Wolfsbane // Neville Longbottom

Chapter 7: Monster

The happy haze of the birthday fun lingered for long while. She was in such a good mood that nothing seemed to be able to bring her down. Well, of course there was one thing that could; the full moon. It was nearing again and she felt herself grow more irritable and frustrated again.

After dinner, she had started on the Wolfsbane potion. The base of the potion was brewing in her cauldron on her desk in her office. Tomorrow she would have to add the last few ingredients; aconite and lavender. After that, it had to brew overnight once more before she could drink it, something she wasn't looking forward to doing.

The potion was disgusting, absolutely horrible, but she had to take it. Sugar would make it useless just like any other flavoured substance. It didn't take away the pain that the transformation caused, but it put the wolf to sleep and saved her human self from the pain of cuts and scratches.

She put her wand back into the pocket of her cloak after locking her office and walked over to the greenhouses. Professor Sprout was making sure that she had enough ingredients to make the potion every single month, just like she had last year after Cassie had figured out how to make it.

Her knee didn't hurt anymore so her limp was gone. She had finally gone to Madam Pomfrey who had fixed it and given her a paste in case it hurt again. She was still sore, too stiff for a twenty-one-year-old no matter how much she stretched and walked, but that was the wolf's fault.

She knocked on the door of one of the greenhouses and Sprout let her in. "Hello Cassie, dear. How are you feeling today?" she asked kindly. Sprout was kind and Cassie knew exactly why she was the Head of Hufflepuff.

"I'm fine, thanks. How are you, Pomona?" she asked. It was starting to get easier to address them by their first names though it sometimes still felt as if that would get her into trouble. Perhaps it would never truly feel natural.

"Good, dear, I'm doing good," she said and waved at her for her to step further inside. It was cold outside but warm inside the greenhouse which was filled with all sorts of plants. Cassie liked plants but didn't have the greenest fingers. "The aconite isn't perfect yet. It will be tomorrow morning. I didn't think you need it now."

"I don't," Cassie said, though she started to feel worried. What if it wasn't good enough tomorrow? Then she wouldn't be able to take the potion and she would wake up with many more scars.

"Oh dear, I see the worry in those pretty eyes of yours. No need, no need at all. It'll all be done tomorrow morning," Sprout said, waving it off. Cassie nodded and forced herself to smile. Why isn't it done already? A voice sneered in her mind and she took a deep breath. That wasn't how she really felt. Perhaps it was. Perhaps it was time to accept the wolf was her and she was the wolf.

"I know. You are always on time. I'm not worried," Cassie nodded. Sprout nodded and looked at her. It was silent. Cassie was going to leave but something was holding her back. She needed to share some thoughts.

"Are you sure you're alright dear?" There was a look of pity in Sprout's eyes. Oh, how she hated pity. The looks the professors gave her on the day before and after the full moon were awful simply because they were filled with pity. It made her feel ashamed as if she was some weak little thing. But she was stronger than anyone.

"Yep," she nodded and fidgeted with her fingers. "I'm going to be an auntie. Not until March but yeah. An aunt," she said, looking up. She was nervous about it, excited, but nervous. A werewolf auntie. She couldn't help but think about the worst-case scenarios; hurting the children on a full moon.

"Ah! Amanda is pregnant?" Sprout asked her happily. Amanda, her sister, had also gone to Hogwarts, she had been in Hufflepuff. But Cassie wouldn't know if she was pregnant or not. They didn't speak anymore because of the bite.