DISCLAIMER! This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. New Movie is coming in April! Hurrah! Yeah, for Fanfiction – a great place to stretch your imagination and enjoy someone else's creativity too! This is the sequel to The Potter Cartouche.

Chapter 30 Encounter with a Werewolf and Aurors / && CHANGE SCENE: Updates

There was an especially interesting edition of the Daily Prophet in early March. In the regular edition of the newspaper, the first of a series of opinion pieces by Madam Griselda Marchbanks was printed. The well-respected pureblood witch warned about the end of Magical Britain. Her article defined this end to mean the end of rule by pureblood wizards. She talked about the dangers to magical society if the mudbloods seized control and how only purebloods could lead magical society.

The Daily Profit, the financial supplement included in the same newspaper, carried a report on the number of sales of basilisk parts and potion ingredients completed by Mr Abbot's company. There were speculations on the total value of the sales which generated tax revenue for the ministry. Harry noted the speculative figures were nowhere near the true total figures. When he wrote to Bloodhook about the speculative figures, the goblin's response mentioned the graft in the ministry that was probably skimming off large amounts of the tax revenues.

'Is some pureblood lining his pockets with the tax receipts?' Harry asked himself.

The same Daily Profit carried a report from Gringotts on healthy sales of the Projection Pensieve 3000 in markets around the world with plans for future upgrades. Harry allowed the goblins to use a photo of using the Pensieve in the Wizengamot in the ads around the world and he was paid handsomely for it.

Harry snorted when he found the advertisements in the Daily Prophet for King Vodka, the new liquor being sold by shops in Magical Britain after being imported from Gringotts. The advertising line that made him grin was 'Who knew the goblins could distil something this tasty?'

On a final pass through the paper that day, Harry saw the obituary for Cornelius Fudge. The former minister had remained in the Janus Thackery ward at Saint Mungo's for many months, lost in his mind after losing all this wealth, before succumbing to wizard's flu. Madam Marchbanks was scheduled to speak at the funeral (small and public) where she would list his accomplishment and decry the increasing power of mudbloods in Magical Britain.

"Neville, has your gran mentioned anything about any outbreaks of wizard's flu in Saint Mungo's this winter?"

&& CHANGE SCENE: Hogsmeade Weekend

On a pleasant Saturday, Harry joined his classmates on a trip to Hogsmeade. The weather was relatively pleasant the morning following the full moon on 17 March. Signs of spring were few in Scotland, but the days were longer, and the sun a bit stronger. Harry was in good spirits with other Gryffindors, looking forward to stretching his legs in the village, laughing at bad jokes, and enjoying being outside the castle.

"I can tell a difference in my endurance," Neville confided to Harry later in the morning. "We've all over the entire village twice and I'm not tired. Professor Lupin's physical fitness classes are making a difference."

"And he's tried really hard to be fair and even with everyone this year," Harry admitted. "I'm glad there've not been any problems."

As the afternoon continued, the horseless carriages began to wander through the village to carry students back to the castle. The latest one was full, leaving Harry, Neville, Theo Nott, Daphne Greengrass, and Tracy Davis to wait for the last one. Impulsively, Neville suggested, "Let's hike back. My legs aren't tired."

The three Slytherins declined to participate in the impulsive Gryffindor action, but Harry grinned and said, "Okay, come on Longbottom. Let's see if we can keep up with the carriage. They're only moving at a fast walk."

Alone on the path, Neville spoke about the shops, buying some chocolate and noticing how pretty Daphne Greengrass was. Harry agreed and added, "Tracy is a pretty girl too."

When the road from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts drew close to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Harry noticed the carriage began moving faster. From the shrubbery along the road, a howl broke through the afternoon air.

Neville and Harry froze in place for a second as a loud voice declared, "Ah…two boys walking along the road without any grownups protecting them. I believe I shall take both of you. Harry Potter, the purebloods send their regards."

