94 Diagon Alley

The most wanted man in the country, Harry Potter, escaped together. If we go back to school, things will be different. Does Voldemort have any plans for Hogwarts? ' she asked Lupin.

"Every teenage wizard is now required to enroll," he replied, "announced yesterday. It's a change, because it was never mandatory before. Of course, almost all British wizards are in Hokkaido. Gwarts went to school, but parents have the right to homeschool their children or study abroad. And now, Voldemort can keep all wizards under his watch from childhood. This is also the way to weed out Muggle-borns One, because students are required to have a pedigree - showing that they have proven their wizarding ancestry to the Ministry of Magic in order to be admitted."

Harry is disgusted and angry: how many eleven year olds are gleefully flipping through their new magic book, not knowing that they will never see Hogwarts, or even ever I can't see my family anymore.

"This...this..." He was at a loss for words to express the horror he felt, but Lupin said softly, "I know."

Lupin hesitated. "More than that. Watch the third edition"

They turned to the next page, and the paper was a large photo of a familiar man with hooked nose and dark hair glaring at them. The title above is:

Severus Snape takes over as Headmaster of Hogwarts

"Forgive me!" Ron cried.

Hermione was the fastest, grabbing the newspaper and reading aloud.

"'Severus Snape, senior Potions teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has today been appointed Headmaster, a decision that follows several changes in the ancient school The most important of these. The former Muggle Studies teacher has resigned and will be replaced by Alecto Caro, her brother Amycus will be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'"

"'I am delighted to have the opportunity to uphold our very best magical traditions and values ​​- 'Just kill and cut ears, I think! Snape, Headmaster! Snape sat in Dumbledore In the office—Merlin's pants!" she screamed, startling both Harry and Ron. She jumped up from the table.

"Merlin's pants?" Ron seemed amused. "You're so pissed." He pulled the newspaper to him and perused the article about Snape.

"The other teachers will not tolerate it, McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout know the truth and know how Dumbledore died. They will not agree to Snape as headmaster. Who are the Carlo siblings?"

"Death Eaters," Harry said, "there are pictures in the newspaper, they were in the Astronomy Tower when Snape killed Dumbledore, so they were all gangsters. And," Harry pulled up a chair and said indignantly, "I don't see other teachers having a choice but to stay. If both the Ministry of Magic and Voldemort are Snape's backers, then either stay or go to Az Cabin for a couple of years — that's a bit of luck. I guess they'll stay and try to protect the students."

Lupin interrupted their lively discussion of the Hogwarts personnel changes.

"Harry, the impression of the Order of the Phoenix is ​​that Dumbledore has left you with a mission."

"Yes." Harry replied, "Ron and Hermione know that too, they want to go with me."

"Can you tell me what this mission is?"

Harry looked at the prematurely wrinkled face and the thick but grey hair, wishing he had another answer.

"I can't, Remus, sorry. If Dumbledore didn't tell you, I don't think I can either."

"I guess you'd say that," Lupin looked disappointed, "but I can still be of use to you. You know who I am and what I'm capable of. I can walk with you and provide protection .Don't tell me what you're doing."

Harry hesitated, it was a very tempting offer, although he could not imagine how Lupin could keep it a secret if he was with them all day.

Hermione looked puzzled.

"Where's Tonks?" she asked.

"What's the matter with her?" Lupin said.

"Oops," Hermione frowned, "you're married! What does she think you're going with us?"

"Tonks will be safe," Lupin said, "at her parents' house."

Lupin's tone was a little strange, almost indifferent. Besides, it was a little unusual for Tonks to continue to hide in her parents' house, she was a member of the Order of the Phoenix after all, and as far as Harry knew, she probably wanted to get into positive action.

"Remus," said Hermione tentatively, "all right...I mean...you and—"

"Everything is fine, thank you," Lupin said dryly.

Hermione blushed, and there was another silence, restrained and awkward, and then Lupin said, as if forcing himself to admit an unpleasant event, "Tonks is pregnant."

