章 133: Chapter 133: The Season of the Witch (3)
The teachers had definitely put a lot of effort into the Ball. The Quidditch Pitch was completely transformed to a Labyrinth, made from thick, high bushes. Silver mist hung everywhere, reflecting the fade light of the crescent moon. From within, creepy noises echoed, mixed with the occasional scream and giggles of students attempting to find the exit at the far end of the field.
"Alright! Shall we go together or make it a competition?" – asked Sirius impatiently, his fingers tapping the small silver gadget set at the entrance to stamp participants' starting times.
"I feel like wiping this smug smirk off your face." – said James cockily – "I bet I'll get out first!"
Catherine shook her head helplessly. She wasn't particularly interested in competing but was willing to compromise for her friends' fun. So, the four of them entered the green depths of the Labyrinth and quickly separated in search of the correct route. The young witch didn't have a particular plan, so she took random turns, hoping her intuition would lead her in the right direction. She encountered a few living bats and a black cat, but so far, the scariest thing was the sound of her own footsteps in the darkness.
Taking yet another right turn, she bumped into a tall, dark figure. "It appears we're both lost." – Remus chuckled as he gently grabbed Catherine's upper arm to steady her after the impact.
"At least we'll be lost together." – she smiled at her friend – "It gets boring pretty quickly. I expected something a bit more dangerous than a couple of bats."
"Well, I guess you don't count literally bumping into a werewolf." – the boy replied with a grin.
"Considering how far we're from the full moon, my Kneazle would be more of a scare than you, Moony." – Catherine giggled as they walked past a big, withered tree.
"There goes my bad boy persona." – Remus smirked, amused.
"You don't need one." – the witch replied gently – "I like you just the way you are."
Taking a left turn, the Gryffindors found themselves at one of the side exits, meaning they needed to return and find the correct path if they wanted the prize available only at the main exit. However, they were no longer alone. Two girls stood near the torches illuminating the archway, arguing about something. As they turned towards the newcomers, Catherine almost moaned in despair, recognising Narcissa and Bellatrix Black. Before she could decide what to do, Bella swiftly closed the distance between them, her dark eyes full of anger.
"How dare you eavesdrop on us, you filthy Mudblood!?"
"You're the ones talking in a public place. I don't give a damn about your conversation." – the fourth-year girl replied, her hand clutching her wand hidden in an internal pocket of her skirt.
"Don't get smart with me!" – the other witch hissed – "My stupid cousin is not here to protect you."
"But I am." – Remus intervened quietly but firmly.
"So?" – the younger of the Black sisters laughed – "You're nobody – a step above a Mudblood, but you're certainly not worthy of even being in the same room as pure-blood witches like us."
"Good thing we don't plan on staying." – Catherine responded, taking Remus' hand in an attempt to leave before a fight broke out.
"Indeed, you must be busy." – the fifth-year Slytherin chuckled lowly – "Take an advice though – stick to this one. He's the best you can hope for. Sirius is out of your league, and your plan will never work. Aunt Walburga would rather disown him than accept a Mudblood into our family."
With that, Bellatrix headed back into the Labyrinth, Narcissa quickly following her without even sparing a glance at the Gryffindors.
"Are you alright, Flame?" – Remus asked, concerned.
"I'm fine, Moony." – she replied, her voice trembling a bit – "It's just so hard to remain thick-skinned when you're constantly under attack."
"Let's get out of here!" – the boy suggested – "Screw the prize, we're lost anyway."
Catherine nodded slightly, and they left the Labyrinth, heading back towards the castle. The Scary Garden, which occupied most of the grounds in front of the school and spread towards the Black Lake, turned out to be surprisingly nice. There wasn't anything truly scary about it, just dim blue lights and autumn decor that looked quite sorrowful under the moonlight.
"Do you want to rest for a little bit?" – Remus suggested, gesturing towards one of the small stone benches facing the lake, designed to resemble gravestones.
"Yeah, let's sit for a while. These heels were not made for such adventures." – the girl sighed, reclining on the bench.
"I can imagine." – Remus smiled, sitting next to his friend – "At least the view is enjoyable."
