A Life Worth Living

Chapter 38

President Dentin Donovan was in the middle of getting an update from Hermione Granger about the process she'd made in getting the new department up and running in the corridor. Raising his hand, ceasing Hermione's hushed rushed speech, as she explained. "I've also added…" pausing to hear what the wizard had to say.

"I have set up a council meeting in two days' time, at exactly one o'clock, this is the make or break time. By the end of that meeting you'll either have a yes or no and your department will be approved. You have absolutely everything prepared by the sounds of it and have a workforce already in place to start up." Donovan informed her, watching her become frazzled and wide eyed.

"Only two days?" Hermione squeaked out, to have everything organized?

"Tell me, if I went to your office would I not find everything in its place? Two days is more than enough time for you." Donovan told her firmly, she was absolutely one of the best workers he'd ever seen. She left no stone unturned and had also begun to look into old cases that had long since been abandoned just to acclimatise herself to her job. Honestly, he'd patted himself on the back for asking her dozens of times as she proved again and again she was competition enough. Not only that but she'd be the youngest to ever step into a head of department job.

"There's still a few things I want to do," Hermione admitted, calming considerably at the presidents words.

"I believe that, but surely two days is enough to accomplish that?" Donovan questioned, glancing at the time, he had a meeting soon, he'd need to wrap this up quickly. He was surprised Erin hadn't already begun looking for him if he was honest. "If you need more than two days I can push it back." He added absently, this was important enough that it would be given certain leeway's.

"No, no I will make sure it's done in time," Hermione said firmly, she'd just set everything else aside including her investigation into Victoria Argent for the moment. Contrary to what she implied to Peter, she'd been working zealously on it.

"Then you best get back to wor…" Donovan paused, as an alarm to his office began to blare loudly. Indicating someone had illegally used a portkey to get into his office. Someone not permitted to use one was in his office. "Excuse me," with that Donovan's wand slid into his hand as he bolted towards his office, dozens of Aurors already ahead of him calming slightly when they caught sight of their president unharmed.

He then felt the Apparation wards being forcefully adjusted to allow someone to Apparate out. Skidding to a halt outside of his office, he made his way through the group of Aurors to see for himself what was going on.

"It's the most wanted…"

"That's Keller…"

"Merlin's saggy balls!"

"He's dead…"

"What's going…"

"Sir, this is for you," the senior Auror explained, reaching down for the letter which was written hastily, after making sure that there was nothing on it that was a danger to anyone. He read it himself, as he lifted it towards the president.

Donovan accepted the letter, abruptly reading it as fast as possible. It seemed that Harry had used his emergency Portkey to get the dead wizard here only to force himself through the anti-Apparation wards to get to his pack who were in extreme danger.

"What's happened?" Hermione asked, having followed them all, always having to be in the thick of things.

"Auror Williams get a team of Aurors to Beacon Hills Imm…" Donovan paused yet again as another emergency beacon was lit.

"That's Auror Potter's emergency distress beacon!" Williams explained, they all had a different sound.

"All of you, follow me, we're going to Beacon Hills, hone in on that Emergency beacons location," Donovan called out loud enough for all the Aurors currently in the room to hear him. "You remain here, is that understood?" she would be too emotionally compromised especially if Harry was in physical danger, and he couldn't have that.

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, to insist she come, knowing exactly why he was insisting she remain. She was too professional to even be remotely compromised, thank you very much. Yet the niggling at the back of her mind was ignored. It just wasn't true, if Harry was hurt or worse near death…she might actually make things more complicated.

"This isn't a negotiation," Donovan stated before she could even think to launch into reasons why she should be allowed to come.

With that everyone latched onto the emergency location beacon and apparated straight to Harry's side, wands out at the ready.

They found themselves at a location that looked as if a bomb had hit it.

In Beacon Hills.

"Spread out, apprehend everyone until we find out what happened," Donovan demanded, and the Aurors immediately began to break away, making a circle around the building, or what was left of it. It wasn't long before Donovan felt wards flare up, keeping anyone from intruding on the site, and making matters worse, the No-Maj's wouldn't see something they shouldn't. The debris was soon flying away so they could safely walk without ending up falling on their arses.

