Not a Monster (Marauder fanfic)

10- Midnight Wanderers

One night in early December, Sara was awoken from her sleep, by an immense pain, coarsing through her whole body. She knew what this pain meant... She would have to transform, as soon as possible.
Sara got out of bed, as quietly as she could, and ran to open the nearby window.
The cold from outside, hit her like a brick wall, and she began to shiver.
Sara looked out at the full moon, that was illuminating the night sky, and began to notice how far away the ground was, from the Gryffindor tower. Instantly regretting her decision.
Before she could back out of her plan, Sara climbed onto the windowsill, and jumped.
Her heart felt like it was going to explode from her chest, as she began to fall towards the ground.
Sara closed her eyes, allowing her body to transform, and fly her to safety.

Once she could feel the wings on her back, Sara opened her eyes, and began to fly as quickly as she could, towards the Forbidden forest. Praying that no one else was awake that night, so she wouldn't be seen as she left the castle.
When she felt like she was far enough into the trees, Sara landed on the grass, and began to look around the woods.
This was the first time she had been inside the forest, as a dragon.
Although she knew she was probably one of the most powerful things there, she still felt nervous, as she didn't have the other Marauders by her side.
The forest would usually have been full of life, at that time of night, but it was eerily quiet. Not many magical creatures, were brave enough, to be in the presence, of a dragon.
Even if she wasn't fully grown.

After sitting in silence for a few minutes, Sara decided that she had been transformed for long enough, and began to plan how she would get back into the castle.
Using her favourite passsage, would get her to the 4th floor, but she still had to get from there, to the Gryffindor common room. Which would be tricky, without James's invisibility cloak.
In the end, Sara decided to take a risk, fly back up to her window, and transform in mid-air, once some of her body, was inside the tower.
If she didn't make it, she could always transform back into a dragon, to stop herself, from falling to her death.
Sara stretched out her wings, as she saw the moon sinking in the sky, and began to prepare for her next flight.

Just as she was about to take off, her dragon senses began to tingle, warning her that something was coming.
Sara bared her teeth, and began to take up a defensive position, preparing to fight off, whatever came her way.
As the branches in front of her began to crack, Sara used her good eyesight, to see what was headed her way, through the darkness.
A large shape was approaching Sara, and once it was close enough, she could see the shape, take the form of a large wolf.
A werewolf.
The wolf growled, and Sara copied, unsure of how else to react.
Like her, the werewolf didn't appear to be fully grown, and it looked uncomfortable at the thought of attacking, a creature as large as Sara.
Something about the wolf, seemed off, as Sara saw something strangely familiar, in the weirdly human eyes.
While Sara was taking the time to examine a creature, that she had never seen before, the werewolf decided to strike. Believing that Sara was too much of a threat, to be allowed to live.

Although Sara had never been in a fight before, her natural instincts kicked in, to help her defend herself.
Sara moved her arm quickly, and slashed the werewolf, with her sharp claws. The wolf suddenly cried out in pain, cradleing its wounded arm.
Before it had time to run off, the wolf began to shake and cry, as if it were being tortured.
The sound was so painful, that Sara wanted to cover her ears, before remembering that she was a dragon, and couldn't do that.
The wolf continued to cry, as it began to shrink down, and lose its fur.
Sara looked up at the sky, and realised that she couldn't see the moon anymore. So the werewolf, was now turning back into its human form.

It took a couple more seconds before the process was complete, and all that was left, was a scared little boy. Holding his bleeding arm, and looking up in fear, at the huge dragon in front of him.
But this wasn't just any little boy. It was one that Sara knew very well.
Remus.
Without thinking properly, Sara closed her eyes, and focused her turning back into a human.
When the transformation was complete, Sara opened her eyes, and stared awkwardly at Remus, who's jaw had just dropped.
"You-you're a dragon" he stuttered.
"And you're a werewolf" replied Sara.
Tears filled Remus's eyes, as he nodded.
"I am... Please... Please don't tell the others" he begged.
"Only if you promise not to tell them about me" Sara replied.

Remus nodded again, and Sara finally found the courage to approach him.
"I'm so sorry. If I'd had known, I never would have... Are you O.K?" Asked Sara.
Remus looked down at his arm, as if only just remembering that he was bleeding.
"What? Oh, yeah. I'll be fine. I've had worse, believe me" he revealed.
"We need to get you to a healer, and quickly"
"Wait!"
"What?"
"Aren't you going to confront me about being a werewolf?"
"Any questions I have, can wait until you've healed"
"Really?"
"Yes. What did you expect me to do? Just interrigate you, while you bleed?"
"I just- I didn't think you would want to be my friend, now that you've learned the truth".

Sara frowned, as this was the same thought that often filled her head, and was the reason that she hadn't told her friends, about being a Maledictus.
"I could say the same thing to you" she mumbled.
"I don't understand" replied Remus.
Sara sighed.
"You're worried that I won't like you, because you're a werewolf. And I'm worried that you won't like me, because of what I am"
"There's nothing wrong with being a dragon, I think it's cool"
"Wait, what do you think I am?"
"You're an Animagus, aren't you?"
"No... I'm not"
"Then how come you can turn into a dragon?"
"Because I'm a Maledictus"
"A what?"
"A Maledictus. It means I'm cursed, along with all the other woman in my family. Cursed to become a monster. And one day, I will become a dragon, and be unable to change back into a human. So I'll be stuck, as a monster... forever".

"I'm sorry" mumbled Remus.
"Don't be... I didn't choose this life, and I don't expect you did either... When were you bitten?" asked Sara.
"Around my 5th birthday... My father had upset Fenir Greyback. So he snuck into my bedroom one night, and bit me"
"It's always people like you and me, who end up paying, for our families mistakes. My grandmother upset some Swedish wizard. And now I have to spend the rest of my life, as a dragon"
"I thought so..."
"You thought what?"
"The dragon. I'm not an expert, but I do read a lot... That was a Swedish Short-Snout dragon, right?"
"Correct... I'm impressed... Come on, lets get you to Madam Pomfrey, so that she can patch you up".

"Wait. Just one more thing?" Stopped Remus.
Sara sighed.
"What now?".
"Aren't you- aren't you afraid to be around me? I am a werewolf afterall. I might hurt you"
"No offense, but I'm pretty sure, that I could beat you in a fight"
"But what if I bite you, by accident?"
"One monster, is enough for anyone's body"
"What do you mean?"
"I can't become a werewolf. Being a Maledictus, makes me excempt. If I get bitten, the siliva form the werewolf, will fight against my blood curse. It will either kill me, or my blood curse will destroy it... Depends on how strong I am"
"That's not a comforting thought"
"Well, if it makes you feel any better. I would rather be killed, then end up stuck as a dragon, unable to tell one human from another... I don't want to become a mindless, killing machine"
"I won't let that happen to you, I promise"
"Thank you Remus".