O
DEIMOS
Dread
Hope had definitely not intended to be late to her first defence class of the year. As much as she disliked Edgy Edgecombe, avoiding detention was always to be advised in the first week of January. Yet somehow nothing that morning had gone as planned, and here she was hurrying along the corridor several minutes after the bell.
As predicted, Edgecombe met her at the door of the classroom, her mouth in a thin line.
"What time do you call this?"
"I'm sorry Professor. I forgot something and had to go back."
"It's not good enough, Lupin. You aren't the only person affected by your lateness, you know. You would do well to remember that."
"Everyone's still getting out their books!" Hope protested indignantly. "The class hasn't even started yet."
As usual, talking back got her nowhere.
"Detention tomorrow night. Go and sit down now if you don't want to make it two."
Cadmus Flint entered the classroom two minutes later. Edgecombe glared at him too but made no comment as he sloped towards the only available seat in the room - which was next to Hope herself - and Hope, in turn, shot daggers at her professor for her lack of consistency.
"Right, now we are finally here, let's get started," Edgecombe said. "Miss Dubalski, further to our lesson before the holidays, please could you give me an example of an issue that currently surrounds policing of the Imperious curse?"
"It is now possible to confirm for certain whether someone has been under the influence of the Imperious curse," Natalie said promptly. "Experts in curse study can even determine a timeframe in which it was cast. But no one has yet found a way to detect who the perpetrator is or what the victim was ordered to do. This has led to cases of Imperium Fraud, where people claim that they were under the Imperius curse to avoid punishment or imprisonment, and although there is proof that they were cursed, there is no way of knowing if it was intentional, as part of the crime."
"Precisely," Edgecombe said. "Well put. Now-"
"This is so boring," Cadmus muttered to Hope as Edgecombe continued to elaborate on Natalie's points.
"I thought you wanted to learn about curses," Hope said, inking some flowers on her own homework and yawning widely. She was pretty bored herself, but such was the case in all her lessons at the moment. Her motivation for studying had sunk to an all time low.
"Not the way this old crone teaches them," he retorted, and Hope grinned. She had never had much interaction with Cadmus before this year, but they often sat together in this class now, and she couldn't help but be amused by his blunt manner and occasional dry, dark humour.
"Old crone is right!" she agreed, pulling out the book they were supposed to be taking notes from, and flicking through it to find the right page.
"What's that?" Cadmus enquired, reaching for a scrap of newspaper that had dislodged itself from the haphazard pile of papers on the edge of the desk.
"Usual Quibbler bullshit."
Cadmus's mouth twitched as he read the headline.
"Grindelwald's spirit reincarnated - Is The Crow nothing more than an old enemy up to new tricks?"
He snorted and looked up at her. "You actually read this crap?"
"I do know it's rubbish," Hope said defensively. "But you have to admit it's entertaining. Anyway, that article might not be a million miles off. I know Grindelwald's long dead, but maybe The Crow is an old dark wizard under a new disguise." She had been debating this very subject with Roxanne lately, and both had been eagerly speculating on who it could be.
"Can't be," Cadmus said. "The MoSS keeps strict tracking spells on anyone with a criminal record, even minor stuff. They'd have picked up on it by now if it was a known dark wizard."
"You reckon?"
"Trust me." His tone was suddenly acrid. "I'm sure of it."
Hope did not question him further. She knew, through Roxanne, that Cadmus and Morella's father had spent time in Azkaban more than once in his life, and no doubt it was a sensitive topic.
"I think," Cadmus continued in a conspiratorial whisper, before Hope had a chance to work out how to navigate the awkward moment. "That The Crow is actually lots of people. It has to be. A group, or a gang. All masquerading as the same person. I mean, no one's seen him in the flesh, have they?"
Hope, of course, knew this wasn't true, but Kingsley had mercifully managed to keep her mother's brush with The Crow away from the ears of the general public. Since Teddy's dismissal, this had proved to be a blessing in more ways than one.
"Hmm, I guess that does kind of makes sense," she said. "It would explain how he's been able to cause havoc in so many different countries, and how no one can keep tabs on him, or noticed him crossing country borders all the time."
"Yup. Harder to keep tabs on one person if that person is actually ten."
"Maybe." Hope mulled over this. "But then, wouldn't it also make it more difficult to-"
"Can you two stop whispering and listen," Edgecombe broke in sharply. Neither of them had heard her approaching, lost in their speculation. "Is there something you'd like to share with the whole class, Miss Lupin?"
O
"It's so fucking unfair," Hope exploded to her friends later that day. "Cadmus was later than me and she didn't say a word to him. And he was talking more. So why did she pick on me?"
"Hope, we've been through this," Dom said gently. "All teachers show favouritism sometimes and you don't like her either, so you always notice when she pulls you up for something. It's probably not just you, and sometimes there isn't a reason for people being inconsistent. It's just the way they are."
"She is consistent," Hope grumbled. "She consistently hates me."
"Hate is a very strong word and I don't think she does."
Dom sounded a touch irritable, which Hope put down to stress over revision, but she took the hint and turned to Roxanne instead.
"Ah well, you've never been the most likeable of students, have you?" Roxanne said, yawning. "From the teachers' point of view."
Hope stopped short, an odd sensation creeping down her shoulders and back as Roxanne's words hit home.
"I mean that in a good way," Roxanne said, noticing her stiffen. "Like, I mean you aren't a teacher's pet, and you don't suck up to them, and you do your own thing. You're cool, you know?"
Not likeable.
