A Chance at Life
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Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Snape
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Adult +
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Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Snape
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
15
Views:
13,619
Reviews:
76
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter; None of the original stories and/or characters are mine in any way nor do I make any money from these writings.
Chapter 12: Werewolves & Lycans
Happy Holidays Everyone!
A Chance at Life
Chapter 12: Werewolves & Lycans
February 14 (Wednesday 8:30am)
Kyle Hooch awoke with a slight jerk, his six foot frame protesting as various aches and pains made themselves known.
“How do you feel?”
He ignored his sister’s muffled laughter and took a quick look around to verify that they were alone in their little forest den. He then wondered at her odd behavior as he stretched out the kinks; usually she tried to drown him in painkillers or smother him with warm blankets after a full moon.
“Like I’ve been ran over by a herd of Mûmakil and so happy I could burst at the same time.”
Rolanda stopped laughing and looked at him with bit of pity in her gaze. “You’ve been asleep for almost half an hour now; he left soon after your transformation…What exactly is it that attracts you to him? You haven’t even seen him in human form yet.” His sister asked in curiosity.
“He smells right…and really good,” Kyle told her, his eyes shut as he stood up gingerly. “Under his wolf smell, he smells like a wizard but…better, powerful, stronger …. sweeter.”
Kyle remembered when he’d first smelled that breathtaking, intoxicating scent. It reminded him of strawberries with a dash of cinnamon and something else he couldn’t identify, but which made his scent different from any other animagus he’d ever encountered. At first, in the very depths of his humanity, he’d been afraid his sister would be too late to stop him from attacking the wizard, but by the time he’d reached his goal the wizard had already shifted into his animagus form. A wolf with black fur and beautiful green eyes; though both were green his right one was noticeably lighter than the other one. He also had a white streak of fur that looked almost like a crescent moon, starting from the corner of his right eye and arching upward but leaning slightly to the right: He was a beautiful wolf.
Even small and a little too skinny, Kyle had taken one look at his tucked in tail and big green eyes, not showing the slightest hint of fear, and he’d known he was goner.
Werewolves, unlike true magical creatures (lycans, vampires, veelas, etc.), didn’t have destined mates. Werewolves chose their mates, usually by way of scent but sometimes through magical compatibility. For Kyle, it was a combination of both. Though at the beginning his scent had been an overwhelming attractant, his magic had also reacted to him at dawn. The animagus had stayed in contact with him all the way through his transformation and Kyle had never had it easier. He’d felt the animagus’ strong magical aura wrap around him gently, almost protectively, soothing the pain and calming his wolf without it feeling overbearing or forceful. It was part of the reason why he had fallen asleep so soon and so deeply afterward; his inner wolf had never felt such a calm and caring aura from a non-pack member. In fact, not even pack had ever had such a profound effect on his wolf.
Kyle knew things were not going to be easy; it will be hard for his family to even take him seriously to begin with. In lycan/werewolf terms he was still regarded as a teenager since males were not considered adults until their 30th birthday or until they’d mated, whichever came first. But regardless of his youth, he knew he had found his chosen and he will do everything in his power to convince his chosen mate and his family of his sincerity.
“He’s an interesting character, Harry Potter; no relation to the pureblood Potters. In fact he made it a point to introduce himself as a muggle-born.” Kyle perked up as Rolanda began speaking again.
“What else did he tell you? What does he look like? How old is he? What-?” His sister smiled sadly at him and cut him off before he kept on babbling questions.
“Kyle, calm down. We didn’t talk much; it wouldn’t be proper not to mention that you were unconscious and hanging over my shoulder at the time. Brother… are you sure he’s the one? He might already be with someone or-”
“NO. He didn’t smell mated, surely you noticed that.” Kyle replied heatedly. He didn’t want to be thinking of Harry with someone else.
“Of course I did but you know just as I do that that doesn’t mean anything. He might still already be with someone. And you are young; perhaps you have made a mistake.”
Kyle contained the urge to growl at his sister. Even though he was older, she was higher in pack hierarchy. Not only was she a lycan, but she was also a female; females came into adulthood at 20, thus she was to be treated as his elder. Instead, he looked away from her and didn’t say anything, if he spoke up there was a good chance he’d end up on his back, baring neck and asking for forgiveness. He wasn’t in the mood for dominance games however.
He heard a deep sigh. “All right, I won’t try to change your mind, but our parents won’t be happy about this.”
Kyle thought about his mother. She had been dreading this moment ever since they learned about it. Most werewolves lived out their lives alone and unhappy, for it was extremely rare for their chosen mates to accept them as they were. He was very much aware that chances were he would never be accepted by his chosen, but there was nothing he could do about that. At least his father accepted it and understood him even if his mom refused to think of it.
His mother, Xiomara, had been with Charles for over fifteen years now and he felt privileged to call him Father. When Kyle had been bitten as a young child his mother had gone to Charles for guidance and they’d ended up together, having Rolanda soon after.
He knew he was very lucky to have such a loving family, not to mention his dad’s extensive lycan pack. Though Charles was a werewolf, he had been adopted by a lycan family when his own family had abandoned him. He was rather exceptional in that he had managed to achieve alpha status despite being a werewolf; as such he had earned the right to begin a pack of his own and did, though he preferred to live with his wife and children rather than tending to a pack in the full sense of the word.
