Secret Spaces 2

The saga gets longer!
"Born to Make (Hogwarts A) History" | Hogwarts!AU/Prelude | Hogwarts!AU | Hogwarts!AU (continued) | Hogwarts!AU (continued 2) | Hogwarts!AU Meta
== Speaking Terms ==
Summary: After an accident, Chuck opens up to Mako about the night his life (and name) changed.
06 May 2017; (6 days after transformation); Hogwarts, Scotland, United Kingdom
"Butterbeer! I can't wait!" Raleigh does a little dance while they walk to the faculty housing part of the castle.
"You may have a problem," giggles Mako.
"/Nothing involving butterbeer is problematic," he laughs.
"I believe such thinking is the first sign of a problem."
Raleigh scoffs.
Mako sighs, fondly.
"So ... are you as happy as me Chuck's willing to come along?"
She hums an agreement.
"Wish we could convince him to join some clubs. You know, get out and make some friends." 
"He wanted to join the Dueling Club, but he would've missed too many practices."
"They turned him down? Even after what he did to Pang and An?"
"You heard about that?"
"Mako, it was /legend five minutes after it happened—" Grins. "—which's why it's amazing he's not leading the Ravenclaw team."
"He won't accept concessions to his illness."
"Yea, it'd hurt his pride too much."
Raleigh ruffles his hair. "It's one of the conditions of his attendance, as well."
"That just doesn't seem ... /right, you know? It's not like they stop Eddie Hill from ducking out to take his insulin shots on time."
"There's a difference between injections which take moments and what Chuck lives through."
"True ...." Raleigh smiles at Mako as they stop at the Hansens' door. "Well, at least he has us."
She smiles—
Roaring—human and beast—
Raleigh pushes Mako—
Mako's ears ring; things whisper past her face and /tink-tink on the floor.
—scrambles off her, to standing.
She blinks at his back, at the slivers of wood on the stonework.
""What—""
""Are you alright?"" yelps Professor Hansen.
""We're fine! Chuck? You?""
""We're good.""
Mako finally regains her feet, peers around Raleigh.
Professor Hansen, wand clutched in his hand, watches them through the open—
Not open: /missing above knee-height.
—door.
Behind him, Chuck, white as unicorn hair, on his backside on the rug, eyes huge and terrified.
"What happened?"
"We—"
Chuck throws himself upright, across the room—
"Chuck!" yells Professor Hansen.
—hurdles what remains of the door, flings himself down the hall—
"Chuck! Wait!" calls Mako.
—around a corner, and out of sight.
She hesitates.
"You go after him," says Raleigh. "I'll help the professor with this."
"/Hai!" Mako races the direction Chuck had gone, skids around the intersection, then stumbles to a stop.
「Where would you be?」 she mumbles, scanning the empty corridor and tapping a foot in frustration. 「Ah!」 She runs to the castle's front door and out across the lawns, straight toward the place Chuck meets his other friends, not slowing until she reaches the little clearing between the Forest and the wall.
There are no thestrals, but Chuck sits against one of the trees, knees tucked to his chest, forehead pressed to them, hands clasped on the nape of his neck.
Mako catches her breath, then crosses the grass and settles herself beside him, close enough to, but not touching him.
A breeze rustles among the leaves and pushes Mako's hair into her face.
She tucks the loose strands behind her ears.
Somewhere in the distance a hippogriff squawks.
""Why're you here?"" demands Chuck without looking up.
"I'm worried about you."
""Don't be.""
Birds call to each other among the trees.
"Chuck?"
He grunts.
"What happened?"
Chuck sighs, ""Just a boggart in the cabinet.""
Mako frowns. "You cast a perfect banishing spell in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
""Yea, I /know, but I was expecting a werecritter like I got then."" Takes a deep breath. ""Got a dragon."" Adds in a whisper, ""Blue-eyed.""
Mako's heart stutters.
""Was like lookin' in a mirror and I panicked like an idiot.""
"So your father—"
""Ran in and blew it up."" Chuck shudders. 
"I ... I think he was trying to protect you and overreacted to the threat."
""Which looked exactly like me.""
Mako swallows. "It probably also looked exactly like the creature which attacked you."
Chuck makes a small, surprised noise and goes very still.
"He was protecting you."
""He was probably happy at the chance to kill one of us,"" Chuck scoffs.
Mako controls her temper with a mental five-count.
The hippogriff shrieks again.
She squares herself. "If it's not too rude to ask, why do you always assume the worst about your father?"
""'cause I hate him—"" Chuck lifts his head. "—and he's scared of me."
Mako stares at him, heart twitching against her ribs. "Why—" Swallows. "Why do you say that?"
"I—it wasn't just me who got attacked."
Something in his voice sends a chill creeping along Mako's bones.
"You want the whole story?"
Mako swallows again, nods. 
Chuck takes a deep breath. "We were out watching the stars, all three of us. The old man went back to the cottage to get binos so we could see better."
Birds sing; the trees whisper to each other.
"It came outta nowhere. Got me by the arm, started dragging me toward the woods. She tried—" Chuck hugs his knees to his chest, squeezes shut his eyes. "—but it was stronger, threw her away. She kept ... and I tried ...." Lets out a shuddery breath. "Then he finally came back, ran it off." 
Mako shivers. 
"You cold?" 
"I'm fine."
Chuck grunts, inhales deeply. "He let her die, saved me." Scratches his scarred arm. "Even though he knew what'd happen." 
"He saved you because he loves you."
"So he didn't love her, ay?" 
His eyes flash green.
Mako holds her ground. "I believe a parent's love is different than that for a partner." Quieter, "She tried to save you, too, when she could've run for help."
Hurt flickers across Chuck's face; he shutters it behind anger and a snarl: "If he /really loved me, he wouldn't have left me like this." 
"But there's no cure—" 
"I mean /alive. He shoulda let it kill me, helped her." Drops his head to his knees again. ""Mum would've stayed human. I'm ....""
Chuck's shoulders tremble; he sniffles almost inaudibly.
Mako ... wraps her arms around him, holds him close.
Chuck sags against her.
"You're not ... you're Chuck."
He snorts—
Warm breath down the front of her shirt.
—murmurs, ""I'm mostly 'Chuck' 'coz of this whole mess, ye know.""
Mako hums, 'go on.'
""It was our little joke after I got sick at school once. It—Aussies are /never 'Chuck' and kids were teasing me with it, so she started calling me 'my little Chuck' so I'd feel better."" Sighs. ""I figured 'Charlie' was dead and I needed a new name, so."" Shrugs.
"That's a lovely story."
