Marked By the Moon
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling's beautiful mind created them. This is purely for entertainment.
Rating: Mature
Summary: Hybrids have always remained hidden, hidden away from the eye of Muggles and Wizards alike. That is until Dumbledore bring these unknown individuals to Hogwarts as a defense against the rising threat of Voldemort. Instead of the Ministry of Magic making uproar about this they remain silent, and now everyone knows why. The Ministry has brought back the Marriage Law, affecting EVERY seventeen year old.
Pairings: Severus Snape/Hermione Granger, Harry Potter/Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin/ OC
'If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, than animals are better off than a lot of humans.'
Chapter 1: Old Favors
The crackle of the wood in the fireplace was the only noise in the small living room. The warm golden glow of the fire illuminating the room in a soft but eerie light that seemed to make the shadows on Azad's face more prominent. His face was blank, emotionless as his dark brown eyes stared unblinkingly at mentioned fire, his form hunched as he leaned his elbows against his jean clad knees. His hands were interlocked and resting below his chin, his squared jaw the only sign that he felt the tension in the room. His jaw was clenched, the muscles straining and twitching at the force of his teeth clamped shut tightly.
The rustle of a paper seemed to catch his attention as he turned to the other man in the room, his Beta, Nathaniel. The short but stocky man seemed to be in disbelief, his bright green eyes filled with worry and confusion, as he flipped the piece of parchment not believing that it was real. He breathed deeply through his nose, hand running through his buzzed hair, before finally his eyes fell on the Alpha. Azad saw the flicker of emotions in his pack mates' eyes, everything coming in quick flashes. Wonder, Amazement, Fear, Concern, and finally curiosity.
The shorter man took a step forward, his head moving downward, asking permission to speak from his Alpha. Azad sighed and made a noise in the back of his throat, the noise deep and raspy, but one of agreement nonetheless. The younger, but only by a few months opened his mouth and then shut it. His thoughts still jumbled, and Azad knew he was trying to set his priorities straight.
That's what the Hybrid Leader had been doing for the past thirty minutes before his Second in Command had come into the small cabin right in the middle of their territory, hidden by the thick coverage of the forest trees. Azad had been expecting a letter from Dumbledore for a long time know, ever since the whispers of Death Eaters and the return of You-Know-Who had begun to reach his ears. This information had only come into his hands six months prior, but he knew that the danger was immense, especially since they weren't exactly considered part of the Wizarding world. Hybrids weren't considered Wizards, their magic not as powerful as them, and neither were they considered Werewolves, not having to be bitten to become a wolf only needing to have the trait that passed on.
Hybrids were a mixed breed that the Ministry decided not to waste their time on, especially since at the time there had only been a few. But now here Azad was the leader of over a thousand Hybrids who held the capability to transform in and out of their wolf counterparts. The wolf was a part of them just like a Werewolf but they could control them at will. Some had called them Shape Shifters, but they felt the connection much deeper than that. Could feel the Wolf like a second conscience in their mind, they took his opinion into consideration in every decision they made, and in Azad's case his wolf was the Alpha and his large pack was his priority, in every decision their safety had to be put first.
This was the predicament that he found himself now thrust in by the Head Master of Hogwarts. He had to make a choice that might put every one of his people, of his family in the face of danger because of what Albus had requested. Dumbledore wanted him to be Hogwarts defense this year, to defend the castle and students against any possible attack. There wasn't a certainty whether the Death Eaters would attack them but from what he could read in the letter, picking up hints here and there, there also wasn't any clue saying they wouldn't. He was just trying to make the school safer for the students. The wolf in him seemed to be pacing back and forth, unsure, its black fur standing out at the back of his neck.
"What do you plan to do?" Came the hesitant question from Nathaniel, who watched for any emotion or sign that could give away what his leader was thinking but Azad gave nothing away only leaning back and sitting in a straight and dominant posture, his thumbnail scratching against his tan skin, feeling the prickle of dark stubble. What did he plan to do?
"I need to go-" He began and raised an eyebrow in question when Nathaniel opened his mouth to cut him off, but seemed to think better of it when he saw the look of challenge in the others dark eyes, "- To Hogwarts. I owe this much to Dumbledore." He finished, licking his dry lips. The Beta shifted from foot to foot, a habit of his when he became Nervous or worried. "Azad I understand that you want to go but you can't leave the pack unattended."
