'Such is Life', Ned Kelly's last words.
Harry ghosted through the halls, heading for the library as quickly as possible before he ran into Filch or Snape! He had a knack for finding Snape when he was out breaking the rules.
Like in second year when he and Ron had flown the car into the Whomping Willow also in third year at the shrieking shack and in the fourth year outside of Snapes' office. Now that he thought of it Snape had been there in the first year when he and Ron had fought the troll to save Hermione as well.
Quickening his pace he rounded the corner and was sent sprawling onto the ground as someone ran into him, his invisibility cloak flying off. He sat up fast to see Draco Malfoy getting up across from him gasping like he had run a marathon.
"Malfoy! What are you doing out at night?" Harry accused, knowing that Draco would probably respond with the same question plus an insult.
Draco however sprung to his feet and gasped in a panicked voice "Run, Potter, run for your fucking life" before sprinting away at amazing speed.
Harry grabbed his cloak and curiously looked around the corner, trying to see what it was that caused Draco to swear so uncharacteristically. There was nothing there.
Just about to turn around Harry caught a glimpse of movement in the shadows, standing as still as possible he waited for it to reveal itself, whatever it was.
Then it stepped out of the darkness and into the full moons light.
It was black and huge. It stalked with deadly intent as it followed the smell of sweat and fear left by Draco. It raised its head, jaws gleaming in the light, eyes aflame with the thrill of the hunt. It was then that total panic took hold of him.
For the first few seconds Harry had stood still in shock, now panic had taken an unbreakable grip on him. He turned and fled, knowing that it was futile to try and outrun a werewolf.
He pounded down the corridor at a speed only the hunted can obtain. His heart was racing and not from the speed he was traveling at. He was running blindly, on fear and adrenaline, not knowing where he was going. Down the corridor to the left, then he heard it. A blood-chilling sound floated down the hallway as the werewolf gave chase. Harry thought he could feel its' breath on the back of his neck and he ran faster. In total panic and without thought as classrooms and stairs blurred past.
He could hear the faint clip of the werewolf's claws as they contacted the stone floor. Other than that it was a silent predator.
Deadly merciless and fast, definitely gaining, Harry ran faster feeling his strength failing. A hand reached out from the darkness and Harry was yanked into a deserted classroom.
He collapsed on the ground panting as Draco closed the door and locked it. Harry then realized he didn't have his wand and neither did Draco.
"Malfoy" Harry panted, unable to keep the relief from his voice. Draco didn't say anything; he looked very pale and scared in the moonlight.
"Thanks" Harry stammered unable to believe Malfoy, his arch nemesis, had saved him. Sure, Draco hadn't been so nasty to Harry and Ron this year, which was strange but he still was not pleasant to be around.
"When my father hears about this he'll make sure that werewolf never sees the light of day again. In fact the dementors will kiss him before he knows where he is" Draco said hotly, in fear or anger Harry wasn't sure.
"It isn't Lupin" Harry said, suddenly realizing that Draco thought it was their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Draco looked at him.
"I've seen Lupin in his werewolf form and he wasn't that colour or that size" Harry explained.
Draco motioned Harry to be quiet and moved to the other side of the classroom. Harry got up and did the same, pressing his back against the far wall and trying not to breathe so loudly.
Then he heard it, a snuffling as the beast sniffed at the door. Harry could see the fur on the back of the werewolf's shoulders in the glass window of the door. It moved on and Harry began to breath again.
He realized how close he was to Draco, shoulder to shoulder but he didn't pull away in disgust.
He had to be close; it comforted him to know Draco was still alive. He didn't want to be alone, like with Cedric. He didn't want another person to die, even if it was Draco Malfoy arch nemesis and hated son of a death eater. Draco slid a sidelong glance at him.
"Do you think it's safe to run for it?" he whispered quietly.
"I don't know if." Harry stopped short. He had heard it. The faint click of its' claws, only once but it was enough. He looked at Draco in wide-eyed panic, Draco took one look at Harry face and his eyes widened as well, the colour draining from his flushed cheeks making him appear ghostly in the moonlight. His head whipped around to face the door, which now seemed incredibly flimsy.
At that second the door burst off its hinges, splinters and glass flying everywhere. The werewolf's eyes glowing yellow in the light of the full moon. Harry instinctively gripped Malfoy who gripped him back just as hard.
It was Harry that came to his senses first, he pushed Draco as hard as he could to the other side of the room. The werewolf skidded trying to slow its momentum. Harry ran around one side of it while Draco ran around the other, they both ducked out the door and sped left down the corridor. In the classroom the werewolf spun and gave chase, its prey now in sight.
Sprinting as fast as they could Harry and Dracos' minds caught up with them. "We have to split up" Harry panted his thoughts racing his legs.
"No way Potter, then whoever it chases is as good as dead" Draco replied acidly like Harry had planned the whole thing as an attempt on his life.
"Then attack it Malfoy" Harry hissed angrily.
"Are you crazy Potter?"
"Think about it Malfoy, out of us two who do you think it is after? Me. It must've been sent by Voldemort to kill me. I'm the savior of the world, I have to live, and I'll make sure you're remembered as a hero".
"You're shitting me, right?" Draco panted in disbelief. His eyes' suggesting Harry was mad. Right, left, right again, his lungs felt like they were going to collapse.
"You're paranoid, it is probably from the Forest and came looking for a feed. It was after me first, remember?"
Harry had to agree that it had been after Draco first, maybe he was paranoid. He couldn't take anymore, his legs began to get heavier and he knew he was slowing.
Draco looked like he was going to faint and was running at the same speed as a brisk walk. The werewolf let out a howl that sounded all too much like a howl of triumph. They sped up stumbling and staggering knowing that it was right behind them. Wondering whom it would take first, and each hoping it was the other.
"In here!" a voiced hissed from the darkness to the right. They turned trying to see who it was.
"QUICK!" it said urgently.
Realizing their doom racing up behind them, they dove into another empty classroom where the voice had come from. "Up the stairs" their unknown rescuer said motioning towards the stairs.
They obliged; too tired to resist and using only their fading adrenalin to keep them going.
They climbed the spiraling stairs tripping on nearly every one; Harry could only guess that they were climbing up a tower. They wearily climbed the stairs with the rescuer at the rear pushing them urgently as the werewolf snuffled at the door, picking up their scent.
"Run!" came the one word command full of fear and frustration. Closing the door at the base of the stairs, the helper ran to the top and closed that door as well. Grabbing the wooden ladder leaning against one of the walls she fixed it so it lead up to the trapdoor in the roof. Harry, now sure it was a girl, asked who she was?
"Later" she snapped and grabbing him by the arm pushed him up the ladder. He started climbing with Draco a fair way behind telling him to climb faster.
After what seemed like an eternity Harry reached the top and collapsed next to the trap door.
