August 2nd, 1993 (Full moon.)


He had woken to a curious pair of green eyes watching him, her head was resting gently atop folded arms and it took him a second to register before he quickly pulled the bed sheet up over his chest.

"Merlin's beard! Seren, what are you doing?" he felt his heart race as she pulled away from the bed, short locks of dark curly hair hanging in her eyes. "Sorry…you told me not to leave…and there's not much else to do."

"I told you not to leave the building, you could have gone down for breakfast. No need to wait on my account." She only gave a small nod of understanding before walking away to her side of the room, rummaging around for something in the small dresser.

"What are you doing?" Remus made quick work of getting dressed, sighing when no response came.

"You're not a prisoner here, you're free to go looking around, you know that right?" she had pulled one of her books from the bedside table, climbing back onto her bed to flip through the pages.

"Are you hungry?" she glanced up from the pages of her charm's textbook, her shoulders lifting, "let's go down and get some breakfast, you need to eat or tonight will be difficult for the both of us."

His worries overrode his senses at the thought and he half wondered if he shouldn't apparate them elsewhere for the night, his thumb ran over the vials of Wolfbane in his jacket pocket. He'd started taking wolfsbane when Dumbledore had offered him his teaching position, a small comfort to be sure, and one that allowed him to kept his mind on nights of the full moon.

There was a twitch of movement as she climbed off the bed, her textbook forgotten as she padded towards the door, bare feet lightly tapped on the wooden boards beneath, A sound most would find annoying he found oddly endearing. Pulling his cardigan over his head he followed her out of the room and down the stairs.

The Leaky cauldron had always been a safe haven for witches and wizards, and though the occasional rogue wandered through, it somehow always maintained its impartial status in the wizarding community. Rounding the corner, he saw her placing an order with Tom, surprised at the initiative, though he too had been known to be a bit more assertive on days of the full moon.

"Two English breakfasts coming up." As he took a seat his mind wandered to what may have towed the line of inappropriate. He had found himself thinking about her. He'd had such little experience with other werewolves, having only met a few in passing along the years, but his mind found itself treading dangerous territories as he couldn't help but wonder what her form looked like.

'She's your student…and what's more she's still a child.' But that wasn't quite true, was it? Seren had turned seventeen sometime last fall, so Dumbledore had told him, and was of age according to wizarding law, however this fact did little to console his thoughts.

The scraping of a chair along the floor snapped him back to reality, "I've brought your plate." She pushed the plate towards him, his thoughts drifting painfully slow to the back of his mind as he forced a smile. "Thank you." she nodded, starting in on her own plate of food. Remus felt his eyes linger just a bit too long on her face. Despite the sallow, starchy color of her skin, Seren was quite pretty. With soft features and high cheekbones, A small pixie like nose and a soft spray of freckles littering her nose and cheeks…His eyes wandered down to her mouth as she chewed her food, consciously aware now that his eyes had lingered just a bit too long as she caught his gaze.

"Do I have something on my face?" she reached for a napkin, dragging the rough paper fabric over her lips, leaving them a slightly deeper shade of pink before setting it aside. Choosing to ignore the carnal part of him he fixated on his plate of food, trying to focus his attentions on anything else.

"I thought we could go for a short walk, since we'll both be incapacitated for at least the next 24 hours. Burn off some of the pent up energy, so to speak."

There was a hint of uncertainty, quickly replaced by curiosity. "I…saw a sign for a bookstore when we arrived, can we go look there?"

"You're near the heart of London, and you want to go look at a secondhand bookshop?" it made sense now why she'd been placed in Ravenclaw, their house turned out some of the most famous scholars the world had seen. He saw her small bit of confidence dwindle and felt his own heart sink.

"Sorry…we can do something else if you'd like." One of the staff set down a mug of coffee, "Well, I'd thought more so a chance for you to explore the area, but if you'd rather stay close for today I can understand. We can certainly check out the bookshop." The corners of her mouth twitched ever so slightly upwards, alluding to a smile that never came.

Tom, the Inn keep at the Leaky cauldron, waved them off with the promise of seeing them upon their return as the two stepped into the tepid summer air outside. A large poster indicated the direction of the shop, boasting old and rare books in its depths.

"Are you sure thats the only one you'd like to visit? It looks like there's a few other shops just up the way as well."

"I like the smell, there's something wonderfully nostalgic about it." he turned his head, looking down at her. He'd certainly not expected that, "Books with well-worn and yellowed pages tell a story of simple romance, a sign that their former owner cared for them deeply."

"That's quite good, I suppose I never would have considered the idea." The more she spoke, offering him glimpses into her mind, the more he realized what an enigma she truly was. She was moody and unpredictable and quite insufferable in the worst of times, yet in other, more unanticipated moments could turn a complete one eighty and find new ways to surprise him with poetic prose. She was truly a beautiful mind.

