𝐉𝐈𝐆𝐒𝐀𝐖

Chapter 15

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Chapter Fifteen:

Against the Wall

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"Remus!" Harry called as he and the rest of the Gryffindors eagerly crowded around Lupin. It was their first Hogsmeade weekend and Remus was waiting for them, smiling happily. He was holding the largest, fattest spotted orange and white cat Harry had ever seen. The cat blinked green eyes at them, yawning to show he was unimpressed.

"Hello, everyone!" Lupin beamed as Colin Creevey began excitedly telling him stories about the dueling club Professor Narkalepsy was planning to start, Neville began to ask him if he could please come back, and Parvati asked whose cat he was holding.

"Pro-Professor Lupin?" asked one of the Slytherin girls, detaching herself from Pansy's gang and pushing her way through the Gryffindors. Harry stepped back and realized it was the mousy Slytherin, Tracey Davis. A golden crucifix around her neck swung violently from all the jostling she had just done.

"Tracey, there you are, love. I thought I might find you here. This is Jebediah. He's a Kneazle and I told him all about you. He agreed to look after you for me," Lupin said, turning from all the Gryffindors and lavishing the plain, brown-haired girl with a wide smile and bestowing the kneazle on her. Tracey took him in wonder.

"Oh, Professor Lupin, aren't you going to come back? I hate all the new Professors. Professor Moody was a Death Eater in disguise, Professor Umbridge was mean, and Professor Narkalepsy is scary!" Tracey sobbed, hugging him and squeezing the kneazle a bit. Harry was baffled. He had no idea a Slytherin even liked Professor Lupin, much less be so close that he had brought her a present and she would hug him.

"I'm sorry, love. But I'm here in Hogsmeade and if you need help with anything you can just send me an owl. And of course, visit me on the weekends."

"Davis!" cried Daphne Greengrass, glowering near Pansy Parkinson, her dark face twisted up in disgust.

Tracey looked back at the Slytherin girls, who were all frowning with disapproval. Lupin sighed and smiled at her. "We'll talk later, Tracey. Keep your chin up," Lupin said graciously. She smiled and hugged Jebediah, who was looking rather ruffled. Hermione was staring at Jebediah with fascination.

"Thank you, Professor Lupin. You're still my favorite teacher. You're even better than--than Professor Snape!" she said in hushed voice, as though she was saying something scandalous. Then she ran back to the other Slytherins, holding her new Kneazle. Jebediah hissed at Pansy and tried to bite her when she reached out to pet him.

Lupin made a few pleasantries and most of the Gryffindors soon ran off to have fun. Ron and Hermione had stayed, as well as Neville. Lupin motioned them over to take a walk with him.

"A Kneazle! Where did you get one, Remus?" Hermione asked, staring after Tracey Davis with fascination and entirely missing the fact that a Slytherin seemed to be Lupin's favorite student. Either that, or she didn't think it was as odd as Harry did.

"Godric brought him home one day. Or I should say, Jebediah brought Godric home. Godric apparently got into a fight with an acromantula in the Forbidden Forest. I think he won, but he was hurt. Jebediah helped drag him home," Lupin said.

Harry felt a sudden surge of fear. "Is he okay? Why didn't you send me an owl?" he asked.

Lupin shrugged. "He was fine by the next day, so it wasn't anything to worry you about. Hagrid fixed him right up. Speaking of the devil," Lupin said, turning as Hagrid walked up. Godric was coiled around him.