Chapter Eight: Banshees and Werewolves
"Where have you been?" Courtney demanded after finally seeing Lydia come into the common room. She looked drunk. She could barely walk. Her entire self looked a disheveled mess. "What has been going on with you these past few weeks? You are never here anymore. You are gone every night and every afternoon." Courtney said. "If I tell you, you must keep it to yourself" Lydia said. "You have my word," she said. "I've been with Harry" she said. "Harry? I thought you disliked him?" She said. "Quite the contrary, dear." She said softly, her eyes looking glazed over - she was finding it very difficult to hide her arousal. "Oh my gosh!!" She had her assumptions - she was keen, for an eleven year old. "What" she paused, almost afraid to ask her, "did you and Harry.." she gulped. "Do.together?" She whispered. "Everything" Lydia said breathlessly. Courtney flushed with curiosity and utter fear. She could not possibly imagine the idol of every young wizard doing such things as Courtney had been imagining. "Were you.there.tonight?" She asked bravely. "Yes" Lydia answered. "We shared the same bed," she added bluntly. "Do not be alarmed honey, it's a perfectly natural thing adults do when they love each other" Lydia tried to ease the little girls' fright by explaining things to her. "Can I ask more questions? Will they upset you?" Courtney asked her softly. "No" Lydia said, offering to let her sit by her as they approached the fire. "I've been wanting to talk to someone about this for so very long." she said. "Tell me" Courtney urged. "Well, I've been attracted to him for quite a while and knew he had.genuine feelings for me. When he kissed me the first time, I felt faint - truly. It was so." Courtney smiled more brightly. "Was that your first kiss?" She giggled. "Yes it was," she replied with a warm smile. "What was it like? I mean.did it feel awkward?" Courtney asked. "At first.but it was so powerful and." she paused, "magical" both girls laughed. "He knew what he wanted and that desire was all we could feel - like tonight." Courtney looked bewildered. "Is that what love is like?" She asked. "Yes, your entire body shakes with that feeling; the feeling when you know you have found the one." "A soulmate!" Courtney interceded happily. "Yes, that's a perfect way to understand it dear" Lydia said softly. "What about.um.?" She couldn't say the words. "Love making?" Lydia asked her gently. "It's the same feeling, only intensified" she flushed somewhat, still feeling everything she was describing as it ran through her veins. "Wow, Harry Potter!" Courtney laughed and blushed at the same time. Lydia's face turned a bright red. "Yes, Harry Potter" she said, hugging her dear friend close.
As Lydia attended her classes, she looked at her watch a million times, hoping to get outside to watch Harry's lesson for today. Harry.the name crossed her mind as she shivered. Come to me tonight, she thought hungrily. Rumors were still flying about them, but she tried to ignore them. There were hushed whispers as she walked the halls and pointed fingers as she sat in the library. Everyone knew that she and Harry were together. It was the talk of the school. Malfoy had turned against her. She had not cared. She only wanted Harry. Everyone seemed to be avoiding her. They seemed to think that she was a banshee. Harry was waiting by the stairs. He pointed two young ladies to their classroom and smiled as he saw Lydia coming towards him. He still felt the heat of his excitement upon seeing her. Every time - it made him love her more each time. "Hello" she said lovingly. "Walk me to your lesson" she smiled. He kissed her gently and put his arm around her as they walked out towards the field. They talked of casual things and laughed at each other's jokes and finished each other's sentences. They stopped short and Lydia wondered why Harry had stopped right in the middle of the hallway. There, standing before them both was Dumbledore. He gave the couple a piercing look. Before Harry could explain why he had his arm around a student, the older wizard had disappeared. Lydia looked worried. "I've heard that he is very perceptive," Lydia whispered, pulling away from Harry awkwardly. "Yes, he is." he said. "But I stopped caring what others thought about me years ago" he added, "he looks as though he knows something," she teased further as he flushed. He relieved the sudden tension by laughing. "Still being modest?" She said to him, still in playful tones. He only took her hand and led her towards the Quidditch field.
