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Chapter 4: Think Fast

Sirius frowned. Something didn’t add up here. "You’re telling me that Draco Stunned you?"

Harry nodded cautiously.

"With his wand?"

Another nod.

The answer came to Sirius with a jolt. He’d been working with the boys for weeks now, observing them for years... "How? How could he overpower you? I’ve worked with you both. You’re faster and more powerful than he is. How did he do it?"

"It was a sneak attack!" protested Harry. "I didn’t think he’d actually curse me!"

"You’re lying," said Sirius hotly. He couldn’t believe Harry thought he’d accept a story this blatantly fake. "You’re trying to protect him. You let him Stun you, so you’d have a cover story. I’m not stupid, Harry, and I’m not falling for this. How much do you know?"

xXxXx

"You’re telling me that Draco Stunned you?" said Sirius, frowning a bit.

Danger, leaning against the wall, felt a tugging inside her mind, somewhere near where her bond with Remus began, but not coming from that bond. Someone wanted her attention, but it wasn’t her husband.

She closed her eyes. Yes?

I shouldn’t be doing this, hissed a voice she knew. But it’s technically not telling you anything you don’t know already. Go after him, and soon. The longer you wait, the harder it’s going to be to track him down, and the more chance there is that someone else will find him first. I have to go —

The contact was broken.

Thank you, Alex, said Danger anyway.

Just in case we needed more confirmation that time is of the essence...

"I’m not stupid, Harry, and I’m not falling for this," said Sirius angrily. Danger quickly opened her eyes. "How much do you know?"

Harry scooted backwards, away from Sirius, his eyes wide and frightened. "Nothing, I don’t know anything, I swear!"

"Stop lying!" Sirius yelled. "Don’t you understand? His life could depend on this!"

Harry shrank away from Sirius, bringing his arm up as if to shield himself from a blow.

We’re going to need help here...

Already on our way.

Feet pounded on the stairs. Aletha’s head and arms came into view, and without breaking stride, she hurled a wadded-up ball of parchment down the hall, striking Sirius in the middle of the back. "Stop it," she snapped, mounting the last few stairs and standing at the end of the hall, hands on her hips, as Sirius twisted to face her. "I don’t care why you did this, but stop it now. Look at him, Sirius. Look what you’re doing to him."

Sirius turned back around, still with anger stamped on his face, anger which drained away almost instantly as he took in Harry’s posture, his normally fearless godson cowering back from him, curled in on himself, arms shielding his head.

"Harry, no — no, I didn’t mean that — I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that..." He moved closer, reaching out tentatively to put an arm around Harry, then more firmly as Harry didn’t resist.

The door of the girls’ bedroom opened and Meghan stumbled out, rubbing her eyes. "What’s happening?" she asked sleepily. "I heard yelling."

Aletha nodded to Danger, then took Meghan’s hand and led her back into the bedroom, shutting the door behind them.

We’re going to have to leave someone behind with the girls and Harry, said Remus, appearing at the top of the stairs himself.

Leave someone behind? Where are we going?

To look for Draco. Unless we’re going to ignore common sense and a visitation from our serpent-loving friend.

Ha! You were listening in!

Yes, but this is an emergency, that’s different... Remus sighed. No, I suppose it’s not different, and I apologize, but can we talk about it later?

Of course. I just couldn’t resist twitting you once. It’s not like I get a lot of chances, O Perfect One.

You of all people ought to know I’m not perfect.

Funny how that works both ways.

"All right now?" Remus said aloud, coming down the hall.

"Will be in a minute," said Sirius, looking up. He shook his head. "Why do I always have to do the boneheaded stuff around here?"

"Because you’re good at it?" suggested Harry in a voice which still shook a little, but was regaining its usual good humor.

"You’re fine," said Remus, reaching down to scent-touch Harry. "What can you tell us?"

"I’d come upstairs to get something, and I saw Draco putting stuff in a backpack," said Harry, letting Sirius help him up. "I asked him what he was doing, and he pulled his wand on me. I wasn’t expecting it, I didn’t have time to react. I asked him if he was running away, and he said yes, and he couldn’t let me stop him. He apologized and asked me to tell everyone that he loves them, but that he’s doing the right thing, and before I could yell he Stunned me."

