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The Rise of the Drackens	By : StarLightMassacre Category: Harry Potter > Threesomes/Moresomes Views: 770162 -:- Recommendations : 73 -:- Currently Reading : 222
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights for the creation of the Harry Potter novels go to J. K. Rowling. I make no money from this piece of fictional writing

Chapter List
- 100
- 101
- 102
Last Time

Everything was fine for the moment, he could sleep in peace without worrying. He had a lot to do later today, he needed this sleep in order to help him to be prepared for what was to come. In just a few hours’ time, Harry would be home and it was going to be hard enough to control the kids, even harder to keep Harry lying down and away from all of them or reacting to their cries and demands for his attention. He needed to get at least another few hours’ sleep or he wasn’t going to have the strength or the mental capacity to deal with what was to come, and with Leolin now sleeping on his chest, he finally allowed himself to drift off. It had been a rough three days, they would never be the same again thanks to what had happened, during the fight and during the aftermath of it, but maybe, given some time and a lot of work, they could eventually heal from it.

Chapter One Hundred-One – Settling Down

Harry had barely woken up, in pain as per usual, when Nasta had come into his private room, all smiles and joyful delight, ready to finally take him back home. Harry wanted to hit him for being so cheerful when he was in so much fucking pain.
It was almost unbearable before he had gulped down a pain potion, but he hated the way that the potions made him feel, not to mention the awful, horrific things that they made him see and believe. He didn’t remember all of what he’d seen or said during his stay at the Healing Halls, but he remembered enough to know that he didn’t like it, so he had refused to take one of the potions this morning, knowing as he did that he’d be going home to see his children today. He couldn’t subject them to the sight of their Mother all drugged up and delusional, he just couldn’t.

“Are you ready to come home?” Nasta asked him, bending forward to kiss his forehead. “I’ve got your prescription, the Healers have signed you off, you’re all set. Do you feel strong enough to go by Apparation, or would you prefer the floo?”

“Either.” Harry grunted curtly. “Just get me home already.”

Nasta’s smile dimmed a bit and Harry felt like a complete bastard for that, he took a calming breath and closed his eyes to reel his rampant negative emotions back in. He made a bit more of a visible effort, wrapping his arms around Nasta’s neck as his oldest mate picked him up gently and pecking at his lips, even if the slight movement made him feel like he was going to be sick all over Nasta’s front. Again.
Nasta scooped him up and held him close, keeping him as straight as possible due to his very tender, healing stomach muscles and Harry was at least grateful for that. If he’d curled up at that moment he really would have been very, violently sick.

“Bye, Harry. Hopefully I won’t be seeing you again soon.” The ancient, head Dracken Healer, Alfred Grant, said to him, patting his knee when Nasta carried him past.

“Thank you for looking after me.”

“I was more than happy to. Now remember, you’re not to move at all while you’re at home for at least another day or two, otherwise you’ll find yourself right back here.” The Healer warned.

Harry nodded miserably and he held on tight to Nasta as they said their final farewells and went through the floo.
Harry was in agony just from the short journey through the floo network and he was grateful when Nasta put him gently and carefully down on a settee that smelt like his oldest mate and covered him over with the huge, tent like duvet from their bed. The familiar scent of his mates was soothing and calming and it made him feel instantly better.
He didn’t notice that he wasn’t at their home right away, to be fair he was in some pain and he was trying to prevent himself from vomiting after the trip through the floo, but it was the smell of the place that clued him in first, once he took his nose from the duvet that was, as it just didn’t smell like home. He opened his eyes to see a very unfamiliar ceiling. He looked around as much as he could without moving before looking back to the smiling Nasta, who had been watching him closely.

“Where are we?” He asked, very confused.

Nasta’s smile grew as he sat on the arm of the settee by his head.

“This is our home, Cariad.”

“I’m not that drugged up that I’m imagining a new house. Where are we?”

“This is our home, love. Our new one. Max and I planned it, had it built and furnished and it was going to be a gift once your court case was over with.”

Harry’s eyes widened. “That’s why you stopped me from looking for a house for us and kept telling me to wait a bit longer!”

Nasta grinned and he nodded. “Yes. I couldn’t have you buying a house when I knew that this one was being custom made from the very foundations, just for us and our family.”

“I want to see it! All of it!” Harry demanded excitedly.

“You’re in no fit state to see anything.” Nasta told him sternly.

“But…you can’t tell me that I’m in a new house and then not let me explore it, Nas!” Harry cried out in dismay.

“You’re in too much pain and I just want you to rest for a bit. How about I carry you through to the kitchen and give you a bit of a tour later on?”

Harry bit his lip, but it was the sharp twinge in his belly that ultimately made up his mind. He grudgingly nodded.

“Alright, but how many rooms are there? How big is it? Does it have enough space for us and the kids?”

“And the many, many more that we’re going to have later. We’re not going to need to move ever again. This house is more than big enough for us to set up a permanent home. We can stay here for the rest of our lives.”

Harry grinned in excitement and Nasta felt the pressure ease off of his shoulders. Seeing Harry so happy and excited helped to calm him down.

“This is the ground floor that we’re on, there are nine main rooms on this floor and a couple of small storage rooms.”

“Nine?!” Harry asked, his eyes bulging with disbelief.

Nasta chuckled. “Yeah. You were always so unhappy with the lack of space, so I made sure that you would have plenty in this new house of ours.”

“Oh, Nasta, thank you!” Harry cried out in such sincere gratitude that it almost had Nasta bursting into tears, even as Harry lifted his arms for a hug.

Nasta hugged him, but tucked his arms back under the duvet as he did so.

“Don’t move.” He said sternly. “If you want something, you ask for it.”

“You need a shave.” Harry told him. “You could have baby dragons nesting in that beard and not know it. Maybe I should get Max to floo call the reserve to see if they’re missing any hatchlings, just in case.”

Nasta grimaced and tugged his fingers through the long hairs on his cheeks, chin and neck. He hadn’t found the time to shower in the last four days, let alone the time it would require to hack off the impromptu beard that he’d grown.

“I’ll grab a shower now, but only if you promise not to move an inch.”

Harry hummed noncommittally.

“I mean it, Harry.”

Harry sighed heavily. “I want my babies. I can’t stand lying here when I know that they have to be here somewhere too.”

“If I go and get Leolin for you to cuddle with, do you promise not to so much as wiggle while I go and get rid of the beard that you don’t like?”

Harry nodded furiously. “Yes. I promise. I just want to see all of my babies.”

“Leolin first and then the others when I come back, okay?” Nasta said sternly.

Harry nodded again. “Yes.”

“Stay right where you are.” Nasta warned as he left the room and took the long way around to the family room via the kitchen. He didn’t want Harry knowing that the double doors were just behind his head and led into the room with all eight of the children inside.

He believed that the best policy here would be to keep all the temptation away from his submissive mate, not dangle it right under his nose. Harry was a curious sort, which is why Nasta had laid him down with the doors behind his head so that he couldn’t see them and wind himself up with his thoughts of what might be behind them, because he knew that it would eventually get the better of his mate and he’d get up and he’d look because he wouldn’t be able to help himself. Then, as soon as Harry realised that his babies were right next door, he’d never be able to get Harry to lie down and rest again. No. Harry could not see those doors and he could not know that their children were right behind his head.
He came back into the smaller living room with the sniffling Leolin, who’d been screaming his head off for poor Caesar and Amelle, who’d brought the almost two year old Eleonora and the seven month old Beatrice around for a play date with their baby cousins.
He’d managed to calm him down by sweeping Leolin up and hefting him over his shoulder, which had surprised his tiny son into silence as his underdeveloped brain tried to process what had happened. He’d carried him down the corridor and into the living room before Leolin had time to gather his bearings and start screaming again. The last thing he needed was for Harry to see and hear Leolin having a screaming fit and work out that all of their children were in the same boat and behaving in the same way. He was going to have enough of a struggle keeping Harry lying down as it was, it would be absolutely impossible if Harry thought that their children were in any way upset or distressed.

