Disclaimer : I do not own Harry Potter.
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"I... There has never been any complaint."
"Yeah, because I ran to you and Dumbledore when Umbridge basically tortured me for punishment."
The Headmistress stared at him a pleading look in her eyes. She didn't want it all to have bigger consequences than they could all handle. She knew that Harry was right, but she never thought that Knight was that stubborn about his opinions on werewolves. She just thought that he was too much affected by what happened to his brother to truly think about werewolves and their lives. She hadn't realized before how deep Knight's hatred for werewolves went. And she only thought, earlier when he was in the very same office with Teddy Lupin, that he was mostly angry about the disrespect he claimed the student showed him. And now, she could only regret the decisions she made...
She couldn't bear to think that she might have let someone who could be compared to Umbridge in the school. She could only remember too well all she did that year, and how the students suffered. And the time she came fuming in the staff room that a student had claimed that a filthy half-breed had been the best DADA teacher they had had...
"There hasn't been any complaints before before because there is nothing to complain about !" snapped Knight. "I do my job properly -"
"Properly !" Andromeda said indignatly.
" - and teach the children only the truth. What do you want me to do when one of them attacks me when I'm trying to teach them something ?"
"Teach them the truth, huh ? I'm sure Professor Brown will love to hear your opinion on werewolves." Harry said calmly, but with a murderous glare in the eyes.
"Professor Brown ? What she have to do with any of that ?" the teacher asked clearly confused.
"Don't tell me you don't even know how she got those scars ?" Harry sneered at him.
"I know she got them during a battle in the war !"
Harry just stared at him, looking blank. He really wanted this guy out of the school, and Merlin, he would have him sacked by an hour. He couldn't stand thinking that he might take no consequences for all this. How this man acted was not much different from the Death Eaters. He thought of himself as superior to others, werewolves and those who didn't think the same as he did.
"She got attacked by a werewolf during the Battle of Hogwarts -" he started
"Then I guess she doesn't like them very much either !" interrupted Knight.
Harry let out a humourless laugh.
"That's where you're wrong, you see. She's one of the first who defends them. And had it been a full moon she would have been one of them."
"But she's not !"
"Maybe, but it doesn't change the fact that she thinks that they are unfairly treated by our society. And that she works voluntarily for an association that works for werewolves rights. She was attacked by one, had her life ruined, but she never shared your opinion. And she's not the only one. My brother-in-law, Bill Weasley, was attacked by Greyback, too. He never treated Lupin any different after that. Do you want more examples ?"
Knight crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Harry.
"I treat them the only they deserve to be treated. They're dangerous and blood-thirsty. How can you believe for one second that they can live among us as any human being ?"
"You admitted you never met any werewolf. I did. And like I said not only Remus. I've met dozens of them, and yes, some are monsters, like Fenrir Greyback was, but most of them are just trying to deal with a condition that frighten people away, and break them physically and mentally. I had to arrest some who attacked someone because they couldn't conjure wards strong enough to keep them locked up during a full moon because they were never taught how to do them and had no one to do it for them. Because their family and their friends turned their back to them when they were bitten."
"Well, I can understand them. I wouldn't want to have to watch over my shoulder any time I would be around a werewolf."
"You really don't get it ? They are dangerous, one night per mouth. And even then, for those who afford it, mind you, there is the Wolfsbane, which make them harmless for most of them, seeing as they are good people."
Knight shook his head with spite.
"Like you said, only those who can afford it have the Wolfsbane -"
"My point exactly." Harry replied, his voice cold as ice, an eyebrow raised as he stared at the teacher pointedly.
"What do you mean ?" the other man said incredilously.
"That were werewolves treated kindly, they would be able to have a job, therefore to be able to pay for Wolfsbane and consequently to be harmless. And it would be even better if they hac access to education, so they coul put up strong wards on the place they stay during their time of the month, which would make everyone else even safer."
Knight was still shaking his head in denial, still thinking that the Head Auror was daft.
"It doesn't change the fact that they despise the wizardkind !"
"Oh, and of course it can't be because the wizardking despised them and cut them out of our society. Why should they despise us when most wizards and witches see them as worse creatures than dragons and dementors who were actually used to protect us from prisoners before ?!" snapped Andromeda.
Knight puffed at that, still refusing to listen to them. He could only see his brother's body, torn and bloody and ripped. His eyes glassy, inexpressive. His mouth distorted in a slient scream. And to think they never found which beast did this !
"Would you have turned your back on your own brother that you seem to love so much had he not died, but lived with lycanthropy ?"
Would he ? Would he think the same way had he lived with a werewolf for a brother for most of his life ? He couldn't stop the tears who threaten to flood his eyes.
"I don't care, actually." Harry resumed after letting Knight some time to think about it. "I just want to make sure that all the students are treated fairly, unlike the way you treated my godson. I want the students to have a capable teacher, whose not prejudiced and will let them express their opinions without being shut up and given detentions. I want our world rid of all the crap that started the war in the seventies. The wars that already took so many lives, perharps even your brother's."
