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Scars, Part 23
Rating: NC-17 overall
Pairings: Snape/Lupin, Ash/Tsubasa; also a little Theodore/Blaise, Dylan/Hermione, and Aric/Takeshi
Author's note: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts.
Disclaimer: Based on the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Warning: AU. This story contains a character from Half-Blood Prince, but does not follow the HBP storyline.
Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, Phoenix Rising, Aftermaths, The Revenant, Ash's Story, and Summer Vacation III.
Summary: Snape and Lupin investigate the Romanian sanatorium and visit Bill Weasley in the hospital.
Part 22
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Unaware of the attack on Bill Weasley, Lupin and Snape woke up the morning after Halloween, feeling relaxed and refreshed. Although Snape often complained about how annoying Lupin's cheerful attitude was, he was actually glad to see that his lover was back to normal, and he found that he much preferred an annoyingly cheery werewolf to a depressed one.
Lupin was not exactly cheery as they got ready for their appointment at the Romanian sanatorium, but he looked determined rather than despairing. Still, Snape told him, "You don't have to come; I can manage fine on my own."
"No, Severus," Lupin said firmly. "You needn't worry about me; I'll be fine. I won't be a burden to you."
"That's not what I was worried about," Snape protested, and Lupin smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
"I know," Lupin said, his determined expression softening slightly as a look of tenderness filled his eyes. "I was upset by what I saw yesterday, and I probably won't like what I'll see today, either, but the wolf is strong enough to endure it. You are my mate, and I will protect you."
"I don't need some flea-bitten mutt to guard me," Snape grumbled, but Lupin just laughed.
"I don't have fleas, Severus," Lupin said serenely, although Snape noticed that he didn't object to being called a "mutt".
Snape's lips twitched as he fought back a smile, and said, "Very well, then; let's go."
They took a series of Portkeys to Romania, until they arrived at the sanatorium. However, the Romanian Director frowned suspiciously when Snape introduced Lupin as his werewolf "cousin".
"It's unusual for a client to bring a potential patient along with them on a preliminary visit," he said disapprovingly--no doubt because most potential patients would flee in terror when they saw the fate that awaited them.
Snape had played the part of the sympathetic cousin at the German sanatorium, but clearly that would not work here, so he smoothly shifted roles without really having to think about it.
He sneered at Lupin and laughed maliciously, "I want the beast to see exactly what he has to look forward to. I want that anticipation to color every remaining moment of freedom that he has left."
Lupin's acting skills were not as bad as he had pretended, because he played along beautifully, cringing away from Snape and allowing a very convincing little whimper to escape from his lips.
The Director relaxed and grinned; as Snape had correctly guessed, the man was a sadist. "Very well, Mr. Smith, let me take you and your cousin on a tour of our little facility."
The conditions here were even worse than at the Bulgarian sanatorium--the "patients" were dressed in rags and locked in cells, with only damp, moldy straw for bedding, as if they were no better than animals. Or worse than animals, actually. Many of the sanatorium's clients probably had pet dogs and cats that were fed fine dainties and given velvet cushions to sleep on, while they locked their own blood relations up in this prison without a second thought.
Snape did notice, however, that the security was much better than at the Bulgarian facility. The cells and the building in general were heavily warded, and watchwizards were stationed at regular intervals. It would be very difficult for a patient to escape, and completely impossible without outside help.
Lupin probably didn't have to feign his revulsion as they passed by cells filled with patients who howled, wept, muttered incoherently, or pleaded desperately to be released; Snape saw Lupin flinch at the latter. In a few cases, the patients lay or sat quietly in their cells, eyes empty and glazed, too defeated and broken in spirit to protest their captivity.
"Do you have any werewolf patients?" Snape asked, and he was shown one of the quiet, broken men. The werewolf's eyes were vacant, and drool was running down his chin, unheeded. Lupin ducked his head to hide his expression, but Snape caught a flash of anger in those normally gentle blue eyes.
"As you can see, we have tamed this wolf," the Director boasted.
Snape hid his own anger with a cool, approving smile. "Indeed, I am impressed. Are there any other werewolves in this facility?"
"Not at the moment," the Director replied, but a hint of evasiveness in his voice caught Snape's attention.
"Really?" Snape asked casually, looking into the Director's eyes. "I am disappointed that my dear cousin will not have more of his kind to keep him company here."
The Director smiled nastily. "Oh, don't worry, Mr. Smith. We'll keep your cousin sufficiently entertained."
Lupin shivered, and Snape forced himself to laugh. "I've no doubt of that. But still, I am a little surprised that you have only one werewolf patient."
"Werewolves are rare in this country," the Director informed him. "Most of them are hunted down and killed, and few have relatives with the inclination and the wealth required to place them in a facility such as ours. Occasionally, however, we receive foreign clients such as yourself who deal with their werewolf relatives more kindly."
The sense of evasiveness was stronger this time. The man was not lying, precisely, but he was definitely hiding something. Snape felt a spark of excitement; he had been bracing himself for another disappointment, but this could be the lead they had been hoping for!
He was careful to keep his expression cool and his voice calm as he said, "I must consult with my family before I can make a formal commitment, but I intend to recommend this facility to them. May we discuss the terms of the contract?"
"Of course, Mr. Smith," the Director said eagerly, and as Snape had hoped, they were led to his office to discuss the matter in private. Snape was offered a seat in front of the Director's desk, and Lupin, still keeping up his cowed act, huddled in a far corner of the room. Snape could feel the Director's contempt as he dismissed Lupin as a possible threat and turned his full attention back to the client who held the purse strings.
