MCGONAGALL AND CLAUDIA were the first two people to notice the way Ingannamorte somehow managed to quickly walk out of the hall despite the way she was panicking after having to see him again.

The professor immediately went after, Claudia doing the same. However, no form of communication was made between the two which inevitably caused McGonagall to go in one direction - aiming towards Ingannamorte's office - and Claudia going in another direction - aiming towards...finding her.

Despite McGonagall having the smarter plan, Claudia was the one to find the professor.

She did that simply by running past one of the girls' lavatories, hearing the sound of heavy breathing and strained whispers.

"You're fine, you're fine," Ingannamorte repeated to herself from where she sat curled up in a ball on the floor of the empty lavatory, trying to calm her breathing but having no success in doing so.

Claudia knew just what was in front of her as she walked inside. Because, let's face it, she had been there what felt like a million times before, and, as of recently, she had had the best help she could've possibly wished for.

Because she had Remus.

So, as she crouched down in front of the professor and repeated everything Remus had told her about handling situations like that one in her head, she somehow knew just what to do as the one voice who could calm her down spoke in her head.

"I'll always be there to help you if it happens again," Remus had said. "But if you're ever alone I want you to try and remember these things, okay?"

Claudia had nodded intently, and so Remus had continued.

"Go away from the situation you're in that caused it."

Check.

"Focus on your breathing. Let that become the thought that takes over."

"Focus on your breathing," Claudia said to the professor. "Try to shut everything else out, okay? I know it's hard but you're gonna be fine."

And so, Claudia helped her find her way back to somewhat normal breathing patterns, and she succeeded.

Check.

However, something strange happened when Ingannamorte looked up into Claudia's eyes and was reminded of so much pain.

And that something caused her breathing to lose its stability yet again.

"Try to use some sort of method. My mum taught me this one when I had a panic attack once when I was a kid, okay? Maybe it'll help. You're going to try and name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste."

"Try this, okay?" Said Claudia to the professor after realising that she needed to continue. "You're gonna be fine. Just...try and name five things you can see."

"A sink," Ingannamorte managed to get out in a weak whisper. "And a mirror. Uh...a, a window, and a door."

"One more," Claudia said as Ingannamorte continued to practically hyperventilate.

"A stall."

"Good! Good job," Claudia smiled encouragingly yet concernedly. "Okay, now you can name four things you can touch.

"The floor, my necklace...my pants and...your hand," she said, suddenly gripping onto Claudia's hand, which surprised the girl to no tomorrow but she couldn't allow herself to let go.

"You're doing great. Now, try and name three things you can hear."

"Water dripping...the wind and the rain."

"Great! Two things you can smell."

"Soap and pancakes."

"And one thing you can taste."

"Pumpkin juice," Ingannamorte finished, smiling faintly as Claudia expressed how proud she was of her, just like Remus always did.

Check.

"Are you feeling alright now?" Claudia asked after a few moments of silence.

"I'm alright, thank you, Claudia," she said, but her face told the girl otherwise.

"What happened?"

Ingannamorte turned her face up to meet the girl's familiar eyes, and suddenly she felt angry.

No, she felt furious.

"Your father happened," she said. "I get the feeling you don't like him either?"

"No," Claudia answered without missing a beat. "How could you tell?"

"Your body language," she said. "Even so, Claudia, you're a great actress. Reminds me of me."

Claudia paused for a few moments, and then she finally deemed herself brave enough. "Tell me."

"What?"

"Tell me everything," she said.

"You know I can't-"

"I think you can," Claudia said encouragingly. "Trust me. There's not much you can say that will surprise me about him anymore."

"I want to tell you, I really do," the professor said. "But I just can't."

"Why? Because of Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore.

"Yes," she nodded. "But, come to think of him, I've got somewhere to be. Maybe I can finally give you some clarity. Come with me."

"Where?"

"To Dumbledore's office, of course," Ingannamorte said. "He did me wrong, Claudia. And I do not like to be wronged."

"But why am I coming?"

"Because you've been wronged too," she said, and then she walked out of the lavatory, expecting Claudia to follow just as she did, only for the pair to eventually end up in Dumbledore's office.

Dumbledore had just said his goodbyes to Charles, who he had no particular liking to, and Margaret, who he respected profoundly. Even so, it came to no surprise to him that Ingannamorte stormed into his office with a furious look on her face.

But, the thing that did come to a surprise was the girl that was with her.

"Ah, Fayola-"

"Cut your bullshit!" Ingannamorte snapped. "Why the hell where they here?!"

Dumbledore stood calmly as he opened his mouth to speak, "Ms. Maple, I ask of you to excuse us so that we can discuss this matter in private-"

"She's not going anywhere! Whatever you have to say to me, you can say to Claudia!"

