Disclaimer: It's all Rowling's. Not mine.

Blind Faith

Chapter Three

October, 1993

Neither of us picked up the subject of Professor Lupin knowing- and probably hating- my father for about a month. Nor did I tell Ginny about the voices. It wasn't that I didn't trust her- it was just that I wasn't exactly sure it wasn't just a one off. I hadn't heard them again, so I didn't feel that it was awfully important. After that first day, news came that Hagrid's 'hippogriff' (whatever that is) attacked Draco Malfoy (GO BUCKBEAK!) Unfortunately, that meant that Malfoy senior (probably as snivelling as Malfoy junior) was complaining to the school board.

Defence soon was my best subject. Even though he didn't seem to like me much, he admitted that I had an excellent aim, and very seldom missed my target. The hexes and jinxes came easily to me, surprising me greatly. Charms was, as always, easy, and Transfiguration was still not too difficult. Of course, Herbology remained terrible, Potions was, although fairly easy for me, torturous as Snape seemed to have decided that if he lowered myself esteem to zero, I would jump off the astronomy tower. Of course, I couldn't care less what he or the Slytherins thought about me.

One time in Herbology in early October, my partner (some bloody Slytherin girl called Iris Fyshe, but me and Gin called her Fishy) shoved me in the direction of some sort of carnivorous plant. Sammy, who was nearby, too giggly for my liking but still fairly nice, went, "Amber, look out!"

Of course, the whole idea of me being able to look out was absurd, so my hand, which had been ready to break my fall was attacked by the plant. What seemed to be teeth tore into my skin, and Sammy next to me screamed. Another vicious bite went to my side, but this time I sent a flying punch with my uninjured hand. It instantly tore away, but I think a fair amount of me didn't come back with me. "Mr Parks, do take Miss Hart to the Hospital Wing," Sprout said in her motherly tone, instantly next to me to restrain the plant, "MISS WEASLEY? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"

A hand closed around my uninjured palm. It was probably Joe, whose surname was Parks. The hand pulled my arm over his shoulders (turns out he's taller than me- though it's not exactly saying a hell of a lot- I'm told I'm somewhat petite) and led me out of the greenhouse. "What did Ginny do?" I asked. I heard him laugh before answering.

"Oh, she hexed Fyshe. Great spell, too. Bat bogey hex." He supported me as we walked up to the castle, me limping somewhat, and I realized I hadn't protested him touching me. I felt my cheeks flush.

I couldn't figure out why, though.

I mean, why did I blush? It's not like I had anything to hide, or I actually cared. Did I?

Joe left me after he had dropped me off in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey wasn't there, (probably tending to that Hufflepuff girl in fifth year whose potion caused her to continuously cough up peanuts- don't ask) so after a brief "Gotta get back to Herbology. See you later, Hart," and a small wave from me (WHAT? I DON'T WAVE!) I blushed again. Couldn't for my life figure out why. I never blushed. Why now?

While up in the hospital wing, I heard Madam Pomfrey's voice going, "There you go, Remus. Do take care of yourself."

Remus... who was that again? One of the teacher's first name's...

"Thank you, Poppy," I heard Professor Lupin's voice say. That's who it was! Remus Lupin. Although it was somewhat difficult to get my mind off Joe, I instantly was wondering what he was doing in there. I mean, he wasn't sick, was he?

But my intuition made another leap, and instantly, I knew this had something to do with the 'catch'. I just knew it.

It had been intuition that caused me to realize this. It was idiocy that caused me to go, "Professor Lupin? What are you doing in here?"

I could have hit myself, I felt so stupid. It was so like me to do something like that. I could still feel the steady flow of blood dripping onto my robes. I was starting to feel a bit faint, actually. I swayed dangerously, and I used my uninjured hand to hug my stomach, trying to stem the blood flow. "Amber?" Lupin's mild tone asked, sounding mildly surprised. "What are you doing here?"

I shrugged off the faintness. "Some carnivorous plant decided I was on the breakfast menu. You?"

How do you say idiot in five letters?

Wait...

Oh God. I am an idiot!

"Nothing of much importance- I've just been feeling a little off colour these last few days," he answered, without hesitation. But there was a carefulness in his tone that I just managed to pick up that hadn't been there before. "I'll be alright in a couple of days."

And just like that, I knew he was lying. And somehow, I knew the truth was the catch.

