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Chapter Text

Despite common belief, creature inheritances were not triggered by something as mundane as a birthday. Age meant nothing to near-immortal beings, years and centuries blurring together. Age was a mortal construct, obsessed with time as they were.

A creature inheritance happened exactly when it was meant to. Those who were dominants or protectors had their inheritance first, typically between the ages of eight and twenty. Submissives or hearts had their inheritance after all of their dominants, usually between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five. It was after a submissive's inheritance that fate would pull the dominants and submissive together and have them meet, perhaps for the first time, as mates.

When it was time for an inheritance, magic played her hand heavily. She glimpsed into the future and past, determining the best time. Usually, this meant that the inheritance happened at the end of the day lasting well into the night.

For Harry, it occurred on August 11, just after midnight, when he'd barely closed his rune's textbook. The sixteen-year-old froze on the bed. He felt nauseous and achy in the span of a second. He placed a hand by his mouth, not needing to glance at his door to know it was locked from the outside. He had no buckets or trash cans, if he puked it would either go onto the floor or his bed. Both were disgusting options.

He lunged forward just in time to spew bile and water on the ground. That was a single mercy of not eating anything since morning. Unfortunately, even with his stomach empty, the nausea didn't leave. Harry dry heaved, retching so violently he began to cough too. It was all he could do to breathe. He had no mental capability to think about why he was sick so suddenly and didn't even notice the growing, stinging pain in his back until he felt the skin split.

Harry's eyes bulged with the pain, mouth opened to a silent scream. He felt something crawling out of his back, slipping out like snakes. Reaching back, Harry tried to bat away whatever monster was inside of him, tried pulling it out but when he grabbed the gooey and fuzzy object it was like he'd been struck by lightning. His eyes rolled backward as he collapsed forward, falling off the bed with a thud.

All he could sense was pain. It washed over him like a riptide, pulling him deeper and deeper until he no longer had any idea how to escape. Even though Harry wanted to scream, he couldn't, never getting enough air in his lungs for more than a quiet groan or whimper. When the pain only amplified, Harry weakly and shakily grabbed his blanket to gag himself. If his uncle or aunt heard him and found him—he would be killed. If gagging himself also meant accidentally depriving himself of all oxygen so he passed out, that was fine too. He vaguely felt his body seizing, convulsing, his bladder releasing without consent.

When the wave of pain swept past him, the creature coming out of his back could now be seen. Wings. They were bloody, dripping in something that resembled pink snot, and frankly hideous.

Harry whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut, a tiny mewling sound as tears constantly streamed down his face. It hurt. It hurt so bad. He gagged again, the movement jolting the new appendages. His body writhed as his wings continued to inch out of his torso. There was pain in his head now too, his eyes, his ears, his scalp, and there was a throbbing in his chest, pulsing like someone was beating him like a drum.

He begged the universe to let the pain end, to give him mercy and knock him out. Mercy had never been its strong suit. 

Time lost meaning as he lay on the floor, soaked in his filth.

When the sun came up, an exhausted Harry felt he could twitch without causing himself more pain. He didn't want to move, his entire body hurt, but he feared the pain his relatives would give him more.

Even to his own nose, the room smelt disgusting. His limbs were trembling and weak when he pushed himself onto his knees, nearly falling backward at the new and heavy weight of his wings. He gasped at the stinging and aching sensation of the new limbs, tears and snot dripping from his face. His wings hurt to move, sore and burning. 

Harry wasn't an idiot, he knew he'd just gone through a creature inheritance but at the same time, he didn't understand. Neither his parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents had gone through an inheritance. The last person in his direct line to do so was his grandfather several generations ago, the man who was the youngest of the famed Peverell brothers.

He'd lived for three hundred years until he finally found his mate. During that time, he'd faked his death to avoid the wizarding government. After all, it was only in the last two hundred years that the wizarding government had gone from hating and out-casting those with creature inheritance to accepting and sometimes worshiping those who had it. The Peverell had changed his name to Potter, bore three sons, the eldest of which was only a wizard born, and some two hundred years later had left to another world with his mate and creature children, never to return.

The Peverell had been a creature called a shadow, resembling a less horrifying version of a dementor. But a shadow did not have wings like Harry did.

Harry looked at them, they'd drooped to the ground uncomfortably and while they were covered in goo, Harry could also see that they were covered in dark feathers, black ones—he thought. The wings were also huge, taking up pretty much the entire ground even though they were awkwardly folded. They needed to leave. Vanish. Disappear.

It was a Saturday and his relatives would be sleeping in for a couple more hours, but Harry needed to hide his wings and clean up the mess before they came in. But how?

He reached out and poked his wing. It was tender. The poke hurt.

A creature inheritance wasn't supposed to be this painful. It wasn't supposed to have lasted this long.

What was different? He'd read dozens of books about creature inheritances, but nothing had ever spoken about this. He thought about what he had read that applied. Feathered wings meant he was one of maybe a dozen creatures, but he could narrow that down later. The books he read had spoken that those with inheritances could will in and out their different creature parts.

Harry closed his eyes, his soul trembling at having to go through the pain again, and thought about his wings disappearing, going back inside of him. It took him ten minutes of concentrating before his wings retracted back into him like a tape measurer.

He gagged himself with his blanket, falling back to his stomach as he screamed and cried. He wanted the pain to stop—he wanted it to stop—stop—STOP! But his wings didn't listen as they continued to slide back into his skin.

When his wings disappeared, Harry curled into himself, sobbing and trembling at the trauma. He fell asleep at some point, exhausted beyond measure and momentarily forgetting about the mess he'd made in his room.

He'd soon regret his absent-mindedness.

Chapter Text

One week before school started, Harry sat at a wizarding café, exhausted. After cleaning up his mess and receiving a bit of a beating, he'd been chased out of the Dursley's home and told not to come back. Frankly, Harry wished he'd thought to get kicked out sooner. It was different from running away, running away meant that the Dursleys might contact someone or do something. Being kicked out, they wouldn't say a word, hopefully.

Harry, now homeless, hadn't felt comfortable calling the knight bus when he was so filthy and the Dursleys had shooed him away before the neighbors could see. He had gone to a neglected park, walked into the dense tree line with his trunk dragging behind him, and collapsed into an almost twenty-four-hour sleep.

Upon waking, Harry cleaned himself the best he could in a stream and took muggle means to go to Diagon Alley. There were many alleys connected to Diagon and in them many inns, Harry had chosen one off the main path and had managed to not get a single question as to why he was there. With luck, no questions would come before it was time to start his sixth year of schooling. He'd already made it two weeks, there was only one more week to go before he could board the train.

Harry had also not let his creature inheritance come out again, and could not think of why he would ever want to go through that kind of pain again either. Consulting books, he couldn't find any mention of a creature undergoing the agony he had. The inheritance was supposed to be painful, but Harry didn't think he was exaggerating when he compared it to a cruciatus curse—he'd been under the curse, so he had sound validity.

He'd also made a large list of the creatures he could be, but he'd have to let his creature out again to confirm—again, not happening.

The other thing he was trying to figure out was his subcategory. Dominants, also called protectors, were supposed to take care of their submissive, also called a heart. A protector would be larger, have very powerful instincts that made them wicked in battle, and would have their inheritance before their submissive. A heart would usually be smaller, their instincts used more for hiding or finding safe places, alerting them who was dangerous, and had their inheritance after the dominants.

Harry was not large, a solid 5' 7" (he was still growing!), but he did have very good battle instincts and hadn't seen any signs of a submissive's instincts except for knowing what people to avoid. That could be written off though, as Harry always had a good judge of character. Harry was torn. He'd be perfectly average if he was a dominant because sixteen was the average age to awaken as their inheritance could be between the ages of eight and twenty. However, he was still within the range of a submissive, even if he was on the young side, as they awoke between sixteen and twenty-five. 

Harry just wasn't sure. The only way to know was either by examining his creature's characteristics or waiting until he found his mate or mates. Harry would prefer it if he was a dominant, Harry had been protecting people for a long time and was used to that position. If Harry was a submissive, his mates would be protective of him—likely driving him up the walls. But...part of Harry wanted that security. Something Harry had a hard time admitting to himself.

With a suppressed sigh, Harry climbed out of his thoughts. He carefully lifted a sushi roll to his mouth. No one looking at him would think he was uncomfortable using chopsticks, but he'd only taught himself how to use them a year ago and didn't have much practice.

The restaurant was packed, but charms kept the volume at a reasonable and calm level as it muffled the noise to prevent eavesdropping. There were some couples out on dates, but mainly it was different businessmen and women in meetings or on breaks. Harry was the only person eating alone, not that it bothered him, but he did feel eyes on him as people couldn't help but glance at him.

Harry knew what they thought. The Boy Who Lived, the only known survivor of the killing curse, and if unconfirmed rumors were to be believed, Harry had also slain the remaining shade of Lord Voldemort.

Rumors had already spread about Harry undergoing a creature inheritance, his lack of glasses, slightly changed facial features, and waist-long hair were classic after-effects of an inheritance. But no one felt comfortable approaching the boy to ask what he was. Harry had a powerful magical aura, one that intimidated and would keep all but the most confident or determined people away.

It meant that Harry was surprised when he felt eyes boring into his back. A shiver went down his spine at the energy of the stare and he reached subtly to his sleeve where his wand was sheathed. He turned around, looking over the people in the restaurant until the piercing gaze led him to look outside.

Harry's vision didn't get tunneled, he didn't become consumed with emotion, lust didn't fill his body, and he didn't feel a pull in his gut. Yet, when Harry looked into the man's silver eyes he knew that he'd found his mate.

Lucius Malfoy, the wealthiest man in the British Isles and one of the richest men in Europe. A man who had been on Voldemort's side of the war even if he tried to deny it. A man who had divorced his wife years ago but had a son a month older than Harry. A man who was proud of his veela inheritance and used every asset, including his attractiveness to his advantage.

Fuck.

Harry was so not in the mood to have to deal with this. Why was his life so complicated? Harry removed his hand from his wand and rummaged in his money pouch, pulling out the amount due as well as a galleon extra even though it wasn't customary to tip.

Standing carefully, he abandoned his barely eaten lunch and walked to the door. People looked at him, following his surprising exit. Harry could see the waiter looking a bit panicked that he was leaving and Harry made sure to smile at the man to make him realize it wasn't the service that caused him to leave.

Going outside, the volume picked up from the busy street. Diagon Alley was usually crazy only during the summer, but Wistf Alley, a side street of fine dining restaurants and other luxury stores, was busy almost all the time.

Lucius approached him, his back straight and proud, but his eyes were soft—worried. Did he expect Harry to reject him? Well...the thought did cross his mind.

"May I owl you so we can schedule a time to discuss this situation?" Harry asked, Ministry face and demeanor on. Calm, confident, polite, but distant. The perfect attitude to show your mate, right?

"I can clear my schedule for the day," Lucius responded, matching Harry's tone. His eyes flicked to the restaurant Harry just left. "I believe you have availability as well considering that you've abandoned your lunch. Perhaps you'd like to partake in lunch at my manor?"

Harry resisted the urge to take a step back. "I would not be comfortable with that." Go to a Death Eater's mansion? When Harry was the one who'd killed Voldemort? Maybe if he was a suicidal idiot.

"Then perhaps I could come to your place of address?" Lucius's eyes seemed to bore into his. While used to the color from Malfoy's, there was a raised intensity in Lucius's as he paid attention to every twitch Harry gave.

Harry was skilled at facades though, the man, a stranger to Harry, wouldn't know him well enough to see through it. "I would not be comfortable with that either," seeing as he was in a hotel currently, the Dursleys might try to kill him if he returned, and his inherited manors were hidden away by wards he couldn't lower without using underage magic. Lovely situation, wasn't this? His mind worked quickly. "I think it would be best if I owl you later this evening. We can compare schedules and I can list out a few neutral locations."

"That would be a good decision," Lucius agreed, "however, you have more than just me as your dominant and I cannot promise the others will be as reasonably patient."

Your dominant? Others?

Did that mean that Harry was a submissive? How could he tell? Who were the others? How many others? Two? Three? Merlin help him if it was more Death Eaters.

"You seem surprised," Lucius pointed out the flaws in Harry's mask without hesitation. Perhaps Harry wasn't so skilled in facades.

Harry didn't trust himself to speak and looked down to shield his face, losing the nameless battle.

He thought back to the people Lucius was known to associate with but only knew snippets from Malfoy. The only person that came to mind besides the Minister was Severus Snape, Draco's godfather. But Harry would jump off a cliff if he was mated to the greasy, unhygienic, and bully of a man. Lucius had a saving grace of being attractive—Snape did not. He'd prefer Minister Fudge with his pot belly and idiocy over Snape.

"Did you assume you'd only have one mate?" The man pressed. "I apologize if the information overwhelmed you, that was not my intention. I assumed you'd know with how powerful you are." The more powerful the submissive, the more mates they needed to help ground them.

Harry had guessed he'd be in a group of mates, but he'd been almost positive that he'd be a dominant. A side piece with a single person to focus on. He'd be given one person to cherish and would support the other dominants, but without having the attention a submissive got. Harry would have been able to bury away the parts of him he didn't want found.

Could Harry truly be a submissive? How did Lucius know for sure? Wait—his scent. Once a submissive or dominant found one of their mates, they'd begin to release the scent of their subclass. Harry would be wafting the smell now, other creatures would be able to smell it. Depending on the person, if he was a submissive, he'd smell like weak prey or someone to protect.

"Harry," why did that name sound so right coming from Lucius, "are you alright? Would you like to sit?" He stepped closer, reaching down to grab Harry's wrist.

Harry blinked. How tall was the man? Realizing he was making a terrible impression, Harry shoved his emotions and thoughts away. "I am fine, Lord Malfoy." Lucius's hand twitched at the formal address. "However, I believe it would be best if I leave." Harry couldn't find it in himself to look up, and instead stepped back and tugged at his wrist.

His mate did not let go, though his grip did not tighten. "I have been waiting for you for over twenty years." Lucius stepped in close, using Harry's wrist as an anchor. "I can't let you go now that I have you," his voice was soft with begging. "Please let me know what's upset you. Please let me at least discuss this with you."

Harry lifted his chin, meeting Lucius's silver eyes once more. "Let me go," his voice was calm, but he wasn't asking. Lucius's hand released immediately and Harry took two steps back. Merlin's balls. Fuck. Breathe, just breathe.

Despite letting go, Lucius pressed on. "We can go to the auror's office and have a meeting with Madam Bones supervising. We can go to Hogwarts and speak with the teachers or headmaster watching. You can floo call your guardians and have them come as well." Lucius's eyes mapped out Harry's face, taking in every feature and clue. "I believe I know why you are so hesitant and I beg you to confide in me all your fears and doubts so I can soothe them away." The man didn't care that people were starting to watch, gazing curiously at the strange duo.

He was being reasonable, completely reasonable. Part of Harry hated that, hated that he didn't have an excuse to flee. It wasn't Lucius's fault Harry hadn't known he was a submissive, wasn't his fault that he was panicking over it. But it was too much and the thought of there being other mates out there—please not Snape, please not Snape—waiting for him as well was terrifying. Harry was a wizard, a creature, but he was too muggle-minded for this. He'd only come to terms that he was gay a few months ago and still feared what his relatives would do if they ever found out. Despite their words to never come back, Harry was still a minor and would legally need to be at their house next summer for at least a few weeks.

But now he had mates, maybe he wouldn't need to anymore? 

"Harry?" Lucius gently pressed, worry coloring his otherwise regal tone.

Harry took another step back. "I'm sorry. You're being very kind and understanding right now. I am..." Harry closed his eyes for a moment, breathe, "I just need to think for a bit."

"I know there are rumors that I used to be a Death Eater," Lucius spoke, hitting the nail on one of his worries, "but that isn't true. Albus Dumbledore can vouch for me on that."

The man was trying. Harry owed it to him to try to. Or at least tell the truth in this situation. "I would appreciate a conversation with the Headmaster to confirm that," Harry admitted, "but I'm mainly trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'm a submissive and have multiple mates. I didn't even expect to have an inheritance." His worries were being vomited out, very unusual for Harry.

Lucius once more took a step forward, apparently unable to understand Harry's desire for space.

"Just—just give me an hour or two," Harry pleaded, holding his hands out to keep the man back, feeling himself unraveling. "I can meet you back here or at the Ministry, I just need to think."

Lucius appeared very reluctant, likely not trusting Harry to come back. Despite Lucius's obvious doubts, he nodded. "I will be here. Take all the time you need, even if it takes longer than expected. If you decide you need the rest of the day, send a house elf or owl to inform me."

"Just you," Harry pressed, "don't inform the others."

Lucius frowned, adjusting his grip on his cane. "The others will not come. However, the bond between us dominants has already been finalized. They can vaguely sense my emotions and based on their emotions they've realized that I've found you."

Fuck. "But they won't come?"

"I will ensure they do not," Lucius promised, stooping his head a notch to catch Harry's eyes. He was worried, reading Harry's suppressed panic and likely fighting against his instincts to smother Harry. "I will also reach out to Dumbledore to see if he's available, if he isn't I'll make sure to find a a neutral location that you'll be comfortable in."

Harry nodded but found he couldn't speak. Figuring he could apologize for his rudeness later, Harry turned around and walked quickly away. A few twists down the alley and Harry arrived at a public floo, disappearing into the green flames. He rushed through the empty inn lobby, not caring that he gained attention from the front desk associate. The lift was miraculously empty and Harry started crying before he reached his room.

Chapter Text

Lucius Malfoy could feel his mates' concern and worry clearly through the bond. A dominant's bond wasn't as strong as their bond with their submissive, but strong emotions passed through easily unless they blocked the bond. At first, they'd just been as elated as he had been when they felt the wave of Lucius's happiness, excitement, and contentment. Those emotions couldn't be mistaken as anything else other than Lucius finding their last mate, their heart. But now, as Lucius's emotions spiraled downward, so did theirs.

Harry had admiringly controlled himself, being civil and polite, with no signs of being a 'Gryffindor idiot with his head shoved up his ass' like Draco complained and no signs of being 'ignorant of the ways of the world' like Severus complained. Lucius was very happy with what he'd seen, Harry's power seemed to radiate from him, his clothes were of fine quality and cut, his hair groomed, manners impeccable, and magic save him because Lucius had a feeling that he'd be snarling at unmated dominants with how undeniably attractive the sixteen year old was. His eyes were emeralds, a dozen shades in them. His ink-black hair gloriously contrasted to his ivory skin that didn't have a single flaw except for the famed scar on his forehead.

But Lucius didn't have time to fawn over him, because he had an hour—or maybe less to contact Dumbledore and rip him from whatever he was doing.

Lucius watched Harry disappear in the crowd, obviously upset. He had to stop himself from following him, had to stop himself from listening to his instincts that told him to pick up the young heart and comfort him. Lucius gave a cold stare to the people around, knowing that Harry wouldn't appreciate rumors and also reminding himself that Harry would not appreciate him being possessive and protective this early on. Not when the boy thought him to be a Death Eater.

Thinking quickly, Lucius began walking to a nearby law office that he owned. He didn't understand how Harry didn't realize that he was a submissive. True, Harry wouldn't be able to smell the scent on himself, but when you identified what creature you were all you had to do was read the list of what features were dominant traits and what features were submissive traits.

For veela, dominants had wingspans of twenty feet or more while submissives' wingspans were smaller. Submissive veela also gained larger hips, no matter the gender.

Perhaps Harry didn't know what creature he was. Or didn't know what books to read to find the information? Lucius felt disapproval to Harry's guardians for not helping the young heart figure everything out. He also wanted to have a long conversation with them about letting such a young and powerful creature walk around without protection.  There were people out there whose jobs were kidnapping desirable protectors and hearts, selling them off to high bidders.

Lucius himself would only allow Harry to walk alone this once while the young man was uncertain of Lucius. After Dumbledore assured Harry of his innocence, explaining his role in the war, Harry would have someone accompanying him until he was at least twenty and his mate bonds were completely solidified.

Using the law firm's floo, Lucius floo called Dumbledore—not demeaning himself by sticking his face in the fire, but instead tossing a pinch of the powder into it. He called Dumbledore's name when he connected to the floo.

"You may step through, Lucius," Dumbledore spoke, his wizened voice echoing into the office.

Stepping into the green flame and using a pinch of powder, Lucius traveled through the network, casting a silent cleaning spell as he stepped through so he wasn't covered in soot.

Dumbledore was already standing from his chair to greet Lucius. "Is everything well?" Dumbledore asked. "Did something come up with the board?"

"I found my heart," Lucius said, skipping the formalities that Dumbledore too had neglected. 

Dumbledore's brows rose, clearly a bit confused as to why Lucius was telling him this. "That is fantastic news. Nine mates is a very powerful number, might I inquire as to who your submissive is?"

"Harry Potter."

Dumbledore seemed to freeze for a second before he nodded, running his hand through his long beard. "Yes, yes. That does make sense with the magic that child has."

Magic meant nothing when it came to creature inheritances. Yes, the weakest one would end up being of average power to a wizard but Dumbledore and Voldemort were prime examples of powerful men who were only wizards and nothing more.

"He is skeptical about me, as most are. He fears I sided with Voldemort." Lucius stood behind one of the sitting chairs, resting his fist holding the cane on it. "I told him that you would vow my innocence."

"And I will," Dumbledore assured. "Perhaps it is time to have a press conference and reveal more truths about the war. Clear your name completely with the public and Severus's as well."

"You would have to talk to Severus," Lucius would never claim to know what went on in Severus's head, "but I for one would be very happy to leave that chapter of my life behind."

"When would you like to discuss with Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

Lucius explained the situation, keeping a close eye on the clock.

Dumbledore too became concerned with what was happening. "You were the first to meet him? Your mates do not know that Harry is theirs?"

"They do not," Lucius could feel their impatience though. "I am hopeful that Harry will come home with me and meet them. But I am uncertain if that is a good idea with how overwhelmed he is."

"Eight is a lot, even for someone who grew up knowing they'd have an inheritance." Dumbledore rubbed his chin. "I'll admit that when Voldemort was killed for good I became busy with tying up all the loose ends. I haven't spoken to Harry more than a sentence or two since the day the boy woke up in the hospital wing in his first year. Convincing young Harry of your innocence will be easy, as it is the truth, but I do not know how he'll react to me convincing him to go with you when I am not sure that's the best idea."

"Of course it's the best idea!" Lucius shouted, his creature demanding to come out to prove to the old man how capable he was. "He's our mate, he's safest when he is with us!"

Dumbledore held up his hand. "I agree, but for Harry who doesn't seem to be adjusting well, being bombarded by seven other people might terrify the boy. We do not want to panic or upset him further. I also have been keeping close enough attention to the school to know that your son has continuously instigated fights with Harry—something I know you are aware of as I have contacted you about it." 

"Draco claims it was Potter's doing and that the school is being prejudiced against Slytherins." Lucius forced his anger away the best he could, but his mate—his young submissive was all alone somewhere right now. What if a slaver caught a glimpse of him? Harry's submissive scent would be released now that he had met Lucius. He should have never let his heart go.

"Sinistra reported an incident just two weeks before the end of school and she was a Slytherin." Dumbledore wasn't impressed by the excuse. "Filch reported an incident this past March and he favors no one. Most of the bullying—yes bullying, likely remains unpunished too as Harry's been caught more than once healing wounds that should be healed in the hospital wing. He never admits what happened, but Draco is the only person who targets him. How do you think Harry will react to being mates with someone who has made his life difficult since his first year? How do you think young Draco will react?"

Lucius had no words, he hadn't thought about that yet, hadn't had time. His mind was suddenly a mess of those thoughts, trying to wade through them. Had Draco truly hurt Harry? Constantly targeted him and caused him wounds? He felt nauseous at the thought but still had a hard time believing it. It was Draco, his little dragon, his son, who just last week had been researching spells for endless hours to help heal one of their aging peacocks. Draco had been distraught when Lucius told him that the peacock was better put out of his misery. That level of compassion for a bird couldn't just go away when it came to humans.

"I agree that Harry is safest with you," Dumbledore said, "that he belongs with you, but you have to think about the boy's mental health as well."

How Lucius hated that the old coot was right. He couldn't even voice it with how much it gnawed at his veela that the wizard would have a better idea of what was best for their mate. "I'll easy Harry into it," Lucius had no idea how he'd do that, "and talk to Draco."

"Why don't I go wait for young Harry while you use my floo to contact your mates and explain the situation," Dumbledore offered. "I can explain to the boy and maybe be an advisor if he has any questions he does not feel comfortable asking around you."

Another good idea, damn the man. "I do not understand how his guardians can be so neglectful about his inheritance," Lucius complained, half of this drama could be negated if the boy had been prepared at least to the bare minimum.

"Likely because they are muggle and do not know themselves." Dumbledore moved to the floo causing Lucius to nearly get whiplash as he looked at him.

"What?" he shouted. Harry Potter, who was supposed to live in a fortress with a hundred guards, had grown up with muggles? It was impossible. Simply impossible. Then he thought about now, a young submissive relying on the protection of muggles against slavers and other foul-minded beasts? His wings nudged against his skin, threatening to come out. "I will not be allowing my mate to live with defenseless muggles." He refused.

"Blood wards are protecting him," Dumbledore assured, "not even Voldemort could enter the household and the location has a befuddler on it so people can't track him down there either." That did nothing to ease his concern and Dumbledore could see it. "Come up with five plans on what to do differently with his living situation," Dumbledore suggested, "hopefully the boy will be amenable to one. I trust you to protect him and won't say a word to the Ministry should he decide to move in with you. I would offer Hogwarts, but with the wards being reset we cannot have children here overnight during the summers."

Lucius let out a harsh breath. He'd rant to the man about child safety on another date. "Harry didn't finish lunch, if he hasn't eaten, please treat him."

Dumbledore nodded and realized Lucius's need for further promise as he said, "I will see to all his needs and stay in Wistf Alley. I will ensure his safety and escort him until you are finished talking to your mates." That did calm him a notch. "Send a patronus when you are prepared or I will send you one with our location if we move."

Lucius nodded, wrangling his instincts that screamed for him to go with Albus so he could be with Harry sooner. "Thank you, Albus. Remember that Harry might not show up." He'd go hunting if his submissive didn't show. Screw the promise he made earlier, Harry had to be protected now.

"I might not have spoken to the boy in a while," Dumbledore said stepping into the floo, "but I know him well enough to know he'll show."

Lucius took a few moments for himself after the man left. Seven mates desperate for news and likely gathering together in preparation for meeting their mate which might not happen for an unknown period of time. Lucius dismissed contacting the younger three first. They had zero control over their instincts and wouldn't be helpful unless Harry wanted to nested or spoon-fed. They'd also probably try to kill Lucius for leaving their mate alone.

He needed help, and reasonable input. Adrian was still a bit immature and after a moment's thought, he dismissed William as well. That left the top two mates, the most dominant mates.

Helios was very intelligent and also their top dominant but would be of the kidnapping mentality, which left Sora who was likely managing the others.

Lucius hesitated before tossing in the powder. "Malfoy manor, house-elf quarters."

"Master Malfoy!" Dobby greeted excitedly.

"Silently and secretly alert Sora that I need to speak with him alone via floo in his study." Hopefully, Sora wouldn't draw attention, he didn't need to be bombarded by seven different opinions right now.

He closed the floo and silently opened up the one in Sora's office. Offices were the only rooms in the Malfoy Manor that were restricted to others unless permitted to enter. Of course, Harry would be the exception. He'd be allowed everywhere. He would be wanted everywhere. Lucius imagined Harry sitting on his lap while Lucius did paperwork, the image a dream he hoped would become reality.

It was only a few minutes later that Sora appeared, shoving his face into the hearth like a heathen Lucius knew Sora was not. Sora looked around the office, his ember features still showcasing his worry and excitement. "Where is he?" Sora asked. "Where's our heart?"

Lucius once more explained things, feeling exhausted already.

Sora, mercifully, did not explode like the others would. He listened patiently. "Helios would be of a different opinion than the one you and the headmaster came up with," Sora pointed out once Lucius finished.

"I know," Lucius grimaced, "I'm trying to come up with a solution that will make Harry feel comfortable but not trigger Helios's ire."

"Too late for that," Sora said, "he grew angry when you didn't immediately show up with Harry and left to storm your offices and work to find you."

Lucius didn't have a spare part of his brain to worry about the chaos Helios would be causing. "No one knows I went to the alley so he'll be preoccupied."

"Is it just Draco we need to worry about?" Sora asked amongst the crackling flames. "Theodore and Blaise are in the same grade and Adrian only graduated this last year."

"Albus didn't mention the others," Lucius said, "but I do not know what sort of relationship, if any, they have with Harry. I do recall Draco saying Harry used to be friends with the youngest Weasley boy so William might have acquainted himself with Harry."

Sora nodded. "Then it might be a solution for Harry to stay at one of the manors with Helios and me." Lucius bristled but Sora continued, "Helios won't be held from our submissive and you know it. Harry does not know me either. You'll be busy figuring out why Draco was a bully," please Merlin let there be an explanation, "and getting that resolved so we don't have it happen again."

"And more than two people will likely be overwhelming enough as it is with Helios in the mix." Lucius sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "If Harry refuses, then we can have him stay in a manor and try to convince Helios to just play guard." Both of them knew Helios would never.

"We'll figure this out," Sora assured Lucius, "it's a bumpy start, but it's just the beginning. From what you've said, Harry has tried to be reasonable as well considering his position and lack of information. Hogwarts is starting in a week too and we already have an ironclad plan for that. It's just a few uncertain days."

