Is This The World We Created

Chapter 34

"What do you want?" Laura asked, from where she sat on the stone bench amongst the lovely smelling plants. She could sense him far quicker than she could hear him. She honestly just wanted to be left alone! Was it too much to ask? She especially didn't want to talk to the person who had ruined everything.

"You remind me of a boy I used to go to school with," Harry commented, as he slid onto the opposite stone bench. He'd gotten rid of them before, oh, wait, no, they'd ended up in one of the cabins, they'd plastered them with hides, they had been rather comfortable.

Laura huffed, a quiet scoff as she crossed her arms, add insult to injury he likens her to a boy of all things!

"He grew up rather isolated from people, was practically indoctrinated to think a certain way." Harry explained, ignoring the look of deep profound insult over the difference in gender. "When he was sixteen that illusion begun to shatter. It wasn't until he was seventeen that…anyone saw a real change in him. He is now someone I can safely say I'm proud to know."

"My mother didn't…indoctrinate me!" Laura hissed out, eyes flashing gold in her anger, how dare he? He come here and change all their lives.

"It's okay if you don't see it, I'm just letting you know that change is difficult. It's never going to be a simple and easy thing; denial is a massive burden to overcome. I've noticed your incredibly like your mother…" Harry said quietly, it had broken Draco to split from the mould his father had created for him.

Laura straightened proudly, smiling, she was very proud to be her mother's daughter. So proud to be a Hale, and she had been looking forward to the day she took over from her mother and now she couldn't.

"You even take her…less desirable traits," Harry continued, as Laura's claws emerged, furious at the slight against her and her mother. "I mean it's disgusting really, to deliberately withhold touch from family, never mind a werewolf is quite…abhorrent to me. I could never imagine doing that, and I'm not the werewolf here."

Laura's snarl ceased mid sound, as her claws retracted, as she stared at Harry. So, completely befuddled, she didn't do anything like that, touch was important! Not only to get scent on each other but to praise, to help get better from any illness that might cause longer healing such as an attack from a hunter. "What are you talking about?" she didn't do that, did she? Who was he to tell her how she acted! It wasn't as if he'd been around to notice anything.

Harry just smiled a small pained thing, having your weaknesses and actions shoved in your face wasn't pleasant. However, it might just save Laura going down a path of misery. He reckoned Laura had never become close to anyone, not even Derek in the other timeline after the fire. As a way to punish herself? Or not even realizing she was doing it? Part of her must have gained the courage to look and see, she'd come back to Beacon Hills for a reason. Even if it took six years before that courage was attained. "When was the last time you hugged your father?"

"What does it matter to you?" Laura asked defensively, leery over what he was implying. Although, his question did sit heavy in her heart and mind. How long had it actually been? It couldn't be that long surely? She'd likely hugged him after what happened.

"You have such a wonderful family," Harry said quietly, staring out at the sprawling landscape of the Black Ranch. "It's something I would have killed for, you know. My parents died when I was one, I have no real memories of them except the ones of their deaths. I was given to the only remaining family I had left. My aunt and uncle, I spent ten years living in a cupboard under the stairs…so you see, seeing you treat your family that way…its very painful."

Laura frowned, looking away, sensing the complete truth in his words, and the pain behind them. The desire for a family forever lost to him, the anger at her for treating them badly.

"Actually, it makes me want to take a hold of you and shake some sense into you." Harry said wryly, "I guess losing them made different perspectives for me. You could have lost your entire family the other day. Yet all you've done is complain about your mother losing her Alpha powers. For very good reason."

Laura flinched at that reminder; she was trying her best not to remember what could have happened. Or rather what would have happened if this Stiles, Harry, Derek and Uncle Peter hadn't come back in time to stop it. It was surreal to be honest, and it was easier to think they were lying, making everything up to scare them. Oh, she tried, she tried so much to believe that, but the vast difference in her brother…who couldn't even look at her spoke volumes.

Not to mention the look on her uncles face when she said his name, well 'Uncle Peter' anyway. That look it had truly frightened her, and made her understand why her mother was so afraid of him and kept him at a distance.

"Not even the loss of your family changed you," Harry revealed quietly, "You held affection and touch from Derek afterward. So much so that he believed he deserved it, but I can't blame you for that, the ripping of all your pack bonds likely affected you. I don't blame you for withdrawing from society and trying to protect yourself and your brother from that horror." He couldn't compare everyone to himself, although he did it constantly, it wasn't intentional.

