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This chapter was two weeks overdue. It was a hard chapter to write creatively and I also had to deal with an ant invasion in my new place, yeeughhh! Not to worry, I'm back and no non human living thing resides in my house anymore!

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Harry Potter and the Wish of Life

Chapter 29

The Werewolf Tolerance Act of 1985


"No!" Harry cried out, trying to push toward his Father. His blood, already so cold from the dementors now felt like ice in his veins. "No!"

"Harry!" Lily was surprisingly strong as she restrained him, "Harry, please! We have to go-" There was pure anguish on her beautiful face as she glanced back at her brave husband, a silhouette lit by the glow of his rapidly deteriorating patronuses.

"No! I won't!" Harry wailed brokenly, "Dad! DAD!"

"Go, Harry! Go! Now!" James returned back. The effects of the dementors' must have been strongest on him, and yet he stood, his body straining in an attempt to keep conscious, to remain a defense for his wife and son.

Lily pulled Harry bodily with her while he stared in wide-eyed horror behind them. The sky was black with dementors and the creatures swelled forward as James' stag finally vanished whole into their midst. A chattering noise of victory echoed and the darkness enveloped the stoic man.

As Lily screamed and her grip on him went slack, Harry pushed past her, a feeling roaring from deep inside him. It was the same agony that had pushed him to make the wish of life, the same anger that had led him to almost kill Pettigrew and the same love that had kept him alive all these years. The magic borne from his heart came pouring forward and with his will to protect his Father thundering in his chest, Harry lit the sky with blazing white light.

The light swallowed the creatures, a terrible collective scream rattling the air before it cleared and they were once again alone in the forest. Magic still strummed through his body as his panicked eyes fell on James. The elder Potter was on the floor, body supported by his arms as he knelt in the position he likely thought he would die in.

James turned slightly, disbelief in his eyes, "Harry-"

But Harry was not just relieved. He was angry.

He pulled viciously away from his mother who ran to check him over, and strode toward his father. James got to his feet just in time for Harry to reach him. Perhaps thinking his son was coming for a hug, James reached out his arms only to receive a shove in the chest. Surprised, he vstumbled back.

"How could you do that?!" Harry demanded, "How could you try that?!"

"-Harry?" James uttered, looking bewildered.

Harry pushed his father again, and again. "No! NO! You can't DO that! Both of you – how dare you?! You can't die for me!"

A deep despair was bubbling to the surface. There had not been a day that had gone by in Harry's life that he hadn't wished his parents had not sacrificed themselves for him. Sometimes, in the dark of his cupboard beneath the stairs he would contemplate how everything would have been much easier had he just died along with them.

Or, if they had just given him up instead. Years of his life had been wrapped in guilt, the knowledge of two lives cut short so that he could live. It had been a heavy burden to bear and here, today, his shoulders gave way to its weight.

"How could you?!" Somewhere along his tirade, Harry had fallen to his knees. Deep dry sobs racked his body as he beat against the hard ground, "I don't want you do die for me!"

"Oh my darling," Lily fell to the ground beside him and wrapped her slender arms about his shaking body, "You saved Daddy, don't cry. He's alright."

"But what if I didn't save him?" Harry asked brokenly, "He planned to die! He planned to die instead of us-" Accusation rung through the air in the statement and the boy-who-lived looked up to meet eyes with his father.

"….Harry, I had to protect you." James began slowly, blinking owlishly at his son while absently rubbing at his chest in the area where Harry had pushed his full weight.

"No, you didn't! I didn't want you to, okay?! I don't want you to, okay? You ….you don't do that ever!" Distantly, Harry was aware he made little sense but he was distraught to his very core and the urgent orders wouldn't stop pouring from his pale lips.

His parents were silent for a moment as Harry stared steadfast at the ground, willing his heart to slow its rapid beat. Finally, his mother spoke: "We're your parents," Lily said softly, "It doesn't matter if you want us to save you … we want to save you. Do you understand? You are the most important thing to us, Harry – your father wasn't trying to cause you pain … he was trying to protect us."

"By what? Dying? Leaving me? Leaving me here alone? Do you think that would be good?" Harry felt tears leak out through his tightly closed eyes, "I can't believe you'd do that! I don't want you to do that!"

