The Ambitions Of Rebekah Potter

Chapter Forty Three

Lupin was back the following week for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and within a minute of getting into the classroom, everyone began to yell.

"It's not fair! He was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"

"We don't know anything about werewolves."

"Two rolls of parchment!"

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly. The babble broke out again.

"Yes, but he said we were really behind,"

"He wouldn't listen,"

"Two rolls of parchment!"

Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face. "Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

After the bell rang and Rebekah was ready to leave the room, Lupin stopped her. Her friends gave her a concerned glance but she waved them off with a nod.

"I heard about the match, and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?"

"Nah," Rebekah said and crossed her arms, Emperor sat by her feet as she leaned against a desk, watching Lupin pull books into his briefcase. "Too many pieces. I've already ordered a new Two Thousand and One but it won't come for several weeks. I have my Two Thousand for now, though."

Lupin sighed. "They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance."

"Heard about the Dementors yet?" Rebekah asked. "I'm not bothered if people ask anymore. It happened and I survived."

"Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time . . . furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds. . . . I suppose they were the reason you fell?"

"Yeah..." She paused, wondering if she should tell him about the dog. "First the storm made it hard to fly already, then a flash of thunder caused the silhouette of a dog, a Grim I presumed. It flashed against the clouds but I mostly ignored that and went after the Snitch. I knew the Dementors were below me but I had to get the Snitch. I heard screaming, high and loud. My mother screamed in my head and Voldemort just laughed as he killed her."

Rebekah refused to look up, staring into the floor as the memories came back. She shoved them as far back as she could, her unshed tears disappeared and she was emotionally numb again.

"Why do they go after me? I mean, there were a dozen other people in the air and a thousand in the stands,"

Lupin sighed as the sunlight hit his tired face, the full moon had taken a toll on him. "The dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have.

"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself . . . soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you, Rebekah, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."

"I'm not ashamed!" Rebekah said sharply. "I'm disappointed that I allowed them so close. I'm mostly annoyed with how they decide to go after me constantly. You're a Defence teacher, sir, you must know a way to make them leave you alone."