Hermione discreetly checked Jon's reply, and then turned to face the current situation.
Jon and Zhusha saw Hermione holding Ron's hand and saying, "Thank you, Ron, but I can't let you —"
"You don't have a choice," Ron said, holding her hand tightly. "I'm going to teach you my family tree, so you won't be afraid to ask questions."
Hermione laughed shakily.
"Ron, I don't think it matters anymore, because we're on the run with Harry Potter, the most wanted criminal in the country.
If we go back to school, things will be different.
Does Voldemort have any plans for the Hogwarts? "
"Now every young Wizard has to enter school," Lupin replied. "It was announced yesterday.
This is a change, because it was never compulsory before.
Of course, almost all British Wizard went to school at the Hogwarts, but parents have the right to let their children study at home or abroad.
Now, Voldemort could keep all the adepts under his watch from a young age.
This is also one of the ways to eliminate Muggle, because students must have proof of their blood — proof that they have proven their Wizard blood to the Ministry of Magic before they can be admitted. "
Harry was disgusted and angry. How many eleven-year-old children were happily flipping through their newly bought magic books, not knowing that they would never see the Hogwarts, or even their families.
"This... this..."
He was speechless, unable to find the words to express the horror he felt, but Lupin said softly:
"I know."
"If you can't prove it, I can understand, Harry, but the Phoenix Society's impression is that Dumbledore left you a mission."
"Yes," Harry replied. "Ron and Hermione also know, and they want to go with me."
"Can you tell me what this mission is?"
Harry looked at the prematurely wrinkled face, the thick but graying hair, and wished he had some other answer.
"I can't, Remus, I'm sorry. If Dumbledore didn't tell you, I don't think I can. "
"I knew you would say that." Lupin seemed a little disappointed. "But I can still be of some use to you.
You know my identity and ability. I can travel with you and provide protection.
You don't have to tell me what you're doing. "
Harry hesitated. It was a very tempting proposal, although he could not imagine how Lupin could keep it a secret from him if he followed them all day.
Hermione, on the other hand, seemed somewhat puzzled.
"Where is Tonks?"
"What's wrong with her?
"Aiya," Hermione frowned and said, "You're married! What will she think if you go with us? "
"Tonks will be safe," Lupin said. "At her parents' house."
Lupin's tone was a little strange, almost cold.
Besides, it was not normal for Tonks to continue hiding in her parents' house. After all, she was a member of the Phoenix Society. As far as Harry knew, she might want to participate in active operations.
"Remus," Hermione asked tentatively, "is everything okay … I mean … you and —"
"Everything is fine. Thank you."
Hermione blushed. There was another awkward silence. Then Lupin said, as if forcing himself to admit something unpleasant, "Tonks is pregnant."
"Oh, that's great!"
"That's great!"
"Congratulations."
Lupin smiled awkwardly, as if he was making a face. "So — do you accept my offer?
Could three people become four people?
I don't believe Dumbledore would object.
After all, he appointed me to be your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
I have to tell you that I believe we will face evil magic that many people have never seen or imagined. "
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry.
"Well … I still want to know," Harry said.
"You want to leave Tonks at her parents' house and come with us?"
"She will be safe there. They will take care of her," Lupin said firmly.
"Harry, I believe that James would also want me to protect you." Lupin's tone was firm and almost indifferent.
"Well," Harry said slowly, "I don't think so.
I'm sure my father would want to know why you don't protect your child. "
The blood drained from Lupin's face.
The temperature in the kitchen seemed to drop ten degrees. Ron looked around the room as if he had been ordered to memorize it. Hermione's eyes moved back and forth between Harry and Lupin.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
Lupin swallowed.
"I — I made a terrible mistake by marrying Tonks. I lost my mind and have regretted it ever since."
"Oh," said Harry. "So you're going to abandon her and the child and run away with us?"
Lupin jumped to his feet, tipping over his chair.
He stared at them so furiously that for the first time Harry saw the shadow of a wolf in his face.
"Don't you understand what I did to my wife and my unborn child?
I shouldn't have married her at all. I've turned her into an outcast! "
Lupin kicked the chair he had tipped over.
"You see me in the Phoenix Society, or in the Hogwarts, under the protection of Dumbledore!
You know how most Wizard's look at my kind!
They hardly ever speak to me when they know what I am!
Don't you see what I've done?
Even her family rejects our marriage. What parent would want their only child to marry a werewolf?
And the child — the child — "
Lupin pulled at his hair. He seemed to have lost his mind.
"My kind are usually sterile!
The child will be like me, I know it will be — how can I forgive myself?
Knowing what I am and passing it on to an innocent child.
Even if, by some miracle, the child doesn't turn out like me, it would be better, a hundred times better, not to have a father who will always be ashamed of it! "
"Remus," said Hermione, tears in her eyes. "Don't say that — how could any child be ashamed of you?"
"Oh, you never know, Hermione," said Harry. "I should be ashamed of him."
Harry didn't know where his anger came from, but he got to his feet too.
Lupin looked as if Harry had struck him.
"If the new regime thinks Muggle is born bad," said Harry, "what will they do to a werewolf half-breed whose father was a member of the Phoenix Order?
My father died protecting my mother and me. Do you think he'd ask you to abandon your child and risk your life with us? "
"You — how dare you?"
Lupin said. "It's not a quest — it's not a quest for adventure or personal fame — how can you say that —"
"I think you think you're brave," said Harry. "You fancy following in the footsteps of Sirius —"
"Harry, don't!"
