The Cycle of the Sun Wolf.

Luna Piena

The moon had a role in many things. It influenced the tides, the migration of birds and the lives of many. The moon's biggest role in Nuntis' life due to the moon cycle. Each month without fail the full moon would rise and her body would change. Oh, how she wished on occasion that her monthly problem was a period. As the moon moved through its cycle, she changed too. Nights when the moon was new, she felt energised. The lack of the cause for her monthly transformation gave her energy like nothing else. No sleep, no pepper-up potion could match it. Meanwhile, the full moon drained her. Perhaps some of it was the dread of the upcoming conversion from one form to the other. The change itself was not painful like it was for bitten wolves, but she did not associate it with happy thoughts and feelings. Once a month flashes of those squalid dens, fighting, nursing wounds, and limping home to her mother filled her brain. Despite the absence of physical pain, those full moon nights always gave her the desire to scream.

Nuts was the first to arrive in the shrieking shack. She had easily followed the instructions to enter the hidden tunnel. Her scarred skin was concealed by the low light of the slowly setting sun. Typically, she wore what was considered as very modest clothing, hiding the scars on her arms and neck from view. Yet, tonight her comfort came first. So, there she sat in her too big, hooded jumper, re-reading little women whilst waiting for her fellow wolf to arrive. Nuntis chewed on the sleeve of the said hoodie as she read, engrossed in the lives of the sisters as minutes passed and the sun approached dusk. He was cutting it close.

Poppy Pomphrey was the school's resident medi-witch and the first to enter the shack. She was soon followed by an exhausted Remus Lupin. He glanced at her, his gaze curious and full of trepidation as Poppy deposited him on the ancient couch. It was held together by many mending charms and looked as if it would fall apart at any moment. His shoulders were slumped and the bags under his eyes were dark and pronounced. This showed him in a very different light to how she has seen him previously. Out of the group that he spent most of his time with, Remus was the most easily approachable of the four boys. Many would go to him for help with their homework assignments or exam preparation. Out of them all, he was the least likely to refuse to help or tease someone for asking for it. Here, he seemed so small and weak. Nuntis was snapped from her train of thought by Pomphrey rushing past her. The movement caused a small breeze to caress the Slytherin's face. Her sensitive ears picked up Poppy's fleeing steps as she made her way through the passage and to safety. Smart. Running away to safety was incredibly smart.

Her companion let out a huff of air. "I guess this is a I won't tell if you don't kind of situation?" Remus commented bitterly before shaking his head. "Wait. No. I'm sorry." The boy stood and weakly made his way towards her. He offered out his hand. "If we are going to spend a night a month together then I think we should be friends." He could see Nuntis' contemplation clear upon her face as she studied him, book forgotten, and page lost by her side. It was most likely half a minute a most that had passed before she accepted his hand and shook it, but it felt like minutes. As she did so, the unchewed sleeve fell to reveal her arm. It housed many miss-matched scars. Remus hadn't expected the area to match his is such a way while also being worse. Whilst his were the product of the transformation from man to wolf and back, the young Slytherin's arm looked like it had been mangled at one point and well, he wasn't far off the truth.

Nuntis' eyes widened when she realised what he could see. Hurriedly, she pushed her jumper back into place to hide the scars once more. She pressed a finger to her lips and nodded once. He copied the motion before beginning to scratch wherever his clothing touched his skin. "Um. Clothes, they itch. C-ca, Can I ta-take them of-off?" He asked. The scent of his embarrassment was thick in the air and matched his reddening face. "Stops. It, erm, Sto-stops them from get-ge-getting ru-ruined."