The Collision Theory | Remus Lupin

28. At The Most Inconvenient Time

"I've finished all my dinner Madame Pomfrey!" I beam as she walks over to my bed, "I can go now right?"

"Very well," she sighs, handing me my shoes, "but you need to rest tonight, no staying up late. You'll need to take this as well."

I take off my glasses, squinting at the absurdly small label, "Sleeping draft?"

"To help," she presses it into my palm, "Mr Lupin told me you were having some problems with sleep."

"He did?"

"Yes, now on with you," she pushes me towards the door, "before I change my mind."

"Thanks for patching me up." I shout just before she slams the huge oak door.

"Right," I look around the darkened corridor, not really liking the thought of being at the mercy of my imagination. Literally every ghost story is popping up in my head right now, "Lumos."

I start off at a hurried pace, ignoring the stinging on every part of me in favour of being in a less creepy part of the castle. The sun's just set, and so a meek stream of grey hue barely just seeps in through the windows I pass, accompanied by the blue light of my wand. It actually looks rather pretty, with the blue glinting off of the snowflakes-
THUD.

I flatten against the wall immediately, ears straining for another noise. There's a small scrape this time, followed by the rustling of fabric.
No footsteps though.
Whatever it is isn't human.
Think fast think fast.
What offensive spells do I remember?
Bloody adrenaline, "Incendio!"

"What the- PROTEGO!" I hear the voice screech, "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!- Oh Aylin..."

STUPID STUPID STUPID OVER-IMAGINATION. I almost incinerated Peter Pettigrew because of my stupid paranoia, "Oh my God Peter I'm so sorry!"

He clears his throat and laughs nervously, tucking his wand away, a plate of brownies in one of his hands, "Lucky I didn't drop these, huh?"

"Yeah..." I force out a laugh, "or they could've been burnt."

"You rejoining society again then?" He begins walking, and I'm more than happy to follow, given that probably walking the castle alone will result in someone's death, "After quarantine?"

"Yeah Pomfrey just let me out," I shrug, not daring to look him in the eye, "fifteen minutes and I'm already causing trouble."

He chuckles, waving it off, "I'm just happy that you're okay, everyone's missed you being around. Brownie?"

"Thanks." I take one shyly, nibbling on it as we enter the better lit parts of the castle,"And here's me thinking I annoyed everyone I met."

"Nah I knew you were cool since that fateful night when you got detention in Astronomy."

"Why?"

"Well," He shrugs, "me, James and Sirius are tight on friendships. If you don't support werewolf rights you're on our hit list."

"So all your pranks..." I frown.

He smirks, pushing his blond fringe out of his pale eyes, "They were at least partially justified."

*

"Shortstack!" An arm yanks me into an almighty bear hug the moment I step into the common room.

I'm engulfed by the smell of mint and cigarettes, "It's Lin, Black."

"Please," he pulls back and ruffles my hair, "and you can call me Sirius."