I don't own SPN or Harry Potter.

Chapter 8 – a different point of view

'Humans, I don't understand humans', Mirror thought as she left the room she shares with her human Dean. Her human dreamed about his Jo, again, but still points out that he doesn't like her in that way. As his familiar and a magical snake itself she can see bonds, especially the one, between him and Jo. At the moment it was a pale red meaning, that they both love each other, but one or even both of them ignore their feelings. But in this case it is only Dean, because Jo shared her feelings for him with the whole family. It is like an open secret now. That is the part she doesn't get. Why can't he tell her, how he feels, that he feels the same as her and be happy? Instead he keeps his feelings bottled up and ignores them like they aren't there in the first place.

So to get away from him she decides to take a trip through the house again. She doesn't know, how long they live their now, but it doesn't concerns her very much. Time is meaningless to her, but the trees in the back garden are losing leafs already so it has to be autumn or at least the begin of it. For her it means that her food will be go into winter sleep. Not that her human doesn't feed her, but she loves to hunt. So she does it any time she can. Since she is here she mostly caught rats, not her most favored food, but it is the only thing she could catch until now. The funny thing happened as she caught her last rat and her human family saw it, the old one, who smells like a dog, told her that if she ever should catch rat with a missing claw, she shall bring it to him and she will get a special treat for it. So she was on the lookout for it, a special treat sounds very promising to her, maybe a rabbit she loves rabbits, they taste delicious.

The sun had already risen today; she could see it through the windows as she slides through the house. As she slides by the door of the library she hears a hissing sound like form another snake and she can understand it clearly as she hears the question. "You are my spirit animal?" That peaks her interest so she slides into the direction of the question.

As she enters the library she sees the only occupant in the library is the human, who is called Harry. He is sitting with his legs crossed on the floor and has his eyes closed, like he was sleeping. But as he hisses again, she is sure that he wasn't sleeping as she guessed. "Why a snake … is it because of the Horcrux?" he asks no-one in particular. Even if she doesn't know to whom he is speaking, she knows that he is a speaker as they are called by her kind. She never believed to meet one. They are really rare, but magical snakes have information's in their collective memory, about them that grows with every speaker from generation to the next.

But she really was surprised to be this close to one and to be able to talk to him. She was a little nervous as she slides nearer to him. She takes a better look at him than ever before, he was small, young, but with a strong aura around him, like a natural leader. Surprisingly he like her own human shares a bond with someone else within in this household. But it comparison to her human this bond wasn't only pale red, but had gold dots in it. Meaning it is a soulmate bond, which are rare, even in the magical world. She has seen as similar bond around her human's brother. Like her human Dean, the both of them ignore their feeling for the other. That is why the bond only contains gold dots at the moment as soon as they recognize it; it will change from red with gold dots to completely gold. Such bonds can't be ignored, like mates between animals they feel sparks when they touch and every contact intensives the bond until they accept it and gave in to seal it completely. They have to stop fight their instincts.

All of a sudden she hears a gasp as Harry wakes up. He was scared at first. No wonder she literally was in his face and looked curiously at him. Be he didn't say anything after he calmed down somehow, she asks him. "Sssspeaker are you alright."

Harry took a deep breath before he answered. "Yeah, Mirror. Just a little shaken."

"Why?" she wants to know.

"I tell you if you step a little bit out of my face." he answered her. As answer she simply gave him space like he asked of her. "I was in search for my spirit animal." She knows that humans have parts of an animal in their soul, which only comes out if they find it. "I found it, it is a snake." In his face she saw that he isn't so happy about it.

"Are ssssnakes sssso bad?" A little offended for her species, she asks. She knows that humanity sees her race as a symbol for balance, equal omen of death and life, but the dark, always outshines the light.

"Yes, because they are his symbol … that of the Dark Lord." he answers and she understands. She may be an animal, but as a snake she knew of that particular human, t, if you can call him that. He calls himself Voldemort and used snakes for his own purpose, like slaves. He is the reason, why snakes watch out if they are near a speaker. He is an exploiter and took away the dignity of some snakes by possessing them until they weren't useful to him anymore.

But she also knows that a spirit animal is part of only one soul and not another. "You are sssstil you." she tells him.

"Is that so?" he asks her sarcastically.

Sarcasm isn't something animals quite get, if not at all. "Yessss." simply says.

He laughs "But I still have a part of his soul in me.

"He posssssssessssed you?" she asks him to make sense of what he is telling her.

"Not quite. He left some of his soul in me." he tries to describe what he means so that the animal, even if it's a magical one and with it highly intelligent, can understand him.

She still doesn't understand. "But you are in control?!" her question was like a statement.

"Yes, because his soul is sort of boxed away."

"Than the ssssnake is your animal not hisss." she tells him. If he would really be possessed by him, he wouldn't be in control nor would he feel like he was a bad guy. Voldemort doesn't has a conscious; he acts like he wants without thinking of any consequences, and because he believes he is almighty and powerful. But everyone has his weak spot and can be beaten, even him.

"But …" he tries to protest.

"No butssss." she interrupts him. "You are not him."

"What makes you so sure of that?" he asks her.

"Becausssse of thissss. You talk to me and don't want to usssse me like he did with ssssome of ussss."

"How do you know that?"

