Remus' mind screamed silently. He wanted the defense professor to just stop talking. The way he talked about werewolves tore through him like sharp knives. It made his heart pound faster when he realized that most of what the newbie professor was saying was true. He tried to block out the booming voice but catching small parts of the lecture was still inevitable. A small part of him was glad that the boys had loyally held their silence; they had promised him that they would never draw attention to him or themselves when this topic was brought up.

"Nasty dark creatures they are. You can never even tell if it is them, so easily disguised. For all you know one of your classmates is one of them. They are the most lethal at the full moon, especially the vampires. A werewolf is nothing more than a silly animal at that night but a vampire...oh! Those creatures slyly roam the night looking for a prey. A vampire is born of what he forever will evade, death. They kill. Kill their first prey at the night of the full moon to complete their transition..."

At this he was interrupted by Lily, whose hand had shot up, waving impatiently in the air. Professor Salter gave her a curt nod to show that she was allowed to speak. Lily nervously got to her feet and spoke in an uncertain voice "sir surely they all don't choose to be...inhuman. Some of them are just innocent victims".

The Professor remained quiet as he gazed intently at Lily who seemed to shrink back. Professor Salter could be quiet intimidating when he wanted to be. "What is your name girl?"

"Lily Evans sir" she gulped nervously.

"Muggleborn are you?" he asked her and upon seeing her nod he smiled. "Don't let your pity for these creatures blind you girl! In the beginning yes they are innocent victims but soon they allow their nature to catch up with them".

The bell rang and Remus' sigh of relief was probably the loudest in the room. He had survived that without exploding! In his mind's eye he deserved a prize. It soon seemed that Erica had been even keener to leave then he had been. As he stooped down to lift his defense book which he had accidently dropped he saw her rush out of the door. She had looked near to tears and Remus suspiciously wondered why. Maybe she too like him had some bad memories attached to this topic. Lily anxiously followed her out before Remus got the chance to.

As Remus dropped his book into his bag he heard a flutter of paper. Frowning he wondered if he had bended a page. He pulled the book out to find a small note stuck to the front of his book's cover. It had a hurriedly scribbled note on it written in geometric writing which he had seen earlier on her essay.

You can thank me later
-Erica

another difficult part of reality came crashing down upon him. He had never really understood why news travelled through the school like wild fire, why many people committed themselves to the sole reason of finding out what was going on in the other's life. They just did and he absolutely despised it. The news about him and Cassandra must have reached every nook and crevice of the school by now and he was doomed.

"Are you okay mate?" Sirius asked him as he furiously forced him book into his bag, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

"How would you feel if Cassandra was waiting for you just outside the door?" He growled as he zipped his bag and swung it onto his shoulder.

"You know what he means Moony" James pressed "you okay?"

Remus sighed. It was a silly question to ask, he was not okay. It wasn't the first time he had heard the prejudiced ideals of many wizards but every time he heard such things he was reminded of who he was in a brutal fashion. He sometimes didn't even understand why he studied hard and made an effort with homework. None of that was going to pay off. This was what the lecture had reminded him of, impending doom.

"I am okay"

He could understand why his friends looked disbelieving.

Later on his suspicion that Cassandra would be standing outside the defense classroom was proven correct. As it turned out she had skipped her own lesson and resorted to stalking the door of his classroom wondering when he would emerge. As Remus made his way to the common room with her arms possessively wrapped around his shoulders Remus hoped this relationship would end soon. His mood grew damper when his friends disappeared into the boy's dormitory leaving him in Cassandra's clutches. He hoped they were devising a plan for his escape and not plotting a stupid prank though knowing them it was probably the latter.

They didn't come to his rescue and after glaring at the stairs which led to the boy's dormitory he slumped onto his chair and nodded tiredly as Cassandra told him about her family. He eyed his bag which was clutched in Cassandra's hands and wished longingly for the company of a nice book.

"Well that is all. Now tell me about your family" she twittered happily.

"Well it is simple, just mum and dad..." he began uneasily just as someone came to his rescue. It wasn't the boys like he had hoped; it was a flustered looking Lily. He couldn't complain, any kind of help was welcome. His heart gave a jump as he realized whom Lily had tried to follow. Was Erica in trouble?

"Remus I need your help" she said breathlessly not even sparing Cassandra a glance.

"What's wrong?" He asked anxiously, sitting up a little straighter.

'Its Erica, she has locked herself in moaning myrtle's bathroom and won't come out!"

"Why?" He inquired as he got to his feet getting a hunch of what Lily wanted him to do.

"I don't know!" She cried in a frustrated voice "could you just..."

"And why would she matter to Remus?" Cassandra snarled interrupting them "as you can see, me and Remus are talking. Go find someone else to help"

Remus looked at her disbelievingly. Why was Erica important to him? She was his friend and friends got each other's back and helped each other. He remembered the usual but sudden changes in her demeanor as she grew from a strong and bubbly girl to a slightly frightened and tremendously saddened child. She needed help.

"I will go find her."

He quietly made his way to the door hoping that she let his in. he understood better then anyone that people sometimes needed space but he also knew that when one was all alone, they tended to wish deep within their hearts that someone came looking for them. Biting his lower lip he raised his hand and knocked softly on the jammed door. "Erica?" he asked uncertainly.

He received no answer and his anxiety was reaching its breaking point. He desperately wanted to know what had happened, what was wrong, was she alright? He knocked again this time with more force. He still received no answer though movement from the other side of the door assured him that she was still there. He tried to catch her scent as he wondered if it was really her. Yes it was her but there were two other scents entwined with hers. He found the first incomprehensible, he had never smelled that before the second he recognized immediately; vomit. She was sick...He knew it was probably a wrong thing to do. It was obvious that she didn't want him there plus he would be damaging school property.

Desperate times call for desperate measures

He pointed his wand at the door and cried "Reducto".

The door burst off its hinges the tiny pieces of broken wood raining down like tiny skittles, a pathway to the bathroom and surprisingly to all her secrets. That was when he found out everything...almost everything.

Man it has been soooooo long. I am afraid that I am not allowed to sit on the computer anymore so updates will be slow for a while. Hold on amigos

REVIEW PLEASE
~levy~