Olivia's POV
The bell rang for lunch right after my Herbology class and I hurried up to the castle in front of my classmates so I could wash up before lunch. When I finally went up to the Great Hall, I sat down beside Mari, who immediately turned to me excitedly.
"Have you had Professor Lupin's class yet?" she inquired.
"No. I'm due to have it right after lunch," I replied, "Why? What's it like?"
"It's unlike any Defense Against the Dark Arts class we've had before," she answered solemnly.
"What did you do?"
"You'll see for yourself soon enough."
I ate as quickly as possible but it still seemed like hours before the bell rang to signal the end of lunch. When the bell finally did ring, I was the first one up the stairs to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The door was open, but Lupin was nowhere to be seen. Nevertheless, I hurried into the classroom and sat at the desk closest to Lupin's.
Other kids trickled into the room and I found myself sitting between two Ravenclaw girls who immediately scooted their chairs to the edge of the desk when I shot them looks.
Once everyone was seated and began to take out their books, Lupin came in through the door.
"You won't need those books," he said mildly, looking us over as he made his way to the front of the class, "But you will need your wands. But perhaps, I should call roll first? Yes, let's see- Addams, Angela?"
"Here," said the blonde girl sitting to the left of me, smiling.
"Right then. Birr, Michael? Good. Cain, Olivia?"
I smiled at him and raised my hand.
"There you are," he said, also smiling, "Now, Connel, David?"
When Lupin finished calling roll, he stood from where he had been sitting on the edge of his desk.
"Now, if you'll all follow me, please? You can leave your books and things here. All you'll need is your wands."
I hurried out the door so I could walk with Lupin.
"How are your classes so far… Olivia?" he asked.
"Well enough, I suppose. Transfiguration was interesting- well, if McGonagall hadn't lectured us about our OWLs for most of the class period. But she did talk about Animagi, which are pretty awesome.
"You want to be an Animagus?" he asked with a somewhat amused smile.
"Of course," I replied, surprised he would even ask, "I love animals. If I could be one…"
"What animal do you think you would be?" he inquired as he led the class down the stairs.
"Probably a snake or a bat or something Slytherin-y like that. I could really care less. I love all animals. …Where are you taking us anyway?" I asked as we turned down one of the corridors.
"You'll see," he said with a smile and a quick wink.
"No grindylow?"
"Not today. I thought I'd make a big impression today."
Presently we came to a stop outside of the staff room. I had never been in the staff room before, not even with Snape, so I was curious when Lupin opened the door. It looked as if everything- tables, chairs, and things- had been pushed to the side so that the main object in the room was a wardrobe which rattled violently. My attention was drawn from the wardrobe, however, to a chair in the corner, where sat a glowering Snape. I waved half-heartedly. He glanced past me at Lupin.
"Hello, Lupin. I was hoping to see how my students did in you first class. Mind if I stay and watch?" Snape asked with a faint sneer.
"Feel free," Lupin replied dismissively and turned back to the class, "Now, anyone care to guess what might be in this wardrobe? Olivia?"
I had been trying to inch my way close to the corner where Snape was, but stopped when Lupin said my name.
"Oh, uhm… Well, it could be a number of things, but the most likely would be… a boggart?" I guessed.
"Right on," he said brightly, "Ten points to Slytherin. Now, who can tell me what a boggart is?"
I let one of the Ravenclaws answer and since I already knew that boggarts were shape-shifters who took the form of whatever a person feared most, I proceeded to make my way to Snape's corner.
"What're you really doing here?" I whispered, half-smiling.
"I came to see how Lupin teaches."
"You can't even say his name without sneering," I said, rolling my eyes.
"Shut up and pay attention," he snapped. I shook my head and turned my attention to Lupin, who was talking about the best way to repel boggarts, which I already knew.
"Now, I'll give you about 5 minutes to decide on what you fear most and a way to make it less scary."
The students began to talk quietly amongst themselves.
"You know the thing you're most afraid of?" Snape asked me as I leaned against the wall beside him.
"Of course. I just have to think of a way to make it less scary."
"What is it you're most afraid of?"
"I'm not telling," I replied lightly.
"I'll see it in five minutes anyway."
"Yes, but you'll probably laugh at me," I replied, "You'll think it's stupid."
