2 January 2012 @ 10am
The Hogwarts Express on its way out from London

All in all, Zeta's holidays had been lush, eventful, and mostly a success. She'd played a Christmas ghost on stage, spent time with the boisterous and numerous Peppers and in-laws, and did loads of shopping. She was still feeling a bit of a failure not having managed to get a tattoo. She wouldn't turn seventeen for a couple of weeks and even when she found time to be out on her own, she wasn't fooling any of the tattooists. They could clearly see that she a) wasn't of age and b) they'd have the headache of a snarling parent following up.

There were, however, far more important things than theatre or tattoos or color-change sunglasses (a luminescent gift). And, after having a snap coffee and scone with one of Hufflepuff's most accomplished daughters[1], that thing was justice. Justice for werewolves at Hogwarts. Zeta's efforts and enthusiasm were fueled by an indelible knowledge that a) this was right and b) what-could-go-wrong. The only temperance or caution she'd brought with her for this endeavor must be bundled up with her things, locked in her trunk on a rack above a train compartment.

As the train chugged along, Zeta made her way down the cars handing out homemade fliers.

"SAWS needs you." Boom, flier.

"Hey, punk, do something productive this year, eh?"  Boom, flier.

"You don't know me. I'm Zeta Pepper. Come support werewolves." Boom, three fliers.

She squeezed by some younger girls. "You want to do me a favor?" Boom, a dozen fliers.

The older students tended to find compartments near each other away from the scampering nonsense of the younger kids. This was where she found Rigel Acrux and Ky Cavanaugh.

"Alright, nerds? We're starting SAWS back up. You should come."

[2]

Kyson was gifted a tiny side-eye from Zeta. She still hadn't forgotten how problematique it was for his boggart to have been a werewolf.[3] But he was a good bloke and deserved a chance at redemption.

1.	21 Dec 2011 - Light the Torch
2.	The flier is a nineties zine throw-back kitchen sink of mixed hand-lettered fonts, stickers, and what Zeta thought was a dramaticly hard logo. The logo is a silohuette of a wolf howling at the moon with the words Students Against Werewolf Segrgation crammed in. Then the text reads: Do you love justice? equality? friendship? snacks? Join SAWS or ur petty.
3.	7 Oct 2011 - Boggart in the Bath

Rigel and Ky just finished their laughing as Zeta approached them. A name easy to remember for this girl, so easily fitting for her excitable style and passionate voice. Wait, she just called Rigel and Ky nerds. Ah, werewolves. Such a hard topic especially for Ky. He was divulging earlier the appearance of his boggart. Rigel did well enough to quell his insecurities now but he lost countless hours of sleep since their talk to practice millions of different conversations to help his friend. Rigel wanted Ky to be as fearless as him. He wanted to desperately instill all this knowledge that he had but couldn’t articulate. He snapped back to reality, everyone was waiting for a response to Zeta’s proposal - Rigel wasn’t afraid to take initiative. He just had to quickly decide how he wanted to. Rigel found this as an affront on Ky’s character.

“Ky and I were just talking about how horrible it is for the pups right now.” Rather than insult Zeta and ruin his image and potentially Ky’s he decided this approach was best. Although he does not have a lot of experience in thinking things through. He said this genuinely, because the topic (as usually politically heated things do) have came up before but not today.

Ky had been sitting in a compartment with his friends (re: other Slytherins) recounting their holiday experiences and regailing each other with the wild stories of what they got up to outside of the watchful eyes of their Professors (and in some cases their parents.) Ky had spent the holidays with his Aunt and Uncle, rough housing with his 'brothers', and teasing his little 'sister'. On Christmas though as his adoptive family spent time with other relatives, Kyson stayed at his Sisters' apartment and had even consented - through much coaxing from Berkeley - to visit his father. He had mentioned this part briefly to his friends with a knowing look and none of them pressed him for details.

The awkward moment had passed and they moved onto stories about New Years before they were interrupted by Zeta. Ky took her flyer and examined it with as much non-chalance as he could muster. There was a slight chill down his spine as he looked at the howling wolf.

He passed the flyer off to one of the other kids in the compartment having no interest in holding on to it, "is that really necessary Pepper?" He gave her a smirk, "I mean, how much can students really do for werewolves anyway?"

It wasn't like they did anything for themselves except play the victim, he thought while thinking back to the state of his father's place. The apartment was in disrepair and Kevin Cavanaugh, once a respected and revered Auror, had become even more of a shell of his former self. He refused to groom, basically refused to eat. Kyson felt they were lucky he was even wearing clothes when he and his Sisters had visited. All he did, all he had done since becoming afflicted nearly fourteen years ago, was wallow in his own misery.

'Pups'? Zeta crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at Rigel. Then she narrowed her gaze at Kyson.

"First off, Rigel, rude. Dog terminology is problematic. Werewolves are human beings. Second, Kyson, uh, this organization has done scads for werewolf rights. Need I remind you of how Headmistress Snark kicked out Olie Foley[1] and that SAWS got her back in?[2] And Merlin forbid we forget that SAWS even got to meet with the Minister of Magic?[3] Mmhmm."

Zeta hadn't actually been all that active in the club itself back when it was active a couple years ago. She probably should have considering what happened when Figaro Sellaphix outed Zelig Trumble[4] in front of the whole school and someone got stabbed with a fork[5]. Maybe that was all the more reason she take some responsibility about it now.

"I was hoping you two would be more enlightened about this. Maybe you're exactly why we need SAWS at this school," she said in a sing-song.

1.	25 Aug 2008 - Snark Expels Werewolf
2.	4 Sep 2008 - Two Fires at Hogwarts Kindle Questions - Someone even set fire to the school in protest....
3.	11 July 2009 - What Council Has the Hooded Moon
4.	20 Oct 2009 - Secrets, Scars, and Wild hairs
5.	20 Oct 2009 - Secrets, Scars, and Wild Hairs

Zeta’s affront on Rigel and Ky’s character annoyed Rigel. She couldn’t tell that he was teasing and wanting an argument. Not her fault, after all the responsibility of interpretation of his language laid upon Rigel. He’ll cater to her deficiencies just like he does with almost everyone else.

“Well, you know what they say about pit bulls. An aggressive breed. Aren’t pups the same? No, sorry Werewolves.” Rigel said the former with no emotion, and mostly the latter was a subtle chuckle. Rigel loves people, and wants rights for everyone. Zeta doesn’t know this. She may never know this, but Rigel’s supposedly opposition may invite her to spend more time to convince him how “wrong” his views are. He didn’t mind this one pathway of the many possibilities.

Kyson perfected his look of lazy disinterest as Zeta pompously numbered off the group's "numerous" achievements, "Cheers. You reinstated an unstable werewolf after she had attacked a fellow student. Oh and remind me how that went again? Prefect, wasn't she? Head Girl? Shining example of the brilliance of Hogwarts Education?" He turned to looked straight at her, the rare mean streak that made him seem so at home with the other Slytherins showing through, "Oh that's right! She dropped out. Brilliant achievement that one."

He look over at Rigel as he had gone off about Pit Bulls and werewolf pups. Really what were you supposed to call them? They weren't human anymore. Not really. No matter how much Zeta had deluded herself.

He went back to his lazy position, stretched out in his seat once more, "Trust me Pepper. If anything, I'm proof your little club is a waste of time."

Merlin's knickers, had she found the Idiot Compartment? Rigel had always been a bit arrogant - arguing for the sake of arguing - but doubling down on offensive terminology for werewolves, right when Zeta was trying to help people and after she'd already told him it was a crappy thing to say? What had crawled up his arse?

Zeta lifted a finger, ready to tell Rigel off when Kyson leaned back all smug and said the most horrible things. Zeta saw red.

"Olivia Foley is a &#%*'ing saint!" Zeta snapped she drew her wand. How anyone could say something so nasty about Ollie who'd never hurt anyone who only wanted to be left alone. Those had been some terrible years for Hufflepuff, then with Fauna Blake and Zelig Trumble. What would a stupid Slytherin know about it!

"Evomovermis!"[1] A jet of green light blasted from her wand straight at Kyson's gut.

"You nasty gobshite!" Zeta hated the way her voice sounded when she got angry. Her voice was already naturally raspy, it tended to squeak when she raised it.

1.	Slug-Vomiting Hex

Rigel didn’t think he’d start a fight. He needed to adjust his sarcasm with Zeta in the presence of Ky in the future. Unfortunately for Zeta, Rigel is loyal to his house to a fault. Ky has been a good friend to him.

Rigel saw Zeta reach for her wand. Fitting since she started fuming from Ky’s words. Although he didn’t agree with Ky, that’s a conversation to have in private. Rigel will not embarrass Ky. He will also not let Zeta make him throw up. Rigel is at fault here, and he will take as much control of the situation he can.

As soon as the words left Zeta’s mouth, Rigel drew his wand and muttered, “Protego.” Rigel didn’t have time to clock Ky and see if he could react in time. Zeta acted incredibly impulsive and emotional, Rigil made a mental note of this. Zeta’s emotional reactions could later on be made useful to him. Werewolve rights was a sensitive subject and needed to be navigated more appropriately. He felt ashamed he didn’t even account for this pathway of his actions. He decided he is human after all, an infallible and emotional creature.

When Protego was casted Rigel turned and faced Zeta, aiming for her right hand at the base of her wrist and muttered,”Epelliarmus.”

Her wand flew as Rigel predicted it, her arm flew backwards from the spell and wand following an upward arching trajectory Rigel caught it with his left hand, sheathed it in his wands sling on his left hip.

Rigil looked back to see Ky’s reaction. He could see Protego’s effective barrier around him. Shimmering with a light blue light around the edges. Rigil was not fast enough. He was too lackadaisical to be ready at the hip with his wand. Zeta’s spell ran its course through Ky, Rigel thought it was ironic he was throwing up with a protective barrier around him.

Kyson had a profound talent for pushing people's buttons. Even when he wasn't expecting to. Somewhere down the road he'd take note that Foley was a big red button for Zeta. For now, he'd stick to his guns. Werewolf students were a ticking time bomb and there was no way he was going to let her use the disgraced Hufflepuff as a poster child. Especially when her response to the truth, as brutal as it was, was to hex him.

To say he hadn't been expecting it was an understatement. He hadn't even reached for his wand when it felt the hex hit him full in the chest. A split second later the air around him shimmered and he could tell someone else had managed a shield charm just a little too late.

He felt himself swell, both with a burning rage and the bellyfull of slugs she had bestowed upon him. Kyson was on his feet before he could think. The green tinge to his skin from the hex fighting with the flush of rage, "HOW DARE-" but his tirade was cut short as a mouthful of slugs came spewing out. They bounced off the shield charm and splattered heavy on the compartment floor.

"YOU LITTLE B-" more slugs, more splats, "I'LL G-" retch, splat, thud.

Kyson resigned himself to a single rage fueled scream at the disarmed watch, spraying even more slugs against the shield charm before flopping back into his seat, doubled over and letting the hex run it's course. He was almost as angry with himself as he was with Zeta. He should have reacted quicker. He should have seen the hex coming. He even knew the counter curse but he couldn't keep himself from retching long enough to cast it.

Zeta snatched for her wand, but it flew right into Rigel's hand. Rude!

