Professor Lupin's office was relatively empty, with one bookshelf, a desk and a couple of animal containers dotted around the place. It was cosy, though. The heat from the fireplace seemed to wrap its self around her, holding her in its warm embrace. Lupin indicated to the chair in front of his desk and Ebony fell onto it, her head was fuzzy and her knees felt as though they may give way any moment.

She didn't quite believe what had just happened. It was humiliating. Her whole year just saw the Boggart turn into her mum and dad. Kids shouldn't be scared of their parents. Yet here she was. She dreaded to think what was said after everyone had left. Whispers, rumours, questions… Fuck.

"Tea?" Lupin's voice was soft, and he looked at her, his eyes full of concern.

"Yes please." Ebony was picking at her nails. She was just waiting for him to ask her about the Boggart, about what it meant. Her home life was not something she talked about. Neville had asked a few times but the most that he knew was that she didn't get on with her parents and that bruises and cuts popped up now and again. He didn't know the half of it. Whenever he brought it up, she changed the subject. Ebony was adamant that she could handle it on her own. She didn't need pity.

A few moments later Lupin placed a steaming mug in front of her and then sat on the other side of the desk. Ebony wrapped her hands around the cup and lifted it to her mouth. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, feeling the steam fill her head. It was soothing. Professor Lupin wrapped his hands around his mug.

"How are you feeling?" He said, his smile small but comforting.

"I'm okay," Ebony said. Lupin put his tea down. He paused for a moment as if trying to find the right words to say.

"Ebony," he said looking her in the eyes. " I don't want to pry, and I don't want to make you talk about anything you don't want to but I feel the need to ask." He took a deep breath, still looking at her. "Is everything alright at home?". Ebony swallowed and looked down, running her fingers back and forth across her mug. Part of her thought she should tell him, just spill everything. Tell him how much she hated home and her parents. How much they hated her. The pain. Not just the beatings and punishments but the pain of being a stranger to the two people who were supposed to love her the most. Two people who either yelled at her or forgot that she existed altogether. Two people who made it very clear that she wasn't what they wanted. She wasn't a son, not the heir, her father wanted. Nor was she a pureblood fanatic like her mother. She didn't believe a word of what they both said about muggles and muggle-borns. Even less so once she had come to Hogwarts. The pain of knowing that no matter what she did, she was and always will be – a disappointment.

"Anything you say in this room stays in this room." Lupin was still looking at her, pity in his eyes. "Take as long as you need."

She'd handled it fine up till now, so why bother saying anything? Well not fine but she'd handled it. She didn't need sympathy. Didn't need it, didn't want it. At the same time, she couldn't just sit there and say nothing. Ebony took a deep breath.

"We just have never really seen eye to eye." She said. "On anything." Ebony was scared that if she said too much then she may never stop talking. "And they get angry sometimes, especially my mum." She took another sip of her tea, now slightly cold.

"When they're angry," Lupin spoke carefully, as though he was desperate not to say the wrong thing and upset her. He swallowed."Do they ever hurt you?" His eyes flickered over to her cheek, she moved her hair forward. Ebony just shrugged and said nothing. He wouldn't want to know everything. And she'd quite like to forget a lot of it.

Besides, her parents always said that it was for her own good. That they were teaching her a lesson. That any good parent would do the same. Of course, she still hated them with every fibre of her being but what could she do. She was powerless. If she told anyone, what then? The Lestranges were respected in high pureblood society. Anyone would be crazy to go up against them and even if they did they would most certainly lose.

Lupin seemed to read Ebony's silence and leaned back in his chair. "Well, I think that you have been through enough for today." He smiled at her sympathetically. "But sometimes, talking about things can help make them less scary. Somethings are too big for one person to carry on their shoulders." Ebony looked at him and couldn't help but think of Neville. It would make sense, to talk to him. It might even get him to open up as well. She knew that he brought up her issues as a way of forgetting his. Unfortunately, she was just not very good at the whole 'heart – to – heart' thing.

