Of Veela and Wolves - Part 7

Harry caught up on the information once Percy had been tucked in for a nice long nap. He also made sure that there were another couple of people assigned to the department to ease the workload. Percy had basically been doing three times the work since Ludo was more interested in reliving his glory days. He sent a quick word to Sirius to make sure they picked good people. Considering Percy had just graduated, he had been doing an amazing job with everything. Harry didn't want to see him tossed aside or disrespected due to his age.

"Miss Tonks." Professor McGonagall said as she approached the course.

"Wotcher, McGonagall." Tonks smiled brightly at the professor.

Tonks was a surprisingly good teacher. When she was around students she was engaging, knowledgeable, and suffered no fools. It was only around Professor McGonagall that she put on the casual act.

"I need to speak with Mister Potter." McGonagall sighed.

He didn’t stop his run through the obstacle course. The fourth-year students had better aim than the third and Tonks had invited the visitors to join in as well. They had switched from offensive spells to color changing ones that were annoyingly hard to remove even in his human form. Walking around with splotches of purple, pink, and various other neon bright patches along his body was not fun.

Harry gave her a nod to acknowledge he had heard her. He finished his current run then hurried over to where he had set aside his clothes. Professor McGonagall wasn't bothered as he shifted back to his human form. Most people averted their eyes. It was fast now, but it wasn't as visually seamless as an animagus transformation. Even Katie and Lavender backed off once they saw the full body shift.

"Mister Black is here and wishes to speak with you." She continued. "Follow me."

He continued to dress as he trailed behind her. Much to his confusion they didn't go to the Great Hall or the Gryffindor Common Room. Instead, she led him to a study that he had never seen before. It was well furnished while each piece looked like it cost enough to buy a small apartment.

McGonagall stepped out once he was inside and closed the door behind her.

Sirius waited in the room alone. The subtle scent Harry had come to identify as anxiety hung around him. Sirius smiled when he saw him, then scowled when he noticed Harry sniff.

"Stop that." Sirius teased.

"Nope." Harry teased right back. "I'm not getting trapped in a room when you smell like wet dog again."

Sirius held his arms open. They met in the middle of the room for a hug.

"What's going on?" Harry asked his godfather.

"I was approached by someone regarding you." Sirius' smile dropped for a moment.

Harry motioned for him to continue.

"The Lord of a Noble House would like you to bite his daughter." Sirius said.

"What?" Harry flinched back at the words. "Why?"

"Lycanthrope is a strong blood curse." Sirius explained. "Strong enough to hopefully overpower another."

"Their daughter has a blood curse already." Harry thought out loud. "And they think that being a werewolf will cure it. They do realize that it can kill her, right?"

"Yes." Sirius nodded, the smile on his face now completely gone. "The curse she has now will kill her too. Except it will be slow and painful."

"Quick and painful is better?" Harry yelled. "Has anyone asked her?"

"They want to meet with you." Sirius continued. "To talk to you. The family, not just the father."

Harry sniffed. There were four people in the hallway. A man, a woman, and two girls that smelled vaguely familiar. Probably students he had encountered at one point, but not regularly. Under all of that was another scent. One of pain-relieving salves, cold sweat, and strained muscles.

"They're outside." Harry stated.

Sirius nodded. Harry sat in one of the chairs. He rubbed a hand over his face.

"Fine." He sighed heavily. "Let them in, let's talk."

He stood and looked toward them as the door opened.

"Lord and Lady Greengrass." Sirius slipped into Pureblood mode easily. "Thank you for your time. I present Harry Potter, Heir to the Black name."

Lady Greengrass was a pretty blonde woman. Age was hard to place with magical folk. Even squibs were blessed with longevity. She looked to be in her early thirties, which meant she could be anywhere from there to seventy. Lord Greengrass had light brown hair with streaks of gray along the sides. He had a beard that was neatly trimmed and also had gray strips. His posture was ramrod straight, and the look in his eyes was severe.

To their credit, they both had laugh lines. They were also holding hands in a way that looked natural, rather than the forced posturing that he had seen before.

"Lord Black, Heir Black." Lord Greengrass inclined his head. "I present my wife, Lady Greengrass and our daughters, Daphne and Astoria."

The two girls stepped forward. Both wore Slytherin colors, which explained why he didn't know them. They were blonde like their mother. He knew Daphne from whispers in the dorms. She looked like a younger version of her mother and was completely gorgeous.

There were a couple of magazines that Dudley had stolen and hid in Harry's room. He had just enough time to look through them before his aunt caught him with them. Daphne put those models to shame.

