Tristan saw Danica’s curiosity immediately. He had seen it hundreds, maybe thousands of times before. It was nothing new to him. HE smiled and, tring to conseal his fangs, he told her what he had told the many muggles who had dared to ask before. He chuckled as he said, “Don’t worry. My aunt has a lot of cats. I swear they all hate me. And wolf here,” Leo gestured to the curled snake next to him, white coils twisting over eachother as Wolf twisted to find the perfect sleeping arrangement. “Isn’t much help. He’s harmless to you, I promise.” 

He hoped the lie was enough. It used to be the truth. Before she commited suiside she had had dozens of cats who hated all but her. Even when Leo was little, they hissed at all who neared. The scars the cats had left him, however, had been long since replaced and covered by werewolf fights and being abused by elements, strangers, muggle gangs and of course, his uncle. All summer he had had a black eye, but as he entered dagon ally he healed it with magic. He knew it wasn’t allowed outside of cl*censored*es, but he thought his exeption was acceptable. He had honest reasons. 

Leo smiled again, knowing that in less than a moon he would have to accumulate more scars on his frail body. In the meantime, however, he would happily enjoy his temporary happiness as the train began to rattle.

(( just alittle vote, do you guys wanna time skip to the school or something dramatic on the train gonna happen? ))

(( Alrighty then))

Jeanne got off the train and went to talk to Hagrid, the gamekeeper, who was gathering all the first years.

"Howdy Hagrid, a bit rainy today, dont you think?" She said, taking notice of the light drizzle.

"Aye," Said Hagrid. "Dont look now, but 'ere comes Malfoy." He said, pinting to the 3rd year Slytherin boy.

"He doesnt bother me that much, although sometimes he can be a pain in the butt, you know with him in all my cl@sses. listen, I gotta go find Leo, See you later, Hagrid!" She yelled, waving to him from a distance. She almost practically bumped into him on purpose, and right after she continued running, although she could feel his eyes on here.

Melia gathered her things and left the train. She put a spell on all of her baggage to keep it from getting wet, and hurried to the building. When she got in, she changed into her robes, completley forgetting to do so on the train. then she got to the Ravenclaw table and sat down.

(( I think im gonna drop Jeff, to much typing xD; ))

Leo took a few moments to change into new robes, these ones with a hood, lined with the slytherin green and silver on the inside. The would shelter his face from the rain, which he found constantly annoying. He took another minute to enchant his other robes into his baggage and slip Wolf beneth them, letting the cold animal wrap about his neck for warmth.  He then covered the snake with his Hogwarts scarf, lined with green and silver, the Hogwarts symbol embroidered on either end, which he specificly enchanted onto them. He never wanted to forget the joys of the magic school while he spent the summer holidays with his abusive uncle.

Therefore, he let Jeanne and Danica go ahead of him. He closed his mouth and made sure his tail was hidden before leaving the train himself, and walking up behind Danica as if he had been there the whole time. He didn’t see Jeanne, but he did see Hagrid, calling for the first years. “Danica, I’ll be there in a minute,” He said, whipping away her question as if she had said nothing. 

He made a B- line tward the giant, and shook hands before being embraced. Hagrid had been the first person Leo had told of his condition, and he had been more than supportive. Tristan had promised to check in with him at the beginning of every year, the end of every year, and before and after each change. After the hug-o-death the grounds keeper had provided for him, he and Leo exchanged a few quiet words of support. Glancing back at Danica, Leo cut the conversation short, promising that he’d meet Hagrid the next day.

He trotted back to Danica and smiled. “Sorry. Let’s find Jeanne, okay?” He said, trotting along. He needed to avoid her question as long as possible. Sure, she was nice, but he had just meet her. It didn’t seem very wise to tell her of her condition. After all, she would probably scream and tell all the other Gryffendors. Word spread quickly about the school like wild fire, p*censored*ing to anybody who bothered to hear a tasty rumor or two. Leo anxiously scanned the crowd for another face he knew.

Leo parted ways with Danica at the Great Hall and lead Jeanne twards the Slytherin table. The Sorting Seramony, as always, was increasing boring. Leo fell asleep several times, much to the discomfort of Wolf. When he awoke and there where few students left, he began to think about Danica’s question. How would he answer her?

His mind was quickly torn away, glancing quickly at the staff table. He must have missed the announcing of the new proffecer of Defence Against the Dark Arts. He didn’t care. Leo lowered the hand that was supporting his face and turned his full attention to the new teacher. He could sence it immediately.

Another werewolf, a teacher, was in the school.

Danica walked into the Great Hall with Abigail. They were trying to figure out what Danica should do. "People already have noticed that you've changed since last year," Abigail pointed out. "They'll just think you're unhappy with your appearence and keep dying your hair different colors and putting in contacts." Danica said, "I don't want that Abbie!" a little too loudly. A large group of First Years were evasdropping. "Go away, you nosy kids!" Abigail said sharply at them. The ran quickly in a mound of giggles.

Abigail sighed. "You make your life so dramatic, Danica!" She said, as though she was annoyed. "You don't know what this is like! I can't control it half the time! If I were to fall in love, my hair could turn bright red and my eyes pink! If I were reading about gnomes, I could shrink to their size! If I-" "Okay, I get it!" Abigail snapped. "Don't get mad, Danica! I didn't realize-" "Of course you didn't," Danica snapped back and walked away, leaving Abigail standing there with her jaw dropped. 

