The Boy Who Kept Dying

Chapter 13 (Death learns way too much)

A/N: Not my story! Original avalible on ao3

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Harry and Death both stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas break. Ron had tried to get Harry to go to the Burrow, but Harry pleaded for study time; he really just wanted to stay with Dis. After a full semester of being exposed to Death's aura, Dumbledore and Snape both seemed to be at their wit's end. The students were starting to get used to the aura since Death pulled it back as much as possible in their presence instead of flooding them like the two older men. Overall, the students were really starting to enjoy DADA classes and Death's novel approach to light vs. dark magic. However, Death really enjoyed messing with Dumbledore and Snape, so they weren't so fortunate to have Death's aura tempered for them. Death had done absolutely nothing he could be fired over though. He had only spoken the truth to the students throughout the term and wasn't teaching dark magic, but Dumbledore was still abnormally interested in asking the students just what had been taught each day in the DADA classes. Harry guessed it was probably Dumbledore that broke first and called in Remus Lupin when Harry saw him enter through the main doors of the castle on Christmas Day.

Harry quickly ducked back around a pillar and ran up a few flights of stairs and through a secret passage until he reached Death's quarters. "Fluffy!" He called as he quickly pushed inside.

"Didn't you just leave? I was about to go to work for a bit and do my real job," Death sighed, it was tiring having to bend time as much as he was having to do to stay with Harry, but he would never say it wasn't worth it.

"Remus...castle," Harry gasped, clutching the stitch in his side.

"Take a breath," Death said, leading him to the couch. "Do you mean Remus Lupin is here?"

Harry nodded. "Probably called in because you're supposedly a friend of the family. He'll know you aren't."

Death just waved a hand dismissively. "He wouldn't have known every friend of your family, especially since we're claiming I was just a kid at the time. In this form, I can really only pass for 20-25ish, so I would have been around 6 or 7 maybe when your parents died, and we'll say I met Sirius after Azkaban when he was on the run."

"I think either Dumbledore or Snape is trying to cause problems," Harry explained his reasoning. "You've been turning the aura on pretty strong for both of them."

"It's not my fault I just love hanging out with them," Death said with a smirk as he stroked the red and gold plumage of the phoenix Harry just noticed was dozing on the armrest.

"What's Fawkes doing here? You give him one bag of treats and he's your best friend? Aren't you concerned he's somehow spying for Dumbledore?" Harry frowned at the bird suspiciously.

"I told you, the phoenix is of my realm. We have an understanding. Also, I do keep the good treats on hand." Fawkes preened in agreement.

It was then that the wards alerted them to someone at the door to Death's office. "Showtime!" He said gleefully, careful not to disturb the bird as he stood.

"You're enjoying playing human way too much," Harry rolled his eyes and followed the immortal.

Death settled himself in the chair behind his desk while Harry went and opened the door to a tired-looking Remus Lupin. "Moony!" Harry exclaimed as he hugged the werewolf.

"Good to see you, cub! Happy Christmas!" He hugged Harry back.

"You must be Professor Lupin," Death said walking over to them and offering a hand to Remus.

"Call me Remus, this isn't my office anymore," Remus took Death's hand with an uncomfortable look on his face.

"Nonsense," Death scoffed, motioning them inside and to the chairs. "Once a teacher, always a teacher."