Every wolf needs a moon
By Talia-Rose
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter so don't sue me. This story is set during the Marauders time at Hogwarts. And I'm almost there! I'm soooooo sorry that it's taking so long but I've had to cut down on computer time because I'm having problems with my eyesight and my optomologist(sp) or whatever it is thinks it could be because of too much time on the computer. That and I got a pure breed chocolate and white Border Collie puppy so I'm working really hard with him since I want to go into working dog field trials with him. He's sooo cute.
Chapter Fifteen: I'm going to go insane?
The first term back at school was a hard time for the group of friends. Janie had returned – very much changed by her experience over the summer. She'd spent the time wrapped up in Sonya's family and had discovered that her friend was considered the most important person in the Delcot and Delune family. It was an experience that changed her perspective on Sonya.
Another change was the way that many of the Slytherins acted towards Sonya. They were always coming up to her and acting as if she was an old friend of theirs. It was disturbing for the group to see Sonya struggling to free herself from the Slytherin crowd that wanted to surround her at all times.
"Sonya, wait up!" Sirius chased after her one day after a particularly awful potions lesson. "Sonya, what's wrong?"
She stopped, "Nothing is wrong Sirius. I'm just fed up with all those bloody Slytherins. I wish they'd leave me alone."
"Why are they bothering you all the time? Don't you think it's just a little strange that they're suddenly obsessed with a Gryffindor girl like you?"
"I don't know Sirius but it's starting to get to me. We haven't even been back for a whole term and I'm already loosing the plot." Sonya gazed at her hand – the one that Sirius had grabbed when he caught up to her. "Why can't they just leave me alone? I don't have anything against them, I'm too intelligent to be bothered with inter-house rivalry but this is too much for even me. At least Lucius isn't one of them though he was giving me rather strange looks the other day."
Remus came around the corner and saw Sirius holding her hand tightly. He froze, eyes narrowed in anger. "Sonya, are you alright? You ran out of class pretty quickly."
His friend let go of Sonya's hand quickly, looking away in guilt. "I was just asking her that exact same question Moony and she had just answered."
Rolling her eyes, Sonya gave Remus a light kiss and smiled. "I was ranting on about the Slytherins and in Sirius' opinion, ranting about the Slytherins is an answer."
"I noticed that they were crowding in on you again in potions. Lily didn't seem to be to bothered about it though." He murmured to her, walking along the corridors towards the Gryffindor tower.
Racing off to find James and Peter, Sirius left them alone to talk. "I've got to go and find the other two. So glad that that was our last class for the day because I don't think I'd be able to last any longer."
Watching him go with relief in her eyes, Sonya turned to Remus in all seriousness. "Remus, tell me the truth about this. Is Sirius in love with me? He's been acting all strange and attentive to me since Lily and I arrived at the Potter's home. Now that we're back at school and you and I can't spend all our time together, he's been getting worse. When you're not around, he's so attentive to my needs and my emotions but the moment you show up, he goes all cold and normally leaves."
"Sirius is in love with you. I think he has been for a while… at least since you beat the shit out of him in that fight the two of you had last year." He replied in annoyance. "But he knows how much we feel for each other and I don't think he'd want to purposely break us up."
"Are you sure about that because if he didn't, why is he acting towards me like he has been? It's almost as bad as those blood Slytherins."
He realized that she was angry with Sirius more than she was with the Slytherins. "Sonya, if he wanted to break us up, he'd be a lot more open about it. He's my best friend Sonya and Sirius would never let a girl come between our friendship." 'Even if the girl is the most incredible one in the school. Even if the girl is you.'
Sonya shook her head and started walking again. "Why can't everyone just forget about me? I don't want to have people trailing after my shadow and I don't want them hanging from my every word. Why are those bloody Slytherins following us?"
Before he could do anything, Sonya had spun on her heels to face the group of Slytherin seventh years, lead by Sirius' cousin Narcissa. They obviously realized that she was about to scream at them because they all took a few steps back. Remus put a hand on her arm in an attempt to calm her down but she shook him off, striding towards the Slytherins.
"I don't know why you are following me constantly and I don't care! But will you all just leave me alone? I want nothing to do with any of you." She growled in a low tone… a dangerous tone.
Narcissa Black smiled darkly at her, "We just want to talk to you away from your friends Sonya. Besides, how could you not want anything to do with us? By all rights, a Delcot should be in Slytherin… just like a Black should be."
