Valentine removed the stopper on the bottle and ever so carefully tipped one drop of the potion into the goblet of water. Snape would still be working on a new formula to kill the little problem altogether but for now, she would have to make do with the symptom suppressants.
"Still no sign of him then?" Asked Valentine, putting the stopper back in place.
"Unfortunately, no." replied Dumbledore.
"Or fortunately." Added Valentine, leaning against the Head Masters desk. "Depending on how you look at it."
She leaned her head back and drank the whole thing quickly. It tasted bitter and dry and she always wanted to have it over and done with quickly.
Since the break-in two days ago, no one had been able to pick up any trace of Sirius Black. It was like he had completely vanished. The dementors had been sent out to try and track him down again but seeing as he had gotten his way past them twice now, Valentine didn't have much hope for them.
"So, what's our next move?" She asked. "Regarding Black."
"At this time, I'm afraid all we can do is keep our wits about us." Said Dumbledore. "The castle, for the time being, is safe. Harry will not be leaving these grounds until the school year is over or Black has been apprehended.
"Right." Valentine frowned. "Well, that doesn't work for me."
Snape scoffed at that, loud and sardonically amused.
"You will soon learn that the world isn't designed to accommodate you."
"Why thank, Professor Obvious." Valentine blinked innocently. "I had never grasped the concept of such a thing. I am truly grateful."
"Save the sarcasm, Lestrange." He growled.
"I do. Every day, just for you."
"Ahem." Dumbledore cleared his voice, shooting them both a meaning look over his glasses.
"Back to it then." Said Valentine. "The castle may be safe but these grounds are large enough to miss a man in hiding. We should search the forest." Snape scoffed again and she ignored him. "I'll do it myself in secret. If the staff does it then the students will know and it'll just put everyone on edge thinking about Black lurking about in their own backyard."
"My dear," Dumbledore said in a manner that already told Valentine the answer. "I don't believe we should make any rash moves at this junction. Sometimes waiting is all we can do."
"I hate waiting." Valentine grumbled.
"If we hear any news of Black still in the area and I will give both you and Professor Snape expression permission to search the forest, until then, it's inhabitants are best left undisturbed."
"Excuse me?" Snape bristled at the mention of his name.
"Head Master, I don't need back up." Valentine said quickly.
"It wouldn't be back up." Snape spat. "It would be babysitting."
"On the contrary," Said Dumbledore. "you two are essentially a team, working towards the same goal. It's about time you acted like it, don't you think?"
Valentine and Snape spoke at once, voices overlapping.
"Over my dead body."
"I'd rather die."
Dumbledore sighed and took off his glasses.
Sometimes I feel just a little bad for him.
--Pretending To Hate--
"Lookie! It's a ducky!" Leah exclaimed.
"Is not." Said Blaze. "That's a rabbit."
"What? No, that's a ducky!"
"Are we looking at the same thing? Because that is definitely a rabbit."
"You need to get your eyes checked!"
"And you'd need a lot more than that to figure out what is wrong with you!"
"Duck!"
"Rabbit!"
"DUCK!"
"RABBIT!"
"Bloody hell, shut up!" Draco snapped. "They're just freaking clouds!"
Leah, Blaze, Liam and Olivia were lying on their backs in the grass, taking advantage of the rare, mostly clear sky. It had been Leah that spotted the first shape and then it was all downhill from there.
"Hmm, I see both." Said Liam.
"Yeah, me too actually." Said Olivia.
"Nooooo!" Leah whined and jabbed her finger up at the sky. "That is a duck. I know a duck when I see one!"
"Yeah, and I know a rabbit!" Blaze added.
"Are you sure about that? Because it's not one!"
Draco sighed and slumped against the tree trunk beside his cousin.
"Why do I even bother?"
"Because you're an idiot." Said Valentine.
"Thank you, cousin."
"You're welcome, cousin."
The fighting about the appearance of this duck-rabbit cloud went on for some time, increasing and decreasing in areas of aggression as they would spot new figures and then be dragged back to that same one. They continued on until the cloud began to shift in the wind and start to take a new shape. Now they couldn't decide if it was a monkey or a spider.