“Leolin, look who’s here for you.” Nasta cooed and before Leolin could cry or so much as sniffle, he’d turned the tiny boy around in his hands and presented him to Harry.

Gold eyes stared at bright, emerald green and Nasta got to see first-hand the gummy smile that broke out over Leolin’s face as he finally recognised who he was looking at several seconds later.

“Ma! Ma! Ma! Ma! Ma!” He chanted over and over, reaching out as best as he could for Harry, who shifted and went to sit up automatically to reach for his clamouring baby when Nasta quickly knelt on the little nest bed that he’d made and pushed him back down.

“You promised that you wouldn’t move.” Nasta told him sternly.

He put Leolin on Harry’s chest before either of them could throw a fit and he watched as Leolin hefted himself up as much as he could to stare at Harry’s face, one tiny hand reached out to pat at Harry’s cheek, as if Leolin couldn’t quite believe that he was there as Harry’s hands held their son around the chest, helping to prop him up.

“I missed you, Leolin.” Harry said softly, smiling at the little Faerie baby on his chest.

“I’m going to go for that shower and a shave, you don’t move.”

“I’ll make sure that he doesn’t.”

Nasta nodded gratefully to his Father, who was stood just inside the door.

“It’s nice to see you again, Harry.”

“It feels so good to be home. Even though I’m not entirely sure where home is or what it looks like yet, but they say home is where the heart is and my heart will always be with my children and my mates.”

Nasta teared up a little at that and he went back to Harry and bent over his head to kiss him. He got a smack from Leolin for his trouble.

“He’s definitely lashing out more.” Aneirin said with a frown. “It’s like he’s possessive of you, Harry.”

Harry sighed. “There’s not much we can do at the moment, but we’ll see about breaking the habit now that I’m home. I don’t like him lashing out at anyone, especially not at his Fathers.”

Harry hefted Leolin further up his chest and cuddled him down, kissing his head and nuzzling his hair. Nasta kissed him again.

“Will you go and shave? It feels like I’m being attacked and molested by a brillo pad.”

Aneirin laughed and Nasta couldn’t quite stop the chuckle that came out. He’d missed Harry so much and he felt just so much better, so much more relieved to have Harry home. He left Harry with Leolin and with his Father and he went to have the shower and shave that he’d desperately needed for the last four days.
Harry took the next ten minutes to cuddle and reconnect with his baby, who looked up at him every other minute to make sure that he was still there, and if his eyes were closed when he looked, Leolin would slap his cheek or dig his teeny little nails into his neck, cheek or chin.

“I’m awake, sweetie.” He’d say to him every time. “I’m just resting.”

He’d start up the rubbing of Leolin’s back again, or he’d stroke his hair, or gently massage a little thigh to ease his Faerie son back down and closer to sleep.

“I’m surprised that Dain and Kailen aren’t here.” Harry said sleepily to Aneirin as he cuddled his yawning son.

“Nasta didn’t tell them where the new house was. He was under enough stress as it was, he didn’t want to add to it needlessly.” Aneirin told him.

“Ah.” Harry nodded. “Understandable. But they do need to be told, they must be going out of their minds with worry. Leolin is sort of their million times great grandson.”

“Give it a few days, Harry. For you and Blaise to recover.” Aneirin insisted. “You are in no state to welcome them after what’s just happened. You’ve only just been released from the hospital.”

“Can you send them a letter then, please? Just to let them know that Leolin is actually alright.”

Aneirin nodded at that idea and he agreed to do just that when Nasta finished in the bathroom.

“Has he really been very bad?” Harry asked, trying to move so that he could see Aneirin’s face better.

“Don’t move, Harry.” Aneirin told him sternly. Like Father like son.

Harry lay back down and settled his body, moving his massage on Leolin’s legs up and over his hips and to his sides.

“Nasta has been stressed and restless over the last few days. He did actually collapse. He hasn’t been taking care of himself, but thankfully he ate a proper breakfast this morning and he’s having a shower for the first time in four days. He slept for longer last night too. Myron found him right where you are now, with Leolin sleeping on his chest. He woke up himself when Leolin wanted his breakfast at twenty to nine this morning.”

Harry smiled and nodded. “I’m glad that he’s better now. How has Max been?”

“More of the same.” Aneirin told him sadly. “They’ve both been stressed and upset. We’re all just infinitely glad that you’re home.”

Harry grinned. “Me too. Even though I’m not sure where exactly home is any more, as long as my mates and babies are here, I’m sure I’ll adapt to it.”

“It’s much bigger than you’re used to. Though after going to school in a castle, it shouldn’t be too hard to adjust to and you did want a bigger house.”

Harry smiled. “I did. Max’s house was just too small and I have a heat period coming up soon.”

“What?”

Harry grimaced and he looked up at Nasta, who was towelling his black hair, a look of surprise on his face.

“Um, yeah, I might have forgotten to mention that.”

“When?” Nasta asked him desperately.

“I’m not too sure on the exact date, but…well, less than a month.”

“Less than a month?!” Nasta asked in shock. “How much less?”

“First week of July.” Harry said uncomfortably.

“Why didn’t you say anything?!” Nasta asked.

“I just…I didn’t want to worry anyone.” Harry said softly. “What with the court case and everything. I was going to mention it closer to the actual heat period, but then all of this happened.”

Nasta sighed and came to kiss him, his face baby smooth for all of two minutes and Harry made sure to touch and stroke his cheeks and chin, even rubbing himself against Nasta’s face to show his appreciation of the clean, smooth shave.

“I love your face like this.” Harry said with a smile. “All smooth and soft and you smell nice too.”

Nasta chuckled and Harry liked hearing it, he liked seeing the stress all but drain from Nasta’s face as he smiled and laughed. It made him feel better as a mate, better as a person, that he could lift the burden from Nasta’s shoulders, even a little bit.

“I just love your face.” Nasta told him, kissing his face all over and touching him.

Harry chuckled and tried to stay still as he was lavished with love.

“I love you.” Harry said softly as he cradled Leolin closer to his chest. His little Faerie baby had dropped off into an exhausted sleep while Nasta was still in the bathroom.

“I love you too. Please get better soon.”

“I will. You know I will. I’ll keep up with all the nasty, vile potions that the Healers are forcing me to take and I’ll stay lying here for as long as I can stand it.”

“You’ll be up and about before dinner then?” A voice called out to him.

Harry grinned and he went to sit up excitedly, but Nasta anticipated his movement and held down his shoulders.

“Max!” Harry cried out and instead of sitting up, he moved an arm to silently demand a hug. “You’re supposed to be with Blaise!”

“The Healers are just giving him a final check over, I wasn’t allowed to stay in the room while they were performing the tests, so I decided to come home to see you while I waited. I’d only be pacing in the hospital corridor otherwise.” Max said as he moved further into the room and hugged him as tightly as he dared with Leolin on his chest. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Harry said almost tearfully. “It’s good to be back! Especially as I don’t know where I am. I’ve heard about what you two have been up to, you sneaky people!”

Max laughed. A huge, massive, loud, booming burst of laughter that clenched Harry’s gut in pleasurable ways and made him grin in happiness, just because Max was happy.

“We’ll show you around later.” Nasta insisted. He was smiling too, he was happy that Max was so happy as well.

“What are the nine rooms?” Harry asked excitedly. “What could you possibly have put on the ground floor? I assume there are no bedrooms down here? How high is the house?”

“Slow down.” Max laughed, bending over to kiss him soundly. “It’s three storeys, though technically five.”

Harry’s eyes widened almost comically as he heard that. “How is it five storeys…five, seriously?”

“There are three main storeys and a basement and attic.” Nasta told him, enjoying his shock and surprise.

“I want to see it all!”

“And you will, just not now.” Nasta said sternly.

