After getting an unexpected surprise in the form of a giant of a man and a 10 year old falling on their house, the Weasley's accommodated Hagrid in a make-shift shed outside and took Harry inside. Still shaken and confused at the night's events, they tended to him and asked Kingsley to come inside.
They laid Harry on the couch, as all the rooms were taken by their children, and Molly wasn't keen on waking up the whole bunch and answer their endless questions. Arthur and Kingsley sat in silence while Molly silently brought out a crate of potions and strange bottles.
She took out some bottles and dabbed the liquid on some cloth and applied it on the minor scrapes on Harry's body. She anxiously smoothed down his hair and wiped the dirt of his face with a clean cloth. She stood up and without a word went outside in the shed to tend Hagrid's injuries.
Kingsley and Arthur said nothing as she did the first aid. After she was gone, Kingsley checked up on Harry. Eyes, ears, mouth, hands, joints and space between fingers were checked. Finally noticing the normal skin colour of the boy, he stopped.
"How, how is he?" Arthur asked, seeing that the first aid and check-up was done.
Kingsley sighed and sat back. "It's fine. No sign of bites or major trauma-- physically, at least. Skin color would've started to change by now if he had been bitten. But I would still take a trip to St. Mungo's just to make sure."
Arthur nodded silently. He was in deep thought now. Harry Potter had turned up with the Hogwarts Gameskeeper in late night with vampires on their tails. Their house was quite far from Surrey and apparently their destination was Hogwarts, this was an unexpected detour.
Molly had come in with cups of hot tea for the three of them. He stood up and went to the window. He took out his wand and chanted, "Expecto Patronum."
An ethereal light burst out from his wand and a corporeal patronus in the form of a Weasel emerged. He quietly murmured a message to it and said, "Go to Albus Dumbledore."
He turned back and did not see the swiftly disappearing patronus out in the dark as it went to deliver the message. He sat back down with Kingsley and Molly and sipped his tea.
"You think its wise to take a small defenseless child on an enchanted artifact late at night, and the boy being Harry Potter nonetheless?", Kingsley asked dryly, breaking the silence.
Arthur raised his head and looked at KIngsley, bewildered. "Your tone suggests I know anything of what's happening. But I really don't, Kingsley. I am as confused as you are."
Kingsley frowned. "So Dumbledore did not tell you anything regarding this? Seeing that you already sent for him."
Arthur shook his head at that. He wasn't even privy to the complete address of Harry's current home, how on earth would he be involved in this?
"Dumbledore may come. You can ask him what you want, Kingsley. I too, need to know why there were vampires on my doorsteps today." Arthur said.
"Ghouls." Kingsley said.
"Pardon?" Arthur asked, frowning.
"They were ghouls, along with a vampire." Kingsley explained, his expression getting stern. "You may not have noticed from this far, but up close I could confirm there was only one vampire among them."
Arthur and Molly's eyes widened. Ghouls were lesser forms of vampires. They were failed products. Unable to completely to transform into vampires. Resistance from the victim (witch or wizard), insufficient cure or any other could cause it. But one more cause or source of them forming was Muggles.
Muggles didn't have magic power in them. Even if any ancestor of theirs was a witch or wizard, the magic in their blood wasn't enough to transform them. Thus, lack of magic and their nature turned them into ghouls. They would follow the strongest vampire nearby by instinct and retained some properties of vampirism.
"Do you think…" Molly started but couldn't finish the thought. It was terrifying to think about. Muggle or Wizard, reducing them to such state was heinous and cruel.
"I'm not sure. If I could have subdued them without burning them, I could have done something to identify them. Wizards getting missing gets reported to the ministry, so I'll check with Magical Law Enforcement (MLE)." Kingsley said, rubbing a hand over his face.
"Thank you, Kingsley." Arthur said weakly. As a man who was fond of Muggles and their inventions, he was quite shaken by this. Yes, he most of the times regarded them as strange and wondrous creatures, but ultimately he knew that they were people too.
Kingsley waved his hands. He could understand Arthur's reaction to this. He on the other hand was more or less prepared for these kinds of news nowadays. It had started with Italians and had crossed over 2 countries and still spreading.
Ministero della Magia or MoM of Italy had been sought to help the Albanian Council of Magic to limit the outbreak of a magical disease in their forests, which was affecting the Muggle and Magical hamlets and villages. As there was also a large community of vampires in the Forest, the Council had acted as a mediator.
Squads of Italian healers and combat wizards had been sent over to Albanian Forest, but very few of them could return alive. Although the goal was to save the ill and stop the spread, they had encountered far more than they could handle.
Despite of Council's mediation, the vampires had turned hostile. It was a bloody mess. The boundaries of Albania had been locked down. No help was being sent for over a week. And when the invisible obstructions came down, the magical forces of Council were revealed to be defending themselves along with the surving Italians.
Although the vampires retreated into their forest sanctuary, where no human could traverse, the hell had just begun for the survivors and rescuers. The disease although never seen in recent times, had an old cure in the tomes of the Council. After the Italians returned, vowing to take revenge on the vampires and reparations from Council, things had died down.
But the quiet was just a veil, that concealed the true horror. Those people showed signs of Turning. And although some of this was expected, not bitten and people with no contact whatsoever were also Turning. It created panic and the authorities were unable to handle it properly.
Seeing the way it happened, their neighbor, France took a guarded stance on the matter of helping. Although it displeased the Italians, they just had to make do with what they had.
But it seemed that fate had decided to be unbiased. 'The Disease of Turning' spread through France too. It made its way right up to Paris. Although not exactly a disease, it was spreading at an alarming rate. Both countries' ministries had their hands full of unexpected problems, including maintaining the Statute of Secrecy.
Now the disease was threatening to turn its literal fangs towards Britain. The tensions in the Ministry were rising and the opinions were divided. Some supported the idea of helping France and quelling it there, while some were against it, pointing at the state of France and Italy when they tried to help.
Blame towards the Council of Magic in Albania was increasing at international level. The Council's answer was nothing but of indignation and helplessness, much to everyone's frustration. The reason? Their seemingly old 'cure' had failed. But some believed that it was entirely different from the magical disease. This mass Turning was something else entirely.
Some strays had managed to get to Britain, but were carefully captured and were being studied by revered healers and potioneers.
But this? An attack on the Boy Who Lived? There would be an uproar if it got out. The community would go hysterical and may demand something ludicrous from the Ministry. Kingsley shook his head at that thought.
"You think this is related Kingsley?" Arthur abruptly asked.
"To the news we are getting from France? Oh I hope to Merlin it isn't." Kingsley answered heavily exhaling.
"I hope you would talk to Dumbledore about this." Arthur said slowly.
Kingsley sharply looked at Arthur.
"Dumbledore talks to Fudge. You know that, don't you? If you could go through him, maybe we could do something about this." Arthur explained further, as though coaxing him.
That's true, Kingsley thought. He was in favour of helping the French, albeit very cautiously. If he could explain and present the facts, it may help his case.
"You are a head of your Office, Arthur. Your call of help to Ministry would be recorded." Kingsley hedged.
"Yes." Arthur nodded. "That's why I suggest talking to him and directly going to the Head and Minister. Keeping it under wraps, for a while at least."
Kingsley said nothing, although he was favorable to the idea. It was a good enough move which could help looking at this calmly.
"I would need answers first--" He was cut off when the door abruptly opened.
"And I--", said Albus Dumbledore standing at the door, smiling lightly, "--would be happy to answer."