Full Moon Rising, Part Four
A few days later, Sama, Remus and Hagrid were sitting around his fire discussing plans for the spellworking.
"Remember your aunt's warning? 'Don't forget the lake'." Remus said.
"I remember. Although I am not sure what she meant for us to do."
"Wha' d'yeh mean?" Hagrid queried.
"Water magic is the most ancient of the Old Forms." Sama's eyes held a faraway look. "Water is the life-blood of the world. Without it, everything dies. But it is also mercurial in its magic. Wild magic is downright predictable when compared to water magic. The lake may not accept any bindings- even ones of wild magic."
"Will Voldemort be able to use it?"
"I doubt it. It is the one form that is nearly useless to wizards." She considered a moment. "I can't see how it would be possible to wrest power from water. Although, from what I have been reading about Voldemort, he tends to roll over any obstacles. He may have found a way I cannot anticipate…"
"Can we bind the lake against his efforts as we do the forest?"
"We can write it into the spells, but whether or not it takes…" she half shrugged. "Merpeople use water magic. They are really the only ones equipped for it. From what little I know, of all the different forms wild magic takes, water magic is the least understood or studied. Even song magic has little effect on water. It's too… malleable."
"Voldemort has been able to strip more and more wild magic power to further his own ends. Are we any closer to knowing how?" Remus asked.
"I don't know how he's doing it. I haven't felt a backlash through the ley lines yet. He must have someone maintaining spells to keep it away." She shuddered. She knew that when the backlash hit, this person would likely bear the brunt. It would kill him.
"I thought you couldn't stop the backlash from happening."
"I said it wasn't smart. It can be done, but wild magic will always exact a price for its use. Paying that price right away ensures you are alive to use it in the future. Putting it off is nearly always fatal. It's best not to fight it- that just makes it worse." She saw Hagrid pale a little, and he cleared his throat a trifle nervously.
Remus whistled long and low. "I don't know. Water magic- sealing the whole forest. Seems impossible, doesn't it?"
"Mmmm…" She wouldn't meet his eyes, and that, more than her non-committal answer, made him apprehensive.
~*~
As the days and weeks passed, Remus, Sama, and Hagrid spent more and more time together creating and testing the spells to seal the forest. Sometimes, in the evenings, Sama would play her reed pipes gently, accompanying the crackling fire and the wind singing in the trees outside. Remus would find himself watching her. She seemed so at ease with herself, in and out of wolfskin. He found himself wishing for the peace she exhibited in her duality.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione could be found at Hagrid's more and more often in the off hours, playing wizard chess or studying. Sama and Remus helped them with their studies, and in turn they helped with the research for the Forest binding. It surprised Sama that Ron spent more and more time with her. He was learning bits of song magic and assisting her with the controls for spells to seal the forest. She used her pipes to find the melody that would resonate and align itself properly with the magic in the forest. Ron became adept at identifying the song patterns and fitting them to the chanted spells at the parts where they would be most advantageous. Again and again she wished Portia could be here to guide Ron in the finer points, as Hogwarts had no expert in some of the more obscure forms.
"You've got a gift for song magic, Ron." Sama said one evening. Harry was at Quidditch practice, and Hermione was in the school library. Ron had come down to Hagrid's hut to see Sama, alone.
"You think so?" He gazed up at her, slightly flushed with pleasure.
"Yes. It's very rare- the ability to instinctively know what pattern to stress in a melody. Song magic is one of the three cornerstones of learning to control wild magics." She paused, and then smiled. "It's what first got me interested in the practice of wild magic when I was a child. I found it… appropriate."
"Why?" Ron's face shone with curiosity and undisguised interest.
"All sorts of things sing, Ron. Not just people."
"I know- birds and such."
Sama sighed. "Not just 'birds and such'" she mimicked his response. "Every living thing makes noise. Most things sing- granted, some in a very limited way. It's an ancient and beautiful form of communication. Even if it is just for joy, nothing that sings has no purpose in the sounds."
"So it was just listening to stuff that got you interested?" he sounded doubtful to the sanity in that.