"About what time was this?" asked Sirius.

"I’m not sure." Harry looked into the boys’ bedroom, at the windows. "It wasn’t dark yet, but it was getting dark. Maybe half an hour ago, maybe more. I didn’t look at the clock."

"Pack honor on this, Harry?" asked Danger. Sirius had a point. It would be easy for him to be lying, trying to protect Draco.

Harry looked a bit offended. "Pack and Pride honor," he said. "I wouldn’t lie about something like this."

"Please forgive us, Harry, we just have to be sure," said Remus. "We’d ask the same of any of you cubs..." He looked over at Danger, an idea dawning in his eyes. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

I think I am. Hermione?

Yes.

"What’s up?" asked Sirius.

"Hermione might have seen Draco after you did," said Danger. "You didn’t see her come upstairs, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "She was walking around in the ground floor hallway looking at a letter and talking to herself when I went upstairs," he said. "If she came up, it was after me."

"We can at least get a better idea of when he left, based on if she saw him or not," said Remus, turning to the bathroom door. "Hermione?"

There was no answer.

"Hermione, I know you’re angry, but we need to talk to you."

Still no answer.

"Last chance before we come in on our own."

"Go away!"

"Wrong answer," said Remus, taking out his wand and tapping the lock. It clicked open, and he turned the door handle and pushed on the door.

It didn’t open.

She’s probably sitting against it, said Danger. Let me try?

If you think you’ll get anywhere.

"Hermione, we just want to ask you about Draco."

"I’m not telling you anything! I hate you all! I’m sick and dying and you don’t even care!"

"If you’re ill, I’m coming in there right now," said Danger, rising on her toes in preparation to Apparate.

"No! I’m fine! Just leave me alone!"

This is taking too long. "Hermione, did you see Draco when you came upstairs?" Remus asked.

"Yes."

"What was he doing?"

"Climbing out the window."

Oh God.

Yes. "And why didn’t you tell anyone?"

"Because I’m not a tattletale like Harry!"

"No, you just let him go off to get killed!" shouted Harry. "Hermione, Malfoy is out there, and Wormtail, and they want him dead!"

"At least now he has a chance! If he stayed here, he’d be a sitting target!"

"You’re so—"

Sirius put a hand firmly over Harry’s mouth and steered him into the boys’ bedroom before they could hear what Hermione was so.

"This is not over, young lady," said Remus sternly. "We’re going to be having a serious talk about this."

"Fine." Hermione’s voice radiated contempt.

This isn’t like her. What’s got into her?

Remus displayed his memory of his and Hermione’s last interaction. This is probably part of it, but I don’t know what would make her react this way in the first place. She’s usually so calm. But there’s no time to be thinking about that now.

No, you’re right. We need to get after Draco, and quickly. We know he went out the window, and probably down the tree. Is there any way we can track him by magic?

Not that I can think of... wait. Not by magic, per se, but we do have magic that will let us track him.

What?

Our Animagus forms. We can track him by scent. Unless he took a broomstick, and I don’t think he did...

Danger hurried down the stairs to look in the closet where the family kept their brooms. They’re all here, she reported. He’s on foot.

Excellent. We’ll not only be able to track him, we’ll be moving faster. We should be able to catch him up quickly.

I hope.

Sirius emerged from the boys’ bedroom, looking grave, as Danger came to the top of the stairs and Aletha exited the girls’ room. "Bad news?" Remus asked him.

"I’m not sure. Strange, certainly. Harry says Draco kept a stash of money in his desk drawer. It’s gone. He must have taken it with him."

"Nothing strange about that," said Aletha. "He knows things cost money in the real world."

"But look what he left behind." Sirius displayed it.

"That is bizarre," said Danger. "Why wouldn’t he take his wand?"

"And it looks like he wrote something before he left, but I can’t find that anywhere either. I was just going to see if I can get anything from the desk. Want to watch? The more eyes, the better, I can only do this once."

