Lilleth left Eva and continued to wander through the castle. Soon, she found herself on the third floor, when she heard a voice behind her.

"Miss Black-Lupin, what are you doing not at the quidditch match?"

She turned around to see Professor Lupin smiling kindly at her, although he looked a little worse for wear. His skin was paler than Eva's had been and there were large bags under his eyes.

"I don't really like quidditch that much." she admitted, blushing. "Why aren't you there?"

"I've been a little under the weather." said Professor Lupin pleasantly. "Thought it best to avoid the large crowds."

"Are you better now?" asked Lilleth politely.

"Oh yes, much." said Professor Lupin. "Would you like a cup of tea? I was thinking of making one, to warm up from the cold."

"That sounds lovely." said Lilleth, smiling. "Thank you."

He led her into his office, holding the door open politely for her to pass through, and then went straight to a kettle at the side of the room.

"Please, take a seat." he said, indicating one of the comfy chairs in the corner. With a flick of his wand, the kettle filled with water and began to boil, and he took out two cups and placed a teabag in each. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid."

"What else would you use?" asked Lilleth curiously.

"Well, tea leaves, of course." said Professor Lupin, casting a smile at her over his shoulder. "Most witches and wizards keep them in their pantries."

"I grew up with muggles." Lilleth admitted. "So I suppose I wouldn't know."

"You and Mr Potter were raised together, weren't you?" asked Professor Lupin as he lifted the kettle and poured the boiling liquid into the cups.

"Yes." she said. "Eleven years with his aunt and uncle."

"He spoke of you frequently." he remarked. "Do you take sugar or milk?"

"Milk please." she said, smiling.

He tipped a splash of creamy milk into each china cup, and then picked them up and handed one to Lilleth, taking a seat in the other chair. Lilleth couldn't help but notice that the cups were faded and slightly chipped on the edges, and she held it carefully in case it broke, but on the side behind the handle were engraved the letters 'S' and 'R'. A small smile appeared on Lilleth's face as she drew her eyes away from the letters and sipped gently at it.

"I was also hoping you might help me to understand your boggart." said Professor Lupin calmly.

Lilleth choked slightly on her tea.

"I understand that it was very troubling for you." he added. "But I was wondering if you might tell me about it. Perhaps I can help you face it again and defeat it this time."

Sighing, Lilleth placed her tea mug on her lap and tucked her hair out of her face.

"You might know more about it than me." she admitted. "Did I say anything?"

"Well, I seem to remember you asking not to see any more of whatever you were seeing, and you were in great distress." said Professor Lupin, smiling sadly. "What did you see?"

"I... I think they were memories." said Lilleth quietly. "But I don't remember it happening. At least, I didn't until the boggart."

"What were the memories?"

"The first was a baby." she said. "Me, I suppose. In an alley. I'd been abandoned, I think. But I don't know what happened to my parents, or how I ended up with Harry and the Dursleys. I've never understood, but if I was abandoned then... well..."

She trailed off, unable to really think properly.

"And the second?" Professor Lupin prompted.

"It was... well, it was the night that – that James and Lily Potter died." she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I watched it happen. Lily and... and Harry going upstairs and then... then Voldemort coming in and... and James..."

Her voice didn't seem to want to let her continue, so she stopped.

"That must have been horrible." said Professor Lupin understandingly, his own voice soft.

"The worst part was that I couldn't do anything to stop it." she said, her voice almost breaking.

Professor Lupin didn't have any words of response. Silence transcended between them for a few seconds before Lilleth finally broke it again.

"What am I afraid of?" she asked, doing her level best to keep her voice from shaking. "Because I don't... I don't understand what it was trying to tell me."

"The first thing you saw was yourself as a baby being left in an alleyway, correct?" asked Professor Lupin curiously.

"Yes." said Lilleth.

"Perhaps your fear is being abandoned or left alone." he suggested. "You were left by your parents as a baby, and then the death of Lily and James meant you being taken away from your family once again and placed with a family that wasn't yours."

"At least I still had Harry." she said quietly, and a small smile flickered unknowingly onto her face. "I don't think I could ever feel abandoned with him."

"You two must share an incredibly close bond."

"I guess we sort of had to." said Lilleth, sighing. "The Dursleys didn't want us. They didn't even know who I was. But Harry was just always kind of... well, there. He's pretty much my brother."

A small smile flickered on Professor Lupin's face.

"I think that perhaps if you ever face your boggart again, you should consider Harry." he said. "I agree, it's very difficult to find something to make that sort of situation funny. But if you think of Harry, you may find the courage to try."

"Maybe." Lilleth agreed. "Professor, do you like quidditch?" she asked.

Professor Lupin appeared slightly startled by the sudden topic change, but he quickly recovered.

"I used to commentate when I was in school." he said. "I got in lots of trouble for it. Swearing at the players and such."

Lilleth grinned.

"But I rather enjoyed watching it." he added. "My friends always did something silly or stupid to make everyone laugh. Why don't you?"

"Well for one thing, I don't like rain." said Lilleth. "Thunderstorms aren't my cup of tea." She sipped innocently at the cup of tea she was still holding, and Professor Lupin chuckled.

"Terrible pun." he said. "My friends would approve."

"Also, I don't really like quidditch or flying." said Lilleth, shrugging. "I haven't actually watched a game yet, but I might go see the next one if it's not raining."

"I think you should. It can get quite exciting" Professor Lupin advised. "So what do you like to do if you don't like quidditch?"

"I love dance." said Lilleth. "There was a book on it in the library in my school and I spent hours reading it and now I dance whenever I can."

"How old were you when you found it?" asked Professor Lupin curiously.

"I think I was five." said Lilleth. She had to think about it for a few seconds. "Yes, five. I'd always danced, wherever I went. It always really annoyed the Dursleys."

"Did you care?"

"Not in the slightest."