Wednesday, around 5:00 pm.


Before every SAWS meeting, Fauna was usually a bundle of nerves. With this one, the last meeting of the school year, she felt different. Calmer. Perhaps the weather had something to with her mood, with the breeze rustling the trees and bringing in the smell of flowers through the open windows. Or perhaps she was simply too stressed about NEWTs to worry about anything else.

Talking to Tulo earlier in May had helped, too. Tulo had suggested that providing a place and time to meet and welcoming everyone would be enough. Fauna had taken the advice to heart and spread word around campus that tonight's meeting was more of a get-together, an opportunity to talk about whatever came to mind: the attacks, how people felt about them, direwolves, Dugan MacDuff, plans for SAWS. Basically, anything to do with werewolves that had happened in the past few months.

With final exams looming, Fauna didn't expect them to accomplish anything before the end of the school year. They could look to the future though, and discuss ideas for the summer and fall. It felt strange and bittersweet, knowing she wouldn't be here to start meetings at Hogwarts after she graduated. Fauna let out a breath and tried not to worry. The Hogwarts students here had the smarts and drive to push it forward if that's what they wanted, and she'd do what she could at the Ministry to help.

"Can you believe it?" Fauna looked over her shoulder at Dion as she finished setting up the refreshments on the kitchen table. You could never go wrong with chocolate chip cookies.

"This is the last time we'll ever meet like this, as Hogwarts students, you know? No more counting invites, or scolding Fir for doodling on posters," she smiled slightly, sounding nostalgic already.

Pax poked his head around the door and was quite relieved to find that there weren't many people here yet. He was still feeling a little sad, getting used to fact that the seventh-years wouldn't be here next year, and the momentary quiet would be nice to just reflect a little, and maybe have a quiet word with Fauna and Dion before the others arrived.

'Hey Fauna, hey Dion,' he chirped, ambling into the hut and coming to hover over by the snacks table. Ordinarily, he would be asking what the plan was for the meeting, but he wasn't ready to do that quite yet today. He was fishing distractedly in his rucksack.

'Um, Fauna? Dion?' He was sounding rather uncertain now. A telltale sign he was about to be sincere. 'I, um, before the others got here, I um, I just wanted to... um... Well, you know. Thank you.' It sounded rather an unimpressive phrase when he said it. 'I mean. For SAWS. For organising us, and all that? 'Cause, um, I'm pretty sure it would've been a complete mess without the two of you. And, um, I know this year has been a bit rubbish...' He gave Fauna in particular a sympathetic look. Those rumours flying around about her being a werewolf can't have been easy for her. 'But, um. You guys-- SAWS-- made it better, I think. 'Cause it, it felt like we were making a difference, you know? So, um.'

Pax finally produced what he had been fishing around in his bag for; two envelopes, one addressed to Fauna, the other to Dion. Pax had made one for each of the seventh-years in the club. The cards all bore a hand-painted image of a pawprint, with messages inside of a heartfelt, if pun-based, nature.

To Fauna,

You've been a great leader of the pack! Good luck next year.

From Pax

To Dion,

You've got a great nose for organisation! I hope things go well next year.

From Pax

'Um,' Pax repeated awkwardly, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. 'Heh, whoever's taking over the club next year has some big shoes to fill, huh?' He gave the two of them a nervous smile.

Dion, who was uncharacteristically nervous, shot Fauna vague smile from where he stood by the couch, surveying the room. Part of him half-expected no one to turn up. After the direwolf attacks, who could blame them? Ruby and Sophie especially; he wouldn't put money on them turning up or even stopping by. And they, above all, had good reason.

"It's the last time for a lot of things," he said, with a sigh. "Personally, the train home is going to be...odd. Almost odder than this." Riding on the train off into the uncertainty of adult life and the chaos of Aurorship, house-finding and every other thing that he'd told himself he was ready for and wasn't. Wasn't there a song about that? If not, there should be.

For now...for now, he could focus on this meeting and then he could return to studying.

