She rubbed her hand across her face as she shook her head in disagreement, looking at Eden, who stood there beside her grandfather with his arms folded whilst he lent against the railing of the Astronomy tower. "You could have told me..." She let out in exasperation, her eyes wide but her brows furrowed as she stared incredulously at the two men before her. "Why do you have to leave me in the dark? You want me to step up to the ideology of me becoming Alpha, but I can't if you don't tell me things I need to know."
Sorry, Ne. Eden thought, knowing it would reach her because she was stronger than she used to be... more robust and sturdy to the weight that would be brought down upon her soon enough. "I didn't know how you would take it knowing the perks that come with being Alpha... the telepathy, the power of the mind... the elemental magic, healing and defensive spells."
Neona scoffed at his words, shaking her head as they met her ears, annoying her father. "Yes, it might have been good for you to let me know about the bloody perks!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air in desperation as Lyall sighed at her reaction, her eyes falling to the floor where she spotted a nettle moving across the floor.
"Neona, perhaps, you should use this time to recuperate and learn about this new found... sorcery, yes?" He suggested with a wag of his eyebrows, his hand falling upon her shoulder. She blanched at the word 'sorcery', rolling her eyes. "All right, may be not sorcery, that makes it sound darker than it is... like Necromancy."
Neona stared at him.
"What happened yesterday evening?" Eden pressed, his eyes not leaving her as he began to pace around her, prowling. "You caused the entire hall to fall silent for a short duration of minutes, congratulations... but why?" he requested lightly, knowing something wasn't right... he also knew that while she was gaining power, she was also becoming weaker in herself.
"I almost attacked Snape."
Lyall's eyes widened immediately, "Neona, we've talked about this..." he scolded her with his harsh gaze, though it failed as she smiled at him. "First, you save the man... now, you've almost killed him."
Neona sighed, "You think I wanted to? Honestly?" She grew silent, looking up at them slowly. "He just knows how to make me angry... his criticism and hate... the fact that he cares but doesn't want people to know. I respected him wholeheartedly, unlike so many others... but he threw it all away for him." She mumbled the last part so neither of them would hear her revealing his secret to them.
"I think if you talked to him, you would both be in each other's good books soon enough," Eden told her warmly, though he could barely stand properly from feeling a sudden weakness overcome him. "It will happen soon... you're growing stronger, and I am getting weaker by day."
"Wonderful." Neona sighed, "But no, I have no intention of going near him until I see fit... he's rubbed me up the wrong way, and he needs to sort it out instead of me. I'm not in the wrong for once... I just may have not listened to him fully, but my understanding would've been the exact same, I can assure you." Neona informed them both curtly, rubbing her arms before moving to scratch her back. "The mark is appearing on my back, by the way- "
"- whilst mine is fading." Eden concluded dully, his eyes falling to the floor as he sighed to himself. "You'll do the pack good, Ne. You'll see; just wait, you will... I promise you, you're the best person I know to take over from me when the command falls to you."
"Let's turn our attentions to the real importance at hand, no? The tournament?" Lyall grinned, deciding to softly change the subject to make his granddaughter feel more comfortable. "Now, do you have any idea what the 'treasure' is, yet? Is it a metaphor for something? A riddle, perhaps?" He frowned in thought, tapping his foot. "I was always good at riddles, crosswords too..."
Shrugging, she bit her lip and looked out over the railing. "It's fine; I've got the Gillyweed, I've helped Harry in process, made a vfew enemies and all we can do it wait for the task to arrive so I can complete it and move on with my life, to be able to look to my NEWT's with a light heart, get a job- "
"You've been offered a job!" Lyall asserted, throwing his hands at her in outrage
Neona smiled, "Yes, I know..." She rolled her eyes at Eden, who merely chuckled in response, and watched her in his own mirth. "Dumbledore wishes for me to fulfill the post of professor in the subject 'Care of Magical Creatures', which excites me... but I can't do it."
Eden frowned, scratching his stubble. "And why not?" He asked, perplexed by her decision.
"Because I'll have the pack by then."
