Werewolf - Part 10 - Harriet's POV
Being Division - Werewolf Support Services said the small sign I was staring up at. "So, you think they can help us here, do you?" I said to Elizabeth.
"Well I don't know do I?" she said edgily. "It didn't exist a century ago. You're luckier than you think. Come on." We went through the door.
Inside, the building reminded me of a small muggle doctors surgery. There was a waiting area, with the usual ridiculously low seats, with itchy, hairy covers, and a magazine rack, filled with the kind of magazines that nobody ever wants to read. We went past this area, and straight on to the reception desk. Again, it was perfectly normal, until I was asked for my name and Werewolf Registry number. I asked if I could be anonymous. I didn't want to reveal who I was, until I could be sure they wouldn't turn me in to the Committee. As there were no people waiting, I was sent straight through.
I stepped into the office, which was occupied by a woman in her early twenties, wearing a name badge with 'Natasha' written on it. I decided to say exactly what I meant to say, but still be cautious.
"What's your opinion on the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, and what they do to werewolves who've killed someone?" I said quickly, without pausing for breath.
"Oh, it's terrible." She said, and then looked sad for a moment, as if she was remembering something. I also saw her glance at the silvery line around Elizabeth's neck, which I had tried not to look at. "I can't believe that they can get away with it. They shouldn't. Of course I'd be scared if I saw a werewolf at the full moon-who wouldn't be? But anyone can see that you're perfectly human at the moment." I decided I trusted her. She seemed sincere about what she was saying.
"Soooo.." I began, "If a werewolf who wanted to.ah. avoid the Committee, came to you, would you protect them?" I held my breath.
"Of course. I assume it's you. What's your name?"
"Registry number one-zero-eight-seven-three." I said, hearing the hate in my voice at the whole Werewolf Registry system. I didn't mean it to sound like that. "Harriet Rivers." I finished, more brightly.
She gasped. "I didn't recognise you from the photo's in the paper. I mean, I read them, of course, but I never thought you'd come here."
"I dyed it." I knew I looked ridiculous. "As disguise."
"This is going to be quite difficult, but I promise you, we're going to help you." she said, determinedly. "I mean, after the article in the Daily Prophet, people aren't exactly going to have a good impression of you. You saw it?"
"Yes. Not good." I replied slowly.
"Come on," she said, as she walked, so fast that she was practically running, through the door into the next office. I followed her, with Elizabeth gliding behind me.
Natasha started speaking hurriedly to the man in the next office, who seemed just as surprised as she had done, when she told him who I was. He had an idea.
"I have a friend who has his own show on the Wizarding Wireless Network. His show's live, in less than 3 hours. I'm sure I could get him to interview you on it."
"So, that's all I have to do?" I said, doubtfully. I didn't think that idea would make a difference to anything.
"Yeah." he said. "But you have to be polite, and natural. Try not to say anything bad. You've got to show them that you're a civilised human being."
"OK." I said, but I still doubted it would have much effect, and wasn't that keen to tell all the listeners that I was around.
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[b]3 hours later[/b]
"You may have heard of Harriet Rivers, the twelve year old werewolf, who escaped from the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, who were going to execute her. Well, she's here with me now. Don't be afraid- she seems quite nice to me, and at the moment I'm doubting the Committee's reports of her viciousness. I know she should be sent back to the Committee and executed, but here at the Wizarding Wireless Network, we believe she deserves a chance to speak. Good evening Harriet."
I gulped inaudibly. "Hi."
"How long have you been a werewolf, Harriet?"
"Five years." I said. It felt odd to be discussing my lycanthropy openly with a complete stranger. "I was seven years old when I was bitten, on holiday in France. We were on a campsite, and I was walking to the toilet block in the middle of the night, when I was attacked. I shone my torch in the werewolf's eyes, which is probably the reason it left me alone, and didn't kill me."
"It must have been hard for you as a young child." he said. So true. "How did you cope?"
"With difficulty." I smiled weakly. "I just got used to it in the end, though I've never understood or got used to all the prejudice against werewolves. At first I didn't believe the doctor who told me I was a werewolf, I mean, I didn't know how people became werewolves, I just thought they were evil monsters who ate people!" At that point I half expected someone to shout 'They are.' "When I went to Hogwarts things got worse. Because I was given the Wolfsbane potion there, which let me stay in control of myself when I was transformed and made the transformation less painful, so when I was at home for the holidays I found the pain more unbearable than usual. Also, as it's a boarding school, it was hard to get away from people, and to keep my secret, especially from my best friend Danielle. She knows now, and she doesn't mind, but I didn't dare to tell her myself."
"OK, Harriet. I'm going to move on and ask you some questions about more recent events." Although I knew these questions would be harder to answer, they were the most important ones, the main reason I was going through with the interview plan. "First of all, and I'm especially curious about this, as you're trying to clear your name, did you not commit the crime that the Committee are after you for?"
I was a bit nervous about my answer here. Although I was going to tell the absolute truth, I doubted this answer would go down to well with the public who were listening. "Yes, I did." I said. "I'm not trying to 'clear my name', because I am guilty. What I am trying to do, is to get them to understand that the punishment is unfair, and that they must change the laws. I shouldn't be punished, because what I did wasn't my fault." [i]Not directly anyway,[/i] I thought. I felt guilty about it, because if I had only tied myself up better, maybe I wouldn't have escaped, and none of this would have happened.
"How did you feel when you killed someone?" He asked. "I understand if you don't want to answer that."
"No." I said firmly. "I'll answer. Well, I honestly don't know. Because I was transformed, I wasn't really conscious of what I was doing. When the moon went down and I changed back to myself, I felt sick, from the raw flesh, and blood in my mouth. Straight away I realised what I had done, and felt terribly guilty and ashamed. I never thought the Committee would want me dead, because I know that they don't execute humans in Britain anymore, and I assumed that would apply to any kind of human, werewolves for example."
"So, you're saying that the werewolf part of you is separate to yourself, and that you're not in control o what you do at the full moon, you don't even know what you're doing."
"Yes. if it hadn't been for the blood, I wouldn't have known." I felt I was making some progress here. If I could get people to understand that it wasn't my fault, then everything might be OK.
"But I suppose the Committee doesn't understand that point of view."
"No." I knew I had to be especially cautious at this point. If I said what I thought, and got really worked up about the Committee, people would think I'm horrible to everyone, and that I hate all people. "They don't understand werewolves at all, because they've never tried to. They think of us on the same level as they think about the hippogriffs and other animals they deal with. Of course, there's a big difference. Personally, I think werewolves should be unarguably classified as beings. People at the Committee don't speak to me as an equal, and they refuse to read 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart'." I almost laughed out loud. It sounded so ridiculous. "I'm sorry, but I think everyone should read that book, if they're going to deal with werewolves. My parents gave it me after I was bitten." Now, this is where the first part which I had thought up earlier came in. "I think understanding is the most important thing. if they can understand werewolves, they won't kill them needlessly. I don't just want to save myself, I want to stop them killing others, in the future."
"What have you been doing over the past 2 months, since you escaped for the second time? No-one has heard anything from you since you attacked your executioner at the Committee and escaped in wolf form."
"Well, actually," I said, forcing a smile (pointless really, as no-one could see me!) someone has heard from me. I wrote to my best friend, and we've been in contact for over a month. I've been in hiding-I can't tell you where. Then yesterday I got fed up with hiding, so I left. I slept in a barn last night, went to the Committee for the Disposal of dangerous Creatures this morning, in disguise, and then to the office of Werewolf Support Services, this afternoon. It's all gone so quickly since I left."
