Life Renovations

Chapter Twenty-One

Centaurs, Spiders, and Unicorns

Sirius intended to drag Lucius all the way to their room. It was not the same room Lucius had always slept in because both Lucius and Sirius did not want to start their new life in the room Lucius had had to share with Narcissa on occasion. Despite Sirius' plans for Luce and a bed, Lucius couldn't seem to keep his hands off Sirius on the way, and they never even made it up the stairs. Instead, they ended up in Lucius' study, where Sirius quickly bent Lucius over his desk, swiping everything off beforehand and vanished the robes his husband was wearing.

"Please tell me you didn't just vanish my robes. You know you can never retrieve what you vanish."

"Shut up!" Sirius pinned Lucius' arms over his head. "This is going to be short and not sweet, you got that Luce?"

Lucius craned his neck so that he could pull Sirius' bottom lip between his teeth; his answer was plain enough. Lucius wrapped his legs around Sirius' hips after the Animagus dropped his pants, and moaned when Siri pushed into him. His thrusts were vicious and a little painful due to Lucius not having been prepared before hand, but still, Lucius matched him with every thrust, loving the way his body trembled, the way Sirius' complete concentration was on him and nothing else. Lucius managed to pull his hands free and yank his husband's head down to his for a passionate kiss that left them both dizzy from lack of air and too much gasping. Lucius cried out when Sirius pulled out, but then found his knees pressed against his chest, and Sirius thrust into him again. Lucius' shout could be heard all the way down the hall. Though it didn't matter, as the manor was empty except for them and the house-elves.

"Sirius-Gods!"

"You're still so incredibly tight!" Sirius stilled and leaned over to taste Lucius' neck. "Am I hurting you?"

"No, give me more. I want it to hurt." Lucius whispered. Sirius gripped his husband's arms and pulled the blond to his feet. Before Lucius could ask what was going on, Sirius spun him around and pressed him against the desk, his hands splayed across his lover's arse, and speared into him again and again.

"You didn't forget about this, did you? You didn't forget what it felt like to have me inside you?" Sirius wrapped an arm around Lucius' chest, and ran a hand lovingly down Lucius' slick pale back.

"No! Don't stop, Siri!"

Lucius' eyes closed tightly. He never imagined he would ever feel this intense pleasure coursing through him again. He had to grip the edge of desk to keep from being pushed over the other side of the desk, and his gasps of pleasure nearly came out as sobs of delight. Sirius bit his shoulder before pulling out, and then rammed into Lucius in a nearly angry force to make sure Lucius knew what was happening was real. Lucius' yell was long and exhilarated, causing the house-elves to titter from where they were gathered in the kitchen on standby. They had very good hearing.

Lucius nearly sobbed for real when Sirius pulled out again. It was a game of tease they regularly played before breaking up. But Lucius was not in the mood to be played with. He wanted to be fucked within an inch of his life, dammit! He surprised his husband by turning around and kicking out; his feet hitting Sirius square in the chest. Sirius went down like a tree and landed on his back. The back of his head hitting a chair on the way down. Lucius stood over him, studying the dazed Animagus.

"Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Yeah…but you almost took off my head."

Lucius smirked and settled over him and in one smooth motion, grabbed Sirius' cock and guided it inside him. There was a passion in his next kiss that he'd never expressed to the fullest before to his lover, and that alone helped them both on their way to a blistering crescendo that had them both yelling out at the end.

Sirius stood in a graceful motion that amazed Lucius as they were still connected. Sirius threw his robe over Lucius shoulders and engaged his husband in a heated kiss that lasted for minutes. When Sirius pulled away he was grinning and stared lovingly at his husband, who was staring back with a dazed and contented look on his face. "I've waited decades for this."

A sadness filled Lucius' eyes. "I know. Me too. You must believe me, Sirius. It's always been you."

"Hush," Sirius whispered, trying to kiss that sadness away. "We're going to our rooms now and we'll go slow this time." He started to kiss Luce again while turning and walking to the door, and the blond gasped when he felt Sirius already growing hard again inside him. "You better have rested last night, for you'll get no sleep this night."

