Find Her Place In All The Commotion

[ashers3]

When: September 22nd 1976 - Dinner Time
Where: Corridor on Ground Floor
Who: Annaleigh Valentine, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Open
OOC Notes: Thread closed and archived due to loss of player for Annaleigh Valentine

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Annaleigh glanced around the castle as she bit her lip lightly. She didn’t know if anything around here was different, or if it was all the same. She sighed and groaned as she clicked her neck and rolled her head around slowly. She hated the fact she had to hide, she hated the fact that she had to be what she was. She never asked for it and now she was so much different from the person she’d been before, it wasn’t fair.

She sighed as she rested herself back against the wall she was sitting against. The only thing she could really see was the ceiling, and really it didn’t care. Most of the time she just took to hiding in small, quiet and dark corner. She bit her lip and sighed groaning as she rubbed her hand through her hair and crossed her arms. Last year she would have done anything to make sure that she was having fun, random parties in the common room, sneaking to the kitchens and dancing with the house elves. Now she’d rather just sit around hiding, making sure that no one knew where she was or what she was doing.

She had to admit though, she was pretty happy that she didn’t have to feel like she was disappointing her parents or anything, she didn’t have to look at them or something like that. That was an upside, but still she felt…lost. Pulling her sleeves and bracelets down to make sure the scars on her wrists from the cage and chains her parents had locked her in over the summer full moons, she sighed and felt tears welling up in her eyes. This was no way to live. She hated herself so much.

[Remus John Lupin]

Remus had finally finished his essay for Slughorn. He only asked for 10 inches on the uses of the Drought of the Living Death, but he hadn't gotten his full point across by that point and so he had written triple the amount that Slughorn asked for. He was fairly confident in his ability to impress Slughorn and hoped that it was good enough for an O.

Remus had decided that he would finally head down for dinner. And so he landed right on the Ground Floor. Before he had opened the hall to the Great Hall, Remus felt that someone was near, and not in the Great Hall. Being friends with the master pranksters of the school, Remus was sure that whatever this 6th sense feeling was, it meant that James, Sirius and/or Peter was hiding around ready to pull a prank on him the instant he entered the Great Hall. Remus didn't open the door, and instead, began walking around, looking around corners, to see if they were there. It would be a good laugh when and if he found those three.

Remus flattened himself against a wall, before looking around a corner just barely so he could see if someone around around the corner. At first he thought that it was Peter sitting on the ground against a wall, but that was just because his view was short and very distorted. Remus looked once more, and discovered that it indeed wasn't Peter, but some other girl. She looked sad.

Remus sighed internally, before walking around the corner and stopping by where the girl was sitting. "Are you ok?" Remus asked before pulling a chocolate bar out of his pocket, and since he had a cooling charm on it, it was nice and semi-cold, "Do you need some chocolate? It always makes me feel better." There was something off about this girl. He wasn't sure what it was though.

[ashers3]

Anna hadn’t expected anyone to be here, never mind to talk to her. She glanced up at the guy who’d spoken to her and she tucked herself further into herself as if trying to hide away from everything. “I’m fine thanks.” She whispered almost silently before wiping her eyes to try and hide her tears. Annaleigh flashed her ‘everything’s fine’ grin that she had thrown at every single one of her friends since she’d met up with them and had to hide the truth of her being a werewolf.

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she prayed that the marks on her neck weren’t showing. She’d found a way to hide her neck since coming here, but she couldn’t always be sure that it wouldn’t slip. She glanced up at him as he offered her chocolate, and smiled politely and shook her head. “No, thanks, I wouldn’t want to take your chocolate.” She said as she looked at it, her smile faltering slightly but she looked away and tried her hardest to force herself to seem as if she was fine.

Looking at him, she knew that she knew him from somewhere. Where? She couldn’t tell you, but she recognised him, there was something in him that seemed familiar. And different. She tilted her head to the side and looked at him curiously before blushing as she realised she was staring. “Oh god I’m sorry I’m just randomly staring at you.” She covered her mouth with her hands, but quickly lowered her hands as she felt her bracelets falling down from her wrists. She couldn’t show the scars. It was too dangerous. She couldn’t let anyone know what she was, or see the scars from where the chains and shackles had rubbed half of her skin clean off from constant fighting against it.

[Remus John Lupin]

Remus half-smiled at her when she had said that she was fine. He could tell just from her body language that she was definitely not fine. Actually, it reminded him a little bit of himself when James, Sirius, and Peter found him when he was brooding over a full moon. Remus wasn't good at this cheering up thing, that was James and Sirius' job, not his. He bet that she was the one he had sensed, and not those joking idiots he loved so dearly.

