Thanks to everyone who left a comment on the last couple chapters. I know the curveball was unexpected, but I wanted to change things up. I did not want this story to be a lovey-dovey multi-chapter project. Conflicts are sometimes needed in order to make the story seem more realistic. Thanks for sticking around. :) There is a possibility that I will attempt to make some art for this story, so everyone can kind of see what Talis looks like.
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A pic of Talis below
mohowl/art/Lupus-Cor-Chapter-18-831592080?ga_submit_new=10%3A1582557454
A week later, I had fully recovered from using the illegal Healing Curse. The nerves in my hand were no longer shot, and I wasn't twitching as much. After being stuck in the hospital wing for the past seven day, Madam Pomfrey finally became fed up with my sass and playing with spells; apparently trying to create a flower made of fire out of sheer boredom was frowned upon. She sent me outside to let off some steam and to give her some peace.
I was all for it.
The night air welcomed me with a gentle caress as I stepped outside. I wandered down the front steps, humming quietly to myself. For the first time in a week I felt better. There were no secrets to hide from others, besides my heritage, and I felt free. Sucking in a deep breath then exhaling with a sigh, I looked up at the stars. Hermione had mentioned that an Astronomy O.W.L. was going on tonight, so hopefully my wanders did not distract any of the students. In the back of my mind, I wondered if Harry was looking at the stars beside her. That was something we used to -
No.
Don't think about him.
I gave my body a shake.
Thinking about him will not fix what happened.
As I passed by the circle of stones, the front doors to the castle were flung open. I quickly hid behind one of the boulders, back pressed against the chilled surface. There shouldn't be anyone outside right now. There were no outside exams going on, at least not on the grounds. I peered around the side of my hideout.
Six people exited the castle; I could not see whom as they were silhouetted by the bright light coming from the opened doors. All were tall, but one looked distinct: short, squat, and walking with a waddle I'd recognize anywhere.
Umbridge.
What was that toad-bitch doing?
The doors swung closed, and the grounds were once again filled with shadows. My eyes adjusted quickly, and I watched as the six people marched in the direction to Hagrid's cabin. I held my breath as they went past my stone. They seemed too interested in their target to notice me. As quietly as I could, I withdrew my wand and muttered a muffling charm on my sneakers. Then I followed them.
The shadowy figures made straight for Hagrid's home. The fire and lanterns were lit inside, giving it a cheerful but spooky look. I could see when a figure passed by a window, and I growled when I saw the skinny silhouette of wands being held out. One of the figures walked up the large steps leading to Hagrid's front door. A loud knock split the night air, nearly making me jump out of my skin.
From within the cabin, Fang started barking, alerting his master they had company.
"Don't open it," I muttered under my breath as I edged closer.
Hagrid's front door opened. "'Ello, Headmistress. Wh' can I do for yeh?"
My heart hammered in my chest as the group stepped into Hagrid's hut. I was close enough to recognize some of them, including the silent wizard Dawlish. Why the hell were there Aurors at the school?
Wait. . .
Ah shit!
A thunderous roar came from the small cabin and echoed around the grounds. It was followed by a loud blast, as if something inside the cabin had imploded. The door burst open. Several of the figures spilled out over the threshold, beams of red shooting from their wands as they stumble down the steps.
"Come now, Hagrid!" Umbridge spoke in a shrill voice. "Let's not make this difficult!"
Hagrid was not listening. His large fists were clenched, and he was swinging right and left. The Stunners were bouncing off his body; if the situation had not been so intense, I would have laughed at the Aurors for forgetting half-giants were impervious to Stunners.
"Be reasonable, Hagrid!"
"Reasonable be damned!" Hagrid bellowed. "Yeh won't take me like this, Dawlish!"
I snarled and was about to rush into the fray when Fang suddenly appeared in front of Hagrid. The usually calm and loving Boar hound was nothing by teeth and slobber as he tackled one of the wizards. He snapped at his face, barking furiously. Then a beam of red light got him on the side; Fang crumpled to the ground in a furry heap. Hagrid howled in rage, then grabbed the man responsible for Stunning his companion and threw him. The wizard landed with a sickening thud and did not get up.
A sliver of light from the castle caught my attention, but the doors shut just as I turned to see who was coming out. My wand in hand, I readied myself to take on whomever it was.
"How dare you! How DARE you!"
Minerva?