Harry frowned up at him. “But I want to know what’s here! I don’t even know the layout of the house!”

“You will soon enough. But for now, you, and Blaise when he gets here, are not going to move and you’re going to recover and get better first.”

“Healer Grant said I only had to rest for another day.” Harry complained.

“No. He said that you had to stay lying down for a day or two or you’d be back in the Healing Halls, you need to rest for the next week or two.” Nasta told him, very unimpressed with his attempt to push himself before he was fully healed.

“You’ve been home for all of an hour, love. Let’s try not to send you straight back to the Healing Halls, okay?” Max said placatingly as he nuzzled Harry’s face and neck with his mouth and nose.

Harry sighed and nodded, before wincing as his excitement over being home, in a new house at that, with his mates and children gave way before his pain.

“When was the last time that you had a potion?” Max asked with a frown.

“He refused to take one this morning.” Nasta told him disapprovingly.

“I wanted to be awake and aware to see my babies.” Harry said stubbornly. “You promised to get the rest of them after you got out of the shower.”

“You can see them one at a time.” Nasta warned him. “Let me take Leolin now that he’s asleep.”

Harry reluctantly gave up Leolin to Nasta and he allowed Max to shift him further up the arm of the settee so that he wasn’t completely flat on his back, yet he wasn’t scrunching up his stomach muscles either. He could see more like this and he grinned around at the absolutely enormous room that he was in, or at least what he could see of it as he couldn’t turn to look at what was behind him. Turning to either side, even minimally, was utter agony and near impossible for his newly healed muscles to cope with.

“I really like this room!” He declared. “It’s so big! I can’t wait to roll around the floor with the kids.”

“There will be no rolling around the floor for you anytime soon.” Nasta told him seriously as he came back into the room sans Leolin.

“The other family room is twice the size of this and the kitchen is bigger again.” Max told him with a grin.

Harry grinned back excitedly. “You couldn’t resist giving yourself a massive kitchen, could you?”

“Definitely not! It’s glorious, Harry. I can’t wait to show you.”

“I can’t believe you two, doing this and keeping it from me for all this time too!”

“Well it was Nasta who started the whole thing.” Max told him, nudging Nasta with his elbow. “I was supposed to be in the dark too, but I caught him out when I came back early from work and caught him with the estate agent. I’ve been involved since then. But honestly, he couldn’t have chosen a better location for our family house! Secluded, but not isolated. It’s stunning and offers us a lot of privacy, everything we need is a short walk away and there is a nursery and attached school here for the kids when they’re older. It’s perfect.”

“I love it already.” Harry declared passionately.

“The best thing is, it was built especially for us.” Max told him, bending down to rub their noses together. “Right from the foundations, every room was carefully measured and if we have fifty children, we can house them all.”

Harry’s grin widened and he giggled almost deliriously. “I’m so happy. I can’t wait to explore every room.”

“Almost all the upper floor rooms are bedrooms.” Nasta told him. “But there is a bathroom on every floor, a study each for us, just so that we can have our own space if we want it, and the biggest play room that you’ve ever seen.”

“You’re just making me more and more excited!” Harry said as he tried to sit up, only to have Max’s hand push and hold him back down.

“Stay still.” His biggest mate commanded.

“Can I have another baby?” Harry asked.

“Of course, which one do you want?”

“Don’t make me choose. I can’t pick any one of them over another, I’ve missed them all. Just grab who comes to hand first.” Harry said seriously. “I want to see every single one of them before I take another potion and slip back into those delusions and nightmares.”

Nasta nodded and he left again, going back around the long way to the other living room to pick up another screaming, unhappy child. Harry looked back at Max and pulled his biggest mate down to kiss him again.

“I’ve missed you too, you know.” He said with a smile and Max smiled back, his arms supporting his weight on the settee as he hunched over him and kissed him properly, bending himself almost in half so that Harry didn’t have to move a muscle to get the kisses that he wanted. He did lift his arms to wrap around Max’s neck though, playing with the longish curls that were just forming at the base of his neck.

“I love your curly hair.”

“Don’t.” Max groaned. “I’ve been so worried about you and Blaise and so busy going between you both and looking after the kids that I haven’t even thought of cutting it.”

“I bet your Dads’ are happy.” Harry said with a grin.

Max snorted. “I can’t understand why they like seeing me with all of this curly hair.”

“It’s cute.” Harry told him.

“I’m not meant to be cute! I’m your mate, I’m supposed to be big, strong and sexy.”

“Oh you’re definitely that. That goes without saying.” Harry said with a massive grin.

“Knock it off.” Nasta warned them as he carried a sniffling Farren into the room.

“Farren!” Harry called out happily.

Farren’s head twisted to look at him and Harry had the pleasure of watching his son’s face light up with joy as his teal eyes almost bulged out of his little head.

“Mummy!” Farren called out as he struggled furiously against Nasta until he had to put Farren down on his feet or risk dropping him after a particularly hard kick to the gut.

Harry lost sight of Farren, but he could hear the patter of his little feet on the floor and he smiled when Max bent down and hefted Farren up onto the settee. The next moment, Harry had a tearful little boy snuffling into his neck. It broke his heart.

“This can never happen again.” Harry said as he wrapped both arms around Farren and stroked his beautiful brown hair.

“I’ve taken care of it.” Nasta swore seriously. “It will never happen again, I promise you.”

Harry nodded silently and he went back to his little son, who clung to him so tightly that Harry feared that if he had just a little more strength then he could have easily strangled him.
He tried to adjust Farren, but his son wailed into his ear and his little legs kicked repeatedly, making Harry gasp in pain as his belly clenched hard with the movement. Max picked Farren up and plucked him from Harry’s grasp as Nasta placed a calming hand on Harry’s middle and urged him to lie still so that he didn’t do more damage by rolling around with the pain.
Max struggled to hold Farren, who had turned in his arms, throwing himself backwards in order to see Harry again, reaching out for him and all but screaming his misery.

“Pass him back.” Harry ordered, holding his arms out while Nasta kept a hand on his belly.

“He’s just going to hurt you again, Har…” Max tried, but Harry cut him off and shook his head.

“No. He’s just going to be worse until he’s settled down. Give him back.”

Max looked torn and ultimately, he looked to Nasta to tell him what to do. Nasta looked at Harry’s stubborn, determined face, before looking to the kicking and screaming Farren and he wasn’t sure it was a good idea to lay the furious Farren back on an injured Harry.

“Give him to me before he cries himself sick.” Harry said sternly. “If you don’t give him to me, I’m going to get up and go to him.”

That made up Nasta’s mind and he sighed heavily, wearily, before nodding to Max, who clamped down Farren’s kicking legs and laid him back at Harry’s side, holding his ankles in one hand to control the kicking until his son had calmed down enough to stop kicking his own Mother in his desperation to get impossibly closer to him.
Harry started humming gently and stroking Farren’s hair. It took long minutes for Farren to stop wriggling and lashing out, enough for Max to let go of his ankles, and he huffed and snuffled as he listened to the song that his Mother was humming, snuggling in tight, but calming down.

“Because of how big you are, Farren, I think that sometimes we all forget that you’re only seventeen months old.” Harry murmured softly.

“Muma.” Farren sniffled.

“I know. But it’s going to be fine now, baby.” Harry insisted. “Who’s watching the others?” He directed at Max and Nasta.

“Caesar and Amelle brought Nora and Bea for a visit to help out.” Max told him.

“Myron and Richard are also still here and Alexander keeps coming around with food that Kimberly has made for everyone.” Nasta added. “Aunt Nerys was here this morning to help get everything ready for you and Blaise coming home and my Dad is still here too.”

Harry nodded as he held his son to his chest, nuzzling his nose into Farren’s hair.

“I’ve got you, love.” He whispered quietly, never ceasing his stroking of Farren’s back as he finally calmed down and lay still, enjoying the tight hold of his Mother as he fought sleep at every moment to stay awake.

