The shopping trip

The end of the fight of the flaming chicken. Hermione gets a bodyguard (give you three guesses but you'll only need one, lol!). Nagini meets sister . Tom gets a little surprise. Feelings are hurt and apologies are made. Memories of the past rise up in dreams and suspicions are roused. Harry, Ron and Hermione go shopping with the snakes. Once again, bye bye Ron. What IS it with Scabior and injuries?!

Fen and Tom were still laughing when they got back to the drawing room. Lucius looked up and smiled. "Oh, no. What's happened?" Tom and Fen told them about the scene happening outside and pretty soon all the Death Eaters were laughing hysterically and holding their sides. 'Order of the Flaming Chicken, indeed!'

They were just gaining control of themselves when they heard yells and screaming rapidly approaching the room. Tom threw his Lord Voldemort persona back on just in time. "Fen! Help me! She's gonna kill me!" Scabior burst through the door, laughing his ass off as Hermione came racing after him, wild eyed and still swinging the stick at him. "Die, die, die!" she screamed. Fenrir stood in front of Scabior, chuckling, as Lucius caught Hermione. Tom gently pried the stick out of her hands.

"Now, now, Miss Granger, we don't want to be killing anyone, do we?" he chided.

"Ohhhh, yes, yes, we DO want to kill someone! We want to kill someone RIGHT NOW!" Hermione darted forward and tried her best to get around Fen. He caught her and held her until Scabior raced back out of the room.

"Miss Granger, I think now would be a good time to tell you I've assigned a bodyguard to you. Narcissa and Bella have requested a shopping trip for you tomorrow. Misses Parkinson, Bulstrode, Greengrass and Davis will accompany you as well. Since tensions are still so high, I will be sending young Scabior, Malfoy, Flint, Zabini and Pucey as extra security. Would Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley wish to go as well?" Tom told the furiously angry young witch. The distraction worked only briefly, then she snarled, "And just why does HE have to be along? Aren't the other boys protection enough?"

"He has to be along because there are only two of them who aren't students. They will need an experienced fighter along. Flint, Pucey, and Scabior will be the bodyguards for all of you. If I know Narcissa and Bella, no doubt, they will want to go to the muggle shops as well as Diagon Alley, Miss Granger." Tom breathed a sigh of relief as she seemed to accept that reason and calm down.

"Very well, he can come, too. I'm warning you, though, one mention of Flaming Chicken, and I'll be bringing him back in little pieces!" she snapped.

"The flaming chicken thing would be my fault, missy." Greyback chuckled over her shoulder. "The boy picked that one up from me, I'm afraid."

Hermione sighed and nodded. "Well, I guess I can't fault him for it, then. But I still don't have to like it!" she narrowed her eyes defiantly. Greyback laughed and released her.

At that moment, Nagini eased around the corner of the couch. Hermione saw her and froze, her eyes huge with fear. Tom looked around and smiled. He took Hermione's hand reassuringly and led her to Nagini. It said a great deal of how much more Hermione feared Nagini that she willingly let him take her hand. "Miss Granger, this is Nagini. Have no fear, child, she'll not harm you. She just wants to meet you." He knelt in front of the huge serpent and brought her down with him.

Hermione gingerly reached out, expecting to feel wet, slimy skin. Instead what she felt was soft, slick skin. She couldn't believe she, who had feared snakes since she was a child, was actually petting an honest to Merlin snake. Tom showed her how to let Nagini catch her scent and her favorite places to be petted. Hermione sat dead still as Nagini slowly began twining around her. When she stopped, her head rested on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione smiled hugely as she realized the giant snake really did mean her no harm and just wanted a hug and scratches. She hugged her gently and scratched all the places Tom had shown her. Nagini then unwound herself and went back to her favorite sun spot, happy that sister liked her and wasn't scared of her now.

"So what did you think of the draft, Miss Granger? Did it seem fairly balanced to you?" he inquired. Hermione looked up at him.