He glanced over at Pax was the young Hufflepuff joined them, nodding in greeting before taking the offered envelope. In a way, Pax's thanks were bittersweet; it made him consider the others that weren't here, for one reason or another. This year had been so damn chaotic.

"Thank you, Pax," he said, reaching over and patting the boy on the head. He wished Pax were older; the succession was more uncertain than ever, and had he been older, Pax would definitely have been a candidate.

As it was, he looked at Fauna a moment before he spoke. "Yes, they do," he said, though it wasn't spoken in arrogance - rather, it was a statement of pure and simple fact. "And they're going to need as much help as they can get." He smiled, one of his rare real and full ones. "Help them out, will you, Pax? Moral support is invaluable."

Fauna nodded about Dion's train ride comment, deciding not to voice her sudden suspicion that Dax was going to end the year by streaking through the train compartments while Brett laughed loudly and Fauna covered her eyes. She knew she spent too much time with those two when she thought of things like that.

Pax was definitely a welcome sight, and Fauna listened with surprise and pleased embarrassment as he made the sweetest thank-you speech she'd ever heard. He handed her the note, and by the time she was done staring at it, her expression had gone completely soft. The only thing she didn't do was let out a big 'awwwww', or put a hand to her heart. She might have if she were alone, though!

"Pax!" she exclaimed, touched by the note and the sentiment. "Thank you," she put a hand briefly on the first-year's shoulder, trying not to laugh at Dion patting the kid's head like he was a crup.

She appreciated Dion's encouragement towards him though, and glanced at his grinning face before looking at Pax. "You've already been a huge help this year," Fauna added, moving forward and sitting on the arm rest of one of the couches. "All the artwork, and talking to Mainwaring and even O Morain, and keeping a positive attitude and offering ideas."

These were all things she'd never said out loud but thought frequently. "And yup, moral support." Fauna smiled at the young boy, then paused.

"You can always owl me, you know? Us," she amended. "I mean, not just about SAWS. Anything, really..." she trailed off and shrugged sheepishly, feeling like an overprotective big sister. But she was going to miss the kid!

Pax's slightly embarrassed feeling of not really deserving Fauna's praise-- to which he tried to smile politely, but also murmured, 'I didn't really do much...'-- was swept away in pretty short order by her assurance that they could keep in touch after graduation. His small, polite smile transformed into one that, while still tentative, was a lot more genuine.

'Really? I mean, that'd be okay? 'Cause that'd be great! Oh, oh, and you can tell me how you're doing, too!' He looked from Fauna to Dion and back again, already feeling a bit better about this meeting, even if it was the last one for a number of students. Knowing it wasn't goodbye forever was comforting. Pax hated the idea of Fauna and so many of the other seventh-years he looked up to vanishing from his life. He wanted to know how things turned out for them after they left school.

'Um. And, um, moral support, yeah, I can do that,' he rejoined, giving Dion a lopsided grin. Dion seemed pretty well aware of what Pax was starting to figure out; that next year wasn't going to be any easier for SAWS. So Pax would just need to do his best not to let the team down. 'I mean, at least, I think I can,' he added with a nervous chuckle. Perching on the edge of the sofa, he ventured quietly, 'Um, any ideas yet who will be taking over?' He couldn't remember the question of succession being discussed at any of the meetings he'd attended.

Dion nodded to Pax, indicating as Fauna spoke he was alright with Pax writing to him as well. It was likely Dion's advice wouldn't be very interesting or warm, unlike Fauna's. But he would do his utmost to make it useful.

Of course, useful to Dion and useful to Pax might be two very different things.

He sat on the couch as Fauna and Pax did, taking up the opposite end. His position was automatic; his arm sat against the couches' arm, his right leg crossed over his left knee, and his fingers intertwined over the cross. Automatic and controlled. In a less somber atmosphere he might have sat Indian-style without realizing it.

Dion glanced at Fauna for a moment, uncertain, before he spoke to Pax. If anyone was going to hear it, Pax was likely the best choice. "This is just between us," he warned. "We had ideas," he said, his ever-somber tone not exactly offering reassurance. "Then life happened." His smile was brief and held no joy.

