The werewolf widened its eyes in recognition, and whimpered.

"Adam." Belle repeated with more certainty.

It whimpered again and took its weight off of her chest. It retreated to a corner. It hunched its body away from Belle, clearly ashamed by what had transpired.

Belle slowly sat up and carefully watched the creature in front of her. She wasn't sure what to do, but decided that best thing for her to do was to just sit very still and keep her wand in hand.

Except her wand was tossed to the other side of the room when she fell.

Of course... she thought grimly.

Belle continued to watch the werewolf and tried to keep still.

She thought about the look in its (Adam, she reminded herself) eyes. They looked so...human. Human, sad and confused. He also seemed to have recognized her.

He must have taken the Wolfsbane potion if he remembers who I am.

Hours seemed to have gone by. Belle could feel her body cramp up from staying in the same position for so long. She attempted to distract herself by fully taking in the sight in front of her.

Adam had dark brown fur, though it looked black at first glance. It was short and ragged, in some places there were patches of very little to no fur. There were also hints of dried blood.

Belle shivered at the thought of how those patches came to be, as well as at the sudden drop in temperature. She immediately regretted the action. Adam growled in warning as he finally turned himself around to look at her, staring at her with a hungry glare.

She couldn't help but stare back at him, observe him.

His snout was short compared to other wolves, which she knew was attributed to being a werewolf. He bared his teeth, and she stifled a startled gasp.

Adam stepped closer until he was nearly nose to nose with her. He kept snarling though Belle didn't dare move or make another sound.

He sniffed her, then that same look of recognition showed up again in his eyes and he quickly retreated, whimpering.

Belle's heart quickened its pace. The urge to flee was strong, despite the danger that would follow such a hasty decision.

She risked a few deep, calming breaths, afraid that he would attack her, but Adam ignored her. He seemed very upset with himself.

She quickly glanced at her wand, still laying on the other side of the room. Belle looked back at him.

He hadn't moved at all.

Belle slowly edged towards her wand, her eyes glued to the werewolf. She froze every time he shifted his position, only to have him continue to ignore her.

Finally, she was close to her wand. She carefully inched her fingers until she felt the familiar rosewood on her fingertips. As quietly as she could, she rolled it into her palm and held it tight.

Another creak in the floorboards warned her that Adam was stalking towards her again. Belle tightened her grip on her wand as he grew closer.

He sat down in front of her and gazed at her steadily. He made no indication as to whether he would attack or not.

The mere thought of an attack had Belle break into a cold sweat.

Adam started to whine. He stepped away, then collapsed to the floor and started to wither in pain.

Belle could only look on in a strange mixture of concern and horror. She was completely frozen, at a total loss at what to do.

He shook and thrashed as his once long limbs started to collapse onto themselves. His face shortened until he started to resemble that of a human one. He cried out, his voice changing from a wolf's to a man's.

Before she knew it, Adam had completely transformed from beast to man.

Adam was shivering violently, clutching at the ground, and stared out with wide eyes

Belle quickly realized that he wasn't wearing any clothes.

"Belle..." Adam rasped. She jumped at the sound of his voice, but quickly recovered and crawled over to him. She knelt beside him and glanced at his face.

"Yes, I'm here," she whispered.

"Get...get my...get my clothes," he asked.

"W-where are they?" she frantically looked around for some item of clothing, carefully avoiding his form.

"N-next room..."

Belle bit her lip, then raised her wand towards the open door leading into the next room.

"Accio clothes!"

In an instant, a shirt and a pair of pants flew straight at Belle. As they got closer, they slowed and landed gently on her lap.

"Um, here you go," Belle picked up the clothes and held out her arms. "Do...do you need help putting them on?" she asked hesitantly.

Adam mumbled a "no" and reached for his clothes. Belle handed them to him ungracefully and quickly turned away.

She heard the rustle of cloth and the ever-present creaking of the floor as he pulled on his clothes.

Belle was busy playing with her fingers and staring at the wall when she saw a pair of trouser clad legs and bare feet stand before her. Belle looked up to see Adam, exhausted and worn, reach a hand out to her. She gently placed her hand in his before being hefted off of the ground. She gave a small gasp of surprise, then quickly thanked him and righted herself.

It was quiet between them, though they both stared at each other, gauging each other's reaction.

"Are you alright?" Adam wondered.

The question surprised Belle. Shouldn't she be the one asking him that question?

"I'm fine. Really, I am," she insisted. "What about you?"

He heaved a heavy sigh and ran his fingers through his mussed hair. "Honestly, I've been far worse,"

Belle nodded and looked at her hands.

Adam put the heel of his hand under her chin, lifted it and therefore forced Belle to look at him.

"Belle, I'm so sorry that I frightened you." he apologized.

Her eyes started to water.

His face was both sincere and morose.

She tried to put on a brave face, for his sake if not for her own, before she finally broke down and cried. Her hands flew to her face and she wept into them, her body shaking with the sheer force of her sobs and the loss of her adrenaline.

He was unsure what to do. Hesitantly, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

Belle apparently took it as permission to wrap her arms around his waist and cry into his chest.

