Chapter Three
Peace under the Full Moon… For the Werewolf at Least
It had been a hectic start, but finally after three weeks everyone more or less adjusted into their daily routine. The Professors were pushing everyone to the limit, giving them double the work to make up for lost time. Another week and they were sure the Professors would lighten up a bit.
Currently Hogwarts and Holic seventh year N.E.W.T. students were in Professor Snape's classroom, which was located below the main level of Atlantis. It was dark and you could look out into the sea from some windows. Because the Holic students didn't have their own Potions Master they had unanimously opted for Professor Snape rather than any other Potions Professor.
One thing that was noticeable was that there were more Holic students then Hogwarts.
"Now, so far throughout you education," Professor Snape drawled on, "You have been taught how to brew potions and for some of you learned about what goes in a potion. At the end of this year you will present a potion of your own. Entirely your creation, and believe me I will know if it is original.
"I don't expect many of you to actually come up with a successful potion, but you will be graded upon you effort. And some of you know how I view effort," with that he glared at some of the Hogwarts students, including Ron and Harry of all people.
"I know of two students in this very class that have already come up with some concoction, but I do believe that it is not of your own creation, no matter what timeline you got it from."
"But don't think this is all you will be doing whilst you are in my classroom. We will be keeping up with our hard steady work. And for many of you who think that after we have `caught up' I will go easy on you, you have as much as a chance of that happening as a worm can sprout legs out of its own accord." Snape raised his wand to his black board and instructions covered it, "Get to work. And if said two students please see me after class."
~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
"So what did Snape want?" Harry asked Hermione as she and Aeryn emerged from the depths of the dark.
"The good Professor is helping us with the potion remember." Hermione said.
"After the near fatal incident with Peeves," Aeryn said, "We are lucky he didn't ruin it. Do you know how hard it is to get some of the ingredients? Not to mention it's getting harder and harder to dance around Snape's questions as to where I got some of them."
"It's a good thing you had them in stock at the Manor," Draco said, "I could see the headline now if you didn't, `Lady Potter seen in Knockturn Alley purchasing illegal substances'"
"What's this? Draco Malfoy being sarcastic?" Aeryn said with a smirk of her own.
"I wouldn't be me if I wasn't." Draco said returning the smirk.
"But I'm glad we told some people about this," Aeryn said,
"Who doesn't know besides Lupin?" Draco asked.
"Actually, I think Remus is the only person who doesn't know."
"I can't help but think that we should tell Remus." Harry said.
"It would defeat the purpose of surprising him come the full moon in five days." Aeryn said, "I heard that the new Ministress of Magic will be there."
"Ministess?"
"Minister sounds too masculine." Aeryn complained, "Anyway, he'll be taking an updated version of the Wolfsbane potion until the full moon, on that night just before the moon rises we give him the Lycan Antidote, as we are calling it."
"Then we drag him under the full moon where he will enjoy it for the first time in a long time." Hermione finished.
"So what do you think about this Potions project?" Draco asked Aeryn.
"Oh, I've got a few ideas already. But remember what Snape said, he doesn't expect anyone to come up with a real working potion. This is just to get our feet wet in the whole process." Aeryn answered.
~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
When the day of the full moon finally came around, Professor Remus J. Lupin had to admit that something odd was occurring. Where he would normally feel tied down under the weight of the upcoming full moon, this time he did not. He seemed to be well enough to still teach his classes where normally he would have to have taken a couple of days off.
As of now the sun would be setting soon, he was headed to his quarters where he would make his transformation. That was the problem with Atlantis, there were too many windows, moonlight was bound to spill into every room. Another thing that was bothering him was the fact that over the last couple of days, certain students of his were constantly watching him, as if they knew this great secret. He did ask James if he knew what his twins were up to. He said that he did notice something was going on, but then changed the subject about how the new Minister of Magic, Amelia Bones, was coming for a visit.
It was a great relief to many when Fudge was sacked. A big change in the Ministry was needed. Cornelius Fudge was close minded, pig-headed, and stubborn. Amelia Bones was a perfect candidate to replace him; she was a total opposite to Fudge.
"Professor Lupin!" a voice broke Remus' train of thought, he turned to see the famous trio, no there were five of them now more like quints, headed toward them. Hermione was holding a goblet that was smoking faintly.
"We were hoping to talk to you," Harry said.
"I'm afraid I don't have much time," Remus answered.
"Trust us when we say that you would want to hear what we have to say," Aeryn said with a look of seriousness on her face. Remus nodded and led them to an empty classroom.
"I'll start," Aeryn said, "As you know when the time line changed during the summer and we were thrown into it, the memories of my counterpart, for lack of a better term, where some how downloaded into my head. I remember some pretty terrible things. One event that happened was known only to the people on the Dark side. It was called the `Lycan Purge',"
They could see Remus' uneasiness. But Aeryn continued.
