Werewolves at Hogwarts

Chapter 38

Drajan gave evidence before the Wizengamot, the first ever werewolf to do so in the history of the Concourse. He wore dress uniform and looked very official, Luanna told him later as they wandered through Wizarding London toward her flat. The hearing against Stevie Robinson-Talbot had not been long; her own self confessed statements condemned her out of hand, not for killing people, but for the crimes of smuggling, tax evasion and interfering with Aurors in the course of their investigations.

"It's bloody ridiculous!" Ron roared in the privacy of the Aurory straight after the trial. "She is a murderer and torturer, and they charge her with bleeding tax evasion? It's criminal! Don't they understand how much distress she has caused families, how much anguish her 'smuggling' has engendered in the non-human communities?"

Shacklebolt swung his chair on its back legs and sighed deeply as he watched the younger man rage. "This is where our system needs to be reformed so badly, so that these sorts of injustices can be redressed. We still haven't caught Talbot I'm afraid but it won't be long and once he is in Azkaban I think he will not last long. He has a lot of previous customers there who are just dying to meet him again," both men laughed knowingly. "And what will become of our Sam Parkinson, DC Murovski? How will he fare under the Romanian Justice System?"

"Well, at the moment the werewolves and the vampires are fighting over who gets to try him first. If both communities sentence him to death then I think it will be by the Cruatious Curse. If only one death sentence is handed down then it's Avada Kadavra, a lot less painful and nasty. You see, both vampires and werewolves are people under our laws," he added harshly. "Murdering them is just as bad as murdering full humans in the eyes of the law, not a misdemeanour."

He had stalked out after that, Weasley motioning Jones to follow him, which she did at a run. He didn't say a word as they stalked down the Alley, but neither did he shrug off her hand when she took his arm and patted it gently. The waves of anger had subsided as little as they went up the path to her building and she pulled out her keys.

Luanna glanced up as she opened her front door. "Feeling a bit better?"

"No, I'm still as mad as fire over the whole debacle," he said flatly. "I knew I was going to hit some prejudice when I volunteered for this job, but I didn't think it was as bad as it is."

"It will change, you know, slowly but surely especially with people like Shacklebolt and Weasley pushing for it. Now that our werewolves are starting to organise properly and more or less demand a fair hearing, things will change. Hey, they've appointed me Werewolf Liaison Officer so it can't be all bad."

"What for?" Drajan asked, following her inside and closing the door after him.

"Well, it seems our werewolves already have a police force called the Arbiters, and the Aurors have decided that we had all better get ourselves onto the same side, before there is another interspecies problem. Since I got along so well with you, I am the liaison officer. It also means that Weasley is sending me up to Cardoul for some training in the fine art of werewolf 'liaisoning'," she giggled as he pulled faces and shook his head. "Hungry? Let's eat then," she remarked, assembling ingredients for their meal.

~~*~~

Rodney Talbot stood in the doorway of the rundown pub in Cardiff, his collar pulled up around his throat. He glanced up and down the road before slipping into the shadows and ghosting along the street. Being on the run was hard on his stomach the acid churning and burning constantly. He had tried to make Stevie run away to Wales with him but she had refused and had been taken in her own warehouse trapped like a rat. Rodney had chosen to abandon everything, running light and free so he could duck and weave, play hide and seek with the Auror forces that were all looking for him. Hell, his picture had also been on the front page of the Prophet. Even the general citizenry knew what he looked like and appearance altering charms only went so far. Still, he didn't think anyone would be looking for him in Wales - of all places - and it was well known that the British werewolves did not speak to the Welsh werewolf packs on any subject at all.

At the end of the street he looked left and right then began to hurry across the road when a truck careened around the corner and almost slammed into him.

"You fucking moron!" he yelled as the driver slewed to a halt and wound down the window to glare at him.

"I'm not standing in the middle of the road on a Cardiff street at ten pm when half the wizarding world is looking for me, and all the werewolf world wants to tear out your throat, Mr Auror Talbot, Sir!" the grin was wide and predatory, showing more teeth than was humanly possible. "Oh, no, no, no, no, - expelliarmus - can't have you popping off too soon, now can we, boyo! Let me give you a lift now; into the truck with you, my lad."

