Happy NaNoWriMo Eve! So the Muse has spoken and I couldn't work on any of my other fics until this came out of me. MotM is almost completely written and only four (albeit four very long) chapters.
I've always loved a Werewolf vibe, but I've always wanted to see more true wolf relationships in my werewolf fics... so here. :)
I have to say that this piece would not be here if it weren't for the work of the most amazing bam2305. The amount of energy that was put in both grammatically AND plotwise was astounding. I mean there were messages sent at almost all hours of the day and they were all replied to with so much thought and care. I literally cannot thank you enough.
Saturday, December 21, 1991
"Do you know why you're here, Draco?" he'd asked with a sneer.
Draco could count on his small hand the number of times he'd been inside of this room. He felt a shiver run down his spine. On the walls were gruesome paintings of Muggle Baiting and Werewolf Hunts. He shook his head and bit his lip, holding back the tears that were pooling in his eyes.
"Answer me, boy," Lucius hissed.
"N-no, Father," Draco said with a whimper.
"Do you know what this is?" he asked, slamming a piece of paper on the edge of the desk.
Draco looked down at the sheet of paper and saw straight O's from top to bottom. He dragged his eyes up to the top of the page and saw the name "Hermione Jean Granger," written at the top.
"Do you have any idea what an embarrassment this is?" Lucius growled.
He waved his wand and the parchment was switched to one with his own grades. Everything was an O except an A in Herbology and Charms.
"Second in the class I could forgive if it had been a Pureblood Ravenclaw, but this is unacceptable!" Lucius shouted. "A Gryffindor and a Mudblood!"
"I'm sorry, Father," he whined, "I'll do better, I promise."
Lucius glared at him for a few moments, then smirked as Draco flinched when he lifted his wand. "Crucio!" he hissed.
Draco couldn't hold it in. He screamed as he felt like his skin was being eaten off from the inside. It seems like it lasted for ages, but could only have been a few seconds.
"You're useless," Lucius spat. "Get out of my sight."
Draco scrambled to get up and ran straight to his mother. Narcissa held him tightly to her as she attempted to comfort him.
"It's alright, my dragon," she said softly, "he didn't mean it."
"I certainly meant it, wife," Lucius spat from the doorway. "He's let a Mudblood beat him in classes and now he's snivelling like a little boy, that is unsuitable for the Malfoy Heir."
Narcissa's arms stiffened around him. "Lucius he's just a ch-"
Draco felt his mother rip away and watched as she was flung to the floor, Lucius hovering over her with a disgusted sneer. "He is no longer a child. You will not treat him like this," he said gesturing angrily towards Draco's tear stained face, "it's unacceptable."
Narcissa just nodded and avoided eye contact. Lucius stalked away and Narcissa stood as gracefully as she could. "Draco , we need to start teaching you Occlumency. Your father has certain expectations for both of us and…"
Draco didn't have to be a genius to know what his mother wasn't saying. Lucius Malfoy wasn't a nice man and the only way to survive was to learn to play his game.
Friday, June 20, 1997 - Full Moon
That evening, standing in front of the Dark Lord, his insane Aunt, and his parents, Draco knew that he was going to be severely punished for "failing." Internally he scoffed. He hadn't failed, if anything most of the adults in his life had failed. Dumbledore hadn't even tried to help until it was too late, his Father had encouraged him to be Marked, Bellatrix, well there really wasn't anything nice he could say about the witch.
Severus stood next to him while the other Death Eaters congregated in the back of the large room. "My Lord," Severus said, in his usual drawl, "Albus Dumbledore is dead."
"So I've heard," the Dark Lord said, a manic gleam in his blood red eyes. "I have also heard from Bella that the Malfoy welp didn't complete the deed."
Draco steeled his resolve and strengthened his Occlumency walls. "No, my Lord," Draco said, "but I-"
The Dark Lord barely glanced at him when Severus began to speak, "The boy completed the task of repairing the Cabinet and managed to corner and disarm Dumbledore. Quite the feat for one so young."
Bellatrix cackled, "The boy looked like he was going to pass out, his wand hand shaking like a leaf."
Draco saw his mothers mask falter for a second, a dark look crossing her eyes as they darted towards her sister. His father stiffened and a disappointed sneer marred his face.
With a clenched jaw, Draco stood before the Dark Lord. "He didn't fail completely," the Dark Lord let out a horrifying giggle. "But he didn't succeed either. Severus, you have shown your devotion to me and for that you will be celebrated this evening."
Draco saw his Godfather nod sharply next to him, but held completely still, knowing a punishment was coming. "The Malfoys," the Dark Lord sneered, "failed me yet again. I've decided on a different sort of punishment for you."
Draco swallowed but bowed his head in feigned reverence. Draco heard a growl emanating from the crowd as Greyback stepped forward.
"I'm sure you know Fenrir Greyback," the Dark Lord practically purred. "He's told me he's looking to expand."
"The pack could use a new omega," Greyback said with a sneer. Draco didn't rise to the bait, there was no point. He'd learned from a young age that stoicism was key in the Malfoy family. He felt Severus stiffen but neither of them responded to the Dark Lord
This was unexpected, but a little part of him felt vindicated. Lucius Malfoys's perfect little Pureblood Heir would be a Half-breed, because the Malfoys could only have one Heir per generation. Any further children were always girls, who were ineligible for Heirhood. Which, in Draco's opinion, was silly as he'd seen firsthand how his mother would have made a better leader for the household than his father.
"Don't worry, Lady Malfoy," the Dark Lord mocked, "our pack leader has been consuming Wolfsbane so he won't kill you, but he made no other guarantees…" he let out a cold laugh that made Draco's skin crawl. The rest of the Death Eaters joined his laughter, putting Draco on edge.
"M-My Lord, please," Lucius begged in an almost whining voice. "This will sully the bloodline." Draco had to hold back a groan. If possible, he was even more embarrassed now. His father was a spineless weak excuse for a wizard and his grovelling caused Draco to lose any inkling of respect he had left for him.
The Dark Lord waved a hand and Lucius fell to the ground under an intense cruciatus. The elder Malfoy barely made a sound, but Draco couldn't help the wave of disappointment that washed over him. His father was more worried about the bloodline than his own son's life.
With a last look at his father writhing on the floor, Draco was pulled towards the dungeon. As he was locked into a cell, he sat with his back against the bars letting out a dark chuckle. When he was a child these dungeons were his playground he used to play hide and seek with Theo for hours. Back then, all the dark corners were hiding spots. He'd never been afraid to be in his home before, but even that would be taken from him as he sat in preparation to become a monster.
Not long after, Narcissa came down, tear tracks on her cheeks. "Oh my dragon," she whispered. "I had hoped…"
"There is no point in thinking of what could have been, Mum," he said, holding her hand in his own. "We're here now, and I will take on the burden as I always have done."
"I-" she stopped and looked around, "I want you to know that if I could go back and change things I would. I have failed you again and again. I'd always hoped… I've not protected you from the horrors of this War. For that I am sorry."
"I-" Draco wasn't really sure what to say, his mother had always been more uncomfortable with the aspects of the War than his father, but she hadn't ever come out and said anything.
"This," she continued, gesturing to the bars that separated them, "doesn't change anything. Werewolf or not, you are my son and I will love you no matter what happens."
Narcissa Malfoy wasn't one to just profess her love even if it was for her only son. While she was typically more open than many Pureblooded women of her generation, she wasn't particularly demonstrative with her feelings. Draco reached a hand through the bars and placed his fingers on his mother's cheek. "Thank you, Mum. I… I love you too."
"Now I have to go, but I'll be back as soon as the sun rises. I've already called the Healer and she's consulting with a few people on some of the newest advancements in Werewolf biology. Whatever I can do, my dragon I will do," she ended firmly. Moments later she was rushing away and he was left alone again.
An undetermined amount of time later, Draco heard footsteps coming heavily down the stairs. "Little baby, Malfoy," Greyback mocked. "I can't wait to breed you."
