Seven (R.L)

7

"I would always. I would always keep one hand on the dock. But I can doggy paddle just fine if you'd like." Remus' soft tone came out. He was always so quiet with her. To Anastasia it felt as though he was speaking right into her ear at any words he gave her.

"Oh..... I suppose you did." Anastasia looked as if she was in her head for a moment. Thinking back to the days they spent together. She rarely did, her mind blocking them out. That house out. Mostly that night and anything that came before it. "Well, suit yourself. It would probably take you ages to doggy paddle out that far."

She chased down the nasty tasting potion in haste quickly diving into the black lake. The dive looked like the most graceful thing she had ever done. Remus watched her head pop up every 20 seconds or so each time closer to the buoy than the last.

"Gosh Remus, get a hold of yourself" Remus slapped his cheeks slightly trying to pull himself back into reality. Or the fact that he was too caught up in reality when with Anastasia.

Anastasia returned not long after pulling herself up onto land like a wet dog, not bothering to stand up and flopping herself onto the dewy grass, shivering, and breathing heavily. A red envelope that seemed to be untouched by the water in her hands. Remus tried not to look at her glistening body, the hair no two shades darker sticking to her forehead. Her legs. Her neck. Her stomach. Her now see through cotton bra.

"James does not know how to make a water breathing potion." Anstasia said through heavy breaths.

"Here." Another whisper. "exaresco" some would even consider it silent magic with how quiet he had used the drying spell.

"Thanks, now let's see what's inside." Anastasia let out one more dramatic breath before sitting up on the grass crossing her legs. Not bothered by her lack of clothes and certainly not bothering to put them back on. Remus followed in suit, sitting with his knees bent in front of him watching her hands rip apart yet another envelope.

Hope you didn't get too wet. I used my broom to get that out so far, right before 𝑸uiditch tryouts. Anyway your last item is the book in the photo, find it and you win!

After the note came a small polaroid it only had the spine of a red book, gold lining around it but absolutely no clue as to what kind of book it was or what it had inside. There were thousands hell most would argue millions of books in Hogwarts library. It was like a maze in there, often why it was the number one hook up location, it was almost guaranteed no one would find you if you ventured in deep enough snug in one of the many narrow hallways encased in tall shelves of books. Books were constantly being magically sorted through and there was no telling how long ago James had taken the photo.

Anastasia's once strong optimism dwindled as she and Remus entered the library. It wasn't as if she was one of the students who chose to stay clear of the place but now with the perspective of actually searching for an unknown book it seemed a daunting task.

"Think that muppet gave us the hardest tasks cause he knew you were supposed to be a ravenclaw, Lupin." Anastasia was wandering the aisles of book aimlessly Remus following her like a dog.

"Maybe he just thought we'd work well together." Remus muttered behind her, quickly cringing at his words. Stupid stupid stupid. Cursing himself in his mind, fully ready to hex himself at how obvious he was being.

"Well you read a lot, what happens in your mystery books when they're stumped on a clue?" Remus wanted to tell Ana he rarely ever read mystery novels that he was biased towards the classics, period pieces with side romances. The only mystery he could remember was 'A Daughter of Time'.

"Umm.. the key to it is usually hidden in plain sight." Remus stated, he thought that was obvious a coined term everyone knew. How would that help him? The detective novel was a good read but the clues they were given was to find a book nothing like tracing the crimes of a long dead king. And then it clicked. James had only given them one thing other than the useless polaroid. The clue. But it wasn't one, it was not like the last two, no riddle was installed, it simply told them to find it, making the pair assume the clue was the photo. No, the photo was the item. He took the clue from Ana and gently his eyes whizzing past the words trying to find the answer. Ana stood closer to him now, their arms brushing.