September 2nd
7pm

The Hufflepuff Commonroom was the bustling hub of goodwill and hugs just like it usually was.  The feeling was always especially cheery at the start of term - everyone so excited to see each other again.  There were bowls of bright yellow bananas out on tables (thanks Professor Gunnar!) and a little flock of enchanted canaries were chirping in the brass chandeliers.

Figaro Sellaphix had abandoned his school books on the floor to play wizards' chess with a housemate (who had since abandoned the game because Figaro had insisted on playing both sides of the match).  Fig was now standing at the round table, elbows on the surface, watching a little stone pawn whack at another one with it's little wire pike.

And the whole time, he was narrating his summer holidays to the room at large, no matter if anyone was listening or not. His constant stream of speech had been a fixture over the last few years.  "That's not even the half of it, neither.  My cousin's wicked smart and got us seats for the match in Leeds.  But my folks won't let me leave Hogwarts to go watch.  I'd give anything to skive out on classes in favor of Quidditch.  You'd think they'd let us out of here for weekends at least, seeing as how we could get parental permission."

Then, as if he'd just this moment noticed, he cut himself off and furrowed his brow.  "Oi! Where the hell is Olivia Foley?"

Fauna opened the door to the Hufflepuff common room, smiling at the warmth and bright atmosphere that greeted her. She’d just indulged in a nice, full supper and was ready to claim her favorite overstuffed chair by the fireplace, even though it wasn’t lit so early in the school year. Fauna waved at a few of her housemates and meandered slowly towards her dorm room, trying to remember where she’d put her Herbology textbook. She wanted to curl up and sketch what they’d learned in class today, her first day as a seventh year taking Grumpy Graham’s class. He was much more pleasant than he let on, however, especially to those who took good care of his plants.

Lost in her thoughts, the voice of Figaro Sellaphix drifted in and out of her ears along with everyone else’s chatter. It was only when a familiar name popped up that Fauna froze, confused, and tuned in very suddenly to Figaro’s question. He wanted to know where Olivia was. Fauna’s lighthearted mood instantly slipped away to something grim and serious. She looked at him, hesitated, and then walked over to the round table cluttered with chess pieces.

“Figaro,” she said quietly, taking a seat. Fauna glanced at the bulletin board where she’d pinned SAWS posters last night while most of her housemates slept. “Uh, Ollie’s not coming b-back to Hogwarts,” she struggled to admit it, again, and would continue to have trouble admitting it for quite some time.

Fauna ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “She… the headmistress…” This was so hard. She glanced at Figaro, the rest of her housemates, and realized she didn’t want to explain it a thousand times. So she stood and did something very unusual for her.

“Hey… hey guys,” she waved her arms in the air, feeling idiotic as people started to quiet down. “I… have something to say.” Her cheeks flared a bright red and she gulped, aware of the twittering birds in the background and the incredulous looks she received.

“If you don’t know, um… Olivia Foley, she’s a fifth year… a Hufflepuff. Um, she’s not allowed to come back to Hogwarts this year because… because the new headmistress won’t let her. She says… it’s too dangerous because…” Fauna looked down, heart hammering. She clasped her hands behind her back to hide how they shook.

“Well, because, Ollie’s a werewolf,” she finally said, glancing up but avoiding everyone’s eyes. “She has been one since she was really little. It’s never been a… a problem before, but she can’t come back to school because of it,” her voice became more strained and she said her next words quickly. “So I just thought everyone should know.”

Hastily sitting back down again, Fauna tried to catch her breath, feeling like she’d just run laps around the Forbidden Forest.

Mysti had been relaxing in a comfortable chair in the Hufflepuff common room.  It’d been a pretty good second day back at Hogwarts, though she’d already had some work to do.  For now, she was reading her Charms book as the general commotion went on around her.  Despite the noise,  Mysti was actually able to focus decently well.  She tended to enjoy the warm and friendly environment of the Hufflepuff Common room.

Her ears perked up a bit when she heard fellow 5th year, Figaro, mention Ollie Foley.  Mysti had noticed the disappearance, and of course overheard something about it while on the train.  Then, she put her book down on her lap as Fauna got up to make an announcement.

