A/N: I hope you guys have patience…because this chapter is long…I couldn't break it up…I just couldn't. Anyhow, I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! ~Jo
Monday October 11, 1976
Lily found me in the library today.
"How's your hand?" She asked.
"Okay." Bethany held up a wrapped hand. "I'm finding it tough to write."
Lily smiled. "Are you going to go to the first Quiddich match on Friday? Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw."
"I don't know." Bethany looked back at her book. "I have a lot of school work to do."
"Come on Beth." Lily pleaded. "James is playing and I don't want to go alone."
"Go with Sirius and Remus and Peter."
"Sirius is no fun to go to the games with, he takes them too seriously and Remus is no fun to go with either, because he doesn't take the game seriously enough. And Peter's just no fun. There's a happy middle and I know you can play Quiddich…I know you're good."
"What gives you that idea?" Bethany asked.
"Remus." Lily said. "He watched you practice by yourself one time."
Bethany's face fell she stared awkwardly at Lily.
"What?" Lily asked, and then she laughed. "I've got spies everywhere."
"Well," Bethany sighed flipping through her book. "Your spies tend to be liars."
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.
Bethany waved a hand. "Never mind. It's nothing."
Lily frowned. "You're being very stand-offish. You're beginning to remind me of Severus. Maybe you're spending too much time with him. Something you're not telling me Beth?"
"No," Bethany snapped. "Well yes…but I don't want to talk about it."
"You're seeing Severus!" Lily nearly shrieked.
"NO!" Bethany barked looking around the library making sure that no one heard Lily's accusation.
"You're not seeing him?"
"No."
"There's something else then?"
Bethany nodded. "But I really haven't got it in me to discuss it right now…okay? Can I talk about it with you later, when I've recovered?"
"At the match?" Lily smiled.
Bethany shook her head. "Not at the match, but I'll go." Bethany looked up from her book and smiled at Lily. "You know, most Slytherins are going to be cheering the Ravenclaws on. I'm going to be making a faux pas."
"You've never been one to follow the standards anyhow." Lily smiled.
Bethany nodded. "I guess not."
"Nope," Sirius plopped down next to Bethany slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Never been one to follow the standard…have you?"
"I don't know what you mean." Bethany told Sirius as Remus sat down on the other side of her dropping a few books on the table. James took his place next to Lily, and Peter sat aside James.
"Don't be modest Beth," Sirius grinned. "It's not everyday that people choose dating taboos."
"What's taboo about Beth and Severus?" James asked.
Bethany shot James a nasty glare. "Severus is my friends. Can I make this any clearer?"
"Is he?" Sirius poked her playfully and laughed.
"Knock it off!" She growled at Sirius. She looked back to James and told him very pointedly. "If you have difficulty with my choice of friends, perhaps you should reconsider what I mean to you. I am entitled to choose my friends, and I pick them carefully mind you. I will not deny my friendship with Severus because I am also friends with you. And vise versa. Now, it's your turn…can you accept that I am your friend and Severus's too?"
James nodded, staring wide eyed at Bethany. He'd never heard her speak so forcefully. "Yeah Beth, we're friends."
"Good. Anyone else have a problem?" Bethany looked at Peter, who promptly shook his head nervously. She turned her gaze on Sirius, who simply smiled. She glanced at Remus, but he didn't get the chance to answer before she turned away again.
"What are you studying for Beth?" Remus questioned peeking over to her book.
Beth finally turned her direct attention to him. "Have you heard of the Righteous Brothers, Shelley Fabares, or the Shirelles?"
Remus shook his head.
"Neither had I. I'm studying for a Music of the Muggles Last Decade exam. I can't remember who sang what, or when."
"Is that what this book is about?" Remus asked.
"Yes." Bethany said.
Sirius gave her hip a bump in Remus's direction. She slid a bit closer to him on the bench. He smiled weakly at her, but she drew away from him with no expression whatsoever. "I didn't know you were seeing Severus," Remus told her quietly. "That explains why you had yourself thrown in the lake for him."
Bethany glared at Remus. "I'm NOT seeing Severus! I had myself thrown in the lake because he's my friend. How many times do I have to explain this to you people?!"
Everyone was staring at Bethany wondering what had spawned such an outburst. No one had heard Remus speak to her. She stood quickly and scooped her book up and glanced at Sirius then back at Remus. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Sirius…I'm interested in someone else! Thank you all very much!" She shouted sarcastically.
"Quick, tell her she's too good for Severus." Sirius chuckled.
"Shut up!" Bethany shouted at Sirius.
"Way to go Moony." Sirius laughed clapping Remus on the shoulder. "You pissed her off."
Bethany raised an eyebrow at Sirius and turned to leave. "Excuse me."
