After visiting Hagrid, I went to the common room, where I had a quick breakfast, and pulled Hermione with me to meet Lupin. Arriving in his office, he was finishing preparing his things, when we entered without knocking.
"No need to knock, just come in." he says jokingly, while I have the decency to look a little embarrassed.
"Sorry about that, but I heard you resigned. Why?" I look at the man worriedly.
"Well, unfortunately, someone let it slip that I'm a Werewolf, so before the letters and howlers arrive with complaints from parents, I'm leaving early." he says, somewhat sadly.
"Can I trust you, just like my father once did, Moony?" I ask the man, with a bold idea forming in my mind.
He sits down somewhat surprised, but soon a smile forms on his face. "I should know, even though you look a lot like your father, your intelligence is the same as your mother's, just like your eyes always indicated, Harry. Of course you can, your father was like a brother to me." he says, with a very serious expression at the end.
"I want to, I really do, but there are people who can use this trust against us, so I ask, Moony, that if you trust me, swear on your magic that what we talk about will not be told by you, to anyone willingly." I put on a firm expression, staring at the man.
Hermione shifts uncomfortably beside me. Holding her hand, I just squeeze it a little, indicating that everything was fine, and trying to say that I had everything under control.
Without answering, Lupin just raises his wand. "I, Remus John Lupin, swear on my life and magic, that any private conversations with Harry James Potter, will remain secret, from today until the day I die, not revealing them willingly. So be it. Lumus." he says, lighting the tip of his wand.
I let out a sigh of relief, relaxing my body when I didn't even know it was so tense.
"Hermione, are there houses for rent near your house?" I ask, looking at the girl who was a little uncomfortable.
"There were, but I don't know if they've already been rented or bought, I'd have to ask my parents." she says, trying her best not to seem like a stranger to the subject.
"Sorry about this, but I'm putting the cart before the horse, as non-magical people would say. It was 3 years at this school, which was said to be the safest, where my life hung by a thread every year, and I almost dragged my daughter into it." I say, looking apologetically at the girl, who hugs my arm, as if indicating that everything was fine.
"Moony, I'd like you to work for me. Rent a couple, preferably near Hermione's parents' house. There, it can be a place of rest and protection, for you and Sirius, at the same time, I know where I can find help, and still protect Hermione's parents.
I'll put everything in clear perspective here. In my first year, Voldemort possessed Quirrell, to get the philosopher's stone, in the second year, it was his diary, which tried to possess Ginny Weasley. Now, Sirius finds Pettigrew alive, and tries to kill him.
Let's just say that in three years, two dead people have appeared in my life, and that scares the hell out of me. Besides, now that Hermione has agreed to be my girlfriend, some people might see her and her parents as easy targets to attack me.
Lupin, I want to entrust the safety of my girl and her parents to you. I'm not as smart as Hermione or my mother, but I can put two and two together and know that my life, and those around me, could be at risk.
I'm sorry to put you in this situation, but I believe that I can, should and want to trust you, Lupin, not only to take care of Hermione and her parents, but also Sirius. At the same time, he can help you on those uncomfortable nights.
Dobby will be there so they don't starve to death. Merlin knows how much you or Sirius can cook." I say, trying my best to explain everything.
Next to me, Hermione hugs me even tighter, and when I look at her face, she has tears and a happy smile, while without thinking twice, she brings her face closer to mine, giving me a loving and soft kiss on the lips.
"You are the most perfect man in the world, Mr. Harry Potter." she says happily.
Just like me, Hermione turns her head to look at Lupin, who had his back to us, turning around with a bottle of whiskey, with a glass in the other. Very calmly, he puts the glass on the table, opens the bottle, pours a good amount, pours the contents into the glass at once and pours himself another.
After pouring another shot, he puts the cap back on the bottle and looks at me. "I appreciate that, Harry. Knowing that you want and can trust me, for such an important task for you. But I have to ask, why?"
I sigh, sitting down on one of the chairs, pulling Hermione onto my lap, which made the girl tense up. "Because I feel it," I say, putting my hand on my scar, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the pair. "That things are going to get much worse in my life.
I love Hermione, very much, and because of that, I don't want her to be in the middle of this mess I call life. At the same time, I'm keeping you, a long-time friend of my father, out of my mess, while protecting the girl I love, and you.
Sirius, my godfather, if from what I've heard is true, won't be left out, and having you there can keep him from running like an idiot into any problem, while at the same time he can provide help in taking care of the Grangers, even if hidden.
He's coming back, I can feel it through that damn scar, Remus. My fear is losing you, Sirius, Hermione, the Weasleys, everything I can call family and happiness that I have gained since returning to the magical world." I pour out my feelings to the man.
Feelings that I gained from Harry Potter, so buried in his heart, that they ended up joining my soul, in a way that I cannot even begin to explain.
As the silence of my words sinks, Hermione gets up from my lap. Her eyes, shining with that 'eureka', whenever she has some phenomenal idea.
"I want to add something to your plan." she says, taking her eyes off me, and looking at Remus almost as if in supplication.