Blood is Thicker Than Fear

Harry awoke the next morning, tangled in satin sheets. Instinctively, he reached for Draco, but he wasn’t there. Instead,

there was a single, blood red rose on his pillow. He smiled and gently picked up the rose. It reminded him of Draco—it even

smelled like Draco. He sighed contentedly and glanced at the clock on the wall. Shit. He was supposed to meet Sirius for lunch at

noon, and it was already five of twelve. He scrambled out of Draco’s bed and cursed again when he realized it was just that—Draco’s

bed. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…” he muttered through clenched teeth. He pulled open Draco’s wardrobe and grabbed a pair of his

pants. He had never been happier that they were the same size.

He quickly ran into his bathroom, to see a note written on the mirror in the steam: HARRY—I KNOW YOU WERE

SUPPOSED TO MEET SIRIUS—BUT I COULDN’T WAKE YOU UP—YOU’RE TOO BEAUTIFUL WHEN YOU’RE ASLEEP. ANYWAY—FEEL FREE

TO BORROW SOME OF MY CLOTHES AND USE MY SHOWER.

Beneath the words, Draco kissed the mirror. Harry smiled, and kissed the same spot. After coming back to reality, he

continued to swear, when he hopped into the ice-water. After scrubbing himself clean (hyper-speed) he hopped out, and quickly

dried himself. He pulled on Draco’s pants…”god…these are nice pants!” mentally slapped himself, and continued getting dressed.

~*~
Harry ran down the cobbled street of Hogsmeade toward the Hog’s Head. As he pushed open the door, the bells chimed

sinisterly. He glanced down at his watch to see that it was quarter after twelve. He saw Sirius in a long black cloak, with the hood up,

sitting alone at a table in the back corner of the shabby pub. He glanced up when he heard the door open, and looked rather grim.

Harry quickly ran over to him and started spewing out apologies. Sirius held up a hand to stop him. Harry sat down slowly. “What

did you want to see me for?”

He bowed his head. “It’s Remus…”

“What? What’s wrong? Is he okay?”

Sirius pulled back his head to reveal scarlet eyes and looked up at Harry. “He left me.”

Harry fell back into his chair in shock. If there was one thing he thought he could have counted on, it was that Sirius and

Remus would always love each other…apparently, he was wrong. “Did…did he say why?” Sirius nodded his head.

“It was horrible. I was sitting at the table, reading, and he marched in and accused me of cheating on him—get this—

with Snape!” he threw his hands in the air in frustration, “Snape isn’t even gay! And he’s SNAPE!” he sighed and continued. “Then

he said something about how I had probably always been cheating on him. Then there was a huge row about what a slut I

apparently am, and he said he was leaving me… and that was pretty much it. I ran after him…but he turned on me. His eyes…they

were burning a horrible red-amber—I was too afraid to touch him—then he turned high tail and left. He didn’t even bother getting

his stuff.” He paused thoughtfully, “which was especially weird, seeing as how technically—with him being the professor and all—it’s

his place.” He stopped and looked thoughtfully at Harry.

“Well,” Harry began, “he has been acting really weird lately…but Snape? Urgh.”

Sirius smiled. “That’s what I said. Hey—could you maybe have Hermione look up some stuff on alpha-mutations for

me? I’d really appreciate it. All I know is that when Hufflepuff evolved, she left Hogwarts. Her reason being that, ‘everyone was

trying to kill her’.” He shook his head. “I hope he comes to his senses soon. It’s only been a day and I already miss him.”

Harry patted his godfather’s hand sympathetically. “I’ll get right on it.” He paused and looked at the man opposite him

thoughtfully. “Your birthday is tomorrow…isn’t it?” Sirius looked up at him. “Is it? Gosh…I guess it is. I’ve never had a birthday since…

yea. My main concern right now, is Remus—not cake and ice-cream.” Harry smiled, “I understand.”


~*~

Harry pushed open the great oak doors to find Lucius waiting for him. “It’s the son-of-a-bitch’s birthday tomorrow.” He

said thoughtfully. Harry glared at him accusingly, “what—you were there? I thought you weren’t meant to leave the castle!”

“Neither are you.” He pointed out. Harry folded his arms. “What do you want?”

“A favor,”

Harry rolled his eyes, “yes?”

“Get me this—“he reached into his cloak and pulled out a scrap of parchment, with various items scribbled down upon it:

Mugwort…lace-wings…eight-inch cauldron…the list went on. “Malfoy, what do you need all this crap for? And why should I have top get

it for you!”

“Well,” he began, “you help me…I help you.” He paused thoughtfully. “I could pick up a present for Sirius…”

“For all this? I’ll get it myself, thanks.” Lucius grinned and put out his hand for Harry to shake. “I swear on Ravenclaw’s

grave, I will make it worth your while.”

Harry considered him for a moment. What could it hurt? He apprehensively shook his hand. When he looked up to face

Lucius, he was already gone. “Bastard…” he muttered to himself.

He dragged his feet lazily behind him as he headed to his dorm room. “potatoes.” He muttered to the fat lady. She

swung open, but not before offering him a liquor to lift his spirits. “Can’t drink paint, thanks anyway.”

He stepped through the portrait hole to find Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny seated around the fire. Hermione

jumped up when she saw him—“Harry!” and ran over to hug him. Ron stood up and patted him on the back as he moved to sit

down on a cushy arm chair. “How goes it, mate?” he asked enthusiastically. Harry replied with an indifferent, “mrrm.”

Ron sat back in his chair, “what’s wrong with you?” Harry took a deep breath nd rest4ed his head on the high back of the

arm chair. “Remus left Sirius.”

“What?!” everyone demanded in unison.