After hearing what Fauna had to say, Mysti finally realized the whole of it.  She knew that for some reason Ollie hadn’t been allowed back to Hogwarts.  But now with Fauna’s announcement, it all made sense.  Especially since Mysti had been in the same dorm as her for the past four years.  And all that bacon eating might have had something to do with her being a werewolf as well.

Mysti grabbed her book and headed over to where Fauna was sitting and sat down next to her. “Hey... so that’s what the commotion was about on the train then? Well, either way, it’s still not fair that Ollie couldn’t come back.  She was always so sweet.  And I can imagine it wasn’t that easy for you to say that.  I suppose she isn’t too happy about not being to return?”

Mysti paused, not sure what else to say.  Despite a feeling that Mysti had always had that there was something off about her dorm mate, she didn’t care about Ollie’s problem.  This made her even more angry about it now.  It wasn’t right that such a nice girl wouldn’t be able to return to her schooling.  Especially since she was so well controlled! 

“It’s just not right.  I mean, I lived with her for four years and couldn’t tell.  I wish there was something we could do...” Mysti just let the sentence trail off as she went into thought trying to come up with something.

Mysti wasn't the only one who joined Fauna after her announcement. A small boy was hovering awkwardly at the fifth-year girl's elbow, chewing anxiously on his lip. Pax had been immersed in reading One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi for Herbology, half-listening with amusement to Figaro Sellaphix's ongoing one-sided conversation with the room. He had been puzzled at the mention of Olivia Foley, about whom he knew nothing, and taken aback by Fauna Blake's announcement. After dithering about getting involved, he saw that one of the other students was concerned enough to approach Fauna, so Pax decided that hopefully it would be okay if he did too.

'Um... I'm really sorry to hear....' he started timidly. 'I, uh, I don't quite understand... Because it, it does seem a bit off--' he glanced at the fifth-year girl as if to agree with her sentiments-- 'I mean, if it wasn't a problem before, why's it a problem now? Why could she come to Hogwarts before but not now?' Pax didn't know a great deal about werewolves, just that they were subject to transformation once a month at the full moon and that there was some kind of treatment for it. But you couldn't hold lycanthropy against people, could you? They never asked to be werewolves.

Fauna was making announcements?  Figaro stared just like everyone else as the demure seventh year stood up and told everyone that Olivia Foley was gone because the Headmistress found out she was a werewolf.  Fauna sat back down at Figaro's table, and he whirled on her, speaking on the hems of Pax and Mysti's own comments.

He was almost shouting.  "Are you kidding me? Ollie's not a werewolf - she's just sick all the time.  Have you even got any proof, Fauna? I mean, have you seen her turn into a wolf?  Little witches don't just become werewolves one day on their way to nursery school."

Inside Figaro was confused and it was making him lash out at Fauna somewhat.  He thought he and Olivia had been friends - why hadn't she told him? And what made her more dangerous now that before? Was it just a broomstick in Snark's trousers or had Ollie done something? Figaro wanted some kind of explanation.

"Look, Fauna, maybe her mum just got a new job in Australia or something.  Or maybe she flunked out.  Even if she was a werewolf, I don't think Hogwarts can kick people out like that.  Probably not legal.  Probably shouldn't be telling everyone about Ollie unless you've got proof."

He sighed sharply from his nose, not at all happy about this.  If Olivia Foley really was a werewolf, then a whole lot more was wrong with this school than he wanted to be true.

For a moment the room was completely silent. Then, the whispers began. Fauna really couldn’t blame her housemates! She’d just dropped a huge pink hippogriff into the room, after all. As she fidgeted uncomfortably, a few people started coming up to her, including Mysti, who immediately showed her support, and a little first-year that she couldn’t remember the name of- Pan? Pat? He piped up with some very good questions, but before she could reply to them both, Figaro jumped into the conversation.

Everything was happening so fast! What had she been thinking, making an announcement like that? Figaro’s voice rose and Fauna stared at him, taken aback and a bit hurt. Of course many people would express skepticism and disbelief, but it was hard for her to know how to react to her housemates. There were too many people, too many questions, and she swallowed, feeling overwhelmed.

