Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update! The semester just started and between German and three history classes, my time is rather limited. I would really like some reviews on this chapter in particular because I'm not sure if I'm being too obvious or perhaps not vague enough. And lastly, a special thanks to all my readers, but especially to animalwriter, who has faithfully given me feedback on all my chapters. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Anything recognized doesn't belong to me and there is dialogue taken from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
6. A New Professor
Victoria was surprised. No one but Professor Snape called her Tori. Realizing that Professor Lupin was waiting for a response, out rushed, "I'm Victoria Thomas." She couldn't keep her smile from faltering a bit.
Noticing this, he asked, "Is something wrong?" He looked a little anxious.
Victoria shrugged, "Well, it's just…nobody but Professor Snape calls me Tori."
Withdrawing his hand, Professor Lupin looked crushed, "Oh, I see." He wasn't smiling anymore.
Compelled by guilt and some other kind of desperate emotion she couldn't identify, she went on, "But it's okay if you call me that, sir. I like it."
He frowned, "Are you sure?" He was hesitant.
She nodded earnestly, "Positive."
Professor Lupin gave a tentative smile which was nowhere near as spectacular as the one he'd started with and peered into the house behind her.
Victoria, startled by her own lack of manners, quickly stepped aside, "Sorry, sir. Come on in." She shut the door after he walked into the foyer.
Professor Lupin asked, "Tori, where are your parents?"
"Oh, my mum is at the store and my dad is at work." She couldn't look him in the eyes when she said this. It was hurtful and humiliating that her parents treated her the way they did and she wasn't about to let a perfect stranger know that.
"Hmm," Professor Lupin said. He didn't look her in the eye, but instead continued to look around the downstairs part of the home from his spot in the foyer, somewhat resigned.
"Uh," Victoria began uncertainly, "To Diagon Alley?"
Professor Lupin gave a weary half smile, "Of course." He gestured to the parlor fireplace, "This way." Victoria led the way and turned just as he reached into his worn robes for a small pouch. Pulling it out, he opened it and offered her some of the silver powder.
Victoria eyed the pale powder before admitting, "I've never used the Floo by myself."
"Really?"
"Yes," Victoria felt heat flood her cheeks, "Professor Snape was with me both times we used it last summer."
Professor smiled kindly at her, "Would you like to go first?"
Victoria nodded bravely, "I should." She was in Gryffindor after all. She should put aside her silly anxieties over the unfamiliar, though thoroughly wizard way of traveling. Professor Lupin pulled out his wand, and with a flick, the fireplace was alight. He offered her the pouch and she took a pinch of the powder. Throwing into the orange flames, she watched them change colors before taking a deep breathe and stepping into the flames, calling out "Diagon Alley!"
She felt magic propel her forward. She refused to keep her eyes closed and saw brief flashes of other fireplaces as she sped forward. Soon, her feet found purchase once more and she exited the Leaky Cauldron's fireplace. The pub looked exactly as it had last summer, except for the fact that plastered on all over the walls were huge posters with the gaunt face of Sirius Black.
Victoria frowned and tried to look away. The first page of the newspaper given to her by Professor Snape had found itself in the trash the morning after she'd received it. That night, amidst dreaming of the Minotaur and ancient Crete, Sirius Black's dark, dangerous eyes had awoken her in fright…
A hand gripped her shoulder and she jumped. Victoria twisted around and saw Professor Lupin, his brown eyes troubled.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Victoria swallowed and nodded slowly, feeling her heart slow from its shock, "You scared me."
"Sorry," he said, seeming truly repentant. He then looked around at the pub and frowned. His hand clenched her shoulder tightly, but when she gasped, he let go sharply, "Sorry," he said once more.
Upon seeing Professor Lupin's haunted look, Victoria was the one to ask, "Are you alright?"
He gave a light hearted smirk, before answering, "Better than ever." Victoria wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic.
As the pair made their way toward the back of the pub, passing multiple posters, Professor Lupin asked suddenly, "Do you like dogs?"
Victoria, confused by the abrupt and random question, replied, "I guess."
"Are there a lot of strays in Owlhill?" He pressed.
She was unsure where his questioning was going, "Uh, some." They usually came out after dusk and would scavenge the streets for the day's leftovers.
Professor Lupin stopped and looked at her anxiously, "Black dogs?"
Victoria tried to recall the strays she'd seen, but she hadn't really recently; she'd been stuck in her room, "Not this summer."
Professor Lupin looked relieved. By then, they had reached the back alley, and he pulled out his wand and tapped the bricks, mimicking the actions of Professor Snape from the summer previous.
Diagon Alley was just as wonderful as Victoria remembered it, but, like the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius Black's dark eyes followed her wherever she went.
It was also very different to be in Diagon Alley with Professor Lupin. He was nearly the perfect opposite of Professor Snape. There was always a kind smile on his face and he was the one asking questions. He wanted to know everything – her favorite classes, color, food, and pretty much everything else. Victoria was cautious as she continued to answer his unrelenting questions. Even though he generally seemed interested, she was hesitant. Her ability to trust easily and freely had been forever altered by Tom Riddle.
But, little by little, she felt herself warming up to her new Professor. Professor Lupin was friendly and remarkably nice. They also had a lot in common.
They had entered Florish and Blotts first. Victoria had her list of necessary supplies, which had come two weeks ago, ready to go.
The shop manager, frowning, hurried over to them, "You don't need the monster book, do you?"
Victoria checked her list, "No, I don't think so."
The manager held out his hand for the parchment. Giving it a glance, he let out a sigh of relief, "Second year." He led them down another aisle, "This way."
Within moments, both Professor Lupin's and Victoria's arms were laden with the heavy textbooks. After shifting her grip, Victoria followed the two men back to register all the while carefully avoiding running into the other patrons. However, she was stopped by a rather out of the way display. Walking over, she saw that the book had a simple red cloth cover with an outline of a Minotaur. In simple lettering, the words above the design revealed the book to be titled, Wizards of the Labyrinth. Beneath the title, in a smaller font, were the words Works complied by Ariadne Black. She freed a hand from beneath her school books and ran her fingers over the glossy bronze writing.
"Interested in ancient Greece?" Professor Lupin asked.
Victoria jumped and her school books flew from her arms. She bent over to collect them, "Sorry, sir."
Professor Lupin lowered himself to help, "No, it is I who should be sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." The pair righted themselves. "So, ancient Greece?" Professor Lupin asked again, motioning at the display.
"Hmm," Victoria said, adjusting the books within her grasp, "No, not Greece. Minoan Crete predates ancient Greece as we know it and it was gone by the time Greece came about." She blushed when she saw his eyes eyebrows raise, impressed at her expertise, "It was in an article in the Evening Prophet." She shrugged, "The article was about the woman who wrote the book."
Professor Lupin looked back down at the book and his eyes widened as he murmured, "Ariadne Black."
Victoria, curious, asked, "Do you know her?"
Professor Lupin didn't say anything for a moment, but then asked, "Would you like to get the book?"
Victoria avoided his gaze and said, "I haven't got any of my own money."
"It'll be a birthday present." He smiled down at her with his gentle smile.
"You don't have to, sir," She flushed, not wanting to seem selfish.
His expression faltered a bit at the word sir, "Nonsense, it's the very least I could do." There was something more to his words, but Victoria couldn't figure out what. He put the book on top of his own pile, "I'm surprised you'd be interested in the works of ancient wizards. When I was your age, I, as a rule, read only fiction."
"I really enjoy fiction, though I've only read Muggle fiction," she explained. Victoria remembered warmly her childhood friends: the books she'd read in secret, the ones that couldn't quite prepare her for when their fictional world became her new reality.
"Really?" Professor Lupin asked. "It's been a while since I've read any, but I have read some I enjoy. I particularly liked The Great Gatsby."
Victoria smiled, delighted, "I really liked that one too, though my favorite is Jane Eyre."
"What about Austen?" Professor Lupin asked, chuckling.
She made a face, "I like those too, but they never seemed really real, not like the heartbreaking romances in the Bronte sisters' novels."
"A bit of a bookworm, it appears," he said. Usually, the term bookworm was an insult, but Professor Lupin made it an endearment. "Don't worry, you're among your own kind," he whispered while grinning.
At that moment, she felt something she hadn't truly felt in a long time. It was something one was aware of only when they've lived in its absence. Then, with Professor Lupin and his smiles, Victoria felt safe.
Professor Lupin, as best he could with full arms, motioned to the front of the shop, "Let's go up to the register."
Victoria let him lead, and soon she was unloading her heavy school books onto the counter. Then, for some unknown reason, Professor Lupin took the Minoan book off the top of the pile. A friendly middle-aged witch rang up the prices of the school books and gave him the total. He drew a full felt pouch from his tattered robes and pulled out the required amount of gold. Then with a flick of her wand, the clerk wrapped the books up neatly with brown paper and twine.
Professor Lupin then put the Minoan book onto the counter, "This one is separate." The clerk told him the price, which was rather expensive, and he pulled out a different pouch, one that was much less full than the other one.
Realizing that Professor Lupin meant to buy the book with his own money said, "Oh, you don't have to buy it for me." She berated herself for being so selfish.
Professor Lupin nearly emptied his pouch and muttered, "You're no trouble at all, Tori." He placed his own pouch back into his robes and placed a large, warm hand on her upper back.
The clerk smiled at the two as she wrapped the thick red book, "You've such a nice father, dear."
Professor Lupin's hand tensed on her back and Victoria chanced a look at him. He looked distinctly uncomfortable and the corners of his mouth trembled as he blinked rapidly. He didn't, however, bother to correct the clerk.
