Chapter One

1999- August

It was a perfect summers day.

It was sunny, clear and bright. A gentle cooling breeze swept over the hot, dry ground and the air smelt warm and full of promise.

In a large, open field, somewhere near Kent, where rows and rows of smart wooden chairs had been set out with an aisle down the centre. Each chair had a purple ribbon tied in a big, fluffy bow at the back, the ends trimmed in a neat point and every one arranged just so.

The grass was bone dry, although it had been magically coloured to bright, fresh green as it had been starting to wilt at little from the recent lack of rain. Now though, there was not a single patch of brown to be seen.

Everything was to be perfect.

The chairs all faced a large stage, made from dark, highly polished wood. It was hung with banners; all of which were sporting the Ministry of Magic's coat of arms, and garlands and garlands of bright, white flowers.

There was a central podium on the stage at the front; it had already been enchanted to project whoever was speaking. Towards the back was a long table, covered in a heavy, black, satin tablecloth, which was covered in many pale velvet boxes.

Kingsley Shacklebolt, who'd been made Minister of Magic after the final battle of the war, paced in front of the stage, a worried frown between his eyes as his crimson robes swished majestically around him.

"It's just coming up to two o'clock Minister, sir," a red headed witch with bright brown eyes said, checking her pocket watch and ticking off a few things on her large clipboard, scanning her eyes over the list to double check that nothing had been missed. This event would be in every Wizarding paper for a month, nothing could go wrong, "Are you sure you don't want any lunch? I could go and pinch something from the after buffet for you."

Kingsley smiled at her, "Yes, I'm sure. Thank you Caroline, I really couldn't eat a bite. Are you sure we're not doing this too soon? Tensions still seem to run so high whenever the subject comes up. I had to interrupt a physical argument inside the Ministry just last week over some slight due to actions during the war… and there is still so much to finish sorting…"

Caroline shook her head firmly, her shoulder length hair flicking around her face as she did so, "It's been over a year since the battle of Hogwarts sir, if anything it's late. People need a physical reminder that everything is over. That it's time to move on."

Kingsley nodded thoughtfully, "I suppose you're right. It was just difficult enough getting the children to the memorial service. I think they hate the Ministry still… who could even blame them. The Ministry was… was truly awful to our side of the war."

"Well it was in the middle of the school year sir. I think they were mostly just worried about the exams they all had coming up in May. They do all come from very accomplished families and had a lot of pressure on them at the time. They had a lot to live up to." Caroline said, she'd long given up pointing out that really, they were no longer children, Kingsley meant no harm, he'd just known them for many, many years, "It was a lovely service though, they all said so." she said, trying to reassure him, "And everyone who was invited has said they would come today. If they were really that mad, they wouldn't be coming."

Kingsley nodded again, "Yes… yes they are coming, that's true… And you're quite right and I should stop worrying over it all."

"Exactly." Caroline said, breathing a small sigh of relief, "Besides, even if they are still… unhappy with the Ministry as a whole, they don't blame you for what was done while you were on the run yourself."

"You know I barely remember it." Kingsley said to himself more than to his ever patient assistant, "I think I remember it more in my dreams than when I'm awake." he shook his head, bringing the world back into focus, "What time is it?"

"Two o'clock Minister." Caroline said, trying not to laugh, "They'll be here in half an hour for the ceremony to begin at three. Now," she waved her wand, summoning a cup of tea and handing it over to the Minister, "Now, please drink and calm down?"

Kingsley took the tea from her and flopped down on one of the wooden chairs, "You are good to me Caroline dear." he said, taking a long, calming sip and sighing as the hot, sweet liquid hit the back of his throat.

As Caroline had said, it wasn't long before people started arriving, in dribs and drabs to begin with but soon many of the seats had filled and even more of the standing room for those not invited by name.

Everyone had dressed very smartly, almost like they were attending a funeral.

Danica took several deep breaths as she recovered from the side along apparition. It was not a feeling she'd ever really enjoyed but even less since she became a werewolf. There was something deep in her mind that insisted that it was unnatural and rebelled against the feeling of being forced through a pipe that was far too small.

"You look pale." Harry said, walking over.

He was nineteen now and looked fully like a man in most ways. His jet black, silk dress robes moved effortlessly around him and his always uncontrollable hair had grown in to attractively wild, shoulder length waves.

"I'm fine." Danica smiled, "Did you find our seats?"

Harry nodded, "Your arm, me' lady." he grinned, offering his little sister his arm to hold.

Danica laughed and dropped him a perfect curtsy before taking his arm and allowing him to show her where they were to sit.

"Did the appointment go alright?" Harry asked quietly.

Danica sighed. It was always a horrible experience going to see the specialist, but that it had fallen on the day of the award ceremony (which of course happened to be the day after Harry's nineteenth birthday) was just extra salt in the wound.