"But no one has told you that you're deprived of having your own life - it would be ideal!" Eden agreed, smiling wider the more he thought of it. "Whilst you'll be teaching, I'll be overseeing the Sentinels as they're trained, being allowed to take command of the pack while you're away. And in the holidays, you'll return unless there are any real emergencies that seek your attention, how's that sound?"
Neona felt her heart lift at the compromise. "It sounds great when you put it like that, Eden." She smiled.
Puffing out his chest, Eden allowed a smug smile to grace his face as his gaze flew to Lyall. "See, I told you I have some wisdom up in this old brain of mind, not matter how much you like to think I know any education that will be of help to her," He paused in triumph, "She likes my idea, I think I win."
Fred and George grinned widely when they caught sight of their lycanthropic friend staring at her timetable in the middle of the corridor, "Neona, our champion, how are you today, my lady?" George bowed while Fred curtseyed when she saw them approaching her.
Neona fought the urge to laugh as she placed her timetable back into her bag, frowning at the pair of them. "What can I do for you fine gentlemen?" She asked, looping her arms through theirs while they walked along together.
"We simply wished to accompany the lady to potions, is all." George spoke with a grin.
Fred nodded, "You see, Mr Weasley and myself miss you."
"So, you come and find the lunatic that is causing so much hassle?" Neona asked, looking between the pair of them. "Congratulations, you've found her! Behold the lunatic that is I."
Fred smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek. George saw his brother and proceeded to press his lips to her left cheek, making her laugh.
"No," Neona let out, shaking her head at the pair. "Bill and Charlie do it much better than the both of you, that's why they're my favourites." She announced to their dismay, catching them both off guard by her words as they immediately let go of her arms as they descended to the dungeons, hurt crossing their features. "What?"
"Can't believe you said that, Ne." Fred breathed, glancing over at his brother, who was reciprocating his hurt expression. "Wouldn't agree, Georgie?"
George nodded gravely, "I would, Fred, completely hurtful. Just because Bill and Charlie have longer locks than we do, doesn't mean they're funnier or happier or- "
"- Or more handsome than us." Fred added, frowning. "But then Charlie has dragons to win a girl's favour, what do we have?"
Geroge thought for a moment, turning around to face Neona. "We have our looks; our pretty faces, and we can make this one laugh..." he nudged his brother and sent Neona a playful look.
"Barely." She commented, rolling her eyes at the pair of them.
"But you love us more, you spend literally every waking day with us... you hardly ever see Bill and Charlie, only at Christmas." Fred explained, winking at her while sporting a grin. "Go on, admit it; you like us more."
"Wait, Freddie." George said in thought, frowning suddenly. "Come to think of it... we've noticed you hanging around with older men recently, Lyall but... Snapiekins? Really?"
Neona scoffed, "Will you both just lay off?"
"Mister Weasley, are you aware that you're dawdling?" came the latter's sneering voice as he slithered down the corridor, his face set grimly. "Stop dithering and to my classroom immediately, while I have a chat with Miss Lupin."
Both of the twin's glanced at her while she merely stared straight ahead of her, her jaw solidifying in irritation as the twins departed. Without warning, she was forced against a wall and within mere moments, Snape's face reappeared. "How dare you..." he growled, baring his teeth at her while she stared. "I gave you what you so desired, and you then had the nerve to go and steal from me!"
Neona frowned momentarily, "What are you talking about?" She asked, moving to relieve the pressure of his arms against her chest. "What am I meant to have stolen exactly?" Her fingers coiled around his wrist and she moved it away easily enough.
Snarling, Snape turned on her again. "Gillyweed."
However, her brows knitted together in confusion before she nodded, scoffing at what he was insinuating she'd done. "Oh, I get it... you think because you gave me some, that I then went and helped myself to your personal stores? You really think that low of me?" Neona asked, offended by his accusation, watching as his expression went blank. "Oh, wait... you're a Death Eater, I shouldn't have expected any less."
"Lupin- "
She cut him off, "You should have sufficient evidence to support your assumptions, professor... then perhaps, next time you wouldn't go and pin the blame on someone who spent the entire night in the Hospital Wing, isn't that right?" Neona growled, brushing past him to entire his dungeon classroom.
