Bonding Over Werewolves [Selena]

[Deleted]

Ginny sighed to herself as she made her way up to the library. It was not, surprisingly, a place which she found herself in particularly often. All the books which they possessed related to her own subject had been set by the previous teacher, and were therefore about five hundred years out of date and as dull as ditchwater. She preferred to order the texts that she needed from Flourish and Blotts, which then meant that she could make her own notes in the margins; a practice which the librarian strongly disapproved of, but could do nothing about so long as they were not library books. Today, however, she had been consigned to the library by desperation, in hope that they could provide her with something relevant to the goblin rebellions of 1710.



And as she walked in, she was struck with a hundred memories. She had, the redhead realised with a wry smile, spent rather a lot of time in here as a student, doing homework, talking (quietly, of course) and on one memorable occasion, eating Easter eggs with Harry. She remembered that as though it were yesterday, and, of course, she remembered so well how Madam Pince had sent them running from the room, chased by their books. Of course, the best bit of that particular story was how she had come back a day later and surreptitiously charmed the librarian's handbag to beat her about the head incessantly until such time as Ginny decided to stop it... She was most definitely a relative of the Weasley twins.



That was definitely not on the agenda today, if only because it would be unseemly for a professor and a Head of House to do such a thing to an unassuming librarian. Instead, Ginny opted to smile at the person behind the desk as she entered, and murmur a polite "Good morning."

@selena

[Deleted]

Selena loved the library, if only because it gave her a place to go where she could spend her time not only learning, but also tucked away from other students, somewhere where she could get away from drama, or rather immerse herself fully in her own. The girl was acting on an obsession today. Reading about werewolves. Of course she had more than her fair share of personal experience, having been the daughter of a werewolf who would later turn her mother as well, and now being half-sister to yet another. It seemed Selena Greyback was doomed to be surrounded by werewolves. she knew they weren't all bad, but Fenrir Greyback was a monster, and after the incident at St. Mungo's she was wondering if her brother was all that much better.

She had learned a lot thus far, the signs of lycanthropy, the legends surrounding the condition. The various studies that others had made toward a cure. She could brew a wolfsbane potion, she could behave in ways that would throw a predatory werewolf devoid of human cunning off her trail. The girl heard the familiar voice of Professor Weasley. she looked over, not quite sure what to say. She knew this woman's older brother had survived a brush with her father. She knew that she had been taught by Remus Lupin, another victim of Greyback's evil.

Selena offered the head of Gryffindor house a rare smile. She wanted to talk to her but she wasn't sure it was appropriate. She almost hoped that she would face another offer of condolences for what had happened to Lambert, or even accusations of being a werewolf herself, though she doubted Professor Weasley would be the type to offer such accusations. No matter what she had to say, if the professor approached her, maybe it would be a way to garner whatever wisdom Ginny's relatives and teachers had won in their battles with Werewolves.

[Deleted]

Ginny strode with purpose across the floor of the library, her eyes set on her goal, and she only slowed when she finally realised that for probably the first time in a few hundred years, the Hogwarts library had actually rearranged itself. Whoever would have thought it? Honestly, she didn't think that a single book had moved more than an inch in her time at the school, although that was quite likely because no one ever actually went anywhere near the historical section, and now, the one time that she was looking for something, she found everything in a new place. It was simply Sod's Law.

Turning to survey the rest of the library in what was probably going to be a vain attempt to find the book which she sought, Ginny caught the eye of a girl whom she recognised as a Ravenclaw, and whose name she would probably recall after a moment or two... Ah, yes. Selena Greyback. An unfortunate name that she had there, but Ginny had never been one to judge on that basis; she knew many people whose relatives had done dreadful things, and who were actually incredibly pleasant. She was somewhat surprised when the girl gave her a smile, since, so far as she could recall, that was an unprecedented circumstance, but she returned it in kind and, assuming that there was some reasoning behind it, she walked across to where the Ravenclaw was sitting, pulled out a chair and sat, experiencing a strange twinge of nostalgia as she did so. If she remembered correctly, this was the exact table where she'd been asked out by Michael Corner.

"Can I help you, Miss Greyback?" she enquired, still with a smile on her lips. Ginny still wasn't entirely sure what was going on here, but she did know that she had a responsibility here.

[Deleted]

Selena was a little surprised that her simple look had attracted the professor's attention, but she felt a profound appreciation for the fact. That smile lingered lightly on her lips. It felt strange considering the girl's usual mindset, even how she felt now. Though admittedly Professor Weasley was doing a lot to help her feel quite a bit better, all ready. Now, it was just a matter of Selena figuring out what to say to her. She didn't know how to brooch such a dark subject with the professor, but as she asked, Lena nodded mildly, her smile faltering again.

"Honestly, professor. I had some questions..." She paused mulling over exactly how to put things.