Madam Pomfrey then bustled over to me. "Oh dear, what have you done this time?" Due to my overwhelming klutziness, I was in here a lot. I felt a wand poke my hand, and when the cut seared with pain as though it was being caused again, I flinched.

"Can I go now?" I asked tenderly. I hated the hospital wing, and although the sharp pain lancing through my stomach was getting worse, and my hand (and it was my right hand... and I'm right handed) felt so swollen that I couldn't move it, I truly hated the hospital wing. The sterilized smell was somewhat annoying. It was always there. It was somewhat ominous to think that I knew my way around it so well.

"Do you not know what attacked you?" Madam Pomfrey's voice was laced with sympathy. I shook my head, dreading what she would say.

"Just something with teeth," I said hesitantly. "Why?"

"Venomous tentacula," Mild Lupin's voice said suddenly, "It looks painful."

If I'd been in my right state of mind, I'd have jumped. I hadn't realized he hadn't left. For a split second, I thought he'd been waiting for me. After all, I did have his class next.

But not until half past one!

So after that warm, fuzzy feeling moment, I realized that the idea was absurd. He already didn't like me. Why would he bother? I couldn't fight down the bitterness that gripped me after that. I didn't know why I felt like that- I mean, why should I? I wasn't exactly close to Lupin. It wasn't like I should be hurt...

"Feels painful too," I said, just the slightest hint of sarcasm lacing my voice, "Would you like to try it?"

"I think he's had more than enough bites in his life," a cold, unfortunately familiar tone went. "Lupin, your potion."

The first thing I did was shoot my very best death glare at Snape. This was who I saved my best glares for. I didn't hate my potion's professor.

Not at all.

I absolutely loathed him.

BIG difference.

I can honestly say that I didn't do anything. At first. But after the first lesson...

Well, let's just say that I really didn't appreciate his constant loathing tone and picking-on-ness.

The second thing I did was pick up the loathing in Snape's words. Anyone with half an ear could have picked it up. It wasn't at all subtle. Exactly the same tone as whenever he spoke to me. Questions exploded in my mind. Why did Snape... er... dislike Lupin (other than because he wanted the Defence post, and he was a popular Professor, and... well... who hadn't heard about the whole Boggart episode?)? And why in the exact same way as he hated me? What was Snape talking about, Lupin having had more than enough bites in his life? What was Snape doing here anyway?

But most importantly, why was Snape brewing a potion for Lupin?

OK, I know. Master potion brewer and all, but, having gone through a period last year when I was convinced that I wanted to be a healer, I'd researched them, dragging Gin along to translate the texts, and I knew that if Lupin was feeling off-colour, Madam Pomfrey, as a Healer, would have a potion to help. The standard lone healer's potion storage would contain at least three different potions for this purpose and, since this was Hogwarts, we would have a greatly wider variety of potions.

So what was Snape doing brewing a potion that wasn't in Hogwarts' potion storage?

And why did Lupin need it?

My sensitive nose had picked up an unusual scent. I recognised after a moment as smoke. Was the potion smoking?

That was when my spontaneous streak jumped in. Fuelled by natural curiosity, I asked, "What's the potion for?"

I heard Lupin starting to say something, but was my cut off by Madam Pomfrey going, "Severus, yes, I'll need you to make something for venomous tentacula poisoning."

As if on cue, another wave of dizziness and burst of pain caused usually perfect balance to falter. Stumbling slightly, I felt a pair of hands catching me around the waist.

That was when it happened.

"Always the gentleman, aren't you Moony?"

"I do try."

I was being gently shaken. "Amber, are you alright?" That was Professor Lupin. His voice came from directly behind me, and I automatically knew it had been him who had caught me. However, before I could answer (what the hell is happening to me?) another overwhelming wave of faintness and blazing agony hit me. This time, my hearing blurred for a moment, my left hand becoming loose, letting my stick fall through my fingers. It was like someone had shoved a pillow over my ears. I felt my knees buckle and only Professor Lupin's grip on my waist prevented me from crashing into the floor. The pain was spreading, I realized. It had travelled all over upper body, making it feel like my body was being stabbed with knives.

"Me?" I asked my voice slightly giggly with pain. "Peachy."

The next thing I knew, I heard a door crash open and Ginny's cry of, "Amber! Are you OK? That bitch Fishy is so dead when I get to her! Can you believe her? I'm gonna- oh, um, hi, Professor." She trailed off hastily, obviously seeing the Professors. I could almost see her blushing. Not that I knew what a blush looked like.