"Originally, we thought of Flickick and Branwell - giving them joint leadership," he explained. Pax likely didn't need an explanation on why Sophie was now hardly a guaranteed successor. Asking the poor girl to head a rights group for the creatures that killed her mother wasn't exactly tactful.

"Now...we'll see who turns up." He sighed. He didn't mind making plans on the fly, but they were always a last resort.

In life there were things you just had to do because they were right. S.A.W.S was right; it was the right cause to be behind. Sophie knew it - and in writing to Griffon, in gaining perspectives outside her own about the fight her mother had waged for change, for equality, for basic civil liberty, humanity... to give up on something that Sophie believed so much in because of her death would dishonor her mother's memory than anything else Sophie could ever do.

This ( S.A.W.S. as a movement and it's needing to continue) wasn't about her, the vast majority of life was not about her - not even her own. It was strange at sixteen to have a much broader world view than she had possessed only months ago. If one wanted to effect change they had to become less self-centric; it wasn't easy but it was necessary. These were all the things she kept repeating to herself as she made the familiar trek to the Hospital hut, mingled with a million and one of her mother's favorite sayings.

The lyricism of Auden dawned on her, rightly, as she paused outside the door. She could remember the first time her mother had ever explained the poem As I Walked Out One Evening; the first time she had heard words 'You shall love your crooked neighbor, with your crooked heart'. This year had reaffirmed in so many ways that the only answer in life was to love; and to love with your whole self in the face of the world's insurmountable flaws. It was this idea that made opening the door and stepping inside possible.

Raising a small hand she wiggled her fingers, posture almost bashful as she leaned against the door frame for a moment - unsure suddenly of her welcomeness at this gathering. It felt as if a great gulf of distance had suddenly cropped up between her tiny body and the ocean of floor it would take to snatch a cookie and take up her usual spot on the floor. Silently she was grateful for not being late; only three people to walk in on rather than... well however many more would show up, "Hey guys"... yea that wasn't awkward at all.

Figaro had left the castle proper not long after Sophie, but hung back.  Figaro hadn't spoken much to her since they'd broken up, and again, nearly not at all since her mother died.  Well, not 'died'.  Killed.  Killed by a werewolf.    So he wasn't keen on cornering her outside alone in the growing evening. 

But she didn't just walk into the hut.  Sophie paused in the doorway and lingered, and Figaro, who'd been trying to keep quiet was sort of... stuck behind her.  He could see a couple people already inside the warmly glowing hut.  Fauna, Pax.  Dax-or-Dion. 

He stood for a second, scratching the nape of his neck.  Suddenly resolving to just wand-up and go for it, he coughed into his hand and moved up the steps.

"Oh, hi, Sophie!" he greeted too loudly, as if he hadn't been behind her the whole way down.  "You here for S.A.W.s? Awesome, me too." 

Smooth.  Wince.

The somberness that had been about to settle in on Pax at Dion's admission was instantly dispelled when the door opened again. Sophie Flickwick was one of the SAWS members that, even before Dion had voiced it, Pax would have pegged as a possible successor to lead the club, had she not lost her mother in the way she had. When Dion had said they'd see who showed up today, Pax realised that there were some people he just didn't know if he'd see at this meeting, and the Flickwick girls were two of them.

But there was Sophie, hanging back in the doorway in a rather non-Sophie-ish manner, and Pax managed to forget that before her mother's death he'd been slightly terrified of the outspoken Gryffindor, and that afterwards, he hadn't been quite sure how to act around her. All he knew was that he was so pleased to see her, and without really thinking about it he had darted across the room, and Sophie found herself on the end of a Pax-shaped hug.

'Sophie!' he exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear. 'You made it!' A moment later, he realised she wasn't alone, and letting go of her, he stepped aside to let her and the Hufflepuff boy stood behind her inside. 'Hi Figaro!' he nodded to the second new arrival. Glancing back at Fauna and Dion, he remarked, 'We were just wondering who'd be able to come today! How are you guys?'

