Child of the Moon

Chapter V

The following day of classes was very similar to their first day; History of Magic, Transfiguration and Herbology being their classes during the day. However, they had Astronomy that night up in one of the highest towers of the castle.

This class frightened Ris some. Would anyone recognize the fact that her absences lined up with the full moon? She just hoped that the class only being once a week would lessen the chance of anyone noticing.

Thursday was also very similar to Tuesday, but they had one addition to their classes that day as well.

"Yes!" cried Shannon looking at her schedule for the day at breakfast. "Finally, flying lessons, today, after Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Oh, really?" Renée asked, sounding slightly apprehensive.

"Yes, and I am extremely excited," confirmed Shannon.

The aspect of flying lessons was enough to motivate Shannon through the day, even through Potions. Whenever she started to complain, someone just had to mention the word 'flying' and she would immediately begin talking about how she had learned from her father and what a fantastic flier he had been. After Defense Against the Dark Arts, Shannon practically ran out the door and was half way down the hallway by the time the others came out of the room.

"Come on!" Shannon exclaimed. "Flying lessons are next!"

"Was I this bad on the first day?" Renée asked Ris.

Ris let out a laugh and responded, "Thereabouts."

"Oh," Renée said, "I understand now."

She was silent a moment longer, and then joined in Ris' laughter.

"Girls are weird," Alex commented, looking between the disappearing figure of Shannon and the two giggling girls.

"I am inclined to agree." Jer nodded.

"Oh, please," Renée said, her manner becoming serious. "Everyone knows that girls are vastly superior to boys." Ris nodded in agreement, waiting for one of the boys to retort.

"Is that so?" Jer asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How do you do that?" Renée questioned in wonder. "I can't make my eyebrows do that." She then proceeded attempting to raise one eyebrow independently of the other.

Ris couldn't help her self and burst out laughing at Renée's antics, and Alex soon followed suit. Jer just stared, but eventually caved when Renée held an eyebrow up with a finger and exclaimed, "Look! I'm doing it!"

"Who's superior to who, now?" Jer asked when the laughter subsided.

"Whatever, I did it, too." Renée stuck her tongue out at Jer.

"I hardly think that counted," Alex commented.

"That's what you think," Renée responded.

They had reached the Quidditch Pitch at this point and finally caught up with Shannon.

"What took you guys so long?" Shannon asked, walking up to meet them.

"Look what I can do, Shannon!" Renée then proceeded to hold her eyebrow up with her finger proudly.

Shannon just stood in silence for a few moments while the others tried to stifle their laughs. Shannon finally found words and muttered, "I leave you alone for two minutes..."

"What?" Renée feigned innocence.

"Can't any of you three control her?" Shannon turned on her three laughing friends.

"I think a better question would be, can anyone?" Ris corrected.

"I am my own person!" Renée declared.

"Or at least not encourage her," Shannon sighed.

The sound of a shrill whistle interrupted any and all conversations that were occurring. They all turned to face the origin of the noise. Madam Hooch was a graying witch and had a striking resemblance to a hawk.

"What are you all waiting for?" she called and motioned towards the brooms. "Go stand by a broom!"

The group of first years scrambled to find a broom next to their friends.

"Hold your right hand over your broom," Madam Hooch began when everyone found a broom, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP!" The group of first years chorused.

Some students got their brooms up on the first try, and this, of course, included Shannon, who beamed proudly. Besides Shannon, only a handful of kids got their brooms to respond right away, and Ris had a feeling that none of them were Muggle-born. She got her broom to respond after the third time she commanded it, which seemed to be the norm of most students. However, Renée and a few others were having some difficulty. Ris could tell that Renée's problem was; she was just too nervous.

"Renée, take a deep breath, calm down, and try to sound a little more confident," Ris suggested.

Renée did as she was told and the broom jumped to life and soared to her hand.

"Hey! I did it! Thanks, Ris," Renée said happily.

"No problem," Ris responded, glad that she could help.

