Chapter Nineteen: Aliens, Veela, and Werewolves Oh My!
They were roused at near midnight, by Prefects, and led to Verdona's office. Four Weasleys, two Tennysons, the last Potter and the last Malfoy a Levin, a Yamamoto, a Diggory, a Granger, and a Lovegood. They filed into the office to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sitting, waiting with Verdona. Mrs. Weasley was sobbing, dabbing at her face with a handkerchief. Verdona was graver than her grandchildren had ever seen her before; even when being informed that the Prewetts were dead.
"Please," the Headmistress said softly, conjuring enough chairs for everyone to be seated, "take a chair…I'm afraid I have some terrible news."
They did as asked.
"There has been an incident," Verdona began quietly, "Xenophilius Lovegood and Bill Weasley were attacked by a pair of werewolves—"
"NO!" the schoolchildren thundered as one.
"—While investigating some rumors in South Central France." Verdona took a breath, "Thankfully, they, the werewolves, were human at that time, driven mad by social isolation and hunger. However Xenophiliuswas killed—"
Luna let out a wail, one long note of sorrow, before allowing Ron to comfort her. She sobbed into his chest as Verdona continued, "—Bill however managed to survived and make it back to help. He has been wounded but the Healers don't know what effects the wounds will have on him…"
The kids, all save for Luna, were pale, shaking, but grateful.
"Now," Verdona said, "here's where it gets odd. He has developed Anodite powers—"
"What?!" Gwen, Molly, and Ginny yelped together, completely stunned and very worried.
"My best guess is that he had latent powers, it does happen sometimes with boys of Anodite blood, and they activated when his life was in imminent danger. As for the werewolfism, I have sent Professor Lupin to him…"
"Can we go see him?" Ginny demanded.
"Yes, the hospital is expecting you…But Ben, Julie, stay behind for a bit will you? I have to talk with you…"
"Sure."
"Okay."
The rest of the group, plus Harry and Draco, lined to catch a Floo, leaving Julie and Ben with Verdona.
"So, Luna's an orphan now." Verdona said tiredly, "and she has no living relatives. Her mother died when she was very young and the rest of the family died in the first war against Voldebastard, she only had her father…"
"You want us to become her guardians…" Julie replied quietly.
"Yes, normally I would ask Gwen and Kevin but the boys…"
"Yeah, we understand…" Ben sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly, "So, do you want to Jules?"
"Can you get a house and everything set up before the year's done with?" she asked.
"Yeah, yeah I can. Just make a couple trips, some phone calls and we'll be fine on that front…"
"Okay then. We'll do it."
"Alright." He pulled out an alien tech enhanced cell phone and began making the calls needed.
Julie however grabbed a handful of glittery green powder, threw it into the fire, and shouted, "ST. MUNGO'S HOSPITAL!" before stepping into the emerald flames. They whirled her around before spitting her out into a stark white room. She stumbled, regained her footing, and ventured out to find a waiting room.
There were a lot of amazing maladies and injuries, animal calls and other un from transfigured patients resounded. She looked up to find six lines, six receptionists; five were for incoming patients, one was for visitors. The visitor line was nonexistent and so she was able to waltz up to the desk immediately.
"Hello, I'd like to know what room Bill Weasley is in?" she asked sweetly.
"Name." the old crone droned.
"Julie Tennyson," the lie came easily. There had been, after all, important functions and undercover mission that required the appearance of a married couple.
"Relation to the patient."
"Cousin," the crone raised a disbelieving eyebrow, probably at her ethnic features, and so she added, "Married in…"
"Where's your ring?" the crone pointed to the missing jewelry.
Keeping Ben's secrets had taught her enough to where Julie had the skills to look highly embarrassed, even blushing bright red, as she begun digging around in her robes pockets to withdraw the wedding ring they had as a prop, Ben had the matching band, (the other two had their own set), and slid it onto the required finger while explaining, "A few kids and teachers would give us a lot of flak for marrying so young so we don't usually wear them…"
The crone studied her for a few minutes before she must have decided to accept this or just not ask any more questions and pulled out a very thick ledger, opened it to a spot in the back and asked, "Malady?"
"Werewolf bites," Julie whispered quietly, knowing the prejudice against werewolves and their loved ones.