"Out! All of you!" Madam Pomfrey's voice screeched! "Miss Hart is very sick! She needs bed rest and Severus, if you don't get that potion done, you will be responsible for a student's death! She's been bitten by a young one, and you know how potent the poison is!"

"Lupin, you need to take that directly," Snape's voice continued. I mentally tallied what I knew about the potion- OK, definitely not a standard healing potion, can't be put in say, orange juice, or add sugar, say, and I guessed it was fairly difficult to make. And it couldn't be stored, because I knew, having 'visited' Snape's potion room after hours with Ginny once that he had basically any potion ever able to be stored.

My thoughts stopped when the pain, instead of coming and going in flashes began to blaze, pulsing in pain. Now my entire right side, from the base of my neck to my waist felt like it was on fire, throbbing painfully. I started giggling helplessly. It hurt so much it was funny. I felt myself being guided to a bed, ending up being gently lowered. I couldn't think much anymore. I seemed to be moving as though through water- boiling water. The pain in my side hadn't faded in the least. Vaguely, I could still hear frantic voices, but I found I didn't really care. What did it matter? It was like floating in an oblivion of pain.

But then, cutting through my daze of pain, I heard vaguely familiar, horribly cold laughter.

"Foolish girl! What is the girl worth to you! Hand her over and I'll spare your life."

"She's my baby! I wont let you take her!"

There was a banging noise, like a fist on a door, and then more voices.

"My master always gets what he wants. Opicus negras!"

Something was being forced into my mouth. Liquid was spilling down my throat. I gagged, and coughed, and suddenly, I could hear again. "Miss Hart," I heard Madam Pomfrey say clearly, "Are you conscious?" Her tone was one of someone talking to the mentally ill.

Annoyed, I replied sarcastically, "Of course not! I'm really unconscious. I'm just sleep-talking."

Madam Pomfrey shoved several other potions down my throat, and Ginny visited me. "I got detention and lost twenty points for hexing Fishy," she said grudgingly, after sitting down in a chair. "But it was so worth it."

"I know, Bat Bogey Hex, right?" I said, smiling, finally. Ginny was one of the few who could bring an honest smile out of me. Most people could only get a sarcastic grin. Of amusement, perhaps, but not of genuine happiness. "Joe told me."

And then I did something so out of character, Madam Pomfrey rushed over to see if I had a fever.

I sighed in a love struck manner.

"I'm fine," I scowled, irritated with being touched. Mum said I was protective of my personal space. Well, I might not be exactly protective, but I really didn't appreciate the hand on my forehead. Madam Pomfrey clucked before going back to her office.

"You like him," Ginny's voice was hinted with a tone of slow comprehension. "You like him! I can't believe it!"

My cheeks heated up. I was sure that I must have gotten a fever, because no one could be this hot and not have one. "Do not!" I protested, knowing full well that I did.

"Do so!" Gin crowed. "This is awesome! You know, he's good lookin' too! Just for bonuses!"

"He wouldn't go out with a blind girl," I said miserably. I did like him, I realized.

Ginny had brought me up some lunch. You know, the hospital wing never gave you food from the kitchens? Only instant hospital food.

In other words, disgusting pieces of shit.

Excuse my language.

A bit later, I dozed off again. I woke up to hear a familiar slightly bossy girl's voice going, "She's really nice, and funny. I would have thought you'd like her."

"But isn't she, you know, a bit blind?"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"You know, this arguing is getting really annoying-"

"For goodness sake, Ron, she's blind, not retarded."

"She," I interrupted loudly, "Is also not deaf. Hey, 'Mione."

I was surprised, but also pleased that Hermione had decided to visit me. My usual visitors consisted mainly of Ginny, Ginny and Ginny.

I am so popular.

Insert sarcasm here.

"Ow, that looks really painful," I heard Hermione say, her voice laced with concern, "What happened?"

"Ginny told us that something happened in Herbology," I heard Ron say, a hint of apology in his voice.

I rarely got to tell stories, so I rather enjoyed briefly recalling this morning's Herbology lesson. All three of them were a great audience. Harry didn't say much at all. In fact, the only things I heard were, "Ouch," and "I think Madam Pomfrey needs to change your bandages. You can see the bloodstains" to which I replied, "Actually, I can't see much of anything. It's a side affect of the whole blind thing."

I could almost see him cringe. My reply had been somewhat hostile. But did you think he was going to get off scot-free for stealing Ginny's heart?

