Chapter 39 – Trials of Life

Everyone watched the couple on the lounge in bemusement. It was mid-way through the month and just under a week since Lady Evangeline of the Elves had strolled casually into their lives and proceeded to verbally tear strips from their hides. As a result, no one was eager to disrupt Harry and Draco during what they called their 'Unwind time': and no one was stupid enough to allude that neither of the pair needed it.

While Evangeline and every Lawyer, Solicitor, auditor and paper-pusher the ICMB could spare went through every scrap of paper they could to see just who was responsible for the mess that was the Elven Council; Harry used his title as Master Healer to its full extent as he investigated each and every member of staff in the Council building in minute detail until he knew every potion and spell that had been cast on them since they were an elfling and had recorded every memory they'd had to check for obliviates and behaviours frowned upon by Elven Law.

The work Harry was doing was both highly intrusive and highly delicate so he was working extremely hard to make it go as fast and painless for them as he could, though he did make sure to get the names, rank and number of each individual's healer so the Heads for the Healer's Guild could investigate them thoroughly – something that both he and Lady Evangeline were happy for.

Draco, on the other hand, was kept perpetually busy between school, learning how to run a business successfully even though he wasn't there in person, keeping up with the construction effort – as well as every side project he created for the goblins – and keeping Harry happy. To no one's surprise, the last one – while the most important, was the easiest.

It had become a common sight in the past week to see both members of the mated couple fast asleep on the lounge with the current book they were reading only just being supported by Draco's long fingers. The first time it happened, Sirius joke that the book must have been extremely boring to put the couple to sleep so fast. This resulted in the man being cursed by both Hermione and Blaise, who took offense on behalf of the book.

The third time it happened, Sirius – who still hadn't learnt to keep his mouth shut when it came to books – told Harry that if the book kept putting them to sleep, then maybe the should prescribe it to anyone he sees that suffers from insomnia. He was once again hexed, this time by Bellatrix; who was the person to recommend the story to Draco in the first place. It wasn't clear to Remus whether or not Sirius had learnt his lesson on reading in general, but he knew that any time 'The Hobbit' appeared in Draco's hand, the black-haired man flinched and covered his nose with a whine of despair.

One thing that had almost floored Remus, Sirius and Hermione, however, was Lady Evangeline's talk with Severus as the man who made all of Harry's potions. In the few short months since Harry had been looked over by the Head Master Healer in the guild (and it was now a guild, not an academy) he had seamlessly slipped from having mock heats into real heats. Since this was the case, he now was required to take a heat suppressant potion.

While neither Harry or Draco were happy with it, Evangeline had explained that the potion she was going to teach Severus was to make was one she had learnt in her apprenticeship to an asexual female selkie whose body went through heats until she developed the potion. Afterwards, she started supplying the same potion to those of her kind who had been trapped as human and forced to marry their jailor. To their joy, once they escaped and stopped taking the potion, their fertility came back just as strong as it ever was.

It wasn't until Harry relaxed at the last bit of information that anyone realised that it wasn't the need for potions that had him riled up, it was the effect it would have on his ability to have children. Hermione, in particular, could be seen scolding herself for not coming to the realisation sooner since she had had to do a full section on Heat Suppressants and the effects they have, both mentally and physically, on a submissive.

All in all, it had been a very intense period of time.

~~~booksforthewin~~~

Harry inspected the book before him with a terrifying glint in his eye. Today was the first day in over a week that he didn't have to travel to the Council chambers and he was planning on reading the new book Draco had bought him the day everything started.

He ran a hand down the cover as slowly as he could before he carefully opened the binding. Soon he was lost in the world of healing with crystals and minerals.

Hermione watched on in amusement before turning to Remus with a laugh.

"I know I should be annoyed at him for not wanting to spend time with us on his day off, but it is just too funny seeing him practically vibrate with the desire to finally read the book he has been so far unable to read."

"I know what you mean," he laughed back, "why do you think Sirius and I used to make the two of you wait for your presents until evening when you were really young? It was fun seeing if one of you would vibrate so hard you fell from your seat form supressing the desire to unwrap your gifts."

"We KNEW you did that on purpose!" Hermione mock growled.

Remus playfully growled back at her and Sirius, who had just walked through the door, quietly transformed into Padfoot and playfully attacked the werewolf. Remus yelped as he went down, making Hermione laugh and Sirius to give a doggy grin.

Harry just curled up tighter on the seat absorbing the new information intently.