Lucius nodded. "We can have Harry go to one of his personal manors and have Helios keep watch there too."

"Lucius," Sora said softly. Lucius looked at the embers, not realizing he'd been looking at his feet. "We need to talk to Helios. Explain to him the situation. His instincts are stronger, yes, and he's going to react to the extreme with our submissive finally being here, but he's also the oldest and most experienced when it comes to submissives. The last thing Helios will do is scare or hurt our heart. He's the top dominant for a reason."

Lucius knew Sora was correct, but Lucius also knew that Helios would not be happy with Draco, rightfully so, but Draco was his son. He didn't want his son to be yelled at or disciplined. "We can invite Harry's guardians to stay in the guest manor with Harry, we can all keep watch of the building." Lucius didn't want to say the words Sora wanted.

"Lucius," Sora pressed a touch of authority in his voice. 

Silence trickled.

"I'll contact him." Lucius sighed. Helios was going to be furious.

Sora smiled, pleased but then it slipped away at Lucius's next words.

"I do not feel comfortable with telling the others who our mate is." The veela had a thousand scenarios going through his mind. "Considering the potential past they've had with Harry..." Draco was guilty, at least in some way. Were the others? He didn't think William would be, but Adrian was a wildcard that could go either way and Theodore and Blaise were Draco's friends. 

"One step at a time, Luc," Sora reminded. "I won't say anything to them for now, but we can't delay long. They're going to be furious at not being told immediately. Focus on Helios first, then Harry, then the rest. I'll occupy the others so they don't storm off like Helios." Sora slipped out of the fireplace without a goodbye. Lucius could feel his mate's rising emotions and knew that there was likely chaos happening at the manor.

He concentrated on Helios's bond for a moment, sectioning it out. The top dominant was upset, annoyed, and worried. The man was likely hyper-aware of Lucius who was nervous, dreadful, drained, and concerned.

Lucius opened his bond to the man where he'd partially blocked it. It was standard to block it so they weren't constantly in each other's heads, but Helios had been knocking and prodding the block since the moment Lucius had spotted Harry's back.

"Where are you?" Helios demanded in the bond. He never needed to yell, never needed to shout, and no king would be able to disregard even his whispers.

"Behind the wards of Hogwarts, in the Headmaster's office," Lucius replied. "I'll come to you."

"Is our heart with you?" Helios asked.

"No," Lucius admitted, "but—"

Waves of magic rushed into the room, sending the papers on Albus's desk flying. The magic gathered in a large ball, the wards cracking and bending as Helios forced his way in.

Lucius had known Helios for a few years, but he'd never seen such a powerful and apparently easy feat of magic from the dominant. Hogwarts' wards were supposed to be the most secure in the British Isles and yet they'd been infiltrated in less than five seconds.

Helios was wearing his armor, silver and thin their defense mainly came from the runes and magic imbued in it, but it made his seven-foot-tall and broad form even more intimidating. A thick dire wolf pelt hung over his shoulders and the broadsword strapped to his waist added to the effect. If Lucius was scared then he was sure his employees had been terrified.

Helios only needed two steps before he was in front of Lucius and placed a gentle, calloused hand on Lucius's cheek, almost cupping his entire face. "Is our heart safe?" Helios asked, running his light purple eyes over him.

Lucius opened his mouth to say yes...but Lucius didn't know. "Albus is supposed to be meeting him shortly." Helios's face was stone and the bond had closed until Lucius could only feel strong emotions again, which the man had already smoothed away so Lucius could feel nothing. "He was overwhelmed and panicked when I saw him last but not injured. He's very powerful magically too." Lucius's anxiety was spiking, the control he prided himself in seemed to have slipped further and further away after leaving his mate. "Please let me explain," Lucius pleaded even though Helios had said nothing.

Helios pulled Lucius to him, bending down so he could kiss his lips gently. It was over too quick for Lucius's panicked mind to respond and Helios brushed his lips against Lucius's forehead. "I am not upset, little bird. I am worried, and my instincts are thrashing inside of me, but I am not going to be mad at you unless you have hurt our mate." When Lucius's anxiety leaped even more, Helios frowned. "Have you hurt our mate?" He sounded doubtful, not believing Lucius's emotion.

"No," Lucius said, "but..." but Draco had. It might have been in self-defense, it might have been antagonized, but while he tried to make excuses, it had happened.  Lucius had punished his son, had spoken to him, had tried to teach him, but he hadn't ever gotten serious about it with the boy. Had dismissed it as rivalry and hadn't ever thought that it could be bullying. Lucius had too easily gone along with what Draco said, that the professors were being unfair, that Draco was given all the blame when Harry had done the same thing or worse. Draco was his son, the gem and light in his world, but now Lucius had Harry too. The boy who would hold Lucius's heart in his hands. 

"I am here," Helios reminded, running a finger over his cheek, "I am listening. I will fix anything wrong, but I will listen to your concerns before acting."

Sora was right, Lucius had needed Helios. He swallowed and gathered his courage. "Our submissive is Harry Potter, he's sixteen with muggle guardians." Sixteen was young for a submissive, especially for one who had nine mates.

Helios's eyes flicked around as he remembered the name. "That is the boy who survived the killing curse as a child, correct?"

"A toddler, not even eighteen months old." A miracle that no one had been able to figure out.

Lucius knew the moment Helios remembered Draco's foul words about the boy. The narrowing of his eyes, a tiny frown, and an instant deep understanding that Lucius couldn't place. "I am listening," but Helios's eyes also told him that he wasn't happy.

Lucius explained, magic have mercy on him, once more. Helios asked a few clarifying questions but was silent otherwise. There were no angry words and no physical reaction to his anger, but the bond fluctuated a few times telling of a displeasure he didn't yet voice.

"You and I will discuss it with Draco," Helios said calmly. "I will have a conversation with the others as well to see if there is anything else we need to worry about." Helios had removed his comforting hand and paced a tiny bit. "Harry is our priority currently. Wizarding wards are useless against any creature over two hundred years old," he gestured at the office as an example, "I do not trust Harry's safety to any wards except for the ones I have in my home world and I do not trust Harry's safety to anyone but you, William, Sora, and I. The others are too young and inexperienced."

Lucius knew that even that was a stretch as William and he had only faced enemies on earth and not the immortal enemies on other worlds. Helios had been training him further, but Lucius knew how overpowered he was by both Sora and Helios. If someone of their caliber came to earth and it was just Lucius defending Harry...it spelled a grim picture.

"I shall ask what Harry is comfortable with," Helios continued. "I'd prefer him to come to Malfoy Manor, we can isolate the others in their rooms until we resolve the issue. If he doesn't want to, then I shall listen to his wishes and take guard from a far distance until he is comfortable."

The overbearingness Lucius had expected wasn't there. "You won't stay by his side?" Lucius asked and silently thought, 'You won't force yourself by his side? Won't hoist him over your shoulder and bring him to the manor kicking and screaming if need be?'

Helios made a chuffing noise. "I will always be by his side. He is my heart, the reason the organ in my chest beats. But, if he is scared of me, overwhelmed, or uncertain then I will do everything I can to comfort him, even if that means staying away."

It was then that a phoenix patronus flew into the room. "Harry and I have finished talking," Albus's voice said through the charm, "we are at the park in Wistf Alley, sitting under the gazebo by the weeping willow tree."

"I promised Harry only I would come," Lucius reminded Helios. Would Helios coming betray the little trust Lucius had earned?

"Do not worry, little bird," Helios sat down in Albus's chair. "I will stay here for now." Relief cascaded through Lucius. "Do not lie to Harry. Get an understanding of what he is comfortable with for his living situation and give him any information he desires. Communicate with me using the bond when things have been figured out."

Lucius breathed deeply. "I will." He stepped close to the floo, grabbing the powder.

"Lucius," Helios spoke before he could step in, "remember that I am here. If you need help or mess up, I'll be here to fix it."

Lucius had over a dozen experiences where Helios had never failed to keep his promises. With their heart involved, Helios wouldn't start failing now.

Chapter Text

It was an hour and a few minutes before Harry decided to buck up and rip the metaphorical band-aid off. He had not accepted his submissive status but he'd at least acknowledged it and let the idea start to sink in. It was just one more surprise, and Harry was used to being blindsided.

He'd dabbed his eyes with a cooled rag, a muggle or wizard wouldn't be able to tell he'd been crying even without the rag, but creatures would be able to sense it. His mouth had a fresh minty scent to it too. Harry had never done well with stress, as his stomach always turned on him, but it was his eyes and cheeks he paid attention to. Tears, especially for a submissive, carried a strong aura even if they'd been long since wiped away. He sniffed at himself, trying to sense the new submissive scent to his skin but couldn't smell the difference. 

He felt doubts about meeting Lucius again. It had been stupid to leave. Lucius, still potentially a death eater, could have called in for backup or set a trap for Harry during the time he was gone. During wars, it was somewhat common for newly found mates to betray each other because there was no bond between them yet. If Lucius was loyal to Voldemort even after death, he might not care about Harry being his submissive.

Straightening his clothes, unwilling to change out of his fitted robes, Harry flooed back to Wistf Alley. He'd brushed himself off and cleaned his likely ashy face with a cloth, but didn't dare use magic out in the open alley. Other children might get away with it, but Harry didn't have the same luxury. The streets were a bit less busy due to it being the in-between hours between lunch and dinner, but Harry still had to slide through the people.

He made a mental list of the basics he'd have to ask Lucius and reminded himself repeatedly to stay calm and rational until a red flag appeared. At the first warning sign, Harry wouldn't care about such little things as underage magic.

But it wasn't Lucius he found standing in the crowd, it was Albus Dumbledore. The Headmaster spotted Harry at the same time and smiled, approaching him. Harry saw a gaggle of wizards slowing down their pace to linger and listen, but neither wizard paid them any attention. "Hello, dear boy," he greeted, "I had a conversation with Lucius and we both agreed it was better to have a conversation without him."

The stress that had been building onto his shoulders disappeared, making Harry feel nearly as light as a feather. "I appreciate you coming, sir."

"Say nothing of it," he said. "Are you hungry? I know of a few fine restaurants in the alley."

Harry had puked up the little he'd eaten at lunch. Food was not a good idea. "I'm not, sir but if you are I do not mind going to one."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Let's go to the park then, it's exceptional weather for August."

With the Headmaster leading the way, Harry found himself busy answering questions. How his summer was going 'it's been good', what his owl results were 'six O's', and other generic questions. It distracted him from the main topic and when they sat under one of the many gazebos, Harry felt even calmer.

"Now," Dumbledore spoke, popping in his second lemon drop, "I should first mention that Lucius is not a Death Eater and has never shared their beliefs."

"There are so many rumors though.” If the man was innocent, surely the rumors would have lost traction over the years.

"Indeed," Dumbledore said, "and that is because I requested Lucius to befriend or become business partners with several known Death Eaters. He was a spy during the war, using his neutral status to lower the guards of many. He was never one of Voldemort's followers and never went to one of the dark gatherings."

Spy? Harry's brows rose. Harry knew that Peter Pettigrew had been a spy for the dark, but Harry hadn't imagined the light would have a spy too.

"Lucius did not reveal the truth after Voldemort was slain when you were a babe," he continued, "many of us feared that his end was only temporary. We correctly assumed that there was a shade of himself left, trying to revive. Lucius kept in touch with the unmarked Death Eaters and kept an updated list of those who would ally themselves with Voldemort's cause. When you stopped Voldemort for good when you were eleven, Lucius, I and many others began to tip off the aurors about corrupt officials, and other witches and wizards who had evaded Azkaban. Lucius remained a spy, keeping an ear to the ground about any resistances and relaying us with the locations of anyone hiding. He is the reason we never had a public terrorist attack from the remaining Voldemort supporters."

"And you're sure he was never on Voldemort's side?" If this was true, then the man had spent at least twenty years as a spy. That seemed impossible.

"Harry," Dumbledore spoke pointedly but kindly, "what was Voldemort's belief about creatures?"

Oh. "That they should be killed or forced off the planet." Voldemort had spoken to him, the night he'd sought out the sorcerer's stone, and had mentioned how cruel creatures were. They had immortality but refused to share it with their brothers and sisters who didn't have an inheritance.

"Exactly," Dumbledore said. "That is the same reason that Lucius was never able to go deeper into their network as a spy. By being neutral and not showcasing his veela nature he was barely able to get close to them. He relied on the Malfoy name more than anything." Dumbledore looked like he wanted to say something else, but held his tongue. "I'd trust Lucius not only with my life," he said instead, "but with the lives of all the children at Hogwarts." Including you, was left unsaid but it still echoed through his ears.

"Lord Malfoy mentioned that I have other mates," Harry spoke softly, "are they...?" He couldn't find the words.

"They are all good men, Harry," Dumbledore assured. "None of the others have any ties to Voldemort. To my understanding, all of them are aligned neutrally in wizarding affairs and lean towards creature rights."

All?  The word jumped out at Harry. Such a big word if Harry only had two more mates. Three, there had to be at least three others besides Lucius. Merlin, he didn't want to know. Harry had heard rumors of Snape being a dark wizard, surely Dumbledore's words meant that the Professor wasn't one of his mates, right?

"Would I recognize any of my other mates' names?" Harry asked, tense.

"I do not know if it's my place to tell you them," Dumbledore said slowly, "but I believe you would at least recognize the names of all but two."

All but two?! "How many mates do I have?" Harry blurted anxiously.

Dumbledore hesitated. "I do not think it's my place to tell you that either."

All but two. That likely meant that had at least five mates, five. The chances of one of them being Snape were terribly high. Merlin's beard—Harry was screwed.

"Is there perhaps someone you fear is your mate?" Dumbledore's voice interrupted his near panic attack.

Harry looked up at him. Was he so easily seen through?

Reading the answer on his face, Dumbledore continued. "While I do not feel comfortable telling you who your mates are, if you guess I can confirm or deny." The man had a tiny grimace and a tightness in his eyes. It took Harry a moment to understand it, but Harry believed that there was a name Dumbledore was hoping Harry didn't call.

Because indeed, what defense could he say in favor of Snape? "I only have one guess," Harry said, Fudge had a wife and three children and had no signs of being a creature.

"I think I know who you are thinking of," Dumbledore seemed to brace himself a bit.

"Is..." Harry paused to take a breath, "Is Professor Snape one of my mates?"

Dumbledore's eyes widened for a moment before he relaxed with understanding. "No, my dear boy, he is not." Harry visibly drooped in his chair, a large bubble of anxiety popping. "I can see why you might have thought that, and while it is not my place to divulge I can say that Severus Snape is nothing but a wizard."

Harry ran a hand through his hair, thanking whatever gods were out there.

"Is that why you've been so tense?" Dumbledore asked. "I can't help but notice that you appear much more relaxed knowing that Severus is not your mate."

"He's the only person I know that Lucius is friends with," Harry admitted, "but I thought that I'd either be killed by Snape or I'd jump off a cliff."

"Wizards usually bounce when falling from great heights," Dumbledore mused but didn't seem amused by Harry's words. "There's no one else you suspect to be your mate?"

Harry ran through potentials but truly came up blank. "Unless it's Minister Fudge I've got nothing." His knowledge of Lucius was only because the Weasleys hated the Malfoys and had spoken of his dealings with Fudge.

Dumbledore laughed. "Definitely not the Minister."

Then it was just a question of who Dumbledore expected Harry to guess. But Harry could honestly not think of a single person.

"Do you have any concerns or questions you'd like to ask before I summon Lucius back?" The headmaster seemed pleased with their brief discussion.

Harry shook his head. As Dumbledore had stated, any other questions would need to be answered by his mate. Harry just hoped that none of the answers would be bad.

Chapter Text

Dumbledore changed the subject away from mates and creatures and back to school. Asking about the classes he'd be pursuing and which ones he'd dropped. The only class he refused to continue taking was History of Magic which was also the only class Harry had gotten an E in. Harry learned that Binns had been nearly exorcised twice but each time had failed and that when they changed classrooms and teachers, the ghost ended up in the class anyway teaching over the hired Professor.

The Department of Mysteries and the government curse breakers were trying to figure out the reason, but for now, the students got a boring history lesson. Apparently, the curse of the defense position was real too, but it had been broken the summer after Harry's first year which was why they'd had Professor Wiggins ever since Harry's second year. Harry had been told other juicy tidbits and didn't even notice that Lucius had approached them until he was only a few feet away.

His silver eyes latched on to Harry's and a part of Harry relaxed upon seeing Lucius. It startled him as he realized why. The submissive side of Harry would only feel truly comfortable if he had one of his protectors around. Harry wondered if that feeling would disappear or grow over time.

"Harry," Lucius greeted first in a gentle voice.

"Lord Malfoy," Harry responded.

Lucius seemed to be looking over Harry's face, likely smelling the trace of past tears. "Please call me Lucius," he asked in a nearly begging tone.

Harry didn't feel comfortable with that, it seemed too intimate for only having one conversation with the man, but it was a small request. He could do that much.

Dumbledore stood, Harry and he agreed that it was best that Lucius and Harry have a conversation alone. Dumbledore thought it was due to it not being his place to stay, and Harry thinking that if he needed to hex or stun Lucius it was probably a good idea not to get caught by his Headmaster. "If you need anything else, send a Patronus," he told Lucius before turning to Harry, "and if you need anything floo call me or write me a letter."

They said their goodbyes and then it was just Lucius and Harry. Lucius slipped into Dumbledore's abandoned chair, his posture and grace immaculate. Was that a veela characteristic? Or the effect of a noble upbringing?

"Thank you for being willing to discuss things with me, Harry," Lucius said. "I am sure this has all been a surprise for you, and I want to do everything in my power to ease the transition."

Harry believed him, but he wasn't sure what the man could do. "I think it's the lack of information that's making me uneasy right now." He paused, bracing himself. "I would like to know how many...mates I have and their names."

Lucius nodded but seemed to have a hard time forming an answer.

"I've guessed by Dumbledore's choice of words that I have at least five," Harry hedged, hands tightly clasped on the table to avoid fiddling.

Lucius looked at his eyes, trying to read the secrets there. "You have eight mates, including me."

He'd expected Harry to freak out over the large number, and Harry was. Eight. Merlin. That went straight to harem levels.

Lucius tentatively reached out and placed his hand over Harry's. Harry couldn't help himself when he pulled away. He didn't need to be comforted.

"Alright," Harry's voice was tight. "Can you tell me who they are?" It wasn't Snape, and it wasn't Fudge, he'd be fine. He was always fine.

Lucius had a mental debate with himself, obviously worried about Harry fleeing to the hills. "Do you know William Weasley?"

Weasley? Harry thought over the large family. "Isn't that Bill's name, the oldest?" He could barely remember Ron talking about him, not having talked to Ron for years beyond what was necessary in classes.

Lucius nodded. "Indeed, he's twenty-six currently and will be twenty-seven at the end of November."

"I thought the Malfoys and Weasleys were..." Harry didn't know a polite way to say it. Ron hated Draco's guts, and there seemed to be a feud between the two families.

"Indeed," Lucius agreed, "we have an old feud and no one remembers how it started. I met William at Gringotts seven years ago and it took us a few months to get over our initial hesitancy. His parents often invite me to different luncheons and dinners now and I do the same in return."

"I like Mr. and Mrs. Weasley." Harry hadn't seen them since the summer before Harry's second year, but they'd been very kind to him. He still had the two sweaters Mrs. Weasley had knitted him for Christmas when he was younger.

"As do I," Lucius agreed. "Did you ever meet William?"

"No, I haven't met Charlie either." Harry did remember that Ron seemed to idolize his oldest brother. "He's a curse breaker, right?" It was a glamorous title, that only powerful and knowledgeable wizards and witches could get.

"A very talented one," Lucius seemed happy to brag about him. Veela liked to show off.

"And the others?" Harry asked.

Lucius seemed to be going through the names to find who would be best to mention next. "Our top dominant is Helios," he said, "he is a creature born."

Harry was shocked. Creature inheritances only happened on planets where creatures weren't natural and their genes were mixed with muggles or wizard kind. In other worlds, creatures were born with a full inheritance. "Then he isn't from earth?"

"No," Lucius said, "he is from a world called Shraina. I'd tell you his creature, but I imagine everyone wants to tell you themselves."

Harry wondered if Lucius was disappointed his veela heritage was so well known.

"Is he kind?" Harry asked. Top dominants were usually gruff, stern, or had sticks up their butts.

"He is going to cherish you, adore you, and spoil you rotten."

Harry couldn't prevent his smile at that. There wasn't even a moment of hesitancy from Lucius.

"The second in command is Sora Shadowford," Lucius continued, "I don't expect you to know him as he isn't a known figure in Britain." Harry shook his head in agreement. "He comes off as being mature and kind but he has a subtle mischief streak and always plays innocent when caught." Lucius rolled his eyes fondly.

"I am third in command," Lucius continued when Harry didn't have questions, "then it's William."

Harry nodded to show he was following along and not panicking over the names.

"Fifth in dominance is someone I think you'll know," Lucius seemed worried again, "Blaise Zabini."

Harry did know him, a very attractive Slytherin in his year. Often seen flirting with Theodore Nott and otherwise not interacting with any of the other classmates. Harry didn't realize he was a creature, but he'd only spoken to him a couple of times too. "Is Theodore Nott one too?"

"Seventh in dominance," Lucius confirmed.

Theodore was one of many that didn't seem to like Harry. He often acted like Harry was the scum on the bottom of his shoe, preferring Harry to be anywhere but in eyesight. He was also good friends with Draco and Harry was sure that Draco had told Theodore many terrible things about him. Those words must not have made it to Lucius's ears considering Lucius didn't seem to have any ill feelings toward him.

"Do you know Theodore?" Lucius asked.

"I've spoken to him a few times." Theodore had rarely responded. "He...I don't think he is the fondest of me."

Lucius's hand clenched for a moment and it was only coincidence that Harry caught the motion. "Does Blaise have the same inclination?"

That was a good question. Harry frowned and shifted in his chair. "I don't know." It would make sense if he did, but he'd never shown any dislike to Harry. He looked at Lucius worried. "Are they going to be mad?" Finding out your heart was someone you despised was going to be a slap in their face, how would that even work with their instincts?

"Harry," Lucius cut into Harry's thoughts. "I will make sure to speak to them and you at length separately before you have to talk or see them. I do not know what their thoughts are or will be but you are my priority."

Doubt must have shown on his face.

"It is true, Harry," Lucius said, "you are my heart. If you told me you wanted to run away or wanted to imprison the other dominants I wouldn't hesitate to help you as long as I could stay by your side." He leaned closer. "If you want the world, you need only ask."

"I don't want the world."

"What do you want?"

Happiness. "I don't know."

A light dimmed in Lucius's eyes. "You need only ask, Harry," he promised.

But Lucius couldn't give Harry what he wanted. It was not his job to make Harry happy or take away his worries. Harry's problems were his own and he wouldn't force that burden onto someone else. 

Harry easily found a conversation changer. "Blaise is fifth, Theodore is seventh, who is sixth?"

Lucius sat back in his chair. "Another you likely recognize, but hopefully not one you have bad memories of. It's Adrian Pucey."

"I've never spoken to him," Harry assured. He was a chaser for the Slytherins and had graduated from Hogwarts already. One of the few people who didn't cheat or commit fouls on the Slytherin team. It was interesting to think that he was less dominant than Blaise though, especially when Blaise seemed to have a one-track mind flirting with Theodore.

"And the last?" It truly wasn't as bad as he'd expected. A lot of people. But no one he was scared of and no one he hated. Theodore didn't like him, but it wasn't all that bad. Harry would like to be eased into it if possible, and take things slow, but with Lucius being reasonable and amendable, things would be fine. He'd be fine. There was no Snape to worry about.

Lucius didn't try to draw out his words like he had before. He spoke the name softly, "Draco."

It took Harry a second to realize he hadn't misheard. Another second for Harry to realize how tense Lucius was. A third second to realize that Lucius was not ignorant of Draco's behavior and a fourth to realize that Draco was almost as bad as having Snape as a mate.

Draco was spoiled rotten. A complete prat who took out his frustrations on Harry and was pissed that Harry didn't bow down to him like the others did. Draco had spoiled his potions in class, tried to knock him off his broom during quidditch, hexed him in the hallways, spread terrible rumors about him, and thought it was his duty to call Harry every rude name under the sun and mock him about subjects that should have remained taboo.

Harry hated Draco and apparently, his father wasn't ignorant of the misery his son had caused him. He'd somehow forgotten that Draco was the spawn that Lucius had raised. It would have been Lucius to instill Draco's core beliefs. 

"I am going to talk to him, Harry," Lucius urged Harry to listen, "I am sorry that I did not put a stop to Draco's behavior. The excuses I have mean nothing in comparison to your pain."

Excuses? What excuses could the man have? If Harry's child was getting into a fight at least once a month (because Draco only seemed to be caught or punished once a month) he'd put an end to it.

But even that wasn't what was really upsetting him. Harry hated Draco, yes. But Draco had an equal amount of hate toward him. His insides squirmed unpleasantly, feeling sick to his stomach. It had to be his creature instincts, twisting about under the uncomfortable thought that one of his dominants hated him.

Go jump off the astronomy tower, Potter. Do us all a favor.

"You are my priority, Harry. Not Draco."

Harry held his hands up, stopping the man. He kept saying those words, saying that Harry was his priority like they were words from Merlin himself. Tears stung his eyes but didn't fall. This wasn't right. Prioritizing a mate over his son?

He wanted to yell at Lucius and hit him over the head until he could understand the rollercoaster of emotions that were happening inside of Harry. Actually, Harry didn't want to talk about it anymore, Harry had nothing else to say. It wasn't his job to point out all the wrongs in Lucius's words.

Harry struggled for a change of subject, coming up pathetically blank unless he wanted to comment on the weather. He'd wanted to know who his mates were and how many he had and now he knew. So caught up in these details, Harry hadn't thought about what needed to happen after. What happened now? It wasn't the happily ever after people spoke about when they found their mates. It was just the beginning, one that Harry was reluctant to have.

Harry spent a moment thinking about it.

In theory, the next step was meeting them. But Draco hated him, Theodore thought Harry was disgusting, Blaise was head over heels for Theodore and likely had no fond feelings toward Harry, and Adrian and Draco had been on the same team for a long time—there was no way Draco hadn't said something to turn Adrian's thoughts sour toward Harry. That left Lucius who was Draco's father and likely believed some of the crap Draco and Severus spewed, two strangers he'd never heard of, and Bill—or William—who Harry had never met but was the older brother of Ron who Harry had a tense relationship with.

Harry had to stifle a groan. 

There were millions out there who would sell their soul to be in Harry's position. But Harry just wanted to close his eyes and dream it all away. This was the story of his life, he'd entered the Dursley's with them already writing him off as a freak, he'd entered the wizarding world with them thinking he was some child savior, and now he'd entered his mateship with them thinking he was an awful person. He could never just be himself, could never have a fresh start.

"Harry, what can I do?"

He blinked back the tears in his eyes and lowered his hands. 'Buck up, this isn't the end of the world,' he told himself.

Harry swallowed to make sure his voice was clear. "I'm fine," he lied.

Lucius flinched—hard as if he'd slapped the man. There was pain and horror on his face and he grabbed at his chest, closing his eyes. Harry was perplexed and then shocked—beyond shocked to see that the man had a tear trickling down his cheek. Lucius Malfoy, thought to be one of the most intimidating and terrifying men in the British Isles was crying. Fighting back tears.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked. If wizards had heart attacks, Harry would think the man was having one. Harry stood up slowly from his seat when the man said nothing and looked around for someone who might have cursed the man. The change of emotions had happened way too suddenly to be natural. "Are you hurt?" He pulled his wand out, not wanting to use it, but prepared if he had to.

Scanning around, Harry saw no one suspicious. There was hardly anyone in sight except for a few casual walkers and a few children playing in the distance. There were privacy spells up too so no one would be able to hear their discussion—courtesy of Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Lucius opened his eyes, another tear slipping out, acting like he was pleading for mercy. "I'm so sorry."

Harry felt uneasy. Had Lucius done something wrong? Was he seeking forgiveness in advance for something? This was too extreme of a reaction for it to be about Draco.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't trust me," the words seemed like poison in Lucius's mouth. "I will make it up to you, I promise."

He was acting like Harry had rejected him which... No, Harry had said nothing wrong.

"I—I'm sorry." Lucius seemed unable to say anymore, trying to control himself. His silver eyes closed again, this time for multiple awkward seconds as Harry tried to figure out what to do. His fight or flight instincts were kicking in, geared towards flight. He looked down the path, how terrible of a person would he be if he just left Lucius to cry? Harry figured he'd have a defense because he was halfway positive the man had done something bad.

Lucius then seemed to be able to control whatever problem had come when he sat up from his nearly folded position. "Harry," he spoke, misery in his eyes but his words were stable, "Helios, your top dominant, wants to come here. Is that alright?"

No—not at all! Harry didn't want to meet any other mates right now. Rejection was on the tip of his tongue. But...Lucius looked pained, his hand was trembling on his chest, back hunched over. Far from the proud aristocrat. Harry didn't know what to do, so Harry nodded for Lucius's sake. Today was just one unprepared surprise after another.

"He'll be here in a few moments," Lucius warned but it barely came in time before threads and wisps of magic formed by Lucius's side. Greys, pale greens and yellows, light reds and oranges, magic became visible as it formed a tornado-like oval. When the magic dissipated, a humongous man appeared.

