I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize from the Harry Potter World. I do not own Dorian Gray. I do however own Hazel Gray, Morgan Gray and the idea behind this story.
"I have to go and talk to the Captain, I'll see you in the Great Hall if I'm not back before we reach Hogwarts." Regulus informed his companions, having to nudge Hazel's legs off his lap where she had been napping against Severus and himself during the last hour.
She grizzled a little, muttering things in Greek before curling up on the seat and snuggling against Severus more fully, causing him to flush pink even as he started running his fingers through her curls to settle her again.
"You had best beat Gryffindor in the next game, Black." Rabastan grinned, twining his fingers more securely with Morgan's as the younger boy made to exit the compartment.
Regulus scowled at the older boy before taking his leave, muttering under his breath in Italian about gits.
Morgan chuckled slightly before grinning over at his cousin and Severus, his eyes dancing as the door closed. They remained in silence for several more minutes before the door was slammed open, causing Hazel to awake and flail about as she tumbled to the floor, the boys all standing and pulling their wands as James Potter and Sirius Black took over the entrance, and only exit, to their compartment.
Hissing in discomfort and climbing back onto the seat, Hazel scowled at the uninvited students and toyed with the idea of pulling her own wand, before deciding it wasn't worth it. She was too tired and any spell she used would end up putting her in detention before they even reached the train station.
"Well, look at this, Padfoot, one bird and so many blokes. You'd think she'd had more sense than to hand around so many greasy snakes." Potter was laughing, his square framed glasses slipping down his nose as he wrapped an arm around his best mate.
"Right you are, Prongs. Oi, female Gray, why don't you come and spend some time with real men, eh?" Sirius grinned in what he must have assumed to be a flirting manner, however he only ended up with a hex flying by his face from Rabastan.
"Mind what you say, Black, that is a Lady and Heir to a House you are speaking to." There was a hiss to his voice as he spoke, lifting his wand threateningly.
"That is my cousin you're talking about, and we Grays are a House that tends toward Retribution." Morgan growled, his own wand in hand and pointing at the two boys' groin from his place by the window.
"He isn't worth it," Hazel suddenly spoke up, poking at Severus where he was standing as a wall between the Gryffindors and herself. "This is our final year, we can wait a few more months until they're no longer under the protection of the Headmaster." She spat the last word, making it sound like something dirty on her tongue.
James and Sirius glared hatefully at Hazel and the boys before spitting at them and stalking off, talking about how they'd get them later without as many witnesses to tattle on them, having noticed a couple second year Hufflepuffs peeking their heads out of their own compartment to watch what was happening.
Severus was nearly vibrating with rage as he flicked his wand to banish the spit. His sallow face no longer pale and nearly red in rage. He nearly stormed out the door had Morgan not grabbed him and tugged him down to the seat beside Hazel once again. Hazel, for her part, stood and plopped herself into his lap before flicking her fingers and locking the door and darkening the window where they could see out but no one could see it.
"Cease, Severus, they are not worth it." Hazel curled up in his lap, her fingers wrapped loosely around his wand hand's wrist as she pressed her face into his neck, speaking softly in her mishmash of language and softly humming as well, using her nymph nature to distract him from the rage.
His eyes clouded over slightly from the process, but it worked in her favor to draw his ire away from the dunderheads and toward his friends once more. Rabastan and Morgan too this opportunity to twine their fingers together and whisper softly to themselves as the other two occupants were otherwise distracted as well.
Regulus didn't return to the compartment for the remainder of the train ride, which turned out for the best. He was able to walk into the school with the others, however, linking pinkies with Hazel hidden in the folds of their robes for comfort, having heard rumors about what happened and giving his support subtly. Despite the age difference and their obvious sibling relationship, people still thrived on spreading rumors just to make themselves look better.
"I will see you later," she whispered, moving away to her own House table.
The boys gave subtle nods and with that, they returned to school.
.:':. ':.:' .:':.
"Well, look at this, Padfoot. Found ourselves a fit bird out of the nest!" James Potter called out, clapping Sirius on the back as they neared where Hazel and Morgan were out by the lake. It was still freezing out, with winter still firmly gripping onto the castle and its grounds, but the two Grays couldn't stand being cooped up anymore.
"Ignore them, Morgan," Hazel muttered, placing the book in her hands on the blanket and picking up her quill to continue on her homework beside her.
"Yeah, even out of the snake pit too!" Sirius was even louder as they neared, making it impossible to fully ignore him.
Morgan was growling low in his throat at the scents assaulting his nose from the other two boys. He was still adjusting to the changes in his body and mental state from his transformation into a fox.
