See first chapter for disclaimers/warnings/summaries
The Torvak is is the Last Creature/New Idea, I intend to introduce in this fic guys, so please hang on. I swear it is on my secrets stash of double stuff Oreos...
NOTES: (for clarity in the second half of this chapter, please read!) Torvak are based off of the Japanese folklore creatures known as "Tengu" demon like beings with avian characteristics, meaning a beak, wings, claws, etc. I am blending a human/raven cross for the Torvak, namely, people with the ability to grow raven's wings and as a means to protect themselves, the ability to use fire or ice. (No elements, simply ice and the opposite, being fire). Torvaks are considered light creatures, because the raven wings can look like angel wings and they are extremely intelligent.
A Torvak cannot fully transform into a bird-form, but their entire body can become lightweight and covered in black feathers. They have excellent night vision and are known amongst other creatures as hunters. The Dragels are considered dark creatures by them, due to their extensive use of blood magic, shadow magic and death magic. Torvak are known as hunters, trackers and warriors, and will hunt and kill dark creatures on sight. This duty recently assigned, is now official, due to a ruling in the Ministry of Magic. Previously, a blood feud between the two races prompted the drastic reactions along with differing views on dark creatures.
Dragels have no real issues with Vampires, Weres, Shadow Magic users, Hellhounds, Seawitches, etc, while Torvak considered themselves to be above such 'things' and thus hunted them out of spite. Dragels now refuse to associate with them and have gone into hiding to avoid being hunted, hence the reality where people believe they are extinct. Thinking that there is no need to be hunting any more, the Torvak have relaxed and gone about their daily lives. Minor skirmishes between the races are covered up by whichever side wins, so there has been no mention of them for several centuries now.
For Dragels, the MOM considers them to be dark because of their association with other 'dark' creatures, never mind that the Dragels have been peaceable and absent in all major wizarding wars, etc, to minimize damage.
RECAP: Professor Snape and Blaise have gone to the forbidden forest to investigate something that Blaise has mentioned. Previously, Hermione was woken by a black wolf-dog and carried deeper into the forest, where she spent the afternoon at the mercy of a hellhounds whims. Charlie and Theo's dominance fight takes place while Ilsa and Harry are in the kitchen, they come to an agreement. Harry and Theo have their first simple, triad moment, sharing pudding, before a knock at the door puts everyone on edge.
HOGWARTS' GROUNDS : FORBIDDEN FOREST : MONDAY
"Professor?" Blaise rolled his shoulders back, the niggling feeling in the back of his head beginning to buzz a bit louder. There was something wrong and he could practically smell it! He took a few cautious whiffs and a deep frown settled over his tanned features. "Professor…"
The Potions Master held up a hand in warning, mimicking the actions of his companion. Dark eyes narrowed and he took another careful whiff.
"Granger." Blaise ventured.
"Where?"
Blaise sorted through the scents once more and turned his head towards the faintest increase. "There." He gave a sharp jerk of his head.
Within seconds, they blurred off, both traveling by aid of their Dragel senses and gifts. The air currents whipped up into a slight frenzy as Severus drew on his gift and pulled at the just out of reach sensation.
They stumbled across the deserted camp, Blaise standing guard as Severus immediately dropped to his knees beside the pale, barely-breathing body of his student. He felt quickly for a pulse and then for the depth of her current magical gifts. He scowled when he saw the binding cuffs on her slender wrists and steeling himself, ran a quick spell to tell if she'd been violated.
Relief spread through him when the spell came back negative. That was good, whatever had happened, whoever had done whatever, at least, they'd left the girl's modesty alone. He bent to pick her up and froze as her jumper inched up a few spaces to show marked skin. The scowl on his face grew deeper as he pushed it up and took in the very visible brand on her pale skin.
"Professor?" Blaise's voice was uncertain.
Severus quickly yanked the jumper back down and rose, swooping her up in his arms. He'd have to wonder and deal with that later. He could feel the restless stirring of the creatures within the forest and while they'd let him and Blaise alone, he knew they were pushing it. "Later." He said, curtly. "Run!"
In the safety of the dungeons once more, Severus strode down the darkened hallways, his grip tightening on the shallowly breathing armful of Hermione Granger. His brilliant mind whirled and sputtered, trying and failing to come up with a decent reason that fit the smart witch that he knew. Sure, she could be an overbearing brat with her constant stream of knowledge, whether useful or useless, but he'd never held it against her. She was decent in everything that she did and had yet to give him any real trouble in potions, so he'd left her alone.