"It is." – the witch confirmed, touched by Moony's clumsy attempt at small talk – "Also, no people around. It must be nice for you."
"It's not that I don't like people. I just prefer them in moderation." – the wizard stated, gazing at the moon, a shadow crossing his handsome features.
"Does the moon bother you?" – Catherine asked concerned, observing the change in her friend's expression.
"No, it's fine now." – the boy smiled sadly – "It just always terrifies me when I see it. It's subconscious, I guess. It makes me sick even thinking about it. You can't imagine how awful it feels when you slowly lose control over yourself, to the point where you have nothing left."
"I can imagine it better than you think." – the young witch mumbled, lowering her gaze, her hand instinctively reaching for her braid, which was no longer there.
"I don't think so." – Remus disagreed, taking a deep breath – "I mean, being stigmatised because of your abilities is one thing, but in your case, it's just pure prejudice. In my case, people are right to isolate and fear me. Werewolves are dangerous! You know, I still fight it. Every single time! But no matter what I do, I always end up dragged into the darkness—completely terrified by the evil I'm capable of."
Catherine felt her heart clench. Remus' words resonated deep within her very soul. She desperately yearned to tell him the truth, to share her own fears with him and finally feel she was not alone. Biting her lower lip, the witch gently took the boy's hand, prompting him to look at her.
"I'm not afraid of you, Moony." – she said, almost in a whisper – "I know how scary it all feels, but I'm never going to give up on you."
"Thank you." – Remus said, his amber eyes full of tenderness – "I know Sirius keeps saying that the two of you have a special bond, but I do believe we also share one. It probably sounds stupid, but I've always felt we had much more in common than it seems on the surface… I don't know, it's like you understand even the darkest parts of me. I wouldn't change it for the world."
Catherine leaned forward. Before Remus could realise what was happening, her soft, warm lips pressed against his. Time seemed to stop. The familiar scent of lemon grass and apple blossoms fogged all his senses, making him feel dizzy. His hand moved to cradle the back of Catherine's head, fingers tangling in her hair, as his lips moved gently against hers. His heart pounded wildly as the girl's mouth opened slightly like a rosebud, her burningly hot tongue slowly exploring the boy's lower lip. With tremendous effort, Remus pulled himself away from the young witch, trying to catch his breath and collect his chaotic thoughts. She opened her jade-green eyes, staring at him in clear confusion and embarrassment.
"Moony… I…" – she started, but couldn't find the right words to finish her sentence.
"Flame… I can't." – he said quietly, avoiding her gaze.
"I'm sorry. I know I'm probably not very good at that, but I… I thought we could be together as more than friends… I don't know…" – the girl mumbled, flushing red to the roots of her hair.
"I don't think this is going to end up well for any of us. It's better if we just pretend it didn't happen and move on." – Remus stated, finally regaining his composure. He felt remorseful for turning down probably one of the most amazing girls he had ever met, who for whatever reason, was actually interested in him. However, he knew deep down that he wouldn't be able to cope with the intensity of someone as emotional as Catherine Plantier. He wasn't willing to risk their friendship for a relationship that would likely end in disaster. He couldn't put his best friend through the stigma of being associated with a werewolf, let alone the danger of actually being with one. No woman deserved that, and he had long decided to spend his life single. Furthermore, he was not unaware of Sirius's feelings towards Catherine and would never betray him in such a manner, regardless of how good it felt to hold and kiss her.
Fighting tears of humiliation, Catherine swiftly stood up from the bench, avoiding Remus' eyes. "Okay, no problem. It was silly of me to think you'd like me in that way. I apologise for any discomfort or unpleasantness my actions have caused you."
"Wait!" – Remus exclaimed, taken aback by his friend's words – "This is not what I meant. I just think this is better than ending up hurting each other."
"Of course. I know you can't force yourself to like me." – the young witch attempted to smile without much success – "I want to be alone."
With that, she turned around and ran towards the castle, leaving the very worried and distressed Remus alone, wondering whether there was a way back to where they had been just ten minutes ago.
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