Halley

24- Venus Finds Out

"Okay," Halley bustled back into the room that Remus and Venus were occupying a few hours later, "let me have a look under the gauze, if they've healed like I thought they would, then you are good to go."

She made her way over to Remus and lifted up the bandaged on his leg, where there had been an ugly gash not hours earlier. But it was gone. All that was left was smooth skin.

Halley hurried over to Venus and lifted up the bandaged on her arm. The wound here was gone too, leaving smooth skin.

"Merlin, it worked. I can't believe it actually worked," Halley muttered.

"Thank Merlin," Venus pulled off the bandages, "now that's healed, I can pummel you."

"What for?" Halley frowned.

"For not telling me about this!"

"Oh, that," Halley began to back out of the room, laughing heartily, "well, I'm really busy right now, I guess I have to-"

"I spoke to Ethan, you have the rest of the day off. You're coming home with me so that we can talk about this properly."

"Mum I-"

"Let's talk about this at home," Venus said stubbornly. She jumped out of bed and grabbed Halley's arm. She began dragging her out of the room. Halley shot a desperate look back at Remus, who gave her a bemused smile, offering no help.

"Mum, I'm really-"

"Halley. At home." Venus said simply.

********

Halley was dragged by her mother, all the way out of St Mungo's, earning them several strange looks, and surely a Rita Skeeter gossip column in the next day's newspaper.

Venus didn't let go, until she apparated them to Hogsmeade, and set Halley down on the sofa in the Longbottom house.

"Mum, please just-"

"NEVILLE!" Venus screeched.

Neville made his way into the house from the back garden, wiping dirt from his hands onto his trousers, "good morning to you too Ve," then he noticed Halley, and the less than happy expression on his wife's face, "uh oh."

"Uh oh indeed," Venus nodded.

"Why?"

"Our little Comet has been working on a secret project, for- how long have you been working on this Halley?" Venus asked in a strangely calm voice.

"Since my fifth year at Hogwarts," Halley murmured.

"Five years. She kept it a secret for five years!" Venus's voice became slightly shrill, making Halley wince.

"I'm sorry! I just thought that it would be better if I kept it a secret! I didn't want to get your hopes up for nothing!"

"What are we talking about?" Neville looked between the two women.

"Halley has been working on a potion to cure werewolf bites," Venus replied, "for five years, without telling me, or Remus."

"It wasn't just you, I didn't tell anyone!"

"Well, I'm assuming that James knows," Venus crossed her arms, "you tell James everything."

Halley shook her head, "the only person who knew was Ethan. And that was only because he was helping me."

"I could have helped you, Halley!" Venus protested.

"You're not very good at healing magic mum," said Halley, "Ethan is a werewolf, and a qualified healer, he was the perfect candidate!"

"But I'm your mother! How could you not tell me something that could effect my entire life!"

"Because, what if I can't do it!" Halley was on her feet too now, staring straight back at Venus's steely gaze, "what if I've been working on it for so long, and I never get anywhere! What if I let you down!"

"Oh Halley," Venus seemed to deflate at this. Striding forwards, she pulled Halley into a tight hug, that reminded Halley vividly of the hug she had been enveloped in on Platform 9 3/4 before she had left for Hogwarts, all those years ago. "You could never, ever let me down, Halley. I am already so unbelievably proud of you!"

"I just- I could bear the idea of you knowing, and me not being able to follow through!"

"Well, now that I do know. I'm going to help you in any way that I can!" Venus grinned.

"No, really, I don't need any help-"

"Halley. I know you don't need help, you've grown up to be so strong and beautiful and independent. If anyone can create the cure for lycanthropy, it's you," Neville chipped in.

"I want you to have something!" Venus reached to her neck and unclasped the silver chain around her neck, a necklace that Halley had never seen her mother take off.

"Mum, I can't take that, it's yours!" Halley protested.

"No, it was my mother's. Sirius gave it to me, and now I want you to have it," Venus insisted, "it's always given me good luck, maybe it can give you some."