Her sister, Astoria, was another thing altogether. She was blonde, but pale yellow rather than the gold of the others. While the two older Greengrass women were pale, she was bordering on sickly. Harry would have thought she belonged in a long-term care hospital if not for her bright blue eyes and adorable smile. She was cute and would grow up to be beautiful. Given the chance.

He could smell the impact the curse had on her body, hear the way her bones creaked under his skin, and feel that her temperature was barely that of a living person. Still, she smiled.

"It is nice to meet you." Harry bowed.

The two families stared at each other for a moment. Well, everyone except for Daphne. She studied Harry with a critical eye. The threat clear in her gaze, enforced by the way her muscles tensed, and her grip on her wand that was hidden in her robe.

"Apologies." Sirius spoke up. "My manners are out of practice. Please, take a seat."

They settled in the seats. Sirius, Harry, and the Greengrass parent in the center of the room across from each other while the two younger sat nearby. He noted that Daphne had taken a spoke between him and her sister. She also had angled her chair just enough to be a barrier if she needed to start casting.

His respect for her rose quite a bit with that.

"Lord Black has explained the situation?" Lord Greengrass asked.

Harry nodded.

"And your answer?" Lady Greengrass pressed.

"I don't think it's a good idea." Harry shook his head.

"If this is regarding compensation, we are more than able to provide." Lord Greengrass spoke fast. "I know that the Black and Potter vaults have no need for more gold, but there are other options. We have business connections around the globe."

"We're open to discuss betrothal as well." Lady Greengrass spoke up.

Harry saw Daphne stiffen at that. He held up his hand to stop further offers.

"Please, stop." He shook his head. "This might not even work. If she survives the bite, it could just make everything worse."

"Or she could live." Lord Greengrass pressed.

Harry sighed. Before he could say anything more someone else spoke.

"Please." Astoria crossed to stand in front of him. "I'm dying already. It hurts. Every day it hurts."

Harry stared up at her. The look of desperation and suffering in her eyes clawed at his soul.

"Why me?" Harry asked softly. "There are other werewolves."

"You have control." Lady Greengrass answered. "Both of our girls have said so."

"That doesn't mean she will." Harry argued weakly.

He sat back in the chair. His 'saving people thing' had already made the choice for him. He closed his eyes and listened to the song of the moon. It wasn't as loud during the day, but he could still hear it. He gave a dry chuckle as the music flowed steadily and clear. It was the first night of the full moon. He had completely forgotten. Tonks had him transform a couple of times each day for at least an hour for her classes and then at random times during private tutoring. He didn't feel the driving urge to shift that came with the previous moons.

"Fine." Harry sighed. "Tonight, once the moon rises. I'll bite you."

Lord and Lady Greengrass relaxed, unshed tears in their eyes. Astoria hopped excitedly. Daphne sprang to her feet and stormed out of the room. Harry didn't blame her. Astoria watched her go, the worry was clear on her face.

"You can go after her." Harry said. "It's fine. We'll meet in the Healing Ward after dinner."

Astoria gave him a brief nod before she ran after her sister.

"I apologize for our daughter." Lady Greengrass had an edge of panic in her voice.

"She's worried about her sister." Harry shook his head. "Is that all?"

"We need to discuss compensation." Lord Greengrass said stiffly.

"Not until tomorrow." Harry replied firmly. "Not until we know she'll survive."

"She will." Lady Greengrass left no room for argument in her tone.

"It was nice to meet you." Harry nodded and stood.

Harry didn't have anywhere in mind. He just needed to be somewhere that wasn't in that room. Biting someone was not something he had ever planned to do. Sure, he had benefited from it, but he had seen how it had impacted others. It sounded self-righteous, but he knew he was special. There were too many factors to take into account like the fact that he had basilisk venom and phoenix tears in his blood.

There was no guarantee that anyone he bit would be anything but a normal werewolf. If he bit someone and they turned out to be a standard werewolf, he would truly be alone.

The realization hit him hard. Other non-humans, like Hagrid were easier to be around. Fleur was the only female he had encountered that felt right, or at least, familiar. She was a Veela, so possibly that meant he would feel comfortable around more of her kind. Aside from the whole throwing fireballs at him encounter. That could get old quick.

He caught the scent of another person approaching. It was one that he had recently encountered. He could hear their muscles tightening, ready to spring once he was close enough.

Harry stopped short of the upcoming hallway. Daphne Greengrass lunged; the point of her wand perfectly aimed for where his neck would have been. The sudden lack of a target didn't phase her much. She turned in a tight spin toward him. Her wand moved so fast it was practically a blur. She had skill, it would have been impossible to dodge.

