Alright everyone here is chapter 2 of By Full Moonlight. It gets into who Natalie really is.
****A.N-THIS CHAPTER IS IN REMUS LUPIN'S POINT OF VIEW!!!****
I hope everyone likes this chapter, and no the characters(except Natalie) don't belong to me, blah blah blah....I think you all know that that's what fanfiction means. Carrying on to the story!
~~~~
I was sitting next to Sirius, planning how we could somehow sneak our shrinking potion out of class and deposit it into Malfoy's dinner.
"I wonder where he'll be affected?"Sirius asked, his eyes twinkling mischieviously.
I rolled my eyes,"Probably not where you're thinking. That area is likely to be almost non-existant already,"I smirked.
Suddenly the door to our classroom opened and Professor McGonagall entered our potions classroom.
"Excuse me Ebony, but it is imperative that Mr. Lupin is excused from your class. Professor Dumbledore would like to see him immidiately."
I glanced at Sirius and found him just as confused as I was. James leaned back and asked what was happening. I shrugged, the moon wasn't for another 2 days, and if I was in trouble, Sirius, James and Peter should have been called away as well.
McGonagall cleared her throat,"Now Mr Lupin."
Gathering my quill and books into my bag, I followed her silently from class. We started at a brisk pace towards Dumbledore's office. I'd been there only once before, after a particularly painful transformation.
"Er....professor?"I started,"do you know what this is about?"
"That will be for the headmaster to share with you,"she turned to the door and muttered,"Pixie Sticks. Well then...up you go."
I stepped forward onto the staircase and was momentarily standing in front of the headmaster's office. There were muffled voices coming from inside and I hesitated before raising my hand and knocking.
The door swung open and I was surprised to see Natalie Sweet sitting inside.
"Ah, Mr. Lupin, sit down please,"Dumbledore smiled, and with a wave of his wand a chair appeared next to Natalie.
I sat and glanced across trying to catch her eye, but she sat with her eyes on her hands.
"Well Remus, I supose you ought to know the reason you're here. I have taken the liberty of revealing your lycanthropy to Miss Sweet."
I felt my face flush and I clenched my fists,"What?"I hissed, glaring in her direction. I felt rather surprised however to see tears streaming down her cheeks. I glanced helplessly at Dumbledore as he handed her a tissue.
"Yes, you see Remus, you're not the only werewolf attending Hogwart's anymore,"he continued.
I blinked and glanced at Natalie who was still purposely avoiding meeting my gaze.
"The reason I'd called you here, was to see if you would take her under your wing so to speak. So that when the full mooon arrives she will understand the normal procedures you undergo during transformation here at Hogwarts."
"But-but you..."I stammered,"I mean she....you can't be,"I finished lamely.
She sniffled and then reached over to grasp my arm,"Please Remus, don't tell anyone....I-I don't want anyone to know,"she pleaded.
I glanced into her tear streaked face,"I'd never tell anyone, I know how you feel."
She smiled through her tears and I found myself smiling back.
Dumbledore cleared his throat,"Well then, that will be all you need today. Meet at the Whomping Willow the night of the full moon then. Good day to you both."
As we descended the staircase from his office, I reached out a hand to stop Natalie.
"Why didn't you tell me you were a werewolf?" I asked, my eyes searching her face.
She shrugged and raised her chin defiantly,"I suppose the same reason you never told me."
I shook my head, grinning,"too true."
We started down the hallway towards our seperate classes, but before we headed in different directions she reached out and pulled me to a stop.
"And Lupin, if you ever tell anyone, about me crying....and you'll wake up with slugs in your bed."
****
I stood nervously shifting from foot to foot outside before the moon rose, the night of the full moon. Peering up at the bright lights of the school I saw someone come running towards me. Natalie stopped right in front of me, out of breath from her sprint down from the school.
"Sorry, I didn't realise it was getting so late,"she panted.
"That's alright, here pass me that branch,"I said.