"There were several issues there I really liked, the classes for instance. I really wish both Harry and myself had been better instructed on what to expect. The removal from an abusive home was another. I liked that for Harry's sake. He should have been able to have a much better childhood than he did. There were people who would gladly have taken him in but were refused!" she frowned.

"I actually think the copy you drafted would be an excellent model for both sides. I'd like to look it over some more. Fine tune a couple of the bigger things but I think it'll be quite fair to both sides. I'm thinking Dumbledore and the Order will go along with it fairly well. The Ministry, I'm not so sure about. Maybe if you could persuade an Order member who also works at the Ministry to look it over with me, they might have a better feel for if the Ministry would accept it." She smiled at him. Lord Voldemort was proving to be quite reasonable, unlike what she'd been told he was like in the first Wizarding War. He helped her to her feet and handed her a copy of the draft. He'd been warned she'd want to keep a copy of it with her.

"Here you go, Miss Granger. You might want to rejoin your friends now. I'll make the final arrangements for the shopping trip tomorrow." He sent her on her way. Just as she opened the door, Scabior was about to reenter the room. He grinned at her widely and winked. As he'd been running back out of the room, Fen had caught his eye and motioned silently for him to stay near. She glared at him and growled as she pushed past him.

He closed the door, then crossed to stand beside his father. "What's going on? Am I in trouble?" he looked around at all of them frowning seriously at him. His eyes were wide with worry.

"My boy, I need your help with something." He turned at Tom's words. Tom walked over and put his hands on both his shoulders. "I require a bodyguard for my guest of honor. I would like to offer the position to you. Would you be willing to accept the offer?"

"Guest of honor? That,,, would be the girl? Right? Not the boys?" Scabior asked cautiously. Tom chuckled at him.

"Yes, I mean Miss Granger. Would you take the position? I'm told, by your father, that you are one of his best fighters." Scabior looked as though Christmas had come early. He nodded eagerly, glancing back at Fenrir excitedly. "Good. You, Flint and Pucey will accompany Malfoy and Zabini, as well as Potter and Weasley, on a shopping trip tomorrow. Narcissa and Bella wish to take Miss Granger out and acquire a wardrobe for her. Misses Parkinson, Bulstrode, Greengrass and Davis are going as well. I trust you will be able to defend them, should there be any trouble?"

Scabior nodded seriously. "You can count on me, sir. I'll keep them safe."

"Just one word of precaution. Please, for your own and Miss Granger's sake, please do not mention flaming chickens to her tomorrow. If you do, please make sure you are here in the back lawn before you do." Tom chuckled at the mischievous smile on the boy's face. Hermione had shown him a weakness and he fully intended to put it to use, keeping her attention entirely on himself. Even if it meant pissing her off to the point that she chased him around, trying to clobber him with a bloody huge stick!

After telling him the time to be ready and going over last minute security measures with Fenrir, Flint and Pucey, the three boys walked out talking and went back down to join the others. They walked out the door in time to hear Draco call Hermione a 'filthy little mudblood', then Scabior got to witness her right hook as she drew back and punched Malfoy in the nose, breaking it from the sounds of the crunch.

"Oi! What's going on here?" Flint demanded to know. Harry, Ron, and Blaise all three launched into telling them what happened. Meanwhile, Scabior had seen Hermione draw away from everyone, holding her hand. He walked over to her, inspecting it for broken bones. She had definitely broken at least a couple of knuckles. He took it, laid it flat on his palm and waved his other hand over it. Her eyes widened, watching him perform wand less magic.

"How do you wield wand less magic so effortlessly?" she asked, curious about his training. He didn't look to be much older than Flint but she couldn't recall seeing him at Hogwarts. He simply cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Fen taught me. He didn't want me depending strictly on a wand for self-protection. I never use it unless I have to, it's my last resort." He told her solemnly.

"If the wand is your last resort, what are your main defenses, aside from wand less magic?" she crinkled her brow.

