#aaaaahaha

He's working in the Leaky Cauldron he's cleaning down a table and notices someone at a table. Vaguely recognises them and after a moment realises who it is - it's Lupin and he isn't sure whether he should just let him be or approach him, but ends up going over to refill Lupin's cup and HE'S SO SURPRISED TO SEE FANE.

''Stefan Savin?!!"

"Yeah" and his eyes just flicker downwards but a marginal nod is earned in confirmation. Lupin is doing Order work by now and hence can't tell Fanewhat he's up to. Fane thinks he doesn't trust him anymore when the truth is Lupin just can't.

"What are you doing here Fane?"

And Fane won't tell him either "You don't tell me, why should I tell you?”

"Fane, I --"

"Oh no,  Professor, I understand." He gives Lupin a tight little smile and moves on down the bar. Lupin keeps trying to talk to him after that but he just whisks around the tables cleverly avoiding him.

Lupin might as well be trying to talk to the wall. And that is why Fane doesn't know until years later that Lupin was killed and he finds out of course that Lupin was an order member, realises that's why he couldn't talk to him. He just beats himself up over it like crazy because that was how he left this one good relationship and positive influence on his life. Fane had a glimpse of Lupin at the battle and knew he was there  but didn't go over and say anything because he figured Lupin had quit on him too like everyone.

𝐹𝒾𝒻𝓉𝒽 𝓎𝑒𝒶𝓇 (𝐻𝒶𝓁𝒻-𝒷𝓁𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝒫𝓇𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒):

Working over summer to earn money to keep himself afloat is why when he gets back to Hogwarts for the start of fifth year, he officially looks nothing like the bright-eyed boy who started and you can BET Slughorn is also trying to recruit the crap out of him. Slughorn adores him.

He seems more down to earth in fifth year, a lot more grounded than he was before.

Which is why having to kill Erich at the end of this year becomes such a tragedy, because for once he seemed to almost be settling but at the end of it Dumbledore dies and everything blows up. This is the year that he and Faye come SO CLOSE to actually dating, they spend more than one Hogsmeade weekend together.

Sometimes Fane is just like "I'm going for a butterbeer, fancy coming?" And sometimes when they're down at the Three Broomsticks he's sat by the window looking out of it and sometimes during their conversations he sometimes just sort of zones into his own world for a few moments. He seems more contemplative Faye asking him about his summer, what he got up to because she was worried about where he was and what he was doing. He's always pretty vague, mostly talks about what he did rather than where he stayed, tells her about the things he saw in London. He makes it sound rather fun and adventurous and he seems to be all right, but then, Fane always does at least mostly. He's just gotten good at convincing everyone he's fine.

And once or twice Faye sees Erich giving her evil looks from down the Slytherin table but doesn't think much of it, Fane’s little brother seems a bit unpleasant to say the least, fine that's his problem, he'll hopefully grow out of it.

Fane sometimes going to the Slug Club, inviting Faye along and to the Christmas party when it happens, and yes of all people the Muggle Studies professor is the only adult Fane can confide in. Slughorn isn't entirely sure what Faye’s prestige is, but Fane likes her so he doesn't say anything. Surprisingly Fane actually quite enjoys the meetings when they happen because it gives him a chance to just relax and socialise and just talk about interesting subjects with other knowledgeable students.

Fane does wonder if old Horace would be so free with the dinner invitations if he knew that he was a disinherited and disowned Savin living at the Leaky Cauldron and bussing tables for a few sickles.

He just seems overall more happy in fifth year especially around her - his smiles seem more genuine, seem to reach his eyes which despite being more grounded look brighter and maybe even radiant every now and then especially when he's around her.

Faye is used to people asking her if she and Fane are dating by now. She doesn't quite know what they are since they have never talked about it or even acknowledged it in any way.

It doesn’t really even occur to Fane to consider it as a 'thing' he just knows that with Faye he feels comfortable and most at ease and he's happy with that. Probably because he worries on the down low that if he made it serious it would just be another thing to be taken away from him. After all everything else so far he's loved or cared for he's lost or had ripped away. If comfortable conversation and friendship with Faye keeps her safe and around in his life it doesn't really occur to him to really progress it to anything more. 

