Full honesty, I've barely worked on this since my last update. Needed a break from my own work, so here we are.
Still don't own anything.
. . . . .
Corvus
. . . . .
Bright sunlight pulled Corvus from the light doze he'd let himself fall into ever since the first rays of sunlight roused him earlier. Rolling onto his paws, Corvus stood and stretched, then shook himself lightly before padding silently toward the large canopied bed.
His young mistress, or so she believes herself, was nestled inside it in a disorganized sprawl of limbs and silver-blond hair.
Personally, Corvus had taken something closer to a kid-sister approach.
Jumping onto the bed, he stepped carefully across the sheets, settling close enough to the sleeping girl to watch her face wrinkle as his breath washed across her face.
Groaning, she tried to shift away even as her hands stretched out, pushing at his face. "Corvus," She muttered, disgust filling her sleep-saturated voice.
Whuffing softly, Corvus rolled, pinning her body beneath his, head on her chest so she couldn't escape.
"Stop it, Corvus," She protested, louder this time, still trying to push him away.
She only succeeded in waking herself up, laughter bubbling up against her will. "Beast, I've already told you it isn't polite to wake a lady like that."
Corvus barked softly and sat up, pretending to look about the room in confusion. Grey eyes flashed silver as Lyra deciphered the implied taunt and pulled sharply on one of Corvus's sensitive ears in response. He let out a sharp growl in response, narrowed pine-green eyes fixing sharply on her.
The two glared at each other for a heartbeat, then two, but her face scrunched up in anger was too much.
Corvus broke, lunging forward to cover her face in soft kisses, sending her a sputtering mess of shrieking laughter and protests.
Jumping from the bed, Corvus crouched on the floor, ready to continue their game. Lyra chased after him with an adorable war cry.
They spent the next few minutes rough-housing until her mother opened the door to the sight of her daughter rolling on the floor.
"At least he manages to get you out of bed in a timely manner," She remarked, having grown accustomed to the sight in the weeks since Corvus had appeared.
Lyra only giggled and hugged him tightly one last time before letting her mother herd her into the washroom. Corvus took the chance to escape before things got awkward.
Again.
Following the scent of breakfast as much as the mostly memorized path through the ostentatious house, Corvus found his way to the family dining room. Lyra's father and uncle were already seated there, steaming tea cups on the table before them as they read the morning paper.
Corvus padded silently up to Marius's side and rested his head on the arm of his chair, eyes scanning the paper. The man chuckled, thinking he was only looking for attention while waiting to be fed. "Morning wolf, still looking to get back into my good graces."
If Corvus's eyes could roll, they would have. After coming to grips with the fact that everything wasn't some dream from the coma his cousin beat him into, it made sense to learn as much as possible. Sacrificing a bit of pride to do so wasn't all that hard.
Besides, Corvus liked Marius even if he had more respect for his brother.
It was not a particularly hard choice, considering one was a successful businessman and politician while the other, from what he'd gathered, was an ex-soldier turned freeloader.
"Does the smelly creature have to be here for every meal?" A snobbish whine came from the same doors Corvus had just come from, but the false wolf didn't bother to look at the blond git Lyra called her brother.
At eleven, their ages nearly matched, if absolutely nothing else did.
Having just turned eight, Lyra had outgrown her adorable baby sibling status years ago. Now, she was the young upstart taking everything he wanted.
Then Corvus showed up and made everything infinitely worse.
Marius, of course, took exceptional delight in riling up his young nephew. Something Harry shared with the man, much to Narcissa's amused distress.
Raising his head, Corvus sniffed, then sneezed explosively across Marius's lap. The man protested loudly, shoving the wolf's head away before glaring at Draco. "Not particularly bright, Draco, commenting on the hygiene of a beast with a better nose than yours and an allergy to bullshi-"
"Brother," Lucius remarked tiredly from his place at the head of the table as his brother's time with Americans reared its head.
Marius only shrugged. "He's going to Hogwarts this year, Lucius; he'll learn all the words by Christmas anyway." Corvus looked up at the name. Any mention of the magical school always piqued his attention.
"No, you've already seen to that, uncle," Draco stated snidely as he sat beside his father.
Marius looked sheepish under his brother's glare, but Lucius said nothing. Instead, he just looked at his son with a resigned expression. "Don't teach them to your sister." The order was as firm as Corvus had ever heard from the man.
