As morning began in Hogwarts, the Ravenclaw Common Room was abuzz with life. It was of course because of one of the smartest Ravenclaws that would have existed was visiting. Hermione Granger had said how she'd fit in with the Ravenclaws easily back when she attended. But one girl didn't care about that. Her name was Rayne and she was 11. She was used to being overshadowed in every class. But she felt safe around Remus Lupin. He was her DADA professor and he made her feel like her opinion mattered. She sometimes wondered when the feeling would stop.

It was a typical school morning and Rayne was just walking down to the common room. Professor Flitwick had asked for a house meeting before breakfast and all the little Ravens agreed. "So the reason I'm calling a meeting so early is there have been numerous demands for room changes as well as other things. Rayne, the sole bedroom dorm will belong to you now. It's already cleaned out," he began before Rayne took off to start packing. "I'm not done."

"Don't need to be. I know where this is going. Message received," she answered before going and slamming her dorm's door. She began packing knowing what happened. All sorts of Ravenclaws didn't like her and she still tried to avoid their paths when she could. As soon as she was done she dropped her luggage case on the bed and grabbed her DADA textbook. She knew the day had a practical lesson so she walked to class with her textbook in hand.

"Watch out Ray," a Slytherin teased as they slammed her textbook out of her hands. She picked it up and took a calming breath. She didn't bother to react since it was clear nobody wanted to save her. She had felt like she was always drowning. She sat in class and as Professor Lupin arrived, her frown changed to a straight face.

"Today we will be doing the practical use of Carpe Retractum. Get to your places," he greeted. Rayne walked over to her little corner and saw a melon. She smiled and practiced the motion first. As she thought she was ready to do it she pointed her wand. "Well done Evangeline. 10 points to Ravenclaw."

"Carpe Retractum," Rayne cast and as she pulled back her wand went flying and she gulped while blushing. Remus caught it and handed it back to her chuckling.

"Remind me never to give you a dagger. You could be a nightmare to Muggles," he teased. She smiled softly before focusing again. Remus had moved on to other students and the bell had finally rung. "I expect that by tomorrow morning everyone will have the spell to the point where the object moves a little ways towards you," he dismissed. As Rayne packed her bag, Remus looked at her. "You did good for your first shot," he promised.

"Thanks Professor," she answered before leaving the room. She felt something that she couldn't often feel when around other Professors. She felt wanted. Like her time mattered to him. She knew though that revealing that to Professor Lupin would be out of the question. He'd find her weird and then do the thing that every other Professor did to her. She'd get shoved away and treated like a thing. Not a person.

Walking down to Black Lake she saw Sirius Black at the tree. He was in his dog form and that made her smile. "Hey Snuffles," she greeted as she opened up her textbook and began reading. Sirius looked shocked. Normally even in dog form, there was a meaningful conversation that was had before she studied. The midterms were close and he knew that but she always made time to relax. She didn't even seem to have changed. She was still in her school uniform and didn't have a snack. He turned back and offered her an apple from his bag that was laying against the tree. "Not hungry," she answered as she seemed to be in deep focus.

"Remus did that with you guys today didn't he?" She nodded at that and Sirius looked confused. "Then why practice again? You always get spells the second time around. It'll come back to you and that's something I'm very sure of."

"Doesn't change the fact that this is Chapter 9 which means that in a week we will have a chapter 7-9 test," she responded as she kept her nose in her book. Sirius looked at the girl confused as she hadn't even tried to crack a joke with him. She was feeling something and he didn't know what but he wanted to know very soon what it was.

When the sun set, Sirius was back in his Padfoot form and Rayne was watching the sunset. "It's very beautiful. The sunset. Promising another day has ended and that light will prevail once again," she mused. Sirius looked at her and she smiled standing up. "I should return to the Common Room. Not that anyone will notice but I have to get settled into my new dorm anyways," she answered before walking up the path to go back into the school.

As soon as Sirius was confident she was inside he turned back into human form and looked into the water. "I don't know what's wrong yet Rayne, but I'll figure it out. You never have just a quiet study session here at the lake. Something is bothering you."

"Or she was studying Pads," Remus answered as he went to collect his best friend and fiancee.