Madame Rue picked that moment to check on her patient. Gwen was pronounced fit, although she was excused from classes and stayed in the infirmary for the rest of the day. The rest of the marauders and her friends all showed up to check on her at lunch, so she and Remus didn't get a chance to talk until the next morning.

As it was Saturday, they escaped from the common room and took a walk around the castle, avoiding their fellow students as much as possible.

"So tell me about this—about being an affectamagus," Remus said as they paced slowly down a deserted corridor. "Can you make anyone feel any emotion you like?"

Gwen shook her head. "There are limitations. Some people are harder to influence than others, particularly those who have pretty good control over their emotions to begin with. And anyone who is being influenced can fight it to some extent if they try. Also, it's very difficult to introduce emotions that are very foreign to the situation. For instance, if someone is just chatting with a group of friends, it would be well nigh impossible to make them feel fear. Likewise, if someone they loved was in mortal danger, it would be quite hard to make them fearless—although an affectamagus might be able to lessen their fear enough to make them clear-headed.

"Of course," she said, turning to address him directly, "a lot of this is still only theory for me. I've only successfully influenced emotions a few times so far. I was afraid to try it much at school, in case somebody noticed."

Remus nodded. "I did notice. That time James and Sirius were teasing Severus…" Gwen nodded solemnly. "And when Brian and Violet were fighting," he added. "That was the particularly noticeable one."

Gwen agreed. "That wasn't very smart of me—to influence both of them so much. It was just—it was an easy task, because they were only fighting because of being cooped up so long. Violet in particular. Brian was a little harder." She shrugged. "I just couldn't stand the tension anymore."

Remus looked at her curiously. "So it has its drawbacks, too," he said slowly. "Being an affectamagus, I mean. Because you feel what other people are feeling."

"Yeah. It's really hard to block other people out. If I'm having a good day and Eunice is having a bad one, for instance, she tends to bring me down a lot more than she does Grace or Lily. Equally, when I'm stressed because of an assignment I have to get done and everybody else is laughing and having a good time, it's very hard to keep my mind on my work."

"And too many heightened emotions can even cause you physical pain," Remus pointed out, recalling her fainting spell at the Gryffindor victory party.

"Yes. And I have to keep strict control most of the time, not only to block out other people's emotions, but to keep from projecting mine!"

Remus suddenly frowned. "One evening last spring—you and James and I were sitting around talking in the Great Hall—do you remember? James had this weird reaction to you…"

Gwen furrowed her brow, trying to remember. "Yes," she said slowly, "that was before I knew what was going on—before I went to see some healers over the summer. I never put two and two together. I guess I was projecting my emotions on him."

"Which emotions?"

"Oh, happiness, contentment…" she said vaguely.

Remus grinned at her. "A little more than that, perhaps?"

Gwen blushed scarlet, but grinned back. "Not telling." She changed the subject quickly. "Now we've talked all about me and my deep dark secret. Now what about you and your 'furry little problem'? I've read about lycanthropy, but reading about it from the textbook and trying to understand it from your perspective are two entirely different things."

Remus suddenly felt strangely shy. "I've never talked about it much—a little to my parents, a little to James and Sirius and Peter…"

"You needn't tell me if you don't want to," Gwen said casually. "I just thought it might help…"

Remus felt his timidity lifting a little, and gave her a sharp glance. Her head was turned away from him. With a smile, he consciously pushed the uncharacteristic confidence away in favor of amusement.

Gwen looked over at him in surprise and delight. "Good job!" she exclaimed, then tucked her hand in his elbow. "But honestly, there's no reason to be shy. Start talking."

Remus did.

TBC