Stars and Moon - Remus Lupin

33: Castle on The Hill

"And I miss the way you make me feel, it's real

We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill."

Lyra walked around the school grounds on her own at the very last day at Hogwarts. She'll miss this hallways. The hallways that silently watched her and her friends grew up, that watched her friendship got stronger.

They spent every waking moments with each other for seven years and suddenly the thought of leaving them scared Lyra so much.

She didn't understand how Remus could walk trough this hallway as if nothing ever happened. It must be painful.

It's crazy that this September, she wouldn't be able to sit at her usual compartment with her friends, she wouldn't be able to see the look of McGonagall when she created chaos with her friends, she wouldn't be able to sleep in her dorm with Crystal, she wouldn't be able to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with her friends, their usual banters will be gone.

"Lyra!" She turned around to see Oliver Wood jogging towards her.

"Hello Puddlemore keeper," Lyra teased looking at Oliver's excited face. Oliver just rolled her eyes at her and gave her a paper bag.

"This is my thank you gift for helping me on my NEWTs," Oliver smiled and hugged her so tight. "Thank you."

"You're welcome but you do realized i'm not the only one you should be thanking, Crystal and Maggie helped you too," Lyra blushed by the thoughtful gesture and pulled away from him.

"Yeah I already gave them their gifts, I searched everywhere for you but here you are in front of this totally weird picture looking at the grounds," Oliver said looking around their surroundings, "By the way, Crystal and Eric were searching for you."

"Why?"

"I don't know, come on," Oliver motioned her to follow him and she did. She trailed closely behind Oliver walking trough the hallways and descending the stairs.

"Why didn't you talk to me before seventh year?" Lyra asked curious. She wanted to know why he suddenly be friended her and if the answer is because he needed her help at NEWTs than she would be very heartbroken.

The man that she considered her friend, thought about using her as a tutor for NEWT.

"I was scared. Contrary to your beliefs Malfoy, your group of friends is quiet intimidating," Oliver chuckled glancing back towards her.

"Really? We never bite people," Lyra muttered to herself.

"Yeah but you hexed and jinxed them," Oliver sassed.

Lyra laughed at that and said, "It's a shame then, I really enjoyed your company and I only got a few months of that," Lyra said truthfully at Oliver.

Oliver face suddenly turned red and he coughed nervously, then they stopped in front of the great hall. "Lyra, to be honest, I got a crush on you, for like two years." Oliver confessed.

Lyra was surpised that he liked her, she could feel a but coming and she was excited for it.

"But," he continued looking at her, "After I get to know you really well, I feel like we were meant to be friends," he threw her a very friendly smile.

Lyra feigned an offended look, "so you tell me that after you got to know me you lost any romantics feelings? Am I that bad as a person?" Lyra said offended.

"No! No! that's not what—goddamit—look it's not about that, it's because I thought you have something going on with David since the two of you looked so close," he smiled sheepishly, "so I thought he was good for you and I wouldn't want to ruin that so being friends with you is enough," he finished looking quite proud of himself.