"Keep the change." I muttered to the taxi driver as I stood out of the car and watched him drive away. Getting a taxi back from Hogwarts was extremely inconvenient and not to mention awkward.
My name's Freya Lupin (Faye to my friends). A Gryffindor who has just finished their 2nd year at Hogwarts – it's not as amazing as you think. For starters the work load is horrific however having a few friends makes it slightly easier. My closest friends were fellow Gryffindors: Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom. I always had a soft spot for Seamus but if anyone knew I'm pretty sure I would be facing an even worse social suicide than I was already on the border of. I was also good friends with Luna Lovegood from the year below even though I don't speak to her very often. Then there's also the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan who I help with pranks every now and.
I had to get a taxi from the station back home since my dad is a werewolf (trust me, it's not as scary as you may first think) and since it's a full moon tonight he didn't want me to see him so weak – he absolutely hates being one but I admire his sanity to keep people safe so I didn't mind too much. Unfortunately it meant I was alone at least once every full moon but I took advantage of the time alone to sneak around my dad's room and look through his old albums from school. He had been part of a group of friends who called themselves the marauders, you see.
I'll try and explain briefly who the marauders are: Remus Lupin, my dad, was nicknamed, Moony, due to his werewolf condition while his three other friends had similar nicknames that matched their animagus forms (I know, how badass were these people?). For example, James Potter was a Stag animagus so in turn was called Prongs due to his antlers. The other two members were Sirius Black (Padfoot - an extremely shaggy black dog) and Peter Pettigrew (wormtail –rat, oh yeah. Nothing beats a rat!) But my dad doesn't tend to talk about them. Something to do with the incident that happened when I was 1 and Voldemort attacked Harry's parents which led to Sirius supposedly killing peter Pettigrew. Remus doesn't quite believe the story but there is nothing to say otherwise so he tends to get grumpy if I mention it.
He has a lot of photo albums from his marauder days thinking I haven't seen them. A lot are of Sirius and James hogging the camera with a few of Peter Pettigrew hiding in the corner away from the camera. From what I could see, I sometimes wondered why peter was ever a Gryffindor as he sounds pretty shifty from what my dad's told me. He turned into a RAT for crying out loud! Rats aren't "brave" are they? I sighed out loud as I flipped through the book to my favourite picture.
It included my dad holding me up in a rather worship-like fashion and James is doing the same with Harry while Lily is just face palming in the background with Sirius struggling not to laugh. It was before James and Lily went into hiding so the picture doesn't hide a hidden sombreness or whatever you call it. I always wondered who initially took the picture – probably Peter. Either way, my dad had a pretty awesome school life with great friends.
I always feel bad when he asks about my life at school because he thinks I'm friends with Harry Potter but in reality he never even talks to me. I have a feeling it will come around and bite me in the butt if I'm not careful but I'm too scared to tell him I'm a practically a loner compared to his days at Hogwarts – I'm such a Gryffindor, right?
I turned to the last page in the book to look at a picture of a rather beautiful woman. She had curly blonde hair down to her shoulders and my dad had an arm around her lovingly. Can you guess who she is yet? Neither have I... It said Marlene McKinnon at the very bottom of the picture and judging by how my dad and the woman were acting in the picture, I would assume they were in love. So the only conclusion I have come up with is that she could possibly be my mother. I'm not sure though and well, I haven't exactly approached my dad about who my mother is. Whenever I try to find out who this woman was, I came up blank – it's a horrible feeling.
I closed the album and put it carefully back into its original position in case Remus did come up here one day (which I'm willing to bet he has since these albums are never dusty) and went back down to my room. Sorry to say, but my room is pretty bland since I live out of my case. Not only because I go to Hogwarts but because it's unbelievably hard to be a settled down werewolf. Remus probably gets close to being discovered once every 6 months which means we – well, now him, lives practically on the road.
The next day, my dad still hadn't returned home but as I was eating breakfast an owl, arrived with a letter from him telling me he'd be back this evening.
I decided to spend the day cleaning the house since there wasn't a lot to do when you have no magic and only satellite TV – I did get really into antiques road show during lunch though I must admit.