"Actually, it was wolfsong."
Remus looked up from across the room, a smile playing around his mouth.
"What?" Ron was startled.
"The songs of wolves. It's a very ancient language."
"You understand the songs of wolves?" He sounded beyond incredulous now.
"Yes." She shot a look over to Remus and found him watching her. Smiling, she forestalled the next question, effectively ending the fascinating, if strange conversation. "Now back to the practical uses of song magic."
"The first rule is that song magic helps the practical application of wild magic by forging the bindings," Ron repeated, and then worked his way through the rest of the list of theories she'd assigned him the previous evening before asking another question. "But how does it work with wild magics?" Sama saw his frustration build as he struggled to understand the nebulous quality of song and wild magic. She sighed. She was so quiet for a few minutes that Ron thought maybe she was angry he'd asked the question. He stared down at the parchment in front of him scared she would decide he wasn't bright enough to learn it- gift or no.
Sama considered carefully. This boy had no background in the wild magical arts as the students of the Academy did. He hadn't done a lot of the foundation work that was required of all Academy first year students. He wanted to know answers to advanced studies questions, and she wanted to explain it so it would make sense within the base of his own traditional magic education.
Finally she spoke, and as she did he could see she had been struggling to find the words to explain it to him. "Wild magic works best when the person attempting the spell has a clear understanding of what the spell is supposed to do, and how it will work with the earth itself to create the desired effect. What you say, that is the words you use, becomes less important. It's more important how you say it. It is different from the rules of any other magic. You see? You must be specific in how you say something. Wild magic keys into its own types of language- one is the language of the music found in everything- working together to create an effect. Part of the challenge lies in finding the patterns."
"But you keep saying that the rules of traditional magic can't work with song magic. I don't understand- if there are no rules, how can you ever get anything done?"
Sama smiled. "Spoken like a true chess player. It's not as if traditional rules never work, it is just unpredictable. Let's take it a step farther. There are patterns in a game of chess, right?"
"Right. Each different piece can only move in predetermined ways."
"What do you think would happen if there were two people playing chess, and while one player adhered to the rules, the other didn't- he just moved any piece anywhere he wanted, regardless of whether it was his turn, or even his piece?"
"It would be chaos. And no fun!"
"For the one following the rules it would be chaos. Looking at wild magic with a strong background in traditional magic forms is like looking upon that chaos. But now suppose the player that is creating the chaos had his own set of rules he was abiding by, and it is only perceived to be chaos? Wild magic is like that. It has its own patterns- and anyone can learn to see the patterns and use them to create spells and enchantments similar to traditional magic. It's not easy or consistent. It doesn't mean there aren't rewards- there are."
"Such as?"
"Oh, some things that can not be done with traditional spells can be with wild magic and through song."
"Like with the fire salamanders?"
"Yes! The song I sang that day was not to calm the movements of the salamanders."
"Right! It was a song to remind them of home- and they listened!"
"Yes. That it had the side effect of calming them enough for the oil to be harvested was a not the intrinsic purpose of the song. That it happened to be a lullaby was inconsequential. Only a human being would understand it as such. In this case, we assigned a human style song to amplify the meaning for wild magic to work on a non-human. Needless to say this is not always- possible."
"What do you mean?"
"Would a lullaby calm a windstorm- or, what did Hagrid call them?" Sama paused, remembering the story Ron had told of a fearsome species Hagrid had kept as pets last year. "Blast-Ended Skrewts? No, you would need something much stronger than a lullaby."
Ron's eyes gazed into nothingness before he turned back to her thoughtfully. "So finding the pattern will help unlock what type of binding you need in the spell!"
"Yes! That's it exactly!" Sama felt a wave of satisfaction sweep through her. Ron could be very good at the older forms. He had learned so much in such a short period of time. Some students never got this far. It had been a very long time since she felt a student had grasped the intricacies of wild magic as well as this young wizard. She longed to have him as a student at the Academy. Remus had told her of the Weasley family, of Ron's older brothers, all of them brilliant wizards. She had even met the mischievous twins, and his younger sister, Ginny. She wondered if his parents would allow him to study a summer in the States. He could learn a lot… Perhaps, if she could set up an exchange program, she would find other students able to tap into the ancient powers. It was something to think about. After this business with Voldemort, and sealing the wild magic of the forest, perhaps she would speak with Headmaster Dumbledore. If they survived.
