Author's Note: Hereee we go.
As the days progressed, Maggie found herself more and more at ease with Edwin. He seemed a bit more relaxed, too; that did not mean he went out of his way to talk to her, but at least he didn't tell her to go away every time she popped up in front of him.
The more she paid attention though, the more concerned she became.
Maggie found herself remembering all the scars on his body, and she battled with herself over whether or not to bring it up. Ultimately, she decided against it; on the one hand, he might appreciate someone being worried for his well-being. On the other – and far more likely – hand, he would immediately dismiss her and never make eye-contact with her again, horrified that she'd even see all the markings on his body.
Edwin was very private, and that was fine. There was nothing wrong with wanting solitude, even though such a notion was weird to Maggie. But as she got to know him better, it was becoming increasingly clear that he did not keep to himself so much out of preference, but as a measure of defense.
Against what, though?
She remembered the rumors about his parents. Edwin had never mentioned them during their talks, although he had spoken once or twice about his younger brothers. So as November moved on, Maggie found herself strategizing. She had to be very careful. If Edwin sensed what she was doing, he would shut her out.
"Edwin," said Maggie one day as they both finished up their homework. "You didn't tell me a fact today."
Edwin didn't glance up from his Charms book. "What would you like to know?" he asked mildly.
Maggie smiled. She liked that his tone was softer with her now. She didn't hear him talk that way with anyone else.
"What do your parents do for a living?" she asked, watching him very carefully.
Edwin glanced up briefly before saying nonchalantly, "My father works for the Ministry in the Portkey Office. He's a manager. My mum stays at home."
"Oh," said Maggie, nodding. "That's neat, working with Portkeys." She continued to watch Edwin, but he didn't seem upset by her question, and he hadn't hesitated with his answer.
"I suppose," said Edwin, glancing up before putting his book aside. "I think he mainly just does paperwork, though. Seems boring to me, but he likes it."
Maggie folded her legs up on the couch. "And I guess your mum has her hands full with your brothers."
"Yes," said Edwin, putting a cap on his ink pot. "They're both loud and busy. You would like them." He smirked at her, and Maggie grinned.
"Prat," she said, and Edwin shrugged. Maggie paused, before venturing one last time, "so you're close with them…? Your parents?"
Edwin looked at her curiously, and Maggie fought carefully to keep her face even. "I suppose," he said. "Why?"
"I just never hear you talk about them," she lied smoothly, picking at a stray piece of string on her robes. "And anyway, sometimes I wonder about other people's parents. My Mum and Da' are really young, so it's easy for me to relate to them. But I know not everyone's parents are like that."
Edwin nodded slowly, seemingly accepting her explanation. He put his things away. "My parents are fine," he said, shrugging. Maggie huffed internally. She was glad it didn't seem like his parents were abusing him, but that also meant she was still without answers.
And she only grew more confused by the day. Edwin got sick very easily. Some days he was okay, but others he had trouble doing the most basic tasks, like opening a jar or reaching a high shelf. Maggie sometimes offered to help, but he would always wave her away, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He almost always made it to class, but many days it looked like he only managed to breathe through sheer will power, like he had to counsel his lungs into going on for one more day.
For a week now, Maggie had not had any nightmares, and when she asked Edwin, he said he hadn't had any either. However, near the middle of the month, the shadow creature returned to Maggie's dreams.
But this time it was different.
Whereas before the shadow creature had been laced in anxiety or formed by terror, this time it felt menacing in a different way. Aggressive, but perhaps not … violent? It was hard to tell. Maggie could not see herself in this dream, but she could feel its presence all around her. Then, suddenly, she was in a dark room with heat surrounding her, pressing insistently against her lungs.
And then she felt a different type of pressure, an insistent urge that ran hot-white through her body. In the dream, Maggie did not recognize it, and she pushed back. The shadow creature was too strong, and it materialized in front of her with claws extended.
It did not touch her – not that she could see through her hazy dream fear – but she felt it anyway, pushing against the center of her chest and trailing lower. It skimmed her stomach, stoking a fire there. It wasn't painful, but there was a discomfort to it that ran parallel to another feeling, a curling fire deep in the pit of her stomach. The pressure went lower, and it became more insistent, more heated.
Maggie struggled against the feeling, but it grew more powerful. She felt like she was being twisted like a dishrag, but even as uncomfortable as it was, a strange voice in her head told her to simply give in. It would feel better, the voice said.
Maggie jerked awake, only to find she was digging her hips into the mattress, fingers clenched in her sheets. She stopped, her eyes wide. Shifting around, she pressed a piece of damp hair back from her face and looked all around her dark cool room. Her heart pounding, Maggie sat up in the bed, still squirming against the feeling. Now that she was awake, she knew exactly what it was.
Arousal.
Looking at her door, she dared to think about Edwin. Had that dream come from him, too…? The feelings still coursed through her, and she shifted under her sheets, fighting the urge to press her hand between her legs. She flopped back over into her bed, clenching her knees tight. It took a lot of effort, but she finally went back to sleep.
The next morning, as Maggie left to head to Potions, she saw Edwin leaving his own room. As soon as he saw her, he balked. Quickly, he came down the short steps to join her at the door. He cleared his throat.
"Did you, er – sleep okay last night?" he asked, not looking at her.
Maggie glanced over at him, feeling bashful herself. She knew it would absolutely mortify Edwin if she told him she'd seen the dream, so she shrugged as nonchalantly as she could.
"Yeah, I slept fine. What about you?"
Edwin nodded jerkily. "Yeah, it was – okay." They both went to Potions after that and did not talk about the dream.
Two nights later, the nightmare came back. But this time, there was no sweet torture, no insistent but erotic pressure.
This time, it was a massacre.
Maggie awoke from the dream so terrified, she immediately began crying. She trembled all night, arms wrapped around her torso, and she wished she was back in her dormitory in the Gryffindor tower.
All the next day, she tried to talk to Edwin. She had to know where these dreams were coming from, why he was having them. Unfortunately, Edwin was determined to ignore her, and he seemed to grow more tense with each passing hour. He managed to avoid her during all their classes together, and she could not even find him at lunch or dinner.
