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IN A SURPRISING TURN OF EVENTS, Remus Lupin had found himself wandering towards the Hospital Wing, intent on speaking with Madam Pomfrey about the last few weeks. The man had been having the worst migraines at the most random moments, usually on either side of his temples or right on his forehead – and they had even been effecting his sight at times. And while most things could usually be tied back to his lycanthropy; which most always was the case, these were far different than the usual headaches that plagued him before full moons. They had only been happening since the start of the term, and seemingly have just been getting worse; even despite the potions and herbal remedies he had learned from his mum.
Remus had entered the Hospital Wing, almost immediately being bombarded with hazy memories and the returning headache. He glanced around the empty room, actually really happy to see that no children were sick or in the midst of healing. He remembered spending most his youth in the Hospital Wing, recovering from moons and wallowing in self-pity. At the sight of Madam Poppy Pomfrey, the man was already beginning to smile, and the woman was certainly no better. The older lady was walking up to greet him with wide arms and an even wider smile.
"It's taken you long enough to come visit me," She scolded playfully, having tugged the man down to her own height to squeeze him into a hug, "how have you been, my love?"
"I'm alright," He insisted softly, smiling nonetheless as she patted both sides of his scarred face, "I do have some questions though."
"Well, come then, I'll pop the kettle on," Madam Pomfrey smiled, hooking her arm through his to lead him towards her little office in the corner, "what's going on?"
She gestured him to a chair before she was bustling around the little corner of the wing that was her designated office space – conjuring up a tea set and a familiar box of sweets.
"I was wondering if there's anything for constant headaches," Remus questioned, taking the outstretched teacup with a grateful smile, "I've tried the migraine medicine on the muggle side – and even some teas and tricks from family tradition. Now, I have no idea what else to try."
"Constant headaches?" She frowned slightly, pondering as she stepped around her desk, "have you gone to see a healer about them?"
"It's why I'm here," He mused teasingly, hiding a grin in the rim of his cup, "you know I'll only ever listen you and your wisdom."
"Show me where exactly," Pomfrey insisted, setting down her cup.
Remus obeyed without question, gesturing to the usual spots with his fingertips.
"And you haven't had a spill, right?" She murmured, gingerly touching his forehead and temples, searching for any sort of deformation or abrasions.
"Nope."
"Any dodgy side-effects to any rebounding spells?"
"Nuh-huh."
"Peculiar," Madam Pomfrey hummed, taking another sip of her tea before returning to Remus' sights, "I'm at a loss as well, I'm afraid," She frowned when he merely shrugged, "usually headaches fade with some time, no matter if they're treated or not. When did you say they started?"
"Sometime before the start of term," Remus informed her, plucking a chocolate from the tray to pop into his mouth, "I was reading the papers when it happened first, I think. Got my head spinning so much I had to sit down."
"Any new stress in your life?" She questioned slowly, an odd glint in her eyes.
"Not exactly," He stated with furrowed eyebrows, "usual professor stress, I suppose."
"And what of this whole thing with Sirius Black?"
"What do you mean?" Remus questioned, now extremely confused as he met the matron's curious eyes, "like the fact that he's escaped Azkaban?"
"Well, yes," Pomfrey began, she too, confused as she watched the same expression twist onto the young man's face, "are you feeling alright, Remus?"
"Yes, why?" He frowned slightly.
"Have the moons been affecting your memory lately?" She asked instead.
"Not that I know of," Remus answered, "what's going on? What do you think it is?"
"I'm not completely sure," Pomfrey murmured, "but I would like you to go see an actual healer, darling."
"Do you think it's that bad?" He asked hesitantly.
"I'm hoping not," She stated honestly, placing a hand atop his, "but will you go? For me?" At his look of reluctance, she nodded encouragingly, a smile gracing her features once more, "I want to make sure my favorite boy is alright."
"I'm hardly a boy anymore," Remus chuckled lightly, "nearly a man grown, I think."
"Not to me," Pomfrey hummed, "you're always gonna be that awkward little first year in cream-coloured jumpers that were a size too big, to me."
The man had glanced down to his attire then, stifling back another laugh as he met Madam Pomfrey's gleaming eyes – the cream, knit jumper he had wore was rather slouchy, and it brought a smug smile to the woman's face, "some things never change, I suppose."
*
When it was dinner time, all gathered in the Great Hall as per usual, and sat amongst friends, a certain sixth year Gryffindor had been bragging to her friends about what she had overheard just a few hours prior. Of course, George Weasley had tried to drown out her voice in his goblet of pumpkin juice – inwardly groaning once more as he slumped in his seat at the mere sight of the two friends once they sat down.
"You're taking the piss," Gemma Fawley's unimpressed voice had eased the younger twin right into the group's conversation, "there's no way."
"I'm not joking," Bonnie insisted, "I was walking to Professor McGonagall's room to ask her about the essay and her and someone else kept going on about a student who showed, and I quote, 'immense potential'."
This had peaked her friends' interest, each of them giving her their attention, "they went on to talk about OWLs, but then I was being called over by Sprout about watering plants in the greenhouse – so I didn't exactly get to hear who they were going on about; but after what I heard, someone is seriously in both their good graces."
"And you think it's you?" Alicia Spinnet questioned from across the table.
"Well, McGonagall had personally sought me out to congratulate me on my OWL results," The sixth year hummed, a boastful smile curling her lips upward, "she said I was a bright student and she would put in a good word with the headmaster when choosing Head Girl next year."
"But how do you know the student she was talking about was you? Let alone a Gryffindor?" Lee asked in turn, cocking up an eyebrow.
