Chapter 23 Buses and Bloodlines

I sat in the office during my break reading the Daily Prophet and drinking a welcome cup of coffee, this morning had seen quite a bit of paperwork, that ultimately served only one purpose, paperwork. I remember reading somewhere that there were rules governing a bureaucracy; this one went somewhere along the lines of 'a desk will always generate more paperwork to justify it's existence.' seemed appropriate considering the mountain of paperwork I had ploughed through today.

The headline glared at me;

Knight Bus Service Suspended
Driver Ernie Prang Critically Ill

The wizarding bus service known as the Knight Bus is temporally suspended as driver Ernie Prang is currently being treated in St Mungo's for an unknown ailment. While St Mungo's refuses to say anything regarding Mr Prang's condition, we at the Prophet have been given to understand by an anonymous source that the future looks grim. The empty Knight Bus has been recovered from an undisclosed location in the Welsh mountains with damages that seem consistent with a dragon attack. It is unknown whether 'Ernie's' condition is a result of this attack but we at present do not have high hopes for the future.

I remembered Ernie from my 'exile' year in Tinworth, I had caught the Knight Bus to Godric's Hollow and he had spent most of a quiet day with me, showing me round the wizarding part of the village and coming to terms with the wizarding part of my family, namely my Aunt Lily and Uncle James who had died when I was about one year old. I had no particular love for the Knight Bus as a service, it had been in parts quite exciting and in others terrifying, a bit like riding a fairground ride without safety harnesses, but it was an essential part of the wizarding society, providing transport between locations not linked by the floo network and for persons unable to apparate for some reason or other. The service should be continued, I had had no idea that Ernie was the only driver for the service, but given the nature of the wizarding world I shouldn't be surprised, it seemed that anyone could set up a business and run it. The only option for success or failure depended on their tenacity and business sense and their perseverance in seeing it through. If Ernie had been running the service on his own for several years and driving it all hours of the day and night, I'm pretty sure his condition could be simple nervous breakdown and having fallen asleep at the wheel. I hoped it was something that simple.

I looked at my schedule for the rest of the day and decided I could afford at least a couple of hours to see what the real story was. I tidied my desk and popped to Kingsley's office to inform him of my absence and the reason behind it. "Kingsley have you seen the Prophet this morning?"

"I've given it a cursory once over, but not really noticed anything of major importance, why? What's caught your interest?"

"The bit about Ernie Prang and the Knight Bus!"

"I remember seeing something, what about it?"

"Well a couple of things really, firstly there's the fact that Ernie's ill and for the foreseeable future there will be no Knight Bus service which from a personal point of view I can attest is of incalculable value for certain individuals in the magical community and shouldn't vanish completely even if Ernie was the only driver, which may or not have anything to do with his illness. There's a muggle condition, which for the life of me, I can't remember the name of, where a tired driver falls asleep at the wheel, drives properly for a time, but inevitably crashes the vehicle, I'm wondering if that's what could wrong with Ernie."

"I don't really know that much about Ernie to be honest, I remember the Knight Bus being there when I was a kid, and riding it once or twice, but Ernie was the driver then, I don't remember who he had as conductor, but I've never heard of any other drivers. Ernie must be at least in his eighties though, if as you say he's been running this service on his own for years then I'm not surprised he fell asleep at the wheel, if indeed that is what happened. By all means try to find out the truth and see if we can continue the service into the future."

I flooed to St Mungo's and after a brief conversation with the welcome witch made my way to the ward where he was being treated. As I entered the ward, I noticed Ernie sat up in bed reading a copy of the Prophet, certainly not at Death's door like the paper would have us believe. I coughed as I approached the end of the bed, and Ernie reached for his glasses on the bedside cabinet and looked at me.

He blinked owlishly a couple of times, "you're not one of my healers, though I'm sure I've seen you before!"

"Indeed, you took me to Godric's Hollow, the day Harry Potter defeated Voldemort." (A/N A New Beginning – Chapter 12)

"I remember, you're his cousin, am I right. How are things between you these days?"

"Better than they were then, I now work in the Ministry; I'm godfather to his eldest son!"

