Harry was still broomless, and classes had started again.
And Gemma?
Well, the young girl was having a hard time not staring at Professor Lupin all the time.
After her realisation on Christmas, she wanted to ask him if she was right, but she did not want to accuse him of anything, so she kept quiet.
This was also around the time that Harry was starting his anti-Dementor lessons for whenever it was needed, but mostly during Quidditch games.
The first lesson was to be on Thursday, and the moment Harry was informed by the sickly teacher, he quietly asked Gemma to come with him.
She told him she would but then noticed that her best friend started to almost cling to her like a leach.
Gemma had just come around the corner, having forgotten something in the Potions room (a handful of her secret notes from her advanced Potions books), when she ran smack into someone.
"Ah, lil baby Hilton!" Draco teased rudely.
She glared at him, blowing a piece of her hair from her face, "Shove off, Malfoy."
She moved around him when he snatched the notes from her hands, "Ooo! What are these?"
She reached for them, but it was then that she realized that Draco had grown, meaning she could not grab her papers.
"Give them back!" She cried.
His grey eyes glittered maliciously, "What are these? Love letters?"
"Oh, wouldn't you know?"
A few Slytherin students raised their brows at Draco as they heard the exchange, and Draco grabbed Gemma's wrist and gave it a violent yank, "You better keep your trap shut, or I'll ---"
"Or you'll what?"
This was a new voice.
Everyone seemed to go rigid as Professor Lupin stepped up, his eyes glowing with rage and hatred and the familiar face of Cedric Diggory right behind him.
"What were you going to say, Mr. Malfoy?" He repeated. "Go on..."
Draco glared at the teacher and let go of Gemma, "Nothing, Professor."
"Good," The professor nodded firmly. "Now, get to lunch, Mr. Malfoy. Twenty points from Slytherin for bullying Miss Hilton."
Gemma thought Draco was gonna pop as he stomped around them.
"Draco," Cedric called. "Give Gemma her notes back."
And without turning around, he threw them into the air.
Gemma chirped and started to dive for the parchment.
Professor Lupin and Cedric assisted her, gathering up the notes, the latter passing them to the former.
Gemma held the ones she had gathered close to her as Cedric moved closer to her, "Are you okay?"
She blinked up at him, his handsome face pinched with worry.
"Oh, y-yeah," She bobbed her head. "I'm okay."
"Your wrist looks a little red..."
She dropped her eyes to her exposed skin and shook her head, "Oh, it doesn't hurt much."
Cedric stared hard at her, and she felt heat crawling up her cheeks under his gaze, "I promise! Now, you better get to lunch before Justin eats all the food!"
For a brief moment, he was still before he grinned, "You're observant."
Gemma was sure her face was blood red, "I try."
Cedric squeezed her shoulder gently before saying, "See you around, Gemma."
"Bye, Cedric..."
She watched him leave until Professor Lupin cleared his throat, his brows raised.
Gemma's wonderings about the professor hit her in the face, and she could only stare at the scars on his face, wondering where they were from.
"You and him...are you...?" The professor awkwardly asked.
Gemma blinked before her face turned red again, "No! No! I'm far too young right now!"
He seemed to sag with relief as he nodded, "Alright." They went silent again before his eyes fell on the notes, and he murmured, "When did you start studying potions a few grades above you?"
Fear filled her, "Professor, please, I can explain---"
"It's all quite impressive. I've only seen a couple people with this memory and intuitiveness with Potions..."
"I am so---" Her voice stopped as she processed what the professor said. "Wait...what?"
He grinned at her softly, "You're talented."
She blinked, "Oh...um, thank you, sir?"
He passed them back to her, "Don't let Snape find them. He'll be angry that a thirteen-year-old is better at his job than he is."
Gemma's lips lifted into a lopsided grin, "I think he already suspects as much."
"Do you ace his class?" He raised his brows significantly.
Gemma bobbed her head, "I'm pretty sure I'm the only one with great marks in his class in Gryffindor. Except for Hermione."
Professor Lupin smiled, nodding slowly, "Good...good." He passed her the notes back, "Go along. Lunch is almost over, and you don't want to pass out during class."
Gemma took them and chuckled, "I guess that would be quite traumatising."
