The Wolf's Den [Remus Lupin]

33 - Let The Truth Sting

CW: Mentions/shows abuse

-Alula-

The girls and I had stayed up very late chatting and I'd even started to tell them a bit of the drama that had happened at home. We were at breakfast getting our schedules from McGonagall and tried not to stare at the lads.

"Now Miss Lestrange, after our conversation last term I wasn't sure if you still wanted to keep Ancient Runes on your schedule. Have you made up your mind?"

"Yes, Professor. I'd like to drop it."

"And you, Miss Fortescue, are you dropping it as well?"

"Yeah, I don't think I'm doing well enough to keep it..." Alice sighed. "I wish I'd taken Muggle Studies."

I tried to hold my laughter which earned me a harsh glare. "Fine, here are your schedules."

Mary ended up dropping Arithmancy so Alice and I felt much better about getting rid of a class. My parents weren't pleased when I told them but I didn't mind.

Our first class back was Charms and Flitwick seemed so happy to be back. Since I hadn't been doing well in Charms I hoped having him back might help me get my grades up.

After our break, we had one session of Transfiguration with McGonagall and then lunch, leaving my afternoon empty until dinner. Marlene and Alice also had the same time off as me but Alice wanted to decorate before the end of the week. After lunch, Marly and I decided to go around the castle and explore before the year got too busy. After four years, I thought I couldn't learn anything else about the castle but we found a quicker shortcut to the Muggle Studies classroom and a passage behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy.

"We'll have to come back," Marlene chuckled. "I want to know where it leads."

"If it doesn't stay within school grounds, we gotta be careful not to get caught."

"Get caught doing what?" Alice asked as we walked into the dorm. We explained about the tunnel and said we had to go back as soon as possible. I bid them farewell and made my way downstairs to meet Gemini for tea.

When I got there, she was waiting for me in front of the kitchen entrance. "Hey!"

"Hey, how are you?"

"Good! Come, I already asked the elves for snacks." She smiled and I nodded. She has a kettle boiling already and I complimented her wand work before sitting down. "So, how are your friends?"

It was an odd question coming from Gem but I answered it nonetheless. "They're alright. Lily's family's been having some money issues but she's been working a lot to help them out. Marlene's parents have been doing much better than they were when I stayed with them during the Christmas holiday."

I took another sip of tea and continued telling her about everyone. I asked her a few similar things about her friends and she told me about the Slytherins. They seemed to all respect her and I hoped she'd found real friendships in most of these people.

"Have you spoken to Henry at all?" She asked and my stomach did a flip.

I sighed. "Not since last week, why? Has something happened?"

"No he's fine," she grabbed one of the shortbreads and took a bite. "I just know that Father and Aunt Elladora got into some huge shouting match about his future and so he's been really down lately."

"What did Father have to say about his future?" I scoffed and my brain started to tick. I hoped they wouldn't want Henry to join Voldemort. He didn't speak about the war often but never wanted to upset the family and I worried his time was running out before someone forced his hand.