Finally, Maggie settled down in their common room to wait for him. It was a Friday, so she'd stay up all bloody night if she had to. She was getting her answers.
That afternoon, Edwin entered the room with quick, purposeful steps. He went up to his room without so much as a glance at Maggie, and she jumped up after him. "I'm not giving you a fact today," he told her flatly. He reached for the door, but Maggie shoved her own hand against it.
"I need to talk to you," she said firmly. "It's important."
"It can wait until Monday," said Edwin gruffly. He tugged on the door to go inside, using a surprising amount of strength. Maggie nearly fell over from the force of the movement , but Edwin ignored her, going into his room. Furious, Maggie ripped open the door before he had a chance to lock it and stomped in after him.
"No it bloody can't wait until Monday! You can stand here for five minutes and talk to me!"
Edwin whirled to face her, and something strange flashed in his eyes. For a split-second, Maggie thought he might actually attack her. He looked that hostile. She balked but did not leave. She wasn't afraid of Edwin. And not because he always looked like a strong gust of wind would knock him on his ass.
He wanted her to leave, so he was intent on scaring her. But it wouldn't work.
"What do you want?" growled Edwin. "Just tell me, and then tell leave!"
Maggie stared at him, her brows furrowed. What was making him act like this? Why did he suddenly have the strength to rip the door from her grip when he couldn't even hold his schoolbag yesterday?
"I want to know what that damn nightmare is about," she said at last.
Edwin's face paled, which was a tremendous feat, considering his natural shade was just short of alabaster. He hunched his shoulders and pulled away from her. "I don't know," he said flatly.
"You're lying," said Maggie heatedly. "That dream last night was worse than all the other ones before it. I – " she stopped, her eyes flickering. "I felt like I was getting… ripped apart."
To her surprise, Edwin looked absolutely appalled. His eyes took on a tremendous amount of concern, and she could see – for the first time ever – how sorry he looked. He quickly blinked and turned his face away.
"It was just a dream – "
"But you know what it is," she said, moving closer. "You said you've been having these nightmares since you were young. Why?"
Edwin heaved in a deep breath. "It's – it's nothing," he tried, but his voice cracked.
Maggie felt fear and concern twist together painfully through her heart. Swallowing, she stepped up to Edwin again. He flinched when she touched his arm, and then he pulled away. "Maybe I can help - " she started, but Edwin shook his head furiously.
"You can't. You just need to get out of here."
"Come on, Edwin! Why do you have to keep everything so bottled up? Why can't you just – "
"Because I can't!" he yelled at her, eyes blazing. Maggie froze, and then she looked away. Outside, the late afternoon night shifted between shades of yellow and orange. She closed her eyes for a moment and then re-opened them.
"Just... please," she murmured, feeling close to tears herself. "I won't tell anyone, just – tell me what this monster is." She touched his arm again, and this time she curled her fingers so he couldn't pull himself away. "Tell me who or what is making you have these nightmares. It must be someone hurting you. Is it?"
Edwin closed his eyes, and a tear slipped free.
Maggie took both of his arms in her hands. "Is it – is it someone at school?" Edwin said nothing, so she continued on desperately, "Is it a teacher? Or a student?" She paused before going on hesitantly, "is it your parents? Are they hurting you?"
"What?" asked Edwin weakly, looking genuinely surprised. "No, of – of course not."
"Then what is it, Edwin?" asked Maggie insistently. "Is it the same person who left you with all those scars?" Edwin's eyes widened, and he pulled away from her, shaking his head again. Maggie waved her arms.
"Just tell me! Please!"
Finally, Edwin let out the loudest growl she'd ever heard from him. He lashed out with both arms."For the love of Merlin," he shouted hoarsely, "it's ME!"
Maggie stared. "What?" she asked faintly.
That was when Edwin stomped across the floor, and without a word, he pressed his palm against Maggie's temple, leaned his head close, and closed his eyes.
Maggie's world began to spin, and just like that, she was inside a memory. The result was jarring, and before she could even process what was happening, she was looking at a dark office room. Her line of sight was very low; she was a child. She could not see herself, but she felt a tight grip on her shoulder. The cruel fingers clenched harder, and pain shot through her.
Just ahead, a skinny man with brown hair entered the dark office through the front door. He had his hat in his hand, and he looked very nervous. As soon as he entered, another figure appeared from behind a desk.
"Mister Prince…"
Chills shot down Maggie's spine.
The dark figure from the desk moved forward to reveal a young wizard with sharp grey eyes. Although she had never seen him in this form, Maggie knew exactly who he was. She had encountered him once, in the forest many years ago.
"Mister Black," greeted the wizard at the door, Mister Prince. His tone wavered, and he tucked his head.
"I am afraid," said Damien Black, "that your little mistake in the Portkey office has cost us at least a week's worth of work."
"I'm – I'm so sorry, Mister Black. It's just – there's been a lot of confusion over the international regulations as of late, and – "
"Excuses," cut in Damien Black sharply, "are the way of the old Ministry. This is the new and improved Ministry, Mister Prince, and we do not like delays…"
"I am so sorry," said Mister Prince. He had Edwin's same narrow face and stringy brown hair. His clothes were worn, and his hands could not stop fidgeting. "I will do better in the future – "
"Oh, I know," said Damien, smiling in that peculiar way of his. "Because today, you will learn a valuable lesson, Mister Prince, the sort of lesson our new Ministry lives on. For you see, we cannot tolerate mistakes… especially not mistakes of this nature. And so, as a result, you must be punished for your negligence and foolishness."
Mister Prince's eyes flickered with fear, but he nodded slowly, bowing his head to Damien as he awaited his punishment.
"Oh, no," said Damien with a chuckle. "I won't be cursing you, Mister Prince."
Mister Prince looked up hopefully.
"We will find a better way to ensure your accuracy in the workplace," said Damien, before shifting. "Halen? Bring him in."
Suddenly, the tiny body Maggie inhabited was shoved forward, the unrelenting grip on her phantom shoulder growing tighter. Mister Prince's expression took on a new level of horror.
