Chapter 17 –Suspicion Bends the Truth

Anna walked slowly back to the common room her head reeling in everything that had been said. She was lost in her thoughts and before she realized she was standing outside Gryffindor common room. She was about to say the password when a voice behind her said something.

"It won't open by you staring at it you know," Lupin said coming up behind her.

"No I don't suppose it will," Anna replied vaguely.

"What's wrong? Break up with your boyfriend?" he said giving the password and giving her a hand up the portrait hole.

"What?" she said shaking her head and bringing herself back to reality.

"Nothing," he said.

"No why did you say that?"

"Well you keep disappearing on us every evening and you stay behind after classes and don't tell us why," Lupin said.

"I don't have a boyfriend, I just need some space sometimes, that's all," she said making sure she was clear she didn't have a boyfriend. Lupin looked at her tilting his head slightly.

"No secret affairs with teachers or anything?" She raised her eyebrows and started laughing.

"What one earth are you on about?"

"Look me and James figured it out, we know you are having an affair with Harry Potter," Anna stared at him.

"You mean I was too obvious?" She asked feigning shock. "Please don't tell anyone," she said trying her hardest not to laugh. Lupin's face went from frowning to shock in a matter of seconds. Then before she could help herself she started laughing every thought of Voldemort leaving.

"You… really thought that?" she said through breaths. Lupin went bright red.

"Well… no, maybe a little. It wasn't my fault you are always asked to stay back after lessons and stuff."

"Professor Potter is helping me with… something. I'm sorry I can't tell you yet."

"Well that's a relief."

"I can't believe you thought that," she said then stopped laughing when a pain tore threw her head. Lupin looked at her in concern and she suddenly noticed how blue his eyes were. "So why were you outside?" she asked trying to ignore the burning in her cheeks. "I was looking for you," he replied.

"Oh… why?" she said clearly bemused at why he would want to look for her.

"I didn't know where you were. You didn't come down for dinner."

"Yeah I wasn't hungry, I got some kind of bad news," she said noticing for the first time that the common room was empty. Lupin must have noticed the same thing because he said.

"Everyone is still at dinner, I brought you some chicken and potatoes," as he held out a napkin. Anna sighed and took the napkin and sat by the fire. Lupin sat down next to her.

"I'm fine," she said as she saw the look he was giving her.

"No, no I don't think you are," he said putting a finger to her lips as she opened her mouth to respond. "I know there is something wrong, you don't have to tell me now. But I want you to
know I am here if you want to talk," he finished taking his hand away from her lips. Anna didn't say anything; she didn't really hear what Lupin was saying… something about being there for her. He had his fingers on her lips, what was he saying?

"Thanks," she said hoping it was the right answer then looking down at the food in her lap started eating it hungrily. They sat talking until the common room started to fill up again and Remus, Sirius and James came and sat down next to them. They started on their Defense Against the Dark Arts homework. Soon Nicky Wood came over and joined them.

Anna head had not stopped throbbing since she got back, soon she couldn't take all the noise of the common room and the laughter going on around her. She excused herself and went up to the dormitory. She got changed and lay down under the covers. Soon she drifted off into an uneasy sleep.