His father's hands reached around his shoulders, tightening in a strong, supportive grasp. "Listen to me, Pronglet. I'm sorry you're upset, I would…I would never want you to have to bear the burden of my death – but, you have to calm down - you're starting to hyperventilate – just take deep breaths, alright? You released a lot of magic …"

Harry shuddered against his Father's shoulder, the familiar strength a calming presence. After his breaths had slowed, James pulled away to look at him. The elder wizard's eyebrows knitted together in a frown as he examined his son. "- I would never want you to bear the burden of my death, but I love you all too much. It would be a shame for us all to die, wouldn't it? You are my son, Harry - my legacy - and that means that I would give my life for you without thinking. You saved me just now using huge amounts of magic that could have killed a lesser wizard. We don't think when it comes to protecting those we love; we just do."

"And that is our choice," Lily added in, stroking his hair, "although we would never want to leave you or your brother alone, that is nature. Parents should die before their children, no matter the circumstance. And although it may be so hard to those left behind, know that it was easy for the one who passed. No life is wasted if there was love."

"- just- ….just don't die, okay?" Harry's voice was tiny and childlike as he looked at his parents.

James' brown eyes were warm, "Alright, Harry."

"Mum?"

"I promise, Harry."

Lifting his son up to his feet, James smiled, "Besides, with you around I'm fairly certain nothing could get to your Mother or I."


Once they had passed the apparition wards, Harry's parents bustled him back to Hogwarts and to the Hospital Wing. Lily sent notice to the rest of the family and Madame Pomprey gave all three a check up as James relayed the story to Remus and Ethan.

Ethan sat in Harry's bed with him, sharing the chocolate that he had been given and sending worried glances at his brother's still pale face.

"It was foolish. Sev had said it'd be just the same single one as before so I thought it would be simple. I'd even planned to take Harry alone since Ethan was studying. Merlin, if Lily hadn't decided to come we would've been overrun much sooner – and who knows – Harry's magic might've not triggered."

"What a terrible night," Lily agreed with her husband, a worried expression lining her beautiful face, "I hate to say it, but … well… it's feeling a lot like it did before."

James scratched his cheek, "Before – during the first war, you mean?"

"Yes. The shock of peace being violently damaged – an event escalating in seconds - you remember, we were never able to take even a moment's rest."

Remus folded his hands as he leaned forward, "That's something I have to tell you about, actually. It wasn't only you that had an eventful night. The werewolves have officially turned."

"What?" A collective gasp rang around the room and Madame Pomprey placed her washcloth in a nearby basin, leaning against it with a sad sigh.

"A special edition of the Prophet came out a hour after dinner. Dumbledore and the majority of the staff have gone to ward the forbidden forest and surrounding areas. There were coordinated attacks on some wizard-related muggle families in London."

"Maybe you should ring Petunia-" James turned toward Lily who shook her head.

"No, I'm not worried. The only one left at Privet Drive is Vernon."

James gave a snort, "Oh. C'est la vie, then."

The adults discussed the events in solemn moods and once Remus had left and the family had been given the all-clear by the mediwitch, James turned to his sons, "To Gryffindor tower, then?"

The boys both shook their heads, not eager to be apart from their parents, and together the Potter family headed to James and Lily's suite.


Three days later, it was the tail end of Lunch when Hogwarts had two very unpleasant visitors. Perhaps expecting the doors to the Great Hall to be closed so they could slam them open to make the appropriate grand entrance, Minister Fudge and his undersecretary stood confusedly in the arch for a few moments before anyone noticed them.

"Hem-Hem! Might I please announce the arrival of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge!" A pitchy, simpering voice echoed through the Great Hall with the resonance of a sonorus charm. The woman had an ugly squat face and beady eyes that made Harry quite sure she was just as awful on the inside as she was on the out.

At the head table, Dumbledore rose, his beard and spectacles camouflaging his expression. "Cornelius, welcome. I must admit I find your presence a bit of a surprise. I had thought you weren't due until next week - although I have been known to take extremely long naps and lose track of dates."

"Ah, no, Dumbledore." Cornelius blustered, removing his bowler cap and striding forward, "Am afraid that we are here on a little bit of nasty business."

Harry's eyes fell on the third visitor, Rita Skeeter, her hair in a beehive and a purple shawl thrown across her shoulders, she was followed as always by her floating scroll and frantically scribbling quill.

"Yes," The pink witch walked quickly along beside him, "You see, it has to come our attention that there exists a very real danger to the students of Hogwarts. We came as fast as possible to make sure that all the young witches and wizards in this fine institution would remain safe."

