1995-02-18: Getting To Know You

Participants:

Angelina_icon.gif Lupin_icon.gif

Scene Title Getting to Know You
Synopsis Angelina and Lupin have a discussion about each other and current events.
Location Hogwarts Courtyard
Date Feb 18, 1995
Watch For MARUADER dirt!
Logger Angelina

It's evening. Early evening. And since Lupin often hears about things that happen, especially in regard to the school, he's on his way now to check up on things, make sure people are alright, though that's most likely being taken care of. He's like that. He cares about people. Mainly, though, he's probably going to talk with Dumbledore to see if anything needs to be done. So he's walking through the courtyard on his way in. He could have taken secret passageways, but there's no reason right now.

Angie has just been released from the Hospital Ward, and already she's had a meeting with her Head of House, and is headed through the courtyard for the greenhouse in search of Professor Sprout. However, the figure that joins her there catches her attention. Her steps slow, then stop altogether. "Professor Lupin?"

Lupin is spotted by none other than the student who has been in contact with him. He slows down and bobs his head in a nod to her. "Miss Johnson. How are you doing today?" He asks with concern.

She remains there, looking at him, silent for a moment before finally taking a step closer. "I…different. Is that an acceptable answer? I'm neither wonderful nor miserable, but my .. vision, I guess, is different than it was a few days ago. That is the only way to put it, really."

Lupin nods slowly and points to a bench nearby. "Care to talk?" He asks. He knows if something such as this had happened in his day, he'd probably want to.

With a slight nod, Angie moves to the bench, sitting on one leg once she settles in. "I don't know what more to really say. I talked to Professor Moody some. He was unhappy with me not running when he told me to, then made me his student assistant. So I guess he isn't horribly unhappy with me, after all. I talked to McGonagall about changing classes, mid-semeter. My parents were here, and my father yelled at me for risking my Pro-Quidditch career while my mother cried. Its been splendid."

Lupin sighs softly. "Well, I do commend your bravery then. Bravery certainly is a marker of Gryffindor. Though of course…going into a situation that you should run from is a mark of that too, and is often seen as stupidity by others. Real world experience, though, can be hard to come by. For good reason. No one really wants to be in a situation like that. For those inexperienced at fighting in a real situation, or those without proper training, it can be quite perilous. Your father, no doubt, was more concerned for your well being and the fact that you survived more than anything, and just showed that by being concerned about your Quidditch career."

"But if I hadn't been there, Ginny or Neville would have been hit with the spell I got. My protego got busted right through. Theirs would have to. I didn't do it for 'real world experience'. I wasn't even thinking about that. I .. don't know what I was thinking. They were there, and Professor Moody drew his wand, and I did it too. And then they were firing at us. I didn't leave, when he told me to. He told me we can't be scared of them. We can't fear them to the point it changes us, or they win. I couldn't run. Or they win."

Lupin smiles softly at Angelina. "Of course you weren't thinking of 'real world experience'. No one ever is when they get it. Which spell was it that you were trying to protect Miss Weasley and Mister Longbottom from?" That could make him figure out what to tell her to do if it happens again. "Well, he is correct, in part. We shouldn't be scared of them, no. If we fear someone or something, that allows it to have more power over us. But it is important to understand…sometimes it is alright to run. For if you run and hide until you are ready to fight, that can sometimes take more courage and bravery than staying to fight when you might die."

Angie's gaze turns to look out over the courtyard as she listens to her Professor. Slowly, her head nods. Before speaking the curse, she licks her lips. "Cruciatus Curse. It was meant for Ginny. Some scream about her being a Weasley. And Neville knocked her over, but you know how Longbottom is. It left them both unprotected. And that was all I could see. So, I stepped in front and tried to block it. Apparently, my Protego needs some work."

Lupin shakes his head slightly. "Mister Longbottom no doubt had the best intentions in mind." He smiles, however. "The Cruciatus Curse is a strong one. Sometimes with powerful curses, especially on such as that which is made stronger by a person's anger and hatred, is not going to be stopped by Protego. You need a deflection or shielding spell that is even stronger." He explains.