Draco held back a shiver of disgust. Whatever did happen to him, he sure as hell wouldn't be Greyback's bitch. He didn't look at the wolf, and continued to strengthen his Occlumency Walls. By the time Greyback was changing into his wolf form, Draco was so far disconnected from himself that it was like he was watching the events from outside of his body.
The pale boy sat silently with his back against the metal bars. A large dark gray wolf with a light grey stripe on his back stood across from him. The boy barely blinked at the wolf, just continuing to sit. The wolf growled and began to prowl towards the boy, drool dripping from his sharp, yellowed teeth. If the boy had been paying attention, the sight would have been rather intimidating, but he just continued to stare into the middle distance.
The lack of reaction seemed to enrage the wolf, who began to take long sniffs the the boy's neck. He ran a rough tongue along his pulsepoint, and growled when there was no reaction.
Suddenly, the wolf dragged the boy into the centre of the cell by clamping his jaw on the boy's ankle. The boy continued to stare off, eyes hidden behind dark grey walls. The wolf didn't hold back, he sunk his fangs into the boy's hip, letting the lycanthrope deep into his bloodstream.
The boy didn't scream, the only reaction was an involuntary jolt of his muscles. The wolf continued to nip and scratch at the boy, leaving a large scratch across his face. Moments later, the world went dark, the pain being too much for the body to handle.
As the rays of sunlight began to filter in through the metal bars, the gate of the cell was opened. Draco watched as the boy was levitated carefully from his spot under the large man. A middle aged woman ran a diagnostic spell over him, tutting but not looking overly concerned by the results. She carried him out of the dungeons and into a room that was covered in dark maroon wallpaper.
"Mr. Malfoy," the woman said, "can you hear me?"The boy just blinked slowly, eyes still not registering. "Oh dear," the woman said softly, "it looks like you went too deep into your Occlumency. I'm going to have to bring you back out. I won't lie to you, it's going to hurt, but I'll put you to sleep as soon as I'm sure of your state."
Draco thought it was odd that the boy didn't answer the woman, she seemed friendly yet professional. Then Draco really looked at the boy, his face was coated in blood, his ankle was swollen to at least two times the normal size, and his hip looked like it wasn't attached any longer. If that was him, he thought, he'd have checked out as well.
After a few moments, Draco felt someone pressing against his consciousness. "Hello there," a kind voice said, "I need to bring you back now, your mother is rather worried, but I can't bring her in until I clean you up."
"What's happened to that boy?" Draco asked, gesturing to the boy laying in the bed.
"Don't you recall?" the voice asked.
"He was bitten by a wolf, those bites look painful," he said matter of factly.
"That's right, he should heal pretty well, although the longer I take the more scarring he'll have," the voice said.
"Well, why don't you start then?" Draco asked curiously, moving closer to the boy on the bed.
"Because, he's not there," the voice said, "you need to wake up."
"But I clearly am-" he felt a push in his subconscious.
All of a sudden Draco was back in his own body which was in excruciating pain. He let out a loud scream that felt like it tore his throat. His eye darted around wildly, trying to find the source of the pain and make it stop.
"There you are," the voice, no the Healer said, kindly. "Now can you look at me? I need to run one test before I put you to sleep."
Draco looked at the witch frantically who waved her wand in his face, after a moment she nodded and waved her wand again, the world went dark.
Saturday, June 21, 1997 - Waxing Gibbous
Draco woke to a dull pain in his ankle and sharp pain on his hip and to top it all off, his face was burning. When he blinked his eyes open his mother was hovering next to his bed wringing her hands. Perfect, poised Narcissa Malfoy never wrung her hands.
Everything was slightly off. Draco realized he couldn't see out of his right eye. He tried to drag his hand up to his face, but groaned at the pain in his muscles.
"Don't move, my dragon," Narcissa said, "Healer Müller will be right back. She's stepped out for a quick shower."
"Mum," he croaked, "how come I can't see?"
Narcissa Malfoy was always straightforward with her son, he'd learned from a young age that usually when she said something, she meant it. She looked at him and reached for his hand that was still laying heavily on the bed.
"That man did a lot of damage. He scratched your face over your right eye. Healer Müller was able to save the eye and your vision, although you might need reading glasses towards the end of the day as your eyes get tired, but there's a scar."
"Do I look like a pirate?" he asked in an attempt at humour.
Narcissa let out a high pitched giggle that was so unlike her; Draco let out his own uncomfortable laugh.
"I was so worried about you," his mother said. "I'm glad you're in joking form."
"Father?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Hasn't left the library, he's looking for a way to have another Heir," Narcissa scoffed. "Not that I'd give him one," she added quietly.
Draco sighed, "Why him, Mum?"
"You know it was arranged, there was nothing I could do. But that is not something I'll ever force you into," she said voice laced with irritation.
"As if you'll be able to stop him," Draco said with another sigh.
"I can, actually," Narcissa said primly. "One of the caveats of the Black Marriage Contract is that all decisions about any children must be approved by the Head of House Black."
"But who…?"" Draco asked, his brain a bit fuzzy.
"Once you turned seventeen… it's you, Draco," his mother said proudly. "But up until now, it's been me, although your father was never aware of my failsafe. Fortunately, nothing will be decided until after you graduate and you can decide for yourself."
"But the Greengrasses," Draco croaked out.
"Are considering backing out because of your punishment," Narcissa said, even more annoyed.
"Astoria is too dumb to be my wife and even if Daphne could get out of her own contract, she's more like a sister than a wife," Draco said.
"There are worse things than having someone you love and respect as your wife, even if they are more like a sister," Narcissa said thoughtfully.
At that moment, a soft knock came at the door. Healer Müller came in after being invited.
"Oh wonderful, you're awake, Mr. Malfoy!"
"Please, just Draco," he said with another groan.
"Alright, Draco," she said, standing on the opposite side of the bed as his mother. "Now that you're up we can assess the external damage. I've healed the internal bleeding and things that took more careful wand work, but now comes the painful part."
"Now?" Draco asked, dumbfounded. "What has the rest of this been then? A walk in the park?"
Healer Müller bit back a smirk, "Well I suppose I could have phrased that better… you've a broken ankle and your hip is dislocated and fractured, somehow the rest of your bones were intact.
"We'll have to knit the hip back together and then pop it back into place. Closely monitored, I think you should be back to walking before the end of July."
"J-July?" Draco asked, shocked.
"Unfortunately, yes," she said sadly. "You have a few new scars, but your Mother requested that we wait until you're awake before removing the bandaging."
The Healer and his mother helped him sit up (with a clever use of charms to keep him off his hip) and a mirror was conjured to float in front of him. He cringed at the way his chest looked striped with cuts. He looked up into his own, normally gray, eyes and noticed that they were almost silver now.
"Alright," the healer said, "time to take off this bandage." She closed the curtains to dim the room , "It'll probably be sensitive," she said as she began to peel off the thick gauze.
Draco gaped at his appearance. The right side of his face had a scar that went from right above his eyebrow, through his eye and down through his bottom lip. At the moment it was a bright, garish red against his pale skin. He leaned in to look closer. Along the same line as the scar, his pupil had a bright white line.
"I won't lie," Narcissa said after a few moments, "I was expecting worse."
Draco stared at her. "This is better than you were expecting ?" he finally bit out.
"We'll yes, dragon," his mother said with a shrug. "You can still see and I think the whole effect will be quite daring once it's all heard up."
"I-I don't want to look daring," he sputtered. "I want to look like me."
"Yes, well this is the new you," Healer Müller said kindly. "Alright so now I've laid out our healing plan. First we have to repair all these bones and make sure they set right. I wouldn't want to derail your Quidditch career with your hip."
"How-" he choked off, anticipating the painful answer.
"A modified Skele-Gro," the healer said with a slight grimace, "it's formulated to work especially well with werewolves as the original recipe calls for arm bone, but for werewolves it would have to come from the arm or legs of something related to the wolf or werewolf."
Draco was nodding along, at least potions ingredients kept his brain from spiraling on the prospect of intere pain. "How long will I have to take it?"
