It should have been a normal night, students almost never leave the castle at this time of night. She shouldn’t have needed to encounter anyone on her way out of the castle, a friendly ghost or painting, a prefect that wouldn’t even notice her at most! Unfortunately it wasn’t a normal night, a group of older students were on their way back to the castle right as she was trying to leave. At first they didn’t notice her but a small fumble over one of the wall decorations brought their gaze to her. “Oi… isn’t that the girl with that dumb name?” “Yeah! Looks like she’s tripping over her own feet again. Hey girl, come here!”
My had endured this too many times to count and quickly slipped out the door, knowing that they would be following behind her. Taking a few side corners and ducking behind a few enchanted armors that were kind enough to move ever so lightly to obscure her further. A ghost lifted from the floor and pointed out a safe way for her to get away without the older students knowing which way she went before floating away as if he hadn’t noticed her in the first place. By the time she stopped shuffling she found herself at the tree line just outside of the castle. The voices in the distance were more than enough to know they were still looking for her.
With a deep breath she closed her eyes, body shifting and contorting down into a small furry creature. It’s brown fur disguising her within the shrubbery, letting her quietly scamper away from the sounds of the older students. As she went, she heard something different. A grueling cracking and the sounds of something in pain, had the poachers gotten that closer to the castle? She got closer to see what it was from behind a rock. Seeing the vague shape of a student that she vaguely recognized mid-transformation. Clothing tearing apart as claw and fang overtook mind and body, the half-beast agonizing through his change before his head tilted to the sky and let out the signature howl of its kind.
For moments after, there was silence all around. The students, having heard it and recognized the moon in the sky, knew better than to get anywhere close. All but the most dangerous beasts of the forbidden forest hid when the howl sounded. It didn’t move for a short time, sniffing the air after a moment and turning its head towards the rock she hid behind. Curious as to why he smelled the girl but did not see her. Stepping closer and lowering his whole body into the bush, struggling to see her at first but eventually seeing the rat with that lovely lavender smell. His tongue sliding out to lick the rodent as he lowered himself down completely to be at her level.
As she looked at him, she recognized this particular werewolf. He was the one she had fed treats to a month ago! A story that very few if any were willing to believe in, dismissing it as her making up the impossible. It had gotten to the point that she almost believed that it never happened herself, yet with a quick compression she leapt. Landing on top of the hound’s head and climbing along it to insure that it was real. The beast lifted up to look around for her to see where she had gone, realizing once he felt the rub against his ears once again. Giving it a short amount of thought before haunching to walk on all fours once again.
His movements were slower than usual, not wanting to knock her off of him. Staying lower to the ground as he prowled through the forest, giving her an experience that even the most experienced magizoologists would never get. Viewing the world from a werewolf’s perspective, entirely safe from both the change itself and any risk of attack. The gentle breeze of the night rolled over them, yet his fur was warm, providing safety from the elements, the same that his form provided safety from any danger of the night.
While he stalked, she watched. The beast avoided the sound of poachers, and instead followed the sounds and smells of other creatures. Finding a spot that had mooncalves running around it, glowing mushrooms gently bouncing as they came near. Doing what could only be called little dances in the moonlight. The hound lowered himself again, nudging at her to climb off of him and once again for her to go investigate the creatures and plant life of the night. The rat scurried forward, getting a closer view of the furry creatures, their eyes reflecting moonlight like perfect reflections of the moon’s beauty.
He was gone for what felt like a long time, the beasts slowly starting to calm down and find comfortable places to lay and rest. Their heads snapping up to alert of the hound’s return. Many of them ran off as he followed the scent straight towards her. A clawed hand reached down to let her climb onto it, one of his claws now had a piece chipped off. The hand placed her on top of his head once again, expecting her to stay near the top or by his ears. Yet she began to show some boldness, climbing onto his muzzle for a front row view of all the night had to offer.
He took that boldness as a good sign, the feral creature moving on a more erratic route, climbing up hills and cliffs that most didn’t go near to show her all the night had to offer. Creatures that had only been rumored to be hiding within the woods, even tilting his head up to show her the dragon that had been known to fly over the highlands from time to time. The beginnings of a quiet friendship forming as the night went on. They traveled farther than most, into places of the forbidden forest that only the teachers and perhaps a few poachers knew existed. Encountering flora and fauna alike along their way. Each time the hound would stop to let the rat investigate them if she so chose.
As the moon lowered from its perch in the sky they made their way back to the castle. Stopping at the treeline that they had found each other. Coming to a stop and lowering himself down for her to climb off once again, knowing instinctively that he would return to his normal self sooner or later. The rat climbed off of him and took a few small hops of distance away, thinking to herself as the hound began to stand on to his hind legs once again. She took another deep breath and changed once again, returning to the still rather small hufflepuff girl she truly was.
The beast watched her change and narrowed its eyes, not baring his teeth as he had the first time they met. Knowing her smell well enough to do away with most of the risk. Her gloved hand reached slowly up to his head once again. Wanting to see if what almost happened that night at professor Howin’s class was real. The beast tilting his head into her touch as, enjoying the gentle rubs. Within a short amount of time she would see that it was real! The werewolf slowly sank lower and lower to the ground as his eyes closed.
In turn she lowered to sit on the ground, being careful to not dirty her skirt in the process. Sitting there quietly as she enjoyed the peaceful moment with this creature of the night. Heavy, slow breaths showed that it had gone to sleep and for a brief moment she thought about staying longer. The realization quickly hit her that werewolves were commonly naked when they turned back and seeing a boy in the nude was not something she needed to see right now!
After making sure that he was asleep, she got up and quickly moved back into the castle, the smallest smile on her face as she knew her experience was one hundred percent real now. Quickly returning to the common room before anyone else could spot her again. When the morning came and preparation for classes were being had, she noticed something rather curious… The fifth year prefect had wrappings around his finger… the same one that the beast and chipped his claw on the night before. She thought about bringing it up, hesitating for a moment too long and he was gone. Perhaps another time… another night when the moon would be full again.