Something Only She Knows

Being the last in the shower the night before, and by far the earliest riser, Mischa indulged in a long wash in the morning, before heading down to the great hall for breakfast as well as to receive her dreaded timetable. Whilst there were still some spell-casting substantial lessons, Mischa had managed to select lessons for her sixth year that played to her strengths so that she would not be at such a disadvantage in all of her lessons. She quite enjoyed transfiguration, so that had been the one lesson she agreed to continue with, but her other classes were Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, Muggle Studies and Divination. She was a firm disbeliever in most of what Professor Trelawney taught, but so long as she made up nonsense that followed a twisted logic, she would be given a decent grade.

"Ah, welcome back, Miss. Dalton," greeted Professor McGonagall, "How were your holidays?"

"Alright," Mischa shrugged, accepting the timetable held out to her.

"I was glad to see you decided to stick with transfiguration. We did have some progress last year, and your essays are always very well thought out."

Mischa listened to the praise even if she didn't necessarily feel like she deserved it. She knew that she hadn't passed the required grade boundary to take the subject, but McGonagall had allowed her to take the subject even had shared with her at the end of one of her classes the previous term- 'it's nice to have a student that genuinely enjoys and engages with a subject.' the sentiment had touched Mischa.

"I'm looking forward to it, Professor."

"Professor Felix asked me to inform you that he would like to see you when you get the chance. Apparently he's had a bunch of hinkypunks delivered, and they keep trying to lead the thestral calves into the lake."

"I didn't think he was going to order in a whole lantern."

"Yes, well, myself and Filius had to levitate four calves out of the arms of the squid yesterday morning, and they were not thankful for it. Any assistance you can lend, I would personally be thankful for."

The image of Professor McGonagall heading down to the lake with a face like thunder made Mischa smile, but she said she'd head down in her first free period anyway.

"Mischa!"

Mischa looked around her piled-up plate of bacon and took in the boy who now came running towards her. She might have tried to leg it had the boy not looked as though he hadn't slept at all the previous night.

"Morning Remus," she greeted guardedly, he may not have been the worst marauder to her over the years, but past encounters and associations still tainted her perception of him.

"I was looking for you yesterday, but I must have missed you- good summer?" he asked in a manner that he was being polite but didn't much care for the answer.

She nodded but didn't enquire as to how his had been.

"Mr. Lupin," greeted McGonagall, "Welcome back. Here's your timetable."
Remus didn't look at it twice before placing it on the table and returning his attention to the girl beside him.

"Listen, that woman you were with on the platform yesterday… was that your mum?"

"Have you got a free period now?" Mischa cut across, "I have to go see Professor Felix, but you can come with me if you want to ask me something."

In truth, Remus actually had History of Magic, but the answer that emerged from his lips was, "Yeah, I'll go with you."

Remus was reasonably sure that Mischa langoured purposefully over her breakfast with the express intention of making him wait even longer for answers to his questions. Whilst part of him wished to annoy, or to encourage her to speed up; he held back. He knew that she was not comfortable in his company, nor could he expect her to be. It was likely his comeuppance for past grievances that he should have to wait. That said, he was practically twitching in his seat to leave the Great Hall when she began to rise from her chair.

"So," he asked, as they breached the outside of the castle, and he shivered involuntarily in the cool highland wind. "Was she your mum?"

"Yeah, and before you ask, yes, she's like you, and yes, I've known what you are from the moment we passed each other on the platform before we even started school."

Remus stumbled in his step before righting himself and continuing after.

"You know I'm a werewolf?" he asked, "Did your mum tell you? I could sense it right away, she must have sensed me."

"No. I knew. Mum knows as well, but I could tell- you're not very good at hiding it, you know. And neither are the others- Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail? All of you mysteriously missing from your dorm the same night every month? Professor Felix spent months trying to find stag and dog prints in the forest after he saw them one night. The fact that Frank hasn't caught on yet amazes me, he shares the dorm with you, and he's one of the clever ones!"

Remus kept pace with her as they trundled down the hills, reeling over the knowledge that despite the constant barrage of grief that he and his friends had sent her way over the years, Mischa had kept their secret.

