Hey guys! Thanks so much for the reviews. Everything's been super crazy on my end with midterms, Thanksgiving, then I got sick and then finals and now Christmas, so sorry for the delay! Enjoy!
"I suppose I could use an extra hand…" Madam Pomfrey said, looking around the all but empty Hospital Wing. There was one first year with a broken nose from falling through the invisible stair, but other than that, it was vacant. "You're serious about becoming a healer?"
"Yes ma'am," Sara replied, "Very serious,"
"Alright then," Madam Pomfrey agreed, "You can start Monday after classes."
"Thank you ma'am," Sara grinned turning to leave but again, for the second time that week, collided with the same person.
"Woah there!" Lupin's arms slid around her, stopping her quick decent to the floor. "We seem to be making this a habit."
"I'm so sorry, Professor!" Sara gasped. Lupin released her.
"Not a problem Miss Roberts." Lupin assured her with a smile. "I have an appointment with Madam Pomfrey, so if you'll excuse me,"
"No problem Professor," She shrugged, "I'll see you around,"
Lupin and Sara fell into a quick routine. Sara would eat lunch and leave for Lupin's classroom while Callie went off with her boyfriend. Lupin would sit at his desk, normally grading papers while Sara sat on the edge of a desk in the front row and kept him company. It was comfortable talking with him, and Sara found she could share things with him that she couldn't even tell Callie. Sara rolled her eyes at the thought that once again popped into her mind. 'She couldn't possibly…'
"You like him" Callie accused, rolling over on her bed and smacking Sara with a pillow.
"I do not! He's a teacher for Merlin's sake!" Sara denied hitting her back.
"No, it isn't a bad thing! It means there's hope for you." Callie insisted playfully.
"Ohhh shut up!" Sara groaned, covering her face and rolling over so her back was to her friend. "I don't like him. I mean, I like him, but not like like him!" she hoped that by denying it, it would result in convincing herself.
"I know," Callie laughed, "Can't you tell by now when I'm giving you a hard time?" She gave Sara's shoulders a playful tug, rolling her onto her back and digging her fingers into her sides. Sara squealed and tried desperately to wriggle out of her grasp.
Callie smirked, releasing Sara and rolling onto her back next to her.
"We seriously need to do something about that single status of yours though. We need to find you a man."
"CAL!"
"She's impossible! I mean I love her to death but…"
"But, at times, she can be extremely exasperating? I know, I had friends much the same," Lupin smiled as they sat in the classroom during lunch.
"She seems to think she needs to find me a boyfriend…which is rich coming from the girl who's had about 30 over the last seven years. Also…probably something I shouldn't be talking to you about." Sara trailed off. Lupin laughed, his eyes twinkling, but the dark circles underneath them showing his exhaustion. "Are you feeling alright, Professor?" Lupin paused a moment.
"I'm just starting to fall ill, is all," he replied tiredly.
"You should take it easy, sir. If there's one thing I know from shadowing Madam Pomfrey, it's that." She told him.
"Yes ma'am," he replied jokingly, giving her a salute. He smiled, "I fear I just have a weak immune system,"
There was something off about the way that he said that. Sara frowned, which Lupin mistook for concern.
"I'm fine. Honestly." He assured her, relaxing in his seat.
"If you say you are, I believe you," she told him. "…Sir" coming as an afterthought.
Sara couldn't believe that it was Halloween already, as she stepped out of the castle into the crisp, cold air. Pulling her hat more tightly over her ears and readjusting her scarf, she turned to look at Callie with a smile.
"Just you and me going to Hogsmeade, just like the old days." Sara grinned, pulling on her gloves. "Where do you wanna go first?" she asked her friend as they followed the mob toward the gates. Callie bit her lip.
"Ohhh, about that…." She started and Sara groaned.
"Don't tell me. You promised your boyfriend you'd meet him and go to that sickly romantic tea shop?" she had known it was too good to be true that Callie would spend one outing with her. Come to think of it, she probably should find out her boyfriend's name soon…she had learned to not bother with it 2nd year when Callie never had a boyfriend for more than a week. She's been dating this guy for a while now.
"Something like that… I'm sorry Sara, but it's really important to him. We can meet up at the Three Broomsticks later?" Callie apologized. Sara shrugged.
