Play the Game ✔️

Don't Do Me Like That

Seven weeks into the school year and Liesel found herself exhausted. Remedial Potions with Professor Slughorn, tutoring for Professor McGonagall and being tutored in Charms by Remus and Lily were all taking their toll. It was Friday night and her seventeenth birthday was only a few days away yet she found herself sitting alone in the library listening to the non-sounds of the few students that happened to also find themselves in the cavernous room, with her head down and her eyes closed when she was tapped on her shoulder causing her to jump.

"My apologies for disturbing you Miss Rhodes," the soft voice said.

She raised her head and rubbed at her eyes violently as she yawned. "I was just resting my eyes Headmaster," she replied trying to focus her eyes.

"Burning the candle at both ends, I see?"

"Kind of?" She fidgeted in her chair.

He chuckled softly. "I recognize the symptoms of mental and physical fatigue having experienced them myself on more occasions than I care to recall."

She stared at her charms textbook. "Really?"

He leaned in, his blue eyes twinkling and he smiled. "Really."

She tilted her head to the side, motioning to the chair next to her. "Have a seat."

Dumbledore pulled out the chair and turned it to face her and sat down. "How's your mother fairing?"

Liesel's shoulders dropped and she turned her head and raised her brow. "Rommy's fine. She's keeping me on the straight and narrow."

He nodded. "Good."

"Kaitlyn's figured out that he's not really a he but a she," she said with a grin. "I haven't told her exactly what's going on. I think it would probably blow her mind."

He nodded again. "I'm sure. I find it remarkable, actually."

"Yeah," Liesel responded quietly. "I'm not sure I believe it myself. She's in there somewhere still, I can tell."

"Oh?"

Liesel grinned and chuckled. "Yeah. She adores Remus. Sirius? Not so much."

"Do tell?"

She shook her head. "She doesn't trust him, I don't think?"

He nodded his head. "Ah yes, parental concern. Well many animagi choose to remain in their animal form. I suppose this is only slightly different? I understand that is why your father moved you all to America?"

She turned her head back toward her book and nodded again. "Yeah, just so she could learn the charm. I think it was lucky that they found a Medicine Man willing to help her. At least she's not pure wolf."

"Well, why would she be," he asked, wondering why the couple hadn't come to him.

She shrugged her shoulders and yawned. "Who knew there was so much theory involved with Charms!"

"There's even more with Transfiguration," he replied.

"Yeah, but that I get!" She sighed loudly and then yawned again allowing her vision to blur when she looked at the tiny font on the pages of the book she had checked out. "I just don't think I'm gonna master this!"

"Does Mister Lupin make you study on Saturdays and Sundays as well?"

"Of course he does, he's brutal!"

"But you'll miss the holiday festivities!"

They heard someone approaching and both looked up. "Speak of the Devil and he appears. Hey, I really am working here!"