I decided to try cooking some bacon for dinner for bacon sandwiches cause hey, who doesn't love those? Okay, Seamus doesn't but besides that.
"Welcome home, Freya!" My dad greeted me by suddenly hugging me when I turned away from the frying pan.
"Dad! You're home earlier than I thought you'd be!" I said hugging him back, glad to see him again – a school year is a long time to be away from someone, you know.
"Keep the change." I muttered to the cab driver for the second time this summer as I stepped out of the taxi, glad to be away from an awkward atmosphere and walked into Kings Cross Station. My dad was on werewolf time again – I was ok with it, I suppose.
The summer had gone quicker than I had hoped, I had seen all my friends at least once at various places – it had been a nice summer and now I was soon to be back at Hogwarts once again.
I quickly located platform 9¾ and stepped through the barrier when it was safe to go through without suspicion. I happened to be quite early so there weren't many people on the platform so it was easy enough to find a compartment to myself. After my trunk had been placed on the rack I went back out on the station to wait for Luna – she had become my train buddy last year on the way home and I promised her that I would sit with her on the way to Hogwarts and back... and so forth.
10 minutes later on a busy platform, I spotted two blonde people coming through the barrier and immediately recognised Luna. I waved her over.
"Why is the train slowing down?" Luna asked lowering her upside down copy of the quibbler (It's better not to ask).
"No idea. We're nowhere near Hogsmeade..." I replied looking out the window in confusion. "Oh great, now it's getting colder." I wrapped my coat further around me and watched as frost began to appear on the window. We hadn't even been on the train for more than an hour and already it looks like we may die of frostbite.
"How strange" Luna stated. If she said something was strange, it definitely was. I nodded in agreement. It was suddenly pitch black which caused me to make a small sound of surprise.
"What on EARTH is going on!?" I cried out to no-one in particular.
"The Dabberblimps must've found the fuses," Luna said airily and I resisted the urge to laugh at the insanity of the situation.
"Maybe, or what about the nargles?" I asked, wanting to hear her explain the Nargles to me again since they were my favourite creature Luna chose to believe in. Plus it passed the time and made me feel ever so slightly safer in a cold and dark carriage on a train.
"But there is no mistletoe around! They only infest mistletoe; you should know that by now, Freya." Luna lectured me sternly which caused me to laugh.
"Sorry, Luna, There are a lot of creatures you mention, it's hard to keep up!"
"At least you believe in them too. Not many people seem to." Luna replied in what should've been a sad tone but ended up sounded slightly happy.
"I like the sound of them. I really want to meet a crumple horned snorkack, you know..."
"Me too, but they live in Sweden which is quite far away." Luna replied as if reading a textbook.
"Hmm... Maybe you can discover them one day and prove to the world that they exist- Hey the lights are turning back on!" I said seeing the corridor outside grow gradually brighter until our own compartment lit up.
I noticed Luna was reading the quibbler again without flinching when the lights turned back on which caused me to shake my head smiling.
Another hour later, the train arrived at Hogsmeade and everyone got into the carriages that move by themselves – although Luna says that Threstrals pull them along. No one bothered to join us but I did spot Seamus and Dean further up front.
Our carriage was one of the last to arrive at the castle and as soon as we entered the great hall we parted, going to our respected house tables. I found a seat near Neville just as the sorting began. As "Newton, Jennifer" was called out, my eyes travelled away from the hat to the staff table. I wonder who the new DADA teach- oh crap. There. Sitting next to Professor Flitwick, was my father. Remus Lupin. I glared at him with all my might and he locked eyes with me and grinned.
"Oh Merlin..." I muttered holding my head in my hands.
"What's wrong?" Neville asked confused suddenly realizing I had sat next to him.
"The new dada teacher. That's what's wrong." I didn't mean to sound rude but I had bigger things to think about right now. My lies would soon fall through. Starting with the amount of friends I supposedly have and how I hang out with Harry Potter and his friends daily.
"Oh." Neville said looking over, "He said you knew about it though?" Neville looked confused – he was my only friend who had come round my house a few times in the summer or me at his, so he knew my dad well enough to know he's not one to lie, "Did you hear what happened on the train? Harry got attacked by a dementor and he managed to stop it! Didn't stop Harry fainting though..."
