Wolf and Lion ;; Lyra & Liam

[LIAM JOSEPH WARD]

Lyra kind of laughed at Liam's question, and part of him regretted asking it, but another part of him found himself not regretting anything that made her laugh, even if it was kind of a 'what a silly question, Liam' condescending laugh. He rubbed the back of his neck gently, flashing her a small, sheepish smile as she explained that it would be a bit too much like feeding a pet. Well, when she put it that way he found himself letting out a soft chuckle. She had been right, it was a bit of a bold request to make of the faculty he supposed. But she continued to explain when she'd have to take her potions and things of that nature, and how if she took them all at the right time she'd be able to keep her mind, which Liam assumed she would be able to resist the Werewolf's urge for meat.

"I'm sorry if I'm bit... uneducated," he said, feeling the slightest bit bad that he hadn't really retained too much of his lessons on Werewolves during classes. It wasn't that he didn't care about them, and he returned certain information, but he'd never known a Werewolf before. When they take their potion and things of that nature, they didn't teach you that in classes. Still, he was interested in everything about her life as a Werewolf, and the more she told him the more intrigued he grew, and more he found himself remembering. He'd not forget when she has to take her potions, that was certain. She asked what he thought and he grinned in her direction.

"It's certainly more interesting than anything else in Hogsmeade," he said, hoping to get across the point that he found it fascinating without actually having to say it. He didn't want to sound... too eager, he supposed. But when Lyra mentioned her transformation the chill that had been in the shack prior returned to his bones. She talked about it so nonchalantly. Then again, he supposed if he'd turned into a Werewolf once a month for three years, he'd talk about the transformation as if it were nothing, too. He supposed you just got used to it after a while. He nodded toward her, knowing her transformation, despite how detached she seemed to be from the statement, was a gruesome process.

He turned to look at her when she called the shack boring. He thought for a moment, trying to figure out what she was trying mean because boring certainly hadn't been it. He tried to imagine what it was being a Werewolf, for what it was worth, and he remembered her words outside. 'Wolves run.' His eyes focused only on her once more.

"It makes you feel trapped, restless... Wolves run," he said offering her a smirk as he looked around the shack once more. The broken furniture, the deep gashes in the wall, he couldn't even begin to imagine what it must be like. And then she mentioned how Eadric always wanted to come and be with her. It didn't surprise him, not that he would have thought that way in the beginning. If any of his siblings were ever turned into Werewolves, he would likely want to be with them too. Even if for no other reason than the fact that they don't have to be alone when they're back to normal. But then Lyra mentioned that he now knew it would never happen... because she could kill him if there was even the tiniest slip.

Liam nodded gently before his eyes found her once more. "And I know that's the last thing you'd ever want," he said. Lyra and Eadric seemed to have a relationship similar to the ones he shared with his own siblings, so he could appreciate what they felt for one another. Even though Liam was still unsure he would ever physically beat someone for speaking of rumors about his siblings.

"Has your brother ever been inside at all?" he asked. He knew that sneaking and breaking into the shrieking shack probably wasn't an often occurrence, but he wondered if Lyra had ever shown Eadric where she transformed, the room in which she visited hell once a month.

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[LYRA ALVAH AVERY]

Lyra smiled as he said that wolves ran. "Yes," she said, "they... run." She found it interesting that he seemed to be missing the most obvious point; wolves kill. Instead he said run.

Lyra knew that she was small and fragile looking, that her wide eyes made her look young and innocent. She knew that it was hard for most people to reconcile that image with a killer. But once a month Lyra would kill, if it weren't for the potion. With the potion she didn't exactly want to kill, but the instinct was there. She didn't quite know what to compare it to, but she thought someone more experienced than her might have a few ideas. Instincts were instincts, no matter what the species.

Liam said that he knew that killing Eadric would be the last thing she ever wanted, and she looked at him carefully. That was true, and she was sure he did know, but not in the way he thought he did. He had talked about his siblings before, so Lyra knew he cared about them, and that he protected them in a similar way to how Eadric protected her. But he didn't know, not really, what there was between she and Eadric. They weren't just brother and sister, they were twins. That was a very deep bond, and one you couldn't understand unless you had it. Lyra didn't like to say that Eadric was her 'other half', because she was a whole person on her own, but it was something similar to that. They'd never had the sibling rivalry that most brothers and sisters had, the bickering and the fighting. They'd always been resolutely on the others side, understanding everything about them. But she wouldn't begrudge Liam thinking that he knew what was between her and Eadric. It wasn't his fault he didn't understand; no one could, unless they had a twin themselves. Although maybe it would be a problem, if Eadric ever found out about this. Liam wouldn't understand Eadric's reaction.