Madame Hooch then gave them all instructions to mount their brooms. She walked around to make sure that everyone was holding their broom correctly. After fixing a few people, she then instructed them to attempt to take off. Again, Shannon excelled, and Ris noticed that Jer wasn't doing that bad either. Ris was able to get off the ground fine, but she much preferred her feet on the ground. While up in the air, she saw that Alex wasn't doing half bad and seemed to be enjoying himself. Renée on the other hand, after she had gotten the nerve to get into the air, was sickly white and was gripping the handle for dear life. She didn't stay up in the air for long and only rose half as high as Ris before tilting her broom forward and touching the ground again.

Ris tilted her broom forward and landed next to Renée, figuring that someone had to talk to her and everyone else was enjoying the flying too much to notice.

"Not too fond of heights either?" Ris asked her.

"I guess not," Renée laughed half heartedly.

"You got into the air at least," Ris encouraged. "That's more than can be said for some of the other students." Ris cast a glance around and saw Madame Hooch still trying to get a Hufflepuff girl off the ground.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to be a Quidditch star anytime soon," Renée replied.

"Well, neither am I," Ris shrugged. "I don't like heights much either. Besides, the chances of everyone here being a Quidditch star are about as likely as us all getting struck by lightening."

Renée laughed fully at this. "I guess you have a point there, Ris."

"Occasionally I do." Ris smirked.

The sound of Madame Hooch's whistle stopped their conversation as it signaled for all of the students to land. She gave some closing remarks, commenting on common mistakes she noticed and dismissed the class.

"Wasn't it amazing?" Shannon asked on their way back to the castle.

"Something like that," said Renée.

"Don't be sore just cause I'm better than you at something," Shannon pouted.

"I'm more sore at my fear of heights. I'm glad that you're good at flying," Renée responded sensibly.

"Well, what's the opinion on flying from the rest of you?" Shannon asked, not wanting to pursue Renée's distaste for flying any longer.

"I thought it was brilliant," Alex chimed.

"See, Alex is Muggle-born and he liked it," Shannon directed at Renée.

"I didn't like it much, and I'm not Muggle-born," Ris said, rescuing Renée.

"Why didn't you like it?" Shannon queried.

"I prefer my feet on solid ground," Ris answered.

"And, you?" Shannon turned to Jer.

"What Pureblood doesn't like flying?" Jer answered simply.

"That's right," Shannon confirmed Jer's statement.

***

The weeks passed in a similar fashion. They'd go to their classes and have conversations ranging from serious matters to those that were completely ridiculous. They would roam the ground in their free time or sit in the common room and play wizard and Muggle games. They would also work on their assignments together, gradually learning everyone's strengths and weaknesses.

It was soon common knowledge between them that if you needed help with Transfiguration you would ask Jer, and for Charms, Ris. Shannon actually became the best with Potions, despite her hatred for Professor Snape and her traumatic first day. Renée was equally good at everything (except Potions, to Shannon's delight) but she was the most useful for getting any notes you missed while dozing off in Binn's class. Alex was decent at everything, but for the most part was out shined by the other four, but he didn't seem to mind at all, in fact he seemed to feel this was a benefit to him.

Ris gradually became more and more comfortable with her new found friends, so much so that she almost forgot about the full moon. She only remembered it when she saw the little 'P' she had placed in the corner of that day. She then realized that no one had really told her what she was to do for the full moon. She knew she needed the potion, but when and where? Where was she to go on the 'day'? What was she to tell her friends?

The answers to her questions came at the end of her Charms lesson that day. Professor Flitwick called her to his desk after he dismissed the class. Ris told her friends that she needed to talk to him and not to wait on her. She felt apprehensive; she wasn't sure she was able to pull this large of a lie off, especially with her new found friends.

"I'm certain you've been wondering what you need to do for the - ah, well - coming week," Professor Flitwick started. Ris just nodded in response and waited for him to go on.

"Well, experience from the past, and especially with the invention of the Wolfsbane Potion, we have decided that perhaps it would be best if you had a set excuse," he continued. "We have done some research, and - if your friends are to ask - you have cystic fibrosis. It is a generally fatal disease that really doesn't have a set cure yet and is fairly rare, no one at Hogwarts even has it. You are to say that once a month you must go and take a potion for a week and then have treatment the last day of the week. You understand all that?"