"But, you were a muggle, got nothing against muggles myself, I'm muggleborn myself! When I couldn't get a proper job after I graduated I set up the Knight Bus after what I remembered as a kid. Course after this accident I doubt it'll be able to continue as it has been. I hate to say it but I'm getting too old to continue as I have been. Needed to cut my hours down years ago, so I suppose I can carry on with just a daytime service."

"I was hoping I could help with that! Why have you never got a second driver or another bus?"

"I tried, no one was interested, none of the fancy pants purebloods wanted to 'lower' themselves to actually drive something that was obviously of muggle derivation, even if they used the service, after all it was perfectly alright for me, a muggleborn to act as their coachman or chauffeur whatever but lower themselves to drive it; unthinkable. Don't really know that many people who could drive it. I passed my muggle driving test before my seventh year at Hogwarts, I would think that was a minimum you'd need as a qualification to drive it."

"What about the magic used, I remember you had your wand on the wheel?"

"No real magic to drive it, I just store my wand on the wheel, its all powered by rune-stones, they draw power from the muggle electric lights, there is a petrol engine, for when I'm in areas that has no electricity and the rune-stones are running low, I think on average I have to fill the tank once a week, a lot less often than if it were all petrol considering the miles I travel."

"So a muggle could do it? If they were one of the new card carrying ones, relative of a first generation magic user and knew about magic."

"Never considered a muggle for the job, but in a way they would be ideal, knowing how to drive and all. If it were possible, we'd need a couple of drivers at least, so nobody had to work such long hours, and not fall asleep at the wheel like I did causing that stupid crash."

"OK! Leave it with me, I'll get an article in the Daily Prophet and some sort of flyer to some parents of first generation magic users and we'll see if we can't get your service back in action. I'm sure the public will be glad to know you're not on death's door as well."

"Yeah! Typical Prophet claptrap that, if you can do that it would be much appreciated, maybe I'll get the chance to re-connect with my son, my wife left me because I was always working when he was about nine and I was needing to do more and more hours, so I hardly ever saw her or him; he must have kids of his own now. Love to meet the grand kids and get to know them properly."

I left the hospital with my mind whirling with possibilities, I hadn't particularly been enamoured of the Knight Bus, with its unfixed seats, but it was a huge help to me that year in exile, and I was determined to see it continue, and if it gave Ernie the chance to reconnect with his estranged family that was another bonus, but I didn't think it would happen very quickly. A few months at least, I hope that wouldn't disrupt the public opinion of the service, I liked Ernie and he deserved some reward after his years of service, not just to see his efforts fade away into obscurity.

I spoke to the Daily Prophet and a small article was placed reporting that Ernie would be back on his feet in no time and asking if there was anyone who would be willing to take on a job as a second driver on the Knight Bus service to avoid such things happening again.

I was sat in the ministry canteen having a cup of coffee and a sandwich after my mornings work when one of my colleagues, Dennis Creevey came and sat with me, "so how is Ernie and when can we see the service back up and running again, my parents used it quite a bit to come and see me and the kids, so much easier than driving their car a hundred miles each way."

"It's going to be a while at least, Ernie is suffering from exhaustion from running the service 24/7 for years and reckons we need at least a couple of drivers so the service can continue to run all day and night and not have him work himself into an early grave."

"So you need someone capable of driving a bus and knowing about magic, any magic required to drive it?"

"Not according to Ernie, it's all rune-stone powered!"

"Brilliant, I was visiting one of your old cases only yesterday and he may be able to help!"

"I looked at him in stunned amazement, "you think you have a solution that would be brilliant, but please continue, I want to hear about this!"

"The man's name is Andrew Liddleton, he's the muggle father of a boy who is currently in his second year at Hogwarts, he was a bus driver before the accident which left him paralysed from the waist down, you arranged for him to have a house elf as a live in carer."

