Chapter 7
Slughorn's Monday morning Advanced OWLs Potions class was in full swing after breakfast. His students had been tasked with brewing their own batches of the Draught of Peace potion, which for some was noticeably challenging. Unfortunately for them, the cheerful Professor had left the room momentarily to collect more stewed mandrake from the Herbology Department, leaving his struggling students to deal with their mishaps on their own.
In the back row, Alice and her potions partner Bellatrix were fucking up their task royally. Amongst the casual chatter of their classmates, Y/N could clearly hear the two girls' conversation - and it was far from pleasant.
"You can't even brew a fucking potion, Fortescue," Bellatrix hissed, "God, you're a useless piece of shit."
"You're the one who put in a whole pot of moonstone powder!" Alice's voice protested. It was hard to watch Alice and Bellatrix work together, not only because they were a completely incompatible pair, but also due to the fact that Alice was simply terrified of the wild Miss Black. If her rabid black curls and deathly dark eyes weren't enough to frighten you, then her personality certainly would. Ever since 1st year, even Y/N had been aware of the fact that Bellatrix had been constantly out to get the sweet little Alice, and nobody could quite understand why.
"If we fail this, I will come for you, you little bitch." the wild girl threatened. It was at that moment that Y/N decided to intervene.
"Does making empty threats entertain you, Bellatrix?" she called out, staring at the bully from across the room. Remus, who'd been carefully sprinkling powdered porcupine quill into his and Y/N's potion, looked up in bewilderment. It wasn't the fact that his partner was calling out somebody for being a prick - he'd seen her do that plenty of times - but it was the way in which she said it. Her voice was loud and dangerous, not quiet and snarky, like she usually was. A bad feeling began creeping up his spine, as if something terrible would come from Y/N's interruption. He was right.
"Didn't know you could actually speak, L/N." Bellatrix spat, leaving Alice and the boiling-over cauldron behind and making her way over to Y/N slowly, like a snake going in for the kill. Y/N took a few steps forward, until eventually the girls were stood face-to-face. By this point, every student had their eyes on the two of them.
"Well, surprise surprise," Y/N said, her eyes focused intensely on the two black ones in front of her, "Now, are you going to answer my question?"
"Why should I even speak to a filthy mudblood like you?" Bellatrix's reply emitted a few shocked gasps from their classmates. After all, it wasn't every day somebody used the term 'mudblood' in school. Remus Lupin watched the interaction warily, eyes flicking between the two girls. Y/N, although noticeably smaller in height compared to Sirius' deranged cousin, gave off a presence that resembled that of a dragon. Her hands were balled tightly into fists, and her jumper's sleeves were rolled up, giving the impression to Remus and everybody else in the classroom that at any given moment, she wouldn't hesitate to throw a punch. The boy cleared his throat.
"Y/N, just leave it-"
"Nobody was speaking to you, Lupin," Bellatrix snapped, casting him an icy glare, "C'mon L/N, have anything else to say?"
"Yes, actually," Y/N replied, not letting Remus' attempt at intervening throw her off, "You can call me a mudblood when you learn how to brew a potion correctly, you incompetant creep."
A few people giggled, a few people stood in silence. Remus couldn't help but smirk.
"Oh, I will fuck you up, L/N," Bellatrix dug a hand into her robe and reached for her wand. The audience around the two girls started shouting, some encouraging a duel, and others begging them to stop. Y/N, however, was too quick for her opponent.
"Accio wand," she called, holding her hand out towards her wand, which was sat on hers and Remus' table, "Expelliarmus!"
Bellatrix's wand came flying into Y/N's grasp, leaving the manic girl staring at Y/N with a harsh sneer over her face. Anger spread across her features like wild-fire as the entire classroom filled with laughter. The only person that wasn't laughing was Y/N herself, who stood strongly with a wand in both hands.
"Anything else to ask me, Black?" she grinned, twizzling the girl's wand between her fingers tauntingly.
"Give it back before I snap you neck, you disgusting, dirty mud-"
"What on Earth is going on in here?!"
