Ebb and Flow

Hogwarts, May 1977

***

"In three years, you'll be a Healer," Lily said and shook her head. "Amazing."

Althea closed the Foreign Relief Healer Program pamphlet, and wistfully looked at the cover of the happy witch and wizard standing underneath a palm tree. Her father was correct; magic had a profession comparable to Muggle medicine--the Healing Arts. She was not sure exactly what area of the Healing Arts she would enjoy specializing in, but she did know that in June, she would have her first interview to prepare her to begin the process of Healer Training after finishing her seventh-year.

"I still have seventh-year," she replied, frowning, "and N.E.W.Ts."

Lily smiled, resting her hand on Althea's forearm. "You'll pass them without any trouble," she said and squeezed Althea's forearm.

"Right," she forced herself to agree, tapping the pamphlet against the table. She was happy someone had confidence in her. She looked to Lily and raised an eyebrow. "You haven't taken Slughorn up on his offer, have you?" she asked, trying to sound casual and hiding her concern, but failing miserably.

Lily removed her hand from Althea's arm and folded her arms. "Of course, I haven't," she replied and rolled her eyes. "I'd like to stay out of his web of former students."

"Good...Sirius can't stand him. You've heard him, 'I wanted the set, but one will do,'" she said, looking at Lily. "It's the same way my Gran talks about that bloody antique chair she acquired over Christmas holiday. 'I would have preferred both, but the second chair was horribly damaged,'" she continued in her best impersonation of Gran.

"I've heard him," she muttered and giggled. "Spot on, by they way, but you forgot the 'Althea Rosemary.'"

Althea smiled. "Amazingly, her thoughts on the chair didn't turn into a lecture," she remarked and winked. She looked at Lily thoughtfully before she continued, "It's such an insult to you, though. You're the smartest witch in our year--you don't need connections."

Lily blushed. "Thank you, but you're smart as well," she replied with a small smile. "You have to be--to even attempt the Healing Arts."

Althea laughed quietly. "Right, I still have trouble casting spells without saying them...unlike you."

"You can't concentrate when Black's round," she teased matter-of-factly and winked. "Oh, look who has arrived," she laughed, "and she's not late today."

Althea looked toward the doorway to the classroom and shook her head. How did Jane pass her Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L? She is the girl afraid of hinkypunks and all things remotely Dark. Erlenmeyer must've been very lenient, she thought as she spotted an owl feather in Jane's glossy, blonde hair. Owling Tristan again.... I have to admit, they are very cute together. He is the sort of man I'd want her to be with...the sort of man that would make her happy. Jane removed an owl feather from her hair, frowned at it as it flitted to the floor, and sat in front of Lily.

Jane pulled a face as she looked at the pamphlet in Althea's hand. "You're still doing that?" she asked, wrinkling her nose. "All the dirt and heat?"

"Of course, I am," Althea replied and placed the pamphlet in her bag. "I'll travel and help people. What could be better than that?"

"Living in a large house and married to a rich wizard?" Jane scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I'd choose that over living in hut, dating a poor wizard."

Althea's lips tightened. When Jane discovered the news that Sirius left home and his mother disowned him, she directed her obsessive focus to Tristan. Unlike Sirius, who barely noticed Jane's advances, Tristan eagerly welcomed them. Why am I friends with someone this shallow, she thought, scuffing the floor with her shoe. I suppose that is how many pure-blooded witches are brought up--to care more about living comfortably than love...like their Muggle counterparts.

"Well, not everyone sets high priorities like you, Jane," Althea remarked sardonically as Lily frowned. "Regulus Black doesn't have a girlfriend."

Jane wrinkled her nose at the suggestion. "He's a Slytherin," she replied, folding her arms. "Anyway, I'm scared of his mother."

"You have nothing to be afraid of," Althea remarked with a smile, "you're a pure-blooded witch from a wealthy family."

"Unlike our Althea," Lily chimed in, "the Muckblooded, greedy whore."

"Titled, Muckblooded, greedy whore that is out to destroy the Wizarding world by seducing every pure-blooded, young wizard from a noble and ancient family," Althea corrected jokingly, "or so I've been told."

"'Noble and ancient,'" Lily repeated, rolling her eyes, and laughed. "You forgot our goal of producing inferior, half-blooded children."

"I didn't forget about our army," Althea teased in whisper--mockingly looking over her shoulder. "I thought we never spoke openly of that directive."

"I don't understand how you both could joke about such a thing, " Jane remarked, frowning.

"We have to, or we'd go mad," Lily replied, shrugging her shoulders. "They do want to kill us."

