The Groundskeeper's Hut

[Apronia Silvanus]

Apronia took a swig from her frosty beer bottle to steady her shaky hands before slipping the MagnoGlasses over her head. The clunky apparatus whirred and she adjusted it to 10x magnification, looking over the steel table where the now-dead Burzad lay, limp, the tiniest of pricks in the back of its neck betraying where she'd severed its spinal cord, quick and humane.

She snapped on gloves, planning out the dissection in her head, and her fingers like scampering tarantulas walked over to her calipers. Precise measurements of head and eye diameters, body length, hinged jaw capacity, and fang size were jotted down in her hurried script, the tiny notebook frayed and shedding pages. She began humming as she switched to a tapemeasure, taking circumferences. The whole Burzad was weighed and examined six ways from Sunday.

She caught sight of herself in the smooth metal pan for the barest moment, the MagnoGlasses rendering her right eye huge and buglike, it's thick bottle lense protruding and the tiny metal spheres and cogs spinning and whirring to no apparent purpose. She laughed and let her fingers skitter over to the scalpel, pinning the Burzad on its back. She made a long Y incision down the belly, grimacing as sickly yellow fluid dripped out.

Heart weight: 55 grams, she noted, taking it off the scales and setting it in its own dissection pan. She continued lifting out organs, weighing them and doing a primary surveying dissection for possible abnormalities. All the internal organs of the abdominal cavity, morphologically normal. she scratched, and moved to the head.

With a trusty Muggle hacksaw, she removed the keratinous horn that did not belong to a Burzad. It merged with the flesh seamlessly, and to her probing appeared to meld even with the skull, although there was no bone in the horn itself. The core of this novel protrusion was brown, in contrast to the yellowish outer section, and she cut the horn in half. It was the same ashwood as her arrow.

She hesitated the barest moment, eyes blinking buglike in the MagnoGlass' lenses, and scraped off the last layer of horn and wood. Imbedded in the white cranium was her small metal arrowhead. She slit open the skin ventral to dorsal from its new horn site backwards, peeling it aside and exposing the cranium. She tapped the white skull, crisscrossed with red capillaries and muscle fibers, with a Cracking Charm, which neatly removed a section of skull large enough that she could sever the spinal cord and lift out the brain. It was normal for the Burzad to have an enlarged frontal lobe (the speculated site of its hyponotic powers), but she dropped it on the table in disgust.

She hesitates, touches her index finger against a switch on the MagnoGlasses, and another lense drops in front of the first. She take a deep breath before looking at the Burzad´s brain.

It writhed with Dark Magic, reaching out to her as if even in death the Burzad was seeking vengence. The brain´s outward appearance mimicked its magical presence; it looks as though someone had seized hold of a normal Burzad brain and twisted. She looked at rest of the body, but it was no where near as polluted as the brain. About to look away, a twig twisted in the creature´s matted fur caught her attention. With careful forceps, she pulled it free. The bark surface trembled faintly Dark, as if resisting. She split it down the center. A seething worm of Dark Magic roiled at its core. The Forest was poisoned, being taken over from the ground up. From the dead lion outwards.

¨Now they´ll have to listen to me.¨ she murmured, writing furiously in her notebook and sketching the twig and brain. Idly she looked at her own hands, noticing with relief that no taint of magic clung to her fingers. She put away the Burzad and the twig on steel trays with built-in containment and preservation spells, snapped off her gloves.

Her fingers knitted together as she thought. Who shall I tell? What should I do? She stroked the golden key at her neck. There wasn´t time to search the huge volumes of the Grounds in the basement. Without a Librarian spell she didn´t stand a chance of finding a previous instance, if there even was one, before the Dark took over the castle grounds proper.

She turned to leave the hut.

[Kim Rivers]

Kim wandered up to the door and went to knock when the door swung open. It was a little dark and kinda late. "Uhm.. hi. Is this a bad time because i could always come back.. or not. Or whichever"

[Apronia Silvanus]

Apronia carefully propped her sword against the wall, hiding it from Kim, and gestured the girl inside. The furniture sprang back into place from where she'd levitated it against the wall, and she gestured Kim to an squashy orange armchair.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Rivers?"

[Kim Rivers]

Kim sat down, thanking her. "Well.. i uh.. have a question or two. Just some. Im not sure how many actually" she babbled away to herself "Though i dont know how to ask without you thinking im going to do something or im upto something. I spoke to... someone else about it and they told me my best bet would be to speak to you.. So i thought i'd spring a visit"

[Apronia Silvanus]

Apronia merely held Kim's eyes with a level gaze and raised an eyebrow in invitation. Her wand idly swished, and teacups and water began to clink and pour.

