Don't Forget

The following morning, schedules were passed out during breakfast. Andi was happy to see she had Defense Against the Dark Arts later. She was excited for Remus and had a feeling it was going to be much better than Lockheart's class. Then, she noticed double Potions after lunch and made a face.

"Ruddy Potions," Kendra said.

Andi snickered.

"Tell me about it," Ron groaned. "Potions first thing."

Andi felt a piece of toast hit her cheek. She scowled down the table at the grinning Weasley twins.

"Good morning," Andi's mother said from behind her.

She turned around and smiled, "Good morning, Professor."

Estelle chuckled. "How's the schedule look?"

"Not so bad," Andi said. She glanced back across the table at a cursing Ron. "Better than Ron's anyway."

"Better not let your mother hear you talking like that," Estelle said towards Ron.

"Oh, sorry," Ron said. "Didn't notice you there. It won't happen again."

"While I'm around," Estelle shook her head. "Good luck, everyone."

"Shall we head off?" Misty said. "Don't want to be late on the first day."

Andi and Ginny giggled behind her as they walked out of the Hall.

Charms included an essay to refresh their memories on what the difference between charms and other types of spells were for homework. Andi, who had always enjoyed Charms, had a new distaste for the class.

Next was Defense Against the Dark Arts and she felt sure it wouldn't be a let down. The classroom looked more like a classroom, rather than the portrait gallery it had looked like the previous year. Replacing Lockheart's paintings and posters of himself were shelves with books, skeletons, and cages.

Andi sat near the front and exchanged smiles with Remus. The rest of the class came in, looking around the room, impressed.

"Hello," Remus began, "I'm professor Lupin, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. How many of you can tell me what a Banshee is?"

Reluctant hands shot up.

"Good," Remus said. "Okay, front left. What's your name?"

"C-Colin Creevey."

"Colin, let's hear a brief explanation of a banshee."

"Um, well, a woman with green skin and dark hair that can kill you with it's screech," Colin said.

"Yes!" Lupin said, "Ten points to Gryffindor. Alright, now--"

"Excuse me, Professor, but Lockheart even told us about Banshees," Queenie Grey spoke up.

Andi turned around to give her a look of 'Are you kidding me?'

"Yes, well, perhaps I was reviewing you on the first day," Remus smiled. "What's your name?"

"Queenie Grey."

"Hold on, so you're saying Banshees are real?" Kendra asked.

"How daft can you be?" Grey said in a highly audible whisper.

Even some of the Gryffindor boys snickered.

"Well, yes," Remus said.

"I thought Lockheart was just making things up!" Kendra said. "I didn't know all those old muggle tales were real."

"This is why Muggleborns shouldn't be allowed--"

"That is enough," Remus interrupted before Alice Borgin could finish.

Andi did her best to keep her mouth shut.

"Anyway, Ms. Catchlove, isn't it?" Remus asked.

Kendra nodded, looking very uncomfortable.

"It's possible that these tales of dark creatures Muggles tell have come from truth," Lupin said. "It's not uncommon to be taken aback by things when learning it for the first time. Many creatures from Muggle takes are actually real, such as Banshees, Vampires--Well, we'll be learning about a variety of 'dark' creatures in time and how to defend yourself against them."

"So, werewolves...are those real?"

Andi's eyes widened. In fact, they were being taught by one right now.

"Yes," Remus said quietly. "Now, we won't be learning about vampires or werewolves... right away, but I do have a few things I think you'll like and maybe a few simple defensive spells."

Of course, werewolves would be brought up on the first day. Andi was sure the secret would be out before the year was over.

"Wow, Professor Lupin really knew what he was talking about!" Colin said enthusiastically after class.

"Told you," Andi said, smiling.

"How stupid can I really be?" Kendra said quietly.

"Oh, come on," Andi said. "It's not a big deal anyway. Now you know."

"Of course if wizards and centaurs and fairies and ghosts and all the other thousands of things I've seen over the past year are real than why wouldn't banshees and vampires and werewolves be real..."

"Werewolves are terrible," Misty said. "They live together in these packs and hunt humans during full moons--"

"That is not true," Andi said aggressively.

"Yes it is," Misty said, in a mater of fact tone. "My mum works at the Ministry in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures Beast Division."

"Well, not all of them do," Andi said.

"Leave it to you to stick up for werewolves," Misty said.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Andi said.

"Oh, nothing, just that you're weird."

"And you're worse than Queenie Grey and Alice Borgin put together. You think you're better than everyone else and you're not even pureblood!"