A large, hairy man leapt from the shrubbery, claws and sharp teeth displayed, along with a snarl on his evil face. Neville vanished instantly – that captured the attention of Fenrir Greyback for a second. The werewolf turned back toward his target only to find a wave of silver knives racing toward him. Five knives found their mark and before Greyback could pull them out of his arms, and chest, another wave hit, leaving eight more knives embedded into his head, legs, torso, and arms. The third wave of silver knives pushed Greyback onto the ground, but Harry kept firing knives until the werewolf resembled a pin cushion.

Less than a minute passed before Headmaster Bennet appeared on the road with Professor Flitwick, their wands casting a few dozen silver arrows into the Forbidden Forest. Fawkes appeared in a ball of fire and screeched, searching for dangers near any of her students.

Flitwick shouted, "Harry, fire a spread of knives through the forest. He didn't come alone, and the other wolves will flee now with some prompting."

Responding to the command from his professor, Harry's ring threw ten quick flights of a hundred silver knives each across the Forbidden Forest in front of him. There were no howls from other werewolves as the knives were embedded in the trees or flew out of sight.

Headmaster Bennet sent his Patronus to the DMLE and Flitwick send his to Professor Carter who was at the gate to Hogwarts, holding back Neville. Now, both wizards hurried down the path. Fawkes landed beside the werewolf and screeched at the corpse. Harry noticed that the silver knives seemed to shimmer after an angry phoenix screamed her displeasure at the creature's existence.

"Harry!" hollered Neville when he came in view. Bennet continued to survey the forest while Flitwick kept his attention on the corpse and Carter checked on Harry. In the circumstances, Carter didn't offer the teenager a calming potion – until he was safe inside the castle, Harry needed to remain alert.

"Is he all the way dead?" the teenager asked Flitwick.

"Yes, there're in excess of ten tens of silver knives in his body and limbs. He's dead."

Another person apparated on the path – Professor Lupin returning from his night away for the change, stepped forward to examine the body of the hated werewolf. He looked and smelled all around Greyback, before stepping closer to Harry. The phoenix warbled a welcome for Professor Lupin that made everyone feel safer.

"Heir Potter, thank you for killing this werewolf. There were three others with him, but I don't smell them close any longer," Remus said. "I think Fawkes and your silver scared them away."

Taking a moment to stare at the corpse, Lupin spit on the dead wolf and added, "Greyback constantly reinforced the notion that all werewolves were wild and dangerous. None of us stood a chance with him biting children a couple of times a year."

"Head in Lupin," Bennet said. "Aurors will show up soon…I expect."

The werewolf nodded and headed up the path. As a horseless carriage approached, Flitwick threw a shield over the body of the werewolf. Harry stared at the creatures he could see pulling the carriages. He'd never seen the thestrals before but remembered them from a lesson with Hagrid last year. The students in the carriage wondered why their professors and two students were standing beside the road.

Theo Nott asked, "Maybe we should have walked with Potter and Longbottom."

Tracy Davis replied, "No…Did you notice the trees are decorated with hundreds of silver knives?"

"I don't think this was practice for a new runic array," Daphne added.

Augusta's buzzard Patronus appeared demanding an update. Flitwick sent his Patronus with news that Harry had killed Fenrir Greyback and was well, without any injury.

After another five minutes, the Aurors apparated into the area. Headmaster Bennet looked displeased at their tardiness in responding to an emergency, but the wizard kept his opinion to himself for the moment.

"What happened here?" asked Auror Proudfoot, leading three fellow Aurors forward.

Bennet explained, "Heir Potter was attacked by a werewolf on the path back from Hogsmeade."

Two Aurors stepped back from the teenager and pointed their wands at him, looking closely for signs that he'd been bitten or slashed. They demanded to know, "What happened? Did the werewolf get away?"

"No," Professor Flitwick replied. "He's over here. I hid the body when other students rode by."

With a swish of his wand, the concealment spell vanished and the Aurors became excited, "That's Fenrir Greyback! Where's the rest of his pack? Mount brooms and hoover! Don't risk infection the day after the full moon!"

Three of the Aurors pulled out shrunken brooms, restored them to full size, and rose in the air. Only Auror Proudfoot remained on the ground.

