You Find Out Who Your Friends Are -- Spring 1997

I rolled my eyes at stephanie.  "thanks for that, Steph," I said sardonically.  "Like I didn't know that."  I knew I was just getting moodoy because I was stressing, but still.  I did not need her sarcasm if she was not going to help.

I sighed.  "Sorry... I was just trying to lighten the mood just a tad with sarcasm," I said to him.  There was no reason to get all snippy.  Okay, there was... but he needed to just calm down a little bit.

I rolled my eyes at her.  "I know," I said, "but it's not hte time nor the place."  I sighed, hoping that I did not upset her.  Stephanie was used to my attitude problems sometimes.

Why did he have to be so uptight sometimes?  I sighed.  "Ayden, chill," I said to him, trying to get him to calm down a little bit.  If he freaked, then he would nto think clearly.

I looked at her, taking a deep breath. "I am 'chill', Stephanie," I said to her flatly, knowing she did not believe me at all.

I rolled my eyes at him.  "So what are you going to do?" I asked, though I was not entirely sure if he would even tell me what was going on.

I sighed, shrugging.  "I don't know.  I'll probably have to ask for help," I said, hating that idea because it meant that I would have to admit things that I did not want to.

"That's not always a bad thing," I said to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.  "You may just need a shoulder to lean on, Ayden."

I sighed.  "I guess I'm goign to go to Professor Lupin.  It'd be easier than breaking in," I said, though I hated that thought.  I stood up and stretched, wincing at the pain in my shoulder.  I looked over at Stephanie.  "I better go do this now before I loose my nerve.  I'll see you at dinner if not sooner..." I hoped that this would not be horrible. 

I headed towards the office in which I could find Professor Lupin and knocked on the door.  I bit my lip slightly, waiting for him to answer.

I heard the knock on my office door and went to it, surprised to see Ayden standing there.  "Hello," I said, moving to the side and motioning for him to walk in.  "What can I help you with?"

I sighed, no tentirely sure where to begin.  "Erm... this is going to be... well, an odd question," I said, rnning a hand through my hair.  I just hoped that this would not change the way he would think of me.  I was just now getting out of my father's shadow wiht professor Lupin.

I had been walking back to my desk and looked at Ayden over my shoulde,r a bemused smile on my lips.  Once I sat down, I motioned for him to do the same thing.  "I am the master at handling odd questions," I assured him.  "Please, continue."

I chuckled, more out of being nervous than finding anything funny.  I sat down and took a deep breath.  "I had that fight with my dad," I said, knowing that Professor Lupin knew about it.  "And... can you look at something for me?"  I already knew what it was.  But I was not sure how else to broach the subject of needing the potion.

I had a dark feeling about this.  "What is it you want me to look at?" I asked him, hiding my misgivings.

Suddenly my mouth was extremely dry.  I had to attempt to clear my throat, but even that did not make me feel better.  "I want you to look at a wound that I received... on my shoulder..." I said, trailing off.