"At least twice a day for a week," she said, grimacing again. "Werewolf anatomy is much stronger than human, but if we want to make sure your bones are healed before the next full moon on the 19th, we have to make sure you're completely healed."
"Severus has agreed to brew some Wolfsbane, and Bellatrix is working on keeping you away from Greyback's pack," his mother said, squeezing his hand lightly.
Draco refused to comment on that. To be honest he was surprised as Bellatrix LeStrange was the very worst example of an Aunt he could think of. She was predatory in ways that made him shudder. He'd often catch her staring at him like she wanted to eat him. He was glad that she'd been locked up in Azkaban for his entire childhood.
Not for the first time he secretly wished his mother just would have joined her sister and cousin in becoming Blood Traitors.
"Alright," he grunted, "No point in prolonging the inevitable." Healer Müller handed him a vial of Skeleton-Gro that he threw back.
It. Was. Awful.
Immediately after swallowing the potion, his whole body began to ache. Well, ache wasn't really a strong enough word for what he was feeling, but regardless his body was not pleased with the circumstances. His mother handed him a piece of rubber to clench between his teeth.
"Can't you knock me out or some shite?" he bit out,
"Unfortunately, I can't," Healer Müller responded, apologetically, "too much room for error in these first few go-arounds. Starting on Monday I should be able to put you out if you'd like. There is too much left to chance if you're not conscious during that process."
"In the meantime, I've gotten some books for you to read about your new condition," Narcissa said, pushing the books towards him.
Those next few days were terrible. When Draco wasn't being force fed potions, he was reading academic text after academic text on werewolves. His father still hadn't come to see him and he was stuck with Lou, his personal elf for company. He felt like he'd learned absolutely nothing, while simultaneously learning more than he'd ever thought possible.
His major takeaways were:
- Everyone hates werewolves
- Werewolves are extremely insular
- Werewolves are dangerous beasts
Overall, disappointingly unhelpful. There were no primary sources about werewolves, which didn't help the matter. Every book he read was from some "expert," who ended up sounding more like someone with a vendetta than anything else.
"Lou," he said quietly.
"Yes Master? How can Lou be helping you?" the little elf squeaked.
"Well, Lou, my constant companion, I have a very serious question for you," Draco said with a small smile. Lou was cute in their own little way, and these past few days had really shown how much he'd mistreated the poor creatures.
"Lou looks forward to answering your question, Master!"
"Do you think I'm a monster now that I'm a… you know a werewolf?" Draco asked, realising halfway though his question that he really cared what the little elf thought.
"Of course not! Master is being kinder and more gentler sInce- oh! Bad Lou! Shouldn't be talking bad about Master!" They began to hit themselves in the head with one of the books that was on his bedside table.
"Lou! Stop! You don't need to beat yourself, you've done nothing wrong!" Lou finally stopped and gaped at Draco. "I have been kinder because I've realised how ridiculous all that rot," he said gesturing towards his door, "is. Now about my question?"
"Master is not being a Monster, and Lou be knowing that Wizard books won't be helpful. Master needs a guide!"
Draco snorted, "Yeah right, I don't need the likes of Greyback helping me!"
"Not that guide!" Lou said with a little chuckle. "I be helping Mistress find someone."
Friday, July 4, 1997 - New Moon
Even though he'd been resting for days, he couldn't stop feeling absolutely drained. His only explanation was the New Moon. He was hoping that as it moved closer to Full, his energy would increase and strengthen. He was frustrated to still be on a rather restricted movement plan. He was so bloody bored. He'd taken to reading his mother's raunchy fiction.
He had friends of course, but this summer had brought about changes for all of them. Not only was he now a werewolf, but everyone seemed to have big life developments occurring.
Theo was probably closer to a brother than a friend. When they were seven, Theo's mother had died under "mysterious circumstances." Narcissa wouldn't let the boy stay with just his father, so she had essentially folded Theo into their family whenever she could. Over the past few days, Theo had been able to sneak over and spend some time with him, but only after Narcissa snuck him into Draco's room after Thoros disappeared for Death Eater activities. Theo, always the co;[median, had imitated his father's hysterical response to Draco's punishment.
"Theeee-odore," he'd said, dropping his voice an octave lower and standing straighter. "Have you heard what punishment has befallen the Malfoy boy? I always knew they were weak stock! I've told the Dark Lord that you would never fail him in such a way."
Draco had laughed at first, but looked at Theo sharply when he realised that Thoros had essentially offered up his only son a platter.
"Don't worry, no one is interested in making any more child Death Eaters. You've shown all the big boys how much we still have to learn," Theo had said cheekily, quickly moving back into a humorous tale about something that had happened on the train on the way home.
His other closest friend was Blaise Zabini. Unfortunately for Draco's boredom, Blaise and his mother had relocated to Italy after the Death Eaters had tried to force her hand. He couldn't blame Madame Zabini or Blaise though, he'd wished that he could have escaped the Dark Lord and his punishments. Of the three of them, Blaise was the most serious. He was thoughtful and often preferred to observe things happening around them instead of getting involved.
Crabbe and Goyle were more like bodyguards than anything else. Most of last year was them hovering around him, reporting all his progress to their fathers. He'd never really trusted them, but now he barely interacted with them if he could avoid it.
Pansy was restricted, she'd been tentatively promised to Rabastian LeStrange. He was only about 20 years older than them which was much better than Daphne who's betrothed was almost 40 years older. Overall, Rabastian wasn't a bad match. Draco had been able to interact with him a bit over the past year and had found that he was a surprisingly good companion. Draco didn't think he'd have minded growing up around him. Generally, Rabastian seemed more like a wrong place, wrong time type of Death Eater, than his brother and sister-in-law.
All that being said, after fifth year, Pureblood girls had many more restrictions placed on them. Not for the first time, Draco was pleased that he never had to deal with that hullabaloo. According to his father, marriage would look like marrying who he was told to marry and producing an Heir.
Draco sighed. If Draco could have his way, Lucius wouldn't get to pick his wife. Not that he was an especially mushy sort, but he wanted to marry for love, not for duty.
Wednesday, June 30, 1993
Once he'd gotten home from Hogwarts, his mother had congratulated him on starting his teenage years. His father had watched the display and frowned at Narcissa.
"Teenagers should not be coddled by their mothers," Lucius said derisively.
"Lucius, please," his mother said turning towards his father, "he's just gotten home, let him settle in bef-"
Lucius looked at Draco and just said "Come!" before turning on his heel and stalking away.
Draco looked to his mother who had a worried look on her face with pursed lips and a small wrinkle between her eyes. She pushed him to follow his father but mouthed "Later" to him.
"Draco," Lucius said seriously. "You're thirteen now which means you're quickly approaching manhood." Draco was sitting in a stiff chair in his father's office.
"Of course, Father," Draco said, excitedly.
"Is there a girl at school that you have your eye on?" Lucius asked lasciviously.
"Er…
"That's no worry, son. You are a Malfoy, any girl would be lucky to have you. Malfoys are of a higher calibre, Draco."
Draco could feel himself flushing. Not every girl was jumping to talk to him. He'd set a reputation for himself from the very start, he didn't associate with Mudbloods and only allowed Half-bloods to further his goals, he definitely wasn't friends with them.
"I see I've gotten your brain whirring," Lucius said with a chuckle. "Now as you may know, virginity is Sacred." Draco just blinked at his father. "I know you've heard the older boys talking about bedding witches, now it will be your turn."
Draco swallowed heavily, "Wh-what do you mean, Father?"
Lucius laughed. "The Malfoys have many old rituals. Even your mother doesn't know about all of them. Today we'll enact one of them."
Draco wanted nothing more than to make his father proud of him. So he nodded excitedly. "Yes Father? I'm very excited to participate in a ritual."
"You won't be participating, Draco, you'll be doing this alone," Lucius said, taking a sip of his whiskey. "We'll go to a special establishment and you'll perform a ritual. As you know, Mudbloods have stolen Magic, this lets us steal it back."
