Fire Whiskey in the Moonlight (Remus Lupin)

Chapter Eighteen: An Unexpected Dinner Guest

The next few days went by in a blur as I tried to decide what I would do with the information I had learned from the letter. Even Christmas flew by as the deadline of New Year's Eve approached, that's when I would have to make my decision.

The day before New Year's Eve, I laid relaxed in our large brown recliner chair, watching the fireplace and thinking about what to do about Remus while my Mum and Dad were in the other room cooking dinner. I wiggled my toes inside of the old fluffy slippers I had on, dreading when I would have to trade them in for dress shoes and switch my mom jeans and baggy band tees back out for button-ups and robes. I was ripped from my thoughts as the doorbell rang.

"Mum, are we expecting anyone for dinner?"

"No, we aren't. Could you see who it is, honey? I'll be right there."

I groaned, removing myself from the comfortable chair and going over to the door. I pulled it open and froze, the last person I expected to be ringing my doorbell was Remus Lupin.

"Hello there," He calmly stated, as if this was a normal thing that was happening.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered.

"I need to talk to you, I kept trying to at Hogwarts but-"

He was interrupted by my mother walking out, wiping her hands on her apron and casting a confused face at the strange visitor.

"Hi, how can we help you?"

Remus smiled, "You must be Mrs.Perkins, lovely to meet you. I just needed a quick word with your daughter if that's alright, I'm-"

I cut him off before he could speak, knowing my mother would recognize his name from the letter and knowing she would be less than thrilled that the name belonged to someone so much older than me.

"Severus Snape" I blurted out. Remus gave me a weird look, "This is, uh, Professor Snape. He teaches potions at Hogwarts."

My mother beamed, "Oh how wonderful! Please come in Professor, it is so great to meet one of Viv's teachers!"

Remus nodded politely and walked into our living room, standing awkwardly with his hand behind his back.

"Oh please sit! Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you." He said sitting down on the edge of the couch.

"Is Vivian in some kind of trouble? We've never had a professor make a housecall before."

"Oh no! Nothing like that, I just need to talk to her about, uh-"

"A teacher's aid position," I said assisting Remus.

"Right, an aid position helping the younger students with their homework, for potions," He smiled.

"Oh how wonderful that you thought of Viv for that, but I'm still not quite sure why you're here? Couldn't you have just sent an owl?"

"His owl died." I sputtered.

Remus shot me another look of confusion, shock, and desperation.

"I'm so sorry to hear that Professor Snape, but its lovely to meet you. You must stay for dinner! My husband is just finishing it up now."

"That'd be lovely, thank you," Remus answered at the same time as I was answering "He can't."

My mother shot me her trademark "Be Polite" look. "I'll go set another place setting, leave you two to talk about the teacher's aid position."

My mother left the room and headed back towards the kitchen. Remus stood up and walked over to me, "Why am I Snape?"

"Its the only person I could think of! Why did you say you could stay for dinner?!" I whisper yelled, slightly swatting his arm as I spoke.