"Give it - "

She was interrupted by the fruits of her labor: a livid Kyson horking up a big slimy slug. And yet it didn't stop something fouler from coming from his mouth. Somewhere in her brain there was the little warning that she'd escalated this far too quickly and disproportionately, and that Kyson and Rigel were just being gits like boys were half the time. But there was no going back now.

"You deserve that," she hissed at Kyson. "Next time watch your mouth."

Then she turned on Rigel and glared at him with her nastiest 'dont-mess-with-me' look. "Give it. Back."

“You good, mate?” Rigel said to Kyson, standing between him and Zeta. He gave him a pat on the left shoulder and turned around, Kyson needed to cool off.

Rigel adjusted his posture to portray the image Zeta holds of him; cocky and arrogant with a side of superiority. He put his foot up on the chair and rested his right hand on his knee with the left hand’s thumb resting under the suspenders clip. His wand was being twirled like a drum stick by his right hand. Zeta’s wand rested by his left hip.

“Are you done.” Rigel said peering back into Zeta’s gaze. Hand still twirling his wand.

For a while the rest of the world melted away. Kyson had his eyes squeezed shut and he did his best to tune out what was going on around him. He was only vaguely aware that Rigel and Zeta were still talking. Every so often a big goobery slug crawled it's way up his throat and forced it's way out his mouth, plopping to the floor.

He fumbled in his pocket for his wand. He pointed it towards himself as best he could and began to swish it. He wasn't able to speak long enough to recite the incantation he needed. He concentrated hard and tried his best to cast it non verbally. By the fourth attempt he managed it, the jet of light escaping his wand.

Kyson took a deep breath, steadying himself and nodding to Rigel that he was good. He narrowed his eyes as he regarded Zeta. She was currently unarmed which meant he wouldn't be able to retaliate right away. He'd have to bide his time but there was no mistake she would pay for this one. Eventually.

Zeta scoffed in disgust. Her nose wrinkled and she rolled her head.

"Oh come off it."

Kyson's fumbling to end her hex was almost funny, but his glowering silence once he succeeded was, Zeta would admit, a little worrying. She knew him well enough to know she probably pushed him too far. Not smart. She stared back at him a moment more, her chin up not showing that she was intimidated by her classmate. She finally turned back to Rigel who she was less worried about. He was more annoying than anything, always talking just to talk.

"Are you done?" 

Rigel noted Kyson effectively cooling off, good on him. He didn’t need to resort to standing between the two sixth years, battling like children with simple spells and charms.

Upon hearing her, aggressive and full of attitude, Rigel stopped twirling his wand. Peered up and met her gaze. His patience was being tested. He was aware of it but sometimes when you see headlights coming, crashing towards you, you want to stand and watch. Peer back into the abyss. Rigel emptied his thoughts, took a deep breath and relaxed. He’s suddenly very empty and void. No energy left to intimidate or analyze. Let the children bicker.

He had a flicker of inspiration.

“You’re cute. Why’re you so emotional? So… Impulsive. If words control you, then anyone can.”

He pulled out her wand and inspected it astutely, absorbing as much information he could while he thought of his next words. They flowed out with no forethought.

“I’m done Zeta. Since you’re so erratic, we should cool off. I’ll give you your wand after you and I have dinner. Unless you Hufflepuffs are scared to associate with Slytherins. Which, given our current argument, would be ironic.”

Zeta's face twisted into a scowl and her soul temporarily left her body, absolutely astonished at Rigel. Was this actually happening, she marveled with some detachment. Did he literally say that? She was going to start puking slugs. It was offensive to have someone else holding your wand. You were supposed to give it back; he was going to bollocks it up if he wasn't careful.

But his alternative? His ransom? Worse.

"Ew, go die in a hole," she scoffed haughtily. It pained her, but he could keep her bloody wand. There was no way she was going to cave to his bizarre, creepy demands. If this was what happened when she tried to do something good, then so be it. She could take it, for a good cause.

She lifted her chin, and backed out the compartment so they both could the rude gesture she was making as long as possible.