Harry's eyes swung to the head table to find his mother frowning.

"And what danger would that be?" Dumbledore returned, his eyes no longer dancing nor twinkling.

"A dangerous creature within it's midst!" The witch crowed, "A werewolf!"

The words rang sharp in Harry's ears and beside him he heard Hermione gasp in outrage.

Beside Snape, Remus' face was painfully blank.

"Remus Lupin, please come with us."

"What is the meaning of this!" Lily bellowed, storming down to face the Minister and his undersecretary, "First, publicly announcing Remus' name alone is highly illegal and –"

"Oh," The witch gave a sickly sweet smile, "I'm afraid it's completely legal, Missus Potter. All dark creatures are to be dully identified and -"

"The Werewolf Act prevents any sort of –"

"Hem-hem," Umbridge interjected, "If you mean the Werewolf Tolerance Act of 1985 then I'm afraid to tell you, Missus Potter, that it has been overturned by decree of the Wizengamot."

Dumbledore's voice cracked like a whip, "And when was this deliberation, Dolores? Why was I given no notice?"

Fudge held his hat flush to his chest, "Albus, owls were sent out yesterday – that is to say – it is an emergency state – decisions had to be made, we couldn't wait for all those who missed the notice. The vote was this morning." He handed the headmaster a long scroll.

"And Sirius Black?" Harry's mother demanded, "Did he mysteriously miss the owl as well?"

"Yes, we too thought it strange." Umbridge returned with a pleased smile.

"You vile vengeful woman," Lily glowered, almost glowing in anger, "You've never stopped, have you? Failed at all that anti-werewolf legislation years ago - have you nothing better in your pathetic life than to do this now? Again?"

"Headmaster!" The woman in pink gasped in outrage, her face bulging red, "How can you let one of your staff speak to a ministry official in such a manner! How uncouth!"

Up at the head table, Snape had also stood, watching the scene before him very carefully.

"Missus Potter! Rita Skeeter here from the Daily Prophet – how does it make you feel to know all the hard work your husband and Sirius Black put in parliament in the 80s is now unraveled?"

Harry had been young when the events had transpired, but he knew the story. After Voldemort's initial defeat, Sirius had received the full rights of the Black estates, including the familial spot on the Wizengamot. He had used his standing to put into place legislation that had given werewolves equal rights to normal wizards. It had been a team effort: James had used his fame to support the movement, Snape had perfected Wolfsbane (as only werewolves who took the potion were included in the Act) and Sirius had had the political power and charm to push it through.

"I am disgusted! Remus Lupin has been a strong force on our side for years. He is a good wizard and a wonderful man. This is a breach of justice!"

Fudge shook his head, "There has been no breach of justice! It is legal and it is right! There is a dangerous creature here and we are not wiling to incur damage to our youth! You've read it now, Albus, you know it is legal - so let us get this unpleasantness out of the way. Mister Lupin must return to his home immediately. Werewolves are no longer allowed posts in public service."

"Yes, I have read it. What confuses me is the current predicament we find ourselves in. Am I to take it you were so worried that I did not receive my notice of vote that you chose not to risk sending word and instead decided to come in person? That this invasion into my school was not a silly attempt at a publicity stunt?"

Fudge looked a little red in the face as he coughed, uncomfortable beneath the piercing blue gaze of the Headmaster.

"Doing the hunting does not reprieve the robin from being hunted herself, Cornelius. Public favor is not so easily won by destroying the lives of others."

Beside Ron, Parvati whispered fiercely, "Get Draco. Someone get Draco."

Ron nodded and was out of the door in a flash.

The Minister looked flushed with embarrassment and an nasty look took his eye, "You see, Albus. We are aware of your … familial relation with the wolf and Madam Undersecretary indicated it might be best for us to attend and make sure he is to comply with the law and not, perhaps – be hidden within the walls of the school. Obvious favouritism might be passable at a school, but not within the community at large. Now, please, stand down, the law is the law and we are both due to bend to it."

A few Slytherins chose to make a noise that was somewhere between a laugh and a "ooooOoOOooohhhhh!" while Dumbledore and Fudge faced eachother down.

Harry's mother looked as if she was contemplating punching someone in the face. "This will not stand – this is ludicrous and prejudiced-" She glanced at Dumbledore and gestured toward the Ministry officials, "-surely you won't allow this!"

