I solomnly swear...

[furry_lil_prblm]

Remus was standing at the bookshelf, perusing its contents. Though he did not intend to start the second term - which he knew he needed to begin planning quite soon with Klaus and the rest of the staff - until October, he had decided to begin his attempts early to try and coax some decent school materials out of the shelf, in this case writing

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[backup_hero]

Though Neville had got used to the idea of being on an island, and had been learning some things from Luna, he had been keeping to himself more often than not for the past little while, ever since the reality of what had happened on the grounds of Hogwarts really hit him. He had a large sword and a buried head and a slightly singed hat as daily reminders of that.

But Neville was the intrepid sort, and there was nothing that could keep him from moving on for very long, so this afternoon found him venturing into the common room of the compound and spotting a familiar face.

"Professor," he said, giving him a shy - and relieved - smile. "It's good to see you again."

[furry_lil_prblm]

Remus looked up at the sound of the voice and smiled. He was definitely older than the last time Remus had seen him, in experience as well as age. Remus hadn't heard when he had come from, but he imagined it was from sometime after himself, to be sure.

"Hello, Neville!" He offered a hand to shake, glad to see his former student. "Please, call me Remus. I'm hardly your professor any longer," he said, with a small chuckle.

[backup_hero]

"No, I suppose not," said Neville, hesitating only a fraction of a moment before shaking. Neville would always think of him as his professor on some level, but he was also someone Neville had now fought beside, and more than once. "You look... happy."

Considering the circumstances under which Neville had last seen him, it was a somewhat unexpected expression.

[furry_lil_prblm]

Remus glanced down at the blank Map on the table before looking back at Neville with a smile. "Well, I'd hardly say things are perfect, but as a whole I'd say that yes, I am happy," he replied. To be sure, there was the hole in his heart that had been left with Sirius' disappearance, and that would likely never go away. But he had Tonks, and Prongs, and a baby on the way, and the school, and Remus was all too familiar with taking things one day at a time.

"Have you been on the island long?" he asked as he folded up the Map, thinking that Neville must have been recently arrived.