Word Count: 2,631.
Warnings: None.
"My uncle's a werewolf!" I shouted, silencing the boy in front of me.
He shut his mouth, falling back onto his heels. The both of us leaning heavily against the metal railings of the tower.
"That's why I was making Wolfsbane. My uncle needs it during his full moons." I explained.
Looking into the sky, I watched the full moon dance across the sky. The full moon. I straightened. "Which is tonight."
A howl cut through the air, it's screech piercing through the wind and rain.
ᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜ
"Where's Riddle?" Pansy asked, picking her black piece up from the board and moving it forward three spaces.
"How would I know?" Blaise replied. "You moved to the wrong spot."
Pansy looked away from him, turning her gaze to her piece, to the action card and then back again. "No, I didn't."
"Pansy. It said move two spaces. You moved three." Blaise was speaking calmly, laying himself down on the rug. He looked up at the ceiling.
Classes had been cancelled due to a turning in the weather. Yesterday was calm and clear, the perfect condition for the Quidditch match that had occurred, but it seemed that the rain hadn't stopped last night, continuing through to the morning. It was the evening after the match and the sky still hadn't closed.
The idea of homework not even coming to the minds of the Slytherins around me, they decided to play a game of Wizard's Chess. Their version of Wizard's Chess.
I, being a practical person, took the day to catch up on all of my assignments. This seven-page potion's essay wasn't going to write itself.
"I don't see why you have to write an essay and we don't." Theo spoke up, reaching over me to grab a piece of chocolate. I slapped his hands, grabbing the bag of sweets in my hand.
"It's punishment for being on the lake past curfew." I lied, readjusting the papers on my lap.
Theo was sat into the corner of the couch, lying horizontally across the piece of furniture. I sat with my back pressed against the arm of the chair, my legs resting over his.
"That's overkill."
He wasn't wrong. A seven-page essay was overkill as a punishment, but it was simply the only believable lie I could come up with on the spot.
The truth was that I was writing the application essay to that advanced potion class Snape had talked about. I was tasked with breaking down the composition of a plant-based potion. I went with Wolfsbane, already knowing everything about the plant. I still wasn't sure whether I wanted to submit it or not, but there was no harm in simply writing the essay.
"Where is Riddle actually?" Theo spoke up.
"I think he went up to the Astronomy Tower." Draco spoke up, mumbling. He was sat in the chair opposite us, slouched and pressed up against the corner. Something was bothering him.
"Maybe someone should go check on him." Pansy fretted, biting her lip.
A flash of lightning burst past the highest window, thunder rumbling through the air.
"I think he'll be fine." Blaise answered, gulping.
I dropped my quill, standing from my chair. Theo sat up with me but didn't leave the seat. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"To check on Mattheo, since you lot are a bunch of fucking wimps." I took Theo's coat from the side of the chair, heading for the exit to the Common Room.
"Be careful!" I heard Nott shout as I left the room.
ᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜ
The jacket I had taken didn't do me much good against the rain, my entire body being soaked through by the time I made it to the Astronomy Tower.
The door of the Tower slammed behind me; the boy stood at the railings jumping. Mattheo looked at me with a shocked expression, his face calming one he realized who it was.
Riddle was bone dry compared to me, making it clear that he hadn't left the Tower for some time. Upon noticing it was me, Mattheo shook his head, turning back to the sky.
I was panting as I approached him. My hair was soaking, the water dripping from its strands before hitting the floor. I pushed the wet hair back from my face, leaning on the railing beside him.
We watched the rain fall from the sky. It was heavy, and loud, but the random claps of thunder and flashes of lightning didn't seem to bother the boy beside me.
"You were the first person that didn't hate me." I heard him speak, his voice surprisingly loud against the constant beating of the rain outside. "Even my mother hates me. She thinks I'm a disappointment because I haven't taken over the world yet."
I watched him carefully. "Your mother has some high expectations."
He laughed shortly, dropping his head lower. "She was always the same. I thought that maybe as I got older, she would realize that I wasn't him," he paused. "She'd realize that I didn't want to be him. She hated me for that. At one point, she didn't talk to me for months. She didn't interact with me for months. I had to feed myself, get myself anywhere I wanted to go. It even got to a point where I could have sworn she was going to kick me out of the house." He paused. "I was 7."
