Nov.: Fire & Gold In Our Eyes: 6th Year Girls Dorm

[Charlotte Fudge]

(earlier that day)

By the time dinner was over and Daisy was all but shepherding her upstairs, Char was bright-eyed but exhausted. It had been a different sort of day, and having hardly ever put so much thought into trying to get to know someone, she'd found it difficult to keep focused in her afternoon classes...after spending a shared study period with Remus. She didn't want to forget any of it, not one thing she'd learned about him (from his mother sending sweets to him and his friends, to how adorable it was that he thought he was awful at dating, to how he'd felt that their mutual friends had been trying to push them together all this time), or any bit of how he'd made her feel (from the thoughtful but intense look he'd had on during her unsolicited rant about werewolf rights, to the gentle firmness of his hand holding hers, to how when he met her eyes with his her heart did an odd flip), or most intriguingly...

He said he likes you. That you make him happy.

Even now, hours later, the sixth year felt herself warm at the memories. Today had been a smattering of firsts for both Remus and herself, and while it may not've been the most conventional first date...the library was such a homey place to them both, that it had been perfect. Being in such a familiar spot in a decidedly unfamiliar situation had allowed her to relax more than if everything about the situation was new, and perhaps she wouldn't have shared so much if they'd been elsewhere...

You didn't share too much, did you?

For while Charlotte was desperately trying to commit the entirety of their time together to memory, she'd rather blathered on at times of nervousness, and honestly couldn't recall half of what she'd said. No, no - he was pleased, you were too. Doesn't so much matter, the particulars, at this point. Just that you were comfortable as possible, given everything.

She wasn't entirely certain where to go from here, and wanted to simply bask in the goodness that their time had been. Because moving forward meant, eventually, telling Rufus. And while her older brother had been known to be rational about things...the instances could be few and far between when they came to her. Surely it was a good idea to try things out with Remus for a while before giving Rufus a heart attack, right? Charlotte wanted to push those worries aside, but didn't think she was prepared to be locked in for the night with the girls, dissecting every little bit of her date.

For surely that was what her best friend had planned, and had had planned since surprising her in the library. "Daisy, honestly, I don't know what more to tell you!" Char said with a sheepish smile as they entered their dormitory, laying her heavy bag down with relief. Her statement was a fallacy, naturally, as she'd only been able to give her redheaded friend an overview of the big picture so far - but what was someone supposed to share after a first date? Shouldn't some things be kept private? Char felt an odd clench in her gut at the thought that, mere meters away, Remus could be being similarly accosted by his loved ones. If James Potter and Sirius Black and Peter - well, Peter was a given - knew everything...how could she look them in the eye ever again? Not that you've a habit of that anyway.

[Daisy Hookum]

“C’mon you two, the suspense is killing me,” Daisy complained as she tried to rush them up the stairs, annoyed at the changing staircase. She was ushering up as soon as the staircase had stopped, wanting to get back to their dorm. Today had been such an important day for Charlotte, and Daisy had yet to hear about it any sort of detail. It wasn’t everyday that Charlotte had a first date, although if she was honest, it wasn’t ever that they got to have this sort of conversation. She had been with Peter since their third year, Melody and Matthew had been together for over a year now, they needed this night. It had already taken all her willpower to not spy on her best friend earlier (although Peter was a magnificent distraction) and they’d been too busy the rest of the day to have a proper talk.

“Right,” she said with excitement as she pushed open the door to their dorm, “I have snacks and it’s time for you to give us details Charlotte.” Her friends words were enough to make Daisy roll her eyes, giving Melody a a smirk before she settled onto her bed. “Charlotte, you’ve hardly told us anything other than the fact it was a date, which we had already figured out. I want details! This is part of the experience, telling your girls about it!”

They had talked for hours after her first date with Peter, although admittedly, the redhead had done most of the talking. But Peter and Matthew regular topics of conversation, because of course they were going to talk about the people they dated. Her chocolate stash from Honeydukes was soon on her bed, and she looked to Charlotte with raised eyebrows. “What did you guys talk about, and most importantly, are you going to see him again?”