His adrenalin now spent, he rolled over to watch the scene below, Draco nearly broke Harrys' nose as he came up the trapdoor.
"Watch it Potter," he snapped wearily. Harry had a feeling of relief as the figure started climbing the ladder. She was halfway up when the door burst open to reveal an extremely agitated werewolf. Wasting no time, it attacked the ladder, clawing halfway up to grip the dark haired girls' robes.
"SHIT!" she stated feverishly as she fell with the ladder down to the now blocked room.
"No!" Harry screamed hoarsely his throat dry from running the length of Hogwarts. His outstretched fingers brushed the ladder as it fell out of his reach. Down below the werewolf was on the girl and she desperately held its' jaws away with her hands. She wouldn't last long, werewolves possessed inhuman strength. Draco jumped up and rummaged around the room, scattering dust covered papers and opening the drawers in a frantic search.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked angrily, guiltily relieved that he had an excuse not to watch what went on below.
"Silver" Draco snapped still searching hurriedly. Harry was confused for a little while, then it registered and he too began searching. Pulling out all the drawers and searching through them, Draco stopped holding up a dusty box triumphantly. He opened the lid to reveal a letter opener. It was shaped as a sword and it looked silver.
The blade was as long as Harrys' middle finger and he was not sure if it would help in any way but it was all they had. Running to the trapdoor hole Harry hesitated, he wasn't sure if he wanted to see what had happened down below.
Mentally shaking himself Harry went to the porthole to see the girl with a rung from the ladder in her hand. When the werewolf came close she swung it with all her strength onto the creatures head. It dazed the werewolf a little and it fell back into the shadows momentarily.
"Hey, you!" Draco shouted and threw down the letter opener. She caught it, and seeing what it was smiled at them gratefully her dark eyes grim.
It pounced so fast that all Harry saw was a blacker than blacker blur fly past and land on the girl effectively pinning her legs, she gripped around its muzzle tightly, to stop it from opening its mouth but she was losing the battle. Its drool was making her hands slippery and its concentration was now completely on her. It was at this point Harry had an idea; he grabbed his shoe, took aim and tossed it with all his remaining strength at the creatures' head.
It turned snarling up at him; taking the momentary lack in the creatures defense she stabbed the letter opener into its' paw; howling in pain it lunged forward. Her arm flew up to protect her face from the snarling creatures jaws. Both girl and creature let out a cry of pain as the werewolf' teeth bit into her arm and the silver letter opener she had had clenched in her fist stabbed into the beasts' right eye.
It staggered off her and died twitching on the floor, resuming its human form, a man in his mid thirties with mousy blonde hair and a scraggly beard.
She slumped, gripping her injured arm tightly. She watched in horrified fascination as her humanity seeped out along with the three streams of blood on her arm.
After ten minutes Harry stammered "Are you all right?" he knew it was a stupid question, of course she wasn't, she was now a werewolf, hated and despised by the wizarding world.
"I am fine" she sighed and leant against the wall resting her head against the cool stones. After a few minutes she appeared to be asleep and Harry started to worry about her dieing. Then he and Draco would be stuck up in the tower until they starved.
Harry began to shiver as the pale dawn rose, and the window grew a thin layer of ice over the glass. Ron would wake up soon and begin to wonder where he was. What was he going to tell Dumbledore when he arrived?
The teachers would find them eventually; they would find Harrys' cloak and the smashed doors then they would see one of their students bloodied and bitten, and two more up in the safety of a tower. Harry would have to tell them it was all, his fault. The girl below him wouldn't have got involved if he hadn't been breaking the rules. Now that the dawn had shed more light into the room below, Harry could see that the girl was a seventh year Ravenclaw. She was sweating and tossing on the floor and Harry concluded that she had a fever.
"Draco she has some sort of fever" Harry said urgently. "We need to help her".
"And how are we supposed to do that Potter", Draco drawled acidly "when we're fifteen feet in the air, with no way to get down that doesn't involve breaking our legs?"
"Well I wouldn't expect you to understand Malfoy, you're nothing but a dirty Death Eater anyway" Harry replied hotly, his cheeks going red. Draco looked at him in a sad kind of way.
"Shows how much you know, Potter", he said quietly.
"What is that supposed to mean Malfoy", Harry asked, surprised at Dracos' tone. Draco looked away suddenly very intent on the dead man below. "You changed sides!" Harry said, unable to believe what he was saying. He saw Draco swallow a biting reply and realized why Draco hadn't been so scathing to Harry and his friends, he had changed sides and his confidence was gone.
Harry saw that Draco was uncomfortable talking to him about this kind of thing, so he changed topics.
"What are we going to tell Dumbledore when he finds us?" he asked, feeling that it was important to get the story straight.
"The truth Potter, we were attacked by a werewolf, and when she tried to save us she got bitten herself. That is all they really need to know", Draco said blankly as if wanting Harry to believe it. Harry nodded and fell asleep at about eight o'clock completely worn out. He woke around two in the afternoon, to the sound of murmuring voices.
Harry rolled over to look down the trapdoor, Draco was still asleep so Harry grabbed his shoulder and gently shook him awake. Motioning for Draco to stay quiet both boys listened to what was going on below.
"Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter are also missing headmaster, they were not in their dormitories this morning. We have reason to believe that." Snape trailed off as he reached the top of the stairs to see the Ravenclaw girl leaning against the wall clutching her arm and muttering non-stop under her breath. "Miss Bennet!" Snape said touching her lightly on the uninjured arm. Her eyes flew open and she looked around the room before settling on Snape.
"Am I still here?" she groaned as he helped her to her feet.
"What happened here Katie?" Dumbledore asked gently, eyes intent on her face.
She pointed at the dead man, the letter opener still sticking out of his eye, "werewolf" she said simply. Snape looked at her bitten arm and she nodded. "He got me halfway up the ladder" she explained levelly as Dumbledore sighed with regret.
"Take her up to Madam Pomfrey please Severus", Dumbledore said.
On her way to the door Katie turned around "See detention really is a health risk" she said wryly before being guided out the door by Snape.
Dumbledore lent over the dead man while Draco and Harry looked on.
When Dumbledore made to leave Harry called out. "Professor, we don't have our wands can you help us get down?" Dumbledore smiled up at them.
"Repario" he said pointing at the broken ladder and maneuvering it so it was directly under the trapdoor. "This explains why she didn't have enough time", he simply stated.
"This is all my fault professor, if I hadn't been out breaking the rules then she wouldn't have got involved and none of this would have happened", Harry said feeling ashamed.
"No Harry, it is a good thing you boys were there otherwise she may not have heard you running and instead, come face to face with the werewolf, without a letter opener", Dumbledore said smiling at the look of relief on Harrys' face.
"Don't always be so quick to blame yourself Harry, some things were meant to be and she is still alive".
