Dracken Awakening - 2. Chapter 2 - Mate

Remus and Harry got settled into Baldersdale Gardens before Harry remembered about the package that had been delivered to him. He opened the book to see that it was a book about drackens. He decided to stay in his room for a little while and read about what he’d become.

It was a heavy tomb that looked to be centuries old. Across the front of the book was The Dracken Way of Life. He opened it and the very first page was about the different groups of drackens, that of dominant or submissive. The dominant drackens were the ones to protect their submissive mate. They’re the ones who would hunt for food for their families.

The dominant ones were described as tall, muscular, with a wingspan anywhere from fifteen to twenty feet. Their wings are always a darker color then the submissives. Submissives are the keeper of the home, the bearer of life. Male submissives are rare but do happen. A dominant will know their mate by their call to them and their scent. A submissive can have more than one mate.

Harry stopped reading and thought about what he had just read. ‘Was it possible that I already met my mate and didn’t know it?’ he thought as he looked out his window that had a view of the garden. He was brought out of his thoughts by a knock on the door.

Remus stuck his head in and asked, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, got distracted by the book Griphook sent me this morning.”

“What’s it about?” He came in the room and sat next to Harry on the window seat.

“It’s a book on my creature inheritance.” Harry handed Remus the book so he could look at it.

“You’re a dracken?” he asked when he looked at the first page.

“Yeah and if I read it right I’m a dominant. I have a mate out there somewhere but I could be one of possibly several mates for the submissive. I don’t even know if my mate is a man or a woman because even males can be a submissive.”

“Can I see your wings? I’ve never seen a dracken. I’ve read about them before, I’ve never thought I would meet one.”

“Yeah just give me some room.” Harry stood and went to stand at the foot of the bed with his back to the window as he took off his shirt. He concentrated on his wings coming out. He felt a feeling of brief burning pain before he saw the shadow of his wings displayed on the wall.

Remus watched as the young man that was like a son to him took his shirt off. Right away he noticed the tattoo of wings on his back. He knew if his actual wings looked anything like the tattoo they would be beautiful. The wings ranged from black to dark purple to a lavender shade.

As Harry’s wings opened Remus was astonished to see the sheer beauty of them. They faded from dark to light. It was a sight to behold. Remus thought it was a shame that the house was in a muggle populated area because he would love to see the sun play off the scales.

“Harry can I touch them?” he asked.

Harry thought about it for a moment before he said, “Yeah, but be careful I found out this morning they’re sensitive.”

Remus reached his hand out and gently stroked the back of the closest wing. He had expected them to be hard, but the scales were soft like patent leather gloves. “So soft,” he murmured.

The stroke of Remus’ hand sent tingles down Harry’s spine. He didn’t know if he would ever get used to the feelings that happened when someone stroked his wings. He wondered briefly what it would feel like to have his mate stroke them.

They were startled at the tapping at the window. “I wonder who it could be from,” Harry said as he stepped to open the window.

“I don’t know. Let me see.” Harry opened the window and the brown barn owl flew in and landed on the footboard of the bed.

Harry removed the envelope and gave him some of Hedwig’s treats.

“It’s addressed to you Remus.” He held the letter out for Remus to take as the owl flew back outside.

Remus took it and looked at it trying to determine who it was from. When he flipped it over he realized it was from Dumbledore. “It’s from Albus,” he said with a sigh.

“What does he want?” Harry demanded. He was still pissed about finding out about the theft out of his vault and all his manipulations over the years.

“He wants to know why Grimmauld Place has been locked down to the Order and where we’ve gone.”

“He can keep on wondering, the thieving arsehole.”

“Now Harry I know you’re mad at him but I’m sure he had your best interests in mind.”

“It was in my best interest to steal from me?”

“I’m sure the money he took went to your relatives for your care –“

“No it didn’t. They made sure I knew what a burden I was to them when Vernon would beat me.”

