AN- Here is Chapter three, I have considered giving up on this story several times but my wonderful beta keeps coaxing me on with it. So for those of you who are enjoying the story you should send a big thank you SnowTigerQueen's direction. As always I own nothing I'm just playing with it a bit. Read and Review!
Draco quickly gathered his things before returning to the parlor. Asher was currently lounging on the couch with his eyes closed, while Snape was whispering to Narcissa.
"Well if I'd known he was going to take a nap I would've taken the time to pack everything neatly." Draco scoffed.
Asher opened his eyes glaring at the blond. "Let's see you save your ass and not be tired afterwards." he spoke with a bit of a bite in his voice before closing his eyes again.
"Oh, I'm sorry I don't recall asking you to shield me with your body. I could have protected myself thank you very much." Draco retorted crossing his arms.
Asher let out a deep rumbling laugh getting to his feet. "Yeah sure and I'm a Hippogriff too. You wouldn't even let go of me when we got in here."
"You wouldn't even have been here to save me if I hadn't rescued you first when you collapsed on the lawn!" Draco glared at the other teen.
Asher let out a growl as a wind began to blow about the room and his wings once again burst from his back. "You wouldn't even have needed to do that if I hadn't had to fight your Father before battling Voldemort to save your ass!" bellowed the outraged teen. It had been a seriously bad idea for Draco to fuck with him.
Draco shivered a bit at the sudden outburst before coming to a realization.
"Wait, Sev said Potter killed Lucius." he replied confused.
Asher shot a glare at the blond moving past him. "And here I thought you were a clever Slytherin Malfoy." He scoffed pouring all of the old hate he had felt into his tone placing a hand on Snape's shoulder as well as one on Narcissa's.
"But, you can't be Potter. Potter is short and scrawny and tan and wears glasses, and Potter and Severus definitely didn't get along well enough to be Father and Son." Draco rambled forgetting about his earlier anger. Now he was simply confused.
Asher turned his head away. "Blood adoptions and glamours can do a lot to a person." he said softly, taking a bit of pity on the smaller teen.
"Will you explain it to me later?" Draco asked biting his lip nervously as he joined the group. Narcissa placed her arms around his shoulders.
Asher nodded, leaning against his father for support. He stared tiredly at his father, hoping he would be able to sleep once he got home.
Draco suddenly felt the sensation of sinking into a pool of jello, the continued to sink further and further into the thickness before he finally felt them emerge again. He was afraid to open his eyes for fear of vomiting on Asher; it definitely would not be his preferred method of travel. Narcissa and Snape had both moved away but as foolish as it made him feel Draco continued clinging to Asher like his life depended on it with his eyes clenched shut. "That was horrible." He managed to whimper.
Asher winced sympathetically. "That would be my kind's version of apparating. Sorry I guess I should of warned ya." Asher said, before gently leading the other to the couch, and calling for a house elf to bring him water. "It's like that the first couple of times." he said softly.
"No there will not be a first couple of times that was the first and only time." Draco shook his head sipping at the water the house elf delivered. Leaning into the couch with a deep sigh, he finally took in his surroundings. They were in what appeared to be a large richly furnished manor house.
"Asher!" A red head poked their head into the room from the kitchen. "We were all beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come back."
"Why'd you bring the ferret to The Vipers Den?" Another identical red head joined his twin in the sitting room.
Asher sent a glare to both the twins, giving them the, silence yourself before I silence you look, and then turned back to Draco, making sure the other male was alright.
"What is the Vipers Den?" Draco asked looking around the room as yet another person joined them. Luna Lovegood approached standing on her tip toes to hug Asher and kiss him on the cheek. "I told you you would get taller. " She smiled before twirling off to go sit in a chair by the window.
Asher chuckled and shook his head at his little demons antics. "This is the Vipers Den. Welcome to Black manor." Asher said, still watching Draco.
"Black? Like Sirius Black the murderer?" Draco asked as a large hand clamped down on his shoulder.