They discussed fees and conditions, and Snape asked more questions about how the sanatorium dealt with werewolves, but it was clear that he was not going to pick up anything more from a cursory, wandless scan of the Director's mind. There was only one way that he was going to get the information they needed, and that was to take it by force.
He whipped out his wand, and before the Director could react, immobilized him with a silent stunning spell; he wanted to avoid verbal incantations if possible, in case they triggered some sort of alarm. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Lupin dropping his frightened werewolf act and drawing his own wand, preparing to back Snape up if necessary.
Snape cast a Legilimens spell and ruthlessly tore into the other man's mind, rifling through assorted memories of patients, clients, friends, and family members as he searched for the ones he wanted. Then he caught an image of a man in chains--a very familiar face to Snape, for all that the man was much thinner and older than when he had last seen him.
"Greyback," Snape whispered, a chill running down his spine. The werewolf couldn't possibly still be alive--but Snape felt a sick, sinking sensation in his stomach that told him it was true. The murders all made a horrible kind of sense now: the brutality and the obvious sadistic pleasure that the killer had taken in his work were Greyback's trademarks. He had seen it before in the old days, and the only reason why he hadn't recognized the handiwork as Greyback's was because he had assumed that the werewolf was dead.
Snape cursed himself for being so stupid; he was a fool to have assumed that Greyback was safely dead when he had never seen the body. Lupin had pointed out before that it was odd that Voldemort had never presented Greyback's body to his followers; the Dark Lord had always made a very visible example out of traitors to discourage dissent in the ranks. But there had been no reason to think that Greyback was still alive when no one had seen or heard from him since the Dark Lord had announced that he'd killed him.
No, come to think of it, Voldemort had never actually said that he'd killed the werewolf. All he'd said was that the problem had been dealt with and that Greyback would trouble him no more. Snape had assumed that he'd killed Greyback and rendered his body into potion ingredients, but he must have stashed the werewolf away in this sanatorium on the off-chance that he might be able to make use of him someday. But then Potter had killed the Dark Lord, leaving no one to retrieve Greyback from his prison. So who had known of his location and broken him out?
Snape searched through the Director's mind with renewed fervor, and found memories of a man and woman bribing him into releasing Greyback into their care. Their faces were not familiar to him, but they had the blurry and nondescript look that were characteristic of a glamor spell, so they had most likely disguised themselves. They never mentioned their names, saying only that they were relatives of Greyback's, and the chest of gold that they gave to the Director kept him from prying too deeply into their story. He had instructed a lackey to escort the couple to Greyback's cell, and that was the last that the Director had seen of either Greyback or the mysterious couple.
Snape withdrew from the man's mind and quickly cast a Memory Charm before slipping his wand back inside his robes. The Director blinked in confusion and said, "Ah...forgive me, I seem to have lost my train of thought. What was I saying?"
"We had just agreed on the terms of the contract," Snape replied smoothly. "Your fee is high, but under the circumstances, quite reasonable, since it ensures a lifetime of care for my dear cousin."
"Ah, yes, quite right," the Director agreed, smiling vaguely and still looking a little puzzled.
"I shall present these terms to my father," Snape said. "And if all goes well, then I shall return with my cousin and the agreed upon payment." He shook hands with the Director, discreetly passing him the expected bribe in the form of a pouch of Galleons, then he and Lupin left the Sanatorium.
They Apparated to the Romanian wizarding village, and Lupin whispered, "Did you say 'Greyback'? Is he the one we're looking for? I thought you said that he was dead!"
"Shh!" Snape hissed. "Not in public, Lupin; we'll discuss this further when we're alone, but let's just say that the news is not good."
"I told Charlie we'd stop by for a visit," Lupin said regretfully. "But I suppose we should return directly back to London and report to the Aurors?"
"No," Snape replied thoughtfully, "let's pay Weasley a visit. The Macnairs and a few other Death Eater families have ties to Romania, so let's see if young Mr. Weasley has seen any of them in the area recently."
But when they arrived at the Dragon Reservation, it seemed that Charlie wasn't there. The staff members on duty spoke only a few words of English, and Snape knew very little Romanian, just enough to exchange polite greetings and ask for directions, but he got the impression that Charlie had unexpectedly been called back home to England.
"I think they said it was a family emergency, but I'm not sure," Snape told Lupin. "For all I know, he could have been called upon to capture a rogue dragon."
"An emergency?" Lupin asked, looking dismayed. "I hope it's nothing serious!"
"Maybe the twins have finally blown up their shop," Snape speculated.
"That's not funny, Severus!" Lupin said reproachfully.
"I was being perfectly serious, Lupin," Snape replied in a wry voice. "Don't you remember the time that a botched fireworks experiment put them in St. Mungo's?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Lupin sighed. "Well, I hope that it's nothing serious, but I think that we should return home immediately and find out what's going on."
"We aren't healers," Snape pointed out with cool logic. "If someone's been hurt, there's nothing that we can do personally, and I have one more person in Romania that I want to visit. Warren Macnair was once apprenticed to a Romanian wizard, and I'd like to know if he's been by to see his mentor recently."
"I see," Lupin said, his eyes widening with comprehension. "He might have used a visit to his old Master as a cover for going to the sanatorium."
"A Gryffindor thinking logically--will miracles never cease?" Snape asked with exaggerated sarcasm, and Lupin smiled, although his forehead was still creased with worry.
But when they arrived at the house of Warren's mentor, he refused to see them. A sharp voice informed them in no uncertain terms, "I have no desire to speak to a blood traitor who betrays his comrades!"
