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Chapter 29: Wolf Cubs

11th, August, 1998...

Harry peered inside the box on Minerva's desk and saw the wolf cub they found earlier stirring, then opening it's little eye's. The cub looked around looking mildly confused at how it had ended up in a box, then it was terrified as it spotted Harry. It cowered into the edge of the box furthest from Harry.

"Don't be afraid little one. I'm not going to hurt you." Harry said gently, "I can understand you when you talk. Can you tell me your name?"

The little cub looked at him, "My name is Jinx." he whimpered, "How do you understand the langauge of my species when you are a two-legger?" he ventured bravely.

"Jinx is a lovely name. As for being able to understand you, it was a... Gift... from a friend."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Harry, Harry Potter. This is Ginny Weasley, she can understand you too." Harry smiled as his girlfriend joined him.

"Do you mind if we ask you a few question's?" she asked.

The cub looked wary, "If I cannot answer then I will not." he warned the two-leggers.

"Of course. The first thing we need to know is how you got into the castle and how you got covered in blood." Harry said gently.

"I came from the forest. Well... Mama brought me to the big castle and told me to hide and that she'd be back. I decided to hide inside, to avoid the danger."

"What danger?" Ginny asked.

"The other wolves were chasing Mama and Papa and me. I can't tell you why just yet. They wanted to kill us and Papa went to fight them to give Mama a chance of running with me." Jinx explained.

"Okay. How old are you?" Harry asked.

"I am one full moon old as of last night."

Ginny gasped, "That's so young. How exactly did you get covered in blood?" she asked.

Jinx trembled a little, "Papa and Mama." he whined a little in his throat, "They're gone. I cannot sense them any longer. I saw them get Papa." the baby wolf curled into a ball and hid his nose under his bush tale. "The 'Bad One' done it. He killed Mama and Papa."

"I thought you said your Mama brought you to the castle?" Harry frowned.

Jinx nodded, "After the attack on our Den. She was badly hurt that's why I was covered in blood. Papa was killed before she could escape."

"Where did this happen?" Ginny asked.

"In a forest. About four villages away. My Pack has its own magic. We're faster at running and can go places instantly with a thought. We can also change the patterns on our fur. Like how I am black with blue bit's. I can't change mine now though, my magic's not developed enough, even for little thing's, and won't fully until I'm 2 moon cycles old."

"2 moon cycles? As in 2 months?" Ginny said. "You were born not this full moon past but after the one before it?"

Jinx nodded. "May I ask you something?" he asked quietly, he still seemed afraid of the humans, "Why do I sense a wolf from you?"

"We're Lycan's. We can turn into wolves at will." Harry explained gently, "It's how I found you. I smelled the blood and followed the trail."

Jinx relaxed slightly.

"You haven't been around humans before have you?" Ginny asked, Jinx shook his head, "We, none of us in this room, will hurt you." she said gently, "You, like my mate here, have been through a lot, I think it may be best if you come and stay with us until you are old enough to take care of yourself."

Jinx nodded, "What do you mean 'None of us in this room'? Are there other's?"

"Yes would you like to see? I'd have to pick you up though." Harry said putting his hands into the box and holding them there as an invitation to be picked up.

Jinx slowly got up and shook his body before slowly approaching the hand's at a crawl and allowing Harry to gently pick him up and support him gently.

"You're underweight for your age. I can feel your ribs." Harry commented as Jinx looked curiously around at everyone who had been sitting watching them ask questions silently, "When was the last time you ate?"

"It would have been yesterday. I managed to find a bit of soft food on my way to the spot I passed out in, Mama and Papa were just starting to get us to eat meat." Jinx explained, "I've been ill recently too." he admitted.

"Hold on." Ginny said before asking Minerva something quietly, "Minerva can you ask a house-elf to bring a bowl of warm milk? Don't do it front of the cub though, it might scare him." she nodded and stepped into a separate room.

"Minerva will bring something for you to eat." Harry told Jinx.

"You said your Pack has its own magic?" Ginny asked, "What type of wolf are you?"

"I'm a Guardian wolf." Jinx replied, "We are fiercely loyal to the two-legs we bond with. That hasn't happened since our new Alpha decided two-legs were horrible and that we should avoid them at all costs." he whined a little, "I will tell you the reason behind the Pack turning on me and my Mama and Papa, but not now."

"Your whole Pack turned on you?" Harry asked.

"No. My littermate, Jex, is somewhere in the castle. He was hiding too. It was my Papa's litter-mate who brought him here though. I think he went down into the warm bottom bit of the castle." he explained. "We decided it was safer splitting up."

Harry nodded. "Ron? Check this for a dot with the name of Jex please? Apparently Jinx's brother is hiding too." he explained taking the Marauder's Map out and handing it to Ron, "He said 'warm bottom bit of the castle' so try around the basement." he suggested.

"Sure Harry." Ron nodded going over to Minerva's desk as the woman herself re-joined them carrying a bowl of milk.