I suppressed a laugh. "Dementors? That's not good... but Harry fainted?! Oh dear lord..."The fact that there were dementors on the train was certainly NOT a good thing.
"Hey, Faye!" Dean and Seamus greeted me also realising I had arrived.
"Hey guys," I smiled, "Good summers I hope?" I asked but I never got an answer because Dumbledore began the welcoming speech. He certainly had a lot to say on the dementors...
Then the moment I dreaded. "On a happier note," Dumbledore began, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year" I raised my eyebrows at this.
"Firstly, Professor Lupin," I heard a few whispers start up in the hall and felt eyes stare at me. I simply stared at my empty plate wishing for him to hurry up. "Who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." The applause that followed wasn't like the applause that had been given for Lockhart, our previous DADA teacher. I noted that Neville was one of the few that clapped hard along with Harry and the gang. I joined in like a daughter should. I was going to have a talk with him later though. What kind of father doesn't tell their own daughter about getting a great job at Hogwarts.
"As to our second appointment..." The speech continued with Hagrid gaining the post of Care of Magical Creatures which gained a rather loud applause, especially from the Gryffindor table. Then the feast began.
"Is Professor Lupin related to you?" Seamus asked. Neither Seamus or Dean had seen my dad before – I'm not entirely sure why, they just hadn't.
I shrugged, helping myself to some chicken, smiling to myself.
"So he is?" Dean asked raising an eyebrow.
"Maybe..." I trailed off grinning – I did love my dad.
"You're so lucky! A guy who can fight off Dementors! Neville was telling us about it earlier!" Seamus stared at me in awe.
"Just you wait. I bet he'll do a lesson on Bogart's. He loves those buggers." I shuddered remembering my last encounter with one – not pretty.
"What's a boggarts?" Dean asked looking apprehensive.
"A Bogart." I corrected beginning my dictionary worthy explanation" A creature that lives mostly in cupboards or enclosed spaces that when opened takes the form of your worst fear." I said simply as the main food disappeared being replaced with dessert. "Mmm. They have cookies!" I took a few and placed them on my plate and began munching them.
"Our...O-Our worst fear?!" Neville asked stammering.
"Yup. Just say ridikulus and they turn into something funny. For example..."
I spent the rest of the feast giving a lecture on boggarts that was probably worthy of an E grade in school standards.
"And now if he asks about boggarts you know what to say." I finished as the food disappeared. I sighed. I only had one cookie in the end. Damn my happiness to lecture people on the few things I actually knew.
Dumbledore told everyone it was time to go to bed and I took the moment to storm up to the teacher table. I wasn't the only one – Harry, Ron and Hermione were running joyfully to congratulate Hagrid. Me on the other hand...
"HOW COULD YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME!? YOU HAD ALL SUMMER TO TELL ME!" I slightly shouted as I got within ten steps of my dad who just looked at me amused.
"That would ruin the surprise wouldn't it?" He said smirking. I scowled.
"Don't blame me if I fail DADA." I said even though I knew it would never happen.
"I highly doubt that. That was a great speech on Boggarts by the way" Lupin took a swig of his drink and I sighed running a hand through my messy hair before hugging him over the table.
"You weren't meant to hear that..." I mumbled into his shoulder as I let go.
"It was Dumbledore who told me actually." He gestured over to Dumbledore who chose that particular moment to take up a conversation with Snape about Lemon Sherbets – is there nothing else that man talks about?
I shook my head, "You're terrible, you know that?"
"Well I was part of an elite prank group during school remember" Lupin replied. I had to give it to him, he sure knew his comebacks.
"Fine, fine. Well, I should really get back to the common room before filch tries to deduct points on the first day for being out past curfew – Night, Dad!" I waved as I walked quickly out of the great hall to take a deep breath once I was out of sight and the door had closed. Two can play at this game...
Well that fun, wasn't it? I'll be adding another chapter soon - once I get the hang of this site. Enough about me though...
I know this chapter probably wasn't that interesting but we all have to set the scene sometime! Review? Maybe? Please?