Hidden Secrets {Bill Weasley}

139

"Belle? You heard that? Bill did you?" Harley turned to her fiancé who shook his head, "no, but then again I was too focussed on the stingy sensation running across my cheeks." Bill pointed to two long thick cuts that stretched across his whole face. Harley grasped the pain relief potion that Madam Pomfrey left between the two patients on the table and using the pipette she dropped some into the cuts. Bill winced but soon relaxed as it began to relieve the pain.

Remus buried his head in his hands shaking it. "I can't believe he's really gone," said Ginny hugging her father's side. "What are we going to do without Dumbledore."

"Continue to prepare for the worst. With him gone, it could be sooner than we first thought," responded Madison taking Sirius' hand. Sirius wouldn't stop staring at his best friend he could practically hear Remus blaming himself.

"None of this is your fault, Moony," Sirius said, "no one could have suspected Greyback would go for Belle or Bill. Nobody really knows who they are to you."

"Crouch Junior did," Remus stated feeling rather annoyed, "when he was acting as Mad-eye he found out."

"Remus, look, me and Belle are somewhat fine. We're not dead and that is all that matters. We luckily survived. Let's not dwell on this."

Lyall nodded at his son to show agreement with Bill and Harley stood up. "Where are you going?" He asked her.

"I'll be back. I won't be long."

Before anyone could protest Harley was out of the Hospital Wing doors and running down the school corridors that she had not been down in so many years. It seemed surreal to be back in the castle and as much as she wanted to reminisce she didn't have the time. She needed to get to the library.

Ignoring Madam Pince's absurd looks from the alumni roaming her library, Harley found the section dedicated to werewolves and scoured the books for some useful information. It seemed as if she would not have much luck until one book caught her eye. Wolfish Wonders by O. Wench.

Much to Harley's satisfaction she came across the particular chapter she needed and one again ignored Madam Pince as she literally stole the book. She read the pages of the chapter as she walked down the corridors and stairs back to the hospital wing. She bumped into the door, too engrossed in reading the book to realise she was already there. Laughing at herself she pushed the door open with her backside and returned to the large group.

"Care to explain where you disappeared off to instead of tending to my every need?" Bill asked her jestingly. Clearly, the man was trying to keep spirits as high as possible despite the unfortunate circumstances and the death of their headmaster.

"I needed to find out whether Rem's predictions would be right or not. It says here that you will possibly get some characteristics but they won't be very strong. So Rem was right there. But, Belle, well, her situation is complex."

"What do you mean?" Fred demanded, "she'll be okay, won't she?"

"Calm down, Freddie," Belle placed her hand over his and looked to Harley to explain more despite being very drained and tired.

"With her being half-werewolf as it is she would already have many characteristics and wolfish-natures whether they are noticeable or not. It explains many common ones despite the rarity of a half-werewolf-"

"What are they?" Asked Lyall.

"I mean it would answer many of our questions."

"Please, in the politest way possible, Harley, spit it out," said George impatiently.

"Well, innate werewolves tend not to be very... intelligent. They struggle with retaining information and need extra nurture from a young age in order to do so. And a human breeding with a werewolf can cause some... gosh could they use a more moral and nicer way of putting this? I don't really know how to say this without sounding horrible."

"Just say it," Belle told her, "it's okay, really."

"Deformities. It can cause some deformities."

"My hair?"

"Precisely."

"That's hardly a deformity! That's more of a lucky thing, don't you think?" Sirius exclaimed, "having blue hair is wicked!"

Belle smiled at him softly despite her face and neck being stiff from the pain relief and bandages plastered on them. "What else is there? That makes it complex?" She asked her cousin.

"Because you're already half, and now have been bitten and scratched by a full. Even though it's not a full moon it is more than likely, in fact, sure that you will transform on the next full moon." Remus' head dropped onto the bed beside Belle and the young girl looked to Fred rather scared. "That's not all."

"What else is there?"

"Because Belle was already half and has lived as mostly human, in fact, wholly human her entire life. It can cause complications when it comes to her having children in the future."

"Such as?" Questioned Fred.

"She might not be able to have any. It's not impossible but as innate, full werewolves they grow up with some sort of nature within them that means during the full moons they can still carry their children but because Belle was brought up human she might not have this nature slash instinct within her."

Lyall looked ready to tear apart anyone who came towards him, "I will. And this is not a threat but is a promise. I will kill that darned beast and make him pay for this!"

"Grandpa, don't. I want you here and not in Azkaban."

"It's okay, father Lupin," said Sirius patting him on the shoulder, "I'll do it. Another few years in old Azky won't be much for me considering I lasted a good twelve years of it," he laughed.

"No. Nobody will do nothing. I'm okay. I swear, if I can't have children I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. They're plenty of other ways to have kids, adoption, fostering, dogs. At least we have an answer for why I'm a stupid smurf." Belle smiled as much as she could but Harley could tell she was hurting both inside and out. "Thank you, Harley."

"So let me get this clear," said Fred, "I'm in a relationship with a werewolf?"

"Yes, Fred."

"WICKED!"