The part of Greer Grant will be played by Fauna

9 January 2012
Monday @ 2pm
Entry Hall, Hogwarts School

The Headmaster checked his watch. In two hours the sun would set and the magic of the full moon would settle on Britain. Even though it wouldn’t take them more than a half an hour for himself, Greer Grant, and Lucinda Temple to arrive at the Ministry of Magic, this would be their first journey together and he didn’t want to leave anything to chance.

Knox had been called on to be responsible for the lives and deaths of hundreds and hundreds of young people over the years, but this harrowed him. Being chaperone to these girls’ werewolf transformations had a great deal more gravity and intimacy, required more trust than any of his previous duties. He’d supervised a transformation of a student once before, but that was in the safety of the castle. With the vicious affront at the London Zoo last month, there was more at stake than missing a curfew.

That, and both girls were in a trying time. Lucinda was firmly against all that was happening to her and Knox was constantly negotiating for her cooperation and calm. Greer, this would be her first transformation back at the Ministry after her family was torn apart.  She didn’t know him, she didn’t know Lucinda, she didn’t know any of this.

Knox was ready with a bag at his side. It contained a new bathrobe, a new paperback, matches, and a cigar. These were the comforts he chose for himself.

He hoped the girls wouldn’t be late meeting him here; he’d accounted for the possibility of having to track them down, but he was quite tired and wanted to get this over with.

---

Greer Grant arrived on time, dressed for battle in chunky boots, jeans and a top she didn't care about. Her hair hung loose and a bit greasy. She hadn't washed it in a few days. Didn't see the point. Everything in her life got ripped up. By her own hands. By many hands bigger than hers, holding their quills at the Ministry, checking boxes. Better contain her and those like her. She might grow up to become more dangerous.

She felt dangerous, her skin itchy, like she could jump out of her own skin and bones. It happened every month and felt the same every time. No stopping it.

There loomed Knox Greyfriar before the front doors, checking his watch. A wolf with a smile. Pretender that all was well.

"Some field trip, professor," Greer hefted her bag on her shoulder, digging her shoe into the ground, gaze darting around, her face a tough mask. She packed light. She'd left her Wendy the Werewolf books at home.

---

“We'll try and make the best of it,” Knox said with a tired smile. Greer looked raggedy.

Lucinda grumbled as she advanced towards them, somewhat behind Greer and keeping a good distance so she could have some space for herself. She was exhausted both physically and mentally. It wasn't her first trip to the ministry, she still hated it though. Even when it was just her she hated so many others close by as she would transform. For a start the smell drove her mad the moments before she was transformed, and she was pretty sure in her beast form it made her more driven. Luckily she hadn't attacked herself much when in her wolf form, the odd small scratch but ones that have gone with time, not the permanent type.

She carried with her a very small bag, a basic messenger in which she only carried a can of coffee, a snack bar and a pair of underwear with a shirt her parents had sent her so she had mostly clean in the morning and some stuff to help. At this point Lucinda cared very little. She just wanted it over and done with, her feet hit eachother now and then as the last few days of exhaustion stayed with her.

She was dressed fairly simply, just in a pair of jogging trousers and shoes with a hoodie ontop, no socks with her shoes purely as she wanted to get down as soon as possible.

She was still struggling with the last few days aswell, not only was she angry and tense with the current moon, or with her exhaustion. She ruined the SAWS meeting, yes Rigel had deserved to be hit, but she lashed out far too much, no one would come to a second one if it were to continue. No matter how much Zeta had tried salvaging, she liked Zeta, really liked her. And she had ruined how Zeta would be seen with it now.

Then the meeting afterwards a few days later with Rigel did not help her any more, just made her angrier, she broke down infront of him and showed weakness, he can pretend to like Werewolves and say that story, but she knew he didn't care and was just trying to gain popularity.

Lucinda gave a sigh as she continued on, after this she needs to open up to Zeta, maybe if she can get...maybe if she opened up, there was hope? Just someone to hold her.

She continued to walk towards them, as she got closer it was obvious she was a mess, her skin looked dry, her hair frazzled, clothing creased and ruffled. Her eyes had large bags under them and the eyes themselves appeared red from lack of sleep and crying.