"If you please, Missus Potter, being the wife of a celebrity gives you no influence on matters of the state, nor does being a Headmaster of a school. Now, we must hurry on. Come along Mister Lupin." Umbridge sneered.

Remus' face was blank, but Harry could see that his uncle's eyes held a type of elegant resignation.

"Come along!"

The hall was deathly silent as he stepped down of the teacher's platform. The steps he took seemed to echo while everyone waited for something to change; for someone to save him. Surely Dumbledore would not allow it ….

But, the Headmaster stood silently by, a pained look on his face as Umbridge gave a thin lipped smile of victory and both Ministry Officials flanked Remus. Umbridge glanced at Rita Skeeter and began to speak.

"Hem-Hem. Dear students of Hogwarts, as you can see, Minister Fudge has done a service to the greater wizarding population. The Ministry is aware of the threats that exist and are quick to nullify them. He-who-shall-not-be-named and his dark followers shall not be allowed anywhere where harm may come to any good witch or wizard. There is nothing more important to the Ministry than the health and happiness of our children. From here on in, all werewolves shall be at all times identified by a yellow moon charmed to their clothing –"

"Hell no!" Fred Weasley gave a great shout, shooting to his feet, "What is this? Professor Lupin isn't dangerous!"

"Yeah!" The great cry came and the student body all rose up in righteous anger.

"We want Professor Lupin!" George leapt onto the Gryffindor table, pumping a fist in the air, "WE-WANT-LUPIN!"

The chant caught on quickly and within seconds the students were on their feet and yelling, "WE-WANT-LUPIN! WE-WANT-LUPIN!" Harry pulled away from the table, marching forward to stand beside his mother.

"Oh my!" Fudge's eyes grew wide.

"Children!" Umbridge looked very disapproving, "It is a felony to interfere with Ministry matters!"

Rita Skeeter was shouting something at her quill, "Hogwarts Students against Werewolf Ban! Riot at Hogwarts over discriminatory act!"

"We're not interfering, fat pink lady, we're just saying that: WE WANT LUPIN! Get that, reporter-girl? WE WANT LUPIN!" George hollered as he and Fred leapt down and began to ground-stomp the floor in front of Umbridge.

Someone spelled a thick rain of green goo to pour down on both Umbridge and Fudge and in all the commotion a shrill voice was suddenly at Harry's ear and he turned to see Rita Skeeter looming beside him, "Harry Potter! Do you support werewolf tolerance like your father?"

"Yes I do! This is a terrible miscarriage of justice, Remus Lupin is my family and –"

"The Boy-Who-Lived devastated as the Ministry rips him from his Uncle!" Rita squealed a headline and her quill scratched excitedly against the parchment.

"-this is pure discrimination and I am disgusted!"

"Boy-who-lived thinks Umbridge and Fudge are terrible human beings!"

"What? No-" Umbridge whirled around and around, blinking green slime from her eyes before narrowing accusingly on Harry, "Stop it! Don't listen to him!"

"Don't listen to the boy-who-lived? Now you hate heroes too?" George sing-songed, "Hey Skeeter! Umbridge says she hates Harry Potter!"

"That is not what I said, you stupid, filthy child!" And perhaps she was just so disoriented from the chanting and the slime, but Umbridge lifted her wand and struck George across the face with a slapping hex.

"ENOUGH!" Dumbledore roared and the entire hall fell silent in fear. Before him, Fudge and Umbridge both trembled beneath his gaze.

Vanishing the slime with a wave of his hand, there was cold ice in the Headmaster's eyes, "You will never touch one of my students in such a manner again, Dolores or you will see exactly what influence a Headmaster of a school has." He cleared his throat, "Hogwarts will be pressing charges, Minister Fudge and I call for the dismissal of Madame Undersecretary Umbridge. She will pay reparations for the trauma she has caused-"

"-to that troublemaker?!" She screeched.

"Troublemaker? George Weasley is one of the BEST behaved students at Hogwarts! An exemplary young wizard!" McGonagall called from the head table and to their credit, all the Professors and students nodded in agreeance and not a single one cracked a smile. Even Kenneth Towler who had had bulbadox powder placed in his underpants just days before his first date with Hufflepuff, Su Li, managed to look perfectly supportive.