Ris gulped and nodded. "Cystic fibrosis, treatment once a month, got it."

"Good," Professor Flitwick confirmed. "Now, as to what will really happen. You will go down to the hospital wing after supper to receive your dose of the potion. As I am sure you are aware, the potion only helps to subdue the wolf, and does not completely suppress it. Also, the presence of humans makes it more difficult to control the wolf. That being the case, on the night of the full moon, the ground's keep, Hagrid, will lead you out into a safe part of the Forbidden Forest with the - ah, well - proper restraints."

Ris nodded slowly again, knowing exactly what Professor Flitwick meant by 'proper restraints'.

Professor Flitwick then proceeded to fill her in on the basis of the disease that she was now supposed to know everything about as she would have been born with it if she was infected by it. It was a lot of information, and Ris hoped she could remember it all.

"Well, you had better be on your way Miss Klein," he said, ushering her out the door. "Your friends are no doubt wondering what's taking so long."

Ris' friends were indeed wondering what took so long and asked her such when she joined them at the table for lunch.

"I just had a few questions about the homework he assigned is all," Ris answered with a shrug.

They finished their lunch without further mention of it and made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ris tried her best to not to let her nerves and uneasiness show through during the class, but Professor Lupin obviously still noticed as he called her to his desk after he dismissed class. Again, she told her friends that she would just meet them in the common room.

"Yes, Professor?" Ris said sheepishly as she approached his desk.

"I just wondered if there was any advice you'd like to hear," he said with a smile. "Any questions you'd like answered. Being as I have some experience in the matter."

"I just wish I didn't have to lie," Ris said softly.

"That was always the hardest part for me too," Professor Lupin nodded. "But, I was left to come up with my own excuses, at least it isn't quite as difficult for you. Eventually my friends found out, but they were much better at coming up with excuses and backing them up than I ever was."

"Your friends found out?" Ris asked, surprised by this.

"And stayed my friends, yes," he finished her actual question and confirmed it. "I had very good friends."

"What did you do for the full moon then?" Ris continued her questions.

"Well, back then, the Wolfsbane Potion hadn't been invented yet, so you can imagine that it was a bit more difficult," he started. "Madame Pomfrey would escort me out to Whomping Willow - have you seen that tree on the grounds?"

Ris shook her head. "No, sir."

"It's planted just beyond the Quidditch pitch, I wouldn't recommend going near it," the professor warned with a smile. "Anyway, there's a secret tunnel under there that leads to an old abandoned house in Hogsmeade. I would spend my full moons there where I couldn't hurt anyone."

"Why aren't I going there then?" Ris asked. "Wouldn't that make more sense than taking me out into the forest?"

"Believe it or not, the Forbidden Forest is actually safer for you at this point in time," he answered with a sigh. "We have reason to suspect that the old house I used may not be safe, whereas in the forest, nothing will come near a werewolf, or Hagrid, when he escorts you in and out."

"What are you going to do?" Ris couldn't help but ask.

"I'll be locked in my office," he answered simply.

"Couldn't I just stay with you?" Ris asked hopelessly, already knowing the answer.

"Too many things could go wrong in that scenario," he answered, shaking his head. "Surely, you already knew that. Rumors, even more excuses to be made, not to mention if either of us was found out the other would easily be linked."

"Yeah," Ris said with a sigh. "That was kind of a last ditch effort question."

"Besides, you'll change before I do," he said in an offhanded manner.

"What?" Ris was taken aback by this statement.

"It's not a very well known fact, but, yes, the longer you are a werewolf the later you change," Professor Lupin answered. "It's not by a large amount, but the difference between you, who has been a werewolf for almost four months, and myself, having a couple decades on you, would be a noticeable difference."

"Why don't people know this?" she asked.

"Well, saying as most of the magical community doesn't really care, no one has observed this fact," he answered simply. "Not to mention that it would dangerous for someone's health to watch a werewolf transform."

