“I just don't understand,” Victoire said as we entered the Great Hall for lunch, “why all of the teachers have to give us the N.E.W.T. lecture. They all say the same thing. 'N.E.W.T.s are important, you need to study, the rest of your life depends on them, blah, blah, blah. Why can't one teacher just be in charge of the lecture?”
“I don't know,” I shrugged, far too preoccupied with craning my head over my fellow students in order to see if my little brother was at the Gryffindor table to really care. “You're Head Girl, maybe you can suggest it to them.”
“It's too late now anyway,” Victoire sighed. “They've already planned out their lectures.”
Victoire continued to talk rapidly about N.E.W.T.s as we reached the Gryffindor table. I nodded and muttered 'mm-hmm' every so often, but really didn't pay attention. Matt, my little brother, was no where in sight. In fact, none of the first years seemed to be in the Great Hall. The Gryffindors, anyway. Where was he? I glanced at my watch. Classes had ended fifteen minutes ago, although I had no idea which class he had had.
“Amy, are you listening?” Victoire asked.
I quickly turned my head from the door and looked back at Victoire. “Er, yes.”
“Then what did I just say?”
“Umm,” I muttered.
“Told you you weren't listening,” Victoire groaned. “Why are you looking at the door anyway?”
“I'm trying to find Matt,” I explained. “I don't see him.”
“I don't see Albus or Rose, either,” Victoire said, referring to her two first year cousins. “I wouldn't worry.”
I nodded, but didn't actually agree with her. Albus and Rose didn't have lycanthropy and weren't going to have to transform into wolves that night in a strange shack. Matt was, and I had to find him before afternoon classes started so I could find out how he was doing. He had looked really pale and exhausted at brekkie.
The night before we left for Hogwarts, after Matt had gone to bed, Mum and Dad took me aside and talked to me about the full moon. Despite the fact that I knew exactly what happened to Matt on full moons, ever since I managed to convince my parents to let me stay home during them as opposed to flying to Australia to stay with my grandparents a few years ago I have known, I didn't really know what would happen this time. Full moons at Hogwarts were going to be very different from full moons at home.
At home, Matt spends the day of the full moon sleeping and Mum gets him whatever he wants. At school, he has to at least try to go to classes the day of the full moon, otherwise he'll be missing at least two days of class a month. There would be no way he could go to class the day after. My parents aren't exactly sure what's going to happen with all the added stress he's going to have piled on top of being really sick. After all, he's also going to have to try and hide everything from his roommates, try and pay attention in class, navigate around the castle, and worry about transforming in a new place without our parents anywhere nearby.
I finally saw a small group of first years enter the Great Hall and then make a beeline for the Gryffindor table. Matt was slightly behind them, looking tired and deathly pale. Without looking back at my half finished lunch, I jumped up from the bench and met him in the doorway.
The look of utter relief in his eyes when he saw me was obvious, and that just made me want to hug him. I really hoped he wasn't having a miserable time already, because I knew all too well what that was like, and I didn't even have to deal with turning into a werewolf. Instead, I just put my arm around him and steered him out of the Great Hall and into the nearest empty classroom.
I shut the door behind us and locked it, not caring that such an act would guarantee me a detention were a Prefect or teacher to walk by. It was better than risking someone walking in on what was surely to be something Matt wouldn't want everyone to see.
For some odd reason known only to Merlin and possibly my old psychiatrist, Healer Norlam, I have this weird ability to sense when something is bothering Matt and then make him feel better. When it comes to other people, I am emotion challenged. If anyone else cried their heart out to me, I'd stand there awkwardly and hope someone else such as Victoire would walk in and comfort them. Of course, it hasn't always been that way with Matt. Before we moved to England, we got along horribly, mostly because I just really did not understand what he went through.
“I can't do this, Amy,” Matt said as he sat down at the nearest table. “There's just no point! I don't remember anything from classes today. All I want to do is sleep but I can't because then my roommates are going to get suspicious because who sleeps through their first day of classes? No one, that's who. No one normal anyway. And I'm definitely not-”
“No,” I cut him off. “Don't say that. You are normal. You're a normal person who happens to have a disease that is in no way your fault that you got. It's going to be harder for you, and I'm not going to try and convince you otherwise. That's Mum's job.”
