1994-12-02: Double Take

Participants:

Lupin_icon.gif Alice_icon.gif

Scene Title Double Take
Synopsis Lupin comes to Hogwarts to speak with Dumbledore and Alice sees him on the way to have a short chat.
Location Entrance Hall, Hogwarts
Date December 02, 1994
Watch For Lupin knowing more than he says about Sirius Black
Logger Alice

It's shortly after dinner and most people are milling about or in their common rooms. Some stragglers are still in the Great Hall eating as much dessert as they can. Remus Lupin, who has become a rare sight at the school since the end of last term can be seen on this day leaving the second floor hall way, from the end known to play host to a gargoyle, and heads down to the Entrance hall. If asked why he's here, he'd merely say a meeting with Dumbledore. After all, they do often have something to discuss. Especially these days.

Yawning faintly, Alice comes out from the direction of the Great Hall. She's definitely not one to turn down some extra dessert! On her way back to the Hufflepuff common room, however, she spots the former teacher walking through the entrace hall and does a double-take. "Professor Lupin?" she asks incredulously, veering off to approach him, "That -is- you!" The blonde smiles brightly and bounces lightly on the balls of her feet, "I doubt you remember me, sir, from last year. Alice. Alice Starr, sir."

Lupin did his best to avoid students, really. No need for them to be in shock or surprise at seeing him around. And in retrospect, he should have considered taking one of the many hidden passageways of the school, but it really hadn't crossed his mind. It's when he's recognized, however, that this crosses his mind. He smiles at the girl as she queries if it's him. He smiles kindly at her. "Ah, Miss Starr. Yes. Of Hufflepuff, is it not? It's a pleasure to see you. How are you doing?"

A wide smile springs to life on Alice's features as she's remembered. Of course, since her House crest is on her robes, the cynical might say that the former teacher just looked there. Fortunately, Alice is anything but cynical! "Yes, that's right!" she replies, bobbing her head quickly, "I'm doing all right, thank you, sir." She hesitates a moment, shifting her weight on her feet slightly, "You, ah… you disappeared so suddenly last year, Professor. I never g-got a chance to say that, well… you were one of my favorite teachers here at Hogwarts. Even w-with the… with your problem that came out." Her smile widens even further, "Is that why you're here, Professor? To return to teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?" There is a bit of hope in her eyes as she says this; not that she has anything against Mad-Eye, specifically… he's just a bit on the wild side and considering the rumors of what he's done to the upperclassmen…

Lupin nods ever so slightly. "I do admit, I disappeared quite suddenly. But not without due consideration. Classes were over. I felt it best to do so. But I did so much love teaching here. It was most certainly a joy." He says with a soft smile. "But no, I cannot say that I'm hear to teach again. I had to speak with Professor Dumbledore on a matter or two. How do you find Professor Moody's classes?"

"Ahh, I see," Alice says, unable to keep a note of disappointment from her voice at the news that Lupin will not be returning. The girl suddenly looks somewhat uncomfortable at the mention of Moody, shifting her weight again on her feet. Still, she puts on another cheery smile soon after and says, "He certainly knows his stuff! I can see why he was an Auror previously. He is a little bit… um… hands-on in his classes, sir." Alice hesitates again, rubbing the back of her neck absently, "I… I h-heard he… used the Imperius Curse on s-some of the older students." This last whispered in a conspriatorial sotto voice. Her volume returns to normal, "But, as I said, he certainly knows quite a lot about the subject!"

Lupin looks upon Alice sympathetically. "Oh, now now Miss Starr. No reason to be so downtrodden. I am certainly honoured by the fact that I was one of your favourite teachers. Honestly. But certainly others can make up for my absence? What about Professor Sprout? She's a wonderful woman and a great teacher. Or Professor McGonagall? She's a mighty teacher indeed. I'd daren't think many teachers better than she. Though…" He pauses for a few seconds. "Between you and me, she was here even when I went to school. I had her for transfigurations and as my Head of House." He says softly. He tilts his head at mention of Moody's teaching style. "The Imperius curse you don't say? Hmm. Not standard practice. And I'm sure might frightening for some I would suppose." His mind jumps to Neville Longbottom for a moment, though he doesn't let the concern show on his face. "But yes, he fought many of You-Know-Who's supporters in the War as well as many other dark wizards and witches. He has a lot of experience."