~*~
Later that night in the Gryffindor common room Ron sat staring into space while Harry and Hermione studied.
"Don't you think, Ron? Ron?"
"What?" Ron focused back on the table.
"Where are you tonight? That's the third time you've ignored us." Hermione was watching him closely.
"I'm sorry. I was thinking about something Miss Sama told me tonight."
"Well?" Hermione fixed her gaze on him and he sighed.
"She was talking about wolfsong- she said she understood the language of wolves which I thought was odd. I snuck a glance at Professor Lupin because- well, you know why. And that's when I saw the way Professor Lupin looked at her. I think he fancies her." Ron said slowly.
"What do you mean, fancies her?"
"What do you think I mean? Come on Harry, you do know what 'fancies' means, right?" Ron sounded aggravated.
"Of course I know what it means, you twit! I meant what makes you think he fancies her?"
"The way he looked at her… Every once in a while when they think no one is around, my mum and dad look at each other like that. Kind of soft and… mushy."
"Do you think Miss Sama feels the same way?" Hermione asked eagerly.
"I don't know. Do you think she knows he's a werewolf?"
"Ah… well… yeah. I'm pretty sure she knows." Harry suddenly wouldn't meet their eyes and he was blushing.
Hermione and Ron watched the flush with fascination as it stained his cheeks.
"What?" Harry was now squirming in his chair.
"Harry, what have you been keeping from us?"
"Well, ummm… The morning after the full moon, I went up to the owlery to send a message to Snuffles and I saw them coming across the grounds together. Professor Lupin was wearing her cloak- I am fairly certain he wasn't wearing anything under it- and she didn't look… she wasn't… properly dressed. They both looked kind of muddy… I thought maybe… well, maybe she's one too." His voice trailed off as Hermione and Ron stared at him. Harry suddenly found himself pelted with small items from the table as his best friends tossed whatever was handy at him.
"Why didn't you tell us!"
"Miss Sama, a werewolf! That's just- perfect- that is!"
~*~
Sama sat in the library surrounded by stacks of dusty volumes detailing every known creature that existed in Britain. She was making notes on sheets of parchment, already filled with a variety of other notations, some made by Remus, and others by Hagrid.
"Miss Sama?"
"Yes?" Sama glanced up into Hermione's face peering at her from over one of the shorter stacks of books.
"Can I… help you?" Hermione was looking slightly unsure of herself.
"Certainly. If it won't interfere with your studies."
"It won't!" Sama had the distinct impression that Hermione was one of those people who is happiest learning something than at any other time. Handing Hermione one of the sheets of parchment, and a stack of books, she explained the information she was looking for.
They worked in companionable silence for a while. Hermione kept looking over at her. Sama became increasingly aware of the young woman's scrutiny. Finally placing her quill on the table, she leaned back in her chair.
"Hermione, was there something else you wanted?"
Hermione jumped. "Oh! I… just wanted to help… Ron's helping with the song, and Harry's working with Professor Lupin on the chants. I'm just really good at research."
"Yes. I can see that. However, you've consulted that same paragraph four times. It doesn't seem like your mind is here." Sama was slightly amused that Hermione, who always seemed so self-possessed was now rattled and nervous.
Hermione flushed. How did they talk me into this? She thought irritably. The logic that Ron used on her was that this was 'girl stuff'. Finally she blurted, "Are you a werewolf?" Hermione blushed scarlet. "Oh! That didn't come out the way I wanted it…"
Sama laughed. "Remus told me you were the one who figured out that he was a werewolf two years ago. You were sure about him, what makes you question my… werewolf status?"