Liam asked if Eadric had ever been inside, and Lyra nodded. "Yes," she said, "once. This is only the second time I've been here and not transformed. The first time was when I was thirteen, when I returned to Hogwarts a Werewolf. Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey took me to see where I'd be transforming, and Eadric came too." Lyra smiled slightly, remembering something, "Dumbledore offered me his office to transform in, of course. But I didn't want to be anywhere where I might have been a danger to someone if something went wrong. I didn't want to be in the castle." Dumbledore too was dead now. He had been so kind to her, and without him she would never have been allowed to come to Hogwarts.

She had had to leave Hogwarts once, of course; during the short period when Professor Umbridge had been headmistress, near the end of her third year. It had been her first year as a Werewolf, and it had been extremely upsetting to be expelled. Umbridge hated what she called 'half-breeds', and when she had replaced Dumbledore as head of the school she had expelled Lyra immediately. Lyra had thought she'd never return to Hogwarts, although she hadn't been sure if that was so terrible. Already she had no friends, and her transformations made her life hell. It had been a very dark time for her, adjusting to her knew life. But then Dumbledore had returned, and invited her back, so she had gone. And then when Dumbledore had died Snape had taken over as Headmaster. It was because of him that she had been allowed to remain at school. The Death Eaters used Werewolves, and Fenir Greybacks Werewolf back were Death Eater aligned, but Voldemort saw Werewolves as 'half-breeds'. He hated anyone- or anything- that wasn't pure blooded wizard. No Werewolf was ever given a Dark Mark.

Lyra didn't know if it was Snape's promise to her father or the memory of Albus Dumbledore which had kept her at school, but either way she remained. Snape was dead too now, so she'd never know. And of course Professor McGonagall took her cue from Dumbledore, and followed the arrangements he had put in place for Lyra.

"Maybe we could go outside," Lyra suggested, keeping her voice calm. She was used to the shrieking shack, of course, but the longer she stayed in it the more she thought about later that night. She would come here to transform, and the truth was that when she thought about it she felt sick with nerves. The pain was terrible, and not something anyone could get used to. Well, maybe Greyback, but he was insane. Lyra was scared when she transformed, every time. That never went away.

[LIAM JOSEPH WARD]

Lyra agreed that wolves run, but the look on her face made him felt like he missed something again. He ignored it thought as his eyes continued to search around the shack. Lyra stayed quiet at his comment about his brother and he briefly hoped he wasn't out of line. He had a feeling she'd probably tell him if he was, but he had only just met this girl. How could he possibly have any idea what she was like when she was upset or angry? He'd only ever seen her happy and he liked to see her that way. And then she answered his question, about how Eadric had come upw with her when she first saw that this was where was going to to transform. He nodded, letting out a small laugh at the fact that Dumbledore was going to allow her to use his office.

"He was a great man," he said with a firm nod before he grew silent again. He wasn't sure what else there was to say, really, but he did enjoy hearing her talk about her past. And even when a silence fell between them Liam never found them uncomfortable. She stayed silent for a little while, seemingly lost in thought before she suggested they go back outside. He nodded, able to sense the tension on her voice. She probably didn't want to spend too long in there. After all, she'd be there all night later that evening. She didn't need to be there any longer than they had to.

"Sure," he said making his way toward the door, holding it open for her to exit before him. Once they were outside he looked at her, a small smile on his face. "Thanks... for showing me that," he said with a grin, but as his eyes left her face and made their way back toward the village his eyes didn't like what he saw.

There was a professor down where the path to the Shack met the village road... and she was looking straight at them. Liam knew they were in for it the second he caught sight of her, and he sighed inwardly as he prepared for the professor's yelling. They reached the fence, his shirt tearing the slightest bit more. He wasn't a very nimble person today, was he? And as they reached the professor he could already hear her yelling.

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[LYRA ALVAH AVERY]

Lyra laughed as Liam thanked her for showing him the shack, her spirits lifting as she stepped outside into the open air. "You're welcome," she said, thinking that it probably wasn't the nicest place to be shown. But he had wanted to see it, and she was glad that he had. It made her feel more comfortable to know what her 'deep dark secret' was not only out in the open, but could be discussed.

