See Ch. 1 for disclaimer.
I'm very, very pleased with this chapter. I really am. Thanks to those who reviewed!
Chapter 4
International Floo Mail Express, twenty-third of June
Dear Severus,
I hope that you have had, so far, a pleasant time in Johannesburg. Back here, the Ministry is in somewhat of an upheaval—Cornelius Fudge has resigned amid the furor over his lack of action against Voldemort, and Rufus Scrimgeour—do you remember him? He is—was the former Head of the Auror Office—Rufus has been elected Minister. At least we now know that the war will be prosecuted with vigour and determination.
Yesterday, I spoke to Horace Slughorn, who was Potions Professor before you. It seems that Voldemort has been sending him threatening letters. Either he must accede to his wishes, or the Death Eaters will go after him. Therefore, I invited him to stay at Hogwarts for the time being. Of course, he must have some official reason for being there. I have already offered him the Potions position, and I have given you the Defence position. It is what you've always wanted, isn't it?
Albus
International Floo Mail Express, twenty-fourth of June
Albus,
You—(here the ink seemed somewhat blurry)—
You gave Slughorn the Potions position!
What do you mean, "you've always wanted Defence." I don't care a whit for the position, you know that. And what about the jinx on the position? Put there by the Dark Lord, no less. How could you be so foolish as to do that?
I demand my Potions position back. Let Slughorn hide in the dungeons, if he wishes.
SS
International Floo Mail Express, twenty-fourth of June
Lupin,
I have a question for you:
When Fenrir Greyback bit you as a child, what do you recall of your transformation at that time?
SS
International Floo Mail Express, twenty-fifth of June
Severus,
I ought to tell you that when I received your letter, Sirius got very angry—he said some rather uncomplimentary things about you and the letter.
About Fenrir Greyback and my bite: Considering that I was very young when I received the bite, I highly doubt that I can remember anything other than pain. I was foolish, I admit—I wandered out when it was the full moon, and you know Fenrir. He adores making werewolves, albeit of a bloody kind. I do recall that I felt as though something was being pushed into my mind, taking over me and making me the wolf—but I suppose that wouldn't matter, would it? I'm a werewolf, either way.
I hope the Potions convention is going well.
Remus
International Floo Mail Express, twenty-sixth of June
Lupin,
I could care less about what Black thinks—if he ever does at all, considering the minute capacity of knowledge that his head is able to hold without inevitably exploding with idiocy.
SS
Note slipped under the door of Room 607, twenty-sixth of June
Wang Qin and Ming-yue,
My werewolf acquaintance wrote back in answer to my query. I include a copy of the relevant parts with this.
SS
International Floo Mail Express, twenty-seventh of June
Severus,
Really, now, that is too much. Horace has a perfect right to stay safe—you're being very uncharitable. No matter what, you are still skilled at Defence, and since the Dark Lord believes you loyal, he can of course lift the jinx on the position.
I have unfortunate news. Emmeline Vance is dead—Death Eaters went to her home and killed her. The Order is doing all right; we are busy, the Aurors especially, called out to help deal with giants and Dementors and Inferi. There is a particular lack of help with the Dementors—not many people can conjure up a Patronus. Since you will be taking the Defence position, you might think about putting the Patronus Charm in your syllabus.
How is the convention?
Albus
Excerpt from a conversation: Severus Snape, Wang Qin, and Ming-yue, twenty-seventh of June
MY: Look here, on the letter. Don't you see? He says, "I do recall that I felt as though something was being pushed into my mind, taking over me and making me the wolf." Something pushed into his mind—that's how they reproduce!
WQ: Sexual or asexual, Ming-yue?
MY: Asexual, Mother.
SS: I'm sure reproduction is all very interesting, but what I find more intriguing is the basic fact that werewolves find wolfsbane to be deadly. If we are to take your definition of lycanthropy, then it is the lycanthropic… organism that suffers from wolfsbane, not the human. It's only because the human is playing host to the lycanthropic parasite that the human suffers as well. Do you know if there is anything else that is hostile to the lycanthropy…?
WQ: Are you asking my husband to experiment with himself?
SS: … No, not at all. I was only asking.