Draco's brain whirled with thoughts. He wasn't sure if he believed his father about Mudbloods, his mother had slipped him a few books on legends and lore and one of them talked about how Muggleborns should be the most exalted as they brought fresh blood and new infusions of Magic into the pool.
"I'm not sure if I'm re-" Draco started.
"Nonsense," Lucius said, harshly, "I've already performed the necessary incantations on you, when you lose your virginity you will take the magic of the person with whom you copulate."
"But I don't know what to do, father," Draco squeaked. This was not going how he thought it would.
"This isn't a new tradition, Draco! You'll have a guide through the whole thing."
Someone was going to watch him? Draco was horrified. From his very minimal understanding, Draco was going to lose his virginity and in the process syphon someone's magic.
"I'm not sure I'm feeling the best, Father?" Draco tried.
"The Mudblood will have her mind wiped afterwards, she'll never even know she was a Magic Thief," Lucius grinned at his son
Draco couldn't come up with any other excuse, his Father seemed very sure about all this. He just sat there waiting for his father to continue.
"I've been working with Lord Greengrass on setting up a marriage contract with his younger daughter," Lucius said, conversationally.
Draco's stomach pooled with dread. Astoria was Daphne's younger kid sister and she hadn't even started Hogwarts yet. She was by far one of the most annoying girls he'd ever interacted with.
While Draco's thoughts were spiralling, his father had continued to talk. Draco tried to pay attention, but before he knew it he was being ushered towards the Floo to "become a man."
They stepped through the Floo to a sitting room dressed in red velvet. A woman stood next to the door and nodded at Lucius, who pushed Draco towards her.
Draco followed her to a room that was very tastefully modern. She gestured for him to sit and offered him some tea, which he sipped, if only to give himself something to do.
"Hello, Draco," the woman said with a lilting voice. "I'm glad to have you here today."
"Thank you ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you?" Embarrassingly his voice ended up lifting at the end in a way that made him sound unsure.
She tinkled out a laugh and turned to him. "Now, my dear I've laced both of our teas with Veritaserum," she held up her hand when he began to protest, "but it's because I need full honesty for the ritual we're about to commence."
Draco nodded, but frowned at her. "I'd like you to ask me a few questions so you'll be more comfortable knowing I've taken the potion as well," she said softly.
"What's your name?" he asked quickly, never one to give up his disadvantage.
"Lorena," she said simply.
"How old are you?" He asked. Women hated talking about their age.
She chuckled, "Around 537."
"That's absurd!" he huffed, "witches can't live that long!"
"Who said I was a witch?" she asked with an eyebrow lift.
"Fine. What are you then?"
"Some people called me a Goddess, some an angel, and still others a demon," she said lightly.
Draco looked at her speculatively. "What's the worst thing you've ever done?"
"Depends on who you ask, I suppose," she said thoughtfully. "Many would say it's the three people I've killed, although I saw good reason to do it and I have no regrets."
"Who did you kill?" he asked before she could continue.
She bit her lip and he saw a light flush cover her cheeks, "Two men, both who killed their soulmates and one woman who forced me into this role."
He nodded at her, "What is your biggest regret?"
"You're quite good at this" she said with grimace, "I regret most that I accepted this duty. What I wouldn't give to be dead and gone, spread across the universe and at peace."
Draco looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Alright," he said with a sigh, "I've asked what I want to, you may as well finish."
She smiled. "I'm sure whatever your father told you was vicious and cruel. That was his choice in the end. Your choice goes like this. Today you will meet your soulmate and share a few moments together, although she will believe it is a dream. From there you can decide whether you'd like to find her one day or if you wish to follow the path your Father has assigned."
"If I choose my soulmate?" he asked
"I'll erase the memory of who she is, but you will remember the connections you forged. If you choose to follow your father's path, I will insert the memory of you taking someone's magic in the way he described and you'll never be able to connect with your soulmate."
Draco shuddered. He liked the idea of meeting his soulmate, but what if she was someone his parents didn't approve of. He had no interest in his father's way of doing things, but if he didn't…
"He'll never know," she said quietly. "The Malfoys have been making the same choice for generations. You can be the one to change it, but first let's meet your soulmate, you can decide afterwards."
He followed her into a sterile looking room with a hospital cot in the middle. She gestured for him to lay down. He looked up at the ceiling and saw that it was painted like the sky at dawn. The colours seemed to ripple and move as if they were clouds in the wind.
"Alright, Draco," she soothed, "I want you to picture yourself in a large forest. You can hear the sound of the wind in the trees and a small animal running nearby. You're walking along a path towards a cabin that is nestled between the trees."
In Draco's mind he could see the trees start to form around him, the path wound deeper into the woods behind him. There was a breeze drifting through the leaves that were all turning different shades of red, orange, and yellow. At the end of the path was a small cabin that was merrily pumping out smoke from its chimney.
He got to the door which was painted a merry bright green. He reached for the handle and took a deep breath. His soulmate was behind this door. He was going to meet them. The handle of the door was cold under his hands, but he turned the knob and sucked in a breath. He opened the door.
The cabin looked exactly how he would have decorated it. There was a small kitchen with a kettle sitting on the teal hob. He stepped into the house and found that he had a bouquet of wildflowers in his hand.
"I've brought you something, love," he called in a much deeper voice than he was used to. He looked down at his body and saw that he was an adult, or he looked like one anyway
He heard a book shut loudly and turned to look towards the fire that was crackling merrily in the stone fireplace. A head of long braids turned to look at him. He could feel his own eyes widen when his eyes locked on the hazel eyes of one Hermione Granger.
"Y-you?" she stuttered. "Why are you in my cabin, Malfoy?"
"It's our cabin, Granger," he found himself saying before he could say what was really going through his brain. He held his hand up and Granger's eyes zeroed in on the gold ring glinting merrily. She looked down at her own hand and saw a matching wedding band that was covered with a ring that featured a large blue sapphire surrounded by small opals.
"But…" she looked around the room and he followed her eyes. Next to the couch was a series of moving photos.
The largest one was of him dipping her in her wedding dress and kissing her after a moment, he pulled away and she laughed heartily. Next to that was a photo of him and his friends, lounging on a blanket in a meadow. Theo was throwing grapes at Blaise who frowned playfully grumpy. There was one with Granger, someone he thought was Dean Thomas, and Longbottom staring at a wild looking plant that was whipping its leaves around. The rest were of Granger and him on all sorts of trips and travels around the world.
He took a step towards her and placed his hand on her forehead. "Are you alright, sweetheart? You're acting strangely."
"Malfoy, I'm-" she finally dragged her eyes to meet his. She stopped talking and he saw her pupils dilate and she pulled her lower lip between her teeth.
His eyes darted down to her lips and then back to her eyes. "Even if it's just a dream," she whispered.
He leaned in and hovered his lips right over her own. She pushed herself up and kissed him. It was like falling into a dream. He could feel the tingle start at his lips and it spread through his body. He dropped the flowers he was still holding and pulled her to him.
She moaned so he used the opportunity to push his tongue into her mouth. A part of him thought she'd let him take control, but she was just as passionate as he was. After a few more moments, he pulled back, but he didn't remove his arms that were wrapped around her.
"Granger," he groaned, resting his forehead against hers. "I can't believe it's you." His mind was racing, his family would never accept her, but kissing her felt so right.
"What do you mean?" she asked, tucking a few braids behind her ear.
"You're… gods you're so perfect… I just…"
"It can't be like this in real life?" she asked softly, "Just in dreams?"
"Would you even look at me if we weren't in a dream?" he asked with a smirk.
"Draco, I'm always looking at you," she whispered. "I see you, I see how you question the things you say."
"I can't, it's… my father…" he trailed off and closed his eyes.
"Well if you ever want to see what the other side is like, you know where to find me," she whispered as she kissed him softly.
"But how would I even?" he asked.
"I think I could love you, Draco Malfoy," she said, "but I don't think now is the time."
"But what if I don't want-" suddenly she disappeared and Draco sighed, "to follow the path my father has laid out. What if I want to follow you?"
