Our first night in the forest was actually quite enjoyable. For one thing, we got to sleep cuddled next to ten wolves. Aster and I talked in whispers for a while, and then laid our heads down on the fluffy wolf fur and went to sleep. The next morning the pack went off to hunt, and the two of us, rather hungry by now, went with them. We didn't eat what they caught, of course, but came across a bush with some funny shaped blue berries on them. Thanks to my having paid attention in herbology, I recognized them as magical bubble berries, which only witches and wizards can eat. After eating our full of the sticky sweet berries we went back to the glade, sat down on the grass, and proceeded to come up with a plan.
As we sat and thought, I looked around at the wolf pack and felt a warm, comfortable glow inside me. They were like a big family, ready to protect and be there for one another whatever happened. And suddenly, as that occurred to me, the warm glow went out and was replaced by something cold inside. I didn't have a family. My parents had been killed by the werewolf that fateful day. Only I had survived. Sure, I had Hogwarts, where I lived full time, and Aster, but a family - a real family - I didn't have that.
"How's this?" Aster broke into my thoughts. "We find Grawp, who must be somewhere in here, and tell him to attack the archaeologists and get rid of them?"
I raised my eyebrows. She laughed. "O.K, I suppose that's kind of stupid. Well, can you think of anything?"
"I'm trying to." I said. "We could... we could sneak up on them and use our wands, I suppose. But it's not very good to be using violence, I think."
"Oh, Xanthe, don't be like that, we're gonna have to be kind of rough. Otherwise nothing's gonna work."
"I know. But if there was just some way we could make them leave of their own will."
"That," Aster replied, "Is impossible. They're not going to give up looking for that particle."
"Well what then?" I snapped. Almost instantly after I said it I felt bad. I was treating Aster like this after all that she was doing for me. "I'm sorry." I said, and my voice broke. "It's just, now that I know it's possible, I really don't want to be a - a werewolf anymore."
I felt a nose nudge my hand. Silver-eye was there. He didn't need to communicate his message to me. I understood without words.
Everything will be all right.

* * *

The day seemed to go very slowly. I lay under a tree and tried to think, but I felt drowsy and content.
"I wish I could stay here in the forest forever." I muttered.
Aster, next to me with her hands behind her head, said, "Really? Don't you want to get back to Hogwarts?"
I shrugged. "I - I suppose I do. But there's something fulfilling about this place."
Aster peered at me curiously. "You never really liked Hogwarts, did you?"
I started. "What do you mean?" I asked, in a strange voice. "Of course I do." But inside I knew it was, partly, a lie.
Aster raised her eyebrows. "You know perfectly well what I mean." She said, and then smiled gently. "It's fine."
I was grateful. I smiled, but didn't say anything, and looked back up at the sky, seen in patches through the tree branches crisscrossing overhead. Then a big doggy face blocked the view and licked me all over my face.
"Romulus!" I said, giggling. "He pretends to be a wolf, but really he's just a big smooch."