Chapter 2
Howls
The moon has always attracted me. Its glaring purity hurt my soul from inside. Yet the dark spots on the moon often gave my heart a hope.
It was a weird, relationship between the moon and Him. Him being his father's son, this discomfort has become a link, which he likes to think, connects him to his father.
As long as he can remember, he has felt this way. This discomfort that came every time the the full moon was upon them. There was this sadness inside him that he just couldn't shake off.
He could hear a whimpering in his head. Which wasn't new, as the voice in his head always whined this time of the month. In a strange sense of the way, he liked to fantasise that it was his father's spirit near him, which was supporting him during this distress.
He checked the time. It was 6'oclock In the evening. Two days to his godfather's daughter's 17th birthday. He remembered Lily Luna. The little girl who was so fierce yet so sweet. Who gave him all her dessert during his full moon distress. Who always fought with everybody but him.
He always used to look at her brothers and cousins smugly, that he was clearly her favourite.
And now the little girl was supposed to be 17. An adult. Would she still smile at him like he hung the moon in the sky? Would she still give him all her chocolates every time she sees him in distress. Would she still side with him, when he was messing with her brothers?
He smiled to himself. This one thought had silenced the whimpering voice in his head. Thinking of the little red haired girl filled his heart with a giddy feeling. Is this what he wanted. A family? A little girl to call his own? Is that what is missing from his life?
He hasn't thought about Victoire for ages. She is married to her destined Veela's mate now. And to be honest, he couldn't be happier for the first girl he ever loved.
He was in Sikkim now. A small town in India, always covered in snow.
The only people did associate with were the community of the werewolf facility cum town, and he knew pretty much everybody. So his love life has been nonexistent for ages now.
He looked down at the owl shaped port key in his hands. In seconds it was gonna activate for his trip to The Potter Manor in Godric's Hallow, to his Godfather's house. The Godfather he hasn't seen in more than 6 years.
He remembered the last time he last time he had seen his real family. The Potter-Malfoys. It was the first day of Lily's School. He had gone with Draco and Harry to drop off Lily to the King's cross station for her first year at Hogwarts. James, Albus and Scorpius had given him fierce hugs and wished him well for his trip to the werewolf facility in another country. Draco held on to Lily's hand as he hugged him goodbye. Harry had misty eyes, his godfather. He had given him a little grey pigeon, as they didn't have owls in India. The last was the little girl. She had cried. She had cried in his robes and asked him to promise her that he will come back soon. That he would take care of himself. That he will stock up on chocolates every month before the full moon comes around. He had hugged her, the little red haired girl, and had promised her everything she wanted him to promise.
Then she had walked away with her trolly, her foot catching Scorpius in the shins, as he toppled into his luggage. He saw a brief smirk on her face as she boarded the train. And once more he had been smug that he was her favourite.
In moments he was apparating. He stood outside of the Potter Manor. Just as he had remembered . Gardens all around. Draco's doing. Magical forest as a refuge built for his father by his godfather's father, James Potter. He had spent years roaming the grounds, thinking he will be able to connect with his father some more.
He made his way towards the forest. It was a beautiful evening for a walk before he breaks his solitude and meets his family.
...
He was walking around approximately 10 minutes, when it happened. The ringing in his ears. The growls in his head. The scream that tore out of his throat.
This was not his usual distress or discomfort. No this was something else. This was the sensations of his skin on fire.
He fell down to his knees as his palms clutched at his ears. Another scream tore out of his throat.
That's when it happened. He opened his eyes towards the sky, still clucking at his ears. The moon. The full moon. The white big round light in the sky was making his skin burn. This time when he screamed, it resembled a Howl.
He did it again. He howled once more. And then one more time and the burning sensations seemed to stop.
Then it starts again. This time it was his bones felt like they were breaking. He kept his howling as his bones twisted under his skin as he lay on the ground. This pain. This excruciating pain. That's when he passed out.
...
The morning after, he found himself on the grass. He supposed he was still in the forest near Potter Manor. He got up and looked around. His body felt like it had fallen from the The Astronomy Tower at Hogwarts and had survived. His clothes were still intact but dirty. He looked around. There he saw the pond. Just as he had remembered from his boyhood. He hadn't realised last night that he had ventured in so far deep in the forest.
He picked up a leaf and folded it to form a bowl as he conjured some drinking water into it. He sat on the stones near the lake for a time being. His brain still not ready to decipher the events of last night. The voice in his head though was silent for once. He felt exhausted.
He got up with all the strength he had in him and made his way out of the forest and towards the manor.
As he reached the manor gates after 15 minutes, he was exhausted.
Harry opened the door, Draco standing right beside him.
"Teddy? Are you okay? You look like you were hit by a hippogriff." Draco exclaimed at him.
"You would know about that." Harry said to Draco before Teddy could a say anything.
Draco didn't seem to pay Any mind to his husband as he stared at Teddy.
"Yup something like that." Teddy replied. Harry's eyes widened at his agreement.
"Don't worry Harry. I am fine. I just need a bath and a bed and I ll be fine." Teddy told his godfather.
Draco took him by the shoulders and looked into him in the eyes, "let me see."
"You do look okay, though a little disheveled." He stepped back.
"Go on up to your room. Everything you might need is in there." Draco told him, concern lacing his voice.
Giving both his cousin and godfather a small smile, he went upstairs to his childhood room.
...