SIX: Dumb and poetic

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      Ever since Remus Lupin called Evelina Valentine "Lazy," she has been determined to prove him wrong. The words echoed in her mind every time she picked up her wand, every time she pushed herself to work harder. She refused to give Remus the satisfaction of being right, proving—to him, to—herself—that she wasn't what he said she was. So, she studied relentlessly, barely sleeping, forcing herself to maintain a level of perfection that left little room for anything else. Evelina Valentine had always been competitive, but this was different. This was personal.

It was wearing on her, though. The exhaustion clung to her like a second skin, making her irritable and short-tempered, which hadn't gone unnoticed by her friends.

In charms, Evelina was on edge, but she wasn't going to let it show. She barely let her partner, Vincent Farrington, lift a finger, determined to do all the work herself. Vincent, ever so calm and collected, finally spoke up after she cast yet another flawless charm without even consulting him. Normally, he might've been content to let her take the lead, but today something felt off.

"You're going to burn yourself out, you know," Vincent said quietly, his brow furrowed as he watched Evelina practically vibrate with tension beside him. "What are you trying to prove?"

"Nothing," Evelina snapped, her eyes flickering over to where Remus was working with Sirius Black, Remus in too deep with his wand work and studies while Sirius was laughing with James who was at the table next to them working with Peter. The two laughing about some comment with no care in the world.

Vincent followed her gaze, a knowing look crossing his face. "This is about Lupin, isn't it?"

Evelina tensed but said nothing, focusing instead on her wand work, even though they had already completed the assignment. She didn't want to admit it—didn't want to admit that one comment from Remus had gotten under her skin so badly.

The spell faltered for just a moment. Evelina's grip on her wand tightened, and she scowled, refusing to look at Vincent. "I said, it's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing," he pushed. "Did he say something to you?"

She hesitated before answering. "He called me lazy."

Vincent's eyes darkened with annoyance, though it wasn't just because of Remus' dumb insult. He had always been a little jealous of the attention Evelina gave her academic rival. While Vincent himself was no slouch in their classes, it was clear that Evelina and Remus had something different—something sharper and more intense. They were always challenging each other, pushing one another to be better. And while Vincent respected Evelina's intelligence, he couldn't help but feel left out.

"You, lazy? Not a chance, " Vincent declared, puffing his chest out. "Listen Eve, he's not worth your time. That bookworm spends every second with his nose in a book—I mean books are hardly for you—or any woman really. But you're different; you're smart, clever even. That's why you shouldn't waste a second on that guy. Sure, he's got a brain, but not like yours. Half the time, I bet he doesn't even know what he's saying, He's just dumb and poetic."

"That's easy for you to say," she muttered, her gaze remained fixed on Remus. She could feel a weight pressing on her, the drive to prove him wrong pushing her far beyond what was healthy. She knew Vincent was right, but she couldn't stop herself.

But the time charms was over, Evelina felt like she was going to collapse. But she wasn't going to let herself slow down. Not when she had so much to prove.

Evelina gathered her things, throwing them into her bag with a little more force than necessary. Vincent gave her a worried look but didn't push any further. She could handle herself, and he knew it.

As she walked out of the classroom, she kept her head held high, ignoring the exhaustion tugging at her limbs. But before she could make it down the corridor, a familiar voice called out behind her.

"Valentine!"

She stiffened, recognizing the voice immediately. Remus Lupin.

She turned, her expression carefully composed as she faced him. Remus jogged to catch up with her, his expression oddly amused, as he found the entire situation humorous. It only irritated her more.

"What do you want, Lupin?" She asked, her tone cold.

Remus stopped in front of her, catching his breath, a small grin still playing on his lips. "You seemed. . .off today in class. Just making sure you're not, you know, overdoing it."

Evelina scoffed. "Concerned all of a sudden, are we?"

"I'm always concerned," he said, still grinning. "It's my natural state of being."

