Chapter 33 – Grim Discoveries

Harry looked around him in pure delight. The hall he, Draco, Lucius and Sirius were being guided down was built of a mid-grey stone that held flecks of white, pale grey and dark grey stone mixed unevenly throughout it. The goblin who was guiding them couldn't keep his amusement at the young male hidden.

Draco grinned to himself when he thought back to that morning. Harry had been so excited about going to Gringotts to see the house his mate had created for them that he almost vibrated. In the end, Draco had to feed from him to calm him.

"Do you wish for us to enter with you," Lucius asked, breaking Draco from his thoughts, "Or do you want it to be just you and Harry?

"Would you mind if we show Harry first the get you both to come in?" Draco responded, slightly nervous.

"Go right ahead," Sirius grinned. "As you said to Blaise; Harry should be the first person outside of the Goblins to see it since it is the first major courting gift you are giving him."

Draco sent the older man a thankful look and guided Harry into the room where the same two goblins from the first meeting were seated.

"I apologise for making you wait," he stated as he lead Harry to his seat and the door closed behind them. "This is Harry, my mate. Harry, these gentlemen are Snaggletooth and Eurdurik. They head the building, excavation and warding teams that will oversee our home while it is being built."

"Lovely to meet you," Harry said with a smile, "I apologise if I become a nuisance."

Both goblins chuckled in amusement.

"This is a first, right Eurdurik?" Snaggletooth asked, "someone apologising before they need to."

Eurdurik nodded, "I was thinking more along the lines of someone apologising full stop myself."

Harry pouted playfully, already deciding that he liked the two of them. Draco joined in with good humour before turning serious.

"How did it go?"

Snaggletooth pulled the original plans from a hidden pocket in the table, starting the meeting officially.

"We didn't need to make many changes to the original blueprint," he stated, bringing up a 3D image of what was on the paper. "If we had started building, the structure would have been sound and - when completed - would have been perfectly habitable."

He quickly pushed a few buttons on the device that currently showed the original building, inwardly laughing as the vampire preened under his demon mate's cooing. He caught Eurdurik's eye and quickly looked away as he saw his own amusement reflected at him. It wouldn't be good relations if he were to start laughing, after all.

"As you can see, the only changes we made were to give more room. I remember you saying this was going to be a home for you, your mate and your future offspring when you needed to get away."

Draco nodded in agreement as his eyes flicked around the model, taking in the few changes and the differences that they made to the overall design. Beside him, he could feel the deep rumble that indicated Harry was purring deep in his chest – his unique way of showing approval.

"What did you change and how will this affect cost, materials, timing and the over-all feeling of the place?"

As Snaggletooth went into his explanation, Draco listened with most of his mind but a small portion knew that it didn't matter what the additional cost would be since his Harry's eyes hadn't left the small, slowly revolving image, purring deep enough to be felt but not heard. This had his mate's approval so he would do everything in his power to ensure his mate would get it.

~~~Isitnormaltobejealousofacharacteryouwrite~~~

For the first couple of days after their trip to Gringotts, Draco was surprise-glomped by Harry at completely random times of the day. The most memorable being when the mischievous demon had hidden in the corridor just outside the potions classroom and used the first person out of the door as a spring board right into Draco's arms after he had tripped. It was still heavily debated throughout the school whether Harry had tripped the poor boy in question on purpose or if he had made himself fall in a bid to get out of the way of the courting submissive.

The day after the Gringott's trip Harry, Hermione and Luna attended their very first submissive lesson. While originally Hermione wasn't going to be attending them as she wasn't a submissive, it had been decided that she would attend anyway since she could, in the future, be called upon to teach the lessons herself. It also had the added benefit of Hermione being able to share the memories of the lesson's Harry would miss due to his responsibilities as a Healer.

Eventually, however, things got back to normal; well … as normal as things could get in a magic school with a courting in process.

~~~Isitalmostsleeptimeyet~~~

It was on a clear, crisp day just after lunch when it happened. A soft ZAP was heard and Harry vanished before everyone's eyes with only a slight widening of his own to show his shocked surprise. There was complete silence until a soft noise drew their attention to Hermione.