"We, magical ssssnakessss, have a collective memory, that issss in our blood sssso we can alwayssss remember." she tells him. It is one of the secrets of her race. No speaker before him learnt about it. This way the speaker would never know that he shares his secrets with a complete race. But in his aura she can see that he is trustworthy, like no other speaker before. But the most important thing is the bond he shares with the other human, because it is a rarity. No other speaker shares such a bond only love, but not on a soulmate level.

"Wow … but … but I am afraid to become him."

"Not going to happen. You have ssssomething he doessssn't." she answers.

"What is that?"

"A ssssoulmate." was her simple answer.

"What?" was his first question, but it was the second she knew would come. "Who?"

"I think you know who?" was her mystical answer. She has already told him too much. The rest he has to figure out on his own or better they have to do it on their own.

"Oh come on." he exclaimed.

If animals could display facial expressions, he would have seen a smirk on her face. But animals don't show emotions the way humans do, a human only sees what he wants to see in their faces. But she ignores it. Harry accepted that she wouldn't tell him more about it. So he asks another question. "Do you know anything about him that you can tell me?"

She knows something of him, because even if he possessed the snakes and used them, some of his memories were left behind and went into the collective memory. "What are you looking for?" she asks him.

"About Horcrux's?" That term doesn't ring a bell. So she shook her head as answer. Harry thought a moment about it before he explains what he means. "A Horcrux contains a part of his soul in an object or a being like an animal or Me." the last part was whispered, but she still got it.

Surprisingly that rings a bell. "What objectssss?"

"Something of one of the founders of Hogwarts?"

"Like a diadem?"

"Yeah why?"

"I have a picture of a diadem in my head, but not more information about it, besides that it feels dark."

"Thank you … Anything more?"

While he speaks, she smells her human coming her way. She always knows where he is in the house. It is an element of the bond they share. But her talk wasn't over, considering she doesn't meet someone she can speak to often. "My pleassssure." She thought a moment about it more. "Not really, bessssidessss that hissss ssssnake issss very dangerousssss."

"We know that? A friend of mine was bitten by her, but we saved him." he tells her.

Before she can't answer she hears her human at the door. "What the hell?" he yells.

Mirror and Harry look at Dean. Out of the corner of her eyes she sees that Harry is nervous as he answers in a small voice. "I speak with her. I am a Parseltongue."

Dean was perplexed, before he questions. "You can understand her?"

"Yeah." Harry says with a small smile.

"Tell him that I know that he dreamt about Jo … again." she hissed to him. Harry repeats what she told him and Dean went pale because of that and Harry laughs. "Why are you laughing about my human?" she asks him.

That made him laugh harder. "Your human?" he questions her.

"Yeah as a familiar I am his and he is mine."

"Awesome." he answers.

"What is so funny?" Dean wants to know.

"That you are still denying your feelings for Jo and Mirror here called you her human."

But that didn't shock her human. "I figured as much, considering she is my familiar."

"My human issss ssssmart." he tells Harry. "at leasssst in ssssome partssss." Harry repeats her words to Dean.

"What does she mean by that?"

"He deniessss hissss feelingssss and that issssn't ssssmart with hissss mate nearby." Harry repeats her words. But instead of answer to it, Dean angry got up and stormed out of the library. "Humanssss." Mirror hissed.

"I know, but we will learn with time."

"Hopefully … But you sssshould take your own advice and follow your feelingssss." she tells him, because he like her human denies his feelings for his mate.

"What?" he asks her perplex like Dean before him.

Instead of directly answering to it, she shakes her head as she says again. "Humanssss." before she slides away. She is leaving him alone with his thoughts to give him a chance that he can come to terms with his feelings. She has some hunting to do. But it was fun to know that a speaker is in the house and she has someone to talk too. After not living with other snakes anymore it was kind of lonely, even with her human, but until now the discussions with him were only part of a one way street. A speaker gives her the opportunity to have someone to talk too.

A little while later another familiar strolled through the house. Crookshanks wasn't on an adventure trip or a hunting trip. No, he simply likes to run through the house to learn all its secrets and believe him there are many. Normally he would have gone to eat some breakfast with his humans, but after he entered the kitchen and learned that his friend the dogman wasn't there, he made his way to him. He was sure that there could be only one place where he could be found in the house should he skip breakfast with the family and that would be in his study.

The study probably was magically sealed from the inside, but Crookshanks is the only one, who still can get in. The dogman always likes his company, since he helped him with the rat. Since then they are companions and the cat is always allowed in the study of the human. He likes his console, his friendship and insight. So even if Crookshanks don't know why the human is alone in his study at the moment, he knows that he will like his company or better could use it.

So after Crookshanks stole some bacon he made his way to the study, which was sealed like predicated. As always there was a small clap only for him. After he looks around to see if he really is alone, he enters. He feels the wards as he steps through, but they didn't block him. In the study he looks around and his glance lands on the human, who was sitting by his desk sipping on a drink.

Sirius looks at Crookshanks and says. "Ah, I knew you would provide me with some company my friend." with that he made a welcome gesture with his hand and prompts him to sit on his lap.

Never one to pass on a situation, where he could get his head scratched, Crookshanks follows the invitation. He gracefully jumps on the desk and carefully walks to the dogman to get in his place. It maybe strange for a feline to search for comfort from someone, who can turn himself into a dog, but for a canine, Sirius wasn't that bad and Crookshanks really likes him.

