Monday, April 6 - 2:00 pm
One week. That's all it had been, but that was long enough. He hadn't seen her for one week, and that bothered him for some reason. Liam didn't understand why he wanted to see her again, but it really irritated him that he hadn't asked for her address before she left. She said she wanted to see him again, but she gave no information of when or where he could find her. Except for at those meetings.
He hadn't really enjoyed the meeting. It was just more complaining about things he knew couldn't be changed, confirming that his life would never be normal. But then she came along, and his whole outlook started to change. She was…happy. She had a gentle calmness to her that no one else there that evening possessed. There was an air of confidence around her that said she wasn't ashamed to be a werewolf. And it didn't hurt matters that she was easy on the eyes.
Gray eyes. Beautiful!
But where have I seen gray eyes before? I know I've seen them somewhere…
He needed to know more about her.
That's why he came to the Ministry of Magic today. He knew he'd have to humiliate himself with a flashing red badge, but at least he might get that old ghostie to give him her address. With the full moon being three days away, her whereabouts were sure to be known.
He thought about how he might approach the subject. "I'm wondering about a good-looking, young Sheila who is also an activist? Goes by the name of Roarke?"
No good.
Mr. Apparition would see right through that. In fact, Liam reasoned that Mr. Williams would be against werewolves getting together in private. Not that Liam wanted to date the mysterious Roarke. He wasn't entirely sure werewolves were even allowed to date. He just wanted to know her better. Mind, a date wasn't entirely an undesirable option, if that were possible. He decided he would just ask about activists - who's who and how could he get more information. He would just play dumb about Roarke.
"There was this one…Roarke I think she said her name was. She said some very interesting things. DO you know how I might be able to contact her for more information?"
Liam worked out the exact wording in his head as he opened the door to the Werewolf Registry. And then he froze.
She was standing at the desk.
"I wish we could just show them that the children would be better off learning to live in a normal environment, rather than shove them away," she said to the ghost.
"You're fighting a difficult battle, my dear."
"I know. If only my father would come to this. He would be such a great help." She shook her head sadly.
The ghost looked away from Roarke and over at Liam. "Speaking of your father, I see Mr. Zetter has decided to calm down a bit."
"What?" She turned around to see about whom the ghost was referring. Liam was pleased to see she recognized him. "Hi!" she said with a touch of surprise.
"G'day Mr. Williams. G'day Roarke." Be the gentleman your mother taught you to be!
"What brings you here today of all days?" wheezed the ghostie.
"I was actually hoping…" Liam started, but changed his train of thought. He couldn't just blurt out that he was hoping to see Roarke. "…to find out when the next one of those meetings is going to be held."
Roarke smiled broadly. "You're in luck. I came to deliver the fliers for Mr. Williams to hand out. It's in two weeks." She passed Liam one of the fliers. He took it without even looking at it. "Will you be there?"
"Wouldn't miss it."
There was an uncomfortable pause. Liam didn't want to continue talking about the meeting, but he wasn't ready to talk to her about anything else. He usually thought out his conversations in advance. His intent was to find out where he could meet up with her and then talk to her. He hadn't planned on actually having to do the speaking today. And yet, here she was – obviously waiting for him to say something. He only hoped it would be clever and witty.
"Well, I better get going," Roarke said with a hint of reluctance. "Thanks Mr. Williams." She picked up her bad and headed to the door.
"Anytime." The ghost returned to his usual paper work. "Say hello to your father for me."
"If I do that, he'll know I've been here." The ghost chuckled at her. Liam figured it must be an inside joke. "I'll see you in a few weeks, Liam."
"Hold on," he said opening the door for her. "I'll walk out with you, if you don't mind." Roarke nodded, and Liam shot a quick glance at Mr. Williams, hoping he wouldn't interfere.
He didn't.
"So, your father's still on you about those meetings?" Liam asked casually as they headed for the lift.
"Yes, he wasn't too happy about me going to the last one."
"Why did you tell him?"
She laughed. "I can't keep secrets from my father. He knows me too well."
They stepped into the lift. Liam was relieved to find that they were alone. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. Roarke stood across from him giving him his first good look at her name badge. It wasn't red like his. It was a dull gray.
"How did you manage that?" Liam asked in utter bewilderment.
"Manage what?" She looked down at her robes in confusion. "Don't tell me I spilled lunch on myself!"
"No, you look fine. It's just that your badge…I mean…"
"What about it?"
"No ID number. It's just a normal…"
His eyes found hers instantly, and that's when he knew the truth. She isn't a werewolf!
Roarke's hand flew to her badge to cover it. "Oh God, you didn't think…You didn't think that I…"
Liam closed his eyes in defeat. "Yeah, I did."