At that moment I noticed Lupin watching us rather curiously from the other side of the room. I started towards him and as I walked away, I thought I heard Snape mutter 'I wouldn't laugh'.
"Got an idea yet?" Lupin asked once I crossed the room.
"A vague one," I replied. The best idea I had been able to come up with was to turn a dementor bright pink, which, admittedly, I might've found a little more disturbing than an actual dementor- but it would make people laugh and that repelled a boggart more than anything.
"Would you like to go first?" Lupin asked me.
"Sure," I replied, eager to impress him.
When Lupin called time, everyone formed a line behind me as I turned to face the wardrobe, my wand held firmly in my hand.
"Ready?" Lupin asked me. I nodded my head and he opened the door. From the darkness of the wardrobe emerged a dark dementor with rattling breath. It brought with it such cold and despair that I wasn't entirely sure it was a boggart.
"R-Riddikulus," I said, flicking my wand, but I had lost my visualization of the pink dementor somewhere in the cold mist that clouded my mind and my spell did nothing. In fact, my mind became completely shrouded as the dementor approached and the last thing I remembered was the sound of its rattling breath as I lost consciousness…
When I awoke I was laying in a bed that did not belong to me on top of stiff, white cotton sheets. My head was pounding madly and I still felt cold. I let out a soft groan as I awoke, my eyelids fluttering open. My sensitive nerves were attacked with blinding light.
I felt something being pressed against my lips and the smell of chocolate wafted to my nostrils.
I allowed myself to be fed and once I was warm again, I raised my head to see Lupin sitting beside my bed, which I had already expected.
"Nice to have you back with us," he said with a small, relieved smile.
"How long was I out?" I inquired, attempting to sit up. He gently but firmly pushed me back down.
"Three hours. It's best if you remain lying down."
He had a point- upon attempting to sit up I had become extremely dizzy.
"Your skin feels cold," Lupin remarked, his hand on mine, a slight line of worry creasing his forehead.
"Maybe you should give me more chocolate?" I suggested with a small smile. Lupin smiled as well and broke off another piece of chocolate. As he brought it to my lips, I looked past him to see Snape standing in the doorway of the Hospital Wing, looking disgusted. He turned on his heel and walked away.
Snape's POV
My blood was boiling as I forced myself to walk way from the Hospital Wing. Olivia had fainted during Lupin's class- fainted. I had carried her up to the Hospital Wing because Lupin couldn't leave his class and I had been back to check on her every hour… only this time, he had been there. She had been awake and he had been feeding her chocolate and had his hand on hers.
I quickened my pace so that I wouldn't turn around and hex him into oblivion. I hadn't saved her life so she could be molested by a creepy old werewolf. I started to turn around, but stopped. As much as I hated to admit it, Olivia had been smiling- actually smiling, not smirking or half-smiling, like I usually saw. This could only mean one thing- she actually liked Lupin.
I didn't go down to the Great Hall for supper- I wasn't all that hungry anyway- and I didn't return to the Hospital Wing to attempt to see Olivia for fear that I would see Lupin and be unable to resist the urge to seriously injure him. Instead, I stayed in my office and graded work, trying to keep my mind off of them. Finally it was nearing midnight and I still didn't feel tired. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep until I checked on her. I got up from my desk and left my office, locking the door behind me. I made my way to the hospital wing for what felt like the millionth time today. The whole walk to the Hospital Wing my mind was flooded with images of what I had seen and images of the things I might see. I t was almost enough to make me turn around, but I continued on.
When I finally reached the Hospital Wing, I was relieved to find it was empty, other than the patients, all of whom were asleep. The lights were off in Madam Pomfrey's office, so I assumed she was asleep as well. I made my way quietly to Olivia's bedside. She was caught in a troubled sleep, a small frown on her face, her eyes darting behind her eyelids. Cautiously, slowly, I reached out and touched her soft pale cheek. Her skin was flushed and warm to the touch. Her face relaxed under my touch and with a soft sigh she pushed her face into my hand. My breath caught in my throat and I pulled my hand away. I was gone before she could wake up and find me there.
