yellow (remus lupin.)

thirteen.

THIRTEEN.

Carrying her shoes in her hands and the weight of drunk shame on her shoulders, Cara trudged slowly down the steps of the Ravenclaw common room. Cedric was walking in front her by one step, making sure that if she fell, she would land on him rather than the solid stone steps.

"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you back?" He asked as he reached the last step, Cara still wobbling a few steps behind him. "There's a murderer on the loose you know."

She shook her head furiously, having more pressing matters on her mind. "I'll be grand."

"Alright, well don't pass out or throw up." He chuckled as she finally reached the bottom of the stairs, clutching onto his forearm for support.

"I'm proper well behaved me!" She squealed and thrust one hand in the air, only to be silenced by his hand across her mouth.

"And be quiet!"

"Thank you Cedric." Cara threw her arms around him before thanking him and walking towards the night.

As she staggered through the deserted halls, she finally got a chance to wallow in the beauty of Hogwarts. Grandiose architecture, detailed portraits, you name it and Hogwarts had it. She would miss waking up and seeing the snow on the grounds, seeing lost first years wondering around aimlessly, she would even miss the fun sucking presence of Snape around. The building had been her life for the last seven years, and thinking about that being stripped from her made her want to cry.

She wished there was a way she could stay on forever, she had even considered failing her NEWTS and convincing Dumbledore to let her retake the year. Maybe that's why Lupin came back, maybe he couldn't stand the feeling of being away any longer.

She often wondered about what Remus was like in his schooldays. If he was willing to kiss her as she straddled his lap in his office, then surely he can't have been that much of a rule follower back at school. A smile grew on her face as she thought about him in her position as a seventh year, sat in the great hall stressing over his books and revision.

"Cara?" Someone's voice caught up to her in a whisper as she traipsed down a dark corridor.

"Shitting fucking Christ Harry!" She seethed, realising who the person following her was. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"What on earth are you doing?" He retaliated.

"I was at a party but I've jacked it in, I'm knackered." She sighed, hitting herself in the face with her shoe as she tried to drunkenly rub her eye. "Why are you still up?"

"I couldn't sleep. Snape and Lupin caught me so I'm heading back to bed."

A flutter of excitement brewed in her stomach at the revelation Remus was still awake.

"No wonder you couldn't sleep Harry you're in bloody jeans." Cara remarked on the young boy's attire.

"Well you reek of butterbeer and whiskey."

Cara couldn't help but giggle as she saw Harry's attempt at teasing her. As she had grown to know the boy, she had begun to feel a sort of sibling form of protection over him. He felt like her irritating yet loveable younger brother.

"Go to bed Harry." She instructed him with a content smile.

"Where are you off to?" He asked as she began to walk away again.

"Dunno. Might go and charm the kitchen elves into making me some chips." She beamed as she twirled around on the spot, feeling carefree for the first time in a long time.