Of Veela and Wolves v2 - Chapter 1 (Patreon)

"Hermione, move!" Harry pushed his friend out of the way just in time.

He raised his arm just like he did whenever Ripper decided to take a bite at him. Only this time, the jaws of a werewolf clamped around his forearm. He felt the heat from Professor Lupins breath along his skin a moment before sharp teeth met bone. Harry screamed in pain and rage as he felt something enter his bloodstream. A detached part of his brain told him it was similar to basilisk venom, only not as potent. Fawkes was nowhere to be seen this time.

Lupin growled, sending a vibration that Harry felt rumble through his entire skeleton.

Someone nearby yelled. It didn't sound like Hermione or Ron. A flash of green struck Professor Lupin. The werewolf let go of Harry's arm and tumbled to the ground. Relief mingled with sorrow as he looked at the sprawled form. Shock replaced the sensation as the werewolf began to stir.

Harry turned his attention to who had cast the spell. Snape, of all people, stood nearby. He was beside Ron and Hermione rather than in front of them. If his spell would have missed there would have been just as much of a chance as Lupin attacking the teenagers. Harry didn't have the time to consider if it was a calculated choice or not.

"Hurry up, Potter," The Potions Professor still managed to sound disgusted at the sight of him clearly terrified. "He won't be down for long."

Harry clutched his arm to his chest. He followed as Snape led the trio back into the castle. The next few minutes were a blur. It wasn't until he was in the too familiar Healing Ward that he snapped out of it. He was sweating like crazy, his body felt too hot, his skin too tight. The veins in his arm around the bite were black. It was spreading. His vision was going blurry.

"What happened?" The far-off voice of Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Werewolf bite," Hermione spoke up. "He saved me."

"Werewolf?" Madam Pomfrey whispered. "Oh, no."

He felt hands pull his arm away from his chest. A rush of cool air briefly touched the burning wound. The heat came back stronger than before.

"Oh, no," Madam Pomfrey repeated. "The wolfsbane potion was missing. I thought Remus had already taken it."

"Apparently not," Snape chided. "Someone as irresponsible as him shouldn't be trusted with such an important matter."

"Enough, Severus," Madam Pomfrey snapped. "Now is not the time. Lock down the school, there is a werewolf outside. Just what we needed. Dementors and now a werewolf."

Harry surged upright.

"Dementors," His voice was too loud. "We have to save Sirius. He's still out there."

"Sirius?" Madam Pomfrey asked. "You mean Sirius Black? Why would you want to save him?"

"He's innocent," Hermione spoke up. "He was framed. It was Peter Pettigrew. He faked his death and has been hiding as a rat."

"Don't listen to her," Snape sighed. "She's clearly confused. Black is a murderer. If he's out there he will get what's coming to him."

His vision was blurred beyond recognition, but he could still smell the slimy bastard. On instinct his hand shot out and latched around Snapes throat.

"He's worth more than a dozen of you," Harry growled.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed, now her voice sounded much closer.

"Let him go," Ron spoke for the first time. "We all know he deserves it. Just let him go."

Harry released his grip on Snape. The surge of motion made his head spin.

"Don't talk about him like that," He managed to slur before he slumped back on the bed.

"What happened?" Hermione pushed Snape out of the way to get closer to her friend.

"It's the bite," Madam Pomfrey sighed. "We'll know in an hour if he's a werewolf or not."

"He was bitten by a werewolf on the full moon," Ron moved to join Hermione beside the bed. "How could he not be a werewolf?"

"He could die," Hermione whispered.

Harry felt something calling to him. There was an energy in the air that sang. He closed his eyes to listen to the beautiful sound. Slowly, he took a deep breath and let out a long, harmonizing howl. The sound of another joined from outside.

It was the moon.

He settled back on the mattress with a soft smile. Strands of moonlight wrapped him in a gentle embrace. The pain from the bite began to ease as the serenade continued. He drifted off to sleep.

§§~

Harry woke up to the smell of wet dog. It was so strong that it overpowered the other scents in the room. Something warm and damp rested against his leg. He opened his eyes to see a large black dog asleep next to him. The looming dread cleared as he realized that it was Sirius.

His left forearm was wrapped in a layer of bandages. It didn't hurt anymore. He wiggled his fingers and was happy to see that they obeyed without an issue. Once he adjusted to the wet dog odor, he started to pick up on other things. The chair nearby had the lingering scent of Hermione. He could track the route that Ron had paced from smell as well. A low growl reverberated through his chest as he recognized the Snape's odor. He even smelled slimy.

