I am weeks behind, sorry, my computer ate over 6k words. It was incredibly hard for me to start writing this again, when 3 chapters disappeared on a whim.
Looking back it was obvious, the staff that had entered Narcissa's room carried themselves with an air of secrecy, they barely spoke with the exception of the happy Healer who waltzed in every morning, and the Medi-wizard.
Lucius thought back to the dreaded words, "Ministry determination...". Oh if he could have hexed the bastard he would have, he was sure Draco's wand hand trembled at one point.
Augury had decided they said, castings, arithmancy, numerology, and sortilege, as if that mattered when they were ripping the last semblance of self from a woman had lost herself, who was questioning everything!
But she had allowed it, she had no choice, they had no choice! Narcissa his personal Persephone renamed common Elspeth; Scottish brogue spilling from her lips as the Unbreakable was sworn, ministry charms laid thick.
He would not forget her reaction, for the first time since he had set eyes on the golden haired girl that was to be his wife Lucius had feared her. The room had warmed, sticky moisture filled heat, choking humidity that he thought in the moment would drown their lungs if left standing in it too long.
The Unspeakable had given her a calculated look, and shrugged. It mattered none to him, she was a thing they were unable to study, this ability only made her slightly more interesting.
And so they carried on, she bore the distrust of people who once respected or atleast feared her, with grace and a smile. Ignoring the snide comments of her being cast as a replacement; the snider ones on her age, and what such a lovely young woman was doing with a man old enough to be her father.
He'd also caught her laughing with Hermione, whatever it was that they shared, the power that recognized itself in each was a laconic method of forging friendship.
She had managed a long conversation with Luna; he had not asked what they had spoken about.
Lucius lifted his face to the sun, and smiling at the memory of the pairs of pale eyes that had rested on him when the door had opened, they had flicked looks towards each other sharing a knowledgeable look.
Luna was gone now, she didn't say to where, Nar...Elspeth and Hermione would know. He no longer had the right, friendship he understood would take years before he could share it with Luna again. Maybe when dreams that had been whispered at midnight had found new ears to be whispered against, they could once again look at each other without twinges of pain.
It was enough that Luna and Nar.. Elspeth respected each other today.
Beltane was days away, Hermione was unsettled. The Headmaster and Kingsley had come only a few days before sequestering themselves with Severus. The topic of conversation, prophecies, Narcissa and the unknown women it spoke of; the danger it carried.
It left Hermione deeply uneasy, them behind closed doors discussing her unknown future based on a nunce's prophecy; she was cognizant of how her life had come to parallel Harry's, even if Severus discussed with her every word spoken.
The energy in her bubbled on still, it was something she found shared with Elspeth, she found it much easier to think of returned Narcissa as such; a subtle feminine awareness growing each day.
Beltane.
Danu cackled long before daybreak, washing scorching energy over them setting the tone for a difficult early morning, pricks of power making simple spells spiral out of control.
Draco watching from over a cup of tea wondered if Severus and Hermione realized what was happening. As interconnected as they were, sometimes he couldn't help but note that they both looked to books for knowledge, even Severus who was as intuitive a spell and potions creator as any of the greats.
Draco smiled as power trailed along his arms, taking a deep breath of tea, bergamot, vanilla, fainter orange that until that moment he'd believed Severus had told tales of, today was going to be interesting.
Long before they would have eaten breakfast had they been allowed a full night's rest the first explosion rocked the house. Severus temper bubbled through the bond hot and bitter, Draco sent along the same pathways assurances and love, and hoped Severus would call it a morning before he destroyed the cellars.
When he sent the elves to prepare the cottage, there was relief in the young elf's large eyes who took the message to Plum and Ais. If the elves were fearful it was time to leave.
Draco bundled Hermione out first, her purse filled with books, too worried about learning some arcane bit of knowledge to acknowledge the power creeping over her body, or rather using books to ignore what was going on; she had been doing that frequently.
Severus was harder to get out of his labs, persuasion useless, Draco threatened him with Potter, Severus walked out the lab lips pressed into a thin snarl. He twisted into nothingness rubbing the spot on his arm of the now gone dark mark, the look in his face uneasy. Draco frowned they needed to get this out of the way.
"Breathe in through your nose and out your mouth"
"Hermione must you curate every step?"
Draco bit his lip to keep his laughter contained at Severus' snarls, and Hermione huffed "Fine!"; before they lapsed into silence.
Breathe in seeking the magical core, breathe out casting out fears; breathe in, follow intuition, repeated until done without thought. Following a magical trail he had learnt at his Father's knee and could repeat before he was old enough understand.
Draco startled as pale blue eyes stared back at him, his tiger.
It looked at him judging his worth, huffing as it walked towards him scenting the air, then it jumped mouth opened wide! Draco flailed, back pedaling as he opened his mouth to scream, instead what came out his lips was a roar.
This body felt ever so strange, scents and noises assailed him from all sides, he sniffed...mates. Hermione gasps of amazement, Severus a harsh bark of a laugh.
"Can you understand me?"
Draco shook his head at the voice.
Hermione smiled, "You can? You can understand us! I was worried that you would be limited to animal intuition, oh this is wonderful. You are beautiful! You are a Maltese, do you know how rare they are? My goodne..."
