The Turning of Time

The timelord made her way quietly and carefully through the darkening woods until she spotted Harry and Hermione in the trees some distance from the whomping willow. Buckbeak had gone into the forest probably after something to eat. The pair of students seemed to be waiting for something.

“Hey guys,” she said, sneaking up and joining them in their vigil.

Harry and Hermione nearly jumped out of their skin. “Mika! How…” Hermione began, but Mika put her finger to her lips. She then took the time turner in her hand and examined it. Hermione looked almost scared as if she were in big trouble now.

“A time turner eh?” Mika said sternly. “These things should not be allowed let alone given to young witches. Highly dangerous.” She handed it back to her friend and tapped it twice. A small panel opened up to reveal an inscription.

‘To M from M, maybe now you can be on time for a change!’ Hermione read aloud. She looked up at Mika questioningly.

Mika grinned. “Where do you suppose it came from?”

“To M from M,” Harry repeated. “I know, to Minerva from Mika!”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “You could’ve told me! I’ve been dying to talk to you about it all year. Did you know I was using it to get to my classes all along?”

Mika just smiled and touched her finger to her nose. “I was the one who suggested that Minerva could trust you to use it properly and keep it a secret. And I’m happy to say that you haven’t disappointed me.”

Hermione beamed. Her new friend was always surprising her no matter how much she thought she knew. “It’s been a real help,” she said, “But I think I’ll do it the ‘normal’ way from now on.”

“Good girl,” Mika said. “There’s no point in growing up too fast. Take time and enjoy life. That’s what it’s all about.”

Just then a movement by the whomping willow caught their eye. Things had started to happen. “Now, what’s going on?” Mika asked, her hearts beginning to beat rapidly as she realised that she was watching a large black dog drag Ron into a passage hidden beneath Clarence, Hermione and Harry following close behind.

“Are you sure it’s ok to let her in on what’s going on?” Harry asked nervously. Dumbledore and Hermione had both warned that they must not be seen by anyone.

Hermione shook her head. “Mika’s a timelord. She understands these things so it shouldn’t hurt the time line.”

“I am extratemporal – I exist out of time, so to speak. But normally, yes, Harry, it would be VERY dangerous to be seen.”

The pair then proceeded to fill Mika in on what had happened and what they were waiting for. They explained how Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew had been friends in school and how they all learned how to become animals to keep Lupin company during his monthly ‘episodes’ for a werewolf will only harm humans. They also explained how when everyone thought that Sirius Black had been the one to betray the Potters to Voldemort and kill Pettigrew – the crime for which he had spent the last 12 years in Azkaban prison – it was actually Pettigrew who had been the betrayer and who had killed all those muggles. He escaped by cutting off his own finger and transforming himself into a rat.

“In fact, Ron’s rat Scabbers wasn’t a rat at all,” said Hermione.

“He was a rat… the rat that is responsible for killing my parents!” Harry seethed.

Suddenly there was movement by the base of the whomping willow. “What’s happening now?” Mika whispered.

They all stood up. Sirius Black was emerging from the passage with a ratty, pudgy man at wand point followed closely by Ron who was limping and being helped by Harry and Hermione. They watched as Lupin brought up the rear with an unconscious Snape levetating behind him. Lupin lowered Snape to the ground none too carefully then looked skyward. Harry and Sirius stood talking while Hermione looked after Ron.

Suddenly, the clouds parted to reveal the bright disc of a full moon. Lupin went white then started to groan and convulse. Sirius turned his attention to Lupin. At that moment, Pettigrew took advantage of the situation and made a run for it, changing before their eyes into his usual rat shape and scampering off into the darkness. Black was torn between giving chase and helping his friend. He knew full well that if Lupin had not taken his potion that everyone there would be in danger.

Mika watched with growing horror and pain, tears welling in her eyes as her beloved Remus transformed before her into a huge, snarling, ravenous beast. She started to move forwards but Hermione held her back.

“No, Mika, we mustn’t. Come with us.” She and Harry took off dragging her along into the forest. They could hear the snarls and roars as Sirius, having transformed himself into his usual black dog shape, fought with Lupin to protect the children and Snape, who was still unconscious nearby for not being in his own mind, the wolf that was Remus Lupin would surely kill them.

