This chapter is mostly information on creatures and mates. Thanks again to anyone who reviewed! For disclaimer see first chapter.
Chapter 3: A Lesson In Mates
It surprised Harry when Severus lunged over the table at Seamus, eyes blood red and glowing faintly, but what surprised him even more was the surge of anger that suddenly coursed through him that was aimed at Seamus as well. Harry and he rest of the class watched, stunned, as Draco leapt forward not a second after Severus and got in between the furious creature and the stupid Gryffindor.
As if without fear, the blonde placed his hands on the professor's upper arms and muttered calmingly to the elder man, occasionally cooing to the enraged vampire. For Harry knew on sight that was what Professor Snape must be when he saw the elongated canines showing clearly from his snarling mouth. Snape calmed some but did not stop glaring at Seamus with his red eyes until great white wings sprouted from Draco's back and enveloped the two like a cocoon. More muttering and cooing was heard from Draco, and a minute later when the wings folded themselves into his back the professor was himself again, standing tall and sneering ferociously at the class.
Harry felt like he was in some sort of dream. What felt like a calming mist had settled over him when Draco had started cooing, and clearly it had the same affect on Snape, who was currently returning to his desk while Draco retreated to his own. The slam of Snape's textbook on his desk jerked Harry from his stupor and he straightened in his seat, hoping not to anger the teacher any more. The class had not seemed to relax like he had with Draco's noises, and sat rigid in their seats. Seamus looked to be in shock.
Glaring at the class, Snape began his lesson.
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Draco let out a sigh of relief as he returned to his desk and Severus returned to his. McGonagall had said that if either of them attacked a student – even once – they would both be out of Hogwarts in the blink of an eye. He knew Severus didn't love his job enough to be horribly upset if they were kicked out, but he also knew that his lover wanted him to finish his education and succeed in life. The older man had said that he was too talented to be stuck in a rut. So he had returned to school, and look where it was getting him.
Calming down rabid vampires and mated to Harry-fucking-Potter.
Shaking his head at the thought, Draco zoned back into the real world in time to hear Severus begin to speak.
"I see that no one listened to Headmistress McGonagall yesterday evening." The highly irritated man hissed, looming over his desk threateningly and staring down the students; all but Potter glancing away quickly. Draco snorted softly – bloody cowards.
"I would like you all to engrain in your memories that moment and share it with your classmates. That was what it looks like when you insult, injure, threaten, or otherwise harass a creature's mate. Most creatures wouldn't even react that placidly; you'd be dead in an instant." Severus' silky voice washed over Draco, and his fried nerves finally started to calm. Being faced with his furious Dominant was not a comfortable experience, that was for sure.
"As you saw, when emotions or hormones run high, creatures such as myself will show their 'true colors';" Severus sneered, "eyes change hue, weaponry such as claws and fangs will become elongated, and – in some cases – appendages such as wings and other remarkable physical traits will come into play. As I said, this happens especially when a creature's mate is physically or mentally attacked, but can also happen in bouts of extreme feeling, such as happiness, and during intercourse. " He stated, ignoring the alarmed looks that ran through the room. Draco smirked; they didn't understand how sexy Severus looked to him when his fangs were peaking out as he pounded him into their mattress. His professor continued.
"Now, wizards and witches with creature inheritances come into this upon their 18th birthday, as all people with magic do. Upon this inheritance, they can feel a pull to their mate – but only if said mate is 18 and up. Mates, creature or human, do not feel the tug until their 18th year, and will not feel it until their mate is of age as well. Creatures will feel their mate immediately, and can find them based on scent, among other things. A creature's mate will smell particularly enticing and they will be drawn to that person. They will also feel extremely jealous over, and protective of that individual. Not only that, but they will even be stimulated at the thought or sight of their significant other." Severus' eyes darted to Draco for a millisecond before focusing on the class again.
"Dominant humans that have submissive creature mates will feel this way of their creature as well, but will not be able to tell by smell. Instead, they will have dreams of their mate, usually starting off by remembering nothing, but slowly gaining more and more memories of the dreams before they find said individual." The veela glanced over at Potter, who was taking down notes diligently. His scent still permeated the air, and Draco could smell it clearly. He wondered what dreams the other male had been having, but had to cut that thought short before it lead to a place he did not want to go in class.
"Now, I have been speaking about mates as pairs, but I only say this because it the most common. A creature can have up to three mates, though the least common is three. These mates will be bonded for life if they choose to accept it. In many cases, the creature cannot deny the human but the human can deny the creature, effectively killing the individual with the creature inheritance. Many creatures simply cannot survive without their mates. The bonding ritual itself is done by having intercourse. The Dominant and submissive bite each other – also known as 'marking' – where the shoulder meets the neck at the time when they both come to completion." Draco felt more than saw the eyes on his neck and he hunched a little more into his robes. He scowled and returned his gaze to Severus, who had begun speaking again.
"Bonding rituals are acknowledged by most as the equivalent to marriage, though most bonded mates will eventually also have a ceremony and become legally married. If a bonded mate leaves those they are bonded with, they die." The professor finished. Draco shuddered at the thought of ever being without the potions master, and glanced at Potter once more. He noted the look of shock as Severus gave the class their homework, and then quickly packed up his things before leaving for dinner.
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Thank you for reading, the next chapter will be up as soon as possible. Sorry it's so short.