She handed me the stick with a bewidered look on her face. I grasped it and reaching forward carefully I pressed it against an almost hidden knot on the trunk of the Whomping Willow. Immidiately it's flailing branches froze in place.
"Quick,"I said nudging her forward,"it won't stay like this for long."
"But...what do I....?"
"Oh right, here follow me,"I said, and stepping forward I knelt down and slipped through a hole hidden by the tree roots.
Natalie slid down behind me and we crept our way down the passageway towards the shack where our transformation was to take place. If i had any doubts before about whether Natalie was telling the truth, although I'm not sure why anyone would lie about being a werewolf, they were gone now. No one would be crazy enough to enter an enclosed area with a werewolf on the full moon unless they were one as well. I didn't look over, but as we walked side by side, I could feel her next to me, just as tense as I was. There was a short set of stairs and a door at the end of the tunnel and I could feel my anxiety building as we passed through it.
Once we were out I turned to Natalie,"Why dont' you head to that room over there, and I'll be in the one right beside it."
"Thanks Remus,"she said forcing a smile, and turning, strode through the door to the room I had indicated and shut the door.
I headed to the same room I had changed in every month for the past five years. I silently stripped and placed my clothes in a drawer, not wanting to ruin yet another set of robes. Then I sat silently on the floor in the corner and waited.
Soon my muscles tensed and glancing out the window I saw the moon rising. With a sharp crack the bones in my body began to change shape. I doubled over in agony and let out a howl of pain. My stomache muslces clenched and I fought off a wave of nausea caused by the intense pain of my bones lengthening, shortening....shifting into a new form. Tears filled my eyes as my skin began to burn, hair sprouting all over my body. I could hear someone yelling in the other room, but by that point I was beyond reason.
It seemed forever, even as my mind lost track of rational thought. When I finally lay, a golden wolf with glowing eyes, it was relief. Beautiful, wonderful...and I raised my head, howling in the wonderful freedom from pain. Tonight however, there was an answering howl from the other room. I cocked my head and trotted over to the door using my nose to nudge the door open. I was greeted by a pair of amber eyes watching me. I growled at the young grey wolf in front of me, and she backed away tentatively. I continued growling deep in my throat as the hair on my back stood on end,she whimpered and sank to the ground, watching me with apprehension. I stepped forward and sniffed at the fur behind her ears. She yelped and seemed to shrink away as I pulled back. Something was familiar, but in my current presence of mind I couldn't figure it out. With a small yelp she was up and running away, I watched as she headed off to the far corner of the room, and being tired out from transforming only minutes before....I sank down in the other corner to watch her. We lay there for a long time, watching each other warily, before I stood and approached her. She shrank away but I nipped at her ear playfully and layed down next to her. Soon the two of us fell asleep, and it was almost time for the moon to be setting when I woke again, and made my way back to my room.
****
The next morning, I woke up shivering on the cold floor of the shack. I was stiff and sore all over, my skin still prickling uncomfortably. Knowing I'd be too weak to stand I crawled my way over to where I had stashed my clothes and pulled them on. Feeling a bit warmer I dragged myself to the bed, and collapsed on top of it to await Madame Pomfrey.
When I next awoke it was in the hospital wing at the school. A very pale Natalie Sweet lay in the bed across from my own. I collapsed back on the pillows and tried to rmember the night before, but as usual the night of the full moon was foggy to me. A blur of pain and then patchy moments of incomplete thoughts. Feelings mostly. And yet as I lay there, I felt better than I did after most full moons, sore of course from the painful transformation, but content, as though the evening hadn't been completely horrible.
Later that day Professor McGonagall came to check on us. She maintained her stiff exterior but I could tell from her eyes that she was concerned.
"Mr. Lupin, Miss Sweet, I hope you are feeling all right,"she said and we both nodded."Very well, I have assigned James Potter to help you Mr. Lupin with the work you missed in class today. Sirius Black will be helping you Natalie. And you will have an extra day to complete the essay I assigned,"she smiled,"Have a good rest this evening,"and with a swirl of her robes she was gone.
