With a respectful nod toward Dumbledore and a swift smile at Harry, Remus Lupin quickly exited his office, or should he say, former office. A pensive smile lingered on his lips as he made his way down the corridors, so familiar and homely, whispering memories of the brazenly carefree days back when he was a student at Hogwarts himself, when everything was still blessed with unabashed innocence and untested loyalty.
As he walked down the winding staircase and made his way past the magnificent Great Hall, decked in all its exquisite grandeur, Lupin remembered his friends, the three closest friends he had during his time at Hogwarts. The memories were sharply sliced with the vivid recollection of the events the night before, in the Shrieking Shack, the startling revelations casting broad shadows over the threads of remembrance.
James Potter. An intelligent, sincere friend, whose loyalty remained true until his death, the measure of his nobility demonstrated by the ultimate sacrifice of his own life to save his son's. An extremely talented wizard, academically astute, morally faultless, and of course, excellent at Quidditch. He was brave enough to shun the Dark Side, standing up against Lord Voldemort himself, refusing to relinquish his principles even in the face of death.
Peter Pettigrew. He paled physically and intellectually amidst his circle of talented friends, but they had accepted him all the same. He'd idolized James and Sirius while they were at school together, and in return they had favoured him with their friendship. A friendship that was utterly betrayed at the most crucial of times, the thought of which still caused a streak of fierce anger to flare within Lupin. Peter couldn't withstand the crucible of fire he never had the strength of character to face up to opposition with his head still held high.
Sirius Black. An exceptional individual, to say the least, and Lupin knew this better than anyone else. Even the way he walked distinguished him from others there was a different aura, a stride of determination and a quiet air of dignity in his gait which no one could quite emulate. Sirius was the one who had quietly asked him about his being a werewolf, and he was the first person Lupin ever voluntarily confessed the truth to. There was a boundless attraction between them, inexplicable but indismissible as well. The depth of intimacy between them was far more intense than anyone, including James or Peter, had ever imagined.
And Sirius was the reason that he was leaving, the final destination of his present journey. It wasn't Snape's liberal disclosures which had incited him to hand in his letter of resignation he'd already made the decision before he'd discovered that Snape had told everyone in Slytherin that he was a werewolf. The letter was already in his pocket when he found out the dismal news of Snape's antics at breakfast that morning.
No, another letter had prompted his resignation, and it was nested safely in the inner folds of his robes, pressed close to his heart. It had arrived at the break of dawn that morning, delivered by a tiny grey owl which had a rolled-up parchment attached to its right leg, bearing the word 'Remus' on it . It had swooped into his room, twittering excitedly, and after Lupin had untied the roll of parchment it had immediately zoomed out of the window again. It seemed to be on another delivery, as Lupin had spied another letter attached to its other leg, addressed to Harry Potter.
That morning, when he'd heard that Sirius Black had vanished into thin air, Lupin immediately knew that he had succeeded in escaping once again. He hadn't managed to suppress a small smile as Snape howled in utter consternation, his hopes of being awarded the prestigious 'Order of Merlin, First Class' evaporating into thin air, about as tangible as Sirius was at that moment. Snape had every right to be enraged; Sirius had come off victorious once again in their bitter enmity, and Lupin could almost hear the delightful tingle of his friend's laughter drifting through his own mind.
He had opened the letter, and this is how it read
Dear Remus,
Thanks to the sheer bravery of Harry and Hermione, I'll be soaring across the vast skies above as you read this, with a Hippogriff named Buckbeak as my worthy transport. The blooming dawn has streaked brilliant strands of gold across the sky, and as I watch the sun rise slowly in the horizon, I know that there is only one place that I really want to go now, a place you know, a place you've been before, too. Do you still remember, Remus? I will never forget that place, or the time we spent there.
So, Remus, my dear friend, you know where to find me. There are things I wish to say to you, which would lose their meaning if I merely wrote them down. So I'll wait to say it to you one day, and watch your eyes as I speak the words. I've learned the value of patience in my time at Azkaban, I can wait a little longer.
Until we meet again, then, take care of yourself, and do keep an eye on Harry for me. I'm immensely proud to have that boy as my godson.
Always yours,
Sirius
Lupin had re-read the letter three times over, absorbing the essence of every word that Sirius had wrote, understanding the veiled emotion that flitted between the lines. He immediately knew where Sirius was headed for Neuchatel.
Neuchatel was a small, suburban town, situated at the foot of the Jura Mountains, on the western border of Switzerland. It was comfortably nestled between a shimmering lake and the leeward face of the towering mountain range, a tranquil, scenic spot unscathed by the ravages of urbanization, still saturated with the natural beauty exclusive to the remote virgin landscape gracing the Swiss mountain terrains.
Sirius had alluded to the times they had spent there, and Lupin smiled, the memories immediately coming back in a whistling rush, vivid as though it had just been yesterday, breaching the immeasurable stride of time between then and now.
It was the end of their sixth year in Hogwarts, and the holidays were upon them, the excitement of the conclusion of the term intermingled with the spirited vibrance of summer. James was taking Lily back to introduce her to his folks they'd been a couple for almost a year, and were going to be Head Boy and Girl in their next and final year at Hogwarts. Remus had bade farewell to Sirius, James and Peter at the King's Cross Station, but had exchanged a knowing glance at Sirius before he turned away.
