Harry's Letter

Two days later, Elysia observed the forest carefully as she went about her patrol, her ears and nose twitching as she tried to find any sign of someone, or something unfamiliar. It was the third time she'd been on patrol since Fenrir talked to her because she was determined to be with the group that found whatever the humans would sent to Harry - whether it be a letter or another human to talk with them. She was getting very tired, her worry causing her not to sleep, but she tried not to show it to the others.

She shook her large head, trying to banish away any hint of sleep. "Lets move on," called out Elysia to her group. "Nothing here. Anything from the scout, Lucas?"

Ears twitching as he carefully listened for the alarm that the ahead werewolf might send, Lucas shook his head. "Nothing yet from Noah, Elysia."

"Alright, let go." Bounding forward, Elysia and the small group moved through the forest quickly and silently. None of the others knew what she was so carefully searching for, but thankfully, they didn't question it. Or maybe they weren't curious enough to question it just yet.

Suddenly, Lucas - who had the best hearing out of them - came to a stop, his ears perked up and twisted towards something only he could hear clearly. "Noah found something! Says it's... " He paused. "Some kind of giant?"

"A giant?" repeated Elysia with a frown. Giants lived in the mountains that were miles away from this forest, and never wandered down this way, or at least they hadn't in her time. Still... "We're going to go check it out," she informed the group. "Lucas, lead the way."

A few long minutes later, Elysia finally caught the scent of the intruder. He smelled like he spent of his most of his time in the dirt, and some sharp smell that told her he also spent a lot of time with many different kinds of animals. And it seemed Noah had yet to show himself to him to the stranger, instead circling the intruder as he came closer to their home and watching to make sure he did no harm.

They found Noah a minute later, who nodded when they arrived. "He's that way," he softly informed them, jerking his head in that direction. "He must be at least ten feet tall! I'd say he's at least half-giant to get that size. And the only weapon I see is some strange pink thing in his hands."

"Alright." After a moment of thought, Elysia turned to the five werewolves that were under her command. "Circle him, and don't make yourself known unless I do first. Understood?" When the other nodded in confirmation, she sent them to move into place, shifting forward so she get her first look at the half-giant.

Peering through the bushes, golden eyes took in the intruder - which she heard before she even saw him as he stomped through her forest, footsteps heavy. Noah was right, he was at least ten feet tall, with dark bushy hair and beard that looked like it never was properly attended to and hid more than half his face. His dark eyes, like glittering beetles, glanced around everywhere - like he knew that something was out there, but he just couldn't see where. And he tightened his grip on what Elysia recognized as a pink umbrella, something human's use to stay dry during the rain. A strange thing for a weapon...

Watching him for a few moments more, Elysia waited for him to get closer before suddenly leaped into the large man's path, growling lowly and earning a surprised yell. The startled intruder tried to turn and leave, but soon found that he was surrounded now by six growling werewolves, all of them ready to attack him at her command.

"Uh, hello there," said the half-giant carefully. "My name's Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. I'm lookin' for - for..." The man reached into his coat pocked and hastily pulled out a letter, looking it over quickly before starting up again. "I'm lookin' for the Es... Es-tree-at-us werewolf clan?"

At that news, the other werewolves started to snarl until Elysia snapped at them, giving them a look which told them they need to calm down. "I'm going to change and talk with this man and see what he wants with us," she informed them. "Stay on your guard." And when they reluctantly agreed, she forced herself to change, and with a small twinge of pain, she shifted from her wolf form to her naked human one.

"Ah! I - I'm sorry, miss, I didn't see nothing, promise," babbled Hagrid as she stood up, a hand already slapped over his eyes and his cheeks turning a ruddy red.

"Why are you in our forest, half-giant?" asked Elysia an with even tone, even as she tried not to laugh. Did all human's act like this when they saw someone naked? It was rather amusing.

"How'd ya - Um, I mean, I'm here on a business from Albus Dumbledore - he's the headmaster at Hogwarts," Hagrid explained, still hiding his eyes. "We're lookin' for a boy, his name is Harry Potter,"

"Harry. You're here looking for Harry," finished Elysia, even as her heart started to quickly sink to the bottom of her stomach. Not for the first time in her life, she really wished Fenrir hadn't been right.

"He's really here then?" asked Hagrid, dropping his hand as he momentarily forgetting that she was naked. When she nodded, he sighed. "That's good to hear, I was worried that it didn't work. I mean, we all were, when we finally found out he was here, worried that the book would be wrong. He's alright then?"

"Harry is just fine," Elysia said with a curt nod, wondering what a book did to help them find Harry. "What do you want with him?"

"Well, I came to find him," said Hagrid with a confused look, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We've been looking for him since he was five, me and Professor Dumbledore and some others, I mean... If it's not to much trouble, do ya think I could see him, miss? I haven't seen him since he was a baby."

"... I suppose," said Elysia with a nod. "If that's what you want, I can lead you back to our camp. You'll have a chance to talk with our leaders about how you found us." She shifted back into her wolf form and barked at Noah, the fastest out of all of them. "Alert the Alphas we have a guest." And as Noah raced off to do as she was told, she nodded to Hagrid before making her way back home, the large man right behind her no matter what path she took.

What would normally take her ten minutes to get back to camp turned into half hour before they finally arrived at the entrance. Nodding to those who were guarding it, Elysia shifted back to her human form once they were inside, noticing that Hagrid avoided looking at her directly until she had shrugged her clothes on. She could see that other clan members had noticed the new arrival right away, staring at him and whispering. It wasn't much different from when Harry first arrived.

"Please wait a minute while I fetch our leaders and Harry," Elysia said calmly even as her heart beat out of control, waiting until he nodded in understanding before leaving to go find her son. Unfortunately, it didn't take long.

"Harry?" Elysia called out, catching the attention of the dark haired boy that was playing a game of catch with the other children his age. "Come here, cub."

Separating from his friends, Harry's smile turned into a slight frown as he saw the look on her face. "What's wrong, Mum?" he asked quietly. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing bad, cub," said Elysia with a shake of her head as she knelt down in front of him, running a hand over his wild hair and brushing his bangs out of his bright eyes. "Someone's here to see you, that's all. He's from... from your world. The magical world."

Almost instantly, Harry's eyes widened in fear. "Is he here to take me back?" he asked in a whisper. "I don't want to."

"You won't have to go back unless you want to," Elysia quickly promised, trying to sooth his fears. "But for now, he just wants to see you. Hagrid, that's his name, says he knew you when you were a baby," she mentioned.

"I don't want to go back to my aunt and uncle," Harry said as he started to tremble, ignoring her words. "Please don't let him take me, Mum."

"Harry," said Elysia firmly, gaining his attention again. "I won't let him take you back to those horrible people, I promise. You will only leave if you want to go, and you will only go where you want to. Do you understand that, cub?"

Harry slowly nodded.

"Now come along, its not polite to keep someone waiting," said Elysia as she stood, letting Harry slip his hand into hers. She guided him back to the entrance, where Hagrid was still waiting. His black eyes lit up in recognition as Elysia spoke. "Harry, this is Rubeus Hagrid. I believe you already know Harry."

"Nice to meet you, sir," muttered Harry, his feet shuffling nervously.

"There's no need for 'sir'," said Hagrid with a chuckle. "Blimey... I ain't seen you since you were a baby, Harry. When you were this big." He showed how small Harry would have been with his hands, which was very small compared to the large man. "And now ya look just like your dad when he was your age - except for your eyes. Ya got your mother's eyes."

"You knew my parents?" said Harry with a curious gaze.

"Course I did," said Hagrid with a smile. It was such a easy and kind smile that Elysia wished she didn't have to hate him for trying to take her cub away. "Knew 'em since they first went to Hogwarts - your mother always loved to come and visit. How about I bring ya a picture I have of them sometime, alright?"

While Elysia frowned, wondering what a 'picture' was, Harry smiled a little. "I'd like that," he admitted.

"Oh, before I forget." Hagrid dug into his coat again and pulled out the same letter from before, holding out to her cub. "This is for you."

