Ginny waited anxiously just outside Balthazar’s lab. Today was the day. There was finally a solution and Olivia would be undergoing the final change. If everything had gone well then she would walk out of the lab in a few minutes completely cured.
Dad and Sirius were here with her too, waiting to see if Balthazar would succeed. He hadn’t made any promises of success before the procedure started. But if anyone could do it, then he could…
After a few more minutes of waiting, the door opened and Balthazar opened the door with Olivia following closely behind. Olivia looked upbeat and was smiling widely as she walked behind Balthazar.
They all stared at her expectantly
“It worked!” Olivia said, “I’m cured! Not totally normal… But good enough.”
“Good enough?” Dad asked, “What do you mean?”
Olivia turned to her left, “Balthazar?”
He raised his hand and pointed it towards her. A silvery light shone out of his hand, concentrated moonlight. Olivia’s face warped slightly, her nose pushing out to form a wolf’s snout and her skull shape changing to mimic a werewolf. Her ears grew to a point and her skin grew short gray fur to cover her. The rest of her body sprouted the silvery hair as well and she hunched over slightly. But she didn’t grow in size and still looked mostly human rather than the bulky bestial form of most werewolves.
Olivia opened her mouth wide and demonstrated that while her teeth were pointed, they looked smaller and softer, not like the large sharp dangerous blades in her mouth like you would see in a real werewolf.
“I am myshelf too, no ragesh or anyshing” Olivia said, “It feelsh strange. But notsh painshful like how it washe before. Itsh hardsh to talksh with a shnout thoughhh.”
Balthazar lowered his hand and the silver moonlight shooting out of his hand disappeared. Olivia transformed back into a human over the course of a few seconds, her snout shrinking and the gray fur that had sprouted all over her body disappearing again. She shook her head after a moment.
“Oof. Still not used to that,” Olivia said while still smiling, “Isn’t it great? I’m cured! And while I still have to deal with all of that on the full moon I won’t lose myself or hurt anyone now! I can get my life back!”
“That’s amazing!” Ginny said, “She’s really fine, Balthazar? Nothing came up?”
“No, perfectly healthy. The change has stabilized in her, and from now on she’ll transform just like you just witnessed and keep her mind while doing so.”
Ginny jumped forward and hugged Olivia, and the girl hugged her back.
“See! I told you that Balthazar would figure it out eventually!” Ginny said after Olivia released her.
“Yeah, I-” Olivia wiped her arm to her face, “-I can’t believe I actually can get my life back. Thank you Ginny, for bringing me here. He really did it.”
She turned to Balthazar who was watching them.
“And you, Balthazar. Thank you so much. For everything. I can’t ever repay you for everything you’ve done for me without even wanting anything in return… Thanks. Really.”
Ginny saw that Balthazar seemed genuinely moved by Olivia’s genuine gratitude towards him. He had a slightly awkward expression and coughed.
*Ahem* “Ah, It was nothing at all. I’m sorry that I couldn’t fully fix the problem and return you to be fully human.”
“I don’t care about that!” Olivia said, “I’m not dangerous anymore during the full moon and that’s all that matters to me. Really, Balthazar. I’m thanking Ginny for bringing me here, but you’re the one who did all of the real work. I’d be miserable, hunting for rats in the woods for the rest of my life without you.”
“Well, ah,” Balthazar said before he controlled his expression again, “You’re very welcome Ms. Roberts.”
“Well, Olivia,” Sirius said, “Now that you’re cured, how about we bring you to a party? I’ve got everything already set up at my house. Balthazar, would you like to come?”
Balthazar hesitated and after a brief glance at Ginny nodded, “I’d be delighted. Just immediate friends and family I presume? I am a very private man as I’m sure you already know.”
“Yes, don’t worry,” Sirius said, “The old Black residence has all sorts of wards around it. No one will even know that you were there if we don’t tell them. It’ll just be the Weasley adults, Ginny, me, and the woman of the hour herself.”
“Very well,” Balthazar said, “It will be interesting to finally see someplace new for the first time in a long while.”
They all went to Sirius’ house by apparating. Ginny and Dad had helped Sirius make the cake and set up the streamers and balloons in the kitchen for the big occasion. The big banner was stretched over the back wall. “Happy Cure day!” All three of them chanted as Olivia caught sight of the big birthday banner.
“What? Cure day? Cake? You really did the whole thing?” Olivia said in surprise, looking shocked at the decorations around the kitchen.
