Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Chapter Two

The Cure

Harry smiled at Hermione as she entered the room. The four of them shared a flat in the middle of London, as Harry was loathe to enter Grimmauld Place and none of them had a house yet. Harry hoped they would soon have houses of their own. It was very difficult to have his wicked way with his wife when her brother was on the other side of the corridor.

"Morning Harry. Where's the coffee?"

Harry grinned.

"You'll have a hard job. Your husband finished it."

Ron entered with a steaming mug of coffee in his hand.

"Scumbag." Hermione said, throwing herself down into a chair.

Ron shrugged.

"Right, I'm on strike. I'm not going to chase after Zann again. I'm fed up of getting beaten up." Ron moaned.

"Count your blessings. I was nearly sliced to ribbons by Uri." Ginny said, sitting down with a cup of tea.

Hermione yawned.

"We'll see what Sirius has to say for himself."

Harry made a sour face.

"If he wants Zann caught, he can go and do it himself. He should stop getting us to do it, then blaming us when it all goes wrong."

Ginny smiled at her husband.

"Sweetheart, he just wants peace."

"And I want him to stop blaming us. It's not as if we let Zann escape!"

Ron looked at his brother in law.

"You know, you and Sirius always used to get on brilliantly. What happened?"

Harry frowned.

"I don't know. We were fine until Idalma came along. She then took us back to the way things were before the war. I think it made him angry to see that things like that still hadn't stopped. So, he just kept getting more and more vicious to Dark Arts users. And he sees us as failing to stop the Dark Arts because Zann keeps escaping us."

"He thinks we aren't doing our job properly?" Ginny asked.

"Well, that's what Lupin thinks anyway. He says Sirius thinks we're letting Zann escape all the time so we have something to do, so we don't get bored."

Hermione growled.

"As if we'd do that. We've seen what Dark wizards can do. We saw what Voldemort did during the war. Hagrid, Neville, Dumbledore, Cedric, Winky and all those others, we watched die, and he thinks we don't want to stop the people who do that for a living?"

"He's being stupid. Daraala's furious with him." Ginny said.

"She's not the only one." Harry growled.

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They jumped out of the fireplace as they entered the Ministry of Magic building. Now totally rebuilt following the war and the terrorist threat that followed, the statue in the centre of the Fountain of Magical Brethren had now changed. Wizards, witches, centaurs, elves, goblins and all sorts of other species now all stood shoulder to shoulder, showing the unity that was meant to exist between all magical races.

"Morning Susan." Hermione said.

Susan, a friend from Hogwarts, former member of the DA, and member of the Order of the Phoenix greeted them cheerfully.

"Atris is in today."

Harry was shocked.

"She's meant to be off sick. Have you seen her recently?"

"She said she had some things to do this morning. She looks worse than ever Harry."

The five of them entered the lift and headed down to their floor.

"Oh and I would not go into the misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office if I were you." Susan warned as they got out.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Someone took it upon themselves to enchant a hoover. The things going berserk. Junk everywhere, papers all over the place, the thing was firing sparks last thing I heard."

Then, right in front of them, a door burst open, and a large, purple Dyson hoover shot past, Willy Woodroy, the hapless head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, being dragged along by the things power cable.

"You don't see that every day." Ginny stated as they entered the Auror office.

Susan waved goodbye as she went to her own office in Magical Law Enforcement, while the four headed deeper into their own office.

"Morning you lot." Ernie said as he read a report.

"What's that about?" Ginny asked, sitting down at her desk.

"The Exchange. Seemingly, they're dabbling in slavery now."

"Charming." Hermione said as she picked up a letter.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Ginny snapped.

"What's wrong Ginny?" Padma Patil asked as she entered the office.

"The blasted Syndicat. They've decided to rob a bunch of drugs from a muggle drug baron. Now, of course, those muggles have seen them use magic, have the drugs, and we've got to deal with the mess!"

Harry grinned. His desk was mercifully free from near exposures by the Dark Arts groups. Sirius entered then, looking bad tempered. Daraala looked furious and upset as Harry watched her enter her own office.

Sirius swept past them all and locked himself in his office.

"This is such a cheery department." Harry quirked.

The door flew open and Willy shot past on the hoover, which was now emitting fire from its suckers. It then shot back out the door and down the stairs, Willy screaming in fury and pain.

"Sad soul." Hermione said with a smile.

Seamus, who had arrived as soon as Willy had shot out, bent down to whisper to Harry.

"You realise the poor sod will be going up and down the Ministry on that thing all day?"

