Corrupted Souls | remus lupin

one less secret

Neoma walked into the library at her usual Friday time and went to her favorite spot. Classes had officially ended, Saturday was the big game, and N.E.W.T.s would be starting up on Monday. It appeared that her time at Hogwarts was rapidly coming to a close. 

She didn't expect her last couple of weeks to be so lonely, but they were. After her (very confusing) confrontation with Remus in Potions, he seemed to ice her out of his life completely. Lily also didn't make the greatest effort to speak with her, nor did James or Peter. 

Sirius and the other girls seemed to be the only ones that would look in her direction. Marlene would invite her to things, but Neoma politely declined each time. It seemed like she, Dorcas, and Alice were also left out of the conversation where Neoma was once again reduced to the daughter of a death eater, leaving them just as lost as the Slytherin. 

Remus, on the other hand, was swimming in self-pity and regret. As soon has he opened his mouth about Greyback, he wished he hadn't. Neoma really didn't know any better - he had to stop taking her comments to heart. He, however, knew exactly what he was doing when he threw her dad's affiliations in her face. 

Lily wasn't so forgiving of Neoma's comments. She learned about Remus being a werewolf shortly after Severus figured it out, and had witnessed the hardships that her friend had to go through with the condition. Even though she knew Neoma wasn't directly talking about Remus, she found the girl's commentary on werewolves to be "ignorant" and "uninformed". 

James, of course, was quick to agree with Lily, forgetting all about his desire to get Neoma and Remus together. Peter also made it clear that Neoma had no right to speak so adamantly about something she had no personal experience with. 

Sirius wanted to yell at all of them - Neoma included - but his hands were unfortunately tied, and all he could do was cross his fingers and hope that the truth would be revealed sooner rather than later. Neoma Nott wasn't going to disappear from their lives - she would be fighting alongside them in the war. The longer the silence lasted, the worse it would get. 

He even tried to help, giving Remus a severe case of whiplash when he suggested that the two should talk to clear the air. At one moment he was saying to give up on pursuing Neoma, and the next he was telling him to try and save the friendship. 

Remus decided to ignore the advice of everyone - "talk to Neoma", "don't talk to Neoma", "stop being such a dick to Neoma" - and take his own course of action. 

Neoma tried her best not to smile as she looked down at her usual study spot. Neatly folded on the table rested a grey Gryffindor tee.

--

On Saturday morning, Neoma put on Remus's t-shirt. It was far too big on her, but she tried to tuck it into her skirt to make it less obvious. She braided her hair, tying two green ribbons on the end of them (just to piss Remus off). 

Narcissa wore Slytherin colours with blue-streaked cheekbones. She rolled her eyes at Neoma's shirt, but kept her comments to herself. 

"That your boyfriend's shirt?" Ernest sneered as Neoma pushed through the Slytherin common room. "I thought you guys broke up."

"I don't believe they were ever together, actually. She was just pining over him, but the halfblood got bored. Pity." Lucius snaked his arm across Neoma's shoulders, which were stiff as a board. "And now she has no one. Poor thing."

Neoma jerked out of his grasp and continued walking toward the exit, ignoring the jeers of her peers. 

She finally took Marlene up on her offer to sit at the Gryffindor table, knowing full well that sitting with a group of Slytherins while wearing the enemy's t-shirt would be a nightmare. As she slid in next to the blonde, she avoided all eye-contact with Lily, James, and Peter.