"You're taking quite a risk by returning to London, what will you do if they catch you again?"
"The same as anyone without a death wish would do." I said briskly, then added more softly. "[i]Try[/i] to escape."
"And if you can't escape?" He enquired.
"I think that's pretty obvious." I answered dryly. "I won't have any choice in the matter." I didn't add what I was thinking, which was [i]Shut up you stupid prat, or better still just drop dead. I don't bloody need you to keep reminding me of things I'm trying not to think about."
"But how would you react in that situation?" He persisted.
[i]Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP![/i] I screamed inside my head. "Well, I really don't know," I said patiently. "It hasn't happened yet, and it WON'T, OK?" [i]Calm down Harriet. calm down [/i] "I'd probably shout a lot, rattle the bars on my [i]cage[/i], and cry." [i]Cry like I would be doing now, if I didn't have to be so polite.[/i] I thought. [i]I obviously have more self control than I realised.[/i]
"Right, it's time to end the interview. Good luck hiding, and good luck wit your battle against the Committee." He said.
"No!" I grabbed the microphone. I hadn't said a lot of stuff that needed saying. "I hope someone has listened to me, 'cause it's unusual for a werewolf to be listened to. That's why I'm not likely to succeed without some help. If you agree with what I have said, please try to do something about it. Owl the Committee, or go to their headquarters. they say I'm an inhuman monster, but I think that how you treat others is more important that your blood, whether you have pure-blood, half-blood, muggle-blood, or werewolf blood." This was another part I'd thought up and rehearse earlier, if you're wondering why it sounds like that! "Please try to help me to change the unfair laws, which are destroying me, and my kind. Thank-you very much." A tear dripped from my eye.
In less than an hour there was news of a crowd of protesters outside the Committee building, and rather a lot of owls heading that way.
"Please can we go near there?" I begged Natasha, and the man. "We could stay out of the way, but just let me see what's going on, please?" They weren't completely sure, but in the end I persuaded them.
We were inside a magical shield which made us invisible, but we could see out of. If I had stuck my hand through the wall, it would be visible. I saw that most of the Committee members had run away. The only ones left were Walden Macnair- the executioner, and Benjamin Counter, the head of the Committee. Though at a first glance, he looked old and feeble, I was still quite scared of him, because I knew how cruel and merciless he could be.
The hair dying charm seemed to be wearing off-it looked like I had blonde highlights. Hair dying charms don't last as long as conventional hair dying potions.
Anyway, at about 8pm, when it was dark, I got fed up of sitting around, so I just walked through the wall of the shield, and disappeared into the crowd. I enjoyed myself for about half an hour, shouting everything I'd wanted to say before, but hadn't been able to. Then the spell must have completely worn off.
Someone whispered: "Look! It's Harriet Rivers!" and suddenly everyone was staring at me. I don't think I looked that different to normal, with the streaks in my hair, it was just than no-one expected to see me with blonde highlights, so they didn't notice me until I looked how they had seen in the Daily Prophet. I was grabbed roughly from behind, and dragged through the crowd. A few people tried to make my captor let go, but he was too strong. As I was held roughly on the steps in front of the building, near Counter, I realised who it must be, who had caught me. It was Macnair, the executioner. Two thoughts popped into my head at the same time. One was [i]'Damn, they've caught me. After everything I've done to try and escape..'[/i] But the other was a little more optimistic. [i]'They can't kill me now, not with all these people here, who want me freed!'[/i]
Unfortunately the Committee thought they could. Now I was in front of the crowd I could see someone I recognised. It was Danielle, standing right in front of the steps. I was puzzled at first, after all, there was no Wizarding Wireless in the Ravenclaw common room, and she didn't have one of her own. Then I saw who she was standing next to, both of them looking very agitated. It was Elizabeth. She must have gone all the way to Hogwarts, while I was being interviewed, to fetch her, as I'd been talking about her on the way to the Werewolf Support Services.
The head of the Committee had begun speaking, rapidly. "It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, that the werewolf, Harriet, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the 25th September, at.." he glanced at his watch ".8.32 pm. To be carried out by the Committee's chairperson, Benjamin Counter. As witnessed below, signed Walden Macnair." He pulled a knife out of his robes, and I could tell, maybe smell it in the air, that it was silver. Everyone in the crowd was petrified, with shock and amazement, that they didn't move. All except Elizabeth. She gave Danielle a huge shove, which (with her not being solid) didn't move her, but the icy touch shocked her, and she leapt up the stairs, and knocked Counter, who was just about to strike me with the knife. He fell, but as he did so, the knife slashed across my fingers, starting between the joints of my little finger, and going upwards diagonally, over the next two fingers. I saw a line of blood welling up, and I was terrified. It wasn't a deep cut, but I knew the effect silver has on werewolves, when it penetrates the skin. I saw all the flesh and skin within half an inch of the cut, burn away, severing three of my fingertips. I even heard them hit the ground. the pain was unbearable I was trembling, and then, I passed out.
Everything until I woke up is what Danielle and Elizabeth told me. Someone went to get medi-wizards for me and Counter, as he was unconscious, while the crowd took Macnair's axe away, and held him back, now they were out of their trance-like state. I was taken to St Mungo's hospital, where I woke up.
When I awoke, my fingers weren't bleeding anymore. They had been magically healed, and hardly hurt at all. Magic can still surprise you, even when you've been brought up with it.
Soon my first visitor arrived. It wasn't Danielle, or my parents, as I had hoped, but the news he brought was better than seeing my family and friends again.
"Ahem." said Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. "Now that you are awake, I have some very important news for you. Over the past few hours the Ministry of Magic have been debating what to do about werewolves. We have decided-though it's not official yet-that werewolves are no longer to be classified as beasts, so the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, is no longer responsible for you."
[i]'Whoohoo!'[/i] I thought, grinning broadly, and hardly taking in what the Minister said, which was something about the Werewolf Registry, being responsible for making sure all werewolves had a secure place to transform. Then, he got my attention again, when he told me that I'd be spending the next day at home, and returning to Hogwarts in the evening. I was a bit nervous about what people would think about me, when I returned to Hogwarts, though.
After the Minister left, although it was the middle of the night, they allowed Danielle and Elizabeth in to talk to me, which we did, for hours on end!
At about two o'clock in the morning, my parents arrived. They were allowed to take me home, as I didn't really need to stay in bed, and they needed more beds. It was such a long time since I had seen them (though I had written to them a few times when I was in hiding at Hogwarts), but for some reason I couldn't think of anything to say to them. The hugged me, and fussed over my fingers, though I'd told them that they didn't really hurt that much anymore. In the end we went to the car (parked on the roadside, as St Mungo's doesn't have a car park. Some people are really inconsiderate towards muggle families!) and drove home. I climbed into bed, the minute we got home, and slept all morning. The afternoon was mostly spent sitting, 'talking' to my parents, feeling very awkward. I still couldn't find anything to say to them. I felt that I'd grown up a lot over the past month or two, and they didn't notice.
Anyway, I was relieved in the end, when it was time to leave, to go to Hogwarts. I took a pinch of floo powder, and threw it into the fire, saying, "Professor Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts" Dumbledore spoke to me briefly, in his office, before dinner. He said that he hoped I'd be OK with everyone, and that if I had any problems, to talk to him. He said he thought I'd catch up with my school work easily enough. Then it was dinner time.