Another set of wards flared up as the Aurors did their jobs, "Fifteen people within, it's Auror Potter's magical signature," he had done this, he'd gotten furious enough to completely bring down a building, so that it was crumbling around their ears. The roof, and half the building was completely demolished with only half the lower part of the building still standing. If it could be called still standing, it had been crumbling at an alarming rate.

"Building been secured?" as in spelled so it could not fall down on them any further, at least until the spell was removed.

"Yes, Sir, I did it myself," Williams declared, finding his feet, when he was usually the one barking orders.

"Then let's see what's happened," Donovan proclaimed, and with that each of the Aurors approached the building, using the entrances to gain entrance both back and front. There was in total five doors in which the Aurors made their way into what they realized had to have been some sort of abandoned warehouse. There was a lot of debris not a lot of items that would suggest that this place was in any operational capacity.

"Sir, they've already been apprehended," one Auror explained, as he lent over one of the 'suspects' who Harry had obviously wished arrested judging by the fact they were magically subdued.

"They're unconscious,"

"Nothing too severe no blood,"

"Take everyone to MACUSA and put them in the cells, at least until we find out what happened from Auror Potter," Donovan informed the Aurors. He certainly was allowed leeway, he had just brought in one of the most wanted wizards in the magical world after all.

"Help him," Derek murmured, recognizing Donovan and his voice from across the room, and with that the last of his reserves were down and he slumped over unconscious.

"Derek?" Donovan called out instantly, rushing over to the other side of the building, this made the Aurors pause when they realized they knew this person. "What happened?" he noticed that everyone around this area was untouched, Harry had protected them all from his own magic with his own magic.

Stiles shook his head, unable to talk as he doubled over in agony, as the pain returned as Harry's spell to unconsciousness brought it all back. Nullifying the magic Harry had been using to keep the pain at bay. It hurt worse now than when it was happening.

"Get off her!" snarled Scott, his claws unsheathed as he tried to defend Allison who was being ready to be transported from the building and to MACUSA as per the presidents orders.

"Stupefy!" with that Scott hit the ground hard, not impervious to magic despite his abilities. Plus, with those claws out the Auror wasn't risking his life thank you very much. It was clear the guys control was on shaky grounds. Plus, he was for now a suspect.

"Teddy…" Donovan said, shocked when he recognised the boy on the floor, what was he doing here? Shouldn't he be at Hogwarts? Merlin, no wonder Harry had lost control. "Get him to the hospital ward immediately, all of them!" Donovan demanded, and the medic didn't wait, he immediately took a hold of Teddy and disappeared with him. Never once questioning his presidents orders. Teddy was the son of one of their own, he would receive the best medical care at MACUSA.

"It's really not his fault," Stiles managed to rasp out, "She's his anchor," he told the Auror who had stunned Scott.

Erica snarled, furious at Stiles for defending the traitor.

But Stiles was in too much pain, and unable to breathe properly, he barely felt himself being apparated with the rest of the pack back to MACUSA. That was too much strain for his injuries and the feeling of being sucked through a tube had him falling unconscious at the feet of the Auror escorting him to the medic wing.

"Another one?" Edward called out, extremely flustered, "Merlin, I picked a hell of a week to start working here!" he muttered to himself, as he worked hard on Teddy Potter as he was known.

Erica was the last one to be escorted to the rest of her pack, after all Donovan had told them to bring her here. He knew the most about the Lycans and pack after all.

Erica sat out of the way, golden eyes flashing occasionally as she watched the doctors working on the rest of her pack. They were being given strange medicines but it was helping, their heartbeats were returning to normal as they worked. She didn't like it, them being so close to her pack, the urge to strike out was strong, but her rational knew they were helping, that they were no danger to her pack.

"Here, drink and eat this," Donovan suggested, "You've been previously injured, you need substance to heal properly." Were's needed food, energy in order to heal, especially internal injuries even though the external wounds had closed up.

"Thank you," Erica said subdued, accepting the roast beef sandwich, eating mechanically.

