"Inside, you're all heart."

Morticia Addams

Chapter 13: First Meeting

With the rest of November came another transformation for Erica. This one was a little harder on her. Her headaches returned, and with it came her irritability. She tried to keep it in check, she really did, but a few scathing remarks slipped from her. Harry and Ron, since they all became friends, had learned about Erica's "genetic condition," and seemed to understand to give her space. Hermione, bless her, tried to help Erica the best she could. Fussing over her at breakfast, fixing her tea, allowing Erica a little leeway when it came to homework.

It helped, but Erica still felt crummy.

But thankfully, her recovery from the full moon was fairly quick. Maybe it was because her pre-symptoms had been pretty severe, or maybe it was because Erica was finally settling into her monthly routine at Hogwarts, but whatever it was, she was grateful for it. But her speedy recovery didn't stop Madam Pomfrey from shoving a Pepper-Up Potion down her throat before she left, worried that Erica would catch a cold because the night and morning had been so frigid.

Erica had tried to ignore the stares she got when she went into the Great Hall for lunch, her ears still steaming.

November turned into December. The weather got even colder. The days grew shorter, and the nights longer. The professors were piling on lots of last minute homework and assignments as the end of the term drew nearer. It hit Erica hard when the fourth Thursday of November came and went with little incident.

Thanksgiving.

A uniquely American holiday.

One that Erica and her mom never failed to spend together.

They woke up early, watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, then got started on the food. Her mom's baked turkey was to die for, and so were her buttered dinner rolls, and her pumpkin and apple pies. Erica made the green bean casserole, the mashed potatoes, the gravy, and the cranberries. They gorged themselves when everything was done, and they always had leftovers for days. And when all was said and all was done, they moved in front of the fireplace, and they told each other what they were thankful for. Chocolate, instant yeast, school, the bakery, the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, Harrison Ford, sleep, dreams, home. And most importantly, each other. And just before bed, they watched A Charlie Brown Christmas together, to signify the beginning of the Christmas season.

At least at Ilvermorny they'd had the Thanksgiving feast. But, this year, at Hogwarts, the Thanksgiving celebration had become something of Erica's past.

And it hit her harder than she expected it to.

But the next day, she'd received a package from her mom — a baked apple pie crusted with raw sugar and a letter listing all the things her mom was thankful for.

The bakery, instant yeast, their extended family, Archimedes, snow, her new down comforter, the color purple, bobby pins and ponytail elastics, red wine, mimosas, home, Erica.

And Chicken Nugget.

Erica had squealed as a small black-and-white sonogram fell out of the letter. Her mom was nine weeks along! Still early, but Chicken Nugget (Melissa's chosen name for the baby, Erica's had been Green Bean) was there and apparently perfectly healthy.

Erica was ecstatic. And her friends noticed.

Hermione was just as excited as her. Harry offered genuine congratulations as well. Ron seemed happy for her too, but not nearly as interested. Erica didn't mind. She was excited enough for all of them.

She and Remus had exchanged a few more letters as well. And ever since Mrs. Weasley's kind letter, Erica and Ginny had become pen-pals.

As December crawled by and the end of term drew nearer, the castle became restless with activity. More and more students were in the library trying to complete the last minute assignments the professors were squeezing in. And many of them were restless with excitement for their holiday plans. And most of the first years were going a little crazy, not used to being away from their families for close to four months at a time.

There was no doubt that Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. Erica had laughed herself silly when word reached her, and the Weasley twins happily taught her the spell they used.

The weather took a turn for the worse. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy skies to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons. But otherwise, classes continued as normal. It was only when Erica got an unexpected letter that things changed.

~)8(~

"Professor McGonagall, not that I'm not grateful, but why exactly am I getting this privilege?"

Erica burrowed into her scarf as she spoke. It was the last weekend before the Christmas holidays, and it was a Hogsmeade weekend. Erica knew that Hogsmeade was the all-magical village near Hogwarts, and that third-years and up got to visit on select weekends. Erica knew that even though she was old enough, she would get the privilege in her third year with everyone else. So it surprised her when on Friday, Professor McGonagall had written Erica a note saying to be ready and dressed warmly.

It was lightly snowing outside, and though it wasn't windy, it was still very cold. Erica, as a werewolf, ran a few degrees warmer than everyone else (Hermione was always concerned, "What if you're sick?"). But even with her higher body temperature, Erica was bundled up in thick leggings, big snow boots with woolen socks, a long-sleeved maroon sweater, a warm winter coat, a scarf, gloves, and a maroon beanie. Erica's extremely curly hair poofed out beneath the hat (the Weasley twins had laughed heartily at her and the sight), but Erica was warm and her sensitive ears were secure under her hat and hair.