XxXxX
Most of what Victoria had from her first year at Hogwarts was still in good condition. Aside from getting new school books, she got new quills and fresh rolls of parchment from a small stationary store. They also stopped at the apothecary to restock on Victoria's starter's kit for potions.
It was there, amid the bubbling cauldrons and the peculiar smell of assorted potions ingredients, that Victoria decided to ask Professor Lupin about Professor Snape.
They were waiting in line at the register. Professor Lupin had seemed subdued since leaving Flourish and Blotts, so he didn't hear Victoria's question the first time she asked, "What?" he said.
"Sir, why couldn't Professor Snape make it today?"
Professor Lupin looked a little hurt, "Oh. I, uh, don't know. The headmaster said you would need help getting to Diagon Alley." He hesitated for a moment, "I'm not…what I mean to say, is that you're not too disappointed, I hope."
Victoria had been disappointed this morning when it had been he, and not Professor Snape, on her doorstep. However, she was hardly disappointed now. Although she was really fond of Professor Snape, she rather liked the new defense professor as well. She answered, "No, not at all sir. It's just…" she motioned to the store around them.
Professor Lupin understood, "Ah, of course." The line moved forward and the passed a simmering cauldron letting off plumes of fuchsia smoke. Victoria observed it, thoroughly engaged, and nearly missed Professor Lupin's question, "You like potions?"
"It's my favorite subject," she admitted. Victoria then added quickly, "I like Defense Against the Dark Arts too, though."
Professor Lupin smiled for the first time since the bookshop, "I've heard nothing but riveting reviews of Professor Lockhart."
Victoria picked up on his dry humor and agreed.
XxXxX
After the apothecary, Victoria had everything she needed for her second year at Hogwarts. But, before going home, Professor Lupin offered to buy her an ice cream. The pair wandered up the alley to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. It was a cute little shop and Victoria had wanted to go last year, but she didn't dare ask Professor Snape. She had a hard time imagining him licking an ice cream cone beneath the bright colored umbrellas.
The parlor was packed and it was a while before the pair even got to place their order. At the register was a young woman who seemed to be rather flustered. As they stepped up, she remarked, 'It's my first day at the register."
Professor Lupin smiled kindly, "I'm sure you're doing well for your first day. Now, I'll have two scoops of chocolate fudge. Tori?"
"Same." At his amused glance, Victoria shrugged and said, "Chocolate's my favorite."
"Mine too," Professor Lupin replied as he paid for the ice cream. They moved into yet another line to await their order. There, Professor Lupin suggested, "Tori, why don't you go try and find us a table. I'll wait for our ice cream."
Victoria nodded, "Okay," and grabbed the packages, lightened by a charm of Professor Lupin's, and squeezed her way toward and out the bright green door. Outside, all of the tables were full. She tried to see if anyone looked about ready to leave, and saw, on the far side of the patio, a black haired boy gathering up parchment and books. Maneuvering around the densely packed area and smiling at the antics of very young witches and wizards, she reached the boy and said politely to his back, "Excuse me, you're done with the table, right?"
The boy turned around quickly and exclaimed, "Victoria!"
"Harry!" Victoria said in return and it was indeed the famous Harry Potter. He was in Muggle clothing and she couldn't help but notice he was taller and his voice was deeper than she remembered. "How are you?" She asked him.
Harry Potter nodded, "Good, and you?"
"Good too, I suppose." She noticed his school textbook and asked, "Doing homework?"
"Yes," He said, and then he ran a hand through his hair nervously. "I guess it's not homework, though, since I'm doing it here in Diagon Alley. I've been staying at the Leaky Cauldron, which is interesting. You never know if you'll eat breakfast next to a hag. But speaking of monsters, we, or rather the third years, need a monster as a book…" he paused his babbling, his face flushed.
With this awkward pause, Victoria commented, "I saw those books in the cage at Flourish and Blotts." After another uncomfortable moment, she asked, "So you're staying at the pub?"
"Yes, for about a week now," Harry Potter said and pushed his round glasses up his nose.
"Alone?" Victoria readjusted her packages.
"Yes…Oh, you can, uh, should put them down here."
She relinquished her hold on her books, "Thanks." She fiddled with the end of her own hair, now well past her shoulders, and said, "I didn't think they'd let twelve year olds stay by themselves."
He didn't answer the question, but said instead, "I'm thirteen."
"Oh," she said. He must have had his birthday recently.
As if reading her mind, Harry Potter supplied, "My birthday was July 31st."
"Well, happy belated birthday, I guess. Mine's today."
"What's today?" He asked, generally surprised.
Victoria, always modest, had no choice but to reiterate, "My birthday's today."
"Really?" Harry Potter asked. "Well, I hope you have, or rather are having, a happy birthday." He ran a hand through his hair once more, though this time he seemed to be trying to make it lay flatter. He cleared his throat, "Well, I should let you have the table then. I need to drop my things back off at the pub."
