Chapter Five
Hogwarts enchanted Holly with its magical wonders, each day offering something new and intriguing.
As they settled into her routine, Neville's initial reservations toward Lupus seemed to melt away. Holly soon realized she had gained not just one, but two new steadfast friends, each bringing their own unique qualities into her life.
One afternoon, as they strolled through the grounds together, Neville hesitantly shared a personal revelation with Holly.
"You know, Holly, your mother... She was my godmother. And my mum, she was yours."
“Oh, wow, really? I would love to meet her!”
Neville cringed, “A day after You-Know-Who vanished, a few of his followers tortured my parents into insanity. My parents have since resided in St. Mungos."
Holly wasn't sure what to say to console him so she let him continue.
"It's just... one of my parent's torturers was Bellatrix Lestrange and she's Lupus's cousin and I didn't know how to feel about Lupus at first, with all the stories and everything.”
Holly nodded understandingly, her thoughts shifting to the intricate tapestry of relationships that connected their families. "It makes sense now, Neville. Thank you for telling me. I'm glad we can talk about this."
Neville smiled warmly, a sense of relief evident on his face. "Yeah, me too. It feels good to finally talk about it.”
As days turned into weeks, Holly found herself embraced by the Hogwarts community. Her friendly nature and genuine interest in others endeared her to many, fostering new friendships and easing any initial reservations people might have had—except when it came to Lupus. Despite his impeccable manners and reserved demeanor, some students seemed intent on causing trouble for him, perhaps influenced by his family's controversial reputation.
One such person was Ron Weasley, whose inexplicable hostility toward Lupus perplexed Holly. She soon discovered that Ron's animosity stemmed not from disdain for Lupus's relatives, but from jealousy over their close friendship.
Ron longed to be Holly's sole confidant, and seeing her bond with Lupus irked him deeply. Holly couldn't fathom Ron's desire to monopolize her friendship, especially after witnessing his unkind treatment of Hermione. She firmly rebuked Ron for his behavior, making it clear that his disrespectful remarks toward her friends would not be tolerated.
Draco Malfoy posed another challenge. While he typically kept his distance, his disdainful glances toward Holly and Lupus did not go unnoticed. Concerned by his hostile behavior, Holly confronted Lupus, prompting him to reveal a startling truth. "If it weren't for me, Draco would be next in line for the Black Heirship," Lupus explained matter-of-factly.
This revelation heightened Holly's vigilance. Whenever Draco's eyes narrowed in Lupus's direction, she met his gaze with a resolute stare of her own, silently conveying that she was aware and watching.
Through these challenges, Holly leaned on her growing friendships and the support of her closest allies. Whether navigating the complexities of Hogwarts politics or confronting personal histories, she found strength in unity and resolve in protecting those she cared about most.
In the months that followed, the group of friends settled into a comfortable and productive routine. Each morning began with Lupus leading a jog around the school grounds. Initially, Holly was his sole companion, but soon Hermione and Neville joined them, motivated by Hermione's discovery from an old book that physical exercise could enhance their overall health and potentially improve their magical abilities in the future.
After their morning exercise, the girls and boys would part ways to freshen up and dress for the day. They would meet back in the common room, ready to head to breakfast together. Lupus's exceptional memory ensured they never got lost, even during those early days of navigating the sprawling Hogwarts castle.
Following that, they had lessons in the various fields of magic offered at Hogwarts. During lunch, they often discussed their plans for the afternoon and how to tackle their two hours of scheduled homework.
On Mondays, Hermione's love for learning led them to the library, where they would immerse themselves in books and research. On Tuesdays, they visited the greenhouses, offering to help Professor Sprout with maintenance tasks. Their efforts in the greenhouses not only allowed Neville to thrive in his favorite environment but also earned them the professor's appreciation and trust.
Wednesday Lupus won; and they explored the castle, playing his version of tag for an hour. The four friends would dashed through the corridors, hiding behind suits of armor and ducking into secret passageways firing paint spells at each other. The excitement of their game left them exhausted, often necessitating a nap to recuperate enough strength for their late-night Astronomy class.
Thursdays quickly became Holly's favorite day of the week. She loved the idea of relaxing with a pot of tea and using the time to improve her French with Hermione's help. The girls would set up a cozy spot in the Gryffindor common room, complete with a teapot, cups, and an assortment of snacks. The boys initially grumbled about having to join the "mock tea parties," but they were soon won over by the irresistible allure of the house-elves' cookies.The Weasley twins would sometimes drop by to steal away a few cookies while telling them about new shortcuts.
On Fridays, the quartet either visited Hagrid, went for a walk around the school grounds, or wrote letters to their respective guardians. Afterward, they quietly sat by the fire, playing cards or talking with others.
On Saturdays, Lupus had promised to continue Aunt Cassie's lessons. Hermione joined in soon enough, always eager to learn more, dragging Neville along. To actually accomplish some successful dancing classes, the quartet stumbled across an abandoned room which could provide everything they required, except for food. Or genuine money.
Soon, the newly-dubbed Room of Requirement became their main meeting point. No one could bother them there, a great plus in everyone's books.
Holly enjoyed Charms, Transfiguration, and Herbology the most out of all their current subjects. Defense Against the Dark Arts could have been interesting, but Professor Quirrell was too afraid of his own shadow to teach them anything useful.