Harry, Hermione and Mika circled around through the dark woods, keeping an eye on the ensuing battle between dog and wolf, Sirius getting the worst of it. Harry feared for his godfather’s safety whilst Mika feared for that of her fiancé. Just as it looked like the wolf was about to finish off the dog, Hermione had an idea and gave an imitation wolf howl. Harry clamped his hand over her mouth quickly.

“What are you doing?” he cried.

“A werewolf only answers the call of its own kind,” she quoted. Then she howled again.

“But that’ll bring him here.”

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.”

They took off as the werewolf that had been their teacher left a wounded Sirius to limp away and come towards them.

Harry and Hermione threw themselves behind one tree, Mika behind another. The wolf drew nearer and began searching for them, sniffing the air for the scent of human. As it closed in on the children, Mika came out from her hiding place to draw Lupin’s attention to her. It worked. The snarling beast growled and headed for her, baring its teeth.

“Harry, Hermione, go now!” Mika hissed, trying to keep a distance between her and the werewolf’s sharp teeth.

At the sound of her voice the creature reared up and leapt at Mika, who dodged sideways just in time. The wolf began circling her, sniffing as if unsure of what she was. Slowly, it drew nearer, growing calmer as it approached.

“Remus?” Mika said softly. “It’s me, Mika. You know me,” she said holding her trembling hand out towards the creature that her beloved had become.

Slowly, the wolf backed down and Mika approached until she was actually able to touch the wolf gently on its face.

“Mika no!” Hermione cried out in warning.

“It’s all right, Hermione, see? He knows me…” It was true, the werewolf was now almost cowering, whimpering as she gently stroked its fur.

Then suddenly, it growled and bared its teeth again. Hermione let out a scream as the beast roared, its face mere inches from Mika’s. The timelord froze, tears escaping from her eyes as she trembled in fear. Then a loud squawk ripped through the night as a huge pair of hooves and wings came from out of the forest and knocked the werewolf aside. Mika stood, still frozen, her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face as Buckbeak drove the beast away from them and deeper into the forest. The sounds of their battle faded into the night.

“Mika, are you all right?” Hermione ran up to her taking her by the hands.

She managed to nod as she forced her muscles to relax, the immediate danger now past.

“Remember, Mika,” Harry said softly, joining them. “It’s not really Lupin. He doesn’t have his mind when he turns into a wolf.”

“Harry’s right,” Hermione agreed, trying to console their friend.

“But he didn’t attack me. He could have several times but he didn’t.”

Suddenly it dawned on them why. “Because you’re not human,” Harry spoke what they were thinking.

Just then a cold air hit them and the temperature began to drop suddenly.

“Dementors!” gasped Hermione.

“Sirius!” Harry grabbed Hermione’s arm and began dragging her away. “ We must help him!”

Mika watched as they began to hurry away. She looked towards the forest where Buckbeak and the werewolf had disappeared. Wiping the tears from her eyes resolutely with the back of her hand she began to follow.

Hermione turned just in time to see her fading into the darkness. “Mika!” she called out. “Harry wait. Mika!” she started forward but Mika turned and held out her hand stopping her.

“No, Hermione. Go with Harry.”

“But where are you going? The moon is still out; he’s still dangerous.”

“I must find him,” she said immovably. “I must find him and bring him back.” And with that the timelord melted into the darkness of the forest.

“Come on!” Harry grabbed Hermione and they ran to rescue the earlier Harry and Sirius from the swarm of Dementors.

Sneakers

Dumbledore led Mika downstairs to the entry hall where they found Mr. Fudge and the axe man waiting. Dumbledore made hasty introductions then hurriedly led them out of the castle and down the path towards the thatched hut where Hagrid lived. Mika supposed that the Headmaster was attempting to distract the Minister of Magic from any intrusive questions that he might think to ask of the ‘guest’ lecturer on time. For the first time she wondered if her being at Hogwart’s was entirely ‘above board’.

As the little group approached the hut, Buckbeak who was chained up in the pumpkin patch awaiting his sentence gave a squawk. Mika looked at him and out of the corner of her eye caught a movement behind a pile of large pumpkins. Another movement in the woods just behind the hut also caught her eye. She peered into the darkness but couldn’t make anything out. Shrugging, she turned her attention back to Fudge who had a document for Hagrid and Dumbledore to sign. As she stepped into the hut, she looked back towards the pumpkin patch one last time, sure she had heard a noise and saw three figures sneaking up the pathway from their hiding place behind the pile of pumpkins. So she had heard something!

