Once Upon a Time -- Spring 1996 (DONE)

It was the end of my fourth year at Hogwarts and it was coming to a close quite quickly.  As much as I enjoyed being home for the summer with my family, I did miss my friends.  Of course, with Dad being a professor, I got to see him all the time.  Which was fine, I was a daddy's girl.  But that also meant that no fun for Lucy... between Dad adn Will... they made sure that I toed the line.  Not like I woulnd't... but still.  It also meant no boys for Lucy.  It wasn't that bad, though.  I hadn't really hung out with any guys to make me weak in teh knees or that I could see carry me off into the sunset.  OK, I was a bit of a dork... but I wanted my own fairytale of some kind.  It wasn't too much to ask.  It just meant that a guy who was going to get me to date him had to meet certain standards.  Or perhaps just catch my eye from across the Great Hall and send a spark through me.  I loved those romantic stories where you just know.  I didn't want to just date a bunch of guys and lose the magic.  I wanted to find the magic and keep it going.  I stopped adn leaned against the tree, looking across the grounds.  Maybe if I was lucky... maybe if I kept my eye on the lookout, I'd find that spark.

Being a good Ravenclaw I was, I was outside studying. Only one more final exam to go... so why slack off now? It was hard to concentrate with everyone starting to unwind since there was only one more final to go. It kind of got irritating. I packed up my things, figuring the only quiet place to study would be the library, and stood up. I started to head back up to the castle when a dainty figure caught my eye standing by a tree near the lake. I looked over and saw that she was looking over in my direction, but I doubt she was looking at me. I really wasn't anything special. And to be honest, I was pretty sure she was Lupin's daughter. No way I'd go near a teacher's kid. I avoided Will at all costs and I also tried to avoid Professor Lupin as much as possible as well. I couldn't help what my father did... but I knew that people judged the children for their parents' sins. That was just the way the world went. However, I couldn't help but send a smile her way, just in case she was looking at me. I turned and kept walking towards the castle.

Had he just smiled at me? or was I imagining things? I smiled at myself and looked out towards the lake. Who had that been? It was hard to tell from the distance, but I saw the Ravenclaw blue tie. I would look for him at dinnertime to see if we had seen each other from across the way. I felt a little warm on the inside. Something felt different somehow... maybe it was just my imagination. It probably was. He had probably just saw me staring in that direction and smiled to be polite.
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Later that evening, I realized that I couldn't get that boy off of my mind. I was listening to my friends talkign and I would add my input when necessary, but my mind wasn't with them. My mind was on finding who it was across teh way. I couldn't tell very well when on the grounds, but I was sure that I'd be able to figure it out at dinner. I sat with my friends, away from Will and his friends of course, and kept my eye out for my mystery man. Maybe he would look this way to see if I had been interested.

The Ravenclaw table all seemed a little subdued compared to everyone else, but that was per usual. I couldn't help but be distracted from my reading, though. I had taken a seat so I could see the Gryffindor table with ease. I just wanted a better look at Lupin. It was horrible... I couldn't remember her name and it was killing me. I tried to look over there all casual-like, but I felt so conspicuous. I felt like it was so obvious why I was looking in that direction. I had to glance up at the teacher's table and saw that Professor Lupin wasn't there. I felt a little bit of relief from that. It wasn't the full moon, yet, though... so it almost added a little more concern than relief. It was sad that I knew more about Professor Lupin than most students. It was only because my father tried to instill in me the shadows of the dark ways... which so wasnt' happening.

While lost in my own thoughts that was when I felt like someone was watching me. I looked towards the Gryffindor table and saw her bright blue eyes looking in my direction. I couldn't help but smile at her again. We kept eye contact for a little bit and then she looked away, a little red in the cheeks. The color suited her. Perhaps I would try to talk to her after dinner. I didn't want to make a scene in the Great Hall. Though would it be a scene? Just a fellow student walking over to another to talk? Most didn't know of our family's history. And those that did seemed preoccupied... and would they even really realize who I was at first?

I had to think for a moment who that was. I knew it was the guy who I had seen on the grounds, but I wasn't sure what his name was. I knew he was quiet and reserved because he had been in class with me before... but the teachers never drew him out like they did to some of us -- my father, for example. I kept eye contact for as long as I could and felt my cheeks start to go red, so I looked down. I prayed he would come over and talk to me.

I set down my fork, seeing as I wasn't really eating anyways, and meandered over to the Gryffindor table. I walked over to where Lupin sat and was grateful that there was an empty seat beside her. I casually sat down and had my back against the table. "Hey," I said lightly, just wanting her to look at me again. When her eyes turned to me, my heart skipped a beat. They were more beautiful this close than they were from across the room. "How are -- er -- finals going?" I asked lamely. I wasn't that great with talking with girls.

I couldn't believe he had actually come over! I had seen him get up and tried not to watch him. I mean, how lame would I have looked if he had just left the Great Hall with me gazing after him? I had turned to him and smiled. "Well, they suck," I said with a laugh. "I bet you're enjoying them?" I asked him with raised eyebrows. I didn't know what it wa about Ravenclaws and the brainy bunch... they loved exams. I hated them. I wasn't a bad student, but I still hated them.

I chuckled a little bit. and shrugged. "Well... I suppose you could say that," I told her. I knew I would feel like a complete moron, but I had to know her name. "I'm Ayden, by the way... in case you don't remember," I told her. I figured that way it'd me nonchalant if she told me her name. But knowing girls, she probably wouldn't.

I was so grateful he tol dme that. I wasn't sure if it would seem odd if I had asked him. "Oh, and I'm Lucy Lupin," I said, loving the sound of my name. I was one of those weird kids who always introduced myself with my last name. I couldn't help it... especially since it sounded so nice together! "So... I saw you outside... do you want help studying?" I asked him.

I had returned to the staff table to finish eating. I had needed to send a quick owl to Chloe just to check in. I hated not being with her all the time. I had let her know that I was going to sneak away and come home for a little bit this weekend. I looked out across the hall and saw Will chattign animatedly with his group of friends; saw Dean sitting with Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looking well; saw Elena eating and not fighting; and then my eyes rested on Lucy. She was talking with a boy. Interesting... I couldn't quite tell who it was. But I was going to be keeping an eye... I needed to see if he was worth my daughter's time.

Lucy... that was such a beautiful name. It fit her perfectly. "Sure," I said. Then I looked at her questioningly. "You're done studying? Not to make it sound like I'm insulting you... but with one final left, one would think someone would be studying for it." I mentally kicked myself. Way to insult her there... how stupid was I?

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Well, some of us actually try to get a little bit of down time. Believe it or not, it makes the stress of studying adn the impending exams and grades ease up a bit," I teased.

"Hmm... I never thought of it like that," I joked back. "I guess that's just something I need to learn." I smiled at her. I couldnt' believe how easy it was to talk to her. But should I raelly be talking to Lucy Lupin of all girls? Should I really care what anyone else thought?

I sat, thinking. "Would you like to learn how to do that today?" I questioned, feeling like I needed to influence a bookworm to come out of it's shell a little bit. I smiled at him and said, "Pleeeeeaaase..." I was hoping to put my best pout/begging face forward.

Okay... it was no wonder Lucy always seemed to get her way when she had a face like that... I couldn't say no! "Erm..." I said, trying to be tough against it since I knew that I probably should study more before the exam. "Why not?" I complied, smiling at her. "I suppose you have all sorts of ideas?"