Clara couldn't have been happier as she changed into her pyjamas and placed her wand carefully on the bedside table. She had successfully learned how to block, and though she was rather sore from all her failed attempts that ended up with her skidded across the grass or landing on her back, she was absolutely thrilled. She'd loved the little taste of the wizarding world she'd seen just by visiting Diagon Alley and couldn't wait to see the rest. There was so much she needed to learn still…and Remus had promised if she came with him to Hogwarts there was an entire library she could use.
She wriggled under the covers, switching off the lamp. Due to extreme exhaustion, she fell asleep quite easily, her head filled with all sorts of magical ideas and the memory of her amazing day that was only a little glimpse at the life she was going to live now.
/
Despite the late hour, Remus wasn't asleep. He was lying on his bed on top of the covers staring up at the ceiling and the strange light reflections. The Tardis made many strange noises at night due to the endless corridors and rooms. But it wasn't the sounds that were keeping him awake, it was Clara. The more he practiced with her the more worried he got. Because she was good. Really good. She'd learned how to block an attack spell in half an hour. And while she credited her skills on his teaching he knew better. Her natural talent was rather overwhelming and kept his mind racing on what to actually *do* with her. Dumbledore would know…in fact he'd been quite fascinated. In fact, Remus was positive he'd want to keep close tabs on Clara, which at least would make it easy for him to take her to Hogwarts. However her ability would draw more attention that just Dumbledore…bad attention. This was what was bothering Remus the most.
How ever his thoughts quickly got distracted when he heard a rather loud clatter from the room a few feet down the hall. Clara's room. He sat up, listening to the silence that followed before his feet hit the floor and he went to look.
"Clara?" he gave a little knock. He slowly pushed the door open, his eyes easily adjusting to the dark—werewolf perks—and finding the young witch upright, her eyes rather wide with fright as she stared at the corner of the room where a black mark stained the wall. She'd used an attack spell?! He hadn't even taught her one! "Clara, you alright?"
Clara's wild, frightened eyes snapped to him. "Yes." She whispered shakily, but looked far from it. "Yeah…I'm fine." She swallowed and flicked on the lamp.
Remus hesitantly walked over to the wall, running his fingers along the blackened paint and the hairline cracks. "Did you do this?" he glanced up and saw her nod, the fingers clutching her wand were white.
"On purpose?"
Clara was silent for a moment. "There was a wolf."
Remus's blood suddenly turned ice cold. He stared at her.
"Right there." Clara gestured to the spot he was standing in, in front of the blackened wall. "It was going to jump at me so I just…" she swallowed, meeting his gaze.
The silence was deafening, until a voice suddenly interrupted.
"Everything alright?"
All four eyes turned to the new figure that stood in the doorway, the Doctor.
"Clara just had a bad dream." Remus attempted to smooth it over, since Clara herself still looked incredibly shaken up. Inwardly he rather felt the same, her words echoing in his head. 'There was a wolf. It was going to jump on me…'
The Doctor's gaze slid from Lupin to his companion. Clara just managed a stiff nod, gingerly placing her wand back on the bedside table. "I'm just…going to get some air." She whispered before getting up and brushing past them both.
After a few moments the sound of the Tardis doors shutting reached their ears.
"She just had a bad dream…"
Remus met the Doctor's gaze once more, finding it accusing. Like he'd done something.
"Yes." He repeated, wondering why this man hated him so much.
"Clara has faced more aliens then you can imagine, crossed paths with death more times then I like to count, explored new and old planets, flown about in time and space…she doesn't get scared by bad dreams."
"Everyone has something they're afraid of, Doctor." Remus replied rather quietly, taking a step toward the doorway and looking him in the eye. "If you're looking for reasons to hate me, perhaps you should try asking me for good ones. So far the ones you've come up with are terrible."
The Doctor's mouth tightened in a fine line. "Get out."
Remus brushed past him but didn't go to his room, he followed the hallways back to the control room before pushing open the door and going to find Clara.
'There was a wolf. It was going to jump on me…' The words swirled through his head again.
Clara had gone all the way to the coast of the island. She stood in the sand at the edge of the water, her eyes focused on the half-moon in the dark sky. She jumped when Remus came up beside her. He followed her gaze briefly, feeling a lump form in his throat as he pushed his hands into his pockets. "It wasn't…just a wolf. Was it?" he glanced at her sideways.
Clara reluctantly shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself. "It's not your fault." She whispered after a long moment. "I was…reading something."
Remus's gaze shot to her again. "Reading what?"
"About…them."
The fact she didn't want to say the word caused a terrible crushing feeling inside him. Like someone was trying to juice him. "Werewolves." He stated quietly. It wasn't a question.
Clara nodded again. "I didn't want to ask…"
"Why?"
"Because I didn't think you'd want to talk about it."
Remus looked back out at the dark horizon, listening to the sound of the waves lapping at their feet. That was true. He didn't want to talk about it. He hated the subject…because everyone else did. Because everyone else got all…weird about it. "I'd have told you." He promised after a moment. "It's best you know what you're signing up or if you're going to be around me." His voice sounded awfully defeated. Just reading about the monsters—people like *him*-had been bad enough to give her a nightmare. A nightmare bad enough that she lashed out with her wand and she didn't even know any attack spells! Remus raked another hand through his hair, his gaze moving back to the moon above them.
"I'm sorry." Clara whispered after a moment.
"For what?" Remus was genuinely confused. He should be the one that was sorry.
"For what happened to you." Clara looked up at him. In the darkness, she could see what he tried to hide during the day. Behind his eyes, lit up by the starlight, was the face of the creature buried inside him. She swallowed. "No one should have to go through that."
She was looking at him strangely. Remus shifted uneasily, trying to pinpoint the expression on her face and what it meant. Most people got all awkward once they found out—most people called him a monster and ran away.
'She already knew what you were…'
And she'd read more about the subject! And now she was staring at him funny. Not with terror or hatred but with…pity. And something else. He snapped his gaze away, back behind them to the forest. "We should go back." He took a few steps toward the trees before turning and glancing at her expectantly. "Coming? You'd be best to rest up before we try and get control of those spells again tomorrow."
Clara looked up at the moon a final time before trailing after him. They walked in sync, slowly.
"Do you know lots of other werewolves?" Clara asked after a moment. Remus sensed the hidden question behind it. She was thinking about going back with him, if she'd be in danger. And he had a feeling she didn't particularly want to be in that position.
"Not at Hogwarts." He replied, knowing that didn't completely answer the question. The real answer wouldn't be near as comforting.
"You don't have to say it just to make me feel better." Clara insisted. "I'd much prefer the truth."
"I am telling you the truth!" Remus glanced at her quickly, wondering what she was playing at, exactly.
"Good." Clara gave him a look before brushing past and going inside the Tardis. Remus followed her slowly, pausing when she reached her room. Not exactly knowing what to say he dipped his head a bit awkwardly, getting ready to turn away when a pair of arms flashed around his neck and Clara hugged him tightly. It left him more shocked then anything else, as she pulled away abruptly afterwards and shut her door.
