Chapter 4- The Date
Remus sat patiently in Dumbledore's office, watching the older wizard finish some paper work. Finally, he looked up.
"Now what was it you were sent here for Mr. Lupin?" he asked kindly.
"It was just …a….um….misunderstanding…." Remus mumbled. The lump in his throat that had been growing while sitting finally clogged his throat, making the words he wanted to say impossible to come out of his mouth. One thought haunted him. The thought that he might be kicked out of Hogwarts at last.
Dumbledore studied the boy in front of him. He was happy Remus had been able to learn and grow up at Hogwarts. He knew that his decision to accept Remus had been the right one.
"What kind of misunderstanding?" he asked.
"I spoke my …um…private opinion of the potions professor aloud in class. He was being his usual self and it just came out."
Remus looked up in surprise at hearing Dumbledore chuckle.
"Remus I see no problem here. I believe Professor Findorris overreacts to the trivial things his students do. Especially if they are housed in Gryffindor."
Remus felt the lump in his throat dissolve and the thought that had been haunting him disappeared.
"I suggest you make sure you keep your private opinions of your professors to yourself," Dumbledore said quietly.
"Yes professor," Remus replied.
"Now off you go. I think it would be a good idea if you stayed in the Gryffindor common room until lunch. There is no need for you to return to potions today. Get the work from one of your friends."
"Thank you," Remus said gratefully, "Thanks for everything."
"It's been an exciting 7 years hasn't it Mr. Lupin?" Dumbledore said with sparkling eyes.
Remus replied with a mischievous grin and left the office. Dumbledore watched him go. He thought about the previous years and the small adventures and troubles Remus and his friends had found their way into. For some reason he suspected great things to come from all of them. Even the small Peter he believed would have a role in future events.
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The day seemed to pass by slowly for Remus. Lunch was spent quietly talking with his friends about how to get back at the Slytherins and the rest of his classes were a bore. Only during dinner did he finally start to perk up and to his dismay his friends caught on.
"You know you've been all gloomy and edgy since you left Dumbledore's office and now you're giddy and excited," Sirius said shaking his head, "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothings wrong. I'm just glad the days classes are over," Remus replied.
"Sure," Peter shot back. He was sitting next to Sirius, trying to keep a smile off his face.
"I know why you're happy," he teased. Sirius's face brightened as it dawned on him.
Remus quickly looked to his right, hoping James would say something to change the subject and rescue him. James though seemed too occupied with Lily. Remus frowned.
"I remember now," Sirius cried breaking through Remus's thoughts, "You have that little tutoring session with Molly after dinner. Ha! Tutoring…you can't fool us Moony my friend. I know what you have planned."
"Don't be gross Sirius," Remus growled back. He stared at his plate.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Sirius said with a mock expression of shock on his face which quickly turned to an almost evil grin, "but I know what your going to do. You're going to sweep her off her feet! You're going to…."
Remus stopped listening a few minutes later. He didn't need Sirius ruining his night. Once he was finished, Remus hurried to the Gryffindor common room. He didn't bother to wait for the others. All through dinner, he had to ignore their teasing. Even James and Lily, when they had joined the conversation started to tease him. James saying it was about time he got into a serious relationship while Lily kept on saying how cute it was that they were finally getting together. They ignored Remus every time he tried to tell them he was just tutoring her.
When he reached the dormitory, Remus quickly gathered together his Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook and notebook. Then he looked at himself in the mirror, checking for anything that might seem out of place. Besides some bags under his eyes which could be explained by staying up late and doing homework, nothing was out of the ordinary. He smiled and prayed silently that any other symptoms would stay away for the night.
The sounds of kids entering the common room made him stiffen. He checked the time and relaxed slightly. He had twenty minutes before he had to meet Molly in the library. Grabbing his books, Remus quickly made his way to the Gryffindor common room. He scanned the crowd for his friends, hoping to avoid them. Once he was in the hall, Remus sighed and couldn't believe his luck. At least I got off to a good start, he thought as he walked towards the library.
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Remus scanned the library for Molly when he entered. Not seeing her, he set his books on an empty table and waited. It seemed like forever before Molly showed up but she was right on time.
"Hello," she said taking a seat next to him.
"Hey," Remus replied with a smile.