Eventually though, Farren did slip off to sleep and Nasta was able to gently take him and put him in his cot upstairs for some much needed rest.

“Do you want something to drink? Something to eat maybe?” Nasta asked him as he sat on the arm of the settee by Harry’s head so that he could look down at his mate and caress that nest of jet back hair, made worse because Harry was constantly laying down and rubbing it on the pillows as he turned his head in every which way to look around.

“Tea would be wonderful, Nas. Next baby too, the sooner I go through them all and have a hold, the sooner I can take that nasty potion that’s due.” He added when it looked like Nasta would argue.

Nasta blew out a breath and he looked to the floo. Max had gone back to the hospital to see if Blaise was ready to be discharged. He nodded.

“Okay, the girls will be needing a feed soon, they should fall asleep in your arms afterwards.” Nasta conceded with a sigh. He wanted Harry to stay where he was and he wanted him to take his pain potions, but Harry was going to refuse to do both until he’d seen and held all eight of their children.

He went into the kitchen and boiled the kettle, setting out several mugs and two bottles. It had become a mindless task to make tea and coffee for everyone, a rare moment of peace for whoever did the job from the hysterical screaming of eight children who had been hurt and traumatised from the fight a few days ago and wanted nothing more than their Mother’s reassuring presence back, especially as they were in a new house and a new environment. They were feeling very out of sorts.
Nasta rested his head against the cabinet door and took a moment to breathe. It was almost midday and already he was bone deep exhausted and he wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep. These last several days had been incredibly trying, on everything that he was, his patience, his strength, his love, his endurance, his determination to hold everything together for his family, his perseverance as he carried on looking after everyone, he just didn’t know how much longer he could take the stress and pressure bearing down on his shoulders. It was too much, even Max was looking to him to tell him what to do. How was he supposed to take a few minutes to himself and let Max take over for a bit when his second in the family hierarchy, the one who he was supposed to be able to depend on for a small break if things got too much, was second guessing himself and looking to him to direct him like a puppeteer? Who was he supposed to turn to now?

“Nasta. Come here, Caru.”

Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders and turned him, pulling him into a tight hug and Nasta held back just as tightly, if not more so, as he buried his face into his Father’s shoulder and took a moment to revert back into a child again, when a hug from his Dad made everything better again.
Such childish delusions didn’t work in this situation, not when it was his own family in turmoil, but just pretending made him feel marginally better.

“Stop beating yourself up, Nasta.” Aneirin told him sternly. “You can’t do everything by yourself.”

“It feels like I’ve been abandoned and left to do everything by myself. Draco isn’t here, Blaise is injured and still in the hospital and I can’t rely on Max. I’m on my own and I can’t stand it. Why did this happen?”

“Because Draco lost his temper.” Aneirin told him calmly. “Draco incited a fight and Max responded. Blaise was collateral damage and Harry was in the wrong place at the wrong time. You are not alone, Nasta. You have family around you who are here to help, please, let us help you.”

“I feel like a failure.”

“You’re not a failure, Nasta. Far from it.” Aneirin told him, a hand rising to tug through the black hair at the nape of Nasta’s neck. “You’ve done so well, you’ve held everything together so well. Could you see anyone else doing as you have? Can you see anyone who has the strength to punish the dominant responsible for this without killing them? The dominant who can go between two mates in the hospital and look after eight babies at home? Don’t sell yourself short, Nassa, Caru. You don’t deserve to beat on yourself for how you’ve acted. You’ve done brilliantly.”

“You…you were able to carry on after Mum passed.” Nasta hiccupped.

Aneirin chuckled wryly. “You were a tiny, wrinkled newborn. You have no memory or inkling as to what I was like after your Mother died. I relied heavily on your Aunt Nerys and Uncle Idris, as well as your Grandparents and Great-Grandfathers. I allowed them to rally around me and support me. I still took care of you and your brother and sister, but I was definitely not functioning half as well as you are and you have twice as many babies as I did.”

“You’d just lost a mate, your only mate.” Nasta defended.

“And you could have lost two.” Aneirin said sternly. “Three if you’d taken revenge for their deaths out on Draco. It’s not a competition, Nasta. You haven’t failed at anything, nor have you failed anyone. You’ve been wonderful and I’m proud of you for that, but please, let us help you. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I just….I can’t carry on like this. I can’t hold it together and…and staying this strong for this long without a break…I need a break.”

“So take one.” Aneirin told him simply. “Go upstairs, lie on your bed, or even in a guest bed, and stay there until you feel better.”

“I can’t…with Harry home and Max getting Blaise, I just can’t. Harry’s not going to stay still and he won’t take his pain potions until he’s seen all of the kids, Blaise isn’t going to stay still and Max can’t cope on his own, he keeps asking me what to do or looking at me for permission and…”

“Take a breath, Nasta.” Aneirin ordered. “I will watch over Harry until Max and Blaise get back and then Max is going to have to step up. It’s his place to step up. Blaise and Harry are his mates too, you are his mate and he has a responsibility to them and to you and his children.” He said sternly. “Go upstairs and lie down, now.”

Nasta bit his lip indecisively and got fingers snapping in his face as a consequence, focusing him back on his Father.

“That was not an option choice, Nasta, Caru. It was an order. Now go before I force you up there and restrain you to a bed.”

Nasta swallowed and he took one step and then another one. It got harder to keep walking when he passed the living room where Harry was lying, but he kept walking. He climbed the stairs and he kept waking until he was in a guest room. It was unfamiliar to him, but that’s what he wanted, it’s what he needed at the moment, unfamiliarity. He slid under the duvet and he rested his head against the pillow. His thoughts were whirring at a hundred miles per hour and he promised himself that he’d stay here, like this, for ten minutes only, then he’d go back to his duty as the top dominant of his family unit.
Or at least, that was his plan. It took just four minutes for him to be dozing and another couple of minutes before he was fast asleep. He would not wake up again for another couple of hours and that had definitely not been a part of his plan.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

“Where has Nasta gone?” Harry asked as soon as Aneirin came into the room that he’d been stuck in since he’d arrived.

“He’s gone for a lie down.” Aneirin said calmly.

“Is he alright?” Harry asked in blatant concern, moving to get up, only to be pushed back down by a firm hand.

“He’s fine, Harry. He just needs a lie down. He’s been on the go since all of this happened.”

Harry nodded. “As long as he’s alright.”

“He’s going to be fine. Now what’s this about you not taking your pain potions?”

“You need to take them.” Myron said sternly as he walked in through the door to back Aneirin up, holding the identical twin girls, one in each arm.

“I will, as soon as I’ve seen all of my children.”

“We can see that you’re in agony, Harry. Why do you do this to yourself?” Aneirin asked.

Harry sighed. “As I told Max and Nasta. I want to see my babies before I take it. They do horrible things to me, those potions, and I want to actually see my babies first. I don’t want to be hallucinating or talking about those sorts of things when I’m trying to have five minutes with my baby. They don’t need to see me like that and they definitely do not need to hear what I start saying under the influence of those potions.”

Aneirin sighed. “Well that does make a bit of sense at least, but as soon as you’ve seen all of the children, you will be taking that potion and getting some more rest. You were very badly hurt, almost fatally so.”

Harry nodded and held his arms out for his baby girls. Myron gently eased one baby onto Harry’s left side and then placed the other at his right side and Harry grinned at the sleepy little worms that wriggled against him.

“Have they been alright? They were in the room with me on that day.”

“They’ve been fine, Harry. They’re only four months old, they’re very resilient.” Myron assured him, pressing a kiss to his forehead before standing back up to his full height of six foot ten.

