Thank you for all your reviews and criticisms. Hopefully this will help explain somethings and regain the intensity of the earlier chapters.
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Draco took to the Forbidden Forest, utilizing his sense of smell. The rotting undergrowth and freshly turned dirt reminded him of the earthy parts of the Black Forest and he struggled not to respond to the urge to break loose and run. His blood sang in his sudden eagerness to embrace the night, the air and the life that seemed to vibrate around him.
Draco howled as the moon broke the surface of the clouds and he felt his body crack, his bones shifted and elongated into a stunted canine version and his jaw cracked painfully as it shifted until all that was left of Draco was an overly large artic wolf with enormous paws and silver-black eyes.
The wolf sniffed the air, pawing towards the river.
Its eyes glowed as it picked up the scent it was seeking. Its hackles rose as it smelled something worse, blood and death. Taking off at a sprint, the wolf dived through the forest at the increased pace. Skidding to a stop at a cave, the wolf smelt the feral aroma of cubs, and meat.
Smothered in that darkness was a delicate scent of the one he was seeking.
The witch.
The wolf nosed inside the cave and padded softly towards the now trembling mass.
Anise felt like her heart would stop from panic. She had been headed back to school when she had been knocked unconscious and dragged to this place. Chunks of animal meat and gristle were making a nest in twigs and branches beneath her feet and the smell was terrible.
Her wand had snapped from the struggle with the clawed man who grabbed her.
Why hadn't she seen this coming?
She heard a feral growl in the low shadowed darkness of the cave and she shuddered.
Anise's gaze darted to the thinly lit cave floor. Under the moonlight she saw an artic wolf with white fur and silver etchings was heading right for her. The wolfs muzzle pressed into her hair and it sniffed her.
It growled lowly in its throat and Anise froze.
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Draco could not smell any of her blood.
Gods know he has a great deal of experience with what that smelled like.
The wolf heard voices coming and it laid down in the shadows. He watched Anise as two wizards moved into Anise's part of the cave.
One of the Wizards spoke. "Potter is here. You were right to make it his daughter. The castle is relatively unguarded."
A gruff voice that Draco recognized as Fenrir's spoke. "Not entirely unguarded, but you were successful in trapping the quarry."
"Potter is still at the castle." The other wizard looked puzzled.
"I don't care about Potter, you imbecile. I care about my child. My long lost son," snapped Fenrir.
Fenrir turned to Draco in his hiding place. Draco felt something sweep the side of his head and he yelped and growled, ripping at Fenrir's arm. The Wizard struck a bolt of energy at the wolf and it whimpered as it fell down next to Anise, unconscious..
Anise's eyes went wide as she tried to squeeze back from the two men.
"Your son?" The wizard asked with a cool smile.
Fenrir gave a feral growl and his grotesque features curled into a menacing grin. "Welcome home."
The injured wolf began to shudder and the bones cracked hideously loud as the wolf shuddered, and slowly the change took over and soon a young man naked from the waist up in tattered pants, lying on the ground next to her, covered in a thick substance that was like water.
Anise scooted further back as Fenrir laughed and turned from them both and moved through a crack in the cave wall. The other wizard waved his wand sealing it behind them.
Anise slowly rolled over the wolf-man's body and she gasped as the moonlight hit his face. The man's beautiful pale face was complete with pale blond hair and a thin claw mark scarring his visage.
Anise stared down at Draco in shock.
Anise was suddenly very sure that Draco was supposed to kill her here.
If not turn her completely.
Anise Potter was terrified.
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Snape and Potter paced back and forth in McGonagall's study.
"Draco, a werewolf. I cant believe it." Potter rubbed his chin.
"It would explain why he didn't seem to age much." Severus offered. "Werewolves typically regenerate most tissue damage with exaggerated speed. His lifestyle also seems a bit hazardous for a pureblood wizard with limited physical ability."
Potter nodded grimly. "Yeah, Quidditch and all, Draco never seemed very physical to me."
Hermione suddenly burst inside the Headmistress's Office.
Her hair that curled haphazardly about her shoulders seemed to have a life of its own. Her feet were bare and she had on a black dress that tied at the neck and fell in tatters about her legs. Her brown eyes were glowing with something otherworldly and she mumbled under her breath.
"The Paradox eater has been taken. Her savior and our catalyst will be her executor. The boy who lives, must stop the sons of Ghede from rising to slaughter. It falls tonight. Ezuli calls you protector, Fight one last time. Cut the ties of mortals and forever cement the beginning of time."
Hermione's voice trickled over the room, separated into a chorus of disjointed sounds. Her body began to lift from the ground and her arms outstretched towards Severus.
Snape took a step forward towards Hermione with a look of uncertainty.
"This vessel no longer can sustain the life-force of the entities Loa. It contains a seed and is unsuitable to my uses. You will find me a new shell before this night turns, sorcerer, protector, it will come to you."