Parvati hissed as she read her own reports. Then Ron abruptly swore.

"What now?" Harry asked.

"Look at this! Know Guri, from Black Sun?"

"Nice looking chick, nice back side, blonde hair?" Justin asked as he sat down.

"Yeah, her! She went on a killing spree last night. Five young men dead just because they asked her a simple question!"

Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Well, I can imagine what sort of question that was. But still…"

Ron was swearing angrily as he picked up the phone to the Obliviator Department. Then, the door opened again. This time it was Atris. She looked terrible. About a year ago, she had contracted a mysterious illness. Nobody knew what it was. Now, she was barely recognisable. Her skin was now a sickly green colour. Her bright blue eyes, were now tinged with yellow and were dull. Her hair, normally full and vibrant, was lanky and unkempt. She trembled with every step, using her staff as a walking stick. She was incredibly shaky, none too steady, and looked as though she was withering away before their very eyes.

"Atris!" Harry exclaimed

Despite the fact that she had been signed off indefinitely due to ill health, he was quite pleased to see her. They had seen her only twice since she had come down with her illness, which the Ministry's doctors, nurses at St Mungos and even the great Madam Pomfrey were unable to explain.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione demanded.

"I work here." Atris said in a weary, pained voice.

"Atris, you can barely stand. Go home! Brisha is more than capable of leading Intelligence until you get better!" Ginny said.

"I want something to do! I'm going mad here! I'm not built for sitting at home and watching Neighbours, doctors and Murder She Wrote! I want to work!"

"You could always change the channel." Ron suggested.

Atris shot him a venomous glare, and Ron bowed his head.

"Atris!"

They all turned to see another member of the Order, and Atris' former handmaiden Brianna, who was an Auror.

"You're meant to be at home!"

"I wanted to come into work." Atris said defiantly.

"Atris, you aren't fit for work! You used to use your staff as a wand and to look intimidating. Now you use it as a walking stick!"

Atris sighed.

"I hate this!"

Harry felt an upsurge of sympathy for the woman. She didn't deserve this. As a former member of the Silent, the group that had been dedicated to stopping Phoenix, being brought low by an illness was very infuriating.

Brianna smiled.

"Kale isn't happy either."

Atris smiled.

Hermione looked at her.

"What did you do to him?"

"I turned his legs into tree stumps so he couldn't chase me and stop me coming in."

They laughed, and then the door banged open behind them.

"Don't you lot have work to do?" Sirius demanded.

Harry turned, furious.

"We're talking with a friend. I know that may be hard for you to understand, as you don't have any the way you've been acting recently, but we still do, so excuse us if we don't stop what we're doing just to keep you happy!"

All the way through his rant, he had ignored Ron, Hermione and Ginny shaking their heads in warning.

Sirius looked penetratingly at Harry.

"My office. Now!"

Sirius stormed into his office, Harry following in a rage behind him.

"That, you don't see everyday." Ernie said.

"When does Harry lose it like that?" Seamus asked.

"Fifth year." Ron said.

"And when I was angry at him for breaking up with me at the start of seventh year, and when I turned everyone against him because I thought he had betrayed me."

Verity, the former assistant of Fred and George's, and another Auror, entered.

"Well don't just stand there Let's find out what's going on!"

And with that, they all pressed their ears to Sirius' office door.

Sirius glared across at Harry.

"If you have a problem, you come and talk to me, you don't yell it out for the rest of the staff to see!"

"The rest of the staff already know you're being a complete and total arse! I just said what they've been longing to say since Idalma came along!"

"I wont be spoken to like that! If you lot aren't good enough to capture one Dark wizard, perhaps you'd be better off in another department!"

"We would be better off in another department, away from an arrogant jerk like you!"

"You father was always the same way! Always convinced he was right, but you, just like him, are wrong!"

Silence met these words. Harry glared at Sirius, his eyes beginning to swim. Then Harry whipped out his wand.

"Stupefy!"

Sirius was blown into the wall, and Harry slammed out of the office, knocking Seamus, Brianna and Verity off their feet in his temper.

"Harry!" Ginny called before following.

"Haven't you all got work to do?" Sirius yelled as he came out of the office.

That was a mistake. A golden staff hit his shins and took his legs out from under him.

"Sirius, I may be ill, but I can still spot an arsehole when I see one, and you're being one. So, unless you want me to find another Head of the Auror Department, I suggest you buck your ideas up!"

Sirius glared at her.

"You cant order me!"