"EDWIN!" he cried out, leaping forward, but two Regulators jumped in front of him and he was forced back. The little body Maggie was in cried out in fear, holding out his hands.
"Daddy!"
She caught a glimpse of herself in the reflective surface of a cabinet. Seven-year-old Edwin Prince looked terrified.
"Oh, please!" Mister Prince dropped to his knees, fingers clasped together. "Please, Mister Black! Do whatever you want to me – whatever you like, oh please – please just let my son go!"
"Da-a-a-ddy!" cried out Edwin again, struggling against the grip. He was sobbing now.
Damien Black clicked his tongue. "Unfortunately, I cannot do that," he said calmly. "For you see, we must have order. And there can be no order without rewarding those who deserve it… and punishing those who do not." He moved over to the small boy and touched his head, making Edwin jerk back in fear. He could only move so far, though. The large dark office looked like a cave to him. His pulse jumped in his throat and he felt pains in his little chest.
"But don't worry, Mister Prince," went on Damien Black, moving to stand in front of the pleading wizard again. "We won't kill him."
Mister Prince reached out for his son. "Mister Black – I will do anything you want, please just – don't – "
"Halen," ordered Damien sharply. "Show Mister Prince the cost of his carelessness."
The Regulator Halen yanked Edwin back again, and before anyone else in the office could react, he shoved the little boy against the bars of a cage hidden in the dark corner of the large room. From the shadows of the cage, a pair of claws lurched forward between the bars and snatched Edwin roughly.
From the darkness, a pair of lupine jaws appeared between the bars and clamped down on Edwin's shoulder with a nauseating crunch.
Edwin let out a long shrill scream of pain, eyes wide with agony.
"NO!" shouted Mister Prince, but it was too late.
The memory began to fade. Suddenly, Maggie was jarred back into the present, standing in seventeen-year-old Edwin's room. She looked up, tears streaming down her face as he met her gaze squarely. His entire body trembled as he lowered his hand from her temple.
"You're a werewolf," Maggie murmured, understanding at last.
Edwin's eyes flickered, and he shifted his face away from hers, looking utterly ashamed. "Yes," he managed at last. "That is why I have the nightmares." He could not make himself meet her gaze again. "I am sorry you have to see them," he whispered, his voice cracking.
Maggie's lips parted in disbelief. The horror she'd felt in Edwin's body, the fear she'd encountered there, it all stuck with her still, clinging to her limbs and dragging them down. She looked up at Edwin, stricken silent for perhaps the first time in her life.
Her vision cleared a little, and she found herself looking at Edwin. He stood with his shoulders pulled forward and his eyes low, one shoulder catching the occasional tear as he fought to stifle them. He looked so deeply humiliated, so full of despair. It pierced Maggie anew.
In a flash, she was in front of him. "I am so sorry," she told him, before touching his arm. "Tell me how I can help."
Edwin's brows furrowed, and he looked up. "Help?" he asked, looking confused and scared. "Maggie, you – … why would you want to help?"
Maggie gaped at him. "Well, what else am I going to do? Leave you to deal with this on your own?" She sucked in a deep breath. "Edwin, no! Just tell me what I need to do!"
Edwin stared at her, features etched with surprise. Maggie reached forward and took his hand in hers, and Edwin seemed so shocked by this, she thought he might actually choke. His eyes filled with tears again, and he trembled. Maggie squeezed his fingers in hers and stepped forward.
"I know I can't heal it, obviously, but… just give me some way to make it better for you."
Edwin stared at her hand in his.
"What?" she asked when he didn't say anything. She was desperate for some kind of action, something physical she could do to make all of this better. But Edwin was just staring at her hand in his. His fingers curled and flexed, but he didn't pull away. "Edwin," said Maggie softly. "What is it?"
Edwin looked up at her, his eyes shining.
"When I first got bitten and went to the hospital," he said very softly, "there were staff who refused to come into my room. They left my food out in the hallway, and my parents had to bring it in. The others wouldn't come near me."
Maggie's lips parted in disbelief. "Really? But why…?"
Edwin swallowed. "A lot of people believe… that lycanthropy can be transferred that way. That even a touch or a handshake… can infect someone."
Maggie bit her lip. "But thas' not true… only a bite while transformed can infect someone with lycanthropy. It's the only way."
Edwin's gaze dropped. "Other people believe differently," he murmured.
At last, Maggie understood. When she looked down at their joined hands, she saw nothing more than a comforting gesture. What Edwin saw was the first person outside of his family willing to touch him after learning the truth of his condition.
"Other people," said Maggie firmly, even as she fought off the tremor in her voice, "are ignorant, and all that talk of transferring lycanthropy through touch is just bloody stigma. It's stupid vile rumor. You know that."
Edwin shuddered, more tears slipping down his cheek.
"Oh, Edwin." Maggie let go of his hands and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. Edwin jerked, his hands lifted in the air. Maggie held tight to him though, determined to show him that it was okay for him to embrace someone, to hold their hand. Edwin did not relax into the embrace. He remained stock still and trembling, and eventually, Maggie pulled back enough to look at him.
"You have to go," murmured Edwin. "Tonight is the full moon, and Slughorn will be here soon to ensure that I'm locked up."
Maggie followed his gaze to the door, and she could see now that it had several reinforced locks on it. She looked back at Edwin, her brows furrowed. "But don't you take the Wolfsbane Potion?" she asked. "That's what helps you keep your mind, right?"
Edwin nodded, stepping away from her. "I do, but I still have to transform. And it's better for everyone if I'm locked in here. Just in case."
Maggie looked around with teary eyes. She didn't want to leave him. "Maybe I should keep you company – "
"No," he said firmly, and Maggie frowned.
"I jus' – I don't want you to be alone," she said in a small voice.
Edwin looked away from her, his thin body looking particularly frail in that moment. "I'm used to it. Just go. I don't want you to see anything."
Maggie opened her mouth to protest, but Edwin gave her a sharp look, and she sighed, her shoulders sinking low. "Okay," she murmured. "I understand." Wiping at the last of her tears, Maggie turned and headed to his door.
