Chapter 49

To Draco's annoyance, the person who aided him the most in understanding what was happening was not Algernon, like he had thought, but Godric Gryffindor. Looking back, he should have realised that the best person to go to for advice and answers would be someone who had lived through what he was going through now. He sighed and shook his head with a disbelieving chuckle.

Algernon really was an expert in the field of male pregnancy and it showed in the depth of detail he went into to answer Draco's questions and in the language he had used. The truth of the matter was, however, that Draco had no idea what had been said, so he had returned to his and Tobias' rooms in frustration. It was only luck that he had been interrupted from his thoughts by the Lord of Gryffindor.

~Flashback~

"You look troubled youngster."

Draco jumped as he was scared from his thoughts.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"I don't know," Draco sighed before growling at himself in frustration. "Tobias is not acting like himself and while I get that it is due to his pregnancy, I don't understand WHY he has changed so much and when I asked his Healer about it he answered but with so many terms and words I don't know or understand that I feel more confused than before!" By the time he had finished, Draco was panting slightly and as he slowly calmed himself, he became aware of the soft chuckles coming from the portrait. He scowled at the painted man who raised both arms in surrender.

"Truly youngster, I did not intend to laugh at your plight. It is just … You remind me of how I was the first time Sal was with child," Godric chuckled and shook his head. "You think seeing your husband acting like this is odd? How do you think I felt when mine took to skipping around the castle with a big beaming smile and happily humming?"

Draco paled even as he chuckled uncomfortably at the image. The thought of Salazar Slytherin behaving in such a manor was terrifying.

"Thankfully, it only lasted until he had our daughter," Godric continued with a half-smile. He turned serious and gazed at the young blonde. "You need to understand that children need the magic of their parents. Muggleborn wizards and witches are an anomaly and we don't know how they come about, but a popular theory is that they are receptors of magic and so pull on the small amounts of magic from the ley lines in the Earth and from the atmosphere."

Godric gave a half-smile. "For magical beings, the magic comes from their mother or bearer. This, as well as the mixed up hormones in their brains, are going to make them a bit different personality wise."

Draco nodded thoughtfully.

"Some believe that the behaviour that the bearer – or mother – exhibits reveals the nature of the child. I know that in Sal's case this was true – but in many it wasn't."

"If that is the case with Tobias," Draco said dryly, "then I beg leave of you to go find myself the materials to build a weapon that is much deadlier than a wand. Tobias is acting like an innocent being; going so far as to blush and gape when he saw me naked … and he squeaked when I hopped into the bath with him. If that is how my son or daughter is going to act, along with having a combination of my and Tobias' looks, then we are going to have to beat suitors off with a stick."

~End flashback~

Draco smirked as he remembered the auburn-haired man's deep booming laughter, only for it to drop when he caught sight of the serious look on Tobias' face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, speeding up until he could wrap his arms around his husband. "What happened?"

"I can't find a way for Ateria and Ateros to break the marriage contract to the Patil twins without them losing all the respect they have earned for themselves. I've looked and I can't find a way out for them."

"Go get the contracts and bring them to me," Draco half-ordered. "Sometimes there are specific wordings in the contract that can be twisted around to give an out." He paused for a second and asked softly. "If we can't break it, is it so bad that the girls join our Pack? The Patil family is a good one – not just in the fact they are purebloods either. They are powerful, neutral or grey, depending on how you see it, and they have a reputation of forming close bonds with their bonded so even if they do not find a love like ours, they will still be happy."

"Fred wants to court Angelina," Tobias said with a sigh. "They have been dating for two years. I don't have anything against Padma joining The Pack because she is a hardworking, discrete woman who will listen to what we have to say, compare it to what she already knows and form her own conclusions. Pavarti on the other hand …"

Tobias shook his head hopelessly, "I've lived with Pavarti for five years Draco. She is NOT the type of person we can trust within our ranks."

Draco nodded. "Get the paper to me Love; I'll see what I can do."

"Have I told you recently about how much I love you?" Tobias asked with a thankful smile.

"You just want me for my brain," Draco teased.

"That's not true," Tobias scowled, "it's your body I want, or does the fact I am currently carrying a bellyful of your spawn not register?" Tobias turned around and walked out of the room, throwing a triumphant – yet playful – smirk over his shoulder at the speechless blonde in the otherwise empty room.

