Hogwarts: A History (Hermione's Version)

Chapter 13

February 1993

As he came through the floo at Potter Manor, Remus was grumbling to himself as he shed his robes. He couldn't believe that of all the decisions that Albus Dumbledore made, he thought that this one would be a good one. How could such a brilliant man be so daft? Maybe Regulus had a point all of those years ago. There truly was something off with the headmaster.

"Moony there you are!" James exclaimed, raising his glass as the marauder walked into the drawing room.

"The world is coming to an end," Remus deadpanned as he poured himself a generous helping of the firewhiskey that was out on the table.

"When I invited you lot over for drinks," James began, a hint of a smirk starting to show. "I did not ask for the dramatic tellings of one Remus John Lupin. Relax, take a load off. Have a drink and for Merlin's sake calm down."

"What's wrong?" Sirius said, his eyes wide as he looked at his husband. "Did something happen? Are the kids alright? Did something happen to Hermione?"

"When I said calm down, I was also referring to you Sirius," James said shaking his head.

"The children are fine," Remus said, placating the man before downing his drink. "But the world is ending and we are all burning with it."

"What did we miss?" Lily asked as she entered the room with Narcissa. James smiled brightly at his wife before tugging her down to sit with him. "Why is Remus saying the world is ending?"

"Professor Dumbledore," Remus began and Narcissa immediately scoffed. "He's apparently decided to take my suggestion for a dueling club seriously this term and has approved it."

"And do tell how that means the world is ending?" James asked running his fingers through his mop of hair. "You should be thrilled."

"Oh I was. Until I learned that he decided to bring on Gilderoy Lockhart to help out with said dueling club," Remus pointed out.

"No," Narcissa said adamantly. It was no surprise to her that Gilderoy Lockhart had become famous for selling wild adventure stories. She remembered quite vividly hearing stories from Regulus about the Ravenclaw in school. The man had always had a flare for the dramatics and yet, according to Regulus, one of his worst subjects was defense against the dark arts. She didn't believe for one moment that he had actually participated in half of the stories that he had written. "Absolutely not. What was Albus Dumbledore thinking?"

"Oh it gets better," Remus laughed sarcastically. If Narcissa was against the man helping out in the dueling club, then he couldn't wait to inform her about the rest of the headmaster's plan.

"How could it possibly get better?" Lily asked. "I remember Gilderoy from school. He was nauseatingly arrogant, especially for someone who couldn't cast a proper hex to save his hide."

"More arrogant than James?" Sirius smirked, taking a sip of his firewhiskey.

"Oi!" James shouted and wandlessly and wordlessly cast a stinging hex at the old dog.

"Hey!"

"As I was saying," Remus continued, rolling his eyes. "Not only will he be helping with the dueling club. He will also be taking over classes this term on the days that I am incapacitated due to my... condition?"

"He will be teaching our children?!" Lily exclaimed.

"There it is," Remus smirked.

"What is going on in here?" Lucius walked in, his eyes narrowing as he looked around the room.