⒈ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 → 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐧

EIGHT

⒈ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘
↳ EIGHT; DUELS
𝟷,𝟺𝟼𝟶 𝙳𝙰𝚈𝚂

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PROFESSOR JACKSON WAS A HIGHLY SKILLED TEACHER. Probably one of the best they had ever had for Defense Against the Dark Arts. She just had that pure talent for it. She pushed for her students to strive for the best, focusing on their weaknesses and turning them into strengths.

And this lesson was no different. She wanted to enhance their non-verbal magic. The previous professor hadn't been so talented at that type of magic and had barely covered the topic in sixth year.

"Alright, pair off! I don't want to hear any spells uttered. First one to perform a spell non-verbally three times will receive 25 house points!" Professor Jackson announced standing at the front of the classroom.

At her words the class moved away from their desks and she moved aside the desks and chairs with a simple spell.

"Partner with me?"

Francesca smiled as she felt the whisper of Remus' voice in her ear as he stood behind her. Things between them had gone exceptionally well for the past month.

They were closer than ever, except physically. They spent a lot of time together, when Remus wasn't involved in the Marauder's pranks. Study dates, walks across the grounds and secret adventures into the kitchens.

She longed to feel his lips against hers, but she was scared. She didn't want to see his death.

"In the mood for a makeover?" Francesca smirked, turning to face him, already imagining a pumpkin on his head.

Remus laughed loudly. It was unusual to see, but Francesca loved it when Remus' cocky side came out. "Far from it, love. It'll be you begging for mercy."

"On my knees?" Francesca innocently asked, her head tilted to the side in amusement. She knew what she was doing.

Remus' eyes quickly flashed gold, as his body froze at her words.

She laughed loudly and led them over to a small corner of the room. Remus following behind and rubbing his neck. The full moon had been two days ago, and he was still sore from all of their antics.

Aurora had partnered with Peter, after being left behind as James and Sirius partnered together. Peter actually looked worried to be duelling against Aurora.

Remus and Francesca turned to face each other, their faces going blank. They both heavily loved Defense Against the Dark Arts, neither of them planning to lose to the other.

Within seconds, they were waving their wands and sending spell after spell at each other. Both surprised that the other was efficient at non-verbal spells considering they had never really learnt it before. Remus studied a lot and taught himself how to perform the spells, whilst Francesca had been taught over the summer by her parents.

Remus was the first to get a hit in. His jelly legs curse, sent Francesca to the floor. But in his celebration, he had relaxed. Francesca used that moment to disarm him and his wand appeared in her hand.

"Don't get distracted, Rem." Francesca teased as he walked over to her and he took ahold of his wand that she was holding out for him.

He cast the counter-curse for the jelly legs and helped her up, by holding onto the ribbon on her wrist.

Once they were back on their feet, they went to their original positions, and began duelling once more.

This time Remus was a lot quicker, he sent the tickling hex her way and she doubled over, laughing loudly.

She could barely get her words out as she laughed. "M-m-make it- it st-stop!"

"What's the magic word?" Remus hummed, a smile on his face as he stood next to her. Her laughter was contagious.

Her eyes narrowed, even though she was laughing.

"Chocolate?"

✦✧✦✧

Aurora walked up ahead of the group, with Sirius alongside her as he attempted all of his best pickup lines. No matter what he did, Aurora always found a way to reject him. James and Peter were behind them, placing bets on how long Sirius would last against the fiery witch.

Whilst, Remus and Francesca slowly walked behind them all, a big distance between them.

Francesca couldn't help but gnaw at her lip. Something had been bugging her ever since the lesson had finished. Of course, Remus had won the challenge, besting Francesca three times successfully. But that wasn't the problem, Francesca knew that Remus was highly skilled in Defense, the best in their class.

What bugged her, was what happened after she had stupefied him at one point.

He was sent backwards, landing on his back, that Francesca knew would be extremely painful. He played it off like it was nothing. But it certainly wasn't nothing. He had struggled to stand up, needing Sirius' help.

And even now, as they all walked down the corridor towards the Great Hall, she could see he was struggling. Every few moments he would wince in pain. She could see the small droplets of sweat on his forehead. He was biting his tongue,

"Rem, are you alright?" She pulled them to a stop, gently tugging on the ribbon that he was holding.

"I'm fantastic, why?"

Francesca raised her brow. "You're struggling to walk."

"No, I'm not." Remus avoided her eyes at all costs.

"I'm not stupid. I can see how exhausted you are and me stupefying you, definitely did not help. If you need to stop for a moment, we can, or better yet, let's go to Pomfrey. I know you get ill a lot."

"I don't need—"

"Look at me." Her tone cut him off, and his eyes found hers. "You don't have to tell me why you get ill a lot, just please, let me help you when you are."

"Why?"

Francesca frowned at how down his voice sounded.

"Why I've never asked?"

Remus nodded his head weakly.

She smiled reassuringly. "The same reason you've never asked why I don't like to be touched."

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AN: my wording was bad, but when I said you can work out the day of the countdown, I meant the actual date not what happens. There haven't been any clues for what happens, at least, not yet

I may have also already written like the first three chapters of the sequel that I'm very excited for, but that can't be posted until this is finished, and I'm expecting like 40 chapters for this story.