She didn't stop though, storming right past the pair as she barked at them. "Lets get this fucking done with."

Knox had promised. Lucinda started off their journey with a bit of vulgarity that most students refrained from around their teachers. But he’d promised that she could say whatever she wanted, a promise he was happy to make, so he said nothing in response.[1] He might have liked Lucinda to be friendly with Greer, but really, who could ask anything of a werewolf on game day?

With another look at them both to check they had their packs with them, Knox followed Lucinda out the heavy front doors and they made their way through the various courtyards and down the steps to where a horseless open air coach stood waiting. (Of course, those who knew better knew the coach was drawn by Thestrals.)

Knox opened the door and beckoned the girls to step up first, then climbed up himself. The Thetrals knew what to do and set off down the road towards the front gates. Knox crossed his arms over his great chest and tried to relax. It would be a demeanor unfamliar to Lucinda and certainly Greer - their professor was usually full of some kind of energy be it a physical stirring or verbal or thoughtful. But now he sat still and contemplative.

“How are you getting on? I gather your wands are still working.” Over a dozen of their classmates had fallen ill with the Magical Measles. Luckily the isolation seemed to be working, but they couldn’t be too careful. Even the Heamaster has been now banished from the Infirmary while Healer Mordent from St. Mungo’s plied her trade.

---

Lucinda looked just as bad, if not worse than she did. Greer only caught a glimpse of her red-rimmed eyes before the girl dropped the f-bomb and marched past them.

She directed an eyeroll at the back of the girl's head, and let it land on Greyfriar so he knew just how annoying it was. So annoying.

On the steps outside, Greer paused, staring at the thestrals pulling the coach. She took in their draconic features, their long and spindly tails, their bat-like wings. Squaring her jaw, Greer shot another look at the Headmaster and clambered into the coach, throwing her bag into the corner. Too bad if it hit Lucinda. She could deal with it. Move over.

She sat in the coach, led by Death for a death she couldn't remember having caused.[2]

"Got my wand, got some space around my desk," she told him cheekily, folding her arms in turn. She didn't think much about Greyfriar's quieter demeanor. It was just an absence of chatter, like the extra space in the classroom.

1.	29 Dec 2011 - Let the Wolfcret Out - “Use any language you wish.”
2.	Greer, in werewolf form, killed a muggle in May 2011

Lucinda had climbed in to face the headmaster, not wanting to be dwarfed as much by him and definitely not get crushed into the corner of the carriage by him, even if he wasn't that large she didn't like the idea of being put into a corner. She placed both hands over her face for a short while as she tried to calm a little, she wanted to try to help Greer, feeling somewhat responsible as the older student. Even though at this point Greer had more transformations then her.

"Yes my wand still works." She said in a tired but very annoyed sounding tone, like she'd been asked it a million times already. As if to prove her point she pulled her wand out of her trousers and gave it a swish towards her hair. Muttering Crinus Muto as she did. Soon her hair changed from its brown into a clean and crisp white.

Seeming somewhat pleased with herself at being able to get the spell off she rested the wand on her lap. "Why, you can't keep yours up?" She tried to say as a tease but annoyance and irritation infected her words, making it sound more like she's mocking him or attempting to attack him.

As she leaned back in the seat to look up towards the sky she gave a long groan as she wondered how long the damn carriage would take. Did it usually take this long? Its felt like they've been travelling for hours. Although they've only really just started moving.

She still needed to figure out her plan once there, she can't be locked in a cage again, and she can't go through the transformation again. She won't allow either of those things to happen, how could she get past the headmaster though, or the guards. Maybe if she slammed her head into the wall really hard they would rush in to check up on her, find her unconscious and she could get out then. But how would you escape if you're unconscious. She thought, but that didn't really concern her, it was a worthwhile plan.

Maybe you should talk to the girl you've been ignoring instead of thinking up stupid plans.

“We all have our troubles from time to time,” Knox responded to Lucinda’s barb, unfased but not amused.

Greer stared at Greyfriar who, once again, seemed to take Lucinda's comment passively. Did the old man even know what she meant? Gross!