Harry gave another flawless performance on this Firebolt that afternoon. Lydia was pleased. She longed to ride. Harry handed her the broom and watched her with delight. She was as natural as he was the first time he set himself upon his very first broom. He found himself grinning and waving at her as she flew in circles around him. He then found himself gasping in surprise when she had used her metamorphmagus power and been transformed. He had never seen her like that. Her hair became dark and her face was unrecognizable. He tried to get a better look at her, but before he could, she was back on the ground. "You looked different," he sputtered. "Oh.I should have explained that I'm metamorphmagus." She said the words so casually that they surprised him. "Why didn't you." he began uneasily. "I did not think it was important," she protested. "But it is." he whispered, as she began to leave the field. You need to talk to me! He silently protested as he followed behind her. He pulled her arm, "what's wrong Harry?" She asked him innocently. "You must tell me these things. It may be able to help me figure out why your spells occur. I've been concerned for so long." he said. She shook her head. "They have nothing to do with that ability; I believe that they have more to do with my mother's blood. She once told me when I was much younger that she too possessed this rare gift," Lydia explained. She stopped for a moment. Harry gave her a baffled look. She sighed, "the older I become, the more frequently my spells occur," she said softly. "I wish I knew what it meant," she added, as his green eyes were still searching hers. "Perhaps the strength is growing between your connection" Harry suggested uneasily. "Whose?" "You and your.mother's" he paused, "you said that she was very powerful. She may very well be attempting to contact you beyond the grave. Perhaps warning you of imposing danger - of a 'monster' so to speak" Harry said. "Danger" she echoed after he did. "Powerful, yes.but messages beyond the grave? That sounds like utter foolishness darling" Lydia added quickly. But his words still haunted her memory. "So I thought was talking to snakes." he said under his breath. "What? You never told me that you knew parseltongue" Lydia raised an eyebrow. "Yes" he said, "seems you and I are a bizarre mix of magical talents" she added, trying to lighten the mood of the conversation as she added a stifle laugh, but he was being too serious. "The only problem is, my spells in and of themselves are no help. I can never recall what I am doing or what those voices you speak of that you are hearing are even saying to me" he lowered his eyes somewhat. "We could tape it" he said darkly. She shivered. "I doubt I would want to watch myself making a ruckus, besides there is no telling what I might do or say. When I'm." Harry raised an eyebrow. "Whats wrong?" He asked her in alarm, after she grew silenced. She was clutching to her arms, trying to apparently fight off something that was obviously coming over her- right on queue.
He was immediately alarmed, but he held onto her tightly, refusing to let her go. When she started talking to him in what sounded like gibberish, he grew even more confused. It sounded like "follow me" but he could not be sure. She pushed away from him and went on to walk towards the forest once again. He ran after her as quickly as he could, but she was too fast. It looked as though she was floating. Oh no.please, dear lord, not again! Harry was thinking with frustration. She stopped and reached out for something, but the only thing he saw was a light coming from her hand that looked like sparks. She was uttering the words "destroy" and Harry was desperately trying to understand what she was going after. "bastard" she spoke those words more clearly than the first. She looked angry and started to scream again in a shrill voice and then her arms dropped - as the light he had seen before began to appear. He tried to shield his eyes, but it was of no use. She then raised her hands up towards the sky and those sparks came forth once again; Lydia had then changed her entire form into something that utterly frightened Harry. She was no longer human.she had metamorphed into what looked like a dog with really large fangs. Not quite a werewolf or hound - but something far more powerful and hideous. She then cocked her head towards Harry, as he eyes glowed a familiar color that provoked fear in him. He felt like prey. Was there enough time to run? Would she hurt me? Harry thought, growing paralyzed as he stood and stared at it. Harry nearly fell backwards as it pounced and went directly for Him. "LYDIA!" He gasped, barely able to keep his footing as she chased after him. "STOP!" He called out weakly. But he knew that the one he loved was no longer in control.
