Pack Mentality
Wednesday, 4 November 1998
“Oi, Potter!” Draco called, speeding up to walk next to Harry on the way out of Transfiguration, “what’s the plan for tonight? Are we all sneaking out or what?”
“Yes, Draco, that is absolutely what we’re doing. I’m going to ferry 30 people out of the castle under one invisibility cloak and just hope and pray no one catches us.”
“Alright that was obviously sarcasm.”
“You think?” Harry said with a light laugh, “Neville and I straight up told McGonagall what we were doing and, I shit you not, she gave us high-fives before telling us to just double check the wards on the forest.”
“She did not give you high-fives,” Draco said, mouth hanging open in shock.
“She did,” Neville said, coming up and slinging an arm around Draco’s shoulders, “I think next we’re going to see if we can call her Minnie without getting hexed.”
“It’s a delicate game we’re playing,” Harry said, his tone completely serious, “but I think we’ll break her down by Christmas.”
“It would be so much easier if Teddy could talk already,” Neville said, sighing, “imagine how quickly she’d fold if he called her Minnie first?”
“McGonagall would let you two get away with murder,” Draco said with a laugh, shoving Neville away, “I feel like calling her ‘Minnie’ is something you can get away with.”
“Back on track,” Harry said, laughing at Neville who was pouting at Draco, “the two of us fixed up the Shack so Lav can transform there and then we’ll get her out, Hermione is small enough to get at the knot in the trunk that pauses the branches and we set up the wards so she can get from the Shack to the forest without crossing the line, then we just gave to get her back there before sunrise and all’s well.”
“So, we’re just going to hang out in the forest as the world’s strangest zoo until moon rise?” Draco asked.
“Precisely, Draco dearest,” Harry said, patting him on the cheek, “we’ll go outside after dinner. Now, I need to get Teddy to Grimmauld, I’ll see you later.”
“Later,” Draco said with a wave, turning around to follow Pansy and Blaise to the library.
“So,” Neville said, moving over to walk beside Harry, “how much trouble did you get in with Theo?”
“For the tattoos?”
“Yeah.”
“You might recall that my ear is pierced because Theo decided it would look hot and got Luna to pierce it before I even processed what was happening, right?”
“That doesn’t necessarily answer my question.”
“Zero trouble, Nev. I got in zero trouble, though I’m betting he has one of his own by Sunday.”
“Did you tell him about Ron’s idea?”
“I forgot, but on that note, I’m about 2 failures away from using the Stone to talk to Remus for the sole purpose of figuring out how to update that stupid scrap of parchment.”
“Man am I glad they had the foresight to charm it inflammable,” Neville said with a laugh, “you think we should add Hermione?”
“That might be more feasible than pulling a dead man across the veil,” Harry said, as though he hadn’t even considered that option.
“The only issue is that Moony, Argos, Padfoot, and Prongs flows way better than Moony, Argos, Padfoot, Prongs, and Kit.”
“Maybe we need to rename her.”
“I feel like it’s the fifth name that’s the issue, not the name itself.”
“Moony, Argos, Padfoot, and Prongs also Kit helped and by helped I mean figured it out while we all fucked around.”
“That’s the one.”
Harry laughed before saying, “I’ll give Theo one more run at it and then we’ll call her in as back up, between those two they should be able to figure it out.”
“Harry, love,” Theo said, coming up behind him, “did you forget to tell me something?”
Harry looked over his shoulder and saw Theo looking amused and Ron looking sheepish, “I might have.”
“Ronald here tells me that you three decided to get the footprints from the Map tattooed once we figured out how to update it,” Theo said, “were you planning to tell me or was it going to be a surprise?”
“I would have told you.”
“How many tattoos are you planning to get?” Theo asked with a light laugh.
“This coming from the guy who, as I just reminded Nev, impulsively had me pierce my ear because he thought it’d be hot?”
“I believe I said it was because it’d make you look like your dad.”
“Did you just call my dad hot, Theodore?”
“Yes, Harry, that is absolutely what I meant,” Theo said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
“I just didn’t think you’d be complaining about me getting more tattoos, especially after your reaction last night.”
“Make it stop,” Ron wailed, dramatically covering his ears.
Harry laughed and shoved Ron away before turning back to Neville, “on a different note, do you know if everyone has their transformations mastered yet? Lav will be on wolfsbane, but I don’t want anyone out there who can’t reliably stay in animal form.”
“Last I heard Lisa and Sally-Anne were having some issues, it seems the avian form is a bit of a bitch, and Tracey was having a hard time transforming back to being human, but I think she got that sorted last week.”
