maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

23. let her be

A NOTE LANDED on Claudia's desk. It had been a few days since the situation in the hospital wing, and both Claudia and Remus were back to normal, for the most part at least. She opened it only to find another message:

Please talk to us, we don't understand
- J.P, S.B, R.L, & P.P

Claudia didn't even turn around to acknowledge the note, she simply just discreetly threw it to the ground without looking at the boys.

This had been going on all class. It was the first class of that Friday, DADA, and it was the first time the Marauders had seen Claudia since she asked them to leave her alone.

Remus had seen her of course, when she was excused from the infirmary and told to spend the rest of the day resting in her dorm. She ran out of there after accidentally glancing at Remus, which caused Pomfrey to sigh and pinch the bridge of her nose.

But, now she was back out of her dorm and in class. So were the rest of the boys; and they had been sending notes to her all class.

Hi, want to talk?

Please?

Why are you ignoring us?

Claudia shrugged it off and continued to write down notes with her quill, ignoring the looks that came from the four boys as well as Betty and Inez.

Betty and Inez were pretty much losing their minds when Claudia didn't return that night. But, then Betty ran into Sirius and he told her all about it; including what she said to them.

And he had sounded hurt when he told her. Because they all were, they liked Claudia and they wanted to be her friend.

The blonde girl thought it was weird, but Claudia was always moody when she was ill and she had said that she didn't want to be around them before because of James.

But James was certain that Claudia didn't eactually like him - or at least that's what he thought the second her face softened at the sight of another boy.

If Claudia fancied any of them, James knew it would be Remus.

The normally oblivious boy saw it like it was obvious.

Inez sounded more understanding when Betty told her all about it, so Betty figured something was going on. But, she wasn't one to pry so she went on with the James story.

But when Claudia ignored the four boys in class like they were the plague; she knew something was up.

"Claudia," Betty whispered to her. "What's going on?"