AN: Writing Hagrid's accent makes my head hurt. For those of you who are wondering, Laeplas, in Greek mythology, is a dog destined to always catch its prey. Luna being Luna, it's something a little different. Thanks to reviewers HogwartsExpress934, ruby2360, Konri Kari, serialkeller, Publicola, kriss-uchiha, lilmisadiva, ultima-owner, Fibinaci, ElementKitsune, ILoveGeorgeEads, Ari989, Obsessive Compulsive Reader, AdonCa, Susan M. M, Kairan1979, Magdylena Black, Tellur, dreaming of rocketships, MariusDarkwolf, Majerus, Venquine1990, Anne, Lady Sabine of Macayhill, magitech, LadyKnightofCelestia, thelastofdavid, ReadPaxJoy, MuggleCreator, and Beside Moonlight. I'm glad so many of you enjoy Charity and Remus!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise.
The third years were high off of a job well done, laughing and playfully shoving each other as they made their way to a tree near the lake. Lupin and Burbage were together now, and would hopefully remain so for the foreseeable future. Black's invasion of the castle had taken its toll on Scabbers, but he was finally starting to recover. And to top it all off, Neville had managed to brew a half decent Deflating Draught in Potions.
"Look, it's Hagrid!" Seamus waved at the half-giant, but Hagrid didn't respond.
Hermione's face drained of all color. "Oh, no! He should've gotten a response from the school governors by now."
"Uh oh," Neville muttered.
The eight Gryffindors hurried over to him. Hagrid had tears streaming down his face, with a piece of parchment wedged in his fist. He turned to face them and hiccupped loudly.
"Oh, Hagrid," Parvati whispered, dismayed. "They haven't fired you, have they?"
Hagrid began to sob loudly, dragging himself to his hut. The Gryffindors followed behind, at a loss for what to do. Clearly, whatever had happened to Hagrid hadn't been good. He heaved himself onto a chair and shoved the letter into Harry's face for him to read. Harry smoothed the parchment out and began to read aloud. As soon as he finished, his friends became incensed.
"It can't be!" Lavender cried, aghast.
"There has to be something we can do. Can't we make an appeal or something?" Dean questioned.
Hagrid shook his head and took a deep breath. "Buckbeak'll be taken ter the Committee, and tha'll be the last yeh'll ever see o' him. Yeh don' know what they do ter interestin' creatures!" Hagrid's shoulder trembled and he blew his nose into a large handkerchief.
"But—but don't they have to listen to both sides of the story?" Lavender asked him.
Hagrid gave a watery chuckle. "Wizards don' have the same laws muggle do, Lavender."
"We can ask Percy," Hermione decided resolutely. "Doesn't he know a lot about magical law?"
Ron nodded vigorously next to her. "Yeah! He wanted to make sure that he knew everything about the Ministry so that he could have a good time adjusting when he starts working there. Between him and Penny, we'll get this whole thing sorted out in no time. Just wait, Hagrid."
"It's no use. I already talked ter Percy, an' he said there's nothin' ter be done. Not unless we can prove he's not dangerous, an' that won' work. The 'ole Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket, so o' course they'll agree with 'im."
Parvati pursed her lips. "If we just knew someone with enough pull in the Department of Magical Creatures, then we could get this taken care of. But no one has any connections there…"
"Dumbledore," Harry said suddenly. "Dumbledore has pull in the whole Ministry. Percy said once that Fudge talks to Dumbledore loads, asking him for advice. Dumbledore's more powerful than the Minister himself. If anyone could save Buckbeak, it'd be him, wouldn't it?"
Hagrid paused in his crying to glance up hopefully. "Yeh really think tha' would work, Harry?"
"It's worth a shot, isn't it?" Harry stood up, grinning.
The others, however, were a little less enthusiastic as they made their way back up to the castle.
"Harry, Dumbledore might not be the best idea," Seamus warned gently.
Harry stopped and frowned at them. "Why not?"
Lavender's eyes widened. "Don't you remember what happened right before he left? I know you really liked him, but he treated you differently than the rest of us."
"We just want you to be careful," Hermione added. "He's not perfect, Harry."
"I know that," He insisted. "And I know it might not work, but it's our only shot right now. Besides, you're right. He did treat me differently, probably because of the Boy-Who-Lived thing. He might not help Hagrid, but I bet anything that he'd help Harry Potter."
"You hate that 'Boy-Who-Lived thing,'" Neville reminded him. "Why would you try to use it?"
