375Hello everyone! I am back. Not sure for how long. I am so sorry it has taken me so long to publish a new chapter. But I had gotten a new job, plus being a single parent takes a lot of hard work. This chapter has taken me almost a year to write simply because I've been so busy. Happy to finally get it out here though! and working on my other WIP. Let me know what you all think. It is a bit shorter, simply because I was trying to rush and get it done and with huge blocks in between working on it just made it a struggle.
"Severus!" Remus roared. He kicked at the door, not wanting to let Harry out of his arms. "Damn it, Severus. Open this door!"
"Remus?" The werewolf paused at the small sound of his name. Harry was clutching at his shirt, eyes wide in fear and pain. "What if Malfoy hurts him? He said no one else could get into his room."
"I'll find a way in Harry." Remus looked up and down the hall, nostrils flaring scenting the air for any threats. "Are you alright if I put you down?" he asked. He waited until Harry gave a small nod before gently sitting him on the floor away from the door. He pulled Harry into a crushing hug and pressed a kiss to his head. One mate was safe. Time to rescue his other hard headed mate. He never relished turning into the wolf, but he wanted to now. Pulling on that strength and power as much as he could outside of the moon, Remus ran at the door. And again. And again. Each time, snarling louder at the damned thing. He smirked when he felt the door shudder, knowing it meant the wards on the door were close to giving.
While Remus was trying to break down the door, Severus was fighting everything he had within him to not tear Malfor junior apart. A low hiss left his mouth as he transformed into his full veela form. Wings sprouting from his back, nose and mouth blending together to form his beak, his shoes shredding as his feet grew talons. He flexed his fingers as they too grew talons. If he could, Severus would be smiling wickedly at the thought of using those talons to shred every part of his prey that dared to touch his mate. He had never truly let this side of himself out. Never having the need to release this much fury and power. He was always content to use his wizarding human-side to do his fighting. Anything more, Remus was there to take care of, but now with Harry? He had something to protect, something that looked to him for strength. It was both the right and wrong motivation that made him lock himself in the room with Malfoy.
He stalked over to where the boy was lying, still unconscious. Draco Malfoy was, to put it simply, disgusting. No longer did he look like the high bred aristocrat that was a spitting image of his father. Blond hair was now a bloody, matted mess. Seems that his hair was matted to begin with, but the fight with Harry made it worse. His hands were red and swollen, blistered from transforming into talons. Nothing like the smooth sharp edges that Severus had. Severus bent down and turned Malfoy's head and grimaced. His face did not form into a beak like a Veela should. Beak too long on top, and too wide to sit nicely above the bottom. His wings were even more horrible. They were not developed enough to aid in flight. The feathers were thin and sparse, like a plucked bird revealing more blistered skin from the forced change.
Blaise Zabini was correct. The "bad air" he had described was a poor attempt at the pheromones that Veela had. It screamed at his senses that something was wrong. It made his feathers stand up, prepared to fight a threat.
Severus looked back at Malfoy's face when he let out a garbled cough. He let out another loud hiss into Malfoy's face when he saw his eyes open. He grabbed the boy by his neck and shoved him up against the wall, he could feel his talon's piece the skin there.
"You dare touch what is mine!" Severus screeched. " 'From a real Veela'? You are nothing, but a twisted lump of space that should be taken out back and shot like the mad creature you are. I have every right to shred you to pieces, pull out your entrails and feast on them."
"You can't do that! I want him for a mate, I had every right to go after him-" Malfoy's words were cut short when Severus pulled him from the wall only to shove him against it again.
"I most certainly can as a recognized mate of one Harry Potter. However, as your godfather, I won't kill you. A shame really." It really was a shame, it was a vow he couldn't break thanks to the magic that went into being a godparent. But there was nothing stopping him from ensuring it wouldn't happen again. "Before I do as much damage as I can without killing you, tell me how did he do it?"
"Who?" Malfoy asked nervously. He screeched in pain when one of Severus's talons sunk into a twisted wing.
"Don't play stupid with me Mister Malfoy. You know exactly who I mean." He raked down the wing in his grasp, inwardly loving the feel of tearing flesh.
"Stop it! I'll tell you, just stop!" He shouted. Wings were so sensitive and what Severus was doing was unbearable. Malfoy's breath shuddered when he stopped his movements. Severus didn't remove his hand, but he stopped causing more pain for the moment. "A red stone, he said it was the Philosopher's stone. He traced my bloodline and used the stone to force it. He said I could have whatever I wanted, to bring me more power."
"I thought that stone was destroyed," Severus pondered. After the attempt Voldemort tried for the stone, the Headmaster had promised he had destroyed it. Just another item to add to the long list of lies from the man. "No matter, it will be. Along with you." Severus grinned wickedly at the frightened look on Malfoy's face.
"You can't do that! You said you couldn't kill-" his words broken again by a pained screech as Severus tore at his wings once again.
"I did say I couldn't kill you, but I did promise as much damage as I could. Nobody hurts what is mine," Severus hissed.
Even through the wards and silencing charms, Remus and Harry could hear the pained screams of Malfoy. Remus couldn't help, but smirk at the thought of Severus letting loose on Malfoy. His mate was usually aloof, only letting his creature out in the privacy of their home or on the nights of full moons. A sick part of him, deep down within the mind of Moony, wanted to see Severus like this. Just as Remus would have hit the door, it was pulled open and he stumbled into the room. He was met with the stench of fresh blood and heavy magic in the air. He turned to see Severus holding the door open, eyebrow raised in question.
"I thought I told you to take Harry home?" he drawled. When Remus looked at him dumbly, he only smirked and walked out of the bedroom. He pulled his wand out and cast a scourgify on himself. When Severus was suddenly grabbed and pulled into Remus's chest, he trilled loudly and Remus answered with his own deep growl. "Leave it to the wolf to get off on this' Severus thought to himself. He steadily ignored the part of himself that was enjoying the same heady feeling. If this is what Remus feels every time he does something to protect Severus or Harry, Severus was glad he didn't feel that way every time. It would be distracting and he would lose precious potion ingredients if that were the case.
"Did you really forget about me?" Harry cried exasperatedly. Remus and Severus jerked apart to find Harry smiling up at them.
"My apologies, Harry. Entirely the wolf's fault," Severus replied. He picked at some invisible lint on his robe and straightened his sleeves, pointedly ignoring his two mates.
"Yes, sorry Harry. Never really get a chance to see Severus like that." Remus grinned like the wolf he was. He bent down to gather Harry into his arms again. "Let's get out of here. Should we let Narcissa know we're done?"
"I will speak with her." Severus's face hardened as he turned and walked down the hall to the stairs. He stopped outside the family room where he could sense Narcissa was waiting. He squared his shoulders and reached for the door. Before going in, he turned to Remus and said "please take him home already."
"He's right, I should get you home. You're hurt," Remus said quietly. He didn't want to leave, but his dark mate proved that he had the situation handled. He moved to leave the manor.
"But-" Harry started. He looked over Remus's shoulder to see Severus turning back to his human features, face hardening as he prepared to enter the room to see Narcissa. He didn't want to leave Severus, he wanted both of his mates home with him while he recovered. However, he was hurt and exhausted and wanted to soak in his spring. Whether it be the one at Hogwarts or Potter Manor. He'd much prefer Potter Manor, but whatever was closer and quicker he didn't care. "I wanted Severus to come with us."
"I do as well, but he's out of danger now. You need healing," Remus replied and walked out the door.
Severus knocked on the door to announce himself to Narcissa before entering. She was sitting on the edge of a sofa watching out the large bay windows, the only sign of nervousness she was spinning her wedding ring.
"Is he dead?" She asked without turning.
"No." Severus watched as she sagged back into the sofa in relief.
"What happened?"
"Dumbledore," he started. "He found a way to force a creature inheritance in Draco and promised to give Draco whatever he wanted."
"Mr. Potter?" Narcissa asked, voice quiet in what he knew to be fury.
"Yes. But you should know Harry belongs to another and when Draco went after Harry, he challenged his mates." Severus stared hard into Narcissa's eyes. Watched as they widened in horror at the implication.
"You know he would never do that if he was in his right mind?" she begged.
"He asked for Harry before the change. He should be lucky that I was the one that went in there and not Remus," he hissed out. "I wanted to kill him, but luckily being his godfather saved his arse!"
"Severus! You can't honestly mean that?" She shouted back. "He is just a boy. What he did is wrong, he doesn't deserve death."
"Yes he does Narcissa! He went after a claimed mate with the purpose of breaking the bond. Even if he hadn't been turned against what nature had intended for him, it would still warrant action from the known mate.
"You can not pretend he is a little boy anymore. And he can not hide behind the Malfoy name. This family's reputation was already in the slums and this has furthered your downfall." Severus seemed to deflate as Narcissa began to openly cry. "You should leave and take him with you. Out of the country."
"To where Severus? As you so lovingly pointed out, we are at the bottom of society. No one will host us," she cried.
"Go to the veela colony in France. Isn't there ancient ties to veela blood that is found in the Malfoy line to the French colony? Perhaps they can fix what Dumbledore has done. At the very least help him be comfortable." He turned to leave, having nothing else to say. He stopped at the door before walking out and spoke over his shoulder. "I truly am sorry for what has happened to your family, but if he comes after what is mine again, I will step aside to Remus."
"Severus!" she shouted after him, but he shut the door behind him. There was nothing else to be done. Except to return to his mates' sides and check to be sure Harry was healing.