Disclaimer: I own nothing! Nothing! Leave me alone! I own the concept of
the story, that is all!
Notes: Thanks for the reviews! Remember to keep them coming! Sorry it took me so long to update. (A long time to me is more than a few days... Which is good for those of you who like quick updates. ;P) And now to answer a question:
-No one is with Harry in Animagus form when he transforms because none of his friends know, and they still don't know how to become an Animagus. That may change later, tho. ^.-
~*~*~*~
Of Wolf and Man
~*~*~*~
Transfiguration was the first class of the day, and Harry was the last to arrive. McGonagall gave him a sharp look, and he scurried to his seat. Well, scurried as well as a pair of wooden legs and a numb brain would let him. He still felt very ill used, but breakfast had helped to wash away the taste of blood, for which he was very grateful. He was still the object of many looks and whispers, which he ignored. Or maybe he didn't even realize they were whispering.
McGonagall let them alone to practice their new assignment, and Harry partnered with Ron as usual. Ron neglected the bit of rope they were supposed to transform into lizards to question Harry about what had occurred over the past couple of days.
"Are you okay, Harry? You don't look so good," Ron remarked.
"I don't know," Harry sighed. "Things have... changed..."
Ron seemed confused. "Changed? What do you mean?"
Harry shook his head wearily. "I'll tell you and Hermione about it later. Too many people here." He waved absently at the people watching Harry intently and Ron nodded in understanding. He waved his wand at the half foot of rope, but he was distracted, and it merely sprouted legs and started to amble about blindly. He frowned and tried again, but two more legs grew and it scampered off the table.
Harry didn't even bother to try and let Ron run about trying to catch his six-legged rope until the class ended and he trudged out.
The next class was Potions with Snape. Harry really didn't feel up to it. He wanted nothing more than to go up to the dorms and sleep. Ron walked beside him, watching his friend more than the hallway, hand halfway extended to catch him if he fell, which he seemed very likely to do. Hermione caught up to them a moment later from a discussion she'd been holding with McGonagall about an essay they'd been assigned for homework. Apparently she needed about twice the length of the other students to cover everything.
"Harry, are you sure you're up for class? What were you doing last night?" she asked worriedly. Harry waved a hand at her, indicating she should drop it. Hermione bit her lip, but remained silent.
"Oi, Harry. Maybe you should go lie down. Take a nap," Ron suggested.
"Harry can't just ditch class, Ron! You're a prefect, so why don't you start acting like one?" Hermione snapped back.
"Look at him, 'Mione! He's dead on his feet. What good would it do him to go to class and blow himself up if he messes up the assignment because he's too tired?" Ron argued back, gesturing angrily at Harry. Hermione's brow furrowed in thought.
"That is a good point..." Hermione said.
"Go on, Harry," Ron said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Go on up to the dorm and rest for a bit. We'll cover for you with Snape," Ron said. Harry nodded dumbly, too tired to care, and plodded past the others on their way to the dungeons.
He was in the common room before he knew it and then found himself in the room he shared with Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Neville. He had no idea how he got there, but he shrugged it off. In a second he had discarded his robes and shoes and crawled into the large, four-poster bed. Nothing had ever felt so good before, so utterly divine to his aching body. In seconds he was snoring softly as he slept.
***
In his dream Harry was walking down a dark path in a close and tangled forest with a full moon high overhead. He walked forward, knowing that something awaited him at the end of the path, something grand and wonderful. Something he had always wanted. But the path just wore on, never ending, never turning, always straight and black and choked with trees reaching for him. He caught a glance of something ahead and hurried forward.
It slowly grew larger and more distinct. And only once it was right before him did Harry recognize what it was.
Snarling, the massive, black-furred werewolf turned and lunged for him, emerald eyes flashing in the moonlight. Harry fell back, the teeth sinking into his neck....
He woke up with a yell, sitting upright in his bed. He was shivering and sweaty, and he rubbed at his shoulder, where the werewolf had bitten him two days ago. It was dark in the room, and soft light from the waning moon fell in through the window. Harry pushed himself to his feet and crossed to the window. He had slept longer than he'd meant to. With a jerk, he shut the curtains, blocking out the moon.
The door burst open and Ron ran in. "Harry? You alright?" he gasped, looking about like he'd had a heart attack.
"I'm fine," Harry replied. "Just a bad dream."
"It wasn't.... one of THOSE dreams.....?"
"No. Just a regular nightmare," Harry replied. Ron sighed in relief. "Anyway, I feel much better now. I hope I didn't miss too much..."
Ron shook his head. "Nah. Not that much. I'm sure 'Mione will let you copy her notes in the classes you missed. She knows you've been through a lot and needed the sleep. By the way, are you up to telling us what happened?"