"Thank you so much for saying you'd help me," she said quietly, "I know this must be weird for you. After what happened last year…"
Remus looked at her in surprise. She brought it up as if it was a small incident that hadn't changed anything. Yet surely she must have noticed how he had been acting around her since last year. Remus felt bad just thinking about it.
"Don't worry about it," he said softly, "why don't we get started?"
Molly nodded and opened her book to the chapter. They went through it slowly, Remus asking her questions and explaining anything she didn't understand. He watched her concentrate on the work noticing how great she looked when she was thinking. After an hour and a half of work they were finished. Together, they walked back to the Gryffindor common room. When they were outside the entrance, they stopped.
"Thanks again," Molly mumbled, blushing. There was an awkward silence and then Remus spoke.
"Do you like Quidditch?" he blurted. Molly nodded, looking at him eagerly.
"Well," he said nervously, "I was wondering if you'd um…like to go with me to the game tomorrow? I mean if you wanted to go and wanted to hang out with me and I guess Sirius and Peter and Lily too since they'll be there. It's a big game for James, him being the Gryffindor seeker and all," he babbled.
Molly's face brightened.
"I'd love to go with you!" she replied. Remus smiled happily back.
"Alright, I'll meet you in the Gryffindor common room then before the match."
Molly nodded.
"It was fun tonight," she murmured. Then she hurried into the common room. Remus waited a moment and then followed her. He wasn't surprised to find his friends waiting for him.
"Well well, the night must have went well," James said with a grin, "Molly just ran upstairs with a bunch of other girls giggling like anything. What'd you do?"
Remus smiled and flopped onto a couch, next to Peter.
"We're going to the Quidditch game together tomorrow," he replied dreamily.
"Why I think our Mooney is in love!" Peter laughed.
"It's about time," Sirius replied with a slight smile, "It took you long enough to ask her out." Remus's smile faltered a moment but then returned. His friends caught it and James quickly jumped to a conclusion.
"You haven't been out with her before have you?" he asked quietly. Remus gave him a surprised look.
"No, why?"
"Just now, you had a funny look on your face when Sirius said it took you long enough to ask her out!" Peter squealed.
"My god! You've been out with her before!?" Sirius cried.
"No!" Remus replied, giving them a helpless look. His friends stared back and he sighed.
"There was an incident in the library last year…" he started. His friends erupted in a talking frenzy and he laughed.
"Alright!" he cried over his friends jabbering, "we kissed once in the library!"
His friends gave him a shocked look.
"Why?" Peter asked with a confused look. Remus glared at him and Sirius snickered.
"Well, what happened!" James asked anxiously. Remus sighed.
"We've known Molly for a while you know, because she's been friends with Lily," his friends nodded, "well, she was in the library by herself one day and we started talking. I had a crush on her last year before I got together with Judy. Anyway, she asked me some homework questions and I helped her. Then she kissed me. That was also the day Judy and I broke up. Turns out someone told her they saw me and Molly kissing. She dumped me without listening to any of my explanations. After that, me and Molly kind of avoided each other."
"Let me guess, you avoided her the most," Sirius said knowingly.
"It was weird," Remus snapped.
"This is Remus we're talking about," James replied, "he's uncomfortable with girls and dating."
"Why thank you Prongs," Remus said sarcastically.
"So you could say you started to date her last year," Peter mused.
"No you couldn't. Now I have to go right two humongous papers for that stuck up Potion's professor," Remus said with a sigh, "See ya later."
His friends watched him go up to the boy's dormitory. The others waited a moment and then Lily appeared, coming from the girl's dormitory. Quietly, she told the others about what Molly had said about Remus.
"Oh you should have heard her!" she cried happily, "She's so happy he asked her out again! You know she's had a crush on him forever!"
"If three years could be considered forever," Sirius grumbled. Lily shot him a look that made Sirius shut up.
"You should be happy for him," Lily scolded, "he's never been in a happy relationship. Believe me, word travels fast amongst the girls in every house. Except maybe Slytherin."
"Let's hope this one lasts," Peter added. His friends nodded.
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Remus listened as his friends changed the subject. His face burned with something between anger and embarrassment. His friends were checking up on his love life? Could he have no privacy? Quietly he walked up to the dormitory and tried to start his papers. Nevertheless, his mind always seemed to wander to Molly or his sneaky friends. He shook his head. He might as well tell them everything, after all, they'd find out one way or another.