Snape sighed in resignation and turned away. "He wasn't a member of the Death Eaters, but he was definitely a sympathizer, so it seems that I'm a traitor in his eyes. Even if he had seen Warren, I don't think that he'd tell us the truth. I suppose we might as well go back home; we won't find out anything more here."
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At Lupin's insistence, they made the Burrow their first stop when they returned to England, but found no one at home, which alarmed Lupin even further. They went to Hogwarts, and Dumbledore informed them of the attack on Bill Weasley, so they took the Floo to St. Mungo's, where the entire Weasley clan had gathered in his room, spilling out into the hallway because the room wasn't big enough to hold them all. A nurse was trying to shoo them out, saying that they should let the patient rest, but a weary-looking Takeshi Kimura waved her away.
"It's all right," he said. "Let them stay. Perhaps their presence will comfort Bill."
"What's going on, Kimura?" Snape barked out at his former student.
"Professor Snape, Remus, I'm glad you're here," the mediwizard said pleasantly, unfazed by Snape's tone of voice. There were dark circles under his eyes, spots of dried blood spattered on his green robes, and strands of hair coming loose from his long braid, making him look rather the worse for wear, but it was nothing compared to how his patient looked. There was a bloodstained bandage wrapped around Bill's shoulder, and his face was mangled, covered with raw, open wounds. Takeshi was gently dabbing a harsh-smelling green ointment onto those wounds, and Bill groaned softly in response, turning his head away as if even that light touch was painful. His face looked flushed and feverish, and he did not seem fully conscious.
"It seems that we were right about our guess regarding the medallion's magic," Takeshi said gravely. "Bill wasn't coherent when they brought him in to the hospital, but George witnessed the attack, and he saw a creature who was half-man, half-wolf."
"It's all my fault," George said miserably. "The monster was actually attacking me, and Bill came to my defense. He got hurt because of me."
"It's my fault, too," Fred said guiltily. "If I hadn't taken off work early, I would have been there to help you, and maybe the three of us together could've stopped that monster."
"It's not your fault, son," Arthur said, patting him on the shoulder. "There was no way you could have known what would happen. At least George is unhurt and Bill is alive, thanks to Fleur's quick thinking."
Fleur sat at Bill's side, holding his hand, her face pale and drawn, but she looked up at her future father-in-law and gave him a brief smile.
"I'm worried," Takeshi told Lupin and Snape. "Bill's wounds aren't healing properly; I've never seen anything like it. He shows some signs of limited self-healing, which is normal in a patient infected with lycanthropy--"
Molly began to sob loudly, and Arthur wrapped his arms around her. Takeshi gave them an apologetic look and Snape flashed an irritated glance in Molly's direction.
"Hysterics won't help your son," he said curtly, and Lupin snapped, "Severus!"
The entire extended Weasley clan glared at him, including Percy's wife Penelope and even Ron's girlfriend, timid little Daphne Greengrass. But then Harry, Kingsley, and Tonks squeezed their way into the room past the assembled Weasleys.
"Now, now," Tonks said soothingly, "I know that Severus isn't exactly the most tactful person in the world, but I don't think he meant any offense. I'm sure he just meant that we should concentrate on catching Bill's attacker." She smiled at Snape and said cheerfully, "Hullo, Severus. Dumbledore told us you were back and that you had some information for us."
Snape muttered under his breath that he didn't need some little chit to defend him, and Lupin kicked him in the shin and said sweetly, "Yes, we do, but we thought that we should stop by the hospital and see how Bill was doing first."
"As I was saying," Takeshi continued, "his wounds aren't healing as fast as a werewolf's should, even for a newly-made werewolf. It's as if they healed up to a certain point and then just stopped--enough not to kill the patient, but they remain stubbornly resistant to magical treatment. It's as if the wounds are cursed, which they might well be, considering that the medallion is powered by Dark Magic. Healer Smethwyck is running tests on Bill's blood samples and looking up research on cursed wounds, but I suspect that we'll just have to let the wounds heal naturally, which will probably be a slow and painful process, and..." He hesitated for a moment, glancing nervously at Molly, then continued, "I suspect they will leave scars."
"My poor Bill," Molly wept. "Of course it doesn't matter how he looks...I should just be glad that he's alive, but...but he was such a handsome little boy...and he was supposed to be married..." She turned slowly towards Fleur, gazing at her uncertainly.
"What do you mean, 'e was 'supposed' to be married?" Fleur demanded, jumping to her feet. "You think that Bill will not wish to marry me anymore? You think, because of these bites, 'e will not love me?"
"N-no," Molly stammered, "of course not, but--"
"Or do you think it is I who would not wish to marry 'im?" Fleur interrupted. She broke into a spate of rapid, angry French that made Lupin smile and raise his eyebrows.
"My, my," he murmured. "Such a colorful vocabulary for such a proper young woman."
Fleur abruptly ceased her rant, realizing that no one other than Lupin could understand her, although they clearly caught the emotion behind her words. She glared at Molly and spoke slowly but fiercely, carefully enunciating each syllable and smoothing out her normal accent. "You thought I would not wish to marry him with such scars? What do I care how he looks?" She tossed her long, silvery hair back defiantly. "I am good-looking enough for both of us, I think! All these scars show is that my husband is brave."
Takeshi nodded approvingly. "That is how the tengu think. They are warriors, and regard each scar they receive in battle as a badge of honor."
"That is how I regard Bill's scars," Fleur declared. "He received them defending his brother; that is nothing to be ashamed of."
