Squib 16 Growth

At school, Lily was noticing something interesting. She knew she was growing, but she was 14. Women in her family tended to be fairly tall. What was odd was that everyone around her also seemed to be growing. The seventh year students, who had once towered over the younger ones, no longer seemed quite so imposing. The hallways and stairs seemed more crowded. The dining hall was definitely more crowded, though the elves seemed to have raised the tables and benches to adjust for longer legs. Chairs and desks all over the castle were larger. Some still might not have noticed, but she was becoming a competent artist. The perspectives and balances were changing. She wondered if this happened every year? The castle was magic, but did it actually adjust to fit the inhabitants as needed?

The Marauders did not particularly notice that they were growing or that there were changes around them. They did notice the furniture felt more comfortable. James and Siri had returned to school with full new wardrobes that fit properly, so they made their old things available to Remus and Peter simply by dumping out their old things onto the floor and telling them to help themselves to anything that fit. When the pile disappeared, they thought no more of it. Mostly Peter had benefited, being the smallest. Remus looked to be the tallest, already shooting up above Siri, so Remus waited until Peter had taken what fit, and traded the rest to the elves for things that fit himself. This practice saved him quite a bit of money over the years! His father only had to buy him a few essentials, like underwear and boots. He didn't know where the elves got the used clothes, but there was clearly a closet somewhere.

Miriam was by far the tallest, biggest girl in Hogwarts. She did take after her father, and was about 6 foot tall. At 17, that suggested she would grow a few more inches. She looked taller because she wore her hair in an intricate braided crown that rose several inches. She also wore boots with heels, so she totaled close to 7 feet. The castle doorways were high enough, and the ceilings even higher, so that she never had to stoop. She had played Keeper, and was a major reason the Slytherins had such a winning streak. James, playing Chaser, had never gotten a ball past her. He also played Seeker if needed.

At one point James had suggested Miriam had giant blood. This made her laugh harder than ever, as she simply held out her hands. Her hands were strong, but slender and graceful, clearly normal size. As Easter approached James was clearly becoming desperate, becoming wilder and more random in his insults.

Miriam was passing out chocolate animals, mostly bunnies but including a nice assortment of forest babies. In Study Hall she put the boxes by the door, telling people to have some on their way out but not risk soiling the books. James, as always, snatched a few boxes. His own candies arrived the next morning: tiny elaborate sugar eggs with fairy-tale scenes in the windows, completely edible. He passed these out at dinner. Apparently at random some enlarged or became fancier when unwrapped. Somehow Lily wound up with one that swelled to almost the size of her head and played a music box version of 'The Sugar Plum Fairies.' She immediately returned it by handing it to Remus. The egg for Miriam had a tiny toy dragon shooting real flames! She loved it, of course – NOT the reaction he wanted.

The morning they were to go home for the week of Easter break, the mirror James was using to wash his face said, "Bub, you had better get your friend to show you how to shave. He's been doing it all year. Or, when you get home, talk to your Dad."

"What? WHE-ere?" His shriek cracked in mid-word as his boy soprano hit the high ranges and dropped into the basement. He choked, gasping. The other three boys ran to the noise, to find James frantically examining his face.

The mirror was helpful, sliding higher on the wall and turning up the lighting. A neat gold arrow lit on the glass, pointing under his chin. "Here. It's quite normal for the first patches of facial hair to appear under the chin or on the neck. Other places you should check include under your arms, your chest and back, toes, and your privates..." The mirror realized all the boys were ignoring him, so it shut up.

James was moaning as they helped him back into their dorm to sit down. His deep new voice was ignored as he choked out, "We've lost the race. I have an exam at the Healers this week, but it's going to be a done deal. It's not just acne. I'm in puberty."

"Surely there are other Clauses? Think, James, what can you DO to make Miriam throw you over?" Their voices had been cracking and jumping at odd moments for months, and two were shaving. They knew what had happened to him. James had been the last to hit the change, and he hit it hard.

