AN: Thank you for reading my story. I hope that you are enjoying it.

Thank you JK Rowling for letting me play in your sandbox.

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Chapter 31 Werewolves Are People Too

Finally, the flesh reflects the madness within.

Well you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you?

~Remus Lupin and Sirius Black~

"Master. I's was sent to inform you." Mimsy growled the last two words, "That Lord Malfoy wishes audience. Shalls I send him away?" Arcturus looked at the irritated elf. She rarely showed such pure dislike towards wizards, but Abraxas was particularly unlikeable.

"As pleased as it would make me Mimsy, I'll see him." He shook his head, "Unpleasant as it would be." He glanced over at his grandson who was sitting in a chair opposite him. "And a good time to introduce my great Nephew, Padmus Mcgrimm." Sirius lounged nonchalantly in the chair, legs crossed, elbow perched on the arm of the chair and a goblet of elf made wine in his hand.

Sirius… No, Padmus at the moment, gave a predatory grin. "This should be interesting."

Arcturus nodded, "Indeed." Just as Lord Abraxas Malfoy swept in the room led by the faithful and now grumpy house elf.

"Ahhh, Lord Black!" The silky-smooth tones Abraxas used to charm the Wizengamot laced with a kind of tepid poison just beneath the surface was all too obvious in the platinum blonde's voice. Abraxas was tall, elegant, though aging. Everything about him screamed bored pureblood. He reached out and shook Arcturus's offered hand.

"Lord Malfoy. Abraxas. A pleasure to see you as always. May I introduce you to my nephew? Padmus McGrimm." Arcturus motioned to the elegantly clad younger wizard who stood gracefully at Abraxas's arrival, stepped forward, and offered a bow and then his hand.

"Lord Malfoy." Padmus smiled, "A pleasure. I've heard so much about you."

Abraxas looked thrown off guard by the younger man's presence. "Yes. Of course. A pleasure to meet you." Too well trained in manners not to offer pleasantries or bring up the topic for his visit before strangers. "I should have made an appointment, called ahead." He gave Arcturus a bit of a glare. as if it was he who had breeched protocol rather than Abraxas just barrelling ahead without fully thinking things through. He must be angry, Arcturus smirked inwardly. If he was behaving in such a foolish way.

"So what can I do for you Abraxas?" Arcturus was enjoying the other's discomfort.

"Well, I really wanted to speak to you alone Arcturus. It's a private matter. Perhaps you can make time for a brief chat?" He glanced meaningfully at the young man standing nearby.

Arcturus waved the idea away with a gesture, "Don't worry about Paddy here. He's family. I know this must be about the betrothal contract. Cygnus must have finally told you?" Arcturus asked,

Malfoy puffed up a bit defensively, "I just can't believe you would object to Lucious for Cissy." He shook his head, "She is already like a member of our family Arcturus. What possible reason would you have to deny that they would make a wonderful match?" Abraxas seemed genuinely upset and Arcturus bought himself a little time by moving behind his desk to take a seat.

Mimsy brought drinks and some refreshments setting the tray within reach of everyone. Sirius didn't miss her glare at the Malfoy Head and wondered what he had done to earn to elf's ire. He wandered away from the conversation towards the other end of the library, giving the pair at least the illusion of privacy. Though he could still hear the conversation thanks to Padfoot hearing.

"It isn't the Malfoy name or family or even Lucious I object to Abraxas," Arcturus assured him. "Under normal circumstances, I would have no qualms in approving this union. But…" He said when he saw Abraxas ready to jump in with more questions. "I do object to this Dark Lord I keep hearing about." He gave Abraxas a penetrating look and he watched as the mask of subterfuge slipped over the man's face. "He is the wizard you want to introduce me to isn't he?" Abraxas just watched him with a frown.

"This is absurd Arcturus! Lord Voldemort is a visionary. Truly visionary! He has nothing but the best intentions for our society, I can assure you." Abraxas shook his head, "You really should meet him before you judge. Just talk to him. He'll prove to you that he has the right of it. He can lead us to a new golden age. With his leadership, we won't have to hide anymore. We can do as we wish. Go anywhere. Not be afraid anymore." He made his case passionately and Arcturus let him.

"Perhaps you are right Abraxas. I haven't met him. It is wholly unfair of me to base my opinion on the man through hearsay. Which is why I plan on attending your ball. Meet the man perhaps? You still wanted to introduce me yes?" Arcturus asked.

Abraxas grinned, "Of course! He has been single-minded in the quest. Practically begged me for an introduction." He frowned, "But back to the betrothal contract. I hope that you'll give Lucious an opportunity to speak with you. He is quite taken with Narcissa and I hate seeing him so distraught. Please Arcturus. You really must reconsider."

Arcturus shook his head, "I don't like the idea of Narcissa marrying a boy that might turn his will over to another."

He glared at the man sitting across from himself. "Toujours Pur. Always Pure." He shook his head, "Such an easily misunderstood concept. It wasn't always about the purity of blood. It was about the House of Black remaining pure to itself, to its own ideals; never sullied by subjugating themselves to others. A family value that seems to be forgotten these days more often than not. I honestly blame myself. l fell into complacency."