"You're right," Molly whispered, staring at Fleur as if seeing her for the first time. "I am the one who should be ashamed. Bill is very lucky to have you as his bride, and I...I would be honored to have you as my daughter."
The two women stared at each other for a long moment, an awkward silence forming that no one seemed willing or able to break. And then Fleur and Molly fell into each other's arms, laughing and crying at the same time.
"Great-Auntie Muriel has a very beautiful goblin-made tiara which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding," Molly said, tears still streaming down her face. "She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look so lovely with your hair."
"Thank you," Fleur replied. "I am sure zat will be lovely."
Arthur smiled, brushing a tear from his eye, and Lupin smiled as well. Snape's upper lip curled slightly at such an open and extravagant display of emotion, and he muttered, "Yes, that's all very nice, I'm sure, but if we can get back to the business at hand..."
"I'm very sorry about Bill, Arthur," Kingsley said quietly. "But he seems to be in good hands, and we really need to discuss this latest attack and hear Snape's report."
"Yes, I understand," Arthur replied, his smile fading. He reached out to touch Molly on the shoulder and said, "I'm sorry, dear, but I must get back to the Ministry." She looked as though she were about to protest, and Arthur added, "We must find this killer before he hurts anyone else."
Molly's protest died away unspoken, and she bowed her head in resignation. "I understand," she said. "We'll stay here with Bill."
"I'll go with you, Dad," Percy said. "It's my duty to be by your side."
"You should stay here with your mother, son," Arthur told him.
Percy smiled faintly, glancing at his siblings. "Charlie, George, Fred, Ron, and Ginny are here to look after Mum. That nurse keeps saying that there's too many of us here, anyway. You'll be needing to issue warnings, proclamations, and press releases, and you'll need someone to handle all the paperwork. That would be me."
"Go," Molly said firmly, still teary-eyed, but managing a smile. "I'll be fine here; look after your dad for me."
"I'll stay here with your mum," Penelope said, giving Percy a kiss on the cheek. "And I'll send word if there's any change in Bill's condition."
"Thanks, Penny."
"A word with you in private, Kimura," Snape said, motioning for the mediwizard to follow them out of the room. When they were out of earshot of the rest of the Weasley clan, he asked, "What is Bill's prognosis? Your honest opinion."
Takeshi hesitated, his eyes flickering towards Arthur, who said quietly, "I would rather hear the truth than a comforting lie. And as Minister, I need to know exactly what we are dealing with in this werewolf."
"Well, the truth is that we really can't be sure what will happen to Bill until the next full moon," Takeshi replied. "I believe that he's been infected, but to what degree, I'm not sure, since the creature who attacked him was not a normal werewolf. I don't know if Bill will transform into a wolf, or a wolf-man hybrid like his attacker. There is also a small chance that he will retain his human form but develop a few wolfish characteristics, such as lengthened canine teeth, increased aggressiveness...and perhaps a propensity for rare meat." He smiled halfheartedly, but his attempt to lighten the mood fell flat, and he continued, "I do believe that Bill should take the Wolfsbane Potion as a precaution during the week of the waxing moon. As for his wounds, they're resisting magical treatment, so for the moment, we're using non-magical salves and medicines. Augustus Pye has a few Muggle treatments he'd like to try, but Mrs. Weasley, well..."
"Does not believe in Muggle science," Arthur finished, smiling wryly. "I trust your judgment and Healer Smethwyck's, Mr. Kimura. Do as you think best, and I'll make it right with Molly somehow."
"I'll owl you a list of remedies that you might find helpful, potions and salves that work solely due to the efficacy of the herbs, and not any magic used during the brewing process," Snape told his former student. "They may not help Bill heal faster, but at least they might ease the pain and fever."
"Thank you, Professor," Takeshi said gratefully.
Just then, Aric appeared, marching determinedly down the corridor until he came face-to-face with Takeshi and sternly told him, "Go get some rest."
"But--" Takeshi started to protest.
"Smethwyck's orders," Aric interrupted. He turned to the others and said, "He's been up all night--or rather, all morning--with Bill."
"I'm fine," Takeshi said, but immediately disproved his words by yawning widely.
"For Merlin's sake, at least go take a short nap in the staff lounge," Aric said in exasperation. "You and Smethwyck have already done everything that you can for Bill; I promise I'll look after him while you're resting. I think I can manage to dab a little salve on his wounds without killing him. In fact, Fleur would probably be happy to do it herself."
Takeshi chuckled and said to Lupin, "Already so bossy, and he's just a trainee mediwizard."
"I think bossiness is a required trait in healers," Lupin replied with a distracted smile, most of his mind still preoccupied with the discovery that Greyback was still alive. "That's how they keep their patients in line."
"What I've noticed about healers is that they're much better at taking care of other people than they are at taking care of themselves," Aric muttered, not quite under his breath.
Arthur patted Takeshi on the shoulder and said, "Please do get some rest, Mr. Kimura. I appreciate everything that you've done for my son, and the last thing I'd want is for you to make yourself ill."
"I'll be fine; I've worked double shifts before," Takeshi assured him, then smiled at his lover's stern glare. "But I think I will go take that nap, after all." He headed down the hallway, closely followed by Aric, who obviously intended to make sure that Takeshi really was going to keep his promise.
"I am glad that Mr. Kimura will be getting his beauty rest," Snape said sarcastically, and with a touch of impatience. "But we really must discuss what Lupin and I discovered during our trip to Europe. I assure you that it is of vital importance."
"Of course, Severus," Arthur said gravely.
