RUNNING WITH WOLVES remus lupin

OO4. 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

𝐅 𝐎 𝐔 𝐑

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WHILE PROFESSOR LUPIN WAS BUSY LOOKING OVER ATTENDANCE. Penelope raised an eyebrow but waited for Elodie to talk.

Maybe I should tell her...

"Umm... I think I have a crush..." Elodie said cautiously, waiting to see her reaction. She can't help but feel it is best not to throw this at her too quickly. I mean, he's a teacher... I don't want Penelope to freak out.

"That's all?" she said, looking disappointed, "You made me worried just for that? Gee... I was expecting something a little more, you know, interesting..."

Despite how funny her frankness was, Elodie was still nervous when she said, "Yeah, I know. Trust me; I wouldn't have bothered with the charm if it was just a normal crush. But this isn't what I would call a normal crush."

"And why is that?" Penelope asked, her curiosity building up again.

"Um, let's just say, the person is a little... different."

"Well, tell me already!"

"I'm going to have to guess, aren't I?" she said, exasperated, though amused.

"Yes..." Elodie said, trailing off, more nervous than ever.

"It isn't George, is it?" she asked suspiciously.

"No! Of course not!" I said, taken-back, "Trust me, he's all yours. Besides, those two are like my brothers."

"Right," she said thoughtfully, "Is it Cedric Diggory?"

"Nope."

"Caleb Cobris?"

"No-"

"Warner Otters?"

"Not a chance"

"Fred?"

Elodie rolls her eyes, "Serious guesses only, please."

"Orin Boartusk?"

"Eww!" she whisper yells emphatically, "That's like, a crime against humanity!"

"I know," Pen chuckled, "but I ran out of ideas. Isn't this the point I give up and you start describing him?"

"Yeah, it is," Elodie agrees half-heartedly. It was always fun to listen to her guesses, "Okay, well, he has light brown hair, and yes, he's kinda poor looking, he's really nice... we only met him last week..." she let her voice trail off as Penelope started looking at me disbelievingly.

"The only person who fits that description is Lupin," she said skeptically, "and even you, El, are not that weird."

Bloody hell... "Good guess..." she says, trailing off cheerfully, ignoring her skepticism, "took you long enough."

"What, you're not serious, are you?" she asked, looking alarmed.

"Um, actually, yeah, I am," I said self-consciously.

Penelope gawped at me with her mouth hanging slightly open.

"El, he's a teacher," she said, whispering the last word as though it was cursed.

"I know, trust me, I reacted that way too, but, well, you know, sure, he's a teacher," she rambled, "but he's a really good-looking teacher, and he's really nice too... and his smile is just gorgeous," She added, sighing deeply. Litterally, what is happening to me?

"Argh, please, stop," Pen said, looking slightly repulsed, "Elodie, listen to yourself. You have a crush on a teacher. He must be like, what, fifteen years older than us?"

"Hey!" Elodie whispers yells, "Don't judge me like you didn't have a crush on Lockhart." Penelope looks up to make sure Professor Lupin is still not listening. "My crush was before he was our teacher, as incompetent as he was. Besides celebrity crushes are different."

"I know that look- I don't even know why I feel this way." Elodie says quickly, "But, I mean, it's just a silly crush, isn't it? It's not like I'm in love with him or anything..."

"I guess..." Pen said with uncertainty.

"What harm can it do?" Elodie pressed, "I'll probably get over it in a few weeks, you know me..."

"Knowing you, those few weeks will be full of annoying conversations about how cute he is, about whether he likes your hair worn up or down, about whether I agree that grey robes look better on him than black robes -"

"Alright, alright, I get the point," she mumbled.

"Good, I mean, it's bad enough when you go on like that, but seriously, when it's a teacher you're talking about, that is just creepy."

"I know," Elodie sighed, "I'll try to be considerate."

"Thanks."

"So..." She says, trying to suppress a grin, "Do you think he's married?"

"Ew, El!" She whisper yells, desperately blocking her ears with her hands, as Elodie giggles at her reaction.

"Is there a reason for all the chatter, Ms. Ashcombe, Ms. Solaris?" He asked pointedly, thought not unkindly. snickers circulate around the class.

The sound of his voice knocked her back into reality, just as it had done in the last lesson they had.

"Uh... yeah, sorry, Professor, it's my fault." Elodie said nervously.

"That's perfectly fine, though I would suggest paying more attention," He says sincerly, "We wouldn't want you to miss something... or fail."

Elodie nods, unable to reply. Avoid looking at him directly by staring at the desk. With any luck, he'd miss her momentary blankness.

Yep, Elodie thought pessimistically, leaning back in her chair, shuddering at the very thought. It is official. She has a crush on  Professor Lupin.