Before she could get to it, however, the door slammed shut of its own accord.
Edwin looked up and came to stand next to her. "Maggie, what did you do? I told you to leave!"
"I didn't do it!"
"Well, I sure as hell didn't." Edwin moved over and pulled on the door. It did not budge. He tried again, yanking with all his might. "What is going on?" he asked with increasing panic. Maggie hurried over and helped him pull, but to no avail. The door was firmly shut and locked.
Maggie waved her arms. "I don't have my wand with me!"
"I do." Edwin snatched up his wand and pointed it at the door. "Alohomora." Nothing. He scowled. "Finite Incantatum." Still nothing. "Damn it!" swore Edwin.
"Can we blast it down like I did before?" asked Maggie, more than a little alarmed. She glanced out of the window. The sun was rather low in the sky. Sunset couldn't be more than fifteen minutes away.
"I reinforced the locks after you did that," said Edwin with a scowl. Still, he tried to knock the door down. It did not work. "What is bloody happening?" he exclaimed in frustration.
That was when the pair heard a high-pitched giggle, and they turned to see a malevolent figure floating in the corner of the room, close to the ceiling. Maggie's eyes widened.
"Peeves," she said, holding up both of her hands. "Come on now, this isn't funny – "
"Oh, but it is," said Peeves, looking spectacularly delighted. "Little Red Riding Hood, caught in here with the Big Bad Wolf! What fun!" He clapped his hands together. Edwin stared at him, and then his eyes flickered to his dresser. Maggie wasn't sure what he was going for, but Peeves seemed to know. They both moved at the same moment, but Peeves was faster.
"Nopety-nope, little wolfy!" squealed Peeves maliciously as he yanked the potion bottle from the bedside drawer. Edwin tried desperately to grab it, but Peeves held it out of his reach.
"Bloody hell, Edwin," said Maggie, horrified. "Is that your Wolfsbane Potion?"
"Yes," hissed Edwin, his fingers frozen in claw-like motions at his sides. He stepped up to Peeves. "Peeves, you must give me that. You don't want to see anyone get really hurt, do you?"
"Mm, that depends," said Peeves. "Is it a Tuesday?"
"No, it's not a bloody Tuesday!"
"Oh," said Peeves. "That's a pity. I'm a lot nicer on Tuesdays. But since today isn't a Tuesday, I guess I'll have to just watch while you tear our little Head Girl into teeny tiny pieces."
"PLEASE, PEEVES!" cried out Edwin desperately. He looked near hysterical now. "Please, just give it to me! I will do whatever you want!"
Peeves eyed Edwin, looking thoughtful. Then he shrugged. "Fine, you can have it back," he said, before flicking his wrist. The window opened suddenly. "If you can catch it!" finished Peeves with a cackle.
The Wolfsbane Potion flew out of the high window and tumbled out of sight.
"NO!" Edwin ran to the window, gripping the ledge desperately. Peeves zoomed off, laughing madly as he did so.
"Have a good night, you two! It might be your last!"
Maggie stayed where she was, frozen with fear. "Er – Edwin?" she squeaked, and when he turned back to look at her, his expression was one of pure fear. "What's going to happen if I don't get out of here and you transform?" she asked.
"I'll kill you in an instant," Edwin told her. He reached up, gripping his hair as he paced. The sun continued its slow descent. "Bloody fuck!"
Maggie turned and looked at the door. "Maybe Slughorn will get here in time – "
"We can't rely on that," Edwin said, hurrying to her and grabbing her arm. "You have to go out of the window – "
"Edwin, what the hell?" exclaimed Maggie. She peeked outside and saw a tiny ledge, no more than two inches wide. "How am I supposed to cross on that? We're in the tallest tower!"
"You have to try!" Edwin told her frantically. "Anything is better than staying in here with me if I don't have that potion! I will tear you to shreds, Maggie! You HAVE to go!"
Maggie peered out of the window, trying not to look as scared as she felt. She looked back at Edwin, who was more frightened than she'd ever seen him.
"Edwin," she said tearfully, "if I go and you don't have the Wolfsbane Potion, you'll either hurt yourself or you'll escape from here through the window."
"Then you'll just have to go and find McGonagall," he told her firmly. He pushed her in the direction of the window. "You tell them – Maggie, listen to me – you tell them that if I try to escape, they have to use whatever means necessary to keep me back. Do you understand? You tell them to – to bloody kill me if they have to – "
"Edwin!"
"Now go!" he shouted at her, and Maggie turned with a whimper and jumped on the windowsill. Heaving in a deep breath, she turned and shifted out of the window, putting her shoes on the very thin ledge. If she crossed it all the way, she would end up on the balcony outside of their common room. It wasn't that far, but they were very high.
And she didn't have a wand.
Maggie gripped the crumbling stone wall and looked over her shoulder at the horizon. The round orange sun now touched the deep valleys beyond the grounds of Hogwarts. Very soon, it would disappear entirely. Maggie clenched her eyes closed for a moment before she re-opened them and began to move in the direction of the balcony.
That was when she spotted something – a glistening of sunlight, reflected off glass. Her eyes widened.
The Wolfsbane Potion. It was visible, but out of reach, caught in the corner of an angular roof corner. Maggie's heart sped up, and she jerked back in front of the window. "Edwin! I see the potion! It didn't shatter!"
Edwin, who was pacing his room, looked up. "What? Maggie, no! Don't go for it! You won't have enough time! You could fall!"
Maggie met his gaze. Edwin saw the decision in the reflection of her eyes, and he panicked, rushing forward. He wasn't fast enough, and Maggie turned and jumped off the ledge to land on a lower wall.
"MAGGIE, NO!" shouted Edwin's voice from above.
Maggie's shoes hit the shingles of the lower roof, and she slid for a few feet before coming to a stop against a railing. "Bloody hell," she groaned, trying her best not to look down. She wished desperately she had her broom. Her eyes turned up to see the Wolfsbane Potion waiting for her.
