AN: Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! Hi everybody! I'm posting this chapter to celebrate my birthday on august 31! That makes means that I would have been a month younger than Harry Potter had I been born in 1980! I got some interesting reviews last time, and my self-esteem with this story has definitely benefited. Hehe. ::Gives Remus a big hug. Relena gives Morgan a death glare.:: I'm backing off Relena. Jeez. Anyway here is the next exciting chapter of Wolf Child. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters! J.K. offered to sell them to me, but I told her she could keep them for a little while longer. I don't own the term kiddie commando. I think Alvin and the Chipmunks do. I don't own the bar Cheers, Sam does, and I don't own Cliff, I don't like him anyways, I think CBS did, but I can't be sure.
Miguel stumbled into the medical ward. Spridal had dragged him all the way across the school at a speed that was somewhere beyond the speed of sound. He looked around the blue painted room. He could smell the new paint that had only been there for a few months now. Silently, he cursed himself. If he could smell new paint then why couldn't he smell a werewolf when it was around? He had known Relena was a werewolf the moment he had meet her. How could he have missed someone as obvious as Remus Lupin? He looked into the office of the school nurse who was being practically attacked by an unnerved Spridal.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T SEE HER?" Spridal yelled.
"I'm telling you that Ms. Potter is asleep," the nurse said calmly.
"I AM HER DAUGHTER! I DON'T CARE IF SHE IS ASLEEP!" Spridal bellowed.
"Ms., I don't know what you're talking. Relena Potter doesn't have a daughter. She told me so her self." Gottcha Spridal, Miguel thought internally. You really must watch out who you say that to.
"THIS IS OUTRAGIOUS! I HAVE TO SEE HER!" Spridal screeched. This was about to turn violent.
"Excuse me," Miguel said coolly, "Ms…"
"Pomfrey, Poppy Pomfrey."
"Well, Ms. Pomfrey, my name is Miguel Darkhunter, and we're both very good friends of Ms. Potter or Darkhunter or whatever you know her as."
"Oh, so you're Mr. Darkhunter," Poppy said eyeing him flirtatiously, "You're going to be teaching with Ms. Pot… I mean Darkhunter. That is going to cause some confusion around here. I'll need you to fill out some paperwork and take a routine physical before you start work of course," Poppy mentioned mischievously. The look she gave Miguel made him shiver.
"Of course," Miguel replied fighting the urge to puke, "Now, can we please go see Ms. Darkhunter." Poppy's smiling face suddenly fell into a deep frown of annoyance.
"No! As I told this young lady, Ms. Darkhunter is sleeping she won't be awake for a few more hours…."
"Poppy?" a groggy Relena said rounding the corner. She was dressed in a simple white pair of pajamas covered by a white fluffy robe.
"Relena!" Spridal called out happily before rushing over to give Relena a huge. "I was soooooooooo worried about you. I didn't even know you were sick until an hour ago when Miguel found me. I had been out in the woods. It was so beautiful. I spent three days out there and didn't even realize it. Oh, Relena, I'm so, so sorry."
"It's all right. I'm okay," Relena said while rocking the sprite back and forth in her arms, "But I can see that you've changed a little." She pushed the younger girl away to look at her then nodded her head in approval.
"Miguel, thought you would be mad," Spridal said shyly.
"Oh, did he you?" Relena said lifting her eyebrow.
"Not really," Miguel said lightly, "I'm glad to see you're all right." He embraced her lifting her off the ground in a massive bear hug. "So what exactly happened?" he asked cautiously.
"Well, it's a long story."
"I love long stories," Spridal said smiling.
"All right, Poppy can they come back to the beds so that I can sit down?"
"Of course Relena. Bye little girl. Bye Professor Darkhunter," the nurse said with a wink. As they walked over to the beds, Relena began laughing.
"I think she fancies you, Professor Darkhunter."
"I'm not going to be able to get use to that professor thing, and if you call me that one more time I'll call you Little Woman from her until the end of the school year."
"Okay, okay, I give. Just don't tell anyone that little nickname. I wouldn't want the wrong person to hear that."
"All right," Miguel said guiltily, "So, now that you're awake, tell us what happened."