He'd had so much time to think these past few days and for the life of him he couldn't remember who she was. "I think I could love you, Draco Malfoy, but now is not the time." Kept ringing in his head over and over again.
He remembered the ring glinting on their fingers. Right after he'd been marked he'd gone to a jeweller and had the rings made. It was a promise to himself and her. He'd worn them on a chain around his neck since then.
He groaned and rested his head against his headboard. Moments later he heard a knock at his door.
"Come in!" he called, knowing it would be one of his friends or his mother.
"Hello, my dragon," his mother said, "Lou and I have finally found you a mentor of sorts."
Once she was in the room, she opened the door wider to an absolutely ancient looking man. Draco tried to stand to greet him, but the man waved him away.
"Sit down, sadiqi alshaabu, (my young friend)" he wheezed; "you need the rest more than I do."
Draco chewed on his cheek and nodded thoughtfully. "Hello, sir, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The man chuckled as he settled into the west next to Draco's bed. "No need to lie, sadiqi alshaabu. You don't know who I am so it couldn't be any sort of pleasure!"
Draco wasn't really sure what to say, so he didn't say anything. His mother excused herself and Draco was left alone with this strange man.
"Well, I suppose introductions are in order," the old man wheezed after a few moments. "My name is Salman Al-Qamar. I've had wolf-blood for a long time. I was taken from my family as a settlement for unpaid debts. I grew up with the clan."
Draco just listened and nodded along. He didn't want to interrupt the man although he had many questions already.
"In those days, those with wolf-blood were tolerated and ignored. We made up a crucial part of the culture. As a child I barely remembered my family and quickly fell into the routines. Upon my sixteenth year, I was offered to share the wolf-blood."
He'd chosen this? Draco was baffled.
"I see you can't imagine why anyone would choose this life," he chuckled, "but I'd seen the way the clan functioned. Everyone had their role and every role was respected. The wolf-blood were strong and honourable."
Draco couldn't hold back a scoff.
"Your mother informed me that you were bitten by Greyback. He's a scourge on our name. He has never respected the clan or its branches. Through our time together you will learn."
"But werewolves are monsters!" Draco said, not being able to hold in his frustration any longer. He gestured to the pile of books by his bed.
"What did you notice about those books?" Salman asked. "Who wrote them?"
"Hunters," Draco said quietly.
"None of them lived with the clan or learned from us. Most of our lore is oral, but we've begun to compile them in written form.
"We don't have much time before the moon, so we must begin the rituals so that a strong bond can be formed with your soul-wolf."
"W-what does that entail?" Draco asked quietly.
"You must decide if you'll join Greyback's pack, although I sense that you could easily form your own."
"I would never join him," Draco spat, "if I have a choice it wouldn't be that. Severus said he'd make sure I have Wolfsba-"
Salman laughed, "When your bond with your soul-wolf is strong, Wolfsbane isn't necessary. You need to stay off it for your first moon, but I will be with you."
"But… no Wolfsbane?" Draco squeaked.
Salman just smiled at him. "I don't have much to share today, but I want you to read this book." He handed Draco a small book called Wolves: Fact & Fiction by Elise Kjørstad. "When you're done with that, I'd like you to practise meditating."
"Like Occlumency?" Draco asked.
"That is a good place to start from," Salman responded, then handed Draco a pamphlet. "These are the steps you can take to fully connect with your soul-wolf."
Salman stayed for a few more minutes, finally leaving when Draco yawned for the seventh time. As he settled in to take a nap, Draco was convinced he could feel the wolf prowling around in the back of his mind.
He fell into a fitful sleep and upon waking found that he couldn't remember who he'd been talking to, but remembered the cosy cabin from his Soulmate meeting. All he could remember was them curled on an overstuffed couch and her saying:
"All I can think is that I'm glad Voldemort didn't punish you too badly, or we wouldn't be able to be here together."
Excerpts from Wolves: Fact or Fiction
Much of the research done on Wolves was done on wolves in captivity. This is where the idea of Alpha and Beta wolves comes from.
Barbara Zimmermann at the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences and her colleagues have studied pack cohesion in Norwegian wolves which gives insight into how wolves live together.
"The leader is called the alpha male. Then there may be several rank levels, beta, gamma and so on. But this is not a concept that works for wolves in the wild," said Zimmermann
In the wild, wolves tend to stay with their families, typically two parents and their puppies. These family units sometimes include one to three year old offspring who haven't yet ventured out on their own.
"The adults are simply in charge because they are the parents of the rest of the pack members. We don't talk about the alpha male, the alpha female and the beta child in a human family," Zimmermann said
Where did the Alpha Wolf Idea come from?
In the 1940s, Rudolf Schenkel worked at the Basel Zoo in Switzerland to study social structures and body language of the wolves in captivity. This zoo kept up to 10 wolves together in spaces between 10 and 20 metres.
His observations led him to outline the idea of Alpha Male and Alpha Female.
"By continuously controlling and suppressing all types of competition within the same sex, both 'alpha animals' defend their social position," Schenkel wrote.
All that being said, even Schenkel hypothesised that Wolves in the wild probably lived in family units instead of un-related packs.
Animal Social Hierarchies
Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe was doing research in the 1920s on Hierarchy in chickens. Schjelderup-Ebbe coined the term "pecking order," to describe the aggression chickens enact towards birds below them in the hierarchy.
Pecking order became one of the foremost influences on scientific reasoning at the time when it came to living organisms. This principle of dominance was seen as the underlying structure in both society and behaviour.
Alpha Wolf Popularised
In the 1960s and 70s a slew of research was done on Wolf Pack structure, although this too was mainly done on Wolves in captivity. Typically these wolves were unrelated and kept in an unnaturally small space.
David Mech, now known as the world's most profiled wolf researcher, wrote The Wolf: Ecology and Behaviour in 1970. This work skyrocketed and solidified the Alpha concept into the public sphere. Since its publishing, Mech has repeatedly asked the publisher to cease printing of the book as it is quite outdated. Alas, his pleas have fallen on deaf ears and it is still being sold.
Mech has spent the last 12 summers studying wild wolves on Ellesmere Island in Canada. He's found a way to acclimatise one of the wolf packs to his presence, allowing him to study the pack as close as one metre.
What was commonly called the alpha pair was simply the parents of the rest of the pack. As parents, they naturally led the pack's activities.
"Dominance fights with other wolves are rare, if they exist at all. During my 13 summers where I observed the pack, I saw none," Mech wrote.
Wolf Family Structure
"A typical wolf pack in Scandinavia consists of six animals on average, most often the parents and four yearling puppies," says Zimmermann.
In a typical year, a male female pair establishes a territory. They do this by marking a large area of a forest through scent. They patrol and defend this area against other wolves.
Mating typically occurs around February or March with pups being born around May in a den. The first few weeks of life are centred around the female nursing the young and the male hunting for the family.
After a couple of weeks, the female also hunts while the male remains with the pups in the den.
"What is exciting about wolf pairs is that they are unbelievably faithful. They stay together all the time," Zimmermann said.
Wolves are mostly monogamous until one of the pair dies. In general the denning period is the only time the couple hunts apart. Typically they stay within 100 metres of each other and are dependent on each other for almost everything.
After the denning period, puppies are carried to a new location, typically close to a carcass. Parents begin to move in star shapes through the area and are moved again in a few weeks.
By September or October, the young are big enough to get around on their own. While the adults go out to hunt in the evenings, the pups stay in a common location, waiting for their parents to return with food.
Independence
November sees pups moving further from their parents, although they still stay within their parents territory.
"There may be individual pups that hang around on their own before they come back to the rest of the pack after two or three weeks," Zimmermann said.
Most puppies leave the pack when they are around a year old, although they don't reach puberty until the second winter. Puppies usually leave when the parents mate again or when the newest pups are born. Upon leaving the young wolves look for a new partner and a suitable territory.
Occasionally, wolves will stay in their parents territory for one or two more years. During the summer when the newest puppies are around, the parents tend to push away the older wolf, but in the autumn and winter they're invited to stay with the rest of the family. Often these wolves will establish territory very close to their parents.
