Disclaimer: do I really have to do this? I don't own Harry Potter's characters, they're Rowling's. And I don't own daffy duck either!
By the way… In this fic I don't have fang because I thought that being a dog, it probably would be too old when Harry goes to Hogwarts… and before I forget… thank you oh mighty Joltz for letting me use your story as guidance!
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The Lady of Wolves: Tail, fur, paws and fangs
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Finally, the headmaster had admitted that a wandering girl had been rescued from the forbidden forest and that it had been a miracle she had gone that far. The girl would be staying at Hogwarts until the ministry decided what to do with her. The fact that she was indeed a muggle girl was not mentioned. At first, when the announcement had been made, everyone had wanted to take a look at the intruder that walked through the corridors of Hogwarts along with some of the most popular students of the school. All the students wondered why was a girl, seemingly from another school, allowed in Hogwarts? After a few days, however, nobody seemed to care.
Diana sat in Hagrid's hut and patted Spot's head. Spot was the big black and fierce looking dog that Hagrid owned. It looked a lot like Sirius when he transformed. Diana bit her lower lip as she reached Spot's ears. They were so different here in Hogwarts, at least James and Sirius were different. They had all these girls following them wherever they went and they would be showing off all the time.
The girl rose to her feet. She could be collected, she thought, she wouldn't mind how queasy she really felt. She would be taking one room for herself, but somehow… the thought of it was not calming. Not really. She began packing her things in a bag. Not that she had much, but it was better to pack than to remember the conversation she had with the headmaster some days before.
*Flashback*
'But, sir, that's impossible, we are in the last quarter of moon' Hobby said turning her face to Dumbledore. 'Couldn't it be just a simple dog?' She asked desperately. Dumbledore sighed and she looked at the phoenix perched just besides the desk. 'It cannot be a werewolf.'
'I agree with you, Miss Moy.
However, if it is not a werewolf I fear that whatever hurt you is a creature
capable of powerful magic. The ministry would like to examine you, but they
have agreed that the research will take place here in Hogwarts, being the
safest place you could really be.'
'But… but what will happen to me now?' her voice was shaking and she felt her heart right on her throat.
'You will remain at Hogwarts in a special chamber, and do not worry about your personal articles. We spoke to your sister already and she sent us some muggle money we'll change to buy whatever you need, you'll buy your personal articles tomorrow with the gamekeeper.'
*End of flashback*
'Hullo. How are yeh doin'?' Hagrid
came into the hut.
'Fine, thank you, Hagrid' She smiled and then she saw Sirius, James and Peter
coming in.
'Hi' Hobby shoot an inquisitive look at the guys who looked very jovial, 'Did I
miss anything?'
'Oh, no. You would not understand. It is about something we did to a mean
person' said Sirius.
'Yeh don' tell me yer doin' any o' yer pranks ter harm Snape, do yeh?' Hagrid
was busy boiling water to make tea.
'Don't worry, he may live', James smiled widely while messing his hair with his
right hand.
'You should check that' said Diana earnestly to James. Everyone looked at her without understanding.
'Check that Snape lives?' asked a confused Wormtail.
'No. Not that' she made a dismissive gesture with her hand and then looked straight at James, 'you should check that tic of yours' Diana repeated, 'could be a psychological problem… you're always touching your hair. It looks silly' James blushed slightly pink, looked up and muttered something about all girls being crazy about him and not knowing how to control it. Peter looked frightened and was staring at Sirius' face.
'What do you know?' spat Sirius, stepping in for his friend.
'I know because you look like girls. Always worried about your looks, give me a break!' she accused him rolling her eyes at Sirius.
'Oh really?' he said menacingly. 'At least I don't look like a big fat cow!'
'Better to be a cow than a self-centered pig! I really can't believe you guys! You are so cool when you are not in Hogwarts but once you're here you act like jerks!'
'Watch it, brat!' roared Sirius.
'Oh, I'm sorry Sirius… I really should apologize to you for offending your boyfriend!' Diana replayed hotly, sparing a glance at James, who was now too busy with his snitch-catching routine to pay attention to his arguing friends.
'Enough yeh two!' Came Hagrid's roar from the kitchen, while Hobby and Sirius remained staring daggers at each other. Eventually they looked away, and Hagrid went to fetch the cups.
'It's not like you are forced to hang out with us.' muttered Sirius when Hagrid was out of earshot. Diana walked out of the hut and Sirius followed her. Then she whirled around to face him. They were inches apart from each other.
'Fine! Then maybe I won't hang out with you.' she hissed in a dangerously low tone.
'What's keeping you?'
At this point, Diana stormed out with a small grunt, leaving a very annoyed Sirius standing outside the hut. He saw her leave for a while before resolving to come inside the hut where Hagrid had knowingly put four cups of tea over the table.
