"That's impossible, Padfoot!"
Lupin paced in short, anxious steps, leaning close to Sirius while keeping one eye on the young wizard at the edge of the bushes. His voice was low, but he didn't notice the small, furry ears that had briefly sprouted beneath Sean's black hair.
"Nothing's impossible, Moony. We have to do it this way," Sirius replied, calm but with a faint edge of impatience.
"I'm sorry, but I can't agree. I have to tell Dumbledore—" Lupin said, chin lifted stubbornly.
Sirius looked at him and suddenly laughed. "You won't tell Dumbledore. You never did before."
Lupin fell silent. He stared at Sirius as memories of their long friendship surfaced.
Back then he had been a young werewolf no magical school would accept. Before the Wolfsbane Potion existed, he turned into a monster once a month. Going to Hogwarts had seemed impossible; no parent wanted their child near him.
Then Dumbledore had come to his home in person and invited him.
"I would now, Padfoot," Lupin said flatly.
He had failed Dumbledore once. Dumbledore had planted the Whomping Willow, built the Shrieking Shack and the tunnel—all for him. So he could be smuggled out of the castle once a month to transform safely.
Those transformations had been terrifying. The pain of becoming a wolf made him bite and claw himself. Villagers heard the howls and screams and thought it was a particularly violent ghost.
Dumbledore had let that rumor spread.
And how had Lupin repaid him? By hiding the truth about his friends sneaking around the school and village at night. They had even made a map to make their adventures more exciting.
"I won't make that mistake again, Padfoot," Lupin said. He had once lacked the courage to expose his friends—just as he had lacked the courage to stop James and Sirius from tormenting Snape. He had been afraid of losing them.
But he would not be a coward anymore.
"Has it really been that long?" Sirius asked quietly, studying Lupin. "You've changed so much I barely recognize you, Moony."
"You don't understand, Padfoot. There's only one person in all of Hogwarts who cannot be involved in this danger." Lupin glanced instinctively toward the towering castle towers.
He was thinking of the white-haired old man in the Headmaster's office who had smiled and asked him to watch over a certain young wizard.
"Can I trust you, Remus?" Dumbledore had asked.
Facing an enemy took courage. Standing firm with friends sometimes took even more.
The courage he had once lacked, he would not lose again.
"You're wrong, old friend. You think this is my plan?" Sirius grinned.
"What are you saying?" Lupin asked, startled.
"Come on, Moony. Who do you think I'm following? You think I found Mr. Green on my own?" Sirius snorted, a strip of white paper briefly visible at his waist.
"It wasn't you?" Lupin's mind felt sluggish. Sirius's two questions left him speechless.
"You'll understand, old friend. If there's any path to victory besides Dumbledore's plan, the answer lies with the honorable Mr. Green." Sirius stared at him intently. "Are you afraid to die, Lupin?
If I told you the wizard standing in front of you will surpass Dumbledore and become the greatest wizard of our time… if I told you you're following a true prophet… if I told you you'll be part of this greater plan… if I told you it might demand your life, Lupin—would you still agree?"
Lupin's gaunt face went rigid. His head turned like a machine. All his earlier guesses—Dumbledore's orders, the young wizard's true identity—clicked into place.
"We need Peter as our eyes inside. I know the risk… we have to strip away every advantage Voldemort has, then give everything in the great battle to come…
Remember, Moony? What's the point of fighting the most evil wizard in the world?" Sirius's voice was deep and steady. "It's to save innocent lives, old friend!
If you believe that too, then fight beside me."
The ground was dark. Only faint light leaked from the castle windows.
Lupin didn't dare look too closely at his own heart.
But he had to choose.
Dumbledore had asked him to protect the young wizard. They would get a future that wasn't too bad.
But what would Sean say?
It was exactly what Sirius had just repeated.
They had to act, take risks, show courage, pay the price—even with their lives.
That way, more innocent lives could be saved.
"By the way, do you remember what I got on my Memory Charm O.W.L.?" Sirius asked in a low, dangerous voice.
"Troll, Padfoot," Lupin said, smiling.
"Oh, we're screwed," Sirius shrugged.
"Welcome aboard anyway, old friend." Sirius held out his hand.
Lupin gripped it tightly.
"Dumbledore's going to fire me. This was my first real job," Lupin said with a helpless laugh.
"That's fine. You belong at that bookstore anyway," Sirius teased.
"Oh…" At the mention of the bookstore, Lupin's face fell.
He turned to the black-haired young wizard. For a second he thought he saw fur sprouting near Sean's ears, but it vanished instantly.
"Mr. Green…" Lupin spoke with the same reverence Sirius used.
"Professor Lupin," Sean replied politely.
"I should have realized, sir," Lupin said. He was thinking of the new Chocolate Frog card that had just come out; now he felt the description on it was missing quite a lot. "If you ever need anything, just tell me."
Sean gave a small nod. Lupin bowed slightly and stepped back beside Sirius.
Sean knew the two old friends had much to say, but he had to interrupt.
"Professor Lupin," he called softly.
"Sir," Lupin answered at once, expression serious and expectant.
