Riddle and the Ancient Contract

Chapter 41 : Politics and Media

THE TRUTH OF WEREWOLVES

By Hari Potter Riddle

OH, THE HORROR STORIES WE HEAR ABOUT THESE BEINGS. MINDLESS, RAVENING BEASTS THAT ONLY WANT TO RIP US APART, KILL US OR TURN US INTO ONE OF THEM.

THE TRUTH IS FAR FROM THAT TERRIFYING IMAGE.

I KNOW A WEREWOLF. A KINDER, GENTLER MORE LOYAL MAN I'VE NEVER MET. HONORABLE, INTELLIGENT, PATIENT, WITTY, FUNNY, LOVING. I AM SURE THAT MOST EVERY STUDENT THAT WAS AT HOGWARTS DURING MY 3RD YEAR COULD AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT. HE WAS OUR DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS TEACHER. HE TAUGHT US MORE IN ONE TERM THAN WE HAD LEARNED IN TWO YEARS PRIOR TO HIS COMING TO THE SCHOOL.

HE'S ALSO ONE OF MY GODFATHERS.

YES, ONE NIGHT A MONTH HE TURNS INTO A BEAST. A BEAST THAT, WITH THE HELP OF THE WOLFSBANE POTION, RETAINS HIS HUMANITY.

I'VE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL WEREWOLVES. AND JUST LIKE WITH ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE THERE ARE GOOD ONES AND BAD ONES. WE TEND TO LOOK AT ONES LIKE FENRIR GREYBACK AND PAINT THEM ALL WITH THE SAME BRUSH.

SHOULD WE DO THE SAME FOR WITCHES AND WIZARDS? MURDERERS, THIEVES, DRUNKARDS, LIARS, COWARDS – SHOULD WE DECLARE ALL WITCHES AND WIZARDS THOSE THINGS?

I CAN HEAR THE OUTRAGE ALREADY.

THEN WHY BE THAT UNFAIR TO OTHER BEINGS?

WEREWOLF MOTHERS LOVE THEIR CHILDREN AS MUCH AS YOU DO. THE CHILDREN AREN'T WEREWOLVES BUT ONLY HAVE LUPINE TRAITS. THE FATHERS WANT TO SUPPORT AND PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES JUST AS YOU DO. THEY WANT TO WORK AND HAVE HOMES AND SEE THEIR CHILDREN EDUCATED. THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND ENEMIES; JOYS AND SORROWS.

THEY ARE PEOPLE JUST AS YOU ARE.

WOLFSBANE.

THE POTION THAT ALLOWS THE HUMAN MIND TO REMAIN IN CONTROL OF THE WOLF. WHY IS IT THE BRITISH MINISTRY DOESN'T PROMOTE THE BREWING AND DISTRIBUTION OF A POTION THAT WOULD NOT ONLY MAKE THE LIVES OF WEREWOLVES BETTER, BUT WOULD MAKE THE LIVES OF ALL THEIR CITIZENS SAFER?

WHY KEEP THIS POTION FROM COMMON KNOWLEDGE? WHY MAKE IT HARD TO OBTAIN? DID YOU KNOW THAT IN EUROPE, ASIA, AMERICA AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES THE GOVERNMENT OFFERS THIS POTION AT COST OR EVEN FREE? DID YOU KNOW THAT WEREWOLVES ARE EDUCATED AT THE SAME MAGICAL SCHOOLS AS EVERYONE ELSE IN AMERICA AND AUSTRALIA AMONGST OTHER COUNTRIES? THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO HOLD JOBS, OWN BUSINESSES IN AMERICA, AFRICA, INDIA AND AUSTRALIA TO JUST NAME A FEW? AND IN DOING SO FEWER PEOPLE ARE BITTEN AND TURNED. THE WEREWOLF POPULATION IS DECREASING BECAUSE OF EDUCATED, HUMANE EFFORTS.

MAKING THEM OUTCASTS ONLY MAKES THEM DESPERATE IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TYPE OF LEGISLATION THE WIZENGAMOT HAS ENACTED AGAINST THESE BEINGS?

IT IS ILLEGAL FOR A WEREWOLF TO MARRY.

IT IS ILLEGAL FOR A WEREWOLF TO HAVE CHILDREN.

IT IS ILLEGAL FOR A WEREWOLF TO ATTEND HOGWARTS. (OF COURSE WE ARE SOVEREIGN NOW AND THIS IS OBSOLETE.STILL)

IT IS ILLEGAL FOR A WEREWOLF TO OWN A BUSINESS.

IT IS ILLEGAL FOR A WEREWOLF TO BE EMPLOYED.

IT IS LEGAL TO KILL A WEREWOLF.

IT'S COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE AND A SIGN THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT IS BEING LED BY FEAR INSTEAD OF A DESIRE TO IMPROVE YOUR LIVES. THE LAWS THEY HAVE ENACTED DO NOTHING BUT FORCE THESE WITCHES AND WIZARDS (FOR THEY ARE STILL EXACTLY THAT NO MATTER WHAT ELSE THEY ARE) TO TAKE DESPERATE MEASURES TO SURVIVE. HOW ARE THEY EXPECTED TO EAT, AFFORD MEDICAL HELP, CLOTH THEMSELVES WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO WORK OR BE EDUCATED?