The Unicorn and the Wolf
by Jennifer Allen
"Life is Complicated"
"Artemis, can I ask you a question?"
Artemis reached over and grabbed a cookie off the plate. "Shoot."
"Why did you choose to teach about werewolves? That subject is usually reserved for Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"I believe that werewolves are magical creatures, too. It isn't their fault that they were bitten. I mean, you didn't just walk up to a werewolf when you were little and say 'bite me so I can become like you.' I think people need to open up and face the truth that werewolves, though they are dangerous, are creatures that need love and care like any other."
She nibbled on her cookie. Remus found it humorous how she ate chocolate chip cookies. She always nibbled the cookie, avoiding the chocolate chips if at all possible. She would then eat the entire cookie when she couldn't avoid chocolate chips any longer.
"Remus, I barely knew my father. He and my mother both died when I was only five. What I do remember about him was that he deeply cared about the state of werewolves. Before he died, he had defended a small boy who had been bitten by one. They had taken the boy to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. If it hadn't been for my father and several of the more sympathetic Aurors, that boy would probably be dead."
"I remember that case," Remus spoke while grabbing a cookie. "They were still scared, even back then. They said the boy was bitten by an unlicensed werewolf and was therefor a danger. If it hadn't been for the Aurors and your father, he could have been exterminated."
Artemis stared into Remus' gray eyes. She loved that look he got when he spoke about something he was deeply interested in. When she was younger, she could just stare at him from a distance for hours. When he and his friends were discussing classes or new pranks, he almost had a glow around him.
"Why do things have to become so complicated," she whispered. "Why can't people be more accepting?"
He shrugged and popped the entire cookie into his mouth. His cheeks looked like a chipmunk's after stuffing nuts into his mouth. She began giggling and turned her head away to try and keep from laughing out loud.
He blinked and stared at her, wondering why she was giggling. Remus quickly chewed the cookie and swallowed it. He smiled and wiped some crumbs from his face. A month ago, they rarely spoke to one another. It wasn't until a late night cookie craving broke the silence between them.
"Complications makes life more interesting."
Artemis laughed. Sirius would joke about finally corrupting Remus...Artemis stopped. Sirius. She could have sworn she saw Sirius on Halloween. She missed him dearly. He was always a brother to her, even though she did end up being a part of his pranks.
"Remus?"
"Hmmm?"
"I know this sounds strange, but have you seen Sirius lately?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I could have sworn I saw a big black dog near Hogwarts on Halloween. I think it could have been Sirius."
"No, I haven't seen Sirius lately," he remarked. It wasn't quite the truth nor was it a lie. It had been over a month since he had seen Padfoot.
"So, have you found a werewolf yet?"
"Yes. Do you remember that pack of werewolves in the Forbidden Forest? I'm going to speak to one and..."
"Is that safe? I thought you were...well...going to ask me to help or something?"
She smiled at him and stood up.
"Remus, you have it hard enough as it is. That's what some of the students, namely the Slytherins, expect. They want to have another reason to disrespect you and I will not allow it."
He stood and they both walked out of the kitchen.
"You be careful, okay? Some of those werewolves in the Forbidden Forest have lost all of their human traits. They can be unpredictable."
When they arrived at the staff quarters, she smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Don't worry about me. You know me, I'll be fine."
Then entire school was buzzing about one thing and one thing only. Today was the first Quiddich match of the year. The last tournament was two years ago. That year, the Gryffindor team had finally won the Quiddich Cup. Students were shuffling as quickly as they could towards the field. The first game was between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. People were sitting and holding up signs supporting the teams. Some people held up signs saying 'Remember Cedric' and 'In Loving Memory of Cedric.'
Cedric Diggory was the Seeker for Hufflepuff. During Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts, Voldemort murdered the popular Hufflepuff Seeker for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Harry had carried Cedric's body with him back to Hogwarts via portkey.
Artemis climbed onto a bleacher and sat down. She shivered slightly. It was cold outside and she had never liked the cold.
"It's going to be an interesting game, don't you think, Artemis?"