"Hey, Val?"
"What?"
"Have you read that letter you got from father yet? The one you got at breakfast."
"No." It was still in her pocket beside her wand. She was hardly eager to read it or have the reminder that he was still alive out in the world.
"You probably should soon." Said Draco. "He didn't sound too happy in mine. He's doing what he can to get rid of that oaf Hagrid and his stupid bird, of course...but he didn't sound happy with you either."
"What could I have possibly done to aggravate his sensibilities from another country?"
"Well, he didn't say it in words! He just...you should read the letter and find out what's wrong. Clear anything up before the Christmas Holidays."
"That's two months away, Draco."
"And you know he doesn't like to be kept waiting."
"You know I couldn't care less about that."
"Please, Val? You'll have to read it soon or later, right?"
Valentine grumbled under her breath, considering it. He wasn't wrong. Eventually, she would have to open it. Her uncle didn't write to her often and so it must have been something he thought important. He wouldn't miss it if he didn't receive a reply and that could cause more trouble then it was worth.
Valentine shoved her hand into her pocket and pulled put the carelessly crinkled letter. It was sealed in an envelope on finely made parchment, branded with the Malfoy crest.
Oh, the things the rich like to waste their money on.
By now, the others were contemplating a new cloud. Blaze was insisting that it looked like a princess on horseback. For once, he and Leah seemed to be in agreement. Although Liam had to add that the horse looked more like a buffalo.
Valentine could feel Draco watching her from the corner of his eye and so she ripped open the envelope and unfolded it haphazardly. She didn't care if the fine, expensive paper ripped as well.
V. Lestrange,
I have received the most infuriating report from your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor that you have been given a detention for bad behaviour and then refused to attend said detention. I will not stand for this. Time and time again, I have reminded you that your actions reflect on the Malfoy name and yet you never seem to listen. I have had it with your disregard from this family, Valentine. Remember who provides you with everything you own. Remember who clothes, shelters and feeds you. All I have ever asked in return is respect and obedience and you cannot even manage that. You are a disgrace. If it were not for my wife, I would see you on the streets in an instance and it would be a sight I would enjoy.
I expect you will correct your actions immediately or both you and Draco will have to pay for your misdeeds as he knows better than to allow you to do these things. Do not test my will, Valentine. I will not stand for this any longer.
L. Malfoy
Valentine read the letter once through and then crumpled it promptly into a ball. Her blood boiled in her veins.
"Val?" Draco stared at her, startled.
"It was scolding." She shrugged. "Nothing out of the usual."
"Really?"
"That bastard Lupin tattled on me and he's pissed that I haven't attended my detention."
"So..." Draco swallowed thickly, eyeing the balled parchment in her fist. "What are you going to do?"
That's a good question.
She couldn't really blame Lupin for his part in this. He was probably just trying to form at least some small semblance of authority as her teacher. He didn't know the kind of trouble a letter like this could bring for Draco and herself. Nevertheless, she was irritated at his interference. She would have to attend the detention as demanded and then avoid lodging herself in anymore. It was the quickest way to get her uncle for her back and save Draco from what might become the most miserable Christmas of his life.
"I'll handle it." She said flippantly and shoved the letter back in her pocket.
Oh, how she wished to pull her arm back and fling it as far away as she could. Too bad it would cause unnecessary trouble if someone found it and read it.
"Alright." Draco eyed her, unconvinced, but said nothing else.
Liam and Olivia peeled themselves away from Leah and Blaze and both sat either side of Valentine and Draco.
"They exhaust me." Liam pouted, leaning against Draco.
"What are they even doing?" Draco curled his upper lip.
It didn't happen often, but every now and then, Blaze would end up swept up in a wave of Leah's crazy. He had tied his sweater over his pants backwards like an apron and Leah had tucked her waist-length hair into the back of her robe hood. She was trotting about with her hands poised like she was holding onto something.
"I don't even think they know." Said Liam.
"Blaze is supposed to be the princess. Maybe." Olivia explained. "And I think Leah is supposed to be a knight of some kind...Maybe. I'm really not sure, to be completely honest."
