Chapter One:

An Honest Face

The smile on my face as I entered the Great Hall out-shone all of the candles which lit up the room. It felt good to be back; this was my final year at Hogwarts and I was determined to make this year count.

My two closest friends, Kate and Tanya, were by my side as we arrived just in time for the feast. We shooed some second years out of our usual seats at the Ravenclaw table. Our seats were in the center of the table and have been ever since our first year. Tanya produced her wand and aimed it at the second years who we had scared off, a mischievous smile on her face. I lightly hit her in the arm to stop her from causing any harm.

“What?” she said defensively. “They’re just second years.”

“Exactly,” I said. “If you want to hex someone, hex someone like Flint or his whore.”

“Speak of the devil… “ Kate said, her head jerking in the direction behind them.

We turned to see Marcus Flint enter with his girlfriend, Jenna George. A pack of Slytherins followed. They looked over in our direction just as Emmett Evans and Michael Tanner came up behind us. Emmett and Michael were two other seventh year Ravenclaws who had immediately clashed with the Slytherin bunch on the very first day of their first year. That was impressive even for a Gryffindor.

The five of us together had been friends since our first year at Hogwarts. We were inseparable. The most obvious reason why we had bonded was the fact that each of us had a certain knack for trouble. We were intelligent, yes, because we were in Ravenclaw, but we could not be expected to sit and read our text books like good little students; that was too “Hufflepuff” for all of us.

“They better not cause any drama this year,” Kate said, narrowing her pretty blue eyes at the Slytherins.

Sweet, gentle Kate was perhaps the least mischievous out of the five of us. However, she did have a remarkable talent for jinxes.

Tanya looked at Kate with raised eyebrows. “Where would the fun be in that?”

“You think they’ll start something tonight?” Michael asked.

Emmett took out his wand. “Well, if they do we’ll be ready for them.”

Flint nodded once in our direction. Jenna George gave us the dirtiest look she could muster, which wasn’t hard for her since her nose was always crinkled up like she had just smelled a stink bomb. The Slytherins walked off in the direction of their table.

I folded my arms across my chest and shook my head with an amused smile. “You guys sound like a bunch of Gryffindors begging for a fight.” I sighed and sat down at our table.

“Nah,” Emmett said, sitting down beside me. “Just paranoid Ravenclaws, is all.”

I laughed at that as the first years came in and the sorting began. We had gotten bored of the Sorting Ceremony a long time ago and none of us paid any attention to it that evening.

“Hey, did you guys hear the news while you were in the carriages?” Michael asked.

I looked at him, waiting for the inevitable.

“Remember when the dementors came on the train?” he said.

Kate shuddered and I could literally see the goose bumps rising on her skin. “How could we forget… ?” Emmett reached over and rubbed her arms in a comforting gesture.

Michael continued, “Harry Potter fainted!”

Tanya actually got a kick out of this piece of information. She laughed, her spiky hair trembling. “No!”

“Yeah,” Michael said, pleased to see that at least someone other than himself found it amusing. “The Boy Who Lived can’t even handle a dementor when he survived You-Know-Who.”

He and Tanya fell into peals of laughter. Emmett grinned and kept an arm around Kate. I turned around in my seat to look over at the Gryffindor House table. My brown eyes settled on Harry Potter he had just entered with his friend escorted by Professor McGonagall. Something must have happened.

My scrutiny was put to an end once the headmaster rose to his feet to give an opening speech. Emmett’s stomach grumbled and he patted it with a soft groan. “This old man better be quick about it or I’ll turn cannibal.”

Kate giggled softly. Her blond curls bounced as she tried to stifle her amusement.

“Welcome!” Dumbledore exclaimed to the Great Hall. “I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become too befuddled by our excellent feast….”

“Oh, do hurry up,” Tanya muttered.

Dumbledore coughed softly to clear his throat and went on to say, “As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business.”

“He doesn’t look to pleased about that, does he?” I said in a whisper to my friends.

“Who would be pleased with a bunch of soul-sucking creatures running around?” Emmett said, jokingly.

I gave him a look that said that it was not a laughing matter. He shrugged and returned his attention back to Dumbledore.

“They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are here, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave the school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises -- or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every on of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student run afoul of the dementors.”

We didn’t speak for a very long time as Dumbledore’s blue eyes swept the hall in a very serious manner. Indeed, it was not a laughing matter.

Suddenly, he beamed. “On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.

“First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.”

Myself and others craned their neck to get a good look at the new professor as we clapped. I saw a middle-aged man dressed in shabby and tattered robes stand up to accept the introduction and applause. I took in his tired appearance and the worn features of his face. He looked as though he needed a good night’s rest and some good food.

“As to our second appointment,” Dumbledore continued. “Well, I am sorry to tell you all that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with is remaining limbs--”

“It’s about time!” Emmett called.

Everyone turned to look at him and laugh in agreement. I punched him in the shoulder, but couldn’t help but laugh myself. Kettleburn was an old, grumpy wizard who no one had liked.

Dumbledore continued as though Emmett had not interrupted him, “However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties.”

