July 23, 1994
Amelia Bones sat at her desk, her monocle being used to review some of the reports in front of her. She frowned looking at everything.
Four muggle residences, all with a muggle-born or raised witch or wizard, and one of them the boy-who-lived. Until last night, she had no magical registered in that part of Surry. How had he gone unnoticed for twelve years? She had a record of report of underage magic to a one H. Potter, with no physical address, from two years prior.
Luckily, he survived, even if it was the Knight Bus that had saved him. The boy had done some damage to the beast though before it had been hit.
Hermione Granger had saved herself and her family by doing some impressive spells for someone just finishing her third year at Hogwarts. Justin Finch-Fletchley had died as did much of his family. Another, Miss Annabell Entworth, would forever be cursed, as would the father of Ms. Granger, Mr. Finch-Fletchley's younger sister, and an innocent muggle police officer that had responded to the Finch-Fletchley scene before the Aurors had arrived.
What was surprising was that three of the creatures had died from muggle weapons. Mr. Granger had killed one, as did some of the muggle officers at the Finch-Fletchleys'. The fact that Finch-Fletchley died from the crossfire of the muggle firearms while being dragged out of the house in the maw of a werewolf was not going to go over well when the news hit the Prophet. Not that she wanted any innocent to die, but it would have been better if the werewolf had finished him off. Wizards and Witches would not take well to muggle means of killing.
She was looking at a nightmare of paperwork because of all of this. A small consolation. It would have been far worse if Harry Potter had died. Her Department would be blamed for everything if that had happened.
She still had five Obliviator, six Auror and two Magical Reversal squads cleaning up the mess. The purple Knight Bus was out of commission while they still investigated the scene. Having one of the two buses down would surely bring in complaints, and she was sure they would make it to her.
Somehow, the Prophet didn't get word of it for the morning paper, but she was sure it would be everywhere tomorrow. She would take this small miracle to give her a little time to clean things up.
Worst of all was the Minister's Undersecretary breathing down her neck to charge the three survivors for using underage magic and breaches of the International Statute of Secrecy. She had flatly refused the pink toad and told her if the Minister asked her himself, she would bring this straight to the Wizengamot. She knew that much of the Wizengamot was in the hands of the Minister and Lucius Malfoy, but she had favors owed her, was still involved with her Allies and they would not like the consequences of going against her.
Looking over the files, it had been a shock to find two lists of names with a few of the werewolves. Each list only had two names, as though none of the werewolves were supposed to know all of them. It was concerning that werewolves would coordinate like that and have the presence of mind to carry out with any plans they had had. She knew of nothing that could do that. A werewolf was usually reduced to a rampaging beast who put little thought into what it did. They had two instincts she knew of when the moon came up: breed and eat. The wolfsbane potion did allow a werewolf to keep their human mind, but it also made them very docile. This was different.
A knock on the door caused her to close the folder, which magically sealed itself, before saying, "Come in."
The door opened and one of her top Aurors walked in. He was Captain of Green Group, wearing a black armband with a green stripe, who had dealt with the Finch-Fletchleys and Grangers. The well-muscled black man looked tired as he slumped down into the chair without a greeting. "I take it the night was worse than these reports, Captain?"
Shacklebolt ran his hands over his face. "It was not my best night," his deep voice intoned his weariness. "Has Moody reported in? I need him to look at something we took from the Grangers."
"Something that should go to the Unspeakables?" If it was something this man was waiting for his mentor, then it had to be bad.
Shacklebolt reached into his robes and took out a folder. "I'm not sure. It hasn't been entered into evidence yet. We didn't want word getting out. Boss, I haven't seen anything like this since the last war. They were working together."
Amelia took the envelope and touched her wand to it. The folder opened. "We found that list on one of the ones we captured."
She looked it over, her eyes widening. "There are six more names on this list than who was attacked last night. Did you check this already," she asked looking up.
"I have heard back from five teams. Nothing happened at those houses. I think their plans went wrong," he told her.
"Are these all muggle-borns?"
