THANTOPHOBIA ① g.weasley

year three: black dogs

Arthur sighed and looked to his children's' friend. "You can trust us, Hope."

"My papa always told me that you can't trust anyone." Hope sighed. "No matter what."

"Why would he say that?"

She blinked away her tears and just shook her head. "His own love betrayed their friends and the family they shared. It made him lose hope."

Hope Lupin sat on a swing at an empty park, somewhere outside Diagon Alley. A lit cigarette was in her hand as she just inhaled more smoke and blew it out into the air. It gave her the feeling of stress being gone.

"I shouldn't even be here." she muttered to herself.

The black dog from days before showed back up in front of her. It's grey eyes pitiful and face angry as it stared at her hand.

"Hey, you're that dog from the other night." Hope said aloud. "Are you following me? That's kind of weird. Don't you have an owner?"

It's eyes darted from the teenage girl to the cigarette in her hand. She just let out a laugh as she realized what it was trying to say.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm allowed to be here." the dog only gave her a look and she laughed. "I lied, I'm not allowed. Papa would flip, he's too protective since Dad left us. So is Alfie, but he pretends like he doesn't even exist. But, I can't do that, I can't."

The black dog nuzzled it's face into her side and she gave it a wide smile.

"This is going to sound crazy, but as much as I know he did bad. I want to believe he did some good. That he is good." a tear rolled down her pale cheek. "But, he's still bad."

A voice from across the playground spoke up in shock. "Hope?"

"Neville?" she asked back. "What are you doing out here?"

Neville shrugged. "I'm visiting my Uncle Algie."

"I've missed seeing him around, how is he doing?" Hope questioned.

"He's fine." he replied, then his eyes darted to the lit cigarette in her hand. "What's in your hand?"

Hope quickly dropped the cigarette and stepped on it to put it out. "Nothing, nothing. That right there was nothing."

"Don't tell me you've picked up smoking. Please."

Her grey eyes met his hazel. "It gives me a good feeling, Nev."

"It makes you smell awful." he commented, sitting down on the swing next to her. "Does Remus even know you're out here? It's like midnight."

"No, he thinks I'm at Ron's."

Neville sighed and looked over to her once again. "So, where do you plan on going? You can't sleep in a park."

"I don't know, Nev." she laughed. "That slide looks pretty comfy."

"Hope."

The Lupin girl sighed. "I'll walk somewhere."

Neville just stood up and pointed to the house across the street. "How about you come stay with me?"

"Oh, I couldn't intrude--"

The girl was cut off by Neville's frustrated voice. "I'm not taking no for an answer, Hope. You need to shower and throw those things away."

"Shower, yes. Throw away, no."

"It's a filthy habit." he said. "You worry me, you know. First, you go after You-Know-Who. Second, you push yourself too hard. Third, you got close to Slytherins. Which, I won't judge, but what if you get hurt?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I won't."

"You're smoking!" Neville exclaimed. "You're killing your lungs, Hope! And you don't even care. Where do you even get Muggle money?"

"That, my friend, is my own secret." she stood up next to him and grabbed his hand. "Come on, Uncle Algie would love to play a round of Monopoly."