Reading Between The Lines ~ Remus Lupin ~ Book 1

chapter 20

Saturday, 18 December 1976

Lena wrung her hands as she climbed into the car. She had been dreading this moment for a week now. She did not want to discuss her poor grades with her parents. It was bad enough owling them about it. Lena didn't think she could bear talking about it to them in person.

Lena swallowed as her father climbed in the car, his hair changing from blue to its natural greying-brown. Her father was a Metamorphmagus and whenever his hair was its natural color, it meant that a serious conversation was about to take place.

Peter knew it too apparently as he reached out to hold Lena's hand.

"Now, Lena. We know that your dyslexia makes things difficult for you," Mark began as he drove out of the car park.

Her mother whipped her around, her face as red as the Gryffindor tie that Peter wore.

"A T, Lena! Did you even study?! Your dyslexia is no excuse for a score so poor! It's un-fucking-believable!" her mother screamed.

Lena flinched in her seat. She wanted to disappear, to jump out of the car, to be numb to her mother's words.

"I mean do you even study at the school? Do you just party with your friends?" Lisa continued.

All I do is study, is what Lena wanted to say.

She stayed quiet, though.

"Why the hell are your father and I wasting money on that school if you're just going to fail?"

Hogwarts is free, Lena thought.

"Are you going to say anything?" her mother screamed.

"I'm sorry," Lena whispered.

"Sorry is not enough! This is gonna be your last at Hogwarts!"

Lena's head started to spin. She didn't know what to do, what to say.

Peter did though.

"You can't pull Lena out, Mum! That's not fair. Everyone did poorly on the exam she got a T on! Even McGonagall said Binns is ridiculous with his exams! And Lena's been doing a lot better in History of Magic. She just got on an O on a paper for the class."

Lisa opened her mouth to say something else but Mark cut her off.

"Why don't we all calm down and talk about this later, yeah?"

Lena fought back tears. She didn't want to cry in front of her parents. She didn't think she could take the embarrassment.

She looked down at her hand that her brother held. She squeezed his hand, hoping he understood it as the thank you she wanted to say out loud but was unable to. She was so grateful to him for protecting her, defending her, being there for her. She didn't know what she would do without him.

<><><><><>

Lena laid on bed wrapped tightly under her covers. She locked herself in her room after dinner, which she barely ate. Lena wasn't sure how long she had been crying since she hid under her covers. All she knew was that she did not look her best with her blotchy face, bloodshot eyes, and swollen eyelids.

Lena sighed and clung to her sheets tighter as she heard her door unlock. Sometimes Lena really hated magic.

Lena felt someone sit on her bed.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you," Lisa said quietly.

"It's fine," Lena responded with no emotion.