"Room 67B, first floor. Beast Ward."
"Thanks."
She jogged up the first flight and began looking at the signs…'Veni Ward'…'Dangerous Dai Llewellyn Ward'…Ah, the 'Beast Ward'…Within minutes she found room 67B and knocked on the door; despite what she told the reception crone she wasn't family.
"Come in…" someone replied softly and she slipped in almost silently, shutting the door behind her. She found everyone gathered around a young man in a bed who looked very much like a younger Mr. Weasley but an older Percy. There was also a young ethereal woman dabbing at the wounds on his face.
The man in the bed, Bill, looked over at her wearily through the gauze covering his eyes, "Oh. You must be Julie Yamamoto, my cousin Ben's girlfriend…Right?"
"Yes." She said shyly.
"Well come here, can't see too well…"
She did as told, only for him to grab her hand and give it a firm shake, saying, "Pleased to meet you, I'm Bill. She," he pointed to the young woman who had stopped dabbing at his wounds to let him speak, "Is Fleur Delacour, my fiancée."
"Hello Julie," Fleur greeted with a very heavy French accent, "it is a pleasure to meet you." Her voice carried the weight of the many recent hours she must have stayed awake and the worries she still carried, "Though I wish that we could have met under better conditions…"
Julie had to laugh at this, "Don't worry, most of the people I meet nowadays are met under weird and bad circumstances…So, where did you go to school?" in her experience Julie had found it was best to find common ground with a new acquaintance. School was the only thing she could think of.
"Beauxbatons Academy," Fleur spoke proudly, regaining some of her apparent former personality. She drew herself up to her full height, revealing that she was most probably as tall as Kevin.
From behind Fleur's back Julie saw Bill grinning goofily and then shoot her a double thumbs up. Julie got the hint and asked quickly, "Ah, you're French. I heard that Beauxbatons has a great Charms course but their Defense course lacks greatly…"
"Why don't we talk about the different schools over some tea and pie," Hermione offered, "I bet you haven't eaten for awhile Fleur."
"I—No. I left Bill alone once and look at what has happened!"
"Darling," Bill spoke up, softly, gently, lovingly, "I'll be fine, I'm surrounded by a dozen witches and wizards there's hundreds more in this building, including two of the greatest currently living Plumbers, and my medication's making me drowsy…Go eat, I'll be fine."
Before Fleur could reply Hermione and Julie were herding her out the door, Harry and Draco following behind closely with Evander after them.
"Fifth floor's the tea room," Hermione said brightly as they prodded the woman along.
"So four flights of stairs. We can do this…" Julie nodded, eyeing the boys, "Keep close guys, hold onto our robes and don't let go."
"Yes Julie."
"Okay."
"That's odd." Julie noted as they walked, "Look at the men, the boys." Everyone of the male species, sans Harry and Draco who were far too young to be besotted with anyone, that they passed was put into some sort of trance.
"Fleur's part Veela." Hermione explained easily.
"Oui," Fleur nodded, "My grandmother is a Veela."
"Oh, that explains it…"
"Though oddly Bill and your friend Mister Levin are both immune…"
"Kevin's so head over heels for Gwen he probably doesn't even notice you…" Julie explained simply, "Is that why you fell for Bill?"
"No," Fleur shook her head with a small soft smile, "but it is why I began to date him and so we fell in love…"
"If we let you go will you make a run for it?" Hermione asked; they were on the fourth floor and the American and British witches could most probably catch and subdue their French counterpart before she made it anywhere near the first floor 'Beast Ward'.
"No. I will not try to escape…" Fleur agreed with a nod.
They let her walk under her own power. Hermione scooped up Harry while Julie did the same with Draco, as both boys were looking exhausted by the climb, and the group quickly arrived onto the fifth floor tea room. It was rather like a muggle café or restaurant, with counters full of food and several places where one could place an order.
A young witch in scrubs took their orders. "Good morning," the witch said brightly with a very heavy Irish accent, "my name's Dympna, what can I do for you today? Wait, lemme guess here. One adult English breakfast, two child English breakfasts, an adult American breakfast and an adult French breakfast…"
"Well yes." The girls nodded together, stunned.