"I won't give up my job !" Knight yelled.
"You're right. Not for now. Tomorrow, we're gonna teach the students more about werewolves. I already came several times to talk about the war, I think I can talk about this too, Minerva ?"
She stared at him. Of course he could come and talk about werewolves to the students, it was a good idea that might help get people to understand how much wizards and witches are responsible for making lycanthropes behave the way they do. But firing Knight ? Sure, the man made a big mistake and shouldn't have taught his students that werewolves were just monsters yearning to eat every humans around them, but sacking him may be a bit too much.
"Of course, you can give the students a lesson about werewolves, Harry. Though I must express my hesitation about letting Professor Knight go. I know what he did is unacceptable and this should never happen again, but don't you think he deserves a second chance ?"
"Would you have given Umbridge a second chance ?" Harry snapped.
"Of course not, but -"
"What ? You think he won't teach the other classes the same thing he did today ? That he won't just be careful to adjust his lesson when my children will be here ?" he said staring at her, but nodding his head to Knight who had a stubborn look on his face.
McGonagall looked at him and realized that nothing would make the man change his mind. Of course he will still teach the same lesson every year, careful that next time it doesn't reach Harry Potter's and Andromeda Tonks' ears. She couldn't believe that this man who always seemed to be kind and fair turned out to be as prejudiced as he was. Yes, most people disliked werewolves and distrusted them, Greyback's doing during the last war was still very present even now. But they didn't see them as murderous beast, wanting them all dead.
And she couldn't let him fill her pupils with his wrongful ideas and his hatred. Therefore, Harry was right. Making him leave the school was the better option.
"I guess you're right. Professor Knight, I want you to pack your bags and leave the school grounds tomorrow."
"No, no, no ! You can't do that. You talk about fairness and being just, and yet you fire me because Harry Potter demands you to do so ?"
"This is not because Harry Potter wants it. I agree with his arguments. And I must say that I'm quite angry at myself for not seeing it this way before. I let you bully a student without any thought. And I guess I let down a friend, too." she said sadness writen on her face. "You leave tomorrow, that's my final decision."
"And I would like you to wait after the lesson I will give. I want you to listen to what we have to say. I know you hurt because of your brother's death and I understand. But blaming a whole community for the acts a minority isn't the answer to your problems."
Teddy left the Great Hall as soon as his godfather and grandmother had passed the door with Professors McGonagall and Knight. He was curious of what would happen but also dreading the consequences of their little chat. He didn't want his DADA teacher to let his anger out on him after being humiliated by Harry Potter and Andromeda Tonks. But Merlin knew, he wanted someone else to stick by his father's memory. Especially people who knew him when he was still alive.
When he reached the gargoyle guarding the staircase leading to the Headmistress' office he hesitated before deciding against going in. He would wait for them to come out. If they did come out. Harry and Gran Andy might just floo home after talking with the teachers. He wished they didn't do that, he really wanted to talk to them about what happened now that he knew they were here.
Like he did the morning he sat down against the wall and waited. When he finally heard steps climbing down the stairs, he looked up and first met Knight's eyes, which tried to kill him with his stare. Teddy felt his guts get in knots. He knew this would happen. He now had a DADA teacher who hated him and would probably become his Snape.
Then his grandmother followed a little behind and when she saw him, a smile brightened her angered features and she pulled him in a warm hug. Teddy was not taken aback by this, used to his grandmother's behaviour. As he wrapped his arms around her as well, he looked up and met Harry's stare. Despite the smile that appeared on his lips too, Teddy could tell his godather was tense. He was glad he chose not to go in the office.
"So... What happened ?" he asked them when Andromeda finally released him.
Harry's smile widen and he shared a knowing look with Andromeda.
"I'm coming tomorrow to have one of my talk with the students." he said firmly, trying to sound cheerful, knowing that Teddy wasn't always comfortable when his godfather was around at school. His fellow students didn't care about him as long as Harry was in the castle. But as soon as he passed through the school gates, they would all turn to Teddy. 'Did your godfather really did that ?' or 'Do you know more about...' and 'Teddy ! Hey, Teddy ! Can I ask...', 'Lupin, is it true that... ?'
But this time, it wasn't about his godfather's exploits during the war, but his father's life. And maybe this would help people realize how much their ignorance destroyed lycanthropes' lives. And maybe it would be a step forwards improving werewolves' rights.
"Oh, and of course, you don't have to go to those detentions." Andromeda said gently, stroking his cheek.
AN : Well, we're almost there, almost the end... What do you think ? I hope you like it and that it meets your expectations :) Please, review !
It has nothing to do with this story, but I'm thinking about starting a serie of one-shots about some HP characters and their obsessions. I'd like to do something a little more funny, for a change, considering the themes of the two stories I've writen so far... I'd like to know whether you think this could be a good idea or if this is just crappy, so can you tell me, please ?