AN: Alright, the summer is going to be split into two chapters this time. Lots of information to put out. This chapter might be a little odd at times, but hang in there. As always, I love to hear what you guys think.


Remus and Sirius picked Harry and Draco up from King's Cross station and quickly took them home. The two boys were shocked when they found Narcissa there waiting for them. They each hugged her tightly. "What are you doing here?" Draco asked.

"Well, we've been busy since you two went back to school," Narcissa replied. "I knew that I needed to keep you safe, and it became clear that my own safety was at stake as well. I immediately transferred a decent sum into a vault for you," she informed her son. "I wanted to make sure that your father couldn't keep it from you. I was going to find a home for us, but Remus insisted that you and I would be safer here."

"And you two won't have to be apart," Sirius added helpfully.

"We still have some resources, should the need arise," Narcissa went on. "But for now, it's best if we stay together." She looked between Harry and Draco solemnly. "I hate that I couldn't be with you while you were in the infirmary."

"It's alright Mother," Draco responded. "We're perfectly fine now. Better than ever actually," he added, smiling at Harry.

They spent some time getting settled, setting Draco up in the room next to Harry's. It wasn't as luxurious as what Draco was accustomed to at the manor, but the room was tastefully decorated and comfortable.

Spending the end of Christmas break with Harry was very different from moving in for the summer. Draco was suddenly feeling a little nervous, but it was a welcome distraction from thinking about his father.

Just before dinner, Minerva arrived, bringing Snape and Dumbledore with her. "It seems that you two have had a more eventful term than I realized," she said, giving Harry and Draco a pointed look.

"What?" Remus asked, bewildered. "What did we miss?"

"Your son put Lucius Malfoy in his place," Snape responded with a little smirk, as Harry winced. "Lucius came to my office yesterday. He told me that he'd confronted Draco about his relationship with Potter. Draco was defiant and when Lucius reached for his wand, Potter used a wandless charm to repel him and then pin him to the floor. Lucius was terrified. He said that if Draco hadn't put an end to it, Potter would have killed him."

"I would not," Harry objected indignantly.

"The point is that Lucius is afraid of you," Snape said. "That could be a very good thing."

Dumbledore nodded his agreement before giving Harry and Draco a smile. "Now, I'd rather like to see Draco's animagus form," he said. "I haven't seen it yet, and I hear that it's quite a sight."

Narcissa turned to her son expectantly. She hadn't been given an opportunity to see Draco's animagus form either. He hadn't really wanted to reveal his ability to his father.

"I think that you'll need to see both of us to get the full effect," Draco said. At Harry's nod, they transformed.

Sirius let out a strangled cry, jumping to his feet. The others stared in wonder at the two wolves. "Look at them!" Sirius shouted, his excitement too great to contain. "They're amazing!"

"But, Harry was a cat," Minerva said, shocked and confused. "He's been a cat for six years. Animagus forms don't change. How is this possible?"

"I think that it must be because of the destruction of the horcrux," Dumbledore reasoned. "Harry became an animagus at a very early age, while his soul was burdened with the horcrux. Now that he has been freed from that burden, he has taken on a more suitable animagus form. And it seems reasonable that his true form would be a perfect match for his soul mate."

"This is brilliant," Sirius enthused. He continued to look thoroughly impressed as they returned to human form.

"Do you miss being a cat?" Remus asked Harry.

"On occasion," Harry admitted. "But, even if I could, I wouldn't trade my wolf form. It feels so right. And I love sharing it with Draco. It's a lot more intense."

"It's been strange coping with new instincts," Draco added. "The Pack has been really great though."

"What do you mean?" Narcissa asked.

"We formed a defense group shortly before Umbridge was sacked," Draco explained. "It started out as more of a study group but it evolved. We wanted to be able to survive a war. The group was called the Wolf Pack since Harry and I have wolf patronuses. Harry and I are what you would call the Alpha pair. We lead the pack. A step down from us are the the Betas: Blaise, Ron, Hermione, Vince and Greg. First and Second year students are our Pups. Their training sessions are more simple."