While Lucius and Sirius spent the night at Malfoy Manor catching up, Harry, Draco, and Severus spent it gathering herbs and ingredients that would be needed for Voldemort's own transformation. Draco and Harry were prepared to start the spell and potion the very next night, which is why they were out in the middle of the Forbidden Forest at two in the morning. They were far beyond the boundaries of Hogwarts and were not worried that Dumbledore might be alerted to their presence.

"It's strange being out here with you two at this time. I usually gather potion ingredients alone."

"What do you do to keep the beasts away from you, Uncle Sev?"

"I'm very careful." Harry and Draco snorted, but looked away from Severus, as they knew he was glaring at them. "And I suppose I've never been this far into the forest. Why haven't we been attacked?" Severus wondered aloud, and caught the grins the Ukatae flashed one another.

"You are keeping danger away? How?"

"When we first arrived in that clearing, we were surrounded by centaurs," Draco began.

"I saw no one."

"That's because they were hidden just beyond the clearing. They trailed us for a while, but didn't attack because they recognized who, or rather, what Harry and I are. After that they mostly have left."

"It still surprises me that they just let us pass, even if you are Ukatae. Usually the centaurs don't give a damn who or what you are. They don't tolerate trespassers."

"Just a moment, I'll go ask the two standing guard." Harry stood and nodded when Severus looked up sharply.

"They would have to tolerate us," Draco said to his godfather, bending down to uncover and dig up another bogroot. "This land was ours before it was theirs."

"How do you know that?"

Draco shrugged and continued to gather the bogroot into the pouch hanging off his belt loop. Harry soon returned.

"Seems the centaurs are allies of the Ukatae. We are welcome here. And no, Severus, they don't know where the remaining Ukatae are, but they do believe there are more elsewhere. Here in this world... and in another."

Severus didn't know how to respond to this, so he settled back down to help Draco recover the roots from the ground. "What's next?" he asked once they gathered all the root they needed.

"At one point, we're going to need unicorn blood," Harry told him.

Severus shot to his feet. "No, absolutely not! Did you forget what you have to give when you kill a unicorn? I'll not let the both of you do that to yourselves."

"It's okay, Severus." His nephew soothed, placing a hand on the wizards shaking arm. "We need this blood freely given. In fact, all the parts we need from creatures have to be freely given, and the creatures must remain alive. This is a life potion. The only thing we are going to have to kill is the sacrifice."

"And what is the sacrifice?"

"A wizard who will have to pay atonement for his crimes. A man not worthy to be muggle or wizard. We've already decided who it will be. His name is Dagda Taggart," all three wizards' faces contorted into disgust at the name, "and he was scheduled for the Dementor's Kiss at dawn. He should have been taken from Azkaban tonight by Parkinson, Greyback, and McNair, and will be held in the dungeons at Malfoy Manor until we need him," Draco explained. "Voldemort will also pay for his crimes during his transformation within the cauldron. He will have to suffer for two days before he resurfaces with a new body."

"Two days and nights for a lifetime of horror? That doesn't seem like enough for the Dark Lord."

"Things Tom may not have done had it not been for fucking Dumbledore!"

"Harry, watch your language."

"It's true though," Draco began as they moved on through the forest. "Who knows what Voldemort might have become if not for Dumbledore. Tom Riddle was brilliant in his own right before he started calling himself Lord Voldemort."

"Yes, but even without Dumbledore, Tom was always selfish."

"I can relate though," Harry said. "Tom grew up in a place that really didn't want him, around people who thought he was a freak. He should have been taken away from there, allowed to grow up among people like himself…Dumbledore should have protected us!"

"You're right, Harry. You're right." Severus wrapped a comforting arm around the seething Ukatae. "Tom never had a chance. He succeeded the only way he knew how. By being mean, wielding his power over the muggles, and living off their fear of him in order to survive."