Harry instinctively took a step back away from him. If Harry thought that Lucius was tall, then there was no describing this. Helios had to be over seven feet, well over seven feet. Did humans get that tall? No, that's right. Lucius had said he was a creature-born, Helios might look human, but he wasn't.

Harry's head tilted back to look at Helios's face. He had thick, long brown hair. The top part of his hair was bound back and the hair by his ears had been braided with metal clasps holding it together. He also had two larger chunks from the underside of his hair clasped together with larger metal clasps and pulled over his shoulders to frame either side of his neck. The rest was loose, going past his shoulders.

Helios's eyes were light, and Harry was torn if they were blue or purple from their distance. They stood out like stars against his sun-tanned skin. His beard was as thick as his hair, but it was cut close to his skin and was sculpted so it followed his jawline and curved over his lips. He looked like a perfectly carved statue, the masterpiece of a collection, the perfect form for a warrior. His arms were bigger than Harry's thighs, and his thighs were at least double Harry's torso. Armor sculpted him, showcasing his muscles and there was a fur pelt hanging like a cape over his shoulders and back. What massive creature had it come from? Then there was the wide sword that was casually strapped high up on his side without a sheath that he suspected was a good few inches taller than Harry.

What the bloody hell did they feed people on other worlds?

Except...when Harry looked at him, eyes running up and down, he did not feel intimidated—well, he didn't feel scared at least. There was something about Helios, his energy, that gave Harry warmth and comfort. His instincts which had been clenching and curling since he'd first seen Lucius relaxed like they'd been waiting for Helios. Perhaps they had.

This was his mate, his top dominant, his greatest protector.

Helios waved a lazy finger and Harry felt more than saw a barrier surrounding them. The trio should have been catching the eyes of every passerby even with the privacy wards, but the few looks Lucius and Harry had received now turned to none.

Helios placed a hand on Lucius's shoulder but kept his eyes on Harry's. "Go home, don't speak to the others. I've already alerted them not to bother you." His voice was deep and resonated like the warmth of a cello's low notes.

Lucius's lips were pressed together and he took one last pained look at Harry, I'm sorry, seemed to be written in his eyes.

The man was gone with a portkey before Harry could say anything. Just as Dumbledore had left Lucius and him, now Lucius had left him with a stranger.

When the last blur of Lucius disappeared, Helios sank, kneeling with his right knee up. He bent his left leg even more so he was shorter, halfway sitting on it.

Harry couldn't find his voice, couldn't form a smile. He didn't know what to do.

Helios didn't smile either though and somehow the silence wasn't awkward. The energy the man exuded seemed to fill the surrounding space in place of words. Did everyone feel such comfort being in the man's presence? Was it a mating thing? A creature thing?

Helios stretched out his left hand, the palm facing up. Harry surprised himself by not hesitating. He stepped forward to place his hand on Helios's. It was like a magnet had drawn him in. The size difference was almost amusing, but Harry was more preoccupied with the sensation of the callouses and the overall roughness of his hands.

Helios shifted his hand back until he was grabbing Harry's curious fingers in his palm and guided both of their hands up until Harry's knuckles were pressed against Helios's forehead. Harry had to take a small step forward, now directly by his large, armored leg. Helios closed his eyes before Harry could examine the color further yet was easily distracted by the warmth of the man's forehead. There was no trace of sweat, but the man's body temperature was higher than normal. Harry wondered if his hand felt cold in return.

Helios kept Harry's hands pressed there for several seconds, a greeting Harry was unfamiliar with. He didn't let go of Harry's hand when he removed it from his forehead and instead moved it downward to press Harry's knuckles to his lips. It was almost teasing, the man didn't kiss his hand but Harry could feel his nose breathe against his skin.

Harry panicked for a brief second, wondering when he'd last washed his hand before remembering that he'd washed it after he'd puked this afternoon. It had been scentless soap, the standard. Did it make him smell bad though? Was the man even smelling him?

Helios's eyes opened and Harry lost his train of thought. They were... purple-ish? Blue-ish? The name of the color was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't place it. They were pale, pastel, with a thick black ring surrounding the iris. Harry couldn't look away, it was almost like magic.

Harry's hand was moved again. Helios slid it down his face and then maneuvered until Harry's palm and fingers were partially wrapped around his large neck. Harry's thumb was pressed purposefully into the pulse point. The heartbeat was slow, steady, and solid. Helios kept his hand over Harry's not letting it slip away from its place.

Time lost meaning as Harry's world and worries disappeared from his mind. It was only Helios's eyes and heart. The dominant's blinks became slower and Harry's unknowingly followed along until his green eyes closed completely. He didn't fall asleep, it was just a deeply meditative state.

At some point, Helios's right hand stretched upward to Harry's face, gentle and cupping. He sank into Helios's hand, leaning his weight into it.

There were no thoughts and his heartbeat changed to match the older man's. Only a beautiful shade that wasn't purple and wasn't blue filled his mind.

The scent of wood and pine filled Harry's nose.

He could softly feel Helios's breath on his wrist where his sleeve had fallen back. Just as calm as his heart rate.

Eternity could be spent this way.

When Helios slid Harry's hand away from his neck, Harry became aware that at some point he'd sat, or been guided, onto Helios's knee. Harry's side was flushed with his armor. Helios's right arm had wrapped around Harry's torso. His hand was able to reach Harry's neck where his calloused fingers brushed against Harry's pulse point before moving away.

Harry felt no embarrassment. The moment was too intimate for that. His soul felt like it had been coaxed out of its shell and accepted completely. There was nothing to hide, Helios could already see all. Just as Harry could see him. He barely knew a single thing about Helios and yet Harry did not doubt that he would be safe with him. There was nothing to sense except kindness, patience, and the beginnings of a love so deep no bottom would ever be found. Harry opened his eyes, removing his head from Helios's chest, and let his hand fall to his side.

"Sulom ni von," Helios spoke softly before translating, "you are more beautiful than the sun."

Harry found his smile, it curled at his lips and crinkled his eyes. In that moment he felt it, like he was the light in Helios's world.

"I am Helios," he continued, his lips forming a soft smile, "and I am honored to spend eternity with you."

"I am honored to spend my immortal life with you too," Harry responded, his voice a touch lower than normal. Harry moved off of Helios's knee, his legs having to extend down because Harry's shorter legs had been dangling—if the man told him he had giant blood, Harry wouldn't be surprised.

Helios stood from his kneel as well and Harry guessed that the top of his head came just below his sternum. Bloody hell.

He looked away to hide his tiny blush and noticed that the sun was distinctly lower on the horizon. "How long...?" had they been cuddling? Had Harry been mesmerized by him?

"Just over an hour," Helios said. "It's a technique taught by my people. It's used as a first greeting between protectors and their submissive. It aligns their breathing and hearts, and stills the mind." Helios tucked a piece of hair behind Harry's ear before his hand lowered back to Harry's neck. "The heart places their hand on the protector's neck, holding their life in their hands. A protector places their hand on the submissive's neck, guarding the weak spot. A protector gets a sense of fulfillment from it and I've heard that hearts get a relaxed and peaceful sensation."

Harry nodded. "I feel completely calm, I could have stayed like that for hours."

There was a bit of pride in Helios's eyes. "As could I. We shall do it as often as you desire."

The words 'every day' were on his lips, but Harry pushed them down and nodded instead. He didn't want to have Helios mistake his words as a demand or make him do something he didn't want to either. Harry also didn't know Helios, despite no longer thinking he was a stranger.

Helios removed his hand but guided Harry back to his chair. Helios took the other one, moving it so it was closer to Harry, and then sitting. It was almost amusing at how large Helios appeared next to the table.

"Is Lord Malfoy all right?" Harry asked as his mind started operating again. 

"He is upset at himself," Helios reached into a small bag, or what he made look small, and began pulling out different food items. He focused on an orange, peeling back the skin. Harry wondered why Helios didn't use a spell. "Lucius takes pride in being able to predict and control situations and today he had no control over hurting you. His words affected you negatively and he couldn't think of a way to make you happy or content. His instincts were leaping ahead, wanting to know a solution, wanting you to tell him what to do. The tears I scent on your skin would have amplified this. As you haven't known Lucius long enough you weren't able to tell him what you needed. Lucius couldn't understand amongst the wave of new instincts why you weren't trying to get support from him. He and the creature side of him became pained at the idea of being useless. It's a common occurrence for newly mated people as instincts go haywire until the bond is settled." Helios spoke the words like he was reading them from a paper, it made it hard for Harry to feel guilty or panicked over them—likely his intention.

"I thought he'd been cursed or hexed," Harry admitted.

"That would have been scary," he sympathized.

"It was."

Helios handed Harry an orange slice which he bit in half to eat. Helios tossed two full slices into his own mouth. After swallowing, he spoke, "Through the bond, I sensed that Lucius wasn't going to be able to calm down or calm you which was when I asked to come here." Another orange slice was passed to Harry. "I know you wanted to speak to Lucius alone, so I apologize for inviting myself."

Harry shook his head, placing a hand over his mouth as he hastily swallowed his mouthful. "I was reluctant because I wasn't sure what you'd think of me. I didn't know who you were, or what rumors you'd heard about me. The others, or at least Draco and Theodore, don't like me." His insides twisted again at the thought and he stared at the fruit in his hand. "I didn't want to meet someone who was..." Helios waited patiently for Harry to finish his sentence, but Harry didn't know where he was going with his words. "You make me feel safe," Harry said instead and plopped the fruit into his mouth so he wouldn't be expected to say more.

Helios handed Harry another fruit slice but trailed his finger down one of Harry's. "You have no idea how happy that makes me to hear." Harry had to concentrate to keep his eyes open at the sensation as the man stroked back and forth. "I also want you to know that you will always be safe with me. I can protect you from every person in this world." Seeing the casual displays of magic the man had done to arrive, Harry believed him without a single doubt. "I will talk to your other mates but you will not have to see them until you are ready. Theodore and Draco will have to prove themselves before they speak to you and I will be having multiple conversations with them until I can understand and correct their behavior. As for Lucius, I will have a discussion with him tomorrow. He needs time to think things over with his instincts and creature senses before I point out what he's doing."

Harry remembered the tears the blonde had shed, the pain he'd been in. "Isn't that too long?" To spend a night like that? 

"Lucius had to repress his creature when he had his inheritance. If he doesn't have this time right now, it is likely to happen again."

Harry supposed he could understand. "Could we—" Harry cut himself off and sucked in his bottom lip, uncertain.

Helios surprised Harry by not pressing, not asking him to continue. He patiently waited for Harry to decide if he wanted to speak or change his words. The man trusted Harry's mind, seemed to trust Harry to tell him anything that needed to be said.

"Could we have a discussion about Theodore and the others at some point too?" Harry asked, finding his voice. "There are some—I mean, there are—" Harry sighed, not knowing how to phrase it.

Helios remained silent, giving Harry time to formulate his words. He pressed another orange slice into Harry's palm but continued to have a patient expression. He didn't try to finish Harry's sentence, didn't try to guess what Harry was trying to say. Helios listened, truly listened. Harry found that he wasn't afraid to speak, wasn't afraid the man would misinterpret his words.

"There are a lot of rumors about me," Harry said, "and Draco and I didn't have good first impressions of each other but Draco has a personality that makes it hard for him to get over things and I honestly deserve some of that hostility. But, I would like to tell you things from my perspective. A lot of the things they're going to say are just false facts people think are true."

Helios waited a second to make sure Harry was done speaking. "I would appreciate having a conversation with you, but you do not have to justify yourself or any actions you have taken. I am on your side, always. Talk to me when you are comfortable speaking about it and if you have to do it in small pieces, that is fine too. If you have done something wrong, I will help you fix it, just as I will help Draco and Theodore fix their wrongdoings. Though, I feel like it's going to be a group effort to deal with those two."

There was a tiny grimace on the man's face that made Harry smile a bit in amusement. Talking to Draco would not be fun.

"Could I maybe tell you why Draco doesn't like me then?" Harry asked before rushing, "From my perspective that is."

Helios nodded and Harry began telling the man about Harry's first interaction with Draco where Draco had been rude to his friends but had extended an invitation of friendship which Harry solidly refused. Then their next interaction with Draco stealing Neville's Remembrall and the aftermath of Harry being placed on the Quidditch team which was Draco's dream. 

"I apologized to him a month later," Harry said, "I hadn't realized at the time how rude it was to ignore a wizard's offer of alliance. I grew up not knowing about the wizarding world, I didn't even know I was a wizard myself until I was eleven. I think Draco thought a teacher put me up to it and sent a jinx at me before storming off. I didn't try to apologize again and Draco still hasn't forgiven me. It's just gotten worse over time. I admit I've lost my temper with him a few times too which doesn't help the situation." And Harry hadn't forgiven Draco either, didn't know if he could. 

"You are very mature to have thought things through this much," Helios complimented. "I know myself how much Draco keeps a grudge and how he prides his image over everything else. It wouldn't have been easy to apologize or be this level-headed about it. I would have hung Draco by his feet if I were in your shoes."

Harry shrugged. He wasn't level-headed, he was resigned. 

"Was Theodore the same way? A bad start that he hasn't gotten over?" Helios asked.

Harry shook his head. "The first time I talked to Theodore was toward the end of my first year. I've only talked to him a couple of times when we are paired up in class and only about school work. He just doesn't like me. He hasn't done anything, he just..." Harry shrugged not sure how to describe the way Theodore looked at him, the way Theodore seemed to do all he could to avoid Harry. "I don't know if I did something or if Draco said something to him." Or Snape said something, considering the bat was the Head of Slytherin. "I know of some of the rumors Draco has spread about me but I don't know who believes them."

"Blaise and Adrian have likely heard them too," Helios mused nodding his head, calculating things over. His eyes moved back to Harry's. "I will talk to them, Harry. I'll see what they have to say and knock some sense into any of them that paid more attention to rumors than the facts standing in front of them." He made no mention of what he'd do with Draco, but Harry didn't know what could be done. Helios probably needed to come up with a plan too. He'd need more information than the little Harry had said.

Helios seemed to sense that Harry was weary of the subject and because they'd finished the orange, he pulled out a hunk of cheese and began to cut it a slice at a time. He handed a piece to Harry. "When I first came to this world I was astounded at how many people there were. Earth is a tiny and nearly insignificant world in comparison to the hundreds of thousands of worlds out there. Despite that, I was pulled here as if someone was leading me here by a string. I spent a hundred years here, traveling the world before I met Sora. He tried to stab me at our first greeting, pulled out a knife out of nowhere and I barely stopped it an inch from my skin and throat."

"What?" Harry exclaimed.

Helios chuckled. "It was a play for dominance to decide who would be the top dominant out of the two of us. When I caught the knife, he let go and just shrugged saying he didn't want the responsibility that came at being at the top. Then he introduced himself. Later that night when we slept under the stars he tried to strangle me with his power. I ended up reacting so forcibly that Sora was flung over a hundred feet away, plopping like a cherry into the lake that was miraculously there. I thought I'd killed him when Sora casually surfaced and swam to shore. He ignored me, saying he was tired and wanted to sleep some more."

"Was he still fighting you for dominance?" Harry asked.

"He never stopped," Helios admitted, "not until we met Lucius. Having that little bird around and utterly dominating him seemed to soothe Sora's creature's desire for dominance."

The thought of Lucius being 'utterly dominated' was amusing. "Little bird?"

"Because he struts around like the peacocks he's so fond of."

Harry grinned.

"His nickname was little cock initially, shortened from peacock, but he wasn't fond of it for some reason." Helios's lips were barely curled but he soon joined in with Harry's gleeful laughter.

"Please tell me that's true," Harry begged around chuckles.

"I sometimes still call him it."

As their conversation strayed from current matters and onto stories that Helios told, Harry knew that everyone was going to be okay. Being mated was terrifying especially with people that didn't like him, but Helios was here and with every passing second Harry could see himself easily falling into love.

Chapter Text

Theodore waited for death.

Theodore had been reading through his arithmancy school books when Lucius's bond and emotions went overboard with happiness. It pulled Theodore out of his thoughts immediately. He nearly forced the bond deeper in his mind where it wouldn't disturb him when he realized how odd the emotion was. Lucius, who was always poised and controlled, rarely caused the bond to stir unless he was angry—and this wasn't anger. The level of happiness and excitement was completely exaggerated like Lucius was the happiest he could ever be. Theodore's mind made the connection in an instant. This level of happiness could only be that a mate had been found, and based on the extreme level of emotion, it had to be their submissive.

It was chaos as Theodore shoved Adrian's legs off his lap. Both of them scrambled to stand and ran out of the upstairs library. Adrian had realized what was happening too. They pounded across the floor and stairs until Adrian's excited mind found reality again and he reached out, grabbed Theodore's wrist tightly, and disapparated. The manor only allowed people to disapparate and apparate in the house if they were tied into the wards and even then they were only able to go to the large parlor which was the indoor apparition and portkey point of the house.

Theodore stumbled a bit when they landed, not expecting the sudden transportation. 

Sora and Helios were already there and waiting, which was surprising as they had both been at work. Sora at Saint Mungo's and Helios at the Britain portal to the otherworld. The two of them must not have delayed for a single moment to beat Theodore and Adrian who had been in the house. Blaise soon portkeyed in as well, he had gone shopping after looking over his halfway-packed trunk. After a couple of minutes, Draco and William apparated in but at that point, Lucius's emotions started going sour. The initial excitement was leaking away and shifting to worry.

"I'm going to find him," Helios said before disappearing.

All of them were focused on their bond with Lucius. The excitement slid away completely and Lucius became stressed, nervous, panicked, and desperate.

Theodore's first thought was the worst one, the biggest fear of every dominant: rejection. Lucius might be being rejected by their submissive. But, the less negative side of him reasoned, they weren't at war and Lucius was a very influential man in society. People would fall over backward to have a relationship with him. Narcissa had done everything she could to prevent the divorce from happening just based on the Malfoy name alone. 

The excited jabber they'd been sharing turned into uneasy words. Theodore kept the 'r' word to himself, the others could draw their own conclusions, but Theodore didn't want to cause more panic especially when he had a habit of thinking the worst.

They talked over each other, trying to brainstorm what was happening or who their mate was. They tried to nudge at Lucius's barriers, getting worried about what was taking so long. They couldn't communicate to Lucius with their bond, only Helios had completed the bond with Lucius and could communicate with him that way but they could annoy the hell out of the veela. Lucius should have found their mate and brought him back to the manor immediately so everyone could meet him. What could be happening to disturb that plan?

A house elf appeared in the room, ushering Sora out and Theodore caught the elf forming the word 'office'.

"I bet father contacted him," Draco scoffed as Sora left the room. Draco didn't like being left out.

"Lucius might have contacted both Sora and Helios," William pointed out. "They're the head dominants for a reason. If something has gone wrong then they're the ones that need to be informed of it first."

"Not when it involves our mate," Draco argued, and the flame in the fireplace flared at his words. "I know they've waited a long time, but any issues about our heart should be heard by all of us. Each of us brings our skills and knowledge to this mateship, their age doesn't make them more qualified."

"I agree," Blaise said. "I don't like the emotion I'm feeling from Lucius. If something is wrong then we should all be allowed to help."

Theodore didn't agree. Helios and Sora would only keep something this important away from their ears if it was delicate. If their mate was in danger, they'd all be called in. If their mate was in a bad situation, they'd all be called in. But they weren't. To Theodore's mind, this meant that there was a risk that their mate wasn't accepting them as mates. He wanted to say these words out loud but bit his tongue. They'd only cause an argument that would inevitably lead to a fight with how wound up everyone was getting. 

It was when Sora returned twenty minutes later that their bonds shifted. Helios's annoyance tamed down completely until they could feel nothing and Lucius's emotions seemed to calm down as well.

"What's going on?" Draco asked.

Sora looked upward and took in a deep breath. Sora's black hair was covered in grey soot and his ivory face was covered in ash. He'd floo called someone, likely Lucius. "I've been told not to tell you," Sora admitted. "I don't know if I want to tell you either." Theodore noticed how Sora seemed to avoid looking at Draco. Had Lucius done something and caused Sora unable to look at Draco as a result? The two did look fairly similar.

"Who is our mate?" Draco asked, stepping forward. "Why isn't he here? Is he rejecting us?"

Sora's jaw clenched and unclenched. "I cannot speak of it, Draco." There was a slight edge in his voice, a warning to listen. Sora didn't deny they were being rejected.

"That's ridiculous!" Blaise shouted, quickly backed up by Adrian and Theodore. They had to know, had to fix it.

"Why hasn't Lucius come back with our mate?" Adrian asked, his voice soft. 

"You should at least tell us what you can," Theodore added. "Did Lucius meet our mate?" Maybe it wasn't their heart, maybe it was another dominant. 

Sora looked at them all, the healer seemed to soften briefly at their anxiety-ridden faces but when he looked at the angry veela in the room, his eyes flinched with hardness. Blaise and Theodore exchanged looks, their second dominant was definitely upset at Draco for some reason. "I can tell you that Lucius did find our submissive," Sora said, voice calm as he moved more to the center of the room. "However, the little heart didn't know that he was a submissive and didn't realize he'd have more than one mate. He also had some concerns over the rumors about Lucius being a death eater but there don't seem to be any signs of him rejecting Lucius or us." 

It was somewhat reassuring but raised a lot more questions.

"Didn't know he was a submissive?" Draco balked. "That's ridiculous."

"He might be newly inherited," William pointed out. "Some creatures are more obscure than others."

"Helios and Lucius will get him adjusted. We just have to be gentle and take things slow," Sora said. 

Theodore glanced at Blaise who had told him hundreds of fantasies about meeting their mate, all of them started with snogging their heart and ended with their mate writhing in pleasure beneath him. Was slow in Blaise's vocabulary?

"Then what's the issue?" William ran a hand through his long, red hair. "Helios and Lucius have taken nearly every class there is on helping a heart adjust. They should be able to solve this, especially when Lucius clears his name."

Sora's lips pressed together. "I've told you what I can."

"That's ridiculous!" Draco shouted, "You haven't told us anything!"

"Calm down, Draco," Sora ordered. "Today is not the day to have a temper tantrum. Communicate like a reasonable person or remove yourself from the room."

Draco hissed, showing his displeasure but he bared his neck too. He'd listen and try to obey, but he wouldn't be happy about it.

"Who is our mate?" Adrian asked quietly, "Surely we can know that." Adrian's tone was begging, his fantasies about their heart were usually along the lines of chocolate and flowers, sweet poems, and love songs. Gooey, disgusting, and absolutely adorable.

"I can not say," Sora repeated, his black eyes pleading for them to understand.

Draco, who had been looking down still, did not see the emotion. Instead, the faint control he still had disappeared. His wings sprang out, much too big for the parlor and their black inkiness seemed to dim the light and strengthen the shadows. "He is our mate! Of course, you can fucking say!" Draco stomped toward Sora, likely prepared to throw fists if Sora didn't answer.

Theodore felt like thrashing Sora too, desperate for information, but he could read the situation more than Draco could. Something was going on, something was wrong, something that either Draco or the Malfoy family had done. Sora didn't get mad at people often, and if he did he was the first to acknowledge the problem and the first to try and fix it. 

William stepped between Sora and Draco, trying to be a peacekeeper but Sora easily pushed the taller man aside. Sora was the second dom, he didn't need help defending himself. "Do not demand answers from me right now, Draco," Sora warned, "I have already warned you once—"

Draco lunged, fire forming in the fists of his hands, sharp talons extending from his fingers. Theodore swore and moved forward—everyone moving to pull Draco back but Sora didn't even take a single second to take Draco down. He sidestepped and tripped Draco, forming magical binds before the Veela could even hit the ground. 

Draco's black, feathered wings were bound tightly, not able to move an inch and Draco's wrists had been pulled back until he was hogtied to his ankles. Draco opened his mouth but Sora snapped his fingers and nothing came out. There was a reason the healer was second dominant, reasons that were usually forgotten with Sora's personality. Theodore winced at the bindings and stopped his too-late attempt to stop Draco. It would be a painful hold, especially with a creature so new in his inheritance.

Only William continued to move and he went in between Sora and Draco. "Is this necessary?" William asked, speaking where the others were too nervous to. "Draco only inherited a few months ago, his control is weak over his emotions and creature."

Draco's angry thrashing continued, and from Theodore's angle, he could see Draco mouthing curses, not caring if he couldn't be heard. 

"It will only be for a few minutes," Sora said, bypassing William until he could kneel beside Draco. Sora placed his hand on Draco's neck, squeezing. It had the effect of Draco immediately submitting, his struggles stopping which would ease the pain of his bonds. "If Helios or Lucius need me, I need to be available to move out. Draco isn't going to be able to calm down until he knows the full situation or meets our mate. As you said, he's newly inherited. He doesn't have the control to maintain a steady mind. If he stays up here, he's just going to attack someone again. I'll bring him to the dungeon until he can keep his temper in check."

There was logic in Sora's words, but there were other binding spells too. The slight anger Sora showed was likely the reason for his choice. Theodore didn't say anything though. In this situation, it would come out like a challenge of authority if he said Draco should be bound differently and Draco had attacked Sora. As long as he was still the bindings wouldn't hurt too bad, they'd just be uncomfortable.

William appeared to have a similar mindset and moved to separate the two so Draco didn't stir up more of Sora's ire. "Then you can keep an eye on things here, and I will go to the dungeons with Draco. I was planning on having a lesson with him later tonight, now is a good chance to teach him so he's more prepared for our mate." 

"I'll go as well," Adrian unexpectedly volunteered. 

Sora nodded and stood. "I will come to you if I get any information I can share," he promised. "Draco can come up once you deem he is in control and not likely to have an outburst."

Those words riled up Draco once more causing William to levitate a thrashing Draco quickly before he could hurt himself. There was murder in Draco's eyes and Theodore suspected it was going to be a long time before Draco was let out. 

Adrian shot Blaise and Theodore a look like he was contemplating staying instead of having to deal with a pissed-off mate but followed after the two anyway.

Sora watched them depart, lost in thought and Theodore was not going to be the one to break the silence. Blaise too remained quiet but tugged on Theodore's hand to guide him to the couch. Theodore sat down heavily, leaning against Blaise. Looking into himself, he could sense the seven bonds in the corner of his mind. The strongest was with Blaise, then Helios, then Draco and Adrian, followed up by William, Sora, and Lucius whom he only had an initial bond. 

Draco's anger was nearly overwhelming and Theodore shoved the bond further back to dim it and pulled at Lucius's who seemed a bit more relaxed than before. That was at least a good sign.

Blaise knocked on Theodore's bond, they'd long since completed the bonding rights and had the necessary and pleasurable sex to allow their bond to deepen enough to communicate mentally with each other. Theodore slid his walls down and heard Blaise's voice immediately. "Sora is mad at Draco." 

"I agree," Theodore was grateful to hear Blaise thought so too, "but it might be he's mad at something Lucius has done and is taking it out on Draco." 

"No," Blaise subtly shook his head, "that isn't something Sora would do." 

"What could Draco have done though?" Theodore had been thumbing through his mind and memories and come up blank. "Sora was teasing Draco this morning and wasn't angry at all. He isn't the type to punish as he did with the bindings." 

"I think it has to do with our submissive's identity."

"What?"

Blaise glanced toward Sora who was now staring out a window. "He's refusing to say who it is. If the person was a stranger then he wouldn't hesitate to say it.  That means that at least one of us knows our submissive or would recognize the name and that person is at least Draco." 

Theodore could see why Blaise thought that, but it didn't seem quite right. "We should know everyone that Draco does." The earth creature and wizard society were close-knit, everyone knew everyone, and Theodore and Blaise ran in nearly the exact circles that Draco did. 

"Yet it is only Draco Sora seems mad at," Blaise agreed but continued with his theory, "Think about Draco, his personality. Before Hogwarts, Draco was a snotty kid who couldn't make a friend, much less keep one. He's tamed down since Hogwarts but there's a lot of people who don't know that Draco's changed. If our mate is someone Draco met as a child, he could have insulted or offended him. That combined with Lucius's death eater reputation could be scaring off our mate."

That seemed like a leap, Theodore wondered how Blaise got to that conclusion. Had he thought of it before? "But why wouldn't Sora tell us his name?"  It made no sense to keep that detail from them. They'd find out soon. If Draco had insulted their mate, wouldn't it be best to know ahead of time so they could plan an apology? There had to be another reason.

Theodore and Blaise bounced off different ideas and thoughts, clasping hands before moving on to what they'd do when they'd meet their submissive.

"You might have to rethink your snogging fantasy," Theodore teased even though he didn't feel the light-heartedness that should have gone along with his words.

"Does that mean I need to get my snogging urges out early?" Blaise leaned in, lips parted in invitation. 

Theodore wanted to, really wanted to, Blaise always had a way of making Theodore forget about all the bad things in the world. But he couldn't get in the mood when Lucius's bond was still uneasy and Draco was still working off his anger. Draco really was the stereotype for veela with how volatile he was.

Blaise seemed to understand because he pulled back and instead pulled on Theodore until Theodore rested his head on Blaise's chest.

"We have a tentative plan," Sora spoke, turning away from the window so quickly his long black hair danced in the air. He had apparently been speaking through his link with Helios. "Lucius is talking to our mate and we're hoping that the little heart will be willing to speak to Helios as well. If all goes well, Lucius and Helios will gain his trust. We can slowly, over the next few days, meet him a person at a time so we don't overwhelm him."