"Do you know why Peter Hale is so still yet?" Donovan moved off to speak to the healer, concerned, he knew that Peter Hale was Harry Potter's mate. Between his son and mate being in danger, that explosion makes all the sense in the world. Harry was powerful, a bit too powerful actually, especially with his emotional responses – which he wasn't denying him of course – but it changed nothing. They'd dealt with powerful wizards in the past, and had survived just fine. Nobody should be feared or condemned because they have more magic than most. It wasn't as if Harry had killed them, he'd had the forethought to shield everyone from his magic. Even the hunters.

"Yes, he's suffering from the imbuing of Kanima venom," Edward explained, "He's going to be out of it for another while."

"What's a Kanima?" Erica asked.

"That explains what we found, there's Kanima venom laced on the cane that has Alpha claws placed in it." the Auror explained entering the room, "I was just about to inform you what we found." They'd tested the claws immediately, due to the fact there was fresh blood they realized was from a Lycan on it.

"It's not poisonous, it's a paralytic, it just has to run its course." Edward told them, giving a nod to the Auror, they worked like clockwork. He might be new here, due to his knowledge on all creatures, but he very much enjoyed it, and teaching the others too. "A Kanima is a lizard, a product of a werewolf bite, there are a lot of speculations on why they turn into a Kanima instead of a werewolf or any other Were. The most common connection is the lack of identity they feel. Being anchorless. When they find one they change from the Kanima to a shifter."

"You forget the biggest part, that a Kanima must have a Master," Peter murmured, finally, finally able to talk. He couldn't move though, and that made him feel vulnerable and defenceless even here with trusted – albeit only somewhat – people.

"You suspect he has a Kanima?" Edward asked, rounding on Peter his gaze suddenly intense.

"He would have used it if he did, I suspect he got the venom from somewhere though," Peter answered, there was a black-market for that sort of thing a supernatural version of one.

Edward grimaced, hunters out there with a Kanima? That was definitely not good.

"I assume it's beginning to wear off?" Donovan asked, he'd rounded on Peter upon hearing his voice.

"It will in due course, a few hours," Edward explained, "We don't know any other way…not as yet," the magical world wasn't used to dealing with Kanima Venom.

"I want this venom taken to the Unspeakables and I want tests run and an antidote created for this…" Donovan demanded, he didn't want to run the risk of his Aurors being incapacitated for hours if they came across a Kanima. Now that the two worlds – which in his opinion should never have been separated – were going to become integrated.

"I'll do that right now, Sir," the Auror agreed, keeping the clawed cane at arm's length despite the fact it was in a plastic bag. Then again, Alpha's claws could slice through plastic as though it was paper really.

"Inform Unspeakable Martin that this is a priority," Donovan informed his Auror as he stepped out of the doors of the Hospital wing. He would be going down himself when he had a moment to make sure that his instructions were being followed to the letter.

"I can't feel Harry," Peter said, his tone a panicked hollow sounding thing, "What happened?" his claws unsheathed despite his paralysis eyes flashing red.

"He's fine, I promise you, Peter, he's fine," Donovan insisted, "It's his magic, his core has been drained due to too much magic usage, within the hour he will be up and about as if nothing has happened." the last thing they needed was a feral werewolf going on the rampage. Peter wouldn't survive losing Harry, he'd lose whatever sanity he's got left after losing his pack and being abandoned by his niece and nephew for six years only to be repeatedly threatened by hunters during those times…no, if anything happened to Harry, Peter would be going with him.

"Teddy?" Peter then rasped, accepting Donovan's explanation, there had been no hint of a lie in his heartbeat.

"Edward was afraid it was too close to his heart, but surprisingly it lost momentum before it could get there. There is foreign magic that is not Teddy's that heralded it's stop. The arrows been removed and kept as evidence and the wolfsbane flushed from his system. The wound on his head has been healed, but he's still asleep. He needs to recover from the shock to his system and he's had a few blood replenishers to give him the blood he'd lost."

Peter would have lost control of his body if he had any, the relief that swamped him was…surreal. His pack had survived the attack, all of them. The relief wasn't just his own, but Derek's and Erica's too.

"Sir, Gerard Argent is continuously soiling the cells, some sort of black goop keeps oozing out of every available orifice. Healer Sanchez cannot get it to stop, he looked to be in agony," an Auror insisted as he stepped into the room. Despite his 'complaint' the Auror didn't sound at all beat up about it. The day they felt sympathy for the devils – hunters – is the day magic no longer existed.

