A/N: For those that had questions in the last chapter, I don't see any issue with Bonnie not protecting her Alpha. They were in a safe place, with people they knew. As far as Harry not smelling the difference, that would be an assumption that the potion used had a smell. He probably wouldn't have thought twice about the twins smell on his cup since they were all sitting close together.

Lastly, I just liked the scene, so authors rule.

A/N2: Harry Potter and his world belong to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and anyone that has received licensing rights. I am grateful she gives us the privilege of playing in her world.

Chapter 32

April 18, 1995

Blyihl House, Devonshire, England

Remus looked at the paper with a frown. Something nagged at the back of his mind to see the small article on the disturbance in Little Hangleton last night. He had heard the name of the quiet hamlet, but he couldn't remember where. Perhaps a few months back?

From the sounds of it, it was a brilliant lightning show that the muggle meteorologists were trying to figure out how a thunderstorm had leveled a part of woods that stood for hundreds of years. No storms had been predicted and it didn't look like a tornado had hit. The Ministry was being mum on the subject, but the reporting in the Prophet left no doubt it had been a magical surge of some kind. One strong enough to destroy wards meant to prevent anyone from finding the place.

When a bleary-eyed Sirius sat next to him, Remus raised an eyebrow. He smelt someone else on the man, but there were very few single women at the wedding yesterday. Sirius yawned and reached for a tureen of coffee. "Can I have a shot in this or am I on the clock today," he asked Remus.

"I need you to represent Harry in the meeting today. You know far more of the politics we are stepping into and I need you to guide him," Remus told him. He knew he didn't know the politics of the Wizengamot or their Houses.

"Andi will help too. She was taught the same way I was. Its Bones or the Vulture that should really train them. Those two are some of the shrewdest politician I have met, except for Dumbledore, but with morals," his old mate said starting to pile food on his plate from the table behind them.

Remus snorted. Politicians with morals. He wasn't wrong, but it seemed an oxymoron. "You are correct, but I think it better to start with you. They need to know the basics and to be guided through this meeting today."

Sirius ate a mouthful of eggs before answering. "I know everyone here will support them, but I wouldn't put it past Bones, Longbottom or Patil to have other motives or plans that Harry and Hermione can be used for. Until he comes into his own and holds a seat, there is still a lot of danger in this plan, Remus. I will take up my House Seat, but I cannot speak for the Potters. Not until they are eligible for a seat again."

"You are sure that is not until his twenty-first birthday?"

"I had a conversation with Andi yesterday. Apparently while I was in Azkaban there were a few minor changes to the Magical Heritage Act because of the last war. He is recognized as the last heir, he is married and the Ministry has filed him as the last sole survivor when they protested his Asylum last year. Per the changes, he can claim his Scion rights any time now, and actually be considered for an early elevation after he is seventeen. Otherwise, yes, he needs to be twenty-one to claim his seat without opposition."

Remus looked at the table of children and young adults. They were talking, laughing and acting like people their age should. Remus wanted Harry to be a teen. He knew Sirius did too. Others wanted the young man to grow up faster than anyone should. He already felt sad to see him and his mate. They both acted so much older than their age.

"Unless things get worse, I think we should try to keep him directly out of the Wizengamot until he is twenty-one. I am not sure he is cut for a politician," he said.

Sirius nodded. "No. But his girl is, if she wanted. As part of the Act, a married woman is considered fully elevated at seventeen. She will be Lady Potter before he can take up his full Lordship. That way any child she may give him will automatically be in line of succession, instead of having to wait a year to be recognized. That's part of the Preservation of magical lines."

Sirius took a few sips of coffee as Remus processed what he was saying. "Sirius, are you saying she will be Head of House until Harry turns twenty-one or is voted into his Lordship?"

"Knew you were smart. She wouldn't be quiet Head of House, but there is a loophole, Remus. Andi pointed it out. They are a bonded pair and the Potters never bound their line to the patriarch. Not like the Blacks. Once she is Lady Potter at seventeen, she will have all the power of a Lady. As you know, any line that is not bound to the male or female, that either of them can represent their House on the Wizengamot."

Remus took in a long breath as Sirius went on. "She could take up his seat. She wouldn't even need the votes as she would already be part of the Peerage. It's a loophole that is not often used, with most families passing Head of House to the male. Their bonding makes them equal in the eyes of magic and the Ministry. She may not be blood, but her magic is that of the Potters and Blacks. I can't see my Godson saying no if Hermione want's that. Even with this new Alliance, I highly doubt we can muster the simple majority plus five votes it would require to elevate Harry early."