With renewed determination, Maggie pushed herself up over the roof's harsh angle and up further. She grasped onto old wrought-iron railings and heaved herself upwards. The sun moved ever closer to the darkness. She could feel its heat slowly drawing away from her.
It was bitterly cold outside, and Maggie's fingers felt numb. It was hard to grasp the tiles, and even harder to get over the many awnings and high peaked rooftops. Still, she gritted her teeth and yanked herself up, over and over again.
Until at last, she wrapped her fingers around the bottle. "Yes!" Maggie exclaimed breathlessly. She put the leather strap around the handle between her teeth, and then she turned, shifting back towards Edwin's room. Her feet slipped and she crashed to one knee, barely keeping her grip.
I'm coming, Edwin, she thought desperately. Behind her, the sky grew darker.
When she got close to his window, she could hear shouting and knocking from within the room. She knew it must be Slughorn on the other side of the door, trying to get in. Then another sound joined the din. It was Edwin, crying out in pain.
"HANG ON!" called out Maggie, at last gripping his windowsill. With one last heave, she pulled herself up and into his room, falling to her side for a moment as she sucked in greedy lungfuls of air. Suddenly, she heard Edwin drop to all fours, and the choked noises he made blended into a single long agonized shout.
"I've got it, I've got it!" Maggie called to him, leaping to her feet and uncorking the potion.
"Get – out – " rasped Edwin, even as he gripped the floor and cried out in pain. Maggie froze for a split-second, but then she shook her head and yanked Edwin's jaw up, opening his mouth.
"Drink the damn potion!" ordered Maggie desperately. She poured it in his mouth, and Edwin gulped it down even as blue liquid spilled from his lips and out onto the floor. Most of it went down, and Maggie finally dropped the bottle and scrambled away.
All at once, the physical transformation began to take place. Edwin lurched forward with a scream, his eyes clenched closed as his shoulders shifted under his robes. His fingers grew longer, sharper, and darker. His mouth opened in an agonized shout and she saw his teeth sharpen into fangs, growing larger in an instant.
His bones cracked loudly, sending a wave of painful snaps and pops through the air. Maggie fell onto back and then hurried to the corner of the room, pressing her back against the stone as she watched, mouth open. Edwin cried out against the floor, falling to his elbows even as they jolted, breaking and re-forming over and over again. His spine grew and his body suddenly engorged, ripping through his robes to become three times the size of his normal self.
Just then, Edwin's face began to change shape. His mouth became longer, forming a snout, and his skin disappeared behind a wave of dark black hair, course and unkempt. His cry of pain turned into a howl, and suddenly Maggie understood why his room was soundproof.
It wasn't so he couldn't hear her. It was so she couldn't hear him.
In a matter of seconds, the room was awash in the cool colors of night. The sun had completely faded, and no fire had been lit. Silence came at last, with only the heaving feral breathing of a massive werewolf filling the empty space.
Maggie stared, her lips parted in horror. She had never seen anything like that in her life. The werewolf was so much bigger than she'd expected, with jaws large enough to take off her head and claws to match. She swallowed a squeak, only vaguely registering that Slughorn was still beating down the door.
Had the potion worked? Did she get it to him on time?
Maggie blinked away fresh tears. "E – Edwin?" she whispered.
The werewolf looked up slowly, still panting with exertion. Maggie watched as it locked eyes with her, and for one terrible moment, she could only think of how much she did not want to die.
The werewolf studied her. And then – after what felt like the longest moment of Maggie's life – it huffed and fell to the floor, looking exhausted.
Maggie dared to let out a breath. Rising from her spot on trembling knees, Maggie moved just a little closer. The werewolf's eyes flickered up to hers again, and what she saw there was unquestionably, unequivocally Edwin Prince.
She let out a breath of relief. "Oh, Edwin… Merlin, are you alright?"
The werewolf kept its head on the floor, looking very much like the largest and most frightening dog she'd ever seen. It gave only a short nod in response to her question. Then it looked away from her, and she recognized the shame from earlier.
She couldn't believe it. She was looking at Edwin Prince as a werewolf.
The door blasted open, and Maggie's eyes widened. McGonagall and Slughorn were both there, wands raised right at Edwin, who jumped to his feet.
"NO!" Maggie jumped in front of Edwin, holding out her arms. "No, he got the potion! He's okay! Don't hurt him!"
"Miss Malfoy!" exclaimed McGonagall in alarm, reaching forward and pulling her away from Edwin. "Are you alright? Were you bitten?"
"No, no – "
"Are you sure? Were you scratched?" asked Slughorn hurriedly.
"I'm fine!" Maggie told them both vehemently, looking over her shoulder at Edwin. To her despair, he was slinking away on all fours, head very low. He came to a spot on the other side of his bed and sat on his haunches in the shadows. "I'm okay, really. He didn't do anything. He got his potion."
"Good lord," exhaled Slughorn in relief. "Peeves came to us, gloating about what he'd done, and – we feared the worst!" At last, he looked to Edwin. Maggie noticed Slughorn kept very far, near the door. "Alright there, Mister Prince?"
Edwin's large head gave only a short nod.
McGonagall shook her head. "Well, thank Merlin you were unharmed." She paused before adding, "both of you."
Maggie shuffled awkwardly, desperately wishing McGonagall and Slughorn would just leave. She could read the humiliation in Edwin's posture. He did not like so many people being in the room with him while he was like this. And Slughorn seemed he could do nothing but stare fearfully. It was fairly obvious that he had never been around for an actual transformation before.
"Alright, Miss Malfoy," said McGonagall curtly. "It's time to go to your room – "
"But Edwin – "
"Now, Miss Malfoy."
Maggie dropped her hands and looked back at Edwin, who had his head tucked. If he could have fit himself under his bed, he likely would have. He looked miserable. With a sigh, Maggie nodded and left the room with a great deal of reluctance. McGonagall and Slughorn stayed behind for only a few minutes. Then they left, too, locking the door behind them with both manual locks and magical seals. Maggie watched dully from her own doorway. No way she was getting past those.
