'Tell Me Pretty Lies,' by moongirlel

Chapter 10: Rift

[TV - Billie Eilish]

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Thur. 16th September 1993 - 10:33am...

I still found myself shaken up, and unable to sit comfortably in Lupin's office.

I heard the door open behind me, and moments later he enters, immediately sifting through his desk.

He lifts pages out, reaching for an unopened bar of chocolate from Honey Dukes underneath them all.

"Here, this will help. Eat this." He said, handing me the whole bar.

I accept the bar, carefully unwrapping it to break a piece off for myself.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions, don't worry, you're not in any trouble." He reassured me as I ate, leaning back against the front of his desk.

I nod my head, neatly folding the wrapper closed to prevent spoilage of the food.

"Do you have any thought on who your Boggart was?" He asked me, keeping his tone calm and considerate.

"He was the man who broke into the castle... The man looking for my brother." I answered.

"Yes - But do you know his name?"

I shake my head, "No, Professor. I don't... Not now anyways, I can't recall it... If I'm supposed to know."

"Alright," He paused, reaching for a wanted poster in the paper pile. "That's alright. I didn't expect you to," He holds the page out to me.

Once I lay my eyes on the page, my face turns pale. An uncomfortable shiver runs down my spine. "Sirius Black?"

"Sirius Black." He repeated back to me, confirming my question.

"But when I...-"

He cuts me off, "Yes, yes - I know. I know what the other Professors told you. We shall keep this conversation and event between ourselves. But you didn't imagine anything that night. I seen him too. That's why I ran off, to find him."

"Do you think he's still in the castle?"

"Possibly... Although, I cannot be so sure about that. Best to keep your wits about you, Jane. You've got a cunning mind, but don't be too reckless about this. Alright?"

"Okay."

"Good, now... I think you should head to your next class, before they have my head for keeping you here."

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4:15pm...

"And he said Sirius Black is in the castle?" Ron questioned, "Lupin told you that?"

I sat on the field near the Quidditch pitch with my Gryffindor friends, and my brother.

My concentration in my classes for the rest of the day wavered - I couldn't help but let my mind run laps on the Sirius Black situation....

So, I had to clear my head - And tell my friends.

Everything - Everything from the night in the hallway, to Dumbledore's office, to Lupin's words after class today.

"No," I sigh. "He didn't exactly say that, he heavily implied it."

"Implying is a good enough answer for me." Neville mumbles, as he fiddled with his hands.

"That doesn't matter. What matters is the Professors played me out to be a fool, and yet one of them said he seen Black roaming around in the castle!" I yell, groaning when I watch my brother shake his head.

Harry pushed his glasses up, "They wouldn't of told everyone it was a lie and misunderstanding if they didn't have a good reason to."

"So you're saying that it was deserved? I deserved to be treated like a fucking idiot?" I stand, "Whenever one of them knew I was telling the truth, and he said absolutely nothing about it to the rest of them?!"

"No." He did the same, lifting himself from the ground. "No - All I'm saying is that Dumbledore and McGonagall wouldn't of asked you to keep quiet on the issue if it wasn't important."

I scoff, and he continues.

His attention turns to Hermione and Ron beside him on the grass. "They must of already knew Black was in the castle. And, if we were in the same house, we could of came with you to the tower that night. Right, guys?"

"Yes."
"Yeah."
They nod.

Neville did too.

"They were protecting you. Dumbledore, he... he's a great man, he's protected us many times before. You know this."

"You. He's protected you-" He cuts me off, arguing back.

"Look, I'm just trying to put things into perspective for you-"

"Perspective?" I repeat, my tone laced with disgust. "No, the only reason they treated me that way is because of the fact that I'm not in Gryffindor! It's this unnecessary favouritism he has towards you all! The situation would of been handled completely differently if it was you!"

I shoved my hand into Harry's chest.

"Jane, we're only trying to help you." Hermione said, shaking her head.

"Well, you guys are just making this a lot more worse than it needs to be! I came here to tell you guys what the problem is, not to be lectured on how I can get Dumbledore to believe me! Past his narcissistic tendencies, and favouritism towards your house! Because we all know damn well that he won't!"

Hermione opened her mouth, once no words exit, she looked down at her book she held against her lap.

I spot Harry's expression twist into one of pure anger.

"No. You know what? Fine. We'll live this from your perspective then. If you don't want our help, then you can fuck off." His words shocked me, "Go cry to Malfoy about this - Since you've been spending an awfully long amount of time with him. Plus, he's in the same house as you, surely he'll understand you more than we ever will!"

Ron cleared his throat, and Neville avoided my gaze.

I huff, snatching my bag and wand from the grass. I pick up my robes, brushing the loose grass blades off it.

I didn't take a second glance, or create another thought on the argument, flouncing up the hill towards the castle.

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