Against His Nature

CHAPTER 8

“How’s his condition?”

“Normal, with all things considered.”

“And the hunger?”

“Will get the better of him eventually. He can’t go on for long without feeding, he’s fighting it but it’s in his nature.”

“Any sign of a mate?”

“He won’t sense anything until he feeds, hunger blocks out everything else.”

“He needs a donor then?”

“Forget it, Donor’s rarely work out. Besides the fact there are very few people we can trust with this secret.”

“Find him a donor.”

“Is that an order?”

“No, I’m just asking as one of his own kind for you to help him.”

“I’ll see what I can do……”

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“Dance Harry, you’re just standing there. You have to loosen up.” Harry rolled his eyes as Hermione took a hold of his hands and forced him to flop about to the beat of the music blaring around the hall. Harry hated dancing, and had only agreed to dance with Hermione to stop her from pouting when Ron had refused to dance with her earlier.

“This isn’t my thing.” Harry leaned in order for Hermione to hear him over the music. Hermione laughed and shook her head uncaringly.

“We all have to do things we don’t like Harry!” Hermione shouted back as the music died down and a slower much more intimate tune drifted through around the hall. Feeling awkward by the sudden change of mood, Harry led Hermione from the dance floor weaving between the couples already joined together for an intimate dance. Ron, Ginny, Neville, Dean and Seamus were sitting in a group beside the teacher’s platform at the end of the hall.

“Good dance?” Ginny inquired brightly as Harry sat down beside her and took the offered cup of punch he was offered. Harry nodded mutely his gaze lost in his cup. Of late he’d tired of Ginny’s conversation, and the constant prodding of his friends for him to get closer to the girl. Ginny sighed heavily when Harry wasn’t forth coming with further comment, leaving his friends to pick up the slack silence that followed.

“It was a good idea of the prefects to hold a dance.” Seamus leaned back in his chair and patted Hermione on the shoulder in congratulations. The dance had been a rather quick decision on the behalf of the prefect student body. The main reason behind the dance was to help provide further opportunities for the purebloods to make good on the Ministry’s new laws. Most students realized what the dance was about, and only one green eyed, messy haired teen was oblivious to the truth.

“Brilliant I’d say, gives us a chance to see who’s shacked up with whom.” Dean laughed, as did the others around the semi circle of friends. Harry didn’t laugh however and merely stared blankly out at the swaying couples on the dance floor. As Harry continued to watch something came to his abrupt attention. Couples were kissing, fondling and touching in the darkened spaces between the flashing disco lights. The intimacy of the couples however was not surprising, what was most disturbing however was that the professors chaperoning the dance were doing nothing to prevent the blatant displays of foreplay happening right before them on the dance floor. Frowning in confusion Harry glanced up behind him at the raised platform. The headmaster and Professor McGonagall were playing cards, obliviously turning a blind eye to the happenings in the great hall. A few other professors were scattered along the table, each lost in their own activity clearly bored with the entire idea of a school dance. The one notable absence in the faculty presence was Professor Snape. Since his collapse in the classroom the snarky bastard hadn’t taught a single class, and had hardly been seen in the halls. Harry had been disgusted to find himself mildly worried for the elder wizard, his concern compounded by Dumbledore’s lying. The whole situation smelt bad, and Harry had a feeling he was missing something major happening around him.

”What’s wrong Harry?” Harry jumped a little as he felt soft fingers ghost across the back of his neck drawing his attention back to Ginny. The young red head was snuggling into his neck, playfully nibbling on his earlobe. Harry wasn’t in the mood and firmly pushed Ginny off him as he rose sharply from the chair.

“I’m going to go see Hagrid.” It was partially the truth. Harry had promised to visit the half giant for tea at the start of the week he just hadn’t expected to go to him now. Shrugging on his cloak Harry made for the door, only just catching movement before Ginny stepped in front of him.

“I’ll come to.” Ginny reached for her own cloak but Harry stopped her abruptly.

“No,” Harry paused realizing how harsh he’d sounded in his rush to stop the girl from coming with him. “Fang doesn’t like you.” It was a total fib, and Ginny looked a little shocked at the news.

“Oh, I guess I’ll just stay here then.” Ginny sat back down next to Hermione who was glaring at Harry clearly not impressed with her friend’s sharpness. Harry nodded and having successfully secured his peace, moved from the hall and out into the grounds. It was dark outside, only the moonlight illuminating the path that led down to Hagrid’s hut. Huddling in his cloak against the wind Harry jog the last few meters to Hagrid’s door and knocked twice. There was no answer and so Harry knocked again a little louder. Again there was no reply and Harry stretched across the top step to see into the lighted window of the hut. Despite the candlelight streaming out of the window, the hut appeared to be empty both of Hagrid and his overly large dog. Harry decided Hagrid couldn’t have gone too far and so sat himself down on the top step to wait his friends return.