~~~kittykittykitty~~~

Draco and Blaise paused outside the door separating them from their mates and inhaled deeply. The scent of exotic spices, fragrant vegetables and the savoury-sweetness of cooking meat filled their nostrils. As one, their stomachs, as well as the stomachs of the adults behind them, let out a gurgling grumble of complaint. Smiling or laughing sheepishly, the boys allowed Remus to be the first to enter the rooms and all of them stilled to allow the hot, fragrant air from the rooms wash over them and down the Hall.

"Well now," Remus said, bringing everyone's mind back to the present, "This is a surprise. What bought this on Kits?"

"It had been a while since we cooked and I felt like Indian," Harry answered absent-mindedly.

Spurred on by the promise of a freshly cooked meal by someone other than the Hogwarts house-elves, everyone who had remained by the door quickly moved to the dining room and stared in amazement. The table had been transfigured from its usual rectangular shape to circular and in the centre was mountains of food.

"Hello everyone!" Hermione greeted happily. "I hope you are hungry. Harry and I got a bit carried away."

"A bit?" Severus responded dryly, "the two of you have made a feast worthy of an Emperor."

"Then it is a good thing we agreed to come to lunch then, isn't it?" the Headmaster announced joyfully from the back of the crowd. Everyone jumped and turned to see the man, eyes twinkling, and an amused Lady Evangeline.

"Oh, my word!" Albus exclaimed when he saw the food on the table and the two responsible for it bringing out the last, "Truly a feast for the senses Younglings. Bravo!"

To Sirius' amusement, both of them blushed slightly at the compliment.

"Come and grab a seat," Harry said with a soft smile.

"It does look marvellous, you two," Remus said as he moved to his usual seat – one that Sirius had jokingly carved a pair of ears into. "Would you mind telling us what is what?"

"The largest pot is plain rice," Hermione stated with a smile. "There is also lemon and saffron rice and rice and lentils."

"We also have mixed dhal, coconut curried vegetables and vegetable pakoras," Harry continued.

"Chicken tikka kebabs, tandoori wings and prawns with hot lime pickle mayonnaise," Hermione added as she removed the lids from the dishes as she said what they were.

"Butter chicken, prawn and snake bean curry, beef madras and fish curry," Harry added with a soft giggle at the faces of their guests.

"And an array of condiments and breads alongside," Hermione finished. "We did make everything, but it has been over a few nights when neither of us could sleep."

"A feast indeed," Evangeline smiled, "Do we just help ourselves?"

"Yes," Harry answered almost glowing with the happiness cooking for his family bought him, "We though the family banquet style would be better than just dishing it up. This way everyone can get a bit of everything at first and then more of what they liked."

"Don't let us keep you," Hermione urged, almost as though she was on a sugar high. "Dig in! Help yourself! Enjoy!"

"Rinie!" Harry yelped as he ducked her flailing limbs. "I told you to stay away from the new potions stock!"

