CLAUDIA WOKE UP on the first day of classes with a booming headache. However, a small smile lived on her face nonetheless since she was in a warm bed in the best place in the whole world.

The four Ravenclaw girls got ready quickly before they headed into the Great Hall, where a wonderful breakfast was served as the students of Hogwarts laughed and chatted about their summers.

"Want pancakes?" Asked Inez with a knowing smile, that quickly faltered as Claudia shook her head.

"I'm not feeling pancakes," Claudia shrugged as she sat down, taking a quick glance towards the Gryffindor table - only to find Remus not sitting there.

She really needed to stop doing that. Looking for him in crowds was the worst possible way to ignore his existence, and she did it despite that.

"We've got defence first, right?" Betty asked as she filled her plate with fruit.

"Yeah," Claudia answered.

"What does your father think about you taking it this year?" Inez asked Claudia cautiously.

"He doesn't know," Claudia grinned. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Or me.

"You sure he won't find out?" Betty asked.

"Nah," Claudia said as she shook her head. "He doesn't care. And if he would have, my grandmother would just lie and say that it's a mistake and that I'm not taking the class."

"Really?" The three girls asked as they found themselves incredibly surprised over how Margaret Maple had suddenly allowed Claudia to be a normal teenage girl - well, to a certain extent that was.

"She's been getting soft or something, I don't know," Claudia shrugged.

"That's good," Pandora pointed out. "I wonder what the new professor is like."

"Yeah," Claudia mumbled as she thought about the confusing glances she had received from the new professor during the welcoming feast.

Eventually the four girls finished their breakfasts, and since they all took Defence Against the Dark Arts together they headed off to class alongside each other - three of them chatting happily as one of them zoned out.

But, what Claudia was thinking about as she zoned out was something she couldn't even remember the moment she walked into someone.

And, of fucking course, it was Remus.

"Sorry," she mumbled, not meeting his eyes as she walked past him.

"Claudia," he said as if he was starting a sentence, turning around and walking after her as she walked towards the door of the DADA classroom. "I-"

"Class is starting," Claudia said with a fake smile as she turned around without looking into his eyes, and then she darted towards the seat next to Betty so that he wouldn't have a chance on sitting next to her.

And Remus looked defeated yet again.

As the students began to fill the classroom, a very happy Fayola Ingannamorte walked inside as she felt both scared and excited to teach her first class with the sixth years.

"Hello, class," she said with a warm smile as she looked around the classroom - her eyes landing yet again on Claudia for a few seconds longer than the rest of the students.

"My name is Fayola Ingannamorte and I will be your Defence Against the Dark Arts professor for...well, however long you want me here," she chuckled. "I hope we can become very good friends and, most of all, I hope I can teach you something! Now, I figured I would start with taking some attendance so I can start memorising your names!"

"Remus Lupin," Professor Ingannamorte uttered after having gone through the first half of the class.

"Here," Remus said, hurriedly jumping out of his distracted daze. The woman chuckled a little at his stressed state, and gave him a warm smile afterwards just as she had done with every single student previously.

"Claudia...Maple," she moved on, her eyes staying on the sheet of parchment with the names on them.

"Here," Claudia said, and unlike the rest of the students Claudia received no warm smile.

In fact, Claudia didn't even receive a single glance from the professor.

The girl frowned a little as Ingannamorte continued on with taking the attendance - giving each and every single remaining student a warm smile as she did so.

After a while of simply just going over what the term would be like, what Ingannamorte expected from them and what they expected from her - Claudia realised that something was wrong.

Because, she had reached up her hand several times - and not once did the professor grant her the word.

Not once did she get to speak, even when she was the only one who reached up her hand.

Fayola Ingannamorte didn't even look at her.

"Now, I know all of you are very excited to get into the real deal this year," Fayola said with a knowing smile. "Non-verbal spells!"

The class all shared small happy looks and tiny happy interactions, until Ingannamorte cleared her throat, doing so with a happy smile.