"Oh yeah? Watch me. Intelligence has the right to take control of any department in the Ministry that isn't doing what its supposed to be doing, and that includes getting rid of its members! So, if you want to keep your job, I suggest you keep your temper under control!"

Sirius turned his back on her then slammed the door to his office.

"But he's right. Get some work done." Atris said softly.

Considering she was an ailing woman, no one disobeyed her. Brianna took Atris to the cantina to get some coffee, while the others set about doing some work. Ernie went to see Dobby and Togga, the House Elf leaders, about slavery of their race and where the Exchange might be getting them from, Ron went to clean up the mess Guri had left, Hermione went to Magical Law Enforcement to find out any new information, Parvati, Seamus, Padma and Justin went to try and stop a small Dark Arts group called Ring that had just sprang up, Demelza Robbins, the former member of Harry's Quidditch team, went to see about Desertwind, one of the larger group's latest activities, while Hannah Abbott, a former DA member, along with Terry Boot, another former DA member, went to Knockturn Alley to try and get some new information, leaving the werewolf Auror who had once saved Sirius, Daraala, Tonks and Lupin from Snape, Pettigrew and Lord Maleval, and Verity to deal with the paper work.

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Brisha snarled as it finished.

"what do we do about this then?"

Mr Weasley, the Minister for Magic, sighed, and looked at the Deputy Head of Intelligence.

"Call in the big guns. Expecto Patronum!"

Brisha smiled as his weasel Patronus shot through the air. Let's see what this lot thought of the Order of the Phoenix.

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Mrs Weasley looked at the mail. Yet again, she had been up yelling at first years at the back of one. Tonks had not been happy.

"Just think, a day of rest!" Mrs Weasley said.

Today, the first years were learning how to fly, and so were going to miss their Transfiguration lesson.

Madam Hooch sniffed.

"Easy for to say, I've got to deal with them now."

Trelawney then looked at Mrs Weasley.

"What is it dear?"

Mrs Weasley looked sourly at the letter in her hand.

"The ghost of aunts and uncles stupid acts coming to get me."

Flitwick peered up at the letter.

"Oh no. Not him again."

"Who?" Sprout asked.

"My mad cousin MacWeasley. Lets see what the old tartan dressed pillock has to say for himself this time… 'The time has come', 'come north for rebellion', surprise surprise, 'fight for freedom', 'liberate from oppressors', 'best sword in Scotland', 'insurrection', 'blood', 'claim to throne', the same old rubbish. He's mad. Mad as a mongoose. I hate it when he shows up."

The other staff smiled, when Mr Weasley's patronus shot into the Great Hall.

"He wants everyone at the Ministry." Slughorn said.

"Well, let's go then."

They all headed to McGonagall's office, which was the only room attached to the Floo Network, leaving the school in the charge of the Muggle Studies teacher Charity Burbage. They entered the office.

McGonagall was lying slumped against her desk, looking weary.

"Ah, Minerva."

They entered the room, to see tartan laces all over the place, porridge covering the door and walls, and two steaming haggises sitting on her desk.

"Am I to take it from your look of pie-eyed exhaustion, the porridge hanging off the walls, the haggises on your desk and the tartan all over the place, that my mad cousin MacWeasley has presented his credentials?"

McGonagall grinned.

"Oh yes. You just missed him. Quite the fellow! I'm as weary as a dog with no legs that just walked from John O'Groats to Land's End. He has quite the mighty weapon!"

"Thank you Minerva!" Flitwick squeaked.

She was pulled to her feet.

"Squeaky!" Tonks yelled.

Squeaky was the leader of the house elves at Hogwarts.

"Yes miss?" she asked.

"Clear up this mess would you?" Tonks asked.

"Yes miss."

Mrs Weasley shook her head.

"Mad!"

She threw a handful of floo powder into the fire.

"Ministry of Magic!"

With that, the thirteen Order members at Hogwarts headed to the Ministry, leaving the poor house elves to clear up the mess.

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She found Harry in the visitors entrance to the Ministry. His eyes were rather red. She kissed his wet cheek.

"You alright?"

Harry looked at her.

"I suppose."

"I cant blame you for yelling at him."

"He's being a jerk. I only said what the rest of you wanted to say."

Ginny nodded.

"He really upset you didn't he?"

Harry sighed.

"I'm used to people having a dig at my parents. Snape, Voldemort, Umbridge, people like that. Not my dad's best friend."

Ginny pulled him close and hugged him. Then, a patronus appeared.

"Balls."

"Your dad wants us. Come on."

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They all gathered in Mr Weasley's office.

