You won't believe what rereading the Harry Potter series can do for your stories!  As I was reading, one line caught my eye.  Suddenly, this story started making sense, and I discovered where James Potter was!  (The scary part is, it could actually be true. . .if you can follow my reasoning, that is)  However, I promised myself no new chapters until I had Wolf-Child fully updated, so I'm scurrying so I can write the next part.  I can't wait!

Still don't own Harry Potter.  Do I have to keep saying that?

Wolf-Child

Ron and Hermione were at breakfast early the next morning.  Hermione was pouring over a book, as usual, while Ron played tug of war with Noko and a piece of bacon.  For such a small thing, she certainly was strong.  The bacon tore and Noko tumbled back, one half clenched between her sharp teeth.  Ron looked at the other half in his hand and sighed, tossing it at her.  She barked excitedly and gulped it down, before setting her sights on Ron's roll.

"Oh no you don't," he started warningly, wrapping one arm protectively around his plate.  Noko cocked her head and panted, her tongue hanging out of her mouth in a puppy smile.

"Pawet!" she barked.  "Pawet peas pawet!"

Hermione gasped, looking up from her book.  "Ron!  Was that the puppy?"

 Ron, just as shocked, nodded.  Noko shook her head and grinned again at his expression.  Hermione riffled through the book's pages before shaking her head and looking up again.  "But no wolf/human hybrid can learn to speak!  Never!"

"Maybe she's just special."

 "Nooo!"  Noko threw back her head and howled before leaping off the table and dashing over to Harry, who had just entered.  He scooped her up and nuzzled noses with her, laughing the entire time.  "'Lo Noko!  How've you been doing?"

"Fas!"

Harry chuckled and sat beside Ron.  "Hey.  Found anything new, Hermione?"

 "Well, she's talking, and that's supposed to be impossible, but other than that. . . what did you call her?"

Harry scratched Noko behind one fuzzy ear, and she sighed in pleasure.  "Noko.  That's her name.  Draco and I named her last night. As for her speaking, all Draco had to do was give her a good shake, and she started chatting away."

"Draco shook her!?!  Harry, that's not good!  It could seriously harm her!  Brain damage!"

 "Claim down, 'Mione!  Look, Noko's just fine, and Harry was with her when Draco shook her, so. . . um. . . she seems fine at least."

Hermione sighed.  "Excellent argument, Ron.  I cannot begin to disagree with your logic."

Noko's ears perked up and she glanced at the door.  Draco strolled in, and she tore over to him, yipping "Dayco!  Dayco!" the whole way.

Draco caught her in a bear hug, much to her delight.  He allowed himself a rare smile as he carried her over to the Gryffindor table and dumped her back into Harry's lap.  "You still have her, Potter."

"Don't be upset when you get her and she spouts Gryffindor names more than she does Slytherin then."

Draco smirked.  "She has yet to learn your name, Potter, but she can pronounce mine quite accurately.  I don't think I'll be upset anytime soon."

"Dayco!"  Draco patted Noko's head before strolling off to the Slytherin table.  Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean all crowded around Harry, trying to urge Noko into saying their names.  Eventually, Noko caught on and managed to call them; "On", "Bill", "Thay", and "Come."  Harry was still "Nooo!" and resigned himself to his new nickname.

Fred and George leaned over Harry's shoulder and scooped up Noko.  They cooed at her softly, then simply said, "Fred."

Noko studied them curiously, then repeated, quite clearly, "Fred."

"George."

"George."

 The twins shifted and pointed at Lee.  "Lee."

"Lee."

Grinning together, they handed her back to Harry.  "You got a bright one there, she'll be doing advanced Transfiguration with the best of them before you know it."

Lee linked arms with them, and the three bounced off, heads together as they came up with their latest prank

Harry looked at Noko.  "Harry."

 "Nooo!"

The Gryffindors face vaulted.  Noko wagged her tail.

Draco hugged Noko tighter to him as Harry and he headed towards the Whomping Willow.  She whimpered, sensing something was wrong. 

Harry prodded the knot and the two boys entered the passage.  Tonight was the full moon, and there was a chance that Noko became a full fledged monster under its silver glow.  Dumbledore hadn't wanted them to take any chances, so Noko would be locked up in a room in the Shack for the night.  Harry and Draco were allowed to stay in the Shack as well, provided they made sure the door was locked at all times.

Harry held the bedroom door open, and Draco set Noko gently on the bed.  "Be a good girl, Noko, and don't be scared.  We'll be right outside the door if you need us."

"Dayco?  Nooo?  Peas?"

 Draco and Harry both hugged her one last time before stepping out of the room and locking the door behind them.  They heard Noko jump off the bed and pad over to the door, scratching at it.  "Nooo?  Dayco?  Dayco?  Nooo?"

Draco bit his lip and reached for the handle, but Harry stopped him.  "If she is a werewolf, this is the best thing for her.  We can't let her out until we know for sure."

Draco sighed and let his hand drop back to his side.  "I hate it when you're right, Harry."

Not long later, the moon rose.  Through the door, the boys heard Noko howl.  Her cry rose in intensity until it was a sharp, pained sob, before stopping completely.  Harry and Draco stared at each other, worried for their baby.

 No sound came through the door.

~Crawler