Dympna smiled with a giggle, "Seer, Mam's side. Too bad it only concerns what people want to eat; let's see for beverages, two small white milks, two regular orange juices, and a regular apple juice?"
"Yes again…"
"That'll be six Galleons, and we'll even throw in a steak for the dog."
"Sweet, I'll pay," Julie offered, fishing out the needed money and paying.
"Thank you," Dympna spoke brightly, "take a seat and I'll bring it when it's ready."
"Okay."
They took a booth to themselves, starting to converse about schools of magic and magic schools.
"I still can't understand why there's a magic school in Salem Massachusetts," Hermione snorted, "I mean, with the witch trials that happened there it's in bad taste…"
"On the contrary Mione," Julie replied, "The community of Salem, now known as Danvers Massachusetts, has embraced it's history with open arms. They have issued formal apologies and official pardons for every victim. They have built memorials, even exhumed the bodies they could positively identify as accused and hung and have reburied them with full Christian burials and the highest honors. There's a booming trade in the witch idea, with it being like it's Halloween every day. Muggles walk around in cloaks and robes and quite a few practice Wicca or other neo-pagan religions. What better place in American could one find to place a school for young, untrained and reckless witches and wizards? Any accidental magic or oddities wouldn't raise any eyebrows at all." She learned in and whispered, "Besides, I've read a few books and a couple of the accused were witches but once they got arrested they couldn't get at their wands so they hung…" she shrugged, leaning back, "When Ben was so dead-set on us learning magic but Gwen wanted to stay close to home I went researching."
"Why would Gwendolyn not wish to learn—?" Fleur began uncertainly.
"Family business," a voice said as a brunette arrived, "How're you guys holding up Jules?"
"As good as can be hoped," Julie replied, "Oh, Fleur, this's Ben Tennyson. My boyfriend and Bill's cousin. Ben, this's Fleur Delacour, Bill's fiancée…"
"Nice to meet you," Ben greeted the young woman.
"You are immune to me as well!" Fleur stated in shock.
"'Cuse me?" he blinked confusedly.
"She's part Veela Ben."
"Oh, yeah, sorry. Already in love."
"Tennyson you say?" Fleur ventured, "Are you by chance related to Max Tennyson…"
"Sure am," Ben nodded, "he's mine and Gwen's grandpa…how do you know him?" Ben sat down beside Julie, intent on the answer.
"My father was a top…Auror, is that what the British calls their law enforcement?"
"Yes," Hermione nodded.
"My father was a top Auror for our Ministry and was honored with the ability to work with the Plumbers, specifically a Monsieur Tennyson and a Monsieur Levin…I happened to meet them several times when I was a young child…"
"You met Devin Levin," Ben asked tightly.
"Oui, many times. He was such a charming man, pity he was an American…why have you gone so pale Benjamin?"
"You remember Devin Levin?" Ben was pale, so was Julie and Hermione was rapidly joining them as she pieced the puzzle together.
"Oui, quite clearly. I was six years old when I last met him, Veela tend to have photographic memories from birth; he had popped over, joyous over the birth of his son. Kevin…I have assumed that the Monsieur Kevin Levin I met today is his son…" she frowned, "Something has happened to Monsieur Levin…"
"When…when Kevin was one year old Devin sacrificed himself to save the Earth and everyone, everything on it," Julie explained softly, "Kevin never got to know him and…his life hasn't been any good, until he met Gwen when they were teenagers anyways, because of that…"
"Oh, my apologies," Fleur cupped her mouth, "I did not know…" a new light came to her eyes, "I shall share my memories of him with his son!"
"Is that even possible?" Ben asked. If it was…
"Yes!" Hermione said eagerly, eyes lighting up in delight, "Professor Dumbledore invented a device with which to store and view memories. It's called a Pensieve. It's a basin full of memories and it should be in his office!"
"Great!" Everyone grinned before Ben leapt up, "I'll go grab it now!" he dashed off, back down to the Floo room and into the Headmistress' office of Hogwarts. Quickly, with the help of his grandmother, he rummaged through Dumbledore's things and found something that must have been the Pensieve and dashed back to St. Mungo's, up to the fifth floor tea room, exclaiming, "Got it!" He put it down in the middle of the table, pushing aside plates of food to make room.
"Now how do we work it?"