1995: Howl
A loud cry of pain, fear, anger, amusement or derision
the sound the wind makes when Ollie feels upset
Ollie woke with a kink in her neck, an ache in her spine and her head pounding. Normally one would assume it was because she slept on the couch last night, but she knew it was due to the full moon happening this evening.
Ollie slipped off the bed, and started the kettle with the wave of her hand as she squeezed her eyes shut. The glare of the rising sun was causing her head to pound. Fang let out a snort of amusement as Ollie staggered to her feet.
She poured herself a mug, and dumped in a vial just as a knock sounded on the door. Ollie froze, mug halfway to her lips before she sauntered over. She opened the door slowly, Fang appearing at her side instantly to snarl at the red haired boy standing in her doorway.
"Um..morning." George quirked his eyebrow, taking in her appearance. He dragged his eyes down her body, stopping at her bare legs. She was clad in an over-sized shirt, and a pair of loose shorts.
"My body temperature goes up round the full moon." Ollie mumbled, not caring to feel the slightest bit embarrassed, she stepped away from the door to allow George entrance.
He stepped in slowly, eyeing Fang who wouldn't take his eyes off of him. George slowly slipped the door shut, and took in the hut.
A pillow was propped on the couch, and a blanket thrown over the back of it. The blanket had large holes, and rips all through it as if she had torn it up herself. George only assumed she probably had.
Her book bag was thrown on the table, and her homework was laid out. A transfiguration assignment that was he was pretty sure was due over a week ago. Her shoes were kicked off near the fireplace, and the scent of black tea filled his nose.
"Tea?" She asked, turning to face him as she stood by the stove.
George shoved his hands in his pockets, and only nodded briskly at her before taking a seat at the table. He pushed one of her books away with the point of his finger, before folding his hands on the table.
"There's not whiskey in this, is there? It's a bit early." George teased, glancing out the window to see the sun peaking over the mountains. Ollie let out a snort, before taking the seat across from him.
"No, would you like some?" She asked, bringing her tea to her lips. The scent of black tea filled his nose again, and he peered down at his Chamomile. He had been rather hoping he'd get black tea as well.
"No, thanks. Fred would probably have my head if I showed up to breakfast buzzing." George smiled, bringing his tea to his lips. Surprising himself with how good it was, he couldn't help but to take another long sip.
"There a reason your here half past six in the morning?" Ollie asked, eyeing him over the lip of her mug.
"There a reason you stormed out of the common room last night?" George asked, eyeing her slightly before turning to take in Hagrid's hut. He admittedly didn't come here often, and wasn't too shocked to find it not entirely comfortable. It certainly wasn't a place for a Gryffindor student to be living.
"Wasn't going to stick around so your brothers could insult me." Ollie shrugged, dragging her thumb nail along the handle of her mug. "And I get quite the temper round the full moon." Ollie mumbled, taking a long drag of tea to fill the silence.
"They're just mad we got kicked from the team." George sighed, sitting straighter so he could circle the rim of his mug with his finger. "They are also frightened of you." George admitted, flicking his gaze up to Ollie, but she was staring out the window.
"As they should." Ollie nodded, seemingly long ago accepted this fact.
"No, they shouldn't." George sighed, pushing a book a bit further away as he leaned forward towards her. "I'd be opening a howler from mum right now if you hadn't stopped Fred from pummeling Malfoy." George nodded, and Ollie took it as a token of gratitude. It was possibly the only one she'd ever receive from him.
"You'd still be on the team if you hadn't punched him." Ollie flicked her gaze to his, before tearing it off to focus back on her tea.
"You heard what he said." George nodded, bringing his tea to his lips.
"You saw how Umbridge took it." Ollie then locked eyes with him, trying to decipher if he was picking up what she meant. He hadn't.
"Come to breakfast with me, Fred and Ron owe you a proper apology." George stood, taking his tea with him.
"I don't think that's a good idea." Ollie said softly, standing to place her mug in the sink. Now drained, and her headache vanished.
"All my favorite memories come from bad ideas." George smirked, tipped back the remaining of his tea before locking eyes with her again. "I'll wait outside while you change." Ollie stood still next to the sink as George approached her.