Draco roared, a small one, making Hermione shriek in surprise,
"I believe Draco would like you to stop asking questions, and accomplish this task."
Draco chuffed in response, and sat flicking his tail in impatience, there was prey outside, he could smell it.
Burrowing his muzzle into his front paws he watched them settle, the female giving him shy awestruck glances. He flicked his tail again, must wait on mates but maybe there was time for a nap? They would take a while.
The moaning woke him, an intuitive sound that he understood was meant to calm. His mates! Their lioness was laying panting, head laying on her flank, the large black tiger standing over her protectively moaning at her, trying to get her to stand; doing it wrong.
Draco stood and fought the instinctual urge to arch and hiss at the bigger cat, he walked forward slowly ears and tail up, stopping when he came close and the larger tiger's eyes pinned him with a stare. He waited for the tiger to give him permission to move, ears perking up. Going on the opposite side of the lioness, rubbing his body against the black on black fur. A rumble escaped the big chest, a purr, happiness.
Draco trailed his tail along the great spine, the big tiger stepped back allowing access to the lioness; Draco sniffed her, she smelled right, a home had had no idea he had missed. He purred in her ears, and she flicked her head away. Draco stepped back stealing looks at the big male, then he lunged nipping her rump. She stood immediately as he danced away from her and the big male mischievously, amber eyes flashing she grunted, Draco turned and started to run she gave chase, the big male roared his displeasure.
Hermione sat on the bed gingerly, "I can't believe you nipped me!"
Draco smirked, "I can't believe you were laying there cataloging your animalistic behaviors!", Hermione's pouted reply may have been considered cute. Draco sat to the end of the bed, "You know you'll be a animagus for the rest of your life? You have plenty of time"
"I think I'll take that under advisement Mr I ate a hare."
Draco laughed, "It could have been worse, I could have licked my own ass!"
Severus voice cut Hermione's cry of displeasure short, "And I assure you that you wouldn't be kissing anyone."
Severus went to the window, looking over the blooming flowers they had run roughshod through only an hour before, "Why was today so special that we had to become animagi?"
Hermione reached for a her bag doubtlessly going for a book; Draco flicked his hand sending it skittering across the floor, "Just tell us!"
Her nose flared in anger, she started to draw herself forward.
"Please Hermione? You know you don't need a book" Draco reached for her foot starting penitence immediately.
She flounced back, "It's Beltane, animals were blessed on Beltane, I believe Danu will consecrate our animagus forms today, in 1278 there was a report of animagus being..."
For Draco her voice fell away, their fur had been damp with Beltane dew still suspended on leaves and grass as they had ran outside; he remembered stories his mother had told him of pure blood ladies washing their faces with Beltane dew, the goddess' hand remained in everything they did.
Severus never turned as he interrupted Hermione, "Have you noticed that the elves have only placed yellow flowers?"
Hermione's and Draco's eyes darted around the room large vases usually filled with Hermione's roses and whatever the gardens were producings, were filled instead of rowan branches, gorse and primrose.
"The elves have evoked the tree spirits." He turned then leaving the room much in the way that he had entered every class room while he taught, "I must prepare for the bonfire."
Hermione moved to follow Draco held her foot shaking his head, Hermione returned look was wary, "leave him! he needs to prepare without us."
Hermione gave him a doubtful look.
"Don't you see how he's been acting? He's worried and stressed about this, you, us. If you go he'll pout and snarl, give him time."
Hermione frowned but lay back summoning her bag. Draco rested his head back, no she wouldn't have noticed, she was too wrapped up her her own worries.
Severus hoped they stayed inside, stayed away from him. Danu chuckled, "My son you can not fight yourself."
Severus started rolling his sleeves up, he could cut the wood with magic but he needed physical exertion today, "I can fight you though."
"I am a goddess and you are the last in what was a very great line, named Prince because they were borne of royal blood, my blood! You are me!" Her whip like voice centered his attention.
"This! All this cutting trees, bonfires, festivals, this was human doing, seeking to control me. I used it and became encapsulated in their limits! I want my daughters back my son, I want my people."
Severus scoffed, "Pureblood nonsense."
He should have chosen his words carefully, the power she ran from the top of his head to the tip of his toes was a lightening bolt.
"Blood means nothing unless it is mine! My people, my works, pure, mud, it matters not what you call it! If magic quickens within, they are mine!"
She released him then and his body dropped like a marionette with its strings cut; "You are a fool my son, you read, you think, but you, you have stopped feeling. You will feel!"
Severus twitched on the grass, wave after wave of emotions battering him, serenity so great tears pricked his eyes, grief that took his breath and left his heart bereaved torn, fear, disgust, anticipation, pity, amazement, rage, ecstasy, and finally love. Danu wrapped unseen arms around his trembling body, goose-bumped, tear stained, and sweaty, and rocked him mother to babe. telling him he was wanted, loved, beyond blood, beyond what he could do for others, because he was. Severus cried himself to sleep.
When he awoke, Danu was there. "There'll be no bonfires tonight my son, As the muggles say Pax tecum."
Severus throat tight from crying laughed, "I knew I would regret going to Mass."
