In a Lifetime

In A Lifetime
Chapter 12: The Rise of the Moon

Disclaimer: I own nothing of what you’re about to read, with the possible exception of the plot, although I’m sure it’s been done before. The places, characters, etc. belong to JK Rowling. Thanks.

Remus sat in the small dungeon chamber, looking up at the very thin slot-like window that adorned a sliver of the top of the stone wall. He felt restless. The moon was about to rise and he had no idea what to expect. He had been living all his life with the fear of the full moon rife within him. Now he had the chance to possibly see the moon rise and not suffer the pain of the change from human to wolf. He never held out any hope for a cure. He always assumed that he had to live forever with the curse running through his bloodstream. But one day he had spied a sign in the St Mungo’s outpatient waiting room: “Werewolves needed for new potion trials”. He had to give it a chance, even if was only something to make the symptoms of the change less painful. Each month he had fled to the forests to avoid harming others. He had no idea who he was except that he understood that he was a werewolf and that he belonged in the wizarding world. He stood up and paced the small chamber, aware that he was being watched by unseen eyes behind unseen mirrors. He looked up at the window again, and saw the moon slowly rising. He looked at his hands and arms, felt his face. Nothing was different. He was still Remus Lupin. He suddenly felt calm, his nervousness diminishing. The moon had risen and he had not changed. He allowed a smile to cross his face as he sat down. He buried his face in his hands and began to cry.

“Severus,” whispered Hermione, watching Remus through a hidden mirror, “what is hing?ing?”

“I believe he is crying, Hermione.”

“Is it safe, do you think, to let him out?” she asked.

“I would imagine so. The moon is fully risen and he is the same,” commented Albus, smiling as he walked to the door and took down the wards that guarded it. Stepping inside the room, Albus walked over to Remus, sat down next to him, and wrapped a fatherly arm around his shoulder.

Remus looked up into his kindly eyes, “It’s over?”

“It would appear so. I’m sure Severus and Hermione have some follow up for you, but I would say you beat the wolf. Please have Ginevra take another blood sample before you retire for the night. We will talk in the morning. We have a great deal to catch up on, son.”

“Yes sir,” said Remus, a small smile once again breaking through the tears as he got up and walked out of the chamber with Albus, glancing at Severus and Hermione as he passed. He stopped, turned back, and took both their hands before whispering, “thank you.”

Remus and Albus parted ways at the Gargoyle that guarded the headmaster’s office and Remus continued up one more floor to the Hospital Wing where he encountered a surprised Ginny Weasley.

“Miss Weasley,” he said hesitatingly, “I need some blood drawn…”

“It’s Ginny or Ginevra, whichever you prefer,” she said smiling, “and it’s wonderful to see you lit up by the moonlight.”

Remus followed her eyes to the window through which the full moon shone brightly. He looked back meeting her dancing brown eyes and was surprised to see none of the youthful exuberance that he remembered of the girl she was ten years previous. Looking at her carefully, he saw a self confident woman with a hint of mystery and mischief in her eyes. She had grown up and grown up beautifully. Her vivid red hair was now shoulder length and pulled back into a ponytail. She wore little makeup, nor did she need it. With hesitation, he pulled his eyes away from Ginny. He had no right to look at one so young with the interest he was looking at her with. He was too old and came with too much baggage.

Ginny smiled at Remus and motioned for him to sit in a chair by the window. She deftly took a sample of his blood and flooed it to Severus’ chambers. She watched him lost in thought as he gazed at the moon and quietly sat next to him.

“Is it odd?” she asked, “Actually being able to look at the moon and know there will be no pain, no worry?”

Remus nodded, “I never thought I’d be able to look at the moon without being afraid of what I’ll become.”

“Neville Longbottom told me that when you were teaching DADA and the subject was boggarts, your greatest fear was a silvery orb that turned out to be the moon. “

“It’s been my greatest fear since I was young,” admitted Remus.

Ginny looked at her watch, “Kyla should be coming in to relieve me in a few minutes, would you like to take a walk by the lake and enjoy the moonlight for a little bit?” she asked.