Harry sighed "Not much of a life if everyone hates you".
"Do you hate her Harry?" Dumbledore questioned and gave him a stern look.
"Of course not, she saved my life", said Harry in surprise.
"Well then she's not hated by everyone is she?" Dumbledore stated warmly. His words made Harry feel a little better but he still felt terrible over last nights' events.
"Dinner will be ready in a few hours, why don't you both get cleaned up. Everyone will be wanting to know where you were all day". Both boys left the room a little bit pensive at the thought of all the questions they would face.
At dinner Katie was sitting at the Ravenclaw table, surrounded by nervous 'friends' who no longer wanted to know her. If this upset her in any way, she didn't show it. Her arm had only taken a few minutes to heal, and since she had slept most of the day Madam Pomfrey had to let her go.
The conversation went on around her and if she tried to say anything no one would listen and she was largely ignored. So she sat and ate in silence deep in her own thoughts and daydreams.
Harry sat next to Ron and Hermione who told him how worried they had been when he wasn't in bed when they woke up.
"Thank god it's Saturday, right Harry" Ron said through a mouthful of turkey and carrot pie.
Harry nodded as his eyes drifted over to Katie who was excluded from every conversation. As she ate in silence he felt another pang of guilt for not helping when she was attacked, or maybe if he had climbed faster she would have made it.
He shook his head, he knew from experience that what ifs could drive you crazy, what's done is done and you have to deal with it he told himself sternly. "Harry? Harry? Earth to Harry, come back Harry".
"What?" Harry blinked.
"Blimey Harry you totally spaced out there" said Ron, taking a swig of pumpkin juice.
"It wasn't your fault Harry, there wasn't anything else you could do" said Hermione reassuringly. Harry smiled at her.
"Thanks Hermione" he replied. She smiled back and turned to Angelina who was next to her and began to ask questions on seventh year charms. Harry couldn't help it, his eyes wandered back to Katie who had now finished eating and was staring blankly at her plate.
Gradually the hall emptied as the students made there way to bed. Soon there was only Harry, Ron and Hermione left at the Gryffindor table. Harry looked around the deserted hall and wasn't surprised to see Katie still slouched in her chair, staring listlessly at the far wall.
He did get a shock when he saw Draco still sitting at the Slytherin table absently tracing circles on his empty plate with his fingers. Crabbe and Goyle were sitting next to him, still stuffing their faces.
"Come on Harry, let's go to bed", said Ron as he and Hermione stood up to leave.
"I'll catch up", said Harry still looking at Katie seated alone at the Ravenclaw table. Ron and Hermione exchanged looks and left Harry alone.
Snape gave the remaining students a hard glare and then left to make sure that there weren't any students to be punished.
Draco stood up and made his way over to Katie, Harry following close behind. Besides Crabbe and Goyle, who were still eating, only Dumbledore remained. Harry and Draco stood there looking at her.
"Look, I.uh.we want to say" Harry was cut short by Katie.
"Don't fret kiddies, I would have done the same for anyone" she said before Harry could finish, Draco smirked at the word 'kiddies' because at that moment she stood up, and both Harry and Draco towered over her. She may have been two years older than them, but they were still head and shoulders higher than her. She looked up at the two seekers and gave them a wan smile. "Don't worry about me, boys. I will be fine". With that she left, leaving Harry and Draco staring after her.
"Why were you out after hours anyway, Draco?" Harry asked expecting for Draco to tell him to mind his own business. Draco sighed.
"I was eavesdropping on Snape and Lucious talking about Voldemort". Harry raised an eyebrow but left before Draco could ask the same question. He didn't want to tell Draco he was looking for a letter that he had lost, from his godfather, a murderer escapee who would be killed on sight.
After a few weeks, the episode of the werewolf died down. Katie had told her friends she was bitten in the forest so there were no angry letters from concerned parents about their children's safety at the school.
One rainy day Harry met Katie in the library, Draco and Harry had come to a temporary truce since the werewolf encounter and were working on a potions assignment together.
Harry gave up on writing about potions involving beetle eyes and their properties and made his way over to her. He couldn't concentrate with her sitting there all alone due to him.
"Hi, how's it going" he asked nervously.
"Good" she replied not elaborating.
"Look, I just wanted to tell you again how." She cut him off for the second time.
"Look I told you, it isn't your fault and I don't hold you responsible. I would do the same thing again for anyone".
Draco, who had made his way over, added, "We'd probably be running from you, not being saved by you".
"Draco!" said Harry, shocked. Katie just laughed and moved her books off the chair next to her. Harry and Draco sat down. "So, what are you going to do after you finish school?" Harry asked.
"Dunno, thinking of becoming an Auror but I will have allot to learn. Things like. never go anywhere without my wand. Shouldn't have listened to Filch, he told me not to bring it". She shrugged to show that she didn't blame the old caretaker. Harry reckoned he would have. "You definitely got used to the idea of being a werewolf fast", Harry praised.
"Well kicking and screaming wouldn't have done much good, would it? Anyway it's not so bad, gives you time to think. Just gotta shut up on my whereabouts every full moon when it comes to the interview, don't think the idea of a werewolf Auror will go done well" she said smiling. Harry shook his head.
"How can you stand being hated by everybody, everyday?" Harry asked in awe.
"On the contrary, how can you stand being praised and loved every day?" she asked with a shudder, "You'll find they aren't all that different". Harry doubted that, he remembered a time in the second year when everyone had hated and feared him, thinking he was the Slytherin heir, it hadn't been anything like being praised.
Next to him Draco nodded, "I know how both feel" he said seriously, "you find a balance". She looked at Draco and nodded once, keeping eye contact.
"Remember Harry, that it is all part of life's cycle, the Buddhists believe existence is suffering and I don't think they're far off the mark" she said wryly.
Weeks later Harry heard that Katie was going to an interview for an apprentice Auror; but he didn't get a chance to speak to her. The day of the interview he saw her ahead in the crowd of students making their way to breakfast, but by the time he caught up she had disappeared.
"Good luck", he whispered and went to the Great Hall.
He didn't see her until that night at supper.
She sat down the very end of the Ravenclaw table excluded from conversation, as usual. No one even bothered to ask her how her interview went. She got up and left the Hall halfway through the meal and Harry followed.
"Hey wait up!" he called as he ran to catch up with her. She continued on. "That bad, huh?" She didn't say anything, just kept walking.
"So, how did it go?" he asked wondering if he'd ever get a response.
"Well, I passed all the tests easy, I successfully blocked and attacked and I also used the right amount of force. The judges were impressed I could tell. I passed the fitness, sparring, duelling and written tests". She said it grimly and blankly and Harry had the feeling something bad had happened.
"But." he prodded.