"Oh, great!" screamed Hermione.

"Awesome!" Ron said enthusiastically.

"Congratulations," said Harry.

Lupin smiled unnaturally, looked like he was making a face, and added, "So—do you accept my offer? Can three become four? I don't believe it Dumbledore would object. After all, he appointed me to be your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I must tell you that I believe this trip will involve the face of evil magic that many have never seen and imagined. "

Both Ron and Hermione looked at Harry.

"Well—I want to ask," he said, "you want to leave Tonks at her parents' house and come with us?"

"She's perfectly safe there, and they'll take care of her," Lupin said, his tone almost indifferent, "Harry, I'm sure James would want me to watch over you too."

"Well," said Harry slowly, "I don't think so. I'm sure my father would want to know why you didn't watch over your child."

Lupin's face lost its color. The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. Ron looked around the room as if he had been ordered to remember it, Hermione's eyes moving back and forth between Harry and Lupin.

"You don't understand," Lupin said finally.

"Then explain," said Harry.

Lupin swallowed.

"I—I married Tonks a terrible mistake, I lost my mind, and I regret it very much afterwards."

"Oh," said Harry, "so you're going to abandon her and the child and run away with us?"

Lupin jumped up and the chairs overturned. He glared at them so furiously that for the first time Harry saw the wolf's shadow on his face.

"Don't you understand what I did to my wife and unborn child? I shouldn't have married her at all, I made her an outcast!"

Lupin kicked away the chair he overturned.

"You saw me in the Order of the Phoenix, or at Hogwarts, under Dumbledore's sanctuary! You know what most wizards think of my kind! Know me After the situation, they almost refused to talk to me! Haven't you seen everything I have done? Even her family rejected our marriage, what parent would want their only daughter to marry a werewolf? And children -child-"

Lupin tugged at his hair, he seemed unhinged.

"My kind is usually barren! The child will be like me, I know it will be - how can I forgive myself? Knowing my condition and passing it on to an innocent baby Even if a miracle happens and the child is not like me, wouldn't it be better, a hundred times better, not to have a father who will always shame him!"

"Remus!" Hermione whispered, tears welling up in her eyes, "Don't say that—how could a child be ashamed of you?"

"Oh, not sure, Hermione," said Harry, "I'd be ashamed of him."

Harry didn't know where he got his anger, and he stood up in anger. Lupin's expression was as if Harry had hit him.

“If the new regime thinks Muggle births are bad,” Harry said, “what will they do to a werewolf half-blood whose father is a member of the Order of the Phoenix? My father is there to protect my mother To die with me, do you think he will tell you to abandon your child and go on an adventure with us?"

"You—how dare you?" Lupin said. "It's not a quest—it's not a quest for adventure or personal attention—how could you say that—"

"I think you feel brave," Harry said.

"Harry, stop talking!" Hermione pleaded, but Harry continued to stare at Lupin's pale face.

"I can't believe it," said Harry, "that the man who taught me to defeat Dementors—was a coward."

Lupin was pulling his wand too fast, Harry just had time to grab his wand when he heard a bang, and felt like he had been slammed, and his body flew backwards, hitting On the wall in Diggory's living room, and then slide to the floor. He glimpsed the back of Lupin's cloak disappearing into the doorway.

"Remus, Remus, come back!" cried Hermione, but Lupin didn't answer. Moments later, they heard the front door slam shut.

"Harry!" cried Hermione, "how can you do this?"

"Nothing," Harry said, standing up, feeling a bag swell where his head hit the wall. He was still shaking with anger.

"Don't look at me like that!" he said to Hermione angrily.

"Don't come at her again!" Ron roared.

"Don't- don't- we can't fight!" said Hermione, rushing between them.

"You shouldn't have said that to Lupin," Ron rebuked Harry.

"He asked for it," said Harry. Broken images flashed through his mind: Sirius fell through the veil; a maimed Dumbledore hung in the air; a