The class once again fell to silence. All eyes turned to the door, where Professor Slughorn stood with a never-before-seen look of pure confusion on his soft, wrinkled face. Y/N quickly realised that after all the adrenaline, this was the first time she would ever be in trouble. She dropped Bellatrix's wand quicker than a flash, cringing as it hit the stone floor noisily, and opened her mouth to explain the situation.
"She just attacked me, Sir!" Bellatrix cried out, feigning tears and pouting like a child that had lost its favourite toy. Y/N couldn't quite believe what was going on.
"Well? Is this true, Y/N? You attacked another student?"
"N-no, Sir! She tried to attack me, but-"
"Liar!" Bellatrix screamed, her act becoming more convincing by the second. By now, her face was screwed up in into the ugly picture of distress. It was ridiculous to witness.
"Miss L/N, I think you'd better go to Headmaster Dumbledore's office and explain this to him," Slughorn said, his eyes glimmering more with disappointment than anger. "Miss Black, compose yourself. And all of you, get back to your potions before I fail all of you!"
Remus watched in disbelief as Y/N bit her bottom lip in annoyance. He caught her eye as she walked over to pick up her robe, but she was out of the classroom before he could talk to her properly. As the rest of the class begrudgingly brought their focus back to their classwork, himself, Lily, and Alice all rushed over to their Professor's desk and tried to give him a full recount of the events between Y/N and Bellatrix.
"Professor, she was telling the truth-"
"Honestly Sir, you should've heard that Bellatrix was saying to Alice-"
"If Y/N hadn't acted so quickly, she would've seriously hurt her-"
"She called her a mudblood!"
"Hush!" Slughorn said, looked up at the 3 students stood before his desk, and lowering his voice, "Trust me when I say that I don't believe Miss L/N would ever attack a student unprovoked. I know it, and Professor Dumbledore does too. Nevertheless, she did use an offensive charm on another student. That is unacceptable!"
"Sir, you don't understand. If Y/N hadn't disarmed her, Bellatrix would've used a spell far worse. She hasn't done anything wrong!" Remus protested. The two girls besides him looked at him, somewhat astonished at his swift defence for his potions partner. He barely noticed this, too wound up by the injustice of the situation to care.
"Mr Lupin, there is nothing you can say now to change the outcome of this. It is up to Dumbledore." Slughorn sighed.
"What, so you'd rather see Y/N in the Hospital Wing than acknowledge the fact that she had no other choice?" the young werewolf snapped. It took him a second to realise what he'd said, and when he did, he swallowed hard. It was most unlike him to argue, let alone with a teacher he respected so greatly. Lily and Alice couldn't help but share a look of scepticism.
"Mr Lupin, may I suggest that you take a seat before I have to send another one of my star students to the Headmaster's office," Slughorn said authoritatively, before meeting the eyes of the two other pupils that stood around his desk, "The same goes for you, girls. I've had quite enough of this. We've wasted enough time as it is."
As the three teenagers walked back to their desks in defeat, Alice muttered something under her breath, just loud enough that only Remus and Lily could hear.
"It's so unfair..."
Remus nodded as he returned to his seat, with his jaw clenched. Y/N L/N was full of surprises.
...
Y/N had never felt so much dread before as she stood by the door of Dumbledore's grand office. She'd visited the Headmaster plenty of times, but usually it was to commemorate her on her academic achievements. Unfortunately for her, this was not one of those occasions.
Several tedious minutes passed by before Y/N couldn't fight her curiosity any longer. The Headmaster had yet to appear and tell her off, suggesting to the young witch that perhaps she'd caught a strike of luck and he wasn't in Hogwarts at all. She made her way to his desk, which was littered with all manner of magical objects and peculiar books - some she recognised, and some she didn't. Her eyes landed on a beautiful golden Time Turner that caught the room's dim light and shined temptingly at the girl. Of course, Y/N had read about them, but actually seeing one was quite different.
The spirit of inquiry got the better of her as she picked up the trinket carefully and held it in her hand. It was lighter than she expected, given the weight of destruction such a pretty little necklace could cause. Etched around its rim in dainty italic letters was the rhyme - 'I mark the hours, every one. Nor have I yet outrun the sun.'