It had to have been Sirius's doing. It must have.
"Beth."
Bethany stopped and turned to see Remus following her down the hallway.
"I'm sorry." He told her quickly.
"Right." Bethany grumbled. "This isn't funny. You all can just stay out of it, and leave me alone. I really am interested in someone, and he's not Severus. Though, each day, I like him a little less."
"Beth." Remus caught her by the shoulders. "What's gotten into you? I've never seen you this sharp on your tongue."
"Where were you this weekend Remus?" Bethany asked suddenly. "What did you do?"
"I wasn't well. I stayed in my room all weekend."
Bethany nodded and looked away biting her lip hard to keep from swearing. "You don't have to lie to me. If you're really that disinterested in spending time with me say it plain."
Remus laughed nervously, "What do you mean?"
"Sirius told me you were at Hogsmeade."
"Sirius told you what?" Remus asked in disbelief.
"That you were at Hogsmeade. You told me you weren't going to be there." Bethany looked him straight in the eye.
"Beth," Remus breathed airily scooping her into a hug. It was very off character for him, and especially at that moment. Bethany felt awkward being held by him in the hallway, she was still clinging to her books. One was poking her in the ribs because he was holding her so tightly.
"Remus." She tired to pull away, but she felt his breath on her shoulder linger there for a moment before she jerked free.
"Oh." Remus shook his head. "I'm so sorry." He said as if he were disoriented for a moment. Remus reached up and touched his temple and closed his eyes. "You've got it wrong Beth."
"She's got what wrong?" Severus's voice was tight and crisp cutting into the conversation.
Remus simply looked over to Severus and shook his head still looking a bit confused.
"Stay away from her." Severus told Remus plainly.
Bethany scooted back, taking a step toward Severus. Bethany's expression was pleading, as if she were begging Remus for an explanation, and until she got answers she was going to remain in the safety of Severus's presence.
Remus was watching Bethany, his eyes never left her. He didn't speak he turned and walked back into the library.
Bethany looked over to Severus. He was checking her over as if looking for something.
"Sev?" She questioned.
Severus finally dusted her robes off around her shoulders, "I was looking for you. You hadn't shown up for your Potions tutoring."
Bethany smacked her forehead and said, "I'm sorry Sev. Come on." She grabbed up his hand and headed down the hall toward the dungeon. "I was absorbed in…in…" her words trailed and then she found what she was trying to say, "Muggle Studies. I've considered being a correspondent for the Ministry…you know actually hold a Muggle office so that I can have influence and help the Ministry."
I can still feel it, his breath on my robes. It was uncanny and very odd. I never thought that I'd be saying I didn't feel safe in Remus's presence…but I'm saying it now. He made me feel strange, he was strong and I thought for a moment I wouldn't get away. After Potions it made a little more sense, but not enough for me to entirely grasp what he was doing.
Bethany left the Potions classroom well after Severus. She had stayed and cleaned up everything. She told Severus to go one ahead because she felt like she wanted some time to just think.
Bethany paused as she heard voices coming her way.
"It was difficult. Something about her, the way she looked at me, the way she blinked, the flash of her neck as she breathed, and her smell. I'm an animal."
Bethany recognized Remus's voice and she heard two sets of foot steps.
She heard a laugh, a definite and very unique laugh: it was James.
"Moony really, I'm sure she didn't notice. Beth's a great person, she's really understanding and she's not a hypocrite. She'll tell you straight. But if you feel that bad about it, talk to her."
"Prongs." Remus sighed as their footsteps got closer to Bethany. "It's not that easy, I was trying to apologize for whatever I did in the library. She hates me, but she likes you guys."
"We've never let her get thrown in a lake then gave her a row about it."
"I didn't give her a row."
"Yes you did."
"All right, maybe I did. But I told her I was sorry and she believed me. I was sorry. I don't understand it. I just want to be close to her like you guys, like Sirius. She laughs at Sirius, she doesn't scream at him."
"I distinctly heard her scream at him in the library. It went something like this…" James cleared his throat, "'Shut up!' Besides mate, she's close to Severus. Sirius and Severus have nothing in common." James's voice came quietly as if he were suggestion something that were illegal. "If you like her that much maybe you should ask her out."
"I'm afraid of her Prongs, I like her enough to be frightened. Why can't she like me like she likes Sirius? Besides when did he decided Beth was all right, last I knew he hated her."
James sighed, "When she tried to save an innocent dog from some werewolf I know."
"I didn't-"
"You did."
Bethany reached out and opened the classroom door and shut it quickly and loudly as if she were just exiting, then she jolted around the corner. "Oh," she pretended to look surprised. "James, Remus."
"Beth." Remus smiled, but it passed quickly.