Harry cuddled with his two girls and played with their curly, chestnut brown hair with a smile. It was so much like Max’s at the moment.
He was in quite a bit of pain by now, almost wrestling with Farren hadn’t helped, but he was serious when he said that he would see all eight of his children before he started seeing those hellish things again. Hellish things completely caused by the pain potions that he was being forced to take.
Ave fell asleep before Eva did and Aneirin took her from him after a last kiss to her chubby, rosy cheek and Harry turned slightly to cuddle better with his Eva. She gave in only a few minutes after her sister and Harry handed her to Myron, who took her to her bassinet so that she could have her afternoon nap while Aneirin brought in Tegan, who was already yawning.

“Mummy! Oh, naga be home mama.”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m home now and I’m not leaving.” He assured her as she burrowed into him and pressed a kiss to his mouth.

Harry grinned and kissed her face as she pulled away and she giggled happily, sliding her hands into his hair and playing with it.

“Well she can’t make it look any worse.” Myron grunted as he hovered over them, ready, just in case Tegan put a knee or a foot to his healing abdomen or Harry thought about sitting up.

He needn’t have worried about the latter, Harry didn’t think he’d be able to even attempt to sit up anymore, his stomach was protesting heavily and the dull throbbing pain was growing to a sharp ache. It was becoming a struggle to keep saying no to the pain potion when he knew that it was in a case, just behind his head on a side table. But he firmed himself, he would see all of his children before terrifying himself and his babies with his horrific delusions.
Tegan fell asleep, her arms wrapped around Harry’s neck and her face resting against Harry’s head. It was a struggle to extract her from Harry without waking her, but between them, Harry, Myron and Aneirin got her free and carried her carefully to go and have a nap.
Myron went and got Regan, who was already asleep, so Harry had a quick cuddle and a kiss, inhaling his scent deeply, before he let Myron take him to his cot and then his baby Calix was there, crawling all over him and digging a knee into his belly and grinding it down as he moved and that almost made Harry scream as his eyes rolled back into his head and a wave of bile swept up his throat to coat the back of his tongue unpleasantly.
Myron hefted Calix back up and let Harry have a moment to recover from the pain.

“Are you okay?” Aneirin asked.

“Mummy! Mummy, cuddle me!” Calix demanded.

“I’m okay. Hand him back.” Harry insisted breathlessly as he shifted up the tiniest bit.

“Don’t move.” Myron told him sternly.

“I wasn’t moving, I was shifting.”

“Oh? Silly me, I thought shifting was movement.” Myron said with a sarcastic tone that was reminiscent of the late Professor Snape.

Harry scowled at him and held his arms out for Calix.

“Will you stop moving!” Myron growled as he laid Calix back over him.

“Let me have my son and I will!” Harry hissed, mostly from a mix of pain and frustration, but he cuddled Calix anyway, holding him still so that the seventeen month old didn’t injure him further.

“Mummy, I build blocks.”

“Were you playing with your blocks? Who’s a good boy?” Harry cooed, trying to keep his face and voice free from the unbearable agony that he was feeling.

Calix giggled and snuggled into him as Harry hummed lightly and stroked his hair and back.

“I missed you all so much.” He said, holding Calix just a fraction tighter and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“That they missed you too goes without needing to be said.” Aneirin chuckled, standing with Harry’s cup of tea in his hands. “Nasta said you liked honey in your tea, but I wasn’t sure how much you liked.”

“Just a blob.” Harry said as he cuddled the drifting Calix into his one side and accepted the cup of tea with his free arm. He took a sip and he had to struggle with himself to prevent a grimace of distaste appearing. “It’s fine.” He insisted.

It was definitely not like he usually had it, but it was drinkable and he was a little parched, so he’d suffer with it for now. Max would be back soon and he’d make his tea exactly how he liked it.
Harry had just started his cuddle with Braiden, after Aneirin had taken the sleeping Calix to go for his nap, when the floo flared and Max stepped out carrying a very disgruntled looking Blaise.

“This isn’t even necessary! It was my head that was hit, not my damn legs, Max. I can walk, the Healer said that I was fine to walk!” Blaise complained.

“I’m not taking any chances with you, love.”

“Welcome to our existence for the next week or two.” Harry called out in greeting as Max took long strides to reach the two settees pushed together to make the little nest.

“You cannot be serious!” Blaise hissed angrily. “I’m not ill, I’m not injured. I’m fine!”

“You are not fine!” Max argued as he placed Blaise gently onto the settee nest.

“Daddy!” Braiden called out from Harry’s arms.

Blaise’s face softened as he looked at his mirror image and he moved himself over to lie next to Harry, letting Braiden snuggle between them.

“Where are the other kids?” Max asked.

“They’re all asleep.” Myron told his son. “Harry lulled them all into a nap.”

“Wonderful, I might actually be able to sort some things out.”

“What do you need to do?” Harry asked, looking up from Braiden’s conversation with him and Blaise.

“I need to move some more things over from the old house.”

Blaise’s head snapped up then and he took a very long, good look around.

“I thought something was off about this place! It’s not our house!”

“It is.” Max said with a tired smile. “Nasta set it all up and had it built for the mateship, it was going to be a gift to the mateship once Harry was out of the court, but the fight moved along his plans a bit. The old house was ruined. It’s technically structurally unsafe now, we couldn’t stay there.”

Blaise went to stand up to explore, but Max’s eyes widened and he rushed around and held Blaise down.

“Will you get off?! There’s nothing wrong with me! You were there when the Healer said as much!”

“I don’t…just please, rest for today at least. You’ve only just been released from the hospital!”

“Max is right, Blaise. You don’t want to push yourself too hard and end up back in the hospital.” Aneirin chipped in.

“Plus I need someone to keep me company, I’m not even allowed to sit up for another two days.” Harry said with a grin.

Blaise blew out a deep breath and he grunted. “Fine, but only for today. Tomorrow I’m getting up and exploring this house and going back to normal.”

Max nodded immediately, probably already thinking up ways that he could keep Blaise lying down tomorrow too, but for now, he joined them in their little nest bed, watching their legs as he sat at the opposite end of the settees, by their feet.

“We’ll give you a bit of space.” Aneirin said as he and Myron left the three of them alone with the very chatty Braiden, who was telling them all about the adventure that his teddy had gone on that morning.

When Max noticed that he was grimacing every half minute though, that was when Harry was flung into a battle over taking the potion or not taking it, especially as Max was begging him and holding out the vial of wonderfully numbing pain potion just inches from him, but Braiden was still there and he was still awake.

“Please, Harry.” Max begged, almost on the verge of tears. “I don’t want to see you in so much pain, please.”

“I’ve said, I don’t want to take it while Braiden is here.” Harry hissed, trying desperately to hold out, though he was almost licking his lips as he stared at the familiar dullish red coloured potion. He wanted it so badly, the pain had escalated to sharp, shooting, stabbing pains all throughout his chest and abdomen and he’d started breathing in sharp gasps as the pain made him breathless. He really wanted the potion, but the things that he saw and spoke about was nothing he ever wanted his son to see or hear. He never wanted his children to see him in such a state.

Max’s arm lowered and he and Blaise helped him to settle Braiden down, but his oldest son still wasn’t any closer to taking an afternoon nap and Harry was finding it difficult to concentrate and harder to keep from writhing in agony. His gorge kept rising, like he was going to vomit and his vision kept blurring with white starbursts as the pain finally reached a new level and became blinding.

“Please, just take the potion.” Max begged him as Blaise was sat up rocking Braiden, who was almost asleep, but not quite.

Harry nodded. He couldn’t hold out any longer, this pain was too much to bear any longer and Max breathed out a sigh of relief, slipping his arm under Harry’s head and lifting him up, putting the vial to his lips before Harry even had a chance to change his mind.
Harry swallowed the vile potion down in four large swallows that had him spitting and groaning in disgust.

“Where’s Draco anyway?” Blaise asked suddenly as Braiden curled a little hand into his pyjama top, slowly being lulled into sleep.

“Yeah, he should be here.” Harry agreed. “I wanted to shout at him, but he hasn’t been here. Are you hiding him in the dungeon? Does this house have a dungeon?”