I was sitting in my usual place at the Ravenclaw table, before anyone arrived, except Professor Dumbledore, at the teachers table. It wasn't long before students started pouring into the hall, chattering. I was ever so nervous about seeing everybody again. As some 2nd and 3rd year Ravenclaws who I knew, started to arrive, they noticed me, and stared and whispered amongst themselves. Orla Quirke's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head, but I didn't glare back. After what seemed like hours, Danielle came into the hall and sat down next to me.
"I wasn't allowed to tell them." She muttered. "I think Dumbledore's going to make a speech." I hoped he wouldn't. I didn't want more attention drawing to myself.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. " I expect most of you have noticed a person at the Ravenclaw table who has been missing for some weeks. Indeed, there was a time when I feared she might never be able to rejoin the school. Her release from the death sentence upon her, was achieved almost entirely by her own efforts. Some people say that werewolves-an I am sure you are all aware that Harriet is a werewolf- are not human, that they are incapable of feeling anything, except the desire to kill. Harriet has proved otherwise. She has worked hard enough to be a Hufflepuff, demonstrated the determination and cunning of a Slytherin, shown strength and bravery in such abundance as would make any Gryffindor proud, and of course, the quick- thought of her own house-Ravenclaw.
I would hope that all of you, in a similar situation, would show as much strength of mind as Harriet did, and as much open-mindedness and loyalty as her friend Danielle has shown. I hope that no student in this school is ashamed of having a werewolf in their midst. You should be proud to know such a girl, who has worked hard to get being classification, and rights for her kind-Harriet Rivers. Forget you ever heard she was a werewolf, she is still the same person she was before you knew, treat her that way."
I was really embarrassed by such praise, and I felt my cheeks burning. I was certain I looked like a tomato. A few people applauded his speech, mostly from the front two tables, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. I started to eat, in silence, looking down at my plate. It was obvious from the applause that not everyone at Hogwarts hated me. I was relieved about that, but I couldn't help thinking of all the others, who hadn't clapped.
After dinner everyone went up to their common rooms, but I went straight to my dormitory. Danielle followed me. I started unpacking clothes, and slamming drawers shut. I pinned up a lunar chart, with days ticked off, on the wall behind my bed. "Can put that up now." I muttered angrily to myself, practically hammering drawing pins into the wall with my fist. "It's not as if I can hide it anymore."
"It'll be alright." I jumped. I hadn't seen Danielle come into the room. I turned around, to face her.
"How do you know? They might all hate me. Even those who did clap could be indifferent, and were just clapping to be polite, to Dumbledore." I was really stressed about it, and though Danielle told me not to worry, I couldn't help thinking that I was right, when the other three, second-year Ravenclaw girls came into the dormitory.
My bed was in the corner of the room, and Danielle's was the one next to it. Orla started whispering to Helena. All I heard was the word change, and I thought that they were talking about me, and transforming. Then Orla and Helena started taking things out of drawers, and swapping over. Helena had previously had the bed in the opposite corner, furthest away from me, but now they had changed beds, Orla was there, with Helena in the middle of the room, and Aurore - Orla's best friend, between them. I didn't really know
I thought, that seeing as Helena had been happy to move closer to where Danielle and I were, she couldn't hate me too much, so I felt a little happier. I didn't really know Helena or Aurore that well. I knew Orla, unfortunately, it was hard to avoid knowing someone like that. She made a point of talking to everyone, and she generally didn't say nice things.
"'Night 'Roar." She said. "'Night you two." She meant Helena and Danielle. "'Night werewolf." I resisted the urge to scream at her, and go and punch her. Instead I sniffed, and closed my eyes, hiding my face under the covers, and eventually I got to sleep
In the morning, I was caught up in the usual crowds at the entrance to the Great Hall on the way to breakfast. Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I turned round, but no one was looking at me, and none of the people there were people I knew. I turned around to face the front, all the time pushing forwards through the crowd. Maybe whoever it was had caught my shoulder by accident. I was nearly at the door when someone tapped me again, and once more, I spun round, to see nobody. Then someone on my left nudged me, and a voice from my right muttered, "Hurry up werewolf, you're blocking the doorway. I practically ran to the Ravenclaw table, tears stinging my eyes. 'If this is what it's going to be like at Hogwarts, I might as well give up now.' I thought. But I was stubborn, and still determined to make the most of this second chance I had earned. I knew it was everyone else who was cruel, not me.
All through breakfast people were staring at me. I couldn't see the Gryffindor table, so I didn't know what they thought of me, but Gryffindors are known for being more open-minded, and less prejudiced than the other houses. In fact, the Sorting Hat had nearly placed me there, partly for that reason. Still, the Slytherins were glaring angrily, the Hufflepuffs were staring curiously, and whispering to each other, an most Ravenclaws were pretending to ignore me, and glancing when they thought no-one would notice.
"I'm a being, for God's sake!" I felt like screaming at them. "A being just like you. I've earned that status, so why are you all staring at me like I'm a freak? I'm not going to do anything!"
And I wasn't going to do anything, or shout that. I had to stay calm. I had learned a few years before, that people will blame anything on a werewolf, they look for excuses to hate us. I know that if I lost my temper, everyone would say it was because I was a werewolf. I ate quickly, rarely joining in conversation with Danielle, who was (not very subtly) trying to convince the others to speak to me. Orla would never listen, obviously, and her friend Aurore was unlikely to. I thought that eventually Helena would be OK about it.
Soon it was time for Defence Against the Dark Arts, with Professor Lupin. He was looking pretty nervous and exhausted from the full moon three days before. He bit his bottom lip, as he hesitated before speaking. "Today we will be studying werewolves." He stated calmly, as everyone in the room turned to stare at me. "Sorry." He mouthed at me, wincing. Then he carried on with the lesson normally. "Does anyone know anything about werewolves?" Quite a few people raised their hands. "Yes, Orla, tell me a fact about werewolves."
Orla smirked, and began to speak slowly, and with relish, directing every word towards me. "It has a Ministry of Magic classification of XXXXX." She paused to get the exact quotation in her mind: "This means 'Known wizard killer, impossible to train or domesticate.'" Again, practically everyone in the room turned and stared at me, with expressions of shock and fear, though I'm sure they'd all read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, before, and knew what classification werewolves had. I had never been able to forget that rating. 'Wizard killer, impossible to train or domesticate.' I hated it. I assumed they'd be changing the book soon, as werewolves are no longer classed as beasts.
"That is correct Orla." He replied, though he looked less than happy at her answer. "However, you forgot that this rating only applies to the wolf-that is the animal that the cursed human becomes, for just one night a month." People glanced at me again, looking unsure. Orla let out an odd laugh, which sounded rather like a pig snorting.
"I have heard reports of werewolves attacking people when they were in human form. They're still dangerous and vicious."
"And I suppose you've never heard of a human who harmed or murdered anyone?" Contradicted Remus, calmly.
Orla had nothing to say to that, so she just turned and glared at me. It was really unfair. She was angry with me, because she'd lost an argument with Remus- Professor Lupin, I mean. It wasn't my fault. And of course, the silence in this gap gave the class another chance to stare at me.
"I'm getting fed up of this." Said Remus quietly but firmly. "Could you all stop staring at Harriet? You've known her for over a year, and seen her yesterday, not to mention all the other times you've looked at her this lesson, I'm sure she hasn't changed since you saw her 20 seconds ago!"
One of the boys in my class, Stewart Ackerly (one of the worst, and that's saying something) thought of an excuse. A really stupid one, but what do you expect from a boy. "You brought in a Grindylow when we studied them a few weeks ago, Professor. But you didn't bring in a werewolf for this lesson. It could be useful to look at it, for reference."