As soon as the cat was on the lap of the dogman, said man started to scratch his head, while he took another sip from his drink. Probably Firewhisky, the cat guessed. After Sirius set the glass on his desk again, he looks at Crooks and says. "It is good that you are here, but it has to stay between us." His tone was stern, but the cat didn't concentrate on his voice, but on his eyes, like he wants to ask him, Why? Like the smart human the dogman is, he understood him perfectly, as he answers the unasked question. "Hermione would have a fit if she knew that I invited her betrothed into my study without informing her. But some things are better discussed without her, what do you say?"

"Meow." was Crooks affirmative answer, because even if he loves his owner very much, he knows that she sometimes can be too stubborn for her own good. Equally he trusts the dogman to protect her with everything he is. Crooks knows that the dogman loves his owner very much, their family bond is very strong. All the familiars in the home can see the bonds and all know that they are a family, including the familiars. Even if they are different species such things don't matter, because for a familiar, the family he belongs too, always comes first.

"Thank you my old friend." Sirius says and scratches the head of the cat a bit more. In the same moment the floo in the study flared green, a lead that someone is coming. Crookshanks watches the dogman's facial expression change from friendly and open to cold and closed off. With a whispered "Showtime." of the dogman a mask to hide his feelings from the visitor, probably to protect him and the family, switches into place. This means for Crooks that this not a social visit, but more a business meeting and that he has to be careful and to watch the other person like a dog, or in his case like a cat. So like the human has done before him his face changed to the look of an animal, who was watching his prey.

Only a moment later another human steps out of the floo. Crook knows the face; he has seen it while he stayed with his human at the castle. He also was there as she punched his face; because he is an evil cockroach at least she likes to call him that. So it was indeed his prey, because this human was never nice to his human and the cat will return the favor in kind.

The younger one bows, before he greets the dogman. "Lord Black … thank you very much for inviting me."

Sirius stayed sitting as he answered. "Good day Mr. Malfoy. Good that you could make It." with this hand he gestured for the younger one to take a seat at the other side of his desk. With a nod he took the order and claimed the seat. "Do you want anything to drink?" A simple nod of the head was the answer to that. Crookshanks eyes followed him the whole time and he could see that even if he tried to hide it, the young one was nervous. The more accurate statement would be that he can smell it of him. Fear and nervousness have a particular smell, that is similar but an animal can differentiate between them quite easily. 'Good' the cat thought, 'he deserves to be frightened'. The time while he studies the younger one, the dogman used to pure him a drink and put it in front of the other male.

Silently the other thanked him and took a rather large gulp to calm his nerves a bit. After he set the glass down on to the desk again they sat in silence, until Sirius broke it with a bold question. "Are you a spy for the order?"

Without hesitation the young one answered. "Yes." For a moment Crookshanks could see in his face that he rather not wanted to spill that so easily. So the dogman must have spiked his drink with something. Smart, so he purred to show him that he approved of his actions and as answer he was scratched some more. Only after some moments the other male figured it out as well, as he declares. "Veritaserum!"

"Yes." was Sirius short answer, before he took another sip form his drink, which was without any extra ingredient.

"Why?" was the perplexed counter question?

"I want answers … honest answers and I don't know if I can trust you … yet."

"This was a test."

"If you want to call it that."

"Did I pass?"

"I don't have decided yet." Sirius says with a mischievous smirk and the other on visually shrunk a little bit in his seat. "Did you bring what I asked of you?" That was interesting, what does the dogman want from the young one. He looks curious at the younger one as he reaches into the pocket of his cloak and handed something to the other male. 'What is it?' Crookshanks asks himself. "Did you have any problems getting it?"

"No, I just asked my mother." the younger one tells him.

"You asked Cissa for it … Are you out of your mind … Some spy you are." Sirius yells at him outraged. Why he felt that way, Crook really doesn't know, but he hopes to learn it soon and fast.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist; she is a spy like me." The potion still works, because the cat can see in the young ones face that he didn't want to reveal that information as well. He tried to fight it off, but he was powerless against it.

"Interesting." the dogman says with a smile. The conversation was more like a tennis match at the moment and Crooks countenance kept slipping. But the younger one doesn't acknowledge him anyway. He was one of those humans, who believe that all animals are dumb and brainless. His encounter with Buckbeak is the best example for it, he really underestimated the other animal and that was he down fall. But he didn't learn his lesson apparently. But the dogman has other interests than animal treatment in the moment as he asks. "And your father?"

The boy tries to fight it again. He succeeds for a moment but it was still enough of the potion in his system that he can't fight it off for good. So he stutters the answer. "Yes and no."

"Meaning?" the smart human doesn't want to let him of the hook that easily.

"Ahhh." he tries to fight harder, but weak minds are the first to go. In Crooks opinion this young human was the prime example for a weak mind. So in the end he gave up his fight and answered. "Yes, because he knows that the Dark Lord is a cancer and he hates to bow to him … According to him a Malfoy bows to no-one. Yeah, he is a bloody wonker, but he works as a spy since the last war. But no, because he still believes that purebloods are the superior wizards." He takes another sip of his drink like he knows that resistance is useless. So why not jump into the deep end and without putting up to much of a fight.

"And what do you believe?"

"The same as my mother and what my godfather thought me."

"Meaning?"

"That we are equals."

"Cissa believes that."

"Yeah she always told me that you were her favorite cousin and she is proud of you that you got out of the family. She never was that brave so she decided to play her expected role in the society and hoped for a better future."