Where was the Wizengamot elder who'd spoken so eloquently at her trial, or the Headmaster who'd welcomed them at the feast? Who was this guy taking crap from a fourth year?

Shaking her head, Greer crossed her arms and slouched in her seat and scowled out the window.

The carriage rumbled on down the road. The afternoon sun wasn’t as warming as it looked it would be, and soon the dark treecover of the Forbidden Forest covered them in shadow anyway. The Hogwarts gates opened for them - the Headmaster really - and swung wide its ancient iron. The boar statues shuffled on their pedaments.

It wasn’t terribly much longer that the carriage stopped in front of the Three Broomsticks. A good a place as any to floo. Knox held the door open for the girls and then nodded to Madam Rosemerta behind the counters. She nodded back but didn’t ask them for an order - the context was clear enough to the savvy witch who’d seen it all.

At the fireplace, Knox held them up.

“Lucinda, want to tell Greer how this works?”

"I've used a floo before," Greer cut in, reaching for the floo powder. She glanced back at Madam Rosmerta, who was pretending not to watch them. She'd used a floo! She wasn't five.

Knox grunted and rubbed his eyes. “Once we get there.,” he clarfied.

Lucinda gave a small smirk to Greer at Knox not getting her comment, although for the rest of the coach trip she remained quiet, head in her hands as she tried to contain herself, she was dreading everything to come and tense enough even without the pressure of her injuries that she was ready to flip out at anything.

Upon departing the carriages she looked about Hogsmeade as they were ushered into the Three broomsticks, atleast she was out of the castle...the first time she had managed to leave school in...she can't remember, it felt better then being on the grounds, she could go into a sprint. Escape. Live alone in the wilds of Scotland and raise a Loch Ness monster. A simple life, free of all of this. She wanted to run, she should of ran. Her body screamed to escape and transform.

But she entered the pub, gently nodding to Madam Rosemerta. "I'll take a Butterbeer with atleast 5 shots of vodka please." She said in the best joking tone she could manage. Adults seemed to drown things in alcohol often, why should be denied it. So what if the law said she was underage, the law in pretty much every country she knew said you couldn't just attack people and turn them into giant poodles aswell but people obviously didn't care for that.

Lucinda snapped back into the world though as Knox spoke to her, giving a sigh she looked at Greer with a half apologizing look, but completely a look of you don't need this, I don't need this.

"Right, so we get blasted by magic half way across the country, to end up in an underground place run by assholes. Then we have our wands taken from us and are told to drink sewage water. Apparently its some sort of potion but who knows." No one could convince her Wolfsbane was an actual potion at this time, it tasted too foul, she was sure it was some kind of prank and money maker for the government.

"So then we are told to strip and forced into a giant prison cell or something where we wait until we are torn apart piece by piece as our body restructures, as we both know. And aren't allowed out or noticed no matter how much we scream to let us out or that I want them to just kill me. Then we wake up some time later feeling like shit and they offer us things like our own possessions and food. Then we pretend like it never happened only for it to happen over and over again until we die."

With her cheery description of what to do done she looked at the fireplace. "Just don't say the wrong place or you will be hunted down by an entire organization dedicated to capturing us, if you're lucky."

Well that colossally backfired.

“My god, Miss Temple, words matter,” Knox tilted his head at Lucinda, his face twisted in disappointment an irritation.

As crummy as they all were feeling, they had to stick together, didn’t they? He didn’t need Greer and Lucinda to be friends, but at least they could be comrades in this endeavor, to make it bearable.

He turned to Greer.

“You don’t have to give up your wand and you can wear whatever you like, and it’s not prison.” The Headmaster gave Lucinda another sharp look. But Greer would know all that if she’d transformed their before. He couldn’t recall.

---

Floo powder drifted from Greer's closed fist, swirling in tiny green currents to land on the pub floor.

Greer jutted her lower lip out, glaring up at the older Gryffindor with the gift for gloomy gab. Why was this girl making fun of her? She'd never stayed in a Ministry cell before. Her parents hated the Ministry, enough to hide her at home every full moon. Enough to hide her even after she'd escaped. Once. Twice. Too many times.

