SlytherinBully: ::hesitates to leave her room, hesitates outside the door, is. thoroughly 
hesitant. about the whole bloody matter. because if she just lets this go... things will right 
themselves soon enough, and she's certain there's nothing she can do, if anything's even wrong, if 
anything even needs to be done, so why should she... but it is remus, and professor snape had said 
that... if anyone needed him... and she'd die before admitting it out loud but she rather thinks 
she might, at the moment:: ::knocks. hesitantly.::
surlysnake: What ::he barked at the door, without turning to look.  He was in a worse mood than 
usual, and this was delicate work::
SlytherinBully: ::very nearly turns around and runs. ... but it's remus.:: ::carefully:: I'm... 
very sorry to interrupt you, sir. I felt. That I ought to apologize. For not saying anything 
earlier today, when Professor Lupin wasn't in class. Of anyone... well, I should have, and there's 
no excuse.
surlysnake: ::He sighed heavily.  Bulstrode, his new favourite student, biggest problem and all 
around inappropriate-headache:: ::sounding as put out as possible::Come in, Miss Bulstrode, but be 
quiet until I finish this operation.
SlytherinBully: ::trying not to look too... shocked, she enters and stands at a respectable 
distance, but close enough to watch. she's always been fascinated by potions, and this is... quite 
intricate, it seems, demanding intense attention. she wishes she had something that could occupy 
her thoughts as such.::
surlysnake: You have no reason to believe it is safe for you to be standing this close to the work 
without preparation. ::he says it without bothering to look at her, continuing to fold some sort 
of shredded leave into the preparation::
SlytherinBully: ::sighs slightly, walks back to the door and stands in front of it, perfectly 
still and quiet. of course she was doing something, she was bloody breathing too loudly, he can be 
as bad as filch sometimes. she's here out of concern and... well. what did she expect, really?::
surlysnake: ::he completed the task, dropped the fire to a simmer, removed the glass stirring rod, 
and cleaned and set it down before turning to acknowledge her.::  You may sit ::he gestured to a 
lap stool, and then ran a hand through his hair.::  Did he say anything to you, anything at all?
SlytherinBully: ::she sits and, as per usual over the last few weeks, can't quite meet his eyes. 
especially now when he's... he's obviously so sure that something is wrong, and she can't... it 
just isn't.:: No, sir.
surlysnake: No plans to visit anyone?  Nothing about Black?
SlytherinBully: ::looks up sharply, her mouth parting slightly, but recovers quickly. oh, 
merlin... is that really all that he's worried about? ... gods, she's such a child, to have been 
so frightened.:: No! He
would-- no. Of course not.
surlysnake: ::he put a hand over his eyes for a moment, anything but relieved.  He spoke very 
slowly:: I have, a profoundly, bad feeling about this, Miss Bulstrode.  ::another sigh:: Has there 
been any talk, in the common room, about all this, concern from students, or perhaps parents?
SlytherinBully: ::folds her hands in her lap, digging her fingernails into the underside of her 
wrist:: ::nonononono:: ... nothing I've heard, sir. But I haven't spent much time in the common 
room over the past few weeks.
surlysnake: It doesn't seem like anyone has.  And do stop clawing at yourself.  It's certainly not 
going to help.
SlytherinBully: ::before she can remember to be deferential:: I rather find it does. Can't see why 
it ought to be a concern of yours.
surlysnake: ::He raised an eyebrow::  It's my concern, because you're in my House, and, with the 
Weasley suicide attempt, I suspect my colleagues may be more inclined to note such habits, 
especially of surly students like yourself, and especially of Slytherins.  I also don't want your 
blood in my workroom.
SlytherinBully: ::can't help a small smile at his last words, and bites her lower lip, holding her 
wrists at her sides:: Fair enough, then. My apologies.
surlysnake: ::another sigh, and he passes his hand over his face.::  Who do you talk to in this 
school, other than myself and Lupin?
