A/N: I know it's been forever, but it's finally time for another update! Sorry for the long wait between chapters, life has been absolutely nuts and I haven't had as much time to write as I'd like. I'm doing my level best to finish my Old Habits story by May and after that behemoth of a story is finished, my goal is to dedicate more time to this story. So, hopefully this story will be back on a regular update schedule soon. Mini Pony Lover prompted the idea for this chapter some months back and I'm so happy to finally be able to post this chapter!
It was with a complete lack of shock that Tilly walked into the girl's bathroom to the sounds of someone sobbing. In a school filled to the brim with several hundred adolescents such things were simply part of the norm. Everyday some young woman with her heart on her sleeves would be offended, heartbroken, or teased into to tears and would then retreat to one of the available lavatories for a good cry.
Such was the life of a teenager.
Sighing heavily, Tilly debated ignoring the sounds and simply walking away. Being raised as the oldest in a crazy pureblood family with the duty to protect her younger brother had left the young lady with little tolerance for the ridiculous problems of today's youth. However, she couldn't in good conscience turn a blind eye to the sufferings of another.
Sighing heavily, Tilly walked to the final stall and gave a tentative knock.
The sobbing within ceased immediately, turning to quiet but labored breathing. Thankfully the stall door hid Tilly's eye roll.
"Obviously I've already heard your crying, or I wouldn't have knocked," she sighed in what she hoed wasn't too exasperated a tone.
"Tilly," answered a slightly familiar voice.
The stall door opened revealing the young Gryffindor girl she'd seen hanging around Emma and Belle.
"Red, right?" Tilly asked hoping her memory wasn't too far off.
The Gryffindor let out a watery laugh that held no humor. "It's Ruby actually."
"Same color at least," Tilly shrugged. "So what's eating you?"
"Nothing."
Tilly rolled her eyes once again. "Look we can play the game where I say something like 'didn't sound like nothing' and then you shrug and dodge until I finally drag an answer out of you. Or we can cut to the chase and you can tell me what's going on."
Indignation painted itself across Ruby's face for half a moment before the girl apparently decided she wasn't offended. "You're not very good at this sort of thing, are you?"
"No, I'm not. Which means that you can talk and I can try my best to help you out, or you can continue moping and I can go about my day without any worries. What's it going to be Red?"
"It's Ruby and you're as a blunt as a rock to the head."
"Take it or leave it."
Green eyes narrowed as the girl contemplated Tilly's offer. Leaning back against the stall, Ruby let out a lingering sigh. "I'll take it."
With a short nod, Tilly propped herself up on the window sill on the back wall and invited Ruby to join her. Once both girls were seated and comfortable an odd awkwardness settled around them.
After several long minutes of depressing silence, Ruby began speaking. "I don't normally talk about this, so you have to promise that whatever is said in here stays in here."
"Wouldn't dream of spilling another person's secrets," Tilly said as she crossed her heart. "Your secrets are safe with me."
"I have a bit of a condition…" Ruby began.
"You mean you're a werewolf, right?"
Fear and anger flashed through the girl's eyes as she scowled at Tilly. "How did you know that?"
"I know everything Red-"
"It's Ruby!"
"-about everyone," Tilly acknowledged without hesitation. "Especially about those who hang around my little brother."
"I only hang around him because of Emma."
"Which doesn't exactly win you points in my book but go on."
Ruby looked as if she was on the verge of storming out, but a quick smile from Tilly seemed to hold the girl in place. "Whatever," she sighed. "Yes, I'm a werewolf. But I take wolfsbane every full moon, or at least I have until now."
"Isn't that stuff supposed to be super expensive to make?" Tilly asked cocking her head in interest.
"Thus the problem."
"I don't get it."
Ruby crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders in a manner that made her look far younger and exceedingly vulnerable. For the first time since walking into the conversation, Tilly found herself invested in the younger girl's issues. She hated seeing those who were usually strong brought low.
"My granny runs a diner that doubles as a bed and breakfast back in Lancashire and up until now there's always been enough extra to pay for the potion…"
"But now…" Tilly prompted.
"Granny is losing business like crazy. She doesn't know if she'll be able to keep the place open, let alone pay for wolfsbane." Tears began welling in Ruby's eyes once more.
"That really sucks, I'm sorry Red."
"Ruby."
"Sorry Ruby."
Ruby let her head fall into her hands, allowing the tears to fall. "If I can't take the potion, then I'll be expelled from the school."
