Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

There Be Dragons, Harry	By : Scioneeris Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Slash - Male/Male Views: 58493 -:- Recommendations : 9 -:- Currently Reading : 28
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of its characters. I make no money by writing this story..

Chapter List
- 66
- 67
- 68
See first chapter for disclaimers/warnings/summaries.

RECAP: Theo, Harry and Charlie leave the clinic after Theo signs over his Alpha right to Quinn so he can take care of the business of revenge over Harry's Blood Seal. Meanwhile, the triad travels to the guesthouse that Ilsa promised them. At the guesthouse, Harry runs into a strange new dragel with familiar features, while exploring. Meanwhile, the others have met up with Dryad Augusta Longbottom and are warmly welcomed in.

NEVARAH : ILSA'S GUEST HOUSE : DEVERAINE PROPERTY

As far as Harry knew, he didn't have any enemies in Nevarah—not yet, anyway. He swallowed hard and lifted his chin in a show of defiant confidence that he didn't quite feel. He knew the power behind Dragel spells—Theo had been trying to teach him for some time, after all and this was most certainly a dragel standing before him.

If this were to come to blows, he'd have to rely on his wits alone—his wits while inside a very tired and exhausted body. Grimly, he gripped the wand tighter. He did not want to go through with this.

Theo…Charlie…where are you NOW? The mental scream was for his head alone, but he hoped that perhaps the bond would transmit something or the other. Something helpful, at any rate.

They continued to stare at each other for a long, tense moment. Harry found himself taking in the almost elfin quality of the figure that he could now make out as a young man. The face was nearly aristocratic with the high, sloping cheekbones and there was an air of richness if the intricate jewelry was anything to judge the stranger by.

The rounded midsection had caught him off guard and Harry realized, belatedly, that the young man was very pregnant and coiled to strike in defense of a potential danger.

His mind clicked the puzzle pieces together as Harry found himself thinking that the young fellow looked eerily similar to another certain, white-blonde haired Dragel—Bhindi. He wore a similar outfit, his pale, skinny arms exposed, the right arm showing off no less than a dozen small, black tattoos denoting his mating marks. His light hair was gathered into something of a topknot and his shoulders twitched, faintly as if his wings were about to make an appearance.

"T-this is private property." The dragel said, carefully. "You really shouldn't be here." He shifted, uncertainly it seemed.

Harry's eyes narrowed. He could tell the difference between a shuffle and settling one's weight in preparation for a fight. This Dragel was gearing up for a potential conflict. He opened his mouth to speak when he heard voices and running feet.

The pale, pretty boy immediately backed away, bracing on the deck railing, tensed as if to flee, his eyes darting back and forth. Something rippled beneath his tunic, around his shoulders.

Definitely wings, Harry guessed. He contemplated as to whether taking a step back would be a bad move. He didn't want to cause any kind of incident now. It'd been too long a day.

"Harry!" Theo came to a stop beside Harry, his own wand at the ready, with Charlie scrambling after him.

Harry found himself half blocked when both Theo and Charlie reacted on instinct, pushing him to the back of their little group and standing in front of him, Charlie's hair crackling in its true, fiery flames and Theo's shoulders arched forward as if to bring his wings out. "Hey!" He protested.

"Harry, don't—Bahn?" Theo's voice turned to pure shock. "Arielle's fangs, I—Bahn, it's me, Theodore. Ilsa's Theo. Theodore Nott? I, er, wands down!" Theo whirled on them both and pushed their hands down, his own wand disappearing up his sleeve. "Harry, Charlie. Back. Stay back." He turned back, palms open and outstretched, careful not to approach. "Bahn?" He tried again. "We have permission to be here, I swear we do. You are fine, perfectly fine, no one is trying to attack you. I spoke to Ilsa before I came here, she assured me that it was alright to-"

Bahn stared at them for a long moment and then his wand arm dropped back to his side. The pale eyes surveyed them all for a moment and then he made a motion with his hand. "Step out into the light. I can't see you."

Theo started forward, pausing at Harry's touch on his sleeve. "It's fine, Harry. Really. I know him. It has been a while since we've seen each other, but he would not hurt us."

Charlie frowned, but didn't comment on that definition.

Theo moved away from his mates and stepped out into the sunlit balcony. He stood near the doorway, enough to show himself, but not to be threatening. He waited, patiently for the realization to dawn.

"Theo." Bahn acknowledged a moment later, relaxing minutely as he took in the solid figure. "It has been a while." The wand finally lowered and was held in one hand for a long moment. He made no other movement or acknowledgment, and then suddenly twirled the wand in his fingers and used it as as a hair chopstick in twisting the rest of his lovely pale hair into a knot.

An expression of trust and weariness, for a dragel with free hands was equally dangerous as a wizard with a wand. He regarded Theo silently, as if waiting for him to say something more.

"Time passes differently." Theo tipped his head in a ghost of a more formal greeting. "I am sorry if we startled you. I honestly did not think anyone would be here."