“I remember Kyla from St Mungo’s…”

“Yes, Albus hired her away from there to work here as an assistant. With the enrollment here getting larger each year, the medical staff really does need to expand. Poppy can’t do it alone and Hermione and I are still interns.” explained Ginny, “So, are you up for a short walk?”

Remus looked at Ginny’s smiling face and threw caution to the wind, “I’d like that…Ginny.”

“G” sh” she smiled, “let me clean up a little around here and check on the latest Quidditch casualties before Kyla gets here.”

Ginny busied herself about the Hospital Ward while Remus continued to look out the window, still amazed at the view under the clear sky and full moon. He could see the path to the lake clearly enough to make out two figures walking towards the water’s edge. He couldn’t make out who it was, but they appeared close, possibly holding hands. He supposed he would find out who the couple was when he and Ginny made their way down there in a short while. Before he knew it, Ginny had appeared beside him again, wrapping her cloak around her shoulders. She handed Remus his tattered old cloak, not even blinking at its frayed edges and holes, and smiled.

“Well, my replacement is here. Let’s go bask under the light of the full moon. Honestly, if it wasn’t so chilly out, I would dance naked under it like the faery folk do,” laughed Ginny.

“That would be quite a sight,” he said, eyeing her appreciatively.

Ginny laughed again, the sound tinkling like bells through the quiet corridors of the castle. Remus felt lighter than he had in years. He knew who he was, he knew where he belonged, and he was free from the curse that had determined his course of life for so many years.

They walked to the path leading down to the lake, chatting about Ginny’s life since the Great War. Ginny was careful not to ask Remus many questions about his life during that time, understanding that some things were better left unsaid for the moment. When they reached the lake, they were pleasantly surprised to find Severus and Hermione sitting on a log watching the ripples on the water’s surface.

“Fancy meeting you here,” smiled Hermione.

“I thought Remus should experience life under the moon…”

“Without being a danger to those around me,” stated Remus with a self deprecating smile.

“Yes, I do admit that meeting you under a full moon before would have left me somewhat…trepidatious.”“Sev“Severus, you made that word up,” admonished Hermione, “there’s no such word as trepidatious.”

“Why yes,” he said wryly, “I suppose I did. Still and all, it is a good word, is it not?”

“No,” laughed Ginny, “it most certainly isn’t.”

“So, Remus, how are you feeling?” asked Severus, deftly changing the subject.

“Surprisingly well,” replied Remus, “I’ve had more than enough sleep recently,” he commented, giving Hermione and Ginny a half hearted glare.

“It waspy’spy’s idea to continually keep you dosed on dreamless sleep,” laughed Hermione, “Gin and I are innocent interns.”

Severus snorted, earning him a well placed elbow in the ribs, “Come now, Hermione, you haven’t been innocent in quite some time.”

“Then stop corrupting me,” she said, snuggling in closer to the potions master.

“Cold?” asked Severus. Hermione nodded. Severus tossed his wand to Remus, “start us a fire, Lupin.”

“I haven’t done magic in ten years,” he protested.

“Well, now is your chance,” was the terse reply, “the movement and the incantation are the same.”

“But it’s your wand, Severus.”

“I can assure you that it’s been exorcised of all evil influences. Now make fire before the ladies freeze.”

Remus pointed Severus’ wand at a small pile of sticks, “incendio” he said, smiling as the pile caught fire.

“Very well done,” said Severus dryly, “now may I have my wand back?”

The foursome sat by the lake until the small hoursthe the morning, catching up on all they had missed and learning new things about one another. None were aware he the two pairs of eyes watching them from a window in the castle.

“Well, what do you think?” asked Minerva, looking at Albus.

“I think that the days ahead will prove to be most interesting. Our children have grown, Minerva, so to speak.”

“None more so than Severus,” remarked Minerva, “I always knew that without the war around him, without the pain and instability, he would show his true colors. And Hermione is just what he needed.”

“Yes,” agreed Albus, “but what do you make of our Remus and Ginevra?”

“I have my money on Ginevra and Harry.”

“And mine is on the pair down at the lake.”

“We’ll see who wins this bet, Albus Dumbledore.”

“Yes, Minerva, we shall.”