Chapter Six ~ Howl At The Moon
It was Wednesday night, the sun was going down and I felt myself transforming. We were still in the Library, and around twenty other students were in there. I have to get out of here, I thought to myself, panicking as I looked at the setting sun. 'Um, I-I-I have t-to-' I began to say, trying to think of an excuse to get out of here. 'Yes you'd better go, before the whole world finds out your a freak,' Amy-Rose whispered spitefully and pushed me out of the Library.
At least I was out of there and had enough time to get to the Forbidden Forest. Running outside, I tore off the sling in a fit of wild rage. I was about to become what the curse foretold, so I may as well act the part. Running to the clearing, I felt myself become faster and fur began to cover my arms and face. Breaking into a sprint my feet began to shorten, as did my arms and the excruciating pain of fingernails becoming claws was almost unbearable. I started to growl, and howl quietly running even faster than before breaking through the leafy trees of the Forest. The more I ran in, the darker it grew but as the orange sun crept underneath a cloud I knew the transformation was complete.
I was now a wolf, a great big black furry wolf, with large and equally as bright violet coloured eyes. I padded along the ground, wondering if anyone would find me and what would be the consequences if they did. As the forest started to darken considerably, the surroundings got equally as frightening. Trees turned into thick monsters with contorted faces, flowers became tall and sinister and the creatures were like predators searching for their prey. Hunt or be Hunted, remembering the phrase from a book I had once read. To survive I would have to kill anything that got in my way, at least that's what my instinct told me.
She was taking Gray away from me, and they had definitely done something in the Library. Or was she taking him because she wanted something in return for helping me? Was she just trying to save him from the curse, because she wanted him for herself? Either way I could feel the jealousy welling up inside me, making me more fierce than I should really be. And then I let it all out, the anger on a helpless white rat that had just crossed my path. It began to munch on a bit of dark green plant, which protuded from the ground. Creeping up silently behind the unknowing creature and swiped my claws across its soft back. The animal fell down, dead and I picked it up daintily with my sharp white fangs. Munching on the tender meat I felt refreshed and whole again, until the reality sucked back into my mind.
Stalking off into the darkness, my eyes froze at the sight before me. It was her, my little friend, as Amy-Rose called her. The Dark Child was stalking me like a stray dog stalks a man, and she wasn't content on just leaving me to my own devices. Luckily she hadn't seen me through the thick leafy bushes, so I had a head start. However the only option was to run deep into the heart of the Forbidden Forest, and I had a feeling that there was a perfectly good reason about why it was labelled 'Forbidden'. Anyway I felt like I had no choice, and with the moon coaxing me with it's white milky glow I had no option but to delve deeper.
Running at a fast pace I could feel my soft paws hitting the hard firmly packed ground. The chase was on, as I raced faster and faster trying to outrun my own fate. Coming to a steep hill I began to ascend the mountainous hill, my claws scrabbling on the loose dirt making me lose my footing. Yet I was not yet ready to give up on the ascent, and with the Dark Child nearing me I scrambled up, getting higher and higher with every step I made. Soon I saw the shadow of the moon reflecting on the surface of the grass covered hill, a ring of purple and white flowers at the very top. Stepping inside the circle, I felt a warmth spread through my body as if it was guarding me from the dangers outside the circle. Gradually the Dark Child faded, getting more transparant the longer I stayed inside the Protection Circle.
Looking up to the pure white moon, the anger against Gray and Amy-Rose took over me. Sitting in a wolf postion I lifted my head vertically and opened my mouth. A loud and long howl escaped my lips, echoing throughout the large forest, half of it probably unmapped. Feeling the sadness become full again, I positioned myself for another howl and it again echoes, but this time is far more powerful than the first. I am like a true wolf, trying to summon my pack for a hunt but failing to do so. I am failing to tell people of my feelings, failing to save the one I love. I must somehow figure out how to fufill the prophecy before I die trying.