"What are you going to do?" asked Meghan, sliding out from behind Aletha and preceding her mother and Pack-mother down the hall and into the boys’ room, where Harry was already sitting on his own bed.

"Basically, I’m asking the desk to remember what was written on it last. Muggles can do this, sometimes, with powder or ink or things. Magic just makes it better." Sirius set Draco’s wand aside, drew his own, pointed it at the desk, and moved it in a careful pattern, brows furrowed in concentration. His Pack-mates drew in behind him.

The writing which appeared on the desk was sketchy but legible.

Draco Black, born Draco Malfoy, has run away from his home in Devon. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Overlapping this were four words, written larger.

Daily Prophet News Office

Aletha groaned. "The Prophet — my God, they’ll be all over this, it’s a huge story, they wouldn’t even care if it wasn’t true — and it is, and he’s sent it to them himself..."

"No, he hasn’t," said Meghan.

"How do you know?" asked Danger.

Meghan pointed. On the windowsill of the open window sat Hedwig the snowy owl, looking in at everyone.

"Hedwig," said Harry, crossing quickly to her. "Have you been anywhere this evening? I mean, taken any letters?"

Hedwig hooted in what sounded like the negative.

"Besides, she wouldn’t have had time to get to London and back," said Danger. "Look at her, she’s obviously not tired. He can’t have sent it yet."

"But he wrote it," said Sirius. "So he intended to send it. I suppose he could be planning to use a public post owl, that’s harder to trace, but how could he get anywhere to send one from? He’d have to be in a city, or at least a town with a wizarding population, like Hogsmeade..."

"Then he must be headed for somewhere like that," said Danger.

"How would he get there?" asked Aletha. "He’s walking, not flying, and he can’t Apparate. Unless he breaks into someone’s house to use the Floo..."

"We can find out," said Remus. "Harry, you’re in charge here. Let’s go, everyone, we have a trail to find."

xXxXx

Draco’s scent was absurdly easy to locate. It came straight down the tree outside the cubs’ window and across the grass, then down the road for a while, before it abruptly terminated at a spot with a lot of exhaust fumes around it.

"Do you think he got a ride from someone?" asked Danger, frowning.

"Not exactly." Sirius had a curious half-smile on his face. "But I do think he made a mistake. Stand back, everyone." He threw out his left hand theatrically.

A loud BANG erupted, and a bright purple, triple-decker bus screeched to a stop directly in front of them.

Of course, said Remus. I feel stupid now.

Don’t worry, it’s mutual. You think this is why he took money?

Probably. That and to rent the owl.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus," recited the pimple-faced young man in a violet uniform who had just leapt out the door of said conveyance. "Emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard..."

"Yes, thank you," said Sirius, cutting him off. "I’m Auror Sirius Black, I need to have a word with you and your driver."

"Sirius — Sirius Black!" The conductor looked somewhere between amazed and appalled.

"Auror Sirius Black," Sirius repeated a little more forcefully. "And you are..."

"Me? Stan, Stan Shunpike, sir, an’ the driver’s Ernie Prang — somefink wrong, sir?"

"I just need to know who you’ve picked up tonight," said Sirius, beckoning for Stan to board the bus with him. "And where you took them. It shouldn’t take too long."

The door closed behind them.

"Well, it seems Aurors are good for something after all," said Danger with an effort at lightness. Then it evaporated. "Why? Why would he do something this stupid? Why couldn’t he just stay home?"

"Harry said he thought he was protecting us by running off," said Remus.

"Protecting us by running off?" Aletha scoffed. "Doesn’t he understand anything about wards? If the person they’re targeted on leaves the house with no intent of coming back, they go down. I’m sure ours are down now, and it’s going to be harder to get them back up again than it was to get them up in the first place."

Danger suddenly felt a complex burst of emotions, mingled anger and frustration with traces of dark humor and a sense of wasted effort. Was that you? she asked Remus.

Yes. "Refresh my memory," said Remus. "Did we ever tell Draco about the wards on the house?"

Aletha swore under her breath. "No. No, we didn’t."

