A Lesson in Werewolves
One-Shot
Written by: chochowilliams
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters, places or names. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Summary: The war is over. Hogwarts is in the midst of being rebuilt but enough of it is complete for students to resume their studies. Among those returning are Harry and his friends. Once back, he learns about an extracurricular class being taught by an American named Leila Schmale that is open to all seventh and so-called eighth year students. Today's lesson: werewolves.
Warning: General, 8th-year, OFC, Talking of werewolves and vampires
Pairings: implied Harry/Ginny, implied Ron/Hermione
Inserts: -
A/N: The original character within the story is Leila Schmale. She is an American expert in the field of preternatural creatures such as weres, vampires, etc. Her extracurricular class is a combination of Defense Against the Dark Arts (minus the "Dark Arts" part) and Care of Magical Creatures. Also, everybody knows-or you should-that despite the fact that fiction authors refer to males who can perform magic as wizards or sorcerers, etc., in reality they are witches. The term "witch" is a gender neutral term and does not only refer to females. Therefore in this story, Leila will refer to all magical peoples as witches, which I am using as American terminology. Lastly, I do not use a Beta so any mistakes are mine and mine alone. Also, please keep in mind that I am American and as such, the British characters of Harry Potter will inevitably reflect that. This is just a short little drabble. Hope you enjoy it.
oOo
"Believe it or not, I know a man-a middle school science teacher back home-who became a werewolf due to a blood transfusion," Professor Leila Schmale said.
This statement was met with a mixture of reactions. There were those-mostly purebloods-who had idea what a blood transfusion was and as a result were completely lost. For those who did understand, there was stunned silence from some and cries of belief from the rest.
"How is that even possible?" asked a skeptic from the back of the classroom.
"Easily actually," Professor Schmale answered. "Let me explain what exactly a blood transfusion is for those who might not know what it is.
"As you all know, or should, Muggles are non-magical beings so they have to make do without. Right? So, when they, say, get into an accident and loose a lot of blood, they cannot rely on a blood replenisher as we would."
"Why not?" demanded someone that sounded suspiciously like Draco Malfoy, but when Professor Schmale swept her gaze in the blond pureblood's direction, he had a bored expression on his face.
"They're muggle, you great git. That's why," Ronald Weasley called back.
"Ronald," Hermione Granger hissed from besides her boyfriend.
While Harry Potter snickered quietly behind the pair, from besides him Ginny clucked her tongue.
"Right you are Mr. Weasley," Professor Schmale said. The smug expression on Ron's face lasted all of one second before the American professor said, "Five points for language."
The Gryffindors groaned. Someone even tossed a wad of paper at the ginger-haired teen's head.
"Instead, they have transfusions via IV tube. By the way," Professor Schmale added as an aside, "if you are interested in knowing more about blood transfusions, there are some books in the library about the topic. Just ask Madam Anderson."
The previous librarian, Madam Pince had decided not to return to Hogwarts once the school reopened. Nobody was sure why.
"Now," Professor Schmale continued, pausing momentarily to take a sip of water, "normally, Muggles are pretty particular when it comes to blood; you cannot be sick or have an infection or even be on any medications who are sick for example, but of course since they don't believe in the existence of werewolves-"
"They wouldn't know to screen for the virus," Ginny finished.
"Right you are, Ms. Weasley. You see, my friend was in a terrible car accident that nearly killed him. He was transported to the hospital where he underwent surgery and-a blood transfusion."
"Which was tainted with the werewolf virus," Harry was easily able to determine.
"Yes."
"Your friend is a muggle right?" Hermione asked with her hand waving in the air.
"Correct."
"I heard Muggles cannot handle the violent transformation," Blaise Zabini said from the other side of the classroom.
Professor Schmale shrugged. "Some do. Some do not. Muggle. Witch. Young. Old. Female. Male. It doesn't matter. None of that has anything to do with whether or not you survive the initial transformation or not."
"So just because a muggle is bitten-or however the virus is transmitted, it doesn't mean that he will be torn apart his first full moon," Parvati Patil asked from behind Harry.
"Correct, Ms. Patil."