International Floo Mail Express, twenty-eighth of June
Albus,
Just because I am a Death Eater doesn't mean the Dark Lord will lift the jinx. Don't you remember what he wanted me to do, fifteen years ago?
If you don't, I seriously think that you are suffering from memory loss.
SS
International Floo Mail Express, twenty-ninth of June
Severus,
My memory is perfectly fine. I don't see what the events of fifteen years in the past has to do with the present-day.
Albus
International Floo Mail Express, twenty-ninth of June
Albus,
Are you mad? You know why he wanted me to apply for the Defence position in the first place—because he planned on me being at Hogwarts only one year! Halloween, he goes to off the Potters, then he wanted me to kill you! How can you think that irrelevant? You give me the Defence position, you're asking him to kill you! (here the ink ended in a large black spot)
Albus, I am not doing this.
Severus
Excerpt from Severus Snape's notes, written in shorthand, thirtieth of June
L.V. H.
rg—G. h
dry—d. 1993 (b.)
lkt—R. A. B. ? (see G. P.)
hfpf c.— U. S. S. R. Ras.
rvc s.—F. F.
N.—L.V.
International Floo Mail Express, thirtieth of June
Severus,
You know what we agreed upon.
Albus
International Floo Mail Express, first of July
Albus,
You are a fool.
Severus
Excerpt from a conversation: Severus Snape, Wang Qin, and Ming-yue, first of July
WQ: Men. Would you believe that I told Yan-shui about what we were working on, and that—that silly man actually tried to figure out what else!
SS: Besides the usual wolfsbane and silver, you mean.
MY: He's in bed with nightshade poisoning.
SS: Oh. He didn't have to do that.
WQ: Unfortunately, he did.
MY: Yes, it was unfortunate. Mother and I have been doing some more research into the nature of werewolves. At the full moon…
WQ: The lycanthropy is a bit unusual, I will admit. It's only transmitted when the person is changed, and at the time of the full moon. At other times, if a person is bitten, it will not have any major effect—contrary to what the common people think. We had to go through a lot of files on werewolf bites, you know.
SS: Yes. About the Wolfsbane potion, though, I have been examining just exactly how all the ingredients come together. It's particularly complex; evidently, there just has to be the right amount of wolfsbane to suppress the lycanthropy during the transformation. But if there's too much, the human part is dragged down with it, and so both minds are destroyed.
WQ: We are potions brewers. We already knew that.
MY: Why is the human mind taken along with it, Professor?
SS: I perceive that it is because there exists a connection between the two minds, at the time of the full moon. Then they struggle for dominance at that time. If there is any way that we can use Legilimency on their mind at that time, then perhaps we can separate the two parts. Even then…
WQ: What you're saying is that even then, there is the possibility that the lycanthropic side will win, and then where will you be?
MY: Does Legilimency work through a glass wall, sir?
SS: Are you so sure that a glass wall can keep a werewolf away from you?
MY: I've never needed to try it before.
SS: Better hope that the first time you do it isn't your last.
International Floo Mail Express, first of July
Lupin,
How strong is a werewolf? And what does your mind seem to experience during the changes at the full moon?
SS
International Floo Mail Express, second of July
Snape,
A werewolf is strong enough to frighten a cowardly, slimy teenage boy out of his wits. Good enough for you?
Sirius Black
International Floo Mail Express, second of July
Severus,
Sorry about Sirius's letter. He's being a little more irritable than usual.
For your information, werewolves are on the whole very strong. The Shrieking Shack is made out of wood, I admit, but there were a whole lot of strengthening charms put on the wood. I can't exactly say how strong, unfortunately. There is not much chance to figure out how strong I am when I'm transformed, you know.
As for what my mind is like when I transform… well, I feel like I really want to kill people, and at the same time I'm trying to keep myself from doing it. I suppose it's the wolf.
May I inquire as to why you are asking me this?
Remus
Note slipped under the door of Room 607, second of July
Another letter.
SS
International Floo Mail Express, third of July
Lupin,
I have been discussing the Wolfsbane potion with some others at the convention. That is all you need to know. As for Black, he is acting extraordinarily immature—as befitting a brainless Gryffindor, of course.