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Afterword: I decided to change my mind about making Bill a full werewolf after considering some reader feedback, which pointed out that making Bill something in-between would be a lot more interesting. And after re-reading the scene in HBP, I do like the idea of his wounds being "cursed". I still haven't quite decided exactly how wolf-y Bill will be; I want to play around with the idea a bit in my head first. Bill dealing with his wolf side might actually make an interesting side story someday.
Part 24
Unaware of the attack on Bill Weasley, Lupin and Snape woke up the morning after Halloween, feeling relaxed and refreshed. Although Snape often complained about how annoying Lupin's cheerful attitude was, he was actually glad to see that his lover was back to normal, and he found that he much preferred an annoyingly cheery werewolf to a depressed one.
Lupin was not exactly cheery as they got ready for their appointment at the Romanian sanatorium, but he looked determined rather than despairing. Still, Snape told him, "You don't have to come; I can manage fine on my own."
"No, Severus," Lupin said firmly. "You needn't worry about me; I'll be fine. I won't be a burden to you."
"That's not what I was worried about," Snape protested, and Lupin smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
"I know," Lupin said, his determined expression softening slightly as a look of tenderness filled his eyes. "I was upset by what I saw yesterday, and I probably won't like what I'll see today, either, but the wolf is strong enough to endure it. You are my mate, and I will protect you."
"I don't need some flea-bitten mutt to guard me," Snape grumbled, but Lupin just laughed.
"I don't have fleas, Severus," Lupin said serenely, although Snape noticed that he didn't object to being called a "mutt".
Snape's lips twitched as he fought back a smile, and said, "Very well, then; let's go."
They took a series of Portkeys to Romania, until they arrived at the sanatorium. However, the Romanian Director frowned suspiciously when Snape introduced Lupin as his werewolf "cousin".
"It's unusual for a client to bring a potential patient along with them on a preliminary visit," he said disapprovingly--no doubt because most potential patients would flee in terror when they saw the fate that awaited them.
Snape had played the part of the sympathetic cousin at the German sanatorium, but clearly that would not work here, so he smoothly shifted roles without really having to think about it.
He sneered at Lupin and laughed maliciously, "I want the beast to see exactly what he has to look forward to. I want that anticipation to color every remaining moment of freedom that he has left."
Lupin's acting skills were not as bad as he had pretended, because he played along beautifully, cringing away from Snape and allowing a very convincing little whimper to escape from his lips.
The Director relaxed and grinned; as Snape had correctly guessed, the man was a sadist. "Very well, Mr. Smith, let me take you and your cousin on a tour of our little facility."
The conditions here were even worse than at the Bulgarian sanatorium--the "patients" were dressed in rags and locked in cells, with only damp, moldy straw for bedding, as if they were no better than animals. Or worse than animals, actually. Many of the sanatorium's clients probably had pet dogs and cats that were fed fine dainties and given velvet cushions to sleep on, while they locked their own blood relations up in this prison without a second thought.
Snape did notice, however, that the security was much better than at the Bulgarian facility. The cells and the building in general were heavily warded, and watchwizards were stationed at regular intervals. It would be very difficult for a patient to escape, and completely impossible without outside help.
Lupin probably didn't have to feign his revulsion as they passed by cells filled with patients who howled, wept, muttered incoherently, or pleaded desperately to be released; Snape saw Lupin flinch at the latter. In a few cases, the patients lay or sat quietly in their cells, eyes empty and glazed, too defeated and broken in spirit to protest their captivity.
"Do you have any werewolf patients?" Snape asked, and he was shown one of the quiet, broken men. The werewolf's eyes were vacant, and drool was running down his chin, unheeded. Lupin ducked his head to hide his expression, but Snape caught a flash of anger in those normally gentle blue eyes.
"As you can see, we have tamed this wolf," the Director boasted.
Snape hid his own anger with a cool, approving smile. "Indeed, I am impressed. Are there any other werewolves in this facility?"
"Not at the moment," the Director replied, but a hint of evasiveness in his voice caught Snape's attention.
"Really?" Snape asked casually, looking into the Director's eyes. "I am disappointed that my dear cousin will not have more of his kind to keep him company here."
The Director smiled nastily. "Oh, don't worry, Mr. Smith. We'll keep your cousin sufficiently entertained."
Lupin shivered, and Snape forced himself to laugh. "I've no doubt of that. But still, I am a little surprised that you have only one werewolf patient."
"Werewolves are rare in this country," the Director informed him. "Most of them are hunted down and killed, and few have relatives with the inclination and the wealth required to place them in a facility such as ours. Occasionally, however, we receive foreign clients such as yourself who deal with their werewolf relatives more kindly."
The sense of evasiveness was stronger this time. The man was not lying, precisely, but he was definitely hiding something. Snape felt a spark of excitement; he had been bracing himself for another disappointment, but this could be the lead they had been hoping for!
He was careful to keep his expression cool and his voice calm as he said, "I must consult with my family before I can make a formal commitment, but I intend to recommend this facility to them. May we discuss the terms of the contract?"
"Of course, Mr. Smith," the Director said eagerly, and as Snape had hoped, they were led to his office to discuss the matter in private. Snape was offered a seat in front of the Director's desk, and Lupin, still keeping up his cowed act, huddled in a far corner of the room. Snape could feel the Director's contempt as he dismissed Lupin as a possible threat and turned his full attention back to the client who held the purse strings.
They discussed fees and conditions, and Snape asked more questions about how the sanatorium dealt with werewolves, but it was clear that he was not going to pick up anything more from a cursory, wandless scan of the Director's mind. There was only one way that he was going to get the information they needed, and that was to take it by force.