"Well, you don't know the rest of us to have no chance." Said Draco.
"Yeah, they're a mystery alright." Liam rearranged himself so his head could rest on Draco's thigh.
"Your hair will get messed up." Draco frowned, honestly concerned.
"Hush." Liam closed his eyes. "Let me rest in ignorance for now. It'll give me something to do later."
Now, Leah and Blaze were arguing about something that at first glance seemed to be dragon related. Valentine was too confused to even bother trying to decipher what was going on. It seemed like some kind of medieval scenario but why Blaze was singing at the top of his lungs or why Leah pretending like it was anywhere near a beautiful sound could not be discerned.
"You know," Olivia leaned in closer to Valentine so she could whisper. "I...think..."
"What?" Valentine arched a brow at her, confused by the whispering, the hesitation and whatever Leah and Blaze were doing the spinning in circles like that.
Olivia swallowed heavily, Valentine could see a glimmer of something strange in her eyes as she glanced over at Draco and Liam. Something Valentine was sure she had seen before somewhere else.
What could sweet and meek Olivia have to tell me that's so secretive?
"I think..." Olivia kept her voice so low that Valentine could barely hear it. "I think Blaze likes Leah. I mean, I can't really be sure, he hasn't said anything, but well..."
What? By like does she mean that kind of like? The kissing and holding hands and getting married kind of like? Is she crazy? I have never been so damn confused than at this moment.
"That's ridiculous." Said Valentine, expression not changing.
"I know it seems strange to think about-"
"More than strange."
Where the hell would Olivia even get an idea like that?
Valentine looked over at Leah and Blaze again, still carrying on with whatever it was. Leah was kneeling before Blaze, with the height difference it almost looked like she was getting down to talk to a child.
"Princess Blazette, it is I Sir Leon of the table round, here to free you from the dragons clutches!" She grabbed his hand, jaw set in what she thought was probably a heroic and valiant stance. "Come with me and live free!"
Leah was way too into it but Blaze seemed to have reached his limit for crazy on this particular day.
"Um...yeah, o-okay, I think that's enough n-now." He stuttered out, yanking his hand away. He turned away avoiding Leah's gaze and instead staring at the hand she'd been holding.
Oh. Bloody hell. Was...did he...but they don't even like each other! How...I need a nap.
Blaze shook his head, seemingly more at himself than Leah.
"I think your-your nonsense has finally rotted my brain."
"What? But we were having fun!"
"Do you realize that we're not six-year-olds right?"
"What does that have to do with anything!"
"How are you this stupid?"
"I'm not stupid!"
"Pretty sure you are!"
"We can't just end it there! What about the princess and the knight!"
"You know, I don't think they'll mind seeing as how they aren't real!"
"Jerk!"
"Idiot!"
"Butthead!"
"Moron!"
"I hate you!"
"I hate you more!"
"That's it!" Leah screeched and catapulted herself at him.
They went down in a flash of hair and robes. Olivia was the only one that got up to try and stop them.
How could Olivia ever think that Blaze's likes her like that? They're barely even friends on a good day. But Blaze's reaction...do people usually act like that when they're in love? Wait. Isn't there a difference between liking someone in that way and being love with them? Who the love decided to make this love crap so complicated in the first place?
Valentine didn't want to think about them anymore. She was a very smart girl but something about romantic intentions made her feel quite the opposite. She had many questions and she wasn't even sure she wanted answers.
She let her eyes drift away from Leah and Blaze and Olivia desperately trying to separate them. Her eyes met with the moon, pale and round in the sky above them.
Hmm. It seems I'll have to hold off on detention for a little while no matter what Lucius says.
--Pretending To Hate--
Waiting for class to begin, Valentine sits in silence as the other students chatter excitedly. Lupin's classes was always well anticipated, even by Valentine's own friends. But Lupin hadn't been at breakfast that morning and had only made the briefest of appearances at dinner the night before. And Valentine knew why. She also knew it made it unlikely for him to teach class today or for several days following. She could assume that he was taking a Wolfsbane potion, a concoction that would allow him to kept his kind when the transformation came and probably keeping his distance from any grouping of people. Dumbledore hadn't told her much more about the situation, other than it was being handled and although she trusted him, it did raise some concerns. If something were to go wrong with whatever system Lupin had set in place so that he could teach then the results could be very bad.
