A/N thanks for your reviews and support.

kirsty21: thanks for your review, my friend. Yeah!

mizzrazz72: thanks for your review, my friend. Their loss.

DarkRavie: thanks for your review, my friend.

...

Two animals chased each other through the forest. A black wolf with blue eyes tackled the black dingo. They wrestled under the moonlight trying to gain the upper hand.

The dingo might not have weighed as much as the wolf but he was faster. He was able to slip out from under the wolf and playfully back away. He dropped into a play bow and waited. There was annoyance in the blue eyes as the wolf glared. He grinned in response and barked inviting the other to come play some more.

Above them, the sky was turning lighter as dawn approached. The full moon was nearly over for another month. No matter where they were it was the two's favorite time of the month. They were allowed to run free and let loose their worries. Being able to run was what all animagi or weres needed at some point. Harrison and XIII were no different.

It had been slightly disappointing when the other were or animagi of the castle had not joined them. Sirius and Remus were no doubt holed up in their office. It was too bad. There was nothing like feeling the forest beneath their paws.

XIII growled. Then his eyes trailed up towards the sky. Harrison wanted to whine low in his throat. He didn't want to go back. Running in the forest was freeing. There weren't any pesky wizards who wanted to court him.

However, XIII was already shifting back to his human form. There were a few light scratches on his face and arms. Their run through the forest had given him scratches. Well, that and their roughhousing.

With a sigh, Harrison shifted back to his own human form. Bones cracked and reformed and he stood in a white short-sleeved shirt and blue jeans. It was what he had come out in just as XIII was wearing similar clothes. Even though it was October they didn't feel cold. One of the perks of having changed back.

XIII said stretching out his muscles, "I guess we should head back to the castle. As much as I'd rather not deal with the questions."

Harrison rolled his eyes, "Ignore them. The Slytherins have no right to question us. We have our own traditions and running through the woods on nights of the full moon is one of them."

"We could..."

Harrison poked his sworn blood brother in the chest as he said, "Don't you finish that sentence. It is none of their business what we do. Just as it's none of our business what they decide to do."

XIII shook his head and began heading towards the castle, "Stubborn bastard."

"Pot meet kettle."

The two laughed as they headed back. It took them twenty minutes to reach the castle entrance. Due to the early hour, they were lucky and weren't stopped or seen by students. If Nightingale members had seen them they would have understood. Hogwarts not so much.

Their good fortune lasted until they reached the Common Rooms. There much to Harrison's annoyance was the one person he did not want to see. Riddle was sitting by the fire facing so that he could see anyone who entered. In his hands was a book Harrison couldn't quite read the title of.

XIII gave him a questioning glance. Did he need the other with him? Minutely he shook his head. No, he didn't need him here. He could take care of Riddle and his nosiness himself. They were shrugged and headed off to the showers after summoning clean clothes.

Once they were alone Riddle set aside the book and stood. He said coolly, "You never came back to the Common Room last night. No one had seen you or XIII since dinner last night."

Harrison replied noncommittally, "Your point? We do as we please and do not answer to you."

"You do however answer to me, Potter," said a snide voice from behind him.

Well, fuck him. The two people he disliked the most in Slytherin were now in the same room as him. It couldn't... nope better not go there. Fate would absolutely fuck with by making things worse.

Harrison turned so that he could see them both as he said, "Only for the year, Professor. I refuse to go against Nightingale's tradition because we are temporarily in another school. If you don't like it tough."

There was a twitch in the muscle above the man's eyebrow as he snarled, "You spoiled little brat. Just because you are here temporarily does not mean I cannot punish you appropriately. 25 points for your cheek. Another 25 each from you and Hunter for being out after curfew and detention with me for a week."

Harrison sighed soundlessly he should have expected the detention. Though he still didn't quite understand the value points. Nightingale didn't have a points system. Their merits were based on who was King and the grades that the Houses received.

Riddle had a look of consternation at the loss of points. A few of the upper years who had started coming down from the dorms looked positively murderous. He would need to keep an extra eye out. He would not put it past them to curse him with his back turned.

He could tell the man that XIII was a born were. That he needed to be out in the forest for a run. That Harrison went with him because a were born or bitten needed a pack. But that would give up secrets that weren't his to give. So he bit his tongue. He only had to deal with this for less than a year. Then he could return home.

"Potter!" Snapped Snape.

Oops, he hadn't been listening. No doubt the man was trying to chew him out. Why were these people trying to control them? It shouldn't have been worth the trouble.

