"It's not much at the moment," Hermione said waving her hand dismissively. "A little less than a month. It'll only be about another half month or so by the end of the year; less if I don't travel back as much to get more sleep."
"Oh. So it's not like you're going to be an extra year older or anything," Harry said breathing a short sigh of relief.
Hermione grinned at him and Harry felt a spike of danger approaching. "Too bad huh? From what I hear, you like older women."
Snuffles chuffed and Harry groaned slumping down to hit his head on the table. "I am seriously going to kill both Shiva and Daphne."
"Okay so we're all agreed? We tell Professor Lupin what we believe?" Harry asked turning to regard each person surrounding the table. It was the beginning of March and the group was back in the secret meeting room with Daphne, Tracey, Hermione, Neville, Luna, Shiva and himself all assembled. They had considered bringing Susan in as well, but Amelia Bones had asked them to wait as she wanted to explain the situation to her ward herself. Receiving nods all around, Harry turned to Shiva. "Okay, can you go get him?"
"Back in a minute, guys," the Professor said striding out to grab her fellow teacher. She was still annoyed with him but was standing by Harry's decision to at least let him try to work up to some sort of relationship with the kid.
Shiva found him in his classroom grading papers. Giving a soft snort of amusement she leaned up against the wall and called out, "Those essays look a lot shorter than the two feet ones that were supposedly assigned, Lupin."
Glancing up Remus shrugged, replying, "Well seeing as how Severus had no business assigning that essay to begin with I felt it far more prudent to grade my students on the work they had already accomplished prior to my absence."
"Well we both know why he gave that work out."
"That we do. I admit I am somewhat surprised that no one else appears privy to my furry problem after his lesson." Remus sighed and leaned back slumping into his seat. "It is far more tiring to work with him than I had expected."
"Yeah well he hates me almost as much as you so I get that. And I wouldn't bet that no one picked up on the werewolf thing either. Hermione almost assuredly knows – completely disregarding her boyfriend she would've figured it out anyway. I'd also put good money on Daphne Greengrass knowing as well."
Remus looked up in surprise. "Truly? But if she knows – "
"Lupin, Daphne is bosom buddies with Harry and his group. You're a competent Defense teacher that is not trying to kill him. She's not going to say jack squat." Shiva pushed off the wall and strode over to him. "Now stop throwing yourself a pity party. Harry and I have something to tell you. Follow me." Lupin frowned in confusion but nodded and headed up to the seventh floor behind Shiva.
As they walked back inside she raised her eyebrows at the group.
"…and that is how my father and I discovered the Atlantean Micro-dragon. Its keepers were most displeased with us," Luna finished whatever story she had been telling. It had apparently required her to be lounging across the table and kicking her feet in the air. Daphne, Hermione, and Neville all looked extremely confused and mildly horrified.
Harry and Tracey on the other hand were roaring with laughter. "Luna," Harry managed to wheeze out in between his laughs, "that's not an Atlantean Micro-dragon. That's a komodo dragon! They're muggle lizards, not magical dragons!"
"I love this girl!" Tracey said clapping Harry on the back. "I am totally keeping her if you don't."
"I leave you people alone for five minutes," Shiva said shaking her head. Lupin stood behind her apparently trying to restart his thought process.
"What," Lupin started. He closed his mouth, took a breath and tried again, "May I ask what is going on?"
"Hello, Professor Lupin," Luna said, sitting up and waving. "Harry and Tracey were informing me that one of my earlier discoveries was incorrect and debating on which one of them had the better claim to me."
Hermione's hand came up to slap her forehead while Harry and Tracey started laughing even harder. Daphne grimaced and looked over at Hermione. "You reign in your boyfriend and I reign in my girlfriend?"
Neville turned to other two girls and cocked a thumb at Luna. "That leaves me with Luna. I don't think I can reign in Luna." Try as she might, Shiva couldn't avoid laughing at that one and even Lupin started to chuckle softly.
"Don't worry, Neville," Luna said giving the boy a bright smile. "I can reign myself in. Most of the time anyway. I make no promises when the wrackspurts are near, but otherwise I can stop whenever I want." At the mention of wrackspurts, Harry had immediately gotten his laughter under control and turned to the girl with a questioning glance. "See? I can even reign in Harry without even trying! One day I might even get just as good as Hermione!"
Hermione groaned in response and the rest shook their heads. Tracey finally calmed down as well and the two teachers took their seats, Shiva near Harry and Lupin on the opposite side of the table.
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