"Wow." was Sirius short answer. His mask didn't show how shocked he was by that. But Crookshanks could feel it. Not only share the familiars a bond with their humans, but the whole family belongs to them as well. The strength of such a bond always depends on the magic of one family. And this family is extremely strong not only, because the three siblings are blessed by magic herself, but they were it before that. To give the human some comfort he meowed and brought his head to the body of the dogman.

The noise of the cat leaded to the acknowledgment from the younger one. For the first time since he arrived in the study he looked at Crooks. Then his glance drifted back to Sirius again as he says. "You let that menace near you." To drive his point home he pointed a finger at Crooks.

"Why are you calling him that, he is a sweet boy?"

"He bit me." was the young ones answer. After the boy said that Crooks remembers that he has bitten him after he called her human some names, which he did often. But this time it was a nasty one, because it made her cry. As retaliation he bit him, but put it away in his brain. Why should he think of all the people, he has bitten in his life, there are so many and every revenge was fulfilled, why should he bother to keep it in his mind. With a full mind the more important things step out of the focus.

"Good boy." Sirius says with a smile to him and scratches him more.

"Very funny cousin." the boy says outraged.

"Thank you, I try … So what taught you Snape?" the dogman asks curious.

"Shouldn't you know that?" he asks his counter question.

"And why should that be?" Sirius asks another question. The tennis match apparently entered a new state.

"Considering you are his husband." the young one stated matter-of-factly.

"Ah that." Not in the least concerned that the other one knew about that. To Crookshanks it looks like he anticipated it. But the dogman wasn't done as he declared with a mischievous smile. "Let's rewind then. I was for 12 years in that hell of a prison and after that I was on the run for three years. … After I got my freedom I have to tell you that your upbringing wasn't my first priority."

"And yet it is?" the younger one interrupts.

"Yes, because if I can't void the contract I need to know in what you believe in."

"Why?"

"I have my reasons?" he stated matter-of-factly.

"Her name is Hermione and I know she is your niece." the young one told the dogman with a serious face. The mask on Sirius face didn't give away that he is affected by this statement. But Crook can feel his body go stiff.

For a moment there was silence, but Crook guessed that the dogman needed a moment to compose himself, before he could answer without giving anything away. "I don't know what you are talking about?"

"Don't play dumb cousin, it doesn't suit you … But I know that she has to be your niece. Since third year after she punched me in the face I know that she is my betrothed."

"However you still call her names and are nothing but cruel to her." Sirius stated matter-of-factly. Now Crookshanks cruel face was back up. With a hard glare of the menace, like the boy has called him before, he looks at him.

The young one gulps because of his glare that the cat could see. 'Good, he needs to be put in his place,' Crook thought. After the boy looked at the dogman with a face full of regret he declars. "That is what I learnt from my godfather … Not to wear my heart on a sleeve, but to hide it behind a mask and persona. To be the person everyone expect me to be … to be save …" Sirius wanted to say something, but the young one stopped him with his hand. He wasn't done apparently. "But after she punched me it felt like my magic was violently trying to get out. I didn't know why, but after I come home and it still was there I talked to my mother about it. Instead of telling me what it was. She collected the contract." He pointed at the closed parchment between them on the desk. "And together we opened the contract and there at the end of it appeared a new paragraph, that wasn't there before. " Crook watched as Sirius reached for it and opened the contract. Apparently he was searching for it as he found it he read silently. Crook read it with him from his position on his lap.

There stood as clear as day "Both intended can't hurt each other, only in the case that one of them intends to harm the other one, because of their blood status it will have effects. In such case the magic of the initiator would want to get out and can only be settled by accepting the blood status of the other party." Indeed Crook could read it, but it doesn't make much sense to him. So he looked at the dogman and hoped that he would explain it further. After he was done reading a smile started on Sirius face and his first reaction was. "Interesting." 'If you can understand what it means', Crook thought to himself as the dogman asked the question. "And you are saying that appeared out of nowhere?"

"Yeah, we are sure that it wasn't there before." he took another sip; he had apparently forgotten that it still was leased with veritaserum as he continued casually. "Mother was outraged that her own cousin tricked her. She cursed him with a revenge curse, a family curse, one were you don't need the other one present, because magic would do your bidding. Of course she didn't know if it took, but it made her feel better. After learning that one of her cousins faked his death and let her alone in this hell hole." As soon as that was out of his mouth, he cursed. He didn't want to tell him that.

"Yeah, would have Cissy come to me for help like Reg did, I would have helped her." Sirius gives back to that in an angered tone.

For the first time since the young one was in the dogman's study he was angered as well. His mother was a touchy subject. "She thought you hated her like the rest of the family and that you would have sent her away especially because of your hate for my father."

"For good reasons, he isn't a good man."

"We all do things to survive. Even you." he yelled at him.

Sirius stiffed and took a deep breath, before he answered to that statement. "I know that we do. But I would have helped her, because Cissy always was my favorite like the sister I never had." he said in a calm tone. He made a short pause before he added. "As Head of House I will take care of you and your mother … even Lucius." Crook saw that the last part wasn't easy for him. To seal his promise magic baths them in a blending white light, an indicator that she will hold Sirius accountable for his actions in this matter. "But first we have to break this contract to give you both a chance for the life you want."

"I don't want it broken." the boy say without hesitation.

"What? … Why?" Sirius asks intrigued. A good question, Crook also wants to be answered, because as far as he knows this boy hates his human and couldn't stand to be in her presence.