Adam stiffened for a moment, looking down at her with pure confusion.

He could barely fathom why she would seek comfort from him of all people.

He caused her fear.

She should be hitting and screaming at him, or at least run away.

Not hold on to him so tightly like he was the only solid, comforting thing in the world.

Without realizing it, Adam gently wrapped his arms around her head and shoulders.

His embrace relaxed Belle. She could feel her body start to calm and her sobs began to subside.

Soon she was sniffling, with her head rested on his chest and her hands still holding the back of his shirt.

"Are you ready to return to the school?" Adam whispered.

Belle nodded.

She pulled away from him and headed for the passage back to the Whomping Willow.

Adam followed right behind her, trying to maintain a safe and comfortable distance.

The sun was starting to rise as they traveled across the lawn to the castle.

Adam walked Belle to the Ravenclaw Tower. He had his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders. She was still in shock, so she continued to shiver.

They were halfway to the Ravenclaw common room when Belle asked to stop and sit down. Adam found a bench and led her to it. They sat down together, with Belle scooting closer to his side.

Adam stiffened slightly. He couldn't believe that Belle was still seeking comfort from him, of all people.

He scared her, nearly hurt and killed her.

Why would she want to have anything to do with him?

"Adam?" Belle said quietly.

He looked down at her. "Yes?" he said.

"How long have you been a werewolf?" she asked.

Adam fell silent. He never told anyone what happened. Professor Powers simply guessed and went from there. Forte only knew what he and Powers told him, which was just his lycanthropy.

"That's a story for another time," he finally answered. "Right now, you need to rest. Let's get you back to your common room."

Belle looked up at him, searching his face skeptically. Realizing that she wasn't going to have her questions answered today, she finally nodded and started to stand up.

Adam stood up with her and guided her to Ravenclaw Tower. He waited for her to answer the bronze eagle's riddle before he reluctantly let her go.

She lingered in the doorway, looking over her shoulder.

"When can I see you again?" Belle asked.

Adam was quiet for a moment, unsure whether to answer, until an idea struck him.

"Meet me at the Clock Tower tonight. I'll tell you everything then," he replied.

Belle nodded and walked into the common room.

Adam turned and walked away, and headed for Professor Powers' office.

Rapunzel sighed, and rested her chin on her hand. She sat cross-legged in the grass near the Black Lake.

Belle had returned to the common room very early that morning. She avoided everyone, but when pushed she said that she was helping the librarian Madam Pan-Darling with cataloging some new books.

She looked tired, but not from reading all night. That was a sight everyone in the common room was used to from Belle. Instead, her whole being was in complete disarray; her eyes were wide in shock and fear, like she saw a ghost.

No, not a ghost. A poltergeist like Peeves, maybe, who thoroughly enjoys scaring students.

But that couldn't be it. Peeves was mischievous, but not exactly a monster that would cause Belle to look all freaked out and stuff.

So what happened to Belle that caused her to be out all night?

She sighed again.

"Hey, Goldie, what's wrong?" a familiar voice asked.

Rapunzel looked up and gave Flynn Rider a half-smile.

"Nothing..." she answered vaguely.

Flynn sat down next to her and ruffled her hair. She slapped his hand away while keeping her eyes on the lake in an attempt to ignore him.

"Okay, what's going on?"

Rapunzel glanced at him and bit her lower lip. She looked away before she could start pouring her heart out.

"I'm a very patient guy, you know," he reminded her. "You're going to have to tell me at some point, I know you too well."

She grimaced and risked another glance. He gave her a blank, patient look, clearly waiting for the inevitable. They stared at each other for a long time, neither one willing to leave.

Finally, her resolve broke.

Rapunzel recounted everything that happened that morning: Belle sneaking in, Rapunzel asking her what happened; their quiet confrontation, Belle insisting it was nothing and going to bed.

The whole story was practically said in one breath. When she finished, Rapunzel felt like she had just run a marathon.

"Huh. That is odd," Flynn said. "I mean, I know Belle is one to get absorbed in books, but I don't think she'd break any school rules just to help out Madam Pan-Darling,"

"I know, right? And it's not like the ghosts are really all that scary. Peeves is sort of scary, but he's more of a cruel jokester than anything," she agreed.

They were quiet for a while. Suddenly, an idea struck her.

"You know...she had a date with Adam de la Bête yesterday. Do you think he had something to do with last night?" Rapunzel asked hesitantly.

Flynn tapped his chin as he thought about it, then he shrugged.

"I don't think so, honestly. I mean, Adam sneaks out of the common room sometimes, but I know for an indisputable fact that he doesn't take girls with him on his nightly excursions. He likes to keep to himself," he replied.

Rapunzel nodded, but she still looked worried.

Flynn sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and threw his arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him with a confused glint in her eyes.

"I know you're worried about Belle. It just means that you're a good friend, and I'm sure she appreciates it," he reassured her. "And despite everything people say about Adam, he isn't as awful as he seems."

Rapunzel smiled and wrapped her arms around his torso.

"Thanks, Flynn," she said.