"Is he going to reject us?" Blaise asked, his voice soft. If their mate was planning on rejecting them, Sora and Helios would want to spare them the pain of telling them. Sora hadn't answered Draco when the veela had asked that too.

Sora looked between the two, looking at their fearful faces. His face collapsed with sympathy. "Oh, my sweet dominants." Sora moved over to them, kneeling before them. He grabbed their joined hands with both of his and kissed the back of both of them. "Not at all. Our heart is not going to be rejecting us. From what Lucius has said, our heart is just overwhelmed and a bit scared."

"I just don't understand why we can't know everything," Theodore admitted, but he bared his neck to prove he wasn't trying to defy Sora, just wanted to express his emotions. 

Sora ran his thumbs over their hands. "I won't lie to you, the situation is complicated. It isn't going to be a walk in the park. The reason I'm not saying more is because Helios wants to have individual conversations with everyone."

Individual conversations? That didn't make any sense. None of this made sense.

Something, stress or worry, must have shown on Theodore's face or through the bond because Sora stood up and pulled Theodore up as well. Sora wrapped his arms around him, pulling him in. Theodore relaxed into the powerful healer, and Sora leaned down a bit to graze his teeth against Theodore's neck. It was relaxing in a way no mortal could understand. Theodore was a dominant, but he wasn't the top dominant. He didn't have to know everything or take care of everything, he just had to trust that those higher than him in the hierarchy had things figured out. The teeth against his skin were a reminder of that trust. Sora was here, he'd figure things out. Sora would make sure everything turned out alright.

When Theodore's stress abated, Sora pulled back and moved in front of Blaise who was still uneasy. Sora leaned down and placed one hand on the back of the couch while he titled Blaise's head back. They kissed deeply, Sora's tongue flicked out to tease Blaise before pulling away, threatening to end the kiss. Blaise pushed himself into a half-standing position and fisted Sora's shirt to keep him close. Sora smiled as their lips met again, having expected the younger man's reaction. Their lips sank into each other's and Blaise relaxed back down to the couch. When Sora pulled away again, after a solid thirty seconds, Blaise let him go breathing through his mouth.

The tension in Blaise's shoulders was gone.

Sora would have been the top dominant in nearly every other mating, he always seemed to know what everyone needed.

"I'm going to go talk to the others and let them know the same things." Sora's eyes flickered between the two, but Sora had already eased their minds. "I'll be back up soon. If you're hungry ask the house elves for dinner."

Dinner was the one meal everyone spent together, it was their daily family meal. It was a sad thought to think on the day they'd finally met their submissive they wouldn't have one.

When Sora left, Theodore contemplated getting his arithmancy book from upstairs but Lucius's growing emotions stopped him. The aristocrat was nervous, very nervous. It seemed to build up like a volcano and horror bubbled up too, but when the volcano exploded it was with agony, guilt, and a sense of failure.

Theodore stopped breathing. Sora had said they wouldn't get rejected. Sora has said they'd be fine.

If that was the case, what was happening now?

Had Sora been wrong?

Lucius appeared in the living room, stumbling and holding his chest. There were tears on his face.

Theodore moved forward, supporting Lucius as he looked like he was about to fall. "Let go of me!" Lucius snarled and pushed Theodore away. Not expecting it, Theodore fell to the ground, looking up at the veela in shock. Wings like Draco's but much larger ripped out from Lucius's shirt, the fabric tearing easily without the necessary charms to preserve it. "This is your fault!" Lucius yelled. "This is all your fault!"

Blaise stepped between them, defying the higher dominant by protecting Theodore, and looked ready to shift himself.

Theodore's mind was slow to catch up. His fault? His? What had Theodore done?

Sora was there, obviously apparating into the room by the large cracking sound. "Lucius!" he shouted, placing himself in front of Blaise. "Control yourself! Helios gave his orders."

Lucius hissed and retracted his wings, having much more control than his son. Lucius raised his hand, sending his cane back into his hand where he'd dropped it. The man, usually the picture of propriety, didn't care enough to wipe his cheeks or put on his shirt as he thundered away. 

Theodore was still sprawled out on the ground, shocked. The stare Lucius gave him on his way out was cold, glaring, and spoke of accusation.

But what had he done?

Blaise tried to help him up, but Theodore swatted his hands away and pushed himself up. He blocked out his bonds with the others, not letting Blaise in, and left the room when Blaise and Sora both tried to approach him again. They were speaking, but he could not hear their words. He took refuge in his personal study, the only room the others couldn't force themselves into.

He didn't want to hear what they had to say. He wanted to know what was going on with their heart. What he had done to make Lucius so upset. The only thing he could think of was that Theodore must have done something to their heart, something so terrible that their heart had either rejected Lucius or been close to it. 

Theodore couldn't think of any other reason why Lucius would come back to the manor crying. It meant that Theodore himself was going to be rejected. If it was his fault, then the only way to save the situation was to be rejected and hope that Lucius was allowed to stay. But Theodore couldn't bring himself to offer that either. Didn't have the guts to approach Lucius and tell him that Theodore would fix it. Didn't have the guts to reach out to Helios to tell him he'd accept responsibility.

He had no choice but to wait. Wait for Helios to come and talk to him.

Sora had lied. 

Their individual talks were going to be Helios explaining that their heart didn't want him. Likely didn't want Draco or Lucius either. 

But what had Theodore done?

Was it his parents? Theodore's father had been a death eater, arrested three years ago and rotting in Azkaban and his mother had died for the evil cause when Theodore was only a year old. Theodore had grown up with their beliefs instilled like Merlin's words in his mind and hadn't realized how wrong his parents were until he was twelve and shifted for the first time. It was then that he'd started to form his own beliefs instead of listening blindly to his parents, especially when his father had nearly killed him when he'd found out Theodore had a creature inheritance.

Was it Theodore himself? He'd never expressed or shown any of his family's beliefs outside of his house when he'd believed them, but maybe he'd subconsciously done something terrible?

Had he done something? Something so bad that he'd blocked it out from his mind?

Theodore waited. Not sleeping, not eating, just thinking his entire life over in preparation for the end of it. Theodore would not survive the rejection, if his creature didn't end his life, Theodore would. 

Theodore waited for death.

Chapter Text

The rest of Harry's night ended up being very domestic and Harry kept expecting to get nervous, but he never did. Helios and he continued to talk, or Helios talked as Harry wasn't in much of a talking mood. Helios told him many things such as his job as a guard at the otherworld gate to prevent invaders from coming to the small world of Earth. He was not the head guard, but only because he didn't have the desire to have that sort of responsibility for a position he didn't care for too much. He wanted to ensure the safety of Earth but didn't care for the title and paperwork that came from a high position. That didn't stop people from asking Helios to be promoted every other year, an attempt to keep him here.

When it started getting dark and Helios had fed Harry and himself with lots of fruit, cheese, and bread, it was Harry who asked if Helios wanted to stay the night with him. It felt right. Harry didn't want to be alone, and he doubted Helios wanted him to be alone for the night too. He'd read that much about the instincts of dominants. When they made it back to Harry's hotel room, Helios didn't make even the slightest sexual move. Nor did he ask why Harry was staying in a hotel instead of with his family. He seemed to realize that asking questions was not going to end well. Instead, Helios spelled Harry's teeth clean so he wouldn't have to use his muggle toothbrush and they changed into pajamas. Harry appreciated that.

Helios also transfigured the sofa into a bed to sleep on—that Harry did not appreciate.

One bed became two, but Harry wished the second bed would catch fire. He didn't want to have sex or even make out with the man, but Harry had felt so safe in his arms. Having him in the same room but out of reach would be torture.

"Are you alright?" Helios asked when Harry didn't slip into the sheets that the giant of a man had kindly pulled down. "I can stand guard at the door if you'd prefer."

Harry shook his head and laid down, pulling the covers up to his chin. He was being ridiculous. He didn't need a giant teddy bear to sleep with.

"Harry," Helios stepped by his, "speak to me, please. Tell me what you're thinking. What's upset you?"

Harry pulled the covers up a notch higher to cover his mouth, nose, and cheeks. He couldn't look at Helios when he muttered, "We don't need two beds." Merlin strike him down.

"If I sleep next to you, I won't be able to control myself to not hold you," Helios explained with a gentle smile. "I'm good at taming my instincts but I can't stop myself when I'm asleep."

Harry couldn't say the words, feeling shy. Some mates met and started fucking within ten seconds, but Helios had clearly read Harry's desire to take things slow and was being respectful of it. Cuddling was a step Harry wanted to initiate though. Harry scooted over to the far left side of the bed and pulled the blanket up and over, a silent invitation that Helios took silently as well.

The bed dipped at Helios's weight, but not as much as it would have if it was a muggle bed. With a wave of Helios's hand, the bed grew in length but the width of the King size bed stayed the same. It could have been mistaken for a twin with how much room Helios took up. Harry had no qualms about scooting toward Helios when he lifted his arm. He pulled Harry even closer until they were chest to chest, heat sinking into Harry, and moved his hand to Harry's neck. His thumb rubbed at the pulse point for a moment before shifting to cover almost all of it, protecting the weak point. It was the same place he'd cupped earlier that day. It should have made Harry feel vulnerable, especially when Vernon had choked him a few times before, but Harry felt gooey on the inside. His protector was here and Harry would have to worry about nothing.

Helios moved his hand away from his neck and brushed a lock of Harry's long hair away from his face, tucking it behind his ear. The hair was something even Harry hadn't gotten used to and he'd chopped it off once in annoyance when syrup had been slathered over it when he'd been eating pancakes. He had awoken the next morning with it the same waist-length, mimicking what it had done when he was younger and his Aunt had tried to give him hideous haircuts.

Harry blinked and looked down at Helios's chest. Why was he thinking about his relatives so much? 

"Are you not tired?" Helios asked softly. "I made an assumption due to your yawns, but if your mind is racing or you do not wish to sleep yet, we don't have to."

"I am tired," Harry said. But if he slept now, it was likely that he'd have nightmares which would be a miserable first impression. He needed to think about something else, get his aunt and uncle to the back of his mind. Get Draco, Theodore, and Blaise into the back of his mind. Helios ran a hand through his hair and Harry's eyes closed for a long moment, soaking up the deep warmth of his hand. "Can I ask what your creature is? Lucius said you were a creature born."

He opened his eyes again and stared into Helios's. Periwinkle, that was the color of them. Such a gentle shade.

There was a smile on his face, prideful. "Do you have any guesses?"

A giant? He suspected the man to be close to eight feet. That wasn't a guess to say out loud though, giants were most notably thought to be idiots after people got over their heights. "You're warm," Harry said instead. "Maybe a creature that has to do with fire?"

"Very good," Helios praised. "I am a sundysti." Harry shook his head at the foreign word. "A dragon."

Harry sat up with wide eyes, the idea of sleep long gone now. "Really?" Harry moved until he was sitting on his knees partially leaning over Helios. "A dragon? You're a creature-born dragon?"

Helios smiled and chuckled a little. He sat up so his elbows were taking his weight. Harry noticed the muscles flex against the cotton sleep shirt. "I am. In dragon form, you'd fit into one of my claws easily and I'd likely cover you from head to toe."

A dragon whose hand was the size of Harry? Harry was nearly breathless with the thought. How big must Helios be? "So cool," Harry whispered out. 

Helios's smile widened. "Very cool," he agreed and when he flexed, Harry was sure it was on purpose. Harry didn't mind that he was stroking that man's pride. "Sundrysti means that I am not just a dragon, but a very powerful dragon, one of the royal dragons on my home-world though royal has a different meaning than it does on earth."

"What does it mean?" Harry asked.

"It means that I come from the bloodline of the ruler of my world, but not all those who share blood with the ruler end up inheriting the characteristics of a sundrysti." Helios held out his hand and Harry watched as deep purple scales appeared on the hand. "The purple color is unique to sundrysti. Although the ruler has had dozens of children who have in turn had dozens of children, out of the thousands of descendants I am one of seventeen who have inherited the royal scales."

"Which means?" Harry reached out and ran his finger over the scales, they were smooth but hard like metal. 

"Not much," Helios shrugged. "I am to be given respect from everyone in my home world and am treated like royalty but I do not have any power or authority over anyone. The ruler is my nine-times great-grandfather and he is over three hundred thousand years old, I've only met him twice in my life. Once with my inheritance and once when I decided to leave the world to search for you."

Three hundred thousand years old? That seemed insane. 

"Inheritance?" Harry asked. "Aren't you a creature-born?"

Helios nodded his head. "A bit confusing, but I was born in human form, not dragon form. It takes newborns anywhere from a couple of minutes to a few years to shift to their dragon form for the first time. I was a few months old and it was only then that it was realized that I was a sundrysti and not just a dragon."

Harry continued to pepper the man with questions and Helios didn't seem to care in the slightest as he told Harry about his home world and family. Harry didn't notice himself sinking back onto the bed, or his eyelids sinking lower as time passed, and he was lost in the blackness of sleep when Helios wrapped an arm around him and kissed his forehead. "Rovinta he je trinta." Rest my eternal sun for I am here to guard you.

Harry awoke not on the bed but lying chest to chest on top of Helios. Harry's arms were raised, one loosely around the side of the dragon's throat and the other fisting the soft material of Helios's shirt. Breathing in deeply, he let out a happy and content hum. Helios was warm, like a heater, but it didn't cause Harry to sweat or feel stifled even with the blanket pulled over him.

"Good morning, Harry," Helios said, his voice clear even with the morning hour.

Harry hummed again and Helios realized that Harry wasn't ready to wake up completely. He ran his fingers through Harry's long hair, gently combing through any snarls he found. Peace, this was what peace was. 

After a few moments of soaking it in, Harry moved and rolled off Helios who gently guided him to the soft bed. Harry stretched, arms raised up and back arching. When he opened his eyes, it was easy to make eye contact with Helios who'd moved to his side.

"Morning," Harry whispered, feeling a little self-conscious over having morning breath and looking at Helios reminded Harry of how attractive he was. How had Harry been paired with such a handsome man? How lucky did Harry have to be to have this man be devoted to him? There didn't seem to be a single hair out of place or snarled, Harry didn't look that good in the morning. He was tempted to pull the sheet over himself or pull it over Helios until he could get ready for the day.

"Did you sleep well?" Helios didn't let Harry be shy as he slowly leaned in and kissed Harry's forehead. 

He nodded with a soft smile and rolled out of bed. "Did you sleep well?" Harry asked in turn when he was at a distance enough that morning breath wouldn't be an issue. Helios's breath smelt like mint, a sign of another cleaning charm. He rummaged in his trunk a bit but tried to keep his eyes politely on his mate.

"Very well," Helios said as he sat up, rubbing a finger against his lips which drew Harry's attention to the slight upward twitch he was trying to hide. He'd amused Helios somehow. Harry found that he couldn't become embarrassed and stopped the odd desire to stick his tongue out at him. 

Harry lowered his head and fished out another nice pair of robes, these had wider sleeves but were tight across the chest. He also snuck his toothbrush and toothpaste into the mix by hiding them amongst the folds of the clothes. "I'm going to take a quick shower and get dressed," Harry told him. "You said that I was going to be meeting Sora today, right?" There was only a twinge of nerves. Helios said they'd take it slow, meeting Sora first, and then he wouldn't have to meet the others until Helios talked to them.

Helios nodded. "You'll like him, everyone does."

The few stories Helios had told him were of Sora trying to halfway kill Helios and Lucius had said the man liked playing pranks, Harry didn't know what to think of Sora but he was intrigued. 

He quickly got ready for the day, brushing his teeth first thoroughly while getting undressed and thinking things over a bit. 

His shower was fast with the help of the cheap but neat wizarding shampoo and conditioner he had. You had to scrub it in, but it would rinse out within seconds when put in water. Lathering his body with soap took the longest and not wanting to be seen as taking too long, he made sure to rush that too. 

No steam had the time to form in the bathroom when Harry got out, so he shivered a bit as he dragged a towel roughly over himself before using it to trap his hair in a wrap so it wasn't dripping everywhere. Helios had already patiently waited for Harry to wake up and had let Harry sleep on him, there was no point in making him wait any longer when he might be hungry. Harry had glanced at a muggle watch in his trunk when he'd gotten his clothes and it was nearing nine in the morning, far later than he usually slept.

Brushing his hair out with a few winces at the snarls, he made it out of the bathroom fully dressed within six minutes of entering and tried to look like he hadn't rushed as he exited to put his used pajamas in a section of his trunk and then casually glanced over at where Helios had been laying only to find the man shirtless and unhurriedly putting a new one on. Muscles on top of muscles, and how many abs was someone able to have? Because he had them all. Harry thought of his measly four-pack that had shrunken over the summer from the six-pack he'd gained from quidditch. 

"Do you want to have breakfast with just me?" Helios asked. "Or would you be alright if Sora joined us?" 

The words didn't register in Harry's mind until a shirt was over Helios's stomach and he burned bright at realizing he'd been caught nearly drooling at his top dominant. "He can come for breakfast if he hasn't eaten yet," Harry said quickly hoping to distract him.

"I'll let him know that." Helios took mercy on him by not bringing up his wandering eyes. "I don't believe he's eaten. Would you prefer to eat at a restaurant? Or do you want to get take out and eat somewhere more intimate?"

Harry thought about it. "Can we eat in the muggle world?" he asked tentatively. Helios was tall and would stand out, but Harry would be gossiped and stared at if they ate in the wizarding world.

"We can." Helios agreed without hesitation. "I know a good scone restaurant if that sounds good."

Harry agreed easily.

"I'll tell Sora to meet us there, he's excited to meet you but if you get overwhelmed or need to take things slower, just let me know." Harry found himself captured by Helios's eyes, such gentle eyes. 

"I will," Harry promised, and he found himself meaning it too.

Helios didn't apparate Harry into muggle London, instead, he did something called portaling where he essentially ripped through space and formed a bubble of magic around them to protect them before pushing them through the tear he'd created. There was no moving involved and to Harry, he felt nothing but waves of magic before Helios retracted his magic back inside of himself. Harry already had the idea that Helios was powerful, but Harry suspected that he was still underestimating the dragon.

Harry could tell that Sora was there before he saw the man. In the muggle world where everything was black and white, there was a glimmer of magic inside the restaurant. 

Helios had wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulder when portaling them, and he kept it there now as he guided Harry inside. 

"Welcome," a woman said, not blinking twice at Helios's unnatural height which was likely being glamoured or hidden somehow. "Table for two?"

"We are meeting someone here, I believe he's sitting in the back room."

The woman nodded and pointed out the doorway before going back to slyly looking at a newspaper. 

At the narrow doorway, Helios let Harry walk ahead, and all too soon they came upon a smaller room with only a few tables. One had a muggle couple sitting down at it and the only other occupied table only had a single man at it. He had already pushed himself into standing when Helios and Harry walked in. 

The image Harry had conjured in his mind didn't fit with the man he saw. 

Helios had glamoured Harry's robes so muggles wouldn't care about them (good thing as Harry only had one outfit of somewhat acceptable muggle clothing) and he imagined Sora had done something similar as his robes looked more—or exactly like—a kimono. One that was grey and blue. His hair had also been pulled up into a messy ponytail but the long, silken black hair reached down past his hips, far longer than Harry's and he had shorter strands hanging out loosely to frame his face. His skin was pale, which made his black eyes stand out even more but the most noticeable thing was Sora's ears. They were pointed, Sora was undoubtedly a high elf.

It wasn't cool like a dragon was, but it was awe-worthy as high elves were supposed to have abandoned Earth entirely over five thousand years ago.

Where Helios was bulky and a powerhouse, Sora was built more graceful—toned and leaned like a panther or cheetah. As the legends rumored, elves looked like they'd been carved by the gods themselves. Harry didn't doubt it as he caught sight of prominent and sharp cheekbones. Fair, ethereal, and beautiful.

Sora's eyebrows rose when he looked at Harry, and he noticeably tried to tame a large grin, softening it to a smile. He gracefully bowed his head to Harry, placing a hand over his chest. "My dreams were unable to conjure how beautiful you would be in reality," Sora said in place of a greeting. "Please forgive me if you catch me admiring you."

Harry thought about himself gawking at Helios and wondered if he was that attractive in their minds too. "Only if you forgive me for doing the same."

Sora moved his hand away from his chest and out to Harry. "Sora Shadowford."

Harry took the hand and watched as Sora raised it to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it. It was when Sora looked at Harry under his eyelashes, that Harry caught sight of the demon the others had spoken about that was resting inside of his angelic body. The glimmer in his dark eyes, sparkling energy that promised Harry that life would not be boring with this man in it. Far from it, Sora was dangerous.

Harry couldn't stop the wide grin spreading across his face. "Harry Potter." 

Sora's eyes widened a notch, but Harry doubted the man was reacting to his name which had doubtlessly already been mentioned.

Sora released his hand and stood up from his bow, easily over six feet but dwarfed by Helios. His eyes never left Harry's, ignoring the top dominant as if they were the only people in the room. "Now that we've introduced ourselves, is it too early for me to propose?"

"Sora!" Helios reprimanded with a twinge of worry but stopped as Harry laughed.

Sora glanced at Helios. "I was asking hypothetically. I haven't made any amulets yet so it would take at least a week—unless you'd prefer the mortal tradition of rings?" Sora raised an eyebrow at Harry, guiding him to one of the three seats that was around a circular table.

Harry laughed again, covering his mouth with a hand. 

"A meal would be the next step, Sora."  Helios shook his head but had a small smile on his face too as all of them sat down, Sora with lithe grace. 

"You have to admit," Harry said as he looked at Helios, "a proposal is better than an assassination attempt."

"Telling him about the best sides of me, I see." Sora draped the cloth napkin across his lip. "Did he also tell you about the time that I saved us from a nest of over a thousand fairies when we couldn't use magic?"

Helios grimaced a notch but didn't interrupt as Sora went on to tell Harry a tale that ended with Sora being a hero and Helios having bright pink and green polka-dot hair for a week.

They were nearly done with their meal when Sora and Helios stopped telling stories easily pulled from them by Harry. A single glance from Helios had Sora excusing himself to the restroom.

"Harry," Helios asked, "would you feel completely comfortable in Sora's company if I left after breakfast? If not, just say the word and I won't leave your side until you ask me."

"I'd feel safe," the words didn't even hesitate to come out of his mouth. "Are you...?"

"I'll go talk to the others," Helios confirmed. "If you want me to come back, just tell Sora even if you only want me back for a few minutes. If he scares you or makes you uncertain, Sora will likely call me back but if he doesn't just ask him to and he'll listen."

"I'll ask for you," Harry promised and watched Helios's shoulders relax.

Twenty minutes later, it was just Sora and Harry. He expected nerves to sink into him, but they didn't

"Shall we go?" Sora asked as he stood, holding his hand out to Harry. "I have a few ideas on how we can spend our morning, they range from going to France to shop for complementary couple outfits to going to a movie theater and sneaking in candy." Yes, Harry was fine.

Chapter Text

Harry hadn't expected to go to Spain when he'd woken up that morning, but Spain was where he was. He'd always wanted to leave the country, preferably never coming back, but he'd expected it to be a hassle. Instead, it had taken Sora all of three seconds to portal them to one of the many magical districts the country had. Harry wondered if portaling was illegal, especially when crossing foreign borders, and then found he didn't want to know the answer so he could actually play the innocent card if they ended up getting arrested.

He hadn't been able to choose what to do, his insides getting twisted over the thought of picking something that Sora didn't want to do. It was ridiculous, especially when Sora had given Harry just under a dozen options. Sora thankfully seemed to understand and took pity on Harry, which was why they were now walking slowly through Esmera which was similar to Diagon Alley or Wistf Alley but was focused more on luxury items and incredible magical trinkets. It was an amazing sight to see.

"Enchanters are considered in very high esteem not just in Spain but throughout all the otherworlds," Sora said as he escorted Harry down the street. "There are amazing feats of magic that can only be made possible with power, knowledge, and imagination." He pointed a long finger at a crystal orb that was showing a replay of an amazing and famous quidditch goal. "These were invented only seventy thousand years ago, being able to lock memories or record the world around you and show it to others. They've been disseminated throughout the universe and the knowledge has been shared and modified, we're able to see scenes that took place millions of years ago with them." Like a television, but so much better.

It seemed impossible to Harry who had never thought about life lasting that long. He felt so small in comparison and liked that feeling. Harry Potter was no one to the universe. It made the burden and pressure on his shoulders lessen every time he thought of it. He was no one.

Sora reached down with the hand he'd pointed with and grabbed Harry's hand, gently pulling him toward a shop. Harry had a thought to pull away but ended up wrapping his fingers over the man's palm. This was his mate—his mate, not someone bad, not someone who was playing a prank on him. "Here's the shop I was looking for," Sora said, giving an excited smile to Harry.

He pushed through the door before Harry had a chance to look through the window and when Harry's eyes adjusted to the dimmer light of the shop he was a bit perplexed when the first thing he saw was a glass case with ribbons inside of it.

Sora pulled Harry through and he saw that there seemed to be all sorts of hair...decorations? Tools? What did girls call hair stuff? There were pins, clips, and clasps and one wall had crowns and circlets.

"All elves are considered to be beautiful by other races," Sora told Harry, leaning down and to the side a bit so he could speak lower. "Yet, what truly makes one elf more gorgeous than another is their hair. Hair cannot be grown magically and the few magics out there that do will still cause the hair to not be the same as natural hair. It must be grown over time to truly be something of amazement. The length, thickness, color, and how it's styled will attract different suitors and there have been legends and songs passed down about the elves with the most beautiful hair. You've likely heard of the story of Rapunzel, the muggles have utterly butchered it. So very few things remain the same from the true story but it speaks of our current elvish queen who has the most wondrous and long hair anyone has ever seen."

Harry looked up at Sora's hair, it was pulled into a ponytail but there were a few dainty braids in it too and it was held together by some pretty circular metal thing. "I like your hair," Harry found himself complimenting. "I haven't seen braids like that before."

Sora opened his mouth but stopped his words as well as his steps. His gentle black eyes ran over Harry's face and Sora opened his mouth again, his eyes lit with a thousand shooting stars but once more Sora stopped himself from speaking. 

Had Harry said something wrong? He shuffled a bit, wondering if he should pull away.

"Thank you, Harry," Sora said a moment later, squeezing his hand. His lips pressed into an adoring smile and Harry had the feeling that his simple compliment was actually a lot more than the small one he'd meant. Harry resolved to find an accurate book on elvish culture, though he doubted he'd find one—at least not in this world. Sora began walking again. "The braids are the easiest kind there are, they're called twist braids. I can teach you if you want."

Harry nodded, forcing his mind out of the spiraling thoughts. "I'd appreciate that. I was planning on learning hairstyle spells once I go to Hogwarts, I don't know what to do with long hair, my hair was short before my inheritance." He pulled on a strand of his hair in emphasis, even brushing it was hard and painful half the time.

Sora made a noise of disagreement. "You want to be careful using magic directly on hair, it doesn't affect mortals but after a few thousand years, it'll become brittle. Only by doing it by hand will it remain healthy. If you'd let me, I'd be honored to teach you. I can also do your hair for you."

"You'd do that?"

"If you'd let me, I'll do your hair every day and forgo teaching you a single thing." Sora ran his eyes slowly over Harry's hair before meeting his eyes. "If you don't want me to, that's alright but I warn you that I'm not above pleading and begging."

"You want to do my hair?" Harry viewed his hair as a chore, him trying to chop it off hadn't been a spur-of-the-moment decision.

"I do not know how to phrase my eagerness to," Sora admitted. "It truly is a difference in culture. A submissive not allowing their dominant to touch their hair is seen as the worst punishment. At the same time, a submissive must grant permission to their dominant to allow us to so much as run their hands through it. As I said, I am not above begging and piling presents around your feet until you are buried in them to bribe and woo you into letting me."

Harry ran his hands through his hair, it'd been regrown by magic, would it feel different from naturally grown hair? Would it be different? He looked at it, a little self-conscious about it. It felt like hair...but he'd never felt anyone else's hair except for when he plucked a strand of someone's fallen hair off his clothes.

"How can you tell if hair is magically grown or naturally grown?" He asked. Harry oddly didn't want to disappoint Sora by telling him the truth if he could prevent it.

"It's easy to tell with a single look," Sora said and it made Harry worry until Sora continued. "Hair like yours and my own have no magical imprint on it that is formed by the creation of fake or false hair. Even though your hair was grown due to your inheritance, it was still naturally given to you by magic and is formed from cells."

"So my hair is natural?" That wasn't true though...he'd chopped it off.

"It is. I can see a magical aura as a second sight if I concentrate and your hair is real. It is beautiful. Elves do not have any curls or waves in their hair naturally and would spend hours trying to get the wavy look you naturally have."

Huh, Harry wondered what Sora would have said about the untamable bird's nest he had before. "Thank you." Harry decided not to mention that it wasn't real by Sora's definition. Accidental magic was known to do impossible things and as he hadn't consciously regrown it perhaps it actually was natural and magic given somehow.

Sora led Harry over to a glass case while he examined his hair for a bit longer and Harry blinked down at the ribbons in the case. There were only nine, the six primary colors, white, grey, and black. They looked normal to Harry, made of some sort of silken material.

"Why are they behind a case?" he asked.

"They have different runes and protections inscribed to them on the inside of the ribbon," Sora explained patiently as he looked over them. Harry wondered if his second sight allowed him to view the runes and magic or if he was admiring them. "They're small enough that a talented witch or wizard could steal them easily if they weren't behind the glass and it wouldn't be smart to add anti-theft protections directly to the ribbons."