But instead of answering that question the boy shy and embarrassed looks away from the stares of him and the dogman. Crook always knew that he was a coward. But he shouldn't have been so hasty, the boy simply wanted to look away while he answers. "I liked her since I met her during the first ride on the train. But after I learnt that she was a muggle-born I had to act in a particular way. Mother made sure that I wasn't a blood purist, but father thrilled into me never to let it show. He didn't know how, but he was sure that the Dark Lord would come back and this way he tried to protect us."

"Are you telling me that you acted this way and hurt her, because you fancy her?" Sirius asks with a shocked expression on his face. Crook can't blame him for it, because he was shocked as well.

"If you want to call it that, I would call it admiring it from afar." the boy tells him as he looks back at Sirius.

Sirius puts one of his hands on his forehead and looks like the apocalypse is on the verge of coming their way. With a sigh he says. "I am sorry to tell you that, but she is in love with someone else, she even has an understanding with him."

For a short moment Crook could see the shock on the young ones face, before his masks is back on. He shakes his head and thinks that his human isn't like those two. No, she always wears her heart on her tongue and all her emotions can be seen on her face, at least he and her friend Harry can read her easily. The dumb redhead always was clueless when it comes to figuring out, what was wrong with her. "I know … Fred Weasley." the boy surprises both of them.

But Sirius wasn't a school boy, who would lose his mask that easily. So he played it cool, like humans would say. "And what leads you to that conclusion."

This time the boy looked stern at the dogman as he confessed. "Two reasons, he dumbed me for her and second I saw them together at Hogwarts. They weren't as careful as the thought they are."

"You and Fred?" Sirius asks unbelievable, yeah Crook didn't saw that one coming either.

"Yeah it may be hard to believe, but I am bisexual, I like both … like you if any of the things my mother says about you is true in some way … We had a casual thing, just sex, at least for me in the beginning it was that way, but I fell for him, but he didn't fall for me." In his face hurt was displayed. It looks like he can't have either one of the things he desired.

There was silence and Sirius appeared to be in deep thought, before he looked at the boy and says mysteriously. "So if I ask you – The life is a search, so what do you seek?"

For a moment the boy looked shocked at the dogman and then he answered. "I answer - Freedom can only accomplished, if you let the customs of society fall."

With a smirk, Sirius says that. "So Ed is still in business?"

"If you mean Mr. Hidgens then yes, he still has the club … How do you know him?" the boy wants to know.

"He was a Gryffindor like me, two years ahead and I was the reason he started the club in the first place. I wanted a place where everyone was equal and all could be who they want to be and meet with who they want." He answers.

"Okay."

"As interesting as that topic is, we have other things to discuss." the lightness in his voice left the dogman as he pointed at the contract again.

"I know what you want, but according to the contract it can only be broken if both betrothed came to the same decision and like said before, I don't want that."

"And I told you that she wouldn't agree to it." Sirius tells him.

"I know that is why I only want a chance to talk to her … to both."

"Why both?" Sirius asks before a light bold went on in his head. "You want them both."

With a shrug of indifference he declares. "I am a Slytherin and if this contract gives me the opportunity to be with the ones I want I go for it."

Sirius looks at Crooks and asks "What do you say?"

"You asking a cat?"

But Sirius ignores him. He knows that his friend will help him. Crooks takes a closer look at the boy and sniffs the air. He can't see or smell any ill-will from him. He also made the impression that he means what he says, even if he is a coward and a bastard, he is still speaking the truth. He wants to talk to his human and her love. So Crooks agrees with "Meow". With a nod as a thank you, Sirius turns to the boy again and says. "I can't guarantee you anything, but a simple way to talk to them and come clean should be possible. But if it is a no, than this." he points at the contract. "Is dissolved."

The boy thought a moment about it, before he gave his consent. "That is all I ask and I give you my word."

"Good."

With the feeling that the human doesn't need him anymore Crookshanks made his way out of the study for something fun to do like catching a mice or something else. But as he walks through the house he can't wait to see the reaction of his human after this development. With doubtfulness she will be not pleased and her outburst will be fun to watch, for him at least, because he isn't at the receiving end of her wraith.

After his morning trip through the air in the garden of the house, Hope was on his way back into the living room. He loved to fly during his stay in the menagerie, the owner only let them out for flying once a week, sometimes once in two weeks. The owner was afraid that all the birds would fly away on such a flying day. Magic can't control that much animals without some of them breaking the compulsion so that could get free. But the owner didn't know that the animals wouldn't flee from him, neither flying or not. Being sold in the menagerie is the easiest way of finding the missing part of their magical souls in a human. This way it is way easier then searching for him or her on his own.

For Hope it took some time to find his human, almost two decades. Ravens have a long live span but the waiting was successful in the end, because not only did he found his human companion, he also found his animal soulmate. Surprisingly the owl of the soulmate of his human was his soulmate as well. But on the contrary to the humans both birds have accepted their bond and welcomed it like a lost limb. Humans are so single minded and afraid of acting on their feelings, especially dumb with a soul bond, but they have to figure it out on their own.

He flew directly to the closed window, which was spelled to let him and his mate back in after they have flown around. It was only installed after they learned that Hope likes to fly daily, his mate doesn't fly as often as him, but occasionally they would fly together. He crossed the barrier to let him without hurting him or breaking the glass. As he enters the living room he realizes that he wasn't the only one currently in the living room. No, at the floor the older brother of his human was nervously pacing. So he decided to fly around and watch him for a bit.

