❝"I want to save them."
"You're just saying things that I already know, Nellie."
"You're not going to try and stop me?"
"On the contrary, my little Witch. I'm going to try and help you."❞
***
Viatorem Atramento: Ink Travellers. That was what Noell...
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At lunch on December 26th, Noelle scrutinised the trio over her goblet, and heaving a heavy sigh, she set it down with a thump. "Can you guys relax a bit? You're not acting very natural."
"How can you expect us to relax? What you just showed us was bloody unnatural!"
"Seriously?" she deadpanned. "Out of everything you've been through, Padfoot being innocent and Wormtail being alive is where you cross the line of what is and what isn't normal?"
Before Ron could respond, a loud clatter at the end of the table had them almost jumping out of their skins. Several eyes turned towards Remus Lupin, who smiled meekly.
"Sorry, I've been feeling a little weak in the limbs lately." He received many sympathetic gazes from the professors, though not many noticed that Snape wasnt one of them. Noelle however, was a little preoccupied to notice anything other than the half-terrified, half-disbelieving stare of Lupin, to whom she flashed a pleasant smile to in response.
"I hope you feel better soon, Professor."
Remus could barely manage a nod in response.
Later, at the end of the lunch period, Hermione tugged Noelle towards her.
"What was that about?"
"I was just entrusting our little secret to Moony."
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in thought, though after a few seconds, Harry seemed to catch on.
"You don't mean...?" He let out a disbelieving laugh. "He's the other person you think might be able to help?"
"I know he will."
Hermione's eyes widened like dinner plates, leaving Ron the only person confused.
"Right -- what am I missing here?" Hermione is about to respond when suddenly a voice calls out behind them.
"Noelle."
She turned back, and smiled. "Professor, is there something you need?"
He hesitated, looking between the four of them with a grave sort of hope in his tired eyes. He sighed in defeat. "By the sound of things, it seems as though you're the ones who need me." He glanced back at the doors of the Great Hall, which were slowly trickling other students and professors who had finished their meals. "Let's talk in my office. We'll have more privacy there."
***
Remus could hardly believe he was doing this.
Though it was not short of a miracle that Dumbledore was kind enough to employ him, he never would have thought that as well as being allowed to step foot back onto the grounds of Hogwarts with his Lycanthropy, that he would once again be face to face with the murder-tree of his teenage nightmares.