"When was your mum bitten?" Remus asked, his voice sounding younger than he was. "I was just a kid; I can't remember ever not being what I am."

"Years ago. Fenrir happened to catch my parents sent when they were on their honeymoon. My dad didn't make it, so mum doesn't talk about it."

"I'm sorry," he answered, "Fenrir was the one who got me. My dad pissed him off, and he went after me to get even. Sometimes when he looks at me, I know he blames himself."

Mischa wasn't entirely aware of what the appropriate response would be, so she simply carried on walking.

"How does your mum deal with it? Is she registered?"

Unsure of exactly how much was appropriate to share with her classmate, Mischa kept her answer as vague as possible.

"Forcing werewolves to register is wrong- I understand it- but it's wrong. Most werewolves like my mum and you, take measures on the full moon to keep other people safe, but because a handful actively try to infect others, all of you are forced to publicly admit who you are. Should the registry fall into the wrong hands, those people can be targeted. It wasn't your choice to be what you are, and it wasn't my mum's choice. My parents were considered blood traitors, that's why Fenrir looked for them, registering would have my mother targeted in an instant."

"I get it," he nodded, "I wish it wasn't the way it is, but it is."

"Doesn't mean that in the future it can't change," she pointed out, "Laws change all the time assuming there is still someone fighting for the cause."

Their conversation was abruptly cut short when the two students arrived outside Professor Felix's stalls.

"What are you supposed to be doing down here anyway?" asked Remus, glancing around the stalls usually forbidden for students to enter. "Does he know we're here?"

"I have a key- you're not bleeding anywhere, are you?" Mischa asked innocently, "Some of the creatures might get a little bit twitchy if you are."

"No, I don't think so."

Mischa pulled open the door and gestured for Remus to go in ahead of her. Professor Felix had not been anticipating her arrival quite so soon as he paused in the entry to the mooncalf pen with a sack of corn in his arms. "Ah, Miss. Dalton! Wonderful to see you again- and you, Mr. Lupin. A pleasure. I wonder since you're already here, if you would feed the moon calves? They've been quite restless without you all through the summer, and I think they'd appreciate it more if you were the one to give them their breakfast."

"And this has nothing at all to do with the fact that Toly doesn't like you?"

"I'm inclined to believe that Toly is more boggart than mooncalf," the professor conceded, "I had to section him off from the other calves when feeding them because the little asshole keeps charging at me- pardon my language," Professor Felix looked more to Remus with his apology than Mischa. "The creature really does deserve it though. Come, Mr. Lupin, stand here, and you can feed some of them over the paddock."

Remus, who, being part-creature himself, had always been reluctant to study Care of Magical Creatures and dropped it as soon as he was able, had not witnessed the moon calves before. As he looked in the paddock however, he was amazed by just how cute they were, despite Professor Felix's hesitation in entering their area. They stood, proudly, at about four feet tall with thick fur and wide luminescent blue eyes. He noticed that, despite the chaotic scene Professor Felix had painted, they moved quite sluggishly. In the corner of their paddock, he saw a dark tunnel and assumed that it was likely where they retreated to during the day.

"Quite enchanting, aren't they?" Professor Felix said, noting Remus's restrained awe. "Usually they're very timid indeed, and mostly hibernate until the full moon, but Miss. Dalton here seems to have quite the energising effect on them. Just watch now."

As Mischa entered the pen, it was as if in an instant, all of the mooncalves turned to look at the new presence. For a second, for a mere beat, there was silence. No movement to speak of. Then, to Remus's surprised delight, the creatures all began to jump and turn in circles. The effect of gravity around them seemed to slow, so the jump lasted a few seconds while they hovered in the air before they graced the ground once more and repeated to their hearts delight. Mischa tossed pieces of corn, and they too hung around the mooncalves, until they were eaten up.

"See- this behaviour they're displaying? That's typical mating behaviour, never once has a whole group been seen to do it unanimously. It would be troubling indeed if they did it in the wild as their spinning tends to cause crop circles, and the muggles have speculated some wild things as to their cause. Imagine if a whole herd of mooncalves took part- the crop devastation would be terrible!"