Matt gave a slight laugh, but then winced and squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, they were lined with tears.
“Hogwarts is an adjustment for everyone when they first come. I failed half my classes first term, remember? There is not a single person in this school who does not have some sort of problem.”
“But theirs go away!” Matt exclaimed. “That's the thing, you did eventually adjust. You brought your marks up. Everyone does adjust after the first few months, but that's not going to happen with me. A few months from now, I'll still be turning into a wolf once a month.”
“That's true,” I agreed. “But, you're going to figure out how to deal with it. After a few months you'll be used to the shack and you'll figure out a routine and it'll be like at home.”
“No, it won't,” Matt said. He was shaking now. I almost wished Mum or Dad were there. Full moons always seem to magnify every anxious thought he has. Why did the full moon have to be on the first day of classes?
“It'll be close enough,” I told him. “Yes, Mum and Dad won't be here, but I will and Madam Pomfrey will and she's really nice-”
“It's not th-that,” he sobbed. “I just really c-can't go to class on the day of the full m-moon, but I have to.”
I reached over and gave him a hug. All right, now we're getting closer to the problem, I thought. So it wasn't that Mum and Dad aren't here. It had something to do with classes.
“What happened in class?” I asked quietly.
“I fell asleep,” he said. “In Charms. I don't even remember it h-happening because I thought I was taking notes and then Washburn was y-yelling at me at I had no idea why and he s-said he'd g-give me detention if I fell asleep again.”
That explained a lot. I wrapped my arms even tighter around my little brother, wishing that I could protect him from everything in the world, but knowing that I couldn't. I didn't think my hatred for Professor Washburn could possibly increase anymore, but apparently it could. The man was a first class arse! All the professors knew that Matt was a werewolf, so he obviously knew why Matt fell asleep in class. Why couldn't he just have left him alone?
“Professor Washburn,” I muttered, “is a foul git who deserves to be eaten by the Giant Squid, although that would probably give the poor squid a stomachache. None of the other professors are like him. It's rotten luck that you had Charms today, but just because Washburn's an idiot, doesn't mean you can't go to class. Now, how do you feel?”
“I've got a headache,” he sniffed. “And I'm tired.”
“No worse than normal?” I asked as I felt his forehead. “You don't have a fever.”
“No, I guess not,” he said.
“Good,” I smiled. “Now, what classes do you have after lunch?”
Matt reached into his bag and pulled out his schedule. His hands were still shaking, but he wasn't crying anymore, which was a good sign. “Double Herbology.”
“Brilliant!” I grinned. “You'll be fine. Professor Longbottom is possibly the nicest professor here, although I don't really know Professor Potter very well yet. I am almost one hundred percent sure that he will just let you sleep if you fall asleep in his class or he'll just wake you up nicely.”
“Ok,” Matt replied as he wiped his eyes. “You're sure?”
“Positive,” I assured him. “Look, just go to Herbology and do the best you can. It's only the first day, so even if you don't remember much, it won't matter. Then, after class, I'll meet you in the Entrance and I'll show you the Room of Requirement. You can take a nap there before dinner.”
“Ok,” he nodded.
“Remember, if you feel really awful, just ask to go to the Hospital Wing, and Madam Pomfrey can find me if you want. You're going to be fine,” I said as I gave him one last hug.
The Entrance Hall was empty when we emerged from the classroom. Oh, well, professors were generally lenient on first years as they learned the layout of the castle, especially Professor Longbottom. I pointed Matt in the right direction as to where the greenhouses were on the grounds and then turned around to Double Potions.
“You're late, Miss Eckerton,” Professor Slughorn said as I walked into the room a few minutes later.
“I'm sorry, sir,” I said as I hurried to my seat next to Victoire, who sent me a questioning look.
“I'll let it go this time, but next time you'll lose points,” Slughorn said before continuing with his lecture on N.E.W.T.s.