"There has not been anyone here in years." Bahn allowed. "No one comes. You have been offworld, then?" He straightened from leaning on the deck railing. "It has been years since I have last seen you. You look well. Taller, I think. Thinner. You are not eating well? Ilsa will not like that. She worries far too much for you."

Theo blinked. "Er,"

Bahn frowned, nibbling on his lower lip. "I am sorry to take so long with this," he gestured towards the beach house. "I did not think it would take this long, but it appears I miscalculated. I was terribly bored at home. Delani drove me up and over a wall." He blinked. "A series of walls, I suppose." There was a faint sigh in his voice. "I daresay she will be terribly upset when she finds me." His lips quirked into something of a smirk. "I did warn her not to hover though. I wager she'll snap at Alma first and that won't hover …" His voice trailed off and the pale eyes darkened faintly.

"Hover?" Theo blinked. His golden eyes flickered down to the young Sub's stomach and then back to the pale face. He connected the dots without further prompting, his inherent Alpha nature surfacing on instinct. "Bahn, have you been casting since—oh for Merlin's sake, sit down!" He started forward and then stopped, uncertainty showing in his face. It was not good politics to touch a pregnant sub that he was not bonded to and given Bahn's initial reaction to him, Theo didn't want to start any issues with the Deveraine Circle. "I probably shouldn't touch you, right?" His hands fluttered, having nowhere to rest and finally hung at his sides. Instinctively, he knew that Bahn needed some measure of help and preferably in the next few minutes, but he was not quite sure how to be about it.

"It would probably be best." Bahn managed a wan smile. "Perhaps I could come in?" One hand skittered over his stomach, a glow of pale orange magic shimmering at his fingertips. "Terribly sorry to intrude."

"Of course, come in." Theo turned, showing the way. "It is no intrusion at all, I did not mean for—ah, these are my mates. I should have introduced them. It has been a long day, please excuse my apparent lack of manners. My Submissive, Harry and our beta, Charlie." He inclined his head. "Charlie, Harry, this is Bahn, the second Submissive in Ilsa's circle. He's nice."

"Nice?" Charlie repeated.

"We like him." Theo said, firmly. "Bahn, this way. Watch your step. I haven't been here in years, but I do believe everything is the same…"

"Bhindi?" Harry said, uncertainly. He wasn't quite sure whether he could accept a blanket statement such as 'nice' for someone who looked so much like a dragel that had been anything but nice.

"Twins." Bahn corrected, with a faint smile. "We are twins. She is my sister. I take it you have met her?"

Charlie snorted. "Oh we did." He finally stepped aside to show Harry a little better. "

"Quite charming, isn't she?" Bahn gave the faintest of smiles. "I often find my receptions to be quite dimmed the second time around when it comes to those who have had the misfortune of meeting me first."

"Which makes seeing you again, all the more a pleasure." Theo said, smoothly. "Come this way, in here. I saw a table and chairs…"

"Oh. I had forgotten the furnishings." Bahn sighed, wearily. "Again, my apologies and-"

"Shh. That's fine. Sit." Theo pulled out a chair and frowned. "You've used too much magic for the moment, haven't you?" He accused. "Harry, were there any blankets or sheets or something?" He turned back to Bahn who sat mechanically and began to hug his arms tightly to his front, rocking back and forth, pale eyes zoning out.

"What's he doing?" Charlie seemed torn between trailing after Harry and staying to watch Theo. "What's happening?"

"Pregnant dragels do not experience pregnancy the same way wizards and witches do." Theo said, softly. "Where you might expect a lack of magic and energy in the wizarding world, a pregnant dragel's magic doubles or even triples, depending on the element and the child and the carrier themselves are usually very, very active. They have to exhaust their magic on a daily basis and they interact with the unborn child after the first three months, forming a bond in both mind and magic until the birth. He's likely just used too much magic and the child has sucked out his reserves. It should regenerate in a few minutes, if he was prepared for something like this to happen." Theo hesitated. "Dragel pregnancies are very different and extremely intimate. It is also why dragel children are very highly prized."

"Very different." Charlie managed. He turned and caught a rushing Harry with an armful of clean, white sheets. "Whoa, easy Harry!"

"Sheets." The brunet managed, worry showed on his face. "Is he—Theo?" His head snapped around to look at his Alpha. His instincts screamed at him to help a fellow submissive in need. Just as he'd found himself reacting to Draco's stress, apparently the same was true for Bahn.

Theo snatched up the sheets, shaking out one and immediately draping it around Bahn, chair and all. He shook out the others and quickly cocooned the pregnant submissive, before giving a gentle, one-armed hug. Physical contact would be necessary for grounding, but as a stranger with dominant tendencies, Theo's interference would not be the least bit welcome should Bahn's circle mates catch the new scent. The Slytherin bustled around the little kitchenette, checking cupboards and the tiny pantry. "Is everything empty?"