"Leave him alone! Alone, I say!" Minerva rushed towards Hagrid's cabin, wand held high. Her face was pinched in absolute fury. If seeing the lovable Fang acting vicious was scary, then seeing Minerva like this was down right terrifying. In all my years as a student, I had never seen her like this. "On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, NOTHING to warrant such -"
I had to stifle my howl of rage as the wizards and Umbridge turned and shot Stunning Spells at her. The red beams of light struck her when she was halfway between the castle and the cabin. She seemed to glow for a moment then she was thrown into the air. She landed heavily a few feet away. She did not get up.
"COWARDS!" bellowed Hagrid just as I snarled under my breath, "YOU FUCKING MONSTERS!"
I sprinted across the lawn to the fallen professor; I could hear Hagrid putting up a hell of a fight behind me and knew he would be okay for now. My lips curled in a snarl and my canines extended as I knelt down beside Minerva. Her eyes were closed. For a moment I thought she was dead, until I said the gentle rise and fall of her chest. I reached out and felt her pulse. It was there but weak.
"Get him! Get him!" Umbridge's screech caught my attention. I crouched over Minerva, shielding her body with my own, and watched as Hagrid tossed Fang onto his broad shoulder. He headed towards the gates with speed I did not know he possessed then vanished. All of the wizards, aside from Umbridge and one Auror, were on the ground, knocked out cold, most likely from Hagrid's massive fists. Umbridge and her helper chased after him; they must have forgotten about Minerva in their desperate attempt to capture the half-giant.
I released a breath I did not know I was holding. "He'll be okay," I muttered, reassuring myself. "It's Hagrid. He'll be okay." I put my wand away. Summoning some of my heritage to lend me strength, I bent over to carefully, gently, scoop the fallen professor into my arms. I knew I should have probably used a spell to move her, but I was not thinking. Slowly so I did not jar her, I made my way back to the castle.
My mind was a whirling mess as I tried to comprehend every thing that had just happened.
Why was this happeneing? What has happened to the school? Umbridge obviously did not want to draw attention like she did when she tried to send Trelawney away. But... sneaking up on someone in the middle of the night was pure cowardice. Especially someone who could not control his magic enough to protect himself. Hagrid was lucky none of the Stunners had an effect on him.
My heart thudded in my ears. "It'll be aright, Minerva," I whispered to the fallen witch in my arms. "We'll get you fixed up, and you'll be handing out detentions again before too long. You're stronger than this. You've always been strong." I knew I was rambling but the majority of my brain did not care. My nerves were shot. I was doing my best to suppress my rage. This was certainly not something I wanted to deal with as soon as I was released from Madam Pomfrey's care. I whispered to her until my voice faded away when I reached the front doors. Without a free hand, I kicked one of them open to get inside.
No one was in the Entrance Hall, and the most of the lanterns were not lit. I was grateful for the muffling charm on my sneakers; the thuds of my footsteps would have echoed and drawn others out. It was late. I was not in the mood to deal with anyone, teachers or students.
The way to the hospital wing was clear. The few portraits that were still awake watched in silent horror as I trudged down the halls and up the stairs. As I passed by the Gryffindor Corridor, I could hear whispering. Pausing for a moment, I glanced down the hallway to see who could still be awake at this time.
Harry was standing in front of my old quarters. His head was bowed, and, as I watched, he wiped his face with the sleeve of his cloak. A soft voice spoke, but I could not hear what they were saying. The she-wolf must still be guarding the now empty room. Harry lifted his head and talked back. From my spot, I could see a tear slip from his eye.
I sighed quietly and walked on.
There was nothing I could do about him right now.
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"Put her here, Talis."
Madam Pomfrey pulled the sheets back on one of the beds near the back of the room.
I followed her and carefully set Minerva on the bed. "She was Stunned. Maybe four or five to the chest," I muttered. "Umbridge and some Aurors were trying to apprehend Hagrid, and she interfered in their plans." I looked up at the medical witch. "I should have done something. She did not deserve this."
"You did plenty, Talis." Pomphrey withdrew her wand from a pocket on her hastily thrown on apron and slowly waved it over Minerva. "You brought her here. Those who did this to her may have left her on the grounds until morning. If that had been the case, she may not have made it through the night. You know how much Umbridge dislikes Minerva."
I nodded, silent.
A piece of parchment appear from thin air in front of Pomfrey. "She'll live. You saved her life."
"But?" From the tone of her voice, there had to be a catch.