She rolled her eyes and turned to walk away, but Remus wasn't done. He fell into step beside her, matching her pace easily.

"Seriously, what's got your wand in a knot?" He questioned, his tone more serious now.

Evelina shrugged and scoffed as she shook her head; "Don't think you understand. . .just cause you talk like one doesn't make you a man."

Remus's brows furrowed, trying to understand what she meant. As his mind spiraled around, he fell into a thought that seemed like a possible answer.

"I didn't mean what I said the other day," he continued, his tone genuine. "About you being lazy. I was frustrated alright? You get under my skin."

Evelina glanced at him, her eyebrows raised. "I get under your skin? That's rich."

He shrugged, the corners of his mouth twitching. "You know, maybe we both just have a habit of saying things we don't mean."

"Speak for yourself," Evelina shot back. "I always mean what I say."

"Oh, really?" he asked, his voice laced with playful challenge. "So, you didn't mean to call me an insufferable know-it-all in Potions last week?"

Evelina's eyes shot wide as she tried to find something to fire back, but she couldn't, she was well too drained out and it only made her frustrated. "Godric Lupin, will you ever stop fucking my head like it's some kind of fetish-?!" She cried, sending Remus a little taken aback.

The tension between them shifts, not dissolving but morphing into something else. Something less sharp, more teasing. Remus glanced at her again, noticing the way her shoulders sagged slightly as if the weight she'd been carrying was starting to catch up with her.

"It's not a competition, you know?" He said, his tone softer now.

"Everything is a competition with you Lupin," Evelina muttered, though her voice lacked its usual bite. She was tired. So tired.

Remus stopped, gently grabbing her arm to make her pause too. She turned to face him, surprised by the sudden seriousness in his expression.

"I wasn't trying to insult you, Valentine," he said quietly. "You don't have to burn yourself out trying to prove something to me. You've got nothing to prove."

She stared at him, caught off guard by the sincerity in his words. The exhaustion that had gnawed at her for days suddenly felt heavier, but despite Remus's reassurance that she had nothing to prove, Evelina still felt that she did—maybe not to him, but to herself.

Evelina shook her head, muttering under her breath, "You're so dumb and poetic."

Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and walked away, his hand slipping off her arm as he stood in silence, watching her retreat.

Remus found himself noticing her in every class they shared. In Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and now in Potions, Evelina was running herself ragged. Even when she worked with her friends—Emmaline Vance, Benjy Fenwick, and Caradoc Dearborn—she was taking charge, doing multiple tasks at once, trying to outwork everyone, including herself. Remus observed her from across the room as she multi-tasked, practically running the entire group assignment herself.

He stirred his own cauldron absentmindedly, but his eyes kept drifting back to Evelina. Her movements were quick, efficient, and almost frantic. She was burning out, and everyone but her seemed to notice.

Sirius, always the observant one, caught on first. He elbowed Remus with a teasing grin. "What's got your knickers in a twist, Moony? You've been staring at Valentine like she's going to explode."

Remus shot him a look. "I'm not staring."

"Sure," Sirius snickered, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair. "You're just intensely... observing. I didn't know you were into masochists."

Remus groaned. "She's not—"

"—Oh, come on, Moony. Look at her. That's not a healthy way to work. You've got a death wish or something?"

Remus stayed silent, guilt creeping into his chest as he watched Evelina move even faster.

Peter, who had been carefully slicing ingredients, looked up curiously. "What happened? Why are you watching her?"

Sirius leaned in before Remus could respond, lowering his voice dramatically. "Oh, it's nothing. Just classic academic rivalry with a side of melodrama."

Remus sighed, rubbing his temples. "I said something I shouldn't have, and now she's overworking herself to prove me wrong. I didn't realize it'd affect her like this."

James, who had been adjusting the flame beneath their cauldron, smirked and chuckled. "You're so empathetic, Moony. You'd make a great wife."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Funny."

Sirius grinned wider, never missing a chance to join in. "He's right, you know. All that compassion, that sensitivity. You'll have husbands lining up."

