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Magic Knows No Boundaries Chapter 39
🕑 Added 2024-02-01 02:38:44 +0000 UTCChapter 39:
A Crowded Sanctuary Part 2
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They managed the approval process for new volunteers like a conveyor belt after that.
All of the ministry workers and members of the board of governors came prepared with their background checks already finished and certified. This included Mr Weasley, Tofty, Dolores, Mrs Marchbanks the elder, Mrs Marchbanks the younger, Mafalda, Felicity, Hana, both Hagrids, Scamander and Belby.
After that, Tofty, Dolores and their gang of office ladies got straight to work. They were on fire, in the zone as they were, as Harry and his board inserted them right into their field of expertise. Managing people by doing background checks and the like.
These ladies floo’d to the ministry and back a hundred times that day, bringing copies of volunteer and patient ids to the ministry for verification and coming back with clean slate after clean slate. The ladies just went down the road speaking to each werewolf that stood waiting, checking their identities to ensure they weren’t on the run or, worse, terrorists intent on sabotaging the sanctuary.
Then the construction crew arrived, led by Hildebrand.
A dozen men, some of whom Harry could feel weren’t even wizards, followed him inside and to the ground floor barracks. He couldn’t imagine the licensing nightmare to have Muggles work in the wizarding world, whether they were spouses or siblings of wizards or not.
“Alright boys. Tear down that wall. We’re creating an expansion outwards. Gotta double the space.” Hildebrand told his men.
Harry had half expected, half hoped, that they would actually tear down said wall with explosion hexes. But no, they meticulously cut out the lath and plaster with charms while Fred and George went outside setup a tent. A big one, like that of a circus, to hide the construction. It somehow contained that entire side of the house.
Once the interior was stripped they removed the exterior and set that aside. Then came the really interesting magic.
The men simulcasted a transfiguration spell that compressed the dirt into a concrete-like state. It compacted the dirt, removing all of the air and moisture, and partially liquefied the sand and stone to them it flow between each other before solidifying again. It was such beautiful magic he had to let Ghillie Dhu out to feel its inner workings.
From there, Hildebrand opened and tipped over a large trunk that turned out to be filled with timber. Timber that was then used to frame the extension. They didn’t use nails, opting to instead fuse the beams together similar to the transfiguring charm they had used to create the new foundation. They then carved some simple runes upon the joined to make them stretchy where the fusing was done. Harry assumed this was to simulate the give and flexibility of nails. The entire frame was one solid mass by the end of it.
They only extended it by ten meters, making sure to set up duplicate ward stones to link the old spacial expansion enchantments to the new area. The more area you had to expand, the bigger the expanded area was proportionally.
With the framing done, they threw plywood onto everything, including the new floor. The place was now properly sealed and practically finished, save for the interior walls and shingling.
“Don’t worry about insulation, drywall or wallpaper today.” Said Granpappy Crabbe. “Just make the outside pretty for any watchers. That means reattach the exterior we removed. Then add the new siding and shingles.”
He turned to Harry.
“I already got identical siding panels and shingles. Probably have a bit extra you can put in storage for future repairs.” Hilderbrand said.
Harry nodded.
“I don’t like that it won’t be finished today, but I recognize the necessity. We should do something to hide the guys there. Not to mention the plywood floor can’t be sufficient.” Harry complained.
“Oh, I brought a rug for that. And a temporary conjuration will be fine for the walls. The warming enchantments we have should be more that enough. If not, our collective charm skills are up to the task of keeping everybody cozy through the night.” Hildebrand reasoned.
He was correct. Winter had yet to set in and it was proving to be a mild autumn so far.
With less than an hour until the entire werewolf population of Europe was due to flood into these walls, they finally setup the facilities properly. The shelves were converted to the military-style bunk beds and setup around the room. This still left them with a lot of empty space with no bunk beds to place there.
“We will handle that, dearie.” Molly told him.
She and Andromeda got to work transfiguring the upstairs and hallway furniture, mostly Wheezes display cases and the actual furniture in their living quarters, into new bunk beds. Katie and Angelina cleared them of all personal belongings with impressive housekeeping charms of their own.
One massive imported rug to cover the unfinished floor and an illusion spell to match the wallpaper of the room later and they were ready for their guests. Just in time too.
“Come in! Come in! Anybody allergic to wolvesbane please enter through the back door where our resident mediwitch will discuss options with you.” Harry hollered over the crowd as they poured in.
He ushered them in one by one, shaking hands and accepted free hugs when offered. A few of his benefactors, namely Valentine and Mrs Zabini, stood on either side of him to help with the greeting. Both were people persons, especially Zabini who took pride in her power to make any man feel like a king with her mere smile. With how life had beaten many of these men down that small interaction was all the more powerful. They certainly needed it.
The remaining volunteers led the werewolves to their quarters, acquainting them with their facilities – bunk beds, chamber pots, curtains for privacy due to said chamber pots, and all the rest. Each was walked through the procedures, from the silvered cuffs to the checkout procedures.
“Professor Morrigan, you are wanted in the rear.” Fred interrupted him.