“Where were you?” Victoire whispered. “And you're lucky you're his favorite.”
“I had to talk to Matt,” I told her.
“Is he ok?” Victoire asked. All Victoire knows about Matt is that he gets sick a lot, but she doesn't know that he's a werewolf.
“For now,” I said. “He had Charms before lunch and had a run in with Washburn.”
“Oh,” Victoire replied, comprehension dawning. “Arse of a teacher....”
Slughorn's lecture turned from N.E.W.T.s to what we would be learning that year, which would normally be of great interest to me since Potions is my favorite subject, but that day I couldn't pay attention. All of my focus was on Matt, imagining how he was doing in Herbology and whether he would be able to stick it out until classes were over.
Maybe I should have just told him to go up to his dormitory and sleep. I know for a fact that's what Mum would have said if she had been there. She would have taken one look at him and marched him up to bed, followed by a round of potions. Part of me agreed, and that part wanted to just go down to the greenhouses and tell him to go to bed. The rest of me knew that wasn't a good idea, though. The time of him being able to sleep as much as he wanted on the day of the full moon was over. This was the start of his seven years at Hogwarts and he needed to be in class as much as possible.
******
After Double Potions, I told Victoire that I had to spend the remainder of the afternoon with Matt, although I assured her I'd study with her in the common room after dinner, before the moon rose that is. I waited near the Great Hall and a little while later saw Matt come into the castle along with Victoire's cousins, a tall dark-haired boy, and a small blonde girl. He said something to them before walking over to me, and they kept going towards the stairs.
“You're right about Professor Longbottom,” Matt said as soon as he got to me. “He woke me up the first time I fell asleep, but after that he just left me alone. But Albus kept asking if I wanted to go to the Hospital Wing.”
“Well, that's not a bad thing,” I said as we started walking up the stairs. “He's concerned.”
“But what if he finds out?” Matt asked as he hitched his bag up higher on his shoulder.
“He's not going to find out by asking if you want to go to the Hospital Wing,” I assured him as I took his bag. “Everyone has to go to the Hospital Wing at some point during their Hogwarts career.”
Matt didn't say anything else and we continued the long trek to the Room of Requirement. I spent the trip lamenting the fact that the Room was so far away since Matt was clearly struggling with the amount of stairs. At home, he barely got up off the couch the day of the full moon and here he was having to walk around a huge castle. Mum would have my head if she knew I had made him go to class.
Eventually we made it to the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy, although Matt didn't seem to notice the fact that Barnabas was trying to teach trolls to dance ballet, something that I had been all too quick to laugh at when I first noticed it. Instead, he slumped against the wall and closed his eyes. I set down both of our bags and gently shook him.
“Look, you've got to pay attention to where the Room is and how to get into it. I'm not going to be able to take you here every time,” I said.
He slowly nodded and opened his eyes. “All you have to do is think of what you want and pace three times in front of that stretch of wall,” I instructed as I pointed to the empty wall across from the portrait. “Try it.”
He nodded again and began to pace, albeit very slowly, in front of the wall. After three times, a door appeared and he headed towards it. I grabbed both our bags and followed.
The Room was very simple, hardly big enough for a very large four-poster bed covered in what looked like the exact same bedding as those in Gryffindor Tower. Besides that there was a comfy looking armchair and a small table. Matt immediately collapsed onto the bed and was asleep within seconds. I've always envied his ability to fall asleep anywhere and anytime, while I was lucky if I fell asleep within a half hour of going to bed every night.
Sighing, I sat down in the armchair, which was just as comfortable as I expected, and pulled out my homework. There was a lot of it, just like all the teachers had assured us there would be. I already had three essays to write and about five chapters from various books to read. As always, I decided to start with Potions and settled back to read about potions that require charms performed on them.
The Potions reading took me straight up until dinner, which I wouldn't have known arrived except for my growling stomach. Setting the book down and stretching, I looked over to the bed where Matt was sleeping. He looked so peaceful, curled up beneath the blankets, that I did not really want to wake him. But I had to. If he was going to pretend he was fine, he'd have to make an appearance at dinner.