Had the girl at his side been just a bit older…he let the thought trail off as the tinkling of a bell drew him from his thoughts. There was a register against the back wall, an elderly gentleman with coke bottle glasses peered up at them, eyes wide and curious.

The smell of old paper hung heavy in the air and Remus found himself hanging on her words, there was a unique sort of charm as his eyes roamed the myriad of ceiling high shelves. Leather bound tomes were tucked neatly cover to cover, organized in some areas by Genre and others by author, A small section of periodicals and crates of newspaper articles sectioned by publication date rested in a small section back near the cashier station.

Seren had wandered over to a shelf packed with leather bound books, plucking one with the portrait of a young woman, centered precariously in an ornate cameo, A harp situated beside her.

"Were I to fall in love, indeed, it would be a different thing; but I have never been in love; it is not my way, or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall." Seren turned her head up ever so slightly to look up at him, "You know Jane Austen?"

"I do, I've quite a collection of muggle literature at my cottage. Jobs are few and far between so I've nothing but spare time, though with my new teaching position I imagine my time will sparse." Remus managed a smile, "What's your favorite novel?"

"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

"Antoine de Saint-Exupéry." Seren's lips twitched again as she tucked the Jane Austen novel back on the shelf, "My mother used to read 'The Little Prince' to me when there were storms. I was petrified of thunderstorms as a child." She wouldn't bore him with the entirety of the quote, long winded as many of them were, but the knowledge he was willing to listen came as a sort of comfort.

Words paint portraits of people, how they use them and in what context can give you invaluable insights into their personalities. The young woman before him painted a picture of a graceful and elegant soul akin to a rough gem, not much to look at from the outside but once cut and polished…

He watched her move to another shelf, plucking another book down to look at its cover before placing it back. The scent of Lilac and Vanilla lingering where she'd just been.

His hand clenched in his pocket.


He'd made quick work of steering them back down the street towards the Leaky Cauldron, over all it had been a quite enjoyable afternoon, after they'd perused the bookshop they'd stopped into a small antique shop where she'd busied herself watching the shopkeeper tinker with an old clock, asking question after question as they came to her. The store owner had found it endearing, setting aside the machine and showing her other projects on which he'd been working.

Now stepping into the tavern, the usual crowd spread out among the different tables some with cups of tea, other with coffee, likely Auror's with late night patrols in the area. London was a hot spot for illegal activity both magical and muggle alike.

His hand once again grazed the vials in his pocket, he'd not risk withdrawing them in sight of the other patrons.

"Seren, it's getting late. Perhaps we should turn in?" she'd turned her head from the poster she'd been looking, A familiar face for the older of the pair…A friend from his own school days that had gone mad, killing their other three friends before going on to kill a small number of muggles.

"You needn't worry yourself about Sirius black, he'll not come here." The ache in his muscles was getting worse and his aggressive tendencies on nights of the full moon were apparent in his mannerisms, his jaw was clenched as he spoke and his body was rigid, one might simply think he was upset at first glance.

she gave one final look at the screaming man on the poster before following him up the rickety staircase to the second floor, wandering down the hallway until he opened the door to their room.

"Ladies first." It had not gone beyond her notice that he'd been a bit off all day, there had been a tired aura about him since they'd left that morning and he seemed progressively more irritable as the day drew on. Perhaps it was her age, but Remus found himself curious that she seemed leagues different than he himself felt. His body ached with every movement and he'd done his best to contain his temper, a feat that had proven difficult when even the smallest sounds screamed like nails on a chalkboard and then there was that damnable scent of Lilac's and Vanilla…

He dug his nails into the palm of his hand to stop the thoughts from continuing, she was to be his student and entertaining thoughts of such nature could cost him his first stable job in years. No, he'd push down the insatiable craving's the wolf brought out in him, perhaps he'd even lock himself in the shared bathroom tonight, an insurance policy to cement that he would remain professional in all respects.

Though the sight he was met with as he turned around made his breath hitch in his throat, Seren sat at the edge of her bed, shirt lifted halfway up her torso, exposing the skin beneath the borrowed article of clothing. Alarmed his hand shot up, blocking her from view.

"What are you doing?!" she stopped, the loose fitting fabric fell like the final curtain at a stage show as her startled gaze met his, "I…didn't want to ruin your clothes." He let his hand fall back to his side. It made sense; she didn't have much but the few things he'd brought from his home. His irritation grew, though he did his best to mask it.

"This is my fault. Perhaps I should have set a series of ground rules." The way she looked at him was driving him to madness as the sun just beyond their window fell to the horizon. Pulling the two small potion vials form his pocket he set hers on the bed beside her before backing away.