I paused for a moment in thought, recalling all the details in my mind. One of the earlier cases I had dealt with as a social worker and it involved solving the problem of where to get more house elves, and how they could be of more use than a lot of people realised. (The Start of Something New, Chapter 19) {1}. "I recall the case, the boy was forced to be his father's main carer during school holidays, so wouldn't have been able to go to Hogwarts as sending him to a private boarding school in Scotland would have been perceived as him having more than enough money to afford his own care. I can see that he would be more than qualified to drive the bus, but how would we satisfy the muggle authorities, I mean he has his carer through a 'private charity' but a job as well, it would mean losing his benefits, the only source of income for him and his son." His son's tuition is paid for by the Hogwarts Scholarship Fund which had been set up to help the children of poorer muggle parents attend the school sometime in the 1300's, and in theory it was an interest free loan that the child was to pay back after they graduated and started work, but with many muggleborn students of the past leaving the magical world to go back to the muggle one, because they had no job prospects it was often chronically under funded. Harry had donated some of the proceeds from the sale of the basilisk he slew in his second year and I had given some of the money dad left me in his will as I felt having come from Harry's vault to pay us to look after him and Harry wouldn't accept it back.

"Well, there's the fact that with his son at Hogwarts for 10 months of the year he has little to keep him occupied these days and he's bored, plus the fact that his benefits are in the process of being down-graded because as he no longer has his son there for most of the year, his cost of living has gone down, and as we know social services will do anything to avoid paying out more than they have to. If we could justify it in some way as him getting a job with the same charity that supplied his carer, working with a specially modified bus so he had all hand controls instead of foot pedals; got him a conductor to collect fares and such like, it could be done."

"Bloody hell, Dennis, how did you come up with all this in a couple of minutes?"

"I didn't, he asked if there was any way for us to get him a job that he could do, where his disability wouldn't be a liability, and he wouldn't need to exist on state handouts any more. He told me of his past work experiences before the accident and you just dropped it in my lap so to speak."

"I suppose I did, can you give him a call and see if he's willing; if he is, I'll contact Ernie and we could get some sort of service up and running, within a couple of weeks."

I left the canteen and began walking back to the office only to see Harry looking annoyed at something, he had something written in parchment in his hands. "What's the matter with you?"

"Do you remember sometime ago when we were talking with the portrait of Phineus Nigellus Black and he wanted me to make Albus the Heir to the Black family (A/N Chapter 9) and I protested saying it would go to Teddy? Well I tried to get him acknowledged as the Heir to the Black Family a few days ago, but the Wizengamot vetoed it, apparently a werewolf has no rights to inherit a Noble House. They're allowed jobs now so long as their condition is controlled by the Wolfsbane, but they have no inheritance rights. I don't know what to do, Teddy isn't a werewolf, but the prejudices of our society say he is. Ridiculous isn't it?"

"Blimey! I'd forgotten about that, and it reminds me of something else I learnt of in the States on my honeymoon, I mentioned it to you during that conversation, Teddy is human, a human mother would reject the werewolf DNA during the first full moon, as the foetus tried to transform."

"I remember, but how can we make the Wizengamot see that? Most of those hidebound idiots haven't heard of DNA or even genetics."

"What's the moon phase at the moment?"

"Why do you want to know that? It's full in two weeks, but I fail to see the relevance being as Teddy isn't a werewolf!"

"Get Kingsley to arrange a hearing for Teddy's assumption of the Black title for the evening of the full moon, we need to be still going when the moon rises. I need to place a phone call to the States and there is somebody I met over there who can help sort this problem out and we can get Teddy his title."

"I'll try and I hope you can succeed in this, I would like for Teddy to get this rightful inheritance, he is far more directly connected to the Black line than I am."

I returned to my office and got onto the internet looked up a phone number in the United States and dialled, "Salem Academy of Magic, Principal Abbot's office, how may I help you?"

"My name is Dudley Dursley, I and my wife had a tour of your school about 3 years ago and I met the Principal, I was wondering if I could speak with him on a matter in which he might be of service to my family and other lycanthropes in Britain?"

"One moment please, I'll see if he's available to speak with you!"

I waited a few seconds and there was a click on the line, "Mr Dursley, nice to hear from you again, what can I do for you? Surely you and that lovely wife of yours haven't got children that are old enough to be sent to the school so I must admit I am at a bit of a loss why you'd be calling me?"