"I suppose it would be..." Ris said, trailing off in thought. "Sir, what do...wild packs do about that?"

"Well, I believe that the length of time that you are able is more determined on your willingness to hold back the wolf," Professor Lupin answered. "That is, the longer you are a werewolf, the stronger your ability is to fight it.

"That being the case, the Alphas of wild werewolf packs tend not to want to resist the wolf. So, whereas some of the people in the pack may not want to be there, nonetheless transform, they are left with little choice for their own safety."

"So, is it possible that, if a werewolf lived long enough, that they could fight off the wolf for the whole night?" she could not resist asking.

"Well, it is theoretically possible," he started. "However, as most werewolves have a shorter life span than humans due to our body being reconstructed twice a month, it is doubtful that a werewolf would reach the age that that would become possible. My calculations show that one would have to be well over one hundred years of age."

"Oh," was all that Ris could muster for a response.

"I was rather disappointed when I found that out, too," he said with a small smile. "Do you have any other questions for me?"

"No, sir," Ris answered, shaking her head.

"You'll be fine," Professor Lupin said, hoping to encourage her some. "You're a smart girl, you'll be able to handle everything."

"Thanks, Professor Lupin," said Ris with a half smile.

"I'll be seeing you next week then," he said with a smile. "We were looking over your essay."

"Thank you again," Ris said with a wave as she headed to the door. He returned her wave as she exited the classroom.

She walked slowly back to the common room, wanting some time alone to sort her thoughts. She found herself at the door soon than she expected and found that she really didn't want to solve any riddles besides the one that was her life, but she was left with little choice. She lifted the knocker and let it fall.

"A very pretty thing am I, fluttering in the pale-blue sky. Delicate, fragile on the wing, indeed I am a pretty thing. What am I?"

Ris blinked in surprise. Certainly it couldn't be that easy? Maybe it could sense when you really didn't want to deal with solving riddles.

"A butterfly?" she said cautiously, still not certain that it could be that easy.

"Very good," the voice congratulated her.

Ris was not going to argue an easy riddle and quickly went into the common room and found her friends.

"Hey, Ris," Shannon called when she saw the girl approaching them. Ris gave a small wave and smile in response.

"What did you have to talk to Lupin about?" Jer asked her as she sat down.

"Oh, we were just going over the essay he assigned," Ris answered. "Wanted to make sure that I understood everything right."

"You have to wonder?" Shannon asked in disbelief. "You're smart, I don't see why you have to ask all these teachers about stuff."

"I just like to double check things," Ris said with a shrug, her checks turning a light shade of pink.

Ris was saved any more pressing questions by the appearance of Kat, who made a typical entrance. She had bounded up behind Shannon's chair and preceded to put her into a semi-headlock from behind.

"'Ello, kiddies!" she greeted them, getting groans and chuckles in response. "It's time for din-din!"

"Already?" Renée asked, surprised.

"Yes, yes, already," Kat answered, sounding annoyed. "C'mon, I'm hungry. A hard day's work of classes tires me out."

"Don't need to tell me twice," Jer said, raising his hands in surrender to Kat's demand.

"I'd be gone already if you weren't pinning me down!" Shannon said, pulling at Kat's arms.

"So pushy," Kat said, shaking her head as she released Shannon.

The group headed down to the Great Hall and joined their table and enjoyed another Hogwarts meal while continuing conversation. Ris found that she was having problems concentrating on their conversations and would only force a smile or laugh whenever it seemed that she should be doing so. She hoped that none of them would notice, but her friends showed to be too good for her own good.

"You okay, Ris?" asked Renée, who was sitting across from her. "You look like you're a million miles away."

Ris took a moment to realize that she had been addressed, and then she found herself searching for what answer she wanted to give.

"Oh - I - Um..." she faltered, trying to think of what to say. She sighed and tried to regain her composure, deciding that now was the time to start her biggest lie yet. "I guess I'm nervous."

"'Bout what?" Shannon asked. "Can't be about school work, we don't have any big test soon, do we?"