Hunting and Packs
The early independence of wolves in the wild is a direct contradiction to popularised theories on hunting in packs. Typically it's only the parents who hunt together.
"The pups are usually not involved. The pups are not good at hunting themselves either, so they are pampered by the adults," Zimmermann said.
One year old pups aren't usually very good at hunting, and although they learn a bit from watching their parents, they usually don't consume very much that first year on their own.
"It's almost a surprise that they survive. But they are canines, they manage to survive on little food," Zimmermann continued.
Many Membered Packs
Places like Yellowstone National Park have larger packs. These packs often contain several one to three year olds.
"There are much higher prey densities and completely different conditions," Zimmermann said. "The thing is that when the wolf density increases and there start to be a lot of packs in very small territories, you see that the packs get bigger."
Complex Family Systems
There have been some examples of a wolf pair "adopting" a young male wolf for a period of time, although typically such intruders are chased away or killed.
When one parent dies, a new partner comes from the outside, sometimes with their own cubs. Other variations may be a male wolf and a stepdaughter, especially when the mother is ageing. In these cases, the mother still remains in the pack.
In very large packs, two female wolves, usually a mother and daughter, can give birth to puppies from the same father simultaneously. In these cases, the daughter is subordinate to the mother, but is in charge of her own pups.
"The point here is not so much the terminology, but what the terminology falsely implies: a strictly strength-based dominance hierarchy," Mech wrote.
Sometimes these larger packs with two mothers will split especially if the daughter mates with an adopted male..
Thursday, July 10, 1997 - Waning Crescent
Over the next few days, Salman gave Draco a crash course on werewolves or wolf-bloods as he called them.
"So packs like the one Greyback has more closely resemble wolves in captivity, but that is not the way we're meant to be," he said one afternoon.
Draco shuddered. He had no interest in the hierarchical standards set by these captive wolves.
"The way my clan worked was more like the wolves in the wild. I was 'adopted' by a mated pair until I came of age, when I opted for The Change. Then I slowly began to move into my own space. When I found my mate, we began the process of denning although she was unable to have children of her own."
"So you never had pups- er children?" Draco asked.
Salman laughed, "Not in the traditional way, no. We fostered and adopted young wolves who came into the clan the way I did."
"So you had… territory?" Draco asked, scratching his neck.
"We had houses," he said with a chuckle, "but during the moons we had our own areas of the forest. Since we were all rather peaceful, we didn't fight much if at all."
"So how do I join a… clan?" Drsco asked.
"Well wolves in Britain are typically more similar to the captivity structure because of the legal restrictions, but it would probably be more about making one."
"Can I…er… ask what happened to your clan?" Draco said after a few minutes of contemplative silence.
Salman sighed heavily, "I knew this would come, but I haven't spoken of it since it occurred." Draco sat and listened as patiently as he was able. He could practically feel Salman's anguish.
"During your first war," Salman started quietly, "Greyback brought some of his pack to recruit us. We were, of course, not interested as we didn't follow the Captive way of life. It appeared that he'd left peacefully after our council's refusal, but he came back on the night of the moon."
Draco felt his breath catch. "He didn't…"
"When you're one with your soul-wolf you live in harmony, but your more human instincts move to the background. When one uses Wolfsbane, that is not the case.
"They slaughtered the pups first, making us watch. Then came the females," he choked, "Finally, it was the males turn. I was left alive with a few other men as a warning."
Draco looked down at his hands which were fiddling with his blanket. "Wh-what did you do?"
"We separated as soon as we woke that morning," he said quietly, "the other men and I have very little contact with each other, but we spread to the winds, each hoping to create our own clan elsewhere."
"Did any of them succeed?" Draco asked.
"In places where the clan system is used, they quickly integrated, and a few have started their own clans with adoptees. Most never re-mated, although a few have found new mates."
"And you?" Draco whispered.
"No one could replace my Nura. She was a True-Mate," he said sadly. "You'd probably refer to her as my soulmate. I've been hoping to begin a new clan since I got here."
"You've not found anyone before?" Draco asked. "How long have you been here?"
"I tried to adopt a young wolf after the fall of your Dark Lord, but he refused," Salman said, "he'd been part of something more like our clan structure with his friends from school, but had been sent on numerous missions to the Packs during the war and wasn't open to talking to me."
"What was his name?" Draco asked.
"Remus Lupin," Salman said, "I have followed him as much as I could, you would have had him as a teacher I believe."
Draco chuckled, "Yes and now as a cousin if all is to be believed. He's married to my estranged cousin, Nymphadora."
"His True-Mate," Salman said with a soft smile. "Although I don't think they'll ever be able to fully seal their bond because she doesn't have a soul-wolf."
Saturday, July 12, 1997 - Third Quarter
Draco could feel his energy returning and was glad to see that most of his pain from his turning had subsided. He was sitting in one of the duelling rooms, exercising while Salman sat in the corner, quietly looking out the window over the grounds.
Lou had been helping Salman get into the house daily, which was made significantly easier since Greyback had been banned from the Manor, by Lucius, unless explicitly called by the Dark Lord. At least his father was good for something.
He still hadn't seen his father since he'd been Turned, which honestly was a relief. Lucius Malfoy had never been kind per say, but after his stint in Azkaban he was outright cruel and only seemed to think about acquiring power.
"I've been working on my meditations," Draco said when he was taking a break from his leg stretches, "but I have some questions."
"Of course, what are you wondering about?" Salman asked.
"I can usually get myself to the forest and I can feel something out there, but I seem to keep going back to my soul-mate is…"
Salman grinned, "You've met your True-Mate!?"
"Yes I was part of a ritual after I turned 13. But I don't remember who she is," Draco sighed.
"A tricky part of the ritual," Salman said, knowingly. "When you smell her after you've turned, you'll know."
"Smell her?" Draco asked, wrinkling his nose.
"Something about the pheromones," the old man laughed. "Alas now isn't the time," he continued, softly. "What happens when you walk around the forest of your cabin?"
Draco hadn't even thought to try that. He'd always gone straight inside, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. He'd accomplished it a few times, but when he woke up he'd forgotten her face like he always did.
"Let's try right now and I can see if I can help," Salman said after a few moments.
Draco laid back against the cushioned floor and closed his eyes. He slowed his breathing down and began to clear his mind. He opened the door in his mind that led to the forest. The leaves and branches twisted along the doorway and he stepped inside.
Draco stepped into the foggy woods observing the way the full moon's light bathed everything in silver. He took the path towards their cabin, but instead of going towards the door, he moved towards a large weeping willow that hung over the pond.
Once he'd parted the long branches, he found a small blanket laid out on the grass. He settled himself in to wait for his wolf to join him. He looked back at the cabin and saw her in the window, although her face was obscured by the gauzy curtains. She was sitting at the window, looking up at the moon. He didn't think she'd noticed him.
After a few moments, he heard the panting of the wolf coming through the branches.
"Hello?" he called softly.
The wolf snorted softly and pushed his nose through the curtain of branches. Before him stood a magnificent Arctic Wolf. His eyes were a bright silver, and he walked up to Draco with a sniff. After a moment, he butted his head against Draco's and laid down in front of him.
Draco reached out a hand and stroked the white fur. After a moment, he laid down on his stomach in front of the wolf so they were practically nose to nose.
"Hello, human," the wolf rumbled.
"Hello, wolf," Draco responded cheekily.
The wolf let out a little rumble that sounded almost exactly like laughter. "I suppose that was to be expected. My name is Vali, I've been waiting to meet you."
"And mine is Draco," he said, pressing his nose against Vali's. Vali yipped excitedly and rubbed his cheek against Draco's. "I've been distracted, I apologise for keeping you waiting."
Vali laid down with his head resting on his front paws as he looked over Draco's shoulder toward the cabin. "I watch her sometimes when you're not here, she is perfect for us. She'll make an excellent mate. Do you think she will embrace her soul-wolf?"