"Where have you been?" Courtney demanded after finally seeing Lydia come into the common room. She looked drunk. She could barely walk. Her entire self looked a disheveled mess. "What has been going on with you these past few weeks? You are never here anymore. You are gone every night and every afternoon." Courtney said. "If I tell you, you must keep it to yourself" Lydia said. "You have my word," she said. "I've been with Harry" she said. "Harry? I thought you disliked him?" She said. "Quite the contrary, dear." She said softly, her eyes looking glazed over - she was finding it very difficult to hide her arousal. "Oh my gosh!!" She had her assumptions - she was keen, for an eleven year old. "What" she paused, almost afraid to ask her, "did you and Harry.." she gulped. "Do.together?" She whispered. "Everything" Lydia said breathlessly. Courtney flushed with curiosity and utter fear. She could not possibly imagine the idol of every young wizard doing such things as Courtney had been imagining. "Were you.there.tonight?" She asked bravely. "Yes" Lydia answered. "We shared the same bed," she added bluntly. "Do not be alarmed honey, it's a perfectly natural thing adults do when they love each other" Lydia tried to ease the little girls' fright by explaining things to her. "Can I ask more questions? Will they upset you?" Courtney asked her softly. "No" Lydia said, offering to let her sit by her as they approached the fire. "I've been wanting to talk to someone about this for so very long." she said. "Tell me" Courtney urged. "Well, I've been attracted to him for quite a while and knew he had.genuine feelings for me. When he kissed me the first time, I felt faint - truly. It was so." Courtney smiled more brightly. "Was that your first kiss?" She giggled. "Yes it was," she replied with a warm smile. "What was it like? I mean.did it feel awkward?" Courtney asked. "At first.but it was so powerful and." she paused, "magical" both girls laughed. "He knew what he wanted and that desire was all we could feel - like tonight." Courtney looked bewildered. "Is that what love is like?" She asked. "Yes, your entire body shakes with that feeling; the feeling when you know you have found the one." "A soulmate!" Courtney interceded happily. "Yes, that's a perfect way to understand it dear" Lydia said softly. "What about.um.?" She couldn't say the words. "Love making?" Lydia asked her gently. "It's the same feeling, only intensified" she flushed somewhat, still feeling everything she was describing as it ran through her veins. "Wow, Harry Potter!" Courtney laughed and blushed at the same time. Lydia's face turned a bright red. "Yes, Harry Potter" she said, hugging her dear friend close.
As Lydia attended her classes, she looked at her watch a million times, hoping to get outside to watch Harry's lesson for today. Harry.the name crossed her mind as she shivered. Come to me tonight, she thought hungrily. Rumors were still flying about them, but she tried to ignore them. There were hushed whispers as she walked the halls and pointed fingers as she sat in the library. Everyone knew that she and Harry were together. It was the talk of the school. Malfoy had turned against her. She had not cared. She only wanted Harry. Everyone seemed to be avoiding her. They seemed to think that she was a banshee. Harry was waiting by the stairs. He pointed two young ladies to their classroom and smiled as he saw Lydia coming towards him. He still felt the heat of his excitement upon seeing her. Every time - it made him love her more each time. "Hello" she said lovingly. "Walk me to your lesson" she smiled. He kissed her gently and put his arm around her as they walked out towards the field. They talked of casual things and laughed at each other's jokes and finished each other's sentences. They stopped short and Lydia wondered why Harry had stopped right in the middle of the hallway. There, standing before them both was Dumbledore. He gave the couple a piercing look. Before Harry could explain why he had his arm around a student, the older wizard had disappeared. Lydia looked worried. "I've heard that he is very perceptive," Lydia whispered, pulling away from Harry awkwardly. "Yes, he is." he said. "But I stopped caring what others thought about me years ago" he added, "he looks as though he knows something," she teased further as he flushed. He relieved the sudden tension by laughing. "Still being modest?" She said to him, still in playful tones. He only took her hand and led her towards the Quidditch field.