But…
Maggie's eyes sharpened. Turning back to her room, she packed some things in her knapsack and slung it around her shoulders. Then she went out onto the balcony outside of their common room, and she shifted, turning to grasp the rocky wall and plant her feet on the narrow ledge she'd planned to escape on earlier. With a determined huff, she slipped out and edged along, bit by bit.
She was not leaving Edwin in there alone.
The trip was not a fun one, and Maggie felt her entire body break out in a sweat despite the cold. At last, she came to Edwin's window and leaned around. It had been closed, but she could open it from where she was. She peered inside first though, to see what Edwin was doing.
Inside the room, Edwin was on the floor next to his bed. He had his front legs – or arms? – folded in front of him, and his head and snout rested on top of them. Maggie took a moment to look at him. She had seen sketches of werewolves in their textbooks, but somehow, they did not do any justice to what she saw in front of her.
It really was one of the most remarkable things she had ever seen. Maggie hesitated, and then she knocked lightly on the window. Edwin's head jerked up, and when he saw her, Maggie waved.
It was hard to read his expression in this form, but he turned his head away from her, shaking it. Maggie opened the window anyway and dropped in, shifting her knapsack on her shoulders. She closed the window behind her.
"Hi," she said softly. "I'm – I'm sorry, I know – I'm probably the last person you want to see right now – "
Edwin grunted in displeasure.
Maggie's lips quirked. Still articulate, I see, she thought but wisely did not say. "Look, I jus'… I thought maybe – it might help you to pass the time if someone else was here." She pulled off her bag and tugged out some books. "Look, I brought my Potions book, and Transfiguration, too. I thought we could – "
Edwin stood up on all fours, and the look he gave her was not friendly. It was hard not to be at least a little afraid. Even now, he was nearly eye-level with Maggie, so large he was in his lupine form. Why couldn't he be short and skinny as a werewolf, too? That would have helped matters.
Maggie did not waver. "You always complain about having to miss class, and I know you don't like getting behind in your studying – "
Edwin growled at her. Maggie froze, her eyes wide. She could not help it. She was so, so very afraid, and Edwin was unrelenting, advancing on slowly with his teeth bared. Maggie held tightly onto her Potions book, but near her other hand, her wand sat under her robes.
Edwin jerked his head towards the window. He wanted her to leave.
Maggie stayed where she was, even as she trembled. She could not ever remember being as afraid as she'd been in the last few hours. Edwin's growls grew louder, and he came closer and closer to her, strange eyes focused directly on her.
Finally, Maggie tossed down her Potions book and stomped her foot. "No, god damn it! Stop growling at me!" she snapped, and Edwin stopped, tilting his big shaggy head at her in surprise. Maggie pointed a finger at him. "I'm not afraid of you, Edwin! You aren't going to hurt me! You're just being a grumpy old man, like always! Well, guess what? You may be a big scary – " she waved her hand wildly, " – wolf with big teeth, but you know damn well I'm more stubborn than sensible, so – just give it up, already!"
Edwin stopped right where he was, and – looking almost adorably perplexed – he sat back on his haunches and stared at her. Maggie huffed, folding her arms. "I understand why you don't want anyone to see you right now, but I – I just hate the thought of you being alone," she told him, sniffling again. "And there's nothing I can – I can do to make it better for you, except maybe to show you that – that I want to be your friend. Because I do."
Edwin watched her for a long moment. His head ducked low as he thought, and then he huffed again, getting up and walking on all fours to the other side of the room. He nodded his head towards the fireplace, which neither of the teachers had bothered to light for him.
Maggie blinked, and then she dried her tears. Swallowing the last of her hiccups, she came over to the fire and lit it with her wand. In just a few minutes, the fire was blazing nicely, and the room was far more comfortable. Maggie felt herself relax some. When she stood up from the fire and turned, she saw Edwin was stretched out in front of the hearth, enjoying the warmth. She smiled fully. Edwin wouldn't like it if she compared him to a dog, but that was exactly what he looked like – a lazy bloodhound relaxing after a day of running around the woods, content on a nice soft rug. Edwin spotted her smiling at him and shifted away, putting his head on his arms and avoiding her eyes. Maggie made a face at him and reached for some blankets, pulling them down to the floor and then settling in front of the warmth of the fire.
"Okay, what first? We've got a Potions exam on Monday, and the Transfiguration one is on Wednesday. But personally, I feel like the Transfiguration exam will be more difficult, so maybe we should study that one instead. What do you think?" Maggie held up both textbooks.
Edwin listened, and after a long moment of hesitation, he extended one large, claw-tipped finger and touched the Transfiguration book.
"Good choice," said Maggie, putting the Potions book aside. "Where's your – Oh, here it is. Can you hold a book?" Edwin nodded, picking up the book. Unfortunately, a Quill was a little too small for his large hands, so he could not write. Maggie stretched out on her stomach right next to him, shifting their two books in the direction of the fire so they could use most of the light.
So while Edwin looked over their chapters, Maggie jotted down some ideas and wrote notes in both of their books. It must have looked incredibly odd, the two of them studying together, but after about ten minutes, Maggie found she didn't think anything of it. It was kind of nice having a big werewolf right next to her. He put off a lot of heat, and so even though the night was freezing, Maggie was nice and cozy where she was.
Edwin kept from touching her, and whenever he moved his claws, he was very careful to keep them far from her. They looked as sharp as eagle talons, and Maggie sort-of wished she could touch one. But that would likely send Edwin into a panic, so she didn't try. As she looked at her book, her mind wandered back to Slughorn and McGonagall.
Slughorn had been entirely unable to hide his fear. McGonagall was more practical, but she, too, had been first and foremost concerned for Maggie. That bothered her. They should be concerned for Edwin, too. He was the one who'd had his body broken up in a million pieces and then put back together again against his will. It had looked so very painful.
Maggie went to turn a page, lost in thought, but Edwin grunted at her and she stopped, smiling. "Oh, sorry." She shifted the book in his direction and pointed to the section she'd underlined. "I'm almost positive this one will be on the exam. Don't you think?"
