I’m moving along this fine nanowrimo with all of the pace of a snail on sedatives. But, inches will add up to miles eventually.
It moves as though it’s made of smoke and ash, it’s gangly limbs twist and untwist. Its eyes are like red-hot coals. When it opens its mouth, it’s the sound of steam hissing through a sewer grate. It pulls itself up to its full height, more solid than smoke now. Its claws are long, curled, talons dripping with venom.
A demon.
He snarls at me again and I jump off of the hood of the car and raise my blade.
It’s been a long time since I’ve fought a demon. The last time I’d fought one, had been before I’d been cast out of Heaven. It would be like riding a bicycle, right?
I swing my blade in an experimental arc.
The demon clicks and spits at me, sparks flying from its maw. It claws its way out of the ditch and moves closer to me.
I can feel the heat from it. The rotten egg stench of sulfur is overwhelming. I swing my sword as fast as I can, feeling my heart catch fire.
It’s been so long.
My sword sticks into its side, biting into it as if it were real flesh.
The demon growls and takes a swipe at me and with a flap of my wings I dart out of range.
I take another swing and hack off one of its arms. It twitches and thrashes on the pavement the way a worm does when its pulled in half.
The monster wails and hisses. Spit flies from its maw and lands on my shirt. It smokes from the venom.
There’s a bang and a terrible shriek behind me. I look over my shoulder to see a second demon on top of Tabbi’s car, sinking its claws into the tire.
“Iz!” Tabitha screams, voice raw with panic.
“Don’t worry!” I call back to her, “I have it under control.” I duck just in time to feel talons swipe past my head.
I hope.
The demon is so close I feel as though I’ve stepped into a room full of smoke and flame. It’s stifling, choking.
I plunge my sword into the creature’s chest and drag it down. Black blood drips down the gleaming celestial blade and drips onto the hilt. It’s thick and black, it makes the grip hard to hold onto.
The demon wavers falling to its knees.
I scramble back, out of the way.
It falls face-first to the pavement, but as its body hits the wet road, it dissolves into foul-smelling smoke to be carried off by the wind.
I’m still trying to catch my breath when I hear the scrape of steel against the road.
It’s the only warning I get before I’m sent careening to concrete. My wings are pinned to my back, claws are sunk into my skin, no doubt ruining my tattoo and my jacket. I can feel the venom making me numb.
My sword is knocked from my hand, skidding off of the road.
Fear catches in my chest.
I’m screwed.
The demon’s mouth is right by my ear. I can hear a rumbling, deep from its chest. Venom drips from its teeth and burns the skin by my ear. Its breath reeks of death and decay.
No sword. Face down on the road. Wings pinned. Demon on my back.
Scott: It can't have been either because you need either on to make the other and oh for heavens sake this is such a stupid question. Why hasn't someone worked this out.
Quidditch season is just around the corner! Hope all of the Houses are finalizing teams and strategy to make this the best year yet! If anyone needs extra practice on the pitch, just send me a note!
Just a reminder for those that have had their heads plugged up for the last month, Quidditch season is starting up! First game of the Season is
Slytherin vs Hufflepuff
Saturday, 3 November, kick off at 2pm sharp
But I hope to see all the Houses out in the stands, cheering on their peers!
If any teams have any questions or concerns about the upcoming game or season in general, feel free to contact me or the Headmistress!
OOC: there’s still room on all of the House teams for Quidditch players, especially Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff, so if you think your character would have any interest in playing, please feel free to contact the main! The plan is to create an interactive game, and we’d like as full of a lineup as possible to do so!
Summary: As the sun goes down, Tabitha heads to the Potions Dungeons to prepare for her transformation. However, she isn’t prepared for the attack of self-doubt and sadness that overcomes her with no apparent reason (or is there?)
Tabitha made her way down to the Dungeons from her office as the sun began to sink after supper in the Great Hall. She was exhausted and grumpy, as per usual these last few days-- well, basically her entire life in the nights before the full moon. She’d been diligent about her Wolfsbane Potion, and now was the culmination of her work. Considering she was allowed to transform in the Potions classroom as opposed to the Shrieking Shack, she felt like she’d made quite a bit of progress.
A gnome popped up into view, and she tried to nudge it out of her way as she made her way to the steps. Unfortunately, that was apparently too gentle, as the nasty bugger’s sharp teeth clamped onto her leg. She swore loudly, kicking at the creature and sending it tumbling down the steps ahead of her.
“Well, doesn’t that just bode bloody brilliantly,” she grumbled, before glancing out the window and continuing toward the classroom.
As she made her way downwards, glancing around so as not to run into anything else with sharp teeth, she began to feel dogged down by sadness as she considered her state. Just another night of spells: a door warning students that the classroom was off limits; muffling charms to hide any noises she would invariably make; specialized locking enchantments that only herself, the Headmistress, and Robbie were capable of countering. So much danger that she put her students in-- so much risk for the monster she was. The situation left her with a heavier heart than usual, and she had to work to push herself through the door.
With the precautions in place, Tabitha turned toward the classroom and began to clean up as she cleared a space for herself. She moved slowly, taking her time as she took in her surroundings. She wasn’t an expert in potions, by any means, but the classroom had always felt safe to her, close to the Slytherin Common Room and where she and her mates had studied back in their school days to brew her own Wolfsbane Potion for the first time. It was in this first class that she really had felt like she belonged at Hogwarts, and it was why she’d asked McGonagall to utilize the classroom itself instead of her somewhat cramped office as Remus Lupin had done before her when she began working as a professor.
And yet instead of the comfort the classroom usually offered her, she felt a weight of sadness and despair as she regarded her situation. A despondency of what she was-- what she was going to be forever-- settled on her shoulders as heavy as an ogre, and Tabitha felt that she might cry.
The shadows of the Dungeon made her feel even more alone, the lack of windows that normally made the location appealing suddenly making her feel claustrophobic and anxious. How much longer did she have? Did it even matter? All she was was a monster, after all-- an abomination, just like Murphy had said. Who cared if her outsides matched her insides? Or if she just ripped herself to shreds?
Desperate for something to cling to, she strode to the cupboard, pulling out a suitcase Haywood had left for her, with her blanket, Wizarding Chess set, and new pillow enclosed. She hugged the items tightly to her, and yet she felt nothing. Just awash with how much of a burden she was on the people that had given them to her. To the Headmistress, who was risking so much in hiring her. To Robbie, who wasted his time keeping her company in his Animagus form and protecting the students from her while she was in her monstrous state. To her parents, who had to fight tooth and nail against her family, the community, and the very government they worked for in order for her to have any semblance of a normal life. It wasn’t fair to them.
Her phone pinged, and Tabitha, eyes brimming with tears, couldn’t even bring herself to brace for what was coming, instead merely dropping to the stone floor.
Her pupils dilated, eyes able to take in every detail of the shadowed room, and she groaned as her stomach twisted and her body began to spasm.
The muffling spells held as they always did while she twisted and turned, her voice becoming louder as her body contorted in its terrible way. The bones in her fingers pulled as her hands grew, nails curving into claws Her teeth ached as they pushed further out and sharpened, and her skin stretched and tightened around her growing, warping form.
Tabitha gave up and let herself scream as her spine curved, the bones in her body and skull mutating and reforming into that of the monster she became. It was an agonizing experience, and she imagined it had to look as awful as it felt. It was why she insisted that Robbie wait until after the change to come by and visit her-- it was too horrific and embarrassing, no matter what he said, and she just couldn’t bring herself to allow the company until afterwards.
She heaved and gasped as the pain rescinded-- afterwards is what it was. It had barely been a minute, but the excruciating process felt like eternity every time. But her mind remained, suddenly clear and relieved of the weight she’d just be feeling, and she carefully dropped her long, freakish arms down, moving to all fours in order to navigate to the clutter of items near Haywood’s desk. Everything was the same-- she was the same person she always was, she remembered, with the exception of her appearance. Not a monster. Not an abomination. She was good.
Tabitha flopped onto the not nearly large enough pillow, exhausted. Between the Wolfsbane Potion, her transformation, and the odd overwhelming depression she’d just experienced, she had been sapped of quite a bit of energy. Robbie’s canine company was more of a comfort really, than a necessity. Just one more safety precaution that was in place to make absolutely certain the students of Hogwarts were safe. But he chose to come, and they would happily play their odd game of chess like the old friends they were.
Suddenly, there was a quiet scuffle against the door, and the wolf’s head snapped upwards with interest. It took Tabitha a moment to realize that a Pogrebin had even followed her into the classroom, and was now-- without prey and facing a very dangerous werewolf-- desperate to get out. Her thoughts of depression and worthlessness suddenly made much more sense. Her wolf side was piqued, and ached to pounce and tear the creature apart in a bout of petty aggression and natural hunting instinct. Her human mind, however, couldn’t help but feel some pity for one of the beasts she earlier been railing against. While it had been attacking her, she was aware that the beast had been placed in the castle not of its own volition, and was simply doing what came naturally to it. Like the gnome before it, Tabitha simply hadn’t been paying proper attention to prevent its actions.