"Now what?" Atris asked.

Mr Weasley wasn't listening. Mrs Weasley had just broken the news.

"Oh no, not MacWeasley."

He pulled himself together and turned to the Order.

"What's wrong Harry dear?" Mrs Weasley asked, sitting down.

"Sirius probably." Daraala said as he entered.

"What's wrong Arthur?" Atris asked.

"What are you doing here?" Sprout asked in concern.

"I work here." Atris said defiantly.

"You should be on sick leave." Mr Weasley said.

"Yeah, if we had the chance to go off work, we'd take it with both hands." Fred said.

Then, Kale appeared. He looked most annoyed, and his legs were indeed tree stumps.

"Atris!"

"Whoops, I forgot."

Atris lifted the charm.

"What do you think you're playing at? You're ill! Go home and rest! Don't come into work!"

Atris bristled.

"I will not be treated like a child! I don't want to sit in the house all day and vegetate! I want to do something!"

Brisha entered at that moment.

"Atris, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be resting. I'm quite capable of leading Intelligence in your absence."

Atris scowled.

"Stop mollycoddling me!"

Harry shook his head. She was reminding him of someone else who hated being blackmailed and not doing anything.

"Atris, I know. But we're doing to you what they always tried to do to me. They're trying to protect you. So let them!"

Silence met these words, in which Atris grumbled under her breath.

"Now, this is why we're all here. Brisha?"

Brisha dimmed the lights with her wand. It was a very odd wand. It had a large vine wrapped around it, that ended in several knots. Seemingly, according to her at least, it was a symbol from ancient Greece. She then flicked her wand at the TV.

A man, standing in front of a surgical lab in the middle of the sea, was speaking.

"Hold on, that's Dawlish!" George shouted.

Dawlish was Dolores Umbridge, the vicious dictator who had tortured Harry and taken over during the war, loyal deputy.

He was speaking.

"The war against Lord Voldemort is over. However, now, we face a new threat. A pox within our very society. Muggle-borns. These people pollute our society, undermining our values. These people only gained magic by chance. They have no business having magic. It belongs only to those of us of wizarding descent. So, it is with great pleasure, that I announce to those of you who are scared of these thieves and plunderers, that there is a solution. A cure. My friends, Dawlish Laboratories is pleased to announce that my scientists have been working since the war ended, to stop the threat of muggle-borns. My scientists have developed a way to stop magic surfacing in muggle-borns. So, please muggle-borns, for the good of the world you have thrown yourselves into, please come and be treated. Help us stop this before it gets ugly. Come to us, accept the cure, and prevent the world you entered through deceit and treachery from being thrown back into conflict."

"Well, what do you think of that then?" Mr Weasley asked.

Harry looked at Hermione. She was angrier than he had ever seen her, even when she had been Phoenix.

"A pox on society are we?" she demanded furiously.

Justin Finch Fletchey was angry too.

"Thieves and plunderers?"

"Deceitful and treacherous?" Colin Creevy demanded.

"Charming fellow." Slughorn said.

Hermione was on the edge of tears. Ron pulled her close to him and rubbed her back.

"What are we going to do about it? We cant let them get away with it." Said Charlie's wife Ekria.

"We won't let them." Harry said, squeezing Hermione's hand, which was shaking in anger.

"Very true. However, Dawlish knows what he's doing." Mr Weasley said.

"I thought he was in Azkaban?" Bill asked.

"Seemingly, dear old Umbridge left him a large amount in her will, seeing as he was the most loyal of her supporters and above all that, really the only one left at the time of her death. He used the money to get himself out of prison, then set up this company to research medicine. And now we see what sort of medicine it is."

"What can we do about it?" Grubbly-Plank, who had joined the Order, asked.

"Send the Fearsome Foursome to pay a visit I think." Brisha said with a smile.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Oh, alright. But only to keep Hermione happy." Ron said.

Hermione smiled feebly.

Sirius sat forward.

"You don't have the authority to send them…"

"Oh yes I do. I'm the Minister for Magic, so I can do pretty much whatever I damn well please. And that includes stuck up arseholes who are members of staff and who upset my son in law. So, if you want to keep your job Sirius, fix your attitude."

Sirius went quiet.

"Good. Now, Atris, go home and rest! Brisha is quite capable."

Atris fumed, but agreed.

"Rita, how long can you sit on this?"

Rita smiled grimly.

"No time."

"How not?"

"One of my reporters found out about it this morning. Even now people will be reading about it."

Mr Weasley rolled his eyes.

