Okay, so this chapter is a bit of a lead in for the next section. Also, I sort of brush over a few pairings and reveal a few character details that I've been hiding. I'll elaborate more on some of this stuff in coming chapters.
Also, one lovely reader pointed out that I had skipped a Greek letter when designating ranks to the Wolf Pack. Gamma comes before Delta. Nice catch. I'd actually already had Gamma in mind, I just hadn't pointed it out in the story yet. I'll reveal that in this chapter, but there won't be true elaboration until later. It's like a chapter full of teasers. Sorry guys.
The next morning dawned a little early for Draco's liking. His body felt sore and he didn't care for the idea of getting out of the warm bed at that moment. He nuzzled his face into Harry's neck, pressing closer to the warmth of Harry's body. Draco sighed happily when Harry's hand lightly stroked up and down his back.
"We should get up," Harry murmured, pressing a kiss to Draco's hair. "There'll be last minute preparation for the wedding."
Draco groaned. "But we'll have to see Sirius."
Harry grimaced, vividly recalling the mortification of the night before. Sirius would most certainly be eager to tease. The sex had definitely been worth it, but still.
Once they'd gotten dressed, they made their way to the dining room. The parents were already there, enjoying breakfast. They offered the young couple welcoming smiles. Except for Sirius. His smile was a bit more... unnerving.
"Exciting night, eh?" Sirius teased with a waggle of eyebrows.
Minerva choked on her tea. She waved away Narcissa's look of concern.
Remus gave Sirius a stern, pointed look, causing Sirius to sigh. "What?" he complained. "They've already had sex. It's a bit late for the birds and the bees.
"Sirius," Remus growled while Harry hid red face in his hands. Draco looked ready to crawl under the table.
Sirius cleared his throat obnoxiously before turning back to the two young men. "Safety is important boys," he said with as much gravitas as he could muster. "You've only ever been with each other, so that helps. Use your protection spells and communicate to prevent either of you from getting hurt." He nodded to himself in satisfaction before going back to his toast.
"That's your big sex talk?" Remus asked incredulously.
"Look, they're seventeen," Sirius reminded him. "They're of age and preparing to participate in a war. Harry and I have talked about sex before and he knows that he can come to me if he has questions or concerns. They're smart and they know that we expect them to be responsible."
Minerva sighed. "I think I would have preferred to remain ignorant of this new development," she muttered. She saw Narcissa nod in rueful agreement.
Breakfast was finished quickly and soon they were off to join the Weasley's at the Burrow. Hermione greeted them at the door with Fred at her heels. She ushered everyone in, looking a bit flustered. "I've got jobs for all of you," she said. "Fred!" she squealed, jumping and slapping Fred's hand away from her bum.
"Just trying to lighten the mood," Fred responded cheerfully. He pressed a kiss to Hermione's cheek. "It's not even your wedding. Just relax. We have plenty of help."
Harry smiled as he noticed Hermione relax slightly, reluctantly accepting Fred's affectionate diversionary tactics. Somehow, they worked as a couple. Hermione brought out a sweetness and maturity in Fred. Fred pulled Hermione away from overworking herself and taking herself far too seriously.
Harry's family was quick to lend a hand. Narcissa and Draco joined in without question, as was common in recent months. Narcissa had worked hard to set aside any negative feelings toward the Weasleys. They were good people that loved Harry and Draco; social status and wealth had no place in the relationship. And so, Narcissa happily assisted in tastefully decorating the yard with help from Hermione and Draco.
The others split up and handled the cleaning and decorating inside the house. Everyone pitched in with the food until Molly shooed everyone away to get dressed for the wedding.
The wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour was beautiful. The exchanged vows beneath an arch wrapped in ivy, white roses and fairy lights. Dumbledore officiated from a comfy chair situated on a wide platform. Despite his injuries, lingering pain and frailty, his eyes twinkled as he declared the couple husband and wife.
At the reception, Harry didn't hesitate to to ask Draco to dance at the first opportunity. They'd watched the newly weds twirl around the dance floor for a while until others began to join in. Draco gladly pressed close, humming softly to the music as he slow danced with his love.
When they sat down next to Blaise to eat, Harry took around at the other guests. He paused with his fork halfway to his mouth when he noticed Vince dancing with Pansy. She was smiling and giggling at whatever he was saying. Vince's cheeks were flushed red. "Did I miss something?" Harry asked, pointing the couple out with his fork.
Draco followed Harry's gaze and smiled. "Bravo Vincent," he murmured. "Maybe he's fancied her for a while. A wedding reception provides a good opportunity to make a move."
