Edited as of 4/20

The Hufflepuff Dormitory was a second home to Eliza; the place she lived in for the other half of the year and the one place she always felt safe. Her bed was placed right next to Jeanine, her best friend of many years and an absolute loudmouth most of the time. But Jeanine and Eliza were two peas in a pod, and Eliza allowed herself to collapse into the sweet smelling comforter. The fabric was like puddy in her hands, and she could've fallen asleep a second time—if not for the body that slammed onto the small of her back, breath exiting her lung in haste.

Jeanine's long curls hung in a curtain that shadowed the two girls, "You better have a bloody good reason for not answering a single one of my owls."

Eliza turned and stared into her lovely friends hard eyes, "Would you believe me if I said I forgot?"

The two erupted into a tickle fight of sorts, hands scrambling to attack every open square of flesh that was ripe for a squeeze. Jeanine gave up first, relenting her own attack and rolling to flop on her back, turning her head and staring at Eliza with wide eyes full of mirth.

"Gods, I missed you Lizzie. You have no idea how borin' it was back at home." Jeanine rolled her eyes and scrunched her nose, "I tried mailin' Desmond but he was off at some other school, and Daisy was with her Mum."

Eliza turned and smiled at her friend, "It wasn't like I was having much fun either. I washed clothes and played shuffle, so really, I think you had it better than me."

Jeanine blew a raspberry before standing up, hands planted on her wide hips," While that may be fair, I did do some stuff."

Eliza eagerly listened as Jeanine recalled the tale of how her father had deliberately told her not to stick her overly large nose into any dragon business, and how Jeanine had done exactly that. Her father, who worked for the Ministry of Magic, had caught note of her intention to illegally purchase an illegal dragon egg.

Jeanine's Father Richard specialized in creatures and illegal poaching, and seemingly took the case from his daughter, promising to protect and help any creatures that happened to be caught in an unfortunate situation.

But apparently, her father had gone mad at her intent to buy the dragon egg, even after telling her to contact Charlie Weasley for more information on becoming a dragon tamer. But seeing as the Weasley's had been in Egypt all summer, that hadn't really been an option.

"And now, my father practically screams at me—"

Jeanine did her best impersonation of her father, "Why did I get stuck with a daughter with a nose bigger than her brain? You know you'd get higher marks if you just stuck to your studies like a good girl."

She stuck her tongue out and crossed her eyes, both girls erupting into laugher that eventually died down when Jeanine continued. "But really, he wants me to contact Charlie, see about going to work with him during my summers, really get up close with dragons."

Eliza lightly touched her friends arm, "And? Will you?"

It was sad to see the dejected look cross Jeanine's face. "Don't know…Mum says it's stupid. That I'd do better following after Dad and joining the Ministry. Says I'd be a great receptionist." This time, her eyes found Eliza. "She thinks your corrupting me, says you're the reason I rebel against her. But I think she's full of shit."

Eliza could see the way that Jeanine was tearing up inside, wanting to follow her heart but being held back by her mother's disappointment was more than one 6th year should have to deal with. This wasn't the first time that Jeanine's Mum had told her daughter to stay away from her, lies about becoming a Dark With enough to have Eliza hating the older woman.

Eliza needed to bring the mood up again, surging off the bed and tugging her friend to the main door, "C'mon, enough with this sad talk. Let's see if the twins left us anything to eat."

They left the Dormitory and strolled down the cemented hallway, waving at the paintings and trying not to bump into any lost first years, all wide eyed and misty. Their shoes clicked with every step on the stone ground, Jeanine's hands intertwining with her friends as they made it to the Great Hall.

It was easy to spot the twins; they were at their usual spot at the Hufflepuff table, though it was shocking that they'd saved two seats, seeing as most of Hogwarts had already made their way into the Great Hall.

The Gryffindor Table was a flutter with activity; the Quidditch students all-whispering about new games and new titles, the fashionable students gawking at all the badly dressed first years, and the trio of Harry and his friends.

The other tables were much more quiet, aside from the Slytherin Table and the ever annoying Draco Malfoy, as well as his goons Crabbe and Goyle. The platinum blonde haired 3rd year sneered from his seat at all of the Slytherin First years, glaring as if they'd go away with simply a look.