"There's someone who wants to meet with you," Professor McGonagall explained, "and the Three Broomsticks is one of his favorite places."

Erica couldn't possibly imagine who wanted to meet with her. She hoped it wasn't a ministry official who would monitor her progress and danger levels, though she wouldn't be particularly surprised if it was.

Even though Erica's status as a werewolf was secret.

Professor McGonagall led Erica off Hogwarts property to a little village, her emerald green cloak billowing behind her. Erica had never gotten the courage to ask Professor McGonagall why she wore Slytherin green when she was the head of Gryffindor House.

Erica followed closely behind the professor, her eyes widening upon the sight of the village.

Hogsmeade was already hopping with students. They were laughing, chasing each other through the streets, picking snowball fights, and ducking in and out of shops. Erica caught sight of two heads of red hair disappearing inside Zonko's Joke Shop, and Erica saw Percy admiring a quill inside a stationary shop. Honeydukes was practically overflowing with students, and Erica forced her eyes away when she saw the chocolate in the window. Professor McGonagall led Erica to a large pub and inn, the Three Broomsticks.

Erica was immediately flooded with warmth as she stepped inside. It was very full in the inn, and it had a friendly atmosphere. Erica felt comfortable. Professor McGonagall briefly greeted Madam Rosmerta, the owner, before leading Erica towards a back corner booth where a man sat.

Erica gasped.

He was a werewolf!

The man was young, only in his early thirties maybe, but Erica thought he looked older. His brown hair was a bit flecked with grey. His eyes were shining and alert, but they looked sad, as if something was weighing on him. He was drumming his fingers against the table, maybe out of nerves or impatience as he waited for them, but he didn't look mean or menacing. He looked… kind.

The man, like Erica, had some scars on his face, and she was sure they covered his entire body. He had a drink sitting in front of him, already half gone. Erica took a light whiff. Whatever it was, it smelled amazing. But as she sniffed, Erica also got a whiff of the werewolf before her. He smelled… hmm… He smelled like tea. And chocolate. And something musky — something Erica had come to associate as the smell of a wolf.

"Ready?"

Erica stopped staring at the man she was apparently going to meet and looked up at Professor McGonagall. Erica gulped and nodded. She hardly dared to hope this man was who she hoped it was.

Could it be… Remus Lupin?

The man caught sight of Professor McGonagall as they approached. He immediately stood, a genuine smile growing on his face. Erica blinked. He looked so much younger when he smiled. And his shoulders no longer slumped.

Professor McGonagall also smiled upon seeing the man, a true smile that would never be seen in the classroom.

"Hello, Professor," the man greeted. She gave him a warm hug. Erica nearly jolted. She'd never seen Professor McGonagall hug anyone.

"Mr. Lupin."

Erica's heart soared.

Professor McGonagall studied her former student. "Are you eating properly?"

Remus Lupin looked both fond and indignant. "Of course."

Professor McGonagall studied him a bit more. Remus Lupin smiled reassuringly.

"Promise."

Professor McGonagall nodded, satisfied.

Once that was said and done, Remus Lupin's smiling eyes fell upon Erica, who stood a bit behind her Head of House.

Remus took in her appearance. She definitely looked her age, but Erica Addams was so small. She was nearly swallowed by her boots and coat, and she stood less than five feet tall. And at her age, she was not likely to grow any taller. She wasn't chicken-legged or armed, probably thanks to the transformations and her eating habits, but she was still so petite. But her brown eyes were bright, even looking a little excited. Remus swallowed his sadness as he saw her facial scars.

"This must be young Erica." Erica looked up at him as the man approached her. "I'm Remus Lupin."

Erica smiled, a little bashfully.

"Hi, Mr. Lupin." She shook his offered hand. Both hands were unfortunately calloused and scarred, but Remus' was much more so.

"You can just call me Remus, Erica."

Erica nodded, her smile widening into something less bashful and more happy. Professor McGonagall was also smiling upon seeing the two meeting.

"Make sure she gets back all right, Mr. Lupin," she said sternly, but not unkindly. Remus nodded.

"Of course."

"I expect you to behave, Miss Addams."

Erica smiled and nodded.

"Of course, Minnie."

Remus snorted around a swig of his drink.

Professor McGonagall gave the girl a warning look, but it was ruined by the twitch at the corner of her mouth. She took her leave.

Erica turned to Remus, biting her lip a bit.

"Well, Erica, why don't you tell me all about school?"

Erica smiled, nodded, and shed her coat. She also took off her gloves, her hat, and scarf before sitting down at the small booth with Remus.

