The Only Girl - Remus Lupin x Reader [Book 1]

Slugclub and Giant Heads

Being back at Hogwarts was amazing. I had missed this place. I had missed Lily, Alice and Marlene. I had missed playing Quidditch. 
One thing I hadn't missed though was the stress of the upcoming exams, even though we still have all year to prepare. This morning, in transfiguration, we got a long ass lecture from McGonagall explaining the importance of our NEWTS, which I am not looking forward to, and it doesn't seem like the rest of our year is either. 

Another thing I'm not looking forward to is Slugclub. Yes, that's right, this year I've been invited to Professor Slughorn's stupid get-togethers. One good thing is that Remus and Lily are both invited too, one bad thing is that I cant stand Slughorn. I don't know why but I just really don't like him. I'm going to do whatever I can to avoid these meetings. 

"James, do you think you could book the Quidditch pitch for tomorrow night?" I ask James as we walk down to lunch after a long, boring potions lesson.
"Why?" He asks and I notice Remus roll his eyes.
"She's trying to get out of going to Slugclub." He says and James laughs.
"I still cannot believe you got invited to that." James says.
"James," I whine. "Please just book the pitch."
"No, I want you to suffer." He says and I narrow my eyes at him.
"Fine," I say and turn to face Remus. "I'm going to be ill tomorrow." Remus laughs and puts his arm around my shoulder.
"Just come, you'll see its not that bad." He says. 

**********

"Y/n, we have to go." Lily says sternly as I sit on my bed pouting.
"I've told you I don't want to go." 
"Y/n, its not that bad." 
"For you maybe," I argue. "I cant bloody stand Slughorn."
"Y/n, please just come." She says. "I'll buy you chocolate."
"Remus already tried that bribe, its not going to work."
"Y/n." Lily says in her stern, mother-like voice. 
"Fine, but I'll be grumpy the whole time." I say with my arms crossed. I reluctantly stand up and follow Lily out of the room. We walk down the stairs and see Remus standing at the bottom glancing at his watch.

"I'm surprised you managed to get her down here Lily." He says and I narrow my eyes at him. "We're running a bit late, we should probably be quick." Lily nods her head and Remus takes me by the hand, which seems like a romantic gesture but it was probably just to make sure I didn't change my mind about going and try to run away. Maybe my friends are right, maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

**********

I was right. This is bloody awful. Slughorn is somehow irritating me more than usual and I've noticed my younger brother Regulus across the room, clearly attempting to avoid me. We hadn't spoke in years at this point, he was acting weird, weirder than usual at least. 
I stayed beside Remus and Lily the whole time, attempting to avoid Slughorn. Though hiding from him near Lily was probably a really stupid idea since Lily was basically his favourite student and he was constantly coming over to us and starting conversation, in which I would usually avoid direct eye contact with the man and answer any questions with short, blunt responses. Remus could clearly sense that I was not enjoying myself.
"Y/n, you're clearly not enjoying this." He says. Obviously. "I don't think anyone would notice if we just slipped away. Wanna get out of here?"
"Of course I do." I respond and Remus takes my hand. "We should probably tell Lily though, she'll probably notice and get worried." Remus nods his head and we look around the room to spot our red-headed friend. Remus spots her and leads me over to where she was having a conversation with someone in the year below us.

"Lily," Remus says quietly. "We're going." 
"Are you sure? What if Slughorn notices?" She asks.
"Tell him I was felling sick so Remus took me back to the common room." I say. 
"Ok. Also Y/n, you were right," Lily says. "We shouldn't've made you come, you are clearly miserable, or at least more miserable than usual." Me and Remus both laugh.
"Its fine Lils." I say. "Now you know not to force me to do things because I'll definitely be a bitch about it."