Chapter 16

"I must say." I comment, looking over the large quantities of rare ingredients on Dumbledore's desk. "You certainly cut things a little close with these ingredients Professor."

His response is merely to brush his beard while giving me his usual twinkle and smile, while Sirius calms Remus down from his nerves in the corner.

The biggest surprise is from Snape, who has made it a point of inviting himself to the upcoming festivities for whatever reason he refuses to tell everyone else.

"Even you can admit the rarity of the things you asked for, to say nothing of the amount of each is a hard thing to get quickly."

Even with his patronizing tone, I can't fault his words.

Not even factoring in the quantity of Phoenix Ash and Tears, certainly of which must have cut into his stored stock, the Occamy Shells and Dragon's blood would have taken an enormous amount of effort to get.

I have no doubt he had to get in contact with Newt Scamander himself for at least the Occamy Shells.

Watching his fellow professor glare at everyone else, Dumbledore decides to add a bit further himself. "I apologize for the wait, but certain parties were curious to the reason behind requiring the ingredients."

Giving a wave of his hand he points out the obvious. "Of course it took some time to stress the importance of secrecy in regards to what we all hope to achieve tonight." Giving a brief look at the Potions Professor he further adds lightly. "Even if some wouldn't want to admit so."

Snape scoffs and says nothing further, turning away to look out the window at the sun setting.

"Perhaps we could go over things once more." Dumbledore suggests, his words bringing Remus and Sirius over. "There were quite a few details that have yet to be ironed out as they say."

Giving everyone a glance, I nod as I reach into my robes to pull out my notes regarding the upcoming ritual.

"Everything will need to be ready by 2:25 am tonight, at which point I'll begin the chanting required."

Snape decides to cut me off almost immediately, bringing up what was probably the most important missing detail. "And just where do you plan for this ritual to take place."

With a sneer and a jab of his hand, he points at Remus who takes his words and actions remarkably well, while Sirius gives him occasional glares. "One of the things you yourself have pointed out is that Lupin will need to be shifted tonight without the aid of the potions he usually takes. Even you can't think to have a werewolf, however tame he might be in your presence, in Hogwarts."

Taking little offense to his words, I give him a nod before explaining. "There is a room in the school that I had originally considered, before ruling it out as the magic of the school and the magic of the room in question itself might interfere with the ritual."

Shaking my head I continue further, pulling out a specific piece of parchment. "No. In my exploration of the forest, I have found a glade that many of the creatures in the forest consider neutral ground, the dimensions involved working out perfectly."

As everyone gathers around the notes I have laid out, they look at the admittedly crude drawings representing the location in question.

A decently sized lake sits in an open glade, a moderate stream leading in and out of the area. Beside the water is a clearing of open ground, only needing some light touching up to provide a clear surface for everything.

The distance from the castle is also not that far, while still being in the forest itself, and as such will still provide good proximity to the ley lines that power Hogwarts wards.

I bring out a few more papers, explaining further. "As I have already shown, the design of the ritual itself, and the placement of the ingredients are as followed."

Going over each piece again, I point to each as I bring them up, explaining the essence each is providing for the desired outcome.

"After everything is said and done, Remus' condition should be indistinguishable from a wizard having a wolf animagus form, as the origin of the curse itself was trying to achieve."

I pull out a vial of green liquid, placing it on the desk next to the other ingredients. "The Basilisk Venom will make it so whomever Remus bites when he himself is in his new form, provided the target is a werewolf themselves, will be changed like him."

"What's with the design itself." Sirius questions, giving a puzzling look at the notes in his hands. "It looks familiar slightly, but I don't quite recognize it."

Dumbledore gives me a smirk and sits back waiting for my response.

"It is the symbol for the Deathly Hallows, and while the story behind them aren't really useful for the ritual itself, the fact that most wizarding children are told these stories will hopefully provide a sense of stability in the world itself." Noting Snape's derision I explain on anyways. "While most don't believe in such things, the nature of Magic is a potent and oftentimes mysterious thing and after such a long time, such stories stick with you whether you realize it or not."

Snape goes to voice the absurdity of my words, before his gaze catches Dumbledore's current movements, having go to one of the necklaces he constantly wears. Only this specific one is now pull out to the top of his robes, and the necklace itself is of the current topic of our conversation.

Dumbledore merely gives Severus a questioning look, as if to speak his mind, but he merely closes his lips and turns away once more.

"Well if you think it'll help then you would know more than me." My father speaks up, having been previously trying to make heads or tails of my notes and calculations regarding everything.

Remus himself just continues to stand there, looking everything over, as the nerves going through him make any verbal response unlikely.

Finishing up with the few other details, I gather everything up before we head down lower in the castle and out the school itself, in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

By the time we are approaching the clearing itself, the Moon has just started to peak out from the mountain that had previously been blocking it.

As Remus starts to shudder, the transformation beginning come over him, everyone else shuffles a few steps away from him, Snape actually half drawing his wand as his wariness and caution refuse to leave him.

A few minutes later, Lupin is on his hands and feet, hunched over and panting due to the pain from the change.

As he begins to notice the others, I grab his attention with a clearing of my throat, and as his eyes settle on me, his posture lessens.

After the past few months, I haven't even needed to continue to shift myself, the bond have grown between us providing all the proof of who I am regardless of my form.

Giving a shake of his head, he lowers down and sits on the ground, obviously waiting for any direction to follow.

I've tried to converse with his other half many times over the past few months, to little success, as while getting a few things across fine, for the most part his wolf side has little to talk about.

Once I even tried to gauge his thoughts on our objective regarding tonight, and only got confused looks in return.

Oh well, regardless of it's opinion going forward, after tonight everything should be fine once it's over.

Moving to clear the area after giving a few commands to Lupin, my steps falter as a glimpse of something flutters through the trees nearby, something looking suspiciously like a form in dark robes, though whatever it is is gone before I can even get a proper look, only noting the hood obscuring any features that could have been seen.

Dumbledore having seen my abrupt pause, scans the area I am looking at, before giving me a questioning look.

Waiting a few more moments, and even giving a few discreet scans of the woods finding nothing, I wave him off but still keep a general eye on the treeline.

As the night moves further onward, reaching a bit after midnight, I finish clearing the snow and grass in the area, having moved onto partitioning off the channels to hold the Phoenix Ash.

As I lay each ingredient in their assigned spot, Remus shuffles back away from me as I pull out the Wolfsbane.

I can see Snape taking a particular joy in his actions, but I make no comment on it, as he has his reasons for hating werewolves though I wish he wouldn't treat Remus the way he did for something he has little control over.

Hopefully after tonight that'll change.

Dumbledore joins me in going over the area, making sure nothing is out of place and that the correct amount of ingredients are ready to go.

As it comes time to get into position, Sirius moves to his spot standing over probably the largest amount of Dittany any one of us have ever seen.

Snape and Dumbledore move to the tree line, staying just close enough to watch and help if needed.

The difficult part was getting Lupin to his spot, as the closer I tried to direct him to the Wolfsbane, the more unruly he became.

As 2:24 struck, and still he wasn't any closer to where he needed to be, I started to panic.

Having little other thoughts, I shifted into my Wolf form, and gave a particularly deep growl at the werewolf, his form shrinking at my actions.

Gripping the back of his neck, I lift him up and carefully place him in position, as his head lowers and seems to sweep around back and forth from the wolfsbane now surrounding him.

Rushing to my spot, I shift back just in time for the clock nearby to strike 2:25am, The moon paradoxically straight above us, the light it is providing seemingly growing.

"Kuridir Stung, Alyr Avok Gorthr, Idja Vaem ol Hverth Jrogor, Stjora Ialdra, Alyr Avok Gorthr, Avkir Vaem ol Hverth Hloradur, Ljef Amjuva Kuridir, Alyr Avok Gorthr, Joth Karn Borfra Hja Mimmal"

As I begin to chant, the moonlight continues to grow in strength, as the others watch on.

After finishing the chant for the first time, Lupin's form begins to shudder and shake, wisps of black smoke flowing off his form into the air above him.

"Kuridir Stung, Alyr Avok Gorthr, Idja Vaem ol Hverth Jrogor, Stjora Ialdra, Alyr Avok Gorthr, Avkir Vaem ol Hverth Hloradur, Ljef Amjuva Kuridir, Alyr Avok Gorthr, Joth Karn Borfra Hja Mimmal"

By the time I finish the chant for a second time, the ingredients laid out in their spots burst into flame, the fire produced rushing down the ash to surround Sirius, Remus and myself.

Lupin is by this point prone on the ground, but his shaking having only grown worse.

Sirius has by now begun to worry, the seizures his friend is going through even causing what sounds like some of his bones to snap in the shaking he is going through.

I even see him try to leave his position once before stumbling, his feet seemingly welded to the ground as he looks on in growing horror.

"Kuridir Stung, Alyr Avok Gorthr, Idja Vaem ol Hverth Jrogor, Stjora Ialdra, Alyr Avok Gorthr, Avkir Vaem ol Hverth Hloradur, Ljef Amjuva Kuridir, Alyr Avok Gorthr, Joth Karn Borfra Hja Mimmal!"

As I complete the chant for a third and final time, the moonlight has grown to be as bright as the sun during noon, Sirius and I unable to see out of the triangle we are currently in.

Remus has stopped almost all movement by now, his form only occasionally twitching, and his skin and fur having lost almost all color.

The smoke that rose into the air above him, has by now grown to such a denseness to put a black hole to shame.

As my father looks on worriedly, I look up to the moon and find myself shocked to almost see a pair of luminescent eyes stare down into my very soul.

My gaze is quickly drawn back downwards however, when a harsh pop rends the air, and the smoke violently breaks into two, one half twisting into a caricature of a wizard and the other into a prowling, rapid wolf.

Both are almost completely black still, with only hints here and there to show the outlines of their bodies.

It only takes a moment for both to crash back into each other, ripping and tearing at the other, the wizard as rabid as the beast.

Looking quickly back up, the eyes I had seen prior are now gone, the moonlight starting to dim.

As the fight continues between the two aspects of the curse, the final remaining pieces of the ingredients seems to burst upwards, a big mass of each rushing towards Remus.

Swirling around his form, a third mass seems to rise out of him, only this time of a light grey, an almost golden outline around it.

Motioning to Sirius, I draw one of the two knives we needed to use for this next part, and locking eyes with him, we cut our left hand at the same time, the resulting drops of blood seeming to fall halfway to the ground before being drawn in like the other ingredients.

As the golden grey mass starts to pulse, the wizard and beast have continued to tear pieces of the other off, their fury single minded in their desire to consume the other.

Sirius and I look at each other, the wounds caused from our blades sealing up on their own, and the third mass above Remus twists to form a second wolf.

This one however shows none of the bloodlust and madness of its counterpart, and with a howl that reverberates around the clearing, it lunges at the wizard, its spectral teeth latching onto its only remaining arm.

The action allows the rapid wolf to seize the opening and latch its own teeth around the crazed wizards throat, dragging it to the 'ground'.

The first wolf seems to relish it's victory, in what little amount of clarity it can possess, but it's victorious howl is cut short, the second wolf waiting for nothing as it lunges again, taking the first wolf in the throat.

The diseased, rabid wolf snarls and whimpers in response, its legs and claws flashing out to attack its fellow wolf, but only achieves some light wounds as it too is brought low.

By now, all the ingredients are gone, and the remaining ash surrounding us is burning low, the last vestiges of the ritual playing out.

Wounded, but victorious, the remaining wolf seems to shine, as the remains of the other two seem to pulse, their forms slowly fading into the air.

Rocking its head upwards, it gives off a bell like howl, a sense of peace coming over everyone as the previous outline of gold, melts inwards to completely cover its form.

As the howl tapers off, it breaks off into smoke, only to instantly shoot down to the unmoving form below.

The more the golden smoke seems to cover Remus, the brighter his form seems to grow, as with a sudden pop, his previously broken bones shift back into place, his body growing visibly less diseased and twisted, pure black fur sprouting from his skin in an almost smoke like way.

Sirius seems ready to rush to his side, though still halted by the last whispers of the ritual holding him in place, as Remus seems to shake and rise on his new, healed limbs.

As Lupin lifts his head, almost at head height to Sirius and I, his the last golden wisps of smoke fade, and with rush of wind, the flames die out, silence ringing out in the clearing.

Sirius seems to stutter on his feet as his freedom is suddenly returned to him, and he takes a few rapid steps towards his friend before coming to halt a few feet away.

"Remus?" He questions in a small, hopeful voice.

Turning his head to my father, his lips pull back in a smile, that even with the change of form comes across as such regardless of being on the face of an animal.

Remus takes a moment to twist back and forth, testing the strength of his new, healed form.

Looking on I notice that the wisps of black smoke are still slightly there, wafting off his pitch black fur, his form much bigger than a normal wolf would be, and closer to the base Direwolf the wizard had tried to use in the past.

With a shudder and grunt, Remus shifts into himself, and a moment later stands there gazing up at the moon in wonder, enjoying the knowledge that he is now free from his curse, and that maybe he could bring such hope to others afflicted as he used to be.

A moment later however, he finds himself shoved to the ground as Sirius barrels him over in a hug, the two shouting out in glee and laughter tears coming to both their eyes.

Turning my head, I notice Dumbledore and Snape approach, with the later being cautious as he usually is, though his eyes are much wider than I'm sure he would ever admit to if asked later.

"It would seem it was a resounding success." Dumbledore exclaims in cheer, clapping his hands once as he peers on the two friends rejoicing in ones new freedom.

The two seem to want to enjoy it further as Sirius shifts into a grim, Remus joining him a second later in his new form, and the two bound off into the shallows of the nearby lake and then into and out of the woods.

My smile drops as I once again notice the figure from before, passing between two trees that Sirius and Remus have just passed, a pair of pure golden eyes staring out from the hood before disappearing once more behind the second tree.

What was obviously a slender form, was much more distinct, as it appeared to be slightly hunched over as it moved, but in such a way that no one could claim it as human.

Quickly turning my head, I look at Dumbledore's face as it too had followed the two romping around the clearing, though showing no signs of seeing the woman I just had.

With a glance back in the previous direction, I hear a sound on the wind as the air seems to pick up for a moment, a sound I am unable to place but for the emotion behind it.

A sound of anger, and frustration.

Looking once more at those around me, they continue to show no sign of hearing or seeing what I am, as I shiver in trepidation.

'Perhaps it's best we get the fuck out of here..' I think to myself, as I talk to the Headmaster and Sirius and Remus play through the trees on the way back to the castle, Snape being his usual brooding self as he trails behind all of us.

~}-{~

Later slight inquiries to the two professors bring no notice of the ominous things I had seen during and after the ritual, with Dumbledore even stating that time had barely passed, only a full minute between the start of the ritual and seeing Lupin's new form from his and Snape's perspective.

To them, they had only seen everything flare and burst into flame, before only lasting half a minute, the smoke of the magical fire covering things for the next half minute until everything seemed to end.

Certainly neither made comment about the 'woman' I had seen nor the sounds that seemed to carry on the wind as we left.

Any further examinations into the things I saw resulted in nothing but being a waste of time, as the night of the ball drew closer.

As the day of the Yule Ball progressed, and the other students left to get ready and later start to come down as things began to start, I found myself walking slowly down to the entrance hall.

Arriving at my destination, it was to the argument between Fleur and McGonagall.

Fleur stood near the entrance, a look of annoyance and indifference on her face as McGonagall continued to question her about her date, as Fleur gave little mind to answering her question.

The dress she had decided to wear appeared to be different to the one I vaguely remembered her book counterpart wearing, being a single strap halter evening dress, the strap and right side of her stomach showing some glittering crystals. The color started high with almost a dark black, slowly transitioning into a silver grey at the bottom.

Catching sight of me, her face lights up and she pushes past McGonagall cutting off her questioning and causing her to huff and follow after her.

"You look lovely Fleur." I compliment her as she comes to a stop in front of me, a blush and shy smile gracing her features as she preens.

Before she can respond however, McGonagall speaks up from behind her.

"I believe I told you that you were banned from attending the ball due to your prior actions Mr. Black."

Turning towards the older witch, I take a step forward to take Fleur's arm into my own as she molds herself into my side.

"That is true." I tell the Deputy Headmistress. "But I am not going to the Yule Ball, I am merely here to pick up one of my dates."

The confusion of her face is brief as she processes my words, but before she can comment further, Hermione and Rose come down the stairs to the right of us.

It seemed that all the girls had decided to match, as both are wearing similar dressed as Fleur but in different colors.

Hermione is in a halter style dress starting black up top then transitioning down to a deep blue, while Rose is in the same but transitioning into a deep red.

By process of elimination I would bet Diana is in a deep green, though I don't see her around.

She'll probably meet us up on the seventh floor where I plan to take everyone, as I arranged for her to know of the general destination last night.

Greeting Hermione and Rose, they press themselves up against me briefly as well before the four of us ascend back up the stairs.

"Miss Delacour!" McGonagall almost shouts, mind having rebooted from our actions. "You are expected to open the Yule Ball in a moment. Where do you think you are going? Who will you be taking with you?"

Fleur doesn't even turn to look at her, as she continues to walk up the steps with me.

"I am going to a ball madam, and I am with my date right now."

McGonagall's responding orders to come back down to the entrance hall and other words are ignored as we round the bend, though we hear some clacks of heels as it sounds like she is following us.

Thankfully the nearby area we are in is unoccupied as I twist open a portal in front of us, getting a gasp from Fleur as I guide them through quickly, seeing a similar shocked look on the face of Diana on the other end at the entrance to the seventh floor corridor.

Closing the shimmering portal behind me I notice that I was correct that Diana was in a similar cut of dress as the others, but in a shade of green.

Silence continues to follow in our steps as the Fleur and Diana reboot from the show of never before seen magic, and Hermione and Rose smirk at each other and the other two girls.

Arriving at an abomination to portraits, the girls look on as a wizard tries to teach trolls to dance.

All four look at me in expectation for a few moments before I give a gesture to the painting, and hold out my hands at the ready position to start dancing.

The humor in my eyes betray me however, as Rose giggles and Hermione smacks me on the shoulder.

"Get on with it you stupid boy!"

Fleur seems to be unable to decide on being amused at her actions, or worried about my own at my portayed ones.

Giving an exaggerated sigh, I quickly spin around and step up to the wall behind us.

Giving a few repeated skips back and forth in front of an empty patch of wall, all four girls gasp out as a grand door melts outwards, growing larger until filling the entire wall from floor to ceiling.

Opening one of the doors I give a sweep of an arm as I motion for them to enter.

Walking in behind them, I take joy in the look on Hermione's face as we come to a plain room showing four more doors. Plain old regular wooden doors.

"Really?" Hermione questions, crossing her arms over her chest, and her foot starting to tap on the floor.

Even Rose is beginning to look annoyed so I don't even bother to respond in words, my form rippling causing the girls actions to halt as they all take a step back.

A moment later there are four copies of me standing side by side, all four grinning from ear to ear.

At first, Hermione is confused on what is happening, and it is only as each copy of me steps up to each girl and taking their hands that her eyes light up, one arm reaching out to poke the shoulder of Rose's me.

Snapping her head back to the me holding her hand, I can see all the questions rushing all over in her mind as she struggles to process what I just did and what to ask first.

The others are in similar states, as I lead each girl to a different door.

Opening each door for each girl, they are all shown rooms that are tailored to them individually, and each door closes behind each pair as light music begins to sound out.

~}-{~

Unbeknownst to the four girls, as they had moved through the portal to the seventh floor, a hidden fifth girl had snuck through after them, hidden under an invisibility cloak.

As each girl had been lead into their own room beyond the first, the first door itself was cracked slightly as a single eye peered through in barely hidden desire and slight jealousy.

A moment later however, the cloak was ripped off the hidden form, revealing the form of Tonks as she gave a slight shriek, her wand whipping around to point at me.

Her eyes go wide as she twists around to look through the one door at the other four, before turning back around to me.

"I made four clones total." I state calmly, as if having a normal every day conversation. "I pegged you the moment I walked down the steps to find Fleur."

Running everything through her mind, she shakes her head after a moment before finding the right words. "So you knew from the start? How?"

"That's a secret I'm afraid." I whisper, leaning forwards slightly. "Though I suppose I could tell you if you tell me why you followed us in the first place."

Indecision crosses her features, as she fights with herself on wanting to know, but not wanting to admit the current warring emotions she has been recently dealing with.

After almost a minute of silence I decide to take pity on her.

"If you want to talk about it, I'd be more than willing to listen?" I offer gently.

With a sigh, she slumps off to the side of the door, sliding down the wall to sit on floor.

Following behind her, I sit next to her as she just stares at the floor in front of her.

The two of us sit in silence, almost half an hour passing before she turns to me and blurts out almost out of nowhere.

"Just what is the deal with you and those girls?" She seems almost hysterical in her questioning, as if the very idea is just incomprehensible to her.

Giving her question the weight it deserves, I take a moment to phrase my response right.

"To be honest, when Hermione and Rose came to me with the offer of sharing me, I had thought that I was lucky for even that to happen." Raising my head slightly, I tap it against the wall as I look up into the air before continuing.

"I had always had a thing for both girls, and almost assumed I might end up with one of them, though I could never bring myself to choose, loving both girls equally."

As I pour my soul out, Tonks just twists to the side to look at me, listening as I talk.

"At the time, I had…. I don't even know what to call what I had going on with Diana, going on since the start of the year, and when Hermione suggested what she did to me, I had thought that I would have to both reveal what had been going on, and stopping it."

I turn my head to the auror next to me. "I had every intention of ending things with Diana, and I certainly had no plans to continue if it were to hurt Hermione and/or Rose."

"Though that certainly didn't end up going like I thought it would as Diana decided to voice her own desires, in her own way." I pause a moment as I look back on her actions as she entered the room, not actually having planned for her to be in the state she was in before deciding to roll with it, realizing that if I had raised a stink at her actions, it probably would have upset all three girls.

"So you just decided to start a harem?" Tonks asks incredulously.

"Hey now!" I exclaim. "That was never my intention as far as going beyond Hermione and Rose. Diana was just kind of accepted on and Fleur had this weird Veela thing that even Hermione is still slightly confused and upset about."

Tonks just gives me a blank stare. "Really?"

"Yes!" I half shout. "I never actually asked for this to happen to me!"

After giving a slight huff of my own I whisper gently while looking away from her.

"That's not to say I'm in any way opposed to this whole thing."

"Of course you aren't." Tonks exclaims, giving my shoulder a shove.

Silence descends on us again, as a few more minutes pass.

"I just don't know what to do…" Tonks trails off, eventually voicing her thoughts.

"If I can take a guess at what's bothering you.."

Leaning over, I drape my arm across her shoulders, gently pulling her in closer, the blush on her face lighting up as she squeaks lightly.

"So I'm guessing you feel a little something too and that fact confuses you since I'm already with so many girls and our age difference?"

She doesn't respond immediately but eventually gives a single small nod, barely noticeable at all.

"Well, that certainly is a conundrum."

I hum a few beats, before bringing my other hand up, a slowly flashing multi color flower growing in between my fingers.

She gently takes the flower into her hands, at a loss for words.

"No one can answer this but you." Standing up I offer my hand to help her up, doing so after she hesitantly takes a grip of my hand.

"Though between you and me, the other girls already have an idea that you are interested and for the most part wouldn't be adverse to having you join us, and neither would I." The offer seems to cause her even more confusion and worry as she remains silent.

"Though they did say you would be the last for sure.." I mumble, turning my head slightly away before bringing my attention fully back to her.

I bring her hang that I still have a hold of up to my lips, giving it a light kiss before pulling away.

"No matter what you decide, I'll support you either way Nymphadora."

With a wink and smirk, my clones form fizzles slightly before melting into the air, breaking apart in seconds.

As my words rumble around in her head, she begins to walk off down the hall, not even commenting on the use of her true name, beyond a slight blush of her cheeks and a hunch of her shoulders.

The entire time the flower is gently held to her chest.

Unbeknownst to the metamorph, a little beetle detaches itself from the wall above where the two were previously and heads towards the door.

As it begins to fly through the cracked door itself, a small series of zaps ring out and the beetle falls to the floor, twitching and rocking slightly on its back.

With a pop, Winky appears above it, and with a snap of her fingers, the house elf leaves only a moment later, an unconscious prisoner grabbed for her new master to deal with later.