My Not-So Cinderella Story *A Remus Lupin Love Story* *Currently On Hold*

Tortorous Demands

Isn’t it funny how the teachers always seem out to get you? I personally think Professor Dumbledore went into the future, saw what happened with me and Lupin, came back to the present, and made our seating charts before the school year began. Its all a big conspiracy theory.

That’s what I think anyway. One thing that I always think about is Lupin. Why did he kiss me? Why did I kiss him? Did he tell his friends? Did he tell no one? Did he tell everyone? Did he like the kiss? Did I like the kiss? And so on…

Things were normal for a few weeks. We had a mutual agreement not to talk about the incident and neither of us broke it. I was upset all the time and he snogged Bailey in between classes. It was like nothing had ever happened. It was three weeks since the day we snogged and I was fine. I hadn’t cried at all for 2 ½ weeks and I pointedly ignored my feelings. Then we had finished the third page of our Animangus paper and I was packing my stuff up. I began to ask Lupin a question about the Potions homework. Then I saw Bailey come around the corner and begin jabbering away to Lupin. I rolled my eyes and walked off. I twisted around at the entrance to see them snogging heavily.

Tears sparked at my eyes. I turned and fled to the farthest place I could think of: the Astronomy Tower. I finally arrived and sank down. Now, I don’t normally think of myself as a “sensitive” girl but when I was alone and no one was watching me- I cried my eyes out. All the love, hate, anger, bitterness, and jealousy spilled out of me in silent sobs and tears.

Then I heard a footstep and looked up to Sirius Black, looking at me in confusion. I groaned, “What do you want? To dump a pot of honey on me again? O-or throw some eggs at me like last week?”

He looked conflicted then spoke quietly, “No. I j-just…I’m sorry, I’m just kind of shocked, I mean you aren’t exactly the er- crying type.”

I shrugged and looked down at my feet. “Yeah, well. What do you want anyhow?” I asked him, standing up to lean against the wall.

“I saw what happened in the library- when you kissed.” He informed me. I stayed silent.

“You like him, don’t you?”

I snorted. “Are you kidding? He’s annoying, a complete know-it-all, h-he’s a complete jerk and I can’t bloody stand him!” I exclaimed, pacing around the room, then stopping to look out a window. I shook my head, smiling in spite of myself. “And the worst- the absolute worst thing is he’s making me fall in love with him- and he doesn’t even care!”

Black looked at me and shook his head. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” He told me.

I looked at him incredulously. “You think he cares? And that’s why he’s snogging my cousin in his spare time?”

“Maybe you should tell him how you feel.”

I rolled my eyes and threw my hands up. “Yeah, that’d be a great conversation. I yell and glare at him everyday, then I’ll just go up to him and say ‘Hey, I love you like a dementor loves souls!”

He furrowed his eyebrows. “That’s understandable.” he paced for a moment while I suddenly realized that I was having a civil conversation with Black. Then he snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it.!” he looked beside himself with happiness.

I ran my hands through my hair. “Why are you helping me? We hate each other! You don’t like me, I don’t like you and we stay away from each other.”

“Because you’re not like other girls. Moony hasn’t acted the way around other girls like he does about you.” He told me.

“You mean he doesn’t hate them like he does me?”

“No- he cant figure them out.”

We were silent for a few moments.

“Does he know you know?”

“No.”

“Does anyone?”

“Besides you? No.”

“Are you going to tell anyone, about, um any of this?” I gestured with my hands around us- I was always using odd hand gestures.

“No.”

I sighed. “Whats the plan?”

The plan was a good one, I admit. I was just a little apprehensive. But, Black assured me it would work. We had arranged to meet in Hogsmeade at the Three Broomsticks the next weekend.

I was nervous- that he wouldn’t some, it was just a prank, and just about the plan in general. But there he was, at 2pm a black coat over his shoulder and a smirk on his face as he watched a pretty brunette walk off.

“Black.” I acknowledged him with a nod of my head.

“Owls.” He said with a hand salute. He laughed and spoke again. “Come on Addie, call me Sirius.” He took my arm and steered me out the door and down the road, toward the shops.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

He grinned wickedly. “You’ll see.”

For the next three hours I endured tortuous hazards- or as some know it, shopping. I had informed his that I had no money to buy anything, even if it was a butterbeer. He dismissed it with a wave of his hand. “I’ve got money. You’ll pay me back in due time- when your shining my shoes before you and Remus’s wedding day.”

I began to protest but he steered me to the clothes racks and began questioning me.

“Whats your size?” He asked, across a rack of colored sweaters.

“Um, whatever fits?” I just bought clothes that appeared to fit and shrunk or enlarged them of they didn’t.

He gave an exaggerated sigh and sent me to the changing rooms with a mixed array of clothing.

Here I am now, in an abandoned hallway with about 20 bags and boxes across from Sirius Black. I bit my lip.

“Are you sure this will work, Bl-”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Sirius, do you think it’ll work?”

He waved away my question. “We’ll see Blondie.” My new nickname, as of two hours ago. Seriously, who always remembers to put their shoes on the right feet?

“Meet me in the entrance hall at 8:30. We’ll put the plan into affect then.” Sirius instructed me.

I nodded my agreement and we turned our separate ways. Before I turned the corner however I heard him yell, “And look pretty!”

I shook my head and smirked, continuing on my way.

It was a Sunday, the next morning. I walked down the stairs, a little late but most students were at breakfast already. I walked into the entrance hall and Blac- Sirius turned to look at me.

“Whoa.” He said, clearly amazed.

“I know.” I said. I was wearing a light blue sweater, with patterns on the lower inches of the hem line and the sleeves and a knot of fabric tied up underneath the left shoulder with a dark gray tank top underneath, then I wore dark wash skinny jeans and a pair of one-button brown Ugg boots. I had used a little eye shadow the same shade as my sweater and a little blush and vanilla lip gloss. I had my hair down in the usual way, but my bangs were hanging in my face, instead of being pinned back. I’d used some sort of “serum” as Sirius had called it, to flatten all the flyaways on top of my hair.

He grinned at me and said, “Well Blondie, lets play it for all its worth.”

We intertwined our fingers, opened the doors to the Great Hall, and walked in together.