"You don't exhibit the same signs Professor Lupin did. But then, the moon has only been full once since you've been here…" Hermione bit her lip. "Harry seemed to think you were…"
"Well, Harry is right. I am a werewolf. I am wolf-born, which is entirely different from wolf-bit."
"Oh." Hermione considered. "Do… do you like Professor Lupin?"
Sama raised an eyebrow at Hermione's question. "I consider Remus a good friend." She said carefully.
Hermione was quiet a moment as she thought over the response. She watched as a slight pink tinged Sama's face. Satisfied that perhaps there was more than friendship there after all, she made a show of turning back to her parchment and continuing her research.
Sama was startled to find herself blushing under Hermione's close scrutiny, and was relieved when Hermione didn't follow up her questioning. Slightly disturbed at her own reaction, Sama turned her attention back to the volume she had been consulting.
~*~
It was six nights until the full moon, one week until Halloween night, when Remus and Sama were at Hagrid's for tea and strategy. At the scratching at the door, Fang looked up from his place by the hearth, and growled slightly. Remus opened the door, and with a cry of joy he stepped aside to admit an enormous black dog.
The dog's form blurred until a tall black haired man stood in its place. Remus and the man embraced, thumping each other on the back, and Hagrid rose to greet the newcomer also. Dumbledore had long since taken Hagrid in to the circle of those that knew of the Animagus' innocence, although there was still no proof. Sama rose also and watched as the stranger was ushered to a seat by the fire.
"Sama, this is Sirius Black." Remus' eyes glowed with pleasure as he introduced his childhood friend.
Sirius' eyes twinkled with good humor as he made a slight bow over her hand. "Isamatia Canid. I had the very great pleasure of taking tea with your aunt a couple of months ago."
"So Headmaster Dumbledore told me, Mr. Black."
As if the mention of the headmaster reminded him why he'd come, Sirius' face lost its smile and he suddenly looked tired. Sinking into the chair they'd pulled out for him he turned to Remus.
"Moony, what progress has been made with sealing the forest against Voldemort?"
"We've got the spells, and are modifying them now. Sealing something as blasted big as the Forest is complicated."
"When will you be ready?"
"We are planning for Halloween. The wild magics won't bind well until then." Sama said.
Sirius swore softly under his breath. "My information tells me that Halloween is the night Voldemort will attempt his own spells."
"We cannot do it any earlier. The bindings won't take, and the seals will be easily broken. We'll just have to take our chances." she shrugged, a cold feeling growing the pit of her stomach.
They talked for a while and decided that Sirius would stay with Hagrid. As another of Hagrid's creatures he wouldn't attract too much attention from those who did not know who and what he was. Remus was delighted when he joined their strategy sessions with all his old cleverness, intelligence, and sense of fun. Harry, Ron and Hermione used any excuse to have tea with Hagrid and Sirius. Sama quickly came to appreciate his quick wit and clear thinking.
~*~
Remus and Sirius sat outside Hagrid's hut watching the waxing moon crawl across the sky. It was very late, the night after Sirius had arrived. Sama had retired early, and Hagrid snored inside. Silence stretched between the two friends, but not an uncomfortable one.
"Did you know she's a werewolf?" Remus' voice was low.
Sirius looked over at Remus, startled. His face was lowered, and he was staring into his cup. A slow smile started to spread across Sirius' face.
"Yeah. I suspected."
Remus glanced up, surprised. "You did?"
"Yeah." Sirius was quiet a minute, before he went on. "Dumbledore gave me a pendant on a chain- some kind of finding mechanism- to help guide me to where wild magic was being used. I found the shields at Wolfgate Farm quite by accident, two nights before the full moon. Getting into Wolf Hollow took a day and a half. They've got that place hidden really well. Three times I found myself wandering through woods far from the shielded valley with no inkling of how I'd gotten there. It was maddening- Not only is the valley unplottable, it has strong befuddlement spells in effect. To keep people out, I suppose. When I finally did get in it was the afternoon before the full moon. I had tea with her aunt. What a character! Anyway, around dusk she threw me out. I stuck around- as Padfoot- and noticed that most of the houses in the Hollow were dark- and no one seemed to be about. What had been a bustling village was now deserted. When I heard the howling in the woods- well, I kind of figured out why the shields were so strong. I even probed them- but I couldn't 'see' through them. I-" Sirius paused and a sheepish smile crossed his face briefly. "I broke into her aunt's home to use the fireplace and spoke with Dumbledore that night…"
"You what?" Remus had been staring at him like he'd sprouted another head.