Harry nodded and followed his red-haired friend to the back where Narcissa and Andromeda had monopolized a room that was now full of particularly down on their luck werewolves.
“Everybody you see here is allergic to wolvesbane.” Andromeda informed him.
Wow. That was more than expected, nearly twenty of them. Nowhere near too much to handle. Hell, they could all probably fit in the downstairs fridge if it came to having to put them on ice for the night to keep them calm.
“What’s the problem? We should have enough alternatives on hand.” Harry asked.
“Well, when offered to be administered medical THC Mr Hendrix had an interesting question.” Narcissa said, motioning for the man to ask it again.
He stood up and did so.
“Um. My work drug tests me, and it’s already difficult enough keeping a nine to five while disappearing for three days out of the month.” He explained. “Can you guarantee us a cleansing potion afterwards?”
Ah. Most people referred to that expensive concoction as the hangover cure potion, but it actually removed all substances from the body that were not in the body when the potion was completed. Much like the polyjuice potion, it required material from the person to be used as a reference, which had to be the imbiber. Drop a hair in there before a night of hard drugs, then drink it the next morning. Clean drug test.
“Let me ask.” Harry excused himself.
He found Lucius looking over paperwork with Dolores and her gaggle of human managing ladies. They looked to be reports on the going-ons of the facility, namely affidavits that everything was done to the letter. Swearing that every person was checked in properly, their identities confirmed, that everything was explained to them, yada yada. Unfortunately it had to be done for every individual werewolf.
None of them seemed pleased to be filling them out. Harry could empathize. He’d had to do them last time.
“Mr Malfoy.” Harry interrupted.
“How may we help you, Professor Morrigan.” Lucius said without looking up.
“I needed to ask you if we could afford…” Harry tried to ask.
“Yes.” Lucius answered before he could finish his question, again without looking up.
Harry blinked at the man.
“You don’t even know what I’m about to ask you to get for us.” Harry said.
“True. But any question that begins with any variation of “Can you afford” always ends in yes.” He said, this time looking up. “I’m Lucius Malfoy. Of course I can afford it. That’s like somebody asking you or Tom if you are capable of magical feat x. It doesn’t what x is, the answer is yes.”
Harry appreciated neither the man’s own hubris, nor his estimation of Harry’s magical prowess. That he just casually referred to and compared him to Voldemort in a room full of people was also unappreciated, though humerus as nobody else in earshot knew who he meant by Tom. Except maybe Mrs Marchbanks the elder, based on the giddy gleam in her eyes.
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They still had hours before dark, but Andromeda and Narcissa would want to look over them long before their transformations to ensure they didn’t have any illnesses or conditions they needed to be aware of. Especially allergies to wolvesbane.
Speaking of wolvesbane, Belby just returned with the marauders, each of whom was laden with cauldrons of the stuff.
Twins and Mr Malfoy arrive with several trunks, full of shrunken bunk beds.
“They almost didn’t arrive in time.” Said Lucius. “I did order them on short notice.”
“Let me guess. Last night?” Harry said.
He tapped his nose and smiled at Harry.
They set up the new beds in the new extension to the house and got back to guiding werewolves inside to their bunks.
Harry meandered to the kitchen for a cuppa only to find Molly, Narcissa and Katie hard at work filling the dining room with food stuffs. Organizing all of the baked goods and cheeses and smoked meats that he didn’t know they had. There was barely enough space to conjure enough tables on top of tables to hold it all.
“We’ll get everyone fed as soon as they’re all situated dear.” Molly said. “And as soon as they’re cleared to stay by the more medically trained among us.”
After that, all that was left for Harry to do was sit on his hands and wait for night to come around. Remus had promised to go back and bring the students over when the chaos died down.
“So, Morrigan.” Mrs Shunpike greeted him from behind.
Harry sighed, and turned around to see her approach. She was flanked on either side by Mrs Marchbanks, the younger, and Madame Hooch. It was an odd trio to be sure. Although he could guess how Mrs Shunpike and Mrs Marchbankes the younger had met, what, with the latter’s husband formerly working in the time department of the unspeakables.
“We find our talents aren’t exactly being used.” Said Mrs Shunpike.
Hmmm. What to so with a seer and prophet, a sports master, and the wife of a chronomancer?
“Do we have any board games in stock?” Harry asked, turning to Hooch.
She raised an eyebrow at the suggestion.
“We sure do!” He heard George yell from another room.
Board games of muggle and wizard make alike soon filled the waiting room. Everything from checkers and chess, to shoots and ladders, to exploding snap and gobstones, to a card game about growing and trading beans. If nothing else, it had variety. Harry knew how to play maybe a handful of them, but could tell games like monopoly had to go, as they were too long and would last well into the transformations of their guests.
They began conjuring tables, small ones akin to widened foot stools, when the Hogwarts students finally arrived, escorted by Warbeck. Hermione, Ron, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Susan, Daphne, Neville, Marcus, Kenneth, Eddie, Cho and Miles were all here.
“Welcome Madame Warbeck, we have a large contingency of werewolves allergic to the wolvesbane that may need your attention at the moment. The rest of you? Your job today is to play board games with our guests.” Harry instructed.
