We All Keep secrets

Sam went down to the Lake as soon as he could, after setting his books in his common room. He sat at the edge and waited for Mary to come, for her to reveal her secret.

I'm gonna have to tell her mine too, he reminded himself, lying on the grass.

He had to admit, he was nervous. What if she rejected him? Called him a monster? Heck, what if she pushed him into the lake? You're a Gryffindor, he scolded himself, be a man for once.

But he couldn't help it - he was a freaking WEREWOLF for crying out loud! A monster that can bite you, or eat you, scratch you, hurt you...

He took a sharp intake of breath, and saw an upside down Mary standing over him. Well, she wasn't really upside down, but he saw it that way because he was lying down.

Mary had headed down to the lake, although it was with much hesitation and unsurity. She couldn't believe she'd reveal it. Back where she was born, they had cursed her family for having a child that spoke Parsetongue. Forced them to move. What would Sam say? She had, all seriously the same fears as Sam when it came to telling off a secret she'd been told to keep to herself ever since she was 6 years old, and the 'gift' started emerging at full height.

Even now and then, she could speak without being in the presence of a snake, if she wanted to. In kindergarden, she'd hissed at another child all out of sudden, and made him cry. Of course, she hardly understood anything.

Finally she arrived at the lake, and stood over Sam with a look of deep concentration and worry, her hands folded together and without any particular expression at all, and she kept her mouth tightly shut, waiting for him to take the first word.

He stood up to look at her properly, only inches taller than her, "Hello, Mary," he said, "...again."

What was I supposed to say? He grumbled to himself, Er, hello Mary, tell me what your secret is, so I can tell you mine? That's stupid and pathetic.

He didn't realize that he said it aloud until his ears registered his outward voice being heard. "...You... weren't supposed to hear that," his ears turned red, and he looked down, "I was thinking that, and... never mind."

He fell into silence again, waiting for her to speak.

Mary kept a quite straight face, quite serious and without really noticing his height, for once. "Hello," she muttered, sounding quite silent and modest. She didn't really make much notice to his muttered words, and frowned. "It's fine... Honestly. I'm having a hard time figuring out how to tell you properly myself," she said and looked at the ground, not really feeling up for telling a long story about her life, although she drew in a heavy breath and preprared herself to speak.

Looking up, she met his eyes and tried to conjugate the right verbs in her mouth, although her mouth felt omniously dry, as if she wasn't meant to speak these words at all. "I-I..." she began, although stopped for a moment, gulping. "I-I'm a P-P-Pa-" she was cut off again, although instead of fear and pure nervosity, her face fell completely serious and her eyes fixed themselves on a black striped snake slithering through the forest ground, heading towards Samuel's left foot. Her eyes widened and she nodded slightly as a warning, although before anything more could be said to warn him, the snake shot forwards, heading for Sam's foot.

Instinctivly Mary haunched slightly and made a loud hissing noise, making the snake stop immediatly. "Go. Leave. Now!" Her voice consisted of words unhearable and unrecognisable in the English language, and she continued making a low hissing noise, which was deafened by the snake hissing back. Nervousity began rebuilding as she realised the snake wouldn't listen to her orders willingly, and she glanced at Sam. "Move away... Slowly," she whispered, her eyes still fixed on the snake and flashing in the same red eye colour that the snake wore.

Sam gaped at Mary as she spoke to the snake. He assumed she was warding off the snake, as hissed to it. Honestly, Sam felt comforted that Mary was taking care of it, as he had full confidence that she could ward it off.

A parselmouth, he mused, never would've thought...it's pretty cool though.

"You're a... that's a... I can't believe..." Sam was out of words as he finally registered the fact that she was a parselmouth. "THAT'S SO COOL! Can you talk to lizards too? Can you talk to frogs or other reptiles too? Can you talk to dragons? Because if you did, that'd be wicked! But it's okay if you don't, because I highly doubt we'll ever meet a dragon in our lifetime!"

He stopped suddenly when he remembered to take a breath and stop rambling. His ears turned red in embarrassment, and he looked down, finding his shoes the most interesting thing in the world.

Making a final hiss at the snake, it seemed to realise it didn't have anything more to do there, and it slithered off through the grass and vanished into the Forbidden Forest. Shrugging Mary stood up straight, looking at Sam with a very qustioning look. "R-really? You think it's cool? Honestly, everyone I've met that hears me speak like that tells me I'm a freak," she stopped and frowned, huddling together slightly.

