A light rain fell so gently against the glass ceiling of the solar it couldn't be heard, even during the commercial breaks.  But, the dreary, grey overcast day was almost now completely unnoticed by the two men sprawled on the couches.  Sasha had commandeered the full couch.  Baldur, the shepherd, had made an initial attempt to flop on the couch next to him but had finally given up after Sasha had pushed himself upright for the third time.  Like Sasha, Wilhelm was glued to the television from the chaise, occasionally bolting upright as England's offensive team pushed dangerously close to West Germany - or, now, Germany's keeper. 

There were few in the wizarding world that Sasha would admit it to, but he was relieved to have made it home in time for the Sir Bobby Robson Trophy match.  He would have been immensely disappointed if he'd been in a television-challenged community during the momentous rematch football game between the two teams of the 1990 World Cup.  During the 1990 World Cup in Italy, England had faced off - and won - against West Germany.  So far, the game hadn't disappointed though Sasha had found himself momentarily enthralled in his beer bottle when a spectator had broken free of the spectators at the game to streak, naked, across the field. 

"Halt die Klappe!"[1] Sasha muttered to Wilhelm as the barnhand-turned-legal-guardian cracked up just as the game shifted promptly to commercial.  Luckily, a knock at the door provided an additional source of distraction and, red-faced, Sasha got to his feet, set his beer on the coffee table and went to the front door.  He tugged the front door open and froze, staring down at the girl-werewo-young woman standing in the rain on his doorstep.  Sasha hesitated for several long moments - long enough for, by the sounds of it, the game to resume somewhere behind him. 

"Allo," he offered, curtly.  Despite the strong desire to simply shut the door once more, politeness won out (probably helped by the steady drizzle) and he stepped back in a non-verbal invitation for Olivia to come inside. 

1.

Shut up!

The decision was not final; the ministry was still in discussions as to whether or not reverse Olivia’s special circumstance expulsion. Ollie had been removed from the school for the safety of others, not for breaking any rules. Ollie was particularly nervous about the decision, but the possibility was alive that Ollie would be wandering the corridors of Hogwarts once more. As excited as she was at the prospect, she felt one person should know about the possibility. She wanted to warn Sasha, just so he didn’t get a shock from seeing her at Hogwarts if that was the decision they made. Whether Sasha could ever forgive her was not a question that today was about, honestly Ollie didn’t expect Sasha to ever forgive her. This visit was a courtesy; it was for Ollie to prepare Sasha for the possibility she would be back at Hogwarts with him. She also wanted to inform him of all that was planned for removing her from Hogwarts before the full moon. Ollie wanted to ensure his safety, and that was all she wanted him to accept. Forgiving her was something she could not control.

The decision to visit Sasha today was intentional. The full moon had long since passed, and the next was a couple weeks away. Ollie wanted to ensure Sasha’s safety, as she was sure her appearance was not a welcome one. Any communication through correspondence would likely be ignored and what she had to say had to be said, so face-to-face was the only option. This was why Ollie was at Sasha’s house, and it felt strange to be there.

Ollie’s hood hid the wild mess of hair as the drizzle had caught her off guard. Ollie wished she had worn jeans instead of her shorts when she had left the cottage today. When the door opened she half expected to be slammed in her face. When they stood staring at each other she adjusted the strap of her bag she held to her shoulder. She fidgeted awkwardly in that awkward moment, wondering if that door would just close. Luckily for her Sasha said something. “Hi,” she said far more meekly than was normal for Ollie. “Thanks,” she said as she walked in as he stepped aside. “Sorry for dropping by unannounced but I felt it was important to talk with you.” She paused taking in a nervous gulp of air. She was determined not to let her eyes wander and stay focused on Sasha, but it didn’t stop her nervous fidget. “I’m not here for forgiveness, though I am sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am or how terrible I feel.” She paused once again. “But not what I want to discuss. So if you are willing to hear me out great, if you would prefer to kick me out also fine.”

He'd stepped aside.  He'd invited her in.  Logically, he knew that's why she was crossing the threshold and moving past him into the foyer.  Academically, his mind had registered that it was daylight outside and it wasn't anywhere near the full moon and she was apologizing.  But, that logic-driven side of his brain was moving slower than the emotional side that was working almost exclusively on instinct.  It didn't care what day of the month it was; it just saw that face stretching and morphing into the feral, wild maw that breathed that rancid, foul breath as it-

Sasha suddenly became aware that several moments had past and his hand still clenched the open door.  He wasn't sure when, exactly, he'd flinched away from the girl but there really was no way he could pretend the gesture had gone unnoticed. 