The Hufflepuff table was the least adventurous, with most of the students reading a book or talking quietly between friends. Daisy and Desmond sat side-by-side, Desmond softly biting into a warm spring roll while Daisy picked at her green beans. They were true twins, having the same nose and facial structure but different style of hair, Daisy preferring to wear hers up, while Desmond kept his trimmed to the skull.

Jeanine plopped down across from Daisy and tugged Eliza next to her, already reaching forward to snag the last sausage roll, as well as a spoonful of sweetened carrots. Eliza's appetite had dwindled, her eagerness to see her friends having squashed any hunger, though she did pick up a sweetened roll and take a bit.

Daisy was the first to pipe up. "Well, hello to you two. It's been awhile, hasn't it?" Eliza nodded as Desmond piped up, "You two won't believe where I was this summer. I—"

Daisy cut him off with a grunt, "No one wants to hear you talk about your trip for the thousandth time." Daisy addressed Eliza with a warm smile, "What'd you do Lizzie How'd the Muggle life treat you?"

Desmond rolled his eyes, "Oh, like that's more interesting…"

Eliza ignored him with a pleasant smile, "Same as every year. We mostly played shuffleboard indoors, it rained quiet a lot so that put a damper on some plans, but it was nice. My Aunt has a flower shop and I raised some purple tulips."

Eliza had enjoyed her quiet summer, watching the flowers grow and smelling the rain filled air. It's something she could get used to doing everyday.

Daisy further inquired, chewing on a pastry that had seemingly appeared out of thin air, "Shuffleboard and flowers sound like a regular Lizzie afternoon." A devious look crossed her face, "I'm assuming no boys came to visit this flower shop, eh?"

They all snickered as dark redness spread across Eliza's tanned cheeks, eyes look anywhere but her friends. No boys in London ever showed an interest in Eliza, always strolling past her with a girl much prettier, paler, blonder than herself. It was that she didn't think herself pretty or capable of love, Eliza just didn't see herself as desirable.

And as if Daisy could hear her thoughts, she nudged her under the table, "Any man would be lucky to have you Lizzie, I know I would."

The two girls smiled at each other, a saccharine sweet moment ruined by the presence that now loomed over Eliza's shoulder, and by the look on Daisy's once smiling now malevolent face, it was Silas Graves.

Silas Graves, one of the descendants of Percival Graves—a wizard who quiet famously had been bested and polyjuiced into Gellert Grindelwald, the real Percival nearly dying after being trapped in a cigarette tin for two months. Silas prided herself on being related to him, claiming she would see to becoming a great a wizard as him, but twice as smart, of course.

Eliza and Silas never saw eye to eye, they were the 6th year Harry and Draco, just a lot less violent. They never sought to harm each other—at least Eliza didn't—merely to best each other in classes, duels, even Quidditch.

And Eliza could smell Eliza's ghastly perfume that she never seemed to put less of on. A hand with black painted nails rested on her shoulder, "Now, if it isn't my favorite Hufflepuff."

Eliza sighed and gracefully turned in her seat, gazing up at the grinning pale face of Silas, slightly pointed incisors on display, "And you, my favorite Slytherin."

The three other Hufflepuffs sneered at the Slytherin, cringing at her sinister tone, "How did your summer treat you, Elizabeth? Off gallivanting with the Muggles like always?"

"You know me so well, Silas." Eliza never did take the bait. "And how was your summer? I'll assume it treated you well?"

Silas had the decency to give a non-vicious smile, "Why yes, in fact, I spent the past few months in Spain, trading spells for dances in the moonlight. If only you'd been there, they couldn't get enough of me."

Desmond snorted into his glass of pumpkin juice, "We've had more than enough of you." To which Silas snarled like a ferocious feline, teeth bared at the male twin with one hand clenched into an unforgiving fist.

"Say it again, you filthy half-blood—"

Eliza stood at the spew of vengeful insults, staring hard into her rival's eyes. "I think it's best you go." Silas held her ground. "Now."

Silas sneered once more over Eliza's shoulder before meeting the Hufflepuffs eyes once more, "I'll see you in potions, Elizabeth."

The four watched the Slytherin march off to her respective table, the eyes of Draco Malfoy lingering on Eliza for much to long to be comfortable. The met eyes for a moment too long, breaking when Jeanine tugged her back down, patting her on the back.