Shacklebolt let out a sigh. "Yes. All muggle-born or raised, all fourth year or lower, all enrolled at Hogwarts."
Her eyebrows scrunched up. "Susan said the Defense teacher was confirmed to be a werewolf this past year."
"I know Remus Lupin, Boss. He is not that type of man. I also have confirmation that he was in a holding cell in Devonshire under the influence of the wolfsbane potion. I don't think he was involved in this."
She considered it for a bit, looking at the names and opening the folder with the reports. She read through them. "Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger are friends and known to be around each other at school. Are there any other links like that with the others?"
"I'll get Maddox to start on it. We took some statements from the other families, but Maddox can do another round of questioning."
"I want each of these families with a detail at the next full moon, in case this was not the first round. It was just too organized," she said more to herself than Shacklebolt.
"I agree, Boss. You mind if I leave Green in charge for the day? I think I need to stop in the Healer office then some time off," he told her.
She frowned. It must have been bad if he needed to see a mind healer before going home. Looking at her clock, it was just about nine. "I want you in your bed no later than noon and you will not show up before nine tomorrow morning. Yaxley can take lead of watch."
Shackelbolt looked at her. "You sure you want Yaxley? I am still not happy with what happened with that Bulstrode incident."
Looking at the man, she took in his words. She had learned over the years to trust her Captains. Yaxley was a competent Auror, had support up higher than her which was why she caved at times to give him more responsibility, but she had some of the same reservations. "I'll agree to Green if he's on. I want the squads out last night to be off twenty-four hours too. Have them all report to a Healer before coming back on watch."
"I will pass the word. Anything else, Boss?"
She looked back at the stuff on her desk. "No."
Shacklebolt got up and a knock came at her door. She made sure the files were closed first. "Come in," she called. Shacklebolt moved to the side.
A tall, lithe woman with sleak black hair, cunning dark eyes and a nice skirt suit opened the door. "Madam Bones, I have a request for you that needs immediate signing."
She knew her Secretary would not interrupt her or ask for an immediate signature without it being important. "What is it?"
"St. Mungo's is requesting a full squad for a high-profile patient and his companion. Apparently, some media and unallowed people have tried to access the patients room and records. They are also asking for a representative from Wizarding Child Services, temporary Custody and a release of previous medical records."
"Who," she asked curious. Her eyebrows had raised at the request.
"Harry Potter."
-oOo-
Harry woke. The light seemed bright as he opened his eyes. It took a few times of blinking to adjust. Rolling over he reached for his nightstand. His wand was there, and he took it before getting his glasses. He groaned as he sat up. His head still hurt. Putting his glasses on, he found himself in a white room that had the feel of a hospital room. As he blinked, last night came back to him.
"Hermione," he called out. He threw the blanket off himself and stumbled to a stand.
"Easy there," a woman said from behind him. Harry whirled around, his wand up and ready to fight. Blood was already pounding in his veins.
A lady was sitting in a chair. Her eyes were wide to see his wand only feet from her face. She had a heart shaped face, hair that was frizzy like someone he knew well and the same bright brown eyes of his best friend. He lowered his wand slightly, "Mrs. Granger," he asked, having met her a few times at start or end of term by the Hogwarts Express.
"Easy there, Harry. Hermione is right here," the woman said gently.
He looked at the bed next to her to see Hermione sleeping. She looked troubled. Her eyes were moving rapidly and she whimpered a little. Her hair was half across her face. Something about seeing her there like that brought back memories of second year. He had almost lost her then and wasn't sure how close it had come last night. "Is she all right," he asked, his voice cracking.
Mrs. Granger looked at her daughter and moved the hair off her daughter's face. "She saved us," her mother said.
Harry still looked like a tightly wound spring. "Was she hurt?"
Her mother looked at him. "Some scratches and bruises, but she'll be fine." It sounded like the woman was just barely keeping herself together. Harry had the sense that there was something she wasn't telling him.