A raspy throaty chuckle left Derek's mouth, heralded his return to consciousness, the arrows had been removed and all wolfsbane drained from his system, it was a simple potion really but that and his own natural healing meant he was practically already recovered. "He's dying, his body hasn't accepted the bite." There was a bit of pain in his voice but the majority of it was satisfaction.

"That's what is it?" Donovan asked, relaxing a little, "So he's dying, I am…disappointed, I wished for him to pay for his crimes." Legally, even if it meant enduring another bloody pyre and watching someone burn to death. Considering that's what hunters had done to them before they learned to hide there was a certain poetic justice to it.

"It's a worse fate…as each of your organs slowly liquify it can take days to die from it," Peter practically purred, oozing supreme pleasure over the news that had befallen Gerard Argent.

The Auror swallowed thickly at the pleasure he gleaned from Peter Hale. He wasn't exactly sorry Argent was suffering but he was gaining no pleasure from it.

"Sir, the council is here," came the voice of another Auror, "Erin has cancelled your appointments all except for one, she said you'd know which one it is?"

"Ah, good," Donovan nodded, "Please excuse me," with that he swiftly left, ready to face the council, he retraced his steps for a moment, poking his head in to say, "Edward…food will be brought along in a few moments," and with that he did leave. He had a feeling he'd be in the hospital wing more often than he had in the past.

Derek fully recovered sat beside Teddy's bed, holding his hand and drawing the pain that the potions were covering. Guilt and fear consuming him, despite the fact it wasn't his fault he felt like it was. That and for the first time beginning to realize the difference between them. Teddy wasn't as fast or durable as them, and by the moon he could have done without finding out this way. He'd been told, but hadn't really processed it.

The wolfsbane hadn't seem to affect him as much as the wound had. There had been absolutely no healing going on, not even internal. The feeling of relief he felt when Harry turned up was immense, especially with his uncle out for the count. He'd been so sure they were all about to die…that Stiles and Erica were lost to them too. He'd been able to do nothing but feel the echoes of pain through the pack bonds, which by the way, he hadn't been able to feel before this pack was created. Only the Alpha should have been able to feel these things.

To see the hunters brought down so quickly and easily…it would have made him feel smug and superior – that he had such a strong alpha, which meant a strong pack – if his entire pack hadn't been suffering. Or worse, Teddy's heartbeat so slow and irregular, he'd been losing blood at an alarming rate, and with no healing…by the moon, he thought he had been going to die…and it was their fault.

Harry might have subdued he hunter with an impressive piece of magic, watching them all swing in mid-air to fall to their knees with their hands automatically wrapping around their backs…yes, it had been awesome. But Harry… the scent of fear had been acidic, it was the first time since they met that he'd ever shown such blatant fear and terror. The scent was acidic and almost burnt his nose with the stench of it, he realized quite quickly that it wasn't just fear, it was his magic and anger stewing within him causing the entire place to feel saturated in it.

Then Gerard Argent had said, "More's the pity," Gerard sneered, he hadn't had a chance to celebrate the damn bite failing before everything had exploded in a whirlwind of magic after hearing a snarl of pure viciousness from Harry as wolf sounding as he'd ever heard it. Nothing had touched them, their pack, although the hunters had been blown off their feat in the ensuing chaos.

Then quicker than lightening, there were dozens of people appearing in the warehouse with pops, all of them had their wands out, drawn, ready for battle. The wizards had come to help them, and it was only once he was sure they were friendlies that he spoke.

Derek shook off his thoughts, relaxing slightly when there was no more pain to take. The wound was healed now, potions did work quickly, although internal injuries took longer. Rib healing took even longer, he realized, as it was slowly knitting bit by bit which was causing the most of the pain.

The medical ward was one massive room full of beds, with dividers should the patient wish to have some decorum of privacy. The pack were together, even if they were in individual beds. Derek was currently between Stiles and Teddy, both still unconscious for the moment. Erica had automatically latched onto Derek's side when he woke up shaken to her core over what had happened to her. Looking for comfort and safety from the rest of her pack.