"Thanks," she said earnestly.
"No problem. Have a good rest of the holiday." He said, taking a few steps backward.
"You too." She smiled at him.
He smiled back shyly and turned to walk away…in the opposite direction of the Leaky Cauldron.
Victoria didn't have time to sort through what just happened, before Professor Lupin arrived with their ice creams. He wasn't looking at her though, but instead watched Harry Potter's retreating messy black haired head. He had an almost wistful look upon his face when he returned his gaze to her and asked, "You're friends with Harry Potter?" He handed her one of the cones, and the pair sat.
Victoria shrugged, "Not exactly." She licked the ice cream and found it unbelievably delicious; Magic was probably responsible. Professor Lupin didn't say anything, but she added uncertainly, "He saved my life."
A shadow passed over Professor Lupin's face, "Dumbledore told me about that."
Victoria still had to fight back the sudden rise of terror when she remembered her dreadful first year at Hogwarts. Her hands began to tremble.
Professor Lupin closed a large hand around the one of hers that was resting on the table, "It's alright."
She nodded her head and blinked rapidly, hoping to dispel the tears that seemed keen to linger. "You're right. It's over now," she said and he squeezed her hand.
He changed the subject, "So, do you like your ice cream?"
Victoria nodded and punctuated her answer with a hearty lick of said ice cream.
It didn't take long for the two chocolate lovers to finish their ice cream and soon they were back at the Leaky Cauldron. It was there that Victoria was surprised by the fact that she hoped to see Harry Potter and was disappointed when she didn't. Professor Lupin asked her is she was looking for someone, and she blushed, shaking her head.
After arriving home, her mother quickly scrambled from the parlor at the sight of her daughter coming through the fireplace. Luckily, Professor Lupin didn't see this for he arrived several moments later. Wand in hand, he quickly rid them both of dust and sent Victoria's school things up to her room. He then began to recite a few more spells, but stopped and looked at her curiously, "Who warded your house?"
Recalling the late night visit a fortnight ago, she said, "Professor Snape, I think. Though I'm not entirely sure why."
Professor Lupin returned his wand into the folds of his robe. He then put his hands on Victoria's shoulders and said solemnly, "Sirius Black is out there, Tori."
"That's what Professor Snape said, but I don't know why my protection is so important," she said, frustrated. It was like everyone knew something she didn't.
"Tori, promise me you'll take this seriously," he implored.
"I don't know what 'this' is," Victoria pointed out. But at the desperate look on his face, she conceded, "I promise."
He squeezed her shoulders and gave her a tight smile, "I would like to have a word with your mother before I leave."
She had hoped to avoid this, but regardless, she led him into the kitchen where her mother was hunched over a cutting board, "Mum?"
Her mother didn't turn around, so Professor Lupin tried, "Mrs. Thomas?"
Mrs. Thomas finally turned and upon seeing Professor Lupin, her eyes widened and she dropped the onion half she was holding. "Who are you?" She asked looking at Victoria and then the stranger.
"I'm Remus Lupin, a professor from Hogwarts. I just wanted to let you know Tori has everything she'll need for school." He then reached into his robe and pulled something out, "Here is her ticket for September 1st at eleven." He tried to give the ticket to Mrs. Thomas, but she stood there, frozen and seemingly petrified. Seeing that she wasn't going to take the ticket, he instead gave it and his attention to her daughter, "It's time for me to leave, Tori."
Victoria, cheeks bright red over her mother's display, led Professor Lupin back to the front door. She couldn't look him in the eye.
He reached under her chin and gently brought her gaze to his own. "You're alright here?" He said sadly.
Victoria shrugged, "They ignore me for the most past," she said, trying to not cry because no matter how long it's gone on, it hurt.
Suddenly, Professor Lupin hugged her and whispered, "I'm sorry." Victoria had no idea what he meant by this. It wasn't his fault. But she pushed her head against his worn robes, which smelt like dirt and wax, and reveled in the warm embrace, something she'd gone without for too long. After another moment, he pulled away and said, "Remember your promise." She nodded in agreement. Professor Lupin gave her a smile, "Happy birthday, and I'll see you soon," before he disappeared with a 'pop.'
Victoria stood there alone for several moments. Then, feeling somewhat deflated, she went up to her room to sort through her school things. She was surprised, however, to find two small parcels waiting alongside her packages. It couldn't be from her friends; they had decided to wait to give her present until the train ride. Victoria thought they had all chipped in and gotten her something bigger.
In the windowsill sat two owls. She recognized the small black one as Professor Snape's Asphodel, but she hadn't seen the snowy white one before. After giving both owls a quick pat, they fluffed up their wings and left, going in opposite directions.
She then returned her attention to the owl's messages. She opened a small letter.