He'll make playful and teasing passes at Faye though what with Cedric gone he doesn't really have much competition in the heartthrob department except with some of the other guys but he’s not fussed about that all that much. Compliments her and finds it amusing if he can get her to blush. Even Snape rolls his eyes at any mention of whatever girls are fighting over Fane now 

"Yes, well, try not to be dosed with any love potion, I hear last time Mr. Weasley barely escaped with his life"

Fane just chuckles at that because there have been a few close calls, Faye has begun to discover twists of jealousy in her stomach every time she sees Fane with other people, though. She knows they would have to have The Talk if she said anything, though. She just wants to go somewhere else and pretend it doesn't exist whenever she sees him flirting with whoever he's dallying with now. She's glad he's happy but it still eats and eats at her.

He also doesn't brag as much in fifth year, mostly just works on his studies.

𝐻𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒷𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝑔𝓈𝓉

It is literally three days before the end of the year, before Erich, before Dumbledore, that Faye finally screws up the courage to ask him if they can talk, she has finally decided that she knows what she wants and she wants to give it a try.

And Fane’s a bit hesitant when she brings it up, but he goes with her and they sit down to talk. She stammers a bit and finally asks if he has ever considered that they might be, well, more than friends and he's just staring at her and she thinks this is a total disaster. But he seems almost speechless and... awed, almost. He doesn't seem to hate the idea, at least, and they totally end up kissing and end up breathless.

AND IT ALL FINALLY SEEMS TO WORK OUT.

Of course three days later is when it all goes utterly to hell. :))))))))))

Erich finds Malfoy up to something and tells him he wants to help because he’s fed up of Fane ignoring him and wants to get back at him. Especially since he’s put the pieces together and can see how Fane flirts and makes eyes at this unremarkable little Slytherin half blood leading to Faye just becoming the target for his jealousy. Malfoy isn't really into help from a lowly kid but he also has no allies and knows the Savin’s are fellow Death Eaters. So he agrees.

Fane happened upon them by pure chance, he couldn’t sleep that night they snuck into the castle and ended up going to walk the corridors. Which is when he came across the death eaters sneaking in, immediately his thoughts went to finding Faye and making sure she’s okay because he’s worried, all hell is starting to break loose, Death Eaters are in the castle and someone is screaming about Dumbledore on the astronomy tower. 

Fane finds Faye just as Erich was pulling out his wand and pointing it at her - Erich’s small but he is powerful and talented and gets good marks and Fane knows in an instant that this isn't just a Jelly Legs Jinx. He hears the first yell of Avada Kedavra before he’s there but it doesn't quite work because you have to MEAN an unforgivable curse and Erich is still 14 but he's gearing up for a second go and Faye hasn't even seen him. 

Fane doesn't even have to think about it, seeing the weak spark of green at the tip of Erich’s wand directed at Faye-- it's enough for him to literally just cast the curse. He doesn't even know if he says the words aloud, just that his wand is burning green and then Erich is crumpled on the floor among the chaos and his body is all Fane can see. Hence, why he feels so guilty and acts so weird the days after because how was it so easy to kill his own brother? Something must be wrong with him.

He feels sick afterwards it's part of the reason Faye doesn't see him, he ends up stumbling to an empty courtyard where he just empties his stomach because he can't believe what he's just done and he's literally shaking and clammy. And nobody notices because Dumbledore is dead and Voldemort was in Hogwarts and ultimately, everyone just figures Erich was killed by a Death Eater. Faye  tries to find Fane to tell him she's sorry about his brother and he just looks at her wildly and bolts. 

She notices he looks quite ill the next few days, maybe even weeks and Fane definitely goes into the forbidden forest all the time to think.

𝒮𝓊𝓂𝓂𝑒𝓇

That summer is when the Ministry falls and Voldemort and the Carrows and Snape take over Hogwarts, so when they come back it is literally to a prison.

Faye can't reach Fane at all that summer, she sends him an owl every few days at first but he never answers and she figures she sounds desperate so she stops.

He spends the summer at the Leaky Cauldron again working to get by but this time he doesn’t explore London except for going to that little cafe every now and then. Tom by now has just made up a room especially for him at the Leaky cauldron and lets him have it in return for the work he does.

He almost didn't go back to Hogwarts but the Death Eaters were already out rounding up truants, but he knows Faye and other people he cares about will be there and after how things were left between them he feels bad. There’s no way he can leave her in that place by herself with no one to look out for her, Faye can hold her own, he knows but this is not the same school they grew up in. And he has a feeling about what Hogwarts is about to turn into.

Explaining why he spends the summer practising his magic in the Leaky Cauldron and building up his strength because he knows he's going to need it when he goes back to Hogwarts. And he does need it.

He develops some of his more powerful spells in that summer, perfects them and decides to keep them quiet unless they're direly needed.

Fane even starts working on wandless magic, because anything he can use to his own benefit is useful.