His gaze flicked down to her bare legs once more, before he locked eyes with her once again. She caught a hint of a smirk on his lips, before he was brushing past her and stepping out of the hut, Fang trailing after him.
"Fetch a stick, and I'll throw it." George murmured to him, reaching down to pat his head. Ollie watched as George shut the door, Fang took off gleefully while George laughed watching him go, before the door clicked shut.
Ollie wrenched herself away from the sink, hands shaking as she found clothes that if they weren't matching, they'd at least smell clean.
Ollie fell into step beside George as they made their way up the path towards the school, Fang was trailing close behind but the moment they hit the courtyard Ollie knew he would retreat back home.
"Tower's much warmer than the hut." George commented, elbowing Ollie slightly as they stepped into the corridors.
"I like the cold." Ollie rebutted, glancing up to see students staring at her as they neared the Great Hall. This didn't seem to faze George as they stepped inside.
"Pitiful, I'd like to see you around more." George whispered to her, as they neared the Gryffindor table. It was barely above a whisper, and Ollie flushed realizing he had said it as so knowing she could still hear him.
"You know where I am." Ollie looked back at him, and George only grinned before turning to the group sitting at the table.
Hermione beamed upon noticing Ollie, and yanked her sleeve until she nearly crashed into a seat next to her and a short, red haired girl. George laughed, stepping over the table with a short jump to come to a crashing seat across from her, beside Fred.
"Ollie." Fred greeted, tearing a biscuit in two as he gazed at her. Ollie watched Angelina beside him pinch his side, making him roll his eyes before he opened his mouth again.
"I'm sorry for being a git and-" Fred began, but Ollie waved her hand.
"It's alright, should have let you pounce on Malfoy. Bastard deserved it." She shrugged, and suddenly Fred lit up.
"That is not what we practiced." Angelina groaned, throwing her head back in annoyance as Fred nearly bounced giddy in his seat.
"Doesn't matter now, got a list of pranks I get to send his way." Fred nudged George excitedly, and George only hummed in approval as he prepared his plate of breakfast.
"Well, I'm not sorry." The table faltered, turning to see Ron seated beside George, he was glaring at Ollie with a menacing look.
"Ronald Weasley." Came a bark of disapproval, Ollie turned shocked to red haired girl beside her. George snorted in laughter, but it didn't stop the girl. "S'not her bloody fault, it's Malfoy's. Besides, means I get to try out." The girl beamed, turning to look at Angelina who was blushing as she fiddled with her food.
"Making her temporary seeker." Angelina nodded, and Ollie nodded in disbelief. The girl certainly had the fiery attitude to make a quick seeker.
"You're taking my position, Ginny?" Ollie glanced beside Ron to see Harry looking at the girl now known as Ginny. Short while later Ollie finally pieced together that Ginny was the final Weasley puzzle piece.
"Yes, and I reckon I'll be better than you." Ginny shrugged, slathering her biscuit in jam.
"Oh we're done for." Ron groaned, hanging his head making the table break out in laughter. He ignored Ginny's heavy glare, and groaned aloud again, a pitiful dying sound.
"I've got beater try outs this afternoon, got some promising prospects as well." Angelina smirked at Ginny, who grinned back.
"Just like that Fred."
"Tossed to the wind."
"You wound us."
George fake collapsed against Ron, who shoved him off with a scowl while everyone else roared with laughter. George sat up laughing, nudging Fred who was collapsed against Angelina, though she was using the opportunity to thread her fingers through Fred's hair. George turned to grin at Ollie with a knowing look, but his grin faltered as he glanced above Ollie's head.
"Mingling on the day like today Ms. Ollie?" Umbridge coughed, her squeaky voice grinding in Ollie's ears. "Ehm, I do believe you are meant to be-" Ollie cut Umbridge off quickly.
"I don't have to be there til dinner." She hurried out, turning in her seat. Coming face to face with Umbridge, despite the fact Umbridge was standing and she was sitting.
"What's today?" Ginny asked, but everyone ignored her as Umbridge lifted her hand, producing a small piece of parchment.
"Detention, tonight in my-" Umbridge began, but Ollie snatched the note out of her hand with a frown.
