"Dead..."

"...murdered, I heard..."

"Killed by a werewolf."

"Torn to pieces..."

"...heard there was barely a bit left of him by the time they found him..."

"Werewolves - horrible creatures..."

"...didn't stand a chance..."

"I heard it was Ned Veigler's done it."

"Professor Veigler?"

"He's a werewolf."

"...nasty creatures, werewolves..."

"Professor Tyr didn't stand a chance."

"...they say all they found was a few bones..."

"...ate him alive..."

"There's laws about werewolves, they're supposed to turn themselves in on the full moon..."

"...unregistered..."

"...should send him to Azkaban..."

"...Dementor's Kiss..."

"No bleeding werewolves deserve to live, they should kill them all."

"Shut your bleedin' mouth, if you know what's good for ya." Sirius snapped at the speaker of that last one, a young Ravenclaw. He glowered at him and the whole cluster of younger kids ran off down the corridor. He looked 'round at the other Marauders and shook his head, "None of them have any bloody respect, the whole damn school. Were we like that once?"

Remus nodded numbly.

"Oi, Moony, it's alright," Sirius said, pulling him closer.

Remus fell against Sirius rather limply. 

James sighed, leading the way down to the Great Hall, where the entire school had been called to assemble to address the news in a more official manner than the loads of gossip that was going about. "I just can't believe it's happened."

They Great Hall was buzzing even more than the corridors had been, people waving about the Daily Prophet, which had covered the news, and shouts going up as older students who knew Professor Veigler exclaimed in shock to learn that the old Defense teacher was a werewolf and had done in their current Defense teacher... younger students marveling at the revelation that there had been a werewolf at school, whispering how terrified that made them feel... Remus felt sick, and started to turn back to leave the Great Hall, but Sirius caught him and pulled him back, guiding him to their seats and hugging him tightly. Lily gripped James's hand in her own, their fingers laced together, squeezing them for support. On the other side, she held onto Peter's hand, though a bit more loosely than she was doing with James. 

Dumbledore was standing already as they entered, not yet talking, but leaning heavily against the owl shaped podium. He looked a good deal older than he usually did, James thought. He waited until everyone had sat and he gripped the podium's sides and cleared his throat and silence - absolute and complete - fell over the Great Hall like a tidal wave. He drew a deep breath.

"I believe everyone in the school has already heard the news of the death of our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Garm Tyr. Garm Tyr was, as the rumors have already told you, killed by a werewolf on the night of the full moon. And yes, the professor was, himself in fact a werewolf."

A great gasp and a low rumble of mutterings and murmurings went up among the students. Remus shivered in Sirius's arms as everyone voiced their hatred for werewolves all around them.

"One less of 'em out there, then," a voice carried over the others, the Ravenclaw who Sirius had shushed in the corridor. "They should round the whole lot of them up and kill'em all."

Remus pressed his face into Sirius's chest.

Dumbledore raised his hands and silence resumed across the tables. 

"Werewolf was not the defining characteristic of Garm Tyr. Lycanthropy is an illness, not an identity," Dumbledore reminded everyone, and he continued on, "Rather than remembering Garm Tyr as a werewolf, let us remember him as the characteristics that do identify a man. Garm Tyr was brave. Garm Tyr was strong."

At the staff table, Professor McGonagall was crying quietly into her handkerchief, as was Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout. The chair beside McGonagall was taken by Elphinstone Urquart.

"Before coming here this term, Garm Tyr worked at the Ministry for Magic in helping to enforce werewolf registration and the law that werewolves must turn themselves in or else have proper containment policies in place during the full moon nights. He worked tirelessly for nearly twenty years in that office, along side his assistant, Mr. Frek, and his wife, Lulu Tyr - until her untimely death giving birth to their daughter, four years ago. During his time there, Garm Tyr was known and recognized at the Ministry for Magic as the best at what he did - not because of a hatred for werewolves, but out of compassion for them."

Remus snorted and whispered, "Compassion for them? He scared the bloody hell out of me in the woods that time..."

Dumbledore was still talking, "Over the summer, a tragedy occurred. Garm Tyr was turned, and his daughter, Sabrina was killed as a result."

James's expression changed from one of confusion to one of understanding suddenly. "Ohh," he breathed.

"It may be hard for some of you to believe that Garm Tyr was once the most patient, compassionate man that many of us had ever known. I have heard over the past months that he was... a bit rough around the edges..."

"That's putting it mild, isn't it?" Remus said, thinking of the langlock on James and the many times that Garm was edgy and annoyed by everything in the classroom, the many times Mr. Frek had taught instead because Garm simply refused to come down from his office...