He whipped out his wand, and before the Director could react, immobilized him with a silent stunning spell; he wanted to avoid verbal incantations if possible, in case they triggered some sort of alarm. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Lupin dropping his frightened werewolf act and drawing his own wand, preparing to back Snape up if necessary.
Snape cast a Legilimens spell and ruthlessly tore into the other man's mind, rifling through assorted memories of patients, clients, friends, and family members as he searched for the ones he wanted. Then he caught an image of a man in chains--a very familiar face to Snape, for all that the man was much thinner and older than when he had last seen him.
"Greyback," Snape whispered, a chill running down his spine. The werewolf couldn't possibly still be alive--but Snape felt a sick, sinking sensation in his stomach that told him it was true. The murders all made a horrible kind of sense now: the brutality and the obvious sadistic pleasure that the killer had taken in his work were Greyback's trademarks. He had seen it before in the old days, and the only reason why he hadn't recognized the handiwork as Greyback's was because he had assumed that the werewolf was dead.
Snape cursed himself for being so stupid; he was a fool to have assumed that Greyback was safely dead when he had never seen the body. Lupin had pointed out before that it was odd that Voldemort had never presented Greyback's body to his followers; the Dark Lord had always made a very visible example out of traitors to discourage dissent in the ranks. But there had been no reason to think that Greyback was still alive when no one had seen or heard from him since the Dark Lord had announced that he'd killed him.
No, come to think of it, Voldemort had never actually said that he'd killed the werewolf. All he'd said was that the problem had been dealt with and that Greyback would trouble him no more. Snape had assumed that he'd killed Greyback and rendered his body into potion ingredients, but he must have stashed the werewolf away in this sanatorium on the off-chance that he might be able to make use of him someday. But then Potter had killed the Dark Lord, leaving no one to retrieve Greyback from his prison. So who had known of his location and broken him out?
Snape searched through the Director's mind with renewed fervor, and found memories of a man and woman bribing him into releasing Greyback into their care. Their faces were not familiar to him, but they had the blurry and nondescript look that were characteristic of a glamor spell, so they had most likely disguised themselves. They never mentioned their names, saying only that they were relatives of Greyback's, and the chest of gold that they gave to the Director kept him from prying too deeply into their story. He had instructed a lackey to escort the couple to Greyback's cell, and that was the last that the Director had seen of either Greyback or the mysterious couple.
Snape withdrew from the man's mind and quickly cast a Memory Charm before slipping his wand back inside his robes. The Director blinked in confusion and said, "Ah...forgive me, I seem to have lost my train of thought. What was I saying?"
"We had just agreed on the terms of the contract," Snape replied smoothly. "Your fee is high, but under the circumstances, quite reasonable, since it ensures a lifetime of care for my dear cousin."
"Ah, yes, quite right," the Director agreed, smiling vaguely and still looking a little puzzled.
"I shall present these terms to my father," Snape said. "And if all goes well, then I shall return with my cousin and the agreed upon payment." He shook hands with the Director, discreetly passing him the expected bribe in the form of a pouch of Galleons, then he and Lupin left the Sanatorium.
They Apparated to the Romanian wizarding village, and Lupin whispered, "Did you say 'Greyback'? Is he the one we're looking for? I thought you said that he was dead!"
"Shh!" Snape hissed. "Not in public, Lupin; we'll discuss this further when we're alone, but let's just say that the news is not good."
"I told Charlie we'd stop by for a visit," Lupin said regretfully. "But I suppose we should return directly back to London and report to the Aurors?"
"No," Snape replied thoughtfully, "let's pay Weasley a visit. The Macnairs and a few other Death Eater families have ties to Romania, so let's see if young Mr. Weasley has seen any of them in the area recently."
But when they arrived at the Dragon Reservation, it seemed that Charlie wasn't there. The staff members on duty spoke only a few words of English, and Snape knew very little Romanian, just enough to exchange polite greetings and ask for directions, but he got the impression that Charlie had unexpectedly been called back home to England.
"I think they said it was a family emergency, but I'm not sure," Snape told Lupin. "For all I know, he could have been called upon to capture a rogue dragon."
"An emergency?" Lupin asked, looking dismayed. "I hope it's nothing serious!"
"Maybe the twins have finally blown up their shop," Snape speculated.
"That's not funny, Severus!" Lupin said reproachfully.
"I was being perfectly serious, Lupin," Snape replied in a wry voice. "Don't you remember the time that a botched fireworks experiment put them in St. Mungo's?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Lupin sighed. "Well, I hope that it's nothing serious, but I think that we should return home immediately and find out what's going on."
"We aren't healers," Snape pointed out with cool logic. "If someone's been hurt, there's nothing that we can do personally, and I have one more person in Romania that I want to visit. Warren Macnair was once apprenticed to a Romanian wizard, and I'd like to know if he's been by to see his mentor recently."
"I see," Lupin said, his eyes widening with comprehension. "He might have used a visit to his old Master as a cover for going to the sanatorium."
"A Gryffindor thinking logically--will miracles never cease?" Snape asked with exaggerated sarcasm, and Lupin smiled, although his forehead was still creased with worry.
But when they arrived at the house of Warren's mentor, he refused to see them. A sharp voice informed them in no uncertain terms, "I have no desire to speak to a blood traitor who betrays his comrades!"