"Those are just for display," the shopkeeper spoke in heavily accented English. "For people to try on. If you are interested, I will pull an unused ribbon from the safe."

"Do you like them?" Sora asked Harry. "The length and width of them would be good for your hair and the colors can be changed too."

Harry felt like an idiot for not realizing Sora wanted to purchase one for him. "I don't need a ribbon with protections," Harry said, "there's a store at Diagon Alley that sells some that look just like these. I can buy those."

"You could," Sora agreed, "but I'd like to purchase you at least one ribbon. I have hopes that you might allow me to play with your hair once we leave here and I'd like to mark the occasion with something special." His black eyes were a bit begging. "Please?" he added when Harry said nothing.

He thought back to Ron not letting Harry purchase anything for him and decided to relent no matter how uncomfortable it made Harry. "Just one," he said and then felt ungrateful and bratty and rushed on, "but I don't need any gifts in the future. I'll let you play with my hair any time."

"Truthfully?" Sora held out his spare hand and reached for Harry's hair, hovering above it as if it were a delicate treasure. "You'll let me?" 

Harry could only nod. It was just hair in his mind, but Sora's hopeful and almost disbelieving expression made it seem like Harry had permitted Sora to do something intimate.

Sora reached out, his hand steady and fingers splayed. Gently, as if brushing delicate cobwebs he ran his fingers through Harry's black hair, miraculously not finding any snarls, and sectioned out a long strand. He smoothed his thumb over the hair and then surprised Harry by lifting it to his lips and bowing down. Placing a kiss on the hair, Sora looked up at Harry. The tiny demon wasn't there in his eyes, or if it was, it'd been temporarily tamed into a worshipping angel. "Trevena, Harry. Your permission lights my soul." Sora hovered for a few more moments, eyes only for the black waves before he let go, letting the hair spill through his fingers as he stood. The lock Sora kissed got lost amongst the other strands as if the special attention it had been given meant nothing.

Harry couldn't continue looking at Sora and he glanced down at his shoes, reminding himself to breathe. He wasn't breathless from the intimacy but from the sudden tightness and nervousness in his chest. It was hair, to Harry it was nearly worthless but Sora's importance of it made him feel shy and a bit uncomfortable now that the moment had passed. He was just Harry...no one, he was no one. 

Yet, yesterday at this time he'd been slowly going through his belongings trying to waste time and fill his mind with something other than how lonely he felt. Harry had been pitying himself and feeling annoyed with himself that he was pitying himself but Hedwig had been sleeping and Harry had wished that he had someone to write to. It was his fault that he didn't. He'd chosen not to have friends, but sometimes the reality of that decision seemed to gnaw at him during quiet moments.

Now, he was in Spain with Sora, his dominant mate, being... cherished. Sora didn't know anything about him, didn't even know that his hair was fake, that Harry was fake, that he put up a false image for people to see while hiding the real him. Except, Sora did see him. Maybe? Could he? He was seeing Harry now as Harry stood silently, looking at his shoes, wondering if he should pull his hand away. It would be easy, he'd just let go and pull back. Sora wouldn't be mad, but it might hurt him... It wasn't just Sora to worry about though. Harry didn't have just one mate, he had eight and he'd only read two books about creature inheritances and the mating process. To go from no one to eight...or maybe not eight because who knew if they'd all accept him, or want him once they figured out how messed up he was. Helios and Sora might not read The Prophet, but the others did and the rumor mill at Hogwarts was never in his favor. Then there was Draco, and Merlin Harry didn't want to think about that. What if Harry didn't have a chance to show them the good side of him before they painted a bad picture of him? What if—

"Harry?"

He looked up, the tone said that it wasn't the first time Sora had tried talking to him. Harry absently noticed that he had a small blue box in his hand. "Sorry," he apologized trying to get his mind out of his head which was as impossible as it sounded. He tried out a smile. "What store did you want to go to next?"

Sora didn't buy it. "I've upset you," Sora said, flickering his eyes between both of Harry's. "I apologize. I didn't mean to overwhelm you, or pressure you."

"You didn't," Harry tried denying and when Sora looked at him imploringly he found himself continuing without thought. "You just don't know me..." He bit his lip. "No one does, but The Prophet keeps printing lies and there's always someone at school who comes up with a rumor about me. I just worry that you will all think what you read and hear is true and that the me you see is fake." Obnoxious, bull-headed, cocky, foolish, arrogant.

"I trust what I see before me," Sora said, reaching out to cup Harry's face gently in his hands so Harry couldn't look down. "And what I've seen in the few hours I've known you is that the centuries I've waited for you have been well worth it. If I had to wait a million more years for you, I'd gladly bide my time and dream of you every night. If you want something, want me to do anything, or stop doing something, you need only ask. If you want to go back to your home, I will escort you there. If you want to be alone, just say the word."

Harry's hand clenched around Sora's, he didn't know what he wanted but, "I don't want to be alone."

"Then I will never leave your side."

When Helios unblocked the bond to his other six mates, he'd been prepared for anxiety, fear, anger, and even depression but he came across a mess of emotions so intense and wildly different that he didn't know where to start. He thumbed through them one at a time.

Lucius was angry, anxious, afraid, and shamed. He'd tried to handle things yesterday and the heightened emotions of the situation including the actions of his son had made the usually cool and controlled man unravel. It would not be fun or easy to put Lucius back together.

Blaise was a ball of anxiety, to the point where he'd made himself literally sick and nauseous with worry.

Adrian wasn't much better, the little introvert seemed to have neglected to drink anything while constantly crying and now had a very bad headache that would go away with a potion, but Adrian seemed to appreciate the pain as a form of self-punishment.

William was overwhelmed and stressed, likely feeling the pressure of the other's emotions while being scared himself. With Sora, Helios, and Lucius out of commission, it was his responsibility to take care of the others and William had no information or words of assurance for himself much less the others.

Draco had been consumed by his veela, but his rage was simmering and waiting for a target to lash out and blame. He'd only had his inheritance a few months ago and Helios had thought he'd have a lot longer to tame the volatile creature before finding their submissive. 

Theodore... Helios grimaced.

Sora had told him that they'd all locked themselves in their offices, wanting to be left alone until Helios returned and finally gave them the information they all desperately wanted. It had driven Sora nearly mad, but he didn't want to invade their privacy when he'd sworn to Helios that the top dominant would be the one to inform them of everything. 

Helios took a few minutes to think about the order to get at least some of them back together. It was a stereotype for people to think that meeting your mates and submissive was the beginning of the happily ever after, that it was love at first sight. The reality was that while there was a honeymoon period for a lot of people, nevertheless it was mainly a lot of hard work to balance personalities. Most submissives only had two mates, it was an oddity to have three. Having eight was something that had never happened on Earth and only happened on major planets that had trillions of people where it could occur once every few hundred thousand years, and even then it was rare to be seen more than once or twice in the span of a million years.

They'd be powerful, undeniably so when they got past this mountain of a roadblock, they'd feed off each other's powers and would gain nine times the strength—and far more as the years ticked by. Right now though, it only meant nine times the work and making sure that his adorable but timid submissive didn't get scared off.

The problems seemed to stack on top of him the more he thought about it and he brushed it off. One thing at a time, one problem at a time, one step at a time.

Deciding to ease himself into the chaos, Helios walked to the north wing where William's office was. He knocked on the door at the same time he knocked on William's bond, alerting him that he was there.

The door nearly tore off the hinges with how fast William opened it. "Come in, Helios," he said with the scent of fire whiskey on his breath, speaking the literal magic words to give Helios permission to enter.

Helios entered, closing the door behind him. William was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, and his long hair was loose from its normal bun. There was a bandage on his arm and Helios stepped forward to remove it only for William to take a step back. "My arm can wait, please tell me that our submissive is alright."

He really shouldn't have expected anything different. "I left him minutes ago, he was laughing at Sora's stories, hanging onto his every word."

William let out a breath, falling back as his legs weakened and he rested a hand against his desk to stabilize himself. "Is he going to reject us?"

Helios had been wondering that too, not with himself or Sora but with Draco, Lucius, and potentially Theodore and Blaise. "He will not reject you unless you do something horrifying in the future, I believe he'll soon hang onto your every word too." That much he was sure from the little he'd gleaned from Harry. "Our submissive is beautiful, Sora was nearly stunned to silence as was I. He's a bit shy and doesn't like to talk about himself but I think he's just slow to warm up. We'll have to take things slow with him, move at his pace, and ease him into the creature world but I wouldn't wish to spend eternity with anyone else. He is precious."

As he'd thought, William relaxed more and more at his words. He nodded his head. "Who is it? Who's our submissive?"

Helios paused for William's benefit. "Harry Potter."

"Morgana's cunt." He paled losing the little coloring he had.

Helios stepped forward making William sit in a nearby chair. He took the shock as an opportunity to unravel the bandages to look at three shallow, healing slash marks that had been self-tended instead of being healed by Sora. Looking at the claw marks, it was easy to tell that it was Draco's doing. Helios pushed his magic into the arm to heal the wounds until no mark remained while William digested that news.

"But—he's only sixteen, isn't he?" William asked when he found his voice. "That's young for submissives who only have one mate, much less eight."

"He is very young," Helios agreed—unheard of young, "but magic determines when an inheritance occurs and sixteen verses twenty-five isn't that different."

"What about Draco?" William looked up. "And Lucius, he said that it was all Theodore's fault."

"Harry is wary of Theodore because Theodore apparently dislikes him. Harry fears that Theodore hates him but according to our heart," who Helios wasn't sure if he could trust about this, "Theodore hasn't done anything to him."

"Fuck," William swore and Helios could see the anger rising in him. "Fuck, I've heard Draco ragging about Harry, and Percy told me about the bullying issue that the teachers never seemed to do anything about."

Helios took a deep breath himself and smoothed his emotions back, not repressed but calmed. It would be all too easy to rise to anger himself but that was an emotion that only clouded judgment and caused harm. "We won't let Harry be hurt anymore," he promised, "and Lucius and I will be talking to Draco. I already have a few plans, but this isn't something for you to worry about right now."

"But, if Harry rejects Draco it's likely that Lucius will get a second-hand rejection and waste away with Draco. It'd devastate Harry to essentially kill them, but if he doesn't reject Draco then he's going to have his bully as his dominant. I don't trust Draco with that kind of position with what he's done to Harry."

"Neither do I," Helios admitted. "I don't think Harry will reject Draco, though I don't know for certain. Even if Draco deserves it, I don't think Harry has an edge inside him hard enough to go through with it. But, I do know mates that have made it through far worse and far more horrific things. When Lucius and I talk to Draco and we gain a complete understanding, I'll talk to you about the exact details of our plan. We have Harry and the others to worry about now."

William raised a hand to his head, rubbing at the spot between his brows. "I tried to talk to the others, but they hid in their offices the first moment they got. I stayed out with Sora until he left and pounded on doors trying to get inside all of yesterday and halfway through the night but they wouldn't open up."

"I'm sure you and Sora did all you could." Helios looked down at his worn dominant. The man was a caregiver, having helped raise six younger siblings. He wasn't used to sitting back and doing nothing.

"I don't know about that," William denied. "But more importantly, what are we going to do with the living situation at Hogwarts?" They'd only just found that Blaise and Theodore were their mates and they'd come up with a plan to stay in a family quarter and had added Draco immediately to the mix when he had his inheritance.

"I believe I'll be requesting another family chamber," Helios said. "One for Harry so he isn't in a dorm with his peers. I believe he'll trust Sora and me at least to live there with him, perhaps with separate rooms so we don't overwhelm him completely. If he is comfortable with you or anyone else, we'll have them in the chambers as well, but if he isn't they can be in the other chamber." It was likely that Draco and Lucius would be the last two in that room. "I haven't talked to Harry about it, but I will."

"Is it just Theodore, Lucius, and Draco that we have concerns about?"

"I don't know." Helios had to be careful not to have antagonistic body language, upset that he had to worry about all his mates, including William potentially. "There were a few things that came up. Have you ever met Harry or heard anything about him?"

"I've never met him," William said, "and as you know I've spent most of my time in Egypt so I haven't been around to hear what people say about him here. From Lucius, I know he somehow defeated the shade of Voldemort but not even Lucius was privy to know how. Other than that, I've only heard things from Draco and Severus that one time he came ranting." William's jaw clenched as he remembered the awful things spoken about their submissive. Even at the time, it had bothered both Helios and William enough that they'd left to go outside so they didn't have to hear it.

"While I wouldn't care if Draco's words were true," Helios said, "from what I've seen, Harry is the exact opposite of what they've said. I do not know why Lucius's friend is of that opinion, but Draco's seems to be stemmed from jealousy and childish pride."

"Snape's just an asshole to everyone who isn't powerful or useful."

Helios had the same thoughts as well, but Harry was noticeably powerful for his age. The little heart already had a constant magical aura while Blaise and Theodore were working on how to form one. Severus either couldn't sense it, or it was new with the inheritance, not that it mattered. Lucius only seemed to speak to Severus once or twice a year anyway and most of those visits had to do with Draco who was Severus's godson, chosen because Severus was the only other light spy at the time of war. "Just make sure to form your own opinion of Harry," Helios said.

"When can I meet him?" William's arms were flexing and unflexing, a sign that his creature was near the surface.

"You'll be the next person to meet him, but only when I am assured that Harry won't be overwhelmed. He grew up with muggles, I believe he is practically clueless about inheritances."

"When did he have his inheritance?"

Helios tilted his head. "When I asked, he said a few weeks ago but he was almost fearful to tell me that so I didn't press for the exact date. When I asked him what his favorite color was later, he just shrugged." Helios fought a frown. "He doesn't do well with questions, he closes up, and I will not be pressing him either. Mainly I've been able to tell him stories or little facts about myself and he's completely relaxed when listening or making comments about it and he's only a little timid at asking questions."

"Why do you think that is?" William ran a hand through his hair, tugging on the strands. "Submissives, especially those who find their mates young, usually cling to their mates, don't they? He doesn't know you either, he doesn't have any bad memories of you."

"Each submissive is different," Helios said, "and I can only guess why Harry is this way. Not just the shock of thinking Lucius was a Death Eater, but also the shock of Draco being his mate and potentially Theodore. He had a bad introduction to us and because he's so new to his inheritance, he likely doesn't realize that we'd die for him or stand still so he can kill us if he desires. Harry is probably worried about what we'll think of him if we get to know him and is fearful we'll think badly of him. He's mentioned the press and rumors a few times, it seems clear to me that people make up their own opinions or perhaps disform the little information he gives them until it's been twisted into something ugly."

Helios didn't mention his concerns over Harry staying at a hotel by himself as he had a dozen theories ranging from Harry running away from home, to his family kicking him out after his inheritance, and even Harry just wanting to stay in the magical world for a few weeks until Hogwarts rather than being in the muggle world. He had little to go on and he was also somewhat unfamiliar with the different customs muggles had these days. It just seemed completely irresponsible for Harry to be by himself without any protection.

The muggles were likely oblivious to what a submissive was. A submissive was the heart of the group, and while dominants were their protectors it was also up to the dominants' and submissive's family to help protect the submissive. Harry's family, being muggles and mortals, would be unable to do this and might even be a hindrance if they couldn't adjust to the reality of Harry's identity. In fact, of all nine of them, only Sora and Helios had family they could rely on. Lucius and Draco had no family, Theodore, Blaise, and Adrian had family that was either in prison or should be in prison, and William's family was mortal with no one else having an inheritance. It was an unheard-of situation, nearly incredulous.

There were nine of them, in the hundreds of years that Helios had been alive he'd only come across in person one other group with that high of an amount and that was a World King. Not to say there weren't others, because there were, but they were scattered across worlds. To think that a grouping of nine could form with seven mortals who'd had creature inheritances was ridiculous. Creature-borns performed dozens of rituals to try to increase the chances of having a dominant or submissive child and also tried to increase the chances of them having a larger mateship. Power accumulated easier the more mates you had. It was a celebration if a submissive had more than one dominant, three dominants was a blessing, and any more than that was a miracle. Only Sora seemed to understand the full reality of having eight dominants, the earthlings seemed to accept it as if they'd be surprised if there were any fewer.

Then again, the earth was a very odd little world. Tiny in size, barely a pinprick but it was full of beings that would be guaranteed to be either dominant or submissive if they did have an inheritance with none of them being neutral. Mateships of three were also common here. There had been records of mateships of six or seven on this little world too, happening within the last few thousand years. However, none of them had ever reached their potential. They'd died young, involved in mortal wars and not knowing how to raise their power or by a submissive rejecting a dominant, and the group never recovering and succumbing to a mortal's death. It was tragic and Helios would not let that happen to his mateship. Rejections or not, they'd survive. Helios and Sora came from other worlds, powerful otherworlds, they knew how to raise their power, knew exactly what to do, and if they could increase their strength internally and externally, in this insignificant world then by the time they left for the otherworlds they'd be well prepared for the dangers of the universe.

"We need to find out the date of his inheritance so we can figure out what his cycle is and start recording it," William said, thinking out loud. "It seems unlikely that Harry has been writing it down if he's truly uninformed."

"One step at a time," was all Helios could say. "We need to gain Harry's trust first and get him comfortable with questions."

William tapped his index fingernail against the print of his thumb, the motion easily caught by Helios. The second sign of William's creature preparing to lash out despite William trying to stay calm and level. Helios stepped forward and grabbed William's neck before he had a chance to react. William tensed, a dominant grabbing another dominant's neck was not the same as a submissive. It was a method of putting a dominant in his or her place, a method of exerting power, or, in this situation, it was a way to force William's creature and high-strung instincts back. The young dominant tried to twist away and Helios squeezed tighter, his hand was able to wrap all the way around his neck until his thumb met his middle finger. A hint of gold leaked into William's otherwise crystal blue eyes, his creature surfacing before it dimmed away and William relaxed completely and slowly tilted his head to the side, baring his neck to the top dominant.

"Harry is safe," Helios's voice was low. "Our submissive is safe. Our mateship is whole. I will handle everything and you only need to do what I tell you to. Your instincts and emotions need to be soothed back, maintain your occlumency shields so that you can help me. I need the man, not the beast. There is no enemy to fight."

William closed his eyes, the final act of submission. When Helios let go, running a knuckle soothingly over the smaller man's jaw, William spoke. "What do you need from me?"

"I'm going to talk to the others." Helios ran his eyes over William, such a young being, making sure that there were no signs of William's creature. But, unlike Lucius, William had never tried to repress his creature and therefore actually had a much easier time at easing it away. "Adrian is next, when I'm done with him I want you to make sure he eats and I need you to watch him. Make sure he doesn't get tangled up in his thoughts."

William was nodding before he finished speaking. "I will do as you say."

Scant minutes later, William was off to speak to the house-elves and Helios was performing a simple warding ritual to prevent his mates from interacting with each other until he wanted them to. It was simply sectioning off parts of the house so that they couldn't run off and barricading Draco into his office so even if he wanted to leave, he wouldn't be able to until Helios talked to him. He doubted any of them would try to leave or even move from their current positions, but he didn't want to have to break up any fights.

Helios knocked on the door to Adrian's office and his bond only once before realizing it was pointless. He portaled into the cozy room, scanning it quickly and found a bit of relief to see that Adrian hadn't taken his emotions out on his artwork or belongings. It wouldn't have been the first time Adrian had destroyed one of his paintings and not even magic could help piece together energy imbued canvas. However, looking at Adrian who was curled into a shaking ball washed that relief away. Helios didn't pause as he stooped down and scooped Adrian into his arms. Adrian tried to push Helios away and tried to get away, but it was an attempt that Helios would never let succeed and he easily grabbed the younger man's wrist with the hand that wasn't supporting his tiny weight.

It made him think of Harry for a moment, he'd woken up more than once in the middle of the night as he desired to hold his little submissive only to realize that the tiny and forgettable weight on top of him was his mate. Helios didn't think Harry could weigh any more than his arm with his body having dense dragon bone, he could probably lift him with a single pinky.

He moved over to the couch and sat down. Adrian was crying, trying to form words but they were lost amongst sobs. Helios reached into his pocket that had enough room to fit the Malfoy manor ten times over and called forth three potions. Fitting the three vials easily in his hand, he uncorked one and held it to Adrian's lips.

"Drink," he urged, and Adrian didn't fight the calming potion as he coaxed it down his throat. He didn't like emotion-altering potions but it would have taken hours to get Adrian calm enough to hear what Helios needed to say and while the dominant wouldn't have blinked twice about doing things the hard way any other day, today he had four other mates that needed to be talked to.

The headache relief potion and nutrient potion followed with barely a pause and Helios ran his hands through Adrian's short hair while the calming potion did its job. When the last tear slipped out, Helios used a handkerchief to wipe away the last remaining tears and made a few swipes at Adrian's nose and upper lip too.

Red puffy eyes looked up at him, no longer fighting to get away from him and Adrian lifted himself just enough that he could throw his arms around Helios's neck. He started blabbering, talking about Draco and how he'd failed to help William and how the others wouldn't listen to him. Helios made listening and acknowledgment noises as the usually quiet man spouted off for over ten minutes getting out all his worries and fears. Most of them included being rejected by their mate and Helios wondered if Adrian would get second-hand rejection if Draco was rejected with how much of an empath Adrian was. Second-hand rejection was caused by the dominants sharing a tight bond and not being able to handle losing one when they inevitably died from being rejected. Helios's priority was Harry and always would be Harry, but as top dominant, he had a responsibility to look after the others too.

In the end, Adrian pulled back and looked up at Helios with worried, wide hazel eyes. "Please," he begged, "you have to tell me. You have to tell me who our mate is and what we did that was so bad."

Helios wanted to assure Adrian that he'd done nothing wrong, but the dragon didn't know that for sure. Adrian was years older than Harry and Adrian hadn't even talked to Draco beyond a few words until a few months ago, but there was still a chance that Adrian wasn't completely innocent even if he'd just turned a blind eye to the bullying or had spread rumors about Harry even though Helios doubted Adrian would have. "Our submissive," Helios said calmly and slowly, "is only sixteen and got scared yesterday after meeting Lucius. He thought that Lucius might be a Death Eater like the rumors say. We were able to have Albus reassure our submissive of Lucius's innocence but it is likely he'll still be a bit skittish around Lucius."

Adrian let out a shaky breath. "Okay, we can help with that. Lucius scared me at first too, but he acts completely different around family."

"It will take a group effort," Helios agreed. "He only had his inheritance a few weeks ago and he grew up with muggles so I bet he'd appreciate learning from you because you didn't know about creature inheritances all that much either. You'll have insight into what he might be thinking and what he's going through."

The little dominant nodded his head quickly. "I'll help him for sure. Anything he needs, anything at all."

Oh, this sweet young man. Helios was sure that he'd be a force to be reckoned with one day, but with his sheltered upbringing, Adrian was definitely the most innocent of the dominants. Always eager to please and eager to prove himself. It made it hard for Helios to move on, worried about how Adrian would react to his next words. "You'll recognize our submissive's name as well, Harry Potter."

Helios had been prepared for horror, anger, and tears, but Adrian's eyes only widened in shock before the calming draught smoothed over that emotion too. "I guess that makes sense for why he was that scared of Lucius," Adrian reasoned. "I should be able to help him there too. As my parents were killed by Voldemort too I avoided all the children of suspected Death Eaters at Hogwarts. It was nearly impossible as Slytherin is full of them. I thought that Lucius was a Death Eater for over a week after I met Lucius and the rest of you and was too scared to ask about it."

Dots were connecting and Helios reached out and gently nudged Adrian's nose upward with a finger. "Adrian..." Helios sighed.

"I know better now," Adrian defended. "And that was before your three-hour lecture about communication."

"Did you ever talk to Harry at school?" Helios asked casually.

Adrian shook his head. "No, it would have made me a target if anyone in my year saw me talking to someone who is undeniably light. People thought I was from a neutral family. I avoided Harry actually, but I played a few games against him at Quidditch. He's a wicked seeker."

"You'll have to play again sometime," Helios said, feeling waves of relief internally. "You'd have fun."

Adrian nodded, looking excited. "Is that the only issue then? That Harry is scared of Lucius?"

"Draco and Harry seem to have had a... tense relationship at school too, but Sora, William, Lucius, and I will handle that."

"I think I heard something about that," Adrian shifted on Helios's lap, almost straddling Helios now so he was more comfortable. "I think there was a rumor during their second year, or my fifth year, about one of them being the Heir of Slytherin. None of the upper-years cared about it though because well," Adrian looked a little embarrassed as he admitted, "no one really pays attention to what first and second years have to say unless you're a first or second year yourself."

Helios nodded. "Don't worry about it for now. I'll be talking to the others to figure out what the situation is. Harry wasn't comfortable talking about it and I didn't want to press. He's overwhelmed and seems to be in a fight or flight state of mind with a heavy emphasis on flight. We're going to have to take baby steps with him so we don't scare him and ease him into the eight of us."

"But we're going to be okay?" Adrian asked.

"I'll be handling everything," it was the only assurance he could offer. "Emotions get high and instincts get wild whenever a new mate comes into the group, especially with submissives. For now, I know you'll be eager to see Harry and meet him but you have to trust me. Sora and I will be able to judge when Harry can handle meeting someone else and I'm thinking that Harry should be okay meeting William tonight and if things go well then you can meet Harry tomorrow or the next day, but I promise you'll meet him after William." Adrian was the only other one that Harry would have a safe reaction about.

Adrian grimaced. "That's going to suck, my creature is already going crazy inside me."

"Go on lots of runs," Helios recommended, "and stick by William. You can help each other. Sora and I will help out too when we can." He wouldn't suppress Adrian's creature or force it back, Adrian had come into his inheritance the night he'd come home from Hogwarts, just a few months ago. With Adrian's personality, his creature needed to be nurtured out not repressed or he might end up with another Lucius.

Adrian sniffed and nodded, pulling himself together. "You should go talk to the others and reassure them too. You've already spoken to William, right?"

"I have."

"Can I ask him questions so you don't have to re-explain everything to me?" Adrian asked.

"You can," Helios agreed. "Just don't bring up the other's relationship with Harry because William is barely hanging on by a thread about that. His instincts are going crazy too." Because William knew more of the story.

"I won't," Adrian promised and Helios didn't doubt Adrian for a moment.

After making sure Adrian was better and being reassured that Adrian had simply spun himself into a fit in thinking that Lucius might have been rejected or that their mate might be hurt and then been aggravated by a helpless sensation when Draco and the others pushed him away, Helios nudged Adrian out of the study and pointed him in the direction he'd seen William go.

He contacted William quickly, telling him that Adrian was innocent and currently nearly oblivious to the situation with Draco and to not bring it up. He'd tell Adrian the situation when he figured out what the situation was.

He stood in the hallway, looking at the two other doors. One led to Blaise's office and the other led to Theodore's. Blaise was likely worried that Theodore might be rejected and would only be reassured if Helios said Theodore wasn't but he'd only have that information once he talked to Theodore and while it didn't seem likely that Theodore would be rejected, he might not be innocent. If he wasn't innocent, Theodore would need Blaise to be in a good mental state so that he could lean and rely on Blaise while Helios handled Lucius and Draco.

William was angry and worried but was controlled and would be better now that he could mother Adrian. Adrian was fine at the moment and would be better once he ate. But the other four... Helios had few hopes of 'fixing' them and he'd likely just break them further and further apart. It was ridiculous that he was even here. The top dominant should be with his submissive constantly until their bond was formed. If it wasn't for the fact that they were on a mortal planet, where there wasn't any true danger, Helios would have left the dominants to fend for themselves and told Sora to handle them.

He shook his head, one step at a time, the sooner he was done talking to them the sooner he could get back to Harry. Helios decided to broach the conversation with both Blaise and Theodore at once. He'd shove a calming potion down their throats, a tactic he'd only do today and would get their side of things.

Blaise and Theodore had had their inheritances when they were twelve, weeks apart, and had stuck by each other's sides like glue. While they'd joined Helios and the others this summer, the duo was still nearly inseparable. They'd had four years together, alone together as the only other creatures at Hogwarts just as William had been the only creature during his time at school. Even though Draco and Harry had been there, you could only sense your mate if they'd had their inheritance—or if you were creature-born, you'd only be able to sense your mates when you had the coming-of-age rites. It was hard to get the two to relax the bars they'd raised as they two had expected to have to go against the world by themselves.

Helios had thought he'd have more time to solidify their mating bond, thought he'd have time to get everyone's head straight. He'd expected at a minimum to have nine more years until they met their submissive, if not hundreds of years, and he'd only had half a summer. He'd barely tapped the surface with them.

Needing a break and assurance, Helios tapped into his bond with Sora first. He'd felt the joy from Sora but hadn't checked in as he didn't want to pester him or make it seem like he didn't trust Sora. "Adrian is completely innocent, he knows absolutely nothing about Harry except for his status," Helios started once Sora opened the bond. "William's angry but likewise hasn't heard much and has never talked to Harry. The little he knows is from Severus and Draco but I've told him that their words are nonsense. William just wants to meet him and make sure he's safe."

"That's good," Sora said. "Harry's outright admitted to being worried about what everyone thinks about him again. The wizarding newspaper always prints lies about him and he insinuated that a lot of false rumors get spread about him at school, not just from Draco."

Helios's jaw tightened. Harry had said as such yesterday, but it was unacceptable that such a thing had occurred. He'd need Lucius to wrangle in the newspaper as he'd never bothered to interact in politics, much less the politics of this insignificant and tiny island of mortals. He also couldn't blame Harry's relatives either no matter how much he wanted to, muggles could do nothing against wizards in the British Isles where there was so much prejudice against muggles. They could try all they wanted and the newspapers wouldn't stop. Another problem for another time.