The sound woke Sirius. He looked up at him, the concern clearly visible in his canine eyes.

"I'm fine," Harry scratched his dogfathers head. "You smell."

Sirius huffed.

"You do!" Harry chuckled. "Did you swim in the lake or something?"

Sirius nodded.

"Then you can't argue that you smell," Harry said triumphantly.

The mood in the room shifted after a moment.

"Where's Remus?" Harry whispered.

Sirius let out a whine. The dog motioned with his head to a blocked off portion of the room. Usually, there were curtains between the beds for privacy. This section was blocked off by stone slabs. Harry sighed as he shook his head.

"What happens now?" Harry idly petted Sirius as they settled into silence.

The smell of sugared lemon and old ashes swept through the doorway a couple of moments before Dumbledore did.

"That, my boy, is something we need to discuss," The Headmaster said as he made a less-than-usual dramatic entrance. "How much do you remember of last night?"

"All of it," Harry held up his bandaged arm. "Remus lunged at Hermione. I pushed her out of the way. Then he bit me."

"Interesting," Dumbledore hummed. "Most find their encounter with a werewolf to be clouded."

The headmaster moved closer to the bed. Harry didn't miss how the twinkling eyes flashed to his forehead before they moved to the dog beside him.

"Good to see you again," Dumbledore patted Sirius on the head. "We should speak in my office later."

Sirius let out a little 'woof' in reply.

"You can't go back home," Dumbledore turned his attention back to Harry. "The first transformation must be done without any interference from wolfsbane. It is said to be quite taxing on the body as well as the mind. The first turn can last the entire three-day span of a full moon."

"Three days?" Harry blew out his breath. "I thought it was only one day."

"From what I've been told, there is a call to transform the day prior to the full moon, and stronger animal urges the day after," Dumbledore explained. "After the first turn, you should only transform on the night of the full moon."

"Where am I supposed to go then?" Harry laid his head back on the pillow. "It wouldn't be safe to keep me here."

"Quite the contrary," Dumbledore smiled at him. "Hogwarts is the perfect place for you to stay. The Shrieking Shack was originally used for Professor Lupin during the full moon."

Harry felt a surge of anger burn inside of him. They wanted to lock him away. He tamped the feeling back down.

"That's a good idea," Harry nodded. "What is going to happen to Professor Lupin?"

Dumbledore let out a weary sigh.

"Unfortunately, there is little I can do to protect him," The headmaster slumped into a nearby chair. "He bit and infected a child. For that he will serve a life sentence in Azkaban."

Sirius whined.

"I wish there was more that I could do," Dumbledore shook his head. He looked much older in that moment. "The ministry wanted him executed on the spot once they found out who he had bitten. Remus was distraught when he found out this morning."

Part of Harry wanted to feel bad for the man. Another part was pissed off. Lupin was a werewolf in a school for Merlin's sake. How could he have missed a dose of wolfsbane? He should have locked himself away the moment he realized it. It was due to his transformation that Wormtail escaped.

"Where is Pettigrew?" Harry growled.

"Peter Pettigrew is missing," Dumbledore replied. "We were able to use the memories from Ron and Hermione to convince the Aurors that he was still alive. They are now searching for him."

"What about Sirius?" Harry tried to let that calm him. "That should prove he's innocent, right?"

"The Kiss on Sight order has been revoked," Dumbledore answered. "But he is still a wanted man."

"How?" Harry practically roared.

"Control yourself, Harry," Dumbledore held out an open hand. "I know this situation isn't ideal-"

"Isn't ideal?" Harry yelled. "Sirius is innocent, Remus is going to Azkaban, and I'm a fucking werewolf. The situation is well passed ideal."

"Language, Harry," Dumbledore clicked his tongue.

Madam Pomfrey hurried over. She glared at the headmaster as she approached.

"Here's a calming draught, Mister Potter," She offered him a potion. "You have every right to be upset. This will help keep your head. I'll get a set brewed up for you to have as you need. Your emotions are going to be a lot stronger for the next few weeks."

Harry closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. The familiar scent of Madam Pomfrey set him at ease. She had always been there to put him back together when he needed it. There was another scent the followed her that he couldn't quite place. He took the potion and downed it in one go.

