"Oh, i'm just a kid, I never use my brain. I only use my heart and my imagination."
ONE WEEK UNTIL FULL MOON
"Who's there?" I demand
The wind whispers in my ears and blows frizzy locks of hair out of my face. Shivers run up my spine and I realize, something is very wrong. I hear the dog whimpering again, the sound is just inside the forbidden forest.
So close I can almost touch it.
"Lumos," I whisper, walking into the forest, waving my wand. I've barley walked 20 feet into the dense trees but, when I turn around i'm yards and yards away from where I started.
A twig snaps from somewhere behind me.
"H-hello?" I call out.
"Wake up!!" someone hisses.
I spin around on my heel confused, "What?"
"Bloody hell! Cordelia!" The familiar voice shouts.
"Get the fuck up!!" I awake to Iris shaking me roughly and whispering loudly in my ear.
Gasping for air, I sit up and survey my surroundings. 6 beds filled with 4 people who I don't talk to. No need to panic it's just the dorm.
"Sorry, " I mutter, as I look up to Iris hovering over my bed. She picks up the covers next to me and scoots into the bed.
"Don't be sorry, my bed is getting quite lumpy. So, this works out perfectly." She says pulling the blankets over her arms.
"What time is it?" I ask.
"5:42. We have 2 hours until breakfast try and sleep," Iris says, voice becoming heavy with tiredness.
I nod and turn to face the window, smiling to myself when she starts to lightly snore.
I want to tell her about what's happened to me. I'd like to tell anyone actually, I feel so lonely in my own mind.
But, I feel as though I owe it to Iris.
She's been my bestfriend since first year and has been nothing but loyal and kind to me. Always goes along with me but is sure to tell me when i'm wrong.
We have a true friendship.
She opens up about herself all the time and if this happened to her, I know I would have been the first to hear about it.
Plus there's always the chance she hates werewolves and thinks there beast. I cant gamble with our friendship like that.
Some part of me knows that she won't mind at all. Iris is an activist for all sorts of causes and rights. It's easier to believe she will care though. The thought of telling her scares me.
I never tell anyone I need them because truly, I believe I could survive on my own. Iris is the closest I've come to needing someone. That's why I don't mind if she gets to have Amos.
I shut my eyes and focus on the sound of the crickets chirping outside until I fall asleep.
☽☽☽
We wake up late and scramble to get ready while Amos waits for us outside our common room.
He waits for us every morning before breakfast, always. I used to tell him the answers to the weekly riddle so he could just come in, but Oscar Chang snitched on me to Flitwick.
Finally, we exit the common room looking like
messes.
With the full moon a only week away i'm starting to realize the side effects to my Lycanthropy. Body aches, heightened emotions and senses, most horrid of all awful nausea.
Two days ago I started vomiting during lunch because all the smells were too overwhelming. It's just getting worse and worse along with my appearance.
My eyes are sunken in with black eyeliner and eyeshadow smudged around them. I look like half the person I was before.
"Merlin Delia, are you alright?" Amos places the back of his hand on my forehead, "You look like shit."
Iris responds to the ignorant boy for me, "Shut up git, she's on her period."
That is indeed what I told Iris when she demanded to know why I was having 'bitch fits'.
Amos frowns and pulls his hands away from me. This action fills me with a petty sadness that almost makes me cry.
I haven't cried since before I was attacked. Unless, you count my crying in pain.
"Diggy, keep your arm wrapped around me," I lift his arm and pull it around my shoulders. I feel guilty that I want his arm around me and not Iris.
"Of course m'lady," He pulls me closer into his side, "And, I told you to stop calling me that."
I know our trios dynamic better than to let Iris get jealous over something as trivial as his arm around me, so I remind Iris that he's all hers.
"Well, m'lord I'm very impressed you are considerate enough to keep your arm around my beautiful arse self," I use an extra posh tone, like those of the rich- pureblood decent, "But, I'm merely using you for stability and warmth."
He places a hand over his chest and acts like he's been shot in mock hurt. Iris gives me a grateful look.
"Also, I will never stop calling you Diggy," I look up at him and see him eyeing me fondly. "It's my name for you, it's our thing, Diggy my boy."
Amos rolls his eyes and shoves me out from his side playfully, "I hope you know, I don't think you're funny."
"I hope you know, I'm so attractive I don't have to be" I challenge him.
"She's right—" Iris chimes "—but if Cordelia Evans never made another sarcastic remark the world wouldn't be the same,"
"Yeah, it'd be better" He snorts.
