Mine
The three are now inside the Headmaster's office and Dumbledore was looking for a sort of Portkey to give Lyra—Draco—but it seemed like the grumpy vampire figured it all out.
"You could now drop the glamour that you hold, Draco Black."
Draco's eyes widened as he looked up from his hood to the Potion's Professor. He sighed after a while as he removed his hood.
"I knew that I could never escape your sharp eyes no matter how I hide, but I can't drop the glamour yet since it was usually set for a few more minutes. It's like a Polyjuice Potion," he explained and grinned up at the Potion's Professor.
"Cheeky brat. I will not ask why you tagged me along with your ward."
Draco gave a sheepish smile to him and Dumbledore began to ask.
"When did you found out that he was Draco Black?" he sat in his chair and began to reach one his candies in the bowl on his table.
The Potion's Professor rolled his eyes as if it was obvious to him. "As soon as he cast the circle that blocked my path from leaving," he drawled as he sat at one of the chairs in the Headmaster's office, placing both of his hands to its respective armrest.
"I apologize for that Professor," he said but the amusement dancing in his eyes told another story. He was glared at in return but Draco knew that there was no malice in them as he saw the swirl of amusement in the vampire's eyes as well.
"Brat! You better run off to your dorms now and not get caught," he huffed and a giggle erupted from Draco's feminine lips as he began to step back.
"Thank you, Professor." Draco gave a small bow to the two Professors before he began to leave the room, still feeling the euphoria of the feel of his magic in his veins after sealing it. He decided to head off for a walk while the glamour had not worn off.
"Why did you not inform me that Draco Black has been here in this castle prancing about as Marius Clarke?"
The Headmaster's eyes twinkled and Severus was growing irate at his manners.
"I thought you would notice despite the veiling of goblin magic along with Narcissa's protection on him. Surely you would have noticed just by him manners?"
The Potion Professor's eyes twitched. "You think I have not thought of that the moment I have seen her glamoured as a girl?" Severus drawled with irritation in his voice but then he sighed calming himself, knowing that losing his temper talking to this old vampire would just tire him out.
"Tea?" Dumbledore merely asked and he could clearly feel the irritation seeping off Severus' in waves.
"But when I taught him in my class, I never once associated him that much with Narcissa. Yes, there were similarities but his manners were—" before he could voice out something he shook his head and the Headmaster watched him with keen eyes as he lowered his cup.
"Familiar, isn't it?" Severus' eyes locked with the Headmaster's as if in silent conversation before the two dismissed the idea in their heads.
"Had you not been taken by the Mark, years ago, you would've been more fitting to lead our astray race." Dumbledore's eyes were sad as if he was regretting the things that happened years ago.
Severus' lips thinned as bitter memories of what he had done during the haze of the Dark Mark that etched on his skin made him do.
"It was a thing of the past, one that I am now assuring to fix. Besides, I am much more fit to this role." He stood up, clearly deciding that their talk was over. However, he was stopped in his tracks by the Headmaster's words.
"Lucius would disagree to that. He never blamed you for what happened."
The Potion's Master did not look back and the Headmaster could see the tension and the slight sag of his shoulders.
"I know."
Dumbledore could not help but ask, his eyes so full of sadness for the man in front of him hoping he could do more for him. "After all this time you still think it is your fault he died?"
That was then that the Potion's Master snapped back at the Headmaster, his eyes filled with something that even the Headmaster could not decipher.
"If only he had left me back there to rot and not try to remove this mark in my hand then…Then his strength would not have diminished and he would be alive today!" , the rage in his eyes was evident but Dumbledore knew they were not directed at him.
He knew the reason why Severus was able to waver from the ultimate loyalty that the mark demands from its holder. That was not because of the reason he gave Minerva, but it was because Lucius Malfoy tried to remove the Mark from him. Only halfway successful and lost a substantial amount of power in the process. In order not to put his efforts in vain, he decided to become a spy for the Order.
"But if that had not occurred, many of us would have fallen," Dumbledore reasoned out, but the Potion's Master looked away from him his cloak billowing as he began to walk out.
"Perhaps." He opened the door and walked out.
Dumbledore sighed looked out in the window as memories flashed in his mind.
He watched as a young and cheerful Lucius drag an equally young but shy Severus to introduce themselves to him in the past. Every vampire knew that Severus Snape was an honorary Malfoy the day that they found the child abused at his own home, the Prince household. His mother had become demented when he lost her husband in a horrible accident. Since Severus looked quite like his own father, his mother began to despise him. Then long after the abuse, she killed herself in front her own child and that left a huge blow to the young Severus.
It took a long time for the child to finally open up to the boisterous Lucius, but had indeed saved that child from his self-destruction and now once again Severus was headed down that road again. Many of them blamed the Dark Lord for what he made Severus do. Just the thought of it made his blood boil in hate for the Dark Lord. Severus who swore loyalty, who was saved by the Malfoy Family, was forced to kill the same family that he only ever loved.