"He never had what you have," Draco pulled Harry away from Severus, and hugged the slighter boy against him. "But he will. We can support him now. Be true for him and show him the world he never knew and keep him from returning to an insane mind set."

Harry gave his lover a soft smile. Would Draco never cease to amaze him? Probably not. And he was right; Tom never had anyone to love him or support him and no one there to help control his bitterness and rage against the world. "We should be quick. We won't get home till morning as it is." Harry pulled back and headed north towards Hogwarts. "Before we get the unicorn blood, we're going to visit an old friend for some venom."

Behind them, Severus groaned. "Harry, we aren't going to the Acromantula colony, are we? I don't care what powers you have, there are simply too many of them."

"Don't worry, Uncle Sev. All we need to do is get to Aragog and then we'll be fine."

"Damn Hagrid and his infernal pets!"

The forest was darker here, the trees growing so close together that they were nearly sitting on top of each other, the canopies woven together in a tight net just as the Acromantula's webs were woven within those high tree branches, making a solid umbrella, keeping any light the moon or sun might have shown down upon the forest grounds.

Harry and Draco, with their heightened sense of sight, could already spy the large spiders scurrying around several hundred feet away within the darkness. No doubt their presence was already known to the Acromantula and as they grew closer the spiders came around to form a circle around the three, tightening the circle as the three wizards moved closer to the center of the colony.

"Stay close to us," Draco told his godfather, and then he began to weave a tight protective shield around them.

"Oh yes, because I tend to wander off alone when surrounded by hundreds of giant hungry spiders." Severus sneered and gripped his wand tighter within his white knuckled hand.

Even though Draco put up the shield, he and Severus moved closer to Harry as they stopped and the spiders swarmed around them, bouncing against the barrier, hissing and clacking their way around the shield. Harry seemed unconcerned by anything and he watched the creatures with a blank look. "I wish to speak with Aragog. I am a friend of Hagrid."

As one the spiders' pincers began to click together, the sound deafening to Harry and Draco's sensitive ears. "Aragog is dead. Aragog is dead. Aragog is dead," the spiders chanted. Harry's eyes went wide with surprise.

"Uh oh."

"What?" Draco's voice trembled just the slightest bit. "What uh oh? Harry?"

"Well, ha…um…I don't think this will work if Aragog isn't here. I mean everything depended on him, as he can control the rest of them. Not sure what to do now."

"Oh Merlin."

"Let's not lose our heads," Severus said. "We still have the barrier to protect us."

"But we can't stand here forever, and we can't leave without that venom. The venom needs to be given freely, so we can't just kill one of them and Apparate out of here with it!" Harry flicked his bangs out of his eyes and started to look around, his mind turning for some sort of solution. Draco huffed out a breath and leaned against the trunk of a tree that was within their barrier.

"How exactly were you planning on getting this Aragog to pass over some of his venom?"

"I was going to guilt him into giving me some. Claiming his hundreds of children were in danger, and explain that if he gave me venom then I could work a spell to save them…or something like that."

"You were going to lie," Severus said, shaking his head.

"Hey, in the future it may not be a lie. You never know what is going to happen."

"You didn't think this completely through, did you?" Draco was frowning at him. "You told me you had a plan."

"That was my plan. To talk to Aragog. I didn't know he was dead!"

"Aragog is dead. Aragog is dead. Aragog is dead."

"Yes, got that, thanks! You can all shut up now! You're giving me a bloody headache!" Draco yelled out to the clicking chanting spiders, and then continued to glare at his lover. "We need to work on your planning skills, Harry."

Harry ignored Draco for the moment, his brow furrowed in thought. Suddenly he brightened. "I know! I remember when the Chamber of Secrets was opened-"

"The year you Polyjuiced yourself to scope me out…I've been meaning to talk to you about that."

"Not now, Draco. Continue Harry."

"Ron and I found out that the Acromantula fear snakes above all else," Harry explained quietly. The spiders weren't that intelligent, but he didn't want to take the chance that they understood exactly what he was saying. "So we can claim there is a basilisk running around the forest…"

"Yeah, or threaten to release one if they don't give us the venom," Draco said, beaming at his mate. "See, that's a good plan. Severus?"