A lopsided smile winds its way across Alice's features as she rubs the back of her head absently. "W-well, yes. All of the teachers here are quite good at what they do," she admits, nodding, "And Professor Sprout is quite nice, indeed! Professor McGonagall…" Alice hesitates a moment, gnawing on her lower lip, "Honestly, I think she's the scariest teacher in the school. Scarier than Professor Snape, even! At least with Professor Snape, you can tale solice in the fact that you're likely not being punished fairly. Professor McGonagall, though, is very fair, so if you earn her ire, you know you deserved it. Which makes it much worse." Alice looks rather sheepish at the mention of Moody, "Well, I did say it was a rumor. He's not actually done anything like that with the third-years, at least. So I suppose I could easily be mistaken. Regardless, though, Professor Moody is a very intense teacher." Understatement.

Lupin actually manages to laugh. "Ah, Miss Starr. Between you and me, I don't think anyone is more scary than Professor Snape. He reminds me of a bat." There's a definite pause before he continues. "But of course, you didn't hear that from me." He sighs lightly. "Professor McGonagall merely wants what is best for all her students. That is why she is so strict. If you do what is asked of you, and if you are polite to her, there won't be many problems. You should also feel that you can talk to her if you're having any problems with her course work. She'd be more than happy to help if you asked, I am sure." He adds with a nod. "Well, perhaps it was a rumour indeed." Though he's not going to say much past that. "Professor Moody is a very intense man. Don't let that frighten nor irk you."

"Really?" Alice asks in mild surprise to Lupin's admission of Snape's spookiness, canting her head to one side, "He certainly is scary, no doubt, but I think that's really more because he's just grumpy." She taps a finger against her chin thoughtfully, "I wonder what he was like in school? Was he always that way, I wonder?" She looks around for a moment then leans forward to speak conspiratorally, "Don't tell anyone, but… I baked him a cake. I hope it'll cheer him up a little. Merlin knows he certainly can use it!" She leans back and lets out a string of coquettish laughter, "But I certainly don't let Professor Moody irk me." No word on the 'frighten' aspect, though. "It's just… I'm not sure how to describe it, except that it's like he expects us to be Aurors-in-training and not students. When you taught here, sir, it always seemed like the lessons were… well… more like actual lessons and not training sessions." She sighs faintly, shaking her head, "I suppose that doesn't make much sense, does it?"

Lupin ponders Alice's questions for a few moments before responding. "Professor Snape was quiet during his school years. He often had his head in a book, whether he was inside or outside. He dressed quite similar to how he does now, actually. So there's not too much change there." There's no mention of other aspects of the school-age Snape, however. Lupin blinks a few times. "You baked him a cake? Well, we can hope that it shall cheer him up." Though he doubts it himself. He won't tell her that, however. "It makes perfect sense to me. Professor Moody is used to teaching Aurors-in-training. He's not accustomed to students. Thus our teaching styles are quite differing."

Alice's eyebrows arch in response to Lupin's answers about Snape's school days. "Oh, did you go to Hogwarts with him, Professor?" Yes, she's still using that title with Lupin, even though he's not been a teacher here in over a year. "I didn't know that. I mean, I read in the papers that Professor Snape testified at Sirius Black's trial, but I never quite made the connection." The girl hesitates a moment, shifting her weight again, "Um, if I may ask a… personal question, sir? Do you… do you believe that Mister Black really is innocent? I mean, it seems astounding that the Ministry could've made such a huge blunder, but I have been reading the papers following the trial and it seems like there are some things which don't quite add up…"

Lupin bows his head in response to Alice's question. "Yes, Professor Snape and myself were in the same year here at Hogwarts. We had quite a few classes together. Though he was in Slytherin and I was in Gryffindor. Our groups of friends never quite hung out together." He smiles softly at Alice. "Sirius Black…now there is a big and complicated topic if there ever was." He frowns deeply and thinks for a few moments. "I do believe that Black is innocent. Though I, like many, had thought he was guilty for many years. But I am solid in my belief now that he is innocent."

"Ahh, yes, I understand," Alice says, "Most of the Slytherin students are a bit, erm… stand-offish. Though! I have met some of the older students which seem okay. Miss Noble, for instance — she's Slytherin's champion for the Tournament this year — is quite inclusive and cheery. Well, most of the time, anyway." The blonde quiets, listening to the opinion on Sirius attentively. She frowns faintly, nodding, "I see. That is disturbing. Er, not that you think he's innocent, but rather that the Ministry could've made such a colossal mistake. Cor! It raises the issue that maybe there's a lot more in Azkaban who don't belong there!" She sighs faintly, "I wish Minister Umbridge would allow the trial to continue. I really want to know why Mister Black decided to come to Hogwarts last year, if it wasn't to kill Harry Potter. I mean, what other reason could he have?"

