Sweet Hermione




Lilly and huppelpuf_girl, thanks for the feedback!  :D 

I foudn it very difficult to write the next chapter. I started over and over... 
Yes, just like chapter 16. I don't know why, I don't feel selfconcious about this story (anymore).
I feel like I could have done it much better... But I'll go on until I have finished the story.

Chapter 17

They were souring in the air, hands clutching their brooms. 
The cold, chilly wind was touching their robes and cheeks. The clouds looked fluffy, but they could feel their coldness by their wet feet. The heavy trunks were dangeling under there broomsticks. Tonks and Lupin tried to find the building of their past... and their future happenings. At least, they hoped for it.

‘Are we there yet?’ asked Stella, bored. She hold the waist of Tonks, her black hair swirling in the wind. David hadn’t said a thing in the whole journey, but he was probebly very excited that he was going to see his new residen, Lupin expected.  If that would be his new residen...  Hopefully everything would be arranged, Lupin thought doubtfully. 
‘Soon, darling,’ said Tonks, while she gave Lupin a look and shrugged. ‘It must be here, somewhere...’  ‘I think we flew an other way then usual,’ said Lupin. ‘If we can fly some parts under the clouds, we can see where we are now.’ Tonks nodded. 

They ducked through the clouds, and Lupin could hear David making a sound of dislike. 
‘I know it’s freezing, but it’s needful,’ said Lupin, grinning. He looked around. They flew above a huge forest. ‘Yes, it’s there,’ he heard Tonks say. She pointed at her right side. 
‘We’ll have to turn around a bit.’

***

With mixed feelings, Lupin walked down the fields of Hogwarts. He looked around him and smelled the odeur of the grass and trees. It still smells the same, Lupin thought, feeling full of misery. But it didn’t looked the same. It didn’t felt the same either. Death Eaters had been here, in this castle, on these grass fields. Snape had killed Dumbledore in the tower, had run to Hagrid’s house and fighted with Harry. The Dark Mark had hung in the sky. Panic had cursed  Hogwarts on that crucial night... Snape escaped. 

Lupin felt the soft grass under his feet. In some way, everything seemed to be unfit, but it still fitted. He used to do his homework in the Gryffindor tower too. He used to sit under that tree there, near the lake, laughing, making jokes, watching girls...
He felt confused and shook his head, like he wanted to deny something.
But there was nothing to deny. Everything just happened. It all happened. 
Nothing is certain... except a memory. And he had memories. 

Lupin looked at Tonks. She was pale. Lupin didn’t knew if he had to say something to her, so he just said nothing. David was very quiet too. Stella’s eyes were huge and she was staring at the big castle. ‘You’re allright?’ asked Lupin Tonks. She shrugged. ‘Well...’ she started, an emotional undertone in her voice. ‘It’s... just weird. I used to feel so protected on these fields... like nothing could hurt me. But now... It’s gone. It’s just gone.’
Lupin nodded at her. ‘I know what you mean. And it’s realistic, sad enough.’

***

They knocked on the huge door of Hogwarts.
‘You think Minerva would be here?’ asked Lupin. ‘Yes, I’m very sure about that,’ said Tonks.
The door opened, but nobody was there. 
Tonks looked insecure, did she thought this would be a trick?
She said nothing, but walked slowely through the hall. Lupin, David and Stella followed.
It was very quite in Hogwarts. ‘Mabye she’s not here,’ whispered Lupin.
‘She is,’ said Tonks, a bit irritated. ‘Everyone at the Ministry knows she is. 
She wants to go on with Hogwarts as a school and prefers to talk inside it. 
With new teachers, people from the Ministry...even some parents.’

They started to walk the stairs. ‘I’m very sure about this,’ repeated Tonks. ‘Believe me.’
So they walked, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the school, the stairs unmoving.
They almost had reached the highest floor, when they heard other footsteps.
David stood still. ‘Listen,’ he whispered. They stood still.
A short, female figure appeared at the very end of the hall. She walked slowely and insecure a bit forward. When she moved closer, Lupin saw she was an employee of the Ministry of Magic. She smiled weakly at them, but looked suspicious with her green watery eyes.
She ignored the children. 

‘Nymphadora Tonks,’ she said merely. Tonks nodded. 
‘You are from the Ministry and work as an Auror.’ Tonks shrugged and nodded again. 
‘And who are you?’ asked the lady Lupin. 
‘But who are you, madam?’ asked Tonks, sounding very polite. 
The lady’s eyes narrowed. ‘Come,’ she said. 

They followed her into the office that used to be Dumbledore’s.
Minerva McGonagall was sitting behind her desk, her lips narrow and wrinkles abound.
She looked more like Dumbledore then Lupin could ever imagene.
McGonagall looked up as they entered the room. 
‘Remus, Nymphadora!’ she said suprised, smiling happily.
She stood up and gave them a firm handshake. She smiled at the children.
Stella frowned at her, like she was an interesting piece of art.
‘Hello, David,’ she said to the boy. He looked a bit scared at the tall witch.
‘Have a seat, please,’ McGonagall said.’


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