Harry nodded. "Good for him," he agreed. "But... what about Greg? I sort thought maybe-"
"Greg is ace," Blaise informed them helpfully. He smirked when Harry nearly choked. "You'd know that if you'd pull your head out of Draco's arse once in a while."
Draco's expression was a strange mixture of offended and guilty. Harry frowned, feeling terrible that he wasn't aware of something so important about his friend. "I don't- I'm not really sure what to say to that," Harry admitted.
"Nothing to say," Blaise shrugged. "It's not as if asexuality is an illness or flaw. It just is what it is. Greg is happy as he is."
"And his sexuality would never change how we feel about him," Draco agreed, shrugging off his surprise.
"Of course," Harry said, nodding again. "Just- Is he struggling? Is he really alright?"
"He's fine Harry," Blaise responded patiently. "I think he'll be a little sad if Vince starts spending a lot of time with Pansy. But that's life. Besides, we might be on the move soon."
Harry scanned the crowd and spotted Greg talking to George, Seamus, Dean and Daphne. Greg appeared relaxed and content at that moment. He was no longer the brutish thug that they'd first met in school. Anyone who knew the young man beyond appearances, knew that Greg was loyal, protective and strangely shy. Harry was so proud of the hard working student he'd become.
Ron walked over to the table and greeted his friends cheerfully. He grabbed a nearby fork and helped himself to Blaise's plate of food. He moaned a little around a mouthful of roasted potato.
"Please, help yourself," Blaise intoned flatly.
"Thanks mate," Ron replied with a cheeky grin. "You know you like sharing with me. Much better than watching Harry feed Draco while Draco makes cow eyes at him."
They looked at the couple, smirking. Harry was indeed in the process of feeding Draco a bite of chicken. The pair blushed furiously. "Shut up Ron," Draco said after hastily swallowing.
"You two are disgustingly cute," Blaise commented, voice full of amused fondness.
"Or just disgusting," Ron shrugged. He grinned at Draco's scowl. He turned back to Blaise. "Come dance with me."
Blaise dropped his fork into his plate with a clatter, surprised. "You want- Surely you'd want to dance with Viktor," he blurted out.
"I have. He's dancing with Daphne right now," Ron replied dismissively.
Blaise spotted Viktor and Daphne at the other end of the large tent, dancing and laughing. Blaise bit his lip, torn between wondering if he was just tormenting himself and the eagerness to snatch up the opportunity.
Blaise rose from his seat and walked around the table. Luckily the song that played was full of energy. Dancing with Ron wouldn't feel so painfully intimate.
However, the next song that played was much slower. All around them, couples were stepping closer to one another. Blaise's breath caught in his throat when Ron dropped one hand to his waist.
"This alright?" Ron asked, meeting Blaise's eyes with a little frown.
"It- It's fine," Blaise managed, resting his forearms on Ron's shoulders. They were very similar in height and Blaise was finding the easy eye contact a bit inconvenient at the moment.
"Won't this bother Viktor?" Blaise questioned softly.
"Does it look like it bothers Viktor?" Ron scoffed.
Viktor was still dancing with Daphne. They were pressed close and swaying together.
"Does it bother you?" Blaise asked.
Ron sighed. "I don't know. Maybe a little?" He glanced at Viktor again before looking back at Blaise. "Most of our relationship has been spent apart. I know that long-distance is possible but, it's hard. I've had months where we've only spoken through letters. I just..." Ron shrugged again, looking a little upset.
"I'm always here for you if you want to talk about it," Blaise murmured. And he meant it. Ron deserved to be happy, and Blaise would never hold his choice of partner against him.
"I know," Ron responded, a small but genuine smile brightening his face. "What about you? Saw you dancing with Neville... Anything to report there?"
"Not really," Blaise said, grateful that his darker skin disguised his slight blush. "Neville is great though."
Ron nodded, glancing over at Neville with a pensive frown.
Hermione and Fred were slow dancing nearby, watching the two young men curiously. "This would be hilarious if it wasn't so pathetic," Fred muttered. "Blaise is in love with Ron while Ron is questioning his relationship with Viktor and thinking he might fancy Blaise."
"Sounds like something written by Shakespeare," Hermione mused. She sighed softly when Fred kissed her temple tenderly. It sometimes surprised her how sweet and loving Fred could be. He was still very much a prankster and he loved causing mischief and making jokes. But, he seemed to know exactly when he needed to be serious for Hermione.