Hermione pleaded, but Harry continued to stare at Lupin's white face.
"I can't believe it," said Harry.
"The man who taught me to defeat the Dementors — he's a coward."
Lupin pulled out his wand so quickly that Harry had barely got hold of it when there was a thud, and he felt himself fly backward, hit the kitchen wall, and slid to the floor.
He caught a glimpse of the back of Lupin's cloak disappearing into the doorway.
"Remus, Remus, come back!"
Hermione cried, but Lupin did not answer. A moment later they heard the front door slam shut.
"Harry?"
Hermione cried. "How could you?"
"Why can't I?"
Harry said, getting to his feet, feeling a swelling where his head had hit the wall.
He was still trembling with anger.
"Don't look at me like that!"
"Don't come at her again!"
"Don't — don't — we mustn't quarrel!"
Hermione rushed between them, looking a little funny.
"You shouldn't have said that to Lupin."
"He asked for it."
Broken images flashed through Harry's mind: the sight of Sirius falling through the drapery;
The maimed Dumbledore hanging in the air; the green light and the pleading voice of his mother …
"A parent," said Harry, "shouldn't leave one's child unless — unless it's absolutely necessary."
"Harry —"
Hermione reached out a soothing hand, but Harry shrugged it off and stepped aside, staring at the flame that Hermione had conjured.
He had spoken to Lupin through that hearth, hoping to restore his faith in Jaime, and Lupin had given him comfort.
Now Lupin's pained, pale face seemed to flash before him, and he felt a pang of regret.
Neither Ron nor Hermione spoke, but Harry felt sure that they were looking at each other in silent communication behind his back.
He turned and saw that they were both looking away hurriedly.
"I know I shouldn't have called him a coward."
"You shouldn't have."
"But he acted like one."
"But-"
"I know," said Harry. "But if it gets him back to Tonks, it's worth it, isn't it?"
He could not take the plea out of his voice.
Hermione looked sympathetic, but Ron did not comment.
Harry looked down at his feet and thought of his father.
Would James support what Harry had said to Lupin, or would he be angry that his son had treated his old friend that way?
The quiet kitchen seemed to hum with the shock of the scene and the silent condemnation of Ron and Hermione.
The Daily Prophet, which Lupin had brought, was still on the table, and Harry's face was on the front page, staring at the ceiling.
He went and sat down, flipping open the paper and pretending to read, but he could not. His mind was still full of the confrontation with Lupin.
He was sure that Ron and Hermione were communicating silently again on the other side of the paper.
He turned the pages noisily, and Dumbledore's name jumped out at him.
It took him a moment to realize that it was a family photograph.
At the bottom it read: Dumbledore's family. From left: Albus, Percival (holding newborn Arianna), Candela, and Aberforth.
That drew his attention.
Harry stared at the picture. Dumbledore's father, Percival, was a handsome man, and his eyes seemed to sparkle in the faded old picture.
Baby Arianna was no bigger than a loaf of bread, and there were no more features on her face.
Candela, the mother, had dark hair in a high bun, and her features were chiseled.
Despite her high-collared satin gown, her dark eyes, high cheekbones, and straight nose reminded Harry of an Indian.
Albus and Aberforth wore lace-collared jackets and had shoulder-length hair in a French style.
Albus looked a few years older, but in other respects the two boys looked very much alike, for this was before Dumbledore's nose was broken and he began wearing glasses.
The family looked quite happy, smiling serenely in the paper.
Baby Arianna's arms waved vaguely outside her swaddle.
Harry saw a headline at the top of the picture:
Exclusive Excerpt — The Forthcoming Biography of Dumbledore
Rita Skeeter, Jr.
Thinking that he could not possibly get any worse, Harry began to read, but it was evident that he was mistaken: what it said actually made him feel worse.
He looked at the picture of the apparently happy family.
Was what he said true?
How could he find out?
He wanted to go to Godric's Hollow, even if Bashida could no longer talk to him, and he wanted to see the place where he and Dumbledore had both lost family.
He was putting down the paper to ask Ron and Hermione what they thought when there was a deafening crash in the kitchen.
He jumped to his feet.
Out of the huddle in the doorway, Creech broke away, bowed low, and said hoarsely, "Creech has brought back the thief, Mundungus Fletch, master."
Mundungus struggled to his feet and pulled out his wand.
But Hermione was quicker.
"Remove your weapon!"
Mundungus's wand flew through the air and was caught by Hermione.
He made a mad dash for the stairs, but Ron knocked him down.
Mundungus hit the flagstones with a muffled thud.
"What?"
Mundungus writhed, trying to get away from Ron. "What did I do?
Send a bloody house elf to get me.
What the hell are you doing? What did I do? Let me go, let me go, or- "
"You're in no position to threaten anyone," said Harry, tossing the paper aside and crossing to the end of the kitchen, where he knelt down beside Mundungus.
Ron scrambled to his feet, panting, and Harry calmly pointed his wand at Mundungus's nose. The fellow stank of sweat and smoke, his hair tangled, his robe stained.
"Creech apologizes for being too late to catch the thief, master."
The elf hissed, "Fletch is good at evading capture, and has many nests and associates.
But Creech stopped the thief in the end. "
"You did very well, Kreacher.
But now we have a few questions for you. "
Harry said to Mundungus, who cried out at once, "I was scared, okay?
I never wanted to join in … Don't be mad, man, I never volunteered to die for you. That bloody mystery man was flying at me. Anyone would have run away. I kept saying I didn't want to do it- "
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