"Are you certain it's dead?" asked Proudfoot.

"Yes, the werewolf is dead," replied Flitwick. "The blood drained out and he can't rejuvenate with all the silver in his body."

"Cause of death?" the Auror asked, making the phoenix laugh with her unique call that made Harry, Neville, and Carter smile.

Headmaster Bennet and Professor Flitwick exchanged glances and asked, "Did you look at the corpse of the werewolf, Auror?"

"I have to ask to follow protocol."

Harry spoke up and said, "Greyback died after a half-blood wizard buried a hundred silver knives in his heart, throat, lungs, liver, stomach, bowels, legs, arms, and legs. And I put three more in his head. Yes, a half-blood even put three knives into the werewolf's head."

"Uh…"

"Report it that way Auror," Bennet instructed the man.

"Why did the werewolf…how did a werewolf get this close to the school?"

Bennet explained, "The wards surround the castle. Not the forest. So long as he stayed in the forest, the Hogwarts wards wouldn't affect him."

"You have a werewolf working in the castle again this year, don't you, Bennet?"

"Headmaster Bennet," Flitwick said sharply.

"Headmaster Bennet," Proudfoot repeated to correct his address.

"Professor Lupin is known by the wards and allowed entrance. However, an unknown werewolf would be…handled by the wards." Bennet knew better than to give away information like a reckless Gryffindor.

"Did the werewolf say anything to you, Potter?" asked Proudfoot.

Flitwick's voice rose in volume when he reminded the wizard, "Heir Potter! Auror Proudfoot, you know better than to disrespect wizards in positions like headmaster or the heir of an Ancient and Noble house!"

"Apologies again, Professor Flitwick," said Auror Proudfoot before he turned to Harry. "Heir Potter, did the werewolf say anything to you?"

"He did, Auror Proudfoot."

"Well? What did he say?" asked the Auror with impatience evident in his tone.

While the phoenix laughed again, Bennet remarked, "You didn't ask Heir Potter what the attacker said. You just asked if he said anything."

Proudfoot frowned and opened his mouth to speak again, when Harry turned his head from the woods, looked at the Auror, and repeated the words, "…two boys walking along the road without any wizards protecting them. I believe I shall take both of you. Harry Potter, the purebloods send their regards."

"Did he mention any names in particular?" Proudfoot asked, immediately focusing on the last phrase.

"No." The simple response appeared to surprise the Auror who paused in his questions.

"Did you fear for your life?" asked Flitwick, understanding the statements that Harry need to make for the record to prevent future problems.

Harry looked at Flitwick who frowned and glanced toward the Auror. Then the young wizard turned to Auror Proudfoot and replied, "Auror Proudfoot, I was in fear for my life. That's why I took steps to prevent him from reaching me. You can see his fangs and claws are still visible on the corpse."

Flitwick asked, "Auror Proudfoot, does the ministry consider werewolves to be people?"

"No sir, they're classified as dark creatures as soon as they have their first transformation at the next full moon."

The respected professor lectured the Auror, "Then, you'll report that Heir Potter eliminated a known dangerous dark creature this afternoon. And you'll certify that he is due to receive the reward that the ministry published to reward the wizard or witch who eliminated the creature."

"Uh…that was during the war with the Dark Lord."

"But it was never rescinded, was it?" asked Flitwick.

"No sir, I don't believe it was."

"Excellent, I shall take the creature's head and send it to Gringotts as proof of Heir Potter's victory," commented Professor Flitwick, not giving the Auror any options. "His account manager will collect the reward…I believe it was three thousand galleons…this same day."

"But the minister has to approve the award, even with proof," Proudfoot argued.

"Again, excellent. King Ragnock will send a letter that matches my testimony and my memory of the conversation with you here on the road beside the Forbidden Forest on 18 March 1995 when Heir Potter eliminated the Dark Creature known as Fenrir Greyback."