While S.A.W.S. interested him as a concept, Lucas Norwood had never pursued it past discussing it with the Flickwick girls. Sophie passion in particular could be quite infectious, and he could recall hours of time spent debating were wolf rights.  There'd been other things to occupy his time though... girls for one, quidditch for another, and suddenly it was the end of the year by the time Lucas could make his way to an actual meeting.  Sophie's own hesitation about this meeting had sealed the deal for him in the end.  If for nothing else, he would come to support Sophie because what were friends for otherwise? 

By the time he'd made his way out of his dorm room, and out to the Hospital Hut, several others already arrived before him.  Fauna, one of the Hufflepuff twins, a firstie, Sophie's ex, and finally Sophie herself.   He hung back for a moment, like he had at her birthday party earlier in the month.   Once the first year let go of her though, he slipped her hand into hers giving it a squeeze.  It wasn't their sweeping hugs, but it did what it needed to do.   He gave a vague wave to others.  "Hey."

He didn't know why he was here.  But, ever since he'd caught wind of the meeting, it had stuck in the back of his mind.  Despite the event being open to everyone, Sasha was fairly certain they were counting on the fact he wouldn't come.  And, he probably shouldn't have.  All things considered.  What he'd done to Blake was now common knowledge, especially amongst those who were likely to be at the meeting. 

If they saw him, they'd probably assume he was there to cause grief.  Or more harm than he already had.  Even if Sasha didn't fully understand why he was there, he knew he wasn't there to cause more pain.  He just ... he couldn't explain it, but he needed to listen to what had been said.  He didn't need to say anything - he didn't have anything to say, really.  He just simply needed to listen.  Maybe it was like how listening to a eulogy was part of the grieving process of a funeral. 

But, Sasha couldn't ever remember hating anything before.  He'd disagreed with things in the past but never outright hated.  Even when he thought about the man who broke into his home, Sasha felt pain and fear and sadness.  But not hate.  Nothing like that dull, aching, foreign feeling that simmered when he thought about werewolves.  The feeling was uncomfortable, difficult for him to comprehend and not entirely welcome but thinking that wasn't enough to make it go away.  Perhaps, he was hoping to find clarity and understanding.  Perhaps, somehow it was simply a matter of needing to feel connected with the others who'd been effected by March 11 to move towards some sort of closure. 

Either way, the last thing he wanted was for any of that to be clouded or jaded by interpersonal conflict.  He had no intentions of going inside or even making his presence known.  Eavesdropping seemed a lesser crime to intruding on a function he was likely not welcome at and where his presence might distract from the real purpose of the event.  He came at the hospital hut from the backside, pausing at the paddock around back to grab an extra bucket.  As quietly as possible, Sasha set the bucket upside down just under and to the left of one of the kitchen windows.  Taking care to remain out of sight, he sat down on the bucket and leaned his back against the outer wall.  Showing his ever persistent loyalty, Baldur flopped on the ground next to Sasha, his neck resting on Sasha's shoes.

So things seemed to be happening simultaneously; the first was the hug from Pax - which was adorable. Sophie wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a squeeze back. He was such an unapologetically sweet kid, it was a rare thing in boys. She really never wanted him to grow up and turn into thing two; Figaro being really awkward and loud behind her instead of just asking her to move. Gordic's garters Sellaphix was an annoying ass. In that moment she couldn't fathom what she had ever seen in him.

Was she maybe a little bitter that he'd hardly said boo to her since her mother's death? Maybe, after all before the whole break up 'you are a horrible grabby kisser' fight they had been proper, decent at least, friends. Of course breakups and kissing insults probably changed things - but it was pretty sad when Erin Harper showed more kindness than someone. Stepping out of his way she didn't even muster a nasty look. There wasn't really any point anymore - and that was when she felt a familiar hand in hers.

Looking up (literally, not because she'd been looking down, Lucas was just that tall) she smiled at the Ravenclaw and squeezed his fingers, suddenly very glad he had decided to show up. As they moved away from the door and into the hut, she reached out and ruffled Pax's hair, "Course I made it, what else am I going to do on a Sunday night? Someone already called dibs on the wireless". Making jokes, right, Sophie was good at that. This didn't have to be weird. It wouldn't be weird. She decided.