SS
Excerpt from lecture by Halina Laczniczki, on pain potions and torture methods, titled "The Methods of Pain and How They are Caused: In a Polish Prison," fourth of July
At that time, it was, of course, illegal to speak against the government about any petty thing, no matter if it was the unfair law about rationing out bread to the rich and poor, or if it was simply some minor violation. You were sent to jail and that was that. So when someone reported me to the government about me openly criticising it and demanding that it be overthrown… well, they were enraged.
(Someone in the audience shouts, "Down with the hypocrites! Tear them to pieces!")
To whoever that was, I appreciate the sentiment. (Laughter) I was taken to a secret facility out in the countryside near Warsaw, and they proceeded to torture me and accuse me of subverting the government in the most outrageous ways. In fact, I believe that one of them said I was responsible for giving him a diarrhea attack. I was—I still am, a Potions Mistress, after all. (Laughter)
Well, I still remember the absolutely foul taste of many of the potions they gave me. I believe that there was the Freosan potion, several times—I felt as though I was freezing to death. And the Draught of Fyr, as well. I don't know if you can imagine your body set on fire from the inside out, but I can. I still do.
So! Enough of my reminiscing, if being under torture can be called that. To first understand how to make a potion, you must understand how the potion works upon the body. I admit, torture potions are an unusual subject for a lecture, but it's probably the easiest to explain. (Ripple of nervous laughter)
Starting off, the body. (An image of the nervous system is projected) You see here, that the potions, when ingested, actively seek out the free nerve endings in the body. The free nerve endings are the nerves most sensitive to pain. When the potion reaches the free nerve endings, it doesn't actually cause pain to it, but it manipulates its messages to the central nervous system—there, that's the brain and the spinal cord—so that the brain and the person perceives the potion as causing pain. As a sidenote, the Cruciatus Curse does the same thing, although it is a spell and not a potion, and it's really rather boring, as torture goes. It just causes you to experience… pain. On the other hand, a lot of potions can make you feel as though you're being castrated, or raped, or set on fire, or frozen to death, or strangled, or paralyzed…
(Audience is silent, as images of people affected by aforementioned potions are shown)
Excerpt from conversation between two students after Laczniczki's lecture, fourth of July
S1: My god, Laczniczki's lecture was absolutely gory.
S2: Really? I thought it was rather interesting, and very informative.
S1: (Pause) I think you need to see a psychiatrist, Lars.
Excerpt from Severus Snape's notes, in shorthand, fifth of July
N. system—C. curse? L. l.—said affected c. nervous, see Longbottoms. Directly aff. nerve endings.
B. C. curse? See Norman's History of the Unforgivables.
Addressed to the Burrow, Ottery St Catchpole, fifth of July
Ron,
It's been absolutely dreary here at the Dursleys. After what with everyone telling them off at King's Cross, and Moody's eye—well, suffice it to say that they've been ignoring me all summer. Not that I can complain, but it's boring.
How's your family? I got one of the Ministry's pamphlets yesterday, about how to defend against Dementors and Inferi. Have you? I don't think that it's really helpful, though—just spouting off some information about defence, and doesn't even exactly say if they're going to come and help you. At least Fudge is gone, he wouldn't have been able to tell a Death Eater from a thestral, and Scrimgeour used to be the Head of the Auror Office. Anyone's better than Fudge—well, except for the Death Eaters… Nibblers… whatever.
Hope your summer's been all right.
Harry
Addressed to 8 Sparta Court, London, fifth of July
Hi Hermione,
How are you doing? By this time, I'll bet that you've already finished all your homework, haven't you? I hope you're doing all right—Death Eaters have been making attacks all over the country, and I don't want your parents to be caught up in the crossfire. Some of the Order members are already dead—Emmeline Vance was murdered, and other people have been attacked by Dementors. That bridge incident? It was the giants.
Hope to see you sometime this summer.
Harry
Addressed to 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, sixth of July
Harry,
The whole family says hello. Mum won't let us play Quidditch, though—she says it's too dangerous. And the bad thing is that, well, it's true. Luna came over to our house the day before yesterday, and spent the entire afternoon talking to Ginny. I don't know how she manages to get through all that stuff about Snorkacks and whatever else, but at least it's funny. Bill got engaged to Fleur Delacour, would you believe that? Charlie's still in Romania, so Mum's in a right snit about that. She's been saying for the entire month that it's not safe, that Charlie needs to come back.