"Harriet is in human form at the moment, and I'm sure she doesn't want you staring at her all lesson. If you must stare at a werewolf in human form the stare at me." We all gasped, though I gasped for a different reason to the others. "At least you'll be paying attention that way." Everyone kept gaping with their mouths open, but Remus ignored them, and continued with his lesson.
"So, does anyone know anything else about werewolves." A couple of people were a bit calmer now, and Helena and Danielle raised their hands, Helena was trembling a little. Remus chose Helena to answer the question. Danielle left her hand up, reading to tell him her answer after Helena had spoken.
"Silver kills them." Danielle lowered her hand, having obviously been about to say something similar.
"That's right Helena." Said Remus, "But can anyone explain in more detail?"
During the lesson, I had realised that if I never spoke, no one would get to know me, and accept me. I couldn't keep hiding in the corner of the classroom forever. It didn't work, for one thing. So two people raised their hands to answer the question, Danielle and I.
Remus looked surprised, but pleased, so he chose me. "Yes Harriet?"
"Touching silver causes painful burns and blistering." I said quietly. "If silver penetrates the skin, it burns away all the flesh within half and inch. It only kills if it burns into any of the vital organs, or causes a lot of blood loss. If it stays in the body for some time, it poisons us." I'd had difficulty choosing that last word. I could have just said 'them' or 'werewolves' and stayed unconnected, not acknowledging what I was. Now that I'd done that, I might as well carry on. I held out both hands, palms up. "This is where I touched a goblet made of silver." I turned over my left hand, and held that out. "And this is where I was cut with a silver knife-it was only a shallow cut." I shivered, though the classroom was fairly warm, for October. "You can't even begin to imagine how much just touching silver hurts." I whispered.
Everyone was staring at me again, but this time I didn't mind so much. Most of them just looked surprised and curious, and Remus and Danielle were smiling, encouraging me. Certainly it was only Orla and Steward who looked as if they really hated me. A few others would never be nice to me, or accept me, but in those cases they were just afraid, they didn't hate me like Orla did.
I didn't pay much attention during the rest of the lesson, after all, how much could he teach me, when I'd spent twenty-four hours a day, since I was seven years old learning what it's like to be a werewolf. I got on with the work out of the textbook, leaning across the desks to talk to Danielle occasionally. Remus came and stood next to the desk to speak to me.
"I'm sorry about the lesson." He said apologetically. "I didn't know until yesterday that you were coming back, and I'd planned the lesson last week. I couldn't change I easily, because it's the last thing in the book we've been working through."
"It's OK. I'm fine now, though I was really horrified when you first said what we were studying today." I said, smiling.
"I don't like teaching about werewolves." He admitted, with a shrug. "Although I talk about werewolves in general, usually, I always feel like it's personal. It sometimes makes me wonder how the other creatures I teach about feel."
"Why did you tell them?" I asked, perplexed.
"Well, they'd probably heard rumours from the older students, anyway. Professor Snape spread it, when I left 2 years ago. Besides, it was a good way of getting their attention. I don't think I'd have dared to do it if you hadn't got the laws changed." He hesitated. "You did a really great thing, you know. Think of all the people who could have been killed in the future if it wasn't for you. You've saved all their lives, as well as your own." I sighed. I wasn't used to praise, as I've already said, and I couldn't help thinking that I did it for myself. If I hadn't been in danger, I' have thought it was awful still, but I wouldn't have done anything about it.
The bell went for the next lesson, and we all put our things in our bags, to leave. When I was walking down the corridor with Danielle, Helena joined us, along with a couple of lads, who asked stupid questions, such as "What's it like to change into a wolf?" and "Have you killed lots of people?" They left soon enough when I showed them my hands close up, and they both turned quite pale. All boys are wimps.
I didn't really mind them being there. OK, so they were tactless and immature, but they weren't afraid, and they weren't being deliberately cruel. Helena stayed with us all day, proving me right, that she'd join us in the end.
We passed a bunch of Gryffindor fifth years in the corridor. It was Harry Potter and his friends.
"Hi Harriet. Well done." Said Harry, smiling warmly.
"Maybe I should organise a protest for the S-P-E-W." Mused Hermione Granger. Some people say that she's Harry's girlfriend, but I don't think she is.
"Spew?" I queried, puzzled.
"Don't even ask." Advised Ron Weasley, before they disappeared round a bend in the corridor.
The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully. Of course things didn't immediately change that much, but I felt better which allowed me to cope with Orla and the Slytherins' comments, and the Hufflepuffs' curiosity better. I didn't feel at all depressed anymore, so I wolfed down my food, (without even shuddering at the ironic metaphor!) and talked and laughed with my friends. I even managed to be reasonably civil to Orla, and asked her to pass the salt, without glaring.
I felt content that evening as I climbed into my four poster be, and drew the thick blue curtains around it. I was sure that soon life would be better than when nobody knew about my lycanthropy. I knew that some people would never forgive me for turning out to be a werewolf, but I felt like I had always known that though nothing is ever perfect, my life would be worse than most. Before I came to Hogwarts I had never expected to have friends.
I didn't need to be popular, or even to be liked by more than a few people. I just needed a few good friends, like Danielle, who would always be there for me. All I wanted from everyone else was tolerance, and for them to leave me alone if they couldn't accept what I was.
Of course I was still an individual person, as I would have been if I had never been bitten, but sometimes I wondered what I would have been like if things had been different. I might not have even been Sorted into Ravenclaw, because it was only after I became a werewolf that I retreated into my books, away from people. I expected that people would always find me a little strange, and of course, people still would be unlikely to want to employ a werewolf. But I didn't want to worry about the future. I decided to give up hiding things. Now everyone knew what I was, I might as well be myself all the time. That way, any friends I made would have to like and accept me for who, and what, I was.
I'm leaving Hogwarts now, at the end of my seventh year and I can hardly believe how much the world has changed, with regards to werewolves. The first years were only about six when the laws were changed, so they've grown up in a world where werewolves are beings. One of the kids who joined Ravenclaw last year is a werewolf, and not ashamed at all. He told his friends in the first week of term, and only a few people at the school had a problem with that.
Other things have changed too. Three years ago Harry Potter defeated Voldemort, before he had even graduated from Hogwarts. A memorial was built in the Hogwarts grounds to students who died during the war with Voldemort, including Harry's best friend, Ron, who sacrificed himself, for Harry and Hermione.
Professor Dumbledore is retiring at the end of this year, and Professor McGonagall will be taking his place. The new Gryffindor head of house, and transfiguration teacher will be Hermione Granger. I was Head Girl last year, which as you can imagine, Orla Quirke was not pleased about.
Although I didn't think much about it, I was always worried that I wouldn't be able to get a job, because of my lycanthropy, but it's not been a problem at all. I've got a good job waiting for me, in the being division of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Last summer holiday I helped out part time at the Office of Werewolf Support Services.
Of course, not everything can be that good. My mother's family haven't been talking to us, since I was bitten, and even now, we haven't seen them for years. Most Slytherins at Hogwarts still try to make my life miserable, and the same for other couple of werewolves in the school. As I said before, life isn't going to be perfect for my kind, ever, but it's a lot better than it's ever been before. Danielle tells me I did it, but I disagree. I may have had something to do with it, but I didn't do it alone.
I step off the Hogwarts Express, and wave goodbye to my friends. "See you in a couple of weeks!" I shout along the platform to Helena. Everyone knows me, and most don't glare, they accept me these days, though it's common knowledge what I am.