….
Harry was anxious as he ran through the halls to the place where he could finally smell the sweet scent from. He could not explain it at first why he was driven to go out that particular night but as soon as he caught a whiff of it, he could no longer stop himself from running. The scent at first reminded him of something so familiar to him that he had to smell his surroundings twice to assure himself. Now it was no doubt at what he smelt: it smelt of rain, pine, vanilla and an unknown spice that he could not name.
Reaching the Great Hall and pushing its huge doors open was a feeble task for him, but as he pushed the door and saw the inside of the Great Hall, he was filled with disappointment. The scent still lingered but the person within is no longer there. He could not help the whine that he emitted, so he did the most reasonable thing; he shifted into his wolf form.
In the silence of the Great Hall, his body morphed into his huge black wolf. His green eyes piercing in the light of the torches lit ablaze inside the Great Hall. As soon as he felt his body accustomed once again to the change, he began his hunt. His snout rose up in the air and sniffed, there were different scents mixed in the air and was able to recognize them as Professor McGonagall, Snape, the Headmaster and the one scent he has been desiring to find since the day he woke up with the mark on his arm. He followed the direction of the scent like a wolf parched of water. With that, he bolted out of the Great Hall and into the corridors of Hogwarts.
……
Draco sat at one of the many branches of the Whomping Willow, looking up at the sky as he waited for the first signs of snow. He huffed out a breath he was holding and the puff of air he released could be seen visibly due to the cold. He no longer tugged on his cloak as he could feel his magic warming him up still. He closed his eyes at the feel of the wind on his cheek, counting down the minutes until the glamour feel away and he would be back to his normal body.
But his eyes snapped open when he heard the snap of a twig behind him. He looked back as quickly as he could and drew his wand as he now stood on the branch. Green and icy blue met and Draco's grip on his wand tightened as he thought, ‘Ugh, why now, Harry? Can there be not a time that he does not go out of the tower?'
Both of them stared at each other, one with recognition and one filled with awe and adoration. Draco's eyebrow wrinkled at this as he wondered why were those kinds of emotions in the wolf's eye directed at him currently. He looked down as he then pocketed his wand showing that he meant no harm. The werewolf backed away slightly to show that he meant no harm as well. When Draco was about to go down the tree, his shoes suddenly slipped at the slippery edge of the branch. He watched as the once huge and majestic black wolf suddenly morphed into its human form and in a quick swift, Draco fell into his arms.
…..
Harry looked down at the petite thing in his arms, his heart beating loudly. His wolf was howling with uncontrolled joy and the happiness he was feeling could stay for days. He stared at his whole world. He inspected the girl in his arms and memorized everything about her. He thinks he could never ever forget how those pale cheeks became tinted with red matching the color of her lips. Those icy blue eyes that reminded Harry of the calmness of the sky, but as he delved deeper into those pools, he could see spots of silver and to him, they looked as if they were sparkling. He was probably smiling like a loon for all he cared but as he tightened his hold upon the girl in his arms, he could care less for what he looked at the moment.
Meanwhile, Draco looked up to those emerald eyes that was now looking down at him with so much adoration that the fluttering in his stomach wouldn't shut up no matter how much he willed for it to stop. His heart was beating so loudly that he was sure the werewolf with sharp senses could hear it. He wanted to look away but he found out that he was captured, frozen to stare up at those eyes that looked at him as if he was the world, like he was life itself and Draco could not stop himself from shaking and the arms that held him tightened as if afraid to ever let him go. He was about to protest to the werewolf to be released but he did not expect what Harry did next. He leaned down and kissed his temple. He felt those warm lips and it did better than any warming charm he ever knew as it melted and warmed the coldness he felt within his heart.
His feminine blue eyes widened and he felt his throat close up. His brain could not comprehend what had just occurred that he was still stunned when Harry had already released his smaller body and placed his feet on the ground so he could stand up.
Then Draco did the only thing he was good at and he glared up at the wolf and stepped back only to cross his arms. In this form, he could only look up at Harry's huge stature.
"What was that for?" he voiced out. His voice, higher than it usually was to match his girl form, was convincing enough as not to shake from what he was currently feeling on the inside. The damned werewolf only smiled at him lovingly and raised his hand to his cheek and brushing it as if memorizing the feel of his face in his hand. Draco, always wanting Harry to do this to him in his true form, almost leaned into the touch.
"Don't you feel it?" Harry voiced out.
Draco stepped back again and a whimper was emitted by the wolf as he let his hand fall to his side.