Valentine was deep in her musings when Snape came marching into the room, flicking his wand, closing the shutters with a damning clatter and plummeting them into darkness.
The students around her murmured their questions to one another. What was going on here? Surely this was some kind of nightmare?
Snape stopped at the front of the class, pulling on a rope hanging from the ceiling that lowered a white projection screen. He turned to face them, eyes almost blacker in the darkness.
Well. Someone's in a good mood.
"Turn to page 394." He said.
The students did so, albeit begrudgingly. Valentine, however, so often the stand-alone, didn't move.
Snape was heading towards the back of the class to the projector itself when Harry spoke up.
"Excuse me, sir, but... where's Professor Lupin?"
"That's not really your concern, is it, Potter?" Snape growled, annoyed by Harry's arrogance to speak at all. He continued past him to the back. "Suffice it to say, your Professor finds himself incapable of teaching at the present time. Page 394."
Valentine heard the metallic wiring of the projector being turned on.
The screen lit up with the image of what seemed to be a depiction of a werewolf from an ancient civilisation.
"Werewolves!" From exclaimed, staring down at his textbook.
Valentine pursed her lips and shot a look over at Snape.
Oh, bloody-
"But, sir, we've only just begun learning about Red Caps and Hinkypunks." Said Hermione, who had not being sitting beside Harry before. "We're not meant to start nocturnal beasts for weeks."
Valentine hadn't forgotten about her sudden ability to appear seemingly out of nowhere. She had her theories but had yet to bring it up with Dumbledore.
"Quiet." Snape scolded. "Now. Which of you can tell me the difference between an Animagus and a werewolf?"
Snape marched back up to the front of the class, Hermione raising her hand to answer. Images of werewolves from all corners of the globe and history flashed across the screen.
"No one? How disappointing." Snape pointedly ignored Hermione.
"Please, sir," She said. "an Animagus is a wizard who elects to turn into an animal. A werewolf has no choice. With each full moon he no longer remembers who he is. He'd kill his best friend if he crossed his path. Furthermore, the werewolf responds only to the call of its own kind."
"Ahoooo!" Draco howled suddenly from Valentine's said, she rolled her eyes but the others laughed.
"Thank you, Mr Malfoy." Snape sent him a warning glare before turning his gaze back to Hermione. "That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger. Tell me. Are you incapable of restraining yourself? Or do you take pride in being an insufferable know-it-all? Five points from Gryffindor!"
Wow, he's really aiming for Jerk of The Year, isn't he? And werewolves? Really, sir? I bet he's just hoping someone will figure it out and Lupin will be run out of Hogwarts. That's low, even for him.
"As an antidote to your ignorance and on my desk by Monday morning,two rolls of parchment on the werewolf," The class groaned and as his scathing gaze dragged across the room, he met Valentine's "with particular emphasis placed on recognizing it."
She arched a brow at him.
Oh, come on! Could be trying to hint any harder! I already know, idiot!
"Sir, it's Quidditch tomorrow." Harry pleaded.
"Then I suggest you take care, Potter. Loss of limb will not excuse you." Snape spat, passing Harry and heading for where Valentine sat.
"Lestrange."
"Yes, sir?"
"Your book is not open."
"What fantastic eyesight you have. You should get an award."
"Page-"
"394. I know. I heard you the first forty times."
"Then I fail to understand why you're book remains closed."
"Well, that would be because I haven't opened it, sir."
Snape growled and grasped the edge of her desk, bearing down over her. He had a meaningful look in his eye.
"Do you wish to spend the rest of your life as an imbecile unaware of what's in front of you?"
"Who's to say I'm unaware, sir?" Valentine blinked innocently. "I'm quite astute, you know."
Snape's expression darkened but the other students all shared perfectly confused looks. She knew and now he knew that she knew. That problem with that was that she knew and didn't seem to care about it at all. Snape could lay down down the traps that he wanted but the smartest girl in the class knew and that wasn't going to change anything for him or his obvious goal to get rid of Lupin.