Abraxas laughed, "Oh truly not Arcturus!" But one look at Lord Black's face informed him he wasn't joking. "But Arcturus! Lord Voldemort…"

"Is a half-blood!" Arcturus exclaimed. "His mother was a pureblood, his father was a muggle." He growled, "And his name is not Lord Voldemort. He isn't a Lord. He's a fraud."
He glowered at the Malfoy lord. "Honestly Abraxas. You had to have known. You went to school with him for Merlin's sake. Only his name was Tom Riddle then. He was raised in a muggle orphanage. Went to school on a scholarship. Oh, he's a powerful wizard, I'm sure. But he's no pureblood and I can't believe you would support him."

He shuddered, playing his revulsion off as blood supremacy which was a concept he absolutely knew Abraxas would have no problem relating to. "I honestly don't want you to be played for a fool Ab. He can't have a great deal of love for pureblood wizards if they left him to be raised in a muggle orphanage. He probably hates everyone."

Abraxas kept shaking his head in denial. "But… This is preposterous! I don't remember anything remarkable about Riddle. He was head boy. Had a circle of friends. Was in the Slug Club if I remember correctly. I was a few years below him. So I didn't really pay attention to the older students back then." He sighed, "You have given me some things to think about but…" He shook his head, "His blood status isn't well known. But… Arcturus it doesn't mean he's a bad choice for leading our people to a better future."

Arcturus nodded, "Perhaps not. It's why I'd like to meet him. See for myself what he's all about."

Abraxas nodded and smiled satisfied, "And you'll agree to not make a definitive decision about the betrothal? There's still a chance we can pull this off?" Abraxas asked.

"For now." Arcturus agreed. "But has Lucious been made aware of the fact that the House of Black would hold a position of primacy?"

Abraxas visibly winced, "The subject may have been mentioned in passing." He sighed, "I suppose a deeper discussion of the topic wouldn't be remiss. It's just, I didn't realize you were such a stickler to tradition?"

The Black Lord smiled. A terrible look on the man actually. "And I didn't realize you were such an expert on Black family politics."

Abraxas held up his hands in surrender, "Peace Arcturus. I only meant that you have been rather silent on these issues for a long time."

Arcturus nodded, "Yes. I have." He frowned. "What would you do Abraxas if Lucius was suddenly, I don't know… Bitten by a werewolf?" He asked. Causing Abraxas to sit up straight as if burned at the sudden and dramatic change of subject, "Just a hypothetical my friend."

Abraxas frowned at the change of topic. "Well, I don't know… I mean it's such an unlikely scenario isn't it?"

Arcturus laughed, "Is it?" He reached over to the prophet folded at his elbow and tossed it down in front of Malfoy where he couldn't help but see the headline.

Werewolf Attack Targetting Purebloods Thwarted

by Maggie Scrivener

Abraxas picked up the paper not noticing that Sirius had moved back towards the pair to partake in the conversation.

"I've heard rumors that the attack wasn't as unsuccessful as the Ministry would have us believe. Lord MacNair was injured during the attack. If he's been bitten, he could lose his seat in the Wizengamot, which would not be an ideal situation for our lot would it?" Arcturus asked. "What do you think Padmus?"

'Padmus' looked at his grandfather and sighed sadly, "It seems the laws against werewolves are too restrictive. If the laws that were designed to protect people from werewolves, cause them to retaliate against those responsible for passing those laws. If the unfortunate rumor is true that Lord MacNair is now a werewolf and we strip him of his seat, his political power, his property, and his family, he will be more dangerous than if we simply made sure he didn't hurt someone during the full moon. Of course, we don't know he's a werewolf or if he was bitten. But it does raise an interesting problem."

Abraxas looked up from the article and looked shaken. "MacNair is a friend. I just…" He shook his head, thinking about what Padmus was saying. "We all would be looking over our shoulders for a long time if the Werewolves decide on this course of action. The chaos…" He shook his head, "We are safe enough behind wards. Dark creature wards work quite well on our estates."

Arcturus laughed, "But my friend, you are advocating that we hide behind wards and spells instead of facing the problem and fixing it?" He shook his head, "I don't think that putting our heads in the sand is going to do a bit of good this time."

Abraxas huffed, "Well that is true. What do you suggest?" He asked.

"I have been giving it some thought, and I think we need to think outside the box on this one." He smiled. "We are going to have to scrap that piece of garbage anti-werewolf legislation that MacNair is going to introduce, and fix it, making damn sure that wizards are protected, and retain their estates and property if turned. I for one don't intend to give up my home, titles, lands, and vaults just because a werewolf bites me. And you shouldn't either." He nodded.

Padmus grinned conspiratorially, tapping into Abraxas's love of being in the thick of things. "Well write the law with this thought in mind. You have just been turned into a werewolf. How would you want to be treated? Start there and then work your way through all the obstacles and barriers to your continued ability to be the heads of your houses and the lords of your manors."

