NAMELESS 11: Realizations
*I do not own any rights to Harry Potter or any characters within, nor any concepts from LOVELESS. Only Nolan is mine.
The room was tense and silent following the question everyone was wondering themselves. Charlie finally broke it by saying, "I don't know, Harry."
"Don't know? What do you mean you don't know?!" His voice was rising with some hysterics before he stopped himself. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths before opening them to ask, "Your parents are bonded, so shouldn't you know about all this?"
Charlie shared a glance with the twins, but couldn't find the words he needed to explain, yet not set harry off again. He'd only known the teen for a few hours now, and that was not nearly long enough to know how to navigate such a temper as he had.
"This has never,"
"Happened in a,"
"Bonding before." Fred began and finished their sentences, as always.
"That we,"
"Know of,"
"Anyway." The twins spoke softly, hesitating to face a pissy Harry Potter again. They never imagined facing an upset one, though, and it was ever more heart wrenching.
"So I'm just a freak," Harry whispered brokenly, his fears coming true. "Little Harry Potter came to create Fate's new example of hilarity."
The redheads in the room froze immediately, not truly understanding the depth of feeling that these thoughts came from, but Nolan knew. Dumbledore had explained what Harry's relatives would be like as he trained Nolan to be the perfect Fighter, and no matter how short a time he had spent with them, being orphaned by one set of adults then immediately abandoned by another left a mark on one's soul and self esteem.
Being raised as a muggleborn in a social sphere that would condemn you for magic you were born with hadn't helped, even if Harry's guardians had never felt that way.
Without a word Nolan moved to the bed and lay next to Harry. He pulled roughly so the smaller boy fell in line with his body and engulfed him in long, gangly arms.
"Stop. Breathe. Think. You are not alone in this. Charlie has his ears and tail. This isn't something to do with just you, Harry. I guess...maybe our bond didn't take, so it is part of the bond between you and Charlie…" Nolan trailed off, not wanting to think on that further, but Harry stopped him.
"It took," he mumbled into the pale chest before him.
"What?" Nolan asked.
"The bond. It took. It's settled. I saw it yesterday." Harry looked up, and saw Nolan's arm move as he reached back to scratch the small of his back. His eyes lit up as he remembered just how itchy his head and back had been yesterday after the bond, and with a gleam in his eye he leant up on one elbow.
"Move your head over here."
"Huh?" Nolan got out as Harry yanked his head down. He tried not to shiver at the sensation of his hair being pulled, but couldn't quite mask it.
"Sorry," Harry murmured, then ran gentle fingers through Nolan's hair, grinning as he found the two bumps he was hoping for. His eyes and spirits lifted as he teased. "There they are. You have ears coming!"
Nolan felt around the same areas, eyes lighting up at the tangible confirmation of his place with Harry. He was still in awe as he softly whispered, "Woah. Ears," to himself, then checked his back as well. "And a tail. Wicked."
Charlie, who watched the scene in deep thought snapped his fingers. "It's got to be the Soul-Bond potion causing this. Mum and Dad didn't need it, explaining how this has never been seen before. We've all taken it, but Fred and George here haven't found their Units so the potion hasn't been activated."
"Okay, then,"
"Why the delay,"
"In accessories,"
"For that one," George finished, nodding at Nolan.
"Because my bond came later, after the battle," Nolan said, still rubbing the spot where his ears were going to appear. The skin was inflamed and tender, but he couldn't bring himself to care overmuch. All he could think was his dream had come true. He was Harry's Fighter.
Harry's stomach interrupted the moment though by growling loud and long. Nolan laughed, used to the sound each morning in Gryffindor dorms, and the others did as well.
"Let's get clothes on and eat," Charlie suggested. "Maybe Mum will know something about all this after all, eh?"
The others nodded, though Harry was still reluctant to leave the room. With some convincing and another rumble from his stomach he gave in, Harry dressed quickly, only just realizing that his entire meltdown had occurred while wearing only a towel. He threw on jeans and a grey t-shirt, Charlie a light blue shirt, black pants and Nolan a green shirt with jeans.
They had to take the time to spell a hole into their pants as both Harry and Charlie soon found that having their tails pushed up against their bodies was the high of discomfort.
Harry crept downstairs, ears laid back. He was trying to remain unseen, but it was futile. Ginny crowed over how cute his ears were, while Ron and Hermione grilled him on how it happened. Mrs. Weasley immediately yelled at the twins for pranking 'poor Harry', but they quickly professed their innocence. Nolan tried to remain nearby if needed, but said little.