“Matt,” I whispered as I gently shook him. “It's time for dinner. Are you coming?”
“Yeah,” he said as he sat up. He looked so bloody awful that no one would be able to think he was fine, but I knew telling him that would just make him worry even more, which was the last thing he needed.
Luckily the Great Hall was so crowded with chattering students that no one gave Matt a second glance when we walked in a little while later. He immediately went to sit with Albus Potter and the other first years, who had already arrived and piled their plates high with food. Victoire was seated a few feet down from them, so I joined her.
“Is your brother ok?” Victoire asked. “He doesn't look too good. Is he getting sick again?”
“Probably,” I sighed. “Stress always makes it worse, and he's kind of overwhelmed by Hogwarts.”
“I don't blame him,” Victoire said. “I was, too, when I got here, and I know you were. But he'll be ok. He seems to have befriended Albus and Rose and they already know more about Hogwarts than half the school.”
“Benefits to having older cousins, I suppose,” I smiled.
“They did get all their information from the best,” Victoire grinned. “Anyway, I thought we could start that Potions essay after dinner, if you want.”
“Sure,” I replied as I craned my neck to see Matt. He was talking to Albus about something, and not eating. “I've already finished most of the reading.”
Victoire continued to talk about homework throughout dinner and I half paid attention. The whole Great Hall seemed to be in a very happy mood. I suppose nearly everyone had a good first day back. My roommates, Samantha, Seren, and Alyssa, were all talking about Quidditch and how Gryffindor was going to win the Quidditch Cup again. Samantha had been made captain since Teddy had graduated the previous year, and would surely be a ruthless captain. Monica, my other roommate, was looking rather sullen since all of her friends had graduated, something that I couldn't help but smirk at. Monica despised werewolves with a passion and while she obviously had no idea Matt was one, I hated her with equal passion. Everyone else at the table was chattering happily about their summer holidays, Quidditch, and a variety of other subjects.
It was really hard to believe that I was actually a seventh year. The past three years had gone so fast, and now it was nearly time to graduate. It was even harder to believe that Matt was now at Hogwarts, finally old enough to go to school. Although he didn't really look old enough, and I was sure he was the smallest first year. Things really were changing. Of course, nothing ever really stayed the same as I found out after my third year.
“So,” Victoire began, “Teddy and I are officially going out now.”
That caused me to snap out of my reminiscing. I started to choke on the pumpkin juice I had been swallowing and turned to look at Victoire while coughing.
“When did this happen?” I asked as soon as I recovered. “And why didn't you tell me sooner?”
“At the before school Weasley family dinner,” Victoire answered simply. “And because it never came up.”
“You should have brought it up!” I exclaimed. Finally, I thought. The two of them were perfect for each other and I had spent the better part of our sixth year trying to convince her. “The Weasley family dinner? Does your whole family know?”
Victoire groaned. “We actually managed to keep it secret there, not really sure how that happened, but James caught us snogging on the platform yesterday. I assume he's at least told his parents and Albus and Lily. Actually, he's probably told Ben and Cedric, too, so it's only a matter of time before the whole family knows.”
“That's not a bad thing, is it?” I asked.
“Not really,” Victoire shook her head. “It'll just make things awkward if we ever break up.”
“Which you won't,” I said, “because you two are perfect for each other.”
We finished dessert over the story of how Teddy had asked Victoire if she wanted to be his girlfriend. Apparently he had taken her into her grandpa's shed, which was filled with all sorts of Muggle contraptions, and quickly asked her there, before sneaking back to the party to pretend like nothing had happened. How romantic. Not. Victoire didn't seem to care, though.
As we got up to leave, I noticed that Matt was no longer at the Gryffindor table. Merlin, I thought, I must not have noticed him leave what with Victoire's news about Teddy.
“Did you see Matt leave?” I asked Victoire as we left.
“No,” she shook her head. “He probably went with Albus and Rose to the common room.”