"Have you polished your trophy for 'Services to the School' lately?" Althea teased and winked.

"No," Lily sighed, "I only polish it when a certain student's round. I enjoy watching the vein throbbing in her forehead."

"It's an enormous vein, too," Althea replied, smiling wickedly. "I do prefer her eye twitch though."

"As do I," Lily laughed, but suddenly frowned when she heard laughing from the hallway. "They're early today."

Althea immediately turned to see James holding his side, laughing as he leaned against the doorway. Sirius, laughing loudly as well, clapped James on the shoulder, and his other hand clutched a rolled up newspaper.

"Oh, Moony," James breathed, resting the back of his head against the doorframe, and with great amusement, looked at Remus, "you're brilliant!"

"I'm telling you," Remus began laughingly, "I discovered it when researching the yeti essay. Padfoot, let him read it, will you?"

"Yeah...yeah," Sirius breathed, thrusting the rolled up newspaper at James's chest. "Puffskeins--an allergic reaction to Puffskeins. The poor bloke!"

"What d'you mean?" Remus laughed, shaking his head. "It was her!"

Althea raised an eyebrow as the four boys laughed loudly. Peter noticed Althea was looking at the boys with great interest and he nudged Sirius. Sirius, somewhat annoyed at Peter's intrusion, looked away from Peter to Althea, and immediately straightened himself. He elbowed James and nodded for him to look in Althea's direction. James immediately straightened and messed the back of his hair. Althea smiled as Sirius, his eyes locked with hers, confidently walked up the center aisle and sat behind her.

"Good morning, Evans," James said cheerfully, leaning forward.

"Morning," Lily muttered, scooting her chair forward.

"Good morning," Sirius said happily, placing his book and parchment onto the table.

"Morning," Althea said quietly, smiling.

Pleased with himself at Althea's response, Sirius sighed contentedly as he tossed his quill onto the table. "D'you reckon this will be the day?" he asked hopefully, casually tilting his chair onto its back legs.

He really wants Erlenmeyer gone, Althea thought as Sirius winked at her. Althea smiled and felt the apples of her cheeks warm. Sirius grinned as he leaned back, almost to the point of the chair sliding out from underneath him, but still maintaining control. Sirius was not the only student that wanted Erlenmeyer gone. All of the students were tired of his caustic remarks, and according to James and Sirius, his sheer ignorance at the subject of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Could Erlenmeyer break the curse that plagued Defense Against the Dark Arts professors since their first-years? Althea, as well as the other students, prayed he did not.

"God, I hope so," muttered James, messing his hair, "the wanker.... How many days has it been?"

"Too many," Lily sighed sadly.

Althea quickly turned, covering her mouth as she giggled at the wide-eyed Lily. Lily's quill fell from her hands onto her parchment, and she slowly sank in her seat--on her face, a mortified expression. Althea's eyes glanced at James--he leaning forward in his chair--his hazel eyes registering eagerness and shock as Sirius laughed loudly next to him. It was the second time that week Lily had answered a question posed by James. Sympathizing with Lily, Althea cast Sirius a sharp look, but he disregarded her warning by rolling his eyes and laughing louder.

"I'm sorry," Althea murmured guiltily, cringing at Lily's visibly pink face. She turned to look at Sirius and mouthed, "Come off it," but Sirius continued laughing.

"He's awful to Althea," Lily explained, looking at her parchment. "That's why I want him gone."

"She's dating Black, that's why," Martha said from the chair in front of Althea.

With a loud crack, Sirius's chair legs landed against the floor and Althea jumped. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked heatedly; she heard him stand.

Please, don't do anything stupid, Sirius, she thought, wincing. You already have detention for the next two Saturdays. Martha was right; Erlenmeyer's sycophantic behavior toward her had ended when, in February, the entire Hogwarts student body discovered the relationship between Sirius and Althea (of course, a significant portion of the student body had known since November--at least in rumor--of an incident in the Owlery involving, Mrs. Norris, a box to Ecuador, snogging, and a horrified Filch). With Lily's reluctant acceptance, the couple was allowed to show affection in public; although, the idea of possibly being caught was so enticing still, they refrained from most outwardly public displays of affection. However, last Wednesday morning, as they walked to Potions, Sirius pulled her aside and kissed her in an empty corridor. Erlenmeyer caught them and promptly gave Sirius a Saturday detention, which produced enormous laughter from Sirius--it filling and echoing throughout the hall. Enraged, Erlenmeyer gave him a second Saturday detention. It confused Althea, but Sirius told her not worry--Erlenmeyer would forget about the detentions (for Sirius believed him to be a great absentminded fool).