[Charlotte Fudge]

This truly had become a day for trying new things. First she'd spent one-on-one time with Remus, and they'd talked and even used the library in a non-academic manner. Not - not in the way that she'd heard some students did, finding the spaces that no one frequented and using them for a snog. They'd just - they'd made a game out of finding books that spoke to them in various manners, and had a different kind of fun than the usual kind she had in the library. Charlotte. Relax. There's no one in your head but you. You don't have to clarify. The girl sat with Daisy on the other's bed, not sure how to become comfortable with the figurative spotlight quickly enough to please her friend. But Daisy was meaning well, and there was Honeydukes candy, so she could collect her thoughts and turn them into words after a little distraction.

She broke off a square of a bar of chocolate and took her time with it, still determining just how much to reveal of her time with Remus. It wasn't that she wanted to keep things from Daisy, not like secrets or anything of the sort. But what if she and Remus didn't work out, and she'd gotten - her own and - Daisy's hopes up for nothing? Was because she felt badly that he had probably already penned a letter home to his mother about their time together and she didn't have the nerve to approach her own brother and ask for his blessing? She hadn't yet had a moment truly alone to come up with a plan, to think through her feelings - but maybe Daisy was right. Part of the experience was sharing it, and Daisy and the other girls could give their perspectives. They would only help, and she trusted that no one would go to Rufus...

"Well - er - he didn't actually bring anything to study, so I felt a bit foolish at the start of things," she admitted, cheeks rosier by the moment. "When I found him in the library I just took out my Transfiguration essay without even giving him a hello, I think, I was so nervous. But we - we went on a scavenger hunt through the library, as a way to get to know each other." She took the note that Remus had written, smiling at the distinctive handwriting, out from where she'd kept it safe between the pages of a textbook, and handed it to Daisy. "And we just...we talked. I don't think I've ever been able to do that with someone, besides you. I went on - I went on this whole rant off of one of the books he grabbed," she went on with a laugh, breaking off another chocolate square. "And yes, we're going to see each other again. I don't know exactly when and where, but if nothing else, we've decided to go on the next Hogsmeade trip together," Charlotte said in a rush. "With you and Peter, if you'll have us."

[Daisy Hookum]

If Charlotte didn’t start talking soon, Daisy was almost positive she was going to die. This was the first time in their six years together that they’d had a chance to talk about a boy that Charlotte had gone on a date with, and while Daisy loved to talk about Peter, they’d spent the last three years talking about Peter or the other girl’s boyfriends. And Daisy had a soft spot for Remus after so many years spent around him, and she knew that he wouldn’t do anything to upset her dearest friend. So whatever Charlotte had to share would be good, and she was eager to hear it. Daisy busied herself some chocolate as Charlotte thought, reminding herself that patience wouldn’t actually kill her just this one time. It was paying off, because Charlotte started talking, and Daisy couldn’t stop the smile. Remus hadn’t brought anything to study, after asking Charlotte to study? Told you it was a date.

She chewed her chocolate as she listened, feeling giddy as Charlotte described the date. A scavenger hunt through the library? It was so perfect for both Remus and Charlotte, two lovers of books, and Daisy had to give props to whoever had thought of it. If she was being honest though, she didn’t think Remus had come up with the idea. He was a smart person, Daisy knew that, but he’d done nothing more than panic when he had actually asked Charlotte on a date. Which meant this idea had probably come from her dear friend, and Daisy was proud that Charlotte had been able to step up. She took the paper that Charlotte handed her, smiling down at Remus’ handwriting. Even without all the details, it seemed like the date had gone well. And perhaps she had interrupted it so they could go to classes together, so she had seen the hand holding happening.

“It sounds like it was an excellent first date,” Daisy said with a smile, looking back up to her friend. “I knew it would go well, of course. But it’s good to hear I don’t have to punch Remus for misbehaving in any way.” While she loved him like a brother, Charlotte was her sister first. And that meant if he ever broke her heart, there would be hell to pay. “And Peter and I would love to have you come to Hogsmeade with us. I’ve only been suggesting it for forever now,” she teased, handing the paper back and taking another square of chocolate. She was itching for more details, and she thought for a moment as she chewed her chocolate. “You said you went on a rant? What about?”

