TERM 7 - We're Still on a Mission - Gamekeeper's Hut - Hunter, Morgana, Ryland, Lucy

Running through the courtyard to avoid bumping into anyone, she quickly made it to the Covered Bridge. When she finally tstopped running and caught her breath, Lucy turned to Hunter. "You know what a werewolf is, right?" she said, pulling on the straps of the backpack. "Humans who turn into wolves every month during the full moon?" Maybe he hadn't learned that in Care of Magical Creatures yet, and maybe he wouldn't get to since Professor Vega was no longer teaching. "Well, see one time during our Fifth Year, Ryland and I had a lesson over werewolves and..." she was hesotating, but didn't Hunter have the right to know? She bit her lip as she worried about how much she should tell and how much she should keep to herself. "Ryland's a werewolf, okay?" She blurted out. It stung even more when she said the words out loud. "And we're going to help him." That was all she was going to say about it now, Morgana could keep Hunter entertained.

Morgana rushed after Lucy, noting her stressed state. No wonder. If Morgana's calculations were correct, there was little time until the moon stood in the sky. She was constantly looking back at Hunter, wondering why on earth the kid had agreed to come. Maybe his curiosity got the best of him? Morgana didn't say it, but curiosity did kill the cat. But she was more positively surprised than annoyed; he was much braver than she had given him credit for.

Morgana listened to Lucy tell the story and that Ryland was a werewolf. She wondered how Ryland would take the sight of Hunter, if he'd be furious, or if his trust in Lucy would be so apparent that he wouldn't even question it. She noticed how Lucy fell silent when they reached the covered bridge, clearly very stressed by reaching the hut in time and not being spotted by anyone.

Morgana looked at Hunter again. "We're going to the Gamekeeper's Hut," she said, so he'd know the way and not rely too much on where to swing and where to turn. When they ran over the bridge, Morgana found herself in the stone circle, her favorite place, before dashing past it and down the stairs. She looked at Lucy, thinking one thing; she was glad she didn't have anyone she needed to worry this much about.

The sun was sinking even closer toward the horizon, and Hunter felt a rush of adrenaline flow through his body as he ran along behind the girls. He had never been outside of the castle after curfew - if they got caught, they'd be in so much trouble! But it was kind of exciting, like the time Aylee and Kynan had snuck him and Aoife into Hogsmeade. Only a bit different, because whatever they were doing now had a much greater sense of urgency behind it.

When they'd crossed the courtyard and made it to the covered bridge, which made it more difficult for them to be seen, Lucy turned and continued to explain the situation to him. She was going on about Werewolves or something. "Of course I know what a werewolf is! I have a television, you know," he scoffed. There were all kinds of shows and movies and books about werewolves, even in the muggle world! They were just pretend monsters, though, weren't they? Like zombies and Frankenstein.

Apparently not. Hunter felt his jaw drop open slightly at the revelation that Ryland was a werewolf. "He's really a werewolf?" Hunter asked incredulously, staring at Lucy as though she'd grown an extra head. If Ryland was a werewolf, what did that even mean? Were werewolves evil? Ryland definitely didn't seem like an evil person. Maybe he couldn't even help being a werewolf. Maybe he was a nice person who just happened to turn into a monster once a month. That didn't make him evil. A bit scarier than before, but not evil.

"You're not kidding?" Lucy didn't seem to be kidding. Not at all. If anything, she seemed to be really worried. So, hoping to not stress the older girl out even further, he quickly closed his mouth and nodded his head to show that he understood. "Okay, then," he said. "I suppose I owe him, anyway, from when he helped me out of that trick stair," Hunter said, although he knew that this situation was a thousand times more serious. He just wanted Lucy to realize that he didn't think any differently of Ryland than he did before.

They had only stopped for a moment before taking off at a run again. Morgana informed him that they were headed to the hut, and it was nice to know where they were going. "Got it," he said, picking up his speed to run alongside him now that he knew which direction to go. He noted the low sun again and suddenly realized the need to hurry. Ryland would transform once it set. A small jolt of fear rose up inside him, but he quickly pushed it back down. Lucy wasn't stupid, they wouldn't get hurt. And besides, he'd already agreed to help.

With his hands on his head, Ryland sat on the small table inside Hagrid's Hut. Where was Lucy? The sun a minute away from sinking into the horizon and his sister was nowhere near him. He stood up and paced a few times, what if she doesn't get here and I turn while I'm still here waiting for her? His head was suddenly crowded with a thousand 'what-ifs' and he couldn't help but worry even more.

"Lucy...Where are you?" he wondered out loud as he looked out the window, seeing three shadows approaching. Three? What the-? One of them was clearly his sister, but the other two were harder to recognize. After a few seconds, he realized they were Hunter, the boy he'd helped out of a staircase once, and Morgana, the parseltongue. Panicking, Ryland put his hood up to hide his face from the setting sun and walked out the door to meet them. "Lucy." he said simply, not sure what to make of his sister's companions. Not wanting to be rude, he simply gave them a nod.