Before Fauna could get a chance to respond to Pax's inquiries about leadership, Sophie arrived right when Dion wondered out loud who would show. She blinked in surprise and stood as Sophie lingered by the doorway. A relieved smile started inching up her face. Then Pax ran up and hugged the Gryffindor, and everything seemed far less awkward!

People were here! Sophie was here! Fauna walked up to the group slowly, like she was moving in a dream.

"Hey," she smiled, touching Sophie's arm. Fauna turned and greeted Lucas, then gave Fig a half-hug around the shoulders, happy to see him and everyone else.

"Come on in," she gestured at them, then at the refreshments on the table. "Drinks and the usual are over there."

Fauna sat on the couch again and gave Dion a goofy grin about the new arrivals.

"Er, so," she started as the students gathered in the room. "This meeting, um, get-together, is going to be a little bit different from what we normally do." Which was argue about O Morain's classes and Snark's policies. "I thought we could, you know, talk about whatever came to mind. I mean, SAWS and werewolf related, but there's no real plan."

She paused, nervous that they'd be upset about the lack of preparation. "I know Dion and me, and the other seventh-years, will be graduating soon. But I wanted to let you lot know that SAWS... or whatever we're doing, can keep going if you want it to. I mean, look at everything we've done so far - the whole group. Hogsmeade surveys, the mixer, the Valentine's dance." Fauna glanced at Sophie, who had been a huge help with the dance in February.

"So, I guess my point is, Dion and I are going to be gone, but all that means is that you have more Ministry contacts now," she grinned. "And all you really need next year is a time and a place to meet. The hospital hut is great for that. And Tulo will be here too."

What she was trying to say, perhaps awkwardly, was that she and the other seventh-years could still offer advice and help from afar, but that it would be up to the younger students to continue it, and that they could continue it. If they didn't have a leader, that was okay. Things would sort themselves out and someone, or a few someones, would end up taking charge naturally through the course of things next year. She hoped!

Her dad would kill her if he knew she was here.

Just after the March attacks Ayla had gotten a rather unpleasant visit from her father. Although her parents didn't seem to care that she had spent her holidays with her cousin - perhaps they didn't really pay attention to it, trying to give her some independence - they were furious once Lexus was caught by the WCU. She was sworn not to speak with her cousin, she wasn't allowed to know details of the trial and she was forbidden to do anything involved with werewolves. She figured SAWS would be included in that but she wasn't about to walk away from this. Not to mention this could be the last time she spent any time with Fauna.

Ayla enetered the hut with her hands overburdened with a large tray of pastries. Her hair was tied up in a bun that was dusted with flour, there was a smudge of strawberry jelly on her cheek and a dollop of cream on the hem of her tank top. She had spent most of the afternoon baking this batch specifically for the final SAWS meeting.

"Uh I made these for you guys."

A lot happened in a short while, and to Dion's great relief, it was all basically good. Figaro and Sophie might be a worrying combination - for any multitude of reasons, the fact he was still peeved at the boy's treatment of Sophie aside. Still, she and others had shown up. That, frankly, was good news regardless of personal feelings.

Dion remained sat on the couch, shooting Ayla a thankful smile as she offered pastries. Fauna was making the speech  - though, this being Fauna, it wasn't exactly a speech per say. Maybe a few books on public speaking would do Fauna good, he mused.

"Fauna and I will be continuing this at the Ministry," he said, when Fauna had fallen silent. He smirked. "Regardless of what the WCU has to say about it, frankly. But you guys will have to keep it going here." His gaze shot to Sophie. Even though she'd shown up - was leadership a good idea, for her? How much was she hiding under the smiles and jokes?

He didn't know her well enough to tell.

"If we're lucky, we'll be able to find out what these direwolves are," he said. "Where they came from and how to combat them properly." Dion's views on werewolves were closer to conservative than most people attributed to SAWs, and he made this no secret.