Percy still isn't talking to us, even after You-K—(here the words were crossed out) Voldemort went right into the Ministry. Of course, it's a good thing that Fudge's out of office—and did you hear? Umbridge got sent to some place in mainland Europe to "recover from trauma," they say. I think it was a town called Dubrovnik, in Eastern Europe. Hah! I hope she stays there and rots like the rubbish she is. I'm sure you feel the same.
I'm nagging at the others (not my family, you know who at you know where) to let you come to the Burrow for the summer. I'll make sure you do, and Hermione as well.
Ron
Addressed to 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, sixth of July
Harry,
So what if I've happened to finish my homework? You need to get started on it, if you haven't; besides, have you even looked at what Professor Snape assigned us over the summer? A seven foot long essay on healing potions, spanning across all categories. For everyone, even those who aren't going to take his NEWT classes. Or his potions classes at all.
(I think that the information will be very helpful, what with Voldemort out there. You'd better read up on it, if only to be ready.)
To be honest, I haven't told my parents much about Voldemort at all. I even stopped getting the Daily Prophet, frankly. I don't want to worry them too much, and if they knew, they'd try to stop me from going to Hogwarts, I think. I'm afraid they won't understand, that they might think that if I leave the magical world, the Death Eaters won't come after us. They'll still come after us, no matter what, just because I'm a Muggle-born and they're Muggles. I'm not sure they'll see it that way. However, it is horrible to see what's been happening. I hope that you are well. Remember, if you have any dreams or visions, don't keep them to yourself. You nearly went straight into Voldemort's trap at the Ministry, at the Department of Mysteries, and it was all a trick in the first place—Sirius was fine. So be careful.
Hermione
Addressed to 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, seventh of July
Harry,
I've been badgering Dumbledore for some time about letting you come to headquarters; so has Ron, and he finally said yes! We'll be coming to pick you up at six o'clock in the evening, the seventeenth of July.
Sirius
From Alistair Norman's book History of the Unforgivables
Introduction: The Public Perception of the Dark Arts
One of the most commonly mistaken perceptions of magic by the present-day wizarding world is that Dark magic, illegal, is used with an intent to harm, and Light magic is not. Despite the many Dark spells and potions that are outlawed in the wizarding world of the United Kingdom, the Dark Arts as a whole has never been illegal. The fact that the Dark Arts are openly taught at the Durmstrang Institute in mainland Europe serves only to show that it is more to be recognised as an openly accepted branch of study, at least throughout most of Europe (for instance, the Scholomance School for the Study of the Dark Arts). The heavy regulations on the practice of the Dark Arts are indicative of their potential for harm, perhaps to the community, perhaps to the practitioners. However, that has never meant it was to be outlawed; judging by the prominent influence of many pureblooded families, such as the Blacks and the Malfoys, who openly practice the Dark Arts, practitioners may remain respected members of British wizarding society, as long as though they do not go "rogue," the term used for those who step outside the boundaries of the law, often because of Dark Arts related dementia, although sometimes they are fully aware of their actions (See Chapter Five: The Dangers of Dark Arts).
Over the past few centuries, Dark and Light magic have been seen as differing solely in intent, Dark for harm, Light for good. However, if this were so the case, then one could argue that the Imperius Curse was fully justified in controlling people's behaviour, if it is "for the good of the whole." At the same time, the Levitation Charm, Wingardium Leviosa, while almost certainly "Light" magic, would still be used for harm, if, for instance, someone were to cast it upon another and use the spell to fling the unfortunate person over a cliff.
Upon close examination of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, one discovers exactly how public perception differs from reality. There happens to be a Ministry Registry for the licensing of legitimate Dark Arts research and researchers; also, a list of officially sanctioned Dark Arts consultants and retainers, along with ongoing inspections and periodic renewals of licenses.
It appears clear that the public perception is skewed, and, as thus, is incorrect. But the question remains: what, exactly, are the Dark Arts?