Inside the hut, Fudge seemed about ready to go back outside and conclude the matter of Buckbeak when she could hear Dumbledore attempt to stall him. Mika knew he wouldn’t do this without good reason so she casually stepped back outside the door to see Harry and Hermione, considerably more dirty and the worse for wear trying to tempt the hippogriff from his confinement with a handful of dead ferrets. She turned to help Dumbledore keep up the distraction until they could get away.

Finally, they had no choice but to let Fudge and the executioner get on with their business. They all stepped outside to find the pumpkin patch conspicuously devoid of hippgriffs.

"B…but he was right here only moments ago!" spluttered Fudge incredulously.

"Well it weren’t me," Hagrid announced matter of factly. "I was with you all the time."

Dumbledore took it all in his stride. "Oh well it seems that he has managed to escape on his own. I’m afraid we shall not need your services after all," he said to the executioner who looked distinctly disappointed. As the others started to make their way up the path back towards the castle, he raised his axe and brought it down to cleave a large pumpkin in two.

Mika held back until the others had gone out of earshot then disappeared into the woods to try to follow Hermione and Harry and find out what they were up to, besides rescuing innocent hippogriffs.

Some good news, and some bad...

The next day was the day of Buckbeak’s scheduled execution for injuring Draco Malfoy during a classroom demonstration. Hagrid was distraught so the trio of Ron, Harry and Hermione decided to go and console their friend. Mika went to see Dumbledore after not being able to find Lupin anywhere in the castle. Had she known, he had spotted someone on the marauders map that interested him greatly, even to the extent of forgetting about Mika for a split second. Someone he had thought dead for the last 12 years.

Mika approached the tower where Dumbledore’s office was located. “Sherbet Lemon,” she announced and the statue guarding the stairway spun out of the way and she stepped onto the steps. They twisted upwards literally spiralling her upwards. At the top she found a large, arched wooden door. She took hold of the huge old bronze knocker and knocked. The door swung creakily open.

“Ah, Mika. Come in and sit down,” her old friend greeted her. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

She took a seat as he bustled about making tea for the both of them, with his wand of course. “Sugar?” he asked as several cubes floated from the sugar bowl and hovered in wait. “Three right?” he remembered. Three sugar cubes obediently plopped down carefully into the cup as Mika held it and the spoon stirred by itself.

Mika chuckled as she took a sip. It was still a bit hot so she sat the cup and saucer down on the desk. “I’ll never get used to all this magic stuff.”

Dumbledore eyed her over his half moon spectacles. “Even though you can do it yourself?” he asked slyly.

“So, Remus did come and speak to you after all?” she said in a worried voice.

“No, my dear. I saw you from my window with young Miss Granger. You nearly blew up the whomping willow.” He was smiling.

“Oh, you saw that did you? Well, I don’t know if I’m really cut out for all this magic stuff. Remus and Hermione seem to think I am. But perhaps we’ll deal with that some other time.” She picked up her teacup and sipped it. It had cooled off enough by now.

“Oh yes. Is there something that you wanted?” he prompted his friend.

“Well,” she hesitated, trying to suppress a grin and blushing very prettily. “I have something to tell you. I wanted us to tell you together, but I can’t seem to find Remus…”

“If it’s about you two ‘seeing’ each other, I already know…”

“No, Albus, it’s a bit more than that. He’s asked me to marry him,” she dropped her bombshell.

“And did you accept?” he asked, more than a hint of boyish glee in his face.

Mika grinned. “Of course I did!”

Dumbledore jumped to his feet and came around the desk to congratulate her properly. Mika stood and accepted the hug and good wishes of her dear friend. “I just wish Remus was here too. You don’t happen to know where he is do you?” she asked worriedly. She couldn’t help but feel that something was going on that she didn’t know about. On the other hand, there was hardly anything in the entire world that slipped by Albus Dumbledore’s watchful eye.

“I haven’t seen him for a couple of days,” he answered truthfully. That he knew what was indeed going on, he wasn’t about to say. He had other things to attend to first.

They sat and chatted for some time, about the future, and the possibility of a wedding there at Hogwart’s. Mika didn’t know anything about the wedding customs of wizards and made a mental note to ask Hermione about it.

“There will be time enough for such a joyous occasion in the future,” Dumbledore said, rising and kissing Mika on the cheeks once more. “But I fear now is the time for more serious and depressing things. I trust you know about Hagrid’s little incident in his first class with Mr. Malfoy.”