"We told him we’d warded the house and grounds," corrected Danger, chagrined. "But we didn’t tell him to what extent. So he must have thought we were still vulnerable."

"And we didn’t tell him what we worked out with Dumbledore last week," said Remus. "If we’d thought to do that, this might never have happened."

The door of the bus thumped open before either woman could reply. "Thank you," said Sirius, stepping off. "You can go now."

The bus was away almost before the words were out of his mouth.

"What did you say to him?" asked Aletha.

"Pointed out the inadvisability of taking aboard a thirteen-year-old without any parents or guardians visible. I could report him, but I don’t think I will. Not after what he told me." Sirius started back for the Den. "A boy with blond hair who gave his name as Dean Thomas boarded the bus just about here earlier this evening, and paid extra to move up in the queue. He got off in Hogsmeade."

"Hogsmeade." Remus drew the word out thoughtfully. "I suppose that’s where we should start, then. Who’s going, and who’s staying behind?"

"Going," said Danger. "I look enough like a dog that most people won’t notice me, so I can trail him even through the village. Sirius, you should come too..."

"No," said Sirius. "I think I need to stay."

"Why?" asked Remus and Aletha together.

"Because there’s just the outside possibility that this is a blind."

"A blind?" repeated Aletha. "You mean a diversion?"

"Yes. We put up the best wards possible, but they’re not invulnerable. What if — I’m not saying I think this happened, but just consider it — what if Malfoy, or Wormtail, got close enough to put Imperius on Draco, and make him run off like this? What better way could they have to pull us out of the Den and leave it — and Harry — relatively undefended?"

"That... makes too much sense," said Danger slowly. "Two go, two stay, then?"

"That sounds reasonable," said Remus. "Sirius, you’re right, you should stay."

"Mark today on the calendar, someone. Moony just admitted I was right."

"Because the wards involve you as well, and if there’s any chance there’s some of them left, you need to stay to keep them going, and because you’re one of the best wand-users I know. And Letha, you teamwork with this immature prat better than anyone I know, even me."

"It was self-defense," said Aletha with a touch of irony in her voice. "After I was stupid enough to marry him."

"Oy!"

"Enough," said Remus, reaching forward and separating Sirius and Aletha deftly as they reached the front door of the Den.

"Did you find anything?" said Meghan, jumping up from her seat on the landing as soon as the adults were inside.

"Yes, and we’ll explain in a minute," said Aletha. Meghan nodded and sat back down next to Harry, who put his arm around her.

"If we’re going, let’s go," said Danger, trying to hide her nervousness and outright fear under bluster and aware that she wasn’t succeeding very well. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we’re back."

"Take care," said Aletha, hugging Danger and Remus in turn. "Bring him back safe."

"Bring yourselves back safe," was Sirius’ wish. "And if you do see Malfoy, Moony, bite him on the arse for me."

"I’ll consider it," said Remus. "See what you can do for Neenie?" he asked Aletha. "I can’t help feeling she might be ill or hurt and not telling us."

"Of course."

"Don’t get hurt," Meghan instructed Remus. "I don’t want to have to take care of you."

"We will certainly keep that in mind," said Remus gravely.

Harry pulled something long and thin out of his pocket. "Give him this," he said, handing it to Danger. "He forgot it."

Danger nodded, tucked the item into her pocket, and hugged Harry once, tightly, then took her cloak from the coat tree in the corner by the door and followed Remus outside.

Outside the Three Broomsticks?

Sounds good.

A soft pop and a somewhat louder crack sounded outside the door of the Den.

xXxXx

Even so soon after sunset, and at the end of August, it was chilly at night in the mountains. It would have been nice to have a fire. It would have been almost like having company. Like having a friend along.

But I can’t have friends now. It’s too dangerous.

And besides, a fire attracts attention. It would be like jumping around, waving my arms, screaming, "Here I am!"

But isn’t that what I’m doing anyway?

Draco lay curled up on the floor of a cave, feeling more than usually young and thoroughly miserable. He rearranged his position slightly, shivering inside several layers of clothes, and wished he had his recorder with him, or his flute. He hadn’t brought either, because there was no point. He wouldn’t be needing them, once his father found him.