Artemis looked over at Professor McGonagall and nodded. Artemis looked around the stands and smiled when she recognized her students' faces. There was Neville, who was stumbling towards his seat. Hermione was sitting in front of her, watching the Gryffindor team's entrance. She spotted Draco and his goons sitting at the opposite end of the bleachers. Crabbe and Goyle were holding up signs that read 'Potter Stinks!'
Artemis was so busy looking around the field that she didn't notice the seat next to hers become occupied. She had heard the crowd go wild and she soon found a bunch of people standing in front of her. She was a flash of red robes and a flash of blue. She stood and struggled to look past the multitudes of bodies. She still couldn't see past everyone. A part of her told her that she should just wait for the game to start, then she would see, but she had a stubborn side. Artemis climbed onto her seat and stretched out on her tiptoes to peek over everyone's heads. She caught a glimpse of the Gryffindor team. Donned in crimson robes and brooms in hand, the Gryffindor team walked confidently onto the Quiddich field.
There were three Weasleys on the team this year: George, Fred and now Ron. The Weasley twins were well known for being Gryffindor's toughest Beaters. Some might even call them the human-bludgers. Ron ("Can't have the Gryffindor team be Weasley-less," said George.) was a Keeper, and according to the team's three chasers, he was pretty darn good. Ron was ecstatic about being on the team. Behind the Weasleys were Gryffindor's three Chasers: Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Alicia Spinnet. The three girls were said to be the best in the school, but according to Lee Jordan, they are the best. The last member of the team Artemis saw was Harry Potter. Harry was quite famous at the school for being the youngest Seeker in a century. Artemis had never seen him play, but according to one of her students by the name of Colin Creevey, Harry had only missed catching the golden snitch once.
The crowd began to sit down after the Ravenclaw team entered the field. Artemis was surprised to see Harry on the Quiddich team, even though his father had been on the team so long ago. There was a prickling at Artemis' neck and a sensation of cold swept over her. She tensed and turned her head. There, sitting under the bleachers across from her was a big, black dog.
'Sirius?'
It was looking directly at her before disappearing into a crowd.
"Are you alright, Professor?"
Startled, Artemis slipped. A pair of strong arms and a laugh greeted her. She went pink and glanced into Remus' face. His stormy eyes were twinkling with laughter. She noticed that they were getting looks, from both students and teachers. Quickly, she pulled herself away from Remus. Her face was still incredibly pink. She stared nervously down at her hands, but the prickling was still there.
"Professor Southerby, you don't look so well. Are you okay," asked Hermione.
"I'm fine. Pretty cold out here today, isn't it?" Hermione nodded.
The sound of Madame Hooch blowing her whistle announced the start of the game. Everyone's attention was brought to the air where the Quiddich players were flying about on their brooms.
It was amazing. Flashes of red and blue shot across the sky. Artemis had forgotten about the cold and paid extremely close attention to the game. Harry and Cho Chang were out searching for the snitch. The twins were causing havoc by slamming their bats into the bludgers and sending them careening towards the opposing team's chasers. Ron was doing wonderfully as the keeper. Then it happened. A flash of gold hovered near the ground. The crowd went silent with anticipation. Then both Harry and Cho performed a nose-dive towards the ground. Harry, being smaller and on a better broom, sped ahead of Ravenclaw's seeker and caught the snitch. A roar, starting out small and then growing larger, spread across the field. The game was over and Gryffindor had won. Both teams flew towards the ground and shook hands. Hermione and Neville dashed down to meet the Gryffindor team, mainly Ron and Harry. The Slytherins had already left the field, angry that Gryffindor had won. The game was over and Artemis couldn't feel happier. She stared over at Remus and felt her smile grow. Whatever that prickling was that she felt earlier was long gone.
Remus couldn't help but worrying the day of Artemis' werewolf class. The full moon was that night and if anything went wrong, he'd be unable to help her or the class. He was tempted to ask Severus to watch over her, but didn't. He knew that if she had seen Padfoot on the school grounds, then that meant that he was keeping an eye on her. He had seen Sirius at the Quiddich game a couple nights ago and new that his fellow Marauder was still hanging around. Sirius had always been a big brother to Artemis. If there were something he could do about it, Sirius would rather die than to let anything happen to those he cared for. Ever since they were little, Sirius defended her. He had felt a little uneasy during the game. His inner wolf had told him that something was out there watching. Remus became a little distracted when Artemis fell on him, but he still felt on edge.