"He's fine," she stated as she finally shook off the almost absent-minded daze on her face that was becoming very familiar to everyone in the rooms. "Carla used her ring to summon him."

For several long moments there was silence until:

"Nah, sorry 'Mione," Sirius stated. "I give up. Care to explain?"

"Sorry, I forgot," she blushed. "When we first arrived at the Zabini household, Harry gave both Carla and Laynee rings that would summon him in case the previous Healer came back. After that nasty business was done with, Harry told the girls to keep the rings and use them if something bad happened to Willa. Carla summoned him just now so either Willa is at home with only the girls and is in pain or she needs something that the girls can't get for her or she has gone into labour."

"LABOUR!" Blaise yelped.

Hermione captured Blaise's face between her palms and forced him to look at her.

"Yes Blaise, labour. Normally they would have already been born by now since multi's generally are born earlier than full term, but that can be put down to Harry being Harry. Now what you will do is collect your things and head to class. I will go see the Headmaster and tell him what is happening. As soon as Harry confirms that it is a birth, I will come get you and Draco."

Blaise nodded his agreement, ignoring the hands still on his face.

Hermione smiled at him and placed a soft kiss on the tip of his nose. She laughed as he crossed his eyes to look at the spot.

"Good boy," she managed to not giggle when his attention was once more on her. Her smiled softened into something fond rather than humorous when she noticed the concern still in his eyes.

"Hey, she'll be fine. In fact, all three of them will be. Harry is there and you know he will not allow anything to happen to any of them."

Blaise's nod was firmer this time. He knew from personal experience just how vicious Harry could be when defending someone he adored. He winced slightly as the image of a cringing, grovelling Peeves entered his mind. The thing that didn't make sense to him was that the poltergeist hadn't been doing anything and Harry hadn't even seen him before he had thrown himself at the demon's feet, wailing for forgiveness.

As though they had read his mind, Hermione, Severus and Draco winced at the same time he did. For some bizarre reason, this made him feel better about his own reaction. After another moment of stillness, Blaise carefully removed the hands on his face and kissed the backs of them in farewell before leaving the room with a nod to the rest of the inhabitants.

Draco, who was secretly pouting over his own lack of goodbye from his mate, quickly packed up the books and parchment he had surrounding him and followed the Elven youth to their first class of the afternoon.

~~~poorDracofeelsneglected~~~

Harry slumped slightly as once again, his magic was rebuffed by Willa's body.

"It's no good," he told the woman lying on the bed before him. "The boys are ready to see the world and they aren't allowing anyone to stop them."

"That's fine," Willa said through gritted teeth as her extended stomach quivered and rippled due to the movements of the children within her. "At least this gives us time to notify the family."

"I hope by 'family' you mean Blaise, Draco, Rinie, Lucius and Narcissa and not the pain-in-the-toosh idiots who all but exiled you from your homeland."

Willa nodded as she relaxed into the cushions behind her.

"Yes, that family. The unwanted elements will probably turn up as well, but it should be easy enough to keep them in check."

"After I notify Rinie of what is happening, I'll contact Lady Evangeline. If they decide to cause any problems, she should be enough to give me warning. She can also take over for me in the event I have to go out there and toss some people out on their behinds."

Willa let out a bark of surprised laughter that made Harry and Willa herself jump in shock, causing both to laugh a little more.

"I would pay good money to see that," Willa admitted when she had calmed. "For some reason I can see you doing it as well, then after everything is over fiercely scolding them over their behaviour before bursting into tears and hiding in Draco's chest."

Harry chuckled sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck with a finger.

"You are probably right," he admitted, "and Draco would coo at me while simultaneously glaring at them for daring to make me cry then either Laynee or Carla will come over and attach themselves to me and I'll vanish into a fog of kittenish-wistfulness."

"Which will change to outright bliss when Nicholas herds you to a chair and hands you both boys to name you godfather," Willa laughed, wincing as another contraction hit. Harry wasn't worried since there was so much time between them.

"That is what will happen, I'm afraid," he said with a self-depreciating smile, "And then poor Draco will need to put up with me begging for kittens while fighting off a mating haze due to my body randomly going into mock heats."

Willa shook her head, ignoring the slowly opening door.

"When that teacher of yours sets a test, he really goes for the tough ones," she said before smiling at the intruder. "Hello my Luv."

Nicholas smiled despite his concern.

"Hello my Dear," he said in reply. "How are things going?"

"Harry said the boys will be coming this time," she said with a shrug. "Contractions are far enough apart that I'm able to be calm. I'll be swearing and attempting to curse you soon enough."

Nicholas paled and Harry burst into laughter.

"Don't worry," he managed to get out, "the potion I've got to spell into her will direct her magic to where it is needed so until the twins are born you will be safe from hexes."

Nicholas let out an odd whimpered sigh, causing Harry and Willa to start laughing again.

