Hogwarts, 7th Year III
November 1st, 1975
Agnes was eating her lunch with great appetite. She had a full-day practice at the duelling club, and had to gain some energy from the busy morning she had just spent. The first part of the seminar was focused on the new recruits and younger students, and the afternoon was going to be free for the higher level groups to practice actual duels.
Agnes had awaited that for a long time. She needed some training before her first out of school competition occuring the following month.
She swallowed the last bit of food in her plate and rushed to the duelling room, followed by a few other students from all houses. While everyone else was either enjoying their free time on a saturday, Agnes was fighting and training, sweating and her wrist was almost starting to hurt from casting spells.
She had decided not to think of the animagus issue for now. It was crazy for sure, but she couldn't do much about it. Her being able to do elemental magic was mental as well, and she hoped no one would know her secret. So she had decided to keep her friend's peculiar skill to herself. At least for now. She observed them from time to time in the Great Hall, trying to understand how they had come to become animagus. But nothing made sense and it just gave her an actual headache.
When she finally arrived at the practice room, she nearly bumped into another student coming from the opposite direction. He seemed to have ran as well, not to be late.
Snape.
He looked surprised to see her, and tried to hide his panting from having hurried to the room. She opened the door and invited him to enter first with a sarcastic smirk. Severus Snape being late was actually something she would have liked to see at least once. He was always so strict to himself and others, wouldn't hurt to be a little imperfect sometimes.
Without a word, he snapped his tongue and moved forward.
The practice went well, and everyone seemed to have found their own rhythm in the club. By the end of the afternoon, the little Lockhart was harassing Agnes to get a duel against her. She had been doing her best to avoid him, but he seemed to know no boundary.
- I have some skills which I must show you, since you are the best duellist in our school. Perhaps you could even use them during your championship next month. He had said.
- Look, boy. I appreciate the enthusiasm but you can show the other first years, if you'd like. I got to practice with my group, now. Agnes answered, sighing.
- But-.. I must show you!! Look, look!
The young Ravenclaw had taken out his wand to cast a spell on Agnes, who had her back turned. Before she could react, she felt a strong force push her in the back, forward. Before she knew it, her body was pulled to the side, and she landed against someone. The latter was holding her arm in one hand, his wand in the other.
When Agnes looked around in shock, the young Lockhart was standing, his wand before him and his eyes were wide open. She heard the professor shout and hurrying towards her, in a worried stance.
She looked up at who'd saved her from the boy's spell, and her eyes fell on the jet black hair of Severus Snape, who was now glaring at Lockhart, a seriously pissed expression on his face. His grip on Agnes' arm was strong and almost painful. When he realized he was still holding her, he let her go, moving directly towards the culprit.
- You. Outside. Now. He said to the blonde haired wizard, his deep voice depecting a raging undertone.
Gilderoy Lockhart silently followed his mentor and looked down at his feet, ashamed of what he had just done.
- Oh my, oh my. It could have ended really badly. Never attack your opponent in the back, that's a basic rule and common sense! What has the boy learnt for the past few weeks! Merlin, I am glad Severus reacted fast. The professor said, swiping off the sweat of his forehead.
- Right.
Agnes' eyes were locked onto where the two students had left. She did not even had the time to do anything. Lockhart had attacked from behind and she hadn't expected anything.
How was she supposed to fight whoever would attack her, in a real situation? She would just die right on the spot, for sure.
Her back hurt. She had caught that spell right in the flesh, huh. How stupid to have been harmed by such an unsignificant magic. In front of everyone, at that.
She would have to visit the nursery. She could not stay like this for now.
The professor ordered one student to help her reach Madam Pomfrey's office and once she was there, she finally let out a sigh. She felt really tired.
The nursery was empty, only one bed was busy, and the curtains had been pulled to give the person some privacy. Agnes drank the potion given by the nurse and applied some herbs on the pain to reduce the inflammation.
- You can go rest on a bed for a bit, dear. Madam Pomfrey said in a smile.
- Thanks.
She walked slowly to the first free bed she saw and lied down carefully, holding her lower back. She felt like an old lady and it made her laugh.
Suddenly, the curtains from the bed next to her opened and she came to face the mysterious patient.
- I recognize that laugh.
Remus Lupin.
- What the hell are you doing here, Remus? And you look like shit..What happened? Agnes said, surprised by the unexpected encounter.
- Felt sick all night. He answered calmly, looking away.
Flashbacks from the previous night suddenly rushed through Agnes' thoughts. The marauders. Animagus. Remus. Whomping Willow. Last night. Wait. Felt sick all night? That does not make sense.
She lowered a voice.
- Had too much of nocturnal adventures?
- What.. Do you mean?
- Looking at your injuries, it looks like the Whomping Willow got you well. She added.
- Wait. Agnes. What are you saying? What do you mean. Tell. Me.
She marked a silence. She really wanted to talk about what she saw with him. It was TOO big of a secret not to be discussed, right? Plus, she did not enjoy lying to Remus. He was her friend now. And not a bad one at that.
- I.. Kinda saw you guys last night. Outside at night. You, James, Sirius and Peter. When you.. When you.. did that thing. She finally admitted.
Remus' eyes widened at once. Agnes could see his face get paler than it already was. His grip on the bed got tighter and his lips seemed stuck together, as if he was urging himself not to let any word out. They stayed like this a few more seconds before Agnes had enough of it.
- It's not like I am going to tell anyone, you see? I just... thought I'd tell you I knew.. that you guys are .. well, what you are.
- You must promise, you will never reveal that you know. I am serious. Not even to the other boys.
- You have my word, Remus. Now you better explain why you are in such a bad shape. What happened last night?
The Gryffindor opened his mouth to say something, but sighed and closed it again. He looked down at his feet, hesitant. He was fidgeting the sheet of the bed.
After a moment, Agnes let out a soft smile, and slowly brought her hand to his head. She patted soflty his light brown hair, which had grown way longer since the first time she had met Lupin.
- You don't have to tell me. I just hope that you stay safe. She whispered, as Madam Pomfrey was walking towards them.
The young wizard looked at her in silence. His eyes seemed to express so much, but Agnes found it hard to read in them.
They were interrupted when the older lady brought them some snacks to get something in their stomach. They stayed in silence before Lupin was finally discharged first. He had waved her goodbye in a quick hand move, with a shy smile.
***
A few days later, a rumor had it that Severus Snape had traumatized a First Year from Ravenclaw (Lockhart, obviously) after he had made a mistake during the club activities. Snapealready had a controversial reputation at school, but the events of the duel practice had not helped. Agnes had caught the end of the conversation between the slytherin and the little Gilderoy, who was crying heavy tears and could not even gather his words to respond to terrifying scolding of Snape.
Agnes had felt a little uncomfortable with the whole situation and had preferred to keep some distance for now. She had already a lot on her plate, and did not need an additional burden to think about. ALthough she had to admit she felt a bit bad that Snape had to go through such extreme when he was the one who had saved her from a misplaced spell.
She realized she didn't know much about the Slytherin student. He was always either alone or hanging out with a Gryffindor girl (although she had notseen them together for quite a while now). Agnes had overheard professor Slughorn talk about how good Severus was at Potions, but that was all she really knew about the boy. Well, that and the fact that he as the most despised student by the marauders. They always talked of him like he was evil and naturally bad.
She had never really felt this way about him. She had never really thought about him, actually. He was just there, a little strange, for sure. He had grabbed her attention from the duel club but that was about it. He did look like he held a lot of emotions withing himself, because he barely expressed them out loud.
He was a mysterious person. But perhaps not a bad one, Agnes thought.