Chapter 6° Crystal clear
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There she was. Amelia Grey. Her raven, long hair fell over her shoulders like a blanket made out of silk, while an apathetic look graced her face. The straight posture of her body and the cold glance of her eyes made her look like a doll brought to life. She walked into the classroom for transfiguration and took her seat in the darkest corner of the room. It was hard to notice her when she was that quiet and hidden. Lia started grabbing her bag and putting her things on the table. And Remus saw all of it. He was shocked. I actually have other classes with her, he thought. I must have, for quite some time now. Did I actually never acknowledge her?
However, he started to pay more attention to the details and features of her face. There was not a single wrinkle on her pale skin. Her red lips formed a line, that enhanced her stare and dazed gaze. She looked so rigid and upright, as if she was afraid of making the slightest mistake, even if no-one really paid attention to her, considering she was so hidden and lonely. Amelia crossed her arms in front of her chest and directed her gaze to the, still empty, board, at the front. She didn't look anything like the last time Remus had seen her.
Flashback:
Remus' and Peters arms were filled with many books, as they entered the library. Their bags hang over their bodies and the robes were already slightly unbuttoned. Remus returned the books, putting them on the empty desk of Madame Pince, while Peter started looking around. It was quiet, but suddenly a loud sigh interrupted. Loud and fast footsteps could be heard, but they kept getting further and further away, to the point where they were completely silent for Remus and Peter. Two almost invisible shadows wandered through the room and the bookshelves, until they met in the corner of the room, hiding behind a particular shelve.
,,Come on, let's see who it is." Peter whispered, looking at Remus and back at the point, where the shadows and footsteps vanished.
Remus just looked at Peter silently and nodded towards the shelve. They kept staying hidden behind the shelves and walked from one to the other, getting closer and closer. However, the noises really seemed to have gotten quieter, but the shadows were still present.
As they entered the furthest part of the library, they stood behind the second shelve of this row. There was a small gap between the books, that gave the boys a glimpse of what was going on. Their eyes found the little gap and focused on what was behind. But when they saw it, they froze, because it was anything but what they expected.
Behind the shelve, there was a boy. Molero Jones. The same one, Remus had talked to a few minutes ago, in the hallway. And he was not alone, as they expected. He held a girl in his arms, who clung to him tightly and tried to hide her face in his chest. But when the girl looked up, Remus eyes widened. It was Amelia. Her face was flushed and her eyes seemed puffy. There was a slight tremor around her body. Remus immediately turned around and grabbed Peters wrist to drag him along, out of the room. They found each other around the corner of the library entrance and looked at each other.
,,Wait- wasn't that your potions partner? The mystery girl?" Peter asked in a low voice, facing his friend, who still looked utterly confused by what he just saw.
,,Yes, it was her."
Feeling someones gaze on her, Amelia turned around and looked into the chocolate-brown eyes of Remus Lupin. As fast as she caught him staring, Remus turned his head to face the table, his cheeks blushing.
oOoOoOo
,,Hello students-" the voice of Professor McGonagall, who just turned from her animagus-from into her human one, filled the room. ,,Today will be transforming mice into water goblets. Like so-" she said, pointing at the mouse in front of her. ,,One, two, three Vera Verto." Crystal clear light came out of the teachers wand and in a few seconds, there stood a shiny goblet, instead of a dark mouse. The students eyes grew wide, as they looked at the cup.
,,So Wormy, what do you think? Those could be your relatives." James joked, looking at his terrified friend. James always was the one to try and lighten the mood with jokes in serious situations. He loved the jokes and pranks he played on others. To see the frightened and astonished faces and hear the laughter of the audience around him, made him incredibly happy. But it made him laugh the most, what was quite important for him. He knew that many people couldn't share that happiness, but that only added to his search of a good challenge. James always tried to choose different people to prank, so that no-one would feel left out, hated or take it personally. But, well, the Slytherins were the only exception. Because he actually hated them. Their rules, their pride and their arrogance. The snakes were probably the most selected victims of the marauders and their pranks.
Sirius started laughing loudly, at his friend, who still seemed a little intimidated. ,,Yeah, Pete. Maybe this was your mouse-brother. But don't worry, it would still be a lot better than my family."
,,Ha ha, very funny. You do remember I'm a rat, right? Not a mouse. It's a difference." Peter mocked.
Remus looked at him and patted his shoulder. ,,They're just joking, don't worry. And lets be honest, they probably don't know the difference between a mouse and a rat."
Peter laughed at that.
,,We heard that." James and Sirius said in union, glaring at their friends.
,,Mister Potter, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" The loud voice of the Professor interrupted behind them. She looked at the the boys suspiciously, as well as annoyed.
,,No, Minnie. We're good." James said, fluttering his eyelashes at her.
,,Well then-" she started, snapping her fingers, making a mouse appear in front of every single student. ,,You may start now."
oOoOoOo
Minutes went by and Amelia has already finished her goblet. The other students still seemed busy with trying, as Professor McGonagall walked up to her, to check her result. Her green-black cloak wrapped around her back and followed the wind that gathered in the corner of the room. The professor leaned down and picked up the glass-figure. She turned it in her hand to see every side and possible flaw. Every angle was fitting and consistent with the body of glass. The smile on her face rose and her eyes started widening.