Mika acknowledged that she did indeed. Malfoy had provoked Buckbeak, a hippogriff that Hagrid had been introducing to the class, and as a result of Lucius Malfoy’s powerful influence (and more than a little whining and exaggerating on Draco’s side) the poor creature had been condemned to death.

“Well, this is the day that the sentence is to be carried out. I would very much like for you to come with me, so that we may console poor Hagrid together.”

Mika couldn’t very well refuse and so it was that they went down together to Hagrid’s hut that evening, meeting the Head of the Ministry of Magic himself, Mr. Cornelius Fudge, and a very sinister looking black hooded executioner complete with a ginormous axe.

Not a Happy Bunny

Eventually the happy couple had to part ways and return to their respective rooms. Lupin was walking on air when he ran into Professor Snape interrogating a worried looking Harry in the dark corridors of Hogwarts.

Casually Lupin looked at the map and dismissed it as a harmless piece of parchment designed to insult whoever tried to read it. He confiscated it and Harry from Snape and began to leave.

“My office, Harry. Now!” he ordered. Harry knew he was in for it now.

“Lupin,” Snape stopped him. “Why on earth are you smiling?”

He hadn’t realised it but Lupin had been grinning from ear to ear.

“Oh, I’m just happy I guess,” he tried to dismiss it.

“What on earth have you got to be happy about?” Snape sneered.
Lupin shoved his hands in his pockets and bit his lip to try to quash his grin. “Well I suppose there’s no reason you shouldn’t know. I am now engaged to be married. That’s why I’m the happiest man on earth.”

He knew full well that this would not sit well with Snape in the least.

“Married? You?” he stared at his fellow teacher in disbelief. “Who?” then he realised. “You and Mika…?”

Lupin just grinned. “You could be the first to congratulate me.”

Snape veritably fumed. Lupin imagined that he could see steam coming out of his ears. It was a very funny thought. “Over my dead body!” the potions master finally managed to growl.

Lupin shrugged. “Suit yourself.” With that he turned, still grinning, and went to his office to confront Harry.

Even Yukkier Stuff!

It wasn’t until later that night that Mika saw Lupin again. They met after dinner then went for a walk along the shores of the loch.

“I had a very funny conversation with Harry today,” Lupin said at last. “He wanted to know if you were my girlfriend.” He chuckled somewhat nervously.

“What did you tell him?” Mika asked quietly.

“Well, I wasn’t sure what to say really. I know what I think and feel, but not really sure about you. So I told him that you were… sort of.”

Mika chuckled. “I don’t think Harry is quite ready for all that romance stuff. I heard Ron pitched a major fit when he heard Ginny was dating someone at school.” Silence grew between them. “I’m glad you think of me as your girlfriend, even if that word does sound a bit…”

“Juvenile?” he finished for her and laughed himself, the tension easing.

“Though I suppose the concept is sound.” Silence again. “He also asked me the other day if we were going to married some day.”

“Children think in such absolutes don’t they?” he said quietly. It was something he hadn’t dared allowed himself to even contemplate let alone consider happening.

“So,” Mika said slowly. “You think such an idea is, well… ridiculous?” She glanced over at him. He was staring at the ground. She wished he would look up. She loved the look of the moon, now nearly full, reflecting in his deep blue eyes.

“Oh, no of course not…” he answered quickly. “Um, well, I mean. Well, yeah. I suppose I do but not because I wouldn’t want to marry you, Mika. Oh god no.” He moved closer and took her hands. “It’s just that I know such wonderful things just don’t happen to me. That’s all…” he let his voice trail off, worried that he’d said the wrong thing. He was good at teaching things, but when it came to expressing his feelings he hadn’t a clue what to say or how to say it.

But Mika seemed to understand what he meant. She held his hands to her hearts and peered into his eyes. “Why do you say such things, Remus? I know your life has been hard, but even you deserve happiness. And if even in some small way I can be a party to that happiness, well, then that makes me the happiest and luckiest… yes, luckiest woman alive.”

As she spoke, Lupin, not believing what he was hearing, had begun to shake his head. “How can being with me be lucky?” he whispered. “I am a curse to all who have ever known me. Nothing but trouble and strife follow me wherever I go. I have no home, no family, no job… yes, once the parents hear of my condition they will no longer welcome me as a teacher of their children. Even here I am a danger.” A tear escaped and fell upon Mika’s arm.

