See first chapter for disclaimers/warnings/summaries.
RECAP:Harry readjusts to student life and finds himself fascinated with Daphne Greengrass, only to learn from Megan that the Slytherin girl is a dragel Beta. There are even other dragels at Hogwarts and perhaps other creatures as well. Harry joins Megan on a special picnic sponsored by Professor Sprout as a reward for her students' hard work. Here, Harry meets a few of Megan's friends, the twins Amelia and Leonard, and some fellow 'Puffs when he joins them on a picnic outside by the Lake.
Megan stood patiently by the bedroom door as the whirlwind known as Harry wriggled his feet into his shoes while threading his arms awkwardly through his robe, his bookbag on the floor and his glasses half-perched on the end of his nose. Her lips twitched in mild amusement and she cleared her throat, softly, to gain his attention. "Come," she beckoned, when he looked up.
Harry shuffled over quickly, scowling down at his tie as he tried to heft his bookbag up onto his rumpled shoulder. Normally, he wasn't really late—just close to it—but today, he'd slept in and Megan had let him, waking him with enough time to get ready—until he'd fallen asleep in the shower. She'd turned the taps cold then, to wake him up, then kissed him in apology, ignoring his spluttering when she told him what time it was.
That had set him in motion and now, here he was. He didn't know how he always managed to mix this up, as he would think after all of these years, he would have gotten better at tying his tie, shoving his feet into the shoes and gathering all of his things together, but today felt off-kilter and he didn't want to puzzle through it.
He stood still and straightened his robe as Megan cast a charm to tie his shoelaces and tidy his bookbag. He was getting better at letting her do it, the absence of his magic didn't sit very well with him and so far, no one seemed to have any explanation as to why it was still there. Megan was more than happy to look out for him, but it meant that he couldn't actively participate in the classes, beyond copying the wand movements and he was sure that others had noticed by now—it was too obvious not to.
He had visited Madam Pomfrey on Dumbledore's request once more, but it hadn't produced anything and while it had originally been a bit freeing to walk about, without his magic, he was now starkly aware of just what a bad thing it was. His knee-jerk reaction to anyone having a wand on him was an immediate offensive maneuver, but Megan, he would tolerate. She'd been helping him without complaint or request and performing the charm that was supposed to show when his magic was returning. He could see her worry deepening as the levels remained the same each night.
"Tie?" He double-checked, readjusting his shoulder-strap. He grinned, widely when soft grey eyes sparkled faintly.
Megan tapped him gently atop the head with her wand. "It's perfect," she said.
Harry grinned up at her, unable to keep the smile from surfacing. It was nice to hear compliments like that, even if he wasn't entirely sure that he deserved them. Something in his face made her eyes darken a few shades of grey and his mouth opened in protest when she tipped his chin up. Any protest he would have had was swallowed by the hot, wet kiss that followed.
When Megan pulled away, Harry found one of his hands was fisted in the front of her robe, unwilling to let her go just yet. He blinked and stared, his mouth working to make sounds—words—anything! And then she dropped her bookbag by her feet and drew him directly into her arms, angling her head downward, before slanting her lips over his once more.
Harry sighed into soft press of lips and leaned forward, tugging on her robe to communicate that he did want her even closer. A few minutes passed, before he felt her heart stuttering a rapid beat when she pressed his face to her chest, tucking her chin atop his head. They stood, panting softly, her fingers ruffling through his formerly neatly brushed hair, his hand still fisted in her robe, his ears a bright red.
Another minute or two passed, before Megan slowly unwound her arms from around him. She rubbed up and down his arms, quickly, briskly, then pulled away, giving his shoulders a squeeze as she kissed his forehead. "Now we're both late," she teased. "Come on."
Still blushing, Harry switched his grip from her robe to one of her free hands. He ducked his head, grinning like mad when he felt her fingers twine through his. They took the stairs to the common room, two at a time and ran all the way to the Great Hall.
Harry wasn't really late. He did have to eat in a hurry and just like the premonition from earlier, it seemed like his day was destined to go off-kilter. When he was preparing to leave DADA class, he somehow found himself tucked up against Theodore Nott and hidden from view as the classroom quickly emptied. He was about to protest when the Slytherin gave him a look. "Jones' is coming for you," he said, quietly. "Wait here."
It was then that Harry he realized that they weren't the only ones left in the DADA classroom. The names that Terius had called out on the first day—all of them were there, Ryan Henry and Jennifer Dawn from Gyffindor as well as the Patil twins. Harry didn't even see when Padma had slipped into the room, but it seemed like something important was about to happen. The respective Slytherins of dragel-heritage were also present, Blaise, Theo, Millicent, Draco and Daphne. They all looked at him curiously as the door slid open and Megan slipped inside.
