Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Twilight.
AN: I was very pleased with the response to last chapter, and omg we made 1,000 reviews! You guys are the best. Okay, done with my minor freak out moment there. You really are the best, please keep reviewing, and check out my NEW X-OVER: It's a one shot titled Unmentionable Bits. It's stupid and silly but hey, it's Edward, right?
BTW- This is one of my favorite chapters yet. Enjoy.
Chapter Twelve
Eyebrows rose all over the room.
"You're claiming…magic elicited this bond?" Carlisle questioned carefully, as though afraid for their sanity.
"You're nuts." Emmett said blankly. "There's no such thing as magic. Vampires, Werewolves," This was growled, "Sure. Magic?!"
Remus shrugged a little helplessly.
"That's pathetic." Rosalie growled, "What do you want with us, and how stupid do you think we are?"
"Honestly." Harry whispered impatiently. He reached for his wand. "There, my magic wand. What would you have me do? Turn your TV into a cat?" He did so. "I, myself, could go for some tea," A tea service appeared on the wooden table. "Perhaps you'd all like to be permanently attached to the ceiling…" Harry brandished his wand again.
"That's enough Harry." Remus said softly. He knew Harry's defense mechanisms. Brazen, impolite confidence was one of them. Jasper also seemed aware that this was a defense mechanism, as he was tugging on Harry's shirt and asking him to stop. Harry sat down again, but his knees started bouncing with nervous energy and Remus almost wished he had let the boy continue. He turned back to the vampires to find them all wide eyes and gaping jaws.
"As you can see," Remus turned the cat back into a TV. He hated cats. "We are not playing with you. We are quite serious," Both Jasper and Harry winced. Harry's response was not unexpected, and Remus found himself wincing too. However, Jasper's response was strange. How could Jasper know of Sirius?
"It's not jest, that is." Remus rephrased awkwardly.
"So… the bond is magic." Alice stated more than asked.
Remus nodded.
"And you're what…witches? Warlocks?"
"Wizards." Harry stated firmly. "We're wizards."
"Is the magic why our gifts don't work?" Edward asked, motioning to Alice and himself.
"And why you don't smell like wolf?" Emmett added with a snarl.
Remus frowned, "What are your gifts? I know that Jasper is an empath…"
"I see glimpses of the future."
"Bloody seers." Harry snapped.
"Harry this hardly sounds like prophecy." Remus soothed.
"No," Alice shook her head. "It's incredibly imprecise. It's more like…I see possible outcomes to a situation. I can't get any thing off Harry, though, and anyone's future that is intertwined with his is fuzzy."
Remus nodded thoughtfully. "I cannot know for sure without discussing it with my colleagues and doing some research, but I would guess…it's because Harry's life has been thoroughly touched by prophecy. That sort of interference usually leaves a mark." Harry rubbed his scar with his free hand. Alice frowned and gave a nod, considering Harry with intense curiosity.
"And Edward?"
"I read minds. Or thoughts really."
Harry stiffened and withdrew into Jasper, shaking and eyes fixed on the floor.
Jasper sent a soothing wave out and Harry relaxed slightly.
Edward shifted in his seat.
"I cannot get a reading on either of you."
Remus inclined his head. "Yes, that makes sense. Harry and I both have an artificial shield in our minds to protect them from outside sources. The shields are centered on a charmed object; if we were to remove you would likely be able to see into our minds."
Edward scowled.
Remus sighed and reached over to lay a hand on Edward's cold leg.
"Neither of our minds is a fit place for you to visit." Edward turned away and an awkward silence fell.
"What about your scent, wolf?" Emmett brought up again.
"Stop calling him that, you bloody fucking ba-"
"That's enough Harry." Remus interrupted. Harry was standing now, breathing heavily. He was obviously falling apart under the stress. "I've been called worse. They haven't been forced out of age old prejudices like I have. It is understood there will be some aggression. Now, why don't you and Jasper excuse yourselves and you can try and get some sleep."
"Come along, Harry." Jasper whispered. "Let's just go, all right?"
The two boys excused themselves.
Without the tying presence of the two boys, they fell into an awkward silence.
More to clear the air than anything, Remus spoke up, "You are all very lucky to have found your chosen." However he met with silence and confused looks. Reeling back, Remus glanced at them all. They did not know that each creature, werewolf, vampire, shifter, vela…had a destined mate? Or chosen, as the vampires used.
"Mate?" He tried hesitantly. Unsurprisingly, there was no reaction but more confusion.