Y/N bit her bottom lip, admiring the time piece, before slowly placing it back where she found it. Today was not the day to be caught meddling with time, she reminded herself. As her inquisitive eye scanned the rest of the room, her gaze landed on something she had almost forgotten about.
"Fawkes!" she smiled, walking over the the beautiful flame-coloured bird and using the back of her hand to gently pet the creature's feathery head, "Hello you. You're looking a little weathered, is it almost time?" she whispered, staring at the majestic animal in awe and suspecting that it was almost time for him to burst into flames. It wasn't the first time they'd met, but every time he never failed to amaze her. "Would you like to meet a friend?"
Y/N raised her wand and cast her Patronus in one swift swoop of her wand. As always, her very own phoenix came to life, and soared high above her head and around ceilings of Dumbledore's office. To her delight, the silvery phoenix eventually took his seat next to Fawkes, who looked at the corporeal Patronus with intrigue. It was a funny think to look at as the wispy phoenix placed it's translucent forehead against the bright burnt-orange creature's. Y/N wished she could know what dear old Fawkes was thinking about, and perhaps she would've figured it out, if it hadn't been for a croaky man's voice bringing her back down to earth. Her Patronus quickly vanished as she spun around to face the great Albus Dumbledore.
"Peculiar things, aren't they?" he said softly, walking around the stunned witch and taking a seat at the centre of his cluttered desk, "I was wondering when I'd get to see your Patronus. I had a feeling I wasn't the only one at Hogwarts with the ability to conjure a phoenix." Y/N wasn't quite sure what to say. Truthfully, she'd expected the Headmaster to issue a detention and give her a thorough telling-off for all that had happened in her Potions lesson. This was absolutely not what she'd been anticipating.
"I just wanted Fawkes to meet him." was all she could say, nerves getting the better of her.
"Fawkes has never been too fond of my own Patronus," the old man chuckled, his eyes squinting behind his half-moon spectacles, "I can imagine he grows quite bored of sitting here with an elderly fellow like me all day."
"I doubt it Sir. You must be one of the most interesting people at Hogwarts. If not, the whole world." Y/N replied, feeling her raised heart-beat slowing. Perhaps this wouldn't be too bad, after all.
"Oh Miss L/N, you always have been a charming young witch," Dumbledore smiled, "Now, I hear you have something you need to tell me." Now this was what Y/N had been expecting.
"I'm sorry," she began, avoiding his watchful gaze, "Professor Slughorn sent me to you because I used the Expelliarmus charm on Bellatrix Bla-"
"No, no, Miss L/N," Dumbledore interrupted, waving his hand in the air dismissively, "What I mean is, what did she say to you?"
Y/N opened her mouth to speak, but struggled to find the words. Dumbledore already knew of her short duel with Bellatrix, and merely wanted her own side of it. Finally, she had the chance to explain the full story, and as she did so, the wise wizard listened attentively. She started from the beginning, mentioning the way she'd been treating Alice Fortescue, and added in the derogatory phrase that Bellatrix had used to insult her. Of course, she didn't include the swearing, not wanting to curse in front of her Headmaster, but something in Dumbledore's eyes told Y/N that he already knew exactly what Miss Black had said. When she finished her recollection, she stood awkwardly, waiting for his reaction.
"I understand," the man said slowly, "And I apologise on her account for her treatment of both you and Miss Fortescue. I never have enjoyed hearing these things at Hogwarts."
"It's okay, Professor. I was out of line."
"Perhaps, but then again, perhaps not," Dumbledore replied, raising an eyebrow, "As I am aware, Mr Lupin was particularly emphatic on the idea that had you not stopped her, Miss Black had every intention of seriously injuring you."
Y/N couldn't understand how the Headmaster knew that when, as far as she was concerned, the boy had only tried to stop the duel before being cut off by Bellatrix. She wondered whether Remus had spoken to Slughorn once she'd left the classroom, but even so - how could Dumbledore possibly know?
