maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

49. leather jackets & sweaters

CLAUDIA HAD FORGOTTEN how to breathe. Maybe there was a logical explanation to why her stepbrother and best friend were together in a broom closet. Maybe they were just having a good old conversation. Maybe Betty was in that small closet yelling at the boy who had caused Claudia so much suffering ever since she was a little girl.

But still, her mind continued to repeat the simplicity of two names brought together in a place Hogwarts students did not enter together unless they were up to no good.

Nolan Clarke and Betty Arnaud.

Nolan Clarke and Betty Arnaud.

Nolan and Betty.

Betty and...Nolan.

"Hey, is something wrong?" Remus asked as he placed his hand on her arm, snapping Claudia out of her terrified trance.

It couldn't be, could it? Was she about to lose one of the only people who made her feel loved?

The brunette girl didn't answer him. She kept her eyes on the map, studying the two names that stayed put alongside each other as the three other boys continued to laugh about some ridiculous story.

"Claudia?" Remus questioned, a wave of worry washing over him. "Is everything alright?"

"I should've," the girl whispered as her eyes narrowed and her face grew pale.

"What? Should've what?" The boy asked as he placed his other hand on her cheek, cupping her face. "Claudia, you're scaring me."

"I should've told her," she said with a small crack of her voice, finally looking up at him and catching the attention of the three other boys.

"What?"

"I...I need to tell her," Claudia suddenly decided, leaving the dormitory before any of the boys could even react.

"What the hell was that all about?" Sirius asked Remus, who looked puzzled as he stared at the door.

"I don't know, but I do know that we need to go after her," said Remus. "Something's wrong."

"What's wrong?" James asked.

"I don't know what, but something is wrong. Come on, let's go after her," Remus said as he attempted to drag Peter out of his bed.

"Calm down! We'll find her in no time with the map," Peter sighed.

"She's got the map you bloody idiot, now come on!" Remus yelled, catching them all of guard.

"Moony, maybe you need to calm down-"

"No, maybe you three need to get off your arses and listen to me for once," the boy sighed. "And she also didn't grab the cloak!"

Claudia did indeed not grab the cloak. That became painfully obvious to the girl as she ran through the Gryffindor common room, only to find a group of girls heading towards the portrait hole just as she was.