"That was horrible," Harry shuddered at the taste.

"I'll try to get the next batch to taste like cherries," Madam Pomfrey smiled at him.

"Liar," Harry replied with a smile all his own.

The healer let out a giggle as she walked away.

"There are people who would be in a bad position if Sirius were to return," Dumbledore explained. "He is the Lord of the Ancient and Noble House Black. As such, he would wield considerable political power when he returns."

"And that makes the Death Eaters in hiding nervous," Harry muttered.

"As you say," Dumbledore nodded. "I will work to get him a safe way to meet with the Aurors. There are some trustworthy among their number that will listen."

"Thank you," Harry felt the potion relax his muscles.

"Get some rest, Harry," Dumbledore patted him on the leg. "I'm sure Miss Granger and Mister Weasley will be by shortly."

The headmaster stood. He paused at the door.

"Would now be a good time to discuss matters in private?" Dumbledore asked the dog.

Sirius yawned, blasting Harry with a wave of doggy breath.

"Yuck," Harry pushed the somewhat damp mutt out of the bed. "Go brush your teeth. And take a proper bath. You still stink."

Sirius let out a small chain of barks that was clearly laughter.

§§~

The werewolf attack on top of the presence of Dementors was enough to end the school year early. All of the Pureblood students were gone within a couple of days. Only the muggle born remained due to the fact that they couldn't get in touch with their parents. The entirety of Slytherin had been reduced to three girls. Ravenclaw had shrunk by half. While Hufflepuff only had a few missing members. Gryffindor was a bit more subdued with the Weasleys gone.

Hermione was incensed, but Harry was actually relieved. Less people around meant he had more of a chance to get adjusted to his changes. The fact that Ron and the rest of the Weasleys left too was something of a blow, but it hadn't been released to the general public who had been bitten. He wasn't sure if Arthur and Molly would have let them stay even if they had known.

He found that he preferred more protein in his diet. Meat, as long as it wasn't well-done, was his choice for every meal. He could still eat fruit and vegetables, but they were more of a chore. Finally, he had a reason to avoid pumpkin juice. He had no idea why it was so popular. It was way too sweet and was incredibly sticky.

"Are you sure you're going to be ok, Harry?" Hermione asked for probably the tenth time in the last half an hour.

"I'm fine," Harry chuckled. "I have Calming Draught in case I start to get out of control. Madam Pomfrey made sure to make sure how often I can take them. It's supposed to get easier after my first transformation."

Hermione turned her attention back to the book in front of her. Most information on werewolves focused on how to kill or capture them. They few non-hostile sources were the equivalent of romance novels. She definitely hadn't stashed a couple in her room to read at night.

Harry didn't want to tell Hermione how things were really going. He could hear EVERYTHING, the flatware clinking against plates, people chewing (yuck), and the multiple whispered conversations around the room. Rumors were flying. Instead of making him mad, he found it hilarious. Everyone had figured out that was him who had been the one attacked. The circumstances of how it happened varied from plausible to fantastical. A roving horde of werewolves in the Forbidden Forest was the running theory.

It was hard to concentrate with all the scents that overpowered everything. Most of the castle smelled of books, stone, and the occasional smell he realized belonged to House Elves. The thing that kept throwing him for a loop was the scent of people. Each person had their own unique smell that was a mixture of their soap, clothing, and underlying body odor. After a few days, he had adjusted to most of it.

Except for the girls. There was another scent that appeared only around them and each one was slightly different. Sometimes Hermione started to emit the smell strongly while she was reading. She would blush when she noticed him watching her before fleeing from the room.

It stirred something inside of him. The answer was obvious when he realized how his body reacted to the scent. It was arousal. The scent was arousal and it spoke directly to his inner animal. Thankfully, the school term ended before the next full moon.

§§~
(new stuff starts here)

"Are you sure you are going to be ok?" Hermione asked once again.

Harry nodded, "Yes, I'm sure. Do you know how many times I asked to stay here over the summer?"

Hermione wrapped him in a tight hug. It wasn't as rib-breaking as usual due to his increased strength. He had become accustomed to physical interactions for some reason. It had to be an unknown side-effect of being a werewolf. Their studies had shown that wolves are rather social creatures.

