Author: Magrat
Spoilers: As before
Ratings: PG: 13
Disclaimer: not mine blah, blah.
Harry Potter and The Return of The Witch part 6
Excitement grew, as always, around the school as they headed towards the first Hogsmeade weekend of the school year. Harry, Ron and Hermione had planned their day out carefully, a trip to Honeydukes, Zonko’s and lunch at The Three Broomsticks.
After breakfast on Saturday they left the school and headed for Honeydukes.
“What happened on Monday between you and Professor Maclay?” asked Ron. “You were so rude to her in class, then you went back to see her and after that you have visited her every evening since.”
“I’ve already told you both; I can’t say,” said Hermione, avoiding catching either of the boys eyes.
“Hermione,” pleaded Harry. “We’re your best friends; we’ve been through life and death situations together.”
“I’m not telling you, so don’t even bother trying a guilt trip on me,” said Hermione.
The subject was quickly forgotten as they spent a happy couple of hours shopping and before they knew it they decided it was time to go to the pub.
The walked into The Three Broomsticks, all of them looking forward to a bottle of cold butterbeer.
“Lupin,” shouted Harry, spotting his old teacher sitting at a table in the middle of the pub. Lupin looked just as ill and haggard as he had when he had taught them.
“Harry,” said Lupin, standing up and giving Hermione a hug. He stood for a second regarding the two boys before hugging them both too.
“How’s…” Harry stopped, realising that Lupin wasn’t alone; there was a young woman, not much older than him, with pink hair and a very mobile face and a small young man with spiky, reddish blonde hair and a look in his eyes that said he found the rest of the world amusing; he was dressed in muggle clothes.
Lupin read Harry’s face and gripped his shoulder. “Don’t worry he’s fine.”
Harry gave a heavy sigh of relief. He wished with all his heart that he could live with his godfather Sirius Black, but that was impossible given his outlaw status throughout the wizarding world having been framed for a crime he didn’t commit.
The woman with the pink hair stared at Harry, her eyes drawn by the scar on his forehead. “You must be Harry Potter. I’m Tonks.”
“Where are my manners? This is Harry, Ron and Hermione,” said Lupin. Tonks waved and the young man sat with her gave them a quick nod of his head. “Tonks, has already introduced herself and the young man sat with her is Daniel Osbourne.”
“Oz,” corrected the young man with a lazy smile.
Harry went towards one of the empty chairs at the table, when Lupin’s hand tightened on his shoulder. “Harry I’ll talk to you later, but I’m expecting…some people and we have important things to discuss.”
“Things that you don’t trust me with?” Asked Harry, his face starting to turn red.
“No, Harry…there are just some things that you can’t be told…not yet.”
Harry felt his temper go and he wanted to shout out at Lupin that he had seen Voldermort rise; that anything that was being discussed would probably be about him, but before he could Ron and Hermione steered him away from Lupin to a small table by the far end of the bar.
“I can’t believe that Lupin wouldn’t trust us. He knows everything we’ve done and he still doesn’t trust us,” repeated Harry over and over.
“Harry,” said Hermione. “Harry, listen we can sit here for a while and see who joins them.”
Harry nodded but folded his arms sulkily, occasionally sending the filthiest looks he could muster towards Lupin. Ron went to the bar and ordered three cold butterbeers. They say in silence while they drank. All three of them feeling a little betrayed by a man they held in such high esteem. Hermione gave Harry a quick jab in the ribs as Professor McGonagall entered with Professor Sprout and Maclay just behind her. McGonagall and Sprout went straight to the bar where they entered into conversation with Madam Rosemerta. Professor Maclay stared into space, seemingly lost in her own world.
Out of the corner of Harry’s eye he saw the young who was sat with Lupin practically jump to his feet and move quickly to Professor Maclay “Tara.”
Tara stepped back away from him, an unmistakable look of fear on her face. “Oz?”
The young man’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry…you know for everything. I never got a chance to apologise to you before I left and I just wanted to say sorry, which I have now done.”
Tara smiled in spite of herself and waved him off with a flap of her hand. “It’s okay. How are things with you now?”
“Things are good,” said Oz. “Devon came over and we reformed the Dingoes.”
“That’s cool,” said Tara quietly.
“And you?” asked Oz.
“I’m teaching at the school,” said Tara.
“Willow?” asked Oz hesitantly.
Tara bit her lip and looked toward Professor McGonagall who still talking with Sprout and Madam Rosemerta.
“I won’t change at the mention of her name. I really have it under control now,” said Oz.
“It’s not that,” said Tara. “We aren’t…she isn’t here.”
“Oh,” said Oz. “I’m sorry, really I am; she said you made her happy.”
Tara looked down at the floor, biting back her tears. Oz in a moment of compassion put his arms around her in uncomfortable embrace.
“Aah, I see you two have already met,” said a voice from behind them. They turned to see a smiling Dumbledore. “Would you like to join us. I think we are all here.”
Harry, Hermione and Ron turned to the table. A few more people had come in since their attention had been taken up by Tara and Oz.
“There’s Bill and Charlie,” said Ron in astonishment. “And Moody; the real one I suppose.”
“And Snape,” spat out Harry. “They won’t trust us, but they have him with them.”
They watched as two tables were pulled together. Tara, Oz, McGonagall and Sprout sat down. There was a couple of people sat down that they didn’t recognise, including a tall, handsome, muscular black man with a gold earring glittering in his ear.
“This should be interesting,” said Hermione, as Lucius Malfoy stood up from a table in the shadows and made his way to the large group in the centre of the room.
“Dumbledore,” said Lucius, casting a haughty look over the group at the table. “Secret meetings and plots what would the Ministry make of it all.”
“My dear Lucius, we are in rather plain view for secrets and we have a couple of Aurors in our midst; hardly anything that could be described as mysterious,” said Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling.
Lucius gave a barely concealed snarl before stopping by Tara. “Professor Maclay I’d like to extend the invitation my son gave to you. There are more…influential people you could spend your time with. ” Before sweeping out of the pub.
TBC
The Glorious People Republic of Treacle Mine Road;
Truth, Justice, Freedom, Reasonably Priced Love and a Hard Boiled Egg
trying to figure out this fic... sure you won't share any clues? I still promise not to tell. 
keep the updates coming. 
and never minds the post of money and all that talent
.
? Thanks for the compliment abut the crossover
for that!
and I’m kinda busy, but some more soon I promise.
.
.)
.... o.k. sorry for that, i`ll be patient 
), but wasn`t the price of keeping her "safe" a bit too high? uh, well, i trust you!