They're Back
Kahlen was sure she had never been this bored and/or angry. Not even when she’d been stuck in the hospital wing after Lockhart vanished the bones in her arm and she had to drink that disgusting potion to grow them back. As angry and bored as that had made her, listening to Linus Bulstrode rant about the dangers of werewolves was far worse.
True to her word, Kahlen had joined the Wizengamot the moment her papers were signed. She’d hoped to have made more progress three months in but so far the only real change she’d managed was overturning the law preventing werewolves from entering hospitals, either as patients or visitors. While it was a big stride, there were much better things to discuss than the constant misinformation spread by Linus and his cronies.
“Surely we need to enforce safeguards, at the very least!” Linus’ face was beet red from shouting, though Kahlen’s allies had matching expressions to hers: completely over it.
“And what do you suggest, Lord Bulstrode?” Kingsley was trying hard to keep the council from erupting into chaos as it so often did, though Kahlen could see he was tired of these same arguments every week, too.
At the use of his title, Linus sat up straighter. “Werewolves cannot be allowed in hospitals within a week of the full moon! It is too dangerous at any time, but around a full moon? We’ll have hoards of patients coming out infected,” he spat, disgust lacing his every word.
Kahlen remembered having classes with Linus’ daughter, Millicent. She was an annoying slytherin, always following Pansy Parkinson around. She’d even joined Umbridge’s inquisitorial squad to get excused from hexing other students.
Thinking of the ugly old witch made Kahlen internally grin. Her very first act as a member of the Wizengamot was to insist Umbridge’s wand be checked and her office searched, and lo and behold they’d found several cursed quills, identical to the one that had scarred Kahlen in fifth year, as well as countless uses of the imperius curse. She’d been arrested on the spot and sent to Azkaban, and Kahlen had never felt so proud of herself.
Millicent, unfortunately, was still walking free like her father, as they’d managed to avoid the Dark Mark and were found innocent after the war. She was sure it was a lie, but she had no proof so she was forced to listen to the birdbrain speak about things he had no clue about. Still, thinking about Millicent always made Kahlen smile. She was the one Hermione had tried to use the Polyjuice Potion to change into, but her friend had accidentally taken Millicent’s cat’s hair and become part cat herself. With that image in her mind, Kahlen couldn’t help but laugh to herself.
“Are the deaths of good witches and wizards at the hands of beasts funny to you Miss Potter?” Linus sneered at her from across the hall.
“Lady Potter,” she corrected. “Lady Black, too, if we’re getting technical.”
She could almost see the steam coming from the man’s ears.
“Just answer the question,” he bit out.
“Of course death is not funny,” she replied. “Given my role in the war I know that very well. Care to remind us what role you played during the war?” Her tone was full of false innocence, her eyes steely and determined.
“My family fled,” he said quickly, eyes darting nervously around the room. “Everyone k-knows that.”
Kahlen let him shift uncomfortably for a minute before speaking again.
“To answer your question, councilman,” she sighed, sitting up straighter, “what I find funny is not death, but rather the blatant ignorance this council is forced to endure every time you open your mouth.” Her response earned her several chuckles from her allies, loudest among them being Draco, Neville, Daphne Greengrass, and Bill, who’d taken the Weasley seat that his father had never wanted.
“Might I remind the council that allowing werewolves into hospitals not only helps us to keep them healthy and cooperative with the Ministry, it also allows us to help new werewolves through their first transformations, which keeps them from accidentally attacking and turning more witches and wizards.” She spoke calmly but with confidence and determination, never pausing or stuttering as she held the attention of the entire Wizengamot. “Regardless, this matter has been resolved for weeks now. Our current issue is on making Wolfsbane Potion free to the public.”
“Potter, we cannot just give potions away for free! Without a profit, it would be a waste of resources,” Pansy voiced with a sneer.
The girl had always bothered Kahlen, but after the war she’d managed to convince everyone she’d turned against the Death Eaters after they threatened Draco’s life. Since no one could prove otherwise, Parkinson had avoided any and all punishments, including Azkaban.
“I would hardly call reducing the pain of werewolves during the full moon a waste,” Bill responds. The scars on his face were a stark reminder of why werewolves needed to be in control of themselves, or they might allow the wolf to take over as Fenrir Greyback had done. If a werewolf becomes that sadistic, people are bound to be hurt like Bill was.
Before Linus could spew anymore of his nonsense, Kahlen continued off Bill’s point.
“We’ve already gotten permission from Damocles Belby, the inventor, to make the potion instructions public. All the ministry would need to do is finance it. If werewolves are able to maintain control during full moons, attacks will lessen. It’s common sense.”
You know that saying, ‘common sense isn’t all that common?’ That perfectly describes the arguments of Linus Bulstrode.
“Last week you wanted money for some werewolf sanctuary, now Wolfsbane Potion? What’s next, paying for their houses? Their food? Where exactly do you expect this money to come from?” He asked incredulously, like he couldn’t fathom money going to someone who doesn’t already have it.
“Well, ideally werewolves would be able to pay for those things themselves, but since they are routinely discriminated against and kept from working this proves to be impossible,” Neville pointed out, his voice quiet but sure. Kahlen nodded to him in thanks, appreciating his support.
