"O' no!" Hermione shined her light on the werewolf. "Inhabitabilismutatio"
But the spell that was supposed to transform the werewolf back into human form bounced off it instead.
"All together then." Harry suggested. "1...2...3!"
"Inhabitabilismutatio!" A shower of blazing arrows shot out of all three wands, joining together and making an impact on the werewolf's back. Nothing happened. The werewolf continued to inch closer to Dido.
"Something's wrong." Hermione stated.
"You think?" Ron said sarcastically.
"That werewolf is protected somehow." Harry observed.
"How about the summoning charm?" Ron suggested.
Hermione shook her head. "It won't work on Dido."
"Enough of this… I'm going to get Dido. Ron, Hermione, you two distract it. I'll fly down and grab Dido." Harry said, putting his wand away. Ron and Hermione nodded.
Within moments, Harry was hovering to the right of Dido, ready to sweep down and take her away from the werewolf's reach.
"Just how are we going to distract the thing?" Ron asked.
"Throwing things at it should work." Hermione answered.
"Waddiwasi!"
"Zccio!"
Several rocks and sticks flew from the ground and hit the werewolf, making it pause. More debris was thrown, causing it to turn.
"Odd… its reaction is too slow." Ron noted as he shot another stone toward the werewolf.
"It's as if something or someone is holding… or…o' my goodness!!! NO, Harry, DON'T!" Hermione yelled.
Seeing the opportunity to save Dido, Harry plunged down. Then he heard Hermione's warning; too late, Harry tried to pull back up. But the werewolf was able to get hold of the tail of Harry's broom. It swung the broom with tremendous force, and when it released it both Harry and the broom were thrown against a nearby redwood. Luckily, he didn't crash headfirst onto the tree, or it would have been fatal.
"Harry!" Ron's and Hermione's voice rang.
Harry, with his cracked glasses, could see a large amount of objects being thrown at the werewolf, yet it still was able to advance on him. Then, something rather peculiar happened. A large white crane landed between him and the approaching werewolf.
It's going to get hurt. Harry thought to himself. Leave, please… But he couldn't muster the strength to say anything. Strangely, as if the crane could read his mind, it turned to Harry and smiled? Can a crane smile? Then, slowly, it started to morph. Its white feathers began to melt together. The wings shortened and became arms, the beak shrank on the changing face and formed into a nose. Its golden eyes turned to green. Soon it was not a crane anymore, but Corra, wearing what looked like a lab coat. How extraordinary… Harry thought to himself. Then, everything turned black.
* * *
Harry woke up with a tremendous headache. Opening his eyes he saw blurry figures, which he identified as Hermione, Ron, Corra and Sirius, watching over him. He put on his glasses to find that they'd been repaired.
"I can't leave you for a second, can I?" Sirius commented, smiling.
"Hello to you too, Sirius." Harry said, getting up. "Is Dido alright?"
"She's fine, thanks to you." Corra replied, laying a tray with a bottle of brown liquid and a glass next to Harry.
"Are you alright?" Ron, and Hermione asked at the same time.
"I'm feeling a little dizzy, but other than that, I'm fine."
"This should take care of your head." Corra said, handing Harry a glass of the smelly brown liquid to Harry.
"I have to drink this, don't I?" Harry said, wrinkling his nose. It really wasn't the best smelling potion.
"Yes, you do." Sirius answered.
Unwillingly, Harry consumed the liquid. It went down, sticking to the sides of his throat and leaving a most distasteful aftertaste. "Ugh…"
"Here's some water to wash that down." Sirius said, handing a glass of merciful clear water.
"Well…" Harry said after he drained the cup. "The potion certainly worked. I don't feel a headache but my tongue is certainly suffering."
"It'll be over in a while." Corra comforted.
"So… who was the werewolf?" Harry asked.
"We're not sure yet. The half of the Homorphus Charm didn't work, as I gathered from Ron and Hermione. Corra was able to capture the werewolf, it has been sent over to the ministry." Sirius answered. "But the bigger question is: Who let it in here?"
"Don't they live in the forest?" Ron questioned.
"No, the forest grounds and this house are protected by an enchanted sky layer. It won't let anything in unless someone invites them in." Corra replied. "What's more is that when anything comes on the grounds, I or Dido should be able to sense it, but I only sensed one werewolf tonight, and I was sure it was Remus."
"Could it have something to do with the werewolf-whistle we heard?" Harry added.
"Probably… it's only because I heard the whistle that I was able to reach you in."
"Remus drank the potion today…" Hermione stated. "If it worked then that could explain why Corra only felt one werewolf on the grounds."
"It could be. But then… that means… Remus is now… fully human." Sirius said suddenly realizing the meaning of Hermione's words.