"Being a high member of society, my `counterpart' witnessed it first hand. But all the Werewolves that were killed weren't Werewolves when they were killed."
"What do you mean?" Remus asked. Hermione finally presented him with the smoking goblet.
"We present to you the Lycan Antidote," Hermione said.
Remus was shocked, "How?"
"Voldemort created it, and he wrote it down in Parseltongue. We found it translated it, tried our best to memorize it and with the use of a pensive, Aeryn and I recreated it in this time." Hermione explained.
"So that's what has been going on," Remus commented.
"What do you mean?"
"Well I am not totally blind as to think you weren't up to something," Remus said, "But I do have one question, why didn't you tell me before?"
"Personally, I thought it was best to wait," Aeryn admitted, "Partially because I didn't want you to go mad with anticipation. I mean this is your cure, after tonight you will be the first person to be cured of lycanthropy."
It was then that it finally hit Remus, he was to be cured and it was right there in front of him. "I'll truly be cured?"
"Well you will have to take this potion once every new phase of the moon until the next full moon, but after that you'll be one hundred percent human,"
Remus took the goblet from Hermione with shaky hands, "Well bottoms up."
The rest of them backed up a bit and the twins put up a powerful shield between them and Remus. Remus looked at them.
"We will be seeing Moony one last time," Harry said, "This is just in case."
"We never said it was an easy cure,"
Remus looked at the potion one last time before downing the whole thing, a few minutes passed before anything happened. Remus dropped the goblet as the feeling of transformation was taking effect, the moon visible in the sky. The group watched in concern as Moony made his final appearance; the wolf lunged at them trying to get through the shield, which made them jump, silently thanking whatever deity was holding the shield up. And it went on like that as if the Wolfsbane potion he had been taking had no affect what so ever. The wolf literally torn up the empty classroom.
"How good is this shield?" Hermione asked.
"You've got nothing to worry about," Harry reassured her as he gave her hand a small squeeze. The potion was slow moving in the Professors veins, but soon they started to see results, Remus slowly but surely change back to normal underneath the full moon. As soon as it was safe the shield went down and Aeryn rushed over to Remus who was sprawled across the floor in a daze.
"If there is something wrong with him, I could just…"
"No!" Aeryn snapped cutting Harry off.
"But it would save you the trouble…"
"Draco," she said irritably.
"Just let her do it Potter, and lets not argue about it right now either," Draco said.
"But,"
"Do you really think if I wasn't capable of doing this myself that Madame Pomfrey wouldn't be here," Aeryn snapped while continuing checking on Remus.
"Why are you so against my healing power?" Harry asked Aeryn.
"I really don't think it's a good idea to be arguing right now," Hermione said.
"I'm not against your healing power, I'm against taking the easy route," Aeryn continued, "I haven't worked this hard to be an accomplished healer, only to pass it over to you leaving me with no purpose. Remus should be fine in a couple of minutes." And with that she left.
"Aeryn," Draco called going after her.
"I don't get," Harry said in defeat, "Is she PMS-ing or something?"
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, "I can't believe you would say something like that."
"Sorry," he muttered.
"A little help here?" called the voice from the one still on the floor.
"Sorry Professor," the three remaining people said in unison and the help Remus off the floor and let him sit in a chair.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked.
"Like a shadow that has been lifted off of me," Remus said, "that and like I got hit by a truck, take your pick." He looked out the window at the darkened sky with the bright full moon in view. "I use to hate the moon, but now it's not so bad."
~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
News of the curing was spreading the Great Hall at dinner like a plague; everyone was taking about it and was awaiting the DADA Professor. As soon as Professor Lupin, Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived in the Great Hall, everyone burst into applause.
Remus felt overjoyed, it was a day he would never, could never forget. There was a feast in his honor.
After a while Draco came into the Great Hall alone and sat near the others.
"Where's Aeryn?" Hermione asked.
"Up in her room, she had a headache so she took a sleeping potion; she's out like a light." Draco explained.
"I still don't get anything about earlier," Harry said.
"Let's just leave that discussion for a later time; I'm not up for a headache myself." Draco said. "What's up with Weasley?"
Ron was not eating and kept looking at the entrance of the Great Hall.
"Luna was supposed to be here," Hermione explained, "It's not like her to be late."
Minister Bones left early after giving her regards to Remus and the feast went on. Before they went to retire, Professor McGonagall approached.
"Something has happened and I require you three to follow me," she said referring to the trio. Ron Harry and Hermione got up and followed. The walked to a nearby `Appervator' (Apperating Elevator) and Professor McGonagall requested the Hospital Ward.
"I'm starting to get a déjà vu from your second year," McGonagall said, "She was found not half an hour ago outside the 6th year dormitory."
On one of the hospital beds lay Luna, with the exception of her cloths she was completely grey, and absolutely no color to her what so ever. But was it an attack or something else?
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