"After everything that happened with my brother, I've had a lot on my mind... And you're one of the few people I know whose life has been as effected by Fenrir Greyback as mine. I guess I'm trying to understand."  She would never call that monster 'father', and she hoped that that much was  obvious from her temperament, if nothing else. Lena realised this was a hugely heavy point of conversation to just drop on someone. A profoundly apologetic look adorned her face in that moment. She didn't particularly want to put Ginny back into the mindset she must have struggled with during the dreadful Battle of Hogwarts. She didn't specifically ask Ginny about Bill. She wouldn't. She didn't ask about Lambert's mother, who had been at school, just a year older than Ginny and in the same house. That left Remus Lupin. She knew, vaguely that the Order of the Phoenix had involved Lupin, and that the Weasley family had been involved but was Ginny even close to Remus?

Selena fell awkwardly silent again. She was sure that Fenrir Greyback was behind the attack against Saint Mungo's. She was sure that Greyback had turned her brother.

[Deleted]

Ginny did try her best to pay attention to the students who were living their lives around her. She knew better than most that the teenage years could be some of the most complicated years in anyone's life, and in the bustling and vibrant atmosphere which was Hogwarts, all too often, it was the little things which could slip through the cracks. The redhead felt that she had a responsibility, given her position and, of course, her own rather traumatic experiences- she'd been bloody well possessed at eleven years of age, for Merlin's sake!- to try and do her best to straighten out the little wrinkles which so often appeared in the fabric of life. She would always remember what Minerva McGonagall had done for her all those years ago, and she could only hope that one day, she would be half as good herself. Of course, Minerva had put a lifetime of work into her job and was just about the best around, whereas Ginny herself was only just embarking on her career, and had a lot of experience still to gain. Even so, the redheaded woman had some very big shoes to fill, and she could only hope that she wouldn't end up stuffing tissue down the back and wearing two pairs of socks. Metaphorically speaking, obviously.

"Go ahead." she invited the Ravenclaw with a smile, leaning back in the somewhat uncomfortable chair and crossing one leg over another. Ginny was a mother, and an aunt, and probably several other forms of relative as well considering the size of the Weasley family tree, and as such, she had an instinctive understanding of how to deal with young people. She hoped. Either that or she was so far wrong that no one ever dared to tell her for fear that it would give her a mental breakdown, not that she was ever far off that in any case.

Oh, Merlin. It was going to be about something more serious than a cheating boyfriend, by the looks of things. What on earth had she got herself in for? And then silence fell, and the redhead had no idea of how to fill it.

[Deleted]

Selena had no idea what to say. She hadn't really thought this through. She almost wanted to just apologise to Professor Weasley and just leave. She couldn't, though. This woman had been where Selena had been. She'd struggled with some of the same feelings that Lena had. Selena had a deep respect for Professor Weasley. If nothing else, History of Magic had been one of Selena's favorite classes. She didn't want to make this woman uncomfortable. How did you brooch this sort of a subject in anywhere near a reasonable way. The brooding, depressed girl didn't know... But at this point she had to just take a deep breath and give it a chance.

"Your brother was attacked by my..." She again couldn't bring herself to say father. "By Fenrir Greyback." She said slowly. "And you learned from Remus Lupin, right?" She was stalling now there was a lot of preamble, because Lena wasn't exactly sure what she wanted. 'information' vaguely, but what information. What wisdom did she expect to find.

"I guess I want to know if you know anything about him. And why -he- does these things." Given that she had mentioned her half-brother before, Selena imagined it would be fairly obvious that 'he' was Fenrir Greyback, and that Selena held him accountable for Lambert's state, as well as her own mother's and the atrocities at Saint Mungo's.

Selena had never been a creepy person before, but at this stage she had become obsessed with Fenrir Greyback, wanting to punish him for his crimes, willing to do just about anything to do it. Lena didn't apologise verbally but her look was full of apologetic sorrow.  She hated that anyone, much less someone as kind as professor Weasley had to live in the same world as Fenrir, Much less that they should have to relive it. But Lena needed to know.

[Deleted]

Ginny was always perfectly happy to listen. It cost her nothing but time, and time was something which she had a more than ample supply of presently, since History of Magic was not a hugely popular class despite her best efforts, and so she only had to concern herself with a few classes once one got beyond OWL level, meaning that she found herself with plenty of free time- some of which, admittedly, was taken up by the extra duties which she had somehow managed to acquire along with the position of Gryffindor Head of House. But she could always find time for her students, because they were the whole reason that she was here, and if she started to find her subject more interesting than her students, well, then she'd know that she was in the wrong job.
She had to confess, though, that the conversation did not set off at breakneck pace along the lines which she had imagined, but that was fine. The unexpected was always a pleasant surprise so far as she was concerned because if everything was anticipated then life would be boring, and Ginny abhorred the concept of a boring life almost as much as she did that of a world ruled by Death Eaters. Werewolves were not her specialist subject, obviously, since she did not teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, but she knew about as much as the average witch did, perhaps rather more, and so she settled down to listen to the rest of the girl's question.
"You are entirely correct on both counts." she began slowly, stalling herself now. "Honestly, I'm not a psychiatrist and I'm not an expert on werewolves, and while I have met him myself, I was more concerned with hexing him than asking searching questions at the time, I must confess. However... I would suspect that there must be something seriously wrong with his emotions."

