Atlas wants to skip the next Defense lesson.
But he forces himself to go anyhow, as he will not balk before Lupin.
He sits near the back with Mina beside him and Theodore pestering him about the bandages still wrapped about his hand, and when Lupin comes in he watches the man with narrowed eyes.
For his part the Professor actually surprised Atlas a bit, only glancing at the boy once before diving into the lesson and not giving Atlas any more mind than usual. The most personal attention he did give him was when they began working with their wands and he excused Atlas due to the stiffness of his fingers still causing using a wand a bit of difficulty.
Atlas didn't trust it. Many adults, out of misplaced feelings of superiority or familiarity, when they saw what they believed to be trouble in a child often didn't just give up when told off.
So Atlas watched the Professor carefully and cautiously.
Eventually the lesson ended, and Lupin dismissed them.
Before he left, Lupin called out, "Mr. Black, a word if you would?"
Atlas sighed ready finally to face the inevitable show of ill-advised concern and walked slowly towards the desk near the front.
He doesn't say anything, just stands at the desk and waits with a brow raised. His arms crossed and his bandaged hand flexing a bit with the stiffness still present from the spells Pomfrey had used to heal it.
Lupin smiles, but doesn't immediately dive into any sort of lecture, or show of concern. Instead he bends down beneath his desk and when he stands back up he has a book in his grasp. He holds it out, "I thought this might be of some interest to you."
Atlas's brow furrows, and he reaches with his non-injured hand to take it. It's a small book, one he's not seen in the library before. An Overview of the Non-Being Creatures of the World.
He flips it open, skimming through the pages quickly and spotting illustrations of several different creatures, but most notable being that of Dementor. He glances up at Lupin and once again raises his brow in question.
"You seem to have a natural curiosity," Lupin explains, "and I thought perhaps knowing more about the creature that you interacted with last night would hold some interest to you."
Atlas frowns, and looks to the book. Utterly perplexed and confused at what exactly Lupin was playing at.
"I have others, if you finish that book and find you have more interest in that sort of subject." Lupin smiles, warm and inviting but all too suspicious for Atlas. It didn't line up with where he had expected the man to be viewing him after last night. "This classroom is full of interesting books like that actually, things not in the library, mostly random collections brought in by the various professors over the years."
"Is there anything else, Professor?" Atlas interrupts.
Lupin smiles still, but shakes his head. Clearly this was all. Just a book that he thought would hold some interest to Atlas. "No, that was it."
And little else occurred.
Atlas walked from the class with a frown and a small book on non-beings.
Atlas is glad for the distraction of the first trip to Hogsmeade.
More than ready to explore the wizarding village and figure out what the whole big deal was that made it the most wonderful thing. All the students buzzing with excitement the morning of Halloween at the anticipation of going down to Hogsmeade.
"We'll have to get plenty of sweets." Mina declares as they sit at breakfast, discussing the day ahead. "And try the butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, my brother says they're fantastic."
"Don't forget Zonkos," Theodore informs as he leans himself into the conversation. "Find something good to terrorize the first years with."
"I didn't know you relished terrorizing first years, Nott." Atlas remarks, flipping his page in the book Lupin had given him. He was near half-way through his second reading of it.
"Only the ones who had the audacity to spill a whole goblet of pumpkin juice on me the night before." Theodore throws a rather wicked glare down the table, to which the supposed first year in question looks up and sees only to look down with absolute fear.
"I'll just be happy to find a bookshop that has something interesting to read." Atlas shuts his book, tired of looking at it for the morning and leaning forward to rest on the table.
"What?" Theodore reaches across and snatches the book in question. "This not interesting you anymore? It's all I've seen you reading the last week."
"Exactly," Atlas remarks bored, "it's a small book, interesting enough on the first read, but doesn't offer much else on the second."
"You could ask Lupin for another from the Defense classroom?" Mina chimes up.