"Well I really don't know what happened after I transformed. Maybe you should tell me what happened then first."
"Well, you sent Spridal off to get Robert…"
"Oh yeah Spridal, for now you need to not call me mum. All right?" Relena interrupted with an authoritative tone.
"Oh! That's all right! I wanted to ask you if that was okay," Spridal said joyfully.
"It's great and thanks cause no offense, but it's not safe for you to call me that here and it was starting to get annoying." Spridal and Relena both laughed.
"All right. Enough girl talk. Can I please get back to my story?" Miguel asked with mock annoyance. "So after she left, you, Relena, really started to loss it. I thought you were about to pass out when your eyes just seemed to lock on this one spot. I couldn't see anything, but you started screaming about your brother. Relena it was like he was there and you were talking to him. Eventually, Robert showed up. He did what he always does with about as much showmanship as possible. I'm telling both of you that he gives me the creeps. Relena he's usually so cold and distant, but whenever he talks to you, especially when you're a werewolf, he gets pretty god damn scary."
"He's harmless Miguel," Relena said waving her hand impatiently, "Besides he barley even speaks to me anymore. The only reason we see him at all is because of Spridal. Now please continue with your story."
"Basically, Spridal and I were exhausted by then. Robert used a few more of his mind warping powers to get us all some rooms to stay in for the night. We left, but not before Robert stopped us again. It was really weird Relena. He just swiped his hand through the air and suddenly, this little boy appeared. Relena he looked just like your brother! The first thing I thought was that this must be Relena's nephew, little Harry Potter, but by the time all of this had run through my head the boy was gone and I was being shown to one of the sleeping quarters."
"Dammit!" Relena cursed," Why is it that everyone has seen my nephew but me?"
"Oh Relena!" Spridal whined, "I didn't know you had a nephew. To think you're nephew is Harry Potter! I just meet him in the hall. He was ever so nice. I was talking with Harry and his two friends, Ron and Hermione. They're all very nice. I think you should meet them!"
"That's easier said than done," Relena waved an impatient hand at Spridal's confused look, "I'll explain later. Anyway Miguel please continue."
"Well, I was just about to fall asleep when I realized that I had left you alone in your werewolf form with Robert. So I got up and went to find you. I just kind of used some of my old tracking instincts. When I found you they were taking you into one of the rooms. You were still out cold. I told Robert to put you down on the bed, and he did. I told him I'd be right back and then I was off to find Spridal. When I came back to find your room, Robert stopped me. He told me that the resident werewolf expert was with you, and that he had to leave again. He won't be back for another couple of months. Anyway after I watched him leave, I went back to my room to get some shuteye, and when I woke up I couldn't find you. I ran into one of the ghosts. He told me that there was some strange woman in the medical wing. Well, I decided to go check it out and that's when I found you and started the mad search for Spridal who I just found a little while ago." Miguel decided to leave out his conversation with Remus Lupin until he was sure how Relena would react to it.
"Okay, well that's just great. So Robert's gone for a while. Spridal I think I'm gonna need you to watch Harry for a while. Don't give him any hints that I'm his aunt. He doesn't know yet. I'm going to ask Dumbledore if you can study as one of the students here."
"Wait up, kiddy commando," Miguel interrupted, "I think for now you should just rest. It's Monday. I don't think their gonna let you out until at least Wednesday, and then we're going to have to start planning lessons. I'm assuming that you do already know that the DCU wants us to start teaching a course here."
"Yes, I know. I'm just worried."
"Well, stop worrying, and tell me the rest of your story."
"Okay, so I woke up in the room, and, yes there resident werewolf expert was with me. As soon as I got a chance I went down to the dungeons to make nice with Severus."
"You mean that Professor Snape? Well, I'm assuming that since you're on a first name basis with him you're attempts to work things out worked."
"Yeah well anyway I talked things through with Severus, and we're all friends again. Well, at least he and I are. After they told me about the job and the prospect of seeing Harry, well, mix that with the fact that I was suffering from the worst form of a hangover possible, I just passed out. Then, I woke up here with Severus and Professor Dumbledore watching me." Like Miguel, Relena had also left out anything concerning Remus, she didn't want Miguel to go rip out Remus' throat is an attempt to defend Relena's honor.