There was silence as everyone took the significance of the revelation. The Homorphus Charm was a charm that was introduced to Harry in his second year. Though Lockheart wasn't what you would call a good teacher, Harry was able to remember the spell, with help from Hermione of course. The charm only had an eighty percent mortality rate. And the longer the individual had been a werewolf, the higher the chances of fatality. Because of the risk involved only those with permits issued by the Ministry of Magic could use it. Even then the chances of being able to turn a newly infected werewolf back to human was slim to none.
"We'd better check on Remus' status." Corra stated, opening the portrait.
"Hermione, Ron. I think you two should fill Harry in." Sirius added, closing the portrait hole behind him.
"Why? What else has happened?"
"Dido happened." Ron said, pulling open the curtains that covered the glass door, which led to the balcony. The brightness from the risen sun immediately flooded the room with radiant light.
"Dido woke up a little while ago." Hermione spoke. "She was extremely shaken. Kept on talking about something that knocked her out."
"A person?" Harry asked.
"Maybe… but she's not sure." Ron answered.
"Not 'maybe' Ron." Hermione retorted. "It was definitely a person…"
"How do you figure that?" Harry asked.
"It was the way the werewolf moved." Hermione informed. "At first I thought it was just searching for prey. But when I saw the way that it didn't react to the distractions. I knew something was wrong. Someone was controlling it. Dido wasn't the target… you were."
Harry nodded, then realized that his headache wasn't cured after all.
"So who do you think was controlling the werewolf?" Harry asked.
"It must have been the person that knocked Dido out." Hermione answered. "The question now is who."
"Well we now know that it wasn't one of us." Ron stated.
"So therefore it must have been someone on the outside, invited by someone here." Hermione deduced.
"Any one of us could have invited anyone in!." Harry said.
"No. Not any one of us now. But in the past." Hermione corrected. "Corra didn't feel anyone entering tonight except for the werewolf, who she thought was Remus, therefore the person must have entered long before any of us got here."
"So… you think that there is someone living in the forest right now?" Harry asked, looking at the hills outside.
"Probably." Hermione confirmed.
* * *
And it seemed that Corra was thinking on the same line as Hermione, for the next morning while most everyone (except for George and Fred who was being made to apologize to Harry and Dido by Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. Lupin was probably still under treatment. Mr. Weasley and Bill were also not present. ) was eating when the doorbell rang. Corra opened the door. Two figures walked in the doorway. One of them was Mrs.Figg, the other was…
"Viktor!" Hermione's face lit up when she saw the professional Quidditch player. The two hugged, then Hermione, who was blushing red, turned around as if she just remembered that there were others present. "Corra, Sirius. This is Viktor Krum." Harry glanced at Ron for a moment but it was enough to tell that Ron was still not comfortable with the fact that Krum and Hermione are together.
"So I've heard." Sirius said shaking Krum's hand.
"Nice to meet you." Corra smiled.
"I suppose that you are Mrs. Granger?" Mrs. Figg asked. "I have something for you from your parents." She handed Hermione a thick yellow envelope.
"O' thank you so much Miss. Er…"
"Arabella Figg."
"Now that everyone is well acquainted with each other, I believe we can get on with business?" said a voice from outside.
"We best be getting to work, Mundungus is getting impatient." Mrs. Figg suggested, jokingly.
"Harry, I expect you to stay indoors today." Sirius said, by the door. Harry nodded. Sirius closed the door behind him as he left.
"What do you suppose they are doing?" Ron asked.
"Vell… Mrs. Figg vos talking about flushing sumthing out, on our vay here." Krum answered. Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged glances, glad to know that they were on the same page as Sirius and the others.
As the morning slowly turned into night Harry noticed that Hermione held on to her parent's letter with no intention of opening it, but she never put it down. Krum was introduced to the rest of Ron's family and it took a while to convince George and Fred that Krum was not going to be the figurehead for the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
The night sky was filled with stars as Harry observed when he looked up at the enchanted ceiling. He, Ron, and Ginny was playing exploding snap on the Victorian rug in front of the fireplace. Hermione and Krum rested on the sofa for two, near the three Exploding Snap players. Hermione was still holding the unopened letter.
The door opened and Sirius entered with Corra, both looking disappointed.
"Anything?" Harry asked.
"No, nothing." Sirius replied, putting the broom inside the closet.
"Krum, I think is best if you return to the Leaky Cauldron for the night." Corra insisted, standing by the door.
"Right." Krum stood up and gave a small kiss to Hermione. "See you later Her-myoh-nee." She said obtaining a broom from the closet, he then waved goodbye and left with Corra.
"Hey, he pronounced your name right." Ron noted sincerely, but received a not so kind look from Hermione.
"If you don't mind, I think I'll turn in early."
"What's with her?" Ron asked.
"Don't know." Shrugged Harry.
