Down in the Slytherin Common room everyone was wispering amongst themselves about what she would do, especially tot he marauders, and also wondering what Snape had done to earn her favor, and how they could accomplish that. Lucius
Malfoy was looking quite pleased with himself.
"Who do you think'll go first?" Someone wondered aloud.
"Potter for certain, and your cousin Bella. Sorry to say
but he's a right blood traitor, that one."
"Like I care," the witch responded with a smirk. There was more laughter at this, and someone looked over at the boys' dorms.
"So what did HE do to get her to like him?" There was more chuckling as the slytherins exchanged meaningful glances, soon The chuckling erupted into outright howls of laughter as the other Slytherins began trying to think of ways to get he heir of
Slytherin to quietly "eliminate" their problems.
Lana was sitting outside by the lake during her break, seeming very interested in a book she'd read fifty times at least. She was pretending not to notice as The marauders, Pettigrew, Potter and Black at least, joined her, saying Lupin had to look up some things into he library, when they all knew that was completely untrue.
"Hi." She muttered awkwardly.
"Hey there." Sirius said, trying to be good natured
until this whole thing blew over and Lana and Lupin were off snogging like
they should be.
"How are you guys?" She asked cautiously, waiting for them to start berating her for her treatment of their best mate. Potter shrugged as Peter plopped down and began eating , as though nothing in the world was amiss.
"Alright. How bout yourself?" James asked, seating himself as
well.
"Good. Busy." She lied.
"You want us to leave you alone?" Sirius asked, sounding truly
concerned.
"No. I'm just reading," she muttered, looking almost timidly up at him.
"what are you reading?" James asked amicably , leaning close to have a
look.
"Nothing important," she replied, closing the book and returning it to her bag.
"Oh, Alright then." He said, and suddenly it seemed very awkward for the three boys to be sitting there with the girl who shot down their best mate.
"Why are you guys here," she asked softly, knowing full well how awkward it was from her end and simply imagining their point of view.
"We...We know you can't really think Moony's dangerous.."
Sirius said hesitantly.
"You know?"
They nodded almost guiltily.
"we were the ones who told im he had to tell you.." James admitted. She watched them carefully.
"And you don't think he's dangerous?"
"C'mon! The chocolate teapot?" Sirius asked with his trademark barking laugh, though it sounded a bit strained. "I mean, sure, he changes at night, but it's not
his fault...and the school takes precautions. .."
"So you three came to give me a guilt trip?"
"No...we just want you to give Moony a chance." Peter
said, not looking up. "We know you liked him before, and he's like you for ages!"
She looked at them sternly.
"What did you honestly expect me to do!"
Black's expression matched her own.
"We thought you'd be a little more understanding to be honest. Being a werewolf isn't exactly a walk in the park for him, you know."
"I never thought he would ask me..." she admitted slowly. "I Was getting tired of waiting."
"And when he does and tells you leave." James said with
an exasperated sigh. " All over a little bity thing like Lycanthropy. I'll never understand girls. Blood insane, the lot of them!"
"Well I didn't expect that being a bloody werewolf was stopping him from asking, you prat!" she said, clearly frustrated. The beginnings of shame welling in the pit of her stomach, overruling fear. Sirius made vehement shushing noises as a few students
walked by. The last think poor Moony needed was for the entire school to find out about his…illness.
"And now that you do know...?" He pressed. She frowned. "Why are you so interested in knowing the answer?" He shrugged.
"Cos I know it would be better than beating around the bloody bush...for all involved." She eyed him curiously.
"Honestly?"
They all nodded.
"I don't know."
James sighed and leaned against a tree while Sirius
looked thoughtful and peter looked like he wanted to disappear now that his food was gone and could no longer distract him from the uncomfortable confrontation. It was worse than when they had confronted moony and made him confess as to why he kept disappearing.
Lana ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head.
"It's a lot to take in, a lot to deal with." She whispered.
"yeah. I know." James said, offering a weak smile.
"Why don't we talk about something else?" Peter asked, fidgeting slightly.