Olivia's POV
Madam Pomfrey told me the next day that I need not return to my classes until Monday. Since it was Friday, I didn't push the issue. When I was released from the nurse's care, I went and stayed hidden in my dormitory all day, not wanting to face my classmates. I couldn't believe I had been defeated by a stupid boggart. I had always been top of my class.
When I didn't go down to lunch, I was soon visited in my dormitory by Mari.
"There you are. Professor Lupin said you were released this morning," she said, sitting on the edge of my bed. I closed the book I had been reading and sat up.
"Madam Pomfrey told me to rest for today and I could go back to my classes on Monday."
"How do you feel? I heard you fainted- I didn't think they'd have to keep you so long though. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. My pride was mostly what was injured," I said with a shrug and a sigh.
"No one likes dementors," she said.
"But it was a Boggart," I said with a groan, "I must be getting laughed at all over school."
"Not really. The Slytherins don't care and the Gryffindors can't say anything because their precious Potter fainted on the train. The Ravenclaws might be amused, but they'll probably have forgotten by Monday."
"Right," I replied miserably. At that moment the bell rang.
"I've got to go," Mari said, slinging her bag over her shoulder, "Cheer up."
Once she was gone, I settled back into my bed and opened my book again.
On Saturday morning I found myself out on Hogwarts grounds. While I was walking down by the lake, a voice called my name. I turned to see Lupin walking towards me. As he got closer, I could see that he had bags under his eyes and more lines on his face than usual.
"You look tired," I remarked once he had reached me.
"Hm? Oh, it's nothing," he assured me, "I'm just a tad under the weather. I'll be fine in a few days. What're you doing?"
"Being miserable. You?"
"Going for a walk in the forest. Care to join me?"
"Sure."
Together we started towards the forest, walking side-by-side.
"So why are you miserable?" he asked as we entered the forest.
"I was hospitalized because of a boggart," I said with a sigh.
"A boggart that was imitating a dementor, Olivia, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's very wise."
"Wise?" I repeated, "What's so wise about it?"
"It suggests that what you fear most is fear itself."
"Right… but I still can't defend myself against dementors."
"It's very complicated magic, the spell that repels a dementor."
"Do you know how to do it?"
"Well, yes."
"So you could teach me?" I asked, studying him.
Lupin sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm good at complicated," I said quickly, "And I work hard and practice and I've been told I'm very persistent."
"I've no doubt in my mind about that," he said with a smile, "…Perhaps I can teach you… but not today. Perhaps tomorrow, if I'm feeling well enough."
"Might I suggest some Pepperup Potion? Or an Invigoration Draught? I could fetch one or both for you."
"They don't work for this I'm afraid," he said with a small, sad smile.
This seemed strange to me, but I decided not to push it. I looked around me at the forest. I had only ever been in it at nighttime. Now it was daylight and the sun was filtering down through the trees.
"You missed your first Care of Magical Creatures class with Hagrid, you know?" Lupin said.
"Yeah I know," I said mournfully, "I was looking forward to it, too. It's my second favorite class, next to Potions. Professor Kettleburn was a good teacher but he didn't show us anything particularly… interesting."
"You mean dangerous?" he said with a brief smile, "Didn't you hear what happened to the Malfoy boy?"
"Draco's an idiot," I said with a sneer, "Hippogriffs aren't dangerous at all if you know how to handle them."
"Do you know how to handle a hippogriff?"
"Well I have read about them. I've always wanted to see one up close. …but thanks to Draco, I will now never get that chance."
I kicked out at a large pinecone, sending it flying several feet into the air.
Lupin was silent a while as we walk, studying me.
"…Follow me," he said finally. He took off through the woods at a quicker pace. Curious, I hastened to follow him.
A few minutes later, we came to a stop just outside of a clearing.
"What-" I began, but Lupin pressed a hand to my mouth.
"Shh," he said quietly, pressing a finger to his lips, "Watch…"
I peered into the clearing. There were several rabbits hoping about the clearing, gnawing on leafy plants. All of a sudden, from the other side of the clearing, a creature burst forth and snapped up four of the rabbits. A creature that was half-eagle, half-lion.
"A hippogriff," I breathed. Cautiously I stepped forward into the clearing. The hippogriff turned his head to look at me, studying me curiously with bright blue eyes. I bowed solemnly, as I had read was required to gain the trust of a hippogriff. The hippogriff studied me a moment longer, then bowed to me. I stood there, uncertain of what to do next.
