PAST TO PRESENT: PART 3
The last remnants of the summer came and went. The beginning of term was upon them before they knew it. Morrigan had arrived earlier in the day to help with the preparations for the arriving students. After checking and double checking that everything had been completed, she sat in the kitchens enjoying a steaming cup of tea, prepared by the House Elves. She often frequented the kitchens. By now, they knew that they need not check on her as often, and if she needed something, she would ask. She just enjoyed the hustle and bustle and the friendliness of the Elves. Being here also reminded her of a distant memory from long, long ago, it seemed.
"Come on, come on, come ooooooon!" She was dragging Remus by the hand as the others followed. "Dove, where are we going?!" James exclaimed. "Yea, where's the fire- Oof!" Sirius said, accidently running into her. Morrigan stopped abruptly in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit. Peter slumped against the wall, his breaths coming out in big heaves and wheezes. "You won't believe what I found while I was here this summer." She looked at them all, grinning from ear to ear. "Well, you have us intrigued," Remus began, his eyebrows raised apprehensively. "But what's so interesting about a bowl of fruit?" She let go of his hand, not even realizing she still had it in her grasp after they had stopped running. "Absolutely nothing," she said, walking up to the painting, tickling the pear. "It's what behind it that matters." She looked over her shoulder, a satisfied, mischievous smirk played on her lips. The portrait swung open, and her friends' jaws dropped. "Let's go." She said. She took Remus' hand again and led him through the opening. She could see Remus turning his head to look at the others behind him when she leaned in to him and whispered, "Aren't scared, are you Moony?" As they entered the briefly dark entryway, she could make out a smirk on Remus' face. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her close to him as he whispered in her ear, "You wish, Dove..." .
Her cheeks were hot, thinking back on this particular memory. She took a sip of tea, trying to regain herself. In a short while, she would be seeing Remus again. Although their last encounter was brief and somewhat awkward, she could feel that there was still unfinished business there. Morrigan had this... quirk, so to speak. Often, she could sense things that were going to happen. Not premonitions, she was no seer. No, this was something different. It was just a sort of knowing. A feeling of foreboding, whether it be doom, love, fear, or anxiety. It coursed through her in the days leading up to whatever the event was. She could feel something but couldn't put her finger on it.
As she had been deep in thought, she hadn't heard her mother come in. She sat next to her and tapped her gently on the shoulder. This snapped Morrogan back into reality. " Oh, Mum, I'm so sorry, I didn't hear you." Minerva stared into her daughters eyes. A hint of concern etched in hers. "Are you alright?" She asked. "Yes, yes, I'm fine." Morrigan replied with a small smile. "I just got carried away with my thoughts, that's all." Minerva scrutinized her daughter for a moment before she spoke. "Have you heard about the Hogwarts Express? Is that what's got you so out of sorts?" Morrigan looked at her mother questioningly. "No... what's happened?" Minerva took a sip of tea that had just been placed in front of her. "According to Remus, dementors boarded the train. Apparently, in the attempt to find Sirius Black. They went after Harry Potter." Morrigan's jaw dropped. "What do you mean, according to Remus?" "Well, he had been in the compartment with Harry when the dementors attacked. He cleared them off and sent an owl ahead." Morrigan stared at her mother, incredulously. "Is everyone alright?" Minerva tapped her daughters hand, then grasped it. "Yes, yes, everyone seems to be ok. I plan to meet Potter before the feast to be absolutely certain if you'd like to join me? They'll be here shortly." Morrigan nodded and stood with her mother. They both made their way out of the kitchens and headed towards the Great Hall.
Both of the McGonagall women had a soft spot for Harry Potter. Being her best friend's son, she had wanted to take Harry in herself. On that fateful day when her entire world changed forever, she was prepared to raise Harry, and her mother supported her one hundred percent. However, Dumbledore supposedly had his reasons for leaving Harry with the Dursleys, something that she still resented to this day. Her mother had watched them all afternoon on the day of Harry's arrival to Privet Drive, and although she expressed her reservations and the Dursley's unpleasantness to him, Dumbledore had insisted. That was that. Dumbledore also deterred her from telling Harry about her past with his parents. Why? She did not know. That was one of the infuriating things about Dumbledore. She trusted him to a degree. However, there was always a lack of truth, or at least the whole truth. When she expressed this to her mother, she was dismissed. Minerva McGonagall trusted and followed Dumbledore to the highest degree of faithfulness. She wouldn't hear a word against him.
