0504 Return (Bonus-chapter)

0504 Return (Bonus-chapter)

Bryan deliberately hung back from the factory entrance, knowing that his presence - given his reputation and influence - might inadvertently steal focus from Remus's pivotal moment. The two men stood at a distance from the imposing main gate as they watched Remus guide the assembled workers into the gleaming white industrial building.

The scene before them stirred deep emotions in both men's hearts, they both felt rather sentimental.

"I never thought I'd see this day—" Sirius managed to get out, his words catching in his throat as he sniffled, the sound carrying both unrestrained joy and a deep, lingering sadness for all the years of struggle.

Running a trembling hand through his dark hair, Sirius continued, his voice gruff in memories, "You know, Bryan, among our group back then, Remus always drew the shortest straw. He couldn't find work, landlords turned him away, and there were nights when he could barely scrape together enough for a proper meal. Yet—" Sirius's voice grew heavy with frustration and perhaps admiration, "—he constantly refused any financial assistance from James, Lily, or me, no matter how desperate things became."

Bryan turned to look at Sirius, noting how the man was frantically wiping at his reddened eyes with the sleeve of his robes. He suddenly felt a wave of sympathy at the sight; beyond Remus's personal struggles, Sirius's entire generation had been through storms that would have crushed weaker spirits. The First Wizarding War, betrayal, loss, and years of aftermath had left deep scars on them all.

"James and Lily," Sirius whispered, his voice barely audible, "they would be so relieved, so proud to see Remus today."

"Life isn't meant to be a mad dash to the finish line, The key is learning to appreciate and adapt to the new scenery that appear along the way." Bryan said with a smile. Then, his expression turned thoughtful. "Speaking of new scenery, I couldn't help but notice that Tonks seems to have developed quite an interest in our friend Remus."

"Tonks?!" Sirius's red-rimmed eyes widened comically, his mouth falling open in shock. "That girl and Remus?!" The realization hit him like a Stunning Spell, and he slapped his forehead in theatrical frustration. "Well, that certainly explains why she's been pestering me with endless questions about our Hogwarts days! I thought she was just being nostalgic!"

A spark of pure excitement ignited in Sirius's storm-gray eyes as his mind raced ahead to possibilities. "Does this mean..." he practically bounced on his feet, "Could Remus actually have a chance at having children of his own?!"

"Perhaps—" Bryan responded with an amused chuckle, shaking his head at Sirius's enthusiasm. Then, his tone grew more serious as he turned the conversation. "What about you, Sirius? Have you given any thought to your own future plans?"

The question seemed to catch Sirius off-guard. While he had been practically glowing while discussing Remus's prospects, his expression now grew complicated. After a pause, he released a heavy sigh that carried years of regret and determination. "My future is simple—I just want to be there for Harry, to watch him grow into the man James and Lily would have been proud of."

"You know," Bryan said calmly, "in that way, you and Severus share a remarkable similarity."

Both men, he thought silently, were bound by chains of devotion to Harry's parents, willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of old promises and enduring love.

"Oh, that git," Sirius grumbled reflexively.

"Oh, before I forget—" Remus suddenly exclaimed, reaching into his robes to withdraw a money pouch. He extended it toward Bryan explaining, "This contains a thousand Galleons for Fred and George—"

His expression turned apologetic as he continued, " I've realized that managing this workshop will demand far more of my attention than I initially anticipated. I won't be able to fulfill my promise to help them establish their shop. However, I made them a promise regarding this investment, and I intend to keep at least that part. So, could you please help me pass it on? I'll write to Fred and George explaining the situation personally—"

"Those clever little troublemakers seem to be quite adept at securing funding lately—" Sirius said with a grin, momentarily setting aside his worries about Harry. "During the Quidditch World Cup final, Fred, George, and even Ron participated in Bagman's betting pool. They all managed to predict the outcome perfectly. By my estimation, they must have walked away with at least a thousand or two thousand Galleons from Bagman!"

"Bagman's betting pool?" Bryan's eyebrows shot up in surprise before he shook his head with a knowing smile. Some things never change, and Ludo Bagman's fondness for gambling was apparently one of them.

*Scenebreak*

"Oh, thank heavens you actually remembered to return to us?"

When Bryan appeared directly in Dumbledore's office via Fawkes to report on Remus's situation, he found Professor McGonagall already there. After recovering from her initial surprise at his sudden appearance, she immediately expressed her displeasure. "Why didn't you simply wait until after the Triwizard Tournament to grace us with your presence, Bryan? Then you'd have had absolutely nothing to do!"

"As long as my salary continues to arrive punctually, I have no complaints, ahem—" Bryan chuckled, but seeing Professor McGonagall's stern look, he quickly transformed his laughter into a discrete cough. "I mean, Headmaster Dumbledore is the one who makes these decisions, Professor—"

"We always value diverse perspectives, Bryan—" Dumbledore said with a gentle smile. He had obviously already known that Remus was fine and seemed satisfied with Bryan's handling of the situation.

"We were just discussing tomorrow evening's menu, given that our guests may not be accustomed to Hogwarts food, we need to consider some dietary adjustments." Professor McGonagall continued quickly, determined to keep the conversation on track. "Also, I'm wondering if we should convince the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students to stay in the castle. They're coming from so far away, and Hogwarts must show proper courtesy and etiquette. Oh, and there's the Goblet of Fire!"

"The Goblet of Fire?" Bryan's tone sharpened with interest, recognizing this as far more significant than menu planning and sleeping arrangements.

"Ministry officials delivered the Goblet of Fire to Hogwarts just yesterday—" Dumbledore explained, his bright blue eyes fixed meaningfully on Bryan. "In your absence, we temporarily placed it in Argus's office. However, I believe it would be more appropriate for you to take custody of it, Bryan. Argus has been quite worried about potential tampering and he hasn't slept a wink since he began vigilantly watching his office."

"Ah, I see—" Bryan replied with a noncommittal smile. "You can leave it to me, then. I'll ensure our mischievous young wizards don't find any opportunities to meddle with it."

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