"Are you sure she is fine? Please, I need to know she is going be all right," he told her, his wand fully dropping to his side now. Hermione was his best friend.
Mrs. Granger clutched her hands together. "Harry, Hermione is good. She is just sleeping. Dan," she said, obviously trying not to tear up. "Uhm, they won't let me see him yet."
Harry had a rollercoaster of emotions as he felt relief and joy to know Hermione was truly going to be all right. Then it hit him that Mr. Granger wasn't here, they wouldn't let her see him and they had been attacked by werewolves. His eyes went wide. "Oh, god, he isn't..."
She looked at him. "They aren't sure. A doctor should be back soon to check up on you and have more news on my husband."
There was a sinking feeling in him. His mouth felt dry. Hermione had gotten away but her father was either going to die or was now lower than a third class citizen in their world. He let out a long breath. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Granger." Harry moved over to Hermione's bed and sat gently on the side. She was still whimpering some. He took her hand, feeling he needed the contact to know she was really there and all right. She started to calm down after a moment, her breathing evening out and her features settling more into a peaceful repose.
They were quiet for a few. "Harry," Mrs. Granger asked.
"I'm sorry," he said, thinking he had done something wrong and stood up, letting her hand go. He cast his eyes towards the floor.
"Harry, why did you get up," she asked him.
He looked abashed at the tiled floor. His feet were bare and he used his big toe of his left foot to pick at a corner of a tile. "I didn't mean to bother her," he told her.
As he picked at the tile, Hermione started to move and whimper again. "Harry, I think she likes you there. Sit. Please," she said in a kind tone. He looked up at her and saw compassion and concern in her eyes. Her eyes were so much like Hermione's.
"Are you sure," he asked. He knew how dangerous adults could be.
"Please," she asked. There was no command or reproach in her voice.
Harry very slowly sat on the bed again. Hermione shot her hand into his. He looked down and met her eyes. "Oh, Harry," she said anxiously. She shot up in bed and hugged him. Harry stiffened at the sudden contact before wrapping an arm around her. Hermione hugged him tighter than normal. She was the only person he allowed to touch him like this, besides Mrs. Weasley. He didn't have much of a choice with Ron's mother. "Are you all right," she asked leaning back and looking him over. A hand gently touched his bruises on his head. "The Healer said you had a real bad concussion and that your scrapes didn't look like werewolf marks. You didn't get bit? Are your relatives all right? Oh, Harry, dad is hurt. We don't know if...if..."
Tears were welling in her eyes. "Your mum was just telling me." She squeezed his hand. He hadn't noticed she had put her hand back into his. "If he is, we know Professor Lupin. You know he will help us," he tried to reassure her.
At this, she broke down and lunged at him again. He almost fell over on the bed as she hugged him harder than before. He understood exactly what her fears were and knew they were well founded knowing Professor Lupin. She started to cry into his shoulder and he wrapped both arms around her this time and just let her fall into him.
He wasn't totally sure what to do. A movement caught his attention and he saw Mrs. Granger get up, moving towards the bed. He felt like he needed to run, but he would not abandon his best friend. "Just stay there," she said softly. "She needs a friend." Mrs. Granger sat on the bed and started to rub Hermione's back. She just about melted into him and he found he was keeping her sitting up now.
"Shhhh," her mum soothed. "We'll find a way, princess."
Hermione sobbed harder. He looked at Mrs. Granger with wonder. He had never seen a parent comfort a child like that. Dudley was loved, but not like this. There was a love for her daughter that Harry thought he could almost feel.
"I couldn't stop them," Hermione said through ragged gasps. "I had my wand and they just kept coming."
"Shhhh. You did more than anyone could have asked for your age, Hermione. You kept them from getting us until the Aurors got there. Shhhhh," her mother soothed. He could see the pain in Mrs. Granger's face. The fact that she was more worried about Hermione than her own pain was something he hadn't known before.
"I should know more," Hermione said sitting up and giving her mother a fierce look. Tears were still streaming down her face, but it was unmistakable the fight in her. "I have been in school for three years. We studied werewolves last year and I should know how take care of them. Instead, all I did was prolong the inevitable with some simple transfiguration and reinforcing charms."
