Alex Weasley: Book 3

17

Weeks more passed with Alex avoiding the DADA teacher every opportunity she got. She and Hermione continued using the Time Turner to get to their respective classes. No one else except Dumbledore and McGonagall knew of its existence. Which irritated Alex, because she really wanted to tell her uncle all about it. There wasn't anything she could do unless she wanted to cut down on her lessons so she kept it a secret. She was rather good at that, anyways. Except when it came to Hermione. She was lousy at secrets when it came to Hermione.

"Professor Lupin's actually pretty great." Hermione told Alex as they sat in the vanishing room together.

"You thought that about Lockhart last year."

"He's nothing like Lockhart. We do actually learn. I'll admit, last year we didn't really do much learning."

"I don't know what it is. Every time I see him, my skin crawls. Like I should turn around and run the other way."

"That does sound suspicious."

"Maybe I'm just projecting. I mean we've had Quildemort and Lockhart. Plus my senses are all gone. Maybe I'm just overcompensating or something and seeing danger where there isn't any."

"How is that?"

"Huh?" Alex asked.

"How are you? I know you didn't like it, but the beast was a part of you for two and a half years. Losing part of yourself like that can't be easy."

"I'm fine." Alex snapped. "I'm better."

"Okay." Hermione replied and didn't press the issue. Alex would come to her if she needed to to.

"What are Lupin's lessons like?"

"Educational. We faced boggarts for our first lesson."

"Eurgh." Alex frowned. "I'm glad I wasn't there."

"Yeah. That probably wouldn't be nice for you. I didn't get a chance either."

"What would your worst fear be?" Hermione watched her, silent for a moment before speaking up.

"I don't know." She said. "And I don't think I want to find out, now that I think about it."

"Oh."

"Professor Lupin's boggart was weird." She said, steering the topic in a lighter direction. "I didn't get to see it because there were too many people in front of me. But Harry said it was kind of a white ball floating and Lavender called it a crystal ball."

"Floating in the air?" Alex asked thoughtfully. Her eyes widened a second later. "Hermione, has Professor Lupin taken any sick days?"

"I think he missed Ginny's class a few weeks ago."

"She has DADA on Thursdays, right?" Hermione nodded.

"What are you thinking?"

"I saw Snape with some ingredients out. He hid them away almost immediately but I saw aconite. And Thursday the thirtieth was a full moon. And his boggart was a white, spherical shape floating mid-air."

"Okay, but that's quite a leap."

"As big of a leap as a basilisk attacking muggleborns at Hogwarts?"

"Point taken." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"And it makes sense. What if I'm not imagining it? I get danger vibes because he is dangerous."

"But if Snape's brewing him wolfsbane potions, then Dumbledore has to know. And if he's dangerous, then you know Snape would never allow him to be at this school."

"Since when do you think so highly of Snape?"

"I don't. But he wouldn't let anyone dangerous near you."

"He's not. He was very enthusiastic about my not having DADA with Lupin."

"Still. He wouldn't let someone dangerous stay in Hogwarts with you here. And Dumbledore wouldn't let anyone who means harm stay here either."

"He let me stay."

"Because you're a good person. You don't want to hurt anyone. Dumbledore believes in you. I believe in you."

"Even if he's a good werewolf, I don't think I want to be near him."

"I don't expect you to."

"I'm kind of angry."

"That's okay, too."

"Why? Lupin's never done anything to me. For all I know he really is a good guy."

"You're not angry at him." Hermione told her as though it was obvious. "You're angry he's a werewolf because it reminds you of things you don't want to remember."

"And I'm angry at Snape for not telling me."

"He didn't tell you for a reason. Because it's not his secret to tell. Just like he wouldn't tell anyone your secrets. And he did keep you away from Professor Lupin too."

"I know." She groaned. "But it doesn't make me feel better. I'm still so angry."

"Then find a way to let out that anger."

"I can't, because then I'd be like him and that's the one thing in the world I don't want."

"You could never be like him." Hermione replied earnestly.

"Do you wanna come meet Kichiro?" Alex asked. Hermione nodded.

"Yeah, that would be really cool."

"Come on." Alex said, and led her away.

Alex was surprised to see a figure already at the clearing by the time she and Hermione got there.
"Luna." She recognised.

"Hallo, Alex. Hallo Hermione."

"Hi." Hermione said.

"H, this is Luna. She's a second year Ravenclaw and she was with me when Kichiro was born."

"Technically, I followed her." Luna said. "I just knew I was supposed to."

"You did?" Hermione looked skeptic.

"Just like I knew Alex would bring you here today."

"And you predicted that?"

"She doesn't divine the future, H. She listens to magical creatures you and I can't see. She's a little loony, but surprisingly accurate."

"You're kidding?" Hermione didn't look convinced and Alex shook her head.

"Loony Luna Lovegood's a mystery I don't quite understand. So I just accept it."

"Thank you." Luna grinned.

"I'm still calling you Loony Lovegood." Alex told her and Luna shrugged.

"That's fine. Nicknames are a sign of friendship."

"Not that kind!" Hermione said. "Alex, that's not nice."

"She doesn't mind."

"I don't." Luna confirmed. "People call me a lot worse."

"That doesn't make it okay." Hermione scolded.

"Yeah, but when I call her loony, it comes from a place of affection. Kind of like when I call you a know-it-all." Hermione harrumphed, blowing hair out of her eyes. Alex grinned as though she'd achieved something big.