Chuck sniffs—was that a bit of a laugh?
"Woof!" barks a familiar voice across the field.
""He can come over.""
Mako waves Raleigh in.
Chuck sits up and away, runs his hands through his hair, making an utter mess of it.
She resists the urge to straighten it for him.
Raleigh bounds out of his fur and into his human shape, then over to them.
"You get the mess sorted?" prompts Chuck.
"Yep." Raleigh plops next to Mako, offers her—
"Is this me?" she asks, accepting the tiny, wooden Kai Ken.
"Uh, yea." Raleigh ducks his head. "We had to do something with the splinters we cleaned up, so I, uh, made a little Yūjin for you." 
"How sweet of ye," drawls Chuck.
Mako runs her finger along the little dog's back, over its curled tail. "She's lovely."
"So're—" Raleigh clears his throat. "Thanks. I'm happy with how she came out."
Mako tucks the model dog into her jacket pocket.
"You doing okay now, Chuck?"
"'m fine."
"Is Professor Hansen alright?"
"He's fine, just a little embarrassed about what he did to the door and the 'dragon'." Raleigh snickers. "He didn't /exactly kill it—"
"You /can't kill a boggart," scolds Chuck. "They're not alive to /be killed."
Raleigh suppresses an eye-roll. "/Anyway, he teleported it—and most of the door—to /Australia."
Chuck blinks.
Raleigh grins. "At least, that's what he /thinks he did."
"Someone's gonna be surprised," grumbles Chuck.
Mako snorks.
"Or disappointed the magically-appearing door won't lead to Narnia."
"Unless he fucked up and made it a portkey, too."
"Holy crap, Chuck, that would be the greatest stunt /ever! Know of anyone who needs an adventure in a 'magical' wilderness?"
"Not right now, but—" Chuck heaves himself to his feet. "—I do know a couple someones who could use butterbeers on your tab." Offers Mako help up.
She accepts.
"Good thing I have a pocketful of Sickles, then," laughs Raleigh.
"Great. Let's go." Chuck tromps off toward the gate, hands in his pockets.
Mako and Raleigh set off in pursuit.
.
== Slumber Party ==
Summary: Chuck, Mako, and Raleigh experiment with a method of keeping a transformed Chuck inside the Shrieking Shack
25 May 2017; (0 days 'til transformation); Hogwarts, Scotland, United Kingdom
Mako watches Chuck as he gazes absently out the Shrieking Shack's picture window at the trees of the Forbidden Forest.
His eyes drift close.
"Stay awake," Mako commands, poking the side of his head.
He swats at her half-heartedly, grumps, "This staying up was a fuckin' stupid idea. I'm seein' fuckin' double."
"Think of how well you'll sleep tonight."
"/If you let me."
"Of course we will and it's a /great idea." Raleigh looks up from his reading. "This's a great book, too."
Chuck grunts. 
"How'd you find it?"
"Started—" Chuck yawns. "Started reading everything in the library written by a MacIver. They seem to know their shit 'bout dragons, no matter /what my old man says about them."
"I'm gonna agree with you and this guy, 'coz this is /exactly how you act. He even mentions the little snorty giggle thing you do when you sleep."
"I'll be sure t' mention that if I ever meet 'im. If I ever sleep again." Chuck yawns again, shakes his head viciously. "What time's it?"
"Twenty 'til."
"Thank the fuckin' Maker." Chuck fights with his shoelaces.
"You said you'd charmed your clothes."
"I /did. Couldn't get permission for the shoes an' socks, though." Fumbles with his socks. "Fuckin' bean pushers."
"I think that's 'bean counters'."
"Fuck you, Ray."
"Language, Chuck."
He rolls his eyes, drags himself to the box next to the fireplace, roots about inside.
"What're you doing?"
He resurfaces, thrusts something hand-sized and fluffy at Mako. "Here."
"Where did you get these?" she demands, accepting them.
"Borrowed 'em from the Herbology storeroom."
"Are those mandrake-proof earmuffs?" squeaks Raleigh. "Do you have a pair for me?"
"Yea. And no."
"Won't you get in trouble?"
"But—"
"Borrow yer own." Chuck shrugs. "Professor Longbottom likes me."
"But—!"
"Thank you, Chuck," says Mako.
He shrugs again. "Figure it's gonna be louder in here with the glass back.
"What about me?!"
"Time?"
"Oh for—one minute."
Chuck shivers. "Earmuffs, Mako."
She nods, clamps them over her ears, gives thumbs up at the utter silence.
He smiles weakly, gestures for her to turn around.
Mako shakes her head.
Chuck queries with a raised eyebrow and a frown.
"I won't look away this time," she declares.
Chuck shrugs, turns his back, and sits with his shoulders hunched.
Raleigh scootches over, presses against her side.
Mako sets her teeth.
Chuck changes texture, shudders.
If it weren't Chuck's body twisting and stretching and /changing, the transformation ... it would be fascinating, something for the makers of monster movies to study.
Chuck flounders on his clawed paws.
Raleigh squeezes her hand and Mako slips into her brindle coat, /wuffs a greeting.
Chuck wobbles, stands on splayed legs.
Raleigh yips.
Chuck huffs, steps—
Mako and Raleigh dive between him and the window.
—shifts—
They move to block him.
—shoves—
They push back, muscle him away from the glass. 
—staggers, rumbles—
Mako licks his nose.
—relents, head drooping, and sighs.
She nuzzles his cheek.
Chuck /yawns, shakes his head.
Mako yawns.
Chuck sniffs, sounding suspiciously satisfied.
Raleigh fights it, but he yawns, too.
Chuck yawns again, backs deeper into the room, flops down with his chin on the floorboards.
Mako worms her way under his skinny neck, curls up between his arms.
Raleigh whines, wiggles—
Chuck butts him away.
—whines harder, but tucks in against Chuck's side.
With another yawn, Mako arranges her paws as a pillow, rests her head on them— 
Chuck sighs, stretches his neck over her like a scaly canopy.
—closes her eyes.
They breathe together for twenty-one heartbeats.
A snorty giggly noise from Chuck.
Mako smiles internally, lets herself float off to sleep.
.
== Pack Hunters ==
Summary: Mako confronts a group of gossips disturbing hers and Chuck's reading
06 Jun 2017; (18 days 'til transformation); Hogwarts, Scotland, United Kingdom
Chuck skims the shelves of the dragon section, wiggles loose something with 'MacIver' on the spine, frowns at /Good Fences, Good Neighbours: A Shepherd's Guide to Dealing with Dragons. He shrugs, tucks it under his arm, wanders back to the worktable.