Something had driven her to the point that had led her into the Forbidden forest. He wondered, briefly, what had caught her curious nature, there was no other conceivable reason for her to be there. At least, not the kind of reasons that remained.
They neared his quarters and the Potions Master slowed to a cautious walk, his Dragel senses flaring wildly. "Blaise!" He said, sharply.
The Italian turned in time to take the bundled armful from him. "Er, Professor?" He managed to get out.
"Hold that." Severus snapped, pushing back the sleeves of his robe and lengthening his hands into their native claws. "It seems I have visitors."
"Visitors?" Blaise's grip on Hermione tightened and he hefted her easily in his arms. "Who?"
"Our kind." Severus bristled. "Uninvited."
Blaise growled, lowly. "Where's Terius?" He shifted the armful, uneasily. He didn't feel comfortable holding such a liability at a moment where he knew he'd be of more help if his hands were free. His next thought had been for the DADA professor and Pareya, the man certainly seemed useful in a fight.
"I can fight my own battles!" Severus snarled, his fangs coming through his gums as his Dragel instincts began to creep forward at his urging.
Blaise fought the urge to bare his fangs at the older Dragel. True, he didn't doubt the man's fighting ability, but Severus was an alpha, they could fight, but they were not built for it. Not like Terius was. Terius was definitely a good addition to have, his Pareya nature would automatically put him on the defensive, giving them a necessary edge and then of course, there was the whole DADA thing... "Do you recognize any of the scents?" He ventured.
Severus sniffed the air, his dark gaze seeming to darken even more as he processed the result. There was one vaguely teasing scent that seemed as if it ought to be familiar, but it was masked by a few others that didn't really register. "Stand back." He threw over his shoulder, subtly bracing himself and calling forth his claws as he prepared to burst into the rooms.
He gave a single knock of warning, in the event that perhaps it was simply...someone. But, Severus could sense the occupants on the other side were well aware of him, but he didn't care. They were in his quarters and he most certainly hadn't given out any invitations lately. Blaise's words echoed faintly in his head and he attempted to push them away, even as his mental link to the rest of his mated circle ripped open and broadcasted his current situation.
In the split-second where he threw the door open and entered, wand drawn, there was a simultaneous crack and a sudden downdraft of air, as a shadow above gave presence to Terius as he 'ported in, battle-ready for whatever had triggered his immediate transportation to his alpha's side.
Everything froze.
For a good long moment, a tense silence reigned. Then, surprisingly, Terius was the one to speak, his grey eyes fixed on the defensive figure before him. "Lady Ilsa? Lady Ilsa Gorgens?"
A short, stocky female Dragel, held a protective stance before three shielded figures, backed by a taller male. Her wings were broad and armor plated with sharp ridges and points along the outside, immediately declaring her status as Gheyo. At Terius' words, she stood, stiffly, relaxing them somewhat as she studied him in silence for a moment and then a flicker of recognition showed through. "Terius? The Councilman Terius?"
"Indeed." Terius tipped his head slightly before he strode forward, immediately folding his wings back, his arms relaxed at his sides. "My sincere apologies. I was merely reacting to the situation. I ah, we, weren't expecting anyone to be here…" his voice trailed off and he cast a questioning look over his shoulder at Severus, before he caught sight of Blaise and the armful he held.
"Ach. Never mind it." The woman waved it away, as if he had merely sneezed, adopting a slightly formal air of her own. "Nay, the fault is entirely mine—er, ours, do pardon the intrusion, it was most rude of us." The woman flexed her wings and retracted them, stepping forward to meet him halfway. "I would not have intruded were it not of the utmost importance." They bowed formally to each other, one fisted hand placed over their hearts, gazes locked, the faintest flicker of energy sparking betwixt them as a silent understanding passed between both political figures. "I do thank you for allowing an explanation."
"Think nothing of it." Terius said, smoothly. "I greatly enjoy having my head upon my shoulders. It serves me much better there. I do not mean to pry, but is everything alright? Not that I would refuse you sanctuary should you be claiming or requesting it."
"We claim nothing, at present. In fact, if you would not object, I actually intended to return to Nevarah. Your quarters are unnaturally warded for one of our own. If you had no objection to sharing it, I would like to use it as a transport point."
"Portgas?" Terius inquired.
"Ergen." She smiled, politely. "I am an earth elemental, as I am sure you remember."
"Of course. How foolish of me to forget."
Ilsa gave a dismissive wave of one hand. "I was not aware that you had bonded. Congratulations on your bonding, though the formalities are belated, I do wish you all the best."