"Have you talked to them about this yet," he asked.

Sirius shook his head. "Like I said, Andi and I only talked yesterday. This changes some of what we were to bring up today. I hate doing it, but once I finish here, I am going to steal them from their friends and go over this."

Remus nodded. He was distracted to smell Dora. He turned to see her in a nice dress and wearing a shawl on the slightly cool morning. A smile came over his face and Sirius dug into his breakfast. "Morning, Dora," he said. He loved the way she smelled after a shower.

"Morning. Budge your plate over so I can get one in," she said to Sirius who just snorted before moving his plate and coffee closer to himself.

"Anything good this morning?" She asked him looking at the paper and putting her plate and tea down.

"Not much. The Minister was hosting the Bulgarian Minister yesterday. Something about concerns of events this year," he said. "There was an interesting bit though. Sirius, did you say something about Little Hangleton a while back."

Sirius stiffened and Remus smelt the change. Sirius was concerned and angry. "Pettigrew," he said through a mouth full of beans. It suddenly came back to him. Sitting at the bar at the Three Broomsticks. Sirius had just spent a week or more hunting the rat after the last sighting. The rat had mentioned the small hamlet. A frown set into his face. "Remus, let me see that paper."

Sirius grabbed it before he could respond.

"You aren't talking about Peter Pettigrew," Dora said looking at him.

Sirius had thrown open the paper and was scanning for the story. "Page five," Remus told him. "Yes, Dora. We have a bit of a score to settle with him."

She frowned. "Remus, this should be handled by the Aurors. You know Bones won't go easy on you for murder, even if he is supposed to be dead."

"Murder would be too kind," Sirius growled at them. "Remus, this is magic beyond anything Peter could do."

"What happened?"

As they were talking about it, Madame Bones came out of the house. "Tonks, I hate to do this, but can you take these missives to Scrimgeour. I don't trust an owl at the moment."

She looked at him, then her Boss. "Sure, Boss. Can I eat first?"

Amelia frowned. "I would prefer right away. I see you have seen the paper."

Tonks nodded and hastily piled eggs and bacon on some toast. "Not the first time I have eaten on the run. Give me a few minutes to change. Not sure if I'll be back later," she said giving Remus a kiss and then disappearing into the house with Amelia.

Sirius frowned. "Remus, if I get to him first, I swear they won't even find a finger this time."

Remus put a hand on his best mates shoulder. "Do you think Dawn would like you going to Azkaban? Besides, we promised to look after Harry. I think we owe that to him, more than some revenge for our friends. Harry needs us now."

Sirius looked at him then Dawn. "Ah, damn it. I took a shower too."

Remus gave him a wan smile. "Wolves have a good sense of smell. Besides, she has been eyeing you for a few months now."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Huh. At one time I would have picked up on that. Guess I am losing my touch. Last night was the first time."

He shook his head. Only Sirius would mourn time he could have been shagging someone. It wasn't the attraction of mates, but it was a strong attraction he could smell from Dawn. "Or just getting older," he teased Sirius.

Sirius eyed him before sighing. When he spoke, he sounded a thousand miles away in his head. "Azkaban does funny things to you, Remus. Until last night, I wasn't sure I would ever get it up again. Do you know why I was so quick to claim Harry and Hermione my heirs?"

Remus frowned. He knew some things that could happen if you were around dementors or the potions they sometimes fed you in that place. "Your sterile, aren't you?"

Sirius sighed. "Until I saw Harry after escaping Azkaban, I never wanted a child. Didn't want them to be as messed up as me or my family."

"Andi is pretty normal," Remus said.

Sirius nodded. "She made out good. Ted is a good man. But seeing Harry, seeing how he is turning into such a fine man after the shite he has gone through, it gave me hope. Once I was cleared by the Wizengamot, I tried going to a few bars. You know what happened?"

Remus shook his head.

"Nothing. I looked at an attractive woman, and nothing. No lust. No attraction. Nothing."

Remus hadn't known how much Sirius had been holding in. "Don't mention anything to the pups. I like this one. Andi has confirmed I can't have any more children, or at least it is highly improbable. I don't think Dawn wants anymore, but she is the only one to get my blood going since I escaped. I like her daughter too."

Remus nodded. "Sirius, you know I am your best mate. We keep secrets, but you can always talk to me."

Sirius nodded then turned to a loud noise from the teens. They saw the yellow smoke and then the canary pop out. The angry Hermione and laughing twins led straight to the conclusion that the squeaky bird was Harry. Sirius laughed. "Why didn't we think of that while at school?"