She continued to carefully open the chess game and attempt to set it up, keeping the pogrebin in her peripheral vision as it watched her warily. When Robbie appeared, Tabitha would have to be quick to warn him about the danger and remove the creature quickly. However, as both were not quite human at the moment, arguably they’d be safe until sunrise.
For now, Tabitha snuggled against her father’s pillow and actually felt quite happy with her life.
Summary: When Tabitha hears about Cooper being pulled out of class for interrogation by the Ministry, she sets out to confront the Aurors about their behavior only to find some prejudices still run deep.
The sun was still out as Tabitha strode across the grounds, but just barely. She would have set out the instant she’d heard the news from Filius, but she still had a class to teach, and with only two of them, she could hardly stand up her students.
So instead, she’d had to wait until the Aurors had finished their nonsensical posturing to approach them, which had only succeeded in further stoking her vexation.
“Murphy. Inspector Greenwood,” she called out, attempting to keep her tone respectful despite her anger. She may not have worked with these wizards, but they knew each other, and Tabitha was hoping to appeal to that familiarity in her quest for answers. “I was hoping I might have a word?”
The two older men looked at her consideringly before glancing between each other, then back before nodding. Tabitha let out a soft exhale, feeling more confident about her position as she continued.
“I understand you pulled Cooper Anderson out of class today for interrogation?”
“That is correct.”
She arched an eyebrow. “In front of a full classroom, in the middle of his class?” She glanced from one to the other. “Doesn’t that seem a bit...dramatic, considering?”
“We wanted to make a statement.”
The short, cutting edge of their replies was starting to wear thin on the former Ministry employee. “If you read our report, both Professor Clarington and I felt there was more than sufficient evidence to clear Mr. Anderson of any suspicion for the Hogsmeade attack, thus making such a statement less effectual and more potentially damaging to the trust we’ve been attempting to build with the student body in regards to coming forward.” She glanced at their unchanged expressions. “Did you read the report?”
“Yes, we looked over your findings.”
Tabitha felt the niggling in the back of her mind like she was missing something the two Aurors before her felt to be obvious. “And--?”
“And we felt that the...integrity of the interview may have been compromised.”
Tabitha’s features crinkled in confusion. “The what?“ she demanded. “How?”
Again, that look between them, before Murphy turned back to address her. “The report states that the student initially approached you when he came forward?”
“Yes, and then I called in Professor Clarington to assist with the official report.”
Murphy gave her a pointed look. “Professor, why do you believe Mr. Anderson approached you first, rather than Professor Clarington or even his own Head of House?” Tabitha paused, turning the situation over in her mind to keep the fact that Cooper had initially approached Robbie and not herself with his confession out of the conversation, when he continued, “Do you believe that, perhaps, it had something to do with believing you might share the belief that certain moral standards do not need to be considered?”
“What?” This hadn’t been where she’d thought the conversation was going at all, but she was starting to recognize the direction it was taking.
“Ms. Shacklebolt, it’s a well-known fact that persons of your...condition--” he paused as his face wrinkled infinitesimally while looking over her “--have a tendency for their moral bearings to become off balance, if you will. We had a strong suspicion that perhaps your own innate bias may have affected yours and Professor Clarington’s findings.”
Tabitha did not miss the fact that not only was she being accused of being unreliable because she was a werewolf, but that they were insinuating an ability to manipulate Robbie’s judgement as well. “Sergeant Murphy, I would like to remind you that my father was a veteran of the Second Wizarding War, the Minister of Magic during the Reconstruction, and that I myself worked in the ministry for seven years--”
“As an employee for the Regulation and Control of Magical Beings-- hardly the same as working with genuine witches and wizards,” he interjected, and Tabitha’s face turned cold as her fury burned inside of her.
“Robert Clarington is a highly decorated Auror, trusted by Harry Potter himself,” she said, her tone eerily controlled as it became when she was at her most enraged. “If I warrant his complete trust in my abilities to aid in this investigation, I expect for my work to be regarded with the same respect within the rest of the department.”
The inspector stepped toward her, forcing Tabitha to raise her chin to maintain eye contact. “With all due respect, Professor, we would like to remind you that our full time positions are that of Ministry Aurors. While we appreciate the aid the staff of the school is providing, and Professor Clarington especially, the final decisions regarding how we choose to proceed with any and all suspects will be made by us. So thank you for your cooperation, but we must be going.”
With those words, and a short nod by both men, they turned and left her alone on the grass, staring out into the dark with a fury Tabitha rarely felt when the moon wasn’t full.