The conversation ended as Dobby appeared by Lucius's elbow. "Masters be receiving a letter."
Lucius accepts the envelope with weary resignation.
Corvus gave the house elf yet another curious look. Without his ears, the critter wasn't even as tall as the wolf with his head raised, yet he managed nearly the entire estate's upkeep with an odd, quirky delight.
True to Marius's prediction, he'd been somewhat wary when they'd first been introduced. Still, he definitely didn't look like a meal, even if he did smell like dinner often enough.
Now, Dobby just popped over to the wolf's side to stroke his ears after leaving another letter in front of Narcissa's usual seat. "Goods wolfsy, goods wolfsy."
Draco grunted in disgust. "Foolish beast lets the servant pet him but won't even favor me with a look."
"All animals are sensitive to emotions, Draco," Marius's gruff tone was the only warning his nephew was finally testing his patience. "Even if Corvus was a regular animal, your attitude would naturally drive him off."
Draco only grunted, but Marius wasn't satisfied. After folding the paper and setting it aside, he stared fixedly at his nephew. Draco didn't last long under the scrutiny.
Raising his head, the boy did his best to imitate his father's natural nonchalance. "Uncle?"
Despite having his nephew's full attention, Marius didn't speak for a long moment, leaving Draco trying not to squirm. When he did, the man's voice held a cold rasp Corvus had never heard before. "Not only is Corvus absolutely brilliant for an already intelligent species, but his magical talent nearly exceeds your own, Draco." He leaned over, settling his arms on the table. "But under all that, he is still a wild animal; do not try his patience; he doesn't have any."
"Father," Draco tried to protest but went silent when his father's gaze lifted from the letter.
"Listen to your uncle, Draco; only that oaf they keep on staff at Hogwarts as their groundskeeper would know more about such creatures."
The boy went silent, head down, and Marius dropped the matter in favor of his tea, then turned to his brother. "More maneuvering?" The question sounded bitter coming from the ordinarily upbeat man.
Lucius nodded with equal disgust. "Yes, I never could have imagined the favor this incident would be seen as." He replied, offering the letter to Marius.
His brother accepted it with a frown, skimming its contents quickly before letting out a low whistle. "You'd think the huntress personally gave our little eagle the beast after driving the monster off herself with this sort of flattery."
Lucius nodded. "One would expect the older houses to be at least slightly more subtle in their interest."
The conversation ended as Narcissa stepped in, Lyra happily holding her hand. The family shared a round of good mornings as the women took their seats. Lyra gave her uncle a smug look when Corvus abandoned him once she sat down.
Marius only chuckled, raising his teacup in a salute to the girl, then nodded to Severus as the man joined them. While the man has his own home as well as quarters at the school he taught at, he often dined with them at some point during the day.
If Corvus liked Marius and respected Lucius, then he had genuine affection for Severus. A brilliant teacher with little patience for his godson's arrogance, Corvus had enjoyed the scant hours he'd been able to dedicate to Lyra's insatiable curiosity.
"Good morning, Severus; how are the preparations for the year going?" Lucius asked as Dobby filled their plates, bringing Corvus a bowl of lightly cooked steak bits.
The false wolf dug in without complaint. It had been raw the first time, but that hadn't lasted long. As for the bowl itself, Corvus reasoned it was just a better choice, given his lack of hands. The room's carpet was rather nice, and Dobby already had enough work.
"Already finished," The man answered confidently, clearly utterly pleased with himself for once.
"With the entire year's syllabus?" It was a question, but Marius sounded more impressed than doubtful.
Severus's shoulders rise in a shrug. "The lessons never changed, just the homework and ways students figure out how to melt or blow up the caldrons."
Still sounded like a massive amount of work on top of being the head of this Slytherin house that kept coming up, mainly from Draco's boasting.
Breakfast was relatively quiet for once, with the only distraction coming from Narcissa, who suddenly burst into laughter as she read her letter. The ordinarily taciturn woman brushed aside her family's inquiries to its contents, claiming her sister had merely mentioned a moment in time best left forgotten.
Once everyone was finished, the men and Draco took off for their own pursuits, leaving Lyra and her mother to discuss their schedule. Mostly, that amounted to Narcissa haggling amusedly with her daughter.
"Very well, child, you can play with Corvus for the next hour, then meet me in the main parlor so we can practice your etiquette." Narcissa pretended to give in to her daughter.
