THE TRUTH UNTOLD | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

𝘅𝘅𝗶 | 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆

  Hermione, however, could read Gwen like a book. 'You think so too, don't you?'

  Gwen, again, did not answer immediately. 'It's a little far fetched, don't you think? I don't think Dumbledore would hire a-- someone like Professor Lupin-- that is, if he actually is in fact one...'

  'Why would that be so bad?' Hermione asked.

  Gwen stared at her. 'They're dangerous, Hermione! They change into a beast once a month, an uncontrollable beast that would kill his best friend! They don't know what they are when they change.'

  Hermione bit her lip. 'But Professor Lupin seems so nice...'

  'Of course he does, he's not really a monster. He's the last person you'd assume to be one. But, Hermione, there is only one way to, well, to tame a werewolf...'

  And then it clicked. The Wolfsbane Potion. The Potion invented initially by her ancestor, who, herself, had been a werewolf. Gwen hadn't thought about her for over two years, not since she went to Diagon Alley to get her first year supplies... Emmeline Everill, the only known Ravenclaw of the Everill House to date.

  'Merlin's beard,' Gwen murmured.

  'What?' said Hermione.

  'Hermione, the potion Snape brings Professor Lupin. I'll bet you anything that's the Wolfsbane Potion. If, of course, we're right.'

  Hermione nodded. 'I read about that. It was invented a couple of centuries ago, right? Then the recipe was lost and it was only recreated a few decades ago...'

  Gwen nodded. 'Yes, yes, the first known user of the Wolfsbane Potion was the inventor. She herself was a werewolf, but she fell victim to an alleged family curse. She was the youngest of her siblings and mysteriously vanished years later. The recipe for the Wolfsbane Potion with her. No one knows what happened to her.'

  Hermione bit her lip. 'Yes, yes, I read about it... Oh, God, who was it... what was her name...?'

  Gwen held her breath. 'Emmeline,' she said. She hesitated, then, 'Emmeline Everill.'

• • •

As everyone came back to school for the start of the new term, Gwen and Hermione were barely able to spare a minute alone to go over their theory. They were both watching Professor Lupin closely. Gwen couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable, as if he would change into an uncontrollable, dangerous beast at any given moment, but she knew that Professor Lupin had a kind, gentle soul. If anything, she felt sorry for him. She couldn't even begin to imagine what living a life like that would be like, and Dumbledore, he was intelligent, and cared nothing more than for the safety of his students. He wouldn't let the Dementors onto the grounds, why would he let a werewolf teach unless he was sure he was absolutely safe?

  No, Gwen felt herself admiring Professor Lupin more. He was kind and brave and she would be lying if she didn't say she genuinely liked him.

  In their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson back, Gwen found herself listening more intensely than before. She had not given him the credit he had deserved before. He was smart, no denying it, and gave them fun lessons, but he was also a proper teacher. He was patient and he listened, and he made sure that his students were following before moving on.

  She felt like a secret fangirl.

  At the end of class, Harry nudged her, and they both approached Professor Lupin's desk. Gwen had forgotten about their teacher's promise, but with Quidditch games being back on soon, she remembered her and Harry's urgency to have their Anti-Dementor lessons.

  'Ah, yes...' he said, 'Let me see... how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The History of Magic classroom should be large enough... I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this... we can't bring a real Dementor into the castle...'

  'Still looks ill, doesn't he,' said Ron, as he and Harry walked ahead of Gwen and Hermione down the corridor, headed to dinner. 'What d'you reckon's the matter with him?'

  Beside Gwen, Hermione gave a loud, impatient tut. She stopped at the feet of a suit of armour, repacking her bag which was so full of books, they were spilling out.

  'And what are you tutting at us for?' said Ron irritably.

  'Nothing,' said Hermione, standing up and heaving her bag over her shoulder. Gwen took a couple of her books that would not fit in her bag.

  'Yes you were,' said Ron. 'I said I wonder what's wrong with Lupin, and you--'

  'Well, isn't it obvious?' said Hermione. Gwen shot her a warning look. She thought about how repulsed she had been at the idea at first, and Ron, who was also from a Wizarding family, would likely have a similar reaction, if not worse.

  'If you don't want to tell us, don't,' snapped Ron.

  'Fine,' said Hermione, and she marched off. Gwen followed, giving Harry and Ron a helpless look.