"i know life well enough to know you can't count on things staying around or standing still, no matter how much you want them to. you can't stop people from dying. you can't stop them from going away. you can't stop yourself from going away either."...
'who knows if she never showed up what could've been'- last great american dynasty
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"...make sure to see me before next lesson if you're interested in looking further into Grindylows," Professor Lupin announced over the bustling students packing up their textbooks, heading out of the classroom, "have a good weekend!"
Thank yous and you toos echoed throughout the room as Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students hurried away, excited to begin the weekend. All except one.
"Miss Weasley, feeling better are we?" Remus cocked an eyebrow at the red head leaning against her desk, who looked up slightly puzzled. Remus smirked, folding his arms across his chest, "Professor Flitwick told me you were ill yesterday?"
Ophelia's cheeks flushed slightly as she stammered, "oh right, yes. Much better. Thank you."
She shuffled on the spot, still not bringing herself to meet the professor's eyes, biting the inside of her cheek.
"Was there something you wanted to talk about?" The professor gestured to the now empty room as Ophelia nodded, twisting her mouth to the side as she swallowed.
"I-" her voice croaked slightly. She cleared her throat to try again, "I know- I know that you're a- you're a-"
"Werewolf?" Professor Lupin almost chuckled as the girl looked up, "I know."
"You- you know?"
"I'm quite impressed, actually," Remus smiled as she finally met his eyes, "over Christmas, I presume?"
Ophelia nodded, not understanding how her professor was so relaxed.
"So, were you planning on avoiding me for the rest of your time at Hogwarts?" Remus grinned again, pulling the chair at his desk out, gesturing for her to take a seat.
The girl smiled slightly as she sat down. To be honest, that had been her original plan, but she realised how stupid it had sounded now. And then came a wave of guilt as she met her smiling professor's eyes from across the desk.
"I'm not scared of you." She blurted out. "The boggart, I mean. I'm not- It wasn't-"
"Ophelia," his calm voice stopped her babbling, giving her a minute to breathe, "it takes a lot more than a boggart to hurt my feelings." He smiled gently, placing two cups on the table. "Everyone's first reaction to my condition is fear, you're not the first."
He filled the cup in front of her with hot chocolate, moving the spoon with his wand as he spoke.
"Here." He pushed the cup towards Ophelia, who simply nodded gratefully.
The pair spoke for a while, discussing patronuses and dementors, eventually moving onto the topic of Sirius Black. The Potters had used the Fidelius charm, entrusting Black as their secret keeper. The day they died, Sirius sold them out to Voldemort, betraying the people he'd once called family. Juliet was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, attempting to defend Lily as she hid, but it was no use. Their friend Peter Pettigrew tried to confront Black, but he killed him too, along with a few muggles. It was awful. He'd been their best friend, and he killed them all leaving Professor Lupin with no one.