"Oh, Liam. I'm so sorry!"
Liam shifted so that he faced the door. He didn't especially want to look at her at that moment. "Don't be. There's no reason for you to be sorry. I didn't know that normal people went to those meetings, after all."
"Normal…? Liam you are a normal person." She took a step closer to him. Liam had to do something before she tried to comfort him.
"I bet you get a kick out of being the brave human who dares to enter the lair of the werewolf."
She gasped in shock. "What did you just say?"
"Standing up for werewolf rights…why do you even care? What's this have to do with you, anyway?"
"I care!" she shouted.
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, and if I were you, I wouldn't be in such a rush to accuse a total stranger of being insincere in their actions! I know more about werewolves than you appear to know!"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You couldn't even tell the difference between me and the other people at that meeting. My father can sense another werewolf meters away!"
"Your father's a werewolf! Yeah, right!"
"Why else would this be so damn important to me? I know first hand that this condition is manageable. I know you can live a full and wonderful life. I've seen the possibilities. That's why I fight!"
The elevator door opened at the top floor. Roarke stared hard at him. A wave of guilt filled his heart as he watched her leave the lift and head for the exit at the end of the hall. Me and my big mouth!
Not wanting to end the short acquaintance on such a disastrous conversation, Liam hurried after her. He called out her name, but she didn't turn around.
"Mr. Zetter!" someone shouted. It was the man at the wand registration desk. "Mr. Zetter, don't you want your wand back?"
Liam looked at the guard, and then back over his shoulder at Roarke. "Mr. Zetter, werewolves MUST follow check out procedures!"
Everyone in the vicinity of Liam turned and looked at him – including Roarke. She had stopped walking when she heard the guard mention the wand held in custody. Liam noticed her take a deep breath and shake her head sadly. It was an example of the very thing she was fighting against. Liam understood the look of grief on her face.
"Will you give me a few seconds?" he asked Roarke. "Please? I need to explain." She nodded hesitantly. A thrill of hope flooded through Liam's body before he turned to retrieve his wand.
3:00 pm that same day
Food always made a good peace offering. And of all peace offerings Liam had ever known, ice cream was the one that worked the best. His personal favorite was toffee crunch. Apparently, Roarke approved of the selection as she had nearly eaten her whole dish before Liam could return to the table with his own serving.
"Well at least we both like chocolate!" he joked as he joined her at the table.
"Sorry," she said putting the spoon down as if she had been caught in the act. "I just eat fast when I'm angry."
"Yeah, well…you had every right to be. I admit it. I'm a cretin."
"No you're not. You're just…"
"I'm just what?" Liam couldn't wait for this answer.
"You're just as angry as I am. And you have more right to your anger than I do."
That wasn't the answer Liam expected. "I'm not angry."
"Oh aren't you? You're not angry that you can't go home whenever you please? You're not angry over having your wand taken away from you?"
She had a point. "That doesn't give me the right to accuse you when I don't even know you."
"No, it doesn't. But it explains why you did. You probably thought I was someone who could sympathize with your situation. Someone you can talk to – ask questions."
"I have one of those, remember? I told you about the old guy."
"Yes, but maybe you need to talk to someone your own age, or even see how younger lycanthropes cope with the laws." Their eyes met and that uncomfortable silence fell over them again. "I don't know. I'm just guessing."
"Well, it's a good guess," Liam admitted leaning back in his chair.
"But I did find it interesting that you couldn't sense that I wasn't a werewolf," Roarke said taking another mouthful of ice cream.
Liam slouched forward, his elbows on the table. "I could sense a difference in you, but I thought it was just that you were nice." How stupid does that sound?
Roarke was obviously stifling a laugh. "Oh come on. You have to be able to tell the difference."
"How?"
"I don't know. I always thought it was just something that came naturally."
"Oh yeah, naturally. Like sprouting fur and paws under a full moon is natural."
"That's not what I meant," she said softly.
"The Crowdens – the family I was with at the start of all this – they kept giving me book after book to read. But I didn't see much of a point to it. I knew I could hear better than I could before. I could smell better. I was certainly stronger. Other than the bloody transformations, the only real draw back I saw at first was that red and green look like the same color now."
"You're color blind?"
Liam cocked an eyebrow. "Don't tell me I actually know something about werewolves that you don't know!"
Roarke bit her lip to repress a smile.
"Ah, now see, I cracked the joke to make you smile. And here you stop me from having the pleasure of seeing it."
This time she didn't fight back.
"Now was that so hard?"
"No, but in all honesty, I don't think you should joke about how little you know about your condition."