Harry went from lucid to not so lucid in the space of one sentence and when his pain melted away, he hefted himself into a sitting position.

“Harry! Lay down!” Max said in panic.

“S’okay, I can’t feel nothing.” Harry slurred.

“That’s not the point.” Max forced Harry back down again and he blinked, suddenly looking up at the ceiling.

“I fell over!” Harry declared before he giggled. “I’m dizzy.” He said with a frown, squinting up at the ceiling.

“I see what you meant.” Blaise said sadly as he watched his submissive mate.

“I’m going to take Braiden up to his cot, can you keep Harry laying down until I get back?” Max asked. “Or should I call Myron or Aneirin?”

“No, I’m fine, you were there when the Healer said that I was fine, Max. I can look after Harry.”

“I was there when the Healer said not to push yourself.” Max snarked as he took the sleeping Braiden from Blaise’s arms and hurried out of the room and up to the first floor, where the nurseries were kept.

He took a quick, quiet peek in on Nasta while he was at it and found him sleeping like a rock in the bed. He wasn’t even moving in his sleep, but Max heard a quiet growl when Nasta detected his scent in the room. He rumbled back soothingly and Nasta relaxed back in the bed and Max closed the door quietly, not willing to disturb his beloved mate from his desperately needed sleep.
He went back down to the living room and peeked in on Blaise and Harry. Harry was telling Blaise about his centaur lovers. It was a favourite delusion of Harry’s. Max swallowed. He couldn’t listen to that again. He went into the kitchen with the excuse of making tea for everyone, and a coffee for Blaise as a sort of unspoken bribe to keep him resting in the settee nest, for today and tonight at least.
He took the beverages back to the living room and handed Blaise his coffee and helped Harry to sip at his tea without him sitting up, which he tried to do several times, each time claiming that he was fine and that he couldn’t feel anything. At least he was no longer in any pain, Max could count that as a plus at least.

“Coffee? You are trying to butter me up.”

“There are several sexual responses that I’d like to give to that statement, but at the moment, I’m really not feeling all that sexy.” Max answered with a small pained smile as he watched Harry dribble out a mouthful of warm tea while trying to swallow. He used one of the baby’s spit rags to dab the drooled tea away.

“He really is bad, isn’t he? I got a first-hand look at his ‘fantasies’ and I didn’t like it. I’m fucking jealous of an imagined centaur.”

Max chuckled. “I was too when I first heard him talking, the novelty wears off quickly. I almost killed one of the assistant Healers because he actually got hard from listening to Harry’s babbling while he was supposed to be caring for him.”

“I would have too!” Blaise insisted, furious at the assistant for putting his mates through even more unneeded stress. “What a fucking creep.”

“That’s what I said to Nasta when I told him that I’d attacked one of the trainees. I didn’t want anyone who could get sexually aroused while seeing Harry in so much pain and having such delusions while he was drugged up anywhere near him!”

Max panted after he’d finished his furious rant and he tugged a hand through his hair, grimacing at the slight curls at the ends of his hair. He calmed himself down and reminded himself that he’d dealt with that trainee and he now had his submissive back in his home, surrounded by family and with himself right there to protect him. He had both of his mates home now and he could protect them both at the same time without going between them and without leaving his children either.

Max bent forward and kissed Blaise. “I’ve missed you so much. You and Harry, and Nasta too if I’m honest.”

“Where’s Nasta gone to? I was expecting him to be here, hovering over me and Harry. He hasn’t collapsed again has he?”

“No. He is sleeping though. He really needs a decent eight hours.”

“Someone slipped him a sleeping potion? Damn he’s going to be pissed when he wakes up.”

“No, no. No one’s slipped him anything, he went up on his own. I think he was only expecting a short, several minute break, but he must have fallen asleep. It’s a good thing too, he was looking worse for wear the longer that he forced himself to stay awake.”

“Where are my babies?” Harry asked, moving to sit up.

“Harry, stay lying down, love.” Max coaxed as he splayed a hand over Harry’s chest and pressed down just enough to keep Harry on his back.

“But my babies are lost in the woods and they’re crying for me! I need to go and get them!”

“Do you think the obsession with babies is because he knows that Braiden and Leolin got hurt?”

Max nodded. “We think so, but we can’t actually be sure if it’s that or just his Dracken side trying to fixate on the babies because of the submissive’s nature and the drugs adding in the delusions of them being lost or hurt somewhere.”

Blaise nodded and he looked sadly to Harry, his beautiful mate, and he sighed.

“You never did answer me about Draco. Where is he?”

Max growled and clenched a large hand into a fist.

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” Blaise asked uncertainly.

“No. He’s at his parent’s house.” Max said. “Enough talk about him.”

“He is still our mate, Max.” Blaise said.

“I know that.” Max snapped. “I’m too angry at the moment. I don’t want to even think of him while seeing you and Harry like this knowing that he was the cause!”

“There is nothing wrong with me!” Blaise insisted.

“Why aren’t you angry with him too?”

Blaise swiped a hand over his almost bald head with a glare. “Do you actually need reminding that I can’t remember anything that’s happened? How am I supposed to feel anything, especially anger, over something that I can’t remember?”

“I want Grawp.” Harry said, interrupting Max and Blaise’s glaring match.

“Who’s Grawp?” Blaise asked.

“It’s what Harry called one of the Healers at the Halls, Healer Alessandri. He’s mated to Henley’s older sister, Clara.” Max answered, glad for the topic change. “Grawp isn’t here, Harry.”

“Grawp always gives me strawberry potions.” Harry told them.

“You’ve already had your strawberries today.”

“Have not!” Harry denied furiously.

“You have, that’s why you aren’t in any pain.” Max tried to explain.

He needed Nasta here to deal with this, he didn’t know what to say and as Harry went red in the face, like he was going to explode in rage, he actually considered going to wake him up. He just didn’t know what to say or do in this sort of situation.

“Bello, calm down, it’s alright. We’re here with you.” Blaise soothed, handing Max his empty mug and lying down with Harry. “Do you want to sleep with me?”

Harry nodded shyly with a slight blush to his cheeks, as if this was the very first time that he was seeing Blaise and he couldn’t believe that someone so handsome wanted to lay down with him of all people. He curled tentatively into Blaise’s body, touching in short brushes and pats, as if he didn’t know if he was allowed to touch him. Blaise laid Harry back out straight and then curled himself into Harry to keep his submissive lying flat, so he didn’t bunch up his abdominals while under the influence of the pain potions and accidentally cause more damage to his healing muscles. He made sure to get as much skin on skin contact as possible, holding and touching Harry intimately and Harry’s pink cheeks went fully red and he smiled happily and he giggled like a shy little girl who’d been kissed by a good looking bloke, but very soon he was yawning and he fell asleep very quickly under the influence of the potion, allowing Blaise to sit back up and stretch.

“Thank you for that, I had no idea how to handle him.”

“It’ll be fine, Max. He won’t be on these potions forever and he only needs to stay like this for a day or two more, right? It’ll pass so quickly.”

“He’ll have nightmares now too.” Max said sadly. “He’ll wake up screaming, maybe with a distress call.”

“I felt them in the hospital. If you hadn’t been with me then I would have torn out of that room to get to him.”

“It’s not real, none of the things he sees are real, but he’ll fully believe that they are.”

“His mind Healer isn’t going to be happy.”

“Nasta’s already floo called him and gave him the details. He’ll know what to expect when Harry visits him next.”

Blaise nodded. “Am I allowed to use the bathroom by myself, or do you want to come and hold my dick for me while I piss?” He asked as a joke.

Max actually looked torn. “Nasta didn’t say how to handle this, I think he planned to be here so one of us could stay with Harry too, but he is sleeping, it’s just in case he wakes up or starts thrashing with the nightmares, he could hurt himself.”

“Oh for fucks sake.” Blaise rolled his eyes and crawled out of the settee nest and walked to the door before realising that this was a new house and he didn’t know where he was going. “Which way is the bathroom?”

