Dark Magic

Guilt

Whatever words escaped Dumbledore's lips in the next few moments were drowned out by the ringing in my ear. My mind swirled in a daze, trying to force out the words Snape had just spoken in the hopes I would forget them. I knew, from his usual tone of voice, they were calming; probably trying to explain to me what happens next. Something about the Whomping Willow Tree.....Safe.....Stay.....Full Moon.

I shot up from my hospital bed, forcing the physical pain away as I fled to the opposite side of the room where a mirror sat. I tore at the bandage around my neck, my eyes staring at the bite wound that had started to scab over in attempt to heal itself. 'It was going to leave a nasty scar.' Trying to worry about less important things than the problem now at hand, my lips parted and my voice trembled, "Oh." Was all I could muster as I turned back to face the group.

The teacher's and students eyed me with a flood of emotion; some of shock, confusion, anger and pity. I did not want their pity. This was my mess....Not theirs. They all watched me silently, almost as though they were waiting for me to explode or transform into a beast before them.

Anger flourished in my stomach, my eyes narrowing into slits, "Can you all stop looking at me like that? I'm not dead!" I spat venomously, trying to subdue the continuous rise in anger inside me. Dumbledore heaved a deep breath, nodding as he regained his usually motionless expression, "Miss Potter, you do understand what this means for you?"

Nodding, I forced the thought of turning into a werewolf each month from my mind. All of the scars Lupin had from his excruciating transformations, the loneliness that comes with the condition, the exile...

"I understand. Where is Professor Lupin?" I asked, exchanging swift glances between the group. Snape scoffed, furiously averting his gaze to the floor, "Packing his things, with any luck."

His statement caught me off guard as my eyebrows furrowed, "What? Why would he-" I cut myself short, my stomach dropping at the realisation, "-He's leaving." I gulped.

Dumbledore nodded, "My attempts to convince him to stay until the end of the term were futile, Miss Potter. But, perhaps, you might be able to persuade him otherwise?" The wise man's eyebrows raised hopefully.

Snape laughed sarcastically, "She's not going anywhere near that thing!"

"THAT THING IS MY GODFATHER!" I exploded, the room shuddering slightly at my outburst as fear overcame my brother and his two friends, the sound of Ron whimpering in his hospital bed causing the guilt to overwhelm me. They were frightened of me. All of them were. Frightened of what I was now capable of. Already, they were seeing me differently...

My head and now open wound began to throb as I looked over my arms and legs, which were covered in bruises from the night before. Swaying a little, Madam Pomfrey stepped forth and held my shoulders to keep me from falling over. "Miss Potter, you need to rest." She tried to usher me back to the bed but I held my ground, shaking my head at her, "No, I need to see Remus."

Snape stepped forth, his eyes finally meeting mine, "As your Head of House, I won't allow it."

"This is far more than kids at Hogwarts, Severus!" I spat, feeling the fury course through my veins, once more. Was the venom of the werewolf bite affecting my hormones so greatly?

"Miss Potter is right." Dumbledore agreed, preventing my Potion's Master from arguing with me anymore. "Professor Lupin will be leaving this afternoon. Poppy," His attention diverted onto the healer, "Please can you try to ensure Miss Potter is alright to leave the hospital wing before then?"

Madame Pomfrey nodded, a slight doubt lingering in her eyes as they found my own, "I'll try my best, Headmaster."

Finally allowing her to guide me back into bed, she requested that everyone leave me to rest whilst she cleaned my wounds, changed my bandages and administered more potions to increase the speed of my recovery.