Hengeyokai
By Chyna Rose
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I do own all original characters, and the names. Some concepts borrowed from White Wolf's werewolf game.
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The years nineteen ninety-five and nineteen ninety-six brought about great change in the world. In June of ninety-five, Lord Voldemort was returned to his body (see chapter six for more information on the second rise of Lord Voldemort) although it was discounted as fantasy at the time by the then Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. It also was when Daily Prophet reporter Rita Skeeter went missing only to return two months later apparently unharmed. Rita refused to answer any questions over what had happened during her absence, and fled when confronted with the idea of using magical means to find the truth.
Events were not limited to the wizarding world. In the United States, the phenomenon of school shootings began. Aside from the fact that the shooters were of the same age range (twelve to eighteen), sex (male), and social niche (unpopular outcasts), there was nothing to connect these incidents. Nor was there anything to indicate why these incidents occurred when and where they did. The cause is currently being attributed to the unprecedented worldwide rise in violence.
By March of ninety-six, thing had calmed down considerably. With no further move made by Lord Voldemort or the Death Eaters (under orders to lay low for the moment) those who had heard about the return of Lord Voldemort, despite Fudge's blanket policy of denial, began to dismiss it as pure rumor save for those who had either absolute faith in Dumbledore or first hand knowledge of Lord Voldemort's activities. Yet even those who refused to let down their guard about Lord Voldemort were unprepared for the events that followed.
By the time April rolled around, it was clear that the inactivity of the past eight months was merely the calm before the storm. The Ministry of Magic was in an uproar over Fudge's apparently sudden disappearance. Although we now know what occurred, at the time the truth over what had happened remained a complete mystery. Reports from the time indicate that Fudge was never seen to leave his office the day of his disappearance, and no one had remembered any visitors he may have had. With Fudge gone, the ministry reduced to utter chaos, and panic beginning to perpetrate the local wizarding community, the party responsible for the disappearance began an attack on Hogwarts.
The siege on Hogwarts lasted roughly a week. In that time, the four houses managed to put aside their rivalries in an effort to limit the number of casualties. While some heroes of the siege (such as Minerva McGonagall, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, and Lee Jordan) worked to ensure the safe removal of as many of the younger students as possible, others (such as Snape, Sirius Black, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter) worked to bring down the batgaru that had begun the siege.
Because of their rarity and secretive nature, not much is known about the batgaru. Most of what we do know was found out during the siege. Batgaru are shape shifters on the order of werewolves (type XXXXX beasts). Each batgaru has three to five forms depending on their particular bloodline, which is dependent on the animal whose form they can take. All batgaru share the same three core forms; human, beast, and battle. Their ability to blend in perfectly with both Muggles and wizards when in human form was more the key to the success of the siege than their monstrous battle form. When in battle form, batgaru become rather formidable opponents. This middle form combines the features best adapted for fighting in both their human and beast forms. It is also the largest of the forms a batgaru can assume.
Aside fro the extra form(s) a batgaru can take, they differ from werewolves in a number of ways. While a werewolf's change depends on the full moon, a batgaru can change form at will. Batgaru can assume animal forms other than a wolf depending on their bloodline (much like an animagus, although this ability is inborn rather than learned), and while the bite is painful, it posses no threat beyond those inherent in a normal member of the species whose form they take (or in the cases of those from snake bloodlines, a cobra). Most batgaru also do not share the werewolf's weakness to silver and wolfsbane.
It should be noted that although seven batgaru managed to destroy Hogwarts, batgaru are in general not evil by nature. Few beings are, as they have the ability and intelligence to choose between what is morally right and wrong. Beasts cannot be evil, for they lack the knowledge of the existence of higher concepts like good and evil.