He walked to the great hall to get something into his stomach before nightfall. He watched the students hurry to their seats and begin dishing up all types of food for lunch. He smiled as he watched Harry and his friends dish up their food. He could see them talking to one another about tonight's lesson. Neville looked over at Remus as he passed and waved enthusiastically. The boy was becoming more confident every day. Remus chuckled as he watched Neville's toad, Trevor, try to wiggle out of the boy's pocket.
Remus noticed that Artemis wasn't at the table having dinner. She probably was out finding a werewolf. Severus was, however, waiting for Remus to arrive. His dark brown, almost black, eyes were drilling holes into Remus. The potion. He smiled at Severus and sat down.
"I'm sure you know what SHE is doing, don't you Lupin?"
"Severus, we've known her a long time. She does what she wants."
"She's getting herself into trouble tonight, Lupin." Severus glared. "All to teach about a beast that should be taught in YOUR class."
Remus flinched at the word 'beast.' When he was younger, he would have been greatly upset by having creatures like himself being called beasts. He just brushed it off.
"Severus, you know her. She can take care of herself, especially against..."
"I don't care. You should be teaching about your own kind."
Both had stopped speaking. Snape cut into a piece of meat and began to chew it slowly. He glared at Remus, who was biting into a potato. Snape had a nervous twitch around Remus. It was starting to get dark outside and that meant only one thing to the Head of the Slytherin house: night of a full moon. Remus, on the other hand, was watching several students get up from their seats and leave the great hall. There weren't many students leaving. Those who were leaving included all four Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Neville, and a few others.
'The special class,' he thought. 'Artemis, I hope you know what you're doing.'
Remus stood to leave but before he could go, Severus stopped him.
"Lupin, your 'medicine' is in your office."
"Thank you, Severus. Goodnight."
"Lupin?" Remus turned. "If Artemis is harmed at all tonight, I swear you will suffer greatly."
Remus nodded and walked towards his room. He could feel the moon. 'Severus, your feelings have never changed have they? You might hide it often, but you still have a heart.'
That prickling feeling came back just before Artemis' students arrived for class. The moon was a bright golden color. A tan colored werewolf that she had located in the Forbidden Forest was pacing in a cage that she had 'borrowed' from Filch. Filch had asked if she was going to lock a student in the cage but she refused to tell him. The cage, though fairly old, was sturdy and kept the werewolf from escaping. Wolfsbane was placed around the cage as well as silver.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to the wolf. "I can't let you out until after my class, okay? I have to protect my students."
The werewolf stared at her with its amber eyes and sighed before pacing once again. Every once in a while, it would stop pacing and stare up at the moon and let out a mournful howl.
The werewolf's howl greeted the small group of students who came for the lesson. Neville hid behind Harry and Ron after spotting the werewolf.
"Good evening class. I am sure you are all prepared for tonight's lesson?"
Slowly, as though they were unsure whether or not they should be there, the students nodded their heads. Even Draco Malfoy and his goons were nervous, as they should be. Werewolves were not something to toy around with.
"Class, as you might have already guessed, this is a werewolf."
Draco snorted, but said nothing else. The wolf narrowed his eyes and glared at the students. It let out a menacing growl and began to pace the cage.
"Professor, where did you find him," asked Hermione.
"Deep in the Forbidden Forest. This werewolf and his pack live in the forest. You often wonder why Dumbledore tells you not to enter the Forbidden Forest?" The wolf snarled and bared his teeth. Ginny cringed. "This werewolf and his pack are one of the reasons why the Forbidden Forest is just that," she smirked, "forbidden."
Some students laughed at her joke and others were too scared to laugh. She proceeded to lead all her students towards the cage. The wolf snarled and sat on his haunches.
"This is an unregistered werewolf. He is one of many who have been living in the forest for years. Can anyone tell me when the Werewolf Register began and who helped create it?"