[Charlotte Fudge]

Charlotte knew that Daisy would be most satisfied if she could procure a pensive and extract her memory of the study date and they could drop in to watch every bit of it unfold as it had only a few hours ago. They could take notes on the conversation, the behavior, she could get advice from her friend and simply see the way Remus had smiled at her again, feel that warmth.

Barring extraordinary measures, however, that was unlikely to happen. She hoped Daisy would settle for her account, and was glad when her friend assured her that no action against Remus was deemed necessary. She had to wonder what would be counted as misbehavior, but was heartened at least that he'd conducted himself to Daisy's high standards. It was important to her that Daisy saw their blossoming relationship as a good thing, and she trusted the other's take on it all. Charlotte grinned as Daisy agreed to the double, carefully tucking the parchment back into the book and returning to the chocolate indulgence happily. Until...

"Oh! Er - were- werewolf rights?" Charlotte admitted, syllables muffling together as she rather curled in on herself, eyes tilting up to her friend in the hopes of not finding Daisy looking to her as if she'd lost all of her gobstones. She wondered what exactly it was about being there in the library with Remus that had spurred her outburst. Was she really so comfortable with him already? As much as she found herself liking Remus and his company, Charlotte knew that that was a no. Not that she felt uncomfortable, but she wasn't calm around him by any creative definition, not yet. Was the topic one that she had a previously undiscovered passion for? Perhaps. Her love of history had brought her to many an interesting read on the rights of various communities across time and continents, and having someone across the table who'd wanted to talk about such an issue - or someone who had brought it to the table, literally - was a stimulating change of pace she found that she'd enjoyed, even if it wasn't something she was accustomed to engaging in. 

"I don't - I don't know what came over me, honestly. I think it may have been the nerves, but he brought back this - this awful book, Lupine Lawlessness: Why Lycanthropes Don’t Deserve to Live," she rattled off with a look, the title all but burned into her memory, "and I just started talking about how ridiculous of a statement that was and how the entire volume was simply utter bigoted nonsense. We came to the consensus that it would be a decent coaster, but nothing more. I'm not sure if he was more surprised at it all or if I was, but he - he seemed pleased with my take."

[Daisy Hookum]

Don’t make a face, don’t make a face.

“Oh, werewolf rights? Interesting,” Daisy said calmly, trying not to let her surprise show. Because out of all things to come up on a first date, a rant on werewolf rights, with Remus. While she wasn’t in the top in any of her classes besides Muggle Studies, she wasn’t an idiot. The boys had started disappearing a couple of years ago, and she’d noticed it was always on the full moon after a couple of months. At first, she’d thought nothing of it, but thought it was strange. They all camped out together whenever it was a new moon, so she’d simply assumed it was some sort of similar situation. Except, sometimes they were injured after. And when Remus had ended up in the hospital wing, Daisy had gone to visit. That was what had really made her think, because he’d always been in the hospital wing it seemed in the earlier days of her and Peter’s relationship.

She was pretty sure one of them was a werewolf, and after she started paying attention, it was Remus. She hadn’t confirmed that of course, how could she? Just ask him? He’d probably freak out, especially considering she could be wrong. And she couldn’t ask Peter, she couldn’t put him in that position if she was right. So she’d simply kept her suspicions to herself, because at the end of the day it didn’t really matter. Remus was a good person, and that was that. But it was incredibly strange that, of all people, Remus and Charlotte would have a conversation about werewolves on date. Daisy nodded along as Charlotte started explaining how the topic had come up, frowning at the name of the book, hoping that nothing on her face would give away the fact she was debating what she needed to do. Her loyalty was to Charlotte, but she was loyal to Remus too. And she didn’t know for sure, but was it unfair of her to keep it to herself if Charlotte was going to continue to see him?

“Well, I’m not surprised he shared your opinion,” she said with a smile, busying herself with another piece of chocolate for a moment. “His dad used to be very anti-werewolf, he told me that once.” She assumed that Remus’ stance on the matter clashing against his fathers was part of why he didn’t seem close with his Dad. “I’m sure your Dad and his know each other, being at the Ministry together. Anyway, what else do you two talk about?”