"But unfortunately for me, someone tipped off the manager about my little abnormality". Harry felt the blood rush out of his cheeks and realised what it must have felt like to be Katie when she was told why she wasn't allowed the job, the shame and embarrassment.
"Sorry Miss Bennet, but you're just not what we're looking for. Maybe you should try for a job at the Ministry of Magical creatures", she said imitating the managers voice.
"I guess I should have known when the manager made a 'special' visit", her tone was bitter.
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing; he couldn't believe that the ministry could be so prejudice, so narrow-minded. Twelve days, no twelve nights out of three hundred and sixty five days of the year she was different from her usual self and because of it she was branded as evil and 'unpredictable'.
"I can't believe this", said Harry anger rising in his voice, "we'll go to Dumbledore and he'll."
"No, Harry! If they can't accept me for what I am then I don't want to be there. Do you think I would go back there because they were told to pity me? I would rather die. The idea of being an Auror appealed to me only because I didn't have any friends or family".
"You don't have any family?" Harry asked mildly surprised.
"They disowned me, Harry", Harry felt his mouth drop open into an O of surprise and shock,"when they found out what I was they decided that their daughter was dead, and I was no more than a vicious animal that should be put down". Harry felt sick, that night her life had changed, he knew that but he hadn't known that it changed so much.
She had lost everything with that bite, friends, family and future. At least Lupins' family had stuck by him, but hers had considered her dead. All her years at Hogwarts were now rendered useless. No one would employ her, not in anything she wanted to do.
She sighed and bade Harry good night, he found he couldn't speak as the injustice of all he had just heard weighed down on him, and merely nodded his head in response.
The following weeks Harry rarely saw Katie, she didn't go to dinner lunch or breakfast and the only place he saw her was in the library occasionally, but her posture clearly stated she didn't want to talk to anyone.
It seemed she had gone hostile at the world.
After three weeks of this Harry could stand it no longer. He walked over to the desk she was working at and stared down at her. She ignored him quite efficiently, but then again she did have allot of experience in the matter. He looked down to see a potion book open before her, turned to the page that had the wolfs-bane potion on it. He looked and saw there were several other potions there about werewolves and the many different things to reverse the effects temporarily, with rather nasty side effects too, Harry noted.
"What are you doing?" he asked in concern. She stood, gathered her things and walked out of the library without a word. Harry stood there a moment longer before turning and giving chase.
He saw her ahead and rounded the corner to see the Ravenclaw picture shutting.
She stood in the doorway facing him, for a brief second before the picture hid her from view Harry saw a flicker of sadness and regret in her eyes. The click sounded somehow final, and Harry got the feeling he would never see her again.
At breakfast the next day Harry got an owl attached was a short note.
Astronomy tower,
11 o'clock tonight.
Harry looked across the hall to see Draco staring back at him.
He gave the slightest of nods and Harry knew he had got the same note. Katie wasn't there of course and Harry had the feeling she had been the one who had sent him and Draco the note.
The rest of the day Harry burned with curiosity and it seemed that the minutes ticked by like hours.
At ten thirty Harry donned his invisibility cloak and made for the Astronomy tower, apprehensive and with a feeling of dread. He got there ten minutes before eleven and found Draco already there.
They sat in silence, both wondering the same thing. At eleven o'clock an owl arrived, it was snowy white, just like Hedwig and it glowed faintly in the light of the crescent moon.
Draco went over to it and took the note, it was thick and the owl seemed happy to be rid of it. Draco turned it over in his hands, and Harry had to resist the urge to jump up and tear it open in his frenzy to know what was happening. Just as Draco slid his finger under the seal and had opened the letter he stopped, looking up quickly as a beautiful and sad sound filled the night air.
Harry and he looked over the edge of the tower to see a white wolf, its face raised to the moon in a cry of pain and sorrow but also freedom. Harry felt that he knew who this wolf was but it couldn't be possible, could it? The howl ended in a final high note, the note of farewell. Then the wolf turned and disappeared into the darkness. Harry looked at Draco and they both turned and ran as fast as they could down the tower, through the halls and onto the dew covered grounds, there was no sign of her though, she had gone. not knowing what to do Draco and Harry sat down and opened the note.
The first part was a hand written note addressed to no one in particular. It stated that all Katie's' belongings were to be evenly split between Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. It was also titled The Last Will and Testament of Katie Bennet.
At this Draco raised an eyebrow.
"She acts like she's dead?" he said questioningly. Harry shrugged and continued to read. The rest were notes and pages from old library books. Each one was in relation to one potion. It stated that a werewolf was able to transform himself or herself into a normal wolf -permanently- no potion or spell would be able to bring them back and they would never again be able to speak. Their memories of any previous life would fade and they would die at the end of a normal wolfs normal life span.
It made Harry sad that Katie had chosen the life of an animal to that of a human. The potion had been quite painful to drink, but it had succeeded; by now Katie had probably forgotten him, and soon she would forget the pain of rejection. Wolves sometimes lived a solitary life, but Harry hoped that Katie would find a pack and finally be accepted for who she was, no matter what her form.
The dawn rose pale and clear, Harry sat next to Draco on the green lawn and watched the sunrise, then he turned and walked up to Gryffindor tower, sitting on the couch he stared into the fire as the Gryffindors woke up and began a fresh new day surrounded by their friends and loved ones.
Their laughter stung like a sharp thorn in his heart, so many people took for granted what others thought nothing of, no one saw the way others suffered and no one cared.
It was the way life worked, some people were meant to live in happiness, and some were meant to suffer.
He looked down at the note she had addressed to him and debated whether or not to open it. Maybe he should just throw it in the fire and pretend that he never knew Katie, just like her parents and friends had done and would surely do.
His hand hesitated over the flame, he couldn't do it, he owed her the dignity of reading what she wrote to one of the people she cared about. She deserved to be heard, even if she no longer could receive a response. He opened the letter to find a small paragraph in the middle of the page.
Harry, your friendship meant everything to me, but I could stay no longer, I have decided to embrace who and what I am and because of that, I will never be accepted in the human world, that leaves me one choice. I saved your life once but you saved mine many times. It is the cycle of life -all existence is suffering. I'll never really forget you.
Harry clenched his fist, suddenly angry.
Of course she would forget him, she already had.
She had left and abandoned him, left him with nothing more than memories to grasp at in the darkness of the night.
He looked down at the crunched up paper and in one quick and decisive movement he tossed it into the fire and watched as it slowly disintegrate amongst the flames, her last few words, her last few thoughts now no longer existed, she was really gone, from everywhere except Harrys' memories.
"Are you coming Harry, Dean said Peeves just painted Mrs Norris green and Filch is pink!" Ron yelled in his excitement as he ran for the portrait hole.
"Yeah, I'm coming" Harry shouted back getting to his feet.
He looked one last time at the fire then turned and ran to catch up with Ron, 'Such is life' he muttered sadly.
