Chapter 6
Detention
The mood and spirit was low at the Gryffindor table all through that week. Neither one of them could believe that the entire class had managed to land in detention. It didn't help much that Hermione pointed out that this had only happened once before in the entire history of Hogwarts and then it was because a couple of students had beat up the teacher and the rest had cheered them on.
The only bright spots they had was that Hagrid was there and that there had been complete mayhem in the Muggle Studies Class because Fransisca had obviously ignored every single warning about the castle being so enchanted that no magnetic or electrical tool could survive. She had brought with her a toaster that ran on batteries. The outcome was that the entire thing blew up and for some strange reason it wouldn't stop spewing out thick, purple smoke.
Oh, there was one other. someone had put itching powder in Snape's robes and he was sneering and rubbing and scratching unmentionable places, even in class. He swore to kill the one responsible on the most twisted cruel way. He mentioned something about neutering without any tranquillisers.
The day of the detention drew steadily closer and everyone's mood dropped further and further. By Friday evening it had hit rock bottom. It didn't even help that Lupin was there. He showed up just before lunch Wednesday and lingered till after the unspeakable Friday. When Harry had told him what had happened he smiled at him and told him that he knew, but that he and the rest of the class had good of that particular detention.
Surprisingly he followed the class out onto the lawn outside the castle where Venara was waiting for them with a whole bunch of lanterns at her feet.
"Good evening, class," she said cheerfully as they all gathered around her.
"Good evening, professor Venara," chanted the class dully.
Harry could see that she exchanged glances with Lupin.
"If each and everyone of you could take a lantern each. Lupin has agreed to spend the evening with us, the Ministry would have kittens if it came to their ears so if you could." She pressed her index finger to her lips while Lupin gave them all a broad smile as all the faces turned to him in disbelief.
"Professor Venara sent me an owl as soon as the class was over and it really pains me that you treated her like that," he said, looking at each of them in turn with a strict expression, then he mellowed as he met her gaze.
"I hope you are all properly dressed because we are going to spend most of the evening and some of the night outside in the cold night air. This is supposed to be a punishment, but since I think that detentions are to be properly spent, giving the student a chance to catch up on missed homework. However tonight I will allow you all to. expand. I will now take you, we." she corrected and met Lupin's gaze. "Will now take you down to Hogsmead, where we will rendezvous with a vampire and-"
There was an instant uproar.
"A vampire?" said Dean Thomas with disbelief in his voice.
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, not knowing what to say, do or expect.
Finally several of the students cracked into smiles.
"Now, please don't tell anyone because this is supposed to be a punishment and not a treat, but I heard that this vampire had returned from being abroad for years so I asked him if he would agree to meet you and ask all the questions you might have for him. He will leave again tomorrow night so the questions you may have for him will be in written and handed in to me with answers so that I can use it for the other students." She smiled at them. "I have heard rumours that several students are under the impression that our own Potions Master is not only a animagus that can transfigure into a bat, but also a vampire. I thought tonight you may meet a real vampire."
Several of the students laughed and surprisingly Lupin joined in.
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville were deep in discussion all the way to Hogsmead.
"Imagine that," said Neville with awe. "Meeting a real, live vampire."
"Lupin was right, we're really in for a treat. I can't understand why we had an attitude against her."
"Well, if we didn't, we wouldn't be here" said Harry matter-of- factly.
"I think it's a bit. reckless. It is dangerous, exposing an entire class to a real vampire."
"Come off it, Hermione" said Ron. "We're with two teachers and the top of the class in Defence Against the Dark Arts, someone who has met the Dark Lord several times. What can possibly go wrong?"
It didn't seem as Hermione was convinced, but Harry lifted at least an inch from the ground at Ron's praising words. He trusted him to help if something went wrong, meaning that Ron placed his life in his hands.
Soon the lights of Hogsmead appeared and there was a cacophony of excited voices.
Venara and Lupin stopped and faced the class.
"He has agreed to meet us in the Hog's Head." She checked her watch. "Approximately an hour from now so you have plenty of time writing down your questions."
The Hog's Head was like a crypt at this time of day, but all the students obliged and sat down and started writing down questions.
Venara and Lupin sat down at a table a little distance from the others and talked about something neither of the students could hear.