"Thanks, momma," Lyra burst from her chair to hug her mother. Narcissa returned it fondly, then gave her daughter an expectant look. Lyra blushed, then curtsied with impressive grace for her age. "Thank you, mother."
Narcissa nodded in approval. "You're welcome, Lyra; now off with you," she waved her daughter off airily, clearly satisfied.
Lyra obeyed with a laugh, and Corvus rose to follow her.
"Corvus," the wolf turned to look at Narcissa as she said his name. "My sisters will be joining us today." The statement left Corvus confused until she continued. "Marius will try and run; please stop him."
Corvus gave her an amused whuff of agreement before following Lyra from the room.
Despite the girl's naturally energetic nature, Corvus wasn't surprised to track her to the house's library. For Lyra, books were for the morning when she could appreciate them instead of falling asleep. Despite her age, she's already a voracious reader.
By the time the wolf caught up, she was already waiting impatiently in what had become their spot in front of one of the enormous windows lining one wall of the room. Between the warm sunlight and the thick carpet, it really was a good spot.
Settling down, Corvus let the girl prop herself against his side. Gazing over her shoulder, he listened as she started to read.
. . . . .
Narcissa
. . . . .
She couldn't hold back a warm smile at the increasingly familiar sight of her precious daughter as Lyra read to her familiar.
At the same time, it was hard not to be concerned. Corvus's appearance alone had already sent ripples through the wizarding world.
Once the old families caught sight of his intelligence, or, Lady guide them, his magic when it showed itself, those ripples could very well become waves.
Sighing softly, Narcissa closed the door as gently as possible.
Pushing Lucius to accept the wolf hadn't been nearly as easy a choice as she'd made it seem, but only because it hadn't been a choice in the first place. Blessed by a goddess or not, Lyra had received favor beyond the reach of comprehendible magic.
Refusing would deny her child a gift beyond price while simultaneously spitting in that favor's eye. It was a sound argument, but logic and reason consistently paled in the face of a parent's love.
Shaking her head softly, Narcissa made for her brother-in-law's study.
. . . . .
Corvus
. . . . .
The main parlor of the Malfoy's mansion was immaculate, almost to a fault, yet still managed to hold a warmth Corvus was unfamiliar with. He was still confused by the massive fire pit at the center of the room, but it would be an impressive sight for incoming guests when fully lit.
He watched Lyra practice greeting her uncle with careful interest at the rather impressive range of etiquette expected from both of them.
Properly greeting family while in public, introductions between new peers, welcoming an old business partner, the list went on and on.
Fortunately for his sanity, many of the steps to the dance were the same, and Marius never let it get too stuffy, often overselling his role to get Lyra to break and giggle.
Narcissa watched it all from a nearby couch, poised and untroubled by her brother-in-law's antics. Possibly even amused if the small smile Corvus had caught sight of every so often was anything to go off of.
Green fire suddenly flared in the pit with a massive roar. The blaze vanished just as rapidly, leaving a gorgeous raven-haired woman in its place, violet eyes sparking with a fire all their own.
Her black and purple robes flowed and rippled like Severus's, but only the lower half. Her shoulders, chest, and stomach were covered by a vest clearly expertly fashioned from the thick grey hide of some creature Corvus half expected she'd killed the thing herself.
Marius' eyes widened, and he instantly made for the door, just like his sister-in-law predicted. He only took two strides before his eyes met Corvus's, sitting right in his path. The wolf's jaw fell open in a smile as he crouched low on his front paws as if trying to play.
Disbelief momentarily replaced terror on his face, then Narcissa daintily covered a faint laugh with one hand. The puzzle pieces clicked into place behind his eyes, even as the woman stopped barely a foot behind him, arms folded across her chest.
"Why did I come home from clearing a spriggan nest to a letter informing me that a wolf, a wolf of all things, saved my dear niece from a monster?"
Marius favored said wolf with one last look of hurt before he turned ever so cautiously to face the woman. "I have no clue how the cursed creature got past the wards, Bellatrix, and no damage has been found so far."
The woman glared at him in evident disgust before turning away, eyes instantly finding Lyra, who was all but bouncing in excitement. "Well, what are you waiting for, girl?"
That was all Lyra needed, and she threw herself at the woman with a squeal of laughter. Bellatrix caught her easily, lifting her into a tight hug even as the emerald fire flared once more, depositing three newcomers this time.