"I hope all this won't cause problems while all of you are hunting horcruxes," Fred mentioned. "It's bound to be tense even without... Whatever that is," he said, nodding toward Blaise and Ron. He looked back at Hermione, his expression suddenly tense.
"What's the matter?" Hermione asked, concerned by his uncharacteristically anxious face.
Fred hesitated, swallowing hard. "I'm not looking forward to you leaving," Fred admitted quietly. "It's going to be dangerous and- I don't know when we'll be able to see each other."
Hermione shifted closer to Fred, pressing her face into his shoulder. She'd been striving to avoid thinking of their impending separation. Their relationship since the Yule ball her fourth year had been affectionate but light. Once she'd left school in February, that had shifted slightly. She had already turned seventeen and they felt comfortable committing to an official relationship. Hermione spent most nights at the flat that Fred shared with George above their joke shop. And now that Hermione had let herself really fall for him, she was preparing to go on the run.
"Just- Promise me that you'll be safe," Fred murmured. "And come back to me."
Hermione drew him close for a kiss, willing her tears not to fall.
Suddenly there was a pop and then the sound of screams.
Harry and Draco abandoned their slow dance to turn toward the commotion. "Oh Merlin," Draco gasped, realizing that Kingsley Shacklebolt had just apparated to the wedding reception, his clothing singed. Kingsley was bleeding from a gash on his forehead and his large frame trembled with the effort to continue standing.
"They're coming," Kingsley blurted out, wide, frantic eyes sweeping across the crowd. "Death Eaters got into the Ministry. They killed Minister Fudge." Gasps and panicked muttering followed the statement, everyone eager to question the injured Auror.
"Harry!" Minerva cried, bursting through the crowd with her dark green dress robes nearly tripping her in her haste. She grabbed hold of his shoulders, jerking him into a fierce embrace. "You need to leave."
"I can't just leave you here knowing that Death Eaters are coming here," Harry objected, pulling back to meet her gaze.
"Get the guests to safety," Minerva insisted sternly. "Get your friends out of here. We will meet you at the new house. Now go!" she commanded, withdrawing her wand from its holster up her sleeve.
Harry bit his lip, nodding reluctantly. He pulled Draco closer as Blaise and Ron hurried over. "Get the Wolves," Harry instructed, surprising himself with the steadiness of his voice. As they rushed to gather the pack members that were in attendance, Harry kissed Draco swiftly. "It's starting."
"It'll be alright Love," Draco murmured. "I'll be by your side through it all."
Harry waited until his pack members were gathered close. Ron had levitated Dumbledore and his chair over to the group since he'd be far too vulnerable to stay behind. Harry pulled an object out of the pocket of his dress robes and a quick spell revealed it to be an umbrella. He held it out, his eyes sweeping over to his family as his pack reached out to grasp the portkey.
The odd jerking sensation behind his navel was hastily followed by a wave of dizziness as the world spun around him. Just as abruptly as it started, the spinning stopped and Harry sighed in relief. They were standing in the garden in front of the new house, within the protection of the wards. Harry scrubbed his hands over his face, slipping his fingers under his glasses to rub his eyes.
Draco leaned into Harry, his distress threatening to overwhelm him. "I hope they're okay," Draco murmured, turning his head to hide his face in Harry's neck.
"The Order is a very capable group," Dumbledore said, wincing a little and using his arms to shift his body a bit in the chair. "They'll secure the area and be here as quickly as possible."
"Let's just get inside," Blaise said, sounding tense. "We'll make tea and be ready in case anyone is injured. It's just a precaution," he added swiftly at the pained expression that flashed on some of his friends' faces. Harry, Draco, Ron, Ginny, the twins and Neville had all left family behind at the wedding reception. "It's going to be just fine," he insisted firmly.
"Inside," Fred muttered, guiding Hermione and Ginny into the house.
Vince took Pansy's hand and led her inside, meeting Greg's eye. Greg gave a short nod and followed them into the house.
Dumbledore was settled on a well cushioned chair and provided with a hot cup of tea and a mild potion for pain. The Wolves busied themselves around the house, wishing to pass the time quickly. Harry and Draco went downstairs into the bunker, taking some time to clear their heads and talk.
Ron paced restlessly, his gaze drifting repeatedly to the bookcase the hid the bunker's staircase from view. He shook off Viktor's attempts to soothe him, clearly agitated. The others watched uneasily as the pair started arguing, moving down the hall for some privacy.
"Do you think they're alright?" Neville asked quietly as he moved to Blaise's side to peer out a window that over looked the garden.