Something must have happened to put the older man in this state. Since he knew him, Hope had the impression that he was the most cases the collected one of the brothers. Only during emotional problematic situations he was out of his element. In the most cases it was the blond woman, with who he shares a bond. Like his brother he as well ignores his feelings. 'Humans'.

After what felt like an eternity, but probably was only an hour or so, Dean stopped and Hope could see on his face a resolved expression, but still a little worried. Without acknowledging that he wasn't alone in the room Dean turned around and left the living room. Form experience Hope knew that whatever happens next would be humoring, so he followed the human out of the room through the house.

As they reach the door which leads to the room of the blond woman, Hope knew he made the right choice. He simply wished he had some popcorn for the show. It always was amusing to watch Dean's interaction in his emotional state. The last time said women and Deans own sister lectured him, like a little child and he looked that way. With every sentence from one of them he shrank a bit more. As the mischievous raven he is, he looks forward to what comes next.

The raven doesn't have to wait long, after Dean knocked on the door it only took some moments before it was opened by the blonde. She looked curious at him. "Dean what can I do for you?" As she asks that question Hope uses the opportunity to fly into her room without attracting attention and take a seat at the top of the shelves easy, because sometimes the humans forget that there are animals in the house as well, who could ears drop on them or it simply doesn't matter to them. A first class seat for the show, because Dean wouldn't do what he wants to do outside, where everyone could walk by. If he would be embarrassing himself he would do it on his own term at least that was Hopes assessment of him.

Of course the raven was right as Dean asks the woman. "Can I come in?"

For a moment she thinks about it, before she lets him in her room. He enters and she closes the door behind him after he was in the room. Then she asks. "So what can I do for you?"

He took a deep breath before he babbles out in one go. "Goonadatewithme?"

She looks at him perplex before she says. "Come again … I didn't quite catch that."

"Jo, please go on a date with me." he tells her again at a slightly slower pace.

Hope sees the corner of her mouth shortly twitch, before she stops herself with an impassive face. Okay, she apparently was happy with that question, but she wouldn't give in that easily. `Good choice he has to stow a little bit'. Dean didn't see it, because after he asked the question he looked nervous at the floor. "Why? … We can hook up without going out so that you can fulfill your need."

With shock he looks up at her. "That is not what I want" tells her in a serious tone.

"What Dean Winchester doesn't want to have sex?" she says sarcastically.

"Of course I want to sex."

"So why a date then?" she asks him. She wanted that he admitted his feelings and the man walked directly in her trap. 'Amateur', Hope thought and shakes his head.

"Because it isn't the only thing I want." he tells her in a whisper.

"And what do you want?" she digs deeper.

"I don't know ok … just that I want more than just sex with you."

"Why now?" she focus her attention on the other point she is interested in.

"What do you mean, by why now?" he asks her as counter question.

"I want to know why after some months of knowing that I am in love with you, you want to go out with me … now?" Oh, this has to be good. There has to be a reason, why he decided to have this discussion with her now and not sooner. It definitely was a good idea to follow Dean on his misadventures.

"Come on Jo can we just go out … I simply want to go out with you." he tells her bugged. Hope knows that he hates to open up about his feelings, but if he estimates Jo right, she will not let go of it that easily.

"No Dean I want to know why … I don't want to be one of your bed bunnies, who you ignore after … I think I deserve more than that." she tells him angry.

He looks at her a little angry as well, but Hope can see that he tries to swallow it down. A smart move even Dean has to be lucky some time. "You aren't like the others to me … you mean something to me, what … I don't know now, because I never felt like that for a woman before." he tells her seriously and honestly, which Hope could hear as clear as day.

She can't fight the smile on her face, but she still wants to know more. "Oh I get that, but why now."

A sigh escapes his lips as he looks at her. "You really want to do this now?"

"Yeah." she tells him sternly.

"Ok." then he sighs and gathers his thoughts. "I like you not only since today, but …" he made a pause and looked slightly away from her and changed his train of thought. "your confession during the ritual got me thinking and I realized that I have feelings for you as well. But I didn't act on it, because I was or better still am afraid."

"Of what?" she interrupts him.

Now he finally looks at her with an open expression and declares. "The women in this family have a particularly short live span like Mum or Jess."

"What about Hermione, she is still alive." Jo counters his argument.

"Yeah, but she is my sister and not a woman I have romantic feelings for."

"If you are still afraid, what is different now?"

He laughs and says. "Mirror called me out on my feelings and practical told me to get my ass in gear." Hope has to laugh at the reptile antics. He can picture her doing that, but how could he understand her.

"Since when can you speak to snakes?" Jo wants to know.

"I can't, but Harry apparently can." He tells her smiling. 'Oh, so the soulmate of my human is a speaker'. That is a rare ability to have. He has to talk to his mate about it. So because the door was closed he needs them to get the door to open, but he still is curious, what her answer would be.

She smiles whole heartily at him, before she answers. "Yes I will go on a date with you."

Her smile was contagious, because he smiled as well as he walks to her and says. "Good I pick you up at seven tonight." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and then left through the door. The same moment Hope used to fly out as well. This wasn't as funny as he has hoped, but to see him squirm was still at least a little entertaining. With that amusement he went in search for his mate. Maybe she can explain why her human is a speaker.

Hours later Hedwig was awoken from her nap after her discussion with her mate about her human's ability, by the banging of the kitchen door. She opens one of her eyes and looks around; she realizes that she isn't the only one, who is disturbed by it. Her human's best friend wanted to read while sitting in the kitchen, but her quiet atmosphere was disturbed by the girl with the changing hair color, currently yellow.