Edwin nodded, shifting in his spot. Something hit the back of Maggie's outstretched legs, and she looked up curiously. It was his tail. Maggie's eyes flickered back to Edwin's face, amused. He did not even seem to know it was thumping her. She thought about poking him, but she was afraid that would alarm him.
"Er, Edwin?"
He glanced up, and Maggie pointed. Edwin's large head turned back, and when he saw his tufted tail thwapping her on the legs, he jerked it back and tucked his head again. Poor Edwin, thought Maggie with an internal giggle. She felt bad that he was embarrassed, but it was hard not to be amused at the idea of an out-of-control tail.
"It's okay, really," she said easily, giving him a smile. "It was just kind of distracting. You know how I am. Doesn't take much."
Edwin shifted a little further away from her, and eventually he folded his short tail under himself so he was sitting on it. Maggie went back to studying. After a little while, she reached into her knapsack and pulled out some muffins. "Want one?" she asked. Edwin shook his head, and Maggie ate a muffin while she changed over to Potions.
"I really don't get this whole – Greudian Theory, do you?" she asked, munching.
Edwin hesitated, and then he shifted closer, using his claw to turn a few pages and point to a passage. "Yeah, I know," said Maggie. "But that sounds like the exact same thing as Mencher's Theory to me."
Edwin huffed, and Maggie made a face at him. "Don't look at me like that! I'm not slow, okay? Show me the difference if there is one." She shoved the rest of the muffin her mouth, and Edwin tilted his head as he thought. Then he shook his head and made a circular motion.
"What?" asked Maggie, before understanding. "Oh, tomorrow?"
Edwin nodded.
"Okay, fine. Explain it to me tomorrow."
Pretty soon, Maggie was stretched on her side, struggling to finish reading the Potions chapter again. She had been concentrating for a while, and when she looked over to Edwin, she saw that he was asleep. Maggie slowly closed her book, still reclined on her side right next to him.
Looking at a real werewolf up-close was so interesting. She couldn't help but stare. She did keep her hands to herself this time though. He looked so serene, breathing softly as he kept his head on his front legs. Maggie wished he'd fallen asleep on the bed, but there was nothing she could do to help him with that. No way was she picking him up like this.
So Maggie reached for a blanket and tugged it up over him, letting it settle over his large furry body. And then after that, she pulled up another one for herself and continued to study until her eyes shut of their own accord.
The next morning, Maggie received a rude awakening.
It was Edwin, howling violently as his body lurched right next to her. Maggie's eyes shot open, and she scrambled back again, knocking over their books. It was sunrise, and they were both still on the floor. As the sun continued to climb, Edwin's lupine body shook and trembled. The violent popping and cracking of bones sounded again, and Edwin's fang-filled jaws spread open in a pain-filled yowl. Maggie's jaw dropped as she watched Edwin's human features reappear, first near his face and then in his limbs.
It was around the time that his howl disappeared and his own voice took its place that Maggie realized he was completely naked.
The blanket she'd put over him was still there, thankfully, but as Edwin lurched and cried out on all fours, she saw it was slipping back. Edwin's screams filled the room, his fingers clenched on the floor, and then finally – finally, he was human again, heaving in deep breaths, his muscles shaking.
He did not even seem to know Maggie was there. Panting, Edwin dropped to the floor weakly, turning onto his back as he swallowed, body slick with sweat. The blanket Maggie had put over him was still there, but it had fallen very, very low on his front. The 'v' of his hips was completely visible, and the blanket only just barely covered his groin. Everything else was entirely visible.
And Maggie stared, her eyes wide and her mouth gaping open. She couldn't help it. She looked, her eyes traveling all the way down his bare, scarred torso to his stomach and pelvis.
Finally, Edwin looked over and noticed her. "BLOODY HELL, MAGGIE!" he yelped, yanking up the blanket to cover himself.
Maggie finally snapped out of her trance, and she jumped up, clapping both hands over her eyes. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, flushed red. "I – I didn't know you'd be naked!"
"What the hell did you think I'd be wearing?" he groaned irritably. "A bloody loincloth?"
Maggie flailed, and she heard Edwin behind her, struggling to stand up. She heard a crash, and she turned. "Do you need help – "
"No, damn it! Keep your eyes closed!"
Maggie turned away again and immediately covered her eyes once more. She could hear Edwin fumbling about, and she knew he'd made it the few feet to his bed. After a few minutes – and another crash or two – he grumbled that she could turn around again.
Maggie turned to see Edwin fall over onto his bed, looking exhausted. He was wearing pajama pants now, and he seemed to be looking for a shirt, but his arms were so weak he could barely lift them, so he just pushed himself under the covers and tugged them all the way up to his chin.
Maggie bit her lip. "Sorry, I – I didn't mean to stare."
Edwin turned his head to glare at her. "Yes, well, you did – so you can go now."
Maggie hesitated, and then she slowly began to gather up her books. Once they were tucked away in her knapsack, she set the bag aside and faced him again. "Are you sure I can't get you some water or something – "
"No," he said flatly. At Maggie's crestfallen expression, he went on a bit more gently, "McGonagall will be here soon. She always brings me breakfast."
Maggie managed a small smile. "Thas' good." She still paused. "Do you… feel okay?" she asked. "That looked – really, really painful."
Edwin blinked at her. "Yes," he murmured. "It is. But I've been dealing with it for a long time. I'm fine."
Maggie sighed and nodded. "Okay, well… I'll leave you to rest then." She picked up her bag and moved back to the window, but when she opened it up, something made her stop. "Er, Edwin?"
"For the love of Merlin," he snapped. "What?"
That was when he spotted it, too. "Er," said Maggie. "It snowed last night." The entire window was caked in soft white powdery snow. There was no way she was using that tiny ledge right now. Edwin groaned, falling back against his bed.
"You are so determined to make my life harder," he muttered.
"Hey!" Maggie whirled to face him. "I'm trying to help!" She put her hands on her hips. "And I don't control the bloody weather, okay?" She made a face. "Maybe if I can clear it – " she stopped, her mind picking up someone entering the tower. "Cocks!" she exclaimed. "McGonagall is here!"
