Thursday, 7 April 1977

Gwen and Lena were sitting on the sofa under bundles of blankets and were eating biscuits as they watched Doctor Who on the television. Peter had gone over to James' house.

"It makes no sense," Gwen said as she munched on her biscuit.

"I'm sorry, you can shoot water from your wand and this doesn't make sense to you," Lena said, offended.

Gwen shook her head. "You're such a weirdo."

"I'm not a weirdo. I'm just cultured."

Gwen laughed and ate her biscuit.

Lisa poked her head into the room. "Lena, love, could you come in here for a moment?"

"Sure, Mum," Lena said with a sigh.

She knew from the tone of her mother's voice that they were about to have the dreaded conversation her parents had mentioned in their last letter.

"I'll be back," Lena said to Gwen before following her mother into the kitchen.

Lena sat in front of her parents at the table and fiddled with her fingers.

"Do you remember Mrs. Burton, your old school teacher?" Lisa began.

"The one who took my hair ribbon from me because she said I played with it too much and that it distracted me?" Lena said, still bitter about the whole incident. She had really liked the hair ribbon. It had been blue with clouds on it.

"That's the one," Mark laughed.

"Well, I ran into her a few weeks ago when I was shopping in the market," Lisa said.

"Okay," Lena dragged out, not really sure where the conversation was going. She highly doubted that Mrs. Burton returned her hair ribbon to her mother or that her parents were going to reprimand her for being distracted over something that happened five years prior.

"Well, she remembered you and that you have dyslexia," Lisa said.

Lena bit her lip.

"Because of that, she mentioned this place called the Dyslexia Institute. Your old school is going to send a teacher there over the summer. The institute apparently offers classes to show teachers and parents how to teach kids with dyslexia and they also offer classes for kids with dyslexia," Mark continued.

"The point is that we think all three of us should take classes there over the summer," Lisa continued. "They'll teach you reading and writing strategies and note taking. We know you said it's sometimes hard to write down what people are saying. And the institute can better show us how to help you. And maybe after learning about all these strategies, you'll have more time to enjoy yourself and you'll be less stressed and things will be easier."

Lena looked away from her parents and stared at the fridge and the photos plastered on it.

She swallowed. "Why didn't we take classes there when I was younger? That would've been helpful."

Mark sighed. "They didn't open until 1972 and you had just started Hogwarts. And the Institute's not very well advertised either."

Lena nodded and looked back at her parents. "I'd like to take some classes there."

Lisa smiled. "Wonderful. We'll ring them later and set something up."

Lena kissed her father and her mother on their cheeks. "Thank you… I really appreciate it," Lena whispered.

"You know we'd do anything for you," Lisa said and turned slightly to touch Lena's cheek.

Lena smiled. "I know."

Lena walked out of the kitchen and took her spot next to Gwen.

Gwen turned her head and looked at her. "So, dyslexia, huh?"

"You heard all of that?" Lena asked, embarrassed. She was working on not being embarrassed, though.

"Your parents aren't exactly quiet."

Lena let out a little laugh. "I know."

"You're embarrassed," Gwen said. It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah," Lena mumbled.

"You shouldn't be," Gwen said.

"I know, but I am."

"It's not embarrassing," Gwen said.

Lena shook her head. "It makes me feel dumb."

"You're not dumb," Gwen said. "I know a lot of dumb people and you're not one of them."

Lena raised an en eyebrow. "Name one person who's dumber than me."

"I've got a whole list, Lee, starting with my brother."

And Lena couldn't help but laugh. She felt very lucky to have a friend like Gwen.

"I can't believe she took your hair ribbon," Gwen commented.

"I know, right!" Lena cried.

Wednesday, 13 April 1977

Gwen bit her lip in concentration as she stated at the paper in front of her as she, Lena, and Peter ate breakfast together in Diagon Alley.

"I've narrowed it down to three options: hospital volunteer at St. Mungo's, test subject, or assistant cook," Gwen declared. Gwen had come to the conclusion that she needed a job in order to get a flat for the summer as she had been disowned by her family. The issue with finding a job was that very few people were offering high enough paying summer jobs to sixth year going on to seventh year students.

Finding a Muggle job for Gwen was out of the question. Gwen did not know enough about the Muggle world to work in it and was used to carrying out Muggle tasks with magic.

"Can you cook?" Lena asked, tilting her head as she bit into her chocolate chip muffin.

"I can boil water," Gwen said.

"So what you're saying is that you can't cook," Peter said as he ate the strawberries on his plate.

"Correct," Gwen said, sipping her cup of black coffee.

"And what does the profession of a test subject entail?" Peter asked, sounding slightly amused.

Gwen looked down at the paper. "Apparently, I would be subjected to 'various experimental spells and potions.'"

"You are not doing that!" Lena cried.

"But it pays two-hundred Galleons per test!" Gwen protested.

Lena snatched the paper from her hands. "Yeah! Because it 'may end in serious illness or death!'" Lena pointed.

"Yeah, but what's the likelyhood of that happening?" Gwen said nonchalantly. "Ten percent?"

Peter peered over his sister' shoulder. "Sixty percent."

"Oh, fuck," Gwen muttered. "Hospital volunteer it is then."

"Well, that's really great that the classes are gonna teach you strategies and everything, Lee," Remus said as he rested her head on his shoulder while they sat on his bed.

"I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine" was playing quietly on the record player Lena had given Remus for his birthday. The Hobbit was resting on his nightstand. Photographs were pinned to a board on the wall. Lena smiled when she noticed she was in some of them.

"I'm really excited about it, but I'm worried that I'm gonna be the oldest one in the class. What if everyone else is eight and thinks I'm really stupid?"

"I'm pretty sure that's not gonna happen. I think there's a lot of people who are in the same boat as you. And if for some reason the unlikely does happen, they'll probably think you're the coolest one there because you can actually go places without your mum and dad."

Lena smiled and kissed him softly. "You're sweet."

Remus grinned and kissed her back. "It's from all the chocolate," he said as they pulled apart.

Lena laughed and snuggled closer to Remus, who picked up the book on his night stand. He opened the book and flipped to a page that he had flapped. It was one of the pages Lena had drawn on. She had drawn Bilbo coming home to Bad End.

"This one's my favorite one you drew," he said.

"Really? How come?" Lena asked.

"I dunno. I guess I just found it satisfying. So many things change, but he goes back to his home and everything's the same. It feels safe," Remus finished.

Lena smiled. "I thi—"

Lena was cut off by a knock on the door. "Is everyone decent in there?" Lyall's voice echoed.

Lena wondered if she was as red as Remus was as she looked. He was sputtering, unable to form a coherent sentence. Hope, on the other hand, was able to.

"Lyall!" Hope shouted loudly from outside Remus' room. "You can't go asking them that!"

"Yes!" Remus, still mortified, managed to yell back in response to his father's earlier question.

Remus and Lena moved apart slightly as they saw the door to Remus' room open. Lyall inspected the room, looked at the pair of teenagers, and let out a sigh of relief. "You two had me worried there with the door closed."

Lena wished she could Apparate out of the room. Remus wished he had a Time Turner to prevent what had just happened.

"We were just hanging out, Dad," Remus said, sounding both embarrassed and exasperated.

"If you say so," Lyall said, not quite believing the pair, who were in fact telling the truth. "Anyways, it's getting late, Lena. Your parents probably want you to head home soon."

Lena nodded and got up to leave, happy to leave the awkward situation but sad to say goodbye to Remus.