~~~Ikindafeelsorryforthemeninthischapter~~~

It was just after nine in the evening when Severus appeared in the Slytherin Common room accompanied by Hermione. Silence slowly spread through the room until every eye was trained on the pair.

"I need someone to get Draco and Blaise. Tell them it's time."

Hermione watched as one of the students she had seen sharing a table with Draco while he was in the library stand and run up the stairs. Within moments Blaise was running down the stairs pulling Draco with him, his eyes beginning to get wild. Hermione was beside him in an instant doing her best to loosen – if not remove – her mate's grip on his friend.

"We spoke about this, remember?" she scolded him when his hand clenched tighter on Draco's wrist. "The longer you panic the longer we take to get to your place to see your dad and the girls. Your mother is in the best hands possible for both her and the twins and as an added insurance, he mentioned he was calling for Lady Evangeline to help control any unwanted visitors or if something happens that he can't handle himself."

By the time she finished, Blaise had release Draco and had visibly calmed. He pulled her into a quick hug and pressed a quick kiss to her temple.

"What would I do without you?" Blaise asked as he released her.

"Panic until you started to hyperventilate then black out," Draco stated dryly. "Just like you did when she had Carla and again with Laynee."

"Gee, thanks Draco," Blaise stated, voice twice as dry as his friends had been.

"Welcome," was his cheeky reply.

Draco ducked under the almost playful punch Blaise sent his way and ran to where Severus was standing.

"The Headmaster has given the both of you an open pass for the next three school days," the potions master stated as he led the three out of the dungeons. "As tomorrow is Thursday, this means you are due back on Monday evening. If anything bad or unforeseen happens, either Lucius, Narcissa or Nicholas will contact Albus and extend the time. You will, of course, need to collect and complete all work you missed."

The boys nodded decisively and Severus gave a rare smile.

"Give Willa and Nicholas my congratulations and tell them I will send a welcoming gift in a month if they decide against an introductory party.?"

"We will," Blaise told him with a soft smile. "Honestly, I don't think there will be a problem with them holding a party this time. Harry has the Council ranged between being terrified of him, almost worshipping the ground he walks on and tearing their hair out."

"Pity none of your mother's side of the family are on it," Draco drawled making Blaise freeze. "If you don't mind, I would like to be situated before those hypocritical, sexist microcephalic1, zymotic2, gliomata3 arrive and make things difficult for everyone."

Hermione opened her mouth but shut it again when Draco glared at her.

"I know he has enlisted help, but Harry should be focused on Willa and the boys, not on petty creatures who want something to hold over Willa in a bid to control her."

Draco apparated away, leaving a deep silence in the wake of his words. Blaise and Hermione followed, both slightly ashamed of themselves – Blaise because he had forgotten about the unwelcome visitors who had arrived at both Carla and Laynee's births and Hermione because she had assumed to know what was happening before getting all the facts.

When they appeared in the receiving room, they found Draco with both girls attached to his side and a very pale Nicholas.

"Eight minutes apart," Nicholas said, trembling slightly. "You three are the first ones here. I'm hoping the next one is Lady Evangeline because she is who I am waiting for. It was decided I should come here because she isn't far enough along for the potion and her magic is lashing out at me whenever I'm near her."

