The dark stained wooden floorboards creaked under my feet with each slow step. A muffled cracking came from the bathroom, followed by panicked stomping. With each familiar laugh, from Bella, followed a high pitched hum of a nursery rhyme I couldn't quite remember the name of.

As I approached the tall, dark painted door, Narcissa flung it open.

Her hair hung static and wild against her shoulders. New white stripes framing her face, contrasting drastically to her dark hair. Her face was tainted with a red glow. Breathing erratic and eyes wide with fear.

Her clammy hands shoved me brutally away from the handle I was going to reach for, before she had opened it from the other side.

I staggered backwards, about to topple over the banister when quickly my shirt was pulled forward to stop my fall. A ripping sound breaking the tension in the hallway.

I looked up at Andromeda who had saved my fall, coming to also investigate the commotion.

"Cissy, what's going on?" She said in a stern voice. Her hand resting on her waist, the other still tightly clenched around my ripped shirt.

Narcissa's eyes started watering, her bottom lip quivering at the question. Andromeda repeated her question, sending Narcissa into a fit of sobs.

Andy finally let go of my shirt and reached for the new white chunks in Narcissa's hair. Her breathing hitched.

"How did you- whats Bella doing in there?" Andy coughed out, her eyes fearing what was behind the door. Narcissa didn't answer, all she did was grab me and held me close to her chest. Turning me around so I couldn't peak into the bathroom as Andromeda began to unlock the door with her wand.

"Oh...oh no" Andromeda's voice was muffled from the sound of Narcissa's arms holding me too tightly, my ears pressed against her clothes. Her heart pounding against them. Bellatrix didn't stop laughing, a quiet laugh. Nervous perhaps.

"He attacked me Andy what was I supposed to do?" I heard Bella wail.

"Where's Reggie?" Andy shouted at Narcissa. At that moment, I was released. My light body picked up into her arms, placed on her hip like an infant and taken to Sirius and Regulus' room.

"He's in here, so is Artemis. They're both okay." Narcissa's voice wobbled. Shoving me into the room with the curious looking baby in the crib in the corner.

"Is Sirius...?" She yelled, panicked at Andromeda, not being able to finish the sentence, before she locked the door behind me, so that I couldn't get out.

It wasn't until I was left alone in the large room, the only sounds to be heard being Regulus' gargles, that I saw in the reflection of the window the blood smeared over my face from Narcissa's protective hands. They weren't clammy.

I was shook awake from my sleep by Marlene brushing the sweaty hair from my face. I froze and gave her a questioning look.

"You have a fever. Are you not feeling good?" She looked concerned. Yet also brushing the sweat gathered from my forehead onto my bedsheets from her hands. I shook my head and gave a weak smile.

"You can't be ill, we've got that hogsmead trip
Planned!" She said as if it was the most devastating moment to miss out on.

"I'm feeling fine Marlene, don't worry" I laughed quietly. It was morning but the sound of Alice snoring told me it wasn't time to get up.

"Good...bad dream?" Her shoulders slumped as she climbed back into her own bed, propping herself up on her shoulders to face and talk to me. I nodded ashamed.

"Sirius gets them all the time- " she shared like it wasn't sharing personal information. She smiled sadly at me "you too?"

I nodded again. Not finding the right words to respond.

"Showers should be pretty much empty at this time in the morning if you want to go down and wash the nightmare away" she suggested. I dragged myself out of bed.

"That's a good idea, thanks" I smiled sincerely at her. She stopped me before I left completely and whispered over.

"Don't be afraid to wake one of us up if you've had a rough sleep. Sirius says-" she begun but I cut her off.

"Thank you Marlene." I smiled and left the room to head to the girls bathroom.

As I closed the door behind me and looked up across the other end of the two way stairs, a familiar frame was leaning against the boys dorm door. Remus.

He smiled softly at my presence, acknowledging me with a thin pressed line.

"Good morning." we both hummed at the same time. I wandered out of the Gryffindor portrait door, with no sign that Remus was leaving his spot outside the steps of the boys dorm.

The showers, like Marlene said, were empty. All except a sleepy looking Ravenclaw girl brushing her teeth near the sinks and reaching for muggle makeup from a small bag. Other than that, I had the entire large room to myself. It was peaceful. Something I needed.

The hot water was calming against my cold skin, relaxing my tensed muscles. The steam invading my shower cubicle, and the only sound being the trickle of the water finding its way down the drain below my feet. Simple things for my senses to focus on.

I stood there for a while, without washing. Letting my eyes close, listening to the way the shower water hit like a pattern against my ears.

Suddenly I was thrown back into my nightmare. The sound of the shower in the background being something I had forgotten about. The hum of the pipes from the hot water, the steam escaping the bathroom as Narcissa swung the door open.

My eyes snapped open, panic filled my body as I couldn't see anything around me but the steam of the hot water. I quickly turned the handle off and grabbed the towel wrapping it around myself, pressing my back against the cold tiled walls to ground myself.

There was a knock on the cubical door.

"Hello? Are you okay in there?" I presumed it was the Ravenclaw girl from the sinks. I coughed clearing my voice and forced a laugh.

"Yeah I'm fine! Almost slipped that's all!" I called out. With that she wished me to be careful and I could hear her leaving the room.

*
Thankfully everyone seemed to be chirpier today. Energy had been restored.

James was back to irritating Lily and Lily back to entertaining and silently encouraging his behaviour by giving him a reaction each time.

Peter was back to asking too many questions with obvious answers and giggling at every joke anyone made.

