Werewolves

## Origins

There is a **theory** that the original werewolf had been a wizard who purposely broke the laws of magic to become stronger and in doing so became a monster.

## Common Opinion

Most of the wizarding world sees werewolves as dangerous, bloodthirsty creatures. The time they spend as human is rarely considered, or it is assumed they are violent beasts even in human form.

Werewolf claws are a very expensive **potions ingredient**.

## Full Moon & The Wolf

In real life, if you want to be technical about it, the full moon really only lasts a few moments. That doesn't seem to be how it works in the Harry Potter books. *Shifting Lines* gets creative and makes it so that **when the moon is 98% or more visible**, the wolf will count it as full -- usually meaning that the ordeal lasts multiple nights. Werewolves will only transform at nighttime and won't change if it's too cloudy. This is the site DovahTobi uses to judge when the full moons occur.

As per the book description, werewolves look pretty much like **regular wolves**, just with a few small changes such as the tufted tail and shorter snout. The wolf also seems to occasionally show signs of being a regular canine -- in chapter 75 of Book One it got into the trash. Werewolves also have very humanesque eyes.

Remus has **very little memory** of when he is in wolf form. He remembers flashes of anger, desire to lash out, and rage, and that's about it.

**The transformations burn a lot of calories and energy.** If Remus doesn't eat enough during the full moons he loses a lot of weight.

## Interaction Between Werewolves

When Remus heard and saw the howl of a boggart in the shape of a werewolf, the hair on his neck and arms stood on end, and he had a very strong urge to let out an answering howl. It is possible this would be his reaction to a real werewolf as well.

## Everyday Effects

**Wolfsbane** (the plant) causes some sort of reaction. When Remus was using it in Chapter 70 of Book One he got a rash under his nose from breathing in the scent. **Silver** burns werewolves. The Cure for Lycanthropy has a photograph of a captured werewolf in a too-small silver cage, and the wolf has stripes of burnt flesh where it has bumped against the bars. Remus can practically feel silver burning even when he isn't touching it but is only close to it.

Werewolves **heal** naturally from pretty much anything (silver may be the exception). When it's a regular wound they heal very quickly. When it is from dark magic it takes longer. Remus broke his arm once by falling and it healed very swiftly, but the scratches he gives himself in wolf form can take hours or longer to heal. He's had wounds persist for multiple days depending on the severity. Healing includes incredibly severe wounds (e.g. Remus gouged his own eyes out and they grew back). After Remus's first transformation his body appeared to be torn apart to the point of appearing dead. Although Remus is curious about the limits of his healing ability, we don't know whether a werewolf can "return from the dead" via healing.

Even in human form werewolves have a **heightened, powerful sense of smell and hearing**, and are also **very physically strong** even if they don't appear so.

**The wolf feels present** in Remus's daily life. He often has to fight to keep it under control. It rises especially when he's scared or angry. Successfully keeping the wolf under control when it's bad leaves Remus with a nosebleed and feels like something has "snapped" inside of him. A memorable instance of this happens in Chapter 89 of Book One, *Dedenne's Detonation*.

## Known Werewolves

* Remus J. Lupin
* Morrigan Fawley

1. ↑ Book Three, Chapter 25: The Cousins Black
2. ↑ Book Two, Chapter 155: Goodbye Professor Prewett
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Book Two, Chater 141: Remus's Boggart
4. ↑ Book Two, Chapter 143: It's Okay