There was a long silence. "Well," said Dumbledore, "that was a shock." This seemed to tip people over the edge, as several people fainted (most notably, the red-haired lady) and then people started scurrying forward.
"Alastor Moody," growled a grizzled, scarred man.
"Fleur Weasley," said a half-Veela, (he only knew this as Stars could sense other Children of the Mother, as they called them) and her husband introduced himself and his family as: Bill, Charlie, Fred, George and Ron, and their sister Ginny wasn't old enough to be here, but he'd meet her soon. The parents (the red-haired lady and a red-haired man) were Molly and Arthur Weasley.
"Severus Snape," sneered the man. "You shall refer to me as 'sir' or 'professor'."
"Minerva McGonagall," said an older, Scottish lady.
"Seamus Finnegan."
"Dean Thomas."
"Neville Longbottom."
"Dedalus Diggle."
"Hestia Jones."
"Kingsley Shacklebolt, but call me Kingsley."
Many others introduced themselves, but finally it was a man who called himself: "Remus Lupin."
"You are a Childe of the Mother," Altair said, his soft, silky voice (rather like Snape's, but softer, like silk over roses) caressing the words in awe.
"How did you know that? You are not another Werewolf, and it's obvious you're not a Veela...I don't want to be..."
"You deny the Mother?" Altair's voice changed from awe to horror. "You deny her?"
"I didn't mean to offend..."
"It is an honour to be picked to bathe in the Mother's light! Two in one room, but only one embraces what she is! And the shamed cousin of the Protectors, at that!" green eyes blazing, Altair whispered in shocked horror. "You deny your Mother? And what of your Sire? Does he not search for you?"
"This is a curse!"
"IT IS A GIFT!" Shouted the Star. "You deny your gift! The Mother picked you for this honour, and you reject it! Tell me more, little nemartian*."
Remus did not know the word, but he could tell it was an insult. "I take the Wolfsbane Potion, I was bitten by a rogue werewolf as a child of three. His name was Fenrir Greyback."
"You kill your nature?" If he'd been horrified at everything else, nothing compared to Altair's horror now. "And as a child, the Mother would have taken care of you! But we know of this Fenrir Greyback," he said softly. "He is no longer the Mother's Childe."
"I do not want this," he whispered.
"You deserve it! I feel strength in you, little ja'teaar freagth*." He stroked Remus' head. "You can embrace your birth right."
A few moments silence, and the fainted people's return to the land of the living was signified with a chorus of moans of, "Oh, my head."
After letting them suffer for a few moments, Dumbledore cast a spell and said, "Altair, I think it's time you told us what you are."
Nemartian: ney-marsh-ai-en. Stars' language, roughly meaning 'fool', 'idiot', and variations thereupon.
ja'teaar freagth: jar-ay-tea-ayay-ar free-ay-gee-th. Stars' language, roughly meaning 'Wolf Child'.