"I know I already said this in my letters, but Hogwarts is brilliant!" Erica exclaimed. "Ilvermorny was, too, but in a different way. I really like the professors and classes here." Erica made a bit of a face and backtracked. "Well, most of them."

Remus laughed. "I imagine Professor Binns is no more interesting now than he was when I was at school. Do students still fall asleep and play Exploding Snap during class?"

"All the time," Erica admitted. "I've napped a few times myself."

Her eyes widened comically as Remus raised an eyebrow at her.

"But not all the time! And I always do the reading and take notes later, promise!"

Remus laughed.

"Relax, Erica. As long as you're keeping up, you can sleep in Binns' class all you want." Erica relaxed and giggled a little. "What are your favorite subjects?"

"Definitely Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions. Herbology is cool, too, and Professor Sprout is amazing. She visited with me a little while I was at home last year. She told me she was disappointed I wasn't in Hufflepuff."

Remus could see why. Erica was a delightful girl, and though he knew Professor McGonagall was likely very strict with her, she was proud to have Erica in her House.

She let Erica call her "Minnie" after all. Only Professor McGonagall's favorites got away with that.

"Professor Flitwick is also really nice," Erica was saying. "And Professor McGonagall is strict, but that's not a bad thing. Some of my friends need it." Erica thought of Harry and Ron, her little slacker friends, and the Weasley twins, who were always interested in something other than class. "And Potions is my best subject, but…" Erica's expression soured. "Professor Snape is horrible."

"I'm sure he's not that bad, Erica," Remus said.

"He's a bullying ass." Remus spluttered through the last drink of his Butterbeer, eyeing Erica's scowl. "He yells at poor Neville and takes points off Harry for no reason at all, and he blatantly favors Slytherin. They've won the House Cup for the last six years, and I doubt it's because they actually earned it."

Remus sighed. He'd had a sliver of hope that Severus had matured in the years since school, but it seemed he had done just the opposite.

He should've guessed from Erica's letters, but he had still hoped.

"It seems he hasn't changed much," Remus sighed.

"Was he that horrible in school?" Erica remembered that Remus and Snape had been classmates.

Remus tried to be neutral. "The Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry runs deep. And Severus was never very popular. It didn't help that my friends and I, regrettably, liked to pick on him. I regret it now, but I had hoped he was able to act professionally now that he's a teacher."

Erica scoffed. "I wish. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that he's making my potion, but it doesn't make him any less of a jerk."

Remus shook his head with a small smile. "Be that as it may, he is still your professor. And if Potions is your best subject, then you'll just have to muddle through. Don't let him dampen your spirits, Erica. Don't let an unpleasant situation, or person, get you down."

Erica smiled slowly, nodding and already feeling better with Remus' gentle advice. She didn't want to let thoughts of Severus Snape ruin her day. She was here because Remus had wanted to meet her, and nothing else. She was here to have a good time. A good day.

Remus soon ordered Erica a drink called Butterbeer, what he had been drinking earlier. Erica eagerly sipped the drink, finding it delightfully sweet and foamy. Madam Rosmerta had stopped off to talk to them briefly, but eventually, Remus and Erica bundled back up and left the Three Broomsticks. Remus offered to show Erica around Hogsmeade, and she eagerly accepted.

Remus took Erica to Tomes and Scrolls — the local bookshop — Dominic Maestro's Music Shop, Dervish and Bangs, Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, Zonko's, and best of all: Honeydukes.

Erica swore Honeydukes was her own personal heaven. The few (British) wizarding candies she'd bought from the Hogwarts Express trolley held no comparison to the eclectic selection the candy store offered. There were some familiar sweeties — Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes, Pumpkin Pasties (though Erica still wasn't quite sure what a pastie was), Licorice Wands, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. But there were so many more in the shop!

Erica tried hard not to spend the rest of her allowance, but she did get herself a decent selection of chocolate, Sugar Quills, Pepper Imps, and toffees. She also bought some Acid Pops and Exploding Bonbons for her extended family, who would likely find candy that could burn a hole in your tongue or explode in your mouth positively delightful.

When Erica finished with her purchases, she noticed that Remus had also bought himself a healthy amount of chocolate.

"Do you mind if we go to a tea shop down the way?" Remus asked Erica as they exited the sweet shop. "They sell a particular brew I'm fond of, and I'm running low.

"Of course not," Erica said. She smiled. "I like tea, too."

The tea shop was lovely and warm. Its walls were lined with shelves, which displayed endless jars and canisters of tea leaves. A small counter with a menu was near the back with a little seating area, but most of the patrons in the shop were browsing the shelves. And most of them weren't students.