,,Miss Grey. Your goblet looks amazing, perfect even" she praised, her sight switching from the goblet to her student. ,,How did you manage that?"
Lias face formed into a smile as well , as she looked at her teacher. She loved transfiguration and its facets. Besides, she liked Professor McGonagall and her methods. ,,I just did what you showed us. I guess it worked out good."
,,Good? It's absolutely flawless. I'm very proud of you."
,,I do have a little request. Mister Potter seems to struggle with his goblet. Could you try and help him?"
At the mentioning of his name, James turned around, to see what's going on. He looked right at his teacher, who was talking to a girl, that matched Remus' description of the potions partner. He also realized that the girl looked a little bit like snow white, the muggle princess. Except, she didn't have a humble and overly kind smile on her rosy lips.
Lias eyes grew wide at the request. Help Potter? she thought. No, no, no definitely not. Why her? Lupin is a good student as well, right? ,,Do I- do I have to?" She was really uncomfortable, as she also felt James' eyes burning a hole into hers.
He turned around to the boys and mumbled: ,,Death eater. Thinks I'd want help from her."
Peter and Sirius nodded, but Remus didn't say anything. He just kept looking at Amelia, who made her way over to the boys, fiddling with her hands and looking down at the floor.
,,Oh, come on Grey. I don't bite. Besides, looking at a bloodtraitor can't actually get you sick, you know?" James whistled, while he raised his brows in a challenging way.
At the word bloodtraitor, Amelias heads shot up immediately, her eyes widening almost invisibly, before hardening into a cold glare. What is he thinking? she asked herself. I haven't said a word yet, but I'm already the bad one? Nice.
Shrugging, she started thinking about his impression. I shouldn't be surprised though. I'm a Slytherin after all. The blood in her veins started boiling, about how stupid and naive this boy is. The audacity he had to say something like that, not even considering that this might not be the problem. Not everything is just like it seems. Not all of us are the same. ,,You have no idea what you're talking about."
,,I don't? Well, then-" James wanted to start arguing with her, but got interrupted by her sharp and harsh voice.
,,You have to do it like that. You point at the mouse, tip it three times and say Vera Verto. And you have to speak clearly. Try it." Lia ordered, not having nerves for any confrontation with James, talking about blood. This would lead to absolutely nothing and she didn't want to waste her energy on that. And she didn't want to attract any attention from the others.
The boy wanted to say something, but close his mouth shut again, after he saw her intense stare at him. In the end she had to show him and didn't want to do it either.
,,Vera Verto." he tried and this time it worked out perfectly. The mouse turned into a clear water goblet, shining like a crystal.
His eyes widened at the result, but as he turned to look at the girl who helped him, she was already walking back to her table, her head hanging low on her shoulders.
,,Thanks." James whispered, staring at his goblet, even if he knew that she couldn't hear him. He felt a little bad for his words. She didn't say anything about him and just did what she was told. And in the end it worked out perfectly for him. Shaking off the little feeling of guilt, that rose up in his stomach, with the thought She is a Slytherin, there's no need to feel bad. She's as bad as the others. He turned to face the other boys who were also finishing their goblets.
However, Remus was the only one, who still looked at Amelia, from across the room, with mixed feelings.
oOoOoOo
A sultry evening came over the castle full of wizards and witches. The sun resigned to sink into the horizon, behind the highlands, and allowed the moon to appear. It was a beautiful sunset, that made every cloud in the sky fade away, so that the curtains in front of the main character disappeared.
Remus had left the castle at this time. His muggleborn mother, Hope Lupin, had given him a muggle-camera the last time he came to visit home, which he could use to capture moments at Hogwarts and with his friends, the muggle way. However, he yet didn't have a chance to try it out and when he saw this pretty evening, he decided to do so now. He had a device like this in his hands before and operated it, so that shouldn't be a problem for him.
He walked through the garden, into the forest. There he once had found the thestrals, which he, however, was not able to see. Xenophilius Lovegood had told him about those, multiple times, and said that they hide in the woods. Remus liked the extraordinary boy and his differentiated ideas about the world. He described everything so dreamlike and balanced. Remus would like to share this point of view.
Remus wandered through the formation of trees, bushes and other plants that gathered in the woods. The only audible sounds were the rustling of the leaves in the wind and the birds singing their songs, entertaining the visitors. He liked that kind of nature. Remus was a boy, full of fear of himself. Full of worries about him and his effects on other people. The effects of the wolf in him. The werewolf he was. It was the demon he was fighting every second of the day, waiting to see who would finally win. However, it never seemed to end. He saw himself as a monster, as a danger to all living beings in his vicinity. All of his loved ones. But when he was this close to the nature, he experienced some kind of freedom and carefreeness. All fears and worries were blown away with the wind and died out in the flapping of the birds wings. The voices grew quieter and quieter.
After a while, Remus found himself in a place, that bordered directly on the black lake. You could step straight into the water and feel the waves around you. When he took a picture from afar, one person caught his eye. A girl. She sat with her back against a tree and looked at the lake in front of her. But there was a book in her lap. It was a leather-bound sketchbook. She kept touching the pen before her gaze fell on the water again. The reddish sunlight touched her face and lit up her figure.
And if Remus would have stepped a little closer, he might've recognized the girl.