For some reason I found this chapter very challenging to write. Ah well. Enjoy : )

Disclaimer: I only own the original characters. Rowling owns just about everything else.

Chapter 11

The Shack

Dumbledore sighed. He looked haggard, and looked truly like an old man who is burdened by past, present and future worries. Voldemort's power was rising. War was inevitabley rearing its foul head. The Ministry had done nothing except to infect itself and the masses with paranoia. Non-human creatures were being thorwn into jail for minor or non-existant offenses. To top off all these worries was a feeling of guilt. I tell myself I should be doing more to prevent this catastrophe he thought but what do I do? I use an eleven year old boy to learn more about the werewolf species so I can bring them over to our side...or else defeat them. I am no better than the enemy. I am a disturbed chessmaster and everyone is my pawn. If this war goes on long enough even Remus will become my pawn in this deadly game. Dumbledore continued to privately lament and inevitabley recalled the events that had happened the previous night...

He was crawling along a filthy tunnel several feet bellow the earth. He gave no indication that his stiff and creaky joints were a burden to the uncomfortable professors who crawled behind him. Remus walked with his head bent low at the front of the odd caravan. Soon the tunnel came to an end and Remus shoved a heavy trap door open. He hopped up with ease onto the dusty floor and the others soon followed with a bit more difficulty.

The house was indeed very old but it did not seem foreboding in the warm glow of the setting sun. Mold and grime covered all the rotting furniture. Dust floated in great clouds. The particles found their way into Remus' nostrils and made him sneeze uncontrollabley several times which sent the dust away like chalk powder pounded from a pair of erasers.

Dumbledore and a few other professors chuckled at Remus' little sneezes and Mrs.Watson, the school's nurse offered him her hankey.

Professor Wilhelm, the sickly and ever practical Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher began mumbling incantations to magically fortify the living room and the column which Remus was to be tied to.

"There's nothing to worry about my boy," Dumbledore said kindly as he slipped the collar lined with silver onto Remus' little neck and tied the heavy silver chain around the column. He joined the other Professors on the other side of the small room and they all stared at him in silence; waiting.

Remus figeted despite their encouraging smiles. He felt like some kind of sideshow freak or medical curiosity when he saw the frail Professor Wilhelm prepare to take notes. Then there was his underlying fear of being exposed as a monstrosity and being expelled.

The sun had set, the moon showed herself and cast an eerie silver glow on everyhing. The painful fire consumed him and he collapsed onto the ground. The contortions, the oozing blood, the nightmare repeated itself.

The professors shared a collective gasp. Mrs.Watson cried out and rushed to help Remus who was screaming in agony and scratching at the rotted floorboards. She was held back by Dumbledore and several others who found it difficult to physically restrain this woman of such motherly girth.

"Calm down Muriel," Dumbledore said gently and patted her heaving shoulder.

"But, oh Albus did you see? The poor child!" Mrs. Watson sobbed.

"Pipe down," said Professor Bernal gruffly, "It's a good thing we did pull you back, take a look."

Remus had completed his transformation. The beast crouched on its powerful hauches where a boy once writhed. Its fierce golden eyes glared at the cowering humans. Its nostrils dialated and inhaled their feeble scent. Its ears twitched as he heard the many hearts hammering blood at a steady rhythm. These things, these foul examples of life filled it with rage. It roared and charged, but the chain grew taut and restrained him.

This inability to reach its prey enraged it so much that that it bit and scratched out its own lifesblood. But then it precieved a movement, a small frail creature was circling it, scribbling with a notepad. The boy's mind was dark and curled away, the predator's mind was fast at work.

It's keen ears heard snapping cracks in the support column which no human ear could catch. It could be broken. And that sickly one could easily be taken down. It would feast on flesh tonight.

The beast loped over to the opposite side of the room carelessly knocking over the decrepit furniture. It ignored the sounds of the other mumbling humans and focused on the sound of a scratching quill. It turned cooly to face the pack of humans. The movement was suprisingly graceful. It broke into a full gallop and charged at the crowd; the column's magical fortifications had been poorly cast. The whole column snapped in two and the beast was free. It ignored the scattering people and lept on frail Professor Wilhelm. Its outstreched claws struck his gut and tore it open; glittering entrails spilled out.

The werewolf was about to deal a killing blow when it felt terrible burning sensation of silver. In its frezy it had not accounted for the other humans. The old one, the one its instincts told it to fear had somehow gotten the silver chain to wrap around it as a painful restraint. It roared in rage and pain. It heard someone say, "Monster." By the time the restraints lifted themselves all of the humans, including the injured one, had vanished.

It let out a mournful howl of defeat and began to lap up the puddle of blood the injured one's body had left behind.