"This isn't one of the more popular shops," Remus seemed to lament. "I used to drag my friends here. They always moaned at me that I could drown myself in tea and be happy about it."

Erica giggled. "They sound lovely.

Remus' smile was so sad Erica felt her heart squeeze. "They weren."

Erica dared to touch his arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Remus' smile became lighter, more gentle, and he patted her hand. "It's all right. Bad memories simply are, and I've come to realize that ignoring them only serves to make me miserable." Remus gave a sardonic chuckle. "Still doesn't make it easier."

"You said they knew about you?" Erica asked.

"They did." Remus didn't seem to mind speaking about it. At least, not with Erica. "They worked it out in our second year. I admit, I didn't expect them to work it out so fast, but they were geniuses when it suited them. I thought they'd turn me in, or expose me, but the three of them simply told me I was being dramatic and spent the rest of our time at Hogwarts doing all they could to support me."

Remus' smile was wistful, and not nearly as sad as before. "I didn't deserve them," he said. "And over time, a few other people found out. They were just as supportive."

Erica smiled. And her heart warmed. It gave her hope that maybe she could find friends just as supportive.

"Hermione noticed in the first month that something was wrong with me," she said. Remus quirked an eyebrow, both concerned and impressed. "I told her that I have a rare genetic condition and that Ilvermorny was not able, or willing, to accommodate it, so that's why I was, ahem, not invited back. So now whenever I get migraines or aches or mood swings, she simply attributes it to my 'condition.'"

"That's clever," Remus said. "But if Hermione is as smart as you've told me she is, she's going to notice the pattern."

"I know," Erica acknowledged. Hermione was brilliant, and she was far more observant than people seemed to realize. She wasn't just book-smart, she could be people-smart as well. She figured things out about others simply by observing, or listening, or noticing patterns. And her mind was just so full of facts about nearly everything that figuring things out was no hard task for her.

Erica had come to terms with the fact that Hermione would eventually figure out what was truly wrong with her. But she kept her fingers crossed, hoping that time wouldn't be for years to come.

Remus bought his tea, and he and Erica left the shop. The snow was starting to slow, but it was still cold, and he wrapped his shabby cloak around himself tighter, hoping for a bit more warmth. He glanced at Erica's Muggle coat, wondering if it did a better job of keeping out the chill.

"What time is it?" Erica asked.

Remus glanced at his watch. Just passing two. Why don't we head back to the Three Broomsticks for a late lunch?"

At the mention of lunch, Erica's stomach gave a horrible growl which had her blushing and Remus laughing.

"Are they not feeding you properly up at the castle?" he chuckled.

"Are you kidding? I finally get to eat as much as I want to! It's heaven!"

Remus laughed. He knew what she meant. "Then let's go. Madam Rosmerta makes a good, hearty stew."

Remus and Erica ate lots of stew together in front of the Three Broomsticks fireplace, and continued getting to know each other. Remus had been right before. Erica was a truly delightful girl. But he was still sad. For someone who hadn't been a werewolf for even two full years, she seemed depressingly used to it. She told him about her transformations with ease, more bothered by the idea of the Shrieking Shack than the transformations themselves.

"You know, it's a wonder no one's discovered us there before," Erica said, spooning stew into her mouth. "Everyone says it's haunted, so that's why they don't go there. But we literally go to a school with ghosts and a poltergeist."

Remus admitted the point was amusing, but he still hoped the monthly screams and howls of pain deterred people from venturing into the shack.

After lunch, Remus and Erica did a little more Christmas shopping, though Erica did most of it. She wanted to get something for her mom, and something for Hermione, and something for Harry and Ron. And Professor Dumbledore.

But eventually, dusk began to fall, and the weather was getting colder. Students filtered back to the castle, and Erica reluctantly had to join them.

"Thank you for this, Remus," she said, her eyes fervent. "I had a really good time. And I'm glad I got to meet you in person."

Remus smiled, wider than he had all day. And though Erica didn't know it, happier than he had in ten years. He squeezed her shoulder, his eyes kind and caring. "I had a good time as well, Erica. I was glad to meet you, too. Write to me when you get back for next term, okay?"

Erica beamed. "I will. Thanks, Remus!"

When Erica got back to the common room, she was warm with affection and new, happy memories. She couldn't wait to tell her mom all about him, and their trip to Hogsmeade. And she couldn't wait to go back when she was a third year.

But most of all, Erica was just as happy to have finally, finally met someone like her. Someone who understood. Someone who was kind. And caring. And supportive. It wasn't Christmas yet, but Erica's outing with Remus Lupin had felt very much like a gift.

One she would always cherish.

Two more chapters to go!

Sammiemoosam