"Is anything wrong? Her magic started lashing out when they were five minutes apart with the girls," Blaise half asked, half stated.

"Everything is fine Blaise," Hermione soothed as the fireplace turned green and Narcissa stepped out, followed closely by Lucius. "Girls are generally calmer around birthing time so they don't normally affect the mother's magic until it is time for them to enter the birthing channel. Boys react sooner and with two of them …"

She shrugged leaving him to put one and one together.

"We were very lucky and very fortunate that you were a single birth," Lucius said with a smirk. Narcissa hadn't been able to attend Blaise's birth as she had still been recovering from having Draco two months previous, but as Liege Lord, Lucius had to be at the birth to accept the new Zabini under his care.

"Even in the womb you disliked your father and as soon as your mother's contractions were eight minutes apart you started pulling on her magic; but only when he was close by. He got brave when they reached six minutes apart and pushed a hand into her stomach which resulted in him being propelled into the wall hard enough to knock him out for a few seconds. If there had been another of you, he would have been severely injured or kills," the man continued.

A sigh of relief escaped Nicholas at that.

"All that has happened to me so far is being turned green, my hair turned to Neptune's necklace and becoming female from the waist down," Nicholas explained with a grimace at the female part.

"Neptune's necklace?" Narcissa asked.

"Also known as necklace seaweed and bubbleweed," Hermione stated, "to those in the scientific and potions fields, it is also referred to as Hormosira banksia and it is a common form of sea algae; seaweed for those who aren't pedantic; found in Australian and New Zealand waters which resembles a beaded necklace that hasn't been closed."

"Well described Miss Hermione," the soft, cultured voice of Lady Evangeline responded. "Tell me dear, have the troublemakers arrived?"

"You would have heard them already if they were here my Lady," Blaise answered her with a grim smile. "They would have been viciously attacking my presence verbally due to my being born out of wedlock to a man not destined as her mate."

Lady Evangeline's eyebrows rose.

"That doesn't sound like the type of behaviour the Willa Zabini I knew would have."

"The male in question gave a large 'donation' to the family for her company then drugged her into thinking they were mates," Nicholas responded darkly. "Found out about Blaise when she was three months along and as soon as he realised that the kid took after her, he left taking along a blonde-haired blue-eyed human who made the blondes in blonde jokes look intelligent."

He inhaled deeply to calm himself down – something that failed until Blaise put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"The Clan kicked her out as soon as the mongrel was out of sight," Blaise stated, "more due to the fact that she refused to give me to one of the family members to dispose of while they wiped her mind of what happened especially the part where they took money in exchange of her forced services."

"When she refused, they just about disowned her, kicked her out of the place she grew up in said that she bought dishonour on them by sleeping with someone not her mate," Nicholas stated. "I came into the picture when Blaise was six. As a normal human – though one with magic – I don't have the ability to sense my mate. I know I was attracted to her but I didn't know why I was drawn to her."

He smiled thankfully at the house elf that appeared with a tray of drinks before taking one and sipping it, indicating they should move to another room wordlessly.

"I spoke to her every opportunity I had and after a year or friendship I admitted to her that I fancied her. It was then she told me she was of elven decent, that I was her mate and that she had a now seven-year-old son. I invited the two of them to dinner at my house the next night and got to know the both of them. One and a half years later we were wed and had Carla on the way. Three years later Laynee followed."

"Father has never held the fact I wasn't his over Mother's head, nor has he treated me any different to the girls. Every time that side of the family gathers, he defends me to the best of his ability but he more often needs my help to protect the girls who aren't elven, even though they have the blood," Blaise stated.

"I'm very happy to hear that your Mother has such a wonderful mate," Lady Evangeline stated before frowning. What you have been saying has me worried, however."

She opened the door to the room harry and Willa were in and absent-mindedly told them she was there before closing the door once again. She did smile when the two girls who were obviously Willa's daughters sat on the lounge surrounded by Harry's mate, Harry's sister and Willa's oldest in case something bad happened. She also noticed that the older blonde male positioned himself in the best position to defend the two human adults in the room.