She smiled, gently, the moment her grey eyes landed on Harry. She crossed the room at once to stand beside him, giving a slight nod of thanks to a somewhat broody Theodore Nott, before she pulled him into a hug. "I asked Theo to stop you, hope you don't mind," she whispered in his hear. Her magic stretched out to him, checking and reassuring that he was alright. "He was the only one I could catch before lunch ended," she nuzzled his cheek and straightened up.
A line of sorts had begun to form all the way up to the front of the DADA professor's desk.
When Teacher Terius' sea-blue-grey eyes met all of their gazes in turn, the entire group made a two-fingered salute and cross over their hearts, before offering a formal bow from the waist up. Megan stood beside Harry, motioning for him to copy her movements. He managed to do so—somewhat awkwardly—and was rewarded with another smile for his efforts.
Terius gave a curt nod in return as he turned his attention to the chalkboard over his shoulder. He waved his hand and it was instantly cleaned. "How are you all faring today?" He asked. The question was simply phrased and innocent enough.
Harry wasn't prepared for any of the answers.
"I have a stomachache."
"There's something wrong with my back and I didn't sleep at all last night."
"I want a hug."
"How do I know if there's someone I'm interested in?"
"Do we have to fall for the same person?"
"What if we're not interested in someone?"
"Do you have any meat?"
The headache was Malfoy—Harry could pick out his specific whine virtually anywhere—and the rest were a bit of a quick jumble. Millicent wanted meat, Ryan had back problems and Jennifer wanted a hug. Megan hadn't made any request, but rather, she drew Harry close to her side, keeping one arm over his deceptively slender shoulders.
"Would you object to a potion first, Mr. Henry?" Terius suggested. "You are still more used to wizard means and if you are receptive to them, I do not wish to interfere just yet with Dragel methods. It would cause unnecessary stress and we both know you could do without that."
The Gryffindor shrugged. "I guess a potion's fine then. I'm used to them."
"Have you used to them?" Terius wanted to know. "If you have used them and they have not worked, then I will fix this right now."
Ryan shrugged. "Used enough. I mean, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't and sometimes, I don't like them." He shuddered, visibly.
"They lock you in dreams you want to escape from." Terius corrected. His gaze softened. "I shall ask Severus for something and you will find it on your pillow tonight. Try it and let me know tomorrow. If that does not work, I'll carve a pendant for you this weekend and we shall see what can be done of it."
"Thank you, Teacher." Ryan shot the man a grateful look as he stretched, gingerly. "What about my-?" He turned his neck slightly and winced at the movement the taut muscles prevented.
"Lean on the desk to brace yourself and let me move your arms." Terius instructed. He waited while the boy did as he was asked, then took the unresisting limbs and twisted and pulled them together. "Breathe in," he warned. There was a sharp, quick yank and an audible crack in the room.
"Ow!" Ryan yelped, twisting in the expert grip.
"And breathe out." Terius said, smoothly. He released the arms and rubbed them briskly, before allowing them to fall back to the boy's side. He ran a steady hand up and down the length of the boy's spine, pausing to press in two places. Ryan winced for both moments and then brightened when he realized what had happened. He felt significantly better than before. "Better?"
"Much." Ryan rotated his shoulders and leaned back a bit. "Thank you!" He leaned forward into the hand that ruffled his hair, a light smile registering on his face.
"You're quite welcome. Pay a little more attention the next time you decide to lend a hand to the Quidditch team. Don't let them take advantage of you and just because you have the strength, does not mean you need to use it, hmm?"
"Yes, Teacher." Ryan grinned and repeated the salute from earlier and scampered from the classroom. He ducked out into the hall and vanished, off to his next class.
"Meat?" Millicent asked, hopefully. Her fangs peeked over the corners of her plump lips and she stood next in line, waiting, expectantly. There was something different in the way she carried herself for a moment, compared to the other young dragels present.
Harry found himself licking his lips at the thought of meat, his gums aching, a warning that his fangs might make their own appearance as well. He could remember every tasty morsel from Megan that he'd traded chocolate frogs for.
Megan chuckled softly in his ear as if following the same train of thought. "I am sure that there will be enough left over. Teacher Terius will share."
Harry stiffened at that and then worried his lower lip between his teeth. He seriously doubted that. The DADA professor really seemed to hate him and as far as he could tell, he hadn't done anything, beyond exist. He shrank back into Megan's side as the line inched up. He wondered why she'd really come and what was so important about sharing such trivial things with the older dragel. Perhaps it was some other odd custom he'd missed before and Harry started faintly when Megan rubbed one arm reassuringly.