Puzzled, Harry took the letter and scanned the front, Elysia looked over her shoulder to do the same. What kind of magic did wizards have to tell them where Harry slept at night? It made her slightly uneasy, but she pushed that feeling aside as Harry let go of her hand, opening the envelope and pulling out a set of thick papers from inside.

"Dear Mr. Potter," her son read aloud. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Harry looked up to Hagrid. "A school that teaches magic?"

Hagrid nodded. "You're a wizard, Harry. You've gotta train to use your magic. I bet you'll be a powerful wizard, just like your parents."

"How do they know I can use magic?" asked Harry.

"With parents like yours, there was no doubt about it," chuckled Hagrid.

"Sir," spoke out Noah. "The Alphas would like to speak with you now."

"Harry?" Elysia said gently as Hagrid moved on to speak with her parents. She took Harry by the shoulder and started leading him back to their hut. "What are you thinking, cub?"

Still staring down at the letter, Harry didn't answer right away. "I don't know," he finally mumbled, kicking a small rock that was in their path. But Elysia could only guess that his mind was racing with all this new information.

"Well, you know what I'm thinking?" said Elysia, causing Harry to look up at her. "You're being offered a chance to go to what seems like a very good magical school. Doesn't happen ever day. They'll teach you everything you need to know about your magic. And you'll be around your own kind again. It's... It's something that I think you should at least consider."

"But that means leaving you!" cried Harry. "And Uncle Fenrir! And the clan."

Knowing he must be thinking of what everyone would say, how they would say that they knew he could never make it in the clan, Elysia shook her head. "It's not forever, cub," she reminded him. "Fenrir told me about Hogwarts - its only till you graduate, and you can come back to visit during their breaks and the warm season. And don't you think learning how to use your magic would also benefit the clan?"

"...Why do you really want me to go, Elysia?" asked Harry, calling her by her name for the first time in years. "Do you... Do you not want me anymore?"

"Of course not, Harry," said Elysia, shocked that he would even think that. "It's just..." She ran a hand through her hair, sighing. "While I'll miss you very much, I want you to have a choice," she finally said, trying to explain. "You didn't have that when you first came here - it was either join us or go back to those horrible people that you're forced to be related to. I want you to go out and try this, and then choose what life you want, whether it be a part of this clan or a part of your own world. Who knows, you might enjoy it better than this place."

Silence. Harry glanced down at the letter before looking back up to her. "You really want me to go?" he finally said.

"Only if you want to," Elysia reminded him. "All I'm saying is that you should consider it."

A pause. "And if I don't like it, I can come back?"

"I'll come and get you the moment you really want to come back," promised Elysia with a nod of her head.

"... Well, I guess I could try it, at least," mumbled Harry, even though there was a clear excitement in his eyes.

Even though the pain in her heart grew steadily worse, Elysia smiled and kissed her cub on the top of his head before pulling him into a hug that made him squeak in surprise. "I'm proud of you Harry," she said with another kiss. "I really am."

"Ya can't do that!" roared Hagrid suddenly, startling half the clan as he stomped from the Alphas hut. "Ya can't!"

"Mister Hagrid, I must ask that you calm down," said Jason as he followed him, Agatha close behind him. "You are scaring the younger members of my clan."

"But ya can't tell me that I can't take him!" said Hagrid angrily, his beetle eyes blazing. Harry gasped, and Elysia held him closer to protect him for the half-giant. "He needs to be back home, with people that miss and love 'im!"

"I'm not saying you can't take him at all - I'm simply saying that it's best to wait until the school actually starts," snapped Jason.

"But we've been lookin' fer him since he was little! He should be with his family!"

"This is my home!" spoke out Harry even as he clung to Elysia, who ran a soothing hand over his hair. "And you can't take me away unless I wanna go, my mum said so. And I don't wanna go with you!"

"Your mum? Harry, your mum is dead," said Hagrid gently, even though he was clearly confused.

"Maybe my birth mum is," said Harry with his head raised him. "But Elysia's my mum now, and she says I didn't have to go unless I want to!"

"How about we make a compromise," suggest Jason carefully before Hagrid started yelling again. "Why don't you have your headmaster – Dumbledore, was it? - come to speak with us about Harry going to this school of yours. And please inform him that he more than welcome to bring one guest to come with him. Until then, I hope you have a pleasant trip back home."

