Chapter 2492 - Ch: 32-33

chpater 32

Fenrir Greyback opened his feral eyes, the yellow and red iris glowing with magic as he suddenly woke from his dream.

No, not a dream.

It was a vision.

A memory.

But the memory was not his; no, it was a memory from the world itself. A memory from magic. Yes, magic was talking to him again, pushing him to do what was needed.

It all started shortly after Fenrir went down the forbidden path in search of power. As he consumed the life and magic of others, his own magic became stronger, and after a while, magic itself started talking to him.

And it was glorious.

It showed him a time before time. Before the divide between magical and non-magical, when there were no barriers between flesh and spirit. A time before the weaver and its need for order destroyed the hunter's paradise before the outer gods arrived.

A time of beauty.

Life exploded worldwide, and death was a simple part of the cycle of magic. And they, the hunters, were the guardians of the cycle. Feared and respected by both flesh and spirit. Shepherds and lords of the land.

Looking at the pale skin of his new mate, lying naked beside him in the big bed, the werewolf smiled. Finally, after almost a century, there were others strong like him: his mate, the cub, and his granddaughter. Or at least, they could be, with his guidance.

Together, they would fulfill magic's task and bring back the hunter's paradise.

.oOo.

Daphne, Katie, and Hermione reached the cabin and found Harry sitting on one of the benches with the Patil twins sitting opposite of him. Padma had a pensive expression while Parvati was looking at Harry with a gaze bordering on adoration. Whatever it was, none of the girls said anything other than the usual pleasantries when they entered, but Daphne noticed Harry giving Katie a knowing look.

After the train started moving, Padma excused herself to look for some of her friends, giving Harry and her sister a worried look before leaving. A little later, Lavender Brown knocked, looking for Parvati Patil, and, to everyone's surprise, the Indian girl asked if she could stay in the compartment with Harry.

"I will catch up with you later in the dorm, Lav," Parvati said with a pleading gaze. Lavender seemed to understand and winked at her with a giggle. That was interesting, Daphne thought, her mind sifting through everything she knew about the Patils. They were not nobles, of course, being from another country, but were very ancient and rich, even if some looked down on them for being foreign. That could be an interesting development, but she needed to know why the twin girls were so interested in Harry now. The witch was so immersed in her thoughts that she barely noticed as the train started moving until Hermione reminded them of the prefect's meeting.

To Daphne, other than being beside Harry, the prefect meeting had been incredibly dull. Of course, she paid attention and noted her duties, she was not the kind of girl to slack on her position, but damn, it was boring. The only thing of notice was that Theodore Nott had been chosen as the other Slytherin prefect. Daphne didn't like the boy, and judging by Harry's reaction as soon as he caught the other wizard's scent, neither did he.

Daphne held the werewolf's arm when he became stiff, and a low growl came from his chest. She remembered glancing at Hermione only to see the girl frozen as Harry's anger permeated their magical link, but, just like in the third task, Daphne moved forward, taking the lead and trying to calm him.

It hit her then. Fleur Delacour was not here, nor would she be for most of the time. Daphne saw herself as not only able but needing to take her position.

That threw Daphne's head into a spin, and all the ramifications and possibilities of being Harry's primary mate started flooding into her head. Pushing aside the possibilities, the witch decided to ponder what to do with this knowledge later.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a wave of vengeful happiness flush through her; some of the things Fleur and Hermione did still left a sour taste in Daphne's mouth, and she was not sure Harry had completely forgiven them as well.

As they walked out of the meeting, a feminine voice full of venom and anger screamed at them from the other end of the passenger car. Daphne turned around to see Cho Chang followed by her usual entourage of pureblooded Ravenclaws march towards them, and barely stopped before Cho struck out at Harry.

SLAP!

Harry barely flinched as Cho's hand connected with his cheek. Daphne watched as Cho winced moments after hitting Harry, it seemed that the girl did more harm to herself than his face, but Harry was surprised nonetheless. By instinct, Daphne's hand moved to the wand in her holster as the Ravenclaw screamed once more.

"It's your fault! Cedric is dead because of you!" Cho screamed, tears rolling down her eyes. Daphne almost felt sorry for her. Almost. "Everything you touch becomes tainted!" Harry flinched. "I HATE YOU!" Cho screamed, and her other hand moved to hit him once more. Daphne's wand was in her hand and pointing at Cho, but Harry had already grabbed the girl's wrist before she could hit him again.

"Cho," Harry's voice was low and piercing, his glowing green eyes bored into Cho's wide, frightened eyes; Daphne bit her lip at how good he looked, like the predator he was. "I understand your pain, believe me, I really do. But, don't touch me again." The girl took a step back when he released her. "I didn't kill him, Cho, a death eater did. Let this be a reminder, this war will affect us all, whether you want it or not. So, think about what side you want to be on." Harry held her captivated with his stare. "Also, Luna and Katie are under my protection, and you would do well to remember that."

Cho finally looked away, whispering "I hate you…"

"That is a shame…" Harry said, turning his back on her. Daphne let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, and slowly put her wand back into its holster. She made to follow Harry and noticed Hermione's wand was still in the girl's hand as she watched Cho whisper something to her little posse before they walked the opposite way.

"So, the Patil twins?" Daphne asked in an attempt to deflect the sour mood. Harry appeared to think about it.

"I don't know about Padma," He finally said. "but I think Parvati will be around more often."

Daphne shared a questioning look with Hermione.

"Why?" The bushy-haired girl asked.

"It's not my secret to tell, but I'm sure you two will figure it out soon enough. You both are too smart, and Parvati is a little… too on the nose?" Harry smiled, looking at them. Daphne smiled back at him, and Hermione just nodded at his response.

"On another subject, do you know who will be our new DADA professor?" Hermione asked.

"No, maybe the real Moody this time?" Daphne wondered.

"It would be cool…" Harry said and stopped as the door beside them opened, startling both girls.

"Harry!" Ronald Weasley called from the door.

"Ron…" Harry answered, and Daphne noticed that her boyfriend had a reserved expression while Hermione flinched at the red-haired boy. Daphne looked back at the Weasley boy and noticed something was wrong. Ronald was afraid.

"I… I went to your cabin, looking for you," Ronald started. "But Katie said you were in the prefect's meeting."

"Yeah, it just ended…" Harry said, taking a deep breath and furrowing his eyebrows. "Ron, what's wrong?"

I need to talk to you, all of you, please?" Ronald's pleading tone surprised Daphne. "I know things went… kinda bad… but…"

Harry looked at both Daphne and Hermione before nodding.

.oOo.

Harry knew Ronald was not alone, he could smell Pansy Parkinson from the corridor, her fear coated every surface in the cabin and mingled with Ron's own fear as he stepped through the door, but Daphne was genuinely surprised when she saw her fellow Slytherin inside the compartment.

"Potter, Greengrass…" Pansy said when they entered. "Granger…"

"Parkinson," Daphne answered, assuming her usual cold stance. "You must have had an interesting summer if you are not going to hide this anymore." Daphne gestured at Ronald.

Pansy gave a forced, humorless laugh before sighing, "It was actually… terrible".

Harry watched as the two Slytherin girls interacted. Once, they were equals trading words like physical blows, but now, Daphne was a queen to Pansy's pleading peasant. Harry had never seen Pansy so subdued as she was now, and he was trying to decide if it was all an act or not. Ronald took the seat next to her and looked at Harry.

"PREY!"

Harry shook his head. Now was not the time. An uncomfortable silence filled the cabin, Ronald looking anywhere but at them while Hermione glared at the red-haired boy. With a sigh, Pansy elbowed her boyfriend, who huffed in pain

"I…" Ronald started. "Well, first, bloody hell, that's hard…" Harry looked at Daphne and Hermione and raised an eyebrow. "Ok, first, what I want to say is I'm sorry. I know I acted like a git with you two last year, and no matter what I say, nothing can excuse how I behaved. I can totally understand if you don't forgive me, but, all I ask is for you to hear us out." He finished, his face just as red as his hair.

Harry had to fight the instinct of punching his former best friend, showing him some of the forgiveness he deserved, but restrained himself. Something about their scent was not right. Hermione, for her part, just scoffed at his words, and as she did, the werewolf could sense Pansy getting even more fearful.

Daphne spoke directly to Pansy after that.

"You know we don't have any reason to trust you."

"I know, and I'm not asking for that," Pansy answered. She was looking from Daphne to Harry. The girl took a deep breath before speaking again. "The Dark Lord summoned his old allies and soldiers…" The girl reeked of fear as she spoke. "And… my parents… they answered." Pansy's eyes were wet with tears.

