Chapter 98: Sixth Year: Halloween
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Tuesday 26th October 1976
Boarding the Hogwarts Express in September.
Listening to David Bowie
Listening to T-Rex
Christmas at the Potters
Winning a game of chess
Starting a new book
Finishing a book
Grant's voice on the phone
A perfectly executed prank
Beating Sirius at History
Beating Sirius at anything
Running through the forest at full pelt with Padfoot
Sirius Black's smile
Snogging Sirius...
"Ugh, focus!" Remus muttered angrily to himself as he stalked through the corridors towards the hospital wing. A group of first year Slytherins who happened to be walking past jumped at his outburst, then scurried away, whispering. Oh great, Remus thought, bet Snape's already told them all about Loony Lupin. Talking to yourself will really help...
He was on his way to his first study session with Madam Pomfrey and the students putting themselves forward for healer training, and using the spare time to list all of his very happiest memories. Only one memory in particular kept interrupting. If my patronus is a black dog, he told himself, I'll have to leave Hogwarts forever and never show my face again.
"Hello, Remus! What are you doing here?"
He had reached the hospital wing now, and found Marlene waiting outside, smiling at him, clutching a large textbook to her chest.
"Hiya," He smiled back, "I'm here for the healing lessons."
"Oh wow! I had no idea you wanted to be a healer!" She beamed.
"Er... well yeah, I mean I was just interested... how about you?"
"Oh yes, it's all I've ever wanted to be!" She said, proudly.
Remus tried not to look too taken aback. That felt like the sort of thing he ought to know about his friends - but then, Marlene had always been a bit more private than Lily or Mary.
Secretly, Remus had always felt a special fondness for Marlene. She was quiet and shy, like he was, less abrasive than Mary and less bossy than Lily. He remembered once, in a moment of confusion at the age of thirteen, having decided to fancy her. That embarrassed him now, but he had a feeling that if he told her, she'd see the humour in it. Actually, now that he thought about it, Marlene had the inherent good nature and sensible attitude that probably suited a healer.
Besides this, during Madam Pomfrey's lesson Marlene was clearly the stand out student. She seemed to know half the spells already, and the medi-witch approvingly told her she had a natural gift. Marlene flushed with pride at this, and Remus realised that it was the first time he'd seen her so confident. She had always seemed to unsure of herself before.
"Blimey, I should just start taking lessons from you!" He said, as they left the sick bay later that evening.
"Oh, shut up," she grinned, bashfully, "You'll be running rings around me once you've had the chance to catch up."
"Doubt it," he nudged her. "Don't want to be a professional beater, then?"
"Ha, no chance!" She laughed, "You should see the state my brother's in, and he's only been professional for a few years. Wouldn't mind being the healer for the Cannons, though. Or whatever team Potter gets drafted to - then I can still see you all after school finishes."