"I don't know," Blaise murmured, shaking his head slightly. He was curious about what they were arguing about, but he wouldn't dare to ask. "It can't be easy for them. Especially right now."
Neville eyed Blaise thoughtfully, his expression turning sad. "You're leaving, aren't you?"
Blaise glanced toward the bookshelf again. "I think so," he admitted. "The Ministry has been infiltrated and the Minister is dead. Everything is going to get worse. We've run out of time to prepare." He finally turned to face Neville. "The only question now is how quickly Draco and Harry will want to leave."
A pop from outside, cut Neville's response off. A moment later, Remus and Sirius walked through the front door. Minerva, Narcissa and Molly followed closely behind them. Ginny ran to Molly, embracing her tightly. "Where's dad?" she asked anxiously.
"He's taken Kingsley to Saint Mungos," Molly said, stroking Ginny's hair soothingly. "We're all just fine. There were a few injuries, but nothing especially serious."
"Where are Draco and Harry?" Narcissa asked.
"They're downstairs," Dumbledore supplied helpfully. At that moment, the secret door swung open and the two young men walked in. "Right on time."
The couple hurried forward to hug Narcissa and then Harry's parents. "I'm so glad you're alright," Harry whispered as he hugged Minerva.
Ron and Viktor entered the room, offering tense smiles as they greeted the new arrivals. Molly embraced Ron, resisting her impulse to question Ron. Her youngest son was clearly upset and Viktor hardly looked any better.
Remus took up the task of explaining what had happened. The Minister had indeed been killed by Death Eaters, along with a few other Ministry workers. Some of the Death Eaters had then been sent on to the Burrow with the intention of finishing Dumbledore off, along with capturing Harry. Lucius had been among the gate crashers, and he'd played his part well. He'd had a brief duel with Remus and avoided causing anyone serious injury.
"I still don't trust Malfoy," Sirius noted warily. "But it was obvious that he was doing his best to avoid harming Remus. He seems to be a decent actor."
Draco smiled slightly, leaning into Harry's side. He'd been hesitant to allow himself to have hope in regards to his father's sincerity. It was clear that Lucius was making an effort and Draco appreciated it. He glanced at his mother, seeing her pleased expression.
Harry was quiet for a while, his gaze distant as the others chatted around him. This attack on the Ministry would just be the start of an avalanche. Snape had warned of Voldemort's intention to have influence over the ministry. It was simply a matter of time before policies were put in place that would be dangerous to muggleborns, half-bloods and those that supported them.
"I think it's time to go," Harry said. He spoke quietly, but they all heard him. He looked around to see dismay on the faces of the parents. "Voldemort is obviously looking to control the Ministry. We can't let his hold on the Wizarding World get too strong. We need to make sure he's completely mortal so we can end this."
Surprisingly, Minerva was the first to tear up. She moved close and pulled Harry into her arms, sniffling quietly. She was silent for a moment, working to keep her breath steady. "I'm not ready to let you go," she murmured softly. "You're still my little Harry."
Harry took in a shuddering breath, tightening his hold on the only mother he'd ever really known. "I love you Minnie. We'll be in contact, I promise," he assured her, his vision blurring with tears. They spilled over when Remus and Sirius joined in on the embrace, wrapping themselves around Minerva and Harry.
For long moments, the room was filled with people locked in tearful embraces. When they reluctantly separated, there wasn't a dry eye in the room.
With a great deal of sniffling, everyone set about helping the Alphas and Betas pack up. They'd be able to return to the headquarters from time to time, depending on how well their horcrux hunt went, but they could be certain of how long they'd be away. Harry and Draco had made sure that everyone had trained and prepared. Each of the wolves had a role to play.
Snape came in with a grim expression, watching Harry set a back pack down near the front door. He held out a small black pouch. "This is a supply of various potions," he explained as Harry accepted the pouch. "Dittany, pepper-up and the like. Each vial is labeled and charmed to not break."
"We appreciate it," Harry told him solemnly.
"Do you have need of anything else?" Snape pressed.
"Not that I can think of," Draco answered, glancing around the living room a little sadly. It was a shame that he couldn't enjoy the house for a little while before they had to leave. But, it couldn't be helped. Once the war was over, he and Harry could live the rest of their shared life in their house.
"Just in case," Sirius said, approaching the young couple and holding out an ornate hand mirror. "James and I used these. I have the other. If you need me, you speak into the mirror and I can talk to you through the other one."
"Thanks Padfoot," Harry said quietly, carefully tucking the mirror into his backpack. "You'll communicate with Professor Snape if I need you too?"
