Chapter 33

"Five more minutes!" she groaned, her hands curling tighter around James who was trying to wake her and soon pulling him back down just so he would stop talking. Ever since she had decided to go back to classes - he acted like her own personal alarm clock, waking her up each morning in a best attempt to be motivational and make sure she still wanted to go to class for her own benefit.

Of course, it was rather lovely of him, had it not been for the fact that he was as much a morning person as Bea was and that was not at all.

"Baby, please," she whined, nuzzling closer to him with a pout and he huffed as she guided his arms around her and used him as her own personal pillow.

"You need to get up," he frowned, brushing a kiss to her forehead, "I'll help you pick out an outfit?"

"I'll wear my dungarees," she grumbled, turning her head so it nuzzled into his shoulder, completely oblivious to his amused smile, "I should really wear my robes."

"You can wear them when you're comfortable," he shrugged, and she grumbled curses of him waking her being completely unfair.

"I know you don't want to get up, babe," he laughed, running his fingers through her hair, "I don't want to get up either."

"You're giving in to the rules!" she exclaimed, "I thought you didn't play by the rules."

"Course not, I've had detention three times this week - one with you, actually."

"I know but you want me up so early." She lifted herself up so that she could stare at him, a frown on her lips and he quickly moved forward to kiss her.

"Morning," he smiled against her lips, his hand lifting to cup her cheek and she grumbled many more curse words.

"Morning." She fell onto his chest once more, whining about him keeping her up late and then flipping him off when he said something rude.

"You know there's a lovely red dress waiting to be worn by you and maybe today could be when you wear it?" he suggested, "you'd look lovely."

"I look lovely in my dungarees," she whined, allowing a laugh to escape his lips and his head to nod in agreement.

"You're right," he agreed, "I think you look lovely in anything - or nothing, of course."

"As if you'd know," she snorted, turning on the bed, "you haven't seen me naked before, James."

"I don't need to." He shrugged, leaning down to kiss her, "I already know that you'd look lovely."

"I don't know if you will see me naked," she whispered, frowning as she sat up. Her hands fell into her lap clasped together and she twiddled her fingers, "for a long time...until - until I know I'm ready...for - for that."

"Hey, hey, hey!" he pulled on her waist until she was in his lap, "you could be read in a month...you could be ready in a year - or fifty years - or never! And it wouldn't matter. We don't need to have sex, Bea, we don't need to do anything like that and I'd never expect you to do that just because I'd want to.

I don't want to if you don't want to - clear and simple. It doesn't matter to me as much as you do, I'd much rather you be comfortable."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, "what did I ever do to deserve you?"

She had asked it so many times she wondered why she hadn't truly had an answer yet, but she couldn't help the smile when James replied with, "I think it should really be asking that question, Bea, I mean seriously."

"Do you believe in soulmates?" she asked, brushing her lips against his neck and sighed.

"I believe that you're mine," he declared, "I think that there's no one else in this world I could ever see myself with. I think I'm so in love with you that sometimes it physically hurts because I know how much you've been through. I think it would seem right if we were soulmates because you've made me a better person. You have made me want to be a better person - and not just me, the boys too.

But that doesn't mean that you're their soulmates! No, but, whenever we plan a prank - it's like 'oh well, this is funny but! Would Bea approve?' and not because we think we need your permission but because you're so kind to everyone that If you didn't approve it would mean that it's cruel, and we don't want to be cruel anymore.

Unless...it's Snivellus."

She laughed at that last part, "you've made me a better person too."

He shook his head, "that's impossible. I mean - you made me smart, you made me nicer - I couldn't have done anything to make you better."

"You were already smart, James and anyone who says otherwise is lying because you and the boys are all so smart it's frustrating sometimes. You can pass tests with little studying - you're creating that map...the map you won't fucking tell me about, mind you. You're an incredible student in all classes with amazing grades, and you plan and execute a ton of pranks that are incredibly thought out.

Not to mention that you became an animagus when you were fifteen-"

"You became one at fourteen!"

"Not the point! And regardless of if you're smart or not, it doesn't matter to me. Because you are kind, and you are wonderful, and I'm in love with you. But you did make me a better person because if it hadn't been for you I wouldn't have realised I can stick up for myself, that I don't need anyone else to be there for me.

That I didn't need to hide behind Remus and let him control me because I'm my own person," she kissed him when he turned to look at her, eyes filled with love and a smile to match, "and I'll be forever grateful for you."

-

A sigh tumbled from Bea's lips as she sat with her hand resting on her cheek in Transfigurations. The red dress she wore blew in the small breeze created from the open door near her and Violet's head rested on her arm, the small pen she stole from Remus in her arm as she doodled little drawings on the youngest Lupin's skin.

Bertie had been complaining that Violet took his seat considering he always sat with Bea in classes and she had suggested the two sit together instead just so she could get some peace considering the argument was a thing that happened every time they had transfigurations.

Her eyes lifted at the sound of the door opening - allowing the small first year to walk in, tightly clutching a note and scurrying to McGonagall's desk at the front of the classroom.

"What do you think that's about?" asked Bertie, leaning back from where he was silently talking to Max beside him and to Bea. Max turned too, eyebrows raised at the two and she shrugged with a frown.

