𝑶𝑵𝑬: Prologue

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1971: FIRST YEAR

Excitement coursed through Evelina's veins like wildfire as she stepped through the towering gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The air was charged with anticipation, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the majestic castle that stood before her. The stone walls seemed to whisper centuries of magic, promising endless possibilities and adventure.

Evelina was quite excited about her first class of the day, Potions.

Her eyes grew wide as she entered the dungeon classroom and saw cauldrons filled with unusual mixtures bubbling over and shelves stocked with jars of odd substances. The hum of magic filled the room, and she could not help but smile with expectation.

"Welcome, welcome, my dear students!" Professor Slughorn boomed, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "Today, we shall begin our journey into the art of potion making, a skill that will serve you well in your magical endeavors."

        Evelina leaned forward eagerly, hanging on his every word as he explained the fundamentals of potion making. From the delicate balance of ingredients to the precise incantations needed to activate them, she absorbed it all with a hunger for knowledge that seemed to grow with each passing moment.

Time seemed to stand still as Evelina lost herself in the rhythm of potion making, she carefully measured out the ingredients and began to stir the mixture in her cauldron.

Unaware that mischief was brewing in the shadows, Remus Lupin became sidetracked and could not resist the impulse to playfully disturb while spending time with his newfound friends, Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, and Sirius Black.

In a moment of careless amusement, Remus's elbow knocked against his cauldron, sending it teetering precariously on the edge of the table. Before he could react, it toppled over, spilling its contents onto Evelina's neatly arranged workspace.

      The Ravenclaw girl's eyes flashed with indignation as she watched her hard work dissolve into a puddle of wasted ingredients. With a steely determination, she rounded on Remus, her voice ringing out clear and commanding amidst the chaos of the classroom.

"You!" She exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger in his direction. "You've ruined everything!"

         Remus felt a pang of guilt twist in his gut, but beneath it simmered a stubborn pride. He refused to be outdone, especially in his first year by a Ravenclaw girl. Straightening his shoulders, he met Evelina's gaze with a defiant glint in his eyes.

"Maybe I have," he retorted, his voice filled with defiance. "But I was having fun."

"Fun?" Evelina arched a brow at him, saying, "This is a classroom, not a zoo in the wild! You ought to be paying more attention to your potion right now—you do not want to fail, do you?" Her voice was difficult as she spoke.

"Bet I can brew a better potion than you any day." Sneered Remus.

The seeds of rivalry were sowed with those words. Evelina and Remus would engage in a contest of wills and cunning from that point on, both keen to establish themselves as a superior student.

1972: SECOND YEAR

     "Please give me your attention." Drawing the students' attention, Professor McGonagall questioned, "Can someone recollect what Vera Verto is?" in a firm voice.

          Evelina smiled broadly; she was sure of that. She looked around her classroom, noting what students had their hands raised and which ones were trying to hide in the hopes of not being called upon. Her hand sprang up wide in pride, ready for Professor McGonagall to call on her.

   Remus Lupin, who was seated directly behind Evelina, on the other hand, rolled his eyes at her raised hand.

   Her hand was constantly up during class, and she consistently gave the correct response. Naturally, Remus was also aware of the answers; he just did not like the fact that how quick Evelina was. 

In an attempt to reclaim the attention, he blurted out, "Vera Verto is a spell used to change an animal into a water goblet, specifically aves, rats, and felines," in response to the question.

   Those who had been raising their hands suddenly lowered them, and all eyes were focused on Remus. Evelina gave him a stern glance, clearly annoyed, but that only made Remus grin.

  "That's correct Mr Lupin." Said Professor McGonagall, "But please raise your hand next time."

With a bow in apology to his professor, Remus turned back to Evelina's deathly stare, his smile becoming broader.

"You have an answer for everything, don't you?!" She snapped at him.

Remus shrugged; "Well, someone has to be the voice of reason around here. And clearly, it's not going to be you."

1973: THIRD YEAR

Evelina sat patiently, her anticipation growing as Professor Sprout made her way around the classroom, handing back the graded tests. With each passing moment, Evelina's excitement and apprehension mounted, eager to see how she fared on the exam she had diligently prepared for.

As Professor Sprout finally reached Evelina's desk and placed the test paper in front of her, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment as she saw the score: 99%.