She'd first stepped foot inside the Ministry when the WCU had arrested her parents. Her whole family - her parents, her brother - had cried except her. She'd gone back to the Ministry a second time to prepare for her trial, and it was then that she'd cried and it was Harper Graves, her lawyer, who had stood strong for her.

If Harper were here, it wouldn't be like this!

Finally, Greyfriar stepped in. Too little, too late. She never thought she'd miss his speeches.

"Yeah, whatever," Greer muttered, swallowing the lump in her throat.

She threw her floo powder into the fireplace and stepped into the flames.

"The Ministry of Magic!"

Once inside the Ministry atrium, they went through the process that Greer was all too familiar with - showing her wand to the Welcome Witch, waiting for access.

Soon would come the part she was unfamiliar with. The cells, the wolfsbane that tasted like sewage. All wolfsbane potion tasted like sewage. Why couldn't they go to a safe house again? She’d been to those before.

---

The Werewolf Wing's reception area was populated by a couple dozen at this hour. Some were quietly chatting, already changed into comfortable clothes. Others sat alone in a chair dozing or buried in a thick novel. Wix with nametags were checking people in, showing people where they could change if they wished, offering keys to lockers for bags and wands and things. There was a cart with refreshments, but it was mostly untouched.

It wasn't a cheery place really - more like a hospital waiting room, but it wasn't as grim as Lucinda made it out to be.

Knox ushered the girl to the front desk.

"Mr. Greyfriar and Miss Temple," the staff member recognized them both. Then a tiny tight smile. "And you must be Greer."

Lucinda didn't seem very happy by the scolding. To her it was true, the place is a prison, designed to keep her in and to be tortured, would be better if they just knocked her unconscious or killed her. Atleast then she wouldn't know of the transformation and it would be alot smoother for her. Although from the pain she could probably reliably count on the transformation to wake her from a coma. So atleast thats sorted for her. Can probably rely on it to wake me from death. She watched as Greer disappeared, who would of guessed when both of the girls were about to transform into giant hairy beasts wasn't the best time for first introductions?

"Its not like I didn't say the bloody truth." She mumbled and got into the fire place. Gripping some powder in her hand. Nows your chance, you can do it. Just say anywhere, that isn't the ministry. She closed her eyes and took a breath through her mouth. "Dia...." She stopped herself and threw the powder quickly, hoping it wasn't noticed. "Ministry of Magic." And with a lurch she felt her world go disjointed.

Arriving at the ministry she made an immediate path to a bin and bent over it, despite the smell of whatever is in the bin she took some deep breaths to calm herself. Praying not to throw up now, the smell of the soot and the constant spinning from the trip didn't do her well.

After a minute or two to gather herself she went over to the welcome witch and showed her wand, keeping a firm grip on it. She tried to give a reassuring smile down to Greer but she was terrified. She should of ran, why didn't she.

All the way to the WCU she kept glancing back towards the fire places. The previous wix's who would of escorted her before would of learned she tended to fight them the entire way, first time in the ministry she had attempted a full blown run for freedom and...nearly got out of the WCU, before being dragged in. After that she had punched one Wix as she was entering her cell before failing at another run. After that she mostly just used every curse under the sun to insult them. As much as she kept wanting to run she knew Knox was there, and she wasn't particularly fond of the thought as to what his reaction to her making a bolt would be.

She downed her poison like a good girl, although her body shuddered and upon finishing she had to fight her gag reflex, her form lurched forwards, right hand placed on her mouth. Every time, every damn time it was like this. She tasted bile in her mouth, she scanned for water and started drinking, throat burning as she tried to clear the taste from her mouth, with her drink finished and a wipe of her eyes she shot a look towards Knox, practically screaming that she will never forgive him, how long that will last for remained to be seen however.

With a look at those who were waiting her thoughts changed, everyone treating it like it is so casual. How, they were waiting to die, every one of them was practically waiting for when they would be tortured and none of them really seemed to make a deal out of it. The number of people was disturbing, so many werewolves. She's never really been here without storming past screaming words that would make the ears blister and snapping at every dirty look. Why are so many looking at me. She couldn't tell if it was her imagination or not, she noticed a glance for sure, how many recognized her.