Martha turned in her chair and thoughtfully looked from Sirius to Althea. Althea's eyes narrowed, coaxing Martha from saying something potentially explosive. Martha agreed with her eyes.

"He's a enormous idiot," Martha answered and Althea slightly nodded with approval. "He thought Mary called him a 'ignorant berk' the other day," she continued, and motioned with her head toward Mary; Mary nodded with great exaggeration. "She had detention that night."

Althea--holding her breath--looked to Sirius as he surveyed the other two Gryffindor girls.

"Mate, come on," James said quietly.

Thinking it an adequate explanation, he nodded. "Right," he sighed and sat down.

Althea exhaled and noticed Lily shaking her head with an expression of mild aggravation on her face. It was not the first outburst from Sirius, and afterward, the mood was always tense and brooding. No one questioned Sirius...ever.

"Ten minutes?" Remus proposed, resting his arm on the back of his chair. "It's such a lovely day."

James let out a laugh of approval as he clapped a moody Sirius on the shoulder. "Excellent," he replied, smiling.

"I thought Muggle Studies--"

"How thick are you?" Sirius remarked, interrupting Peter. "We'll have two classes to skive off then."

The tips of Peter's ears pinked. "Sorry," he murmured shyly, sinking lower in his seat. "You're right."

"Of course, I am," Sirius agreed, folding his arms. He looked toward the other students and rolled his eyes. "Snivellus, he's not even here yet! Put that quill down!" he joked viciously and the class erupted in laughter--except for Lily and Althea.

Snape muttered something, at which the students near him hooted with laughter.

"What was that, Snivelly?" Sirius asked, leaning forward.

Althea quickly turned to look at the blackboard and covered her face with her hands. How many more detentions would Sirius add to his two?

"Whatever he said, Black, it isn't as important as what I will say," Professor Erlenmeyer said, and Althea lowered her hands.

For the first time, Althea was grateful to see that obnoxious professor. Erlenmeyer, his arms full of books and rolls of parchment, sauntered up the center aisle to his desk. Sirius muttered to James about an alleged indiscretion between Erlenmeyer and a female house-elf and the four boys laughed conspiratorially.

"Silence," Erlenmeyer warned, placing the books and rolls of parchment on his desk. "Open you books to page four hundred and thirty-two."

Some groaned, others grumbled, and others--like Althea--silently, but begrudgingly opened their books to the page. Upon reading the title of the chapter, Althea had a small, sinking feeling develop in her stomach. Werewolves, she thought, uncomfortably looking at the photograph of the man slowly transforming into his wolf form. Uneasy, her eyes drifted to her left to observe Remus, patiently sitting and casually tapping his quill against the edge of the book. Remus's eyes met hers and he smiled pleasantly, at which, Althea mustered a pleasant, but feeble smile. It doesn't seem to bother him; therefore, it shouldn't bother me, she thought as Remus rolled his eyes at James and Sirius's snickering.

"You are already aware of the five signs of the werewolf, correct?" Erlenmeyer asked, tapping the blackboard with his wand. "Miss Lennon?"

As Martha spoke, the five signs of the werewolf appeared in Erlenmeyer's grandiose script across the black board. Sirius's snickering transformed into outright laughter.

"Black? How are werewolves funny to you?" Erlenmeyer asked, narrowing his eyes.

Althea turned her head and Sirius winked at her. "We were taught this our third-years," he answered, leaning back in his chair. "Let's learn something else."

Althea quickly turned to see Erlenmeyer's lips had thinned. "I will teach what I please in this class," he replied shortly and violently tapped his wand against the blackboard--more words appearing on the board. "More in depth than the elementary knowledge of a third-year. Now, do you remember how werewolves are made? Anyone? Mr. Lupin."

A gasp caught in Althea's throat as she looked to Remus, who had stopped doodling. "Bitten by another werewolf at the full moon, Professor," he replied calmly and picked up his quill to resume doodling.

"Wrong," Erlenmeyer replied, very pleased with himself. "Obviously, some in this class have forgotten," he continued, staring over her head at Sirius.

Althea's mouth opened slightly. What is he getting at, she thought, her eyes shifting to see Remus's expression of disbelief--he had dropped his quill.

"But, Professor, I believe it states here--" Remus said, pointing to the book.

"I believe I'm the authority on werewolves in this class," Erlenmeyer replied smugly, folding his arms.

There was a loud crack behind her as Sirius's chair had fallen forward; the three boys erupted in laughter. Althea quietly groaned as she massaged her temple.