Only one hand shot up: Hermione.
"Professor, the Werewolf Register was initiated in 1947 by Mr. Newt Scamander."
"Very good, Miss Granger."
"For many years, wizards and muggles suffering from this curse have been treated as outcasts because of their violent nature during the full moon."
She walked over to the cage and picked up some of the Wolfsbane.
"Neville, please tell me what this type of plant is?"
Neville poked his head out from behind Ron and Harry and uttered, "Wolfsbane, Professor."
She smiled and looked over at the wolf. His ears were twitching. Artemis watched the werewolf carefully. He seemed nervous about something. She felt a prickling at the base of her neck. She continued on with her lesson; teaching about how werewolves are killed, how a new potion called the Wolfsbane potion helps ease the need for human blood, and why werewolves should be respected and treated equally.
Artemis couldn't help but feel that someone or something was watching her as she taught. After an hour of class, she dismissed the students.
"Goodnight everyone! Thank you for participating! Ten points to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin!"
She sighed while watching everyone leave. Her eyes fell on the werewolf who was beginning to pace faster and more nervously.
"What's wrong? Hmmm?"
"Professor Southerby?"
Three of her favorite students had returned. "Can I help you?"
"Did you know that...um...Professor Lupin..."
"Is a werewolf? Of course. I went to school with him."
"So, that means you met my parents?"
Artemis' face fell slightly. She didn't want to talk to Harry about his parents just yet. She nodded slowly.
"Yes, I knew James and Lily. Lily was my roommate."
"Professor? What...what were they like?"
"Your mother was the most caring person I had ever met. She was my friend. Your father...your father sa..." Artemis stopped suddenly. The werewolf was beginning to whine nervously.
"Professor Southerby, are you all right," asked Hermione.
Artemis ignored her. The prickling was increasing. She heard something out there. Something was out there and coming near.
"Professor?" Ron stared over at Harry and then to Hermione.
Artemis' ears twitched. Hermione let out a gasp and stared at the professor's ears. They were pointed.
"Harry. Ron," Hermione whispered. "She's...she's an elf!"
by Jennifer Allen
"Life is Complicated"
"Artemis, can I ask you a question?"
Artemis reached over and grabbed a cookie off the plate. "Shoot."
"Why did you choose to teach about werewolves? That subject is usually reserved for Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"I believe that werewolves are magical creatures, too. It isn't their fault that they were bitten. I mean, you didn't just walk up to a werewolf when you were little and say 'bite me so I can become like you.' I think people need to open up and face the truth that werewolves, though they are dangerous, are creatures that need love and care like any other."
She nibbled on her cookie. Remus found it humorous how she ate chocolate chip cookies. She always nibbled the cookie, avoiding the chocolate chips if at all possible. She would then eat the entire cookie when she couldn't avoid chocolate chips any longer.
"Remus, I barely knew my father. He and my mother both died when I was only five. What I do remember about him was that he deeply cared about the state of werewolves. Before he died, he had defended a small boy who had been bitten by one. They had taken the boy to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. If it hadn't been for my father and several of the more sympathetic Aurors, that boy would probably be dead."
"I remember that case," Remus spoke while grabbing a cookie. "They were still scared, even back then. They said the boy was bitten by an unlicensed werewolf and was therefor a danger. If it hadn't been for the Aurors and your father, he could have been exterminated."
Artemis stared into Remus' gray eyes. She loved that look he got when he spoke about something he was deeply interested in. When she was younger, she could just stare at him from a distance for hours. When he and his friends were discussing classes or new pranks, he almost had a glow around him.
"Why do things have to become so complicated," she whispered. "Why can't people be more accepting?"
He shrugged and popped the entire cookie into his mouth. His cheeks looked like a chipmunk's after stuffing nuts into his mouth. She began giggling and turned her head away to try and keep from laughing out loud.
He blinked and stared at her, wondering why she was giggling. Remus quickly chewed the cookie and swallowed it. He smiled and wiped some crumbs from his face. A month ago, they rarely spoke to one another. It wasn't until a late night cookie craving broke the silence between them.
"Complications makes life more interesting."