Abraxas stiffened, "But isn't this giving in to blackmail?" Arcturus laughed, "I call it self-preservation." He shrugged. "Werewolf attacks are rare. Do you want to know why? Because most werewolves are only monsters one day out of the month. The rest of the time they are busy trying to protect everyone from themselves and survival is not easy. The most dangerous time for a werewolf is the first time they turn. Because sometimes, especially if they are muggles, they don't know they are werewolves. Imagine waking up and finding that you have eaten your entire family." Abraxas looked a little green at the thought.

Arcturus shook his head. "It's a terrible disease and we should be doing everything we can to help those infected. If I was infected I would want everything being done for me." He gave Abraxas a look, "And if MacNair is infected… He will need us to do everything we can for him. Agreed?"

Padmus watched Arcturus play Abraxas like a fiddle. It was a beautiful and wonderful thing.

Abraxas nodded and glanced back down to the article. "If he was bitten, he'd try and hide the fact." He sighed. "What are we going to do? Should we keep it a secret? Should we expose it? What if it isn't true?"

Arcturus shrugged, "I'm less worried about the truth or falsity of the rumor, and more worried about making sure we protect ourselves." He shrugged, "It's no secret MacNair and I have our differences, but I wouldn't wish this on him. And then to be stripped of his seat of power, his property, his family, his right to work, or to live within what is it. one mile of a child?" He shook his head, "We can do much better than this." He declared.

Abraxas now was in full agreement. "So you'll present a modified piece of legislation? One that grants protections to werewolves and protects the populace from werewolves?"

Padmus laughed, "Who was it that wrote the anti-werewolf legislation?"

Arcturus grunted, "Lord MacNair."

Padmus shook his head, "Well that's ironic."

After Malfoy left Sirius burst into uncontrolled laughter. "MacNair? A werewolf?" Arcturus looked pleased with himself.

"I only hinted at the possibility. Abraxas's twisted little mind will always be willing to believe the worst in any situation and he's predictably self-serving," he noted. "I suspect word will spread, and everyone will be thinking that MacNair was bitten by the next Wizengamot." Arcturus grinned, "Which will give me the perfect opportunity to introduce the amended legislation. I'm not sure what to call it though. I certainly can't call it the werewolf protection act or worse the werewolf control act."

Sirius hummed, "How about something like the Werewolf Bill of Rights?"

"Only if I want to be burned alive," Arcturus muttered.

"Wizards with Lycanthropy Act?" he shrugged. "Course most werewolves aren't wizards."

Arcturus nodded. "Well, the name doesn't have to encompass the full scope of the legislation." He grinned. "You see, most people don't read the whole bill anyway. They will assume that since I wrote it, it would align with their values and they will vote for it regardless of what is actually in it. Which is an abdication of their duty. But I don't mind taking advantage of their fatal flaws."

Sirius chuckled, "I wonder what MacNair's gonna do about the werewolf thing? Want to lay odds that he'll come down harder on them, simply to distance himself from it all?

The elder statesman nodded, "We will have to make it seem like the legislation is being introduced to protect him specifically from the consequences of his recent infection in order to get the traditionalists to vote for it, and the progressives will vote for it because it actually does align with their values, and the neutral factions will vote the way everyone else votes."

Sirius nodded, "It's a brilliant bit of gamesmanship grandfather."

Mimsy popped in and started cleaning up the remains of his visit with the Malfoy head, and still looked out of sorts. "What is wrong Mimsy?" Arcturus asked the elf, curious as well what could cause the cheerful elf to look so murderous.

Mimsy squeaked a bit and tugged her ears, "Master's wizard friend called Master a bad name." Mimsy admitted. "He calls Master Batty!" Mimsy looked horrified even repeating the slur.

Arcturus smiled benignly at the elf. "That wasn't nice of him. But I suppose I am a little batty at times."

It was several days later that found Remus reading the prophet in wide-eyed wonder. Sirius thought he was actually going to start crying. James looked over his shoulder, and Lily who had her own copy of the paper gasped. "Dear Merlin, the Wizengamot introduced legislation that will actually protect werewolves!" She murmured.

The headline blazed across the prophet read,

Wizengamot moves to protect wizards infected with Lycanthropy!

By Maggie Scrivener

The article went on to detail the dramatic turn of events during the October Wizengamot session when Lord Black introduced an alternative bill to Lord MacNaires anti-werewolf legislation. The legislation received support from a broad range of wizards from all three wings of the Wizengamot.

The article explained that Lord MacNair had been the center of a rumor that he had been bitten during a werewolf raid. It included Lord MacNair's vehement denial of being bitten but conceded that if he had been bitten, it would end his career and threaten his Wizengamot seat.

In addition, A special council has been formed to discuss the merits of the Wizards with Lycanthropy Act, which aims to protect the livelihoods of all wizards infected with the disease. The bill also calls for an investigation into ways their society can help werewolves remain secure during the full moon as well as direct more funds into researching a cure. Lord Black had even mentioned during the debate a potion that he claimed could help werewolves keep their human minds during their transformations.

The rest of the article was dedicated to detailing what was in the bill. It wasn't a perfect piece of legislation and had a lot of room for improvement but it was a huge step in the right direction. Sirius was proud that Arcturus was the impetus behind it.

It was Remus's shell-shocked and hopeful expression though that put the grin that could not be removed on Sirius's face.