He smiled wickedly as he allowed his incisors to extend. She was suddenly gasping as his fingernails extended into claws. He pointed at his teeth. "First defense." He held up his hands, claws extended. "Second defense." He allowed his fangs and claws to recede as he balled his fists. "Third defense." He slung his hand out and a ball of fire hit a bush about twenty feet away from them. "Fourth defense." He drew his wand. "Last resort." He shrugged at her, unconcerned at her sudden fear.

Hermione knew Scabior stayed right by Fenrir most of the time. She even remembered that Fenrir, himself, was a werewolf. However, she'd honestly had no clue whatsoever that Scabior was also a werewolf. Remembering the way he loved burying his face in her hair and taking deep breaths, while they were on their way here, though, should have been a dead giveaway. Werewolves tracked by scent and he'd apparently caught her scent months earlier, right after they'd stormed the Ministry.

"You, you're a werewolf?" her hand was trembling in his. He eyed her warily and nodded. "Are you a natural born wolf?"

"No, wizard born, bitten and abandoned when I was just a child. Fen's scouts found me, took me to him, he adopted me, been with his pack ever since." Scabior gave the short version of his story, tonelessly. He figured it was best that she find it out now, instead of being surprised on the night of the full moon, which was slowly approaching.

She cocked her head. "Fenrir wasn't the one who bit you? But he took you in? I thought werewolves only took in their own victims."

"Apparently you heard wrong. The one who bit me intended to kill me, very nearly did, according to Fen. By the time they got me to him, I was almost bled out, knew nothing but my own name and that I'd been left behind. The wolf was dead, a loner, so Fen told me I was his son now. Been there ever since, soon as this whole whatever's going on business is over with, going back there." Scabior stared at her with gold flecked blue eyes, that red streak of hair shining brightly against the rest of his dark hair. "By the way, most of Fen's pack, who WERE bitten by Fen, don't think of themselves as victims. They consider themselves as having a closer family than they came from and they consider Fen as their father!"

Hermione let out a sigh, hearing the angry hiss in his voice. Having him defend Fen put the older werewolf into an entirely different perspective for her. Evidently, Remus was one wizard who'd been bitten by Fen and did consider himself a victim. This boy, on the other hand, obviously adored him for taking him in. "There are some who do consider lycanthropy a cursed condition, nothing to celebrate about it."

"Well, then Lupin is better off in the human world, isn't he?!" the boy snapped at her. She was amazed that he actually knew who Remus was. "Yeah, I know who you meant! The elders tell stories about all the ones bitten! He's the only one who ever left! All the others stayed!" he backed up from her and walked away to join the other Snatchers, all of whom she now realized were also wolves, if the way they greeted and tussled with the young man was any indication.

Harry had been watching them, her and the werewolf. He, like Hermione, had been unaware of Scabior's condition. She had evidently said something to anger the boy. He'd walked off, almost gritting his teeth. Harry walked over. "What was that about?"

"I think I unintentionally insulted his father. You know Remus hates Fenrir. I didn't realize Scabior was also a wolf and he worships the ground Fen walks on for taking him in. I called bitten wizards victims. He let me know right quick that the only one Fen ever bit who left their pack was, in fact, Remus." She shook her head. She couldn't believe she was chastising herself for hurting HIS feelings. She should be reveling in the fact that she'd found a way to keep him at bay, just insult his father. On the other hand, Fenrir had been kind and decent to her, Harry and Ron while bringing them here. He'd made sure they were fed and not harmed. It was hard to insult someone to their son, knowing the person had treated them properly.

Harry covered his eyes and smiled. Hermione always had been slightly tactless. It was one of the things he loved about her because it showed that even she wasn't as perfect as everyone tried to make her out to be. "Don't worry. Maybe he isn't too angry with you. He might just stew over it awhile, then come back and pester you some more. I'd say, if he's still not speaking to you in the morning, you might want to tell him sorry."

"Are you and Ron going with us tomorrow? Please? I might be more comfortable with them now but I don't know if I can handle a shopping trip with a whole group of snakes." She confided. She was absently watching the wolves as she and Harry talked. Suddenly they began falling into a pile of bodies as they curled up against and around each other to go to sleep. Scabior was right in the center of the pile. Harry looked around at them and snorted. He nudged Hermione. "Personal boundaries." She face palmed as she remembered scolding him for that. 'If this was the way he was used to sleeping, with all his brothers curled up practically on top of him, then it was no wonder he had no clue about personal boundaries!'

The teens went in and found their own beds, soon after the wolves went to sleep. For some reason she wasn't sure of, Hermione took Harry with her and knocked on the door to the drawing room. Lucius opened the door, peering out at her. He held the door open as they came in. Hermione went straight over to Nagini. Waiting until the giant serpent raised her head, she gently hugged her and bid her good night. Then she walked over, shocking the room, as she also hugged 'Lord Voldemort', bidding him good night as well. The teens walked out, leaving behind a happily shocked Tom Riddle, smiling mistily.

The next morning found Hermione being roused out of bed way earlier than she was used to. Evidently, clothes shopping for witches was an all-day event, unlike the short ventures she took with her mother. She wondered how she was doing. It had broken her heart to put that Memory charm on her mother but she couldn't risk her life, she just couldn't. Her mother was all she had left.

Isabelle and Jack had tried for a child for so long before they had Hermione, they'd almost given up hope. It was actually Isabelle who had wanted a child so badly. True, Jack had been interested enough in being a parent, after Hermione was there, but he hadn't been the best of husbands before then. Isabelle had been honest but not spiteful as she, matter of factly, told Hermione that Jack had cheated on her several times before she came along. After Hermione was there, he'd managed to behave himself for a while but slowly had fallen back into some of his bad habits, going to bars after work, coming home drunk, picking fights with Isabelle over little nitpicky things. Then had come THAT NIGHT. The night that killed Hermione's love for her father. The officers had come to their door, telling Isabelle about the wreck. Her father had, once again, left the bar too drunk to drive but refusing a cab or designated driver. The younger officer had glanced up at the young girl perched on the stairs. She had suddenly seen into his thoughts as clearly as a picture. Her father had not been alone. He also had not been as drunk as they were telling her mother. His passenger had been 'distracting' him. As a result, he'd lost control of his car and crashed, killing them both. She'd hated him after that.

Her mother had been devastated. She had to try and cope with being a widowed mother as well as make arrangements for laying her husband to rest. To her consternation, she had discovered that Jack had a gambling problem and had used a large portion of their savings to pay off his many debts. There was barely enough to keep making their mortgage payments and buy Hermione's school supplies. Very soon, it was apparent that they were not going to be able to keep the house. It was put on the market and sold. They had found a two bedroom flat and Isabelle had gone back into the workforce. She had been a housewife for seven years, at the insistence of Jack. Now she was having to let Hermione stay in an after school program until she could go off work to pick her up.

Then she remembered the man she had met years earlier. He had claimed to be magical, calling her his 'beautiful little muggle'. She took Hermione to their family doctor, claiming Hermione's school had lost her health record. She was numb as the results came back. Hermione's blood type did match her partly but did not match Jack at all. Her one night stand had given her the child she so desperately wanted, not her husband. She remembered the man had told her, if she ever needed anything, anything at all, all she needed to do was write him, he'd come to her. She found that slip of paper from so long ago, that had caused so many fights with Jack in the aftermath of her third miscarriage, her walking in on him and a woman AGAIN, and her own adventure, and she sat down. She stared at it for a long time, debating. 'Would he want to know he had a child, would he want to be involved in said child's life and most importantly, would he even remember the 'beautiful little muggle' he had taken to bed that night?' she closed her eyes, prayed and picked up a pen. She wrote to him, telling him about Jack and her reasons for staying with him even after he had cheated on her. She told him about the accident that killed Jack and left them alone. Lastly she told him about Hermione and enclosed a picture. She sealed the letter and set it to the side. She had managed to be brave enough to write the letter. Now, all she had to do was get the courage to actually SEND the letter.

She went to take a shower, in preparation for work in next day. Hermione found the letter. Being a curious child and having never heard her mother speak of a Tom Marvolo Riddle before, she wondered who he was. He must be important for her mother to write him. She noticed it hadn't been stamped yet. Loving to help her mother as much as she could, Hermione put a stamp on the letter and took it downstairs to the mail boxes. Being unable to reach them but wanting to mail the letter for her, she stood uncertainly. Suddenly as a neighbor entered the building, so did an owl. It dropped down and landed on Hermione's shoulder. "I need to send this but I can't reach the box." She told the owl. It grabbed the letter in its beak and flew back out as soon as the door opened again. Had she known what to look for, she would have noticed the little strap around its leg, proclaiming it to be a Hogwarts owl.

Isabelle exited the shower in time to hear Hermione tell her she'd sent the letter for her. Her heart jumped into her throat. Now they played the waiting game. As she glanced at a calendar, she realized it had been seven years ago today that she had met, danced with and slept with the mysterious stranger, that night! As drunk as he'd been, no way would he remember her! Even if he did, there was no way he'd come back, not with the knowledge he'd have to acknowledge a child.

When Hermione asked who he was, her mother simply replied, "Just a stranger who helped me more than he even knew." Hermione didn't think any more about it. She and her mother had muddled along for a while, fearful that they would have to move yet again, to an even cheaper flat in a worse part of town. Then came the day that woman came, pronouncing Hermione a witch and claiming she was down for a school called Hogwarts. Isabelle apologized but told her she would be unable to let her go due to shortage of funds.

"My dear," said McGonagall, sternly, "the tuition is already paid. Not all students can afford schooling, that's why we have a scholarship program. Hermione qualifies and she is already showing her impressive knowledge. It would be a shame for her to miss out on this opportunity."

Isabelle smiled wanly. Of course, her girl was brilliant! She agreed and the teacher took Hermione shopping for her supplies. She thought 'what a shame that he was missing out on this', unaware that the man was damn near dead and totally unable to answer her cry for help. Hermione went to Hogwarts and never looked back. Had she thought about it, the name would have rung a bell as her best friend showed her the diary and told her of the young man in the memory. As it was, she shrugged then went to the next adventure.

Now, years later, she was finally remembering things from the past, memories the thought of her mother had dredged up. As soon as it struck her, she sat straight up in bed. It was totally wild and impossible but she had to wonder. 'Why had her mother been writing a letter to Tom Riddle?!' she needed to talk to Harry! She jumped out of bed as a little house elf popped into sight. Hermione squeaked in surprise. The elf stared up at her, calmly.

"I is Mims, little miss. I is here to help you get ready. I be a free elf. Master tells me to make sure I tells you that." Assuming that she meant Lucius Malfoy, Hermione nodded and accepted the little elf's help. She dressed in the light blue summer dress and robe that went over it, then sat down to attempt to tame her hair. No sooner had she begun than there was a knock and once again, Pansy, Millicent, Daphne and Tracy entered to help her with her hair and makeup. She was more comfortable with them today and they all set off towards the stairs, laughing and giggling. As they reached the bottom step, the outside door opened and the boys, with Scabior, walked in.

They all entered the dining room in one big group. This time, though, the boys didn't separate from the girls. Instead they paired off down the table with Scabior ending up beside Hermione, Harry and Ron on the other side of her. Scabior hadn't said a single word to her yet. He'd watched her walk towards them in the blue dress robes silently. She had no clue what thoughts might be running through his mind. She laid her hand over his and, under the clatter of silverware, said quietly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult Fenrir yesterday nor did I intend to hurt your feelings." He still didn't verbally respond but he moved his hand to lace their fingers together on the table. It was enough.

She turned to Harry. "I need to tell you something. There IS something going on here. Tonight, when we get back from shopping, I'll tell what I remembered this morning." Harry nodded quietly.

After breakfast, they walked to the main lobby and lined up at the Floo. It would take them directly to the Leaky Cauldron. They were going to the muggle shops first, then coming back to Diagon Alley. As they were walking into the green flames, Hermione was pulled flush against Scabior once again. She looked up at him, in time for him to peck her on the cheek. "Just don't insult my dad anymore, yeah?" she smiled and slipped an arm around his back, nodding at him. It would take a while for him to forgive or forget her careless words about Fenrir.

The next few hours were some of the longest Hermione swore she'd ever spent just looking at clothes! Within an hour the boys were bored to tears and finding any excuse to try and slip off from the group. They were walking down the center isle of the mall when Hermione caught sight of a little gift shop she'd never seen or heard of before. She grabbed Scabior's arm and tugged him over to the door. They ducked inside and right away she found what she was looking for, a small pendant in the shape of a snake. Then she found another in the shape of a wolf and purchased it as well. As they left the shop, Scabior suddenly snapped to attention. He carefully looked around but didn't see any visible cause for his unease. She hung onto his arm, sensing that he wouldn't like her being apart from him.

"Do you trust me?" he looked at her seriously. She nodded. He pulled her close and kept her tucked under his arm as he walked quickly to catch them up to the rest of the group. She didn't say a word, knowing he was concentrating on her safety at the moment. They caught to everyone at the entrance and turned as a group beak to the Leaky Cauldron where they would pass through the back wall and go to Tattings and Twilfit from there. Once at the Cauldron, Scabior motioned Flint and Pucey near. He muttered to them, motioning back the way they had just come from. The boys straightened alertly, palming their wands. They passed through the wall into the Alley. Once the members of the group began sparking interest, people were noticeably eyeing them, possibly wondering why the Trio were there with a group of Slytherins.

Inside Tattings and Twilfit, they were looking at yet MORE clothes. She was starting to wonder if maybe, either Narcissa or Bellatrix, they weren't going overboard, buying her THIS many clothes. Half of which, she doubted she'd even have a chance to wear! At last they seemed ready to wind the trip down. Narcissa suggested that they might want to stop by Fortesque's while they were here. Maybe the boys would like to go to a couple of their own shops.

Hermione was watching the three older boys. Ever since they had come through the wall, they had been acting strange. Almost as if they thought they were about to be attacked. She drifted over and brushed up against Scabior, testing a theory. He looked down at her and put her behind him. She inconspicuously drew her wand. If Scabior was so preoccupied that he didn't take an opportunity to plaster her to his side, there was definitely something about to go down.

There was a sudden crash as the windows were blown in. Scabior grabbed her and ducked down. "Everyone, get down now! We're under attack!"

"Who is it?" she whispered urgently.

"Maybe the Order, maybe the Ministry, either way they'll be trying to get you lot back." He crawled over to where he could look out the door. From outside came a voice familiar to the Trio. "Stop! No more curses. Harry, Ron and Hermione are in there, don't forget! Once we have them out, then we can fight!" yelled Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Kingsley! We're alright! You have to let us go! We're not in any danger!" Hermione yelled out the door.

"Hermione? What do you mean?" Kingsley questioned her.

"We're not captives, we're guests! Please, trust me, you have to let us go back, please!" she begged. Suddenly there was a blur as someone shot out of the shop past them. One glance was all it took to realize that, once again, Ron Weasley had bailed on them. Hermione checked on Harry. He was actually crouched down, wand out, in front of Narcissa Malfoy. He and Bella were side by side, making sure the Malfoy matriarch was protected.

"Harry, Harry, come out here. We're here. We'll protect you!" yelled Sirius Black, crouching beside Lupin and Tonks.