"N-no, it's not school work," Ris answered hesitantly. "It's - I - that is...I'm sick, really sick, and I start treatment tonight."

"What?" they chorused together, making some heads turn their way. Ris felt herself flush and waited a few moments before expanding on the situation she had just brought to their attention.

"I have cys-cystic fibrosis," she said slowly, tripping over her words. "It-it's a lung disease. There's no known cure yet, but I v-volunteered to, well, be a guinea pig of sorts, I guess."

"You don't seem sick," Alex said, looking at her questioningly.

"It has its spells," Ris said, trying to remember everything Professor Flitwick had told her about the condition. "I've just been lucky that it's been this good this month. The treatment is supposed to make it so I'm like this all the time."

"What do you have to do for the treatment?" Renée asked.

"I have to go down to the hospital wing once a month," Ris answered. "For a week I just go down and take potions and little 'mini-tests' I guess you could call them. Then, at the end of that week, I have to spend a night in the hospital wing so they can monitor everything and make sure nothing's going wrong."

"How long will you have to do this?" Renée asked, sounding worried.

"Un-until they find a cure," Ris answered.

"You not in any danger by doing this, are you?" Kat asked.

"N-no, they guarantee that...that I'll be...okay," Ris said, trailing off slightly at the absolute irony of her words.

"Nothing better happen to you," Kat said with a curt nod. "Or else there'll be hell to pay."

Ris smiled weakly at the sentiment. "Nothing should happen," she said again to reassure everyone's fears.

The conversation turned to what they could do to the 'Doctors' if anything did go wrong. Ris took a moment to look over at Jer. He was being uncharacteristically quiet and that was a hard thing to miss. She could have sworn that he had been looking at her a moment earlier, but when she looked at him his gaze had shifted to the others. Jer's uncanny ability to do that when something came up that closely addressed her real condition was starting to make her nervous.

Supper soon ended and Ris excused herself from the others to head to the hospital wing. When she reached the door she hesitated a moment and attempted to steel herself. She opened the door and looked around.

"Back here, dear," called a pleasant voice.

Ris traced the voice to be coming from the office in the corner of the room. She closed the door behind and and approached the office.

"Good evening, Miss Klein," Madame Pomfrey said warmly when Ris entered her office.

"Good evening, ma'am," Ris responded with a small nod.

"Professor Snape just dropped off your dose," she said, picking up a large steaming goblet and handed it to Ris.

A look of disgust involuntarily crept across Ris' face and she took the goblet from Madame Pomfrey.

"Come now, dear," Madame Pomfrey encouraged her. "The sooner it's down, the sooner it's done.

Ris flashed Madame Pomfrey her disgusted look before tipping the contents of the goblet into her mouth. It was a wretched and foul-tasting drink. Ris had it for the first time last month, but that did not give her time to grow used to the taste, and she doubted she ever would. She could only manage a few swallows at a time before her body reacted and she had to stop so she could cough before drinking any more. After a few minutes, she finally finished the large goblet and handed it back to Madame Pomfrey, covering her mouth with her other hand as she continued coughing.

"There you are," Madame Pomfrey said with a smile. "Careful that you do not forget a dose, I believe you know the consequences if you do?"

Ris gave a nod in response and added, "Are you sure there's no way to make it taste better?"

"Quite sure, off you go now," Madame Pomfrey said, shooing Ris out of her office.

***

Ris' week followed the same manner for the week, much the same as her previous month at school, with the added interruption of taking a disgusting potion every night after dinner. A week from when Professor Flitwick told her her cover story, Ris was feeling extremely apprehensive, and extremely tired.

"Are you sure these treatments are supposed to help?" Shannon asked Ris at breakfast that morning.

"Hm? Oh, yes, it'll help," Ris said, somewhat distracted.

"You don't look better," Shannon pressed.

"The - uh - symptoms need to be full fledge in order for them to d-determine if what their doing is...is working," Ris answered weakly.

"If you say so," Shannon said, not sounding convinced. "But I think we should pay these doctors a visit tonight."

"No!" Ris answered a little too quickly. "No, I'm not to have visitors."