"Put out your hand," spoke Lupin softly from behind me. I did as he said and the hippogriff stepped closer to me, nudging my hand with his head. I petted the hippogriff's silky smooth feathers for a while, then Lupin stepped into the clearing. The hippogriff studied him a moment. Lupin bowed quickly. Almost immediately, the hippogriff bowed in return.
Lupin stepped forward to pet him.
"Would you like to ride him?" Lupin asked.
Unable to speak, I nodded. Without further ado, Lupin lifted me up and put me on the hippogriff's back, just above the wing joint.
"W-will you…ride with me?" I asked anxiously, looking down at Lupin.
He smiled and nodded. The hippogriff knelt down, allowing Lupin to climb onto his back behind me.
"Careful of his feathers," Lupin said to me as the hippogriff stood once more. As the hippogriff began to run, I gripped his feathers carefully and when he spread his wings, Lupin put his arms around my waist. I barely had time to acknowledge the not-unpleasant warmth that shot through my stomach before the hippogriff launched himself into the air.
"How did you know where the hippogriff would be?" I called to Lupin over my shoulder.
"Call it… intuition," he said, his mouth inches from my air. His warm breath tickled and sent butterflies fluttering through my stomach.
The hippogriff flew us over the Forbidden Forest for a little over an hour. Neither Lupin nor I spoke much but when the hippogriff finally landed, I found that I was leaning against him and he was resting his chin on my shoulder. The hippogriff landed in a clearing closer to the castle than we had originally been. He knelt to let us off. Lupin cleared his throat and removed his arms from around my waist. He climbed off the hippogriff's back, then turned and helped me down. The hippogriff shook himself and allowed us to pet him once more before trotting off into the forest, leaving Lupin and I alone. Lupin glanced at me and smiled before we started to make our way back to the castle.
Once we reached the Entrance Hall, we parted ways.
"Thank you, Lupin," I said softly.
"Not at all, Olivia. It was…fun."
He smiled at me again, then turned and headed upstairs. I was almost to the dungeons when I sensed a presence behind me. I turned to see Snape coming into the Entrance Hall.
"Where have you been?" he asked sourly.
"Flying on a hippogriff. You?"
"Flying?" he repeated, ignoring my question, "With whom?"
"Lupin."
He scowled and opened the door to the dungeons, allowing me to enter first, then following me.
"Hippogriffs are dangerous. One nearly flayed Malfoy," he said.
"Malfoy is an idiot," I retorted.
"That may be, but… aren't you supposed to be resting? You did faint the other day."
"Oh what do you care?" I snapped, feeling suddenly quite annoyed with him, "Where were you when I was in the hospital? At least Lupin was there."
His face turned white with fury and he looked as if he would quite like to hit me.
"Whatever," he muttered and took off in the opposite direction.
"Be that way then," I growled and stalked off towards the Slytherin dormitories.
Later that afternoon I was sitting in the Common Room, reading, trying to keep my mind off my irritation with Snape and my confused feelings regarding Lupin. Mari walked up to my suddenly and sat at the foot of the couch where I was laying.
"I saw you walking out of the forest with Professor Lupin earlier," she said with a grin.
"We went for a walk," I said, a faint blush rising to my cheeks.
"A walk, huh? What did you two talk about?" she asked, smirking.
"Dementors and boggarts and stuff like that… he showed me a hippogriff. We went flying."
"Flying? Together?"
"…Yes," I replied, my feelings of earlier coming back to me.
"You like him, don't you?" she said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was listening, "I can tell."
"I dunno," I mumbled, "It's confusing."
"What's confusing about it?"
"Well… he's old, isn't he? I'm not supposed to like him."
"I don't think it's bad. He is kinda cute. Lockhart was cute and Lupin can't be much older than him."
"Ugh- don't compare him to Lockhart."
"Okay, well, remember Professor Perdu, from France? He was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher four years ago. He was cute, didn't you think?"
"I was twelve!" I said, shaking my head incuriously, "I never thought of him like that."
"Well I did. I used to flirt with him… and he flirted back."
"You were thirteen!"
"So?"
"Okay, Mari, I don't think you're helping."