Hermione gasped; Harry felt the rage boiling inside and growled, the sound taking both Pansy and Ronald back. Daphne once again squeezed his hand reassuringly, calming him down.

"I… you see…" Pansy wiped her eyes and let out a shuddering breath, "He demanded they bring their family into the fold, especially any children… we are supposed to be his eyes, ears, and hands at Hogwarts."

"What did you do?" Harry asked, his voice low, commanding.

"I was able to stall. I told them to give me some time to think, to organize things, and try and talk to Draco… but … I'm out of time. His followers will be expecting my answer after we get to Hogwarts!." Tears flowed freely down her face now, and Ronald placed his arms around her shoulders, trying to comfort her. Pansy took a parchment from her pocket and gave it to Harry.

"Here, those are the ones I know; most of them I saw with my own eyes, swearing their loyalty to the dark lord."

Harry quickly looked over the names on the paper, rage filling every sinew of his body. He hungered to hunt each one of them, to hurt them in ways they would never forget. But he knew it was not the time. Not yet.

"Shite, they are in all the houses!" Daphne said before looking back at Pansy and Ronald. "Why are you doing this?"

"If my parents want me to be another slave for the Dark Lord, I'll make the price so high they regret it to their last day." Pansy's bravado was impressive, but Harry could smell and sense through the magic there was more left unsaid.

"Who is the leader at Hogwart's, who are you expected to follow?" The werewolf asked.

"Theodore Nott was the only one marked… I don't know if you know what that entails…"

"Yes, I do," Harry answered. He knew from the connection he used to have with Tom and from Sirius's stories some of the ways his followers had to prove themselves to him. Harry looked at Pansy. "You are going to stay close to Ron, and, when in Slytherin, stay close to Daphne, Tracey and Blaise, understood?"

Pansy quickly nodded.

"I don't trust either of you," Harry said. "But I know you're afraid. This is your chance to do the right thing, but betray me or anyone close to me" Harry took a step closer, his green eyes burning with power "You'll wish the Dark Lord got to you first…" he growled before walking away.

.oOo.

They left the compartment and headed back to their own, all three of them lost in thought when Harry slowed his pace. Daphne and Hermione looked at him curiously, a hint of worry in her eyes.

"You two go ahead," Harry said. "I'll meet you in the cabin." The muscles in his right arm flexed involuntarily as the piece of paper in his hand felt like a hot iron.

"Harry…" Hermione started to say.

"It's ok, Mione; I just need to use the loo." His smile didn't reach his eyes..

"Sure, c'mon Hermione, I am sure Katie is worried about us," Daphne said, grabbing the other girl's hand and shooting Harry a knowing look.

Harry watched as the girls moved into the next train car before actually going into the small cabin that was the bathroom. Using the trick he had learned over the summer, the werewolf waved his hand over the door and walls, rearranging the colors only he could see in front of him, effectively silencing the small area.

He then placed both hands in the sink, with his eyes closed. The muscles in his arms tensed and trembled, then, with a strong move, he hit his own head at the mirror and roared as the glass shattered, the magic from the train holding the pieces together like a spider's web. It was loud, and feral, not from pain, but from anger and rage. He turned around, his arm moving on his own, and his fist carved a hike into the wall as the werewolf roared again.

"I'm not even in school yet! I hate this place, this country, these people!" He screamed, punching the wall one more time. "Fucking Dark Lord! Fucking Headmaster! Fucking Ministry!"

He didn't want to kill, but he felt he was being pushed to the brink, fate was forcing his hands, and the rage was almost unbearable. Harry saw his nails turning into claws as the black fur slowly covered his arms. He could feel the fangs in his mouth and his clothes getting tighter.

He barely maintained control, and he was losing what little he had and that scared him.

Harry felt the fury bleed out of his body and slowed his breathing, trying to center himself as Justine had taught him. He turned his focus to the holes he had made in the wall, and they began to repair themselves. The train's magic returned the bathroom back to its original state. The wolf calmed, and soon his own body reverted back to its slim if slightly more hairy appearance. He looked into the mirror and pushed his hair back, more out of habit than an attempt to tame his wild hair.

"The wizard looked at his fully human hands and shivered. The full moon was still over a week away, "What was that?".

.oOo.

Katie gave Parvati a warm smile when she found the younger witch staring at her after the others left for their prefect meeting.

"Will my eyes become like that?" Parvati asked.

"Maybe, if you stop taking the potions," Katie answered with a shrug. "Not the same color, though; your eyes will keep their hue, just like Harry's stayed green."

"They are beautiful."

"Oh, I agree, Harry's eyes are amazing…" Katie smiled.

"I was talking about yours," Parvati giggled. "But I agree… his eyes are lovely" both girls laughed softly.

"Katie, I…" Parvati started again after they sat in silence for a while. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Katie answered, a little harsher than she intended. The witch would be lying if she said she was not hurt by how people treated her last year. Parvati had been one of many to shun her, and now here she was, freshly bitten, and looking for help from Harry, her mate. The Indian wolf was not one of the worst, but the sting was there and unlikely to go away anytime soon.

"I mean, I should have said something…"

"It's fine. Honestly. You heard we are monsters your entire life, and, to be honest, there is some truth in that, just like any normal wizard or witch. And I was not alone." Katie gave her a wolfish smile.

Parvati returned a sheepish smile, and looked past Katie to the world just outside the window in the compartment, "This… this is terrifying."

"Yes, it is. Just remember, a lone wolf is a dead wolf." Katie said before looking at the door. Hermione and Daphne entered a couple of seconds later, without Harry. Hermione sighed as she took the seat beside Parvati.

"Um, where is Harry?" Katie asked. Hermione and Daphne explained what had happened, mindful of Parvati listening as well, but Katie got the gist of it before she felt a tug on her magic. The she-wolf could feel the anger of her alpha as he exploded in frustration, and she moved to go to him, but Daphne held her hand.

"He'll come to us" Daphne reassured, and Katie sat down, anxiously awaiting her mate.

Harry returned almost an hour later after the girls had changed into their school robes, and he smiled at them, but Katie could smell the sweat, the rage, and she was pretty sure Daphne and Hermione noticed the bruises on his hands, but they remained silent. Even Parvati noticed but remained quiet.

Their big group got together at the station, with Susan, Tracey, Hannah, Neville, Ginny, and Blaise getting closer and talking. Katie was surprised when Ronald and Pansy joined them, even if just at the group's margins. Many other students waved at them or stopped to say hello.

Daphne gave her a nod as they walked into the great hall, silently communicating with her. It was interesting how close she felt to the Slytherin girl, more so than to Hermione and Fleur. The she-wolf knew what the little snake wanted, for her to take care of Harry when they returned to the dorms. The Slytherin girl walked proudly to her table, with Pansy following right behind her and Tracey. Katie was not good at the political games, but even she could see that something was happening.

Katie barely heard as the headmaster made the usual announcements, including the new potions teacher, while her own eyes were locked on Harry. The wolf was scanning the room, looking at each table and searching. No, not searching.

Harry was hunting.

Parvati stared at them with a longing gaze, and Harry smiled at her when he noticed.

"It will be ok, Parv." He said, and the girl just nodded.

Before the feast ended, Katie leaned into Harry's ear and spoke softly.

"Come meet me in the head girl's bedroom later, Harry, please?"

Harry was about to answer when Minerva McGonagall approached them with her usual stern gaze. The old witch scanned the table before speaking in her familiar commanding voice.

"Mister Potter, the headmaster requires your presence in his office after you escort the first years back to Gryffindor tower." Strangely, Katie could smell fear and sadness coming from the old professor as she spoke, and so did Harry. He nodded before getting up to help Hermione get the awe-struck first years to the tower.

.oOo.

Harry got up the circular stairs that lead into the headmaster's office, deep in thought. The werewolf was not sure what to think of the old man, the fact he had two different scents constantly screamed to his instincts that something was wrong, and all the times he had tried to take control of Harry's life reverberated constantly in his mind, leaving a bad taste in his mouth. But, as much as he didn't like it, the old professor was a manipulative, conniving vulture, but still an ally against Voldemort. An ally he couldn't alienate, not now, at least.

Harry growled.

The stone gargoyle looked at the young wizard as he approached and promptly moved sideways, giving Harry access to a heavy wooden door, as old as the castle itself.

The foul smell invaded his senses as he entered the room, and Harry froze. Harry was unsure what to expect from this meeting, but whatever it was, it was not this.