Though not usually of a foul mouth, Remus swore under his breath. This would make things between Edward and Harry much more difficult.
"All creatures have one. A mate or a chosen or…well there are numerous names…but one who matches your soul and you thoughts, your second half if you would." Remus desperately tried to explain. It was difficult though, as he had no first hand experience with the affair, not having met his mate yet.
The couples in the room were looking at each other in awe, while Alice had a far away look on her face. Edward's eyes were stormy, his face clouded.
"Then you are the more lucky to have found your second halves."
Edward abruptly got up and left the room. The other watched him go sadly.
"Edwards has been alone a long time." It should not have surprised Remus that they did not immediately recognize their chosen, but it did. Edward didn't know? Harry wouldn't, not being a magical creature, though if he was off the numerous potions he was taking regularly, he might have been able to sense it. Harry was not going to take this well, and it seemed Edward would be just as hard to convince. But he could let neither his cub, nor his cub's mate stay lonely; it was in neither his nature nor the wolf's. It just wasn't possible.
Remus erected a silencing charm around him and Carlisle.
"Carlisle…"
"Remus?"
"Harry is Edward's mate."
Carlisle drew back, glancing at his family.
"They cannot hear us," Remus explained shortly.
"How do you know?" Carlisle asked, almost desperately.
"I can smell it. Sense it." Remus shrugged. "It's a difficult thing to explain. Most werewolves are more sensitive to emotional bonds than normal people. Besides that, Harry is my cub. I know."
Carlisle nodded thoughtfully.
"Edward has been obsessed with Harry since you moved here. For one his blood calls to him… is there a term for that?"
"Singer." Remus said softly, bemused at how ignorant these vampires were of their own culture.
"Harry is his singer, then, but he has also been drawn to him…in other ways."
Remus was unsurprised. "When a mateship occurs between a vampire and a human, the vampire is often drawn to them in all ways…blood, body, mind and magic."
"Is Harry not drawn to Edward in the same way?"
"No, I don't think so. He might be if things were different…Harry is very powerful."
"If things…?"
"The Wounded Victims Bond." Remus reminded gently. "Harry is hurt."
"Of course." Carlisle murmured.
"Our boys." Remus said softly.
Carlisle nodded and repeated, "Our boys."
They clasped hands, and a new truce began.
Jasper led Harry up to his office. Harry smiled shyly at him as he studied the musty books on the wall.
"You have some good ones." He mumbled, defense measure gone now that the stress was removed.
"Thanks."
They sat together on the couch and leaned together. After a couple moments of silence, Harry said, "I want to know the good things."
"Hmm?"
"I know all about the bad things from the bond. I want to know the good things."
So Jasper started telling Harry about his time with Peter and Charlotte, and then his family, though he could yet to call them that. Harry just looked at him knowingly when he said Esme instead of Ma, or Coven instead of Family, and squeezed his cold hand. In return Harry told Jasper about Hogwarts and his friends.
It was a wonderful afternoon as they swapped stories back and forth, feeling no pressure to be anything more than what they were.
EPOV
I ran up the stairs, my family's thoughts swirling in circles at the edges of my mind
Oh, Edward, Rosalie's soft alto and the sense of rose petals, softer and sweeter than she ever revealed herself to be.
I want Ed happy, I want Jasper happy and all seems to depend on that puny runt…sorry Ed. Came Emmett's deep grumble, tinged with the feeling and smell of sun dried pine needles, but also of laughter, wild and free.
Then Esme, like fresh washed linens, left to dry by a salty bay, My dear son, so very alone…
Alice, like wind chimes, Perhaps…and then the Japanese alphabet.
Carlisle, whose thought-touch encompassed all a father could be, warmth, and old books, and deep intelligence, all occupied with reciting King Lear.
They, and Jasper (whose thought-touch was the sunlight-on-a-winter-day so purely Jasper, and the chaotic touch I don't like to think about) were blocking me, and it hurt vaguely.
I closed the door behind me, constantly mindful of my strength. I slipped on a soft track of jazz and settled to the floor. My thoughts wandered, first, as they often did these days to Harry…
I could see him now as though he stood before me, head bowed, shoulders thrown back, lithe muscles, green sparkling eyes, messy black hair I longed to run my fingers through…so perfect, so strong…so hurt. Traumatized? Wounded? Hurt? Harry?
I'd known of the PTSD. I'd known he was paranoid. I'd known he was different. How could I miss this…?