The common room was ridiculously crowded when we got there, since none of the clubs or Quidditch had started up yet. However, being seventh years, we were able to kick some second years out of the good armchairs in front of the fire and settle down to do our homework. I was too distracted, though, and scanned the common room for my brother. Eventually a group of rowdy third year boys moved aside and I saw Albus, Rose, and a few other first years all doing homework at a table. Matt wasn't there. I got a sinking feeling in my stomach and began to regret the second slice of treacle tart. Where was he?
“So, you put the charm on the potion after it's already brewed?” Victoire asked, chewing on the end of her quill.
“Most of the time, but if the potion has to simmer for longer than two weeks, you have to do the charm once when you're done adding ingredients and then once before you use it. But there are exceptions to that, too,” I explained.
My own parchment was woefully blank, but we still had plenty of time to write it. I'd probably be able to get mine done after the full moon. Or at least after I knew where Matt was. I glanced at my watch. There was an hour and a half until the moon rose. Maybe he was in his dormitory sleeping? That's it, I had to find him. Yes, he did have to learn to be independent, but it was only his second day at Hogwarts and his first full moon away from our parents.
I set my books down and stood up. “I have to go find Matt. I should be back later, but if I'm not, don't worry.”
Victoire looked at me quizzically, but then nodded. “All right. I hope he feels better.”
“Me, too,” I said quietly as I left. “Me, too.”
******
The first year boys' dormitory was empty, which was not helpful at all. Going up there earned me quite a few weird looks from some of the boys I passed and the people cluttered about near the dormitory doors. Not that I cared.
My next stop was the Room of Requirement and I really hoped that if Matt was in there, he'd have told the room to let me in. However, the place was empty. I had asked for it just like Matt had and it looked just like it had when we left for dinner.
The only place left to look was the Hospital Wing and while I hoped he was there, I kind of doubted he would be. He hadn't seen Madam Pomfrey since he was eight and we were first visiting Hogwarts and he was never really fond of strangers, especially around the full moon. I thought he'd be reluctant about going to the Hospital Wing for the first time and had assumed he'd want me to take him there, but who knows.
There weren't any teachers around, so I decided to run to the Hospital Wing since it was kind of far away and didn't want to waste any time. If I came upon any teachers I'd just tell them the truth since they all knew about Matt anyway.
“Oi, Eckerton!”
I skidded to a halt a few feet away from the stairs. Great, that was certainly not a teacher. No teacher uses the word 'oi'. Oh, no, I knew that voice, and it belonged to Jefferson Post, the sixth year Ravenclaw Prefect. Jefferson is pretty much in love with rules and would marry them if he could. No Prefect hands out more detentions than Jefferson.
“What do you want, Post?” I asked, knowing perfectly well what he wanted.
“Running in the corridors, Eckerton,” Jefferson said, smirking, as he pulled out his pad of detention slips.
“I haven't got time to hear one of your lectures, Post,” I said. Getting in trouble with him never includes just getting detention. He always makes you endure a fifteen minute lecture as well. I couldn't afford fifteen minutes.
“No one ever does,” Jefferson sighed. “Yet everyone seems to have time to break rules. Don't want the lecture? Don't break the rules.”
“I'm sorry,” I said untruthfully. “I just really need to get to the Hospital Wing.”
“You don't look ill,” Jefferson said as he scratched away on the pad. “Now, there are loads of reasons why you shouldn't run through the corridors....”
He trailed off into his usual lecture and I contemplated what would happen if I just took off and left him there. Would he come after me?
“...Setting a good example for the first years...”
He seems to be very preoccupied with his lecture, he might not even notice if I'm gone. I think he just likes the sound of his own voice.
“...Very dangerous, were you to hit someone...”
“Amy!” someone shouted.
I turned from Jefferson and saw one of Victoire's cousins, Georgia, headed towards me. She completely ignored Jefferson, who abruptly ended his lecture.
“Excuse me,” he said to Georgia. “I am a Prefect.”
“Amy, Madam Pomfrey needs to see you right away. She didn't say why,” Georgia said and then left before Jefferson could yell at her.
“Told you,” I glared at Jefferson and took off running again, ignoring his shouts after me.