"Why does it worry you Ma'am?" Hermione asked.

"Elven children are going missing," Lady Evangeline stated, understanding that she was answering her ex-apprentice rather than the person who asked the question.

"In the almost hundred years I've not attended Council meetings there have been at least seventeen elflings under the age of five that have vanished. Thirteen between the ages of five and twelve and there are reports of females and male submissives of breeding age vanishing for a year or two before returning to their family home with no memory of the time they were gone and proof of child-bearing in and on their bodies."

Lady Evangeline rubbed her temples and took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Ninety-five percent of the under-fives are never found, forty-five percent of the five to twelves aren't found and eighty three percent of those that are found have no memory of their lives before being taken. Seventy-eight percent of breeding age that vanish and appear again disappear several years later, not to return. We are unsure if they are taken by the same people or if they somehow regain their memories and run because they don't feel safe. The remaining twenty-two percent end up killing themselves once they learnt they had been defiled."

"Good luck to them trying to do that here," Lucius growled, making everyone jump. "The Zabini family may only be Vassals, but that still makes them family and the one thing that Malfoys do above all else is protect family."

"Same with demons," Hermione stated fiercely, shaking herself from Harry's mind as he became fully invested with Willa once again. "Those boys, Carla and Laynee will be the best protected children this side of the Royal family."

Nicholas and Blaise visibly relaxed at this statement before they both tensed up again when a wave of magic washed through the house. Hermione and Draco exchanged looks and moved closer to the girls as Blaise stood to position himself in front of the seat. Lady Evangeline managed to hide herself in a corner to witness what was to come.

Within minutes the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the Zabini household turned frigid enough for the girls, Hermione and Lady Evangeline to flinch. Seconds later the door opened to reveal a hall of Elves. The atmosphere turned dark.

"You do realise family and close friends are the only people invited to a birth, don't you?" Nicholas stated.

"We are her family," one of the males stated coldly.

"Only when the situation suits you," Blaise snorted.

"No one asked you Abomination," the male hissed. "You should have been drowned at birth; You and those insects you call sisters."

"I know I did not just hear you trying to threaten one of my family," Lucius cut in smoothly. "Especially not in their house and before the liege lord of the Zabini family on the eve of this monumental occasion."

"Speaking of the occasion," a stern voice came from the back of the group, "I would like to see my patient."

"There is already a healer with her," Nicholas stated his voice extremely frigid. "One that passed both mine and Willa's expectations and has our full trust."

"I'm afraid that neither you nor she have the experience to choose the right Healer for this job."

The group of Elves had parted to reveal the arrogant face of the supposed Healer.

"And I'm afraid you are mistaken," Nicholas responded doing a marvellous job at keeping his magic under control.

"You don't have a choice," the first elf that spoke snapped, allowing his magic to lash out at Nicholas. "You are to get the second-rate Healer out here and send them away unless you want to be responsible for the death of the babies."

Nicholas struggled to hold his temper as he listened to the rubbish falling from the aggressor's mouth. He had already nodded his thanks to Lucius' quick reflexes that had the harmful magic miss him by a foot.

"As the parents of the twins in question, I say Willa and I have all the choices concerning everything that involves them from conception to them finding their mate," Nicholas stated through grit teeth.

"And if they weren't in a state fit enough to decide," Lucius stated, "that decision rests with me until godparents are named."

"And as our choice of godparent has already agreed, it is his decision," Nicholas finished. He could see the slowly burning anger on Lady Evangeline's face as she listened to the vitriol falling from the people who were supposedly Willa's family.

"Everyone knows that if an Elven Healer isn't present during an Elven birth then the child dies," the Healer sneered condescendingly.

"And yet the Elven children this Healer has delivered have been stronger and healthier than any that have been delivered by Elven Healers," Hermione stated, unable to remain silent any longer when Harry's name was being maligned. "The results are open to everyone to look at if they wish, especially first-time parents."