Harry glanced up at the three Aurors trying to hover in the air. They weren't very successful and had to move in ever-widening circles. The teenager said, "Professor Flitwick, sir. It's a half-blood's kill. My reading in history books suggests that I should be the one to cut off the head to send it to King Ragnock as proof of my kill."

"That is true," said the half-goblin. After only a moment, Harry drew the knife he'd been gifted by King Ragnock and used it to cast the cutting spell that separated Greyback's head from his torso with one swipe. Flitwick conjured a bag and levitated the head inside.

Fawkes rose from beside the headless corpse of the werewolf and flew around the Aurors on their broomsticks causing them to wobble and have to fly further to maintain their positions. She flew across the Forbidden Forest, calling out for the creatures to listen to her news.

The teenage wizard called his elf and sent Dobby to deliver the bag to Bloodhook. (Dobby had been present the entire time and invisible. As scared as he was the elf believed that his Mr Harry Potter could defend himself against a single werewolf – even the powerful Fenrir Greyback.)

Now Flitwick, Bennet, Neville, and Harry stared at the three Aurors floating above them. The purebloods looked disgruntled to see the half-blood act with such ease while using a goblin magical focus, the evidence of the power of his defence, and the determination of the professors to stand up for their student. The disturbance in the air caused by Fawkes flying around still forced the Aurors to fly about, proving they had not mastered their brooms.

"They can't hover worth Merlin's spit," Harry remarked to his professors.

One of the wizards from above shouted, "Can you do better?"

"I play seeker. I have to be able to hover for five minutes at a time. If you would…never mind," Harry said, realising that despite his best efforts, some purebloods would never accept his tuition. How was it Neville worked with him without problem but other purebloods never would be able to work with him?

"His wand! Check his wand!" shouted one of the Aurors.

Proudfoot asked to check Harry Potter's wand and the wizard handed it over without any problem. The Auror cast the spell to check for the previous spells and reported that there was nothing there for casting the silver knives.

"It's got to be some other magic! Make him prove he's the one who cast the spell to kill the werewolf!"

"Potter…Heir Potter, can you cast the spell that threw the knives at Greyback?"

"Sure," Harry replied. "Where do you want me to throw them this time?"

He glanced upward at the Aurors still on their broomsticks after all this time, and Neville chuckled. Flitwick cleared his throat and suggested, "Auror Proudfoot, could you conjure a dummy werewolf to recreate the situation?"

Headmaster Bennet interrupted them and ordered, "No. Stop. Send for Director Bones or for Head Auror Scrimgeour before you go further with this witch hunt."

Flitwick and Carter glanced at Bennet and saw their boss had his wand at his side and his feet in a duelling position. The headmaster explained, "If there's a simulation, some pureblood might try and present their memory of that as the battle with the werewolf. That might let them deny Mr Potter's reward and victory."

"This isn't a witch hunt!" one of the floating Aurors replied.

"It's beginning to sound like one to me," replied Bennet as he sent off his Patronus. Flitwick sent one as well and only twenty seconds later, a dozen goblins appeared with Dobby.

Bloodhook cheered and lifted his battle-axe, "Flying monkeys! I always wanted to throw my axe at some flying monkeys! Freshgold, did you know there's a wonderful muggle movie with flying monkeys, witches, and wizards dancing like goblins on a yellow brick road?"

From the gates of Hogwarts, came an angry shout, "What in Merlin's toe jam is going on here, Bennet?"

Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head Auror strode down the road and once again demanded, "What is going on here? Are you interfering in an investigation, Flitwick? Why are there bloody goblins outside of Gringotts?"

Once Scrimgeour was informed by his Aurors about the situation, he turned toward the others and said, "Goblins be gone! You've no authority here!"

"That's not a real curse," Bloodhook replied with a bored sigh. "The hit-wizards from Norway tried that in Gringotts before we gutted them, and then again before we beheaded them in Oslo."

There was laughter among the goblins accompanying Bloodhook and the wizards could see the dried blood on their weapons. The Head Auror growled, "Again, you have no authority here!"

"They're tourists," declared Harry Potter.

"What's a tourist?" asked Scrimgeour.

