𝟏.| ✬ 𝒟ℯ𝒶𝓇 ℬ𝒾𝓁𝓁, ✬ {ℬ. 𝒲ℯ𝒶𝓈𝓁ℯ𝓎}

\𝓈ℯ𝓋ℯ𝓃\

~

"Where were you, Professor?" Eleanora asked, approaching Lupin's desk after class.

He looked up and his mouth quirked up into an almost nervous smile. "I was just feeling a little under the weather, thank you," he said, but he looked more than a little under the weather. He had dark circles under his eyes and his face was paler and more gaunt than ever.

"Well, anyways, there's something I wanted to ask you." She set her textbook down on his desk and turned it so he could see the page. "It's about animagi. I was just wondering, if an animagus is in its animal form, can it still do magic? It says they can't in this paragraph right here..." she pointed to a passage. "But here," she pointed to another one, "It says that they have to use a spell to transform back." She looked up at Lupin, who was eyeing her suspiciously.

"What are you looking at that for? Didn't you learn about about this fifth year?"

"Well, yeah, but the twins are studying for their O.W.L.s and I've been helping and I came across this last night."

"The twins were studying?" Lupin gave her an amused look.

She laughed. "Well, I figure if I read them the book enough, they'll either catch on or get so annoyed they start studying by themselves," she said.

"Don't get your hopes up." He smiled and pulled the book closer. "Animagi can produce magic,  but as most of them don't have hands," he held up his hands, "Only those who can cast nonverbal spells can use magic in their animal form." She nodded and pulled the book back towards herself and looked closely at it. "Would you care for a cup of tea?" he asked. "I was just about to take a break."

She hesitated, still staring at a book. "Yes..." she looked up. "Yeah, that would be nice."

Lupin waved his wand and a tea kettle floated over, pouring them each a cup. Eleanora closed the book and sat down in a chair across the desk from him, taking a cup from midair and sipping. "So, how's your term been going? Have all of your classes been alright?" Lupin asked, resting his calm gaze on her face.

"It's been fine," then, pointing to the copy of the Daily Prophet on the desk. "Have you heard about the latest sighting of Black? Some lady in Dorset thought she saw him in her strawberry patch." Lupin sighed.

"Ahhh, fear makes everyone's imaginations act up."

"Where do you think he is? Do you think he's still near the castle?"

"I have no idea where he might be. There's been so many reports, he may not even be in the country for all we know."

"Hm," Eleanora sipped her tea in silence. "Something doesn't seem right about the whole situation somehow..."

Lupin smiled. "Well, people don't usually break out of Azkaban Prison."

"I just mean him coming straight to Hogwarts, why would he do that? Why wouldn't he just lay low for awhile?"