"You seem to know more about us than the others," Derek said, speaking to Edward, the healer, who was continuously looking over Stiles, Teddy, Harry and making sure Peter was comfortable. Remembering his earlier words about Kanima venom and his knowledge on it, even he only had a vague notion on what a Kanima was…although given a different situation he might have been oblivious to the fact it was a Kanima. He was reading up though, on everything, the books Harry had managed to save from the Hale library, which was quite a lot of it. Erica was leaning against him, slumped over his shoulder deeply asleep.

The Healer glanced up at Derek through his bangs, "Yes, I knew of the supernatural world before the magical world. I have a…friend/foster brother, my being the foster child…who was bitten at eight years of age, by an Alpha who had lost his entire pack and wasn't in full control of his actions. He and his older brother who was seventeen at the time were bitten, Hugh, the eldest boy, had cancer, and the bite cured him of that, the entire family welcomed and accepted the bites for what they were. The Alpha who calmed having Beta's accepted the responsibility and taught them everything they'd need to know. Taught me everything I needed to know, he could sense the magic on me but assumed I was a Druid, I was learning to be one when I received my letter for Ilvermorny. The alpha was the one who paid for my magical education…I am their emissary," proudly so, as a matter of fact. "Harry reached out and suggested that I apply for a position here, since the President was looking for someone who knows about the supernatural kind of creatures we might encounter with the new department." How and where he had heard of him he didn't know, it had been a surprise.

Absently nodding in satisfaction that Teddy Potter was healing well enough, and was in no danger of dying due to blood loss, he moved over to Peter. Who was still paralysed for the time being, he could see that it was beginning to get on Peter's nerves.

"Can you move your fingers?" Edward asked, his voice soft and soothing, as he was with all his patients. "Hmm, looks like its wearing off more quickly now, you're able to move your hands," Edward observed that Peter was indeed coming out of it suitably quick. His feet too, he noticed, he reckoned he'd be up within the next half hour.

"How is Harry?" Peter asked, wishing for nothing more than to be over there, to actually see him with his own eyes.

"He'll wake up soon, he's exhausted, he was injured hours ago, we think in his duel with Keller," Edward explained, patting him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, Sir, we need to start questioning them," another Auror appeared at the door, looking stern and unforgiving, but that might just be his usual demeanour. "If they're well enough they've to come down to the council chambers…" Donovan and the rest of the council was doing things differently today.

"I see, well, two are available and medically fit to attend," Edward explained curtly.

The Auror snatched a piece of paper out of thin air only to mutter, "Um, no we aren't questioning them… the lawyer isn't available, and we cannot get in touch with any of the others, they're on a sabbatical." Running his hand through his hair in silent agitation, damn it. Which meant until they found someone to defend those fucking hunters they couldn't question them. Everything was to be done by the book, personally he'd prefer to just kill them all, less trouble. Less paperwork too.

"Prosecutor or defence?" Derek perked up immediately, a sly feeling overcoming him, he had definitely been spending way too much time with his uncle these days. He realized, but he honestly didn't care about that, they'd survived, they'd actually bloody survived.

"They've already got a defence lawyer, it's a prosecutor we need, not that they'll have their work cut out that's for damn certain." He honestly didn't think the defence lawyer would even speak up during the damn proceedings. When Veritaserum was brought in to be used…there was hardly a need for them for they spilled their own guilt or innocence from their lips.

"My uncle is a prosecutor, he hasn't practised in years, due to his…coma but he was well on his way to becoming a senior partner within two years of working with a firm." Which was highly unprecedented, but Peter was good at what he did.

"I'll be right back," the Auror commented before he was off like a shot, disappearing from their view.

Not that their attention would have been on him for much longer, because a groan left Teddy's lips as he started to come around. A quiet confused moue coming from his lips when he found he couldn't move. "Teddy, don't move, young man, you've got a few broken ribs and they're being repaired. Moving might cause more damage." He explained, saying it once more just to be on the safe side, to ensure that Teddy had actually heard him. He'd successfully gotten the arrows out without causing further damage to them, but it would still take a few days for them to fully heal.