As the hut became visible, Lucy slowed down once again. This much running was tiring her, but this was all for her brother. She turned to Hunter and Morgana after she saw Ryland exiting the hut. "He won't be angry with you." she assured them, knowing well that her brother was aggressive only with those that provoked him, not with young kids who had been dragged along by Lucy. "I've got everything you need." she said to Ryland and took off her backpack, opening it and revealing a change of clothes and food. "And here's the potion." she said as she reached into the front pocket and took out the Wolfsbane, that blue liquid that Ryland hated so much, yet needed in order to keep him sane. "Don't worry about them." she said, "They won't say anything, I trust them." Just as she said so, she turned to look at the two younger kids, especially Hunter. Even though she was sure of Morgana, could Lucy trust someone as curious as Hunter? He had been brave enough not to walk out minutes ago, so he had proved to be a good enough friend.

As they got within a few yards of the hut, the door opened and Ryland stepped out to meet them. Hunter felt a slight jolt of panic in his stomach at the sight of the older boy - how would he react to seeing him there? He hardly knew Ryland, and he didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable with his presence. But Lucy assured him that Ryland wouldn't be angry. Hunter couldn't really tell if he was angry or not - Ryland didn't say anything to him, he only nodded. "Hi Ryland," Hunter greeted the boy in a friendly tone, though he didn't manage to smile along with it. It seemed too serious a moment to smile.

Hunter watched on curiously as Lucy fished around in her backpack and came up with a vial of blue liquid. Some kind of potion for Ryland. Hunter had no clue what it was. "What does that do?" he blurted out before he thought to stop himself. "Er, I mean..." Hunter just trailed off, not really sure what else to say. He didn't want to pry if it was personal. He was just curious was all. But Ryland didn't know that. "Sorry," was all that he managed to come up with after a moment.

He noticed that Lucy turned to look at him cautiously when she said that she trusted them. Hunter just nodded seriously, silently agreeing again to keep everything that was going on to himself. He might only be a second year, but he could understand when something was really important. And he wasn't about to go around talking about the events of the evening if it was going to hurt somebody - especially Ryland, who was quite nice compared to many other Hogwarts students.

When Lucy slowed down, Morgana followed suit. She wondered what was going on in Lucy's head at the moment. What it had to feel like to be this concerned about someone. Sure, Morgana was concerned when it came to her father, but not in this way. Not the 'run around after curfew risking severe point deductions because your brother is a werewolf' way.

She stopped as the door to the hut opened and Ryland stepped out. He looked normal. Tired and worried perhaps, but normal. He'd be fine. Morgana gave him a nod back to his nod and watched as Lucy pulled the potion out of her bag. And then Hunter asked what it was. Hadn't he heard of the wolf bane potion? Wasn't that common knowledge? She then figured that just because she'd read out all her school books and the ones for the sixth and seventh year didn't mean that he had. Maybe it wasn't that normal to know what it was.

"It's called the Wolfbane Potion," she said, "It is a potion that allows a human to keep his mind while in a wolf form." She looked at Ryland again, and then back to Hunter. "In other words, although Ryland will change, he won't go on a rampage and try to eat everyone he normally cares about," she said calmly to the second year.

Taking the food and clothes, Ryland gave them a half smile. "Thanks." he muttered. Surely, they were good friends of Lucy, and good connections for Ryland. Without even thinking about it, he hugged his sister tightly before nodding to Hunter and Morgana again. Finally, he turned to leave, but then a question came to mind. "I have a question." Ryland turned back around, "Are you scared of me?" He wasn't sure if he was talking to Hunter, or Morgana, or if he was really asking Lucy. He just wanted to know that they weren't.

Morgana watched the exchange of clothes and the potion to Ryland, which he took gratefully. He seemed a bit nervous. Not that that was weird, it was probably very normal. This was confirmed when he hugged Lucy in what seemed to be a very brotherly manner. She nodded back at him and watched as he was about to go before announcing that he had a question.

Morgana was a bit taken aback by the question, but she wasn't scared of him. Though that might be because of her default. She had no idea what fear really was. And besides, she trusted the wolfsbane potion. There was no way he was going to be dangerous after having consumed that.

She wondered if she should even bother to reply, but she decided that she could sacrifice a reply to the guy. Honestly, he really wasn't the worst company, and Morgana respected him. "I don't fear you," she said calmly, her voice strong and unfailing. What she didn't add was the question of whether he had asked that question to the right person. It should've been directed at himself. He seemed afraid of himself. However, she was pretty sure that he knew this. Or possibly knew this at least.

Wolfsbane potion. They could have come up with a more original name or something. "I see," Hunter said when Morgana explained it by saying that Ryland would keep his mind and not try to eat everyone in the castle. "Well... that's a good thing, I suppose..." What were you supposed to say when someone told you that?

The exchange was a quick one. Ryland didn't seem angry with them. He hugged Lucy, and Hunter wondered momentarily what was going through his mind. It was his first time becoming a werewolf - that wasn't exactly a milestone that most teenage boys had to go through. It must be terrifying. Hunter wondered if transforming into a werewolf was painful. Looking at Ryland, who was so nice, he really hoped not.

