Diana left the Headmaster's office. On her way down the stairs and onto the lower floors, she pondered the matter uneasily. If Professor Dumbledore thought that she had to take her abilities more seriously, then perhaps she ought to.
It wasn't the fact that she didn't believe in it. It was the feeling of horror that still remained in her heart and soul even after months, latching to her mind and haunting her every thought ever since last year.
She didn't even know what the vision she had seen meant. All she knew was that it had terrified her to an immeasurable extent, and so Diana wasn't sure if she wanted to go through that again.
With her mind flying far off, she wandered aimlessly down the corridors, unable to go back to her common room just yet, knowing that she would most certainly be bombarded with questions by Layla, and — if she were more unfortunate — by Regulus as well.
Diana needed to do something that could get her mind off everything; perhaps a nice and good argument with someone could make her forget all about her bigger problems.
Whereupon, Diana walked down the marble staircase to get herself to the second floor where she knew he would be patrolling because of his Prefect duties, with a stubborn attitude about her.
"The Slytherin common room isn't that way," a voice said behind her, causing Diana to whirl around.
It was Remus.
Diana had been practicing all that she wanted to tell him on her way here, but the moment she saw him, it was all forgotten. She hated the way her heart started beating faster every time she looked at him. She hated how much power he had over her emotions. She hated him.
"I wasn't going to my common room," Diana finally managed to say sternly, her eyes boring into his grudgingly. "I was looking for you."
Maybe it was because of the approaching full moon that was going to relish the hideous beast inside him, or maybe the anger and jealousy he had been bottling up for months now had turned into something just as hideous; but for whatever reason it was, Remus was unable to hold back his tongue and unable to think as the anger resurfaced.
"Whatever excuse you're thinking of brining, just save it," he said sharply, his gaze as cold as ice.
"Wrong again." Diana gave him a mocking smile. "I came here to say that you're a dick!"
Remus came to halt. This was the last thing he had expected to hear from her. He frowned, saying, "Excuse me?"
"Oh, you heard me all right. Just like how you had heard me clearly earlier tonight when I had called you, but decided to ignore me all the same. Just like how you had ignored all my letters over the summer. The least you can do is tell me why!"
"Oh, please." Remus rolled his eyes. "Don't act like you don't know."
"Don't know what!?" she snapped at him furiously.
Remus shook his head angrily before finally blurting out, "That you kissed Sirius!"
Silence.
That was all that could be heard in the dim corridor, except for both their rapid breathings of anger and crackling fire inside the lanterns hung on the walls.
"What did you just say?" Diana whispered as she gaped at him, losing all power of speech.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Remus said coldly.
"No. I don't."
"Fine. I'll just do a small refreshment, then. It was at the end of last year. On the day we were supposed to leave. You called Sirius to talk to him right before we were about to board the train. He came back to our compartment after ten minutes, saying that you two had kissed."
Diana felt like her mind was going fuzzy. She still couldn't take a grasp on what he was saying.
"Okay, I don't know what you're implying here, but that, never, happened," Diana said the last words slowly. "It's a lie."
"Why would Sirius lie about something like this?" Remus scoffed, still not convinced. "It's not like he doesn't kiss enough girls as it is. He doesn't need to lie about such a thing."
"I don't know why that brainless git would lie about that, but the reason he did so was to cover up the actual truth."
"Which is...?"
"He was covering up the fact that our parents were trying to set us on an arranged marriage. But that was before he —"
"What!?" Remus exclaimed, his eyes widening in horror. Any sign of anger in him vanished in a span of a second, replaced by the feeling of shock and disbelief.
"But that was before he ran away and got disowned, thankfully," Diana completed her sentence angrily. "There's nothing going on between me and Black. I assure you."
It was Remus's turn to remain quiet, staring back at her speechlessly.
"I — I'm..." he began to say, but he couldn't possibly find the right words to say.
"And even if it was true — which it isn't — you had no right to treat me that way!" Diana went on fiercely, the fire of anger still burning in her temper. "It would be none of your business who I wish to kiss!"
"Oh, yeah? Is that so?" Remus snapped back. "I'm sorry if for a second I thought you weren't as pathetic as those girls who run after Sirius all day long, begging for his attention!"
"That's why you got mad at me? Just because you thought I had kissed him, then suddenly I became pathetic to you?" Diana shook her head at him, fuming in fury. "Well, congratulations, Lupin. The word 'dick' is no longer worthy enough for your level of being a jerk. You're way past that!"
With one last glare at his direction, Diana turned on her heel and started to walk down the hallway, but she came to a halt when Filch the caretaker suddenly appeared before her from the next corridor, a nasty grin playing on his crooked mouth.
"Well, well, well," said Filch, his grin widening. "Going on detours after curfew, are we?"
"I was in Professor Dumbledore's office. He wanted to speak with me," Diana reasoned quickly.
Filch scoffed. "Very convincing. Do you know how many times I've heard that excuse!"
"But it's true! You can ask him!" Diana pointed back at Remus. "He was the one who brought me the message that Professor Dumbledore wanted to see me."
Filch looked back at Remus. "Is that true?"
Remus caught Diana's eyes and remained quiet for a second before turning his head toward Filch, shrugging. "I don't think so."
Diana gritted her teeth together, her stomach filled with the utter desire to leap forward and punch him across the face.
"Seems like that would be a detention for you," Filch snarled at Diana.
"Well, if that's all, I should get back to my duties —" Remus was saying as he began to leave, but Filch stopped him.
"And where do you think you're going?"
"I'm a prefect. I have patrolling duties after curfew," said Remus.
"Is that so? Then where is your badge?" Filch raised a brow at him.
"It's right h —" Remus looked down at his chest where his prefect's badge should've been, but there was nothing there. He had forgotten to bring it tonight. "Mr. Filch, you know me. You know I'm a prefect. I was one ever since fifth year."
"All I know is that you're one of Potter and Black's friends," Filch snarled. "That says enough about you."
"Oh, come on! You can ask anyone and they'll tell you that I am a prefect!"
"All right." Filch grinned nastily, turning to look at Diana who stood beside him. "Is he a prefect?"
The edge of Diana's lips curled up into a smirk as she looked back at Remus, making direct eye contact with him as she said, "I don't think so."