Caress - A Remus Lupin Fanfiction

First Day

The next morning, I walk with Brianna down to breakfast.

Brianna and I get on really good and we share similar interests with muggle vinyls, we both plan on taking up Flitwick's music classes in 3rd year, and she hates boys.

Once we get to the Great Hall and I see Lupin at the Gryffindor table looking at his class schedule. His head is resting in the palm of his hand, and his eyes look like they're having difficulty not completely closing to sleep. He looks up and sees me staring at him. My eyes widen and I awkwardly wave. He smiles and waves back and begins a conversation with Black.

Brianna doesn't seem to notice and we sit down at the Ravenclaw table.

Flitwick comes by and asks us our names so that he can find our schedules. "McNeal." Brianna answers.

He hands her a timetable and asks for my name.

"Watson," I reply.

We match our timetables and see that afterward we both go to Defense Against the Dark Arts with Slytherins.

Everyone seemed to not really like Slytherin, to me, it looks like they're judging the Slytherin house based on stereotypes. Snape hadn't seemed evil or cruel to me.

"I wonder what we'll be learning!" Brianna whispers excitedly. She grips my arm and I grip hers and we continue whispering excitedly.

After we're done eating breakfast, we head to the floor above to be early to class. There are couple of people waiting, but classes haven't officially begun yet. Snape arrives shortly after us and I say hello, he greets me as well and continues reading his book.

Eventually, the teacher arrives.

The teacher is a young, tall man with hazel eyes and honey colored hair. He introduces himself to the class, "Hello everybody, my name is Professor Rockwell. I graduated from Hogwarts about three years ago from Ravenclaw." I sit up straight at the name of Ravenclaw. "I'm happy to be back, only this time, as a giver." He looks at me and smiles, I smile back.

"Today, I'd like you to open up to page one of your textbook to have a fresh start." Everyone pulls out their textbooks, they start turning pages.

He starts with a lesson that introduces basic spells and the purpose of Defense Against the Dark Arts. He collects our assignment and instructs us to read the next chapter.

Brianna and I have Charms next with Gryffindors. We climb another set of stairs, and see the classroom door open and students entering. "This is the class I've been most excited for," I say to Brianna. Until I hear what's supposed to be an imitation of a female voice say with exaggerated mock-excitement, "Oh yes! Charms are the most helpful and it's most likely you'll get top marks because Flitwick will favor the Ravenclaws!"

I turn around and see that it's Potter making fun of me.

My face shows how unamused I am. Brianna and I lock arms and look the other way.

"Oh come on, Watson, don't be so stuck-up! We were just kidding! It's not like you'd expect Remus to save you in a situation like that! Because even he knows we were just having a laugh!" Black says as he slings an arm around Potter.

I turn around to stop and say, "I did not expect Lupin to save me, I don't depend on the help of boys."

They both laugh, "So, you don't have a crush on Remus?"

But this point Brianna, Pettigrew, and Lupin are all watching.

"I do not. For your information, that's not what I'm here at school for. Boys will only hold me back from achieving my goals." I say indignantly. "Well if you'll excuse us, Brianna and I take our learning very seriously and need to be in class now."

I turn on my heel and Brianna and I walk into Flitwick's class.

I can still hear them mocking me and I keep my head held high. Brianna and I take seats in the front of the classroom.

"Good morning, Professor Flitwick." Brianna says.

"Good morning." He replies.

I'm too distracted to say anything and I can still feel the urge to turn around and push Potter and Black to the floor.

After the class is over I go to Herbology with Hufflepuff, Potions with Hufflepuff, then to lunch, Transfiguration with Slytherin, and History of Magic with Gryffindor.

At lunch I could hear Potter and Black at their table loudly saying, "I don't depend on the help of boys!"

Later, at dinner, I see Professor Rockwell reading a book while he played with his kidney pie. He's eyes are transfixed on the text and he seems so intelligent. If I had to choose a male to be with, it wouldn't be some boy who could barely hold his wand correctly, it would be someone like Professor Rockwell. Remus is nice, but I remember the way I felt about our encounter yesterday. I realize that I was simply flustered and appreciated Remus' maturity at the moment and his handsome features aren't something that are important. Rockwell is an actual man, so it's okay that I admire him. He's not a silly boy.