She narrowed her eyes at the other girl, clenching her fists. "I don't know what you're getting at Narcissa but I wouldn't want to be any more like my family than I have to be. They're just as rotten as your family and Lucius' family. As for whatever you've learnt from Nathan, I don't care because it's got nothing to do with you."
"What makes you think that it's Nathan who's been telling us all about you? Your dear cousin Catalina made herself at home in Slytherin while she was visiting Hogwarts." One of the other Slytherins snapped at her.
Looking startled for a moment, Remus couldn't help but wonder where this was heading. "Come on Sonya, let's just go back to the common room and finish our transfiguration essays."
"Yes Sonya, run off with your pathetic little goody goody boyfriend." Narcissa called out after them.
Whipping out her wand, Sonya directed the first curse she could think of at the Slytherin girl and shouted "Expelliarmus" at her. Unfortunately, at that moment, Professor McGonagall chose to appear at the end of the corridor and Sonya found herself in a lot of trouble.
"Damn, I missed." She muttered.
"SONYA DELCOT!" Professor McGonagall yelled, causing the Slytherins to scatter. "Just what in Merlin's name do you think you are doing?"
Remus cringed and covered his face with his hands. "I told you we should have just gone. But no, you had to loose your temper and send Sirius' cousin flying into a wall."
Professor McGonagall came to a stand still in front of Sonya, her eyes blazing with anger. "Why did you curse that Slytherin girl?"
"I lost my temper Professor. She had been baiting me and I reacted in just the way she wanted… or maybe not. But the real problem is, I reacted." Sonya replied in the calmest way she could possibly.
"Yes Miss Delcot, the problem is that you reacted. You realize that you just broke several school rules by attacking a fellow student? And you Remus Lupin! I should have thought that you'd have more control over her behavior since the two of you seem so close."
"I did try Professor McGonagall but Sonya has a stubborn streak when she's positively angry." He tried not to sound to cheerful in the hope that he wouldn't get in trouble.
Narcissa stood up, holding her head. "You'll pay for that Delcot. Nathan and Catalina have told us so much about you."
Stiffening, Sonya gripped her wand tightly in her fist and bit her bottom lip. 'I'm glad it's not that time of month. Coupled with these weird mood swings I've been having, my normal period moods would make me lose the plot completely. I'd kill her.' "Try and bait me all you like Narcissa, I'm not going to respond this time."
"That's good to hear Sonya." Professor Dumbledore appeared behind her and it was then that the two Gryffindor students realized that they were outside the entrance to his tower. "I was wondering what was happening down here."
"Headmaster, young Miss Delcot used the Expelliarmus charm on Miss Black here." McGonagall informed him, giving Narcissa a hard look.
He arched an eyebrow, "I'm sure Miss Delcot had every valid reason in the book for using it. No doubt Narcissa Black was baiting her. In fact, the Head Girl informed me that Slytherin students have constantly harassed Sonya since school resumed this year. Perhaps she was just fed up with them and decided to lose her temper to try and get them to leave her alone?"
"It's true Headmaster, the Slytherin's have been following her around nearly all the time and they crowd in around her when ever they get the chance." The werewolf informed the two professors quietly.
Sonya flashed a smile at him before turning back to Dumbledore. "Professor, sir, I'll accept whatever punishment you deem fit to hand out so long as the Slytherin's leave me alone."
"Master Lupin, would you please escort Miss Black to the hospital ward? Professor McGonagall, Sonya, follow me please." Dumbledore turned back to the staircase in the wall.
Following him, Sonya went ahead of Professor McGonagall. She couldn't help but feel apprehensive about being brought up into the Headmasters office. Looking around, she noticed that Fawkes was looking duller than he had last time she had seen him. Walking over to the bird she held out her wrist for the phoenix to step on to.
"See that Minerva? Fawkes just goes to her." He nodded his head in Sonya's direction. "He doesn't do that with anyone else."
Minerva pursed her lips, "It's because of her gift Albus and you know that."
"Now Sonya, how have those nightmares been since I gave you the crystal to wear?"
She shrugged, pouring her attention into the bird. "They haven't bothered me since you gave me the stone. But sir, there is something else that I'm not too sure about. It's been happening since you gave me the crystal but I don't know if it's related."
