-1In the dark, dank dungeons of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the ghost of Professor Severus Snape stood before Elana Lillian Ravynwing. Soft strands of his greasy, yet ghastly hair fell about his face as he stood before her, and he stared longingly into her green eyes, within which was hidden a dark past the wizarding world had scarce knowledge of.
"Elana. Do you know why I have appeared to you this night?" Snape was, even to Elana, who had never met this man alive, uncharacteristically kind in his tone.
"No. I don't. Who are you?" Elana gave him a quizzical look, perplexed as to how she could not ascertain this man's identity - she had read nearly every book in the Hogwarts library - yet how could she not recognize this man? "You know, if you washed your hair, you'd look, well… almost hot."
"Elana, ghosts cannot easily change appearance. Of course, I wouldn't expect a muggle like you to understand." Snape resumed his usual attitude and briefly looked out the window to gatch a glimpse of the full moon. "Lupin's potion…" his living experience returned to his ghostly self as instinct.
"What? Lupin? Who is that?" Elana looked out the window as well, as if Lupin might be standing there. Instead, she only saw a full moon.
"It's a matter that has already been addressed. I will contact you later. Return to bed, that fat arse is making his way back here." Snape vanished just as Slughorn reached the door. As he creaked it open, Elana stood there paralyzed, the light of Slughorn's lantern filling the room.
"Elana, my best student? What on EARTH are you doing out of bed? And down here?" Slughorn sounded concerned, but not angry.
"I thought I left my potions book down here, Professor. Have you seen it?" Elana asked as quickly as she had formulated this excuse.
"Now, Elana. I've never known you to be forgetful. You can trust me with anything after that lovely box of pineapple." Slughorn was busy rearranging bottles in a cabinet, Elana still standing still in the middle of the room, staring at a spot where not a minute ago had stood Slughorn's predecessor. Slughorn took a piece of pineapple and slipped it into his mouth, sucking it quite loudly.
"Do you know anyone named Lupin?" Elana asked. Even if he didn't answer truthfully, she knew she could use Legilimancy to weasel it out of him.
"Lupin? I know of one from the tely in a muggle house I stayed in. A bit of a rascal." Slughorn was lying; he had stopped sucking the pineapple. Elana concentrated and entered his mind. She saw a locked door. "Nice try, Elana. I want you to get to bed. I won't tell anyone about your little escapade but you should really be more careful. What if Filch saw you?" Slughorn put his arm around her and strolled her to and out of the door. "Go to bed. I mean it."
Elana had bypassed the Anti-Apparation charm in a couple of seconds and with a muffled pop had found herself in her single dormitory room at the top of Ravenclaw Tower. She shuffled her shoulder length blonde hair with blue highlights behind her and poured herself a cup of tea from a pot she easily conjured with a wave of just her hand
"Who is this Lupin?" She muttered to herself. Her dreams that night were filled with Snape's image and Lupin III and Slughorn's locked mind. In her slumber she formulated a plan. She was going to find out who he was to learn anything about Snape."