It was true. She must have had proof a hundred times in her life that she wasn't likeable. So why did the words hurt so much?
"Hope?" Roxanne was looking anxious now. "That's all I meant. You know that, right? Please don't be offended. Teachers don't like me either, but who cares? Who wants to be liked by the teachers?"
Everyone liked Teddy.
"Not me," Hope asserted, brushing her inner feelings aside as usual. "But it's still unfair. Why didn't Edgecombe say anything to Cadmus? I wouldn't describe him as likeable either."
"He is built like a tank," Dom reasoned, her snappish tone now gone from her voice. "I wouldn't want to cross him, even if I were a teacher. She probably finds him more intimidating than you."
This did not seem like a good enough reason to Hope and she continued to mutter under her breath while Dom nodded patiently and returned to her reading.
"Hey, maybe this will cheer you up." Roxanne nudged Hope in the ribs and she turned to look in the direction that her friend was indicating.
Adam was coming towards them. Alone. Smiling directly at her.
"Hi," he said, a little awkwardly, reaching them. "Err." He glanced towards Dom and Roxanne, who took the hint at once.
"Don't mind us, we're leaving." Roxanne beamed. "Studying to do, you know!" With a wicked grin over her shoulder at Hope, she dragged Dom away.
"Err," Adam said again, as their footsteps died away. "Hi."
"Hello. How are you?"
"Yeah, good thanks. I was - err - wondering if-" he stared intently at a spot just above her left shoulder. "Um - do you – do you still want to come into Hogsmeade with me on Saturday? First visit of the new term, you know."
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
"Sure," she kept her voice as casual as possible. "I'd really like that!"
"Cool!" Adam seemed relieved. Maybe he had thought she might say no, despite their conversation in the carriage three days previously. "Great! Um. Yeah. I'll look forward to it."
He hurried off.
Hope could feel her grin stretching to her ears as she watched him go. Did it really matter whether she was 'likeable' or not? She was finally going on a date with Adam.
O
The week dragged by but Saturday came at last, bringing with it overcast skies, freezing temperatures and biting winds. Dom and Roxanne took one look outside and decided that Hogsmeade wasn't worth it, opting instead for a long day of studying in the relative comfort of the library.
"We want to hear everything when you're back," Roxanne said, hugging her. "All the details. Good, bad, ugly - we want to know it all. Got it?"
Thankfully, it seemed there would be a fair amount to say about the good. Hope and Adam were now seated at a table towards the back of The Three Broomsticks, sharing a large bowl of chips and chatting and laughing together.
Hope did have to admit that it hadn't been the most riveting of conversations. So far, they had talked about quidditch, the differences between Hogwarts and Ilvermorny, quidditch again, how crap the weather was at this time of year, quidditch yet again, and, as it seemed impossible at the moment to get through a single conversation without broaching the topic, the Narcoviral Curse and The Crow. Adam did not have much speculation on The Crow's true identity, but had seemed interested enough in Hope's own theories.
Other than a few awkward silences, Hope was enjoying herself, although she did wish the conversation wouldn't keep going back to quidditch. Flattering though it was to be complimented on her flying ability, there were only so many times she could talk through Ravenclaw's last match against Hufflepuff, and Adam, she had already learnt, knew very little about the professional and international leagues, which limited the quidditch discussion potential.
As Hope had also suspected, The Three Broomsticks was not a private place for a date, packed as it was with other Hogwarts students, and familiar faces jumped out at her every few minutes. Rosie gave her a thumbs up gesture from the table opposite. James was at the bar with Eoin, shooting them what he appeared to think were subtle stares every few minutes. Michael, from his seat at the other end of the bar with Esme Okare and Beth Fitzpatrick, gave her a broad grin. Cadmus Flint also caught her eye at one point, as he walked past on his way to the bathrooms, although he looked distinctly less cheerful. Hope, trying not to remember that Roxanne had once said Cadmus fancied her, dropped her gaze in the face of his rather unpleasant glower.
You've had more interesting conversations with both Michael and Cadmus recently than you're having with Adam right now.
Hope did wish the little voice in her head would shut up. The fact that it was easier chat to friends than a boy she was dating for the first time was surely part of life.
Elodie and Natalie passed by their table as well, and Elodie glared as she looked from Adam to Hope, her eyes so blatantly filled with jealously and loathing that Hope couldn't help but smirk back at her.
Adam did not miss the silent exchange.
"What was that about?" he asked, as Elodie stalked off with her friend in tow.
"Oh, we hate each other," Hope said causally. "That's all, really."
"Yeah, I think James mentioned you don't get on. How come?"
Where to even start?
Hope may not have been an expert, but she sensed that a first date with a boy you liked was not the time to rant about your hated classmate, so she went with the biggest and most unforgivable issue when it came to Elodie Carmichael.
"Mainly because she says nasty things about Dom," she said. "Or she used to, before she was nearly expelled for it. And about my dad too. She's bigoted and prejudiced and I have no time for her."
Adam did not look impressed. "That's not OK," he agreed.
"No it's not," Hope said fervently. "What kind of horrible person says things about Dom, of all people? As for my dad, she's never even met him."
"Yeah, it's not cool," Adam said. But then he shrugged. "Everyone's entitled to their opinion, though, I suppose."
Hope pondered this in silence for a second or two, not altogether satisfied by what Adam had said. Being entitled to an opinion was one thing. Voicing it loudly and repeatedly in a way that was damaging to someone else's health and personal identity was surely another. Before she had time to say any of this, Adam stood up with a smile.
