The Plight of the Dusky Badger Chapter 1

Preface

Draco ran through the forest as he desperately tried to find the port key that Blaise had set up after him saving Harry from a cruel death.

Anxiously he turned around as he threw curse after curse over his shoulder while dodging trees left and right.

Soon he came to a small clearing where he collapsed after having discovered that no one was chasing him.

He lay there panting hard as the sounds of explosions and yelling surrounded him.

Suddenly he heard what sounded like a young girl scream right next to him.

Jumping up he pointed his wand around in a circle before realizing that the sound hadn't come from within the clearing but just on the other side of the trees making his brows furrow in confusion.

Then his blood ran cold as he heard the tell-tale howl of Fenrir Greyback who was Voldemort's loyal and deadly werewolf.

Without hesitation he crashed through the trees to see a young girl pinned beneath the giant wolf who was about to end her life.

Everything happened so fast after that.

"Avada Kadevra!"

He screamed as the curse shot out from the end of his wand and pierced through the giant wolf's body.

Fenrir collapsed to the ground to the side of the girl as blood poured from his dead body.

Racing to the young girl, he lifted her up into his arms seeing that she had fainted at some point during the ordeal.

She was small, her complexion fair; he took in the round dots of freckles on her cheeks trailing across her nose and her shoulder length caramel colored hair.

He didn't even notice her Hufflepuff robes as he waded through the fallen branches and out of the forest seeing that the battle was finally over.

Not knowing what to do with the unconscious girl, he gently laid her on the steps of the castle hoping that she would be found.

Giving one last look over his shoulder at the beautiful girl, he sighed before sprinting off in the morning light to the port key where he left the scene of destruction behind.

End of Preface

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It had been three days since the Battle of Hogwarts and the fall of the dark wizard Voldemort.

The entire wizarding world was on the mend as well as the students who fought so bravely for their freedom.

Draco was no different as he lay in his bed in his new apartment sound asleep.

Several changes had taken place in the former Slytherin's life since that fateful day.

As soon as Draco returned home, he had made the decision to break away from his Death Eater parents who had disowned him and were sent away to Azkaban to be giving the Dementor's Kiss.

Finally realizing that he had his own life to live, he changed his ways and bought an apartment on the west side of wizarding London that he shared with Blaise who had also been left orphaned when his family was given the Dementor's Kiss.

The two had lost a lot of their friends and followers because of their change of hearts but their most loyal and kind hearted friends still remained.

All of the former Slytherin's had lost their parents after the battle and had stuck together in a tight knit support system as they tried to figure out where to go from there.

Draco and Blaise had both been experiencing a bad case of nightmares and flashbacks after everything that happened.

So it was rather rare that Draco found himself lying in his bed fast asleep as the morning light shone through his soft curtains.

It would've been a normal morning except it wasn't.

Something was very very wrong.

As Draco blinked his eyes open he yawned loudly but was surprised when all he heard come out of his mouth was a little squeak.

Blinking several times he went to sit up and found that in place of his human hands and feet were little black and white paws.

Draco raced off of the bed over to his dressing mirror and let out a high pitched squeak when he saw that instead of a 18 year old boy with blonde hair and grey eyes, there was a small black badger that had white paws and soft fur.

The only thing that remained the same of the boy he used to be was his beady grey eyes that stared at him in complete shock.

This time he let out a longer higher pitched squeal that reverberated off the walls of his bedroom effectively making Blaise jump out of bed and race into the room.

Blaise's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the badger with the familiar grey eyes that he knew all too well.

"Holy shit…"

He muttered as he slowly stepped forward before bending down and picking up the small animal who gave many squeals of protest before finally giving up and laying still in his arms.

"Draco..? What the fuck did you do?"

He asked as the badger merely gave him a blank look before it's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Alright alright, hold on a moment.

Let me cast a translation spell.

Then maybe I can understand you better."

He said before he cast the spell giving a voice to the small creature who was cradled in his arms.

Draco shook out his ebony coat and jumped out of Blaise's arms before landing on the bed in a heap.

Blaise quirked an eyebrow as the badger groaned before huffing and standing up on its back legs while waving his paws around frantically.

"I didn't do anything you idiot!

I just woke up and now I'm a fucking badger!

Why the fuck am I a badger?!"

He squeaked in a small voice that sounded a little a smaller version of Draco.

Blaise held out his hands in a mock surrender as he tried to hold in his laughter.

He couldn't help but think back to when Mad Eye Mooney turned the blonde wizard into a ferret.

"Just stay there for a moment.

I'll go get my magical reference books.

They should have some type of explanation for this."

He said as he tried but was failing miserably at keeping the pint sized furry Draco calm.

Draco let out another squeaky huff as he crossed his furry arms over his chest as Blaise ran into the room and then returned with a stack of research books.

Blaise immediately started flipping through the books and after a few minutes he stopped at a very old looking page making Draco draw closer as they both read over the words.

"This is an old fairytale story about Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin.

It says that during the Great Wizarding War hundreds of years ago, Helga Hufflepuff was attacked by a Werewolf and was about to be killed when Salazar killed the wolf and saved her.

As a reward for his kind act he was given the greatest gift known in the Hufflepuff genetics.

He was given the ability to turn into a badger just like Helga and he became her mate for many years.

It also says that one day Salazar was killed by a rogue wizard and when Helga found out she decided to found the Hufflepuff house at Hogwarts in honor of her fallen mate before dying because of her grief.

Salazar's followers create the Slytherin house to honor their fallen leader as well.

To this day it is said that one day there will be an incidence when an heir to the Slytherin house will save the heir to the Hufflepuff house and in turn replace Salazar and create a new line of heirs joining both of the houses forever."

He said as he finished before he looked up to find that Draco had his tiny head in his paws as he let out another groan.

"What is it Drake?"

He questioned as he sat down next to the small furry creature.

Draco took a few minutes before he muttered out an answer.

"I saved a girl during the Battle of Hogwarts three days ago.

It must've been the heir to the Hufflepuff house.

And now I've been turned into a freaking badger because of it!"

Blaise's eyes widened for a second time in the past few moments before he let out a long breath and placed a gentle hand on the upset badger's back.

"Well…If that's the case then that means that you're the heir to the Slytherin house which also means that you're now that girl's mate.

And with that type of ancient magic going on between you two I doubt you have any choice but to marry her and produce the heirs that the prophecy requires."

Draco was still for a moment before he gave a little nod of understanding.

"Oh come on mate!

How can this be such a bad thing?

You're now a part of your very own fairytale involving magical creatures and a great number of children with your mate!

It's now your destiny to complete the prophecy."

He said as he gave the badger a reassuring smile.

Draco's eyes shone with hope as he gave another nod before letting out a breath.

"I suppose you're right.

It's my duty now to carry out the prophecy and find my mate.

The question now is who she is and how can I find her…"

He said as he met Blaise's eyes.

Blaise took on a thoughtful expression before patting his friend's now furry head.

"Well, all we can do right now is try and get you to transform back into your human self and prepare for our upcoming eighth year.

You know two things.

Your mate goes to Hogwarts and is a Hufflepuff.

Now we've just got to narrow it down until we find her."

He said as Draco stood back up on his back legs and waved his paws in the air.

"Alright that's what we'll do!

We'll go back to Hogwarts and find the girl who's supposed to be my mate.

And then we can take it from there."

He said with a new resolve as Blaise gave a laugh and shook his head.

"Well this ought to make for a very interesting and furry new year."