Everyone laughed as Hermione through herself at him with a loud exclamation of his name and calmly began serving themselves from the multitude of dishes available.

~~~betyoucan'ttellwhatiwascravingwhenIwrotethis~~~

Draco looked at the parchment that had just been delivered to him via house-elf and swallowed in an attempt to wet his suddenly dry throat. He cleared his throat nervously and, to his eternal shame, whispered a slightly shaky, "Remus."

Remus glanced up and would have thought he had imagined hearing his name being called if it wasn't for the visibly shaking parchment in Draco's hand bearing the seal of St Mungo's.

Slowly, so as not to startle the blonde, he reached out and removed the mail from him and then guided him to a seat in the common room.

"Sirius," he called softly, "can you get Harry – and only Harry – to come here?'

"Did you want me to leave after?' Sirius asked as he got up, not joking as he normally would at the sight of Draco.

"No, you stay as well. It concerns all four of us," Remus sighed, revealing the seal on the parchment.

It was a matter of minutes for Sirius to get harry, but to both of the males waiting in the room it felt like years had passed before the two dark-haired males appeared.

"Is everything alright?" Harry asked as he took a seat next to Draco and grabbed his hand comfortingly.

Draco let out a whine as Remus, once again, revealed the envelope. Seeing it, Harry nodded his understanding before flicking his eyes questioningly over at his and Draco's usual chair.

Remus nodded and watched, amused, as Harry guided Draco to his feet and then to the chair in question.

"What's wrong Draco?" Harry asked after he put up the usual charms.

"What if the results come back not as I hoped?" he asked, eyes fearful. "What if I can't give you the kittens you want? What if …"

Harry placed a gentle finger to Draco's lips to stop him talking and leaned into him.

"If any of the general checks come back with something wrong, we will fix it if possible and monitor it if not," Harry soothed. "As for your fertility one coming back … I don't need to birth a child for it to be ours. I wouldn't mind adopting If we cannot have them naturally. Mama Figg's can't be the only orphanage that gets orphans of magical blood. It is possible that others get those from the Old and Ancient Clans as well."

Draco froze and then relaxed as thought all his tendons had been cut.

"You mean it?" he asked.

"A hundred percent," Harry smiled. "I know that family is more than blood Draco. A wolf pack – both normal and were – rarely consist of wolves of the same blood, but they are still family because of the bonds they share."

Draco hugged Harry to his chest as tightly as he could without making it hard for him to breath.

"Have I told you recently how lucky I feel to have received you as my mate? "he asked.

"No, you haven't," Harry said with a heart-melting smile, "Nor can I remember you ever telling me."

"In that case," Draco replied as he stood up from the lounge with Harry still in his arms, "I must be the luckiest man on the planet to have you as my mate. You are sweeter than honey and sharp as vinegar. You make me want to lock you in a house specially made for you so I can protect you and wait on you hand and foot, but at the same time, I feel that if I did so, the world would hold no worth."

Neither Harry or Draco noticed when they left the silencing charm but both realised they had when Sirius couldn't help but be himself.

"Nawwwww," he drawled, "How absolutely precious. Narcy's little boy is a romantic."

Almost immediately there was the sound of an electrical bug zapper and a high-pitched yelp from Sirius.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to interrupt moments like those," Remus growled.

"Remi is right Siri," Harry stated from where his face was hidden in Draco's neck. "You shouldn't interrupt: You should take notes instead. You need all the help you can get."

Ignoring the spluttering man, Draco placed a loving kiss on top of Harry's head and carried him to the table.

To the amusement of Remus and Sirius – who was now pouting in good humour – Draco kept Harry on his lap and cuddled him.

"Okay," the blonde sighed, "Let's see what the damage is."

"Before that," Harry stated, "I want to make it clear that no matter the results of the fertility test, we have spoken about adoption as an alternative to having our own if it comes to it.:

"And even if we do have our own, I have no problem with adopting or fostering children as well. Harry bought up a good point in the Orphanage run by Mrs Figg not being the only orphanage to receive those with magic or creature inheritance."

Remus blinked in surprise and allowed a small grin to form at the information before finally opening the scroll and skimming over it with Sirius reading over his shoulder.

"Well, that was unexpected," Remus chuckled. "All of your tests came back clear, including the one they did on the slight amount of venom they found in your saliva."