He heard Hagrid approaching over the engine warming up. The constantly shifting menagerie of smells masked the half-giant's scent. Harry smiled as he saw a string of First Years following the big man. It was a yearly event. They didn't get to visit Hogsmeade yet so their only experience with the Express was at the beginning of the year. It made sense that the person to guide them to the school led them back to the train.

Hagrid was busy guiding the First Years onto the platform to say anything. Hermione gave him one more hug before getting on the train. He stood on the platform to wave at her until it had left the station.

"This is the hard part," Hagrid sniffled as he came to stand beside Harry. "You'd think it gets easier."

Harry smiled, "I've dreamed of living in Hogwarts the entire year. I'm going to be ok."

"Let's head back then," Hagrid blew his nose on a handkerchief that was big enough to be a beach towel. "Unless you'd like to do some shopping?"

Harry looked up at the half-giant, "Shopping?"

"We're in Hogsmeade," Hagrid nodded. "The school year is over. We're not in a hurry to get back to Hogwarts."

Harry smiled, "I'd like that."

"I'll treat you for lunch," Hagrid said. "Don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

Harry nodded, "I didn't want to say anything."

"You're not a human anymore, Harry," Hagrid started to walk toward the town. "You're going to need to eat a lot more. You'll go through your reserves faster than normal."

Harry chuckled, "You seem to know a lot about werewolves?"

"Of course!" Hagrid replied brightly. "I've studied all sorts of magical creatures." He gasped. "Not that I'm calling you a creature."

Harry shrugged, "I am a creature. A XXXXX ranked to be exact." He bumped the half-giant with his shoulder and smiled a little when Hagrid stuttered for a step. "One X higher than you."

"Nothing to be proud about," Hagrid admonished.

Harry shook his head, "You're just jealous."

"Not something to joke about, Harry," Hagrid sounded serious. "The Ministry won't treat you like a wizard anymore. Being the Boy Who Lived might help, but you're not human anymore and they don't care much for that."

Harry nodded. They had sent Hagrid to Azkaban without a trial or evidence. He was simply the easiest person to blame. It wouldn't surprise him if they had gone after Professor Flitwick if the half-goblin hadn't been a professor.

They passed The Three Broomsticks and kept going.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"Hog's Head Inn," Hagrid replied. "The Three Broomsticks is packed at this time of day. That and I check in on Aberforth for Dumbledore."

Harry scrunched his brow, "Who is Aberforth?"

"Dumbledore's brother," Hagrid answered. "There's some bad blood between them, so they don't talk much. I check in on him to give Dumbledore some news."

Harry blinked at the thought. Dumbledore had a brother? It made sense that the headmaster would have a life outside of Hogwarts, but it still felt strange. Dumbledore never mentioned a brother. Not that they had casual conversations. He was starting to realize how little he knew about Albus Dumbledore.

Hagrid led him down a side street. A couple of weeks ago this place would have given him a bad feeling. It was amazing how his view of the world had changed now that he was a walking natural disaster on par with a dragon. A humanoid He had to wonder if Nocturn Alley would still be as intimidating?

"Rubeus, you big bastard, what are you doing here?" The bartender yelled as they entered.

Harry glared at the bartender. A low growl started to rumble in his chest.

"It's the end of term you old, bearded goat," Hagrid laughed. "Your head isn't so far up your ass that you should know that."

This had to be Aberforth Dumbledore. Harry forced himself to relax. He didn't want to start a fight over friendly, if rude, banter. Harry scanned the area on instinct. The cliental was distinctly shadier than The Three Broomsticks. There was a guy in a corner booth with a hat pulled down over his face. He was pretty sure he saw a sword beside him as well. Another patron looked to be unconscious. Yet another had a selection of artifacts spread out on the table ready for sale. The only thing missing was a trio of hags stirring a cauldron to complete the scene.

Aberforth ignored him, focusing on Hagrid. The big man followed the conversation and guided it toward the bartender's recent life. Harry would never had expected Hagrid to be able to be so subtle or skilled in manipulating the flow of topics.

"This is another of Al's minions?" Aberforth slid a large mug of something foamy in front of Hagrid.

"I'm not a minion," Harry snapped.

"Keep telling yourself that, kid," The bartender gave a dry laugh. "What do you want? You're too young for the harder stuff. We've got Forever Stew, dried bread, and undercooked goat legs."

Harry paused for a moment, "Undercooked goat legs."

"You got it, kid," Aberforth let out another rough laugh.