"Slight bit of family history, my cousin, Harry Potter is currently the head of two families; one through his parents, the other through his late godfather, and the fact his grandmother was a member of that house. He wishes to make his godson the heir to this family title as he is more closely related to his godfather."

"I can't see how I can help there, I know nothing of British Law!"

"Here comes the part you can help in. Young Teddy, his godson is the child of a werewolf and a witch, he shows no sign of any werewolf traits, but the British judicial body is adamant that he is a werewolf; danger to society; menace to the public; all that rot and firmly set in their opinion that he has no right to inherit. I would like you to be there as a lycanthrope to give your position on his status and to state that he's not a werewolf and maybe you can say something to change the fact that werewolves in this country are required by law to take the wolfsbane potion if they wish to be eligible for employment in this country. I remember that I was told it poisons the wolf; I can grant you diplomatic immunity whilst you are attending Britain to discuss this matter, I wouldn't want some idiotic member of the Wizengamot to try something whilst you are here, you having the diplomatic immunity would mean the safety wards in the Wizengamot chambers will activate so no magic can be used against you, but any inherent magic, i.e. your err… shape-shifting ability won't be affected."

"I begin to see, the fact that I'm a lycanthrope, and can transform without becoming a ravening beast will help towards the boy's case, and help your British population of werewolves and perhaps we can change the perception of them to lycanthropic citizens rather than ravening werewolves out to bite and infect everyone every full moon. I'm certainly willing to give it a try, the plight of British and European lycanthropes is a bit of a sore point over here. When are you hoping to do this?"

"The evening of the 27th, hopefully towards the end of the hearing the full moon will have risen and our Wizengamot can see you as a lycanthrope should be and not a ravening beast like in a bad Hollywood B movie, not that any of those stick in the muds have ever seen a movie or even know about Hollywood, but you get the idea."

"Sounds good to me, personally I think I should be able to help you with that much at least, and although I am a lycanthrope and as such need to transform on the full moon, I have enough control to be able to pull myself back to human after the transformation has occurred, now this could be significant to the hidebound morons of your ministry, if I turn into a wolf and then a few seconds later become human again, still a rational individual so to speak. It will mean some slight discomfort to me, minor headache and some muscular aches and pains for a couple of days, but a standard pain potion will help there. Your British pain potion is the standard which all international potions are based so if you have one on hand for me. I would bring my own but think someone may claim its a fake or some other trick; you get the idea what I'm saying..."

"I understand completely what you are saying, I'll speak with Kingsley Shacklebolt about it, in case you weren't aware he's our current Minister of Magic, if I can get the Wizengamot ready to judge the case on that date will you be available?"

"Oh definitely, I'll make arrangements later today and contact some distant relatives I have in Britain, it would be nice to reconnect with the old country so to speak and if we can do something to change the draconian laws in your country, all the better. I'll be in touch before the date of the hearing to let you know my travel arrangements and such. Is that acceptable to you?"

"Perfectly, and I'll make sure all other arrangements are in order, I look forward to seeing you in the near future Principal Abbot."

"Sebastian, please, if we're going to be working together on such an important matter, and not on campus grounds, I insist on you calling me by my given name."

"Thank you Sebastian, and it's Dudley by the way!"

I hung up the phone and made my way to Kingsley's office, knocking quickly on the door. "Come in," said the deep voice from behind the door. "Ah! Dudley, I assume your visit is in connection with your cousin's visit of an hour ago, wanting to re-open the case for his godson to inherit the Black title. I told him that there's no way those hide-bound idiots will ever let his godson inherit, so how do you think you can help him with the problem?"

"I need for you to provide diplomatic immunity for one Sebastian Abbot, Principal of the Salem Academy, to come to Britain and be a witness in the hearing on the 27th. He'll need the Wizengamot's protections to be in place whilst he's in the chamber."

"And why is that?"

"He's a lycanthrope!"

"Another werewolf, how do you think that can help the young boys case, it might just harm it."

