To Trust In | r.j.l.

Chapter 2

Dementors had come onto the train in search of mass murderer Sirius Black is what was being said from cart to cart. They were also saying that Harry Potter had fainted from one going after him in his compartment. Elaine frowned at this. Harry was a nice boy. A quiet, but nice boy. She adored him and having him as a fellow Gryffindor, he was a very kind soul. She hoped he was alright.

Elaine went back to her compartment to tell her friends what was going on. They all freaked out, then settled down some as the train began moving again.

"Do you guys know the man that was on the train? I have no idea why he would be here." Elaine started.

"There's a man on the train? Are you sure it's not a new seventh year?" Leala responded.

"No, this guy looked in his late twenties to early thirties. Definitely not a student."

"That's odd, I don't know either."

A few hours later, they had each changed into their robes and made it to Hogsmeade. They all got off the train, Elaine searching the crowd for the tall man. When unsuccessful, she caught up with Atlas and Leala on the walk to the castle.

The thoughts about the man on the train still hung around in her head, swirling around in desperate need for attention. Why was he there? Did he have something to do with the dementors?

No way, he was far too handsome.

...What?

Pushing those thoughts, but specifically that one, aside, Elaine focused on the excitement of the welcoming feast done every year. She knew she would grow tired and be annoyed by the sorting ceremony, considering the fact that it's the thing in the way of her digesting delicious food to fill her very empty stomach. The sorting ceremony could go on for a solid hour, and she was very hungry. Sighing, she continued her walk with her friends to the castle.

Elaine's fascination with the tall man had not gone away by the time she made it into the Great Hall and sat down in the middle of the Gryffindor table. She sat next to Hermione with Atlas on her right. Looking across the table, she saw a zoned out Harry Potter sitting next to Ron Weasley. Harry seemed to be thinking about something, but looked up when he noticed Elaine looking his way. She gave a small smile and he returned the favor with a slight head nod.

"You okay?"

He broke eye contact, "Yeah."

Knowing he was lying, she reached across the table and placed her hand on top of his, rubbing it slightly. His cheeks went red and he looked back at her, giving a small smile again. Elaine removed her hand and turned to Dumbledore, who had just started his speech.

As he dragged on and on, Elaine growing bored and increasingly hungry, she let her eyes wander around the staff table. Suddenly, she saw him.

The tall man from the train.

Sitting beside Snape, there he was, listening intently to the Headmaster's speech. Her eyes moved down his form, first noticing the peculiar scars across his face in parallel lines. She next noticed the shabby clothing he was wearing. Scruffy hair and baggy eyes, he still looked handsome.

He's a professor Elaine, stop that.

Noticing the professor clapping, she tore her eyes away from him and back to Dumbledore. She too started clapping, and made herself listen to the rest of the speech.

***

His name was Professor R.J. Lupin, new teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts. When announced, the group looked at each other in recollection, having their question be answered.

"He's cute," Elaine heard some girl say, a few people down the table.

I couldn't agree more.

When the ceremony and feast was over, the group went back lazily to the Gryffindor common room. With Atlas being a prefect, Elaine had some power by association. He wasn't the perfect one by far, considering didn't even sit with the other prefects on the train, but Dumbledore really liked him so he got the job. Leala was also a prefect for Ravenclaw, but also decided to sit with her boyfriend instead of the other prefects. She did check in on her duties throughout the ride.

Separating from Atlas, Elaine made her way to her dorm shared with three other girls. One was notably Reagan Moore, an unpopular and rude sixth year who caused more problems than any other person, beside maybe Draco Malfoy. Elaine had been avoiding her like the plaque since first year after she spread a rumor that Elaine had slept with a fourth year on a truth or dare (which is terrible since she was a FIRST YEAR). Luckily, most didn't believe it, and Reagan has been unliked ever since.

Tucking herself ungracefully into her covers, Elaine prepared for a long sleep before her first day of classes, where she would get to meet Professor Lupin for the first time officially.