Artemis laughed. Sirius would joke about finally corrupting Remus...Artemis stopped. Sirius. She could have sworn she saw Sirius on Halloween. She missed him dearly. He was always a brother to her, even though she did end up being a part of his pranks.
"Remus?"
"Hmmm?"
"I know this sounds strange, but have you seen Sirius lately?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I could have sworn I saw a big black dog near Hogwarts on Halloween. I think it could have been Sirius."
"No, I haven't seen Sirius lately," he remarked. It wasn't quite the truth nor was it a lie. It had been over a month since he had seen Padfoot.
"So, have you found a werewolf yet?"
"Yes. Do you remember that pack of werewolves in the Forbidden Forest? I'm going to speak to one and..."
"Is that safe? I thought you were...well...going to ask me to help or something?"
She smiled at him and stood up.
"Remus, you have it hard enough as it is. That's what some of the students, namely the Slytherins, expect. They want to have another reason to disrespect you and I will not allow it."
He stood and they both walked out of the kitchen.
"You be careful, okay? Some of those werewolves in the Forbidden Forest have lost all of their human traits. They can be unpredictable."
When they arrived at the staff quarters, she smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Don't worry about me. You know me, I'll be fine."
Then entire school was buzzing about one thing and one thing only. Today was the first Quiddich match of the year. The last tournament was two years ago. That year, the Gryffindor team had finally won the Quiddich Cup. Students were shuffling as quickly as they could towards the field. The first game was between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. People were sitting and holding up signs supporting the teams. Some people held up signs saying 'Remember Cedric' and 'In Loving Memory of Cedric.'
Cedric Diggory was the Seeker for Hufflepuff. During Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts, Voldemort murdered the popular Hufflepuff Seeker for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Harry had carried Cedric's body with him back to Hogwarts via portkey.
Artemis climbed onto a bleacher and sat down. She shivered slightly. It was cold outside and she had never liked the cold.
"It's going to be an interesting game, don't you think, Artemis?"
Artemis looked over at Professor McGonagall and nodded. Artemis looked around the stands and smiled when she recognized her students' faces. There was Neville, who was stumbling towards his seat. Hermione was sitting in front of her, watching the Gryffindor team's entrance. She spotted Draco and his goons sitting at the opposite end of the bleachers. Crabbe and Goyle were holding up signs that read 'Potter Stinks!'
Artemis was so busy looking around the field that she didn't notice the seat next to hers become occupied. She had heard the crowd go wild and she soon found a bunch of people standing in front of her. She was a flash of red robes and a flash of blue. She stood and struggled to look past the multitudes of bodies. She still couldn't see past everyone. A part of her told her that she should just wait for the game to start, then she would see, but she had a stubborn side. Artemis climbed onto her seat and stretched out on her tiptoes to peek over everyone's heads. She caught a glimpse of the Gryffindor team. Donned in crimson robes and brooms in hand, the Gryffindor team walked confidently onto the Quiddich field.
There were three Weasleys on the team this year: George, Fred and now Ron. The Weasley twins were well known for being Gryffindor's toughest Beaters. Some might even call them the human-bludgers. Ron ("Can't have the Gryffindor team be Weasley-less," said George.) was a Keeper, and according to the team's three chasers, he was pretty darn good. Ron was ecstatic about being on the team. Behind the Weasleys were Gryffindor's three Chasers: Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Alicia Spinnet. The three girls were said to be the best in the school, but according to Lee Jordan, they are the best. The last member of the team Artemis saw was Harry Potter. Harry was quite famous at the school for being the youngest Seeker in a century. Artemis had never seen him play, but according to one of her students by the name of Colin Creevey, Harry had only missed catching the golden snitch once.
The crowd began to sit down after the Ravenclaw team entered the field. Artemis was surprised to see Harry on the Quiddich team, even though his father had been on the team so long ago. There was a prickling at Artemis' neck and a sensation of cold swept over her. She tensed and turned her head. There, sitting under the bleachers across from her was a big, black dog.
'Sirius?'
It was looking directly at her before disappearing into a crowd.
"Are you alright, Professor?"