"Maybe even wives too," James added with a wink.

"Are you all finished?" Remus muttered, shaking his head. "This isn't about that."

Sirius, still grinning, gave him a playful shove. "You know, for someone so bloody smart, you're completely dumb when it comes to her. Haven't you figured it out by now? She's not just trying to prove something to you, mate. It's about herself."

Remus paused at that, frowning. He had thought about it, but it still didn't sit right with him. "Maybe. But I feel responsible."

Peter, less inclined to tease, looked genuinely concerned. "So, what are you going to do?"

Remus watched as Evelina worked, her hands moving at a pace that looked almost mechanical. She wasn't slowing down. If anything, she was pushing harder.

"I don't know," Remus admitted quietly. "But I don't think just talking to her is going to be enough."

Sirius smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Good luck with that, mate. She's as stubborn as you are."

James nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Remus. You'll need more than just words to get through to her."

Remus sighed, knowing they were right. Watching Evelina from across the room, he knew something had to change. But convincing her of that? That was going to be the hardest part.

Just as Remus was about to gather his thoughts, a loud whoosh erupted from the back of the room. Benjy Fenwick had somehow managed to set their cauldron on fire. The entire class turned as a plume of smoke curled toward the ceiling.

Remus's attention immediately snapped to Evelina. Her eyes widened in shock, but instead of panicking, she closed them for a brief second, visibly trying to stay calm. Emmaline, busy fanning the air with her hands, was also struggling to stifle her laughter as Caradoc and Benjy found the whole thing hilarious, watching the small fire flicker.

"You absolute menace, Ben!" Emmaline called out, half-amused, half-exasperated, as she tried to help Evelina keep it together.

"Just trying to spice things up a bit!" Benjy grinned, giving Caradoc a high-five.

Professor Slughorn quickly waved his wand to extinguish the fire, but Remus noticed how Evelina's shoulders slumped, her composure barely hanging on. As the class wrapped up, Remus jogged up to her, ready to talk, to apologize again or maybe just check in on her.

Before he could even get a word out, she threw him a sharp look and fired, "Save all your breath for your floor meditation."

She turned on her heel and walked off before he could even respond, leaving him standing there, frustrated and, oddly, amused.

         That night, the library was nearly empty, save for the soft glow of floating candles and the occasional creak of wooden chairs. Evelina sat at one of the tables, books spread out in front of her as she scribbled furiously on a roll of parchment, her eyes straining against the fatigue. She barely noticed when Remus slipped into the seat next to her.

"I see you're still alive," Remus said, breaking the silence.

Evelina's eyes narrowed as she glanced at him, clearly annoyed by his presence. "What do you want, Lupin?"

He shrugged, his tone casual but pointed. "Our deal. Remember? I need help with Potions, and seeing as you're already working on your essay, now's as good a time as any."

She huffed but didn't protest, begrudgingly sliding one of her extra parchments toward him. "Fine. But don't slow me down."

They worked in relative silence for a while, the only sound between them the scratching of quills and the rustle of parchment. Every now and then, Evelina would glance at him, noticing how focused he was. She couldn't deny that he was smart—annoyingly so—but it still irked her how easily he had gotten under her skin.

As the minutes ticked by, though, she started to sense something else. Remus kept glancing at her, almost as if he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how to start.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he broke the silence. "You look exhausted," he said quietly, his eyes still on the parchment in front of him.

Evelina rolled her eyes, her quill pausing mid-sentence. "I'm fine," she replied curtly, though the bags under her eyes betrayed her words.

Remus didn't let it go. "No, really. You're working yourself into the ground."

"Oh, and now you care about my well-being?" she shot back, the sarcasm in her voice sharp. "Since when did you become my personal healer?"

Remus smirked. "Since you started losing your wit. It's concerning."

Evelina scoffed. "I'm as sharp as ever. Maybe you're just too dense to realize it."