Sirius grimaced but nodded his compliance. "Anything you need Pup," Remus added helpfully. Sirius and Snape exchanged a glance and then reluctant nods.
"You are the Gamma Wolves," Harry said, looking around at parents and Snape. "You are our advisers and we appreciate your guidance. We may not have trained you like the other Wolves, but you're still part of the Pack." He looked down for a moment. "It's so hard to leave our pack behind."
"We'll be here for the rest of the pack," Sirius murmured. "Just do what you need to do and stay safe."
It was less than a half hour later that Harry, Draco and the Betas apparated to the home that Harry had shared with his family. Hermione miserably wiped at her eyes, the memory of Fred's sorrow clinging to her thoughts. She was flanked by Greg and Vincent as the two young men tried to offer her comfort, though Vincent didn't appear to be faring much better. His eyes were dry, but his countenance was undeniably sad. He'd barely had any time to test the waters with Pansy. He'd fancied her in silence for so long.
Ron was putting on a brave face, but he was visibly shaken. It was clear that the rift between him and Viktor had not been fully mended and he was struggling with it. Blaise stood at his side, feeling utterly useless to offer any meaningful comfort. Instead, he tried to offer a distraction.
"What are we doing here?" Blaise asked.
"This is actually our first stop," Harry replied. "I've spent a lot of time discussing horcruxes and the objects most likely to contain them with Dumbledore. He retrieved memories from numerous sources to help with narrowing down the search. He seemed rather focused on certain items... Items belonging to three of the four founders of Hogwarts. I believe one such item is right here in this house."
The others, with the exception of Draco, looked startled. "You have a Horcrux in your house?" Ron asked incredulously.
"I think so," Harry replied leading the way through the house. "It was originally at Grimmauld Place and just before it was sold, I found all sorts of odd things. Plus Kreacher didn't like for me to throw things away. One item that I recall seeing a few times was a locket. It was big and sort of gaudy, with the image of a snake curved into the shape of an S."
"You think it belonged to Salazar Slytherin?" Hermione asked, her voice a little muffled from her recent bout of tears.
"I do," Harry responded. He led them upstairs to his bedroom and knelt in front of an old trunk that sat in the corner. He opened it and sifted through it for a moment before pulling out the locket. "But, I'm hoping for some confirmation. Kreacher?" he called out loudly while Draco muttered about tacky accessories.
Kreacher popped into view, making Ron yelp in surprise. The old house elf was rarely ever seen, usually preferring to hide away from everyone. It made sense to ask Kreacher about the locket. He'd spent more time in Grimmauld Place than anyone, including Sirius.
"Master Potter called for Kreacher?" the old house elf croaked.
"Can you tell me anything about this locket?" Harry asked politely.
Kreacher's already round eyes seemed to bulge even more. "That is Master Regulus' locket,"
Harry seemed to wilt, obviously disappointed. "Oh," he sighed.
"Sirius' brother?" Draco checked. When Harry nodded, Draco looked thoughtful. "Harry, he was a Death Eater. Maybe he was keeping the locket safe."
To their surprise, Kreacher shook his head. "Master Regulus wanted Kreacher to destroy the locket, but Kreacher could not do it. It is a wicked thing."
That was rather telling coming from Kreacher. Harry vividly recalled the horrid portrait of the woman that Kreacher had called his Mistress. Her vile shrieking had scared the shit out of Harry a few times. It sounded as if Harry might have still been on the right track. With just a little prodding, Kreacher gladly told them about his wonderful Master Regulus, and of a journey to a secluded cave on a tiny island. Regulus had consumed some horrible potion to get to the locket which was then entrusted to Kreacher. Regulus hadn't survived long enough to leave the cave of "walking dead things".
"He betrayed Voldemort?" Harry asked, his eyes wide with shock. Kreacher gave a sad nod. "Remind me to tell Sirius," Harry said to Draco. The blond hummed in agreement, eyeing the locket with distaste.
Harry turned the locket over in his hands, focusing on it. Something about it felt, sinister. Ominous. It had to be what we were looking for. "We'll destroy the locket for you Kreacher," he said.
"Thank you Master Potter," Kreacher responded with a bow, something that Harry couldn't ever recall seeing the house elf do.
"How are we going to do that?" Ron asked once Kreacher had wandered out of ear shot.
"We'll figure that out," Harry shrugged. "For now, let's get out of here. We need somewhere to set up camp for the night." He carefully dropped the locket into a fabric pouch and pulled the little drawstring to close it up. He tucked away the Horcrux before urging his friends closer. A moment later, he was apparating them away from the house and toward the unknown.