"And the Pups love to cuddle and play," Harry added, smiling fondly. "It's almost like a parent/child relationship. So far, discipline hasn't been an issue. But, we do make sure that they're doing their homework, behaving in the hallways, getting to bed on time..."

"It's hard to be separated from them," Draco went on, his smile falling as he looked down at his hands. "It feels unnatural. And it isn't just Harry and I being emotional. Our instinct to bond and care for our pack seems to be shared by the other Wolves, though to a lesser extent."

"How extraordinary," Dumbledore murmured. "I've never heard of such a thing." He was silent for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "Yes, how very odd," he said quietly.


Narcissa froze in the doorway to the living room. Her eyes fixed on Harry and Draco as they stood together next to one of the windows. Their bodies were pressed together and Draco's arms were wrapped around Harry's waist.

Harry had one hand pressed to Draco's lower back while the other rested against the side of Draco's neck. His thumb brushed slowly across Draco's jaw as they kissed slowly. Harry loved the taste of Draco's mouth and he treasured every opportunity to indulge himself in the gentle caress of Draco's tongue against his own. Draco was wonderfully responsive, allowing Harry to control the kiss.

Narcissa blushed and looked down, not wishing to intrude on their moment. She'd never seen them in this way. It certainly wasn't the fervent, desperate snogging of lustful teen hormones that Narcissa had dreaded witnessing. Thank Merlin for that.

"Oh! Good morning Mrs. Malfoy," Harry's said, startling her out of her thoughts.

When she looked up, Harry was looking sheepish and red. Draco was blushing too, but he kept himself pressed close, resting his head on Harry's shoulder while his eyes settled on his mother.

"Sorry about that," Harry said, completely flustered. "We just-" He cut himself off, mortified that he'd been caught with his tongue in Draco's mouth.

"It's hard to sleep in separate rooms," Draco supplied, his fingers stroking Harry's back comfortingly. "When I woke up, I just... I needed him," he concluded quietly. His mother had been wonderfully tolerant of their relationship so far, but this was the first time she'd seen any real intimacy between them.

"I apologize for interrupting your time together," Narcissa said softly.

Harry looked stunned but a tired smile lit up Draco's face. "Thank you," Draco said sincerely. He grabbed Harry's hand and let them to the couch, looking at his mother expectantly. His smile brightened a bit when she sat down as well.

"Harry?" Remus called. He stepped into the living a moment later, guiding Sirius into the room.

Sirius looked awful. His eyes were red-rimmed and the skin underneath was dark with sleeplessness and anxiety. Harry had only seen Sirius in such a state a few times, and it broke his heart each time.

Sirius was haunted by the deaths of James and Lily and memories of Azkaban tormented him. He had been improving, but some days were just too hard. Nightmares plagued him. On the worst days, he couldn't bring himself to speak or do much of anything aside from weeping.

Sirius felt guilty for keeping Remus up throughout the night. But, he knew that his wonderful husband was glad to be there for him. Remus had just become sweeter and even more supportive since their wedding. Sirius was having fewer bad days now, but he really wanted to spare Remus the stress.

"Oh dear," Narcissa murmured, a worried frown appearing on her face.

"I know that you're not a cat anymore," Remus began, "but maybe he'll feel better with you, Harry."

"I'll help," Draco offered.

"Right," Harry nodded, standing up. "Mrs. Malfoy would you get a blanket for him? Remus I need you to floo call Ron."

Narcissa and Remus were quick to obey as Draco grabbed the pillows from the couch and set them on the floor. Harry coaxed Sirius' shaking form to sit down on the pillows. Harry and Draco transformed without a word.

In the next moment, Orion and Centauri were nuzzling Sirius. Centauri nudged Sirius firmly until the man curled onto his side. Narcissa returned and carefully draped the blanket over Sirius.