Laura made a soft broken sound, not sure what to say. Not sure what she could say, as she tried to come up with explanations. To go into denial but with everything that had happened recently, she wasn't able to do so.

"I try not to judge people too harshly, but when I was your age, I had willingly walked to my death to save everyone I love…and everyone else too." Harry confessed, clasping his hands together and slotting them into his thighs to warm them up. It was rather chilly at the moment. "I died for everyone, caused the death of a very evil wizard…so, yeah, I can sometimes be too judgemental and I hope you can forgive me for it." It was easy to forget that Laura was just another Draco, a spoiled bloody brat that had their eyes forced open. You'd think out of them both Laura would find it easier than Draco.

"I don't need your pity!" Laura sniped eyes blazing, fed up of their judgemental ways. "Our allies won't stand with Peter and let this injustice continue!"

Harry scratched his chin, "Yeah, about that, I don't think Peter cares much for the alliances that your mother had built. They didn't make a single appearance after what happened to your family."

Laura flinched, swallowing thickly, that couldn't be true…could it?

"Or it might have something to do with the new Alpha running with her Beta brother and disappearing. Why risk their own pack when the new Alpha Hale didn't stick around to get justice for her murdered pack mates?" Harry pointed out, he didn't even wince realizing how it likely sounded. So much for not judging.

"Then proceeding to leave their own uncle, their packmate, in hospital and then cut him off and made him an omega." His words were cutting, but he couldn't help himself. Hell, he wouldn't have left Voldemort to suffer like that, never mind his own family. This was the biggest beef he had with her. "Only a fool and cold callous Alpha would have considered helping you."

"I probably had my reasons!" Laura spat, standing up, hands clenched into fists, the urge to lash out was so strong. How could they stand there and judge her for something she hadn't done?

"Do you know what's funny…part of Peter is glad you got out when you did," Harry said, standing up himself. A sad smile – more like a grimace – on his face. "After everything that happened in the years after the fire, it was good that you got out. He forgave you."

"You mean after killing me?" Laura spat, although, it felt odd knowing what the future would have held.

"Your scent was different, you'd left him as an omega, his mind had been ravaged by the broken pack bonds, the agonising pain of healing cell by cell from forth degree burns…I'm genuinely surprised Peter actually survived that, even with the Alpha powers." A smirk appearing on his face, "It looks like my mate is just as hard to kill as me." Which he considered a very good thing.

Laura just stood there trembling, her mind and emotions in utter turmoil. She hadn't just lost her possibility of Alpha powers, but she'd lost her brother. He could barely look at her, and he made no effort to disagree with their tarnishing of their mothers reputation. Her sister was acting oddly as well. Everything had gone to hell, starting with that Argent huntress.

"This hasn't happened, Laura, we've changed that outcome. You don't have to stay the course. It's never too late to change. It's difficult, it's a long arduous process, but the outcome means the possibility of a better future."

"Right now, you're travelling the road between who you've been raised to be or who you can be. The key is to open your eyes and allow yourself to make the journey. Don't be Alpha Hale, Talia's daughter, be Laura Hale, proud Beta…and who knows…just because you're not going to inherit alpha powers from your mother…doesn't mean you might not still have a destiny as an Alpha ahead of you." Harry placed a hand on her shoulder, surprised when it wasn't automatically jerked off.

"Harry, you need to eat," Luna called out sounding like a chime, it soothed the werewolves delicate hearing. "You too, Laura." An underlying timbre of sympathy in her voice when she called out to the girl. Harry wondered what had caused that, it's definitely something he'd need to discuss with her.

"Just watch, think, talk to the rest of the pack," Harry murmured, "It's okay to be afraid, Laura, everyone feels afraid for one reason or another. I spent a lot of time afraid, but you know what? I didn't let it get the better of me."

"You're just trying to turn me against my mom," Laura protested, but it was so weak, so broken that Harry and Laura both knew she was just grasping at straws.

"No, I'm not trying to turn you against anyone," Harry sighed tiredly, his hand dropping from Laura's shoulder. "Not even against your mom, she can still be your mom and you can still love her despite her flaws. We're all only human, mostly, we've all got flaws, some are just more apparent than others. Not to mention dangerous sometimes."