Ryland turned to go back inside then, and it seemed as though they were finished there. But the older boy hesitated, turned back around and asked a question. Are you scared of me? Morgana answered all seriously with her overly morbid voice and whatnot. Hunter hoped that his cheery tone wasn't rude considering the situation. "I'm scared of bears. And needles," Hunter said, shrugging his shoulders. "Wolves are okay by me! Except when they eat the chickens on the farm. That's a bit annoying. But not at all scary." Okay, maybe that wasn't the right thing to say. Oh well. "Guess I should've just said no, huh?" Hunter asked sheepishly, flashing Ryland a grin. Hopefully Ryland would find what he'd said humorous and not obnoxious.

Lucy almost hugged her brother again when his question hit her. It was, in a weird way, like a slap in the face. She couldn't possibly be afraid of Ryland. He was so...nice, naive even. Obviously, he had his faults, such as using violence as his method of protection, but he was learning how to be better. He hadn't used his hands for any violent outbursts since his fourth year, when he punched Wade in front of everyone.

She was still thinking about that when she heard Hunter rambling about not being scared of wolves. Except when they eat the chickens on the farm. That's a bit annoying. When he finished, Lucy stared at him blankly before breaking out into a full laugh. Before she turned to look at Ryland, Lucy said, "No, Hunter. Don't be afraid of saying what's on your mind." She was sure, whether Hunter believe it or not, that Ryland wouldn't be angry with him for it. "And, I can't be scared of someone who makes wonderful Tarte au Citron." She joked in a terrible french accent.

Glad that Morgana wasn't feeling anything negative towards him, Ryland gave her another nod. He figured the best way to deal with someone who's emotions were rare was to give her the same reactions. Therefore, a simple acknowledging nod would be enough for Morgana. He continued to listen as his green eyes turned to Hunter. The boy was rambling about wolves eating chickens and how they were annoying but not scary, and the whole situation was so lighthearted that Ryland couldn't stop himself from laughing.

"That's fine." Ryland replied with a smile still on his face. Now more comfortable with the two other people, he knew he was probably overthinking this. He'd done it before, but not at Hogwarts, and it couldn't be much different from the times before. At Lucy's reply, he simply smiled again and looked down. "I'll see you tomorrow." he said as he turned back around and headed out towards the forest, a place he thought he'd never go back to unless it was strictly needed for class. Though he wanted to, he didn't look back to see if his sister had left yet.

Out in the night, Kellin felt a lot more comfortable, but he also knew he had to be careful. Any sort of mistake and he could be found and taken to Azkaban. Most importantly, he could be discovered by people he actually cared about. He quietly made his way from his office to the grounds, were he would be able to meet James to discuss certain matters. Among the many things he wanted to talk about, was Wade's reluctance to do anything of his life and Ryland's new identity. They could always use a werewolf.

He passed by the stones leading to Hagrid's old hut, and as he was passing by he caught a glimpse of blonde hair. It wasn't any regular shade, it was the one that defined Lucy Malfoy. It was light enough to know she was a Malfoy, but had the dark tint her many hair products had left. Taking out his wand and casting the Lumos charm, Kellin pointed it towards the direction in which he had seen the streak, but found nothing.

He was disappointed, partly because he could get the traitor in trouble, but was also relieved because that meant he wouldn't have to take points off Slytherin. So Kellin kept walking, reaching the edge of the Forbidden Forest, in which he looked around and waited for any sign of James.

Wandering around aimlessly was without a doubt James' most joyous past-time. It was like, walking through a forest and suddenly seeing a wild creature come at you to kill you, and you just kill it first. Though, usually, the creature would be a human, and the human wouldn't be trying to kill you, just talk to you. James couldn't stop himself from grinning. And then he cleared his throat reminding himself that this wasn't a random trip around the forest.

A shame really. He oughtn't have reminded himself of that. He always lost his high spirit when he knew what he was about to do was highly important. But then he'd regain his high spirit, thinking that it was actually a rather wicked message he was about to bring. Having Kellin at Hogwarts was an advantage to them all, and now, here, was one of the reasons. Kellin was a teacher. In DaDA, which was quite convenient. This way, he'd most likely be able to spot out those who would be interested in joining their side. Oh, yes, this would be most advantageous to them all.

James apparated into the outskirts of the Dark Forest where the protective spells of Hogwarts ended, and produced a broom from nowhere, flying into the forest and setting down out of sight, before strolling casually through the forest as if he owned the place. And if he wanted to, he would. But unlike some dark lords, Hogwarts was not James' target. At least, not directly. So the castle could be just what it wanted to be, and he wouldn't care. He saw the trees loosen up and was able to see the night sky.

He scouted the area, and could see a moving shadow. It was just like Kellin to not leave James waiting. He smirked and walked towards the tall person. "Ah, well, isn't this just a lovely night?" James said, exhaling and relaxing, looking at the stars.