He took a deep, settling breath and forced his features to relax as he straightened up.  He really would have preferred to, indeed, kick her out but slowly he let the door swing closed behind her and nodded.  "Alright," he conceded as he turned and led the way up to the study.  Halfway up, he'd hesitated a moment, considering bringing Baldur up with him - just in case - but it occurred to him he didn't know how the dog would respond if he ... recognized Ollie.  Would the shepherd recognize the Wolf in Olivia?  Sasha settled himself on one of the arm chairs.  "Make yourself comfortable," he offered.  "I don't really know what I can do for you, though?  I ... how have you been?"

This was well beyond his social capabilities.  How did one strike casual conversation with someone who'd tried to kill them.  Or, more aptly, eviscerate them? 

Watching him flinch away from her brought painful feeling over her. She really should expect no other reaction than that. Sometimes she wondered if taking this potential offer of her returning to school would be a good idea, because she would see Sasha all the time and just feel terrible. Honestly she would have to get over it sooner or later, but she really doubted she could. He was the first and only person she had ever attacked and she was extremely serious about making sure he was the only one. She was just lucky she had not turned her into one of her. Olivia had replayed that day over and over. She had taken her wolfsbane, but of course it had been tainted and in affective. But she still should never have been in Diagon Alley to begin with, why she had been late still plagued her. She should never have stopped to talk to Sasha. Sometimes she wished he would take some of the blame, he knew what she was, he should have known what that day was. Sadly not everyone followed the lunar schedule like she did.

Ollie followed Sasha along, taking in the house, it was really very impressive. She watched as he entered the study and settled into one of the chairs. Ollie decided to remain standing, she was far too nervous to sit down. "It isn't really what you can do for me, just something I wish you to hear from me." She hated when she was nervous, her palms got sweaty,  strike that all of her got sweaty. "I have been okay, how about yourself?" She had not really been kept in the loop about Sasha's situation.

"Okay, I am not going to beat around the bush." Ollie said, she figured getting down the business was for the best. She could leave Sasha in piece then. "There has been some discussion and movement about returning me to Hogwarts at the start of next term. Nothing is finalized but it is currently in discussions. I would of course never be on school grounds the night of the full moon, and in truth I would be gone a total of three days, the day before the full moon, the day of the full moon, and the day after. Depending on school needs I may travel home the day after the full moon." Olivia paused and looked at her feet. "I wished you to hear this from me, and not from the prophet or perhaps get the shock of seeing me in the corridors. Plus I wanted you to hear from me that I will never be on school grounds during a full moon." Olivia stressed the never, she really wished him to understand. "The safety of everyone else is extremely important to me. I have seen what can happen when I am late, unfocused, and I never want it to happen ever again." Olivia wasn't going to lay all the blame on the tainted wolfsbane.

Sasha took a deep breath and nodded.  He didn't know what Foley would have to tell him but he was willing to listen.  "I've been alright," he offered, tentatively at first.  He wasn't entirely certain whether Foley was being polite or actually trying to strike up conversation.  Either way the conversation was bound to be awkward but, perhaps, that was what she was trying to achieve?  To try to foster some sort of open communication - even friendship?  He brushed a hand over his trousers and shrugged.  He could be polite and maintain cordial conversation.   

"Busy with classes and lawyers and ... various stuff.  It has been quieter than most summers, though."  Most summers were filled with traveling to horse shows and visiting family down in Germany.  This year, with just Wilhelm and himself, they'd made it to a handful of shows but most of the summer had been spent just getting through and getting ready for the upcoming year. 

Sasha's gaze dropped to the floor and he nodded, slowly.  With Madame Snark no longer at the helm, it wasn't surprising that there would be changes.  Despite her icy demeanor, Snark did make quite a few unrecognized wise decisions.  Ensuring the safety of the majority of the students was among them.  He had no doubts that the new administration and Foley had the best intentions.  He also didn't doubt that they would be taking care to do everything the knew of to keep the students safe.  But, they also believed the Titanic was unsinkable and Helm's Deep was an impenetrable fortress.  "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition," Sasha said, simply.  He took a deep breath and shook his head.  "I'm not sure what to say," Sasha admitted.  At least they weren't in the same house.

"If they let you in, what if they accidentally let in one of those mega- direwolves without knowing it.  What if-" What if something went wrong with the full moon?  Professor Trishna would probably slap him for that one.  "Something always goes wrong.  If you're willing to take that risk, there's nothing I can say.  I'll just be sure to stay in Ravenclaw tower on the full moon."  And, he'd have his wand with him.  And, he wouldn't hesitate to use whatever Kronos would recommend when Sasha told the man of Hogwarts readmitting werewolves. 

Ollie looked at Sasha and wanted to shake her head. "I know you're not going to happy about this." She paused and looked around awkwardly, not wanting to get angry with Sasha. He deserved to be angry she had attacked him after all. But what she wanted him to know for sure was that she was going to do everything so that she never did that to anyone else. It devastated her to know that she had nearly made Sasha into one of her. Though for a brief second she even wondered if had she, would he understand what it was like. Almost like walking in her shoes, but unfortunately one could not do that temporarily.