“Of course!” Sirius said, “We celebrate the day you’re born every year, don’t we? Today seems a little more important than something silly like that. We’ve got to go all out. You wouldn't believe all the sweets I’ve bought for you if the cake doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth.”
“Well, that’s… Thanks, guys,” Olivia said, looking touched.
Balthazar stood with his large horns and batlike wings folded behind him on his back, looking around at the house curiously as well as the birthday party.
Olivia got the honors of cutting the cake into slices, and then all of them took slices and slid them onto the little plates that Sirius had sitting out. Balthazar stood in the back watching the proceedings while still standing apart from it all. Ginny grabbed another plate and put a slice of cake on it. She walked over to the tall demonic form standing there. A figure that would have had anyone else quivering in fear on seeing him. But it was Balthazar, and she was used to it.
Balthazar stared down at her and Ginny held up the extra plate and slice of cake towards him.
“Aren’t you going to try some? I’m sure it’s been a while since you’ve had anything good. You’re invited to this party too.”
Balthazar hesitated before grabbing the plate and hesitantly lifting a bit of cake to his mouth with the fork and putting it in his mouth. He swallowed the bite and blinked.
“This… is very good,” he said while staring into the mid distance for a moment.
“Glad you like it. Now C’mon. Join the party. It could be fun.”
Balthazar stared down at Ginny with a complicated look as he held the small plate with the cake on it.
“Thank you, Ginny,” He said softly, “Perhaps I will.”
It seems that Balthazar liked the cake. He ate nearly three slices over the course of the next few minutes and joined the easy conversation of the group as Sirius decided to give Olivia and Balthazar an impromptu tour of his house after he realized that neither of them had seen the whole thing before.
After a few minutes, the tour concluded and they returned to the kitchen and everyone started trying out the pile of sweets and candy that Sirius had bought for the occasion. Even Balthazar had a few, although he didn’t seem to like them as well as he had the cake.
“Well,” Balthazar said, “Thank you for the party. But I think it’s about time for me to go back to Azkaban. I assume that you can sort out helping Olivia return to society?”
“I’ll be working on it,” Sirius promised, “Olivia? Would you like to stay here with me or with Arthur at the Burrow for the time being? We’ve discussed, and you can stay with us as long as we need to sort out the legal aspects of getting you your citizenship back.”
“Thank you. Can I… Stay here, Sirius?” Olivia asked, “I’m not sure I’d like to explain to Ginny’s brothers about everything. Or not explain depending on things…”
“That’s fine. We’ve got plenty of spare bedrooms in this old place at the moment.”
“Thanks, Sirius.”
“Well, things seem to be in order,” Balthazar said, “You have your communicators, Arthur, Sirius. Remember just tap twice to send a request to talk with me. I’ll be off then. Thank you for the… food and party. Goodbye.”
He turned and walked out of the room without looking back before any of them could reply. After a few seconds of him walking, he opened the front door and took a step outside onto the porch. He shut the door behind him with a click and with a crack of apparition he disappeared again.
Huh. Ginny wondered why Balthazar was acting so strangely. Usually he was rather calm, it was unlike him to act like that…
— — —
Balthazar sat in his room in Azkaban and stared at his hands. It had been such a long time since these hands had healed rather than destroyed. Always conquering, always fighting for Teregatt’s banner ever since he’d been bound to it. Everything he built for the purpose of war, every act of healing to get a fallen soldier back into battle with maximum speed. Not true healing, but repairing the cogs of war back into their perfect state so they could grind ever onwards in the service of Teregatt and its master.
It had been a long time since he’d actually helped somebody without an ulterior motive for it.
He went over to the corner of the room and tapped on the wall. The stone slid aside and revealed a cubby in the stone that he had created when he first claimed this room. He reached inside and retrieved the black obsidian dagger and held it as he sat back down.
He had been so sure before. Why now near the end did he have to doubt himself like this? She would turn out just like all the rest given enough time, he was sure.
But…
But maybe not.
She seemed different from the others.
He flipped the black dagger over and over and inspected it as he thought. He still had plenty of time to make a decision. He had spent so much time building the blade, thousands of years across a thousand worlds in secret.
Would he let all that effort go to waste at the very finish line?
Yet, maybe he should. What would his love have thought of him if she knew he was even considering it? She would be horrified. But she wasn’t with him anymore, was she?
With a sigh, Balthazar took the dagger and walked back to the cubby in the wall and replaced the dagger in its place. With another tap on the wall the stone shifted back in place and the wards reactivated. He still had time.