Erlenmeyer's arms dropped to his sides. "Potter, Black, Pettigrew," he said--his voice slightly louder, "detention!"

The three had quieted.

"Berk," Sirius muttered.

"What was that, Black?" he asked, walking closer to the first row. "Another detention?"

"Continue with your lesson, Professor," Sirius replied, and Althea did not have to turn to know Sirius was smirking.

"One more outburst from you, Mr. Black, and you will spend the rest of the school year in detention," he warned, his eyes narrowing. "Now," he sighed, looking to the rest of the students, "it is partially correct that a person is made a werewolf by a bite at the full moon--"

Althea rolled her eyes at Remus. The corner of Remus's upper lip twitched into a smile.

"--however, this isn't in your books, so it is in your best interests to write it--"

Althea glanced at Lily's parchment, and noticed she was embellishing a drawing in the margins, which at one time, might have read, JP. It can't be, she thought, rapidly blinking her eyes. 'JP' cannot stand for James Potter, can it? Lily fancying James? No, no, it's just my imagination. Althea saw Lily trace "J" and then "P" in the drawing.

"--werewolves are also born--"

"Ha!" Althea laughed, but soon covered her mouth.

Wide-eyed, she looked at Professor Erlenmeyer--his face pale. "Do you find the existence of werecubs funny?" he asked in disbelief.

Werecubs? Althea raised an eyebrow. Was there such a thing? No, her father and others had disproved that hypothesis. She sank in her chair. She was not laughing at Erlenmeyer's preposterous notion of werecubs, but at Lily's possible affections for James Potter...although Althea could never say so to Erlenmeyer or the class.

"Do you, Miss Morrigan?"

Althea nodded--she would never divulge Lily's secret.

A look of sheer horror enveloped Erlenmeyer's face. "Werewolves are not a joke!" he breathed. "You--yes, you--Miss Morrigan are the most susceptible to the werewolves--"

Althea pointed her index finger at her chest. "Me?" she mouthed, furrowing her eyebrows. She looked to Lily, and Lily quickly placed her hand over the drawing.

"Yes! Werewolves are dangerous, blood-thirsty creatures--no laughing, Black and Potter--that would no doubt love to tear out your throat," he explained emphatically, his hands balled into fists, "or worse, keep you!"

"Keep me, Professor?" she questioned, attempting not to laugh again at such an absurd notion.

"It is the ultimate goal of the male werewolf," he explained and looked at her condescendingly, "your father didn't write about it, I'm afraid."

Althea gave him a nasty look. No one disrespected her father's work. She felt her body start to tremble with rage and her heart beat wildly against her chest as she looked at the smug professor. Yes, her father was eccentric, but he was right. Erlenmeyer was an idiot.

Erlenmeyer, haughtily leaned against his desk as he explained, "The male werewolf calculatingly lures--or even abducts--the naïve female to his 'den' and forces them to bear werecubs.... The female that willingly participates in carnal activities with a male werewolf will become a werewolf as well.... Even a kiss has been shown--"

"That's a lie!" Althea shrieked, her face very hot.

The class gasped. Sirius and James let out laughs of surprise. Her head and stomach were reeling--she had never disrespected a professor. It's not true! It's just not true, she thought, not daring to look toward Remus. Erlenmeyer had insulted her father, her first boyfriend, and her character. Althea eyes shifted to Lily. Lily's green eyes were very wide as she stared at her parchment.

Erlenmeyer's haughty demeanor vanished. "Would you, Morrigan, enlighten the class on how you know that it is a lie?" he asked, his jaw tightening.

"Althea," Remus whispered heatedly, "don't."

Althea took a deep gulp of air and surveyed the class. The other students were looking at her with great interest...including Snape, who never looked at anything but his parchment or the blackboard.

"Well," she began nervously, kicking her heel against the floor, "I reckon a furry baby would be on the front page of the Prophet."

The class erupted in laughter and Althea sank lower in her chair. I'll have detentions for the rest of this year, she thought as a message appeared on her parchment.

Good one.

Althea recognized the handwriting as Remus's, and turned her face to see him, smiling. Althea tapped her wand against her paper, and with her quill wrote:

I'm sorry. I couldn't help but say something.

"Morrigan," Erlenmeyer said, which caused Althea to straighten, "anymore outbursts and you will receive detention.... Yes, Black?"

"Professor," Sirius said with mock concern, "I saw a hairy baby once. I then realized it was my brother...is he a werewolf?"

James snorted with laughter.

Erlenmeyer thoughtfully looked at Sirius. "How hairy was he?"