Harry ghosted through the halls, heading for the library as quickly as possible before he ran into Filch or Snape! He had a knack for finding Snape when he was out breaking the rules.
Like in second year when he and Ron had flown the car into the Whomping Willow also in third year at the shrieking shack and in the fourth year outside of Snapes' office. Now that he thought of it Snape had been there in the first year when he and Ron had fought the troll to save Hermione as well.
Quickening his pace he rounded the corner and was sent sprawling onto the ground as someone ran into him, his invisibility cloak flying off. He sat up fast to see Draco Malfoy getting up across from him gasping like he had run a marathon.
"Malfoy! What are you doing out at night?" Harry accused, knowing that Draco would probably respond with the same question plus an insult.
Draco however sprung to his feet and gasped in a panicked voice "Run, Potter, run for your fucking life" before sprinting away at amazing speed.
Harry grabbed his cloak and curiously looked around the corner, trying to see what it was that caused Draco to swear so uncharacteristically. There was nothing there.
Just about to turn around Harry caught a glimpse of movement in the shadows, standing as still as possible he waited for it to reveal itself, whatever it was.
Then it stepped out of the darkness and into the full moons light.
It was black and huge. It stalked with deadly intent as it followed the smell of sweat and fear left by Draco. It raised its head, jaws gleaming in the light, eyes aflame with the thrill of the hunt. It was then that total panic took hold of him.
For the first few seconds Harry had stood still in shock, now panic had taken an unbreakable grip on him. He turned and fled, knowing that it was futile to try and outrun a werewolf.
He pounded down the corridor at a speed only the hunted can obtain. His heart was racing and not from the speed he was traveling at. He was running blindly, on fear and adrenaline, not knowing where he was going. Down the corridor to the left, then he heard it. A blood-chilling sound floated down the hallway as the werewolf gave chase. Harry thought he could feel its' breath on the back of his neck and he ran faster. In total panic and without thought as classrooms and stairs blurred past.
He could hear the faint clip of the werewolf's claws as they contacted the stone floor. Other than that it was a silent predator.
Deadly merciless and fast, definitely gaining, Harry ran faster feeling his strength failing. A hand reached out from the darkness and Harry was yanked into a deserted classroom.
He collapsed on the ground panting as Draco closed the door and locked it. Harry then realized he didn't have his wand and neither did Draco.
"Malfoy" Harry panted, unable to keep the relief from his voice. Draco didn't say anything; he looked very pale and scared in the moonlight.
"Thanks" Harry stammered unable to believe Malfoy, his arch nemesis, had saved him. Sure, Draco hadn't been so nasty to Harry and Ron this year, which was strange but he still was not pleasant to be around.
"When my father hears about this he'll make sure that werewolf never sees the light of day again. In fact the dementors will kiss him before he knows where he is" Draco said hotly, in fear or anger Harry wasn't sure.
"It isn't Lupin" Harry said, suddenly realizing that Draco thought it was their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Draco looked at him.
"I've seen Lupin in his werewolf form and he wasn't that colour or that size" Harry explained.
Draco motioned Harry to be quiet and moved to the other side of the classroom. Harry got up and did the same, pressing his back against the far wall and trying not to breathe so loudly.
Then he heard it, a snuffling as the beast sniffed at the door. Harry could see the fur on the back of the werewolf's shoulders in the glass window of the door. It moved on and Harry began to breath again.
He realized how close he was to Draco, shoulder to shoulder but he didn't pull away in disgust.
He had to be close; it comforted him to know Draco was still alive. He didn't want to be alone, like with Cedric. He didn't want another person to die, even if it was Draco Malfoy arch nemesis and hated son of a death eater. Draco slid a sidelong glance at him.
"Do you think it's safe to run for it?" he whispered quietly.
"I don't know if." Harry stopped short. He had heard it. The faint click of its' claws, only once but it was enough. He looked at Draco in wide-eyed panic, Draco took one look at Harry face and his eyes widened as well, the colour draining from his flushed cheeks making him appear ghostly in the moonlight. His head whipped around to face the door, which now seemed incredibly flimsy.
At that second the door burst off its hinges, splinters and glass flying everywhere. The werewolf's eyes glowing yellow in the light of the full moon. Harry instinctively gripped Malfoy who gripped him back just as hard.
It was Harry that came to his senses first, he pushed Draco as hard as he could to the other side of the room. The werewolf skidded trying to slow its momentum. Harry ran around one side of it while Draco ran around the other, they both ducked out the door and sped left down the corridor. In the classroom the werewolf spun and gave chase, its prey now in sight.
Sprinting as fast as they could Harry and Dracos' minds caught up with them. "We have to split up" Harry panted his thoughts racing his legs.
"No way Potter, then whoever it chases is as good as dead" Draco replied acidly like Harry had planned the whole thing as an attempt on his life.
"Then attack it Malfoy" Harry hissed angrily.
"Are you crazy Potter?"
"Think about it Malfoy, out of us two who do you think it is after? Me. It must've been sent by Voldemort to kill me. I'm the savior of the world, I have to live, and I'll make sure you're remembered as a hero".
"You're shitting me, right?" Draco panted in disbelief. His eyes' suggesting Harry was mad. Right, left, right again, his lungs felt like they were going to collapse.
"You're paranoid, it is probably from the Forest and came looking for a feed. It was after me first, remember?"
Harry had to agree that it had been after Draco first, maybe he was paranoid. He couldn't take anymore, his legs began to get heavier and he knew he was slowing.
Draco looked like he was going to faint and was running at the same speed as a brisk walk. The werewolf let out a howl that sounded all too much like a howl of triumph. They sped up stumbling and staggering knowing that it was right behind them. Wondering whom it would take first, and each hoping it was the other.
"In here!" a voiced hissed from the darkness to the right. They turned trying to see who it was.
"QUICK!" it said urgently.
Realizing their doom racing up behind them, they dove into another empty classroom where the voice had come from. "Up the stairs" their unknown rescuer said motioning towards the stairs.
They obliged; too tired to resist and using only their fading adrenalin to keep them going.
They climbed the spiraling stairs tripping on nearly every one; Harry could only guess that they were climbing up a tower. They wearily climbed the stairs with the rescuer at the rear pushing them urgently as the werewolf snuffled at the door, picking up their scent.
"Run!" came the one word command full of fear and frustration. Closing the door at the base of the stairs, the helper ran to the top and closed that door as well. Grabbing the wooden ladder leaning against one of the walls she fixed it so it lead up to the trapdoor in the roof. Harry, now sure it was a girl, asked who she was?
"Later" she snapped and grabbing him by the arm pushed him up the ladder. He started climbing with Draco a fair way behind telling him to climb faster.
After what seemed like an eternity Harry reached the top and collapsed next to the trap door.
