Everything Beautiful [ Remus Lupin ]

chapter seven; a helping hand

After the sixth years filed out of my classroom door, I had started to review my lessons for the next day. I crossed out and rewrote outlines on spare parchment, before finally being satisfied and rearranging them in my desk. The first day of class had come and gone, and I made my way to the Great Hall for dinner.

"How was your start, professor Martel?" Minerva's voice approached behind me, there was a coolness to her voice that contrasted with her busy, hurried steps, eager to make sure her house was behaving.

"It went smoothly, thank you," I replied, trying to catch up with her pace as we scurried down the corridors, "The third years truly were a treat, it was a good thing to have them scheduled first,"

"I am glad it went well," she said, as we stopped in front of the imposing doors to the Great Hall, "There will be some pressing matters we will need to discuss, however, but I wouldn't want to overwhelm you after your first day teaching. Would you mind joining me in my office for breakfast tomorrow morning?"

I hesitated before answering, curiosity and confusion gnawing at me, "Is anything the matter?"

"If I am not mistaken, you were well acquainted with Miss Amaranth Fairfax during your studies here, were you not?" Her head was inclined towards me, eyes glancing over her spectacles waiting for my reply,

"Yes, that is correct," I stated simply,

"Well, there is a matter to be discussed involving her, and your help will be needed," she briefly paused, noticing the hint of shock in my eyes, "You mustn't worry for now, Elaine, I simply thought it best you knew what we would talk about beforehand."

I nodded in response and she quickly scurried ahead of me towards the staff table. I followed suit at my own pace and, reaching the table, sat next to Remus. He looked up from the book that he was reading and a welcoming smile appeared on his face.

"It's good to see you, Elaine,"

"You too, Remus," I replied, sitting down. I phased out, my eyes looking down at the plate in front of me. What could Minerva possibly need from me? How was Amaranth involved with anything that would need me to help in anyway? And did this have anything to do with Amaranth contacting me a few weeks ago? I knit my brows still looking down at my empty plate, thoughts mixing and muddling in my mind.

"Didn't go as expected?" Remus's voice brought me back to the present, his head tilted towards me and his body turned my way,

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, barely extracting myself from my last thought,

"Your first day of class. Did it no go as you'd hoped? You seem... out of it,"

"Oh, no, no, it went great. I really enjoyed it, how was yours?"

He cocked a brow and, ignoring my last question, pressed on, "Is everything alright, Elaine?"

I nodded unconvincingly, and as I did so I began to feel my heart thumping in my chest and my ears heating up. I'd felt like this before, whenever mum would thrust me into uncomfortable social situations as a child. I struggled to breathe, my heart pacing faster, and my eyes felt like they would burst soon. It felt like my mind was collapsing on itself, and all I could think about was Amaranth's face on the Daily Prophet and Minerva's words to me, the Pressing Matter that involved her.