Black [Theodore Nott]

Chapter 10

"You have no idea the kind of night I just had." Carina yawned as she and Roman walked the halls of Hogwarts.

After the night before, Carina have spent her entire day with Roman, wanting to tell him of the revelation she just learned, but thought of just not telling him... just yet. Instead, she just gave him the suspense by giving him hints – he is her best friend after all.

"I think I do..." Roman said.

Carina turned to her best friend with a confused look.

"What do you mean, that you do?" Carina asked.

Roman frowned. He pulled Carina closer to him and began to speak in a whisper. "Snape's been talking with the Slytherins... he told us something... about Professor Lupin being a werewolf – is that true?"

Carina frowned, "He's not a bad person."

Roman nodded, "But there's something else... he said about Black escaping... and that you and Harry helped him... is that true?"

Carina did not answer.

Roman knew her answer. "Why?"

Carina smiled and tears brimmed her eyes, "He's not the man I thought he was... but tell me, what' happened to Professor Lupin?"

"You didn't know? He signed his resignation..." Roman said.

Carina frowned. She dropped her bag on the ground and ran towards Lupin's office.

"Where are you going?" Roman asked. When Carina did not answer, he sighed and grabbed her things from the ground. "Really? Sometimes, you're a real git..."

•†•

Carina barged into Lupin's office and saw the man already packed and Harry also inside. She looked at the man with sad eyes, and begged him not to go.

"Hello, Carina." Lupin greeted. "Yes... I saw you running."

She saw The Marauder's Map lay open on an otherwise bare desk.

"You resigned..." Carina said.

"Yes." Lupin sighed.

"Snape – he did this – he's going to pay – I'll make sure of it – that slimy-git – "

"Alright, that's enough." Lupin said, stopping Carina from insulting her Potions teacher. "It was bound to get out... this time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving. Parents will not want a – something like me – teaching their children..."

"But you're a good person, Professor." Carina said. "You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we had! They can't just – just leave because of letters..." but the look that Harry gave her said that there was nothing they could do. She turned back to Lupin. "Where would you go?"

"Don't worry, Little Carina." Lupin smiled, "I'm always close by..."

"But how will you be when you... got sick again?" Carina asked, "Can't we do anything to help?"

"She's right, Professor, I'm sure there's something we could do." Harry agreed with her.

"Unfortunately, children, there is nothing we could do about it." Lupin sighed. "When we were young, your fathers learned to be an Animagus just for me – James would transform in to a stag, and Sirius a dog – and they would accompany me when I became...'sick'. They were great friends." Lupin smiled, he turned to Harry. "There are stories about your mother and your father, you know. Some are even true. But I think it's safe to say, in the end, you'll know them best by getting to know yourself."