to tell Albus Dumbledore about having seen Sirius Black in the Shrieking Shack during the Full Moon, meant to tell him about his suspicion that Sirius could have come in through the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow. It would've been a confession not only that Sirius Black knew of the tunnel and the purpose of the Shack but also he would have had to explain how Sirius had managed to get past the dementors that were on the look out for him - about Snuffles and the Animagi forms of his best mates. But, oddly, it had seemed like Dumbledore already knew about Remus's suspicions. Or perhaps he really did have an alternate theory. Perhaps Dumbledore knew better than Remus what had happened.

But Remus couldn't help but to think that nobody would know Sirius Black as well or better than he, Remus, knew Sirius Black...

After all, the wedding band was still on his ring finger.