As Kyle listened to his sister tell him what had happened after dawn and they got ready to leave their den, he plotted. Since he wasn’t yet an adult and as his father was also his alpha, his father still had the final say in everything concerning him. He knew his father would never agree to him meeting Harry on his own, so he will have to keep Rolanda silent about this little encounter until after he’d had a chance to meet with Harry this Friday. After all, ‘better to beg forgiveness than ask permission,’ right?
HPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSS
February 16 (Friday 12:10pm)
“Good afternoon, Mr. Hooch.”
Kyle barely managed keep his jaw from hitting the floor. The man standing in front of him looked like a short teenager…if a rather striking teenager. He looked just like her sister had described him: short, slim, wild black hair, interesting facial tattoo, beautiful eyes and a restrained, but overall pleasant persona.
Harry had been sitting at the right corner table away from the counter but nearest the main door. Somehow, he has turned to see him as soon as Kyle set foot inside the murky establishment and had stood up in welcome with a polite bow and nothing more, establishing a meeting of equals. At the gesture, Kyle felt his heart race in surging pleasure, allowing himself a moment to bask in the scent and magic of his chosen before greeting him in kind.
“Good afternoon and please just call me Kyle.” He somehow kept his voice level as he tried to subtly take in as much as possible about this young man that appeared remarkably comfortable in a full length cloak and casual robes, both in a midnight-black that matched that wild hair of his.
“As you wish…Tell me…Did you discuss our meeting with the rest of your pack before coming?” Harry asked him.
“How do you mean? What does it matter?” Kyle responded, not expecting to begin their lunch date with such a question.
“Well, I was just wondering why they would be sitting under glamour a few tables away if you had.” Harry replied with a hint of a smile as he sat down again calmly.
“What?!” Kyle asked in hoarse whisper as he practically fell into his own seat.
Instead of answering, Harry just gave a slight nod towards the nearest occupied table and they spent the next few minutes in silence, only speaking to order a couple of butterbeers before settling down to begin.
Finally, Kyle turned slightly to confirm where Harry had motioned his family was seated and as he turned back to face Harry he felt his face flush in mortification. He saw no possible way in which his chosen will see him as a responsible adult after this.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure they’re just looking out for you. It’s not unreasonable to want to protect your family.” Harry told him kindly. Kyle didn’t know how to respond to this new development; things were not going at all as he had planned. “From your reaction I’m guessing you did not discuss this with them…?”
“Yeah…,” he frowned slightly.
“Since they have not revealed themselves, I am willing to take that to mean they don’t oppose this meeting taking place, so, would you like to continue?”
Kyle nodded mutely.
“...All right then, first of all I would like to apologize for speaking to Ms. Hooch that day. But, you were unconscious and…”
“Don’t worry about that, my family is not really that big on traditional etiquette and all that.”
“In that case I am happy I didn’t offend her. Now, for the reason that I requested this meeting: I would like to extend an offer of friendship and also put forward a proposition to the werewolf communities. Actually it would be more of an announcement if you advice me to go ahead with my idea.”
Kyle slouched on his seat slightly and sulked silently as he realized that there was no chance this could be a simple ‘let’s get to know each other’ type of get-together. “Why exactly did you request a meeting with me, Harry?”
Harry blinked, looking a little surprised by the question before answering. “It would have been improper to request a meeting with a senior member of your pack without suitable introductions. I truly enjoyed our meeting this past full moon and I would enjoy getting to know you and, if possible, your pack. At the same time, I would like to ask your opinion about a project I’m starting, and with time, possibly your family’s opinion. If your alpha feels I’m worthy of association, of course.”
This time it was Kyle’s turn to blink as he thought the answer over. It was clear that Harry was well learned in pack protocol and most likely on their social structure and traditions as well; which meant that he knew Kyle was not an adult werewolf and the more he thought about it the more he felt his chances dwindling into nothing.
“Kyle, are you all right?” Harry asked sounding concerned but Kyle simply closed his eyes and inhaled as much of his chosen’s scent as possible before speaking, still keeping his eyes closed.
“How old are you Harry?”
“Um, I’m 19 almost 20.”
“Family?”
“Yes…My wife, Eileen, and my stepson, Severus.”
And with that fateful answer he felt his world come crashing down on him.
HPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSS
Harry immediately stood up in shock. He had no idea what had just happened. He had found Kyle’s whole reaction to him puzzling. He’d thought they’d gotten along fine during the full moon, so he was at a loss as to what could be the problem now. He’d been acting a little odd but Harry’s senses hadn’t picked up anything threatening, only embarrassment and for some unknown reason, sadness.
Now that sadness had plunged straight into despair and Harry had no choice but wait for Kyle’s enraged alpha to approach him and take his arm in a bruising hold. He knew better than to resist a protective werewolf and allowed himself to be guided outside by Rolanda and her father while their other pack member took care of Kyle’s hunched form at their former table.
“What the hell did you do to my son?” The alpha demanded as he threw Harry against the nearest tree as soon as they’d reached the cover of the Forbidden Forest. Harry had never reached the Forbidden Forest so quickly in his life
He got his breath knocked out for a moment as his back hit the tree trunk, but answered without fear or anger as soon as he could breathe again, making sure not to look the werewolf in the eyes as he did so. “I simply answered his questions. I did not bewitch him or attack him in any way.”
Harry knew the werewolf will be able to scent his truthfulness and waited for the alpha’s next move. His back hurt and his arm was sore, but his instincts didn’t give any indication that he should attack so he simply held himself with caution but without hostility.
