IF CLAUDIA WOULD have made a pro-con list of the situation she was in - the situation in which the four boys had completely abandoned her and she had found out that Remus had kept something big hidden from her - it would have had countless of cons, but only three pros.

1. She wasn't a burden to them anymore.

2. They were safe from her family.

3. She had more time to study.

The latter was the one thing Claudia had spent her time doing leading up to her O.W.L.s; which at this point, in late June, were pretty much over with.

Claudia was standing outside of her second to last exam, which was the written Defence Against the Dark Arts exam, as she went over a million possible questions that could be asked, and exactly what she would answer if they would be.

She was worried that she would fail at the same time as she was worried that she wouldn't.

Because what would her father say if he found out that she excelled in something that could protect her from the kind of magic he used as often as he changed his socks?

It was a matter of praying that it would be like it normally was; that only her grandmother would look at her marks.

Eventually, the doors opened and Claudia then found herself sitting next to Inez with an exam in front of her and a quill in her hand.

Much to Claudia's liking, as well as disliking, the exam was easy enough, but she ended up "accidentally" messing up some questions so that she wouldn't appear far too good for her own well-being.

Eventually, the girl ended up on question ten - and that's when her mind went elsewhere for just a little while.

10. Give five signs that identify a werewolf.

Claudia's head instantly shot up so that she could take a small glance at Remus, who seemed to be on the same question considering that a small smirk was on his face as he scribbled down the answer.

But, that didn't mean that he wasn't reminded of the thing that had been plaguing him more than ever for over a month's time.

The girl had suddenly forgotten what to answer. It wasn't as if she didn't know everything there was to know, she had just simply forgotten everything she had ever known before about werewolves.

Inside her head, Claudia couldn't help but to think about five unusual signs that would identify a werewolf:

1. He's sitting in that chair.

2. He's wearing those clothes.

3. His name's Remus Lupin.

4. He's the biggest idiot on planet earth.

5. I love him.

•••

Claudia was exhausted. Not only due to her lack of sleep, but due to all the drama that had been going on for the past few weeks. Or, more like months. Actually - scratch that - more like 16 years and 4 months.

This was obvious to the girl as she nearly fell asleep next to Pandora after they had finished their exam. The pair were leaning against a tree as Pandora read a book about - unsurprisingly enough - magical creatures, and Claudia stared out at the different groups of students that had formed all around the edge of the Black Lake - all of them basking in the sunlight and taking in the blissful time that was the last few moments before the summer holidays would arrive.

But, suddenly Claudia was no longer watching other students with a faint smile on her face, since she enjoyed seeming them all so relived and happy - she was instead watching a commotion that was going on with some familiar Gryffindors and a specific Slytherin further away.

"What's going on over there?" Pandora asked with a frown as Claudia stood up and saw how Lily yelled at James as he hoovered Severus Snape in the air.

"No idea," said Claudia in an annoyed tone. "But they're getting on my last nerve at this point."

Claudia dragged Pandora with her as she walked up to the commotion, not even noticing, at first, how Remus was standing next to her with a guilty look on his face as he watched his friend bully someone without doing anything about it.

Another thing he felt ever so guilty about.

"Let him down!" Lily yelled at James as the boy continued to hoover Snape over the ground with a proud look on his face as the all the kids around them laughed at the Slytherin boy and his grey underpants.

"Certainly," said James as he let Snape down. The black-haired boy struggled to get ahold of himself, but suddenly Sirius stunned him, causing Lily to get even angrier.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" She roared as she brought out her own wand.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you too," said James.

"Go on then! Take the curse off him!" Lily yelled as she rolled her eyes. James finally gave in at that with a deep sigh.

"There you go," he said, turning towards Snape. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Snape yelled, causing each and every person who was watching the commotion to stop their laughing and teasing.

"Fine," Lily scoffed. "I guess I won't bother then in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."

"Apologise to Evans!" James yelled to the boy.

"Don't, Potter," Lily interrupted. "I don't want you to make him apologise, because he's just as bad as you are."

"What?! I'd never call you that!"

"You make me sick, Potter. Walking around the corridors as if you own the place, hexing people left and right just because you can! You make me SICK!" Lily yelled before she walked away as Marlene tried to lunge herself at Snape - Inez grabbing her before she could - and James yelled after the girl.

Claudia wasted no time on transfiguring a rock into a shampoo bottle, and then she turned to face the boy next to her, who had thought that she wasn't aware that he was standing there.

But, oh, how aware of it she was.

And, oh, how a look could kill.

"You're a coward," the girl spat before she threw the bottle of shampoo on Snape's head, and then ran after her friend so that she could comfort her.

Remus stood in his place as he took in those words.

Sure, she had in that moment said them because he had allowed his friend to behave that way despite the fact that he knew that it wasn't okay - but Remus also knew that she didn't just say it because of that.

Because, a while ago when Claudia had found out that he had read her annotations without telling her, Claudia had pretty much implied that he was stupid for jumping to a conclusion such as the one he had made.

Deep inside, Remus had understood that this meant that there was more to it than the simple little fact that she supposedly hated werewolves, but he was far too stubborn to admit that to himself, let alone anyone else.

He was far too stubborn to realise that Claudia was the one who was supposed to be angry at him and not the other way around.

So, the boy had to simply satisfy with thinking that this was the end for the two of them.

He had to simply satisfy with knowing that he would never feel her lips on his again, and that he would never hold her again. That she would never look at him the way she always did again, and that he would never be able to tell her that he loved her.

He had to simply satisfy with coming to the realisation that Claudia wasn't going to talk to him, and that he wasn't going to talk to her - which meant, in his mind, that they would never talk again.

He had to simply satisfy with watching her walk around the halls with a permanent frown on her face the remaining weeks of the school year.

He had to simply satisfy with watching her reject pancakes and golden syrup the last morning of the year without knowing why.

He had to simply satisfy with watching her talk quietly and comfortingly to something, or someone, that wasn't even there before the carriage ride that would take the students to the train on the last day.

And he had to simply satisfy with watching her give him one last longing glance before she returned to the coldest place on earth; her father's hand tightly around her arm as she did so.

__________________________________

a/n: such a bad chapter, but at least fifth year (aka the longest and most confusing one) is finally over lmao!!! this one was boring, but in the next one you find some stuff out so bare with me!