Lyra shut the door behind them, and pulled out her wand, muttering the spell that would lock it again. Immediately she heard the chain leap to life, coil itself back into position, and the lock snap shut. Even though it was very unlikely that anyone but Lyra would go in the shack and see the door was unlocked, there was a chance that Lyra wouldn't have a chance to lock it again when she went up there that evening, or maybe she would forget. And then there was another, small chance, that the door would need to be locked. Still, taking chances was stupid, especially when it wasn't necessarily her own life she was chancing.

Lyra saw Liam's face fall as he looked towards the village, and turned to see what he was looking at; there she saw what was unmistakably a teacher striding towards the fence, her eyes on them. There was no way to hide now, and in fact trying to get away would probably just make it worse. They'd just have to face whoever it was (Lyra couldn't tell from this distance).

The two of them made their way back down together. The teacher was already yelling, and they were attracting some other students. As Lyra approached the fence she saw the two girls from the Three Broomsticks, the ones from her dorm, looking at Liam and Lyra with interest, and clearly making sure they were within earshot. Lyra was sure she'd hear about this later.

Liam stepped through the fence first, and his shirt tore even more as he caught it again. Lyra hoped it wasn't a favourite. She stepped through the fence herself, just in time to hear,

"...batant disregard for the rules!" Professor Vector, the Arithmancy teacher, was furious. "How you could dare to go into a dangerous building like that, when it is expressly forbidden..." she looked at Lyra as though to say 'I expected more of you', but didn't say anything. All the teachers new about Lyra's condition (it was necessary, in case anything happened) but they knew not to say anything in front of another student. Professor Vector knew that Lyra knew the shack well.

Personally Lyra thought that that should mean Professor Vector knew full well that Lyra knew what she was doing in approaching the Shrieking Shack, but she decided not to mention it.

The girls from Lyra's year were watching them, giggling, and Lyra resolutely ignored them. Professor Vector then caught sight of Liam's ripped shirt, and seemed to inflate with indignant rage. "And what exactly were the two of you doing up there!?" She asked, causing the two Ravenclaw girls (who had been joined now by some other students) to burst into apparently uncontrollable giggles. "No, don't tell me," Professor Vector continued, before either of them could open their mouths "I don't want to know."

Lyra blushed furiously at the insinuation. She would never... she had never... she thought it grossly unfair that Professor Vector would even imply...

"Detention!" Professor Vector cried, "Both of you! Tonight, I mean-" she changed direction quickly, looking at Lyra, "tomorrow night! 6pm, don't be late, either of you!"

Lyra's eyes were glistening with tears of indignant rage. How dare Professor Vector shout at them like that, and imply such things, humiliating them in front of other students! She wanted to shout back, and give Vector a piece of her mind, but she knew that would only get the two of them into more trouble, and that wasn't fair on Liam.

Professor Vector seemed to be done, and she turned to walk back to the village. Lyra glared at the small group of students who had been listening, and they too turned and followed, giggling all the way. Lyra stood with her arms folded across her chest, upset and fuming. Worst of all, she was sure now that Eadric would find out exactly what she had been up to today.

[LIAM JOSEPH WARD]

"How dare you two have such a blatant disregard for rules!" Professor Vector, the arithmancy professor was shouting at them. Liam's face remained solemn she she shouted about how it was expressly forbidden for students to approach the shack. The way the Professor looked at Lyra, as if it were all her fault had Liam slightly enraged. It wasn't her idea. It was his! She was the only thing dangerous about the shack, so clearly they'd be fine considering Lyra was there. Maybe if the rules on Werewolf treatment were a little more fair, and people were raised to treat them like the people they were than they could have avoided this mess entirely because Lyra would have been able to tell everyone what she was and no one would care. But that was a foolish, idealistic hope that Liam held, and he knew that if the world were ever going to be that way it would be years from now.

People had started to gather around the three of them, the two girls from the Three Broomsticks were there, several people from Gryffindor. Well, he'd be hearing a mouthful from Aeryn tonight, wouldn't he? She was usually the one getting in trouble for things, not him. Liam had remained relatively calm and collected while she'd begun her ranting about the Shack, but the second she asked what they were doing, and insinuated something far different than what had happened.... Liam was infuriated, and he would not stand to be treated this way by a Professor. His face contorted into one of confusion as he gestured back towards the fence, but Vector was already shouting about detention and neither he nor Lyra had the chance to defend themselves.