"Think nothing of it. T'was a rather private affair and I have not been…sharing it." Terius countered.
"I see. That was why I could not place you." She wrinkled her nose. "I suppose further introductions are in order."
"If you have no others…?" Terius trailed off, his stance relaxing, faintly.
"None." Ilsa's lips quirked into a half-smile. "I'm sure you remember Aracle and as you two seem to manage the talking better, I will put you at ease and keep my mouth shut. Theodore?" She turned away as the Rheyo stepped forward.
The tension in the room practically evaporated the moment Ilsa mentally dismissed them all.
"Aracle!" Terius grasped his forearm.
"Terius!" The man greeted him, warmly. "Allow me to echo Ilsa's congratulations. It was high time!" He leaned to the side to take in the view of Severus, Blaise and Hermione. "Are all of them yours?" He turned disbelieving eyes to his friend.
Terius did manage a smile. "Not in the least." The humor touched his voice. "The tall dark handsome one, is mine. The other two are students of mine, speaking of which…" He turned to look at Blaise, the puzzlement changing to concern. "Pray tell, what exactly happened to Miss Granger?"
"Hermione?" Harry's voice came out from the behind the wall of protective wings, Ilsa having taken up the shielding stance Aracle had held moments before.
"Harry?" Terius' head whipped around, searching for the speaker.
Severus frowned, his dark expression turning a few shades darker. "For a castle that ought to be empty during an evacuation…" He muttered.
Terius shot him a look, but the worry remained on his own face as he heard another familiar voice from behind Ilsa.
"Professor Snape? Terius?" Theo's worried voice came from behind the taller winged fellow, who had yet to relax his stance.
The Potions Master and company watched as the wings folded away to show three rather familiar figures. "Mr. Nott." Severus spoke first.
"Harry?" Terius' repeated again, as his brow furrowed together. "Are you two alright?" He took in the scene of Harry being protectively squashed between two half-crouched young dragels even as the green-eyed teen fought against their grip. The visible markings on the two bare torsos of the young men immediately alerted him to their mated status and current bonding level. He swallowed. A few minutes earlier could've landed them all in a less than pleasant situation, all political connections aside. "Er, Congratulations?" His gaze flickered uncertainly to the unfamiliar redhead. The scent was familiar, but the face was not.
"Charlie Weasley." Severus supplied, accurately reading and interpreting his mate's expression. He frowned, as the rest of the situation dawned on him, a tad longer than it had taken his Pareya. "Wait a minute-!" The sputtered exclamation burst out.
"I suppose some explanations are in order." Theo gave a rueful smile, moving to stand to his feet, even as Charlie protested with a quiet rumble and Harry continued to try and wrestle his way free from the dragon tamer's arms.
"Hermione!" Harry elbowed Charlie in the ribs, ignoring the pained hiss. "Hermione!"
"Hermione?" Charlie shifted to sit up and released Harry the moment his blue eyes fell on the head of bushy hair from the girl being cradled in Blaise's arms. The stricken look on Harry's face said more than anyone could have as he launched himself forward with a loud wail. Severus and Terius half-caught the teen around the shoulders before he knock over the Italian.
"Calm down." Severus snapped, throwing a glare at the distraught teen and then at Blaise. "For Merlin's sake, put the girl down before he-" He grimaced and jerked back when his fingers suddenly felt as if they were on fire. Terius released the teen not a second later.
Harry fell to his knees beside the limp form, burying his head in that familiar neck, wishing and craving to feel those arms around him once more, squeezing the air out of him. "Hermione. Hermione. Hermione." He chanted over and over in his head, beginning to rock back and forth. Something seemed to rumble beneath them and the temperature in the room upped a few degrees. Harry's head rolled to the side and he screamed in sheer distress, a haunting, piercing sound that made the rooms, and its current occupants, shudder collectively.
Theo and Charlie winced as one, both automatically gravitating towards their hysterical submissive as instinct demanded.
"Oh Harry." Charlie whispered, falling to his knees beside the smaller teen and awkwardly gathering both the crying Harry and the limp Hermione together in his arms. Wizard Charlie didn't know too much about what to do in the present situation. What few healing spells he did know were basics for little accidents on the dragon-reserve and certainly he'd never quite had to master them, as he'd never really needed them. Dragel Charlie egged him on to hold Harry ahd Hermione as tightly as possible.