"It might work. Though I doubt it."

"Must you be negative all the time?" Harry asked, but then waved off his question. "It will work. We're Ukatae. We could easily have the power to release a basilisk upon them. They'll never know we would never do that."

"Since it's your plan, Harry, you can go on with it. Severus and I will stand back and watch."

Harry's eyes narrowed on his lover and he reached out to pull Draco to his side. "No. You can stand right here with me." Harry turned back to look at the nearest spider. "Where is Aragog's mate?" he called out.

"Mosag. Mosag. Mosag."

"Merlin, this is going to take forever."

"Yes, Mosag. We wish to speak with her."

"Mosag. Mosag. Mosag."

Draco slowly drew his wand. "Can't we kill them? Just one, Harry? Please?"

"Put that away, Draco."

"But I thought you said you liked my wand," Draco said, caressing the length of it. He kept a straight face, but his eyes were crinkled in amusement. Severus cuffed the back of Draco's head.

"Try and keep your mind on important matters."

"Please refrain from touching my hair. And for your information, my wand is important. Isn't that right, lover?"

Harry blushed in the dark, and gave an almost imperceptible nod. Severus shifted behind them, and soon Harry and Draco found both their necks in a severe lock within the Potion Master's hands. "I don't want to be surrounded by spiders till morning. The Dark Lord is waiting for us. Hurry up with whatever you are going to do, and do it now. No more playing." Severus curled his fingers tighter around their necks. "Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," Harry answered. Draco started to growl, but Harry elbowed him.

"Yes, Uncle Sev. We understand."

Severus released their necks with a little push, inwardly smiling. At least they still listened to him. He had been afraid the two would stop listening to him and to others since they had become so powerful, and that might have led to dire consequences.

"Mosag! We have come to speak with you!" Harry yelled, then he turned to Severus. "Come on, we'll move into the tunnel. These underlings are no good to us." There was some objections, some rather loud ones to be precise, from Draco and Severus, but Harry knew what must be done and he sighed dramatically. "All right. You two go search the forest for unicorns, and I'll take care of the venom."

"Right. Good one, Harry. As if I would leave you on your own. Who knows what kind of stupid shite you'll get in to by yourself."

"That goes for me as well," Severus replied. Harry tried to hold back a grin, but didn't resist all that much. Severus and Draco were so predictable.

The three shifted, happy to see the shield still holding up against the weight of a hundred spiders trying to get a next meal, and walked further into the colony until they appeared in a place that was very familiar to Harry.

"This is where I spoke with Aragog last time. Mosag!"

"Mosag. Mosag. Mosag." The spiders chanting became louder and Harry could see her hiding in the shadows in front of them. She didn't look like she wanted to come out at all.

"You see her, Draco?" he asked softly.

"Yes. I feel her fear also."

Harry nodded in agreement and turned back to the spider that was easily twice Aragog's size. The last time Harry had seen Aragog, he had been the size of a young elephant. Mosag was the size of two.

"Mosag, why are you afraid?"

"You are here to kill me and my children."

Draco scoffed. And yet instead of trying to protect her colony, she cowers away in the darkness. "Why would you think that?" he asked aloud.

"This is your forest. We have been warned that you would come for us. My children do not see what I see about you. Ukatae. I know I look at death when I look at you."

Harry turned away to hide his surprise. "Paranoid much."

"This is a blessing. A bloody fucking miracle. All you have to do is ask for the venom, and tell her she and her family can stay here," Severus whispered.

"May I come speak with you, Mosag? I promise I mean you no harm…at the moment." The spiders around them began to click their pincers again, in rapid abandonment, seemingly discussing amongst one another whether or not the Ukatae should be trusted.

"You may approach but your mate must remain behind."

"Like hell!"

"It's alright, Draco. She's just scared. She seems intelligent and probably realizes that if something happens to me, then she's just forfeited her life and the life of her colony," Harry reasoned.