"Honestly... I haven't tried. I don't think I can though," she said and smiled softly, feeling enlightened by the fact that Samuel didn't seem to hate her because she was a Parselmouth. In fact, he seemed to find it interesting. She shrugged slightly and looked at him, realising he'd just figured he was rambling random questions about things she hardly knew anything about. Her legs felt like jelly yet though, and she felt an urgency to collapse onto the ground and sit down for a moment. So she did. She settled down on the grass, and looked over the lake, wondering what else Sam might say about her... 'situation'.

Sam sat down next to her. "Well, I think it's wicked either way," he told her, smiling. Then he realized he had to tell her the truth.

"I've been keeping something from you too..." He took a deep breath and looked at the ground, ripping some grass from the ground, "remember when you called me 'Mr. Wolf' and I was uncomfortable? Remember when I growled realistically? I had practice. Remember how my teapot had moons on it? Well, that was no coincidence either. What I'm trying to say is... is..." he took another deep breath, "I'mawerewolf."

He said the confession all very quickly, knowing that she didn't hear what he said. "I'm. A. Werewolf," he said slower, closing his eyes, and preparing for rejection, "if you don't want to be my friend anymore that's completely fine, I won't tell anyone that you're a parselmouth or anything..."

Mary shook her head and frowned. "It's not as wicked as you claim it is. Believe me, my family was accused of being Dark wizards because of my 'ability'. I wouldn't see it as positive," she muttered and shrugged softly.

She could hardly believe it when he told her that he had something to tell her too, that he had kept from her. She felt a prickle of irritation at the beginning, although reminded herself she had kept something from him as well. We've all got secrets, I suppose, she thought bitterly, although didn't say anything when he spoke. She could feel something lurch deep in her belly as he told her he was a werewolf though.

Remaining silent she listened until he made the final comment, and bit her lip softly, trying to stop her tears from slipping frm her eyes. All out of sudden she pushed him quite roughly at his shoulder, her eyes blank with tears. "How can you possibly think I'd reject you, just because you've got something special? I've went through much of what you've done!" Her voice was highpitched and she looked quite upset that he thought she'd just throw him away like that, as a piece of junk. "How did it happen?" she asked quietly, calming down slightly and trying to get some information instead.

"How can you possibly think I'd reject you, just because you've got something special? I've went through much of what you've done!" She told him.

Sam felt a balloon rise in his conscious when she said that. "You don't hate me," he muttered disbelievingly, "are-are you sure?"

He shook his head roughly.

"I was four," he said quietly, "Greyback, Fenrir's great grandson, was out for revenge for something my dad did to insult him and his pack. I can't remember what he did. But my Dad knew Greyback was out for revenge. He told me to stay inside every full moon, and for the first two months I obliged. But then I got curious, curious about why my dad wanted me inside every full moon. I-I went outside that full moon, and I saw a big werewolf, out for attacking me. It jumped at me, and started gnawing on my arm; he very nearly eat it off. I was found two hours later, almost dead from bleeding. I was taken to St. Mungo's, and was kept there for nearly two weeks, growing my arm back and regaining my blood. Curiosity killed the cat, but it also killed the innocence," he muttered without humor.

Mary looked at him with a look of disbelief. "Honestly! Why would I hate you, for something you can't help?" she said with a rising tone of desperation to ensure him that she wasn't, at all, angry with him for being a werewolf. "You're a tame werewolf. Like Lupin used to be. You're not like them," she said, ensuring that he knew for sure that she supported him through this.

She snapped her mouth tightly shut when he started telling what had happened, and held the silence for a little longer when he finished. Then, seemingly out of nowhere she leaned forwards and hugged him tightly, without saying anything on why she did it.

When she finally released, she met his eyes which reflected a sadness that she had hardly felt since the day they were banned from her birthtown. "That's terrible. I'm so glad you survived though. Or I'd still be all alone on Hogwarts, I'd never learn to fly and I'd never get to feel confident in what I do," she said and made a soft, gentle smile. "I suppose that's why you rushed for the Hospital Wing, after your training session with me at the Quidditch pitch earlier, right? I do believe it was a night with a full moon," she muttered, trying to recall exactly what had happened that night. Everything seemed so faint, and she'd forgotten small details.

Sam offered a weak smile in her direction when she called him a 'tame werewolf'. It was actually true, even without the Wolfsbane potion; he was more of an 'emo' wolf, who happens to hurt himself so he doesn't hurt others.