Centauri pressed his body close to Sirius' back while Orion settled himself in front of Sirius. Orion leaned against Sirius stomach, allowing him to shift between nuzzling Sirius and leaning over to groom Centauri's lovely white face.

Ron came through the floo hastily with the twins and Ginny following closely. At Remus' questioning look, Ron smiled slightly. "I have part of the pack living with me. It seemed wise to bring them along," he shrugged.

"I appreciate it," Remus murmured. "Sirius is-" His voice broke and he looked away. It had been awful to witness Sirius' shouts and tears as his memories assaulted him. Remus was exhausted but he couldn't rest knowing that his husband was suffering.

"Just relax," Ron said quietly. He walked into the living room, taking in the sight of the two wolves cuddling Sirius. Without a second thought, Ron joined them on the floor. Ginny moved closer and settled in to pet Sirius' dark hair. The twins crowded in, their hands lightly stroking soft fur.

"They need a den," Ginny said suddenly. "That would feel more secure."

Remus and Narcissa exchanged a bewildered look but didn't comment. Sirius seemed content enough at the moment, so they returned to the dining room to have some tea.

Some time later, they went into the living room only to find that Sirius and the teenagers were gone. Somewhat alarmed, Remus hurried up the stairs with Narcissa close behind.

Fred and George had made a sort of "den" in Harry's room. They'd sectioned off a corner of the room with wall and a low ceiling. Through the opening, Remus could see bedding and cushions arranged on the floor.

Sirius had transformed into his dog form and was curled up on the cushions. Orion and Centauri were stretched out on either side of him. Orion's head rested over Padfoot's neck while Centauri was licking over Padfoot's face methodically. Ron, Ginny, Fred and George relaxed just outside the opening, occasionally reaching in to scratch one of the canines behind the ears.

Remus stared in wonder, marveling at the way these teens functioned like a pack with barely a word between them. It was beautiful to witness. Ron had heeded the call of his Alphas without question or hesitation. And he'd brought more wolves along in anticipation of whatever the Alphas needed.

The magic that seemed to spill out of the den was warm and soothing. Narcissa didn't think she'd ever felt anything like it. "Are Draco and Harry doing that?" she asked quietly.

Remus nodded absently. "No wonder Lucius is so afraid of them," he murmured. "And even Severus seems... rather impressed. It's like they can use their magic as easily as taking a breath."

It was an hour later that Padfoot stretched and slowly stepped out of the den. Orion and Centauri followed, watching him attentively. The Weasleys held still, curious about what would happen next.

Padfoot approached the two wolves, suddenly realizing that they were bigger than he was. They'd saved him from himself without speaking a single word. He took a tentative step toward them and then made a show of crouching down before them submissively, his tail tucked between his legs. When Orion lowered his head, Padfoot immediately licked the black wolf's snout. Then Padfoot gave a short whine, prompting Centauri to come close as well.

Padfoot was just a big black dog. But he understood the dynamics in a wolf pack. He'd done a bit of research once Harry had told him about the pack. Something about the Alpha pair inspired a sort of devotion that was enviable. And though he'd never indulged in such an impulse before, Padfoot had thought nothing of submitting to the dominance of the Alphas.

Sirius finally returned to his human form feeling tired but calm. He looked over at Harry and Draco as they stood up and stretched. "Are you alright now Sirius?" Harry asked, placing a hand on Sirius' shoulder with a worried frown.

Sirius smiled. "Your pack magic did the trick," he said lightly. "Thank you," he added, looking around at the other five teens. "You're all amazing." They beamed in response.

"This is brilliant," Draco noted, looking over the den.

"We had Dobby get us some materials and he helped us build this," Fred explained.

"Thought it might make you feel better about being away from the Pups," George added, smiling sympathetically.

"Thank you," Harry said gratefully.

With Sirius feeling better, the Weasleys returned home with a promise to visit soon. Remus was delighted to see his husband looking so much calmer.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Remus murmured, kissing Sirius' temple gently. He paused, sniffling curiously before chuckling. "You smell very strongly of Harry and Draco."

"They're shockingly potent, even for Alphas," Sirius commented. He caught the self-conscious look that Harry and Draco exchanged. "I don't mean that it's a bad thing. You smell nice, but it's oddly compelling. I don't generally have a pack instinct. But I found myself exhibiting submissive behavior without any real dominant display from either of you." He paused, giving Remus a thoughtful look. "I wonder if they'd be good for Moony."

Remus looked startled by the idea, but he couldn't deny his curiosity. It was certainly worth consideration. They'd have to think it through carefully before testing the idea though. Even while on wolfsbane, there was the risk that Moony would strongly object to the presence of an Alpha pair of wolves.


Draco carefully tipped the fresh biscuits from the baking sheet to a plate. Dumbledore had taken Harry along for a sort of "mission", so Draco had stayed behind to do some baking with Remus. Draco was still very hurt over the fight with his father, but spending some time with Remus was calming. Remus and Sirius had taken to showing Draco the sort of affection that they offered Harry. Draco's heart still ached, but he was so grateful.

Blaise sat at the counter next to Sirius, eyeing the biscuits hungrily. Blaise's mother was too preoccupied with her newest husband to be overly concerned with where Blaise spent the summer. So, as Draco's spirits remained low, Harry extended an invitation for Blaise to join them.

"Never thought I'd see you baking," Blaise noted, poking tentatively at a biscuit and withdrawing hastily when it burned his finger.

"It's sort of relaxing," Draco said with a little shrug. He waved one hand toward the plate vaguely. "Try again."

Blaise reached out again to find that the biscuits were now cooled. "That's creepy," he commented, picking up a biscuit and humming as he bit into it. He passed one to Sirius as well.

Draco moved the plate out of their reach. "Those are for after dinner," he chided.

"We may as well get started on that," Remus said. "Harry will be back with Dumbledore soon."

Blaise and Sirius moved away to search through the library. They had decided to find as many useful spells as they could, no matter how obscure. The Order and the Wolf Pack needed as many advantages as they could get.

Narcissa and Minerva were working on something as well but they'd pretty tight-lipped about it. They disappeared together frequently, sometimes moving to an empty part of the house and occasionally leaving the house altogether. Whatever had them so occupied was obviously important, but they stubbornly waved off questions and concerns.

When Harry returned, he immediately hugged Draco. "I'm fine Harry," Draco murmured, smiling slightly. "How was your mission?"

"Successful," Dumbledore answered before Harry could speak. "Harry was able to convince Horace Slughorn to return to Hogwarts to teach."

Remus paused in stirring the cheerfully bubbling red sauce on the hob. "Slughorn?" he questioned. "You're bringing him back to teach Potions?"

"What?" Draco yelped, dismayed. "But Snape-"

"Will be taking the Defense classes," Dumbledore assured him.

Draco frowned. He supposed that wasn't so bad. Snape had always wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. And if Slughorn turned out to be a dreadful teacher, Snape would still be around. "Good for Professor Snape," he said with a little nod.

"Indeed," Dumbledore agreed. "He's quite pleased. And this will keep the Ministry out of Hogwarts. For the time being anyway."

Remus gave Dumbledore a questioning look but didn't comment as he and Draco finished their dinner preparations.

Once the meal had been eaten, they all settled themselves in the living room. Dumbledore had grown more quiet and pensive as the evening had progressed. He frowned and then looked at Harry and Draco.

"There are some things that I need to tell you," he said regretfully. "I had hoped to spare you, but it seems that I will need your help."

Dumbledore took in a deep breath and then began to talk. He told them about collecting memories of Tom Riddle to identify and locate the horcruxes. The reason he'd taken Harry to convince Slughorn to return to Hogwarts was because Dumbledore hoped that Harry could convince the professor to share a particular memory of a young Tom Riddle.