"Sure, whatever. You know what? Why don't we just meet up at the feast?" Sara tried to replace her annoyance with a cheerful tone.
"You sure?" Callie questioned and Sara nodded. "Thanks babe, you're the best." She said giving her friend a hug. Sara returned it, but without a smile.
They shuddered their was past the dementors and found themselves in Hogmeade.
"Go on," Sara said nodding her head toward the hot, Ravenclaw waiting for her friend. "Have fun."
"You too!" Callie called back a she hurried over to her waiting boyfriend and threw herself into his arm. Sara rolled her eyes as they started snogging and made her way down one of the many, student-filled street.
Two hours later Sara decided to head back. She had stopped by Honeydukes for some chocolate and spent the rest of the time wandering mindlessly, eventually ending up at the Shrieking Shack. There was an odd beauty to the old building and she had sat on a stump and looked at it for a while. Stomach growling, Sara headed back to Hogwarts, knowing it was too soon for the feast but the cold wind at her back pushed her toward the old school.
If anything was as bad as passing by the dementors with others, passing by them alone was ten times worse. She was still feeling a bit shaky as she trekked down the corridors toward Lupin's office. That Potter boy was just leaving as she arrived and they smiled pleasantly at each other as they passed by. She still felt empty as she knocked on Lupin's door.
"Come in," he called from the other side and she pushed the door open to enter, closing it softly behind her. He was grading papers, a strong look of concentration on his face before he looked up. "Sara, what a pleasant surprise." Another look at her and he frowned. "Are you alright? You're very pale."
"Fine, Sir, I just passed the dementors is all." She gave a small shudder at the thought.
"Would you care for some hot chocolate? It'll help, trust me." She nodded and smiled her thanks.
"I already trust you." She told him. He chuckled.
"I can sense that the dementors aren't the entire problem. What's up?" he asked, wandering over to the tea kettle.
"It's nothing…" she told him. He raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you were going to Hogsmeade with Callie?"
"Me too." Sara laughed somewhat bitterly. "She ditched me to go hang out with her boyfriend….again." A steaming mug of hot chocolate was placed in her hands as Lupin returned and sat down across from her.
"I'm sorry. It can be hard." He seemed to speak from experience but she didn't ask.
"Yeah." She sighed. Lupin gave her a smile.
"Well you are more than welcome to keep me company while I grade these first year essays." He told her.
"I'd like that." She smiled, leaning back.
Full to bursting with the delicious food from the Halloween feast, Sara trudged after the mob of Gryfindors, Callie by her side.
"I won't eat for a week." Callie groaned and Sara nodded in agreement. She couldn't wait to get into bed. Her eyelids seemed to weigh a hundred pounds. Eyes almost closed, she would have ran into Fred Weasley if Callie hadn't grabbed a fist-full of her robs, stopping her short.
There was muttering all around them as Callie pushed them both forward to see what the commotion was about. The Fat Lady's portrait was violently slashed. Callie gasped, hands covering her mouth. They watched as Dumbledore pushed his way through the crowed and gasped as Peeves identified the culprit.
Sirius Black.
There was chaos as the Gryffindors were steered back to the Great Hall. Girls were crying, guys were yelling and there was an awful lot of pushing. Sara knew she looked pale. She felt numb all over. Nearing the doors to the Great Hall, Sara saw teachers hurrying toward them. Lupin was among them. Seeing her, he pushed frantically through the crowd to grab her arm roughly, catching her before she could go into the Great Hall.
"Are you alright?!" he demanded and when she nodded, she could sense his relief. "What happened? All we heard was Black was in the castle!"
"He tried to get into our dormitory. The Fat Lady was all slashed up." Sara's voice broke at the end and she could feel the tears burning in her eyes. Lupin must have seen them, because he pulled her tightly to him for a moment before releasing her.
"It's gonna be fine. Stay in the Great Hall! I got to go." Lupin told her, forcing a smile and then turning abruptly, his robes billowing after him in a very "Snape-like" way.