"Why not?" Renée asked.

"Might...mess up test results," Ris answered.

"If you say so," Shanon said with a sigh.

"Sorry," Ris said weakly.

Classes that day did not go as well as usual for Ris. She was too tired and too nervous to focus on her work. Professor Lupin gave her a small, though be it equally tired, smile as she left the classroom, but complied to her unspoken wish that she did not want to talk at the moment. She barely ate at supper and excused herself early, with words of encouragement from her friends as she left.

Despite her rush to get out the hall, she did not want to go the hospital wing this early either. She contended herself by sitting next to a statue that was down the hall from the hospital wing. After forcing herself through a chapter of her book, she realized that distracting herself from the wolf was futile. She could feel the wolf rousing, it was still a very unusual sensation to have two consciouses fighting for control of her mind and now it was coming to its peak.

Ris checked her watch and saw that supper would soon be over and thought it best that she not be in the hallway when that happened. She entered the hospital wing to find Madame Pomfrey bustling about her store cupboards.

"Oh, you're a little earlier than I expected, dear," she said when she heard Ris enter the room. "We can't leave until everyone's out of the Great Hall; want to minimize the chances of anyone seeing you. You can go ahead and go into my office and take your potion."

Ris did as she was told without a word. The potion, if possible, tasted even fouler than it had all week and she had a very difficult time downing the whole goblet. She could feel that the wolf recognized the potion from last month and was fighting her drinking it. It most likely shared her knowledge that this was the crucial dose; if she missed this one, the potion would not achieve full effectiveness and the wolf would be dominate during the transformation.

After she gagged down the potion, she doubled over in a coughing fit and she wondered if a few minutes was long enough for the potion to take full effect, as she was afraid that she would lose it. Madame Pomfrey showed up at her side and rubbed her back.

"You can fight it, Amaris," she said encouragingly. "The Great Hall should be clear now. Let's get you out to Hagrid's."

Ris straightened and took a deep breath. Madame Pomfrey had gone ahead to make sure the hallway was clear. Ris heard her shooing away some students and vaguely wondered if they were her friends. She soon found that her thoughts could not stray long and it was taking all of her nervous and frightened conscious to fight the anger and wantings of the wolf.

She suddenly found herself outside, Madame Pomfrey leading her with a firm grip on her arm. They were outside a hut and Madame Pomfrey was talking to the large man that had led them across the lake a month ago.

"She's having a violent reaction to the potion tonight," Ris heard Madame Pomfrey telling the giant man. "She never reacted this badly and as far as I know Remus has not either. I'm not sure why..."

"It's angry," Ris managed to say.

Both of the adult stared at her. Their looks showed that they perfectly understood what she meant.

"You better get her out there quickly," Madame Pomfrey told Hagrid. "Who knows when she'll transform now."

"Righ'," the giant man replied in a gruff voice.

Ris suddenly felt her feet leave the ground and gave a squeak of surprise.

"Sorry," Hagrid said in response to her surprise, "but it's the best way t' get ya out there quick enough."

Ris grabbed a handful of the man's moleskin coat and he carried her into the woods at a run. She was inwardly grateful that the Ravenclaw common room did not have a good view of Hagrid's hut.

"Dumbledore's got ev'rything se' up fer ya," he told her as they traveled deeper into the forest. "Nice long chain, magically reinforced, too, and the end's enchanted t' fit comfortably around whatever it's around."

Ris was certain that the man thought that talking to her may be helping her, but she did not find his topic particularly comforting.

They reached their destination and Hagrid set her down gently by a tree. She leaned her back against it and hugged her knees, fighting the wolf desperately until Hagrid was gone. She heard him approach her and she automatically exposed her neck. She felt the chain tighten to fit her neck just right. She then waited until she couldn't hear Hagrid's footsteps anymore. She wasn't sure if it was her submission to the wolf or if the wolf had overpowered her, but the pain was horrible just the same.

She screamed as she fell forward so she was standing on all fours. Her body was on fire, every bone breaking and reforming. She could hear and feel her robes tear around her as she transformed. Her scream of pain gradually turned into a feral howl of freedom.