Harry blushed wildly with each repeated exclamation over his and Charlie's new accessories. Neither of the Weasley parents nor Bill had heard of such a thing occurring, and threw in their own theories about why. The Weasley and Prewitt family had no record of creature blood that manifested in cat-like ears and tails, but no one knew the Potter family history well enough to know for sure either way.
Finally, Charlie, after stepping out a moment to send a letter, put an end to the questions. He was especially concerned after seeing how uncomfortable they made Harry.
"Enough," he told the room, looking particularly at Ron and Hermione who had been pestering Harry since he'd come down. "We know as much as you do right now, and as the ones with the ears I can tell you that it's more disconcerting to have them than to see them. Hopefully Percy will know something. I just sent an owl off about all this, so we will have information either way within a few hours."
"But how will you know?" Hermione insisted.
"Logical deduction," Nolan said softly, but confidently. "Harry and I took our Soul Bonding potion at the same time, yet he has his ears and I do not. So, it is not only a side effect of the potion. Charlie and Harry bonded at the same time, and I bonded a few hours later. If, in a few hours my ears come in then the theory will be set that bonding after taking the potion will result in ears and a tail growing."
Hermione's hand automatically went to her head in a quick check for bumps, but is was the look on Ron's face that had everyone laughing.
"Aww, is," Fred began.
"Ickle Ronnikins,"
"Still afraid of,"
"The big, bad,"
"Kneazle?"
"No!" He huffed indignantly, his hand also on his head. "I'm not scared! I just. If that's true then who would want to bond knowing they'll have those bloody things growing out of them?!"
Utensils clattered on plates, shattering the otherwise silence of the room following Ron's outburst. The sound of a chair scraping the floor filled the room as Harry stormed out without saying a word, tail bristling behind him. Nolan followed him quickly after sharing a look with Charlie, who remained seated but glaring at his younger brother.
"Ronald!" Hermione began, but was cut off by Charlie raising his hand, palm towards her.
Silence reigned as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley fought their tongues, wanting to chastise their son, but holding their thoughts after a look from their elder son. Without speaking, Charlie moved to the seat in front of Ron and folded his hands together in front of his chest.
"What are you playing at, Ron?" Charlie began steadily, reigning in his temper little by little.
"What? I didn't say anything!"
"No? You called our ears and our tails 'those bloody things'. You say you would go so far as to remain unbonded to avoid them. What part of that do you think did not devastate the boy you are supposed to be best friends with?"
Ron said nothing, mouth gaping as he realized the implication of his words.
"You say you're his best friend," he looked to Hermione as well. "You both do, yet you question him when he is vulnerable, you persist when he is uncomfortable, and you make what has happened to him akin to a disease to be avoided at all costs. I think that you both would do well to remember that you will have Fighter Units soon. You will be paired by the Fates, and nothing will stop them from bringing you together.
"You may not know them, you may not even like them, but they will be yours and you theirs. You will be incomplete apart. Harry has that now. He has me and Nolan, and do not think that because you knew him first that you know him best. I will protect him, Nolan will protect him. If that means protecting him from you, so be it. You need to learn that words have power, especially now."
With that he rose from his chair as a loud thudding sounded through the house. Charlie walked out on breakfast and his family.
He had a Sacrifice to comfort.
Nolan took the steps two and three at a time in order to reach Harry as quickly as possible. He'd seen this scene plenty while living in the Gryffindor dormitory, but never had he had the opportunity to do anything like comfort Harry after. His entire life had been filled with two thoughts. First was to become the best Fighter for Harry and second to never be a burden. He'd never approached Harry because Dumbledore had made it obvious to him that to do so would put an unnecessary burden on Harry.
'To be given a Fighter that was not properly trained would be too much for the boy,' the Headmaster said again and again. 'You don't want to go to the Boy-Who-Lived without being the best candidate for the position.'
The words would circle in his head over and over, like a track on repeat in his mind. He had to be the best. Had to hone his craft. Had to win.
Always win for Harry.
As a child this was what he lived for. Keep going for Harry. One more meter for Harry. One more lash for Harry. It was beat into him literally and metaphorically…
Until the day he met the famous Boy-Who-Lived. Standing in that church and watching the steadfast boy panic at the thought of magic and going off to school...it had been eye opening and lovely. Nolan had always been told in the years before finding him that Harry was a shy, socially inept boy with deep seated Gryffindor tendencies, but seeing the confidence in him that summer day had crashed those tall tales.
He had said nothing to Harry, struck dumb at finally seeing the center of his universe so animated and happy. He smiled softly at times, but was generally overwhelmed by seeing the boy whom he had spent years learning for. As time went on they were both sorted into Gryffindor House and lived in the same dormitory. Nolan watched the messy haired boy, and the more he did the more glaring the errors in what he had been taught became.