I'm a werewolf-so what?
Being Division - Werewolf Support Services said the small sign I was staring up at. "So, you think they can help us here, do you?" I said to Elizabeth.
"Well I don't know do I?" she said edgily. "It didn't exist a century ago. You're luckier than you think. Come on." We went through the door.
Inside, the building reminded me of a small muggle doctors surgery. There was a waiting area, with the usual ridiculously low seats, with itchy, hairy covers, and a magazine rack, filled with the kind of magazines that nobody ever wants to read. We went past this area, and straight on to the reception desk. Again, it was perfectly normal, until I was asked for my name and Werewolf Registry number. I asked if I could be anonymous. I didn't want to reveal who I was, until I could be sure they wouldn't turn me in to the Committee. As there were no people waiting, I was sent straight through.
I stepped into the office, which was occupied by a woman in her early twenties, wearing a name badge with 'Natasha' written on it. I decided to say exactly what I meant to say, but still be cautious.
"What's your opinion on the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, and what they do to werewolves who've killed someone?" I said quickly, without pausing for breath.
"Oh, it's terrible." She said, and then looked sad for a moment, as if she was remembering something. I also saw her glance at the silvery line around Elizabeth's neck, which I had tried not to look at. "I can't believe that they can get away with it. They shouldn't. Of course I'd be scared if I saw a werewolf at the full moon-who wouldn't be? But anyone can see that you're perfectly human at the moment." I decided I trusted her. She seemed sincere about what she was saying.
"Soooo.." I began, "If a werewolf who wanted to.ah. avoid the Committee, came to you, would you protect them?" I held my breath.
"Of course. I assume it's you. What's your name?"
"Registry number one-zero-eight-seven-three." I said, hearing the hate in my voice at the whole Werewolf Registry system. I didn't mean it to sound like that. "Harriet Rivers." I finished, more brightly.
She gasped. "I didn't recognise you from the photo's in the paper. I mean, I read them, of course, but I never thought you'd come here."
"I dyed it." I knew I looked ridiculous. "As disguise."
"This is going to be quite difficult, but I promise you, we're going to help you." she said, determinedly. "I mean, after the article in the Daily Prophet, people aren't exactly going to have a good impression of you. You saw it?"
"Yes. Not good." I replied slowly.
"Come on," she said, as she walked, so fast that she was practically running, through the door into the next office. I followed her, with Elizabeth gliding behind me.
Natasha started speaking hurriedly to the man in the next office, who seemed just as surprised as she had done, when she told him who I was. He had an idea.
"I have a friend who has his own show on the Wizarding Wireless Network. His show's live, in less than 3 hours. I'm sure I could get him to interview you on it."
"So, that's all I have to do?" I said, doubtfully. I didn't think that idea would make a difference to anything.
"Yeah." he said. "But you have to be polite, and natural. Try not to say anything bad. You've got to show them that you're a civilised human being."
"OK." I said, but I still doubted it would have much effect, and wasn't that keen to tell all the listeners that I was around.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
[b]3 hours later[/b]
"You may have heard of Harriet Rivers, the twelve year old werewolf, who escaped from the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, who were going to execute her. Well, she's here with me now. Don't be afraid- she seems quite nice to me, and at the moment I'm doubting the Committee's reports of her viciousness. I know she should be sent back to the Committee and executed, but here at the Wizarding Wireless Network, we believe she deserves a chance to speak. Good evening Harriet."
I gulped inaudibly. "Hi."
"How long have you been a werewolf, Harriet?"
"Five years." I said. It felt odd to be discussing my lycanthropy openly with a complete stranger. "I was seven years old when I was bitten, on holiday in France. We were on a campsite, and I was walking to the toilet block in the middle of the night, when I was attacked. I shone my torch in the werewolf's eyes, which is probably the reason it left me alone, and didn't kill me."
"It must have been hard for you as a young child." he said. So true. "How did you cope?"
"With difficulty." I smiled weakly. "I just got used to it in the end, though I've never understood or got used to all the prejudice against werewolves. At first I didn't believe the doctor who told me I was a werewolf, I mean, I didn't know how people became werewolves, I just thought they were evil monsters who ate people!" At that point I half expected someone to shout 'They are.' "When I went to Hogwarts things got worse. Because I was given the Wolfsbane potion there, which let me stay in control of myself when I was transformed and made the transformation less painful, so when I was at home for the holidays I found the pain more unbearable than usual. Also, as it's a boarding school, it was hard to get away from people, and to keep my secret, especially from my best friend Danielle. She knows now, and she doesn't mind, but I didn't dare to tell her myself."
"OK, Harriet. I'm going to move on and ask you some questions about more recent events." Although I knew these questions would be harder to answer, they were the most important ones, the main reason I was going through with the interview plan. "First of all, and I'm especially curious about this, as you're trying to clear your name, did you not commit the crime that the Committee are after you for?"
I was a bit nervous about my answer here. Although I was going to tell the absolute truth, I doubted this answer would go down to well with the public who were listening. "Yes, I did." I said. "I'm not trying to 'clear my name', because I am guilty. What I am trying to do, is to get them to understand that the punishment is unfair, and that they must change the laws. I shouldn't be punished, because what I did wasn't my fault." [i]Not directly anyway,[/i] I thought. I felt guilty about it, because if I had only tied myself up better, maybe I wouldn't have escaped, and none of this would have happened.
"How did you feel when you killed someone?" He asked. "I understand if you don't want to answer that."
"No." I said firmly. "I'll answer. Well, I honestly don't know. Because I was transformed, I wasn't really conscious of what I was doing. When the moon went down and I changed back to myself, I felt sick, from the raw flesh, and blood in my mouth. Straight away I realised what I had done, and felt terribly guilty and ashamed. I never thought the Committee would want me dead, because I know that they don't execute humans in Britain anymore, and I assumed that would apply to any kind of human, werewolves for example."
"So, you're saying that the werewolf part of you is separate to yourself, and that you're not in control o what you do at the full moon, you don't even know what you're doing."
"Yes. if it hadn't been for the blood, I wouldn't have known." I felt I was making some progress here. If I could get people to understand that it wasn't my fault, then everything might be OK.
"But I suppose the Committee doesn't understand that point of view."
"No." I knew I had to be especially cautious at this point. If I said what I thought, and got really worked up about the Committee, people would think I'm horrible to everyone, and that I hate all people. "They don't understand werewolves at all, because they've never tried to. They think of us on the same level as they think about the hippogriffs and other animals they deal with. Of course, there's a big difference. Personally, I think werewolves should be unarguably classified as beings. People at the Committee don't speak to me as an equal, and they refuse to read 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart'." I almost laughed out loud. It sounded so ridiculous. "I'm sorry, but I think everyone should read that book, if they're going to deal with werewolves. My parents gave it me after I was bitten." Now, this is where the first part which I had thought up earlier came in. "I think understanding is the most important thing. if they can understand werewolves, they won't kill them needlessly. I don't just want to save myself, I want to stop them killing others, in the future."
"What have you been doing over the past 2 months, since you escaped for the second time? No-one has heard anything from you since you attacked your executioner at the Committee and escaped in wolf form."
"Well, actually," I said, forcing a smile (pointless really, as no-one could see me!) someone has heard from me. I wrote to my best friend, and we've been in contact for over a month. I've been in hiding-I can't tell you where. Then yesterday I got fed up with hiding, so I left. I slept in a barn last night, went to the Committee for the Disposal of dangerous Creatures this morning, in disguise, and then to the office of Werewolf Support Services, this afternoon. It's all gone so quickly since I left."