"I wouldn't leave the pack unattended. You would remain here and I can have Leila take my place as Alpha." He stated standing up, noting that Nathaniel took a step back and shifted his form, making himself smaller, submitting. Azad took a step toward the fire, feeling the warmth seep through his jeans and t-shirt. "Are you sure Leila is ready for that?"
Dark onyx eyes narrowed to slits as he turned his head sharply to glare at the man, who hunched into himself more. Stuttering and rambling as he tried to explain himself, "I-I didn't mean it that way. I u-understand she's your child, she will be the next in line, but she is so young. She doesn't see the danger in her actions, or how it will have a lasting effect. Y-You remember last week that she fought with Damian-"
"He provoked her and I spoke to her about it, if I recall correctly." Snapped Azad, his wolf snarling inside him, making his blood boil. "Yes, yes you did, and I am not questioning your leadership but she's seventeen. She doesn't yet know how to control her wolf and it's… temper." He finished lamely but Azad knew that his pack brother was right.
Leila was his daughter, and just like him had a strong personality. She was Stubborn, Hot Headed, and had a sharp tongue that didn't have a filter. She was a small ball of fire, her short frame holding such a huge personality that you were surprised by the confidence she held. Not to mention her rebelliousness that made everyone in the pack, including the older members, raise an amused brow. Azad and his child, had on more than one occasion butted heads, the Alpha having to force her into submission by pinning her neck between his wolf's jaw, sinking his teeth into the skin for her to feel the faint pain and give in.
She was a proud one, but so was he, and if there was one thing he could praise about her was her loyalty to the pack. She would do anything for them, and he had witnessed it when she had taken down a couple of Muggle Hunters who had captured one of the pups. She had gotten an earful from him, but the cocky smile hadn't disappeared from her face the whole time he scolded her. She was a lot like her mother… He mused. He turned his attention back to Nathaniel who still held his position of submission.
"Then what do you think I should do, Old Friend?" Azad questioned his voice friendly but still demanding an answer, which caught his Beta of guard. "Wh-What I Think?" Nathaniel stuttered, swallowing thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Yes, you say my daughter doesn't have the capability so you must have another plan." He replied, dryly, as he returned to the couch, sitting down and returning his gaze to the fire.
"I-I…. I didn't mean it like that, it's just…" He trailed off not sure whether his Alpha was angry at him or genuinely asking for his view on the matter. He watched him for a few seconds, his heart beating in his chest. "My point is… that she hasn't proven that she fits… your standards." He finished quietly.
The crackle of the fire once again was the only noise in the living room. But Azad could quite clearly hear the thump of his friend's heart, beating unsurely in his chest. "You're right; she hasn't shown me she's ready. But if the rise of You-Know-Who is as dangerous as what Dumbledore says, she's going to have fit that standard." Nathaniel sighed, relief flooding through his body, his shoulders relaxing and his stance returning to normal. "It seems the only thing I can do is send her in my place." Azad spoke, his tone one of wonder and thought.
"Azad, you can't be serious!" He yelled in disbelief and the older man allowed this outburst to go unchecked. But that didn't mean that he wasn't angry, at the others questioning of his daughters capability. "Do you want her to stay or do you want her to go, either way I can't be in two places. And I sure as hell can't send you." He spoke, seeing his friend bow his head in shame. Azad leaned back his eyes burning into the other, Nathaniel noting that the dark brown that surrounded his eyes began to lighten almost to gold. His wolf scratching at the surface and making his presence known, Nathaniel swallowed and lowered his voice. "But she hasn't taken a step out of pack grounds not even when she was a pup, she grew up here in this forest, are you sure she'll know how to act in the presence of the Wizarding World?"
"I think you are forgetting that she is my child and not an animal, Nathaniel." He growls rising to his feet in a quick movement, taking an angry step towards Nathaniel who cowers back towards the dark wood wall, his head bowing and staring at the clenched fists of Azad. But before the Alpha can do anything to show the other his place, verbally or physically, he hears the door of the Cabin open and shut with a slam.
