The assistant | Remus Lupin (on pause)

Closet

I had gotten to class early to set up, a bit too early though. Normally a professor would come in early to get everything prepared, I got there even before Remus had gotten there to set up everything.

Breakfast would be soon then classes would start, so I was surprised to see him walk in this late.

Early for him late for me.

"Oh, Ms. Reeves, you're early." Lupin said with startled surprise. He smiled his goofy smile and pushed his floppy hair back from falling into his face. I noticed that, his hair always flopped in any directions it wanted too.

I noticed that a new scar ran up from the side of his jaw down past his neck. Although I was not staring at his neck, no, I was just concerned. For my friend.

"And you, Professor Lupin, are almost late. Breakfast is in ten minutes, you have barely any time to prepare for class." I put the papers I had been shuffling around down onto his desk. Then I picked up the planner and flipped to the first page.

He watched intently, trying to figure out where I was going with all of this.

"What's the lesson plan for today?" I asked.

Lupin laughed hollowly and walked past me. He picked up the top paper I had been shuffling and pointed to some scribble on the front.

"This of course." He said with confidence, although he wouldn't be for long. His writing was truly worse than mine, and that was saying something.

"No offense, but I can't read your writing." I said with a stifled laugh. I walked to the desk and set the blank planner on its top, looking back at him.

Without acknowledging my stare Lupin sighed and began to read, "'Mirror of Erised, study and show the dangers'. Happy?" He smirked as I jotted down his writing with the muggle pen. A store called Staples seemed to have everything, including muggle chocolates. I was even able to get myself some.

"What does this mirror do that's so dangerous?" I prodded with curiosity. I had heard about that mirror before, but I always stayed away from using it.

"It shows you what you desire most in the entire world, Ms. Reeves. Would you care to try it?" Lupin smiled and put down the paper he had originally written on.

"Oh no I couldn't." I smiled back and continued to scribble with that pen. It was so much easier than having to dip back into ink every couple of minutes to finish a sentence.

"You seem to be doing better." I said after a long moment of silence.

I put the pen down on the freshly used planner. Lupin furrowed his eyebrows at me in confusion until I clarified, "From your cold, you seem to get over it with such ease. I envy that, Professor Lupin." It normally took me weeks to overcome a cold, him it only took a day or two.

Lupin cleared his throat and looked away, "Ah yes, the cold. I believe I'm just strong in the ways of keeping healthy, Ms. Reeves." He said in a smug way, although I found myself not being able to believe it that much.

My curiosity was getting the better of me, I wanted so desperately to know why he appeared to have a new scar. Why he had the old scars. I knew it was rude to pry, but there was some teenage girl inside of me that wanted to pry. One who wanted to touch his face like he did mine and run my fingers along the lines.

We both stared back at each other, unspoken words lingering in the air. I couldn't see those words but I could feel them. Somehow we were getting closer, with his height I had to look up and he had to continue to lower his head down.

My stomach then dropped as I realized I-

George suddenly burst through the door. The both of us jumped back, I stumbled for a few seconds until Remus grabbed my arm and pulled me forward. He wasn't paying too much attention to me and I almost crashed into the desk.