Harry was neither shy, nor socially stunted. He was respectful and kind, but very concerned about standing out. He liked blending, just like Nolan. He loved his family, and missed them. He did not like adventure as much as he was told, but his sense of justice and equality kept him in motion in the Wizarding World.
He had a problem with saving things that should not have been his problem to save.
Just as he had a saving people complex, Harry also had a problem conforming to Wizarding mannerisms. Nolan had been taught what he needed by Dumbledore, but also through books and observing the people around him. Harry, had not.
Nolan had watched the same situation from dinner happen time and again at Hogwarts. Something happened to Harry, Ron acted like an insensitive neanderthal then Harry ran away from the situation rather than confront him. The situation became tense until someone gave in or the truth came out to smack everyone in the face.
Avoiding confrontation was the muggle way of dealing with hurt feelings that the Wizarding World just didn't understand. Without a duel for honor and an explanation of feelings or thoughts the magicals just thought you found their behavior acceptable and would continue.
Lost in thought and halfway up the landing Nolan felt a sharp, pinching pain in his head and lower back. His balance shifted in an instant and he tripped. He pitched forward just as he felt he pants growing tighter and a weight settling on his head. He tried to turn, but his feet slipped further. With a thud and crack he hit the stairs on his right side, a dull pain in his head blocking out everything else. He slid up with his gathered momentum, then back down the steps in a heap, groaning as aches and bruises began to make themselves known almost immediately.
"Nolan!" He heard the voice distantly, and hissed when a heavy hand turned his body on the pointy edge of the stairs. His back felt pinched and crowded and he had to fight between not moving and his hips squirming to find a more comfortable position.
"Ow…," he moaned, hand rising to cup his head before hissing as his fingers came into contact with hair well before it should have. "What the?"
"Ssh. Stop. Seems the ears and whatnot came suddenly. You got yours, though it looks like the fall broke some cartilage. You may have one straight and one flopped if this doesn't set right." Charlie smoothed his hand over Nolan's head, carefully avoiding the injured ear while still checking for injuries. Nolan squirmed as the hand ran over his chest and abdomen firmly. He grabbed Charlie's wrist carefully before the redhead could go any further. He heart was racing from the adrenaline rush of falling, and certain parts of his anatomy were reacting very strongly to having a very fit, handsome man nearby.
"I'm pumped full of adrenaline and still a teenager. You may want to stop touching me," Nolan said breathily.
Charlie froze, his breath stopping short. "You're…?"
Nolan's lips tightened to a crisp, thin line as he tensed. "Yes. I'm gay. If that's going to be a problem then-"
Charlie felt a tightness in his chest he hadn't realized was binding him release at Nolan's admission. He knew from the moment they bonded that the age difference with Harry could cause issues, but hoped that any problems they encountered would be resolved by the sheer closeness that Fighter Units shared. To then be bound to another Fighter of a similar age deficit worried him further. Being part of a Unit did not necessarily mean the relationship would lead to sex, but the intimacy required to work as one often led to such.
A Unit with two Fighters would have to be exceptionally close.
Without hearing more Charlie quieted the teen with a soft kiss, only a slight press of lips. A simple sign of reassurance, support with a hint of heated promise. Charlie could feel his tail swishing in happiness.
"No problems, Nolan." Charlie watched as Nolan relaxed and sighed softly in relief. "Well," he continued, throwing a look up the staircase. "No problems between us. I don't know how Harry will feel…"
Nolan shook his head tentatively, wincing as it moved his injured ear. "Best not to mention it yet. With his background I don't know that he'd take it well...and um, it's just going to overwhelm him again. I can't do that to him so soon. Not knowingly."
Charlie agreed with a soft 'Mmm' before nodding his head. He could see that Nolan's ear was getting red and inflamed and put his thoughts aside for now. Without pausing Charlie slid his arms beneath Nolan's back and knees. "C'mon my Graceful Steed. Let's get you healed. Maybe we can get your ear set in time." He huffed a laugh. "Or who knows, maybe Harry will want you to keep it flopped. It is pretty adorable."
Nolan hissed as he was moved, but settled quickly after a feel for the hard, bulging muscles beneath him. He may be a virgin, having saved himself for his Sacrifice, but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate nice aesthetics on a man. He was so caught up in those appreciative thoughts that Charlie's words didn't sink into his brain for quite a few moments.
"Wait. Graceful Steed? Did you just call me a horse?!"
Charlie couldn't resist the moment, realizing that he was safe from retaliation on his ear comment. He looked Nolan straight in the eye as he grinned and laughingly said, "Neigh!"
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