"Just a little bit." They both laughed in the empty hall until the professor started to move to his classroom again, "Have a good afternoon, Miss Hilton."
As he walked away, Gemma plucked up the courage to call, "The full moon!"
The professor froze and every slowly turned around, his face ghostly pale, "What did you say?"
That reaction was enough for Gemma.
She was right.
She had to be.
She shrugged nonchalantly, the fib slipping from her lips expertly, "It was really pretty the night of Christmas! What a wonder that we got to see it on one of the most magical days of the year too!"
The professor was trying to compose himself, "Y-yes, I suppose you're right."
Gemma smiled a little at him, "Bye, Professor!"
And she bolted before he could say anything else.
She ran all the way up to the common room to drop off the first pile of books when Hermione ran into her.
Once more, the boys refused to talk to the bushy-haired girl, and with Harry always hanging around Gemma for whatever reason, she had very little escape to hang out with Hermione.
"'Mione!" She exclaimed, hugging her. Then without thinking, the words popped from her lips, "I figured out why Professor Lupin has been vanishing! He's a werewolf!"
The room was still.
Gemma felt lightheaded as she realised what she had done.
Oh, crickets, she was the worst!
Hermione just stared at her with enormous eyes before whispering, "You figured it out too?"
Relief took over Gemma's limbs, and she bobbed her head, "So you did too?!"
Hermione nodded excitedly, "Oh, I am so glad you're not daft like the boys! We'd all be dead if it was just me running the show!"
Gemma hugged her tightly, "Thank Merlin, you know...I thought I was going to die..."
Hermione embraced her back, "And I'm so glad you knew as well!"
Then they pulled away and were silent for a moment before Hermione whispered, "Do we tell the boys?"
Gemma pinched her lips before shaking her head, "No...Because if words gets around from anyone, Professor Lupin'll be in huge trouble...and we'll have to deal with the fact that we let it out..." She made a face, "And because he's the best teacher we have, I would rather not get him kicked out...and after what happened with Mr. Malfoy and Buckbeak, if any of the parents caught wind, Professor Lupin's out of the job for sure. No matter what anyone says, I'm pretty sure he'd be sacked. So silence is our way to go right now I think..."
"You're right..." Hermione's face grimaced. "Good plan."
Gemma was trying not to look at the dark bags under Harry's eyes.
He was still a little irritable and overly protective of her for whatever reason, but seeing just how exhausted he had become over the last few weeks made her worry.
She was walking with him to his lesson with Professor Lupin, her homework in her bag at her hip.
She bit her lip, trying to find a way to ask him what his problem was, and the words just exploded from her mouth, "Why are you so...clingy recently?"
Harry legitimately stumbled, "W-What? Why do you ask that?"
Giving him a look, Gemma continued on, her voice a little stern, "Harry, I am your oldest friend, basically your sister. I'm not dumb. You're anxious, and you're very like..." She flew her hands around in the air a little bit. "So, what is going on?"
Harry would not look at her.
"Is this about Sirius Black?"
No answer.
She sighed, giving him a small eye roll, "Harry, everything is going to be fine! Professor Lupin is gonna teach you how to ward off Dementors, and then you can go about your day while the freaky ghosties keep you safe! They're going to catch him! He won't get away with what he did to your parents! I don't understand what is so hard to understand about---"
Harry swung on her, his eyes blazing, "I just am afraid of what he would do if he found you."
Gemma was not expecting that answer, "Pardon?"
His eyes flickered around her face as he carefully said, "Who do we say you look like?"
She stood there for a moment before her jaw gaped a little bit, "You mum... You're scared he may try to hurt me..." He nodded as he moved away from her again, and she shook her head, "But, Harry! He probably doesn't know I exist!!"
Harry spun on her, "Stop saying that! Of course, he knows you exist!"
"How would he know?!" She shouted, and anyone who did not know them could have mistaken them as a couple having a brawl.
"If he is tracking me, then he knows about you as well! I'm with you, Hermione, and Ron all the time! So, yes! I believe he could come after you!"
The way he was getting so worked up made her stop and rethink her next retort.
He was frantic.
He was terrified.
Gemma stared hard at him, "Harry, please just promise something..."
"What?" He snapped.