"Well, I think you need some more sleep," Miguel remarked as he stood up off the bed, "Come on, Spridal. We should let Relena sleep."
"Oh all right," Spridal said giving Relena a hug, "I'll see you later." She ran out of the medical ward and off to find Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Well, I should get going and you should get some sleep. Anything you need me to do for you?" Miguel asked.
"Yeah two things actually. First, take this robe and hang it up over there," she asked slipping the fuzzy white robe off her shoulders and handing it to Miguel. He took it and hung it on a hook near the door.
"Now, the second thing. Sit down," Relena ordered. Miguel grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it over to her bed. "Miguel, what else happened wile I was passed out, and please don't lie to me this time."
"Relena, you of all people should talk about not telling the truth. Relena you never pass out, and this is the second time in two days you've had some kind of major medical problem," Miguel remarked in a parental tone.
"I had a fight," Relena admitted guiltily.
"With who? Snape?"
"No, no, not Severus. It was Remus."
"That bastard. He did this to you?" Miguel ragged.
"No, but he contributed to it. Miguel, you've been my best friend since I joined the Underground. I've told you everything about everyone in my life, but only because I trust you. Everything I've ever said about Remus makes him seem like a complete monster, but he really is a good man. He just doesn't know when to back off sometimes."
"Well, Relena, I didn't want to mention this to you, but I meet him while I was looking for Spridal. He didn't seem like such a bad guy, but when I found out who he was I was horrified. I had been nice to him, and I actually thought he was a pretty nice guy."
"No, no, Miguel that's fine. In fact, I think you two should be friends. It would be good for both of you to try and understand each other. Don't let my past affect your relationship with him in the present. He is a good person. Let me deal with what's passed between the two of us. Please."
"All right, as long as you're okay with it then I'm going to try to be on friendly terms with the good professor."
"Great," Relena sighed.
"But, um, Relena, I think you should know that he's the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher here. We're going to be working with him pretty closely." Relena sighed.
"Oh well, I'll just have to deal with it. I really need to get some sleep. Miguel, it was great to see you. If you run into Remus start planning some of our lessons okay? If I see him I won't exactly be able to talk about lesson plans yet."
"All right Relena I'm leaving. Sleep tight." Miguel was slipping out the door, but Madame Pomfrey grabbed him by the arm first.
"I need to fill out your physical forms. I suggest we do it right now," she said steering him off into another room. Miguel looked back at Relena like he was being lead to an execution. Relena chuckled at her friend's discomfort and fell asleep with a smile on her face.
The next day hundreds of miles away in muggle New York, Robert sat in the back corner of a bar. He was tired and wanted nothing more than to go see Spridal and Relena. Ahh, his two precious girls. What were they doing now? Probably, already wake and working. It would be about noon over there now. He needed to find a place to rest for the night. He needed to stop thinking about Relena. What was it about her? She had already made it clear that she really didn't think of him as anymore than a friend, but he still had these feelings for her that he couldn't explain. When she had become a werewolf the other night, he couldn't help but remember all the nights that he had helped her through the change. The first two years of their relationship had been spent with him trying to keep her from biting someone, but then she had suddenly begun turning to the Wolfsbane potion which she hadn't used since they had found out that he could help her through the change. She had been the first to use it. Then he had gone from lover to trusted friend to man that barely ever saw her anymore.
He had never had the connection with her that she had shared with Miguel. Robert always envied the Australian for that. From what he had picked up from the mind of Professor Snape she had once had the same relationship with her. He didn't like the way that Lupin had looked at her either. He would watch for now, but if anything happened that he didn't like the ultimatum would be set and he refused to be responsible for the consequences. He would leave that up to her. What am I thinking, he asked himself. This is Relena I'm thinking about! How could anything she do possibly upset me? Dammit, I'd better eat something before I settle in for the day. I'm starting to become positively malicious. Now who would make a good meal? Spotting a man sitting at the bar in the corner, Robert stood up and walked to the bar.
"Hello, sir. May I ask your name?" he questioned politely.
"Um, yeah sure. My names Cliff," the postal worker offered in heavy Brooklyn accent.