"Very hairy," Sirius replied, his voice trembling with suppressed laughter.

Erlenmeyer rubbed his chin as though he was pondering Regulus's possible lycanthropy. "Right, I believe the best way to determine it would be to know the signs of a werewolf--yes, Potter?"

Althea looked to her parchment and saw that Remus had replied:

You don't need to defend.

"Have you ever met a werewolf?" James asked.

"Bugger all," Remus muttered as the three boys snickered behind them.

Althea shook her head at the boys' inconsiderate teasing, and wrote:

I can't let that idiot say such things. Kissing?

Remus quickly replied:

I know, but please, mind yourself.

Althea briefly lifted her eyes from her parchment to see Erlenmeyer nodding. "Yes," he answered solemnly, "and they were the foulest of creatures."

The boys continued to snicker as Sirius laughed under his breath, "You're foul."

"What was that, Black?" Erlenmeyer asked sharply.

Althea shook her head as she replied to Remus:

It's untrue! He's an idiot!

A new message immediately appeared on her parchment:

You don't need to defend.

Althea straightened in her chair and hastily wrote:

Why not?

Remus did not reply.

Althea huffed and scribbled:

Look, I'm the prime example of how untrue it is.

Remus sighed and she heard his placating tone in her head as his message appeared:

Please, all right?

"Oh, I heard my brother howl," Sirius replied with mock concern.

Other students laughed as well.

Suddenly, Snape spoke, "Is it true there are ways of determining a werewolf other than the full moon?" He turned to look in the direction of the Gryffindors--an awful sneer across his face.

"Excellent question," Erlenmeyer said. "There are a few signs to determine a werewolf--"

Althea shook her head slightly as she answered:

Why can't we talk about it? Are you ashamed?

As if Remus was anticipating her response:

No, I'm not ashamed, but we promised.

Althea wasted no time to write:

I know, but you are ashamed.

She heard Remus sit up in his chair and received:

I'm not!

Althea narrowed her eyes as she wrote:

You are!

Remus sighed heavily and quickly wrote:

Don't tell me how I'm supposed to feel!

Althea sighed angrily and did not respond.

"--werewolves have claw-like hands, bushy eyebrows, elongated noses, beady eyes," Erlenmeyer explained as a few of the students were frantically taking notes. "It is often said that the rotting stench of his last victim is smelt on his breath."

"Snivellus," James laughed.

Sirius and Peter laughed.

Althea heard Lily turn in her chair, and knew she was narrowing her eyes at him. Althea's eyes glanced at Lily's paper to see the JP thickly crossed out. It's embarrassing, I know, she thought, returning her gaze to her own parchment. To fancy someone you thought an idiot for so long.

"What? It's true, Evans," James whispered.

Althea blinked as a response from Remus appeared:

Do you understand now why I had you promise?

Althea rolled her eyes:

Yes, because of prats like him.

"No," Remus whispered and wrote:

To protect you.

Althea swallowed a deep breath:

Me?

Althea turned her head slightly to look at Remus.

He nodded:

If others knew about me, knew about us, you'd be ostracized as well.

I couldn't let that happen.

Althea furrowed her eyebrows as she replied:

No one knows.

Remus faintly shook his head:

Eventually, they will.

Remus's eyes looked to the other side of the room--his expression grim. Althea looked as well and wondered what Remus could have been looking at. Returning her eyes to her parchment, she saw new handwriting...Sirius's handwriting:

What are you both feverishly writing about?

Althea frowned, the sick feeling returning to her stomach. She had not told Sirius about losing her virginity to Remus for she had promised Remus to never tell. It was their secret, and more, to Althea, a lie she had to maintain. She did not know which option was worse: to betray Remus's trust or to let Sirius believe a lie. For now, she would continue to let Sirius believe that lie. However, did it really matter...to keep it a secret from Sirius? It was only one time.

She tapped the tip of her wand underneath Sirius's message and with her quill wrote:

That Erlenmeyer's a prat.

She heard Sirius chuckle from behind and another message appeared:

Of course, he is!

Right, for our essay, could we borrow your father's books?

Althea frowned:

I thought Remus had copies.

She heard Sirius sigh and a saw on her paper:

Remus left them at home. Please?

Althea smiled as she wrote:

We'll receive detentions.

Quickly, Sirius replied:

It's worth it.

Althea turned in her seat to look at Sirius. She smiled as she nodded, giving her approval for them to use her books.

"Morrigan," Erlenmeyer said loudly, and Althea rolled her eyes as she turned to face him, "do not fraternize with students during class."

Althea curtly nodded and took her quill in her hand:

It is worth it.