Professor?

6

Lupin and I exited the hospital wing quickly as I drank my potion.

"How many times?" I ask

"Did I have to drink that?" He asks

"Yeah."I nod

"I lost count after 6" he smiles

"As I hear it you knew Harry's dad and mine." I say

"I knew James and Frank yes." He nods as we get to his office

"Could you tell me about my dad?" I ask "I didn't exactly get to know him very well. With the bite and what Lestrange did to he and mom"

"I'll do my best. First he was one of the first friends I had. The only person I ever told about my bite." Lupin sighs

"He didn't shun you or anything did he?" I ask

"Not really. He just um two a couple days to get used to the idea that I wasn't going to hurt him." Lupin shakes his head

"Good."

"He was a good man. Very selfless. Even at 13" he smiles

"Did you know Mom?" I ask

"Not until they started dating. She was close to Lily. Harry's Mother." He smiles

"That's what Mrs Weasley told me.." I shrug

"Did she know Alice then?" He asks

"She knew her well enough." I nod

"You have any idea what you want to do after school?" He smiles

"I was thinking of starting a bookshop or something small." I shrug "maybe help Fred and George with their joke shop idea."

"Working with people who already know about your bite is best. Not saying you shouldn't try otherwise but it helps." He tells me

"That's what Professor McGongall told me. Dumbledore says I can have a job here with just the say so."

"That's what he told me when I was in school. He's a good man. A very good man" he smiles

"So Gran asked you to watch me?" I ask

"Yes. She and Dumbledore asked me to.  To help you. Give you advice." He shrugs

"That's nice of you." I smile

"Well I know what you're going through. Some of the things that must be going through your mind. How hard it is to wake up and stay awake a couple of days after the moon. Things like that." He smiles sitting on the edge of his desk.

"Well it is nice to have someone that understands around."

"What about the twins?" He asks raising an eyebrow

"They've read all the books and everything they can find about a werewolf buy they have no idea what it feels like. What the scars feel like. How horrible you feel seeing the scars." I shrug

"You're scared someone will see them. I was. I still am." He speaks barely above a whisper

"Does it ever get easier?"

"Seeing the scars?"

"Dating. Trusting someone enough to be comfortable in your own skin?" I ask

He lets out a sigh before answering "I wish I could tell you it does but I don't want to lie."

"I was afraid of that." I chuckle

"You have someone in mind?" He asks watching me

"Not really."

"Not either of the twins?"

"No. No I don't think that would ever work." I shake my head

"Why not?"

"They're needing. Whenever they date someone they want that person's attention all the time. I couldn't do something like that." I shrug "its not that I would care to give them attention it's that they're just a little too physical sometimes."

"I see. Physical contact is a problem for most people bitten. Especially right after the moon. You don't want to be touched. I take it them aren't very understanding to that."

"They're getting better about it. They know not to touch me or hug me after the moon. Til the new scars heal up a bit. That much they understand. They don't get that sometimes I feel like I'm too broken to handle physical contact."

"When I was growing up the only person who actually understood that was Dumbledore. All my friends never understood why I didn't want physical contact. Why I didn't date. They didn't understand how hard it is to be comfortable enough with someone that you're confident in your own skin." He looks ready to brake down.

"It's bad. When you've got like three people bugging you about going on dates it's kinda angering."

"It really is. People pushing and begging. Making you feel even worse about yourself."

"I'm tempted to just start hexing them. I've told each of them at least twice that I don't want to date."

"If I weren't a teacher I'd tell you to do just that. But seeing as I am I just advise you to tell the twins who's been bothering you and let them handle it. They'd seem to do anything for you." He smiles

"I don't think I should tell them. They would go over board. Plus I don't think anyone wants a Wesley sibling war bursting out." I smile

"One of their brothers is giving you issue?"

"No. I just mean that once their brothers hear about they'll get involved and soon enough Gryffindor tower will be a war zone."

"Ah I understand. They're a bit like James was then."

"You miss them don't you?" I ask reading his face

"Of course. They were good friends of mine. I don't have many friends these days."

"I don't want to cross any lines but Dad found out Sirius Black escaped. He told me that he knew him growing up. Did you?"

"Yes." He sighs "I thought I knew him pretty well. I guess people change."

"Dad mumbled something about Sirius never being able to hurt James and Lily" I say

"At one time I thought that was true. I never exactly wanted to believe he'd do what he did."

"I'm sorry. My curiosity got the better of me." I look down

"It's alright. I understand why you'd want to know. It's something your father told you."

"Just some days he talks other days he just stares at me. The last time we went to see them he asked how I was handling his mistake. That's what he calls the bite." I sigh

"Listen to me. It's not your fault or your father's that you got bit. Greyback would bite anyone he could get his hands on during the moon. He's not like us.  He doesn't care about hurting people. Whoever your father angered is to blame for that bite. If they hadn't been doing wrong then you're father wouldn't have had to deal with them." He was standing a few feet in front of me at this point. I didn't even noticed he moved

"I know. Dad was just doing his job. All I can think is that they meant to get Neville not me." I sigh

"You were very brave saving him."

"I was watching him while Mum went to get his bottle. Dad was working late that night. I couldn't let that monster hurt a baby." I look up at him.

"I don't blame you. I wouldn't have just sat back and watched him hurt a baby either."

I glance out the window to see the sun starting to rise.

"I don't understand who would want to hurt a baby."

"To hurt someone else. Make your father watch his child to go through that."