Her Single Rose (Remus Lupin)

Eighty-One

Aries didn't know what to think of the matter. Her thoughts were on and swarming through every possibility. Dumbledore had given her a specific date to give an answer by, telling Aries that he needed an answer as soon as possible, but to take her time and think hard about it.

There was no doubt it would be a dangerous job that he had offered. But she didn't know exactly what kind of help she could provide. He mentioned a bit about needing more lessons on her legilimency and encouraged her to read more on healing and potions, but kept it extremely vague.

Aries had even tried using it on him, to see if she could get any more information out of him, but it was like trying to fork a way through a metal door.

"This is not an overnight decision, Miss Black. Take your time and think about what you may be risking." Dumbledore had said.

Instead of going to bed weightless and relaxed, Aries was further in thought than when she left for Hogwarts. This being said, Aries did not have a very restful sleep. In fact, it was nothing but waking up the next morning at dawn and deciding to go to the hospital wing yet again.

Madame Pomfrey was not yet awake, letting Aries tend to the beds and organize the potions and remedies for further use. Her thoughts containing her so much, she barely heard the cries and whimpers of a little Ravenclaw.

As Aries turned to follow the small whines, she saw the same beach wave blonde hair she saw the day the dueling club shut down.

"Lockhart? What happened to your arm?" Aries asked, concern dawning on her face when she saw the young boys left limb, all thoughts on Dumbledores offer flying into the back of her head.

His sleeve was pulled up and his right hand was holding what looked to be his left arm...but...boneless?

Aries bent down to his level and carefully took his wobbling arm into her hand. It wavered slightly making him hiss. His arm had already begun turning pale starting at his fingertips and losing color quite fast.

"How about we get you up on a bed and you tell me what happened?" Aries said as he nodded, a few tears still falling from his already tear stained face.

Aries propped his arm on a pillow after he got situated on a bed. She could already tell his bones wouldn't take long to mend but it would surely be painful.

"Alright, drink this.." Aries poured the deep green liquid of skelegrow into a small cup for Gilderoy to drink, his face contorted into one of disgust.

Her thoughts immediately trying to bring up her and Remus's days in the hospital wing but she only pushed it back down the memories to stay focused.

Aries took the cup from him and placed it back on the try near the sling Aries had found from a cabinet, "this is going to be rather painful, Lockhart, what happened?"

She took a small bottle, no bigger than a standing rat, and poured a bit inside of the same cup. Aries mixed the terrible tasting liquid with a bit of pumpkin juice so it wouldn't be so unbearable.

"A few of my friends from Ravenclaw said I wasn't smart, nor talented in magical skills, so I fought back saying I was...they told me to prove it, so I tried to light a fire on one of the lamps in the corridors. My aim isn't very good so it only hit the wall and bounced off landing on one of my friends robes." Lockhart explained as she turned his arm carefully and slowly.

"He got scared and accidentally shot a spell at me while he was trying to put out his robes. They called me a loser and a few left. One of the girls tried to help me but ended up making it worse by accident..." he finished, a sad sense of sorrow written on his face.