"They even sent a recommendation to talk to Potions Master Severus Snape about donating a sample for research purposes," Sirius broke in with a short, sharp bark of laughter.

Remus sent Sirius an amusedly-annoyed look as both boys laughed softly.

"It also states that, for your species, you are highly fertile," Remus continued. "They suspect that rather than the usual one pregnancy every fifty or so years most vampire mate's go through, you will have around three times as many. Since your ancestors have married or bonded members of non-creature inheritance, the has meant only one, maybe two children born to them. With you bonding to Harry – who is as long lived as you are, this means that within your natural life, the Malfoy and Potter families will overtake the Weasley and Prewett families as being the most prolific."

From his seat on Draco's lap, Harry envisioned their future children and began to purr happily with the thought of 'six months to go', not knowing that the same thought was going through Draco's mind as he hugged Harry tighter to him.

Sirius chuckled sadly as he watched them.

"It's probably a good thing that Harry's heats will be on hold for a minimum of five years after every pregnancy," Remus stated with a sigh. "Otherwise we would be overrun with babies."

"Merlin forbid," Sirius shuddered. He was a bachelor at heart and kids had never come under his plan as anything other than as a duty he had to fulfil as the Black family heir. Now that he was the Black Family Lord, he knew he should have an heir but kids he was responsible for terrified him.

Remus, as though he was reading his mind, chuckled.

"You do know you will have to provide an heir eventually, don't you?" he asked with a, to Sirius' mind, sadistic grin.

"Shaddap!" he whined, "I can't imagine the person that would be willing to have me care for a child and teach them about the Black legacy."

This, like every other time it was bought up, resulted in the commencement of their bickering argument and neither noticed when the boys quietly left the room to join the other in the dining room until Lady Evangeline arrived to pick Harry up for yet another week of checking over Elves for evidence of illegal tampering.

Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. It had been two days since the first day off he and Evangeline had enjoyed and already he was ready for another. In the first week he had worked hard to ensure that all those who worked in the Council Chambers had not been potioned or spelled into someone else's control. This week was dedicated to their immediate families and already he had discovered a worrying trend: The only individuals to give him trouble over his distinct lack of Elven Heritage were those privileged enough to attain a higher or better education than others. This indicated that there was something very wrong with how they were being educated. Thankfully, that had nothing at all to do with him and, as he had already told the people in charge of his suspicions, he could continue with his duties.

A knock on his door before it slowly opened made him look up. To his relief it was Agnus – the she-elf who worked as the Council's tea lady.

"Would you like a drink and something to snack on until lunch?" she asked softly.

"Do you have any chamomile and spearmint tea?" he asked hopeful. "Lady Evangeline discovered that the mock-heats my body has been going through lately have developed into true ones since my birthday is just over five months away now."

"Oh, you poor dear," Agnus cooed. "We don't have that one om me, but I can ask Lady Evangeline where I can get a supply for you when I leave. I do have elderflower, honey and apple sparkling water if it will do for now. "said w

"That will be lovely," he said with a half-smile. "Do you have any vegetable sticks?"

Agnus just grinned and pulled a small container from the draw that normally held sweetener. She opened it to reveal sticks of carrot, cucumber, celery, capsicum and beans before handing both it and the drink to him. It had surprised the kitchen workers the first day he had been in the building when he had turned up in person, in their domain after the first tea service had returned to ask for things that had never before touched the food trolley's surface. It wasn't long before the young man had wormed his way around every normal worker's heart with his honest innocence and willingness to give new ideas and to try when what they attempted didn't work.

Harry smiled back with relief as he took both items and he hummed in delight at the taste of the first sip of the refreshing liquid.

"Thank you," he said once he reopened his eyes. "You have no idea how much I need thins."

"I can guess," Agnus replied with a soft chuckle as she took in the reams and reams of parchment before him.

Harry followed her gaze with one of his own and chuckled sheepishly.

"I think I have an hour before my next appointment to start getting this under control," he said with a sigh. "It looks as though my evenings are going to be full of me writing these up instead of relaxing."

"Why?"

Agnus jumped in surprise while Harry just smiled at the person behind her.

"Good morning my Lady," he said. "Would you like a vegetable stick?"

Evangeline chuckled and walked towards the young demon, patting Agnus apologetically on the shoulder as she passed. Reaching into the container, she pulled out something and bit into it. Happy to discover a piece of cucumber, she returned her attention to what she had overheard.

"Why do you need to write it up and what is it?" she asked again, vaguely noticing that Agnus said something about tea and left them in peace.

"They are the notes I took on every person I've seen's health," harry said. "I had everyone bring in what they could about their Healer and I've taken all the details down so I can give them my notes to put into their records – but so many of them don't know their Healer's ID number or who trained them."

"Not ever Healer is as organised as you Harry," Evangeline stated softly. "In fact, you are the most organised Healer I know, myself included. The truth of the matter is most healers are lazy. They believe that if they see someone for something once, that is the end of it. That is how I lost my eyesight: The healer my parents took me to didn't do his job properly. As soon as I accepted what had happened, I decided to become a healer and train others not to do half a job."

Harry listened to her with awed revulsion. He, personally, couldn't understand how anyone could do half a job when it came to the health and wellbeing of others.

"This," he muttered out loud, "is why macho Alpha crap has no business in the field of healing."

He jumped at the laughter that came from his companion and he flushed in embarrassment at having said it out loud rather than in his mind.

"Oh Youngling, don't ever change," Evangeline chuckled as she wiped the water from her eyes. "You have such a unique was of seeing the world."

"I didn't mean that dominants shouldn't become Healers," he stated with a pout, "just that those who believe they know best. There's more to healing than taking money from those who need help."

"I know, my dear boy, and I agree with you whole heartedly. There are some individuals that are healers that I wouldn't allow near a sick or injured person. Unfortunately, it is not, nor has it ever been, in my power to restrict or remove them from the program."

"As much as it pains me to say this," Harry sighed as he gently placed one neatened stack of paper into a folder "I think what almost happened to Willa and the boys was a good thing. It lead us to discovering this now so we could treat this disease that is slowly killing of the Elven Community."

"I know just how much that must have cost you to say," Evangeline said in a soft voice, "but if it is any consolation, I think Willa would understand. You take your role as a healer seriously which is something that you should never feel sorry for."

Harry gave a small smile as he continued to deftly file his already compiled papers.

"Thank you, My Lady," he replied with honest relief. "I wish we were not so pressed for time so we could work together once again."

"I would have liked that as well youngling," she laughed. "Unfortunately, I am needed as a Council Member more than I am as a Healer."

She ran a soothing hand down the side of Harry's face and smiled as he absent-mindedly pushed into it.

"I think my next appointment is here," Harry mumbled as he shook himself free of his self-indulgence.

Evangeline chuckled and made her way to the door. Before she got there, however, it was pushed open with enough force to crack the wall behind it; a fact that had the junior councillor whose family was responsible to cry anime tears as he envisioned him pay flowing through the hole.

To everyone's surprise, the two children responsible ran past Evangeline to stand before Harry.

"Hi," the girl almost yelled in her excitement, "I'm Mirrium and this is Addison. He's my brother. Daddy told us you are a demon and a healer, was he right?"

"He was indeed," harry stated with a smile as he used his tail to playfully bop the girl on the nose, making her giggle. "I am Harry. I am a Healer and a shadow-cat demon. I have an older sister who is a flame-fox demon and she is also a healer, though she heals people's minds."

"How can you be a demon and a healer?" Addison asked, "Our teacher said demons eat your soul."

"That is easily answered," Harry replied. "Your teacher was misinformed. The only creature in our world that consumes souls are horrible things called Dementors. It was originally believed that they were a type of demon when they were first discovered, but since then, it has been discovered that they are, in fact, a wraith/ghoul hybrid that consumes happiness."

Harry took the opportunity to bop the boy with his tail and laughed when he wrinkled his nose and sneezed.