Flynn smirked and returned her embrace. "Anytime, Goldie,"

She released her hold around him, stood up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm going to go check on Belle. I'll see you later!" she said.

Rapunzel waved goodbye and walked away. Flynn gave a two finger salute as he watched her go farther away.

After dinner, Belle rushed to the Clock Tower entrance. She stood under the entryway and waited in anticipation for Adam.

To say she was surprised that he agreed to tell her how long he has been a werewolf would have been an understatement. She thought he would tell her to forget everything she saw last night, and to never, under any circumstances, speak to him again. It would have saddened Belle, because she truly enjoyed his company and learning more about him.

Belle heard footsteps echoing behind her. She turned to see Adam walking towards her. She gave him a hesitant smile as he approached.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," he replied.

Adam reached for her hand and indicated to the Clock Tower. "Let's go upstairs," he said.

Belle nodded and squeezed his hand as he pulled her to the set of stairs to the left of them, leading her to the clock's bells.

When they reached the landing, Adam released her hand and walked to the far side of the room, his back facing her. Belle was a little surprised by the action, but realized that he might be nervous about sharing very personal information with her.

He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. He turned around and looked Belle straight in the eye.

"Before I begin, I want you to know that I have never told anyone about this. All the teachers know about my...affliction, but they don't know how it happened - not even my guardian Forte," Adam began.

Belle gave a single, understanding nod. Adam returned the nod before speaking again.

"Up until six years ago, I was a regular boy. It was my first year at Hogwarts, I had both of my parents, and anything and everything I could ever ask for. At that time I was even more vain and cruel than I am now, if you can believe it,"

He gave a self-deprecating laugh before continuing.

"Anyways...it was Christmas break. I was home, of course, to celebrate the holidays with my family. On Christmas Eve, there was a full moon. We had just finished dinner when...they attacked,"

He paused, quietly gauging her reaction.

She was afraid to hear more, but at the same time she desperately wanted him to tell her everything.

So she urged him to continue on. She took a step closer to him.

"'They'?" Belle asked quietly.

Adam's blue eyes darkened. "The werewolf pack," he answered. "They knew how rich and powerful my family is - was - and they wanted to prove that they could destroy us. Which the pack did. They killed my entire family right in front of me. There...there was so much blood, it was...everywhere...I thought for sure the werewolves would kill me in a similar manner. Except, their leader stopped them. Instead, he...he...he torturedme until I was practically begging for him to just kill me and end the pain entirely. Obviously, he didn't. Rather than putting me out of my misery, that...monster bit me and passed on his curse to me."

Her eyes widened as he told his dark tale. She could hardly believe that anything so horrifying could ever occur, let alone to the handsome boy in front of her.

"After he was finished with me, the pack left. My house-elf, Cogsworth, managed to have escape on my mother's orders. He returned the next morning because of me, the only living member of the family he is forever bound to serve. Cogsworth took me to Professor Powers. She healed me, but it was too late to stop the lycanthropy from taking over my body.

Despite her warnings, I returned to school. She was worried about me, and informed all the teachers to keep a close eye on me. Madam Potts would come with me to the Shrieking Shack every full moon, until about a year ago when I insisted that I go on my own from then on."

He fell silent for a moment, taking the time to observe her and regard her reaction.

"So, Belle, to answer your initial queation, I have been a werewolf for six years, as I mentioned earlier." Adam finally concluded.

Belle could feel the stream of tears flow from her eyes, but she couldn't do anything to stop it.

Without warning she ran to Adam and wrapped her arms around him tightly. As she did the night before, Belle cried into his chest and left him completely bewildered.

"A-Adam, I-I'm so...I'm so sorry that that ha-happened to you!" she sobbed.

She felt him stiffen in her arms, then an unsure hand rested on the top of her head.

"Ah, it's alright, Belle. Like I said, there really wasn't anything anyone could have done. It's no one's fault...well, except the werewolf, but who knows where he is now," Adam tried to reassure her.

Belle surprised them both when she let out a breathy laugh. She pulled away from him, wiped the tears from her face and looked up at him. He looked down at her strangely. His gaze made her cheeks grow warm, her heart flutter and her stomach flip.

"What?" she asked.

Adam shook his head. "Nothing, except..." he trailed off.

"Except what?" she prompted.

"I don't think anyone has ever cried for me before. I mean, I know I have made girls cry because of me, but not for me," he answered. "It's...strange."

Belle smiled and hugged him again.

"That's what friends are for," she whispered. "So you better get used to it."

Adam laughed as he returned her hug.

They held onto each other for a long time, with only the soft rhythms of their breathing and swinging pendulum of the clock filled the landing with noise.

Adam couldn't believe what had transpired. He thought for sure that Belle would run away after he told his story, telling him to never speak to her again. Instead, she did the opposite of what he expected. She cried and went to him to...comfort him. She told him how sorry she was, even though Belle had nothing to do with what happened when he was eleven. And then she called herself his friend. Adam felt more than friendship at that moment, but he quietly accepted that that was all he was going to receive from Belle.

Surprisingly, it was more than enough for him. Perhaps what he needed was a friend - a real, true friend.