"No, you aren't. I can tell you're lying," Remus stated bluntly. It wasn't going to help much to beat around the bush here. "You don't have to tell me what's wrong, but please don't lie to me." He really hated when people lied to him, probably because he hated the fact that he had to lie about himself, and hoped that there wouldn't have to be that much lying in the world. He would be completely honest if he could and still be himself. But if he was, he'd probably be hunted and have attempted and perhaps even successful murders tried on him.

"Well, I have one other in my common room. Though, it will have to last me until Halloween, unfortunately," Remus stated trying to seem nice and welcoming. He really didn't feel like he was succeeding. He really did have only one other to last him the next month. Usually he had a chocolate bar after a full moon, however, he still had 16 days approximately until October 8th, the next full moon. He couldn't buy anymore, no matter how much he wished he could have some just in case, because his parents weren't the best well off in the money department. His dad was always distant, and unemployed now. And his mother was also unemployed but did odd jobs to earn money, while she was searching for a cure to his disease. Needless to say, Remus' family had barely enough to get by, and not even close to enough to let him have a little spending money.

Remus chuckled slightly at her reaction, though at first, truthfully he felt really awkward as she was staring at him. It seemed all these 'Americans' stared at him. Sirius noted earlier that it was because Remus was around him, and they were checking out his 'hotness'. Remus really doubted it. He hadn't come up with a good excuse for these transfers' behavior, but it didn't matter. Heck, he didn't even know if this girl was a transfer or not anyways! "It's fine," Remus said before he sat next to her on the wall, noticing something weird about the bracelets, just because either he had a feeling, or the fact that she seemed quite adamant about keeping them where they were. It was probably just a girl thing that he would never get. "My name's Remus. Remus Lupin." It was only proper to introduce himself, right?

[ashers3]

Anna blinked as she saw him smile and comment of her lying. She shifted rather uncomfortably and bit her lip. “Okay I lied, but you know, you just caught me at the point of tears…I think I’m allowed to lie about how fine I am.” She said almost defensively. She’d found herself a lot more like that lately. She hesitated and sighed rubbing her forehead. “I’m sorry, that was rude…I shouldn’t be so…you know.” She shook her head and sighed. “It’s just been…hard lately.” She mumbled.

She smiled slightly and shook her head at his comment of the last of his chocolate. “Well if you don’t have much left I definitely can’t take it from you.” She said with a slight smile because it had eased her a little. Some of the tension left her shoulders as she rubbed her hand through her hair. She sighed and huffed slightly but looked at him, deciding instantly that if she could get some money she’d anonymously send him some chocolate at some point. For some reason, she felt like she should help him somehow. Maybe it was because he’d actually stopped and tried to find out what she was feeling like.

Her eyes widened slightly when he spoke of who he was. No wonder she recognised him. She’d rather enjoyed Defence Against the Dark Arts when Professor Lupin had taught. Her heart hammered harder in her chest though as she realised that he was also a werewolf. Damn, now she didn’t know what to do. She looked down and hugged her knees tightly. “Annaleigh, Valentine.” She said with a slightly awkward smile. The Annaleigh Valentine that had been here a couple months ago would have been flirty and sexy and would have just had fun. Now she’d rather hide in the shadows. Because of a freaking bite. “M’sorry that us weirdos have been taking over your school.” She said randomly and frowned at what she said. Why was she still talking to him? Well…besides the fact that she wanted him to figure it out, she wanted him to realise what she was so that she could ask him questions. She bit her lip and realised how desperately he’d survived, how he’s stayed a good person. She frowned and looked at her shoes as she rested her chin on her knees.

[Remus John Lupin]

Remus could tell that she probably could use the help of someone, because she looked it, and well she told him. He shot her a warm smile, before he sighed slightly. "Don't worry about it; really, it's not that bad. I just thought that it was the right thing to say; my friends say it all the time to me," Remus commented, looking away from her and closing his eyes, resting his head against the wall behind him, "I'm sorry. I'm not good at this cheering people up. I'm more used to people cheering me up." Remus thought about it for a second, before he added, "I know you just met me, but if you want to try to talk it out, I can try to help you with whatever is wrong."

Remus shrugged putting the chocolate up. "Just thought I might offer it. It helps me when I have to go home to see my mother," Remus replied, adhering to the lie that he was visiting his mother to take care of her when there was a full moon. Over the years the lie was quite good and he had thought about just about everything, and even wrote it all down once to make sure there were no holes in the story before burning the journal he wrote it in.

