SEE CHAPTER ONE FOR WARNINGS AND NECESSARY DISCLAIMERS.


Context : After ol' Voldysnort is taken care of, occasionally the other Nevermore realms have a squabble or two. Sometimes, Nevareans have to fight and prominent Circles will join in a Common War Council of sorts, hashing out plans and resources that they are willing to try or agree with. The suggestions and approved actions are then escalated all the way up to the Royals' and handled accordingly. This snippet features Harry trying his 'saving people' thing again...


PRIDE IV

Harry nodded, slowly. His red ears fade to a near pink. He tips his head sideways to study his mentor. "So I should've waited for Theo?" Harry asks, hoarsely.

"For the War Council presentation? Yes." Maury says, simply. "Because Theo knows how to use the connections you have and how to make the most of your Circle's influence. It's partially his responsibility as your Alpha and partially because that's simply the way he works. He's always observant and he makes use of those observations."

Harry sighs. "I-I know he does that and I've learned some of this," he gestures at himself. "From him. I mean, I'm not helpless! I can put together a decent plan or a raid for more than-"

"It's not about you," Maury says, simply. "The main point was to save more lives, yes? Was a plan reached that accomplished that goal? And if so, did it matter whether you were the one to offer that plan or not? It takes time to build up a thick skin, but there are also rules. Your Circle is young—not even through its first decade. It would be a poor Council that didn't consider those factors."

"That doesn't mean that I don't have experience!" Harry throws back. "I've probably been through more in my short life than they have in all of their-!"

"It's not a contest," Maury reaches over, stroking Harry's soft hair. "It's not a who has done what or gone through more, though—yes—" and here, he holds up a hand to stall Harry's protests. "You have been through more. Immensely so. Which also suggests that this can't be the first time you've run into this problem, is it?"

Harry wants to scowl, but the hand petting his hair is nice. "Why do you always have to make sense?"

"Well?"

"…Yes."

"And?"

"Teachers wouldn't believe us. Adults thought we were—well," Harry shrugs. "We'd have to find ways around them and sometimes, it was just kind of easier to sort of—ignore them. Just accept that they wouldn't help and go and do what we needed to anyway."

"Oh?"

Harry relaxes. "So that's what I did. I told Theo when he got back and he well—he went and took care of it."

"Ah. So that's why you couldn't spend more time with him?"

"I-I wanted them to see," Harry explains. "It's a good plan. We could save so much," He pauses, uncertain.

"Harry?"

"Theo made a few changes, but it's still a good plan. What they decided on was alright, but it left like, three points for improvement. I mean, they're looking at it from an elemental point of view and I was just thinking—what if there were a few Nameless Involved?"

Maury smiles. He has a feeling he knows how this will play out and he kind of wants to be there to see it happen. "That is a good point," he allows. "What kind of changes did Theo make?"

Harry half-laughs. "I forgot that not every Circle has a Wikhn and a Hadrian. Theo kind of worded it better."

Maury chuckles. "I see. So he took it to the council then?"

Harry shrugs again. "I don't know. I just—I told him what happened and I gave him the memory of it."

Maury's eyebrows arched upwards in surprise. His lips twitched again, as if he'd like to laugh, but really shouldn't. "I see," he says, at last. "I'm sure he'll handle it wonderfully."

Harry nods, mostly convinced.

Maury grew sober once more. "That's not what's bothering you though, is it?"

"I-I was kind of upset. I mean, it's not like they laughed me out of the hall or anything. They just—stared at me. As if I was—stupid. Like, I didn't know what I was talking about and there was no—they were all-"

"Too many emotions, too quickly and no filter," Maury recites. "What have I told you about that?"

Harry winces. "That pregnancy aggravates my magic, because I'm magic sensitive and not to be reckless." He thumps his head against Maury's shoulder. He's glad for this closeness, even if the conversation is a bit painful. "I wasn't being reckless."

Maury huffs and leans sideways enough to rest his cheek on Harry's head. "Reckless isn't always charging headfirst into danger, little one."