Severus sagged against Hermione as her words ran chills over his neck.
"Seed…"
"A child... Foolish mortal." The entity laughed and it sounded both hypnotic and dark.
Severus broke out in a cold sweat.
The thing possessing Hermione was threatening his child, if he could not find someone to let the Loa mount instead.
Another sacrifice, but whom?
Severus pushed the thought from his mind as he turned to Potter.
"Hermione has been possessed by a spirit called Loa, we have been researching how to exorcise it but nothing is revealing itself. It needs a new host. Hermione is… is with child." Snape quickly snapped out to the puzzled faces looking at him and turned to the glowing deity. "You said, Sons of Ogoun."
"Yessssss… Ogoun, my spirit husband. He calls War, and Death, just as Ghede can; Sons of his will attack the school tonight. It will try to kill Hermione, and with it, my opportunity to survive. I will help you, but my price is clear. I need a new host." The Loa spoke through Hermione.
"Deatheater's…" Harry whispered.
"Take me…" Severus grabbed Hermione and shook her.
"You make a good servant, but you do not possess the ability to contain us." Hermione's voice split again and Harry fought the urge to shudder.
"My choice will become clear soon; it is up to you to do what needs to be done. The Garoul has fallen to his father. You must interfere. All will soon be lost. Look to the cave, three stones from the Arachnids, this is the place of all being."
Hermione s voice slowly reverted to normal and she leaned on the desk with a gasp. The Loa had faded from her and she shook slightly.
"I could see everything happening but I couldn't stop it." Hermione shuddered and Severus grabbed her. "Fenrir is there, with Anise and Draco. Draco was a werewolf."
Harry exchanged looks with Snape and they nodded.
They both had not told Hermione of Draco's condition.
The spirit was telling the truth.
"Gather the students and lock down the school." Snape shouted to McGonagall.
Severus, Hermione and Harry ran for the door.
Harry muttered. "The cave of Arcadia. Lupin had spoken of it to me once. It was legend that the first werewolf formed there. I had no idea that the Forbidden Forest was hiding it."
Snape glared thoughtfully. "I know where the cave is, its getting everyone out alive and killing Fenrir that is the problem. Oh, and the gods only know, how many werewolves."
Hermione grabbed her wand and nodded grimly. "We have no choice. Anise is out there. I can only hope that Draco is able to protect her from the worst of it."
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Anise was shaking from the cold.
The shock of being dragged to this damp wet cave was wearing on her body.
Draco was still unconscious at her feet and she gingerly pushed her toe out to connect with his side. A growl came from deep inside his chest and Draco snapped awake and lashed out at her, snarling.
Anise clamped her hand over his mouth and shivered as his warm breath tickled out into her fingers. Draco ceased movement as his eyes changed to a less feral state. Anise slowly removed her fingers as Draco was looking like he wanted to bite them off. Anise scooted back from Draco and blinked.
"Where are we…?" The tone sounded guttural almost and nothing like the cultured tone Draco usually possessed.
"The cave of Arcadia… I overheard the dark wizard speaking of it." Anise murmured lowly as she stared back at Draco. "You're related to Fenrir? He called you his son."
Draco's eyes gleamed with dark laughter.
"Only in the sense that I am one of his 'Cubs'. Werewolves view pack like family. Fenrir is the alpha male and so his cubs are all his sons. He blessed his 'sons' with a true life, like giving life. Fenrir does not believe you have a life before and or outside of pack laws."
Anise shivered again from the cold and Draco grabbed Anise's hands and rubbed them between his own to create friction and warmth. Anise felt a spark of desire as their hands connected.
Draco groaned. "Can you please try to control yourself? The whole bloody pack will know that you want to mate with me."
Anise flushed a bright red. "How?" She whispered, snatching her hand back from him.
Draco lowered his head, his hair falling into his silver eyes as he regarded her. "I can smell it on you."
The husky words created a strange heat between her legs. Anise closed her eyes and tried to think of Trelawney…..Naked.
"Better." Draco said dryly as he felt her arousal recoil into disgust.
IT was a curse this sense of smell. Everything Anise felt or did was obvious to him. He could feel her as if she was right next to him, on top of him and she was hungry for him. Draco could not imagine what he did to deserve this punishment but he was truly in hell right now.
The enclosed space provided little more then a cacophony of Anise's scents. Her fear, her lust and her sweat. The fear tasted good in his mouth and he felt disgusted with his feral side for enjoying it. Draco could smell the scent of Fenrir in here and it made his hackles rise to think of Fenrir touching his … Potters kid.
Anise shifted. "How are we going to get out of here?" Anise's voice sounded reedy and thin.
Draco sniffed suddenly and growled under his breath, his posture moving in front of Anise, covering her from the yellow eyes glowing in the dark across from them.
Anise trembled against Draco's back.
"Little bit, your not going anywhere. The purrrrfect snack. So sweet and tasty." Saliva dripped from his large yellow teeth as Fenrir spoke suddenly.