Chapter One: A Brief History of Magic
Until the end of the Dark Ages, virtually all magic used by wizards and witches was what is now classified as "Dark" magic. The so-called "Light" magic was only developed at around the start of what the Muggles call the "Middle" Ages, during which they became the norm for most magical people at the time. In fact, there may be one peculiarly simple reason why the Dark Arts are so called "Dark"—it was the dominant branch of magical study during what is often termed by Muggles and wizards alike as the Dark Ages.
But—why was Light magic developed in the first place? And why did it gradually come to displace Dark magic from its primary position of use by wizards and witches?
The Dark Arts were never inherently evil; rather, it is inherently dangerous—and therein lies the difference. In order to understand this fundamental tenet, an understanding must first be made of the nature of magic itself.
Thus we arrive to the premise of magic. It is usually defined as a type of energy, a non-sentient force, that exists in plant, animals, minerals, and other individuals or species that are natural containers of a core of magical energy. Many things on the different planes of existence are affected by magic, but only the aforementioned naturally born with the magical core are able to direct that particular force toward a specific purpose.
(Side note: Once that basic tenet has been established, it becomes clear that human magic is, in fact, a biological aberration within the species Homo sapiens. Unlike most magical species, such as centaurs, goblins, and the like, only a small percentage of humans have the ability to direct and control their magic. Thus, the conclusion can only be that human beings are not, in truth, a "magical" species. See Chapter Six: Human Magic and Others.)
When magic first became known, there was no particular distinction between "Dark" or "Light" magic. There was only wild magic. Beings with a core of magical energy did not conduct magic; instead, their magic regularly broke free and ran rampant. At that time, wizards and witches did not yet know how to control magic; thus, some found themselves in the situation of releasing magical energy at a level which they had not learned to direct. Inevitably, the consequence was death.
(Side note: For more information on wild magic and the struggle to direct it, see Alric Aranærdin's The Character and Natureal Essence of Wild Magic, if a copy of this old book is available. In ancient times, wizards and witches were still just beginning to experiment with their magical cores and control it. Alric Aranærdin was one of the few fortunates who survived such experiments. He also, notably, created—or, rather, ripped—a passageway between the material and spiritual planes during his aforementioned efforts. That doorway is now guarded within the British Ministry's Department of Mysteries.)
Over the years, as those with magical cores slowly learned to direct the magic, a disturbing trend began to become evident: that the long-term practice of magic led to a regressive effect upon personalities. This was often observed as a gradual decrease in the capacity for empathy, and sometimes a lessening of their ability to recognise others as individuals. In modern times, it is identified as Dark Arts related dementia. It was in no way related to the practitioner's "intent," merely what the magic did to the practitioner; nor was it a progression towards evil, but a gradual decrease of basic "humanity," so to speak. The ones afflicted with Dark Arts related dementia were not evil; rather, they slowly lost the ability to distinguish between good and evil. As such, the magical community desisted from practicing magic for long periods of time, allowing them to live in relative peace with their Muggle neighbours. Often, if Dark Arts related dementia did result, it was the family's responsibility to restrain those who had digressed into such a state (See Chapter Two: The Imperius Curse).
After much study, it was found that the problem with the continuous occurrence of Dark Arts related dementia was that the operation of magic still continued as wild magic. The magical core was using the user.
Thus it was determined that in order to efficiently practise magic without experiencing Dark Arts related dementia, wizards and witches must in some way modify their use of magic so that the flow of magical energy would be unrestricted by human restraints: affection, love, self-determination, justice, good, and evil. Magical energy required unrestricted flow, not blocked in any way. Originally, the use of magic had eroded the human restraints that blocked its way from the core to the world outside; to prevent Dark Arts related dementia, the answer was clear: channel the magic physically, but not psychically. Direct the magic from its inner core through the body, not through the spirit and the "humanity" which was part of it. The wizard would now be required to direct the energy through his wand, not his own essential "Self" (Thus the need for wands as such.).
