The great hall was lit up with the ball decorations. Branin stood near the door watching everyone mingle and dance until he saw Alice he grinned and walked over to her "it's beautiful in here isn't it" he said leaning in close to her. She turned around and glared at him " what do you want leave me alone" he just gave her a sweet smile " where is your date?" he asked politely looking around. She stared at him through narrow slits "hes on his way, leave me alone" she went to turn around when he sighed "I only wanted to dance with you" she turned back to him ignoring the other girls giggles. "never in a million years" he looked disappointed "please?" he asked once more she glared up at him tired of his presence "just one dance and I'll leave you alone" she was about ready to smack him but thought of a branin free night, the only price was a quick dance "you promise you'll leave me alone?" she looked at him suspiciously. He nodded holding out his arm for her as the band switched to a new slower song as if they wanted to bug Alice even more. They danced in almost silence until Alice stepped on his foot almost intentionally. "sorry" she said instinctively not truly meaning it. He smirked at her lifting her in the air at the appropriate time in the song "put your feet on mine since you've misstepped a few times" he said as he lowered her. She rolled her eyes "no I don't have to do anything you say" he stopped moving "why are you being so difficult, I've been nothing but nice to you since the beginning of this year" she scoffed "sure whatever are we done here my date is back and I don't want to keep him waiting" branin glanced over to the door where a confused matthew greenley stood looking around for Alice. Branin nodded still holding onto her small hand. She went to pull away but was caught by him she went to yell at him to let her go but she saw something in his eyes that made her stop. He didn't look sad or angry just depressed and alone. She gave her hand one last tug and pulled free of his grasp. Giving him one last glance she ran through the crowd and bashfully stood infront of a smiling matthew. Branin begun making his way out of the large room when he was stopped 3 or 4 different times by 3rd years wanting to dance with him. He simply said no without stopping and pushed on. When he passed Alice and Matthew he grimaced and tried to hide the tears that fought their way out of branins ice blue eyes. He just blinked a few times and pushed them away. He quickly exited the room and started to head outside when a very dressy dumbledore stopped him "branin what are you doing out here, you should be in there enjoying yourself" branin thought about ignoring him and continuing outside but he stopped and turned towards the old headmaster. "professor I can not enjoy myself when the girl I love is with someone better than me. Someone she deserves" tears stung his eyes as the truth left his lips. He wiped the escaping tears away angrily and looked away from the headmaster who was looking concerned for him. "my boy, if that is what you think than you are a better man than you give yourself credit for" he said with a small sympathetic smile. A small girl in a bright blue dress came out if the great hall and looked around until she saw dumbledore " oh professor they are ready for you now " she said with a big smile and then headed back inside. Dumbledore looked at branin and smiled putting his hand on his shoulder "come on back in and make the most of your evening" he started off to the room leaving branin alone again. Ignoring dumbledor's suggestion he walked outside trying to freeze his racing thoughts and falling tears of frustration. He squeezed his eyes shut as he heard the wolves in the forbidden forest. He remembered a few nights ago when he was in his wolf form they tried to kill him for still smelling like a human then his thoughts went to a night a few years ago when he ran into a pack of werewolves who almost tore him to pieces because he still smelled like a human and another pack of wolves. Turning around he looked up at the castle, glaring through drying tears, he started to run off towards hogsmeade. Knowing the consequences of the actions he was about to do froze him for a moment. "I'm not wanted anywhere, I don't fit in anywhere so why should they care" he glare ahead completely lost in his mind and only a few galleons in his pocket he ran off to the three broom sticks where he got drunk off of firewhiskey. Later that night around 1 in the morning he stumbled back to the castle, yelling the names of the people who had hurt him, to his now completely drunk mind it was everyone he'd ever met. "damn you Jackie! Damn you mum and dad" he stumbled up the three steps into the school and saw professor dumbledore and snape talking quietly outside the great hall where the band still played. The teachers turned to see who was yelling as branin continued "fuck you lot I know you all hate what I am! Bloody snapes all of you!" he stopped walking and glared at Severus who looked at dumbledore ,who was staring at branin not shocked. " branin you have had, I'm guessing a bit to much to drink, I suggest" branin glared at him "shut it old man I'm talking to snape! Your bloody daughter is the biggest bitch i know and trust me I know alot of them" he began but couldn't finish his next sentence because Severus was holding branin up against a wall. " how dare you" he threatened " how dare you speak of my daughter that way I should have you expelled" branin just stared blankly at Severus "do it I have nowhere else to go and nowhere i fit" branins head began pounding as he heard some kids cheering snape on. He dropped branin and they looked over to see Alice, Fred, Matthew and Sam cheering on their potions master. They hadn't seen who it was he was holding by the collar but as soon as severus dropped him they all walked away with the help of dumbledore. "go on children up to bed" he gave them a gentle smile "all is well" Severus was embarrassed by the way he acted, looking at dumbledore he shook his head slightly " Albus I am sorry about that" dumbledore nodded "understandable Severus, but now you should go speak with your children or follow their example and go to bed" he nodded looking behind him on the floor. Branin sat staring blankly at the ground the look of defeat plastered all over his face. "I'll take care of him" dumbledore told Severus as he walked by him. " only if you can handle him on your own" dumbledore looked at branin, the sad boy crumpled up into a ball on the floor " all he needs is a good nights rest and some water in the morning" he said as he walked over to branin and leaning over. "branin stand up" he looked at dumbledore standing above him and glared "you want to tell me how not wanted I am too huh?" he stood up quickly and looked at the headmaster in front of him " no my dear boy I would only like to talk to you" branin looked at him confused "no one wants to talk to me" he said feeling the tears form again dumbledore put an arm around branin as he started them off down the hall. "I'm a werewolf you know, but not a full one, I dont belong anywhere, wolves hate me and werewolves try to kill me, humans arent very different, professor snape I'm sure wants to kill me now and I am really a horrible...thing" branin admitted as he sat on a step to the clock tower. Dumbledore shook his head and sat next to him " are you forgetting all the help and good that also surrounds you, you do have friends you may have fights but they will still truly be your friends either way. Plus I think miss dusk very much adores you along with miss Adele and angel those girls look up to you like a brother so ive heard, what would you think they would say if they saw you now" branin moved a piece of stray hair out of his eyes " I don't know. " he said after a moment. " and I'm sure professor snape still thinks the world of his favorite student,with the exceptions of his own children" dumbledore added standing up. "look at the time it's almost two in the morning, you better be getting to bed, don't forget a wastebasket near your bedside" he helped branin up. " thank you professor, I'm sorry about earlier" his voice was in it and his smile but it did not reach his eyes they became hard as stone with a slight look of anger on his face as he turned and headed towards his common room.