Looking dismally, over the crown, Leo saw her. “Danica!” He called down the hall. In a few, weaving strides he caught up to her. She looked unhappy with something, but Tristan saw no other familiar faces. He glanced around nervously, still quite fidgety. “Hey,” He said in a much lower voice. “Did you see that new teacher? I can’t wait to meet him. Defense Against the Dark Arts, right?”  

Leo continued to fidget, glancing about in all directions. His mind was racing, it was impossible to rest. He wanted to explode to somebody, anybody. He followed Danica up the stairs, still fidgety, and paused, looking over the railing. He should be heading down stairs, he knew, but the dungons didn’t seem appealing, especially when the only teacher down there was Snape.  

“I think I’ll stay up tonight,” He said mostly to himself. “I want to get caught.” Even for Leo’s rebelous nature, this was a little odd. In his mind however, it was a fool proof idea. If he snuck around the castle like he had so many times before, he should be able to avoid the midnight patrols until he could find that new teacher.

“Maybe there’s a pack of us!” He whispered in excitement. Oh, he couldn’t contain himself any longer. He had to speak with this new teacher, what ever the cost. At this point, he could be expelled and be happy. Just knowing that meet another, living, breathing werewolf in the flesh would be astounding to him. Leo’s blood boiled hot and he anticipated their meeting, if he could work it out.

He quickly whipped around again and moved back to Danica’s side. “I’d like to answer your question now.” He said in a whisper as he leaned to reach her ear. “But not now, not here.”

Leo’s heart was pounding against his chest. Yes, he decided, he was going to tell Danica. He heard the surprise in her voice as she asked another question. She was so inquisitive. He rolled his green eyes, which flashed a brilliant gold in the candle light for but a second. “Trust me,” He whispered in her ear.

The hallways where mostly empty now, each of the first year packs going their seprate ways. Above them, he could still hear the Gyffendors, clambering staircase after staircase up to the tower. He briefly wondered what it’d be like climbing all those stairs every day. Snapping back to reality, he hovered for a moment. Of course, it wasn’t every day one sees a Gyffendor girl and a Slytherin boy standing in the same room unless they where throwing insults or curses at each other.

Just as a pack of Ravenclaw girls p*censored*ed them, quickly turning left, Leo darted down the flight of stairs. He hovered for another moment, listening. He waited for Danika, not nessisarily to follow, but to watch where he was going and then follow. Tristan didn’t proclaim himself witty about school grounds, but he was rather clever about hidden rooms, hallways and secret p*censored*ages he had found all his first year. After another few seconds, a Gryffendor boy p*censored*ed, looking rather down. He whispered something about how dumb Slytherins where as he p*censored*ed Tristan, who ignored the comment. He darted left, into a narrow p*censored*age that was rarely walked. As he ducked down, he went about half way down the corridor and paused before a gl*censored* window. He took a moment to look past the stars as he waited for Danika.

He waited several long seconds and he walked, casually down the corridor. If he followed it long enough, it would take him to the library, and past that, a restricted dungon the Leo often explored. He walked with slow, long strides, glad to be back in the familiar hallways. A few more windows appeared to his left, letting the dull moonlight filter down on the stone floor.

He counted the steps he took, then turned sharply right. He faced a wall now, but hs counting was spot on. He took a step forward so that his toes almost hit the stone wall. He smiled at his brilliance, then turned his head the way he had come to make sure Danika had followed him, his smug smile beaming on his face. If theree was one thing Leo was good at, it was finding things he wasn’t supposed to.

Leo, still smiling, turned back to the wall. “See here,” He said to Danica, tracing a place in the wall where all the stones where in a perfect line. “How the bricks all add up? What’s more is the gap between these bricks is wider than you’d expect.” He took a few more steps down the corridor. “On this side, there is the same effect. And in the center,” He walked a little back. “The bricks pop forward just a bit, almost too much to notice.”

Leo stood back in awe at his genius skills. “Where the bricks are raised, there’s a pillar behind. That mean that with a good shove, the wall between the gaps,” Again, he traced the spot where the bricks lined up with a long, pale, scared finger.  “Should…. MOVE!”

Tristan had placed his shoulder on one side of the wall, planted his feet, and shoved. Almost instantly, the wall turned inward, the opposite side turning out. Leo continued to calmly push until the opening in either side was large enough for him to slip through. “Most of these can open by magic from the opposite side, but they close quickly.” He warned.

The boy slipped in side and held the stone open, pricking his ears as he listened for anyone else in the hallway. There were still quite a few students out and about, but the patrols would begin early tonight since there was no doubt a good few of the first years would try sneaking out to explore the castle.

Still holding the wall with his left hand, he freed his right and retrieved his wand from deep within his robes. It was a light mahogany, 11 ½ inches with Dragon Heart String, a fairly common material for Slytherin’s wands.

“Lemos Maximus,” The light fled from his wand and hovered in the center of a large, circular room. There where many places to support a flame around the room, including a candle chandelier from the ceiling. With a couple swishes of his wand, flames spurted to life around the room, creating a warm, cheery glow. There was a window to Leo’s far right, letting some starlight poor down into the room, since it wasn’t lined up with the moon. Something about the room made him smile. Something about it made it feel like home.