He was filled with a rage he couldn't even identify, and the laughing of the students only amplified his fury. The look on their smug little faces, as if they knew anything about what happened. Liam inhaled deeply before rolling his eyes, narrowing them as Professor walked away, a gaggle of students following her. He was certainly going to hear an earful from Aeryn tonight, wasn't he? He let out a frustrated sigh before turning to Lyra. Her eyes were glistening with tears, tears of anger no doubt and Liam frowned at the sight of them. He was torn now between rage and guilt as his eyes flopped between the horrid woman and Lyra.

"I... I'm sorry. She has no right to talk to us like that... I..." he trailed off, his rage getting the best of him over the guilt. He did feel like this entire ordeal was completely his fault, but he wasn't mad about the detention. He didn't care about that at all. He cared about the fact that Vector had gone and insinuated things that couldn't have been farther from the truth. He looked down at his ripped shirt and narrowed his eyes, angry with himself for being so stupid, angry that he'd put Lyra in a situation she didn't need to be in. Not on the night of the full moon.

He inhaled once more before looking around. Most of the students had gone, but there were still a few stragglers standing about. Liam narrowed his eyes at them and they too departed. Good, now at least they were free to brood in peace. He sighed, his eyes finding the sun in the sky. He hadn't a clue what time it is, but he had to assume it was close to time to be going back to the castle.

"Should we get you back to the castle?" He didn't want to bring her back to the castle. Not yet, not after that. He didn't want to end a perfectly good day on such a sour note, but the timing just didn't seem to be in his favor that day, and he inwardly told himself he would make this day up to her. He just hoped that those fickle students wouldn't open their mouths. Another foolish, idealistic desire.

[LYRA ALVAH AVERY]

Liam apologised for Professor Vector's behaviour, and Lyra shook her head. "Not your fault," she said, looking away and wiping her eyes fiercely with her sleeve, angry at herself for getting teary. But since anger had caused the tears, that seemed like a futile reaction.

She thought about the students who had listened to every word Vector had said. By the time they got back to the castle the story would be half way around the school. And people would draw their own inevitably horrible conclusions. Lyra knew rumours too well to think otherwise. She knew what was waiting for her. Not that the rumours bothered her so much (she had faced worse) it was just so infuriating. These ones had no basis in fact, and would only make life harder for her. Because now, she was sure, the girls who had left her alone and talked about her behind her back would be talking to her, asking her questions, and generally being cruel. She was humiliated at the thought of people thinking she and Liam had been up to anything in the Shrieking Shack, and it was made all the worse because she knew what the students reaction would be; 'who would want to be with her?'

And, of course, Liam, who had never been on the end of unpleasant rumours like Lyra had, wouldn't like it one bit. Maybe he'd even stop wanting to be friends with her, because of this. She knew that being seen with her was a social faux pas, but this was just cruel!

Not to mention, Eadric would hear the rumours. Eadric would get into fights with anyone who insinuated such things about his sister. Eadric would be hurt that Lyra had lied to him. Eadric would want to know the truth.

"I wouldn't..."she said to Liam, her voice wavering slightly "I would never..." she couldn't even bring herself to say 'I would never have slept with you in the Shrieking Shack', or anything remotely close to that. She just wanted Liam to know that she wasn't like that.

She nodded when Liam asked if they should get back to the castle. She didn't want to go, but she knew she had to. It was starting to get late, and maybe if they went back now she would get to Eadric before the rumours did. Eadric didn't talk to many people, so that was entirely possible.

"We'd probably better," she said, quietly "I'm sorry, about all this..." maybe Liam wouldn't know now why she should be sorry, but he would by this time tomorrow.

She looked up at the sky, at the sun which was starting to lower, thinking about the night ahead. At least she wouldn't have to face her dorm-mates. But really all she wanted was to find Eadric and have him listen while she told him everything, have him hug her and make her feel loved rather than a joke. But before long she would have to take her potion and make her way down to the shack to transform. Lyra was sure she'd add some claw marks to the walls tonight.

[LIAM JOSEPH WARD]

Lyra said that what had happened wasn't his fault, and while it was a simple enough statement, and while it should have been enough to allow him to drop the guilt off of his shoulders he knew it would not be easily done. His ideas had lead to Lyra being so infuriated she'd cried, and to who knew how many rumors back at Hogwarts. He'd messed up a perfectly good day with a new friend... a new friend he happened to like. He didn't know whether it was more than friends or not, but he did know that he was happy when he was around her. And it had been quite some time since he'd met a girl like her. There'd been a girl in his fifth year that he'd dated for quite awhile, but things went south after a few months because she'd moved onto bigger, better, more talkative people. Liam was never much of a talker unless he had to be, and his ex-girlfriend hate silence. The more silence, the more problems, the more fights... there went the relationship.