And then Dumbledore spoke about the Hallows and his own obsession with them as a teenager. He told of his close friendship with Gellert Grindelwald. The fact that Dumbledore had eventually become Grindelwald's lover had been shocking, but explained why he'd waited so long to defeat the dark wizard. Together the pair had been enamored with their own power and sought to gain more through the three Hallows. Albus and Gellert had parted ways when they were confronted by Dumbledore's brother Aberforth and a stray curse had killed Dumbledore's sister, Ariana.

Grindelwald had managed to find one Hallow, the Elder Wand, and had used it in his reign of terror. Dumbledore took the wand when he defeated Grindelwald and he'd had it ever since.

As it turned out, Harry's cloak was one of the Hallows as well. It had been handed down through the generations. It was much better than any other invisibility cloak and wasn't showing any signs of wear despite its age.

"And then there's this," Dumbledore said gravely, holding out a large, old ring that had a crack in the dark stone. "This ring is from the Gaunt family. Tom Riddle's mother was a Gaunt. They were descendents of Salazar Slytherin." He handed the ring to Harry a bit reluctantly. "It was a horcrux. But it is also the third Hallow. The resurrection stone."

Draco's eyes widened in shock. "You mean, we have all three Hallows here? In this house?" he asked incredulously.

"That we do," Dumbledore nodded. "I very nearly put that ring on to use the stone. It's lucky that I thought to check... the curse on that horcrux would have resulted in a very painful death."

Harry shuddered at the idea, holding the ring back out to Dumbledore. The headmaster shook his head. "I cannot be trusted with this sort of power," Dumbledore said quietly. "My quest for power and my own arrogance resulted in the death of my sister and the estrangement of my brother. If there is anyone that can possess the Hallows without being consumed by them, it's you." He reached out and closed Harry's fingers over the ring. "That is why I want the Elder Wand to go to you if anything happens to me."

Harry's stomach churned unpleasantly. This all got more and more strange. He opened his hand and looked down at the old ring.

"Possessing all three would make Harry the master of death," Draco noted in a shaky voice.

"Seems fitting," Blaise commented.

"Harry doesn't need that," Draco objected.

"Of course," Dumbledore agreed with a nod. "But it's safer in his hands than anywhere else."


Harry felt Dumbledore's words like a weight in his chest. It was so much responsibility. The Deathly Hallows were not a burden that Harry wanted to bear. He set the Gaunt ring in a little box on his nightstand, not wanting to think about it for a while.

He and Draco had something else to worry about.

That night was the full moon, and Remus had beeen on edge for a few days. He paced constantly, restless and worried. He'd taken care to take his wolfsbane potion, but it didn't stop him from being terrified of hurting someone.

As the full moon made its appearance, Draco, Harry, Ron and Blaise waited outside the door of the basement. They could hear the snarling, growling and whimpering that accompanied Remus' gruesome transformation. When all was quiet, Harry opened the door and transformed, prompting Draco to do the same.

The two wolves slowly descended the stairs to the basement below. Ron and Blaise remained at the top of the stairs, ready to join when the Alpha's called them.

The basement was well lit and the air was cool. Moony was crouched against the far wall, his golden eyes focused on Orion and Centauri. Padfoot approached the two Alpha's keeping his head down and his belly low to the ground.

Orion gave the black dog a nudge and Padfoot shifted to sit calmly, now fully upright. Orion then began to slowly approach the werewolf. The werewolf let out a growl, shifting to take on a more aggressive posture.

As feared, Moony wasn't happy to be in the presence of the wolves. Somewhere in his mind was the awareness that it Harry and Draco, but the werewolf was too focused on territorial instincts.

Moony was bigger than Orion. If this came to a physical fight, Orion wouldn't win. But then Centauri moved in, close enough for his side to brush against his mate's.

