The confidante | R. Lupin

Chapter 2

Crack.
Murmur of pain.
Crack.
Whimper of pain.

This was always how my transformations started. Singular breaks, one by one. At first it was the small bones such as my fingers and toes. Even my ear bones broke.

Eventually each crack of my bones morphed into one and I was no longer human.

My ears twitched as I heard a pop echo around the room of requirement. I watched as the sound reverberated around the room and was absorbed by the walls. I was always fascinated about the way my senses changed as I changed. But that was not what caught my attention tonight.

Tizzy had returned.
I took note of how her abnormally large eyes became impossibly bigger. Her small frame began to quiver, her breaths ever more shallow and quick. I could hear her heart rate pick up. I could even smell the droplets of sweat form just above her brow. Fear.

I didn't want Tizzy to be scared.
I slowly backed away, an unusual movement for me, so I paid close attention to my back paws and tail. They were unbelievably easy to trip over.
Once I reached the corner of the room I slowly lowered myself down so my head was resting on my front paws and listened to her slowly decreasing heart rate.

She shook as she spoke.
"Tiz-Tiz-Tizzy h-hates to in-in-inter-interrupt, Miss. But, Tizzy wonders whether you wanted pu-pudding."

Tizzy held up a plate with cornflake tart and pink custard.

I do love cornflake tart.

I crept steadily forward, my eyes no longer focused on the elf but on the delicious dessert held high above her head.
Hackles raised, each step was closer to my prey which I was about to devour.

A squeak emitted from the creature as my muscles uncoiled from their tensed position.
And then, I was flying.
Flying towards that sweet, sweet goodness of cornflake tart. My eyes closed, imagining the feeling of the dessert as it touches my tongue, longing in what I know is only inches away from me.

As you may well know, cornflake tart is rather crunchy, but as my teeth met the food, I realised it wasn't that crunchy.
My senses awoke.
Cornflake tart doesn't taste of blood either.

An ear piercing scream echoed around the room from the creature whose arm I had just bitten into.
I released my grip, only to see the blood begin to flow down Tizzy's arm and on to her already stained pillow case that is used for elf clothing.

My brain kicked into action, knowing exactly what I needed to do.
Snarling, I grabbed at the screaming elf, who was no longer screaming out of pain but out of the fear of my sharp teeth coming anywhere near her again.

Picking up the elf via the scruff of her pillowcase, I bolted out the door of the room of requirement.

And I was flying, this time quite literally as I took each flight of stairs one at a time.

I darted quickly along the deserted corridors, praying with all my night that all the students were still at the great hall, eating their meal that was prepared by the elves for them.
It was most probable that there were people in the great hall eating a meal prepared by the squirming elf below me. If they only knew.

Of course, my prayers go unanswered as I round a corner to see a boys eyes widen.
"Moo....."
I don't listen to the boy as his hands dart to his wand.

I also don't wait to find out what spell he will attempt to hit me with as I barge past him, rounding the corner at the other end.

It's only moments later that I barge loudly into the Hospital Wing.

Madam Pomfrey dropped the bottle of skele-grow she had been using minutes earlier to treat a first year with a broken arm. I  chose to ignore the gasps of the child in the room as I placed Tizzy on the closest bed.

"Out, Mr Timmothy. I shall send for someone to check on you later or you shall be late for dinner." The stern matron told the student.

The Madam got to work almost immediately, slowly healing each puncture mark before fixing the crushed bone.

During this time I had retrieved my wand which was placed precariously between my toes of my front paw and gently placed it in my mouth to complete my spell work.
I slowly siphoned the excess spilt potion off the floor, and repaired the bottle. Both spells took me a couple of attempts, but not to worry, a fifth year doing non-verbal magic with only limited help from the wand was unheard of, so I must feel proud of my endeavours.
Wingardium Leviosa I shouted in my head as I swished and flicked my wand with my neck.
Boy, does that send you dizzy.

The bottle began to float over from the floor  towards the counter at the other end of the room. I slowly trotted with my wand aloft, barely able to see where I am going.
And of course, just an inch away from the fragile bottle being safely placed on the counter, the doors are thrown open for the second time in the past 10 minutes. I lost my focus and the bottle dropped, smashing into several pieces once again. I sighed and once again tried to repair the bottle.