He almost wished that Eric could have been Teregatt’s inheritor instead of Ginny.
It would have made this far easier.
— — —
Ginny was visiting Sirius’ house again. It had been a few days, and yesterday she’d had some fun playing with their magic with Luna. Luna had just barely managed to create a second tendril of magic, even if she was still shaky on controlling them both at once. But still very fast progress on things.
Right now, Ginny was just wandering around Sirius’ house, while Dad and Sirius discussed the legal aspects with some lawyer they had brought in for help. Ted Tonks who was apparently some big shot lawyer and he’d be helping them get Olivia her citizenship and rights back. As soon as someone became a registered werewolf they were an outcast legally. They couldn’t own property, didn’t pay taxes, were forced to live away from people… It was all rather horrible. Olivia’s case was unheard of, so Tonks would have to be careful how he presented the case legally. Especially since with all the prejudice against werewolves, many people would be fearful of Olivia even if she proved that she was perfectly safe during the full moon.
“Hey, Ginny. What are you doing?” Olivia suddenly asked from where she stood in a side living room.
“Nothing much,” Ginny admitted, “I’m pretty bored actually. I thought it would be exciting, but all their legal talk is just sooooo boring.”
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Olivia snorted, “Actually I wanted to get your opinion on something.”
“Oh, okay. On what?” Ginny said as she walked out of the hallway and into the living room Olivia was sitting in.
“Well, with all of this legal talk about me getting my life back,” Olivia began, “I’ve been thinking. About my time with the Pack. All of them… They were the same as me. No hope for the future, barely able to survive. Even the ones that go out and hide what they are in the wizarding world still have to constantly worry about when the full moon will come and when they’ll turn into violent monsters. I was thinking of… If I could be cured, then can’t Balthazar cure the others too? I know it’s a lot to ask after how much he’s already done for me. But… What if he could do it? All those people could live again, not have to live like animals in the woods anymore.”
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
“Why are you asking me?” Ginny asked, “That sounds great. I don’t know if you noticed, but Balthazar was happy that he was able to help you. Usually he’s so calm, that he was so emotional at the party and after you thanked him shows how much he cares. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind helping more people as long as he could do it without ruining his privacy.”
“You think?” Olivia said, “You seem to know him better than anyone. I just wanted to get your opinion before I asked. And perhaps use Fawkes to take us to Azkaban so I can talk with him.”
“Okay. How would it work though? I doubt that Balthazar would want to take everyone to Azkaban like we did with you.”
“I don’t know,” Olivia said, “I was thinking that maybe we could set something up out here? Like a clinic that he could just go to and use before apparating away again? People could be unconscious when he’s actually operating on them so they’d never see what he really looks like?”
“Wow, you’ve thought about it a lot,” Ginny said, impressed, “Have you told the other adults about it yet?”
“No, I wanted to make sure Balthazar would actually do it if we could set it up first. You’re actually the first person I’ve told.”
“Oh, wow. Thanks. You want to go now?” Ginny said, “We’ll probably have to wait around for a bit to see him after we arrive given how busy he is.”
“Now? Well, uhm. Okay. Tell the adults that we’re going first?”
“I’ll have to call Fawkes anyway. May as well…”
— — —
“So?” Olivia asked, “What do you think, Balthazar? I know it’s asking for a lot. But it would really help these people if they could be cured like I am.”
“This would be a large undertaking… What is the population of werewolves again?”
“I don’t know. They’re not in government records or anything. I’d probably say… Under ten thousand in Britain? But they’re scattered all over the world, so who knows how many are out there in the world outside of here.”
“Hm. I’m not opposed on principle,” Balthzar said, “I can accept your idea of an exterior clinic that I could apparate into and work in with privacy. I have about four months of my work here left until things will be… up to my standards for security on the island.”
Balthazar glanced at Ginny before looking back at Olivia, “More can always be improved past that point, but… it will not be as critical as what I’ve been doing up to now. Until then, I can only work at this clinic for small amounts of time. After those few months I will have some more free time that I may be able to devote to this clinic. It will be… nice to help others like I have helped you.”
Olivia bobbed her head up and down several times, “Yes, yes. That makes sense. Thank you for agreeing, Balthazar! I’ll tell Mr. Black and Mr. Weasley and I’m sure that they’ll help me set up the clinic and get things set up for whenever you’re done with your work.”
“Excellent. Make sure that they keep me informed on your progress,” Balthazar said, “I’ll add my own forms of security and privacy to the operation once you’ve sorted out all the other details of course.”