"Oh, really? You're bringing blood status into this?" Misty said. "Are you pureblood, Andi? Oh that's right, you don't know!"

Andi felt such a rage pulsing through her, and at the same time, there were tears in her eyes. She turned away sharply.

Estelle was making a trip down to the Forbidden Forest to speak with the Centaur. On her way down the stairs, she passed a very disgruntled-looking Harry.

"Potter," she called, "What's wrong?"

"Snape," Harry said, "on the first day. It's the same thing all the time. I haven't done anything."

"I'm sorry, Harry," Estelle said sympathetically. "I really wish there was something I could do."

"Thanks anyway," Harry gave a small smile, then continued down the corridor.

Estelle turned the corner sharply and stormed down the sets of stairs. Peeves was zooming up and down the stairwell to the dungeons. Usually, she was able to avoid Peeves, for he seemed to fear the Bloody Baron, and the the Bloody Baron liked to stay in the Astronomy Tower often times.

To add to her little spark of anger, Peeves hit her directly in the forehead with a piece of chalk. She ignored him and opened the door to Snape's office without knocking.

"When my door is closed, does that no show that I wish to be remain undisturbed?" Snape said, without looking up from the essays he was likely unfairly grading, Estelle thought. When she said nothing in reply, he said, "Oh, it's you, is it, Grant? Of course you do not understand the meaning of privacy or being polite, for that matter."

Crossing her arms, she slowly replied, "It's not Harry's fault."

Snape did not look up, nor did he reply.

"It's been sixteen years, you know, and--"

"It's been twelve years, Estelle, isn't it time that you accepted the truth and moved along," Snape said.

"You're pathetic," she spat.

"Did I touch a nerve?" Snape questioned, his lip curling.

"It's not the same thing," Estelle growled.

Snape smirked, then returned to his papers. Estelle stormed back out of the room more angry than she'd gone in.

The rest of the week proceeded smoothly, so Andi thought. No more mentions of werewolves, no more name calling to Kendra or anyone else with half-blood or less. Misty had apologized, but when Andi ignored the apology she'd left her alone ever since. Only, she heard Draco Malfoy talking to a group of Slytherins about the state of Remus Lupin's robes. Andi went into a rage and called him names that even her mother wouldn't have approved of in the situation. Hermione advised her to just ignore him, but she wasn't going to let him talk about people she cared about that way. He always did, mocking Harry and speaking ill of the Weasleys.

This morning, however, was a fresh start with no negative energy at all so far. Andi was in a good mood, drinking her apple juice.

"Look at this," Kendra thrust the morning edition of the Daily Prophet in Andi's direction. On the front was the familiar-by-now face of Sirius Black, with the same empty eyes and matted hair.

Escapee Sirius Black spotted near Dufftown.

"What?" Andi questioned, scanning over the article.

"That's not far from here," Hermione said, leaning over Andi shoulder.

"Do you think...he would try coming here?" Ginny asked.

"But why would he--"

"Oh, stop it, we all know he's after me," Harry said. "That's why."

Andi shifted uncomfortably, "But, he wouldn't be able to get into Hogwarts anyway."

"The dementors are guarding," Ron added, nervously.

"He already slipped past them once," Kendra said quietly.

Andi looked back down at the haunting face. "Maybe he's afraid to come to Hogwarts. My mum said that Voldemort was always afraid of Dumbledore, so maybe his followers are too."

At the staff table, Estelle wore a distressed, confused, and saddened face. She stared at the Daily Prophet, suppressing the urge to cry. What could Sirius possibly be thinking? Surely he wasn't thinking of coming towards Hogwarts? Why would he?

"You were never much for practicing Occlumency, were you?" Snape sad.

Estelle ignored him.

"How's he getting around?" Kendra pressed on Sirius Black as they walked across the lawns to Herbology.

Andi waved at Hagrid. "Wizards can Apparate, you know."

"Oh, you mean like disappear and reappear somewhere else?"

"Yeah," Andi said.

Kendra sighed. "I wonder if he has a wand. I mean, don't they take your wand when you go to Azkaban?...I bet he's stolen one."

"Probably," Andi agreed, filing into Greenhouse number 3 with the Hufflepuffs. She stood next to Lance McMurphy.

He smiled, "Hi, Andi."

"Hey," she smiled in return. "Good summer?"

"Alright, yeah," Lance said. "Yours?"

"Fine," Andi replied.

Angie Lawrence and Lindsay Smith said hello to them as well.

"Do you all think that Sirius Black would come to Hogwarts?" Kendra asked.

Andi rolled her eyes, "Will you stop talking about Sirius Black?"

"I dunno," Lance said.