Theo moved forward, conflict warring on his face, before he slid a hand between Charlie and Harry and deliberately rubbed the mating mark. Harry registered the movement too late to react, before the forced calmness overtook him and he panted in mid-screech.
Betrayed green eyes turned to meet shining golden ones as Theo knelt beside Charlie, supporting Herimone's head and meeting Harry's gaze, calmly and steadily. "You need to be calm." He murmured, voice soft. "We need to figure out how to help her first. You know her better than any of us, right?" He waited until Harry hesitantly nodded. "Good. We need you then, right? Don't go to pieces on us now." He leaned forward and kissed Harry's scar, before also pressing a kiss to the mark on Charlie's shoulder and prompting a layer of tension to melt away from his beta. His hand stroked through Hermione's tangled hair and he turned worried eyes to his mentor. "Oretta…"
"…she reeks of Death Magic." His mentor snapped.
Aracle calmly moved to stand beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist, embracing her from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder, head tilted to rest against hers. He whispered something in her ear and she seemed likely to elbow him in the stomach again, but refrained herself, barely. She twitched, faintly instead, but her eyes flickered to Terius, Severus and Blaise.
"We found her in the Forbidden forest," Blaise ventured, when the staring happened to go on a little longer than he liked.
"The Forbidden forest?" Charlie stared at the Slytherin in horror. From what he knew of the forest, there were certainly some unusual and terrible things within, but for it to put Hermione in such a state, she must have gone in much further than any sane witch or wizard would. "How deep?"
Severus' dark eyes finally seemed to bottom out as he meet the blue eyed stare unflinchingly. He read the question within a question and while it had never bothered him before to speak the truth, he found no joy in doing so. "Too far."
Harry's head lolled forward to rest on Hermione's faintly heaving chest. He gave a long, low, sorrowful moan.
Everyone winced.
THE BURROW : SUNDAY AFTERNOON : BATTLE AFTERMATH
Theo's arrival and subsequent departure did not help the Weasley's very much at all.
In fact, it merely served to add more chaos and further complicate things.
That was one detail that Dumbledore took note of and consequently could not ignore as he made his way over to the fuming Weasley Matriarch. He had been hoping for some of the events that had taken place, but he most certainly hadn't expected it all to happen at the same time. He stifled a shudder, squaring his shoulders to project the confidence that was swiftly fading.
All of this trying to save the world for the sake of the greater good was more exhausting than he'd originally figured. He was dearly looking forward to a nice, quiet night with Fawkes, a touch of firewhisky and some over-sweetened lemonade to round it off. And perhaps some mentholated peppermint headache balm for the pounding in his head that was slowly starting to make itself known.
Dumbledore glided forward, hoping he could talk his way through this one, but his gut feeling warned him that it was highly unlikely. He'd have to pick and choose the lesser of two evils and from his current list of choices, they were both rather dastardly options. He doubted either side would be likely to forgive him for it, but he did reason out that they would be better off of it in the long run—as long as they survived.
Survived.
Yes, survival was always one of those tricky things.
Dumbledore sighed as he drew closer. From the stricken look on her face as she stared at the spot where her second oldest son had been, he had a feeling it wasn't going to be a very enjoyable conversation, all meddlings and musings aside—and Molly had always been a rather talented witch, especially when it came to the rare brand of family magic.
"Molly?" He ventured, cautiously.
The witch whirled on him, her eyes red-rimmed, flushed cheeks stained with tears of anguish. "This is half your fault." She hissed, softly. "Look what you've started! Just look at it! Are you happy? You couldn't leave me alone? You couldn't leave all of us alone? You couldn't leave well enough, to just leave it be? Haven't I always done what you've asked, Albus? Haven't I given enough to your cause?"
"Molly-"
"This is my home. Our home. It isn't much of anything, but it is home. We are family. He was my son." The pain was raw and unfiltered in her cracking voice as she glared at him. "He is my son. They're my children, Albus! I would never wish this curse upon them."
"Sometimes curses can be a blessing in disguise." Dumbledore countered. "I didn't start this! I had nothing to do with it. I didn't know they were going to attack here and Severus wasn't in any condition to speak when he-"
"Severus? He's still spying for you?" She snorted. "You have a hand in everything. Every bloody thing! How could I possibly believe you this time?" Betrayal shone clearly on her face. "I thought I gave enough. I thought it was enough. My family, Albus?"
"Molly, I had nothing to do with-"
"With all your spies and double agents, you couldn't even give us fair warning?" She look at him with saddened eyes, her grip tight on her wand. "There were children here, Albus." She gestured towards the yard and her own children helping their guests. "There still are. Children shouldn't be fighting in wars—even Harry."