"You say you know?" Snape arched a sceptical brow of his own.
"Know what?" Valentine leaned in closer, speaking softly. "That you look even worse up close then you do at a distance?"
Snape's mouth twisted into a snarl. He snatched up her arm and dragged her forcibly from her seat.
"Hey!"
"Well, seeing as you know, there can be nothing for you to learn from this class!"
"Let me go!" Valentine grabbed his wrist, trying to prying his hand away.
He pulled her to the back of the class, not caring for her struggle.
"And if there is nothing for you to learn, then I won't be subjecting myself to your presence!" Snape yanked open the door and shoved her through it. "I'm sure you can amuse yourself, hopefully without causing trouble."
He slammed the door in her face, leaving Valentine standing there, irritated and snarling like a feral cat and feeling quite the loser. She fought the urge to kick at it.
No.
She quickly calmed herself.
I didn't lose. Snape just threw me out because he knew he couldn't win. That isn't a loss, that's a damn retreat. Cowardly bastard.
She took in a deep breath and threw a curl over her shoulder. The only thing she lost in there was the chance to watch Snape berate children and she'd seen more than enough of that.
I hope they throw a revolt in there and beat him to death with that damn projector.
--Pretending To Hate--
It was three days after the full moon before Valentine was standing in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, resigned to her detention. She hadn't told Lupin yet and hadn't even attended his lesson that day. She didn't want to seem too eager to submit like this although she didn't have much choice. And it gave her the opportunity to take a nap while the dorm was quiet. She was sure she could manage to still appear as the insubordinate, trouble maker even while stuck in detention.
Lupin wasn't in the room but she doubted he would have gone far. Of what she knew of the lives and hardships of werewolves, he would likely still be exhausted from the transformation. It made her wonder the secret never completely came out while he had been in school. If the rumour mill back then was anything like it was now, then it was certainly a feat.
Valentine had taken off her robe and thrown it on a desk in the front row. She strolled about the room, looking at all Lupin's teaching supplies and materials. The Grindylow tank was nowhere to be seen and she supposed it was up in his office. She was contemplating going up to take a look when the door creaked open.
"Valentine?" She could hear the surprise in his voice. "What are you doing in here? I find it hard to believe that you got your schedule do completely turned around."
"You're the one who gave me detention, sir." She rolled her eyes as she turned to him, standing by his desk. "Unless you've suddenly changed your mind?"
He was rather pale today and it made his scars stand out more. There were dark rings under his eyes but Valentine couldn't be entirely sure that they hadn't always been there. He tucked his hands into his pockets, shooting her levelling stare.
"I was under the impression that you had no intention of attending them."
"The impression you were under is correct, however," Valentine's gaze turned dark. "it would appear I have no choice."
"How so?" Lupin tilted his head slightly.
"I don't play dumb with me." Valentine spat. "You're the one who went running to that bastard all because I was being mean to you."
"Language, young lady." Lupin's gaze turned almost as dark as hers.
"Oh, please." Valentine scoffed. "He is a bastard and I know you agree with me whether you like my turn of phrasing or not."
"Whether I agree with you or not is not in question here." He said sternly. "I don't want to hear you using that kind of language again."
"Whatever." Valentine rolled her eyes again, crossing her arms over her chest.
"As for your detention," Lupin rounded her to stand behind his desk. "I shall be increasing them to three for your failure to comply from the beginning."
"I never knew you liked my company so much, sir." Valentine quipped.
"Oh, I'm sure I'll have more than my fill of it once we're through." He smiled thinly. It created wrinkles on his face that made him look older. "Take a seat, Valentine."
She did so, sitting at the desk she'd left her robe on. Lupin sat at his own desk without a word. She looked at Lupin and he looked at her. A long moment past and she arched a questioning brow at him.
"And?" She prompted impatiently. "Are we supposed to just sit here having a staring competition?"
"You certainly are concerned with how you spend your time." Lupin observed.
"Well, you see," said Valentine, slow and patronizing. "each person only has a limited amount. You may waste yours if you wish, but I will not."