“That’s what I said.” He turned to Hermione. “He thinks it has something to do with his evolving to alpha—he wants us

to check it out.”

She nodded, “sure—he may be right. When Huff—“

“He knows.”

“Sure…I’ll get started today.”

The portrait swung open and Mr. Weasley and Tonks entered. “Harry—there’s something I have to tell you—“

“Let me guess—Remus left Sirius.”

He stopped. “Hey—how’d you—“

“Lucky guess.” He stretched out and yawned. “Look you guys—I’ve had a really stressful morning—I’m going to go take

a walk.”

Everyone nodded sympathetically as he left the common room and headed toward the dungeons.

~*~

Mechanically, he muttered the pass-word, and walked toward Draco’s room. He dragged his feet depressingly behind

him, and pushed open the door without knocking. Draco was laying on his bed writing something in his journal. He looked up when

Harry entered. He frowned when he saw the look on his face, “what’s wrong?” Harry sighed and sat down on the end of the

bed. “Remus left Sirius.” Draco smiled sympathetically, “I’m sure it as nothing to do with Sirius—just the evo—“


“Yea…that’s what everyone’s saying.”

“Must be true then,” Draco put hi journal on his side table, and reached out his arms to pull Harry toward him. Harry

allowed himself to be pulled onto Draco’s chest. He laid his head against his heart, and took comfort in its steady beat. Draco

began absentmindedly stroking is hair. “Harry…unique people go through these changes at least once in their life: werewolves,

vampires, magi (like Dumbledore, Voldemort, you and I); all of us evolve. I evolved just this summer. I went from being a spoiled

brat that believed everything he was told, and did everything he was told to do, to… a more mature magus who knows how to think

for himself, and has a tendency to make things explode when he’s upset.” Harry smiled and looked up at him. “You mean I’m

going to go through this too?” he began apprehensively. Draco laughed and put a hand on his cheek, “Harry…you already have.”

~*~

Sirius, the Hogwarts professors (except for Remus, Snape and Lucius), and the entire order of the phoenix (including

the youngins) were seated around the solitary table in the great hall the next after noon. They were meant to be celebrating Sirius’

birthday, but everyone was too depressed. Lucius was still gone. Harry had left a parcel of the items he had requested on his bed,

hoping he could brighten Sirius’ day…if that were humanly possible.



Everyone sat in silence.



Just before Dumbledore was about to stand to dismiss everyone, Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape burst into the hall,

their robes torn at the sleeve, panting, Lucius with what looked like a shoe-box wrapped in gold paper. He coughed, straightening

himself, and stood behind Sirius. He placed the box before him, and handed him a card. “You can thank Harry for this,” he said,

punching him lightly on the arm. “Thanks, Malfoy,” he began, disheartened, “but I’m really not in the mood right now.” Lucius bit

back a comment (hey—that’s what Remus said!) but bit his tongue.

“Oh, come on, Sirius,” began Tonks, “you need something to cheer you up!”

“Open the goddamn present.” grumbled Moody.

Sirius sighed. “Alright, but only because you scare me, Moody.”

Moody smiled as Sirius opened his card. He raised his eyebrows. The front was a picture of a rat in a party hat,

surrounded by balloons. He slowly opened it to see in gold letters: Best wishes on your birthday—Lucius and Harry. P.S: you’re trial

is scheduled for this Friday at noon.

The color washed from his face. Lucius smiled. “Come on—shake the box a little—see what’s in it!”

Sirius obeyed and froze when he heard it squeak. He gasped and turned to Lucius who grinned menacingly back. Sirius

turned back to the gold parcel, and tugged at the ribbon, his hand shaking. He opened the lid, and stared in.

Everyone stared at him expectantly; dead silent.

Sirius swallowed, reached into the box, and pulled out a fat, balding rat by the tail and hung it in front of his face. If

squeaked madly. It had a toe missing from his left paw.

“Happy Birthday.” Lucius said, grinning wildly. Everyone at the table gasped when the rat morphed into a short, blonde,

balding man with beady eyes. He was splayed on the table, and began wringing his hands together nervously when he saw here was

no possible escape. When his eyes fell on Lucius, his face contorted. “You…you did this…you bastard! The dark lord will have your

head for this!” he pointed a middle finger (as he was missing his index) threateningly at Lucius.

Lucius merely laughed. “Please, Pettigrew—he hates you!” he continued to laugh. “Yes—I’m sure Voldemort would

choose you hands down over me.” He added sarcastically.

Dumbledore stood and, with a flick of his wand, wound enchanted rope around him, such that he could not transform or

escape. Harry could hear Sirius mutter under his breath, “Why didn’t I think of that…”

“well,” Dumbledore began, as he clapped his hands together, “I suppose we should prepare for your trial, Sirius! I’ll

notify Remus.”

At the mention of Remus’ name, Sirius sunk into his chair. “Relax,” came a voice from behind him. “I talked to him—

well, I tried to talk to him. By the looks of it, he’ll be done evolving by then—the full moon’s tonight—it usually only lasts a lunar

cycle.” Sirius turned around to see Snape standing behind him, eating a bowl of ice-cream. Everyone turned toward him. He pulled

the spoon out of his mouth and shrugged his shoulders, “what?” it was Hermione who spoke. “You just…talked to him?” Snape

nodded his head, “yes…?”

Sirius raised himself from his chair, and turned to pull both a disgusted Snape and a Surprised Lucius into a hug. Harry

saw Tonks take a picture. Everyone turned to her. “What?” she blushed. “Oh, come on!” she pointed toward the threesome—“how

often is that going to happen?” she pulled out the photograph and began shaking it to hurry its development. \"this is soo going to

be my Christmas card!\"