"What about natural-born werewolves?" Seamus asked from the back of the classroom.
"No such thing," Professor Schmale answered without pause. "At least not yet."
"Or that you are aware of," Ron muttered. Hissing at the elbow in his side, his rubbed at the sore spot and glared at Hermione who was blatantly ignoring him.
"Or that I am aware of," Professor Schmale corrected with a smile towards Ron who looked both smug at being correct and embarrassed at having been overheard.
"Why is that Professor? Can female werewolves not get pregnant?" Lavender Brown asked.
"Oh, no, Ms. Brown. They can. It is just that the transformation is so violent that any female weres pregnant at the time they transform end up miscarrying. I know a woman who has had three miscarriages. Currently, she is pregnant for the forth time. In fact, she is four months along: the farthest she has ever been."
Immediately, Hermione's hand was in the air. "But how is that even possible? If the transformation is too violent-"
"This is due to the successful transfer of her beast to her fellow pack members."
A sea of blank faces stared back at her.
"'Beast', Professor?"
An image of Remus flashed through Harry's head. "A split personality," he muttered.
"What was that Mr. Potter?" Professor Schmale asked.
"Well, this 'beast' you're talking about is the were right? In this case a wolf."
"Correct."
"It's-trapped within the human, but when he transforms, it is the beast…bursting forth."
"Precisely."
"So in essence, it's almost like a split personality."
Professor Schmale frowned in thought before nodding. "I've never heard it described like that, but-yes, I suppose it could be."
"But why a 'beast' professor?" Neville inquired.
"That is what most weres describe it as. Their beast."
"Mooney," Harry whispered.
Understanding flashed across his friends' faces.
"The beast varies depending on what species of were a particular person is. It varies even more within a species, much like human appearances."
"There are more than just werewolves?" Ron asked incredulously.
"Of course there are."
"Wicked," Ron exclaimed.
"Rats. Leopards. Lions. Hyenas. Believe it or not, I even met a swan. He was a natural born were in fact," Professor Schmale said of the were-swan. "Some of the lions were as well. They are the only species to date-that I am aware of-that procreate. I am not sure how the fetuses can survive the transformation whereas other species cannot. Obviously it has something to do with magic, but what and how is beyond our current knowledge."
By the expression Harry caught on Hermione's face, he had a feeling he knew what her senior thesis was going to be.
"It is much like how vampires are able to rise from the dead every night," Professor Schmale continued. "It is magic, maybe a type of natural necromancy. At sunrise, they literally die; their souls leave their bodies, though their bodies remain in a kind of stasis. Then at sundown, their souls return and they are resurrected. Now, the newly undead male vamps can impregnate human females, and unlike most were-species, can and have passed on the vamp gene to their offspring. It is called Vlad Syndrome and it is potentially life threatening to the mother. But we will be talking more about that later in the year.
"What I want to talk about now-"
"Actually, Professor," Harry interrupted, "I wanted to ask you more about a were's beast."
"Of course."
Harry hesitated, not entirely comfortable with speaking about Remus' "furry little problem", but he was genuinely curious about the whole subject. He wanted to learn as much as he could as much for Teddy as for himself.
Noticing his hesitance, Professor Schmale suggested, "Why don't you stay after class and we can talk more?"
"Sure, Professor," Harry thanked the woman in relief.
Professor Schmale inclined her head at the eighteen year old.
Harry gave Ginny a smile as she reached across the desk and gave his hand a squeeze.
"Now, for homework…"
oOo
Harry took his time packing his things as he waited for the classroom to empty, but finally the last of them trickled out, leaving him alone with Professor Schmale. Ron, Hermione and Ginny had wanted to remain behind, but Ginny and Hermione had another class and even though Ron had a free period, he knew enough not to push it when Harry told him to go ahead.
"So, Mr. Potter," Professor Schmale said, turning away from the chalkboard she had been cleaning. "I assume you want to speak to me about Remus Lupin."
"Yes, ma'am," Harry confirmed with a nod.
Professor Schmale perched on the edge of her desk, one leg hitched while the other stood straight. "You were close to Professor Lupin." It was not a question.
"Yes. He and my dad and my godfather were best friends."
Nodding, Professor Schmale hummed. "Do you happen to know how or who infected him?"
Harry shook his head. "Not really. It's not something he ever talked about."
"That's not so unusual."
Having slid into the front row seat previously inhabited by Hermione, Harry twiddled his fingers as he gathered his thoughts. "I know he was a kid," Harry explained slowly. "And that Fenrir Greyback was responsible."
"He was lucky to survive."
Harry was not so sure that Remus would have agreed.
"I know I said in class that you don't necessarily need to be a witch to survive the transformation."
"Right."
"But children are another matter. Whether witch or muggle, they very rarely survive the initial attack let alone the first change. But between muggle and witch, though, a magical individual is more likely to survive."
"Makes sense."
Professor Schmale settled more firmly onto the desk. "The fact that Greyback was responsible for infecting Lupin is very telling. I may be from the States, but even I know of his reputation."
There was not a single person in the British Isles that did not know who Fenrir Greyback was. The notorious werewolf with an insatiable hunger for young flesh. The modern day boogeyman that parents used to keep their children in line. Who spent so much time in werewolf form that he was unable to transform fully back.
Harry'd had no idea that Greyback's reputation had seeped beyond the borders.
"It would also explain why Lupin never accepted the fact that he was a werewolf."
Now Harry was lost. "What? I mean…I-"
"He took wolfsbane didn't he?"
"Well, yes, but isn't that normal?"
Professor Schmale gave Harry a sad little smile that had him frowning. "Not, it isn't."
"But-"
"I haven't been in Britain long, but I've been here long enough to realize that a good percentage of British weres do in fact take wolfsbane. And like I said, that is not normal. What it is is a sign that they have not learned to control their beast."
Harry sat back with a frown. "But wolfsbane allows-it subdues the…the beast," he finished with sudden realization.
Professor Schmale nodded. "Precisely." Standing up, she took the empty chair at the desk besides Harry's. "Look, Harry, a werewolf needs a pack-others like himself-for a variety of reasons. They are a support system, family. They can also teach you control. If a werewolf does not learn control, does not learn to dominate the beast within him, he becomes a danger to both himself as well as others. He is a mindless beast."
Harry knew exactly what she meant. He had come face to face with the very beast she described in his third year.
He shuddered violently.
"I can assume that because of who infected him, Lupin was afraid that acceptance meant he would become exactly like Greyback."
Harry dropped his head, staring at the basilisk carved into the wooden surface of the desk, but not seeing it. "The only werewolf Remus knew was the one who turned him, so he automatically assumed that all weres were just like him." Harry's heart felt heavy.
"Exactly." Professor Schmale quietly studied the teen before her. "But the sad fact is…Lupin was more of a danger than his sire. Greyback had control over his beast from what I know of him; he just did not care. Remus-did not."
Harry's chest felt tight.
"Yes, there is wolfsbane but…it is a Band-Aid where surgery is necessary. It's a temporary solution."
"Besides," Harry spoke up, his voice barely above a whisper, "you could forget to take it."
Professor Schmale nodded. "You could."
Harry stared out the windows at the clear blue sky.
Remus never accepted the fact that his "furry little problem" was more than just an inconvenience once a month. He lived his life in denial. It was a miserable existence that Harry got to witness firsthand.
"If Remus had accepted what he was," Harry said into the silence, "…he could have…" Harry stopped that thought right in its track. Shaking his head, Harry forced a smile on his face, pushed aside his growing melancholy and got to his feet. "Thanks, Professor. I appreciate it."
Professor Schmale inclined her head. "You're very welcome."
She watched Harry shoulder his bag before making his way across the classroom. "Mr. Potter," she called out to him. "If you ever have any questions or just want to talk, my door is always open."
Harry smiled his thanks before vanishing into the silent corridors.
…The End
A/N: The part about Vlad Syndrome was not taken from "Twilight" in case you are wondering. All the information used here about weres, as well as vampires, was taken from the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. I base all my beliefs on the supernatural/preternatural (for the most part) from her as they pretty much mesh with my own.