Closed On the Tail

[Ryan Fisk]

Since learning more about werewolves in class, Ryan had been adamant that he had to find one. Lycanthropy wasn't hugely common, but the statistics were just so that surely someone at school had to be a werewolf. He'd ensconced himself in the library with as many books on werewolves he could, find civil rights pamphlets to that one Lockhart book and was making a few furious notes in his notebook as he turned the pages. If he was going to trying and find a werewolf, he needed to think like a werewolf first. And maybe learn how to brew a wolfsbane potion.

 

[Allison Jusantrea]

Allison's life had slowed down a bit. She was getting used to having Stanis being around the house, though he'd been moody for a bit. She knew why, and even though she was a bit annoyed at having to constantly chase after him to keep him from brooding too much, she had to admit she loved having him around. She was looking in the library for her sister when she spotted a classmate at one of the tables. She raised a brow, noting the kind of books he was looking at. She walked over. "Hi," she greeted, glancing over his shoulder. "What are you looking at?" She asked,

 

[Ryan Fisk]

Ryan didn't register someone was looking over his shoulder until she spoke, double-taking when he realized how close she was. "I'm reading up on werewolves," he said slowly, feeling like that had to be fairly obvious. "Statistically, the chances of there being at least one werewolf at school is pretty high. Or at least higher than zero," he added, turning his head more and recognizing he was speaking to Allison Beckett, warming up to the idea of sharing his little project with someone now that he was passed the annoyance of being interrupted. "I figured I could probably track them down, right?"

 

[Allison Jusantrea]

Allison's gut twisted a little bit as Ryan went on about werewolves and tracking down the one in their school. Her mind flashed to Stanis, and she immediately sat down across from Ryan. "Oh my gosh, you are absolutely right," She gushed, needing to be in on this right now to keep him away from Stanis. "Have you found anything so far?" She asked.

 

[Ryan Fisk]

Ryan perked up more when Allison seemed actually excited about his werewolf theories, giving her a tentative smile when she'd asked about what he'd found. "Well, nothing super useful yet, just background stuff. Moon cycle, wolfsbane, some werewolf civil rights stuff, you know the usual," Ryan rattled off, tapping a few pages that he'd spread around the desk. "What I really wanna know is how to spot one, right? I can't exactly just watch every student in the school and wait to see who disappears once a month. But anything I can find on identification of them in their human form is a bit-" Ryan paused trying to think of a good word, "-Off. I dunno. Plus I don't think it's true anyway. Do you think werewolves all have really hairy feet?" He asked, picking up one of the werewolf hunting pamphlets and regarding it dubiously.

 

[Allison Jusantrea]

Allison nodded at his words. She'd been through the same material already, and she knew it wouldn't prove to be the most helpful ever. Which was a good thing right now. When he asked about hairy feet, she made a point of 'subtly' peeking at her own feet, half thinking he wouldn't notice but wanting to plant just a little seed just in case. "That sounds ridiculous," she scoffed a bit, knowing fully well Stanis didn't have hairy toes. "They're werewolves, not hobbits." She shook her head.

 

[Ryan Fisk]

Ryan raised an eyebrow when Allison glanced down at her own feet, gears spinning in his head as he ducked his own head under that table to frown at her shoes before back at her. "It's hard to find reliably unbiased information, for sure," he said slowly, still regarding Allison with suspicion. "You don't know anyone who mysteriously disappears once a month in your house, right?" he tried. Going off word of mouth observations wasn't exactly reliable, but Ryan figured it was better than going off the "Signs to Catch a Werewolf" pamphlet he'd found.

 

[Allison Jusantrea]

Allison kept her smirk off her face. Good, he would try to focus on her more. She let out a dramatic sigh. "Can you imagine having hairy feet? Like, wouldn't that shed? Or be like super itchy?" She gave him her best pout. She laughed lightly as he asked if anyone in her house disappeared once a month. "In my house? No, I always know where everyone is," She smiled. "I think if there was a werewolf in school, they'd have to be super close to the Professors. Have you noticed anyone like that?" She asked, thinking a little. "I mean, prefects would make sense, they have to stay closer to the Professors." She offered.