And if a fire would attract attention, so would music. I’m better off the way I am.

But aren’t I supposed to be trying to attract attention? To pull it off everyone else?

I’m so confused. I don’t even know why I did this anymore. It was stupid, it was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done...

But what else was I supposed to do? Sit at home and wonder who else was going to get killed?

He uncoiled a little, just enough to get his hand up to his chest, where he could hold onto his pendants. They were warm, as they had been all day, reflecting the Pack and Pride’s general state of distress over Andromeda Tonks’ death.

I’ve seen enough death. I don’t want anyone else to die. Especially not because of me.

I sent that letter before the post office closed, so it should be in London in time for the morning papers. If the Prophet makes a big enough deal out of it, I shouldn’t have too long to wait.

Once he finds me, what then?

Not for the first time, the irony of the situation struck Draco. If I were anyone else, running away from what amounts to a foster family and hoping my real father will find me would be a really great story. But I’m not anyone else. I’m me. And I don’t really want him to find me.

But better me than someone else.

That thought, which had driven him into this in the first place, was starting to lose its urgency, and a very unheroic wish to go home was gaining strength in its place. Draco closed his eyes and deliberately summoned up all the worst thoughts and images from the ones which had been haunting him all day:

Luna, collapsed on the ground, her eyes open and unblinking, her face frozen in her eternal expression of mild, pleasant surprise.

Hermione, screaming and writhing in pain, being allowed only a few seconds between spells to breathe before another curse was laid on her.

Meghan, biting and kicking frantically against her captor’s hold, trying to get to Harry, who lay on the grass, eyes shut, glasses askew, a huge dark patch spreading on his robes.

The Pack-parents lying in their beds, Padfoot’s arm under Letha’s neck, Danger’s head on Moony’s shoulder, too still and too silent to be asleep, never to laugh or sing or play pranks again.

The Burrow in flames, collapsing under its own weight.

Neville, tortured into insanity like his parents.

And that could happen — all of it could happen — if I ask them to protect me.

Better me than someone else.

A scraping sound on the path outside brought him to full awareness instantly.

Now? Already? What do I do?

His hand dropped automatically to his waist, fumbling for the hilt of his dagger.

Could I — can I — kill him? Is that even possible?

The sounds were now obviously footsteps, two sets of them, getting closer. Draco got slowly to his feet, his dagger in his hand, backing up until he ran into the wall of the cave.

Ow.

He felt his way along the back wall, looking for a place to hide, and found a little space like a natural closet, tucked into a corner. It was large enough for him to squeeze into.

Emphasis on squeeze.

And he was just in time, as a man’s figure was silhouetted against the entryway. Draco clamped down on his breathing, forcing himself to keep it regular and quiet, neither gasping nor holding his breath, as a second figure followed the first.

Wait a second — that looks like a woman. Why would a woman be with my father? And where’s Wormtail? I would have thought they’d stick together...

He just managed to keep from yelping as flames suddenly erupted in the center of the cave, and again as their light revealed the faces of the two people who had tracked him down.

No. No, no, no! You weren’t supposed to follow me! You were supposed to be glad I was gone, because I was endangering the whole Pack!

Maybe they don’t know I’m here.

He would have hit himself, but that was problematic at the moment. Right. It’s just coincidence that they came straight to the cave where I am, not an hour after I left the Den. I don’t think so.

Still, if Moony and Danger did know he was there, they weren’t showing it. They were sitting one on each side of the fire, staring into it, and as Draco watched, Danger took something from her pocket and placed it on the cave floor, carefully out of range of the flames. The firelight flickered on the sheen of carved and polished wood.

They definitely know I’m here. There’s no other reason they’d have brought my recorder.

"I wish we had some company," said Danger quietly, so that Draco had to strain to hear her over the crackle of the flames.

"So do I," returned Moony. "I wish we could have a chance to explain a few things that we should have explained weeks ago. Such as why the Den was actually safer when the Pack was together."

Safer when the Pack was together? What does that mean? Draco inched a little way out of his rocky cubbyhole to listen.

