Serena Black || 𝑳𝒖𝒎𝒐𝒔

A Boggart in the wardrobe

• Remus Lupin •

„It is easier to forgive an enemy
than to forgive a friend."

For Remus Lupin, the day started very well. It may have been only his second day teaching at Hogwarts, but he had already found joy in it. The students had accepted him and the full moon was still a few weeks away. It must have been a long time ago that the he was in such a well-adjusted mood. Despite his long hesitation, he was now more than happy that Dumbledore had offered him the job. He could only hope that his furry problem, like his friends had once called it, would not spoil his position as teacher.

He hurriedly scrapped the thought of his friends, as he was not allowed to fall back into his depression. Just as it had been after the deaths of James, Lily, Peter and the betrayal of Sirius. Now the scumbag even had managed to escape from Azkaban prison and all the suppressed feelings threatened to come to the surface again. It was a vicious circle.

Sighing, Remus took a look at his timetable which told him that, after the lunch break, he would have a class with the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff third years; the morning was free. Relaxed, he leaned back on his brown leather armchair and reached for the newspaper, which sat upon the small side table. The cover's headline jumped right out at his eyes: Muggle discovers Sirius Black.

A heat and cold simultaneously spread underneath his skin, while he slowly read the article. Remus knew it was only a matter of time before his old friend would break into Hogwarts. Sirius knew about all the secret passages of the castle, of which not even the teachers knew. Just like himself.

For weeks now, he had been torn about whether he should report that Sirius was an Animagus. After all, this could make the search for his former friend far easier. At the same time, however, this also meant betraying his remaining friends. Remus didn't want to stoop that low.

By then, he had finished reading, so he quickly put the newspaper aside and tried to mentally prepare for his upcoming lessons. His plan was to show the third-years a Boggart, but the concern that such a thing might be too demanding for the very first hour of the day remained.

Perhaps he should have started with something simpler, instead of confronting his students with their greatest fear. But how bad could a few fourteen-year-olds be?

Harry had to be at that age, Remus suddenly pondered, and felt the pallor creeping into his tired face. In these circumstances, it had probably not been such a good idea. But he could no longer pull back, he had already planned and prepared the entire hour. He had not planned another subject for this lesson and would've gone unprepared to a class.

He had already met the boy on the train journey, he had recognized him immediately. He seemed to be doing well and apparently he had made many friends. That was important. Remus smiled; the last time he saw him, he had been with James and Lily and had read something to the small boy. He couldn't remember the many times he had visited his two friends exactly, but for their young son, he had always been Uncle Mooey. His uncle Moony had almost been as important to him as Uncle Padfoot. Almost.