He moved out of the protective barrier, and slowly walked towards the cowering female Acromantula. He watched the smaller spiders with sharp eyes, and was relieved when they backed off as he moved towards Mosag.

"He'll be fine," Severus told Draco, when he noticed the apprehension lining his godson's face.

Harry came to stand in front of Mosag, taking note of her pincers tucked back, nearly under her big form, and her fangs that dripped with the venom he needed. "I have come to ask you for something. If you give me what I want, you and your children can remain in the forest, undisturbed. As long as you don't start to hunt humans…unless they wander into your home, of course."

"You will let us live and remain here."

Harry nodded. "If I get what I want."

"And what is that?"

"I need Acromantula venom." There was a moment when Mosag stared at Harry, and he stared right back, his eyes unwavering. He could hear the spiders behind him speaking to each other with the clicks of their pincers. It really was an annoying sound.

"What do you need it for?"

"Not your concern. Do we have a deal?"

"And you will swear to leave us be here?"

"Yes."

"Fine, then. You shall have your venom."

Harry nodded and concealed his excitement. "Excuse me. I just need to fetch the containers." He returned to Draco and Severus. "I don't know how to do this. Severus?" his uncle nodded and pulled two large glass jars out of his robes. The top of each jar was covered in cheesecloth.

"Will she allow me to collect it from her?"

"Let's not give her a choice." Harry moved back to the Acromantula. "Mosag, my uncle will collect the venom from you." Mosag shifted and Harry supposed that was the closest thing he would get to a nod. "Your children will not hurt him either, is that understood?"

"Yes."

Harry nodded, and motioned for Severus to come over. Draco looked put out to be left alone in the protective bubble, and he conveyed his unrest to his mate. Harry grinned at him. Without speaking a word, Severus lifted the jars, one for each of Mosag's large prominent fangs, and pierced the cheesecloth with them. Immediately the venom started to pour into the jars. It took little time for the jars to fill and when he was finished, Severus nodded to Mosag and said a small thank you, which seemed to surprise the giant spider.

"Mosag, I have one question before we go."

"Speak then, Ukatae."

"Who warned you about us?"

"The half giant. He said you would kill us all, you have no conscious, and evil has taken you over."

Harry stepped back in shock. Hagrid thought that about him? Harry hadn't seen Hagrid since the end of sixth year, but he didn't think Hagrid had stopped being his friend. Harry nearly jumped when Severus spoke next to him.

"Hagrid is easily manipulated. He is very loyal to Dumbledore and would believe anything the headmaster says. Once he sees that you haven't become what Dumbledore has said, Hagrid will rethink his opinion."

"Thank you, Mosag. We will leave you in peace now." Harry bowed to her before he, Severus, and Draco quickly left. Even with their new dark natures, Harry and Draco still felt the Acromantula colony was eerie and couldn't wait to leave it behind.

"I think you should turn into your Animagus forms before you encounter the unicorns," Severus advised as they continued to travel through the forest. It was nearing four in the morning and they were all tired. "You may be trusted more that way and be able to come upon the unicorns without frightening them away."

"That all depends on what our Animagus forms are. We haven't tried to transform yet," Draco said. They stopped by a small stream and he surprised his godfather and his mate when he bent down to drink from it. "What?" he asked upon seeing their incredulous stares.

"Draco Malfoy just drank from a stream in the middle of a forest. Am I hallucinating?"

"Shut it, you. I was thirsty."

"Well go on and try to transform then. I don't think it will be difficult for the two of you."

Harry nodded and closed his eyes, his mind traveling to the core of his magic, trying to find the image of his Animagus form. When he found it, his green eyes snapped open and he grinned. His emerald eyes began to glow and he dropped down to his hands and knees. The skin on his hands and face began to ripple, and suddenly dark black fur began to appear. Severus and Draco watched, transfixed, as Harry became the largest black panther either of them had ever seen.

