Her Destiny || Sirius Black's Daughter

Chapter 9~ Frogs and Fights

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"Sit down," Lupin said when they entered his office where, in the corner, stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns was spinning in circles by itself happily until it abruptly stopped and pressed its face up against the glass, pulling an ugly face at them.

She sat down quietly in front of Professor Lupin's desk and tried to avoid eye contact for as long as possible. He sat behind his desk and surveyed her thoughtfully before he leant his forearms and the desk and said, "Would you like to explain."

"Not really, no." She answered, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose once more and finally making eye contact.

Lupin looked down at the desk, a breathy and quiet laugh falling from his lips, before his expression softened, "I used to do that too, you know?"

"What?" asked Lilith.

"Take my emotions out on myself," He responded quietly, looking up at her not with pity in his eyes, but kindness- understanding.

She bit her lip and nodded slowly, "I took it out more on the wall to be honest," she joked, but they both could tell she didn't really mean it. She sighed and pursed her lips, "I don't mean to, uh, hurt myself." she swallowed, "I just get, I mean, it just sort of– and I can't-"

"It's difficult to explain," Lupin interjected softly to which she responded with an anxious 'yeah'.

"Have you ever–"

'Well get back to your common room where you belong!'  Snapped a snarling voice from outside; a voice which belonged to the school caretaker Mr Filch.

Lupin smiled apologetically with a slight tilt of his head, stood up and looked around the door, "Harry?" She heard him say.

Great, just when she was about to ask him something she would rather no one else know about.

Lupin said some more, nothing that she cared to notice, and walked back in with Harry Potter in tow, "Do you mind?" He asked with a smile.

She and Harry made brief eye contact for a moment before she glanced back at Lupin, "I should go."

Lupin looked at her, a mixture of confusion and something akin to desperation etched on his ageing face, "You don't have to–"

"You needn't worry," She urged, "I  have to go to the hospital wing." She gestured to her swollen fist. Lupin' eyes followed her even after she had left. He knew she didn't need to stay, merlin, he should have sent her straight to Madam Pomfrey just as soon as he had found her in the courtyard. But when he saw her, right then, he just wanted his best friend back. And when he saw Harry wandering around the halls, he couldn't help his selfish thoughts overtaking him and inviting Harry in. He tried to tell himself that it wasn't selfish to want to see the only thing left of his friends in one room together, but Remus was never one for thinking positively.