The sober blue eyes hardened faintly. "Circumstances dictate the situations that fate throws our way." He said, calmly. "And all's well that ends well."
"Ends well?" She echoed. "Merlin help us, Albus!" She snapped. "You think I can't tell the difference between old magic and Dragel magic? Why did you let him come here? You knew what you were doing. You knew fully well! I warned you. I warned you about it, I told you what would happen, but you didn't listen. Did you think I was mad? Fair out of my mind? Old wives' tales and all that?" The laughter was off-kilter. "You foolish, foolish man."
"Now Molly-"
"Don't 'now Molly' me!" She snapped. "If Harry hadn't come here in the first place—if he'd never arrived with that Slytherin boy of his, none of this would've happened."
"Don't say that!" Albus bristled. "You're the closest thing little Harry has to family and-"
"And he's happily mated!" Molly shot back. "I don't care to whom, a mate is a mate. If they're happy, then he'll be fine. He didn't have to come here."
"I didn't-"
"You could've sent him somewhere else!"
"Where?" Albus shot back. "Where would you have had me send him? I couldn't send him back to those muggles on such short notice, if something had happened, with his lack of magic, there wouldn't have been a fight, it would've been a bloodbath!"
"I thought you said the home was warded. I thought you said it hid him!"
"I did what I had to do." Albus said, coldly. "And I did give you fair warning. A mate may be just that to you, but a Slytherin? A Slytherin is a snake and a true snake never denies its nature."
"Harry's far too light for darkness to tempt him." Molly snapped. "Have more faith in your self-proclaimed savior! Have more faith and leave us commonfolk out of it."
The elderly wizard ground his teeth together. "I could have chosen another family." He said, smoothly. "One with power, prestige and equal vaunts in the Light."
Molly snorted. "Really? Then why didn't you? What stopped you? Hmm?" She jabbed him in the chest with the tip of her wand. "Why?"
The icy blue eyes glared down at her.
"That was my son! My Charlie!" She hissed. "You didn't even try to save him!"
"There wasn't anything I could've done and if I interfered with a-"
"Albus?" Arthur stood several feet away, a worried look plastered on his face, blue eyes emotionless. "Might I have a word?"
"Er,"
"Be careful what you say." Molly said, her eyes gleamed dangerously, her wand still trained on him, though hidden from view for those who weren't watching all that closely. "Be very careful."
The old wizard swallowed hard and gave a quick bob of his head before backing away and heading to Arthur. He was loathe to turn his back to the witch, but avoiding it would only show that he did in fact, fear her and Albus Dumbledore did not suffer from fear, he instilled it, when necessary. He turned his back to the still angry witch and focused on her husband's thinning head of hair. "Arthur," he smiled warmly. "What can I do for you?"
"Besides clearing the yard from them?" The Weasley Patriarch gestured towards the various Order Members and remaining Aurors. The cleanup was going rather slow, as far as he was concerned.
"Of course." Albus turned and made a wave with one hand in the air. The current Chief Auror nodded from across the yard to show that he'd seen the signal and those present began to hurry up.
Arthur led the old wizard back a ways towards the house and then paused, throwing up a privacy charm and a distortion one to keep outsiders from seeing exactly what was happening inside the little bubble. "What was that?" There was an edge to his voice that hadn't been there earlier.
Lesser of two evils. Lesser of two evils. Albus chanted silently in his head, drawing on the faint, nearly non-existent threads of inherited magic within him. He felt it as a tiny tingle of coolness that made his fingers twitch and his wand hum. "Pardon?" He said, politely.
"That was a Dragel." Arthur said, clearly.
"Ah, but you knew that already." Albus said, pleasantly. "Mr. Nott and Harry are happily bonded after all and by Molly's say, you gave your blessing."
"I did no such thing." Arthur scowled. "She did and I will not judge her for that." He hadn't really approved of the pairing or the mating, but he'd seen his wife's worry settle into contentment and had opted to hold his silence, relieved that she'd spoken so he didn't have to. There were few issues that he championed, but Dragels and their dark creature status was one of them. "I am not talking about those children, I meant that last one. The fire one. Dragels haven't been seen in over-"
"Technicalities. Mere technicalities." Albus said quickly. His mind whirled. He'd witnessed the partial transformation and it seemed as if Molly had too, but luck had been on his side in seeing that Charlie's father had missed the crucial moments. How lucky. "The Torvak haven't been spotted in the same number of years, if we must be politically correct."
