Time Lapse (J.P)

Remus J. Lupin

Granger and Weasley are quick to act, they pulled Potter off of me while Ginny helped me up, I buried the embarrassment of having been completely useless and shook off her worry. I turned to the professor who seemed intent to look elsewhere besides Potter and me. He had chesnut hair and chocolate brown eyes. His face was covered in pink faded scars, some extending to areas on his neck. I would have imagined him to be handsome in his youth, his features were inviting. Although it didn't help the irritation I felt at him looking elsewhere besides the boy who obviously needs his help.

"Professor," I urged him, "He fainted, I can head to the front of the train and ask what went wrong," Ginny came to my side, "I can go with you?"

"No just stay here, it's better for you all to stay together,"

"It's better for you to stay here as well," His voice cut through our interaction. My eyes widened, I was surprised by his sudden involvement especially now that he seemed to be focused on Potter. He craned his head to look at me, in the process of checking over the student. 

"Professor Lupin, and you are?" He held his hand out to me, I could see he was attempting a truce. Was my irritation really that noticeable? I had always believed that I covered my emotions well, only Mercy and my family were able to tell how I was truly feeling. When I felt disappointed, horror, anger, or a sudden feeling of loss. They plagued me more than any other feeling. Sometimes attacking me when I'm in the middle of reading or outside. My father grew more concerned over my growing bouts of depression during October. Although both my parents always chalked it up to a dislike of Halloween. 

I took his hand, feeling the agitation give way to further embarrassment, I cleared my throat; shook his hand, and let go. My eyes rarely meeting his own. "Professor Lupin I would rather head to the front of the compartment to see what happened, someone could be hurt." 

His eyebrow rose in contemplation, behind him Granger and Weasley were fretting over Potter, waiting for him to wake up, Longbottom stayed with Ginny watching our interaction. Professor Lupin hummed, before seeming to have another idea, "I would rather you join me instead, we can go after Mr. Potter wakes up." His eyes dimmed when he talked about Potter, a glaze covering them. My eyes narrowed at the sight, wonderment replacing the annoyance I felt.

Did he also have a connection to the War? Almost all of the people who admired Potter loved the legend surrounding his name, but others, like my parents, saw the nightmares of the Wizarding War. For a split moment, I considered asking him, but I forgot my place, he wouldn't answer here. 

He hadn't given in. Which lead to the two of us waiting by the compartment doors, Professor Lupin had allowed me to walk down the aisle, as long as I stayed insight, so that I could reassure students that everything would be fine. Most of them took it well, only a brief passing of concern before they locked in another conversation about theories on what was happening. A few groups seemed to blame Potter and his friends. I had run into Mercy at one point, but she didn't seem to like the gaze of Professor Lupin so she promised to talk to me once we were back in our compartment. She briefly told me that Delilah wants me to be careful, that Jay is with my brother. Which I breathed a sigh of relief at. I knew Jay could handle himself well. She also told me that Cedric had decided to stay with Chang, which I rolled my eyes at. Leave it to Ced to play a knight in shining armor. 

I stayed around the compartment with the first years the longest, trying my best to feel useful during this event. The firsties consisted of two girls and one boy, they all seemed kind enough and asked me a number of questions about Hogwarts. When one of them started to sneeze I suggested to her, that she can sit closer to attain some warmth; even if I was freezing. Coraline took it as permission to cuddle which I only did my best to hide my flustered face at the cuddle group with the first years. 

It felt like an eternity had passed, some students had taken to leaving their compartments before Professor Lupin ushered them inside, he had let Mercy go just fine though. Ginny had walked in on the scene, volunteering to stay and watch them so I could go help Lupin.

 At one point I heard a groan from inside the compartment and leaned my body against the door frame. Potter had woken up, looking drained. I felt a slight relief that he was okay, although I wrote it off as concern for the younger boy. The Professor had given him chocolate, before saying a few more things and meeting me outside the door. I looked back in the compartment. For a brief moment, I glimpsed at his face. Shock rippled through me, his face felt so familiar to me, as though I should know him but I couldn't seem to grasp at the reason why. Professor Lupin quickly urged me to keep walking, but I could feel the heat of his eyes at the base of my neck. 

That was the first time I took a moment to actually glimpse at Potter, and the world tilted on its axis. Why was that? 

"You never told me your name," Professor Lupin filled the silence, we were walking through the train. I stopped, horrified that I had done something so stupid in front of our new teacher. Quickly I sought to fix my mistake, "I'm sorry Professor this experience has been bizarre. My name is Judith Chade."

He nodded along with my words, his eyes glancing at me every few seconds. I took this as my chance to ask, we were alone in the aisle and very few students stayed out once they realized that Professor Lupin was passing by. "Professor, You must have experience with dark magic to be the new Defense teacher, have you fought in the war?" 

He stilled for a few seconds, a pause in his steps that my eyes zeroed in on. "I have." He seemed to relent, I used this for further ammo. "Is that why you stared at Potter so much?"

"You ask a lot of questions," He instead told me, I shook my head, "I'd rather have more answers Professor. If you don't mind answering them." 

Professor Lupin stopped walking altogether, we only had a bit to go before we reached the front of the train, his faltered for a moment, trying to decide whether he wanted to abate my curiosity. "How about this," He suggested, "You can stop by my classroom during free hours and I will answer any questions you have." He held out his hand again to me. 

"Do we have an agreement?"

I took a few seconds to think about it. He seemed oddly willing to just give me answers, there has to be more to it, besides that he also wasn't able to look at Potter or me at first.

"Did you know my parents Professor Lupin? Henry and Willa Chade?" 

He smiled, as though I had caught onto a secret. "You certainly have the makings of an investigator," 

"Is that a yes?" I ignored the blush at my cheeks from the compliment, usually, people would tell me to bug off when I started to become too intrusive, besides my own friends he was the first to ever welcome this side of me. He nodded before he spoke again, returning to walk at my pace.

"Yes I knew Henry and Willa, it's why I was shocked to see you,"

My eyes lit up, "Then you must have known the Potters!" He laughed, although it sounded pained, guilt erupted in my chest. Perhaps they were also personal memories to him as they were to my parents. How could they leave such apparent scars?