Harry was skimming rocks into upturned flowerpots when he heard the sound in the darkness. The trees at the edge of the dark forest just beside Hagrid’s hut rustled in the wind and Harry was sure he saw shadows moving between the trunks and undergrowth. Swallowing heavily Harry nervously drew his wand and stared into the darkness, trying to focus his gaze on the rapid movement between the trees. Gryffindor bravery drew Harry to his feet the boy cautiously moving towards the tree line his wand held out in front of him.

“Hello? Who’s there?” Harry’s voice got caught in a sudden gust of wind that whipped his cloak about him and ruffled his hair in his face. As expected there was no reply from Harry’s call and so the boy continued to move towards the trees. A chill ran up Harry’s spine as he felt the ghost of a gaze sweeping over him. Someone was watching him. Swallowing nervousness he paused and searched the tree line again for signs of life. This time he saw a figure in the shadow cloaked from head to toe in a black robe. The figure was staring straight at him the glittering of hidden eyes sparkling in the moonlight. Harry’s breath caught in his throat as he remembered seeing two similar figures leave the castle almost a month ago. Harry was frozen to the spot as he continued to stare at the person not knowing what to do.

It was only when a warm hand came crashing down onto his shoulder that Harry screamed and spun around abruptly, only to come face to face with Hagrid.

“What ya doin’ out ‘ere Harry?” Harry clutched at his chest as his heart threatened to thump right out of his body.

“There’s someone in the forest.” Harry turned back around and pointed to where he’d seen the figure only seconds before. Hagrid raised the lantern above his head casting a shadowed light into the edge of the forest. Predictably there was no one there. The figure disappearing just as quickly as Harry had seen it. Harry sighed heavily and lowered his wand, clearly a little shaken by the incident. As Dumbledore said at the start of every term there were dark things in the Forbidden Forest, and the place was forbidden for a reason.

“Enjoying your dance then Harry?” Hagrid led Harry the short distance back to his hut and lumbered inside carrying several large logs of wood for the fire.

“Not really.” Harry shrugged his shoulders as he climbed up into one of the large chairs and let Fang hang his head in his lap as he stroked the mutt’s ears playfully.

“Dancin’ ain’t my favorite thing to do either Harry.” Harry smiled as he watched Hagrid stoke the fire with the new logs before setting a kettle of water on the hearth in order to make tea. “So how’s you and Miss Weasley then? I ‘ere you two are quite the couple?” Harry groaned and pushed his face into the plush wing back of the chair.

“Not you as well.” Hagrid sat himself down in the chair opposite Harry having produced a small plate of buttered scones and what looked like tuna and corn sandwiches.

“What’d I say?” Hagrid inquired apologetically as Harry reached for a sandwich, helping himself.

“Everyone is always on about me and Ginny, I’m sick of hearing about what I should and shouldn’t be doing. I feel like the world’s watching my first girlfriend, it’s uncomfortable knowing everyone’s watching my every move.” Harry grumped as he chewed on his sandwich before reaching for another both for himself and Fang.

“It’s them new laws, ain’t it?” Hagrid reached over to pour the tea.

”What new laws?” Harry’s frown deepened as Hagrid handed him the cup of steaming tea before sitting back with his own cup in hand.

“Them laws about ancestry and all that. It’s a load of old nonsense if you ask me, purebloods shouldn’t be forced into doing anything if they don’t want to.” Hagrid took a sip from his tea cup having blown the steam away with a sharp exhale. “If they’d have sent me a letter I’d have torn it straight up, but I suppose they figure being half giant and all I don’t need to be included.” Hagrid shrugged his shoulders as he watched a blank expression wash over Harry’s face.

“I don’t understand.” Harry whispered wondering how on earth he’d missed such a change in the laws. Hagrid sipped his cup of tea again, this time nervously swallowing as he realized that Harry had no idea what he was talking about.

“Oh, I guess know one told ya then, perhaps I shouldn’t have said anything.” There was a silence that clung to the warm air of the hut, as Hagrid didn’t further elaborate. Harry was waiting for some kind of explanation but it was obvious the half giant had decided he’d already said too much. “So, did I show ya the ‘igniters’ I bought from a traveling zoo last week?” Hagrid’s change of conversation wasn’t subtle, but Harry knew better than to make his friend uncomfortable by pressing the last issue.

“No, what are igniters….” With a fake smile Harry allowed Hagrid to drag him into his kitchen where he was soon lost in conversation with the giant about the flaming little creatures that Hagrid was keeping in a cauldron on his stove. Despite the diversion of the creatures however, Harry’s thoughts were elsewhere and when the opportunity arose Harry excused himself for the night and made his way back to the castle for a silent reflection on what had happened.

TBC>>>>