Disclaimer: We are the Harry Potter fic called "Not Myself". Resistance as you know it is over. We will add your reviews and flames to the bucket in the corner. You will be sucked in. Resistance is futile.
Disclaimer for Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Nor the Borg. Other people own them.
Not Myself by Saerry Snape
Chapter 145 – All About Wolves
Two hours after he woke up, Harry was proclaimed well enough to leave by Madam Pomfrey. Niamh sat on the edge of the bed as he changed into the shirt that had been left for him – as the one he'd slept in had had the sleeve burnt off. The shirt he'd been given turned out to be the sweater that Niamh had sewn a Slytherin badge onto. It was frayed now and the sleeves came up to his elbows but it still fit well around the neck and was long enough so he didn't mind the short sleeves.
When he stepped out from behind the curtain he'd changed behind to get his boots, Remus entered the hospital wing. The werewolf spotted them and wandered over, looking rather…ashamed.
"Harry, Niamh," he said. "I…I don't know what to say."
"About what, sir?" asked Niamh, looking towards their ex-professor.
Remus looked at Harry and said, "You didn't tell her?"
"Did'na have time," came the muffled reply. A moment later Harry straightened, tossing his long hair over his shoulder as he stamped his left boot on the floor. "I'm sorry we could'na bring 'im back too."
"Who?" asked Niamh.
"My great-uncle," replied Remus. He shook his head and continued, "I didn't even know he was still alive… I suppose members of our family are cursed to be victims of lycanthropy. Or maybe its just coincidence."
Niamh frowned and said, "But there aren't any other Lupin's…"
Harry blinked at her.
"How do ye know tha'?"
"There's a book in the library that lists all the surnames of the wizard families by country. You're not even in there, professor."
"Remus," corrected the werewolf. "And I wouldn't be. Every werewolf after they are bitten is written down in a book in the Department of Magical Animal Control and is given a code name. Remus Lupin is mine."
Niamh gaped. "So…what's your real name?"
"Reginald Sedwick. I haven't gone by it since I was five-years-old." He then looked over at the two curtained off beds and asked, "Which one is Mika?"
"Tha far one," replied Harry, pointing. "Cou…cou we come wi' ye, prof-Remus? I t'ink Gin's still sittin' with 'im."
Remus just nodded and the three of them walked slowly towards the bed. The werewolf pulled the curtain aside and Harry slipped in, Niamh following close at his heels. As the curtain fell back into place behind them, they looked at the pale figure on the bed.
Mika lay limp and unmoving, his eyes closed and his breathing slightly uneven. His bitten shoulder was swathed in what looked to be three layers of bandages yet there were spots that had been soaked through with blood. Ginny on the edge of the bed by his head, one of his hands gripped tightly in her own as she ran her fingers through his sweaty hair.
She looked up at their entrance and Harry felt a pang as he saw the sorrow in her eyes. If only he'd been a little faster in getting to Mika…
A small hand gripped his own suddenly and he looked down at Niamh, who was staring determinedly up at him.
It wasn't your fault, she said via mind.
Harry just shook his head then smiled tightly at Ginny. She returned it then looked at Remus as the werewolf approached the sleeping boy.
Mika's nose twitched and his eyes flew open, wide with fear. He tried to squirm away but Remus grabbed him and held him down.
"Easy, Mika, easy," he said in a soothing tone. "I'm here to help."
Mika stared up at Remus in fear and whispered, "You smell like him."
Remus' expression was a sad one as he said, "Yeah. I know. But we both know he didn't mean for this to happen."
Mika nodded feebly and shivered, his hand tightening about Ginny's. Tears welled in her eyes and she laid down on his pillow, fingers still stroking his hair.
"Gin," choked Mika, trying to push her away and failing as his injured arm refused to work.
"I'm not leaving," whispered Ginny.
The white-haired boy started to open his mouth in protest then sighed and gave up. He looked at Remus and asked, "What's going to happen to me?"
Remus sighed and sat down gingerly on the end of the bed.
"When the Ministry hears about the attack, they'll send someone here. You'll have to tell them who bit you, where, when, and a few things about yourself. After that, they'll give you your name."
"Name?" croaked Mika.
"Every werewolf is given a code name after they are bitten."
"You mean…"
"My real name is Reginald Sedwick," said Remus softly. "My great-uncle probably told you all that."
"He told me he was related to you but not your real name. What about his?"
"This system has only been in place since I was two-years-old," explained Remus. He looked at the teen and frowned at the blank eye. "I'm sorry for what has happened to you."
"I'll be okay," said Mika, squeezing Ginny's hand and forcing a smile in Harry and Niamh's direction. He then asked, "What about Mischa? Is she…?"
"Jar said she was recoverin'," said Harry. "But she'll never 'ave full use o' her left arm again."
"Lovely. We ought to be called the Horribly Mutilated Family. First Da, then Mischa, now me."
"What about your mother?" asked Niamh.
Mika smiled and replied, "Mum's got this weird way of getting out of every scrape she gets into unscathed. Sort of like Harry there."
The long-haired boy snorted.
"Ha! Mik, I doan get out o' anything unscathed."
"Not even a coma?"
Harry frowned, remembering having to say goodbye to his mother. "Na. Na even a coma."
There was a small silence and then Madam Pomfrey poked her head through the curtain.
"Mister Davids, there is a member of the Department of Magical Animal Control here to see you."
As she disappeared, Niamh stared at Remus and gasped, "They're here already?"
"Things apparently work faster than they did in my day," said Remus with a small bit of humor. "Took five days before a member of the Department got to me."
Madam Pomfrey reappeared a moment later with a young wizard who looked like he'd just graduated from school. He was tall (though not quite as tall as Harry) and had blonde hair cropped short along with a blonde beard. His very look made Harry think of William, the American he'd met whilst in his stint in Limbo.
When the man spoke, his voice revealed him to be Australian.
"Mister…Davids?" He glanced at all of them, took in Remus' graying hair, then locked his eyes onto the white-haired boy in the bed. "Er…"
"That's me," grunted Mika, pushing himself up slightly. When he hissed in pain, Ginny gently laid him back down and scolded him in a soft voice.
The young man looked around nervously then pulled a lined notebook from somewhere in his robes, along with a mechanical pen. Clicking the pen, he wrote something in the notebook then looked at Mika.
"I'm Alexander Quinine from the Department of Magical Animal Control. I need to get some information from you for our books. Your full name first, if you please."
"Michelangelo Dormien Alundus Moody-Davids."
Harry arched an eyebrow at Mika and mouthed, "Michelangelo?"
"Shut up," mouthed Mika right back, glaring.
"You go by Michelangelo?" asked Quinine.
"Mika. And its Moody dash Davids."
"Ah. Age?"
"Sixteen. Seventeen in June."
"How long since you were bitten?"
Mika looked at Harry who shrugged. The white-haired boy growled then said, "It was yesterday just after the moon rose. Maybe…fifteen minutes?"
"Right. And who was it that bit you?"
Mika glanced at Remus, who nodded slightly.
"Amadeus Sedwick."
Quinine started.
"That's not a code name…"
"Just write it down," growled Remus, his gray eyes flashing. Quinine looked at the older werewolf and frowned as he scribbled the name down.
"And you are…?"
"Remus Lupin, ID number 24. Any other questions?"
Quinine looked nervous at suddenly being near a full-grown werewolf and swallowed loud enough for Harry to hear him. And he and Niamh were standing on the opposite side of the bed.
"N-no, other questions," said Quinine with a sudden stutter. "Wait just a moment…" He tore the piece of paper he'd written on from his notebook and folded it before pulling out a large, blue globe from inside his robes. There was a slit in the center of the globe and he slid the folded up paper into it, wherein it vanished from sight.
A moment later another piece of paper appeared and Quinine pulled it out, placing the globe back inside his robes. He handed the paper to Remus then gathered up his notebook and pen.
"I-I believe that's all. G-good day."
He hurried out and they heard him run from the hospital wing. Remus looked after him for a moment before he solemnly handed Mika the piece of paper.
The white-haired boy shook his head and said, "You open it. I can't move my arm well enough to unfold it."
Remus nodded and unfolded it, reading it aloud for all to hear. Harry leaned close and peered over the werewolf's shoulder at what appeared to be a copy of what might have been the log in the Department's book.
Name: Michelangelo Dormien Alundus Moody-Davids A.K.A. Mika
DOB: June 29, 1980
Father: Alastor Lucinius Moody
Mother: Calissa Sarai Davids (Moody) nee Potter
Siblings: Mischa Hélène Moody
Bitten By: Amadeus Sedwick (no code name logged)
Age Bitten: 16
Code Name: Fynn Varg
Record Taken By: Alexander Quinine
"What is it?" asked Ginny, still running her fingers through Mika's hair.
Remus looked up and locked eyes with Mika.
"According to this, your code name is Fynn Varg."
"I have to go by that from now on?"
"Only in the open," said Remus. "If you'd been bitten early like me, you'd probably go by it. But as things stand, I don't think it matters. Now, I have some things that should best be said only between werewolves. Harry, Niamh, Ginny…"
"Aye, sir," said Harry shortly, gently pushing Niamh towards the curtain. He waited for Ginny to join him, watching at she slowly slid off the bed, looking longingly back towards Mika as she came towards him. When she did reach him, he opened an arm to her and she fell into the hug, sniffling back tears.
Harry looked back once at Mika and smiled tightly before he pulled Ginny through the curtain. Niamh took up his other side, her head against his shoulder, and the three of them slowly made their way from the hospital wing.
Author's Note
Mika's code name was gotten from an online Gaelic Dictionary and from Behind the Name.Com. Fynn means "White" and Varg is Old Norse for "Wolf".