UNDER THE MOON, Remus Lupin

ix.

QUEEN OF HEARTS

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Fred should've known not to trust a girl named 'Alice.'

They're always too curious for their own good. There's a book and a movie to prove it. He'd always thought of his Alice as normal. But she was completely bonkers. Touched. What had she done? Nothing that she hasn't been doing the last few days.

But he began to notice some particulars. When Professor Lupin was out, Alice was so much more bored. As soon as he was back, she was perky, smiling more so than usual, and raised her hand constantly. Not to mention that she was missing more often. Lunch? No sign of her in the Great Hall. Breakfast? Didn't show. Dinner? Rare occasion.

Now that quidditch was starting up, Fred wondered if he'd even get to see her on the field. He speculated that she'd miss that too.

There was a time when she was worse than Oliver Wood toward her obsession with quidditch. Granted, Alice toned it down in 6th year. But it was 7th year and she'd barely made an utterance about Quidditch. And she was the captain. She couldn't just forget, could she?

After Professor Lupin's class was over, Fred got up and immediately left, ignoring that Alice tried to communicate with him. He didn't want to hear it. He was questioning trusting her. He was questioning all of it.

"What was that all about?" Zephyr asked Alice.

Alice just sighed. "I don't know. He's been like that since Thursday. I'll see you later."

Zephyr hip-bumped her and then left. Alice turned around, the same routine. "How are you, Professor? It's been a few days."

Truthfully, he was exhausted and still sore. But for her, he was fine. "I'm quite alright, Alice. How have you been these past few days."

"Well... I missed my favorite teacher, that's for sure."

She definitely had some sort of hold over him. Just a few weeks into school, and Alice had Remus Lupin wrapped around her fingers. "I missed my favorite student."

"I know you did. I can tell by how you wouldn't stop calling on me all class." Alice playfully chewed her bottom lip, rocking on her feet.

Professor Lupin ignored her and rolled his eyes. But he was still smiling. "I hope Professor Snape wasn't too hard on you guys."

Alice walked over to his desk and tiredly slammed her hands down. "We were constantly learning about werewolves. I'm basically a werewolf myself, I've read so much about them."

Professor Lupin swallowed like there was a stone in his throat and nodded. That was very bad. "I see. He should not have been teaching any of you that. I had a lesson plan..."

Alice could tell how nervous he'd become. "Are you alright? If it means anything, I didn't have half as much fun learning with him as I do with you."

"You should get to your next class, Alice. McGonagall despises tardiness." He walked her to the door, hand brushing against her lower back that entire way.

"Can I come by later? Or would you rather I don't?" Her stance shifted restlessly.

"I always want you to come by, Alice." A subtle part of him was hoping she'd kiss him on the cheek again.

Alice beamed at him. "I'll see you then." She bumped his shoulder with a jump, then made her way to Transfiguration.

Whatever Snape was trying to hint at, Remus didn't appreciate it. It was none of the students' business of his lycanthropy. Alice was brilliant. Sooner or later, she'd figure it out. Remus was counting on later rather than sooner. And that was the day that Remus dreaded over all the others. He would lose the one person who made him feel cared about recently. Remus was aware that both Sirius Black and Harry Potter cared about him. But Sirius wasn't here, and Harry was just a boy who had friends he'd prefer to spend his time with.