Piss Off a Werewolf
"Rumor has it he ain't got your love anymore..."
Mum was definitely going to kill him. Now Remus really knew about him being an unregistered animagus. Arcturus didn’t sleep, he just tossed and turned in his bed. It felt like someone was watching him, peering into his mind. He failed to hear the crinkle of paper as something dug around in his bag. Luckily for him, the map was buried in his arms just below his chin. Waking up from his fitful– could barely call it a slumber– slumber he noticed someone in the bed across from him. The curtains were drawn but he could just barely see the lump in the dark. Laying back down in his bed he tucked the map into the top drawer of his nightstand, hugging his pillow as he tried to go back to bed.
It was just a trick of his eyes.
It was the weekend and he’d finished all his homework yet again. As it started to get colder he wore more hoodies and scarves while on the grounds of Hogwarts. He had no need to stay cooped up in his dorm room when there was no one to talk to. He had no choice in the matter about not having anyone to talk to, as well as being forced out of his dorm. He didn’t have to wear his robes that weekend but he still wanted to get to the library and at least read up on some things about werewolves. He thought that having Remus as an uncle would help him understand werewolves but it seemed like he didn’t know all that much. He doubted there would be books about werewolves since the ministry didn’t quite like them as it is. The only things about them shouldn’t be just the small chapter starting at chapter three-ninety-four, he wasn’t going to continue being ignorant. Arcturus got his hand on two other books and sat down to write down notes. Neville was sat across from him, he didn’t even notice the Gryffindor. Neville was doing the homework about werewolves that Professor Snape had assigned, except he was only using the small chapter on werewolves and animagus.
“I found two more werewolf books.” Arcturus set them down on the table.
“How do you know so much about werewolves, none of this is in the chapter.” Neville was reading the notes he had taken days ago.
“I just… Do?” Arcturus shrugged.
“Why did you bring more books? I thought the textbook was all we needed?”
“Not all the knowledge is in this little chapter, there are many things it leaves on.”
“Yeah… I can see.”
Looking over Neville he noticed Harry and Ron just at the end of a row, talking together and laughing. It looked like they were holding hands, Ron’s face the color of his hair. Ducking his head into the book he opened he could see Neville looking at him curiously.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. I just thought I saw something.”
“What?” Neville turned to take a look at it.
“I… Like your sweater vest!” Arcturus quickly exclaimed. “It looks… Very nice with the striped collared shirt.” Arcturus smiled to cover his nervousness.
“Oh, really? Most people have been calling me a dweeb and a nerd.” Neville frowned.
“It’s true, you look like one with that sweater vest.”
“Hey– “
“What? I’m being honest, sorry.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Neville pouted. “What would you wear?”
“If I were you?”Arcturus asked and Neville nodded. “Well, I would wear a sweater. A tan sweater.”
“Just a tan sweater?”
“I could give you my yellow sweater. I want to see if it looks better than the sweater vest.” Arcturus was pulling the yellow sweater out of his bag.
“W- Wear your sweater?!” Neville’s face turned red. “My gran says when people start giving you their clothing to wear it means you’re not a friend, you’re something else.” Neville looked genuinely scared. “I really want to be friends with you, Arcturus.”
“Oh. Okay.” He stuffed the sweater back into his bag. “Seriously though, ditch the sweater vest.”
“Okay, I won’t wear a sweater vest next time.” Neville chuckled. “How far are you on the essay?” He asked, changing the subject.
“I haven’t started actually, I needed much more information on how to identify them and an animagus. Since I know the textbook doesn’t have all the information I need to get all the information I need.”
“Are you sure you aren’t a werewolf?”
“...No.” Arcturus panicked.
“I’m only joking.”
For the rest of their time they were silent. Neville was writing away at the essay for Professor Snape while Arcturus was still pouring through the second textbook. Apparently it mentioned werewolves but it was clever in how they were mentioned. He thought back about the grimm, he understood it so vaguely. Finding his mind wandering he noticed something written in the margin. Wrong! Werewolves do not live in the forest and certainly do not like voldemort! Written in red ink. Chuckling at the comments that were written in the book Neville looked over and furrowed his brows.
“What’s so funny?”
“Someone wrote in this book. I wonder who borrowed it.” Arcturus flipped to the front cover, his finger sliding down until he saw the last name. Cassander Kromwell scrawled in the same red pen as the notes in the margins.
“Who is it?”
“I don’t know, someone named Cassander.” Arcturus shrugged.”Whoever they are, this is hilarious.”
Arcturus started on his essay for Professor Snape about how to spot werewolves when Neville was still working on his first page of eleven still. It was quite bait the way Snape casually mentioned that Remus had a bad night and couldn’t come to class paired with the essay, his heart sank when he realized the possibility of people finding out Remus is a werewolf. He managed to fit in some words about how Snape isn’t being sneaky or clever or no one will believe him. It wasn’t the last thing he expected Professor Snape to do, he just hoped no one found out and then tried to use these same ways to identify Severinus.
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
“Practically splendid morning! Isn’t it?” Sev snickered, mimicking some girls he’d passed by on his way here. “I heard through the grapevine about Professor Snape teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts because Professor Lupin was sick. Is he okay?” Sev asked him, leaning toward him.
“Professor Lupin is just recovering.” Arcturus said through clenched teeth, trying to keep a smile plastered on his face.
“Oh, okay, good.” Sev sat down next to Neville. “I almost thought I did something to him accidentally.”
“What do you mean?” Neville asked.
“Well– “
“He helped do a prank on Professor Lupin with Fred and George.” Arcturus interrupted him.