Padfoot whined, his pleading eyes focused on Moony. He shuddered when he felt the warm tingle of magic flow calmly into the room. He looked to the Alphas expectantly.

Orion and Centauri stood together, their hackles raised as they growled viciously at the werewolf. Moony continued to snarl, but surprised them all when he sunk down and rolled over to expose his belly, his tail tucked between his legs. And then his snarling trailed off and stopped.

Orion and Centauri simply stood over him for a moment, keeping him in his submissive pose. And then Orion gently lapped at Moony's snout. Centauri mimicked the action, prompting the werewolf to slowly roll over and get back on his feet.

Padfoot moved toward the stairs and barked, drawing Ron and Blaise down. They halted at the foot of the stairs, fear racing through them when Moony growled. He was still settling from his brief battle for dominance. Luckily the wolfsbane was doing its job and Remus was able to restrain him impulse to charge at the new intruders.

It also helped that Orion snapped his teeth threateningly the moment the snarl escaped Moony's throat. Moony fell silent and curled up on the floor. His eyes remained on Ron and Blaise, but he kept still. Orion sat next to him calmly.

"Wow-" Ron said breathlessly. "You did it. You got a werewolf to submit."

"Well, to be fair, Remus is using wolfsbane," Blaise commented reasonably. "But still, it's impressive. And pretty damn useful."

"Can we touch it?" Ron asked curiously. He wasn't sure he actually wanted to touch the werewolf, but he was terribly curious. It was odd to see a werewolf curled up and looking docile.

Orion responded with a growl.

"Okay, no touching the werewolf," Blaise said. "He's accepted the Alphas but we shouldn't push it right now." He waved his wand to transfigured an old crate into a sofa. He and Ron sat down, content to wait with the wolves.

The next morning, Remus woke up naked and very sore. Sirius was back in his human form and had draped himself over Remus, preserving his husband's modesty. "Sirius?" Remus asked, his voice hoarse. "Is everyone alright?"

"Everyone's fine," Sirius assured him. "Orion and Centauri had everything under control. Ron and Blaise even felt safe enough to fall asleep."

Remus looked around and spotted Ron and Blaise yawning and stretching. Next to the couch, the two wolves were snuggling together, but they were awake and looking at Remus intently. Remus drew in a shuddering breath, propping himself up on one elbow to focus on the pair. "How did you do it?" he asked, his eyes wide.

Harry and Draco returned to human form, stretching lazily before slipping back into a comfortable embrace. "We used our magic to help keep you calm," Harry said, running his fingers up and down Draco's spine. "To keep everyone calm really," he amended.

"I felt... safe," Remus said slowly. "I've never had such a... comforting experience during the full moon. Submitting to your Alpha status felt natural. The two of you together..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head.

"This is huge," Blaise said, standing up excitedly. "You pulled a real werewolf into your pack."

"A werewolf on wolfsbane," Harry reminded him.

"Even so," Blaise responded with a dismissive wave. "It's a big deal. And I think you should use this ability to our advantage. You know that Voldemort is going to try and get to the werewolves, vampires and Giants. And there have already been death eater attacks all over the country."

"We need to be prepared to fight back," Ron added grimly. "The Order of the Phoenix isn't enough and they know it. The Wolf Pack is needed. Not the pups," he added hastily at Draco's stricken expression. "The pups just need to be able to defend themselves; enough to get to safety if there's a problem."

Draco sighed, but nodded reluctantly. "We've got to be prepared for everything," he muttered. "This year needs to be spent learning everything we can and talking strategy."

"You shouldn't have to do that," Sirius grumbled, wrapping Remus in a blanket as they got to their feet. "You're kids. The adults should be shielding you from all this. Instead you've been shoved into the middle," he said, his voice breaking as he looked down.

Harry released Draco to hug Sirius tightly. "You're a good dad," Harry murmured quietly. "You both are. And Minnie is a good mum. But this isn't going to be something you can shelter me from. Voldemort is relentless. All we can do is fight through this together."