"Potter, are you listening to me?"

Harrison had to bite back his sarcastic retort. Making enemies would not help him here. He already had enough people hating him because Riddle decided to take an interest.

From the corner of his eye, he saw members of Nightingale coming down. Sensing the tension in the air they drew their wands. If it came down to it they would protect him and retaliate in kind to any who dared attack him outside of an official challenge.

A boy, a member of the Black family if he wasn't mistaken offered suddenly, "Perhaps Professor you can give him the chance to shower first. By the looks of them, Potter and Hunter went traipsing through the underbrush. They could use a shower before you decide how else they should be punished."

"Black, you are little better than Potter," snapped Snape.

Harrison rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling. This man was going to treat him as if he was James Potter. Despite the fact that he was in Slytherin and already had two masteries. James Potter didn't have a single Mastery.

Anything else that might have been said was cut off by the shadows suddenly swirling around him. Snape took an uncertain step back while Riddle had drawn his wand. Harrison however grinned as he recognized shadow travel. There were only a few creatures that could get through the wards of Hogwarts so easily.

Harrison greeted a fox formed in front of him, "Kiran it's been a while since you last visited me. What news do you bring?"

The fox was almost the same size as XIII fully changed. Its fur was as dark as night and its eyes were a cold grey. Most would think it was a demon and he wasn't entirely sure that they'd be wrong.

Those who had gone through the summoning class were required to bond with a shadow familiar. Failure to do so meant failing the class entirely. Izuku's own was a snake, specifically a black adder. He rarely called forth the shadow familiar outside of school. It tended to make people nervous.

For his part, Kiran merely looked at him disgruntled before holding out an envelope. For a moment he could only stare then he burst out laughing as did a few others from Nightingale. Kiran was feeling disgruntled about being used as an owl.

Carefully he took the letter from Kiran and upon reading his exhaustion and amusement faded. He stood straighter as he reread it a dark look crossing his face. A few of Nightingale stepped back cautiously as the air grew hot with his magic.

Harrison ordered in a cold biting tone, "Cane get the others out into the courtyard. Nightingale needs a full meeting. Now! Kiran tell your master I will be there soon."

The giant fox bowed its head as the others scrambled to obey. Ignoring Riddle and Snape Harrison went up into his dorm. There was no time for a shower so he cast a freshening charm on himself and began to change.

He chose black pants with a multitude of pockets. They were spelled to be fireproof and weatherproof. Next was his white button-down uniform shirt with the same enchantments. Instead of going for his robe next, he choose Nightingale's black uniform jacket trimmed with blue. He didn't know what situation he was walking into exactly. So it was best to be prepared for any eventuality. The jacket had stronger enchantments that would protect from many low and mid-level spells rather than the robe which had only standard protections

XIII entered just as he finished buttoning the jacket. He took one look at Harrison and swore underneath his breath before moving to change into the same. There would be no talking him out of it. XIII would follow him to hell and back if that was what he required.

He asked once he took had his jacket on, "What the hell happened while I was in the shower?"

"Kiran," came his short reply.

"Durant's awake?"

Harrison simply nodded before heading out of the dorms with XIII right on his heels. They left the Common Room aware that they were being followed. He ignored their unwelcome tail. Nothing that was going to be said was a school secret. If they wanted to listen in he wouldn't stop them.

In the courtyard, Nightingale students stood in their own House robes instead of Hogwarts robes. A few shifted nervously wondering if it was bad news. Luckily for them, the only bad news was for him and the Guard. Upon seeing him and XIII the group parted so that he could get to the front.

Once at the front Harrison said, "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I have some good news to share this morning. When XIII and I arrived back at the Slytherin Common Room we were given detentions. However, as I was deciding how to deal with this when Kiran appeared before me."

Gasps were sounded all around him. There were only two reasons Kiran would appear in front of him.

"Quiet!" Shouted XIII.

Immediately the others quieted down and waited for him to continue. Once silence once more reigned he said, "Headmaster Durant is awake. It will be a few weeks before he will be ready to help in the reconstruction efforts. He wishes everyone well and for us to keep up our studies."

One of the younger students asked in a small voice, "Will he be okay?"

Harrison smiled softly as he said, "I don't have all the detail yet but XIII and I will be leaving to visit him. If there is anything else that you need to know I'll pass it through the runners. For now go about things as usual."

"Yes, King!"