The Marauders: Year Seven Part One

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Remus was summoned to Dumbledore's office after the assembly in the Great Hall. He stood in the corridor by the stone gargoyles, nervously fidgeting from foot to foot. "Why am I so bloody scared of going up there?" he asked, looking about at James, Lily, and Sirius, who had accompanied him to the Headmaster's door.

"It'll be alright, mate," James said encouragingly.

Remus sighed. He wasn't so sure. In the past, being summoned to Dumbledore's office had typically not been for anything good, and given all that had happened with Ned and Garm and the werewolves of Fallengunder... well.

"Sour jelly slugs," his voice shook as he spoke, and the gargoyle obediently leaped aside, revealing the moving stone staircase beyond. Remus looked at the others.

"I'll be right here," Sirius promised, planting himself on the carpet.

James nodded, "And if anything's the matter, Sirius will use the mirror to get us right away," he said, holding up the two-way mirror with one hand, and Lily's hand with the other. "We've got to do rounds." Then, before Sirius could say anything, he added, "Actual rounds, not snogging."

Remus smiled a little because he adored his friends and it was hard not to smile about them. He looked back at the stone steps, then drew a deep breath, "Alright. Wish me luck."

"Luck," Sirius sang.

"We love you, Rey," Lily called.

Remus stepped onto the stairs and they began carrying him away, up into the dark of the tower. "Love you lot, too," he said shakily, and the gargoyle jumped back in place as the door closed, sealing him in and them out. He turned to face forward, scared and feeling a bit like Peter for trembling as the staircase climbed up... up... up...

He started to worry more and more, now that his friends weren't there to distract him from the nerves coursing through him. What if something had happened to Ned Veigler after all? The rumors going through the castle were not kind to Professor Veigler and Remus had been worrying for him already, before Dumbledore had summoned him... but now... well, what if Dumbledore had wanted to tell Remus the news of whatever was happening in private? He thought of Ned's smiling face and his promise that Remus could one day work for him at Fallengunder when the time came, and he felt his stomach twist. What if that dream could never become a reality because of what had happened during the full moon? What if that was what Dumbledore had summoned him for?

Immediately, Remus felt ashamed for being so selfish and thinking only of how it might affect him, and not about Ned.

He reached the top of the spiraling staircase and stepped onto the landing before the door. On the landing was the usual pair of wellies and an umbrella, and there was some comfort in the fact that some things never changed, at least. He knocked on the door nervously, his belly twisting up in knots.

"Come in, Remus," called Dumbledore's voice from within.

Remus pushed opened the door, and stepped inside. Sitting across from Dumbledore's desk was Professor McGonagall and a witch that he had never met before - a plump woman in dark purple robes. She had kind eyes and her small mouth parted into a smile the moment she saw him as she turned in her chair. "So this is Remus Lupin!" she exclaimed ad she excitedly stuck out a hand to him, "It is so very nice to meet you!"

Remus stepped up quickly and shook her hand back, "Hullo," he said, his mind racing to try at catching up. 

Dumbledore smiled encouragingly, "Remus, this is Professor Dorothy Kesselman, and she is the head of the department of Magical Education Training at the University of Wizardry in London."