Lupin nods his head. "Well, it's nod exactly that they are 'stand-offish' as you say, but rather they rather like to try to get ahead as best they can. Anyway they can. That is much how the Slytherin mindset is. It isn't exactly a bad thing, but it is not always a good thing either. Not all the time anyway." He considers what the girl says for a moment. "Well, you see…everyone makes mistakes every now and again, don't they? Even the Ministry. No one is perfect, and nothing that is made by people is perfect either." He smiles. "We can all hope that the Minister shall allow it to go forward. There are still some people who need to speak at the trial." He raises an eyebrow. "Oh, what reason, you ask? Now there is quite the question…and if I could tell you, I would."

"Maybe so," Alice replies to the question of the Slytherin, "But they certainly do like to keep to themselves, it seems. Especially the Malfoy boy. Cor, the only time he seems to talk to anyone outside his House is when he's insulting or needling them! Or they're teachers." Her eyes widen slightly, "'If you could tell me'…? Does that mean you actually do know the reason, Professor? Wow. I suppose that explains why you think he's innocent. I mean, that seems like a fairly big snag in his innocence. I've thought about asking Mister Potter about it, but it doesn't seem likely that he'd really know. Besides… he is Harry Potter. I doubt he wants some junior classman badgering him about such trivalities."

Lupin smiles at Alice. "Malfoy comes from a well off family, however. I do not believe his boastful nature to be more than him feeling superior to others because of his wealth. But once more, you did not hear that from me." He doesn't want to look like he's insulting students, after all. "I may know, or I may not. The trial, at present, is my way of informing people publicly." He says softly and kindly. "I do not believe Mister Potter likes being in the limelight, really. I think he'd much prefer to be treated like a normal, average student."

"Understood," Alice says with a wink, "I certainly didn't hear anything about Malfoy." The note about the trial causes the girl to pause thoughtfully, but she nods and dismisses it with a smile, "Well, hopefulyl the truth will come out. If it's been buried for over a decade, it's about bloody time. Er, pardon my speach, Professor." She pushes her glasses up her nose and purses her lips tightly, "Mmn. I guess I never really gave it much thought. About Potter not wanting to be in the limelight, as you say. Still, he has done a lot to be famous for! Becoming Seeker in his first year, saving a student from certain death, managing to keep going to school while an alleged crazed killer was after him. Plus, the whole defeating You-Know-Who as a baby." She smiles wryly, "Not that it matters, really. I don't think I could ever talk to him. I'd be falling all over myself if I tried. He was in a combined Potions class earlier this year, though. That was… interesting. The older students had to make love potions, while we younger students had to make the antidotes."

Lupin chuckles. "Well, nobody had been a seeker that one in over a century, granted. And he has done a few things most his age have not. But all because of circumstance, really. Not because he chose to. He is the 'Boy Who Lived' and he still is the 'Boy Who Wants To Live'." He smiles softly. "And though he survived as a baby, he did not choose that fate. He is but a person like any one of us." He says quietly. "A combined potions class? That is unusual of Professor Snape to do that."

"Circumstance or not, he still rose to the challenge," Alice replies, "I don't think I could've done any of those things." Especially not the Seeker bit. "I think that makes him special enough. After all, he could've chosen to just leave Ginny Weasley at the mercy of that monster two years ago, for instance. Going up against it is something even trained Aurors would balk at, isn't it?" She smiles wryly and nods quickly, "Yes, it was. I think he wanted to impress on us just how little control one can have in the face of potions. I mean, Imperius is one thing, but Amortentia? You can, at least, resist Imperius if I understand the curse correctly. The same cannot be said of a potion. It was quite disturbing watching the older students fawn over one another. Poor Ron Weasley even kissed that bushy-haired girl that is always around with him and Mister Potter!"

Lupin shakes his head. "Doing what he did then is quite the feat, I'll admit that." Not to mention the other part of the story that most probably don't know about. "You know, if people are strong enough, they can even resist a potion. Though that is even more difficult than the Imperius curse. It's all such a complicated subject. Much beyond even the studies of a seventh year at times!"

"You can?" Alice asks, eyebrows rising and head quirking to the side, "I wasn't aware of that. I suppose you have to build up an immunity to a potion? Is that how it works? Ingest a little bit a day and try to work through the affects." She pauses thoughtfully for a few moments before bouncing on her feet, "Well, it was wonderful seeing you again, Professor, but I had better get back to the dorms before a Prefect sees me out of bed after curfew. I hope to see you again soon! Good evening to you!" With a cheery wave, the blonde bounds off in the direction of the Hufflepuff quarters.


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