"I still hate it," Harry said quietly. "But it's not just going to go away. And if I have to live with it for the rest of my life, I might as well use it for good, right? I'm gonna go get Hedwig and write to him. I'll let you know how it goes."
Remus wiped a hand across his face and sighed. He needed a bigger room. There were currently twenty-one people in his room, nineteen of them eager young students wanting to learn the Patronus Charm. He had nearly fallen off his seat when Oliver and Percy had shown up and told him he couldn't date Charity unless he taught their friends the Charm. He had burst into laughter as he realized they thought they needed to resort to bribery, before he agreed, wiping tears from his eyes. Currently, Charity was leaning against a wall as he cautiously surveyed his, for lack of a better word, class.
"Some of you just aren't picking a strong enough memory. It has to be something that can make you feel amazing just thinking about it. You have to go beyond the simple, happy moments—"
"Lupin, what exactly is going on here?"
Remus' jaw tightened as he turned to face Snape, who was standing in his doorway with a goblet full of Wolfsbane Potion. The sour man glared at him before peering at the other occupants of the room with a sneer. Remus struggled not to react as he saw Snape practically snarl at Charity. They were still trying to keep their relationship private from the staff.
"Presently, I'm instructing several students in the proper casting of the Patronus Charm." Remus kept his voice calm and even, betraying nothing.
Snape's eyes sharpened. "I was unaware that this particular charm was a part of the Defense curriculum." He smirked at Remus. "I expected this sort of foolishness from Gryffindors, but I'm surprised with you, Clearwater. Then again, considering your abysmal taste in boyfriends…"
"There's no need for name-calling." Charity stepped in to diffuse the situation. She crossed the room and plucked the goblet right out of Snape's hands. "Thank you very much for the potion, Professor Snape. Remus appreciates it. Is there anything else we can assist you with?"
Snape looked down his nose at her. "A question for you, Burbage. Are you aware of the danger you're in by being involved with Lupin, here?"
Charity carefully passed the goblet off to Remus, who downed it in one go. "Remus has made that crystal clear, thank you. Now, if you have nothing else to say, we have some private lessons at the moment."
Snape leaned in close and spoke softly. "You'll wish you had listened to me later, when you learn the whole story and figure out that it's too late."
"I highly doubt that," Charity whispered back.
With one final, sweeping stare, Snape left the room in a flurry of billowing robes. The room descended into heavy silence as Charity fumed and Remus wallowed, the others looking on in a decidedly unhappy way. The air felt far too thick and melancholy to cast a Patronus, so Remus dismissed them with instructions to think of the happiest moment of their lives. Charity remained with him, rubbing his arm comfortingly.
"It'll never end," He said lowly.
"What will never end?" Charity mimicked his tone and guided him over to a chair.
"This whole mess. The prejudice, the anger, the self-loathing. Every time I think that I've accepted it, something happens that makes me realize that I haven't, and it just hurts all over again. They'll never see me as anything but a monster."
Charity placed her hand in his and smiled. "I don't see a monster. I've never seen a monster, Remus. All I see is you. And you're so much more than just a werewolf to me."
He smiled tentatively back at her, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Thank you, Charity, but you're one out of how many? I won't be able to get a job after Hogwarts, and who knows how long this'll last. There are so many people who think that I'm a savage killer, and no matter what I do, I'll never convince them."
"That's not true," Charity argued. "Some of the kids didn't want to tell you this, but before they met you, they were terrified of werewolves! They thought that werewolves were just cold-blooded murderers, full moon or not. But then, they found out that you were a werewolf, and they realized how wrong they were. Don't you see? You're already changing people's minds just by being you. You don't have to try, because that's just how you are."
He pulled his hand out of her grasp. "But I'm just one werewolf out of hundreds. There are others, and they're not like me. They…they enjoy what they are. They like condemning people to the same fate. How can I change someone's mind if werewolves like Greyback exist?"
"It'll be tough," Charity acknowledged. "But you won't be going at it alone. You'll have me, and the kids, and you can't possibly be the only werewolf in Britain that wants to change the laws. You don't have to be alone anymore."
He froze. Hadn't a very small, black haired, bespectacled boy once said something very similar to him? He shook the memory off and forced himself to live in the moment. An absolutely gorgeous woman sat in front of him, eyes shining, as she beamed at him. So, Remus Lupin did what any smart man in his position would've done, and kissed her soundly in the middle of an empty classroom. It might not last for long, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it.