Once this method was adopted, the percentage of magical practitioners with Dark Arts related dementia abruptly decreased…
There were, however, a minority of magical spells that could not be refitted to reflect the new "Light" magic, and which apparently still required the underlying psychic connection to the "Self" of the caster …
Chapter Two: The Imperius Curse
… Once the advent of Dark Arts related dementia became known, steps were taken to control those unfortunately afflicted with it. Many historians and theoreticians have argued the case that the Imperius Curse was originally developed for this purpose—to restrict the unfortunates by putting them under the curse so that they would not pose a danger to the community. However, it was soon found not to be feasible, especially considering the amount of magical energy required to maintain such a curse, and the possibility of Dark Arts related dementia for the controller himself…
… Later, wizards and witches found it as a convenient way to maintain harmony in the home. If, for example, one had a Muggle neighbour, unfortunately abusive, many magical practitioners considered it more kindly to cast the Imperius on him and spare the family any such friction…
Chapter Three: The Cruciatus Curse
… Cruciatus was often seen as a useful way to separate the uninjured and unconscious from the dead, after a battle or natural catastrophe. By affecting the nerve endings of the nervous system, it manipulates the nervous system to react to what it perceives as actual pain. Even with one unconscious, the nerves automatically react, and could perhaps have shocked people into consciousness…
… For a brief period during the eighteen century, the Cruciatus was even considered therapeutic. In considering other "therapeutic" methods at the time—leeches in Europe, acupuncture in Asia—it could conceivably have been so, if it were very mild and short-lived…
… In recent years, the rise of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters led to their widespread use of the Cruciatus upon victims. A prominent example is that of the Longbottoms, Frank and Alice, who were tortured into insanity by the Dark Lord's followers—too much prolonged contact with the Cruciatus can drive the brain into such a state where it breaks off communication with the pain messengers and makes the mind retreat within itself, in an effort to block out the pain…
Chapter Four: The Killing Curse
With events over the past decades, the Killing Curse has taken on almost a supernatural, terrifying air about it. However, in former times, it was, perhaps, intended as a means of providing a quick, merciful death to one in pain or suffering from an incurable illness. Some historians go so far as to point out how the incantation of this particular Unforgivable is different from the Imperius and Cruciatus. The Imperius and Cruciatus incantations were evidently derived from Latin, but the Killing Curse was derived from what apparently was an Arabic or Aramaic language, which chiefly exists in North Africa, where people subsisted by desert hunting. Considering the dust and winds that obscured eyesight and hindered the use of bow and arrow, one may say that perhaps the Killing Curse wasn't even originally intended to kill people, but rather for the use of hunting and slaughterhouses…
… The Killing Curse is fatal, and no-one, except for one person, has ever been known to survive it. In 1981, the Dark Lord Voldemort attacked the Potter family at their house in Godric's Hollow. While James and Lily Potter did not live, their one-year-old son Harry survived the curse, and You-Know-Who, as he is more often called in the general vernacular, disappeared. No-one has ever been able to explain exactly why he managed to live through his encounter with the Killing Curse…
(Side note: It ought to be pointed out that the three Unforgivables are driven by emotion, which comes from the soul, the seat of the spirit, personality, and morality. The Imperius seeks to control. The Cruciatus seeks to cause pain. The Killing Curse seeks to cause death, by channeling the emotion of hate. Perhaps one reason why they are Unforgivable is that they are indeed driven by negative extremes of emotion.)…
International Floo Mail Express, seventh of July
Albus,
What news in England?
SS
International Floo Mail Express, eighth of July
Severus,
I'm glad to see that you have accepted the Defence position. Considering the fact that Horace was really rather beleaguered, I am pleased to see that you let him teach Potions.
By the way, some more rather unfortunate news. Amelia Bones was murdered at her house a few days ago. Evidently, Death Eaters broke into her house. She was killed with the Killing Curse, though not before putting up a good fight. The disarray of her house is proof of that. If only the Order could have gotten there in time!
Twelve days until you return from Johannesburg. I'm sure you must have enjoyed the convention.
Albus
International Floo Mail Express, ninth of July
Albus,
If only Amelia Bones had possessed the slightest modicum of intelligence necessary to have had a Portkey in hand and escape from a fight in which she was outnumbered! So very Gryffindor. Sacrifice does not necessarily mean that it will help anyone.
Never mind, Albus, I can already see your face of disapproval. I concede that perhaps that was uncalled for.