"You can tell me." Harry said stopping and gesturing with his head for their parents to go on.

Danica shrugged, "I… same as always. I'm stable but the levels of lycanthropy in my blood haven't changed. I'm not going to get better Harry…"

"Did he say that?" Harry asked, shocked that the doctor would tell a ten year old girl she was stuck with it for life so bluntly.

"No… he said there is always a chance, until the… the subject goes through puberty, but the more moons they change… that I change, the less likely it will be…" Danica looked forcefully up to the sky, she was not about to cry, not after she'd barely gotten her cheeks unred and blotchy from crying in the bathroom of St Mungo's, "Harry… can I tell you something?"

"Anything." Harry said seriously, "One minute."

Harry walked quickly to the front row and told his friends and parents that they would be a few minutes.

"Is everything alright Harry?" Severus asked.

Harry nodded, "Yeah… just… rough day…"

He hurried back to his sister and led her round the side of the stage where they wouldn't be over heard.

"What's up?"

Danica thought for a moment, trying to get the words to come out in the right way, she knew how she felt, and what she meant, the words weren't so straight forward.

"I… I barely remember what it was like to not change every month… and with the Wolfsbane Potion, I'm not exactly a danger to anyone… I just…" Danica rubbed her head.

Harry smiled, "Mum gets a headache there when she's over thinking as well."

"I'm not over thinking!" Danica protested, sticking her tongue out at Harry.

"I get it." Harry said, leaning against the stage wall, "You're scared that one day, they'll tell you that you're going to be fine, no more werewolf nights."

"I just… there's a rush about it." Danica admitted, "You can hear, see, smell everything. I really don't mind it so much. I mean… it hurts, don't get me wrong, when I change… I just can't remember not changing."

Harry pulled her into a hug, smoothing down her hair, "You'll be ok, no matter what. And you're not back to the doctors for another six months. I think… I think maybe it's the going to the doctors you hate the most."

Danica nodded into his shoulder, "Maybe you're right."

"I think they just…" Harry stopped himself and thought carefully about how to say what he was about to, "Remus always comes back feeling like shit as well."

"They talk to us like shit Harry." Danica burst out, "Doesn't matter what mum or dad or anyone else says. The doctors… they just say to exercise more or eat more greens to make us feel better about ourselves."

Harry didn't know what to say, nothing he could say would make her feel any better. It was just an impossible situation and Danica had never done anything to deserve her lot.

Dumbledore had used her to force Harry to fight for the side of light. It had worked in so far as Harry had fought Voldemort but he'd never forgiven Dumbledore for his betrayal and never would. He'd made sure that after the war was over, everyone knew what Dumbledore had done and the history books wouldn't mark him as so much of a saviour as Dumbledore had hoped.

"Everything alright Harry?" Kingsley asked, popping his head around the side of the stage, "Miss Danica?"

Danica forced a smile, "Yes, thank you Kingsley. Just catching up."

"Ah… I expect Harry was nursing a rather large hangover this morning wasn't he?" Kingsley said with a slightly forced laugh, joking wasn't something he was very good at.

"He was too worried about today." Danica said, "He's never liked being parading out as a hero."

Kingsley sighed, "Danica… none of us do… but…"

"But the Wizarding world needs this." Harry shrugged, "I know." he smiled, "Don't worry about it. Come on Danica, we should go sit down. It'll need to get started soon or we'll be here all night."

Danica grumbled to herself, she knew it was slightly unfair to take her frustrations out on Kingsley but she wanted to scream at the world right now and it felt like it was going to explode from her chest at any moment.

She walked across the row of chairs and settled herself between Lily and Severus. Severus wrapped his arm around his daughter, pulling her into his side for a tight hug.

The consultant in lycanthropy at St Mungo's had very little tact and flinched every time he needed to even touch Danica's scarred skin. He knew how that felt as an adult and it was bad enough, let alone going through it as a child.

Severus had been left badly scarred himself from the war. He'd been attacked by Nagini, Voldemort's particularly nasty snake who's venom stopped the blood from being able to clot. It gave her victims a slow and painful death.

Pansy Parkinson, one of Harry's closest friends, had been able to stop the bleeding, saving Severus's life but at a price.

She's been learning muggle healing methods, and knowing that it would take far more magical care than she would be able to get before Severus had bled to death. She managed to cauterise the deep puncture wounds but the cost had been horrific burns across Severus's neck and the left side of his face.

It had required a many doctors visits but the way the doctors were always flinching when they touched the uneven skin was something that always left him feeling sick.

Danica watched as Kingsley walked up the half a dozen steps one side of the stage and smiled at the thousand or so people who had gathered, taking a deep breath before he began