James thought, and choked out, "I need to talk to my Dad. What I have in mind is risky, but it might work. We've been trying to be sneaky abut this, but we're running out of time. It's time for some direct action!"

Miriam and her mother transfigured the sugar egg into rock, to make a safe cave for the tiny toy dragon, and slipped it neatly into the coffin where it fit in a corner near a dripping 'spring'. The dragon proved to be unexpectedly realistic, coming out of the cave for showers under the drips or for short walks through the moss. At that, Asphodel took a link from a gold chain for a tiny ring, and gave it to the dragon for a hoard. He kept it in his cave, checking on it when he went for walks. Tiny moths had developed in the coffin, which the frogs and spiders seemed to relish. The dragon shouldn't have needed to eat, but it ate some moths, leaving tiny crispy fewmets in the moss.

"Minerva, I need to find someone to stay in the castle with the children who are not going home for Easter. I have to go to go to Switzerland for a meeting. What are you planning?"

"Sorry, I have already promised to take one of my smaller great-nieces to Italy. The family did name her after me, and want her to get to know me better. I thought some educational visits to museums would keep her occupied. WHY they think a 70 year old teacher wants to spend her holiday with an 8 year old, I don't know."

Andi, in study Hall, told Lily the Black family was sending their children to France for the Summer to stay with an Aunt and 'improve their French,' though Sirius would not go until after the wedding.

Remus also had French ties, including Grandparents and many cousins. His father and mother owned a pair of bookstores, one in London near the Leaky, and one in the magic section of Paris. His Father had retired from the Ministry after Remus had been bitten, and taken over managing the London shop so he could care for Remus.

The Malfoy family were French, and this branch had only been in England for a few generations.

Alice and Frank seemed to have no foreign family at all. The Goyles came from the Isle of Skye, where they had been blacksmiths 'forever'. The MacFusty clan all live in the Hebrides Islands, one family per island with their dragons. McGonagalls' father had been a Presbyterian Minister, and she apparently had a great many Nieces and Nephews in both Scotland and Canada, but no children of her own. Minister Bagnold lived next door to Dumbledore in a small village near where the Potters also lived..

The train ride home was another cold one, and it was raining hard when they pulled into Kings Cross that night. Remus had warned them that James was ready to do 'something drastic' to try to force Miriam to dump him, so the guys stayed with the girls in their compartment. James had stopped by, but only to inquire what their plans were. Actually, not much.

Remus had another checkup scheduled. Belby was very pleased with his status, though he couldn't figure out what was going on with him. Remus, like most Were, had almost no medical records – until he was accepted at Hogwarts. Suddenly he had full records, 10 moons a year of full treatment by a capable medic for three years. This was the most complete set of records he had on any Were! The first two years showed about what Belby expected, a chronically ill but decently cared-for child. This year something else was showing up. Remus was better! Part of this would be the Bezoars – no one had ever tried giving a Were a daily Bezoar. Belby had been giving a full group of Were Bezoars since finding Remus in November, and he knew they did help, but Remus was actually better than that. Not well, but healing faster each month. He was also growing at an astonishing pace, having shot up about 6 inches this year. His wolf was full-grown, comparable to the other Were at the Clinics instead of still a half-grown pup. It was quite a puzzle!

Belby was trying to help the Were, not just research them. Princes were providing all the Bezoars he wanted, and the Bulstrodes were covering all the other medical care of their employees. Belby wanted to ease the pain the Weres went through, and find something to help them keep their minds while changed. If an animagus could keep its' human mind, a Were ought to be able to! So, he was starting with the potion animagi took to help them find their animal and transform the first few times. This was based in Cannabis Oil, with a powdered suspension of Tumeric, an opiate, and a few other things. The first problem was, this was normally simmered in a silver cauldron for 36 hours. The second problem was the Bezoar, which would adsorb and neutralize the oil and the opiates.