Talbot began to back away but the side door slid open and two large hairy men stepped out and grabbed him, tossing him bodily into the truck and following him in. The door slammed shut, the truck took off amid their laughter and Talbot knew he was doomed."

~~*~~

The place was white, everything was white. He blinked hard but found he couldn't move a muscle. A whine rose in his throat when he discovered he was in a full body bind but then movement to his right made his clamp down on his panic.

"Remy, can you hear me?" The white was defeated by the black, and a dearly familiar and very concerned face swam into focus over him.

"Sev? What's happening, why can't I move? Where am I?"

"Hush Remy, it's alright, everything is as it should be. You were broken, so we brought you to Romania - to the La Lupus Infirmus - and they have almost finished fixing you. They said you should stay in the body bind for another few hours before they would let you out. I thought it was too soon but I am most impressed with your powers of recuperation."

Remus laughed rustily. "Yeah, I'm a werewolf, remember, one of the few compensations transition confers on you. Oh! They broke my legs so I would have a harder time getting to attack Shacklebolt. I didn't, did I?"

"No, Love, your very clever beta female figured out how to find you, and got you out before Moon. We owe your pack - all the werewolves - a huge debt of gratitude, one I will never be able to repay. So, you lie still and just get better so we can both get out of this white bright hell of a place."

There was silence for a few moments then Remus sighed. "They broke my wand." He sighed gustily again and blinked a few times. "I didn't have much left from my parents but that was one of them."

"Oh, don't, please don't cry, Remy. I saved the bits, well most of them but it is beyond repair. We'll get you a new wand as soon as you are fit to travel. They make great wands in Germany and that is just across the border."

"Okay," Remus would have nodded if he could. "But if we are in Romania, who filled out the travel permits with the Ministry? Werewolves can't leave the country without a permit and shipping orders, you know?"

Severus threw back his head and laughed. "Who gives a toss, Remus Lupin? The Ministry can go copulate with a dragon, for all I care at this point. You concentrate on getting better and leave the smaller details to me, you fool."

Remus smiled and shut his eyes, drifting back to sleep content.

~~*~~

Daily Prophet Wednesday 4^th May

Rogue Auror Found Dead

The last remains of the rogue Auror Rodney Talbot were today found on the front steps of the Ministry building. He had been carefully prepared for potions ingredients; bones cleaned and dried, skin tanned and folded. His vital organs were carefully preserved in jars and labelled ready for sale while his head had been preserved whole, brain still intact and identifiable.

When asked to comment, the Minister said this atrocity would not go unpunished and the top Auror investigators were already on the job.

Divisional Inspector Weasley - when questioned on this point - said he had put his best people on the job. He also added that being treated like potion ingredients was poetic justice as the charges Talbot had fled had included murdering non-humans and treating their bodies for potion ingredients.

Our reporter then asked if the Aurors thought that the werewolves were involved in this atrocity. Divisional Inspector Shacklebolt said not that he knew of and that not many werewolves knew how to make potion ingredients.

Arbiter Gordon Campbell of the Isle of Cardoul said there were no teeth marks on the body so he didn't think any of his people were responsible. When asked to clarify, it was stated that the Arbiter was Chief Commissioner of the Isle of Cardoul's own Aurory and was visiting the capital in relations to the murder of his people.

Our reporter can only conclude that Talbot ran afoul of the smuggling ring recently headed by his wife who was arraigned before the Wizengamot yesterday for smuggling and tax evasion. See page three for further details.

"Huh! I hope he rots in hell," Malcolm grunted after listening to the news article. "You know what, I am determined to become a politician and bloody well force the laws to recognise us as real people!"

"Yes, I know the feeling," Andy sighed and blinked at the sun coming through the trees they sprawled under. "That's all we can do too, work for the changing of the laws in any way we can. I was thinking of becoming a barrister actually, and work on the law rather than the politics."

"Well, between us we can certainly try to make a difference," Malcolm said, stroking her hair back and dropping a kiss on her forehead. "I wonder when the Alpha is coming back, and - much as I never thought to say this - when is he bringing Snape back? If I have to endure that idiot Marsha Collendrick for one more potions lesson, I will scream! She is hopeless! We sometimes wonder if she can read never mind brew. Snape is going to go spare when he gets back and sees the crater in his dungeon floor where she had us add fulminate of Mercury instead of Mercury salts and half the cauldrons chain blew." There was a dead silence then the whole group burst into sniggers of laughter at the remembered disaster. "Gods, did you see her face when she saw the damage? She knew Snape would kill her as soon as he found out, and then she made it worse by trying to mend it. What a comedy of errors!"