Harry looked at her, knowing he would, and did, feel the same. He had started to realize he had not been studying as hard as he could, and it showed that all he could do was try to banish the thing last night.
"Hermione, what you did last night, that was nothing short of incredible. How could you say..."
"Dad should not have been bit! I could have done more!"
Harry spoke up. "Hermione, fully qualified witches and wizards are scared of werewolves and have a hard time controlling them. I'm sure you did everything you could."
She turned to him, the same fierce look on her face. "And what did you do, Harry! I'm sure you had some brilliant way you fought the thing into submission and then walked away without a scratch."
He felt so taken back, his base instincts kicked in. Harry was a fighter and flight wasn't really an option. "I was only saved when the Knight Bus crashed into the one after me. All I could think to do was banish it. I hit it a few times, but until the Knight Bus showed up while I was trying to lead it away from Privet Drive I was sure it was going to jump on me."
She sat back into her mother. Harry was pretty sure he hadn't ever yelled at her like that before. "Then when they found a note with your name on it, they wouldn't let me go to you, Hermione. I needed to get to you, and I couldn't. The Aurors sent someone to you. It was like the damned Chamber all over. I thought I was going to lose my best friend."
He squeezed his hands into fist until they hurt and felt his fingernails digging into his palms.
"Harry, you sent them. Thank you," she said moving towards him again. He backed away some. His anger was still up.
The door to the room opened. Harry looked up and saw Auror Tonks and a grizzled man with a face that looked like it had seen several wars and an electric blue eye that spun around everywhere, even into his head. He was in an old set of leather traveling robes with lots of pockets and walked with a slight limp and a clunk every time his left foot hit the floor. A woman in lime green robes came in with them.
"Wotcher, Harry, Ms. and Mrs. Granger," Tonks said. She looked a little worn but in good spirits.
Harry watched the man as he followed the Healer. There was something about the man that spoke of a battle-hardened soldier that was dangerous. Harry moved over to put himself between the man and the women behind him. He made sure his wand was ready in his hand, keeping it in his lap and shifting it to be pointing at the man. Moody followed his movement and gave him an approving nod.
"Nice instincts, Potter," the man said in a growling voice, as though his vocal cords were nearly shot.
"Who are you," Harry asked.
The Healer came over to them. "Would you put that wand away, please. This is a hospital," the woman said to him in a voice that brokered no disobedience but wasn't unkind. Harry didn't take his eyes off the man.
The man smiled. It had the effect to make his face distorted and unsettling. "Better do as she says, lad. She has a whip of a tongue and her wand arm isn't any kinder."
"Alastor Moody, if you want to discover how unkind my wand can be, you will keep agitating Mr. Potter," the Healer said in a clip.
The man, Moody, laughed. "I'll not be putting myself under your ministrations any time soon, lass. Now put the wand away, lad. Alastor Moody. ex-Auror and Head of the Auror Academy." The man didn't step forward or offer a hand, but something about the man's demeanor changed and Harry knew this man would defend them.
"Yes, sir," he said putting his wand on the bed next to him. He had a grudging respect for the man already, but he wouldn't let his wand be in a position he couldn't use it.
After a moment, the man nodded and leaned against the wall. "Now, if you children are done playing around, I would like to see how my patients are doing."
Moody waved a hand at them as though saying he wasn't going to interfere. Harry now turned to the Healer. She was a tall woman with blond hair, a very classic beauty to her face and grey eyes. Harry caught himself looking at her eyes. They were the same as Sirius'.
"Doctor Tonks," Mrs. Granger said. "Any news on my husband?"
The woman's hard set to her face melted. It had the look of a woman sympathizing with another woman worried for their loved ones. "He should be able to receive visitors when he wakes. I can talk to you about his condition when I am done here."
"He has lycanthropy," Hermione said. She still had tears in her eyes.