The squashy, purple sleeping bags did nothing to comfort her. Sara hadn't been able to sleep. Visions of Sirius Black running through the castle, Professor Lupin hot on his heels, plagued her. She instead watched as the ceiling in the Great Hall turned from black with twinkling stars, to navy blue, and as the sun finally began to rise, to a light pink which spread over the sleeping students. It was then that the doors opened for seemingly the hundredth and Lupin slid inside. Approaching Percy Weasley, he whispered with him for a few minutes. Sara sat up, leaning against the wall behind her to watch as the two men spoke. Finally, Weasley nodded and Lupin gave another forced smile and turned to go. As he headed for the door, he spotted her. Glancing around, he changed his direction, heading over to where she sat, alone except for a gently snoring Callie, in a corner.
"Miss Roberts," he whispered, glancing at Callie to make sure he hadn't awoken her.
"She could sleep through a Quiditch match, don't worry about it." Sara smiled and then looked back up at him. "So?"
"We did a full sweep of the castle. He's gone." Lupin sighed, sitting down next to her, tiredly. Sara resisted the strong urge to rest her head on his shoulder and instead turned toward him to get a better view of his face.
"How do you think he got in?" Something flashed in Lupin's eyes for a moment but was gone so fast she wondered if she really saw anything.
"No idea. We've got all entrances covered though so if he tries it again, we'll get him." He assured her, his voice soothing.
"If he got past those dementors though…" Sara started.
"Don't worry about it. I won't let anything happen to you…kids." He finished rather awkwardly. She laughed softly.
"I know you wouldn't let anything happen to us. I said earlier that I trust you and I meant it." Sara said looking over at him. "Now no offense, professor, but you look really tired. As a future healer, I say you should get up to bed. You said you were getting sick and you need you're rest. Healer's orders." She said in the firmest voice she could muster. Lupin chuckled.
"Alright. Good night….errr, morning, Miss Roberts." He patted her knee lightly and stood. "You should get some rest as well." He said, looking down at her.
"Are you saying I looked like crap…sir?!" she teased, raising an eyebrow. He smiled a genuine smile.
"Of course not, you look lovely." Lupin assured her. "Now get some rest."
"You too," she laughed as he turned to leave. Snuggling into her sleeping bag, she suddenly felt exhausted and drifted off almost immediately.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Everything pretty much returned to normal after a few days, although the fear of Sirius Black lingering around each turn, scared most of the girls, and even some of the boys, into traveling in even larger, tightly packed groups. Sara laughed at this as Callie refused to venture off with her boyfriend at lunch anymore.
"I'll see you later," she told Callie and her boyfriend as she finished her lunch and stood.
"You're going out there?!?" Callie exclaimed, "By yourself?"
"I seriously doubt Sirius Black's first stop is the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom." Sara told her friend. "And Lupin will be there, I won't be alone. In fact I doubt you could be anywhere safer." Callie agreed with this and Sara left for Lupin's classroom.
The door was closed, which was odd, since Lupin was normally in there around this time. Shrugging, Sara perched herself on the window ledge, like she did the first day, pulled out a book and waited.
Half an hour later, footsteps echoed off the walls and Sara flipped her book closed and slid it back in her bag, before hopping off the hall's window ledge.
"Professor, I almost thought you weren't coming. I was starting to wond...ohhh good afternoon Professor Snape."
"Hmmm" Snape grunted, unlocking Lupin's door, "Good afternoon Miss Roberts"
"Where's Professor Lupin?" Sara questioned as she followed his billowing black robes into the classroom.
"He's fallen ill," Snape hissed, "quite unfortunate," Sara narrowed her eyes at his tone, which sounded anything but sympathetic, and took her usual seat in the corner. "I think you can take a seat up here for once, don't you?" he drawled, a long finger gliding over the front desk. Their eyes met and Sara knew it wasn't a request. Getting to her feet, she grabbed her bag and took the seat Snape had pointed to. "Now tell me," he began again, his voice cold "How little of a social life must you have in order to spend your free time with poor Professor Lupin." Tears sprung to her eyes without permission but she refused to let them fall. She wouldn't let Snape see her weak.
"I have a social life, Professor." She said, keeping her face emotionless, but unable to do anything about the tears glistening in her eyes.
"If you're talking about Callie Montgomery, I'd think again," Snape smirked, "She may humor you, but you'll always be a third wheel." His drawl was cold. The bell rang and students swarmed in, each with the same shocked look when they saw Snape.
"Get out your books and turn to four hundred and thirty seven…and be quiet!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reviews please! :D