YOU SAID YOU WERE EIGHTEEN.

DANICA, DESPITE BEING WELL-LIKED, didn't have a lot of friends, not even in her house. Of course, everyone was friendly. But the only Hufflepuff she ever found herself sitting with during the opening feast was Cedric Diggory, and that was because he'd shyly sat in the empty seat next to her at his very first feast. It'd become a tradition of sorts now.

Waiting impatiently for the food to appear, Danica was lost to all, her thoughts only on mashed potatoes and pie, much to Cedric's amusement. But she did at least give the Quidditch Captain all her attention as he went over the new training techniques he wanted to try. Both were equally Quidditch mad — staying on the team was one of the only motivating factors Danica had for keeping her grades up.

Their discussion about what second years they thought might show up at try outs was cut off by Dumbledore, who addressed them all for his yearly welcome speech.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts' I have a few things to say before we become befuddled by our excellent feast. I myself am particularly looking forward to the flaming kiwi cups, which, while somewhat treacherous for those of us with facial hair—"

It seemed McGonagall was just as hungry as Danica, as she cleared her throat, prompting Dumbledore to keep going. It made Danica snicker, so Cedric nudged her knee under the table to silence her.

"Mm, yes. First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R. J. Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Good luck to you, Professor."

Danica was amongst those to politely applaud, only to actually spare a glance at the High Table where the new teacher was standing and nodding awkwardly.

Her spit got caught in her throat and she nearly choked when she saw the very man she'd been sleeping with not twenty-four hours ago. Long gone was his Muggle sweater and jeans as he now stood in hand-me-down robes with a tired expression on his handsome face.

"Oh, fuck me," Danica whispered, shrinking into her seat. She also threw her arm up on the table and covered the side of her face with her hand to keep from being accidentally spotted.

As if that made a difference seeing as she'd have his class first thing in the morning.

"You alright?" Cedric whispered as Dumbledore kept talking. He was introducing Hagrid as the new Care of Magical Creatures professor. 

She just squeaked in response, both noting how red her face had become suddenly. And given that the Hufflepuff table was right next to the Slytherins, Claudia's nosy ass noticed as well, and she was now curiously staring down her best friend. She'd been looking at Cedric, but now her eyes were on Danica and wouldn't leave.

"Finally, on a more disquieting note, Hogwarts — at the request of the Ministry of Magic — will, until further notice, play host to the Dementors of Azkaban.

Murmurs of apprehension sounded, but Danica hardly heard them, her blood pounding away in her ears as she fought the urge to look at Professor Lupin.

Professor. Her actual fucking professor.

"The Dementors will be stationed at the entrances to the grounds. While they are under strict orders not to enter the castle itself, you will on occasion see them as you go about your daily activities. Under no circumstances are you to approach them. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving."

Finally, Dumbledore ended his speech and the food appeared on the table. Instantly, Claudia noticed how her friend was just poking at her plate and knew something was wrong. So, she scurried from the Slytherin table to the yellow one, not caring how Snape glared at her for it.

"What the fuck is up?" she asked, sliding into the seat on the other side of Danica.

It was Cedric who answered, leaning around her to look at Claudia. "She's been like this since the speech. She was perfectly fine before. Can't get her to talk now."

For once, Claudia wasn't stunned by Cedric, too worried about Danica. "Babe, what is it?"

Knowing she had to fess up to her best friend, she leaned in and whispered in Claudia's ear. "Member the guy I was telling you about on the train? The one whose name I didn't know?"

"Of course. And you've got to finish that story by the way," she said. "What is it?"

Danica shut her eyes in shame, really hoping that Claudia wouldn't make a scene. "Dumbledore just told me his name."

It took Claudia a second, admittedly. She wasn't a Ravenclaw, after all. But she glanced at the High Table, her eyes landing on Professor Lupin, who was young, handsome, and fit the previous description of the man to a T, right down to the scars on his face. Her eyes went wide and she sucked in a deep breath.

Before Danica knew it, Claudia was grabbing her wrist and dragging her from the table and toward the door so that she could make a scene. Nearly everyone watched them go, only their backs visible to the High Table.

Seeing that it was Claudia, Snape stood up in annoyance. "Spencer! Selwyn! Get back to your tables."

But Claudia just ignored him and pulled Danica into the hallway. Then she pushed her up against the wall, her hands on her shoulders.

"Tell me everything," she demanded, a deranged smile on her face. Claudia thrived off gossip, and she'd never been so scandalized.

"That's him. Professor Lupin," Danica muttered. Then she dragged her hands over her face. "Merlin, I'm screwed. He's our teacher! I - I slept with my teacher. My teacher slept with me. My mum's gonna murder me if she finds out."

"This is the best day of my life," Claudia laughed.

Danica smacked her shoulder and whined. "Claudia," she huffed. "What am I going to do? He can't know I'm a student."

"Well, maybe you can Polyjuice for the whole year," she shrugged. "Snape's up your ass anyway. He'll help you out."

"Yeah, right," she said, knowing her friend was just messing with her.

"Not really. He thinks you're Merlin's gift to potions. Which, you kind of are."

"Now isn't the time to be praising me academically. Save it for later," Danica said, rolling her eyes. She rarely got praise though, so she'd have her friend return to it at a later time. "What do I do? Seriously?"

For once, Claudia didn't have an answer to Danica's problem. Not a good one at least. Not one that wouldn't end with Professor Lupin getting fired.

"Just act like nothing happened?" she tried, shrugging a bit.

"Claude," she mumbled. "That was the best sex I've ever hand. I can't pretend it didn't happen. Merlin, how am I supposed to look at his hands writing on the board when all I'll be able to think about is them—"

"Woah! Let me call the Aurors to arrest you for being horny!" Claudia cut her off. "And I guess if you can't pretend it didn't happen, maybe he can't either. You could be the best sex he's ever had too."

"I'm an eighteen-year-old and he's like — fuck, I don't even know his age. But no way is he hung up on me. He's gonna be pissed when he finds out."

"So, angry sex with Professor Daddy?" Claudia suggested.

"Oh, fuck off," Danica scoffed at the appalling nickname. Then she looked at the closed doors of the Great Hall. "We can't go back in. He'll see me."

"Well, the Common Rooms aren't open yet — House Elves still getting them ready."

"Wanna go to the kitchens?"

"Read my mind. Your drama almost made me forget how hungry I am."

☽︎

Danica and Claudia had only been in the now open Hufflepuff Common Room for five minutes when Professor Sprout came to fetch Danica.

"I just got here," she said upon seeing her Head of House. "I haven't broken any rules. Swear it."

Professor Sprout chuckled and shook her head. "Not that, Dearie. Professor McGonagall is outside. She's going to walk you to meet the new professor. The one you'll be having your lessons with. And Miss Spencer needs to get back to her Common Room."

All the color drained from Danica's face, who, in her distress, had forgotten all about the fact that every Friday, she'd be having to meet privately with Professor Lupin to work on her magic. That was the last thing she needed — time alone with the man that she wanted to avoid like the plague.

Claudia sucked in a large breath and pat Danica on the back. "Good luck, I suppose. I expect a play by play when you return."

With her head down, Danica met Professor McGonagall in the hallway. The older woman began leading her up the stairs and toward the quarters attached to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"You know, Professor," she spoke up. "Percy did a wonderful job teaching me last semester. I hardly learned from the lessons last year, so maybe I shouldn't bother this new professor."

"Nonsense," McGonagall waved her off with a kind smile on her face. "I can assure you that Professor Lupin is nothing like that Lockhart. He was one of my best students in school, and I've already mentioned you to him at the feast. He'd be delighted to help you."

We'll see about that, Danica thought to herself.

"Besides," she went on, "your brother will not have nearly the free time now that he's Head Boy, and you know that. Perhaps you'll even need to meet with Professors Lupin and Flitwick even more since you'll be missing out on time with him. We want to ensure that you graduate, Miss Weasley."

Danica just hummed. "Thank you, Professor. I don't think I've ever said that. But I'd be rather lost without you watching over me."

"Well," she smiled, "you may be a Hufflepuff, but you're also a Weasley, and that makes you one of mine."

The two finally reached the classroom, and the light was on, signifying that Lupin was waiting on them. Danica scurried behind McGonagall, hiding behind her body as they entered the room, keeping her head down.

Remus was there, sorting through his supplies, getting ready for his first classes the following day. But he looked up with a tired smile when he saw McGonagall come in.

"Hello, Professor," he greeted.

McGonagall smiled and shook her head. "Remus, I'm not your professor any longer," she reminded him.

Danica heard him chuckle, and her chest felt tight, thinking it was a beautiful sound. Merlin, she was so fucked if she couldn't even hear him laugh without getting a reaction.

"Now, I'd like you to meet Miss Danica Selwyn-Weasley," McGonagall said, stepping to the side. "The student you'll be mentoring."

Remus had been prepared to greet a bright eyed Hufflepuff with a smile on his face. But as soon as he saw the familiar form — very familiar form — of the girl he'd been thinking about all day, his smile fell and he went paler than normal.

She stood there in a Hufflepuff school uniform, her head down and her hands clasped behind her back.

The first day on the job, and he'd already fucked one of his students.

And awkward silence fell over them, McGonagall wondering why Danica was avoiding eye contact and why Remus' mouth was slightly parted in shock.

It was Danica who finally got the courage to speak up. "It's lovely to meet you, Professor," she said, slowly looking up at him.

Remus' words got caught in his throat, his mind flashing with a memory — one of her on her knees.

"You've been such a good girl," he breathed out, looking at the sight below him. Her lips were swollen and his cum painted them, dripping from the corners of her mouth. His fingers were tangled in her thick hair, holding it back and out of her face.

Danica — her name was Danica — smirked and wiped the corner of her mouth with her thumb, sucking it clean. "Only for you, Professor."

Remus sucked in a sharp breath and nodded to Danica, forcing a smile on his face that looked more like a grimace. "You as well, Miss Weasley," he said, opting to use the less tarnished part of her last name.

"Now with introductions out of the way," McGonagall said, clueless to their plight, "I expect great things from the two of you working together. Understood?"

Remus finally met Danica's gaze, and both felt like having the ground swallow them whole while at the same time, their minds swam with wretched thoughts about the other's body.

"Understood," Danica murmured, biting the inside of her cheek.

"Very well. Remus, do make sure Miss Weasley gets to her Common Room. I suspect you'll want to discuss the finalities of your meetings with her."

And then Danica's worst nightmare came true. McGonagall left her alone with Professor Lupin.

More silence fell over them, and finally after a full minute, Remus was the one to break it.

"You - you said you were eighteen," he choked out, sounding a bit hoarse.

"I am!" she insisted.

"But you're a seventh year."

Heat rushed to Danica's face, feeling shame wash over her. How was she supposed to admit that she'd failed to probably one of the smartest men she'd ever met?

"I - I told you I struggle. I had to repeat my third year," she whispered. "You never asked if I was still in school."

When Remus didn't reply, she spared a glance at him. He was leaning back against his desk, his head in his hands. Guilt, shame, and self-hatred were practically drowning him.

The silence was nearly painful for Danica, who wished he would just say something. Wishing he'd look at her and tell her everything would be alright. Tell her that he wasn't angry with her or that he detested her now that he knew she was his student.

But none of that came from his lips.

"I should go. It's late," she said softly, turning toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Professor."

"Fuck, don't call me that," he muttered, shaking his head.

Danica looked at him over her shoulder, seeing the anguish on his face. "What else could I possibly call you that's appropriate, Sir?"

Remus let out a groan and tore his eyes from her. "Not that either."

"Very well," she said, ignoring how her stomach turned at the sound of his groan, remembering it under different circumstances. "Goodnight, Lupin."

He nearly flinched from how cold she sounded. But he knew it was for the best, so he didn't stop her when she left him alone in the classroom with his thoughts. Thoughts of her soft skin and delicate lips wrapped around his—

Remus quickly shook the thought from his head, knowing it was wrong to think of his student like that. And he could tell that it was going to be a long year if he couldn't even control those thoughts on day one.

A long, long fucking agonizing year.