"Adrian is just excited to meet him," Helios said, going into a bit more detail with his update. "He's oblivious to the entire situation with Draco so Harry won't have to worry there. William is mainly running on instinct and logic and just wants to make sure Harry is safe. I believe he agrees with you and I, wanting to form opinions personally." William was usually laid back and easy-going, he usually smoothed over any bumps Sora and Helios had missed or took the younglings out on adventures. It meant something that he was being so serious now, not that Helios was surprised by it as William could be very business-like at times.

"I'll see if Harry is up for meeting William," Sora said. "I think he will be later today, he seems to be comfortable around me and hasn't shown a single sign of being stressed or uneasy around me except for what you mentioned about him overthinking some things."

"That's good," Helios hadn't expected a perfect time with Sora, but it was better than he'd thought. "Any other things I need to be aware of?"

"He's uncomfortable with attention like you mentioned," Sora said. Helios hoped that that would disappear or be eased soon as attention was a guarantee with a submissive. "He also reacted a bit poorly to me trying to buy him a ribbon as a gift, but that's been smoothed over. I don't know if it's a money thing, an indebtedness, or a desire to show his independence. Either way, I am having about a thousand different things from a hair store being delivered to the manor. Don't tell Harry but alert the elves for me, please. I'll add them to my collection and use the guise of Harry borrowing my things so he doesn't react poorly to me buying him anything else. He should believe it."

Elves and their hair. Helios had let the elf do his hair a few times, but most of those moments had ended with Sora trying to slit his throat or stab him in a play for dominance. But, his failures were amusing and the sex afterward was always satisfying for both parties. 

"Right now," Sora continued, "Harry's practically melting into my hands. He gave me permission to touch and style his hair and I don't think he's ever gotten a head massage." He continued going into detail without needing to be asked, taming Helios's instincts to rush back to them.

Helios had trusted Sora to be able to handle it as the elf was hundreds of years old himself, but the reassurance was exactly what he needed to hear. He needed to know that even if Helios wasn't there, Harry was being taken care of. After being fully assured by Sora, Helios added gift-giving to the mental list of things to be careful about and closed off his connection to Sora. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could go back.

Two calming potions were already in his hand and he portaled into Theodore's office, choosing the less dominant male first. There was a scent of accidental magic and it looked like an explosion of some sort had occurred with Theodore at the epicenter. The floors would need to be repaired but Helios was more worried about what he saw before him. Seeing Adrian bawled up and crying was nothing against this nearly seventeen-year-old who had clawed off his face, neck, arms, and torso. How he'd blocked out the pain in the bond and smell of blood so even Helios didn't scent it was beyond him, but Helios's plan went out the door as he knelt beside Theodore who had worryingly vacant eyes. Through the bond, he felt depression and guilt but that too must be numbed as Theodore looked like he was one step away from a self-given rejection.

Helios's mind ran through a dozen different solutions before he moved Theodore's head to make the male look into his eyes. He carefully spilled the calming potion into his mouth, knowing it would barely have an effect, but it would help a bit. Helios then pulled the few precious memories he had of Harry and forced them into Theodore's mind.

The sweet scent of honey that seemed to be Harry's natural aroma and the unplaceable sweet scent that distinguished Harry as a submissive.

Holding Harry for the first time while Harry went into a trance as Helios aligned their heartbeats. His tiny neck, being held protectively so no one could look at it, much less touch it. Harry's long hair brushing against his bare arms, the pouting of his pink lips as the heart slowly breathed through his mouth.

The tiny, shy, and precious smile the heart had given Helios that had made his vivid green eyes nearly shine.

The sound of Harry's laugh which at times had nearly been the sweetest of giggles.

The cherishing scene of Harry being too embarrassed to ask Helios to lay in the same bed as him, wanting to cuddle and somehow not realizing that Helios wanted everything Harry had to offer. The blush on his cheeks, as the submissive pulled the covers back as the sweetest of invitations.

Holding Harry on his chest as the submissive slept, Harry's hand instinctively coming up to Helios's neck as he accepted Helios as his dominant at a soul and creature level.

Theodore blinked large brown eyes. Stirring out of the numb funk a bit as his creature surged forward. "Harry?" Theodore croaked.

"Let me into your mind, Theodore," Helios asked, keeping his voice low and gentle. If he acted wrongly, Theodore's creature would shatter into unfixable pieces.

Any resistance Theodore might have put up disappeared and Helios plunged gently and carefully into the young mind of his mate. Using arts that took hundreds of years to master and only the most powerful could learn. Helios pulled at the memories of all the interactions Theodore had had with Harry.

There were few, very few, and very brief. Talking about school assignments in class and one conversation in the library. Harry had had a growth spurt at some point, because the memories of Harry had him tiny and scrawny in a way that almost all teenagers seemed to be during their awkward growing phase, gaining muscle and healthy weight only later on. Theodore was cool and cold in those interactions, not because of Draco's badmouthing or because of Severus's but because Theodore had a crush on Harry and had been certain in those moments that he and Harry were never going to be anything more than two people from opposite sides of the war, two people from opposing houses, and two people who had different paths in life, a mortal and an immortal, a tragic love that Theodore didn't want to risk starting. He'd avoided Harry, stopped Draco from talking about him anytime he was around and Draco learned not to speak about Harry around Theodore.

Just like Adrian, Theodore was innocent and as Blaise was practically obsessed with Theodore, rarely leaving his side, it was likely that Blaise was innocent too.

Helios's heart started beating more calmly, he could fix this little dominant. He withdrew from Theodore's mind, only three seconds having passed to Theodore as the mind magic made time flow differently to the dragon. "Harry is going to love you," he told him. "He is not going to reject you. Lucius was lashing out wrongly yesterday, you have done nothing wrong. Harry will accept you." It was the truth, truth that the young creature would feel.

A tear slipped out from Theodore's eyes and the slightest of smiles came to his face before his eyes closed. The calming potion mixed with the severe stress being released so suddenly had caused his creature to take over. Believing himself to be safe around the top dominant, Theodore had fallen asleep in a single moment, exhausted. He'd likely sleep for over a day. 

Helios felt out at Theodore's bond, feeling deep peace and he shook his head as he looked at the deep slashes on Theodore. There weren't words for what Helios was feeling. If Helios didn't have a tub of anti-scar cream that had been made in the otherworlds, it was likely that a lot of them would have been permanent reminders of what had happened. As he'd done with William, Helios knitted together the many wounds and when only scar tissue remained, he took off Theodore's outer robe and undershirt, removed the blood and grime from his skin, and slathered the scars in the black, sticky goo and then wrapped him in bandages so he looked like a mortal mummy. The wounds would heal in a few hours, leaving no trace behind. Hopefully, Theodore's memory of the pain would be blurry and he'd only remember the reassurance.

Despite having planned to talk to Blaise and Theodore at the same time, Helios wondered if it'd be wise to bring Theodore to Blaise looking like this. He wouldn't be able to tell Theodore a single thing either. However, it was likely that Blaise had been so anxious because of his deep bond with Theodore and had realized or suspected the real extent of Theodore's mind and body.

He scooped up Theodore, not as easy as it was with Adrian or Harry, but definitely not a hardship either. His shoulders were just broader, his torso thicker, and he had very compact muscles. Theodore and Blaise had both expressed desires to workout with Helios and Helios hadn't gone easy on the two.

He created a portal into Blaise's office, smelling the sticky acidic scent of vomit and Helios cleared the air as well as the wastebasket with barely a thought. Blaise stumbled off the couch, rushing toward Theodore with shaking limbs, and tried to take him but Helios made a low growling sound in the back of his throat and Blaise stopped, looking at his top dominant with teary eyes.

"Sit," Helios ordered. 

Blaise immediately took two steps back and sat on the couch but held his arms out pleadingly. Helios, not a cruel man, passed Theodore to him, now assured that Theodore wouldn't be dropped on the floor. Blaise cradled Theodore's head, one hand hovering over the bandages that covered his entire face. A helpless whimper came from his mouth. "Fuck," Blaise whispered. 

"The bandages will fall off naturally when he's healed," Helios said. "It will only take a few hours and he isn't injured or hurt anymore, scars are all that's left."

"I told Sora," Blaise said, his voice breaking. "I told him that something was wrong, that he needed to bypass the wards."

"I'll talk to Sora," Helios promised, "but it should have been beyond Theodore's ability to block out his emotions and pain. Even I didn't scent the true situation until I was standing in front of him."

Blaise was silent, but Helios could see the words forming in his eyes and remained silent too. After a bit, Blaise looked up at Helios. "I didn't sense it either, but Theodore's blocked out his pain before so I can't feel it in the bond."

Helios wondered if it had to do with Theodore's creature, but set that thought aside for later. "Theodore thought he was going to be rejected," he said, "but he won't be." Blaise's shoulders slumped with relief. "There isn't even the slightest chance of that happening." 

Theodore had been cold and an ass, but once Helios explained that it had been due to a crush and poor emotional management, he was sure that Harry, his gentle Harry, would understand and hopefully lose the fear he had toward Theodore. He hadn't known Harry long, but Harry seemed like a sweetheart and not the type of submissive to hold those things over a dominant's head. 

He held out a calming potion to Blaise. "Drink this and I'll explain the rest to you."

"Am I going to be rejected?" Blaise stared at the potion like it would bring him his doom.

"Extremely unlikely." 

Blaise downed the potion and adjusted Theodore a bit so the sleeping dominant was more comfortable. Helios knew that he would not be letting go any time soon. "Tell me," Blaise said, clearing his throat and preparing himself. 

Despite saying it three times already, Helios still didn't know how to say it best. He moved back and sat down in one of the chairs so he wasn't towering over Blaise. "Our submissive is Harry Potter."

Blaise's dark eyes moved about the room as he thought that over. He didn't seem surprised and Helios wouldn't be surprised if he'd thought of a list of people their submissive might have been. People underestimated him, but he had a sharp mind behind his charming smile. Finally, he nodded. "Draco's going to be rejected, isn't he?"

"I don't know."

"I don't know how Draco's going to react." Blaise sighed. "But he might try to kill himself." He looked up at Helios. "I swear I never participated or was around when it happened, but Draco could be cruel toward Harry. Though," Blaise hesitated, "Draco also said that Harry dished it back." Harry had said he'd lost his temper a few times so this wasn't news to Helios. "Draco isn't going to take this calmly and he's newly inherited too." 

Despite the situation, Helios was proud of Blaise for thinking everything through logically. There was a reason Blaise was climbing the ranks, and Helios wouldn't be surprised if he surpassed William one day, though not for a long, long while. Helios thought it all over. He believed Blaise, but he found it hard to entirely believe Draco. Temper or no, Helios just couldn't picture the trembling little submissive retaliating against Draco in any unjustified manner. Then again, he also couldn't picture Harry defeating the shade of Voldemort at eleven, but apparently, that had happened too.

"There are measures we can take no matter what happens," Helios assured, "but it doesn't do us any good to assume what's going to happen. I will be able to manage Draco, and I'll do everything I can to mend things, hopefully, time will heal everything." 

"Is Harry okay?" Blaise asked, focusing back on the main issue. "Does he know about Draco?"

"Harry knows about all of you," Helios leaned forward. "He's safe physically, Sora is with him."

"Sora said that Harry didn't know about his status as a submissive. That he—" Blaise swallowed again and Helios reached into his pocket to pull out a cup and filled it with water, passing it over silently. Blaise thanked him and took a few swallows. "That he'd need gentle handling for a bit."

"He's a bit traumatized. The shock of finding out that he was a submissive, having eight mates, one of them being his bully, and another he suspected to be a Death Eater..." Helios splayed his hands. "It would be a lot for anyone and he only came into his inheritance a few weeks ago."

"I was terrified when I came into my inheritance," Blaise empathized. "I can't imagine a submissive having to go through it alone. I had Theodore after a couple of weeks but..."

"But Harry has us," Helios said. "He has you and Theodore, has Adrian and William, and he has Sora and me too. We'll help him through it." 

"That's just...a lot of people," Blaise said. "For anyone. I mean, I thought Theodore and I would share a submissive between us, realizing that we'd have to share our submissive with six others was something that I only came to terms with last month when I realized that having you lot as my mates means that I get to have all of you too." There was Blaise's grin, but it didn't stay long. "But, I knew what I was getting into." He shook his head. "Harry was muggle-raised, right?" Helios nodded, wondering how Blaise knew that but Lucius and Adrian hadn't. Likely because of how observant Blaise was. "This entire thing is going to seem outlandish to him."

"As you said, he'll need gentle handling." Helios could practically see Blaise thinking of new plans and fantasies. "He reacted badly to receiving a ribbon as a gift earlier today," Blaise's head reeled, "but he let me nearly hand-feed him without batting an eye and slept last night on top of my chest. He doesn't do well with questions about himself and doesn't seem to want to speak much either, but he's happy listening. We just need to find his boundaries and slowly ease into them."

"Am I going to be able to see him before Hogwarts?" 

"I hope so, but that all depends on Harry. If we push him too fast he might withdraw and if he feels rushed or he forces himself too much then he might become more skittish."

"What about his instincts?" Blaise asked. "Each creature has different instincts, how do his seem to be affecting him?"

That was a good question. "I don't know. Usually, we ask the parents or family what characteristics have come out since his inheritance but Harry is staying at a hotel by himself and I didn't dare ask about his family with him reacting badly to the other lesser questions."

"They're muggles anyway, it's unlikely that they know what to look out for." Blaise's mother, the terrible mother that she was, had at least sent books about what was happening and how to figure it out. 

"Another reason why asking about them is a low priority. But, even though knowing what is pure creature instinct and what is Harry would help, we'll find out eventually. He asked what my creature is, I have hopes he'll ask Sora today and continue to ask everyone on their first meetings. If that happens, Harry will likely tell us what his creature is shortly after. If he doesn't know, he'll ask for help or admit that he doesn't know. When that happens, I can research into the submissive instincts of his species and the unique characteristics." One step at a time, one step at a time.

"He is safe though?"

"He's safe," Helios confirmed. "Sora is playing with his hair and is likely close to falling asleep by now."

Blaise's shoulders lowered a notch as the tension left him. "If he's safe, then I'll trust your judgment."

Helios nodded appreciatively. "Theodore is likely going to sleep for another day, maybe more. I'd recommend getting some sleep yourself, maybe ask a house-elf to bring you up some food. Adrian and William are eating downstairs, but William is likely going to be busy keeping Adrian's instincts and creature soothed. If Theodore wakes up, you'll have to tell him what I told you. I was only able to settle his mind and tell him that Harry was our submissive before he passed out. Don't let him go off alone, he'll be unsteady for a few days."

"I'll chain him to me if I have to," Blaise said, giving a small glare to the unaware male. When Helios raised a brow, he modified his words. "I mean, I'll keep him calm and safe so you can focus on Harry and Draco instead of us."

That was better. "Either Sora or I will come back tomorrow morning, but William is in charge for now if you need anything. If you get worried about Theodore, reach out to Sora."

"Then Lucius...?"

Helios could only shake his head, the man was in no state of mind for helping anyone. If he hadn't been able to keep it together for Harry, Helios doubted he'd be able to keep it together for the other dominants. Verbally attacking Theodore yesterday despite Helios's orders and causing the sixteen-year-old to nearly go through self-rejection was also a punishable offense that Helios would not easily forgive, even if Helios knew exactly what had pushed him to act like that.

He didn't know how he could look at the man, much less his son. Talking to four innocent mates was hard enough, what was Helios supposed to do with them? 

Chapter Text

Knocking politely on the door to Lucius's office, the master office in the west wing, Helios was as prepared as he could be for the impending conversation. He’d talked to the others first precisely because they had seemed more manageable, and now he had no excuse to delay these last two conversations. 

"Come in, Helios," Lucius's voice was as grave as Helios felt.

The wards shifted, allowing the dragon inside. The dread and shame Helios felt from Lucius amplified as the door swung open. Lucius sat behind his desk, more put together than his other mates. The veela had gone through horrors before and had learned to channel it so it didn't break him.

Helios sat down opposite the man, motioning for Lucius to sit beside him instead of at the other side of the desk. Lucius moved smoothly into the other seat, pulling at the hem of his sleeves to straighten them out, but a smooth face couldn’t hide the fear and anxiety in the man. 

"Where do you want to begin?" Helios asked calmly. 

Lucius's jaw went tight, bracing. 

"I am not here to lecture you, and I am not here to listen to any apologies," Helios said. "I do not yell, you know this, and you are smart enough to know what you have done wrong. But, there will be consequences that make sure you do not forget what your actions and lack of actions bring."

Lucius nodded, his hands clenched on his lap. He was a man who'd always been the supreme power before Sora and Helios had come along. Submitting was not something the veela did lightly. 

"I take fault for not intervening with Harry. For not stepping in sooner. I apologize for not reading your reactions well enough." Lucius still said nothing. Helios continued. "Harry is currently with Sora; he’s safe and happy. You did well."

Lucius's hands trembled, but there still wasn't any emotion on Lucius's face.

He waited to see if Lucius had anything to say and moved on to the only other good news Helios could offer. "William, Adrian, and Blaise haven't done anything wrong and have no negative impressions of Harry, and while Blaise might have said a few words here and there to Harry about schoolwork, Adrian and William have never spoken to Harry. They'll essentially be starting fresh like Sora and me." Nothing and only his flickering emotions proved that Lucius wasn't tuning him out. "Theodore," flinch, "is a different story. I'd like you to witness the scene I walked into. I assume you'd prefer a Pensieve?"

"Helios," Lucius croaked out.

"A Pensieve, or shall I transfer the memory into your mind?"

Lucius looked beggingly at Helios, not wanting to face the outcome he'd caused but clenched his jaw again when he saw no mercy. A Pensieve was summoned from a corner of the room. Different from mortal Pensieves, this one had been spelled so that the person entering the memory would also be able to use all of their senses, and most importantly be able to scent everything that Helios had. Scent was as important to creatures as sight.

Helios pulled the white threaded memory from his mind and dropped it into the Pensieve. He wasn't going to be kind to Lucius, he started the memory from the moment he'd stepped into the room and witnessed the bloody mess that had become of Theodore and the raw agony that Theodore felt that could be mistaken for nothing else besides a self-rejection. Believing himself so unworthy of his mate that he'd destroy the bond before it could occur, Theodore had been hours away from completing it. Because Lucius had pushed all the blame for potentially losing their mate onto Theodore and Theodore had trusted that Lucius's words were correct. He'd trusted his higher dominant, and that trust had almost killed him in the most agonizing and horrifying of ways. A single careless comment had caused this near tragedy. 

Helios himself had a hard time thinking about it, pushing it back and back in his mind until he had a spare moment just to think. 

The memory stopped just before Helios had planted the happy and positive memories of Harry into Theodore's mind. He could have continued it, could have allowed Lucius to witness the scenes Helios had lived through with Harry, could have shown Lucius how Theodore’s emotions had been curbed back into the safe zone. But Helios wasn’t here to reassure Lucius. 

Lucius was pulled out of the memory, already heaving, and would have vomited into the very, very expensive device if Helios hadn't conjured a bin directly beneath his mouth to catch the bile. Lucius stumbled back and fell to the floor, catching himself awkwardly with his hands so his head didn’t strike the floor. Helios could have caught him, but he couldn't find the desire to before Lucius hit the ground. Inwardly, Helios tried to get a handle on his emotions, it had been a trying day, yes, but he was better than this. 

Despite his resolve, Helios wouldn't offer a calming draught either, or at least not yet. He wouldn't dim Lucius's guilt, wouldn't offer platitudes, and wouldn't try to diminish what Lucius had done. 

"I reviewed Theodore's memories. He acted coldly to Harry but never insulted Harry, never spread rumors about Harry, and never hurt Harry. He acted coldly and briskly because he had a crush on Harry and didn't want anyone to know and didn't dare let himself follow through with it. I can not speak for how our submissive will react to that, but I am sure you can draw your conclusions."

"Theodore, he—he..." Lucius had before ten shades paler, looking at Helios from his spot on the floor.

Helios raised a brow. Did Lucius think he’d be here if Theodore wasn’t alright? "He's wearing bandages with anti-scar cream and I was able to knock him back into emotionally stable ground but he's going to be fragile for the next few days. I know you did not mean to cause Theodore to react like this, but your place in our hierarchy and the power given to you has nevertheless been abused by you.” Lucius sagged down. “I am pulling you out of the hierarchy completely until you rectify things with Theodore and I feel like you have proven you understand the weight of your position and the consequence thoughtless and volatile words and actions can bring." Lucius’s silver eyes sunk until they stared at the ground. "This means that no one will answer to you and you shall answer only to me, you will have no dominance over anyone, and should you try to assert yourself over someone..." he trailed off with a silent warning. 

"I—I didn't..." no more words came despite Helios waiting patiently for them. 

He nodded, moving on. "Before I allow you to regain your position I also expect drastic improvement over your veela. I have tried to coax you to release your veela so you have better control of it and your instincts for over ten years and you still barely do the absolute minimum. I've already given you a list of mind healers, but if you've burnt or tossed it away I can supply you with it again." Lucius looked like he wanted to protest. "We have a submissive now, Lucius," Helios reminded. "Will you let your past affect him? What will you do if Harry takes after you and decides to suppress his creature? What if you lash out at Harry like you did Theodore? What if you fight your instincts and end up hurting Harry?"

"I wouldn't," Lucius denied, moving to his knees. "You have to believe me, I would never hurt Harry."

"Yesterday I would have believed you if you'd told me the same about Theodore."

Lucius's mouth halted partially open.

"I also want you to write a list of what you should have done yesterday once I had you leave Harry's presence and how you can become more aware of your emotions and limits so nothing like this ever happens again."

Lucius's jaw locked shut again. He wasn’t happy.

"I will let you know when you can see Harry again, it is—"

"You can't keep me from our submissive!" Finally, a fire ignited in the veela's eyes. He rose to his feet. "I have done nothing to Harry and if you keep me away from him, it'll punish him too."

"If our mateship was smaller I'd think that too," Helios said, "but Harry will be fine and if he asks for you, wanting to see you, I will consider allowing a supervised and monitored visit with him."

"Helios, that's barbaric!" He threw a hand out. "He's a submissive! I'd never hurt him, my instincts wouldn't let me, not to mention that I would never want to."

"But you suppress your instincts, you suppress your veela. Yesterday you broke down in front of Harry, and that was because you were fighting against your dominant instinct to physically comfort Harry.”

“I wasn’t—”

“You were,” Helios argued. “A veela would bring out his wings and wrap Harry inside of them, closing the world out and assuring Harry that you'd shelter him and protect him."

"Which would have terrified him," Lucius was looking at Helios as if he was insane. "He didn't realize he was a submissive before I told him and clearly has no idea what creature inheritances really means. If I'd done that, he would have attacked me or fought me."

Helios wondered how long it would take to shake the mortal out of this man. "Then why was it that not even two minutes after you left I wrapped my hand around Harry's throat and he practically fell into my embrace?" He moved to his feet, towering over Lucius. "A mortal would take that gesture as an act of strangulation or me trying to attack them. If you had wrapped Harry in your wings, he might have been scared for a single second but he also would have lunged to hug you as soon as that single moment was over. He would have cried, you would have comforted him, and our submissive would have started trusting you, thinking he could rely on you for protection." 

"That's..." Yet again Lucius had no words.

"Instead, the mortal in you took his words personally and your veela lashed out at you. Your veela thought you were worthless and the man in your mind became confused and at a loss instead of following your instincts. This ended with you breaking down. You don’t understand, Harry became worried that you'd been attacked or struck by some spell, and now subconsciously Harry won't think you're able to defend yourself much less him."

"That isn't—you can't say that. You don't know what Harry thinks." It was hard for Helios not to interrupt Lucius. "I know I need to figure out my veela, but Harry will know that his dominants, that I can protect him."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course I am! I'm his dominant!"

"A dominant who reads books about creatures but refuses to learn anything from Sora and me who have done thousands of courses throughout hundreds of years from dozens of worlds. A dominant who I have to make sure isn't around Adrian alone because I know that he'd start suppressing his creature too."

"You what?"

"William came to me a few years ago because he felt signs of suppressing his creature and was scared. He was ashamed so I took off work to help him feel more comfortable and to get him to accept his creature instead. It was through that that I realized he was starting to have the exact same tells as you. His creature, younger than you, started to mimic yours, looking up to you for a good example but you failed him." It had been worrying and after Helios had nipped those bad habits in the bud, he'd spent another year making sure that William's creature was strong and confident so it wouldn't happen again. But Lucius had never allowed Helios to help him and had acted terribly every time he so much as brought it up which was why they were in this mess. Helios had thought that he just needed more time and that he could slowly work things out, but that wasn't an option anymore. 

"If William ended up like that," he continued, "can you imagine what would happen to Adrian? Why do you think that I've maneuvered things so he is always around Blaise and Theodore? And if he isn't, he's always around William, Sora, or me? Why I haven't asked you to stop working so much this summer despite us having four new dominant mates that we need to help? Why I didn't argue against the many business trips you have scheduled once school starts? Why I didn't deny you when you said you'll still spend some nights at the manor once we get to Hogwarts? It's because I need time to work with them to get them firm in their identity before I can trust you to be around them."

"You never told me about this," Lucius said, and he put a hand on his forehead, rubbing at it. "Why wouldn't you tell me about these concerns?"

"Because you would have either tried to prove me wrong and caused the exact problems I've been trying to avoid or you wouldn't listen to me and would brush it aside just as you brushed aside my many concerns about Draco's behavior."

Lucius stiffened. "So it's time to talk about Draco, now?"

"We can as long as you'll remember my orders because I am not asking nicely anymore. You will be sorting out the trauma you've been through and until I deem you safe, you will only interact with William, Sora, your son, and me. I want you to write a list of things you'll be doing as well as a schedule of it. Sora and I can help you, but I expect to see progress." These things were supposed to have been handled before they met Harry.

Lucius held his wand to his head and pulled out a memory strand, dropping it into the Pensieve. "I'll be able to review and list out your orders later."

Helios had the urge to trap Lucius's neck in his claws for his insolent tone but settled for a warning look that caused Lucius to drop his eyes. He let Lucius feel the weight of his stare and settled his temper before continuing to the volatile subject. "As for Draco, you and I will go talk to him." He had promised Lucius that much. "I also want him to speak to a mind healer twice a week if not more."

"Why so often?"

The fact that Lucius even had to ask that... Did he truly not understand what was happening or had he blocked reality from his mind?

"I don't know what Draco has done and I don't know what Harry has done, nor do I know how Draco is going to react to learning who his submissive is."

"Then shouldn't we figure out how he's going to react before deciding what he does and doesn't need?"

"No," Helios denied immediately, "because I know Draco isn’t going to react well. It isn't a secret that Draco doesn't like Harry, what do you think he's going to feel learning Harry is his mate? His submissive?"

"Then we should see about having Harry go to a mind healer too, they can go together and work out their issues together." 

"Have you learned nothing?" Helios almost wanted to laugh in anger, absolutely incredulous that those words had come from the veela's mouth. It was hard to bite back the rest of his scathing words. Just because Lucius didn't know, didn't mean that he knew nothing about submissives. Taking in a breath and letting it out, he continued. "Submissives do not have the luxury of being able to go to mind healers. Their instincts woken by their inheritance naturally incline them to not trust strangers or even friends with their close feelings or secrets. Harry will only trust us with those deep feelings or family members who are creatures as well. No one has any family in this world, Harry only has us to help him."

The realization on Lucius's face calmed Helios more than it should as it proved that Lucius had merely forgotten that instead of never learning that at all. 

"So we have Draco go to a mind healer, but how are we supposed to mend his and Harry's relationship?"

Helios wasn't sure if they could. But Lucius and Helios were both aware of the elephant in the room that had the words 'rejection' printed on it. 

"We have to work on things one at a time," Helios said. "Draco might not be suppressing his creature, but he feeds his aggressive traits. He attacked Sora yesterday and William. He's newly inherited, but he needs to work on getting his temper under control. We can't spend our time constantly stopping fights and ninety percent of the fights that occur are started by Draco."

"He's trying to assert dominance," Lucius defended. "Trying to climb the hierarchy."

"He acts like a feral chihuahua," Helios pointed out bluntly. "He lashes out with no thought, no control, and when he's forced to submit he pouts and sulks for hours. When Blaise attacks William, he puts thought behind it and doesn't just attack when William makes him mad. Adding to it, if it was truly just about dominance, he'd only be attacking Theodore but he goes after Adrian and Blaise too despite them being higher in ranking."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Lucius asked, thankfully not trying to follow his sinking argument into the water. "Mind healers won't be able to help that."

"No, but training will help. Learning how to fight in both mortal and creature form, practicing his flying, and getting him more secure in himself is a good start." He'd tried to get Draco to join Theodore and Blaise, but Draco was more invested in learning magic. "Half the reason he's acting like that is because he feels insecure and feels like he needs to prove himself to be better. You've taught him that he's the best and now that he isn't, his mind can't handle it. I've given him a few meditation techniques, but I have sincere doubts that he’s looked through them. He thinks it lessens his worth to accept help, that he has to do everything himself, by himself."

"Are you going to be telling me that all this is my fault too?"

"You are his father," Helios reminded. "This isn't the first time we've had these discussions about Draco but I've never seen you do anything about it except for trying to placate Draco."

