Forged in Darkness (English) ON PAUSE

Chapter 6: Divided in Two

The night had passed with restless dreams and confused thoughts. In the morning, I woke up with the vivid memory of the nightmare from the previous night and the strange feeling that something dark was creeping into my mind. However, I didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts. I had a lesson with Lupin, and I knew it would be difficult to face.

When I entered the classroom, the tension in the air was palpable. Remus Lupin was already there, preparing for the lesson. Our eyes met for a moment, and I was overwhelmed by a wave of conflicting emotions. On one hand, there was the fear and uncertainty that the nightmare had left within me. On the other hand, there was something deeper and unexpected: the attraction I felt for him.

The lesson proceeded with difficulty. I tried to concentrate on what Lupin was explaining, but my mind kept wandering. With every word he spoke, I found myself searching for hidden meanings, wondering what he was really thinking. He seemed to sense my discomfort, and at one point, his eyes stopped on me, an expression of concern he couldn't hide.

"Sarah," Lupin said at the end of the lesson, stopping me before I could leave. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

I nodded, feeling my heart pound in my chest. The other students left the classroom, leaving us alone. He closed the door slowly, as if he were trying to buy time.

"I wanted to make sure you're okay," he began, his voice soft but laden with concern. "You had a... distant expression throughout the lesson."

I lowered my gaze, feeling the weight of his words. "It's nothing," I lied. "Just a tough night."

Lupin approached, closing the distance between us. "Sarah, if there's something troubling you, you can talk to me."

His tone was so gentle, so reassuring, that I felt my defenses crumble. I looked up, meeting his eyes, and without even realizing it, the words came out of my mouth. "I had a dream... about him."

Lupin seemed to tense for a moment, but his gaze remained fixed on mine. "Who, Sarah? Who are you talking about?"

"Voldemort," I whispered, and the room suddenly felt colder. "It was so real... so terrifying."

He looked at me for a long moment, as if weighing what to say. Then, with a swift gesture, he took my hands in his. The contact made me shiver, but I did nothing to pull away. "Sarah," he began, his voice low and intense, "you must be strong. Don't let him into your mind."

I looked at him, feeling a strange connection between us, something that went beyond teacher and student. It was as if, in that moment, we were two souls seeking comfort in each other. And then, without thinking, I stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

It was an unexpected kiss, filled with suppressed emotions. Lupin stood still for a moment, surprised, but then he responded to the kiss, pulling me close. The outside world seemed to disappear, leaving just the two of us in that moment of intimacy. I felt the warmth of his body against mine, his hand gently resting on my cheek.

But suddenly, Lupin pulled away, breathing heavily. "Sarah... we can't," he murmured, shaking his head as if trying to dispel a thought. "It's wrong."

I felt overwhelmed by a flood of emotions: confusion, desire, shame. "I'm sorry," I whispered, stepping back. "I don't know what came over me."

He looked at me with an expression I couldn't decipher, a mix of sadness and regret. "You don't have to apologize, Sarah. But we must be careful. There are things at stake... that we can't ignore."

I nodded, trying to hold back tears. "You're right. We must... we must forget this ever happened."

Lupin stepped back, taking a deep breath. "Yes, maybe that's for the best." Then, with a slight smile, he added, "But if you ever need to talk, I'll always be here."

His words were a comfort, but I knew that nothing would ever be the same between us. I left the classroom, my heart still in turmoil, trying to make sense of my thoughts. But the confusion was too great.

Later that evening, I met Fred in the corridors. He greeted me with his usual carefree smile, and for a moment, I was grateful for his light and reassuring presence. We decided to take a walk in the gardens, trying to get away from the oppressive walls of the castle.

As we walked, Fred managed to make me laugh with his jokes and wild stories. It seemed that for a while, I could forget everything that had happened during the day. But then, when we reached the edge of the lake, the tone of the conversation changed.

"Sarah," Fred said, stopping and looking at me with a more serious expression. "There's something I need to tell you."

I looked at him, feeling my heart race. "What is it, Fred?"

He hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words. "You know I care about you, right? And I don't just mean as a friend."

Those words hit me like a bolt of lightning. Before I could respond, Fred stepped closer and took my hand. "I don't know what will happen tomorrow or in the days to come, but I know that what I feel for you is real."

I felt my cheeks flush, my heart pounding wildly. "Fred, I..."

But he didn't let me finish. He leaned in, and in a sweet and gentle gesture, he kissed me. It was a different kiss from the one with Lupin, but no less intense. There was sweetness, but also passion, a mix of emotions that made my head spin.

When he pulled away, Fred looked at me with eyes full of expectations and uncertainty. "Sarah, I don't know what this means to you, but for me... it means a lot."

I felt torn in two. On one side was Fred, with his simplicity and genuine affection. On the other, there was Lupin, with his mystery and the bond I felt with him. I didn't know what to say, I didn't know how to explain the confusion I felt inside.

In the end, I could only manage to say: "I care about you too, Fred. But... I need time to understand what I really feel."

Fred nodded, his smile a little sad but understanding. "I understand. Take all the time you need. I'll be here."

We walked towards the castle in silence, each lost in our thoughts. I knew things were getting complicated, but I couldn't help but feel grateful for Fred and his patience.

That night, as I fell asleep, my thoughts crowded my mind. Two kisses, two different people, and a confusion that seemed to never go away. I didn't know how I was going to handle all this, but I knew nothing would ever be the same again.

The situation was getting more and more complicated. I'm 14 years old, and this year new emotions have grown within me, like love. I'm torn between Fred and Lupin, and I'm afraid of what's happening to me. Why did I dream of the Dark Lord? Then there's school, which is getting harder and harder; there are many more subjects now, and because of that, the lessons have extended a lot, now lasting until 4:00.

Among all these thoughts, I managed to find a solution: tomorrow is Saturday, so there's no school, and I'll ask Hermione if she wants to sleep over with me, so I can ask her for help.

Author's Note

Sarah is torn between Fred and Lupin. Over these months, she has grown close to her professor, but she knows that what she did was wrong, yet she can't ignore her feelings for him. At the same time, she feels something for Fred, who always manages to make her feel like a child again. Remus and Fred also represent Sarah's two inner states: Lupin is a metaphor for responsibility and danger and is tied to the dark world (therefore also with Voldemort), while Fred represents the happy and carefree part of Sarah.

Do you like this idea? I think it's really cute.

Which team are you on? Team Fred or Team Remus?? 🤨🙃