Fudge,'s dauntless pride had taken a big hit, now having realised the events of the day had gotten far past him and instead of being a positive to his career might've just begun dugging its grave, nodded, stumbling backward, "Yes, yes, that is quite right."

"No…Minister! You cannot!" Umbridge whispered, shocked.

"Yes, yes … we cannot let…anyone harm the children –" Fudge muttered, keeping an eye on the widely grinning reporter nearby, "Werewolf OR wizard, you see. The Ministry only wants what is best for the wizards and witches of tomorrow!"

"No!" Umbridge howled.

"And Madame Umbridge shall be stripped of her position immediately."

"NO!"

Remus turned to the witch beside him and with just the slightest air of justice, allowed himself a smirk.


Umbridge's firing while pleasing, had not provided a reprieve for Remus. Draco had managed to get to the Great Hall just in time to see his guardian escorted out beside the red-faced former undersecretary. The blonde had stood stoically by (well aware of the stares of the entire school on them) as Remus had gripped his shoulder and promised to write daily.

After dinner, Harry and Ron had tried to keep Draco's spirits up by a few rounds of wizard's chess. Unfortunately, Ron's pride had prevented him from even allowing Draco one pity win and so the continually smashing of his King didn't seem to be doing much for the boy's mood.

The boys were walking back to Gryffindor tower when they had glimpsed James and Sirius entering the school still in their auror robes. Sharing a glance with the redhead, Harry quickly followed after them at a distance as they marched toward Dumbledore's office.

By the time he had caught up with them, he saw they had found Dumbledore in a corridor and had obviously not bothered to take the time to find somewhere private to share their thoughts.

"How could you let this happen, Poppa?! Poor Moony-" Sirius raged, "You never listened to us, did you? You should've taken the Minister position when it was offered but you didn't and look where we are!"

"Sirius, that is hardly the -"

"What do you mean, hardly?" James pushed, "Ever since Harry was little we've been telling you that the Ministry is weak, that the favor they've extended to us is temporary. If you had taken the post you could've changed things properly! Are we supposed to cringe and bend on our knees to those people? Fudge's blundering leadership is going to make the entire community ripe for the plundering by Voldemort!"

"A law has been passed and we must abide by it. I have had my reasons for not taking the Minister post and although you may not know them, they are my own and I will not be questioned in such a manner with such insolence. If you expect me to make a bid for the Ministry at this time, I will tell you that I shall not. We are fighting a war and we cannot afford to open another front. The Minister might be foolish but his people were smart enough to coordinate your auror excursion to get you out of the country, were they not? There are a great many minds at work here and we need to focus on that which is most dangerous. A friend has lost his job not his life, please remember that." Dumbledore said coldly before walking away toward his office.

Sirius and James shared a look, told off like a couple of teenagers.

"What a git." Harry grumbled.

"Harry!" James chided, turning to see his son, "First, you do not get to call him names, no matter how angry we all are. Second, you also don't get to automatically follow us into any conversation we have."

"But, Dad-" Harry's ears reddened.

"Yes, Harry?" James's voice had that hard quality in it that told Harry that he was is no mood for argument.

"-Sorry." He grumbled, wanting to point out that his father had chosen to have such a public conversation but decided not to, knowing that Dumbledore's scolding had likely piqued his father's temper.

"That's my boy." His father patted him on the shoulder as he and Sirius walked by. Harry didn't follow, scowling and making a face at James' back.

"He's right you know, its very disrespectful to call your ancestor such terrible names."

Harry turned in the direction of the voice and saw the frowning portrait of a witch in a purplish ballerina outfit. She was tall with a long face and full, pouting lips. It was the Fat Lady's friend, Violet.

No, the memories from this timeline stirred inside him. No, not just Violet.

Violet Dumbledore.

His Great-Grandmother.

And he had a great many questions for her.

To be Continued….

What will happen to Remus? Are you all happy that James survived? What light can Violet Dumbledore shed onto this story? She made a hinted cameo in a much earlier chapter, I wonder if anyone remembers or can find it?

Next chapter we will have a death, I warn you! Who could it be? Is it related to the Weasley prophecy? The traitor? Or perhaps the events of this chapter….

So Umbridge made an appearance….do you think she was punished enough? Or should we have a little more fun with her? *evil cackle*

Please remember to review! Our celebration this chapter is hitting over 250,000 hits! Whoot! As a thank you, one reviewer of this chapter will have their username worked into the next chapter! xo