Professor Valon Kazimeriz swept into the room, brushing his cape back over his shoulders. He surveyed the room. It was an opulently appointed, elegant living area; obviously her father -- his former colleague and friend-- was doing well for himself. But this wasn't a purely social call... He spied the small blonde child sitting alone stiffly on the divan. She looked nervous, and rightly so, for what had happened to her was truly a frightening turn of events.

Hopefully, he would be able to help the poor dear.... So tiny! She wasn't that much older than his own dear Penelope... he glanced behind him to see if her mother or father would be joining them, hesitating to approach her lest the sight of a stranger frighten the poor child further. Alas, her parents seemed to be leaving this all up to him.

"Hello, Alessia... Do you mind if I join you?" he asked gently, removing his bowler hat and tucking it under his arm.

Alessia shivered looking at the old man. She shook her head no. He could sit if he wanted... She retreated into a corner of her parent's couch and waited for him to speak more.


ooc: FYI to the readers, even thought the words are in English, they are speaking in Italian, because at 9, Alessia only knows a few English words.

This girl was going to require a delicate hand. He slowly moved to the couch and sat next to her. He gave her a little space so as not to intimidate her, but still nearer to her than perhaps he normally would have near a small and shy child. It was critical that she recognize that he was not afraid of her at all.

He smiled at her gently. "You dropped your bear." He picked it up off the couch and brushed it gently, admiring it before offering it to her. "What is his name?"

"Uhmm... Teddy." She said in low sweet voice. She looked at him through her lashes and wanted to take the bear from him but hesitated. Her parents had kept her at a safe distance since the... accident. They even locked her in her room when it was not the full moon. She's seen the cage she acquired in the basement... she may have been 9, but she knew what it was for. The next full moon wasn't for another week though.

"Ah... Teddy. A practical, yet strong name." He tilted his head slightly, meeting her eyes. He smiled to show his approval and held him out a little closer to her, encouraging her to take him. "He misses your arms, I suspect." She was of course hesitant, shy... wounded. Typical behaviors of a child, and especially a child who had been through the trials she had of late. Working with recent lycanthropy and vampire victims was a process that required a fine touch. He needed to build her trust so that he could help her. The bear would be a useful tool. He needed her to take it, but he could not rush the process.

"He is scared..." She said to him looking at the bear. "He may miss my arms, but... I can't... I will hurt him." She said on the verge of tears.

Small moves. he thought. To win her required precision. He looked back at the bear, staring him down as though listening to him. Kazimeriz smiled and shook his head slightly. "He is not frightened of you, Alessia. You are his Alessia, his true friend. Do not punish him with your absence any longer, he cannot bear-" he smiled inwardly at the small play on words "it. He longs to bring comfort to you." He offered the bear again to her, raising an eyebrow as if to challenge her to break the poor bear's heart.

He seemed so sure... She released her hold on herself and inched towards her bear. Her hand was now outreached, wanting to take the bear from him but she was the one scared she was shivering. "Are you sure I won't hurt him?" she said tears reaching the surface of her eyes.

"Oh yes. Of that I am quite certain." he held the bear within her reach. "Look in his eyes, Alessia. You will find no fear there." He held her gaze, making it clear that the 'he' was not only the bear he was speaking about, but Kazimeriz himself. He did not fear her. She needed to understand that to be open to his assistance.

She took the bear and hugged it... hugged it tightly. She smiled through her tears and looked at the man beside her with a smile. It was a thank you smile... she was sooo thankful.

He smiled back and nodded slightly to her. Now, we can begin.

*END SCENE*

*Second Scene*

The Bacchetta: Scuola di Magia e Stregoneria (ooc: Wand: School of Magic and Wizardry) was located in Milan Italy, far away from Rome, where Alessia's parents were living. They trusted the school to keep her disease under control but after her 15th birthday, during her fourth year at the school, someone messed up. The potions professor couldn't make the Wolfsbane potion, and left it to his wife, the CoMC Professor to make for the girl. The woman, sweet, but not very bright, didn't use the correct ingredients, and the potion didn't work.

Although Alessia would be locked in a room, away from the other children, she wouldn't be shackled down, as the Wolfsbane potion kept her human mind conscious. So this particular full moon, the Alessia wolf broke through the glass of the window and ran on the school grounds where two 6th years were out of bound after hours and snogging. The Alessia wolf attacked the boy, while the girl ran looking for help.

