AND THEY WERE WIZARDS. (Oh my god they were wizards)

Was a Normal Ending to the Year Too Much to Ask???

The smell of engine fuel was heavy as the students of Hogwarts loaded their luggage onto the train. Given the events of the past week, the noise at Hogsmeade station consisted not only of the screeches of owls and cats and the loud rumbling of the train, but the unusually lively chatter of the students. It seemed only two things could be discussed since the day after exams: the second escape of Sirius Black, and the resigning of Remus Lupin, who, everyone now knew, was a werewolf.

"Being a werewolf should make him even more qualified to teach us defense!" Remus said, disgruntled, as he and Roman lifted one of the heavy trunks up the steep steps of the scarlet train.

"Why, exactly??" Asked Roman.

"Experience!" Said Remus with an eye roll. "He's come face to mouth with the dark arts!"

"Ew, that was a vivid image." Muttered Emile, standing next to the train with his trunk.

    "He makes a point though," said Virgil, trying to hold as many of his friends' carrier bags on his arms as he could manage as the twins got the trunk up the steps. "Lupin's by far the best DADA teacher we've ever had. I learned loads this year."

    The three holding luggage worked their way into the aisle and then to the nearest empty compartment as Roman replied, "yes but actually being a werewolf? Is that really safe?"

    Virgil gave an exasperated sigh. "He's had us fight magical beasts and practice cursing each other, but this is where you draw the line?"

    "You really think any of us could actually take on a real werewolf? Especially someone we know?"

    "I should hope so, otherwise our entire werewolf unit was pretty damn pointless wasn't it?"

    Remus left the compartment, squeezing past Janus and Emile as they carried Emile's trunk to where Roman and Virgil were still bickering. As he helped the Ravenclaw heave the trunk onto the shelf above the seats, Janus cut in, "this conversation wouldn't even be necessary if Snape hadn't opened his big mouth about Lupin. It wasn't even his business."

    It was not Roman, but Virgil who countered him. "I think he should have told us when we learned about werewolves! It could've been important to know."

    Janus looked affronted. "He's not obligated to disclose that to everyone he meets when it doesn't concern them," he said as Emile left.

    "It concerns them if he happens to forget to take his meds," Virgil shot back, "y'know, like he did last week?"

    "I thought you wanted him here, like I did!" Janus flared.

    "I do!" Virgil retorted, "we should just have known about it and then the whole school wouldn't have thrown a fit when the truth got out!"

    Roman scoffed, "they'd have thrown a fit regardless. Nobody's parents would've wanted them at Hogwarts if they knew a werewolf was teaching them Defense. My mum would've made Remus and I wear a constant shield charm."

    "Well that's fucked up." Virgil grumbled, "we can know someone's a werewolf and not be assholes about it."

    "Welcome to the world, Virge. Everyone's an asshole." Janus sneered.

    "Janus has a point," Logan interjected, entering the compartment with Patton as they lifted the last trunk that would fit on the racks. "The stigma that the magical community holds around werewolves makes it borderline incriminating to be open about one's lycanthropy."

    "which isn't entirely without good reason." Said Roman, who went on before Virgil could protest, "look, I loved Lupin as a teacher as much as the next bloke and I don't want him to leave, but I can see it from the other perspective! Lyecanto- whatever—"