"Off to the bathroom. Shall I get you another butterbeer on the way back?"
"Oh, sure. Thanks!"
Clearly he had not meant any offence by his previous comment, or noticed that Hope was bothered by it.
Does that make it OK?
"Hey pal!"
James had abandoned all attempt at subtlety and slipped into Adam's vacated seat as soon as his back was turned.
"Don't worry, I'll be gone before he comes back," he said, in response to Hope's suspicious stare. "Good date? Going well?"
"Yes, thank you," Hope said serenely. "Not that it's any of your business."
"Of course it's my business," James retorted. "My best mate and my cousin going out."
"Not technically your cousin, am I?" A warm glow had flared in her chest. While the entire Potter-Weasley clan had always taken it for granted that the Lupins were family too, it never failed to please her when they referred to her as a cousin without a second thought.
"You will be soon enough," James said. "Once Teddy pops the question to Vic."
"True, that can't be too far off now."
"So come on, how is it going?" James repeated. "Is Adam the date of your life? Man of your dreams? Do I hear wedding bells here too?"
"Get lost now, or you might not live to find out," Hope snapped, but she couldn't stop the grin playing on the corners of her mouth again.
"Finnnee." James stood up, before looking down at her more seriously. "Adam's cool, you know. Really nice, genuine guy. And you're - you know - OK and all," he grinned to show her he was joking. "I'm sure you'll be great together."
It was unlike James to talk in that manner and, even while rolling her eyes at his retreating back, Hope felt reassured, her doubts from earlier easing. James thought very highly of Adam, and she had finally got what she had wanted for ages. She was bloody well going to enjoy the day from now on, instead of spending every moment analysing the quality of his conversation or the length of every tiny silence. Maybe first dates were always a bit uncomfortable.
Her heart felt lighter still once they had finished their drinks and left the pub for some fresh air. They spent an enjoyable couple of hours walking round the shops, trialling sweets in Honeydukes, stocking up on merchandise from The Wheeze, ogling every product they would like to buy but could never afford in the new luxury quidditchware section of The Flyaway, and finally reaching the end of the high street and climbing the woodland path that led up the hill at the end of the village.
There was no one around, most students clearly preferring the warm interiors of the shops and bars, and Hope sat down on the old seat at the top of the hill, the freezing cold of the metal bench seeping through her cloak and jeans. Her breath came out in a cloud as she sighed deeply and took in the view of the frost covered buildings below.
Adam had sat down next to her, so close that their knees were touching, and Hope knew an instant thrill of anticipation, all thoughts of the temperature forgotten, as he took her hand and leaned towards her.
O
It turned out that even a first kiss - and a damn good one at that - wasn't enough to drown out the mid-January Scottish temperatures for long.
"Shall we head back to school?" Adam laughed eventually. "Your lips are turning blue!"
Teeth chattering, she turned them electric blue for maximum effect and he laughed again. As he did so, Hope registered that he had not asked any personal or invasive questions about her morphing ability. That was definitely appreciated. Then again, he hadn't asked her many other questions about herself either...
You're doing it again. Stop analysing and have fun.
Adam took her hand in his as they walked back along the path.
"I've had a really good time today."
"Me too."
"Maybe we can do this again?"
A further flare of delight erupted inside her. That surely meant the date had gone well.
"I'd like that." She smiled up at him.
They reached the main track between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Throngs of students, also beaten by the weather, were now traipsing back up to school. Adam unlatched the gate and stood back to let her through. As they joined the groups of students, Hope held out her hand slightly, waiting for him to take it again. But he didn't. In fact, he seemed to be deliberately walking a couple of steps further away from her. Hope shoved her hand in her pocket at once, suddenly confused, and neither of them said another word until they were back up at the castle.
O
"Well? How was it? Tell us everything!"
Both Dom and Roxanne shut their books and looked up expectantly as Hope joined them in the library.
"It was fine." Hope took off her scarf and flexed her numb hands to try and warm them up.
"Fine?" Roxanne looked incredulous. "You've been lusting after him for a year and it was only fine?"
"Ew, I wasn't lusting. Please don't say that again."
"Sorry. But seriously. Was it not good?"
Hope considered for a minute confiding in them, and telling them how some parts of the date had felt not-quite-right, how the conversation had been awkward on occasion, how kissing had been amazing and how Adam had appeared to enjoy himself, but then seemed unwilling to even walk close to her on the way back to school. Then she stopped herself. Dom and Roxanne wouldn't be around to give her advice in future. She'd need to work issues like this out for herself.
"Nah, it was great! Really cold outside. But it went well."
Dom seemed satisfied with this. Roxanne much less so.
"I told you I need details, Hope. Where did you go? Do you still like him now you've dated him? Did you kiss? Are you going to see him again?"
"Hogsmeade. Yes. Yes. I think so," Hope reeled off.
Her friend glared at her and she relented.
"Fine. We were at the Three Broomsticks for ages, chatting and having some drinks. Then we went round the shops and then up through the path at the end of the village, up to the observatory hill, you know? And yes, we kissed. But not for very long because it was freezing, so we came home."
"Is he a good kisser?"
Hope knew her coy expression gave away the answer to that and Roxanne gave an excited squeal.
"Are you going out now? Properly?"
"I don't know," Hope floundered. "Am I supposed to know that? After one date?" She thought back to Adam's distance as they walked back up to school. Maybe Adam had changed his mind and didn't want to go out with her again.
"Maybe not. Boys don't say things like that outright." Roxanne said. "You'll be able to tell soon enough."