"Sure," Remus said, his tone playful. "For someone so genius, you've got a habit of acting completely dumb."

She glared at him but couldn't come up with a retort quick enough, which only made him grin wider. She turned her attention back to her work, ignoring him.

Remus spoke again, his tone softer than before but still teasing. "You know, you're someone who's supposedly always one step ahead, but you look like you're running a marathon at half-speed." He said, noticing Evelina's intensely fast speed as she worked.

Evelina shot him a glare, but the weariness in her eyes dulled the sharpness of it. "And for someone who claims to be clever, you really don't know when to shut up."

Remus grinned, leaning back in his chair. "Can't help it. I guess I'm just. . .dumb and poetic."

She rolled her eyes, her fingers tightening around her quill. "There's nothing poetic about you, Lupin."

"Oh, I don't know about that," he said, eyes twinkling with mischief. "I'm full of poetic wisdom. For example. . ." He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "The stars are always beautiful, even when hidden behind clouds. Just like you, Valentine, even when you're too tired to see it."

Evelina stared at him, her brow furrowing in disbelief. "Did you just compare me to a cloud?"

Remus chuckled. "No, I compared you to the stars. Keep up, will you?" He snapped his fingers in front of her face.

She huffed, turning back to her parchment. "I can't decide if you're trying to compliment me or insult me. Either way, you're doing a terrible job."

"Well, you're not exactly making it easy," he replied, still smiling. "I think you're just too stubborn to accept when someone's trying to be nice."

"Nice?" She scoffed. "You call this being nice? You called me lazy the other day." She folded her arms.

"I didn't mean it like that," Remus said quickly, a bit of guilt creeping into his voice. "I was frustrated, and I said something stupid. I didn't think it'd make you—"

"Work myself into the ground?" Evelina finished for him, her gaze sharp again. "You thought I wouldn't care what you said?"

Remus sighed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. "I didn't think you needed to prove anything. You're already—"

"Oh, please," she cut him off, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Spare me the heartfelt speech."

"Fine," he said with a grin. "But just so you know, I was about to say something very poetic."

Evelina raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Doubtful."

Remus leaned closer, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Do you want to hear it?"

"Not really."

He ignored her, lowering his voice again. "The brightest stars burn the fastest. But if you burn yourself out, Valentine, you'll miss the sunrise."

Evelina blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone, but quickly recovered. "That was the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

Remus chuckled, undeterred. "Maybe. But it's still true."

She shook her head, exasperated. "You really are hopeless, Lupin. Dumb and poetic."

"And you're stubborn and brilliant, Valentine. Genius and madness," he replied easily. "A deadly education."

Evelina snorted, clearly trying to stifle her amusement. She scribbled something quickly on her parchment before dropping her quill with a sigh.

Her head felt heavier by the second, and despite Remus's teasing, she couldn't shake the exhaustion gnawing at her.

Remus watched as her posture slumped, her eyes fluttering closed even as she tried to stay awake. "I'm not sleeping," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. "Just resting my eyes."

Remus chuckled softly, shaking his head, leaning back in his chair. "Of course you are."

A few moments later, Evelina's head started to feel heavier. She blinked rapidly, her eyelids betraying her as they grew heavier and heavier. Her hand stilled, her quill sliding out of her grasp. Remus watched as she slowly lowered her head onto her folded arms.

Within minutes, her soft, steady breathing signaled she had fully succumbed to sleep. Remus leaned back in his chair, glancing at her as she slept. He considered waking her but then decided against it. She needed the rest more than she realized.

He glanced at her, feeling a strange mixture of amusement and concern. For all her bravado, Evelina had pushed herself far beyond her limits, all because of something stupid he'd said. He made a mental note to make it up to her, though he had a feeling she wouldn't let him off that easily.

For now, though, he'd let her rest. Even if she'd probably deny ever needing it.

Remus Lupin so dumb and poetic.
It's just what Evelina Valentine falls for.