Chapter One:

Her hand steadied as she slowly readied herself for what would happen next. This had to be done delicately. Curse's didn't break easily and this needed her undivided...

"Auntie?" a small voice called out.

She covered up the table and rose to her feet, flicking her applewood wand muttering the binding spell as she opened the door, staring down at her black haired cousin.

"Teddy," she murmured, getting down to his level, "What are you doing awake? Your grandmother will have my head if she knew you were awake."

"I don't feel good," he replied, rubbing his stomach.

She lifted him up gently and her phoenix winged wand did the work for her as his symptoms were mimicked in her own body. She frowned and knew he was in pain, but this wasn't a normal pain, this was something worse, this felt like something she knew all too well: a curse.

Grandfather Credence told her all the time about the Black curse on the Tonks family. Any male wizard would have a blood curse so that the child would die and no longer taint the noble house of Black. It had been done in secret by Grandmother Black, but River knew the curse was dormant. Or it had been until the day he'd shifted into a little wolf cub.

All of it had been a slow progression, the test to make sure he wasn't what the family had feared, a werewolf. But, it had been more extraordinary than that. His metamorphagus abilities had given him something no one had expected: the ability to change into animals without becoming an animagus.

She pet his hair back as she gave him the tonic that would calm the curse for the moment.

"Thank you for not waking Aunt Andromeda," she murmured as she pulled him close. The last thing she wanted to deal with was a worried grandmother, her aunt could be quite dramatic.

He nodded tiredly as she pet his hair back. "Last time I said I didn't feel good she made me stay in the house for days. I didn't want her to do that again."

She laughed just as a knock sounded on the door. She frowned. Who would be out there on a frigid,rainy night? She rose to her feet and wrapped him in a blanket.

"Stay put, Teddy," she murmured, kissing both his cheeks, "I'll be right back."

She opened the door, slowly, her wand at the ready, but stopped as grey eyes looked up at her from a wet, scraggly face she knew all too well.

"Draco?" she called, surprised.

"Cousin," his voice grumbled as he held his side, "I need your help."

"Auntie River, who's here?" Teddy called, pulling at her night robes.

Draco's eyes took in the small child just as he collapsed. Teddy gasped and hurried out into the rain, yanking on the man before him.

"Come on, Auntie! We have to help him! He's hurt and cold!"

River nodded and pushed Teddy back in the house before waving her wand and bringing him inside. She turned to Teddy as she helped Draco out of his clothes.

"Teddy, go get Astoria and tell her to bring hot tea and blankets. Lots of them." River commanded.

He nodded and hurried away. River muttered a spell and dried him before taking him all in. He was shivering hard and she could see a gaping wound on his side.

"Where's your wand, Malfoy?" she asked, examining the wound.

He smiled at her sheepishly and waved to the two broken pieces on the table. She shook her head. That was one mystery solved, now for the other.

"Lady Lestran..." Astoria started, but her face went red as she took in Malfoy in nothing, but silk boxers.

River waved her forward and wrapped her cousin in blankets, his eyes not moving away from Astoria.

"Why are you here, Draco?" she asked.

"I can't go home," he muttered, "I quit my job at the ministry this morning and father...father...can I stay here? I need time to think. Time to...time to learn who I am without my father looming over me."

River took him in, "Fine, but not for free. In exchange you help me help Teddy."

"Help a little half-blooded..." he started, but caught himself, "I'm sorry, force of habit."

Teddy hurried into the room with biscuits and smiled up at Draco. "Eat some. Auntie River says they always make you feel all warm inside when things are bad."

Draco smiled a little at that and he looked at River. He didn't know what she needed help with, but for a boy who tried to help him twice now he'd do anything.

"I'm in."