It seemed that Roxanne was right. Within two weeks, it was common knowledge throughout the school that Hope Lupin was going out with Adam Towler, an arrangement that Adam seemed very happy with, and Hope began spending time with him every day, ignoring Dom's gentle warnings that Hope should be doing more studying, that sixth years didn't have exams this year, only coursework, and that it would be easy to forget the importance of revision when she was with Adam.
Hope knew OWLs were important and that revision was crucial to getting good grades. But actually doing the revision was something else, and seeing Adam was far less effort and far more enjoyable.
Despite their continued status as a couple, Hope remained a touch mystified by Adam's behaviour towards her. He clearly liked having her around, regularly walking to class with her, welcoming her whenever she joined him and the other Gryffindor sixth years, and he had already made a table reservation for their next trip into Hogsmeade (which happened to be on Valentine's weekend). He demonstrated considerable enthusiasm for the time they spent kissing in secluded corners of the castle. Whereas in public, he maintained a physical distance that was borderline standoffish, reluctant to even put his arm around her if other students were within view.
"He's probably not into public displays of affection," Roxanne shrugged, when Hope managed to sweep aside her pride for a few moments and ask her older friends for their thoughts on the matter. "Some guys aren't and to be honest, I would consider it a blessing. Iain Logan had hands like tentacles no matter where we were. Urgh, what was I thinking?" She gagged at the memory.
"I suppose," Hope said. "But what about when Adam was with Stella? They couldn't keep their hands off each other, remember?"
"Hmm." Roxanne, who had apparently forgotten this detail, was stumped by this.
"Maybe Stella's more forward than you," she said at last. "Or maybe he's matured. Decided it's much classier to keep public affection to a minimum. Can't say I disagree."
"I guess... about the kissing in public. Surely there's nothing wrong with holding my hand? Or just a hug to say hello?"
"He might think you don't want to," Roxanne suggested. "He seems to really like you, Hope, so I wouldn't worry about it, honestly."
Hope returned her smile without enthusiasm. People kept telling her not to worry. No one was telling her how.
o
o
"I'm really worried about Victoire, Teddy."
The announcement came from Jessye. No longer able to go into work, Teddy was relying on both his friend and his girlfriend to bring him updates from the wizarding hospital. Normally, Jessye waited for Vic to finish her shift and they came back to see Teddy together, often sharing news over dinner. Today, Jessye had come alone.
"She's not herself."
Teddy sighed. "I know. She"s knackered and Healer Green's being a cow, as expected. Vic was OK over Christmas. Had a few wobbles about my hearing and the new placements but she was clearly better for the rest. Now she's started up again it's going downhill."
Jessye did not reply.
"Anything particular happened today?"
"She was... weird. I caught her on her own and she was really upset because Green had given her some brutal feedback on her latest log entries. It was just the two of us so she had a bit of a cry and I tried to reassure her that Green's horrible to everyone and she's doing a great job."
Which she was, Teddy thought fiercely. He had never had much patience for Green even before the unwelcome news that she was going to be Victoire's mentor. Competent healer though she was medically, her cranky and irascible nature did not scream ideal bedside manner. Now that she was reducing his girlfriend to tears, she had sunk to an ultimate low in his estimation.
"She seemed better after that," Jessye continued. "Then I caught up with her at the end of the day to see if she was ready to come back for dinner, and she bit my head off and said she was too busy, then stormed off before I could even check what time she'd be done. I know she can get emotional but it's not like her to snap. Especially not at us."
"Green's influence maybe." Teddy sounded sad. "When you're being needled all day I guess you have to flip at some point. Urgh," he scuffed his foot against the table leg. "I wish I could be in work. I feel totally stuck being at home."
"I know."
"Thanks for looking out for her. I'll try and have a chat with her tonight."
He had half expected his girlfriend to come through the door in tears again, but when she came in well after normal dinner time she seemed perky, despite the shadows under eyes. She breezed round the kitchen, helping herself to snacks and enquiring about Teddy's day.
"Jessye said you were a bit upset today," Teddy ventured, once it had become obvious that she was not going to bring up the subject on her own. "About Green?"
She hesitated before waving an impatient hand.
"It's fine. It's nothing to worry about. It's a hard job and I'm going to have ups and downs. I was being pathetic today, that's all."
She cut of his objections to this statement, running her hands over his shoulders, standing on tiptoe to bring her face closer to his. Pleasant as it was to have her pressing herself up against him, clearly impatient to make the most of the empty house, he was no less concerned. Ups and downs were normal when you started a new job, particularly one as intense as healing, but Jessye was right. Victoire was not herself at the moment.
oOo
February
Soon came another concern, and a big one. Hope received the letter on a Friday morning in the middle of February.
Dopey,
Can we meet up when you're in Hogsmeade tomorrow? Just for a bit, first thing? I know you'll want to be with your friends. Just need a quick chat.
Txxx
"Everything OK?" Dom asked, noticing her pensive expression. "Who's that from?"
"Teddy. He wants to meet me tomorrow in Hogsmeade."
"Why?"
"He - doesn't say." Hope suspected, but as Dom still knew nothing of Teddy's suspension she wasn't prepared to elaborate.
"Maybe he misses you and wants a catch up," Dom said. "Are you going to tell him you're too busy with your boyfriend? It is Valentine's day this weekend, remember."
"I don't think Adam's officially my boyfriend," Hope said vaguely. "No, I think I should meet Teddy first. It sounds important. Hopefully Adam won't mind meeting me after."