"I can't tonight." Ollie rushed out, she felt Hermione tense next to her but didn't turn her way.
"Failure to show up tonight, results in double punishment next week Ms. Ollie." Umbridge cocked her head at Ollie, as if she was asking her if this was really something she'd choose. As if Ollie had a choice to begin with.
"Fine." Ollie gritted out, crumpling the parchment she shoved it in her pocket and moved to stand, but Umbridge pushed her back down with the palm of her hand on her shoulder. Ollie nearly snapped at her, but bit her tongue drawing blood as Umbridge clicked her tongue.
"Ten points for talking back to a professor, Ms. Ollie." Umbridge scowled, removing her hand, she wiped it down on her skirt in disgust, as if Ollie had diseased her.
"She wasn't-" Ginny began, but was cut off by a swift glare from Umbridge.
"Have a wonderful day students." With that Umbridge turned and walked away, her short heels clicking on the stone as she moved to berate a group of Hufflepuff students studying at their table.
"You should go to her office tonight, and bite her lousy head off." Ron gritted out, Ollie turned to see Ron glaring after Umbridge with a scowl on his face.
"Ron-" Hermione began, but Ollie interrupted her by sliding out of her seat.
"I'm not a monster, Ron." Ollie whispered, then she was hurrying out of the Great Hall, leaving behind George who was the only who stared after her with a sad expression on his face. Everyone else was staring at Ron in disbelief.
Ron threw his hands up, "What!? She's a werewolf isn't she? She could end all of our misery if she ended that bloody idiot we call Professor." Ron ducked as Hermione swung at him, earning himself a face full of jam.
George hauled Fred and Lee with him down to Hagrid's hut, an hour before dinner hoping to catch Ollie before she disappeared off to where ever she went for the full moon.
He knocked on the door with his knuckles, elbowing Fred who began muttering under his breath and shot Lee a warning glance as he bounced on the heel of his feet with excitement. Lee saw everything they did as some form of an adventure, and it really didn't surprise George that he saw visiting a werewolf hours before her transformation as one.
"I haven't sprouted any claws." Ollie deadpanned, swinging the door open wide to spill in the three boys.
"Dammit." Lee laughed, dodging George's swift pinch in favor of cooing at Fang who only stared at him, even as Lee knelt before him making kissing noises.
"We came-" Fred began, but Ollie cut him off.
"Unwillingly, I'm sure."
"George dragged us here to apologize on Ron's behalf, and give you this." Fred held out a small wrapped package, and Ollie eyed it warily before glancing at George who sighed, pulling it out of Fred's hands.
"I did not drag you anywhere." He snapped, elbowing Fred who abandoned the conversation to join Lee on the floor with Fang, who was now rolled on his back accepting the given belly rubs. "It's chocolate, Professor Lupin says it helped him." George shrugged, thrusting the package out towards her.
"I've known you two days, and I think you've apologized more times than actually warranted." Ollie pointed out, but she didn't take the package causing George's hand to drop.
"Told you." Fred sang from his spot on the floor, but he didn't glance up as Fang began wagging his tail.
"I was taught manners-"
"Poor ones."
"Would you just take the package?" George waved it at her again, a flush working up his chest in embarrassment. "Lupin swears it helped him." He grunted, before throwing the package on the table as Ollie made no move to grab it.
"Well if Lupin swears on it, then by Merlin it must be true." Ollie bit out, her anger taking over before she could damper it down. Ollie swore under her breath, and spun on her heel to finish readying Fang's food for the next twenty four hours, as she wouldn't see him until tomorrow afternoon.
"Do you not like Professor Lupin?" Lee suddenly sprang up, approaching them but he stopped just beside George as Ollie moved in a flurry, dumping things in a large bowl for Fang.
"Do his ears not work?" Ollie bit out, filling Fang's water bowl with the snap of her fingers.
"Professor Lupin is like the least menacing Werewolf I've ever met." Fred pointed out, standing to approach them slowly. "Granted he is now one of two that I know." Fred attempted to joke, but he saw it fall short as Ollie's spine stiffened. "He folds his socks, Ollie." Fred finished, but his voice had faltered.
