Hp: Hermione and Darkness

Hermione and Ron beamed as everyone drank to them and then applauded. Hermione's heart swelled. She fought the sudden urge to grab Ron's hand and pull him in for an embrace. Her face flushed from embarrassment, and she hoped it just looked like the applause and not her urges flustered her.

"I was never a prefect myself," said Tonks brightly as everybody moved towards the table to help themselves to food. Today, her hair was tomato red and waist-length; she looked like Ginny's older sister. "My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities."

"Like what?" said Ginny, who was choosing a baked potato.

"Like the ability to behave myself," said Tonks.

Ginny laughed immediately, but Hermione wasn't exactly sure if Tonks was joking or not. She decided to take an extra-large gulp of Butterbeer rather than try to figure it out, though she immediately started choking on the bubbly beverage.

"What about you, Sirius?" Ginny asked, thumping Hermione on the back.

Sirius, who was right beside Harry, let out his usual bark-like laugh. "No one would have made me a prefect; I spent too much time in detention with James. Lupin was the good boy; he got the badge."

"I think Dumbledore might have hoped I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends," said Lupin. "I need scarcely say that I failed dismally."

Hermione caught her breath and noticed Harry perk up at Sirius' and Professor Lupin's comments. Maybe knowing his father wasn't a Prefect would make him feel better. She certainly hoped that was the case.

Normal dinner conversation started as everyone tucked into Mrs Weasley's delicious feast. Hermione's thoughts wandered on a twisting and turning path, beginning with the original Marauders and their dynamic, especially when Professor Lupin was made Prefect. Then her mind drifted to the fact that the Marauders were formed because Professor Lupin was a werewolf… and Professor Lupin has been incredibly discriminated against because of who he was… Maybe he would be sympathetic to her fight for House Elves?

Whilst Ron started rambling on about his new broom - "... nought to seventy in ten seconds, not bad, is it? When you think the Comet Two Ninety's only nought to sixty, and that's with a decent tailwind according to Which Broomstick?" - Hermione turned to Professor Lupin.

"Professor, I was wondering if I could run something by you?" she asked.

"Of course, Hermione," Professor Lupin said. "And you can call me Remus if you'd like. I'm not your professor any longer."

"You'll always be my professor," Hermione blurted out.

Professor Lupin smiled. "Thank you, Hermione. That means more than you know. Now, what can I help you with? Questions on being a Prefect?"

"No, I think I have a good handle on that," Hermione said. "I'd like to talk to you about House Elves."

Professor Lupin looked taken aback. "Not what I was expecting, but please continue."

Hermione gave him a brief (ten-minute) explanation of S.P.E.W. and some of the Muggle and Wizard court cases she found to support her manifesto. "I mean, it's the same kind of nonsense as werewolf segregation, isn't it? It all stems from this horrible thing wizards have of thinking they're superior to other creatures."

"I agree that some wizards think they are superior to others," Professor Lupin said in a measured and thoughtful voice. "That is, in essence, the very reason the Order of the Phoenix exists. And I also agree that the discrimination of werewolves is, as you call it, nonsense."

"Exactly! Which is why-"

"But," Professor Lupin continued, interrupting Hermione. "I think a lot of the House Elves would prefer to stay where they are than be free."

"But that's only because they don't know better," Hermione insisted.

"Then I agree you should educate them, but don't take it personally if they still choose the life they have known."

Hermione was silent as she contemplated his words. "Can I think on that for a bit before getting back to you with more questions?" Hermione asked.

"I would expect nothing less from you, Hermione," Professor Lupin said with a smile. "I am always here to lend an ear."

"Thank you, Professor Lupin. I really appreciate that."

"And I know you will be a fantastic Prefect," he said. "And will certainly help Ron grow into his new responsibility as well."

"He's going to be great," Hermione said. "I just know it."

The other dinner conversations were still going strong. Hermione tried to listen in on some of the other ones around the table. Mrs Weasley and Bill were having their usual argument about Bill's hair.

"…getting really out of hand, and you're so good-looking, it would look much better shorter, wouldn't it, Harry?"

"Oh – I dunno –" said Harry. The look on his face made Hermione chuckle. He looked like he was just asked to kiss Professor McGonagall or Professor Sprout.

....

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