Both of the men turn their attention to the door where Leila stands, Her thick black hair tied in a loose ponytail, the black lines and swirls of her tattoos, which begin from the nape of her neck, down the sides, to her collarbones and finally down her arms contrasting greatly against her creamy skin, exposed as she wears a simple grey sports bra. Her eyes flicker across the two men, one of her thin dark eyebrows is raised, her mouth set in a small smile, and her blue eyes twinkling in amusement. Her father breathes through his nose taking a step back, away from Nathaniel who lowers his arms from their cocoon around his head, the tips of his ears reddening.
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"No don't stop because of me, please go on." Leila says, the humor lacing her words as she sticks her hands in the pockets of her Baggy Cargo pants. She takes slow, exaggeratedly long steps, as she enters the living room. Her nose scrunches up as her sensitive sense of smell picks up the spicy scent of Anger and Tension, which hangs in the air like a thick fog. Her mind registering it as something that smells similarly to Cinnamon and Pepper. Her father turns towards the fireplace while Nathaniel rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment and shame.
"You alright there, bud?" She asks looking at Nathaniel who, if possible, reddens, even more.
"Uh… Yes…" He trails off looking at her father quickly before returning his gaze to the ground. Leila hums in acknowledgment before returning to stare at her father. His shoulders are tense and she can see the straining of muscles in his jaw, the scent of Anger seems to be lessening but she can still feel the slight burning in her nostrils. "Well then, since it seems my Dad's not going to say what's going on, I'll ask you. What's got the geezers panties in a bunch?"
The teen leans against the arm of the Couch, the corners of her lips twitching as she tries not to smile at the surprise on the others face. "I have no i-idea what you mean, Leila." She rolls her eyes, and decides that she isn't really in the mood to beat around the bush, after all she had just returned from patrol. Her Punishment for her fight with Kitty, which was absurd because they had been at each other's throat since she had first phased at the young age of ten. She had heard the whispers of some of the Pack member's opinions on the matter, most of them blaming it on Sexual tension, but in her eyes she would rather marry a Homeless man who smelled like blue cheese than even kiss Damian.
"Oh quit with the bullshit, Nathan. I can literally smell the anger radiating off of him. Plus," She sniffs loudly in his direction, making the other man squirm, "You stink of nervousness, maybe even a bit of fear. So what gives?"
She raises her brow once again, her ice blue eyes growing fiercer in the light of the fire, similar to blue flames. She can feel her blood warming underneath her skin, her wolf pacing back and forth, its muzzle rose, baring its teeth in frustration. Her father turns his head and looks at Nathaniel who is still looking at the ground, looking absolutely uncomfortable. The Alpha grunts and it's like Nathaniel's mouth is a waterfall.
"Your father received a letter from, Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore wants us to be guards for the school to protect the students from the threat of Death eaters, but we don't know how many they will need. Your father can't go because he can't leave the pack unattended, and well we aren't sure if sending you is the best option-" "Hold up." She says raising her hands up, stopping the other man who literally has to bite his lip to keep quiet. She blinks; this was not what she was expecting at all.
She stares at her father's back, before lowering one of her hands, the other remaining up. "Okay so first of all," She lifts her pointer finger, "Who the hell is Albus Dumbledore? Secondly," She raises her middle finger, "What the hell are Death Eaters? Sounds like some high school rock band if I'm honest that play at High School dances or something. Thirdly and finally," She raises her ring finger, "What the fuck do you mean you aren't sure sending me is the best option?"
Her father turns abruptly and glares at her, "Skyrah, that's enough." Leila narrows her eyes at the use of her middle name but doesn't lower her stance, the anger coursing through her going from subtle warmth to a burning flame, like lava flowing through her veins. "The Hell it is, I get put on goddamn Patrol, a job destined for Newbies," She hisses, "And when I return you're questioning my capabilities?" Her arms cross over her chest and her hips move from leaning to straight.
"Well if you didn't snap like you do, I wouldn't treat you as a 'Newbie'." He says coldly, his nostrils flaring. "Oh don't be a hypocrite," She growls, "I get that snapping from you or have you forgotten what the hell I walked in a matter of minutes ago?" She turns her attention to Nathaniel who is looking warily between the two, "Answer the question, Nathan." She says demandingly.
"Albus Dumbledore is the Head Master of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry; it's a boarding school specifically in Scotland. Albus asked your father to send some of the pack over to protect the school from Death Eaters who are the loyal servants of… You-Know-Who." He says quickly.
Leila doesn't even bother to ask about her third question instead turning her gaze back to her father who is glaring at her. She can sense that something isn't right, that he isn't giving the full story. He's holding something back and she wants to know why he's withholding that information, and why he isn't even telling his own Beta, his second in command, who he has known since they were children.
"Why is he asking YOU, to send Hybrids?" She asks staring at him, her eyes taking in the guarded expression that takes over her father's eyes. He crosses his arms over his chest, mimicking her stance. "He knows that our breed is the only one that can help him in this time of need, especially since the Ministry isn't helping him and is turning a blind eye to the threat of Voldemort."
"And they aren't going to turn their eye, when a bunch of wolves start roaming the halls alongside their little witches and wizards. They aren't going to worry that we will snatch them up and take them to the forest for them never to be seen again?"
Her father's eyebrows furrow and the dark shadows that are flickering in the firelight seem to darken, just like his mood. "He is giving us an opportunity to make the Ministry aware of our presence-"
Leila cuts him off with a snort, "Making the ministry aware of our presence? That's the best lie you can come up with? Making them aware of our presence would be to make an Association or a Pro Hybrid Group that got together on weekends and made posters with cute fluffy little wolf pups, drank coffee, and ate Cookies. He's asking us to be fucking Guard dogs for his School. Last time I checked, we were wolves, not fucking dogs on a police canine unit taught how to attack and then release!"
She feels the burning in her nose grow stronger, but that only fuels her rage. Her hands fall from her chest and her chin raises, her eyes screaming in defiance and disrespect which she is clearly showing to her father, but more importantly her Alpha. Her father growls low in his throat, his fingers digging into his biceps, his knuckles turning white at the strength in his grip. "Nathaniel. Leave." Leila smirks and looks at the other man, "No, Nathaniel please stay, I'm sure you want to know the real reason why he wants to help out the damn Magical little Wizards who didn't even consider us worthy of being part of their society."
Leila feels her heart quicken as she hears the authority lacing her words, and she knows she's pushing her luck. Her father seems to freeze at that and his eyes narrow, his jaw muscle twitching as he clenches it. The younger hybrid looks at Nathaniel, and tries to hide the surprise from showing on her face at seeing him still standing there, looking just as surprised, or more like shocked at his body responding to her command. Her wolf sits on its haunches and lifts its head in approval, clearly satisfied at the knowledge that the Alpha in her blood has some effect.
Her Father takes a step forward, and her wolf stands quickly, the animal coiling, readying itself for battle. The anger that courses through her veins seems to manifest itself in her belly, a chill running down her spine in excitement and anxiety. She quirks an eyebrow at her Father who takes another step standing right in front of her, his knees hitting the cushion of the couch which is the only thing coming between them.
"I told you why Dumbledore wants us to go." Her father says, his voice thick and low, and Leila knows she's walking on eggshells but her better judgment is clouded by her desire to unravel the truth. So clouded, that she presses on, her mouth shooting out the next comeback before she can even think about it.
"You told me a lie, not the truth. Honestly Dad, how stupid do you think I am?" The older man sighs and looks at Nathaniel, moving his head in a sign for him to leave. Nathaniel looks at Leila, but the younger girl isn't looking at him, but at her father.
"Excuse me." Nathaniel says bending down and putting his hand over his heart in a sign of respect before leaving, his footsteps loud against the wooden floor. When he closes the door, Azad uncrosses his arms and rubs the edge of his mouth with his thumb looking at his daughter who has not stopped looking at him, her eyes challenging but at the same time guarded and curious. He can feel the heat of her questioning gaze and he moves his hand towards the couch.
"I'm fine, Thank you." She says sweetly, cutting him off before he can even say his invitation to take a seat, and he has to stop the growl from ripping out of his throat.
"Leila, all you have to know is that Dumbledore is asking for our help in this matter. I need to know if I can count on you to go on my part." Leila closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose trying to calm herself. A few seconds pass but for the younger it feels like minutes. When she finally opens her eyes, the ring around the pupil is a bright golden color, seeming to seep in the blue of her eyes like caramel.
"You can count on me Dad." She says softly, but her eyes not losing the ring of gold that shows how enraged and out of control she is. She really did have an issue with her temper. "But, I'm not going to defend someone's school, putting the lives of all our pack members in danger without a damn good reason."
Her father watches her for a long moment, before a small smile graces his lips. She blinks, caught off guard. "You just contradicted yourself." He says warmly and she rolls her eyes, the gold surrounding her eyes fading and a small laugh escapes her throat. "Really, Father? I'm trying to be serious and you make me laugh? Did we switch roles?"
They both laugh, the tension seeming to lift and disappear from the room in a matter of seconds. She decides that she can finally let loose and in a quick swift movement jumps over the couch and lands in a heap on top of the couch. Her father watches, amusement clear on his face while he sits down next to her, crossing his legs.
"I owe him a favor." He says after a few minutes of just staring into the fire. She hums, asking him to continue and he runs a hand through his dark hair.
"He… He did something for me that no one would have done, if they had been placed in that situation." He finishes his voice distant but calculative, making sure he doesn't give that much information into his explanation and Leila can't stop the question that slips past her lips.
"Did it involve, Mom?"
The room seems to grow cold and her father's jaw clenches again, his face goes cold and his eyes slip down her face to her neck and she knows what he's looking at. She's tried to cover the mark that lies just below her ear, right on the crook where shoulder meets neck. Has tried to cover it with her tattoos, and she knows that deep down inside that was the prime reason why she got them in the first place. Her father hated the mark, the mark that supposedly your wolf's mate had an identical twin of, marking their very own skin. Could see the way his eyes no matter what, would always return to there, finding the design even though she had tried to incorporate it into the intricate swirls of the black lines that covered her skin. The vines swirled, hiding it well, but the mark was still visible, still held the same shape, this time just outlined in black instead of the dark brown that the color of a birthmark would be.
Her hand goes up to the mark and covers it from view, and her fingers can feel the thumping of her pulse there, almost as if her heart was right below the skin. Her dad snaps out of his trance and looks down at his feet. She knows that her Mother and the mark have some sort of connection to each other, and as the years have passed on she has also known of her father's deep hatred for soul mates and anything to do with that deep connection that every one of their hearts crave. Hates how those that are bonded seem to revolve around each other, their worlds seeming to revolve around the other instead of what was really important. At least that's what he saw it like; Leila on the other hand isn't sure what she feels about it.
Her views are torn between thinking it was somewhat romantic, and somewhat terrifying. How your whole life could depend on the other, she saw it as some kind of mind control, like some sort of obsessive claim that the other had on your life, which they could snap with a few words. Her dad never spoke about it, but when he did he always said the same thing.
"Don't let it control you, don't let the mark choose what you want. You have the last word in the matter, the mark doesn't control you." And Leila had taken them to heart, going to Martha, the local tattoo artist of the pack and asked her to Tattoo on her skin. Martha had been the one to suggest that they follow the lines of her birthmark which was a mixture of swirls, lines, and sharp curves that all fit together creating the shape of a Crescent moon. Martha had continued the lines since there was no outer line sealing them into the shape, and now they extended across her upper body.
Some of the lines ending at the back of her neck, below her hairline, others behind her ears, and some going all the way down her arms and ending at the inside of her wrists. They danced and twirled across her skin in a free and air like way but never went below her chest, stopping right above her breasts, and not going anywhere lower than if a line had been drawn across her back below her armpits. She loved them, of course she did they made her feel like her own person, like she was herself and not the daughter of their Alpha, but she still hated that she had to do get it in order for her father to look in her eyes and not her mark. See her as his daughter, and not just a walking disgrace for having it in plain sight.
"Yes… It involved your mother." He starts his voice cold but she can pick up a nostalgic hint to it. "We were going through a… difficult time." He says snorting, shaking his head with a small dry smile.
"Yeah… a very difficult time. But Dumbledore helped me through it, and I owe this much to him. I know you can do it Leila," Her father says squeezing her shoulder, his hand staying a safe distance away from said mark, "You're my daughter after all, the Alpha blood that runs through me, runs in your veins. You just showed it does a matter of minutes ago with Nathaniel." He says chuckling and she smiles at the praise her father rarely gives.
"I'm giving you this time to show me that you are capable of doing this. I'll be sending you in my place, you will not only be representing me but you will be the leader of all the Hybrids, it will be your job to show everyone that we are prepared and that we demand to be recognized in their society. Everything you do will have a consequence." Leila swallows and she looks at her father, "Dad, you're making it seem like I'm to over throw you as Alpha." She says laughing nervously and her father looks at the fire removing his hand from her shoulder and resting it on his lap.
"You're not over throwing me, but you will be the Alpha of your own pack." Leila's breathe hitches and her eyes widen as she looks at her dad. Was he serious? She had thought that she would still be under his command; she would just be following his orders. "W-What?" She stutters and she clears her throat, hating the fact that she sounded so uncertain especially in a time where she should be showing her capability of being a leader.
"Yes, I'm going to be sending some of the Pack with you to Hogwarts, but you will be the Alpha of said pack. You will be deciding what you should do, where you should place the members, and how many should be on patrol. This isn't a practice run, or a test, it's the real thing Leila. You've always wanted to be my equal correct? Well here it is."
She stares at him and can feel herself open her mouth and then shut it multiple times, "But… But what if I fail?" She says finally and she can really care less how stupid she sounds, how only a few minutes ago she was snapping at him and now she was just a bumbling mess of uncertainty. Her father smiles and places his hand on her neck, right below her jaw, his thumb rubbing against her cheek.
"You're my Daughter, you won't fail. I have faith in you Leila." He stands and she watches him with wide doe eyes. He smiles at her reassuringly before kneeling in front of her, his head bowing, hands resting on his lap, submitting.
She nearly loses it, her mind blanks, and all she can feel is overwhelming heat which seems to bloom on her cheeks. Holy shit, her dad was submitting to her. He was releasing all hold on her in this moment. Her wolf seemed to feel this, because she could feel the sudden urge to phase in that moment. The warmth rising up and down her spine, and she can't stop herself from shivering. Her Blue eyes in a matter of milliseconds change completely golden, and she can smell the scent of submission fill her body completely, overpowering and bathing her.
She swallows thickly and stands right in front of her father. Her wolf is jumping in glee, yipping at the knowledge of being put as Alpha. But she balances the glee with the negative thoughts that course through her mind, the fear of failure, the fear of bringing shame to their name. She breathes through her nose and sighs, "Okay." She says finally and the impact strikes her like a brick wall. She feels like a weight has been removed from her shoulder, relief coursing through her body and all she can think is Freedom. Her Father stands and he's smiling, his eyes twinkling in pride and something else which she can't place.
"Okay, tomorrow we will speak to the Pack to see how many members we will send though I must suggest that you pick a Beta."
Leila nods, her teeth nibbling on her lip as she thinks. She needs someone who can keep a cool head, someone who won't be afraid to tell her when she's wrong because in all honesty Nathaniel can have his moments of insightfulness but he's too fearful to be useful. Someone who won't care if he has to clash with her, but someone whose loyalty will always fall with what is the best for the pack. She groans inwardly as a person flashes in her mind. Spikey Blonde hair, Dark Brown eyes, Copper skin, and chiseled features that are ruined by a broken nose and a too cocky smile.
She sighs and shakes her head, her father hiding his amusement from his face but not well enough because Leila glares at him. "I'll talk to Damian tomorrow." She says through clenched teeth and the surprise on her father's face makes her want to stomp her foot in anger but she stops herself by biting her tongue.
"Damian? Are you sure?" He says and she can hear the amusement and humor in his voice. "Well Father, I need someone who is going to be insightful and tell me things how they are without caring if they make me upset. Someone who is going to help me and not be scared at getting smacked. So Yes I'll choose Damian."
Her Father Smiles but then nods, "Okay… It's your choice but if I may say something," She can see her eyes narrow and her posture go into one of defense, and he smiles, "That is a good choice." Azad clasps his daughters shoulder and is about to walk out of the Living room when he stops in the archway.
"Get some sleep, your leaving tomorrow." And with that he slips out of the Living room leaving Leila to collapse heavily on the couch, letting a breath she didn't know she was holding slip out of her mouth.