Fireworks and Firewhiskey

the one with the Uncle Werewolf

🐾🐾🐾

☞If she was being honest, Erynn wasn't even sure watching Ron's rat turn into a man was the most surprising thing to happen to her. Watching the man, Peter, escape did put a damper on the night and, almost having her father lose his soul less than two hours after she'd had a real conversation – and connected – with him, had to be the worst part of her year.

"I just wanted one normal year," she sighed, slouching after she had relayed the majority of that night to her best friends, Camellia and Oscar, on the ride home. "Or like, even a normal semester. I miss it."

"Oh, you like the adventure," Oscar said and Camellia nodded in agreement.

"You would complain that your life was too boring," Camellia said, digging around her bag for the muggle clothes Erynn had helped her pick out last summer.

"No I wouldn't Mel." Erynn sat up as she glimpsed two redheaded boys walking past their compartment. Neither had seemed to notice her and Erynn reached over to close the curtain before relaxing. "I'd still have pranking. And the twins to deal with. But like one year where someone doesn't almost die."

"You're asking for too much," Oscar said, nudging her with his foot. "And you know it."

"Whatever." She huffed out a breath, blowing some strands of hair out of her face.

"So is Professor Lupin not coming back?" Camellia asked after a moment of silence.

"Er, no. He thought it'd be best he leave before parents complained of his condition."

"Aw, that's too bad." Camellia pouted. "He was the best Defence Professor we've had in a while. And honestly, compared to the last two, if being an unwilling werewolf is the worst thing about you.... Well, I really just wish he could stay."

"Mum wrote me to warn me of the 'killing machine' that had been working at Hogwarts," Oscar said, a deck of cards bouncing between his hands. "Wanted any details I could give her. Of course, I told her nothing but the best about him."

"Mum almost put two and two together," Camellia mentioned, nodding to Erynn. "I think, when she was being particularly nosy years ago, I told her that you lived with your Uncle Remus. I think I threw her off your scent though."

"Thank Merlin," Erynn muttered. "She already knows my dad's a blood traitor and mass murderer, don't need to add an Uncle werewolf to her reasons not to let us visit in the summer."

It was silent again, but only for a second when Oscar peered at her from over his cards. "I hate to say it, but it was a little daunting to find out there's a werewolf at your school."

Erynn laughed. "I was like five or something when I officially found out and all my knowledge of werewolves came from fairy-tales and prejudice and scooby-doo. Considering all things, I think I handled it very well. Only cried for a bit."

The three didn't talk much after that until they were almost to the station. Erynn had pulled out a book to read, reading some sentences multiple times before moving onto the next page, and bouncing her leg, while Oscar and Camellia played a quiet game of exploding snap.

"I need to move," Erynn said suddenly, hopping to her feet and marking her place in the book. She tossed it into her bag before heading out into the hall. "I'll see you both in a bit."

There wasn't much room for her to wander, but she did, pausing only to wave to Ruby and several of her friends. She saw Alyssa and thought about waving to her, but stopped herself when she saw one of the twins sitting among the little group. Quickly she turned to leave only to run into the other half of the twins.