52Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Harry's POV
It was weird as hell to be dragged back to the castle by his sleeve inside Malfoy's mouth. Even if it was as a giant cat, but it gave him a chance to take in the strangely beautiful leopard Malfoy's fur was a mix of light and dark grey except his underside and throat which were white. He had dark grey or black spots of different sizes scattered throughout his body, and on all four legs he came to Harry's stomach.
Harry had to wonder what the average size of a snow leopard was, he had seen one once at a zoo and he was pretty sure it had been smaller than Malfoy.
Once they were inside the cat looked around before started to stand. It was weird, as the snow leopard pushed itself off the ground and started to stand on two feet, it started to look blurry or unfocus and by the time it stood completely, it wasn't a leopard anymore but Malfoy.
Harry sucked in a breath at the sight. The blonde seemed to ignore him for a second as he brushed the dirt off his robes. Then he looked up and grinned at Harry.
"Awesome right?" Malfoy asked looking very smug.
Harry laughed, "yeah it is." Then he reached out and grabbed the blonde's arm and dragged him throughout the castle until they were inside the Room of requirements.
"What happened?" Harry asked sitting on the couch.
He sat there foot tapping on the ground as he tried not to run out of the room, while Malfoy told him everything that happened in the forest. When Malfoy got to the part about him, he rushed to his feet and ran out of the room. He heard Malfoy curse. He ran through the castle, sticking to the shadows, as he did he could hear the blonde following behind him.
He headed straight for the whomping willow. Knowing that that would be where his father and godfather would take a hurt Moony. Of course when he stopped before the tree and pulled out his wand to freeze it, Malfoy grabbed his wrist and pushed his wand back down.
"The hell...Potter?" the blonde asked, trying to catch his breath.
"If Remus is hurt. I know where he will be. We have to check on him." Malfoy's hand tightened. "The moon is still out. Potter, you have to wait."
Harry growled. He looked back at the tree and dropped his shoulders. Malfoy was right. He let Malfoy lead him back towards the castle. The blonde found them a small spot, hidden by bushes to hide in, they could still see the tree, and that helped Harry relax.
He was too worried to sit in silence, "tell me about your mum?" he whispered.
He felt Malfoy tense but after a second the blonde relaxed.
"What about her?" he whispered back.
"Well, your father and Snape are…" Harry tried to think of a polite way to ask, you father and the future potions master were having sex, but the words failed him. Though he heard a snort from the blonde next to him.
"Shagging?" Malfoy asked with surprisingly little venom in his tone. Harry looked over at him with a raised brow.
The blonde chuckled. "My mother and father, were never in love. Their marriage was arranged by their parents. When the Dark Lord started becoming popular my grandfather was drawn to his power, his ideals. He wanted to be a part of that, and he wanted his family to as well. An alliance with the Black family, an old noble, dark wizarding family was a good start. He gave my father no choice, and to disobey would have meant disownment and exile. My grandfather had many enemies already. They would have gone after my father, just to spite my grandfather. My mother was a Black, born and raised, she was proud to be a pureblood and more than happy to follow a powerful man who preached about purity and killing muggles. The only concession to my father was that she had to give him a child. Something my grandfather knew father wanted." The blonde sighed.
"Abraxas Malfoy passed away shortly before...well you defeated the Dark Lord, but by then mother was about to give birth, and the father was trapped by his allegiances. If he had tried to break away, he would have been killed by Death Eaters for betraying them. And if he had tried to go to the light side, no one would have believed him. So, he stayed, planned, and manipulated his way to gain power inside the Ministry and of course, staying out of Azkaban."
"And now?" he asked, looking at his friend.
"Same really." Malfoy shrugged, "father is powerful, both magically and politically. He has spent most of his life walking a fine line, between light and dark magic to be so, but with the Dark Lord back, he is as stuck as he ever was. If he tried to leave he would have enemies from both sides after him, 'To many enemies and not enough allies.' is what he told me when I asked." Again Malfoy sighed. "As for my mother. She hates him. She knows he doesn't believe in the same things she does, but she also knows he has more influence than she does. So, she keeps quiet. Despite that, their dislike for each other, neither of them will seek another lover. My father has to much honor and mother knows it could ruin her standing if it ever got out." Malfoy dropped his head and glared at the ground.
"What about divorce?" he asked, though he wasn't sure how that worked in the wizarding world.
"It would be seen as him dishonoring the agreement made. He gave his word. Her family would take it personally and shame him. It would impact his standing with a majority of pure blood only exception is a Mate, but those are rare." He must have looked confused, because Malfoy rolled his eyes.
"A Mate, is something that is known but not spoken of. The Descendants like you and I, and some of the other wizards with creature blood, werewolves, vampires, and kin, have been known to be drawn to specific people. Ones that on some insticutal level they can't be without. They complete each other and connect in a way other wizards envy."
"Hell," he mumbled, more information he wasn't sure he wanted to know about his inheritance.
He tried to wrap his head around feeling bad for Lucius Malfoy. He understood people making choices for you, taking away your right to control your own life, and he felt bad. He wondered if the shame things Malfoy had mentioned was really that bad. Surely, not all the pureblood families agreed to forced marriages. He wondered what Sirius or Remus would think.
Wait, He looked over at Malfoy who was staring off into space.
Then he chuckled, gaining the slytherin's attention.
"Malfoy, who is head of the Black family right now?" he asked, smirking.
Malfoy's eyes narrowed, and then after a second widened.
"Sirius," he muttered.
Harry nodded.
"I..."Malfoy open and closed his mouth, clearly trying to take in this information. "When we get back," the blonde said sounding serious, "I'll talk to father." The blonde met his eyes, "will you speak to your godfather?" he asked. Harry nodded. Malfoy smiled happily at him.
They fell quiet after that. Malfoy clearly thinking about the future conversation with his father, and Harry staring at the whomping willow waiting for the moon to fade. When it finally did, he shot to his feet running towards the willow. He heard Malfoy curse, again, as he chased after him.
When he finally reached the end of the long dark tunnel and entered the shrieking shack it was empty.
Remus's POV
He woke up, or regained his mind, whichever it was that really happened, as the moon fell away from the sky. He didn't even have to open his eyes to know it was gone, he could feel it. Just like he could feel the deep slashes in his side and the pain radiating along his spine. He cursed, opened his eyes, and sat up.
Despite the pain, he was already healing, a plus to his werewolf side. He sighed and looked around, there a large black bundle of tangled fur laying next to him and a huge brown stag was at his feet. He tried to find Peter but he couldn't see or hear the rat.
He groaned and reached over. "Siri," he shook his friend, and from the low growl, Sirius wasn't happy about it. He sighed and shook him again. Finally the dog looked up at him, there was an excited whine, before the fur fell away and Sirius jumped to his two feet.
"Moony! You okay?" He nodded and was quickly tackled, letting out a low moan because of the pain from his side.
"What happened?" he asked, pushing his idiot best friend off of him.
"Cursed bear," James voice carried from over them. He looked up at his friend and winced, James had a couple of deep bruises on his face and he seemed to be favoring his left side. He hated when one of them got hurt while out here with him. He had tried many times to talk them out of coming but always failed. He also hated that he would be healed in a matter of hours and his friends wouldn't.
Instead of focusing on what he couldn't change, he focused on what his friend had said. "Here? How?"
"Don't know." James shrugged, "but it was huge. I don't even know anyone that can lay a curse like that. Let alone on an animal as large as a bear."
"Not to mention," Sirius added, "there are no bears in these woods. We have hunted in them for two year now, we would have seen one if there was."
Remus dropped back down against the ground, not unaware that Siri was still on top of him.
"Should I tell the Headmaster?" he muttered.
"No," both his friends hissed. He sighed, already knowing the reasons why. He didn't remember much when he was Moony. Giving any detail about the bear, would make the Headmaster suspicious and place his friends in danger.
"I know," he said before they could start.
"It's dead anyways," Sirius said shifting his weight a little, then dropping his head on Remus's chest. He had to force his heart not to race. Sometimes he loved his friend's lack of care for personal space, but on days after the full moon, when Moony was stronger and harder to fight. It was hard to ignore how badly the wolf wanted his friend, and right now, him naked and exhausted with Sirius just casually using him as a pillow, it took every last drop of his remaining control not to do something stupid.
"You killed it?" he asked look at James, because he couldn't look at Sirius. Though it was Sirius who snorted.
"It was a team effort," James said, sending a frustrated glare at their friend.
"That's…" he started, Geat? Good? Fucked? What exactly would be the right word for holy hell you killed a giant cursed bear?
Siri snickered, obviously knowing what he was thinking, but James frowned.
"It wasn't just us," his friend said, sitting down on the ground next to them.
"There was a leopard. Had to have been an animagus from the way it acted, but why it helped us? Or who it was, I don't know," James said, looking worried.
"It wouldn't have helped us, if it meant trouble," Siri said.
"Possibly," James agreed, "but if it was an animagus it knows we are too."
Remus sighed, "right now, it doesn't matter. You two need to get back to the dorms before anyone notices your gone. Hopefully Peter is already there." They both gave him unhappy looks.
"Go," he said in a stern voice, one he knew worked on both of them. James glared at him, the dominant creature inside him not liking being bossed around, but then he sighed, stood up, dropped Remus's wand next to his head, reached down grabbed a grumbling Sirius and dragged him off.
"Bye Moony!" Sirius shouted as he stumbled behind their other friend.
After that he got to his feet and searched for one of the bags they kept hidden throughout the forest with clothes for him. He found one close the the dead bear, which was convenient since he wanted to investigate it.
There was a smell coming off the bear and the area around it. Moony's sense of smell and his memory recognized it, Luke, the new Slytherin. He exhaled. It would explain why the new kid had kept his secret. Probably how he knew. If he could use his leopard senses while human, he may have scented the wolf inside Remus.
He turned and hissed as the skin on his side pulled at his wounds. Maybe he should rest a bit before returning to the castle. He headed for the shack.
He was just in time to see Luke and Evan stun the willow and head into the tunnel. He stood there frozen for a second. How had they known?
He growled out frustrated, maybe it was time to ask them. He jogged down and into the tunnel before the willow started moving again.
He walked carefully as he neared the entrance to the shake, and as he got closer he could hear voices.
"What the hell?" he heard Luke curse.
"It's where he changes. Or used to, by now I think he changes in the woods with the others," Evan replied. Causing Remus to stop moving. Maybe he didn't have to confront them, all he had to do was listen.
"Explain," Luke groaned, sounding annoyed.
He heard a sigh. "It's safe here. He can change and not have to worry about hurting anyone," Evan said, "but by now, the others have become animagus and he can change out in the forest with them. They keep his werewolf from hurting others..or himself. " Remus's stomach knotted, Evan sounded, so sad for him. He wasn't sure he had ever heard anyone sound like that when talking about him before. He closed his eyes.
"Maybe he wasn't that hurt?" Luke's voice said, surprisingly gentle. Remus opened his eyes and wondered if it was time to rethink his outlook on Slytherins.
"You said that thing hurt him. He should be here." There was a waiver to Evan's voice, the other Gryffindor was truly worried about him.
"Maybe he is still out in the woods with the freakishly large dog and slightly terrifying stag." There was a shifting sound of someone moving and then an "Owww."
"Don't joke about them," he heard Evan snap, but he sounded better, less worried. Remus was betting Luke had made the comment on purpose, but why?
He was debating entering the room when he heard something behind him. He jumped and turned around only to find Lucius Malfoy standing there. He stood frozen.
"Not my fault Potter turns into a stag," Luke muttered behind him. His eyes widen and he felt for his wand. He didn't know what he would do but he couldn't let Malfoy know about his friends.
There was a snort behind him, "I like Siri's dog form more," Evan joked.
Malfoy didn't move, and he couldn't just attack. Which left them both just standing there, listening to the boys in the room.
"I bet my father would love to know about this." Luke said.
"He knows about Remus remember, third year?" Evan snapped. What the hell? Remus thought, dying to turn around and go into the room and demand answers.
There was a sigh from Luke, "I'm sorry about that. Alright? We weren't friends then and I didn't know how important he was to you." A sigh, "Not that I think I could have stopped my father."
What were they talking about? How did Evan know him? And why would he be important to him? He felt Moony's need to growl, and he couldn't just stand here anymore. There wasn't much he could do about Malfoy right now, not without starting a duel he was too exhausted to win. So, he let go over his wand and turned around ready to storm into the room and finally demand answers.
Only his arm was grabbed and he was slammed against the wall, a hand pressed over his mouth.
"Wait," Malfoy growled. "I already had suspicions about you, and could care less about Potter or Black. However, I am mostly curious about these two," the slightly taller blonde whispered. Then he slowly let him go and backed away.
He wasn't sure what to do, but he heard one of the other two sigh and the sound of someone dropping down onto the group with a heavy thud.
"What's wrong?" Luke's gentle voice asked, and then Remus heard another thud as the other boy sat down.
"I don't know if I can keep doing this," Evan mumbled.
"We have no choice," Luke said. "Until we find a way home. We are stuck here. Blending in and staying out of trouble," a snort, "is the only way that's possible."
"I'm sick of blending in!" Evan shouted and from the scrapping Remus could hear, it sounding like he struggling back to his feet. "I'm sick of having to stare at Pettigrew's disgusting face every morning, knowing what he will do, what he will become. I'm tired of having to sit and listen to him talk and joke with my father and my godfather like he isn't the one that is going to destroy their lives. Like he is their friend. All I want to do is tell Remus to protect Sirius, stop him before he makes the biggest two mistakes of his life." Evan let out a frustrated sob, "I want to tell my parents not to trust Dumbledore, warn them about what's going to happen to them, or hell, ask my father what is bloody going on with me because I feel like I'm going insane."
"You think I don't have questions!" Luke snapped back, "My father is shagging my godfather! And don't you think I want to warn them too? Tell father how miserable his going to be with mother, or about the stupid mind games my grandfather is going to play with him. How he is going to end up trapped and cowering to madman all because of power!" A pause, "But we can't."
"Harry, I know how badly you want to save them. To save everyone, but we can't. If we warn them, we risk changing the future in ways we can't imagine. Remember? You were the one to tell me that.
There was a weak chuckle.
"What?" Luke asked.
"You called me Harry," another chuckle followed by a sigh, "Draco, I just want to go home."
"Me too," Luke muttered.
Remus tried to take it all in, but his mind was spinning and from the bewildered look on Lucius Malfoy, he was just as lost and confused. He was about to ask...well he wasn't really sure what he was going to ask, when he heard movement from the room, two sets of feet moving towards them.
He cursed under his breath, grabbed Lucius arm and rushed towards the entrance to the tunnel before they could be seen.