Remus watched the mooncalves all vying for attention before he noted one solo mooncalf in the corner that seemed to be watching Mischa with a look, he found, akin to mischievous.

"That little blighter is Toly. Watch him now."

Toly, slightly less than affectionately, known as 'the asshole,' by Professor Felix, watched his prey with careful eyes. He stuck to the shadows of the paddock until he shuffled his way behind her and waited for the perfect moment. He had, on various occasions, attempted his move with the older male that deemed himself worthy to enter his herd, but Toly believed him to be incompetent, and slow... though possibly good-hearted.

Sensing that his time was nigh, Toly ran forward, and just before Remus could call to Mischa to watch out, she spun on her heel and grabbed the mooncalf in her arms before spinning once with the momentum. Toly, for his part, threw his head back and chirped and cooed with pure elation before wrapping his neck over her shoulder in an embrace.

"He still thinks he's a newborn calf," Professor Felix explained, "He doesn't realise how big or fat he is yet, and insists on throwing himself into people's arms."

"He is still a baby!" Mischa argued, happily stroking Toly's neck, "Here, Remus, you can stroke him if you like."

Mischa moved to the edge of the paddock, and Toly turned to look at the boy.

"Go ahead," Professor Felix encouraged, reaching past him to run his own hand down Toly's neck. "The only injuries they cause are purely by accident."

Remus assured that he would depart with all of his limbs, reached out his hand, only to have it gently nibbled by the mooncalf.

"The history of the mooncalves is very unfortunate indeed. The name mooncalf is actually a muggle word- they used it to describe deformed calves that they believed were born on the night of the full moon. The name fit, but such an ugly moniker for such a lovely beast. The fact that they all come out of their burrow to dance only in the light of the full moon surely shows the beauty of the moon than the curse of it, I think."

A gentle look pointed at Remus was enough to drive the message home.

"Come on, Miss. Dalton, I need you to persuade the hinkypunks to stop trying to drown things. I caught one of them making off with my boots earlier."

With a gentle kiss to the crown of his head, making his eyes go briefly crosseyed, Mischa left the mooncalves to return to their natural sleeping state. As she exited, they turned and retreated into their burrow.

The trio retreated to the back of the stable where Remus saw a small room with frosted glass and a group of six hovering lights. Without hesitation, Mischa entered the room, her blurry form remaining close to the door. Remus found himself held back by Professor Felix, who watched the interaction closely.

"Not this one, Mr. Lupin. Do you remember studying hinkypunks in your lessons last year in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

Remus nodded.

"They're wonderful things, but they are something to be wary of. Given half a chance they will lead you to your death, or when in a bind, spit fire. Technically speaking, they're not even magical creatures, but since there is no Care of Magical Spirits, I'll pick up the slack."

"Is it safe for her to be in there?"

Professor Felix's lips twitched in a smile.

"Just watch, Mr. Lupin. You might see something quite special."

The two of them listened carefully at the sounds of hissing and gasps. Occasionally the lights would brighten or doom, but one by one they began to bob up and down.

"They want you to replace their candles with lavender ones; they're… displeased with the number of moths. In exchange, they'll stop the drownings- and won't set fire to the roof again."

Professor Felix nodded, and with a wave of his wand, several candles shot out of a nearby cupboard.

"Thanks."

One by one, the lights went out, only to be replaced shortly after. A few short hisses later, and Mischa reappeared, the hinkypunks now having settled themselves on their shelves.

"How could you tell what they wanted?" Remus asked as the two wandered back up the hill towards the school.

"I've always been good at working out what things need, usually its just a case of paying attention and listening to what they want."

"Look, I've got potions next… do you mind saving a seat next to you for lunch? I have some more questions- not about your mum, though I do have more questions about that…"

Mischa listened to Remus ramble for a little while before smiling. She hadn't thought that she'd ever be willing to extend a hand of friendship to a marauder of all people, but Remus seemed genuine. She trusted the instincts of the mooncalves. Animals had a knack for knowing who could be trusted.