"I'll have you know I was cleared of all charges after Asher killed Moldy warts." Draco whipped his head around to find Sirius Black himself standing there. It startled him so bad he jumped away falling off the couch at Asher's feet. His pale face blushed a light powder pink when he looked up to find Asher looking down on him with a bemused expression.
Asher walked around the couch with a chuckle and went to give his godfather a hug. He looked up at the man with a smirk and watched to see what Draco's expression would be.
"I think I need to lie down." Draco moaned sprawling out right there on the floor in front of the couch.
"What did you do to Malfoy now Ash?" another new voice joined into the mix. Draco opened his eyes just enough to see Neville Longbottom enter. At least he thought it was Longbottom. This teen was taller and stronger looking and he carried himself differently than Longbottom. The teen walked over kissing Luna on the cheek.
"I flashed him." Asher chuckled with the biggest grin on his face Draco had ever seen as Potter or Asher. It was very becoming on him Draco had to admit.
It was from this vantage point however that Draco noticed a dark stain seeping through the front of Asher's shirt. Without even thinking he clambered to his feet and approached the other teen ignoring Sirius he grabbed the hem of Asher's shirt surprising them both with his bravery and lifted it to reveal the gash running across his abs. "You've lost enough blood in the past week you need to get that taken care of." Draco murmured running the tips of his fingers around the edge of the wound trying to judge how deep it might be.
Asher winced and pulled back quickly. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch." he said turning his head away and starting to walk towards the bathroom and trying to avoid the topic.
"Bullshit, that is not just a scratch." Draco argued following him to the bathroom. "Let me fix it for you." He added a little more quietly aware of the people watching them.
Asher glared at the other boy for a moment. "I'm fine Draco. It will heal." He said pulling back again. He didn't like being worried about, it didn't feel right.
"Please Asher, I know you don't like people taking care of you and like to do things on your own but just this once would you let me heal it for you?" Draco gave Asher his best puppy dog pleading face. Not entirely sure why it was he cared so much to begin with, but caring all the same.
Asher sighed and nodded, pulling off his shirt to show off his perfectly sculpted abs, the bloody gash running down his side about an half an inch deep was a contrast to his otherwise Golden skin.
Draco swallowed with a gulp his mouth going dry at the sight. 'I'm not gay I'm not gay." He told himself a few times in his head before running his wand over the wound highly pleased with himself as the skin stitched itself together leaving shiny pink scar tissue in its wake that would be back to the normal perfect smoothness in a few hours. "No one ever did tell me what your inheritance is." He commented offhandedly running his fingertips over the now smooth skin.
"You're a smart boy Malfoy, I'm sure you'll figure it out." Asher replied catching the blonds hand in his own giving it a squeeze before brushing past him back out into the sitting room where everyone else was waiting. Draco sat down on the toilet a moment not really wanting to go out and socialize with the people who had been his enemies for so long. He could hardly wait in the bathroom forever though so he made his way out to join everyone finding a window seat overlooking an extensive property he sat hugging his knees looking out the window as rain began to splatter on the glass obscuring the view.
It was similar to the distortion Draco felt had seeped into his life.
Asher had made himself content on the couch with his feet propped in George Weasley's lap discussing what had happened after Voldemort had been killed.
"They found Granger's body; It looked like she'd been trying to run away from the fight when she was hit with the killing curse." Neville commented.
"Ron has been beside himself. He's been threatening to kill you for letting her die. Well threatening to kill Potter anyway." Fred added.
"Potter is already dead so best of luck to him on that." Asher laughed.
"You know the ministry's is going to be after you now right?" George nudged Asher's leg.
"Yeah I know," Asher gave a dramatic sigh. He kept looking over in Draco's direction knowing the teen wouldn't be comfortable joining the conversation though he left him brood. Later in the evening the twins announced they needed to return to their shop and Luna and Neville were going out for the evening.
Sirius was spending the full moon with Remus and Snape and Narcissa were simply spending time catching up.
Draco didn't notice everyone else had left the room until Asher approached him.