Adam, if anything, seemed delighted to have some extra time to spend with 'the guys' in The Three Broomsticks and, too preoccupied with her worries about Teddy to feel offended, Hope had yet another sleepless night, staring blankly up at the dark ceiling and wondering what new issues this 'quick chat' might unearth.
She met Teddy in Nifflers as it was guaranteed to be devoid of students. They sat down as far back as they could, and Teddy cast a muffling charm around them.
"How are you?" he started, as Hope sipped the hot chocolate he had bought for her. He didn't touch his own coffee.
Hope raised her eyebrows.
"You haven't come all the way up here on a freezing Saturday morning to ask how I am," she said. "What's up? What's happened?"
In answer, Teddy dug a folded newspaper out of his coat. Hope rarely bothered to read the news nowadays - it was always so depressing - but she recognised the distinctive Daily Prophet headlines at once. Teddy opened it up, smoothed it out and pointed to an article halfway down page four.
"I didn't want you reading about it before I got a chance to speak to you," he said, as Hope took in the headline.
Fallen from Grace. Ex Hogwarts Headboy Suspended from St Mungo's
Throat constricted, she scanned the text. It was a short article and the author didn't have all the details, but the overall message was clear and candid. Teddy Lupin, Outstanding NEWT level student and previous Head Boy at Hogwarts school, had recently abused his position within St Mungo's hospital, using hospital resources without permission to save his own mother's life. He had overruled the healers and done what he believed to be best. What did that mean, the article asked, for the reputation of hospital staff in general? Could they be trusted to lead with their heads and not their hearts, as was allegedly the St Mungo's way? And surely only dismissal could be the appropriate action against such flagrant disregard of the rules. Rules that were of paramount importance during the ongoing worldwide health crisis.
Hope finished reading and stared up at him, sickened.
"How?" she murmured. "How the hell did they find out?"
"I don't know." Teddy pulled at a chunk of hair in agitation. "This has been kept as quiet as possible, as you know. I don't know how it could have reached the Daily Prophet, of all places."
"Healer Phennah," Hope said. "It must be. You said she reported you in the first place, and she wasn't happy about what you did. We could all see that."
Teddy screwed up his nose. "I don't think she'd have done this. She's a stickler for the rules but she's not underhand, and she was always supportive of my work and research. I haven't even had the hearing yet - who's to say I won't be dismissed anyway? - and this is damaging to St Mungo's' reputation. Not to mention that if she was caught leaking sensitive information to outside sources she'd be in serious trouble. Probably more than for not reporting me in the first place."
"Who else could it have been though? Are you sure you didn't let slip to anyone else? Any of your friends?"
"No, only Victoire. Jessye wouldn't have told anyone. She's as trustworthy as they come."
"When did you tell Victoire?"
Teddy narrowed his eyes.
"I'm not accusing her!" Hope protested at once. "I'm just saying. I haven't spoken about this to anyone. None of our family would have. Or Kingsley or Hestia. You're telling me barely anyone at St Mungo's knew and if they did they wouldn't risk their job security. If the only person you told is Victoire how has a random reporter found out? Maybe - maybe someone overheard you telling her."
"They couldn't have done. Trust me."
Teddy's tone was clipped and Hope fell silent. The last thing she wanted was to sound as though she was accusing Victoire of betrayal, on top of all Teddy's other worries.
"You wrote to me yesterday," she said, running a finger absent-mindedly over the date at the top of paper. "This has been printed this morning. How did you know it was coming?"
"Clara," Teddy said. "My Ravenclaw friend from school, you know?"
Hope could never keep track of Teddy's friends - he had that many of them. She thought hard.
"Clara's the blond one who writes for the The Magizoologist? Who comes round to talk to Dad sometimes?"
"Yes. She was at the central press offices for a meeting yesterday and found out about it. Came to warn me straight away."
"Can't she find out how they got the information?"
Teddy picked up his coffee, then put it down again without tasting it.
"She's going to try - she's on good terms with Cavendish, the editor of the Daily Prophet. But he doesn't normally reveal its sources, and I'm not sure it matters now. The secret's out, so the damage is done."
O
Hope had never felt less like going on a date after that bombshell, but it would be rude to bail on Adam now, and once she had said goodbye to Teddy, she fixed her outward composure and crunched back over the ice covered ground to The Three Broomsticks.
The pub was packed, just as it had been on her last visit, but Hope eventually found Adam in a booth at the back, accompanied by James and the other Gryffindor sixth year boys. They seemed to have drunk rather a lot considering it was only half past eleven.
"Oooh," Neil said, seeing her approaching and nudging Adam. "Watch out, girlfriend alert."
It was the first time Hope had heard herself referred to as girlfriend, and she stiffened. Adam winked at her, apparently unperturbed by Neil's comment.
Maybe he is your boyfriend now.
"I'll finish this, then we can head off to lunch," Adam assured her, indicating his drink.
"Sit down," Matt said, shifting up, and she squeezed in between him and Adam. Adam gave her a quick pat on the leg under the table but, as she had now come to expect, made no other physical move to greet her.
"How's Teddy?" James demanded. "Why didn't he come and say hi?"
"Probably assumed you'd be busy with a Valentine's Day date," Hope shot back smoothly. It was a childish dig, she knew, but the loud laughter from the others at the table gave her a leap of satisfaction nonetheless.