****A.N-THIS CHAPTER IS IN REMUS LUPIN'S POINT OF VIEW!!!****
I hope everyone likes this chapter, and no the characters(except Natalie) don't belong to me, blah blah blah....I think you all know that that's what fanfiction means. Carrying on to the story!
~~~~
I was sitting next to Sirius, planning how we could somehow sneak our shrinking potion out of class and deposit it into Malfoy's dinner.
"I wonder where he'll be affected?"Sirius asked, his eyes twinkling mischieviously.
I rolled my eyes,"Probably not where you're thinking. That area is likely to be almost non-existant already,"I smirked.
Suddenly the door to our classroom opened and Professor McGonagall entered our potions classroom.
"Excuse me Ebony, but it is imperative that Mr. Lupin is excused from your class. Professor Dumbledore would like to see him immidiately."
I glanced at Sirius and found him just as confused as I was. James leaned back and asked what was happening. I shrugged, the moon wasn't for another 2 days, and if I was in trouble, Sirius, James and Peter should have been called away as well.
McGonagall cleared her throat,"Now Mr Lupin."
Gathering my quill and books into my bag, I followed her silently from class. We started at a brisk pace towards Dumbledore's office. I'd been there only once before, after a particularly painful transformation.
"Er....professor?"I started,"do you know what this is about?"
"That will be for the headmaster to share with you,"she turned to the door and muttered,"Pixie Sticks. Well then...up you go."
I stepped forward onto the staircase and was momentarily standing in front of the headmaster's office. There were muffled voices coming from inside and I hesitated before raising my hand and knocking.
The door swung open and I was surprised to see Natalie Sweet sitting inside.
"Ah, Mr. Lupin, sit down please,"Dumbledore smiled, and with a wave of his wand a chair appeared next to Natalie.
I sat and glanced across trying to catch her eye, but she sat with her eyes on her hands.
"Well Remus, I supose you ought to know the reason you're here. I have taken the liberty of revealing your lycanthropy to Miss Sweet."
I felt my face flush and I clenched my fists,"What?"I hissed, glaring in her direction. I felt rather surprised however to see tears streaming down her cheeks. I glanced helplessly at Dumbledore as he handed her a tissue.
"Yes, you see Remus, you're not the only werewolf attending Hogwart's anymore,"he continued.
I blinked and glanced at Natalie who was still purposely avoiding meeting my gaze.
"The reason I'd called you here, was to see if you would take her under your wing so to speak. So that when the full mooon arrives she will understand the normal procedures you undergo during transformation here at Hogwarts."
"But-but you..."I stammered,"I mean she....you can't be,"I finished lamely.
She sniffled and then reached over to grasp my arm,"Please Remus, don't tell anyone....I-I don't want anyone to know,"she pleaded.
I glanced into her tear streaked face,"I'd never tell anyone, I know how you feel."
She smiled through her tears and I found myself smiling back.
Dumbledore cleared his throat,"Well then, that will be all you need today. Meet at the Whomping Willow the night of the full moon then. Good day to you both."
As we descended the staircase from his office, I reached out a hand to stop Natalie.
"Why didn't you tell me you were a werewolf?" I asked, my eyes searching her face.
She shrugged and raised her chin defiantly,"I suppose the same reason you never told me."
I shook my head, grinning,"too true."
We started down the hallway towards our seperate classes, but before we headed in different directions she reached out and pulled me to a stop.
"And Lupin, if you ever tell anyone, about me crying....and you'll wake up with slugs in your bed."
****
I stood nervously shifting from foot to foot outside before the moon rose, the night of the full moon. Peering up at the bright lights of the school I saw someone come running towards me. Natalie stopped right in front of me, out of breath from her sprint down from the school.
"Sorry, I didn't realise it was getting so late,"she panted.
"That's alright, here pass me that branch,"I said.
