Seeing the Past, Present and Future
Suspicious Past
"So they expect us to believe she's Lupin's nice."
"Uh-huh."
"Even though he'd never seen her before."
"Uh-huh."
"And she appeared out of thin air."
"Uh-huh."
"It could happen," Hermione spoke, interrupting Ron and Harry's limited conversation.
"You saw her and how she acts! She is not normal. There's something fishy about her," Ron vehemently exclaimed.
"Stop being paranoid," she said, exasperated.
"You can't deny it, Hermione, it is a bit weird that she's going to be entering her first year at Hogwarts when she's only 9," Harry interjected.
"Maybe it is, but we don't know about her education in the past, or, for that matter, her past," Hermione replied.
"Gosh," Ron spoke sarcastically, "wonder why."
Hermione gave Ron a very pronounced glare. "Well, I'm sure we'll eventually find out more about her."
"What books do you have to get this year, Ron?"
"Just the standard one's we have to get every year, Mum."
"Would you mind if wandered off to buy some things? I've been meaning to come here anyway."
"We'll be fine," the red-haired boy spoke.
"Alright," Mrs. Weasley finished, separating from the group of teenagers.
"Harry, once we finish buying our books do you want to go check out Quality Quidditch Supplies?" Ron said eagerly.
"Sure," Harry replied, smiling.
"Wouldn't you like to stay with our first-year friend for a bit while she gets her supplies?" Hermione interrupted, giving them a pointed look.
"Er--I'm sure she'll be fine with Lupin, he knows all of the stores after all," Ron said, making sure to not make eye-contact with Hermione.
"We can stay for a bit," Harry spoke, attempting to compromise between his two friends.
Hermione smiled widely. "I'm sure it'll be fun."
Harry shot a glance at the small girl who was still clinging protectively to Lupin's arm. Her red-rimmed eyes seemed to be staring at an unfixed spot on the pavement as they continued moving. Before they had left for Diagon Alley, she had broken into inexplicable tears, leaving all of them immensely confused.
"What books do you have to get?" Harry asked the small girl, making a brave attempt at conversation.
The girl continued staring at the pavement for a moment longer before looking up, as though suddenly realizing the question was directed at her. She looked at Harry with something he couldn't identify, grasped Lupin's arm a bit more firmly and looked back down at the ground before answering. "I don't know," her soft words came, barely audible over the ruckus of Diagon Alley.
Harry nodded before Lupin elaborated slightly, taking out the list of books. "Almost the same as the books in your first year," he spoke.
"You know, Professor Lupin," Ron started, anger evident in his voice as a small pebble in his way was sent flying. "I never knew you had a sibling."
"What?" Lupin spoke, giving Ron a look that showed his confusion. "I don't," he trailed off.
"Then how is she," Ron gestured to the young girl who seemed to be ignoring their words, "your niece?"
"Huh? Uh," Lupin paused for a moment. "Let's think...She's the granddaughter of my step-father's brother," he spoke slowly, thinking out his words. "I just call her my niece to simplify things."
Ron opened his mouth but closed it when no words came out; he seemed to be fuming that his attempt to prove his theory right had failed.
"Ron, do you want to come with me to buy some treats for Crookshanks?" Hermione asked, her eyes livid.
"Fine," he spoke, not seeing his friend's anger.
"We'll going to go to the apothecary while you do that," Lupin said, turning into a small store to their left.
"We'll be fast," Hermione replied, heading toward the Magical Menagerie.
"Why are you buying treats for Crookshanks?" Harry asked, missing the tension.
"I'm not," she hissed as soon as they entered the store's door.
"Then why--" Harry started, but Hermione cut him off.
"You can't go asking questions like that!" she exclaimed in a deadly whisper.
"Huh?" Harry asked, not aware the comment wasn't directed toward him.
"Don't you have any common sense?!"
"Well, excuse me, but I'm tired of everybody discarding my theories without even evaluating them! And something is up, whether you want to admit it or not." Ron angrily replied.
"Yes, and just so you know I've been able to tell that for some time, but you can't just assume things like that without testing them! And we'll never find anything out with you asking questions so brashly!"
Ron opened his mouth, although at first no words came out. "We have to do something! You're certainly not doing anything!"
"I am doing something, as you'd see if you paid attention. If she feels comfortable with us, as I've been attempting at for the past few weeks, then she's more likely to open up, and then we'll find out things directly from her, as opposed to forming our own ideas which have no validity! And even if I didn't want to know more about her, you should be nice anyway and not always assume the worst of people!" Hermione finished.
Ron was once more at a loss for words and Harry watched on with some amusement; Hermione had been being more clever in her strategizing than he'd given her credit for.
"Fine," Ron said, with an expression on his face which suggested he'd just eaten something very bitter. "We'll try your way, just for now!"
"That's all I'm asking," Hermione replied, smiling and leading the way out the door.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Review Responses:
Chantal J: Thanks for the compliments and sorry this update took a while.
Maggie: Don't worry, I'll keep writing! Hope the update didn't take too super long.
Kurmakicksass: You only got one review?! You're kidding! That's so unfair! And here's another chapter. (Well technically you've just read the chapter...) I'll try to update The Tale of Tom soon, although I won't guarantee anything.