"Well Cliff, mind if I buy you a drink?"
"Well, I never turn down a free drink," Cliff said smiling.
"Really, so tell me do you come to Cheers often?" Needless to say Robert didn't have to wait long for dinner that night.
Well, Robert's assumptions would have been right if not for the fact that Relena had been confined to the infirmary and Spridal was busy trying to adjust to life as a student at Hogwarts. Dumbledore had come to find her without even speaking to Relena only and hour after she had last seen her werewolf friend. Most likely Miguel had found him, but knowing Dumbledore anything was possible. She had been sorted into Gryffindor; simply for the fact that Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew about her "abnormality" from a conversation she had with them during their first day as friends. She was really excited about the prospect of attending her first class with her classmates.
When she woke up on Tuesday she nearly jumped out of bed. She dressed quickly using magic that she probably shouldn't have. The sun had only just risen when Spridal had awoken and dressed. By the time she was finished the other girls were waking up with a few more moans and groans than usual. The slowness with which Hermione dressed and got ready for class nearly drove the hyperactive sprite insane. Pulling a yawning Hermione behind her, Spridal ran down the stairs to the Great Hall.
They got there before the guys, which didn't bother Spridal even a little bit. She had some questions to ask Hermione before their first class. Little did she know Hermione had a few questions for her as well.
"So Hermione, what is our first class?" Spridal asked as she loaded her plate with any type of food that she didn't recognize.
"Herbology with Professor Sprout," Hermione said while pouring a glass of pumpkin juice for herself.
"Oh, good. I love Herbology."
"Well, then maybe you'll be able to help me keep the guys on track. After that we have Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. I think you'll really enjoy that class." Hermione's attitude toward the classes was increasing, a sure sign that she was beginning to wake up. "Then after lunch we're going to have Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lupin," Hermione remarked eyeing Spridal for any sign of recognition. There was none, but if Hermione could have seen into Spridal's mind she would have realized the confusion that Spridal was going through. She really wanted to ask Hermione about Professor Lupin. She had heard Relena mention him a few times, and she had always mentioned him with a tight strain in her voice.
"Hermione? I'm going to ask you to do something, but you can't tell the guys. Deal?" Spridal said cautiously.
"Okay Spridal. What is it?" Hermione had already resolved in her mind that she wouldn't tell the boys about anything as long as she got some answers.
"Tell about Professor Lupin. What is he like? I've heard Relena mention him a few times, but she really doesn't like to say anything about him when he thinks other people are around."
"Well, he's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we ever had…"
"He teaches what?" Spridal said spitting out some pumpkin juice.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts. Why? Is something wrong?" Hermione hoped this was going somewhere.
"I'm not sure. You'll find out later. I don't want to say anything right now, but please go on about Professor Lupin."
"Well, it's like I said. He's really nice, a great teacher, and he was one of Harry's dad's best friends…."
"Oh yeah! Relena's br…um I mean, classmate. I know all about him, Harry's dad, James Potter and his friends. As I recall there were four of them, James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and that evil psychopath Sirius Black. It's just awful what he did to Harry's parents."
"Yeah um it is, but I always wondered if he really was the guilty one," Hermione said nonchalantly.
"What are you talking about? Of course he's the guilty one! Who else could it be? Peter Pettigrew? I mean come on he's a little dead don't you think?"
"Well, I just try to keep an open mind about these kinds of things!"
"What kinds of things, Granger? The possibility that you're nothing, but a worthless mudblood?" a blond boy asked walking up behind the bushy-haired girl.
"No, Draco, the idea that your brain might have even half a living cell in it," Hermione said with a smug grin.
"I don't think we've been properly introduced," Draco said turning to Spridal and ignoring Hermione, "My name is Draco, Draco Malfoy, and you are?"
"Spridal, Spridal Darkhunter," the girl replied reaching out her hand for Draco to kiss as she had been taught to all her life. To her surprise Draco did just that. He took her small hand in his own and kissed the tips of her fingers.
"Darkhunter. Really as in the Darkhunter clan of Australia?" he asked taking a seat next to Spridal on the bench much to Hermione's distress.