Healer Tonks frowned. "Ms. Granger, we will not know until the ostendo potion is complete tomorrow morning, but it looks highly probable. I would like to discuss this with your mother after I see how you two are doing."
Hermione reached her hand out towards his as she nodded. "Yes, Healer Tonks."
The woman gave her a sad smile. "We have ways to help him now, Ms. Granger."
She nodded. He knew Hermione knew what the wolfsbane potion would do, and that her father was now going to fall under all the laws and statutes that both the Wizengamot and the International Confederation of Wizards have passed. Professor Snape had been thorough in his explanation and teaching on the subject of werewolves. Harry had paid attention, much to Hermione's pride, like he always did in Defense Against the Dark Arts. He just felt embarrassed he hadn't understood the lesson and how it pertained to Professor Lupin. Hermione figured it out months earlier. He had liked the Professor so much he overlooked the signs.
"Now, Mr. Potter, if you wouldn't mind going to your bed, I would like to have a look at Ms. Granger first."
"I don't want Harry to leave," Hermione said, holding his hand tighter.
"As that may be, I don't think it appropriate for a young man to be in the same space as a young woman when I ask you to remove certain clothes."
He couldn't help his face from flaming up to think of Hermione that way. Hermione looked wide eyed at the Healer before looking at him. She didn't say anything. He was sure what the look was, but he had a sudden vision of her removing… "No, I don't think so either," her mother said from behind her. Moody chuckled against the wall.
"Uhm, yeah," Harry said running his hand through is hair. "I'll just be on the next bed."
She nodded. He didn't like letting go of her hand. The Healer drew a curtain around Hermione's bed as he sat on the edge of his bed, going over everything from the night before. He was so lost in thought, he missed that Tonks came over to him. "Wotcher, Harry. Sickle for your thoughts," she asked.
He started before settling down. "Still a little jumpy," she asked pulling up a chair and taking out a note pad with thick parchment papers. A quill was already in her hand.
"Yeah." It was all he could think to say.
"So, while we have the time, I was hoping to get a statement about last night."
"Ah, sure," he said to her. For the next quarter hour, he went over what happened and answered some questions. Moody moved so that he could watch him while he told Tonks what happened. When the curtains opened again, he saw Hermione standing up. She gave him a look and a nod, indicating she was all right and he felt tension in his body relax.
"Nymphadora, can you give me some time with Mr. Potter? If the WCS representative shows, please have them wait in the office across the hall."
"Mum, don't call be Nymphadora," Auror Tonks said, the roots of her bubblegum pink hair turning red. "It's Tonks."
The woman eyed Tonks for a moment. "I did not name you Tonks, Nymphadora."
Moody chuckled and Tonks gave him a mean look. "You say a word of this," she threatened.
Healer Tonks shooed her disgruntled grown daughter away to more chuckles from Moody and then closed the curtains. "When the curtains are closed we are under silencing and privacy charms. Would you like me to call you Mr. Potter or Harry," she said turning towards him. She had an easiness about her that settled Harry a little.
"Harry, please," he told her.
She nodded. Moving to the chair her daughter had just been in, she sat. He gave her a questioning look. "I already checked you over about two hours ago while you slept, Harry. I have some other stuff I would like to talk to you about before I take a look at you again."
Harry swallowed. "Hermione didn't get bit, did she," he asked, not knowing why else she would want to talk to him.
"I cannot talk about your friend, Harry. I have taken certain Oaths as a Healer and confidentiality is one of them. You can ask her yourself when we are done. It will be up to Hermione to decide to tell you anything we talked about."
Harry felt very nervous. Why would they put her in the same room as him if that had happened, he tried to reason. "Uhm, okay. Then why do you want to talk instead of checking me over," he asked, not really wanting to do either.
She was sitting tall and straight in her chair. "Harry, there will be a representative from Wizarding Child Services coming to see you today. I did your diagnostics last night and have some concerns I would like to discuss with you."
Harry felt his heart thudding in his chest. The last time someone tried to help him with this, they had disappeared and he had spent days on his bed in his closet. He missed a week of school to recover. He had starved for much of that week too. "Uhm, I'm fine."