"Seems like it." Charlie waved a hand in front of Harry's face. The brunet was staring solidly at the rocking Bahn, his lips pressed tightly together. "Harry, did you find anything?"

"Nothing. No blankets either. Just sheets." Harry swatted away the offending hand, his emerald eyes fixed on Bahn's swathed form. His fingers tingled and itched with the urge to reach out and touch the weary submissive.

Theo blew out a frustrated breath. "I did think that someone would at least have-" he started and then stopped, running a hand through his tousled locks to calm his temper. "Neither of you are in a position to cast anything." He muttered to himself, golden eyes flickering between Bahn and Harry. "Not for the moment, anyway. This will not do." He started towards a small brown panel fixed into the wall. "I could order something out or perhaps…no…well, maybe." He reasoned aloud.

"What are you doing?" Charlie nudged Harry into a chair, his blue-eyed gaze tracking Theo's every movement. "Sit." He added, when Harry made a move as if to stand. He didn't know the finer points of dragel interaction, but if Theo's careful avoidance of touching Bahn was an accurate guideline, then he'd be sure to keep his distance and his hands to himself—Harry's hands included.

"Tea." Theo said, flipping the panel open. He fiddled with something inside and a moment later, stepped back.

Charlie could see it as a hollow in the wall—big enough to fit a medium-sized package by owl post. "Tea?"

"Ordering out." Theo explained. "Bahn? Talk to me, how are you feeling?"

The shaking and rocking had stopped and while his face remained rather pale, Bahn eased upwards, shoulders relaxed. "It will pass in the next few minutes." He said, calmly. "My apologies for startling you."

"Startling?" Theo snorted. A moment later a golden package popped into existence in the little hollow in the wall. A tray of plain white china and a steaming teapot, along with containers of cream and sugar. Theo extracted the tray and carried it over the rectangular wooden table. He set it down and began to arrange the tray.

Bahn's eyebrows arched upwards to his hairline and he snuck at glance over the staring Harry and then settled on staring into his lap.

Theo pretended not to notice and served the tea with little ceremony.

Two cups later, a hint of color had returned to Bahn's cheeks and the sheets had fallen down around his shoulders. He held out his cup for a third refill and wrapped his hands around the warm offering. "Thank you kindly." He nodded, regally.

"You are most welcome." Theo returned the nod. "I ordered some biscuits but…"

"It is Hunting Season." Bahn offered a thin smile. "Everything is in disarray during Hunting Season. I suspect the orders at the window are more pressing than the ones placed on parchment." He sipped the tea, delicately. "I do not wish to be of any inconvenience." He rose from the chair, the sheets pooling at his feet. A flicker of silvery-white magic sparked in his eyes and a moment later, a bright silver glow enveloped him from head to toe.

A half-second later, the glow vanished and Bahn stood to the side looking quite well-rested and alert, with a more obvious baby bump than previously. One hand rested on the swell with a fond smile and he gave it two pats, before snapping his fingers at the rumpled sheets. They snapped to attention, folded themselves and stacked neatly on the table. He waved his hand over the stack and the sheets seemed to stiffen and shrink.

"Thank you again." Bahn reached over his head, drawing out his wand and undoing the topknot of silky, platinum blond hair. He snapped his fingers behind his head and the hair leapt to obey, twining itself into several plaits, loops and twists, so that it was successfully gathered away from the elfin face. He stretched his arms out, the wand held securely in one hand before the pale eyes narrowed. He made three quick sharp slashing motions and a twirl, followed by another swirl and dip.

"Groceries and kitchen utensils?" He inquired, calmly and politely.

Theo blinked. "Er, should you be-"

"A minor problem. I knew it would happen, I merely wasn't sure when." He tapped the wand on his opposite arm. "Well, then? Am I right? Is there anything else you need?"

"I couldn't possibly ask you to-" Theo started.

"The expense account can handle it." Bahn pointed his wand and continued to cast. "Besides, I would be an extremely poor host if I could not outfit the house within my estate of which has been offered to my guests." He started forward and reached for the door to the stairwell. "If it no trouble to you, I would like to continue. It is quite horrible of me to have you staying in-"

"It's no trouble at all." Theo soothed. "Really, er, we probably came in too early. I ah,"

"Early?" Bahn blinked in puzzlement. "There wasn't a time marked on the sheet…" He began to mumble to himself and then suddenly his head cocked to the side. "So you don't mind?" The lilt in his voice suggested that he intended to continue anyway, regardless.

"I guess not." Charlie spoke up. He looked between Harry and the uncertain Theo. He knew that look and tone from experience with his mother. "Sorry to put you to the trouble though."

Bahn brightened at once. "It's no trouble at all." He assured them. "And if I do not use the extra energy, I'd just have to find another outlet for it and right now, that is most certainly not happening." He paused in front of the door.

Theo caught on first and immediately moved forward. He opened the door, checked the hallway and then stepped out, holding the door open.

Bahn thanked him with a smile and stepped out.

They went through the next floor rather quickly. Bahn tended to talk in the same smooth, cultured tones, no matter what surprises the dusty guesthouse had for them. He cast his spells with ease and grace, belying years of experience and immediately caught on to Harry's lack of participation.

"I would not be particularly averse if you were to help, you know." It was punctuated by a look in Harry's general direction.

"He would, if he could." Theo inserted. "It has been a very long day, Bahn. We've spent the majority of it in a Health Clinic off in-"

"And you're awake?" The elfin dragel surveyed him with interest. "Impressive."

"…pardon?"

"Most people who visit a Health Clinic usually sleep it off for the rest of the day or the week, whichever is longer."

"…that makes no sense at all."

"I am not trying to make sense—you were. If you are sufficiently confused, then kindly explain to me why you are deflecting every comment or attempt to engage your Submissive? I was not under the impression that I required your permission to speak and interact with him."

"Er," Theo rubbed his forehead. "Instinct." He muttered after a moment. "I cannot seem to help it at the moment, please do not take it personally."

"I see…and is that your Beta's excuse as well?"

"You don't miss much, do you?" Charlie smiled.

"Either spit it out or think of a better excuse." Bahn snapped back. "I am not made of glass."

"Harry doesn't have a mentor." Theo said in a single breath. "Because of that, he could not possibly know any of the more subtle protocols for guests, hosting or even—those." He gestured towards the household spells. "I did not want him to accidentally offend you."

"Hey!" Harry protested. His chocolate eyebrows knitted together and his lip half-curled. "I wouldn't have-"

"That was extremely generous of you, but entirely unnecessary." Bahn's lips twitched. "Thank you for the consideration. I am of the Royal Elves, but I do not stand on formality in day to day interactions such as this. Besides, you belong to Ilsa and she is one of mine. I have no quarrel with her." He inclined his head. "And even if I did, it would not affect you. My Circle certainly has no quarrel with yours, as far as I am aware. And even if it were to be a simple breach of manners, I would not hold it against you. I am nowhere near as fussy as my twin." The smile threatened to appear again. "Please understand that."

"…it is understood." Theo found himself finally able to offer a genuine smile. "And I am sorry to be so obvious about it."

"Think nothing of it. I have more years behind me, after all." Bahn surveyed the guest room. He was preparing another barrage of spells to set the bare room to rights. "When you say no mentor, I assume something is being done about that?"

"That was the whole point in coming here, I think." Harry sighed. He moved a little closer towards the other submissive, now that Charlie wasn't obviously shadowing him.

"…really? And what have you done?" The pale eyebrows curled upwards. "A missing mentor cannot possibly be anything good." Bahn wrinkled his nose. "And I shudder to think of a reason strong enough to prevent one from finding their intended. You have mentioned it to the proper authorities?"

Harry huffed. "Yes. We went straight to an official embassy."

"Good, then. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help." Bahn gave a decisive nod. "and would you two please stop standing over there where I cannot quite see you? I would much rather have you in my line of sight. Not seeing you makes me uneasy. I trust you, but my hormones do not and I am five months pregnant, so I cannot help listening to them."

Theo and Charlie immediately readjusted their positions, careful to stay in front and off to the side. Harry was beckoned closer and he approached, wearily, after a moment. Instinct compelled him to befriend the pale elf, in much the same way he had felt the urge to stay close to Draco and interact with Calida.

It had to be a Submissive thing, he figured, hoping that his body did not betray his initial reluctance to move forward. Something about Bahn hinted that he was not all that he seemed on the surface. Harry was not sure that he wanted to deal with any more surprises for the day. He just wanted food and sleep and maybe a little something more in between of the two.

"I do not bite." Bahn informed him, primly. "Now hold your wand like this," he demonstrated. "You point and do this, with feeling."

And Harry found himself mimicking the wand movements and posturing, when Bahn insisted on showing him the various spells. Some of them he could remember from the knowledge transfer that Calida had been kind enough to gift him. Others he hadn't even known existed. Bahn was certainly far more capable than his pale, delicate appearance let on.

Seeing such spells in action and with Bahn's instruction was a completely different thing. Bahn was somewhere between not quite impatient and not quite a teacher, but he knew to explain some things and ignore others. His movements were quick and fluid and the one time he actually reached over and touched Harry's wrist, his fingers were light, soft and very cool.

They finished up the second floor with a quick hand and then lined up at the stairs to proceed to the third floor. They'd just opened the door when Bahn recoiled with a hiss. He was behind Charlie so fast, that the Beta was torn between grabbing Harry and shifting so that his back was not to the strange dragel.

Theo was the first one in front, his shoulders twitching and the fabric stretched over them, rippling as his wings simmered beneath the skin's surface. He took a deep breath, scenting for the threat, puzzled when he could not discern what had been the cause of Bahn's immediate distress. He was about to call out to the elfin dragel when a new, familiar voice spoke.