"Now, that is a couple in love if I ever did see any" said Ron. "Look at the way they are looking at each other."
Hermione, Neville and Harry took turns in looking over at them.
"They seem to keep an awfully polite tone for being in love" said Hermione. "They both seem to be so formal and. stiff in their appearance.
"Right."
They all turned to look at Ron.
"Well, it's like when two people are in love and neither of them dare to say anything because they fear that the other isn't interested. It's like with Harry and Cho."
Harry didn't like the direction this conversation was heading.
"Mind your questions and leave them alone" said Hermione. "They are old friends from school."
All eyes were focused on her.
"Your cousin told me" she told Ron. "She said that Venara is a year older than him and the. others" she said, meaning the Marauders. She looked down at her piece of parchment and scribbled on.
After what seemed as several hours later Venara got to her feet and walked over to a man who had just walked in and stepped over to the bar.
The entire class watched in excitement as the man turned around and surveyed them with ice cold blue eyes.
"Ok" they could hear him say to Venara as he finished his glass of something the class didn't even want to guess what was.
Once he was outside Venara nudged her head in his direction and they all got to their feet and followed.
Lupin took his place by her side again as they all followed him onto a meadow and a heap of rocks in the middle of the meadow.
Hermione noticed that Venara and Lupin remained in the background and asked why.
"This is your detention" said Lupin. "We have decided to let you run your own show and we'll just stay in the background and make sure that this passes smoothly." He nodded in the direction of the vampire. "Now go on. I trust you know enough about vampires to keep safe."
He watched her strode off. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"I know him enough to say that he will not hurt them. He was a excellent choice because he isn't easily offended."
"You know that wasn't what I meant. Are you sure that it's a good idea that I'm here? I'm not exactly popular with the Ministry."
She took a deep breath. "Back in America I had just as much power as the Minister himself, Fudge knows this and he has learned to trust my judgement even after I forced him to give my granduncle a formal apology in public. I think the man fears me and fear can be a very powerful ally."
"Fear also makes people jump to conclusions and fear can also breed hate."
"True, but he knows that I am true to Albus and that is just about all he needs to know. if it should reach the Minister's ear that I have invited you to come with us on the excursions he will understand why and I am sure he will not question my judgement."
"Are you sure your judgement isn't clouded?" He met her gaze.
"By what should it be clouded? The bitterness about Sirius having to die before he ever got a chance to plead his innocence? The fact that I think I must do so much better than the rest of you to prove myself?"
"Well, do you feel you have to?"
She bore her emerald green eyes into his. "I have proven myself time and time again. As long as I believe there is still good in people I will remain in your world. I am not an alien, but all I have to do is to go back home and stay there till all this is over. Why do you think I chose to stay here where everything is chaos?"
"Why do you stay?"
"I may be a half-breed and people may think that I am dangerous, but I am also human and as long as I cling on to that I can go on doing what I have planned."
"And what are your plans?"
"What is this, a bloody interrogation?"
"Temper, temper, temper" he said with a smile. "No doubt your human. One day the truth will come out and when it does will you be able to withstand all the things people are going to say about you?"
"My father warned me that the day will come when people will find out what I am and-"
"But your father has never been in the position you are in."
She looked down at the ground with a sigh. "Peter knows."
"What was that?" He was sure he hadn't heard correctly.
"Wormtail knows, he was there in the common room when. you know."
Lupin rubbed his chin. "That was."
She met his gaze again. "Why do you think I'm here? I have three young people who need to learn how it is to live in your world, I have a granduncle who is starting to grow old and who just might not survive this. There is a boy there who is suffering in his own home, in which he doesn't feel at home."
"So you decided to come riding in on your white horse and save everyone? Now I know why Sirius sent you away. Thankfully it wasn't for the reason I thought it was. You can't stay" he said matter-of- factly. "Leave the Black twins with us and we'll take care of them along with Harry."
"I'm not sure if you know that Voldemort has studied my people in years on end to exploit all the secrets and powers we hold. I do not fear him. If I am captured by him, if he tortures me to get my knowledge and I die by his hand, because I'll die before I give up my people's secrets, I'll die as an equal to all of you and that is what I want. Sirius denied me that under the pretence that I should protect his kids. Yes, maybe I am bitter, but can you blame me?"
He stared at her.
