Ad Infinitum (Remus Lupin X Reader)

XXXIII • Pugna

XXXIII • Pugna • Fight

It was like the switch had been flipped again.

As soon as it seemed as though Remus would treat me normally again, he shut down. He ignored me during class time, not asking me to help with anything, and when the students tried to include me in conversations, he was quick to reign them back in.

"Professor Lupin, is there anything I can help with?" I asked as he dismissed his second class of the day.

"No, I'll ask if I need help," he said.

"Okay, well, there has to be something I can do rather than sit here all day and be ignored," I said, my irritation growing.

"I'm sorry that you find class time so miserable. Why don't you study your Latin if you're so bored," he said as the sixth years began to file through the door.

"That's not-" I cut myself off and tried to calm myself down. "Alright." I sat down at my desk and pulled out my Latin book and began to read through it. As soon as the class started, however, I found Remus's voice too distracting.

If he's going to pretend I'm not here, then I see no need to be here.

I stood from my seat and quietly left the room. I had to calm myself down before I snapped at him because, knowing myself, it would happen when there were students around.

"Evoles ut ira breve nefas sit; regna," I mumbled to myself.

Rise, that your anger may be a brief evil; control it.

I took a deep breath and wandered through the corridors, trying to get control over my temper. I made several loops through the Serpentine Corridor, focusing on my breathing. There was no reason for me to be angry, not really. Sure, Remus was being immature and ridiculous-

No, he probably wasn't intending to be. It was a Monday, by far the most stressful day in his schedule. He was just stressed, not intentionally ignoring me.

If it's the busiest day in his schedule, why isn't he letting me help? He's obviously acting this way because of the night after I went to Hogsmeade with Professor Baker.

I took another deep breath, pushing the thought to the back of my head.

The only known bilingual palindrome, found in a Latin phrase.

Anger, 'tis safe never. Bar it! Use love.

Easily one of the most recognizable quotes in Latin, but only because of its classification as a bilingual palindrome. Only made important because of what it could mean in English, its meaning often ignored or overshadowed by its English counterpart. Ignored.

Just like Remus was ignoring me.

Yet I was making decisions based on my anger.

I huffed and ran my hands through my hair. I was acting just as bad as he was, reacting immaturely. I shouldn't have left the class, no matter how juvenile he was. I took a few deep breaths and returned to the classroom, entering at the same time as the students left.

"Where did you go?" he asked immediately once the door was closed.

"Does it matter?" I asked, my anger immediately reappearing when I saw him, expanding, hot and explosive in my chest and my skull.

"What if I needed you here?"

"Did you?"

"It doesn't matter. You don't get paid to storm out of here like a child," he said.

"Do you get a bonus for being insufferable?" I asked, watching him set his jaw.

"You-"

The door opened and students began to file in. Remus' head snapped in the direction of the door. He shut his mouth and glared at me.