"Wait," Theodore gets a mischievous glint to his eye, "Professor Lupin gave you this?" He turns the book over, studying it further before glancing up to Atlas with a smirk, "never took you for a teachers pet, Black."
"I'm not," Atlas reaches and takes the book back. "I couldn't care less about Professor Lupin, even if he does supply me with books."
"But that's like your favorite thing!" Mina teases, resulting in Atlas glaring hard at her and her laughing brightly.
"Yes well, all the more reason for new books from Hogsmeade." Atlas says, "to save Professor Lupin from thinking he actually got me to like him."
"You've got to admit though," Mina says, "he is the best of the Defense professors we've had."
"That doesn't mean I want to be all chummy with him."
"Even if he gives you interesting books?" Theodore teases as he leans forward more upon the table.
Atlas takes the interesting book and smacks it against Theodores head, earning a loud yelp and look of indignation as Atlas leans back on the bench and smirks. "Perhaps it has more uses after all."
Theodore flips up a middle finger at Atlas while Atlas just keeps smirking at the other boy before taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.
Hogsmeade is a decent distraction from the day to day of Hogwarts, Atlas concedes by the end of the trip.
The Three Broomsticks was crowded with students, a fact Atlas wasn't all too a fan of, but had lived up to expectation in regards to the butterbeer Madam Rosmerta was famous for.
Honeydukes had been similarly crowded, and while sweets were definitely enjoyable Atlas more so doubted they made up the difference the way the butter beer had. Bumping shoulders on the way to the sugar quills and chocolate frogs with every other student in Hogwarts had left him in so foul a mood that he'd nearly hexed the next one before Mina just gently pushed him out of the shop and told him she'd grab his sweets for him.
Atlas hadn't even bothered with Zonkos, no matter Theodores insistence. Instead he had immediately separated from the small group of Slytherins and found his way to the bookshop, Tomes and Scrolls.
It was thankfully less crowded. Evidently most students wanting to spend the weekend away from Hogwarts and also away from books in general. He could see a few Ravenclaws meandering the stacks but otherwise it was relatively barren of anything but books.
Exactly the sort of place Atlas preferred.
He moves about the stacks, running hands across spines on the shelves as he searches the contents for sparks of interest. He retrieves a book for further reading on Non-Beings and tucks it under his arm to buy after skimming through it to see if it was decently written or not.
He's got a few more books in his collection as the time passes within the bookshop. A tome on advancements in potion making, a book about various methods of detecting dark objects, and a more over-embellished telling of Merlin that caught the very small limit of interest Atlas held in general fiction.
He's rounding the corner into the Transfiguration section and finds himself nearly toppling a frizzy haired Granger who had been stood on the edge of the shelf to reach a book on the top.
She yelps as her foot slips and he reaches sharply out to grab her arm, not keeping her from falling off the shelf itself but keeping her from falling completely to the floor and potentially injuring herself further.
"You do realize, Granger, that there are things called stepstools?" He remarks as he releases his grip upon her immediately, "or even simpler yet, magic."
The Gryffindor girl is steadying herself now that she's stood on the floor and not the shelf before bending down and swiping the book that had been in her hand upon her tumble. "I didn't want to go fetch the stepstool," She remarks, "It seemed simple enough to grab…" She looks to him, and evidently suddenly registers that it was him that had both knocked her from her climb and kept her from falling to the floor entirely.
Atlas has not actually ever interacted with Hermione Granger. Atlas didn't make much effort in general to interact outside of what people were required of him, and that tended to be fairly limited to Professors and other Slytherins. Besides, Granger and the general Potter trio seemed to always be in more trouble than Atlas ever wanted to deal with. As such Granger eyed him with a mix of wide eyed shock and skepticism.
He glances to the book that had apparently been worth the trouble of potential falling, and scoffs. "If you want a book on advanced Transfiguration theories there are far better ones than that drivel." He glances up at the stacks, "certainly ones more worth potential visits to the hospital wing."