Harry gave another flawless performance on this Firebolt that afternoon. Lydia was pleased. She longed to ride. Harry handed her the broom and watched her with delight. She was as natural as he was the first time he set himself upon his very first broom. He found himself grinning and waving at her as she flew in circles around him. He then found himself gasping in surprise when she had used her metamorphmagus power and been transformed. He had never seen her like that. Her hair became dark and her face was unrecognizable. He tried to get a better look at her, but before he could, she was back on the ground. "You looked different," he sputtered. "Oh.I should have explained that I'm metamorphmagus." She said the words so casually that they surprised him. "Why didn't you." he began uneasily. "I did not think it was important," she protested. "But it is." he whispered, as she began to leave the field. You need to talk to me! He silently protested as he followed behind her. He pulled her arm, "what's wrong Harry?" She asked him innocently. "You must tell me these things. It may be able to help me figure out why your spells occur. I've been concerned for so long." he said. She shook her head. "They have nothing to do with that ability; I believe that they have more to do with my mother's blood. She once told me when I was much younger that she too possessed this rare gift," Lydia explained. She stopped for a moment. Harry gave her a baffled look. She sighed, "the older I become, the more frequently my spells occur," she said softly. "I wish I knew what it meant," she added, as his green eyes were still searching hers. "Perhaps the strength is growing between your connection" Harry suggested uneasily. "Whose?" "You and your.mother's" he paused, "you said that she was very powerful. She may very well be attempting to contact you beyond the grave. Perhaps warning you of imposing danger - of a 'monster' so to speak" Harry said. "Danger" she echoed after he did. "Powerful, yes.but messages beyond the grave? That sounds like utter foolishness darling" Lydia added quickly. But his words still haunted her memory. "So I thought was talking to snakes." he said under his breath. "What? You never told me that you knew parseltongue" Lydia raised an eyebrow. "Yes" he said, "seems you and I are a bizarre mix of magical talents" she added, trying to lighten the mood of the conversation as she added a stifle laugh, but he was being too serious. "The only problem is, my spells in and of themselves are no help. I can never recall what I am doing or what those voices you speak of that you are hearing are even saying to me" he lowered his eyes somewhat. "We could tape it" he said darkly. She shivered. "I doubt I would want to watch myself making a ruckus, besides there is no telling what I might do or say. When I'm." Harry raised an eyebrow. "Whats wrong?" He asked her in alarm, after she grew silenced. She was clutching to her arms, trying to apparently fight off something that was obviously coming over her- right on queue.
He was immediately alarmed, but he held onto her tightly, refusing to let her go. When she started talking to him in what sounded like gibberish, he grew even more confused. It sounded like "follow me" but he could not be sure. She pushed away from him and went on to walk towards the forest once again. He ran after her as quickly as he could, but she was too fast. It looked as though she was floating. Oh no.please, dear lord, not again! Harry was thinking with frustration. She stopped and reached out for something, but the only thing he saw was a light coming from her hand that looked like sparks. She was uttering the words "destroy" and Harry was desperately trying to understand what she was going after. "bastard" she spoke those words more clearly than the first. She looked angry and started to scream again in a shrill voice and then her arms dropped - as the light he had seen before began to appear. He tried to shield his eyes, but it was of no use. She then raised her hands up towards the sky and those sparks came forth once again; Lydia had then changed her entire form into something that utterly frightened Harry. She was no longer human.she had metamorphed into what looked like a dog with really large fangs. Not quite a werewolf or hound - but something far more powerful and hideous. She then cocked her head towards Harry, as he eyes glowed a familiar color that provoked fear in him. He felt like prey. Was there enough time to run? Would she hurt me? Harry thought, growing paralyzed as he stood and stared at it. Harry nearly fell backwards as it pounced and went directly for Him. "LYDIA!" He gasped, barely able to keep his footing as she chased after him. "STOP!" He called out weakly. But he knew that the one he loved was no longer in control.