"Oh, it's all right." Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "Iris told me I would. I just didn't know she was a foreteller at the time. When I was leaving that afternoon she said to me 'Sonny-boy, you come back here. You use my fireplace. It's OK.' I thought she was totally around the bend at that. Now I know she's a future reader." Sirius shrugged a bit. "Moony, there must be a hundred werewolves living there. The wolfsong echoing through that valley that night… It's a thriving community. I told Dumbledore that you should be the one to go."
"Did you tell him why?"
"I didn't have time. He wanted to contact Fudge right away. I imagine the American Ministry may have…"
"Probably. It seemed to come as no surprise to him last full moon…"
Sirius eyed Remus speculatively, pondering the last remark. He wondered what had happened at the full moon, but knew he would find out more if he let Remus talk to him in his own time. Then again, he mused, Remus' face really said it all.
~*~
The days flew by in a blur of spell working and reworking until it was the day of the full moon. The last preparations for Halloween had been made, and Remus had been sure to take the Wolfsbane Potion faithfully. In the early evening, Sama and Remus went together to the Forbidden Forest. Sirius had mentioned that he would be spending the evening with Harry at Hagrid's, but might be able to sneak out late. Remus had answered him absently, and so didn't notice the slow, pleased smile spread over his friend's face.
Sama and Remus walked steadily together into the Forbidden Forest, and when they reached the small clearing where they had ended the last full moon night, they stopped. Suddenly shy, Sama sat with arms wrapped around her knees in a root hollow at the base of a tree, and awaited dusk and the rising of the moon. Remus sat beside her, nervous and afraid. He'd never willingly changed in front of someone else before. He'd always been already in wolfskin by the time Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail came to liberate him from the prison of the Shrieking Shack.
The forest darkened around them as the sun set. Sama could feel the tides of her body shift, gaining strength as the moon started her upward climb. Bristly hair started to sprout, and move across her body in waves. Standing, she shed her cloak and robe. Beside her, Remus shrugged out of his own robes as the change gripped him. Long, painful minutes later, the wolves greeted each other with happy whines and yips. Slowly, for tonight they knew there would be no headlong chase, they moved toward the beckoning depths of the wood. They both knew they had to conserve their energy. The pale grey wolf and large brown wolf melted into the Forest together.
Morning found them curled together at the base of the tree, and they rose tiredly. After dressing, they picked bits of leaves and twigs from each other's hair. Together they went up to the castle, and only after breakfast, and Sama's 'health tonic', did they part, to rest as much as possible before the spell workings that evening.
~*~
In the late afternoon Sama went to Hagrid's hut and found Dumbledore, Remus, and Sirius with him. Sirius was arguing with Dumbledore about being allowed to go with them into the Forbidden Forest.
"I should be there! If Voldemort gets through the spellworkings …"
"If Voldemort does get through you'll be needed at the castle, Padfoot." Remus said quietly. "You are very powerful, my friend. If we fail… If we do not surv…" Remus paused, and swallowed. "They will need your help. Harry will need you there."
Sama watched the two men, and thought that Sirius was going to object. Then he backed down. Groaning, he slammed his fist on the table in defeat. "Moony, I don't want to not be there if… Not again…"
Remus' eyes glowed with understanding. "I know. I wasn't there the night James and Lily died, either. But we know the risks." Remus stood beside his tall friend and suddenly clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Besides, we're just going for a walk in the woods."
Sirius looked into Remus' eyes, and suddenly the ghost of a smile flitted across his face. Reaching out he clasped his friend's shoulder. "Be careful, Moony." Transforming, the big black dog padded up to Hogwarts beside Dumbledore. Remus watched after them. Once they were gone, he turned back and helped Sama and Hagrid pack up the items they would need.
