maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

10. butterbeers & gentlemen

THE STUDENTS of Hogwarts woke up to a beautiful snowfall on the Saturday of the first trip to Hogsmeade, despite it only being the end of October. To say that the timing was impeccable would be an understatement.

Even so, Claudia woke up in a terrible mood, because she was to spend the day with Evan Pig Rosier.

She was reluctant towards even eating breakfast, because her attempts at finishing her mashed potatoes the night before were useless, and now she was even closer to the dreaded "date".

But, her friends dragged her along anyways, Betty also having a loss of appetite due to her nerves for her date with Sirius. Those were different types of nerves than Claudia's however.

When she told her friends about what she had agreed to, they all looked at her like she was stupid. Claudia had never really explained just how bad things could get with her brothers, and she had never ever spoken about what could happen with her father and stepmother if she crosses the line.

Betty, Inez and Pandora didn't understand her reasonings at all. She said that she simply just wanted him off her back, and that she knew that he and her brothers could easily prank Lily and Pandora, and that she didn't want that. She left the Marauders out of the conversation completely.

The girls were all concerned for their friend when she didn't even eat her pancakes and syrup that morning, and also because she didn't even bring her book with her to read.

"Okay, I'm off to meet Sirius," Betty announced nervously, which caused Claudia to forget about her problems for a few minutes as her old famous pep-talk returned.

"Have fun! And make sure he gets to know just how brilliant you are, Betty!" She finished the talk with as she returned back to her moping.

The time had arrived for her to meet with Evan, so she reluctantly stood up and spoke her goodbyes to her friends.

"Have fun you two," she faintly smiled to Inez and Pandora, who were planning to buy books and drink butterbeers.

"I would say the same to you, but I think we both know the only thing I can wish you is that you survive," Inez said as she smiled reassuringly to Claudia, who left the two to meet the Slytherin boy by the entrance.

The Marauders all stood by the entrance as Betty approached Sirius. They were all talking lightly as Claudia walked past them and pointed finger-guns at her head as she caught Betty's eyes. Betty laughed and then sighed, as she saw Evan immediately putting his hand on her lower back when she approached him.

"She's going with him?" James asked Betty in a surprised tone.

"Yeah... she said it was to get him off of her back and make sure he doesn't prank her friends but I personally think that's a load of bullshit," she stated.