"You have got to be kidding me." Romilda gaped at Ginny, Colin, and Demelza. "What even made you think that I—it was you, wasn't it, Creevey? I cannot believe this!"
Ginny appeared most sympathetic to her plight, smiling weakly at her. "We're not kicking you out. You'll have to forgive Demelza, sometimes she gets a bit ahead of herself. Think of this as a warning. If you can prove that you really are interested in Harry Potter, then we'll allow you to stay. If not, we must politely request that you withdraw from the HHPC. In accordance with official HHPC rules, you will be matched with a senior officer who will closely monitor your behavior and assess your motives. Is Luna Lovegood acceptable to you?"
"You can't be serious," Romilda muttered.
Ginny blinked. "I apologize. I was under the impression that you and Luna got along well."
"No, I mean, Luna's fine, thank you. Madam President, is all of this really necessary?" Romilda's head spun. How had her plan spiraled out of control so quickly? Was it really just last week that she had spoken to Neville for ten whole minutes without him blushing or stammering? And the conversation hadn't even revolved around plants! She had been making some serious headway lately, and now it was all over.
"Truthfully, this is the first time we've ever had to deal with such a situation. You're sort of a test run, really. Don't worry, Romilda. I'm sure you'll do fine. Luna's out by the lake, she'd like to speak with you."
Romilda clenched her fists and stalked away. How dare they! She didn't need this stupid club. She didn't even like Harry Potter that much anyway. He was just a kid, two years older than her. He didn't display any impressive feats of magic, and he didn't appear particularly threatening. She should just cut her losses now and leave those weirdoes.
But at the same time, she didn't really want to. She didn't need them, true, but she liked being a part of something. She liked the fact that she could be in a club, with kids her own age, kids who didn't have to worry about plotting parents and arranged marriages. In a strange way, it made her feel normal. So what if they didn't understand her and always looked suspicious when she was around? It was worth it, just to feel like she belonged.
Luna had her fingertips dipped in the Black Lake when Romilda slowly sat next to her. The blond didn't turn to look at her, but instead tilted her head back to stare at the sun, partially obscured by the clouds. Her fingers moved in small circles, creating tiny ripples in the water. A bracelet (Romilda hesitated to call it that) made of rainbow yarn caught her eye, and Romilda nearly started at how normal it was. Normal for Luna, that is.
"Hello, Luna," She greeted softly.
"Hello." Luna hummed back, pulling her fingers out of the water. "My father told me that soaking up the water in the Black Lake would help me communicate with mermaids. I haven't seen them yet, but I've only done this for a few days."
"Aren't you frightened of the Giant Squid?"
Luna stared at her. "Why? He's quite friendly; all he really wants is someone to talk to."
Romilda didn't bother to argue. In the end, Luna was probably right anyway. Luna had a habit of being right. "What would you like to speak with me about?" Romilda wanted to cut to the chase. Luna also had a habit of talking about everything except the topic she needed to.
Luna tugged at her string bracelet. "Aren't we already speaking?"
"I—yes, I suppose." Romilda let out a deep breath, pulling up some of the grass near her feet. Things were never simple with Luna. "Ginny mentioned that you had something to say to me, though."
She smiled serenely and dug around in a small pouch at her side that Romilda hadn't noticed. A small bouquet of daisies was revealed, and Luna began to separate them, seemingly at random. When she had two piles of equal size, she pushed one towards Romilda and kept one for herself. Luna picked up her pile and started weaving the daisies in and out. The logical part of Romilda's brain realized that she this would create a daisy chain, but Romilda had never seen one before.
Mrs. Vane had always maintained that flowers were only for smelling and displaying. No daughter of hers would be caught doing something as childish as making a daisy chain. Perhaps the thought of invoking her mother's disapproval prompted Romilda to pick up her pile and attempt a chain herself. She'd never made one before, so the flowers just smashed together hopelessly. Luna rewarded her with a smile for her efforts though, so Romilda continued.
"You don't like Harry." A blank statement, empty of any accusation. Coming from anyone else, Romilda would've instantly gone on the defensive, but this was Luna, and this was different.
"It's not that I dislike him. I just…don't see what's so special, I guess. He's just like us." Romilda accidentally crumpled a daisy in her hand. She threw it into the Black Lake, watching as it floated away. A tentacle snuck up and plucked it from the surface, dragging it down under the water.
Luna nodded, setting aside a perfect daisy chain. She reached into her pouch and produced more daisies. "But you like Neville."