Five, Corvus corrected mentally when he realized the man's arms were full with a boy Lyra's age, and the older woman was carrying a child that couldn't be more than two or three.
The girl beside them is well into her teens, and her smile would probably raise the hairs on the back of Lucius' neck if he knew it was in his house. That it was accompanied by spiky pink hair and punk-style clothes certainly wouldn't help.
"Andromeda," Narcissa called out happily, rising to her feet as she greeted the woman with an easy warmth. The two hugged fondly before Narcissa's attention turned entirely to the baby.
Marius greeted the man with a fond handshake and easy grin for the boy in his arms. "It's good to see you again, Ted, and with a full head of hair still, any grey, at least Leo?"
The boy shook his head with a shy smile while Ted chuckled lightly. "None yet, not that I'd expect sympathy from a heartless bum like yourself, Marius."
Their easy banter lost my interest as the pink-haired girl managed to simply appear next to Lyra and Bellatrix. Her expression hadn't lost any of its mischief. Corvus didn't miss how her eyes meticulously scanned Lyra before she snatched the girl from Bellatrix's arms into a tight hug. "Heya munchkin heard you gave the old people a scare."
"Nym," Lyra pouted.
At the same time, Bellatrix scoffed indignantly. "Nymphadora Tonks, I specifically recall you asking me to 'save you a leg' when I catch the bastard. "
"Bellatrix, Sister!" The duel cry of maternal dismay had the older woman cackling while her nieces giggled.
The pinkette's mouth suddenly morphed into the muzzle of some creature, its large, squarish black nose tapering quickly into a black and white furred muzzle. "I smell snake thoughts," the teen whispered loudly, and Lyra squealed with laughter, trying to escape the inquisitive nose ticking her neck.
"No, Nym, stop it!" Lyra squirmed from her cousin's grasp and ran from the room, her cousin on her heels.
Bellatrix shook her head at the sight while the other adults smiled warmly, if with some resignation.
Everyone followed after the sounds of laughing screams and dramatic snarls. They lead to the comfortable family room where Nymphadora had caught Lyra in a tight hug, transformed snout snuffling dramatically.
"That will be enough, Nymphadora; you can try indoctrinating your cousin later." The older girl's mother called out as she and her sister took the couch across from their daughters.
The teen pouted dramatically, dragging Lyra onto her lap like a big teddy bear. Lyra seemed perfectly content to let her older cousin hold her, eager grey eyes darting about the room.
Corvus watched, gentle envy singing softly over what he'd never had. Pushing the bitter tune away, the wolf jumped onto the couch beside the girls, startling the older one and sending gasps of shock and suppressed fear through the room.
Lyra's face only lit up as she reached out to scratch his ears. "There you are, Corvus; where were you hiding?"
What is she talking about? His thoughts must have been evident because she turned to her uncle. Marius shook his head, thoughtful bemusement coloring his usually easygoing expression. "I don't remember him entering the room, little eagle, and or even following us."
Corvus felt just as confused as he lay his head in Lyra's lap.
"Maybe his magic is coming in," Narcissa commented thoughtfully, an understandable edge in her voice. "Such a gift would be rather fortuitous."
"A valid theory, sister, but one for later discussion." Bellatrix interrupted her family's musing with all the grace of rumbling thunder as she stalked forward to loom over her nieces and the wolf. "This is the beast who saved you, Lyra?"
Corvus raised his head to meet her violet eyes even as Lyra nodded. They were just as intense as he'd expect from a woman who could send Marius scurrying like a mouse.
The wolf wasn't concerned. Despite whatever this woman thought, Corvus had nothing to prove, and the strange staring match got boring quickly. After only a heartbeat or two, Corvus dropped his head back in Lyra's lap.
Laughter, both scornful and genuine, promptly filled the room as Bellatrix took the still-open seat beside her nieces, throwing an arm across Nymphadora's shoulders. "A beast with more spine than most serving on the wall; you've done well, little eagle." She murmured fondly before kissing the crown of Lyra's head.
"Thank you, Aunty."
"He's definitely impressive," Nymphadora commented, arms still tightly around Lyra. "Can't say I'd want him creeping around my house, but the fun you two will have at Hogwarts will be legendary."
"I would hope not, Nymphadora Tonks," Andromeda commented firmly from where she sat.