"Where do you want it?" Minerva asked Harry.

"Um... Jinx are you able to drink it on your own?" Ginny asked him.

"I should be but I won't be able to stand very well." he admitted, "After effect of being ill."

"How about this?" Harry suggested, he sat down on the floor with his legs crossed and Jinx settled in between them, "Will this work?"

Jinx nodded. "It should do fine if you can put the bowl in front of you so I can reach."

"Of course. Can you put it in front of me Minerva? He said he won't be able to stand up too well yet." Harry said, Minerva nodded and put the bowl down in front of Harry making sure Jinx could reach it.

"Thank you." Jinx said before starting to lap up the milk.

"He said thank you." Ginny told Minerva who just smiled.

"Harry, I found the name." Ron announced. "It's in an empty classroom. It's not moving though."

"Great. I'll go get him." Harry said after looking at the map which Ron had held down for him to see. Jinx looked up, "Can you go to Ginny?" he asked, Jinx nodded so Ginny sat down opposite Harry and Harry handed Jinx to her gently.

"I'll help." Hermione said. "One of us can pick up the scent and lead the other. In case we run into any of the staff who haven't seen our wolf forms before and might not understand why a wolf bigger than a human is running around the castle, it help's avoid panic."

"True. It would scare anyone to see you in wolf form if they didn't know it was you." Lily smiled.

"People are afraid of what they don't understand." Harry agreed. "Let's go."

Harry and Hermione left the office.

"You know, it seems to me that you two-legs are quite friendly." Jinx said before going back to drinking his milk.

"We are friendly Jinx. We're the kind of people who wouldn't hurt anyone unless they threatened us first." Ginny smiled, "Some of us turn into wolves too."

"I know... Can I see?" the cub asked hesitantly.

Ginny nodded and placed him on the floor before changing into Misty and lying down. Jinx looked at her and hesitantly sniffed.

"You smell lovely and safe." Jinx announced.

"Come over." Misty said, it came out as a few whimpers, to human ears at least, but Jinx understood and tried to stand up but he stumbled and fell again.

"I'm not strong enough." Jinx admitted, "I used a lot of energy getting to where you found me." he shivered. "I'm cold."

"No problem. I'll get help for you if you don't mind being picked up again."

Jinx nodded. "I don't mind as long as their careful."

Misty nodded and looked at Ron.

"Does he need help?" he asked her.

Misty nodded again so Ron came over slowly and picked up Jinx before looking at Misty again.

Misty looked at her paws so Ron put the cub between them.

"There you go." he chuckled as Jinx cuddled into his sisters fur. He noticed the bowl of milk wasn't empty yet and pushed it to where the cub could reach it.

Thank you Ron, he was cold and couldn't move himself, Ginny sent mentally towards her brother.

"Any time." he grinned, "I'm guessing you forgot about the pack bond?"

Misty nodded a little as Hermione came into the room with Shadow behind her. Shadow had a little wolf cub that was black with white marks over its small body, he was carrying it by the scruff of its neck.

"It seems he didn't want to be carried by a human. He doesn't seem to trust us very much." Hermione explained amusedly, "So Shadow carried him up like that."

"Jex!" Jinx called.

"Jinx?" the little wolf cub, Jex, replied. "Thank god I found you." he said as soon as Shadow put him down gently. "This two-leg said he knew where you were."

"He's called Harry, this is Ginny." Jinx explained nodding up at Misty.

"Hello. In these forms were actually Shadow and Misty." Misty said. Shadow changed back.

"He had a little blood on him but not as much as Jinx." Harry explained, "He's had a wash and if he trust's us more later he'll get a bath."

"It's not that I don't trust you, I just didn't believe you. If Jinx trust's you then so do I." Jex told him letting his tongue hang out in a wolfish smile, "I just didn't know if you were telling the truth."

"Fair enough." Misty nodded, "Jinx do you mind if I change back?" the cub shook his head so she did.

"So what are we going to do with them?" Molly asked.

"We'll take care of them until there old enough to take care of themselves'." Harry smiled. "I asked Jex downstairs and his story matched Jinx's." he added, "So it's true. I think we should head back to the Burrow soon."

"After lunch though. And during lunch we can decide when to deal with the reporters." Hermione sighed, "We have to before the 14th at any rate."

"Oh yeah. You lot are meeting with the Goblins." Ginny said.

"And it would be bad if you're late because of reporters." Bill added, "Goblins aren't patient."

"Well let's go to lunch." Harry suggested. He mentally hoped everything would be fine in a few days.

They will, you think too loud, Ginny commented, What's the worst that could happen?

The Goblins could get nasty, the reporters could get worse, the death eaters still on the loose can attack at any moment...

Harry shut up. It's going to be fine. Lets just go and deal with the next few day's.

I love you, Harry smiled.

I love you too, Ginny smiled back. They each picked up a wolf cub and started to head to the great hall. Completely aware the next few days would be filled with press conferences, reporters and the chaos that came with it all.

TO BE CONTINUED...