He saw Rolanda place a hand on her father’s shoulder with a faint growl before she spoke up herself. “What were the questions and your answers?” She demanded, but unlike her father she didn’t sound angry.
“He asked my age and about my family. I told him I was 19 and that my family was my wife and stepson.”
Silence.
As the others shifted looking a bit chagrined, Harry became aware of the presence of two magical signatures moving swiftly toward their position. He didn’t shift his position, not wanting to risk as a misunderstanding, but he did turn his head to face the newcomers as they burst through the woods and into their sights.
It was Firenze and Ronan.
Firenze stepped forward t speak, away from Ronan’s line of fire; though their weapons were not pointed at him or his…acquaintances, the centaur Guards were definitely unhappy about something.
“Do you find your self in need of our assistance, Harry Potter?” Firenze asked him, with a mere glance at the others since Ronan was keeping his eyes on the others.
“No, thank you Firenze. I’m fine.” Harry replied quickly, hoping to dispel the tense atmosphere suddenly surrounding them.
“You are in pain, young one. You honored the First Rite of Alliance and now you are attacked by beings you have protected our foals from. Do you doubt centaurian honor to comply with that which was promised?”
Harry slowly took a step away from the tree and placed his left hand over his heart. “I am honored and gratified by your protection. However, as I have said, this is simply a misunderstanding: this alpha is protecting his family and is within his rights to act as he has.” Harry then bowed slightly and waited for their response.
“The council shall hear what has transpired….May the stars illuminate our way….”
Harry then finished the traditional blessing of departure before they banished into the forest once again. “And may our paths commune under the stars.”
“You sure have interesting friends, Harry.” Rolanda said with a hint of laughter in her voice once they were alone once more. Harry turned to face them again and was met with a bored alpha and a laughing lycan.
“My son’s upset will pass. What did you want to meet with him for?” The tall werewolf demanded and Harry didn’t bother to ask for an explanation; he was neither pack nor ally, therefore the alpha was not obliged to give him an answer.
“I wished to extend an offer of friendship to both Kyle and your pack. I also seek his advice.”
“Advice? My boy is barely a day older than you are; why would you seek his advice?” The alpha asked with a scoff.
“Because he’s a werewolf.” Harry answered frankly and continued as he saw the alpha’s eyes narrow in displeasure.
“What do you know of the Wolvesbane Potion…?”
“Wolvesbane? Never heard of it; what does it do?”
“It allows werewolves to keep their human minds during the full moon. It was invented by one of my late tutors. Unfortunately, he died before he could share his findings. He did teach it to me however, and I have an idea about how to make it available to all that need it, but before I continued with my plans I wanted the opinion of someone that would be frank with me. When I met your children two days ago, I figured it would be the perfect opportunity because they are not so close to me that they would feel obligated to tone down what they really thought and it would also give me input from a werewolf that might benefit from my efforts.”
Rolanda and her father shared an incredulous glance so Harry hurried to reassure them before they completely dismissed him.
“The potion has already been accepted by the Potion’s Guild and has been approved by the ARPRC (Administration for the Regulation of Potion Remedies and Concoctions). All that’s left is for my distributor’s permit before I can begin. You are free to check the ministry’s patent office if you wish. All related permits will also be available as public record.”
“And just how much will you be charging for this potion exactly?” Rolanda asked somewhat dazed.
“The retail price stands at 18 galleons per dose.” He ignored the twin yells of what! and continued calmly as if they hadn’t said anything. “Payment is not required, however. I will accept donations of any kind. My goal is to find a cure as my tutor wished. I am not a Potions Master but my wife is and has already offered to help me find a cure for the curse.”
The alpha spoke up once again. “And why exactly are you so determined to do all this?”
Harry smiled for the first time, if somewhat sadly and met the werewolf’s eyes for the first time. “Because sometimes…what we do in life echoes in eternity (1).”
Footnote:
1) This little part here at the end is a line from the movie Gladiator (2000).
___________________________________________________
Interlude 2
March 7
* Malfoy Manor
Lucius was in his bedroom, gritting his teeth and trying not to cry out. He knew that should he do so, those stupid house-elfs would go running to his father with the story and he would only end up worse off. He had just returned from another one if his father’s ‘Endurance Training’ sessions, which he hated. The only thing helping him get through them was the knowledge that he would finally be going to Hogwarts this year.
He hated having to endure so much pain just because his father was convinced Lucius will take over his place besides ‘their’ Lord. Lucius didn’t even know who this supposed Dark Lord was; shouldn’t he at least know who and what he was being groomed for?
His father had been extra cruel today as well. He had been in a foul mood ever since the ‘true muggle-born’ articles started. This past week the Prophet had even started publishing some ‘muggle-borns’’ full lineages after the Ministry had agreed to replace the standard Blood Lineage Parchment with the more expensive Goblin type. Many muggle-borns had demanded to be re-registered as half-bloods and to be given a copy of their complete Lineage, declaring previous records as false and accessories to the obstruction of justice. Though no muggle-born has come forward declaring kinship to the Malfoys, Lucius was certain that it was due to fear of his father’s reprisal than because he/she didn’t actually exist. The Black, Parkinson, Nott, and Crabbe families were just as ancient or at least almost as ancient as the Malfoys and they’d all had ‘muggle-born’ kin turn up.
In addition, Abraxas had killed a couple of house-elfs in a rage when some families he had been courting for his Lord had turned down the offer. Though the Black and Nott families where undoubtedly Dark, they must have been in disagreement with enough of the Dark Lord’s views to choose not to follow him.
Lucius understood completely.
He knew he was a Dark wizard. He loved the feel of the Dark Arts and dark magic was so beautifully dangerous, it truly was for the select few that had the inclination for it. Unlike neutral and light magic, dark magic always had the potential to overwhelm you and in his opinion if you were weak-minded enough to lose yourself to it, then you deserved to live the rest of your life as a senseless addict. Though he was too young to practice true dark magic, his father had performed it in his presence enough times for him to recognize the feeling the magic produced in him, just being near it sent a pleasurable shiver down his spine.
Lucius knew he was not a weak-minded fool. He was being raised to be a leader, to think for himself and know his strengths and weaknesses. Before, he’d always believed that his father’s ideals about purebloods and mudbloods were based on reason. It seemed logical for mudbloods to be magically and intellectually weak when they had no wizarding linage. It had seemed logical to think that the weaker the blood brought into a wizarding community the weaker that community would become.
However, this was not the case at all. All of the supposed muggle-borns that had come forward about their lineage had been descendants of squibs born to pureblood families. In fact, it seemed that the ‘purer’ the family the more squibs were born from that family. In addition, Lucius had never personally met a mudblood.
The first and only mudblood he had ever met was Harry Potter, and he was nothing like what he had been taught to expect. Potter was neither magically weak nor ignorant of common courtesy and customs, and that one meeting had been enough to make him start thinking about all of his father’s views. He started to doubt that Abraxas really knew what he was talking about.
Thus, he found himself doubting his judgment about this Dark Lord. If his father had been wrong about mudbloods, what else was he wrong about?
Still, he knew he had a part to play, and play it he will…but from now on he will be making up his own mind about things. He will not be following his father blindly any more…or the Dark Lord for that matter.
* Potter Manor
Harold Potter was frustrated.
It had been over a month and he was no nearer to his goal than when he started. He had left the Ministry the day of the inquiry feeling insulted, rejected, and determined. He had felt insulted because it was clear that Harry Potter had little to no respect for him or his lineage. He felt rejected because Harry had wanted nothing to do with him, him, who was a renowned pillar for the light and a pureblood of considerable influence…But he was also determined that Harry Potter will come to accept his bloodlines and his guidance.
Harold didn’t know how Harry had hidden his lineage from the Blood Lineage parchment and honestly, he didn’t care. What mattered to him was that Harry had the Potter Mark, he had the blood of the Potters in his veins and it was Harold’s duty to keep his family united and safe. He couldn’t do that however, without knowing what his relatives were doing or how they were fairing. It bothered him that he knew next to nothing about someone that was part of his family, of his blood, and was finding it difficult to find a way to approach the matter.
He had learned about Harry’s marriage by mere chance a few days before the inquiry, something he found absolutely intolerable. If he’d known about Harry he would have helped him find a suitable match much more appropriate for his age and power. Never would he have approved his marriage to Eileen Prince had he had any say in it. She was a divorced woman that was too old for him and already had a child, and though she came from a respectable enough pureblood family, she was still no match for Harry when it came to sheer magical power.
In addition, Harold could not find any record or even a hint of how Harry provided for his family. He could find no mention of a profession, business, or inheritance that could account for Harry’s comfortable lifestyle. He had not failed to notice that while Harry’s clothes had been understated and somber they’ve been of the highest quality, just like his wife’s and stepson’s.
The most frustrating thing of all was that after a month of relentless searching all he had to show for it was the possibility that Harry might live in Hogsmeade, but even that had yet to be confirmed. He knew Harry owned a house in that town but he had found no definite evidence that he actually lived there. No one reported to have seen Harry in or around Hogsmeade with any frequency or even at Diagon Alley for that matter. Few people remembered seeing anyone matching Harry’s description and if they had, they had not remembered anything of importance.
He had even tried to bribe a Gringotts Goblin for information, but it would seem that Harry had managed to secure the protection of a high-ranking Goblin and other than the fact that Harry made his money through lawful means, Harold was unable to get much out of them no matter how generous or profitable his offers. Now, to make things even more intricate, Harry was turning the wizarding world on its ear without even trying. The only thing he could do was wait for someone else to find something about the ‘true muggle-born’ and follow up on it. He didn’t have much faith in that course of action, but he had run out of ideas for the moment.
He knew, more than anyone, that trying to find Harry was like trying to catch a ghost…and definitely twice as challenging.
* Centaur Territory, Forbidden Forest
As Harry walked back home he thought about everything that he’d accomplished in two months. Not only did he finally feel at home in this reality but he’d also found happiness among his family and new friends.
His plans were also coming along much better than he’d ever imagined. In a way, it was rather pathetic how little effort made everything come together so much better than before. But perhaps that was the reason he was brought back: to make changes, to help Severus, and simply be happy.
For now, he was satisfied with what he had already accomplished and it was simply a matter of time before he would be able to see just how much he’d changed the future, hopefully for the better. Still, he knew he had a long way to go…but whatever end he might come to, he hoped that end did not come for a long time yet.
Rate/Review Please! ^_^
PLEASE READ: I have gotten a number of reviews asking if this is going to be a Severus/Harry Slash pairing and the answer is most definitely YES! Like I wrote in the summary: this is an eventual SS/HP (No chan!); which means nothing slashy will happen while Severus is still a child. Hope this clears this up and thanks for reading.
