Mischief Managed Year Two Part One: The Poisoned Truth

Chapter Twenty-Three- Glowing Golden Eyes

TW: Self Deprecating Thoughts

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Remus never thought he'd be the sort of person to put all his hope into someone he didn't even know. But somehow his faith ended up resting on Professor Corbyn's shoulder's, who didn't even know how much the lessons meant to Remus. However, his professor didn't let him down in his continued efforts to bring up point after point against the wizarding world's instilled prejudices. But the biases of Remus' fellow classmates always seemed to win out in the end.

Only those who had grown up in the Muggle world were able to realize the wisdom of their professor's words. Which really just meant Lily, her muggle-born roommate Mary, and...well, him. However, it wasn't until after a class in which Professor Corbyn had been talking, that Remus realized the three people he thought his professor had successfully started to get through to were actually four.

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It's not that Remus had forgotten about Ryan. He just had a lot of other things on his mind and he really had suspected that Ryan would never actually contact him. However, Remus was pleased to be proven wrong. Not that he was lacking for friends now that his roommates had agreed to wait until the end of the year, but Remus liked Ryan quite a lot. He figured it couldn't hurt to make more friends in case the ones he had now weren't around next year.

So, it was with great excitement that he went to the library that evening after Ryan had signaled him in class. It was strange to go there not to meet with Lily, who was at the library in a different section. Though the nervous boy suggested they take a walk instead upon realizing the library was too full to be an adequate meeting place. Not wanting Sirius especially to catch Remus with a Slytherin he was fine with this and suggested that they go to an empty classroom instead. Remus didn't expect that to mean the astronomy tower, but realized there was probably less of a risk that they'd run into anyone there. Especially the Slytherins, who tended to spend their time on the opposite side of the castle.

"Sorry, I know I shouldn't care so much what they think but..." Ryan fretted, tugging on the strings of his unraveling cloak that looked pretty worse for wear.

"It's alright...really it is," Remus assured Ryan for the fifth time, as the boy kept apologizing for it taking nearly two months before they met up.

"If you're sure...I just--" Ryan began once more, tone tight with anxiety.

"I know, Ryan. It's fine." Remus bit back a laugh. Ryan, finally realizing he was being ridiculous, stopped apologizing.

"Well, that's good. It helps that I've made a friend in my own house, though we have to be careful we aren't seen as being too 'obstinate' to the older students in power," Ryan explained finally clasping his hands together instead of picking apart his robe.

"Really, who?" Remus asked excitedly, very grateful that Gryffindor wasn't at all like that. There were the prefects who had some power and the Quidditch captain, but there was no real hierarchy within his house.

"His name is Jacob. He's three years above us. You should know him though. I guess he's friends...or sort of friends with Patricia?"

Remus shrugged and explained to Ryan the somewhat strange relationship he and his roommates had with the older student.

"So she's like their...mentor but mostly ignores you guys? How weird. I sort of wish the older Slytherins paid less attention to us. I mean...well they do to a lot of us...but I wish they left all of us alone. It almost makes me feel bad for people like Severus if they weren't themselves so nasty."