Chapter Nineteen

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As Olive sat in Defense Against the Dark Arts class one afternoon in late January, she couldn't help but worry about her sister and Sirius. It's been a few weeks since the holidays, and Missy hasn't returned a single letter to her about anything. Sirius hasn't even come back to the castle yet.

If Ollie's sister was caught hiding an alleged mass murderer in their flat... Sirius wouldn't be the only one with their soul sucked out by a Dementor. Ollie and Missy would also be punished.

And Olive couldn't think about that without turning the least bit green.

"Miss Lark?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked up to see Professor Lupin standing in front of her desk. She felt her cheeks redden from embarrassment as she sat up straighter in her chair. Some snickers came from the back of the class, laughing at Ollie.

"I'm sorry to see that the topic of Cursed Gnomes displeases you. Perhaps you'd like me to repeat my question?" He asked in a gentle voice.

She nodded, noticing her hair was turning a deep green from her worries. Feeling her face become as red as a Weasley's hair color, Ollie quickly changed it back.

"Where would you most likely find a Wild Cursed Gnome?"

"Um... they like to be around foliage, like regular Garden Gnomes, but since their more wild..." she paused, her voice barely even audible to the Professor, "in forests and jungles?"

"Good job, Miss Lark, that is correct. Five points to Ravenclaw."

Although she answered the question correct, Ollie still could feel eyes watching her. She looked around nervously, her fingers tightly grasping her notebook in her lap, desperately wanting to write something to soothe her nerves. Olive sat straight up, rigid, and made sure she was paying extra attention to the rest of Lupin's lectures.

Never had she been so embarrassed in class before... Ollie always paid attention. She always knew the answer when she was called on, and responded quickly and quietly when spoken to by a teacher. It was something she always did as a part of her social anxiety. Olive had her friends whom she was comfortable talking freely with. Others she barely peeped a word to.

As the class finally ended, Ollie quickly gathered her things and made a b-line to the door- wanting to be left alone as soon as possible. She still felt like everyone was staring at her, laughing at her inability to pay attention and her hair turning green at the most unfortunate time.

"Miss Lark?"

She stopped straight in her tracks, causing students who were walking behind her to push a little too roughly passed her. Olive made her way back to the front of the room, where Professor Lupin was standing.

"A word?" He asked her, motioning his head up to his office.

Olive nodded, heading shyly behind Lupin up to his office, where he shut the door with the flick of his wand behind them.

"Sorry to put you on the spot, Olive, but you don't look well." He said, motioning for the girl to sit down.

Olive sighed, setting her bag down next to her chair before resting her head in her hands.

"I'm just worried, that's all." She said quickly, looking down at the floor with a tired expression.

"About what? If you don't mind me asking, that is." He asked, taking a seat at his desk.

"My sister hasn't answered a single letter since before the Holidays... and I think she's hiding Sirius in our flat for the winter." Olive explained, blinking back the tears in her eyes.

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