Once the situation was under control the school now had two werewolves and Alessia's parents were furious. They could not take her back to Rome, and she could not stay at the school. Not to mention Alessia's guilt, overwhelmed her so, she was now locking herself in the room and keeping herself shackled even in daylight. So Valon Kazimeriz was called in.

Professor Kazimeriz swept into the room, dressed as an impressario just back from the opera. He removed his hat and gloves and swept his cape back. "Alessia, Alessia, my sweet bambina." he analyzed her position. Shackled, as they had said. "Tsk... This simply won't do." He waved his wand, vanishing the shackles, and lowered himself gently onto a nearby chair. He looked at her expectantly and smiled at her, then set about inspecting his nails. When she was ready to talk, she would.

"Papa Valon..." She said a faint smile appearing on her face which quickly vanished when the shackles did. "No, No... Please... I need to be restrained, please... please..." She said rushing to him and wrapping her arms around his waist, "Don't let me hurt anyone."

He pet her head gently. "It seems you do indeed need restraints. We simply cannot have you rushing forth and embracing individuals all willy-nilly like this, can we?" He placed two long, aged fingers under her chin, lifting her face until her eyes met his. He smiled at her warmly, but when he spoke his voice was stern and his gaze became harsh... as you would manage a small child's tantrum, this is how he would manage her.

"Sit down, Alessia, and stop this incessant self-flaggellation. It has become most tiresome. In civilized societies, illness is not considered a punishable offense."

Alessia let go of him. She sighed. "It's not flagilation... it's good sense..." She said going back to the wall. Papa Valon, I didn't mean to hurt him... If I'm not going to punished, what? Prizon? Are you here to take me away?"

He chuckled softly, a tired old man's chuckle. "Take you away? Lock you in Azkaban for your crime, or perhaps take you to a zoo like the beast you are? No, Alessia, no. There are those who blame you, but it is borne of their fear and ignorance. We must not suffer such fools lightly, but we do endeavour to forgive them their misdeeds as we carry on our way."

"A Zoo?" She hadn't thought about that... a zoo? Really? She was very scarred. "They have every reason to be afraid, Papa Valon, I'm a monster!"

"Ah yes, I see... a monster, yes, of course..." he nodded and smiled, patronizing her. "You undoubtedly wake each day with happy thoughts of the terrible things you plan to do? You keep a list of intended victims? Or perhaps you kick cruppies for pleasure? And I am quite certain that any action you have taken that has hurt another person was intentional and malicious... yes?" He raised an eyebrow, his eyes kind and twinkling. "Alessia, tell me, is this the person you have become since last we spoke, or are you still the kind little girl I remember?"

"I..." she hesitated. "I don't, I... no that's not who I am... I could never... but..." She slid down the wall till she was in a sitting position and held her knees to her. "Gianni is now... like me... He has to deal with this. He has to be locked in the dungeons on Wolfsbane.

"Yes, that is so. And yet it was not your intent to spread your illness to the boy, am I correct?" he spoke casually, as though talking about the weather.

"Yes Sir," She said looking up at him. "But I cannot undo this..." She said pleading with him. "I don't know what to do," She said. "I need to learn how to brew the potion myself... but every time I try I fail!" She said to him.

"You are correct. You cannot undo what you have done. At best, you might consider reaching out to him to help him through the transition, though I doubt that he or his parents would be open to such an encounter." Indeed, he knew that they'd already put the boy in a ward for those with incurable magical illnesses. "So, what you can do is to take great pains to ensure it never happens again. This is your responsibility; though thrust upon you by events outside your control, it is still yours, and you will do this. "

He stood. "You will come to my estate to live. Persephone will be happy to see you again, as will dear Penelope. You will invest your time fully in learning all you can about your condition, and you will learn how to correctly brew a wolfsbane potion yourself, that you may never need to depend on the skill of another."

He turned and looked at her. "I will discuss your education with the headmaster here. Books and lessons may be shipped to you for distance learning. Please pack your things and say your goodbyes, Alessia. My bones grow weary in the dampness of night, so I would like to leave the grounds before nightfall." he nodded once; Professor Kazimeriz had spoken, and so it would be done.

To his estate... that wasn't punishment. But there it would be there. "I've missed them..." She told him standing. She wwasn't ready to accept the fact she wasn't a monster. She stood and said to him, "Thank you for coming to get me..." she told him and waited for him to get the door.