"Yes, that is the amount of registered wolves but the actual number is more than three to four times that amount. I'd say right now that's about 150 with one-third of them Muggle by birth. The Ministry doesn't care about them so they don't register and about half the magical wolf population never register. The wolves are divided up into five packs called the Packs of Albion. Roughly speaking the packs' territories are one in northern England centred on Leeds, one in Southwest England, than one each in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland; roughly twenty to thirty wolves per pack with several 'rogues' like me that aren't formally associated with any one pack. Each pack has its own Alpha male and female that controls their pack. There is not an Alpha over all the packs. Wolves don't do too well when the numbers get large. If a pack gets up over forty it will probably be splitting into two packs. At one point there were eleven packs.
"Now while there is no super Alpha controlling all the packs we do have an ancient Pack Law. The Pack Law dictates how the packs interact, bringing in new wolves, and each wolf's responsibilities to their packs and to the Packs of Albion. Most of them don't see their lycanthropy as an illness as I do but a gift. Maybe a third of them are born to werewolf parents so this is the only life they have ever known."
"And what does this mean to me?" Harry asked
"Some of the Death Eaters have talked about their encounter with the Beast. Greyback, the werewolf that turned me, is the Alpha of the Greyback Pack up near Leeds. He called a Gathering of all the packs to try to sway the other packs to support Voldemort. It is mandatory that all werewolves attend the Gatherings. If you do not, you are seen as breaking away from Pack Law and are a danger to all of the Packs. They call these Feral Wolves and they are hunted down and killed by all the Packs. Even the rogues like me have to attend. Since they think they know what Harry is, he will either have to show up and lay claim to his position in the Packs or prove he is in fact not a werewolf. Not showing up is taken as declaring Feral status."
Somewhat surprisingly, Harry was not overtly displaying any anger at Remus's explanation. However, his eyes were leaking power that made the two adults somewhat uncomfortable.
"So, we have a Wizengamot hearing and the werewolf Gathering almost occurring at the same time," Harry commented in a low tone. "It doesn't take a spell creator to see the way this one's going. In one or the other they will force the Beast into the open." Sirius and Remus made noises of agreement to Harry's assessment.
"Smells like a Malfoy tactic," Sirius said. Harry simply nodded his agreement. Sirius never commented on it aloud but sometimes Harry's maturity left him cold. Harry could come up with some wonderful pranks, be fun, and an all-around nice kid, but he also had a very mature and cold-bloodedly practical side. He didn't know if it was because of the Beast or growing up with the Dursleys but it disturbed him. Harry often acted more like a thirty year old than an almost fifteen year old. Sirius decided to set that aside for now and concentrate on the problem in front of them.
"I think we need to talk to Dumbledore," Harry said unaware of his godfather's musings.
"Dumbledore? Why?" Remus asked.
Harry grimaced before saying, "I don't see a way the Beast isn't going to come out. If the werewolves have heard through their Death Eater connection, you bloody well know their people on the Wizengamot know. If I get caught telling a lie my value as a witness is destroyed. We need to decide the best way to let this out. I don't know yet how I feel about the man - I'm too conflicted - but he is also the only politician that knows about me and he is Chief of the Wizengamot amongst his other titles. We need his input."
....
Remus floo called the Headmaster but the old wizard was not in his Hogwart's office. Instead he was in official office as the Chief of the Wizengamot. Dumbledore agreed to make time to see the trio and scheduled them for a meeting at 16.00. It was late enough in the Ministry day that most workers were concentrating on finishing tasks required before they could return home for the evening so the three wizards' arrival would attract less notice.
Wearing nondescript cloaks, the three wizards emerged from the floo in the Ministry Atrium five minutes before their planned meeting time. Already several Ministry employees in the ubiquitous grey robes of the Ministry worker were seen making their way to one of the many fireplaces set on making their way home. In their own grey cloaks, no one took any obvious notice of the new arrivals.
Remus led the way to where a bank of lifts was located. A full car of workers unloaded and passed the three without a glance. They quickly boarded and pressed the button for Level One. Level One contained the offices of many of the senior Ministry people including the Minister for Magic and his staff. It also contained the office of the Chief of the Wizengamot and staff that handled the legislative and legal activities of the body.
No one else joined them on the way up and shortly they were entering the waiting area outside Dumbledore's office. A middle-aged witch was sitting there at a desk. She never looked up from her file when they entered.
"The Chief Warlock is expecting you. He said you may wait in his office." Her disapproval was obvious in her voice. The Marauders exchanged a glance and moved to the door. Sirius later commented the woman scared him more than Madam Pince.
No one that had seen Dumbledore's Hogwart's office would have expected the Chief Warlock's office. Where the Headmaster's office was cluttered, eccentric, and personable, this office was grand and formal in its decoration and the furniture. Two large windows dominated the wall behind the formal desk showing a scene of Muggle London as though from high atop a skyscraper. Harry thought of pictures he'd seen in primary school of the Oval Office in the US White House. This was definitely in the same family.
The older two wizards sat down on one of two couches facing each other with a simple ornate wooden coffee table between them. A padded wooden chair sat at the end of the table between the two couches. Harry had no doubt that was Dumbledore's chair. Harry started drifting around the room looking at various artefacts and paintings of famous events in Wizarding history.
Harry was looking at one painting that showed a Roman legion fighting Celtic tribesmen while spells flew from both sides although the Romans seemed to have many more wizards in their ranks.
"Ah, the Battle of Londium," Professor Dumbledore commented as he stepped up next to Harry. "The natives attacked the Roman camp that stood near our modern London. It was a disaster for them as most of their Druid magic-users were slain or captured by the Romans. A minor battle from a Muggle point of view but critical in Wizarding history for the triumph of wand magic over the old magik of the Druids and their ilk."
"We never covered that in History of Magic," Harry commented.
Dumbledore sighed in an uncomfortable manner. "They say history is written by the winners. While I believe that is true, we still often edit that history to feel better about our ancestors' actions. Many of our prominent magical families trace their roots back to people on both sides of this particular battle and no one is truly proud of the Roman treatment of their captive Druids so of course we completely ignore it ever happened."
Harry could only nod as he considered the older wizard's words. He'd seen that behaviour himself with his family's story. The story of the Boy-Who-Lived focused on an infant Harry miraculously surviving an survivable curse. It completely ignored the sacrifices of his blood-traitor father and Muggleborn mother. They kept the story they wanted and ignored the uncomfortable truths. It was also why so many still saw him as the Boy-Who-Lived and ignored Harry.
"I can see that," Harry said. Dumbledore simply nodded and gestured to where Sirius and Remus were waiting on the couches.
Over the next ten minutes, Remus told the elder wizard of the conversation w in Diagon Alley and the werewolves' gathering. Harry also provided his concerns about the upcoming Wizengamot session. Dumbledore never lost his genial, eye-twinkling demeanour but Harry caught signs of concern, dismay, and - oddly enough - approval.
...
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