Miss Thomas,
Regretfully, I was unable to take to Diagon Alley today. I hope you have had a pleasant birthday and I shall give you your present after the holiday.
Sincerely,
S. Snape
The letter was succinct and practical, like all the others he'd written her, but whatever his writing style, she had hoped for some reason as to why he'd canceled.
Putting aside Professor Snape's note, she picked up her other piece of mail, a clumsily wrapped package with her name scribbled in an unknown hand. She opened it carefully and revealed a new headband. It was scarlet red and instead of being like the plastic ones she used, it was soft, a bit like velvet. While pulling it out, a piece of parchment fluttered out onto the ground. She picked it up and read,
Happy Birthday Victoria!
Best,
Harry Potter
Victoria's face quickly heated up to match her present. Getting up, she took off her black headband and replaced it with the new one. At seeing her reflection, she felt her insides flutter. And then she, even after they'd shared the most awkward conversation she'd ever had that afternoon, could only think of Harry Potter's very, very nice smile.
XxXxX
The rest of Victoria's summer passed without incident and it wasn't long before she waking up hours before the sun on September 1st. She dressed carefully, adjusting her red sweater. It wasn't her favorite and it was a bit small, but it was the only thing other than her school uniform that matched her Harry headband.
She lugged her neatly packed trunk down the stairs, careful not to wake her parents. She had volunteered to take herself to the village station after her mother claimed she couldn't. Her father, of course, had said nothing, but last night had given her a ticket for the train from Owlhill to London. Neither of her parents had said goodbye.
After grabbing an apple, she left the small brick house and walked down the dark, quiet street. She suddenly remembered something: Sirius Black. Shifting hands, her right hand pulled her wand from her jeans and she walked cautiously to the station. As she went, she felt her heart racing, though she couldn't tell if it was because of the dangerous escaped criminal or the fact that she may have broken her promise to Professor Lupin.
However, she didn't need to worry herself. Soon she was on the little country train on her way to Kings Cross. She watched farms and villages passed until the rain started. The closer she got to London, the more it poured. She was rather glad that she didn't have to go outside in this weather. With the help from a friendly college student, she got her trunk unloaded from the small train onto a trolley and wheeled it across the station to Platform 9 ¾. At the barrier, she watched a father and daughter go through. Checking to make sure the Muggles weren't looking too closely, she aimed her trolley and ran. On the other side, she was greeted with the sight of the gleaming Hogwarts Express. She had arrived later than she had been last year and tried to find her friends in the crowd.
They found her first, "Victoria!" She turned and saw Aaron and Colin rush over to her, leaving their trolleys by their parents. Colin's hug engulfed her. He had been the same height as her last year, but now he was several inches taller, "How are you?"
"Good!" she managed to choke out at Colin squeezed her, laughing. He let her go and she embraced Aaron, who seemed, like Colin, to have grown. The height also enabled him to thin out a bit, but his cheeks were still ruddy red, "How are you, Aaron?"
He let her go, "Great! I've got so much to tell you. Now Germany –"
"Later, Aaron," Colin interrupted, "Let's find a compartment first. Victoria, you haven't seen Ginny, have you?"
"No," She said as she followed the boys over to their parents.
She was introduced to Colin's dad, a milkman, who apologized for having a row with her father over the phone. He hoped it hadn't made things more difficult for her. Though it had, she said otherwise to make him feel better. Aaron's parents thanked her for keeping Aaron focused on his school work last year, to which Aaron moaned, "Mum!"
After some final kisses and hugs, some of which were given to Victoria by her friends' kind parents, she found herself leading the boys through the train, looking for a compartment while dragging their luggage. All of the ones they passed were occupied, but she soon came upon the other four Gryffindors in their year who had their own compartment.
Victoria opened the door and said, "Hi."
Colin came up behind her, "Oh, hey everybody. You wouldn't believe how full this train is."
He made to come in, but John St. Clair stood up, "You can't sit here, Colin."
"What?" Colin said.
Behind them, they heard Aaron huff, "What's the hold up?"
Henry Harlow rolled his eyes, "You heard what he said, we don't want to sit with you four."
Victoria grabbed Colin's sleeve, "Come on, Colin. Let's sit somewhere else."
Colin brushed her off, "And why can't we sit with you? We're all the same house, same year."
"And that's about all we have in common," Cynthia Kincaid said haughtily. Sarah Clippenger giggled, revealing the gap between her two front teeth. Cynthia smiled at her own little joke and tossed her raven hair behind her shoulder.
Colin, however, didn't understand, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"What's wrong?" Aaron called. He couldn't get any closer because of the way the trunks were situated, "You two are holding up the crowd."
"It means," Henry began, "You four aren't cool."
"It's true. I mean, let's face it. You're definitely not the better half of the Gryffindor second years," Cynthia rubbed in. Sarah snorted in agreement.