"What?" Tilly asked in a far louder voice than she'd intended.
"Without wolfsbane, I'm too dangerous to allow at the school." Ruby intoned the last with such vehemence that Tilly was certain the young girl had heard those words a hundred times.
"That's ridiculous."
"Those are the rules."
"Blue's rules or the Ministry's?"
"What do you think."
Tilly's mind started whirring as she contemplated the problem set out before her. "So as long as you take the potion, then you can continue attending Hogwarts?"
Ruby simply nodded in return. Leaning back against the window, Tilly allowed her thoughts to take their own paths. She had an idea, a potentially dangerous and disastrous idea, but an idea nonetheless. Normally, she wouldn't even give such an issue another thought. Tilly had enough issues of her own – thanks to the two young men in her life – without worrying about the problems of others. However, Ruby really was in a bind and if she helped the werewolf it would really get under Blue's skin.
"Red-" Tilly began.
"It's Ruby!"
"Ruby," she corrected herself. "I think I might have a solution to your problem."
Sitting in his own private corner of the common room, Rumpelstiltskin covertly watched his housemates. When everyone did their best to avoid you, it was the simplest thing in the world to observe them without disruption. As he looked out across the common room, he noticed the small everyday things that most people missed in their frantic attempts at staying busy. Unimportant though such interactions might seem to others, Rumple knew that even the slightest things could say so much about a person. And such information could always come in handy when you needed to blackmail someone into leaving you alone.
He watched as Katherine and her long time crush Frederick cuddled up close on the couch, completely oblivious to the jealous stares they were receiving from Jasmine who'd recently gone through a rough patch with her long time Gryffindor boyfriend Aladdin. Then there was Jeff sitting in an armchair by the fire nattering about to himself as he usually did while trying to complete his homework. His constant companion Victor had been called from the common room earlier in order to comfort the resident werewolf.
The Hyde brothers sat in deep conversation with one another in the corner closest to the door. Probably discussing their mother's latest decision to publicly fund and support the Lost Boys. As he watched two first year students collided on their way out said door. Then there was Elsa who sat in her usual spot of isolation by the window, brushing a quill across her lips as she penned a letter.
All around him, the common room burst with little spots of life that would continue whether he observed them or not. Rumpelstiltskin took some measure of comfort in that idea. No matter how crazy life became, it would continue marching forward without hesitation. Regardless of which wizard or witch found themselves in power, the world would continue spinning and people would continue acting as people did.
Rumple was pulled from such weighty thoughts by the arrival of Neal, Tilly, and Belle. A troublesome trio if he'd ever seen one.
"There you are," Tilly exclaimed as she fell into the chair in front of him. "We've been looking everywhere for you."
"I've been here all day," Rumple replied slowly closing his book and eyeing the trio warily. Belle and Neal took seats close to him, both perched eagerly on the edge of their chairs. These three searching so adamantly for him could only signal bad news.
Tilly dismissed his obvious discomfort with barely any notice. "We need your help."
"Okay," Rumpelstiltskin replied drawing out the word.
"It's about Ruby," Neal added eagerly. "She's in a bit of trouble."
"And what do the wolf's woes have to do with me," Rumple asked, raising his eyebrows. He didn't miss the way Belle's smile slipped ever so slightly at his tone.
Consequently, she was the first to respond. "Ruby's grandmother is about to lose her business. And along with that all of their ability to afford wolfsbane."
Rumple raised hand as he saw exactly where this was going. "I'm not exactly certain why you are approaching me with all of these issues."
"Because…" Neal said leaning forward in his chair beside Tilly. "We were thinking that maybe you…" He trailed off uncertainly at the glare Rumple shot him.
Tilly however, had never been affected by her younger cousin's foul moods or glares. "You can help her," the girl replied brazenly. "You have enough money to purchase the ingredients and you know how to brew the potion."
"Absolutely not," came his firm reply.
Belle's face fell entirely at his refusal, but Tilly's only set in the stubborn manner she usually wore before she got her way. "Why not Rumpelstiltskin? You have the means and the knowledge to help someone. Use it."
Rumpelstiltskin ran a hand over his face as he leaned back into the armchair. "Tilly you know I can't use that money. Why can't she talk to Blue? Surely our kind and fair Headmistress would be willing to help." Despite his best attempts, Rumple couldn't quite keep the vitriol from his words regarding the Headmistress.