"No one asked you Halfling whore!" the Healer snapped, lashing out with his magic in an attempt to dominate her.

Hermione just snorted once in amusement.

"Wrong on all accounts," she said, eyes seeming to burn like the fire she could control. "The Healer in with Willa asked me to voice it; so, I was asked. I am currently being courted and am untouched; so, I am not a whore and I am one of the many subspecies of pure breed animal demons found around this planet: In my case, a fox; so, I am emphatically NOT a half breed."

In that moment three things happened at the same time.

The first was Lady Evangeline stepping from the shadows to stop the large formation of darkened magic from leaving the bodies of the people wielding it.

The second was the Healer leaping at the couch holding Hermione, Draco and the scarred girls, hissing in rage, only to be forced to the ground by an over-protective Blaise.

The third was the sound of a heavy wooden door being slammed open with enough force for it to lodge itself into the wall behind it and an enraged shadow-cat demon stalked into the room.

"I don't know who you think you are," Harry hissed as he stalked towards the uninvited guests, "and, to be completely frank, I don't care. What I care about is that you are releasing more magic than what a pregnant person can handle. In the thirty odd minutes since you have been here, I have had to use my own magic to protect both the twins and their mother. Enough is ENOUGH! This is not the time nor place for your infantile tantrum, that should be done before the Council – that is if they don't throw you out on your arse after laughing in your face."

To the amusement of everyone who knew him, Harry turned around in dismissal

"My Lady," he nodded in Lady Evangeline's direction. "Hermione, Draco, Lucius. Think you can handle things out here?"

"Of course, Love," Draco spoke for the first time since arriving. "Take them in."

Harry smiled thankfully at Draco as he helped Blaise up from his spot on the Healer's back.

"You are going to get those unborn killed! The Healer said with a glare at Harry. "And what would a submissive know about anything not done on their back!"

Everyone who knew Harry growled defensively but all Harry did was smile blankly at the floored man.

"You show credentials higher than mine and I'll start giving a damn about what you say about me."

The Healer spluttered indignantly and Harry smirked.

"When you have found your tongue, you can give it to Lady Evangeline to check. The Healers Guild is tightening their grasp on all their members. I hope to see you at the next meeting."

He turned and herded the now amused Zabini men into the room that contained Willa and the two girls, shutting the door firmly behind them.

"Harry says if the Elven Councils decides to further investigate the families who vouched for certain Healers, he will be willing to attend in his usual capacity," Hermione said to Lady Evangeline making the Healer and several of the intruding party pale.

"What did that child mean by 'show me credentials higher than mine'?" one of the older Elves snorted in derision, "He is barely out of milk teeth!"

"And yet he is one of the top Healers at the Guild," Lady Evangeline stated calmly, "In fact, it is rumoured that he is on the list of possible replacements for one of the three heads."

"And he trained under one of the best Healers in his field," Hermione stated with a secret smile.

"Why thank you," Lady Evangeline said with a smile in her direction before turning a decidedly sharper one towards the group that was now huddled together.

"I am once again active on the Council," she announced, "and there have been some things that have occurred since my leaving that are bothering me. I expect to see you before the Council when you receive your summons. You will also be seeing the Kit since he has an ability that makes him invaluable to us in discerning any troublesome people."

Hermione let out an excited squeak that drew all eyes to her. Instead of being embarrassed like many other would be, she just turned to the Malfoy family with a large beaming smile on her face.

"The first son is born," she announced. "Both mother and child are well, though he is a little small due to sharing space for so long. He has all his fingers and toes and Blaise has confirmed he obtained his mother's heritage."

Lady Evangeline, Hermione and the Malfoys all noticed the strange gleam that entered the eyes of all bar two of the intruders. Not surprisingly, it was the oldest of the small group whose eyes began twinkling happily at the news. Silently the group of five vowed to keep an eye on the others. It looked as though the Council had their first group to investigate.

1. Microcephalic Having an unusually small head

2. Zymotic Caused by or relating to an infection or an infectious disease; producing fermentation

3. Gliomata A tumour of rapid growth on the brain, spinal cord or auditory nerve