Harry had not expected anyone else to enter the ward, and therefore noticed the new visitor only when he heard a familiar voice:
— Harry! How glad I am that you're all right! — Remus Lupin was standing in the doorway. Judging by his very pale appearance, it could be said with confidence that the former DADA teacher had clearly been in Hogsmeade recently.
— Professor? What are you doing here?
— I was in Hogsmeade on Dumbledore's errand and…
— Excuse me, sir, but first I would like you to prove that it's you…
— All right! I, Remus Lupin, a werewolf, in my school years took part in an organization called the Marauders under the nickname Moony, am a member of the Order of the Phoenix, taught you to cast a Patronus in your third year…
— Enough! Forgive me, Professor, it's just that after fourth year…
— I understand you, Harry… By the way, call me simply Remus! After all, I was a friend of your father, your godfather… forgive me, I didn't think…
— It's nothing… You're right, Remus, what's the use of these formalities… You know, I haven't even tried to contact you since last summer…
— It's unlikely you would have managed to contact me… I was carrying out one unpleasant assignment… In short, spying for the Order. Owls couldn't find me.
— You said you were in Hogsmeade… Did Dumbledore fear that something like this would happen?
— In general, yes… He sent several members of the Order into the village with Portkeys, so that people could be evacuated… Scrimgeour, as always, will attribute all the credit to the Aurors… Well, never mind, the main thing is that he doesn't prevent us from doing our work… And who is this girl? — only now did Lupin realize that his former student was tenderly holding the hand of a girl lying on one of the beds.
— Her name is Flamia Nightfolk… She is… my fiancée… Forgive me, Remus, for not telling you… Though, in general, I try not to publicize it…
— Well now… And what happened to her?
— She spent all her strength on a Patronus… What an idiot I am! How could I drag her along with me! That spell didn't work for her at all!.. — here Harry cooled down a little, realizing that he had almost blurted out too much. It was hard to say whether Lupin had noticed anything, and so the boy carefully probed the former teacher's mind… And was surprised…
— Remus… what's going on with you and Tonks?
— In what sense? — the attempt to pretend that he did not understand what this was about was so clumsy that Harry immediately understood: he was clearly behind the times, and what he had accidentally glimpsed was known to everyone.
— Well, it's obvious in what sense! You love each other, don't you?
— Well… yes, I love her… But we can't be together! I'm…
— So what if you are that way! She loves you the way you are! Don't miss your chance, Moony! — Harry hoped that mentioning the nickname given in his youth would stir him up.
— Yes… And James would have said exactly the same thing! Maybe you're right!.. Speaking of the Marauders… They say you seriously damaged the reputation of the Terror of the Dungeons?
Rumors are a terrible thing. Potter was simply afraid to imagine in what form the information had reached those who were outside the castle walls. The only hope was that Moony had learned everything from the headmaster… Otherwise an innocent prank using Amortentia and a few jokes from the Weasley Wise Guys would turn into a psychological thriller using the entire assortment of Unforgivable Curses and the full list of Forbidden Potions brewed by the True Heir of Slytherin (who even came up with that! Surely not Hermione?) in the Chamber of Secrets on the blood of fifty people…
— Well… If you're interested, I can tell you how it all began…
— Tell me! After all, Valentine's Day is only the tip of the iceberg, isn't it?
— Yes! And I really hope Dumbledore told you everything, otherwise such rumors are being spread here… If it were true, old Voldy would hang himself out of envy!
— Well, I only heard it in general terms… That you staged a whole performance in the Great Hall…
— In general, listen… At Christmas I had another clash with Malfoy. I laid him out properly, and then I thought: what if I send that half-finished ferret to Snape as a gift?
Remus's grin showed that he knew perfectly well about the "gift for Slughorn."
— Well, said and done… Only Snivellus (Harry could not resist mentioning Severus's school nickname) was offended so much that he didn't even take points from Gryffindor! But I didn't know what the matter was! In general, in the course of long investigations I stumbled upon one Christmas memory of the Terror of the Dungeons, which explained the whole matter. Only the touchy professor did not want to remain the guilty party and dared to call me a pathetic imitation of my father! He accused me of not having the guts to commit a Marauder prank! Well, I arranged one for him… For Christmas Romilda Vane sent me cauldron cakes with Amortentia, I added a Slowing Potion and Strengthening Potions to them, transformed one of them into an ingredient from Snape's menu, and with the help of Dobby and Kreacher slipped them to my victims. The second was McLaggen — if you don't know, that brute hit me with a Bludger, and that despite the fact that I was in the stands! For complete enjoyment, I provided the future rivals with a new invention from the Weasley Wise Guys — Dueling Donkey Wands…
Harry described in detail what had happened in the Great Hall. What Remus liked most of all was that Slughorn had added points "for agility":
— Yes, Slughorn was always distinguished by an amazing sense of humor! It's even strange that the Hat once sent him to Slytherin… Though you, perhaps, are the second such amazing potion-maker who chose the House of Lions… Your mother, too, was always Horace's favorite…
— Chose?!
Lupin twitched, fear flashed in his eyes… but it lasted fractions of a second, and in that time he managed to hide something in the depths of his mind. It was unlikely that he knew how well his interlocutor commanded Legilimency, but the fear that he might learn something forced him to securely hide dangerous memories…
— Did I say "chose"? I probably misspoke! Though, as I heard, you did choose another House? In second year you doubted whether the Hat had acted correctly…
— Yes, that happened… After all, I'm a Parselmouth, so the Hat had doubts — such a talent, such possibilities… Only a boy who later took the pseudonym Voldemort once studied in that House… — Harry perfectly understood that he would not fish out the information in any way right now, but such behavior from a person who considered himself a friend displeased him VERY much. And therefore he deliberately made the former teacher flinch…
— Of course, you couldn't have done that… Although, perhaps your studying among the Snakes would have changed a lot… All right, it's time for me to go, I promised Dumbledore I would speak with him again this evening… Write to me if you want to talk…
— Of course… professor.
Harry said the last word so that he would not hear it. In the end, he did not even know what exactly Remus had wanted to hide and why. One had to be more restrained in communicating with those around him, otherwise one risked being left alone… especially now, when trusted friends had suddenly stopped being a support (if Hermione had outright moved into confrontation, then Ron simply had a million much more important things than communicating with a friend… but there was nothing to blame him for here — the thing was that his romance with Luna was developing very successfully). Lupin really could become a good friend, and besides, he was now, perhaps, the only one who truly knew his father and his mother. Still, he would have to write to him sometime, apologize… Persuade him to actually propose to Tonks…
At that moment Flamia finally moved. Weakly, very weakly, but Harry felt it… The girl could not even properly open her eyes, but she had clearly felt that her beloved was beside her…
— Harry… stay by my side… — her lips whispered barely audibly.
— I always will, my angel! — the young man replied, and down his cheek rolled a tear that had come from who knew where…
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