Derek immediately latched on to Teddy's hand and drawing out the pain until Teddy sighed back against the bed again.

"You're safe, you are in the medic wing of MACUSA, your injuries have been tended to," Edward continued to explain, "Everyone is safe and alive."

"Dad?" Teddy murmured, he could have sworn he remembered seeing him.

"He's here and safe," Edward continued, "Just try to refrain from moving for the time being." He wouldn't be returning to school any time soon. It was also a good job that the full moon wasn't for another week or so, giving him time to heal instead of the ribs breaking again with the transformation. He cringed just thinking about it to be perfectly honest.

Teddy closed his eyes in relief, "So, I did see him?" he murmured quietly, so quiet that if Derek hadn't been a werewolf he wouldn't have heard.

"Yes, you did, he got there just in time," Derek told him, a fondness to his voice that had been absent for so long. The one that was elicited when one spoke of family, of someone they cared for very deeply. He hadn't meant to care about anyone, not wishing to be hurt again, or worse do the hurting, he had gotten his family killed after all by being a naïve idiot. Unfortunately, he couldn't remain cold, distant and aloof, to neither Stiles or Teddy. Hell, he'd tried with Harry, refusing to trust him, despite all he'd done, until he couldn't deny how good it felt to have someone leading the way, an Alpha, someone who cared, who understood, who realized he was human and wolf and accepted both sides of him. Humans didn't normally feel that way unless they were born into packs, but it was normal, they grew up that way. Even from the get go, he'd given him a top that was brand new, without scents knowing he and his wolf would hate being saturated in scents that wasn't pack.

And Stiles? Stiles hadn't cared about Scott's sudden change in status, he'd helped him with an uncanny ability to understand them that humans don't have. For a while Stiles had managed to get through to Scott, then Harry tried but now…now Derek wanted nothing to do with the damn Beta. He hadn't wanted to like the damn motor-mouthed human, but he was drawn nonetheless, and the fact that while out of it with pain he'd gone to Stiles (and thereby Scott) and actually felt safe surrounded by Stiles and his scent. Something he had told Peter about during his visits to him, when he thought he was catatonic.

"Stiles? Is Stiles okay? Are you okay?" Teddy choked out, he'd been absolutely terrified when arrows had been shot at them. He'd shut down immediately, couldn't think, could only feel the agonising pain in his chest. The last thing other than his dad that he could honestly remember was seeing the arrows imbedded in Derek and the one in himself.

"Stiles is recovering, he's still asleep, he's going to be just fine," Derek stated firmly, with a bit too much bite to his voice but he wanted Teddy to focus, to know that he was being seriously. "Everyone is safe and recovering," obviously he wasn't believing the healer. His other hand squeezing Teddy's shoulder reassuringly. He wasn't good at comforting people anymore, that had been burnt out of him when his family died. Surprisingly Teddy made him want to be better.

Erica came around with a groan, unable to sleep through anything now she was a Werewolf, let alone someone shouting practically right in her ear. "What should I tell my mum and dad?" Erica whispered tiredly, stretching out with the grace of a cat.

"Er…I don't know," Derek said, awkwardly, that was Peter's job description right there, he was the Alpha and Derek was grateful for that. He wasn't meant to an alpha, not because of the hierarchy he'd grown up in, he just literally wasn't fit to an alpha. Didn't have the disposition for it, he might have been capable of it at one point, but he was too secretive, too angry, too emotionally stunted to be what a pack needed. He would have done what he needed to in order to kill Peter, if it came to it, but he didn't have to and now he was surrounded by a strong pack, the second in command if Peter was down, and he was happy with his lot in life. Happier than he had been in a long, long time. Which made him feel guilty because Laura was dead…and he was alive.

"What is that smell?" Teddy asked, his brow furrowing.

"The scent of depression," Erica explained.

Derek stiffened, "You can smell emotions?" now that was definitely new, Teddy shouldn't be able to do that from everything that had been said about Teddy's kind.

"I…no, not normally," Teddy said perturbed, glancing over at his dad, he would have the answers, he always did. If he didn't know them then he would find them.

"That is odd," Edward said, "I assumed you were a type…" assuming he had made a mistake and wondering why the boy wasn't healing properly.