Snape sighed in resignation and turned away. "He wasn't a member of the Death Eaters, but he was definitely a sympathizer, so it seems that I'm a traitor in his eyes. Even if he had seen Warren, I don't think that he'd tell us the truth. I suppose we might as well go back home; we won't find out anything more here."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
At Lupin's insistence, they made the Burrow their first stop when they returned to England, but found no one at home, which alarmed Lupin even further. They went to Hogwarts, and Dumbledore informed them of the attack on Bill Weasley, so they took the Floo to St. Mungo's, where the entire Weasley clan had gathered in his room, spilling out into the hallway because the room wasn't big enough to hold them all. A nurse was trying to shoo them out, saying that they should let the patient rest, but a weary-looking Takeshi Kimura waved her away.
"It's all right," he said. "Let them stay. Perhaps their presence will comfort Bill."
"What's going on, Kimura?" Snape barked out at his former student.
"Professor Snape, Remus, I'm glad you're here," the mediwizard said pleasantly, unfazed by Snape's tone of voice. There were dark circles under his eyes, spots of dried blood spattered on his green robes, and strands of hair coming loose from his long braid, making him look rather the worse for wear, but it was nothing compared to how his patient looked. There was a bloodstained bandage wrapped around Bill's shoulder, and his face was mangled, covered with raw, open wounds. Takeshi was gently dabbing a harsh-smelling green ointment onto those wounds, and Bill groaned softly in response, turning his head away as if even that light touch was painful. His face looked flushed and feverish, and he did not seem fully conscious.
"It seems that we were right about our guess regarding the medallion's magic," Takeshi said gravely. "Bill wasn't coherent when they brought him in to the hospital, but George witnessed the attack, and he saw a creature who was half-man, half-wolf."
"It's all my fault," George said miserably. "The monster was actually attacking me, and Bill came to my defense. He got hurt because of me."
"It's my fault, too," Fred said guiltily. "If I hadn't taken off work early, I would have been there to help you, and maybe the three of us together could've stopped that monster."
"It's not your fault, son," Arthur said, patting him on the shoulder. "There was no way you could have known what would happen. At least George is unhurt and Bill is alive, thanks to Fleur's quick thinking."
Fleur sat at Bill's side, holding his hand, her face pale and drawn, but she looked up at her future father-in-law and gave him a brief smile.
"I'm worried," Takeshi told Lupin and Snape. "Bill's wounds aren't healing properly; I've never seen anything like it. He shows some signs of limited self-healing, which is normal in a patient infected with lycanthropy--"
Molly began to sob loudly, and Arthur wrapped his arms around her. Takeshi gave them an apologetic look and Snape flashed an irritated glance in Molly's direction.
"Hysterics won't help your son," he said curtly, and Lupin snapped, "Severus!"
The entire extended Weasley clan glared at him, including Percy's wife Penelope and even Ron's girlfriend, timid little Daphne Greengrass. But then Harry, Kingsley, and Tonks squeezed their way into the room past the assembled Weasleys.
"Now, now," Tonks said soothingly, "I know that Severus isn't exactly the most tactful person in the world, but I don't think he meant any offense. I'm sure he just meant that we should concentrate on catching Bill's attacker." She smiled at Snape and said cheerfully, "Hullo, Severus. Dumbledore told us you were back and that you had some information for us."
Snape muttered under his breath that he didn't need some little chit to defend him, and Lupin kicked him in the shin and said sweetly, "Yes, we do, but we thought that we should stop by the hospital and see how Bill was doing first."
"As I was saying," Takeshi continued, "his wounds aren't healing as fast as a werewolf's should, even for a newly-made werewolf. It's as if they healed up to a certain point and then just stopped--enough not to kill the patient, but they remain stubbornly resistant to magical treatment. It's as if the wounds are cursed, which they might well be, considering that the medallion is powered by Dark Magic. Healer Smethwyck is running tests on Bill's blood samples and looking up research on cursed wounds, but I suspect that we'll just have to let the wounds heal naturally, which will probably be a slow and painful process, and..." He hesitated for a moment, glancing nervously at Molly, then continued, "I suspect they will leave scars."
"My poor Bill," Molly wept. "Of course it doesn't matter how he looks...I should just be glad that he's alive, but...but he was such a handsome little boy...and he was supposed to be married..." She turned slowly towards Fleur, gazing at her uncertainly.
"What do you mean, 'e was 'supposed' to be married?" Fleur demanded, jumping to her feet. "You think that Bill will not wish to marry me anymore? You think, because of these bites, 'e will not love me?"
"N-no," Molly stammered, "of course not, but--"
"Or do you think it is I who would not wish to marry 'im?" Fleur interrupted. She broke into a spate of rapid, angry French that made Lupin smile and raise his eyebrows.
"My, my," he murmured. "Such a colorful vocabulary for such a proper young woman."
Fleur abruptly ceased her rant, realizing that no one other than Lupin could understand her, although they clearly caught the emotion behind her words. She glared at Molly and spoke slowly but fiercely, carefully enunciating each syllable and smoothing out her normal accent. "You thought I would not wish to marry him with such scars? What do I care how he looks?" She tossed her long, silvery hair back defiantly. "I am good-looking enough for both of us, I think! All these scars show is that my husband is brave."
Takeshi nodded approvingly. "That is how the tengu think. They are warriors, and regard each scar they receive in battle as a badge of honor."
"That is how I regard Bill's scars," Fleur declared. "He received them defending his brother; that is nothing to be ashamed of."
"You're right," Molly whispered, staring at Fleur as if seeing her for the first time. "I am the one who should be ashamed. Bill is very lucky to have you as his bride, and I...I would be honored to have you as my daughter."
The two women stared at each other for a long moment, an awkward silence forming that no one seemed willing or able to break. And then Fleur and Molly fell into each other's arms, laughing and crying at the same time.