“Exactly. I believe regular use of Wolfsbane Potion will improve public trust in werewolves and reduce the unemployment rate of those infected. Once this problem is fixed, Wolfsbane Potion won’t need to be free, as werewolves will be able to buy it with their wages.”
She’d thought her argument was pretty sound, but Linus opened his mouth to continue to get in the way of progress. Thankfully, she didn’t have to hear what he said. At that moment, Hermione burst into the chambers. As a leader of the Muggle Division in the Ministry, it wasn’t strange for Kahlen to see Hermione throughout the day. What was odd, however, was that she’d come into an active Wizengamot session. Strictly speaking, this was not allowed, which was made obvious by the immediate protests from the older members of the council.
“Ms. Granger, these chambers are closed to non-members!” Linus' face was starting to turn purple. Had Hermione not looked so worried it would’ve made Kahlen laugh. “This is extremely disrespectful, in all my years on this fine council–”
“Kahlen,” Hermione interrupted, ignoring the man and locking eyes with her friend. “We have to go, right now.”
Her tone, her anxious expression, the tension in her body and the breathlessness from running through the entire Ministry could only mean that something was very wrong. Kahlen was no longer amused, giving Hermione her full attention.
“What’s happened?”
“The Lupins,” Hermione explained. “They were attacked.”
— — —
In hindsight, she probably should have let Hermione fill her in before she apparated to St. Mungo’s. All she could think about was her perfect little godson in danger or harmed and she’d seen red. Not wanting to lose control in front of the entire Wizengamot, she quickly stopped by a demolition site and destroyed a condemned building before going to the hospital.
Upon her arrival she rushed to the receptionist desk, probably frightening the poor medi-witch with her frantic and furious demeanour.
“Remus, Tonks, and Teddy Lupin.” Her words were fast, she wasn’t sure the woman had even heard her.
“I-I beg your pardon?” Definitely hadn’t heard her.
Kahlen sighed, frustrated and anxious to know her friends were okay.
“The Lupins,” she repeated. “I need to see them, where are they?”
The witch gulped nervously.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot disclose that information to non-family members–”
“She is family,” said a voice behind her. Kahlen wheeled around to find Tonks looking at her with a gentle smile. Her hair was less vibrant than Kahlen was used to and her eyes slightly tighter, but overall she seemed unharmed, which was good since Kahlen immediately wrapped her arms around the woman in a bone-crushing hug.
“Thank Merlin,” she whispered, finally able to breathe. If Tonks was this put together, it must have meant Remus and Teddy were fine, too. Losing a mate or a child would be devastating, Tonks would not be this calm and relaxed if the worst had happened.
“Come on,” Tonks laughs slightly, pulling Kahlen’s arms from her waist but fixing an arm over her shoulder. “I’ll take you to them.”
Realistically, the walk through the hospital had been short but it felt like a lifetime before she finally saw Remus in a hospital bed, Teddy curled into his side and asleep without a care in the world.
“Hey,” Remus whispered, so as not to wake the baby. Kahlen’s eyes raked over his body trying to find the injury. She’d almost convinced herself he was unharmed, that the minor scrapes and bruises were the worst of it, but then she spotted the red-stained bandages running the length of his arm and she almost wished she hadn’t. It took more effort than she cared to admit, but she managed to keep the tears at bay. She didn’t want him to worry, but seeing him like this made her sad and angry and vengeful.
“I’m so glad you’re alright,” Kahlen responded finally, making her way to his bedside and taking his hand, trying not to disturb her godson. Though she was certain she couldn’t handle it, she asked, “What happened?”
Remus’s eyes darkened, flashing gold for a moment as his wolf grew angry. “We were attacked in muggle London,” he seethed quietly. “We’d just left the park and they came out of nowhere. Thankfully they never even got close to Teddy, we wouldn’t have allowed that.” She wasn’t quite sure if the ‘we’ he referred to meant him and Tonks or him and the wolf, but she breathed a sigh of relief anyway, checking the boy over if only to calm her racing heartbeat.
“We almost got out unscathed but one of them landed a pretty solid sectumsempra and I was losing too much blood to fight properly so Dora brought us here.” Kahlen was beyond thrilled that she’d started by getting rid of the law keeping werewolves out of hospitals. She could only imagine the conversation she would've had to have had Remus not been able to receive treatment.
“Who attacked you Remus?” Kahlen asked gently, not wanting to upset him. To her surprise, he and Tonks shared an apprehensive look before he turned to look at her, clearly not wanting to answer for fear of upsetting her.
“I don’t know if now is the best time or place…” he mumbled, then he whispered under his breath, “so many sharp things.”
“Remus,” she insisted. “Tell me. Please.”
He sighed.
“We didn’t get a good look at any of them,” he admitted, pausing to take a breath. “But,” he continued, “they wore black robes and metal masks…”
Kahlen froze. Her hand tightened around Remus’s, though she didn’t notice until he grimaced. She hardly noticed anything, so consumed with rage. Her eyes narrowed, teeth clenched as she forced herself to realize what he meant.
The Death Eaters were back.