Chapter 17: The Last Straw
The next day everyone was gathered in the wolves' meeting room, which was currently holding a rough estimate of 300 werewolves, not including Hermione. Adrian told everyone to calm down as he let his guests address the hall. Hermione stepped forward. "As your Alpha told many of you yesterday, I have created the highly awaited and sought after cure for lycanthropy. Anyone that wishes to be free from what many of you consider being a curse, simply wait until after the meeting and I will give it to you." These words caused cheering from the werewolves that wanted a normal life, while the others glared at them.
During Hermione's speech, Skylar had started to feel nauseous; she began to look around frightened. If any of the werewolves found out she was a vampire things could turn disastrous. She waited until Hermione had finished talking before she tried to whisper in her ear. "Hera, something's wrong." Unfortunately, Hermione was busy watching a small girl being lead into the room and didn't comprehend what Skylar had said. Upon seeing that her sister wasn't paying attention, Skylar started to search her pockets for one of the blood pops she always kept with her.
While Skylar searched in vain to find one of her pops, Hermione continued her explanation. "For those of you that do take the cure and you find you miss your other half, I will give you a potion that will permanently negate the effects and you will become a werewolf again when I return in a few months." At this, many of the werewolves that opposed her cure looked interested… if they didn't like being normal they could return to their lives at the den.
By now Skylar was frantically looking around trying to keep her mind off her growing blood lust. But unfortunately, one of the werewolves that had just entered the room had a freshly bleeding wound. Skylar made a strangled noise which caused Hermione to turn and look at her. Hermione stepped in front of her quickly shielding her darkening eyes from the others. It was easier to spot a vampire when their eyes darkened to a reddish hue, and Skylar's were getting dangerously close.
"Let…go…of…me!" Skylar hissed out angrily as she tried to shake her sister off. Hermione shook her head. "Where are your pops?" She whispered but Skylar didn't answer her, she just continued to curse at her sister. The assembled wolves watched this interaction with rapid fascination while Harry, Ron and Draco stood behind them wondering what they should do. It seemed like they were going to stay that way for a while when the werewolves parted to allow someone through. Hermione felt someone coming up behind and around her until they were visible to both girls. "Excuse me, but you dropped this outside." A voice said causing Hermione's amber and Skylar's scarlet eyes to land on the owner of the voice, only to see a small girl holding onto a blood red lollipop.
Skylar's eyes widen before she took the pop from the girl and stuck it in her mouth, a trickle of blood escaping and making a trail onto her chin. Hermione's eyes faded back to blue as she smiled at the girl. "Thank you Arianna, you just helped stop something very bad from happening." Arianna smiled at her. "Can I talk to you after the meeting?" Arianna asked a few minutes later in a scared voice. Hermione looked at her thinking that was an odd question. "Of course sweetie"
Hermione finished the meeting easily after that, making sure that the werewolves that wanted the cure stayed in the room. Hermione made a move over to Arianna, but she stopped at the look on the girl's face. She instead turned to the werewolves, "Everyone that wants the cure, please form a line." They did so while Hermione explained that the potion would sting upon being swallowed, but nothing else would happen. She told them they would not transform at the
next full moon and they wouldn't feel the presence of their other half. She then pulled out a small vial filled with lilac potion where she proceeded to place one drop on every wolf's tongue. Some hissed in pain as they swallowed it but then they looked around in surprise. They no longer had their heightened senses. This caused some to become angry, to which Hermione assured them that Adrian wasn't going to kick them out now that they were normal, and if they wanted to when she returned they could revert back to their old selves, this repeated announcement calmed the aggravated nerves.
Once every wolf had taken the cure, the leaders of the Lycan Army and the small werewolf were alone in the large meeting room. "Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Hermione asked Arianna after she took a seat next to her on the floor. Arianna looked around before she started to talk. "I don't want to live here anymore." Hermione's smiled faded at the sadness in Arianna's eyes. "I know Adrian told you about me and how I need a new home. And I really don't like it here, nobody likes me. Can I please come with you?" Arianna asked as she looked deep into Hermione's blue eyes. Hermione looked around the room unsure, but when her eyes landed on her sister, who was slowly nodding her head, she turned back to her with a smile. "Of course, let's go get your things." Arianna smiled and showed them to her tiny room.
Hera's group left not long after that and once they were clear of Adrian's forest it was clear that Skylar had taken the small girl under her wing. They visited three smaller werewolf groups where they got more followers but not as many willing or wanting the cure. They then went to a well-known forest full of Banshees, who after a little discussion they agreed to help Hera in the war.
Finally, they finished their trip two days after leaving the Banshee's forest and headed back to Lupin Manor, where Hermione gave everyone three days to rest before she called the next meeting. During that time Hermione and Skylar learned more about little Arianna's past. When she was six years old she was bitten by a rouge werewolf. Her parents continued to love and care for her without making her feel abnormal or unwanted. When she was seven years old, Dumbledore ordered an attack on her home in the pretense that they were housing multiple dark wizards, which was of course a lie. They only people that ever lived in the house were Arianna, her mother Bertha Jorkins and her father Marcus Avery.