"I didn't mean…I just…" she'd spent all day talking and chatting about this, that and whatever other thing crossed her mind, and yet somehow in the time they'd arrived back at the inn and gotten back up to the room, she'd reverted back to the quiet husk of a girl. He blamed himself.

"Drink, it will help." He uncorked the vial in his hand and downed the potion in one quick shot, her eyes never left the floor as her hand reached for the small bottle, uncorking it before mimicking the action. disgust quickly replaced the apprehension she'd had moments ago and Remus flashed her a pitied look, he'd had the same reaction the first time he'd taken wolfbane.

"That's the aconite, it's quite a nasty plant." He'd taken a seat on his own bed, wringing his hands with nervous fervor, the transformation never got easier but now he'd have to endure it with someone considerably younger than himself and he hoped that the wolfsbane worked to dull other desires that came with lycanthropy.

The second bed creaked and he could hear every creak of the bed springs and every shift of fabric as Seren tugged the blankets free from the pillows, burrowing her way under them before eventually settling into a comfortable position on her side.

"Would…" He paused; he wasn't certain how to approach the topic with her, "Would it make you feel better if I spent the night in the bathroom?"

"No." she sounded as tired as he felt, but there was an edge to her voice however faint. "Are you angry with me?"

"No." once again his irritation flared, he'd had such little experience with other lycanthropes, and none at all with females afflicted with the ailment, but she was proving to be quite trying so he took a similar position on his own bed and left the room to silence as darkness crept over the space.

"I'm sorry…" her voice was like a knife and had the potion not kicked in as fast as it had he may very well have snapped at her.

The small whine of pain from her side of the room told him all he needed to know as his own bones started to shift, elongated beneath the skin, A familiar fire overwhelmed him. He was grateful he'd cast a silencing charm on their room, it was no wonder she'd burrowed beneath the blankets and sheets, it had to be a comfort, his own parents had set up pillows in the cellar for him when he'd wore himself out.

Letting his eyes close he drifted off to sleep. Trying to drown out the small whines of pain from the bed beside his.


The downside to nights of the full moon, was the fact it made for quite an awkward next morning, the last thing he was prepared for was the naked young woman, who at some point in the night must have decided hiding in the blankets was too warm and had settled on the floor.

A fact he'd only found out after he'd nearly tripped over her on his way to the bathroom to get dressed.

He'd stepped around her and into the bathroom, quickly pulling on his clothes before lightly nudging her awake with his foot, "Seren…" she made no effort to move, so he nudged her again, doing his best to ignore the state she was in.

"Seren, it's morning." There was a small groan as her face scrunched up and she moved away. "No…five more minutes."

Normally he'd oblige her, let her sleep a bit longer, but the fact she was laying naked on the floor of an inn, in front of a man almost twice her age, was not how he (nor did he imagine herself) wanted to start this Monday morning. There was a small part of him that had thought to lean down and whisper in her ear, like he'd done with his friends in Gryffindor tower, tease her a bit to see if he could get a reaction out of her, A side of 'Moony' he'd been happy had transitioned into his adult life with him, but the logical side convinced him that teasing a young and vulnerable girl was not in his best interest.

"Seren, it's time to wake up." He watched her curl in on herself, unable to help the smile that tugged at his lips as she turned her head, shielding her eyes as she glanced upwards.

"Good morning."

It was like everything hit her at once and he couldn't help but chuckle as she scrambled to her feet, ripping the blanket off his bed and wrapping it around her body, as if he'd not already seen her. The cruel and cynical side of him would admit she wasn't much to look at, but the kind side of him argued that that was untrue.

"Bit late for modesty I'm afraid." Wide green eyes narrowed and she hurried over to her bed, crawling under the sheets again, he assumed to hide the embarrassment. He'd seen everything she seemed determined to hide.

"What was that?" he'd heard a string of incoherent mumbles from beneath the covers of her bed as he sat in one of the wooden desk chairs that decorated the shabby room.

"How long did you watch me?" he could see her shift around on the mattress before her head poked out. "Not long." He watched her cheeks tint the softest shade of pink before she retreated back under the sheets, this time he let out a full bark of laughter.

"Don't laugh!" he couldn't help the peels of laughter that filled the room at her embarrassment. "You're hardly the first woman I've seen naked, Seren, and you certainly won't be the last, but you are the first she-wolf I've seen."

His admission did little to quell the awkward air of the room as the pink of her cheeks darkened.

"I suggest you get dressed. Then we can get lunch since the both of us slept well past breakfast."

The rustle of fabric was quickly followed by a thud as she fell onto the floor, tugging the oversized shirt over her head before reaching for her pants, peering over the bed at him before ducking back down. The slight drag of fabric over skin reached him as he stood, pushing the chair back into the small desk beneath the window.

A moment later she was back on her feet, bare skin padding against old wood as she made for the door.