"DEATH!"

"POISON!"

The pervasive stench came directly from the headmaster, masking any other scent he could have.

"Harry, my boy," the old wizard said with a false glee, no twinkle in his eyes. "I assume you had a very good summer with Mademoiselle Delacour and the others." Dumbledore winked.

Harry could clearly see it; not only did the old man smell of death, but the werewolf could also see the colors vanishing as they gathered around the headmaster, surrounding the once-powerful wizard with a sick gray aura.

"You are dying…" Harry said, and it was not a question. Dumbledore sighed.

"It seems that the glamor charms and the potions can no longer trick your senses, Harry. That is rather remarkable." The headmaster gestured to the chair in front of his table. "But I should not be surprised, you have always been a remarkable boy. Lemon drops?" Harry only raised a questioning eyebrow before asking.

"What happened?"

"A very sneaky cursed item, my boy, alongside my own hubris." Dumbledore waved his wand, revealing his left hand's actual condition. Gone was the old but healthy-looking hand, and in its place appeared something that looked like it belonged to a corpse in an advanced state of decomposition, with the grayish skin clinging onto worn-out tendons and swollen knuckles. To Harry, the stench of decay was nearly unbearable and reminded him too much of Voldemort's own scent. "Before you ask, I'm afraid there is not much we can do about it now that The Flamels destroyed the stone."

"How long until…" Harry's voice tapered off, unable to finish.

"Six, maybe eight months with the help of Severus' potions." Dumbledore's almost jovial tone clashed with the somber revelation.

Harry's emotions warred inside him as he considered the dying man in front of him. This is the wizard he had respected above all others, aspired to emulate, and always pushed for a better magical world. On the other hand, he had manipulated not only Harry, but everyone around him to achieve what he believed was good for the world.

"That explains why Tonks said things had changed in the order this summer," Harry said.

"Alas, Miss Tonks is quite observant, but things had changed after your encounter with Voldemort, to be precise, Harry."

Harry searched the headmaster's eyes for any signs of deceit, and found none. He tried to smell anything other than death emanating from the man and was surprised to notice the dominant scent was different now.

"You're going to tell me? No more half-truths??" Harry asked.

"Indeed, my boy, indeed," Dumbledore sounded like all the weight of his many years landed on his shoulders at once. The old wizard took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before taking something out of his robes with his good hand and placing it on the table. Harry looked at the small pendant that looked like a crystal with a red liquid inside. It was old enough that the only smell it held was the headmaster's. And yet, Harry could see two distinct sets of colors dancing around it, even if faintly. "You know what this is, Harry?" The werewolf shook his head. "This, my boy, is a magical blood pact," Dumbledore said as he looked at the pendant longingly.

"I was just a little older than you are now when I did this and just as in love as you are with Mademoiselle Delacour and Miss Greengrass, I dare say. We promised to always be at each other's side. We were young and naive." Dumbledore looked at him and smiled.

"Love, Harry, is a powerful motivator, as I am sure you are learning yourself. Its power is enduring. So strong is its power that we can be blinded to the faults of those we love, because I still love the man whose blood shares this pact. I will not bore you with the long tale of how my relationship with Grindelwald went wrong; not only is it something personal, but it is not the part that concerns you." Harry scoffed at that. "Yes, I know how hypocritical it sounds with how I mettled with your personal life, Harry, and for that, I am truly sorry."

Harry remained silent, not willing to fully believe the apology was genuine.

"When our differences came to the point of no return, I was forced to face the man I love, and put a stop to his atrocities. During one of our battles, he murdered my sister, fracturing his soul, and allowed for him to unintentionally create a Horcrux. Something I would not be aware of for many, many years."

"Horcrux?"

"A soul anchor, one of the most disgusting acts of magic to resurrect oneself. Grindelwald attached a piece of his very soul to this pendant which I wore for years unaware."

Harry's eyes went wide, the pieces of information coming together in his own mind.

"With time, the piece of his soul started leaking into me, and the love I still feel for him allowed for this piece of his soul to attach itself to my very being. With time, we started becoming…"

"Stop." Harry raised his hands, and the old wizard looked at him. "Are you saying there is a piece of Voldemort's soul in me? "

Dumbledore stared at Harry for several long moments before answering, "Yes, Harry, but…"

"How long??" Harry growled, pressing his body into the headmaster's desk. "How long have you known?!"

Dumbledore sighed, "Since the night your parents died."

Harry grabbed the desk as the wolf willed him to jump at the old man.

"Why didn't you tell me? Did it leak into me as it did into you? Am I part of that monster?" Harry choked out as he trembled with fear and rage.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, "Until very recently, the only known way to get rid of a Horcrux was by destroying the container and soul fragment. As long as one fragment exists, the Dark Lord could use it to come back to life."

Realization struck Harry like lightning."So, you were leading me to my death." It was not a question.

Dumbledore looked down at his cursed hand and sighed in shame.

"It would not be in vain, as your passing would be the catalyst to unite the entire wizarding world…" Dumbledore was interrupted by Harry's roar as the young werewolf jumped up from the chair, desperate to create some distance between the dying man and himself.

"That is why, Harry, we were so afraid when we got the notice that professor Lupin bit you. If Voldemort's conscience had bled into yours, how would he manage the curse and all that came with it? Would we have another Fenrir Greyback on our hands? Or something even worse?" Dumbledore stated.

"So instead of telling me, you once again made the decision you wanted! Put so much Wolfsbane into my body that I couldn't function, and I would be enslaved to you for my next dose! Yes! I know you were giving me far more potent doses than any person should take!" Harry spat back.

Closing his eyes, Dumbledore sagged into his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose, "You are too powerful of a werewolf, and it was a calculated risk…"

Dumbledore flinched as Harry roared, turning his back on the old wizard.

"But, to my surprise, Harry, nothing of what I feared came to pass. Not only did you not succumb to the werewolf curse, but you were also able to do something I was not by not allowing Voldemort to become part of yourself."

"But I still have to die!"

"Yes, or so I thought, as the prophecy said…"

"FUCK THE PROPHECY!" Harry screamed as he felt the fangs descending in his mouth. "I don't believe in it! I don't care about it!"

"And maybe you are right," Dumbledore said.

"What?" That took Harry by surprise.

"When you returned from your fateful duel with Voldemort, everything had changed, Harry. Somehow, the piece of his soul in your scar was gone. Voldemort destroyed it himself with the killing curse meant for you. I don't know how you survived, again, but you did, and… "

Harry had thought about it, how the wolf inside of him had fought to keep control, not to let the thing inside the scar take over, how the wolf fought to stay alive and come back to his pack.

The thought of his pack brought some questions into his mind, and Harry turned his furious gaze to the headmaster.

"And all the political maneuvers, trying to keep me away from Daphne and Fleur, why?"

"You see, Grindelwald and myself wanted the same thing in the end, but we disagreed on how to attain it. After my failures with Tom Riddle, I felt defeated and tired, and, in a moment of weakness, I accepted the help from the piece of him that was inside of me. He whispered ideas in my mind, and I occasionally let him take the lead. He thought the alliance was bringing too much change, too fast, fueling the fires of war, and getting us away from the greater good. And, as much as it hurt me to say, we needed the power and the money so we could keep fighting…" In a blink of an eye, Harry was in Dumbledore's face, holding his robes. "I know you are angry, Harry, and you have every right to be, but, before you do something you will regret later, I need to tell you something more."

"What?" Harry's voice was low and gravelly.

"You weren't the only Horcrux Voldemort created…"

.oOo.

Harry felt dizzy as he walked down the stairs from the headmaster's office. Dizzy and angry.

With the lies and manipulation, Harry was not even sure what to believe anymore. Was the old wizard having a case of guilty conscience now that he was dying? Or was it just one more game, now that he realized Harry would not be the martyr Dumbledore was forging him to be?

In his hurry, Harry almost tripped over the steps. He was not even sure where he was going; he just needed to be as far away as possible from the headmaster now.

The werewolf raged at what he had learned. It seemed that everything had been chosen for him until Katie had jumped into his life without Harry knowing. Who to live with, who to be friends with, and what to learn. Not even this war was his, and yet, he was forced to take part in it. He could only shiver from the thoughts in his mind. What if he hadn't listened to Katie and kept taking the wolfsbane potion? He would be nothing more than a weak puppet now.

Like Remus.

Like his parents?

"AHHH!" The werewolf screamed as his nails turned claws ran through the wall, leaving a trail behind them.