"Derek can't even bear to be in the same room!" Laura protested vehemently, if that wasn't turning against their mom, she didn't know what it was.

"The thing about assuming things is that it makes an ass out of you and everyone else. Can't you think of a reason Derek might be avoiding you? I mean that, in all seriousness." Harry asked exasperated, Merlin, were teenagers really that self-centred? At Laura's age? She was nearly out of her teenage years, and she was still clueless? Weren't they werewolves? Didn't they know how each other felt? There was no way she couldn't sense Derek's devastation, the guilt he was drowning in, the fear of losing them that was sticking to him like a second skin. The only thing keeping Derek from falling apart from Stiles, and likely Peter too.

Laura glanced away, "What happened…what would have happened wasn't his fault." She believed that one hundred percent.

Harry nodded, "Agreed, but unfortunately, Derek likely won't feel that way ever. Survivors guilt coupled with what had been done to him have left scars running all the way down to the foundation of his soul. There is no getting rid of them, but with the right nudging he will begin to move past it." A haunting quality of a tone filled with understanding and reassurance spoke of a shared (or similar) pain.

Laura bit her lip savagely, causing it to bleed and heal back up right away. It was one of the remaining tells she had, that she hadn't been able to hide or stop. Not even to make her mother happy. Harry put his arm around her shoulders, "Come on, let's get something to eat," he said, and Laura's stomach growled in agreement, she hadn't been eating much since the disaster. "Don't worry, nobody heard anything, you'll find more privacy here than you're used to."

And who knows, maybe Derek wouldn't be the only one who could forgive themselves and move on. Perhaps, Merlin allowing, Peter would too.

Harry opened the door and Laura slunk inside, as if she believed she wasn't welcome. Perhaps she was right, but not as highly a she believed. Laura was feeling unwelcome because she was being very hostile.

Harry wandered in, as was quite quickly smacked into by a small body. Which promptly tugged at him. Harry stared down at the curly haired little blonde boy. What did they call him again? Oh, yes, Isaac? "Hello, Isaac, how are you feeling? Hungry?" kneeling down before him, with a gentle smile and soft tone.

The shy boy gave a nod, he was famished. "Thank you," he said, soulful eyes peering up through his fringe.

"For what, little one?" Harry asked quite confused, glancing at the others, to see if anyone was paying attention but they weren't. Everyone was getting ready to sit down to dinner.

"My room," Isaac said, "I love it!" he declared, almost vibrating out of his skin in delight. "I always wanted a room like that! Like my brothers." Who had already left the Lachey residence, but who wasn't dead yet.

"I'm glad you like your room," Harry answered, rubbing his back, "Ready to eat, now?" he was really pleased the boy had thanked him for his room. From the mouth of the babes as they said. Nobody else had said anything yet another the rooming situation.

"The children should have a different table," Talia stated sharply, staring unimpressed at the large ornate oak table that would likely take two werewolves to comfortably carry it. They shouldn't be privy to adult conversation.

"How on earth did you get allies? Especially if you think it's perfectly fine to speak that way in other people's homes." Harry said quietly, shaking his head, seriously? He was keeping her family (her pack and it was her pack even if she wasn't Alpha) safe, housing them, yet she continued to push boundaries and complain about everything.

Even about her rooms.

Bastian giggled, watching Teddys hair change into neon green utterly fascinated with the boy. Grasping a hold of Teddy's hand, he tugged him over to his dad, eager to let him see what his new friend could do.

"Dad! Dad! Dad! Did you see?!" Bastian shouted to his dad, all but shoving Teddy at him with a delighted beaming smile.

"Whoa! How did you do that?" Isaac gaped, staring at Teddy like he was the best thing he'd ever seen. His shyness forgotten as his curiosity overcame it.

"I see," Sebastian smiled indulgently at his son, brushing back his hair, relishing in at least one of his kids still allowing contact. He wasn't sure how long it would continue.

"It's just normal routine at home, lets dig in, shall we?" Sebastian said with a tense smile, trying to stop another argument happening. Even if it was only so it didn't happen in front of the kids. "I'm absolutely famished."

"Magic!" Teddy beamed, "Pick a colour! Any colour!"