Pomfrey's eyes scanned the parchment, her face growing more grim as she read what was written on it. "But I can not do much for her." She pocketed the parchment. "I will have to contact St. Mungo's."
"Is it that serious, Poppy?"
"Five Stunning Spells to the chest. I'm surprised the attack did not kill her." Pomfrey's eyes softened for a moment as she looked down at the Stunned witch. Then, with an almost silent sniffle, she turned away from the bed. "I need to contact them right away." She hurried away to her office.
I stared after her until the door to her office closed with a soft thud. "See, Minerva? What did I tell you? The Healers at St. Mungo's will have you back to normal in no time." I glanced down at her wand, still in her weak grasp, though dangling from her thin fingers, and carefully took it from her. I set it down on the small table beside her bed. "Everything will be okay." A flower in a vase caught my eye. I withdrew my wand and transfigured the flower into a small glass wolf. It marched over Minerva's wand to curl up beside the handle. The Healers will give it to her when she wakes up. She'll know what it means.
Knowing there was nothing else I could do for her, I left the hospital wing.
My feet started walking, but my brain was disconnected. My thoughts were filled with what just happened. Why did Umbridge order Hagrid to be -? I almost smacked myself for my own stupidity. Umbridge hated anyone who was not entirely human. Hagrid is half-giant. And she did not want to make a scene of sacking him, so she brought some Aurors and thought of capturing him in the middle of the night. If I did not hate her so much, I would have thought the plan seemed quite solid.
"Talis."
And... now I'm hearing Harry's voice in my head. Fuck, I need a drink or something.
"Talis, wait."
Okay, that was definitely not in my head.
"Talis."
"What, Harry?"
A hand grabbed my wrist, and I stopped walking.
"Are you okay?"
I shook my head and sighed through my nose. The truth seemed better than forcing out a lie. "No. No, I'm not okay."
"Angelina and Colin said they saw you bring Professor McGonagall back to the castle." His voice was soft. "Is she -"
"She's alive, Harry, but just barely. Pomfrey is contacting St. Mungo's because of the severity of the Stunners. They can treat her there."
The hand released my wrist. "That's good news."
"Yeah. Yeah, it is." I did not turn to face him. "You should be in bed. You have another exam tomorrow." I took a step forward but was stopped when two arms caught me around my middle. "Harry," I said with a sigh. "Let go."
"No."
"Harry James Potter," I muttered.
"Talis Corvus Creary."
"Stop it. I'm fuckin' tired, and I want to go to sleep."
"Stay," he whispered. "Please. Just... stay."
"Why should I?" I asked. "I'm a monster, remember? Monsters don't belong in the castle."
The hands on my stomach flexed before grabbing fistfuls of my shirt. I felt him rest his head between my shoulder blades. His breath seeped through my shirt and warmed my flesh. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to revel in the heat of his body. It's been ages since he had been this close. His scent wreathed around me, and my heart started to pound.
"I'm sorry."
"I can't be sure if you are or not."
"I am."
"What are you sorry for?"
Harry was silent for a moment. "You're not a monster, Talis."
"I don't believe that."
The heat vanished and the arms released my waist as Harry slid around to stand in front of me. His beautiful eyes stared up at me, shimmering with tears in the moonlight. "I had no right to say that to you, Talis. It was pure bollocks. I acted like..." He sighed quietly. "I acted like a child, taking out my rage on someone else. On you. And you didn't deserve it -"
"No shite."
"All you've done is love and care for me," he continued as if I had not spoken. "You've never treated me with disrespect as a teacher's assistant. You don't worship the ground I walk on like others. I let such a good thing go to waste because of my damned temper." He sighed again. "Hermione says I am a right git for what I did."
"She told you the truth."
We stood in silence for a few moments, just staring at each other. I could tell he was genuinely sorry, but flashes of my past bombarded my brain. Blue eyes and brown hair light enough to be called blonde. A flash of light then the sight of blood flying from my face. I gave myself a shake. "You really hurt me, Harry."
"I know I did," he said, regret coating his words.
"You treated me just like Blue did."
That made him visibly flinch.
"Both of you loved me then tossed me aside, calling me a monster. I swore to myself that I would never let that happen to me again."
"A monster would not risk his life to save a thestral or a professor. Hagrid brought me to the clearing that day, when you were healing your thestral's wing. We watched you for a while. I couldn't hear you, but you were screaming as if you were in a great deal of pain."