The next hour passed in light hearted teasing and joking, as Adam worked his way through his drink at snail's pace, and Hope kept the smile plastered to her face and tried to enjoy herself. The boys were treating her like a mate, as if she was one of them, which was a pleasant feeling. But every few seconds Teddy's stricken face would pop into her head, the words of the article swimming before her eyes, and her mind raced as she thought of all the potential consequences of the news that was now irrevocably out for the world to read.
"Shall we go to lunch?" Adam asked, finally finishing the last dregs of his drink and setting down his glass.
"Have fun!" Neil called after them.
"Be good," Matt added.
"Or not," James sniggered.
The street outside was quiet, and Adam put an arm round her shoulders and gave her a kiss, before slipping his hand though hers. Hope experienced her usual flash of confusion. Why did he only do that when his friends weren't around? Was he embarrassed by her? Did he think they would make fun of him? But they all made fun of each other anyway, James Potter saw to that.
Stop overthinking and enjoy your date.
"Is your brother's OK?" Adam enquired, once they had been seated at their table in The Poltergeist and were waiting for their food to arrive.
Hope hesitated. She hadn't planned on telling Adam about Teddy yet, wanting to talk to Dom and Roxanne about it above all. But that's what boyfriends (even unofficial-sort-of-boyfriends) were for, wasn't it? She should be able to talk to Adam about anything. As she constantly had to keep reminding herself, Dom and Roxanne wouldn't be here to help and advise her for much longer.
As briefly as she could, she told Adam what had happened at the hospital back in October, how Teddy had taken a risk to save their mother's life, and how he was now paying the price. How, somehow, the news had been leaked to the press, which would almost certainly have a negative impact on Teddy's hearing.
"Teddy loves that job!" she finished. "And it's so important. He'd be devastated if he lost it. We all would."
"It'll be OK." Adam said, reaching out to squeeze her hand.
Will it?
"What if it's not?" she persisted. "What if he loses his job? He's worked so hard the last few years and it would be so unfair because he's great at it, and he's well on the way to finding a cure for werewolves. And he saved Mum's life. The treatment worked."
"Yeah," Adam said, patting her hand again, his attention waning visibly as the waitress put their food in front of them. "Yeah, it's a tricky one. I'm sure it will be fine."
Hope gazed blinked down at her plate, not remotely hungry. She liked Adam a lot. She really did. He was funny and kind and good looking, and he clearly meant well when he spoke to her like that. So why did she want nothing more than to cut the date short and go back up to school to join her friends?
O
Dom and Roxanne's reactions, when Hope sought them out to tell them the news on her return from Hogsmeade, were far more comforting. Full of outrage on Teddy's behalf, understanding as to why she had not told them before, and sympathy for the burden of knowledge she had been carrying on her own since October, they abandoned their studies for the entire evening and found a private spot behind a tapestry on the fifth floor to sit and discuss the matter in detail.
"I guess that's why Victoire's been so wound up," Dom said, looking guilty. "I wouldn't have been so hard on her if I'd known."
"Have you heard from her at all?"
"No. Victoire and I don't really do correspondence," Dom said, smiling ruefully. "Mum mentioned her in the letter this morning." She dug in her bag and pulled out the distinctive purple flecked envelope, with a tiny fairy and Fée Extraordinaire stamped across the bottom corner, then scanned the letter to recall what had been said. "...been stressed at work and very up and down." she read aloud. "They're trying to convince her to ask for some leave. She's had no time off since she started except for Christmas. Leave is hard to get at the moment - St Mungo's are still really stretched."
Hope scowled at the wall. That was what made her all the more angry about this whole business. That the hospital should be willing to contemplate losing a competent and hardworking staff member, when other employees were being worked to the bone.
oOo
March
The news that Teddy Lupin had been suspended from St Mungo's had flown round the school within days, although to Hope's relief, people mostly left her alone and the only students who did approach her to discuss it were those she welcomed anyway. James, once he had heard the full story, was fuming on Teddy's behalf, and Rosie was already researching old cases that might help him to appeal the verdict should it be negative. Adam, a per usual, was not much good for in depth conversations, but he was kind and sympathetic in his own vague sort of way, and Hope was grateful for any moral support at this stage.
She kept her usual bold expression plastered to her face, but worries continued to plague her, and as the weeks dragged by, she fell even further behind in her studies. Revision was still not happening and her homework, if she managed to complete it at all, was continuously marked as substandard. As for the classes themselves, she was lucky if she hadn't switched off after the first ten minutes.
"Um. Hope?" Michael said to her gently, one Herbology lesson not long before Easter. "I think that might be enough water?"
Hope jolted out of her daze and looked down at the suckling saplings that sat in a long ceramic tray front of them. The larger ones were squeaking with indignation while the smallest of them had been submerged entirely, tiny bubbles forming on the surface of the pool of liquid.
"Oh crap. Sorry." She let Michael take over and he did his best to mitigate the damage. "Bit tired today. I - didn't sleep much."
His forehead creased in sympathy.
"Worried about Teddy's hearing?"
Hope hesitated, but she didn't mind admitting her fears to Michael as much as she would have done with her other classmates. The Longbottoms might as well be family, after all.
"Kind of."
"When is it?"
"Next Friday." She sprinkled some nourishing earth over the saplings, carefully this time, but they shied away from her, still bristling after their unfortunate drowning. "Everyone keeps telling me not to worry," she muttered. "But I don't know how to do that. People don't seem to get that it's not just about a job. It's also..."
"About your dad," Michael provided. "And finding a cure."
"Mmm."
"That's why I don't think St Mungo's will dismiss him," Michael said. "He's working every day to find a cure for Lycanthropy. And he saved your mum's life. How can they dismiss him when he saved a life? That's the point of a hospital."