They started to set the bindings in the forest as the sun faded over the horizon, and as the moon rose. Quietly at first, so as to not disturb the bonds between forest and inhabitants, Sama played her pipes as Remus and Hagrid chanted the spells they had worked out so carefully over the last two months. Hagrid's voice naturally provided the beat, which he punctuated by slapping his hand on a small drum. Remus' higher tone wove around the drumbeats, providing support to Sama's piping. Sama felt the gathering power flow through the soles of her bare feet from the forest floor up through her body. She concentrated on focusing the power that was emanating out from the two wizards. Together the three of them found their melody and their rhythm and the power built and built, sealing each edge of the forest with intent and need. Louder and louder they sent their enchantments out into every corner of the forest. Slowly, the forest responded, and the glen started to glow brighter and brighter around them. Like a light fog, the glow spread outward from the focus, settling throughout the wood. Sifting upward, it started to outline each bit it touched, and as it did it grew and grew. The sound of the spellworking sang in the very wood of the trees- sealing them from the inside out. At the brightest heart of the glow, the wizards and the witch reached the climax of the sealing.
At the height of the enchantment, there was a resounding clash of spell hitting spell. They recoiled as the counterpoint tuning smashed into them like a wave upon rocks. It reverberated and retreated through the wood and their melody faltered. Sama's pipes cracked with the force of the attacking spell. A cold wind whipped through the forest. Voldemort and his supporters were trying to strip the wild magic from the forest even as Sama, Remus and Hagrid struggled to bind it. There was a great racket as the inhabitants of the forest rose up against Voldemort's spell workings. The creatures, magical and non-magical alike, screamed in defiance at the raw power threatening their homes. As the woods about them started to glow a sickly blackish green, there was a great splintering sound; Hagrid and Remus looked at Sama, panic showing plainly in their eyes. Sama's pipes fell apart in her hands with the force of the counter spell. Throwing down the now-useless bits of wood and reed, Sama continued the wild magic weaving with song. The air around her crackled with energy. Her song was a countermelody that wove itself into the spell chanting that Hagrid and Remus continued. As the power built in a second, more powerful wave, Sama felt the pressure well within her, searching for a release she couldn't give it. She could feel it want to force itself from behind her eyes. Suddenly, saturated tissues burst as blood started to run from her nose. Remus also had blood running from his nose, and she supposed Hagrid did too, but she couldn't turn her head and look at him. The magically conjured wind whined and whipped around them picking up bits of debris, and battering them. Sama shut her eyes to keep the grit out and continued the song, struggling for dominance.
The power crackled throughout the glen and the black green glow slowly lightened to a blue purple fog that changed the bindings wherever it settled, laying down the enchantment and sealing it against the dark magic that threatened to worm its way into the forest. As the final note sounded out through the forest, all three of them sagged to the ground and sat panting.
"Ohhhhh… me head hurts." Hagrid's voice was gravelly with strain. The backlash was rolling over them, and the big man whimpered a bit with its force.
The earth shook and rumbled. All of a sudden there was a resounding CRACK as some of their spell bindings burst. Remus looked at Sama, she blanched, blood now pouring in a deep red river from her nose. The backlash of the spell workings was hitting her the hardest, but she looked up at him with near panic in her eyes.
"Remus! The lake! He broke the bindings at the lake! He's trying to strip power from the water magic!"
End Part Four
Author's Notes: Many thanks to Gwen for editing, encouragement, and inspiration. Thank you to all those who have been reading this story and giving feedback all along. If you have been reading along (and I know there are far more of you than those few who have been kind enough to review) thanks for reading. Maybe we can invite you to review as well? Part Five will end this story. Stay tuned!
Disclaimers: Sama, Wolf Hollow, and the Academy for the Magical Arts and Sciences with all inhabitants mentioned and implied are mine. The universe they help populate in this incarnation, and all other characters belong to J.K. Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended. No money will be made from this fiction.