"Oh. I don't doubt that he did. I never would. Not Neville. He meant well by it. He was trying to protect her too." Angelina's chocolate gaze returns to the professor at her side. "Well, hopefully, I'll be learning that soon. And that is what Professor Moody said too. About their strength because they mean the spell when they throw it. I didn't think I'd need anything like that. I was just supposed to be the pretty Quidditch Girl." She offers him a faint half-smile.

"The Cruciatus is a dark spell. There's a reason why it is considered an Unforgivable. The more hatred and anger that burns inside of you that you use while channelling that spell adds to the strength of it." Lupin sighs and looks over to Angelina. "Professor Moody should be able to teach you those spells. I'd offer, but I'm not quite in the prime teaching position as I once was."

"Well, maybe you can help Professor Moody on his new project. You should ask him about it." This causes Angie to grin, just a little. "He isn't all that tough. I don't know what everyone goes on about. We students talked him into doing something he said he wouldn't." Oh, something about that delights her way too much. "I bet he'd let you help. And we'd love to have you back to learn from to."

Lupin furrows his brow slightly. "What is this new project of Professor Moody's?" He asks curiously. "He can be a bit rough around the edges, regardless. He can seem intimidating to some. I have known him for quite some time, however. It's just how he is…constant vigilance, if I remember correctly."

"Constant viligance. Yes. He tells us all that at least twice a day." Angelina turns to face him more fully. "He's offering training. He says if we're going to fight, he'll train us. But we do as he says. And when he tells us to run, we run. If we accept the training, we give up everything for the rest of the year. No Quidditch, no snogging our boyfriends. Hermione is finding us a room. And we are setting up tutoring sessions to make sure no one's grades fall. He warned us this isn't going to be fun. And he is going to be hard on us. But he's doing it. Because … we're fighting. Whether anyone likes it or not. So he wants to even the odds, I guess."

Lupin bows his head once more in a nod. "Well, that is a good offer as any, to get training from him. He's one of the best aurors out there. Lost his eye and his leg in the course of his duty, but he kept on going." He looks away from Angelina for a few moments. "As much as it is important to dedicate yourself to learning how to fight, how to duel, if you take away Quidditch or other activities outside the classroom, it makes it much more difficult. You need to be able to have a little bit of fun and relaxation. All of us need it."

"Well." Angelina pauses, then goes on. "Well, the way I see it, there is no Quidditch this year anyway. We're halfway through February. Only a few months left. All we have to do is make it through a few months." Her head tips to the side. "You don't like the idea, do you? Why?"

Lupin shakes his head. "No, I think the idea is just fine. Just fine. Dedication is important. But we'd be training you to fight the likes of Death Eaters. Something Aurors are trained to do! It is just extremely difficult, is all. But it is a good idea, no doubt. Train you to be prepared."

"So you'll help then? You'll offer to help teach? Because I'd like to learn to never have that happen to me again. It was…" Her voice drags out, then her head shakes. "What about you? How have you been?"

Lupin shakes his head. "I shall consider it and speak of it to Professor Moody." He says softly. "It was…horrible, painful, excruciating? Something that you'd never like to feel again? Believe me, I quite understand." He says. "Oh, I've been just fine. Just fine indeed. I've been attempting to keep busy, you know, in this old day and age."

He had to go and describe it. The words make Angelina cringe and look away. There is silence a moment before she lifts a hand to wipe at her face. "Yeah. All of those things. All of them. And screaming didn't matter. Nothing mattered." Her hand moves to rub at her temple then. "I'm glad. I didn't really have anything to owl you about to check and see. And I didn't want to bother you just to say 'Hi. How are you?'. What kind of things do you do, now that you aren't here all the time? What do you think about the Ministry change?"

Lupin smiles softly. "I know how you feel. I've been hit by it once or twice myself." He says apologetically. "As for me…well, I did work at the Ministry. Though I believe my boss was fired by Umbridge. I don't know if he'll be rehired though." He frowns. "I believe, or hope anyway, that the Ministry has changed for the better."

"Do you know the new Minister? All we can really do is wait and see, right?" Curiousity gets the better of Angelina. That and the opportunity to grasp at a conversation that doesn't revolve around the attacks. "What did you do, at the Ministry? Am I allowed to ask that? And just because your boss was fired, does that make you fired too?"