"Visitors from another country who came to see the splendours of Magical Britain. This afternoon, they stumbled upon a dead werewolf, the half-blood that eliminated the dark creature, and his professors trying to talk sense into the Aurors questioning the half-blood about what happened."

"What did happen?" Scrimgeour asked and waved Proudfoot to silence. "And you idiots on the brooms, land over there, and be silent!"

The three wizards on brooms landed some distance away, shrunk their brooms and stood at attention.

"Now, Mr Potter, would you tell me what happened?"

"Certainly, Auror Scrimgeour," Harry replied before repeating the earlier story.

Scrimgeour glanced at Proudfoot and asked, "Is his story the same?"

"Yes sir."

"And his wand didn't have any spells on it that could have cast the silver knives?"

"No sir, but he does have a goblin knife that I didn't check."

Bloodhook and Flitwick both growled at the notion of an Auror questioning Freshgold's honesty and checking his knife. Dobby grabbed hold of Harry's pant leg, planning to pop his wizard out of the way if spells started flying between the goblins and wizards.

Harry said, "I'll let you check the knife, Auror Scrimgeour but I think we should check with the goblins…"

"Nonsense," Scrimgeour said, holding out his hand.

Holding his knife by the blade and laying across his arm, Harry offered the hilt to Scrimgeour. Taking the knife, the Head Auror was impressed with the workmanship, the blade, and the hilt. When he noticed the signet of King Ragnock on the hilt, he quickly cast the spell to determine the last spells and found a single cutting spell.

Nervously, he immediately presented the blade back to Potter by holding it by the blade across his arm and allowing the boy to take it by the handle.

"A fine blade…a gift from the king himself?"

"Yes, sir. I helped defend Gringotts from the invaders," Harry said without further explanation.

Scrimgeour nodded and said, "The only spell was the cutting spell."

"I used it to cut off Greyback's head to send to King Ragnock so I could claim the reward from the ministry," Harry continued.

The Head Auror winced, wondering if the money was still held in trust by the bank or if it had been used for the large settlements paid out in the last year. If it was gone, Gringotts would garnish the salaries of all ministry officials until the sum was collected.

"And did you send…?"

"Indeed, he did," declared Bloodhook. "The king – my father-in-law – sent me to return the trophy to Freshgold and tell him the Sturrdel-gryhiglzehwe absconded with the money from the trust account. Great Evil must skin a few more Sturrdel in the well of the Wizengamot."

'Merlin's teeth!' swore Scrimgeour "King Ragnock's son-in-law will testify to all goblins about the ministry mismanaging money again.'

While Scrimgeour cursed silently, the goblin threw open the bag and the head of the werewolf rolled up the road. Every wizard stepped back from the fangs still evident on the head and one of the Aurors in the field fainted. His compatriots ignored him and drew their wands while the goblins laughed.

"Mr Potter, how…what spell did you cast to create the silver knives that killed Fenrir Greyback?"

"I have an artefact, sir. I'm sure you read Professor Tofty and Professor Smither's reports in the Daily Prophet about it.

"I did but…may I see the artefact?" asked Scrimgeour, wondering if it was a ring or another knife.

"No," declared Bloodhook. "It is family magic and only under an oath to not reveal any information you discover can you see the artefact."

The Head Auror pressed on with his questions, "Who's family magic?"

"Mine," Harry replied. "The Potter family magic will defend our secrets. But, sir, I'll be glad to demonstrate the powers to you and…Auror Proudfoot."

"All my Aurors will stay," Scrimgeour stated. "The werewolf is dead."

"But the purebloods sent the werewolf," explained Harry glancing at the three Aurors standing away from the road.

Hearing the unspoken challenge in the boy's question, Scrimgeour looked pained for a moment. Now, he understood the uncomfortable look on the face of Director Bones when anyone spoke about Harry Potter. And the whispers in the last few weeks from purebloods hinting that 'someone' needed to do 'something' about the boy made more sense.