"Actually I think it will have exactly the opposite effect, Principal Abbot is a lycanthrope, not a werewolf, he can manage his transformations without the use of the wolfsbane, is in complete control of himself without the potion and after the full moon has forced him to transform into a wolf, he has assured me that he will be able to transform himself back to human and continue to make his case."

"How in Merlin's name will he be able to do that?"

"The Americans never recognised the wolfsbane potion as a cure for werewolves, it basically poisons the wolf. They have found that if a lycanthrope can transform outside the time of the full moon, and allow the wolf free so to speak, he is not a ravening monster when forced to transform by the full moon, it's like a forced animagus transformation

"Are you saying that by forcing werewolves to take the wolfsbane potion we have been exacerbating the situation by making them become savage beasts when they transform?"

"Yes and No! The wolfsbane helps the human mind remain in control but poisons the wolf, the Americans have discovered that if the wolf is allowed to come out at other times, the savagery, the ferocity of the wolf is lessened. Think of it a bit like a pet dog, if you leave it locked in a kennel for 27-27 days of the month, only releasing it on the nights of the full moon, giving it something to eat that basically makes it feel unwell; isn't it going to go wild if it ever gets out? However if you treat your dog well and let it out often to play and run, feed it properly, it will be a good dog at all times."

"Very valid and well reasoned points, now will this Sebastian Abbot pose any threat to the members of the Wizengamot? I understand exactly what you've said and am just making sure. I don't want anything to disrupt the proceedings, I'd like to see the boy inherit the title, I've met him on a full moon myself and he's as much a werewolf as I am."

"No, Sebastian will transform in the chamber as a normal werewolf does, but then pull himself back to human and continue his arguments, the only thing he requests is a pain potion, as it is uncomfortable. I would also suggest that we change the law slightly, and refer to these people as lycanthropes; think of them having a pre-determined ability as a wolf animagus, that obeys the lunar cycles. Then there are werewolves like Fenrir Greyback who bite and kill indiscriminately. If we continue to discriminate against these people we'll eventually end up with a Dark Lord Fenrir, or something similar."

"Good points, so what else are you proposing? If I know you, you've already thought a lot of this through, one thing I can say about you is you are thorough."

"Well, if all werewolves are shown how to control the wolf and all children are introduced to this principal at an early age, like some sort of day-care facility where they get to spend some time as a wolf and some as human, the problem of werewolves would be eliminated in a generation, allow all lycanthrope children to attend Hogwarts as if they were not infected; the only real difference I think they would need in their education is the need to spend the evening of the full moon out in the grounds, letting the wolf free so to speak. I also understand that the Americans have a potion that can be administered to newly bitten victim that will stop them ever becoming werewolves."

"Just a minute there, am I to understand that the Americans can stop someone becoming a werewolf if bitten? What effect would this potion have on someone who is already a werewolf?"

"The potion has to be administered before the first full moon after the bite, as after that the effects of the bite have managed to infiltrate the full body and the condition is set for life, but if the wolf were allowed to transform outside of the full moon they would never become a ravening beast."

"Can you get me a dose of that potion, I have a neighbour who was bitten last full moon and so far has not transformed, the law requires the werewolf to register after the first full transformation, if we could get her this potion she would not have to register or undergo the painful transformation and stigma of being a werewolf. At this point, the fact she was bitten is only known to herself, my wife and I."

"I'll get back in touch with principal Abbot, Sebastian, and get a dose at once, and some more information on the potion, I only heard it mentioned in passing when I was in the States, but if we could get it registered as a medicinal potion here in Britain, it would also be a big boost towards helping lycanthropes be more accepted."

"All extremely good points, and I for one am all in favour with it. Seeing these persons getting full rights would be a good step towards full equality before the law."

I returned to my office and pressed re-dial on the phone. "Salem Academy of Magic, Principal Abbot's office, how may I help you?"

"Hello again, it's Dudley Dursley from England again is it possible to speak to Principal Abbot again?"

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid he's left early for the day, dental appointment, I believe is there anything I can do for you?"

"I don't know, I was speaking to a colleague in the ministry and the subject of your werewolf cure potion came up. I was wondering how much a dose costs and if I could purchase one, we have a case here that could benefit from it?"