"I was."
"A monster would have finished her off. You saved her life. A monster would have left Professor McGonagall to die outside. You took her to Madam Pomfrey." Harry reached up and cupped the side of my face. I closed my eyes as his thumb gently swiped along my scar. "You are a great man, Talis. Probably more of a man that many. You're not a monster," he repeated. "You're a man who cares and loves with every inch of his being. You're a man who is more than a monster." I opened my eyes to gaze down at him. "You're the man I fell in love with, who I'm still in love with."
I blinked away tears. "How do I know you won't use me as a verbal punching bag again?"
"I made a mistake by doing that. I know there's no way in hell you'll ever fully forgive me." He lowered his hand from my face, and once again hugged me. He tucked his head under my chin. "I've missed you," he whispered.
"I-I missed you too," I replied after a moment's hesitation.
Harry hugged me tighter. Without realizing, I found myself holding him against me. It felt right, as if a missing part of me had returned. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Harry's shoulders jerked up and down as he cried quietly. I felt his hot tears on my neck. I shushed him gently and stroked his back.
I probably held him for several minutes before I noticed he was yawning between sobs. With great reluctance, I moved away from our embrace. I brought a hand up to wipe away his remaining tears. "Come on, love," I said with a sigh. "Let's get you to your dorm." I took his hand in mine as we walked down the corridor. His hand shifted until his fingers were intertwined with mine. The warmth of his grip brought a small smile to my face.
We walked in silence. Harry would paused every once in a while to look up at me, and I would slightly smile down at him. When we finally reached the Fat Lady's portrait Harry was barely awake and my feet were starting to drag. It had been a very long day and night. Harry paused in front of the Fat Lady, whom was dozing quietly. Emerald eyes stared up at me, half-lidded with sleep.
"Stay," he whispered.
I shook my head. "I can't."
"If not with me, then at least stay on one of the couches." Harry's sleepy eyes shown with concerned. "You look so tired."
I fought back a yawn. "I can't," I repeated. I disentangled my hand from his to cup his chin. "I don't want to get you or myself into anymore trouble. When Umbridge figures out I was the one who brought Minerva to the hospital wing, that I'm actually in the castle, she'll probably fully banish me from the grounds." I sighed quietly. "She's already chased off Hagrid. We both know I'm next, thanks to not being fully human."
"You're not a monster, Talis."
. . .
"Say it again. Please."
"You're not a monster."
I smiled sadly down at him. "If only that were true," I murmured then leaned down a bit to kiss his scar. His sharp intake of breath did not go unnoticed. "Go to bed, Harry. Good luck with your exams."
"Good night, Talis," he whispered. He hesitated as if he wanted to say more, but he only sighed then gave the Fat Lady the password to get in. As the portrait was starting to swing shut, I had a spur of the moment thought. I grabbed the edge of the portrait with one hand and the sleeve of Harry's sweater with the other. I tugged him back, spun him around, and kissed him. Harry sighed against my mouth, kissing back. It was not a heated kiss, like the ones I had seen written in books, the kind of feverish kiss shared by two people suffering from sexual frustration from being separated for a number of days.
No, this was soft and calm.
Just a simple touch that spoke volumes.
"Sleep well, love."
"Be safe, Talis."
"If something, anything, happens to me, I will let you know I'm safe as soon as I can," I promised.
Harry frowned but nodded. "I'm holding you to that."
I smiled and gave him a slight push. "I'll see when I see you, Harry. Hopefully sooner than later."
Harry stepped into the Gryffindor common room. He paused and looked back. "I love you, Talis Corvus Creary."
I hesitated for a moment, studying his face. Those emerald eyes were still shiny from his tears but there was no denying it. The emotion could not be faked. "I love you too, Harry James Potter."
Harry gave a watery smile. He waved slightly then turned away. I stepped back to allow the Fat Lady to finish swinging shut. "Good night, my dear," I said to the beautiful painting.
"It's wonderful to see you again, Talis," she replied sleepily. Her eyes drifted closed and she started to snore.
I turned away from the portrait. The shadowy corridor seemed so much lonelier now that Harry was no longer beside me. My sneakers were still silent as I walked. When I passed by my old quarters, I glanced at the portrait. The she-wolf was gone, and her painting had dimmed as if the life had been sucked out of it.
Hopefully the she-wolf is okay, wherever she was.