Author's Note- I apologise for not submitting this yesterday. Probably due to the same technical malfunctions as I was faced with whilst publishing Chapter 2, this chapter refused to upload. I have no idea why.
Anyway, this chapter is extremely short and does not add much to the plot- it is actually a drabble (that is what the term signifies in fanfiction, is it not?).
This is in Acknowledgement of Current Reviews- Thank you, Qoheleth, as always, for pointing out the typing errors (typos) in the story. The funny thing is, I sought them out in my notebook (which contains my hand-written version of the story) and they simply weren't there! Ah, well, I figure I will have to watch my keyboard as much as I watch my pen. As always, constructive criticism is welcome.
PS- Is there any way to edit a chapter in without deleting and re-uploading (is that a word) the whole thing?
Merlin's Beard, I sound like Alfie from The Thousand Year Old Boy (Ross Welford)! Guess I'll have to fix that.
Disclaimer- All rights, copyrights and proceeds from this story, as well as characters are certain plot devices, are property of J.K. Rowling and respective publishers.
Chapter 3- Midnight Yarns
Christmas Eve
"Do you think a Thestral could beat a Hippogriff in a fight?"
The question came out of nowhere, directed at him, as usual. Remus, choosing as usual to ignore his friend, quietly turned another page of book.
Sirius was lounging against the four-poster, looking extremely bored. Upon seeing his enquiry thus ignored, he glared at him for a few moments, before turning to James, who was likewise sitting idle, twirling his wand in his fingers.
"Do you think a Thestral could beat a Hippogriff in a fight?"
James paused for a few seconds, before frowning and shaking his head. "Nah, mate. A Thestral is all skin and bone. A Hippogriff would kick it to pieces within five minutes."
"But they're supposed to be invisible, aren't they? How would a Hippogriff even see the Thestral?" Sirius protested, now lying flat-out on his back.
"C'mon, Sirius, mate. Hippogriffs are carnivorous. They kill to eat."
"Oh." There was a brief minute's silence. "What about a werewolf, then? Could a werewolf beat a Hippogriff?"
Remus froze.
There it was again.
Perhaps it was his imagination, but during the last few days, lycanthropy seemed to have accelerated into quite a frequent topic of conversation amongst his friends.
Remus kept his eyes on the page, but his heart seemed to have wandered into a different direction.
"-don't think so." James' voice was saying. "I mean, most of the time, a werewolf would be a completely normal wizard, wouldn't he? And even at full moons, they don't go for animals, do they? I think the hippogriff would be completely safe."
"I suppose so." Sirius answered, albeit rather reluctantly at being twice snubbed by his best friend.
Remus had quit leafing through his book altogether. He sat, fervently listening. "Could they know?" a small part of him wondered. "Could they know what I am?"
"Of course not." The rest of his brain shot back. "If they did, they'd already be running away, and I'd be alone…"
Remus allowed his mind to blank out for a few seconds. James and Sirius' conversation had by now strayed from lycanthropes. They were now (with surprising enthusiasm, considering how late into the night it was) arguing over the merits of using dragon blood as an oven cleaner. Besides their constant bickering, the only sounds that could be heard in the deserted night were the whispers of the wind, the occasional hoot of an owl and Peter's gentle snores as he drifted in and out of his dreams.
"-Oh come on, it is blood, blood for Merlin's sake-"
"-stain remover, Flitwick said it could be used to clean ovens-"
"-still blood, nobody's gonna use that oven afterwards-"
"-A lot of people use it-"
Remus snapped his book shut. It was no use. He would go to bed. It was Christmas tomorrow, after all, what with the arrival of presents- his friends weren't going to let him sleep-in.
He spared a last eye-roll towards the bickering pair before flicking off the light by use of his wand. He sighed, letting his head drop onto his pillow. Let them go on bickering in the dark, if they wanted to. As for him, well, he needed his rest.
He turned in his bed, staring out of the window. He could see the Forbidden Forest silhouetted against the stars, Hagrid's hut, eerie and silent, standing bathed in the silvery starlight.
It was the waning moon that caught his eye. Eventually, it would disappear, and then begin its dreaded journey, increasing in magnitude, slowly but surely, until it had waxed into the Full Moon. But that was not for many long days…
His friends were suspicious. Even so, he tried not to let that thought cloud his mind. He knew they were not stupid by any means. Someday, they would find out.
Little did he know that, after tomorrow, he would never worry about them discovering his secret.
Little did he know, that in a few short years, he would never fear the moon again- at least as long as they were by his side.
But he did not know then, and even as he slept, that thought haunted his dreams.
