moony and wood | r. lupin

scary things

"haven't i shown you?"

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

September 1993

Remus Lupin's Office

Evie's face went warm as Remus handed her the quill she had been missing, their fingers brushing as she accepted it.

She felt so flustered– it was like her sixth year all over again, crushing over Remus like a silly teenager. She couldn't really help it though. Remus had always had this way with her that no one else quite did.

"Did you ever figure out what to do for your lesson with the third years?" Evie asked.

Remus had been enthusiastic about reconnecting with Evie, to which she rejoiced. It felt so nice to be able to catch up with someone from her childhood, and even more so pleasing that it was Remus of all people. Though he could be somewhat curt and logical, he was also warm-hearted, compassionate, and kind– especially towards Evie in particular, whether she recognized it or not. He was everything Evie remembered and knew him to be. It was like a breath of fresh air, being around him.

They spent plenty of time talking about the whole teaching gig too, to which Remus was still very new to. As they sat in Remus's office, it seemed like a decent opportunity for Evie to bring it up.

Remus's eyes lit up. "Oh, I did. Haven't I shown you?"

Evie frowned. "No...? I don't believe you have–"

He quickly pulled her to her feet by the hand, and she was suddenly being dragged out of the room. "You have to see this."

As Remus pulled her along by the hand quickly through the corridors (probably to avoid Peeves the Poltergeist, who insisted on tormenting them at every corner), Evie endlessly pestered him with the same curious question 'where are you taking me?' followed by a teasing 'Remus, I will push you down the staircase if you don't tell me,' until eventually, they wound up at the place Evie least expected him to take her.

"The staff room?" She looked at him suspiciously.

"Do you remember, in the fifth year, when Professor Winkletiff made us go out to the courtyard and practice the disarming spell, and James spotted that bug on the ground?"

Evie gave him an even more baffled look. Of course she remembered it– they never let James live it down. He had gotten so scared that he hopped onto Peter's back, but Peter hadn't been expecting it and fell over, James tumbling onto him. That was the day they learned of James's irrational fear of bugs.

"Yeah, I remember– what does that have to do with the staff room?"

"I'll show you," Remus grinned, tugging her into the room.

It was deserted except for a lone house elf, who was seemingly replenishing the fruit basket on the table.

They paid the house elf no mind, merely giving kind passing smiles, as Remus charged towards the back of the room, straight to the old wardrobe in the corner.

"What's in the staff room that has any importance to–"

"Now, wait, Evie–"

Before any more words could be exchanged, a loud thump resonated through the room, the doors of the wardrobe flying open and smacking against the wall behind them. Evie stumbled back, dazed and confused.

Before her was the last thing she could expect to see.

Out of the wardrobe rolled a lump– a body, Evie realized, making her let out a high-pitched yelp as she jumped back in stunned, disgusted shock.

But after further examination, the skin of the body was a horrible green tinge and was seeping out water, drenched and dripping. Then for a split moment, Evie experienced some sort of brain malfunction– she knew that shade of long, wet brown hair. Looking for another traumatizing few moments revealed a familiar shaped nose– her own.

It was her own body, dead on the floor, in front of them.

Outright alarmed and largely confused, she jumped backwards again, this time into Remus, who quickly moved to hold a supportive arm around her before stepping towards the swelled body on the floor.

She let out some kind of noise between a strangle and a whimper, then Remus reassured her, "don't you worry–" the body on the floor suddenly disappeared off the ground, transforming swiftly into a glowing orb– the moon.

It finally registered in Evie's head what was happening right as Remus cried, "Riddikulus!"

The image of the moon before them shrunk up into a pale button, falling on the floor. With another wave of his wand, Remus sent it flying back into the wardrobe, quickly pressing his body against the door as he clicked it shut.

A moment passed as he gave a sheepish smile to Evie, whose eyes were wide with part terror and part shock for what had just happened.

"I guess I didn't close it firmly enough," Remus grimaced, jiggling the handle of the wardrobe again. "But it's closed now, no harm."

He glanced back to Evie, catching the way her jaw was slack with a look of 'what-in-the-world-did-I-just-witness?'

"Evie–"

"A boggart?"

"Yes!" Remus grinned, enthusiastic. "I thought it was a brilliant idea, it's very hands-on, and will get them to try something new for their first lesson. I'd hate to stick their noses in a textbook for any longer than they'll have to be."

"Yes, brilliant, but–" she shoved him gently, her look of shock replaced with a smile of disbelief. "A little warning might've been nice,"

Remus barked a laugh. "I am sorry about that. Really. But the look on your face was a little priceless."

She shoved him again, scolding. "Remus!"

"What was your fear, anyway?"

She rolled her eyes. "Drowning. Don't you remember?"

A look of recognition flashed behind Remus's eyes. "Ah, yes,"

Moving to leave the staff room, he sent her an apologetic look, paired with a small smile that said he wasn't all that genuinely apologetic, but mildly entertained. "I'm sorry, Evie, I am. I should've said something."

Evie gave a smile, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know, Moony, I think maybe it's time I got you back for all those merciless pranks you pulled in school,"

"What?" Remus looked taken aback, gasping dramatically. "The pranks I pulled? They weren't my idea–!"

Evie and Remus returned back up the flights of stairs, laughing to themselves and making fun, feeling much akin to the teenagers they used to be.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