thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

"I think that Melinda, no matter how she comes about, is going to be quite the surprise for your parents. She is one of the best in her field, perhaps one of the few people specialized in this sort of work outside of St. Mungo's and the hospital over in the States, but she comes at the cost of your parents having to deal with someone very much like them and yet as unlike them as possible." He shook his head, looking amused about it.

"Eat up, get some rest, and we can talk in the morning. About.. what happened, about Melinda, whatever you need to. I promised to take care of getting Teddy ready for bed since she watched him while we were gone." Another of those somewhat awkward smiles as he nodded, giving Draco his privacy.

In the morning though, Remus was up early. More so not because he had wanted to be, but there were some bone deep aches keeping him up, so instead of constantly bothering Tonks with them, he had slipped from their bed and gone down to watch the sunrise. Most people didn't realize how much it affected his body, that the curse meant they couldn't heal him properly. Such the price of a curse. But it meant tea was ready and he was stretched out on the couch - watching television, actually - as he had done as a child with his mother.

Draco found himself awake earlier then what he was used to and it was probably because he spent most of yesterday asleep once he got home. He did feel a little bad about skipping out on meeting with Jake. He had meant to give it a shot, but yesterday had been an emotional drain for him. However, the sleep did help put him in better spirits and he didn't feel as tired as he had been the last few days.

He pulled the robes over his pajamas and made his way downstairs. He had thought he had heard someone already awake. He wasn't surprised to see that it was Remus, but he did give a curious glance at the television.

"Morning," Draco greeted while he made a cup of tea. "Is that one of those...televisions?"

"It is." Remus shifted to sit up, tucking his lanky body up to hide knobby feet under him. "Everyone complains that Muggles don't have moving pictures, but they do, just differently." He patted the couch beside him. "Watching what they call the Morning News, a bit like getting the Prophet except by live people."

He looked Draco over cautiously, but the younger man seemed well enough. Good.

Draco went and joined Remus at the couch, taking his cup of tea with him. He spent a few minutes watching the tv, unsure of what to make of it. Their news was pretty similar to their own, but done differently.

"Thankyou for your help yesterday. Your pressence alone helped keep me from running." Draco said after a while. He had been unsure of how to approach the topic. It was rare for him to thank anyone. But he did want Remus to know. He figured it was best to try and discuss this now before things got hectic.

"I'm so sorry about all of that. Honestly. I.. I had no idea Shacklebolt would do anything like that. I didn't know what he would do, but this... I'm sorry for it." He sighed softly and looked to Draco, his eyes full of his apologies.

"You did well in the face of it. Your family should be proud."

"No need to apologize. I know it wasn't your fault especially when you got mad. I don't think either of us really had an idea of what to expect once we stepped inside. The whole thing was overwhelming and confusing.

But...I was surprised that Shacklebolt is even giving me this chance. I felt for sure that he wouldn't because I couldn't leave my family behind." Draco replied, his voice becoming a little distant toward the end. He took a sip of his tea before continuing to speak. It felt strange to even be discussing this with Remus as he rarely ever voiced his worry or concern outside of his family. He also wasn't used to receiving compliments. That was still new for him.

"I worry about how that's going to play out."

"We do things that we wouldn't normally do for our families," Remus said after several moments of caution. "What... concerns me is what I think concerns him, and I would assume you'd rather me be honest." He looked to Draco, a little unsure. "I worry that if your mother and father chose to do something horrible, chose to walk down the dark path again, that you would follow them into darkness. If you chose that? You couldn't return to the light, not again. ...No one could trust you."

He nodded in answer to the statement. His expression was one of confusion and shame.

"You saw what I feared...I don't know what I would do. When I had the chance to stay with the right side...I left them because of my parents calling to me. I worry just as you and Shacklebot do that it could happen again.

When all I wanted the most was just to be a family again. Even that's just an illusion anymore. Is it wrong to even hope that they could change? When deep down...I know they won't? That they're too set in their ways?"

"If you fear it, why would you want to walk the path to become it?" Remus questioned gently, watching Draco from the corner of his eye. "But in the end, that is your choice. ...I hope perhaps I'll help you stay on the right one." A small smile, but he leaned back as he found the remote, flicking the television off.

"We'll see what happens with Melinda and your father - hopefully, she'll be able to help."

"I'm really hoping that the more I spend time away from them and figure out what I want that I won't be easily persuaded." Draco replied after taking in what Remus had to say.

"You had also wanted to discuss a few things?"

"And I wanted to give you that chance," Remus agreed quietly, but then at the latter question, he went silent. This was an incredibly difficult topic for him, one he never discussed with people. Those that knew the whole of it were almost all dead except for Tonks and to be speaking about it with a relative stranger was even harder.

He let out a slow breath after that silence before he said, "in five nights, now, the full moon will be rising and you'll be here for it. I spoke to Tonks about it, and given how we've been handling the situation since the Battle at Hogwarts, which perhaps isn't the best of ways but we have little choice, you deserve to understand more about it and more importantly, be protected from it. ...So I'm giving you the chance to ask questions if, and only if, you promise now to follow the rules I lay out for you about how to go through those three nights safely. Agreed?"

He looked Draco in the eyes, putting out his hand in a handshake. It would rely on Draco's honor, not his family's.

He placed his tea cup to the side, understanding that this was a difficult topic and wanted to give him his full attention.

"Agreed." Draco matched Remus's gaze and gave a firm handshake in response. There was no uncertainty and hesitation there, but respect.

He wanted to help and understand his mentor more and if he broke the trust here he would never earn it.