"I see," Colin said before suddenly slamming the door shut.
"Colin!" Victoria exclaimed. She rarely had seen Colin this aggressive, though after he was restored from being petrified, he seemed more assertive, as if he no longer wanted to be passive after literally being completely passive for months.
"Let's go," Colin said and grabbed Victoria's trunk so he could lead. In the last car, they found a compartment with only one person in it. The occupant was a pale blond haired girl who was staring out the window. Across from her compartment, the other door opened and Alistair Bosworth stuck his head out and motioned at the girl. Smiling, he said, "You want to be careful around her, Creevy. That's Loony Luna Lovegood."
Colin, after what had just happened, remarked coolly, "Duly noted, Bosworth," and then opened the door into Luna Lovegood's compartment. "Mind if we sit here?" He asked the girl.
"No." She said with a breathy sort of voice. They dragged their trunks in and hoisted them up into the luggage racks just as the train started to move. As Victoria sat down, the other girl said, "We had Herbology together last year."
It was then that Victoria recognized her as the girl who'd scared her by telling her she had invisible creature buzzing about her head. She then had made an effort to avoid the odd girl for the rest of the year. Feeling bad about it now, she introduced herself, "I'm Victoria."
"I know. I'm Luna." The girl said before turning to resume looking out the window. She twiddled her thumbs in her lap absentmindedly.
"Right," Aaron said, before turning to Colin, "What happened back there with Henry and John?"
Colin scowled and prepared to speak, but didn't because Ginny threw open the door wearing an expression similar to Colin's. "Stupid Ron," she said, furiously.
"What happened?" Victoria asked.
"Ron and his friends needed privacy so he told me to scram." After Colin helped her put up her trunk, Ginny threw herself in an empty spot next to Aaron, "I mean, they're probably just planning more ways to get into trouble. They're likely figuring out how to catch Sirius Black themselves."
At the mention of Sirius Black, Victoria shivered. She was still dreaming of him, his dark eyes following her wherever she went.
Her friends didn't notice her discomfort and Ginny, noticing Luna Lovegood, asked, "Why didn't you sit with Cynthia and them?"
Colin launched into a full retelling, with Aaron and Ginny reacting to all the right parts. Victoria thought about the wards around her house and the fact that she hadn't exactly kept her promise to Professor Lupin.
Abruptly, Luna Lovegood asked, "What's wrong Victoria?"
At this, her friends looked at her. "Victoria!" Ginny said, "Your face is really white."
"What's wrong?" Aaron asked.
Despite the fact that Luna Lovegood was there, Victoria did something she did too late last year: confide in her flesh friends. She told them about Professor Snape's unexpected visit and what Professor Lupin had said. After she was finished, everybody looked worried.
"Why would Black want with you?" Ginny asked. "It's not like you've ever met him. You were a baby when he went to Azkaban."
"What if," Colin began hesitantly, "Victoria, you've no idea who you real parents are and…"
"No!" Aaron interjected. "Sirius Black can't be her father."
Victoria commented anxiously, "I don't know."
"Has Snape said anything?" Ginny asked.
"No, but…" Victoria recalled her revelation after Harry Potter had scared off Brett Montague for her, "But maybe he knew one of my parents. He hates Harry Potter because he didn't like his dad. Professor Snape likes me even though he hates Gryffindors. Maybe he was friends with my Slytherin parent?"
"Sirius Black would make sense then," Aaron muttered.
"Aaron!" Ginny hissed before looking over at Victoria worried.
"What?" Victoria asked.
"Well," Aaron began, avoiding Ginny's hand as she attempted to hit him, "Rumor has it that Snape was a Death Eater."
"A what?" Colin asked.
"Death Eaters are You-Know-Who's followers," Luna Lovegood supplied. The four friends shot her a look, surprised that she was following their conversation.
"No," Victoria shook her head confidently. "He can't be. Besides, why would Professor Snape want to protect me from Sirius Black if they're on the same side?"
They sat their in silence for a few moments, processing everything that had been said.
Victoria didn't think that Sirius Black could be her father, but then again, she had no idea who either of her birth parents could be. She couldn't even begin to picture either of them.
Suddenly, Ginny climbed onto the seat to get into her trunk, "How about we give Victoria her birthday present?" She asked as she pulled out a brown package. She handed it to Victoria.
Victoria looked at her friends, all of whom were smiling, before she carefully opened her present.
"Ah, come on," Aaron said, "You have to rip it open!"
Victoria smiled at this but continued to open it slowly. Beneath the wrapper was a brown leather case with brass clips. She opened it and looked at what seemed to be a very nice potions knife set.
"Since you like potions so much, you ought to have a professional kit," Colin explained.
Victoria felt her eyes moisten, "Thanks you guys. Thanks so much!"
Ginny came over and sat next to her and hugged her, "Happy belated birthday. I'm so glad you liked your present. It took us forever to figure out what to get you. Aaron kept on wanting to get something Quidditch related."
