Chapter Six
The tempest took hold of me with tyranny: I was roughly roused and obliged to live.
When Remus awoke, Rowan was there.
“Welcome back, tosser.”
“Rowan, I - what happened? I need to get back to… to patrol…” Something felt wrong.
“Remus, I need you to stay calm while I explain this to you. Tell you what… let’s take a walk, you’re going to need a cigarette, and I am going to need to let you have it without being murdered by Madam Pomfrey. Can you stand?”
Remus nodded, and they made their way out of the hospital wing, slowly.
Rowan handed him a cigarette, and lit it with a click of his fingers. Remus had taught him that.
“Ok, deep breath in, it’s time to fill you in.” Rowan looked at him seriously. “First of all, it’s June. You’ve missed two months.”
Remus stared around him. The trees were stuffed with leaves that had just been beginning to appear last time he’d seen them. The air was slightly heady and sweet. It was definitely not April anymore.
“You were attacked. By a Basilisk. But you only saw the reflection, which meant you were petrified.”
“And the other students..?”
“Similar story. No one died, they’re all currently being woken up, same as you were.”
“Fuck, a basilisk?” Information seemed to be reaching Remus in a funny order. “We need to… we need to…”
“Remus, relax. It’s dead. Everything’s sorted. But… well, you’re not going to like it.”
“What am I not going to like?”
Rowan faced Remus and put his hands on his shoulders. “Harry went into the chamber of secrets. It exists. He fought the basilisk, and killed it. He’s fine. He saved another student’s life, and probably the entire school.”
Everything went out of focus around Rowan. There was a ringing in Remus’s ears. He’d finished his cigarette, and Rowan immediately handed him another one.
“That’s not actually the worst bit, I’m sorry.”
The unlit cigarette hung from Remus’s mouth.
“Harry had to fight Voldemort again. It seems he left some kind of echo of himself in an old diary - well, I don’t really understand it, but the point is, Harry destroyed that too. So everything is fine. That’s the key takeaway here, Remus… Remus? Can you hear me?”
The ringing sound had intensified. He felt Rowan gently manoeuvring him towards a bench, but he passed out before he reached it.
When he woke up, it was Madam Pomfrey leaning over him. He jumped in surprise, and she tittered.
“Thought I’d seen the last of you in here.” She muttered.
“Where’s - ” Remus began.
“If you’re looking for the idiot who tried to remove you from my care without my permission, overwhelm you with information, then drag you back here unconscious, I’ve banned him from the hospital wing.”
Remus could see a figure waving furiously at him through the window. He shrugged at Rowan apologetically. The ban seemed fair.
“Here.” She handed him a potion and instructed him to rest, and then retreated to her office, shooing Rowan away through the glass.
A few moments later, the curtains of the bed next to his were drawn back, and he saw Hermione looking over at him curiously.
“Hello, Professor.”
“Hello Hermione, welcome back."
He cast around in his mind for something positive to say.
"You’ve timed your return perfectly to miss all lessons and start Summer!”
He’d been trying to lighten the mood, but Hermione looked crestfallen.
“Oh no!” Her eyes widened in fear. “How will I ever catch up? Please, professor, if there’s any extra work you can set me -”
Remus just laughed, and took his potion. Its warmth swept through him.
“I loved it here as a student, you know. Never wanted to go home. I expect the three of you will be desperate to get back to your families now.”
Hermione shifted uncomfortably. “Well… I am, I suppose, although my parents are muggles so I’ll miss all the magic here.”
Remus smiled at her kindly. “My mum was a muggle” he ventured. “I think Hogwarts freaked her out a bit. She felt a little lonely, I suppose. Who could she talk to about it? Is Lily’s sister - Harry’s aunt - I suppose she’s a muggle too. Maybe your parents could talk to her?”
Hermione looked at him wide-eyed. “Oh no,” she said. “I don’t think so - the Dursleys, they don’t approve of magic. Erm… they sort of locked him in his room… that’s why Ron used the car to break him out.”
Remus was shocked. It brought to his mind the memory of another boy, bullied by a hateful family who never showed him love. He remembered how that boy had ended up. He wouldn’t let it happen to Harry.
“I’ve got to go.” He stood up, feeling stronger after the potion. “Don’t tell Madam Pomfrey, will you? Cheers.”
Outside, Rowan was waiting for him.
“Took you long enough. Are you ok now?”
“No. I’m furious. I have to find Dumbledore.”
Rowan didn’t seem perturbed by Remus’s severe anger. It was a state Remus reached so regularly, it barely registered with him anymore.
“Good,” he replied cheerfully, “I’m headed there myself. We’ve got a newly freed house elf to help.”
“What?” This stumped Remus momentarily.
“Goes by the name Dobby. He’s just been freed, and we’re going to find him employment. Then whatever new grief you’ve got with Dumbledore you can lay right into him with. But we’ve got to help the house elf first, ok?”
“...fine.”
Remus was too weary to ask any further questions, but Rowan’s excitement was infectious. Finally, they were going to take a step forward in the history books. It had been another rough year, what with their plans for giant land rights being pushed back again…
“Wait!” A memory hit Remus with intense force. Coming out of petrification was rough. “Where’s Hagrid?”
“I got him off, of course.” Rowan looked smug. “And his status as ‘expelled’ expunged from his record.”
He was about to say something else, but Remus enveloped him in a large hug.
“Oh, and I got him a job, too.” Said Rowan, when he extracted himself from the hug, blushing. “He’s going to be the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher.”
Remus grinned. “Fine bunch of misfits they’ve got teaching at Hogwarts, eh?”
They entered Dumbledore’s office to find the old man seated opposite a very nervous looking elf who was wearing an old pillowcase and a single sock.
“Hello, Dobby.” Rowan rushed over to shake the elf’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you. I’ve got an emergency box for you here - I hope it’s ok, it’s got a bit of everything in it. The thing is… we’ve had these boxes prepared for months, but you’re the first to actually get one, so we’ve put quite a lot extra in it.”
Dobby took the box and peered into it. After a moment, he pulled out a shortened travelling cloak, and put it on. He thanked Rowan a little tearfully, and went to hand the box back.
“Oh, no - it’s yours, Dobby. You can keep all of it.”
“It’s too much.”
“Not at all, not at all. It’s not enough, really. But, look, we’re here to discuss your employment. Dumbledore has an opening for you in the kitchens. He’s offering you ten galleon per week, what do you think?”
Remus opened his mouth to protest - it was under minimum wage for Christ’s sake. The elf looked furious too. He was batting his large ears back and forth, shaking his head. “That’s too much, that’s much too much!”
Remus sighed. Baby steps. They had to take baby steps. The fact that Dumbledore was willing to pay an elf at all was… staggering. The two agreed a number, and Rowan nodded approvingly.
“Right!” Rowan clapped. “Excellent. Dobby, can I show you to your new quarters? And I want to tell you a bit about our organisation, you’re welcome there any time… Remus? I’ll see you back in London.” He winked at Remus, and led the elf out.