"I just hope that you can respect my wishes and not come looking for me in the attempt to save me if he ever gets his filthy hands on me. Let me die the way I want and not from boredom."
He sighed. But when he saw the determination in her eyes he nodded.
"Thankfully these children have no idea what they are up against." She took a few steps away from him.
He was left standing there, staring at her long, blonde hair. Oh, how he wanted to bury his hands in those soft, delicate strands.
She sat down a few meters away from him and he knew that if he stepped over to her she would snap.
***
Back up at the castle Eowita was brushing her hair and she cast a sideways glance at her brother now and then. "I hope you're not planning on anything else with Snape" she said.
"No more than what he deserves" he bit back. "Sorry" he muttered. "Didn't mean to bite your head off."
"Hope you're able to keep him from getting himself into more trouble" she said to Marco.
The young werewolf cast her a sideways glance. "Don't get yourself into more trouble with Severus Snape" he said to Angelus.
"Do the two of you have any idea about how he retorted?" He shook his head. "I have no idea how he did it, but he put something in that potion Madame Pomfrey gave me."
"What?" asked Marco with a anticipating smile.
"I have no idea, but it's giving me haemorrhoids."
Both Eowita and Marco nearly broke down in laughter.
"I will have my revenge, believe you me." His blue eyes narrowed to slits. "No one does that to me and tells the tale. I will expose to the world what he really is."
***
Venara checked her watch. The clock was nearly ten and it was time to call it a day. She got to her feet and noticed that Lupin did the same. She turned to him, but not with the angry expression she had planned for him.
"You know, I respected and cared at least twice as much for you than Sirius did" he said softly.
"Then prove it" she replied.
He made to step over to her, but she turned to the class instead. "Time to wrap this up, you lot."
There were a lot of groans coming from the class and Venara couldn't help but to smile.
It was the most beautiful thing Lupin had ever seen. If he only had the guts to tell her what he felt for her without fearing that he was jeopardising their friendship. He assumed that he was more afraid of rejection.
The trip back up to the castle was spent talking to the students and not each other.
When the students had returned to their dormitories Venara gave him a look he couldn't quite place. "You could have told me back then" she told him before she strode off before he had a chance to reply.
Detention
The mood and spirit was low at the Gryffindor table all through that week. Neither one of them could believe that the entire class had managed to land in detention. It didn't help much that Hermione pointed out that this had only happened once before in the entire history of Hogwarts and then it was because a couple of students had beat up the teacher and the rest had cheered them on.
The only bright spots they had was that Hagrid was there and that there had been complete mayhem in the Muggle Studies Class because Fransisca had obviously ignored every single warning about the castle being so enchanted that no magnetic or electrical tool could survive. She had brought with her a toaster that ran on batteries. The outcome was that the entire thing blew up and for some strange reason it wouldn't stop spewing out thick, purple smoke.
Oh, there was one other. someone had put itching powder in Snape's robes and he was sneering and rubbing and scratching unmentionable places, even in class. He swore to kill the one responsible on the most twisted cruel way. He mentioned something about neutering without any tranquillisers.
The day of the detention drew steadily closer and everyone's mood dropped further and further. By Friday evening it had hit rock bottom. It didn't even help that Lupin was there. He showed up just before lunch Wednesday and lingered till after the unspeakable Friday. When Harry had told him what had happened he smiled at him and told him that he knew, but that he and the rest of the class had good of that particular detention.
Surprisingly he followed the class out onto the lawn outside the castle where Venara was waiting for them with a whole bunch of lanterns at her feet.
"Good evening, class," she said cheerfully as they all gathered around her.
"Good evening, professor Venara," chanted the class dully.
Harry could see that she exchanged glances with Lupin.
"If each and everyone of you could take a lantern each. Lupin has agreed to spend the evening with us, the Ministry would have kittens if it came to their ears so if you could." She pressed her index finger to her lips while Lupin gave them all a broad smile as all the faces turned to him in disbelief.
"Professor Venara sent me an owl as soon as the class was over and it really pains me that you treated her like that," he said, looking at each of them in turn with a strict expression, then he mellowed as he met her gaze.
