Beta: Cloudy
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
It wasn't right, what he did. No matter how bad things got deliberately harming children to get back at their parents was never going to be the answer, nor was it forgivable. It was an awful, and cruel thing to do.
But I could understand it.
Strictly from a psychological standpoint, at least. Shunned and forced into self-loathing isolation would permanently damage anyone's psyche. Spending years alone, longing for acceptance but mercilessly turned away at every attempt would break even the strongest men. In addition, society itself would go out of its way to harm him for simply existing. Werewolves were the snubbed-ilk that society perpetually spat upon and conveniently looked the other way when it suited their needs. Anyone would grow bitter from that. Anyone would want justice, would want someone to know how unfair society was.
Fenrir Greyback made it his life's goal to convert as many as he could, to force society to acknowledge werewolves and force them to accept them.
For someone left uneducated, alone, and consistently spurned, it was the only idea he had; the only hope he had.
If everyone is a werewolf, no one will hurt me again.
So while his actions were deplorable and unforgivable, I could understand them.
And I detested the magical society for it.
I didn't understand how I knew where to find him—didn't understand how I knew to send the owl addressed to Fenris Grey. It was one of those odd things that floated in my mind and I had to wonder if maybe I read about it on Pottermore or something.
I made a little basket with food, water, and basic medical supplies. I added a thick blanket because it was cold, and I knew he would be sleeping outside. Then I made a little letter:
To Fenris,
You do not know me, and we will not meet for some time. You may call me Enáretos, and you should know that I am on the side of the werewolves. I hope the basket helps you.
Your friend,
Enáretos
A small, and simple gesture.
But it was the first step I had to take.
If I wanted to fix the prejudice in society, I had to acknowledge its mistakes and try to correct them.
(Although in the private part of mind I could quietly admit that I was not acting solely out of righteousness. There was a selfish motive to my move. But only in the dark parts of my mind would I be willing to say even that much yet.)
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
A week later:
Dear Fenris,
A very happy holidays to you. I have come of wind of some lovely gifts I believe your pack might enjoy. As always, if there is anything you require do not hesitate to ask.
Your friend,
Enáretos
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
Five months later
Dear Fenris,
A ghost whispered to me that there is a raid scheduled for your camp tomorrow night. Take caution and evacuate. I have included more expandable bags for you.
Your friend,
Enáretos
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
Enáretos,
The pack is safe. Watched the raid happen from the distance.
Thanks.
Fenris
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
Several more months later
Dear Fenris,
While spring is always a delight to see, it comes with an abundance of allergies for those with sensitive noses like you and your pack. I have included some nasal potions for all of you. If you require more, please let me know.
I have also looked into your previous request, and I believe I will be able to procure it by next week.
Lastly, please enjoy these cookies I baked.
Your friend,
Enáretos
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
Enáretos,
The peanut butter chocolate chip cookies were good. We need more clothes for the girls. Sizes M - XXL.
Fenris
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
Fenrir Interlude
Fenrir did not know what to think about his new... benefactor.
Every week for a little over a year a letter was sent to him using an alias he only provided to those he absolutely trusted—all of which had been dead for more than a couple of years.
In the letter was a brief message, conveying well-wishes and always, always ending with asking Fenrir what else he needed.
The first two months Fenrir never responded back to the letters.
With each letter was a package that contained necessities that were hard to come by for his pack. Medicine too expensive for them to buy, and too well protected to steal. Durable clothes and blankets that weren't covered in tears, dirt, and blood. Food baked just for them that wasn't stale, from the trash, or hard to eat.
There were even some books ranging from children to young adults.
And of course, a small sack of galleons.
Fenrir would be lying if he said his new benefactor wasn't... helpful.
But it was too damn weird.
Something was off, something was wrong with this picture.
People didn't help werewolves—certainly not Fenrir! Fenrir was the most hated werewolf in society, and those who associated with him only did so out of desire to use his power against their enemies.
Even Voldemort rejected Fenrir, only ever seeing him as a tool to be used and discarded.
It took three months before Fenrir finally decided to test the waters.
He took up pen and paper and wrote back:
What do I want? A new world for us.
A day later, Enáretos, sent back:
It shall be done.
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
Rosie
Fenrir was... well, he was a man of few words. From his penship and scrawled out lines on the letters he sent it was easy to tell he struggled with writing. Likely a combination of not receiving a proper education, and not having to use a pen in several years. His penship had drastically improved over the years, but it was blatantly apparent he would never feel comfortable writing out letters.
Which was fine.
All that mattered was that he was reciprocating this... friendship(?). Getting Fenrir behind the movement would be a major step in helping the werewolves. A monster by wizarding society was largely considered a protector by his fellow werewolves.
Except for the children he converted, but if I fixed the core issue no one else would have to be hurt. It was easy to hate a man and ignore the causes behind his actions.
I would not permit that shallow thought process anymore. Fenrir's deeds were terrible, but there was a cold justification for them. It was long overdue to correct it.
Werewolves deserved equality.
It was time they got it, and Fenrir would be exceptional helpful for me to make it happen.
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
Life at home was nice, I supposed.
Sirius had more good days than bad, and after one particularly nasty night with Remus all the alcohol in the house was confiscated. None had been in the house for a solid six months since then.
He was more of a man child than a parent. He was excited to play with us, read with us, and most importantly of all teach us how to fly.
Had Remus not suggested we would need interactions with children our own age before entering Hogwarts, I doubt it would have occurred to Sirius.
But how could that be managed, the men wondered out loud?
Harry and I had to stay out of the public's eyes for as long as possible to minimize our danger. Remus was the one who tutored us at home. We could not attend public school—too risky Remus and Sirius had said. But we should have some friends our own age before being thrown into Hogwarts.