"He's a right prat, now could you please leave..before..I get... you know." Ollie took a deep breath, keeping her back turned to them. This was always easier with Hagrid. He knew what to say, and how to coax her away from her anger points. He always guided her to the tree, and he always fetched her in the morning. This was difficult by herself, and these three boys weren't making it any easier.
"What on earth did he do to you?" Lee butted in, crossing his arms over his chest in disbelief. "Man couldn't kill a fairy." Lee argued, watching as Ollie's shoulders tightened.
"Leave." Ollie gritted out, standing sharply she began washing her lunch dishes by hand in the sink harshly. She had perhaps half an hour before dinner started, then she would be safe to leave for the tree. No students would be milling around to catch her, or question her intentions.
"Ollie, we're just trying-" George started, but Ollie stopped him by turning sharply on her heel.
"Stop trying, there's a bloody reason I don't have any friends despite what your insufferable younger brother thinks." Ollie took a deep breath before continuing. "I keep my distance, head down and I survive. Been hanging around your lot for two days, now I've got detention and your noses in my bloody business!"
Ollie hadn't meant to raise her voice, but when came to a startling stop she realized she had. The dishes that had been floating in the sink came crashing down on the porcelain, shattering on contact. Fang yelped in disapproval, and hurried towards his doggy door to escape outside. Where the wind ripped around him as he darted for the forest.
Fred and Lee had taken two hesitant steps backwards as they took in the levitating table that had just come crashing down beside them, spilling her homework all over the floor. Fred stared at it curiously, attempting to piece something together in his mind but he came up blank.
Only George stayed rooted, watching her as her hands clenched on the edge of the counter. Her knuckles turning white.
"So if you'd leave, and pretend like we've never spoken, I'd appreciate it." Ollie sighed, rubbed her eyes quickly causing a shot of pain to run down her spine. She hissed, but let it wash over her before moving to tug on her shoes.
"It'd be our pleasure." Fred hurried out, tugging on George's sleeve but George didn't move.
"Take the chocolate." George said at once, and Ollie spun to face him. George saw a flash of guilt wash over her face, before she shoved it away and her face hardened once again.
"I'll take the bloody chocolate if you leave, and never talk to me again." Ollie bargained.
George nodded, picked the wrapped package off the ground to set it back on the now bare table, and tugged his brother and friend out the door, letting it slam behind him. He refused to say a word, even as Fred demanded answers in his ear and Lee tugged on his sleeve. He suddenly, desperately, wanted to be as far away from the hut as he could possibly get.
Ollie waited a few minutes, snatched the package off the table and hurried out to follow the edge of the forest towards the Whomping Willow.
When George slipped into bed that night, he kept his ears trained to the wind. Slowly Lee's snores filled his ears, followed by Fred's. Once they had, he slipped out of bed, tugging on his slippers.
Digging in his trunk, he came up with another parcel of chocolate and slipped out of his room. Leaving behind Fred, who had noticed the movement in the room and propped himself up on his elbows to watch George sneak away with his secrets. Fred considered for a moment to follow him, before deciding it wasn't his funeral and promptly went back to sleep.
Stepping into Ollie's hut, he was greeted by a whimpering Fang who was laying on the couch, his head propped on Ollie's pillow.
"You miss her bud?" George asked gently, and Fang only whimpered in response.
George's spine stiffened as a howl filled the ear, and he realized at once it was Ollie's. Though it was rather hard to tell, as the wind had picked up considerably and was now ripping around the hut. He turned to see Fang covering his face with his paws, and burying his nose in his pillow attempting to block out the sound.
George moved quickly around the hut, refusing to give himself time to realize what he was doing as he cleaned. He had intended on simply dropping the package off and leaving. He organized her homework, fixed her dishes and dusted her shelves as the wind outside filled the air with high-pitched howling noises. He finished, his body wary and his ears ringing.
He set the parcel on the table, and glanced at Fang to see him watching. George took a deep breath, threw caution to the wind and settled himself on the foot of the couch. He hesitantly reached out to stroke Fang's fur, and at once Fang bounded up. George sat still as Fang turned around on the couch, lying down to plop his head in George's lap.
"It's alright." George whispered, scratching Fang's ears. Soon Fang's soft snores filled the hut as George willed his heart to stop pounding.