Thinking once again, Scrimgeour nodded his head slowly, 'But Potter's like the curse on the DADA job here. Everyone that tangles with him ends up worse off. Fudge died in Janus Thackery. Diggory lost his fortune. Gravis McMillian was ripped apart by the floo system. Marchbanks…why hasn't someone offered him a daughter for a betrothal to bring him into step with the rest of us?'

Fawkes chose that moment to reappear in a ball of fire and she flew around Harry, who transfigured a twig into a stand for the phoenix next to him. She settled down, warbling to Harry and Neville. The other teenager walked over and said, "Yes, ma'am. I've got some apple slices for you. The Aurors are behaving themselves."

"Does the phoenix talk to everyone?"

"No, only to the students," Headmaster Bennet said. "She sits with different students every breakfast and dinner while they feed her fruit and she advises them on their studies."

Proudfoot added, "My cousin's boy is a firstie in Hufflepuff, and he wrote that about Fawkes and her advice so frequently, she thought her son was talking about a classmate at first."

Returning to their current situation, Scrimgeour conceded, "A demonstration will suffice, Mr Potter."

"Harry, aim for a different part of the forest," Flitwick said. "We don't want anyone confused at how quickly and powerfully, your magic works."

"The same pattern as last time, about ten shots," Bennet suggested.

"Yes, sir," Harry said, lifting his arm without any wand, knife or ring seen. He moved from left to right once with ten flights of one hundred silver knives flying across the narrow path where they were deeply embedded into several hundred trees in less than thirty seconds.

"Merlin! Potter, you must sell that artefact to the ministry of magic!" declared Scrimgeour.

"Perhaps someday," Bloodhook answered for his client. "For now, the magic remains with his family magic."

With the Head Auror satisfied that Harry Potter had acted in self-defence against a dark creature with legal and overwhelming force, the investigation ended. The Aurors apparated back to London to file their reports, the goblins told a few jokes and then took the werewolf's body back to Gringotts with them. Among the trees, the centaurs appeared, and they began collecting the silver knives, pulling them from the trees, and dropping them into bags they'd brought with them. They appeared to be healing the trees as well with their magic. In the underbrush, other creatures could be seen collecting the knives as well.

Fawkes warbled a question and Harry replied, "That was a great idea, Fawkes. The centaurs are welcome to all the knives. I don't need them."

Neville watched the centaurs in the forest carefully and said, "Harry, Hagrid would have loved this."

Suddenly, Bloodhook said, "Where's the head?"

Everyone looked around and Harry glanced at Dobby who winked but said nothing. Again Fawkes laughed.

"Some magical creatures must have taken it," Harry announced. "Don't nifflers like to collect things?"

"Nifflers?" asked Bennet incredulously, turning toward the forest where nifflers could be seen running around with a silver knife or two in their arms.

"The head of an angry werewolf would make a great guardian at the entrance to their burrow," Harry said. "Hagrid taught us all about them. They like gold and shiny things. The head would protect 'em against gold thieves and others."

Bloodhook snorted and led the goblins back to Gringotts while Headmaster Bennet and Professor Flitwick led Neville, Harry, and Dobby back to Hogwarts. Fawkes launched herself into the air and disappeared in flames. With a casual flip of Harry's hand, the stand returned to its original form of a twig.

"Can you imagine the rumours at dinner?" asked Neville.

Bennet smirked and said, "At the next meeting with the governors, I shall suggest we change the name of the Forbidden Forest to be the Silver Forest."

"What about the Daily Prophet tomorrow?" asked Professor Flitwick, glancing over his shoulder at the forest.

"King Rag-o-rocks sending press releases to Daily Prophets and Quibblers when Dobby be returning," the elf replied. "Aurors won't get to collect galleons for story Daily Bird Cage already got."

"Bird cage?" asked Flitwick.

"Elves always use newspaper under owl cages and around Miss Fawkes stand for sleeping in kitchens. Best use for newspaper," Dobby explained.

Headmaster Bennet said, "Flitwick, begin extra training with Mr Potter and any of his friends who wish to join on fighting. I fear things will get nasty before they get better."

END OF CHAPTER