For a human.

Harry let her spell slip by. He snatched her wrist and squeezed just hard enough to make her drop her wand. She let out a short cry of pain even as her other hand caught it. The tip of her wand pressed into his ribs.

Daphne shot him a triumphant glare. It disappeared as he shifted to his wolf form. His sudden increase in size knocked her back a couple of steps. That, combined with the primal urge to run, kept her backing away. She didn't stop until she was pressed against the wall.

Her hand shook as she pointed her wand at him. The silent spell sailed over his head as he shifted back into his human form. He closed the space between them in a burst of speed. One hard held her in place against the wall, the other had a firm grasp on her wand.

"Feel better?" Harry growled.

"Let me go." Daphne growled right back.

"No." He said simply.

"Let me go." She repeated.

"We both know you're going to go right back to attacking me." Harry shook his head. "What is with women attacking me for no reason?"

"You're a monster." Daphne glared at him. "That's reason enough."

"I forgot I was dealing with a Slytherin for a moment." Harry chuckled. "Usually, they wait until my back is turned to attack me. I guess an ambush fits."

He let her go, though he kept her wand.

"You don't approve of the plan." Harry said.

Daphne glared at him.

"I don't blame you." Harry sighed. "Either she dies or becomes a monster. No good choice there."

He held out her wand for her to take. She took it slowly.

"Bite me too." Daphne said.

"What? No!" Harry shook his head. "Are you crazy?"

"What do you think Slytherins will do to her?" Daphne snapped at him. "She'll be alone. No one will be able to protect her. Not even I can be there all the time. The friends she has will abandon her. Who will be there for her? You? Please, you didn't even know she existed an hour ago."

"Fine." Harry muttered.

"You are going to listen, you-" She stopped. "What?"

"Fine." He shrugged. "You're right. I can't be there for her."

"Right." Daphne still sounded confused.

"You could die." Harry kept eye contact with her. "It's the Full Moon tonight. If I bite you there's only two outcomes. You get infected, or you die."

"I'm aware." She took a deep breath. "We'll need to do it before you see my sister. My parents will try to stop me."

"I'll leave dinner early to get settled in the Healing Ward." Harry said. "Come with me and we can do it before your sister arrives."

Daphne nodded before. She turned back to the hallway where she had ambushed him and stalked away. Harry rubbed a hand over his face.

"You would have made a good Gryffindor." He called after her.

She flashed him a rude gesture in reply.

~§~§~

He could hear the call of the moon grow stronger as the night approached. The closer it got to sundown the louder It sang to him, calling for him to transform. He bounced with energy as he ate his food quickly. The urge increased with each minute. Harry didn't feel like he was going to shift into his wolf form and go on a rampage or something like that.

No, he wanted to run. He had spent the last full moon in the shack, just like he had done all summer, to make sure everyone was fine with him being around. This was the first real transformation that would take place outside. The thought of running through the forest drowned out the nerves from the impending appointment.

"Potter." Daphne called out as she ran down the corridor after him. "Slow down."

Harry gave her a silly smile. She flinched back.

"What?" He asked.

"Your eyes." Her hand hovered over the strap on her waist that held her wand.

"What about them?" Harry waved his hand for her to continue.

"They're glowing." She said the words carefully.

"Oh." Harry laughed. "The full moon makes me a little hyper."

"Is that going to be a problem?" Her hand was practically on her wand now.

"No." He scoffed. "I don't want to eat people. I want to be outside. The castle feels too small."

"Right." Daphne kept her eyes on him but relaxed a slight bit. "Let's get this over with."

She pulled back the sleeve on her sweater and held up arm up in front of him. Her face lost all emotion as she waited.

"No." Harry shook his head. "I'm not doing this in the hallway."

"Why not?!" Daphne yelled.

Harry winced at the sound. His senses were increasing with each moment.

"There are two things that can happen." Harry grabbed her arm and began to pull her along toward the Healing Ward. "Either you die, which would do wonders for my reputation, or you become a ravenous beast with no control over your instincts."

"You're not a ravenous beast." Daphne snapped as she tried to pull out of his grip.

"Stop." Harry commanded. "You'll only hurt yourself. Right now, I could wrestle Hagrid to a standstill." He smiled. "We did once. It was fun."

"Gryffindors." She muttered.

Daphne did stop struggling, which showed she was smarter than most of the Slytherin in their year. Harry sighed as he pulled her along. He had to slow down to prevent hurting her. Harry looked at her with a roguish smile crossed his face.