"I have no idea," she whispered, "maybe she's in trouble?"

"Miss Lupin?!"

"Or maybe I'm in trouble," she scoffed, grabbing her book back and gently placing Violet's head on the table. She rolled down the tight sleeves of the dress, so it covered the doodles Violet made and hurried to the front of the classroom to meet McGonagall.

"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office," she spoke, lifting her eyes to stare at her, "I'm going to trust it doesn't have anything to do with an unknown prank?"

"Not that I know of professor," Bea shrugged, "and if it is then I have been falsely accused!"

"Who do you think accused you, Bea?"

"Probably Peter, I stole his chocolate frogs," she tutted, muttering under her breath about the 'little rat', "alright. See you, Professor, would you like the gossip when I get back?"

She was almost certain that McGonagall's lips tugged but she waved her off, saying, "that's quite alright, Bea. If I'm really that curious I'm sure Dumbledore will tell me."

"Makes sense. See you later, Professor!" Bea bid the woman a goodbye, following the first year out of the room and waving goodbye to Bertie, Max and a half-asleep Violet.

"Do you...know what this is about?" Bea asked as they walked down the last hall to Dumbledore's office.

"No, sorry!" the first year squeaked out, hurrying forward and expecting Bea to keep up who had to jog.

The first year recited the password given to her previous to collecting Bea and hurried off down the hall as Bea waited to climb the stairs. She was terribly confused as to why she was there but decided she would find out soon enough and knocked on the door twice when she arrived.

"You wanted to see me, Prof-" she cut herself off at the sight of both Dumbledore and Professor Sprout, both showing kind smiles and Sprout gestured for Bea to take a seat, "what's going on?"

"We have some issues, Miss Lupin," said Dumbledore, "regarding your classes."

"My...classes? I thought I was doing well, I mean I barely passed the tests, but I still passed them!" she exclaimed, a frown on her lips.

"Yes, yes, we know that Bea," Professor Sprout nodded, "but your owls are very soon, only months away and we both feel that you would benefit with some extra studying to turn the barley passing into passing with highest marks."

"In saying that...we simply cannot put in the subject of Herbology with this - we have a suggestion for you, something to think on," Dumbledore said, "of course it is quite short notice, but we would not be saying this if we did not think you could do it."

"Do what...Professor?"

"We think you should take your Herbology N.E.W.T this year, Bea." Her eyes widened and she shifted. Of course, she couldn't deny she was the best at Herbology, it was the only subject she had ever cared for...but her NEWT and in fifth year...she wasn't sure.

"But to give you some extra time to study that," said Dumbledore, taking a deep breath, "we think the best thing for you is to do your O.W.Ls next year."

"But..." she whispered, "can I even do that? I mean...if I do my owls next year, it means I won't be able to do my newts in any other subject."

"Precisely, but I was under the impression that your newts in any other class would hardly matter -not to mention your owls is the next best thing. You have always said to me, Bea, that your dream is to travel this world in search for plants...that you wish to write books upon books on plants and study more and learn more within Herbology.

You want to make sure every single hypothetical essay you have ever done doesn't need to be hypothetical anymore because you will have discovered it...you're not saying you want to change that dream, are you?" Sprout asked.

Bea furiously shook her head, "no - no! of course not, I just...I didn't think this was an option. I was fully prepared to fail my owls if necessary if I didn't study enough. What about my herbology owl? Don't I have to complete that first before the newt?"

"Not necessarily. We think that with your extensive knowledge on such a subject...knowledge we have never seen before in the subject, that it wouldn't be fair to have you sit for hours and do a test you will not see as a challenge.

Technically, with the work you have done and the essays you have written...you have already passed your owl - in theory. So, we don't think it wise...however, as much as the newt may as well be too easy for you, too, it gives you the qualifications needed to become well respected and boost your chance on travelling this world."

"So, what do you say, Bea? Do you want some more time to think of this?"

"No...no I'm alright, I just - it's just very sudden." It would benefit her, she knew that. She was sure she would have failed many of her owls had she taken them in a few months' time, but now she had the chance to pass them all next year, with her Herbology NEWT under her wing.

"What would I do in seventh year?" she asked, head titled, "Is there...any reason for me to be here in seventh year?"

"Well," Dumbledore said, "no, I don't suppose there is. But if you wish to stay...if you wish to have the protection of this castle over you because of the looming war then I'm sure we could grant you a position of working with the plants."

Her heart ached at the thought. Oh, how she wanted to, she really thought that would be quite a lovely idea, but she couldn't bring herself to say yes, "I would love that, I really would. But I can't."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm fully prepared to fight in the war." She saw Sprout's stance change, saw her eyes glint with fear of her young student - practically a herbology prodigy if there was ever such a thing, and she was her mentor, and she was ready to risk her life.

Dumbledore was silent for a moment, and he saw something in her eyes...fury - sheer hatred and he knew she wasn't just going to fight in the war. She was going to kill the man who hurt her, too.

"Very well," he nodded, "this world will need strong allies."

"I have muggle blood in my veins, and that does not make me dirty blood," she said, "it makes me willing to stand with those fully prepared to fight for their lives, and I'll do my best to help them. I think I'm going to take you up on the offer, Professor Dumbledore, thank you."