At the mention of Quidditch, Aaron launched into a play-by-play account of the Quidditch World Cup where Germany annihilated Turkey. Victoria admired her new knife set all the while following Aaron's expressive retelling.
Just as it was darkening and Ginny was telling them about her twin brothers' antics in Egypt, the train began to slow down.
Aaron checked his watch, "We can't be there yet." Colin stuck his head into the corridor.
The train stopped and Ginny was nearly hit as Aaron's trunk toppled out of the overhead rack. Then the lamps flickered feebly before going out completely.
Ginny, sounding very much shaken, said, "I'm going to find Ron." Even though he'd been rude earlier, she still wanted her brother when she was scared.
Not wanting Ginny to go out alone, Victoria said, "I'll go too."
Holding hands, the two girls fumbled their way through the darkness to the end of the car and Victoria heard Ginny open a door. They tried to go in, but with the darkness they couldn't see that the compartment was already very full.
Ginny squealed as she bumped into something else that squealed in return.
"Who's that?" A girl asked.
"Who's that? Ginny asked.
"Ginny?"
"Hermione?"
"What are you doing?" Hermione Granger asked.
"I came with Victoria to look for Ron –" Ginny said.
"Victoria?" Victoria instantly recognized Harry Potter's voice.
"Come in and sit down –" Hermione Granger said.
Victoria felt Ginny drag her into the compartment and into a seat. Unfortunately, somebody was already there, "Not here! I'm here!"
"Sorry, Harry," Victoria said, making to move off his lap.
"Ouch!" A boy called out.
"Quiet!" A scratchy voice ordered.
Victoria recognized it and whispered "Professor Lupin?"
The man in question was suddenly illuminated as he conjured a handful of dancing flame. Victoria thought he looked ill, but he caught her eye and said grimly to all them all, "Stay where you are."
Victoria's eyes widened. She was still on Harry Potter.
Professor Lupin waded through the children to the door, but it opened before he reached it.
There, in the shadows of Professor Lupin's flickering flame, stood a tall, cloaked figure. Its hood obscured the face of the intruder. Then, whatever it was, let in a slow, rasping breathe.
Victoria then felt herself filled with a coldness that rivaled the bouts she'd suffered last year in the hands of Tom Riddle. As she felt the darkness increasingly consume her, she heard a boy say coldly, "You think you're safe, Victoria? I may have been destroyed, but I'm not truly gone. No, you'll never be rid of me, Victoria. Never." There was then maniacal laughing and Victoria had trouble breathing.
She vaguely heard someone say, "None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go." There was then something silver shooting through the compartment and the cloaked figure and the coldness disappeared.
Even after it had left, Victoria had trouble breathing. Professor Lupin knelt in front of her and tried to calm her down, but all Victoria could hear was the laughter ringing in her ears. Professor Lupin then gripped her beneath her arms and hoisted her up. Apparently, Harry Potter had fainted. Now sitting opposite him, she watched the others try to revive him while she tried to recover from her panic attack. Ginny came over and wrapped a trembling arm around Victoria's shoulders. The lights flickered on once more and the train resumed motion.
Soon, after some slapping on the part of Hermione Granger, "Harry! Harry! Are you alright!" Harry Potter woke up.
"W-what?" he asked. His friends helped him back into his seat.
"Are you okay?" Ron Weasley asked.
"Yeah," Harry Potter said. "What happened? Where's that-that thing? Who screamed?"
"No one screamed," Ron Weasley informed him.
"But I heard screaming –" Harry Potter insisted.
A large 'snap' echoed in the compartment. Professor Lupin was dividing a piece of chocolate. He then handed out the pieces. Giving a large piece to Victoria, he said, "Your favorite. Eat up."
Harry Potter asked as he was given chocolate, "What was that thing?"
"A dementor," Professor Lupin said, giving everybody else a piece, "One of the dementors of Azkaban."
Hands trembling, Victoria nibbled at her chocolate. "I'm going to speak with the conductor. Tori, I'll take you and your friend back to your compartment." Victoria nodded and followed him out.
Their compartment was only a few down from Harry Potter's. Colin was out of seat before Professor Lupin had even opened the door. "You're alright!" He cried.
Ginny, still trembling, nodded.
"Make sure you eat your chocolate," Professor Lupin instructed before leaving them.
Victoria shakily sat down and looked out the window. She ignored the boys' questions and Ginny's answers. All she could think about was Sirius Black's dark eyes, the overwhelming cold, and the chilling laugh that she knew would haunt her dreams.