Those dull blue eyes flared to life and flashed dangerously as Arthur's grip on his wand tightened—much like his wife's had just moments ago. "Really?" His voice was light, neutral. "And you've heard something of them?"
"I've kept your secrets, Arthur." Albus retorted. "I think you can stand to keep a few of my own."
"Dragels, Albus?" He hissed. "And a Slytherin?"
"The Nott family is mostly neutral now that Nott Sr. has been-"
"They're dark creatures!"
"They have power! We can use that power!"
"What did you do?" Arthur's blue eyes grew wild. "The Dragel gene has slept for centuries, Albus! There's been a few moments, a few things, it was bad…years ago, a few decades, maybe, but we all did our best to put it to rest. I did my best!" He pointed towards Molly who was now surrounded by her children and their student guests. "I put it all behind me and started up a family, trying to live a decent normal life. We've done—I've done everything you've ever asked of me!"
"And I do not deny it." Albus said, evenly. "I appreciate it and I thank you, even, but battles never won in a single fight on a single day."
Arhtus gave a short bark of laughter. "This is ancient magic, Albus." He looked away with a scoff. "Ancient magic. It rules the creatures, it binds the halves of the world together." He drew in a shaky breath. "It works in checks and balances. Ancient magic answers to no one. It does as it pleases and it is a cruel, sadistic bastard." His wand hand shook with suppressed emotion. "Creatures, all creatures are the result of challenging that which should be left alone." The blue eyes cooled, becoming hardened and more calculating. "But you know this, you would have heard. You cannot mess with things that ought to be left as they are."
The elderly wizard matched his glare with a frigid look of his own. "Sacrifices must be made for the greater good." He said, softly. "You of all of us, should know this best."
"At the expanse of whom?" The younger wizard shot back. "What I am is none of your concern. Do not go there, Albus. I know you."
"You've only known me for a handful of years-"
"And what you are screams so loudly, I haven't needed more than mere minutes to know where you stand!" Arthur snapped back. "Do not dabble in things you don't understand."
"I understand all that needs to be-"
The privacy bubble shook with the sudden pulse of raw magic swirling out of Arthur as he glared at Dumbledore. "You understand nothing! You don't even have an ounce of Halfling blood in you! You're a disgrace to the Torvak!"
"Enough." Albus' quiet, deadly tone made the younger wizard freeze. "I have enough."
Horror overtook his features at once and Arthur grew rather pale at the implications in the words. There had been one time many years ago when the crazy headmaster had proposed a changling spell to bring all creature inheritances to the forefront of every student of age within Hogwarts. He'd claimed it would be good. Arthur couldn't have disagreed more. He'd been relieved when others had agreed and nothing had happened. He'd thought that was the last of it. He'd hoped, anyway. "No…no, that was decades ago, you surely wouldn't have…you couldn't…" There was no sound of protest from the other man. "No!" It was breathed as a pained whisper. "Oh Albus…what have you done?"
A/N: I figured out what was wrong with the last chapter. There's a scene missing! *facepalm* I was working on two different PC's and brilliantly managed that little bit of wonderment. It doesn't affect the way the story is going, I'll just have to reinsert it when they get to Nevarah for the sake of simplicity, er, sanity. Thank you all for the kind response to the last chapter, in spite of the obvious typos. (I really should get more sleep before I post certain things...)
Ah, to be clear on things-YES, Molly is a DRAGEL, and Arthur is a TORVAK, their kids can be either, Dragel is inherently more dominant than Torvak genes though, however, Molly has been suppressing her children since birth, so there is a greater chance they will be Torvak.
Torvak means they can grow black raven's wings and have grafted powers of fire or ice added to their magic. They have a natural affinity with flying(hence the quidditch obsession in this family!) Power-wise, Arthur, obviously has ice. Molly's element is fire.