When she turned to the staff member she stopped snarling, never noticing that she was or when it started. Miss Temple. Her mind mocked as she gripped her wand tightly, tensing to cast a spell at a moments notice. "Do not ever address me like that again." She said through gritted teeth, watching them for any bit of tension or if they are going to go for their own wand. "Or so help me god I will tear your lungs out through your throat and you'll never speak again."

An overall empty threat, she didn't quite know how to do that, but surely making them throw up enough can lead to the same results.

It had been a quiet day and night and day so far.  Aside from a couple of instances of red sparks that had only necessitated Auror responses, their patrols had been more boring than productive, which was how everyone but him probably preferred it.  There was no sign of Tawse, no sign of the direwolves, no sign of any premeditated attacks.

But now that the real full moon was approaching, activity was picking up on Level Four.  Werewolves had begun to trickle in an hour or two ago, ready to take advantage of the Ministry’s overnight accommodations.  Ever since March of 2009, the Werewolf Capture Unit always made it a point to check the Level Four cells, to make sure that all the locks were solidly working so that they didn’t have a repeat of that disaster.  A werewolf might take a full complement of Wolfsbane potion, but they’d all learned the hard way that on a full moon, nothing but silver was certain.

Kurby was antsy enough that he’d gone with Bellingham to check the cells himself.  It was a chance to get away from Level Two, to do something besides waiting and fidgeting.  The inspection had taken a good half-hour, but mostly because he’d been overly thorough: checking the locks, examining each small room’s door, making sure that there were no holes in the protections.

“Naw, I don’t want either of ‘em out on patrol tonight,” he was saying to Bellingham, shaking his head as the two werewolf hunters stepped back into the main room.  Both were already dressed in their full moon gear, the leather and silver that was the unmistakeable mark of the Capture Unit.  “If Tawse’s lot got any kind of a look at them, they’d be too easy to —“

A snarl cut through across the room, causing them both to instinctively stop and look up.

Most of the werewolves here were the tame ones: they’d accepted the Ministry’s help and in return acceded to its imposed rules and regulations.  Tempers occasionally flared around the full moon, but rarely in a serious way.  Everyone knew the drill, they knew the extent of the Werewolf Wing’s gentle patience, and they knew the potential consequences if that patience happened to be exceeded.

But here was a young werewolf who barely looked old enough to attend Hogwarts, snapping and throwing threats at one of the Werewolf Wing attendants, who looked taken aback by the ferocity.

”Or so help me god I will tear your lungs out through your throat and you’ll never speak again.”

Kurby paused, dark eyes settling on the source of the commotion.  There was no mistaking the bulk of Knox Greyfriar, no way he could forget the other slip of a figure lurking near to the big werewolf’s side.  But he hadn’t yet met the third member of their little group, the ferocious young pup who was threatening to rip out someone’s throat.

Shifting uneasily beside him, Bellingham cast a look in his direction, clearly wanting to start moving again.  Unless the Werewolf Wing workers asked for help, this technically wasn’t their problem.  The case workers were trained to handle outbursts and hot temperaments around the full moon, even if most tempers weren’t usually quite this short.

But sometimes problems that weren’t theirs were still worth observing.  Kurby stayed where he was, eyebrows raised and expression cool, as he waited to watch what happened next.

"Excuse me!! Excuse me, this is me!"

Harper Graves was in a hurry as she pushed her way out of a crowded elevator on to the fourth floor. Coat in hand, she was dressed for afternoon tea at a stupidly fancy hotel in central London - some conference of wizarding law firms - and darted through the foyer, surrounded by a cloud of Oud perfume. Her level two badge dangled around her neck on a lanyard, rather disrupting the otherwise discerning attire, but it helped get bystanders to jump out of the way. She checked her watch upon crossing the threshold of the Werewolf Wing. There was still time!

Greer Grant was transforming for the first time in the Ministry of Magic, today.

Harper hadn't told the young werewolf about coming down to wish her luck: she was wary of making promises she might not keep, and it was especially important not to break ones you make to young witches. And her meeting with Carstairs had nearly run over, too!