Sirius nodded, stroking over Harry's hair gently. "I love you, son," Sirius murmured. "And my loyalty is to you. And Blondie," he added with a smile at Draco. "I will do whatever it takes to guide and protect you."

"We're proud of you Pup," Remus put in, leaning tiredly against Sirius. "I love you more than anything." He sighed happily as he was drawn into the hug between Sirius and Harry.

Draco shook his head. "What a bunch of Hufflepuffs," he muttered, though his gaze was fond.

"That's rich," Blaise snorted. "When it comes to Harry, you're the biggest sap in the world. You turn into mush over him." He and Ron guffawed at Draco's embarrassed flush.

"Oi! That's my sap you're teasing," Harry chided, making Draco blush even more.

"Harry..." Draco groaned covering his face with his hands. It just made Ron and Blaise cackle even more.


Remus' recovery from the full moon was much easier than it had ever been. Any lingering restlessness was soothed by the Alphas. Even in human form, their presence was calming and protective. It made resting easier and the lack of muscle tension made it all less painful.

"I don't condone the enormous risk," Minerva said sternly. Her expression softened a bit as she glanced at Remus cuddled up against Sirius. "But I am glad that you can ease Remus' suffering."

"Now that we know it'll work," Harry said, "we'll try getting him outside to run for a bit next full moon. Release some of that energy."

"And it's good for Pack bonding," Draco added.

"Are you expanding the Pack?" Narcissa asked uncertainly.

"We're considering it," Draco replied. "We're going to need to extend our reach beyond Hogwarts."

Before anything else could be said, there was a sharp tap at the window. A stern looking owl had arrived with a letter clutched in its talons. When Sirius opened the window, the owl flew in and dropped the letter at Draco's feet before flying away again.

"Rude bird," Draco grumbled, bending to retrieve the letter. His heart thudded in his chest as he recognized the image of the Malfoy crest on the dark green wax seal. His hands shook as he opened the letter. He shot his mother a grateful look when she moved closer and put an arm across his shoulders so they could read together.

Harry watched Draco's face carefully, anxiety welling up within him. The room had gone far too quiet, everyone watching the two Malfoys expectantly.

"Oh god," Draco choked out, squeezing his eyes shut and clapping his hand over his mouth.

"It's alright my dragon," Narcissa crooned, though her expression was devastated. "It'll be okay."

"What is it?" Ron asked worriedly.

"He did it," Draco whispered absently before turning his tear filled gaze to his friends. "I've been disowned. Disinherited... I-" He pulled away from his mother abruptly and bolted up the stairs.

Harry was crying silently, his heart aching with Draco's loss.

"That's terrible," Blaise commented sadly.

"It's a good thing that I set up a separate vault for Draco," Narcissa muttered. "It's not the wealth he's accustomed too, but it will sustain him for a little while if he's careful."

"And we're all here for him," Remus said. "He won't want for anything."

"It's not about the money," Harry said quietly. "Draco is heartbroken because he loves his father. He wanted to be a good son and make his father proud."

"Lucius Malfoy is a stupid tosser," Ron snapped. "He has plenty of reasons to be proud of Draco."

"He's a wonderful young man," Minerva added softly.

Narcissa was silent, staring at the letter in sadness and disbelief.

Harry stood still for a moment, regaining his conposure. Once he was calmer, he made his way up the stairs. Draco's pain was throbbing in Harry's mind, and Harry was desperate to soothe him.

Draco had gone to Harry's room instead of his own. He was curled up on the bed, weeping bitterly into the pillow. Harry climbed onto the bed and pulled Draco close.

Harry cradled Draco's head on his shoulder and stroked over his back gently. His shirt grew damp with tears, but he ignored it. Harry closed his eyes and focused on his magic and his bond with Draco.