[Charlotte Fudge]

"More academic than - er - romantic for a topic of conversation, I know, but he's just as new to this as I am," Charlotte went on as Daisy appeared less than exuberant at her confession. "Neither of us really knows how to go about dating from any sort of personal experience, and - and I think that's going to work in our favor, finding our way together. Don't get me wrong, I sincerely enjoyed the compliments," she said with a slight rise of color in her cheeks, "but I think both of us need...more than that as we get to know each other. I think we both need someone we can trust with our ideas too." Charlotte could imagine them swapping sections of The Prophet side-by-side at Gryffindor Table and trading takes on the articles afterwards more easily than she could visualize a candlelit dinner date, and while she was excited at the prospect of getting to a more formal date one day, there was no need to move things along at breakneck speed. Just as she could envision holding hands more than she could think about kissing him...without going completely red in the face.

Her brow furrowed as Daisy spoke of Mr. Lupin's anti-werewolf stance, that not having come up in their conversation, and she nodded with a bit of nerves as Daisy connected their fathers. Remus wrote to his mother so often, and she couldn't help but think that Mrs. Lupin would share news from their son with her husband...Would word get to her own father before she was ready to share it herself? "They're in neighboring sections, even," she tried to joke, fingers twisting in her lap, "centaurs and spirits. I wonder what happened to make Mr. Lupin take that stance, did he ever say? We talked a bit about classes, er - our favorite colors and muggle fairytales, what we like to do in Hogsmeade, how he stays in touch with his mother," she went on with a softer smile before nudging her friend's knee with her own. "We had a laugh over you and Peter trying so subtly to get us together for so long. And Violet and Rufus...keeping things on the quieter side until we talk with him. Merlin, but I'm nervous about how he'll take it." 

She wanted her brother's presence in her life - they had come so far together, from their close-knit childhood to a distance in the middle of their Hogwarts years, and things were steady between them now. He'd taken responsibility for his schoolwork, and while he still liked to go and have fun, he didn't seem to be gripped by his vices anymore. He was even dating Hestia Jones, a kind classmate she'd always felt a fondness for, and who she thought could be nothing but a good influence. But changes had historically been difficult for him to deal with, and what would he think of one of his roommates going on dates with her, when he'd all but proclaimed her to be "off limits" so long ago? Charlotte knew he came from a place of love and wanting to protect her, but could he trust her to make her own decisions? In a way she felt silly for worrying, but then again she could all too easily remember finding him in a bad way.

[Daisy Hookum]

Daisy should have known that Charlotte and Remus would have some sort of academic conversation, it was after all Charlotte and Remus. She didn’t think she’d ever seen Remus without some sort of book on him. Daisy had thought she was an avid reader until she met Remus, but she appreciated that about him. He was always willing to recommend a new book to her, and he was one of the only people she trusted to show her own stories that she wrote. It was only the topic of the conversation that threw her for a loop, and apparently she had hidden that well enough because Charlotte didn’t seem to be questioning it. It was sweet to hear about this first date from Charlotte’s point of view, and knowing she’d also get to question Remus about it too. Char was right, neither of them had dated before, but it was endearing that they got to navigate together. Especially when Daisy felt they were so perfect for each other.

“I think that’s important too, I mean besides you Peter is the one person that really knows me, crazy ideas and all,” she said with a laugh, reaching out to give Charlotte’s hand a squeeze, “More importantly, tell me about these compliments.” Later she knew that she would compare her notes with Peter, because she did hope the boys were at least trying to be supportive and getting information. That being said, who knew what happened with them all today, there was always something strange for the four (or five, if Rufus was around) to discuss. Mostly she read her magazines and worked on her stories while the boys plotted. How wonderful would it be if one day soon, Charlotte could be there with her? She knew Charlotte would love James and Sirius if she got to know them, they were Daisy’s family and they were wonderful people.

She hadn’t fully realized that Charlotte and Remus’ fathers were in neighboring sections, and she could tell why that was stressful for her best friend. She knew Remus wasn’t close with his father, so she doubted the news would make it back to him. But she listened intently to her best friend, soaking in everything that she was sharing. It was all so cute, to learn about her best friend’s first date and reflect back on her own. Daisy wanted more details than Charlotte was sharing - which fairytales, did Charlotte know just how often Remus wrote his mother - but she could get more information later. Right now, Charlotte was worried, and Daisy understood why. She liked Rufus, she thought he had grown a lot over his years at school, but he could still be hard headed when it came to his sisters. “You know I’ve got your back, right? You’re a human who is allowed to have feelings and want to date people, and he’ll accept that. Even if I have to fight him, which I will do, for you.”

Digging in her backpack she found the package of sugar quills, opening it to pull one out before handing the package to Charlotte, “Now, I love that you two have found the efforts of Peter and I to be amusing, and I think your first date sounds so sweet.” She was stalling on answering the question regarding Remus’ father, because how much could she really say? Remus hadn’t told her what had changed his father’s mind, but she was pretty sure it’s because at some point Remus had become a werewolf. And she was not about to blurt that out. “I don’t really know much about Mr. Lupin, Remus doesn’t really talk about him. Or to him, that I know of. I do know from reading that it was a long time ago that he changed his mind on werewolf rights though.”

[Charlotte Fudge]

Charlotte returned the squeeze of her hand, grateful for Daisy's gentleness in this moment. She knew it couldn't be the most thrilling way to spend an evening, hearing about Remus and herself finding books and discussing their favorite things, but Daisy understood her. They were going to do this in their own way, at their own pace, whatever "this" turned out to be. That Daisy wasn't pushing for her to change how she was approaching the matter, it meant the world to her, and eased some of her nerves about sharing. Not that she'd thought her dearest friend would think poorly of her, but - this experience was new, the feelings she was having were new, and she always felt most confident after she'd had time to process her facts and her feelings, not while she was in the thick of it as she currently found herself. 

"I do love your crazy ideas," she assured, meeting Daisy's bright eyes with a bashful smile, far more used to giving compliments than receiving them. "He said that...being with me makes him happy. He thought I was cute when I was ranting," she admitted, squeezing her eyes shut with a breath of a laugh. This was such a different thing to try and explain than what she usually spoke about, but Charlotte wanted to try, for Daisy and for herself. The girl took a thoughtful pause, and went on. "Less than what he explicitly said, it's more...I don't usually feel aligned with people, but I could...feel something from him. With how he got his words tangled up, the way thought about holding my hand and then the way he did, how much he was sharing...Remus really is having warm feelings for me, and that feels like a grand compliment itself."

But this wouldn't be a true new experience without nerves and hurdles. From her and Remus's fathers likely knowing each other from work, to her brother's interference, to things she couldn't yet anticipate - nerves, hurdles, and more nerves. Why does this affect you so? She knew she had to get to the root of her nerves someday, she couldn't let her life be dictated by them, but...was she ready to examine herself like that? For now, she watched Daisy as she thought, trusting that she'd have a reliable gauge on whether or not these issues were as big as they felt. Her friend's words hit her hard, harder than she anticipated, and she took a deep breath, and released the tension in her hands. "I'm lucky to have you here with me. Thank you, Daisy, truly. I hope that Ruff will be happy for us, if we decide there is an "us" to tell him about. And if he's not...we'll cross that bridge together, if we must."

She took a sugar quill as they were offered and slipped out of her shoes, moving to sit cross-legged on the bed as Daisy considered things. She shot the redhead a smile around the quill as she continued, rather relieved to have a stamp of approval. But Daisy seemed slightly at a loss for words, which was unusual, and Charlotte listened thoughtfully as she went on. "That's good to know, it did seem like a sensitive subject, so I will keep that in mind...But what do you mean?" There was something odd about this - or she was reading too much into things, as she had done all day. Certainly, it wasn't unusual for Ministry officials to write. Articles and opinion pieces for the Prophet, research pieces for academic journals, books. But how had it never come up that Daisy had found something written by Remus's father? If that's what she'd meant? "Has he had something published?"