A Chance at Life
Chapter 12: Werewolves & Lycans
February 14 (Wednesday 8:30am)
Kyle Hooch awoke with a slight jerk, his six foot frame protesting as various aches and pains made themselves known.
“How do you feel?”
He ignored his sister’s muffled laughter and took a quick look around to verify that they were alone in their little forest den. He then wondered at her odd behavior as he stretched out the kinks; usually she tried to drown him in painkillers or smother him with warm blankets after a full moon.
“Like I’ve been ran over by a herd of Mûmakil and so happy I could burst at the same time.”
Rolanda stopped laughing and looked at him with bit of pity in her gaze. “You’ve been asleep for almost half an hour now; he left soon after your transformation…What exactly is it that attracts you to him? You haven’t even seen him in human form yet.” His sister asked in curiosity.
“He smells right…and really good,” Kyle told her, his eyes shut as he stood up gingerly. “Under his wolf smell, he smells like a wizard but…better, powerful, stronger …. sweeter.”
Kyle remembered when he’d first smelled that breathtaking, intoxicating scent. It reminded him of strawberries with a dash of cinnamon and something else he couldn’t identify, but which made his scent different from any other animagus he’d ever encountered. At first, in the very depths of his humanity, he’d been afraid his sister would be too late to stop him from attacking the wizard, but by the time he’d reached his goal the wizard had already shifted into his animagus form. A wolf with black fur and beautiful green eyes; though both were green his right one was noticeably lighter than the other one. He also had a white streak of fur that looked almost like a crescent moon, starting from the corner of his right eye and arching upward but leaning slightly to the right: He was a beautiful wolf.
Even small and a little too skinny, Kyle had taken one look at his tucked in tail and big green eyes, not showing the slightest hint of fear, and he’d known he was goner.
Werewolves, unlike true magical creatures (lycans, vampires, veelas, etc.), didn’t have destined mates. Werewolves chose their mates, usually by way of scent but sometimes through magical compatibility. For Kyle, it was a combination of both. Though at the beginning his scent had been an overwhelming attractant, his magic had also reacted to him at dawn. The animagus had stayed in contact with him all the way through his transformation and Kyle had never had it easier. He’d felt the animagus’ strong magical aura wrap around him gently, almost protectively, soothing the pain and calming his wolf without it feeling overbearing or forceful. It was part of the reason why he had fallen asleep so soon and so deeply afterward; his inner wolf had never felt such a calm and caring aura from a non-pack member. In fact, not even pack had ever had such a profound effect on his wolf.
Kyle knew things were not going to be easy; it will be hard for his family to even take him seriously to begin with. In lycan/werewolf terms he was still regarded as a teenager since males were not considered adults until their 30th birthday or until they’d mated, whichever came first. But regardless of his youth, he knew he had found his chosen and he will do everything in his power to convince his chosen mate and his family of his sincerity.
“He’s an interesting character, Harry Potter; no relation to the pureblood Potters. In fact he made it a point to introduce himself as a muggle-born.” Kyle perked up as Rolanda began speaking again.
“What else did he tell you? What does he look like? How old is he? What-?” His sister smiled sadly at him and cut him off before he kept on babbling questions.
“Kyle, calm down. We didn’t talk much; it wouldn’t be proper not to mention that you were unconscious and hanging over my shoulder at the time. Brother… are you sure he’s the one? He might already be with someone or-”
“NO. He didn’t smell mated, surely you noticed that.” Kyle replied heatedly. He didn’t want to be thinking of Harry with someone else.
“Of course I did but you know just as I do that that doesn’t mean anything. He might still already be with someone. And you are young; perhaps you have made a mistake.”
Kyle contained the urge to growl at his sister. Even though he was older, she was higher in pack hierarchy. Not only was she a lycan, but she was also a female; females came into adulthood at 20, thus she was to be treated as his elder. Instead, he looked away from her and didn’t say anything, if he spoke up there was a good chance he’d end up on his back, baring neck and asking for forgiveness. He wasn’t in the mood for dominance games however.
He heard a deep sigh. “All right, I won’t try to change your mind, but our parents won’t be happy about this.”
Kyle thought about his mother. She had been dreading this moment ever since they learned about it. Most werewolves lived out their lives alone and unhappy, for it was extremely rare for their chosen mates to accept them as they were. He was very much aware that chances were he would never be accepted by his chosen, but there was nothing he could do about that. At least his father accepted it and understood him even if his mom refused to think of it.
His mother, Xiomara, had been with Charles for over fifteen years now and he felt privileged to call him Father. When Kyle had been bitten as a young child his mother had gone to Charles for guidance and they’d ended up together, having Rolanda soon after.
He knew he was very lucky to have such a loving family, not to mention his dad’s extensive lycan pack. Though Charles was a werewolf, he had been adopted by a lycan family when his own family had abandoned him. He was rather exceptional in that he had managed to achieve alpha status despite being a werewolf; as such he had earned the right to begin a pack of his own and did, though he preferred to live with his wife and children rather than tending to a pack in the full sense of the word.
As Kyle listened to his sister tell him what had happened after dawn and they got ready to leave their den, he plotted. Since he wasn’t yet an adult and as his father was also his alpha, his father still had the final say in everything concerning him. He knew his father would never agree to him meeting Harry on his own, so he will have to keep Rolanda silent about this little encounter until after he’d had a chance to meet with Harry this Friday. After all, ‘better to beg forgiveness than ask permission,’ right?
HPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSS
February 16 (Friday 12:10pm)
“Good afternoon, Mr. Hooch.”
Kyle barely managed keep his jaw from hitting the floor. The man standing in front of him looked like a short teenager…if a rather striking teenager. He looked just like her sister had described him: short, slim, wild black hair, interesting facial tattoo, beautiful eyes and a restrained, but overall pleasant persona.
Harry had been sitting at the right corner table away from the counter but nearest the main door. Somehow, he has turned to see him as soon as Kyle set foot inside the murky establishment and had stood up in welcome with a polite bow and nothing more, establishing a meeting of equals. At the gesture, Kyle felt his heart race in surging pleasure, allowing himself a moment to bask in the scent and magic of his chosen before greeting him in kind.
“Good afternoon and please just call me Kyle.” He somehow kept his voice level as he tried to subtly take in as much as possible about this young man that appeared remarkably comfortable in a full length cloak and casual robes, both in a midnight-black that matched that wild hair of his.
“As you wish…Tell me…Did you discuss our meeting with the rest of your pack before coming?” Harry asked him.
“How do you mean? What does it matter?” Kyle responded, not expecting to begin their lunch date with such a question.
“Well, I was just wondering why they would be sitting under glamour a few tables away if you had.” Harry replied with a hint of a smile as he sat down again calmly.
“What?!” Kyle asked in hoarse whisper as he practically fell into his own seat.
Instead of answering, Harry just gave a slight nod towards the nearest occupied table and they spent the next few minutes in silence, only speaking to order a couple of butterbeers before settling down to begin.
Finally, Kyle turned slightly to confirm where Harry had motioned his family was seated and as he turned back to face Harry he felt his face flush in mortification. He saw no possible way in which his chosen will see him as a responsible adult after this.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure they’re just looking out for you. It’s not unreasonable to want to protect your family.” Harry told him kindly. Kyle didn’t know how to respond to this new development; things were not going at all as he had planned. “From your reaction I’m guessing you did not discuss this with them…?”
“Yeah…,” he frowned slightly.
“Since they have not revealed themselves, I am willing to take that to mean they don’t oppose this meeting taking place, so, would you like to continue?”
Kyle nodded mutely.
“...All right then, first of all I would like to apologize for speaking to Ms. Hooch that day. But, you were unconscious and…”
“Don’t worry about that, my family is not really that big on traditional etiquette and all that.”
“In that case I am happy I didn’t offend her. Now, for the reason that I requested this meeting: I would like to extend an offer of friendship and also put forward a proposition to the werewolf communities. Actually it would be more of an announcement if you advice me to go ahead with my idea.”
Kyle slouched on his seat slightly and sulked silently as he realized that there was no chance this could be a simple ‘let’s get to know each other’ type of get-together. “Why exactly did you request a meeting with me, Harry?”
Harry blinked, looking a little surprised by the question before answering. “It would have been improper to request a meeting with a senior member of your pack without suitable introductions. I truly enjoyed our meeting this past full moon and I would enjoy getting to know you and, if possible, your pack. At the same time, I would like to ask your opinion about a project I’m starting, and with time, possibly your family’s opinion. If your alpha feels I’m worthy of association, of course.”
This time it was Kyle’s turn to blink as he thought the answer over. It was clear that Harry was well learned in pack protocol and most likely on their social structure and traditions as well; which meant that he knew Kyle was not an adult werewolf and the more he thought about it the more he felt his chances dwindling into nothing.
“Kyle, are you all right?” Harry asked sounding concerned but Kyle simply closed his eyes and inhaled as much of his chosen’s scent as possible before speaking, still keeping his eyes closed.
“How old are you Harry?”
“Um, I’m 19 almost 20.”
“Family?”
“Yes…My wife, Eileen, and my stepson, Severus.”
And with that fateful answer he felt his world come crashing down on him.
HPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSS
Harry immediately stood up in shock. He had no idea what had just happened. He had found Kyle’s whole reaction to him puzzling. He’d thought they’d gotten along fine during the full moon, so he was at a loss as to what could be the problem now. He’d been acting a little odd but Harry’s senses hadn’t picked up anything threatening, only embarrassment and for some unknown reason, sadness.
Now that sadness had plunged straight into despair and Harry had no choice but wait for Kyle’s enraged alpha to approach him and take his arm in a bruising hold. He knew better than to resist a protective werewolf and allowed himself to be guided outside by Rolanda and her father while their other pack member took care of Kyle’s hunched form at their former table.
“What the hell did you do to my son?” The alpha demanded as he threw Harry against the nearest tree as soon as they’d reached the cover of the Forbidden Forest. Harry had never reached the Forbidden Forest so quickly in his life
He got his breath knocked out for a moment as his back hit the tree trunk, but answered without fear or anger as soon as he could breathe again, making sure not to look the werewolf in the eyes as he did so. “I simply answered his questions. I did not bewitch him or attack him in any way.”
Harry knew the werewolf will be able to scent his truthfulness and waited for the alpha’s next move. His back hurt and his arm was sore, but his instincts didn’t give any indication that he should attack so he simply held himself with caution but without hostility.