Lupus seemed to have a particular dislike for him and Holly would get bad headaches whenever near him; probably due to the garlic smell he seemed to carry everywhere, so they stayed as far away from the suspicious professor as possible. Instead, Lupus shared what useful knowledge he had learned during his pre-Hogwarts tutoring sessions, excluding anything related to his family.
Hermione often took it upon herself to research spells and other helpful tricks they should have been learning in Defense class. However, Potions turned out to be even more disastrous than Defense. Professor Snape inexplicably hated both Lupus and Holly and mercilessly belittled Neville during class. Even Hermione, who was usually a stickler for rules, couldn't find it in herself to approve of Snape's harsh teaching methods.
Without their supplemental reading and self-study, none of them would have made it through Potions unscathed. As it was, they often came perilously close to ending up in the hospital wing due to exploded, half-finished, or wrongly brewed potions. The quartet quickly learned that their own efforts were essential for surviving the class.
Usually, Hermione paired up with Neville, and Lupus partnered with Holly. Nevertheless, Professor Snape always found, often ridiculous, reasons to deduct points from Gryffindor, preferably targeting Lupus, whom he clearly despised, or Holly, whom he didn't seem to like much better. During one such class, Gryffindor lost five points because, according to Snape, Lupus was breathing too loudly and disturbing the other students.
This accusation was particularly absurd given Lupus's nature. He was known for his silent presence—never making a sound unless he wanted to be noticed. Lupus could disappear into a crowded room, even if he was wearing the most outrageous outfit imaginable. The irony of Snape's claim was not lost on Holly, who knew just how quietly Lupus moved through the world.
One morning, as they returned from their usual jog, the four friends found a notice posted in the common room. It informed the First Years about their upcoming mandatory flying lessons. Hermione and Neville didn't seem particularly enthusiastic; Hermione was wary of heights, and Neville struggled with his confidence.
In contrast, Holly was thrilled. Ever since she learned about flying brooms, she had eagerly anticipated trying them out. Something told her that she would love the experience. Lupus would always get a glint in his eyes and smirked mischievously at his betrothed whenever the topic came up, as if he could remember something no one else recalled.
On the morning of their first flying lesson, Neville received a Remembrall from his grandmother—a stern and proud woman. He deflated upon realizing he couldn't remember what he had forgotten, but fortunately, Holly swiftly diverted his attention elsewhere.
Before long, the First Year Gryffindors found themselves on a vast lawn in front of the castle. It was a beautiful autumn day, albeit slightly chilly, with the beginning of fall gently coloring the leaves.
Lupus quickly selected a broom beside Holly, while Hermione and Neville flanked the youngest witch on her other side. Madam Hooch, their instructor, instructed them to command their brooms after a brief safety lecture, wherein she basically threatened both Houses with expulsion should they not abide by her instructions.
Holly managed to get her broom to obey at her first try. Lupus effortlessly found himself following her example. However, Neville and Hermione had some difficulties achieving the same result.
"Treat your broom like a nervous horse," Holly whispered softly to her bushy-haired friend, who nodded anxiously and relayed the advice to Neville. Moments later, the brooms jumped up, right into their hands.
Madam Hooch had just begun explaining the next exercise when Neville's broom unexpectedly shot off on its own. When Nevilled fell, Holly and Lupus exchanged a quick, concerned glance.
The young brunette witch felt deeply worried for her new friend—while Neville might have only broken his wrist, it must have been a painful experience.
Despite being of the same age, Neville had always been the ‘baby’ of their close-knit quartet. Madam Hooch promptly escorted Neville off the lawn, warning the remaining students of potential expulsion(again!) if they attempted to fly without supervision.
Of course, her strict warning did little to deter the simmering rivalry between the Gryffindor and Slytherin First Years. Draco Malfoy, in particular, took pleasure in antagonizing Holly. He criticized Neville and loudly planned to destroy the gift that Dowager-Lady Longbottom had sent her grandson earlier that morning.
Before Holly could say something, Lupus stepped forward, his dark eyes almost devoid of expression, hardened.
"Cousin, hand over the Remembrall," he demanded, his tone deceptively cheerful yet leaving no room for argument. Anyone familiar with Lupus Black would have advised the Malfoy scion to comply promptly.
The reason was simple: the more cheerful Lupus seemed, the more precarious his control over his formidable Black temper became.
The two males silently stared at each other, but in the end Malfoy backed down first. With evident reluctance, the haughty Slytherin returned Neville's gift to his dark-haired cousin.
"I didn't realize you were associating with Longbottom now, Cousin," Malfoy muttered indignantly.
Lupus calmly pocketed the Remembrall, skillfully brushing off his blonde relative's snide remarks. "Thank you, Cousin."
Holly smiled warmly at her Lupus, grateful for his intervention. She knew Lupus disliked being in the spotlight (a sentiment she could empathize with), so his defense of Neville held particular significance. Hermione let out a quiet sigh of relief, her shoulders easing as tension lifted.
In the end, flying proved to be the most effortless and liberating experience Holly had ever encountered. It came to her as naturally as breathing, quickly becoming her favorite activity at Hogwarts. Lupus, unsurprisingly, was the only one who didn't appear surprised by her innate talent for handling a broom. Instead, he smirked knowingly—perhaps even a hint of pride glinting in his eyes—as he observed his betrothed.