CHAPTER
DRAMA

      SEREN LAID IN THE HOSPITAL BED for a few more hours until Madam Pomfry had allowed her to leave. Her talk with Sirius had left her pondering the past and future. The young girl was determined to become an Animagus, but she knew that Remus wouldn't be as happy.

"What?" Sirius had asked in disbelief at the words she spoke. "You must be joking."

"You know I'm not, Sirius." Seren sighed as she sat up in her hospital bed and grabbed his hand in her own. She couldn't deny how she liked how their hands fit and how safe she felt with him. "Please help me?"

Each revelled in the touch of the other, Sirius squeezing her hand tightly. Sirius squeezes his eyes shut as if he was in pain, he peeked through his length dark hair to give her his answer. "Seren, I want to but bloody hell, your brother will kill me— what if the transformation kills you?"

"It didn't kill you," Seren pointed out. "You three did it fine and had a higher chance of messing up."

"I'm not so sure, Ren." Sirius muttered lowly, squeezing gently on her hand as he stared at their intertwined hands.

"Just think about it, okay?"

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      SEREN LUPIN HAD MANAGED TO get to the Great Hall for dinner after class, prepared to face her brother and others after she had gone missing for so long.

Seren perked up at the sight of her friend entering the hall, but became confused when a boy had approached her and spoke to her. From a distance, Seren knew what was being said was nothing pleasant, as Lily Evans's face paled and tears threatened to spill.

The red headed Gryfindor watched as the boy pushed past her, his shoulder harshly hitting her own. That's when Seren knew that Lily was going to run. Her best friend was too strong to cry in public so Seren began to follow Lily.

"Ren?" The hand encasing her wrist stopped her from continuing and she looked up to see a concerned Sirius Black staring down at her. She blushed slightly at the nickname he had given her but nonetheless stared up at him

"I—I'll be right back," Seren told him, thankful for his concern. They were slowly becoming friends. "I have to go find Lily."

Sirius nodded in understanding, letting his grip loosen so she could walk away. Seren sent a smile to him before speed walking away. As she entered the hallway, she saw a figure with red hair disappear around the corner.

"Lily?" Seren called out wearily in the bathroom that was near to the Great Hall. "Are you okay?"

Sniffles from the hall stopped abruptly and Lily opened the stall to throw her arms around her best friend. Seren held her close, giving her soothing words of comfort as she stroked the crying girl's hair. Seren knew that she had to be there for Lily in any way possible.

"He hates me, Seren. Severus hates me and I don't know why."

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IT HAD BEEN AWHILE BEFORE SEREN calmed down Lily, who left the bathroom first to return to the dorms. Seren was left alone to her thoughts— thinking of everything that was happening and not about her education and how she needed to get back to the dorm before she got in trouble.

Seren wiped the tired from her eyes with a sigh, rounding the corner of the bathroom before she noticed a figure approach her swiftly.

"L-Lucius," Seren gasped out as the tall Slytherin pushed her body against the corridor wall. She wasn't scared of the male in front of her but at the same time, nervous of what caused him to act so abruptly. Throughout the weeks since their quidditch game, they had flirted with each other but hadn't continued their relationship.

"I need to do something that I haven't been able to do," Lucius breathed out as he stared down at the brunette girl, a gleam in his eyes that Seren hadn't seen before.

Lucius kissed the Gryfindor with passion and Seren was startled at the action, hesitantly kissing back.  Seren Lupin has no experience with boys, besides Dirk Cresswall and she hadn't even kissed him. She felt strange as her lips met Lucius', confused to why he was kissing her as why there wasn't a spark like romance novels talked about.

Lucius smirked as he pulled away from the speechless Seren, whose hand raised to touch her lips in awe. He sauntered down the hallway, letting his cheeky smirk become more devious. Lucius Mallory revelled in the kiss, knowing he would slowly steal away the heart of the innocent girl.

Lucius didn't know his motive exactly with pursuing Seren. Maybe it was because she was attractive and had the right qualities he liked, meaning she was a Pureblood. Maybe he knew that his family could approve of the relationship instead of forcing him into an arranged marriage.

Or maybe, Lucius Malloy was seeking to hurt Sirius Black in the worst way possible.

Seren Lupin was going to be his.

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     SEREN WAS IN A DAZE AS SHE FOUND HERSELF outside of the Gryfindor dormitory. It took her awhile to get to the dormitory because of how surreal the kiss was. Sure, Lucius wasn't a bad kisser, but why did that happen?

"Sirius? James?" Seren asked in confusion as the two stood in front of her, the fire from the Common Room lighting up there faces. It was odd to see both out so late and it was strange how James stood in front of her while Sirius stood to the side.

"What's wrong with Lily?" James asked with a serious expression unlike his usual lighthearted personality.

"J—James, I can't say anything." Seren stuttered out, knowing Lily would kill her if James found out.

"Yes, yes you can." James told her.

Seren gasped as she hit a body, not realising Sirius had moved behind her to block her exit. His hands found solace on her shoulders, gently pushing her towards the couch. Seren collapsed on the couch beside Sirius while James stood above her with a concerned glare.

"If you don't tell me, I'll tell Remus about you wanting to be an animagus."

Seren turned with accusing eyes set on Sirius who shrugged, nothing he knew could escape his best friend. Seren knew it was good blackmail too, Remus would do anything

Seren sat on the couch, defeated, staring up at James. "She's upset over this guy." For a second James wanted to kill someone— who was upsetting his Lily?

"Who?"

"Severus Snape."

James cussed loudly as he thought of what he could do to help her. James was barely friends with Lily, how could he help? James knew that Severus was a problem because he was a Slytherin and his friendship with Lily. What did he do to her?

James left the pair to think and that's when Seren noticed that Sirius had a strange expression. She faltered, wanting to question him but his eyes flickered from her hair to her lips. Seren realised that Lucius Malfoy caused her to look like she was ravished thoroughly even though it was a simple kiss.

"Did he hurt you?"

Seren winced at how calm Sirius was. After the warning of how dangerous Lucius was, Sirius had prayed that the girl in front of him would listen to what he had to say about how bad Malfoy was. 

"N—No," Seren stuttered, touching her lips unconsciously and Sirius felt as if someone was piercing his heart with a sword. He didn't like the dazed look on her face— he wanted to be the reason she touched her lips breathlessly.

But Sirius Black had been too late. Lucius Malfoy had stolen the girl of his dreams.

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