“Yeah!” Michael yelled enthusiastically and clapping hard. He and Emmett stood up and expressed their pleasure by hooting deeply and loudly. The Gryffindor House table clapped even harder and a few whistled. Hagrid, the half-giant, blushed ruby-red. I laughed and grabbed a fistful of Emmett’s and Michael’s robes and pulled them back down.

“Well, I think that’s everything of importance. Let the feast begin!” Dumbledore exclaimed.

The tables were suddenly filled with more food and drink than a king and his royal court could consume. Emmett and Michael, the hungry pigs, piled their plates with all the food available. They even got up and went further down the table to get a drumstick off a roasted chicken.

Once they returned, they started to feast. I wrinkled my nose as Michael began to talk to Emmett about the summer holidays with his mouth full. I quickly looked away and focused on cutting my steak.

When dessert was served, Jenna George stood up from her table, followed by two other Slytherin girls, Carol Walker and Jessica Ruggles. I watched them, warily, as they came over to our table. Tanya stiffened in her seat next to me. Gently, I touched her wrist, staying her. Once my skin came in contact with hers, I could see clearly in my mind what she was plotting to do to Jenna George should she threaten us and it wasn’t good. I tightened my grip and Tanya turned to look at me, the plot vanishing from her mind.

“Well, well,” Jenna said, breaking my concentration. “Isn’t it amazing that we’re all seventh years now? Though, I have to say, you guys haven’t changed much since first year.”

“I wonder, Jenna,” I spoke, “how long have you and Flint been an item?”

“Oh, we just met up on the train earlier and hit it off rather quickly,” she replied proudly.

“Why am I not surprised?” Tanya asked.

“Because she’ll wrap her legs around anyone with a galleon or two,” I answered for her.

Jenna was only phased for a second before she said, “Hilarious, Karen, but when was the last time you’ve had a boyfriend? Six months? A year, maybe?”

I felt the flush creeping up my neck and it threatened to flood into my cheeks like a fire. My hands clenched my seat, keeping me seated and turning my knuckles white. Jenna laughed to see that she had struck a chord deep within me.

My last boyfriend had cheated on me with a pretty pure-blood with no intelligence to speak of. He only preferred her because she didn’t hesitate to sleep with him.

I took a deep breath and sighed, trying to calm myself down as Jenna smirked and stalked off with her small posse. Kate reached across Emmett to comfort me. “Karen? Are you all right.”

I shrugged away from her. I did not want to make skin contact with her. If I did, her thoughts would pour into my mind like water into a glass; my own thoughts were torture enough.

The others continued eating while I found that I had lost all my appetite. My friends were silent and I noticed that Emmett and Michael were eating slower; they all snuck glances at me out of the corners of their eyes. I didn’t need my power of telepathy to know that they were thinking.

My gift of telepathic sight was both a blessing and a curse. I could see into the minds of others with just skin-on-skin contact. I could know all of their hopes, dreams, fears, and secrets with a single touch. I hated it because when I experienced their thoughts I felt what they felt. It was like what had happened or was happening to them was happening to me, too. I didn’t want to fear what they feared or experience some of the awful things that they did. My own life was terrifying enough.

No one knew my secret except for my parents. I hadn’t the heart to tell my friends because I was afraid to lose their friendship. The only other soul in the world who knew of my abilities was the headmaster. My parents had told him personally and amazingly enough, he took it in stride and promised not to tell anyone. He was in my strictest confidence.

The feast ended and the Great Hall slowly emptied. In the entrance hall, the body of students separated into fourths as different Houses went in the direction of their dormitory. The Ravenclaw dormitories were up towards the Astronomy tower. Considering that we were on the ground floor, we had a long way to go.

The sound of my name being called above the chatter around me, made me look up. I saw the headmaster weave his way through the crowd, his pointed hat towering up above the sea of students. Professor Flitwick was directly behind him, trying not to be trampled.

I urged my friends to go up without me. Kate, as Head Girl, told me the password to the Ravenclaw common room before she hurried after the others.

The headmaster finally reached me where I stood and smiled. “There you are, Miss Brooke.”

I raised one eyebrow at the sight of Professor Flitwick coming up behind him, quickly dodging a very tall student. “Is there something you wanted to speak to me about, Professor?” I asked the headmaster.

“Yes,” he said. “Are you still interested in being a teacher’s assistant this year?”

I nodded. “I am.”

“Good. I have found a teacher who will be willing to take you on as an assistant. That is, of course, you are willing to drop Divination.” He looked at me over the top of his half-moon spectacles.

I smiled. “Anything would be better than Divination, sir.”

He beamed at me. “Pray that Professor Trelawney never hears you say that.”

“Yes, I wouldn’t want her predicting my death,” I said. “Which teacher will I be with?” I looked expectantly at my Head of House.

Professor Flitwick shook his head and squeaked, “Oh, no, my dear. Not me. Professor Lupin.”

“Oh,” I said. “Yes, all right.” I turned to the headmaster. “Have you spoken to him, then?”