Said woman waved her wand while silently muttering and Hermione looks at her curious, before she asks. "Tonks is everything alright … why are you putting up silencing charms?"

The hair changed from yellow to orange and she blushes as she answers. "What do you know about lycanthropy?"

"Depends on what you want to know?" Hermione counters her question with a raised eyebrow.

Hedwig opens her other eye, because it could be an interesting discussion. She opens her wings for a moment to wake up a little more, before she concentrates back on the discussion. "How can someone be infected with it?"

"Only by bite on a full moon." Hermione answers her.

"Are you sure?" Tonks asks again.

"Yeah."

"So the child of a werewolf doesn't have his curse?" Tonks clarify. That got Hermione's attentions. But she wasn't the only one; Hedwig took a closer look at the woman with her familiar eyes to see the magic aura around the woman. The aura of a pregnant woman is red and that is, how the aura of Tonks looks to Hedwig. So yeah she is pregnant. But she wasn't the only one with a red aura in the room.

"Are you pregnant Tonks?" Hermione wants to know.

"Yes … no … maybe … I don't know." she answers defied and takes a seat beside Hermione on the table.

"What do you know?" a good question to ask, always a good point to start.

With a sigh, she answers. "I am moody and tired all the time, since two weeks I throw up during the day, because everything makes me nauseous."

Hermione looks thoughtful for a moment, before she answers. "Do you have your period regularly?" Her voice somehow showed that she is nervous. Maybe she learned that she has some similar symptoms as her friend. Humans can be so clueless or better fearful, because instead of accepting that something is wrong or right with them they ignore it like it isn't there in the first place. Like the problem would go away with ignoring it.

"Yes since I was sixteen. Why?"

"When was your last time?" Hermione ask her as counter question. Not ready to think, what it could mean.

"Almost two months ago." Hermione gulped at Tonks answer, but she so in her own world that she didn't see it, but Hedwig did. She smiled, because the smart human finally catches on with what is going on in her own body.

"Dou you know the charm?" she asks Tonks.

"No, but Mum knows it, she has too as a healer." was Tonks answer.

"Ok."

"Why … do you think that I am pregnant as well?" Tonks looks at Hermione's face and sees that she has gone pale. She was as white as Hedwig's own feathers. In Tonks face Hedwig sees that she recognizes that something isn't right with her friend. "Are you alright?" she asks her concerned.

Hermione turns her face and looks at Tonks with a scared expression. "I think you are not the only one, who needs the charm performed." she answers the question mysteriously.

"What do you mean?" Tonks asks, but a closer look into Hermione's face tells her what she needs to know. Acceptance is the first step. "You mean you could be pregnant too?" Tonks simply wants to clarify her suspicion.

Instead of answering it, she simply nods. Hedwig not only sees, but can feel through the family bond, how scared she is. The other was scared as well, but the reason had to be different, because Hermione's fear is deeper, stronger. No wonder she is younger and on the way into a dangerous mission. But they all are at danger, even the familiars, they are at war. All the familiars would do anything to keep this family save. Even if it is a hard job, but Crook and Hedwig are happy to finally have some help with the dangerous adventures of the younger ones. Even if they don't know now, whether the others are as bad as their humans, only time will answer that.

"Why do you believe that you are pregnant?" Tonks wants to know. Maybe she thinks that she is wrong like she hopes she would be. But Hedwig knew that both of them actually are quite right.

"I have some of your symptoms, but no throwing up. I only feel nauseous and I am tired all the time … Bloody disturbing while researching." she answers.

The bobbly witch chuckles and she isn't the only one, who is surprised at the outburst of the bright witch. Normally she is the one, who scolded her human and the dumb redhead about their language. But here she is using the same language she would normally other scolds for.

"That is not funny." Hermione says angered after Tonks can't stop herself anymore and starts laughing.

"Oh, I think it is. I never heard you use such a language. I accepted better from you." she faked scolds her.

"Hey we are talking about my life her and the drastic changes this baby could bring."

"Hey I am sitting in this boat as well, but the father of your baby will not be a bloody mess." Hermione had to laugh a little about that. "We don't even know if we are pregnant."

"So we need to find out."

Tonks thought a moment about it, before she answers. "You are probably right. I get Mum, but …"

"But what …" Hermione asks after she didn't speak more.

"Where and when did you have sex with Fred? … I remember Dean telling me that sex in the house was against the rules for all of you." Totally bonkers, even if Hedwig was only an animal and a magical animal at that, even she knew that they would find a way to have sex if they really want too. On the contrary, such limitations have in the most cases the other effect. They become a challenge especially for teenagers. Especially if one of them is the brightest witch of her age, which made it easier for them.

That made Hermione blush, but she didn't answer. But Tonks made her own conclusion. "This has to be good. Oh come on, you have to tell me." Tonks begs her for more information.

Hermione takes a sip from her tea, which probably is cold by now, but to delay time he is good enough. In the meantime Tonks almost dies of curiosity. 'Humans, they can't keep their noses out of someone else's business.' After Hermione took all the time, she could form her delay, she says. "He said no sex in the house and let's put it this way we found a loophole somehow."

"Meaning?" Tonks asks because Hermione let's her hanging.

"In all technicalities a car isn't the house itself." was all Hermione answers to that.

It took Tonks only moments to figure it out. "Oh my god. You know he is going to kill you."

"As if he didn't use the car in the same way." Hermione scoffs.

