Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 6

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"Ten minutes to go," the examiner called out to the potions students in the Great Hall. A warm beam of sunlight made its way through the clouds and shone down onto Auriga and the students around her as she tried to remember the final ingredient for the wit-sharpening potion.

The answer came to her just as the examiner called, "That's time. Everybody please put your quills down." She hastily scribbled the answer and put her quill down just as the examiner collected her paper. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Auriga laughed with the other potions students as they left the Great Hall to go and enjoy the remains of the summer sun. She'd done it. Her very last NEWT exam. No more revising, no more studying. Just reading whatever she felt like under the tree by the lake for a whole month until she had to go home.

*****

Auriga made her way through the Ministry's winding corridors. She wasn't really sure where she was going - it was her first time on level five. Finally, she reached the door marked, Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department for International Magical Co-operation. She took a deep breath and knocked tentatively. She wasn't nervous - not really. She just really wanted it to go well.

"Enter," Crouch's voice called from inside. Auriga opened the door and plastered a smile on her face. "Miss Malfoy," Crouch said, shaking his hand firmly, "Please have a seat." She obliged, placing her bag on the floor next to her set and folding her hands neatly in her lap. "So," he said, leaning forward, "Your application is very impressive. You have...ten OWLs, I believe?"

"Yes, sir," she said.

"All Os except on E in herbology. Is there a particular reason for that?"

"Ah, yes. I wasn't particularly good at handling the moving plants without using magic. It let me down in the practical examination," she explained.

"Well," Crouch said, flicking through her application form, "I think an E can be forgiven." They both chuckled and continued with the interview. They spoke about how she was finding her NEWTs, her experience as a prefect and then head girl, the different languages she spoke and why she wanted to work in International Magical Co-operation. An hour later, both were smiling and they shook hands and bid goodbye.

"Please owl your NEWT results directly to me when you receive them so I can see how well suited you'd be for the job," Crouch said as he held the door open for her to leave.

"I will, Mr Crouch," Auriga promised with a charming smile, "Thank you for your time." She headed back the way she came filled with relief. It seemed it had gone well.

*****

Auriga watched as everyone jumped off the Hogwarts express at platform nine and three quarters laughing with their families as they were reunited, and struggling to haul their huge trunks everywhere. All her fellow seventh-years were saying their final goodbyes to each other, while trying to avoid the first-years, all of whom had grown a few inches taller since they were last here. "Auriga!" a voice called out from behind her. She turned to see Nymphadora approaching her, her hair Hufflepuff yellow.

"It looked better blue," Auriga said with a faint smile.

"Yeah, but I'm celebrating," Nymphadora replied with a shrug and a grin, "So I'll see you around, then? At the Ministry and stuff?"

"I don't know-" Auriga began.

"I've applied to be an Auror!" Nymphadora squealed. Clearly she had been bursting to say this.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Auriga said, a genuine smile crossing her face, "I suppose I will see you, then."

"Yeah-" Nymphadora began, but was interrupted when a hand grabbed Auriga's shoulder.

She jumped in surprise and looked around to see Augustus there, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. "Hello there," he said, a smile on his face.

"Augustus! I didn't expect you to be here," Auriga replied, delighted that he'd thought of her.

"I couldn't wait until this evening to see you," he said to her. She took the flowers and his arm and they disapparated to Malfoy Manor. Perhaps marrying him wouldn't be so bad.

*****

15th August 1991

To Miss Auriga Delphini Narcissa Malfoy,

Enclosed are you NEWT results from the examinations you took earlier this summer. We wish you the very best of luck.

Ancient Runes: Outstanding

Arithmancy: Exceeds Expectations

Charms: Outstanding

Herbology: Exceeds Expectations

History of Magic: Outstanding

Potions: Outstanding

Transfiguration: Outstanding.

Congratulations once again, Wizarding Examination Authority

*****

15th August 1991

To Mr Bartemius Crouch,

Enclosed are my NEWT results.

Thank you once again for considering me for the position,

Auriga Malfoy

*****

20th August 1991

To Miss Auriga Malfoy,

Thank you for your application to the Department for International Magical Co-operation. We are delighted to inform you that you application has been successful. The position of Assistant to the Department Head, will be open to you on the twenty-third of September.

Congratulations once again,

Mr Bartemius Crouch

*****

The fitting room attendant held back the curtain and Auriga picked up her cascading white skirts and stepped in front of her mother and Augustus's mother for the ninth time that day. They smiled at her as she turned slowly in the wedding dress her mother had picked out. The attendant picked her wavy blonde hair from around the satin bardot neckline and wound it carefully into a bun, securing it in place with some pins and a silver tiara.

"Auriga..." her mother said, looking as though she were close to tears, "you look...beautiful."

"Absolutely stunning," Tamara agreed, taking a sip of champagne, "It will go wonderfully with that emerald tiara I inherited from my grandmother."

"Oh, yes," Narcissa agreed enthusiastically. She then considered Auriga, who was looking thoughtfully at herself in the mirror. "What do you think, darling?"

Auriga broke out of her trance and considered the dress. This was the first time in three trips that her mother and Tamara had agreed on a wedding dress that looked perfect. Personally, Auriga would've liked a smaller skirt - perhaps an a-line fit as opposed to a ballgown. But she hadn't chosen the groom, why should she choose the dress? "I love it," she said confidently, flashing her smile at their reflections in the mirror, "I think it's the one."

Tamara clasped her hands together, a smile on her face. "That's excellent. Let's get you a fitting appointment, shall we? And then we can head to that Italian restaurant down the road?"

They all nodded in agreement and Auriga headed back to the fitting room, stepping out of the dress with a sigh. What was she doing?