Draco was better at working through their bond. But Harry could do this. He could feel the warmth of Draco's soul and magic. It was a startlingly intimate gesture, to reach out intentionally to touch another person's soul, but it felt so natural to do so with Draco.

Draco's tears slowed and he met Harry's gaze mournfully. "You are amazing," Harry said gently. "And I'm sorry that your father can't see that yet."

Draco abruptly yanked Harry into a searing kiss. The sudden fierce passion was staggering and Harry was quite grateful that they were on the bed. Draco's hands slid up into Harry's hair, clutching at it as he pressed even closer. It was the most arousing kiss that Harry had experienced do far... Until he felt tears on his face.

Harry gentled the kiss but kept Draco firmly wrapped in his arms. He slid one leg between Draco's, eager to increase their contact. His tongue slid into Draco's mouth, caressing slowly. The kiss had gone from intense and heated to soft and loving.

"I'm right here," Harry murmured against Draco's lips. "I love you and I will never leave you."

Draco nodded, pressing their lips together again. He'd known that being disowned was a possibility. He'd thought that he'd mentally prepared himself for such an event. But the reality was crushing. He felt as if Harry's arms were the only thing holding him together.

Sirius, Remus, Minerva and Narcissa entered the room an hour later. They paused in the doorway, seeing Draco and Harry snuggled up together.

"Draco, are you alright?" Narcissa asked.

Draco hesitated and then shook his head. He wasn't going to pretend. He felt abandoned and heartbroken. He hadn't given a single thought to the loss of his inheritance. He was too consumed with grief over the loss of his father.

"It's terrible that you should be forced to suffer such a thing," Remus said gently, approaching the bed and nudging at Harry to make room so he could sit. Harry and Draco sat up to rest against the headboard. "We want you to know that we're all here for you."

Minerva sat at the foot of the bed and patted Draco's leg fondly while Sirius leaned against the headboard at Draco's side. "We love you Pup," Sirius said sincerely, "and not just because you make Harry so happy. Nothing will change that."

"We think of you as family," Minerva added.

"We're just waiting for you two to get married to make it official," Sirius smirked, laughing when Harry and Draco blushed.

"We know that it doesn't make up for what your father has done," Remus said softly. "But please never doubt that you're loved an appreciated."

Draco looked around at Harry's three guardians and his own mother. He still couldn't bring himself to speak just yet, but he was grateful. He was even more grateful when Sirius wrapped him up in a hug. He loved the idea of being welcomed into Harry's unorthodox family. When Sirius finally released him, he noticed that Remus was hugging Narcissa. Draco knew that she was hurting as well, and it was nice to see that she was being taken care of.

"Now, if you're feeling up to it," Minerva said lightly, "Ron and Blaise have a surprise for you. Do you feel up to visitors?"

Draco glanced at Harry and then nodded. He waited while the adults vacated the bed and left the room, wondering who was visiting. It was probably the twins and Ginny.

Draco was right about that, but they weren't the only visitors. Ron and Blaise had brought Hermione, Luna, Neville, Adrien, Dean and Seamus. They'd wanted to invite Vince and Greg, but their fathers were death eaters, making it far too risky.

Draco climbed off the bed, gladly allowing himself to be engulfed in a group hug. For a moment his mind stopped focusing on how he could have been a better son; how he could have made his father proud of him without compromising his own values. In that moment, he let the Wolves offer him comfort.

"We're really sorry about your father mate," Dean said solemnly. "We wanted to be here for you."

"We'll always be here for you," Ginny added.

"How long are you staying?" Harry asked, offering Luna a quick hug.

"A few days," Adrien supplied. "We might as well hang around for your birthday. Then I'm off to my internship at the Ministry. But, I'll stay in touch with the Pack."

"Thank you," Draco said softly, finally breaking his silence and looking around at his friends. "I'm glad you're all here."

"We wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Ron said, patting Draco on the back. He was pleased when Draco offered a tiny smile in return.