“Thanks, Balthazar. You’ll be helping a lot of people with this.”
“That is the hope.”
— — —
Sirius, Dad, and Ted Tonks were surprised after Olivia told them about what had happened. But they weren’t opposed. Olivia looked rather stunned after Tonks asked her where the money for this new clinic would come from. It seems that in all her planning she hadn’t thought about that part.
“I’ll do it,” Sirius had chimed in, “I’ll fund it. I’ve been wondering what to do with all of my money recently. This seems like a good cause.”
Olivia had thanked him profusely, but he had brushed it off.
“I… had an old friend who was a werewolf,” Sirius eventually said, “He got a raw deal in life. Died recently. He’d have done anything for a chance at going to this clinic. I’d like to do this for him too.”
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that,” Olivia said, the mood in the room dropping at the man’s words.
“Well, with funding secured and our mysterious healer agreeing to administer patients after the facility is ready, then perhaps we should start discussing details then…” Ted Tonks jumped in.
The discussion was long, with Ginny sitting in the corner and listening. It was both incredibly boring and interesting at the same time.
It was decided that Sirius would be announcing it under his name, and possibly under Balthazar's name as well if the man wanted to. Olivia’s legal case would be pursued at the same time to prove that the procedure really worked on her as a test case for opening the clinic fully.
Ginny wondered if Balthazar would agree to that.
— — —
Dumbledore watched with interest as Sirius Black entered the chamber of the Wizemgamott and took a seat. As the head of a noble house, he received his family’s seat and the seat’s vote on the council. For over ten years that seat had remained empty, Sirius Black having not returned to it ever since his release from Azkaban.
There was muttering across the chamber as they watched the man. As one of the residing lords he had called for the meeting and with Dumbledore’s support as chief of the Wizemgamott, managed to call a full council. Yet, Dumbledore himself still had no clue of what the man wished to discuss with the larger council. The price of Sirius’ forgiveness for not checking more thoroughly about his sentencing to Azkaban, the man had said.
Whatever this was, hopefully their relationship could shift into a more cordial direction in the future with Dumbledore doing this favor for him…
“Members of the esteemed Wizemgamott!” Dumbledore said and the muttering died down, “Let us give a hand to the official reintroduction of Sirius Black to us. The chair of the most ancient and noble house Black has been filled once more with Sirius Black as head of his house.”
There was some polite clapping for a few moments before things died down.
“Now, Our newest member has called for a meeting to discuss a matter of great importance to him,” Dumbledore continued, “He has been rather secretive, not even I know what he means to present to us today. So without any further delay, let us hear from the man himself! Sirius Black, what business do you bring in front of the full Wizemgamott council today?”
Sirius Black stood slowly from his ornate chair and cleared throat as the chamber fell silent in anticipation of whatever matter Lord Black would pursue. Would he announce support for some policy in support of the light faction and Dumbledore? Some new policy of his own? Seek retribution against those who wronged him and sent him to Azkaban? What could it be?
“I am here today,” Sirius said in a loud voice that only wavered slightly. He was not a man used to speeches, although it was clear that he had practiced heavily before coming here.
“To announce an amazing discovery,” He continued, “Something that will help those that have been shunned, discarded by our society. Viewed too dangerous, having their citizenship, their ability to own property, their very humanity stripped them by this very body. No more. Because today I am here to announce that…”
Several of the dark faction had started glowering and grimacing as they heard Sirius’ compassionate speech. He was likely to announce some soft hearted policy protecting the muggles even more, they no doubt thought.
“Our newest neighbor, Balthazar, owner of Azkaban…”
The whole chamber perked up at the mention of the mysterious man. What was this?
“Has found a cure to the disease of Lycanthropy, that has forced so many werewolves to live on the fringes of our society. This treatment can allow them to keep their minds fully during the full moon and vastly reduce their physical changes to the point that they are relatively harmless. Little more than your average witch or wizard.”
There was a shocked pause in the great chamber, the ever stoic heads of the pureblood houses blinking and letting their shock fill their faces. Dumbledore was blinking himself. A cure? To Lycanthropy? This news would shake the wizarding world!
“Unfortunately,” Sirius continued, “It takes strong and precise control over one’s spells to perform the procedure, so only Balthazar himself is capable of performing this procedure at the moment. So in partnership with him, my house and I will be looking to open a clinic to facilitate treatment, something that will be free to all werewolves who desire it. I ask this chamber today to recognize these cured individuals as what they are. Cured. And to grant them the full rights and privileges given to any of our other citizens in this country.”
There was a moment of silence as Sirius didn’t say anything else before the chamber exploded into an explosion of noise and shouted questions.
Dumbledore let it continue for a few moments before banging his gavel on the stand to quiet the chamber.
“Mr. Black,” Dumbledore said, “I assume that your extraordinary claims also come along with similarly ironclad proof? Are you willing to provide such evidence to back up your claims of a cure?”
“I am Chief Wizemgamott,” Sirius said, “The operation has already been performed on Olivia Roberts. We’ve all heard how she was infected just this year after she was attacked by her teacher. What many may not know, was that as soon as she returned from St. Mungo’s after being a confirmed Werewolf, that her parents threw her out onto the street with nothing but the clothes on her back. Her own parents called her an animal when I visited them to ask after her. She was living with one of the werewolf packs, half starved and hopeless of a future where she could hold no job and never reenter civilized society except as a criminal. We have prepared a demonstration for this council.”
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and even many of the dark families looked uncomfortable at the account. Many of them held prejudice against the werewolves due to fears that they were dangerous. But most held it as one that had a dangerous infectious disease. Someone to be avoided and that should not be seen in civilized society. But not many held the view that they were not human at all, to call their own family animals and send them on their way so callously.
Dumbledore glanced at the Roberts noble chair where the man sitting there was pale as he stared at Sirius with clenched fists. But he did not stand to refute the claim, something that the whole chamber noticed.
Sirius waved his hand and the doors to the chamber opened and Olivia Roberts entered alongside the lawyer Ted Tonks, both dressed up in their best clothes.
Mr. Tonks raised a strange squarish block to display to the audience.
“The device in Mr. Tonk’s hand was loaned to us by Balthazar for this demonstration,” Sirius said, “It contains concentrated moonlight, roughly thirty minutes worth according to him. We shall demonstrate the effectiveness of the operation first hand, and you can question her yourself while she is transformed to see if our claims are true or not.”
Before anyone could react, Mr. Tonks pressed a button on the block and pointed one of its sides towards the girl. As there were shouts of alarm across the chamber as she began to transform. She transformed into a werewolf… but also not. Her head was in a canine form and gray fur had sprouted up all over her body. Her proportions had shifted slightly… But she remained there, standing calmly as she looked around to the startled chamber with intelligence in her eyes. She was not bulky or hulking as a werewolf usually was, and she had not grown in size. When she raised her hands up she showed that while her nails had grown slightly longer and become pointed, they no longer were sharp blades meant to slice and tear.
Mr. Tonks kept the cube producing moonlight pointed at young Ms. Roberts and Dumbledore noticed that her teeth were much smaller than that of a werewolf’s would be.
“Herro, Evrshybody,” The girl said, “Eschteemed Membersh of tha Wizshemgott. I amsh readysh Forsh any Quesshions you may havsh for me.”
Dumbledore sat there and kept inspecting the girl. Balthazar had really done it. He froze as he remembered the man’s words when they spoke with him. Studying a magical malady… this was it. This was what he had been studying. And he had solved it... Amazing.
As the chamber took turns questioning young Ms. Roberts, Dumbledore turned over all the implications of this in his mind. Many tried to ask questions about Balthazar and his methods, which caused Ted Tonks to speak up and shut down any such lines of questioning. Several of the darker families tried to attack Ms. Robert’s character, but based on the skeptical looks in most of the chamber it was largely ineffective. She had been a Hogwarts Prefect and had top scores in her classes, praised by her teachers and considered personable by her fellow students. It was the dark families mistake to keep trying to cast her as a violent troublemaker when the facts clearly pointed otherwise, as anyone who had read the stories about her after her infection at Hogwarts already knew. The media had lamented the tragedy of someone with so much potential falling to the werewolf's curse in such a dramatic way.
Finally, Mr. Tonk’s strange device ran out of power and the silver light washing over Ms. Roberts flickered off. Over the course of a few seconds, the gray fur retreated across Ms. Robert’s body and she shifted back into a human form.
The whole chamber watched the process with interest, and afterwards asked more questions. These questions were less about the girl herself than the difference in how the shift felt to how it was when she was a full werewolf. The girl gave a quite impassioned speech about the painful and horrible process, of the difference in how it had felt when she was a full werewolf versus how it was now. Wolf-kin she called her current state. A good name, Dumbledore mused. Distinct to werewolves, yet still describing their condition…
Finally, the question finished up and the chamber was left in thoughtful silence as the minds of the chamber inevitably shifted into thoughts of the political ramifications of what they had just heard.
Dumbledore stood up ponderously, having already made his decision on his stance on this matter over ten minutes ago. These new so-called wolf-kin… They must be given full citizenship. A pathway for werewolves to rejoin wizarding society in truth. He met Sirius’ eye and nodded slightly.
“Ms. Roberts, Mr. Tonks,” He said, “Thank you both for your time. You are dismissed.”
She bowed along with Mr. Tonks and then the two of them left the room. Hm, it seems that Ms. Roberts had not been told to curtsy instead… But no matter.
Dumbledore hit his gavel on the table in front of him to silence the conversation that had sprung up as Ms. Roberts left, “We have all seen the evidence for ourselves,” Dumbledore, “Ms. Roberts was a werewolf and has been transformed into this new… wolf-kin by our mysterious new neighbor Balthazar. Does anyone contest this fact?”
The dark families shuffled in their seats, but none protested. It seems that even they wouldn’t contest the obvious facts when they were laid out so openly. Balthazar’s name was likely making them cautious as well. No one knew his motives or what he was capable of, even Dumbledore.
“Very well. Now that this miraculous discovery has been shared with us, more of these former werewolves will join us soon… Let us discuss what status this group should hold in our society. From my view and what I’ve seen today, I see no reason why they should not be offered the full rights of a witch or wizard without the curse. But that is only my opinion. Let this august body debate the matter now, so we are not caught flat footed when more people than young Ms. Roberts are part of this new group.”
And so the debate raged from that point. The dark faction seeking to create a new class of restricted citizenship for the wolf-kin. Attempting to restrict the rights and privileges of anyone that didn’t fit their mold. The light faction whole-heartedly joined Dumbledore of course, he had worked hard to spread his influence and favors so they knew it was best for them to follow his wishes in matters like this. And many supported the proposal on their own merits as well, hoping that the former werewolves would be more sympathetic to the light faction than the dark when they were reintegrated into society. One of the reasons that the dark faction opposed full citizenship for the wolf-kin so stringently at the same time.
After days of raging debate and many favors traded, it was decided that full citizenship would be granted to the wolf-kin if all displayed the same symptoms as Ms. Roberts. The dark faction had squealed and complained, but their initial unreasonable demands had been a mistake as the neutral faction was swayed to Dumbledore’s cause as a result. Many had been swayed by Ms. Roberts' personal story. The interrogation of her parents on the situation directly afterwards only revealed the depths of the couple’s prejudice.
The Roberts couple had defended their choice at the time, seeming to believe that the evidence that had been presented to the council about the wolf-kin was a lie, a trick. That their daughter was still a ‘rabid animal’. They had no credibility, and had helped sway many minds to the cause of full citizenship and away from their own.
“Then it is decided!” Dumbledore said with a smile while certifying the scroll containing the new law that had just been approved by the wizemgamott.
“The wolf-kin shall receive full rights as a citizen of our country so long as they undergo a test under the light of a full moon to verify their altered status. I certify the ratification of our new law as Chief Wizemgamott, and as leader of this esteemed body.”
— — —
“So, everything worked out?” Ginny asked. She only had a few more days before the term would start and there was another party about the wizemgamott passing a law making all the ‘wolf-kin’ citizens again. Sirius was almost done refurbishing and setting up the clinic where Balthazar would be treating more werewolves in the future. The waiting list to be treated was already hundreds of names long, and the newspapers couldn’t stop praising Sirius and Balthazar as saints for their ‘charity’ to ‘rehabilitate’ the ‘dangerous’ werewolves.
Well, whatever. They could say what they wanted, but no one was stopping him from running the clinic and were mostly supportive of it so it was fine.
“Yes, Balthazar says that he can start seeing the first few patients in a week,” Sirius said, “And with this new law passed… I don’t think we’ll have any shortage of people who’ll come. Hope you have a fun time in school this year. It’ll be an exciting one, I’m sure what with the… event and all.”
“Event? What event?”
“Oh, you’ll find out soon,” Sirius said, “Don’t want to spoil the surprise for you. Now, let’s sneak out to the front. Your mother is currently laying into your father for hiding things from her about Olivia. I think we’d both like to stay out of the blast zone there before either of us get drawn in.”
“Yeah. Good idea. I’m sure she’ll start listening to him after they both stop shouting so much…”