"Harry, you're gorgeous!" Draco stepped forward, but yelped when Harry pounced, his big paws hitting Draco's chest, knocking the blond onto his back. Harry started to purr and nuzzle Draco's face, his tongue flicking out to taste his mate's skin. Draco reached out and caressed his lover's fur.

Severus stood back and watched. That would explain all the purring and growling the two of them had been displaying. He was willing to bet Draco's Animagus form wasn't much further off. He was correct, of course. Draco turned into a massive Siberian tiger, only he was purely white with no stripes whatsoever and his eye color changed as well and was now the color of blue ice.

Severus let the two play around for a few minutes, before telling them to get a move on. Draco darted off into the forest for a minute, and Harry went over to stand next to Severus. The panther butted his head against his hand and Severus smiled and scratched Harry behind his ears, chuckling when Harry's purring grew louder.

"What is Draco doing?"

"Mrrrow!"

"Right. Like I understood that."

"He says his mate went to find you protection while they carry out their mission."

Severus spun around, surprised to see two centaurs approaching him, with Draco padding in between them. Harry made his way over to Draco, and then the two jungle cats darted off into the forest, quickly disappearing from view.

Severus studied his two guards, while they studied him. Finally, the centaurs approached the rest of the way. "Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts. You are welcome here as the guardian of the two young Ukatae."

"Thank you."

"We shall keep watch over you until they return." The centaurs did not speak after that, instead keeping their attention on the trees around them, searching out any danger that may be lurking near.

Severus felt like a youngling again. He was being babysat by two centaurs whom looked upon him as if he were a child. But he supposed he was a child compared to them. They were probably three times his age. He sat down on a boulder and prepared to wait. The Dark Mark on his arm started to tingle, which meant the Dark Lord was becoming impatient. He hoped Harry and Draco would return soon. An impatient Voldemort usually quickly turned into an angry Voldemort. He had no wish to be Crucioed when he returned home.

The Ukatae followed their noses to where a young unicorn lay sleeping under a thick fern, and they slowed as they approached.

It's young. That's even better for what we will do with the spell. Harry thought to Draco. The tiger purred in agreement. The unicorn quickly woke, startled, and was preparing to run when she spotted the two large cats approaching. Harry quickly soothed her fear away and reassured the unicorn that they were not there to harm her in any way.

I'm fifty-four in human years. Not young at all by human standards. And by Ukatae standards, you two are only babies. The unicorn's thought speech was like music for their souls, and she didn't sound frightened at all. What spell do you need my blood for?

Harry and Draco shared a quick surprised glance before turning back to the unicorn. Seems she can read their minds as well as talk to them. Harry supposed since she could read their minds that it would be best to tell her the complete truth.

Yes, the truth is always the best. Please tell me everything. Leave nothing out. I like long tales.

So the two cats lay down where the unicorn was curled up under her fern and began from the very beginning. They started the story off when the soul mate bond began to manifest itself. The unicorn was an attentive listener, and they could feel her excitement and awe as the tale progressed. By the end, the unicorn seemed very happy.

I am glad you have found your family, Harry. I have heard of you.

Who hasn't? Draco muttered. Harry swiped at the tiger's ear, though his claws remained sheathed.

I have heard of you as well, Draco Malfoy. You both have come a long way to where you are now. Your love makes me happy. But I am still unsure as to whether or not I should allow you some of my blood.

What is your name? Draco asked.

Tu'ral.

Tu'ral, what are you unsure of?

The Ukatae are dark creatures by nature, and therefore their hearts are never pure. You are still young. I wonder what will become of you.

I'm going to tell you honestly that we may have done some wrong before, and probably will again. Harry didn't think there was any way to get around telling the absolute truth to this light creature. But everything we do is to protect.

This is for the future, Tu'ral. For all magical creatures and beings, Draco went on. There are many out there who would do you and us wrong without worrying about the consequences. We have a conscious and we do nothing lightly…At least I don't do anything lightly, but Harry seems to enjoy jumping into things.

Draco, seriously. I had a plan. Not my fault Aragog died!

