R.J. Lupin | Sunlit Hugs and Moonlit Kisses

Chapter 1

"Do not be afraid;

Our fate cannot be taken from us; it is a gift."

- Dante Alighieri

1993

Diagon Alley is an old-fashioned street lined with quaint buildings that house traditional shops that serve a wizard's every need. Whether those were new robes from Madam Malkin's, a deposit made at Gringgotts, or potion supplies from Mr. Mulpepper's apothecary shop, Diagon Alley had it all.

Witches and wizards bustled through the cobblestone streets, their laughter and chatter blending into the hum of magical energy. Alethea Grindle had just about finished rounding up all of the materials she'd be needing for her N.E.W.T. classes this year. Carefully stowed away in her tote shoulder bag was her new Nimbus 2001 (after shrinking).  

A Nimbus 2001 would do her nicely for this year's Quidditch season—much better than her Cleansweep Five that had snapped in half at the end of her sixth year. 

It might've happened during a fit of rage when it was announced that the Quidditch House Cup was cancelled and Ravenclaw had been in the lead. (It wouldn't have been an issue if Dumbledore knew what was in his castle, but she didn't want to specifically blame anyone.) This loss just meant she was more determined than ever to win.

Now she was on her way back to Flourish and Blott's, where she had ordered her schoolbooks earlier in the day, so she just had to pick them up before meeting her two best friends—Estella Fox and Adelyn Longbottom, along with some of their classmates at the Leaky Cauldron. 

Humming to herself the tune of 'Linger' a song that was just released by 'The Cranberries', an amazing muggle band, Alethea admired all of the young witches and wizards around her. They were accompanied by their families—some muggles, other wizards (it was easy to differentiate between the two groups), with the children dragging their parents towards a particular store buzzing with excitement.

She could remember when she and her mother travelled by floo here before her first year, and she was so excited to get a wand of her own that when they went to Ollivander's, she started practising wand movements with an imaginary wand and accidentally set his hair on fire. 

Or before her fifth year, when she was permitted to shop alone for the first time and accidentally wound up in Knockturn Alley. Where she had walked straight into a man with long, pale blonde hair and steely grey eyes. Eyes that had widened in recognition as he briefly glanced at her before he scurried away. That had been quite a peculiar experience for Alethea, as she hadn't the faintest on who that strange man was.  

Deciding not to dwell on the odd events that she had experienced in Diagon Alley over the years, she allowed a small smile to creep up on her face as she entered the bookstore. The bell above her rang obnoxiously, the scent of parchment and ink wrapping around her like an old, familiar cloak. 

Books floated lazily in the air, their pages fluttering with enchantments. The counter was unmanned, so she decided to browse while waiting for her order to be ready.

She passed the lone table placed before the staircase to the second level, where Gilderoy Lockhart had his book signing this time last year. Merlin did she hate him; not only was he a horrid teacher but a fraud as well.

Men like Lockhart repulsed her, and she could only pray to every god out there that for her final year she had a competent Defence teacher. Oh, what she would give to not have to teach herself this year. 

She instinctively gravitated toward an aisle dedicated to plants and potion-making. She was most at home in spaces like these—surrounded by knowledge she could use to nurture life, to create something new. Her fingers brushed the spines of books as she walked, her thoughts wandering to ideas of potions she could brew to aid her magical creatures.