Asher held out his hand to Draco with an inviting smile which lit up his face. "Shall I show you around?" He asked.
Draco gave a slight shrug and stood ignoring the offered hand. "Yeah, I guess. Couldn't hurt to know my way around." He gave a sad smile.
Not much was said as Asher led the blond through the home. It was more luxurious than anything Draco had ever seen, it made Malfoy manor look like the burrow. Everything was made of the finest materials known to man. Rich redwood paneling covered most of the walls and the floors were all either marble or a rare black wood which seemed fitting for Black Manor.
The only thing the Vipers had done to the place was to convert one of the two ballrooms into a muggle haven. There was a lounge area with a television and video game systems bean bag chairs piled on the floor in front of the contraptions. There was also a section with a bar and a pool table and another section contained a punching bag and a padded area for wrestling or kickboxing.
As the two made their way through the giant manor Draco began to feel a little bit better and decided to ask. "So what's it like, not having a maniac trying to kill you all the time?"
Asher gave a small smile and a slight chuckle. "Voldemort wasn't my only enemy though you know." He replied, "The ministry is none too happy with me right now."
"Yeah but they aren't out to kill you... right?" Draco added suddenly unsure of himself.
Asher smirked. "they wouldn't be if I hadn't decided to take over for Moldy shorts. In a more effective way of course"
"You, I, He. You are what?" Draco exclaimed as they entered what Asher had called his wing of the house.
"I didn't think you'd have to be told twice Malfoy." Asher said, with an unimpressed look in his eyes.
"You took me by surprise, that's all. Is it too soon to pledge my loyalty to your cause?" Draco asked with a smile not entirely sure rather the other teen was joking or not.
Asher chuckled a bit evilly. "You would need to take up initiation with the twins. And find out what position you would take." Asher said with a smirk.
Draco shivered at the double meaning that could be misconstrued in that sentence. "They will kill me you realize this don't you? I would be dead in minutes."
Asher who was obviously finding a lot of amusement in this smirked. "You are allowed to fight back. It's to test your skills and see where you fit."
"How long have you known me? What have I ever been able to throw at you? You know I can't fight. You would really let them kill me for amusement?" Draco was beginning to get a little bit panicky at the new sadistic side of this teen he'd known since the age of eleven. "You've been saying it for years and I'm not afraid to admit it. I am a coward."
Asher chuckled and stared at the younger teen. "It is my decision in finality. What skills do you have that would interest my cause?" Asher said with a bit of skepticism.
"None, Forget I said anything." Draco replied his earlier depression returning." If you could point me in the direction of my room I'm tired."
Asher stared at the smaller boy. "Draco explain yourself." Asher said with the look of tell me or die.
"I don't have to explain myself to you." Draco replied refusing to meet Asher's eyes. Thoughts of his Father telling him he was worthless flooding his mind making him want to cry. He folded his arms over his chest looking everywhere but at Asher he leaned against the wall chewing his lip nervously.
Asher gently put his finger under Draco's chin, tilting the other boys chin up to look him in the eyes for a moment, then took the boys arm and led Draco into his room, then made Draco sit. "Explain yourself." Asher said again a little more softly this time.
"I've never been good enough. My grades always second best to Granger's my Quidditch always second best to Potter. I'll always be worthless and of no use to anyone. I can't do anything right. I couldn't even kill Dumbledore to save my Mother." Draco's eyes began to tear up as he blinked furiously trying to hold the tears at bay. "Can I go to bed now?"
Asher shook his head gently kissing Draco's forehead. "Granger isn't as good as you think. She always cheated and couldn't do anything unless Dumblefuck rigged it. I never liked Quidditch, only played to keep up appearances." Asher said softly, moving his hand up and gently wiping the tears away, then called for a house elf to bring Draco a cup of warm Hot Chocolate. "Drink this before you sleep, it's good at helping you rest." he said softly before leaving.
Draco stirred the next morning feeling strangely like someone was staring at him. The room was empty but the side of the king size bed he hadn't slept on looked wrinkled like someone had been sitting on it and a familiar scent lingered in the room.