Romilda hesitated, chewing on her lip. She did sort of like Neville, but she wasn't all that sure that she should, considering her plan for him. As time went by, she felt more and more awful about what she was using him for. But what other choice did she have? She could be left alone for the rest of her life, or she could be forced with someone far worse than him. "It's complicated. He's very nice, but…I'm not."
Luna paused, putting her daisies down. "I don't think it's as complicated as it feels."
Romilda put her own daisies down, too. She swallowed hard. The guilt weighed down on her from all angles, and she suddenly felt that if she didn't tell someone soon, she might explode. So she poured out her soul, her fears and her dreams, to Luna, who didn't say a word the whole time, just sat there making daisy chains.
"…and I don't really want to do this, I don't! But the HHPC gave me friends, which I've never had before, and I probably wouldn't have without it. And then I feel so bad, because I am using it as an excuse to get to know Neville, which I didn't really want to do, but now I've learned that he's such a good person, and—Oh, Luna, what do I do?"
Luna finished her fourth chain and began linking them together. "It must be tiring to always be looking over your shoulder, wondering if people are actually being genuine. Why can't you just believe that they honestly like you? Is it that hard to imagine that we care for you?"
"People don't like me," Romilda replied sullenly. The daisies' cheerful yellow centers mocked her as she frowned down at them. With a grimace, she snatched one off the ground and plucked its petals off, one by one. "I see the way they look at me. Like I'm some strange creature that has no right to come and invade their space."
Luna gently took the flower from her hands. "People don't think that way. They like you. Maybe not all of them, but you can't make them all like you. But I like you, and Neville likes you. The Laelaps definitely like you, but they like everyone. You should speak to the others in the club sometimes. They're very nice. They always help me with my problems, and I'm sure they would help you. We'll figure something out."
Romilda sniffled and pushed her hair out of her face. "Does this mean you'll let me stay in the club?" She couldn't hold back the hope blossoming in her heart.
Luna stared at her again. "Of course." She picked up the daisy chains and tied them all together, fashioning a sort of crown out of them. She got to her feet, and after a moment of wariness, Romilda joined her. The younger girl was only an inch shorter, so Romilda could peer directly into her eyes as Luna put the crown on Romilda's head.
"Let's go to the castle. I hear they're serving pudding for dessert this evening." Luna beamed at her and led the way. Romilda followed after, but she stopped when she reached the entrance to the castle, glancing back at the lake. The same tentacle rose up out of the water and waved, a daisy firmly ensnared. Romilda waved back and skipped next to Luna, making sure not to throw her daisy crown off in the process.
Dear Sir,
I know we haven't spoken lately, but I thought I'd see how you were doing. Things at Hogwarts are going great. Professor Burbage is the best Head of House, and she's helped us Gryffindors out loads of times. I don't know if you've heard about the Basilisk from last year, but if not, let me know and I'll fill you in. Life at the castle has been so busy lately that I'd almost forgotten about it!
I know you're probably worried about the whole Sirius Black thing, but everything's alright. The Ministry had dementors stationed around the castle, just in case he shows up. I know he's looking for me, and I'll be careful. Hogwarts is the safest place in the world, besides Gringotts, so I should be fine. Our new Defense teacher, Remus Lupin, knew Black and my parents. I figured you probably knew him too. He's a really great professor. He's even teaching me the Patronus Charm!
At our last Quidditch match, against Hufflepuff, the dementors showed up. They have a really strong effect on me, so I passed out. We lost the match, and my broom flew into the Whomping Willow. That's why I've been learning the Patronus Charm. On Christmas, I got a brand new Firebolt. Some of my friends were worried that it'd been cursed, since there wasn't any note sent with it, but Professor Flitwick just gave it back to me and said it'd turned out clean. I'm going to use it in our next match.
The thing I really wanted to talk to you about though, is Hagrid. He's a Professor now, for Care of Magical Creatures. During our first lesson with him, he showed us a hippogriff. Draco Malfoy was rude to one, and he got attacked. It's not Hagrid's fault, and it's not Buckbeak's (the hippogriff) either. But now the school governors are trying to have Buckbeak executed. I was hoping that you might be able to stop that from happening.
I know you have a lot on your plate right now, but I don't know where else to turn. Losing Buckbeak would really hurt Hagrid, and he was my first ever friend. I don't want him to get upset. If there's any way at all that you could pull some strings, I'd really appreciate it. Even if you can't, please respond to my letter. I haven't seen you in over a year now.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter