Author's Note: Please do not use my review system as a correction forum, create a writer's column if you really wish to help others. I'll not again explain why I use 'whilst,' nor will I stop using it because some believe I look less 'professional' than I am..

May I remind, that if I were a professional writer, I'd barely the time to use , I'd be too busy writing physical books.

And Hydra, would you please email me, instead? My internet won't show your email.

-End-

A scream erupted from down the hall, and terrified cries interrupted any conversation that might have followed his introduction. My ears tingled and numbed as a little girl, hardly four, or five, tore down the hall, heading for the Ministry's exit, her mother snatching her up before she could get any farther than the line's end.

"No!" She screeched, she hollered, and the look of terror completely broke her mother's heart, the woman's face crestfallen as she held the wiggling child as tightly as possible. "No shots Mummy, no shots. I won't be a puppy anymore, Mummy, no shots," the couple disappeared from the view, the young tot half clinging to her mother, half trying to get away from the impending doctor appointment. I crossed my arms, pressing my lips together as more shouts came from up the hall, this time from a grown man.

"Sir, come back. She has to get these shots." The same child was ushered down the hall again, still in the arms of her mother, but this time escorted by a broad-shouldered man who looked ready to hit anyone who got in there way.

"She doesn't need seven! For Merlin's sake, she isn't even that old," he roared to the Ministry official as they swept past him. The little girl looked more than relieved, as did her mother. I shuddered, seven for a child, how many for an adult?

My newest acquaintance, though still serene looking, had his jaw set, his eyes lit up in anger. 'Out of line,' escaped his lips and I nodded in agreement. The Ministry was, but I was unwilling to move to Romania, where werewolves ran free. Ironically, there were fewer cases of new bites after full moons than any other country this side of Japan.

We didn't speak after that, wallowing in a comfortable silence, until finally, he was next to go through the men's check-up. I offered him a small smile and his thoughtful demeanor brightened slightly, and I was certain that although we had exchanged so few words since we had met, we were friends, 'allies against the tyranny of the Ministry' as Rupert had once said. At least, I considered him a friend though I knew quite little about him. A ministry official came out to guide him in, the room finally vacant of its last occupant.

"Can an owl find you?" he asked, holding a hand up to stall the tired looking wizard.

"Of course," I replied, almost bristling. "Should I expect one from you Mister Lupin?" I set aside my pride's scratch and returned his friendly air.

"Tomorrow morning, on the dot," he said before shaking my hand and disappearing into the other room for his check-up. I smiled, putting my hands in my pockets. That was nicest compliment I had received in some years, perhaps ever. He was making the first effort to blossom a friendship, not caring that I was what I am. Well, he was a werewolf just as I, but all the same, being able to add a humanly name to my short list of friends made me happier than I had been in months.

I hadn't long to relax in my new found friendship before it was my turn to be checked up, and nervousness set in. Before, they asked me a series of questions, perhaps had a look at my eyes to see how blood-shot they were from a night of anxiety, but now things were different. Far too different. And to make matters worst, Dolores Umbridge was in the room whilst women were poked and prodded.

I sat down where I was told and folded my hands in my lap, feeling like a little girl again. I quickly made a show of removing my wand, and a piece of taffy from my robe pockets, as the witches in the room indicated, pausing when I recognized Nurse who was mussing around with one thing or another. She winked, and I felt heartened.

"Name?"

"Abernathy, Cadley," Nurse said as I opened my mouth, and I pressed my lips together as she only reinforced the idea that she was here for in and out of St. Mungo's. Perhaps I had more friends than I thought I did. The witch asking the questions glanced at her, raising her eyebrows in question, but Nurse merely went back to what she was doing.

"For the record, Madam, could you please recount how you were bitten?" I frowned darkly, sitting a bit straighter. "And, please include how old you were."

"I was eight," I responded sharply, "playing on a swing in a muggle park."

"A muggle park, Madam?"

"Yes, a muggle park, I just said that." Umbridge scribbled something down on her own notepad as did the questioning witch. "It was four-thirty in the afternoon, quite a few hours before dark, though the full moon was still out. I'd been looking at it, seeing a face in the craters when what I thought was a large dog jumped out at me and mauled me.

"My father, having feared for my safety pulled his wand out in sight of four muggle adults, and six muggle children, and blasted the thing off of me. But, obviously since I'm sitting here, it had already been too late. He was charge two hundred galleons for his 'ill-advised heroism' and had to pay for each muggle's memory to be erased."

"Your father's name, Madam?"

"Emus Abernathy, and my mum went by Bette Pylus before she was married." The woman frowned, recognizing my mother's maiden name, though I could only guess from where. Both sides of my family were pureblood, yes, but neither went back as far as say, the Bones' or the Weasley's without a muggle marrying in. My grandfather had worked in the Ministry, perhaps that was it.

"Thank you Madam." I didn't respond, Nurse flashing me a quieting glance before I could retort out of anger. "And, where were you bitten?"

"Which time?" I took my time getting it out, trying to sound as civilized as possible. It must have been Umbridge's presence that kept me from acting my station, I could nearly feel my blood bumbling and boiling in irritation. "The man who bit me didn't nick my shoulder, then run off because he'd infected me. We don't work that way, thank you. But he got my hands as I tried pushing him off."

"Can you please show me, Madam?"

'I will if you stop saying Madam with every line,' I thought vehemently, before unclasping my hands and holding them up to the medi-witch. Nurse stopped to watch. The witch turned my hands over, frowning often and raising her eyebrows systematically. Did she practice those controlled expressions in the mirror?

"Are you sure this is it, Madam?"

"My lack of wounds doesn't make me any less of a werewolf, unfortunately," I snapped. "I have a nurse at St. Mungo's who knew how to do her job well." Nurse went back to what she was doing and I folded my hands back into my lap. The quills went a'scribbling again, Umbridge looking up methodically to scrutinize me in her own squinty manner. I snorted in offence, and looked up at the Medi-witch, "the scars that were healed, however, do come back when I begin to transform. Would you like a run down on that process?"

"No, Madam," she said quickly, paling slightly. She, to her credit, collected her self in record time, pulling on a mask of calm indifference once again. "If you could, please hand your wand to Medi-witch Willow, and it will be processed while we finished our questions."

I raised my brows as Nurse bustled over, giving me a quicksilver smile as I dropped my wand into her hand. I now knew her name, about time too.

"Can you please walk me through one of your typical days, Madam."

Ugh. "Generally after I awake from a night's sleep, I shuffle downstairs and find a nice warm plate, filled to the brim, waiting for me in my usual spot, provided by my house elf," the witch held up her hand to pause me and I frowned slightly.

"How do you wake up, Madam?"

"What do you mean, 'how do I wake up?' Generally I wake up by opening my eyes, an outside noise or my alarm pulling me from some forgotten dream."

"No, Madam, do you wake up in your bed?"

"As opposed to what? The floor? Yes, Madam, I do generally find myself in my bed in the morning, unless I sleep-walked myself out into the back garden. Everyone knows how much a werewolf likes to wake up, covered in mud." The nurse did not enjoy my sarcasm, nor did Umbridge, but I found myself smiling sardonically.

"How is your relationship with your house elf?" she continued on, "you mentioned you had one."

"His name is Golby, and he's been in my service since I was eight. My parent's bought him so that I had a companion, as all the parents of my childhood friends forbad their children to play with me after I was bitten. He's a proper house elf, if that's what you want to know. There isn't any funny business, I hope you aren't thinking that, and I have never transformed in front of him. That's why I rent room and board from St. Mungo's every month."

"That must be a tidy sum," she said to herself, her nose twitching.

"It is, but I can afford it, I am an Abernathy after all," it came out too quickly; I hadn't even thought it before my lips spoke it. The witch glanced at me for a moment, something passing behind her eyes that I was unable to read. "Do you want to hear about the rest of my day? Usually I spend it inside, unless I need a new book. Then I actually venture out into society."

"No, Madam, thank you though." Nurse returned with my wand, handing it to me with another small smile before she retreated to the back of the room. I mulled over the thought of inviting her out to an early dinner, just for the companionship, but decided not to give my results a chance of flaw. Umbridge would undoubtedly cry that my test had been tampered with. "We'll just give you your shot, and then you can go home."

"And what exactly is this shot for?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning back away from her.

"It will rid you of any left over hormones from your last transformation. As well, decrease your chance of transforming this month." I looked at her blankly, keeping my arms crossed.

"Has it been tested successfully?" The chance of missing a transformation boosted my curiosity.

"Yes, Madam." I looked at Nurse, her back turned towards me. It seemed almost too good to be true, but she seemed to have no doubts of her own and I bore my arm for her.

"I need to see both you're your hands Madam, it must be injected where you were first infected."

The shots were over as quickly as they could possibly be given, but although I had done my best to keep my jaws clenched from shrieking, I had still yelped with every prick. The human hands were sensitive enough, but mine more so because of my childhood injuries.

Nursing them even after I'd been led out, Golby was promptly returned to my side, and I wanted nothing more than to go home. My tender hands pulsed painfully and the house elf showered me with frantic attention, unable to help me in anyway. At least I hadn't been paying attention when they took a blood sample, though I was feeling slightly sluggish.

"Let's go home, Golby," I said, shaking my right had as it began to cramp up. I made up my mind as I left the Ministry, that I would owl Nurse, as well as reply to any letter that came from Remus.

Author's Note: Thank you, everyone, for reviewing so far. I appreciate it far more than I can express though this note. I wrote this chapter so quickly as a thank you gift.