damnation - r.j.lupin

butterbeer

"Then I'll need a lot more alcohol," Olivia replies, downing the rest of her beer. "The next round is on me".

The brunette gets up and hears Mona encouraging her from behind. Alcohol makes the room much louder and fuzzier than normal. Olivia leans on the bar and places her hands on her cheeks to try to bring down the heat.

"Three butterbeer and three firewhiskey please" Olivia asks the waiter who turns around to prepare the order.

"Doesn't turn in her essay on time, stays out after curfew at Hogsmeade and drinks firewhiskey, am I to assume you don't like rules, Miss Marat?"

This voice. Hoarse, deep. Which almost sounds like music to Olivia's ears. She doesn't bother to look at him but can feel the weight of his gaze on her.

"Are you going to take away points from me again, professor?" she responds before instantly regretting it, having spoken under the influence of alcohol.

Olivia turns to look at him, dreading his reaction but relaxes as she observes his amused look. He picks up his beer and takes a sip without taking his eyes off her. She seems even more beautiful in the cozy atmosphere of the bar, her lipstick matching her rosy cheeks, the small light illuminating her perfect features.

"No, I won't. That would be hypocritical of me knowing I was doing the exact same thing back then," Remus replies, a flash of melancholy passing through his eyes.

Olivia notices this and tilts her head.

"What? Not turning in homework on time?" she says, trying to lighten the mood. Remus chuckles and looks back at her.

"Well, your beers are ready. You should join your friends, Miss Marat"

Olivia desperately wanted to stay here, at the bar, talking with him. It itched, almost. She smiles awkwardly and reaches for the three beers in her hands, before remembering that she also had the three shot glasses.

"I'm going to go back and forth, I, I'm coming back," she manages to grumble.

When she returned, Remus had already left.

☆☾

Once back at Hogwarts, around midnight, it would have been wise for Olivia to go to bed to hope to be in good shape for classes the next day, but her far too high alcohol level pushed her to the library.

Usually closed at this time, the brunette takes a huge key from her bag and unlocks the library's creaking door. Five years ago, she had asked Madam Pince for another key, who, to her great surprise, appreciated the fact that Olivia loved and took care of books as much as she did, and finally accepted.

The brunette walks to the Reference section to grab books on the Bombarda. Olivia was determined, she was going to submit the essay requested by Lupin, even if she had to spend the whole night there. She doesn't really know why she's so keen to return that damn paper, maybe she doesn't want to disappoint Lupin, maybe she wants to prove to him that she can do it; in any case, Olivia knows that she is doing it for him. And that's not necessarily the best thing.

Book in hand, she sits at a table. She lights a candle without her wand, which she had left in her dormitory. She learned wandless magic two years ago, during a summer when she was deeply bored. Every day, she practiced until she perfected this technique. She only knows how to do a few small spells at the moment, but it proves very useful in certain situations.

Olivia puts down her quill on the piece of parchment, dimly lit by the first morning rays. Proud of herself - and this is the first time for homework as she normally doesn't give a damn, she looks at the six double-sided pages and her almost perfect calligraphy, although illegible for certain words. Olivia has always preferred to have beautiful writing rather than understandable one.

She raises her head. Seven in the morning. Right on time for breakfast. The brunette gathers her things and closes the large door of the library. On the way to the Great Hall, she turns off and takes the path to the DADA room.

Olivia knocks once, with no response. On the third try, she decides to open the door. No one. In the back, she sees a warm light emanating from the small room perched above the spiral staircase. Pushed by an unknown force, Olivia climbs the steps one by one, her hands caressing the stone of the banister. As she goes up, the rhythm of her heart increases.

The door is ajar but Olivia finds it prudent to knock before entering. No answer. No noise. She then pushes the wooden door which creaks slightly and discovers what appears to be Professor Lupin's office.

Surprisingly, there is a lot in this small room. A large wooden desk sits in the center, surrounded by large shelves filled with books, hundreds of them, some stacked, others simply placed on the shelf. Olivia's eyes widened in surprise.

Merlin, he has more fucking books than me...

Next to it, the promise of a fire going out, in a large fireplace, where an ashtray, books and a pack of cigarettes are placed on top.

On the other side, a gramophone and a box full of old records. A smile lights up Olivia's face, as she recognizes many of her favorite bands.

Finally, a sofa and an armchair are propped against the wall, several blankets and sweaters thrown away on each.

Olivia can't believe her eyes; how much this little office screams Professor Lupin. This is exactly what she expected from him. Mess. Books. Music, also. Fire. Cigarettes. The problem is that the discovery of this small space only arouses the young woman's curiosity.

She approaches the desk where parchments and books are piled up and finds a small place for her essay. Olivia was about to leave before her eyes landed on the book sitting right next to it, on the desk.

Proust. Du côté de chez Swann.

The very same book she was reading during the first class. Olivia feels her heart skip a beat. She strokes the cover with her fingers. She can't help but grab the professor's quill and a piece of parchment.

Are we having second thoughts about the whole Zola supremacy, professor?

ODM x

Without thinking further, she slips the piece of paper into the book, in the place marked by an old bookmark, then leaves the office, almost reluctantly, a proud smile on her face.