“Alright Harry. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. You’re right they had no reason to steal from you and I can understand your anger.”

“Everything the old man has said has been a lie. Hell, I didn’t even know dad was a pureblood until I had the meeting with Griphook. And why didn’t he ever had their wills read? Not even Sirius’ will was read. I wasn’t supposed to go to the Dursleys. Why didn’t you take me?”

“Albus said it was for the best if you went to your aunt and uncle because of the blood wards would keep you the most protected.”

“What would protect me from them? Yeah I was protected from the evil git, but was fair game for my relatives to verbally, emotionally, and physically abuse me.”

“I am so sorry Harry. I didn’t realize it was that bad for you until third year when you wanted to leave with Sirius thirty minutes after meeting him.”

“You would have known if you had at least checked in on me from time to time. However, I now realize you took Dumbledore at his word.”

“I promise you will be my first priority from here on out. Albus can kiss my arse.” Remus pulled Harry into a hug being mindful of the wings.

Harry pulled his wings in and rested his head on Remus’ shoulder. That was one thing he liked about this inheritance, he finally grew taller. He now stood six foot one instead of his previous height of five foot six.

“I’ve got some parchment and ink in my trunk so you can send him a reply,” Harry offered.

“Great cause I think that’s the only way the owl will leave. Thankfully there are protections on this house that will show a rumbled down shack to anyone not keyed into the wards.”

Harry went to his trunk and pulled out the ink and parchment and gave it to Remus. A note was quickly written and attached to the owl who quickly flew away. Harry quickly shut the window and took a seat on the cushioned window seat.

“Can you hear something Remus?”

“What are you hearing Harry?” Remus asked with confusion.

“It’s like a keening sound. Like someone is calling for something. I feel like I should know what it means.”

“Let’s look in the library and see if there is anything in there about drackens because I think that’s what this is since I can’t hear it.”

“Okay, let’s go. I am feeling the overwhelming need to answer the call but I don’t know how.” They left the room and headed to the library to do some research.

***

Thirty minutes later Remus found what they were looking for. “Harry come look at this. I think it’s important for you to read this one. From what I’m reading it looks like what you’re hearing is the call from your submissive. It will get louder the closer you get to them. I need you to understand that it’s possible for the submissive to be a male or a female. Male submissives and female dominants are rare but they are possible.”

“My mate could be male?” Harry asked in astonishment.

“Yes and he or she could have more than one mate depending on how powerful they are. I think you should follow the call. There’s a reason you’re hearing it, go and find your mate.”

“How do I follow the call?”

“It says here you will hear the call get louder the closer you get.”

“Okay, I will try to follow the call. I’ll let you know when I find them so you know I’m alright.”

“Go cub. I’ll be fine. I can’t wait to see who it is.”

Harry nodded and decided he would start with the ones he knew from Hogwarts. He was glad his birthday had come because he was now able to apparate and not get in trouble. He decided he would start with the ones who had just had a birthday because he figured it was someone who had recently come into their inheritance.

***

Harry apparated just outside the wards at the Burrow and could tell right away that his submissive wasn’t there, to which he was very thankful because he wasn’t sure what he would do had Ron or Ginny been his mate. As quickly as he apparated there he was gone.

He arrived in Waterford, Ireland just outside Seamus’ and realized the he wasn’t his mate either. He did decide that once he found his mate that they would come visit Seamus before the summer was over.

He apparated to Lavender Vale when he remembered Neville’s birthday was the previous day. He arrived with a crack and was greeted promptly by a house elf. He knew as soon as he got there that he had found his submissive.

“How’s may Pipney help Mister Harry Potter sir?” asked the elf.

“Pipney, I’m here to see Mater Neville if he’s available.” The elf quickly popped away.

He returned almost as soon as he left it seemed. “Master Neville will see you in the green receiving room Mister Harry Potter.” The elf took a hold of Harry’s arm and popped them into the room where Neville waited for them.

“Harry, this is a surprise. What brings you by?” Neville asked.

“Mate.” Harry whispered.

“What was that?”

“Neville, you’re a dracken?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“Did you get a book from Gringotts?”

Neville was confused by this. “No, but I knew that I would inherit my dad’s dracken nature.”

“I’m dracken as well. I’m a dominant dracken.”

“Oh.” It was as if a light bulb went off over Neville’s head when he finally realized what might be going on. “Does this mean I’m your submissive?”

“Yeah it does. Can we go to where I’m staying with Remus? I feel I could protect you better there.”

Neville knew from what his dad had said that dominant drackens number one mission is to make sure their submissive is safe no matter what. He knew Harry would protect him know matter what.

“Let me pack and leave a message for my grandmother.” Neville led the way through the massive entranceway and up the winding staircase to the second floor.

As he followed behind Neville Harry looked at the portraits that lined the walls. He stopped in front of one of who he guessed were Frank and Alice, Neville’s parents. His dad was in his dracken form and looked amazing with his emerald green scales as his wings partially wrapped around Alice in a protective manner.

Harry realized that he had gotten separated from Neville and used his sense of smell to locate him in his room. Harry stood in the doorway and watched Neville move with a grace that he had not seen from the other male their entire time at Hogwarts. He saw books fly through the air and pack themselves neatly in Neville’s trunk, while clothes came out of the closet and folded themselves prior to packing themselves.

As he packed Neville thought about how his life would change now that he had met his mate. Would he be allowed to finish at Hogwarts? Did he have more than one mate? He knew his gran would be happy about his mate being Harry Potter but wasn’t sure how she would react if he had more than one mate. He also thought about what Harry would think when he saw him in his dracken form. Would he be disappointed in having Neville as his mate? The more he thought about things the more he worried about what Harry’s thoughts were.

Harry could tell something was bothering Neville and he felt like a bad dominant. “Nev, what’s wrong?”

“Oh it’s nothing Harry.”

“Come on Nev, I can tell something is bothering you. I can’t make it better if I don’t know what it is.” Harry walked over and placed his hands on Neville’s shoulders and turned him to face him.

Neville couldn’t bring himself to look Harry in the face because he felt like a burden already and he had only just found out about them being mates.

“Am I going to be allowed to finish at Hogwarts or am I going to be home schooled?”

“Nev, I have no plans to keep you from finishing school. If you want to finish at the castle then that is fine with me. I’ll speak to Dumbledore about us having private rooms this year.” Harry tilted Neville’s head up so he could look him in the eye. “Now what else is bothering you?”

“What happens if I have more than one mate? I don’t think Gran will understand if I have more than one.”

“If you have more than one we’ll deal with it when that happens. Let’s not worry about it until then. If your gran can’t understand it then it’s her loss. Now are you ready to go?”

Neville looked around the room to see if he had forgotten anything and when he saw he hadn’t he nodded his head. He closed and shrunk his trunk and put it in his pocket. He led the way back towards the green receiving room and this time Harry kept up with him.

He snapped his fingers and a house elf quickly popped in. “Master Neville called for Pipney? What can I do for the young master?”

“Pipney, please inform Gran that my mate has come and that I will be staying with him for the rest of the summer.”

“Yes Master Neville.” The elf bowed to where his head almost touched the floor before he popped out of the room.

Harry grabbed onto Neville’s arm and they quickly apparated to Baldersdale Gardens. They arrived with a crack to see a startled Remus come running out of the house with his wand drawn. When he saw it was only Harry and Neville he relaxed and put his wand back in his wrist holder.

“You guys scared me. Hi Neville; how are you?”

“Hi Professor Lupin. I’m good.”

“Neville, I’m no longer your professor. You can call me Remus and I won’t be offended.” He turned to Harry and said, “I thought you were going to find your mate?”

“I did go to find him and I found him. My mate is Neville.”