"I hope you are all properly dressed because we are going to spend most of the evening and some of the night outside in the cold night air. This is supposed to be a punishment, but since I think that detentions are to be properly spent, giving the student a chance to catch up on missed homework. However tonight I will allow you all to. expand. I will now take you, we." she corrected and met Lupin's gaze. "Will now take you down to Hogsmead, where we will rendezvous with a vampire and-"
There was an instant uproar.
"A vampire?" said Dean Thomas with disbelief in his voice.
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, not knowing what to say, do or expect.
Finally several of the students cracked into smiles.
"Now, please don't tell anyone because this is supposed to be a punishment and not a treat, but I heard that this vampire had returned from being abroad for years so I asked him if he would agree to meet you and ask all the questions you might have for him. He will leave again tomorrow night so the questions you may have for him will be in written and handed in to me with answers so that I can use it for the other students." She smiled at them. "I have heard rumours that several students are under the impression that our own Potions Master is not only a animagus that can transfigure into a bat, but also a vampire. I thought tonight you may meet a real vampire."
Several of the students laughed and surprisingly Lupin joined in.
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville were deep in discussion all the way to Hogsmead.
"Imagine that," said Neville with awe. "Meeting a real, live vampire."
"Lupin was right, we're really in for a treat. I can't understand why we had an attitude against her."
"Well, if we didn't, we wouldn't be here" said Harry matter-of- factly.
"I think it's a bit. reckless. It is dangerous, exposing an entire class to a real vampire."
"Come off it, Hermione" said Ron. "We're with two teachers and the top of the class in Defence Against the Dark Arts, someone who has met the Dark Lord several times. What can possibly go wrong?"
It didn't seem as Hermione was convinced, but Harry lifted at least an inch from the ground at Ron's praising words. He trusted him to help if something went wrong, meaning that Ron placed his life in his hands.
Soon the lights of Hogsmead appeared and there was a cacophony of excited voices.
Venara and Lupin stopped and faced the class.
"He has agreed to meet us in the Hog's Head." She checked her watch. "Approximately an hour from now so you have plenty of time writing down your questions."
The Hog's Head was like a crypt at this time of day, but all the students obliged and sat down and started writing down questions.
Venara and Lupin sat down at a table a little distance from the others and talked about something neither of the students could hear.
"Now, that is a couple in love if I ever did see any" said Ron. "Look at the way they are looking at each other."
Hermione, Neville and Harry took turns in looking over at them.
"They seem to keep an awfully polite tone for being in love" said Hermione. "They both seem to be so formal and. stiff in their appearance.
"Right."
They all turned to look at Ron.
"Well, it's like when two people are in love and neither of them dare to say anything because they fear that the other isn't interested. It's like with Harry and Cho."
Harry didn't like the direction this conversation was heading.
"Mind your questions and leave them alone" said Hermione. "They are old friends from school."
All eyes were focused on her.
"Your cousin told me" she told Ron. "She said that Venara is a year older than him and the. others" she said, meaning the Marauders. She looked down at her piece of parchment and scribbled on.
After what seemed as several hours later Venara got to her feet and walked over to a man who had just walked in and stepped over to the bar.
The entire class watched in excitement as the man turned around and surveyed them with ice cold blue eyes.
"Ok" they could hear him say to Venara as he finished his glass of something the class didn't even want to guess what was.
Once he was outside Venara nudged her head in his direction and they all got to their feet and followed.
Lupin took his place by her side again as they all followed him onto a meadow and a heap of rocks in the middle of the meadow.
Hermione noticed that Venara and Lupin remained in the background and asked why.
"This is your detention" said Lupin. "We have decided to let you run your own show and we'll just stay in the background and make sure that this passes smoothly." He nodded in the direction of the vampire. "Now go on. I trust you know enough about vampires to keep safe."
He watched her strode off. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"I know him enough to say that he will not hurt them. He was a excellent choice because he isn't easily offended."
"You know that wasn't what I meant. Are you sure that it's a good idea that I'm here? I'm not exactly popular with the Ministry."
She took a deep breath. "Back in America I had just as much power as the Minister himself, Fudge knows this and he has learned to trust my judgement even after I forced him to give my granduncle a formal apology in public. I think the man fears me and fear can be a very powerful ally."
"Fear also makes people jump to conclusions and fear can also breed hate."
"True, but he knows that I am true to Albus and that is just about all he needs to know. if it should reach the Minister's ear that I have invited you to come with us on the excursions he will understand why and I am sure he will not question my judgement."