Upon hearing intruders outside their house, Bertha took Arianna to a hidden room and told her to follow the tunnel to her uncle's house. Arianna started to do as she was told, but after she heard the Order members enter her house she froze, listening to them. The Order members instantly killed Marcus, a loyal Deatheater, but they kept Bertha alive so they could gain information about the Dark Lord from her. Unfortunately, they didn't believe her when she said Marcus never talked about his profession with her. She was killed as she pleaded for her life.
Arianna stayed in the hidden passageway long after the Order had left her house, and when she finally did leave it, she no longer remembered the way to her uncle's house. She was found a few days later wandering the streets by Adrian. He took her in and tried the best he could to become a father figure for her, but his duty as pack leader finally took its toll on Arianna and she grew sick from grief. Adrian found med-witches to look after her and they both believe she wouldn't survive until her eleventh birthday. That's why when Adrian met Hermione he wanted Arianna to leave with her, so she could have a normal life.
It wasn't long before the three days of rest were over and Hermione called the first meeting on December 7th. She first went over to Ron's group where they discussed a date for the war; they decided it would happen sometime before New Year's Eve, which, when Hermione was asked why, she exclaimed she wanted to end the year with a promise of freedom. She then
told Ron's group to find a way so that no one in there harm would come to any harm, starting by the scent laced pendants attached to everyone's robes. Hermione then moved onto Harry's group and then to Skylar's.
Once the meeting was over many of the students decided to stay at Lupin Manor, all of them stated that their education could wait a year. With most of the members living at her house, Hermione found it very easy to train them herself. During one of the practice duels, a house-elf popped into the training room. "Mistress, there is a wizard here to see you." Hermione raised her head from correcting Neville's stance in surprise, her family members knew not to disturb her when she was teaching so who could it be?
Hermione thanked the elf and paused the lesson until she returned. As she walked to the parlor where all their guests were taken, she felt a growing feeling of nausea. She did not have a good feeling about opening the closed oak doors. As she stared at the doors she knew exactly who was waiting on the other side. She silently cast her Patronus to alert Skylar that there was about to be trouble. Once she was sure that the others were alerted Hermione stood up straight and pushed the door to the parlor open. There, sitting innocently on the plush velvet couch was Albus Dumbledore.
Upon hearing the doors open he looked up with a smile on his wrinkled face. "Hello Miss Lupin." Hermione didn't return the joyous greeting to her Headmaster; instead she stayed in the doorway. "What do you want Dumbledore?" Dumbledore frowned at her disrespect and stood from his seat. "Now Miss Lupin, despite you being at home I am still your Headmaster and you must treat me as such." Hermione shook her head. "No you aren't. I am of age and until this war is over I won't be returning to Hogwarts." This bit of news generated a look of surprise from Dumbledore. "Now, you have no business being in my house, so if you would." Hermione said, her arm showing him the way to the door. "Leave."
A house-elf appeared and grabbed onto his arm and began to pull him out of the parlor, making sure he didn't touch Hermione on his way out. As he was being lead away, he saw all of his missing students standing on the staircases of Hermione's Manor. "I knew you were creating an army." Dumbledore said as he pointed to the students, who were holding their wands at him with Lycan Army pendants attached to their clothes. Hermione tilted her head in amusement. "I know, during the time you held me prisoner I never denied I was."
Dumbledore was shaking his head. "You did deny it… you repeated did." Hermione looked at him. "No. I never confirmed or denied your accusations. I simply told you I didn't know what you were talking about; if you have given me more information then I could have answered you in a more acceptable manner." Dumbledore stared at her, furious at her insolence. "Now get out of my house." Hermione said before she walked towards the bottom of the Grand staircase where Skylar was waiting. Dumbledore took an angry step toward her, but he was stopped not by the students, but a very angry house-elf. "Mistress told you to leave!"
Dumbledore looked at the small elf before he walked back to the front doors. "Miss Lupin, you don't honestly think you can keep me away, do you?" He asked her as he stood in the open doorway. Hermione looked at him and smiled. "Considering I'm the Head of five of the most powerful pureblooded families, I think I can." Hermione smiled a little longer at his shocked expression before she nodded to the house-elf, who snapped its fingers and threw Dumbledore out of the Manor. "Goodbye." Hermione whispered before the doors snapped shut. Hermione turned to her army and exclaimed in a loud voice. "Now that our enemy has come to our very doorstep, it is time to END THIS WAR!" Everyone started to cheer.
"Mister's Potter, Weasley, Malfoy, and Black I need you to contact every adult and everyone else that doesn't attend our normal meetings and let them know they have to be in this Manor no later than December 19th." Harry, Ron, Draco and Jasper nodded in response. "Misses Lupin, Parkinson, Lupin and Bulstrode, I need you to make sure all our potions are fully stocked and that when everyone arrives here that they can perform the Patronus charm and animagus transformations. That they know our basic spells and their position in the formation." Skylar, Pansy, Tawny and Millicent nodded, all knowing the importance of their tasks.