In fact, had it not been for the scents of a snake and bird coming his way, he would have possibly transformed and attacked the awful wet dog and overpowering scent of musk standing before him.
Rabastan and Severus noticed the boys heading toward the cousins and took off running, slipping through the mush and ice coating the ground. The laughter of some of the younger years covered their shouts, given the distance, and so the two on the blanket were unaware of the wands being pulled on them.
The cousins had turned their heads away and were still writing when Sirius flicked his wand, sending Hazel flying up into the air. Her robes fluttered down around her waist as she flailed and started cursing in Greek, though with her wand having landed by Morgan she wasn't able to do much in retaliation. Rabastan gave a hiss as he picked up speed and moved faster, leaving Severus grateful the Ravenclaw always wore those odd pants of hers, seeing as they kept her modesty.
Severus felt the urge to shift but as his paperwork had yet to fully go through he suppressed the feeling and kept running, giving a cursing shout as Hazel was dumped into the lake, the ice shattering on impact even as Potter refroze the ice above her once she was in the murky depts.
Watching the ice form over the water made the feeling creep over himself as Severus started yanking his book bag from his body and tugging at his cloak and robes, trying to strip himself and casting a spell at the water before tossing his wand toward the blanket and diving in. He never imagined being so grateful to Hazel for teaching him to swim as he was right that moment.
Morgan was throwing spells, curses and hexes like a seasoned duelist even as Rabastan joined in, making it an even two against two unlike it normally was. Rabastan using old family curses and Morgan using some silent spells he was taught in Sparta with his other hand even as he cast with his wand in Latin.
Hazel was clutching at her throat with one hand and her ribs with the other. Blood seeping through her robes and into the water even as Severus swam as quickly as he could toward her to try dragging her back up toward the surface.
Between the cold water, and all of the things floating in the slushy fresh water lake, Severus could imagine how much pain she was in, being forced into her nymph form so suddenly in waters not native to her species. He himself was feeling a burning as he fought against the water to reach her. The black robes snagging on something and holding her steady the only reason he was able to reach her at all given the time that passed between her sudden dip and his dive.
Wrapping one arm around her, he started swimming toward the weak light above them, Hazel helping as she was able once her gills fully formed.
Even in the weak light and murky water he could see her turning a greyish green, most likely the onset of frostbite paired with her transformation causing the color change. However, it only served to push him harder to get to the surface. Well, that and the fact he was quickly losing air and he wasn't able to grow gills like Hazel was.
Breaking the surface, Severus was the first to notice the two Gryffindors bound in the snow. Then Rabastan was in the way and tugging both teenagers up out of the water and casting warming charms to keep them from getting hypothermia from the icy water and even colder air against their wet bodies.
Tugging off his winter cloak, he wrapped it securely around Hazel even as Morgan brought Severus' robes and cloak over to him and casting drying charms. They all knew better than casting that on Hazel with her gills being formed, it was a sure fire way to cause a lot more damage than possible even Madam Pomfrey could handle.
"C-c-c-cold," Hazel was stuttering even as she clung firmly to Rabastan, her body being wracked by shivers as her body was adjusting to the transformation and the freezing temperatures.
"Shh, I'll get you up to the hospital wing, just hold tight." Picking her up, Rabastan gave one final sneer to the two Marauders and took off at a light jog to get her inside and warm before she became ill.
Morgan was seething even as he twitched his wand subtly, casting more spells and hexes than Severus had ever seen the boy do before. Even in Sparta Morgan was never this vicious.
.:':. ':.:' .:':.
"I demand the boys be punished, Albus!" Dorian's voice could be heard even from outside the doors of Madam Pomfrey's office, where the Headmaster and Lord Gray were discussing what had happened to his heir.
Regulus had been alerted by Severus on his own way to the hospital wing, Morgan having stood guard over James Potter and Sirius Black for what they had done. So all four boys were crowded around Hazel's bed, though Severus was confined to his own bed with potions and heating charms placed around him to keep from becoming ill. Hazel was sleeping, a mild sleeping draught having been mixed in with the other potions Madam Pomfrey had poured down her throat to help heal her form her ordeal.
"Those two trouble makers have done nothing but cause damage to my daughter and Severus, and I demand they pay the price!" They couldn't hear what Dumbledore was saying in reply, but they could hear the cursing through the floo from the immortal.
"Did my brother really do this?" Regulus asked, in a tiny voice. He knew his older brother was cruel enough, leaving him alone in their house was proof enough of that, but to hear he had tried to kill another student, for the second time, was a bit much to process.