"Theodore? You're early. I didn't expect you for another four hours. Are you all up there?"

"Oretta?" Theo rolled his shoulders back. He called down to her in native dragel tongue, waiting for a moment. The exchange was brief and light before he finally moved away from the stairwell doorway. "Quinn threw us out, said to come back in four days and then he'd try again."

"Did he really? And here I thought he had a good head on his shoulders."

"Oretta!" Golden eyes flickered towards Bahn's rigid form and he opened his mouth to speak, only to find those pale eyes fixed determinedly on him, as if daring him to give away his presence.

"If you must joke about things like that, then pick things that are actually funny." But even as she spoke, a small smile hovered at the corners of her mouth. Ilsa stepped out from the shadowy stairs a half-second later, her wand tucked away, a hand feathering through her short, cropped hair. "I meant to have this place cleaned and stocked before you ever set foot in it again. It's been years since I've visited."

"I can tell." Theo said, dryly. "The dust is everywhere."

Her eyes grew wide at once, the gold darkening to a near copper hue, zeroing in on the scent that had suddenly hit her full force.

A low growl left her lips at the same instance that Bahn's lips curled back in a soundless snarl.

Theo froze.

Charlie immediately shifted, his bulkier frame subtly shifting towards shielding Harry. The short brunet had already slid his wand free, and now stood, uncertainly looking between Bahn and Ilsa. He'd reacted on instinct, but from what he knew, they should be in the same Circle…

"Ilsa." Bahn's voice was deceptively sweet. "What an unpleasant surprise. I did not expect to ruin your day quite so easily."

The older Gheyo blinked, her shoulders already tensing, her jaw set and lips in a thin line. "Bahn." The name was bit off, cleanly. A hint of uncertainty flickered through.

"I would have much rather been fully prepared to do so and then chosen not to." The smile on his face remained stiff and polite. "I do not make a habit of alienating those I care about, though I have not seen you for several years."

Ilsa bristled and then frowned, puzzling through the twisted words. "You're—that's," Her eyes darted quickly about the room and then she wearily eyed him from head to toe. "…I didn't realize you were here…I should go. My…apologies…" The words were spoken as if it pained her to voice them aloud. Her head bowed and she backed up two steps, with a faint tilt of her head, before turning towards the stairs.

"Ilsa." There was a weight in his voice this time and Bahn strode forward, brushing past the Charlie-Harry duo and stopping exactly a wing's breadth from the Gheyo. "I did not mean for you to leave." He tipped his head in a short approximation of a bow. "If my presence makes you uncomfortable, then I shall excuse myself. You were obviously the one to invite them here and I am sure you intended to have a lovely visit. My sincerest apologies." The elfin Submissive sketched a bow and raised a hand in the necessary position for casting a transportation spell.

Worry spelled across Theo's face as he read between the lines, realizing there was little he could do for the present situation—after all, he had told his Oretta to stay out of his mateship, and it was certainly none of his business how she interacted with hers—even if he should disagree. He'd known, since his acceptance of her as his mentor, that things were not all as they should be in her mateship. Yet, she'd never complained to him or Aracle, as far as he knew and she'd done her best to limit his contact to them when she was not present.

He hadn't minded, because Bhindi was a dark little witch and the others tended to steer clear of him, if only because he 'belonged' to Ilsa. The few pleasant interactions he'd had with the Deveraine circle had been with Bahn and his former Alpha, now the Deveraine Beta, a strong woman by the name of Delani. The fact that Bahn had immediately hidden his pregnancy from a Circle mate was not lost on Theo. There was something very wrong between these two and it pained him to witness the beginnings of what appeared to be another misunderstanding.

The very act of hiding his current state, had Theo feeling protectively towards Bahn, as an Alpha to a Submissive. He was sure that Ilsa wouldn't deliberately hurt the young man, but he also knew her Gheyo instincts tended to be strong to overbearing. Her sense of honor was likely the main reason that had led to her unofficial leave of absence from her circle. He remembered asking her what had happened only for her to smile and kiss his forehead, whispering that such words ought never to be repeated to living ears. Theo bit his lip and sent a warning glance to Charlie and Harry.

The Alpha in him itched to grab ahold of both of them and stand protectively before the threat—even though, rationally, he knew there was nothing wrong. He hoped there was a peaceful resolution to this that didn't end with claws, fangs, wings and blood. He could do without it.

They all could.

It had been a very long day.

"-what? Wait!" The words tumbled out of Ilsa's mouth and she blinked afterwards, as if she couldn't believe that she'd spoken them. She looked away from the pale face and defensive posture, her golden gaze fixed on the floor. "…I have no quarrel with you."

"Neither do I." Bahn returned, evenly.

"…but you're angry."

"Tell me you are not." He countered. "And I will call you a liar."