"I don't know," Draco said with a sigh, rolling onto his back and tipping his head against the wolf's shoulder. "That's part of the magic I guess, I won't know until I know."
Vali huffed out another barking laugh, "There are a lot of unknowns. We'll keep an eye out for her."
"I have to say, I'm a little nervous about the Moon," Draco said, attempting to be nonchalant. "Most of the books said it would be painful."
"And according to Salman and his wolf most of the books were written by a bunch of jumped up nobodies," Vali sniffed, but Draco could tell that he was a little nervous too.
"I know, but I don't want either of us to be hurt," Draco said after a few moments of silence. He watched the branches of the Willow sway in the wind. "Everything I've read and heard from everyone except Salman has said that we're going to fight for dominance."
"But we're the same," Vali said, turning to squint at him. "Why would we fight ourself?"
Draco laughed at that, "That's an excellent question. Salman would probably say something like 'it just means that the man has not accepted the soul-wolf,' or something equally mysterious."
"I think it's time for you to get up," Vali said after a few more minutes in peaceful silence. "I'll see you next week on the moon."
Draco ran his hand through Vali's thick fur and nodded, "See you on the moon."
Saturday, July 19, 1997 - Full Moon
Draco had been anxious all day. He'd woken up that morning in a cold sweat. He could feel Vali pacing in the back if his mind, so he knew he wasn't the only one.
His mother had come to see him the day before.
"I don't want to know anything about where you're going, my dragon," she'd said over her tea, "of course when you're back I'd love to hear about how it went. From the pamphlet Mr. Al-Qamar gave me it sounds quite different than what I was led to believe."
"Have you had a chance to read the book on wolves?" he asked.
"No, I wanted to give you time to re-read before the moon." Merlin did he appreciate his mother. "I know Greyback is going to come looking for you," she continued, "so I think you should make sure to leave tonight before he gets the chance."
That evening he'd joined Salman at a stretch of Forest that looked eerily similar to the one in his soulmate dreams. "I dream about this place," he said offhandedly to Salman that morning.
The old man grinned at him. "I'm glad to know that I've picked the right place."
Draco simply hummed in response and continued to wander through the trees. Up ahead he saw the tree. There was a clearing next to it for their cabin.
He sighed and looked around. He definitely felt better about being a werewolf, but he wasn't necessarily excited. He felt Vali bristle slightly under his skin and Draco let out a huff.
"Calm down," he thought back at him, "I'm just nervous about the pain, not about you."
Moments later, Salman joined him in the clearing and handed him a pair of loose fitting grey trousers that looked like they'd break away without tearing.
He turned his back to Salman and quickly disrobed. As he slid the trousers on he couldn't help but look at all his scars. He of course had the Sectumsempra scars from Potter and his Dark Mark stood out glaringly against his skin. His bite from Greyback along with the other scratches he'd gotten from that exchange.
He ran his fingers along the scar on his face that had healed up completely over the last few days, that was something he was grateful to the wolf blood for, speedy healing.
When he turned around, he found Salman standing across from him in a similar pair of grey trousers. The man, although he had to be close to 80, was in remarkable shape. He had a few scars on his body and one very nasty looking bite in his left shoulder.
The thing that surprised Draco the most was the plethora of tattoos covering the old man. His Turning Bite, in his right shoulder, was surrounded by Arabic script and he had the phases of the moon along his spine. Finally, Salman turned and grinned at Draco.
"I've got plenty more surprises for you, sadiqi alshaabu," he teased as he flexed his muscles. "Maybe I'll give you a couple of tattoos… The moon always makes me feel stronger and today, I feel like things are finally coming together."
Draco grinned at the old man, but didn't say anything. He listened to the forest as the night animals started to come out. The sun cast long shadows in the trees and the world turned a warm golden tone. For a moment Draco was reminded of his soulmate. She'd have absolutely glowed in this light.
Salman sat cross-legged on the ground and patted the grass across from him. Draco sat down quickly, placing his palms on his knees. "Alright," Salman said after a few moments of silence. "Bring Vali to the forefront of your mind. Rezso is already at the forefront in mine."
Draco brought an excitedly yipping Vali to the front. He but back a smile at the wolfs playful response.
"I, Salman Al-Qadar bring my soul-wolf, Rezso into this circle," he chanted, "we invite Draco Malfoy and his soul-wolf, Vali into our clan to become our wolf-child, and will hereby be known as our true son."
Draco swallowed heavily, they'd done a bit of research, Salman and Rezso adopting his wolf wouldn't mess with his own already formed familial bonds and inheritances. Being "Heir" to the Al-Qadar name would come as a third title in his long list, moving ahead of his lower claims on different names, like the Rosier line.
"I, Draco Malfoy, Heir to House Malfoy and Patriarch of House Black, accept your invitation. From this day I shall be known by all three names, Malfoy, Black, and Al-Qadar."
Salman cut his own palm and leaned forward to cut Draco's. He pressed the cuts together and Draco could feel the bond forming. It was strange, he could always feel a low level of his parent's magic, but it never felt so fresh.
After a moment, Salman pulled away, "Moonrise comes, abni (my son). Relax your mind and your body and prepare to join our wolves on our first journey in the light."
Seconds later, Draco could feel his skin bubbling. He felt Vali push in front of his consciousness and took a step back. Just as Salman had said, it didn't hurt, but it was exceedingly uncomfortable. His bones seemed to stretch and his skin pushed out hairs from his pores. He could feel his face elongating and his legs and arms shrinking.
He had no idea how long it had taken, only that when he blinked his eyes open everything was sharper and brighter. He also felt like he was walking next to himself.
" Dad!" Vali yipped, standing on shaky legs to greet Rezso by butting his head against the older wolf. Rezso had once been a dark, inky black, but his nose was now covered in white fur. His eyes were a glittering golden brown.
"Hello, Vali," Rezso said. "I see you're full of energy tonight. Shall we run?"
Vali didn't even wait for his say so and sprang into action, he ran a circle around the tree and then began to sprint back and forth through the clearing. Rezso loped behind leisurely and once Vali had run off his first burst of puppy energy, began to lead him through the woods, showing him how to scent mark.
Finally they crossed a very clear boundary and Vali knew he was in Reszo's territory. It felt safe even if it wasn't his own place. Vali ran circles around Rezso who was patiently allowing it.
"Now we hunt," the older wolf said, after awhile, sitting back on his haunches.
Vali joined Rezso on the forest floor and consulted with Draco on which deer they should be hunting. Fallow deer were the only native species in this part of the country so they would, for the most part, avoid them. Sika deer, Reeves's Muntjac, and Chinese Water Deer were all escaped or released non-native species, so it wasn't necessarily harmful to cull their populations.
"How do we find them though?" Vali asked.
"We'll look for the weak, sick, or old deer," Rezso responded. "We want to make sure to keep healthy and strong prey in the ecosystem."
Vali felt his stomach growl. He tried to remember when the last time he ate was.
"Early afternoon," Draco said from where he was perched off to the side.
"Has it really been that long?" Vali whined.
"Hopefully this will have taught you something," Rezso said sagely.
"I shouldn't let our nerves interfere with our food intake?" Draco snarked.
"You're a new wolf, abni," Rezso continued. "You should be eating somewhere closer to ten pounds of meat on the full moon. Tell Draco that he should be eating at least half a pound of meat everyday."
"Tell the old man that I can hear him," Draco said. He knew from his research that wolves typically need between three and a half to four pounds of meat a day, but sometimes could eat as many as 20 after a long famine.
"He knows," Vali snorted, "let's hunt!"
Vali took off at a run, quickly catching the scent of a herd of deer. He followed them too closely and they bounded away before he could catch any of them. Vali lay down on the forest floor and whined.
Eventually when Rezso caught up he said, "Vali I could hear you halfway across the forest, let's work on a bit of stealth." Rezso moved towards another scent trail. Vali tried his hardest to not rustle the leaves or make too much noise in the undergrowth. He could smell them and he could barely withhold his excitement.
