Chapter 5 – Strawberries And Vanilla
(I don't own any of these characters)
Remus lay on his bed remembering back to that first day. He had been sitting in an armchair by the fire when James had found him. He remembered it so clearly it was as though it had just happened.
Hogwarts, 15 September 1977"Hey Moony, where have you been? You weren't at lunch."
"I didn't realise the time James. I had to take someone to the hospital wing and then I came here to meet you, but as you weren't here I thought I would wait for you to turn up."
"So Moony, why are you looking so thoughtful?"
" I was thinking about the girl I took to the hospital wing, she was unconscious when I found her. The strange thing was though, she was wearing Gryffindor robes, but I have never seen her before."
"She is probably a transfer student, I'm sure we will find out soon enough. Anyway we have to get going to potions, you know we can't be late for Slughorn!"
Remus looked at his friend and gave him a big smile, "If you turned up on time, he would probably pass out from shock!!"
"I'm wounded Moony how can you say such things?!"
"Because Prongs it is true!"
Remus grabbed his bag and followed James out of the portrait hole, his thoughts returning to the mysterious girl, he had found earlier.
Potions dragged by, the lesson seemed to go on forever. When at last they were free from Professor Slughorn's class, Remus decided to go and visit the mysterious girl in the hospital wing.
"Are you coming to watch Quidditch practice Remus?" asked Sirius.
"Not today mate, I will meet you in the great hall for dinner."
"Were are you off to in such a hurry?"
Remus thought for a minute, he didn't really want his friends to know where he was going, "Only to the library, Sirius."
James gave him a strange look, before spotting Lily coming out of the classroom. "Oi Evans," he shouted, "Are you coming to watch me perform on my broom!"
Lily glared at James, "Not unless you are planning on falling off!" she snapped.
Remus tried not to laugh, especially when he saw James's down cast expression, "Honestly James, will you ever learn? You don't need to impress her, just try and be yourself. She might actually talk to you then!" he patted his friend on the shoulder, before heading off.
Remus reached the hospital wing quickly; before he went inside, her scent reached him. It was just as lovely as he remembered, he entered the hospital wing and followed the scent to her bed. She was still unconscious, but as she lay there on her bed Remus had the chance to study her, he thought that she was beautiful, her hair was fanned out on the pillow around her head, she looked like an angel.
Remus heard someone approaching the bed, he looked up and saw Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkling at him.
"So Mr Lupin, I see you have come to visit our mysterious visitor as well."
"You don't know who she is sir?"
"Not at the moment, but I'm sure that all will become clear when she awakes."
"I don't understand sir, how was she in the school if she is not a pupil?"
"Strange things always happen in the magical world Remus, but there is always an explanation for everything, is there not?"
Remus looked at Dumbledore, not completely understanding, but knowing that he would not get any more answers at this moment in time. "I suppose so sir."
"Well I must go and speak with Madam Pomfrey, please excuse me."
"Of course sir."
Remus reached for the mystery girl's hand as he watched Dumbledore walking towards Madame Pomfrey, he didn't know why but he felt very protective of this girl. He watched her closely, looking for any sign of movement, but there was nothing. Remus sighed, "You have to wake up now," he whispered, but there was still nothing.
While he was sitting there stroking her hand the dinner gong sounded, he was about to ignore it but Madame Pomfrey shooed him out of the hospital wing. "We can't afford for you to make yourself sick now, can we Mr Lupin. Come back and visit tomorrow."
Remus walked slowly to the Great Hall, he wasn't really hungry but he knew that his friends would miss him if he didn't show up. He walked through the doors to the Hall and noticed that everybody was already eating dinner; he spotted James and Sirius and made his way over to join them.
"Hello Remus, did you manage to get your work done?" asked Sirius with a smirk. Remus looked at him, "Of course Padfoot." Sirius raised an eyebrow at his friend, "Strange that I did not see you in the library, when I came looking for you earlier." Remus did not meet his friend's gaze, "Well I did go to the library, but I changed my mind and went for a walk instead. Why were you looking for me?"
"Quidditch practice finished early, so I thought I'd rescue you from the library!" Sirius replied laughing, James started to laugh too. Remus smiled "I don't need rescuing from the library Padfoot, the books don't bite you know!"
"They don't? Well I never knew that Moony! So where did you walk too?" asked Sirius laughing, James looked at Remus and winked, "I bet I know where you walked too Moony!" Remus felt his cheeks getting warm. Sirius looked between James and Remus, "Oh do tell James, where has he been?"
Grimmauld Place, 15 September 1997That was how it had all started; Sirius had teased him for the rest of the night, over his crush on the mystery girl in the hospital wing, they may have found it funny, but he just could not get her out of his head. He had even dreamed of her when he had fallen asleep that night.
Remus sighed, he hoped this school year would go quickly as he was already missing her, but at least he knew that she was safe.