"I'll make sure to get Grandpa Fred to get you some Chocolate Frogs and Fizzing Whizzbees to make you feel better tomorrow," he exclaimed before standing up from the bed he was sitting on. Fred felt a rush of confidence come over him and leaned over Sophia's sleeping form. He softly pressed his lips to her forehead and stopped for a moment. The moment of bliss coursed through him as he stared down at Sophia's peaceful face, letting his eyes run over her beautiful features. Her long lashes cascaded over her soft round cheeks, and her lips sat closed in their usual amazing plumpness. Fred felt his insides swell and at the sight of her, resisting every urge to smother her lips with his own.

"Get well love..." and with that, Fred walked out the hospital wing with a final realisation and acceptance that he had been contemplating for a while now.

Fred Weasley liked Sophia Lupin, more than he thought.

---

The next morning, Sophia woke up in confusion to a ceiling that wasn't familiar to her. She also heard voices echoing through the large hall, making her gather the strength to lift her head from the pillow on her bed. She spotted both Hermione and Harry standing a little away from her, with a long, thin chain hooked around their necks. Hermione was looking at Ron who still lay a couple beds away from her, while Sophia had caught eyes with Harry who was facing her way.

"Sorry Ron," Hermione said with a face of pity and Harry nodded lightly towards Sophia, intending to motion the same words without saying them. Sophia's eyebrows pinched together in confusion at the two, before they suddenly vanished into thin air. Both Ron and Sophia made noises of surprise and confusion, before the doors at the end of the room suddenly opened. Confusion was now increased in the room, as Harry and Hermione were now standing in the doorway.

"W-What... you guys were just there....." Ron stammered as he pointed at the place where they indeed had just been.

"And now you're there... have I entered a different dimension while I was asleep or something?" Sophia spoke up, sitting up in bed and leaning back against the metal bars that passed as an uncomfortable headboard.

"What are they talking about Harry?" Hermione shook her head while holding back a laugh, obviously knowing something Ron and Sophia didn't.

"Not sure Hermione, how can someone possibley be in two places at once?" Harry retorted and Hermione sniggered, leaving both the injured students in the dark of the situation.

Sophia and Ron were cleared to leave the hospital wing after a while, and the group began making their way towards the Gryffindor common room where the two could change their clothes and have some much needed showers. Sophia vowed to immediately go look for her father once she was able to, as she had much to discuss with him. Does he remember anything from last night? Does he know Professor Snape saw him transform, and immediately informed Professor Dumbledore? Does he still have a job at Hogwarts? Was the scratch he gave her going to turn her into a Werewolf?!

Her mind was buzzing with so many questions that it made her head hurt so much that she had forgotten about the scratch on her arm. She looked down at the bandage that was tightly wrapped around her limb, feeling no pain whatsoever. It was definately feeling different from how it felt last night, as the last thing she remembered was laying on the floor of some corridor with Hermione, Fred and George leaning over her with frantic words rushing out their mouths. Fred! Oh Merlin she had forgotten about Fred up until this point. Had he been the one who carried her to the hospital wing? Hopefully not over his shoulder like he did before he used to sit on her with George.

Speaking of Fred and George, she was bombarded with questions as soon as she stepped out of the potrait hole that opened up to the Gryffindor common room. She barely had time to breath as the boys' tall frames blocked her view of the room, and their constant rambling made her feel light-headed once more.

"Does your arm hurt Soph?"

"Do you need anything?"

"Do you need a Chocolate Frog to make you feel better?"

"You've got some dirt on your face."

"You were really light when I carried you, do you need food?"

"Merlin you smell awful-"

"GUYS!" Sophia found herself yelling and the two immediately shut their mouths. They were obviously dead worried about her, but she didn't need all this chaos at the moment. But despite their comments on her current odour and appearance, she appriciated their concern for her. "I'm fine, I just want to get changed and find my dad. Then I'll answer all your questions alright?"

The boys nodded at her request and parted in order to let her move towards the girl's dormitory. But she didn't make it very far when she spotted the many eyes that were staring at her as she made it past the two twins. From first-years to seventh-years, Gryffindors were watching Sophia with curiousity and maybe even a bit of fear. Either way, she felt uncomfortable under all these stares and wanted to melt into the floor that seemed to far away, even though it was only under her feet. Her light-headed feeling hadn't ceased, and she gulped at the looks.

"Is it true?" Dean Thomas spoke up first from the sofa in front of the fire. Sophia met eyes with the dark-skinned boy, knowing partially what he was hinting towards.

"About yer dad bein' a Werewolf?", Seamus continued from next to his friend. Everyone in the room awaited her answer, and it made Sophia's heart heavy. She half expected the word to be kept quiet, but with Professor Snape knowing, that would be very unlikely. She suspected the next people he told after Professor Dumbledore were his fellow Slytherins, in order to spread the news about their soon to be ex-Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Naturally, the Slytherin students spread it to the rest of the school and everyone now knew. They knew that Sophia's dad was a potential threat to Hogwarts.

"Yes..." Sophia stated in a quiet voice, having the familiar feeling of tears prickle her eyes.

"So he-" Neville went to ask more when Fred suddenly spoke up, walking forward and stepping in front of the girl that was a second away from tears.

"Look it's bad enough to be in Sophia's positon right now. She doesn't need you nosey sods asking about her and her dad's entire life as well," Fred exclaimed in a stern voice, crossing his long arms over his chest to show that he meant buisness. The once staring eyes soon mumbled in response and turned their looks away from the poor girl, resuming conversations and activities with each other that defused the tension in the room.

Fred had seen the tears begin to form in Sophia's eyes as soon as Dean opened his mouth, and it didn't seem she even noticed that she was about to burst into tears. But Fred knew better and decided to take it open himself to protect her once more, and it was much less painful this time as no bludger was initially flying towards her. He of course had his own questions, but couldn't bring himself to let her stand there and take all the hits that everyone threw at her about her father. His heart nearly broke in two when he turned back around to see that Sophia had silent tears falling down her soft cheeks, and her bottom lip was wobbling.

"Oh Soph," he cooed in a weak tone and bent his knees slightly so that he was more level with her. He reached up and used his thumbs to wipe away the leaking water from under her eyes, not liking one bit that she had been brought to this state after everything that's happened. Rubbing away the dirt and tears that had gathered on her skin, Fred looked into Sophia's eyes as they resembled a small child's.

"I-I'm fine," the girl attempted to say, her voice wavering in betrayal of her words. She went to use her sleeve to wipe the retched tears from her face when Fred grabbed hold of her wrists, stopping her in the act. Sophia looked at Fred in front of her with a helpless expression, making the boy's heart quiver for the hundredth time in the last few hours.

"No you're not," he said in the softest voice Sophia had ever heard. "And that's okay. You don't have to be."