Healer Configulus was still filling out forms on his crowded desk. He glanced at the clock. Half past midnight. He sighed and looked at his heavy workload. Even though he had been demoted from Head Healer, the work had not grown any less in tedium or in size. He prepared to gather his things with his brittle little hands and to return home.

Suddenly, their was a loud POP and all four feet eleven inches of him jumped. Four professors stood there. Two of them were carrying bodies. Dumbledore stood as venerable as ever in front of them all.

"Configulus," Dumbledore said in a startlingly calm voice, "There has been an accident.When need a place to put Professor Wilhelm."

Configulus stared at the gory body Dumbledore was referring to, "He-he's dead."

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Dumbledore said and a hint of sorrow was detectable in his voice, "I need you to help me cover up how this man died. He was attacked by a werewolf. This werewolf is a child. You know what the penalty it is for werewolves who kill humans; whether they're transformed or not. Beheading; and the Ministry has extended this law to cover minors now."

An image of a child's severed head rolling on the ground flashed through Configulus's mind.

"Yes of course I'll help you. I still have the potions we used to use back in the Dark Night's War to cover up assassinations, civilian deaths and that sort of thing. They're illegal now of course, but the situation is dire"

Everyone look greatly relieved yet disturbed at their own relief.

"What about the other one?" Configulus looked cast a worried look at the plump body Professor Bernal was carrying.

"Oh, that's Mrs. Watson, there's nothing to worry about. She just fainted. A little Pep Potion will clear her right up," Dumbledore tried to don his signature smile but failed miserabley.

Configulus sighed like he did several times every night, "Does he have any children or a wife?"

"No."

"Kin?"

"None that are very close."

"Well that's convient," Configulus sighed, "You all should go on. It will be very awkward if someone discovers all of you. I'll take of everything."

"Thank you Configulus, old friend," Dumbledore bowed his head in gratitude.

Configulus turned away, "Being a werewolf, what a tragic curse..."

His voice faded as Dumbledore and the others apparated to Hogsmede and made their solemn journey back to Hogwarts.

The next morning the scool was in uproar over the sudden death of Professor Wilhelm who had a sudden allergic to the food he had eaten before bed. Dumbledore gravely delivered a speech to the students and faculty before he visited the hospital wing.

Remus was lying unconcious behind a white curtain when Dumbledore arrived. Mrs. Watson emerged from her office, dabbing her eyes with her hankey.

"He didn't mean it you know," she whimpered, "He's just a sweet little angel."

"Of course he didn't Muriel," Dumbledore said in his gentle tone.

"He's so polite, before he passed out, I mean. He still remembered to say his pleases and thank yous, and ma'ams," Muriel broke down once again, "You're not going to tell him what happened last night are you?"

"No. I'd perfer it if he never learned what happened." Dumbledore said patiently. There I go, protecting people from themselves. Nothing good will come of it, but can't help it...

"May I look at him?"

"Of course."

Dumbledore pulled back the curtain. Remus did indeed look like a peaceful angel. His pale face was framed with his golden locks and his eyes were closed. He looked as though he was in a deep state of thought. A black raven was sitting at the nightstand.

"So you're looking after him."

Maku shot Dumbledore a posionous glare and cawed.

Dumbledore continued to examine Remus. His shirt had been removed so the chain shaped burn marks were clearly visible. He noted how the scars were healing remarkabley fast. The shallow ones were all but invisible. He'll be alright, I think. I am such foolish old man...

Dumbledore sighed, he had mulled over all of the tragic happenings and was back in the reality of his office. A great weight pulled at his chest. He had sworn to protect everyone at the school but was failing miserabley. He was deep in thought. Hoe he longed to go into his Pensieve and get lost in his younger, more carefree memories...

A gentle tapping on his thick office door drew him again back to the real world. Professor Bernal entered with a very irritated Professor McGonagall.

"I don't want to be anywhere near it!" Bernal spat, "It's a monster, a monster child! A violent disgusting creature. I won't tell your reprehensable action to the Ministry if you just expel that boy!"

McGonagall glared fiery daggers, "How dare you! You know it wasn't Remus' fault you--"

Dumbledore silenced them with his eyes, "I will do no such thing Ares. But I will promote you to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position you've wanted so much."

Bernal was flustered, "Are you bribing me?"

"No, I am just stating the fact that you've been promoted," Dumbledore said cooly, "I would have promoted you even if the situation was different. You should go."

Bernal mumbled threats and curses but the quiet authority of Dumbledore's voice made him do what he was told.

Dumbledore! You're not honestly going to keep that ignorant brute employed here! Why--"

"Calm yourself Minerva", Dumbledore said with amusement.

Professor McGonagall stared at his inscrutable smile. She could never discern what sort of chaos and guilt was underneath.

Okies. I hope everyone like this one. Like I said before, it was challenging to write. Reviews are always appreciated. : )