Stunned for a long moment, Hagrid finally stomped out the camp, grumbling lowly under his breathe. Quietly, Jason waved over two guards and ordered them to follow the half-giant to make sure he left their forest without any trouble.

"That went well."

Startled slightly, Elysia didn't hesitate reach back to punch Fenrir in the arm. "Don't scare me like that! And where the hell have you been during all this?"

"Staying out of sight." Fenrir shrugged when both Elysia and Harry gave him a look. "I'm not well liked in the wizarding world - if that oaf had realized I was here, he wouldn't have left so easily. He probably would have gotten pretty violent just to make sure the kid didn't stay here."

"He was kinda nice," Harry muttered. "Before he started yelling. Said he'd get me a picture of my parents... I don't remember what they looked like... or even know their names."

Blinking in surprise, Elysia and Fenrir looked at each other. They never thought of that - of course, Harry had never said his parents names before, but they always assumed it was because he didn't like talking about them, they were dead after all. "I don't know what they looked like," said Fenrir after a moment. "But I think I remember their names... Ja -Jack? No... James was your dad's name," he said after struggling for a moment. "And your mom was named after some sort of flower. Rose... no. Pansy... Lily. It was Lily," he said with a nod. "James and Lily."

"My middle name's James," said Harry with a small smile. "I was named after my dad."

"And Lily is a very pretty name," Elysia added. "I'm sure she was beautiful, especially if she gave you her eyes."

His smile getting larger, Harry showed Fenrir his letter, and even though he'd probably gotten one of his own years ago the werewolf read it with Harry and made something out of every word on it, if just to make sure that Harry stayed happy. And even though she continued to smile and said a few things of her own about the letter, Elysia couldn't help but feel that she was going to loose her cub.

Not because it was possible that he'd be leaving her. But because there was the chance that he might never want come back.

As Hagrid explained to Dumbledore what happened during his trip to the Estriatus werewolf clan two days ago, Severus would have rolled his eyes had it not been for the fact that it was a childish thing to do. Really, how did he expect Harry to act - to pack up his things the moment he arrived and leave behind his home of six years without a second thought?

"Well, its seems I'll have to delay my appointment for getting measured for new robes," said Dumbledore when Hagrid finished. "I'll head out tomorrow then, at first light. As for my single guest..." He turned to me. "Severus, would you like to come with me?"

"And why are you asking me?" asked Severus with a raised eyebrow.

Instead of a spoken answer, Dumbledore gave him a look that said, 'Why not?' before turning back to the half-giant. "Thank you, Hagrid, for going out so suddenly. Why don't you go home and get some rest - I'll fetch you when we have news."

"It seems that despite this werewolf clan have a reputation for despising humans, they've welcomed Harry and let him become family," Dumbledore finally said long after Hagrid left. "I must say, while I'm quite happy that Harry has been safe these past six years, it still surprises me."

"Safe?" said Severus with a hiss. "Living with werewolves is not safe!" They were dangerous creatures, something he knew too well thanks to a prank gone wrong during his sixth year.

"Severus, please," said Dumbledore firmly. "Obviously, they are not your normal werewolves - or perhaps they are. Remember, though we do know of these hidden clans, no one has ever see what goes on inside them. From what I understood from Hagrid, they seem rather hospitable - well, till they started talking about him taking Harry away."

"And that makes them all better," said Severus with a snap.

Sighing, Dumbledore leaned across his desk. "I'm sorry, my boy. I know you don't want to go, and if I had the time, I would wait for Remus to come back from his trip and take him instead. But I don't. And I want someone I trust to come with me."

"Oh, is that the reason? And what am I suppose to say when I see Potter?" asked Severus sharply. "'Hello, Harry Potter, nice to meet you, and by the way - I'm the reason your parents are dead!'"

"Now you know that's not true," said Dumbledore with a shake of his head.

Severus simply glared at the headmaster.

"Are you really going to fight this, Severus?" Dumbledore asked gently after a long moment. "I thought you would at least be happy to have a chance to see Lily's son."