He met Sirius again two weeks later, in secret, and together they headed off to the snow-capped peaks of Switzerland for a fortnight. They'd planned this vacation for months, but had kept it shrouded in utmost secrecy, not letting either James or Peter in on it. For some reason, this confidentiality was an unspoken agreement between the two of them, a common understanding that this was an exclusive trip, for reasons unknown but strongly felt. Sirius had handled most of the arrangements, and Lupin knew that he'd made sure that the two weeks didn't coincide with the full moon, for his benefit.
Those two weeks were the best moments of Remus' life. Away from the hustling city life, relaxing after a draining term of arduous work, spending those precious fourteen days with a boy that he had intense, unarticulated feelings for, and which he sensed were reciprocated.
Their intimacy transcended the realm of mere physical attraction they felt truly bonded on an intellectual, mental and emotional plane. They went swimming in the lake, and spent hours lying on the grassy banks, talking endlessly about everything under the sun. It didn't really matter what they did, whether they were hiking or swimming or just sitting quietly together what made the moments so special was that they were spent alone with Sirius, with nothing and no one to interfere, in this breathlessly scenic place which was like a corner of heaven. Their closeness surpassed the mere fleeting pleasures of sex in fact, they didn't have any, but to Remus, the moments they lay together, with his head resting on Sirius' shoulder, were the quintessence of their lovemaking.
They never spoke of their trip together after they returned they didn't need to. The realization dawned mutually upon them, the purest testimony of their shared affection, the beginnings of something they both knew was destined to be exquisitely special. But before they could explore the possibilities which lay between them, however, their lives had been tragically plunged into inextricable complication as Voldemort's ascent to power spelt nothing but trouble brewing ahead, breeding mistrust within their close-knit circle, forcing their paths to diverge as they spiralled desperately into the unknown.
The days were dark and filled with fear. Most of the wizards and witches who refused to succumb to the Dark Side had fled and gone into hiding, including Lupin. Tragedy had struck suddenly and ruthlessly the news broke that James and Lily had been killed, betrayed by none other than their best friend Sirius Black, who also murdered Peter Pettigrew and a streetful of Muggles. The only consolation was that Voldemort had mysteriously lost his powers amidst the attack, and the Potters' only son, Harry, had escaped. Subsequently, Sirius had been convicted as a supporter of Voldemort, and held responsible for the deaths of James, Lily and Peter.
Lupin had felt completely shattered he hadn't even been able to attend the sentencing court session, to show his support for the jubilant triumph against the Dark Side and Lord Voldemort. He simply couldn't sit in the stands and look Sirius in the eye, or let him see the depths of pain and betrayal simmering in his own eyes. He couldn't bear to face the treachery of his own blinded love, or recognise the hollow facade which he had cherished as something so dear to him. His absence raised a few eyebrows wasn't Lupin a friend of James and Lily? why didn't he come? the muted whispers asked but Remus just couldn't pull himself to attend it, and so he didn't.
It was a fine line to walk, teetering on the edge of a frontier where love and hate collided. He had spent the few days following James and Lily's death and Sirius' arrest in a state of numbed denial he couldn't believe it, almost vehemently refused to. But as the days waned by and the bitter truth sank in, he slowly forced himself to accept the fact that the man he had loved wasn't the person he thought he had been. But a part of him deep inside still adamantly clung to the belief that Sirius was innocent, a part of him that still felt intensely for the person who first showed him what it was like to love.
And now, in the light of last night's events and as far as Lupin was concerned, Sirius was exonerated. It didn't matter that the Ministry of Magic still hunted for Sirius like a wanted criminal; he, Remus, knew the truth, and that was enough for him. That stark moment of realization, as he sat frozen in his office staring at the Marauder's Map, his eyes riveted in disbelief at the moving dot marked 'Peter Pettigrew'
the pieces had suddenly scattered into place, and Lupin knew, at that exact instant, that Sirius was innocent, as he had fervently fought to believe all this while.
He had abysmally forgotten to take his Potion as he rushed out to meet the little group heading down to the Shrieking Shack, and the rest of the night after they had emerged with a shackled Pettigrew was nothing more than a misted blur in his mind. Lupin knew that he had transformed as the full moon drifted into view, and that Sirius had tried to keep him away from the others, and that he had galloped off into the Forbidden Forest
but everything else was an indistinct fog which he wasn't sure he was too keen to remember, anyway.
The midday sun overhead emitted glittering rays which fell obliquely across Lupin's face, casting a soft glow on the worn lines of fatigue, yet illuminating the intrinsic youthfulness in his features. There weren't many students loitering around the school grounds most had gone for a weekend Hogsmeade visit. He noticed Hagrid hurrying toward him, and they exchanged a few words before saying farewell.
"Harry was downright bummed when he heard yer leavin', Remus," Hagrid said forlornly, pumping Lupin's hand vigorously in a warm handshake. "Yer the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher they ever had."
