Ch. 66 A Night of Wolves

So began Harry's time with me as his healer. I was able to have all his bones and scar tissue in order by the end of the week, after which i gave him the weekend off. During which i scheduled him round trips to Diagon Alley and arranged for him to attend the various seminars and practice rooms at the FIRM center, to help him complete his homework, learn some new and interesting things by different instructors. He looked like he was really looking forward to it. Being able to spend his days in the magical world, away from the Dursley's. Speaking of those living embodiments of shit stains, it seems they've really taken to my recommendations. They just give Harry a proper meal in the morning and evening when he's there and just ignore him, while Harry spends his time in his room enjoying learning about what he could and writing to his friends. Much better than ever for the kid. I've also handed him some guides and notes, to help him along properly, as well as the muggle-born guide. Might as well help the guy not be totally clueless about the world.

The reason I sent him away for a while was because the full moon was coming this Monday, and I need the weekend to do my final preparations. I've even convinced aunty that I'll be heading over to my workshop to put the final touches on my latest prototype. Which isn't technically a lie, the broom has basically been finished, just needing a full gauntlet of tests to make sure everything was perfect. So for the next few days I'll be able to focus exclusively on the lycanthropy vaccine. I want to tell her, but the way I'm doing things can put me in a great deal of danger and she'd never let me do it if she knew. But I had to do this. It would help the thousands suffering from the disease and help them be free of its chains if I succeed.

So on the Monday evening, I arrived at the facility and stood alongside healers and guards afflicted by Lycanthropy, but who've taken the Wolfsbane. They will serve to protect me if every defense gets breached, and since they already have it there's no risk for them in that area at least, but it's different story for me. Everyone present here knows I'm trying to do something which would help all of them, and they are prepared to risk their lives for me to succeed in one more miracle, one beyond the potion I've already given them.

The rest of those here are the fifty brave volunteers, willing to test my various vaccines with their bodies on the line, in hopes of an even better tomorrow. They have not taken any potions or medication in the last month, making sure that the only variables present will be from their own bodies. I have men and women of every age above 17 to get the most inclusive data we can get, with 25 for each biological gender. Everyone was paired to a recipe and since I only have 23 variants, 2 pairs will be used to test the most promising recipes as a third group. Each and everyone of them will go through a full transformation, with every violent tendency intact. This is why we took so many safety precautions.

Standing in front of everyone present, i stepped forward. Although I am young, my bodies growth and my abilities make people treat me like an adult, and they respect me for the results I've achieved. I stand before them and let the majestic aura of the Phoenix within me soar as I speak.

"All of you present are those brave enough to take this risk with me! You are the ones who've suffered through our unjust community! From which they would cast you out because of a manageable condition who anyone could receive. But you stand proudly! Here and now! Ready to take a step and laugh in their faces! To stand before those who've written every last one of you as nothing more than beasts due to their own ignorance. To stand before those whose weak resolve made them avoid fixing the issue and instead choosing to persecute those suffering from it! You are men and women I am proud to know! Because you face what so many fear! With me! And with each other!" I yell out to all those present, giving them the fire to pull through tonight, to see the bright tomorrow.

"And for this I have one thing to say to all of you!" I announce seriously.

"THANK YOU!" I shout as I bow my head to them in respect.

And as i got up, I could see the raging flames in their eyes. Ready to make this night a historic one.

"Everyone, begin the injections and separation procedures as scheduled. We will see the path forward after tonight, and it shall come at the hands of everyone here!" I turn around and order in a commanding voice.

"YES SIR!" Was the combined response of every man and woman in the facility. With practiced ease, everyone quickly lined up in their assigned pairs, wearing their numbered enchanted bracelets. They were made to stay on the person even as a werewolf, letting us identify which recipe they were injected with in case something went wrong. They were simply numbered 1-23, and everyone was wearing there own. Every single pair walked forward without fear, receiving their versions and following the guards to their solitary cells, awaiting their transformations like warriors ready for the battlefield.

After everyone was locked in, with every lock and protective ward activated, with no issues reported across the board, the guard and healers also put themselves into the large isolation room for their transformations. This was just in case even one of them somehow has a bad transformation. We were taking no chances on any sides. Everyone knew the importance of today and no one wanted to be the person to ruin it.

And so everyone waited in silence, for the moon to rise. Everyone had already brought books they'd like to read while waiting in their cells, so people could wait without getting bored. They were also given some CD players and a few albums for them to help their nerves. Like I said, I tried to cover all angles.

But what everyone waited for in excitement and dread had finally arrived. I could clearly see the guards and healers going through their transformations, as they slowly become the hybrid of man and wolf. But thankfully everyone had full control and no mishaps had occurred, letting me unlock the door and waiting for them to join me.

It was a surreal experience to be surrounded by people in their wolf-like form, making my human side want to back away instinctively. But my bestial bloods squashed that feeling and I stood straight and proud amongst them.

"You all know what to do. Be at the ready. If the worst happens, I open the door, you restrain and I apply the antidotes after the number is identified." I ordered cleanly, getting barks of acknowledgement.

So we all waited. We could hear the growling and howling of various werewolves. Some were simply growling, but seeing no one and only smelling werewolves due to my sent being hidden amongst the more than twenty surrounding me, most either tried to hurt themselves or sleep. For those trying to inflict self harm we simply threw a potion which releases a knockout gas strong enough to affect werewolves and seal the room so it doesn't spread, effectively stoping them. There were simply calm werewolves, waiting as if they were given Wolfsbane. Some became even more aggressive, bashing there bodies at the door trying to get out, resulting in them getting a double dose of knockout gas. An interesting result was when the transformation didn't happen physically, but the brain chemistry still changed, ending that one with some gas, but also a note because the two with this one had the same result.

The really exciting part for all those present was that the two most promising recipes were working as intended! Six of the volunteers have been experiencing no change at all. The sight made the guards howl out in triumph at the scene and I swear I saw some crying. I immediately took blood and saliva samples. I need to see what was happening right now, so I ran to my lab to run tests. Knowing that those I left behind could handle things and if they can't they'd immediately come and get me.

All the results were proving to be fantastic. Both of the formulas were effectively stopping the activation of the virus in the bloodstream, the one causing the physical and mental changes, and the ones in the saliva, one of the modes of transmission for the virus along with some secretion glands near the claws. Meaning that at least for tonight, we've effectively completely stopped the werewolf transformation with a single injection the night of the full moon! Now we only need to see how long the effect stays in the bloodstream and work forward from there!

The rest of the night passed as we made sure every volunteer would be safe from the test and themselves. And only when the last person changed back into their everyday selves, with clothes on after being distributed, did we open the doors to let them all out. Everyone gathered, with many looking weary and sore.

"Everyone! You have all done everything we could have asked. You have risked your lives and made it through. Everyone of you has more than earned what you were promised, and we will hold some tests daily to see if the injections led to lasting effects." I informed properly before getting to the exciting news, with those behind me were fighting to hold in.

"And! I am extremely happy to announce that two of our recipes have achieved the desired results! We had six of you who did not undergo their transformations at all!!" I announce with excitement.

At the realization of what I just said, cheers erupted from everyone present as they hugged each other in joy at what that signifies. It means that at the very minimum, with just what they know so far, they can completely suppress their transformations with a simple injection. This led to an incredible celebration amongst the close to eighty werewolves present today. With people laughing and dancing as music played, with some crying in joy at the preliminary success.

I let them celebrate as much as they wanted. I told the healers what to do next and that I would begin planing for the next phase of testing next month, as well as follow-up testing on everyone of those volunteers to make absolutely sure no damage was done.

But when I left, a relieved smile spread on my face as my hard work had actually paid off.