Chapter 2: Dawn of Discretion
Draco walked over and kicked the one who'd threatened to make him headless, waiting for him to turn back to his human form so that he could check
for identification. As the wolf resumed his human form for the last time, Draco rummaged through his pockets and found a standard issue Wizarding
license that identified him as a Kevin J. Rowland, resident of the United States of America, who just so happened to be in Europe. It also read that he'd
been born over 400 years ago, which meant he was way past his expiration date.
"Dude's 409 years old, and doesn't look a day over thirty, and my guess is that he was bitten and not born." When Harry gave Draco a weird look, he
pointed to the bite shaped scar on his side that was revealed by his shirt having ridden up from his position. So it seemed that being blond didn't always
affect your brain, but the jokes were awfully funny, Harry mused.
"Alright, but that doesn't solve our problem of figuring out what we're going to tell McGonnagall, or what we're going to do about our little secrets."
Harry grabbed the weaker ones wallet and found out that he was born Forty years ago, and didn't look much older than fifteen, which meant that he too
was bitten. His kind didn't freeze into their immortal forms until they finished growing and filling out, and this kid obviously hadn't. So there was a pack of
Werewolves going against Council law and biting people whenever they felt like it; just peachy.
"What're we going to do with the bodies? If the Centaur's find out who killed their own, they'll be out for blood." The look on Draco's face said that if
that were to happen, it would turn very ugly very quickly. Harry pulled out his wand, starting to utter a spell before Draco stopped him with a question.
"Will it work? I've heard that certain types of Werewolves are immune to magic.
"Some are, these are, but I don't think it'll still be effective if they're dead. So, why don't we find out?" Draco motioned for Harry to continue, jumping
back when flames shot from the end of his wand and engulfed the body and licked at the ground beneath him. The body quickly disintegrated, the
400-year-old skeleton being all that was left when he'd died. The second body took a little more time; it hadn't had as much time as the other since the
forty year old wouldn't be dead by that point anyway if all things natural had been good to him. That still left the problem of the Alpha's pack, which were
sure to be around the forest somewhere.
Since they'd obtained no injuries, the two of them began the long trek back to the castle, devising the plan about what exactly they were going to say.
By the time they'd reached the edge of the forest, they had it down and saw a familiar tabby sitting on the steps leading into the castle. They'd also
sworn to each other that their secret would be safe; shifters had to stick together. When they got close, the cat became none other than Professor
McGonnagall, who promptly waited for their explanation. "We caught the killers." Draco began.
"We snuck up on them while they were feeding on their latest and last victim, a Centaur. They didn't hear us until we'd killed them." Harry continued,
reciting his rehearsed part.
"They were Werewolves, Professor, and here's their ID's. Harry thinks we got their Alpha, so there is likely to be others out there."
"As I said, we got them before they even knew we were there, so you can rest assured that we are still the same as we were when we went in." Harry
had caught the look of concern on her face at the mention of Werewolves, and had made sure he told her the truth; he said they were still the same as
when they'd gone into the forest, but that didn't mean that they were completely human in the first place.
"You boys had best get into your beds then; you aren't going to be exempt from your classes." They needed their sleep, so both ran into the school
and all the way to their dorms, where they had to quiet down. Not waking up your roommates was key when you wanted some sleep yourself at that
school; they asked so many questions when they knew you'd been in detention alone with your enemy.
The next day was much less eventful than the night prior to it. Not even one person pissed off a teacher, lost their house points or earned them, no
rumors came to their ears, and the teachers were in good moods so no extra homework was assigned. That is, until the last period of the day. Harry had
become grouchy from all the questions he was asked when word got around that he'd killed a pair of Werewolves. So by the time that Snape got around
to snapping at him on not finishing his task quick enough, he'd told him just where he could stick his wand. Which had of course, resulted in him getting
detention again in The Forbidden Forest, and caused him to be sent out of class when he'd proceeded to sass the professor even more.
On his way to detention that night, Harry saw that there were two others already down at Hagrids hut, awaiting a fun night in the woods. When he
got there he recognized both immediately, one was a first year who didn't belong in the forest with Werewolves on the loose, and the other was Draco.
"So, what's the schedule for tonight?" he asked.
"You guys will be tallying up all who were killed by the Werewolves." Hagrids' simple explanation left Harry scared for the first year. He motioned for
Hagrid to follow him a little ways away from the others, even though Draco could still hear.
"Look Hagrid, there are still more Werewolves out there, and that kid will be wolf chow if he goes out there, I just know it. So why don't you keep him
here with you and make him help you clean your house. We both know you need it, and that way, the kid will never mess up again and will like to see
tomorrow." No more was needed to be said, because Harry was right and Hagrid knew it. He listened to the advice and took the kid inside with him while
the two older boys left their cloaks with him; the things would only get in the way.
With their first actual chance to assess one another, they took their time while they walked. Harry noticed that Draco's shirt was more like black under
armour than an actual shirt, and led down to well-worn leather pants that covered combat boots. Harry himself was wearing a white wife beater that
went all the way down to his scruffy jeans, he also wore simple hiking boots that were tucked under his pants the same as Draco had done with his own.
"Good thing the kid didn't come with us, he'd have been nabbed for sure. I bet we really pissed off those Werewolves." The two walked in silence for a
while after Draco's comment, tallying up all the bodies they came across.
"So, how'd you end up here tonight: was it a fight or do you just love my company that much?" Harry taunted cherfully, because a sour mood would
not make time fly.
"Actually, I punched Pansy because that girl does not know when to shut up." His statement wowed Harry into silence, and gave him amazing visuals.
"She just had to bitch about how horrible creatures Werewolves and all their non-human brethren are. She didn't even know how much she was
insulting me while she was trying to win me over." Harry burst out in laughter, because Pansy Parkinson was just that kind of stupid.
They came upon the Centaur from the night before, adding that body to the count as well. Draco made a sound of disgust and anger, letting Harry
know that he wanted more revenge than taking out those who had been there; he wanted to bring the whole pack to justice. "I take it that certain
plants are running through your head, and I have to say, I think that there are many options that we can go with." After saying that, he heard multiple
howls in the distance on all sides. "Now we only have a few options, and some of them are less pretty than others." None of those option involved
hunting down each Werewolf and killing them the way he was sure Draco had planned.
"I'd say that the odds don't look too good for us if we try to run, they'll just follow us and likely catch us, so what's the plan?" Draco's blond hair
reflected the moon into Harry's eyes, giving him the courage burst he needed for his plan to work.
" Since I'm sure they know these woods enough to cut off any escape route and use the terrain to their advantage, we have to get somewhere that's
more to our skills. We're both large shifters, so we're going to need a lot of maneuvering space… I've got it, there's a clearing about ten miles ahead, big
enough for us to utilize and gain the upper hand; those guys are the type to corner their victim, and they can't do that if there is no corner."
"I like the sound of that, but how are we going to get there without them catching us first."
"We run like the flames of hell are inches from our asses, that's how. Some of the logs and such are precariously placed so that we're going to have to
stay human until we reach the opening." Draco got a worried look on his face when Harry said that.
"We have a problem then, my shifting usually takes a while, so if they're on our heels like I think they'll be, then I can't make it. I'll be dead before I
set one furry paw into the clearing." Harry's face shown with defeat, and he never took defeat lightly or without struggle.
"About how long is the shortest amount of time you've taken to change before?"
"Well, I think I can get it down to around five or so seconds. Why?" Now Draco was getting curious about what the wheels in Harry's head were
churning out.
"No problem then, just keep up with me and I'll buy you time. All you have to do is promise me that you won't stop running and will trust me with
your life, because if you take one second to second guess me, then we'll both be dead. Can you do that for me?"
With the weight of his own life and the one who just said they'd keep him alive on his shoulders, there was only one answer in his mind. He nodded
yes, hearing a twig break nearby that revealed that they were already surrounded. The two boys locked eyes, taking off at the same time as howls
erupted from every direction. Both keep their speed to impossibly fast as they Werewolves began to close in on all sides and fall in line behind them.
The adrenaline rush kicked their speed up even more, their steps light so that they could jump over the constant obstacles that covered the path and
their fear blanketed by the knowledge that they were faster than their would be killers. Draco was still unsure of how Harry would keep him alive, but
trusted that he could do it, even with the clearing coming into view and speeding towards them at an alarming rate, indicating just how fast they were
running.
As they got close, Harry suddenly turned around from his position in front and grabbed Draco by the shirt. With his unnatural strength, he hurled him
into the clearing much faster then they'd been going. He began his transformation as soon as he'd been let go of, watching as Harry launched himself off
of an uplifted root and transformed as well. The two of them landed in their non-human forms, lashing out at the nearest attacker with fang and claw,
starting what was sure to be the fight of their lives, for their lives.
The opponents didn't go down as easily as the last ones, putting up quite a fight when they had no leader to punish them if they failed. Before they
realized it, since time flew when you were fighting nearly fifty opponents who meant to end your life, the moon was nearly on the end of it's nightly reign
and the first rays of sunlight had crossed the horizon. As the clearing began to lighten, the wolves slowly started to disappear back into the forest, the
moon no longer strengthening them or keeping them in their hairy forms.
For the first time in his life, Harry was glad that some Werewolves were ruled by the cycles of the moon. He was also glad that he wasn't one of them,
because that made those who were run away when they realized that he wasn't going to stop when they were. As the last one ran away, Harry howled
his frustration, letting them know that he would come after each and every one of them if he caught any of them in his territory, The Forbidden Forest.
With the threat of attack no longer a problem, the two boys became human once more, and tallied up the bodies. They had a body count of twelve,
and many more of them were injured severely and wouldn't be rearing for a fight any time soon. With any luck, they would heed his warning and not go
on suicide missions that would only piss Harry off by wasting his time. Another thing that wasted his time was taking their ID's to show the school so
that their deaths could be recorded at the Ministry. "So, what exactly are you?" Draco's voice broke through his thoughts.
"I could ask you the same, but since you got to it first, and we just killed people together, I guess I owe you an answer. I'm a Werewolf, but not the
same as them, obviously. I can control when I change, so that I can do it whenever I please. Your turn." Draco pondered the consequences of a
Werewolf who can control their gifts.
"I'm a Weretiger, and I also can control when I transform. Yes, I know my stripes are the wrong color and go the wrong way, but that's to blame on
screwy genetics. Mom's an Ocelot shifter whose spots go in rows from head to tail, and my fathers the Weretiger. My coloring comes from my hair,
platinum blonde, and silver from my ancestors."
"Why couldn't I smell you before? You've masked your scent somehow, haven't you?"
"Yeah, I decided it was a good idea when I was attacked by a Werewolf because I was in his territory; I got the spell from one of my fathers old books.
Have you been attacked before?" The being attacked made sense, since many of Harry's kind were very territorial, and he shared that trait.
"No, I actually haven't, but I'm an Alpha wolf so very few wolves actually want to take me on. It's kinda nice because most of those I run into actually
run away from me in fear." Harry chuckled to himself as the memories of really buff guys running away from him came to mind. It was good to be an
Alpha, even if he didn't have a pack.
Finally the boys looked at themselves, finding that they had some big cuts, bites and scratches on their persons that would red-flag anyone who saw
them. They'd be dosed with Wolfs bane that would kill Harry since he was already one, and just piss Draco off with the rash he'd likely get from it. All
Werecreatures were allergic to Wolfs bane, but it killed Werewolves. "So, I guess we aren't go back to School any time soon." Their wounds would heal
much faster than normal humans, but that didn't mean they wouldn't be there by the time they walked back to the school.
"No, that would be one helluva mistake; I don't plan on dying any time soon. I was actually thinking that we could have some peace and quiet,
because you know that when we go back it'll be twenty questions upgraded to million questions." Draco nodded in agreement, wanting to put that off for
as long as possible. He was about to voice his opinion when he heard his name in the distance and froze. His name came again, the voice clearer this
time and more familiar. The third time was the charm, because he recognized it as Snapes, and proceeded to curse his head off. More teachers' voices
called both his and Harry's names, causing panic to rise to the surface. If they were found, then death was surely on the way for Harry, and that just
wouldn't work for Draco since they'd just kicked ass together and had grown closer whether he'd admit it or not.
"Follow me, I know this perfect place that they'll never find." Harry hesitated, "That is unless you want to be six feet under before the sun is down."
No longer hesitant, Harry followed him as he saw the first teacher in the distance.
The two of them were completely silent as they raced through the forest towards Draco's safe spot. Harry had to keep in mind that Draco had trusted
him with his life, so he owed him the same. Draco stopped in front of a waterfall, perplexing Harry with his choice. "Are you crazy? I can't breathe under
water." Harry told him, as if it wasn't already obvious enough; he wasn't a mermaid or something.
"I know that you cant, neither can I; but we're not going into the water, we're going to go behind it."
Authors note: With a request from one of my readers, I made my story easier on the eyes by adding a line between each line. I also added little things here in there in respect to the text, so if you see something you didn't before, you aren't imagining things. - ASP