"Well, Professor said 'she' numerous times, so it'd have to be somebody who identified as a girl," Bonnie shrugged, "check – and they had said 'for her age,' implying that she's a bit younger, check – I'm not a seventh year yet so still technically younger – and well, I'm also just really hoping it's me."
"I'm sure it is," Fred finally chimed in with a reassuring smile, propping up his chin on his palm as she turned gratefully in his direction.
George and Lee shared a look, the former pretending to be sick as he turned his head towards his plate and a roll of his eyes.
"That, and I'm always trying to be very studious and stay behind for tutoring or ask the professors extra questions or if they need any help," Bonnie added nonchalantly as she began to scoop some fruit salad into a bowl, "I just have a good feeling."
"Plenty of people stay behind after class for a whole number of reasons," George finally made himself known, in a factual tone, barely sparing the girl a glance.
"Like who?" She bubbled a laugh, shaking her head incredulously, "not once have I ever seen–"
"Rebecca does," He interjected abruptly.
Despite the look that momentarily etched itself onto Bonnie's face, she was asking a simple, "who?"
"Carrow," George mended, eyeing her oddly.
"Carrow?" She repeated slowly, purposely acting dull with her eyebrows furrowed, "the Slytherin or the Ravenclaw?"
"Ravenclaw."
"Well, yeah, I suppose I could see that happening," She nodded curtly, a short snort escaping her lips, "but not her brother though – I'm just surprised that one had made it into seventh year without having taken summer courses or somethin'."
"He's taking NEWT-level Alchemy and Potions," Angelina protested, looking at her housemate incredulously, "he can't be as dull as you say."
"Well, when I knew him, he definitely wasn't the brightest," Bonnie uttered midst another laugh.
"And when exactly did you ever know him?" George had questioned suddenly, cocking up an eyebrow – he had expected her to be lying.
But the mere question had gotten the girl faltering, the words dying on her tongue as she spared a brief glance towards the younger twin. Her sole reaction had peaked Fred's curiosity as well, his eyes shifting to try and meet hers before he was giving her an encouraging look.
"Last year," Bonnie said slowly, clearing her throat quietly as she tried avoiding each pair of curious eyes, "he and I...sorta were...together..?"
"I didn't even know he had a girlfriend...like ever.." Angelina mused softly, trying to ease the sudden tension that had fallen upon their small group, "thought books were more his speed."
"It was only for a few months," The sixth year rationalized, meekly shrugging, "then we sorta faded into nothing and stopped talking altogether – not that I miss it," She added quickly, making sure to glance to Fred at her side, "his mum had wanted to meet me just as we hit two months together, and when he had said no, she went kinda ballistic."
"You were gonna meet his mum only after two months of dating?" Alicia questioned, eyes widening slightly – getting a small kick to the calf by Lee Jordan on her right side, "I-I only meant –"
"It's in the past," Bonnie stated shortly, wiping her hands and mouth with a napkin, "and I don't like to dwell on the past, especially when the future is promising," She gave Fred another glance, though he seemed to have missed it, looking down to his plate in silent thought – so she turned away promptly to look at the others, "so are we done with that topic?"
There was a silent agreement through their group, most of them returning to their own conversations amongst one another. Fred had gone unnaturally silent, and while George was sorta happy he wasn't being all sappy and gross with Bonnie like usual – he couldn't help but to feel bad for his brother. Here was this girl, who had told him she wasn't ready to be committed to him and he had been more than happy to oblige her; only to find that she had no problem committing to someone else like it was nothing just a year prior. He was having so many mixed feelings, so he couldn't begin to imagine what Fred must've felt like in that moment.
"Besides," Bonnie began in a tone of finality, "I might've dodged the biggest bullet by ending things with him – his family is...yanno..." She gave them each a rolling glance, insisting silently, "yeesh"
The group's conversation had taken a sudden turn once Bonnie had finished speaking, most of them returning to lighter topics and speaking amongst one another. Unfortunately for them, because they weren't as aware of their surroundings as they had originally thought – Adrienne Samson had heard every word of the group's discussion from a few seats down; having been waiting for her two best friends to join her for their own breakfast. The blonde had heard her friend's surname, immediately catching the rest of their conversation and her mind beginning to brew up a whirlwind of thoughts.
And because Adrienne wasn't exactly known to be quite as forgiving as Cedric was, she was immediately turning in her seat with a growing, mischievous grin once she clocked them walking into the Great Hall. She didn't let them sit down though, getting up from her own seat to hook elbows with both and lead them towards the Hufflepuffs instead. Once they sat down, her grin had returned.
"We literally just got here," Cedric began wearily, eyeing the blonde just as he had reached for a clean mug, "why is your face like that?"
"I have had the very pleasure of listening into yet another conversation," Adrienne stated gleefully.
"You know thats considered rude, right?" Rebecca retorted in a faint laugh, adding some golden syrup to her stack of pancakes.
"Yeah, well, when I hear either one of your guys' names, I'm entitled to hear what people are saying," The blonde insisted, spearing a sausage from the platter to place on her plate, "and it seems that Miss Henderson never told anybody about her and Roan's little relationship."
"Not exactly a secret," The Ravenclaw pursed her lips slightly, "Roan said they had agreed to keep it all hush for a while – just to see where it went – I didn't even find out till they had ended it, thankfully."
"Oh," Adrienne frowned slightly, "I thought I finally gotten us some worthy gossip before your nosy dormmates had."
"Not this time," She mused, giving her friend a sympathetic smile as she tapped the back of her hand, "perhaps next time – if you manage to beat all three of them."
"Unlikely," Cedric murmured smugly, earning a whack to the back of the neck by Adrienne before he was looking at the blonde incredulously, wide-eyed and rubbing the back of his head, "hey!"
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