As the Wolf Howles

Amongst the basket of half-used Pepperup Potions and Calming Draughts, Kate managed to locate a tiny golden bottle with lettering just as tiny.

"Draught of Peace," she read, squinting. "What does it do, though? Certainly sounds appealing..." She wondered if it might help with the last task of popping Alex's shoulder back into place, which was certainly not likely to be very peaceful otherwise.

"I think you'd better finish off that pain potion, too," Kate suggested, grimacing at the thought of why was to come next. "I don't think there's anything else in here likely to help."

Alex gave a weak chuckle as she took out the Draught of Peace, "Think we will save that for later, I personally think it makes the drinker high" he said with as much amusment as he could muster.

"One sip of that Kat you don't worry about anything" he muttered before he downed the rest if the pain relief potion.

Then he looked from his awkward angled shoulder to Kate, he began to worry if she should see him do this part. He had dislocated his shoulder before in quidditch games, he was pretty sure he could do it himself. Besides Kate had already done more then he ever would have expected of her.

"Hey Kat, Why don't you go get cleaned off in the upstairs bathroom and get into some clean clothes? I think I am gonna be alright now, thanks to you" he said as he ruffled her hair.

"I think I can handle this shoulder, Done this before in school, one Pop and it is done" he said though it wouldn't be that simple he knew... but the worst was over.

Kate gave Alex a very sceptical look. "Are you sure you're alright, then?" she asked, quite reluctant to leave her brother alone, despite the very real necessity of getting the house and herself back in order. There was no reason to make their parents have any more of a fit than strictly necessary, and the information that their son was now a werewolf was certainly not likely to be a happy surprise.

Alex nodded "Yes Kate, I think the worst is over... well in a matter of specking" thought of the months to come was not a happy one.

"Go on Kate, I may need your hand with the bandages on my arm after I clean up to. bandaging one handed is not a skill I have" he said patting her shoulder. He got the feeling it was still going to be a difficult night and day tomorrow for both of them. After the reality of what happened sunk in.. It was all numb right now.... unfortunately he didn't think it would stay that way.

"I will live, now go take care of your self now okay? I won't go anyway" he promised.

"Right then," Kate murmured, still looking displeased with the arrangement. "I'll grab you something clean too...we'll have to figure out what to do about your dress robes, too," she realised; they were completely ruined. Hers weren't in much better shape, but they were salvageable.

She did her best to hurry around and clean up the mess they made as quickly as possible. Not more than ten minutes could have passed before she was back, wearing a clean dressing gown and bearing Alex's clothes.

"There! Now all we've got to do is clean this bathroom before mum and dad get home," she told him, their little adventure starting to sink in now that it was all over. "What are we going to tell them?"

When Kate left, Alex prepared himself to fix his shoulder, he proped himself up against the wall and with as much force as he could he pushed his shoulder back into the correct place with a pop, He clunched his jaw tightly after the pop, the pain coming in waves.. if this is what it was like this a whole dose of pain relief, he could imagine what it was like without it.

After becoming sick and loosing most of what he ate and drink the night he finally cleaned himself off and rubbed his shoulder.. "Oh that will hurt in the morning" he muttered as he rised all the blood in the sink away.

When Kate came back with clean clothes he gave her a small smile, "your the best Kate" he muttered.

However his face dropped at what they would tell their parents... "Nothing... as far as they know we walked home, had some hot chocolate and went to bed" he said talking out his wand and vanishing his bloodied rodes. "I have others like it... Mom isn't that observant" he sighed.

"They can't know Katie, Dad will freak, and Mom will be heart broken...Once school starts I will tell them I had a misshap in Care of Magical creatures... Until then I will hide it.." he admited and looked his little sister in the eyes.

"Just don't say anything Kate alright, I will so all the talking, everything okay? Everything will be fine" he said patting her arm, knowing it would be hard.. but it would be worse if their parents knew...

Kate looked at Alex in wide-eyed shock. Not tell their parents? But he'd be a werewolf from now on...how on earth could two teenagers hide that from all the world?

"But we'll never get away with it, Alex! How are we going to explain you getting ill every month, and disappearing? What about school?" It was unfathomable to her that they could hide it from people who lived with them and knew them so well, but even more difficult would be hiding it from hundreds of prying eyes once they were at Hogwarts.

"Someone's going to find out, and what then? You can't possibly get in trouble for this, it's not your fault! We're lucky you're alive, any fool could see that!"

Alex shock his head, "The bias to Werewolves, still exists Kate.. I will make Mom and Dad miserable.." he said wishing then Kate didn't know either.

"I can't ruin them Kate, they won't take this well at all you know they won't" he said looking at her almost pleadingly.

"As for the full moons, I guess I will have to learn how to make that potion, and find a place to hide out for the night.. at school I will lie and there there is a room I could use to hide in.. we can make this work Kate, Please don't say anything yet" he asked..

He was willing to do anything then tell his parents he was a werewolf, he would be reduced to a second class citizen.. a shame to his family. He couldn't let that happen...

"I am sorry Kate" he said knowing he had just made his sisters life a hundred time more complicated then it needed to be...

It was a lot to take in. Alex did have a point...she didn't want anyone to treat him differently now that he was a werewolf. Besides, he was nearly of age, there wasn't really any reason to alarm their parents, was there?

"Well alright...I see what you mean. But don't be sorry, Alex. It's not your fault...you were protecting me. I could never be mad at you for that," she told him earnestly. "I wouldn't have been able to fight that thing off. You're a hero," she said with a smile. There was really nothing else that could be said on that topic, except one other thing.

"Thank you." Gingerly, she put her arms around her brother and hugged him for a moment. "I'll do everything I can to help you, I promise."

Alex sighed, "Hey I couldn't let that thing get you. and you saved my life to.. though how is still a mystery" he said bearly remebering that odd light that somehow made the wolf vanish.

"Okay.. I am going to clean up, get changed out of this bloody mess and perhaps we can have cup of hot chocolate.. relax, after whats happened it is likely all we can do" he said also feeling reality would start to sink in rather quick know that his life wasn't in danger.

Kate nodded, releasing her brother from the hug. Somehow she'd managed not to get her pajamas dirty -- a small miracle, really, but then tonight was full of those.

"Yeah, alright then. That sounds good. I'll go down and make it," she offered with a small smile, heading for the door. Hesitantly, she turned around again before leaving. "We'll figure this out, Alex."

Alex nodded "I know we will Katie, everything will work out I promise" he said knowing there was so much they had to do. He would go out the next day, it judt occured to him Katie left her wand in the clearing. He would go out and get it in the morning, if it was gone.. well he would take Kate out to get a new wand himself, he would even take the blame in telling his parents they been playing around and her wand had been lost or broken... if they questioned anyway.

Once she left again he removed his bloodied clothes and cleaned all the blood off him he used a dark coloured cloth to cover his bit wound which was still lightly bleeding. And got the clothes Kate brought for him on, luckily they were long sleeved.

Then he came out to the kitchen looking a bit better then he had just finishing wrapping a tempory bandage around his arm.. Somehow he knew it would scar...