XxXxX
It was much more enjoyable to watch the Sorting Ceremony than it was to be sorted. After the ceremony though, Professor Dumbledore informed the students that dementors would be stationed at Hogwarts' entrances in order to protect them from Sirius Black. Victoria tried not to let her terror consume her. The train ride was still much too recent. However, she didn't let this keep her from clapping loudly when Professor Lupin was introduced. Not many people were enthusiastic in their applause. Victoria then noticed that Professor Snape was glaring at Professor Lupin with a hatred he usually reserved for Harry Potter. The groundskeeper, Hagrid, was then introduced as the new Care of Magical Creature professor. And finally, it was time to eat.
The feast was, as usual, delicious. Only after the very last of the scrumptious dessert had been forced down did the students head off for bed.
XxXxX
Victoria found that this year, as compared to last year, it was much easier to keep herself distracted from the things that scared her.
They'd learned the most basic aspects of magic, so classes became more interesting, if more difficult.
But the most dramatic change to her classes came with Defense Against the Dark Arts. Whereas Professor Lockhart had been barely competent, Professor Lupin far exceeded everyone's expectations, Victoria included. As they delved into their first unit on magical curses and counter-curses, she very much believed that Defense could rival potions as her favorite class. Professor Lupin was kind and patient. He always catered to the students needs and as a result, the majority of his classes excelled in his subject.
Victoria also liked the class because she very much liked Professor Lupin. After the first lesson, he'd asked her to stay behind. He was very interested in how she was doing following the dementor on the train. Soon, they'd talk after every class and they had to decide on an evening in which to have tea in order to get in all their talking. They decided on Wednesdays, since Tuesday and Thursday were, like last year, reserved for potions.
Victoria was thrilled to be able to brew again, but even more happy over spending time with Professor Snape. He then began teaching her a series of challenging antidotes to some of the most potent poisons. This was after a test in identifying them through sight and smell with the aid of his present to her Descriptions of the Deadliest Drafts. He hadn't, when asked, provided any explanation as to why he'd missed taking Victoria to Diagon Alley on her birthday. But one thing was certain: Professor Snape truly did hate Professor Lupin. Said professor soon became as ranted about as Harry Potter. And surprisingly, Victoria learned that Professor Lupin wasn't too keen on the potions master either.
Her friends were greatly amused that she was close to both men and they both disliked one another. The animosity only intensified after a Boggart incident involving Professor Lupin, Neville Longbottom, and Professor Snape in a dress. Ginny then sobered up and told Victoria she should be careful that she doesn't become a pawn between the two if something happens. Victoria didn't see that happening. This year, compared to last, was decidedly uninteresting, or at least not as sinister.
Some interesting things did happen.
One day in the second week of school, Victoria was racing through the halls trying to avoid Brett Montague and his tripping hex all the while trying to be on time for Transfiguration. Ducking into an empty classroom and shutting the door quickly, she was startled to realize that she wasn't alone.
Hermione Granger, gripping an odd gold necklace, looked up in horror at Victoria before disappearing.
Victoria gasped, but suddenly, the door opened and Victoria turned to find a very frazzled and out of breathe Hermione Granger. "What?" Victoria whispered, confused.
"You can't tell anyone anything!" Hermione Granger cried.
"I don't understand, what just happened? One moment you were there, then you're there…you're too young to apparate, not that it matters since it's impossible in Hogwarts…"
Hermione Granger then smiled, "That's right. You have a copy of Hogwarts, A History." She then became serious once more, "You're right though. It's not apparition." She pulled out the necklace she'd been holding earlier, "This is a time-turner. Professor McGonagall gave it to me so I can go to all my classes. I'm taking all five electives."
Victoria's eyes widened, "So you're saying that that necklace took you back in time?"
"Yes," Hermione Granger said earnestly.
Victoria still had questions, and Hermione Granger answered them all, but she was adamant that Victoria tell no one.
Curious, Victoria asked, "Do your friends know?"
Hermione Granger shook her head, "No."
Victoria refrained from telling the older girl that keeping things from your best friends can lead to disaster, something that she was all too familiar with.
Another interesting development during the first few days of term was announced on the notice board in the Gryffindor common room. Alicia Spinnet had graduated last year and there was a Chaser position available on the house Quidditch team.
The tryouts were taking place on the second Saturday of term and word was that a unprecedented amount of people were trying out for the spot. Aaron, always a fan, decided that he wanted to try his luck at playing and hoped to use his vast knowledge on all things Quidditch to his advantage. Ginny was going for the spot since her twin brothers were on the team and her older brother, Charlie, had been captain. They couldn't convince Colin to try, but they managed to get Victoria to agree.
So early Saturday morning, the Gryffindor second years, all eight of them, sleepily made their way to the pitch. Cynthia, Henry, and John were trying out as well, though Victoria only knew that through rumors. The other second years ignored her and her friends now.
Yawning, Victoria and looked out through the mist at the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. She saw something move, and at once froze, thinking it was a dementor. The shadow moved again and she was at once reminded of a conversation with Professor Lupin behind the Leaky Cauldron, because there, silhouetted against the trees was a massive black dog.