Experimentation proved that the animagus potion could also be simmered in a gold cauldron, but not iron, and had to be stirred continuously. He suspected he could use a quarts or diamond cauldron as well, but he couldn't afford one. Belby could easily check these potions, because he was studying to become an animagus and already knew his form. However, by asking a friendly Were to try the gold one he discovered there was no effect on Were. He woke up a month later with the answer – the brewing could not be done in moonlight! There was only one time the next trial could be made. The brew could be simmered from moon-set until the next moon-rise, and to get 36 hours it had to be done at the dark of the moon. With a supply of this made and put in light-tight vials, he asked a group of Were to take it at sun-down on the next Full Moon. They didn't need to think of trying to transform, or what they might become. They were just to try to think positive thoughts about becoming a wolf, not fight it. Their matched volunteers, who did not take the potion, were just to try to think the positive thoughts and not fight the change.

These results were encouraging. Though the Were did not retain their minds, and they certainly were not tame, the side of the kennel that had taken the new potion were clearly calmer and in less pain than their friends across the hall. As Belby passed out the Bezoars in the morning examinations, he thought the problem might be the opiate. It was an excellent pain killer, and it relaxed the mind for the visions. But, the Were didn't need visions. They needed their minds unclouded. A different type of painkiller needed to be tried, and perhaps a different base. Perhaps Rosemary Oil?

This still left the problem of the Bezoar. He wanted to include it in the potion, but it looked as though it would have to be a morning-after pill. The puzzle of why Remus was doing so well was unsolved.

Severus, Lily, and Petunia were doing everything they could to pamper their mothers. Harold and Tobias were over the moon. The babies were all due in the first part of June. 'All', because Eileen was having twin girls! Rose was expecting a boy. The names were already chosen, but no adult would clue the kids in! Meanwhile, rooms needed painting and furniture brought down from the attics. Lily was happy! She had been optimistic and made a third layette in pink, hoping that at least one would be a girl. Now the pink and green sets were in the drawer at the Snapes', and the yellow set was in Roses' packed bag. Neither woman was risking the midwives at National Health this time! Casseroles were assembled, tightly wrapped, and stacked in the freezers – with baking instructions firmly taped on each. Harold and Tobias received basic cooking lessons (this is an oven. Turn this dial to the number on the instructions. When the thermometer dial reads that number, peel the wrappings off a meal and put it in the oven for the time listed. Use these two hot mitts for getting it out. Turn everything off!) Petunia expected to be home to fix suppers, but the Dads would have to provide lunches for a while.

James was right. The Healer reported he was in full puberty. His hormone counts were well into the adult range, and he had viable sperm. He also had a rapid growth condition that would require him to wear support wraps on his knees until his bones solidified. Those would not show, though he might walk a little stiffly until he got used to them. If his other joints also hurt, the Interns at the school could provide more wraps. He would be taking a daily supplement with extra Calcium.

"I'm going to ask the Goblins before you try this, son. It could be dangerous!"

"Dad! How dangerous can it be to grab a girl and kiss her? I'm going to do it in front of my Betrothed. It should make her mad enough to dump me!"

"Ripper, I know you would never give out specific details of any Contract filed with you. I wish to do a little research on Betrothal Contracts. Will you tell me, what is the strictest penalty you know of in the Betrothal Contracts on file? Specifically, I want to know what is the worst that can happen if a boy grabs and kisses a Betrothed girl who is not his?"

"For a fee. The strictest penalty Clause I know of in any current Contract is for Murder, though Rape is a close second. The Perp forfeits everything they own to the victim's parents; lands, houses, all Vaults, all Titles they might have or be intended to inherit. He won't need them, because he will be neutered, Squibbed, and memory-wiped. The worst I know of for the simpler crime of grabbing a girl and kissing her is an automatic fine of G10K plus a criminal charge brought to the Wizagamot for attempted Line Theft. Both Clauses are becoming quite common. Neither case voids the girl's Contract, because they are not committed BY her."

"Wow. That certainly gives me something to think about. Take the fee from my main account."

"It looks as though you might not get away with a kiss. Depends on what's in her Contract. Can't you think of something else?"