Mako looks up from her Herbology text, whispers, "What did you find?"
He offers a view of the cover, plunks into his chair.
She raises an eyebrow.
"It's gonna cover hunting behaviour, yea?"
"True," she concedes. "Shouldn't you be revising for the Muggle Studies exam?"
"If I don't know it by now, I'll never learn it in time." Cracks open Gormlaith MacIver's book to a reproduction watercolour of an irate granny chasing a small black dragon with broom and snorks.
"Hmm?"
"Look." Shows the page.
Mako smirks. "I'll have to remember that."
"Shovel's probably a better idea. Less flammable."
"The idea is to frighten, not hurt it."
"I dunno. I just can't see a broom getting the job done. Maybe it needs the granny to work right."
Mako snorts, goes back to her reading.
Chuck turns to the introduction, resets for 'dragonlore'.
Two tables over from the middle of a bunch of sixth year Ravenclaws, Owen hisses, just loud enough to be heard clearly, ""Did you see who's here?""
Chuck sets his teeth.
""Who?"" chirps Ellen.
""Hansen and Mori. /Together.""
Rolls his eyes and sighs.
""Ooo~!"" sings Anthony.
Molly scoffs, ""Of course they're together.""
Bailey adds, ""I don't even know why we're bothering to talk about this. They're old news.""
""They're /new news again because she's an Animagus,"" says Niamh.
""Really?""
""Yea. It's probably why they hang out all the time.""
""Huh?""
""They can be dogs together,"" Niamh smugs.
Chuck growls.
""He's an Anima—""
""He's a /werewolf.""
Controls a flinch.
""That's old news, too. He's not a werewolf.""
""But I thought that's why he's so good with magical creatures? One of their own?""
Mako nudges Chuck's ankle with her foot, queries.
""He /never gets bitten or stung.""
Chuck huffs, tilts his head toward the chatterers.
""He's /not a werewolf.""
""Then what do /you think's wrong with him?""
""I dunno ... maybe it's leukemia and he's out so much 'coz of chemotherapy?""
Anthony scoffs.
""You have a /better idea?""
""I think the rumour's true and he's a beast,"" declares Anthony.
Mako growls.
""Werewolves aren't beasts!""
Chuck kicks her foot under the table.
""Yes, they are.""
""The Guidelines—""
""Are bullshit. Werewolves are /beasts wearing human suits, waiting for their chance to attack innocent—""
""But—""
""They should be rounded up and dumped on an island somewhere so they kill each other off.""
Mako pushes—
Chuck grabs her hand, pins it down, shakes his head, whispers, "They're not worth it."
""Lycanthropy's a /disease, not a-a character flaw. If he /is a werewolf, it's not like he can help it, yea?""
""If he's a werewolf, he was dumb enough to put himself in a place to be bitten.""
""He's only a third year, so you can't totally blame him for being stupid.""
""Except he's supposed to be some kinda genius.""
""Well, /he clearly thinks he's a genius.""
""Too good for the rest of us.""
"'s'not hard to be smarter than you lot," grumbles Chuck.
Mako queries.
He waves it off.
""Look at all the evidence: the missed classes, the way dangerous things like him, the hanging around with a dog Animagus—""
""Does that mean they'd have puppies?""
""Oh my Merlin, Molly, that's so—""
""—his awful temper, why he doesn't live in the dorms with us anymore. Do I need to go on?""
""That's a lot of correlations ....""
""Well, we'll know for sure on Friday, right?""
Another scoff. ""Nothing'll happen on Friday. He /never misses on the full moon.""
"Doesn't that mean he's /not a werewolf?"
""He's a /southern /hemisphere werewolf,"" sniffs Niamh.
"Here we go," mutters Chuck.
""What does /that mean?""
""It /means he works backwards.""
Mako rolls her eyes.
""So he changes at sunrise?""
""He changes into a human at the full moon?""
"Seriously?" Chuck huffs.
""No, stupids. He changes at the new moon instead of the full one.""
The crowd digests that.
Chuck manages the first sentence of his book.
""What if he really /is a werewolf?""
""He's /not.""
""The Headmaster wouldn't let anything that dangerous close to us.""
""There are man-eating merpeople in the lake! Acromantulas in the Forest!""
""Those are /outside! There's a werewolf /in /here!""
Madam Pince bonks Anthony with her feather duster, setting off a storm of sneezes, hisses, ""This is a /library! Keep your voices down.""
Mumbled apologies between sniffles.
Chuck and Mako snicker into their hands.
Madam Pince /hmphs, stomps off into the stacks.
Anthony checks Madam Pince is out of sight, says, ""The Headmaster probably lets him stay because his dad's a professor.""
Chuck grinds his teeth.
Murmurs of agreement.
Mako reaches across the table, squeezes Chuck's hand.
He drags his attention to her.
"Let's find someplace quieter to read."
Chuck grunts, gathers his things. "I need to stop and check this out."
Mako hums as she stacks her books in a neat pile.
They stand together and Chuck follows Mako—
She draws level with the gossipers, stops.
"Uh, hi?" quavers Ellen.
"Hello," says Mako, voice frigid. "You all would do well to remember dogs possess /excellent hearing when you choose a place to gossip." She smiles, links her arm with Chuck's, marches toward Madam Pince's desk.
Chuck grins over his shoulder at the very grey faces, tosses them, "Arf, arf."
.
== Care Package ==
Summary: Hanging out in the gardens, Raleigh gets some good news and treats from his brother, not that either does anything to improve Chuck's foul mood
10 June 2017; (14 days 'til transformation); Hogwarts, Scotland, United Kingdom
Chuck looks up from the mistletoe and devil's snare cuttings he's twisting into a poppet, scoffs, "Are you /kidding?"
"Cross my heart," declares Raleigh. "She really /did say that."
"I was right." Chuck goes back to futzing with his project.
"About what?" asks Mako.
"Quidditch causes brain damage."
"Just 'cause your dad won't—"
"/I don't—"
""/There you are!""
Raleigh hops to his feet, waving. "'ey! Yancy! How're you doing?"
"Aww—/oof!"
"Behave," hisses Mako.
Chuck grumps.
"/Great, but I've been looking all /over for you." Yancy grins, offers a box. "Mémé sent us all something to celebrate our latest scores."
Raleigh accepts with a squee.
Mako peers around his side, asks Yancy, "You've passed your N.E.W.T.s then?"
"Four of 'em." He rocks on his heels. "/More than enough for the job—"
"You got the job?!" squeals Raleigh, stuffing the box into Mako's hands.
"I got the job!" He hugs Raleigh clean off his feet. "Their owl arrived almost as soon as the results were posted."
"Which job'd that be?" asks Chuck.
Yancy drops Raleigh. "Ranger at the Swedish dragon reserve~!"
"So ... your job's to keep idiots from getting themselves killed," grumbles Chuck.
Yancy grins, big and bright, and laughs, "Yep!"
"Guess you're probably used to dealing with stupid people from that one, ay?"
"Chuck!"
"What?"
Yancy snorts, keeps smiling broadly as ever. "You know what's even better than the job, though?"
Raleigh's heart picks up a happy skip. "There's something /better?"
"Yea! Now I can just forward you owls instead of asking, like, a hundred portraits where you or Jaz are."
Everyone but Yancy groans and Raleigh throws in an eye-roll for good measure.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to tell Mémé to /not put every pair of needles in the house to work on sweaters for me."
"But you'll need 'em!"
"Sweden's not /that cold," sighs Yancy.
"You can sneeze on the Arctic Circle from the Reserve office!"
"Yeah, and we grew up in /Alaska, dummy." Yancy bops Raleigh on the back of the head. "Later, folks~! And, Ray, don't forget to send Mémé a thank-you owl." He waves and saunters around the hedge and out of sight.
Raleigh sighs, shakes his head, plunks down.
Mako returns his box, sits next to him, ventures, "You never mentioned your brother was interested in dragons."
"I ... uh, well ...." Raleigh pokes around in the tissue paper. "We kinda have different ideas about how dragons work?"
"Lemme guess." Chuck doesn't look up from a second poppet. "You mentioned reading a MacIver book to him—"
"Yep."
"—and he thinks the MacIvers are fulla shit and you can't explain how you know they're not."
"Ex-actly," sighs Raleigh. "Oo!"
"What /now?"
"Calisson d'Aix!" Raleigh offers one of the sweets to Mako. "It's sort of a melon-flavoured marzipan."
She nibbles, hums approval.
"Want one, Chuck?"
"Nah."
"Your loss." Raleigh stuffs a biscuit in his mouth, lets it melt on his tongue.
"This is very good. Thank you, Raleigh."
"'flelcum."
"Yer disgusting."
Raleigh swallows. "But I have calisson d'Aix and you're making /looove charms."
Chuck's expression turns murderous. "A /what you say now?"
"That's mistletoe." Raleigh puts on his smuggest grin. "So: Love. Charm."
"It's an /anti-werewolf ward, you fu—"
Mako clears her throat.
Chuck huffs. "I'm gonna go get some wolfsbane to finish it off." Shoves to his feet.
"Want some help?"
"No." He stomps off around the devil's snare and out of sight.
They watch him go.
"Is it just me or has he been grumpier than usual lately?"
"It's not you." Mako toys with the abandoned poppet. "I ... I don't think he's looking forward to spending the holidays in Armagh."
"But he was just complaining about being stuck here all the time!"
"He's trading a comfortable prison for an unfamiliar one." Stands the little figure on the garden grass, adds, nearly under her breath. "He'll be sick alone."
Raleigh slumps. "I wish there was something we could do for him."
"We can send him owls and be there for him as soon as the next term starts."
"Yea ... I guess that's what we're stuck with."
"What're you stuck with?" Chuck, a fistful of purple flowers, drops into his place.
"You."
"Serves you right."
.
== Say It ==
Summary: On the brink of the summer break, Mako attempts an important conversation with Chuck.
22 June 2017; (2 days 'til transformation); Hogwarts, Scotland, United Kingdom
Chuck huddles on the edge of the dock, legs dangling above the rough surface of the Black Lake, shivering despite the bright sunshine.
"Are you feeling alright?" asks Mako, perched next to him.
"No." He chafes his arms. "It's gonna be bad this time."
"I wish I could—"
"'s alright. You've got a life."
Something splashes off to their left.
"Kelpie," she murmurs.
No response from Chuck.
"What are you thinking?"
He takes a deep breath, says, "If you want to go out with Becket, you'd better talk to him today before you leave."
Mako blinks rapidly. "What are you talking about?"
"Raleigh Becket. Prefect. Top of his year. You know, the bloke you /like?"
Mako blinks some more. "You think I ...."
"It's /obvious. He /obviously likes you, too."
"Chuck, I ...."
"Just do something about it 'fore you miss your chance, yea?" He heaves himself to his feet, dusts off his trousers—
Mako twists, words caught in her throat.
—trudges toward the castle with his shoulders hunched and without looking back.
She turns to the water.
The giant squid lifts a tentacle from the shallows.
Mako waves—
The squid waves back, drifts farther along the shore.
—watches until it disappears behind a clump of bulrushes.
Another splash from the left.
She fills her lungs, stands, makes her way—slowly—to the castle.
The handful of people she passes offer warm greetings; her replies are absent, but polite.
Mako climbs into the Hufflepuff common room, straightens herself and her clothing, glances around.
Raleigh's curled around a book on the sofa beside the fireplace.
She pads over. "Raleigh?"
"'ey, Mako!" He sparkles—
Mako swallows, heart stuttering.
—sets aside his book. "What's up?"
"May I speak to you a moment?"
"Sure. Here?"
"My room, please."
"Uh, okaaay." Raleigh ruffles his hair. "Is everything okay?"
"It's fine. I just ... I only wish to talk to you."
"Cool. Lead on." He unfolds from the sofa, inclines his head.
Mako plods to her dorm with Raleigh at her heels.
She closes the door behind them, sits down on her bed.
He claims a desk chair.
Mako takes a very, /very deep breath, says, "Do you like me?"
Raleigh turns bright pink, lowers his eyes, puts his hand on his nape. "Umm, yea? I like you a lot." Looks up through his lashes. "I hope—what—is it okay?"
Mako sags, shoulders following her heart toward her shoes.
"You don't feel the same."
She hangs her head, shakes it slowly.
"That's alright. We can be friends. I can be friends, if you're okay with that?"
Mako gives a watery smile. "I'm okay with being friends."
"Oh thank goodness I hadn't said anything because I was so scared you were gonna hate me and never want to talk to me again."
Mako's smile firms a bit. "Thank you for understanding."
"I /totally understand. No thanks necessary."
Mako hums acknowledgment, studies her fingernails.
Raleigh drags his chair closer, says quietly, "Chuck, right?"
She startles. "What?"
"Chuck's the one you like."
"I don't ...."
"He's a pretty great guy, even with all the attitude."
Mako smiles.
"Kinda cute, too."
Mako bites her lip, nods.
"He should know how you feel."
She queries.
"He hates himself so much and's so /lonely, he needs to know someone really, /really likes him." Snorks. "I don't think he'd appreciate hearing it from me as much."
"You ...?"
"He's a pretty great guy under all the attitude and he's kinda cute?"
"You ...?"
"He acts totally straight and I'm, uh, not?"
"You approached him?"
"Didn't want to weird him out."
Mako frowns.
"I'll tell him after you do?"
"I think ... perhaps it would be wise to leave some time between our confessions."
"Yea ... good point." Raleigh grins. "You first."
Mako rolls her eyes, then her face falls. "Raleigh?"
"Hmm?"
"How should I tell him?"
"Maybe a gift?"
"What sort of gift?"
"Umm ... something small? And very /you?"
Mako ponders.
"What about a plant? That's a big thing you have in common, right? You know them, they love him?"
"That is perfect!" She squeezes Raleigh around the middle. "I have exactly the thing."
"Of course you do." Playfully pushes her away. "So go get it!"
"/Hai!" She spins and races to the gardens.
The /Camellia japonica yields a single red bloom to her Severing charm.
「Thank you.」 Mako bows.
The camellia bobs in the breeze.
She hustles back to the castle, along the halls to the faculty housing.
Mako squares her shoulders and knocks.
After a long beat, the door swings open.
"Uh, hi, Mako."
"Hello, Professor Hansen. Is Chuck in?"
"Yea ... but he said he was going to lie down for a bit."
"It's very important I speak with him."
Professor Hansen studies her face, then the flower in her hands. He shifts, beckons her inside. "His room's up the stairs, only door on the right."
"Thank you, sir."
"'welcome."
She climbs the stairs, halts outside the proper door. Knocks.
No response.
Pushes it open, calls, "Chuck?"
No answer.
She steps inside.
The room is bare of anything personal: nothing but standard furniture and textbooks and school supplies.
There are also no overt signs of life.
Blankets lump in the center of the mattress.
"Chuck?"
Blankets grump.
"May we speak?"
""Wanna share yer good news?""
"I've come to talk with you."
""Not in much've a talkin' mood.""
"It's important."
""So's my nap.""
Mako mentally counts down from five, then, "Chuck, please."
He gives a fantastic sigh, rolls over to face her, already a shade paler than he'd been at the lake.
She—
"Yea, I look like shit." He drags himself up to sitting. "Whad'ye want?"
"I thought about what you said earlier and I've realized something." She locks her eyes with his. "I—"
"/Don't," rasps Chuck, complexion greying to nearly the colour of the stone walls. A breathy noise, then, "Go talk to Ray."
"I already have."
He flinches—
"What—"
—snarls, "Well, talk to him again 'coz I've got /nothing to say to you."
Mako cringes. "Please, Chuck—"
"'Please' /nothin'. Get out."
"I—"
"/Get! /Out! I don't care what you want to say!"
Professor Hansen says, "Is everything alright in here?" from the doorway.
"She needs to /leave," growls Chuck.
Mako blinks fiercely at tears, resolutely not. crying.
Professor Hansen looks between them, inclines his head toward the opening. "He should get some sleep, Mako."
She finds her feet, wobbles over and out and down the stairs.
A hand on her shoulder, gentle.
She stops, turns.
"Sorry about him." Professor Hansen rubs the back of his head. "I don't think he meant to hurt you. He's just ...."
Mako sighs to the blossom cupped in her hands, says to Professor Hansen, "I'd like to leave this for him. May I borrow a glass and some water?"
"Yea. Over here." Professor Hansen leads her to a cabinet, takes down a glass, fills it from a pitcher, holds it out.
She balances it at the center, careful not to bruise any petals. Examines it, tweaks it /slightly to the right, nods approval, and steps away.
Professor Hansen smiles. "If it's not too—" Clears his throat. "Why a flower?"
"It carries a message, or so my mother told me."
"Victorian language or ...?"
"/Hanakotoba." 
He nods. "I'll take this up to him."
"Thank you, sir." Mako edges toward the door. "I'll leave you to get ready."
"Oh, uh, right. Thanks. Have—" A nervous smile. "Enjoy your holidays."
"I will do my best, sir."
"We'll see you in the fall."
Mako bobs her head, opens the door. "Please give my best wishes to Chuck."
"Will do."
Mako bows, ducks into the corridor, closes up, and flees for her dorm before the tears can fall.
.
== Love Note ==
Summary: A midnight snack leads to something like a conversation between Chuck and his father.
23 June 2017; (1 day 'til transformation); Hogwarts, Scotland, United Kingdom
Chuck grumbles at his sudden return to consciousness, listens for a reason.
Standard nighttime castle noises.
He cracks an eye.
Darkness.
Something new on the desk: a flower in a glass of water.
He huffs, sits up, muscles protesting.
"Fuck'm I awake?"
His stomach roars.
Chuck sighs, heaves himself out of bed and downstairs, then over to the snack cabinet. He digs around, eventually comes up with a packet of beef jerky, collects a glass of water, shuffles to his chair, and flops down.
He noms.
Drinks.
Gnaws.
Sips.
Footsteps on the stairs and then the Old Man shuffles in, croaks, "You alright?"
Chuck swallows. "Got hungry."
The Old Man grunts, pokes a couple of lights to life, wanders over to /his chair, plunks down.
Chuck bites off another mouthful of jerky, chews.
Old Man yawns, scrubs a hand down his face.
"Fo ba' t' 'eep."
"Swallow."
Chuck rolls his eyes, but downs his food. "Go back to sleep."
"I, uh, kinda wanted to talk to you about this afternoon."
"What about it?" Chuck drops the empty package on the coffee table along with his glass.
"Mako."
Chuck shrugs. "She wanted to talk and I didn't, so I threw her out."
"What did she wanna talk about?"
"Stupid stuff."
"Chuck ...."
He crosses his arms, sulks into the cushions.
"Did you see the flower?"
"Yea. What about it?"
The Old Man sits forward, fiddles with his fucking ring. "She left it for you."
"Stop that."
"Wha?"
Chuck points with his chin.
Old Man jerks his hands apart, takes a deep breath. "She said it was a message."
"She say what it /meant?"
"Didn't ask. Figured that was between the two of you."
Chuck sniffs.
Old Man goes back to the ring thing.
Chuck rolls his eyes, yanks the afghan from the back of the chair, bundles up.
"Should I start the fire?"
"Don't bother." Chuck pulls his feet close, gets them under cover.
A deep breath and the Old Man says, "So ... Mako's flower? I don't know /hanakotoba, but to Brits that one—"
"/You speak flower?" 
The Old Man rubs his neck, mumbles, "Was trying to impress a girl into being my date to the Yule Ball."
"Did it work?"
"If I'd asked a week sooner it would've."
Chuck snorts.
Old Man laughs a little. "Anyway, she gave you—"
"I know what it means already." Chuck huddles tighter. 
"You sure about the fire?"
"/Yes."
Chuck's heart threatens to beat itself to death on his ribs in the quiet.
"Listen, it's—"
"I /know, alright?! But I'm not gonna make the kinda mistake /you did, ay?"
Old Man flinches.
"I got enough worries, don't ye think?"
A spark flares up in the Old Man's eyes. "I thought she was helping with a few of those."
"That doesn't mean I should let her create new ones," growls Chuck.
Old Man dims, rubs the back of his neck.
Chuck preens—shivers.
Old Man's on his feet and crossing the room. "I'm starting the fire."
"Don't bother. I'm done down here." He yawns, mutters, "I'm gonna need every minute 'a sleep I can get."
Old Man plops on the sofa. "How do you want to handle this one?"
Chuck sighs. "Dump me in the Forest and you run interference on the edges, 'case anyone's still around."
The Old Man grunts. "Luna's here another couple days, so she'll help."
Chuck pushes to his feet and thank the stars his equilibrium's intact. He keeps the afghan like it's a cape and plods for the stairs.
As he climbs, the Old Man turns out the lights behind them.
Chuck slouches into his room, past Mako's love note flower—stops, glowers.
Old Man's footsteps tromp up the stairs, pass Chuck's door and down the hall. 
Chuck fishes his wand from under his pillow, draws a square around the camellia and its makeshift vase, commands, "/Maneo."
The air and flower shimmer as the charm takes hold.
Chuck smiles, tucks himself between the sheets, and closes his eyes to wait for sleep.
.
== Better Than ==
Summary: Mako confronts Chuck and they come to an understanding.
23 June 2017; (1 day 'til transformation); Hogwarts, Scotland, United Kingdom
Mako knocks on the door to the Hansens' quarters.
Professor Hansen answers—"Miss Mori. You're still here." 
"Yes." Mako bows. "Is Chuck here?" 
"No, he's down with the plants." Rubs his neck. "He, uh, liked your flower." 
Fury ignites in Mako's chest. 
"Put a protection charm on it and everything." 
Mako says calmly, "Thank you, Professor." Bows. 
"Have a good day, Miss Mori." 
"Thank you." Turns on her heel, clips down the hall, through the castle, out onto the lawn, strides to the greenhouses, and storms around the devil's snare hedge
"Mako! You're—"
"I am /not a flower," snarls Mako. 
Chuck snaps to his feet—"Of course you're not!" 
"You may not treat me as you did and expect to make up for it by being kind to a plant." 
"I'll treat your stupid present—" 
Mako's blood boils. 
"—however I want!" 
"You have been /nothing but hurtful the last few days and you continue to be and I want an apology."
He puffs up like a fugu. "Just 'coz you want one—"
"/Now, Chuck."
"If I don't?"
"Apologise. /Now."
Chuck glares.
Mako glares back.
Chuck deflates, looks away. "I'm sorry for being an asshole to you yesterday." Deep breath. "You deserve better."
"That's right. I do."
Chuck snaps his head up, eyes fiery. "Which's why you should hang around Becket and not me, yea?"
Mako clenches her fists at her sides. "You are not starting this argument again."
"Well maybe we need to have it again!"
She steps so close their noses nearly touch. "Have you ever tasted mandrake leaf?"
"Wai—what?"
"It burns like raw /nigauri and I kept it under my tongue for a month to become an Animagus. If that's not enough of a sign of my commitment and loyalty for you, I doubt anything could be."
"You ever stop and think maybe I /want to be alone?!"
Mako laughs.
Chuck flinches, holds his ground.
"You're a poor liar."
He grinds his teeth. "Fine. Whatever. Think what you want."
"I will, not that I require your permission." She steps back, gives Chuck some breathing space.
He shivers.
"Are you co—"
"I'm /sick, if you hadn't noticed. I'm sick and I'm /tired and I don't need /your help."
"I will still offer it."
Chuck throws up his hands, whines, "Why won't you leave me alone?!"
"Because you don't want me to, not really."
"What makes you think that?"
"You kept the flower—" Crosses her arms. "—even though you told your father you know what it means."
"'m gonna kill him," mutters Chuck.
"No, you're not."
"Let me fantasize, yea?"
Mako snorts.
Chuck pokes the Devil's Snare, teases it around his fingers, lets it twine up his arm.
"I wonder something."
"What?"
"Why do you know what a red camellia means?"
"I kinda read up on /hanakotoba before ... you know, 'coz I was thinking of ...." Chuck turns a very spectacular pink, then grimaces. "Loosen up, you."
The tips of his fingers purple.
Mako reaches— 
Chuck shoots her a look, closes his eyes, loosens his posture, breathes deeply, evenly.
The vine relents, tucks itself among its kind.
Chuck sighs, slides out of its reach.
"I didn't know you felt that way."
"I didn't say."
"And when /I said something you shouted and claimed not to care—"
"And I already apologised for being an asshole, yea? You want me to grovel 'r something?"
"I want you to give me an honest answer."
He rests a hand on his nape, eyes on his shoes. "Listen, whatever I feel—felt—/think doesn't /matter. Doesn't change what I am and that you deserve someone decent and /normal, so take your love note and go back to Becket."
"I won't do that. It wouldn't be fair."
Chuck side-eyes her. 
"Raleigh's a good friend, but ...." Mako shrugs. "There's something important missing."
"So it's not enough he can be a dog on command; you need a /real monster. Maybe you should look up a werewolf. Get yourself a little of both."
"/Flipendo!"
Chuck slams against the greenhouse, slides to the ground, wheezing—
Mako slowly, deliberately, puts away the wand she didn't realize she'd drawn.
—scrambles to his feet—immediately crashes to the grass on all fours.
She breathes, concentrates on slowing her racing heart.
"What was that for?!"
"You will not speak to me like that!"
"Hit me with a Silencing charm if you don't like it!" Heaves himself up. "Oh that's right. You /can't."
"Why are you doing this?" hisses Mako.
"I wanna get it through your head I'm not boyfriend material an' never will be." Puts his shoulders back. "Give me all the flowers you want, wait for years, and I'll /still be a monster."
"You're /not—"
"Should I give you a scar t' remind you? Kinda let my fingernails go this week." Chuck steps closer.
"Why are you doing this?!"
He moves even closer, eyes flashing, and shouts, "Because you deserve better than me, alright?!"
A cluster of hedge roses explodes into robins—
"Oi! Watch it!"
—and squawk into flight.
"Why'd you /do that?!"
"You must've done it accidentally."
Chuck ruffles feathers from his hair, grumbles, "'spose I threw myself into the wall, too."
"No, that was my doing. I apologise for losing my temper."
"I deserved it," he sighs. "I'm an asshole."
"You were /acting like one."
"Same difference."
"Do. not. start."
Chuck sighs, oozes to the ground, drags his hands over his face.
Mako sits beside him.
"Why're you still here?" he mumbles.
"Because I want to stand with you."
"I mean, 'why didn't you leave for London'?"
"I wanted an apology first."
"So you stayed to yell at me."
"I stayed to hear your response to my confession."
Chuck pulls his knees close, exhales a shaky breath.
Mako waits, her heart in her throat.
"I w-want to say 'yes', but ...."
"Please do."
So quietly she can barely hear: "I like-like you, Mako, and I'm glad you like me, too."
"Thank you," breathes Mako, heart soaring. She leans closer to Chuck, presses her lips to his cheek.
A flock of flitterbloom flowers become—
"What were those?"
Chuck, blushing crimson, squints at the retreating birds. "Think they're redstarts."
Mako laughs into her hand.
"What's so funny?"
"I'm thinking you'll either need to learn better control or to transfigure flowers into threatened species."
"Very funny," grumps Chuck, then he sighs—
Mako glows all over!
—and leans against her side.
.
== Being Neighbourly ==
Summary: Summering in Northern Ireland, Chuck chats with some of the neighbours and learns they have a bit in common.
28 June 2017; (4 days after transformation); County Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Chuck, hands tucked behind his head, sprawls flat on his back in the sun on the grass in the house's front garden.
Little fluffy clouds scud across the blue sky and birds flit and chirp between the hedge and the trees.
Singing—
Singing?
—two voices singing nonsense words in harmony coming closer at a good clip.
The song and the sound of hoofbeats stop outside the gate.
A horse snorts; leather and wood creak.
""Good morning, lad!""
Chuck sits up, stretches his arms over his head. "'mornin', Mister Vince, Missus Vince."
The little old neighbours wave from the seat of a buggy pulled two short horses. 
"Is your father about?" asks Mister Vince.
"He's in town for groceries. Should be back soonish, though."
"Goodness!" Missus Vince flutters. "He's /walking all that way? He should've sent word and we'd 've given him a lift."
One of the horses—the darker one—puts its ears back and stamps a foot.
"He, uh, has a push bike." Chuck stands, brushes off his clothes, moves over to the gate post, leans against it. "Figure he'll be fine."
The Vinces laugh and Mister Vince snickers, "Ah, to be young and have the knees to pedal again!"
"Now, Martin, only this morning you scampered into the rafters after Moe just fine."
"That was pure adrenaline, Harri dearest. I was saving a damsel in distress."
Missus Vince pats his leg. "You keep telling yourself that, dearest."
Mister Vince sighs fondly.
"Have any plans for this lovely summer day, Mister Hansen?"
Chuck shrugs. "Mostly lie around, maybe read a little."
"A perfect plan for the summer holidays, I say."
Chuck grunts, rubs the back of his neck. "You, uh, running errands in town?"
"That we are! Groceries and post and a spot 'a tea at a restaurant."
"Sounds nice."
"Aaand, speaking of post, looks like someone's about to have some."
"Wha?"
Mister Vince points with his chin.
Chuck turns—
Bruce, on final approach to the house, small package dangling from his talons.
—clears his throat as he psyches himself up for a memory charm, says, "You, ah, know about owl post?"
"We've seen quite a few a few of them come and go over the years. Oddest thing—oof!"
Missus Vince winds up another punch. "Don't tease the poor lad." To Chuck, "I sent our Titus with a message for a friend in Omagh this very morning, so you needn't remember that charm."
Chuck exhales.
Bruce makes an awkward one-point landing on the gate, sticks out his leg.
"Got it, boy." Chuck takes the parcel, adds, "Think I heard some mice in the second shed this morning if you're hungry."
Bruce grumps.
"It's that or wait for the old man to get back from town." Chuck unties the string, tears off the brown paper, heart skipping.
"What did you get?" calls Missus Vince.
"Uh ...." Chuck clears his throat. "It's chocolate. From London."
"Chocolate? Does this mean you have a girlfriend?" she squees.
Chuck's face heats and there's wild fluttering—
"You've got fieldfares in your hedge! Lovely!"
"Uh, yeaaa ... they pop up sometimes."
"'specially when you're thinking on your young lady, I suspect."
"Yea, mostly," mumbles Chuck.
Missus Vince giggles into her hands.
Mister Vince smiles reassurance, says, "When we have more time one day, I'll tell ye what first love did t' /my magic, because—"
Bruce barks, puffs up into an angry feather duster.
The dark horse flicks its ears, reaches with its nose back toward Bruce— 
"Taaffe! Leave the bleedin' bird alone!"
Horse snorts, sounding rather offended.
"None of that tone, sonny, or I'll put the curb back on and you'll have no fun t'all."
Taaffe definitely sulks.
The other horse sighs mightily.
Bruce huffs, heaves himself into the air, and disappears around the side of the house.
"I told ye we should've gotten /horses," says Mister Vince. "These ponies are too smart for their own good."
Missus Vince rolls her eyes.
"You wouldn't happen to have some hard candies to distract this monster, would ye?"
"Uh, no. Sorry."
"Check your pockets, dearest." Missus Vince grins, touches the side of her nose.
Mister Vince fishes, comes up with a handful of wrapped sweets. "Would'ye look at that. The memory's the first thing to go, they say." To Chuck, "Would ye do me a favour and feed one 'a these to each of the boys?"
"Sure." Chuck balances Mako's chocolates on the hedge, slips out the gate, collects two butterscotches from Mister Vince, arranges them on his palms, offers them to the ponies.
They snorpf them up, crunch happily.
Chuck gives them each a pat between the ears, strolls back to his spot in the garden.
"What's your favourite flavour?"
"Peppermint."
"I do believe I saw one of those ... aha! Catch!"
Chuck plucks the red sweet from the air—"Thanks."—unwraps it, pops it in his mouth.
"You've worked with ponies before, my boy?"
Chuck tucks the candy in his cheek. "Yea, there're a few at school. I get along with 'em pretty well."
"Can't say I'm surprised."
Chuck shifts the sweet back to his tongue, raises an eyebrow.
"It must be in your blood, seeing how popular your uncle is with the sheep."