After telling her the story, she seemed to attack him. But then he realized she was hugging him tightly. When the shock wore off, he found himself hugging her back, happy that someone finally accepted him - even as a werewolf.

They locked eyes for a moment after she released him from the hug. "I'm really happy you can get better at stuff you do from me, it's my pleasure, and it's what best friends do," he nudged her lightly with his elbow, " he told her, full out grinning. "And yeah, that time in the Quidditch pitch was all because of the full moon, and I would get in trouble with the Headmaster for risking it so I had to leave..." He trailed off for a second, "so you're a parselmouth and I'm a werewolf, who would've thought? We're some sort of abnormal duo!"

Mary smiled softly, and she too felt that a huge burden had been relieved from her shoulders. At least a person who she could trust to not tell anything, seemed to understand her perfectly well. She was surprised to notice she thought he knew more about her feelings than her parents did. Because of this, she assumed, they'd have a quite strong bond, even outside the school. When I finish Hogwarts, I hope we won't part from one another just like that. It'd be horrible to leave one another after 7 years of school, she thought, and could imagine what misery and agony it'd be to leave her best friend behind.

Instead of focusing on the future though, she decided she'd rather focus on the present. "I'm glad I'm able to learn," she teased softly and nudged him back softly.

She had a good understanding for him leaving in their flying session, and felt guilty because she had thought Sam changed thoughts about her. That he didn't want to be her friend any longer. She didn't mention what she'd been feeling that night though, as she had a terrible feeling it wouldn't be any good. She chuckled at his last sentence though and smiled widely. "Sure we are! We've both got special abilities. Rare abilities," she underlined the word 'rare', and found it surprising that she for once held pride in being a parselmouth.

Unknown to both Mary and Sam, he was having similar thoughts as her.

I really hope that after Hogwarts we're able to stay friends, as she's the strongest bond I've ever had in my life before. He thought to himself, smiling. He couldn't even imagine the pain he'd be in if she dropped him at the end of school, it would probably be worse (mentally) than the pain he's in every time he transformed.

He noticed her smile become strained for a moment or two and he reckoned that she was thinking about the incident at the Quidditch pitch. Did she really think that he would drop her or anything like that? She was the strongest bond he's ever hand, including his own sister!

"I'm glad you're proud of being a Parselmouth now, I figured you wouldn't be proud of it as stupid people consider it to be a 'dark wizard' trait. Did you know that Harry Potter was a Parselmouth - he happened to save the world!" he exclaimed. He looked down, "I guess I'm finally proud to be a werewolf too. And I'm happy I could share my secret with you and you can trust me. it feels really good." He lay down on the grass again and looked up at the white clouds.

Figuring they had a pause, which sounded quite awkward, she began picking up a single straw of grass, and began ripping it into tiny pieces. She recalled something her grandma had shown her, and she picked a new straw, this time fastening it tightly between her thumbs before she placed her lips on them, and played a long tone by blowing through the straw. It echoed around the lake, and she smiled before she threw away the straw, at the moment he began talking once again.

However, she looked rather uncertain when he began talking about Harry Potter again. She looked a little upset, although quite certain. "But he could only talk to snakes because Lord Voldemort could. It was just because he had a fragment of the Dark Lords soul in him. When that part died, the ability died too," she muttered, studying her black shoes for a moment. "You should be. It gives you skills every living human can dream of. You're faster than most people, aren't you?" she asked, and watched him lay down on the ground and look up into the pale sky, dotted with fluffy clouds.

Looking over her shoulder, she noticed a pale gingerish brown cat padding towards them, his tail lifted high as a welcome. She smiled broadly and let him stroke himself against her body, although it became apparent the cat was avoiding Samuel for some reason. "Padfoot, what's wrong with you? you're not usually that hostile," she murmured softly, although the cat merely glared at Sam once again before it curled up at her side.

Not taking his eyes off the sky, he responded, "well, it's true, but he still had the ability, didn't he? Yet he stayed good - and anyway, the whole Parselmouth thing being evil is a stupid stereotype. Just like werewolves being evil, I don't look evil, do I?" He looked up at her, grinning. "Every living human may dream of it, but it comes with a price - to be a monster. I have to endure hell every month because I decided to be an idiot when I was four. But I like to take it to my advantages, I guess. Yeah, I'm faster than most people - hell, in ten years, I might be able to win the faster runner record. I also have better hearing and faster reflexes," he stated, fingering his ears.

