School was hectic the next few weeks. I tried hard to keep up with my work and find time to train for Quidditch tryouts.

Before I knew it I was sitting in Defense class staring at Dad realizing how pale he looked. It must be the full moon.

I decided to put off training that night and run to my dormitory to do homework before the moon rose. Dad told me about the Wolfsbane potion that would let him keep his mind during transformations and I wanted to see it.

Luna sat in the common room when I came in.

"Luna," I say coming over to her, "can I ask you to do something for me?"

Luna looked up dreamily, "sure what."

"Cover for me so I can go break into Dad's office and see this whole Wolfsbane thing," I say in a low voice.

"Won't he kill you?" she asks.

"Yep, probably."

"No, I mean literally tear you to shreds."

"The potion will stop that," I reply reassuringly.

"Alright, just remember he grades your tests," she says with a shrug.

This is why she's my best friend.

I run up to the dormitory and check my astronomy book for the moonrise table to see when dad will change.

The moon would rise at 7:02 though I had to account for the mountains so probably about 7:20 or so.

I go back down stairs and did a bit of homework with Luna. I finish an essay for Snape on a potion that had a great impact on people. I choose Veritaserum due to all the convictions that have come in court from it. It had a lot of information to work with and that seemed to be the best thing when it came to Snape.

I head down the stairs and wonder what the change is like. I've never actually seen Dad change because he's always protected me from it. I know it must be painful because he was always sore and exhausted the next day.

I walk down the corridor to the defense classroom. It's still got older students whose curfew isn't till later but most of them are couples too wrapped up in each other to notice me. I find the door that of course is locked but all I need is Alohomora for that one.

Inside the classroom I go up the stairs to the door to dad's office. The spells are trickier here but I know all the counter curses from listening to Emmeline unlock the door in the morning in the winter when dad changes in the basement.

I whisper the spells and the door unlocks. Closing it behind me I cast "silencio cella" so no one can hear dad cry out in pain. I walk through the office past dad's desk and come to his bedroom. It's a room with a four poster double bed and a patchwork quilt of all the house colors. It has a dresser, book shelves on the walls and two end tables with a lamp and some books. I smile this is such a typical dad type or room.

Underneath the covers lays dad curled up clearly in pain. He's now so pale he matches the white pillow cases beneath his head.

I peek at him not daring to move because he will murder me for being here right now.

He wakes sitting up and rubs his temples. I look back at the clock that sits on his desk in the study and it says about 7:15. Dad sighs and gets up…

What do I do? I look around for some place to hide. There's a cabinet next to me that I didn't notice and I throw it open and climb in. Its empty and I'm suddenly so happy that that we are poor and dad doesn't have a lot of stuff to put in his office.

I hear dad go back to bed and I smile triumphantly to myself. I've just tricked Dad; uncle Mad-Eye would be so proud.

A cry of pain echoes around the office a few minutes later. I pop out of the cabinet and go peak at Dad. He is under the covers again but now everything about him is changing. I hear the cracks of bones and the strange sound of fur growing. I watch in horror as the man I've always thought to be so strong crumbles under the weight of a curse he had no choice in receiving. Tears slip from my eyes, dad is gone and in his place is a large light brown wolf.

It hears me crying and raises its head. I meet those brown eyes that are so familiar to me and stop blinking back my tears. Dad's eyes dart from pity, to worry, to anger in a split second, conclusion I'm so dead.

He whimpers instead of the growl that I expect to receive. I move closer slowly until I'm sitting on the bed next to him.

"I know you're mad," I whisper, "but I had to see for myself Daddy."

He puts his head on my knee and looks up as if to say the damage is already done but, this isn't over.

I simply nod and scratch behind his ears. "You're fluffier then I thought you'd be."

I think he rolled his eyes then. Can werewolves do that?

After a wail I lay down and he does the same next to me. I shut my eyes and feel a nudge that says toward the door.

"I'll get caught it's so late," I say, "It's like I have James' cloak like you guys did."

I hear a sigh next to me as he realizes I'm right. I feel a tug on the comforter underneath me and get under it obediently. Dad noses the comforter gently around me to tuck me in.

"Goodnight Daddy," I whisper.

I hear a small bark in reply.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the top of the food chain or something?" I joke.

He gives me a death stare and grins bearing some very large gagged teeth.

I laugh and fall to sleep.

I wake in the morning to bright yellow sunlight filtering in and a whimper of pain from dad. His bones start to snap and the fur falls away and there he lies curled up under the covers.

"Dad," I whisper. "Are you ok?"