Ilsa huffed a short breath. "Fine. What are you doing here?"

He snorted. "…my sister is otherwise occupied. I was merely lending a hand."

Ilsa started, visibly. "What?" She seemed to be understanding something that hadn't been explained.

"Apparently, Aracle simply added 'clean the guesthouse on the shore' to the list of chores. I thought it best to see to it myself." Bahn confirmed. He did not look at her.

There was a groan from the older woman. "I'll strangle him." She muttered, to no one in particular. "Slowly…so I can feel him dying. I told him to-! You weren't supposed to-"

"So as long as I do not have to watch, I do not care." Bahn returned. "Staying for dinner?"

"D-dinner?" Ilsa blinked. "What?"

The blond turned on his heel and headed back towards the newly restocked kitchen. "I wanted to show Harry a few tricks." He rolled slender shoulders back, not quite angling his back towards the Gheyo, but still keeping them all in his line of sight. "Coming, Harry?"

"…showing Harry?" Ilsa repeated, somewhat dumbly. "I…Bahn…"

"I do not wish to hear whatever it is you wish to say." He snapped. There was a sudden sharpness in his voice now. "Whatever you have to say now, would only be an excuse and I have heard more than my share of them. Set the table." He stalked off to the kitchen, with a growled "Harry!" as he passed the redhead and brunet.

Bahn was a very expressive cook.

Harry was mildly impressed at the way the elf-dragel could effectively manage his household spells without so much as twitching an eyelid. And also the amount of noise he could generate by magically banging things together. While, Bahn explained his movements and spells in clipped, single sentences, his temper simmered just beneath the surface. He finally sat, floating in midair, his legs tucked up beneath him, in a cross-legged pose, ignoring Harry's initial look of surprise.

"Air." He grunted. In answer to the unspoken question. "Sometimes it's handy. To our kind, air is a tangible thing that we can craft and mold." He sighed. "I'm actually sitting on something, but to you, who has no air element, it seems as if I'm just floating here in midair." Bahn tapped his wand on the counter. "How's the stew?"

Harry stirred it, carefully. He tasted it, by pouring a touch of the gravy into a tiny white bowl and taking a sip. It was a rich, full-bodied flavor that he couldn't place. Delicious, surely, but with a satisfying warmth and depth that he hadn't expected. He'd stood to the side and watched as Bahn's magic had summoned ingredients from the cupboards and pantry, then diced, mixed, chopped and pureed themselves before jumping into the pot to be cooked.

"Does it need more salt?" Bahn painstakingly unfolded his legs and touched down to the clean, tiled floor once more. He padded over to stand beside Harry and peer into the simmering pot. He wrinkled his nose. "Maybe too much sage, hmm?" He sniffed again, then reached for another little white tasting bowl. He held it out and let Harry fill it for him, then tasted it, delicately poking his tongue out to lap at the tasty gravy. "What do you think?"

"…it's very good." Harry took a careful whiff of the aromatic steam. He couldn't quite pick apart the scents as Bahn was doing, but he had learned by simply watching. Bahn was a lovely thing to watch, especially in a temper, as his magic was swift and elegantly terrifying.

"I'd wager you've never had this before." The elf managed a smile at this. He waved his wand over his shoulder. "Heating charm," he explained. "you want the dough to rise, remember?"

Harry nodded. He did remember, though not from the way Bahn had meant. He remembered learning to bake from Aunt Petunia. He suppressed a shudder. There were some memories that were best left where they were. If he'd been allowed to use magic then, perhaps, he would have managed to make that first batch properly, but then again, he'd only been a witness to-

"-would you like to try? The recipe's tacked to the inside of that cupboard door," Bahn waved a hand in the general direction. "Just follow it."

Harry swallowed. Bahn was working around him with a quiet, respectful efficiency, apparently content to unofficially adopt him in terms of educating him on the basic duties of a dragel submissive—kitchen and household duties, at least. Harry was jolted from his memories when a hand gently rested on his arm. He forced himself not to flinch, only to turn and find pale white-blue eyes inches away from his face. Before he could move, those slender arms reached further and pulled him into a careful hug.

For a moment, Harry couldn't move. He quivered, emotion and fatigue warring within, before he felt a tendril of warmth spreading through him. He heard a soft, purring sound and realized, surprised, that it came from Bahn. The older Submissive, simply held him, with the occasional twitch of his hand, which Harry knew was a wave of the wand, to continue directing their dinner to completion.

When he'd finally composed himself, Harry drew back, ready to speak, only to feel one slender finger against his lips.

"Shh." Bahn hushed. He took a step backwards and bowed, formally, a hand over his heart, one foot slightly behind the other, a lovely vision. "The House of Deveraine, has no quarrel with yours. I extend our hospitality and goodwill towards you and yours. May this be a prosperous friendship." He straightened a moment later.