The smell of must and blood became thicker as he moved forward towards Anise.
Draco shifted suddenly, his body crackled as it changed into his wolf form. He pounced on Fenrir, with a yelping bite and his sharp teeth dug into his neck. Knocked back from the attack from Draco, Fenrir growled and clawed at the wolf's face as it dived in for his jugular again.
Fenrir raised an arm and backhanded the cub and it hit the hard rock on the side of the cave. The wolf howled in pain and yipped as it struggled to get to its feet, shaking off the blow to the head.
Anise scrambled back further against the wall as Draco attacked again but this time Fenrir was ready for him. Fenrir abandoned his wizard form for the black hulking wolf form. The black wolf had rot hanging off its fur and its claws were jutting out, razor sharp as it circled the white artic wolf that snarled back ferociously, facing off with him.
The two wolves leapt and let in the air, teeth, fur flying as they tangled, biting, clawing and scrapping with each other.
Anise put her hands over her eyes, shuddering from fear as they fought. After what seemed like hours, the yelping stopped and she heard one of the wolves padding towards her.
The sound of the slap of liquid rolling off its fur as it limped across the cave floor terrified her but she refused to look up. Anise could smell blood, wet fur and rotting meat as the cold muzzle nudged her hands from her eyes.
Anise screamed suddenly as the wolf rubbed its spiky fur against her bare skinned knees; a rough tongue lapped out and caught the cut painfully licking up the blood and she jerked up and looked into the dark gleaming yellow eyes of Fenrir.
Anise squirmed back from the tongue, her heart in her throat. Fenrir came closer and his muzzle buried between her legs and sniffed her. His tongue lolling in his mouth as he panted. Anise pushed him back repulsed by his action and she jumped up. The wolf jumped and his paws hit her shoulders, knocking her underneath him.
Anise screamed as Fenrir, licked her throat, his gleaming claws digging into the soft flesh beneath her shoulder blades. Fenrir howled in triumph, and his teeth came down to bite on her shoulder.
Anise squeezed her eyes closed as she saw Fenrir move for the killing mark.
Suddenly she felt air.
Fenrir had fallen off her, Draco in human form was bleeding heavily from his head, his hands covered slickly with blood, as a stub of stalactite jutted through the wolf's belly, and she could see the sharp end came out the other side.
Draco's muscles bulged as he leaned down further, throwing his weight into the weapon and Fenrir howled, scratching and clawing at Draco, slashing through his frail human skin easily. Blood splattered into Anise's eyes as Draco finished him off.
Draco stilled after he was sure that Fenrir was dead. Blood had soaked through his pale hair and he was bit on his shoulder pretty badly. Draco watched as with death, Fenrir turned back into a disgusting specimen of man again.
Draco searched the pockets of his robe and pulled out his wand.
He turned around rapidly as he heard other wizards coming down the tunnel that lead to where they were in the cave. Draco looked down where Anise was bleeding on the floor from the gashes in her shoulder blades. Draco picked her up easily and he concentrated using the wand. They Apparated to just outside of Hogwarts grounds.
Draco stumbled slightly as they reformed, it was chaos. The moon was full and tinged red from the smoke of a fire. People were battling wolves on every side. Hex's were being thrown and sent back and the teachers were winning. Snape and Hermione were in fine form and the Ministry had responded with Aurors that were running about casting.
Draco overwhelmed with weakness and the smell of blood, felt the potion failing him.
The battle with Fenrir had stirred a bloodlust in him and he felt like he was going to frenzy and lose it. Anise moaned in his arms and he curled his fists in a weak rejection of the involuntary change that he was undergoing. Anise needed help and Draco gentled cradled her to the ground. He shakily rose up Fenrir's wand and pointed it at Anise.
Draco felt the last of his humanity and control expel as he cast a healing charm on her wounds. The bleeding stopped suddenly and he felt his control slip away completely.
Draco fell to his knees in agony as the forced change happened.
The difference to Draco was in the way the change happened. By choice, the change was quick and mostly painless. When forced, it felt like his spirit was being ripped from the inside, while his beast crawled out of his human cage.
It was bloody agony.
Anise stared up as her wounds healed at Draco's face. His eyes went pure silver with thin slits of black. The pupils enlarged with pain as he contorted, shifting beyond his control. Draco felt the claws break out of his fingers and rip along the skin, water bursting as the fur rippled and he fell to the ground. His voice was guttural and sent a shiver of fear down Anise's spine as he spoke.
"Run….. Run Anise……. I cant control it.."
The words were garbled in guttural grunts and howls but Anise understood and began to run.
Directly into the battle.
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Thank you so much for your opinions. I know I took a risk with the use of the Loa, but as is evident in this last chapter, it will not continue for long... This is nearing the end and I wanted to tie up loose ends so I hope everything becomes clear in the next few chapters. Thanks for reading and staying with me as long as you all have.
Reirei