Thank Merlin it wasn't exactly rush hour or the lifts would have been a nightmare. The witch turned into the main room of the werewolf cells, click in her heels, looking blindly past various 'inmates' awaiting doses of Wolfsbane or queuing to leave their wands in safekeeping. Understandably not a smile in sight. Snatches of silver told her that she was amongst the WCU's hunters but her eyes found Knox Greyfriar first.

Nobody could miss that wizard in a room. "Greer!" Harper called out, indicating her DMLE badge to the closest person - and almost did a double take, because it was Bagnold. Oh, well! This was his floor! The dissonance between her presence and the battle-ready outfits of the WCU was perfectly electric. She quickly looked back at Greyfriar and his charges, waving.

"Hello! Came to wish Greer good luck!"

“Lucinda, try not to threaten to kill people,” Knox said, his voice low and tired. She was worrying him. Outside of Hogwarts his ability to protect her diminished. Pushing his buttons was one thing, but the Ministry of Magic was far more inflexible; they may take her seriously. Perhaps he’d failed to prepare her as he’d been so preoccupied with making sure she’d actually comply. Perhaps he’d doted on her at the expense of Greer’s needs.

He flashed a wincing sort of smile at the check-in witch; she had to be used to this.

The bright entrance of Harper Graves caused Knox to turn towards the doors; but he looked past the friendly American to where two werewolf hunters stood in the doorway. Knox made little effort to hide that he was staring directly at Bagnold. Bagnold had to know exactly what his presence would mean here - callous intimidation. Lucinda was already pre-occupied with being ‘hunted’ and, if he recalled, Greer was torn from her home. Doubtless there were others in the room who’d been harassed and traumatized by the WCU. And yet there they stood.

Knox did glance away, for just a moment, to smile at Graves. A bit of cheer was not, at the moment, unwelcome. Merlin knew Knox was running low.

Greer met the staff member's eyes and gave a curt nod, her hands in tight fists with her arms crossed. Then Lucinda dropped something worse than an f-bomb.

Greer whipped her head around to stare at her. What the hell? Shut up, shut up Lucinda! Her gaze darted around, expecting the staff to turn on them, expecting Greyfriar to lose his patience.

He would do something now, wouldn't he?

Try, he said...

The aftertaste of the potion in her mouth was as sour as the anxiety in her stomach. The staff said something to Lucinda, speaking in firm but patient tones, but Greer barely heard them. She took a few steps away from the group, unable to get the imagery out of her head. The deeds she'd already committed. Everyone was looking at her and Lucinda. They must think Greer felt the same. She did get angry-

"Greer!"

Oh no, here it was.

Greer looked to the doors, gaze skipping past the werewolf hunters and landing on the witch dressed in ivory. The good witch.

Harper Graves. Greer's eyes widened. Harper! Harper was here. Was she mad? She'd shouted Greer's name across the entire reception area. No, not mad! It was Harper. Harper was here!

Greer didn't hesitate. She slipped out of the queue, weaving around the gathered wixes with the ease of a young teenager who hadn't quite hit her growth spurt.

She came to a quick stop in front of Harper at the doors. She didn't know what to do when she got there. She stood, hands looser at her sides.

"Hi," she managed.

Greer glanced at Bagnold decked in silver, recognizing him from her trial and the arrest. He never smiled, much like the wolves he watched.

She turned and smiled up at Harper. Anyone who knew her would smile at her too.

Try not to threaten to kill people. Oh yes sir she would. He had asked soooo politely. What a joke, its not like he would actually do anything, he'd already shown that. And said to her he won't go after for anything she said. Besides its not like they wouldn't of heard worse. Knox was just getting upset over nothing, like always, being far too protective of her, it was getting on her bloody nerves.

She watched Greer sneak off, good for her, someone came for her. Now she wouldn't have to see the brat around anymore. She didn't need some moody kid around her, the only one allowed to make herself miserable is her. No one else, god kids were annoying. Good riddance to her now she's going off to some pretty woman who came in yelling for her. And now Knox seemed distracted, eyes were..mostly off of her now.