She gave him a long look. Harry squirmed some. "Harry, do you feel safe if I was to release you today to go back to your Aunt and Uncle."
His eyes went wide. He licked his lips. "Can I stay one more day," he asked her.
Her kind expression didn't change. "Yes, we can do that. Harry, do you know who your magical guardian is?"
He looked at her with a blank expression. "Uh, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia."
She took in a slow breath. "They are your muggle guardians, for now, but do you know who your magical guardian is?"
"My godfather," he said, knowing that Sirius had offered for him to come live with him before he was forced into hiding and could not take up the mantle if he wanted to right now.
"As much as I would like my cousin to be, Harry, Sirius is a man on the run right now." She held up her hand. "I will not ask any details. I have been informed enough of events of last year. For years now, I have been petitioning the Wizengamot for a trial, since he is still the registered Head of House and current Lord Black. Titles he would not be able to maintain if he had been found guilty."
Harry sat back, unsure if he could trust this woman. She seemed to know more about things than he liked and wasn't sure if it wasn't a trick to find out things about where Sirius might be hiding.
"Harry, I don't mean you or my cousin any harm. I will ask once more, do you know who your magical guardian is?"
Harry shook his head after a moment.
She looked at him before nodding. "Neither do we," she admitted.
He looked at her. Shouldn't people know who his magical guardian is, but again, he didn't know there was a difference until now.
She let out a big sigh before leaning forward. "Harry, I saw your scars and evidence of broken bones and malnutrition. There are other things too, potions and compulsions, we have found. I would really like to talk to your guardian about a treatment, but I think I should talk to you about some of this. St. Mungo's is taking over temporary custodianship of you and has started procedures to separate you from your Aunt and Uncle. I cannot, in good consciousness, send you back. I will also be your custodian for now. You are not to let any Healer or other person see you or remove you from any room or St. Mungo's unless I give you explicit permission directly. Understood? "
He blinked before nodding. Unsure of what to say to this. His hands were shaking. He was looking at the possibility of never having to see his relatives again. Uncle Vernon would never lay a hand on him again or call him freak. Until he was six, he had thought his name was boy.
"Where will I go," he asked her as the full impact hit. He was unable to stay at Hogwarts over the summer. He knew the Weasley's always accepted him in, but they had four kids already at home and he knew they were barely able to support themselves, never mind a new mouth. Sirius was on the run and unable to be his guardian.
"Don't worry about that right now. We will find who your guardian is and then figure it out from there." She moved a little closer. Harry didn't move, instead turning his eyes down to stare at his hands.
"Harry, would you like to talk about what happened when you were living at the Dursley's," she asked gently.
He shook his head, closing his eyes.
"That's fine, Harry. Your breakfast should be hear soon and I thought we could discuss what we are looking to do while we wait?"
Harry didn't look up. He hated Privet Drive, but it had at least been a place he could call home. If you could call that place that for him. "Will I get to stay with Hermione?" She was the only thing he still had he could cling too.
Healer Tonks smiled. "She is being moved to a private room in the Magical Maladies ward after she is done with her breakfast. She has requested the same and I think we can change the rules for this. Now, I would like to go over some of our finding, if you are ready?"
Harry looked at her and nodded. "It will be all right, Harry. Now, do you know what a compulsion charm is," she asked him.
-oOo-
July 24, 1994
Jane sat in the chair next to her husband. Her hand was clutching his hard as he sat in bed. He was looking pale and drawn. His left arm was bandaged from his wrist to his elbow. There had been so much blood when the Aurors had finally gotten the werewolf off him. "Jane, where is Hermione? You haven't said anything about her accept she's going to be healthy."
This was a conversation she had avoided since him waking yesterday. Looking at him, she still wasn't sure he was up to handling everything she had learned in the last twenty-four hours. She didn't want to keep things from him. Remembering a promise they had made years ago when he had been in the military she steeled herself. "Dan, Hermione will be all right. The Healers found she needed some extra treatments."
