Zander

I indignantly swept through the ministry like a gust of wind. I wore a crisp black muggle suit with a black dress shirt and a green, black, and silver tie. I also had a wizard robe swung on so that made it look like I was leaving my home and at the last moment remembered I was a wizard. I looked like I was dressed for a funeral, and it was all I could do to not become the reason for a funeral. My Obsurial form stormed inside me, begging me to flatten the entire ministry and maybe even some of London for dessert.

I also had my now-just-below-shoulder-length hair pulled back to show my scars so that people wouldn't mistake me for my father.

Matt had been politely sacked. Not because he's a werewolf! They lied. It's because of certain... er... complications!

Complications?! I snarled in my mind. If I ever let myself get my hands on them I would complicate their faces.

Millie was still an Auror, though. She had tried to quit in protest but Nate Ludiker and my father had convinced her it wouldn't do any good and she was safe where she was. As much as I hated to admit it, I agreed with them. The PM had set that werewolf on Matt and I didn't want her sending something else after Millie. If Millie was still working in the ministry she would have less of a chance of getting attacked. Nate Ludiker had devised a plan to apparate Millie straight from inside the ministry to the magically protected apartment she lived in now, and my father had pulled a few strings to make it possible.

And that was why I was here. Millie and I wanted to visit Matt and the apparation system only worked to her apartment, so I was to meet her outside the ministry and we would apparate to where Matt was staying (his uncle's house). He couldn't stay with his parents because it would be a lot harder having a werewolf around muggles. After two weeks Nate Ludiker had deemed it safe. Not safe for us, we were very safe around Matt, but Matt's mental state was still a bit fragile. I kind of understood, having a beast apart of you that would occasionally burst out and try to kill people.

But I didn't wait outside the ministry, I went in to get Millie. I felt it was a way to show the ministry my indignation over the situation. Please don't call it childish because then I would have to admit I was being silly... and childish.

I took the elevator to her floor. Once someone had tried to talk to me but I gave them a sharp look and ended the conversation before it started.

I got to her floor and found her desk as she was packing up. Her head was down so she didn't see me.

In my best Morgan Freeman voice I said, "And as Millie packed up she wondered what type of cookies would she have after work?" Millie's head jerked up and she smiled, showing her pretty white teeth. "Peanut Butter cookies? Chocolate chip cookies? Or even..." I leaned forward and lowered my voice dramatically. "Chocolate chocolate chip cookies?! Ah, the turmoil! What will she choose?!"

She laughed. "Oh, the decision that rests on my shoulders!" She finished stuffing her papers into her desk and stood. "I thought you were waiting outside for me?"

"Eh, I got bored. I was making a potion that ended up exploding. I was so frustrated- and even a tad lazy- that I gave up and came here."

"Ah," she nodded, perfectly understanding.

Understanding. My thoughts suddenly began to spin. She promised she would always try to understand. So far she had kept that promise. If I told her about the monster inside of me and that I had Oblivated some of her memories would she still understand?

"Zander?"

I snapped out of my thoughts. "Hm?"

"I asked what you were thinking about." Her eyes searched my face.

"Oh, nothing. Let's go."

We walked along through the ministry and took the elevator in silence. A few steps after exiting the elevator Millie suddenly asked, "Was it about a girl?"

Yes. You.

"I- What?"

"I mean, you do date and all, is about one of the girls you date?"

I looked at her in bewilderment. "Date?"

She was trying to act casual but I could tell she was uncomfortable with the subject of the conversation as well.

"Yeah, you know. Hang out with girls, get to know them, decide if you want to..."

"Want to?" I wasn't asking her to finish the sentence. At this point I was just so confused that I was repeating what she was saying, trying to make sense of it.

"Y'know. Marry."

"Marry?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, what? Who would I want to date and why?"

She blinked. "I... well you know... just assumed. I mean you're very good looking and I thought you would find quite a few cute girls that would want to date you."

"You think I'm good looking?"

Her face turned pink and I realized what I'd said.