Remus wouldn't even know what to do with the title of 'mentor' if Draco had mentioned it. It was still such an awkward idea for him, even having been a teacher. Werewolves didn't mentor people! (Then again, they didn't teach them, either, so...)

With the handshake sealing the deal, Remus licked his lips in an unconscious sign of his nervousness and thought where best to begin. This always went so much easier when he was rehearsing it in his head. "After dinner that night, I will be going downstairs and locking myself in the room we arrived in. Tonks will be locking it from the other side. The room is soundproof, both in Muggle and Wizard methods, to make sure that Teddy can sleep through the noise. No matter might interest you, or your curiosity pushes you, you must not attempt to enter that room." He let out a breath, his eyes closing. "I no longer have a source of the Wolfsbane potion to stop the beast from taking over, and it would not recognize you as friend - only prey, and it would come after you. We're... working on it, but the Ministry has no desire to help out a half-breed, though before you think it, Shacklebolt is working to aid in that, but for now, this is the method we've best to deal with the solution without sending me far away again."

He gave a nod of understanding. Unsure of what to say or ask. He felt horrible that Remus had to lock himself in the basement for the three days. He understood why...but just he idea of it felt crude.

Draco was aware that Professor Snape had been the main source to the Wolfsbane potion. He also understood that it was a very difficult potion to make and not many were successful with it. Any slight mistake could mean death for the person drinking it.

His father had always been strong with potions as well, but he wasn't sure if that was something his father would even do...let alone with the mind set he had if he could be reliable. He didn't bother suggesting such an idea.

"So...there's nothing none of us can do for you during this time? Just simply wait it out?" He couldn't help but sound a little upset by this.

"Unfortunately, yes. I'm not happy to say it, or to force it on you, but it's part of the penalty of remaining with us. Just.. have to wait it out." There was even more of a hesitation, his hands coming together and wringing once in his lap before he said quietly, "and to deal with the aftermath. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it's worse, but... I would rather you either remain in your room after, given that it can be rather- violent, or prepare yourself for it. I will not look good. Pale, hungry, usually wounded."

He gave a nod, feeling somewhat defeated by the conversation. The aftermath seemed to be a lot worse then dealing with the whole thing. There was a pause as he debated on asking the next statement.

"You had mentioned before...how Professor Dumbledore was the one to help you out. Did he help arrange everything for you when you attended school... and later as a Professor?" Draco softy questioned, a little hesitant at mentioning the Headmaster's name. This time he was more willing to hear the story then the last time Remus had tried.

The aftermath in most people's opinions were worse. Far worse. However, the mention of Dumbledore actually got him to smile just a little bit. "It's only because of him that I could go to school at all, actually. My parents had been prepared to keep me away because there was no way to contain me anymore. I was getting too strong, too violent, too dangerous. He found a way to keep me safe while I was at Hogwarts, and then when I returned as a teacher, had Snape to be able to help me with the Wolfsbane potion. ...An unlimited supply, he told me."

His smile grew sad. "I could have stayed, very happily, actually. It felt good to have a proper job and sanity."

He frowned slightly knowing that his father and Snape probably were the ones to cause the trouble. It was amazing that his father even kept that secret to himself for that long.

"I'm sorry...it wouldn't surprise if my father started that."

"Your father and Snape, undoubtedly," Remus said with certainty, looking to Draco and giving a slight shrug. "My reputation was already terrible; they only added to it. Even now, parents would throw a fit to hear that a known werewolf is among their children, and so that is the end of it."

And now Draco was in a similar position...just not as extreme. His time visit with the Prime Minister told him that much. Even if he was cleared...many people were still going to be hesitant or down right refuse him.

"Perhaps...things will change now with our new leader." Draco finding that he was terrible with trying to show or say words of support. He spent too long trying to hurt others that this was foreign for him.

He still wondered what exactly that Remus and his friends had done to earn Snape's hatred, but he didn't dare ask.

"Maybe, but I honestly don't blame people for how they react. I've yet to meet any werewolf like me, who's willing to follow Wizarding laws and rule. They're just not willing to be second class citizens and some days I don't blame them. It's part of why so many were willing to follow /Him/, because he promised them more. Others were being threatens and forced by Greyback."

Remus looked to Draco, his eyes dark and serious. "For now, it is what it is. But we manage, Tonks and I."

Draco couldn't help but give a slight shudder at the mention of Greyback. He had hated working along side him. Especially dealing with the threats of attacking him that Greyback would hint at. This had always been done out of earshot from his parents.

He idly wondered what it would have been like if there were other werewolves like Remus around that hadn't been threatened by Greyback.

He gave a nod. "Thank you for explaining this to me."

Oh Greyback would have loved to get his teeth into Draco. To take the child of such a stuck up pure blood Wizarding family would have pleased him to no end.

"You're welcome." He leaned back into the couch, head tilting back. "Things were easier when I was in achool, in a lot of ways, both when I was young and as a teacher. I don't think kids appreciate it anymore." It was a bit of teasing, almost playful, but Remus always sounded so tired.

He made a face at the obvious teasing and then went reach for his tea. At least, it hadn't gotten cold yet. He wasn't sure what to say at this point. It wasn't an awkward silence...more like a comfortable one.

They both had discussed what was needed and Draco wasn't very good with simple conversation. His mother was always good at keeping the conversations going.

Remus was silent for a moment as well, but a thought occurred to him and he glanced to the young man at his side. "Did you know the Whomping Willow was put in place because of me? It gave me a place I could be near school during the full moon. Put over the entrance - but don't give that about to anyone." He chuckled quietly.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject