Dumbledore paused as he observed Harry's ashen face. He'd expected the boy to be shaken at this news. Who wouldn't be? But he also saw a horrified understanding in the boy's powerful green eyes. The Headmaster knew from past experience that Legilimency couldn't penetrate those eyes but he had to admit he was sorely tempted to try again. What was the boy thinking now?
"There was another consequence of that night," Harry commented in a distracted voice. He seemed to be staring at a spot on the wall above Albus's head. "These guys already know it." He indicated the other guests that had been sitting silently through the discussion.
"And what was that?" Albus asked.
Harry seemingly ignored the question and started relating the events of the previous night. He told of the conversation with Barty Crouch Jr and Wormtail, the arrival of the childlike Dark Lord, the ritual performed by Voldemort with the Nott family and finally the arrival of the Death Eaters.
"Tom wanted to duel me," Harry was saying still in that absent voice. "He tried to Imperio me but I threw it off. When he started casting spells at me it was obvious he was only playing with me. So I had no other choice if I wanted to live."
"And what did you do, Harry?" Albus asked in a soft voice. He was feeling a fear of that answer.
"It happened when I was almost nine, professor," Harry answered in an apparent non sequitur. "Probably when your monitors and Mrs Figg all said my life at the Dursleys got better. And they did it in a fashion." Harry lowered his eyes and met the Headmaster's gaze directly. Those eyes suddenly blazed with a power that only years of experience and his own power prevented Albus from flinching away from.
"That was the night I was attacked by a werewolf."
Albus felt his heart drop to the floor with that simple statement.
"But… but you haven't shown the normal signs of lycanthropy! " Albus protested in vain. "And you haven't been transforming on the full moon!"
Harry chuckled in a dry laugh. "When have I ever done something so normal like follow the rules? The werewolf got my ankle and in my panic my magic took me away to the roof of my school a mile away. I could feel the icy darkness of the curse moving up my leg and into my chest. Then it went up my neck into my head. But then it hit my scar. And something fought back. I was in agony for what felt like hours as the two fought back and forth. I woke up the next morning in the forest surrounded by some dead, half-eaten rabbits and five days had passed."
Harry chuckled. "Vernon was not happy when I walked in. Not sure what made him angrier, the fact I was alive, or the dirt I trailed into the house."
"Probably the being alive thing," Ernie commented; speaking for the first time since entering the room
"And what happened?" Albus asked ignoring Mr McMillian's comment.
Padma spoke up now after a glance from Harry. "Hermione and I have a theory. Since both of Harry's parents were animagi, the lycanthropy somehow bonded to that magical ability. We were just never able to explain what it was that fought back from the scar before."
"And that was…"
Albus let out a sudden yelp as Harry silently stood up and was suddenly replaced with a huge, black werewolf. He felt that sudden, unthinking panic of an animal they suddenly detects an alpha predator in the same area. But the giant werewolf simply stood there watching him.
The Headmaster's brain engaged and he could see the differences in the creature before him from a normal werewolf. It was much more beast than man for all it stood on two legs. And the eyes remained the same green that Harry shared with Lily. There was an intelligence there that said Harry remained in complete control of this new form. Albus also noted that Harry's clothes remained although they were now stretched on his massive form.
"Oh my…" He looked over to Remus. "This is who you saw last year? I'm sorry my dear boy, I thought you were pranking us." Remus grinned as Sirius and the large quasi-werewolf let out oddly similar barking laughter.
"I knew Remus was a werewolf from my first class with him," Harry said as he resumed human form. "I could 'feel' his inner wolf. It was just fun to play with him. Then when I found out he was mates with my dad, it just felt right to do it. I could almost hear dad saying, 'Do it again! Do it again!'."
The students and Sirius laughed as Remus showed why he was the mature Marauder and simply gave Harry a death glare that promised future retributions.
"I am sorry, Harry, but I have to ask… are you influenced by the moon at all? Do you think you could be infectious?" Albus asked.
"According to our observations, Harry is not influenced by the lunar cycle," Hermione reported. He can transform at any time, day or night, with no impact on his size or strength. In addition, aside for a preference for rare meats his diet does not seem to have been impacted either. We have not tested for infectiousness but the standard werewolf detection charm gives a non-standard result. As you know, the charm detects the presence of the lycanthropic curse rather than the condition itself. So Padma and I believe the curse has been mutated in some way."
"I think Padma and Hermione can add a couple of volumes for the Unspeakables, professor," Sirius quipped.
"I have seen submittals for Masteries that have less research and data than these two young ladies have collected and analysed," Remus added with an approving nod. Albus smiled at the former professor's assertion.
"I would be most interested in reading it." Albus settled back into his chair still a bit shocked by the revelations. "Now, we should discuss what should be shared with the Ministry when they arrive."
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