"You're taking quite a risk by returning to London, what will you do if they catch you again?"
"The same as anyone without a death wish would do." I said briskly, then added more softly. "[i]Try[/i] to escape."
"And if you can't escape?" He enquired.
"I think that's pretty obvious." I answered dryly. "I won't have any choice in the matter." I didn't add what I was thinking, which was [i]Shut up you stupid prat, or better still just drop dead. I don't bloody need you to keep reminding me of things I'm trying not to think about."
"But how would you react in that situation?" He persisted.
[i]Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP![/i] I screamed inside my head. "Well, I really don't know," I said patiently. "It hasn't happened yet, and it WON'T, OK?" [i]Calm down Harriet. calm down [/i] "I'd probably shout a lot, rattle the bars on my [i]cage[/i], and cry." [i]Cry like I would be doing now, if I didn't have to be so polite.[/i] I thought. [i]I obviously have more self control than I realised.[/i]
"Right, it's time to end the interview. Good luck hiding, and good luck wit your battle against the Committee." He said.
"No!" I grabbed the microphone. I hadn't said a lot of stuff that needed saying. "I hope someone has listened to me, 'cause it's unusual for a werewolf to be listened to. That's why I'm not likely to succeed without some help. If you agree with what I have said, please try to do something about it. Owl the Committee, or go to their headquarters. they say I'm an inhuman monster, but I think that how you treat others is more important that your blood, whether you have pure-blood, half-blood, muggle-blood, or werewolf blood." This was another part I'd thought up and rehearse earlier, if you're wondering why it sounds like that! "Please try to help me to change the unfair laws, which are destroying me, and my kind. Thank-you very much." A tear dripped from my eye.
In less than an hour there was news of a crowd of protesters outside the Committee building, and rather a lot of owls heading that way.
"Please can we go near there?" I begged Natasha, and the man. "We could stay out of the way, but just let me see what's going on, please?" They weren't completely sure, but in the end I persuaded them.
We were inside a magical shield which made us invisible, but we could see out of. If I had stuck my hand through the wall, it would be visible. I saw that most of the Committee members had run away. The only ones left were Walden Macnair- the executioner, and Benjamin Counter, the head of the Committee. Though at a first glance, he looked old and feeble, I was still quite scared of him, because I knew how cruel and merciless he could be.
The hair dying charm seemed to be wearing off-it looked like I had blonde highlights. Hair dying charms don't last as long as conventional hair dying potions.
Anyway, at about 8pm, when it was dark, I got fed up of sitting around, so I just walked through the wall of the shield, and disappeared into the crowd. I enjoyed myself for about half an hour, shouting everything I'd wanted to say before, but hadn't been able to. Then the spell must have completely worn off.
Someone whispered: "Look! It's Harriet Rivers!" and suddenly everyone was staring at me. I don't think I looked that different to normal, with the streaks in my hair, it was just than no-one expected to see me with blonde highlights, so they didn't notice me until I looked how they had seen in the Daily Prophet. I was grabbed roughly from behind, and dragged through the crowd. A few people tried to make my captor let go, but he was too strong. As I was held roughly on the steps in front of the building, near Counter, I realised who it must be, who had caught me. It was Macnair, the executioner. Two thoughts popped into my head at the same time. One was [i]'Damn, they've caught me. After everything I've done to try and escape..'[/i] But the other was a little more optimistic. [i]'They can't kill me now, not with all these people here, who want me freed!'[/i]
Unfortunately the Committee thought they could. Now I was in front of the crowd I could see someone I recognised. It was Danielle, standing right in front of the steps. I was puzzled at first, after all, there was no Wizarding Wireless in the Ravenclaw common room, and she didn't have one of her own. Then I saw who she was standing next to, both of them looking very agitated. It was Elizabeth. She must have gone all the way to Hogwarts, while I was being interviewed, to fetch her, as I'd been talking about her on the way to the Werewolf Support Services.
The head of the Committee had begun speaking, rapidly. "It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, that the werewolf, Harriet, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the 25th September, at.." he glanced at his watch ".8.32 pm. To be carried out by the Committee's chairperson, Benjamin Counter. As witnessed below, signed Walden Macnair." He pulled a knife out of his robes, and I could tell, maybe smell it in the air, that it was silver. Everyone in the crowd was petrified, with shock and amazement, that they didn't move. All except Elizabeth. She gave Danielle a huge shove, which (with her not being solid) didn't move her, but the icy touch shocked her, and she leapt up the stairs, and knocked Counter, who was just about to strike me with the knife. He fell, but as he did so, the knife slashed across my fingers, starting between the joints of my little finger, and going upwards diagonally, over the next two fingers. I saw a line of blood welling up, and I was terrified. It wasn't a deep cut, but I knew the effect silver has on werewolves, when it penetrates the skin. I saw all the flesh and skin within half an inch of the cut, burn away, severing three of my fingertips. I even heard them hit the ground. the pain was unbearable I was trembling, and then, I passed out.
Everything until I woke up is what Danielle and Elizabeth told me. Someone went to get medi-wizards for me and Counter, as he was unconscious, while the crowd took Macnair's axe away, and held him back, now they were out of their trance-like state. I was taken to St Mungo's hospital, where I woke up.
When I awoke, my fingers weren't bleeding anymore. They had been magically healed, and hardly hurt at all. Magic can still surprise you, even when you've been brought up with it.
Soon my first visitor arrived. It wasn't Danielle, or my parents, as I had hoped, but the news he brought was better than seeing my family and friends again.
"Ahem." said Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. "Now that you are awake, I have some very important news for you. Over the past few hours the Ministry of Magic have been debating what to do about werewolves. We have decided-though it's not official yet-that werewolves are no longer to be classified as beasts, so the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, is no longer responsible for you."
[i]'Whoohoo!'[/i] I thought, grinning broadly, and hardly taking in what the Minister said, which was something about the Werewolf Registry, being responsible for making sure all werewolves had a secure place to transform. Then, he got my attention again, when he told me that I'd be spending the next day at home, and returning to Hogwarts in the evening. I was a bit nervous about what people would think about me, when I returned to Hogwarts, though.
After the Minister left, although it was the middle of the night, they allowed Danielle and Elizabeth in to talk to me, which we did, for hours on end!
At about two o'clock in the morning, my parents arrived. They were allowed to take me home, as I didn't really need to stay in bed, and they needed more beds. It was such a long time since I had seen them (though I had written to them a few times when I was in hiding at Hogwarts), but for some reason I couldn't think of anything to say to them. The hugged me, and fussed over my fingers, though I'd told them that they didn't really hurt that much anymore. In the end we went to the car (parked on the roadside, as St Mungo's doesn't have a car park. Some people are really inconsiderate towards muggle families!) and drove home. I climbed into bed, the minute we got home, and slept all morning. The afternoon was mostly spent sitting, 'talking' to my parents, feeling very awkward. I still couldn't find anything to say to them. I felt that I'd grown up a lot over the past month or two, and they didn't notice.
Anyway, I was relieved in the end, when it was time to leave, to go to Hogwarts. I took a pinch of floo powder, and threw it into the fire, saying, "Professor Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts" Dumbledore spoke to me briefly, in his office, before dinner. He said that he hoped I'd be OK with everyone, and that if I had any problems, to talk to him. He said he thought I'd catch up with my school work easily enough. Then it was dinner time.