"What is it Sonya?" He took a seat at his desk and regarded her over the top of his half-moon glasses.
Professor McGonagall looked interested in what was going on and took a seat to listen in.
"I've been having these strange mood swings. Mainly they've been depressive and anxious mood swings but sometimes they can be worse."
"Have they been affecting your gift at all?"
"Yes… they have been. I told you that it was sometimes really hard to change back to my human form; well the mood swings have been making it worse. Now whenever I change, it's a battle to change back. My mind is filled almost constantly with the desire to change into a wolf and just run free, never to come back." Sonya met his worried gaze and blinked in surprise at what she saw there.
Dumbledore shook his head sadly, "I should have seen this coming Sonya. The last Delcot who had the gift like you do was your great aunt Belinda. She was a good friend of mine when we were young and she went through exactly the same thing except her first animal was raven unlike your wolf. When she turned twenty-one, the dreams started and the mood swings but unlike you, she lasted for several years before they started to get to her."
"Belinda Delcot? I remember her." Professor McGonagall spoke up. "You have a large portrait of some where if I recall correctly. Isn't she the raven that the head of Ravenclaw used to keep as a familiar?"
"Indeed. She died only died eight years ago actually. But the point is, Belinda gave in to this side of the gift and no matter what, she refused to come back. I don't want to see another gifted Delcot go the same way and I will do everything I can to make sure that you don't follow her footsteps." He rose and walked over to a bookshelf.
Sonya watched him run his fingertips along the books until they came to rest on an old looking leather bound book. He pulled it out and returned to his desk, staring sadly at the book. Shooing Fawkes back onto his stand and off her wrist, she approached the Headmaster's desk slowly.
"What do you mean, another gifted Delcot go the same way? The whole family knows the story about Belinda; it was the event that changed the general opinion held about the gift. These days, most members of the Family view my gift as a dangerous thing that is to be kept purely within the family so that it can be controlled."
He held the book out to her. "This is Belinda's diary. It spans over the final year before she changed permanently. You'll be able to judge how far along your problem is from her words. She describes it very well, the mood swings, the dreams, everything."
Taking the book from the professor, Sonya frowned. She didn't like the implications that she would follow in her great aunt Belinda's footsteps… 'Or claw steps if you consider that she spent most of her life in the form of a Raven. I wonder how Professor Dumbledore came to be in possession of her diary.'
"Is this something to make so light of Headmaster?" McGonagall asked, her dark eyes filled with concern for her student. "Don't you think that we should see if there is anything we can do to help Sonya?"
He smiled faintly at the other teacher, "Belinda researched the occurrence quite thoroughly and Sonya will find that all her results are contained in that there book. She found that the only Delcots to fall victim to this are those who are human. The ones who were gifted and who were also werewolves or Vampires did not have this problem because the other half of them wasn't… human."
Snorting back laughter, Sonya shook her head. "Oh this is rich. What you're saying is that there is no hope for me to stay… sane? I always love bright outcomes. May as well go and beg Remus to bite me on the next full moon."
"Now that is taking it a little to far Sonya. What Belinda discovered that the part that wasn't human acted as a buffer against the darker side of your gift. She worked it all out and wrote it down so that if it ever happened again, the Hogwarts Headmaster would be able to aid the gifted Delcot who needed the aid. Unfortunately, advice and knowledge is all I can offer you." He arched an eyebrow at her before focusing his attention on a pile of papers.
"So I'm going to pretty much go insane?"
"Insane? No, not really. Just trust your instincts Sonya and you will be all right. And don't forget to read that diary, you'll discover that it will be very insightful."
Professor McGonagall stood up and walked over to her, "Come now Sonya, let's go down and I'll give you some help on your transfiguration essay."
Unable to say anything, Sonya followed the Gryffindor head of house down the stairs. When they reached the corridor, Remus was waiting there for her looking troubled. He glanced at Professor McGonagall before meeting Sonya's gaze.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Perhaps you should go back to the Gryffindor tower and tell the young Master Lupin about what you found out?"
Sonya nodded; taking the hand that Remus offered her. "Yes Professor. Oh and Professor, when do you want me for detention?"
She looked startled, "Detention? I think that you've enough to worry about at the moment Sonya without detention as well. However, if you cause any more trouble like that Miss Delcot, it will be two months worth of detention for you."
"Thank you Professor McGonagall."
"For what?"
"Detention would probably keep me sane."