"I didn't think he was going to have a creature inheritance," Lucius said, going back to an old argument.

"Neither did I."

"I didn't think he'd be our mate."

"But you still have a responsibility to him as a father. Even if you thought he'd live a mortal life, you should have had the desire to raise Draco into the best man he could be. Instead, you've been so afraid that you were going to watch him grow old and die that you have spoiled him and now, your actions might have ruined him."

Lucius looked up at the ceiling, holding back tears. "I don't know what to do," he admitted. "I don't want him to be rejected, I don't want him to die." He cleared his throat as emotion clogged his throat. "I want him to be happy."

"I want the same things as you," Helios assured. "I want Draco to get better, I want him to make it up to Harry. It'll be a group effort, but if Harry can give Draco a chance then I know we can make it through this. It isn't too late for Draco to change." Lucius shook his head bitterly and Helios thrummed through his mind for something good to say. "Draco does have a lot of positive characteristics too, he's very smart and has very good magical control. I know that he'll one day shower Harry with presents and become a fierce protector of our submissive too. He isn't afraid to advocate his opinion and he'll help Harry when Harry can't voice his." Helios was sure there were more good things, but he'd have to sit down and think about it. He knew that at his heart Draco was good, but he had a lot of grey and black areas covering that. "You need to set an example for Draco, if he sees you working on yourself without complaint and without dragging your feet, he's much more likely to try. He adores you, idolizes you, and you have a greater chance than I do to get through to him. He needs you."

Lucius brushed at his eyes and nodded. "I'll write him a schedule too. Can you review it after I'm done?"

"I can," Helios said, feeling like he'd finally connected to Lucius about this, finally gotten through to him. "Once the others are on more steady feet, they'll be able to help Draco too. For now, plan on William training Draco until we get Harry settled and soothed."

"How do we tell Draco all this?" Lucius asked. "You can feel him right now, he's completely consumed by his creature. Even if you suppress it back, he's still going to be quick to lash out with his state of mind."

Normally Helios would work Draco's veela out of him, letting the veela attack him and putting him in his place repeatedly while he got it out of his system and lost energy.

"While Sora went about it harshly yesterday," Helios said, "we might need to bind him so he doesn't attack you or me every ten seconds."

"Can we try to avoid that if possible?" Lucius asked. "I think the shock of discovering Harry Potter is our submissive will make his creature retreat as the man in him thinks it through." As if it was the creature that was in the wrong here, Helios let the comment slide, knowing it would just get them off-topic and perhaps into an argument.

"I'll of course not bind him unless I deem it necessary," Helios said. "But my actions and how I go about telling Draco all of this will depend on him." Both of them knew that Draco was a complete wildcard. "I also don't trust Draco to give us an unbiased or accurate understanding of what's happening between Harry and him. I'll be diving into his mind to get an understanding of what's happening, I can bring you along so you can see it but I plan on copying the memories and putting them into separate vials. If Draco can review the memories himself, I am hopeful that he'll be able to understand why his actions were wrong, and why bullying is wrong. The mind healer can go through them too, help point out the things that Draco’s missed or chosen to ignore.”

"We don't even know what he's done yet," Lucius said, "Harry is likely not innocent either."

"I don't care if Harry is innocent or not," and neither should the veela, "this is about Draco. He's the dominant. Harry is our submissive. Most submissives taunt, tease, attack, and fight their dominants, some order their dominants around like servants and some treat their dominants like slaves. I don't expect that Harry will, but he is our heart and we are his protectors. If Harry slaughters a village, when the authorities come to arrest someone, it is us who will stand before Harry to be punished instead of him."

Helios could practically hear the multitudes of 'buts' that Lucius wanted to say and could feel how indignant that made the man. Lucius truly didn't know. The earth was the only world out of thousands that Helios had been to that didn't have a set and firm hierarchy and submissives were always at the top. They were rare, precious treasures and this world seemed to take them for granted. 

The offenses for harming or hurting them in any other world would be torture and death, servitude, torture, and death, or complete annihilation of your entire family line after they torture and kill you. Here on earth, there were no such protections put in place, they were seen as more important than dominants but that was it. 

"When we figure out what has happened between the two of them, we'll be able to sort things out." Helios just hoped he'd be able to keep a clear head. He wanted to reach out to Sora again and get reassurance, but if he did, it would only heighten his desire to return to them instead of dealing with this, and as a top dominant it should be Helios who dealt with this.

Not letting Lucius delay, he opened a portal, linking it to the heir's office that was just across the hall. He stepped through first, leaving it up to Lucius if he wanted to follow, and as he'd expected not even a moment went by before Draco lunged, talons extended, fangs bared, wings out.

Helios, who had much longer arms was able to seize Draco's throat, careful to squeeze the sides instead of the more vulnerable front, and before his claws could try to tear Helios into slivers, Helios grabbed them, one wrist and then the other so smoothly it was like Draco had assisted him. He forced Draco to his back so he didn't risk hurting his neck amongst the thrashing and pinned one of his large black feathered wings to the ground with his knee and extended his foot to the other side of Draco so he could pin the other one down with his foot.

"Get off of me!" Draco's mouth flung spit as he snarled. 

"Calm down, Draco," Helios demanded. "I am here to talk to you, to explain what is happening. Our submissive is safe, he's safe."

"I need to go to him!" Draco arched his torso, trying to remove Helios. "He needs to be protected! Why the hell are you not with him?"

At least his instincts were currently working as they should. "Sora is with him. I will go back to him as soon as I am done talking to you." He squeezed Draco's neck tighter, making him unable to speak. "Submit and calm down or I will get what I came from and leave you here clueless."

Draco's grey eyes narrowed, tensing and pulling once more before relaxing and closing his eyes. He'd look like he was submitting to anyone looking, but the fury inside of Draco was enough to tell Helios that he'd attack the moment he let go.

He moved Draco's wrists, putting them in front of his neck, and smoothly switched hands so one was holding his wrists and throat while the other hand was free. Grabbing a stronger dose of calming potion, Helios forced the stem of the bottle into Draco's mouth and forced him to drink the blue liquid. The anger notably dimmed, sinking back.

"I thought you were against calming potions," Lucius spoke from behind Helios, having followed right behind the top dominant.

"I am." Helios let go of Draco upon seeing his claws and fangs sink away so only his wings remained out. He was calm enough for now

Draco rubbed his wrists and sat up. "Where is our submissive? Is he safe? Is he alright?"

"He's fine, he's with Sora," Helios repeated.

"He should be here, at the manor where we can protect him," Draco looked repulsed at Helios for not coddling him.

"Our submissive is timid, we need to make sure he's comfortable."

"We can make him a nest," Draco argued. "We can get all the blankets and all the pillows, including the couch cushions, and set them up in my room because it's the best room. We have silk curtains we can use and fuzzy towels. My wings are soft too, I can groom them." He looked down at one of his wings with narrowed eyes before pulling out a feather that was sticking out with only a tiny wince. Instincts were definitely controlling his mind. 

"Comfortable mentally," Helios clarified. He would have thought Draco to be precious right now if he didn't already have cold anger in the pit of his stomach. "He'd be scared if he met all of us at once. This is also foreign territory to him, he won't recognize it as safe yet."

"But Father isn't a Death Eater, didn't Sora say that that was all figured out?" Draco was trying to look at Helios respectfully but his eyes kept catching on feathers that needed to be moved to be positioned perfectly or broken ones that he pulled out without a thought to the pain. 

"That was sorted out," Helios said. "But another issue came up with our mate's identity."

"It doesn't matter who he is though." Draco frowned. "If it's his family we can just steal him."

"We don't kidnap people, Draco," Lucius chided before stepping around to Draco's side and kneeling down to help his son groom his feathers.

"I agree that it doesn't matter who he is," Helios assured. "We won't have to kidnap him, the issue is that he's scared of you."

Draco forgot about his wings. "What?"

"He's scared of you, but I can help you fix it," Helios said. 

"I haven't done anything," Draco argued. "I haven't done anything that would scare our heart. Who is he?"

Lucius tensed, pulling away from Draco.

"Harry Potter."

Draco blinked and then shook his head, Helios could practically see the mortal bleeding back into the creature. "You're lying. That isn't funny. Who's our mate?"

"It is Harry," Lucius said. "I met him first yesterday and I wouldn't lie to you."

"No," Draco denied. "No! That isn't true. Potter wouldn't be our mate, he isn't even a creature!" The talons were back though he didn't try to use them.

"He is—" Helios started.

"No!" yelled Draco. "No! Potter is not my submissive. He's awful! He's an absolute mess who doesn't know fingers from a comb and acts like he’s better than everyone else!"

Helios growled, deeper and louder, baring fangs. "Do not speak about our submissive that way."

Never having faced an angry Helios, Draco was cowed, shrinking in. He looked between Helios and his father, once, twice, three times. Each time there was more and more man. "You aren't joking. Merlin, you actually aren't joking."

"You'll find that I am very serious, Draco," Helios said, staring down at the young male with cold eyes that had caused armies to submit. Harry was better than everyone else and the worst mistake anyone could make was insulting a submissive in front of their dominant, especially their top dominant. "Harry is our submissive and the thought of you being his mate nearly caused him to have a panic attack." He'd made Lucius give him a memory of the interaction and the fear on Harry's face had caused a wound on Helios's soul, one that wouldn't be fixed until Draco was dealt with, one way or another.

"But..." like his father, Draco didn't seem to have any more words.

"But nothing. Harry is our mate whether you want him to be or not and despite your actions towards him magic has blessed you with a chance to be in his life."

Draco was pale, shaking. It was likely not due to his words, but due to Helios's angry countenance. Even Lucius had stepped away.

Helios didn't close his eyes, but he tried to bring up the memory of Harry. His wide green eyes, prominent cheekbones, and thick black hair that hung over him like a cloak, his sweet honey scent. While his anger didn't leave, it did retreat enough that the warrior inside of him relented and slunk away, leaving a firm top dominant, but not someone that would terrify his mates. 

"Your father will be creating a schedule for you so you can get better control of yourself but you will not be allowed to bad mouth Harry anymore. I do not want you to say a single bad thing about him or even talk about him to anyone but us."

Draco nodded quickly, not wanting to deny Helios when it was clear he wasn't feeling all that pitiful toward Draco. 

"Good," Helios approved. "Then what I want to do next is review your memories to figure out the whole story. I need to figure out what kind of mess we're in and what I can do to fix it. I refuse to let the actions of five years determine our eternity and I will find some way for you to make it up to Harry." So Draco didn't die, so Lucius didn't kill himself, and potentially have Adrian follow, likely causing Harry to sink to his death along with the others after him. Their bond was precious, but it was the weakest it would ever be right now. In time it would strengthen, but for now, the slightest thing could sever it.

Draco opened his mouth up, likely wanting to protest but it was Lucius who spoke first. "You will be doing this," he said, "I will be drawn into your mind with Helios and we will review every interaction between you and Harry."

"That would take days," Draco argued. "I can tell you what happened, Harry was an ass to me and I was an ass back. You should see the way he looks at me. I don't know what sob story he's told you but he's lying. You've heard Uncle Severus—he's an attention seeker."

"You think that a sixteen-year-old can fool me?" Helios asked forcing himself not to growl at Draco for already badmouthing their mate again. "That a sixteen-year-old would be able to lie to me and I wouldn't realize it? Harry told me that you had a bad first few meetings and that he apologized but you thought a teacher put him up to it and he didn't try to apologize again. Is that true?"

"No eleven-year-old would apologize without being forced," argued Draco. "Besides he scorned the Malfoy name and my offer of alliance."

"Harry told me that," Helios said. 

"Well, did he tell you that he got me in trouble with Professor McGonagall and lied to her about the gamekeeper who was hiding a dragon hatchling—in a wooden hut?"

"Harry didn't want to speak about you other than your first few interactions, he just wanted to tell me why you didn't like him."

Draco looked pained. "Are you sure he's our submissive?" He looked like he wanted anyone but.

"Yes," Lucius and Helios said at the same time. 

Pushing forward before he snapped, Helios explained what would happen to Draco. "I'll be using complex mind magic to shorten the time in reality as I view your memories of Harry. You won't be forced to relive those moments, but I will be pulling out the memories so you can review them later. I want you to write an essay, a very long and thorough essay about your actions and why bullying is bad." It wouldn't be the only punishment, but he needed Draco to comply and be calm and his veela would lash out if Helios told him that he would not be seeing Harry for a very long time.

Draco jerked back. "I'm not a bully!" 

"That is the word the headmaster used," Lucius said. 

"Professor McGonagall just is out to get me," Draco's feathers bristled.

"Then let us use your memories to judge." Helios just wanted to get this over with. The longer he was here, the more likely it was that he’d do something he’d regret. 

"Fine. But you'll see that I've done nothing wrong. It was just childish spats if you can even call it that."

How Helios hoped that was true. 

He brought out a glass plate from his pocket and used magic to fracture it into hundreds of pieces before waving a hand over it and turning each piece into either a vial or a cork to place on top. Another two intention spells and the vials would be unbreakable and would self-label the memories with the dates. 

Seeing Draco not trying to hide his memories and being more annoyed at the situation than reluctant also relieved a bit of Helios's stress. If Draco had done something unforgivable, or truly horrible, he'd be fighting Helios and wanting to hide it. 

"Grab my shoulder," he told Lucius as physical contact was necessary when bringing someone with you into a mind. Once he had, Helios lifted Draco's chin to make sure they had perfect eye contact. Eyes were the windows to the soul, but to get to the soul you had to pass through the maze of a mind and the memories it contained.

A childish interaction at a robe shop was the first memory Draco had of Harry. Draco had the same bored and drawling voice that Lucius sometimes used but it seemed forced and faked, obviously trying to prove his superiority but also not bothering to ask for Harry's name. Helios could see that Harry had the impression that Draco was a snobbish and spoiled child and kept glancing toward the door as if hoping that someone would come and rescue him from the conversation.

Helios could feel Lucius's shame and embarrassment for Draco at his childish insults and terrible conversation skills. 

The next conversation wasn't much better, it was on the train to Hogwarts, a boy that looked like a Weasley snorted at Draco's name, and Draco proceeding to insult the people Harry sat with. Harry stood up to Draco, refusing to shake Draco's hand and completely uninterested in becoming friends with someone so rude. 

He moved on, seeing Draco steal a remembrall and Harry doing a stomach leaping maneuver to catch it on a broom without a single adult there to make sure the first years were safe. 

He continued pushing through the memories and saw Draco chucking a pigeon feather into Harry's potion to make it bubble over while Harry was oblivious to what happened. 

He saw the scene Harry had talked about. Harry trying to apologize to Draco sincerely, but Draco didn’t believe him and disregarded it completely. Draco escalated the conversation into an argument and it ended with Draco sending a jinx at the submissive which Harry barely dodged.

Challenging Harry to a midnight duel to try and get him into trouble.

Tattling on Harry when Draco caught sight of the boy in a hut with a half-giant and mortal dragon hatchling. 

On and on it continued, little annoyances like spilling over Harry's ink when Draco walked by him in the library. Or sending a tripping jinx at Harry that would have caused him to fall down the stairs if a boy Helios thought was William's younger brother and a young muggle-born girl hadn't caught him. It was mainly insults though, scathing words and threatening Harry with telling his father. 

The escalation was slow, but it seemed to be petty and not all that serious. It wasn't fair to Harry and while it was bullying, it wasn't that bad. Draco had indeed sent Harry to the hospital wing once, but that was when he'd sent a nose-growing jinx at Harry that the submissive hadn't known how to cancel. None of the incidents seemed to have been reported to a teacher either, and it was only when Draco was caught in action that he got punished. Harry, for some unknown reason, had decided not to ask the professors for help.

Harry had sent a few spells back at Draco, only when Draco attacked first, but they were mainly to stop Draco from following them like the leg-locker curse and once with a full body-bind curse. Helios felt proud of the little submissive every time he defended himself, not because it was against Draco, but because of how cute it was to see those little shows of strength. 

Deeming the first year to be unfortunate but not something they couldn't overcome, Helios pulled out of his mind temporarily drawing out over three dozen memories as he did. 

"You understand how serious and dangerous it is to tamper with potions, don't you?" Lucius asked Draco while Helios sorted the memories so each of them was in a vial. 

"Everyone does it!" defended Draco.

"Not now, little bird," Helios told Lucius. He wanted to get through the rest of the memories first.

Lucius and Draco both bristled, but Helios grabbed Draco's chin again, sinking in and dragging Lucius in with him.

The second year was the same for the first half, childish skirmishes and other sabotage against Harry and his friends. At Halloween, Draco had spread rumors about Harry being the reason Filch's cat was petrified. 

Helios remembered this incident, Lucius had called Helios and Sora to the school concerned that something nefarious was inside the school and was worried about Draco's safety. Helios had investigated and had sensed magical residue from the dead shade of Voldemort. Albus and Helios had determined that Voldemort had unleashed a curse before he’d died and had tracked it down to a diary that Quirrel had stashed away in the defense room which was also the reason for the curse on the position of Defense teacher. Destroyed by Fiendfyre, that had been the end of the situation for Helios as he’d assured Draco that he was safe and left. 

However, Draco had taken advantage of knowing everything was alright by continuously making Harry into some sort of bad guy. He conjured a snake in the hallways and lied and said that Harry had done it, the students believed it and thus people thought that Harry was the next rise of Voldemort. 

In the next interaction, Harry was without his friends, and the Weasley kin and muggle-born weren't seen by Harry's side in any other show-off between Harry and Draco. Harry stopped fighting against Draco too, taking to running away, and seemed to be depressed and disheveled until after Christmas break when Draco had come back to school. 

He had seen Harry look put together again, though still friendless, and had once more sent a snake at Harry, a venomous one, and this time he'd used a different spell, conjuring one of the worst snakes that lived on earth. 

Lucius's temper and worry soared and it was only the fact that Helios knew that Harry was alive and safe that kept Helios from withdrawing from the memory. With trepidation, he watched it continue.

The snake hissed and slithered toward Harry, its purple scales gleaming against the grey stone floors.

"You so brave now, Potter?" asked Draco. "Where's that Gryffindor courage? Gone along with your friends?"

Harry didn't seem to even notice Draco, his eyes on the snake. It was over five feet long, with glowing amber eyes. His own eyes, covered by glasses, ran over the length of the creature, staring at the snake with...what kind of expression was that on his face? His lips were straight and flat, and his eyes were...curious? Amused? Filled with adrenaline? There wasn't even the slightest bit of fear.

"I'll tell you what," Draco said, "you can be my servant from now on and I'll call off the snake. It's a mortem snake, meaning snake of death. It'll kill you if it bites you, but I got an antidote from Professor Snape. It's a slow death, it'll take over twenty minutes, which is plenty of time for you to tell me how well you’re going to polish my shoes. As long as I administer the dose before ten minutes, you should be completely fine."

The snake twisted and contracted its body, raising itself up until its head was a foot off the ground. It stared at Harry and Harry didn't look away either. If he moved, the snake would attack. Its blue tongue flicked out, tasting the air, and scenting its prey.

Harry cocked his head, the snake lunged.

Helios's heart stopped beating, raw panic pulsed from Lucius.

Airborne, the snake opened its mouth, baring fangs that seemed far too long for its mouth and they were dripping in blue venom. It was aiming for Harry's throat and while Draco was correct, twenty minutes was what it took for the venom to kill someone permanently Harry would die the moment the venom penetrated his skin. He'd remain dead if the antidote wasn't administered within twenty minutes and would be paralyzed for life if it wasn’t administered in ten. But the scariest thing about the mortem snake was that the wounds it had left behind healed completely as soon as the fangs were removed. It would leave no scar, no trace, and was used as a tool of assassination all the time. The mortem snake was thought to be the animal that gave inspiration for the killing curse. Harry would have no proof but his memories that Draco had sent the snake at him, and no teacher would believe a student enough to search their memories.

Just before the vile serpent struck its’ prey. Harry's hand reached out, somehow reacting faster than the snake lunging at him. He caught the serpent just under the head, pinning its mouth shut. Blue venom dripped down onto the floor, looking innocent as it ran down Harry’s fingers. If the submissive had so much as a hangnail…

Draco stumbled back and Harry moved his head and eyes slowly up to look at him. His head cocked a bit more. "I trust you won't try this again," he said calmly, ignoring the writhing snake in his hand. "I don't know how useful your father’s influence will be if you become a murderer."

Draco gulped.

Dead. Harry's eyes looked dead. Blank, lifeless, like that of a doll. 

Not letting go of the snake, Harry turned and walked away. 

Helios had to force himself to continue on, to not retreat, to not pin Draco to the floor and leave to bury his head in Harry’s neck. 

The next memory happened months later, Draco hadn’t even spread a rumor during that time, wary of the almost unnatural scene he’d witnessed. But, when Harry beat Slytherin at Quidditch, winning the house cup, Draco retaliated by breaking Harry's broom so he wouldn't have a Nimbus 2000 as an advantage anymore and would be forced to use a school broom next year.

Helios pulled out of Draco's mind as the year ended. His magical aura was out, suppressing both Draco and Lucius so they couldn't say a word, and he carefully deposited the memories from the second year into the vials. He watched the vials write the dates on them and stared at them a moment longer. His fury and instincts were so high that it had actually come around the other side and he felt a bit numb and cold to it. He wasn't even thinking, just picturing the image of those green vivid eyes looking so lifeless as if the mortem snake had actually struck Harry dead. It was a testament to Draco's power that he'd been able to conjure it, Helios had never imagined witnessing something like that.

He shifted back to Draco. Third year. He wasn't even halfway done. Three more years, then he could leave. He didn't need to say anything else to Draco today. He'd given instructions to Lucius, Lucius would make sure Draco didn't self-reject and if he knew what was good for him, he'd go and schedule a therapy appointment for both of them. 

And Helios could see Harry, Harry who had layers of emotions in his eyes. Harry, whose eyes weren’t dead.

He grabbed Draco's jaw, sinking in once more. At the start of the third year, Draco had lost any timidity he'd had toward Harry again as if the snake incident had been a dream instead of reality. He also had real substance and facts to toss at Harry, not needing to use rumors. Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, had escaped from Azkaban. The newspapers had very clearly gone over everything they knew about the mass murderer and controversial serial killer. 

The man had chased down Peter Pettigrew due to Peter betraying them to Voldemort causing Harry's parents to be killed and Harry nearly killed himself. But, in mad attempts to stop Peter, Sirius had blown up a muggle street causing the death of twelve muggles, injuring dozens of others, and also blowing Peter Pettigrew in half. Peter, still alive after his lethal wounds had been finished off with a killing curse from Sirius's hand, was witnessed by two Aurors who were the first on the scene. It was a war that Helios wished he'd chosen to take part in, but both he and Sora knew that they could drastically shift the world negatively if they used their power in this weak little world. The events of mortals needed to be handled by mortals.

Sirius Black was sentenced to life in prison, but some people thought it wasn't fair as he was obviously acting in a state of grief and not thinking clearly. He'd gone nearly insane in eight years, mumbling things that had been published in the newspaper upon his escape. Words such as  "I didn't mean to" and "Had to take revenge" were most common but there were also nonsensical words such as "My poor little prongslet" and "Such a jealous weed" mixed in.

No one knew what the madman wanted to do, but a lot of people thought it was likely that Sirius would go after Harry and the Ministry had decided to place Azkaban's dementor guards at Hogwarts. Said dementors had entered the train, searching for Sirius, and had ended up nearly kissing Harry, causing Harry to faint and he'd only been saved by an auror who'd been riding the train watching out for Sirius Black as well.

Using this as ammunition, Draco had made fun of Harry for weeks. Mercifully, there seemed to be a bit of life back in Harry's eyes despite the terrible events which Helios clung to every time he was forced to watch Draco. He told Harry that Sirius Black was probably going to come after him, that it was only a matter of time. Sure enough, on Halloween, a potentially cursed day for Harry, Sirius Black had broken into the Gryffindor tower and the Professors had thought it possible that he was still in the castle. All the students were called into the great hall to sleep that night, but the Aurors had no signs that Sirius was still in the castle and it was expected that he'd left again. 

Draco made sure that Harry was to be blamed for the undesired sleepover everyone was forced to go through and had doubled down on the rumors, turning the castle against him and the tiny light in Harry's eyes dimmed each time Draco interacted with Harry. 

Draco, however, didn't seem to be able to corner Harry anymore in the hallways, though he tried to set up different traps and resolved to bother Harry in class when he could pin him down. Potions almost always seemed to be a mess, either tossing an ingredient into the cauldron when Snape wasn't looking or messing with the flame to make it too hot or not hot enough. It didn't always end in it blowing up or melting the cauldron, but the potions were ruined so Harry would find it impossible to get a passing grade in the class. Draco also sabotaged care of magical creatures when he could, letting a pen of nifflers out and blaming it on Harry or knocking Harry into a dung pile. 

Nothing as serious as the mortem snake occurred until the end of the year. The students had once more been forced to gather to the great hall in the middle of the night because Sirius Black had been suspected of breaking into the Gryffindor tower and this time it was feared that he'd kidnapped Harry. 

Draco was lingering by the doors, waiting for the headcount to be finished and the beds to be laid out so he could sleep again. He was the first to see Harry when he came down from a hallway.

Harry's face was pale, ghostly, and there were tear stains on his face. His pajamas were dirty, torn, his feet bare and bloody. Draco didn't seem to notice any of that. "Pathetic" Draco scowled, "if you're going to go exploring the castle you might as well do something useful."

"What?" Harry's voice was hoarse like he'd been screaming for hours. He blinked a few times, straining to concentrate on Draco's words. His eyes were bouncing between looking lifeless, soulless, and straining, fighting some internal demon.

Draco turned around, moving to speak to a teacher and alert them loudly that Harry was here, but spoke over his shoulder. "I mean you should go jump off the astronomy tower, Potter. Do us all a favor. Some of us like to sleep and if you're going to be this reckless with a killer after you, then you should just end your life now." It was said casually, not much thought to the words, but the harsh flinch from Harry was as if he’d been slapped.

Helios couldn't draw on the emotion to be surprised, but as that was the last interaction for third year he withdrew. He was already engulfed in disappointment and horror, adding to it was expected at this point. He...he just had to get through this. Helios didn’t know what to think, didn’t know what to do. 

Lucius however was gagging, heaving, but it was nothing but dry air as he'd emptied out his stomach's contents not even an hour ago. Suicide baiting their submissive was apparently Lucius's tipping point as he pulled away from Helios.

"I can't," Lucius croaked, finding the power to speak despite Helios's aura suppressing the room. "I can't."

Draco seemed to be afraid of Helios more than he was curious about what Lucius meant. Did Draco seriously not feel any shame for what he’d done? Did he not understand what his actions and words meant?

Helios had no words for Lucius, what could he say to reassure the parent of a bully? Why should he comfort the parent of a bully, mate or not, why would he try to diminish the severity of what they’d witnessed? Lucius had been spoken to before, had been sent letters from teachers, and Draco likely wasn’t just acting this way towards Harry. There were no excuses and if Helios spoke, he’d likely just start yelling. Helios didn't yell, he tried so hard to be above that, to communicate rationally, but he was well past his wit's end.

Instead of looking at the men in the room, Helios let the memories trickle into their vials. Two more years, just two more years and he could go back to Harry. His little mate was waiting for him, needing him. Lucius didn't grab onto his shoulder again and Helios didn't make him. He could go through the memories alone.

Harry's and Draco’s fourth year. Numb and withdrawn, Harry was subjected to Draco once more. There was more name-calling, more rumor spreading, and he was being jinxed in the hallways too. Harry's success at being able to avoid Draco in the hallways during the third year seemed to have ended now. The year was normal event-wise, there was nothing for Draco to throw back at Harry's face, but he certainly tried to humiliate Harry whenever he could. Harry took it all, avoiding it where he could but otherwise resigned. Memory after memory, none of them stood out but all of them were hard to look at. 

It was in February when things changed once more.

Rumors were spread that Harry had spent the night in the hospital wing and Draco and two of his mortal friends, or perhaps goons, snuck into the hospital wing. It wasn't in concern. They were hoping to see Harry in some embarrassing position or with some embarrassing ailment. 

But they found Harry awake, uninjured to their eyes but Helios could see the bandages that were wrapped around the submissive's torso underneath.

Harry didn't seem to notice the Slytherin trio at first, busy writing someone down on parchment, but there was a smile on his face. Tiny and fragile, but real. It was a happiness that Helios clung to, knowing it would disappear soon.

The Malfoy heir stepped out then, digging clumsily for information about what had landed Harry in the hospital while also insulting Harry for getting there in the first place. The smile slipped away, but there was a strange peace in Harry's eyes. A glimmering look that Helios recognized from the Harry he'd met and the emotion stayed throughout the rest of the year. He was no longer dead, no longer numb, and while he seemed to be resigned to Draco he also didn't seem to be bothered when his potions exploded or when he tumbled down a staircase because of a spell cast at Harry. It was…unnerving, worrisome.  

Harry hadn't been broken by Draco. Of all the thoughts that could or should have been in the forefront of his mind, it was this one that Helios thought of as he once more withdrew and placed the memories in the vials. Or perhaps Harry had been, it wasn't natural for a submissive to be resigned to unfair or cruel treatment. They didn't bow their heads despite the term earth had given them, they had iron spines most of the time. 