"My mum says he might," Angie said. "He worked for You-Know-Who, wanted Harry Potter dead."

"Dumbledore wouldn't let anyone into the castle," Colin piped up, confidently.

Andi smiled.

"Say, Andi," Lance said, "isn't Harry Potter your god brother or something?"

"Yes," Andi said proudly.

"maybe Sirius Black is after you and your mum and Lupin too," Kendra said to Andi.

"Can we not?" Andi hissed.

"Right, sorry," Kendra said, glancing around at the looks on the Hufflepuffs faces.

Pondering the alignment of Mars with the constellation Leo, Estelle ran her finger along the chart of the previous Saturday. She hoped to speak with the centaur soon to see if they had any input, but the damn Dementors gave her a hard time. She was the perfect victim for them. If she made her way down the path the Hagrid's first and entered the forest that way--

A knock came on her office door. She stood and answered it to find Harry looking rather disheartened.

"Hi, Harry," Estelle smiled, rather glad to have company during the daylight hours.

"Hello, Profes--"

"Please, Harry, it's just the two of us," Estelle said.

"Alright, Estelle," Harry smiled a little, "Can I...tell you something?"

"Certainly," Estelle said. "It can even stay between us if you'd like."

"Sure," Harry said, "This sounds really silly, I know, but...Professor Trelawney told me that the grim appeared in my tea leaves. I can't help being worried."

"There's nothing to worry about, Harry," Estelle said.

"McGonagall told me not to worry about it," Harry said, "but I saw the grim once outside of school. A giant, black dog was watching me through the bushes before I accidentally called the Night Bus. Then again last night, I thought I saw it again."

Estelle furrowed her eyebrows, "You saw a big, black dog." She couldn't help thinking of Sirius, of Padfoot.

Harry shrugged, "Maybe I'm just being thick about it. I mean, there are tons of black dogs and it could've been anything going across the lawn last night...I just felt like I needed to tell someone."

"I really hate Divination," Estelle said. "Seers are so rare...and Trelawney." She shook her head. "Anyway, it's a rubbish subject. If you want real seers, talk to the centaur." She beamed, then said quickly, "No, don't really. I was just giving an example. You've seen the forest quite enough without returning this year."

Harry smiled, "Yeah, well..."

"When you see that daughter of mine, tell her to come and see me," Estelle said.

"Sure."

The castle was quiet the following Saturday. It was a Hogsmeade weekend on Halloween. Estelle's footsteps echoed along the corridor.

"Hellllllllllllllllllllllo, Estellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllla," Peeves called.

"Well, it was quiet," she murmured to herself. "Good afternoon, Peeves. Trouble-making, I assume?"

"Well, if it were I wouldn't be telling you," Peeves said, then blew a raspberry.

"Of course not," Estelle said. She rounded the corner and reached Remus' office.

"Hello," Remus said and pulled her into a small hug.

She kissed him on the cheek, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," he smiled weakly, "but otherwise, everything's fine."

"Classes are alright?"

"Great," he said and sat. Estelle sat in the chair opposite his desk. "I just finished having tea with Harry."

"Why wasn't he at Hogsmeade?" Estelle wondered out loud.

"No permission."

"I guess he never thought of asking me," she said. "Oh well, I just tell him next time."

"Is Andi alright?" he asked.

"A little more...independent than I remember," Estelle said. "I tried talking to her last week. She said everything was fine, but I could tell there was something bothering her. I didn't want to push it."

"It seems like she was just born last week," Remus sighed. "Ah, well."

"At least everything's going well now."

"Yeah," he said quietly, unable to help himself from thinking about Sirius being out there somewhere. What if he found Estelle?

Outside, near Hagrid's hut, Andi, Ginny, and Kendra were enjoying the last of the warmer weather. Fang was chasing a charmed ball gleefully, while Kendra controlled it. Andi and Ginny, however, were helping Hagrid sort out Hippogryph food and Flobberworm food. They only agreed because of Hagrid being so upset lately. He needed the company.

"Oh, shoot," Kendra exclaimed, "Fang won't go near the Forest."

"I'll get it," Andi volunteered.

"Yeh be careful and don' go to far," Hagrid said.

Andi waved and stepped over a root, glad to be away from the cabbage and dead ferrets. Shadows formed from the tall, full trees. At last, the ball.

Another snout was sniffing at it, however. The snout of a black, shaggy dog. At the sight of Andi, it's tail wagged. She smiled.

"Hi there," she said, extending her hand to it.

It backed away.

"Oh, fine," she said.

It ran back into the wood until Andi couldn't see it anymore.