"Feel what?" A pale eyebrow rose to that question and Harry then began to roll his sleeve up, showing the soulmate mark of a witch on his arm. Icy blue eyes widened even further at the mark etched so beautifully upon his arm. It was the first time Draco had seen the mark of Harry's soulmate in his arm and this made the blood of Draco boiled.
He scoffed at it as he replied. "Showing off much?" he crossed his arms in a defensive manner. He was about to step away when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. The mark on Harry's arm was much more prominent for him to see.
Draco unknowingly gritted his teeth at the sight of the mark, wanting to erase it and replace it with his own mark. However, he could not deny just how beautiful it looked, the swirls of the runes written, translating an unbreakable bond forming the infinity mark.
"I am not showing it off." Draco could not bear to look up at those eyes in fear of the emotions that are going to be surely seen through his eyes. "You really don't know a thing, don't you?"
Draco was prepared to give Harry a piece of his mind but was stunned by Harry's reply when he snapped back at him.
"It's your mark."
The voice died in Draco's throat once he heard those words. He was left stunned, his eyes wide and unbelieving.
"I guess you are younger than me that's why you can't still feel the connection between us." The werewolf tentatively took Draco's much smaller hands in his and clasped them together. "But I could feel it. Your scent calls upon me and from the moment I saw you, I already knew you are mine"
That was then that Draco realized his mistake. The sudden outburst of his magic released the seal that his mother placed upon him to hide his very identity, the one that hid him as her son. He realized that now that the Family Tree of the Blacks would now show his identity, but he was glad that he still could not be tracked.
Draco's lips trembled as he could not believe what Harry just told him. Without him knowing it, a single tear escaped his eye and Harry looked like he was stricken. His face once full of happiness now full of worry and as if he was hurt.
"What is wrong?" He held up his hand to touch Draco's face and it was warm, so warm that Draco could not help but lean into it as he whispered back.
"This is not possible. Why now?", Draco closed his eyes as he bowed. His mind was so conflicted that he did not know what to do. The glamour did not change anything about him just merely converting his gender to that of a female's. A werewolf's senses when it came to their mates are never wrong. If Harry had claimed him, even in this form, as his then this changes everything. He decided to make a bet. With everything on the line, he could feel the magic of the glamour slowly ebbing away from his body. He stepped back. He could imagine Harry's confused expression as he did so.
"Would you still call me yours if you ever found out who I really am?"
Harry's eyes widened at this clearly clueless.
"What do you mean?"
Draco could do nothing but smile as the snow he had been waiting for began to fall from the sky and his glamour falling away with it.
…..
Harry watched as the girl's form in front of him began to change drastically as if the magic that covered her, now washed away by the touch of the snow to her pale cheeks. Harry's eyes widened when he was now finally met with familiar grey eyes and a sad-like smile appearing on the face he was now so overly familiar with.
"Marius?" Harry could not help but voice out, wanting to know what just happened. He was confused but his instinct still screamed at him that the one standing in front of him belonged to him. His mate, his everything. He studied the boy he had known for a few months now and he could not help but see that he was as beautiful as the day he met him. But with the snow that was falling over them now, Harry could not help but think he looked like an ethereal creature that even he could not reach.
The snowflakes beginning to stick at his pale eyelashes. His cheeks meshing along with the now becoming white background, his hair now short framing his face. A few stray strands began to cover his face as the wind began to pick up and sway it and Harry wanted nothing more than to brush it away from his face. Marius then began to lift his slender hand that Harry was sure would fit perfectly with his slightly bigger hand to curl up his hair on one side and Harry could not stop the skip of his heart.
Finally, those eyes. Those piercing grey eyes that see him as if he was just Harry. Harry who was just a werewolf, a human, one who didn't see him as anyone special, one who saw him for him and not some prophesized savior. And all Harry ever wished at that moment for it not to be a lie. He had wanted it to be so true so badly that he would even twist fate if he could to make this a reality. He never wanted this moment to be just a dream.
But there was so much at stake, so many questions that needed to be answered, so many things that he wanted to ask him. But as if everything was just blurred away from his mind as his heartbeat and longed to hold the one standing in front of him. Everything felt so right and wrong at that moment for him as soon as he voiced out his reply to him.
"I think you should call me Draco."
….
Orion's arm stung that he doubled over at one of the hallways while he was headed off to his Head of House's office to talk to him about him being a spy. He knew it was already late and he was sure that there would be hell to pay if he ever decided to wake the old vampire from his sleep but Orion thought it will be worth it. Besides, he could always rebuttal that he needed a potion to ease the pain that their so-called Dark Lord is causing him at the moment. He just hoped he would be forgiven.
But he never thought that the Dark Lord was getting impatient at getting his seal removed. He knocked as quick as possible at the door. He was met with a glare as soon as the door opened. However, when Severus saw the sweat in his brow and the ragged breath he was dragged inside quick as lightning.
"Sit." Orion did as he was told.
The Professor began to rummage through his potions stock for a vial. Once he found what he was looking for, he handed it to Orion but the Slytherin almost dropped it due to the pain in his arm. Snape had no choice but to make the vampire drink the vial as he tipped his head along with it. He massaged his neck to assure that the young vampire swallowed it. Orion then felt a bit better from the pain and he did not notice it suddenly when he blurted out.
"I am gonna be a spy for the werewolves' side."
Severus' eyes widened as his head snapped back to glare at Orion.
"You fool!" Severus shouted at him as he stomped back to clutch the boy's necktie as if to let him know the consequence of what he planned to do with his life.
"Being a spy like me— Are you out of your bloody mind, Orion?!" But that steel-like determination in his eyes made the grumpy Professor be convinced. He then released the boy from his grasp as he then leaned back to his nearest chair.
"It will not be easy, it will never be easy. There will be times when I won't be there, you brat."
Orion knew now to associate the word ‘brat' as an affectionate gesture of the grumpy vampire as he grinned up at him.
"You don't have to worry about me, Professor."
Severus' eyes narrowed and he huffed. "Do not get cocky, Orion. But might I ask, how did were you able to bow yourself to Potter and gain his trust? Don't tell me you begged?"
A growl erupted from Orion as he scrunched up his nose. He crossed his hands and scoffed. "Ha! As if that wolf could ever make me work for him. My loyalty lies somewhere else. Thank you very much."
Severus hummed at this. "And upon who does your loyalties lie?"
Orion looked up at him, his eyes like daggers and he pocketed his hands. "Just like where I know your loyalties lie to family, so do I."
Severus' eyebrow rose at this confused as he thought hard. He knew just how much Orion despises his parents for what they did to him, cutting him off from his mate. Then his eyes widened slightly at the word ‘family' that Orion voiced out. Orion seemed to have noticed this as he grinned a spark of happiness in his eyes.
"My loyalty lies to him and no one else. If ending the war is what he ever desires, I will willingly shake hands with Potter to fulfill it."
Severus saw a bit of himself upon Orion and he could not help but have a small smile on his lips as he drawled.
"Brat."
….
A little after midnight, Nymphadora surveyed the parts of the castle bit by bit. Over the time she was at Hogwarts, she found out that a certain section where this particular bathroom had a secret tunnel leading down somewhere. Finding the entrance, she had to try a lot of different revealing spells but none worked. The only thing that made her find the entrance of the Chamber was the mark of a snake on the faucet.
Pulling out the necklace she brought along with her from the inside of her uniform, the green locket with a snake engraved in it shone in the light of the bathroom. She flicked her hand to prevent anyone from entering the Girls Bathroom while she was inside. She removed the clasp and held out the locket to the faucet where the snake design was in. She waited for a while before she infused a forceful amount of magic in the locket.
As if on cue, the locket shook slightly and afterward, she heard the opening of a door and gears moving to finally reveal to her the entrance to the Chamber where Salazar Slytherin's familiar's slumbered. A wicked smile appeared on her lips when she gazed back at the locket she held.
"Works like a charm as Mother said."
She clasped back the necklace then she glanced down the rabbit hole to the Chamber. She flicked the blonde hair. Looking back to make sure that the spell she cast would not be broken, she fell back.
The cold slightly damp floor of a ground full of snake skeletons appeared on view as Nymphadora within Luna's body jumped from the unused girls' bathroom where she found that god awful ghost who wouldn't stop crying as if anyone cared about her tears. She banished the ghost easily to the toilet where she crawled from with a single flick of her hand. A door with fingers that were actually real-like snakes once again greeted her. She clutched the necklace again and as if on sync, the door's mechanism began to move as the snakes curved out of the way to open the door.
She pushed away from the door and the Chamber that greeted her was not what she expected. The cold floor was slightly damp from what seemed to be countless tunnels in the sides of the Chamber. In the middle of it was a carved face of Salazar Slytherin. She walked calmly towards it, stopping just a few meters from the carved face. She lifted her hand willing the soul of the pendant to call upon the familiar hidden within, but the mouth of the carved face would not open.
"Tsk, still struggling even after in death. Well, not like I could call you dead since you are but a soul. Still, I guess that would do for now, wouldn't it?" A malicious smile graced her lips as she released a sigh that was as if she was going to enjoy every moment she was about to do.
"Don't worry, I am very patient, unlike my mother who would surely force you to submission. Though, this will be an interesting game between us." She smiled as she turned back on her heels, walking back to the entrance but continued talking.
"I have always loved a challenge. I could do this until tomorrow. What about you—" She looked down at the pendant that seemed to look up at her and she laughed as she could sense the soul trying to break out.
"—Lucius Malfoy?"
The locket glinted in the light as if glaring at her but could do nothing.