"Is that why you were absent from class today? Because you deemed it a waste of time?"
"I had better things to be doing."
"And that would be?"
"Sleeping."
"Sleeping?" Lupin blinked slowly, unconvinced.
"Yes." Valentine bristled. "Are you hard of hearing?"
"Do you not get enough sleep at night?"
"What the hell is this?" She hissed. "Why do you care if I sleep or not? Are you going to issue some kind of punishment or just bore me to death with menial questions?"
"Actually, I do have some questions." Lupin clasped his hands on the desktop.
"Oh, joys of joys." Valentine slouched low in her chair, kicking her feet up on to the desk. Lupin sent her a pointed look which she pointedly ignored. "So, are you going to ask me something or just glare disapprovingly?"
Lupin sat straighter, a serious expression passing over his face.
"I'm sure you've noticed this, but a lot of students here talk about you and I've heard some things."
"If it's something to do with violence or general threats you can just save yourself the time and assume they're true."
"Those weren't what caught my attention actually."
"Really? Well, I don't keep me in suspense, sir, I'm dying to know." Valentine couldn't have sounded sincere if she tried.
He almost looked like he wanted to laugh but was stopping himself from doing so for the sake of remaining serious.
"At the beginning of the school year, on the train during the Dementor's search, you reportedly caused quite a stir. Apparently...you cast a successful Patronus Charm when a Dementor attempted to attack you."
"What of it?" Valentine sighed in irritation, twisting the ring on her finger, paying more attention to running her nail over the groves then him.
Lupin was completely silent and still but only for a moment. His eyes were sharp with rapt attention.
"It's true then?"
"More or less."
"Care to tell?"
"If I must," Valentine grumbled, "I cast the Patronus Charm, that much is true, and successfully, of course. But it wasn't me the Dementor attacked, it was Olivia. I cast the charm, repelled the damned thing and the rest is history."
"That is an extremely advanced bit of magic."
"Yes, yes. I'm very smart. All hail me."
"Valentine, I don't think you quite grasp how impressive that is."
"What does it matter?" She snapped. "What does any of this matter? To you or to anyone?"
Lupin leaned forward slightly, never breaking eye contact.
"If you hadn't acted when you had, your friend might not be alive today. I'm sure it means quite a lot of her."
"So, I look after my things. Good for me. That doesn't explain why you care."
"Your things?" Lupin frowned deeply.
"Oh, don't be offended for them." Valentine waved him off. "They don't care and if they did they would have left years ago."
"Most people wouldn't stand for being treated like an object."
"Yes, we'll, suffice it to say that my friends are not most people." Valentine had to scoff at that. Despite being known as cruel bullies, when you got down it, they were just a bunch of total weirdos with questionable upbringings.
"Evidently not."
"Any more questions before this tedium beats me into unconsciousness?"
"Where did you learn the charm?" Asked Lupin. "I'll assume you had tutor's before attending Hogwarts or something of the like, but magic isn't permitted to be performed outside the school by a witch so young."
"I didn't perform it. I studied the theory."
"So, you had no former experience past theoretical study?" Lupin's brows shot up.
"That's what I said, isn't it? And, yes, before you tell me, know how impressive it is. I've gotten rather sick of people reminding me. Why you all insist on repeating the obvious is beyond me."
Lupin chuckled with more mirth then Valentine expected.
"You seem rather confident in your abilities."
"Naturally. I'm well aware of what I'm capable of."
"And those capabilities don't include following instructions and not behaving like a general delinquent?"
"It would seem not." Valentine shrugged, waving off the obvious dig.
"Perhaps you act out because of boredom." Lupin suggested. "As we've both noted, you're very intelligent, certainly more so than your classmates. You'd rather do nothing than focus on a subject your already know. Have you ever considered moving up a year? Maybe then you'd have more motivation to participate in class?"
Actually, no, Valentine had never considered that, but she also knew immediately that she could never let it happen. Staying in Harry's year was more convenient and allowed her access to him for large parts of the day.
Why in the world is he trying to help me? I'm not exactly the nicest girl around.
"Sounds like it'd be more trouble to arrange then it's worth." Valentine grumbled.