No, Arthur doesn't know that Molly is a Dragel, she's never told him and she's obviously gone to a great deal of trouble to hide her children's true nature from him, (at least in Charlie's case!)More explanations, confrontations coming in the next chappy. ^_^
If you have questions, ask away. I'll answer what I can and read the replies below-you might find answers to your questions before you even ask. ^_^
twilightreaderaddict: *smirk* Yes, Charlie did need a reward, didn't he? XD Glad you liked the dominance fight and Harry cooking, I figured pudding would get his mind off of things and of course, Ilsa needed to talk to him, so it all worked out in the end. I've actually never had butterscotch pudding, it sounded good though...
mabidiso: Glad you liked the kitchen scene, that moment was planned out even before I actually had the actual Ilsa and Theo moments planned out. I'm glad it cleared up Ilsa for you, she's going to be there for Harry when they get to Nevarah, etc and Harry's going to realize and finally start taking some of that acceptance and love that he deserves and needs so desperately. :)
domisjohn : Well, how'd you like the glimpse of Arthur here? I've been playing with it for a little bit, but I think folks always underestimate him 'cause he's good at staying quiet. The Dursley's will pay pretty soon, after we get some answers for some other stuff first. :)
crystalclear8050 : I like crumpets! They go with tea. I like tea. :P I've never had any butterscotch anything besides a hard candy in a yellow and white wrapper. It just sounded like Theo, so. *shrug* The fight from Charlie's POV? Hmm. Don't know. I'd have to do that as a side fic/alternate scene, since I've already moved them past that to the entrance with Severus and Co. unless he's chooses to relate part of it in the future to a friend/potential mate. If anyone else cares to see it/read it, I suppose I'll see what I can do. Since everyone sprang to flight/fight mode, Charlie hasn't had the chance to be embarassed, but he will be later. XD. Butterbeer ice cream? Wow. Did it taste the way you thought it would? I'm somehow thinking of butter pecan, even though I doubt it tastes anything near that. Bacon. Right. Ah, there's an interesting breakfast scene coming up when they get to Nevarah, has Harry and Draco in it. Hang on 'til then? I'm sure there's bacon lurking around there somewhere... Ah, sorry about the students, hope they aren't going to be like that for the entire season. If they are, I'll lend you my rubber spatula. -_-'
AnnaMarieAvery: Theo's pudding moment was hilarious, wasn't it? I actually laughed after I wrote it and then rewrote it. Not all of the Weasleys will know about the Dursleys, just Charlie, the twins and Ron knows some from when they rescued Harry, but he won't know everything as when Harry tells, it will be between his mates and they'll keep private things private, between them. Dumbledore will know to some extent, I haven't decided for sure yet. Wait, I liked my cookie! You're taking it back! *hides cookie under keyboard* :P Ah, to kill the umbitch or not? W-e-l-l, I don't think Harry would want any of his mates in Azkaban, but she will get some rather dark justice delivered. Yes, Ilsa suspects and has confirmed that Harry was abused and like Theo realizes that there's much more that isn't being said/handled at the moment. How long? argh. I don't know. I really don't. I can guess it'll be pretty long, but I'm not a real concrete planner when I write, I was aiming for Harry's first kid, at least, and that won't happen until old Moldyshorts is gone and some of his mates will have enemies as well and they wouldn't be for bringing a child into their troubled world, so it's going to go on for a bit. ^_^
JtheChosen1: Heehee, yes, that is most definitely true. Glad you enjoyed it.
BlackCatHikari: Yep, it was Snape and Co. at the door, finally. Took them a while to get there. I'm glad you're enjoying the story! For Hermione, she had the gift of speaking to animals since summer(She came into a bit of an inheritance herself) and it was driving her crazy in addition to suddenly realizing that with Ron's playing around and Harry's half-missing all the time, that she had no friends and more enemies than she thought, which led to thinking of suicide when the voices she started hearing really started to drive her nuts. She didn't know about the evacuation or anything, she just decided she'd walk into the forbidden forest and using a potion(they'll discover this later), knocked herself out. She was then found by Death and "gifted" to Death's once favored pet, a hellhound named Aiden, who was rather annoyed to be stuck with a suicidal mortal, never mind that this is Hermione's first and only attempt, so he's being a jerk. Does that help any?
Woodland Spirit: Severus and Blaise! (oh and Hermione too.) ^_^
MyStrangeObessions: Aw, thanks! I figured out what was bugging me about the chapter and I'm a little happier with it now. (I've been tweaking it on and off, LOL), but I'm glad it did what I wanted it to and you were right, it was Ilsa. Thanks for making my day with that lovely review! ^_^
Lientjuhh: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Glad you liked it. ^_^
Tohruismyoneechan: Aww, thanks! I'm really glad you're enjoying the story enough to keep rereading it over from the beginning and I'm glad you like the OC's, I'm trying not to go overboard with them or take away from the cannon characters, so I'm glad it's coming across nicely. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! ^_^
EmeraldJaguar: No promises, lol, but I'm aiming for that threesome in the near future, whether I'll get it written this weekend remains to be seen. ^_^
FalconRider: Thanks for weighing in! The only "twincest" I can read is the Kiryu Twins from Vampire Knight and that's only 'cause one's a vampire and that automatically cuts blood ties with things. LOL. If I do bring the twin's in, they wouldn't need to yield to Charlie, just to Theo-and it'd be Theo and Harry to mark them, as those are the requirements of an alpha and sub. ^_^
Stray-89: Gah. I missed that one! *scurries away to change typo* Thank you! I'm fiddling with the tenses as well to fix 'em. Thanks for pointing it out. I'm sure that's half of what was bugging me about the last chapter, along with the missing scene. Glad you liked the final bonding stage and circle completion for our lovely boys. ^_^
Bookworm0920: Aw! Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the read-and wow, to stay up until 4:30 to read it? I'm honored. ^_^ I hope you enjoy this chapter and I will continue to do my best to make it an awe-worthy fic.
