Fire Whiskey in the Moonlight (Remus Lupin)

Chapter Five: Thank Merlin for Best Friends

The last thing I wanted to do was talk to people at lunch and pretend like nothing was wrong. Talk about what we thought of the new DADA professor and how we thought this year was going to go. The last thing I wanted to do was pretend like Remus hadn't just plunged a dagger into my stomach and twisted it. But I knew after missing the feast last night and breakfast this morning, missing another meal would cause my friends to ask questions and I didn't want to have to lie to them more than I already would have to now. So I walked down to the Great Hall, suppressing my urge to scream and knock things down and plastered a smile on my face as I walked through the giant doors.

Tyler and Eric were already at the Gryffindor table stuffing their faces with sandwiches; crumbs spewing out of their mouths as they spoke without swallowing.

"I think it is great we get to tell Professor Lupin what we want the course to look like this year!" Tyler mumbled through his ham and cheese.

"I want to learn more curses!" Spat Eric, "I figure the more I know the easier it will be to break them."

"So you've finally decided on becoming a curse-breaker after graduation?" I said sitting down across from the boys.

"Yeah! Percy's older brother is a curse-breaker in Egypt, he was telling me all about their trip to visit him. His brother's life sounds awesome, it sealed the deal for me. What about you Viv, any chance you've decided you want to be an Auror again?"

"I still don't know." I frowned sitting down.

"I know you are worried about your parents but you said yourself that they are doing better. Trish would want you to go after what you want." He said kindly.

"Thanks Eric." My frown had changed into a small smile.

"Well, I know what you are going to end up doing Viv." Tyler added knowingly.

"And what would that be?"

"You are gonna stay in the wizarding world of course! Our kids are going to have to play quidditch and they can't exactly do that with a bunch of muggles."

"Our kids? Really Ty?" I sighed.

"Well, I assume after we get married we are going to want to have some kids."

"I'll marry you when the Chamber of Secrets opens again," I said venomously.

"I'll talk to Harry, I'm sure he could help me out with that."

"So, what do you guys think of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" Eric said, trying to change the subject.

I looked up at the head table to see Remus eating his lunch and talking with Professor Sprout, our previous conversation clearly having no effect on him. I felt a ping in my chest as I heard him laugh loudly at something Sprout had said.

"I think he's a jerk," I stated, turning back to Tyler and Eric. "Who gives essays on the first day of classes, Snape has never even done that!"

Both boys looked at me with shock on their faces. "But he gave us the whole class period off to work on it," Eric defended.

"Ya, and the essay is on what we want to learn, no other professor lets us help shape the curriculum!" Tyler added.

Katie appeared behind me, grabbing a seat to my left, "How great is Professor Lupin?"

"That's what we were just talking about, Vivian doesn't like him," Eric informed our friend.

"How can you not like him? He's totally chill!"

The rest of lunch was filled by my friends trying to convince me that Remus would be a great teacher and that we were lucky to have him. At least there were pumpkin pasties on the table that I could drown my sorrows in.