Dumbledore continued, "But Garm Tyr was a good man. Some of you are aware of the Ministry's efforts to test the Wolfsbane potion - an elixir which allows for the mental capacities of a werewolf to remain his own during his full moon transformation. Some of you are aware that the Ministry's facilities were less than optimal for this procedure, and that many of their policies were... unfair, and harsh. Those werewolves who were brought in for containment during the full moon were mistreated by Ministry officials, jailed and chained in the dungeons on Ministry grounds..."

Remus stiffened and Sirius hissed in anger at this revelation.

"Elphinstone Urquart and Garm Tyr worked together with myself, Newt Scamander, and Ned Veigler to remedy the situation, offering up the castle of Fallengunder in Iceland as a more optimal transformation space. The halls of Fallengunder were deemed a safe place for werewolves of all ages to go and transform in a protected place without the fear of the Ministry's mistreatment, and with the added bonus of becoming enrolled in the program for the testing of the Wolfsbane potion. The program at Fallengunder has been most successful, multiple months of transformations have taken place in the castle, containing up to forty-five Lycanthropes at a time without incident among them. The Wolfsbane Potion was well underway to being Ministry approved as treatment for the condition of Lycanthropy."

Remus's eyes were wide with hope at this statement.

"Garm Tyr, having left the Ministry along with Elphinstone Urquart over the summer, was under my personal employment to protect the castle of Fallengunder during the Full Moon. He was provided the Wolfsbane Potion and used his talents and strength to keep Fallengunder from falling under attack. For yes, there were many threats against the castle. Many who heard about the program we were conducting thought that the idea was absurd and that the werewolves ought to be returned to the Ministry dungeons, or else forced to never return from the testing facilities at Fallengunder at all... And one of the most outspoken against the Fallengunder project was none other than the notorious Fenrir Greyback."

Remus was wide-eyed.

"It was Greyback who injured Garm Tyr last month, the injury to his shoulder was a terrible result of Garm Tyr's efforts to protect Ned Veigler and the other occupants of Fallengunder castle." Dumbledore drew a deep breath, "And his death was a direct result of a second attack on the castle during this past full moon. Garm Tyr was killed during a battle against Greyback and his army of werewolves, workers for the dark wizard, Voldemort."

Dumbledore paused, and drew a deep breath. "Garm Tyr shall be remembered for his efforts, for his bravery, for his work in creating equality in the wizarding world. He will be remembered for protecting the castle of Fallengunder, and being one of the most radical, influential advocates for the legalization of the Wolfsbane potion, which shall be presented to the ministry for approval in the beginning of the new year."

Sirius started clapping. A few people looked over, confused, but many others started joining in what he'd started and soon the entire hall was clapping, although many of them looked unsure why. Remus closed his eyes and dreamed of a day when he, too, might be able to take the wolfsbane potion, when every full moon might be like the best full moons...

Dumbledore nodded as everyone clapped and when the sound died down, he announced, "As for the effects that Garm Tyr's death will have immediately here at Hogwarts... We shall be cancelling all classes until after the holiday to allow our staff, many of whom were very close to Garm Tyr during their own time at Hogwarts, time to grieve his passing. When classes resume in January, Professor Urquart will be returning to teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts class part time, until we are rejoined by Mister.... pardon, Professor Frek, who will be returning after a leave of absence, in February."

"Urquart!" hissed James excitedly.

"The Hogwarts Express will leave on Monday, for those who wish to go home for the holidays. As usual, you are all offered the opportunity to stay at the castle through the holidays. We will hold our traditional Christmas celebrations and feasts, as we always do, and you are all welcomed to stay to attend."

Peter looked around at the other Marauders, "I don't want to go home."

"You can stay here at the castle, Peter," Lily said.

"But I'll be alone," he pointed out.

"Nah, other people will stay," James answered.

Dumbledore cleared his throat again - for like the Marauders many had erupted into conversation at the announcement. When he'd regained a majority of attention, for not everyone was able to contain themselves as they got excited over the extra holiday that had been granted them, Dumbledore said, "Let not your hearts be darkened by the news and let not your minds be corrupted by the things you may hear about the incident at Fallengunder. The death of Garm Tyr was no accident. The werewolves at Fallengunder were not to blame - none of them were to blame." His words were firm. "Lycanthropy is and always will be a terrible disease, but with the approval of the wolfsbane potion it will finally be one that, although incurable, may finally have treatment options. You cannot judge a man by his illnesses. Werewolves are men and women who are loved, who have love to give, and deserve the hope and respect that we would give unto any other."

"HERE, HERE!" Sirius shouted.

Dumbledore looked at the Marauders at this and then back to the others in the Great Hall. "This is not a time to increase your hatred, but to increase your knowledge and understanding. Fear is the direct result of ignorance, and it is curable by opening your heart and your mind to truth."