Until the very End - [Harry Potter xF!Oc]

August-December 2002

"Are you sure you want to start with that?" Erick asked reluctantly. "A cure for lycanthropy?"

"Yes."

"A cure? Not a potion to diminish it. A cure."

"I believe you and I can do it. I've always wanted to give back a little of what my uncle gave me, a cure would be wonderful, don't you think?"

"Mel, we're not healers, we don't have the knowledge—"

"We can ask Mr Greengrass if we're allowed to work in collaboration with St Mungo's. I'm sure Daphne would love to be a part of it."

Erick ran a hand through his curls. "Dunno, Mel..."

"C'mon, you're supposed to be the one with ambition," she taunted.

"You don't think I'd love to be the one who finds a cure for such a condition?" He lowered his voice. "It's a great idea, but it would take years! Years of examining morph genes, and experimenting with blood."

"I'm aware."

"Where are we going to find someone who's willing to go through this? Remus got to teach at Hogwarts, and we don't know how it could affect a person's health, to play like that with their body."

"We won't play! There are loads of werewolves, who would give anything for a chance to get their whole humanity back," she retorted.

"What about Tonks and Remus? D'you think they'll be cool with us running a test on their son?"

"We're only going to withdraw a bit of his blood, that'll be it. Not like we're going to keep him in a cage or anything..."

"What about the ones that hate us? You think they'll appreciate wizards creating a way out?"

Mel shrugged. "Not like we haven't been attacked before, right?"

Erick groaned. "It's useless to try and scare one of the chosen ones..." he grumbled.

"I'll ask Mr Greengrass whether you support my idea or not. But I want to share this research with you. I'll need you."

Erick swore quietly. "Fine. I'm in."

_____________________

"A cure for lycanthropy?"

"Yes."

For a second she thought Mr Greengrass would fire her on the spot. Instead, the old man seized a piece of parchment and wrote on it. "You'll need St Mungo's approval to use their patients as test subjects, as well as the space," he started, "my eldest works there, as you know... first floor, creature-induced injuries. You'll need an alchemist..."

"We have a wide knowledge of Alchemy, Mel and I," Erick spoke. "It'll take a while before we get to the testing, we'll need to do proper research first."

"Certainly," the man continued to write. "Take this and send it over to the director of St Mungo's. Dumbledore," he looked at her. "I'm putting my trust in you."

She was a little stunned. "To be honest, sir, I thought I'd need to beg for this."

"I've heard all kinds of stories about you, way before you'd even left school," the man explained. "if I've gotten to you know well enough, and I believe I have, I can confirm that you're the kind of witch who dreams big, but never out of the limits of reality."

"Sir?"

"If Mel Dumbledore says there is a way, I listen."

She nodded wordlessly, when she walked out of the office next to Erick, she started to speak quickly and anxiously.