Harry looked down at the floor. He might as well get it over with. At least no one else was up for bed yet. "Sure. Go get her." Ron left and Harry found his wand and lit some candles. He was sitting on his bed, lost in his own dark thoughts when his friends entered and shut the door behind them. Harry looked up as they Ron pulled up two chairs and they sat.
"Feeling better, Harry?" Hermione inquired. Harry nodded with a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"So what's going on, mate?" Ron asked. "What did attack you, and where were you last night?"
"I was at the Shrieking Shack," Harry stated.
Ron looked confused. "The Shrieking Shack? But why?"
"Because it was too dangerous for me to be somewhere with people," he replied flatly, looking away. He couldn't bear to see they're faces when they put it together. "Because I might have killed someone otherwise."
"But you'd never kill anyone, Harry."
"Oh Ron! Don't you get it?!" Hermione explained. Harry felt a light touch on his arm and looked over, into Hermione's eyes, which were misting over with tears. "Harry... That night you were attacked... It was a werewolf, wasn't it?" Harry felt a lump rise in his throat. Of course Hermione would figure it out. She'd figured out Lupin those years ago. "You were bitten."
The raven-haired Gryffindor nodded, unable to speak. He didn't want to cry, but he didn't think he'd be able to hold it in if he spoke. Instead, he tugged at the collar of his pajamas to show the pale pink scar on his shoulder.
Hermione gasped, raising her hand to her mouth. Still in shock, Ron was silent.
Then he found his voice again and tried to smile reassuringly at his best friend of seven years. "But it's okay, isn't it Harry? I mean, as long as you take the Wolfsbane every month you should be safe. And Professor Lupin is a werewolf, too... You'll be alright..."
Harry shook his head. "It's more complicated than that, Ron. I mean, what if people find out? Werewolves are feared and discriminated against. They can't hardly get a job. When parents found out Lupin was a werewolf they demanded he be fired, and besides, every time of a full moon, Dumbledore is making me stay with Snape. He says I might still find it difficult around that time, Wolfsbane or not. I guess Snape id supposed to protect everyone from me if I freak out or something." Harry sighed, feeling tired all over again. "It hurts to transform... It feels like your bones are too large for the rest of you and your insides are trying to move all on their own... And when you're a werewolf, you feel this... this hatred... This fury and you want to kill and attack people and-" He stopped himself. "I hate it."
Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry and let her tears course down her face in silence. She held Harry tightly, and Harry wished he could cry too, but now his tears seemed to have gone away.
"I'm sorry Harry," she murmured. "I'm so so sorry..."
~*~*~*~
Notes: Thanks for the reviews! Remember to keep them coming! Sorry it took me so long to update. (A long time to me is more than a few days... Which is good for those of you who like quick updates. ;P) And now to answer a question:
-No one is with Harry in Animagus form when he transforms because none of his friends know, and they still don't know how to become an Animagus. That may change later, tho. ^.-
~*~*~*~
Of Wolf and Man
~*~*~*~
Transfiguration was the first class of the day, and Harry was the last to arrive. McGonagall gave him a sharp look, and he scurried to his seat. Well, scurried as well as a pair of wooden legs and a numb brain would let him. He still felt very ill used, but breakfast had helped to wash away the taste of blood, for which he was very grateful. He was still the object of many looks and whispers, which he ignored. Or maybe he didn't even realize they were whispering.
McGonagall let them alone to practice their new assignment, and Harry partnered with Ron as usual. Ron neglected the bit of rope they were supposed to transform into lizards to question Harry about what had occurred over the past couple of days.
"Are you okay, Harry? You don't look so good," Ron remarked.
"I don't know," Harry sighed. "Things have... changed..."
Ron seemed confused. "Changed? What do you mean?"
Harry shook his head wearily. "I'll tell you and Hermione about it later. Too many people here." He waved absently at the people watching Harry intently and Ron nodded in understanding. He waved his wand at the half foot of rope, but he was distracted, and it merely sprouted legs and started to amble about blindly. He frowned and tried again, but two more legs grew and it scampered off the table.
Harry didn't even bother to try and let Ron run about trying to catch his six-legged rope until the class ended and he trudged out.
The next class was Potions with Snape. Harry really didn't feel up to it. He wanted nothing more than to go up to the dorms and sleep. Ron walked beside him, watching his friend more than the hallway, hand halfway extended to catch him if he fell, which he seemed very likely to do. Hermione caught up to them a moment later from a discussion she'd been holding with McGonagall about an essay they'd been assigned for homework. Apparently she needed about twice the length of the other students to cover everything.
"Harry, are you sure you're up for class? What were you doing last night?" she asked worriedly. Harry waved a hand at her, indicating she should drop it. Hermione bit her lip, but remained silent.
"Oi, Harry. Maybe you should go lie down. Take a nap," Ron suggested.
"Harry can't just ditch class, Ron! You're a prefect, so why don't you start acting like one?" Hermione snapped back.