The solution?
I suggested we learned karate. Why? I had read about super cool kung fu in a book and wanted to try it.
That immediately satisfied both men. They enrolled us in a large class with Muggle children our own age. It would give us a chance to socialize with other children, while also practically teaching us a good skill, and encourage our athleticism. A good thing, too. Harry had only ever interacted with me, so he was cripplingly shy meeting other children.
It took a solid year of taking that class before he was even able to hold a conversation by himself with the other students.
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
Rosie, age 7
At long last I had the money.
A part of me still felt a bit guilty from stealing—especially from perfectly nice places—but the guilt was shoved aside in favor of how the end justifies the means. I had never put my stock into that saying before, but I honestly believed my cause warranted a little flexibility with the law. I was, physically, a child. The idea of sharing my knowledge with the "adults" of the world sent me into a quivering mess that I knew I would never be able to reach out for help willingly. I could—I supposed—wait until I was physically an adult, but the idea of waiting around and letting others suffer for decades because I couldn't handle a little rule-breaking made me sick. It seemed like a pretty flimsy excuse to me, especially since I could always purchase back the items I pawned off with my Potter inheritance as an adult and give it back to the museums. Or donate their value anonymously. Or steal them back.
Returning to the point, however.
I had the money.
Using Enáretos I purchased a large stretch of land—nearly a thousand acres of land—and began to put well over half my sum of money into putting up defenses, and building empty homes and shops inside it. I hired people to build large concrete walls with barbed wires to discourage Muggles from trying to enter, and I ordered them to pave roads and plant trees. I ordered the construction of several dozen greenhouses and hired a handful of magical herbologists to begin growing the ingredients necessary for wolfsbane potion. I hired Gringotts to put up the best wards money could buy—and boy did they cost me a pretty sum, but I hoped it would be worth it.
The whole project would take a year, which would give me time to bribe the officials and press in preparation for what was to come.
I only hoped it would work.
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
The first party I bribed was one of the neutral parties, led by Lord Greengrass. They sat squarely in the middle of most of the debates, barely swaying to either side unless it benefited them directly. I sent them pretty things and dangerous things. I sent Lord Greengrass precious gems I had personally stolen, and I knew his daughters would adore them. The party treated my bribes with no obvious response, likely waiting to see what I wanted from them. Through letters as Enáretos, I only hinted at wanting to build a sanctuary for several months. It wasn't until the leader of the party himself asked me directly what I wanted that I answered with care.
A sanctuary for werewolves.
I would pay for it, provide security for it, and handle the distribution of wolfsbane. It didn't need to cost their party a dime, and it would do nothing to harm them to support me. The party didn't care for what was right or wrong, they only cared about self-serving, and their families. So I painted them pretty words of how it would put their families at ease if all the werewolves were kept in a safe place, and not forced to run wild and risk random attack. I waxed gentle pictures of how my sanctuary could—in a few years of production—turn into Britain's largest provider of rare herbs and save the Ministry a small fortune in having to import.
I told them I would consider it a favor if they supported its construction.
And after a total of nine months of bribing, and wheedling, I had their support. Lord Greengrass even offered to be the one to put forward my proposed bill since I—Enáretos—would not be able to attend.
I accepted his offer with gracious thanks.
The next party I curried favors to was not nearly as hard to persuade. It was Madam Longbottom's party, the more Light-Conservatives. I knew she would take offense to bribes, so I skipped straight to a long-winded debate that lasted five months. Madam Longbottom didn't adhere to her prejudice of werewolves, but she didn't see the value in assisting them, either. Eventually, I was able to wear her down by arguing about how it was the ethically right thing to do in a manner that made her think of her lost son.
Low-blow, I knew, but a necessary one.
Next, I courted Amelia Bones and fellow law-lovers, using how practical it would be for her Aurors if the werewolves lived in one place; of how safer it would make the public, etc. She only took a month.
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
To my friend,
I'm sure you have already heard the whispers of my plan.
Yes. It is true. I hope to create a safe haven for all werewolves to live in peace. I know it will take time for me to change society to fully accept those afflicted with the curse, but in the meantime, I wish to give your fellow brothers and sisters some peace. I will personally provide security for the establishment until such a time that they can provide their own law-enforcement inside. I have already set up several businesses that are more than happy to relocate and provide merchandise. I have two healers who are happy to follow their families into the sanctuary and offer their care, and one potions master—so far—who will brew the wolfsbane potion.
I know it is not the solution you want, but I hope it will provide a safe space for until the time I have fixed society.
I must thank you for your patience and belief in me, my friend. I have sent several more blankets and basic first-aid to help those you come across. Please enjoy the cookies I baked, as well.
Your friend,
Enáretos
PS: Dolores Umbridge is a viable threat to my haven. It would be helpful if she could come to understand your situation better.
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
To my friend,
Elena sends her thanks for the food, and my pack expresses excitement in the prospect of having a home. It feels strange to say, and had anyone else but you told me about it, I would not have believed. I have scouted the land, and watched them work for a few months now. I know those wards were not cheap, and the gardens look nice.
Have you thought of a name yet?
Your friend,
Fenris
Before I forget, Umbridge has decided to take a long term vacation out of the country for a couple of years.
(≖‿‿≖)ノ⌒●~*
Bucket List Completed:
6. Learn martial arts
7. Recruit Fenrir
ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ
I decided to do double updates until we start at Hogwarts.
Answer: Neutral!pureblood like Greengrass. Want the magic, not the politics.
Question: Favorite magical creature? Be as specific as possible!
Reviews are love!