"Harry!" Hermione's voice called from behind him. Harry was so angry that he hadn't noticed the girl waiting for him at the end of the stairs. Now she was trying to catch up as he walked. "Harry please, what happened?"

He didn't answer; he just kept walking, breathing heavily. Harry was not sure he could deal with her right now. "Harry, stop!" The werewolf loved Hermione, but she had still done things to him that hurt. Even if she had done it for his own good, it was too much like what the headmaster had done.

The girl was now holding his arm.

"Harry, listen to me, you need to talk…"

"You want to tell me what I need? What is good for me? Really?" Harry turned to look at Hermione, all the things he buried in the past coming back with a vengeance. "Want to know what I need, Hermione? What I need is you on your knees apologizing!" As soon as the words left his mouth, Harry regretted them; of course, that was not true; he loved Hermione despite everything that happened; one thing he had learned from everything was that relationships, even friendships were complicated things. That seemed to bring some clarity back into his mind. "FUCK, Hermione, I'm so sorry I didn't…"

The smell of her arousal punched Harry's senses, and his eyes went wide as the girl got down on her knees.

.oOo.

Hermione knew Harry didn't mean it, and she knew it was the wolf's rage speaking. The witch could feel through the modified pack bond how important she was to him. Harry would die for her; he would kill for her. And yet, she couldn't do anything as a small orgasm ran through her body, and the witch found herself down on her knees.

Harry was trying to apologize, and the rational part of her mind screamed to her that she should be angry at him, that this was degrading. Still, the wetness in her core and the burning passion inside her quickly suppressed those feelings while her hands shot toward the legs of the boy she loved so much. Hermione's hands caressed his legs from his knees up, feeling the tense, strong muscles under them. No matter how much she had seen and touched him, Hermione was sure she would never get tired of doing it. The witch's left hand finally found his hard dick, and Hermione couped it over the fabric of his trousers.

"Hermione…" Harry gasped. "You don't need to do this… I'm sorry… I was just trying to…"

Hermione looked at Harry's bright emerald eyes. She could see so much care, so much adoration in those sad eyes. Then, it hit her. It was like a torch casting out the fog in her mind. In a moment of clarity, while her hands worked to unbuckle Harry's belt, Hermione finally understood her place in the pack. And in Harry's life. After everything that was taken from him, his family, his history, and his choices, Hermione was there to help him take control. If he couldn't control the things happening around him, he could at least control her.

Another shiver of pleasure washed through her at the realization, and she had to lick her lips as they had gone dry.

"Hermione… please…" Harry half said, half moaned as she opened his zipper, still looking at his eyes.

"Is that an order from my alpha?" Hermione said, her voice being low, submissive, and lustful.

She could see it, the shift, the change in his eyes, the fire, the rage turning into lust.

"You are going to give me what I need, Luv," When he finally spoke, Harry's voice was powerful and full of lust. "You are going to apologize for presuming to know what I need and give me what I really want…" Hermione moaned as she pulled his trousers and boxers down, freeing his rigid member. "And I will take what is mine." Harry finished, placing his hands over her hair, firmly but not forcefully, pressing her face against his hips, resting his cock on her cheek.

Harry's masculine scent was intoxicating to her. So powerful and yet, so familiar. Hermione clawed his thighs and took a deep breath, bathing in it, before letting her tongue out. The witch started licking from the base of his shaft, all the way to the engorged head of his dick, and swirling it around the edges of the bulbous gland like she had watched Fleur do before on the beach.

Harry allowed Hermione to play with her tongue and lips around the tip of his cock for some time, before tightening his grip on her hair and pushing his dick inside her hot, welcoming mouth with a growl. Once again, the girl looked into his eyes, and the wolf looked back at her.

"Mine!" The werewolf whispered, making the witch moan. Holding her head in place, Harry started moving his hips. Harry's taste and texture invaded Hermione's senses; he felt incredibly big and warm in her mouth, the underside of his cock sliding on her tongue while he moved in and out of her. The cheerful erotic power of the act was enough to make Hermione moan; Harry, her Harry, her alpha, was using her to take control, to relieve his pains and stress, and she liked it. She liked it a lot!

The wizard speed up his face fucking rhythm, going deeper into her mouth, almost touching her throat, moaning and grunting. Sometime after he had started, Hermione's right hand found its way under her skirt, her fingers trying to get her the release she wanted. She loved each second, and yet she knew Harry was restraining himself. He was not going as hard as he could; she was aware of it. One more time, her alpha was thinking of her.

Love…

Hermione felt the warm member in her mouth swollen, and Harry's muscles tensed, and the girl tried to get ready, and even so, the witch was overwhelmed when he came. The taste of his seed, his power, his magic, it was all too much, and Hermione climaxed while Harry shot his load. Rope after rope that she eagerly tried to swallow.

Hermione was his. And she would always be.

Panting, she let go of his still trembling cock, a trail of magical semen and saliva connecting it with her lips, while she barely noticed her own saliva leaking from her chin. Not even once had she looked away from him. Hermione was looking for his approval, and she found it and so much more in his eyes.

"I'm not done, Mione," Harry said with a voice that sent shivers down Hermione's core. With a firm grip under her arms, the werewolf lifted the young witch and pinned her against the wall. Hermione moaned as he pressed his upper body against hers, keeping her in place, and, with one hand, Harry lifted her right leg, granting him access. With his right hand, the wizard simply pushed her soaked panties aside, and with one strong push, buried his rock-hard cock inside her.

Hermione gasped, feeling the fullness in her core as his hips pressed against her clitoris. She was already so wet from her previous orgasm that Harry slipped in easily but intensely nonetheless. With a grunt, he started moving, gaining speed as he held her leg up. Hermione moaned and threw her arms around his neck for support as he mercilessly pounded her swollen pussy, hitting her clit with every thrust.

He was growling and roaring like a monster, his fingers leaving red marks on her tender flesh, and his warm breath sent tickles over her neck.

Then, Harry roared.

"MINE!"

Hermione's eyes rolled up as she came violently, and yet, Harry kept fucking her.

Indeed, Hermione was his.

.oOo.

Fleur had to admit things were going better than she thought they would after her first week in England. Together with Angelina, they secured a lovely flat over in Diagon Alley, close to Gringotts.

Fleur found Angelina's company very pleasant, even if the girl was a little too much into numbers and quidditch. Being the same age, the veela found it very easy to talk with the dark-skinned witch, especially when they got home from a long workday. Fleur was little by little tutoring the other young woman into the art of a nice glass of wine after dinner so they could relax.

During this time, they had learned a little more about each other's life. Fleur had known that despite being a pureblood witch, skin color was still a significant barrier to Angelina, with many people assuming her family were foreigners. France was no better in this regard, and Fleur had to admit, xenophobia and racism were something that plagued even the more liberal of the magical communities. To the veela, now that her allure was almost completely focused on her mate, unless she chose to release it, things were going way easier than the last time she had been in England.

Her work also was exciting and challenging, and the goblins, despite being rude, were brutally honest, and couldn't care less about her blood status or upbringing. Every day there was something new to learn: a new rune or a new charm. Fleur was pretty sure she would walk out of this internship ready to be an enchantress like she had always dreamed.

Only two things were bothering her.

One, Harry was not with her. Not only couldn't she satisfy herself alone anymore; the veela could sense through the bond how incredibly frustrated and angry Harry was. Something was not going well, but he had promised to tell her once they met in person again. Luckily he would escape the school and meet her on the weekend.

The other thing was the red-haired young wizard right in front of her. William Weasley was a very handsome man; she was sure many girls would like his long red hair and dragon tooth earrings. That, allied with his easygoing smile and laid-off personality, should work wonders with young witches. But Fleur knew the type. She had dealt with men like him many times before; she had even tried to be with them before Harry. The player, adventurous man, always looking for his next conquests.

They were incredibly tiresome.

"So, after all that, I was back from Egypt, and my mother…" The red-haired was saying as they looked over an ancient tablet marked with hieroglyphs. "Is everything ok, Fleur?"

William using her first name brought her attention back to him, and not in a good way.

"Sorry," The veela said. "I was trying to remember something I have read about those tablets, mister Weasley." Fleur finished trying to emulate Daphne's neutral voice.

"I already told you to call me Bill." The man said with a lop-sided smile.

"I would rather not, Mister Weasley, especially in our professional environment." Fleur sighed.

"Hum, I see," William said. "So, why don't we get to a more informal place? It's about lunchtime, and we can go get something to eat…"

"Non, thank you," Fleur said, feeling tired.

"Why not?" William sounded wounded.