Dumbledore took a deep breath, "As I mentioned before, they were here on Ministry business. Nothing else. I didn't invite them, I didn't even propose the idea. All I did was mention to Harold that students have been concerned as of recently-"

"And you let them in here!" Ingannamorte yelled. "You opened the doors to the school to the people I specifically agreed with you not to allow inside unless I knew about it! Which I didn't! You never even told me that they were going to be here!"

"Ms. Maple-"

"No! Claudia's staying!" The professor roared, surprising Dumbledore plenty as Claudia grew into a state of confusion. "I do not care if I get fired. All I care about is to be respected. And for Claudia to be respected. And I specifically asked you to not do anything like this without my knowledge! But you did anyway, so where's my bloody respect?! They probably recognised me for Merlin's sake!"

"Fayola-"

"Oh, don't Fayola me!" She snapped. "I don't care. All I want is for you to stick to your promises so that I can stick to mine. And I want us to explain to Claudia who I am!"

Claudia frowned, "Who you are?" She asked. "What do you mean?"

"I-"

"Nothing, Ms. Maple," Dumbledore smiled. "I think that it would be best for you to leave."

"No!"

"Oh, Fayola!" Said another voice as McGonagall came inside. "I've been searching the whole castle for you! Are you alright?! Why is Ms. Maple here?"

"Ms. Maple is here due to a misunderstanding," said Dumbledore. "But she's preparing to leave now. Would you be willing to escort her out, Minerva?"

"Of course," she smiled. "Mr. Lupin is out there looking for her, so it would only be right."

Claudia couldn't get herself to be allowed to stay. Despite the confused looks she sent all her professors and despite the way Ingannamorte asked for her to be able to stay.

So instead, she left Dumbledore's office and was immediately met by the sight of a flushed Remus.

Inside the office, however, there was nothing but yelling.

"I came here with the intention to get my life back," Ingannamorte spoke. "I came here to come back home. To visit their graves. To protect Claudia just as I had promised all those years ago. And you asked of me to be cold to her. To not raise any suspicions. So I treated her as I would've if I didn't know who her mother was. I treated her like I wanted to treat her father. But of course that was impossible, because she then proved herself to be the spitting image of Anne! I cannot walk around pretending as if I don't know any of them! As if I'm not the closest thing to family she's got left-"

"The closest thing she's got left to family is her father," Dumbledore said. "Not you. She shares his blood, not yours. And you will only cause trouble if you tell the girl. She won't be able to handle the news at her age-"

"Oh, but she'll probably be able to fight in a war, won't she?! Except, they'll probably force her over to their side. And she's not like that at heart. She's a great girl. And I ask of you to let me give her answers!"

As Dumbledore gave her a understanding yet disagreeing look, Claudia stood outside of the office staring right at the boy who had so stupidly put himself in danger.

"You're an idiot," she said. "I thought I told you to be careful a million times. And there you go, telling him your name after you disrespected him over and over again!"

Remus grimaced as Claudia scolded him, feeling nothing but remorse and guilt as he stared at his clearly stressed girlfriend.

"I'm so sorry," he said, nearing her, only for her to back off. "I wasn't thinking-"

"Clearly," she said coldly, sitting down on a stone bench nearby. "You can't do things like that, Remus! I can't deal with-"

"I know, I know," he said, crouching down in front of her and placing his hands on her knees comfortingly. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I just saw his face and...I wanted to yell at him so badly. I-I wanted to hurt him. Especially after everything he's done to you."

"But that doesn't change the fact that you're an idiot," she said.

"It doesn't, no," Remus nodded. "But I hate his guts. I hate him for what he's done to you. I hate him for his beliefs. And so many in the hall were thinking what I was saying. So, I figured, maybe I could say something just like James and Sirius, you know? It's horrible to say, but we're role models for a lot of kids here. I just wanted them to know that they can speak their mind no matter what. That they have the right to do that."

"I get it. I really do. But you have to be extra careful from now on, okay? You can't just be horrible to him like that. Even if I agree with every single word you said, I don't want you to bring so much attention to yourself when he's around."

"I know," he said sadly, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again, I promise, alright?"

"Alright."

"But you don't think he'll come for my dad or something now?"

"No," she shook her head. "It takes a little more than that to tick him off, thankfully."

"Good," Remus nodded, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles softly. "I love you."

"I know, you idiot," she smiled. "Don't do anything like that ever again, alright?"

"Can't make any promises," he grinned, earning himself a light shove. "M'sorry!"

Claudia rolled her eyes, "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he grinned, helping her to stand up and immediately running down the hall with her so that they could go to his dorm and eat chocolate like he had planned from the beginning before everything went to hell.

And, as they did so, Fayola Ingannamorte found herself making a plan.

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