“Alright, I think as long as anyone with a large form, like the four of us, Greg, Parvati, and Dean are ready then we should be good even if someone runs into an issue tonight. And the wards are set so that any of us can leave the forest, Lav is the only one who can’t.”
“I’m sure we’d be fine with just the two of us, Haz, I mean Lavender must be smaller than Remus and they kept him in line, without wolfsbane, with just a stag and a Grim because, let’s all be honest with ourselves, that rat had no use beyond stopping the branches on the Willow.”
“He also did a great job of carving this hideous scar into my arm,” Harry said, pulling up his sleeve and waving his right arm at Neville, “what a man, that Wormtail.”
“He was a great pet until I realized an adult man had been sleeping in Percy and my beds for 12 years,” Ron said with a shrug.
“Alright rule one for the new Marauders,” Theo said, cutting in to their conversation, “no turning each other over to dark lords.”
“Great idea,” Harry said, slinging his arm around Theo’s shoulders, “rule two, no slicing open each other’s kids for resurrection rituals.”
“That’s a really specific rule,” Ron said with a laugh, “but I promise not to steal Teddy’s blood for any sort of insane potion.”
“This is why you’re my best friend Ron,” Harry said with a nod.
“I think that about covers it,” Neville said, “unless we need any rules about marrying each other’s cousins.”
“I think we’ll be good on that front,” Harry said, grinning at Neville, “I know for a fact none of you are crushing on any of my cousins.”
Ron looked between Neville and Harry for a second before he audibly gasped, “that insinuates that Neville is crushing on someone, who is it?”
“I asked the other day, and they told me twin vault,” Theo said.
“It’s been upgraded to roommate vault,” Neville informed him, “Seamus found out.”
“That means Dean knows and I’m the only one who doesn’t,” Ron said, grabbing Neville and Harry by the upper arms and dragging them away, “let’s go. Gryffindor Boys meeting, Theo can get Teddy to Grimmauld.”
Harry shot Theo an apologetic look, but Theo just shook his head and laughed, “have fun love, I’ll tell Andromeda and Narcissa you say hello.”
“Merlin, Ron, we know how to get to the tower, you don’t need to bodily drag us through the entire castle,” Harry exclaimed, trying to shake out of Ron’s grip.
“Not to mention you’ve forgotten Seamus and Dean,” Neville added.
“Thomas! Finnegan!” Ron shouted into the hallway.
“What?!” Seamus’ voice called back from somewhere in the crowd.
“Family Meeting, let’s go!”
“Alright, coming!”
“We are insufferable,” Harry deadpanned, looking at Neville.
“You’re just now realizing this?”
“No, I clocked it a while ago, just thought this was a good time to point it out.”
“What’s this about?” Seamus asked, panting slightly after dragging Dean through the thrall of students.
“Whoever Neville’s crushing on,” Ron told him, only sort-of trying to keep his voice low, “I’m the only one who doesn’t know and that ends now.”
“Alright, let’s go,” Seamus answered before leading the group up the stairs to the third floor.
"Did I overhear something about you lot getting tattoos?” Dean asked as they were walking.
“Yeah,” Ron said, “Harry and Nev here went into Muggle London to get tattoos in the middle of the night the other night and then dragged Hermione and I along yesterday.”
“Hold it,” Seamus said, coming to a dead stop, nearly sending them down the stairs like particularly large dominos, “Granger got a tattoo?”
“Yes?” Harry responded.
“Hermione Granger,” he said, “as in the person who’s on record saying she’d rather die than be expelled got a tattoo?”
“She needed less convincing than Ron,” Harry responded with a laugh, “I love when people’s view of Hermione gets rocked. You do realize you’re also talking about the person most likely to get high and dance to Bowie right?”
“I like to separate weekday and weekend Hermione into two separate people,” Seamus told them, “I’m less likely to have an aneurism that way.”
“That’s entirely valid,” Neville said as they approached the entrance to the 8th Year’s tower.
“What’d you guys get?” Dean asked.
“We’ll show you when we get upstairs,” Harry said, pulling open the portrait and directing the group inside.
“Alright,” Ron said, shutting the door behind him once they’d climbed to the fourth floor, “is this a full dorm meeting or are we good with just the closed door?”
“The only people who are going to overhear us up here are the Slytherin boys and I think they’re all in the library,” Neville said, “also either Harry or I are going to slip up soon and tell Theo so it’s not the end of the world if the other three find out.”
“Alright,” Ron said, flopping down on his bed next to Harry, “who is it?”