[Deleted]

Selena nodded. Of course Ginny had never conversed with Fenrir. She'd met him on a battle field. "And Professor Lupin never spoke much about him?" She asked. She knew that Remus Lupin had been nothing like Greyback. Having never met the man she had still read about him, still heard stories from the children of Order of the Phoenix, or Dumbledores' Army members. She knew that Remus Lupin would have wanted those who cared about him and who fought with him to be prepared for the likes of Greyback, given his throwing in with Lord Voldemort.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I shouldn't be bringing up such awful things. But honestly... After what he did to Lambert I need to know anything I can. I need to understand." She wasn't going to cry about her mother in front of the professor but that had been a rather well known story, and given that, if Selena recalled correctly, Ginny had been with the Daily Prophet at the time, she had no doubt that the professor knew what had happened there too. Instead she said simply. "He's always at the edges of my life, and he's always doing something horrible. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't angry or scared."

Selena regretted starting this conversation, because she wasn't heartless. She was also aware however that Professor Weasley was not too upset, and that she was probably coping just fine. still. She knew what it was like to have this monster stalking through your life. She knew that remembering Bill's maimed, bloody face was probably a lot to bare, because she had seen her own mother savaged.

[Deleted]

"Professor Lupin suffered from a condition of which he was somewhat ashamed, Miss Greyback." Ginny pointed out tactfully. "He did his best to prevent anyone from finding out and he certainly never discussed it with us." It was a shame, really. She had liked Professor Lupin; he had been one of the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers she had ever had. And to see him so ashamed of something over which he had had no control was not a pleasant experience, to say the least. But Ginny had been young then, even towards the end of the war, and of course she had not been the person in whom the man had chosen to confide his problems. She had barely known him, in fact, but she had looked up to him and respected him as an experienced, competent man who did not receive the respect that he deserved.
The redhead gave the Ravenclaw a sympathetic look. "I have long since come to the conclusion, my dear, that what these people do is beyond the understanding of any sane, reasonable person. Anger and fear are perfectly normal- if there's ever anything at all that I can do for you, you know where my office is. But I'm afraid I cannot explain the inexplicable. Greyback's sanity has always been somewhat questionable, and I understand that Remus Lupin always considered him to be well beyond the reach of any kind of reason."

[Deleted]

Selena nodded. It may not have been the answer she wanted but if it was the truth it was the truth. It made an awful lot of sense that there was barely any reason left in Fenrir Greyback. It made sense still that Remus Lupin would have preferred not to speak of it. Lena felt a great deal of respect for her professor in this moment. This woman had learned from her own struggles, she had never had instruction on the matter. She was capable, and gifted, she had fought Greyback fiercely for the same reason Selena one day would. Her family.

"Thank you, professor." She said, not voicing her objection to the notion that her father would be called a 'person' by anyone. Fenrir was a monster and nothing but that in her eyes. She could see the sympathy in Ginny Weasley's eyes. here was a woman that knew her struggle, whose family had been attacked by monsters, both human and lupine, whose own husband spent his adolescence and young adult life in conflict with Lord Voldemort. She knew what it was like.

With a sigh, Selena knew she would get nothing more, because the whole truth had already been told. "Thank you for listening, professor. It's lonely, lately. There's still a lot of students who avoid me because of my connection to him... Especially after what happened with Lambert, it's been a nightmare and I'm really struggling to handle it without cracking up." She confessed, figuring that if anyone at the school would understand it would be Ginevra Weasley. Selena hoped as well, that Ginny would realise the girl wasn't fishing for special treatment. Her History Of Magic work would speak for itself her growing obsession had not yet impaired her studies.

[Deleted]

Ginny knew very well that the answer which she was giving the girl was not the one that she was hoping for, and she sincerely wished that she could give a better one, but she had never been a believer in the idea that one should shield children from the realities of the world, and she also knew very well that if, when she had been Selena's age, she had had even the slightest suspicion that someone was trying to protect her, then she would have held them at wandpoint and demanded that they stop. Ginny knew full well that the world was a dangerous place, and the sooner that everyone else realised that, the better it would be for them. Preparation was the best weapon which she felt she could give her students for the world out there.
And Merlin, what a world it was. Just when everything had seemed to be going so well, when their enemy was gone and they could start to rebuild, along came a horribly toadlike face from the past, and, to make things worse, it was at the top of government. Hermione had saved the world, for Merlin's sake, and instead, they got another pureblood supremacist. There was no justice.
"It's no problem, honestly." she responded with a soft smile. "It's my job, and- well, I won't say a pleasure, but a satisfaction. And if there's ever anything I can do, anything at all, you know where to find me. All right?"