"Great-Auntie Muriel has a very beautiful goblin-made tiara which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding," Molly said, tears still streaming down her face. "She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look so lovely with your hair."
"Thank you," Fleur replied. "I am sure zat will be lovely."
Arthur smiled, brushing a tear from his eye, and Lupin smiled as well. Snape's upper lip curled slightly at such an open and extravagant display of emotion, and he muttered, "Yes, that's all very nice, I'm sure, but if we can get back to the business at hand..."
"I'm very sorry about Bill, Arthur," Kingsley said quietly. "But he seems to be in good hands, and we really need to discuss this latest attack and hear Snape's report."
"Yes, I understand," Arthur replied, his smile fading. He reached out to touch Molly on the shoulder and said, "I'm sorry, dear, but I must get back to the Ministry." She looked as though she were about to protest, and Arthur added, "We must find this killer before he hurts anyone else."
Molly's protest died away unspoken, and she bowed her head in resignation. "I understand," she said. "We'll stay here with Bill."
"I'll go with you, Dad," Percy said. "It's my duty to be by your side."
"You should stay here with your mother, son," Arthur told him.
Percy smiled faintly, glancing at his siblings. "Charlie, George, Fred, Ron, and Ginny are here to look after Mum. That nurse keeps saying that there's too many of us here, anyway. You'll be needing to issue warnings, proclamations, and press releases, and you'll need someone to handle all the paperwork. That would be me."
"Go," Molly said firmly, still teary-eyed, but managing a smile. "I'll be fine here; look after your dad for me."
"I'll stay here with your mum," Penelope said, giving Percy a kiss on the cheek. "And I'll send word if there's any change in Bill's condition."
"Thanks, Penny."
"A word with you in private, Kimura," Snape said, motioning for the mediwizard to follow them out of the room. When they were out of earshot of the rest of the Weasley clan, he asked, "What is Bill's prognosis? Your honest opinion."
Takeshi hesitated, his eyes flickering towards Arthur, who said quietly, "I would rather hear the truth than a comforting lie. And as Minister, I need to know exactly what we are dealing with in this werewolf."
"Well, the truth is that we really can't be sure what will happen to Bill until the next full moon," Takeshi replied. "I believe that he's been infected, but to what degree, I'm not sure, since the creature who attacked him was not a normal werewolf. I don't know if Bill will transform into a wolf, or a wolf-man hybrid like his attacker. There is also a small chance that he will retain his human form but develop a few wolfish characteristics, such as lengthened canine teeth, increased aggressiveness...and perhaps a propensity for rare meat." He smiled halfheartedly, but his attempt to lighten the mood fell flat, and he continued, "I do believe that Bill should take the Wolfsbane Potion as a precaution during the week of the waxing moon. As for his wounds, they're resisting magical treatment, so for the moment, we're using non-magical salves and medicines. Augustus Pye has a few Muggle treatments he'd like to try, but Mrs. Weasley, well..."
"Does not believe in Muggle science," Arthur finished, smiling wryly. "I trust your judgment and Healer Smethwyck's, Mr. Kimura. Do as you think best, and I'll make it right with Molly somehow."
"I'll owl you a list of remedies that you might find helpful, potions and salves that work solely due to the efficacy of the herbs, and not any magic used during the brewing process," Snape told his former student. "They may not help Bill heal faster, but at least they might ease the pain and fever."
"Thank you, Professor," Takeshi said gratefully.
Just then, Aric appeared, marching determinedly down the corridor until he came face-to-face with Takeshi and sternly told him, "Go get some rest."
"But--" Takeshi started to protest.
"Smethwyck's orders," Aric interrupted. He turned to the others and said, "He's been up all night--or rather, all morning--with Bill."
"I'm fine," Takeshi said, but immediately disproved his words by yawning widely.
"For Merlin's sake, at least go take a short nap in the staff lounge," Aric said in exasperation. "You and Smethwyck have already done everything that you can for Bill; I promise I'll look after him while you're resting. I think I can manage to dab a little salve on his wounds without killing him. In fact, Fleur would probably be happy to do it herself."
Takeshi chuckled and said to Lupin, "Already so bossy, and he's just a trainee mediwizard."
"I think bossiness is a required trait in healers," Lupin replied with a distracted smile, most of his mind still preoccupied with the discovery that Greyback was still alive. "That's how they keep their patients in line."
"What I've noticed about healers is that they're much better at taking care of other people than they are at taking care of themselves," Aric muttered, not quite under his breath.
Arthur patted Takeshi on the shoulder and said, "Please do get some rest, Mr. Kimura. I appreciate everything that you've done for my son, and the last thing I'd want is for you to make yourself ill."
"I'll be fine; I've worked double shifts before," Takeshi assured him, then smiled at his lover's stern glare. "But I think I will go take that nap, after all." He headed down the hallway, closely followed by Aric, who obviously intended to make sure that Takeshi really was going to keep his promise.
"I am glad that Mr. Kimura will be getting his beauty rest," Snape said sarcastically, and with a touch of impatience. "But we really must discuss what Lupin and I discovered during our trip to Europe. I assure you that it is of vital importance."
"Of course, Severus," Arthur said gravely.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Afterword: I decided to change my mind about making Bill a full werewolf after considering some reader feedback, which pointed out that making Bill something in-between would be a lot more interesting. And after re-reading the scene in HBP, I do like the idea of his wounds being "cursed". I still haven't quite decided exactly how wolf-y Bill will be; I want to play around with the idea a bit in my head first. Bill dealing with his wolf side might actually make an interesting side story someday.
Part 24