No one else had anything to add, and a glance at Narcissa told Corvus she was resigned at best, while Bellatrix looked smug. Corvus would still go with Lyra's mom if he had to side with one of the sisters. Fortune can only smile for long after. That, and Draco would still be there.
The rest of the day was filled with light-hearted fun as Bellatrix and the Tonks family steadily accepted Corvus's presence.
Nym, as Lyra called her, was the easiest once she realized Corvus shared a kindred delight in pulling Draco's tail.
Her mother, Andromeda, was the oldest of the Black sisters, a role all three were comfortable with. Both Bellatrix and Narcissa seemed to naturally gravitate to the woman's prompts.
As for Bellatrix, Corvus wasn't surprised that she had even less patience with her eldest nephew than he did.
Andromada's husband, Ted, was pleasant, if not particularly outspoken. He was more than smart enough to ensure his children, all of them, were respectful when petting nearly eighty pounds of muscle and fangs. Unnecessary but smart.
Nym's younger brother, Leo, was a little skittish but clearly just as fascinated with his cousin's new familiarity as his older sister. Aria, the baby of the family, was probably too young to really understand anything told to her.
Corvus was certain all she saw was a big fluffy toy, one she was happy to do nothing more than hug tightly and possibly drool on.
Corvus considered it a win as he listened as Bellatrix chided her sister over not giving her daughter a proper name for a Black. Andromeda only brushed her off, saying she and Ted had their reasons.
Dinner was something of an event, especially when Lyra retold the story of Corvus's first dinner here, emphasizing Draco's scream.
By the time the Tonks were ready to leave, the wolf was nearly as wiped as Leo and Lyra. Chasing the pair of them and Nym around all day was exhausting. Nym looked no worse for wear, if a little scuffed up, as she stepped into the fire with a cheeky wave.
Corvus didn't miss how Lucius actually sighed when she vanished.
Once Bellatrix took her leave, Narcissa was quick to herd Lyra toward the girl's room to prep her for bed.
Corvus hung back. Lyra enjoyed hunting for him once she finished bathing.
Narcissa often joined her daughter in these hunts, enjoying the extra time spent with her youngest.
Usually, he'd hide somewhere clever enough for Narcissa to spot, then let her guide Lyra to him.
Already half asleep, Corvus settled off to the side in the main sitting room, where he promptly drifted off. He never noticed the soft footsteps as they entered the room.
The sudden smell of burning hair woke the beast, even as his tail flared up in pain. Snarling, Corvus lunged to his feet, his pine-green eyes instantly spotting Draco, a lit candle in the boy's hand.
The wolf didn't think as it lunged at the boy, knocking the candle from his grasp as the wolf went for his throat.
Draco screamed as he reeled back. Tripping over his feet, the boy landed flat on his back, and the wolf came down atop him.
Draco screamed, but it was a sudden flare of light and smoke beside us that saved his life.
Looking up, Corvus realized Draco's candle landed on one of the room's couches without going out, sending the furniture up in flames. Snarling in disgust, the wolf snagged the sleeve of the boy's shirt, dragging him out of the room.
Half throwing the boy to the side with a jerk of his head, Corvus reared back and did something Lyra had been trying to get him to do since he'd arrived.
The howl echoed harshly within the heavy walls of the mansion, nearly hurting his ears. Cries of alarm quickly followed, and moments later, Corvus spotted Marius storming up the hallway.
He glanced at the smoke-filled room once before ending the blaze with a flick of his wand. Two more sent the smoke spiraling through a suddenly open window, leaving nothing but the charred scent of burnt fabric behind.
"What happened?" There was a chill to his voice that raised the fur on the back of Corvus's neck, whose lips rose in a silent snarl.
"The beast attacked me, uncle."
A snarl ripped from Corvus's throat, but he kept from lunging at the fool as Marius fixed his gaze on him. In reply, the wolf flipped his tail towards him, showing the clearly burned section near its tip.
Draco didn't even have time to shout before his uncle pinned him against the wall. "How many times, Draco, how many times have I told you to leave Corvus alone?" The man snarled. "What do you do instead of listening? You get it into your daft head to set his tail on FIRE!"
The boy quivered in fright as his uncle glared at him.
Neither paid any attention to Lyra and her mother as both rushed toward them. Lyra quickly threw her arms around Corvus, small hands searching for injuries. Narcissa must have heard her brother-in-law's shouts because she only watched as Marius held her son against the wall.