The stupid git! I could've been at the Hospital Wing ten minutes ago if it weren't for him. What did Georgia mean, though? Madam Pomfrey needed me? That was not a good sign. I swallowed hard as I reached the Hospital Wing.
I pushed the doors open and saw Madam Pomfrey looking very worried as she poured what I recognized as a Calming Draught into a goblet.
“Oh, Amy, thank Merlin,” she sighed. “There you are. I thought you would have brought him, but he showed up about an hour ago with Albus Potter.”
“What's wrong?” I asked as I followed her to the only occupied bed, which had the curtains closed around it.
“He won't calm down,” Madam Pomfrey whispered. “I've talked to him, but it hasn't helped. We have to leave for the shack in five minutes.”
“I'll talk to him,” I told her. As nice as Madam Pomfrey is and as helpful she's been to me, since Matt doesn't know her she's not going to be able to calm him down.
“See if you can get him to take this,” she said as she handed me the goblet.
I nodded and pulled open the curtains. Matt was sitting on the bed and staring straight ahead, tears running down his face. He didn't seem to have noticed me come in. I sat down across from him and it hit me how much younger he looked than his eleven years. It was strange how being scared made someone look so much younger.
“Matt,” I said as I put my arms around him. He was shaking so much and I did not know whether it was from fear or just the impending transformation. “You're going to have to go to the shack now. I'm going to go with you, and then I'm going to have to come back here. But I'm going to be there when you wake up tomorrow morning. I promise.”
“I just w-want to g-go home,” Matt replied in between sobs.
He really broke my heart before full moons. The past few years I had really begun to see why my parents had given him whatever he wanted when he was little. All I wanted to do was whatever it took to get him happy again.
“You can't,” I told him quietly. “You have to do this here if you're going to go to Hogwarts. You want to stay at Hogwarts, right?”
“I g-guess,” he said.
“You're going to love it here,” I assured him. “Once you're better, you're going to love it. And you'll get used to transforming in the shack, too. Now, take this potion, and we'll have to leave.”
“You're c-coming, right?” he asked as I handed him the goblet.
“Of course,” I assured him.
Matt drank the potion and then I helped him to his feet. Madam Pomfrey was waiting for us just outside the curtains. She lead us out into the corridor and walked a few feet ahead of us.
The walk was slow going since Matt was dizzy and really didn't feel good. He kept a death grip on my arm the entire time, but he seemed to have calmed down a little. Whether that was from the potion or my talking to him, I had no idea. But whatever the reason, he had nearly stopped crying by the time we made it to the Whomping Willow.
Madam Pomfrey showed us how to freeze it and the small hole that lead to the secret passageway. She went in first, then Matt, and then me. The passageway was dark, damp, and small. I immediately lit my wand and hoped it was short walk. The place was disgusting and I had to walk bent over, as did Madam Pomfrey. The top of Matt's head seemed to just brush the ceiling.
Unfortunately there were many adjectives that could be used to describe the walk and short was not one of them. Long, exhausting, cold, and gross were just a few that came to mind. I realize that the place was underground and decades old, but couldn't someone have done something to neaten it up a bit? At least someone could have put some sort of charm to stop the dirt from falling on our heads.
The Shrieking Shack turned out to be just what it was called, a shack. The place was very run down and filled with broken furniture. Every window was boarded up and there wasn't an ounce of light inside it. However, none of those surprised me as much as how big it was. I'd seen it from the outside, of course, but never realized just how big it was. I don't mean big like my old house in Australia of course or my grandparents' house because the place would be tiny to live in. But as a place for my brother to transform, it was huge. Matt was used to transforming in a twenty by twenty room, not a two story house. What was the wolf going to think of it?
“Ten minutes until moonrise,” Madam Pomfrey said once we were inside. “There's a bed upstairs.”
“All right,” I said. “I'll be right back.”
I lead Matt to the staircase which lead right to a bedroom with a huge four poster bed that had seen better days. Matt immediately laid down on it and squeezed his eyes shut. I sat down next to him and started rubbing his back, the way Mum does when he doesn't feel good. This was it. I didn't really know what else to say and I didn't think Matt would really comprehend what I said anyway.