He groans softly then in a horse voice says, "Yes, and what the bloody hell were you thinking last night young lady. If something had gone wrong with that potion I could have killed you."

I just look at the floor because I know he's right. He would never forgive himself if he even so much as hurt me. I should know better. I burst into tears after that.

I hear him sigh and feel him pull me close, "please don't cry baby girl. Please don't do this again will you promise me that."

I nod, "I just wanted to know what happened."

He sighs and yawns loudly, "Well now you know."

All at once the energy from Dad's anger is gone and he can barely keep his eyes open.

"Go back to your dormitory and get ready for classes," he orders gently.

I nod, "are you sure you're ok?"

"I will be I just need rest," he replies as his eyes fall shut.

A soft snore escapes his lips. I watch for a few minutes then did as I was told.

Dad didn't come to class that day and Professor Snape taught us. Apparently everyone got the same lesson on werewolves.

I could have murdered him in cold blood but Luna just kept kicking me under the table every five minutes to keep me in check.

Finally at the end Luna asked a question, "Don't you think that some of the monster role comes from the fact that wizards won't even give werewolves a chance?"

"Ten points from Ravenclaw for speaking out of turn."

"But Professor you didn't answer my question," Luna continued.

"Twenty points from Ravenclaw and if you speak out like that again then I will take fifty and give you a week of detention," Snape replies.

"What did she do exactly besides ask a question with her hand raised?" I say before I can stop myself.

"Miss. Meadows, thirty points from Ravenclaw and shut your mouth or there will be detention for your entire class."

I shut my mouth knowing I won't have any friends if I get everyone detention. I peek up at Dad's office door wondering if he heard all this.

When the bell rings Luna and I rush out hoping to avoid Snape's wrath. We looked at each other in the corridor and started laughing.

"That was a close one?" I say

"Did you see his face when I asked that question? It looked like scootles were attacking it."

I laugh even though I have no idea what scootles are. To be honest I don't think anyone but Luna does but part of me hopes they exist and attack Snape often.

Quidditch tryouts came up quicker than I expected. It seemed like I had loads of time and then suddenly the last bell rang at school, my stomach became home to a swarm of butterflies and I had to head down to the pitch.

I gripped my broom very tightly and could feel my stomach rolling as I walked down to the pitch. This was actually happening I was trying out for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team!

"Mum, help me not to chook," I whisper.

My mother had been a great chaser in her day. Dad always said the Quidditch final was torture because it was usually Gryffindor and Ravenclaw and either way someone he loved was unhappy.

I come to find Roger and a few older kids standing there. I assess them quickly in my mind. Josh can't fly, Anna would make a better keeper and Will had a beater's build. I can do this.

We start by taking shots on goal. I get five in out of seven. Then we play ten minutes each with the rest of the team. Josh falls off his broom due at one point. Anna keeps swatting the ball away. And Will does ok except his aim is terrible. I manage to stay on my broom, doge a few bloggers and motion to Cho were to find the snitch along with scoring five goals and having two assists.

Roger meets my eyes and smiles. Maybe I'll actually make the team. Though my cons are that I'm young and small we'll have to wait and see.

"I'll put up the team roster on Monday," Roger says.

As I walk away a whisper, "thanks Mum."

"So can I congratulate you now," a voice from behind me says.

I turn around, "were you spying Cedric?"

"Actually, for once I wasn't but we have practice after you and I saw who your completion was."

"Well its bad luck to congratulate me yet but thanks," I say with a smile.

Monday roles around and I find myself in the common room staring at the message board.

"If you won't do it I will," Luna cries and gets up to check it.

She comes back looking sad, "well I'm afraid you made it and have to admit I'm right."

I smile and start jumping up and down. We giggle and jump all the way to Defense.

Dad gives us a look when we walk in. He looks like he's on the mend now no longer as pale as he was his first day back.

"Sorry, Professor we're just excited because Sarah made the Quidditch team," Luna says.

Dad smiles, "well isn't that wonderful." Though reading his eyes I know he's proud of me.

I get my essay back from him that week and it has a note attached to it even though I got very good marks on it.

-Sarah,

Congratulations on making the Quidditch team, I'm so proud of you and I know you're mother would have been too.

On another matter if I ever catch you in my office on a full moon again I will assign you detention on every game you have. Don't think I won't do it young lady.

Congratulations again.

Love,

Dad

Ps have you written to Emmeline at all since term started?

I laughed for ten minutes in the common room after reading it and so did Luna. Only dad finds the perfect punishment for me by an accomplishment. I guess there won't be any more full moon visits for a wail though the season ends before the school ends.

I sit down to begin a very long funny letter to Emmeline.

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