Startled, Artemis slipped. A pair of strong arms and a laugh greeted her. She went pink and glanced into Remus' face. His stormy eyes were twinkling with laughter. She noticed that they were getting looks, from both students and teachers. Quickly, she pulled herself away from Remus. Her face was still incredibly pink. She stared nervously down at her hands, but the prickling was still there.
"Professor Southerby, you don't look so well. Are you okay," asked Hermione.
"I'm fine. Pretty cold out here today, isn't it?" Hermione nodded.
The sound of Madame Hooch blowing her whistle announced the start of the game. Everyone's attention was brought to the air where the Quiddich players were flying about on their brooms.
It was amazing. Flashes of red and blue shot across the sky. Artemis had forgotten about the cold and paid extremely close attention to the game. Harry and Cho Chang were out searching for the snitch. The twins were causing havoc by slamming their bats into the bludgers and sending them careening towards the opposing team's chasers. Ron was doing wonderfully as the keeper. Then it happened. A flash of gold hovered near the ground. The crowd went silent with anticipation. Then both Harry and Cho performed a nose-dive towards the ground. Harry, being smaller and on a better broom, sped ahead of Ravenclaw's seeker and caught the snitch. A roar, starting out small and then growing larger, spread across the field. The game was over and Gryffindor had won. Both teams flew towards the ground and shook hands. Hermione and Neville dashed down to meet the Gryffindor team, mainly Ron and Harry. The Slytherins had already left the field, angry that Gryffindor had won. The game was over and Artemis couldn't feel happier. She stared over at Remus and felt her smile grow. Whatever that prickling was that she felt earlier was long gone.
Remus couldn't help but worrying the day of Artemis' werewolf class. The full moon was that night and if anything went wrong, he'd be unable to help her or the class. He was tempted to ask Severus to watch over her, but didn't. He knew that if she had seen Padfoot on the school grounds, then that meant that he was keeping an eye on her. He had seen Sirius at the Quiddich game a couple nights ago and new that his fellow Marauder was still hanging around. Sirius had always been a big brother to Artemis. If there were something he could do about it, Sirius would rather die than to let anything happen to those he cared for. Ever since they were little, Sirius defended her. He had felt a little uneasy during the game. His inner wolf had told him that something was out there watching. Remus became a little distracted when Artemis fell on him, but he still felt on edge.
He walked to the great hall to get something into his stomach before nightfall. He watched the students hurry to their seats and begin dishing up all types of food for lunch. He smiled as he watched Harry and his friends dish up their food. He could see them talking to one another about tonight's lesson. Neville looked over at Remus as he passed and waved enthusiastically. The boy was becoming more confident every day. Remus chuckled as he watched Neville's toad, Trevor, try to wiggle out of the boy's pocket.
Remus noticed that Artemis wasn't at the table having dinner. She probably was out finding a werewolf. Severus was, however, waiting for Remus to arrive. His dark brown, almost black, eyes were drilling holes into Remus. The potion. He smiled at Severus and sat down.
"I'm sure you know what SHE is doing, don't you Lupin?"
"Severus, we've known her a long time. She does what she wants."
"She's getting herself into trouble tonight, Lupin." Severus glared. "All to teach about a beast that should be taught in YOUR class."
Remus flinched at the word 'beast.' When he was younger, he would have been greatly upset by having creatures like himself being called beasts. He just brushed it off.
"Severus, you know her. She can take care of herself, especially against..."
"I don't care. You should be teaching about your own kind."
Both had stopped speaking. Snape cut into a piece of meat and began to chew it slowly. He glared at Remus, who was biting into a potato. Snape had a nervous twitch around Remus. It was starting to get dark outside and that meant only one thing to the Head of the Slytherin house: night of a full moon. Remus, on the other hand, was watching several students get up from their seats and leave the great hall. There weren't many students leaving. Those who were leaving included all four Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Neville, and a few others.
'The special class,' he thought. 'Artemis, I hope you know what you're doing.'
Remus stood to leave but before he could go, Severus stopped him.
"Lupin, your 'medicine' is in your office."
"Thank you, Severus. Goodnight."