A sizeable stash of jerky was produced from the deep desk drawers and Millicent happily helped herself when Teacher Terius gave her leave to do so. "Eat it slowly and chew carefully." Terius instructed. "Make sure you eat dinner in your room tonight and order what you want from the assigned house elves. I cannot hunt for some time, so you will all have to make do with this until I can secure permission for any other alternatives."
"Mmmhmm." Millicent mumbled. She tore into strips with a new light in her eyes, chewing quickly and seeming more dragel than human in those few moments. It didn't seem as if she'd heard anything the professor had said the moment she'd taken the first bite.
"Miss Dawn?" Terius opened his arms and allowed the young woman to literally throw herself forward into his ready embrace. He held her tight and murmured several soothing endearments in her ear, rubbing his cheek against the top of her head, his magic visibly wrapping around her in a protective haze.
It seemed to do the trick, because she straightened a moment later and teary-eyed, thanked him.
He offered her a clean kerchief and suggested that she eat more fruit, after he took a careful look at her eyes and cast a few diagnostic charms. "It will balance your energies for now. You have to remember your element is very delicate, once you have it aligned, you should do your best not to upset it. Fire is not something that is easily mastered."
"I know, Teacher." She sighed. "It's just hard and I wish…I wish that I had my own…" She bit her lip and looked away. "Is it wrong of me to want something I can't have?"
"Depends on what you speak of."
"W-what if I don't want a Dragel mate?"
Terius gave her a long, good look. Then he shrugged. "There is the option to choose Solitary, but that is your own choice and it is only made after you have attempted to court and failed or if you find yourself to be too possessive of the one you've acquired."
She blinked. "That's it?"
"It is your choice." He repeated. "You need not take another Dragel as a mate, though it is best if you do. There will be certain things you will never experience because of it and to claim solitary with another, you must both be in agreement, or will not end well. Dragels crave the social, emotional, physical and magical aspect of a fully bonded Circle. There is something it provides that cannot be found otherwise."
"But it's not…bad, is it?" She fidgeted under his sharp-eyed gaze.
"That would depend on your definition, Miss Dawn. Your magic will bind itself and never fully reach its full potential. Your Dragel self will understand that you have cheated it in some way or another, because it craves the bonding and acceptance of others of its own kind. Any children that you may have run the risk of becoming squibs, the Dragel gene will be somewhat suppressed, unless you choose to carry the child, instead of your partners." He frowned. "As a dominant rank, you would survive it, but it would wear heavily on your magic and your physical self, if you choose to do so your partners would not be able to provide you with the necessary…things. It is entirely your prerogative, however. There are no taboos against it in our kind. You would, however, need to defend them a little more vigorously than usual and there will be different, family dynamics rather than those respective to a mateship circle." He paused. "I would be willing to speak to you of it later, if you feel you have any further questions."
"Thank you." She whispered. The girl then turned and fled the classroom without another backward look.
The next in line was a certain blond Slytherin.
"Terius." Draco's whine repeated itself and he rubbed his stomach with a pout. The childish expression made him appear younger than his sixteen years.
"That was for eating something out of turn." Terius scolded. "You know better than to eat something that isn't on your list. I didn't write it all down to torture you." The older man studied him for a moment and then sighed. "I can't give you a potion for the stomachache and you know it." He said, at last. "Come here." The blond readily did so, unbuttoning his robes as he approached and the buttons on his jumper. By the time he reached the desk, his smooth, white stomach was on view.
Harry started when the older man drew a shining, silver knife from the folds of his teaching robes and laid the flat of the blade on the unmarked stomach. Megan's arm tightened around his shoulders and one hand found its way down the collar of Harry's shirt and to the claim mark on the side of his neck. She traced the edge, faintly, sending soothing spikes of calmness through him. "It's alright, Harry, he's fine. Look!" Megan murmured. "Terius won't hurt him, they're bonded. He loves him." Harry didn't answer. He squeezed his eyes shut and didn't react when Megan pulled him into a full embrace, running a hand up and down his back.
Draco whimpered. Terius hummed soothingly. A thrum of magic rippled through the room.
"Better?" Terius prompted. He wiped the blade clean with a cloth from his desk and waved a hand that sent a wandless spell to right Draco's clothes to their original state. Relief showed plainly on Draco's face and he hugged the older man in thanks. Terius responded with a hug in return and a ruffle to those perfect strands. Draco didn't even protest. "Go check on Calida, have Severus write you a pass if you know you'll be late." Draco nodded and hurried off.
Harry was now painfully aware of the contrast between the figure before him and the man he'd seen in the hospital wing. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see more or to even consider that there might be more to the solemn dragel. The words he'd heard then, had stabbed at something inside of him—something he hadn't even known existed.
But Megan reached a hand towards Millicent who held out the sack of jerky in silent invitation. Megan selected a piece and waved it temptingly under Harry's nose. One emerald eye popped open and tracked the movement of the snack with surprising clarity. Megan inched it closer and without warning, Harry gave up his snuggle to take a large chomp out of the treat, his fangs closing with a quiet click.
Sparkling silvery-grey eyes shimmered with laughter, but Megan didn't comment straight away, instead waiting for the rest of Harry to catch up to what he'd done. A moment later, she saw it. A rich pink blush that dusted across the younger man's face and the green eyes grew wide. "Impressive." Megan praised. "You even managed to avoid my fingers." She nodded towards the bag in Millicent's lap as the Slytherin perched on the edge of Terius' desk and happily gorged herself on the shared treat. "Millicent will share. Go try some." Harry shook his head—having already retreated back to her arms.
"Megan," Terius said, quietly, turning to them next. He'd already settled the questions of the Patils and Bulstrode. "Your grievance?"
"It's a bit more complicated than the others, I'm afraid," Megan said, a touch apologetically. "Harry said he didn't have a mentor and that doesn't sit well with me."
Those piercing blue-grey eyes immediately drilled into Harry being held protectively in Megan's arms. "Did he now?" he asked, his voice surprisingly neutral. "That would explain quite a bit, if that is the truth."
"I will pretend that you are not questioning my integrity," Megan said, calmly. "And the truth of my Harry. I only thought that you might want to know, since it is expected that everyone has a mentor once they are of age."
"They do. It is impossible for it to be otherwise." Terius' eyes continued drill into Harry, who had now studiously fixed his emerald eyes on the sack of tempting jerky beside Millicent. "He is sure?"
Megan made a sound in her throat. "Harry has no reason to lie, least of all to me," she said, firmly. She lifted her head, standing tall.
Terius scowled. "I was not implying that he did, merely that it was impossible for a mentor not to have arrived." Megan perked a brow in silent question, even if she knew what was implied, Harry did not. Terius sighed. "There is possible, conceivable reason you could you offer me to excuse a mentor's absence—and their absence suggests foul play of an enormous magnitude. It is not a claim to make lightly."
"Indeed," Megan said, calmly. "Now, can you help us?"
Terius frowned. "That does not excuse his behavior, however. Did you need anything else?"
Megan's smile flickered a few shades shy of something that Harry couldn't describe. It was almost feral and she released him then, giving him a nudge towards the relaxing Millicent. "I wish to ask you to excuse, Harry."
The older man didn't answer straight away.
Harry found himself standing next to Millicent. The young witch winked and held out the bag. "Here you can hang onto it, if you want. I think you could use it a bit more than I could."
"Will you overlook it this once?" Megan coaxed. "Harry is mine and he honestly did not know."
Terius' head snapped up at once and he frowned looking between Harry and Megan. There was a faint hint of approval in his stormy-grey-blue eyes. "You took him as your Intended?"
Megan smirked in confirmation. "He bears my claim and I fully intend to make it official."
There was a muttered string of words in another language and Terius finally glared at the young Hufflepuff Alpha. "What did you have to do that for?" he demanded.
"I could not resist his heartcry." Megan said, calmly. "And he is lovely. So will you? You both know so little of each other, it is a pity that you've started off on the wrong foot."
There were a few more muttered phrases and finally, the older man shrugged. "Do not interfere." He said, abruptly, wheeling about to scowl at Harry. "My Alpha would have me apologize to you, Mr. Potter." He began. "On the grounds that my words may have been harsher than necessary that day in the medical wing. Your Alpha would have me forgive you as well on the basis that your mentor has not taught you how to avoid the social blunders you have already made. Exactly what do you have to say to that?"
A/N: Aha. So what do you suppose that Harry will say? Teehee. How'd you like that fluffy scene in the beginning? I wanted some Harry/Megan fluff in there. I was debating whether to include this Terius bit or not and decided to go ahead after all. We'll be meeting Daphne and a few other Beta Candidates in the next chapter, I think-don't quote me on that. Also, while this "straight" version of TBDH does share/use the same characters-the plot itself is different. Updating is not a matter of switching genders or names of Harry's Bonded. I've created over 80% of new material just for Harry/Megan alone and the rest of his Circle will also take some effort. I will not abandon this fic, but it takes time and effort just the rest of my stories. Thanks for reading!
-Scion