"Why, yes! You've heard of us?"
"Who hasn't heard of the illustrious Darkhunter clan? I mean, with your family's reputation and all you must be one of the luckiest girls in Hogwarts, not to mention one of the richest."
"Money. Is that all you care about, Draco Malfoy?" Spridal questioned in utter disgust.
"Of course. What else is there?" Draco replied with a smug grin.
"How about friendship, loyalty, sincerity, honor, and the list goes on. Any of these sound familiar to you Draco?"
"Well, if I didn't know any better, I would swear you had just insulted me, but you would never do that seeing as how you're a Darkhunter and I'm a Malfoy."
"And what does that have to do with anything?" Hermione interjected, tired of being ignored.
"You mean your little friend hasn't told you? My, my, my that is an interesting turn of events. The Darkhunters are as pureblood a family as the Malfoys. Many of my family members have been inducted into the Darkhunter clan through various methods."
"And each one was the greatest mistake that the clan ever made," Spridal mumbled under her breath.
"Hmm. You don't act like any Darkhunter I've ever met. I'm leaving now," Draco said as he stood up.
"Good riddance!" Spridal spat back at him.
"Oh no, I don't think you understand my dear girl. I'm leaving for now, but I'll be watching you."
"You just try to intimidate me, Draco Malfoy. I won't be that easy to track," Spridal said in a warning tone.
"Oh, really, what are you some type of sprite?" Draco said with a snicker. Suddenly, a bowl of cornflakes flew off the table and hit Draco squarely in the nose, covering him with a paste like goop.
"That, Draco Malfoy, is for me to know and you to find out," Spridal said with an almost Slytherin sneer. Draco looked at her for a minute as if he were trying to solve some great puzzle before turning on his heel with a huff and walking away.
"You know," Spridal said turning to face Hermione who was barely able to contain her laughter, "he reminds me of some type of…. Rodent. A ferret perhaps."
At this
comment Hermione lost all control of her self and began laughing so loudly that
the entire hall turned to stare at the Gryffindor table. It took Spridal a whole ten minutes to calm
Hermione down at which point the Harry and Ron had arrived and were most egger
to tell he the story of Draco Malfoy, The Flying Ferret.
Draco Malfoy stormed off to his room to change his robes. He felt like a fool. A perfectly good set of robes wasted all on the pranks of some childish girl. No, he reminded himself, not a girl, a sprite, a sprite that couldn't possibly be a member of the Darkhunter clan. Draco wondered what his father would think of the appearance of a girl, no sprite claming to be a Darkhunter. So after changing his robes Draco sat down to write a particularly long letter to his father.
AN: Draco! You evil little ferret! I'm sorry to everyone who likes Draco. I don't mean to offend, but for the purposes of this story it is convenient for me if he is not so nice. Isn't Spridal the cutest? She was inspired by the little children I tend to baby sit, and for all of you who are doubting how dangerous Robert is be warned that I am not responsible for any windows he might break in an attempt to extract your blood from your neck. (Ashes is. She gets him on weekends. Hi Ashes!) I know Poppy is well, nuts, but she's an older woman with needs and Miguel is 42 years old, so he can make his own decisions. ::Trin slaps Morgan over the back of the head:: Sorry Trin. Forgot you were within earshot. Ta-ta M.
(Sorry I watch Hannibal last night. Brains are yucky! Ugh!)
Roll call:
Split Personalities Are We: Yes ma's! Right away ma's!
Sarah the Goblin Queen: Ahh, come on Sarah. You can run me over or I can't finish the story.
Kari: Thank you! Your review totally lifts my spirit! I didn't mean to snap about the father. I was just telling you all not to count other people out of the mix. In fact, I shall now revile who the father is. That's right. It's Sirius Black! ::Evil laughter cough cough:: I mean, oh well, I guess now you know.
Singer: Get your mind out of there quickly! God, I mean, if it gives you nightmares don't think about it. I hope for your sake that Severus isn't the father, although you are going to have to face that same mental image sometime in Forgotten Heart. Oh, and Sirius is mine! All mine! ::more evil laughter. Cough cough.:: actually he's another character's from another story, which I'm debating as to whether or not I will post.