"Now," he continued, "I don't know about other demons but my sister's favourite food is watermelon salad with prawns and mint. My favourite food is w … well, I just like food really, and our mentor – who is a poison-snake demon – enjoys a moist lava cake where the middle just oozes when it is cut open."

"Mummy likes them!" Mirrium squealed, "She let us try it one and it was gooey and chocolatey and, and, and …"

"Breath Little One, breath," Harry soothed. "They certainly are a wonderful treat, but …"

Harry leaned in and whispered, almost conspiringly, "Did you know you can make them taste even better?"

Both kid's eyes widened exponentially.

"They can get BETTER?" Addison whispered.

"Oh yes," harry nodded as he rested his hand on the boy's head and started writing in his own code. "My best friend likes hers with a little bit of gooseberry puree on the side. My sister likes hers with a little bit of lemon peel mixed in. On of my uncles likes his with marmalade and the other likes his with coffee in it."

Harry leaned in closer and whispered lower, "but I think they are all crazy because everyone knows that strawberries and ice cream taste best with chocolate, am I right?"

"Yes!" both kids shrieked in joy.

"I must protest and say raspberries and cream tastes better," an unfamiliar female voice stated.

"MUMMY!" both kids yelled as they turned, allowing Harry to place his now free hand on Mirrium's head and flood her with his magic.

"What did I do?" the kids' mother asked.

"You were listening in!" Mirrium stated with a pout, "you keep telling us it is rude to listen to other people talking."

"Oh, dear me. Maybe if you didn't speak loud enough for India to hear, then I wouldn't have," they were teased.

"We weren't!" both kids denied with an even bigger pout.

Harry finished writing his findings and let out a soft giggle, causing everyone to turn and look at him.

"From what I can tell, both of the little ones are free of anything harmful, both health wise and mind wise," Harry smiled. "They also both have a wonderful dose of curiosity that will do them well in the future."

He playfully flicked both children on the nose and smiled softly as they giggled.

"Never lose that curiosity of your," he told them seriously, "You will never learn if you don't ask questions."

"Have you already finished our appointment?" Addison asked, confused.

"I certainly have," harry smiled, "and once I look over your Mama, we can all sit down and talk about what I found and the two of you can ask questions."

Before anyone could blink, the two youngsters had somehow managed to appear behind their mother and proceeded to attempt to push her into he room.

"You must have said the magic word," she laughed as she allowed herself to be manuvered by her kids.

"If you find out what it was, please tell me," Harry replied with a laugh, "it will make life much easier when my mate and I start a family."

"Oh, you have found your mate already?" the lady - who hastily introduced herself as Lelana – asked in excitement.

"Both my sister and I found our mates," Harry admitted as he placed a hand on her head. "Best friends who attend the same school."

"Congratulations on finding them so soon," she replied softly.

"Thank you," he replied, "though it feels more like a curse at the moment since I am not yet of age to bond."

"The wait may feel as though it is taking forever, but it will be over before you know it," she comforted.

Harry smiled thankfully at her before becoming professional once more.

"Overall, there is nothing wrong with any of you, however I did come across a few anomalies I recommend you get checked. You can either go to your usual healer or, if you prefer, you can talk to Lady Evangeline about scheduling an appointment with me in one of my free periods. Either way there will be a wait as the Heads of the Healer's Guild have forbidden Elven Healers from practicing until they have been cleared due to the number of members who have been accused of malpractice or taking bribes."

"We might see about making an appointment with you, if you don't mind," the deep, slightly accented voice of the junior councilman stated. "I know you are busy with what you have been assigned by the higher council, but so far, you are the only healer who have gone to that hasn't had a problem with handling our two monsters."

"That is okay," Harry stated. "I wouldn't have offered my services if I wasn't sure I could handle it. On your way out, just take one of these cards and give it to Lady Evangeline and she will take your details and I'll contact you when I know I have my next day off."

"Thank you," Lelana said as her husband took a card and walked out of the room, hoping to catch his children before they got into mischief.

"You are welcome," Harry responded as she walked out of the room. When the door snicked closed, he looked at the amount of papers scattered around the room and heaved a sigh of resignation. It looked as though he had a date with chaos that night.