"This is Remus Lupin, my good brother."
After everyone settled down, Sirius and Lupin took the seats opposite Tom and Astoria. Sirius made the introduction with a grin. "Lupin will be Hogwarts' Defence Against the Dark Arts professor next term. I brought him tonight so you can all meet him in advance. If you have any difficulties, you can go to him."
The reputation of the Defence position had been dragged back from the brink lately, and with Sirius vouching for him, everyone treated Lupin warmly. Still, they could not help noticing how frail he looked, almost sickly.
Given the infamous curse on the post, some quietly wondered whether he would even last the year.
Molly frowned. "I thought you were bringing Harry. Where is he?"
Sirius scratched his head sheepishly. "I kept taking Harry out to have fun. He barely touched his summer homework. Now he is home cramming desperately."
Molly shot him a look of pure exasperation. She had no words for such an unreliable godfather. Then her gaze shifted sharply to her own children.
"And you? Have you finished your homework?"
"I have Professor McGonagall added on WhatsApp," she declared sternly. "If I find out you have not completed your assignments, I will personally drag you home and none of you will leave the house for a month."
The authority of motherhood descended like a storm. Apart from Percy and Hermione, even Daphne and Astoria shuddered and nodded obediently.
Only then did Molly smile in satisfaction and usher everyone to eat.
...
The dinner stretched on with laughter and conversation. The adults even shared a few drinks. It was well past eight by the time the gathering finally began to wind down.
Tom stepped into the backyard with Sirius and Lupin for some fresh air.
"Term is about to start," Sirius said. "When are you coming to my place to collect those books?"
Tom considered it. "Christmas. There is no rush."
Sirius nodded, then sighed and clapped Lupin on the shoulder. "I actually wanted to apply for the Defence position myself. But Dumbledore said I need time to recover. That I am not suited for such a demanding job."
Lupin smiled gently. "He is not wrong. You spent so many years in Azkaban. That is not something a single holiday can fix. He means well."
"Not just physically," Tom added calmly. "The Dementors do not just weaken the body. They erode the mind. You might look fine, but your temper is certainly more volatile than before. If a student provoked you, who knows whether you would snap? Dumbledore would be put in a difficult position."
Sirius fell silent. He knew Tom was right.
Ever since leaving Azkaban, he had noticed how easily his emotions flared. Peter Pettigrew had been captured and later eliminated by some conveniently helpful Death Eaters, yet the fury inside him had never fully dissipated. It felt like a stone lodged in his chest, waiting for the right moment to explode.
Unfortunately for Sirius, Tom was not finished.
"And besides," Tom continued lightly, "your relationship with Professor Snape is not exactly friendly. If conflict broke out, you would likely be the one at a disadvantage. The Headmaster is protecting you."
"Who says I cannot beat that greasy git!" Sirius' face flushed red with indignation. "I could take him with one hand. Back in school we had him running in circles."
"You said we," Tom reminded him. "And that was the you of the past. Now you have no backup, and you have spent years in Azkaban. Professor Snape has not exactly been idle."
"I... I..." Sirius sputtered. "I can turn into a dog and bite him!"
Back at Hogwarts, James Potter had been the strongest of the Marauders, equal to or perhaps even stronger than Snape. Sirius and Lupin had not quite measured up. It was only because they always acted together that it had seemed Snape could not handle any of them.
"Of course," Tom replied dryly.
Then, as if performing a magic trick, he produced several bottles of potion. "I had intended to sell these to you. They restore physical vitality and nourish the mind. But judging by your condition, perhaps you do not need them after all."
"Wait."
Sirius instantly grabbed his arm, expression serious. "You are right. I do need to recuperate. Tom, do these potions actually work?"
"Tenfold compensation if they are fake. If you see no improvement after a month, come to Hogwarts and expose me."
Tom spoke with complete confidence. Sirius finally relented and paid two thousand Galleons for a full course, enough for one month.
"Dumbledore said you were not short on money," Sirius muttered after downing one bottle and grimacing at the bitterness. "You look more eager to make Galleons than anyone."
Tom's smile froze mid expression. "Dumbledore said I am not short on money?"
"Of course. I even thought of gifting you some gold. He told me you did not need it. I have been wracking my brain over it ever since. If I had known..."
Sirius trailed off, shaking his head at the potion's aftertaste.
Tom's fist clenched.
Another entry added to the ledger between him and old Dumbledore.
His mood thoroughly ruined by the revelation that he had been casually undermined, Tom had no interest in further conversation. He returned home with the girls.
Since they would depart together the next day, they decided not to go back to their respective houses. The Grangers and Mrs. Greengrass were long accustomed to this arrangement and raised no objections.
...
September first dawned under a blanket of thick London fog. The air was so heavy that breathing deeply felt like swallowing water.
At King's Cross Station, one could spot many strangely dressed individuals. Sweaters paired with beach shorts, peeling leather coats worn with slippers. No need to guess. Wizards.
Among the crowd stood several sharply dressed individuals in suits, scanning their surroundings. Each wore a bracelet on their wrist, enchanted so that their wands could appear instantly in hand at the first sign of trouble.