"I cannot even begin to stress how lucky you are that Corvus let you go and alerted us to the fire instead."
Corvus growled savagely enough to draw Marius's. The wolf lightly nipped at the Lyra's sleeve. The girl and her mother looked puzzled, but the ex-soldier picked up on the hint.
Checking Draco's sleeves, the older man's eyes narrowed at the clear puncture marks on the one Corvus had dragged the ponce from the room by. "So not only did you burn his tail, prompting the attack, but then were pulled away from the resulting fire by your victim."
"But- I-"
Marius didn't listen as he set the boy down, clearly too angry to trust himself anymore. Turning, he stalked off down the hallway. "Come one wolf, let's get that tail dealt with."
Corvus turned to Lyra, who nodded before hugging tightly, then gently pushed him to follow. Catching the hint, the wolf leaned against her fondly for a heartbeat, then loped after her uncle.
Settling into a light trot beside the man to keep pace, Corvus looked up at him, examining the stony expression plastered on his face. They almost made it to his office before Marius stopped abruptly, sending Corvus skirting ahead of him. Looking back, the wolf watched him crouch, eyes fixed on him. Confused, Corvus moved back to his side.
"Thank you, Corvus."
What for?
His confusion must have shown through as Marius chuckled lightly. "For being you." He didn't stay anything else as he got back to his feet.
"It's almost a pity you aren't an animagus, Corvus; with such restraint, you'd make a rather fine partner for our little eagle if you were."
The wolf glared at the man, but Marius only laughed. "Don't give me that beast; you already love the girl."
Like a sister, sure. The wolf's expression managed to convey his thoughts, and Marius raised his hands, palms out, in the age-old gesture for patience.
"Yes, I get that she's still a cub to you, but our world is sadly more complicated." His expression turned grim, and a hand moved to rub his side like it was hurting him. "Caught between our enemies, time is never on our side, especially not for our children, I'm afraid."
Corvus could only stare at him. Enemies? Corvus had known that parts of this world were dangerous, but the way Marius described things sounded closer to something like a war.
"Aye," Marius nodded, once again reading my expression. "Between the Fae and witch hunters, too many die before they have a proper chance for children."
Fae? Hunters?
"No need to fret; it'll be years before you'll have to deal with their nonsense." He paused for a moment before chuckling deeply. "Still, it really is a pity you aren't human, not that a stubborn, free-spirited bastard like yourself would appreciate being confined by one of the families."
Confined?
Marius actually shook his head, still chuckling. "No, you wouldn't like that at all, though I'd love to watch the old families try and pin you down." He said, clearly entirely too amused by the thought. "Oh yes, no doubt it'd be right into the legions with you. Definitely better for everyone that you're a wolf." He finished with a chuckle, leaving Corvus's head spinning with the back-to-back revelations.
. . . . .
Severus
. . . . .
Fire flared in the hearth. Snape glanced over his shoulder to see Marius's face fashioned from the embers staring back at him. "We need your help, Severus. Can you bring something for mild burns and fur restoration?"
The potion's master closed his eyes, trying not to conjure all the possible reasons Marius would require either of such. Sadly, as good his occlumency was, his imagination was better.
He climbed to his feet with a sigh and grabbed one of the hair tonic from a batch destined for Madam Pomfrey. With how prevalent such incidents were, she bought them in bulk on top of whatever Severus could prepare, so it wouldn't matter. He skipped the burn potions since there was no point in wasting one on something that could most likely be healed with relative ease.
He found his old friend with his goddaughter's familiar in Marius's study. Both were examining a distinct burn on the beast's tail. Hair and fur were irritatingly flammable and burned with impressive heat, so it wouldn't take much to do the damage he could already spot.
"He didn't." Severus groaned in annoyance, taking a knee beside the beast to get a better look.
Marius snorted loudly from his seat. "Oh, he did alright and got a right good scare for it to when Corvus here jumped on him."
"Do I still have a godson?"
"Aye, for now, though the fool can only thank the old ones that his candle lit a couch on fire." Severus looked up in surprise, not expecting the story to take such a turn. Marius nodded at his rather obvious surprise. "Corvus here decided to drag him from the room by his sleeve instead of his throat, then howled loud enough to rattle the windows."
The potion's master grimaced sourly. "Damn, in debt twice over from a single mistake."