His adrenalin now spent, he rolled over to watch the scene below, Draco nearly broke Harrys' nose as he came up the trapdoor.
"Watch it Potter," he snapped wearily. Harry had a feeling of relief as the figure started climbing the ladder. She was halfway up when the door burst open to reveal an extremely agitated werewolf. Wasting no time, it attacked the ladder, clawing halfway up to grip the dark haired girls' robes.
"SHIT!" she stated feverishly as she fell with the ladder down to the now blocked room.
"No!" Harry screamed hoarsely his throat dry from running the length of Hogwarts. His outstretched fingers brushed the ladder as it fell out of his reach. Down below the werewolf was on the girl and she desperately held its' jaws away with her hands. She wouldn't last long, werewolves possessed inhuman strength. Draco jumped up and rummaged around the room, scattering dust covered papers and opening the drawers in a frantic search.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked angrily, guiltily relieved that he had an excuse not to watch what went on below.
"Silver" Draco snapped still searching hurriedly. Harry was confused for a little while, then it registered and he too began searching. Pulling out all the drawers and searching through them, Draco stopped holding up a dusty box triumphantly. He opened the lid to reveal a letter opener. It was shaped as a sword and it looked silver.
The blade was as long as Harrys' middle finger and he was not sure if it would help in any way but it was all they had. Running to the trapdoor hole Harry hesitated, he wasn't sure if he wanted to see what had happened down below.
Mentally shaking himself Harry went to the porthole to see the girl with a rung from the ladder in her hand. When the werewolf came close she swung it with all her strength onto the creatures head. It dazed the werewolf a little and it fell back into the shadows momentarily.
"Hey, you!" Draco shouted and threw down the letter opener. She caught it, and seeing what it was smiled at them gratefully her dark eyes grim.
It pounced so fast that all Harry saw was a blacker than blacker blur fly past and land on the girl effectively pinning her legs, she gripped around its muzzle tightly, to stop it from opening its mouth but she was losing the battle. Its drool was making her hands slippery and its concentration was now completely on her. It was at this point Harry had an idea; he grabbed his shoe, took aim and tossed it with all his remaining strength at the creatures' head.
It turned snarling up at him; taking the momentary lack in the creatures defense she stabbed the letter opener into its' paw; howling in pain it lunged forward. Her arm flew up to protect her face from the snarling creatures jaws. Both girl and creature let out a cry of pain as the werewolf' teeth bit into her arm and the silver letter opener she had had clenched in her fist stabbed into the beasts' right eye.
It staggered off her and died twitching on the floor, resuming its human form, a man in his mid thirties with mousy blonde hair and a scraggly beard.
She slumped, gripping her injured arm tightly. She watched in horrified fascination as her humanity seeped out along with the three streams of blood on her arm.
After ten minutes Harry stammered "Are you all right?" he knew it was a stupid question, of course she wasn't, she was now a werewolf, hated and despised by the wizarding world.
"I am fine" she sighed and leant against the wall resting her head against the cool stones. After a few minutes she appeared to be asleep and Harry started to worry about her dieing. Then he and Draco would be stuck up in the tower until they starved.
Harry began to shiver as the pale dawn rose, and the window grew a thin layer of ice over the glass. Ron would wake up soon and begin to wonder where he was. What was he going to tell Dumbledore when he arrived?
The teachers would find them eventually; they would find Harrys' cloak and the smashed doors then they would see one of their students bloodied and bitten, and two more up in the safety of a tower. Harry would have to tell them it was all, his fault. The girl below him wouldn't have got involved if he hadn't been breaking the rules. Now that the dawn had shed more light into the room below, Harry could see that the girl was a seventh year Ravenclaw. She was sweating and tossing on the floor and Harry concluded that she had a fever.
"Draco she has some sort of fever" Harry said urgently. "We need to help her".
"And how are we supposed to do that Potter", Draco drawled acidly "when we're fifteen feet in the air, with no way to get down that doesn't involve breaking our legs?"
"Well I wouldn't expect you to understand Malfoy, you're nothing but a dirty Death Eater anyway" Harry replied hotly, his cheeks going red. Draco looked at him in a sad kind of way.
"Shows how much you know, Potter", he said quietly.
"What is that supposed to mean Malfoy", Harry asked, surprised at Dracos' tone. Draco looked away suddenly very intent on the dead man below. "You changed sides!" Harry said, unable to believe what he was saying. He saw Draco swallow a biting reply and realized why Draco hadn't been so scathing to Harry and his friends, he had changed sides and his confidence was gone.
Harry saw that Draco was uncomfortable talking to him about this kind of thing, so he changed topics.
"What are we going to tell Dumbledore when he finds us?" he asked, feeling that it was important to get the story straight.
"The truth Potter, we were attacked by a werewolf, and when she tried to save us she got bitten herself. That is all they really need to know", Draco said blankly as if wanting Harry to believe it. Harry nodded and fell asleep at about eight o'clock completely worn out. He woke around two in the afternoon, to the sound of murmuring voices.
Harry rolled over to look down the trapdoor, Draco was still asleep so Harry grabbed his shoulder and gently shook him awake. Motioning for Draco to stay quiet both boys listened to what was going on below.
"Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter are also missing headmaster, they were not in their dormitories this morning. We have reason to believe that." Snape trailed off as he reached the top of the stairs to see the Ravenclaw girl leaning against the wall clutching her arm and muttering non-stop under her breath. "Miss Bennet!" Snape said touching her lightly on the uninjured arm. Her eyes flew open and she looked around the room before settling on Snape.
"Am I still here?" she groaned as he helped her to her feet.
"What happened here Katie?" Dumbledore asked gently, eyes intent on her face.
She pointed at the dead man, the letter opener still sticking out of his eye, "werewolf" she said simply. Snape looked at her bitten arm and she nodded. "He got me halfway up the ladder" she explained levelly as Dumbledore sighed with regret.
"Take her up to Madam Pomfrey please Severus", Dumbledore said.
On her way to the door Katie turned around "See detention really is a health risk" she said wryly before being guided out the door by Snape.
Dumbledore lent over the dead man while Draco and Harry looked on.
When Dumbledore made to leave Harry called out. "Professor, we don't have our wands can you help us get down?" Dumbledore smiled up at them.
"Repario" he said pointing at the broken ladder and maneuvering it so it was directly under the trapdoor. "This explains why she didn't have enough time", he simply stated.
"This is all my fault professor, if I hadn't been out breaking the rules then she wouldn't have got involved and none of this would have happened", Harry said feeling ashamed.
"No Harry, it is a good thing you boys were there otherwise she may not have heard you running and instead, come face to face with the werewolf, without a letter opener", Dumbledore said smiling at the look of relief on Harrys' face.
"Don't always be so quick to blame yourself Harry, some things were meant to be and she is still alive".