"Exactly! That's what I said to Teddy. He could save so many more, as well. He was making progress with his research, you know. Real progress towards a permanent cure. More than anyone else has ever managed."
She gazed down at the little seedlings, who seemed to have forgiven her now that the nourishing earth was taking effect, then swallowed hard and tried to push the negative thoughts from her mind.
"What do we do with them now?" No doubt Neville had told them at the start of class but Hope had not been paying any attention.
"Need to get those pink buds off them. With some clippers."
Hope cast around and grabbed a pair from a neighbouring work bench. "I'll be careful not to kill them," she promised Michael, noticing his apprehensive expression, and he chuckled. She concentrated hard on nipping the tiny buds right at the base of the stems.
"Stealing now, are we Hopeless?" Elodie's cool voice came from behind her. "Those are mine."
Hope cut off the last coloured bud and dropped it in the dish before turning round.
"You weren't using them and you weren't around to ask. Here." She thrust the clippers at her and Elodie snatched them back with a toss of her head.
"Stuck up cow," Hope muttered. Elodie's sharp ears picked up the mumbled insult at once.
"I'm stuck up, am I?" she retorted. "Interesting that, when you're the one with no real friends."
"What a great comeback. As usual. Why don't you find some new insults for a change?" But Elodie had touched a nerve and seemed to know it. Her lip curled.
"It's no wonder you had to find an older boyfriend," she taunted. "No one in our year would have you. Towler's only with you to see how far he can get. Anyone can see that."
Even Natalie looked taken aback at her friend's last comment. Michael's eyes darkened and Hope, unable to stop herself, picked up a clod of earth from the bucket in front of her and threw it at hard Elodie's back as she turned away. Her aim was as true as ever and Elodie gave an agitated shriek and began frantically shaking the soil out of her ringlets.
"Oops, sorry," Hope said, her tone dripping with false sweetness. "I thought your hair looked in need of some nourishment."
"Lupin. Carmichael. Enough," Neville warned. Hope had not realised he was standing so close to them. The two girls shot death stares at each other before returning to their own work, but other than a few more scowls from Elodie, the rest of the lesson passed without incident, and her curls were pristine by the time the bell signalled the end of class. In fact, to Hope's irritation, the nourishing earth did appear to have made them shinier than ever. As they were packing up their belongings, Neville called over.
"Hope, a word."
He was looking serious.
What did you expect? He has warned you in the past about lashing out.
Elodie was smug as she flounced off to break, but to Hope's surprise Nathalie flashed her an apologetic grimace, and Marion, who had been spending increasingly less time with the other two girls recently, preferring the company of the Ravenclaw boys, smiled over at her. Michael lagged behind, looking worried. "Professor-" he began.
Hope grinned a little. It always amused her to hear Michael call his dad Professor.
"You too Michael. I'd like to speak with Hope."
Resigned, Hope made her way up to the far side of the greenhouse, where Neville was tending to a large fanged geranium.
"I couldn't help overhearing earlier," he said, as she reached him. "What you said about Teddy's hearing."
"Oh." Wrong-footed, having been expecting a scolding, Hope wasn't sure how to respond.
"Now," Neville eyed her seriously and put down his spray bottle. "I know we can't predict what's going to happen, whatever Professor Trelawney might think, and of course it could end badly, but Teddy is in with a good chance, Hope. I visited my grandmother at the weekend. She's friends with Professor Henson, who will be presiding at the hearing, and she holds him in high esteem. He is very fair and principled. She also happened to tell me who would be on Teddy's disciplinary panel."
"Is she allowed to tell you things like that?" Hope asked in surprise. His lips twitched.
"Augusta Longbottom knows a lot of information she shouldn't and has no regard for confidentiality."
She managed a weak smile.
"Who is it? Doing his hearing?"
"I'm not sure if you know of them," Neville said. "But I've met Healer Pye several times. He spent many years tending to patients on the serious bite ward, and I'm sure will be supportive of Teddy's research. I don't know Professor Rabnott personally, but she has been one of the main figures involved in the cure rollout since Christmas. They are invested in the future of St Mungo's and they won't be keen to lose a valuable member of staff over one unfortunate incident. None of them are likely to be swayed by the unfortunate release to the press, either. They will focus on Teddy's statement and the evidence they have and go from there."
The ball of knots that had been sitting in Hope's stomach for weeks now untangled itself very slightly.
"Like I said, and as I'm sure you know, there are no guarantees," Neville said. "Your worries are entirely justified. But try to focus on what you can control. You have a lot going on this year, and dwelling on issues that are out of your hands will not help you at all. I appreciate that is easier said than done," he added, as if reading her thoughts. "But start small. Basic, everyday activities. Try ten minutes at a time on a single task without breaking focus, for example. See how you go from there. And remember if you need to talk to someone there are plenty of people you can go to."
Hope nodded, grateful for Neville's words and unexpected advice but unwilling, as always, to elaborate on her innermost emotions. She waited for the inevitable reprimand for lashing out at her classmate.
"Did you want to talk about something?" Neville asked gently.
"No professor."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"In that case," he smiled, returning to his plant. "It's a lovely day. You should go and make the most of break before your next class."
Hope blinked at the back of his head in confusion.
"Yes?" Neville looked round at her again, seeing she hadn't moved.
"Am I not in trouble, for throwing earth at Elodie?"
"You threw earth at Elodie?" Neville adopted a politely surprised expression, although his eyes were gleaming. "I must have missed that, Hope. I can't punish someone without evidence, I'm afraid!"