"Didn't you hear what she said? We're guests, not in danger. It'd be rude to run out on them!" Harry yelled back, his eyes fastened on Hermione's. She smiled in relief. At least, one of her friends was willing to stick around! One of the shop employees appeared in an inner door. "We have a Floo connection to Malfoy Manor if you want to take it."

Scabior looked at his group. He was, in fact, the only experienced fighter there. Marcus and Aidan were good brawlers but they weren't experienced against Aurors or the Order. Draco and Blaise were still students, as were all the girls except Granger this year. No doubt, in her prime, Bella had been a good fighter but she was still recovering from fourteen years in Azkaban. Hermione and Harry, though, had been throwing hexes left and right at him and the boys when they chased them. It was only after she'd seen they were well and truly trapped that she had turned and fired on Harry. Three fighters, one experienced and two semi experienced weren't what he'd call good odds. Fen had always told him only to back a winning play. If he didn't think he could win, fold and let the fight go till another day.

He nodded at the employee. "Get them moving that way. I'll keep them distracted." He leaned out, flung his hand and slung a non-verbal Stupefy outside. He didn't hear anyone yell out so it was blocked or never came close to anyone. He certainly felt the Reducto someone sent back, though. It blasted the wall, feeling like a hard punch to his back. He motioned Hermione to follow the rest of them but she stubbornly stayed right beside him. Soon they were firing hexes beck and forth. It seemed that surely one of those fighting beside Kingsley would have realized they were shooting harmless hexes at them and called a halt. No such luck, apparently, as the mixed group of Aurors and Order members attempted to apprehend them. Just as they started for the inner door, an Auror burst through the front door, aimed at Hermione and shot a very familiar curse!

"Sectumsempra!" he yelled. Scabior snarled at him, lunging forward and diving at Hermione. She managed to get him back on his feet and through the inner door as she Stunned the Auror. She pulled him into the green flames of the Floo and screamed, "Malfoy Manor!"

They stumbled out of the Floo. "Professor Snape! Professor Snape! Where are you?! I need you! Hurry!" Hermione was screaming desperately. Tom was in disguise and rushed over to her. "Child!"

"He's hurt, please, we need Professor Snape! Please get him here, he knows the counter curse! It was Sectumsempra, I don't know the counter curse, hurry! The Auror was firing at ME! He took the curse for ME!" Hermione was cradling Scabior against her. He was clinging to her, those beautiful blue eyes she was rapidly becoming fascinated with changing over to pure gold as he fought the effects of the curse.

Fenrir, having been outside, rushed through the door and yelled out angrily at the sight of his youngest pup, bleeding out on the carpet. "Who did this? Who was it? I'll kill them!" as he rushed over and knelt beside his boy. Draco was kneeling, beside his father, hands shaking as he remembered his own experience with this particular curse. Harry was raging as much as Fenrir, wanting to go back and rip the Auror a new one for hurting Scabior this way. They hadn't even TRIED to hurt the Aurors or the Order! There was absolutely no call for that guy to have used THAT curse! He and Fenrir both were even more enraged at learning the guy had actually been aiming to hit Hermione!

Snape had gone back to Hogwarts and was in a teachers meeting when he received the summons. Leaving the rest of the meeting to McGonagall, he rushed back, wondering what was going on. He burst through the Floo and stumbled to a halt at the sight of Scabior, Fenrir's little Scabior, his favorite pup, covered in blood from HIS curse. They had managed to remove the boy's leather trench coat, his vest and his shirt, leaving him bare from the waist up. He was alarmingly pale, his lycanthropy unable to heal the worst gash across his chest. It was clear Snape had arrived in the nick of time. Five more minutes and the boy would have died from blood loss. As it was, he still wasn't sure if he could pull the boy back from the brink of death. It would depend on how strong the boy was and if he had the will to bring himself back to them. He knelt and began the sing song chant that halted the blood flow and reversed his curse.