Lupin smiles softly. "I know he was the head of the Auror division. I don't know him personally, however." He nods a little. "I worked in the Vampire Liason unit for the man who headed up the division. And I believe I was out of my job before he was. I was thought to be a criminal because I was believed to be helping Holly Maplewood, who was thought to be a criminal then as well."

Angelina oohs quietly. "Because she was helping Mister Black? I met him in the infirmary. I know they say he isn't what they said he was all those years, but it.. well.. he looks rather like the posters." She asks, softly. "So were you helping her? That doesn't make you a criminal now, right?

Lupin bows his head. "I was, in a sense, helping her. But only for a place to stay for a night or two. Where she had been staying was wearing on her nerves. But no, I'm not a criminal now. The charges on her and myself as well as Sirius Black have all been dropped. We are all free people." He remains quiet for a few moments now before speaking again. "Sirius Black didn't always quite look like the posters, you know. Azkaban changed him slightly, though."

Angie's head nods slowly, listening to the man. "I know he likely didn't. We all change as we age, and aging there couldn't have been exactly a stress-free environment. I know he's been cleared of all charges. And he was quite nice to me. What the Ministry did to him..he'll have to live the rest of his life with people looking away from him or cringing when they hear him give his name. They did a bang up job of ruining his name."

Lupin shakes his head. "I wouldn't worry about him, however. He's strong willed. And considering his family, he'll take anything over how they were. They shunned him, I believe, for his beliefs." Or his mother did anyway. "He's really quite a good person."

Angelina draws a deep breath. "I haven't seen anything that tells me any different. And he certainly loves Harry. In my book, that says something, I guess. For all his love and concern, he gave up his seat next to Harry's bed so I could go and sit with Harry and Hermione, and be with my housemates and friends."

"He knows how much friends mean to people your age." Lupin replies. "He knows, and so do I. He and I went to school together, along with Harry's parents. Harry's father and Sirius and one other were good friends of mine. We were very close and tight and were important to each other. We'd do anything for each other. He knows the same could go for many of you."

"I would. I would do anything for my friends. Most of my friends are on the Quidditch team. I'm not as close to Harry as Ron or Hermione, of course. But the Weasley twins…they are my best friends." Despite the serious conversation, admitting this makes her grin a little. "I suppose that really isn't something I should be freely admitting when not under serious questioning."

Lupin smiles softly. "Oh, I don't know. Sirius and I and our other friends were very much like the Weasley Twins in our day…though that's perhaps something I shouldn't be freely admitting." He chuckles lightly. "And just imagine…there were four of us instead of just two, and one of us was a prefect to boot." Yes…he was the prefect.

Angelina smiles at the thought, relaxing back just a little bit, hearing about normal things at Hogwarts. "Was Filch here even then? I bet you all drove him absolutely crazy, if he was. What kind of things did you do? Blow things up like they do? Play pranks?"

Lupin chuckles softly. "Oh, we did tons of stuff. We played plenty of tricks and pranks. We were just as bad as Peeves at times! Except the Bloody Baron never scared us into obedience. Our pranks were legendary in the day. Have you hear about a group called the 'Marauders'? It come to my attention that some students may know of them."

One brow raises. "The Marauders? I've..maybe..heard some things. I didn't realize that was you." Angie pauses, tipping her head. "Wait. When did you graduate again? You must have been…not too much older than me..when everything was happening with the rise of You Know Who. Did you have to sit at Hogwarts and watch everything?"

Lupin smiles. "Yes, I was one of the Marauders. And I graduated in 1978. It was around the raise to power of Voldemort. Not to long after graduating, we all were in the thick of fighting. It wasn't easy, I'll say that much."

"So it is rather like the position we find ourselves in. When you were in Hogwarts though, was the fight brought to you at all, like it was brought to us? Or even when you were out? The attack in Hogsmeade. Is that one of their old tricks?" Angelina asks quietly. Hey. If they all lived through it, well, Sirius and Lupin at least…maybe the rest of them stand a chance.

Lupin shakes his head. "No, it was never quite brought so close. Voldemort would never allow it to unless he thought he could take control of the school. But they say that Dumbledore is the only person Voldemort was afraid of, so it stands to reason he wouldn't try. But I believe it was something else this time."

"Why do you say the name? I thought we aren't supposed to say it? Siobhan, she said it earlier, and I was going to say something, but we were all so upset over the attack…"

TO BE CONTINUED…


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