It was an outstanding result by any standard, yet Evelina couldn't shake off the nagging feeling of confusion. She had been so certain of her answers, meticulously revising every detail, yet there was still that one point she had missed.

Her brow furrowed in thought as she reviewed the test, attempting to identify any potential areas of error. Evelina did not lose her cool; she was determined to grow from her error and do better in the future. But then she felt like someone was staring at her, interrupting her period of reflection.

Evelina spun around, her icy blue eyes meeting the dark browns. Remus jumped at the chance to brag about getting a flawless score. He held up his exam paper, flashing his arrogant smile, displaying his grade.

A 100%

Remus's gloating display made Evelina roll her eyes, but she was not going to let his small-minded remarks get her down. Instead, she made a mental note to do better the next time.

1974: FOURTH YEAR

         Evelina and Remus found themselves, facing off in a one-on-one match in which they got paired up by their new defense against the dark arts Professor Rosewood.

   The students gathered in a queue next to them to watch as the two engaged in combat. Remus had to smile at Evelina as she withdrew her wand and straightened her back.  

  "Don't worry Valentine, I'll go easy on you." He called out to her in a sarcastic manner, and Evelina smiled back.

    "Thanks, Lupin."

  Remus chuckled at her sarcasm and prepared to duel her by withdrawing his wand as his friends encouraged him on.

   "C'MON MOONY!"

   The two gave their professor a nod, indicating that they were prepared. A competitive spirit emerged amongst them as they faced off, wands poised, eager to show off their abilities.

   With a flick of their wrist, Evelina beat him to it in seconds as she cried out; "Stupefy!" Sending a stunning jet of white light hurtling towards Remus.

Despite his best efforts to deflect the spell, Remus ended up stumbling backward, caught off guard by Evelina's speed and accuracy.

Evelina felt a wave of elation at her victory as soon as Remus touched the ground. She turned to her professor, who had complimented her on her good work, with a glowing smile.

Remus, meantime, remained on the ground, his jaw clenched as he scowled at the girl, who was now giggling with her friends.

Remus was still upset about what had happened, and his death stare never left Evelina, even after his friends quickly huddled around him and James and Sirius helped him in getting off the ground.

"You did say you were going easy on her, after all." In an attempt to defuse the unpleasant tension, Peter said quietly.

"Uh yeah, Pete I don't think Moony actually meant that," Jame reassured his friend.

"You're brilliant Moony!" Said Sirius in an attempt to cheer up his friend. "But a little scary sometimes, I won't lie."

Remus rolled his eyes; "It's whatever." He muttered shoving his wand into his pocket.

He'll get her next time.

1975: FIFTH YEAR

     Professor Flitwick had the students work on a timed assignment to prepare them for the upcoming OWLs.

   In the midst of the timed assignment, Evelina was a picture of focused concentration. Her quill danced across the parchment with practiced precision, swiftly transcribing incantations and wand movements as if they were second nature to her. Her brow furrowed in determination as she worked, her mind fully absorbed in the task at hand.

    Beside her, Remus was equally immersed in the assignment, his movements mirroring Evelina's as he deftly completed each task.

As the final seconds ticked away, Evelina and Remus simultaneously slammed down their papers and union they both yelled out; "Done!"

    Immediately, a disgruntled glance was exchanged between them, acknowledging their mutual irritation at being on equal footing once more. Their faces turned white.

    Professor Flitwick, eyebrows raised in astonishment. "Well, well, well, it seems we have a tie," he exclaimed, peering at their completed assignments. "Remarkable work, both of you."

     Evelina scoffed; "A tie!?" She exclaimed, "I clearly finished before him."

  Remus couldn't help but smirk. "Well, isn't this just lovely," he muttered under his breath, a hint of sarcasm lacing his words. "Let me guess," He crossed his arms; "You asked your parents to help you study, sweetheart?"

   Evelina chuckled; "How cute!" Her tone shifted from sarcasm to seriousness at that point. "At least I don't pay for a tutor to help me!"

      She also folded her arms, and the two faced one another in front of the class. They glared at one another silently, their tension permeating the entire classroom.   

Oh, how Remus Lupin frustrated Evelina Valentine completely!