Dan paled even more. "She wasn't..." he started.
She shook her head vehemently. "No, Dan. She was not bitten."
He relaxed a little. "Then why is she getting more treatment? I thought you told me she was healed."
"The Healers found some, irregularities with her magic. She should be ready to go home in another day or two."
"Should you be with her then? I don't want her being scared and us not being there," he told her. She smiled at his concern and love for their daughter.
She took in a deep breath. "She's in good hands, Dan. The Healers are keeping us out until they are done. Apparently there can be some violent magical outbursts as they heal her."
He looked at her concerned. "Jane, she shouldn't be alone," he pressed. "I don't want our daughter going through this with people she doesn't know."
"She isn't alone, Dan. She's with her friend, Harry Potter," she told him.
Some color returned to his face and he looked at her sharply. "What do you mean she's with her friend? Harry Potter? He isn't that redhead she writes about at times that she is always fighting with?"
Jane shook her head. "No. That is Ron Weasley. Harry is that polite black hair boy we have met on the platform a few times." She was starting to understand why her daughter talked about him so much. She also had some concerns just from the few interactions they had had.
Recognition lit in his face. "Is he the one she is always telling us about? The quadditch player? The one that always seems to be getting up to trouble?"
"They have adventures," she said, still reeling to find out a few things she had never known about, like a troll and the fact her daughter had been petrified for months from a basilisk. When she next saw one of her Professors or the Headmaster, there were going to be some words about that. "Harry is a sweet boy, that she always says is far brighter than he likes to let on, and a little protective of our daughter."
Dan growled. "What do you mean protective? Is it safe to leave her with him," he asked. The growl kept going.
"Hermione is perfectly safe with Harry. He is a nice boy," she told him. Dan's growl deepened and she felt apprehensive. "Dan, will you stop that."
Dan stopped growling, as though suddenly realizing he had been doing it. He looked at her for a moment before pulling his hand out of hers. "Jane, what is happening to me? I felt like I wanted to... defend my daughter."
She looked at him, pursing her lips. They hadn't really gone over anything with him yet about what the wound on his arm meant. She wanted a Healer here for this. "Dan, can you wait just a little bit? A Healer should be around soon. I am not sure I can explain everything."
There was silence for a bit. Dan looked at his hands, and then his arm. "I'm turning into one of those things, aren't I?"
Hermione's intelligence and bravery had definitely come from her parents. "The Healers are confident that you are infected," she told him. She fought back her own tears. "Dan, they don't know if its fully safe for you to return to our world. You now fall under the laws of the Ministry of Magic." She knew he knew the implications of it from Hermione and the pamphlets they had read. Minerva had been very thorough in explaining how the magical world didn't really interact with the normal world and what the penalties were for exposing them. Dan had asked many questions that day and knew what this meant.
He just nodded is head. "I guess I need to hand in my badge. Maybe I should have gone to Medical School and become a dentist like my father wanted."
Jane shook her head. "And how would that have helped? Hermione would still be a witch and you wouldn't have been able to kill that one that went for us."
Dan slumped his shoulder. "I was just thinking that if I need to be in the world our daughter is going to live in, I could have started a medical practice or something. Without a wand, I won't be able to be a police officer anymore."
"Oh, Dan. We'll figure out something."
A knock came at the door. "Come in," she called out.
By now, she was getting used to seeing the witches and wizards in lime green robes. A man she recognized as Healer Bligh walked in. "How are you today, Mr. Granger?"
Her husband looked up at the man. "Tell me the truth. Will I turn into one of those beasts?"
The Healer grimaced. "Well, not the way I wanted to break into this conversation."
"Tell him everything you explained to me last night," she told the man in a bossy voice. Being the lead partner in the Dentistry services she was at, she had had to learn how to project herself.
The Healer nodded. "I see neither of you like to bandy around. Yes, Mr. Granger. We have been able to run a positive test. I am sorry to say you have been infected with lycanthropy."