I was sitting in my usual place at the Ravenclaw table, before anyone arrived, except Professor Dumbledore, at the teachers table. It wasn't long before students started pouring into the hall, chattering. I was ever so nervous about seeing everybody again. As some 2nd and 3rd year Ravenclaws who I knew, started to arrive, they noticed me, and stared and whispered amongst themselves. Orla Quirke's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head, but I didn't glare back. After what seemed like hours, Danielle came into the hall and sat down next to me.
"I wasn't allowed to tell them." She muttered. "I think Dumbledore's going to make a speech." I hoped he wouldn't. I didn't want more attention drawing to myself.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. " I expect most of you have noticed a person at the Ravenclaw table who has been missing for some weeks. Indeed, there was a time when I feared she might never be able to rejoin the school. Her release from the death sentence upon her, was achieved almost entirely by her own efforts. Some people say that werewolves-an I am sure you are all aware that Harriet is a werewolf- are not human, that they are incapable of feeling anything, except the desire to kill. Harriet has proved otherwise. She has worked hard enough to be a Hufflepuff, demonstrated the determination and cunning of a Slytherin, shown strength and bravery in such abundance as would make any Gryffindor proud, and of course, the quick- thought of her own house-Ravenclaw.
I would hope that all of you, in a similar situation, would show as much strength of mind as Harriet did, and as much open-mindedness and loyalty as her friend Danielle has shown. I hope that no student in this school is ashamed of having a werewolf in their midst. You should be proud to know such a girl, who has worked hard to get being classification, and rights for her kind-Harriet Rivers. Forget you ever heard she was a werewolf, she is still the same person she was before you knew, treat her that way."
I was really embarrassed by such praise, and I felt my cheeks burning. I was certain I looked like a tomato. A few people applauded his speech, mostly from the front two tables, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. I started to eat, in silence, looking down at my plate. It was obvious from the applause that not everyone at Hogwarts hated me. I was relieved about that, but I couldn't help thinking of all the others, who hadn't clapped.
After dinner everyone went up to their common rooms, but I went straight to my dormitory. Danielle followed me. I started unpacking clothes, and slamming drawers shut. I pinned up a lunar chart, with days ticked off, on the wall behind my bed. "Can put that up now." I muttered angrily to myself, practically hammering drawing pins into the wall with my fist. "It's not as if I can hide it anymore."
"It'll be alright." I jumped. I hadn't seen Danielle come into the room. I turned around, to face her.
"How do you know? They might all hate me. Even those who did clap could be indifferent, and were just clapping to be polite, to Dumbledore." I was really stressed about it, and though Danielle told me not to worry, I couldn't help thinking that I was right, when the other three, second-year Ravenclaw girls came into the dormitory.
My bed was in the corner of the room, and Danielle's was the one next to it. Orla started whispering to Helena. All I heard was the word change, and I thought that they were talking about me, and transforming. Then Orla and Helena started taking things out of drawers, and swapping over. Helena had previously had the bed in the opposite corner, furthest away from me, but now they had changed beds, Orla was there, with Helena in the middle of the room, and Aurore - Orla's best friend, between them. I didn't really know
I thought, that seeing as Helena had been happy to move closer to where Danielle and I were, she couldn't hate me too much, so I felt a little happier. I didn't really know Helena or Aurore that well. I knew Orla, unfortunately, it was hard to avoid knowing someone like that. She made a point of talking to everyone, and she generally didn't say nice things.
"'Night 'Roar." She said. "'Night you two." She meant Helena and Danielle. "'Night werewolf." I resisted the urge to scream at her, and go and punch her. Instead I sniffed, and closed my eyes, hiding my face under the covers, and eventually I got to sleep
In the morning, I was caught up in the usual crowds at the entrance to the Great Hall on the way to breakfast. Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I turned round, but no one was looking at me, and none of the people there were people I knew. I turned around to face the front, all the time pushing forwards through the crowd. Maybe whoever it was had caught my shoulder by accident. I was nearly at the door when someone tapped me again, and once more, I spun round, to see nobody. Then someone on my left nudged me, and a voice from my right muttered, "Hurry up werewolf, you're blocking the doorway. I practically ran to the Ravenclaw table, tears stinging my eyes. 'If this is what it's going to be like at Hogwarts, I might as well give up now.' I thought. But I was stubborn, and still determined to make the most of this second chance I had earned. I knew it was everyone else who was cruel, not me.
All through breakfast people were staring at me. I couldn't see the Gryffindor table, so I didn't know what they thought of me, but Gryffindors are known for being more open-minded, and less prejudiced than the other houses. In fact, the Sorting Hat had nearly placed me there, partly for that reason. Still, the Slytherins were glaring angrily, the Hufflepuffs were staring curiously, and whispering to each other, an most Ravenclaws were pretending to ignore me, and glancing when they thought no-one would notice.
"I'm a being, for God's sake!" I felt like screaming at them. "A being just like you. I've earned that status, so why are you all staring at me like I'm a freak? I'm not going to do anything!"
And I wasn't going to do anything, or shout that. I had to stay calm. I had learned a few years before, that people will blame anything on a werewolf, they look for excuses to hate us. I know that if I lost my temper, everyone would say it was because I was a werewolf. I ate quickly, rarely joining in conversation with Danielle, who was (not very subtly) trying to convince the others to speak to me. Orla would never listen, obviously, and her friend Aurore was unlikely to. I thought that eventually Helena would be OK about it.
Soon it was time for Defence Against the Dark Arts, with Professor Lupin. He was looking pretty nervous and exhausted from the full moon three days before. He bit his bottom lip, as he hesitated before speaking. "Today we will be studying werewolves." He stated calmly, as everyone in the room turned to stare at me. "Sorry." He mouthed at me, wincing. Then he carried on with the lesson normally. "Does anyone know anything about werewolves?" Quite a few people raised their hands. "Yes, Orla, tell me a fact about werewolves."
Orla smirked, and began to speak slowly, and with relish, directing every word towards me. "It has a Ministry of Magic classification of XXXXX." She paused to get the exact quotation in her mind: "This means 'Known wizard killer, impossible to train or domesticate.'" Again, practically everyone in the room turned and stared at me, with expressions of shock and fear, though I'm sure they'd all read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, before, and knew what classification werewolves had. I had never been able to forget that rating. 'Wizard killer, impossible to train or domesticate.' I hated it. I assumed they'd be changing the book soon, as werewolves are no longer classed as beasts.
"That is correct Orla." He replied, though he looked less than happy at her answer. "However, you forgot that this rating only applies to the wolf-that is the animal that the cursed human becomes, for just one night a month." People glanced at me again, looking unsure. Orla let out an odd laugh, which sounded rather like a pig snorting.
"I have heard reports of werewolves attacking people when they were in human form. They're still dangerous and vicious."
"And I suppose you've never heard of a human who harmed or murdered anyone?" Contradicted Remus, calmly.
Orla had nothing to say to that, so she just turned and glared at me. It was really unfair. She was angry with me, because she'd lost an argument with Remus- Professor Lupin, I mean. It wasn't my fault. And of course, the silence in this gap gave the class another chance to stare at me.
"I'm getting fed up of this." Said Remus quietly but firmly. "Could you all stop staring at Harriet? You've known her for over a year, and seen her yesterday, not to mention all the other times you've looked at her this lesson, I'm sure she hasn't changed since you saw her 20 seconds ago!"
One of the boys in my class, Stewart Ackerly (one of the worst, and that's saying something) thought of an excuse. A really stupid one, but what do you expect from a boy. "You brought in a Grindylow when we studied them a few weeks ago, Professor. But you didn't bring in a werewolf for this lesson. It could be useful to look at it, for reference."