SlytherinBully: ::the questions is altogether unexpected, and she curses herself that the first 
name to pop into her head is fred's. it wouldn't do, she thinks, to mention anything of that 
now.:: ... I talk to Vincent Crabbe every day. It's rather unavoidable. Emma Dobbs, or I did, 
before... ... ah, Pansy Parkinson sometimes takes to following me around. ...but I think I could 
probably name a good deal many more people that I have occasion to speak with more often than I do 
with you, sir. Although I suppose I have been spending... a good deal of time talking with 
Professor Lupin, lately.
surlysnake: ::Another sigh.  Why couldn't anyone keep up?::  My point being, I'm not a man people 
enjoy helping, even over their beloved werewolf.  If you could make some inquiries... perhaps, 
something will turn up.
SlytherinBully: ::raises an eyebrow. sweet merlin, has he got the wrong girl.:: ... ah. Of course, 
sir. But I'm not exactly the most. Reputedly pleasant person in this school, either. The simple 
fact that I'm speaking to people at all would likely be enough to put them quite on their guard. 
But I'd like to. Try to help.
surlysnake: Then at least listen, be more social.  Use your incident of Weasley contamination to 
talk to the Gryffindors at least.  Surely, they're too hapless to suspect you of anything.  
Especially when all you're trying to do is locate their favourite professor.
SlytherinBully: ::...bastard. since she can't claw at her wrists, she lowers her head and bites 
her tongue as hard as she can. gods, she shouldn't have come.:: Of course. Sir.
surlysnake: ::he reaches out and grabs her by the chin, wrenching her head
up.::  Stop being sullen, and stop being ashamed, and put the fact that even you are human to good 
use.  I'm fucking a werewolf for godssake.  If you're going to be coy about your own 
predilictions, do it elsewhere. ::he drops his hand and tries to make his voice more 
understanding::  I know this is hard for you, but this isn't the time.
SlytherinBully: ::stares at him, all her blood going suddenly cold. if she hadn't cared for him, 
for some ungodly and unremembered reason, if she hadn't respected him and empathized with him 
enough to be concerned, she... she wouldn't have known remus at all, not as she does now, and she. 
wouldn't have to care about this, this wouldn't be terrifying her like it is, she'd be somewhere 
probably bloody laughing over it. ...and the thought makes her feel quite ill.:: ::quietly:: I'll 
do whatever I can, regardless of anything else. That... doesn't matter, there's nothing else that 
matters until it's certain that he's safe. But I would prefer, not that I suppose it would matter 
to you, not to have it thrown back at me needlessly. I'm not exactly proud of myself.
surlysnake: It could be worse.  You know it could be worse.  And you would be in neither of our 
confidences, to whatever semi-accidental state you are, if we didn't think you could handle 
yourself.  And really, I hate to say this, but, at least it was Fred.  It really could have been 
worse.
SlytherinBully: ::she hates herself for it, but she immediately thinks of tarquinius bole and 
thinks that, yes, it really could have.:: ... I know.
surlysnake: Good.  Why don't you see what you can find out then?  I'll be up late, with his 
potion, if it turns out to be of any use, or you need another reminder to let your wrists be.
SlytherinBully: ::nods briefly:: ::...might as well:: I'm sorry to have bothered you, sir. And 
for. All of this. ::everything since she knocked on lupin's door? everything for the past five 
years, perhaps.::
surlysnake: I certainly can't imagine it's your fault he's gone missing. Perhaps when this rights 
itself you'd like to try to assist me with the wolfsbane in the future?  I certainly find the work 
a pleasant distraction.
SlytherinBully: ::smiles slightly, mostly so she doesn't bloody cry in front of him, as well, not 
only at the invitation, but... for what she imagines she came here for in the first place, to hear 
him say with some certainty that things would be all right:: ... thank you, sir, I'm pleased you 
think I might be capable. I'll look forward to it. When this rights itself.
surlysnake: Good evening then, Miss Bulstrode ::he gestures to the door and turns back to his 
work::