"He is," Derek explained hastily, "Keep quiet don't discuss this until we're at home." He informed them, this was pack business. He noticed that the healer wasn't in any way offended, in fact, he could scent approval coming from, clearly approving of the way he conducted himself and kept the pack secrets, secret. At least he wasn't offended, you never knew what could offend humans. Although, could he really consider wizards human? Weren't they as supernatural as him?

"You're not pulling me from this case," Harry said through gritted teeth as he determinedly got out of bed, refusing to give sway to the dizziness that swept over him. Dislodging the paperwork he'd just spent fifteen minutes reading after being reassured his pack was safe and fine, just eating lunch in the cafeteria, all except for Stiles and Teddy of course who were pouting across the room so he was well and truly reassured on their health. "I am not emotionally compromised." Lying through his teeth. He'd worked hard for this case, and he would be damned if he was kicked off it at the last hurdle. Standing between the boys he considered his, his sons. A renewed awe for Stiles that he hadn't felt before, for he knew where the 'foreign magic' had come from.

"Harry…you are," Donovan told him with patience. "Your mate and son were put in danger, can you honestly say you can remain impartial?" 'and not kill the bastard' was definitely heard by them all despite not going said. "The amount of magic you expended you should be resting for twenty-four to forty-eight hours!" but honestly unsurprised that Harry was already raring to go. He never really stopped, to begin with, he suspected Harry had…feared slowing down having to think, even all these years after the war. What a person did in life, especially Harry's Job…wasn't an easy one. Suffering so that others could rest easy, live normal lives. Harry…didn't know how to have a normal life, he'd been in war since he was a child, the British magical world had failed him.

"Peter is emotionally compromised but you're letting him be the prosecutor of the case!" Harry argued back, there was no 'more reason to be' Peter was, this was the family that had tried to kill his mate for Merlin's sake and the family responsible for the death of his family, his pack.

"And if you lose your composure?" Donovan asked bluntly, "Do you want to see them go free?"

Harry laughed, it was tinged with darkness and genuine amusement, "No matter what happens, what I do, they are going down." they both knew that, Donovan was just trying to keep it as professional as possible. They would not walk out of MACUSA as free men. Squeezing Stiles and Teddy's hands, which were clutched in his own.

Donovan cocked his head to the side in agreement to Harry's accurate deduction.

"Look, I understand, you're trying to treat like this every other case…but if that were the case you wouldn't be trying them all together!" at least the Argents, in any case.

"I want them to hear everything…perhaps there is still some saving the younger generation." Donovan replied, a sad glimmer in his eye, that girl was the same age as his daughter, the thought of her entire life just being imprisoned was a sad one. If she had done nothing, perhaps she could be obliviated of the supernatural world and sent to live halfway across the world.

"She shot me! She shot Derek!" Teddy protested most vehemently.

Donovan was genuinely startled to hear that, swallowing thickly, well there went his speculation. Harry was going to come down on her like a tonne of bricks. Let's not forget what Peter would do, Merlin help them all. "That information hasn't come out yet," he commented, but they were only just now in the process of having the trial out in front of the entire council. The council would be hearing everything for the first time.

Harry gripped the nape of their necks, not in a way that was intended to hurt, but reassure, to calm. His own façade of calm cracking just slightly, "Do not take me off this case, if I had been here…this wouldn't have happened," he gritted his teeth at his own feelings of incompetence.

"If you remove Harry, you remove myself," Peter commented, as he entered the hospital wing, making his way over to his mate, brushing his hand over Harry's and drawing out the pain only to grimace. That was a hell of a lot of pain he was enduring while still standing.

Harry however, was gaping at Peter getting a very inappropriate boner at the worst of times. Peter was dressed in a grey suit, with a blue tie and white shirt, and a black cloak, integrating himself quite seamlessly into the magical world. Managing to look like a damn model while doing so, in other words Peter was very, very hot. Swallowing thickly, licking his dry lips, Donovan speaking brought him out of his thoughts.

