Author's Note: This story is ancient (and terrible - honestly). Consider it archived.


Severus growled; he was cornered, again. He looked around him slowly, sweat beading on his brow, at the werewolves emerging from the trees. It hadn't been a stupid idea to go into the forest on the night of the full moon, he'd known he could've taken on one werewolf – if he had by chance came across one – but not three, at once, surrounding him. He had always hated werewolves, even more so since the incident with the Marauders. Why was it the flower he needed only bloomed on the full moon...?

He could almost hear the saliva dripping from the fangs of the monsters, their growling reverberating through the trees. As he felt his back press up against the tree behind him, he cursed. A putrid scent reached his nose, and the growling behind him turned into snarling as he felt the werewolf's hot breath on his face. In an instant he threw himself away from the tree. He cried out as he was knocked to the ground by something heavy, then scrambled to his feet, running away as fast as his legs could carry him. Stuffing the small plant into a knapsack and whipping out his wand, he turned back for a second to launch some dangerous spells. However, looking back, he couldn't see, or hear, anything at all.

A rustle in the bush behind him and he spun – his eyes widened as they met a werewolf in the air behind him, fangs bared. He was unable to lift his wand, paralysed with fear as the great beast roared at him from above -

And then it was gone.

Severus spun around to the left, where the werewolf had landed. He held his breath as he realised it was unconscious, something had knocked it out of the air. He owed his life to something, and he had no idea what, but he didn't have a lot of time to consider what it could have been before he heard growling behind him, again. Turning slowly, he was ready now to fire a spell or two. He wasn't surprised to see both the other werewolves, but he was astounded to see, standing between himself and the demons, was a stunning blue light. It was shining from the body of what looked like a blue-furred panther. He could only stare at the strange ally as it snarled at both of the werewolves, and watch them both back off slowly, teeth bared and growling back.

There was silence for a moment after the danger was gone, and Severus, in that time, caught his breath. The panther turned its head sharply to look at him, making him hold his breath again, before it turned around slowly and stared him down. Its paws made no sound as they touched the ground, its fur like rippling water as its muscles moved with precision. It approached the Potions Professor, who backed up a little, wondering whether the sprite was a friend or a foe; however, before he could even consider asking, the blue light flashed in front of his eyes. He closed them, temporarily blinded, and when he opened them again, the panther was gone. In disbelief he shook his head before turning back to the still unconscious werewolf. Its breath was shallow and weak, it had been hit pretty hard – luckily for him.

He turned and walked briskly back in the direction of the castle. His knuckles were white as he gripped his wand, placing his feet rather carefully to avoid making any more noise. Soon enough he passed through the trees and into the moonlight and the mist – lighting his wand he pushed to the back of his mind the urge to sprint towards the castle. He cursed Potter and his stupid friends, playing that trick on him in school and scarring him for life. Had he been in a better mental state, he could have taken all three of them on and be on his way without that … thing's help.

When he reached the big oak doors he couldn't have been more relieved to hear the hinges screeching in protest. He closed the door behind him and for a moment he rested with his back to it, taking a breath and feeling rather grateful for the sanctuary of the castle walls.

That was the first encounter.

Since then, the strangely beautiful beast had appeared to him four more times, when he needed it the most – same blue shining light, four different forms.