* * *
Diana marched up to the lake and sat down at the bank, making sure she was nowhere near the giant squid's current location. That creature made her nervous, although she had seen magical animals before; sea creatures were not of her total liking.
She cast a look around her. All Hogwarts students were enjoying the thin layer of snow that covered the world. All of them in groups and practicing spells… was this how Victoria had lived when she was in her school for witches? The thought of her dead sister made her insides squirm with guilt.
Thinking about her present situation also caused her to be a little nervous. Dumbledore had performed some spells on her so to guess what had happened and what kind of animal had attacked her with no success whatsoever. The marks seemed to fit a werewolf, but that was just out of the question. The only way, it seemed, was to wait until the full moon and hope for the best.
And then again, there was Sirius. When he was in the spotlight he would be like a model, his words carefully chosen like a dignified narcissus. When he was around her and his friends he would be a five year old jerk, she thought. Diana was sure he would make her stick to her words and ignore her for the rest of the time she would be staying there. That was too bad, especially because she would miss talking to Remus. Now that was a decent gentleman! Not like that idiotic show-off!
'You like him, don't you?' came a voice from behind her and she whirled around to face Remus. He was standing behind her, his eyes narrowed because of the wind that stroked him in the face and his hands on his back. A mocking smile was making its way out of his mouth.
'Excuse me?' She blurted out, bewildered.
'You like Sirius.' He replied shortly. Not a question this time but a statement.
'You sure are eloquent! What did they… it was James, wasn't it? James told you! Only someone with a livid imagination such as his would jump to that sort of conclusion!'
'A little touchy, aren't we?' his eyes sparkled with mild interest.
'Why did your masters sent you here anyways, Remus?'
'Don't start paying on me your frustration. You know that won't do. I came in peace.'
'Peace's fine, as long as I don't have to be around him. I just can't stand Siri-'
'That's rubbish. You two can get along fine, now come on, we'll take your luggage to your room and then we can get to the Gryffindor common room and-'
'But that's impossible. How am I to enter a common room? I am not allowed there and if people see me-'
'Right… we'll figure out something, don't worry.'
Remus extended a hand to Diana and helped her up. She looked up at the ever-grey sky and walked toward Hagrid's hut.
The boys had already left. They didn't seem to be too close to Hagrid, just in slightly friendly terms. The girl and the half-giant, however, had become sort of fast-friends. She had come with the gamekeeper in order to be out of sight of the students: being in the castle would probably end up with her meeting the students, and although she could meld in, there was always the risk of being found. She had taken an immediate liking to Spot and, although not very helpful with the neatness of the place, she had proven to be very entertaining.
Taking her small suitcase she said goodbye to her friend and his dog and marched with Remus towards the castle. She was led by Moony to her new room. Obviously, being a prefect and her friend, Remus had been assigned to take care of her. He didn't give her a tour and they were both quiet most of the time, but the silence was comfortable all the same.
Remus would eventually mention something she should remember. Like a step she should jump or a stair that would change at certain time of day. And then it happened: she put her foot in the wrong step of the staircase and got stuck. Synergy made her stumble and gravity made her fall. She extended her arms to hold the impact against the marble stair and that's when she saw it. Diana's expression was horrified. Grey fur was growing in her arm.
She stood up quickly and covered her arms with her sleeves. No. She couldn't be a werewolf, could she? What would happen if she turned into a werewolf right now? Was that possible? She saw Remus looking at her. Had he noticed? He surely didn't like werewolves… what would her new friends say if they discovered? They surely would never talk to her again. She checked her arm again: normal.
'Are you alright?' asked Remus. He couldn't have noticed, could he? 'I told you these stairs were tricky.' he added. Diana sighted, he hadn't noticed.
* * *
'And then they took my underwear… I don't know how on earth did they get it… I mean… who would give a Slytherin the password to our common room? And that darn bird flying it around…' complained Peter. Sirius' eyes turned in order to face wormtail with a glint of mirth.
'It would be nice to do something like that to old Snivellus.' muttered James absent-mindly. 'Check.'
Sirius eyed the board, finding himself lost and so did the one move he knew that could save him: he flipped the board. ('Hey!' came the pieces' protests.)
'I'm bored.' announced Padfoot.
All of a sudden, the door to the room was opened to reveal Remus and Diana.
'Took you long enough.' remarked Sirius in a flat tone.
'What are you doing in my room?' whined the girl.
'Playing wizard chess!' answered James brightly, 'care to join? The looser has to make a strip show!' he added.
'No, thanks.' Diana snorted.
'Fooling around Sirius' girl… tsk, tsk, tsk… that's a no-no Prongs!' Remus taunted and then smirked at her and winked, catching the poor girl off-guard.