Giving out a sigh of frustration, Snape thrusted his fists against the wall angrily before following her into the classroom, the wooden door rumbling against brick as he thundered in to see her taking her seat next to the Weasley twins. His eyes drifted over to Diggory, who was sat in the middle looking rather dismal and placid, his face lacking the usual smile that had been on his face since him and Neona had become involved with one another, however it seemed their love story had come to a sweet or not so sweet end.
Sweeping behind his desk, Snape turned to face the room of hormonal teenagers and sighed, "As you can seem from the board of instructions, yes; you will be brewing the Shrinking Solution in today's lesson..." he gestured to the board lazily, his eyes falling upon Neona as she stared at her workbench miserably. "You have an hour to do so, and one hour only."
Glancing at her copy of Book of Potions, Neona decided to ignored the page that told her what to do, and go with a new way about she'd found equally effective during the summer. Sighing, she grabbed her utensils and began to prepared, looking to the first instruction on the piece of parchment of her notebook she'd chose to work from. Add five sliced caterpillars. Taking her knife in hand, she began to slice them neatly while ignoring the glances Fred and George were giving her.
"Ne, you're not meant to add them yet, they're the fifth instruction..." They both spoke, frowning in confusion.
"You do it your way, I'll do it mine." She replied, adding them to her cauldron swiftly, before turning back to the piece of parchment with another sigh.
Heat till the potion turns red. Moving to increase the heat, she glanced around the room before flicking her finger, causing it to catch light whilst she stared at the contents of her cauldron, watching as it slowly began to transition to different shades. Once it hit the colour red, she pulled her finger away and looked back at her book. Shake the peeled Shrivelfig until it is ready (to avoid creating noxious gas), then add the peeled Shrivelfig until the potions turns yellow.
Little did she know, Snape had witnessed her using what she not ought to be, staring as shook the peeled Shrivelfig, before adding it to the potion to his own astonishment. His eyes narrowing when she reached for the lid to her cauldron, placing it over the top apart from a gap to allow her to see the colour of it while it simmered.
Watching her move to ready four rat spleens, he found himself marching towards her work bench, seeing the twins shrink and duck their heads. "Miss Lupin, what do you think you're doing?" He demanded, as she shrugged, looking at the contents of her potion to see it a murky blue shade.
"I'm about to add four rat spleens when it turns purple, sir." She answered, finally looking up to meet him, the intense glare of her honey eyes made him step back in surprise.
Snape frowned darkly, "I believe the instruction was to shake a rat spleen before adding it, one not four." he replied as she shrugged once again at his words, meeting his gaze.
"I did it this way during the summer, and I made a very successful Shrinking Solution." She dropped the first rat spleen into the cauldron once she saw it shift to purple, followed by the second, third, and fourth. Looking at the book, she read the next instruction. Add the minced daisy roots till it turns green.
She added the minced daisy roots, watching as it began to change colour again, sending Snape a sarcastic smile as he stared at her with his arms folded. "You're not going to leave are you?" She wondered, looking up at him before turning her attention back to the potion which had gone green. Grabbing the juiced leeches, she proceeded to added five drops to the potion.
Watching as she added more of the Shrivelfig, as the colours transitioned until she stopped when it fell on pink. "You're not using the book that is required for this potion, instead..." he took her notebook into his hand and look it over, his face turning into a scowl. "... a pocket journal?"
"Does it offend you, sir?" She pressed, moving to slice another caterpillar quickly, also seeing his lips form a grim line while he placed the book down, returning it to its page as he continued to scrutinize her thoroughly.
"Well, go on then, add the bloody caterpillar." He gestured to it as she held it, watching as she gritted her teeth, letting a low his pass through her lips as she nodded to his left forearm.
"If you wish," Neona complied, dropping it before putting the lid back on, allowing it to simmer once again. "Have you come to apologise for your accusation?"
Fred and George snorted, though they quietened when Snape glowered at them. "Miss Lupin, it was merely a misunderstanding- "
"But you assumed I'd been in there all the same."
Snape's jaw clenched as she stared into the cauldron absently, "It was a misunderstanding, Neona... I told you, simply because I gave you what you wanted... I thought you may helped one of your friends." he let out as she glanced up at him.