The blond snuggled deeper into the silky sheets that were still cool against his skin even after sleeping in them all night. He lay on his back and stretched trying to remember all of the events of the previous day and noticed a dream catcher hanging above his head he didn't remember seeing it the night before and upon closer inspection it appeared to be made of a willow branch and spider webbing.
On the pillow next to his head there was also a book. The title read. 'The Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures'
Checking the time and realizing it was still rather early Draco headed to the bathroom attached to his bedroom once again awe struck by the splendor of this house. The floors of his bathroom were made entirely of black marble all of the fixtures were chrome. A sunken Jacuzzi tub was set into the center of the floor with a separate shower off to the side. Even the toilet had it's own closet. He had to wonder if even royalty lived this good.
After finishing in the bathroom Draco climbed back into bed with the book and started at the beginning in the A section and kept reading. He made it to the H section before finding what he was looking for.
Harpies.
Harpies are one of the rarest species known to wizarding kind and as such not much is known about the species. It is very well known that a Harpy is extremely powerful and able to withstand spells that would debilitate most wizards.
The Harpy gene will only manifest itself in very powerful individuals who have a Harpy ancestry. Typically the Harpy inheritance and transformation will take place at the age of Twenty-one when the individual would be considered an adult by Harpy standards.
During the painful transformation the Harpy will develop wings as well as fangs which are used for blood feedings, young Harpies need blood feedings at least three times a week for the first month after their transformation. The frequency of these feedings will dwindle to about once a week after this time period. Harpies are also generally very in tune with nature and often gain elemental abilities.
Other physical changes are common such as stature and hair and eye color. Other magical abilities and skills of the Harpy are unknown.
As is typical with many magical species of creature the Harpy is known to have a mate. Throughout adolescence and until the mate is found the Harpy is typically a very physical and promiscuous creature taking many partners in the search of their mate.
Harpies are familial creatures very similar to Werewolves in their protective nature of their family or pack; Adolescent Harpies are very temperamental and volatile and should be approached with extreme caution.
After reading the section on Harpies Draco was pretty certain he had figured out Asher's inheritance but a few things still didn't add up. The book said Harpies transformed at twenty-one. Sev had said Asher wouldn't be sixteen until October.
The part about Asher being a slut until his mate was found didn't sit too well with the blond either. Draco hadn't realized how long he had been reading for until his stomach let out a loud growl.
A chuckle came from the door and Draco looked up to see Asher in the doorway with a breakfast tray.
"How long have you been standing there?" Draco demanded.
"Long enough to see you scrunch up that pretty little nose of yours in confusion." Asher laughed bringing the tray laden with waffles, bacon, eggs, strawberries and whipped cream and tea forward. "I made breakfast this morning and when you didn't show up I thought you might be hungry."
"Hungry yes, but you do realize I am only one person right? And my nose is not pretty." Draco eyed all of the food suspiciously.
"I know," Asher grinned. "I wasn't sure what you liked so I brought a bit of everything, and you're right it's not pretty it's gorgeous." He finished teasingly.
"Okay we can agree on that then." Draco shrugged taking a strawberry dipping it in the cream. "So you're a harpy then?" He asked concentrating on licking the whipped cream from his fingers so he didn't have to look at Asher.
Asher watched Draco's tongue dart in and out of his mouth a moment with hooded eyes before tearing them away with a silent nod he sat down on the end of the bed.
"No other questions?" He asked raising an eyebrow.
"You get irritated when I ask questions." Draco replied still concentrating on his food. "Quite frankly I prefer to not piss you off."
"I get irritated when you ask pointless question actually." Asher corrected still watching the blond expectantly.
"My questions aren't pointless if I don't know the answer to them." Draco replied pointedly taking another strawberry. "The book says Harpies don't go through their change until they are twenty-one, Sev said you'd be sixteen in October. Why did you change so early?"
Asher bit his lip a moment before answering. "My core absorbed more magic than it could handle so it got bigger and because I can never be normal my body decided it was time to change."
"Is that why it was so bad?" Draco then questioned leaning forward in interest seeming to forget about the food.
"No, it would have hurt either way. It's painful for any species." Asher replied motioning for Draco to eat more.
The blond piled some bacon and eggs onto a waffle folding it into a sandwich and taking a bite he chewed slowly thinking of his next question. "It said you need blood. Where does that come from?" He asked feeling foolish.
"Father has been my donor but typically we would get it from our mates." Asher blushed.
"About that, are you going to be spending any time outside of your bedroom? It says you'll be physical with people until you find your mate. When are you going to become Mr. Pimp?" Draco scowled losing his appetite and pushing away the tray.
"I already have." Asher grinned not thinking about how he phrased his sentence.
"I don't really need to know about your sexual exploits or who you are fucking thanks." Draco spat jumping to his feet and storming to his bathroom.
Asher growled as Draco slammed the door. "That's not what I meant, I'm not fucking anyone. I found my mate already!" He bellowed storming out and slamming the door behind him.
Draco listened to the door bang shut from the bathroom gazing at himself in the mirror he ran a hand over the stubble on his chin.
"I couldn't stand him when he was Potter and I still can't stand him as Asher Snape." He murmured to his reflection. In a split second decision Draco got dressed and slipped downstairs and out the front door hoping no one would see him go or notice he was missing until he was long gone.
He didn't know where he was to begin with so he didn't want to risk apparating and splinching himself so instead Draco took off across the property in the rain running until he reached the forest and continuing to run tripping over tree roots and branches until it hurt to breath before finally stumbling over a branch landing on his knees in the mud. He couldn't find it in himself to get up again. Lucius was right. He was worthless and he would die here in the woods alone and no one would miss him.
Asher had been calming himself by submersing into a game of Super Mario and had been at it for hours when Fred and George entered plopping down on the couch behind the beanbag chair Asher was sitting in.
"What did you do with the ferret?" George asked. He winced when Asher's grip on the game controller tightened causing the piece of plastic to creak and groan under the stress.
"Sore subject looks like brother of mine." Fred commented taking the controller from Asher before he broke it.
"I haven't done anything, though I haven't seen him since he started being a prick at breakfast." Asher said with a bit of bite in his voice. Once said he started to think back on the day. He hadn't seen Draco once. He handed the controller to Gred and got up, walking up the stairs to Draco's room, only to find it empty. Once he realized Draco was gone he quickly ran downstairs and asked, "When was the last time you saw him?"
"Who are you looking for?" Neville asked as he and Luna entered the room hand in hand sitting down at the bar.
Asher gave him a stare then, gestured to the room and asked sarcastically. "Which teen is missing." He then placed his hands on his hips giving the boy a look that clearly said 'are you that dumb. "I'm looking for the fucking tooth fairy Neville who else?"
"Oh, Malfoy. Didn't know he had left his room today." Neville shrugged ignoring Asher's outburst.
"He went for a walk this morning after you started playing the Mario. He hasn't come back." Luna chimed in.
Asher stared at his young witchling with a stare that said you couldn't have told me this sooner! He quickly ran out of the room, grabbed a jacket next to the door than ran outside. He started to shout Draco but realized in rain like this he wouldn't be heard. He quickly opened up his wings and took off, not worrying about the weather, only worrying about finding Draco. When he finally spotted a little piece of blond he dropped down.
Draco had been in the same place in the mud just letting the rain fall chilling him to the bone. Feeling sorry for himself, he had lost track of time reliving every failure he had ever been punished for. The woods around him had vanished and he didn't hear Asher land behind him nor notice his presence until the Harpy grabbed him by the collar yanking him to his feet.
Draco shivered at the sight before him and it had nothing to do with being wet and cold. Asher was standing there with his wings at full span the rain running off of them his crimson hair dripped and his arms were crossed over his bare chest imposingly. With a sigh Draco dropped his gaze to the ground. "What do you want?" he murmured.