[Kim Rivers]

Silence kills me Kim thought to herself. She regained herself and became more confident. She stood up and held the gamekeepers gaze. "I wanted to ask a few things about a certain werewolf. Goes by the name of Fenrir Greyback. I already know, hes a werewolf, he loves childrens blood, hes fully turned and doesnt need the light of a full moon to want blood" she turned away "I also know hes very dangerous and a high class wanted criminal with the Ministry. I also know that a bunch of Aurors couldnt take him down" she faced her again "And like i said, you'd probably be my best bet for someone to talk to"

[Apronia Silvanus]

As the tea tray floated in front of Kim, Apronia stood and went through a door into her study, returning after several seconds with a few dusty tomes in one hand, flicking through the one on top with her other.

"Please, help yourself to some tea." she said absently, searching for something. She began to mutter to herself, "I thought I remembered a reference to him in her, let me see, let me see..." she scanned the page with her finger, flipped it over, scanned, flip scan flip scan. "Aha! 'Poor Claire Rivers was attacked today by Fenrir Grayback. The trees reported it, but no one and nothing has seen her since. May Merlin protect her." she trailed off as the Groundskeeper's log continued with Hershod's own feelings on the matter. She continued to browse the book, but fixed sharp brown eyes on Kim. "Addio, I suppose this Claire is a relative of yours? Tell me, Kim, why do you want to know about him? There's much to tell. If you tell me why you need to know, I can help you more." Her face held no trace of judgement or disapproval.

[Kim Rivers]

Kim took a cup of the tray. "Well, my father Jamie, and my sister Claire dissapeared a few years back. Cause quite a catastrophe in the home life but thats not important. Partly the reasons i have trust issues anyway. Well..." She thought for a minute "Fenrir Greyback should have a slow and mercyless not to mention excruciating pain say by the unforgiveable crucio curse or whatever, death. And i'd love to give it him" she looked at her and quickly spoke again "Obviously thats never going to happen. There are reasons, sure. But none which im.. well.. ready to discuss just yet. I probaby will tell you in time.. No one knows my reasons before you ask. I kinda kept them to myself.. better that way, for now" when she spoke of her father or fenrir, hate showed clearly through her voice. She didnt bother trying to discuise it "My father had a very strange fascination by dangerous creature, werewolves in particular. I wanted to know what the facsination was so ive been researching and ill admit, they are very fascinating creatures. I loves wolves, faveourite animals. Not saying im overthrilled by werewolves though. Quite interesting. But Fenrir, thats more a personal approach"

[Apronia Silvanus]

The Buddhist in her heart ached to hear Kim's casual dismissal of her inability to trust. She noted too the dislike in the girl's voice when she spoke of her father, the rage, and the defeat when she admitted she would likely never kill Fenrir.

"Kim, is torturing another living being the right way to compensate for the pain and suffering your father and sister must have gone through? I'm afraid I still don't know what kind of information you need. If you're not trying to find his weaknesses to kill him, why do you want to know?" She could see that Kim was hesitating, holding back in some internal struggle with herself. "I just want to help you." She met Kim's eyes with tranquility and kindness, and waited to see if she would admit her true purposes.

[Kim Rivers]

"Torturing another living being? Hes a killer and yeah it would compensate. Trust me if i could, id put him under the crucio spell, then cast imperius on him and make him eat his own eyeballs and cut his limbs off with a very blunt blade" her anger was coming out speaking about the things shed do to greyback. "I just want info, on his weaknesses, attack methods and style, fightplans how he normally does it. Im preparing myself, im not going to be a sitting duck, ill be ready and if he doesnt come soon.. ill be really mad" she got angry and the cup in her hand shattered causing hot tea to spill over her hands and legs. The pain didnt bother her. "Id tell you but not being funny.. i have serious issues when it comes down to trusting people.. i kinda dont i never have done i never will" she looked at her "an i dont care for trust either"

[Apronia Silvanus]

Apronia breathed in Kim's rage, accepting it into herself and attempting to breath out her own calm and love.

"Kim, do you know who Fenrir Grayback was before he was turned?" the girl was silent. "His human name was Ferdinand Stellin, and he was a student at Hogwarts. This way maybe...seventy years ago?" she consulted her book again. "In the spring of his fifth year, he went wandering into the forest on a dare, and was bitten by a werewolf." she put down the book and stared seriously at the Slytherin. "During the War with Voldemort, Dumbledore's side as a whole was less kind to werewolves, vampires, and other magically altered humans than they were to Slytherins. They immediately assumed that all "Dark" creatures were in league with Voldemort and killed them on sight. The one exception, as you know, is Remus Lupin, because he was a personal companion of Albus's. But most creatures didn't get a chance. They were left with no option but to take Voldemort's side, or be killed by both armies in their neutrality. Ferdinand was only 16. How was he to know anything, Kim? Do you think he was more evil then than you are now? I don't deny that he has become quite Dark now, but can't you see that the beast inside of him is not all that he was? In Lupin's autobiography he wrote that being a werewolf is like having the struggle for Good and Evil played out in your own soul, with your mind striving for good, and the lycanthrope for evil. Have you no heart?"