The look Tilly fixed him with informed Rumpelstiltskin just how little she thought of his clever advice. "Blue didn't want Red-"
"Ruby," Neal corrected quietly.
"-Ruby," Tilly continued as if she'd never been interrupted in the first place, "here in the first place, but she wasn't given a choice."
"She's right," Belle chimed in ever so helpfully. Wearing a hopeful smile that almost did Rumpelstiltskin in on the spot. "Harry freaking Potter has put all of his pull behind the new legislation for werewolves. And after Voldemort, the Ministry can't exactly refuse him something like that. "
"Thank you, Belle," Rumple muttered.
Feeding off the other two, Neal finally found the courage to throw in his two cents as well. "Yeah according to the Emma's research, Ruby can stay here as long as she takes her potion and goes to the Shrieking Shack for her transformations."
"Yes well blessed Emma must know everything," Tilly replied rolling her eyes ferociously
"Lay off sis," said Neal before continuing. "If Ruby doesn't have the potion then…"
"She can't stay," Belle finished giving him a look that melted what was left of his resolve to ignore their pleas.
"So Blue refuses to help a student?" asked Rumple, bringing the conversation back on topic and away from dangerous territory. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Which is why it's up to you to help Red," Tilly supplied as if was the simplest thing in the world.
"Ruby," Belle hissed.
"It most certainly is not up to me," insisted Rumple, ignoring Tilly's slip. "There are plenty of people who could make the potion. Ask one of them."
"Rumpelstiltskin Gold," Tilly said fixing him with a glare that was straight from their days as kids. "You have the power and the funds to help this girl. Are you seriously going to let Blue win?"
Tilly's scowl alone would have been enough to force him to concede but that paired with pleading looks from Belle and Neal pushed him over the edge. "Fine. Whatever, I'll brew it. But I still can't afford the ingredients."
Tilly rolled her eyes. "Stop being a prat and use the money in your vault."
"Again, absolutely not," Rumpelstiltskin growled. "I'm not touching his money. If I do that, I won't hear the end of it."
"Rumple come on," Belle begged. "Ruby needs your help."
"And I need for my skin to stay intact," the cornered young man insisted, doing his best to allow his apprehension to cover the very real fear he felt at the prospect. He met each of their eyes and held their gazes for a long moment of silence. "You realize what you're asking me to do? Using his money will only lead to trouble."
"He might not even find out," Neal attempted.
Rumple just shot him a look.
"Okay stupid comment," the other boy admitted.
"What about the fact that your using the money to help someone he hates." Belle interjected silencing the conversation on all sides.
"What's that bookworm?" Tilly asked pulling herself back from her exasperated slouch in the armchair.
"Well think about it," Belle continued, her gaze never leaving Rumple's. "Malcolm hates people like Ruby. Thinks they're beneath him. So, if we use his money to help those people..."
Neal leapt to his feet in excitement. "That's bloody brilliant."
"Are you sure you shouldn't be in Slytherin?" Tilly smiled.
But Belle had eyes and ears for only one person. Rumpelstiltskin met her eyes and a silent conversation played out between them. Each warring for the other to see sense and back down. Sighing Rumpelstiltskin realized he'd lost this fight as soon as they'd decided he could help.
"I don't know," he mumbled running a hand through his hair.
"What's there to know!" Neal exclaimed. "This is great. Real hero stuff man."
"You'd be helping someone who really needs it," Belle insisted.
"And throwing myself under the bus," Rumple attempted to reason one final time.
However, Tilly refused to allow him out of his weakening resolve. "In the best way possible," the infuriating seventh year added.
"Fine."
Despite the bright smiles of the trio surrounding him, Rumpelstiltskin knew without a shadow of a doubt that he'd just agreed to something far worse than they could imagine. Malcolm wouldn't be pleased when he discovered where his son's allowance was being spent. He'd be even less thrilled when he found out his son was helping such a creature. Whatever kindness he paid forward in this instance, it would most certainly come back to bite him in the end. But in the face of his three best friends happiness, he thought it might just be worth whatever Malcolm had in store.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who has stuck around for this story! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope to see you all again soon. Until that time, please let me know what you thought in the reviews/comments. They are life and about 95% of my motivation. I'm still taking prompts and I'm currently attempting to squeeze some of those prompts into the story. So, if there's something you'd like to see let me know! As always, see you guys in the next chapter!