Harry felt his mouth go dry. "I-I," he began. Ancient magic swirled up around them and he felt it sink into his bones with a sudden, warming finality. "Bahn, I-!"

"Take a step back, dominant hand over your heart, keep your chin down, head forward and simply repeat what you'd like to extend in the name of friendship."

"…we didn't decide on…I didn't take his name—we," Harry faltered. "I don't know what to say." He exclaimed.

"You worry too much." Bahn flicked him lightly on the forehead. "And this isn't something to be worrying over. I'm only saying that I would like for us to be friends. I have no quarrel with you."

And those simple words made more sense than anything else Harry could have expected. He took a step back, right hand fisted over his heart and he copied the bow, somewhat clumsily that he'd seen Bahn give. "The House of…Nott, has no…quarrel with yours. I offer the same hospitality and goodwill that you've given me." He licked his lips, straightening up. "To you and yours?"

Bahn greeted him with a wide smile, that cast a near angelic smile on that pale face. "I thank you kindly." A flicker of ancient magic swirled up again.

This time, Harry watched in awe as it swirled around the elf and then sank into him with a faint golden shimmer. "…that's-?" He prompted.

"Ancient magic. Old magic." Bahn shrugged. "One our talents." He winked. "No matter what anyone tells you, it is us, Submissives that hold the power in this world." The smile on his face turned to a wicked smirk. "And I am sorry to have messed up your evening so. I know you had more important things planned, I can scent it. I would never have intruded, had I known. I am sure the messier floors would have been of little consequence, but as I have interrupted, I do hope you'll allow me to make amends with this little gesture. I'll be sure to take Ilsa with me, when I leave, so please do not interfere when I convince her, would you?"

"Er," Harry felt himself blushing. "You're not—we-" He gave up.

Bahn snickered. "You cannot deny something that is so obvious." He explained. "And it is nothing to be ashamed of. This stew is a special elfin recipe. I hope you enjoy it again in the future. It is called the Stew of Friendship. It encourages warmth when shared among friends and strangers, to make journeys and interactions smoother." The oven chimed and the blond head snapped towards it. "ah, there we go." He checked the rolls and smiled.

And Harry found himself smiling right along with him. "…Bahn?"

"Hmm?"

"…thanks."

"Say nothing of it."

In spite of his earlier temper, Bahn had considerably mellowed by the time dinner had finished. He'd effectively barred Theo, Charlie and Ilsa from the kitchen, so the three mates were seated restlessly outside in the dining room. They'd gone about finishing up the cleaning and preparations of the guesthouse, then settled down for the evening meal, or rather, tried to.

They all started when the kitchen door had finally burst open and Harry came out first, balancing a careful tray with a breadbasket and a tray of smoked meats, cheeses and grilled fruit. Bahn followed him out, directing his armful with waves of his wand. He surveyed the table and then murmured something to Harry, before waving his wand to bring out the floating serving dishes and necessary utensils.

The table was filled in short order and Bahn seated himself at the end of the table, while Harry took the other side. A table seating six, Ilsa sat beside Theo and next to Bahn, while Charlie took the left side of Harry, opposite of Theo.

Theo and Ilsa immediately clasped hands and held them up over the table. Bahn taking Ilsa's hand, as Charlie and Harry hurriedly did the same.

"For that which we are about to eat, we give thanks." Bahn murmured, head bowed. "Shoksaneh."

Twin murmurs of the salutation came from Ilsa and Theo, before they relaxed, ready to partake in the meal.

Harry looked to his Alpha, expectantly.

Theo blinked. "What…? Oh. Right. Er, we do that." He shrugged. "You've seen me do it before." Harry shrugged. "…right, but not with that much ceremony? It's simply a good practice. We should be more thankful for many things in this lifetime." He reached for the stew and dished out a portion for Harry, then Charlie, before a sheepish grin showed on his face. "…sorry."

Charlie chuckled, taking the dish from him. "I didn't know your arms were that long." He teased. He added more stew to his bowl and then selected another dish to help himself. "What is this, anyway? It doesn't smell familiar…"

And so a general conversation started up, innocent and polite in a way that only old strangers and new friends could be. Harry understood, belatedly, what Bahn had meant when he asked him not to interfere between him and Ilsa. Their relationship was evidently strained, but still Ilsa seemed to be struggling even more than Theo, in curbing the instincts that demanded she look after her present Submissive.

Harry watched as she finally gave in and fixed a simple sandwich out of the meats and cheeses and deposited it in Bahn's bread plate. The elfin Submissive didn't miss a beat, as he simply picked it up, took a bite and continued on eating and talking, as if nothing had happened. This had Harry wondering for a moment, as he filled his mouth, with a roll of his eyes when Theo nudged him.

He'd noticed that Theo was careful in prompting him to eat, but still, that he always made some sort of excuse to find a way to add more food to his plate or to feed him something directly. It was how they often ended up bloodsharing, as Harry wasn't exactly keen on being stuffed to the gills for no real reason other than Theo's Alpha worries. Since some of the feeding sessions had ended up with both of them in bed, Harry was hard-pressed to complain.