"Yes, that," Danger agreed. "And maybe discuss that old joke about steak sauce and a dragon’s cave."

Moony chuckled. "I do like that one."

Draco leaned just a little farther out —

And lost his balance and fell over. The layers of clothes he was wearing ensured that he wasn’t hurt, but it was still embarrassing.

Moony waited for Draco to sit up and brush himself off, then beckoned him over to the fire, and Draco came, first sheathing his dagger, then standing up and coming to the place Danger had marked for him, picking up his recorder and sitting down where it had been.

"So," said Moony, "do you know why the wizard doused himself in steak sauce and ran into the dragon’s cave?"

Might as well play along. "No. Why did the wizard douse himself in steak sauce and run into the dragon’s cave?"

"Because it seemed like a good idea at the time."

The heat on Draco’s face was not all due to the fire.

"Your turn," said Danger. "Why did the cub run away from the Den?"

"Because the cub didn’t want to see his Pack get killed just because of him."

"Why did the cub think his Pack might be in danger?" asked Moony.

"Because of my father!" Draco shouted, suddenly fed up with their patience. How could they not see what was so clear to him? "He killed Aunt Andy, didn’t he? And Padfoot said none of us are safe now. I heard him. And he was right. No one’s safe with me around. Maybe he doesn’t want me dead, but he doesn’t give a rat’s arse about anyone else — he’d kill everyone, Pack and Pride, just to get at me and take me back. But if I’m out here, then he can just take me, and no one has to die."

Moony and Danger exchanged looks. Danger spoke next. "You’re quite right, Draco, Sirius did say that we’re none of us safe. But the answer to making us more safe is not for you to make a target of yourself. And this is partly our fault — we should have explained to you what we were doing to make the Den more secure, but we had no idea you were worried."

Draco shuffled his feet. "I hid it."

"You hid it very well." Danger sounded at least partly approving. "Now. How much do you know about blood magic?"

"Only what’s in the den-night stories. That it’s why Harry went to his aunt and uncle’s, because his mum died to save him, and that created magic with his mum’s blood relatives, so that no one who wanted to hurt him could do it while he was living with them. Except them."

"Yes, but that’s another story," said Moony. "Draco, when this new threat arose, we talked to Albus at length about safeguarding the Den, and he discovered something very interesting. Harry is not the only one of our cubs whose mother’s death left magical protection behind."

"Hermione?"

"Not quite," said Danger.

But Meghan’s mum is Letha, and Letha’s not dead...

"Your mother died so that no one could use her against you," said Moony quietly. "So that you would never have divided loyalties. You know the story — what did she ask of us?"

A small bird seemed to be fluttering in Draco’s chest, making it difficult for him to get his breath. "She asked you to make me forget her. To erase her name and her face from my memory. But you wouldn’t."

"Because that would have been wrong," said Danger. "Now more than ever. Your mother’s death was enough of a sacrifice for you that Professor Dumbledore was able to raise blood magic wards on the Den, because Sirius and Meghan live there, and they are your mother’s blood relatives."

Blood magic wards — the strongest kind there are. The only thing they don’t defend against is other people of that bloodline, and it was my mother’s blood, not my father’s — he wouldn’t be able to pass them!

The bird was much larger now, and beating its wings to the rhythm of his heartbeat, or maybe it was his heart beating, he couldn’t tell, and it didn’t matter.

I can go home. The Pack will be safe — and they’ll keep the Pride safe if need be — and we’ll be at Hogwarts within a week anyway — I can go home!

"Now, back to Harry’s story," said Moony, in a tone that warned Draco there was still a reckoning to pay. "When, and why, did the blood magic wards around his relatives’ house collapse?"

Draco thought hard. "They collapsed when you took him away," he said finally. "Because they could tell that you didn’t mean to bring Harry back to the house, so they weren’t needed any more."

"Precisely," said Danger. "So what do you think happened to the wards on the Den — which, I might add, protect everyone, since anyone who wanted to hurt one of us would probably want to hurt you as well — when you went out a window without the intent of coming back?"

Oops. "I didn’t even know about them," muttered Draco, knowing he sounded sulky.