Edwin's eyes widened. "Hurry up, hide!"
"Where?"
"I don't know! Just hide!"
Maggie looked up as the locks on the door began to pull back, and she did the only thing she could think of. She dropped to her stomach and rolled under Edwin's bed.
McGonagall entered half-a-second later, and Maggie winced.
"Good morning, Mister Prince," came McGonagall's voice, and Edwin cleared his throat before responding in the same. McGonagall moved over and put the food tray next to his bed.
"Thank you, Headmistress."
"You are welcome," said McGonagall. She paused and looked over Edwin. "I am very sorry for the trouble Peeves caused you last night. It is a wonder we do not have more catastrophes here, given his nature."
Edwin pushed himself up as far as he could in his bed, even though he still slumped. He kept the blanket pulled high to cover his torso. "It's not Peeves's fault I'm here," he said lowly. Maggie frowned under the bed. No matter what, Edwin would always blame himself. That hurt her heart.
McGonagall paused, and after a moment, she looked at Edwin and asked if she could take a seat. When Edwin told her yes, she pulled up a chair right next to the bed and observed him.
"Mister Prince, do you know why I elected you as Head Boy?"
Edwin blinked at her. "Honestly, Headmistress," he said quietly, "I haven't any idea."
McGonagall smiled gently. "Many years ago, when I was still Head of Gryffindor house, I was asked to put up my yearly nominations for Head Boy and Head Girl, as always. That year, my choice for Head Girl was clear… but the choice for Head Boy was – different. I had two outstanding young wizards in my class of Gryffindors, and I knew they would both do a remarkable job." She paused. "Their names were… James Potter … and Remus Lupin."
Maggie's brows furrowed.
"James Potter," went on McGonagall, "was a highly talented wizard with a breadth of leadership skills. He was powerful, determined, and brave. However, he'd let such talent go to his head, and many of his younger years were spent doing the most foolish and wasteful things. Fortunately, by his seventh year, he had improved his character a great, great deal – and I was very proud of all the progress he'd made."
Edwin listened attentively, as did Maggie from her hiding spot.
"Remus Lupin, on the other hand," continued McGonagall, "was brilliant, kind, and hard-working from the very start. He was known throughout the school for his willingness to help others, and there was not a teacher on the staff who did not enjoy having him in their classroom. He was, in every way, the gentlest Gryffindor you would ever meet – brave, but sensible. He also received top marks all his years at school, and I knew he would take the position of Head Boy very seriously."
Maggie bit her lip. She knew where McGonagall was going with this, but Edwin would not.
"But," went on McGonagall after a heavy pause, "Remus Lupin had lycanthropy."
Edwin's eyes widened.
"In fact," McGonagall told him, "Mister Lupin's case was the main reason we were so willing to accept you here. For you see, we learned how to help you by taking care of him, so many years ago. This was in the days before the Wolfsbane Potion, unfortunately, so we had to take Mister Lupin out to the Shrieking Shack each month. It was very hard on him, but he maintained his positive demeanor and outstanding work each year." McGonagall sighed, a noise Maggie had rarely heard from her.
"And yet, despite all his perseverance – despite all the effort he'd put forth – I did not nominate him for Head Boy. I nominated James Potter, instead," admitted McGonagall. "Even though I knew Remus Lupin deserved it more, I was afraid of his condition. I feared he would not be able to complete his duties. And I feared that putting him in a tower with the Head Girl would endanger her even more."
Edwin lowered his eyes.
"So, I put forth James Potter and Lily Evans, and Professor Dumbledore chose my two Gryffindors to be Head Boy and Head Girl. Later on, the two were married, and Lily eventually gave birth… to Harry James Potter."
Edwin stared, his lips parted. That was a name he knew. After a moment, he sat back further against his bed, his shoulders sagging. "I suppose you made the right choice then," he murmured dully.
Professor McGonagall shook her head. "The right choice made for the wrong reasons," she said, "is the worst sort of deception, Mister Prince. For it is the lie we tell ourselves."
She folded her hands in her lap. "For many years, I thought over my decision, wondering what might have happened if I'd chosen differently. So last year, when Professor Slughorn was wise enough to put you forth as his Slytherin nomination for Head Boy, I told myself that I would evaluate you based on merit, Mister Prince, not on your health."
Edwin gave her a bitter smile. Maggie could hear it in his voice. "That still doesn't explain why you chose me, Headmistress," he said. "I have nothing to offer you as Head Boy."
"On the contrary, Mister Prince," said McGonagall. "You are, in many ways, what I hope for all Slytherins to emulate."
Edwin's brows furrowed.
"You are clever," McGonagall told him, "but you are not arrogant. You are cunning, but you are not cruel. And you are ambitious – but not for greed or power. You are ambitious for change, Mister Prince. And that is something our world will always need. Change is necessary to move forward, to improve. And you are the type of person who sees it first, and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. That is an impressive trait in a young wizard." She looked over him. "But perhaps what I admire most about you is your self-discipline. It would have been so easy for you to give up. You could have simply succumbed to self-pity and despair… but instead, you have risen to the top of your class. That is worthy of recognition, Mister Prince." She paused, before going on somewhat wryly, "And something I am hoping you can pass on to your fellow Head Girl."
Edwin's lips quirked, this time at real amusement. Maggie huffed under the bed.
"Your Head Girl, Miss Malfoy, has tremendous skills in many areas, and she knows how to be an effective leader. Still, I think there is much she can learn about … decision-making… from you, Mister Prince. Just as you can learn things from her as well."
McGonagall stood up. "Isn't that right, Miss Malfoy?"
Edwin buried his face in his hands, and Maggie twisted her lips before crawling out from under the bed. She was now quite filthy. McGonagall observed her with nothing even close to surprise.
Maggie shifted on her feet. "I, er – I didn't know he'd be naked."
"Go to your room, Miss Malfoy."
"Yes, Headmistress."
Maggie turned and hurried out, grabbing up her knapsack as she did. McGonagall looked back at Edwin. "Bless you, Mister Prince," she said dryly.
And then she left.