"Are you sure your judgement isn't clouded?" He met her gaze.
"By what should it be clouded? The bitterness about Sirius having to die before he ever got a chance to plead his innocence? The fact that I think I must do so much better than the rest of you to prove myself?"
"Well, do you feel you have to?"
She bore her emerald green eyes into his. "I have proven myself time and time again. As long as I believe there is still good in people I will remain in your world. I am not an alien, but all I have to do is to go back home and stay there till all this is over. Why do you think I chose to stay here where everything is chaos?"
"Why do you stay?"
"I may be a half-breed and people may think that I am dangerous, but I am also human and as long as I cling on to that I can go on doing what I have planned."
"And what are your plans?"
"What is this, a bloody interrogation?"
"Temper, temper, temper" he said with a smile. "No doubt your human. One day the truth will come out and when it does will you be able to withstand all the things people are going to say about you?"
"My father warned me that the day will come when people will find out what I am and-"
"But your father has never been in the position you are in."
She looked down at the ground with a sigh. "Peter knows."
"What was that?" He was sure he hadn't heard correctly.
"Wormtail knows, he was there in the common room when. you know."
Lupin rubbed his chin. "That was."
She met his gaze again. "Why do you think I'm here? I have three young people who need to learn how it is to live in your world, I have a granduncle who is starting to grow old and who just might not survive this. There is a boy there who is suffering in his own home, in which he doesn't feel at home."
"So you decided to come riding in on your white horse and save everyone? Now I know why Sirius sent you away. Thankfully it wasn't for the reason I thought it was. You can't stay" he said matter-of- factly. "Leave the Black twins with us and we'll take care of them along with Harry."
"I'm not sure if you know that Voldemort has studied my people in years on end to exploit all the secrets and powers we hold. I do not fear him. If I am captured by him, if he tortures me to get my knowledge and I die by his hand, because I'll die before I give up my people's secrets, I'll die as an equal to all of you and that is what I want. Sirius denied me that under the pretence that I should protect his kids. Yes, maybe I am bitter, but can you blame me?"
He stared at her.
"I just hope that you can respect my wishes and not come looking for me in the attempt to save me if he ever gets his filthy hands on me. Let me die the way I want and not from boredom."
He sighed. But when he saw the determination in her eyes he nodded.
"Thankfully these children have no idea what they are up against." She took a few steps away from him.
He was left standing there, staring at her long, blonde hair. Oh, how he wanted to bury his hands in those soft, delicate strands.
She sat down a few meters away from him and he knew that if he stepped over to her she would snap.
***
Back up at the castle Eowita was brushing her hair and she cast a sideways glance at her brother now and then. "I hope you're not planning on anything else with Snape" she said.
"No more than what he deserves" he bit back. "Sorry" he muttered. "Didn't mean to bite your head off."
"Hope you're able to keep him from getting himself into more trouble" she said to Marco.
The young werewolf cast her a sideways glance. "Don't get yourself into more trouble with Severus Snape" he said to Angelus.
"Do the two of you have any idea about how he retorted?" He shook his head. "I have no idea how he did it, but he put something in that potion Madame Pomfrey gave me."
"What?" asked Marco with a anticipating smile.
"I have no idea, but it's giving me haemorrhoids."
Both Eowita and Marco nearly broke down in laughter.
"I will have my revenge, believe you me." His blue eyes narrowed to slits. "No one does that to me and tells the tale. I will expose to the world what he really is."
***
Venara checked her watch. The clock was nearly ten and it was time to call it a day. She got to her feet and noticed that Lupin did the same. She turned to him, but not with the angry expression she had planned for him.
"You know, I respected and cared at least twice as much for you than Sirius did" he said softly.
"Then prove it" she replied.
He made to step over to her, but she turned to the class instead. "Time to wrap this up, you lot."
There were a lot of groans coming from the class and Venara couldn't help but to smile.
It was the most beautiful thing Lupin had ever seen. If he only had the guts to tell her what he felt for her without fearing that he was jeopardising their friendship. He assumed that he was more afraid of rejection.
The trip back up to the castle was spent talking to the students and not each other.
When the students had returned to their dormitories Venara gave him a look he couldn't quite place. "You could have told me back then" she told him before she strode off before he had a chance to reply.