Damn, he was pulling the Lily card. "I'm perfectly fine with waiting till the school year starts to see the little brat," Severus said sharply. "Waiting a few more weeks will not kill me."

"Severus. Please?"

"... Fine," Severus with a snap. "But don't think I will be enjoying this at all."

"Then everything's settled. We'll leave about six 'o' clock. Oh, save for one thing," Dumbledore suddenly said before Severus could stand up and escape. "Hagrid promised Harry a picture of his parents. You don't happen to have one, do you?"

"Of Potter? I doubt it," sneered Severus.

"Ah. Well, I shall ask Minerva," decided Dumbledore, nodding his head as if agreeing with his own idea. "I'm sure she has a few pictures that they sent her when they first were married."

"If you'll excuse me, Headmaster," said Severus as he stood, moving to escape. "I have some things I need to do before our trip in the morning. Good night."

"Good night, Severus."

When Severus entered his rooms after a calming walk through a currently quiet caste, the first thing he did was go to his bedroom and open up his wardrobe. He searched for a few minutes frantically, finally pulling out a light brown wooden box, held closed with a simple brass latch. He carried it carefully to the kitchen, as if it were made of glass, and placed it on his table.

Yet instead of opening it right away, Severus simply stared at it. How long had it been since he last pulled out this box? A year? Five? No, more like ten, almost eleven, when he heard the news that Lily was dead, and that only her son was still alive. He had opened this box, poured out his emotions, and locked them inside before hiding it away. He hadn't been able to open it since then. He just couldn't force himself to do it.

Could he do it now?

Breathing shakily, Severus reached forward, his potion-stained fingers fumbling with the simple clasp before slowly pushing up the lid.

Instantly, a young Lily smiled up at him and waved before looking down at the book in her hands. Another Lily, slightly older giggled with a slight blush, and yet another ignored him as she stared up at the sky with her lips slowly turning up into a grin. Picture after picture laid in the box, many by Lily's father Muggle camera and developed by a wizard. There were also letters, many received and some never sent. And there was even pressed flower inside that Lily once gave him - her favorite flower, a cherry blossom.

Swallowing the Quaffle sized large lump in his throat, Severus slowly shifted through the pictures, seeing mostly flashes of red hair against backgrounds of grass or sky, sometimes even a kitchen. He didn't let himself really see any of them until he had almost reached the bottom of the pile. He carefully picked up that picture and held it between his fingers. It was of Lily when she was twelve. She had curled up on the couch, breathing softly as she slept soundly. Her head was resting against the shoulder his twelve year old self, who was sleeping just as deeply with his head falling to the side, their hair almost mixing. Lily's father had taken the picture when he noticed that they had failed to stay up for the new year.

Placing that picture back in the box, Severus looked through the pictures again, the next one coming out not even a minute later. It was a fifteen year old Lily at her kitchen table, bent over her summer homework, hair pulled into a messy ponytail so it wouldn't touch the ink, though loose hairs brushed her forehead. She looked up at the camera, slightly startled before she smiled brightly for Severus, who had borrowed her father's camera.

He repeated the process until Severus finally found the one he was looking for. This time, his fingers were almost shaking as he held up the picture. Once again, it was Lily, but unlike the others, it was the only one that showed her older than fifteen, this one taken when she was twenty and already married to Potter. She sat in a white rocking chair in what was clearly a nursery that was decorated with blue and gold, looking down at the white bundle she held in her arms.

In the many times Severus had stared at the picture after receiving, never did Lily looked up from her son, her bright green eyes looking into the same coloured eyes she had given Harry. Severus could only guess that Potter had taken it, but she had been the one to send it to him, along with a letter that said she forgiven him, and she wanted him to meet her son...

After reading that, Severus placed both the picture and letter in the box and hadn't touched it since, never answer even when he still had a chance.

Placing that picture carefully on the table, Severus closed the box with a snap, quickly picking it up and moving to put it away again, suddenly ready for bed. Tomorrow correction, later today, he realized as he glanced at the nearby clock, he would finally get to meet her son.

Even if it was going to be among monsters.