Corvus suddenly growled and flicked his tail up toward his face. Severus let out a sharp bark of laughter as he drew his wand, healing the burn with an easy wave before applying the tonic.
"I'm not going to make too high a promise on this since it's intended for humans, understood," he explained as he worked it to the now bare pale skin. "Works in a pinch for cats, though, so I imagine it will do fine here as well."
"Cats?"
"Never underestimate how vindictive children can be."
Marius only shook his head as we settled in to wait. Unnecessarily so, as it turned out. I barely have time to sit before the tail is back to normal. A quick sweep of my wand revealed that the potion had worked perfectly. "Cannot say I was expecting that."
"Never had a reason to use it on a dog?" Marius asked, sounding a little surprised.
"Not with the school's rules. For the better, too, considering some breeds. Still, I wonder," he replied," he trailed off, mind busy with possible explanations.
"Wonder about what?"
Severus almost didn't hear the question.
"Sev," Marius nudged his shoulder firmly, and the potion master shook my head as if trying to clear it. "It's nothing I can put my finger on, not at least without doing a couple of experiments I doubt our friend here would appreciate."
Corvus paused in the middle of gnawing lightly on his tail, no doubt trying to get at the fiery itch that accompanied the hair restorer, to give Severus a look. He didn't growl, but his pine-green eyes just as elegantly conveyed his opinion.
Marius chuckled and rose to open the door for the wolf. "Go on with you, Corvus; our little eagle is no doubt tired of screeching at her brother by now."
The beast stretched and trotted from the room, dark form brushing against Marius's leg in unspoken affection as he went. Closing the door with a soft click, Marius gestured towards a small collection of crystal bottles. "Nightcap, brother?"
Severus nodded tiredly.
"Please," He was silent as he watched Marius pour them both a couple of fingers of whisky. Accepting the offered glass, Severus leaned back in his chair, sipping the Irish staple with fond affection. Scotland might be the home of his alma mater, but he'd learned just as much in Ireland.
The first was to stay away from Hawthorne trees; second, appreciate the option of getting drunk, even if you don't.
"How bad?" He finally asked.
"About as bad as you asking me before we're even a finger deep." The reply had all the warm sarcasm of old friends.
"Worse than a move from the old ones, then?"
Marius raised two fingers off his glass. "Two moves, or a move and an immediate counter."
"The werewolf as well?" It would explain how the beast got through the wards.
"Mars was especially bright that night; it was hard to discern over the moon."
"The stars have never been reliable, Marius."
"They've never been informative; there's a difference, Sev."
"Still, Mars usually has one reason to light up; even without the guise of the moon, we've never really been at peace in the first place."
"True, but when I say the moon was bright, I meant bright enough for the muggles to notice."
The potion master had nothing to reply with, leaving them in silence until an ancient song filled the night air beyond the windows.
. . . . .
Corvus
. . . . .
The wolf loped through the mansion, looking for his no-doubt fuming charge. Fortunately, Lyra only had one spot she liked to go to when she needed to cool off.
True to form, Corvus found her in the sunroom directly off the back porch. She was sitting in one of the numerous chairs, knees tucked under her chin, hands clasped around her legs. Stormy eyes glared at the shadow-filled forest beyond as if willing it all to burst into flame.
Given the family temper she'd inherited in spades, it was a fair guess.
Half jumping onto the chair, Corvus brushed his nose against her cheek. Her pout didn't vanish as he expected. Instead, her expression managed to sour even further as she glared at him.
Corvus's ears went flat with a soft whine.
"You howled for my stupid brother, but you won't howl for me." Lyra pouted adorably.
Corvus couldn't help a wide grin.
"It's not funny." Her face, all scrunched up in anger, was too adorable. Corvus couldn't help peppering it with soft kisses.
Lyra sputtered and tried to shove him away. "Stop it, Corvus."
Dropping back to the ground, the wolf caught the hem of her nightdress with his teeth and gently pulled. She got the hint and followed despite her anger.
Corvus led her to the veranda door and looked back at her expectantly. She opened it, and he promptly ran out onto the deck.
Turning back to her, the wolf threw his head back and let his heart sing into the night sky.
Corvus sang of his joy. He sang his prayers to those who'd blessed him.
More than anything, Corvus sang of his love for the girl he'd already grown to love so dearly.
. . . . .
More coming
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Eventually