"Lupin?" Remus turned. "If Artemis is harmed at all tonight, I swear you will suffer greatly."
Remus nodded and walked towards his room. He could feel the moon. 'Severus, your feelings have never changed have they? You might hide it often, but you still have a heart.'
That prickling feeling came back just before Artemis' students arrived for class. The moon was a bright golden color. A tan colored werewolf that she had located in the Forbidden Forest was pacing in a cage that she had 'borrowed' from Filch. Filch had asked if she was going to lock a student in the cage but she refused to tell him. The cage, though fairly old, was sturdy and kept the werewolf from escaping. Wolfsbane was placed around the cage as well as silver.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to the wolf. "I can't let you out until after my class, okay? I have to protect my students."
The werewolf stared at her with its amber eyes and sighed before pacing once again. Every once in a while, it would stop pacing and stare up at the moon and let out a mournful howl.
The werewolf's howl greeted the small group of students who came for the lesson. Neville hid behind Harry and Ron after spotting the werewolf.
"Good evening class. I am sure you are all prepared for tonight's lesson?"
Slowly, as though they were unsure whether or not they should be there, the students nodded their heads. Even Draco Malfoy and his goons were nervous, as they should be. Werewolves were not something to toy around with.
"Class, as you might have already guessed, this is a werewolf."
Draco snorted, but said nothing else. The wolf narrowed his eyes and glared at the students. It let out a menacing growl and began to pace the cage.
"Professor, where did you find him," asked Hermione.
"Deep in the Forbidden Forest. This werewolf and his pack live in the forest. You often wonder why Dumbledore tells you not to enter the Forbidden Forest?" The wolf snarled and bared his teeth. Ginny cringed. "This werewolf and his pack are one of the reasons why the Forbidden Forest is just that," she smirked, "forbidden."
Some students laughed at her joke and others were too scared to laugh. She proceeded to lead all her students towards the cage. The wolf snarled and sat on his haunches.
"This is an unregistered werewolf. He is one of many who have been living in the forest for years. Can anyone tell me when the Werewolf Register began and who helped create it?"
Only one hand shot up: Hermione.
"Professor, the Werewolf Register was initiated in 1947 by Mr. Newt Scamander."
"Very good, Miss Granger."
"For many years, wizards and muggles suffering from this curse have been treated as outcasts because of their violent nature during the full moon."
She walked over to the cage and picked up some of the Wolfsbane.
"Neville, please tell me what this type of plant is?"
Neville poked his head out from behind Ron and Harry and uttered, "Wolfsbane, Professor."
She smiled and looked over at the wolf. His ears were twitching. Artemis watched the werewolf carefully. He seemed nervous about something. She felt a prickling at the base of her neck. She continued on with her lesson; teaching about how werewolves are killed, how a new potion called the Wolfsbane potion helps ease the need for human blood, and why werewolves should be respected and treated equally.
Artemis couldn't help but feel that someone or something was watching her as she taught. After an hour of class, she dismissed the students.
"Goodnight everyone! Thank you for participating! Ten points to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin!"
She sighed while watching everyone leave. Her eyes fell on the werewolf who was beginning to pace faster and more nervously.
"What's wrong? Hmmm?"
"Professor Southerby?"
Three of her favorite students had returned. "Can I help you?"
"Did you know that...um...Professor Lupin..."
"Is a werewolf? Of course. I went to school with him."
"So, that means you met my parents?"
Artemis' face fell slightly. She didn't want to talk to Harry about his parents just yet. She nodded slowly.
"Yes, I knew James and Lily. Lily was my roommate."
"Professor? What...what were they like?"
"Your mother was the most caring person I had ever met. She was my friend. Your father...your father sa..." Artemis stopped suddenly. The werewolf was beginning to whine nervously.
"Professor Southerby, are you all right," asked Hermione.
Artemis ignored her. The prickling was increasing. She heard something out there. Something was out there and coming near.
"Professor?" Ron stared over at Harry and then to Hermione.
Artemis' ears twitched. Hermione let out a gasp and stared at the professor's ears. They were pointed.
"Harry. Ron," Hermione whispered. "She's...she's an elf!"