“I did suggest that he take on an assistant since it was his first year teaching here. It would help him get into the routine of things if someone was to help him,” the headmaster explained. “He agreed but only on the condition that he was allowed to choose his assistant.”

I listened warily, not entirely understanding.

“Professor Lupin approached me during the feast and requested you specifically.”

“He then discussed it with me,” Flitwick said, “and I agreed that he had made a good choice.”

I blinked in surprise at all of this. “But he doesn’t even know me.”

“Professor Lupin knows a good personality when he sees one, and a pretty face.” The headmaster let out a chuckle.

I stared at the two of them in disbelief.

“Your Divination class will be dropped, Miss Brooke,” Flitwick said. “You’re to report to Professor Lupin’s classroom during that period now.”

“Which period?” I asked.

“You’ll know when I pass out schedules tomorrow morning, Miss Brooke,” Flitwick said. “Have a pleasant evening.”

I wasn’t finished yet: I still had questions. However, Flitwick turned and disappeared from the entrance hall.

“Goodnight, Miss Brooke,” Dumbledore said.

“Goodnight, sir,” I replied before he left me as well.

With a sigh and turned around and almost walked straight into someone. I let out a soft cry of surprise as I nearly fell backward. Two gentle, but firm hands gripped my upper arms to keep me upright.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry,” I gasped automatically.

“The fault is mine, Miss Brooke,” said a kind, tenor voice a few inches above my head.

I looked up at Professor Lupin and my jaw nearly dropped. Up close he looked even more worse for wear than he had by a distance. I could even see some premature gray hair coming in at his temples. There were faint scratches on his face that were almost healed. What had happened to this man?

“I should have declared myself,” he finished softly before he released me.

I suddenly found my voice and replied, “It’s all right, sir. No harm done.”

There was a moment of silence. It was then that I realized that the entrance hall was completely empty. Everyone else had gone to their dormitories for the night. The torchlight flickered across my professor’s face, a mixture of light and shadow.

“I trust that the headmaster spoke to you already?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered. “I am pleased to know that you picked me yourself.”

“Are you?” he asked, obviously not believing me. “Why don’t you tell me what you really think?”

“Well,” I began, unsure of myself, “it’s just that I find it strange that you chose me when you didn’t even know me. And you still don’t know me,” I added.

He smiled at my defensive nature as though it hardly bothered him. “I know a honest face when I see one, Miss Brooke, and I must say that you have great potential.”

He was confident in believing that I was a good choice as his assistant, that was easy to see. However, he did not boast and I respected that in him at least. I would not compliment him on the matter, though.

“An honest face can distract from the many hidden secrets on the inside,” I said quietly.

Professor Lupin watched me with his steady blue gaze. “Well, we’ll see about that as we get to know each other better, Miss Brooke.”

I nodded. “Goodnight, Professor. Sleep well.” I quickly swept past him.

“And may you sleep well, Miss Brooke,” he called after me.

I hurried up several flights of stairs on my way to the Ravenclaw dormitories. My thoughts were filled with what had just progressed moments ago, playing over my conversation with Lupin over and over. Why did he pick me? How could he possibly tell that I would be a good assistant during the school year? He didn’t even know me.

I spoke the password that Kate had given me earlier to the statue of a griffin at the base of the Astronomy tower. The griffin came to life, raising its magnificent head and stretching it’s wings. It then gracefully sidestepped and the wall behind it slid back, revealing a staircase that twisted up and around a pillar with creatures and gods of mythology carved into it. I stepped forward to climb the stairs up to the Ravenclaw common room.

The common room was almost empty when I entered: only a few people remained sitting by the fire, talking quietly to each other. Everyone else was fast asleep in their respective dormitories. I went to join the majority.

When I entered the seventh year girls dormitory, I found that Kate and Tanya had waited up for me. They sat together on Tanya’s bed already dressed in their pajamas and playing gin rummy.

They looked up when I entered. “What did Dumbledore want?” Tanya asked immediately.

I replied, “I’m to be Professor Lupin’s teacher assistant this year.” My voice was forced to sound as calm as possible.

Kate arranged the cards in her hand as she spoke, “Well, that does kinda make sense. I mean, this is his first year here and he’s going to need the extra help.”

“Grading first year essays… yippee!” Tanya said sarcastically.

“Well, at least I get out of Divination,” I said, shrugging off my robes.

“Yeah, that’s true,” Tanya said, staring off into space as she thought about it.

“Gin,” Kate declared.

“What?”

I smiled and continued to undress. As I searched through my trunk for some pajamas, Tanya was trying to find fault in Kate’s hand. “No way,” she said. “We’ve only been playing for five minutes!”

Kate giggled and hopped off the bed. She buried herself deep in her covers as I slipped on some comfortable pajamas. “Goodnight,” she said and used her wand to draw the blue curtains around her bed.

“’Night, Kate,” I answered.

“No way she won,” Tanya muttered as I climbed into my own bed and leaned over to blow out the candle.

A/N: oh, bugger. I’ve started another story before even finishing my other Harry Potter fic. Oh, well. Please review!