"Dad!" The Weasleys all filed into Arthur's ward at St Mungos.
"Hello!" He was propped up on several pillows and reading the daily prophet. There were only three patients in the ward, including Arthur, meaning it was almost empty.
"How are you Arthur?" Molly asked anxiously as she bent down and kissed his cheek.
"I feel absolutely fine, if only they could take these bandanges off I'd be fit to come home!" He replied, beaming happily at all of his children.
"Why can't they take them of dad?" asked Fred.
"Every time they try I start bleeding like mad," Arthur explained cheerily, summoning more chairs with his wand for them to sit down, "Seems that the snake's venom had some sort of poison in it that's keeping the wound open. They'll find an antidote though. But they've had worse in here than me," he gestured to the woman at the other end of the ward, "that woman there has got a big chunk out of her leg, but won't tell the healers what did it. And that man," he pointed at the man in the bed opposite. "was bitten by a werewolf."
"Is it safe for him to be in a public ward?" Molly hissed, "shouldn't he be in a private ward?"
Venus looked over at the man. He didn't look much older than Percy, and he was staring at the ceiling with an absentminded look.
"It's two weeks until the full moon Mum." Venus said.
Arthur nodded solemnly, "the healers have been trying to convince him that he can live a normal life. I told him- didn't mention any names of course-that I knew two werewolves personally and that they both find the condition quite easy to manage."
"What did he say?" Venus asked, still looking over at the man.
"Said he'd take another bite out of me if I didn't shut up." Arthur replied sadly.
The family continued talking, but Venus got to her feet and made her way over to the man.
"What's your name?" Venus asked him.
"Go away." The person continued to stare at the ceiling.
"I'm Venus." She sat down in the chair next to his bed. "what's your name?"
"I said go away." He growled.
"Tell me your name."
"Ethan, now go away." He still refused to look at her.
"How did it happen?" Venus asked, "Your bite I mean."
Ethan took his eyes off of the ceiling and glared at her, immediately his eyes raked over her scar.
"I was attacked." Venus informed him, "when I was thirteen, everyone told me it's a miracle I'm alive."
"Attacked by what?" He asked, seeming more interested in what she was saying now.
Venus rolled up the leg of her trousers and showed Ethan the scarred bite mark that was still there.
"You're- you're a-" He stammered.
Venus nodded, "I know you don't want to hear it from the healers, or from my dad, but you will be okay. No it's not pleasant to turn into a wolf every full moon, to know that given the opportunity you could kill your friends and family. But I've learnt to live with it and so can you."
He continued to stare at her with his mouth wide open, not saying anything.
"Ve," Ginny had walked over looking disgruntled. "Mum's banished us, says that Dad has got to talk to Moody and Tonks."
"Coming." Venus told her, she got to her feet and turned her attention back to Ethan for a moment, "think about it." She told him, then she followed Ginny from the room.
As the second book in this series is a prequel, I will probably begin publishing it soon, or should I wait until I finish this book?
Remember to vote, comment and be amazing!
~Em xx