Hope bit back her own smile as she left the greenhouse. The Longbottoms were in a league of their own.
"Fingers crossed the hearing will be fine then," Roxanne said eagerly, when Hope had found them and recounted what Neville had said. "They'd have to be idiots to fire Teddy after all the good he's worked for. By the sounds of it the article won't make a difference either way."
"If it does, Phennah will have me to answer to," Hope growled through her teeth. They were empty words, she knew, but it felt good to put the blame on someone.
"You still think it was the healer who reported it to the press?" Dom said. She sounded sceptical. "I think Teddy was right about that. No one at St Mungo's would want to risk their job security. Most Healers have a lot of integrity, they don't survive in the profession if they don't. I know I go on about Victoire, but it's not for lack of principles. You didn't hear me say that though," she added hurriedly.
"There must be a few that are corrupt or dishonourable," Hope objected.
"Maybe," Dom said, with her habitual expression of patient tolerance that she tended to adopt whenever Hope or Roxanne embarked on a wild conspiracy theory, and Hope knew that going on about Phennah was not going to make her feel better. Deciding to take Neville's advice, she pulled out her potions homework and tried to concentrate on it for a full ten minutes. She only made it to seven before her mind began to drift away again, but she supposed it wasn't bad for a first attempt.
O
The letter came to Hope during lunch. She had been toying with a mouthful of pasta for ten minutes, unable to stomach anything, and put down her fork as the owl came soaring towards them.
She untied the letter from its leg with trembling fingers and gazed down at the neat, familiar, writing.
"I can't," she said, pushing it over to Dom. "I can't. Please read it first and tell me."
Dom obliged after a moment's hesitation. She scanned the note for several seconds and Hope felt the terrible weight in her chest finally dissipate. Dom's face told her all she needed to know.
"It's fine," she breathed. "It's fine. He got off."
Hope buried her face in her hands, relief sweeping through her. All the tension that had been in her stomach for weeks now eased at once, releasing a wave of gratitude so strong that her eyes began to sting.
"Hope?" Dom put a hand on her shoulder, sounding worried, and she blinked hard and raised her head.
"I'm fine."
Dom did not take her hand away.
"It's OK to be upset," she said softly. "Or to cry, if you need to. You haven't had it easy recently."
"I'm not upset," Hope said at once. "I don't cry, remember."
She picked up the note from the table in front of them, just to be sure. To see it for herself.
Dopey,
They let me off. It was a tough couple of hours, but all fine in the end. I think the research progress swung it for me. I've been given a warning but I can go back to work after the weekend.
Relieved is an understatement. I'll tell you more details when you're home in two weeks.
Can't wait to see you.
Love you,
Teddy x
O
"That's a sign that the tide is turning," Roxanne said, face alight with optimism on hearing the news later on. "There will be more to come, I'm sure."
"I dunno." Hope did not share her outlook. "'I'm so relieved about Teddy, but I still don't feel that hopeful about the future. I feel like more bad stuff is just around the corner."
"Me too," Dom agreed. "All around the school - it feels like it did last summer. All the teachers seem tense. And our parents. As if-" she trailed off.
"As if what?" Roxanne prompted.
"As if they're waiting for something," Dom said after some internal debate. "I know that sounds overdramatic, but don't you think? There's a weird atmosphere everywhere, as if something bad is about to happen."
Roxanne looked inclined to scoff, but at Dom's words, a cold, prickling sensation shot down Hope's spine.
"Strike Three," she murmured.
"What?"
It had been bothering her on and off for months now, and with the events of St Mungo's out in the open, she could finally share her worries with her friends.
"When Mum and Dad told me about the planted vaccine in the summer, Mum said something about it being Strike One," she explained, sitting up straighter. "I didn't think much of it at the time. Then the day Mum went into hospital, Harry talked about strikes as well. He said The Crow had cursed Mum deliberately, that he was going to use the spell he'd created for blackmail, and he said that was Strike Two. I asked him about it later, but he fobbed me off, said the word Strike was part of Auror terminology."
"Auror terminology?" Roxanne repeated, her tone sceptical. "We have two Aurors in the family - three if you include Uncle Ron - and I've never heard anyone talk about strikes before."
"Exactly!" Hope said. "Me neither. Mum tells me about her work all the time but she's never mentioned it."
She bit her lip. "So, if it's not general Auror lingo, what if it's specifically to do with the curse? Or The Crow? Dom's right, last summer remember how tense everything felt here? Back in September it was the same. Both times something big happened to do with the curse not long after. What if people are waiting for something else to happen? Waiting for Strike Three?"
"Wouldn't it be common knowledge by now?" Dom objected. "If these strikes were a real thing?"
"Adults can keep a lot from us when they want to," Roxanne said gloomily. "And Minister Shacklebolt is very good at maintaining control over sensitive information and who it goes to. I can see how the teachers and our parents would all know but we would be kept in the dark. They'd want to avoid panic."
The more Hope thought about it, the more sense it made. It would explain the teachers' tense behaviour. Her parents' words of caution whenever they wrote to her. The shifty look in Teddy's eyes on those occasions where she had badgered him for news on The Crow.
"What do you think it could be?" Dom asked, a nervous tremor in her voice.
Even Roxanne did not offer any suggestions in response to this, but as she looked between her two friends, Hope knew they were all thinking the same thing. Strikes One and Two had been bad enough. What new horrors would be unleashed with this hypothetical Strike Three?
OOO