Curling up into a tight ball still inside the Protection Circle, I can feel faeries coming towards me their wings flapping against my thick fur. They protect me as if they would protect their own kind, as if I am one of their precious and fragile children, and they are my mother making sure I come to no permanent harm. As long as they are with me I will be safe and sound, but when I leave in the morning the faerie's magic will have died by then and once again I'll be vulnerable. Vulnerable to feelings, pain and of course the all deadly curse. Whatever this Dark Child wants she wants it badly and will stop at nothing. I can almost hear her voice in my head, yet she is saying different words each and every one is random and supposedly meaningless. 'Odium. Maledicere. Tristitia. Zeli. Tenebris. Mortem.' she repeats over and over again, yet the only thing they have in common is that they all have negative meanings.
Closing my bright violet eyes I feel the warmth of the faerie's magic enter my bloodstream, heating my heart and helping me stay alive in the harsh environment. Drifiting alseep a dream enters my mind,
'Rowena, Rowena,' a voice called, and I think that they're beckoning me but a tall woman wearing a dark blue dress strides past me and answers the call. 'Yes Helena what is it?' the woman asked, her hair is a dark black and her blue eyes a light ice-blue. 'Mother, I-I well I just had a dream of a girl, who resembled me somehow but had emerald green eyes and well the dream prophesised that when a Dark One was defeated a fragment of their evil soul would imprint on a child. Now these two children would be born at exactly the same time, exactly the same day but on different years. It said that she would curse the girl and then all faded and the words Quem diligis morieris echoed in my head,' Helena said to Rowena, as she plaited her hair. The woman in the dark blue gasped and ran off in a hurry, to a man with long auburn hair and a thick beard.
'Godric, what we feared has occured, Helena has had the vision of the future, it is true all true!' she cried her voice getting quicker and quicker. 'Rowena, calm yourself for we must ready the child for her quest. First of all she must be placed with a family who will not question you but one of them must be of the Ravenclaw House, next we will make sure that in her Third Year she finds out the truth and only then can she defeat the Dark Child,' Godric said, clutching Rowena's shoulders. 'What is this, what's happening?' A voice cried out and a rather monkey-like man appeared. 'Nothing for you to be concern of Salazar, but would you please tell Helga that myself and Rowena wish to see her immediately,' Godric ordered him, patting his shoulder. As Salazar walked away I could hear him muttering in a low voice, 'They never tell me anything, but they will pay the price for their ignorance,'
Suddenly I awoke feeling limp and tired from my journey into the forest. Looking up into the sky, I can see the sun just starting to wake up on the horizon and realise that I should be back at the castle. Thinking fast I tear some of the sacred flowers out and carry them in my mouth, break into a run and sprint fast down the steep hill. As soon as I leave the circle I can feel the faery magic leaving my blood, and a cold rush shivers through my wolf body. I have to get out of the dangerous forest as fast as possible, especially before the centaurs find me.
Keeping the purple and white flowers clamping tightly in my mouth, I leap gracefully over a log and then climb up many rocks and stones that seem familiar. My instinct is telling me where to go, but I will have to reach Ravenclaw Tower before my transformation is complete. Nearing the border of the Forest, I can see Hagrid lumbering around as he completes his morning routine. Sneaking past him, I sprint up the slope getting closer and closer to the elegant castle. Luckily someone has left the great iron gates into the castle ajar, just enough for an average-sized wolf to slip through. Padding up the many marble staircases the portraits make many snide comments such as 'Who let a wolf into the castle?' and 'Stupid Mongrel get out before the caretaker's cat finds you,'. Of course I ignored them and just as I was about to climb the stair's up to the Common Room something, or someone catches my eye.
There are two people huddled against the wall, a boy and a girl. The girl has long auburn hair and what I can see she has green eyes, then the boy has spiky jet black hair. Amy-Rose and Gray. But the thing is they are kissing, well snogging really and I don't like it. Letting out a low growl, Gray lifts his head and stares right at me, and Amy-Rose turns around her face in a spiteful grin. 'Bye bye little wolf,' she snapped and her and Gray begin kissing widly again. I let out a small yelp and limp to the common room door, which has been left ajar like the entrance gates. Running up the Girl's Staircase I barge into the Common Room and just in the nick of time turn back into my human.
I'm naked, as I anticipated so I grab some underwear and put that on then pull my black tights on, skirt which I pull up, a white shirt, black jumper, my Ravenclaw tie, black robes and black brogues. Brushing through my hair, I give my face a quick wash and then brush my teeth quickly. Now I know what she's taken, and a cold and empty feeling enters my chest. She's taken the one I love, the one I love dearly.