“Just let me go and get Myron to watch Harry so I can go with you and I’ll show you.”

“Never mind, I’ll find it myself.” Blaise insisted as he walked out and followed the corridor.

He went up the stairs before Max could chase him down and he went searching. The house was absolutely huge and every room he came to was carpeted, curtained and wallpapered, but completely empty.

“Come on, there has to be a bathroom here somewhere! Who makes and designs a house with no fucking bathroom?” He asked himself.

He opened the next door angrily, before his heart stopped as he peeked into a room with five cots around the walls. Five very occupied cots.
He took a few deep breaths and peeked in at the five sleeping babies, who all had blankets or stuffed toys clutched in their arms, except for Tegan, whose penguin was clutched tightly in one hand, and Braiden, who wasn’t holding anything.
He walked back out of the room and closed the door quietly. He was getting closer, if he’d found the baby nursery, then the bathroom had to be close. Besides he’d opened nearly every other door up on this floor and he knew that there had to be a bathroom on this floor. If there wasn’t and he had to go up another floor, he’d smack Nasta and Max himself for their poor house design.
He opened the next door quietly and he found the master bedroom, Nasta was not in the bed. In fact the bed looked like it wasn’t slept in at all, despite not having a duvet or any pillows. The two bassinets however, were occupied by the tiny four month old twins, Eva and Ave. He went and gave them both a kiss before heading off to find another room to search for a bathroom. He was going to be here all day searching at this rate and he cursed Max for being so stupid and not telling him where the bathroom was…wanted to accompany him for a piss his arse.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X

Max was in a dilemma. He really wanted to go after Blaise, but he couldn’t leave Harry, nor call out for fear of waking him. He cursed himself for not bringing his wand with him so he could get through the double doors into the other family room.
He was getting really antsy when the floo flared and his Dad came in, still in his work suit.

“Dad! Can you stay here with Harry, I need to go and find Blaise!”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down, care bear.” Richard encouraged, slightly startled by his wild eyed, panicked son. “What’s happened? Where is Blaise?”

“He went to the bathroom!”

“So?”

“On his own!” Max elaborated.

“Oh no! Let me call the Aurors, we can organise a search party!” Richard rolled his eyes. “He’s gone to the bathroom, Max. Not to Mars. Leave him be for a few minutes.”

“I didn’t tell him where the bathroom was!”

“That was horrible of you.” Richard snorted. “Is he lost? I’ll go see if he needs directions. You stay here and leave him be.”

Richard dumped his briefcase, kicked off his shoes and went to find Blaise, who was lost somewhere on the upper floors.
He ran into him almost as soon as he stepped off the stairs on the first floor. Blaise was backing carefully out of a guest room as if a sleeping lion was nestled within it.

“Are you okay?” He asked, making the young man jump out of his skin.

“Yeah, yeah I’m looking for the bathroom.”

“That’s a guest room.” Richard told him unhelpfully.

“I know that now. Nasta’s sleeping in there.”

That was news to Richard, but it did explain why Blaise had creeped out of the room as he had at least.

“Come on, the bathroom is over here.” Richard pointed a few doors down and Blaise all but ran to it. He chuckled and turned, going back down the stairs. Blaise didn’t need an audience while he was doing his business.

He went to go and find his own mate and happily fell into Myron’s lap, throwing his arms around that thick, strong neck and kissing him.

“Are you alright?” Myron asked him gruffly.

“Perfectly fine. I just missed you is all. Max hounded me as soon as I flooed through. Blaise went walk about on his own and Max couldn’t leave Harry.”

“Why did Blaise go walking around?” Aneirin asked as he bounced Caesar’s oldest daughter, Eleonora, on his knee.

“He needed the bathroom.” Richard said simply. “I got the impression that Blaise all but ran out of the room after Max said that he wanted to accompany him to the toilet. Poor bas….boy.” Richard grimaced as Myron slapped his thigh, reminding him to change his swearword to something else in the face of their two little Granddaughters, even if baby Beatrice was sleeping in her Mother’s arms. “You didn’t need to hit so hard.” He complained.

“You should watch your mouth.”

“You like my filthy mouth when….mmmm!”

Richard was cut off midsentence when Myron’s hand clamped around his mouth tight and hard.

“No talk of that when there are others around, my love, especially our Grandchildren.” Myron said sternly before releasing Richard’s mouth.

“When are the Malfoy’s arriving?” Caesar asked, grinning as he watched his Dads’.

“Later in the afternoon, I’d imagine. Nasta wanted Harry and Blaise to be settled in first.” Aneirin answered him, chuckling at Eleonora, even though he technically wasn’t anything to do with her.

It showed, at the very least, exactly how far Amelle had come in controlling herself and her Dracken side. She was allowing him to hold her daughter, play with her, and she wasn’t even bothered by it anymore and she actually seemed happier in herself, which could only be a good thing.
Sudden screaming from next door had Richard, Myron, Aneirin and Caesar running as fast as they were able towards the sound as a distress call wormed it’s way into the second scream.
Max was already cuddling Harry, soothing him as they got in the room. Blaise clattered in soon after and then a disorientated Nasta stumbled into the room a few moments later. He didn’t even stop before he crawled into the settee nest and helped Max sooth Harry through whatever horror he was seeing this time.

“It’s alright, Harry.” Max said softly. “It’s not real. It’s not real.”

Aneirin went to Blaise and helped support him, wrapping an arm around him for comfort. It was the nineteen year old’s first time seeing and hearing first-hand what Harry’s nightmares were like and he was wide eyed and shocked as he watched Harry thrashing and writhing in Max and Nasta’s grip, not recognising them and cringing in fear as he was touched and held down as he was caught in the aftermath of his nightmare.
It took just four minutes for Harry to calm down and realise where he was and who was around him and when he did, he buried his face in Max’s neck as he clung to his dominant mates for comfort, but they were the longest four minutes any of them could remember. They all heard Harry sobbing and hiccupping as Max and Nasta tried to calm him down and sooth him through whatever horrors he’d seen this time.

“Are you feeling better?” Max asked Harry gently when he finally went quiet.

A soft nod against his chest was his answer.

“Do you want a cup of tea?” He tried.

Another nod against his chest had him moving and propping Harry fully on Nasta before sliding out of the nest and going to the kitchen.

“Where is Blaise?” Nasta asked. “He should have been home by now.”

Aneirin steered Blaise from behind Myron’s back and let Nasta see him.

“You shouldn’t be standing up. Come here.”

Blaise sighed, but aware that Harry was the higher priority here, he walked to Nasta and allowed his primary dominant to settle him back on the nest bed. Harry cuddled into Blaise and sniffled, holding him tight. Nasta hovered over both of them, like a huge, breathing shield.
Max came back in with tea and a cup of coffee for Blaise, bribing him yet again to stay still. Nasta said nothing as he allowed Max to hand out the cups and he took his own green tea. He had no idea that there was a splash of calming draught in it and he didn’t realise that the potion was the reason that his muscles relaxed ever so slowly the longer that he sipped at it.

“Caesar, Amelle is worried about you.” Max said softly.

Caesar nodded and slipped out of the room and back to his mate and daughters to let them know that everything was being handled and that he was alright.

“Dad, can you go and see if any of the kids woke up, please?” Nasta asked calmly.

Aneirin nodded and he left the living room as Nasta put his cup down on the side table and lay down next to, and partially over, Blaise and Harry. He felt so protective over the both of them that the emotion was overwhelming him. He wanted to let his Dracken side burst free and let himself go feral to protect them, to care for them, but on a logical level he knew that that wouldn’t help in the slightest. It didn’t make the feeling go away and it didn’t help him control it any better though.

“How are you feeling, Blaise?” Nasta asked, nuzzling the side of his head and inhaling his scent deeply.