"Professor McGonagall recommended…" Hermione starts to defend, straightening up and frowning fiercely. All previous nerves evidently at having noticed it was him shedding away in face of being told something she was doing academically was wrong.
"Then perhaps she wants you to see what not to listen to in terms of theory," Atlas pulls his wand and summons a book from the top shelf. "Or perhaps she's simply outdated in some of the newer theories, wouldn't blame her on that, she's quite well in all other aspects, but she is also older so." He shrugged and handed out the book he'd retrieved.
"McGonagall is not outdated," Hermione huffs, a bit of something fierce in her eyes in defense of her Head of House. "Her theory teaching is all sound and rooted very well with logical and well researched evidence."
"Plenty of outdated theories hold logical and well researched evidence," Atlas responds, leaning leisurely against the shelf. "Until of course more logical and researched evidence comes to light for the new theories."
Hermione frowns and looks like she's about to start up on some in depth debate. "Get both," Atlas nods, a challenging smirk playing at his lips. "Compare, and if you still think that drivel is more sound and logical than I'll eat my words."
Hermione studies the two books, and bites at her lip before looking up at him with narrowed eyes. "I only needed to get one book."
"I'll buy it then." He shrugs, "if you end up not liking it I'll take it and keep it myself."
"You've read it already."
"May not have spoken at all with you Granger but I think I know of you enough to be of the understanding that you're not one to balk at the idea of rereading texts." He holds out his hand for the book back and she hesitates before handing it over.
He makes his way to the counter, placing his collection of books upon it and waiting for the old bookkeep to ring up his total.
Atlas waits by the front door, leaning against the wood and alternating between looking out the window at the main street of Hogsmeade and flipping through the transfiguration book, skimming over the bits and pieces as a reminder of the contents within. Hermione steps up several moments later and he thinks for a second she's just going to barge past him, leave him with the book and settle herself with the old outdated theories.
Instead she stops right before him, frowning at him while her eyes study him like he's some entirely perplexing puzzle. It wasn't exactly the same way most others studied him, looking for ghosts of the past, but it was something deep that made Atlas the slightest bit uncomfortable.
He holds the book out lazily, a raised brow in challenge, and nearly snorts a sharp laugh when she snatches it and holds it tight against her chest. "I doubt it'll be better." She states sharp and with her chin raised before pushing open the door and exiting out into the street.
Atlas sighs, and sidles out himself. He watches her meet up with Weasley, the two moving towards the Three Broomsticks together to get some last bit of enjoyment out of the last hour or so of Hogsmeade before they'd all have to trudge back up to the castle for the Halloween feast.
Atlas glances towards Zonkos, figuring his classmates are either still within or have moved to some other shop. He sighs and glances towards the castle, the idea of searching through crowded Zonkos or looking about the other shops for Mina or the others tired him and thus instead he started the opposite way, beginning the walk back to the castle with the plans of at least starting one of the new books he'd acquired.
Atlas takes the hour or so before the return of the other students and the start of the Halloween feast to finish his re-read of the book Professor Lupin had lended him.
He finishes quickly, having read it already and having meant what he'd said to Theodore earlier. It was an interesting read, on the first go. But offered very little insight past that first pass over.
He shifts the book hand to hand before deciding to just return it. Get it over and done with and move on from whatever it was that Lupin had intended in his lending of the book.
Making his way to the defense classroom he enters to find it empty, but the office door was ajar with a bit of light and the sound of soft conversation within. Atlas knocks, lightly, and enters at Lupins acknowledgement.
"Mr. Black," Lupin greets upon seeing who was intruding, with a bit of overly pleased surprise that made Atlas wish to just drop the book off quietly and depart.
"I've come to return this." He extends the book and Lupin stands to grab it. Atlas notices now the other occupant of the room and conversation he'd heard. Harry Potter was sat with a cup of tea in hand. Evidently the Professor was forming a pattern of giving tea to orphan boys, a soft spot perhaps.
It did make Atlas ponder over whether the man had known Harry's father. They'd have been in the same year, the same house.
