Yeah, it's been forever, right. Well, so sorry, but NaNo is starting soon and I'm going to be going into practical hibernation. December is the soonest I'll be heard from, sorry to disappoint. But that chapter will be extra long, from the habits of being a NaNo-er!

Part of the Plan XI: The Management Techniques of Dark Lords

The Werewolf Registry of the English Ministry of Magic is a small, foreboding place on the fourth level of the Ministry in the Beast Division. The Werewolf Support Service is on the same floor, only in the Being Division.

Remus Lupin hates both of them, but the WSS is much worse, at least in his opinion. There reside several 'counsellors' for newly made and not-so new werewolves. In accordance with one of the most recent werewolf directives, every werewolf is required by law to meet with a counsellor at least twice a year. These counsellors are generally from St. Mungo's, the Creature-Induced Injuries department. Because of this, they were definitely not friendly or kind in any way.

Usually, the werewolves come away worse than they came in. Remus hated the sessions, but when he had tried to skip one, he almost ended up as his good friend Black's neighbour.

On the morning of 5 July, Remus Lupin sets out from Hogwarts to journey into London to register and take one of his six-month counselling sessions. He had been notified that he needed to do both things the night before, as if he'd forgotten. The werewolf had insisted he go alone, he did not want anyone else to see. Now he was in the elevator going slowly past the Department of Magical Games and Sports, the Department of Magical Transport, and the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Each of these floors were accompanied by stories of Remus' school days with the rest of his friends.

For example, Sirius Black had gone to the Ludicrous Patents Office one winter hols, trying to get a Patent for fake explosive chocolate bars. The harried secretary at the desk had muttered something about Nazis, and turned down the request. Sirius threw a fit over that, turning her hair green and her skin blue. It had been Remus who took pity on the poor man and changed him back to normal. They had been escorted forcibly off the premises that time, not for the first or even last time.

Finally, the elevator doors opened at the correct floor, and he stepped out quickly. He made his way to the WSS, first, to get it over with. He took the paperwork from the frowning man at the desk, and sat down quickly to fill it out. Some of the questions were so invasive Remus wasn't even sure were legal. Luckily, they didn't seem to care whether or not those were filled out. For example:

Martial Status: Single

Sexual Orientation: None of Your Business

Last Romantic Involvement: Why Do You Care?

Last Sexual Encounter: I feel as if I'm repeating myself.

And on and on. Remus understood some of the questions, but others just blew him away.

Finally, he finished the forms and was escorted to the counsellor room. When he entered he almost dropped the papers he was clutching as he came face to face with a one N. Tonks.

"What are you doing here, Tonks?" the lycanthrope asked, puzzled.

"Wotcher to you too, Lupin. The normal bloke's ill so the Aurors' get stuck filling in. Jack-of-All-Trades, y'know?" the bubble-gum pink-haired witch answered cheerfully.

"Some odd people in today, though. Some old lady with cats in tears 'cause she ate one last moon. Dunno where these folks come from. Another was a seven year old who though it was brilliant, being a werewolf. His first moon's this next one, though. Anyways, got to get on with this session thing, though. Hmmm… first question's this: how are you today? Well, okay, fire away."

"Okay… Look, Don't you think you could just maybe… write down I didn't need counselling this once? I've got other business to deal with. For the world order of birds, catch my drift?"

"Ah… sure, of course. You never seemed to be a counselling case anyways. I've been wondering about it. Oh- if you see any birds, tell them I won't be around this week. I've got- well, this. I dunno if I'll make the party, but I'll tell Mad-Eye if not. See you around, Lupin."

"Ta- Tonks. Don't over work yourself and don't get licked anytime soon. Some of the blokes around here have rabies," Lupin said quietly, before swiftly completing his business and returning to Hogwarts.

3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E

"Where iss he… Where iss my sservant rat?" the figure cloaked in darkness asked, the sibilant syllables drifting throughout the chilled hall. The surrounding black clad servants could only shrug in confusion. One stepped forward.

"My Lord, as far as we can tell, he arrived at the target's house, but did not return. he didn't plant what we wished him to, but he was not discovered. He did not desert either, and if he was eaten, a bad case of indigestion will hit whomever eats him," the masked man answered, deferring to the enthroned figure.

"Well, that's not good enough is it, Avery? I think someone should pay…" the snake-like man said.

"What's that? You're- volunteering, Avery? Very well, as you wish," the voice continued silkily. Then it turned harsh.

"Crucio!"

The man named Avery stood very still, whimpering slightly, before he fell to the floor, screaming and flailing, puddles of spittle and other things pooling around his obese form. After a long while, there was silence as the spell was broken. Then came the orders.

"Find the rat. I don't care if he's dead, alive, or comatose, bring him to me."