James grinned raising his eyebrows, "Listen Remy I gotta go find Lily…I told her I'd actually study tonight. I'll see you later. Bye Beth."
Remus and Bethany both watched James disappear down the hall, shuffling along with his hands in his pockets.
"Listen I'm sorry Beth, about all of this and about all the confusion. I was thinking maybe we could put it behind us and start over new."
Bethany watched him for a few moment, and her breath caught in her throat nervously. "Sure. You want to explain to me why you lied?"
"I will, but not now. Okay?"
Bethany nodded. "You going to explain your strange behavior outside the library too?"
Remus nodded. "Later?"
Bethany sighed with a pleasant smile, "All right."
"Listen." Remus looked around the vacant hallway nervously. "Do you think, maybe, we could go to the Quidditch game together on Friday?"
"Remus I'd love to. But, I already told Lily I'd go with her."
"We can all go together then." Remus smiled.
"Sure." Bethany grinned.
He's still a mystery to me, and though I am slightly frightened by him, there is nothing that will keep me from saying I'll go with him wherever he asks. The Friday Quidditch match will be a start.
"Whatcha reading?" Ron asked.
"Nothing." Hermione slipped the book in her bag. She watched Ron and Harry exchange inquisitive looks.
Ron picked up, quickly changing the subject, "I hear that Professor Snape is out for the rest of the term."
"Ron," Hermione shook her bushy brown hair around her face, "that's only two more days."
"Two less days of Potions is fine by me." Harry grumbled.
"I think he's doing Order stuff. Dad says Snape's been at the Ministry every day for the past three weeks."
"What's the Order up to now?" Hermione asked.
Ron shrugged, "I don't know, but I think whatever Snape's been up to Dad's been helping him. I think Snape's still reporting as a Death Eater. Things have been going on around Grimmauld Place enough that mum and dad are staying there over the Christmas Holiday. That means we will be too, mate." Ron told Harry.
"I'm going too." Hermione said. "Do you know if Professor Lupin will be there?"
Ron nodded. "Dad's mentioned him a couple times. I think that he's taking shifts for the Order too."
Hermione was watching Ron as she shoveled a forkful of eggs in her mouth, just then doors to the Grand Hall opened. She almost choked on her eggs when she saw Sal, again, walking alongside Dumbledore. They were chatting happily. Both took seats at the teachers' table and began to eat.
Harry had to nudge Hermione to get her to move. When Harry poked her in the arm she blinked and looked around to Harry. "I'm sorry."
Harry just raised his eyebrows at her. She glanced sideways at Ron, whose ears were pink.
Hermione clicked her tongue, slightly disgusted with herself, as she picked up her glass of pumpkin juice. "Oh for heaven sakes, what are you two staring at me for?"
Harry simply snickered and Ron went back to his plate. But once her friends had turned their attention to something else Hermione glanced up at the teachers' table to catch a glimpse of Sal.
"What do you suppose we'll do here?" Harry asked. "With no teacher I mean."
"What's this I hear about no teacher?" A friendly voice entered the dank dungeon.
All the O.W.L.s Potions students turned to see the young friend of Dumbledore's in the doorway.
"I will be standing in for Professor Snape until his return, which will probably be after Christmas. Let's keep our fingers crossed, I hate Potions…but that doesn't mean I'm not good at them." Sal glided up to the front of the class. "Since those might not be the circumstances and I might be here longer than I, or you, anticipate I thought I'd say a few words about myself and then let you work on the potion Professor Snape had you working on." He paused and took a breath, then smiled at Hermione. "I'm Sal. You don't have to call me Professor or anything like that…Sal will do fine. I graduated last year from the Academy of Alchemy in Altamonte Springs Florida. That's in the United States. I've been away from England since I went to the Academy, so my ways might be a little different and it'll take me a little while to get used to how things are done over here. So, please, bear with me.
"All right," Sal nodded. "I don't want to keep you from your potions any longer than I must." He snapped his fingers and the ingredients and instructions that had been on the black board for the past three days appeared. "I'm under the impression that you've been working on this for some time, so I'll let you to it. But if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. I know the crystallization of the Cantilla can be tricky."
It instantly seemed like everyone had questions. In fact no one was getting the Paralyzed Potion Antidote but Hermione, everyone had been too afraid of Snape to ask questions about it. Sal patiently went to each raised hand or pleading voice and helped them along.
"See. Why can't Professor Snape be like that?" Hermione asked Harry in a hushed frustrated voice. "He might get a lot further with us if he did. And loads more students would have passed their Potions O.W.L."
"Yeah Hermione." Harry said methodically, not really hearing what she was going on about.
Hermione resumed reading in the library after lunch.