Remus sat patiently in Dumbledore's office, watching the older wizard finish some paper work. Finally, he looked up.
"Now what was it you were sent here for Mr. Lupin?" he asked kindly.
"It was just …a….um….misunderstanding…." Remus mumbled. The lump in his throat that had been growing while sitting finally clogged his throat, making the words he wanted to say impossible to come out of his mouth. One thought haunted him. The thought that he might be kicked out of Hogwarts at last.
Dumbledore studied the boy in front of him. He was happy Remus had been able to learn and grow up at Hogwarts. He knew that his decision to accept Remus had been the right one.
"What kind of misunderstanding?" he asked.
"I spoke my …um…private opinion of the potions professor aloud in class. He was being his usual self and it just came out."
Remus looked up in surprise at hearing Dumbledore chuckle.
"Remus I see no problem here. I believe Professor Findorris overreacts to the trivial things his students do. Especially if they are housed in Gryffindor."
Remus felt the lump in his throat dissolve and the thought that had been haunting him disappeared.
"I suggest you make sure you keep your private opinions of your professors to yourself," Dumbledore said quietly.
"Yes professor," Remus replied.
"Now off you go. I think it would be a good idea if you stayed in the Gryffindor common room until lunch. There is no need for you to return to potions today. Get the work from one of your friends."
"Thank you," Remus said gratefully, "Thanks for everything."
"It's been an exciting 7 years hasn't it Mr. Lupin?" Dumbledore said with sparkling eyes.
Remus replied with a mischievous grin and left the office. Dumbledore watched him go. He thought about the previous years and the small adventures and troubles Remus and his friends had found their way into. For some reason he suspected great things to come from all of them. Even the small Peter he believed would have a role in future events.
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The day seemed to pass by slowly for Remus. Lunch was spent quietly talking with his friends about how to get back at the Slytherins and the rest of his classes were a bore. Only during dinner did he finally start to perk up and to his dismay his friends caught on.
"You know you've been all gloomy and edgy since you left Dumbledore's office and now you're giddy and excited," Sirius said shaking his head, "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothings wrong. I'm just glad the days classes are over," Remus replied.
"Sure," Peter shot back. He was sitting next to Sirius, trying to keep a smile off his face.
"I know why you're happy," he teased. Sirius's face brightened as it dawned on him.
Remus quickly looked to his right, hoping James would say something to change the subject and rescue him. James though seemed too occupied with Lily. Remus frowned.
"I remember now," Sirius cried breaking through Remus's thoughts, "You have that little tutoring session with Molly after dinner. Ha! Tutoring…you can't fool us Moony my friend. I know what you have planned."
"Don't be gross Sirius," Remus growled back. He stared at his plate.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Sirius said with a mock expression of shock on his face which quickly turned to an almost evil grin, "but I know what your going to do. You're going to sweep her off her feet! You're going to…."
Remus stopped listening a few minutes later. He didn't need Sirius ruining his night. Once he was finished, Remus hurried to the Gryffindor common room. He didn't bother to wait for the others. All through dinner, he had to ignore their teasing. Even James and Lily, when they had joined the conversation started to tease him. James saying it was about time he got into a serious relationship while Lily kept on saying how cute it was that they were finally getting together. They ignored Remus every time he tried to tell them he was just tutoring her.
When he reached the dormitory, Remus quickly gathered together his Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook and notebook. Then he looked at himself in the mirror, checking for anything that might seem out of place. Besides some bags under his eyes which could be explained by staying up late and doing homework, nothing was out of the ordinary. He smiled and prayed silently that any other symptoms would stay away for the night.
The sounds of kids entering the common room made him stiffen. He checked the time and relaxed slightly. He had twenty minutes before he had to meet Molly in the library. Grabbing his books, Remus quickly made his way to the Gryffindor common room. He scanned the crowd for his friends, hoping to avoid them. Once he was in the hall, Remus sighed and couldn't believe his luck. At least I got off to a good start, he thought as he walked towards the library.
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Remus scanned the library for Molly when he entered. Not seeing her, he set his books on an empty table and waited. It seemed like forever before Molly showed up but she was right on time.
"Hello," she said taking a seat next to him.
"Hey," Remus replied with a smile.