Just like his uncle.
Potter was glancing over Atlas with a curious look. Perhaps the Boy Who Lived was looking for some sign of the man who'd escaped Azkaban to kill him. Atlas wondered, how much did Potter really know of Sirius Black.
"Any thoughts?" Lupin inquired, taking the book and resettling it onto one of the shelves within the office. There were plenty, with various tomes of different sizes and ages and subjects upon them.
"Interesting, but not very deep." Atlas states shortly. Studying the shelves he saw that while the subjects varied they all seemed to hold a thread of being tied to the dark arts, or defense of it.
"Yes, well," Lupin shrugs, "perhaps another would go deeper." Lupin raises his wand, and another tome, thicker than the last he'd given, floats down from the shelves. "This, not as broad a selection of non-beings studied, but far more in depth."
"I don't need another book." Atlas says, a saying he'd never really spoken before but he was far too skeptical of Lupins intentions.
Lupin studies him, and nods. "Very well," he pats a hand upon it. "If you change your mind feel free to inform me."
"I won't." Atlas states firmly, but he still glances at the book for a long moment before turning and departing the room.
Several minutes pass before Potter catches up with him, halfway to the Great Hall and holding the book in question. "Professor Lupin said you should take it anyways." Harry informs him, hesitantly in a way that was not so fitting of the hero of the wizarding world.
"Professor Lupin needs to learn to keep his nosiness to himself." Atlas remarks sharply, but takes the book regardless.
"Did you not like the other book?" Potter inquires, confusion clear.
"It was interesting." Atlas sighs, why today of all days he was now suddenly interacting with two of the infamous trio was beyond him, but he swore if somehow he struck up a conversation with Weasley he would start hexing them all. "But like I said, I don't need Lupin nosing in on my business."
"Giving you a book hardly seems like nosiness." Potter remarks, scratching his neck.
"Everything has a motive, Potter, even something as innocent as a lending a book." Atlas tucks the book under his arms and turns towards the dungeons, leaving Potter alone.
Atlas glances at the spine of the tome and sighs, hopefully it would be interesting enough to be worth it.
The feast goes as it usually does.
Jack-o-lanterns float above the Great Hall, live bats flew above all the students, and fitting music was charmed to play through the room. The food as extravagant and themed for the holiday as always, and at one point the Ghosts of the castle came through performing a special production for them all.
It was exciting, and over the top. Atlas spent most of it skimming through his new book on non-beings as he ate the special confectionaries that had been made for the night.
He was more than happy really to retire as the feast died down, walking between Theo and Mina with Daphne on the otherwise of Mina.
Draco had regaled once again the apparent tragedy of his arm and the Hippogriff, his father had apparently succeeded in getting the thing put up for a hearing with the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. He was now though bemoaning that Dumbledore was protecting Hagrid, who he consistently called a great oaf who had no right teaching.
"Hagrid isn't really all that bad a teacher," Mina remarks as they walk towards the dungeons. "That first lesson was really interesting, it's honestly a shame that the whole mess that came of it has discouraged him."
"Still showing your uncharacteristic softness for the underdog I see, Thistlewaite," Theodore jokes, "the sorting hat should have put you in Hufflepuff if you're going to be mooning over Longbottom and feeling bad for half-giants."
"Having sympathy doesn't mean I can't still curse you," Mina threatens, though there is very little venom behind it. "And saying that he would be a good teacher if his first lesson wasn't a disaster isn't softness, it's practical. He tried hard, got put down, and now we the students are suffering for it." She crosses her arms and looks away.
"Tender spot there?" Theodore chuckles.
"Leave Mina alone," Atlas responds plainly, "she has every right to be upset that a class is less than adequate by the fault of Malfoy."
"He really should have just listened," Daphne remarks, "Hagrid had clearly given the instructions on how to interact with a Hippogriff. And he disregarded them because he wanted to show up Potter." Daphne shakes her head.