“Oh, alright.” Neville nodded and flipped through the textbook.
“Oh! Werewolves? Can I help?”
“How exactly would you help?” Arcturus stared at Sev with a wide unblinking eye.
“I learned all about them last year!” Sev chuckled, blinking aggressively at Arcturus.
“I think I need a little help…” Neville mumbled.
“Yeah, sure!” Sev grinned.
Arcturus, Neville, and Severinus stayed there until the afternoon when lunch would be served. Neville had taken off his sweater vest and Arcturus had to admit he didn’t look cute in a strange way. For the first time Neville joined the Slytherin and the Hufflepuff at the end of the Hufflepuff table. Arcturus had a peanut-butter sandwich on his plate and actually took a bite of it instead of letting it sit there.
“Why are you looking dashing today, Neville?” Sev asked. “Trying to impress someone?”
“No– I just– I felt like it.” Neville stammered.
“I already bullied him about his clothes, you don’t have to.” Arcturus rolled his eyes.
Justin Finch-Fletchley stopped at the entrance and stared at Arcturus, Sev, and Neville. He doubted sitting down and joining them. His friends urged him to join them.
“I can’t wait to learn how to use crystal balls.” Arcturus still had his book in his other hand.
“I hope I don’t see anything bad in the crystal ball.”
“I wish I took divination last year, I had ancient runes. Ugh. I hated it so much.” Sev pouted
“I heard Hermione is taking both ancient runes and divination.” Neville said.
“That’s impossible! They start at the same time!”
“I promise! I’ve seen her!” Neville nodded up and down quickly.
“A wizard has never been in two places at the same time.” Arcturus chuckled.
“Exactly.” Hermione said from behind them.
“Where did you come from?” Sev asked.
She didn’t respond and joined Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table. Sev watched her suspiciously while Arcturus tried to focus back on his book. He noticed Neville looking at something out of the corner of his eye, turning to follow his gaze he realized he was staring at Professor Lupin. Maybe he figured it out? Perhaps he connected the dots? Looking back at Neville anxiously he smiled.
“Er… I have a herbology question.”
“Yeah?”
“What else can you do with Mandrake?”
“What do you mean?” Neville rose a brow.
“Like, can you make Mandrake juice?” Arcturus asked.
“Uh, I don’t think so.” Neville tapped his chin. “Probably. I’d have to ask Professor Sprout.”
“Who wants to play wizard's chess? My dad gave me a set last year for Christmas.” Sev pulled out the board with a grin.
“Sure, I’ll play.” Neville had a matched grin on his face.
They stayed there the rest of the afternoon playing wizard chess with one another. For once Arcturus felt like a normal kid in Hogwarts with people who actually wanted to be around him and spend time with him. Reading his book in peace as Neville and Sev played against each other over and over he couldn’t help but feel something was wrong right now. Looking around the fine what seemed to be the danger he noticed someone had ducked into the hallway. Getting up without another word he followed the person that he thought he saw. He just barely caught what looked to be a black animal running away. Furrowing his brows he returned back to his friends as students walked into the great hall for dinner.
“ My dear boy, you have the… Grimm.” Professor Trelawney’s voice echoed in his head as he sat down. There was no way he would be seeing a death omen when Harry was the one who had it in his fortune.
“Where’d you run off to?” Sev asked.
“I… thought I saw something.”
“Do we have to take you to Madame Pomfrey to get your eyes checked out?” The Slytherin jokes. Neville looked uneasy.
“It was nothing, just a trick of my eyes. I’m not going mad.” Arcturus rolled his eyes.
“Just wait, you’ll turn gray and insane sooner than the rest of us.”
“I think I saw it too, someone was trying not to be seen.” Neville said.
“Oh no, you’ll both grow old and mad together while I just waste away.” Sev pouted.
“We- We’re not going to grow old together!” Neville stammered.
“We have so much of our lives ahead of us, we aren’t going to grow old any time soon.” Arcturus turned a page in his book, now he wished he didn’t come back to sit with these two.
“Yeah, but growing up happens so quickly!” Sev whined.
“Doesn’t mean we’ll be elderly by tomorrow.” Arcturus shot back. “Why are you so moody all of a sudden?”
“It’s after the full moon, of course I’m going to be moody!” Sev snapped, his mood taking a complete one-eighty. “God, it’s like you don’t know anything.”
“I’ve never really seen you upset before.” Arcturus smirked. “I wonder if I can poke a few more buttons.”
“Oh, shove off.”
“How are either of you friends?” Neville asked quietly.
“We’re not friends.” Arcturus puffed out his cheeks.
“You say that all the time but your actions prove we’re friends! You’re just too much of a coward to admit it because you think caring about people is a weakness!” Sev was rather snappy at the moment, a frown on his face.
“Shut up!” Arcturus’ ears turned red. “I don’t care about you, and I never will. We’re not friends.”
“Fine. I liked Draco better than you anyway.” Sev got up in a huff and marched himself right over to the Slytherin table and sat down. He was glaring at Arcturus from across the hall.
“You guys have a lot to work out…” Neville muttered.
“Oh, shut up.” Arcturus buried his face in his book. “I don’t need him anyway.”
“I think you do.”
“Of course you think that.”
“What? You’re great friends– “
“Can we not talk about this?” Arcturus interrupted the Gryffindor.
“Oh. Okay.”
Neville looked over at the Slytherin table and he caught Severinus sitting away from all the other Slytherin’s at the table. He looked upset and hunched over some homework he decided to pull out. It wasn’t Neville’s job to fix this between them but he really, really wanted to fix this.