To Trust In | r.j.l.

Chapter 4

Elaine had walked almost dazedly back to her common room, thoughts filled with the new Professor Lupin of Hogwarts. He seemed kind, and funny, and soft, but also stern with boundaries when needed. Elaine liked that about him. He seemed to know what he wants. And he's warm. His hands, so warm, burning into her skin through her sweatshirt when he grabbed her arms to keep her steady. Damn he's attractive.

And he too was a Gryffindor. With his calm demeanor, Elaine definitely would have assumed he was a Ravenclaw, maybe even a Slytherin. But Gryffindor? That just gave them something new to talk about, which excited her to no end.

He's also an early riser. They seem to have a lot in common so far, just from introductions. Elaine continued her walk to the common room, finally meeting the painting in front of the door. Telling the woman the password, she slipped inside to pick up her book and read on the big lounge chair next to the fire.

Her morning went quite peacefully. She was able to complete the fourth Sherlock Holmes story she had started yesterday in just under an hour. Perfect timing for heading to the first round of breakfast. The tower was slowly waking up, more early breakfast goers making their way down the stairs and waiting for 7:30 to come around. Among those was Atlas, who joined Elaine at 7:15 on the couch next to the chair. They said their quiet good mornings, Atlas not a late sleeper, but a quiet one in the mornings. After their hellos, Atlas made his way out the door dressed in his robes to start his prefect duties for the morning before getting breakfast in the Great Hall. Elaine finished her coffee and tucked her book under her arm, going back up the stairs many were coming down to return her book to her bedside table and dress in her robes.

Light makeup and a simple braid done in her long black/brown hair, she grabbed her school bag with her supplies and her dirty coffee cup and made her way down the stairs and to the Great Hall.

Reaching the Gryffindor table, she spotted Atlas sitting next to Hermione Granger. Gladly joining them, as she very much so liked Hermione (and the boys too), she set her bag down at her feet and filled her mug once more with coffee. Asking Atlas to pass the eggs and toast, she scooped some onto her plate and grabbed two slices of toast. She buttered one, and put raspberry jam on the other. Bitting into her toast, she listened to the conversation Hermione and Atlas were in the middle of.

"Oh don't worry Hermione, Ancient Runes isn't all the bad. As long as you pay attention, you'll have no problems at all," Atlas grinned at her.

"I thought you were taking Divination Hermione? How are you taking both classes?" Elaine asked confused.

"Oh look at the time, I wanted to get to the library for Study Routine before my first class. See you guys!" she grabbed her books and scurried away. Atlas and Elaine waved, looking at each other confused. With a shrug, they both went back to their meal.

Around 8 Atlas left to finish his prefect duties, going to grab Leala from the Ravenclaw table to do their rounds together. Elaine took a moment to look up at the Head Table, something she'd been avoiding doing all morning in fear of her professor catching her looking. Luckily, he seemed to be distracted by a conversation with Professor Flitwick, about what she didn't know. She tried reading their lips, but ended up just getting distracted by the way his mouth moved and the shape of his lips. Shaking her head, she packed up her things and made to leave the hall at 8:15.

As she had another 45 minutes before her next class, she made her way to the library to offer any assistance to anyone who needed help studying. Sometimes, Elaine would go there without anything to study at all. She hoped she would be needed, and she liked being needed. Maybe it was the neglect from her parents that sent her into this spiral of desperation to be noticed and wanted and helpful. However she could give help, she wanted to. She was a very kind soul, much like Professor Lupin seemed to be.

In the library, she found 2 students there, one Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw, both fifth years. Having known them, Elaine went to ask if they needed any help. They accepted it, and the three got to work. Elaine had expected to see Hermione there as well, but maybe she had left just before she came in.