maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

83. spin the bottle

"AND GRYFFINDOR WINS!" The commentator of the first quidditch match announced as Claudia sat on the stands with Betty, Inez and Pandora.

"Finally that's over with," Betty said happily, standing up and helping Pandora up as well.

"I thought it was fun," Pandora said positively. "Trust me, it's better to just watch than to be the commentator."

"I thought you did a good job last year, Pandora," Inez smiled as they all headed down the stairs so that they could head back to the castle.

"Oh, thank you," Pandora breathed, her suddenly noticing the faraway look in Claudia's eyes. "Are you alright, Claudia?"

"What?" Claudia questioned, her eyes trailing away from a certain boy back to her friends. "I'm fine."

"Maybe you should just talk to him," Betty said after a moment of them looking at Claudia with unconvinced looks on their faces.

"Talk to who?"

"Oh, please, stop lying to yourself!" Inez sighed. "This is driving me bloody insane!"

"Wha-"

"Remus!" Pandora yelled. "Bloody Remus! Talk to him before I do it myself!"

Claudia was taken aback by the sudden outburst from both Inez, and Pandora (who for the record was not someone who had had many outbursts).

"I...I just don't know what to say," Claudia eventually confessed. "My brain's a mess."

"I don't think your brain's a mess," Betty said softly. "You love him. That's that. So get over yourself and talk to him for Merlin's sake!"

"Okay," Claudia said, gulping nervously as she headed towards the boy who was standing with James on the pitch alongside Sirius and Peter.

"Claudia!" She suddenly heard from beside her, causing her to stop abruptly and turn to be met by Henry.

"Oh, hi!" She said kindly, thinking about her rude way of leaving him last time they spoke. "I actually wanted to apologise to you-"

"No need for that," he smiled. "I just came here to ask if you were going to the party in the Gryffindor common room tonight?"

"Yeah I think so," she replied. "Are you?"

"Yeah! I guess I'll see you there then?"

"Guess so," Claudia smiled as the boy walked off, only for that smile to drop as soon as she saw Remus staring right at her.

And this time around he didn't just look hurt.

He looked angry.

•••

"Are you ready?" Betty asked Claudia, who was in that moment standing in front of a mirror, applying red lipstick.

"No."