"Let me check for you; can you hold for a few minutes?"

"I'll hold, thank you for your help!" I sat listening to the music playing whilst the receptions checked for me, a better piece of music than was usually played and one I didn't recognise. Just as the lyrics were winding down, the receptionist came back on the phone.

"It's $200 a dose and the recipient needs to take the potion for three doses, 2 days apart, as long as 2 doses have been taken before the full moon the cure is permanent and the transformation will never happen."

I thought for a moment, "Can you supply me with say 5 doses and a copy of your FDA approval for the potion preferably in a format that doesn't overly mention muggle involvement; I assume you'll accept a Gringotts draft as payment, and of course, I'll need a receipt."

"It's only sold in full course packs, so I'd have to get you 6 doses, I can supply you with 1 course of the potion immediately, we always have it in stock in the Academy's Medical facility, although that will have to be replaced and get a second course for you tomorrow along with the FDA paperwork, and we'll certainly accept a draft from Gringotts UK, just make it payable to the Academy. Do you know the GPS coordinates of where to send the potion?"

I thought for a moment and knowing of no spell taught to me by Hogwarts or that was recognised by the Ministry of Magic, decided to obtain them myself, I drew my wand and it expanded to become the staff I wanted. I planted it firmly on the ground and thought of what I wanted. In the air a few inches in front of me, glowing blue figures appeared, 51° 30' 58.7" North, 0° 6' 28" West. I told the receptionist these figures and that we were 250 feet below ground.

"One moment, I'll just set that up!" There was a slight pause, "Sorry, but I can't put in the below ground factor, can you put up a flare of magic at your location, that should lock in the portal location." I quietly sent a flare of magic through my staff. "Thank you, Mr Dursley, the potion should be with you momentarily, just sending it now."

A Slight ripple appeared in the air above my desk, the ripple opened and three crystal vials appeared on my desk with a hand holding them. I took the vials from the hand and the hand disappeared back through it, the ripple closed up again. "I've got them, thank you!"

"Alright Mr Dursley, I'll order your other course and our replacement and send it through to the same place, same time tomorrow, is that acceptable to you?"

"Thank you very much, I'll either have a draft to hand over to you or it will be paid directly to the Academy via Gringotts whichever is easiest. Thank you for your assistance"

"No problem, Mr Dursley, and I hope your Ministry approves the potion for use in the UK. I was only too glad to help." With that the connection clicked and I had the dialling tone.

I replaced the receiver and taking the three vials and quickly walked back to Kingsley's office, I knocked and was called in. I handed the three vials to Kingsley, a puzzled look on his face was the response I got. 1 dose every two days, as long as two doses are made before the full moon the transformation will not take place, I have another three doses coming in tomorrow along with all their paperwork for the potions approval as a medicine. It costs $200, 20 galleons a dose, that's 120 galleons we need to pay to the Salem Academy, either with a Gringotts draft or direct transfer through the bank, they're sending a receipt tomorrow with the potions."

"Just a moment then," he picked the phone up and dialled a number, "Rotfang, it's Kingsley, is the bank able to make a payment to the Salem Institute in the United States or will we need to get a draft to hand over? Ok, please make the payment immediately and I'll have the receipt for the records tomorrow! May your enemies feel your blade at their necks!" He hung up the phone, which promptly vanished again; where did he store that phone? "Best decision we ever made, putting a goblin in charge of the ministry coffers, cuts out the middle man and the goblins pay him to do his job, they make interest on our money which pays for his services."

There is more to be said regarding these two matters, but at 8 pages, I think I'll stop here and post this. Look out for the next Chapter A Werewolf in the Wizengamot.

A/N The GPS coordinates are for 35 Old Queen Street, London, which is the street where I sited the muggle entrance to the ministry (The Start of Something New Chapter 11); thank you Google!

1. This plot point has been on the cards since I wrote The Start of Something New, but only now can it be put into place.

I have no idea as to the cost of medicines in the US, probably works the same as in the UK though and the drug companies charge as much as they can from insurances companies/NHS. So if this price is wrong, its just a magical/muggle difference