“I'll be here when you wake up,” I said as I gave him a hug. “I promise.”
“Amy!” Madam Pomfrey shouted. “We've got to go!”
“Ok!” I shouted back.
I gave Matt one last hug and then left the room. It was really awful to leave him there all alone, but I didn't have a choice. I was starting to scare myself with how much I actually understood what my parents went through every month since Matt was bitten.
Madam Pomfrey and I were silent as we walked back through the passageway and then up to the castle. We didn't pass anyone on our way up to the Hospital Wing and the only noise was the sound of our shoes against the corridor. Madam Pomfrey sat down at her desk once we got there, and I went to the window to watch the moon rise. It was just peeking out over the horizon.
“Amy, does Matt usually get that anxious before the full moon?” Madam Pomfrey asked.
“It's not usually that bad,” I said as I turned away from the window. “Once he's used to Hogwarts, it'll get better. He's got to get to know you, too.”
Madam Pomfrey nodded understandingly. She was the only one in Hogwarts who knew the exact details of what had happened to Matt in Australia before we moved. She knew that he was still leery of strangers, especially around the full moon.
“I think I'm going to go back to Gryffindor,” I said. “I'll be back in the morning. Good night.”
“Good night, Amy,” Madam Pomfrey replied.
Victoire was still exactly where she had been before, struggling through her Potions essay. She didn't ask anything about where I'd been, besides just asking how Matt was. I was so grateful that she doesn't try and press me for information about him. Instead, she turned the conversation to our Potions essay, which we both completed by the time the common room began to empty out.
I decided to stay in the common room when Victoire went up to bed. There was no point in trying to sleep since I never slept during full moons. I settled into one of the armchairs near a window and stared at the moon while listening to the chatter die down around me.
Technically, students weren't allowed to spend the night in the common room, something I figured out my first night at Hogwarts, but I doubted anyone would bother me about it. Plus, there were perks to having your best friend be Head Girl.
******
There were some things that you got used to in life. I got used to Hogwarts and even came to love it. I got used to England and its weird weather and suffering through Quidditch matches during blizzards. I even got used to Professor Washburn's awful temper and the way he always seems to favor the Slytherins. But there were some things I would never get used to and one of them was the fact that Matt was a werewolf.
Sure I adapted my life around it, well my parents adapted my life around it, but I would never be completely used to it. If I was used to it, I would be able to sleep the night of the full moon instead of staring out the window watching the moon. It just wasn't one of those things you could get used to. Even when I had been at school and Matt had been home, I never slept during full moons.
In a way, home was worse and in a way, it wasn't. At home, we were able to hear all the shrieking and howling and that of course, is awful. However, now that Matt's at Hogwarts, I know he's completely alone in the Shrieking Shack and that's awful as well. I know it's not rational since when he's a wolf, he has no human memories and therefore could care less that he's far away, but it still bothers me.
My parents never get used to it either. They spend every full moon sitting at the kitchen table with hardened expressions and not saying a word. When I'm home, I do the same thing because there really is nothing to do or say. Nothing we can do or say will change anything.
Except, there was a possibility to change it. There was a chance that I could change it. I was a seventh year and that much closer to becoming a Healer and Brewer at St. Mungo's. Once there, I'd be able to do research and figure out a way to change the Wolfsbane Potion so it would work for Matt. Then things would change. Then we wouldn't have to sit through full moon after full moon, hoping that Matt would make it through. Then Matt wouldn't have to go through this, period.
******
The nice thing about getting up at an hour where no one else is up, is well, that there's no one else up. Madam Pomfrey never said when she was going to go get Matt from the Shrieking Shack, but I assumed she would right after the moon set. Unfortunately, I had fallen asleep at some point and awoke with a start after the moon had already set and the sun had begun to rise. Thus, I was very grateful that Prefects didn't patrol in the wee hours of the morning.
The Hospital Wing was deserted, save for a girl sleeping in one of the far beds. Madam Pomfrey's study door was open, though, so I peeked inside. It was empty. All right, she was probably getting Matt from the shack already. I'd just have to wait. I sat down on one of the beds and looked at my watch every few seconds, hoping that the girl in the other bed wouldn't wake up before Madam Pomfrey returned with Matt.
