Once again: The plot of this story is based on JKR's Harry Potter series. Our plot weaves in 2 new characters: David Murray and Elizabeth Fawkes. While Lizzy is an addition, Dave replaces Seamus Finnigan. It also incorporates ideas borrowed from the White Wolf storyteller game system. Many new characters will appear in following chapters which are our characters based on the game system we played. Our plot weaves around the original plot of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone). We own only our own characters and our plot. All other characters and the original plot belong to JK Rowling. Please don't sue us! :) Part 2 of the disclaimer: All gaming terms, references, settings and characters relating to Werewolf: The Apocalypse are owned by White Wolf (Martyn, Macha, Dave, and Lizzy are our own characters however), no copyright infringement is intended. BTW, we are not making a penny off this.
We also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge our good friend, Jason. He created Amadeus and the Werewolf chronicle from which our characters, Martyn and Macha, were based. Without his creative input, Martyn and Macha, and their subsequent development, would never have existed.
Kudos to our Beta Reader Remus_is_Mine: aka JAX
Note to all our readers: If you read chapter 2 before the new year, please re-read it. When we originally uploaded it, for some strange reason, part of it was cut off. We've fixed the problem, the chapter's end should make a little more sense now. (If you started reading our story after Jan 1st, please disregard this.) Thanks!
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The Lord, the Lady, and Luna
Chapter 18: The Beast in Transfiguration Class
The following morning, Lizzy again got up early to check on Dave. She knocked lightly on the door of his room.
"Come in, Elizabeth," came his voice from inside.
"Good morning, Dave," she greeted him as she walked in, "You seem to be feeling better today, if that look of mischief on your face is any indication."
"Good morning, Elizabeth. I do feel better. I also have a neat idea."
"Um, do I want to know?"
"Well, I was thinking that maybe we can have Professor McGonagall 'transfigure' a student volunteer into a wolf. I'll be that volunteer, but I'll shift into Crinos instead, and she can lecture the class on why it's so important to not try to transfigure a human into an animal."
"Interesting idea," Lizzy replied, "Do you think Professor McGonagall will agree?"
"Sure, why not? After all, she makes a big thing about us not trying to transfigure either ourselves or anyone else into animals. At least, not until we're much older."
"I guess you're right," Lizzy said, "Let's go down to breakfast." Dave and Lizzy went down to the Great Hall, and were soon joined by Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Moments later, the post arrived. Dave looked up to the noise and was surprised to see Khisanth gliding in. Dave was not known for receiving large amounts of mail. He held out his arm and Khisanth glided in and landed on it.
"Hello Khisanth, want a sausage?" She hooted her approval and Dave fed her. She had a small envelope from his uncle attached to her leg. Dave took it from her and she nuzzled him before flying off. Seconds later, a smaller brown owl came barrelling in. In his eagerness to deliver his letter, he underestimated his braking distance and instead of landing gracefully in front of Lizzy, crashed right into her.
"Tas, I appreciate your eagerness, but you need to be a little more careful," Lizzy said as she took the letter from his leg and smoothed his ruffled feathers. For his part, Tas hooted appreciatively. Before flying off, he turned to Dave and hooted at him, then leapt into the air.
"Dave, what did you get? You rarely ever get mail," Ron asked the question everyone was thinking.
"Just from my uncle. Probably another plot on our lives or something," Dave said as he opened the envelope very carefully. "Oh wow, I had forgotten all about that," Dave mumbled to himself as he put the envelope in his bag. Everyone looked at Dave expectantly when he asked, "What did you get, Elizabeth?"
"A letter from my sister. She says to say hi and wonders if anyone will be coming to visit in the summer," Lizzy replied. "What did you get?"
"Nothin' much. Just a birthday card from Mam and Mad Eye."
"It's your birthday?" Ron asked.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Lizzy added.
"Well, it's not my birthday. That was yesterday. I just never really thought it was that important. I never really celebrate it."
"Happy Birthday," came Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Lizzy's voices in unison.
"What's all the shouting about?" asked Professor McGonagall, coming over to stand behind Dave.
"It was Dave's birthday yesterday, we just wished him a happy one," Lizzy replied.
"Oh, Mr. Murray, why did you not inform us, we would have had a celebration," McGonagall asked.
"That's why. Sorry to end our chat but class will be starting soon and we have got to get to Transfiguration. You know how the professor is a stickler for punctuality," Dave said sheepishly. Everyone giggled, including Professor McGonagall. Everyone got up to leave when Dave asked, "Professor, can I have a word please?"
"Yes you may. What is on your mind?"