"D'you wanna race?" he asked her teasingly.

Mary smiled softly, and petted Padfoot with her hand, making him purr softly at her side. "That's true. Besides, I don't believe I can be any harm at all, honestly. All I can do is talk with snakes. I'm not stronger, more powerful or faster than anyone else. I'm ordinary, with what I've been told is a 'gift'," she muttered, although didn't push the matter. "'Course you don't look evil. If you had looked evil, I wouldn't have tried to befriend you, would I?" Her smile widened softly and she listened to what powers he had.

She chuckled softly and nodded. "Except it'd be halfly cheating, seeing that the poor muggles can't run any quicklier than what I can," she commented and smirked softly. At his suggestion she froze though and shivered. "I don't think that's a good idea, considering you're really fast and I'm not really that good physically," she commented and smiled softly. "Do you have any pets?" she asked, making another stroke to Padfoot's long, agile body.

"Of course I don't look evil!" He exclaimed, grinning, "The most I've ever done that could be considered 'evil' is accidentally give my sister a scar on her arm the first time I ever transformed."

"I don't think that's a good idea, considering you're really fast and I'm not really that good physically," she told him, regarding the fact about the race.

"I was just kidding about that one," he waved it off, "Pets? I have an owl, usually used to send letters to my parents; I'm quite fond of Alvin, actually."

((What species is Padfoot?))

((He's a cat.))

Mary shuddered softly, surprised to find herself a little frightened by the thought that he'd attacked his own sister. "She's Robin Potter, right? From Hufflepuff?" she asked, and recalled seeing a girl who looked surprisingly much like Sam. She refused to let herself be afraid of Sam though.

"Good thing you were, because I wouldn't have agreed anyway," she grinned and laughed softly. Scooping up Padfoot, she craddled the cat in her arms and stroked his paler belly fur. "I wanted an owl too, although my dad said it'd be hard to have a bird who prefers being up at night. So I got Padfoot!" she said and smiled broadly, showing the cat to Sam. "Oh, that reminds me, I have to send a letter to my mom and dad. They asked me to send a message about what it's like on Hogwarts," she said and smiled. "Besides, Ellie, my little sister, is very eager about starting on Hogwarts too. And you bet she'll be excited when I tell her I've flown a broom!" she said happily, already forming sentences in her head.

"Yeah, it's Robin Potter," he told her, "But I don't think there's a reason to be afraid of me, since the first and last time I attacked anyone was the first time I ever transformed." He plucked a piece of grass and tried imitating her, but he accidentally swallowed it. "That tastes disgusting! How do you do that anyway?"

"Merlin! I forgot!" he exclaimed, "I won a bet with my mum! I bet that I'd be able to make a friend this year, and she bet that I'd be too shy. I won twenty galleons!" he explained to her, sitting up properly again.

Mary nodded happily, glad that she'd guessed correctly. "I see. You take the Wolfsbane potion every month then, I guess?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side. She laughed at his attempt to blow a tone with the grass, and shook her head slightly. "you're not supposed to stuff it into your mouth! you just squeeze it between your thumbs, so it's stuck there. Then you just blow, like this," she said and demostrated by blowing a long note.

When he suddenly sat back up and exclaimed she became slightly alarmed, hoping she hadn't done anything wrong. However, when it turned out it had just been because of a bet, she breathed out in relief and allowed her eyes to twinkle with amusement. "Glad to be to some use, then. Perhaps we can both go to the Owlery and send a message home, then? Besides, I think we've both got to tell our secrets now," she said and smiled slightly, getting up and brushing off the grass that had got stuck to her uniform. Padfoot was held tightly in her hands and she smiled happily. "I don't have an owl, after all. I need to get one of the school-owls," she explained, although showed no remorse or regrets that she'd got the pale cat instead.

He tried imitating her again, making a short sound before a huff of air was heard instead. "I did it for a bit!" He exclaimed, trying it again. This time, he produced a longer note than the last, and he grinned in satisfaction.

"Yeah, we should just go to the Owlery now," he said, standing up, "feel free to use my owl, but I'm not sure if he'll bite you at first, he's not very friendly."

((sorry for short post. And I assume this is the end of the thread...?))

((Yeah... Should we start a new thread somewhere, then?))

(( Why don't you send me a thread link through PM?))

((I don't really know where we're going next P: I'll just start one in The Owlery, if that's fine with you? PM me if you want it somewhere else.))

((Yeah, just do one in the owlery, PM me with the thread link))