I sincerely apologize for such a long wait, but I've been unwell and had to stay in the hospital for a little bit. I'm getting better now and I've also found my muse back. Apparently getting dead bored in a hospital room has his uses.
Well, I won't say more and leave you to the story. Hope you like.
After breakfast Fenrir created a portkey to take them all to his pack while Alya summoned her medical bag. She had packed it the night before with any potion, salve, herb she may need along with enough gauzes for an army.
They found themselves in the middle of a clearing, just outside a forest. Fenrir explained that his pack lived on the other side of the forest and that they had put several wards, confounding charms and compulsions on the outskirts of the forest to discourage people from venturing in. The ones that did it anyway often found themselves caught in the traps laid around.
He urged them to stay close to him and not venture away if they wanted all their libs to remain attached.
After a long trek they arrived in another clearing, this one extremely wide, enough for a village to be built inside and surrounded by forest on all sides.
The wolves had been wary of the wizards at first, some even refusing to be visited and healed by Alya. She could understand their reluctance but it was making her work needlessly harder.
Fenrir was busy speaking with his pack, mainly the males, trying to make them understand that the girl was a friend and wanted to help them, leaving the group of wizards to stand uncomfortably on the side.
"Maybe he should have warned them beforehand" Rabastan grumbled
"Hush" his brother reprimanded him "It's his pack, you don't question the alpha's decisions"
Just then one of the cubs broke away from his mother and ran towards the strangers, curiosity getting the better of him. Alya caught him in her harms as he tripped and was about to painfully fall to the ground.
Before she could realize the situation the air was filled with angry growls of battle.
Turning, careful to shield the cub in her arms she saw two wolves snarling at each other. The one facing her looked enraged and out for blood, he had reddish brown fur and one of his ears had the tip bitten off. The other that she could only see from behind was a deep midnight black, he was hunched down to protect her and ready to attack at any moment. He was growling menacingly and coupled with the fact that he looked bigger than the other wolf, he looked intimidating.
The smaller wolf jumped forward, his intention to avoid the other wolf and attack her but he was intercepted by the black one who rose to his hind legs and sunk his teeth in the soft jugular.
The reddish fur quickly became dark red with blood, pained whimpers escaping from his muzzle. The black wolf showed no mercy though until the other turned on his belly in a sign of submission. Only then he released the flesh between his razor sharp teeth and turned to check on her. He circled around Alya multiple times, sniffing and making sure there was no scratch on her. Before rising to his hind legs and licking her check.
"I'll be damned" Rodolphus exclaimed "The boy sure is dangerous"
At his words the wolf turned back into Blaise and the young man smirked smugly.
"Yes, that was some fight" Fenrir agreed "I didn't expect you to be 'one of us', so to say. I'm impressed by the mastery you show of your form"
"Thank you" Blaise nodded
"Maybe we could spar together sometimes" the werewolf grinned excited at the prospect of such a competent adversary
"Sure."
"What the hell happened?" Alya snapped, irritated by the casual way they were acting
"Ya see little lady" Fenrir said "This idiot here saw you catch his cub and reacted without even knowing what happened and tried to kill you. Fortunately your knight in dark armor was here"
"Well.. That's just stupid" she said glaring at the man still on the ground "I just avoided your cub a nasty fall to the ground. I came here to heal those of the pack who needs treatment, not to hurt anyone!"
"That's what I was telling them" Fenrir nodded "Though I didn't have much luck, as you can see"
"That's because you men can't think with your upper heads" She snapped "Bunch of morons all of you"
"Now, that's not true" Rabastan tried to defend
"Hush" she turned to the werewolf still assembled away from them "I take charge of the situation from now on"
"Listen girl, you can't" one of the men tried to object
"Shut up! You will all shut the fuck up and obey, otherwise I'm going to become very unpleasant to deal with and you won't like that believe me" she threatened calmly "I want all the ones who are wounded badly first, then the ill children. After that I will see every one of the pack, No EXCEPTIONS, in this following order, children, women and men."
"Better not cross the Dark Princess" Blaise warned them
"Yeah, the last one was Bella and she finds herself missing an arm" Rabastan snickered, amused by his sister in law's conditions. The bitch had it coming, he hated the way she thought she was the queen of the world, how she threw herself at their Lord uncaring of her bond with his brother and how she cursed anyone without reason.
Some of the wolves were now looking at Alya both impressed by her commanding presence, despite her young age and short stature, and startled by the man's word. That a so innocent and sweet looking girl could be so vicious and against a woman that everyone was weary of, made them reluctant to anger her.
The poor idiot who tried to attack her, were he still in wolf from, he would have tucked his tail between his legs whimpering pitifully at his stupidity.
One by one every member of the pack was visited and healed by Alya, she had transfigured a little tent so they could be tented to in private without her having to ask for one of their homes as a base. Fenrir stayed present all the time, unless one of the women needed to undress, in this case he would step just outside of the tent flaps but still near enough to be near his pack.
After the first few patients, word sped quickly of her skill and gentleness. Not only that but they all realized that she really did not care of their creature status, she treated all of them as equals. With the pups she was all smiles, knowing they would be afraid, and once they were done they got some kind of sweet from her as reward for their bravery.
When lunch time came she could be found playing with the younger cubs while Blaise was mock wresting with the older boys in wolf form. Fenrir could barely believe his eyes, that wizards could interact so freely and happily with his pack was something he could have never thought could happen, let alone having the Dark Princess lowering herself playing with what were commonly defined child monsters.
It was both heartwarming and an honor to witness such a sight for the old werewolf.
In the end Alya decided to spend the rest of the day with the pack, moving to talk to the women once the pups were put down for a much deserved nap, now exhausted from all their playing; while Blaise moved to spar with the older men, giving and receiving tips on his fighting in wolf form.
Amusingly enough, the Lestrange brothers were taking a nap too. The two men had been adamant of the fact that they were fine and all, but as soon as they sat down after lunch they had fallen asleep leaning on each other.
The group reappeared in the dining room just in time for dinner and wasted no time in diving for the food.
"Care to explain why you lot are behaving like savages?" Narcissa asked with pursed lips. Couldn't they have gone to wash up before the meal at least? Someone definitely smelled bad.
"We're hungry" Alya answered as the only one without a mouth full of food "I had to do a lot of healing and diagnostic charms get tiring too after the first thirty patients." She said "then I also played with the cubs, they sure are full of energy… I'm never giving candy to a child again" she complained
Fenrir snorted "Those are bouncing of the walls on a good day without any candy, your sweets certainly didn't help"
"How was I to know that were children are so hyperactive?" she pouted
"Doesn't explain why the rest of them can't eat like civilized people" The older woman insisted, she had always been anal about etiquette
"I sparred with the wolves all day, I'm starving" Blaise quickly said before attacking another chicken leg
"You fought with wolves?" Draco asked wide eyed
"Yup. I got a good workout and several fighting tips from the older warriors" he nodded "I'll have to go back sometime, if Fenrir is ok with it of course"
"Anytime, little alpha" the wolf smirked. He had ample time to observe and judge the young man during the day and after a spar between the two of them he was ready to acknowledge him as his equal. The other people seated at the table did a double take at his address of the boy but he just shrugged off their inquisitive looks. If the little alpha didn't want his animagus form to be known he certainly wouldn't tell and he knew that the brothers felt the same way.
"I trust that everything is settled with your pack, Fenrir?" Voldemort asked, stopping Narcissa from complaining more about their state. He could see the grass stains on their clothes and honestly he could care less.
"Yes, the little Lady healed all my warriors and took care of the ill children." The alpha said "Thanks to her generosity my pack is going to proper this season"
"Good" the man nodded
"Don't forget that I'm willing to come anytime your pack needs me" Alya piped up smiling. She had fun with the pups and women of the pack and was happy to be able to help them.
"I'm going to call for a meeting of the inner circle soon" Voldemort continued, as if she never spoke "I'm just going to decide how to deal with Severus first"
"I say feed him to your snake" Fenrir suggested
"I still have use of him" he drawled "But once it's all said and done he will pay, make no mistake of it"
"My Lord" Lucius called "When will Draco be marked to join our cause?"
Alya scrunched her nose, not liking the idea of her cousin being branded like cattle
"Soon, Lucius"
"Is that what Draco wants or what you want?" she asked Lucius
"He will be honored to serve our Lord"
"Really?" she drawled "I thought that Malfoys bow to no one" she recited his favorite motto "And now you want Draco to be a servant?"
"That is not the meaning of becoming a death eater you insolent little girl!"
"Sure, as if you don't bow to kiss the hem of his robes every time he calls for you" she mocked "Draco will not be marked as a death eater, unless that is what he really wants. Otherwise he will me MY follower" she stated
"You can't decide this sort of thing. Learn your place!" Lucius bellowed
"I know perfectly well my place. As it is, I'll always be above you"
That said she tossed her napkin on the table and left the room, tired of having to argue with her uncle because of his stupidity at every meal. When did he become so obtuse? Could his short stay in Azkaban have done all this damage? In less than a month at that..
"My Lord, I apologize for her insolence" Lucius pleaded, ready to fall on his knees should his lord ask him to
"Silence, Lucius" Voldemort said "Tell me young Draco. What is it that you want?" he asked, mainly out of curiosity for what his answer would be
"I wish to follow Alya, My Lord" he said, his voice shaking but trying his best to stand proud.
"Is that so? And why exactly is that?"
"She is extremely powerful, as you could see, she is also very smart and cunning, the very essence of a Slytherin. Her ideas and goals are what we really need to make our world prosper." He said "I believe that she will achieve great results, without the use of excessive violence or starting another war"
Voldemort chuckled amused by the naïve view of the world of the kids and by his loyalty to the girl "How about a compromise? I will wait to mark you, but you will still obey my orders in the meantime. If your precious cousin shows that she is capable of what you say in.. a year? ..I will leave you to follow her otherwise you will take my mark. What you say Draco Malfoy?"
"I accept, My Lord" Draco said without hesitation "I have the utmost faith in Alya's abilities and I know she will reach her goals"
'This will be fun' Voldemort thought, ready to see what the little girl that kept claiming to be his daughter was capable of.
