Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 46

:)

It was five past nine, and Auriga had only just made it back to Hogwarts from the night before. She'd left Remus at Grimmauld Place, with Sirius promising to get him better and not tell on her, and her promising that she didn't care, it was just the principle of it. Sirius hadn't looked like he believed her, and to be honest, Auriga wasn't sure she believed herself either. But one person that certainly didn't care was Remus. And that was all that mattered.

She flung open the door to her classroom, and was surprised to see it was filled with her seventh year class. Oh yes. She had teaching to do. "Good morning," she called as she undid her cloak and made her way to the front of the room. "Today we will be starting on...um...healing spells, which you should have covered in your fourth year with Lockhart, but...he was...uh..."

"Incompetent?" offered one of the Weasley twins. Auriga had to attempt not to respond to that.

"So, healing spells," Auriga repeated, and this time the title appeared on the board. "We'll start off with the smaller ones today. First of all: episkey. A personal favourite of mine, now can anyone tell me what it does?" They all just stared at her somewhat blankly, with many a frowning face or an open mouth. "Anyone?" Still no response. "What's up with you lot today? Jordan?"

Lee Jordan blinked a little before answering. "Um...fix injuries?" he offered.

"Not quite," said Auriga. "Episkey fixes small injuries. Now we don't have any subjects to practice on today, but-"

"Professor?" asked Alicia Spinnet from the back, raising her hand. "Do you...maybe...need to see the Matron?"

"I'm sorry?" asked Auriga with a frown.

"You look like you've come fresh off the battlefield," commented one of the Weasleys.

"Or you were teaching the first years," said the other.

"I beg your pardon!" said Auriga, outraged. What on earth were they talking about? "Five points from Gryffindor!"

"I'll be taking this class today," said Snape, strolling in. "Seeing as we can't find-" His eyes finally found Auriga, and he looked surprised at first and then downright shocked. "Professor Malfoy," he finished. Everybody looked about as confused as Auriga felt. "A word outside please, Professor?" Auriga nodded.

"Everybody turn to page one hundred and six of your textbooks and begin making notes," she said before heading into the corridor with Snape. He closed the door behind her.

"You burned down Carrow Manor House?" Snape said, making it sound more like an accusation than a question.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Auriga said coolly.

"Your robes are in tatters, your hair looks like a bird's nest, you're covered in soot and blood and cuts and bruises and you've been missing all night," Snape listed. "Do I need to go on?"

Now that Auriga looked herself over, she realised that all these things were true. "Please, do," she said anyway.

"Carrow Manor House was burned down with fiendfyre last night," Snape said. "It was in the Prophet. Multiple witnesses named you as present. And Remus Lupin magically showed up at headquarters early this morning."

"Well," said Auriga, "It's a good job we're in the wizarding world, else he wouldn't have magically appeared anywhere, would he?" If Snape was capable of murder, this would've been the point where he demonstrated.

"Luckily for you," said Snape, "Dumbledore says you were dealing with a student crisis last night, and were onsite." Auriga couldn't help but feel slightly relieved. "And the Ministry is feeding that story to the Prophet as we speak."