Just as soon as the pain came, it was gone. She opened her eyes and, as if for the first time, she realized she was in a forest. A large forest. Excitement filled her and she needed to run, run like all wolves should be able to do, run as she had been denied thus far. She bounded forward, and then was pulled backwards by her neck. She looked behind her and remembered the chain and started to bite at it.

Then she realized that she was aware of what she was doing. Ris knew what she was doing. She immediately stopped chewing on the chain and trotted back and forth several times in an attempt to burn the wolf's excitement.

She eventually laid down at the base of the tree and attempted to fall asleep. The wolf was very annoyed that not only was it chained to this tree so it could not roam the forest like it was meant to do, but its consciousness was being shared; it wasn't in control.

After a few hours of Ris trotting around the tree - the wolf forcing her to run to the end length of the chain several times - it finally submitted to defeat and Ris was finally able to curl up and rest.

***

Her ear perked at the sound of a bird chirping and she awoke with a start. If birds were singing, then the sun would soon rise. Sure enough, the clouds were tinged pink by the sun getting ready to begin its ascent. She mentally prepared herself for changing back into her preferred form. As the peeked over the horizon her body was once again set on fire. An anguished howl escaped her which trailed off after it became human again and she collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.

Ris was suddenly aware that she was still wearing all of her clothes when she transformed, consequently, leaving her without clothes now. Blushing furiously, she scrambled to get next to the tree and cover herself as best she could. She heard a crunch of leaves and was about to call out a warning to her current state, but she then realised that she had suddenly become clothed. She gasped and looked around to see who had come to get her.

Professor Dumbledore was standing several feet away, a hand gracefully covering his eyes while the other was pointing his wand at her. He chuckled and said, "I assume you are decent now, Miss Klein."

"Er - y-yes, sir," Ris stammered, still beet red.

"You must forgive us for not thinking that you would have difficulties with your potion," Professor Dumbledore apologized, lowering his hand and giving her his twinkling smile. "I must admit that I'm not certain that the potion has gotten the chance to be used by new werewolves."

"It's alright, sir," Ris muttered.

"But, it appeared as though you eventually got things under control?" he asked her.

"I did," she answered at once. "It was weird. At first it seemed like the wolf was in control, but then a realized that I was aware, that I didn't black out like before."

"That is most excellent," the Professor said with a nod. "Though I do feel that slightly different arrangements may be necessary on the night of the full moon."

"That could be a good idea," Ris said sheepishly.

"I thought so," Professor Dumbledore said with a smile. "Your new arrangements will hopefully be settled shortly, and we will inform you of them as soon as possible."

"Thank you, sir."

"Hopefully your ability to fight the wolf during your last dose of potion will become more refined as time goes on," he added to help give her some hope.

"Hopefully," Ris echoed.

"Let's get you to the castle," he said, flicking his wand. The chain around her neck fell to the ground. "I really do regret that this is a necessary precaution."

"I was thankful for it last night," Ris assured him. "If I wasn't chained there I'm not sure how well I could have fought the wolf."

"I'm glad that it is needed then," he said with a small nod. "I was afraid you would resent me for it."

"Not at all, sir," Ris said quickly.

"Very good. We must be getting back to the school."

Ris then made to get up, but was soon reminded that she was quite sore as soon as she moved. She winced in pain and she forced her muscles to respond and they fought with fire. Professor Dumbledore moved forward and placed an arm across her back to help support her. Ris was certain it could not be very comfortable for him to do that as he was halfway bent over so he could reach her, but she was grateful for the extra support. They made their way slowly back to Hogwarts, the journey not helping Ris feel any better at all. They eventually made it to the hospital wing, where Ris graciously sat on one of the beds.

"I think it would be alright for you to miss your classes today, Miss Klein," Professor Dumbledore told her with a smile. "You may join your friends whenever you feel up to it, if they don't come here first."

"Thank you, sir," Ris said with a weak smile as she attempted to get into a comfortable position on the bed. Ris eventually found a comfort and was soon fast asleep.