For everyone who said 'No way!' you're wrong. He was getting at least 50 off for that.

What he wasn't getting any discounts on was him taking most of her mind, and a good part of her sanity.

No, that he had to pay in full price.

"So," I said, "Why are you here anyway?"

"We came to visit you," Hermione responded immediately, a little shocked that I'd asked. I heard Ron cough. Hermione amended, "Well, I came to visit you. I don't know what these to imbeciles are doing here."

The familiar banging of the door sounded, and Ginny's voice suddenly went, "Hey, Amber, guess what I brought- oh, hi Hermione, Harry. Ron, piss off."

I grinned, without the slightest hint of sarcasm. Gin never ceased to amuse me with her dismissal treatment of her youngest older brother. "Gee, that's nice Ginny," Ron muttered under his breath, "So nice to know my company is wanted."

Ginny ignored him. I felt her push something into my hand. I felt it. It had a Braille labelling. I only bothered to feel the first twelve bumps. D-I-S-C they spelt. This promptly caused me to go, with all sincerity, "Ginny, you are a saint."

I felt for the earphones and jammed one into my ear. Hermione protested, "But electronics don't work at Hogwarts. The magic makes them go haywire."

"Says... who, exactly?"

OK, maybe I could have said this nicer, but my stomach was really hurting, and her whole know-it-all attitude was beginning to get old.

Hermione didn't even hesitate. "Hogwarts: A History, for one. It says so in chapter eleven. Electronically powered machines malfunction within a mile's radius around Hogwarts, partially due to the magical aura produced by the protection wards put in place by the founders and various headmasters, and partially due to the magical disturbance caused by the amount of magical activity in the area."

This was followed by a, "What?" from Harry and Ron. It even took me a moment to understand Hermione's lecture.

I was impressed. I didn't get to chapter three. "Well, since I only got halfway through chapter two, I can't exactly say anything. But who say's it's powered by electricity?"

"What's elektrikity?" Ron asked.

Of course, this caused Hermione to go, "It's electricity, Ron."

I rolled my eyes. Those two were acting like an old married couple. There was an odd warm feeling inside me. I couldn't place my finger on it. I picked up the unused earphone and held it out in Ginny's general direction. "Hermione, Ron, if you don't want people to start calling you an old married couple, I suggest you stop acting like one."

"We do not act like an old married couple!" they replied hotly, in perfect unison. I rolled my eyes again and felt for the play button on my Discman.

"Could have fooled me," Gin said decisively. I finally found the play button. The phase 'there was' caused me to hit the next button three times, to one of my favourite tracks.

"Well, we better be going," Hermione said. I heard the legs of chairs scrapping back. "Nice talking to you again."

And, in one of my un-sarcastic moments, I said sincerely thanked her. "It was really nice to talk to you. Thanks for visiting. It was getting really boring."

And so I heard their footsteps fading away as I heard the last line of Sparkling Diamonds.

"Diamonds... are a girl's... best... friend..."

I felt Ginny lean over me and hit the pause button. "Spill," she said firmly. "What happened in the hospital wing this morning?"

I told her everything. About Snape, about Lupin, about the potion, about the voices, everything. She listened as I explained my catch theories, and Snape's similar hatred towards Lupin as me. Ginny only cut in once, to inform me that he looked at Harry in the exact same way, although she'd never heard them talking.

As I spoke, I felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off my back. I wasn't the only one with these suspicions anymore.

Ginny was silent for a long time after I'd finished. When she spoke it was softly, as though she though we might be overheard. "Whoa. You're right, though. There has to be a catch somewhere. You know there hasn't been a Defence teacher who lasted more than a year since before Bill came to Hogwarts? They always left, by will or by force by June. And Lupin has been looking sicker and sicker lately. Maybe he has some sort of incurable disease." I could hear the sudden inspiration creeping into her voice. "Maybe the potion is to stop the students from catching it! Maybe- oh shit!"

I started at her sudden use of language. It wasn't her colourful vocabulary that got me- it was just it had come out of nowhere! "What is it?" I said, worried for my friend.

"It's twenty to two! I have to run, I'm late for Defence!" I heard her chair scoot back quickly, but called out just before she left.

"Gin!" I called. "Try to drop the name Moony in front of him!"

Ginny's pounding footsteps paused for a moment. "Who, Lupin?"

"Yeah, if he asks, tell him I'm thinking about naming my cat that."