"Hardly." Said Lupin. "I'd be glad to assist and I'm sure your other professors would support the idea, especially if they thought it would improve your behaviour."
"I never asked for your help." Valentine snapped at him suddenly.
Lupin leaned back in his chair, thinking for a minute.
"Would you prefer to stay with your cousin and friends? You all seem like a tight-knit group."
"You can only imagine the chaos they would cause if left unattended."
"I do think they're quite old enough to manage themselves."
"Spend a full day with them and we'll see if it's still true. Regardless, if your goal in this insipid little conversation is to make me become a good and obedient student, I can assure you right now that changing my year won't make a bit of difference."
"Well, why not? Different environment and that's certainly something that affects us, particularly at your age."
"I rather find it's the other way around." Said Valentine. Her answer was vague, but Lupin was sharp and followed without issue. "You aren't going to try and do something horrible and cliches like making me realise the fault in my actions and strive to live a better life?"
Lupin smiled, just barely, tired eye's swimming with meaning.
"Would that be so terrible?"
"We live very different lives, sir." Although Valentine knew, there was probably more similarities. After all, he held a dark and damning secret of his own. And she didn't want to compare them on either darkness or damming. With things like this, there was no room for comparison. Darkness was still darkness. "Now, that really must be all your questions?"
"Actually-"
"Ugh."
Lupin laughed, full and bold like Valentine had told a joke.
"I was wondering about the situation concerning you and your Potions Professor. I was told you had to be forcibly removed from my class that he substituted."
"Is there a point to this line of reasoning? It hardly affects you. I regularly do things that irritate, Professor Snape. He is an easily irritated man."
"He certainly is." Lupin chuckled. "It has come to my attention although that Professor Snape tends...favour Slytherin house..."
"You're wondering why I am the exception?"
"Precisely."
"I suppose it's because of my darling personality and conversational skills. The poor man simply can't help but envy me. And, oh, how he'll he die alone, forgotten and unwanted. I get giddy just thinking about it."
Lupin laughed again, the sound filling the room. It reminded Valentine of Dumbledore and how he was always laughing at the things she said, particularly when they concerned Snape. She hoped the man's ears were burning.
"You know, Valentine," Lupin cocked his head to one side. "you are a most interesting girl. I definitely wasn't expecting this when I took the job."
"And on the contrary, sir, I'm afraid you are comprised of an entirely dull existence."
Lupin just grinned at that like it was a compliment.
"I can accept that. We can't all be interesting, then nobody would be."
"Indeed."
Another one of those moments of silence past and Lupin stretched his arms up over this head with a ground. Valentine heard something crack. A side effect of his condition she assumed.
"Well, then. Now, that I have my questions out of the way-"
"About damn time."
"-your punishment." Lupin stood, he grabbed a notebook and quill from his desk and placed them on hers.
"If you tell me to write lines, sir, you'll immediately be downgraded from dull to horrifically pedestrian."
"Now, now, would I do that to you?" Valentine looked him up and down, from scuffed shoes to scarred face. "Is there really need to be so judgemental?"
"Just one of my many talents, sir."
"No. You will not be writing lines. Personally, I find that form of punishment to be rather uninspired myself." He said, matter of factly. "Now, naturally you would recall how you yourself said that if you were to lecture the class on the subject of the Grindylow, then we would ultimately run out of time. Of course, it's true we don't have the luxury of hearing such a speech, however, I would rather like one. You have two hours, beginning when I say, to write me an essay entailing everything you know of the Grindylow. If it is not to my satisfaction, you will be writing it again. Any problems?"
"One." Said Valentine.
"Yes?"
"By that, I mean I'll only need one hour. I write quickly."
She was overstating herself a little and she knew it. She knew a lot after all but was confident, she could make it if she pushed.
What's life without challenges? At least no one dies if I fail this one.
"Well, then." Lupin headed back towards his desk. "One hour it is."
Valentine opened the notebook and inked her quill. Her mind flooded with facts and references and images. She was watching Lupin, waiting to start. He pulled out an old pocket watch, checked the time and smiled.
"You may start...now."