But then Ebony thought about the way he looked at her after holidays, the way his eyes lingered on bruises and cuts. The way he looked at her as if she was fragile, made of glass and would shatter at any moment. Of course, she knew that he cared, she thought maybe a little too much.

The bell rang for the end of the day and Ebony stood up and grabbed her bag. "Thank you, Professor." She said.

"Anytime, my door is always open." He grabbed a pile of papers and picked up his quill.

Ebony walked to the door but stopped with her hand on the doorknob. "Professor?" Lupin looked up. "Thank you," She said. "For standing up for Neville, I mean. A lot of people don't give him a chance. He's a lot smarter than even he gives himself credit for."

Professor Lupin grinned. "You've got a good friendship, you two. I'm glad."

"See you tomorrow, Professor."

…..

Remus watched as the door closed and then put his head in his hands. 'Poor kid.' He thought. 'Poor fucking kid.' He wasn't stupid, he knew that things were far worse than Ebony was letting on. He knew that Ebony was probably covered in more bruises than he could see. He could see that she didn't sleep much. He could see that she was worryingly small and skinny for her age. He saw the way she flinched at sudden movements. He'd seen this all before. With Sirius.

Remus paused for a moment then squeezed his eyes shut, trying to push him out of his head. He felt the usual pang in his chest, unsure what caused it. Guilt that he hadn't noticed sooner? Hadn't noticed that one of his closest friends was a spy? Anger that Sirius, his Sirius had done that? Grief for the friend he was so sure would be by his side forever? Grief for the friendship that got caught in the crossfire?

He decided he couldn't sit in his office alone any longer.

…

Remus entered the staff room and sunk into an armchair. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. Merlin, he was tired.

"Long day, Remus?" Minerva smirked as she sank into the chair beside him.

"It was eventful, to say the least," Remus said, smiling.

"Yes, I heard about the sixth year's lesson. An explosion in your first week is rather impressive." Minerva said.

"Still not quite sure how they managed it, Professor, they were supposed to be practising non-verbal shield charms," Remus said with a laugh.

Minerva coughed. "Call me Minerva, please Remus, you are no longer a student."

"My apologies Minerva but I hope you understand how strange it sounds."Minerva chuckled.

They both went quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "I also hear there was an incident with the third years." Remus sighed. "Is Ebony all right?"

"She gave us all quite a shock it has to be said," Remus replied. "She says she's fine though, think she was more a bit embarrassed than anything else." Minerva shook her head.

"If anything it just confirms my suspicions." She said. "She comes back from school holidays looking skinnier and paler than ever. Bags under her eyes, littered with bruises. It makes me sick, the thought that anyone could do that to a child, never mind their own child." Remus looked at his hands.

"What she did say, she said so casually, as if it is the most normal thing in the world." He gave an exasperated sigh. "It just kills me that there is nothing we can do. I tried to talk to her, but all I got was what we can already work out, I know for fact it's worse than she'll say."

Minerva sighed."Unfortunately, you're right, there's nothing we can do. Even if we somehow manage to get her to tell us the full story, it wouldn't make a difference. The Lestranges bribed and lied their way out of Azkaban for what they did to the Longbottoms so who's to say they wouldn't do it again. Then Ebony would be worse off than she was before."

Remus gave an exasperated sigh. Minerva placed a hand on his arm. "The best thing we can do," She said, "is to make sure Ebony knows she is safe here. That this is home." She then smiled and said, "I don't think we have too much to worry about while she's here, though, Longbottom clearly cares about her very much. He couldn't concentrate for the whole lesson," Remus smiled too, thinking of the way he had seemed so reluctant to leave his friend. Ebony was in good hands.

"Yes, and while I do find it endearing," Minerva continued, "I spent 10 minutes returning Mr Finnigan's eyebrows to their normal colour due to Neville's lack of concentration." Minerva sighed but she was smiling none the less. Remus laughed.