A series of disappointed and confused grumbles later and Harry lead the teenagers, each laden with an armful of board game boxes, into the barracks areas. Harry directed them to pick the games they were familiar with and setup at one of the tables before beginning his speech.
Romulus, who had been keeping his fellow werewolves company until then, stood up to greet them, hugging Ron and fist-bumping Draco. Hadrian wondered at when they became so chummy.
“Now. Just because you are all waiting for your inevitable suffering this evening does not mean the hours leading up to it must also be suffering. These young volunteers have agreed to help you pass the time, in keeping you company and playing board or card games. We have everything from checkers ,to clue, to chess and sorry. Of course, we also have the wizarding games of exploding snap and gobstones if that is more your style, but there are some strange ones here even I haven’t heard of like… cid maer’s civilization and… star ship command? Whatever it is, give it a shot! You might like it.”
He distributed the boxes and teenagers to tables of werewolves, giving each their own. Ron made a beeline for the table with the chess board but Harry put a stop to that.
“Maybe let somebody capable of losing play against the down on their luck and in pain medical patients?” Harry whispered to the redhead.
It took a second for him to catch on, but he nodded when he finally did. Him playing chess against these people would be like Michael Jordan playing hoops with paraplegics. And playing seriously. He knew Ron, he wasn’t capable of losing on purpose or going easy on somebody in chess. In fact, Harry wasn’t sure how anybody could go easy on somebody in chess.
Ron sat down at a table with Chinese checkers already setup and got to work. Romulus took his place at the chess board.
Harry left Remus and Lily to supervise them all while he made sure things were going swimmingly.
“Morrigan.” Lucius called him over. “I sent a messenger to Laranges Potions and Tonics. They said they have enough stock of the hangover potion to supply all of the werewolves that need it. It should be here by morning, so we should get some samples from he participants now.”
Harry nodded and marched into the back room where Warbeck and Andromeda were tending to the crowd of allergy sufferers.
“We are guide on the cleansing potion. Just extract some hair and follicles now and store them properly.” Harry informed them.
The looks of relief on the faces of the guests was instant.
“Alright then folks, Everybody down into the basement so I can drug you up and freeze you.” Warbeck said with a wicked grin worthy of the serial killer she was starting to sound like.
The patients laughed nervously as they followed her. They gave him some sideways glances as they went.
Harry resisted the urge to make a joke about eating frozen fingers as snacks. He already had enough attention from ladies without the boost to his allure that Jeffery Dahmer somehow had.
The remaining couple hours passed in a blur. Harry spent it helping the other baord members fill out the paperwork. It was as quiet as a pop quiz, with nothing but the sound of quills scribbling and parchment rustling. But soon the two hours were up and the sun went down.
“Alright children, out with you! It’s time for them all to be given their potion and to tuck in for a rough night. And you all have to get back to the castle.” Harry told them.
Que the moaning.
“But it’s a Saturday night!(A/N 1)” Draco complained. “And there’s no Hogsmeade tomorrow.”
“All true. But you already learned all you were brought here to learn, and the place is far more crowded and busy than we expected. We do not have the resources to have you here today. Maybe next month.” Harry said.
“And what exactly was it we learned by playing boad games all day?” Hermione asked.
Warbeck entered the room, flanked byBelby and Andromeda.
“What you learned is a little thing called bedside manner.” Said Warbeck. “A skill far too many neglect to develop. You just spent several hours in a room full of dangerous, unwashed, strangers and not only put them at ease, but had an enjoyable time. The ability to be kind and sociable with people of all walks of life is paramount for any healer.”
Miles Bletchley and Romulus Lupin both pulled out a handy dandy notebook and began scribbling into them. Good lads! He’d been neglecting his one little notebook lately, in favor of a proper scheduler and planner, and made a mental note to start using it again.
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This chapter was agony. I chipped away at it 50-100 words at a time. It took two months. Between losing almost two weeks of my life to the worst flu of my life and having to rewrite the entire chapter from scratch after LOSING THE ORIGINAL, and trying to keep it interesting by changing it completely, this sucked. I even lost the original outline. I am not happy with the result, because I threw away three scenes and I’ll have to rework the next chapter to fit them back in. This chapter will be a 3 parter when it should have only been a double.
I think I’m going to need a long break from this story folks. A long one.
(A/N 1) I screwed up. The full moon on September 1996 was on a Thursday. I got it and October’s confused hwen I wrote the grand opening chapter. Damn it all. I do all this research and still screw it up.
Comments
NonsensicalRants
He already has. The final third of this chapter was the pureblood and Muggleborn contingencies of the Sancturary volunteers having a candid discussion. A heart to heart where they open up about where everything went on.
Troy Stanat
I just couldn’t get into them like this one so far… I really like the idea of winning over everyone with compassion and love…the harry you are writing for this story is one of my favorites I’ve ever read…I’m excited to see how he brings everyone together
NonsensicalRants
Have... have you not read my other stories? Half of them are significantly superior.
Troy Stanat
Please don’t take a long break from this story…this actually may be one of the best fanfics out there… I can’t wait to see where you take it