By the time they reached the Great Hall, they could hear students arriving. Both the McGonagall woman stood backs straight and hands clasped in front of them. Finally, she could see Harry through the crowd and not too far behind him, Remus. She took a step foward but her mother pulled her back. " Madame Pomfrey and I will attend to Potter, and I need to have a quick word with Ms. Granger as well. Why don't you stay here." She eyed her mother suspiciously. "What happened to talking to him together?" Minerva feigned a look of pure innocence." Well, I dare say someone else might need some looking after, and I am confident in your skills." She briefly patted Morrigan on the back and yelled,"Potter!" Seizing him before he could make it into the Hall. She looked after them, worry etched on her face. "Well, hello again, Dove." She snapped out of her trance and looked to see Remus Lupin standing next to her, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Hello to you too." She looked him up and down at an arms length. "I heard you had quite an exciting journey, care to explain?" His eyebrows furrowed, and he shrugged his shoulders. "It was nothing, just some dementors overstepping." She jerked her head and began walking in the direction of her classroom. He followed, although looking reluctant.
They reached the room and stepped in, closing the door behind them. "What are we doing here? The feast is about to start." She pulled up a chair and pushed him into it. "Sit." She demanded. She flitted off to her store cupboard and pulled a couple of vials out, along with a goblet and some wine. She set them down on the desk next to where he was seated and put both of her hands on each arm rest and leaned in close to him. She scrutinized him, looking into his eyes, looking at his color, which was getting progressively pink, and the fresh scars on the side of his face. She reached up and gently turned his face away so she could survey them. "You're looking a little peaky, Lupin. Producing a protronus right after a full moon is no small feat. It must have taken a great deal out of you." She poured the vials into the goblet and mixed it with some of the wine. "Drink." She said. She walked away and went into a set of drawers she kept by her desk and pulled out a salve. She walked back to him and got on her knees in front of him, opened the salve, and began dabbing some onto the scars. Remus stopped drinking. He was gripping the goblet so tightly in his hand that his knuckles were white. She tried to ignore this but chanced a look at him, his pupils were dialated, and his chest was heaving. She continued to stare for another second but then swallowed and forced herself to continue to focus on the task at hand. "Drink." She insisted, moving his hand closer to his mouth. He did, in one large gulp. She got up and put the salve away. When she turned back, he was on his feet, staring at her still. "What was it that you gave me?" She busied her hands by straightening her robes. "Just a restorative and some strengething potion. The salve won't get rid of the scars completely, but it should help a bit." He nodded, still staring so intently at her she felt as if she couldn't breathe. "Thank you." He said. "You're welcome." They stood in complete silence for what felt like an eternity. "Well, we should probably get back to the feast. Dumbledore will probably want to introduce you." She moved with haste to the door. She went to open it when her arm was pulled away from the knob and she was turned around. In one swift movement, her back was pushed against the door, and Remus' lips were on hers. Feverish, and full of urgency. His hands were on either side of her face, and he held her there. She returned the kiss just as eagerly. It was as if no time had passed in that moment. They were kids again, sneaking moments here and there when they could get away from their friends, lost in young love and promises. She stopped and put a hand on his chest. She rested her forehead against his. "I'm sorry." He breathed. "Are you?" She asked. "No... no, I'm not." She laughed, and so did he. "Good." She looked into his eyes, his hands still on her face. He stroked her cheekbones, making her blush. "We really do need to go..." She went to move toward the door again, but he held her there still. "Wait." He held her gaze, his eyes scanning hers. "What do you we do now?" Morrigan looked down and shook her head. "I don't know Remus. I have to admit, I'm confused about it all. I don't know if this is for the best." She glanced up and saw sadness etched across his scarred face. "But, I'm willing to find out." His lips broke into a great smile that made him look so much younger than the years had warranted. He swung her around, both of them laughing and kissed her one more time briefly. He opened the door for her and took her hand for them to walk to the Great Hall together, just like old times.