"Bugger."

He sighed.

"Right, we all have jobs to do. Now get to them! And Atris…"

Everyone turned to her in unison.

"Go home!"

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As predicted, the people were furious. Protestors lined up outside and inside the Ministry, denouncing the Cure. Riots broke out across the country, keeping Daraala and her team on their toes as they tried to sort it out. Violence was common place, as muggle-borns, and their supporters, showed their displeasure through very verbal means indeed. However, a small percentage of the population wanted the Cure. Donations from people who wanted rid of muggle-borns flooded Dawlish Laboratories. Outrage spread, and people demanded that the Ministry do something. Mr Weasley went to the press and publicly announced that he was disgusted by the entire idea of the thing. However, as Dawlish Labs had technically done nothing wrong, at least not yet, the Ministry couldn't act. And this made people even angrier.

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Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny arrived in Edinburgh, at South Queensferry. Above them was the red Forth Rail Bridge, and along the shore was the Forth Road Bridge, where they had fought Idalma the previous year. And then they saw it. The blocky white building on the island to the right of the rail bridge. Dawlish Labs. The place that had invented the Cure. They could see several people at the perimeter fence, shouting abuse and sporting signs. Muggles walking past took little notice, probably thinking they were protesting about the island being used for something rather than looking pretty.

"Come on." Harry said, and he Disapparated over the water to the island.

The lab had been set up on top of Inchgarvie island, on top of the mound of rock. Harry used the Auror's clearance to pass the security guards, ignoring the jibes of the protestors, then led the way up to the white building.

They entered the lab, and silence pressed on their ears. The room was brilliant white, hurting their eyes. A small woman typist was at a desk, drafting a report.

"You cant be in here!" she squeaked.

Harry grinned evilly.

"We've been sent by the Minister for Magic to investigate this place for illegal operations." He said.

"Do you have a warrant?" she asked, though she made a subtle movement to the guard who had followed them in to get him ready.

"Yes. And if you don't want your charming friend beaten up, call him off." Ginny said sweetly.

The woman nodded, and the man desisted. Ron showed her the warrant. She accepted it grudgingly.

"We want to see Dawlish." Hermione said in an angry voice.

The woman smiled.

"I'm afraid Mister Dawlish is not here."

Hermione snarled, and Ron squeezed her shoulder to calm her down. She never normally got this riled about being discriminated against.

"Well, you'll have to do. Show us around please." Harry said.

The woman looked to the guard, who nodded discreetly.

"Very well."

She took them through a door. A series of glass fronted rooms were on either side of them as they walked up the corridor, doctors and scientists working inside, perfecting strains of DNA, new medicines, and working on the Cure.

"There are three levels, this is level one. People here are working on cures for things like dragon pox and other such diseases. They're also trying to find out how to stop diseases spreading through the bloodstream."

"Fascinating." Hermione said dryly.

The woman led them up a flight of stairs.

"This is level two. We work here to produce items that can be used to help improve the lives of wizards across the globe."

"How do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Like weapons, I assume." Hermione answered waspishly.

The woman glowered, but did not retaliate. She then led them through another corridor of glass plated rooms, up the stairs and onto the next floor. This level was different. Rather than just one surgically white corridor with glass rooms going up and a flight of stairs at the end, this floor was a large circular affair, with only three doors. Two were small offices and sleeping quarters. The rest was one large, semi circular room, which was obviously where the cure had been developed. The group had come up into the room, and now a flight of stairs led further upwards. Hermione snarled. This was the floor that the Cure had been produced on.

"What's upstairs?" Ron asked.

"Offices. Down here are sleeping quarters for the scientists, as they rarely leave, they're son enthralled in their work. And of course, the main lab."

"Where they made a Cure for being muggle-born!" Hermione snapped.

"Yes." The woman said gloatingly.

Ron gently tugged Hermione away, as the woman began to recount the history of what had been done on that floor.

"What's wrong? You never normally get this steamed up about it."

Hermione fumed.

"It's just so unfair! We fought during the war! We fought and died just like everyone else! People like Justin, Colin, Dennis and me fought in the final battle! I even killed Lumiya, and Snape, to protect this world! And they repay muggle-borns, who shed their blood to try and get a better future, just like half bloods and pure bloods, by trying to get rid of them! Where's the justice in that?"

Ron pulled her towards him and hugged her.

"I know its not fair. And I promise, we're going to stop it. If it weren't for you, we'd probably still be fighting or be dead. You saved Harry, me and Ginny more than once."

Hermione smiled grimly.