"I mean, uh," I stuttered. "I think you're good looking to so it's good to- um- I mean it's good we both agree that I'm good looking- I mean you're- we're good looking. I- Wait, what?" I wished I could reach out snatch the words back. Merlin's beard, this was awkward.

She scratched her pink cheek, as if trying to make sense of my mass of words. "Well, I'm not really you're type, right? You prefer blonde curly haired girls, right?"

I froze. She knew about the girl. Did she know that I worked for the PM? Had I actually successfully erased her memories?

"What?" I croaked.

"Curly blonde haired girls. With red tips." She kept walking so I was forced to catch up.

"How did you-"

"I saw you talking to her. I guessed you guys were on a date."

The only time I had ever been with the girl that worked for the PM was behind closed doors. Except after I attacked that party in Obsurial form. After it I had been to unfocused to apparate so the girl had waited with me in a secluded alley until I could pull myself together enough to get home. She said she was only waiting with me because the PM didn't want me to accidentally slip back into my Obsurial form and possibly get caught. She had tried to talking to me but I had ignored her. Had Millie seen us?

The a dark thought occurred to me. Millie was an Auror. Right now she was just on paperwork but she had mentioned on actually going out and "fighting crime". What if she was trying to find evidence that I was an Obsurial? It would make sense they put her on the job since we knew each other.

I made my face expressionless. "Oh, her. No, I'm not dating her. She's like the go between for the company I make potions for."

"What company?"

"Oh, y'know, one of those illegal ones I probably shouldn't tell an Auror about," I tried to joke but it fell flat.

We were quiet as we exited the ministry and apparated to where Matt was staying.

**

Nathan Ludiker's house was smashed between two large houses. It was unnoticeable to muggles and wizards never cared to look at it.

We tapped on a green door that had seen better days and Mr Ludiker opened it.

"Zander, Millie, very good to see you." He glanced behind us and then let us in. "Mathew has been desperate for company."

"I imagine so," I smiled as we followed him through the house. "I'm not sure he's ever been alone."

Again, the joke fell flat. Dang it, whenever I tried to be funny no one was in the mood.

We paused at a door.

"Eh, just be... careful, okay?" He asked.

"He wouldn't hurt us," Millie replied confidently.

Nate Ludiker shook his head. "It's not you I'm worried about."

He pushed open the door.

Matt glanced down at us from where he sat cross-legged on the ceiling. He smiled. There was bags under his eyes and he seemed to have lost weight since the last I'd seen him.

"Matt," Nate Ludiker tilted his head. "What are you doing?"

"Pretending to be a vampire."

I snorted appreciatively and walked into the room. Effortlessly, I changed the gravity around me and I flipped so that I wouldn't land on my head.

"Nice change of perspective," I observed.

"It's not fair how graceful you were about that," Matt mocked annoyance. "It took me a great deal of head banging."

"I'd join you," Millie smiled. "But I'm wearing a skirt."

"Just change your gravity."

"Change your gravity," Matt sputtered. I then noticed the worn brown tweed suit jacket he was wearing, almost falling off him. "I'm literally stuck to the ceiling."

"I need to get back to work," Nate Ludiker said and left.

"Change your gravity," Matt continued to grumble. "I had to Wingarduim Leviosa myself and- Whoa!"

The spell had shook him a bit so he started to float off the ceiling. He grabbed for the nearest armchair. I said the counter curse and he plopped down nicely, sprawled across the purple seat.

"Have a seat," he invited cordially.

I almost kicked Millie in the face, but I was able to get down without mishap and sit in another comfy brown armchair while Millie took the third faded black armchair. I took a moment to take in the room. It had a lime green table with a single dark blue chair, a yellow and red rug that looked to be woven out of old ropes, the three mentioned armchairs, and a bed roll rolled up in the corner. My eyes glanced over a dent in the wall, probably the result of a nervous breakdown. A depressed red fire was doing its best to look bright and cheery, even with its sufficient amount of fuel. Everything was mismatched but very Matt-esc.

"So, what's up with you guys?" Matt's smile didn't reach his eyes this time. He had four parallel scars running down his cheek, still red and not healed over. The werewolf hadn't scratched Matt's face, just bit his shoulder.