Remus chuckled to see the spells flying from Hermione's wand and the twins scrambling away before Harry reappeared and was quickly covered with breakfast. "Go stop his wife from blasting half the countryside," Remus told Sirius.

Sirius got up shaking his head. Chuckling he said, "She is so much like Lily at times."

Remus smiled. He had to agree. At times, Hermione was just as fiery as the redhead James fell in love with. More often than not, she was a voice of reason that rivaled Lily at their same age. Lily was brilliant, but she was very impulsive. Harry's girl was much more deliberate. Showing her difference she stopped as soon as they were out of range. Lily would have chased them down and kept hexing them until one of them stopped her.

-oOo-

Blyihl House, Devonshire, England

Harry lay in the grass. The cool wind felt nice after being stuck in the stuffy room for the last three hours. Hermione had offered to go with him when he said he needed a walk, but this was something he needed to work through. He could see and smell how wound up she was from that meeting and he needed silence, not an excited wolf talking as fast as she could as she worked through it all.

Harry was not looking towards being Lord Potter. Ilvamorny and exile to the United States was sounding pretty good.

As he thought about the possibilities, he sighed.

A half mile away at the house were many people that were relying on him. His pack and the Granger pack had an opportunity to start a change to the laws. It would probably take a few years to really build the coalition, and would need more votes on the Wizengamot, but there was a distinct chance. He hadn't seen Hermione this excited since before last summer. It was like a weight had been lifted that had been holding her back. Now, she could see the change. She could be part of the change.

Harry would be happy to give her his seat if she wanted. If the Wizengamot was anywhere near as stuffy as that meeting had been, he wanted nothing to do with it.

He sighed again. He was going to be Lord Potter. It was his duty. He didn't want to feel like he was pawning it off to his mate.

As he thought about it, Hermione's voice was in his head as she had whispered her play of events. In that room were three current Wizengamot members. The Bones and Patils were already Allies. Lady Longbottom was ready to declare herself with the Potters, but Bones wasn't ready to step down as head of her Alliance until a Potter took their seat again. Everyone seemed alright with that. Lady Longbottom would declare head of the Potter Alliance until that time.

Sirius and McGonagall would both take up their seats again, but they were not really keen to pledge to follow Bones in everything. There main concern was protecting the werewolves and muggleborn.

Next came the much more convoluted stuff. The Browns were vassals of the Bones and up for election. The Tonks could be proposed for next year if the became a vassal of one of the other houses. The Weasley's were part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight by age alone. The Blacks, Potters, and Longbottoms were as well. That gave them all a seat on the Wizengamot, except that the Potters didn't have an heir old enough and the Weasley's were still under sanction for a duel that happened almost a hundred years ago.

Harry had paid close attention to the Weasley's. To his surprise, Mr. Weasley was going to step down as Head-of-House and allow Bill to take it. Mrs. Weasley had convinced their Aunt Muriel to name Percy her Heir and in two years he would be eligible to become Lord Prewitt. Once Bill offered an official apology, he would be able to take up the old Weasley Lordship. Then there was Lovegood, who was eligible for elevation now being the First Vassal of the Potters (and their only now), but couldn't be put forward before a Potter took their House seat again.

Last was Diggory. A lower house for many years with no landed title or age to meet the threshold of Peerage, but with a drive to see things done right. Sirius proposed the Diggory's to join one of them as a Vassal and they could recommend them for next year. Mr. Diggory said he would have to think about it. The Diggory's had stood independent for many years... At least that was what he thought he understood. It was all so confusing. The short of it was that in two years, they could control twelve votes, making them the largest voting block next to the Malfoy's and Dumbledore.

Harry groaned and put his hands to his eyes.

The breeze was starting to become puffy and stronger. He could smell the ozone and other scents that preceded a storm. He figured it was another hour or so before he would have to go back to the house. The breeze wafted the scent to him before he heard the boy over the rustling grass and trees.

He waited for the redhead to come over and sit in the grass. "Didn't see you this morning."

"Yeah, well, slept in and then took a walk," Ron told him. They sat peaceably for a few minutes before Ron spoke again. "How was the meeting?"

Harry snorted. "Boring. I didn't understand half of it."

"I still think this is mental," Ron told him.

Harry moved his arm up and looked at his friend through one eye. "I really don't want to be Lord Potter if I have to sit through meetings like that." He knew he would though if it meant protection for his pack.

Ron snorted. "You'll be a prat either way."

"Brilliant. Doomed no matter what I do."

"Pretty much."

Harry reached out and punched his friend on the arm. Ron laughed. "Bloody belland."

Ron chortled as he lay back in the grass next to Harry. They lay there for a few watching the storm clouds flow over their head. "Harry, what really happened in the meeting?"

Harry let out a long breath. "A lot. I may have to have Hermione explain it all to me later."

"Like what?"

Harry shifted so he could peek at his best mate out of a partially opened eye. "A lot of stuff that makes no sense to me. Like did you know your House is actually Knighted and still holds deeded lands? Your dad or Bill could be a Lord."

Ron looked out. "Yeah, I know. In the muggle world our family was known as Westley. Mum and Dad taught us all that, but I never wanted to be part of that. All the purebloods really don't like muggle blood or others. Mum and Dad always said it doesn't matter what your blood is."

"You realize you're a pureblood?"

Ron snorted. "We are blood-traitors. That is what they all call us."

"What about Neville or Susan? Or Padma and Pavarti? There is Luna too. They have done nothing but defend my pack and talk out against those you call Purebloods. Cedric too. Did you know he was a Pureblood?" Harry smelt rain on the air.

Ron looked out at the woods across the field. "They are all considered blood-traitors. If you notice not one of them holds a high office at the Ministry and always seems to be blocked from any Heads of Department or other high positions. Percy may be the only one to break that, but even the Prewitts are considered Blood-traitors. When You-Know-Who was alive, he killed many Houses considered Blood-traitors and many laws have pushed us out of the Peerage."

Harry frowned. "Madame Bones is Head of the DMLE and Mr. Diggory is being offered a promotion to Head for the Department of Magical Creatures.."

Ron rolled his eyes. "All right! Maybe some blood-traitors make it."

He had never known Ron to be so introspective. He didn't know Ron knew any of this. He always spoke out against Pure-blood beliefs and acted as though he didn't know anything about them. He sat up and hit Ron on the arm. "What's really eating you, Ron?"

Ron picked at some grass and threw shreds of it into the wind. He had an indeterminate look on his face. "Percy has been named Scion Prewitt."

"Yeah. I know. What of it?"

Ron shrugged. "You're going to be Lord Potter and Hermione is going to be a Lady. Neville will be Lord Longbottom."

Harry wasn't sure where this was going, but he wasn't sure he liked it. "Didn't I just say the Weasley's can be too? You've told me before The Burrow has the remains of an old keep on the grounds."

Ron's look soured. "Dad will be a Lord. Lord Weasley. Our family hasn't held that title in almost a hundred years. My great-great-Grandfather is still right."

He didn't think this had anything to do with his dead relatives. "Ron, I agree with your family, but sometimes you need to do things that you don't agree with."

Ron snorted. "You sound like Bill."

Harry guessed he did after hearing Ron's older brother talking to his dad. Ron looked like he wanted to say more and Harry waited. When Ron spoke, his bitterness was unmistakable. "Dad is going to pass Head of House to Bill, isn't he? That's why we are apologizing and why Bill is staying in England."

Harry scrunched his brow. "I thought you knew."

Ron shook his head. "I should have known. Percy gets to be Lord Prewitt. Bill will get to be Lord Weasley. You'll be Lord Potter and what will I be?"

So, this was his issue. "You'll be Ron Weasley, my best mate."

Ron gave him a sour look. "Don't best mate me, Harry. I won't even rate to be in the same room as you anymore."

"What the bloody hell. The whole idea is that blood or family status doesn't matter, Ron. You think I want to be Lord Potter?"

"Why wouldn't you want to be? It would put you on the Wizengamot and allow you to do whatever you want. We are blood traitors, but I see how Neville and others are treated differently because they are part of the Peerage," Ron told him.

"You are too, you prat," Harry said back angrily. He wasn't sure why he was getting riled, but he didn't like the way Ron was talking.

"Oh, come off it, Harry. You're the boy-who-lived and now Lord Potter. Even if Bill gets the seat back by apologizing, I still won't admit we were wrong, because the Weasleys aren't."

"If you haven't noticed, I am also a wolf. That cancels out the other tripe and I never wanted to be The-boy-who-lived or Lord Potter."

Ron sneared. "Who cares you're a werewolf. All that matters in our world is blood and you have a bloodline that stretches back to the founders of Hogwarts. That makes you special to many in our world, even if they can't stand you."

"I don't want to be special, Ron. And since when do you care about blood? I thought you hated that stuff."

"Yeah, well, that was until my best mate started to ignore me because of it," Ron said glaring at him.

Harry blinked and shook his head. "I haven't done any such thing," he said to Ron.

"When was the last time you just hung out with me?"

"Yesterday. I remember us sneaking off for an hour to go flying," Harry retorted.

"Only after Hermione told you to go."

Harry scrunched his nose in anger. "It was our wedding day and I asked you."

Ron threw his hands up in the air and made an aggravated sound. "Alright! One time over the last few months. But I usually have to make a deal with you to hang out with me. You're always with your pack or studying. What happened to just us?"

He stiffened. "Things aren't the same. We have explained this to you."

"Bloody hell, Harry. I know they aren't the same but why can't you just blow off everything for a day or a few evenings?"

"If you haven't noticed, the Werewolf Reform Commission has set some pretty strict guidelines. Hermione and I have to get at least five OWLs next year, and the rest of my pack needs to as well." He felt his wolf start to stir.

"Gah! Your pack! It's always about your pack."

"I am the Alpha," Harry said in a harder tone. "They are my responsibility."

"Listen to yourself, Harry. It's not your responsibility. Your only fourteen. If its because you're a werewolf, Remus is older. He can look out for them. I just want you and Hermione to just hang out like we used too," Ron said, ignoring the tone of Harry's voice. "And I still can't believe your married."

Harry sat up and looked his best mate in the eye. He knew the look on his face wasn't kind, but he would not stand for this challenge. "Ron, I am a werewolf. I am the Alpha of our pack. It is my responsibility and why does it matter if Hermione is my wife?"

"Damn it, Harry. Stop. You always say you aren't a beast, then act like it. Blow everything off and come over for the summer. The others will be fine with Remus," Ron said angrily.

Harry growled and rolled to a crouch. "I will not abandon my pack. We will not just blow things off. We can't. If we do, we could be sent to Azkaban or killed. I will not allow that to happen."

Ron, for the first time, looked apprehensive and shuffled back a few feet. It was as though he was seeing Harry for the first time. Was it jealousy he smelt on the boy?

"They can't be serious? Do you really think Bones will allow them to kill you?"

"Ron, Madame Bones follows the law. They are very clear what happens to us if we break the law outside the Commission. Our only hope would be the ICW getting to us first. At least then we would get a trial," Harry told him. He knew Hermione and him had gone over this several times with Ron over the last few months.

"Why can't you just be a kid," Ron asked.

"Because we can't. Now, if you excuse me, I need to go check on my pack."

"Fine, run off to them. That's all you do anyways. Maybe you are a beast," Ron said angrily.

Harry twirled back around, a very dangerous growl coming from him. He took a few steps to Ron, who looked very nervous but held his ground. "Ron, we are friends. I will let that pass this time, but you ever call any of my pack a beast again, we are through."

Ron swallowed before sniping. "Consider us through then."

Harry's growl deepened. His wolf was reacting and he wasn't sure how much of the anger was the wolf or him. On the whole, Ron had been there for him. His pack was the most important thing. Ron was second, well, maybe third. Hermione, Pack then Ron. Was he really that jealous of something Harry didn't want? He was not keen on being Lord Potter the more he knew about it. It also hurt to hear those words from Ron. Harry considered him almost family. Almost pack. Was this why he had never considered Ron full pack?

"Talk to me when you calm down," Harry told him and turned again.

"See, you always run back to them," Ron said at his back as he walked away.

"And I always will. Pack is family. I thought you were too, Ron." Harry said it loud enough that Ron should hear. He found he didn't really care if he didn't.

-oOo-

April 21, 1995

London, England

Amelia sat in the conference room that had become Command Central on the wolves and other creatures. Today she had her top people in the room with her. Le Brun sat to her right with Black. Lupin sat next to Black. On the other side of the table was Scrimgeour and Shacklebolt. At the end of the table sat one of the top people in the Unspeakables.

"An interesting mix," Algernon Longbottom said as he stirred his tea. She called him by his code name in present company.

She nodded. "Croaker, I brought in the top Heads, the ICW and a Lycanthrope like you asked. You said you had news of what happened last weekend."

The man looked around the table. "You are beta of the Potter pack, correct?"

Remus frowned. "Yes. How did you know? I don't remember that being in any paper and we have not filed that with the WRC."

The man was tall, even sitting down he was taller than everyone in the room. His head was almost completely bald and he looked to be getting up there in years. His blue eyes, though, showed a man in the prime of his life. She knew the man knew things others should not.

Croaker looked at Remus. "It is quiet obvious, even if I didn't know of you already, Remus Lupin. It is apparent that as a wolf, as I know your kind prefers to refer to themselves as, you are a powerful man. There is a calm command about you, but it is not the domination that a typical Alpha would project. In a room full of obviously strong willed and powerful people, you are comfortable and confident in who you are."

Black snorted. "Always told you you were too soft."

"Not now, Sirius," Remus rebuked and Sirius smirked.

"And Sirius Black. The notorious murderer, right hand to Voldemort, madman, and the betrayer of the Potters..."

He didn't have a chance to finish before Sirius was up and his wand pointing towards the man. "Continue and you will find out how mad I am," Sirius threatened.

Croaked raised an eyebrow. Le Brun hadn't stirred, but his voice was hard. "Sit down, Captain Black, unless you wish to spend the night in a cell."

Croaker inclined his head. "I see. You really are Harry Potter's godfather and part of his pack. Remus, you can put your wand away too."

She looked at the wolf and saw the motion to put his wand back up his sleeve. She had agreed to let them keep their wands out of respect. She wondered if she would need to rescind that respect. "As I said, Beta. You protect your pack but aren't as overt as I am sure your Alpha is at times."

"Is there a point to aggravating this response," Le Brun said icily to the man.

Croakers eyes took on a glint of joy. "Yes, there is. I see the rumors of your quick wit are not exaggerations."

"Get to the point, Croaker. You know I hate these games," Scrimgeour said.

"Ah, but you played it too, Head Scrimgeour. You were just less overt in your measures. That was a nice shield you cast on your Boss. Now, the point, Commander Le Brun, is just this. We are dealing with creatures that react differently and many times think differently. Remus was reacting to a danger to his pack and friend. Sirius was reacting to his bonds and love to their pack lead. Scrimgeour was reacting to a threat he thought his Boss was in and Le Brun was ready to arrest his Captain if he broke the law. What you saw was the core of each of these men," Croaker said.

"I noticed you did not mention myself or Captain Shacklebolt," Amelia said.

"I did not. You both understand these men. You know they would not have come to blows unless needed. All-in-all, it was quiet a learning experience for us all."

Scrimgeour frowned. "I still don't get your point, Croaker."

"And that is sad and why you have not cracked this case. You don't sympathize with creatures like Mr. Lupin. I apologize that I keep calling you that, but there is a reason," he said to Remus, who looked unhappy. "To many of the people in this room, you are just that to some extent. A creature. A dangerous monster who only wants to hurt, kill and find anyway they can to steal, rape or fight authority. Or some just see it as your nature, assuming that you can not control it at times."

Croaker held a hand up to Remus. "I can see that is far from the truth, but you must agree that many of your kind do let the beast dominate them."

Remus had a sour look before sighing. "We are not all like that, and most just want to be normal after the first turn."

"But they can't."

"All they want is to kill. The full moon brings out that side," Scrimgeour said with disdain.

Amelia frowned. She knew the man still held very bad feeling about his nephew, but she had seen there are differences between packs now. The almost two hundred wolves on the Registry proved that. Very few had fallen back once given this opportunity. That was about 30% of the estimated population in Britain. As far as she could tell, only about 15% of them were causing a large problem. The rest were just trying to eek a living anyway they could.

"Yes, it does, but that is not the whole story. Is it Mr. Lupin? How many years were you a werewolf before you first had wolfsbane?"

Remus pursed his lips. "Twenty-eight years."

Sirius looked upset for his friend.

"And in that time, did you ever intentionally place yourself in a spot you could cause harm when turned? Did you ever seek out anyone to harm, even when the monster was in control? Did you ever bite anyone," Croaker asked.

Sirius frowned. Remus slowly shook his head. "I never wanted to harm anyone if I could help it. I will not deny there were close calls, but I never intentionally put myself in a way that I would be close to others when turned."

Amelia scrunched her brow.

"And how have you felt the last few months now that Andromeda Tonks has changed the wolfsbane potion?"

Some day she would need to know how he got all this information. Remus looked at the man and then around the room before laying eyes on her. "Anything we discuss directly about our pack or individuals in it shall not be used outside of this room or the people present. If this is going where I think it might, there are also things about my kind that I would like to be safeguarded unless other lives are at stake. That goes for you too, Unspeakable Croaker."

She nodded and Croaker took out his wand. "I give my word as you request." His wand glowed blue. Remus turned his eyes back to her.

"Members of my department know their oaths and will protect the innocent," she stated.

Remus shook his head. "Not good enough. Anything about my pack is private to us. You must swear."

She looked at him. The few days she had spend at Blyihl House with Potter and his pack had been eye opening. She had never seen two packs so close or the way a true pack interacts with each other. It was almost counter to anything she had been taught or already learned in the last ten months. "My oaths are to the DMLE, as are Scrimgeour's and Shacklebolt's. We protect the innocent."

Remus frowned and looked at her for a long moment before turning back to Croaker. "What? The ICW doesn't get the same treatment," Rufus said put-out.

"We have already had discussion with Mr. Lupin and Mr. Potter. We will respect their privacy as dictated by ICW law," Commander Le Brun said.

Remus waited for Rufus to nod before replying to Croaker. "The last three cycles have been different."

"How so," Croaker asked.

"Is this really relevant as to what happened last weekend and our investigation," Rufus asked. He was being very impatient today.

She pursed her lips and stared at the man. "Head Scrimgeour, you will show respect to those here and let Unspeakable Croaker get to his point." She knew Croaker always had a point when he did stuff like this.

Her Head of the Aurors didn't look pleased but nodded.

"Right. How do you feel different," Croaker asked again.

Remus took in a breath. "You know of the Sickness, don't you?"

She wasn't sure what they were talking about. The two men shared a knowing look. "Yes. I have obtained certain scripts and books over the years as packs have died or turned feral. Can you please describe how you felt different first."

Remus let out a long breath. "The first month, it was like the beast was crying out in me. I curled up for hours as it writhed in pain. The second month it was better. I could think clearer. I didn't have the bloodlust that my kind is so famous for."

"And this last moon?"

"I was agitated. What ever happened earlier in the day and with the blood moon, I found the wolf trying to come out. We were at odds with the Greengrass pack only because of the smell of the Sickness in them," Remus said.

"And what of your two members that have not received the new potion? Where you at odds with them?"

Remus frowned before shaking his head. "No."

"Why," Croaker said looking very excited at this news.

"Our Alpha is not that way. We follow the Alpha and even before the new potion, I could feel the beast in me was calmer than ever before."

"I'm sorry, but what are you talking about," the calm deep voice of Shacklebolt spoke up.

Remus shared a look with Sirius before explaining to them about what he knew of the werewolf origins and the Sickness. She had had no clue that their origins went so deep or that Croaker would confirm that is what the Unspeakables knew. Some of the clues and findings of the werewolves, hags and trolls made so much more sense. Looking at the papers on the walls, her mind started to piece together items that seemed so disconnected before.

"You're telling me that the hags are actually in control of those beasts," Scrimgeour said.

"That would explain things we had speculated for years. You did not bring this up, Captain Black," Le Brun said.

Sirius shifted. "It was not my place to bring it up. I am not a werewolf and Harry is protected with others not knowing this," he told his new Boss.

"Ah, I see," Le Brun said and let the matter rest.

"Yes, this is a link we have known about for many centuries, but we did not think the pacts were still active," Croaker said.

"You knew and you kept this secret," Scrimgeour said angrily to the man.

Croaker shrugged. "No one asked and until now I have never been able to talk with a lycanthrope to positively confirm it. Most don't know of their history anymore and those that do tend to protect it to the death. I assume that your Alpha allowed you to share this?"

"Both the Potter and Granger packs have agreed to share this, though I admit you knew far more than I expected," Remus said. The man looked heavily in thought. "You think this has to do with last weekend."

Croaker smiled. "I see you have connected most of the dots."

She stifled her sigh. Croaker was not a straightforward man. "Connect them for us, Croaker. We have another meeting in a short bit and I need a break in this case."

Croaker looked at her. "Ah, I see you are about there too. Alright," he said holding up his hand when Scrimgeour looked ready to strangle him. "The raid in February in the Ardvald Valley disrupted more than just an illegal potions ring. Amelia, you asked the Unspeakables to figure out what potions could be made from the ingredients found there and in other raids. I think we discovered two of interest."

He reached into his robes and took out several parchments. "You know of the Servant's Brew," Remus asked.

She raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"My pack has some knowledge of a few potions that hags or others can make to control my kind. Hagbestian silver is one of the ingredients, as well as certain other plants that are not easily found at times," Remus told her.

She took in a deep breath. Croaker spoke before she could. "That is one of them. There are also some very old druidic and coven texts that we have found. There is a way to break the curse that binds the wolf only to the full moon."

"You can't be serious," Scrimgeour said jumping out of his seat. The chair toppled over as he hit the table. Remus was equally as fast and Sirius was up only a fraction of a second later. "You mean those monsters can be released at any point! What is preventing them from killing us all now? Bones, we need to call in all those on the Registry and authorize lethal force on all those not on the registry."

"We are not beasts," Remus said angrily. "My pack has not harmed anyone and never will."