"Harriet is in human form at the moment, and I'm sure she doesn't want you staring at her all lesson. If you must stare at a werewolf in human form the stare at me." We all gasped, though I gasped for a different reason to the others. "At least you'll be paying attention that way." Everyone kept gaping with their mouths open, but Remus ignored them, and continued with his lesson.
"So, does anyone know anything else about werewolves." A couple of people were a bit calmer now, and Helena and Danielle raised their hands, Helena was trembling a little. Remus chose Helena to answer the question. Danielle left her hand up, reading to tell him her answer after Helena had spoken.
"Silver kills them." Danielle lowered her hand, having obviously been about to say something similar.
"That's right Helena." Said Remus, "But can anyone explain in more detail?"
During the lesson, I had realised that if I never spoke, no one would get to know me, and accept me. I couldn't keep hiding in the corner of the classroom forever. It didn't work, for one thing. So two people raised their hands to answer the question, Danielle and I.
Remus looked surprised, but pleased, so he chose me. "Yes Harriet?"
"Touching silver causes painful burns and blistering." I said quietly. "If silver penetrates the skin, it burns away all the flesh within half and inch. It only kills if it burns into any of the vital organs, or causes a lot of blood loss. If it stays in the body for some time, it poisons us." I'd had difficulty choosing that last word. I could have just said 'them' or 'werewolves' and stayed unconnected, not acknowledging what I was. Now that I'd done that, I might as well carry on. I held out both hands, palms up. "This is where I touched a goblet made of silver." I turned over my left hand, and held that out. "And this is where I was cut with a silver knife-it was only a shallow cut." I shivered, though the classroom was fairly warm, for October. "You can't even begin to imagine how much just touching silver hurts." I whispered.
Everyone was staring at me again, but this time I didn't mind so much. Most of them just looked surprised and curious, and Remus and Danielle were smiling, encouraging me. Certainly it was only Orla and Steward who looked as if they really hated me. A few others would never be nice to me, or accept me, but in those cases they were just afraid, they didn't hate me like Orla did.
I didn't pay much attention during the rest of the lesson, after all, how much could he teach me, when I'd spent twenty-four hours a day, since I was seven years old learning what it's like to be a werewolf. I got on with the work out of the textbook, leaning across the desks to talk to Danielle occasionally. Remus came and stood next to the desk to speak to me.
"I'm sorry about the lesson." He said apologetically. "I didn't know until yesterday that you were coming back, and I'd planned the lesson last week. I couldn't change I easily, because it's the last thing in the book we've been working through."
"It's OK. I'm fine now, though I was really horrified when you first said what we were studying today." I said, smiling.
"I don't like teaching about werewolves." He admitted, with a shrug. "Although I talk about werewolves in general, usually, I always feel like it's personal. It sometimes makes me wonder how the other creatures I teach about feel."
"Why did you tell them?" I asked, perplexed.
"Well, they'd probably heard rumours from the older students, anyway. Professor Snape spread it, when I left 2 years ago. Besides, it was a good way of getting their attention. I don't think I'd have dared to do it if you hadn't got the laws changed." He hesitated. "You did a really great thing, you know. Think of all the people who could have been killed in the future if it wasn't for you. You've saved all their lives, as well as your own." I sighed. I wasn't used to praise, as I've already said, and I couldn't help thinking that I did it for myself. If I hadn't been in danger, I' have thought it was awful still, but I wouldn't have done anything about it.
The bell went for the next lesson, and we all put our things in our bags, to leave. When I was walking down the corridor with Danielle, Helena joined us, along with a couple of lads, who asked stupid questions, such as "What's it like to change into a wolf?" and "Have you killed lots of people?" They left soon enough when I showed them my hands close up, and they both turned quite pale. All boys are wimps.
I didn't really mind them being there. OK, so they were tactless and immature, but they weren't afraid, and they weren't being deliberately cruel. Helena stayed with us all day, proving me right, that she'd join us in the end.
We passed a bunch of Gryffindor fifth years in the corridor. It was Harry Potter and his friends.
"Hi Harriet. Well done." Said Harry, smiling warmly.
"Maybe I should organise a protest for the S-P-E-W." Mused Hermione Granger. Some people say that she's Harry's girlfriend, but I don't think she is.
"Spew?" I queried, puzzled.
"Don't even ask." Advised Ron Weasley, before they disappeared round a bend in the corridor.
The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully. Of course things didn't immediately change that much, but I felt better which allowed me to cope with Orla and the Slytherins' comments, and the Hufflepuffs' curiosity better. I didn't feel at all depressed anymore, so I wolfed down my food, (without even shuddering at the ironic metaphor!) and talked and laughed with my friends. I even managed to be reasonably civil to Orla, and asked her to pass the salt, without glaring.
I felt content that evening as I climbed into my four poster be, and drew the thick blue curtains around it. I was sure that soon life would be better than when nobody knew about my lycanthropy. I knew that some people would never forgive me for turning out to be a werewolf, but I felt like I had always known that though nothing is ever perfect, my life would be worse than most. Before I came to Hogwarts I had never expected to have friends.
I didn't need to be popular, or even to be liked by more than a few people. I just needed a few good friends, like Danielle, who would always be there for me. All I wanted from everyone else was tolerance, and for them to leave me alone if they couldn't accept what I was.
Of course I was still an individual person, as I would have been if I had never been bitten, but sometimes I wondered what I would have been like if things had been different. I might not have even been Sorted into Ravenclaw, because it was only after I became a werewolf that I retreated into my books, away from people. I expected that people would always find me a little strange, and of course, people still would be unlikely to want to employ a werewolf. But I didn't want to worry about the future. I decided to give up hiding things. Now everyone knew what I was, I might as well be myself all the time. That way, any friends I made would have to like and accept me for who, and what, I was.
I'm leaving Hogwarts now, at the end of my seventh year and I can hardly believe how much the world has changed, with regards to werewolves. The first years were only about six when the laws were changed, so they've grown up in a world where werewolves are beings. One of the kids who joined Ravenclaw last year is a werewolf, and not ashamed at all. He told his friends in the first week of term, and only a few people at the school had a problem with that.
Other things have changed too. Three years ago Harry Potter defeated Voldemort, before he had even graduated from Hogwarts. A memorial was built in the Hogwarts grounds to students who died during the war with Voldemort, including Harry's best friend, Ron, who sacrificed himself, for Harry and Hermione.
Professor Dumbledore is retiring at the end of this year, and Professor McGonagall will be taking his place. The new Gryffindor head of house, and transfiguration teacher will be Hermione Granger. I was Head Girl last year, which as you can imagine, Orla Quirke was not pleased about.
Although I didn't think much about it, I was always worried that I wouldn't be able to get a job, because of my lycanthropy, but it's not been a problem at all. I've got a good job waiting for me, in the being division of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Last summer holiday I helped out part time at the Office of Werewolf Support Services.
Of course, not everything can be that good. My mother's family haven't been talking to us, since I was bitten, and even now, we haven't seen them for years. Most Slytherins at Hogwarts still try to make my life miserable, and the same for other couple of werewolves in the school. As I said before, life isn't going to be perfect for my kind, ever, but it's a lot better than it's ever been before. Danielle tells me I did it, but I disagree. I may have had something to do with it, but I didn't do it alone.
I step off the Hogwarts Express, and wave goodbye to my friends. "See you in a couple of weeks!" I shout along the platform to Helena. Everyone knows me, and most don't glare, they accept me these days, though it's common knowledge what I am.
I'm a werewolf-so what?