“I think he should guess first,” Seamus said from where he was perched at the foot of Dean’s bed, “I guessed and made Dean guess and if I had to bet, I’d say Harry guessed as well.”
“He’s not wrong,” Harry said, shooting a grin over at Ron, “guess away, mate.”
“How many questions to I get?”
The other four boys looked at each other for a second before Dean nodded and said, “three.”
“Alright,” Ron responded before pausing to think, “boy or girl.”
“Girl,” Neville responded.
“He’s the only straight one left,” Seamus said with a sigh.
“I’m right here,” Ron said.
“Sorry, Ronald, but I maintain that there’s no shot you didn’t have a crush on Potter at some point.”
“I did not have a crush on Harry!”
“Just so you know,” Seamus mused, obviously trying not to laugh, “every time you get angry while denying it, I just believe it even more.”
“Whatever,” Ron said, waving him off.
“It’s alright mate, I understand I’ve got rather irresistible charm,” Harry said, fluttering his eyelashes.
“Oh, shut it, git,” Ron said with a laugh, “alright, question two, is she in our year?”
“Yes,” Neville answered.
Ron thought for a moment then started silently counting people off on his fingers, “final question, is she in our house?”
“She is not.”
“Hannah Abbott,” Ron decided.
“Right in one, Weasley, well done,” Dean cheered.
Neville was about to respond when they heard a knock which made them all snap their heads toward the door “… come in?” he said.
The door opened and Ernie MacMillan and Susan Bones stuck their heads in the room, both wearing shit-eating grins, “did I just hear you say Hannah Abbott?” Susan said.
“I’m going to kill one of you,” Neville said in a matter-of-fact tone, “I haven’t decided which yet, but I’ll let you know when I get there.”
“We maybe should’ve considered direct murder when we made the marauder rules,” Harry stage-whispered to Ron.
“Get in the room and close the door,” Neville told Ernie and Susan.
They both hurried into the room and Susan immediately threw herself across the foot of Seamus’ bed where Neville was sitting while Ernie sat down at Ron and Harry’s feet at a more sedate pace.
“So, the little Lord Gryffindor has a crush on Hannah?” Susan teased.
“He does,” Neville said, glaring at her, “and little Lady Hufflepuff is not going to tell Hannah.”
“Boo,” Susan said with a pout, “no fun.”
Ernie being Ernie simply said, “I think that’s great Neville, you two would make a sweet couple.”
“Thanks, Ernie,” Neville responded with a soft smile, “I really like her.”
“She even laughed at one of his jokes guys,” Harry teased before immediately hiding himself entirely behind Ernie so Neville couldn’t hit him with a pillow.
“Okay, so, wait, Ron and Hermione are together, and Theo and Harry are together, what other couples do we have?” Susan asked.
“Wait Theo and Harry are together?” Ernie asked, turning around to look at Harry in shock.
Everyone just stared at him, it was silent for a full minute before Neville started cackling. Ernie turned back around to stare at Neville, “what? What did I say?”
“How did you miss that?” Susan managed to say through her own laughter.
“What do you mean?” Ernie asked.
“We haven’t exactly been subtle about it, Ernie,” Harry said with a light laugh, though he had to feel for Ernie a bit, painfully oblivious guys have to stick together.
“Oh, well, you two make a nice couple,” Ernie said, smiling at Harry, “but I’ll echo Susan’s question since apparently I’m blind, who else is dating?”
“Uh, well, for us it’s just Ron and Hermione and Harry and Theo,” Neville said, though he Ron and Harry were staring pointedly at Seamus and Dean who were nearly on top of each other. They both just stared back.
“Alright,” Harry said with a huff, “we’ll deal with that later.”
“Has anyone figured out if Parvati and Lavender are dating?” Seamus asked, “it’s rather confusing.”
“Oh yes,” Neville said with a nod, “it’s very confusing when two roommates terrorize everyone they live with by not being able to figure their shit out.”
“I simply cannot imagine living in such a situation,” Ron added.
“It must be horrific,” Harry said with a long-suffering sigh, “someone should check in on Hermione.”
Susan was trying her best to hide her giggles while Ernie was looking between the five other boys in faint amusement.
“I don’t know what you’re on about,” Seamus sniffed, “let’s get back to their question.”
“Alright, fine,” Harry said with a laugh, “I’m honestly not sure who else is dating officially, but if Draco doesn’t come to and figure out that Astoria has been flirting with him for five months I’m going to hit him over the head with something dense.”
“Could you also hit Justin over the head with something if he doesn’t figure out I’ve been flirting with him soon?” Susan asked.
“I’d be happy to,” Harry said with a grin.