"First of all, you're gonna stop talking to me like that...and second, if Sirius Black takes any of us, Hermione, Ron, or I, promise me you will run and get help. He's after you. You're the most important one of us. So please, please, please promise you will run. Hermione and I can take care of ourselves, and so can Ron."
He glared at her, his green eyes flashing angrily, "Gemma---"
She shook her head and put a hand to his mouth, "Promise."
After a few more moments of glaring, his shoulders dropped in defeat, and he bobbed his head, "I promise."
Part of her believed him, and part of her did not.
So she gave him the benefit of the doubt as relief filled her, and she wrapped her arms around him, embracing him tightly, "Thank you."
He did not answer but instead just grabbed her hand and dragged her to the History of Magic classroom.
It was dark when they arrived, so Harry and Gemma set to light all the lanterns in anticipation of Professor Lupin showing up.
"Ah! Harry, you came!" Lupin's voice echoed through the room once he arrived. His brows raised when he saw Gemma, his jade green eyes watching her carefully, "And you brought Gemma?"
Harry struggled to find his words, so Gemma answered, "I didn't want him to have to walk back by himself, and I didn't have anything to do, so he invited me along."
The professor peered at her before shrugging, "The more, the merrier!"
He lifted a large case onto the desk in the front of the classroom.
"What's that?" Harry questioned.
"Another Boggart," Professor Lupin responded, pulling off his worn robes. "I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday, and very luckily, I found this one lurking inside Mr. Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real Dementor. The Boggart will turn into a Dementor when he sees you, so we'll be able to practise on him. I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like."
Gemma smirked at that as she sat down at one of the desks, pulling out some of her homework.
"Okay..." Harry said, slightly stiff.
"So..." Professor Lupin pulled out his wand, nodding for Harry to do the same. "The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic, Harry — well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. It is called the Patronus Charm. Have you ever heard of it?"
While Harry shook his head no, Gemma bobbed her head yes.
Professor Lupin smiled at her from across the room, "Would you like to explain, Miss Hilton?"
She grinned back before looking at Harry, who was giving her and the teacher a suspicious look, "Well, a Patronus is kind of like an antiDementor, and it works like a shield with the Dementor feeding on it rather than him."
"Precisely!" Professor Lupin exclaimed proudly, then to Harry, he continued. "The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the Dementor feeds upon — hope, happiness, the desire to survive — but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the Dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you, Harry, that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it."
"What does a Patronus look like?" Harry asked, ignoring the warning. "Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."
"And how do you conjure it?"
"With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory."
"Right..." Harry bobbed his head after a moment.
"Good!" Professor Lupin clapped. "The incantation is this... Expecto Patronum."
"Expecto Patronum..." Harry muttered. "Expecto Patronum..."
"Expecto Patronum," Gemma whispered to herself, half listening.
"Concentrating hard on your happy memory?" The professor asked.
"Oh — yeah —" Harry cleared his throat. "Expecto patrono — no, patronum — sorry — Expecto Patronum, Expecto Patronum!"
Gemma looked up just as a silvery explosion came from Harry's wand.
It almost looked like mist.
"Did you see that?!" Harry cried, smiling at her. "Something happened!!"
Gemma clapped for him as the professor laughed, "Very good! Right then...ready to try it on a Dementor?"
"Yes..." Harry's face became determined.
Gemma was fully watching the scene now as Professor Lupin opened the case, and a Dementor soared into the air.
Gemma's blood ran cold at the sight of the creature, and she immediately started to yell at Harry to hurry up and get rid of the blasted thing.
"Expecto Patronum!!" Harry cried. Nothing happened. "Expecto...Expecto...Expect..."
And then...
Harry's body fell to the ground, lifeless.
Gemma dropped her books and rushed to his side.
She placed her hands on his cheeks, "Harry? Harry!"
His body jerked a little, and he stared up at her with panicked eyes, "Sorry..."
She shook her head, "Are you alright?"
Harry pushed himself upwards, his face pale, "Yes..."
She and Professor Lupin settled on either side of him as he leaned against one of the desks.
"Here..." The professor murmured as he stuck his hand into his pocket. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it the first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had!" He passed Harry a piece of chocolate, then handed a piece to Gemma.
"It's getting worse," Harry stammered, biting into the chocolate. "I could hear her louder that time...and him...Voldemort..."
Gemma looked at the professor, taking in his pale face.