"Now, I assume some of you might have some experience with non-verbal spells, even if you've only been able to do small things. How about those of you who know any non-verbal spells that are a more complex than just levitating things reach up your hands?"

There was only a small group of people who did reach up their hands - Lily Evans, Remus Lupin and Claudia Maple.

"Ah, Ms. Evans," the professor smiled. "I must say I'm not surprised. What have you mastered?"

"A simple summoning charm and just a water-making charm," Lily said as if she wasn't proud, but Claudia could tell that she was.

"Very good, Ms. Evans, very good indeed," Ingannamorte said proudly. "How about you, Mr. Lupin?"

"Oh, I can do what Lily can," Remus said, a little more flustered than Lily was. "And a fire-making one."

"Very good, Mr. Lupin! I must say I am very impressed by the two of you, if you would want to I would like it if you stayed after class," the professor said, once again ignoring Claudia's hand in the air.

Claudia looked at Betty with a questioning look as she slowly took her arm down with a defeated look on her face, until someone cleared their throat.

"Sure, professor," said Remus as he caught Claudia's eyes from the side of the classroom, giving her an assuring look. "But you've got another student who can do non-verbal spells. She's fantastic at it, I've seen it before myself!"

As those proud words left Remus' mouth, the professor finally turned to look at Claudia - because she had seen her sitting there before, and she knew that she had her hand in the air.

"Yes..." she said slowly. "Ms. Maple, is it?"

"Yes, professor," Claudia said politely.

"Charles' daughter I presume."

"Yes," Claudia sighed. "I know how to do-"

"I don't think we need to hear that, Miss Maple," the professor said with a fake smile.

"Why not?" Remus asked curiously as he too wondered why the hell the professor was so sweet to everyone but Claudia.

"Because we do not have time for it, that's why-"

"But why did you ask if you do not have time to listen to our answers?" Remus went on.

Professor Ingannamorte blinked before she slowly, and rather coldly, replied, "I don't believe the class needs to hear what kind of spells Ms. Maple knows."

"Why not?" Betty asked. "Claudia is the best witch I know that is our age. Surely you must care, professor."

Ingannamorte blinked again before she decided to ignore Betty and Remus as she turned to Claudia.

"How is Charles?" She asked her coldly, causing Claudia to give her a confused look.

"He's fine...I guess," Claudia replied quietly.

"Good to hear."

"I guess," Claudia shrugged. "Do you know him, profess-"

"Tell me, Ms. Maple," the professor said as her eyes narrowed slightly. "How is Margaret?"

"Uh, I guess she's fine too, why are you asking me this?" Claudia said as she awkwardly glanced around at the confused students surrounding her.

"No reason," Ingannamorte said as she jumped out of her daze and placed a fake smile on her lips again. "Alright, let's hear it then. What spell do you know non-verbally?"

"Several," Claudia replied. "For example, I can do a patronus charm."

The whole class looked impressed at that, especially Remus, as the professor merely nodded slowly.

Which was strange, because a sixteen year old with those skills was incredibly rare.

"I presume Charles helped you with that."

"No?" Claudia replied confusdely. "What exactly are you implying when you say that, professor?"

"Oh, nothing really. I just assumed that you are close with your father. Tell me, are you? And are you much like him?"

"With all due respect, professor, I'm more of a mother's daughter," Claudia said slowly, her eyes narrowing slightly in the process.

Because what the fuck was going on?

"I see," Ingannamorte said as she shifted her gaze back to the class and smiled as if she hadn't just been acting incredibly unprofessionally.

Claudia wanted to know why she did so, so she decided that she would figure it out someday.

But, for now, all the girl could do was to listen to the professor who presumably had some sort of uncalled dislike for her.

And, eventually Claudia looked back at Remus as she left and he and Lily stayed behind, Claudia not being invited to do so. She, surprisingly enough, gave him a small grateful smile since he had helped her out.

And Remus' smile in return was the biggest anyone had seen on his face since a few months back.

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