Peter just smirked slowly and slyly at him, very aware of the affect he was having on him. He made a mental note to dress this way more often. Upon being allowed to oversee the trial he had immediately asked to return home, to get a decent suit, and asked Erin for a cloak, he did look suave he had to admit, and of course, the moment he returned home, Cora had demanded she come. She'd actually looked close to tears, at his Alpha demand earlier before the show down, to remain in the house, to remain safe. In retrospect, it had been a bad idea, she'd already thought her entire pack was dead once…if anything had happened to them, Cora would have gone through the same thing again. She was strong, she'd survive, she'd endure, but honestly…Peter would prefer to die with his pack than survive and he had no doubt Cora felt the same way, even if he wanted his family to survive…no thrive. In the end he couldn't force her to stay, the danger had passed as she'd stated and so she had come to MACUSA, seeing it for the first time.

"Very well, but please refrain from any unnecessary bouts of violence in the council chambers, this is going to be a long trial as it is." Donovan sighed, glancing away from the private looks traded between the mates, utterly resigned to being manipulated into accepting them as a pair. Pair of bloody manipulative sods that is, honestly, he was partially proud, partly annoyed but only because it was him they were manipulating. However, another part of him was very happy that Harry had someone to lean on, he'd definitely need it.

"I don't think it's me you're going to have to worry about," Harry admitted, a slight slur to his voice with the pain drain thoroughly narcotized by Peter's magic hands.

Upon hearing the slur, Peter ceased his drain immediately, he hadn't realized he'd gone that far.

"We're coming aren't we? I mean we can attend?" Stiles gestured wildly between himself and Teddy, he ached but it was nothing like it had been earlier. "We have to give evidence don't we?"

"You cannot give evidence without a parent present," Donovan explained, "You aren't old enough." Assuming the boy was underage, he barely looked a day over fifteen.

"He's seventeen, and a spark," Harry commented, brushing his hands over Stiles and Teddy's heads, he'd nearly lost them. He'd missed Stiles birthday, but had made sure his gift was given on his birthday and he had called. From what he'd heard, Stiles birthday had been a good one, despite the sheriff's absence, working on his sons birthday, Stiles had ended up staying the night at his.

"Ah, that changes things," Donovan admitted, "Although, I must express my surprise that you are willing to so vehemently testify." After all, it was against one of his best friends, Scott McCall. Then again, from what he's found out so far, Scott had been working with the hunters against his own pack…and everyone including Stiles had been hurt due to that betrayal. As a spark, Stiles was a magical child, thus, at seventeen he became legally an adult, even if in California No-Maj laws he was still underage.

The confused look on Stiles face spoke volumes, he didn't know the half of it…or perhaps any of it.

"Why's that?" Stiles asked baffled, assuming that Scott was with the rest of the pack having a proper lunch in the cafeteria upstairs. He had no idea his best friend had been arrested for conspiring with the hunters and breaking the contract he'd signed and agreed to with Harry to stay out of jail after all the effort that had gone into it.

Donovan shared a look between Peter and Harry. "Excuse me," he said, once again leaving the ward, allowing them to have time to reveal everything to Stiles.

"Uh-oh," Teddy murmured, well aware of that look of his dads, what they were about to hear wasn't going to be good at all.

Stiles, who was just as aware as the Were's, if not more so, even with muted human emotions. "What's going on?" he asked, heartbeat ratcheting up staring between Peter and Harry.

A/N – so last chance will we see some Scott and Allison redemption – but well away from the Hale pack – or will they have both burnt their last bridges with Allison having actually shot Teddy and Harry make sure she suffers the maximum penalty he could possibly give her? Will they take pity on Scott due to the fact Gerard threatened Melissa? Will Melissa be there for the trial? Will she see her son put in prison? Will Harry find out about Echo house? Will he shut it down? Or will something much worse happen before that occurs? What about Deaton? Will he too be present due to his actions? He did give Scott the Mountain ash and the idea after all…Would you like to see him actually arrested in the story or just there? I kind of like the thought of writing it in 😉 it would just be a pull away from the story though I'm so excited to write about the trial :D how will Chris fair? Will Harry start the trial by mentioning his mother? Was Gerard that despicable that he'd kill his own wife? Would it be because she found out about him training his daughter? And his other illegitimate children? Will we see another shocking surprise in store for the Argents? R&R please!