"We know," said Danger. "So your punishment will be very light. You have to come home right away and not make any trouble about it."

"What if I don’t?" Draco challenged.

"We will make you," said Moony flatly. "Do not test us on this, Draco, we are not playing games. What you did tonight can be explained with a combination of ignorance, which is our fault, and your wish to protect the people you love, which is not a fault at all, though I’d rather you think a little harder next time."

"And remember that love goes both ways," added Danger. "We want to see bad things happen to you about as much as you want to see them happen to us."

Moony nodded thanks to her and continued. "This is not the time for open defiance. You will, eventually, need to make your own decisions about your life and what you do with it, but not tonight, and not about this, and if you try, I will personally Stun you, haul you home, and confine you to the Den for the next six months."

Draco met his Pack-father’s cold blue eyes. "You wouldn’t do that."

Moony folded his arms. "Try me."

He really means it. Draco held his rebellious pose for one more second, careful not to let Moony see how much he secretly appreciated this, then relaxed and grinned. "Gotcha."

Moony stared at him for an instant, then scooped up a handful of fire and threw it at Draco like a snowball. Draco yelled and ducked, and the fireball missed him, turned around in midair, and came back, shattering against the side of his head before he could dodge it again, with no effects except a sound like water on hot metal and a slight smell of smoke.

"And if I get any more lip from you, I won’t damp the next one," warned Moony, but Draco could see something in his eyes which reminded him of Professor Dumbledore.

"I suppose we did something right, if he can bluff even you that well," said Danger, chuckling. "Come on, fox, there are some anxious people waiting for us. We should go home."

Home.

It sounded even better now than it had a minute ago.

Then he remembered one of the last things he’d done before he left, the thing that had made it necessary for him to leave before full dark fell. "Er, I think I owe Harry an apology," he said a little uncertainly.

And if they say "What are you talking about?" so much the better...

"Yes, I think you do," said Danger, fixing him with a semi-amused look. "The linen closet? Really, Draco, couldn’t you find anywhere better for your poor brother?"

"Not on short notice!" protested Draco. "I was in a hurry!"

"And someday you may be in a hurry in enemy territory," said Moony, with the look which meant this had just turned into a lesson. "The linen closet was a bad choice, why?"

Draco scowled, picking up his pack. "Because people are in and out of there a lot, and someone probably found him before he woke up."

"Correct. Name three other places on the first floor of the Den which would have been better choices."

"Under the beds," said Draco, as Danger snapped her fingers to put the fire out. "In a laundry hamper, covered up with clothes so no one would see him right away. And..."

"Bathtub," said Moony, leading the way out of the cave. "If you pull out the shower curtain a bit, no one will see him in a cursory inspection, and that’s all you need to buy some time for a getaway. Grab on, now. I’m going to Apparate us home."

Draco took hold of Moony’s arm and held on tight. Just before the pressed-in feeling of Apparition began, he felt Danger’s fingers touch his cheek.

I’m going home.

It was the best feeling he’d ever had in his life.

xXxXx

To Remus’ surprise, Hermione met them at the door with everyone else, and ran to him as soon as he was fairly inside. "I’m sorry," she blurted out, rocking on her feet as if she wanted to be hugged, but wasn’t sure if he would take her in his arms or push her away. "I’m so sorry, I didn’t really mean any of that, and I won’t take Muggle Studies if you say not to, and I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you Draco was leaving, I should have, I know, he could have gotten hurt and it would have been my fault, and I ought to be punished..."

Aletha caught Remus’ eye and signaled to him. No punishment. Explain later.

"No, you shouldn’t," said Remus, opening his arms to her. "Come here, Kitten."

Hermione made a little sound like a sob and clung to him.

xXxXx

The cubs had gone off to do something by themselves, so the adults were taking full advantage of their last cub-free time tonight, since this would certainly be an occasion for denning. Remus firecalled the offices of the Daily Prophet to tell them that the letter they would soon receive was a fake, then went to help Aletha assemble the den while Danger measured out the spices for mulled mead and Sirius dug some double-chocolate brownies out of the freezer.