"What else is there to know? That I have no rights? That I'll be lucky to ever hold a job? That I can't even get married…have a family…"
Now where in the name of all that is holy did THAT come from?
"That's not true! Which is my point. You need to know more about your lycanthropy."
"Yeah, I suppose I do have some rights. And if I keep it a secret, I suppose I can get a job."
"And the family…you can have a perfectly normal family."
There was that uncomfortable pause again. Why did she have to bring up family? And why did the idea of talking with her about a future family make him so…nervous?
"I don't know about that, actually. I mean, I don't want to give this thing to anyone else."
Roarke shook her head. "You really ought to do some reading. Lycanthropy isn't hereditary, and you're technically only contagious for a few hours every 28 days. This isn't a death sentence you have, Liam. It's just a curse."
"Not a death sentence—just a life sentence." Liam observed, bitterly.
"That's not entirely true, Liam. You shouldn't think of it that way."
"But you're only so accepting of it because your dad had to learn to live with it, right?" Roarke started to say something, but Liam wouldn't let her get her thoughts out. "I mean, your mum probably went though hell when he was bitten, right?"
"Er…well, actually…no, she didn't," Roarke said calmly.
Liam was a bit stunned. "Wait a sec, did your mum divorce your dad after he was bitten?"
"No. My mother didn't know my father when he was bitten. They met when he was in his thirties."
"So?"
"So…my father was bitten when he was a child."
Liam had to turn the information over in his head a few times. "Your mother actually chose to marry a werewolf?"
"My mother married the man she fell in love with. He just happened to be a werewolf," Roarke teased. "And they had three children - none of us, might I point out – turned out to be werewolves."
Liam was still processing the information. "Is your dad a wizard?"
"Yes, and he's extremely talented when it comes to the dark arts. He used to be a teacher at Hogwarts, in fact."
"He went to school as a child? As a werewolf?"
"Yes!" Roarke stressed. "You see why I think it's so important for those children to be allowed in school? My father managed to get through seven years at Hogwarts without hurting anyone, and he did it long before they discovered the wolfsbane potion!"
Liam ran a hand through his hair. If everything Roarke was telling him was the truth, and he had no reason to believe other wise, life didn't have to be so bad. He might be able to actually live a life that bore some resemblance to normal. "I really need to read up on this."
Roarke smiled. "It's about time you admitted it!" She reached under the table and rummaged around in her bag for something. Liam leaned over, curious as to what she was looking for. She pulled out a very worn copy of a book and placed it on the table in front of Liam.
"Lycanthropy," he read the cover. "Separating Facts from Fiction. By Remus J. Lupin." Liam snorted. "Oh my God! He wrote a book!"
"What?"
"The old man! Who would have thought that an old wanker like him would have the guts to write a book?"
"Excuse me?"
Liam noticed that Roarke didn't seem too pleased at the comment. "Sorry, I know this is your book, but you don't understand. I know this bloke – this Remus Lupin fellow. He's the guy the Ministry has watching over me. And he is SO stuffy!"
"Oh…I see…"
Liam flipped through the book, glancing at chapter headings and titles. "Good God! He's got a chapter in here on sex!" Liam laughed. "I thought he was joking when he mentioned his wife. As if anyone wants to read about an old geezer and his pet wife and their mating habits!"
Liam looked up at Roarke and froze. Her lips were pursed and she did not look happy in the least. Liam cleared his throat, knowing that he had just insulted what could be her favorite book on werewolves. "Sorry. I know I shouldn't tease, but why do you even have this?"
"Remus Lupin is my father."
What?
No…It can't be…
Roarke LUPIN, her badge said. The gray eyes…almond shaped. The shape of her mouth is just like…
Oh God, how did I not see this! She even looks like him!
Liam felt like sliding under the table and through the floor. He had never been so embarrassed in his entire life. Never before had he had such a disastrous case of "open mouth, insert foot" syndrome. Usually when he was caught saying something foolish, he could smooth his way out of it. But in this instant, he had absolutely no clue what to say or even how to proceed.
"Shit," he said rubbing his eyes.
"Shit?" Roarke said mockingly. "You insult my father and my mother, and your only comment is 'shit'?"
"I didn't know he was your father," Liam said, unable to look her in the eye.
"Oh! So if you had known he was my father, you would have told me you thought he was delightful and everything was peaches and cream between the two of you! I see how it works!"
"No, Roarke, that isn't what I…"
Roarke stood up to leave. "When I first met you, I thought you were harsh and crude. But I gave you a second chance. And then today at the Ministry, you accused me of being insincere. I let it go, again. Why? I don't know! For some stupid reason I thought you were interesting, and since you were dealing with some difficult times that maybe I should give you a break. But this time…this time you've gone too far." She grabbed up her book and shoved it into her bag.