"Harry, if you don't want to continue," Professor Lupin hummed empathetically. "I will more than understand---"
"I do!" Harry cried fiercely. "I've got to! What if the Dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again! And Gemma can't catch me every time I fall! If we lose this game, we've lost the Quidditch Cup!"
"All right then..." Lupin nodded slowly, glancing at Gemma. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on... That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough..."
Once more, Harry went quiet as he stood, and Gemma watched from the floor as his hand clenched around the shaft of his want.
"Ready?" Professor Lupin asked.
"Ready..." Harry nodded.
"Go!"
Harry passed out again.
Gemma cradled his head in her lap, tapping his cheek, "Harry! Harry, wake up!"
"I heard my dad," Harry mumbled, tears filling his eyes and trickling down his sweaty face. "That's the first time I've ever heard him...he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give my mum time to run for it..."
Gemma sat close to him as he hid his face from the professor.
She squeezed his hand gently, giving him a small smile.
"You heard James?" Professor Lupin's voice was low.
Gemma lifted her gaze to him, seeing an unreadable look on his face.
"Yeah..." Harry raised his head. "Why? You didn't know my dad, did you?"
Gemma furrowed her brows.
Did Harry not know that Professor Lupin knew his parents?
"I..." The teacher stammered, "I did, as a matter of fact...We were friends at Hogwarts. Listen, Harry, perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced... I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this..."
"No!" Harry shouted as he got up again. "I'll have one more go! I'm not thinking of happy enough things, that's what it is... hang on..."
Harry stood his back to them.
Gemma and Professor Lupin gave each other a worried look.
The latter stood, moving to the crate and poised his hand over the lid, his face still a little hesitant about the whole ordeal, "Ready? Concentrating hard? All right — go!"
Cold filled the air as the box opened, and Gemma watched as Harry pointed his wand at the Boggart, yelling, "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
At first, he faltered, but Gemma stepped up, calling, "COME ON HARRY!!!"
At that moment, she was momentarily blinded as light exploded from the end of his wand, shielding him from the Dementor.
She watched in shock and jumped when Professor Lupin shouted, "Riddikulus!"
A crack filled the air, and Gemma clapped excitedly as Harry swayed on his feet.
She guided him to a chair, a smile splitting her face, "You did it! You really did it!"
"Excellent!" Professor Lupin exclaimed, moving to them after getting the Boggart back into its box. "Excellent, Harry! That was definitely a start!"
"Can we have another go? Just one more?"
Gemma shook her head, "No! You've had enough! You can barely stand up!"
"She's right," He handed Harry a bar of chocolate. "Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood. Same time next week?"
"Okay," Harry nodded, passing some sweets to Gemma.
They both sat there and ate until Gemma had a thought.
"Professor?" She called, watching the professor's back. "If you knew Harry's dad and my father's cousin, you must've known Sirius Black as well."
He spun around so fast that Gemma yelped.
"What gives you that idea?!" The professor basically scolded.
Gemma blinked a few times, trying to wrangle her perplexed thoughts back, "N-Nothing! I mean...They were all friends here too, so I just thought..."
The professor seemed to realise how he reacted, and he released a breath, relaxing, "Yes...I knew him..." He pinched his lips. "Or I thought I did. You'd better be off, you two, it's getting late."
Gemma frowned but nodded, "You're right. Come on, Harry."
She forcibly shoved her books into her bag, hurt by the professor's lashing out.
He must have noticed her frustration because he called after her.
Harry grabbed her hand and whispered, "I'll be in the hall."
She turned without a word and stared emotionlessly at the professor, "Yes, sir?"
He winced at the sight of her expression and clasped his hands behind his back, "I wanted to thank you..."
She just stared at him, "For what, sir?"
"For coming today with Harry. I have a feeling he would have given up if you hadn't come and cheered him on."
She nodded slowly, "I would do anything for Harry."
Professor Lupin took a deep breath before continuing, "You care for him very deeply... don't you..."
It was more of a statement than a question.
Gemma glanced over her shoulder before answering, "I would do anything for him. He's my brother."
For the briefest moment, Professor Lupin's eyes glassed over, like he was remembering something before he sputtered, "I would like to apologise for my...unsavoury expression of emotions. Everyone is a bit on edge with the whole Sirius Black thing. The question caught me off guard."