"Because she will have lunch with me, Weasley," Angelina said, standing by the door.

William raised an eyebrow at the ex-girlfriend of one of his brothers. Fleur had to fight the urge to burn that expression from his face.

"Well, maybe another time. I will catch you later, Fleur." The wizard smiled as he walked away.

"What a presumptuous git!" Fleur hissed as they walked out of the building.

"Tell me about it," Angelina said. "I think It runs in the family…"

"Oui, I never asked you about what happened with Regine and the twins," Fleur said carefully, but Angelina just shrugged.

"Let's say I had enough of the Weasley family for a lifetime."

"I can understand that. Luckily William will be out in Egypt in a couple of weeks. I just hope I can resist burning him before he leaves…" Fleur gave an evil smile as they sat.

"That would be something I would pay to watch!" Angelina laughed.

.oOo.

Theodore Nott had to admit the first week of the term had been rather strange. At first, he thought things would be good; he planned to take Malfoy's place as the de facto leader in Slytherin, and, together with the others, they would slowly and silently take over the school.

And, he would have Pansy Parkinson. The girl had not sided with the Dark Lord, and shamed her family. He would discipline her the way Malfoy didn't seem to be able to but things were not so simple.

That Greengrass bitch had taken too much control over the house. Now, backed by the blood traitor Zabinni and especially Potter. Even Parkinson made sure to glue herself to her. Many of the students were on her side now, while the others took a neutral stance.

Nott could try and push for more power and sway, but he was not sorted into Slytherin for nothing. Unlike Malfoy, he knew going against Potter was a very bad idea at the moment. Sirius Black had too much political power, and his godson was very well seen at the school, especially now with his defense association. And he couldn't deny, Harry Potter was powerful. He had proven it again and again.

Not all was bad, though. Being a death eater and a prefect had its perks; just now, he had gotten a nice handjob from a fifth-year Ravenclaw, so he would not report her. They still had allies and sympathizers. Potter's popularity would only last for a while, just like the headmaster. He just needed to play his cards right.

Nott was just thinking about those things while he did his prefect rounds; other than the raven girl, the hallways seemed deserted, promising a very dull night for the tall wizard. With a yawn, he turned around towards the dungeons and realized he was not alone.

The person was in front of him, in the dark, but whoever it was, they were not trying to hide. Nott tried to see, raising his wand to cast a Lumos when the person's eyes glowed. There was only one person with eyes like that.

"Potter!" Nott called with a grin; that was perfect. "Prefect or not; it is past curfew, and you're not on patrol…" He stopped as Potter's glowing green eyes moved towards him at a supernatural speed. FUCK, he was fast!

"Stup-" Nott tried to cast a stunner, but he felt the air leaving his lungs before he could finish the wand movement, pain erupted in his spine and ribs as his back hit the wall behind him.

"P, Potter?" Nott tried to lift his wand, only for Harry to hold his wrist and slam his hand against the wall, making him drop his wand. Nott groaned, the sound his hand made was not good. The Slytherin looked down with wide eyes as Harry's hand held him by his neck. How was that possible? When did Potter get this strong? Harry's hands felt like iron grips, and they were hot, like he was burning with a fever.

"Hello, Nott," Harry said, but it was more like a growl, and the glow from his eyes was more monster than human. "I heard your summer was very interesting."

"Ppppthhh," Nott tried to speak, his left hand trying to hold into Harry's arm and loosen his grip.

"Is it true you got a new tattoo? Let me take a look." Harry lifted the sleeve of his robes and smiled as he did. Nott didn't understand, after the charms and glamours his father had cast, the dark mark was not visible. "Oh, you hid it! Where is your death eater pride?" Nott groaned as Harry pressed him harder into the wall. "Let me tell you a secret, Theo, I can still see it. I can see the magic around it and smell the ink and rotten flesh." Harry dug his fingers into Nott's forearm Were those his nails? Why did they look like claws? Nott's arm started to bleed. "Let me tell you, Theo, I know what you had to do to get the mark…" Harry's face contorted with rage. Were those fangs? "I should kill you now, for the innocent person you chose to die for your mark…" Nott was trembling, his back burned with pain, and he couldn't get a proper breath. Harry pulled him and slammed him back against the wall one more time. Once again, the air left Nott's lungs. He was sweating and crying. "But I won't." Nott felt a wave of relief. "At least, not right now."

Harry's claws dug into his arms, and the scream died in Nott's throat as Harry's other hand squeezed tighter, preventing any noise from leaving.

"Want to know why?" Harry growled. "Because I want you to go back to your half-blood dark wanker and tell him I know about you, about Smith and all the others, and that I will be watching. Imagine how he will react." Nott felt his blood dripping from his arm and the back of his head. "I want you to tell him, this school is mine, my territory, and in here, I do the hunting!" Harry slid his hand down until he held Nott's hand, raising it up. "And you, you are my prey!" Harry roared and proceeded to break each of Nott's fingers.

.oOo.

All around the castle and its grounds, the most ancient of magics shifted and turned as Harry spoke. Those aware and able to notice trembled in fear.

The school was now a hunting ground.

chapter 33

An Offering to the Night

Parvati Patil gritted her teeth and closed her eyes.

Loud.

More than five years in the same dorm, and only now, Parvati was realizing how loud her friend Lavender Brown really was.

"I still can't believe that Ron and Parkinson are…" The bubbly blond girl kept going and going in a jealous fit, not even realizing that her friend was not paying attention. Parvati tried to listen to her friend, she really did, but right now Lavender was just hurting her head.

The Hindi witch tried to take a deep breath, but the smell of the cosmetics in front of her overloaded her senses, and for a second, the girl felt dizzy and gripped the small desk in front of the mirror.

The full moon was getting closer, and Parvati was starting to miss the wolfsbane potion. Sure, the girl felt terrible when she took it, like a mixture of fever and magic exhaustion. But, the numbing of her senses brought her some much-needed peace.

And it suppressed the thing inside her.

The… Thing. Parvati was not sure what to call it; she only knew that it was getting stronger as the full moon drew near. At first, she could feel it in her dreams, getting closer and closer. Parvati would run and hide, but no matter how much she tried, the Thing kept getting closer to her, almost like a shadow she couldn't escape.

She could sense it during the day. It was stalking her. Always in the back of her mind, a constant presence. Whenever a strong smell hit her, or she would get angry, she could hear it; it was like a predatory growl.

Sometimes, it felt like the Thing was trying to talk to her, and that scared Parvati more than growls.

"Parv? Parv?" Lavender called, getting her attention. "Are you ok?" The girl looked genuinely worried.

"Sorry?" The werewolf said meekly.

"I mean, you are very distracted," Lavender said. "And very jumpy."

Parvati bit her lip, Lavender had always been a good friend, but the werewolf wasn't sure the other girl would understand what was happening to her. No one other than Katie and Harry would.

"It's… it's nothing, Lav," The witch lied. "I need to get down to breakfast."

Lavender looked at the cosmetics her friend would usually wear and frowned.

Not today, Parvati thought and quickly got up.

"I will catch you later," Parvati said, and quickly left the dorm, ignoring Lavender's protests..

The thing inside her growled.

The witch quickly strode through the common room, trying to flee the cacophony of sounds and smells. "Oh, Merlin, how will I manage classes today?" Maybe she should try and go talk to Padma? Her sister always helped her.

The she-wolf quickly went down the stairs reaching the bottom faster than any time before but paid little attention as her stomach growled loudly as she reached the last stair. Grabbing her stomach, Parvati turned towards the great hall hoping to get something to eat before it got too crowded. That was another thing bothering her. She felt so hungry and thirsty. Oh gods, don't let me become like Ron! She thought, trying to ignore all the sounds and smells around her as she walked.

Parvati almost got there, but she came to a dead stop as a growling sound drowned out the surrounding noise.

"What did you just said?" Parvati ground out with a fury not entirely her own as she turned around to glare at Justin Finch-Fletchley.

"I said," the Hufflepuff grinned smugly. "That you are looking hot for a bloody mog, and I wouldn't mind…"

The Thing inside her roared in rage as Parvati stepped towards Justin and screamed.

"I WILL KILL YOU, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!"For a brief moment, she wanted to jump on Justin and bash his head on the ground until all the foul words had spilled out with his blood. Parvati covered her mouth with both hands as people stopped and watched, waiting to see what happened next. Justin just looked down at her with that shitty grin, his eyebrow cocked as if challenging her.

Hot tears burned her eyes as Parvati came to her senses. She turned and ran without direction, not even looking; she just needed to be away from all the noise, all the smells, and from the Thing raging inside her.

Everything was a blur around her, the cacophony of sounds and smells was overwhelming, and Parvati felt like she needed the potions or she would go crazy. She needed to get back to her room, to the wolfsbane, to make everything dull and right again, to silence the THING. But, at that moment, she didn't even know where her room was.

Then, a hand landed on her shoulder. Parvati tried to shake it off, to get free of whoever it was, but the hand firmly held her. Gently, the person turned her around, and Parvati found herself surrounded by strong arms, her head resting on a familiar chest.

"I know it is hard," Harry's voice cut through the noise, soothing yet powerful. "I have gone through this, and it gets easier." Parvati felt his hand caressing her back, and she clenched her fist in the fabric of his jumper.

"I don't know what to do! It's all too much!" her voice muffled as she cried.

"I know, you need to focus… listen to my voice," He said calmly. "Tell me, Parv, what do I smell like?"

"I don't know! There are so many…"

"Try to focus on me, Parv, on my scent and nothing more. Take a deep breath and tell me." Harry's voice reverberated inside her chest, and Parvati did what he asked. Taking a deep breath, she tried to focus on his scent.

Harry's scent.

The she-wolf could sense it. It was deep, masculine, powerful, and at the same time, safe, like being home in bad weather. Parvati finally started to calm down as she concentrated on breathing in everything that was Harry.

"It's… it's like the wind before a storm, like the wet grass when the rain starts to fall…" Parvati whispered, and she felt the Thing inside her calm down.

No, not a thing.

The Wolf.

It was not inside her; it was her.

When Parvati finally accepted that, the growling and howling became words and ideas she always understood.

"SAFE…"

"ALPHA…"

.oOo.

Katie was very proud of Harry right now. When they came down the corridor and saw Parvati screaming at Justin before running away crying, Katie was sure his first instinct would be violence. But, his instincts to protect his pack, to be an alpha won, even if Parvati was still a long way from becoming one of them he had gone after her.

Just because Harry chose to leave Justin alone didn't mean Katie herself couldn't act on her first instinct.

She followed Justin as he laughed with Zacharias Smith, one of the names on Pansy's list. It seemed like he was still trying to recruit the sixth-year boy as they suspected, even with the scare Harry had given Nott a couple of nights ago.

"Finch!" Katie called as they turned around the corner into an empty hallway. The two boys turned around, their eyes widened in surprise and fear. Katie gave a wolfish grin as they backed away.

"What do you want, Bell?" Justin barely managed to keep the stutter of fear controlled. Katie stalked toward her prey with assured steps, and the boys froze as she got closer.

"Justin," Katie pressed into his chest as she leaned towards his face. "If I ever see you harassing another of my friends, or, any other girl, it'll take the greatest healer at St. Mungos to remove your head from your ass. Do you understand?."

To the boy's credit, he raised his chin to stare down at Katie and gave what bravado he could manage.

"I… I'm not afraid of you, Bell!"

Katie bared her teeth in a wicked smile and decided to use the trick Harry had taught her over the summer, channeling just a little of her magic into her wolf eyes.

"It seems you need a reminder of why you should fear me," Katie said, her yellow eyes glowing, pushing her wolf to the surface and making Justin stumble back into Zacharias.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with, girl!" Smith said, getting Katie's attention.

"Oh, but I do, Smith," Katie gave another wolfish smile. "I heard Madam Pomfrey hasn't had much luck fixing poor Nott's fingers."

"Bitch!" Smith whispered as he backed away, pulling Justin with him.

Katie kept her smile as she watched them back off," This is our territory, Smith, not yours.." The boys turned tail and ran as they reached the end of the hallway.

.oOo.

Very few people knew, but, in veela mythology, magic, emotions, and feelings were intrinsically connected, feeding on each other to the point of being almost the same thing. That was why, for veela, every being capable of emotions was also capable of magic; it just manifested itself in different ways for each species. Unlike the self-centered view of most pureblooded wizards and witches, veela firmly believed that the so-called non-magical humans were just as capable of magic as their magical counterparts, but in a different way. Bullets were just as deadly as any killing curse, and no ritual had the power of their weapons of mass destruction. They had conquered space outside the planet, were able to see the tiniest things that existed, and were able to communicate instantly around the globe. Wizards lazily tried to bend the world around them, sometimes with disastrous results. They had become stagnant and too comfortable in their rigid ways. Non-magical people tried to understand and deconstruct the world around them, and they could actually break the rules and change reality in ways wizards could only dream.

But, despite the differences, for the veela, there was one kind of magic that all sentient beings could experience.

Love and sex.

For the veela, when two or more people felt attracted to each other and demonstrated it physically, their own magic intermingled and, for a moment, they became one, and both became stronger for it. That is why those more attuned with their own magic, the better the act of sex was, and veela were a people very in tune with their magic. The same was true for powerful wizards and witches, or any other species capable of magic.

Sometimes, a powerful connection that persisted beyond the pleasurable act of sex would form. So deep and intertwined that it became its own source of power.

Love.

That was why some people found their partners early in life when their magic touched each other and became so in tune that it is almost painful to live without. That was also why some wizards and witches spent their lives looking for it but never found one capable of syncing with them.

And, for the veela, love left an almost physical mark, what the others called the veela bond. Ultimately, it was just love in its most raw and intense form.

That was what Fleur Delacour was feeling, at the moment, the mark Harry Potter had left on her last night. Her lips were still tingling from their kisses, and her pussy was aching from his cock inside her, the tenderness of her inner thighs, she could still feel the warmth of his potent magical seed in her, and it felt delicious. More than anything, she felt him in her magic. Warm, powerful, and protective.

Fleur wondered if the other girls felt the same.

She replayed her night with Harry while she ignored William Weasley prattling on and on to her. The young man was going about some dull feat he had done while he was playing quidditch. Fleur's mind soon moved past the incredible night she had with Harry to the many things they had discussed.

They talked about Parvati Patil, about how Harry felt obligated to help her like Katie had helped him, to prevent the newly bitten werewolf from becoming like Remus Lupin; they talked about Albus Dumbledore and his imminent death and about the soul fragment that was in Harry's head.

"I wish I could blame everything on that thing…" Harry had told her. "But that would be an easy scapegoat, the fragment may have made things worse, but my mind was already broken without it. But, but you and the others are helping me to heal…"

They embraced, and talked, and made love and fucked until it was time for him to come back to the school.

Fleur felt like she needed to talk to the other girls; they needed to move forward and make plans to help Harry. Her mate wouldn't die to some pesky dark lord. She also missed them, even Daphne.

"Fleur? Fleur!" William called, trying to get her attention.

"What," Fleur answered. "Oh, excuse moi, monsieur Weasley. Look at the time; I need to meet with Angelina for lunch. The tablet you wanted to be translated is already done." The French witch got up and walked towards the door, not paying attention to the man's raised eyebrows.

"Mon Dieu, how can he be so tiresome?" The veela thought as she walked through the corridor. The red-haired man was obstinate. Fleur had to give him that.

The French witch walked through the corridors and hallways of the goblin bank, occasionally waving or bowing at someone until she met with her roommate at the entrance hall. The pair had gotten into the habit of having lunch together to try and avoid the more persistent wizards around them.

Fleur couldn't help but giggle when she noticed the other young woman glaring at her.

"I'm sorry, Angelina," Fleur said with a musical tone. "I overslept today…"

"Yeah! I noticed!" Angelina said as they started walking out of the bank. "You bint!"

"Oh, I didn't know you wanted me to floo to work with you so badly!" Fleur said in fake surprise. Angelina glared at her again.

"You did it on purpose!" The Nubian witch said.

"Did what?" Fleur asked innocently.

"You conveniently forgot to put silencing charms around your room last night!"

"Oh, Mon Dieu!" Fleur covered her mouth with her hands, but it was more to hide her smile, and Angelina gave her the two fingers salute.

They sat at their usual table, and Fleur took notice as Angelina appeared to be gathering the courage to say something. How the veela wished her life was just this, having a "normal " love life with Harry and teasing her friends. The waiter brought them their food, and Fleur just waited as she munched her salad.

"Ok, I have to know," Angelina finally said, and Fleur raised an eyebrow. "Is he that good, or were you putting on a show for me?"

There it was, Fleur felt a wave of pleasure and pride running through her body, and a smile graced her face as her veela nature sang at how good her mate was.

"Believe me, Angelina, the moment 'Arry touched me, I completely forgot you were even there. There was no show, no pretending." Fleur shivered in a very deliberate way, as Angelina started to blush. "When we are together, he is the only thing I can focus on; even my allure exists for 'Arry only…"

"Damn…" Angelina whispered, and Fleur could notice her blush even through her darker complexion. "I'm envious now."

Fleur had no doubt Harry's magic had touched the young woman in front of her. But what to do about it?

Fleur watched as Angelina bit her lower lip.

"And you, Angie," the veela asked with a mischievous smile. "How many times did you climax listening to us?"

Fleur could only laugh at the wide eyes witch in front of her.

.oOo.

Not light, nor Dark! Amelia Bones is the new minister of magic!"

Daphne saw the moving photo of Amelia Bones taking the ministry oath on the front page of the Prophet, every bit a leader the magic community needed, and kept reading.

Sirius Black is the Potter's proxy on the Wizengamot, is the alliance back?

That was interesting. Their block was getting even stronger, and it would only grow in influence after the headmaster stepped down and the so-called light families lost their de facto leader.

But was it really their block? Would they take over for their parents when the time came? Daphne sat the Prophet down, her mind running through the multitude of possibilities, and found that she needed input from the one person avoiding any discussion regarding the future, Harry. Sighing, she mentally noted to corner him after he returned from the forest for the full moon tonight.

The witch took a sip of her tea. Looking down the Slytherin table, Daphne noticed the cohesion of her group, sitting together, talking, and making plans. The junior death eaters, on the other hand, were in disarray. Their leader refused to be seen out in public after he was released by Madam Pomfrey, and several students whispered he was struggling in his classes. Harry broke more than Nott's fingers it would seem, couldn't have happened to a better asshole..

Fleur had filled the spot of a 'leader' for their group, after Harry, and with her gone the role fell to Daphne. She was not quite sure what to make of it.. It was clear that Katie looked up to her, almost like the she-wolf expected her to fill the role the veela left vacant. Hermione, on the other hand, not so much.

Fleur wasn't truly gone, simply just not in the castle as she was last year. Harry, being the good boyfriend he was, snuck out of the castle to be with his veela when he could. He made sure to make time for Daphne as well, reassuring her with all his love, and showing the witch how much she meant to him. It was weird how he always seemed to know what she needed, when to go hard and kinky or when to just make love to her. Maybe it was something on her scent?

Bloody hell, she loved him so much that the simple thought of losing him made her shiver with trepidation, and Daphne knew that possibility is what troubled Harry's mind ever since they came back to England.

Back to planning the future and just how uncertain it was for her, Harry, and the other girls. Daphne felt a twinge of jealousy towards Tracey, of all people! Her best friend was going to have a contract made with the Longbottoms at the end of the school year. Tracey was able to see beyond this war and have hope for something good, an actual future.

Harry could not see past how he would survive the year.

Daphne sighed. She needed the other girls on the same page when it came to Harry and his future with them. The summer had been a magical escape filled with love and endless sex, but that was over, and they needed to find a way forward together where Harry remained part of their lives and not a memory. She looked back at her first years in Hogwarts, and all the time people have stolen from her, Daphne couldn't let that happen again.

Looking at Gryffindor's table, the witch noticed Parvati speaking to Hermione and possibly looking for Harry. He was right, it didn't take even a week for herself and Hermione to figure out that she had been bitten, but they would wait for the Indian girl to tell them herself. Moving her gaze to the Hufflepuff table, Daphne could see Susan scanning the Gryffindor table, probably looking for Harry as well. The smart red-haired girl had realized his condition over the summer but was still not used to it.

Daphne considered approaching the two new additions to their circle; perhaps they would be closer to her, like Katie, even if Harry would keep them only as friends. The girls obviously wanted more than that, but Daphne wasn't sure how she felt about that as dozens of owls entered the Hall to deliver the morning mail.

"Fuck!" Daphne heard Pansy cursing beside her, and turned to her new 'protege' with a raised eyebrow. The girl's hand shook as she held a hastily opened letter, her skin draining of color and turning a sickly white. "It's Draco! He's escaped from Narcissa! !" The girl whispered. Daphne frowned; that wasn't good. "What if he goes to the Dark Lord, Daphne? What should we do? Where is Potter?"

"Nothing. You will do nothing, Pansy." Grabbing her bag, Daphne stood up, "For now, carry on as usual. This is for me and Harry to deal with, don't add to our concerns by being rash. Understood?" The girl nodded, fear maring her face.

Daphne turned and left the Great hall heading towards her internship with Madam Pomfrey; one more issue to resolve this morning.

.oOo.

With his slick blonde hair reaching down his shoulders and dressed in fine black robes, people would say that Draco Malfoy was the spitting image of his father as he walked silently down the hallway of the ministry.

Not sparing anyone a single glance, the young man took the elevator, looking down at the old wizard operating the controls.

"Inheritance and records," Draco said with a cold voice. The old man simply nodded before pressing a series of buttons on the gold panel and pulling a lever, making the elevator move sideways.

Draco walked out of the elevator and moved onto the balcony where an old witch was reading some magazine with little interest. The old witch gave Draco an appreciative look when he approached.

"What can I do for you today, hon?" She asked in a tone that made Draco's head hurt.

"I came to take my place as the head of my house." He answered.

"Aren't you a little young for that?" The witch raised a questioning eyebrow. Draco gritted his teeth.

"My family tradition is very clear, Madam, and it came to be that the previous head of the family can no longer exercise his duties. So, it is my right and duty to claim the position."

The woman sighed. She was only the keeper of records for the ministry, not the one who set the rules. Each family had their own succession rites, practices, and magic. Her job was to keep records and update the ministry. It was the compromise the old families had reached with the ministry instead of letting the goblins continue doing it. If the boy were telling the truth, magic would recognize him; if he was not, well, it was his magic that would be forfeited.

"Name?" She finally asked.

"Malfoy."

The old witch flicked her wand, and a box appeared in front of them. Inside, there was a large, thick book with a purple velvet cover, a blood quill, and a small jewelry box. The book was the first test; only a member of the family would be able to open it.

Draco opened the book and flipped to the page with his father's name.

Lucius Malfoy. Deceased.

Draco clenched his teeth. His father wasn't really dead, but he hadn't woken since that night. It was like the family magic had already given up on him. Draco saw his own name under his. He took the blood quill and signed the book, feeling the sting in the back of his hand. The current date appeared just beside his name. He then took the jewelry box and opened it.

Inside was a pair of rings. He could see the one that had been his father's and beside it, the one that used to grace his mother's finger. They had magically returned to this box, as his father was not able to pass it to him personally.

Draco took the ring and slid it onto his finger. The metal band adjusted itself to fit into him, and the young wizard could feel the family magic running through his body. There was no flare, only acceptance. He was now Lord Malfoy.

Draco grinned. Now, he needed a way to contact some people. Maybe Nott would know how.

.oOo.

The halls and corridors of Hogwarts were almost empty by the time Parvati walked towards the entrance hall. Classes were over for the day, and most of the students had gone to their dorms before dinner. To Parvati, it was better that way. Lavender had already been hard enough to dismiss; she kept asking where Parvati was going. Luckily, Professor McGonagall had given her some "detention" so she could have an excuse to be out. The witch swayed back and forth on whether she should tell Lavender about her condition. The bubbly girl had always been a good friend, but Parvati remembered how Lavender reacted to Katie being outed last year.

A chill wind ran through the grounds, caressing Parvati's skin as she passed Hagrid's Hut, but she barely noticed its touch as the heat emanated from her left little room for any other sensations.

She knew Harry would be waiting for her, yet she was still afraid. The only time she had gone through the change, she had been chained up and drugged nearly senseless by the Wolfsbane potion. Her family tried to help, but in the end, it had been her suffering the worst of it, alone.

The Wolf prowled at the edges of her consciousness. Parvati was not yet ready to embrace it, nor could she escape it either.

She wanted to cry, to scream, but all she ended up doing was walking toward the forest. Towards The Wolf.

The dying sun cast long shadows as the girl reached the edge of the forest, and Parvati stopped. To her, the trees were a wall that separated her old life and the new one inflicted upon her. She didn't want to cross it, but, with a deep breath, absorbing the smells around her and trying to focus on one at a time, as Harry taught her, Parvati pressed forward after a couple of minutes. She wasn't sorted into Gryffindor for nothing.

She walked until the tree line blocked her view of the castle and shivered. The forest was open enough to be considered a grove, but she knew it became denser the deeper in she went. She noticed that the only sounds she could hear were the ones from her own steps on the ground. No birds, no insects, no wind.