She handed me the stick with a bewidered look on her face. I grasped it and reaching forward carefully I pressed it against an almost hidden knot on the trunk of the Whomping Willow. Immidiately it's flailing branches froze in place.
"Quick,"I said nudging her forward,"it won't stay like this for long."
"But...what do I....?"
"Oh right, here follow me,"I said, and stepping forward I knelt down and slipped through a hole hidden by the tree roots.
Natalie slid down behind me and we crept our way down the passageway towards the shack where our transformation was to take place. If i had any doubts before about whether Natalie was telling the truth, although I'm not sure why anyone would lie about being a werewolf, they were gone now. No one would be crazy enough to enter an enclosed area with a werewolf on the full moon unless they were one as well. I didn't look over, but as we walked side by side, I could feel her next to me, just as tense as I was. There was a short set of stairs and a door at the end of the tunnel and I could feel my anxiety building as we passed through it.
Once we were out I turned to Natalie,"Why dont' you head to that room over there, and I'll be in the one right beside it."
"Thanks Remus,"she said forcing a smile, and turning, strode through the door to the room I had indicated and shut the door.
I headed to the same room I had changed in every month for the past five years. I silently stripped and placed my clothes in a drawer, not wanting to ruin yet another set of robes. Then I sat silently on the floor in the corner and waited.
Soon my muscles tensed and glancing out the window I saw the moon rising. With a sharp crack the bones in my body began to change shape. I doubled over in agony and let out a howl of pain. My stomache muslces clenched and I fought off a wave of nausea caused by the intense pain of my bones lengthening, shortening....shifting into a new form. Tears filled my eyes as my skin began to burn, hair sprouting all over my body. I could hear someone yelling in the other room, but by that point I was beyond reason.
It seemed forever, even as my mind lost track of rational thought. When I finally lay, a golden wolf with glowing eyes, it was relief. Beautiful, wonderful...and I raised my head, howling in the wonderful freedom from pain. Tonight however, there was an answering howl from the other room. I cocked my head and trotted over to the door using my nose to nudge the door open. I was greeted by a pair of amber eyes watching me. I growled at the young grey wolf in front of me, and she backed away tentatively. I continued growling deep in my throat as the hair on my back stood on end,she whimpered and sank to the ground, watching me with apprehension. I stepped forward and sniffed at the fur behind her ears. She yelped and seemed to shrink away as I pulled back. Something was familiar, but in my current presence of mind I couldn't figure it out. With a small yelp she was up and running away, I watched as she headed off to the far corner of the room, and being tired out from transforming only minutes before....I sank down in the other corner to watch her. We lay there for a long time, watching each other warily, before I stood and approached her. She shrank away but I nipped at her ear playfully and layed down next to her. Soon the two of us fell asleep, and it was almost time for the moon to be setting when I woke again, and made my way back to my room.
****
The next morning, I woke up shivering on the cold floor of the shack. I was stiff and sore all over, my skin still prickling uncomfortably. Knowing I'd be too weak to stand I crawled my way over to where I had stashed my clothes and pulled them on. Feeling a bit warmer I dragged myself to the bed, and collapsed on top of it to await Madame Pomfrey.
When I next awoke it was in the hospital wing at the school. A very pale Natalie Sweet lay in the bed across from my own. I collapsed back on the pillows and tried to rmember the night before, but as usual the night of the full moon was foggy to me. A blur of pain and then patchy moments of incomplete thoughts. Feelings mostly. And yet as I lay there, I felt better than I did after most full moons, sore of course from the painful transformation, but content, as though the evening hadn't been completely horrible.
Later that day Professor McGonagall came to check on us. She maintained her stiff exterior but I could tell from her eyes that she was concerned.
"Mr. Lupin, Miss Sweet, I hope you are feeling all right,"she said and we both nodded."Very well, I have assigned James Potter to help you Mr. Lupin with the work you missed in class today. Sirius Black will be helping you Natalie. And you will have an extra day to complete the essay I assigned,"she smiled,"Have a good rest this evening,"and with a swirl of her robes she was gone.