"I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think so, Sir," Y/N admitted, realising that the old wizard she stood before already knew of the entire situation, and therefore had already decided what her punishment would be, "I suppose I'll be getting a detention?"
Dumbledore's expression changed to one of misunderstanding as he rose from his seat and made his way over to the 5th year student.
"On the contrary, it'll be Miss Black who will serve detention," the Professor announced, placing a tentative hand on Y/N's shoulder, "It is not in my nature to deny justice to students who deserve it. Least of all, to students like you, Miss L/N. I have no doubt in my old, withering mind that you are aware of your wrong-doings, but to believe that a witch as effortlessly talented and uncommonly rational as yourself would attack another pupil unprovoked would be a fool's conclusion. Therefore, I ask of you only one thing."
"What is it, Professor?" Y/N asked, relief flooding through her veins as she stared into the the Professor's sparkling blue eyes. The man looked at her solemnly as he spoke.
"Use your gifts, Y/N," he said quietly, "It has been a great many years since this school has seen a wizard or witch as capable as you. I dare say I have known it since you first stepped through the castle's doors. You have an exceptional capability, dear girl, and a unique mind, but to use them both you must surround yourself with love. I know it has been hard, but from what I have seen, you have several classmates that are willing to stand up for you when you are in need. Let them."
Y/N let his guidance settle into her mind, feeling the great wizard's gaze penetrate her mind. The past week, she had found herself in a new, foreign environment where conversing with her peers was becoming a normality - and here Dumbledore was, telling her to pursue it. They were not a distraction to her, but an incentive. And only in that moment did she truly begin to understand how important they would be.
...
Lily and Alice sat at lunch in the Great Hall, alongside Sasha and Teresa, recalling the morning's events with fiery passion. After the lesson had ended, Bellatrix had walked out the classroom boastfully, laughing with her friend's Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy about Y/N's unfortunate predicament. Remus had already left the lesson before anybody could say anything, clearly agitated at the situation by the look on his face. It had Lily and Alice wondering what it was exactly that had made him so angry about the whole thing - yes, it was unfair, but there had been plenty of times in previous years where students had gotten detentions when they didn't deserve one. Why was he so upset now?
"He looked as though he could've killed Bellatrix when he stormed out of the classroom," Alice said, recalling the boy's demeanour, "It was rather strange, to see him so irritated. He's usually so calm."
"He's probably just mad that he won't be able to get Y/N to do the work on their project tonight because she'll be in detention." Sasha said quickly. It was plain as anything to her girlfriends that she was still hung up on Remus, even after last week's party when he'd told her that he really didn't have an interest in starting anything with her. But, this didn't stop the girls from discussing it.
"I doubt that, the boy's almost as good at Potions as she is," Teresa said. Sasha merely gritted her teeth at this, but Teresa turned to her red-headed best friend, "What do you reckon, Lils?"
"I'm not sure really. I mean, maybe he's got a crush, but they've only just started properly speaking. This morning though...it was as if he cared about nothing more in the world except making sure Y/N didn't get into trouble..."
"I thought it was sweet. Heaven knows if it had been James, Peter, or Sirius, he would've just let the whole thing slide and laughed about it with them later." said Alice, as she took a sip of pumpkin juice.
"But when Bellatrix is involved, it's enough to make anybody's blood boil. She's such a bloody bitch, it almost makes me violent." Teresa sighed.
Lily Evans had little more to say on the situation. She didn't want to tell her friends about the time that Remus had come up to her and asked her to look out for Y/N, because she knew they'd jump to conclusions (and Sasha would probably go on a rampage). But with the exception of his best friends, it had never been in his nature to be protective over somebody before. If it was just a 'crush', surely the dynamic between Remus and Y/N would be a little more light-hearted than what it had already proved to be?
She kept quiet for the remainder of lunch, worrying about Y/N and the outcomes of her tussle with Bellatrix, and puzzled by Remus' reaction. All she knew was that for the foreseeable future, she would keep an eye on the two of them and try to figure out what was eating at Remus Lupin.