Parvati could feel she was not alone.

They were out there, watching her. It was thrilling and terrifying all at the same time.

The Indian witch undid the long braid in her hair; the entangled fur had not been a pleasant experience last time. She blushed knowing that Harry was watching as she slowly removed her robes. In preparation, Parvati had decided to forgo any undergarments for the night, as they would only be removed or destroyed by the change.

The girl couldn't help but feel ashamed when the big scar on her hips was revealed.

"Gods, I can only imagine how I look, my hair undone, naked in the woods, like a savage." Parvati thought.

She spun towards the sound of a twig cracking and she saw them stalk towards her.

Harry's black fur seemed to absorb all the dim light that touched it, and his emerald green eyes glowed with power and intelligence as he approached. Katie stood a couple of steps behind, her yellow eyes watching as Parvati trembled; they looked so fierce, powerful, and…

"Beautiful…" Was all the Indian girl could say before she started feeling the pain of the change taking over her.

.oOo.

The new black wolf was the smallest of the three, and yet, still larger than any normal wolf could ever be.

She was like a puppy, being guided entirely by instinct, still far away from becoming one with her humanity. It was because of these instincts that the female black wolf lowered her head at the two other wolves watching her. She let out a low growl in an uneasy submission.

The bigger black wolf, with his glowing green eyes, had to fight his own instincts that were asking for him to take this new female in front of him. Her smell told him she was fit, healthy, and willing.

But he was long over being dominated by his most basic instincts. He was something more, instinct and rational thought combined into one. So, instead of taking and mating her, the green-eyed wolf calmly strode towards the new pack member, and touched his muzzle into hers, reassuring her, trying to soothe her fears. Yes, he was her alpha now, it was true, but he was also her friend, companion, and protector.

Slowly, the smell of fear subsided, and the new wolf raised her head. The two black wolves touched their foreheads at each other before the dark brown wolf did the same.

Then, the green-eyed wolf looked at the full moon and let out a mighty howl, and the two others joined it.

It was time to hunt.

.oOo.

Inside the castle, Theodore Nott awoke to pain exploding throughout his recently mended hand. He pulled his hand close to his chest, cradling it, and wishing it was the reason he cowered into the corner of his bed.

The truth was the pain only provided a momentary reprieve from terror paralyzing his body as the howling coming from the forest permeating the very stone of Hogwarts.

.oOo.

Parvati woke up to the soft sound of moans as the sun rays peeked through the canopy and warmed her skin. She was lying on a soft blanket spread out on the ground, and, looking up, she recognized the same clearing she had become a wolf in last night. Strangely, she felt tired, but not as drained as the first time she had undergone the transformation.

A long moan drew her attention away from her inner musings.

Her eyes went wide as she turned her head to see Katie was straddling Harry, savage riding him a few feet away. The girl's hips moved up and down in a blur, while Harry moved his own, matching her rhythm, his hands firmly groping Katie's shapely arse as the girl clawed his chest.

Parvati felt her own arousal growing; Harry's hard cock stretched Katie's pussy lips every time he plunged into her; his muscles tensed with concentration while the riding girl bit his neck, trying not to scream. Suddenly, Katie's entire body was trembling, and Parvati knew she was cuming, and it was intense, so much more than anything Parvati had ever seen, or had.

The expression of pure delight on both Harry and Katie's faces was something out of a cheap erotic novel, the silly smiles, the soft kisses, and the loving praises they had for each other in their post-coital bliss.

It was all so intimate that Parvati decided to pretend she was still sleeping, but she was determined to have the same one day.

.oOo.

Harry had been made aware that Hagrid would not be on the grounds for part of the year, being away as an envoy with the giants on behalf of the Order, so Katie and himself had prepared, with blankets and water ready for when they turned back, trying to make as easy as they could for Parvati. Both of them remembered how scary the first changes could be. If he was honest, Harry was impressed by how easily Parvati had interacted with them; it seemed that having other werewolves around really did make things easier. He had even thought of forgoing his usual shag with Katie, but, being so hormonally charged after the change and watching the beautiful girl naked and crawling on all fours towards him with a predatory smile in the morning blasted that away. The scent of Parvati's arousal when she had seen them made it even worse.

The Indian girl pretended she was sleeping, and they pretended to believe her as they finished.

Harry gathered his clothes, putting on his boxers and trousers, with his back turned to Parvati as she made a show of "waking up" and throwing her school robes over her shoulders. But the silence that took the clearing showed they still had a long way to go.

"Is your nose piercing magical?" Katie finally asked. Parvati was braiding her long hair, and Harry couldn't help but admire how beautiful she looked under the morning light.

"Ah, yes," the Indian girl smiled. "Both mine and Padma's. Family enchantments…" she trailed off. "Why?"

"It didn't fall off when you changed," Katie shrugged. "It was kinda cool, the golden point on your muzzle."

Harry chuckled.

"I think it was cute." He said. Parvati stopped braiding her hair and looked at them quizzically.

"How? Can you remember what happened?" The girl asked. Harry nodded at her.

"In time, as you become more in tune with your instincts, you will be able to recall what happened as well."

Parvati cutely twisted her lips in a thoughtful expression.

"I can't remember anything."

"It's ok; as I said, it takes time. The trick is not trying to think like a human. Try to remember like the wolf. The sounds, the smells…"

Crack!

All three of them turned towards the sound at the same time, wands in hand. The smell of death and decay hit Harry, and he took a step back, trying to position himself between Parvati and the trees. The young werewolf could sense the smell of fear coming from the girl, which only drove his protective instincts into high gear.

"How cuuuuute!" A familiar feminine voice came from the woods, followed by an all too familiar laugh. "It's like a nice, 'ittle family reunion!"

"Lestrange!" Harry growled as she saw the two figures coming from the forest. "Greyback!"

"Nah, Nah, Nah, not Lestrange anymore, boy," Bellatrix said. Harry saw her eyes, and he could smell it. Harry could smell the wolf inside her. Fenrir looked at them with a predatory smile that made Katie take a step closer to Harry and parvati. Parvati let out a low, involuntary whine behind him. The intruding alpha werewolf took a deep breath as they stood in the clearing border.

"Delicious…" Fenrir's voice thundered. "I see my whelps have gotten even stronger! I'm so proud." He finished, and Bellatrix licked her lips, looking at Harry with a mix of lust and disdain.

Harry raised his wand, ready for a fight, thinking of sending Parvati running into the castle to get Dumbledore and the other professors, but, held off as Fenrir didn't step any closer.

"I will not intrude on your hunting ground, young alpha," Fenrir said. "I'm not here to fight, at least, not yet." The man grinned.

"What are you doing here then?" Harry asked.

"I'm here to see my puppies, to see how much they have grown. And I'm not disappointed."

"We are not your…" Katie tried to say.

"Oh, but you are; you just don't know it yet." Fenrir cut her off. "I am also here to give you a gift, Potter." He said, taking something from inside his robes and throwing it at Harry's feet. "Consider it a peace offering."

Harry watched as the item hit the ground with a metallic sound and rolled toward him. It was some kind of silver cup, adorned with runes around its length. Harry didn't need to touch it to know what it was. He could see the distorted magic around and sense the smell of the Dark Lord coming from it. He felt sick, and had to fight to keep his stomach from emptying itself.. He returned his gaze back to Fenrir.

"Why?"

The monstrous werewolf smiled.

"Because I know you have seen the truth; I can see it in your magic, boy. I know what we are destined to do together. I know you have seen the hunter's paradise!"

Harry gulped, and his eyes went wide, and that seemed to be all confirmation that Fenrir needed. A smile full of pointed yellow teeth graced the man's evil face.

"Yes! I knew it! Think about it, young alpha. The next time we meet, I will give you a choice. To join me, or to be broken. Until then." Fenrir said before backing into the woods. Bellatrix smiled at Harry, pinching her breast over her robes before following her mate.

Harry waited, for a long time, taking deep breaths until he was sure he couldn't smell the intruders anymore. He looked back at a very pale Katie and a shivering Parvati. Instinctively, he moved forward and held both girls in an embrace, trying to calm them.

"Dobby!" Harry called after a while, and the jumpy elf popped into existence beside him.

"Greatest of the wolves, Harry Potter, sir, called Dobby?"

"Yes Dobby, please, bring the headmaster here as fast as possible."

Notes:

I know Alpha males in wolves are bullshit outdated science. That is the idea. Greyback represents the old view of a vertical hierarchy, while Harry represents the more modern, horizontal view. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading!