Authro's note:
To TwinstarDragon: He will make a Red powered by demonic energy and there will be a Purple that is created from the combination of angelic grace and demonic miasma. It won't be a nephilim move since it is a mix of demon and angel instead of angel and human. I can't say anything about other abilities such as Domain Expansion or Black Flash purely because I have not thought that far ahead.
To Firestar Prime: The racing fight was fun to write so I am glad you enjoyed it. To be honest, Mjolnir will be the last thing on Dumbledore's mind when Harry just seems to be tap dancing on his last nerve all on his own.
To Guest: Did you even really read the chapter? I feel you skipped over like a bunch of important backstory. Harry is not some simp pining after a girl who treats him like shit. He literally created the current situation intentionally. He is literally dealing with the question of if he accidentally made Jasmine love him. Don't act like he is blindly following around a bitch who treats him like garbage for no reason.
--
Chapter 4: You Want Me To Smuggle A What?!
"Can you say that again?" I ask with a sickeningly sweet smile on my face. "My hearing isn't the best today."
"I will kill you," Jasmine says as she looks into my eyes as her own shine with malice.
"It wasn't that," I reply. "It was something with an 'h' sound if I remember correctly."
"You are really doing this right now?" she snarls.
"Why not?" I ask. "It makes me feel better. Now, be a good girl and speak up."
In no uncertain terms, I am pushing my luck. There is no other way to describe this. As Jasmine stands in front of me with her face reddening in anger, I can't help the amusement I feel welling up inside of me. Anyone who has ever met her could tell that she was a single instant from violently murdering me. However, that is what made this so enjoyable. I could also tell this wasn't the kind of thing she could get from anyone else. Despite how much she truly loathes me to the depths of her soul, she also knows I am unparalleled at doing whatever I want. This just happens to be the one time where she needs me to want to help her.
"Can you... help, me?" she finally manages to ask. The sheer agony that went into asking that question made doing this all worth it. It would not be inaccurate to say that she would probably prefer to pass a kidney stone instead of say those words in that order.
"All you had to do was ask," I say with grin. "What do you take me for, an asshole who would use it as a chance to mess with you?"
Her withering glare would have made lesser men run away in fear, but I was just amused. She isn't even trying her hardest since I actually agreed to help her.
"I need someone's help to get an unspecified object out of Hogwarts," she says as she was clearly trying to be evasive.
"You are still terrible at lying," I say with an unamused expression. "Do you want to try that again?"
"Fine," she huffs. "I was hoping you know someone that could help me smuggle something out of Hogwarts."
"Oh, is little Miss Perfect being naughty?" I taunt. "I never would have taken you for a trouble maker. It seems like you inherited a little more of your father than I thought. Why don't you just ask him to help? He would probably love to."
"I don't want my parents to hear about it," she admits. "They are on the Hogwarts staff and they might tell the other teachers about it."
"Oh, don't tell me!" I say with a dramatic gasp. "You got pregnant and already delivered the baby through magic bullshit! Now, you want to smuggle it out before you get caught! I can't believe you forgot to use protection. Where is the innocent girl I used to know?"
Jasmine's face lights up with red as her two major emotions were embarassment and anger. "I am not some idiot that would do something that stupid if I had sex," she sputters.
"Oh my God," I say with some actual genuine shock. "You have got to be shitting me. This is the fucking greatest gift ever. I am one of God's chosen. I walk in His light and I am rewarded for it."
"What are you talking about now?" Jasmine asks with suspicion.
"I am going to ask you a serious question and I want you to tell me the genuine truth," I say. "I will personally pay whatever price this whole smuggling thing racks up if you agree. I don't care if it costs me my left kidney. However, you have to swear to answer truthfully."
I hold out my hand for a handshake and I wait for her to think it over. She is clearly trying to weigh her options because she can feel in her soul that this is not as cheap as it sounds. She knows that whatever question I ask is going to be downright humiliating to answer. Let it be known that Jasmine Potter has sharp instincts. However, her desperation wins in the end and she shakes my hand.
Even if she can't feel it, I can sense the contract being sealed between us. I am now contractually bound to help her and she is forced to answer my question. Neither of us could break out of it even if we wanted to.
"What is your question?" Jasmine says. "Get it over with so you can help me."
There is only one question that I truly want to know. A normal demon would be able to tell, but my demonic senses weren't refined enough to read people like that. However, there is no better way to learn than to hear it from the woman herself.
"Are you still a virgin?"
She looks at me like her perception of reality had just shattered and she struggled to cope with that realization. It was like I told her she was living in the Matrix and she had to come to grips with the knowledge this was all a simulation. In short, jasmine.exe crashed and had to do a hard reboot.
The first signs she had recovered was the bright red that creeped up her face as a wave of embarrassment hits her like a tsunami. She tries to speak, but she just ends up a stuttering and babbling mess. Slowly but surely, she seems to be trying to retreat into her robes to hide. I don't even think she remembers she could just run away. I truly doubt her legs currently work since they barely seem to be supporting her under the crushing realization that I figured it out.
In life, there are moments when everything works perfectly. Sometimes, it is a god run on Call of Duty. Other times, you make the greatest burger ever. It is a singularly perfect moment that gives you comfort in the knowledge that God truly exists and he gifted you with that experience in order to repay your faith.
In my case, it was seeing Jasmine turn into what is perhaps the cutest pile of blushing embarrassment that I had ever seen. I mentally make a deal that locks my phone for a week in exchange for saving multiple pictures of this into its hard drive. For a singular moment, I almost imagine that we are still friends. That I didn't purposefully turn her love into hatred. That I could still be happy with her.
However, all things come to an end as she finally recovers and glares at me. "How did you know?" she growls.
"You said 'if you had sex,'" I tell her. "Anyone who has actually had sex would say 'when I have sex.' It was kind of a red flag. Color me surprised! You and Teddy bear haven't done the dirty yet?"
"Of course not," she snorts. "My last boyfriend gave me trust issues when he decided to ghost me for a literal year. That makes it kind of hard to trust a guy with my first time."
And now I feel like a massive asshole. Fuck, that did not turn out well. My mood only soured more when I heard what Jasmine whispered a second later.
"We can't all be like whatever slut you fucked before coming here."
I slam my hand down on the wall next to her head as I lean in closely. Jasmine had frozen in fear as she looked into my eyes.
"I am in a decent mood at the moment, so I will let that slide just this once," I whisper. I don't need to raise my voice. I know Jasmine will take it to heart. "You can insult me however you want. You can try and kill me if it makes you feel better. You can do your best to make my life a living hell. But, and I cannot stress this enough, I better not ever hear you say one more thing like that about Jo. I promise you that you will live to regret it. Am I clear?"
"Try this intimidation routine on someone else," Jasmine snarks before my gaze renders her silent.
"Am I clear?" I growl. I hated myself for the genuine fear I saw in her eyes, but I was not going to back down. I didn't care if she saw me for the monster I am. This was not something I was going to let go.
"Fine," she mutters as she looks away. "I won't insult your girlfriend or whatever."
I push off of the wall as I step away from Jasmine. The tension in her body fades away and her usual confidence returns.
"Now, are you finally going to help me?" she asks. "Or was that all a joke?"
"Calm your tits," I say. "I just need to ask one question first. What exactly are you smuggling?"
I do not like the answer she gives.
"You are smuggling a-"
--
"You are lucky I know her through Draco," I say. "None of the other Slytherins are connected enough for this shit."
"Is she really all that?" Jasmine asks skeptically. "I think you are overhyping her a little bit."
"You don't spend much time around Slytherins, so you don't have a good frame of reference," I say. "In Gryffindor, power is determined by magic and strength. Whoever can beat down the other is the top of the food chain. In Slytherin, it is all about soft power. The goal is to be so powerful with allies and connections that you can do whatever you want with the sheer social power you wield. Get a broom as a freshman? Items against the rules? Hell, firewhiskey and drugs? The power to control the supply makes the most cunning Slytherins some of the top dogs of the entire school. It takes everyone a while to understand, but soft power is still power."
"I truly doubt that you respect soft power," Jasmine says.
"Don't get me confused," I defend. "I can recognize power when I see it. I just don't acknowledge it most of the time because I am still stronger than whatever they can scrape together."
"There is the narcissism," Jasmine says. "I was wondering when it would make a return."
"There is a difference between arrogance and confidence," I tell her as we arrive at a specific alcove in the dungeons. "I'm the latter. Now, look alive. We are finally here. Welcome to the Silver Serpent."
I tap a series of bricks with hidden applications of magic to disguise the actual order of the sequence. This place was supposed to be secret for a reason.
We enter into what is for all intents and purposes a functional bar. The walls were the same dark stone as the rest of the castle dungeons, but the monotony of dark grey was broken up with elegant painting hanging from the walls and the soft green light emitted from the chandeliers above. Small green flames burned on the candles in the crystal chandeliers and seemed to twist and writhe like little snakes which cast peculiar shadows across the room. The bar itself lies along one wall with a long polished wooden countertop and shelves filled with alcohol of every flavor and color. A bartender dressed in a white dress shirt paired with a yellow and black vest stood behind the counter as they polished a glass. Tables were scattered around the central area, but they were largely empty except for the rare few patrons having a casual deink during the morning hours. More secluded rooms had curtains covering their entrances which hid their interiors from view.
"Hey, Harry," the bartender calls out. "Didn't think I would see you today."
"Just bringing someone for a meeti-," I try to say before I am cut off by Jasmine's cry of shock.
"Dora!" she shouts which earns her more than a few dirty looks from the nearby customers. "What are you doing here?!"
Tonks immediately ducks behind the counter before emerging as a plain faced guy with blond hair. "Did you say something, miss?" the clearly transformed Tonks asks.
"Do you really think I am that stupid?" Jasmine asks with a glare.
"Okay, fine," Tonks admits before she shifts back to her busty pink haired self. "What are you even doing here, Jasmine? It is kind of an unspoken rule that Gryffindors aren't allowed in here."
"We need to see the princess," I say. "Is she in yet?"
"What do you need to see that frigid bitch for?" Tonks asks in confusion. "Just ask Draco."
"Off the books," I reply. "No Blacks, no Potters. We need a third party and you know as well as I do that she is the new queen."
"You've got me there," Tonks says in agreement. "Yeah, she is in the back like usual. I still can't believe she pushed out Farley in only a month. Everyone says it is the fastest house takeover in more than a century."
"I wouldn't put it past her," I say. "We will be heading back for now. See you in a bit."
"Don't die!" Tonks calls after us as we step down the hallway to the private rooms.
As we walk down the hallway lined with doors etched in privacy runes and flickering green torches hanging from the walls, I turn to Jasmine. "Do not say a word in there," I tell her. "I will do the talking. I don't care how that makes you feel. This is my show now."
"Whatever," Jasmine says as she rolls her eyes, but agrees nonetheless.
I knock on the final door of the hallway four times. This door was different from the rest for the simple reason that it had no handle. The only mark on its surface was a silver snake etched into the wood.
We wait for a moment before the snake comes alive and winds its way down the door's surface until it coils where the handle would normally be. The coiled snake seems to grow out of the wood until it forms a silver doorknob. I turn it and step into the room.
It was darker than in the bar or hallway since there was only one source of light. It came from the crackling green fire burning in the fireplace set into the far wall. Two chairs were placed in front of the opening with a small table resting between them. A girl glanced at me from her place standing beside the left chaird before nodding towards the right.
I cross the room before sitting down in the right chair. My weight sinks into the soft cushion as my arms rest on the ornate wood of the armrests. Jasmine stands next to me in a mirror of the pair across us.
"So, you want to make a deal?" the girl in the chair asks. "From what I have heard, I didn't think the strongest badger in Hufflepuff would need the help of a simple snake like me."
"It is always common courtesy to pay homage to the new queen, is it not?" I ask. "I have heard many things about you as well."
"All good things I hope," she replies with a smile hinted through her voice.
"Not many good things," I admit. "That doesn't mean that they weren't great things though. What is good to a Slytherin when they could be great instead?"
"Oh, you know just how to talk to a woman, Mr. Winchester," she says as she leans forward with a smile on her lips. The green light casts a seductive and hungry look across her refined features. This wasn't a woman. No, she was a predator as much as any tiger or jaguar. Elegant and powerful, but that beauty came with a cost in blood. She was easily more dangerous than most of the things I have hunted.
"That is high praise coming from the newly crowned Ice Queen of Slytherin," I say. "How many men would give their own lives to hear those words from your very lips?"
"Far more than I could ever care to count," she tells me. "However, it is a precious few who truly deserve it. Now, did you say something about my lips? I should hope that you aren't too focused on them. I would hate to find out you are like all of the other boys in this school. They can't help thinking with the head between their legs instead of the one between their shoulders."
"No man could ever gaze upon the beauty of Daphne Greengrass without becoming bewitched," I say. "You don't even need magic to pull them under your spell. Of course boys fall to their knees at your gaze. They are beneath you."
"What about you?" she asks. "I would quite love to see you at my feet. I think you might even like it."
"You will find I am different from those boys," I say with a sharp grin to match her own. "I am all man. If you want to try, I am up for it too. Just don't feel too bad if you end up under me."
"Is that a challenge?" Daphne asks with a glint in her eyes.
"I see it as a promise," I answer. "But why miss business with pleasure?"
"I like to think it makes business a lot more fun," Daphne purrs. "However, you have a point. Now that we are done with the foreplay, what can I do for the Potter heiress? We all know you prefer to spend time with Malfoy than little old me. It's enough to make a girl feel unwanted."
"We might need some of your connections," I say. "I could mistake you for a spider with how skilled you are with your web of acquaintances."
"A man after my brains instead of my body," she remarks. "What a breath of fresh air. I would prefer it if you were interested in both, but I will take what I can get. What problems do you need solved today?"
"It has come to my attention that a certain problem has arisen and needs to find a new home," I say.
"What kind of problem?" she asks. "I am just dying of curiosity."
"It can be a little bit of a hot potato to handle, but I think you can find a way," I say as I tap my wand against my temple knowingly. She makes the connection between a wand core and my problem in an instant before her smile widens.
"Oh, that is quite the interesting problem to have," she says. "It would be an awfully dangerous proposition since it might heat up."
"If only I could help cool it down," I say. "I would be more than happy to help a friend."
"Good because I need some help of my own," she says. "My parents have been pushing for me to find a suitable suitor who will benefit the family. After all, they want a man to inherit the title instead of a girl. Since my mother is out of time on that front, they want my future betrothed to fill that role. If only I had a powerful friend to help me look like the obedient girl they see me as."
"I wouldn't be opposed to having some delightful arm candy on my trips to Hogsmeade," I reply. "Studying is so lonely when I am in the library by myself."
"I could always keep you company," Daphne offers. "There are worse ways to spend my time. It would be quite fun to see if some sparks fly."
"Oh, it would be a shame if rumors spread," I admit. "You know how the rumor mill is. Two friends spending so much time together. The other students would talk."
"Maybe we should give them something to talk about," Daphne fires back with a sly grin.
"What about-," Jasmine tries to say before I hold my hand up. She recognizes her slip up and bottles her anger for later. I glance at her in warning to ensure she doesn't have a repeat before I look back at Daphne.
She had a look of amusement as she gazes between the two of us. Her mind was already whirling with ideas about what our relationship is. Once she sees that I am focused on her again, she continues where she left off.
"It is a deal then?" she asks as she holds out her hand. "I know how much folks like you enjoy handshakes."
It doesn't even surprise me that she knows something about my demonic side. It is an open secret among American hunters and the Men of Letters in Europe were informed as well. It wasn't a stretch if the imagination that it trickled into the Greengrass information network.
"It gives everything a more official feel," I say as I reach out and shake her hand. She trails her fingertips along my calloused hands as she pulls back. Even when she knows that the flirting is just a formality, she isn't the kind of girl to give up a weapon in her arsenal.
"You can ask Nymmy about her old buddy Charlie on your way out," she says. "It was nice to meet you, Jasmine. Next time, it might do you some good to brush up on your manners. It would be such a shame if it got you into trouble."
As I stand up and walk towards the door, I grab Jasmine's arm in a vice grip as I drag her out of the room. She almost protests before the searing look in my eye causes her resistance to wilt as she goes along with it until we are out of Daphne's room.
I shove her towards the nearest door before I snap my fingers. The privacy runes on the door are burned away as the spell I cast with my miasma shreds through its defense. I slam the door open before I push her in too. A couple was in the middle of making out inside before I give them a single look and they bolt out of there as they fix their clothes. Once they are out the door, I snap my fingers again and the door slams shut before a new runic array is seared into the wood. The two uses of my miasma cost me my ability to read English for the rest of the day, but I was too pissed to really care.
"What the fuck was that, Jasmine?!" I shout the moment we had privacy. The runes hidden in the room to eavesdrop had been destroyed in my entrance so I knew no one was listening in. "I told you to shut the fuck up when we were in there."
"Oh, I am so sorry that I got in the middle of you two eyefucking each other!" she shouts back. "Would you prefer that I left the room so you could shag her agains the fireplace?"
"Are you this fucking stupid?" I ask. "The only reason we were there in the first place is because you asked for my help! Did you really think I would spend the entire time flirting because I wanted too?"
"I don't know!" she shouts. "I don't think I ever knew you, even before you fucked off to wherever for years! Don't you have a girlfriend? What was her name again, Jo? I guess you don't care if you shack up with Greengrass as long as she isn't around to catch you!"
The next insult was cut off by the searing pain which hits her cheek. The small orb of yellow mana I had flicked at her slams into the wall with a blast of wood fragments as it detonates. I had aimed so that it only nicked her, but it got my point across.
"I thought I told you not to talk about her," I growl.
"No, you said not to insult her," she snarls. "I am insulting you. I don't know how she stands looking at a piece of cheating shit like you."
"She doesn't have to because she is dead!" I shout. "Happy now?! She's dead! The girl you are so offended for has been gone for almost a fucking year!"
"Wait, what?" Jasmine says as all of the fire seems to leave her. "She's dead?"
I don't care that she lost her desire to fight. I have so much anger saved up that I needed to let it out or I would do something I would really regret.
"Oh, don't act like you fucking care all of a sudden!" I shout. "I bet you are ecstatic that I am all alone."
"I'm, I don't-," she tries to say before I cut her off again.
"I mean, I am a total asshole, right?" I ask. "I am a piece of shit who doesn't call or text for months on end even if it is to my girlfriend. Hell, I would suck even it was just to a normal friend. Why wouldn't you hate me?"
"Yet here I am, helping you with something that could get us thrown in fucking Azkaban!" I shout. "Do you have any idea how illegal it is to have a baby dragon like this? Dragons are as intelligent as humans. We are pretty much towing the line with human trafficking as it is! Who the fuck else with two brain cells to rub together would even consider it?! Even worse, you almost jeopardizing the deal because you couldn't realize how serious it was!"
"I'm sorry," she says before I shout over her.
"Sorry?!" I ask as Jasmine looks down at the ground. "You are sorry? Oh, that makes it all better. This whole clusterfuck can go away because Jasmine Potter is sorry! Why am I so mad when you are sorry? I must be completely unreasonable! After all, you are sorry."
I was about to say something else when I realize that Jasmine is crying. Tears were falling from her cheeks as she stared at the floor to avoid looking at me. My anger finally fizzles out and I am left with the realization that I was just yelling at Jasmine to make myself feel better about my own shitty life. It turns out I did something I regret anyway.
"Aren't you going to say something else?" she asks as she finally looks up at me with red tear filled eyes. "Aren't you going to yell at me for cheating on you? For moving on and getting together with TJ? Come on, I can take it. I am a big girl who can handle some angry words. So, yell at me. I know you want to. Do it!"
I just lean against the wall and slump to the floor. "I kind of ran out of yelling," I say as I just felt tired all of a sudden.
It is at moments like these that I want to tell her the truth so badly. I want to ignore my own fear and have in my life again. However, I always remember what Azazel said. I don't even know if she ever loved me. I don't know if I betrayed her and manipulated her soul. I don't know if I really am a monster hiding in human skin.
"Why did you leave?" she finally asks. "Not whatever bullshit you tell everyone else. Not whatever you told your brothers or what you tell McGonagall. Why did you leave? Was it because of me?"
"Never you," I whisper. "It was because of me. My, I guess you could call him dad, found me and my brothers one day. I don't think I ever told you, but I am adopted. I'm not a real Winchester. They found me when I was a baby and took me in. It turns out that dear old dad wanted me to grow up nice and strong so he could use me as a weapon. It even turns out that he had been stalking the Winchesters for a while. He was the one who killed Sam and Dean's mom, Mary. He even ended up killing my adoptive dad, Henry."
"Oh my god," Jasmine says as she leans against another wall.
"When he found out I had a girlfriend, it was the perfect opportunity to play another of his twisted games," I say. "He made me choose how I would lose you. Either I could push you away and stay out of your life, or I could watch as he killed you. It would be the same way he killed Mary and the same way he killed Sam's girlfriend, Jess. He would stab them in the heart and pin them to the ceiling. When they are found, they ignite in fire so that you can't even bury them. I chose to run and not look back."
"Then why did you have some other girlfriend if you were so afraid of me dying?" Jasmine asks. "Did you just forget?"
"My brothers and I killed my dad before the second summer I ghosted you," I say before she looks up in shock. "He was why I left, but he wasn't why I stayed away. Think of a number."
"Why would I do that?" she asks in confusion.
"Just to prove a point," I say. After a second, I speak again. "51."
"Lucky guess," Jasmine says. "Try again."
"You aren't thinking of a number," I state. "You are thinking of pancakes."
"Sunset."
"Sound of birds chirping."
"The color grumple."
"How do you even know what color that is?!" Jasmine shouts in frustration. "I made it up!"
"It's because I am in your head," I say to her surprise. "Believe it or not, my dad was there the night Voldemort attacked your family. He was the person who killed him. You were a failed attempt at the weapon he was trying to make me and Sam. The reason you have the mark on your forehead is because he accidentally got some of his magic on you and it left a curse scar."
"What does that have to do with anything?" she asks as she doesn't connect the dots.
"That means you have some of his magic in you," I say. "I have a lot of it in me. That created a connection between us when it synchronized after meeting. Why do you think we always clicked so easily? It wasn't because we were perfect for each other. It was because our thoughts would bleed over into each other. Before he died, my dad told me something. The bond is so deep that it goes into our souls. That means we had more of an effect on each other than I ever thought. The thing is, I had the stronger impact since I had the stronger portion of the magic. Back then, I always had feelings for you. Whose to say I didn't make you feel the same way?"
"You mean...," she trails off as she comes to the same conclusion.
"I genuinely don't know if you ever loved me," I say. "No matter how strong I get with his magic, I doubt I could ever figure it out. Any tampering would be so old that it would just become part of who you are. So, I decided to leave before I risked ruining you any further."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asks. "We could have figured it out together. I know you wouldn't do that to me."
"How do you?" I ask. "I don't even know! Any reason you have to think that could have been slipped into your mind without either of us ever realizing it. If I told you, you would have trusted me and said that it was okay. You would have said you loved me no matter what, right?"
"Yes," Jasmine admits as she finally slumps down herself.
"I couldn't take the chance it wasn't true," I say. "Even if it hurt you, I couldn't take the chance that I would twist you even more."
"So, that is it?" she asks. "All of that pain and all of those years is because you loved me too much to hurt me and I loved you too much you didn't think it was real?"
"When you say it like that, it makes me sound like an idiot," I say with a rueful chuckle. "I am an idiot, aren't I?"
"You are just realizing it now?" she asks with a ghost of a smile on her face before it fades away. "What was Jo like?"
"Why do you want to know?" I ask.
"I want to understand what she was like if she broke you out of your shell again," she says. "She must have been something."
"She was," I reply as my eyes look out at the room but my mind is a million miles away. "She was a spitfire. She wouldn't take shit from anyone and would sooner stab someone than hear them talk back. She got it from her mom who was one badass lady. No obstacle was big enough to stop her or even slow her down. She would just find a way to topple it without missing a step."
"How did she die?" Jasmine asks as her voice drops to a whisper.
"We were trying to stop a bad guy," I say. "It was me, my brothers, Cass, Jo, and her mom. The girls were separated from us and their position was overrun. Jo was bleeding out and I couldn't be by her side because I was half a city away. Instead of letting them win, Jo's mom blew them both up and took the enemies with them. We couldn't even recover their bodies."
"I am sorry," Jasmine says. "I shouldn't have said all of that stuff."
"You didn't know," I say as I wave off the apology. "It's not your fault. I am just an asshole."
"Do you think we could ever be friends again?" Jasmine asks quietly. "I kind of miss my best friend."
"I think that Hermione would be sad to hear she didn't make the cut," I joke as Jasmine gives me a pouting glare.
"You are being an asshole again," she says. "I was serious."
"Maybe not best friends," I say as she seems a little crestfallen. "But for now, maybe friends is good enough."
"I can take that," Jasmine agrees with a small smile. "You aren't going to be running away again any time soon."
"Okay, whiner," I say. "Let's go see that critter of yours. God knows how badly Hagrid is taking care of it."
"Hey, Hagrid is super nice!" Jasmine says as she defends the half giant gamekeeper.
"No matter how nice he is, he has an awful track record with dangerous magical creatures," I say. "Did you know he is the reason there is a huge Acromantula colony in the forest?"
"No?" Jasmine says in a way that was not at all comforting. She probably knew about it but thought that it was cool.
"Let's just get going," I say. "By the way, we still need to talk to Tonks about whoever we will have to meet."
"Why on Earth is Nymmy working in here for a bunch of Slytherins?" Jasmine asks. "I didn't think she would be able to stand being around so many of them for so long."
"Any Slytherin worth their salt knows that Hufflepuffs make the best workers," I say. "We are loyal and hardworking, so they don't have to worry about us betraying them as much. Draco doesn't really bother with it since he already has me, but most of the other people in the house usually have connections to a Slytherin by the time they graduate. It is a great way to ensure employment after they leave school. As for why she works in the actual bar, she comes from an old family with deep ties to Slytherin. She is still seen as a snake even if she wears yellow and black. Not to mention that guys tend to tip a lot to a pretty girl who can shapeshift at will. I remember she once served three drinks in a row and switched form between each drink to prey on the guy's personal type. They are the ones who need to watch out, not her."
"Okay, fine," Jasmine concedes. "Now, let's talk to her before we go to Hagrid. We can even have some tea while we are there."
"I am skeptical, but okay," I say. "Let's see how good this tea apparently is."
--
As it turns out, the tea was really good. The rocks masquerading as deserts were a surprise though. I literally chipped a tooth on one and had to heal it with a disguised use of grace.
"Thanks for the food, Hagrid," Jasmine says as she hides her grin at seeing me fail to bite one of the cement cakes. "Harry wanted to come by and see how little Norbert was doing."
"Oh, he is still taking his time," Hagrid says with a laugh before placing another log in the fire around the dragon egg. "It should be any day now though."
"I would have preferred if we could hand it over before it hatches," I sigh. "Sadly, it seems that Jasmine apparently didn't know the guy we needed to contact was the older brother of her boyfriend's best friend."
"How was I supposed to know who it was?" she asks in an offended tone. "It's not like I talk to the guy. He is a right prat whenever I have to."
"It would have saved us a lot of trouble," I grumble. "There are few things as simple as just asking Tonks, the person who we can very easily convince to help us, to talk to her ex-boyfriend."
"Oh well, all's well that ends well," Jasmine says.
"You are skipping over the fact that I now have to act like Daphne's boyfriend," I remind her.
"I said what I said," she replies with a smarmy grin. I would be angry if I didn't acknowledge I would be just as smug if the roles were reversed.
Our attention is caught when we hear the sound of scratching and shaking. We turn to see that the egg was rocking in its position in the fire. The thick shell seemed to be shifting like something was trying to break through the surface.
Jasmine and I immediately bolt in front of it to watch up close. I can tell that she mainly did it because she wanted to see a cute baby animal. On the other hand, I was here in case something went catastrophically wrong. I had some knowledge of dragons through the information I inherited from Azazel's miasma, but he didn't exactly want to learn much about the scaly beasts except how to use their remains. Despite this, I knew base anatomical information for the average dragon and that would hopefully suffice.
A sliver of the shell seemed to fall away as a little claw stuck its way out and wiggles around. Slowly but surely, the baby manages to break through the hard shell of its egg and come into the big wide world. With a final push, the egg breaks open and the little one tumbles out.
It lay on the ground for a moment as it regained its bearings. It had bright orange eyes, scales as black as charcoal, little nubs on the back of its head which would grow into horns, tiny wings that splayed across the ground, and a tail that wagged behind it. For all intents and purposes, it gave the impression of an adorable scaled puppy.
Jasmine can't help but coo at the appearance of the baby dragon. This is what causes it to look at her as it tracks the noise. It was only then that I remember a very important piece of information. Dragons are kind of like birds. They have a habit of imprinting on the first creature they see.
"Mama!" it cries as it jumps at Jasmine. Despite her immense surprise at the scaly projectile, she successfully catches it in her arms as it nuzzles against her neck and relishes in her body heat. She looks up at me with eyes that beg for help.
My only response is to start snickering at her plight. Oh no, a baby dragon bonded to me! Whatever will I do?
The little dragon looks over at me from its place on Jasmine. Its eyes seem to widen in recognition that I really don't like.
"Daddy!" it cries before jumping off of Jasmine and onto me. I am now holding it like an affectionate cat as it decides to snuggle into me.
Something that only occured to me know is that some dragon species are capable of dual imprinting. This is where it imprints on both of its parents. The mother is always first since she is the one directly guarding her egg. Afterwards, the baby is presented to the mother's mate so that they imprint on their father.
Oh no, a baby dragon bonded to me. Whatever will I do?
I can feel Jasmine's amusement at my internal panic. Hey, this is only funny when it is someone else!
"Wow, the little lad seems to have really bonded to the both of you," Hagrid says with a chuckle. "He was squawking like a baby bird when it jumped at you two."
"What do you mean squawking?" Jasmine asks in confusion. "The dragon was talking."
"I didn't hear anything," Hagrid says as he is equally confused.
"Jasmine, can you talk to snakes or something?" I ask her as I stroke the cooing dragon. "I mean, can you hear them talking to you in hissing human words?"
"Yes?" she says while clearly not knowing where this is going.
"That means you are a Parselmouth," I say. "It means you can talk to snakes and apparently dragons."
"Why can you hear then?" she asks.
"I can process any language," I say with a shrug. "One of the few benefits from my shitty dad. His magic gave him the ability to understand languages so there was no limit to the number of people he could scam."
"I think we should call him Norbert," Hagrid says with a laugh. "It would be a fine name."
"One problem," I say. "Norbert is a girl. So, how about Nora instead?"
She chirps in excitement at my name suggestion. "Okay, Nora it is," I say as I stroke her scaly head. Her scales were smooth to the touch and warm beneath my hand, so it was an interesting experience to pet her. It was so cute how she would lean into my touch every time.
This is a terrible idea. I can already feel myself getting attached to Nora after she was just born. With a glance at the smile on Jasmine's face, I can tell she is feeling the exact same way. That will just make it so much harder when we have to give her up to Charlie when he gets here from the dragon preserve.
However, as I look down into her innocent orange eyes, I can't bring myself to really care. It might be a mistake and it might hurt later, but I don't want to let go of this chance to spend time with Nora before it is gone. I guess I am going to be a dragon daddy for a bit.
Goddamn it, that sounded way dirtier than I thought.
--
"Where are you going to in such a rush?" Draco asks with more than a little suspicion in his eyes. He was laidback for the most part, but he wasn't stupid. With my constant disappearances in the past few days, he could clearly tell that something was wrong."
"Nowhere," I scoff. "I just have to go meet Greengrass. I made a deal with her and it was a whole thing."
"I heard about that," he admits. "The thing is, I asked her if she knew what you were up to and she said it was a mystery too her as well."
Oh, that bitch. She knew that I was taking care of Nora so she wanted to mess with me. She could at least cover for me a little!
"Fuck it," I say as I snap my fingers. Draco gives me a look of annoyance before he promptly falls asleep and his head drops to his desk. Within seconds, he is snoring. This is not the first nor will it be the last time I have done this to my friend. At this point, he just sees it as an inconvenient nap.
I promptly dash out of the classroom to avoid anyone seeing where I go. Once I am out of sight, I cast a demonic illusion over myself to hide my presence until I make it up to the seventh floor. I slip into a door before I finally drop the illusion and I am hit by a scaly missile.
"Daddy!" Nora chirps. "You are back! Mommy was here earlier and we played a whole bunch. Big Scruffy came by too and gave me more of those bread rocks for my bed too! Oh, the flop-ears gave me some lunch and it was so so so tasty!"
"I am happy to hear that, Nora," I say as I rub her head affectionately. "Your mommy is busy for a bit, but she will back soon. For now, are you okay with just playing with your daddy?"
"Yay!" she cheers. "Playing with Daddy is the best! Make me fly again! Please, please, please, please, please, please, please! Pretty please!"
"How can I say no to that?" I ask with a chuckle. While I could just do it with a Levitation charm, I prefer to do it my own special way.
With a use of my protective ability, which I like to call Infinity, I can make a field of weightlessness by stretching out the space beneath something. It makes them pretty much fly as I move the field around. Nora thought it was one of the coolest things ever since it let her fly even if she wasn't old enough to actually lift off with her wings.
That's how Jasmine finds us when she finally makes it to the room as well. Nora was swooping around the room with happy chirps as I laughed and guided her flight. I catch her watching us with a sad smile on her face and I give in to the impulse to see what is wrong. Becoming friends again and letting her know about the bond made me feel slightly more comfortable about not blocking it off on my end. As such, I could get flashes of Jasmine's passive thoughts and emotions at times.
What was going through her mind was a single image. It was me and Nora, but different in little ways that made all the difference. I was older in my early thirties while Nora was a little girl with dark red hair. After a moment, I realized why she was thinking about it. It could have been us somewhere down the line. If I hadn't pushed her away and we eventually graduated Hogwarts, we might have had a little girl like Nora down the line. It was bittersweet since she could see what it would have been like, even if that future is dead and gone. What we had is in the past and she is happy with shithead Teddy.
I swing Nora around before she goes sailing into Jasmine. She grabs the happy dragon and begins to pamper the little princess. The sadness faded away until it was gone for the moment. I can't fix it, but I can at least help her for now.
--
"Hey, Daddy," I hear Nora call out. "Are you awake?"
"Of course," I reply. "What's up?"
Jasmine and I had been taking turns sleeping in the Come and Go Room as the house elves called it so that we could spend time with Nora and keep her calm. Tonight was my turn and Nora was cuddled up against my chest.
"Am I going to leave?" she asks, her voice close to a whisper. "You were talking with Mommy about me going soon? Did I do something wrong? Did I make you angry?"
"Hey, we love you, Nora," I tell her as I rub her back. "We would never get rid of you. If we could, we would keep you with us forever."
"So why aren't you?" she asks. "I don't want to leave you."
"I want you to live a life where you are free to grow up outside in the sunshine and soar through the skies without a worry in the world," I say. "You can't do that here and we can't go with you, at least not now. It's a great place full of more dragons than you could believe from all over the world. You could make some friends."
"I don't need any of that if I have you and Mommy," she insists as her claws dig into my clothes like she is afraid I will leave. "You are the only things I need."
"I know, baby," I comfort her. "You won't be losing us. We will both come to see you before you know it. We just want you to have the chance to grow up big and strong."
"I love you," she says as she drifts off to sleep on my arms.
"I love you too, my little ember," I say before I kiss her on the top of the head. "Even when you are as powerful as a forest fire, you will always be my baby girl."
It might sound insane to bond to her so quickly, but I can't imagine not seeing her again. No matter what it takes, I will be damned if I don't stay as part of her life.
--
"So, tonight is the night," Jasmine says as she leans against me. We were sitting on the roof of the Astronomy Tower and waiting for the elder Weasely to come with his companions from the Romanian dragon preserve. She was leaning my shoulder as Nora laid in our laps and a blanket was wrapped around us. "It will all be over in just a little bit."
"I promised her that we would visit soon," I tell Jasmine. "Would you be up for spending some family time with our little ember over the winter break?"
"I would love to, but my family is going to be spending it in the States at Sirius' place," she says. "I can't exactly be in Romania."
"Who says we have to be in Romania?" I ask with a smile. "I heard a lot of dragons can transform into humans with some practice. After all, they are magically powerful. I am pretty sure that they would let me take my adorable daughter on a trip to see her mom."
"Sorry for getting you wrapped up in all of this," Jasmine says. "It is my fault you had to get so involved."
"I wouldn't trade it for the world," I say. "I got a friend back and my little ember, so I don't have any complaints."
"Do you think she will forget about us?" Jasmine asks. "We have only raised her for a week and a half. Will she even recognize us in a month?"
"Of course she will," I assure Jasmine as I rest my head on hers. Her hand was fidgeting as it rested on Nora's scales, so I gently hold it until she calms down. "I doubt she would ever forget a mom as sweet as you. No one could ever replace you, even a dragon. She chose you for better or worse. You aren't getting out of it so easily."
We see a trio of lights descend from the sky and approach the tower. As they grow closer, they are revealed to be three wizards on broomsticks. Their cloaks billow in the wind as they come to a stop on the edge of the roof and land.
"Are you Tonks' friends?" the leader asks. "I am Charlie. She told me that you had a little one."
"Over here," I say as I wave him over.
He illuminates his wand for better lighting as he takes in the sight of Nora sleeping on our laps. "She seems really calm with you two," he says. "That is a great sign that she is growing healthy so far. If she was malnourished, she would be far more standoffish and untrusting."
"Hey, Nora," I say as I nudge her awake. "Your ride is here."
"I am awake," she chirps. "You were the ones who fell asleep. It is a good thing I was here to guard you."
"What would we do without our little guardian?" Jasmine says with a smile.
"Wait, you understood her?" Charlie asks in amazement.
"Oh yeah, we can both understand her," I reply. I hide a grin because I can literally feel how much the man wished he could talk to dragons in their draconic forms.
"Cool, cool, cool," he says as he tries to rein in his clear jealousy. "It's going to be a long flight, so we should get a move on soon."
"Are you ready, Nora?" Jasmine asks her.
"I am okay, Mommy," Nora says. "I am a big girl. I can wait until you come back."
"It's okay if you miss us," I tell her. "We will be able to visit you over winter."
I glance up at Charlie before he gives me a nod in confirmation. I am glad to see that not all Weaselys are pricks.
"Got it, Daddy!" Nora says before she hugs us with her wings one last time before walking off with Charlie. They take their time to strap her into a flying harness so she won't fall off during the flight. After they are done, we give a final wave before they rise off into the sky and soar to the dragon preserve.
"You already miss your little ember, don't you?" I ask Jasmine.
She was pouting as she leans into me. "It is a just over a month before I see her," she replies. "I can handle the wait."
"Just imagine how much she will grow by the time we see her," I say. "I hate that I am not going to see her shoot up like a weed in person."
"If you keep saying stuff like that, I will seriously start crying," Jasmine warns. "Just stop being a prick and hold me. I need a minute before I go back."
"Okay, Mommy," I joke before she elbows me in the side.
We just sit there for a while looking at the stars in the direction that Nora left. It was nice.
At least, it was until we heard someone clearing their throat behind us. We turn to see that it was actually more than one person. In fact, it was a small crowd.
On one side, it was Jasmine's parents. Lily and James Potter were looking at us with all of the disapproval of both teachers and parents. We were simultaneously students out past curfew and their daughter out with a guy they both hate.
On the other side, it was my brothers and Cass. Cass was just shaking his head and squeezing the bridge of his nose while Dean and Sam were pretending to look disapproving but were also taking videos with their phones.
In the center, it was Dumbledore himself. "Of course it is you two again," he sighs with all of the weariness of a tired old man.
"You told us to make up," I say. "Good news, we are friends again! And friends just happen to sit on astronomy towers in the middle of the night, cuddle under a blanket, and gaze at the stars. Totally platonic!"
Jasmine facepalms while her parents get angrier. My brothers just finally break out laughing as Cass somehow looks even more embarrassed to be associated with us.
"That is not what I meant," Dumbledore mutters.
Well, then this is his fault. He should really pick a lane.
--
Author's note:
Another chapter bites the dust! I didn't originally plan for the next one to be so soon, but I was spurred into action by the desire for the cuteness that is Nora! Don't worry, my dear readers! She will return soon enough!
I originally planned for the reconciliation between Harry and Jasmine to happen later in the year and closer to summer break, but it just kind of felt right as I was writing. After the trauma of their past relationship, they finally found friendship again. I always planned on Jasmine eventually filling the role of Harry's other best friend and it is cool that I am already on my way to making that happen.
Don't think that Harry is out of secrets though. He still has not told her about him being only part human, the fact Azazel was a demon, that James made a deal with Azazel, the fact that he protected her as a baby, or like half a dozen other things that I can't immediately remember. There is plenty of material to use for future fights and reveals.
Feel free to write me a review and let me know how I did. I am practically fueled by reviews, so don't be shy. I always make sure to take all reviews to heart and respond to any questions at the beginning of each chapter.
If you liked the story and want to keep up to date, favorite and follow to get notifications when new chapters are released.
If you are interested in my other work, you can find my stories through my profile.
A pleasure as always,
Titan900
Current Favorites: 83, Current Follows: 116, Current Reviews: 15