Love Can Be Found In the Darkest of Places (A Marauders FanFiction)

Chapter 27: What If

June

(more dialogue taken from the films, all credit goes to the writers!)

"Good evening," Remus greeted Rose glumly at dinner one night. Several nights before, Sirius Black had been once more spotted within the walls of Hogwarts. This time, he'd entered Gryffindor Tower with a weapon. He was mere feet away from Harry. The air in the Great Hall was still filled with tension; the students were talking in hurried whispers and it was unusually quiet. They had also just received the news that Buckbeak had been sentenced to death. She'd always thought he was a beautiful creature.

"Good is a bit of a stretch," Rose grumbled, staring at the meal in front of her that she hadn't touched. "Hagrid!" she said, as the groundskeeper approached the table to take a seat next to her. He looked unspeakably sad, and she rubbed his arm in consolation. "I'm so sorry – it's not right." He sniffed deeply in response.

"Malfoy doesn't know what he's talking about," Remus muttered angrily, thinking of Lucius.

"Maybe we can repeal it!" Rose said hopefully.

"Wha's done is done," Hagrid said dejectedly, fighting back great, big tears.

Later that night

Remus was walking back to his suite after having a few drinks with Rose at Hogsmeade. The hall was dark, and the paintings with snoozing. Some of them were even snoring. Suddenly, he heard voices.

"...and request that he keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."

"Why you insolent little –"

Remus recognized the voices of Harry and Severus Snape. "Professor." Snape turned towards him, his lip turning upwards in a scowl at the man he disliked so much. Harry, sensing the tension, raised his eyebrows.

"Well, well. Lupin. Out for a walk in the moonlight, are we?"

Ignoring his moonlight comment, Remus turned to Harry. "Harry – you alright?" Snape's scowl deepened.

"That remains to be seen. I've just now confiscated a rather curious artifact from Mr. Potter," Snape waved about a blank piece of parchment that Remus knew all too well. He took it from Snape, pretending to be intrigued. "This is supposed to be your area of expertise."

"Clearly, it's full of Dark Magic," Snape drawled. It took all Remus had not to scoff.

"I seriously doubt that, Severus. It looks to me as if it merely insults anyone who tries to read it," Remus countered. That had been James and Sirius' idea. Amusing as the map was, Remus couldn't help the anger that was bubbling inside of him. "I suspect it's a Zonko product. Nevertheless, I shall pursue any hidden qualities it may possess. As you say, it is my area of expertise. Come along, Harry." Remus curled up the parchment and gestured for Harry to follow.

Harry followed a fuming Lupin down the hall to his office. Once inside, Lupin began to raise his voice. "I don't know how this map came to be in your possession, Harry, but I'm astounded that you didn't think to turn it in. Did you ever stop to think that this – in the hands of Sirius Black – is a map to you?" Harry remained silent. For a moment Remus thought he was being too hard on the boy, but he pushed on.

"Your father didn't set much store by rules either, but he and your mother did give their lives to save yours." The thought of James and Lily unsettled is stomach. "Gambling their sacrifice by walking about the castle unprotected, with a killer on the loose, strikes me as a poor way to repay them. I won't cover up for you again Harry," he finished sternly, tossing the map onto his desk and beginning to sort through some papers.