Marlene was back to bullying anyone who showed signs of PDA, out of an interesting way to show approval of it. This always included Alice and Frank.

Sirius was back to making sarcastic comments every other second and was also another person who encouraged James' behaviour towards Lily. Though more obviously.

Remus was the same as yesterday though. Stood tall, made cocky comments and was overly 'laddish' with his male friends. Testosterone seemed the highest out of all of them.

I also was the same, quiet. Probably staring too much and at nothing at all. Overthinking and probably obviously so.

Lessons were the same too. The same syllabus, the same attitude given from certain teachers. The way they dragged out the day and pushed on a different students buttons with each dull fact voiced.

It was the last lesson, potions. Professor Slughorn beckoned us all into the dungeons enthusiastically.

"An exciting lesson for you all today! Tonight is the first full moon of the academic year. Many speculations surround the power the full moon has, especially when considering potion making!" He smiled joyously.

"Many of the most famous potion makers credit their successful findings to the power of the full moon. It's said to keep the searching up all night and fuel them power. This power comes in handy with luck" he clasped his hands excitedly together.

A groan escaped a Slytherin boys lips, Joaquin Brute. A studious looking guy, with more potential to be mistaken as a Ravenclaw at first impression.

"Is there a problem Mr. Brute?" Slughorn asked the boy rolling his eyes.

"Sir, I don't believe in the whole 'the moon gives me powers' stuff. It's all just...a placebo effect. Unless you have a curse." He stated and folded his arms securely, though not maliciously.

"You may be correct Mr. Brute but it's all part of the fun believing-" Slughorn winked in his direction "but thank you for making such a smooth transition. A curse, revolving around the full moon." He began. Peter began to nervously look in all directions other than the professor, as he stood beside me. I leant in and whispered in his ear.

"Don't look so scared Peter, Slughorn might use you as an example for one of his curses" I joked and Peter relaxed his shoulders with a strange smile.

"Wolfsbane potion. Currently being studied within the potions sector of the ministry. This isn't one in the textbooks." Slughorn almost giggled at his excitement, his statement gaining the attention of many students who previously looked bored- including Sirius.

"I've been given the go ahead to experiment today with you all. Very exciting stuff. Who knows, someone in this very room might perfect the potion." He glanced over to a smug looking Snape, who had already opened up a plan page in the back of a scribbly looking book. His hand shot up.

"Regarding the name and the reference to moon curses. One can only believe this is a cure for werewolves, Professor." Snapes eyebrows raised and interested in the topic. So was Sirius, he started scrambling for his own book to turn to a rough notes page, that was littered with taboo doodles.

"Not a cure unfortunately. Merely the mind of a werewolf...contained. It is thought, if perfected, this potion can reverse the mental change within the mind during a transformation. This would open many opportunities for those who are affected by the blood curse to...perhaps fight as soldiers for the ministry. But as I said, this is not yet an official potion. We do not know the results of its use or how it will be used by the ministry. Each potion made by you all today will be sent off for examination. If anyone discovers something that can aid the progression of this potion, a reward of recognition in the potions sector will be given. Perhaps a nice paper article too." Slughorn went on, clapping his hands every now and again like an excited child.

Wolfsbane being crushed down in the right way to be used to train werewolves as a weapon for the ministry of magic? Something didn't seem right there.

I think Remus was thinking the same thing, a confused look was plastered across his face.
His eyes glued to the excited professor engaging in conversation with a group of students who wanted to know more, watching his mouth say every word.

I moved beside him. Remus not sensing my presence, too absorbed in listening into the conversation across the room.

"At first thought the potion seems great. Second thoughts, not so much. Do you agree?" I asked, my face lacking expression. Also glancing over in the Professors direction, intently talking closely to a thoughtful looking Severus.

"Depends on the final say of the ministry." he mumbled, not moving from his distant looking spot.

"Werewolves are dangerous. The ministry have stated this, tried to limit the numbers of the wild animals, even. If they can control them in some way during their wolfstate...is the danger ok as long as it's in their hands? Seems risky and hypocritical" I said, shoving my hands in my pockets and looking up at the confused looking boy. This being the first time he hasn't looked full of himself all day.

By some miracle, he looked me in the eyes. For more than a split second, as if he was searching my face for a laugh that wasn't coming. I cracked a small smile out of nerves at his intense look.

"I completely agree." He finally said, looking away and making his way over to a table, crushing the Wolfsbane flower between his hands already.

"Werewolves are incredibly dangerous. They should all be dead, not working for the ministry" he said seriously. My eyebrows furrowed together, never hearing careless words like that from Remus before (even in his weird mood).

"I wouldn't go that far, dead is a bit extreme. Detained maybe...but even so, not used as-" I was cut off.

"As a weapon?" He cocked one eyebrow up at me and blew the curls out of his face looking frustrated with the conversation "detaining them means they have a chance of escape. Then they hurt people. Using the beasts as weapons, hurts people." He began, a scar on his cheek going pink as blood began to pump around his face.

"Whatever situation werewolves get into, they destroy and maim. Whether they have their mind with them or not" he said in a low tone. I felt uncomfortable by his angry intensity. His height threatening my smaller frame next to his. I slipped away and joined a Slytherin girl, Clarice Fawnfrorne, on the opposite table.

She looked up at me and then over to Remus who was almost slicing through the table, cutting up dragonfly wings and adding them to his potion.

"His Dads anti-werewolf. Part of the protection sector in the ministry or something...he's obviously passionate about it too." she shrugged, answering my confused look over in his direction.