"Black bird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arrive."
FULL MOON
"Ms. Evans?" Dumbledore's voice just barely registers in my head, "Do you understand?"
No. No, I don't understand.
I can't understand anything when my own bones feel too big for my body, threatening to rip through my skin. I respond to him by nodding absentmindedly, i'm preoccupied counting the cracks in the floor.
"I think i'm going to be sick again," I say, my voice hoarse.
Dumbledore, Flitwick and Pomfrey all come to a halt when I double over and vomit. If I wasn't so focused on making it to the dungeon I was being led to without passing out, I might be embarrassed.
I use the sleeve of my oversized long sleeve shirt to wipe my mouth as Flitwick mutters a cleaning charm under his breath, obviously wishing he were anywhere else.
"Sorry," I mumble to no one in particular.
Madame Pomfrey places a comforting hand on my shoulder, "The first one is always the worst, my dear."
"After this you'll be in complete control of your abilities" Dumbledore adds knowingly.
This brightens my mood slightly, no more nausea.
I try and pay special attention to where we are, It looks almost like a muggle prison. The walls, ceiling and floor are all made of black brick with a gloss to them, almost like they're wet. The only light that enters the dark halls is the moon pouring through the tiny barred windows that are almost comically close to the ceiling. A safety measure I assume.
We reach a large Metal door with a lock on the outside. Dumbledore inserts the key and with a loud click he pulls it open. A sinister shiver runs down my spine.
Tears well up in my eyes and I turn to Pomfrey, "Will you hold my wand for me?"
She nods with a small sympathetic smile, "I'll be here to get you as soon as the sun rises" she wipes a few stray tears off my cheeks and gently takes my wand from my grip.
"This will be difficult Ms.Evans but never impossible" Dumbledore says kindly.
I fight the urge to scream at him and tell him that's easy for him to say since he doesn't have to do it.
My body is basically dripping with sweat, every second that passes takes a great toll on me and I can feel all of it.
"Thank you," I quickly reply before stepping into the room.
There's a charmed lantern hanging from the ceiling that perfectly illuminates the small ratty cot shoved against the corner. My eyes land on large claw marks against the wall, "Professor? Was there another—" I turn around and discover all three of them are gone and the door is closed.
"Tosser," I scoff.
Unexpectedly, my arm convulses and I collapse to the floor in agony. Strangled screams leave my throat as it happens, again and again and again. My own bones are fracturing harshly to take a new form. I've never felt so betrayed.
With each crack of my limbs I cry out for something new, help, Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey, my mother. It stops for a second and despite all my knowledge I pray that it's over. That this was all an elaborate, sick prank.
My body begins trashing against the floor and more screams leave my lips as every thing begins to fade to black.
"Who's there?" I call. I hear the dogs whining again along with a few more growls and grunts. Footsteps circle around me and I take a deep breath to prepare for certain doom.
"LAST CHANCE!" I scream, "TELL ME WHO'S THERE OR I'LL HEX YOU INTO OBLIVION!" I wave my wand around wildly.
Again, no response but a large beastly creature appears out of the shadows. It only takes a single second for me to realize what it is, a werewolf.
"Uhhh, nice doggy?" I coo to the creature. It tilts its head to the left and stops stalking towards me.
"Stay, please. Just stay there." I state sternly.
Turning briskly on my heel I begin to sprint as fast as my legs can carry me. It's no use, not even a moment later the creature pounces on me from the back.
☽☽☽
I'm awoken by the high pitched creak of the metal door swinging open. For a moment, I have no clue where or who I am. It's the most peaceful I've felt in months.
My eyes flutter open and dart around the room. The cot has been torn to shreds, leaving feathers all over the ground and new smaller claw marks graffiti the walls. At least I'm not a giant beast, I guess.
When I look up and notice Madame Pomfrey standing at the entrance of the room with clothes and a blanket in her arms is when I realize how cold I am.
My naked body trembles on the freezing ground as Pomfrey rushes over and covers me with the blanket.
She gently pulls me up and surveys the room, "here take this," she hands me a vial, "it will ease some of the pain until we get you to the hospital wing"
I snatch the potion and down the whole thing. Quickly, I slip on the soft baggy pants and white T-shirt and as I do my pain slowly turns into an dull ache.
"Let's go, sweetie" she says sweetly.
"Yes please, get me the fuck out of this bloody room." I groan.
She shoots me a look causing me too immediately apologizing for my crude language. It feels nice being around Madame Pomfrey, she's like the mother figure I could only dream of having.
As we walk to the hospital wing she tell's me it's normal not to remember anything that happened after I transitioned. Apparently, it's going to be like that more often than not. I tell her about the larger claw marks I had seen and indirectly ask her if there is or ever was another werewolf on school grounds.
"I'm not at liberty to say," She states simply.
That means without a doubt, i'm on the right track.
The hospital wing is empty besides one bed with the curtain drawn. I focus intently on trying to smell the student to detect who it is. Dumbledore must've been off about my abilities because, all I smell is dark chocolate and rain.
I take a seat on the bed furthest from the other occupied one, "I would like to shower." I say, to Pomfrey who is rummaging through her things looking for dreamless sleep.
"That's fine, you can use the one here after I heal your cuts," She says.
She must sense that I'm going to protest the notion because she speaks again, "You will stay here for at least two days. You need to be observed."
She approaches me and draws the curtain around my bed and tells me to take off my shirt so she can get started on the healing process. I hesitate but remind myself she's only here to heal me not judge me.
As my shirt hits the floor with a soft thud, her eyes widen. I peer down and see four large, deep gash marks down my abdomen. The adrenaline and potion must be preventing me from feeling any of the pain.
I fumble with the mirror on the bed side table and use it to examine the rest of my body. Every square inch is covered in either, bruises, scrapes or smaller gashes.
"I did this to myself?" My voice is cracking and breathless.
She nods grimly, "When a werewolf has nothing to do or harm—"
"—it harms itself," I cut her off, "Yes, i've read about it but...it's still a shock when it really happens I suppose."
I place the mirror down on the bed, "will they heal?"
"Yes, but i'm afraid much like the bite mark it will scar Cordelia."
I nod quickly and run my fingers over the large wolf-teeth shaped scars on the side of my abdomen.
"At least i'll look totally bitch'n" I let out a few shaky laughs.
Madame Pomfrey doesn't scold me for my language. This time, she just watches sadly as my fake laughs turn into heart-wrenching sobs.
Song: Black Bird by the Beatles (linked at top)