"Potter?" Daphne raised an eyebrow at him.

Without a word, he scooped her up into a bridal carry and sprinted through the halls. Daphne Greengrass was known as a Pureblood Princess. She was in complete control of her emotions. A small downturn of her lips meant she was immensely unhappy. Which made the fact that she was screaming at the top of her lungs all that more enjoyable.

Harry skidded to a stop in front of the doors. Daphne stared at him with wide, rage-filled eyes. Her expertly styled hair was a mess, there was a thin coating of dust on her clothes, and her grip on his arms was tight enough to rip the fabric.

"Here we are." He said casually as he set her back on her feet.

Daphne wobbled a couple of steps.

"Never. Do. That. Again." She yelled at him.

Harry smiled broadly at her. He strode through the doors to see Madam Pomfrey frozen in shock. She held a tray of potions and appeared to be in mid-step.

"Hello." Harry announced. "I am here to prepare."

He pulled Daphne into the room before him.

"Also." He grabbed the previously offered arm and raised it to his mouth. "Miss Greengrass here would like to be bitten with her sister."

Madam Pomfrey snapped her gaze at the girl in question. Daphne nodded.

"That is cor-AAAAHHHH!"

Her words were overpowered by a scream as Harry chose that moment to bite her exposed flesh. She glared back at him as he pulled away. Harry summoned a nearby towel and primly dabbed the blood from his mouth.

"You need more fruit in your diet." Harry clicked his tongue.

"What the SHIT Potter!" Daphne yanked her arm to her chest.

"Where did you learn to curse?" Harry chuckled.

Daphne gritted her teeth. Whatever she was going to say came out as slurred nonsense. He guided her over to a nearby bed before she fell.

"Was that necessary, Mister Potter?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"She didn't want her sister to go through it alone." Harry explained softly. "She knew her parents would never agree to it."

"I'll get the bandages." Madam Pomfrey shook her head and sighed.

Harry watched the witch leave. He really needed to get her a fruit basket or something in thanks.

"Sweet Merlin's Nipples!" Daphne screamed as she lurched up into a sitting position.

Harry's jaw dropped as he saw her arm. He had tried to be as clean as he could, but that didn't explain why it had already stopped bleeding. In fact, they both watched as the wound closed and left behind a crescent shaped scar.

"What is that music?" Daphne asked softly. "It's beautiful."

"Miss Greengrass?" Madam Pomfrey rushed back over to the bed. "You need to rest."

"Thank you, Madam, but I feel fine." She closed her eyes. "I feel wonderful."

Harry watched her closely. Her scent had changed. She didn't smell like the other werewolves he had encountered.

"She's here." Daphne's eyes snapped back open a moment before her family entered.

While Harry had cleaned his face there was still blood on her forearm.

"Daphne?!" Astoria rushed over to her. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Stori." Daphne stroked her sisters' head. "You're not going to be alone."

Her parents looked from their daughters to Harry. They dropped all sense of propriety and sprinted over to Daphne. Harry carefully directed Astoria out of the was before her parents arrived. Lady Greengrass pulled her eldest into a tight hug while Lord Greengrass looked her over.

"What did you do?" Lady Greengrass began to weep. "Oh, my sweet girl, what did you do?"

"Are you ready?" Harry whispered to Astoria.

The girl nodded. She titled her head to the side to expose her neck.

"I'm not a vampire." Harry chuckled.

"Oh, right." The younger girl blushed. "My arm?"

Harry nodded. She lifted it up for him.

"Do you want to close your eyes?" He asked.

She shook her head.

Lord and Lady Greengrass froze as the scream of their youngest daughter cut through the air. They turned to see Harry pull away from the fresh wound on Astoria's arm. He caught her before she could fall.

"What?!" Lord Greengrass bellowed. "What are you doing?"

"It's going to be fine, poppa." Daphne squeezed said softly.

Astoria slumped against Harry's chest. Her eyes drifted closed as she let out a relieved sigh. Her mother reached out to her, fearing the worst. The youngest Greengrass hopped back to her feet before the hand could reach her.

"WOOO!" Astoria screamed. "What a rush!"

She turned toward Harry. The small girl launched herself at him. She wrapped him in a tight hug. Her scent had changed just like Daphne's.

He wasn't alone anymore.

~~~
AN:
I read a story a while back about how Astoria was infected with lycanthrope to cancel out her curse. Shamelessly stealing it here. Tossed in Daphne because she's a good sister and I rarely work with the character.