CHAPTER 1: Fallen Brother, Fallen Husband

Bill lay in his hospital bed the cuts on his face searing with pain. It was a full moon tonight and he was terrified of the change. He had no idea if he would follow the call of the wolf but he had taken the potion supplied by his beloved friend Remus since his fight with Fenrir Greyback just in case. He was always left with a blank memory and a horrible headache. He remembered his family crying as he was stretchered out of the great hall and port-keyed to St Mungos. Why were they crying? He was fine, just old wounds opening up again.

He leant back heavily and took in a deep breath as he remembered his second and final fight with the werewolf that had scarred him for life. He had won but he had several more scars this time and he was terrified that that had done it. He was going to change tonight. He had been in the hospital for a week now, with no visitors, which was worrying him. But he guessed it was for their protection to see if he changed. Struggling up he grasped the mug of steaming purple-blue potion and swallowed it down in one. Grimacing as it burned down his flesh he fastened the manacles on his wrists and ankles and waited starring out the circular window into the clear full mooned sky.

Suddenly his wrists began burning as if the restraints were made of fire burned steel and he felt his akin ripple with waves of agony searing from the numerous healing wounds on his body. He tried to hold in his screams as the bones in his face augmented into a sharp snout and piercing eyes. He felt his skin burn from beneath to dissolve into dark rough fur all over his body. Thrashing against the bed his back arched and he heard the creak of the steel bending to his will. The manacles wouldn't hold him for much longer. The bed now at right angles to itself toppled to its side the chains snapping with the force. Bill shuddered all over as the full transformation took hits hold. He starred at the window in the ceiling his dark eyes suddenly aware of the violent light of the moon. He threw his head back and howled.

….

The next morning he found himself curled in the corner of the room hiding from the small amount of light peering through the skylight. His head throbbed with pain as the hospital door key was scraped open from the outside. He squinted his eyes towards the bright lights of the hallway focusing on the silhouette moving towards him. Slowly he recognised her gentle sway as she carried a small tray and placed it on the table.

"Oh Bill" she sighed "we tsought –zat you might 'ave been ok. The cell was jus' a precautions remember?"

Her voice was slightly accented but soft. A name flickered in his mind. He squinted as he tried to focus his newly human eyes. He gasped with thirst then his stomach rumbled with hunger as he smelt the warm meal on the table. Trying to move onto his hands and knees he felt his body creak as his skin moved over his sore muscles and bones. As he stretched he heard his spine crackle and click as he moved forward step by step. Pulling himself up his body protested causing him to wince. He had heard that the first change was hard but this was unlike anything he was prepared for. It didn't help that he was already injured from the battle. How much time had passed he wasn't sure. He had this ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach that there was something very wrong.

"Fleur?" he questioned testing the name on his lips, his voice cracking "what day is it"

She smiled weakly starring into his eyes; Bill could tell she was trying not to look at his scarred face, taking a deep breath she muttered something quietly which the throbbing in his head muffled out.

"-about a week" she repeated at his reaction "we found you under a pile of wolves, we had to quarantine you just to be safe"

"Did we-" He left the question unfinished but Fleur understood his meaning

"Yes" she breathed holding his face in the palm of her hands "your family want to see you, so eat something ok?"

Slowly she backed away trying to hold her tears back, knowing that the man she had married would never be the same. The marks on his face would scare people and they would remind him every day that the horrors he had witnessed and endured would never leave him. The fact that he had survived the battle didn't comfort her. She knew there was a much larger fight coming. And she didn't know if she could cope with that.

Looking at the doctor shestole away her fears waiting to hear the verdict.

"his transformation was severe Mrs Weasley, Full Ware status. But as temperament goes the potion seemed to calm him greatly. Use of this should keep the ferocity at bay when he transforms at home. His recognition was quicker than most I've seen after a first transformation but that most likely due to the virus already being in his system from the previous attack. Your husband will be clear to come home with you in a couple of days. I'd recommend not telling him of the battle's losses until the whole family are there to support him. It is imperative that he does not feel alone right now. He needs to feel connected."

She nodded thinking of the extra securities she had built both magical and physical at shell cottage since the war hoping they would be enough. Her animagus form; a white wolf, she hoped would help him like the marauders had so many nights with Remus Lupin. Looking into herself she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Fleur" came the comforting voice of her mother in law "how is he?"

Suddenly she spun around tears streaming down her cheeks, she clutched he closest surviving family.

"Why Molly?" she asked "Did ze war haf to take so many?" her words were muffled by the jumper she hid in but Bill still heard from his Cell like room.

He sat at the table finishing his food. His hearing acutely sharp due to his change he heard everything. His hands shaking he forced himself to eat the now luke warm soup on the small table. Looking to the mangled bed in the middle of the room he shuddered. He must be something ferocious to do something that severe to a metal bed. His hearing pricked up at the sound of her sobs. Was he that horrible? Was his wife so scared of him because of what e became. Suddenly Bill couldn't catch his breath. His chest was tight and the air he got seemed to burn his chest. The room felt so small and the air in it was too small.

I cant breathe, I need to get out, to run away. The skylight…maybe I could break it open… the table

His thoughts were sporadic not really making sense to him. The only thing he was certain of was the desperate need to be outside. His fear and anger was overwhelming him. He felt his skin once again rippling as it did before the change. Growling within himself he was startled as a full throated roar escaped his tense lips causing him to propel himself over the back of his char with the violence of his spine bending and stretching. He was now on top of the mangled bed his skin torn yet still attached. His roar escaped from a newly jutting jaw and his shoulders were set further apart than usual goving way to thick muscular arms which were not exactly human. Reaching up he was surprised how easy it was to reach the skylight with his new form. He pulled the magical lock open with ease and he clambered out onto the roof. Standing now to his full height he breathed deeply letting the cold air above the city of London fill his lungs. He no longer felt restricted, he felt free. Without looking back he stretched his legs out into a run and sped off over the rooftops looking for some stretch of green. Somewhere untainted by war and violence. Somewhere pure. Somewhere clean.