"Look at him, 'Mione! He's dead on his feet. What good would it do him to go to class and blow himself up if he messes up the assignment because he's too tired?" Ron argued back, gesturing angrily at Harry. Hermione's brow furrowed in thought.
"That is a good point..." Hermione said.
"Go on, Harry," Ron said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Go on up to the dorm and rest for a bit. We'll cover for you with Snape," Ron said. Harry nodded dumbly, too tired to care, and plodded past the others on their way to the dungeons.
He was in the common room before he knew it and then found himself in the room he shared with Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Neville. He had no idea how he got there, but he shrugged it off. In a second he had discarded his robes and shoes and crawled into the large, four-poster bed. Nothing had ever felt so good before, so utterly divine to his aching body. In seconds he was snoring softly as he slept.
***
In his dream Harry was walking down a dark path in a close and tangled forest with a full moon high overhead. He walked forward, knowing that something awaited him at the end of the path, something grand and wonderful. Something he had always wanted. But the path just wore on, never ending, never turning, always straight and black and choked with trees reaching for him. He caught a glance of something ahead and hurried forward.
It slowly grew larger and more distinct. And only once it was right before him did Harry recognize what it was.
Snarling, the massive, black-furred werewolf turned and lunged for him, emerald eyes flashing in the moonlight. Harry fell back, the teeth sinking into his neck....
He woke up with a yell, sitting upright in his bed. He was shivering and sweaty, and he rubbed at his shoulder, where the werewolf had bitten him two days ago. It was dark in the room, and soft light from the waning moon fell in through the window. Harry pushed himself to his feet and crossed to the window. He had slept longer than he'd meant to. With a jerk, he shut the curtains, blocking out the moon.
The door burst open and Ron ran in. "Harry? You alright?" he gasped, looking about like he'd had a heart attack.
"I'm fine," Harry replied. "Just a bad dream."
"It wasn't.... one of THOSE dreams.....?"
"No. Just a regular nightmare," Harry replied. Ron sighed in relief. "Anyway, I feel much better now. I hope I didn't miss too much..."
Ron shook his head. "Nah. Not that much. I'm sure 'Mione will let you copy her notes in the classes you missed. She knows you've been through a lot and needed the sleep. By the way, are you up to telling us what happened?"
Harry looked down at the floor. He might as well get it over with. At least no one else was up for bed yet. "Sure. Go get her." Ron left and Harry found his wand and lit some candles. He was sitting on his bed, lost in his own dark thoughts when his friends entered and shut the door behind them. Harry looked up as they Ron pulled up two chairs and they sat.
"Feeling better, Harry?" Hermione inquired. Harry nodded with a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"So what's going on, mate?" Ron asked. "What did attack you, and where were you last night?"
"I was at the Shrieking Shack," Harry stated.
Ron looked confused. "The Shrieking Shack? But why?"
"Because it was too dangerous for me to be somewhere with people," he replied flatly, looking away. He couldn't bear to see they're faces when they put it together. "Because I might have killed someone otherwise."
"But you'd never kill anyone, Harry."
"Oh Ron! Don't you get it?!" Hermione explained. Harry felt a light touch on his arm and looked over, into Hermione's eyes, which were misting over with tears. "Harry... That night you were attacked... It was a werewolf, wasn't it?" Harry felt a lump rise in his throat. Of course Hermione would figure it out. She'd figured out Lupin those years ago. "You were bitten."
The raven-haired Gryffindor nodded, unable to speak. He didn't want to cry, but he didn't think he'd be able to hold it in if he spoke. Instead, he tugged at the collar of his pajamas to show the pale pink scar on his shoulder.
Hermione gasped, raising her hand to her mouth. Still in shock, Ron was silent.
Then he found his voice again and tried to smile reassuringly at his best friend of seven years. "But it's okay, isn't it Harry? I mean, as long as you take the Wolfsbane every month you should be safe. And Professor Lupin is a werewolf, too... You'll be alright..."
Harry shook his head. "It's more complicated than that, Ron. I mean, what if people find out? Werewolves are feared and discriminated against. They can't hardly get a job. When parents found out Lupin was a werewolf they demanded he be fired, and besides, every time of a full moon, Dumbledore is making me stay with Snape. He says I might still find it difficult around that time, Wolfsbane or not. I guess Snape id supposed to protect everyone from me if I freak out or something." Harry sighed, feeling tired all over again. "It hurts to transform... It feels like your bones are too large for the rest of you and your insides are trying to move all on their own... And when you're a werewolf, you feel this... this hatred... This fury and you want to kill and attack people and-" He stopped himself. "I hate it."
Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry and let her tears course down her face in silence. She held Harry tightly, and Harry wished he could cry too, but now his tears seemed to have gone away.
"I'm sorry Harry," she murmured. "I'm so so sorry..."
~*~*~*~