"If you know a witch named Nagini, please help me find her," Sean said.
"I understand, sir," Lupin replied gravely.
Sean nodded once more and turned to leave.
He still needed to unlock his Master-level Fiendfyre. If he could get to Hogsmeade, he could slip out of the castle and visit Gringotts. The oldest magical contracts were in goblin hands.
His figure blurred into the night. Lupin and Sirius watched him go.
Only then did Lupin ask hesitantly, "How did you escape Azkaban, Padfoot?"
"Oh, that…" Sirius said casually. "The Dementors couldn't feed on my regret, and Fudge brought me that newspaper. When I saw Peter on it, I knew he was at Hogwarts—right next to Harry.
If word reached him that the Dark forces were rising again, Harry would be the perfect target…
I won't lie to you, old friend. Swimming back to the mainland was hell, but I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive.
Luckily, coming ashore in London was the smartest choice I ever made… because that's where I met Mr. Green."
Sirius's usually shadowed face brightened for a moment. He couldn't describe the feeling.
The moment he met Mr. Green, the long days of torment had ended.
Mr. Green had given him a safe house, a chance to watch over Harry, and—when the future looked darkest—hope.
Hope.
Even then Sirius had known: Mr. Green was the kind of wizard who would always draw his sword against fate.
His blade pointed straight at a sorrowful tomorrow, and following him had been the easiest decision Sirius had ever made.
"And then?" Lupin asked.
"Let's talk about Peter, old friend. We have to drive him out—that's a necessary step in the plan," Sirius said, not lingering on the question. "We'll start from the beginning—decades ago I thought it was a brilliant idea… a switch…
Voldemort would come after me. I never imagined they'd use someone as weak and useless as Peter. He told Voldemort he could deliver the Potters… Heh…
That must have been the proudest moment of his miserable life…"
Sirius gave a bitter laugh, murder in his eyes.
"We have to move before the date Mr. Green mentioned.
Peter hasn't hurt Harry yet because he never acts without a guarantee. Voldemort has been silent for twelve years. People say he's half-dead. He wouldn't risk killing anyone under Dumbledore's nose for a powerless, disgraced wizard.
But we both know Voldemort isn't dead. He'll return.
The moment Peter is sure Voldemort is still the strongest, he'll go back to him. That's why he latched onto a wizarding family—so he could keep his ears open for news.
If his old master rises again and it's safe, he'll crawl back… We have to act before that happens."
Sirius's words left Lupin silent and thoughtful.
"We have to be fast. Once he's sure he has allies, he'll act… deliver the last Potter as a gift.
If he can hand over Harry, who would dare call him a traitor? He'd be welcomed back as a hero…"
Sirius sneered, then spoke with cold fury.
"We can't kill him, but there are plenty of curses we can use…"
"I understand, Padfoot. When do we move?" Lupin asked firmly.
"Wait…" Sirius didn't answer. He looked toward the dark bushes.
The black-haired young wizard hadn't gone far after all.
"One more thing, Mr. Black," Sean said. He glanced at the slip of paper peeking from Sirius's pocket—the Gryffindor password Neville had written, which Crookshanks had delivered. "Tonight isn't a good night for action. But if you want to see Harry, wait a little longer. Professor Snape is on night patrol tonight and will be up late."
With that, Sean vanished completely into the darkness.
Lupin stared at Sirius, then at the helpless, wry smile on his friend's face. The faint doubt that had lingered in his heart quietly dissolved.
"You see, old friend? When Mr. Green found me, I was even more shaken than you are right now," Sirius said with self-mocking laughter. "The past and the future hold no secrets from Mr. Green. Neither do you or I."
Sirius gazed toward the blurred treetops of the Forbidden Forest, where faint starlight flickered.
As long as Mr. Green existed, people like them would always have a reason to fight.
"I can see the sun, old friend. Even when I can't see it, I know it's there.
And knowing the sun exists—isn't that the whole meaning of life?"
Sirius said.
…
The first Hogsmeade weekend was approaching.
Even sooner than that was the upcoming Quidditch match. And sooner still was Sean unlocking his Master-level Fiendfyre title.
After Sirius's unexpected visit the night before, Sean finally had enough time today to finish the last of the proficiency points.
There was only one problem: Snape still refused to let him leave the castle. How was he supposed to find the goblins?
The Great Hall was lively again today. Another group of robed, slightly grubby wizards had just entered the Entrance Hall.
With the Quidditch match coming up, every team had begun training with fierce determination.
The weather, however, was turning colder. Rain fell more often.
Nights grew darker, but mud, wind, and downpours could not dampen the students' dreams of winning the shining silver Quidditch Cup.
Roger had come looking for Sean more than once. Each time the young wizard had politely refused.
After sending Roger away again, Sean noticed the Hall buzzing with excitement.
"What's going on?" Harry asked when he returned, dropping into the seat beside Ron and Hermione. The two were working on their Astronomy star charts by the fire—the best seats in the place.
"First Hogsmeade weekend," Ron said, pointing excitedly at a new notice pinned to the battered bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."