"Don't mind her Lizzie, she just takes pride in rillin' people up." Desmond nodded and took another hefty sip of pumpkin juice, coughing when Daisy nudged him in the side. More students fluttered into, others deciding to take their leave and accustom themselves to the Castle.

The foursome munched and chatted, retelling small stories of their time away. Eliza picked at a colorful fruit tart, knowing some elf in the kitchen put copious amounts of time into perfection the coloring of the fruits, eventually consuming it in one between, moaning at the sweet taste.

Jeanine was the first to finish, stretching her arms high above her head, "Well, I think I'm finished. Anybody up for a stroll? Maybe a lap around the Whomping Willow will do us some good?"

Daisy wiped her lips clean, "I'll pass, I haven't unpacked any of my things and want to get a letter out to my Mum."

Desmond took the last sip of pumpkin juice, standing tall and patting his full belly, "I think I'll join you. You in, Lizzie?"

Eliza thought about it for a moment, eyes raking over the emptying Hall and raking over the mostly empty Professor's table. She'd been hoping to catch a sight of Professor Snape, but his regular chair was empty. So she shrugged, "Yeah, I guess I will."

She was standing and in the midst of sending Daisy her farewells when a very familiar owl flew in, a letter clutched in it's hind legs dropping on her empty plate, the Owl swopping once more out the open window. Her three friends all raised their brows in her direction, to which she shyly shrugged, hand reaching down to gingerly gaze at the letter.

Her name was written in a scrawl she'd ever seen, the curvature of the capital E causing an unknown fluttering in her stomach. It clearly wasn't Mara, she knew her Aunt's handwriting, "Well, what's it say?"

Her eyes turned up to Daisy's smiling face, finger tearing open the closed seam of the envelope, grasping the piece of parchment that rested inside. It was plain, as if torn from a notebook and only a small paragraph resided on the page.

Elizabeth,

Seeing as our last meeting on the Hogwarts Express was cut short, I would greatly appreciate a moment of your time. If you would join me in my new classroom a quarter past 3, I shall be eagerly awaiting your arrival.

Remus

A radiant smile covered her face, eyes re-reading the words that seemed to make her heart burst with joy. A fluttering of butterfly wings tickled the sides of her stomach, a saccharine sweet feeling lodged in her throat. It was the words he'd written on the page that had her stepping out from the table, eagerly biting her lip.

"Well, who is it?" Daisy had a crick in her brow, but overall looked curious. Eliza wanted to tell them herself—well, not really, knowing they'd judge her for allowing a man much older than herself to make her heart go aflutter. But this want was dashed away as Jeanine's sneaky hands ripped the letter from her fist, rapid eyes scanning every word.

"Oooooh, who's this Remus fellow?"

Daisy looked curious, head turning side to side like a confused dog, and Desmond look devious. "A here she said she wasn't seeing anyone. A liar, this one. Let me see—"

Eliza snatched it away from Jeanine as two 4th year Hufflepuffs scooted down the wooden table, a brother and sister Jae and Luma, eyes hungry for gossip.

"Isn't that the name of the new DADA Professor? I've heard he's real pretty, tall too. Have you seen him?" Jae nodded at his sister, "I saw him earlier talking with Snape, he's got than rugged look, real nice and handsome, if I say so."

A puddle of jealousy formed in Eliza and she couldn't hold back her snarl at their words, "Stop it you two, he wouldn't want you children anyhow."

Jae snorted to his sister, "Like he'd want her, not a looker in the bunch." The two snorted back and forth, eventually moving back to their original spots a few feet away. Eliza stuck a tongue out at them; a nasty spell headed their way if they came back any more compliments for Remus.

Oh god, she needed to stop with this possessiveness over a man she barely knew. Those two have every right to lust after him, just like she did.

Daisy cleared her throat, alerting Eliza, "Now that they're gone, will you tell us what is says?"

Truly, she didn't want to, as his words were only meant for her ears, but to deny her friends would be uncouth of her. "He wants to see me in his classroom at 3, nothing more."

"Hmm, and I wonder what our Professor Lupin has in store?" Desmond snickered like a naughty fairy. "Perhaps something involving his personal broomstick…?"