I have developed the beginnings of a possible potions thesis with Wang Qin and her daughter and assistant, Ming-yue. I'm sure you must have heard of her—you once did some study in alchemy with Nicolas Flamel, after all, and she is a prominent figure in the potions and alchemy fields. It involves a potential adjustment to the Wolfsbane potion, but I will not be disclosing any particular details as of yet. It is still in the tentative stages. I will be speaking to Remus Lupin when I return to England.
SS
Excerpt from a conversation: Severus Snape, Wang Qin, and Ming-yue, tenth of July
WQ: As a result of the regular use of the Wolfsbane potion, the lycanthropy seems to have developed a resistance to it.
MY: Similar to that of Muggle antibiotics, penicillin and the like. If you would please hand me that jar, Professor—
SS: The shrivelfigs?
MY: Yes. I'm brewing a potion, of course, don't you see?
SS: What an astute observation, undoubtedly.
WQ: Astute or not, I would prefer, Ming-yue, that you not speak in such a sarcastic way to your elders. Do you not remember what Kong Fu-zi said? "A young man's duty is to be filial to his parents at home and respectful to his elders abroad." Perhaps you are female, but it is certainly no excuse for that retort. Apologise to the Professor.
MY: My apologies, Professor.
SS: I accept the apology. Those young idiots at my school have never had the same respect for teachers that you do.
MY: Thank you. We pride ourselves upon our respect. Even if we disagree with our elders, we still do so respectfully.
WQ: All right, Ming-yue, no more of that right now. Professor, do you know exactly when the first record of a werewolf was made?
SS: I… have never had much incentive to research that. However, I do believe the British Ministry's Werewolf Registry has a complete list of present-day—
WQ: No. Not the werewolves who live today, but those who were the earliest. I sometimes feel—well, I can see that the lycanthropy has a "soul" of its own, but it's warped and utterly bereft of any such compassion or morality. I have been contemplating that it perhaps was a result of… Professor, you are familiar with the Dark Arts and the difference between that and Light magic?
SS: I am.
WQ: Well, I'm sure that you are aware of Norman's postulations in his books Origins of Magic and History of the Unforgivables. Alistair Norman—Norman wrote that Dark Arts related dementia came about as a result of periodically practising one's magic during the old times, because the flow of energy from the wizard's magical core, being psychic, was eroding the human restraints in the spirits—
SS: Yes, I remember that. And so quite a few wizards and witches were experimenting with ways to change that so that they could use their magic without having to risk Dark Arts related dementia. You said that lycanthropy was a twisted soul, without morality—
WQ: I was thinking that maybe lycanthropy arose as a result of those experiments. Alric Aranærdin inadvertently created a doorway between the material and spiritual planes, and I have heard that those who go beyond it die and pass on. And that came from his experiments to work with wild magic. What if, during the time when they worked with Dark magic, some idiot warped it so badly that it emerged from the research that way?
SS: Wang Qin, allow me to be sure I have heard your words correctly? Are you saying that the lycanthropic minds are actually former human souls destroyed by the dementia?
WQ: I am not saying, as such. Merely theorising. Human souls changed by the dementia to have no awareness of morality or other individuals' rights, then perhaps tainted by something that caused people with it to turn into wolves, for some reason.
SS: I must admit, it is a highly plausible theory.
MY: Not to mention, sir, a horrific one.
British Ministry, Department of Magical Law Enforcement memo, eleventh of July
TO: Kingsley Shacklebolt, Senior Auror
FROM: Rufus Scrimgeour, Minister of Magic
SUBJECT: Increased security at Azkaban
Auror Shacklebolt, please report to my office at two this afternoon for a briefing of the situation at Azkaban.
As the senior Auror in charge of the Black manhunt, I am assured that you have experience with the workings of Azkaban, and as such would like to consult you on increasing security at Azkaban. Now that the Dementors are gone, the prison must have some means of protection from the Death Eaters and the forces of the Dark Lord Voldemort. I will expect a full report.
Excerpt from a conversation: Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, twelfth of July
SB: What was Kingsley here for? He looked in a hurry.
RL: I think it was something about Azkaban. Security, I think. They're putting more Aurors at Azkaban, what with the Dementors' defection.