Just let this night be over with. I have things I want to do. She took the time to try moving away from Knox, his eyes were elsewhere, although she did notice the ones that were still on her, she can't run, besides she won't get far, although she'd not really seen them, she guessed those who are heavily dressed and...wearing silver were the ones who's job it was to make sure she's being a good girl and drinking her nuclear waste. Chernobyl water probably tastes nicer. She again lamented on the taste of Wolfsbane.

But then she noticed Knox being...more on edge. If that was possible, he didn't like whoever was there. And that for her was enough, someone who made Knox nervous, or on edge, whatever it was. She didn't care, he didn't like him, and so she found herself...skipping slightly over to the figure. The happiest move in her step she's had in awhile, enjoying how much this may annoy Knox. As she approached the prepared WCU members. "Why hello there!" She said in the cheeriest voice possible, a slight malicious glint in her eyes. "How are you today?" She let off a grin that should be happy, but with the full moon so near and herself barely being able to hold herself together came off more twisted then she intended, almost like a beast looking down at its prey knowing they cannot escape.

She offered her right arm forwards. "I'm Lucinda Temple, my my you look strong. I bet you could give Knox a run for his money."

Out of nowhere, someone unexpectedly shoved an DMLE badge at his chest, and Kurby did do a double-take as he realized it was Harper Graves.  Blinking, he gave the defense attorney a bewildered look, startled to see her in the middle of the Werewolf Wing and twice as surprised that she'd be shoving her credentials at anyone.  The American witch's long white dress and stylish coat looked far too out of place for their grungy surroundings, and seeing her there was almost like a shock -- a reminder that somewhere outside the bubble that he'd been buried in for the past few days, the ordinary world continued and plenty of normal people went about their daily routines without a thought spared for the encroaching full moon.

But Harper quickly made her purpose clear, calling out and giving a wave to Greer and the rest of the Hogwarts pack.

Greyfriar looked over at them, making no pretense of staring straight at him.  Kurby stood his ground, his expression level as he met the werewolf's pointed glare.  If Greyfriar was going to let his teenaged charges skip around and snarl at Ministry employees, then he was damned well going to stand here and observe as long as he liked.

Except then the pup in question really was skipping, trailing in Greer's wake -- who'd come running over to greet Harper -- as she made a beeline straight towards them.

Kurby blinked, taken aback for a split second, and then barked out a sharp laugh.  He looked at the girl's outstretched right hand, then down at his own, clad with silver rings on each finger and a leather gauntlet laced through with silver threads and silver studs.  He didn't know whether the kid was trying to shake his hand or arm wrestle him, but either way, there was no goddamned way he was dealing with the political outfall of intentionally touching a teenaged werewolf when he was wearing so much silver.

Flexing his fingers, he dropped his hand to his side and flashed her a wolfish grin.

"That one's been played," he said nicely, quirking a brow at her.  "Although I reckon you appear to be doin' a better job of it than I did."

            "Hi," said Greer Grant, and Harper returned her smile beamingly.

She looked... healthy. Disgruntled maybe but pretty much everyone in this room was, though the lawyer was pleased to see she managed to knock 'grumpy' into 'surprised' where Bagnold was concerned. The other of Greyfriar's pupils had also come over but Harper focused on Greer right now, kneeling down to give her client a well-deserved hug. Merlin. Tiny thing! It was hard to imagine what she might look like as a werewolf, this girl who otherwise appeared perfectly sweet, if not somewhat brooding.

"I see you're all ready for your first go on level four," she drew back to give Greer an approving look. "Not bad, not bad. You're going to make the old timers look like tired doormats," Harper leaned in slightly in a whisper, "like grey Greyfriar."

The Headmaster of Hogwarts was not, by any means, a tired doormat. She doubted he would mind the joke even if he did overhear. He was a big boy.

A bark of a laugh caused her to look up just then: Lucinda Temple was making quite the introduction to Bagnold. Harper knew about Temple, she'd done her homework and had kept up to date on werewolf news ever since taking on the Grant case. Kurby was sensible enough not to shake hands. "Is this a friend of yours, Greer?" she asked her own little Gryffindor, curious about how they were getting along.

Hopeful, to be honest, even if it was easy to see that Temple was a very different kind of person.