“I…” she shook her head at Figaro’s last point. “If you don’t believe me, you should write to her… and ask her,” Fauna told him, voice defensive. “Ollie wanted me to tell all of you. She’s upset. I mean… she hasn’t done anything wrong,” she emphasized, looking around the room. “It’s just… just up to the Headmistress and she said no.”

Fauna paused for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. “I’ve seen it happen,” she said quietly, choosing not to elaborate on where and when. “Has it ever seemed… strange to you that she goes home at the same time each month? Or… that she never wears silver?” She told Figaro, frustrated.

The first-year seemed nervous, but he remained hovering by them. Fauna blinked at him and tried to smile. “I’m sorry… what’s your name? It starts with a ‘P’, doesn’t it?”

'Oh! Um, yes, it's Pax. Pax Wintergreen,' he replied, tearing his gaze away from Figaro. There was something almost mesmerising about the older boy's self-confidence, especially in comparison to Fauna's timid manner. The older girl had still seemed to manage to stand up to him all right though, and made a lot more sense. (How much proof could be needed, anyway? Why would Ollie tell Fauna she was a werewolf if it wasn't true?) He smiled sheepishly at her. 'I'm still learning everyone's names too.' Although Fauna and Figaro, at least, he knew by reputation if nothing else.

Looking back at Mysti, Pax remembered the desire she had expressed earlier to be able to do something about the situation. 'Is there any way we can help? If she hasn't done anything and she's really upset about it... It's just not very fair.' He hugged his herbology book to his chest and chewed on his lower lip unhappily. He hadn't really known quite what to know what to make of Headmistress Snark, but the image he was forming of her wasn't a pleasant one. Maybe if he knew her precise reasons for barring Ollie from school...

Fauna’s strained smile slowly turned into a genuine one. Just when she thought that the new first-years were pushier, more obnoxious, and more gnome-sized than ever, this youngster proved that the nice ones still existed- in the Hufflepuff house, of course.

She nodded when he asked if there was anything they could do. “Actually, I wrote to the Headmaster… I mean the former Headmaster Greyfriar, before leaving for school, and he said he would talk to people at the Ministry and try his best to help us out. He has connections and… he understands Ollie’s condition. He let her stay here, you know? They worked out a safe way,” Fauna sighed, wishing he was still here. She couldn’t dwell on that, though, or she’d just make herself miserable.

“But,” she smiled slightly. “That doesn’t mean we have to sit around. Have… any of you heard about Astrid’s latest cause?” Fauna paused, glancing at Mysti, who had probably heard about it in some form. “Well, she started a werewolf support group. Students Against Werewolf Segregation. I’ve joined. We’re supposed to have a meeting soon…”

She looked at them hopefully. “Um, I mean, I don’t expect… what I mean is, I don’t know how Headmistress Snark will feel about this. Or… if she even knows there’s a club yet. But if we want to do something, I guess it’s a start?”

As if he'd notice if Olivia ever wore silver or not.  What was he, some dolled up fashion model like Waker or Evie?  He'd noticed that Ollie was funny, dressed like a crazy person and who she was friends with. He crossed his arms over his chest. This was such a mess.  How could the new Headmistress do something like that? Kick a girl out of school just because she had a disease like that.  It was pretty much curable with wolfsbane wasn't it? He'd have to ask Devlin - he knew more about law and that than Fig did.

When Fauna mentioned that Astrid had a new cause, he moaned loudly.  "Oh come on - a club won't do anything! Astrid's got a new club every time she turns around.  Besides what good will the club do if Snark doesn't even know about it?" 

Figaro sighed.  He didn't have a better alternative other than physically smuggling the waifish witch into the castle bodily and then trying to take her to her classes in a rucksack and hope no one noticed.  But he couldn't help wonder if maybe Snark was right and Greyfriar had been to lenient - from everything he'd heard, werewolves really were dangerous and that a bite from one could kill you or worse.

"We should try to bring Olivia here," he said. "Then what's Snark going to do? Tell her she has to leave? Get the Ministry to interfere? She couldn't do anything.  Nothing legal."