At this Sirius shot a very nasty glance at the werewolf to then suddenly find the scattered pieces of chess very interesting.
'One game and then we'll go.' Promised James.
'Deal.' Diana agreed.
'Against Padfoot.' Added Remus.
'WHAT?' Said Diana and Sirius in unison.
* * *
'Moony, why did you do that for?' Said Sirius when they were on their way to their common room later that day.
'Do what?'
'Making me play against her.'
'I did it because you never get along with girls. You never like girls. You, my friend, are sexist.' Said Remus evenly, yet the corners of his mouth twitched ever so slightly.
'Are you calling me a gay?' exclaimed Sirius brusquely.
'No, I am calling you a sexist. There's a difference different.' Replayed Remus.
'Just because I don't like any girl from school… that doesn't make me a gay.'
'And Diana?'
'Downright annoying!' admitted Padfoot.
'Changing the topic.' Interrupted James 'It is quite disturbing to know that some Slytherins have the Gryffindor password.'
At the mention of this Sirius got an attack of bark-laughs. His eyes became watery.
'What so funny?' asked James suspiciously.
'They didn't have the Gryffindor password, I gave them Peter's briefs… you should have seen his face when they gave it to the squid!' Sirius roared with laughter.
'Oh, that is so professional of you, Padfoot!' said Remus sarcastically.
* * *
That night Diana had a hard time to sleep. She dreamed about turning into a werewolf in front of her friends, and then she had her worst nightmare. The one she had every single night since her family was murdered: a sea of red. Her nightgown covered in a thick layer of dark red. Blood. It was everywhere. In her hands. In her hair. Her body was covered with bruises and cuts. One large gash crossing her abdomen. They were all lying in the floor. Her brother. Her sister.
Diana ran up to her dying sister, the only one who still had some life left in her body. 'I forgive you.' She said and then died. Her eyes still open, but looking at something unseen to Diana. And from behind her, came his laugh. A sick laughter. She wanted it all to stop. Held the corpse of her sister tight, afraid to let go. Shuddering at the echo of that laugh. And silent tears escaped her eyes. Would he ever stop laughing? She closed her eyes and hoped it would all end. She hoped her wounds never to be tended. She hoped to die. And all she could hear was his wicked laughter, mocking her from behind.
Diana woke up sweating. And she felt something itching across her whole body. Grey fur was growing from every inch of her small frame. A loud "plop" was heard along with a funny feeling on her back and she realized, struck with awe and horror at the same time, it was a tail.
She calmly waited for the rest of her body to become un-human, as if, without knowing, she had been waiting for it to happen all the time. She didn't stop at the werewolf's level, and she became more and more a wolf. She didn't stop changing until she became completely a wolf. She waited for the animal instincts to battle with her own mind as it happened to animagi and werewolves, but the mind of the wolf didn't come.
After a few minutes she stood up. She was in deep trouble. Four legs. Yup, definitively big trouble. These were the things that could only happen to her and Daffy Duck! She tried to walk and at first it was quite difficult but then it became easier until she jumped out of the mattress. She still could feel the necklace. Its stone almost burning her – currently thick – wolf skin. After a few minutes testing her new body, she decided it would not be too good for her grades to disappear for months and then return in the body of a wolf. Maybe there was no way back to her human form? She imagined how life would be like in the wilderness.
Was she a werewolf? Impossible. It was almost new moon. There was no way she could be a werewolf… but then… what was she? She decided there was one person in Hogwarts who would most certainly know. And so, she left her room in order to find professor Dumbledore.
However, as easy as the plan seemed to be, her attempts to find her way across the school were unsuccessful. Furthermore, she realized she did not know where Dumbledore's office was!
Up stairs, down stairs… everything was fuzzy. How could people be able to guide themselves through this place? Wizards must have a great sense of orientation. After a while, the only thing she wanted was to go back, but she didn't know how. Wandering aimlessly, she started to go in circles. She went up, down, left, right… but the door to her bedroom was somehow unreachable. What would happen if she could never find the door? Would she be lost forever in the castle? Was that possible? She hadn't seen a single soul since the boys left her, would anyone find her?
As if as answering to her silent prayers, a voice broke her thoughts. Somebody was walking toward her. She was not alone! But… she was wolf. It would not be pretty to explain being a wolf, even to a wizard. She had to get away quickly, but she realized there was no way out but the way she had came in. She was trapped, and someone was getting very near her. There was no escape. Someone was near. She could smell his scent, quite a familiar scent at that. She could listen to him.
She stood still trying not to be seen by him. The boy, she recognized to be Remus. He looked at the room and saw the wolf with a necklace across its neck.
