Harry's internal musings were broken when he and Hermione reached the entrance of the Gryffindor house- near portrait of the Fat Lady.
Hermione muttered the password, and the door swung open.
"Hermione, go and pack your trunk," said Harry with a smile. "I will first go and meet Professor Lupin."
Hermione nodded and tried to pull away from Harry. But he did the opposite. He pulled her into a hug, his hands roaming on her back.
"Hermione…" said Harry softly.
Hermione was blushing red, and her heart was beating very fast. She barely muttered, "Harry… someone will see us."
Harry made a small grunt of acknowledgement but did not let her go. Only after a few moments, when he felt content, did he allow the witch to step aside. Hermione, with a deeply flushed face, almost ran inside the Gryffindor dorm earning a small chuckle from Harry.
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After sending Hermione away, Harry walked towards Remus's office to meet him. He knew that Remus would be 'resigning' as the DADA professor or was being forced to resign. After all, Severus Snape had mistakenly let it slip to the Slytherin students that Lupin was a werewolf.
He finally arrived near Lupin's office and entered the wide-open doorway.
"I saw you coming," said Lupin with a smile, pointing at the Marauder's Map.
"I heard you are leaving," said Harry, trying to act as emotional as he could be. He did not immediately want to give the impression that he had changed.
"Yes…" muttered Lupin with a sigh and in an emotional tone. "But it was a good year… I got to spend time with you."
Harry wanted to scoff at this but held back.
"Will you ever see me again?" Harry asked in a slightly emotional tone.
"Maybe," said Lupin in a downcast tone.
"Harry," Lupin continued. "This has been a really good year for me. I got to spend some time with the son of my best friend and I also learned that another of my best friend whom I was considering to be a criminal is actually innocent."
"And you, in the last, managed to save him," Lupin said with a smile.
Harry stood with an unresponsive face.
Lupin smiled, "Harry you are just like your father… and your eyes…"
"They are just like my mom," Harry completed the sentence that he had already heard so many times.
"Yeah," Lupin said softly.
Harry nodded, lost in a daze. He remembered that in his previous life, in the fourth year when he had been forced to participate in the Triwizard tournament, Sirius, being a wanted criminal, had risked his life to return, but Lupin had been nowhere to be found. Neither had Remus tried to make any contact with Harry or tried to find out what all was going in his life.
Seeing Harry's lost expression, Lupin thought it to be the result of his impending departure.
"Harry," said Lupin. "Do not overthink."
He pushed the Marauder's Map towards Harry and said with a wink, "Now that I am not a professor, I do not see a problem in giving it to you."
"Use it well," he added further.
Harry took the map without any hesitation and stuffed it casually into his robe pocket.
"Bye, Professor," said Harry.
Remus stepped forward and placed his hand on Harry's shoulder, "Bye, Harry."
Harry gave one last look and walked away from Lupin's office, back towards the Gryffindor dorm.
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When Harry arrived back in the Gryffindor dorm, the entire room was almost empty. It seemed most of the students had already departed to catch the Hogwarts express.
Hermione, with her packed trunk, was sitting on the couch near the fireplace.
"Harry…" she was speaking very slowly. "I heard that Professor Lupin is resigning?"
Harry nodded slowly, walking towards her, "Yes, Snape let it slip that he is a werewolf."
At most times, she would have berated Harry for calling him 'Snape,' but now her mind was elsewhere.
"Why…? Why would he do that?" She questioned with widened eyes.
"Hermione," he stood very close to her. "We know very well what Snape is like. He is an extremely bitter man. Don't forget, he almost got Sirius killed."
"He is a man who hold grudges and is childish. Do no expect anything better from that man."
Hermione sat in silence and did not say anything.
"Go pack your bags. We are getting late," muttered Hermione after a moment of silence.
Harry gave a nod and walked upstairs towards his dorm.
It took Harry a few minutes to pack his luggage. Though Harry was almost going to discard all his things, he still packed them.
After a wave of his hand, the trunk shrunk to a small size and floated into his outer robe pocket.
He was done in a few minutes and walked down the stairs.
"Let us go," he said to Hermione.
Hermione stood but looked at him in confusion, "Where is your trunk?"
Harry smiled mischievously and waved his hand. In front of Hermione's widened eyes, her trunk shrunk to a small size and floated to land in her palm.
Hermione looked at the trunk for a few moments with a stunned expression.
"How did you do this? And wandless… magic?" she asked, excitement brimming all over her face.
Harry smiled, "Just a trick."
"And yes, I will teach you," added Harry further before she could even ask for. "But later."
Hermione's expression softened with relief, and she smiled widely.
"Let us go," said Harry, and Hermione walked alongside him.
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