Tu'ral's laughter echoed only in their heads, but it seemed like the entire forest could hear and was listening to her.

Let me touch you. It was more of a question than a statement. Both cats nodded immediately. Tu'ral stood over them and bent her head to touch Harry's forehead with her horn. It started to shimmer, and then glow a soft blue. Harry couldn't help the shiver that passed through him when Tu'ral's horn touched him. It felt like he had just been dipped into an ice-cold river. It was very strange having someone other than Draco looking into his soul, but he tried to relax and let the unicorn do what she wanted. It was her blood they wanted after all. Finally Tu'ral pulled away from Harry and did the same to Draco, and Harry saw Draco shiver when the horn touched him. Tu'ral pulled back moments later and nodded.

You shall have my blood.

Harry jumped up and in his excitement, began to run in circles, chasing his tail. Draco sat up and watched his mate in complete composer, though his ears were twitching in amusement, and his tail began to swish back and forth in a relaxed state.

Tu'ral, what do you know of the Ukatae? he asked her. Tu'ral cocked her head to the side, and Draco got the impression that she was grinning.

My knowledge of your race is limited, but I do know you are going extinct. I've heard there are only a few hundred left, but again that is speculation. I know that they will be looking for you after you complete this spell, if they aren't already. And I know that you and your mate will be very important to them and they will need you if your kind is to have any kind of future. There is a reason why you have become Ukatae, and it has nothing to do with the bond. The bond just happened to speed up the transformations.

Wait. Draco rose quickly, drawing Harry's attention away from his tail. I don't understand. Are you saying we would have turned into Ukatae even without the bond?

Tu'ral flicked her tail at him, but that was the only answer she would give for his question.

What's going on? Harry asked, coming back to stand beside his mate.

Your mate can tell you what I've said when you return home. Now change to your true forms so that I can see you, and then take the blood. It is still early morning, and you did wake me.

Oh, yeah. Sorry. Harry and Draco quickly transformed and watched Tu'ral circle them, inspecting the very first Ukatae she had ever seen. She seemed pleased with what she saw. Once she came around to face them, Draco withdrew his wand and a dark blue vial from his robes.

This should not hurt. Draco chanted the bloodletting spell and watched as the vial filled with unicorn blood. The blood seemed iridescent to the Ukatae eyes, a soft silvery-blue liquid.

Thank you very much, Tu'ral.

You are most welcome, Draco Malfoy. Before you leave I must tell you I sense something strange on the both of you.

Something strange? Harry looked at Draco with raised eyebrows.

Tu'ral approached and laid her horn against Harry's right arm and her horn started to glow again. Harry felt a tickling sensation and when he looked down, he was surprised to see his arm was glowing. He could see the glow even through the dark fabric of the robe. Tu'ral moved to Draco and did the same to his right arm, and it too began to glow. Both Ukatae quickly removed their robes and rolled up their sleeves.

"What the hell is this on my arm?" Draco cried aloud, looking at the strange glowing markings, appalled that something was marring his beautiful pale skin.

"It's lovely, whatever it is. And don't be so vain. Look, it's already fading." The glow began to fade almost as soon as Tu'ral pulled her horn away, but the light was so bright that it lasted a while.

Do you know what these markings mean? Harry asked Tu'ral.

Not precisely, but they are Ukatae markings. You did not gain these markings from any transformation. You were born with them. And they represent who you are. That is all I can say. Tu'ral nodded to them and then curled up under her fern once more. Before leaving, Harry asked the unicorn if he and Draco could come and visit her sometime once school started again.

Oh yes! I would be delighted. And perhaps you could come with more tales to tell me?

It would be our pleasure. Draco nodded to the unicorn, took Harry's hand, and they walked back to Severus in a semi peaceful bliss. It would have been completely peaceful if their minds weren't filled with Tu'ral's strange words about their being, but at least now they could go home and get some sleep before they needed to prepare the spell that would bring Tom's body back.

A/N: Edited 10/18/2011