"But I came here and suddenly there you were. Someone who knew about being the kid of a psycho. Someone who didn't listen to rumours. Who didn't care for who I was." He was now facing me. "And then you told me that one of the happiest moments of my life where I actually thought someone liked me for me, didn't mean anything. That it was nothing. I have never felt that happy Lyra. Like I wasn't alone in the world."
Looking away, I answered, "I have a feeling this is about more than us."
He scoffed, matching my position. "She's dying. My mother. Dragon Pox." My head shot to face him. "She won't go to a Healer. Claims that they're impure."
"Mattheo."
"And I don't know why I'm upset." His hands left the railings as his voice cracked. "I hate her. She has made my life a living Hell. Do you know how many birthdays wishes I've devoted to the idea of leaving her?"
I opened my mouth to speak. "Too many." He answered. "And I wanted to talk to you about it. I wanted to talk about how shit our parents are, but then I realized that you had a good parental figure. You had your uncle. So how could you know what I was going through?" There was a small silence.
He continued, "I was going to tell you the night we went skating, but the other thing happened, and I just couldn't ruin this. I'm sorry I overreacted at the Potion's class. You have your secrets, and you deserve to have them. I shouldn't have asked you about the Wolfsbane, it was unfair and cruel. I was upset about my mother and the thought of possibly losing her had me thinking about what could tear us apart and I just-"
"My uncle's a werewolf!" I shouted, silencing the boy in front of me.
He shut his mouth, falling back onto his heels. The both of us leaned heavily against the metal railings of the tower, equally speechless.
"That's why I was making Wolfsbane. My uncle needs it during his full moons." I explained.
Looking into the sky, I watched the full moon dance across it. The full moon. I straightened. "Which is tonight."
A howl cut through the air, its screech piercing through the wind and rain.
My head turned to the noise, finding it coming from the Forbidden Forest. I knew that howl. "Shit."
Without thinking I rushed for the door of the tower, sprinting down its stairs and into the rain. The wind blew against my body as I exited the cover of the structure.
I didn't bother to pull the hood of Theo's jacket up, pushing through the strong winds and forwards towards the trees.
Lupin howled again, closer this time. It was obvious from the source of the noise that he hadn't made it to the Shrieking Shack before his transformation. All the more need to get there quickly.
"Lyra!" a voice shouted from behind me. I turned my head slightly, watching Mattheo struggle to fight the force of the wind and rain as he made his way towards me.
Although his body was being thrown around by the weather, his gaze was firmly fixed on a spot in front of me, worry etched on his face.
There was a low growl heard beside my left ear. "Oh shit." I muttered to myself, turning my head slowly.
The wind having no effect on their balance, the werewolf towered over me, their mouth curled up into a snarl. Its fur was stuck to their body, the rain having soaked them just as much as it had me. Black eyes looked down at me, hunger plain in them.
"Lyra!" Mattheo shouted again.
"Don't move any further!" I replied, just as loud. "Werewolves are extremely sensitive to movement. You try to run; it will chase you!"
The wolf tilted their head at my voice, its snarl dropping slightly. "Wolfie?" I asked. "It's me. Lyra." Taking my hand, I moved it away from my body, reaching for the werewolf's head.
"Lyra!" Mattheo screamed at my movement.
"See? You know me."
Moments before my hand came in contact with the beast, a flash of lightning hit the sky, thunder following. The wolf jumped away, its face turning angry again. Its gaze turned on me.
"We're going to have to run!" I told Riddle, hopeful that he was close enough to hear.
"I thought you said no movement!" he replied.
"We're past the calming down stage!"
"When will we-"
"NOW!" I ran to the left, making a circle around the wolf and heading for the trees behind it.
It chased after me, the crashing of trees rising above the sound of the rain. The trees covered the strength of the wind, making it easier to head for the Whomping Willow.
Panting, I continued forward, jumping over fallen branches and puddles of mud. It wasn't the first time I had been chased by the werewolf. It was hard to tell exactly what time Lupin will change at. Making it difficult for him to avoid a public transformation. It was yet to hurt anyone but me.
The tree came into view, its branches being tossed around in the storm. I looked back once, finding that the wolf was gaining on me, running on all fours. I didn't see Mattheo.
Sliding across the muddy ground, I pushed through the opening of the Willow, its trunk becoming larger as the wolf followed me through.
