Chapter 298 - Master Belby

It was rather late when Minister Eugene Jenkins glances up from her paperwork and up at the clock. She'd been requested to come down to the holding cells, and she would be late if she didn't leave soon. Making sure she did not forget anything, she finally exits her simple decorated office, while two Auror escorts patiently waited for her outside of the Minister's office. The stout witch with thick bobbed hair nods at the two of them, before one of the guards steps in front to lead her and the other steps in behind her to guard her back.

Sighing silently to herself, Minister Jenkins proceeds in this fashion downstairs to the holding cells. It was to be a full moon tonight and Auror's would be out in the night patrolling. Werewolves tended to be about tonight as fools would tend to get into mischief. She rather disliked full moons to be honest ever since she had become the Minister of Magic.

Minister Jenkins was surprised to see three members of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. The first two she easily recognized, the mild-mannered wizard with russet-colored and bright clever eyes, Lyall Lupin. And the second the recently retired Newt Scamander, an older, tall, thin wizard with tousled hair more silver than brown. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement whenever he came upon a new creature.

The third Minister Jenkins had to squint her eyes at before recognizing the younger wizard with a ruddy face and a neat brown beard. Amos Diggory was relatively new to the department and was presently still in training. She heard he was quite talented at charms, which was good as they were in manpower with the Quidditch World cup almost upon them.

However, what caused Minister Jenkins to pause was the fourth unknown member that she hadn't noticed before. The sharply dressed wizard wore a clover colored robe. His thin lips were pressed into even thinner lines. He was rather pale with a pointed chin, sleeked back dark hair, seeming quite tense really. The unknown wizard did not seem at all impressed by her given her short stature.

"Diggory, Scamander, Lupin to what do I owe the sudden request?" Minister Jenkins asked. "And who is this? He clearly is not a member of the Ministry."

"Pardon me, Minister Jenkins," Damocles Belby coolly interrupted. "Allow me to present myself, I am Damocles Belby, a potions master."

"And why are you here, Master Belby?" Minister Jenkins slowly asked as the two guards at her side remained to hold their wands.

"I am here for the full moon, of course, Minister Jenkins," Damocles said as he walked over to the four holding cells that were full. "The four participants found within the cells are all werewolves and will be cured by the end of the night."

"What?!" Minister Jenkins sputtered in disbelief. "That is impossible, there is no cure!"

"There is now, Minister," Damocles confidently replied. "I've discovered that the crucial process is not to remove the wolf, but rather to change the aspect of the curse. After three doses of the potion, the curse will be removed leaving behind only a wolf animagus. The formerly cursed bites will no longer be contagious and will simply need to register at the nearest animagus registration office to register their wolf animagus form."

"How can you be so certain?" Minister Jenkins suspiciously asked.

"I have already cured one other," Damocles lied with a straight face. "These four will be my proof and the three men before you have all witnessed my giving them the last dose in the process of curing the curse."

"Very well then," Minister Jenkins said. "In that case, let us have a seat." One of the guards hurriedly transfigured a seat for Minister Jenkins to wait in while they watched the four nervous, but rather excited figures waiting inside the holding cells. If what Master Belby had told them was true, then these men would finally be free.

While Minister Jenkins stared at the four individuals in the cells, Lyall Lupin fretfully murmurs, "If the potion works, Master Belby? How much will the cure cost?"

"It is rather affordable actually," Master Belby confessed. "There are only three required dosages that must be given for a three months period before the werewolf in question is completely cured. And then naturally, I have requested that they register themselves at the nearest animagus registration office. We must not have wild wolf animagus running around. We have laws in place for a reason!"

"I'm just happy for what you've done, Master Belby," Newt Scamander said with a soft grin. "This will change their whole world for them."

"I don't need your thanks, Mr. Scamander, it is enough to see the cursed blight forever gone," Damocles grunted feeling rather uncomfortable at being praised.

Amos Diggory naturally being fearless says, "So, how did you come up with it, Master Belby."

"A kind soul pointed me in the right direction," Damocles muttered thinking of the Prince child.

"Well, you really must thank them," Lyall muttered as he anxiously stared up at the ceiling as if he could see through the building to see the rising moon. His son, Remus must already be locked away in his cage anxiously waiting to transform. But a thread of hope burst in his heart if what Master Belby said was true. Then he and his family's whole lives would change within the next hour.

Finally, the hour was upon them as the full moon reached its peak. No one spoke as they all anxiously waited for the transformation to occur. The minutes trickled by until one of the wizard guards said, "It's been ten minutes, Minister Jenkins." The four men in the cells began to touch their faces in disbelief as they began to loudly weep.

Minister Jenkins stares at the cell in almost reverent awe as she says, "Master Belby, you will forever be remembered in history from this day forth."

"You overpraise me, Minister," Damocles stiffly replied, before walking over to the cry men. "I need you to concentrate and close your eyes. Image yourselves as wolves and then back to humans again." The four men eagerly do as their savior tells them too. Some minutes later four different colored wolves stand in the holding cells before transforming back.

Damocles turns and says, "As you can see Minister Jenkins all four of these men are perfectly healed. I understand that you will wish to hold them for the night just to be safe and present them to the world tomorrow. But I would much rather spend my night in bed than waiting down her in a cold cell until morning."

"Master Belby, I request that you remain at the Ministry for security purposes in until morning," Minister Jenkins firmly denied his request. "We have appropriate accommodations for yourself and for these four cured extraordinary men."

"If I must," Damocles sniffed as Lyall Lupin suddenly went up to hug him. "Unhand me, Mr. Lupin! This is most unseemly for a man of your age!" Damocles protested as he struggled to remove the clinging weeping Lyall from his personal self.

Scamander and Diggory finally dragged Lupin off as Damocles unhappily smoothed out his ruffled robes. "Minister Jenkins to my quarters if you would please," Damocles quickly said lest be attacked by anyone else.

"I fear that is only the first of many hugs, Master Belby," Minister Jenkins said with a smile.

"What an utterly appalling idea," Damocles said with a violent shudder.

Minister Jenkins hid a smile as she had the distinct feeling that this would become a rather familiar scene for Master Belby much to his utter displeasure. But it was no matter, this would only serve to clear the terror and fear after the Malfoy attack. And not to mention with the Quidditch World Cup just around the corner. It would be the perfect time for visiting diplomats to receive the formula for the cure.