The fifth year was different. Very different. Harry seemed to have somehow mastered how to avoid Draco and his bullying schemes for the most part. The odd success that Harry had had during his third year to avoid Draco was magnified now and Harry didn't seem to ever go into the great hall to eat when Draco was there. Helios wondered if Harry was intentionally trying to avoid Draco or if Harry was trying to avoid all his peers. There were zero incidents in the hallways, and Harry had learned to avoid Draco and his schemes in Care of Magical Creatures. The only interactions they had at school were in Potions, Harry had tried to put a shield and protection around his cauldron but the potion teacher didn't let him, and also seemed obvious to most of Draco's actions, blaming Harry every time his cauldron bubbled over or started leaking toxic gas. Some rumors were still spread by Draco, but he seemed to slowly lose interest in Harry as the year went on. Perhaps Draco thought that his actions in years previous could be brushed away because he ‘wasn’t that bad’ during the fifth year.

Yet, despite Harry’s luck at avoiding Draco at school, it seemed that Harry's luck at avoiding Draco ran thin during the Hogsmeade weekends. It was there that Draco acted against Harry, starting fights, dueling, and inevitably getting caught by the professors who were supervising. Harry didn't flee during those times, simply looking resigned as he defended himself unless Draco said something that got under Harry's nerves and then he snapped spells out at Draco with much more skill than Helios would have expected from someone so young. It was a mercy that the Hogsmeade weekends were rare occasions.

Indeed, it was likely that Draco was thinking about his fifth year rather than the prior years. Ruining his potions was still bullying, and the Hogsmeade interactions were antagonistic, but it seemed to be dramatically less than the years before. Helios wasn’t fooled though. It wasn't due to Draco growing up, but because Harry had been forced to learn the skill of hiding and avoidance. 

Helios's submissive shouldn't have to hide. Shouldn't have to avoid a single person. Helios was his mate, Helios would be the one to stand behind Harry and if Harry wanted to go against the gods themselves then Helios would raise an army to help him take them down.

Withdrawing for the last time, Helios dropped the memories into their vials. There were less than any other year but that was only a positive that the devil's advocate could point out. 

His aura was still strong in the room, filling it with tingling burning magic.

A good top dominant would talk to Draco again. A good top dominant would speak to Lucius. A good top dominant would make another round around the house, double-checking to make sure everyone was okay but Helios couldn't. He just couldn't. It was too much. He had more memories of Harry being hurt than he did of Harry being alright. He'd been away from his submissive for hours, almost half a day, and that was impossible to think about. On his homeworld, submissives were nested for a month, cuddling, having sex, and establishing bonds before a dominant would even contemplate leaving them for short periods. It went against nearly all his instincts to be away from Harry, and he wouldn't fight those instincts for a moment later. Not when he'd seen the pain Draco had put Harry through, not when he had dead eyes ingrained in his head, it was sickening to think of staying in the manor a moment longer.

Without giving his two veela mates a second look, he linked his mind to Sora's bond and portaled away.

He ended up back in the hotel room. Harry was lying between Sora's legs on the bed, his head resting on Sora's thigh while the elf completed another intricate and long braid. His green eyes were heavy-lidded, exhaustion floating in them despite Harry having a good night's rest. Harry didn't become more awake despite noticing Helios's return. In fact, Helios could see a sort of flickering in Harry's eyes as if a candle had been lit somewhere in their depths, projecting shadows into his green eyes. His submissive at some point had sunken partially into his creature, letting just a sliver of it out as he relaxed with Sora.

A trilling sound came from Harry's throat, one that couldn't be placed with any creature, but it was curious and happy. Harry held out a hand to Helios, not wanting to be pulled up, but asking the top dominant to join him.

The darkness and rage vanished in an instant, to be thought of later in the day. Helios had a mate that wanted to cuddle. 

Chapter Text

Harry and Sora went back to the hotel after visiting a few more stores, but Harry took pity on Sora who kept looking at Harry's hair as if it was some rare and fascinating beast. Which...fair, it was a beast, one that Harry had never been able to tame, and even coming into his inheritance hadn't helped as he'd now only had to deal with even more of it. But Sora was looking at it the same way Neville looked at a new plant, unable to take his eyes off of it and proclaiming its beauty to everyone who would listen. The moment Harry told Sora they could go somewhere where Sora could play with it, Sora was opening up a portal back to the British Isles, right in front of Harry's hotel.

A house-elf had come in at some point to clean it up and soon Harry was laying on the bed, resting on his forearms while Sora sat behind him, brushing his hair. There weren't many snarls in it, but Sora was very careful and Harry felt no pain as Sora finished and then began running his hands through the hair instead.

"Your hair is so soft," his voice was quiet as he ran his fingers through Harry's scalp and continued until he reached the ends of Harry's hair, having to draw his arm back to do it in a single stroke.

"Is it?" Harry reached up and felt a piece. It was pretty silky, but it didn't look anything like Sora's that could be in one of his aunt's hair magazines.

"It is," Sora said. "I've also decided that I'm claiming it."

"You're what?" Was this some creature thing?

"Claiming it," he repeated. "Your hair is mine now."

"What?" Harry tilted his head back so he could look at Sora who was grinning down almost smugly at him. Harry twisted around so he could face the elf. "What does claiming my hair mean?"

"It means that I get to play with it whenever I want to," Sora explained as if it was the most simple thing in the world. "That you can't get mad at me for randomly coming up to you and running my hands through your hair, or deciding that your hair needs to be fixed midday." His nose lifted in the air, playing the role of a spoiled snob while his eyes danced in amusement, yet there was a hint of caution too as if Sora didn't want to risk upsetting Harry and was watching his reaction closely.

Harry just laughed. "Alright, you can claim it. But I get to claim your hair too."

"You want my hair?" Sora pulled his ponytail over his shoulder and tickled Harry's nose with the end of it.

Harry laughed again and batted the hair away. "I just want to be able to touch it whenever I want to too."

"Then it is yours." Sora leaned down and kissed Harry's forehead. He guided Harry's shoulder so he was lying down again and Sora gently laced his fingers into Harry's hair and gently massaged his head. It was a new sensation for Harry, and he found himself sinking into the Sora's nimble fingers. "If I had my hair products here, I'd wash your hair too."

"I washed it this morning." Was it dirty or oily?

"I have a lot of different potions and oils that we can put in your hair," Sora explained, "it'll help protect your hair and the texture. I'll bring some by. They're meant for immortal hair and eternal long care. Do you like the scent of tea tree?"

Was he supposed to know what that was? "I'm not picky. As long as it doesn't smell bad."

"It smells divine," Sora said, carefully rubbing his thumbs over Harry's temples. "It's also a plant that can be found on many different worlds including Earth. It is very cheap on Earth but it can cost a fortune on other worlds."

"Oh," was all Harry could think of to say. Otherworlds... Knowing about them and knowing someone from them were two different things.

Sora continued to massage his head, even going down to Harry's neck, and at some point Harry found himself resting his head on Sora's thigh instead of on his forearms. He wasn't sure if it was the physical contact or the relaxing sensation, but Harry found it hard to stay alert enough to intelligently respond to Sora, and his one or two-word answers turned into hums and silence.

He was sure he'd fallen asleep at some point because the next time he heard Sora speak, the elf was softly singing. The words were foreign but rolled off Sora's tongue like ambrosia for the ears. Harry opened his eyes and looked straight up to Sora who looked completely relaxed and was holding a section of Harry's hair as he braided it slowly and carefully.

Sora was beautiful. Almost kingly and regal, he looked like he should be the one being pampered by a thousand servants, instead of being here with Harry. But, Sora was Harry's, and Harry was Sora's. His hair had been claimed by the elf, and one day Sora would claim the rest of Harry too.

Sora finished the braid, never pausing his singing. Still, when he finished the braid, tying it off with a tiny black string, he gently lifted Harry's head and back and shifted Harry so he lying on his stomach, lying halfway on top of Sora's legs, but his face nestled into Sora's thigh and torso. It was far more comfortable than it had a right to be. Harry suspected that Sora just wanted access to the back of his head. However, Harry was also treated to a Sora slowly running his fingers over Harry's back muscles and knots, giving him an impromptu massage that Harry was not going to make him stop. His Aunt went with Uncle Vernon sometimes on their date nights to get massages and he'd never understood the draw, but Harry understood now.

He wondered how he could convince Sora to do it again. Once more he must have fallen asleep because when he stirred again, he was on his back again and Sora had stopped his singing. He blinked up at Sora with heavy eyes and was given a smile in return, but no words. Sora was leisurely braiding still and Harry had half a mind to wonder if his hair would be nothing but braids at this point but found he didn't care.

Finishing a loop, Sora reached down and ran a finger over Harry's smooth cheek. A sound escaped Harry's lips, not one he'd made before, it was an odd vibration. He didn't care about that either. He watched Sora, mesmerized by the slow looping and smoothing motion of his long fingers,  watching the tendons flex and relax again.

Then, movement caught his attention where there should be no movement and he looked over and saw that Helios had appeared in the room. His top dominant was tall, so tall, Harry wondered if he could climb him, maybe stand on top of his shoulders.

Another odd sound came from Harry's throat, wondering why his mate was back but not with him on the bed and he held his hand out expectantly to the dominant. If Helios was here, then he should be with Harry.

Helios didn't hesitate, moving to the bed and laying down on his side beside Sora and Harry. He snagged Harry's hand as he did, pressing a kiss to his knuckles before holding Harry's hand and resting it against Harry's stomach where it'd been before. Helios smoothed his finger over Harry's palm and made a deep and low growling noise to mimic the one Harry had made, but his was calming and reassuring that he wouldn't be going anywhere.

Harry smiled, his top dominant was here. He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in Helios's wood scent and the scent from Sora, which was likely the tea tree he'd mentioned. It was hard to open his eyes again, but he didn't want to sleep with his mate here. He stared at Helios, fighting the urge as he had no idea how long he'd been asleep and didn't want to sleep the day away.

Helios let go of Harry's hand, smoothing it down when Harry tried to catch it again, and instead brought his hand to Harry's face. One large knuckle was pressed against his forehead, slipping down between his eyebrows, and then following the bridge of his nose down to the tip. It made Harry close his eyes for a moment, but he opened them again just in time for Helios's knuckle to arrive back on his forehead, repeating the movement. It was slow and gentle, and Harry gave up on keeping his eyes open as he focused on Helios's skin on his. He wouldn't fall asleep, he was just focusing...

Chapter Text

When Harry awoke again, he still resting against Sora and felt wide awake. A heavy hand splayed against his torso was recognized somehow instantly as Helios's. 

"I didn't mean to fall asleep." Harry opened his eyes and stretched out a bit.

"It's a compliment, a huge one," Sora said. "It means you trust me, that you feel safe around me and trust me to guard you."

"I slept well last night though," Harry said. "I shouldn't have been tired."

"The first interaction with a new mate drains energy," Helios explained, his deep voice curling around Harry's ears and he realized that he'd missed the sound of his voice even though he'd only been gone a few hours. "If you met all eight of us at once you'd likely fall asleep for a few days as it would sap the magic from you. When the initial bond is formed, it doesn't just form out of thin air, it builds around your magical core."

Harry hadn't heard about that. "I need to read more about," he lifted a hand, waving it in the air a bit, "well, all of this."

"Can I ask what you've read so far?" Helios asked.

"We can give you some books that are more useful than the ones written by earthlings," Sora added but with no negative tone infliction on the word earthlings, just making a statement.

"I've only read a few books." Harry shrugged, a bit uncomfortable. "They're in my trunk if you want to look at them, in the second compartment. I was planning on using the library at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts does have a good selection," Helios said as he moved to Harry's trunk, "but many books have inaccurate information or base it off of veela mateships who are the predominant creatures on this planet. Each species has their own culture and each creature has their behaviors. General knowledge that is true across all mateships is easily misinterpreted or misinformed by worlds having a small number of creatures to use as examples."

That was one thing Harry didn't understand. "How can a mateship have different creatures? What if one creature's instincts contradict another's?"

Dragons and veelas didn't seem to mix in Harry's mind, and throwing in an elf with...huh, were elves creatures? Or were they like humans with a creature inheritance? He snuck a look at Sora...would it be rude to ask? When Sora started to look at Harry, feeling his submissive's eyes on him, Harry looked away so they didn't make eye contact.

"Mateships are formed with creatures who have the same or similar instincts," Helios explained, looking through the small collection of Harry's books, "the differences have to be brought up and talked about so no problems occur but none of our instincts will go against another." He looked at Harry, stopping what he was doing. "For example, veelas have a desire to nest their submissive. They want to make a comfortable and large bed of blankets and pillows and will make their mate stay there while they guard them. As a sundrysti dragon, my instincts tell me to find a defendable area for you to live in. In mortal dragons, this is a cave, for creatures, this is usually their home. So while I need to find a safe area, the veelas will insist on finding a room to turn into a proper nest. I won't stop them and instead, I'll defend the room as well as the building."

The veelas...Lucius and very, very likely Draco... It made him curious about the others if they were veelas too or something else. Maybe Harry was a veela? He had wings, he was pretty sure he was distantly related to the Malfoy's too in the way all wizarding families were...but maybe that was just the Black side? He pushed that thought away, he didn't care what his creature was—didn't want to think about it.

Harry looked at Sora again, asking the elf silently to tell him what his instincts were. Yet, Sora just raised an eyebrow and smiled, he was always smiling it seemed. Sora wanted him to ask his question out loud, but...he just couldn't, it made his insides feel all squirmy.

When Sora opened his mouth, he got excited for a moment, thinking he won. "A mortal dragon hoards gold," Sora said randomly, "but a true dragon has their own kind of treasure to protect, the rarest and most precious kind: a heart."

Helios made a sound of agreement but seemed to be more interested in watching Harry and Sora's silent interaction.

Did that mean that Sora had a dragon inheritance too? Harry looked over at Helios, Helios looked like a dragon...you know, despite looking just like a tall human... but Sora did not. Looking back at Sora, he was just wearing that damnable smile. Could Harry ask? What if Sora didn't have creature instincts as Helios had? What if elves were neutral or something and he was pushing on a sore spot? Sora looped one of Harry's braids together and Harry had a stray thought about how much it would suck to undue whatever Sora was doing.

"So," started Sora again, once more grabbing a new braid and roping it through to make a net-like design, "you know how high elves are super patient and very calm?"

"I guess?" Harry hadn't looked into high elves more than reading a few paragraphs about them in a book, thus why he was in this situation. Then again, Sora had braided Harry's hair for hours and massaged him without a single complaint, and was still bloody playing with his hair, not that Harry minded.

"Well," Sora drew out, "that is usually true, and you can add super wise, and intelligent to that list too."

Harry bit down a grin. Had he won? "But?" he prompted.

"But, I really, really, want to tell you what my creature is. May I?"

Harry sat up and would have gotten his hair yanked out if Sora hadn't quickly let go. Harry twisted around so he was facing Sora. "Tell me," he said eagerly. It was odd, the emotion and desire had popped up and surged to the forefront of his mind.

Sora looked between both of Harry's eyes as if they were the most fascinating things and an odd whine came from Harry's mouth when the elf didn't immediately speak. It confused Harry, why was he acting like Dudley?

Sora smiled, closed mouth and adoring. "I am not a creature-born like Helios." Harry forgot about his oddness while he paid close attention. "Instead, I was born from a submissive as what you call a high elf, and had my inheritance appear a few days after my birth." An infant having to go through an inheritance? Wouldn't that be lethal for an infant? "My creature doesn't have a name on earth as it doesn't exist here, but the proper name of my creature is simply: eyda." Sora's lips caressed the first syllable, a peculiar accent coming out with the word.

"What's an eyda?"

"I can show you," Sora grinned.

"Right now?"

"Eydas are small." Helios came up behind Harry and gently lifted him off of Sora, before putting Harry on his feet in front of Helios. "They're meant for stealth, I'd show you my dragon if I could but we'll need to be at Hogwarts or a similarly warded area so we don't scare the muggles or wizards."

"Helios is more of the brute strength variety," Sora agreed, "much like trolls."

Faster than Harry, and apparently Sora, could react, Helios reached down and tugged at Sora's ankle pulling him forward and risking the elf falling off the bed. Sora stopped himself and shot an 'I totally let that happen' look at Harry before getting his ankle free—with Helios willingly letting go of it. Then, closing his eyes for a moment, Sora shifted.

When Helios said small, Harry had pictured Sora transforming into some type of feline or lupine type thing but Sora didn't fully form into a creature, instead becoming humanoid. Sora's midnight hair became blurry before it rippled and shifted like a liquid shadow. His skin, already pale, became unnaturally so but black spots—shimmering scales—decorated his face almost artistically. From his back, two wings appeared, folded against his back at an unknown wing length. They were the same liquid black shadow as Sora's hair, rippling and waving, looking like you could sink through it.

Sora opened his eyes once more, the white from his eyes gone leaving eternal darkness. His lips opened, revealing fangs that Harry would pin toward vampires. He looked like a nightmare, the assassin you feared to meet, the kind of being you'd know better than to stand against. He was beautiful, he was Harry's.

"Slower transformations are harder to master," Helios said lowly for Harry. "Usually the process takes a blink of an eye, but it can be startling to witness."

Harry paid half a mind as he reached forward before stopping, unsure. Helios decided for Harry as he picked him up again and had him straddle Sora's lap. The position didn't phase Harry, more drawn to Sora's hair and scales.

Harry's head tilted to the side, the action unnoticed by him until Sora leaned in and rang his fangs over the vulnerable skin of his neck. Mimicking a biting motion without penetrating his skin. Harry shivered, but it wasn't in fear. When Sora's fangs passed each other, teeth snapped shut, the eyda pressed a kiss to that same spot.

Sora pulled back. He winked and grabbed Harry's hand. Sora's fingernails had turned shadow black with an inch-long sharp point. He guided Harry's hand up until it was on top of Sora's head and Harry gasped. His hair was like shadow, Harry's hand sinking into it, but it was warm like bathwater and felt like liquid as well. His scalp didn't feel like skin either, but of scales, likely the same that speckled his face. They weren't like Helios's scales which were smooth and metal-like, these ones were warm and thinner.

It honestly felt a bit weird, or really weird. Harry followed Sora's hair back to where it was somehow still caught up in the metal circle binder thing. He ran his fingers through it, so warm, so comfortably warm. But before Harry's hand could continue down his hair, he was stopped by a small movement of Sora's wings. His fingers paused.

"You can touch them." Harry's hand jerked away at the sound of Sora's voice. It had changed. It was...layered and full of depth. It didn't echo per se, and it was obviously Sora but it...Harry didn't know how to describe it. It didn't sound mortal, it was a voice you had to pay attention to, the voice of a deity. Sora ran a finger down Harry's face, careful of the sharp nail. "They're even warmer than my hair, but they won't hurt you."

Harry wanted to, but he hesitated. Pressure appeared on his back as the bed weighed down. Helios was there, running a large hand down his arm that appeared fragile in contrast to such a strong man before grabbing Harry's hand. "You do not need to overthink touching us," Helios said, "we are yours."

With his hand over Harry's, Helios guided it to Sora's wing. They sunk in just over an inch of shadows before reaching scales, it was even warmer than Sora's hair, but it couldn't be classified as being hot. Helios's hand stayed over Harry's, moving it over Sora's wing which obediently stayed still for them until Harry's hand started moving on its own.

Harry didn't know why Helios said that Sora was small. He hadn't lost any height and had gained wings to add to his mass. Sora had to keep them closed rather than extending them because there was no room in the room to spread them out. He wondered if other creatures in other worlds were more common to be Helios's size, but they'd need giant worlds to accommodate so many people being so big. Harry would have destroyed the Dursleys' house if he'd been any bigger. Or if his wings had uncurled and smacked into the walls.

When Harry was temporarily bored of feeling his mate's wings, he pulled back and danced his fingers over Sora's face, brushing his fingers over the tiny scales beside his eyes and over his cheekbones. He wondered if Sora had scales anywhere else. "Eyda," Harry whispered, tasting the name again. "You seem powerful."

"I am very powerful," Sora agreed his voice's vibrations seemed to sink into Harry's lungs and chest, it felt pleasant. He caught Harry's hand so he could kiss his wrist. "Do you approve? Are you satisfied with me?"

Harry blinked, a little caught off guard that he'd been asked that. "Of course."

Sora hummed. "Of course," he repeated quieter. He seemed a bit lost in thought but Helios grabbed at Harry's waist and directed his attention to the books he'd placed on the bed. Books that weren't his.

"These books are good introduction books," Helios said. "I have a few other books that you'd appreciate even more. They're specifically about male, magic-bearing submissives."

"Magic bearing? Not all creatures have magic?" Harry asked. How did that work? It was magic that had caused Harry to be a creature, right?

"Certainly not," Sora laughed through his words. "Very few people have magic, the ratio is even worse than it is here on Earth."

"Those who have creatures or have a creature inheritance are only able to shift between forms but other levels of magic are inaccessible to them." So they did have magic, just passive magic they couldn't actively use. Helios stood from his kneeling position on the bed and went back to Harry's trunk to put the books in. "It creates a hierarchy or caste system in most worlds. Those who are neither creature nor magic bearing at the bottom like muggles, then creatures, then creatures with magic."

"What about people who aren't creatures and are just magic-bearing like witches and wizards?"

"They'll be above people like muggles, but otherwise it depends on how strong they are," Sora said and when Harry looked back at him, he noticed that the eyda had at some point retracted his creature without Harry noticing. It was a bit of a shame.

"I'd appreciate the books," Harry admitted as he remembered his manners. There was clearly much he needed to learn. "Thank you." He'd also need to get more books on creatures and figure out what he was. Black wings were all he had to go off of and he didn't even know the size of his feathers, but he could write a list and start figuring it out. It was embarrassing not to know. Not that he'd tell his mates what he was as soon as he found out, but it was good to know what kind of creature he was...what he'd turned into.

"We should get some food in you too," Helios said, "you haven't eaten anything since breakfast."

Harry wasn't hungry but it was past the usual lunchtime. That got him thinking again and he spoke up before he could convince himself not to. "How did the others take the news?"

There was a pause. "It went well overall." Harry couldn't tell if Helios was lying.

"Well?" he prodded looking at Sora. He was sure that Helios and Sora had a bond that allowed for communication and as he'd slept for hours, he was sure that Helios and Sora had talked it over. "I don't think Malfoy," the word was hard to say because Draco Malfoy, asshole and twit was apparently his asshole and twit and he most certainly didn't want an asshole and twit, "would take it well to find out that I'm his mate."

They didn't wince or react outwardly, both of them were looking at Harry, clearly trying to read him to figure out how to go about what was apparently going to be a hard conversation.

"I..." Harry trailed off, trying to gather his thoughts and keep his emotions under control. "I know they aren't going to be happy. I'm already prepared for that."

Sora grabbed Harry's waist and pulled him to his chest, his legs thankfully flexible enough to fully straddle the man's torso. "That isn't it at all."

"William and Adrian are very excited to see you," Helios said. "You mentioned you were worried they'd heard bad things about you, but they haven't. Neither of them has heard anything about you except for your name and other tiny details. They've both been withdrawn from society in different ways, William in Egypt and Adrian's always been distant from his peers."

A loner, Harry amended mentally. The few times he remembered seeing Adrian, he'd always been alone—as Harry was. "They want to meet me?"

"I had to convince them not to come to you immediately," Helios assured. "They didn't care about your name or fame, they just want to meet you, Harry. While they haven't waited long for you, they're overjoyed to have a submissive in their lives."

He tucked his head in Sora's shoulder. He hadn't known if Ron had talked to Bill at all, or if Ron had told his family who had, in turn, told Bill. Not that he knew what Ron would have said, he and Hermione...

But he might have two other mates who didn't hate him, which meant that he'd at least have half of his mates. The thought would have been ridiculous a day before his inheritance, but there was a part of him that he was coming to realize ached for his mates.

Long used to pulling himself together, Harry shifted his head to face Helios again. Sora's arms were holding him too tight to move any other way and Harry didn't want to move either. Even if he fell apart, Sora would hold him together. "The others?"

Helios came forward again and cupped Harry's face. "Blaise is worried about you," he said, "he's aware of how stressful things are for you right now and how scary it is for you."

Worried? Blaise? The cold Slytherin who seemed to think everyone was beneath him except for Theodore?

"He..." Helios paused again. "He's aware of what Draco has done but said he's never taken part in it."

No, it had only been Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. Occasionally Parkinson had said something spitting or Bulstrode but otherwise, Harry had been left alone by the students.

Harry's eyes urged Helios to continue. "As for Theodore, he let me into his mind. I was able to see the interactions between you and him." What? "While I am not making excuses for him or trying to negate what he did, Theodore's reason for being so cold to you is because he had a crush on you. He—"

"What?" This time Harry said it out loud before shrinking away as he realized he'd interrupted the top dominant. "Sorry," he apologized.

Helios rubbed Harry's cheek again. "It's fine, my heart."  Helios's eyes flickered to Sora for a moment. "I'm putting a lot of information in your mind and not giving you proper time to react. When I looked into Theodore's mind, I looked specifically for memories that involved you. The first time he saw you was at your sorting, he thought you looked cute."

Theodore Nott? Thought that Harry, a scrawny, glasses-wearing, bird's nest-haired eleven-year-old was cute? Harry wondered if he'd slipped into a world of crazy. Even when Helios paused, Harry didn't say these words out loud.

"The crush grew over the years," Helios brushed his thumb back and forth, "but Theodore's family is dark while your family is light. In his mind, there was no way he could ever act on his crush. If he did, his father was likely to curse or kill him and he'd be an outcast in Slytherin. So he treated you coldly so you'd never like him. When he came into his inheritance, he thought that there was no chance for the two of you but the crush remained. I actually wouldn't be surprised if, at some instinctive level, Theodore recognized you as his submissive. Theodore seems to break the rules in many ways."

Harry snaked his hand out of where Sora was pinning it and grabbed Helios's hand, silently asking for a pause as he thought this bombshell over.

Theodore...liked him? Him? That...what...what was Harry supposed to think about that? His mind seemed to have blanked out, emotions at a low simmer so he couldn't even identify how he felt about it. Objectively, Theodore was Harry's mate so it was probably a good thing that the boy liked him. It just seemed so weird.

Probably because in his mind when he thought of Theodore, his next thought was usually Blaise. The two were wrapped up in each other, Harry hadn't realized they were creatures. Was it public news he'd been oblivious to? Or did they hide it? Harry had thought Blaise and Theodore were just infatuated with each other—heading toward marriage after school or as soon as they turned seventeen and it was legal.

To think that Theodore had had a crush on him through that? Weird, very weird. Did Blaise know? Probably not. Would that make Blaise upset? To know that the boy he'd been tunnel-visioned about had had a crush on Harry? Or would that get brushed aside because Blaise was Harry's mate too?

However, what Harry thought of most was something he hadn't thought about at all. It should be excusable as he'd had a very eventful twenty-four hours, but what would happen at school?

Home life was one thing, Theodore's father was in prison and it had made headlines when the boy had emancipated himself so no one family-wise was going to try to curse or kill him but Theodore, Blaise, and Draco were in Slytherin. There were a lot of Voldemort supporters in Slytherin, would they turn against the three now? Would they target Harry even more?

Draco would probably stop doing anything against Harry personally, but that didn't mean he couldn't say a few guiding words to Crabbe and Goyle. Harry was good at avoiding people at school, using his father's map for a majority of it, but this new situation might cause new people to avoid and he might be blindsided.

Or, Harry's mates might be blindsided. They probably weren't used to being attacked, would they be able to defend themselves if they went back to school and were attacked in the dorms?

Helios's hand slid down to Harry's neck and just like that all the tension and rising worry slid out of him. "Talk to me," he asked softly. "What worries are on your mind?"

Sora's hands rubbed against his back encouragingly too.

"I'm worried Blaise, Theodore, and Malfoy will become targets at school because they're mated to me." The words had fallen from his lips before he could even think about keeping them to himself.

Helios hummed. "That might happen, but their schedules are aligned. They'll be in each other's classes and walk together through the halls. After classes, one of us older ones will be with them. If they're targeted, they'll defend themselves easily. I'm training them as well, in a few years, they'll be able to stand against a small army of the most powerful wizards in this world. In a couple of months, they'll easily stand against the school even if alone."

"Could you train me too?" He didn't doubt Helios's words, despite how bold they were. The portals alone proved their strength.

"Certainly." The agreement surprised him, wasn't Harry supposed to be a coddled, submissive who wasn't even allowed to touch knives? "You already have a head start on them considering your magical aura." 

Similar to people instinctively yawning when someone else did, Harry's aura rippled at the word of it, stretching it as if it were a limb. He'd had it since winter break in his second year but had kept it wrapped up inside of himself until his inheritance when he wanted to encourage people to stay away from him and was at a somewhat acceptable age for it too.

"I can teach you how to wield a knife too," Sora offered, causing Harry to laugh at his earlier thoughts. He liked his mates.

"Could you?" Harry leaned back, Sora's arms loosening so he could look the elf in the face. He preferred magic, but he wanted a reason and opportunity to be around Sora too. 

Sora's hands went down to his waist, squeezing the sides making Harry let out a yelp and try to stand up on his knees—kept in place by those same evil hands even if they were just resting on him. Amusement danced in his eyes. "I'll teach you anything you want."

Harry's mouth had popped open at the unexpected jolt and he shook his head now. What in Merlin's name had that been for? "You'll be lucky if I don't turn the skill against you." He moved his hands down and hooked his thumbs under Sora's trying to pry them off so the man didn't do it again.

Sora chuckled and leaned in to press a kiss to Harry's nose. "I'll have you be an expert little assassin in no time."