She heavily then, disappointed in the rage of adolescence and the simiplicity of Kim's outlook. Of course there'd been a time or two when she wished she could return to a time when morality had seemed so clear cut and simple, and it had been easy to hate.

[Kim Rivers]

"I dont care who he was back then. It doesnt change who he is now. Greyback is a mercyless killer and deserves no less than a painful death. He had a choice when voldemort was destroyed, he could have changed, become good, but he didnt. Too bad old dumbly didnt take him out, everyone has choices, it just depends which one you take. Fenrir took the cowards way out. Maybe he didnt know anything, maybe he wasnt evil back then. Either way i dont care. The beast inside him is all he is. Twenty four hours a day seven days a week, four weeks a month, twelve months a year! Fenrir is evil down to the minor details, its in his soul, he thrives on the fear of others and feeds on their emotions. He prays on the weak hence little kids! And no, i dont have a heart. Its stone. Cold and full of hate. I dont care in the least about him. I want him to suffer and i will make sure he does. Thanks to him my mother is in mungos for the insane! When my dear old dad left and took claire, she went on an emotional decline, leaving me to play mum for my six year old kid brother! And, there are miracles in this world" she laughed "My daddys dead, saw it happen, didnt care. Im glad he's dead." She turned around "I will give up a damn good fight with Greyback.. and if i cant, if it comes to the worst.. Ill take him with me" Kim looked at her "I dont trust, depend or rely on anyone. All make you weak, and im not prepared for that. Im full of hate, anger, rage whatever. Its what drives me. I cant garuntee who ill be when i leave here. Theres always a choice between good and evil. The good fight is a long hard winded one. Evil is for the cowards. And im no coward"

[Apronia Silvanus]

"This longwinded fight for good Kim, is it full of hate? Does not good come from love?" she held up a hand to forestall the girl's protests. "I know you believe that trust is useless, that your hatred is justified, and that Fenrir is to blame for all the evils that have befallen you and your family. But I tell you that as long as he invokes such passion in you, you are vulnerable to him. He will use your anger and your thoughts against you. You will be able to defeat him when you lay aside your emotion and gain the clarity to see the situation as it is, free of bias and desire. That is when you will strike to his heart, avenge your family, and free yourself. And it call only be called virtuous when you do not kill him because he angers you." She stood, put a light hand on Kim's shoulder, prepared to grip harder if she tried to pull away. "Do you want to be the next Voldemort? Because you share many of his attitudes."

[Kim Rivers]

Kim felt a hand on her shoulder. Though she was shaking because of the rage. She had no idea she had so much in her. "This fight. Between Fenrir and me, yes its full of hate. There is no love in it whatsoever. There are things, complications.. Things others wont understand. Fenrir's not thick, he wont do anything stupid. He got his sights on his, well, mission and he wont jeopodise it by doing something stupid. Trust is useless and Fenrir is the only one to blame in all of this. The hate drives me, makes me stronger. Laying aside my anger, emotions, it wont help. My hate will only subside when i kill him and make him suffer. If anyone tries to get in my way, or tries to fight my fight for me, well i wont be a happy person. It will only make me angrier." She removed the hand from her shoulder. She turned to face her. "Maybe i do share a lot of Voldemorts attitudes. Maybe ill make him my idol. Who cares! Right now i dont care if i become the next Voldemort." Her eyes glazed over and she laughed in a crazy way. "Voldemort, even though he was pure evil, he was a brilliant wizard. He did things many would dream of doing. He made horcruxes didnt he? And his power, such force." her voice became passionate before returning to the hateful tone. "But Greyback will pay. And i will be the one who does it. One way or another. And if anyone tries to stop me." Her voice trailed off "Hard to believe im not possessed again" The corners of her mouth became a grin. A sort of devilish one, making the features of her face look quite nasty.

[Apronia Silvanus]

Apronia seized Kim by both shoulders, shook her until the glassy look in her eyes went away and her normal sharp, intelligent gaze returned to Apronia's face.

"Perhaps Voldemort had power. Perhaps at one point he was even intelligent. But where is he now, child? DEAD. As a Slytherin at least you should be wary of sacrificing yourself. And why did he die? Because his hatred for Harry Potter blinded him to strategy. He lost, he was killed and his followers decimated because he hated that boy so much that he focused all his effort on the child destined to kill him. And kill him Harry did. But honorably. Quickly. Because Harry had "the power the Dark Lord knew not". Harry killed him out of compassion for the twisted creature he had become. Harry kill him out of love for those he was protecting. I am trying to help you! I know much about Fenrir, but if I gave it to you now, you would only destroy yourself. And your sister would die with you."