SB: Defection? Defection? Moony, you're a smart man, but look here, the Dementors weren't ever on our side. They were just biding their time and waiting for Voldemort to come back so they could suck the souls out of everyone with their Kiss!
RL: Sirius—
SB: And Merlin, where'd the Ministry come up with a name like the Kiss? Sure, the Dementors love you—love your happy memories, love to make you miserable as a flea, take your soul out and eat it all up!
RL: Sirius. The Dementors aren't coming anytime soon for us.
SB: Yeah, because they went for Harry last year, and I couldn't even go and help him.
RL: Don't you even start up again, Padfoot. You think you can't do anything by sitting in this place—
SB: This isn't a place, it's a damn prison—!
RL: I don't care, you will stay here and stay alive, Harry loves you, and if you go off and get yourself killed, then what will he think? Merlin, Sirius, don't think about being here, think about Harry and how he wants you alive and your name cleared! Think about why you need to stay here and stay alive!
SB: … I know, Moony. Sure. It's just—I want to do something.
RL: Well then, you can start by helping me to clean up this place and make it nicer—Harry's coming in five days.
SB: He's—oh, for the love of Merlin, only five days! Moony, where's the broom?
International Floo Mail Express, fourteenth of July
My dear Yan-shui,
I hope that you are feeling better after that bout of foolishness with the nightshade. Surely you are very ashamed of your recklessness now—but I am glad to hear you are well. Ming-yue is happy at the convention; we are working on a theory for lycanthropy with Hogwarts Professor Severus Snape right now, and I believe that we really have uncovered what is actually the essence of lycanthropy. As for now, I shall not say more in this letter.
Make sure that all the copies of the recipe for the potion—you know which one—have been burned. I dare not take chances with it; it already places a heavy burden upon my heart, to have what I have, and it would ruin people that had it as well. Though not me yet, because I have Ming-yue, and I have you. Six more days, and the convention will be done.
Love,
Wang Qin
Excerpt from a conversation: Severus Snape and a store owner, sixteenth of July
SS: What is the best one that you have in the store?
SO: Ah, that'd be this one here. Two thousand five hundred rands, it is, but it's definitely worth it. A semiautomatic handgun, very efficient.
SS: In that case, thank you very much. I'll take that, and here is the money. I ask that you don't speak of this to anyone.
SO: Oh, certainly, I won't, sir.
SS: Perhaps you won't, but words are just words. Obliviate.
International Floo Mail Express, seventeenth of July
Albus,
I will be coming back to Hogwarts the afternoon of the twentieth by Portkey.
SS
Letter delivered to the Strildom Hotel, nineteenth of July
Professor Severus Snape,
Your request for a non-stop Portkey to the United Kingdom has been approved. Please come to the Portkey Office in the Department of Transportation to retrieve your Portkey.
Starting point: Johannesburg, South Africa
Terminus: Hogsmeade, Scotland
Date: The twentieth of July
We hope that you will have a pleasant day.
Sincerely,
P. W. Klerk
Head of the South African Department of Magical Transportation
oOo
The International Floo Mail Express is my own creation. I assume that owls and other birds are used within a country's borders, because international flying might be too much for them (certainly for Errol!). Floo Mail would be like a letter put in a protective casing and flooed to the recipient. Snape's letters to Lupin are sent to Dumbledore to be passed on; otherwise, the Fidelius on Grimmauld Place would ignore the letters.
If any readers are confused as to what Snape is referring to by his statement that he was only meant to stay at Hogwarts for one year, see Red Hen Publications's essay "Loyaulte Me Lie" for a more in-depth explanation.
"Freosan" is Old English for "freeze." "Fyr" is Old English for "fire."
Alistair Norman's History of the Unforgivables is my own creation, although many of the theories in the "excerpts" are derived from Red Hen Publications's essay "History of Magic." Some premises are similar, some are not.
The mention of the Scholomance School is a nod to Nineveh's Black fics at FictionAlley. As for Alric Aranærdin's passageway—I'm sure anyone can guess what that passageway is (whispers quietly, "Department of Mysteries"). The Confucius quote is from the Analects. And the lycanthropy theory is all spun out of my mind.
Please review!
Talriga