"Sorry. A bit of advice- if you decide you like him, you're gonna have to make the first move. Teachers are weird about it, because of the age difference."
"Wait, did you and Perdu-?"
"Oh look, I have to go- over there- for a while," she said evasively, "Later Livvy."
I shook my head again, watching mystified as she walked away. I then looked back down at my book, but I was unable to concentrate, for my mind kept wandering to Lupin, thinking about what might happen tomorrow, when he taught me to defend myself against dementors.
The next morning after breakfast- which I mostly spent watching Lupin sitting at the staff table, pushing his food around disinterestedly. I met up with him in the Entrance Hall. He looked slightly better than the day before, but still appeared tired.
"You should eat, you know," I said as I followed him upstairs to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, "Your body won't fight of illness without nutrition."
"I haven't much of an appetite. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," he said with a brief smile.
When we reached the classroom, he opened the door and we went inside. All the desks had been moved to the side to allow room for spell casting.
"Now, what do you know about the Patronus?" he asked me.
"Only that it's a charm used to repel dementors. I've only ever heard it mentioned in books and they were always vague."
"The Patronus, in a sense, is the exact opposite of a dementor. The spell takes the form of an animal, which varies depending on the person. This is what we call the Patronus and it is fueled by happy memories. The stronger the memory, the stronger the Patronus."
"So… all I need is a happy memory and the spell?"
"Essentially, yes. The incantation you require is 'Expecto Patronum'. We'll be trying it without a dementor at first. It shouldn't be too difficult."
I nodded determinedly and pulled out my wand. I racked my brains for a happy memory. The most vivid in my mind was that of us riding the hippogriff yesterday. I decided to try this one, though it brought a faint pink flush to my cheeks.
"Expecto Patronum," I said, pointing my wand towards the closed door. Silvery stuff shot out of the end of my wand in a jet and disappeared before it reached the door.
"Well done, Olivia," Lupin said to me.
"But that wasn't an animal."
"It takes time to produce a tangible Patronus. Practice and patience are key."
I practiced the Patronus Charm for almost two hours, experimenting with different happy memories, but still nothing more than vapor emerged from my wand. One of the memories I tried was one from my third year, when I had created my first potion on my own successfully. It was a potion designed to relieve fatigue in animals and I had created it all by myself, with a few suggestions from Snape. After a few failed attempts I had finally succeeded and Snape had complimented me on a job well done.
This time the vapor shot out of the end of my wand seemed to start to form the shape of an animal. It looked somewhat like a dog, with pointed ears. There was a knock on the door and it opened suddenly. The half-formed Patronus rocketed past the figure in the doorway and collided harmlessly with the wall in the corridor, where it disappeared. The figure in the doorway was none other than Snape, who held a goblet of smoking liquid in his hands.
"I have your potion, Lupin," Snape said with a sneer.
"Thank you, Severus. If you'll set it on the desk, please?"
Snape walked across the classroom and set it on the desk. I glimpsed into the smoking goblet as he passed, trying to identify the potion within. It was one I had never seen before and I hadn't the faintest clue what it was.
"You brewed a potion without me?" I asked. Snape raised an eyebrow at me.
"I assumed you would not wish to assist me," he replied coolly.
"Why? Because you pissed me off? Doesn't mean I don't want to learn potions."
Snape looked at Lupin.
"What is she doing here anyway?"
"I'm teaching her the Patronus Charm. You can't deny that she needs it," Lupin replied.
"Has she managed?"
"Not quite yet."
"Let's see it then," Snape said, looking back at me. I glanced at Lupin, who nodded. I pointed my wand at the wall and concentrated on the same memory again.
"Expecto Patronum," I said, feeling rather nervous. The half-formed Patronus shot out of my wand again. This time it shot around the room a moment before disappearing into the wall.
"Not bad… but it would hardly protect you from a dementor," Snape remarked.
"She's only just started Severus," Lupin said defensively, "Be fair."
"Right. You should drink that directly, Lupin," Snape said and then he turned and left the room. Lupin made his way to the desk and picked up the goblet.
"What is that?" I inquired.
"Something to help my illness. It's a very complex potion and I've never been one for potion-brewing myself. Snape was kind enough to brew it for me," he responded, taking a sip and making a face, "I can never get over the taste."