Ginny and Luna looked around the Great Hall nervously. That morning had come with the announcement that only the fifth and sixth year students hadn't been seen by the Healers and now the two girls were, once again, separated from the rest of their Pack. Unconsciously, they reached out to each other and held the other's hand tightly.

"This is insane," Ginny muttered as she watched everyone in the room squabbling over who goes where and going into hysterics at the thought of having a Healer's appointment.

Beside her Luna nodded, her eyes going wider than they normally did.

"SILENCE!" a male voice boomed, making everyone freeze in place before they turned their attention to the group of Ministry Officials that had congregated before them.

His Grace Alasander Mitchells cleared his throat. ""Now that we have your attention," he continued in a normal volume, even though his tone was scathing, "we can begin. Amelia, if you will?"

"Thank you Your Grace," Amelia said with a nod of her head. "You have been delegated a Healer and Ministry official by us," she continued, now addressing the forty odd students that had gathered. "These groups are not negotiable and I expect each and every one of you to treat both of the adults with respect, no matter who they are."

"This goes for your behaviour towards your fellow student as well," Xing Wu stated from his spot in the line. "Each group will hold at least one student of each house. If we even suspect that someone was attacked in any way due to the house they were in or because of something equally stupid, then you will be punished by one of us. Several members of upper and lower years have already been given the times for their punishment."

Amelia nodded her thanks to the man and turned back to the students. "When I call your name, go and line up before the tent with the number that I call first. Tent one …"

Ginny and Luna ignored the rest of the list as their grip on each other tightened slightly. They didn't like this. They didn't like this at all. Instinctually, the two of them sent an emotional burst towards the rest of The Pack. They got the return of reassurance at the same time Madam Bones called out their names. Both girls relaxed. They were together, that was all that mattered right now.

Draco, Blaise, Theo and Pansy watched in amusement as Tobias and Vincent paced before the empty photo frame.

"Calm down you two," Pansy said eventually. "It isn't like they are far."

"I don't trust the Healers," Tobias said, pacing faster. "Healers aren't to be trusted."

"What if they try something with Kyria when they see the results she gets with what happened a few days ago?" Vincent asked. "I have only just found something to give as her first gift."

Everyone but Tobias stopped and stared at the large teen.

"EEEE!" Tobias squealed happily, his mind now completely on Vince's news. "What did you get her? It had better be match what she gave to you!"

"It does Alpha," Vincent said with a small smile, "and if you don't mind, I would rather Kyria be the first to see it."

"Good man!" Tobias beamed, "Very good answer. Of course Kyria should be the first person to see her gift!"

Vincent bowed slightly. "Thank you for giving your blessing Alpha."

Tobias chuckled before yawning. "It was my pleasure Dynamo. It is a wonderful feeling when you see the ones you love as happy as you are with your partner with their own."

"Tobias love," Draco said cautiously, "That didn't make much sense."

Tobias pouted. "It did to me."

"But not to the rest of us," Pansy said softly. "We don't speak Hyper-Alpha very well yet."

Tobias laughed, "No I don't think you are fluent in that yet. What I meant was 'it makes me happy when I see my family in relationships that make them as happy as I am with Draco."

Vincent smiled and ran a gentle finger over the package in his pocket. He hoped the silver-eyed female liked what he had found for her.

Ginny looked at the parchment before her in horror, as did Lucius, Luna and Algernon.

"Alpha is going to kill them," Luna whispered. "They signed their own death warrant. How are we going to keep him calm after he finds out?"

"It isn't Alpha I'm worried about," Ginny said going slightly green. "It's Beta."

"You do realise that Draco won't hold you responsible right?" Lucius said as he lay a gentle hand on the red-headed girl's shoulder.

"Oh we know that," Luna said. "It's that … Beta is extremely possessive when it comes to Alpha and he is the only one who has any luck with keeping Alpha calm. If Beta is angry, then it feeds Alpha's anger."

Both men winced. Yep, it was certain … Arthur and Molly Weasley's days were numbered.

Ginny put the parchment back on the table and allowed Luna to pull her from the tent. As Algernon rolled up the parchment to send it to the girl's care-giver, he winced once again when the poison green words revealed themselves once again.

Love potion – Affection intended towards Harry Potter – Taken monthly since third birthday – Given and made by A and M Weasley – Broken age eleven via possession.

Words

Ateria - Mischief

Ateros – Mischievous

Alasandra – Pronounced Al-Ugh-Sand-Drugh

Kyria – Lady

Dynamo – Strength