"Yes, Sirius did this. I'm sorry Regulus, but he isn't the brother you remember from a child." Morgan was harsh, though he placed a hand on the younger boy's shoulder to try and soften the blow of hearing the truth. He was also pressed as close to Rabastan's side as he was able to, needing someone to lean on after almost watching the murder of his cousin.
"I'm... I'm sorry..." Dropping his head, Regulus' shoulders started trembling as he fought back sobs. He knew his brother was a git, but to know he tried to kill Severus the year before and now Hazel in two of the most gruesome ways possible, it was too much.
Before anyone else could speak, they heard Dorian's irrate voice piercing the air.
"You had better, Albus Dumbledore, or I'll have your head for theirs." A few moments later, Dumbledore was striding from the office as though nothing had happened and smiling a twinkling smile at the boys.
"I do apologize for the wait, gentlemen. I also apologize for Messrs Potter and Black. They were out of line and shall be dealt with appropriately." There was no regret on his face, so instantly all four boys knew nothing would come of it, it was merely being said to appease Dorian and keep them from seeking retribution themselves.
"What shall happen, seeing as they sought to kill the witch I am courting?" Rabastan demanded, nearly shaking in rage at knowing nothing was truly going to happen to the two dunderheads.
"I shall handle that, Mr. LeStrange." There was an even brighter twinkle now, letting them know absolutely nothing would happen.
Severus was shaking in fury now, but luckily it was mistaken for cold as the Headmaster glided out of the hospital wing, closing the doors with a sense of finality to the boys as they turned to regard their female companion.
Just what would happen to them now?
.:':. ':.:' .:':.
When Hazel awoke, it was as though the gates of Tartarus had been blasted open. To say she was angry was an understatement. She was in a rage and had to be retrained by Rabastan and Severus before she went storming the castle. Even Morgan was forced to settle himself onto her lap to keep her still enough to keep from harming anyone, herself included.
"I'll maim them! Tear them limb from weak limb and feed them to Ares' Ornithes! AgonÃa would enjoy the taste of English flesh!" They were all grateful she was yelling in a mix of Greek and Italian, with a good helping of Spartan so they weren't having to explain just what she meant and making excuses for her threats. It was a perfect way to end up in Azkaban, those threats of hers.
"Hazel, enough! You're going to get in trouble! We already have plans to deal with this after we graduate." Severus was speaking to her, using his own version of the mish mash of languages to deal with her tantrum. Morgan only raised a brow at them, not expecting Severus to be as well spoken as he apparently was in their own version of speech.
"He's right, we already have a plan in place, we just have to wait until the Headmaster isn't around to stop us. So please, don't push things just yet. Its only a few more months." Morgan wrapped his arms around his cousin tightly, pressing his face against her neck and breathing deeply, working with her until their breathing matched and she was no longer violent.
"I personally have no clue what was said but yeah, that." Rabastan tried to lighten the mood more, grinning crookedly at them all while Regulus just shook his head and made a glass of water ready for Hazel to drink, seeing as she was screaming for several minutes straight and had to have hurt her already sore throat even more in the process.
"Madam Pomfrey said she doesn't want to see those two in here because of us, and that as soon as you're feeling up to it, we can leave." Regulus informed them all, having been the only one able to speak to the Matron without a scowl, seeing as he was the nicest about the whole ordeal, having not even been involved.
"I want to leave. Now. I do not wish to remain here any longer than I must." Hazel was being more formal in her speech, making all of the boys look uneasily at each other. Hazel acting the Pureblood was never a good sign.
"Come on, cousin, let's go and get some food from the kitchens. The house elves have been worried about you when we would take turns getting snacks until you woke up." Morgan climbed off of Hazel's lap and tugged her up, wrapping his arms around her like a small child and helping lead her from the hospital wing and out the doors, casting spells along the way to keep anyone from bothering them.
A.N.: Wow! A chapter within a reasonable amount of time! Surprises this Yule season! Speaking of, Happy Yule and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to cover all of the others I am not as familiar with! I hope you have many good things happen this Holiday Season and many more into the New Year! Blessed Be to you all, and I love you all so much for sticking with me for coming up on two years for Lil2Pom!
This is amazing and I just want to say THANK YOU for sticking with me for this story so long. Without you I would have never gotten to this point so I am every so grateful to you all for reading and reviewing, following and favoriting this story and all of my others. It means the world to me, so from the deepest parts of myself, thank you.
See you in the next chapter, and next year! Also, if you have any interest in Dungeons & Dragons, go check out my fiance's story over there, its rated M under the title Devil Horns and Darkened Daggers under the username darkiscool2. I've been helping him write it and its a lot of fun, jokes, smut and all that good stuff. But only go check it out if you are 18+, please and thank you!
Chapter Pre-Note (2,841)