projectjay: Ah, Harry mentor stuff coming up soon. I've got a good chunk of it figured out in my head, just need to be writing it out. What Theo did was give Harry his password before clearing it with Ilsa, as he was her only binding anchor. Her element (from the earth clan) is so volatile, she can destroy things without a second thought, if she isn't bound and controlled. She invented the Brindus bindings that are currently holding the more destructive properties of her element at bay and Theo, as her apprenticed student, became a living anchor for her. If he dies, the bindings on his body in respect to her, unleashes some nasty stuff, for Ilsa, as the daughter of one of the Clan Cheif's, she holds an additional weight of magic in her element, to protect her clan, losing her mind and her power would cripple the clan, especially since Dragels are so family-oriented and tight-knit, her insanity and subsequent death would cause a lot of trouble. She didn't intend for Theo to keep the bindings forever though, she can alter them or give Theo a different summoning password, so that if used, it wouldn't have that backlash. But when he gave it out, he didn't inform her right away(She could've changed the seals on her side) and then Harry used it after Theo had started to talk to her and things went haywire from there. Some of this will be explained later, when Harry asks, etc, by Ilsa herself. Theo's only crime was not letting her know asap. He had plenty of time to do so-and didn't! The entire time he was 'courting' with Harry, such as when he met him, etc, he could've called and mentioned it, but he didn't. It's not Harry's fault. Ah, that new prophecy, well, we'll see, ne? Harry's always mixed up in something or another...
Celestialuna, unique0987654321: Glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing!
xkayxvenx: Harry Harem was my original intention, everyone with Harry at one point or another, but mostly with Harry, as he is the sub. I was loathe to put the harem label on this fic, simply because of how complicated it is when it comes down to moments with Charlie and Theo, etc are necessary for the Dragel bonding to solidfy itself, this is a binding of blood, magic and soul. There can also be comfort sex through other pairings if Harry isn't up to it, or if the others want to "work off some steam" without being too rough with Harry. As for his idiot-ness at the moment, well, bondings are pretty stressful, considering and as Harry is likely to be more sensitive to this than others, (and also due to the suppression seals on his magic), he's not really coping very well with it. Not to mention he almost half-died when Charlie did... I hope that explains what you were asking? :)
she-who-waits-in-darkness: I'm doing a little better. I figure I'll be fine by Monday. LOL. Lots of sleep, lemon water and herbal tea between whatever medicine my mother is bent on pouring down my poor sore throat. I hope you're feeling better! (and there wasn't really much Torvak information this chapter, but you can see some of their interaction between Arthur and Albus, as Arthur is practically a full-blooded Torvak, but Albus' has been so diluted, he can't even actually use the ice element that comes to him, but it does show up, such as in those crazy twinkling blue eyes).
agge: I was missing a whole scene and some tense changes from the last chapter. (I write in present tense then I rewrite and change things, etc) There was supposed to be a part with Charlie's wing scales and Harry's as well(remember the gifts between Harry and Theo a few chapters back? It's part of the mating/courting ritual), anyhow, I wanted that to happen before they got to Nevarah and I was working on this file on two different PC's and somehow managed to scramble it and couldn't figure out why. *headdesk*. I'm thinking Harry's going to come to some conclusions himself when they arrive in Nevarah and then Ilsa going to be involved on his behalf for a rather drastic adventure, so I'm aiming for those as some character points for him. I'm glad you liked their interaction in this chapter. I really enjoyed the kitchen scene, I've had it in my head for days. ^_^
To everyone who reviewed, thank you! If I missed you in the replies, 'tis purely by accident. Thanks for reviewing/faving/alerting this little fic. ^_^