"I don't want anyone getting killed in this war!" Hermione said before she finished giving instructions and canceling the remaining lessons for the day. She asked the group leaders to follow her as she began to walk to the back of the manor. The others were dismissed to do as they pleased. After being lead into the family room, everyone settled into the plush red chairs while Hermione remained standing with a serious look on her face. "What's wrong Hera?" Skylar asked her. Hermione turned to face her, her eyes changing from blue to amber periodically. "This war is about to happen in full force and I'm scared that, with the possibility of killing others and being killed themselves, my followers and friends will begin to detest me like the very things we're fighting against. I don't want to ruin their lives by making them witness such horrors at such an early age…"
Skylar moved to stand and comfort her but Ron beat her to it. "Shush…. Everything's going to be ok. Just wait and see, I've got it all taken care of." Ron said as he enveloped Hermione in a much needed and appreciated hug. Hermione let his words wash over her before she smiled up at him and gave him something he rarely received, a kiss. She smiled at him again before she loosened her grip. "Thanks, all of you. I don't know where I would be if you hadn't helped me through this whole thing, not to mention this last year." Everyone smiled.
"But now I have to leave. I have to return to all our newly acquired allies and bring them here, so I need you to find them comfortable quarters for them." Hermione said as she walked over to the large fireplace. As she stepped into the green flames, she smiled back at her friends, noticing the silent tears streaking down their faces before she disappeared. During the days that Hermione was gone, the selected members fulfilled their tasks with ease. The first day that she was gone, the four boys contacted all the adult and any other member of the army and they were all now residents of Lupin Manor until the war was over. On the second day Skylar informed the entire army of the various potions they would be using while Pansy told them where they would be positioned on the field. Tawny finished by making sure they could cast a Patronus and transform into an animagus form.
On the third day they started getting arrivals of their allies. They were informed of all the plans and shown to their rooms. Finally on December 21st Hermione returned home to a packed family room. "Where's Harry?" she asked the group and was told he was in the library. She thanked them before she left with whispers in her wake. Hermione made her way to the library but stopped before she entered, inside she could hear crying. "Skylar it's fine, I promise. I'm not going to leave you baby, please stop crying." Hermione heard Harry saying in an apparent attempt to comfort an upset Skylar. Hermione wasn't about to barge into the room but she still needed to see Harry.
She smiled as an idea came to her; she pulled out her wand and pointed it at her throat. "Sonorus" Hermione whispered. "I need to see Harry Potter in the formal dining room immediately. I repeat I need to see Harry Potter immediately." She cast the counter spell as she heard Harry assuring Skylar that he would be back soon. Hermione walked across the hallway to the dining room and waited for Harry to enter.
She had just sat down when the doors opened and Harry walked in. "You wished to see me Hera?" Harry asked his face slightly red. Hermione noticed but didn't comment on the fact she had heard part of his conversation, instead she got straight to the point. "Four days from now, on December 25th, the battle will begin. I need you to accompany me to the Ministry of Magic to inform the Wizarding World that this is their last chance to join us. In an hour I need you back in this room dressed in your formal dress robes." Hermione said causing Harry to look at her surprised before he nodded his head. "I'll be waiting." Again Harry nodded. "I don't want any one, not even the other leaders to know where we are going." Hermione said as Harry was opening the doors. He looked back at her before he inclined his head. "Of course"
An hour later Harry and Hermione were seen leaving the Lupin Manor by a house-elf. They arrived at the atrium minutes later and, ignoring the guard that shouted after them, made their way to the Minister for Magic's office. They stayed at the Ministry for almost five hours, talking with the Minister, having conferences and finally they stood in the atrium and announced to the gathered witches and wizards that the war was about to end with one final battle, merely days away. After Hermione and Harry answered questions and thanked their new members they went back up to the Minister's office to conclude their meeting. "Now Minister Fudge, we will need over two hundred portkeys ready by the 23rd. I trust you can see that it will be done?" Hermione asked as they were lead over to his private fireplace.
Fudge looked at Hermione like she had just spoken mermish, "Excuse me, but the 23rd is only two days away. There's no way that can be done Miss Granger." Hermione turned cold blue eyes to him. "I don't care that it's two days away. I want them ready and sent to my Manor in Berkshire by 9 AM on Monday." Minister Fudge's eyes widen when Hermione informed him that they would be going to the largest and most extravagant Wizarding homes in all of Great Britain. "Of course, Miss….err…Lupin. They will be created and sent to you on the 23rd." Hermione smiled and thanked him before she signaled for Harry to head home.
As she was about to follow him, Minister Fudge asked her an important question. "Miss Lupin, what destination will be programmed into the portkeys?" Hermione threw her floo powder into the fireplace before she stepped inside the neon flames. "Why, Hogwarts of course." She then shouted out Lupin Manor and disappeared from a stunned Minister's office.