"Now," Remus said when everything was ready, sitting down at the table with a brownie in one hand and a mug of mead in the other. "Letha. Why exactly shouldn’t Hermione be punished? I trust you, but I’d like to know."

"First things first," said Aletha around a mouthful of brownie. She swallowed and looked at Danger. "You owe me."

"For what?"

"For laying out for one Hermione Granger-Lupin the basic facts of life."

"Basic facts of... oh. Oh."

"Translation?" said Sirius, looking as baffled as Remus felt.

"Hermione is, shall we say, turning into a woman," said Aletha with a small smile. "And that was why she thought she was dying — seeing blood on that piece of clothing can be a little unnerving if you’re not expecting it, which she wasn’t."

"Which is probably my fault," said Danger, shaking her head. "I should have realized, she’s been so moody lately. Poor girl."

Sirius set down his brownie, looking faintly unwell.

"On that subject," added Aletha, looking at the men. "The boys will be needing the talk soon, now that Hermione’s gotten it. You two get to fight over who does it."

Remus turned to Sirius and set his fist on his palm. Sirius did likewise. They pounded them once, twice, three times, and Sirius flattened his hand while Remus shot two fingers out.

"Yes!" Remus took a victorious gulp of his mead as Sirius cursed darkly.

"Baby," said Danger. "It can’t be that bad."

"With these boys? Yes, it can. They’re going to figure out some way to turn it around on me and embarrass the hell out of me. You watch."

Aletha grinned. "Watch you get embarrassed? Love to."

xXxXx

Draco didn’t want to look up — it was so much more comfortable to keep his gaze fixed firmly on his bedroom carpet — but he knew he had to. Slowly, he raised his head and met Harry’s eyes.

What he saw there made him want to cringe. For the first time in his life, Draco Black could believe that Harry Potter would be ashamed to call him a brother. Hermione and Meghan looked on silently.

"You put Pack and Pride in danger," said Harry coldly. "You attacked your alpha. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Draco dropped to one knee, keeping his eyes locked with Harry’s, tilting his head back to expose his throat. "I’m sorry," he said. "I was wrong."

Harry put his hand on Draco’s throat and constricted it ever so little, just enough that Draco could feel it. He resisted the urge to swallow nervously, since Harry would certainly feel that. A moment later, Harry let go and gave him a small nod. Draco bowed his head thankfully, and felt again the flutter of hope and joy in his chest at the touch of Harry’s hand on the back of his neck.

He doesn’t hate me. He still thinks I can be Pride. And Moony obviously thinks I can still be Pack.

He recalled the moment before they had entered the Den, when they had been alone, since Danger had gone ahead to tell everyone the good news.

xXxXx

"Moony?"

"Yes?"

"Do we have to go in right away?"

"Why, is there something you have to do?"

"Sort of." A bit awkwardly, unbalanced by his backpack, Draco knelt and looked up at Moony, his head tilted back.

Please let him understand...

Surprise colored Moony’s features for one moment before it was replaced by the calm mask of the alpha male. Deliberately, Moony placed his hand around Draco’s throat, not applying any pressure at all, just touching him, then let go and laid his hand on top of Draco’s head.

Draco had to squeeze his eyes shut tight. Forgiven, his Pack-father and alpha had said in that one small gesture. All forgiven, all over. You are Pack, now and forever.

xXxXx

"Draco."

Harry’s voice called him back to the present. "What?"

"Think fast."

Draco’s eyes shot open to see Harry’s foot moving into position for a shove. He grabbed it and tugged, and Harry fell on his rump, prompting Hermione to jump down from the bed and perch on his chest. Meghan tackled her from behind, trying to pull her off him, and almost succeeded, until Draco started peeling her off finger by finger. She turned and threw herself onto him, knocking him over backwards.

Soon they would call a truce, and go downstairs and have a snack, and then would come den-night, with stories and songs and games. Whatever tomorrow might bring, tonight they were the Pack, and nothing and no one could change that.

Hermione screeched. Harry had her pinned now, and was sitting on her back looking smug.

Well, we can’t have that.

Draco abandoned abstract thought and dived into the game.

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