The doors opened a few minutes later and I immediately stood up. Madam Pomfrey entered, directing a stretcher in front of her. Matt was on top of it, but I could only see his head since he was covered in blankets. My stomach lurched like it always does when I first see him after full moons. That's something that never has changed since the first time I saw him.
I waited while Madam Pomfrey transferred Matt onto a bed, pulled the curtains around us, and started to work. There was nothing I could do while she healed his wounds and gave him potions. She was awfully good at it, knowing exactly what to do, which I thought was odd until I remembered that she had been the nurse when Teddy's dad was at Hogwarts and thus knew what to do.
Once she was done I pulled up a chair and watched him sleep. There were small superficial cuts on his face and his head was wrapped in white gauze. Below the blankets I knew there were more bandages, covering up more cuts and bruises. It was the same as every other month. Nothing ever changed when it came to this. This was the one constant in Matt's life and it was the one thing that I wished would change.
Matt didn't wake up the whole time I sat by his bed. I wasn't all that surprised since the full moon had obviously been worse than usual, most likely due to him transforming in the shack. Madam Pomfrey told me to go get some brekkie before class, which I did so reluctantly. He needed me to be there when he woke up, but I couldn't exactly skip all of my classes.
When I went to the Hospital Wing at lunch, Matt was still asleep. Same with when I went up before dinner. I sent an owl off to my parents after I finished eating and then did some homework with Victoire, before making my excuses and going back to the Hospital Wing.
The girl who had been in the Hospital Wing the previous night was gone now, and Matt's bed was the only one occupied. Madam Pomfrey was rushing about pouring potions into goblets and placing them on a tray that already contained a bowl of soup when I returned.
“He just woke up,” she said as she carried the tray to Matt's bed.
“Thank Merlin,” I breathed a sigh of relief as I ran over to his bed.
Matt was rubbing his eyes and looking around confusedly when I pulled the curtains open. Madam Pomfrey had handed him a potion, but he didn't seem to have noticed it.
“Amy?” he asked. “Where am I?”
“Hogwarts,” I laughed. “Now take your potion.”
“Oh, right,” he muttered and swallowed the potion. “Merlin, my head hurts.”
“The potion will help,” I assured him. “Now, didn't I tell you you'd get through this full moon just like the others?”
“I guess,” he shrugged.
“All right, I want you to take these other two potions and eat something,” Madam Pomfrey said. “And some of your friends were here earlier wanting to know how you were. I told them they couldn't visit, but perhaps next month they can.”
“Oh,” Matt looked a little surprised. “Yeah, maybe.”
I couldn't help but smile. Between having lycanthropy, overprotective parents, and moving a few years ago, Matt had never really had any friends before. What he needed more than anything was to spend time with kids his own age and I was thrilled beyond belief that two days into term he already had friends coming to see him in the Hospital Wing.
“And you have a whole month between now and the next full moon,” I said as Madam Pomfrey left. “Plenty of time to get used to Hogwarts.”
“But then I have to do this again,” he groaned.
“You got through the first one, so you'll be able to get through the rest just the same,” I assured him. I had never been the kind of person to see the glass as half-full, but this time I did. For some inexplicable reason, I couldn't help but think on the bright side at the moment.
Matt got through his first full moon at Hogwarts, and while it had been hard on him, it was over. The first full moon had to be the worst, right? Soon he would be completely used to Hogwarts and transforming in the shack wouldn't be any different than home. With the first full moon behind him, I couldn't help but think how wonderful Hogwarts was going to be for him. He had friends already, friends who wanted to check on him in the Hospital Wing. Yes, he would be keeping a really big secret from them, but our whole family had been doing that for years.
I looked back at him and he was already drifting back to sleep. I smiled. He was going to be okay. He was just like all the other first years; he just got sick once a month. No big deal. It was one day out of twenty-eight and the other twenty-seven he was just like everyone else, and I was very happy that all the professors at Hogwarts agreed.