"Because he was your best friend?"
He blinked, "Why would you---"
"You have the same look in your eyes when you talk about him as I know I do with Harry, Hermione, and Ron..." She shrugged. "It's the spark of severe loyalty we all carry in us for our best friends and family..."
There was silence in the room from her profound words before Professor Lupin nodded, "You're right. Because he was my best friend..."
She gave him a small, sad look, "I'm sorry about him... It's a shame what happened happened."
He shook his head, "It's in the past. I can't do anything about it. Maybe someday there will be reconciliation but not today."
"That's right," Gemma smiled. "Someday, the spark will light the flame, and maybe you'll both be able to meet again without the Dementors and prison bars."
He nodded slowly, "Maybe..."
Gemma gripped the strap of her bag, "Well, I better be going...I have quizzes tomorrow."
"Yes! Go! I am sorry for keeping you!" He waved at her. He gave her a lopsided smile. "Sleep well."
"You too, Professor..." She made her way to the door. Gemma was about to exit when she remembered something, "Thank you, by the way!"
He gave her a confused look, "Fooorrrrr?"
"The polaroid? The one from Christmas?"
He stared at her, "I didn't send you anything for Christmas..."
Gemma blinked a few times before her blood turned to ice, and she smoothly lied, "Oh! Sorry! Never mind, Fred gave that to me! Sorry! I forgot!" She backed out of the room quickly, not giving him a chance to respond. "Goodnight!"
Harry and she walked silently through the castle and did not even bid each other goodnight; they were both so distracted.
Gemma slipped into her room, lighting the tip of her wand so she wouldn't step on Crookshanks again, and readied herself for bed.
Her hands shook, and her head spun the entire time as heavy realisation hit her, and she jumped at every sound.
As she slid into her bed, pulling the drapes shut and wrapping her blankets tightly around her like a shield, she stared at the polaroid she had taped on the curtain.
She wanted to cry.
She wanted to scream.
She wanted to hide.
At first, she did not let the whole ordeal bother her, but when Professor Lupin said it was not him who had sent the polaroid, Gemma could only think of one other person who would have had access to this stuff right now.
Violet Hilton's best friend.
Sirius Black.
Gemma had just come back from the library, searching for potions in the books that could make people spout random words with no apparent meaning.
Fred and Geroge had requested it, and since she had been swamped with school, preparing for the Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor game, evading the ever-presence of Harry at her side and Professor Lupin's concerned looks during class, she decided it was time to have some fun and find the potion.
She could not find something exactly like that, so she researched how to make her own potion from a derivative of another.
It was not as hard as she thought it was going to be.
Making her way through the corridors, dressed in a pair of rust-colored velvet jeans, Mary Janes, and a warm yellow sweater, Gemma hummed to herself.
Once she arrived at the portrait and entered, she spotted Harry and Hermione sitting at one of the tables.
Hermione looked as exhausted, just as she always looked once term started again, and Harry had something sitting in his lap.
The moment Gemma saw the gleaming broomstick shaft, she rushed over and hugged Harry tightly, "SHE FINALLY GAVE IT BACK!!!!"
Harry grinned at her, "SHE DID!!!" Then he looked at Hermione, who was watching them with dim brown eyes. "I was just trying to convince 'Mione to drop some classes."
"And I was saying that I couldn't do that!" She exclaimed, her voice cracking a little.
"Where's Ron?" Gemma asked no one in particular.
"Arithmancy looks terrible..." Harry continued, not seeming to have heard her.
"Oh no!" Hermione shook her head vehemently. "It's my favourite subject! It's ---"
A yell echoed through the common room, making everyone there freeze and go rigid.
Gemma's eyes shot towards the stairs leading to the boys' dorms.
Ron was running down, holding his bedsheet, and dragging it over to the table, his face blood red, "LOOK!!!"
"Ron, what---?" Hermione tried to ask.
"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"
Gemma peered at the bedsheet, and she whispered, "Oh no..."
His head swung in her direction, and he nodded firmly, "BLOOD!" Ron yelled. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?!"
"N-n-no," Hermione barely answered.
Ron threw a handful of something onto Hermione's homework, and Gemma spied the items.
It was hair. Orange cat hair.
Crookshanks had killed Scabbers.