James, Sirius, and Peter stood stiffly in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk, shifting uncomfortably under the twinkling yet piercing gaze of the Headmaster. The familiar warmth of his office, did nothing to ease the tension pressing down on them.
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, studying them over his half-moon glasses. For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then, with a small smile, he finally spoke.
"It has come to my attention that the three of you have been rather… meticulous in your studies as of late."
Dumbledore continued, his voice laced with amusement. "Professor Flitwick is quite impressed by your newfound interest in ambient charms. Professor Binns, in a rare moment of animation, found your curiosity about the history of Hogwarts quite 'unexpectedly thoughtful.' And Professor McGonagall, though eternally suspicious, was- dare I say it- mildly intrigued by your inquiries about permanent enchantments. Quite a feat, if I may add."
Sirius glanced at James. Dumbledore knew this much, it meant—
"Of course," Dumbledore continued, tilting his head slightly, "it is my duty as Headmaster to be aware of what my students are up to. Particularly when their activities might lead them into… shall we say, uncharted territory."
His blue eyes twinkled, but there was an unmistakable weight behind them.
James straightened up, trying to keep his expression light. "Sir, we're just—"
"Trying to help Remus," Dumbledore finished for him.
James froze.
Peter and Sirius tensed beside him.
James had thought they had been subtle, careful. They had avoided using Remus's name in their research. They had disguised their questions as casual academic curiosity. And yet here they were, where Dumbledore had seen right through them.
James took a careful breath, choosing his next words wisely.
"Professor, we aren't doing anything dangerous."
Dumbledore raised a single skeptical eyebrow.
James pressed on, keeping his tone as steady as possible. "We just… we just want to help him. And if that means learning more about the magic in Hogwarts, then is that really a bad thing?"
Dumbledore studied him in silence. And James refused to look away.
Then, to his surprise, Dumbledore gave a quiet chuckle. "You remind me of someone I once knew, Mr. Potter. Always pushing boundaries. Always with the best intentions. But intentions, as noble as they may be, do not always shield us from consequences."
His voice lowered, becoming gentler.
"If the Ministry were to catch wind of what you are attempting, it would not be seen as youthful curiosity. You would not be praised for your ambition. You would be expelled."
The weight of his words settled heavily in the air. Peter looked genuinely afraid.
Sirius, however, was unshaken. He leaned forward slightly. "Then we just have to make sure they don't find out, don't we?"
Dumbledore's lips twitched, not quite a smile, not quite disapproval.
"An interesting philosophy, Mr. Black," he murmured. "But a dangerous one."
James took the opening before Sirius could push further.
"Sir," he said, "we aren't trying to defy anyone. And we certainly aren't trying to challenge the Ministry. All we want is to make things easier for Remus. He shouldn't have to go through this alone."
For a brief moment, something unreadable flickered across Dumbledore's expression.
Then, instead of responding, he shifted the subject entirely.
"Your work in Transfiguration has been… ambitious," he said, as if he hadn't just warned them of expulsion.
James narrowed his eyes slightly. What was he getting at?
Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "If your intention is to use Transfiguration for the purpose I suspect… then you will find the process both arduous and extraordinarily difficult and of course time taking. But I must admit, I am… impressed by your determination."
James opened his mouth to say something, but Dumbledore continued before he could.
"I will speak to Professor McGonagall."
Silence. No one spoke for a while.
James blinked. "Wait—you will?"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Oh, not to approve it, certainly. But to ensure that should you persist—because I have no doubt that you will—you do so with proper caution. And with a full understanding of the consequences."
James exchanged a quick glance with Sirius, who looked equally stunned.
That was as close to approval as they were going to get.
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. "Now, if there is nothing else… you can go about your day."
The three of them started to move towards the door, still unsure of what had just happened.
"And James," Dumbledore added as James reached the door. "Send him in."
When Remus stepped into the office, he expected the worst. But instead, he found Dumbledore smiling at him gently. For a long moment, the Headmaster simply studied him. Then, in the softest voice, he asked, "How are you, my boy?"
Remus swallowed and hesitated, then answered, "Some days are easier than others, sir."
Dumbledore nodded, his expression thoughtful. "That is often the way of things, my boy."
The conversation felt like it should continue, but Dumbledore didn't say anything more.
Instead, he simply looked at Remus, as if considering something very important.
Then, as Remus turned to leave, Dumbledore spoke again, this time, almost absently.
"You know, Remus; there is a room…"
Remus looked at him with an absent expression, trying to interpret what he was saying.
Dumbledore continued, as if musing to himself. "A room that appears when someone is in genuine need of it. A most curious place, one that can be found by anyone… provided they are prepared to look hard enough."
Remus turned back, his eyes wide. "Yes, Professor?"
Dumbledore only smiled, his eyes twinkling.
"A most interesting room indeed."
And with that, he returned to his work, leaving Remus standing there, mind racing.
When Remus returned to the common room, James, Sirius, and Peter immediately pounced on him.
"What did he say?" Sirius demanded. Remus hesitated, then shook his head. "Nothing much."
James frowned. "Nothing? He didn't scold you? or Warn you? Or anything?"
Remus slowly sat down in an armchair, still processing. Finally, he looked up, his voice quiet but thoughtful.
"He told me about a room."
Sirius blinked. "A… room?"
"A room that appears when someone needs it. A place that adapts to the person who enters it.".
"Well," James said, "that sounds incredibly useful."
Sirius added. "Very convenient indeed."
Peter, still catching up, furrowed his brow. "So… does this mean he's helping us?"
Remus exhaled. "I think…" he glanced towards the fire, where the flames flickered, casting long shadows across the room.
Then, with a small smile of his own, he murmured, "I think it means he's letting us figure it out ourselves."