"When doesn't he want to show up Potter?" Theodore bemoans. "It's really getting wearying."
"It's always been wearying." Atlas states.
They're saved from any further talk on Draco Malfoy by a first year sprinting by, he stops panting before them wide eyed with a spark of something apparently interesting having occurred. He looks at Atlas with just a bit too much interest that it sets Atlas's hackles up a bit. "Have you heard?" The first year smiles with bristling excitement at the prospect of sharing gossip, "Sirius Blacks been in the castle."
Sirius Black has been in Hogwarts.
He attacked the Fat Lady portrait in an apparent attempt to get into the Gryffindor common room. And now the student body was laid about the Great Hall for the evening to sleep as the Professors and faculty searched the halls for the escaped convict.
Atlas rolled over once more on the floor. To say it was uncomfortable was selling it far too short. He longed for his bed in the Slytherin dormitories, soft and meant for comfort. Not a hard floor with a sleeping bag and hundreds of other students of varying snoring levels surrounding him.
He'd only just gotten used to Goyles incessant snoring and Notts tendency to talk in his sleep. Now he was stuck with the whole of the student bodies strange sleeping habits keeping him awake.
And the horridly uncomfortable floor.
Part of him wanted to just figure a way to sneak out of the hall and down to the dungeons. What would Sirius Black have to do down there? Atlas doubted the former Gryffindor would even know where to find the entrance to the Slytherin common room anyhow.
Another part of him, a more bitter and now well known part, wanted to search the castle himself and curse his damned uncle for preventing him a good night of sleep.
Atlas knew he'd get no sleep here. He laid staring at the starry night of the ceiling and listened as the hours passed and more students fell deeper into sleep.
Teachers came in every hour, checking to see that all the students were quiet and safe.
Near three in the morning Dumbledore came through, walking amongst the slumbering students. Atlas rolled onto his side, though he'd always hated and been unable to sleep this way, and feigned sleep. He didn't want to be lectured for being awake, and he was curious enough despite his own internal warnings to keep his nose out of anything to do with Sirius.
They talk of the search, which appears to be fruitless. Dumbledore evidently seeming unconcerned and unsurprised, "I didn't really expect Black to linger."
"Remarkable feat, don't you think?" Professor Snape remarks. "To enter Hogwarts castle, on ones own, completely undetected."
"Quite remarkable, yeah." Dumbledore says.
"Any theories as to how he might have managed it?" Snape inquires.
"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next." Dumbledore and Snape walk past Atlas, and he listens to the soft steps as they pass.
"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before the start of term?" Snape asks quietly as they walk, steadily getting further from him, their voices growing softer with distance. "I did express my concerns about the appointment of Professor—"
"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would help Sirius Black to enter it." Dumbledore interrupts.
Atlas ponders on Snapes concerns, and thinks of the new professors this year the one he must be most concerned over would have to be Lupin. Snape had never seemed fond of the new defense teacher, though that could easily be chalked up to the man taking a position that was well known to be wanted by Snape. It does make Atlas wonder if perhaps it has to do with whatever deeper bit of relationship the Professor shared with his uncle, the two attending Hogwarts at the same time in the same house.
Atlas thought again on the way Lupin had spoken of Sirius, a small statement of the two sharing a year. The concerns regarding Atlas's homelife, and its surface level similarities to the man Lupin had shared school years with.
But whatever relationship there had been between Lupin and Sirius Black it had very likely died thirteen years ago, and as such Atlas leant more towards Dumbledores way of thought. There was very little reason to believe any teacher, even one who may have once been friends with the man, would let Sirius in and create such a risk.
Still, Atlas spent the rest of the night pondering the how of Sirius Blacks entrance to the castle after rolling once again to his back and watching the magical reflection of the night sky upon the ceiling of the great hall. It was a curious puzzle, and as he'd get no sleep because of his uncle, perhaps he could at least preoccupy his mind with the curiosity as compensation.
Thank you so much for reading and for all the lovely comments that have been left!