The very remembrance of that, made him squirm faintly. His earlier feelings and the combined itch to simply touch and lick every inch of his mates was now returning in full force and it was making him antsy. Theo and Charlie seemed to be having some weird reaction of their own as they were brushing hands nearly every moment that they could, and Harry had to confine his own hands to his own plate. He couldn't complain as all their feet were tangled together under the table, but he knew if he allowed himself to start touching, he likely wouldn't stop, regardless of their present company.

He really hoped Bahn could make good on his promise to take Ilsa with him—and to leave!

He wanted his mates and he wanted them alone!

CHARACTER SNIPPET : LUNA LOVEGOOD : WIZARDING WORLD

Luna Lovegood tumbled out of the Floo and into the living room of her home. She skipped towards the table at the far corner that usually held spare floo powder. She lifted the pot and balanced it on one hip, slipping her wand out from behind her ear and tapping it to the wooden surface of the chair. She murmured the words that made charcoal writing appear on the grained surface.

It was simple and to the point. Her father had left and would be gone for quite some time. He felt a disturbance and knew that something bad would happen. He left his love and an emergency pack for her, as well as a warning to be careful and to run. It was the final line that said to 'run' that actually registered. The blonde-haired witch banished the message away and then replaced the jar of floo powder.

She cast a careful, cursory look around the house. Everything seemed mostly in place, which meant that her father had likely only stopped in the house long enough to leave the message before hurrying on his way.

The fact that he'd taken the time to leave a message was appreciated, but it also worried her to realize that it would be the only reason that he had stopped. Something quite serious was afoot and she was not sure that she liked it very much at all.

Luna pursed her lips together and glided on through the house. She stuck her head in her bedroom and looked around, seeing and liking what she saw, but also realizing that she'd have to things as they were. She found her father's room and then looked in the secret compartment in the old-fashioned wardrobe for the emergency pack.

Lugging the pack to her room, she rooted through her things for clean underwear and unmentionables, then a change of jewelry and her field journal, along with a seven-year, self-inking quill. She tucked them into her pack, a nicely oiled dragon-hide knapsack. She dug out her travel gear, sturdy boots and trousers and a blouse. She found her forest green adventuring robes and slipped them on over the unconventional outfit. They weren't her usual style, but they would work for now.

She needed to be able to move quickly and without incident. She snatched up the living comb from her dresser top, one that her mother had often used. She shook the shell until the limp strands of green fell out, then pressed it to the back of skull.

Braid. Braid. Braid. She thought carefully. Something to keep out of my face. Important. Braid.

The odd creature quivered in her hand for a moment and then the limp strands began to twine through her fine, blonde hair. It immediately took charge when she finally released it and then twined through the strands, creating a neat plait of hair and twisting it up around itself.

Luna surveyed the result in a chunk of old mirror. It would work for now. She stopped by the kitchen again, this time for water and a snack. She mixed the water in with henna powder and painted her hands, one at time, using a drying spell to hurry up the process, before washing them out in turn.

The result was elegantly scripted scrolls that spanned her hands, wrists and a little further up. The protective symbols and signs would grant her extra protection while traveling and it would also allow her passage through certain places. The Fae were protective of her own and she was thankful to her mother for teaching her such things. She had hoped the day would not come when she would have to use it, but at least she knew how.

With a final look around, Luna emptied the bowl of fresh fruit into her food sack—silently thanking her father for the kind gesture—and then hurried for the front door.

She stopped, turning around and heading for the backdoor instead. She stopped on the worn mat and pricked her finger, invoking the blood wards that protected their home. Her father hadn't renewed them in the event that there were people tracking his blood signature. People that wouldn't know to track her sign or her signature.

Luna waited until she felt the protection take hold on their modest home and then she skipped forward. She reached out with one hand and snatched a flower blossom from the overhanging tree. She touched her still bleeding wound to the perfect white petal and then kissed the other side of it.

She let the scrap of white float off and smiled. Tell the Queen, I am coming…

A/N: To clarify, Neville and Augusta are Dryads. Lavender is Succubus. Dean is a rare African creature, he has native magic, which makes him compatible with Seamus. Luna is Fae. (Light Fae, to be exact). Thank you for the well wishes for my Aunt, they moved her to a third hospital last week and things dipped down quite seriously again. She is recovering now, and a little bit better. They don't have her on a breathing machine, so this is good news. I hope to visit her sometime this week. It has been quite a difficult experience these past few weeks. I appreciate the kind words and patience in regards to this fic and the RL craziness. Thank you!

And Thank you for reading and letting me know what you think! I apologize if this is more angsty than usual. Writing is my therapy right now and I'm not exactly in happy-hyperness.

Nice long review responses are in the ff forum.

~Scion
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There Be Dragons, Harry