When they'd made it to the edge of the clearing, Vali sunk his belly to the ground and followed Rezso as he quietly stalked the herd. Towards the back was a deer who had a weak leg, he was grazing quietly. After a few moments, Rezso pounced, ripping into the deer's neck.
Moments later the two wolves were eating to their heart's content, the rest of the herd sprinting away. When they had consumed all the food, both of their snouts were drenched in blood.
"Shall we go for a swim?" Rezso asked as he stood, shaking off his fur.
"Swim?" Vali yipped, leading the way back to his weeping willow. When he'd reached the water he dove straight in. The sense of freedom involved was astounding. Both Vali and Draco reveled in the ability to just play. Even as a child Draco had never been allowed to just be, but now, with Vali, he could, and he did.
When the moon was beginning to set in the sky, Vali followed Rezso back to his territory. They went into the den and curled up to sleep on the pile of blankets and leaves. He tucked his snout underneath his paws and drifted off.
When he opened his eyes he was in their clearing, with the cabin sitting in the moonlight. All the windows were thrown open and he could hear music coming from inside. It was a song he'd never heard before, not that Vali had heard many songs, but even Draco didn't recognise it.
See every dream
And give her wings
When she wants to fly
Then when you find
Yourself layin' helpless in her arms
You know you really love a woman
This was the first time that Vali was totally in control, he could sort of feel Draco in the back of his mind, but it seemed like his soul was asleep. He walked up to the door, which was cracked open and nosed his way in.
He was overwhelmed with her.
Her scent covered almost every surface of the room. He found her dancing around in the kitchen, humming along with the song. He shuffled in, making sure to make a bit of extra noise. She spun around, a smile spread across her face, looking up to where Draco would normally stand. He huffed out a noise and her eyes shot down to look at him.
He could see a bit of fear in her eyes, but he gently lay down, as calmly as he could and just looked at her pleadingly.
"H-Hello," she stuttered. "I didn't see you there. I suppose leaving the door open would naturally lead to some extra visitors, although I've never seen anyone except Draco before."
He whined a bit. He tried to talk to her. "I am Draco, we'll I'm actually Vali, but he's in here somewhere."
It was painfully obvious from her just staring at him stiffly that she couldn't understand him. Salman and Rezso would probably say it was because she didn't have a soul-wolf.
He rolled over on his back, letting his tongue loll out like a dog. She let out a small giggle and he soaked it in.
"You know I thought you were a werewolf at first," she said, taking a step towards him, "but you're just a puppy aren't you?"
After what felt like ages, she crept closer to him and stretched out a hand to rub his face. He panted happily, as she scratched his cheeks. The two of them moved towards the couch where she sprawled out and patted next to her so he could jump up.
"What do you think these dreams mean?" she asked after a few minutes of staring out the window. "I usually see Draco Malfoy, can you imagine that. He was always so cruel when we were younger, and now… well I won't be back at Hogwarts this year, and the choices he's made…"
As she trailed off, Vali let out a whine. Draco had to play a part, but maybe he'd done it too well. His own soulmate didn't believe he could be good.
"I've always had a crush on him, you know. All the way from First Year, not that I'd do anything about it, but still…" she said with a laugh. "Can you imagine me being Lady Malfoy? I'm just me. Going to High Tea and galas. Planning events and gossiping with the ladies!"
"You'd be such a good Lady Malfoy!" he tried to say. "And Lady Black and Mrs. Al-Qatar." She of course still couldn't hear him, but he wanted her to know.
"So you know how I was sure that these were dreams?" Hermione asked. "When I got back to school Third Year, he didn't even look at me twice… Well he did look at me twice to insult me, but he didn't see me, you know?"
Vali rested her head against her thigh.
"But everytime I go to write him off he does something that makes me question it! Like it was his writing on the note about the basilisk Second Year. And I know he knew about Professor Lupin when I did, but he didn't say anything. And the World Cup, he was warning me, even though Harry and Ron didn't see it that way."
Vali whined, agreeing. Draco wasn't a bad guy, he just had certain expectations forced upon him.
"And last year… he looked so… torn apart. I mean obviously now I know why, but I wish I'd offered to help him. You know, Harry said he lowered his wand in the end?"
She lapsed into silence. He could feel her sinking further into the couch, eventually her face was resting against his neck. Eventually he could feel his body waking up as Rezso shifted next to him. He turned and licked her on the cheek and gave his best grin before the cabin faded away.
When he opened his eyes, he could see the sky lightening outside their den. He stood and stretched, nudging Rezso who sat up blearily.
Vali sat next to Reszo in the entrance to their den as they watched the moon dip below the horizon. As the sun began to peek through, he could feel his body going through the transition again. Draco pushed closer and closer to the front, and Vali took a step back.
Draco blinked his eyes open and found himself naked at the entrance of the den. Salman was curled up next to him, groaning.
He sat up slowly and handed Draco a blanket that he wrapped around himself. The two of them sat in the entrance to the den, watching the sun paint the sky a brilliant array of pinks and oranges.
"So?" Salman asked after a while. "What did you think?"
"It was fun," Draco said, smiling at the old man. "I've never really gotten to just be free, you know? But having Vali around…"
"I understand," Salman said, patting Draco's shoulder. "I've seen your house, it's not really a place for children, is it?"
"No," Draco said with a laugh, "it is definitely a place to be seen and not heard. I hope Mother is alright. I know that there was some talk of having Greyback come looking for me."
"I'm sure she is," Salman said, sagely. "Your mother is very cunning."
Friday, August 1, 1997 - Waxing Crescent
Draco was sitting in the study with his mother when he felt his Mark burn. He groaned and summoned his robes, which whooshed around his body dramatically. He looked at his mother, who was looking at him with a look of resignation. He slid his mask over his face and apparated away, following the pull of the Mark. When he appeared, he was in the middle of a clearing and turned side to side, but everyone was already in their masks and robes, with the exception of Bellatrix who was at the front, cackling madly.
The Dark Lord stood, with his hands folded in front of them. "Welcome, my friends," he hissed. "Today we're going to strike a blow against what is left of Dumbledore's pitiful army." A cheer went through the crowd, and Draco reinforced his Occlumency walls. "Within the hour, the Ministry will fall and we will take control. We've gotten word that there is a gathering of the Order of the Phoenix for a silly wedding."
When the jeers echoed through the clearing, Draco couldn't help but grimace. What kind of bloody fools threw a wedding during these times? Didn't they know that the Dark Lord was just waiting for an excuse to attack? He sighed quietly to himself, mentally going through the non-deadly spells he could cast that would make him look like he was trying.
Eventually the Dark Lord must have tired himself out, because he stopped talking and with one final look, apparated away. Draco could smell Greyback. Not only his awful stench, but the Werewolf smelled so strongly of pheromones, Draco almost gagged. He made sure to steer as far away from the wolf as he could, sticking downwind and to the outskirts of the crowd.
Finally, finally it was time. Draco followed the Mark to the location they were being called to. They appeared in front of a rather tilted, lopsided house. There were things growing from every crevice. Behind the house was a large tent. Draco followed the rest of the Death Eaters as they sprinted towards it.
When he'd gotten through the doorway, he was greeted by absolute chaos. Everywhere he looked someone was throwing a hex or a curse. Suddenly he caught on to the most amazing scent he'd ever smelled. He took a deep breath, she was here. He looked around, trying to figure out who she was, but then the Order members started aparating out, and he lost the scent. He cursed and threw a few curses in case they checked his wand. They hadn't really caught anyone, a few no-name people, but Draco was sure that they wouldn't be giving any great intel.
"She was there, Mum," Draco said later that evening as he lay on the fainting couch while his mother treated his Cruciatus tremors.
"So she's on the other side," she said, and he could tell she was a little disappointed. "There is no way I can guarantee her safety if I don't know who she is, my dragon."
"I'll figure it out," he said confidently. "I have to," he added in a whisper.
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you're just as excited as I am about this! I'll see you on November 7 for Hermione's perspective!
Thank you, again to bam2305 for the Alphabet work!
I love reading and replying to your comments and kudos always flood my brain with seratonin so feel free to let me know your thoughts!