"It's probably poisoned," I said darkly, "I wouldn't put it past him."
"Olivia," he said disapprovingly, "I don't believe Severus would deliberately poison me. Besides, I thought you liked him?"
"I do. He just…irritates me, sometimes. He's quite stubborn, especially when it comes to holding a grudge."
"That he is," Lupin said with a sad smile, "…Would you like to give the Patronus-thing a rest for today and have tea with me in my office? I'm going to need it after this- it's quite bitter."
I nodded my head and Lupin drained the rest of his potion. He left the empty goblet, which was still smoking, on his desk, and we went to his office for tea.
Lupin and I worked on the Patronus Charm together almost every weekend. I worked with Snape on various potions on occasion, though he still refused to tell me what the smoking potion had been. He still disapproved of my friendship with Lupin so we weren't exactly nice to each other.
It wasn't until late October that my practicing with Lupin finally paid off and my Patronus took the form of a wolf.
"Awesome!" I exclaimed, watching as the silvery wolf ran around the room soundlessly, taking leaps no real wolf could ever make. Lupin glanced from the Patronus to me in a curious sort of way, but said nothing until it had disappeared.
"Well done," he remarked after it had disappeared, "Next time I'll bring a boggart- Filch was lucky enough to find another for me, down in the dungeons. Once you can successfully fend one off, our lessons will be at an end."
"Aww…" I said disappointedly, "Can't you teach me something else? Like how to be an Animagus?"
"I don't know how to do it, myself," he said with a warm chuckle, "Couldn't you ask McGonagall? She's an Animagus."
"McGonagall hates me," I replied, rolling my eyes, "She always has."
"Why's that?"
"We got off to a bad start, I suppose. I think it's because I ask too many questions."
Snape's POV
The Friday before Halloween was the day before the full moon and I had to take Lupin a goblet full of Wolfsbane Potion for the sixth day in a row, as I did every month. Lupin wasn't in his office when I took the potion to him that afternoon and, as much as I hated having to hunt him down, I couldn't just leave the goblet on his desk. It wouldn't last for long by itself.
I made my way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. I was going to be highly annoyed if he wasn't there. I stopped at the door to the classroom and listened.
"Ready?" said Lupin's voice.
"Let's do it," responded Olivia's voice.
Frowning, I opened the door, just in time to see a dementor coming out of a chest. Olivia had her wand out and was pointing it towards the dementor, but she turned at the last minute and looked at me.
"Oliv-" Lupin began as the dementor swooped towards her. Her face went slack suddenly and she crumpled to the floor. Shocked, I dropped the smoking goblet of Wolfsbane Potion onto the floor. Lupin stepped in front of the dementor, which immediately turned into a full moon. It wasn't a dementor at all- it was a boggart.
"Riddikulus!" Lupin cried and the moon turned into a balloon and flew back into the trunk. Lupin closed and locked the lid.
"Way to go, Severus," Lupin said, sounding highly annoyed. He grabbed a slab of chocolate from his desk and sank to his knees beside Olivia. He turned her over so she was laying on her back. He straightened her skirt and smoothed her hair back from her face. I felt the strong urge to kick him, but resisted. He broke off a piece of chocolate and held it to her lips. Her eyelids fluttered open. Her green eyes remained unfocused a moment, then cleared as she ate the chocolate. Slowly, she sat up and took the chocolate from Lupin.
"Son of a bitch," she said, putting a hand to her head.
"Olivia," Lupin said warningly, an amused smile on his face.
"What happened?" she asked.
"Snape happened," he replied.
She looked around at me.
"Oh. You distracted me and screwed up my Patronus," she said, mildly annoyed.
"Sorry," I said in a voice tinged with sarcasm, then looked at Lupin, "You should've locked the door, so accidents like this wouldn't happen."
"Oh come on!" Olivia said, startling me, "You were in the wrong and you know it."
"And you dropped the potion," Lupin pointed out. I glanced down at the floor where the spilled smoking potion was eating a hole in the floor.
"Oh shut up," I growled at Lupin. With a wave of my wand, I vanished the potion and fixed the floor.
"You can cast a corporeal Patronus now?" I asked Olivia.
"Possibly," she replied.