“You are not a burden nor a curse, Remus John Lupin. You are the most wonderful, warm, caring, gentle person I have ever met. I am sure that Dumbledore feels the same. The children all adore you, yes, even the ones who do know what you are.” He looked up, his eyes, moist with emotion, now glittered in the moonlight he dreaded so much. But to Mika it was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen.

“Remus, if it’s what you want, the only kind of trouble and strife you need have is me…” she couldn’t help but smile at her little joke.

He looked at her, puzzled for a moment before he remembered that ‘trouble and strife’ was the cockney rhyming slang for ‘wife’. He couldn’t help but laugh through his tears.

He took Mika in his arms and held her close. “Oh if only it were possible,” he whispered into her tiny ear.

“Well, why not?” Mika said suddenly. “What is preventing us?”

Lupin broke the embrace and looked into Mika’s violet eyes. Their inner light burned fiercely like a cluster of the brightest stars. “It’s… it’s just not possible. Is it?”

Mika’s smile was blinding. “Why not? You do love me don’t you?” she asked, searching his face.

“Oh, Mika, you know I do! In spite of trying not to I couldn’t help myself. I can’t help myself. I keep telling myself that it’s foolish, that I will only get hurt if I allow my feelings to become too deep…”

Mika put her finger to his lips to silence him. “Shhh, what nonsense you speak! I love you more than there are stars in the universe. I would never in a million lifetimes hurt you, Remus.” Tears were beginning to form at the corner of her eyes as well.

They stood staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity; Mika, waiting, Remus hoping beyond hope that this was real and that he wouldn’t wake up cold and alone in his bed.

She knew he was trying to come to terms with what she had suggested and remained silent to give him time to think. Slowly, gently she brushed her fingertips lightly along his cheeks, lovingly tracing the outlines of his numerous scars.
She brought his hand up to her lips and kissed it tenderly.

“Dare I even think it?” he breathed, watching the ghostly angel who stood before him. “Dare I say it?”

“Say it, Remus,” she whispered, her breath warm against his fingers.

He suddenly knelt down, her hand still clutched in his. “Mika, will you do me the most unbelievable honour of becoming my… wife?”

Mika felt her hearts swell with so much happiness that she feared they would burst. Her eyes were locked with his as he awaited her answer breathlessly. “You silly, romantic thing. Of course I’ll marry you!” she said pulling him to his feet.

Lupin couldn’t help himself as he felt such joy as he had never known in his life. He threw his arms around Mika and lifted her in the air, spinning her around in his embrace. They laughed joyously before settling into a deep and lasting kiss, signifying their love for each other and the happiness they had promised to enter together.

Yukky stuff

It was later in the week when Hermione finally spotted her friend Mika walking slowly up the path to the ancient stone ruins atop a hill overlooking the castle. It was Sunday and she and Harry had been studying most of the morning for one of Snape’s potions tests. Ron was in detention again for mouthing off to Mrs. McGonagall when questioned as to why he did not have his homework completed. Together, they hurried up the path to join the Timelord.

“Mika, are you ok?” Hermione asked as they fell into step beside her, slightly out of breath from the steep climb. “Only I haven’t seen you in quite a while.”

Mika sighed and forced a smile for her friends. “Oh, I’m fine. Just been busy you know,” she replied unconvincingly.

They reached the ruins where Mika perched upon a large block of stone and gazed out over the valley and the loch below.

“You’ve been working on that formula haven’t you?” Hermione said cryptically.

Harry gave them both a questioning look. “What formula?” he asked.

“Oh, just some experiments,” Mika sighed. “Nothing any good though. Everything was a complete failure. I am now convinced that there is nothing that will work.”

Hermione understood. “Mika,” she said, “you mustn’t blame yourself for not succeeding. Sometimes there just isn’t anything we can do.”

Harry was getting irritated now. “What are you guys talking about? Don’t tell me it’s some girls only secret?”

“Yes, Harry, it’s something like that. You wouldn’t understand. Not yet anyway.”

They stared at each other, frowning. Mika looked from one to the other.

“Harry,” she said softly. “I promise you’ll know all about it soon. Just be patient and respect our discretion for now ok?”

Somehow, Harry knew that there was no way they were going to let him in on the secret just yet. He sighed heavily and nodded.