Liam inhaled, bringing his hands up to his hair and gripping it lightly before dragging them down his face in frustration. He really couldn't believe what a mess one teacher could make... what a mess he could make. Frustration built inside him because he felt helpless. There was nothing he could do to fix the situation now. The damage had already been done, and he felt trapped in that place his father's death put him in so many times before. If only things had gone differently. If they'd stayed in the shack for a bit longer, if he'd been less clumsy and not ripped his shirt, if they'd just done something normal for Hogsmeade none of this would have happened.

But... Liam didn't like normal Hogsmeade, and Lyra wasn't normal. They did things that suited their fancy, and despite the mess this has caused, Liam refused to regret it. Lyra spoke up once more, saying she would never... but she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Still, you didn't have to be a brain surgeon to understand what she meant. She wouldn't have slept in the shrieking shack, and while most boys likely would have taken that personally. As if she wouldn't have slept with him in the shrieking shack because he wasn't good enough... but Liam understood exactly what she meant. They'd met not long ago, the shack wasn't a place for those kinds of things... Lyra wasn't a slut. Liam nodded in response.

"I know, and I never would have expected you to," Liam had more tact and honor than to go sleeping with girls he'd just met in the shrieking shack. He'd had experience with those kinds of things, but only if there was an emotional connection involved. He wasn't the type of guy to sleep around in the slightest, and he could only hope that Lyra realized that about him. And while Liam did find Lyra incredibly attractive... he knew that they were nowhere near that stage yet. She was only a friend, and while he could feel himself getting attached to her... he hadn't a clue what she was thinking.

Lyra agreed that they probably should get back to the castle, and Liam nodded. He could tell in her voice that she didn't want to go, but they both knew they had to. It's what was best, despite the rumors they were going to be exposed to. Lyra apologized for everything, and he shook his head, gently 'shh-ing' her before he decided, if the day was already pretty wrecked his next action probably couldn't wreck it much further.

"I can handle myself. This will all pass," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and beginning to walk back toward the castle. It was a friendly gesture, but he hoped he wasn't too close for comfort after everything that had just happened. He wasn't very good with dealing with emotions. He would usually just hug his sisters, but Lyra was not his sister. Lyra Avery was a werewolf ravenclaw he'd only met a few days ago. And yet he still wanted to comfort her. He could see that she was stressed, so he did the only thing he could think of to comfort her somehow. Lyra would have to take her potion soon or the day would truly be lost for her completely, and Liam would not have that.

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[LYRA ALVAH AVERY]

Lyra was glad Liam would never have expected her to do anything with him in the Shrieking Shack. She was glad to know that that hadn't been on his mind.

Lyra had never had a boyfriend, and had absolutely no experience with anything like what Professor Vector had insinuated. She had never even kissed a boy, never mind... well, that. She had never had a boyfriend, never had anything close. Even thinking about that kind of stuff around Liam made her blush. And it made her feel humiliated to think that there would be rumours going around that she had slept with someone in the shack.

Her room-mates already teased her (they called it 'joking') about her utter lack of experience with boys. She didn't think any of them would actually believe that anything had happened, not really, but they would love pretending that they did. The gossip was too juicy to let common sense get in the way. They would love teasing little, inexperienced Lyra, and making her blush, because they were so much more mature than her.

Of course Lyra would never have done anything, and she was used to rumours and horrible comments, but she was still a girl. She didn't like the thought of the school talking about her like that, especially talking about how Liam must be nuts to go anywhere near her. She knew she should rise above it, but she didn't like being humiliated and made to feel completely undesirable.

Liam said that he could handle himself, and Lyra let out a slightly exasperated breath. Yes, she was sure he could handle himself- Lyra could handle herself, too. That wasn't the point. The point wasn't whether or not you could handle yourself, it was that you didn't want to have to handle it at all. Lyra could cope with being a Werewolf. She could deal with the rumours. She could handle having no friends. But that didn't mean she wanted to.

But Liam would find that all out soon enough on his own. He put his arm around her shoulders as they walked, and Lyra let him. It wasn't as though they could start any more rumours. The two of them started walking back to the castle, Lyra looking forward even less to the night ahead.