"You thought I stole some for Harry, didn't you?" Neona spoke darkly, watching as the potion turned green before she took it off the heat. "Didn't you?"
Snape nodded.
"You need to learn to trust me, before I will ever trust you again." Neona grabbed a phial and began to ladle some of the potion into it before passing it to him, which he inspected closely. "Until then, I have no interest in communication with an untrustworthy person; they're all liars."
Placing her phial into a rack, he raised a brow in annoyance. "Ten points to Gryffindor." He announced.
"All liars are discovered in the end, but some have done worse than others, and deserved to be punished for their crimes."
Snape's lips twitched, "Five points to Gryffindor." He clasped his hands behind his back and turned, going back to surveying his classroom, not seeing Cedric take his place.
"I wondered if we could talk." He announced to Neona's dismay as she went to grab her notebook which Cedric snatched from her grasp. "Neona."
Looking at him, she sighed. "What? You've come to persuade me to change my mind, is that it? Well, I'll tell you now... I am in no mood to be persuaded to change my settled mind." Neona warned, knowing Snape was watching them closely without needing to look at him. She tapped her eyes, back and chest. "These confirm my decision, the mark on my back confirms my decision... my heart confirms my decision."
"You haven't even heard what I've got to say." Cedric let out bitterly, frowning deeply. "Don't you want to hear what I've got to say about us?"
Neona shook her head, "Not particularly, no." She answered truthfully, watching as his face fell. "I'm going to lie to you but I almost killed five people last year, another last night due to my reckless actions, I can't endanger any more lives." Finally, she looked past Cedric to meet Snape's gaze, and with a heavy heart she said, "I won't endanger any more lives."
"But what about what I want- "
"Life's unfair, Cedric..." Neona spoke softly. "I learned the hard way, though, the is no nice way about it... you lose things, you gain things... I'm pretty sure that Ravenclaw girl, Cho, is it?" Cedric nodded. "Well, I'm pretty sure she'd be happy enough if you ask her out, she seems nice, go for it."
Cedric scoffed, "You think I want to date her?!"
"Mister Diggory, would you tend to your potion rather than trying to flirt with Miss Lupin, whom I'm afraid to say is clearly not interested in your futile attempts to rekindle a relationship he doesn't want." Snape approached the work bench, glowering at the Hufflepuff. "Return to your potion, Diggory." When the Hufflepuff remained still, his eyes narrowed and somehow darkened. "Now."
Reluctantly, Cedric turned and left the bench before Snape strode off, "Ten points from Hufflepuff, Diggory, for refusal to follow orders and having to be told twice." He growled, moving around the room gradually.
"Psst, Ne." Looking at the twins, she frowned at them as if willing them to continue. "Snapiekins likes you."
Vibrant with life, the Great Hall shone brighter than ever, with each of the House tables riddle with students from Durmstrang, loud and boisterous as they ate together under the looming stars.
Neona looked at her plate and then looked up at their crowded table, before handing her plate to Ron to devour at his will. "Enjoy, Ronnikins." She teased, standing from the bench to leave to them to their meal. "If you'll excuse me, I don't feel well."
"Neona," The twins called as she looked at them with an amused glance. "We love you very much."
"Sure, you do."
"'Hope you feel better soon, Ne." Harry mumbled though she barely caught, she nodded a thanks to him, squeezing his shoulder as she moved to leave the Hall. "Ne, we'll talk before the trial?"
Turning back, Neona smiiled at him. "Of course, we will." She promised before continuing.
From his seat, Snape frowned when he saw Neona leaving the Hall for the second night in a row without eating. His clenched his jaw, looking down at his own plate which had also been left untouched.
"Oh, stop worrying over her, she's perfectly fine... Poppy assured me last night during our little visit to the Hospital Wing." Dumbledore broke the silence, causing Snape to look at him in interest. "She eats and she brings it back up again, that's all..."
Snape sighed, "She's is not well at all, you know that as well as I."
"Have you rekindled your friendship, yet?" he asked, grimacing at the thought of their silly feud he found rather amusing.
"No," Snape answered as Dumbledore knew he would. "We spoke briefly today, but it didn't end well... she doesn't trust me for lying, which I respect... who should trust a liar? She certainly doesn't want to." He added bitterly, leaning back in his chair as he glowered at nothing in particular.