“Thanks Harry. I have a feeling everyone will know what’s going on soon enough.” Mika turned her eyes back to the loch. The sun was beginning to set and a breeze had whipped up.

“So, have you seen Professor Lupin lately?” Hermione said, mainly to break the awkward silence.

“Not for a few days,” Mika replied sadly. “I’ve been concentrating on my research. I’m sure he thinks I’ve been avoiding him.”

“What’s she got to do with the Professor?” Harry asked, once again puzzled. He seemed to be missing out on a heck of a lot this term.

“It’s no secret,” Hermione informed him. “She and Professor Lupin have been sort of seeing each other.”

Harry looked aghast. “Seeing each other? You mean as in dating? Smooching and all that yukky stuff?” He made a face.

Hermione glared at him, arms crossed.. “Yes, Harry,” Hermione almost growled. “All that yukky stuff.”

Mika laughed softly. Obviously Harry Potter for all his talent as a wizard, had no clue yet when it came to affairs of the heart. Which was just fine for a 13 year old boy.
“It’s ok, Harry. It’s grown up stuff. You’ll have plenty of time for that later when you’re older. Much older,” she added with a glance at Hermione.

But Harry couldn’t let it go. The idea of his new mentor having romantic liaisons with his friend Mika was a bit more than he had reckoned for. “Are you guys going to get married and all too?”

The women couldn’t help but giggle. Harry was totally clueless. But it did help lift her spirits for a moment. “Well, Harry, I don’t think it’s come that far yet. But you never know,” she teased.

“And if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll see them smooching and kissing and everything,” Hermione teased as she leaned over to plant a big sloppy kiss on Harry’s cheek.

“Geroff!” he cried, shoving her away. “Yuck! You girls and your smooching.” He got up to leave. “You can count me out!”

Harry left them behind wondering what the world was coming to. He made a note to ask Lupin if they were telling the truth next time he saw him for his patronus lessons. He could still hear them giggling as he entered the castle far below.

Testing, one, two, three...

Mika did give it some thought, all night in fact; and the following week. Nothing more was said about it for everyone thought it best to keep it quiet for now. Mika didn’t know if Dumbledore had been consulted yet or not. If he had, nothing had been said to her about it. She was hoping that it would be forgotten. The last thing she wanted was to cause more trouble or be accused by the Timelords once again for ‘interfering’. She didn’t have Qui Gon’s eloquence to defend her this time.

Instead Mika decided to submerge herself into her ‘research’. The next few days, aside from her lecture on Saturday afternoon, she spent in the TARDIS experimenting with the various substances that had been on the list of potion ingredients that Snape had sent to her. In spite of Hermione’s fears, Snape had given her an accurate list. She spent hours in her laboratory analyzing the various ingredients that Hermione and Lupin had managed to help her acquire. Hermione was not very happy that Mika had excluded her from this stage of the research, but she did have class work to think about!

Poor Lupin wasn’t any more enlightened as to what she was doing in her secret lab either. He hadn’t even been permitted in her TARDIS yet. Even Hermione had only seen it out of necessity when Mika went to retrieve the errant students who had accidentally on purpose transported themselves back in time [for which they received a right good rollicking too!]. The timelord just wanted to have something substantial to test before getting Lupin’s hopes up too much. Though that didn’t mean that he wasn’t an active part of her research. The poor professor must have given Mika a sample of every element of his person possible – blood, hair, skin, etc. [with maybe one exception!] – so that she could test the various compounds as she came up with them.

Alas, nothing seemed to work; not on the samples at any rate. The only other alternative was to test them on a fully transformed DADA teacher, but Mika didn’t have the heart to put him through that. She still had not witnessed his terrible monthly affliction in person; only heard about them and seen the gradual weakening that Lupin suffered every month after the full moon. But he said he didn’t mind if it meant the possibility of a cure; he even stopped taking his potion just in case. Mika had decided to hold out on that facet of her investigations until she was sure she had something concrete to test. But it wasn’t looking good.

Mika sighed and put aside the latest test tube full of green goo. She brushed aside the few strands of hair that had fallen into her eyes and sat down on a nearby stool. Head in her hands she pondered in her mind over what she had learned; which was basically that there was no cure. She had managed to produce a sort of compound that had the possibility of minimising the transformation. She only had to test it on Lupin himself. That meant waiting for the next full moon. And putting herself and everyone else at risk. Mika didn’t know if she could do that.