"Can I stay and watch?"
"Depends," she replied, "You gonna mess anything else up?"
I scowled at her.
"Yes, alright then, stay and watch," she said, rolling her eyes.
"Hmph," I said and sat in one of the chairs that had been pushed against the wall.
"Are you sure you're ready to try again?" Lupin asked her.
"Of course," she replied, "It was only a boggart, after all."
"Right. Ready?" he asked, hand on the lid of the trunk. Olivia pointed her wand at the trunk, her face screwed up in concentration, a faint pink tinge to her pale cheeks.
"Ready," she said.
Lupin threw open the lid of the trunk and the ghoulish dementor-boggart emerged once more, its face turned towards Olivia.
"Expecto Patronum!" she said determinedly. Silvery light shot from the end of her wand and took the form of a sleek-looking she-wolf. The Patronus charged the dementor-boggart, forcing it back into the trunk. Lupin slammed the lid of the trunk shut. Olivia watched her Patronus admiringly as it pranced around the room a moment, then disappeared.
"Well done, Olivia!" Lupin said, smiling. She grinned proudly, her green eyes sparkling, and she ran to Lupin and hugged him. He looked surprised, but put his arms around her. My heart felt like someone had stabbed it. The hurt feeling quickly turned to hatred towards Lupin.
"I may vomit," I said coldly. Lupin released her and Olivia stepped away, blushing faintly.
"Oh shut it," she snapped at me. She glanced back at Lupin and smiled again.
"You should take your potion, Lupin," I said, "Why don't you come with me back to the dungeons?"
"You're right, Severus," Lupin said with a nod.
"Can I come?" Olivia asked.
"No," Lupin and I said together, much to my disgust. Olivia scowled at us, but left without complaint.
Lupin followed me down the Grand Staircase. I didn't speak until we reached the dungeons.
"Does she know?" I asked without looking back at him, "About what you are?"
"Of course not," he replied sharply, with something akin to hurt in his voice.
"Then how do you explain her Patronus taking that form?"
"…It must be a coincidence," he said quietly.
"Right," I muttered.
Olivia's POV
The next day was Halloween, my favorite holiday, as well as the day of the first trip to Hogsmeade of the year. I spent the day with Mari, browsing the shops and later drinking Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. Quietly, I told her about my finally being able to produce a Patronus… and about the hug that still made my heart beat wildly in my chest when I thought about it.
"You hugged," she repeated, seemingly amused, "That's all?"
"Yes that's all."
"You didn't kiss?"
"No we didn't kiss!"
"Was it like a sexual hug?"
"Hugging can be sexual?"
"Of course. Especially hugging from behind."
"It wasn't that kind of hug! Snape was there."
"Oh. That's explains it."
"It was very weird. It's the first time we've ever touched like that."
"Well you touched like that when you were flying on the hippogriff, didn't you? Hey- that was sort of a hug from behind. Did he have a stiffie? Could you feel it?"
"Oh Jesus, Mari! Drink your Butterbeer," I said to her, shaking my head. I was blushing slightly. Mari laughed and sipped her drink.
"Seriously though, if you like him, you should make a move. The thing Perdu and I had was good while it lasted. It was a good way to learn, you know?"
"…I've been thinking of it. …Maybe, if there's a moment."
"Would you have done it today, if Snape hadn't been there?"
"I don't know. I might have chickened out. I almost didn't hug him. My heart felt like it was going to explode when I did…especially when he put his arms around me."
"Aw that's cute," she said, smiling and sipping her drink.
"Oh shut it," I said, shoving her playfully.
That evening after we returned from Hogsmeade, Mari and I were making our way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. When we reached the Entrance Hall, I noticed Lupin making his way down the stairs. I slowed my pace to wait for him.
"Later Livvy," Mari said, winking at me. She skipped ahead and went into the Great Hall.
"Good evening Olivia. Did you have a good day in Hogsmeade?" Lupin inquired as he caught up with me, "I thought about going for a drink at the Three Broomsticks, but somehow I didn't feel up to it."
"It was alright I suppose. You should have come. What did you do today?"
"I had tea with Harry Potter."
"That sounds gay."
Lupin let out a snort of laughter and looked at me, shaking his head.
"I was friends with his father."