"Yes, Harry came to see me, I said goodbye to him in my office just now." Lupin paused, then grinned. "And I'm sure they'll still manage fine without me, Harry's a natural and Hermione's about the cleverest witch her age." Before he left, he said, "Keep an eye out for them after I'm gone, make sure they stay out of trouble, alright?"
"Where yer goin' now?" Hagrid asked curiously, casting a glance at his suitcase and the Grindylow tank. "Yer stayin' in the country, aren' cha?"
Lupin chuckled inwardly, allowing a thoughtful smile to spread over his clear features. "No, Hagrid, I'll be leaving. There's somewhere else I need to be first. But who knows, I might be back in the country sooner than you think." He winked, and with a parting wave, got into the waiting carriage and left the grounds of Hogwarts.
He directed the carriage a little way up the road, and alighted not far off from Hogsmeade. He decided that the best way to get to Neuchatel was to Apparate there. Partly because he hadn't the faintest idea how to get there without a broomstick, and also because he wanted to be there as soon as possible and Apparition was the fastest method available. It shouldn't be much of a problem Disapparating from near Hogsmeade, there would be no danger of any Muggles sighting him disappearing in a wisp of smoke.
* * *
A sudden cool breeze gently welcomed him as he opened his eyes and looked around. One glance at the panoramic view sprawling all around him told him that he was at the right place. snap, just like that, and he had instantaneously been transported to the mountains of Switzerland.
The town of Neuchatel lay a distance away, the calm lake lazily gleaming in the backdrop. The landscape hadn't changed that much since they were there more than a decade and a half ago, the same pervasive peacefulness settling over the quiet province like dew from the mountaintops. The ground underfoot was rough and grassy, and an uneven gravel path led up the undulating slope at the foot of the mountain before him, snaking around a bend and disappearing out of sight.
Lupin picked up his suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank. He started up the worn path, a sense of dιjΰ vu overwhelming him as he carefully made his way along the winding trail. Of course, this must have been the same mountain they had hiked up when they came on their summer vacation years ago. Memories do not lie his mind had spoken his chosen destination when he Disapparated from Hogsmeade, and he had been brought here, to this particular spot. It was certainly no mere coincidence.
The mountain had withstood the ravages of time it stood proudly, beckoning him in welcome, reminding Lupin how the passage of time had eroded so many things since he last walked up this path. Strangely enough, though, many years later he was back here again, with the same person as the last time. Such was the fascinating, cyclical pattern which life often took, arching in convoluted circles as paths crossed and memories awakened.
The dusty gravel crunched under his feet as Lupin climbed up the mountain track, the gradient steepening sharply as he went. The path trailed along the face of the mountain, with jagged boulders carved along the outermost edge of the track, natural boundaries which prevented the clumsy traveller from freefalling off the cliff if he should stray off the gravel route.
As Lupin turned a sharp bend, he abruptly came face to face with two glaring orange eyes belonging to a Hippogriff. The eyes stared straight at him, fierce and unyielding, and Lupin's footsteps drew to a halt. He immediately recognized this particular Hippogriff it was none other than Buckbeak. The path had suddenly broadened after the turn, yielding an open space where Buckbeak had apparently been strutting around and preening himself before Lupin had arrived. The gravel path forked, and an outcropping hung a few feet above to the right, shielding the face of a natural cave which was further obscured from sight by the uneven angles of mountain rock.
Lupin smiled, bending slightly in a graceful bow before the Hippogriff. Buckbeak regarded him sternly for a moment, almost contemplatively, before finally lowering himself on one knee in return of the greeting.
Lupin reached out his hand, and patted the Hippogriff gently on his head. "Hello, Buckbeak," he said softly, watching as Buckbeak nestled his head against his open palm. "It's nice to see you again, Hagrid and Harry and his friends send their regards." Lupin thought he saw a slight twinkle in the Hippogriff's austere, unblinking eyes, accompanied by a brief flapping of his wings in acknowledgement.
"Where's Sirius, Buckbeak?" Lupin asked, stroking his feathered head lightly. Buckbeak tilted his head toward the cave opening by way of gesture, before casting a haughty glance at Lupin and nodding curtly.
"Thanks," Lupin replied, and he approached the cave, his footsteps hurried. A sense of eager anticipation rose within him, urging him forward. He peered tentatively into the cave, but his view was obstructed by a rocky ledge protruding near the entrance.
The mouth of the cave was fairly wide, large enough for someone with Sirius' built to slip in with fair ease. Lupin was slightly shorter than Sirius, and he carefully dodged in, his lean body angling into the cave without much difficulty. The interior of the cave was deeper than it appeared from the outside, and shafts of sunlight filtered in from the opening of the entrance, illuminating the cavern within. Lupin's eyes immediately fell on a familiar figure leaning against the cave wall a few feet away, his back half-turned, bent over a slender, long pole in his hands, thoroughly absorbed in it.
Lupin felt his breath catch in his throat as he took a hesitant step forward, at the exact moment the other man ostensibly sensed his presence and began to turn.
Lupin's voice quavered with suppressed emotion as he spoke.
"It's me, Sirius."
- fin -