Remus almost felt exasperated when her eyes widened when she heard his name. Why did they all seem to react like that? He wasn't around Sirius now, so it couldn't be her spotting the prankster down the hall. Just to be sure, Remus looked back to make sure Sirius wasn't there. He chuckled softly to himself when he didn't see Sirius there. "Don't worry about it; we're used to weirdoes, just look at my friend, Sirius Black... if you know him," Remus replied looking back at her, from his looking to see if Sirius was there, "But if not, it's ok. Though... could you tell me why everyone seems so surprised when I tell them my name?" It was really annoying. It was almost like they knew him or something.

[James William Potter]

James had waited until the last possible second to do the Potions essay that Slughorn had passed for them. Potter really had no patience for potion brewing, even though he knew it was an important subject and it would serve him well in the future to actually learn something in that class and commit it to mind. Slughorn's class would be the first one next morning and he had other plans on what to do between after dinner and the sleeping curfew, so he went to the Great Hall a bit late after finishing his essay. He didn't know how long the finished product was because he didn't care to measure it, but it was slightly longer than necessary, he was sure, and the best of all it was made completely out of memory, so he didn't have to loose time researching anything for it.

When James reached the Great Hall and the Gryffindor table, only Peter was there. That is because Peter always is where the food is... He was certainly his best glutton friend. No, that was probably an exaggeration when it came to Pete. He knew other people who would fit the description of glutton way better. Not being exactly hungry yet, James talked briefly to Pettigrew and went after the other Marauders, namely Sirius and Remus.

James went directly to the broom closet on the Ground Floor. There was slight noise coming from inside. Yep, Sirius was snogging Marlene McKinnon again. That was a record for him, he usually took more time to repeat. James had a feeling his best mate was falling for the blond Gryffindor girl, that is if Sirius Black could ever relinquish all women in the world for just the one and only girl. Better let them be and go after the often elusive Remus then.

That mate was way more difficult to find as he wasn't where James thought he would be. Everyone knew that the most likely place to find Lupin was in the Library, specially when they had homework to do, but he wasn't there anymore. Neither he was in their dorm or Common Room, he had checked before leaving earlier. That was strange. Potter had no idea where Remus could be, which was uncommon since he was well... the most predictable Marauder after Peter.

James then returned to the Great Hall, accepting the fact that the Marauders wouldn't have dinner together today. It happened once in a while anyway. Though, this time approaching the Hall from the other direction, James saw two people sitting besides each other. Could that be Remus? When he spoke it became clear that it was. Was he talking to a girl out of his own volition? That was indeed the night of surprises... James made sure to make a slight noise to tell them of his presence. The Marauders had a special sign they made for each other when they wanted to be left alone. True, he didn't sense any, get out of here mate I'm busy, vibe coming from Lupin as he approached them. This was becoming more Remus-like behavior...

"Hi, mate." James said to Remus as he got closer to their location. "Hello, lady! James Potter at your disposal. Never saw you around before... One of the transfers, I suppose?" James said to Annaleigh with his usual cheerful, if one didn't know better one'd say even flirty, tone of voice. James offered his hand to Valentine for a handshake after he patted Lupin on the shoulder for his brave step to approach someone of the girl type all by himself.

[ashers3]

Anna couldn’t help but smile slightly when he smiled at her. She rubbed her hair and bit her lip shrugging slightly. “I used to be the girl who’d go and try to cheer people up, but then things went…complicated and then I became the girl who cries outside the Great Hall.” She mumbled as she rested her chin on her knees. She didn’t like being like this, and she felt really weird. When he spoke of helping her out, she shot him a sad smile. “I wish I could talk it out, but that’s one thing I really can’t do.” She whispered sadly as she tried to keep herself calm. She knew that she’d probably end up taking in a shaky breath so she attempted to keep herself as calm as possible, rubbing her eyes slightly.

He spoke of his mother and she could tell it was a lie, but wouldn’t say anything. There was no point in pulling him up on it now, because even if she did know something about him, she couldn’t say anything really could she? Oh sure she could tell the truth, but who’d believe her, or how stupid and crazy would she sound? “It’s nice you have a close relationship with your mum. I used to but…” She sighed and rubbed her face. “Never mind.” She mumbled.

She bit her lip when he spoke and nodded. “I’ve heard of him, don’t know him though.” She said with a slight shrug. When he asked about people being surprised when he told his name, she went to speak when another voice came from behind Remus. She lowered her head slightly, trying to melt back into the shadows. When he spoke to her she smiled weakly at him. “Yeah, you’re…” She stopped herself from what she was going to say just in time. “You’re related to Harry yeah?” She said calmly with a weak smile. Part of her wanted to see if she could prank one of the most notorious pranksters in Hogwarts history, she smiled slightly more. “I’m Braydee.” She said calmly smiling. She glanced over at Remus with an almost smirk on her face, hoping that he wouldn’t give her away.