And Harry preens inwardly at the endearment, because sometimes, it's the little things that makes his heart ache a bit less.

"It's jumping off a cliff and forgetting that you can build wings on the way down."

"…I snapped at Quinn," Harry admits, when the silence has almost settled again. He fidgets and tries again. "He—came out to see how I was—after the—presentation. I just. I was upset." He sniffles. "I can't even blame it on hormones. I just—he was there and I was so mad. I-I wanted Theo and he—"

"And you lashed out," Maury finishes, gently. "And then you couldn't stop, because you'd been holding everything in."

"I-I tried." Harry hiccups. "I mean, I knew what I was saying was—wasn't nice."

"Nice?" Maury prompts.

"It wasn't right. I-I meant to hurt him—and I did." Harry cringes. "I didn't mean it, Oret. I didn't!"

"Shh, shhh. I know." Maury croons. "Then what?"

"My magic." Harry whispers. "My magic was—I had to pull it back in."

"Pull it back in?" Maury repeats. He's certain he's not hearing this right. He can't be. Because surely Harry isn't about to say what he thinks he is.

"All of it. I couldn't—the feelings. It was too much," Harry despairs. "I pulled it all back and I—I sealed it."

"Oh Harry." And then Maury is rearranging them, this time—to sit on the ground, with his back against the bench and Harry safely ensconced in his lap. It's definitely not good for an Empath to be shutting themselves down. They thrive on the ability to feel everything and everyone—it's simply a part of who they are. "They're still shut, aren't they?"

Harry whimpers.

"No wonder you're so out of sorts."

Harry only burrows further into the unexpected embrace. He's been missing his Bonded, but closing off the Bonds so his mind wouldn't overload, is taking a greater toll than he expected.

"Harry, Harry, Harry," Maury murmurs. He doesn't speak for a little while longer, but holds Harry in a slight rocking motion. It's something his mother used to do for him and it was always rather soothing. He hopes the same is true for Harry. Eventually, he's aware that Harry's talking and he strains to hear the hiccuped words.

"…And then I called him a consolation prize and I told him to leave me alone," Harry cries. "Why did I do that?"

"Because sometimes when we're hurting, we hurt the people that care the most," Maury says. "A wounded animal strikes back, even against the one trying to rescue it." He sighs. "You are somewhat off-balance, yes, but not because of your pregnancy."

"But my magic's fine!"

"Fine is not shutting things down because it's about to be overwhelming," Maury corrects, gently. "Answer me this, are you upset about the council—or Quinn?"

"Quinn!" The answer is quick to come.

Maury hides a smile. This is what he wants to get at. "Why?"

"B-because I was horrible to him and I shouldn't have said something like that-!"

"Have you apologized?" Maury asks, practically.

"…I can't."

"Oh? Has something managed to-"

"I can't open the link." Harry says in a small voice. "I tried. It's locked."

"On his side?" Maury clarifies.

Harry squeezes his eyes shut. He's only seeing Quinn's face reflecting in his mind's eye from that awful day. He's tried to push at the mental connection between them and it refuses to give. "Yes."

"Talk to him, then. Face to face."

"…He gave Ethan my potions." Harry says, softly. "He always gives them to me and the past few days, he gave them to Ethan to bring to me. I haven't even seen him. I'm sure he's near, because I don't think he'd go far. But I don't see him. I don't hear him and—whenever I go looking for him, he's not where—I-"

"Did you take them?" Maury asks.

"Yeah. I'm not stupid." Harry says, indignantly. "They're the ones I always take."

His mentor chuckles. "I never said you were," he says, fondly..


Again, this is NOT TBDH-canon. More Harry and Maury bonding! This is one of the longer/more serious snippets. I promise the next one is pure silliness. Really. I just felt like writing these two-I'm glad you're all enjoying it.

Harry is toasting marshmallows now, because CHOCOLATE. Maury is patiently waiting to assemble the s'mores and will glady share, if you would ask. :P

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! ~Scion