Harry and I walked off, not going to the common room at all.
"Maybe we could go see Hedwig in the Owlery?" Harry suggested.
I nodded and we set off, wandering down yet more empty corridors.
"Harry?" came a voice from inside one of the rooms we walked past.

Harry and I both doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, who was looking around his office door.
"Oh, and Ivory. What are you two doing? Where are Ron and Hermione?"
"Hogsmeade," Harry and I said at the same time, then we looked at each other and smiled, before turning back to Lupin.
"Ah," he said. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken a delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?" said Harry as we walked into Lupin's office.
"It's a water demon," I told him, and Lupin nodded.
"We shouldn't have too much trouble with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."
The sickly green coloured Grindylow bared its teeth, then buried itself in a tangle of weed in the corner of its tank.

"Cup of tea?" asked Lupin. "I was just thinking of making one."
"All right," said Harry awkwardly, but I shook my head.
Lupin tapped a kettle with his wand, and a sudden blast of steam issued from the spout.
"Sit down," he said, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid — but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.
"About what?" I questioned, confused.
"The Grim in the tea leaves in Divination, don't tell me you didn't know..." Harry said.
"I don't think I've actually been awake in a Divination lesson yet," I said, shrugging my shoulders slightly.
"Wow," Harry said, before turning back to Lupin. "How did you know?"
"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"
"No," Harry said.

"Anything worrying you, Harry?" Lupin asked.
"No," said Harry again, drinking some tea. "Yes," he said suddenly, putting his tea down on the desk. "You know that day we fought the Boggart?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you let me fight it?"
Lupin raised his eyebrows and said, "I would have thought that was obvious, Harry."
"Why?"
"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."
I flinched as he said my father's name; I had learned to fear it when I was just four years old. Thankfully, neither Lupin nor Harry seemed to notice.

"Clearly, I was wrong. But I still didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort (I flinched again) to materialise in the staff room. I imagined that people would panic."
"I did think of Voldemort first," said Harry, and I flinched once more. "But then I — I remembered those Dementors."
"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well... I'm impressed. That suggests that what you fear most of all is — fear. Very wise, Harry."
Harry drank some more tea, obviously not sure what to say.
"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.
"Well... yeah," said Harry. "Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors—"

He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Lupin.
The door opened, and Snape walked in, his eyes narrowing as he saw Harry and me. He was carrying a goblet of what was unmistakably Wolfsbane potion.
"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"
Snape put the goblet on the desk, his eyes wandering between Harry and Lupin, before finally coming to rest on me. His lip curled, but I, for once, didn't shrink back; instead, I looked straight back into his eyes and applied occlumency, just in case.

We stayed looking at each other for a good few minutes, and I could feel Snape trying to use legilimency on me. I quickly doubled my occlumency defences to stop him getting into my head.
Finally beaten, Snape turned away from me and looked back at Lupin.

"Just showing Harry and Ivory my Grindylow," Lupin said, as if mine and Snape's staring match hadn't happened, pointing at the tank.
"Fascinating," said Snape, not even looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."
"Yes, yes, I will."
"I made an entire cauldronful, if you need more."
"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."
"Not at all," said Snape, backing from the room, unsmiling, his eyes trained on Lupin.

As soon as Snape left the room, Lupin and Harry both turned to me.
"You had quite the staring match with Professor Snape there," said Lupin, smiling.
"Yeah, he was trying to use legilimency on me."
Lupin raised his eyebrows.
"Why was he doing that?"
"No idea, but I used occlumency, so he didn't see anything," I said, shrugging my shoulders slightly.

I saw Harry look curiously at the goblet, and Lupin smiled again.
"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.

"Why—" Harry started.
"I've been feeling a bit off colour," Lupin said, answering the unfinished question. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."
But is that because of its complexity, or is it because most of the magical community shun werewolves and don't want anything to do with them?
He took another sip, and I could tell that Harry thought Snape had done something to the potion.

"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," he said suddenly.
"Really?" said Lupin, not looking very interested, and taking another gulp of the potion.
"Some people reckon—" he hesitated, then continued. "Some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defence Against the Dark Arts job."
I rolled my eyes. If there was one thing Snape wouldn't do, it would be to blow his cover and reveal he's a Death Eater by poisoning another member of staff in the presence of two students while in Hogwarts.
Lupin finished the potion and pulled a face.
"Disgusting. Well, I'd better get back to work. I'll see you at the feast later."
"Right," said Harry, putting his teacup down.
The empty goblet was still stood on the desk.