"I cannot speak for issues arising with the direwolves," she paused and looked at Sasha again. "I can safely speak for myself. I will not be on school grounds. I will leave the day before the full moon, if you want you can watch me go." She sighed, "In the four years I attended Hogwarts nobody knew. Do you think I could have accomplished that with being on school grounds Sasha?" She was attempting to keep her cool as best she could. "You don't need to go lock yourself in the Ravenclaw tower on a full moon, with wand at the ready. I will not be on school grounds. I can promise you that." She looked at her feet. "I will do anything never to be around people, even if it means locking myself for days in damn room. I had never attacked anyone before. I have been like this since I was four." She brushed her hand over her cheek nervously worried that tears were going to fall or something. "I am sorry for what I did. I know you will never forgive me and I don't expect you too." All she wanted to do was ensure he knew that she was serious she wanted to ensure safety of people at school. "Plus it isn't even hundred percent true yet, so you may get your wish and I won't return." She felt the need to add another tidbit. "And even if I don't return it doesn't necessarily mean another werewolf can't appear in the halls of Hogwarts." It wasn't like she was the only werewolf around. "But that said I am sure they wouldn't be on school grounds either. It just isn't safe."

"I should go." Ollie said. "Thank you for listen to me though." That was something he could at least be polite to her right. Maybe if she was back at Hogwarts he would be civil. But mainly she just wanted him to understand she would never be on school grounds if she did.

"That's not what this is about," Sasha quickly countered, shaking his head.  This wasn't about his happiness.  That made it sound so ... so petty.  So personal.  As if he, of all people, would advocate that someone should be denied an education based on his personal happiness.  "And, it's not even just about me.  I'm a prefect.  I have just as much of an obligation towards the members of my house as myself.  You ... you have the capacity to devastate and ruin people's lives and not even be aware you're doing it.  It's ... it's like letting someone walk around with a vial of smallpox virus on a necklace, hoping the glass doesn't break." 

He knew she probably didn't want to hear this.  He knew she was hoping to just go back to school and everything would be tulips and chocolate milk like it had been before this past year.  But, it couldn't be.  It wouldn't ever be.  No matter how careful, no matter how prepared someone tried to be, there was always a margin of error.  Nothing Foley could say would convince Sasha the measure the school, or the Ministry took would be infallible.  Madam Snark understood that and stood by it, whether or not it made her popular. 

"No," Sasha quickly shook his head.  He neither wanted to be around Foley that close to the full moon nor play the role of official 'werewolf monitor.'  Even though, the school probably needed one. 

"In the four years I attended Hogwarts nobody knew. Do you think I could have accomplished that with being on school grounds Sasha?"

"Things work great until they don't," Sasha insisted, looking down at his hands.  "That's my point.  It's not about how well things work when things are working well.  It's about ... how prepared are we if things don't work.  It's the 'what ifs.'  I just ... I don't trust ... I don't have that faith that things work out for the best anymore.  Something always goes wrong.  And ... people ...what's the contingency plan?  What if a mistake is made?  Is there a plan if the system fails?  The Ministry certainly didn't have a decent one - does Hogwarts have a better one?" 

She was right, though.  If she'd been let in then who knew how many more werewolves were being allowed in.  But, he was supposed to be able to feel safe at school.  He should know that, when he laid down in his bed in Ravenclaw tower, he wasn't going to wake up with a slobbering, rancid, maw inches from his face. 

Sasha nodded when Foley started to excuse herself.  "I'll show you out," he offered.  "Thank you for coming to tell me, though."  Just seeing her in the hall would have, indeed, been worse. 

Ollie listened to him. Yes his points were valid for the rest of the world but not Hogwarts. She looked at him and shook her head. "I cannot say I will be safe for everyone outside of school. I know I cannot say that, not now." Ollie paused and looked at him. "I just want to make it clear I will not be on school grounds. I am not one that changes in the middle of the day. And by law I need to go to ministry."

She would never be able to change his mind. He was too stubborn and she felt like what she was repeating was falling on deaf years. She just wanted to yell at him and shake him, but that wouldn't help it.

"I am sorry for storming in here and yelling at you. I had no right." Ollie said with a heavy sigh. She held back to temptation to say he wouldn't be happy unless she was dead. That was the only way to solve his concerns for human kind it seemed. All of Sasha's points were towards the fact the plan could fail but the danger time was when she was in London, not Hogwarts. Miles away.... was he not seeing this.

"No need to show me out. I know the way. And once again sorry for getting heated." Ollie was usually so calm but this just got under her skin. "And you're welcome. I didn't want to give you a heart attack on the very slim chance." She had already almost killed him once. "Goodbye Sasha."