The passageway was narrow, making it hard for the beast to make it through them. It made it hard for me to gain any distance on it as well.
The wolf let out a deafening howl, claws grasping onto the fabric of the jacket I was wearing, pulling me back. I moved against its pull, taking the jacket off of me and surging further underground.
Opening the door, I pulled it towards me, wedging myself between it and the wall. Oblivious, the wolf ran into the open door, entering the abandoned room. I quickly shut the door, pressing my body against it.
"Lyra?" Mattheo asked, his figure entering the alcove from the tunnel.
"Quickly, shut the lock on the door!" I shouted, pushing further into the wood.
Riddle rushed forwards at my command, bolting the door shut. When I heard the third lock click, I quickly jumped away from the door, turning to face it.
Moments later, a heavy force burst against the wall, the locks rattling from the impact. We both jumped, moving further away from it. After several bangs, the Wolf's attempt to escape stopped.
Panting, I dropped to the ground, moving my body up against the tunnel wall. My eyes closed, I pressed my head back against the stone.
"That was, that was," Mattheo stuttered, dropping beside me in a heap.
"His time of the month." I replied.
Riddle let out a breathy laugh, matching my position. "You do that every month?"
I shook my head. "Majority of the time he makes it to the 'changing room' as we call it, but once in a blue moon, he just doesn't." I turned my head to look at him. "This was one of them."
He nodded, eyes wide. "So, the Wolfsbane is for what?"
"Usually it helps the werewolf have some control during the change, but how much depends on the potency." I paused, "and the werewolf."
"That didn't seem like the Professor was in control."
"He was. For a moment." My breath had returned to normal, and my heart had stopped racing, tiredness overtaking me.
"I may not know exactly what you're going through Riddle, but I have my own problems. They don't match yours, but they certainly challenge them." I laughed.
He followed. "You can say that again."
We tilted out heads against the wall, moving our gazes to each other. Our faces were inches apart and could hear his still ragged breathing. My skin was drying, dirt sticking to it as it did. My clothes were surely covered as well, and my hair felt as though every strand was going in a different direction. Mattheo smiled.
"What?" I asked.
"You look like shit."
I gasped, slapping his arm and turning away. "That's rude."
"I'm telling the truth. No lying, remember?" I giggled at his response, brining my hands up to the top of my arms, hugging myself. I brought my knees to my chest.
"Has he ever hurt you?" Mattheo asked. I nodded.
"Wolfie's hurt me a couple of times. A sprained arm here, broken leg there. A plethora of cuts. But no. He's never hurt me."
"You talk as though they're different people."
"They are." I stated firmly. "That's not Lupin in there." Pointing towards the door, I sat up slightly. "They are two completely different people."
"Aren't they born like that?"
"You've obviously never picked up a book on magical creatures." I laughed. "Werewolves aren't born. They're made. Moony didn't choose this, but he has to live with it."
"Moony," Mattheo breathed, laughing slightly. "That makes so much more sense now."
I nodded. "I told you it would."
I felt my eyes droop as I became more comfortable on the ground. I felt Mattheo's arm wrap around my shoulder, pulling my head into his lap. I lay facing upwards, his eyes in direct line of sight.
"You can't tell anyone." I started. "And you can't tell Moony I was here."
He smiled, brushing a thumb across my forehead, pushing the wet hair off my face. "You're secrets safe with me, if mine is safe with you."
"What secret?" I asked, my eyes closing.
"That I'm nothing like my father."
I nodded gently, feeling his hand slowly stoke my hair. "You're lucky you're not. That kiss would have to mean nothing if you were. Hereditarily evil and pure evil don't go together," pausing, I took a breath. "Besides, I hate conflict."
"Why do I feel like that's a lie?"
"Because it is." I answered, opening my eyes for a moment. "I actually quite enjoy conflict. Shakespeare is my favourite playwright." He shook his head.
"What am I going to do with you Black?" he asked.
"Whatever you'd like. As long as I agree with it." I laughed shortly, watching him smile. His breathtakingly beautiful smile.
"I think I'll fall for you. If you agree?" he asked. My heart surged, stomach fluttering. I nodded silently.
"I agree to your terms. On one condition."
"What?"
"You take my advice."
"Agreed."
"Agreed."