Harry sighed "Not much of a life if everyone hates you".
"Do you hate her Harry?" Dumbledore questioned and gave him a stern look.
"Of course not, she saved my life", said Harry in surprise.
"Well then she's not hated by everyone is she?" Dumbledore stated warmly. His words made Harry feel a little better but he still felt terrible over last nights' events.
"Dinner will be ready in a few hours, why don't you both get cleaned up. Everyone will be wanting to know where you were all day". Both boys left the room a little bit pensive at the thought of all the questions they would face.
At dinner Katie was sitting at the Ravenclaw table, surrounded by nervous 'friends' who no longer wanted to know her. If this upset her in any way, she didn't show it. Her arm had only taken a few minutes to heal, and since she had slept most of the day Madam Pomfrey had to let her go.
The conversation went on around her and if she tried to say anything no one would listen and she was largely ignored. So she sat and ate in silence deep in her own thoughts and daydreams.
Harry sat next to Ron and Hermione who told him how worried they had been when he wasn't in bed when they woke up.
"Thank god it's Saturday, right Harry" Ron said through a mouthful of turkey and carrot pie.
Harry nodded as his eyes drifted over to Katie who was excluded from every conversation. As she ate in silence he felt another pang of guilt for not helping when she was attacked, or maybe if he had climbed faster she would have made it.
He shook his head, he knew from experience that what ifs could drive you crazy, what's done is done and you have to deal with it he told himself sternly. "Harry? Harry? Earth to Harry, come back Harry".
"What?" Harry blinked.
"Blimey Harry you totally spaced out there" said Ron, taking a swig of pumpkin juice.
"It wasn't your fault Harry, there wasn't anything else you could do" said Hermione reassuringly. Harry smiled at her.
"Thanks Hermione" he replied. She smiled back and turned to Angelina who was next to her and began to ask questions on seventh year charms. Harry couldn't help it, his eyes wandered back to Katie who had now finished eating and was staring blankly at her plate.
Gradually the hall emptied as the students made there way to bed. Soon there was only Harry, Ron and Hermione left at the Gryffindor table. Harry looked around the deserted hall and wasn't surprised to see Katie still slouched in her chair, staring listlessly at the far wall.
He did get a shock when he saw Draco still sitting at the Slytherin table absently tracing circles on his empty plate with his fingers. Crabbe and Goyle were sitting next to him, still stuffing their faces.
"Come on Harry, let's go to bed", said Ron as he and Hermione stood up to leave.
"I'll catch up", said Harry still looking at Katie seated alone at the Ravenclaw table. Ron and Hermione exchanged looks and left Harry alone.
Snape gave the remaining students a hard glare and then left to make sure that there weren't any students to be punished.
Draco stood up and made his way over to Katie, Harry following close behind. Besides Crabbe and Goyle, who were still eating, only Dumbledore remained. Harry and Draco stood there looking at her.
"Look, I.uh.we want to say" Harry was cut short by Katie.
"Don't fret kiddies, I would have done the same for anyone" she said before Harry could finish, Draco smirked at the word 'kiddies' because at that moment she stood up, and both Harry and Draco towered over her. She may have been two years older than them, but they were still head and shoulders higher than her. She looked up at the two seekers and gave them a wan smile. "Don't worry about me, boys. I will be fine". With that she left, leaving Harry and Draco staring after her.
"Why were you out after hours anyway, Draco?" Harry asked expecting for Draco to tell him to mind his own business. Draco sighed.
"I was eavesdropping on Snape and Lucious talking about Voldemort". Harry raised an eyebrow but left before Draco could ask the same question. He didn't want to tell Draco he was looking for a letter that he had lost, from his godfather, a murderer escapee who would be killed on sight.
After a few weeks, the episode of the werewolf died down. Katie had told her friends she was bitten in the forest so there were no angry letters from concerned parents about their children's safety at the school.
One rainy day Harry met Katie in the library, Draco and Harry had come to a temporary truce since the werewolf encounter and were working on a potions assignment together.
Harry gave up on writing about potions involving beetle eyes and their properties and made his way over to her. He couldn't concentrate with her sitting there all alone due to him.
"Hi, how's it going" he asked nervously.
"Good" she replied not elaborating.
"Look, I just wanted to tell you again how." She cut him off for the second time.
"Look I told you, it isn't your fault and I don't hold you responsible. I would do the same thing again for anyone".
Draco, who had made his way over, added, "We'd probably be running from you, not being saved by you".
"Draco!" said Harry, shocked. Katie just laughed and moved her books off the chair next to her. Harry and Draco sat down. "So, what are you going to do after you finish school?" Harry asked.
"Dunno, thinking of becoming an Auror but I will have allot to learn. Things like. never go anywhere without my wand. Shouldn't have listened to Filch, he told me not to bring it". She shrugged to show that she didn't blame the old caretaker. Harry reckoned he would have. "You definitely got used to the idea of being a werewolf fast", Harry praised.
"Well kicking and screaming wouldn't have done much good, would it? Anyway it's not so bad, gives you time to think. Just gotta shut up on my whereabouts every full moon when it comes to the interview, don't think the idea of a werewolf Auror will go done well" she said smiling. Harry shook his head.
"How can you stand being hated by everybody, everyday?" Harry asked in awe.
"On the contrary, how can you stand being praised and loved every day?" she asked with a shudder, "You'll find they aren't all that different". Harry doubted that, he remembered a time in the second year when everyone had hated and feared him, thinking he was the Slytherin heir, it hadn't been anything like being praised.
Next to him Draco nodded, "I know how both feel" he said seriously, "you find a balance". She looked at Draco and nodded once, keeping eye contact.
"Remember Harry, that it is all part of life's cycle, the Buddhists believe existence is suffering and I don't think they're far off the mark" she said wryly.
Weeks later Harry heard that Katie was going to an interview for an apprentice Auror; but he didn't get a chance to speak to her. The day of the interview he saw her ahead in the crowd of students making their way to breakfast, but by the time he caught up she had disappeared.
"Good luck", he whispered and went to the Great Hall.
He didn't see her until that night at supper.
She sat down the very end of the Ravenclaw table excluded from conversation, as usual. No one even bothered to ask her how her interview went. She got up and left the Hall halfway through the meal and Harry followed.
"Hey wait up!" he called as he ran to catch up with her. She continued on. "That bad, huh?" She didn't say anything, just kept walking.
"So, how did it go?" he asked wondering if he'd ever get a response.
"Well, I passed all the tests easy, I successfully blocked and attacked and I also used the right amount of force. The judges were impressed I could tell. I passed the fitness, sparring, duelling and written tests". She said it grimly and blankly and Harry had the feeling something bad had happened.
"But." he prodded.