"Sure thing, but I gotta run. See ya." And the last I heard was her slamming the door shut.

I sighed. Why would anyone be called Moony? And why would Professor Lupin make me trigger those boy's voices? Moony wasn't exactly a stupid name, just... random. I struggled to remember the other names. I was sure one of them was something about a Worm... and another was something about feet... and I could have sworn one of them had something to do with a fork...

Being blind meant you had to hear things the first time, and remember them well. So after a couple of moments, I remembered my musings.

Who was Wormtail, Prongs, Moony and Padfoot?

Wait, that sounds terrible.

Maybe Prongs, Moony, Padfoot and Wormtail?

No, that didn't sound right either.

Actually, what was the right order? Maybe alphabetical? Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail?

Padfoot and Prongs sounded good together, and Moony sounded pretty good at the front.

Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.

SUCCESS!

My musings were then interrupted by Madam Pomfrey. "Miss Hart, I need to change your bandages." I sighed and sat up, raising my arms as she re-wrapped my belly with bandages. I then had to take a potion to stop the poisoning from making me sick. A side affect was that it put me to sleep.

So it wasn't until Ginny shook me awake that I could continue my musings. But even then it was a little hard, due to the rant Gin was spewing.

"That bloody arsehole! Do you know what? Since Lupin was 'indisposed of', guess who taught the lesson?"

"The Easter Bunny?" I said sarcastically.

"Snape! Bloody frickin' Snape! And when I go, 'Sorry I'm late, Professor Lu- what the hell are you doing here?' he goes, 'Since Miss Weasley is fifteen minutes late, we'll make it fifteen points from Gryffindor. Sit down, Weasley.' Then when I ask where Professor Lupin is, he just say he's indisposed and gives me a bloody detention for being a nosy and disrespectful brat! Then he gives us a two rolls of parchment essay on how Defence Against the Dark Arts is linked to the lunar chart!"

Ginny took a deep breath before plunging on.

"And then he take another ten points from Gryffindor for chatting to Joe about Sirius Black escaping Azkaban! And even better, I have a detention and I've got to do some awful thing in his office! I don't even want to think about it! I hope Sirius Black comes and blasts him so smithereens!"

Although, generally, I never get mad at the people I like, and I almost always stay cool when angry, for Snape, I always make and exception.

THAT BLOODY BACKSTABBING SNAKE-LOVING EVIL MURDEROUS SLIMY GREASY SHIT-FACED SON-OF-A-BITCH!

I've wanted to think that for ages.

"Best idea I've heard all day," I say casually. "But where was Professor Lupin?"

"Mooooony."

"What."

"Is it that time-of-the-month?"

"You make me sound like a girl with PMS."

"You mean you're not?"

There promptly was a thwacking noise.

"Ow!"

"Ha! Sucked in Padfoot. Nice one Moony."

"Why thank you, Prongs."

"Not there."

Ginny's answer snapped me out of my trance. "Gin, I had another one."

I frowned. "But he was just in here earlier. Gin, is he in the hospital wing?"

I heard her swivel around. "Nope. You're the only person in here."

"Another what?" I heard her say concernedly. "One of the, well, voice things?"

I like that. I'll call them VTs.

"The Moony dude was being really pissy for some reason. And then I think that Padfoot dude said something about time-of-the-month, and Moony goes, 'You make me sound like I've got PMS' or something." I recounted my VT as best I could. Not very well.

"I got it!" Ginny crowed triumphantly.

"Got what?"

"I know why he's called Moony. Time-of-the-month, short temper, Moony, isn't it obvious?"

I was completely lost. I was having one of my Captain Oblivious moments. I have them a lot, don't I? "Oh yes. That's why I'm going to ask you. Why is he called Moony?"

"It's because he's a werewolf."

Dun dun duuuunnnn.

A/N Well, got this chapter up fairly fast. I'm not sure why no one's reviewing. I'd really appreciate it if people reviewed more. Or at all. Seriously. Ten thousand words and one review. Gee, thanks guys.

On a less sarcastic note, I've decided that I need a better summary. The person with the best summary will both get their summary posted on the website, and get to make an original character for me to put in. Where, I don't know. This is what I need:

Name:

Gender:

Age and Birth date (this year is 1993):

House:

Blood:

Looks:

Personality:

Misc:

IF YOU DON'T REVIEW I'LL SICK MY VAMPIRIC KITTEN ON YOU!