Asher stared at the blond as if he had just said he was a flying monkey with six legs. "Are you bloody insane! Why in the bloody hell are you trying to kill yourself!" Asher said, his voice getting to almost a yelling point. He would never understand the blond, he had finally decided this.
"I wasn't trying too." Draco shrugged not even entirely sure of what he was saying. "I just decided that I couldn't stand you when you were Potter and I still can't seem to get along with you now. So I left and this is where I ended up." He finally looked up at the other teen his silver eyes now seemed a duller more defeated gray and his normally pristine blond hair was hanging in his face sticking to his forehead. "It's not like anyone wants me in The Viper Den anyway."
Asher gave a growl. "I wouldn't have come out here if you weren't wanted. I wouldn't have told you anything about me if you weren't wanted. I wouldn't have giving you the damn book if I hadn't wanted you there. All I wanted was for you to stop assuming something that is not true. You should ask your questions better. Be the Slytherin you used to be and use your bloody head." Ranted the teen as he paced back and forth. I mean really the blond had claimed to be the bloody ice prince of Slytherin!
"Tell me Asher, Have you really been welcoming of my questions? Would it have been that hard to give me answers without me having to ask you? How long did it take you to notice I was missing? Who else noticed I was gone? Who was it that noticed I had left the house?" Draco finally shouted. "I am sick and fucking tired of everyone putting me down and insulting my intelligence! Think about it, If in my shoes would you have not assumed the same damn thing?" He leaned back against a mossy tree trunk to hold himself steady. " I am either Malfoy or Ferret to everyone in that house and I have nothing in common with any of them!"
Asher stared at the blond for a moment. "You're Draco Malfoy. A smart and cunning Slytherin I've known since I was 11. Yes I still think you're a prat but you're still you. But I do welcome your questions; I don't welcome the way you ask them. You may have been a prince in your house but you have to understand you aren't with people you treated kindly for a very long time. If you would shut your ego down for just a little while and actually got to know some of the people in that house, you'd find you have a lot more in common then you realize." Asher said with a cold voice.
"I really don't know what you're doing out here. I didn't ask for anyone to come looking for me. Just leave me alone." Draco shook his head his dripping hair completely covering his eyes now as he slid down the tree to sit in the mud again.
He then finally gave in and leaned down, forcing Draco over his shoulder and started walking back to the manor. He wasn't about to let the blond go on a pity party that would get him killed. Draco meant more to Asher then he knew but in the end, he would thank Asher for this, one day
"Let go of me you bloody maniac!" Draco screamed hitting Asher on the back as hard as he possibly could which didn't even seem to faze the teen. For a moment Draco found himself admiring the Harpies arse before screaming at himself in his head. 'I am not gay and I am not attracted to Asher!' "I don't want to go back put me the fuck down!" He continued yelling.
Asher gave the blond a gently swat to the ass. "Shut up you bloody imbecile. I will put you down once we get into the house." Asher growled out. He had only so much patience.
A tired looking Remus opened the door when both dripping teens arrived back at the house and grinned a wolfish grin as Asher placed Draco on his own two feet and the blond huffed in annoyance stomping off to his bedroom muttering about psychopathic bloody chicken boys.
"I see you have found your mate." Remus commented quietly enough that he knew only he and Asher would hear both of them having sensitive hearing. "Sirius wasn't quite so difficult to convince. I can definitely say he didn't run away when I told him." The werewolf chuckled.
Asher looked down, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "H-He doesn't know yet." He said, almost too softly for the werewolf to hear.
"I'm sorry pup; I didn't mean to, I mean I didn't know. I'm sure his reaction will be better than that when you tell him." Remus gave him a sympathetic look. "Why don't you put your chicken wings away so I can hug you?" He smiled softly.
Asher laughed and winced as his wings slowly slid into his back, residing between his shoulder blades. Once done he jumped on Remus and held tight. "I missed your uncle Moony." he said softly. No matter that he wasn't a potter; Remus would always be Uncle Moony.