 

[Ryan Fisk]

Ryan blinked a few times as Allison talked about hairy feet, glancing back at the tabletop as if he could see her feet through the wood. "It would be nice if it were that easy to spot a werewolf at least. Though I could imagine they're a bit hairier than normal people," he said thoughtfully. "Or maybe they eat a bunch of meat. I bet vegetarian werewolves don't exist," he added excitedly, making a note quickly to keep an eye out during mealtimes.

He chewed his lip as Allison said she couldn't think of anyone in her house, squinting at her doubtfully. "How do you know where everyone is?" he asked, unsure if she was joking. "I don't know, my sister's a prefect and I know she's scared of her head of house. And she's definitely not a werewolf," Ryan said, shaking his head. He would know. He also didn't think a prefect would have time to be a werewolf, especially if they had night time patrols like Nicole kept mentioning. Though that did give him an idea. "Maybe I should start staying up late on full moons, could catch any werewolves sneaking off to... Wherever they go," he said, making another quick note and chewing absently on the tip of his quill.

 

[Allison Jusantrea]

Allison chuckled, pleased she'd put suspicion on herself. "That makes sense, though to be honest I don't understand vegetarians myself. I've never met one, but it would be interesting to know what they're thinking," She mused, curious now. She would have to find a vegetarian to talk to.

She chuckled again as he asked how she knew where everyone was. "Well, we're all very close to each other. I would notice empty rooms. And my parents tell us if they're going out." She usually knew where Stanis was, too. She looked thoughtful as he mentioned werewolves sneaking out. "Well, you know, I'm pretty sure any werwewolves sneaking out would need a Professor's help. Maybe you could start by watching professors?" She asked.

 

[Ryan Fisk]

Ryan raised another eyebrow at Allison at her comment about vegetarians, slowing down his writing to squint at her. Maybe he'd have to watch her closer at meal times too.

He was confused when Allison mentioned being closed to her housemates, not realizing what she meant till she mentioned her parents. "I mean your school house," he said flatly, sighing heavily. Maybe Allison wasn't the best source of information on this. Ryan had been keen for the extra set of eyes, but he'd probably still need to vet any leads himself to make sure they were useful. Though Allison's next idea did have some potential credence to it. "You know who I bet is the best to watch? Professor Cullen. She's a confirmed werewolf, right? If there's any other werewolves at the school, they'd have to hang out with her," he said, eagerly writing 'Cullen' in large letters on his notes and circling it decisively. "Next full moon we just need to follow her around until nightfall and then camp out in the entrance hall or something until someone goes past." Ryan was getting more excited now that he had a plan, pulling over a lunar chart he had under a few books to squint at it and see how long he had to plan.

 

[Allison Jusantrea]

Allison smiled slightly as he clarified her school house. "That's harder. I'm a Gryffindor. Unless half my house are werewolves then a lot of regular kids are just sneaking out," she shrugged. She glanced down as he mentioned Professor Cullen, suddenly glad Stanislaw had kept most of his contact with the Professor to letters. At least, as far as she knew. She would have to tell Stanis to be more careful. She thought a moment, deciding that helping him was in her best interests right now. "You know, if you want to follow around a werewolf, you should find out more about their human forms, as well. Like, how good their senses are. If you want to stay hidden you need to know how they could track you," she offered, folding her hands under her chin and thinking.

 

[Ryan Fisk]

Ryan sighed in agreement with Allison's assessment of her house, tucking his chin into his palm. "That does complicate things. I suppose spotting someone sneaking out won't for sure mean they're a wolf, but it can help us find some suspects," he mused, scratching out a thought on his note pages to correct the plan.

Allison's next suggestion was a good one, but he waved to the pile of books a little helplessly. "It's a little hard to tell what's fact and fiction, even with the school resources," he poked the pamphlet he'd mentioned early to make his point. "Maybe I should just ask Professor Cullen. She'd know for sure. Though I'm not really worried about them tracking me," he added with a shrug. He wasn't bothered about the idea of werewolves at the school, he just wanted to know who they were because it was interesting.