CURSES AND CANDIES - REMUS LUPIN

𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑦 𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑒.

this chapter is like from all sides of the castle preparing for coming together

Sitting in the northern section of the library near the healing spells, Hollis Rosier was exhausted. The light of the full moon piercing through the water of the Black Lake had kept her up nearly the entire night before, as well as the fighting, pressing feeling in the back of her mind that she should be somewhere, and that something was wrong with her being in the Slytherin dorms.

Unfortunately, though, Evans had felt this resistance against his mental grip on her mindset the instant the sun set and stayed up just as long as his little sister to keep his grip on the curse.

Hollis knew she had to complete this section of her Defense Against the Dark Arts homework before the day ended so that she could turn it in the next morning, but her exhausted mind wasn't agreeing with that effort. 

It was nearly ten o'clock at night, and the library was dark except for the flickering candles and lanterns Hollis had surrounded herself with so that she could keep studying. The glow that they provided was comforting to her, but in a way that she couldn't quite place. Like the comfort came with the familiarity of another life.

Whatever it was, it was making Hollis tired. 

Her hand that was wrapped around her silver raven feather quill slowly started to go limp, making the mental clatter onto the mahogany counter with a small noise. Hollis's head slowly rested on the page of the old textbook she was using. The crisp yet old smell filled her nostrils, adding yet another layer to the peaceful haze.

I'm just going to shut my eyes for a few seconds, Hollis told herself as her eyelids started to feel like they were made of steel dragging them down. Just a few seconds, and then I'm going to keep studying.

It took about ten seconds for Hollis to be out like a light in the dim library.

And she really hadn't meant to fall asleep.

.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡　　　ﾟ+..｡*ﾟ+

The Slytherin common room was only inhabited by a trio of students on the Thursday night of April twenty-first. Theodore Nott, Evans Rosier, Lucius Malfoy, and Regulus Black were sitting around a black and white marble chess board near the fire intensely, having been playing nearly all night.

"Checkmate," Theodore said, raising a light brown eyebrow at Lucius as he sat back in his high backed leather chair. "I win again."

Looking down at Lucius's white pieces that had been violently smashed to bits by Theodore's black ones, Evans stood up.

"I'm playing you," he declared with confidence. "And I'm going to win this time."

There was something bothering Theodore, though, and he got up from his chair and gestured for Regulus to sit in it.

"You play Rosier, Black," he said casually. "I just need to go check the library."

Lucius smirked. 

"She still not listening to you?" the blonde boy asked, turning around in his chair to Theodore. "Merlin, that's embarrassing."

The Malfoy knew exactly what he was doing. 

As Theodore slammed the Slytherin door common room without answering Lucius, Regulus turned angrily to the sixth year.

"Why the hell do you do you provoke him like that?" Regulus hissed. "You know it hurts his pride."

The smirk remained on his pale face.

"It's funny," he replied with an amused tone, setting up the chess pieces absentmindedly while he was talking to the Black. "Why do you care?"