"Blue!" Bastian proclaimed, blinking owlishly as Teddy's hair turned sky blue right in front of his eyes, from the tip of his hair to the roots. "Dad, look!" utterly amazed by what he was seeing, "Can you do it yellow?"

Sebastian grasped a hold of his son, hoisting him into the air, as he shrieked in delight, "No more of that, go grab a seat! It's time to eat!"

"Put Bastian down, he's not a baby, he doesn't need coddled," Talia called out, pursing her lips when she realized Peter was sitting at the head of the table. That the others had sat themselves down, leaving her in the middle…and it irked something rotten going from the top of the food chain to basically the bottom.

"Sebastian's right, boys, go sit down, you can play after dinner," Harry called out, very pleased to see Teddy so open with the other so soon.

"There's not exactly much to entertain them," Jasper ventured, "I can't recall seeing even a single TV while poking around."

"Or a computer, Wi-fi, laptops, DVD players, not even dial-up." Stiles commented, as he entered the room, moving right towards Peter and Harry, and squeezing their shoulders. "Thanks for the invite." His stomach growling something fierce, it was good not having to cook.

"Not to mention a washer or dryer," Derek added wryly, wiping down his shirt which was soaked through with some kind of liquid.

"What happened?" Andromeda asked, flicking her wand, and non-verbally cleaned the Henley he had on and the spill miraculously cleared up.

"Just bumped into Cora," Derek said, "Thank you,"

"Oh, think nothing of it, it's a spell I learned very early on in my marriage. My daughter was such a clumsy girl, I was constantly cleaning up after her. I think in life it's my most cast spell." Andromeda explained, her heart panged just thinking of her lost daughter and son-in-law. It still hurt to this day, whoever said that time heals all wounds she'd like to stab and see how long it took for it to heal without intervention.

Harry laughed softly, "Merlin, she really was," a deep fondness suffusing his voice, a gleam coming to his eyes as he watched Andromeda sit down next to Sebastian, Talia sat across from him, and he noticed Laura was sitting next to Cora and not Talia who seemed confused by her daughters decision. "I'm not sure she could go more than five steps without stumbling over something."

"You made this?" Peter asked, after taking a large bite, it was the best thing he'd had in over a decade. He was quick to do it so that everyone else could begin eating. The clattering of cutlery after his question showcased that.

"Yeah, I did," Harry said with a grin, "I've always been a good cook. Pants at baking though."

"You'll need to give me a few pointers," Sebastian said, groaning in sheer delight, even with decent butchers you still get a few chemical tastes in the meat. This didn't, not even a little bit.

"Sure, I'd be more than happy to," Harry told him, "The kitchens going to be fully stocked."

"What about washing and drying? Or TV? Does magic interfere? I just sort of assumed they were all broken by the time we found sanctuary." Stiles spoke brazenly about a really tough time in their lives like it was nothing.

"We can't use magic on electronics, and extended use can cause interference, but other than that it's fine. There's no TV because there's nobody lived here for a while now. No washing machine or dryer because they're not needed. The House-elves will clean anything that's thrown down the laundry baskets." Each room had one, but he would make sure the House-elves weren't taken advantage off, that they still had chores. He knew how easy it was to spoil children.

"How old is Bastian?" Andromeda asked Sebastian, their heads together having a conversation. Easier for Andromeda, since she couldn't hear everything like Sebastian, but he was pretty good at tuningit out. It's something they all learned to do pretty quickly.

Neither noticed the looks Talia was throwing them.

Nobody noticed Laura's quietness either, as she watched the entire pack with a thoughtful look on her face. Perhaps Harry's words had gotten through to her.

A/n – I'm not sure if Isaacs brother is actually dead yet or not, but for the sake of the story I've decided he's not, but without interference he would be anyway. Also is there anything else you want to see in this story before I post an epilogue? And yes it's coming quick the part I wanted written is over and the idea I have for a long story is still brewing.

I'll be writing a few more chapters with the entire pack before I write an epilogue though, with the house rebuilt, who returns there, and ultimately perhaps a few of the werewolves who Harry knew in the future becoming friends and allies with the Hale pack! I just wish the chapters would write smoothly but I guess with the main muse done there's no excitement for the next chapters. That's happened to quite a few of my stories lately actually, hope it doesn't catch on to the others. R&R please