He saw Rolanda place a hand on her father’s shoulder with a faint growl before she spoke up herself. “What were the questions and your answers?” She demanded, but unlike her father she didn’t sound angry.
“He asked my age and about my family. I told him I was 19 and that my family was my wife and stepson.”
Silence.
As the others shifted looking a bit chagrined, Harry became aware of the presence of two magical signatures moving swiftly toward their position. He didn’t shift his position, not wanting to risk as a misunderstanding, but he did turn his head to face the newcomers as they burst through the woods and into their sights.
It was Firenze and Ronan.
Firenze stepped forward t speak, away from Ronan’s line of fire; though their weapons were not pointed at him or his…acquaintances, the centaur Guards were definitely unhappy about something.
“Do you find your self in need of our assistance, Harry Potter?” Firenze asked him, with a mere glance at the others since Ronan was keeping his eyes on the others.
“No, thank you Firenze. I’m fine.” Harry replied quickly, hoping to dispel the tense atmosphere suddenly surrounding them.
“You are in pain, young one. You honored the First Rite of Alliance and now you are attacked by beings you have protected our foals from. Do you doubt centaurian honor to comply with that which was promised?”
Harry slowly took a step away from the tree and placed his left hand over his heart. “I am honored and gratified by your protection. However, as I have said, this is simply a misunderstanding: this alpha is protecting his family and is within his rights to act as he has.” Harry then bowed slightly and waited for their response.
“The council shall hear what has transpired….May the stars illuminate our way….”
Harry then finished the traditional blessing of departure before they banished into the forest once again. “And may our paths commune under the stars.”
“You sure have interesting friends, Harry.” Rolanda said with a hint of laughter in her voice once they were alone once more. Harry turned to face them again and was met with a bored alpha and a laughing lycan.
“My son’s upset will pass. What did you want to meet with him for?” The tall werewolf demanded and Harry didn’t bother to ask for an explanation; he was neither pack nor ally, therefore the alpha was not obliged to give him an answer.
“I wished to extend an offer of friendship to both Kyle and your pack. I also seek his advice.”
“Advice? My boy is barely a day older than you are; why would you seek his advice?” The alpha asked with a scoff.
“Because he’s a werewolf.” Harry answered frankly and continued as he saw the alpha’s eyes narrow in displeasure.
“What do you know of the Wolvesbane Potion…?”
“Wolvesbane? Never heard of it; what does it do?”
“It allows werewolves to keep their human minds during the full moon. It was invented by one of my late tutors. Unfortunately, he died before he could share his findings. He did teach it to me however, and I have an idea about how to make it available to all that need it, but before I continued with my plans I wanted the opinion of someone that would be frank with me. When I met your children two days ago, I figured it would be the perfect opportunity because they are not so close to me that they would feel obligated to tone down what they really thought and it would also give me input from a werewolf that might benefit from my efforts.”
Rolanda and her father shared an incredulous glance so Harry hurried to reassure them before they completely dismissed him.
“The potion has already been accepted by the Potion’s Guild and has been approved by the ARPRC (Administration for the Regulation of Potion Remedies and Concoctions). All that’s left is for my distributor’s permit before I can begin. You are free to check the ministry’s patent office if you wish. All related permits will also be available as public record.”
“And just how much will you be charging for this potion exactly?” Rolanda asked somewhat dazed.
“The retail price stands at 18 galleons per dose.” He ignored the twin yells of what! and continued calmly as if they hadn’t said anything. “Payment is not required, however. I will accept donations of any kind. My goal is to find a cure as my tutor wished. I am not a Potions Master but my wife is and has already offered to help me find a cure for the curse.”
The alpha spoke up once again. “And why exactly are you so determined to do all this?”
Harry smiled for the first time, if somewhat sadly and met the werewolf’s eyes for the first time. “Because sometimes…what we do in life echoes in eternity (1).”
Footnote:
1) This little part here at the end is a line from the movie Gladiator (2000).
___________________________________________________
Interlude 2
March 7
* Malfoy Manor
Lucius was in his bedroom, gritting his teeth and trying not to cry out. He knew that should he do so, those stupid house-elfs would go running to his father with the story and he would only end up worse off. He had just returned from another one if his father’s ‘Endurance Training’ sessions, which he hated. The only thing helping him get through them was the knowledge that he would finally be going to Hogwarts this year.
He hated having to endure so much pain just because his father was convinced Lucius will take over his place besides ‘their’ Lord. Lucius didn’t even know who this supposed Dark Lord was; shouldn’t he at least know who and what he was being groomed for?
His father had been extra cruel today as well. He had been in a foul mood ever since the ‘true muggle-born’ articles started. This past week the Prophet had even started publishing some ‘muggle-borns’’ full lineages after the Ministry had agreed to replace the standard Blood Lineage Parchment with the more expensive Goblin type. Many muggle-borns had demanded to be re-registered as half-bloods and to be given a copy of their complete Lineage, declaring previous records as false and accessories to the obstruction of justice. Though no muggle-born has come forward declaring kinship to the Malfoys, Lucius was certain that it was due to fear of his father’s reprisal than because he/she didn’t actually exist. The Black, Parkinson, Nott, and Crabbe families were just as ancient or at least almost as ancient as the Malfoys and they’d all had ‘muggle-born’ kin turn up.
In addition, Abraxas had killed a couple of house-elfs in a rage when some families he had been courting for his Lord had turned down the offer. Though the Black and Nott families where undoubtedly Dark, they must have been in disagreement with enough of the Dark Lord’s views to choose not to follow him.