"And killed everyone else once as well."

"That wasn't you either. And as I see it, they owe you for helping Harry destroy Phoenix, and wipe out a large bit of Voldemort's army."

Hermione sniffed.

"You created Operation Shadow Hand."

"Yes, but at the Battle of Earth, who was the one who transformed into a massive phoenix and cremate most of Voldemort's ranks?"

Hermione smiled. Ron kissed her.

"Come on. Let's find out what little miss important has to say for herself now."

"So, what else are you making in here, except the Cure?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing that someone like you would be able to understand." The woman said snidely.

"Watch who you're talking to." Harry snarled.

Ginny clasped his arm and held him back.

"So what are you making?" Ron demanded.

"None of your business. I assume you would like to see the Cure?"

Harry nodded curtly.

"And perhaps use it?"

Ron shot forwards: his resolve had finally cracked. He wasn't going to let anyone bully Hermione. Ginny held out her arm to hold him back.

"Calm down!" she snapped.

"It's not worth it." Hermione said quietly.

"But…"

He took a look at the miserable look on Hermione's face, and pulled her close to him.

"Very wise. This way."

They entered the lab. Two men in silver armour stood guard over a large, bulky man, who was engrossed in his work.

"Doctor." The woman said.

The man looked up. He was a tall, bulky man, with brown hair, and grey eyes. He smiled.

"Ah, more people eager to learn. Please, come in!"

He brought them inside.

"I am Doctor Akryt. Pleased to meet you all."

He showed them further in.

"This is where we make the Cure. You see, we isolate the cells inside a muggle-borns bloodstream, and then use the chemicals inside the Cure to destroy them, thus blinding them to magic."

"Very clever." Ginny said, impressed despite herself.

"Thank you!"

"Don't encourage it Ginny." Ron snapped, looking at the disgusted look on Hermione's face.

"I'm sorry. I just do as I am told. I greatly fiddling about with DNA and chemicals and the such like, but if I'm told to make something, I do it, I don't faf about not following orders. I just get it done. But I do have enormous fun into the bargain."

"So, you think muggle-borns should be cured do you?" Harry asked.

"No. I hold no ill will towards muggle-borns. However, Mr Dawlish wished me to make something that would blind muggle-borns to magic, and I did so."

Hermione was looking at the Cure. It was a slight lilac colour. Funny, that a thing that looked like perfume could be the cause of a virtual rebellion.

"Amazing work, isn't it?" Akryt asked.

He was certainly enthused with his work.

"It is really." Harry said quietly.

Hermione's eye was drawn to the test tube beside the Cure.

"What's that?" she asked.

It was a green substance, a sort of thick watery goo.

Akryt looked at it.

"Don't have a clue. I was whipping up some copper carbonate and I put in the wrong chemical. Who knows what it is now."

Harry leaned towards Akryt.

"I know you're only doing this because you've been told to, but if you come anywhere near Hermione with that Cure of yours, you'll have us to answer to."

Akryt looked worried.

"And we've fought in the war, and killed Death Eaters. A doctor wouldn't be that hard." Ron said.

"So tread carefully." Ginny warned.

Akryt took a step back, and knocked the green test tube to the floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!"

He bent down to pick it up. He then stood up, tipping the glass shards into the bucket.

"I understand your concerns Mr Potter, and I assure you, I will endeavour not to go anywhere near your friend."

Harry nodded.

"Thanks."

"Quite alright. I'm always willing to show people my work. Thank you for coming, and for being so interested in what I'm doing. I'm planning a counter now, so we'll be able to cure muggles and make them wizards!" Akryt said excitedly.

"Then good luck doctor." Ron said.

Akryt nodded his thanks and stretched out his hand. Harry shook, then gasped.

"Ow!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! So silly of me, I never washed my hands! I apologise! You've probably just got a bit of glass stuck in your finger, give it a wash and it'll be fine."

Harry examined his bleeding finger.

"It's alright."

Akryt shook hands with the other three, then went back to his work after saying goodbye.

"Cheerful guy." Ron said as he Disapparated.

"You alright?" Ginny asked as Hermione followed her husband.

"Yeah. It was just sore that's all."

Ginny took one last look at the cut on her husband's finger. It was still bleeding. And a little drop of green seeped out. Disregarding this, she Disapparated.

Harry looked at the cut. It throbbed and bled still as he Disapparated.

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Akryt smiled.

So, now we've met the man behind the Cure. Why is he smiling? All will be revealed soon, including the reason Sirius is being a jerk. Stay tuned!