"Thank you so much for saying you'd help me," she said quietly, "I know this must be weird for you. After what happened last year…"
Remus looked at her in surprise. She brought it up as if it was a small incident that hadn't changed anything. Yet surely she must have noticed how he had been acting around her since last year. Remus felt bad just thinking about it.
"Don't worry about it," he said softly, "why don't we get started?"
Molly nodded and opened her book to the chapter. They went through it slowly, Remus asking her questions and explaining anything she didn't understand. He watched her concentrate on the work noticing how great she looked when she was thinking. After an hour and a half of work they were finished. Together, they walked back to the Gryffindor common room. When they were outside the entrance, they stopped.
"Thanks again," Molly mumbled, blushing. There was an awkward silence and then Remus spoke.
"Do you like Quidditch?" he blurted. Molly nodded, looking at him eagerly.
"Well," he said nervously, "I was wondering if you'd um…like to go with me to the game tomorrow? I mean if you wanted to go and wanted to hang out with me and I guess Sirius and Peter and Lily too since they'll be there. It's a big game for James, him being the Gryffindor seeker and all," he babbled.
Molly's face brightened.
"I'd love to go with you!" she replied. Remus smiled happily back.
"Alright, I'll meet you in the Gryffindor common room then before the match."
Molly nodded.
"It was fun tonight," she murmured. Then she hurried into the common room. Remus waited a moment and then followed her. He wasn't surprised to find his friends waiting for him.
"Well well, the night must have went well," James said with a grin, "Molly just ran upstairs with a bunch of other girls giggling like anything. What'd you do?"
Remus smiled and flopped onto a couch, next to Peter.
"We're going to the Quidditch game together tomorrow," he replied dreamily.
"Why I think our Mooney is in love!" Peter laughed.
"It's about time," Sirius replied with a slight smile, "It took you long enough to ask her out." Remus's smile faltered a moment but then returned. His friends caught it and James quickly jumped to a conclusion.
"You haven't been out with her before have you?" he asked quietly. Remus gave him a surprised look.
"No, why?"
"Just now, you had a funny look on your face when Sirius said it took you long enough to ask her out!" Peter squealed.
"My god! You've been out with her before!?" Sirius cried.
"No!" Remus replied, giving them a helpless look. His friends stared back and he sighed.
"There was an incident in the library last year…" he started. His friends erupted in a talking frenzy and he laughed.
"Alright!" he cried over his friends jabbering, "we kissed once in the library!"
His friends gave him a shocked look.
"Why?" Peter asked with a confused look. Remus glared at him and Sirius snickered.
"Well, what happened!" James asked anxiously. Remus sighed.
"We've known Molly for a while you know, because she's been friends with Lily," his friends nodded, "well, she was in the library by herself one day and we started talking. I had a crush on her last year before I got together with Judy. Anyway, she asked me some homework questions and I helped her. Then she kissed me. That was also the day Judy and I broke up. Turns out someone told her they saw me and Molly kissing. She dumped me without listening to any of my explanations. After that, me and Molly kind of avoided each other."
"Let me guess, you avoided her the most," Sirius said knowingly.
"It was weird," Remus snapped.
"This is Remus we're talking about," James replied, "he's uncomfortable with girls and dating."
"Why thank you Prongs," Remus said sarcastically.
"So you could say you started to date her last year," Peter mused.
"No you couldn't. Now I have to go right two humongous papers for that stuck up Potion's professor," Remus said with a sigh, "See ya later."
His friends watched him go up to the boy's dormitory. The others waited a moment and then Lily appeared, coming from the girl's dormitory. Quietly, she told the others about what Molly had said about Remus.
"Oh you should have heard her!" she cried happily, "She's so happy he asked her out again! You know she's had a crush on him forever!"
"If three years could be considered forever," Sirius grumbled. Lily shot him a look that made Sirius shut up.
"You should be happy for him," Lily scolded, "he's never been in a happy relationship. Believe me, word travels fast amongst the girls in every house. Except maybe Slytherin."
"Let's hope this one lasts," Peter added. His friends nodded.
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Remus listened as his friends changed the subject. His face burned with something between anger and embarrassment. His friends were checking up on his love life? Could he have no privacy? Quietly he walked up to the dormitory and tried to start his papers. Nevertheless, his mind always seemed to wander to Molly or his sneaky friends. He shook his head. He might as well tell them everything, after all, they'd find out one way or another.