"Roarke!" he called, but she wouldn't hear it. She was out the door and into the street before Liam knew what hit him. Liam stood up so quickly that his chair made a screeching noise against the floor. He stormed after her, knowing for the second time that day he had royally messed things up. He couldn't – he wouldn't leave it like this.
"Roarke!" She wasn't far ahead of him. "Roarke!" She still ignored him. "ROARKE!" This time, strangers on the street turned and looked at Liam. He had caught up with her easily, and his hand clasp around her upper arm.
"Let go of me!"
"Just hang on!"
"Let me GO!"
"You'll cause a scene!"
"Good, then maybe you'll leave me alone!"
"I'm not going to leave you alone, Roarke, until you listen to what I have to say!"
She stopped her struggling and Liam let go. She made an impatient face at him and said, "Well? What other insults do you have to sling at my father?"
"Now just hang on a second. No, I don't particularly care for your father, but Roarke…" She started to walk away but he grabbed her arm again. "Roarke! Listen to me! Your father must have done something right to end up with an amazing woman like you for his daughter!"
Roarke was silent, but her face remained stony.
Liam took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I said those things. The fact that I don't enjoy your father's company does not give me the right to say awful things about him. But I'm not going to pretend that I like him. So please, before you walk away and never speak to me again, just accept my apology and understand that…" Liam could hardly admit it, but he knew he had to. "…that I was just trying to impress you."
"Impress me? With what? Your insults?"
"No, my humor. Where I'm from…everyone always tells me I'm funny. I guess I was just…" He swallowed hard. "I was just using it as a defense mechanism."
"Defense against what?"
"You," he simply stated.
Roarke wet her lips. "But I'm not a threat!"
"Oh, yes, you are. You're intelligent, clever, witty, funny…and you have this uncanny talent of always being right. You were the only person to even notice me at that meeting the other night. You're the first person to have a conversation with me that has nothing to do with being a werewolf! You just asked me about my sketches, not caring who or what I was. And you sat down at a table – in public – and ate a meal with me."
"Ice cream is hardly a meal."
"There you go! You're right again! But the point is, you're the first person who has treated me like I'm just an ordinary man on the street. And yet you've known from the start what I am."
"You mean a sarcastic prat?" Roarke teased.
"Did I mention that you're funny?"
Roarke smiled. "Yes."
"And just ever so slightly beautiful…did I mention that?"
Roarke looked away and tried not to smile. "Don't do that."
"What?"
"Don't trick me into thinking that you're charming. Because you're not!" Liam took a step closer to her. "You have a very rude streak in you!"
"I know. Maybe that's another thing you can help me work on?"
"Another thing? What's the first thing I'm supposed to help you with?"
Liam reached into her bag and pulled out the book on lycanthropy. "This."
"You want me to read to you? Are you illiterate?"
Liam chuckled. "Sort of. When it comes to reading about this damned curse, I haven't been doing such a good job. I thought you might actually help me out."
"You can borrow the book, if that's what you mean."
"I'd like that very much. And I'd like it even more if you would agree to meet me say…Friday for lunch. We could talk about it and you could correct me a few times. I could stick my foot in my mouth a few times. You know, same stuff we've been doing."
"Well, I would love to," Roarke said with an honest smile. "However, Friday happens to be the full moon." Liam took a step back. "You'll probably want to rest up that after noon."
He nodded. "Yeah…rest…if that's possible."
"I'm free on Sunday, though," Roarke suggested. "If we met for lunch, that would give you a day to recuperate and get your strength back."
"No good. I'm er…meeting your father on Sunday."
"Oh…well…that puts a damper on things."
"How about Saturday," Liam said quickly, changing the focus away from his meeting with Remus.
"I don't know. Are you sure you won't need the rest?"
Liam smiled. "I bounce back pretty well. Saturday, twelve noon. I'll meet you at the Leaky Cauldron."
"Sounds nice. But you have to promise me something."
"Anything."
"Don't tell my father."
That surprised Liam. "Why would I…"
"Now that I know who you are, I…well…I've heard him talk about you. And er…I think it's safe to say that he enjoys your company as much as you enjoy his. So when you see him this weekend, don't mention anything about me to him. All right?"
"Of course."
She nodded and started walking away. "I have to get going. I have a delivery to make for my mum. I'll see you on Saturday."
He waved at her as she disappeared into the crowded street, puzzled by the whole conversation. She didn't want him to insult her father, and yet she agreed to meet him secretly. She defends her father one moment, but then goes behind his back the next. How peculiar. She may not be a werewolf, but she certainly has the aggression of one. Liam most certainly would have to get to know her better.
