Engagement Season; Chapter Five

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were among the parents waiting by the edge of the forest, having been drawn there when they saw their son and four other dominants break out of the gathering maze and head into the forest. Narcissa had been feeling something from the forest since that morning, but hadn't realized until it was too late that it was a powerful unmated submissive. She waited anxiously as the burly Weasley boy and a few mated dominants from the Veela council headed into the forest following the mating dominants.

"Who could possibly be in there that we do not know of?" Narcissa leaned into her mate's tall form.

Lucius frowned putting an arm around her shoulders, "I'm not sure. According to the records, all the submissive's who responded to the invitations are accounted for."

The feeling of power and purity coming from the forest was getting stronger; the submissive was on the move. "Looks like there will be a proper chase." Basilio Zabini commented from Lucius' other side.

Calandra Zabini, Basilio's mate, nodded in agreement. "The submissive is very strong. This one will not mate with just anyone. Our dominants will have to prove themselves."

"Mayhap this submissive will not find anyone of worth here," Viola Parkinson sneered angrily. She was in a snit because even before the dominants had sensed the submissive in the forest, most had steered clear of her daughter. "It has happened before; though even if the little thing is caught it will probably not be a valid mating."

"And what makes you think that Viola dear," Narcissa said, sugar coating her voice.

Viola smirked, "It is an uninvited submissive, perhaps not even truly a veela. It is probably some mudblood thinking she can get knocked up and married into a pureblood family and took a potion or cast a spell."

Lucius looked down his nose at the stupid woman. "There is no potion or spell that can mimic the feel of a submissive in season."

Viola just raised an eyebrow. "Then why is it we have no idea who this submissive is? Veela's do not just fall out of the sky, our lines are carefully documented. No, something is going on here, and I bet it has something to do with that muggle loving fool who runs this school."

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "You know our history as well as everyone else. You know of the raids on the veela families in France, some of those children were never found. Many of the lower families sought to increase the inherent power in their family lines by mating with a veela; stealing veela children and selling them is not be beyond some wizards. There is always a possibility that a veela child who had been taken was never told of their heritage, or was lost and then mated, also without the knowledge; obviously their child would not know either."

"If that is true, then how did that mysterious veela from so long ago not go through what this submissive is currently experiencing?" Viola snarled.

Calandra snorted in contempt. "Being stupid is unbecoming Viola dear. If indeed that is what happened, then that unknown submissive would never have been invited to a Gathering; this is the first Engagement Gathering that has been held in Hogwarts in over thirty years, and none of the unmated dominants would have been here to claim it; with no dominant to jump start their mating instincts, they would simply mate with whomever they were drawn to."

Viola Parkinson sneered once again at the gathered group before stomping off to find her daughter in the maze. It was unlikely that the dominants who were giving chase to the submissive in the forest would re enter the gathering maze today.

The others turned back to the forest sensing the submissive right behind the line of trees. They were utterly shocked when Harry Potter came crashing out of the forest.

"Oh Merlin," Narcissa breathed. The submissive's -Potter's- power was palpable, sending her senses reeling. She watched in shock as Potted raised his wand and summoned his broom; instincts do not usually allow for the use of a wand, the mating couples generally too far gone. The dominants came running next, only a few feet behind, with Draco out in front; he raised his momentarily forgotten wand and summoned his own broom, the other dominants following suit.

Only two other brooms made it, and the observers watched fascinated as Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini raced after a flying Harry. They watched mesmerized as Blaise forced Harry down from above and the three bodies vanished into the maze.

Calandra laughed delightedly, "I guess it is good that there are always extra tents in case of a chase, yes?"

Narcissa snorted, covering her mouth horrified at the noise that had just come out of her. Lucius chuckled, then reached down to grasp her hand and pull her back to the main tent; the others following.

~oOo~

"How?" Narcissa asked; Severus and Sirius had been waiting in front of the tent.

"I didn't realize. He showed all the signs, but…"

"James didn't have any creature blood; at least not recent enough in the tree for Harry," Sirius shook his head; he was still in shock and very very frightened for his cub.

"Lily?" Lucius asked. "I thought she was muggle born."

"It has to be," Severus agreed. "There is no other explanation." He turned towards the back door of the tent. "When will we know?"

Lucius shrugged. "We won't know positively until tomorrow. There were still a few dominants in the maze when the others took off for the forest, and a few of the others reentered."

"But Harry," Sirius sat there in shock. "Is he going to be ok?"

"Sev said he has been showing sign for weeks now, yes?" Narcissa asked gently. "Then when the chase started his instincts would have kicked in. Harry will not allow anyone to mate with him unless they are worthy."

Sirius nodded still pale. "I know, but… he probably has no idea what's going on."

"What is going on?" Remus asked breathlessly from the front entrance of the tent, Albus directly behind him.

"Harry," Sirius whispered distressed. "He's in there," he pointed to the maze. "The mating dominants went after him while he was in the forest collecting potions ingredients."

Remus stood unblinking for a moment, "His eyes, the scent, his-"

Severus nodded. "How did we miss it?"

"But how?" Remus argued.

"How about we go and have a seat," Lucius interrupted. "Nothing will be accomplished by just standing here."

The group had just moved to seat themselves, when Charlie Weasley and the representatives from the Veela council walked in.

"Harry?" Charlie asked immediately. "I sent Ron back on up to the castle."

"In the maze," Sirius whispered. "Two of them forced his broom down while they were over the maze."

"Who?"

Lucius coughed, "Draco actually, and Blaise Zabini."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "That is going to be interesting."

"Though," Lucius interrupted his friend with a glare, "there are other dominants in the maze as well. There is no way to know for sure who Potter will have mated with until tomorrow."

"Potter," one of the officials asked interrupting. "Harry Potter?"

Severus nodded. "Though if you want to get technical," he glared at Lucius, "it's Harry Black-Price, he decided to keep Potter as strictly a title."

Narcissa let out a giggle, "Black-Price, how appropriate with that head full of raven hair, and being the Savior of our world."

Lucius rolled his eyes. "So you're sure that Potter, James that is, had no veela blood in him?"

Sirius nodded. "It had to be Lily, but her family is muggle."

"She never said anything about being adopted," Remus added.

Severus tilted his head to the side deep in thought. It was easier to think now that he had regained some of his equilibrium. "It is possible she didn't know. Sometimes muggles when they adopt do not tell their children. And she certainly bore no resemblance to Petunia."

Remus nodded in agreement. "But how is it possible that a veela child ended up with a muggle family? And is there any way to find out if Harry might have actual family out there?"

Severus looked pained at that thought.

"Sev," Sirius reached out to draw the man into his chest. "Harry won't leave us or stop loving us just because he might have some actual blood family out there. You know he loves you like a dad; even calls you dad sometimes."

Severus nodded, smiling faintly. "How do we find out?"

The officials from the veela council glanced at each other. "It is not widely known, but in the past, the most recent being thirty-six, thirty-seven years ago or so, there were many veela families that had their children stolen. It was referred to as the veela raids."

"Here?" Remus asked aghast.

"In France," the official explained. "The children were stolen and sold, lower families mating with them to increase the inherent power in their line. Most of the children were recovered when the wizards responsible were caught. Unfortunately, a few of the children had been moved out of the country by then. It is possible that the woman you are referring to was dumped when the wizard's partners were captured. He most likely would not have wanted to be found with the child with him."

"And Lily ended up in a muggle orphanage," Albus murmured. "It would explain how such a powerful witch came from a completely muggle family. I checked the Evan's lineage when Lily turned up so powerful. I was curious to see if maybe they were a squib line."

"Oh Merlin," Sirius breathed, "How are we going to tell Harry?"

"I think he may suspect something by now," Remus snorted in amusement. "Charlie, you may want to contact your family. Ron probably has them in a panic by now."

Charlie grinned weakly before moving out of the tent.

"So is there any way to find out for sure about Lily?"

"Petunia," Severus answered in disgust.

Lucius raised an eyebrow, "Someone you do not like?"

"The worst sort of muggle," Albus murmured, quoting Minerva from so long ago.

"Will she cooperate?" the veela official asked.

"Yes," Severus said darkly. "She will."