Lucius understood completely.
He knew he was a Dark wizard. He loved the feel of the Dark Arts and dark magic was so beautifully dangerous, it truly was for the select few that had the inclination for it. Unlike neutral and light magic, dark magic always had the potential to overwhelm you and in his opinion if you were weak-minded enough to lose yourself to it, then you deserved to live the rest of your life as a senseless addict. Though he was too young to practice true dark magic, his father had performed it in his presence enough times for him to recognize the feeling the magic produced in him, just being near it sent a pleasurable shiver down his spine.
Lucius knew he was not a weak-minded fool. He was being raised to be a leader, to think for himself and know his strengths and weaknesses. Before, he’d always believed that his father’s ideals about purebloods and mudbloods were based on reason. It seemed logical for mudbloods to be magically and intellectually weak when they had no wizarding linage. It had seemed logical to think that the weaker the blood brought into a wizarding community the weaker that community would become.
However, this was not the case at all. All of the supposed muggle-borns that had come forward about their lineage had been descendants of squibs born to pureblood families. In fact, it seemed that the ‘purer’ the family the more squibs were born from that family. In addition, Lucius had never personally met a mudblood.
The first and only mudblood he had ever met was Harry Potter, and he was nothing like what he had been taught to expect. Potter was neither magically weak nor ignorant of common courtesy and customs, and that one meeting had been enough to make him start thinking about all of his father’s views. He started to doubt that Abraxas really knew what he was talking about.
Thus, he found himself doubting his judgment about this Dark Lord. If his father had been wrong about mudbloods, what else was he wrong about?
Still, he knew he had a part to play, and play it he will…but from now on he will be making up his own mind about things. He will not be following his father blindly any more…or the Dark Lord for that matter.
* Potter Manor
Harold Potter was frustrated.
It had been over a month and he was no nearer to his goal than when he started. He had left the Ministry the day of the inquiry feeling insulted, rejected, and determined. He had felt insulted because it was clear that Harry Potter had little to no respect for him or his lineage. He felt rejected because Harry had wanted nothing to do with him, him, who was a renowned pillar for the light and a pureblood of considerable influence…But he was also determined that Harry Potter will come to accept his bloodlines and his guidance.
Harold didn’t know how Harry had hidden his lineage from the Blood Lineage parchment and honestly, he didn’t care. What mattered to him was that Harry had the Potter Mark, he had the blood of the Potters in his veins and it was Harold’s duty to keep his family united and safe. He couldn’t do that however, without knowing what his relatives were doing or how they were fairing. It bothered him that he knew next to nothing about someone that was part of his family, of his blood, and was finding it difficult to find a way to approach the matter.
He had learned about Harry’s marriage by mere chance a few days before the inquiry, something he found absolutely intolerable. If he’d known about Harry he would have helped him find a suitable match much more appropriate for his age and power. Never would he have approved his marriage to Eileen Prince had he had any say in it. She was a divorced woman that was too old for him and already had a child, and though she came from a respectable enough pureblood family, she was still no match for Harry when it came to sheer magical power.
In addition, Harold could not find any record or even a hint of how Harry provided for his family. He could find no mention of a profession, business, or inheritance that could account for Harry’s comfortable lifestyle. He had not failed to notice that while Harry’s clothes had been understated and somber they’ve been of the highest quality, just like his wife’s and stepson’s.
The most frustrating thing of all was that after a month of relentless searching all he had to show for it was the possibility that Harry might live in Hogsmeade, but even that had yet to be confirmed. He knew Harry owned a house in that town but he had found no definite evidence that he actually lived there. No one reported to have seen Harry in or around Hogsmeade with any frequency or even at Diagon Alley for that matter. Few people remembered seeing anyone matching Harry’s description and if they had, they had not remembered anything of importance.
He had even tried to bribe a Gringotts Goblin for information, but it would seem that Harry had managed to secure the protection of a high-ranking Goblin and other than the fact that Harry made his money through lawful means, Harold was unable to get much out of them no matter how generous or profitable his offers. Now, to make things even more intricate, Harry was turning the wizarding world on its ear without even trying. The only thing he could do was wait for someone else to find something about the ‘true muggle-born’ and follow up on it. He didn’t have much faith in that course of action, but he had run out of ideas for the moment.
He knew, more than anyone, that trying to find Harry was like trying to catch a ghost…and definitely twice as challenging.
* Centaur Territory, Forbidden Forest
As Harry walked back home he thought about everything that he’d accomplished in two months. Not only did he finally feel at home in this reality but he’d also found happiness among his family and new friends.
His plans were also coming along much better than he’d ever imagined. In a way, it was rather pathetic how little effort made everything come together so much better than before. But perhaps that was the reason he was brought back: to make changes, to help Severus, and simply be happy.
For now, he was satisfied with what he had already accomplished and it was simply a matter of time before he would be able to see just how much he’d changed the future, hopefully for the better. Still, he knew he had a long way to go…but whatever end he might come to, he hoped that end did not come for a long time yet.
Rate/Review Please! ^_^
PLEASE READ: I have gotten a number of reviews asking if this is going to be a Severus/Harry Slash pairing and the answer is most definitely YES! Like I wrote in the summary: this is an eventual SS/HP (No chan!); which means nothing slashy will happen while Severus is still a child. Hope this clears this up and thanks for reading.