And then my thoughts turned to my brother Jasper, whose hurt I have not seen, whose wounds had been hidden just as well, if not better, and for far longer. How had we not seen that Jasper was hurting? How had we not seen he was still affected? I thought of the box in Jasper's head, where I could not reach, hidden by other thoughts. I had never pried, never tried. I could not think, now, of what might be in there. His memories of the war? What would he not think about, ever, in my presence, where I might overhear?
…Now to Jasper and Harry being together, and the burning, terrible jealousy that engulfed him. Harry was his…but that was wrong. Despite Harry being a wizard, it was wrong. So wrong to love the human, who knew that he was a monster inside, and was properly scared of that monster, of that side of him…so that there was no chance between them, as was only proper.
Right. There was no chance, and that was good.
…
Then why do I feel so alone, so very lonely and separate?
Carlisle and Remus spent much of the afternoon behind the silencing ward. They did not talk too much of Jasper or Harry, as those were not their secrets to tell. They spoke of Carlisle and Remus' history both, before at five, or so, they emerged from the ward old friends.
"What was that about, dear?" Esme asked. Emmett and Alice were playing one of those Muggle games, while Rosalie cheered them on.
"We were just getting to know each other, Esme." Carlisle said softly.
Footsteps were heard on the stairs, announcing Harry's presence easily.
"Moony, we should go." Harry said softly.
"Harry I think you'll have to stay here tonight, id it's all right..." He turned to Carlisle and Esme, who said at the same time "Certainly."
Harry recoiled, fear on his face. "Remy, I can't…"
"Cub, I have to have Albus adjust the wards to allow Jasper access. And Severus will want to meet him…there are many things to be done before Jasper can join us at home, and you need to be with him, Harry. Everything will be fine. I'll the pack where you're at, Jasper won't let any harm come to you, and I'll give Carlisle your potions."
"Do you have Dreamless Sleep?" Harry asked in a small voice.
"Baby, you can't take anymore of that, you know that."
"Remus I can't do this…I can't please."
Remus glanced at Jasper before wrapping Harry into his arms. Though he had not outwardly stated it, the boys accepted his presence because they both had a connection to him. Jasper was his cub through his bond with Harry, though they would develop their own connection with time.
"Everything will be fine." Remus reassured. He kissed the tussled hair and handed Harry off to his other cub.
He turned back to Carlisle.
"It is all right if I give you his potions?"
Carlisle frowned, "Potions?"
"My medications." Harry explained shyly, though in muggle terms. This was Jasper's Pa, even if he couldn't call him that. "I tend to forget to take them."
"Oh, of course." Carlisle agreed with an easy, kind smile.
Remus pulled several vials out of his pockets, and started handing them off to Carlisle.
"This one right before he sleeps." He said of a bright blue bottle. He then handed over a clear viscous potion, "This one before breakfast. Oh-food."
"I'll take care of it." Esme offered, smiling at Jasper.
The last potion, a muted yellow one with the consistency of water was handed over, "Finally a calming potion. The dosage is two swallows. Only if he's panicking or has a nightmare. We're trying to go without so many."
Harry flushed, and a couple of the vampires shifted, though Carlisle, of course, did not.
"I'm not addicted, Moony."
"I know you're not, but Severus says you could become dependent if you're not careful."
"You mean he said, 'If Potter's a dithering idiot like usual and doesn't consider the consequences of his actions, he'll get himself addicted." Harry grumbled, doing a pitch perfect impersonation of the snarly Potions Master.
Remus had to laugh, though he mentioned, "He likes you now, Harry. Can you remember all that?" He asked Carlisle. The vampire easily repeated when Harry took each potion.
Remus gave Harry one more reassuring hug and a kiss on the head, before turning to pull Jasper down for a quick kiss on the blond head too. It was strange to have a cub the same height as him, as Harry was so much smaller.
Jasper looked distinctly embarrassed.
"Have a good night, love, and try to relax, hmmm?" Remus murmured, so only Jasper could hear, before releasing the vampire.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow." Harry was informed. Remus then tanked them for their hospitality, left the house, and ran home. Though not as speedy as a vampire, Remus was faster than a human and the full moon was lending him strength
Slightly shorter than last chapter, sorry. I wanted to get a chapter out tonight, so I didn't keep typing. No promises on when the next chapter will be up, but hopefully nor more than two weeks. I do have notices on my profile on about how often to expect updates.
And aren't y'all excited for Harry's big sleepover at the Cullens? It's got all the usual stuff…juicy gossip and midnight snacks.