"DADAs not much better. Professor Lupin lets us work with real dangers like zombie rats and night mares but Susan Goldstein makes us read theory with no practical work what so ever. She's hopeless!" Lisa complained, chewing on a piece of grass. "Oh well, rumour says they will be back by the end of this week. I only hope that's true!"

~~*~~

"Will you please slow down? I did not spend two horrendous weeks sitting in a damned hospital for you to bust another gut by dashing around the first day you are allowed out of the hospital! Is that understood, Lupin? I will not have it!"

Remus laughed and allowed Severus to wrap a long arm about his waist and help him into the carriage he had arranged to take them to the wand makers. "Oh, I love it when you get all stern and masterish."

Snape narrowed his eyes then smirked as the driver twitched nervously. "I'll master you yet, you bloody nuisance. Please take care, Love; I do assure you I really don't want you to injure yourself in high spirits."

"I know I'm just happy to be out in the fresh air again. There was one point when I didn't think I was going to ever see the sky again," Remus confessed sheepishly as the carriage pulled up outside a small, unpretentious doorway with a small sign saying 'Wands' in German. "Is this it? It's not like Ollivander's is it?"

"No, it's not, in more than just looks too. Come on in, you will be surprised," Snape promised as he helped his partner down the carriage stairs and up to the glass door. As they approached, the glass slid aside and they were invited into the well lit and open planned interior. A young witch in the robes of the shop hurried forward and led them to a comfortable booth where an older man shook their hands and offered them both seats.

"I am Johann Wagner, and I am your wand technician for the day. What can I help you with?"

Remus carefully pulled out the wrapped bundle of splinters his wand had been reduced to, laying the cloth on the table carefully. "It had a slight accident."

"I would say - by the damage - that it was broken over someone's knee with malicious strength and extreme prejudice, folded in half and stamped upon repeatedly. Yes, not pleasant for you to watch. So, do you feel a similar wand would be useful or do you think you have outgrown that one?"

"Show him what you have available for werewolves. Ollivander's stock is never particularly large for non-humans." Severus nodded to a large section of the shop marked Werewolf.

"Of course, of course, come and see what there is, something might call out to you." The man rose and watched keenly as Severus helped Remus to his feet, hovering protectively within arms-length as Remus slowly followed their guide past shelf upon shelf of wands in a thousand different styles and materials.

Finally Severus shook his head and guided him to the racks of holly wands, making him perk up a little. "Lupin, you need a wand, and you need one that is going to suit you immediately. Now will you please stop mourning the broken and look at the current selection.

Remus blinked then sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, I'm just.... I had better sit down for a moment." He allowed Severus to help him and took the offered tea gratefully. "Why don't you go and see if there's anything to interest you, Sev, while I am recovering."

Shaking his head, Snape glared at the werewolf then nodded curtly, taking his dismissal in good part. "I'll just be over there," he said flatly and wandered off.

"He means well," Remus told the technician ruefully. "Look, I am a creature of habit and I liked my wand, it suited me to the ground and we'd been through a lot together. I had it repaired on a number of occasions because it was perfect for my needs. If it is really beyond repair, do you have something similar?"

The technician handled the remains of the wand gently then smiled at the anxious man opposite him. "I think I know what will suit you," he said and disappeared into the back of the shop, bringing out a flat case containing four wands. "Here, these four are all of similar properties, minor tweaks and tightening, but essentially the same. See what you think."

At first glance Remus thought it was his own wand quadrupled then small, subtle differences made their presence known. The first was too rough on his fingers, feeling prickly and unpleasant. The second seemed to be curved slightly and felt 'off' when he aimed. The third and fourth were pretty good, hardly a hair between them in his hands. Wagner grinned as the small man caressed both wands, biting his lip indecisively. "We can go out to the testing range if you like, and give them both a try. You can't know until you give it a go."

"I think I will," Remus agreed, picking up both wands.