"Oh. Not entirely gay then, I suppose."
"You just don't like him because Severus doesn't like him."
"Not true- I find him to be incredibly dimwitted and slow. Last year he and his Weasley friend flew a flying car to school because they missed the train."
"What would you have done?" Lupin asked curiously.
"I would have Floo'd there. Or- Potter has an owl. If I had an owl I would have sent a letter to someone at the school- probably Snape."
"That's probably what I would've done as well. Harry is more like his father. James would have taken the car for the fun of it."
As we entered the Great Hall, Lupin looked around, smiling, at the hundreds of live bats fluttering around the ceilings and the enormous Jack O' Lanterns.
"It's been a long time since I spend a Halloween at Hogwarts," he remarked.
"How old are you?" I blurted without really thinking about it. He raised an eyebrow at me.
"It's been seventeen years since I last spend a Halloween at Hogwarts," he replied.
"That makes you…only 34? I would have guessed older than that. That's not so bad."
"Gee thanks," he said sarcastically, amused.
"Sorry," I said with a laugh.
"I understand. Go on now, you have to sit with your classmates."
"Okay. Happy Halloween, Lupin."
I went and sat with Mari, who grinned at me but said nothing.
Soon there was food on the tables and everyone was digging in. I ate until I could eat no more, then contented myself to watch Lupin out of the corner of my eye, who was talking animatedly to Professor Flitwick.
After the feast was over, I went with the other Slytherins down to the Common Room. I was just about to go into the dormitory to go to bed, when the door to the Common Room opened.
"Everyone to the Great Hall, now," said Snape's voice urgently. Confused, everyone slowly started to make their way to the door. I hurried to catch up with Snape.
"What's going on?" I asked him.
"There's an intruder in the castle. All students are going to the Great Hall," he replied brashly.
"Is it Black?" I inquired.
He didn't respond.
"Hurry up," he barked to a few third years who were lagging behind. They jumped and hurried to catch up with the others. Without looking back at me, Snape hurried to the front of the line of Slytherins. Annoyed with him, I did not follow. When we entered the Entrance Hall, I noticed Lupin exiting the front door, his wand aloft. I looked around quickly to make sure no one was looking at me, then I applied my Disillusionment Charm and slipped out after Lupin.
The night sky was clouded so that I could barely see the stars. The full moon cast a dim light form behind the clouds. I could see Lupin walking around the grounds, wand in hand, no doubt searching for the intruder. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move towards the edge of the forest. I turned to look, raising my wand. I lowered my wand when I saw it was nothing but a stray, black dog running into the forest.
A hand closed on my shoulder suddenly and I whirled around, firing a Stunning Spell as I did so. My attacker went flying backwards and lay sprawled on the ground. It was then that I saw it was only Lupin. I stayed frozen to the spot, still invisible.
"Olivia, I know it's you. I can sense you," Lupin said with a groan, getting to his feet. He pointed his wand at me and removed my Disillusionment Charm.
"Sorry for Stunning you," I said sheepishly, "I thought-"
"You shouldn't be out here!" he whispered hoarsely, "It's too dangerous."
"Is it Black you're looking for? I want to help-"
"No!" he said, looking gaunter than ever, but he was not looking at me. His face was turned up to the sky. I looked up as well. The clouds had moved from in front of the moon. I glanced back at Lupin who had gone rigid. I saw his eyes change from blue to green. His pupils turned to slits and I realized what was happening.
"Jesus," I whispered, taking a step back as fur erupted all over his body and his bone structure began to contort.
He sank to all fours and curled into a ball, his eyes shut, as if he were pretending he wasn't there. It occurred to me that the potion Snape had been giving him had obviously been the Wolfsbane Potion. So he still retained his human mind. He wasn't dangerous.
I took a step forward and reached my hand out to touch him. The fur on his back was short and thick, but very soft. As soon as my hand touched him, he whined, a low, sad sound, and ran off towards the forest.
Author's Note: Oh cruel cliffhanger! Muwhahaha! Don't worry, once I get some lovely reviews I will post the next chapter. Thanks everyone! J
~TheVampyre13
PS: I'm thinking about changing my username on here. Is that even possible? If it is, be on the lookout for LittleReporterGirl instead of TheVampyre13.