ATHENE {remus lupin}

TWO

The first week of Athene's seventh year had proved stressful. Already her father had written to her asking for weekly updates on her progression with wandless magic. So, as a sort of silent retaliation, Athene had missed her first Defense against the Dark Arts lesson for what she described as 'prefect duties'. It had actually consisted of a heated session with Adrian Pucey in the prefects bathroom, which proved to be an excellent tactic to help her forget her problems. 

Missing one dark arts lesson did not worry her. She had always excelled at the subject, it was easily her best and she expected to get an Outstanding in her NEWT for it. Even the half wit, Lockhart, had been astonished by her wandless magic, and had personally promised her that she could accompany him on a mission, after all, you can't defeat evil forces by smiling at them. And that really was a good job, because Athene Malfoy was not one for smiling.

"So," Athene begun saying to Ashley and Celine as they made their way into the empty classroom, "Draco has already had this new dark arts teacher and he reckons that they got to use a boggart. Why'd we never get to do that in our third year huh?"

"Don't worry," Celine smirked, tossing her long hair, "I'll inform Professor Lupin that we missed that topic under whoever the fuck taught us in third year."

Ashley leant over to Athene as they took their seats, "she fancies him," she whispered mischievously as Athene suppressed a grin.

From behind them a deep voice said, "Actually Miss Nott, after the thorough enjoyment of the boggart in my third year class, I took it upon myself to ensure that students in higher years had not missed this excellent aspect of Defense and saw that the seventh year class had, so indeed we will be studying boggarts today."

Athene smiled and muttered something to Ashley about how Draco's greatest fear had been a giant pigeon. This caught the professors attention. He glanced at the eighteen year old girl and sighed. Indeed, he knew her as the one student who decided that it was reasonable to miss the first lesson of her most important year but, even without seeing a register, he instantly knew her as a Malfoy. Her likeness to her mother, his best friend's cousin, was shocking. She looked cold, callous, and calculating, just as Narcissa had all those years ago.

"Ah, Miss Malfoy, nice of you to join us today. Now, Professor Snape informs me that you're well on your way to an Outstanding in Defense, I would suggest that this will only happen if you decide to turn up to lessons."

Athene opened her mouth and closed it again, astonished that anyone had spoken to her like that. Every other defense teacher had practically worshiped the ground she walked on. Whether that be because of her family lineage or her skill. Immediately, she disliked this Professor Lupin. 

She looked into the professors eyes with a challenging look in her own, willing him to back down and realise who he was talking to. He looked back and shook his head in disappointment, realizing that he wasn't going to get an apology, before walking over to a shaking cabinet. Athene could understand why Celine fancied him. He was late twenties, perhaps early thirties, and was certainly passable looking aside from the two, ugly scars which went down his face. As she studied him, Remus too casually looked her way. The young, blonde girl really was Narcissa's daughter. She too had had a presence in the same way that her daughter did, and it seemed that Athene was not used to being challenged, just as Narcissa had been before she and Lucius got together.

The students in the seventh year defense class were itching to go at the boggart, and as soon as they were familiar with the spell they formed an eager line. All except Athene. Of course, she was eager to do this lesson as she was sure that there would be brilliant piss-taking content from the Gryffindoors, but Athene knew exactly what shape the boggart would take for her and she knew that it would not be anything as tame as a spider or snake. Although she did not feel sorry for herself, Athene felt that none of her peers, not even Ashley, deserved to know her main source of fear. Most importantly, she did not need anyone trying to 'understand' her. Clenching her fists, she walked up to Lupin confidently and muttered,

"Professor, do you think I could sit out of this activity? I know the spell perfectly I don't see any need for me to actually perform it."

Lupin laughed, "Miss Malfoy, you didn't show up to my first lessons and now you wish to be exempt from the third? Surely not. It's only a boggart there's nothing to actually fear."

"But Professor I-"

"No excuses please Miss Malfoy, you are an adult witch and perfectly capable of facing a boggart. Get in line please."

Athene ignored the curious looks which Celine and Ashley shot her and got in queue behind Marcus Flint. A Ravenclaw was up first, she saw herself opening her NEWTS seeing that she had failed everything. Athene rolled her eyes. Stupid Ravenclaws. Gryffindoors feared snakes (how ironic), and Athene stopped paying attention when it got to Hufflepuffs as she was sure that it would only annoy her. 

It was Celine's boggart next, and Athene watched as it transformed into a huge werewolf. The professor watched the werewolf more intently and Athene, being the perceptive witch that she was, watched as Lupin's fists clenched. Ashley was next, her fear was blood, just blood, which was odd but nothing to overthink. Finally, Flint went, he saw himself falling off his broom. Bit weird, Athene thought.

When Lupin signaled for her to come forwards her knuckles tightened around her wand. She willed herself to think about spiders of something mundane, although she knew full well that the boggart wouldn't be easily tricked.

She stared straight ahead as the boggart begun to take a shape. First the long, silver hair appeared. Then the black robes, the cane and the elegant wand.

Around her Athene heard whispers but she could barely breathe. She glanced to the side and saw that Lupin's eyes were focused intently on her. Her father had taken full shape and was taking steps towards her. She moved back a few paces and watched as Lucius raised his arm as he had done so many times before.

She raised her wand to match his but before she could utter anything her father hissed a careless "Crucio."

Athene screamed silently as he did and felt as if she was going to faint. She collapsed onto the floor and writhed in pain.

 Faintly, she heard Lupin shouting, "the spell Miss Malfoy! The spell."

She hit the boggart back from her place on the floor and Lucius's robes crumpled and he turned into a tiny ferret. The laughter which had echoed the classroom following everyone else's boggart was gone and the room was dangerously quiet. Celine and Flint looked purely shocked whilst Ashley and Pucey had concerned looks on their faces.

"Right, well er- good class today everyone. We'll be back onto seventh year content next time, which is patronuses so, get reading on that."

Athene turned to leave with Ashley but Lupin coughed and cocked his head, beckoning her over to him. She rolled her eyes and muttered bye to Ashley and made her way over to the professor.

"Satisfied?" She asked him cuttingly, biting her tongue to hold back the tears which threatened her eyes.

"Miss Malfoy, I'm sorry," he said. Athene stared at him, he really did look guilty.

"That it?" She pressed.

"I had no idea you should've said-"

"I tried, Professor." Athene hissed back.

"I know you did. Is there anything I can do? We, or I, can take you to Dumbledore. You don't have to-"

Athene looked at him and softly laughed before walking out of the classroom. She was greeted by Ashley who linked her arm with her own and whispered,

"Does your dad actually-"

"Just leave it, Ash."