He squawked when his sister hit him in the shoulder, both seeing Eliza's reddened cheeks and shy looks. "Now stop it you two, He probably just wants to continue our previous conversation."

"And when exactly was this previous conversation?" Jeanine looked curious.

"On the train, he sat across from me." The three friends 'oo'ed' at this new fact, leaning in and asking what they'd spoken about, but Eliza was already walking out of the Great Hall, ignoring their cries for attention and hearsay. She briefly caught the eye of one of the Weasley twins on her way out—"What's the hurry, love?"—but rolled her eyes and kept walking, heels clicking against the cement floor.

Seeing as watches were a rarity in Hogwarts, she walked through to courtyard to eye the clock tower, seeing it a quarter to three, giving her more than enough time to find the DADA classroom. There were a handful of students lingering in the courtyard; some were exchanging class schedules, others animatedly talking about their summers, and others sucking face. She paid them no mind, walking along the new green shrubs and inside once more, eventually standing in front of the familiar DADA classroom.

She knocks once, thinking maybe just entering would've been better, but as the door opens and reveals Professor Snape, she thinks it was better that she knocked. He hasn't changed at all; still all black robes and dark shiny hair, nose looking down on her with curiosity. He raises a single brow and purses his lips.

Instead of spouting a sarcastic comment about her presence, or just staring as he something did, he fled the doorway and down the hall, cape billowing in his wake. She watched him go with a curious eye, wondering what had come over him when a gentle landed on her shoulder.

She pushed aside the warm feeling now in her shoulder, turning to greet Remus, who had a warm smile on his face. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't receive my letter in time."

His hand smoothly slid down to the back of her shoulder, urging her inside and shutting the door. She walked in tandem with him, looking at the desks laid out in rows, as well as the large chalkboard on display.

She couldn't resist remarking, "You never mentioned you were a Professor." He quipped, "You never asked."

She snorted, "I didn't think that Dumbledore's secret mission was hiring you as our new Professor." He chuckled and once more, with his hand on her shoulder, let them up to his office. "I told you Elizabeth, I was under strict instructions to not tell a soul my intentions for coming to Hogwarts, yourself included."

She had no right to feel a pinch of betrayal at his words, brows furrowing and lip pursing as her eyes watched him move around the room, eventually claiming the seat behind the desk. He kept his gaze on her, nodding to the seat in front of the desk, smiling when she perched herself on the edge.

She watches as he lifts his wand, commanding a tea seat to float and land on the desk, boiling hot tea pouring into each glass and steam billowing into the air. He paused his wand waving "Cream and Sugar?" to which she nodded and watched her once bland tea become sweet as a treacle tart.

She noticed he added no sweetener to his own tea, perhaps preferring a much more bitter beverage, waving the pot away and gingerly lifting his cup to blow. She reached for hers with intent to do the same but he stopped her with his own hand, shaking his head, "It's much too hot, give it a moment to cool."

"I would wait a moment," He flicked forward two chairs "They are quite hot." She nodded and smiled, in which he returned his own warm grin that caused her heart to flutter. He took a sip of his scalding hot tea and both his brows raised at just how hot the liquid was, setting it down with a frown.

She eventually reached for hers own cup, still blowing on the lip of her teacup before sipping at the sweetened tea with a smirk, oblivious to the eyes that were watching her pink lips.

He cleared his throat and she put her glass down, watching him with an expectant eye. "I did call you here for a reason, Elizabeth."

"And what reason would that be Professor?" She batted her eyes and watched him rise from his seat with a concentrated look, eventually skirting around the desk to stand in front of her.

He licks his lips and taps an irregular tune on the hardwood desk, "I wanted to express my concern straight to you, Elizabeth. I feel as though even if a Dementor attack is a highly unlikely situation that one would find themselves in, it very obviously is still a possibility."

She watched his nervously scratch at the wood. "I would very much like to teach you how to summon your Patronus."

Eliza had heard of a Patronus but didn't really know much about them. "It wouldn't be every day, nor would I be taking you away from your classes at any point in time—"

"I'd love to, Professor." She gave him a grin that could rival a thousand suns, trying not to fidget as he simply stared into her eyes, unblinking. It was like he was staring into her soul and she didn't know whether to shy away or embrace it. Eventually, he looked away and nodded, returning to his seat and sipping at his tea.