Severus was at his side immediately, loaning an arm to help him out. On the range, he stood back just enough to give Remus room to cast but no further, hoping he didn't exhaust himself. Remus had no concept of just how ill he had been and just how fragile he still was. The healers at the Infirmus had been reluctant to let him go with Severus on this expedition, but as Severus had told them, he would heal a lot quicker if he had his wand and was not worrying about it all the time. They had finally given permission, but with dire warnings and threats of retribution, if anything untoward occurred.

Oblivious to his partner's distress, Remus gripped the first wand and tentatively cast lumos. He then tried Wingardium Leviosa and finally Finite incantatem then tried with other wand, switching between them at random. Gradually he grew more vigorous in his spell casting until one of the wands failed to perform and he did a fast hand-switch which made Johann clap in admiration, using the second wand to blast the target he was aiming at.

Severus shook his head, his own duelling wand out just in case Remus failed. When he realised he was armed and battle ready, he took a few steps to calm himself before resettling his robes and glaring at his partner in disgust. "I thought I told you not to exhaust yourself," he complained as Remus panted.

"You have to test these things. And this is the right one, and that one failed! Imagine if it did that in battle, or class, then how would I manage?" Remus justified his choice then grinned. "What on earth have you got there?"

"Oh this? It's a novelty item, I think, odd little thing, isn't it?" Severus showed his partner the tiny wand, barely six inches long and curved into an arc.

"Ah, that's a doubling wand," Johann said knowledgably. "The wielder is in contact with the core - no grip, see - and it has a folded core so there is actually four times as much core material as a conventional wand. Give it a try," he encouraged cheerfully.

Sceptically, Severus cast lumos and nearly blinded himself. He tried the simple spells that were usually just too much hard work for him but they all came out perfectly fine. Daringly, he cast a hex that made Johann blanch and Remus shake his head in exasperation, the results everything he could possibly want. "Oh, I like this! It's not as fast as my black wand but the end result is spectacular! I'll take it. I might even register it," he gloated, staring down at the insignificant looking thing gleefully. "Oh yes, I'll take this one."

"And I'll take this one," Remus said not quite so enthusiastically but with a certainty.

"And see what you can do with his old one too, will you? At least put it back together if possible," Severus said gently as Remus cast a sad eye over the splintered remains.

"It will never work properly again," Johann warned uneasily.

"For sentimental reasons, that is not important," Severus assured him as he curved an arm around Remus' shoulders as the werewolf looked pathetically grateful. "Come on, you foolish werewolf, you have exhausted yourself and are only fit for sleeping again."

Galleons changed hands behind Remus' back and he was hurriedly settled into the carriage and whisked away to the hotel to rest again.

~~*~~

The journey home to Hogwarts was by portkey that terminated in Professor Dumbledore's office. He greeted them both like long lost relatives, enfolding Remus in a very careful hug and Severus in a much more vigorous one. "I am so glad to see you both again; a month is far too long to be gone! And Remus, you are looking so much better. We all feared for you, my boy," he added sincerely.

"I'm pretty hard to kill," Remus said shyly, settling carefully into the chair the headmaster offered. "How is my pack surviving?"

"Wonderfully well; Andrea is a tower of strength to the young ones, and Malcolm takes great care of them. When transition was upon them in May they took the Wolfsbane you sent, Severus, and went to the Pack Hall without any problems. Minerva thought she might have to chaperone them but your Alpha Prime sent a Matilda Beaumont down to share Moon with them and they were well cared for."

"Ghost is a very nice woman and would be good for Andrea," Remus assured the Headmaster.

They chatted cheerfully for a few more minutes while drinking their tea before Dumbledore folded his hands over his robe and sighed deeply. "Well, there is nothing for it, Severus, but to say it plainly. Your substitute blew up your classroom and put quite a big hole in the floor. I volunteered to break the news to you before you saw the damage and ... where are you going?"

"I'm going to kill her," Severus said grimly, hurrying out of the door and down the stairs.

"I don't think he will really hurt her," Remus said anxiously, rising to follow his mate.

"No, he definitely won't. I managed to ship her out yesterday, just in case," Dumbledore twinkled as an unearthly howl split the air from the direction of the dungeons.

"He is such a drama queen at times," Remus grinned mischievously and Dumbledore joined in his laughter.