I smack his arm and roll my eyes. I know he loves my jokes, I'm fucking hilarious.
"So, are we smoking muggle herb in the greenhouse later?" Amos asks, loudly.
"First of all, it's called pot," Iris corrects "And second, why don't you say it a little louder wanker? I don't believe merlin could hear you."
I chuckle at their banter and shake my head.
In my distracted state I crash into someone and fall hard on my arse. It was almost entirely my own fault.
"Hey, watch where yo—" I cut myself off when I realize I've crashed into Lily.
Amos and Iris go silent and watch like it's a film.
"Oh, sorry." I mutter while looking at her intensely. Lily doesn't meet my eyes, she's more interested in her beat up red converse.
"S'okay Cordelia" she says, quietly before continuing towards the great hall.
Amos and Iris exchange worried glances silently trying to guess what I'm feeling. To be honest, I just feel a sense of grief when she walks by.
All I ever feel, is this empty pit in my chest that can only be described as grief.
I'm constantly grieving the death of my father, my relationship with My mother and Lily but mostly myself.
I continue to walk and let the idiots whisper behind me like I can't hear them.
"Do you think she's okay?" Amos whisper shouts.
"I dunno that was intense—" Iris replies.
"No it wasn't. Flitwick said I have to sit at my own table today so if she's not okay—"
"You're so selfish Amos! She needs us and—"
"Selfish!? Merlin woman, do you listen when I talk?" He asks her.
I turn around on my heel and stop both of them from walking any further.
"I'm fine." I state.
They look at each other and roll their eyes. "Shhh, the grown ups are talking, hun. It's rude to interrupt." Amos scolds me.
A scowl appears on my face, "I know but I really mean it." I lie effortlessly, "Go sit with your Hufflepuff mates, we don't mind."
"Speak for yourself" Iris mutters, under her breath.
Our trio arrives at the great hall and part ways when we pass the Hufflepuff table (between us and Gryffindor).
I silently eat my toast and sip my juice. Iris is ranting to me about house elves rights. I nod along and add "Mhm," and "Yes totally," when It feels appropriate.
I'm still thinking of when I bumped into Lily. She honestly didn't seem so mad, maybe I have a chance at getting close with her again.
"Are you even listening?" Iris asks as I bite my toast.
"No I really wasn't—" she rolls her eyes, "—but I am now, what'd you say?" I ask her.
Scoffing, she flicks me on the back of the head.
I don't care, only because it's Iris.
"I said Lupin keeps looking over here."
"And how do you know that?"
"Because i'm looking at Sirius next to him,"
"Okay, well don't stare you'll look like a creep." I tell her.
I was right when I assumed Remus and I wouldn't talk outside of class again. However, Slughorn did decide to make the new pairs permanent. Or until he's sick of them again.
"What the fuck—" Iris whispers.
Suddenly she slams her hands on the table causing the plates and silverware to rattle.
"Iris, wha—"
"He's coming over! He's walking over here right now!" Iris whispers, loudly to me. She faces me and and attempts to fix my bushy eyebrows with her fingers.
Quickly, she dips a napkin into Xeno Lovegood's water and uses it to wipe the excess black from under my eyes, completely ignoring his protest.
"Act natural!" She says, holding an upside down daily prophet.
I start to sip on my Juice just as he arrives at our table.
"Hello," Remus says, with a smile.
I forget that the juice is still in my mouth and it pours out when I try to smile back at him.
Iris facepalms subtly and Remus grin grows.
She hands me napkins and I furiously try and wipe the juice off my lap.
Holy shit this is humiliating.
"Can we help you, Lupin?" Iris asks, trying to distract him from my embarrassing catastrophe.
It doesn't work. He continues to watch me with an amused expression. I keep my head down and keep wiping the juice.
"Actually, I was wondering if Evans here wanted to work on our potions essay in the Library sometime this week,"
I look up at him with a smirk, "I'm a busy girl but i'll see what the schedule allows."
"Well I hope you can make time because it seems like your grade needs it," Remus takes a chocolate chip muffin off the table and bites it, "Maybe I can teach you how to drink juice too." He says casually. Then, he turns to walk away.
I'm left feeling a bit stunned and embarrassed. What was that about? Is he actually just trying to help with my grade? He certainly doesn't need my help, It's not hard to tell I never understand anything happening in that classroom.
What would Remus Lupin suddenly want with me?
"Was that code for 'we should have sex because this tension is unbearable' or what?" Iris asks with a giant grin.
What do you think so far?
Song: Kids by current joys (linked at top)