“Fine. The Healer said I was going to be alright to walk around as normal, but I might get a bit confused from time to time until I’m fully healed…it really doesn’t help that I’m in a house that I’ve never seen before. I’m going to need a tour and a couple of days to memorise where everything is, but after Hogwarts, this house is going to be a breeze. At least none of the staircases move…unless you let Max plan those.”

Harry giggled softly from where he was sandwiched between Blaise and Nasta and it brought a soft, happy smile to Nasta’s face as he laid down fully to rub noses with Harry, who grinned at him.

“How are you feeling?” Nasta asked Harry.

“Confused.” He answered honestly. “I’m still trying to separate what was just a nightmare and what were parts of actual memories. It’s getting more and more difficult to remember things that have happened or what’s being tainted with nightmares that haven’t ever happened.”

Nasta’s face crumpled in distress and he slipped an arm around Harry to hold him.

“You won’t be on these potions for much longer.” Nasta tried to comfort him.

“None of the kids are awake.” Aneirin reported as he came back into the room. “They’re all getting some much needed rest.”

Nasta nodded and sat himself up, moving Harry to lay completely straight, but with his body between his own splayed legs, Harry’s head pillowed on his lower abdomen. He started stroking Harry’s messy hair and massaging his scalp.

“Who’s Grawp?” Blaise asked curiously.

Harry narrowed his eyes on him.

“How do you know about Grawp? No one’s supposed to know about him.”

“Max said that he was your Healer.”

Harry startled at that. “No, Grawp is a giant.”

“A real giant?” Richard asked. “Or one that you thought you’ve seen while on potions?”

“No, he’s real. He lived in the Forbidden Forest for a time in my fifth year, he’s Hagrid’s half-brother, they shared the same giantess Mother.”

“Are you…are you actually being serious?!” Myron demanded. “You were exposed to a real giant?!”

“Grawp wasn’t that bad.” Harry insisted. “I was mostly just educating him for Hagrid after Umbridge got him kicked out of the school.”

“Edu…educating him?” Nasta asked faintly.

Harry bobbed his head gently, mindful of his healing muscles.

“Grawp really liked Hermione.”

“Your school years are sounding very concerning.” Myron said. “What else have you left out about your time as a boy?”

“Much more, but I don’t want to just dump it on all of you in one go. It’s much safer for me if I reveal it a little bit at a time. I have good memories of my school years, but really, they were all quite bad and very dangerous. I had a bad time at school and a worse childhood. I never felt safe.”

“But, you feel safe now, with us?” Nasta asked almost desperately, afraid of the answer, but needing to know.

Harry hesitated and that just about killed Nasta on the inside as he pulled Harry into a crushing hug.

“I love you.” He declared passionately. “We all love you and we would die to protect you.”

“Yet it was almost me who died to protect our children.” Harry said quietly. “They should never have been at risk in the first place, they’re our babies.”

“Agreed.” Nasta said quickly. “But we love you, Harry. Please feel safe with us.”

“I can’t. I almost died, Nasta. I saw my guts on the outside of my body, I saw Xerxes’ hand holding them in place. It’s hard to forget something like that when you still feel the pain of it, when you can still see it. I need time.”

Nasta nodded and he sniffed hard, holding back his tears as he held Harry to him. If Harry never got over this attack, if he never felt safe with them again, then he would never forgive Draco and he would kill him for making Harry feel so unsafe that he no longer trusted them. Such a thing was devastating to him and it made his Dracken rage inside of him.
He was the top dominant of their family unit, he should be implicitly trusted and relied on. The thought that his own submissive didn’t trust him, that he didn’t feel completely safe while he was right there next to him, holding him, it made him feel physically sick and he had to swallow hard to prevent himself from vomiting sour tasting bile.
He let out a shaky breath and kissed Harry’s head and cuddled him tightly.

“Whatever time you need.” He heard himself promise. “I love you and I will do anything and everything for you. You only need to say the word.”

Not even he himself knew exactly what he was promising, but it felt right and he meant every word. If Harry clicked his fingers, he’d jump. There was no end to the things that he’d do for Harry, his own submissive, and he would die before he allowed this to happen again.
He pulled Blaise into his side as he kissed his subordinate mate’s forehead. He needed them both close to him at the moment. He needed to settle himself down, his Dracken side down. Harry was right though, it was hard to forget what had happened when Harry wasn’t allowed to move and was in so much pain and Blaise’s head was still shaved and he only had the bare minimum of spiky fuzz. The physical, visible reminders wouldn’t allow him to forget.

“Max, come here.” Nasta ordered and Max immediately climbed onto the nest bed and snuggled into his other side, throwing a huge arm over all three of them as he kissed Nasta’s neck.

“I love you. I love you all.” Max declared passionately.

Harry’s answer was a soft snore and the three of them shared a small, quiet laugh.

“When does he need another dose?” Blaise asked.

“Not for a while. They’re strong potions. He’s had the delusions, he’s had the nightmares, now it’s plain sailing until he needs another dose in several hours after the one he’s taken has worn off.”

“Dad, can you check on Leolin?” Nasta asked softly.

Max laughed. “They left to give us some privacy when you went all flowers and poetry on us.”

“Oh.” Nasta frowned and tried to look around and he couldn’t see much. “No wonder Harry is so annoyed and frustrated being stuck down here.”

“Be more patient with him.” Blaise told him. “He knows that he can’t get up, but he’s bored and he wants his children after what has happened. The last time he saw them was in the aftermath of the fight, he hasn’t seen them since as he’s been stuck in the Healing Halls and on the last day that he saw them they were all scared and crying, two of them were injured and he needed to see them again to make sure that they were all still here and alright. He should be better now.”

“Getting through those kids was hell on him.” Max sighed. “Calix almost sent him back to the Dracken Healing Halls by crawling all over him.”

“They should be calmer now that Harry’s home.” Nasta said, half hoping that he was right and that they did calm down now. He couldn’t handle anything close to the last couple of days. He just needed peace and calm now. They all did after what they’d been suffering through for the last couple of days. They deserved some peace and Nasta would damn well make sure that they got it, even if he had to force them all to be calm and force the peace, he’d do it.

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A/N: I only just finished this chapter in time for the update this week. Thankfully the next chapter of Tainted Blood is already done, so I’ve survived posting a chapter a week for the entire of September, I just need to sort out October now and I’ll be all done with my two month madness. Good thing too, I’m exhausted and stressed already!

Wolfsong: I have answered all of this before. Marianna is a female, and thus she has a heat period. Male submissives and female dominants are anomalies that shouldn’t actually exist, so there is a bit of line blurring. All females have heat periods, because they’re supposed to be submissive, this doesn’t change just because Marianna is a dominant. She still has a heat period, just with dominant traits and tendencies. Her Dracken identifies as a dominant, so she wants to be the protector, not the protected, she thinks and feels like a dominant, but her biology sees her as a female, so she has heat periods and when she had sex with a human, she intentionally made herself barren as she didn’t want any more children after Blaise.
As for how Josiah keeps up, he doesn’t. A Dracken wouldn’t force their partner into sex, they’d just grab an extended nap, like Harry wishes for when he’s on a heat period…it’s the dominants who don’t need to rest during a heat period and while on a heat, Marianna is more submissive as she is a female. Josiah gets up, he eats and drinks, he showers and then gives into Marianna begging for sex. Heat periods are vastly different between a Dracken/non-Dracken pairing than an all Dracken pairing.

T: Harry won’t need another mate if he does get rid of Draco. His mateship is closed and will remain closed until all of his mates die, then if he is still young and fertile, he’ll be forced back into the mate meetings like Amelle was. But, lovelie. Severus is dead. He died in chapter 76 and his funeral was in chapter 85. He can’t come back into the fic.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing, lovelies. I hope you’ve enjoyed this chapter. It was a little shorter than I would have liked, I needed to cut two planned scenes from the end to make sure I got it ready in time for this scheduled update, but those scenes will be in the next chapter now.

StarLight Massacre. X
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The Rise of the Drackens