Chapter 2

She had said nothing. Instead opting to glare in what she hoped was a ferocious way, get up and stomp off back to her compartment. Her friends gave her a questioning look when she returned without a single chocolate frog in sight but all she did was shrug and mutter, "Marauders".

The girls all nodded understandingly and Lily scrunched up her nose, retorting, "You'd think those idiots would have matured by now, it's O. year for god sake".

That was all that was said about the matter and by the time they had arrived at Hogwarts, her friends had managed to coax Diana out of her lack of food induced sulking.

Now, Diana sat at her place in the grand hall at the Gryffindor table, smoothly ignoring the Sorting that was taking place at the front of the hall as well as the sheepish looks repeatedly flicking her way a few spaces down the table where the Marauders sat. Instead she watched the group of Slytherins a few tables in front of her, some short 5th years providing the perfect view over the tops of their heads.

She knew how easy it could be for her to be there now, she remembered Professor Slughorn's, as well as her Slytherin classmates', disappointment when she was Sorted into Gryffindor, House of the Brave. Emory Mulciber had tried to befriend her as they sat in the little welcome boats that would take them to the entrance of Hogwarts, claiming she looked like his sort of person. They had slowly been joined by other Slytherins, who having heard of her family name believed she had more cunning than courage and decided she belonged with them. She had proved them wrong and how they hated her for it in return.

She watched them smirk around at each other, faces contorting into disgust when their eyes came upon a half-blood or muggle-born witch, or really anyone they disliked. She wondered which one of their parents had tormented that poor muggle family, whether they knew about it, if they were impressed or disgusted. Yes, they were all rich and the majority beautiful but she hated them. She hated that she was one of them, though she tried to pretend otherwise. Her family name, Trivinere, wouldn't allow her to forget.

Her observing was cut short when she received a nudge from Alice, realising that the feast had already begun, an event she was always impatiently anticipating. She gave a small smile and shrug as way of explanation in response to her friend's worried glance and dug in.

"Well I met him this summer at one of the Quidditch meets in London, and trust me girls when I say he is gorgeous-", Diana was listening to Marlene natter on about her latest flame, the reason why she had been unable to write to her friends as frequently as would have liked. She zoned out after a while, she could guess the end to the story anyway - midway through this year, the girls would find Marlene face down on her bed, moaning how all men were the same and that she was going celibate, though the most that promise had lasted was 2 weeks. She was a creature of habit when it came to her breakups.

Her eating was interrupted when a hand tapped her on the shoulder. She huffed, ready to spin around and tell the individual who had come between her and her food to bog off but she nearly choked on her mouthful of treacle tart when she saw who it was behind her.

Remus Lupin stood with a tense smile on his face, a crease between his eyebrows as if sensing the danger he was in but with an outstretched hand that contained a circle of silver and orange wrapping.

Diana looked down at it. She knew that wrapping anywhere, she had practically yearned for it on the train. It was a simple Cauldron Cake, presented to her as a peace offering.

"I'm sorry about earlier on the train", Remus cleared his throat and began, "we didn't mean for you to get caught in the crossfire, it's just this prat-" he jabbed a finger down the table towards Sirius, who waved back at them, "is clumsier than Peeves".

She realised she had resumed staring at the cauldron cake like a fool, her mind debating whether it was wise to accept something off of renowned pranksters. But she wanted that cauldron cake. Plus, it was worth noting that Remus was one of the least mischievous and easiest to get along with out of the 4 so it was highly probable that there is nothing wrong with the deliciously sugary snack therefore she should really just go ahead and have it.

With her mind made up and slightly proud how she had so smartly talked herself into it, Diana replaced her dumbfounded staring with a smile. The sight of such a smile caused Remus, who had been standing silently with wide eyes as the white haired girl had stared at his hand like she was going to bite it off, to let out a breath and smile back at her.

"Apology accepted", Diana finally responded as she took the cake from his hand, beginning to tear open the foil.

"So Diana", Remus began, his hand dropping to his side, "How many O. are you taking this year?". It was an innocent enough question, Diana could sense no malice or ill will behind it, but then again she had never had a full conversation with Remus Lupin up until now. Sure they had occasionally acknowledged each other in the halls and as both were keen, skilful learners they often saw each other in the library from time to time but that was the extent to which their interactions went. However, there seemed to be no reason not to answer the question as there was no possible way talking about O. could come back to bite her in the ass.

"10 this year", Diana responded, blushing slightly at Remus' shocked face, rushing to defend herself, "Adventurous I know but Professor McGonagall thought it would be a waste to limit myself to 9". Her academic achievements where something of a bit of an embarrassment for Diana, she never enjoyed the attention that came from it, although most of this attention came in the form of perks. She enjoyed learning, sure but her academic capacity came with its own form of burden so when Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick had cornered her in the Great Hall last year she had accepted their insistence of taking 2 above the rudimentary 9 with a conflicted heart.

"No, no, what electives?", Remus brushed off her defence, clearly excited, "I'm taking 10 myself", receiving an identically excited face from Diana. Lily was the only other Gryffindor she knew who had the opportunity of taking additional classes, a right reserved only to the most capable in the year, but she had turned it down due to her anxiety with balancing all of her duties together. Most of the other students taking 10 were a handful of Ravenclaws, a few Slytherins here and there and she didn't even know about any in Hufflepuff.

"All the usual plus Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes", Diana listed off, expecting a groan at the electives of her choice. She even wanted to groan when she said them out loud. Arithmancy - what was she thinking.

Instead Remus smiled back at her before excitedly sharing, "We'll have Arithmancy and Ancient Runes at least for definite this year then! We could study together for them if you want?", he asked sincerely.

"Honestly, in terms of Arithmancy, I think it will be more you helping me than 'studying'. I don't know how Professor Flitwick got me to agree to take it for a whole year", Diana nervously chuckled, hoping her warnings of ineptness would be enough to ward the boy off without hurting his feelings. It's not that she didn't want to but she was naturally suspicious and prickly by nature. Situations out of the ordinary, especially those in which a boy, no matter how placid, with a reputation of trouble asked to study with her was enough to get her hackles up.

Remus merely laughed, said how he doubted that extremely and that he would see her around before walking off back towards his friends, who by that time had started a food fight with the Slytherin table. Her own friends had watched the interaction with a mix of slight curiosity and downright suspicion.

"What?", Diana asked them, specifically Lily, who was slowly chewing on some chicken while staring at her with narrowed green eyes. She chucked a piece of her cauldron cake at her.

"You've only been talking to one for 5 minutes and you're already participating in their food fight!", Lily accused, her finger pointing out at her but Diana could see small laughter in her eyes.

"No way!", Marlene responded, ducking before she was hit with a plate full of trifle, "They were just bonding over their mutual smarty pant-ness, weren't you Ana?", she reached over to tug on Diana's long blonde ponytail.

Diana dodged away from her laughing, "He only came over to say sorry for knocking me over on the train earlier".

"And to give her a lover's token", Alice began teasing, lifting up a finger to get some filling of a custard tart as it rushed past towards the Ravenclaw table. Diana rolled her eyes as Marlene and Alice began a chorus of 'Remmy-and-Ana-sitting-in-a-tree' and Lily began to sulk; she looked around the room, catching the eyes of a moody, dark teenager who had paused mid-battle to stare back at the mysterious girl sat down from him.

AN: In terms of the number OWLs Diana and Remus are taking, they are based off of what Harry, Ron and Hermione take in The Prisoner of Azkaban. Ron and Harry take 9 whereas Hermione takes 11 but lowers her study load to 10. Diana wouldn't have any access to a time-turner so I thought 10 would be more realistic.