CHAPTER FIFTEEN Of Compounded Emotions
While on their first visit to Hogsmeade, they replenished their dwindling supply of ingredients needed for the Animagi potion. Dressed in their Gryffindor colours, the market wizard believed their story of requiring a unicorn tail hair for an upcoming Potions class.
Upon returning home to the Lupin Manor during their third year Christmas break, they attempted the concoction for once again, and failed for a second time. This potion solidified and turned white, effectively ruining Sirius' cauldron as he reminded them several times on the train ride to Hogwarts.
James had decided to drop Divination as he was having a particularly horrible time. He didn't actually believe the legitimacy of it, much to the chagrin of their professor.
As for their other classes, Lily and Talia were snagging top-marks in Arithmancy, occasionally nudging Ophelia awake. She claimed she was taking it all in subconsciously, until Talia muttered "We'll see when exams come." rather threateningly.
However, both Sirius and Ophelia were enjoying Muggle Studies. The class had began with Muggle electronics, which completely fascinated them. Sirius had now become obsessed with owning a teleefision, and Lily was constantly without her record player. After a few months of Sirius stealing it, she finally just broke down and bought him one over Easter break. After that, Lily's record player was always at their disposal. Mai would usually crawl into the dorm around ten o'clock to find Talia, Ophelia and Lily listening to Black Sabbath while going over their Ancient Runes homework.
The following summer, their plans hit a snag when James announced his parents had planned a trip to Dunedin, where his uncle was a senior member of the New Zealand Ministry of Magic. As it was, their next try would have to wait until the following Christmas break, when they would all be there to oversee the process.
Instead, the summer was used for quality time with their unloved ones, as Sirius so articulately put it. In his case, this lasted for three days before he showed up in the Lupin fireplace with his trunk.
Pete stayed with his mum until the third week of August. Mrs Pettigrew was so pleased at not having received any letters from Hogwarts in the past year, that she let him get away with anything he wished.
Talia spent most of the summer with Sirius, Remus and Ophelia, but as their fourth year loomed ever nearer, she spent more time alone in her bedroom. When she did come out for meals, she looked extremely ill and was finding it hard to do even the simplest of tasks.
It became so bad that Noah insisted on taking her to St Bartholomews. She was diagnosed as being an Empath by Healer Bestwick, the same who had treated Remus what felt like forever ago. Talia had a heightened sensitivity to what the others around her were feeling, and their mood was reflected in how she felt.
There was no potion they could give Talia, only to advise those around her to carry out certain precautions when upset or anxious, or any other emotion that troubled her. Healer Bestwick assured Noah that positive emotions would do no real harm to Talia, no more than a sugar rush could.