"Y'know, the usual, selling illegal potions- I mean!" I looked at Millie and made an uh-oh face.

Matt snorted. I threw Millie a look that said See! It is funny.

Millie smiled at the face I was making. "I'm still stuck on paper duty. I should be able to go into the field soon, though."

"That's great!" Matt congratulated.

"Yeah. Um, Matt? How are you?" Millie tried to say it casually but we were all a little worried and tense.

He shrugged. "I'm fine." He scratched his nose.

"Reall- Oh!" She suddenly shot out of her chair like it was hot.

"What?!" Matt and I yelped in unison.

"It's Ashe's birthday! I totally forgot! My parents are hosting a party!" Millie bit her lip. "I'm really sorry, Matt!"

"It's fine, go ahead," Matt smiled again. "Just promise to come and visit later?"

She nodded her promise.

"Do you want me to come with you, Mil?" I inquired. "Just to your home to make sure you get home safely?"

She shook her head. "I'll be fine." And she disappeared.

Matt and I sat in silence for a few moments and then I brought up the snowball fights we used to play at Hogwarts. We talked for awhile about different past stuff, avoiding topics like me running from the law, him dying, and me getting imprisoned.

After about an hour I observed: "You scratched your nose."

Matt looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"When you told Millie you were fine. Often when people lie something happens to a part of their face, most of the time the nose, and it makes it itchy. You lied."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks, Sherlock."

"So, you gonna tell me the truth?" I wove my fingers together and laid back, sinking into the cushion.

He shrugged, his face twisted into a scowl.

"You want to know what scares me most about this whole werewolf thing?"

"Do tell."

"I could... I could... hurt someone." He bowed his head and clenched and unclenched his jaw.

"Every day I wake up, scared it's the full moon, scared I miscalculated," he continued. "What and... and who am I going to hurt? Who am I... am I going to... kill."

He looked up at me. His eyebrow quirked up.

"Um, Z, why are you looking at me with that much understanding? No one has."

"What?" I touched my traitorous face and a tear rolled over my hand. I quickly swiped them away. "Really, Matt, I don't understand what your going through... Sorry."

"Pfft, I'm not the only one bad at lying." He leaned forward. "Spill."

"I- What? No! I'm not going to-! I mean... there's nothing."

"Liar, liar," Matt sang. "Robes on fire, hangin on the telephone wire."

I rubbed my thumb against the rough fabric of the chair. "There's nothing to tell. Please, knock it off."

"Can't be worse than what I'm going through."

I slammed my fist down on the chair arm.

"You'd be surprised!" I snapped.

He stared at me. Then slowly he said: "What can be worse than a werewolf?"

I bit my lip and made a quick decision. I needed to tell someone and Matt was the best candidate.

"I'm going to tell you something that you can't tell... to anyone."

"What about Mil?"

"Especially not Mil!"

"Oh, okay. Sure."

"Swear it?"

He hesitated. "If this is something terrible that I have to tell someone I will."

I shook my head. "No."

"Oh, fine. I solemnly swear. Now," he screwed his mouth to make it small and silly. "The tea, brother."

"I..." I swallowed and forced it out of my mouth. "Killed some people."

Matt's eyes widened and then he laughed. "Yeah, whatever. You really had me going there."

"I'm serious," I pushed. If I was telling this secret I needed to get it out. "Matt, I didn't want to, but I did!"

He frowned. "Zander, this is going a little-."

"Mathew Ludiker!" I interrupted. "I did kill some people. I nearly killed you and erased your memories of it!"

He looked shocked. "W-What?"

I pointed my wand at his head. "May I?"

Bewildered, he nodded.

I made a twisting motion with my wand, almost like I was unscrewing something.

Matt pressed his hands to his head as he slowly started to remember everything.

"Mil and I came back. You were yelling and mist was around you. And then you-" He gasped and stared at me, fear in his eyes. "Oh, Merlin's beard, your an-"

"Obsurial," I finished.

And then we heard a spell followed by glass shattering all over the floor.

A/n: Dang, it's been awhile since I've updated. Welp, here go and I'm already working on the next chapter.