"You will touch him over my dead body," Sirius said, his wand pointing at Scrimgeour and looking ready to duel.

Le Brun stood up and placed a hand on Sirius' arm. "No harm will come to your pack. The Ministry has sworn never to use the Registry for such an act. Director Bones, inform your Head as such."

"Everyone will sit and if I see a wand come out again without my permission, there will be some cells with new occupants. Head Scrimgeour, another outburst and you will be demoted," she said in her cool commanding voice. She would not see innocents, be them beasts or not, submitted to anything the like. The man's fury was all over his face and he tried to stare her down for a moment before relenting and sitting down.

"I will have this understood now." She spoke more to her Auror's than anyone else. "The DMLE will uphold all laws and treaties. We will treat all those under our jurisdiction as innocent until proven guilty. Lethal force is ONLY to be used in those situations already authorized. Any member of the DMLE found not to adhere to our rules and laws will find themselves before a tribunal. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Boss," Shacklebolt said right away.

Scrimgeour's lips were barely visible with how he clenched his mouth tight with fury. She knew he had wanted revenge for his nephew, but she had thought he had largely left that behind. She was going to have to recommend him for an eval and possible extended break if he couldn't put his feelings on this matter aside. "Do. You. Understand?"

He nodded and she gave him a hard look for a moment before turning back to the others. "What the bloody hell do you mean there are ways to break the curse on them. Explain." She was done with Croakers round about ways.

"Exactly as I said. There are potions, rituals and ways to break the curse. Typically the potions allows a werewolf to turn under any moon for a few hours. From what I can find, it has not been used in many centuries because some of the ingredients are thought to be extinct."

"Like what," Le Brun asked.

"Hair from a True Wolf, a lup adevărat."

Remus took in a sharp breath. At a look from her, he said, "A wizard or witch that became a wolf after accepting the gift from a real wolf. The remain a wolf but keep their magic."

"That is just a child's tale," Shacklebolt said. "My mother used to tell me of animals granting such powers from her grandmother."

"It is not a child's tale." Croaker said. He went on, probably sensing her mood. "That is not what I think we have here though. We have old texts that describe how the druids bound the wolf to only the full moon after the covens became perverted. It was a safeguard. The gift of the werewolf could not be undone, but the madness that was starting to grow with the imbalance of its makers could be contained. There are stories of the wolves that turned at will going mad after a few years and then going on wild rampages. If they were not hunted down, then they would fall into a coma after a year or so of the Sickness taking over. Those that had their wolf contained, never to turn again, suffered much the same fate within months, not years. Thus, the druids had to allow the wolf out at least one night each moon cycle."

"The ritual circle at the cave. The hags were trying to break their wolves free," Le Brun said troubled.

"Merlin's balls," Sirius said. Remus paled while Scrimgeour looked murderous.

"Yes," Croaker said. "I fear they almost succeeded. This is where some of my original questioning comes in. How close is Andromeda Tonks to completing her formula?"

"Why," she asked.

Croaker looked at her before looking at Remus. "Lupin, you know that your Alphas are free of the Sickness. That new formula is purging it from you and sounds like it is almost purged from Miss Greengrass and Miss Entwhistle. Those not infected with the Sickness do not fall prey to the fate of those not bound to the moon."

Her eyes widened. "Shacklebolt, get Healer Tonks here now. Croaker, if what you are saying is correct, how much time before they can try it again?"

Croaker shrugged. "It depends on whether they plan to use the eclipse next week and if they already have a new array made. That can take months though. It takes many sacrifices at certain distances from the center point and a ley line to power it. I also don't know if the magic around that cave in Scotland is stable enough to allow another attempt for a few months in the north. We are still picking up aftershocks and after the array tried to activate at the wrong time last weekend that ley line collapsed again. It had started to recover, but I am unsure if it will ever recover now. They will need a new site."

Remus stood up. "I must get back to my pack right away. Sirius, come as soon as you can. Madame Bones, can Nymphadora Tonks join us as soon as possible?"

She looked at the man. She wanted him around, but this affected them as much as it did her. "Mr. Lupin and Commander Le Brun, I would prefer Captain Black to remain as we work through some items. Scrimgeour, release Auror Tonks to go with Mr. Lupin. She shall be our liaison as we work out a plan to counter this. Shackelbolt. I want you to return to Hogsmeade and prepare for a possible issue next week. Send Green word to report here ASAP."

"May I call in Captain Turgeon? I would like the ICW to be part of this planning. We should make sure there are not other cells like this," Le Brun asked.

"Granted." She told him.