"Oh I don't doubt that, but you know as well as me he is obsessed with that car." Tonks answers.

Not that Hedwig needed to know where the humans did the deed. But she knows after those short sentences that it would be funny to see her brother figure out where his sister had sex. All the familiars know about Dean's unhealthy relationship with his car. No wonder he works on it for almost every day and that for more than one hour. The car even wasn't used that much. Only for grocery runs or so that Dean could get out for some moments. "What he doesn't know can't hurt him." Hermione declares.

"We will see, but first we have other things to think about." With that Tonks stood up, broke the wards and yelled into the hallway. "Mum can you come into the kitchen." with that they waited for some moments for the witch to appear. As soon as she was in the kitchen Tonks redid the wards so that no-one would disturb them.

The older witch looked at her daughter with a raised eyebrow, before she asks. "What got you so riled up, Nymphadora?"

Instead of responding to that like she normally would, she simply ignores is, which was a first. The family found it funny, when her hair would turn red because she was angered because of being called by that name. It made the family laugh, humans and familiars alike. "Mum we need your help with something." she tells her instead.

"I figured as much." she answers he confused. "What can I do for you?"

"It is a delicate matter aunt Andi." Hermione speaks for the first time since she appeared in the kitchen.

The witch turns around and after she sees the pale face of her cousin, she becomes concerned. She walks to her, takes a seat beside her and as she takes her hand she asks. "What is it, Mione?"

"You have to perform a charm, Mum." her daughter tells her as she took a seat beside her.

"Which one?"

"A pregnancy test!" Hermione tells her. She always was a more direct witch. Nothing can come from holding back.

She was shocked as she asks. "What?"

"Yeah, a pregnancy test … for both of us." The last part was whispered.

"What?" Andromeda asks perplex again and slightly louder than before. She looks from one of the younger witches to the other like she searches for a hint of a joke. But after she can't find one, Hedwig sees her posture change into one of a professional as a healer. "Ok."

"Thank you aunt Andi." "Thanks Mum." both witches say at the same time.

"Nothing to thank me for. Do you know how the charm works?" she asks them. They deny it with a shake of their heads. "Ok, so after I perform the charm a ball of light appears. If you are not pregnant it will simply glow white. If you are pregnant it will glow either blue or pink according to the gender of the baby … Do you understand that?" she asks them.

"Yes." they say together.

"Good, who wants to go first?"

Both witches look at each other and discuss that question with their eyes. To Hedwig and Andromeda it was clear that neither of them was so eager to get to know the answer to that particular question. After some moments of silence Tonks sighed. "Let's get this over with."

Andromeda nods, takes out her wand, points at Tonks and performs the charm. After a moment a blue glow appears. She looks at her daughter and tells her. "Congratulations it is a boy." In her face Hedwig could see happiness and panic at the same time. After a moment Andromeda turns to her cousin and asks. "Are you ready?"

"No, but it has to be done."

Without commanding on it, Andromeda points at her and performs the charm. It works like the first time with Tonks, but to the surprise to the entire woman instead of one pink glowing ball, two appear. "That was unaccepted." Andromeda says.

"Does that mean, what I think it means?" she asks in a silent voice.

"Yes, you are expecting twins … twin girls to be precise." Andromeda tells her.

"Bloodying fucking fantastic." Hermione yells to the shock of her cousin. That was an unexpected act for her, so she didn't call her out on it, like she normally would with the statement a lady doesn't curse. "What am I going to do?" she asks the universe after some moments of silence in the kitchen.

All the women were shocked because of the test results. But it wasn't the universe, who answered, but Andromeda. "The both of you will have to talk to Sirius first."

The witches look perplex at her, before they ask. "Why?"

"You both are unmarried and Sirius is the Head of our house. His duty in a case of a pregnant witch out of wedlock is to protect her and the future generations of Blacks."

"Meaning?"

"Sirius isn't a typical Head of House, so he will take your decision in consideration and accept it, whatever it will be."

"He will be so disappointed." Hermione says with tears running down her cheeks.

"Maybe, but he nevertheless loves you very much." she turns to her daughter. "Both of you."

"What will he do with or better to the guys?" Tonks wants to know with a small smile.

Andromeda sighs. "He probably will lecture them and then animate them that they have to propose to you."

"Because it is a scandal to have a child out of wedlock." Hermione says angry. The tears were forgotten because of her anger.

Andromeda takes her cousins hands and says. "He wouldn't be embarrassed because of it. But he has to protect you from becoming an outcast in the wizarding world. Let's not forget we are still way behind the muggle world with many things."

"Ok." Hermione accepts her faith.

"Come on, let's get it over with." she picks Hermione up into a standing position with her hand, before doing the same for her daughter.

"Now?" they ask.

"The sooner the better." with that Andromeda took down the wards and steps out of the kitchen. Hesitantly and in a slightly slower pace both witches follow her. Hedwig watches them leave and shakes her head at the antics of the women. They look like they would walk to the scaffold instead of their family member. One thing is for sure the next months are going to be interesting. But with those three babies on the way there is a little hope at the end of this war horizon. They have now more to fight than before. Maybe this is the thing to make them work harder. Love can do many things and in this case brings light to these dark times. All Hedwig could do is hope, that this war will be over soon so that this family can finally live in peace. She closes her eyes for a long awaited sleep. After all this adventures on this day some calm is what she needs.

PLEASE REVIEW

I hope you like, I thought about trying something different for this chapter.