Lana shook her head.
"I need to go find him. You guys know where he is?"
"hospital wing." Sirius said softly.
Her shoulders slumped a bit.
"Right..."
They waved halfheartedly, seeming lost in their own
thoughts, and it looked particularly painful for Sirius.
"what's the matter, Padfoot?" James asked after a moment. He shrugged.
"I dunno. It's just weird. I really thought she'd take it better than that."
He raised an eyebrow.
"That's all?"
he nodded, but before James could press any further, Peter gave them both a grin.
"I know what'll cheer you up, mates. Haliwell has another letter."
"How do you know?" Sirius asked after a moment.
He pointed to the figure of a small dark haired girl holding a now familiar green envelope sitting under a tree nearby.
"I have an idea."
ladyspace2004: James and Peter looked at him. "you do?" they asked in eager unison.
"This guy seems interested in her a lot..."
"yeah." They pressed, leaning forward.
"I just wonder who's writing these." Sirius said innocently.
"So how do you suppose we find out?" James asked matter
of factly, an eager gleam in his eye.
"I think... We need the map." Sirius said, a grin slowly spreading across his handsome face. James and Peter exchanged wide grins and leaned closer.
"When do you want to do it, Padfoot?"
"Maybe after Moony's all right."
"good plan. we'll need all the marauders for this little project." James said...
Lupin blew a low sigh and chewed halfheartedly
on his lunch. he would have to face them all again sooner or later... He placed his unfinished lunch back on his bedside table and leaned against the pillows of his bed, the fresh scratched he had inflicted upon himself stinging slightly.
The door creaked open, someone moving hesitantly toward Madam Pomfrey's office.
"Well of course." madam Pomfrey said brightly. "I think he'd love another visitor. He doesn't get nearly enough. It will be good for him." he heard her say, and he resisted the urge to hide under the covers.
"Behind the curtain?" the voice asked, and footsteps approaching indicated a nod of the head.
Lupin swallowed hard and tried to keep his face calm when he realized who the other voice belonged to. He could barely believe she would come see him at all...
Slowly she drew back the curtains and moved to his,
apparently sleeping, form. He kept his eyes closed and hoped she wouldn't stay
long. He already felt the beginnings of irrational shame in his stomach. She swallowed hard, taking a seat, guilt welling in her throat, her heart beating a violent tattoo against her throat..
"I'm sure you probably hate me right now..." she began slowly. "And I don't blame you."
He resisted the urge to open his eyes, unable to believe what he was hearing.
"But they said you were here, so I thought I should come
and say hi at least." She continued, and he knew instinctively who 'they' were.
He opened one eye carefully.
"you aren't afraid of me?" he asked, his voice barely audible.
She blinked. "You're awake?" She asked, surprised.
He offered a weak smile and slight nod.
"That makes this a bit more awkward." She mumbled, forcing a smile. He looked away.
"I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."
"Not your fault."
He sighed.
"yes it is." He muttered. "It was me who never told you. I kept putting it off.."
"I wanted to apologize."
He glanced back at her.
"It's alright."" He said, not meeting her gaze.
"Not really."
He offered a small smile.
"Really it is." he insisted. " I kind of expect it when people find out. I'm lucky I'm even allowed here. If it wasn't for Dumbledore..."
"It was unfair of me."
"But how else were you supposed to react?" He asked with
a self deprecating smile. "Especially after everything everyone says about…people like me?"
"Still, I wasn't fair." She said, her guilt only growing at look of thinly veiled self loathing on his tired face. He fell silent. He couldn't argue with that, but somehow
he didn't feel right with her so sad.
"I want to say though, that, once you're out of here, if
you'd like to that is..." she swallowed. "This would have been easier
if you were asleep."
"I can pretend." He offered, trying his best to smile.
"No. But I really like you too." She said softly, wringing her hands. He did smile, and blushed a bit as well, looking away again, not even daring to hope.
"Especially... now... that you felt you could trust me with that secret."
Author's note: More to come, I promise!