"She'll forgive you eventually," Dumbledore assured him, smiling widely. "You just have to prove you are worth her trust, then her forgiveness will come... in time."
"I did what you asked, I gave her the Gillyweed."
Dumbledore let out a sigh, "You only gave it to her because you secretly care for her more than you care to admit; isn't that right?"
"Not in the slightest."
Pulling a sherbet lemon free from his robe pocket, Dumbledore grinned. "You know she doesn't come to lunch?" He asked as Snape nodded in agreement. "Well, she spends that time playing the piano... you should go and listen to what she plays, what's that Muggle song? Oh, Merlin..." Dumbledore lent forward and searched the table of Flitwick, smiling when he saw him. "Fillius, what is that Muggle song that Neona plays on the piano by that Buckley fellow?"
Adjusting his spectacles, Fillius clasped his hands together and smiled wide. "Ah, Hallelujah, Albus." He announced proudly, though he'd never heard the song until she began to play one afternoon after playing the song off an LP on a gramophone. "Wonderful, player... very talented."
"Hallelujah..." Dumbledore told Snape, "By a Buckley fellow, I hope he doesn't have buckled knees."
Snape rolled his eyes in annoyance, "I believe you're referring to the musician Jeff Buckley, Albus."
"Oh, know he do you?" Albus chuckled in delight, clasping his hands together. "Does he have buckled knees?"
Dear Remus,
You know you often underestimate your daughter more than you give her credit for... the Second Task in two days, will you not come to cheer her on? Even Eden has gone to get one of his friends to bring along, a Sentinel of his by the name of Trystan Carter, 'supposed to be a nice bloke and easy on the eye. What I'm saying is, she#s having a rough time here, with Rita Skeeter targeting her and all the pressure being forced on her by the tournament and the change she's undergoing...
Remus, you need to see her before it happens... before she no longer belongs to you, before she'll belong to them forever. This is your daughter we're discussing, and you need to see her as that before she becomes Alpha, we may never see her again - do you not understand that? I'm terrified of never seeing her again, you must be as well - she's your little girl, you need to see her! You need -
"Ah, Lyall." Dumbledore announced as he stepped into his chambers, McGonagall and Snape trailing in behind him. "This is where you're lurking, we've been searching for since dinner."
Lyall smiled, "Sorry, Albus..." Lyall gestured to the piece of parchment on his desk. "I thought I would write Remus a letter, he's being a considerable stubborn git at the moment." He laughed, quickly scribbling to finish his sentence before folding the parchment and tying it to his owl's leg before turning back to look at the professors. "What can I help you with?"
"About the second task tomorrow, Lyall." Minerva begun with a stern yet panicked look falling upon her face. "We're in need of your assistance."
Lyall frowned, leaning against the desk, his eyes falling upon Eden's book. "How will I be of assistance to you all? Though, it best be quick... I've got to discuss something with my granddaughter." He questioned with a small, fond smile.
Snape sighed, rolling his eyes. "We've, unfortunately, not been able to find a suitable hostage for Miss Lupin yet, you see..." He spoke, his voice somewhat grave.
Narrowing his eyes at them, gesturing to his book. "Well, I'm sure Eden would be more than willing to step up to plate... oh." The realisation hit him that they were hoping he would agree to be her hostage. "You can't be implying that I- "
"Oh, but we are Lyall. We can't find a better candidate other than her grandfather, who she loves with all her heart." Dumbledore stated softly, smiling at the man as he continued to frown at him whilst he spoke.
Minerva smiled, "Oh, come on Lyall - you both spend quite a lot of time together, she looks to you for help and you've been there all her life - you're important to her, you know that."
Lyall nodded in agreement, "No, no I understand... it's just I am one of the judges is all, but if this is an order, then of course, I'll oblige willingly." He agreed contently, nodding to them.
"Well then, it's settled!" Dumbledore clasped his hands together, looking to McGonagall. "Minerva, if you would..."
The witch raised her wand and struck the air with it, nodding to Snape as he moved, barely managing to catch the older man as he collapsed, unconscious, into his arms.