“Oh, Luna said something about a guy who wanted to help her find the crumple horned snorkack the other day,” Neville said.
“She told me the same thing,” Harry said, laughing lightly, “she made it sound like he’d asked for her hand in marriage.”
“It must’ve been Rolf Scamander,” Susan said.
“Sounds like him,” Ernie confirmed, “he’s Luna’s year, super quiet and almost exactly like how people described his grandfather, far more into creatures than humans but incredibly kind.”
“Kind is good,” Neville said.
“Kind also isn’t going to get him out of a shovel talk from Ginny and Harry,” Ron responded.
“Too right,” Harry said with a firm nod, “I’ll have to confer with my dear Ginevra later.”
“You two might be the most functional pair of exes I’ve ever met,” Dean said.
“Are we forgetting you dated her as well Mr. Thomas?”
“I am not forgetting that,” Dean said, laughing, “which is why I’m an authority here. She tolerates me and ignores Michael entirely but you two are thick as thieves.”
“I shudder to think what would’ve happened if we’d introduced the children of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley to the world,” Ron said with an exaggerated shiver.
“They’d be menaces, that’s for absolute certain,” Harry responded with a laugh.
“Alright, back on track,” Neville cut in, “do we know anyone else who’s either dating or flirting?”
“Is this all you guys did for seven years? Gossip?” Susan interrupted.
“We also risked our lives at least once a year,” Ron said with a shrug.
“To be fair, it was mostly the two of you risking your lives, we had a rather cushy existence all things considered,” Seamus said.
“I don’t know what’s going on with the Ravenclaws,” Harry said, deciding to answer Neville instead of egging on Seamus and Ron, “if we got Lav or Parvati up here we’d know everything about everyone within the hour.”
“Let’s save that for another day,” Susan said, rolling off the bed, “what time are we meeting for tonight?”
“Like 6:30 or 7,” Harry told her. “We’ll go out together after dinner. It’s pretty cold but I think warming charms will do and worse comes to worse, we can all just hang out in the Shack, it’s looking pretty good if I do say so myself.”
“He’s not lying,” Neville added, “it looks almost new inside, we left the outside totally decrepit to keep people away and built the wards up as well, but the inside is great.”
“Sounds good to me,” Ernie said with a shrug, getting up to follow Susan to the door, “see you lot tonight.”
The second the door was closed; Ron shot silencing and locking charms at the door while Harry and Neville bound Seamus and Dean.
“Alright,” Neville said, moving to sit at the foot of Ron’s bed, “we’re done avoiding this conversation, what in Godric’s great name is happening between the two of you?”
“What do you mean?” Seamus asked, his innocent act failing miserably.
“No,” Harry said, “none of that, we’re talking now. This has gone on too long.”
“Fine,” Dean said with a sigh, “Seamus, I like you, I’ve liked you for a long time, would you please be my boyfriend?”
“Really?” Seamus asked, in honest shock.
“Really,” Neville, Harry, and Ron answered together.
“Really, Seamus,” Dean said, in a much kinder tone than the other three, “would you please be my boy-”
He was cut off by Seamus kissing him, it was rather uncoordinated given they were both bound, but at least they’d finally figured their shit out.
“Oh, thank god,” Harry said with a sigh, flopping back against Ron’s pillows.
“Should we maybe untie them and leave now?” Neville said, covering his eyes like a little kid seeing their parents kiss.
“Right,” Ron said, clearing his throat, “time to go.”
“Later,” Harry called as the trio scrambled out of the room.
“Later,” Dean called back before his voice was muffled by Seamus’ lips on his.
“I don’t know if we’ve just done the world an act of service or created a monster,” Harry mused as they walked down the stairs.
“Doesn’t matter,” Ron said, “anything is better than whatever the fuck had been happening before.”
* * *
“You ready,” Harry asked Lavender as he and Hermione walked her toward the Shack.
“More than,” Lavender responded, leaning into Harry’s side as they walked, “thank you for this, Harry, you’re an incredible friend.”
“Of course,” Harry said, lightly squeezing her shoulders, “everyone’s in the forest but if it gets too cold we can head back into the Shack, whatever you want. From my dad’s journals we’re about 98% sure that at least you and I and maybe other canines will be able to understand each other, I can understand Theo when he’s in his wolf form and Ron and Dean as dogs so that’s a solid indicator.”
“Perfect,” Lavender said with a soft smile as they approached the Willow, “I’ll see you out there.”
That night in the Forbidden Forest, for the first time in 20 years, a wolf and its pack ran free.
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this is how i'm picturing harrybtw