"Well, I was wondering if you would like to make a demonstration as to what horrible results could come from transfiguring someone against their will. Ask for a volunteer and choose me. Then, try to change me into a wolf, but instead, I'll go to Crinos. The veil will be left intact by the reasoning of the failed spell, and you can put a punctuation mark on why no one should try it."
"Very well, David. That is probably a good way to stop certain individuals. Let us do it this morning," Professor McGonagall said as they started walking towards the Transfiguration classroom. Once everyone had taken their seats, Professor McGonagall addressed the class.
"Today, we will be discussing the reasons why one should never attempt to transfigure someone else into an animal, especially against their will. And also, you all know that unless we come across a rare, natural-born Animagus which, I might add, has never yet happened, you must not attempt that either until you are much older. Now, I need a volunteer." Several students raised their hands, including Dave. "Yes, Mr. Murray. Please come up to the front." Dave walked up to Professor McGonagall. "Now, I will transfigure you into a wolf. I would like you to actively resist the transfiguration."
"Yes, Professor," Dave replied. Professor McGonagall waved her wand and muttered something the class couldn't hear. Dave shifted into his Crinos form. The class, except for Lizzy, gasped in shock. Dave, for his part, decided to have a little fun and started stalking towards where Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were sitting. Along the way, he dragged his claws over the stone floor saying, in the Garou tongue, "I get to have a free shot." Hearing that, Lizzy looked up, a bit worried over what he might do. The rest of the class merely cowered in their seats. Professor McGonagall waved her wand at him again, saying,
"Finite incantatem...finite incantatem!" Just before he reached Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, Dave decided not to give his professor a heart attack and shifted back into human form.
"Whoa, how'd I get over here?" he asked, feigning surprise.
"I attempted to transfigure you into a wolf, David," McGonagall answered, "However, you transformed into a strange mix of human and wolf. A very big human-wolf mix. Fortunately, I was able to reverse the spell."
"Oh," was all Dave said as he sat back down again. The lesson went on with Professor McGonagall continuing her lecture about human-animal transformations, and the reasons against it. From the looks on everyone's faces, the demonstration had been more than enough to dissuade them from trying it themselves. On their way out from class, Lizzy turned to Dave.
"A free shot, Dave?" she asked. Dave's head snapped around to look at her.
"You understood what I said?" he asked incredulously.
"Sure, why not?"
"I was speaking Garou!"
"So?"
"Kin can't understand Garou!"
"I guess there must be exceptions," Lizzy said reasonably, "I understood you clearly."
"Hmm, Martyn will probably want to know about this," Dave said thoughtfully, "It could come in handy, too. I can tell you things I don't want others to know about." Later during lunch, Dave asked Lizzy what potions homework they had. After assuring himself he had completed it correctly, by having Lizzy check it twice, they headed to the dungeons.
"Everyone, please place your essays in the bin on the desk and take note of your partners for this class, the pairings are listed on the board." Snape hissed from his chair. Dave looked on with glee, he was paired with Draco. Lizzy and Hermione got Crabbe and Goyle respectively. Goyle decided he should make a snotty remark about Hermione and promptly fell to the ground wincing in pain. No one saw Dave hit him, but the look of satisfaction on Dave's face gave him away.
"I hope you won't have any trouble with Crabbe this class, Lizzy. It would be unfortunate if he had to join Goyle!" Dave said menacingly to Crabbe.
"Uh, thanks Dave," was Lizzy's reply.
"Draco, old buddy," Dave said as he walked back to his seat, "Let's get started! You get all the ingredients ready, I'll light the burner." Draco was about to reply when a jet of flame shot from Dave's fingertip to light the burner. Class proceeded well until it was time to hand in the samples. "Draco, you wanna put this stuff on Snape's desk? I'll start cleaning up."
"Ya, sure!" Draco went off and mumbled something about his father. While he was gone, an odd thought struck Dave.
"This smells pretty good!" and with that, Dave drank the remainder of his potion. After making some faces, Dave continued, "Needs sugar!" Lizzy grimaced at the idea of anyone tasting the potion they made, with or without sugar. For her part, after what had happened with Goyle, Lizzy had a fairly easy time. Crabbe had been very careful to follow her instructions exactly. She felt he might have actually learned something. She gave him the task of starting the clean-up, while she took their potion sample to Professor Snape. Later that day, Dave sent Khisanth to Martyn with a message about Lizzy's ability to understand Garou. Martyn's reply later that week indicated great interest in the discovery of Lizzy's newest ability.
Everything stayed normal for the next few months, until the Easter break arrived.
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