Chuck snorts—claws at his throat—
"/Dhíscaoileadh candy!"
—gasps for air, croaks, "Thanks."
"I should be more careful how I phrase things around teenagers, I s'pose?" snickers Mister Vince.
"Especially such an excitable lad, dearest."
"I'd 'preciate it," wheezes Chuck.
.
== Taken Down ==
Summary: Chuck's transformed behavior takes on a new, violent dimension
24 July 2017; (0 days after transformation); Armagh, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Thunder rumbles outside.
Chuck watches rain stream down the window glass, surfs another wave of nausea, pulls the quilt more tightly around his shoulders, grumbles, "Stupid Irish weather. Stupid morning after. /Stu/pid Side-Along Apparition."
""How're you—""
The Old Man's fear squeezes Chuck's throat—
He gags.
""Are you gonna—""
Again.
A pail swims into view.
Chuck retches.
Tumbler of water appears.
Chuck sips, spits, sips more.
"/Evanesco." The Old Man sets the clean pail between them.
"Whadid I do—" Chuck clears his throat. "—'s got you scared?"
Stuttering.
"What."
"You—" Swallows. "You brought down a deer in the Forest—"
Chuck's stomach rolls again.
"—and ate it."
The rest of the 'meal' parts from Chuck's company.
"/Evanesco."
The window rattles at a gust of wind.
"You couldn't stop me?"
"Happened too fast. One second, you're flying along, next you're all on the ground, mobbing it." He rubs the back of his neck. "I, uh, decided it was best to let you finish."
Chuck shudders, re-wraps himself.
"We have some ginger beer?"
"Later." Chuck sighs. "How mad's the Headmaster? 'bout the deer?"
"She's not. They're there for food anyway, so."
Chuck grunts, relieved a bit.
A whip-crack of thunder.
A /yowl, followed by an annoyed clicking.
"That Bruce?"
"Yea. He demanded 'in' when the weather went bad."
"Big baby."
"Don't let him hear you say that."
Chuck scoffs.
"He'll put dead mice in you shoes again."
Chuck wrinkles his nose, remembers the tiny bones snapping—
/under his feet with blood singing in his veins as he strikes
—grabs the pail—
/somersaulting pinning the prey down tearing out its throat
—heaves up bile—
/chirps and squaws of happiness and thanks from his skinny flight as they feed
—chokes on the acid taste in his mouth.
"Here. Water."
Chuck takes it, swishes, spits—
"/Evanesco."
—gulps more, even as his stomach protests, and comes up for air.
"Be right back." The Old Man leaves.
Another rumble and rain slaps the window.
Bruce makes a loud, grumpy sound.
Chuck closes his eyes, concentrates on breathing deeply through his nose.
""Ginger beer,"" announces the Old Man as he plonks on the chair beside the bed.
"Thanks."
The fizzy wipes out the flavour of sick and blood and Chuck sighs into the glass.
The Old Man plays with his goddamn ring.
Chuck takes a deep breath. "Did y'see it?"
"Uh, yea."
"Tell me."
"You sure?"
"Yea. Wanna make sure I really am remembering what It does and not just making shit up."
He hunches over, still fiddling with the ring. "Well, uh, she said you started with a slow circle, then made a crash dive, hit the stag—"
"Back feet, base of its skull, smashed it against the ground, flipped, snapped its neck ...."
The Old Man blinks, swallows hard. "Yea, exactly like that." Swallows again. "The thestrals flocked around and you all finished it off."
Chuck takes another mouthful of fizz.
A /fump and Bruce lands on the foot of Chuck's bed.
"What do /you want?"
Bruce fluffs, makes himself comfy between Chuck's feet.
"The gang's all here," snickers the Old Man.
Chuck rolls his eyes—mistake!—nabs the bucket, retches.
Bruce shrieks, ruffles himself into the air and from the room.
"/Evanesco."
"Serves ye right, ye bird brain," rasps Chuck. "'m not a fuckin' pillow."
"Language."
"There's no one here!"
"'s a bad habit."
Chuck swallows a sigh with another gulp of ginger beer.
.
== (pasta/spitballs) ==
* "Family Way" Scott and his girlfriend visit Chuck and Herc with news and introduce the existence of the Scottish school, which the girlfriend's brothers have attended (she's a Muggle, they are a half-blood and a Muggle-born)
* Chuck leaves for Hogwarts from Platform 9 3/4 to keep his cousin Lucy (Hansen-Hanlon) company on the train, bumps into Raleigh and Mako; things are awkward, though everyone trades stories of how they come to be at Hogwarts
* Chuck acquires a pet bulldog to everyone's amazement
* a Magical Creatures lesson has Chuck charming miniature/model dragons
* Chuck's next transformation is godawful and he misses more classes than ever; Luna calls him and Herc in and says things have to improve or Chuck will need to leave
* The Sashas return from China with a potion that lets Chuck keep his human mind in his dragon form, but does nothing to help any of the purely physical issues like pain and his recovery time.
* the medicated dragon!Chuck spends a night reading and playing tic-tac-toe and other simple games with Mako and Raleigh to pass the time until sunrise
* Chuck's condition exposed to the rest of the student body; kids and parents are in an uproar; Chuck, Mako, Raleigh, and Herc are stashed with Luna/Stacker for their safety
* Chuck sent to the family home at Armagh to wait out the worst of the outcry at Hogwarts; mayhem of a magical nature may happen
* the school board of governors expels Chuck over objections from the faculty (including Headmaster McGonagall) and the Sashas; Mako and Raleigh threaten to quit in solidarity and Chuck threatens to never speak to them again if they do
* representatives from the Scottish school—including one of his MacIver heroes—offer Chuck a place at their institution to finish his education; Chuck accepts
* Chuck meets the denizens of the Scottish school, including a rather high number of werewolves (and at least one were/rabbit) and slowly starts fitting in; his bulldog, who refused to be left behind, loves the resident kelpie herd
* (Possible: the other weredragon insists on meeting Chuck)
* Chuck visits the MacIvers at the Hebrides Dragon Reserve; starts learning the ropes of being a dragonologist, which he is, of course, excellent at
* the Sashas visit, this time with the other weredragon's will (she having died young because of the stress the transformations put on her system) in which she left what little she had to Chuck (having no human family of her own) and another potion, which allows Chuck to trigger his transformation regardless of moon phase, though with all of the usual effects on his health
* Chuck learns to brew his own dragonsbane potion and the the triggering potion, giving him as much control over his condition as possible
* soon after the start of the summer break, Mako visits Chuck at the Scottish School and, after a /lot of discussion, there is a happy(ish) Chako ending
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