"But unfortunately for me, someone tipped off the manager about my little abnormality". Harry felt the blood rush out of his cheeks and realised what it must have felt like to be Katie when she was told why she wasn't allowed the job, the shame and embarrassment.
"Sorry Miss Bennet, but you're just not what we're looking for. Maybe you should try for a job at the Ministry of Magical creatures", she said imitating the managers voice.
"I guess I should have known when the manager made a 'special' visit", her tone was bitter.
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing; he couldn't believe that the ministry could be so prejudice, so narrow-minded. Twelve days, no twelve nights out of three hundred and sixty five days of the year she was different from her usual self and because of it she was branded as evil and 'unpredictable'.
"I can't believe this", said Harry anger rising in his voice, "we'll go to Dumbledore and he'll."
"No, Harry! If they can't accept me for what I am then I don't want to be there. Do you think I would go back there because they were told to pity me? I would rather die. The idea of being an Auror appealed to me only because I didn't have any friends or family".
"You don't have any family?" Harry asked mildly surprised.
"They disowned me, Harry", Harry felt his mouth drop open into an O of surprise and shock,"when they found out what I was they decided that their daughter was dead, and I was no more than a vicious animal that should be put down". Harry felt sick, that night her life had changed, he knew that but he hadn't known that it changed so much.
She had lost everything with that bite, friends, family and future. At least Lupins' family had stuck by him, but hers had considered her dead. All her years at Hogwarts were now rendered useless. No one would employ her, not in anything she wanted to do.
She sighed and bade Harry good night, he found he couldn't speak as the injustice of all he had just heard weighed down on him, and merely nodded his head in response.
The following weeks Harry rarely saw Katie, she didn't go to dinner lunch or breakfast and the only place he saw her was in the library occasionally, but her posture clearly stated she didn't want to talk to anyone.
It seemed she had gone hostile at the world.
After three weeks of this Harry could stand it no longer. He walked over to the desk she was working at and stared down at her. She ignored him quite efficiently, but then again she did have allot of experience in the matter. He looked down to see a potion book open before her, turned to the page that had the wolfs-bane potion on it. He looked and saw there were several other potions there about werewolves and the many different things to reverse the effects temporarily, with rather nasty side effects too, Harry noted.
"What are you doing?" he asked in concern. She stood, gathered her things and walked out of the library without a word. Harry stood there a moment longer before turning and giving chase.
He saw her ahead and rounded the corner to see the Ravenclaw picture shutting.
She stood in the doorway facing him, for a brief second before the picture hid her from view Harry saw a flicker of sadness and regret in her eyes. The click sounded somehow final, and Harry got the feeling he would never see her again.
At breakfast the next day Harry got an owl attached was a short note.
Astronomy tower,
11 o'clock tonight.
Harry looked across the hall to see Draco staring back at him.
He gave the slightest of nods and Harry knew he had got the same note. Katie wasn't there of course and Harry had the feeling she had been the one who had sent him and Draco the note.
The rest of the day Harry burned with curiosity and it seemed that the minutes ticked by like hours.
At ten thirty Harry donned his invisibility cloak and made for the Astronomy tower, apprehensive and with a feeling of dread. He got there ten minutes before eleven and found Draco already there.
They sat in silence, both wondering the same thing. At eleven o'clock an owl arrived, it was snowy white, just like Hedwig and it glowed faintly in the light of the crescent moon.
Draco went over to it and took the note, it was thick and the owl seemed happy to be rid of it. Draco turned it over in his hands, and Harry had to resist the urge to jump up and tear it open in his frenzy to know what was happening. Just as Draco slid his finger under the seal and had opened the letter he stopped, looking up quickly as a beautiful and sad sound filled the night air.
Harry and he looked over the edge of the tower to see a white wolf, its face raised to the moon in a cry of pain and sorrow but also freedom. Harry felt that he knew who this wolf was but it couldn't be possible, could it? The howl ended in a final high note, the note of farewell. Then the wolf turned and disappeared into the darkness. Harry looked at Draco and they both turned and ran as fast as they could down the tower, through the halls and onto the dew covered grounds, there was no sign of her though, she had gone. not knowing what to do Draco and Harry sat down and opened the note.
The first part was a hand written note addressed to no one in particular. It stated that all Katie's' belongings were to be evenly split between Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. It was also titled The Last Will and Testament of Katie Bennet.
At this Draco raised an eyebrow.
"She acts like she's dead?" he said questioningly. Harry shrugged and continued to read. The rest were notes and pages from old library books. Each one was in relation to one potion. It stated that a werewolf was able to transform himself or herself into a normal wolf -permanently- no potion or spell would be able to bring them back and they would never again be able to speak. Their memories of any previous life would fade and they would die at the end of a normal wolfs normal life span.
It made Harry sad that Katie had chosen the life of an animal to that of a human. The potion had been quite painful to drink, but it had succeeded; by now Katie had probably forgotten him, and soon she would forget the pain of rejection. Wolves sometimes lived a solitary life, but Harry hoped that Katie would find a pack and finally be accepted for who she was, no matter what her form.
The dawn rose pale and clear, Harry sat next to Draco on the green lawn and watched the sunrise, then he turned and walked up to Gryffindor tower, sitting on the couch he stared into the fire as the Gryffindors woke up and began a fresh new day surrounded by their friends and loved ones.
Their laughter stung like a sharp thorn in his heart, so many people took for granted what others thought nothing of, no one saw the way others suffered and no one cared.
It was the way life worked, some people were meant to live in happiness, and some were meant to suffer.
He looked down at the note she had addressed to him and debated whether or not to open it. Maybe he should just throw it in the fire and pretend that he never knew Katie, just like her parents and friends had done and would surely do.
His hand hesitated over the flame, he couldn't do it, he owed her the dignity of reading what she wrote to one of the people she cared about. She deserved to be heard, even if she no longer could receive a response. He opened the letter to find a small paragraph in the middle of the page.
Harry, your friendship meant everything to me, but I could stay no longer, I have decided to embrace who and what I am and because of that, I will never be accepted in the human world, that leaves me one choice. I saved your life once but you saved mine many times. It is the cycle of life -all existence is suffering. I'll never really forget you.
Harry clenched his fist, suddenly angry.
Of course she would forget him, she already had.
She had left and abandoned him, left him with nothing more than memories to grasp at in the darkness of the night.
He looked down at the crunched up paper and in one quick and decisive movement he tossed it into the fire and watched as it slowly disintegrate amongst the flames, her last few words, her last few thoughts now no longer existed, she was really gone, from everywhere except Harrys' memories.
"Are you coming Harry, Dean said Peeves just painted Mrs Norris green and Filch is pink!" Ron yelled in his excitement as he ran for the portrait hole.
"Yeah, I'm coming" Harry shouted back getting to his feet.
He looked one last time at the fire then turned and ran to catch up with Ron, 'Such is life' he muttered sadly.