Chapter Text
Harry had just walked out of Minerva’s new office. That first year, Gryffindor girl Margaret was waiting in the corridor. “Hello, Margret. What can I do for you?” Harry asked. He liked this girl. She was polite and didn’t demand to know everything about him like most of his adoring fans. She wrung her hands nervously.
“Um… is it true that you’re a creature?” She asked nervously. Margaret was looking at the floor.
“Yes, that is true. I am not the only one. Most people here remember that Professor Lupin is a werewolf. Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy are the same type of creature that I am. What do you think of the new Transfiguration professor?” Harry was interested in her thoughts.
“Professor Black is a little strange. He growls like a dog sometimes.” Harry laughed.
“He’s an animagus. He can turn into a dog. Headmistress McGonagall can turn into a cat. Several people in this castle can turn into animals at will. Students technically aren’t supposed to be animagi, so it’s mostly professors,” Harry explained. She looked up and grabbed his necklace. Margaret studied the crests for a moment.
“What are these?” Harry pointed to the first one.
“These are the crests of my family. Professor Snape’s, Professor Black’s, Malfoy’s, Slytherin’s, Potter’s, Longbottom’s, Gaunt’s, and Peverell’s. I’m not related to all of them by blood, but they are my family,” Harry said calmly.
Harry sensed Draco trying to sneak up on him. Draco had been trying to surprise him for a week now. Albus had been dragged out of the school two weeks ago. Minerva hired Sirius to be the new Transfiguration professor. The other professors were starting to relax around the pack.
“Draco, quit hiding.” The platinum blonde wolf padded up to Harry with his ears slightly back in apology. He looked up at the girl, then at Harry. Harry nodded at the wolf. Draco shifted back. Margaret jumped slightly.
“I’m sorry, Alpha. I was on my way to see Neville,” Draco apologized with his head slightly bowed and his gaze on the floor.
“It’s alright, Draco. Go see your mate.” Draco turned and swiftly walked to the portrait hole leading to the Gryffindor Tower. Margaret watched him leave a little nervously.
“He called you ‘alpha’. Why? What is he?” Margaret asked.
“I am a wolf shifter, as is Draco. We don’t have long to talk before we head out for our run. Packs are led by the alpha pair. Professor Snape and I are the alpha pair. Professors Black and Lupin, Draco, Neville Longbottom, Lucius, and Narcissa Malfoy are all in my pack. I must go, it’s almost time for our run.” Harry turned to leave.
“See you later, Harry.” Margaret walked closer to the statue guarding Minerva’s office. The stone Gryffin leapt aside, and the staircase appeared. Harry continued his way outside. Harry was near the Great Hall when Professor Flitwick walked up to him.
“Where are you going, Harry?” Flitwick glanced around.
“Severus and I are taking the pack out for a run. Are you an animagus?” Harry asked, suddenly curious.
“Yes, why do you ask?” Flitwick looked slightly nervous.
“You can come with us. We aren’t dangerous to anyone, but we have two animagi that run with us and a human. He can’t become an animagus quite yet. You can run with us if you’d like.” He saw Flitwick’s eyes light up.
“I’d like that. My animagus form is a lion,” Flitwick replied a little nervously as they continued on their way out to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Narcissa, Lucius, Remus, and Sirius were all waiting there already. Severus was just behind him with Draco and Neville trailing after.
“Professor Flitwick will be joining us on our run tonight. Don’t be frightened. He’s a lion.” Several members of his pack gasped. “Let’s shift and start our run,” Harry said.
Harry and Severus smoothly shifted into their dark-haired wolf forms. Lucius and Draco shifted into their platinum blonde-haired wolf forms. Remus shifted into his brown-haired wolf form with Narcissa and Sirius shifting into their animagus forms. Flitwick was the last to shift. He was a rather large lion with a dark fur coat and an almost black mane.
Harry and Severus turned towards the forest and led the pack down one of the trails. Neville was unable to turn into an animagus yet, so he climbed onto Draco’s back and held on tight. Neville had already expressed his desire to become an animagus. He was currently beginning the process of becoming an animagus. He had one more potion to drink and one more spell to say before he could become an animagus.
It had been a couple of weeks since the start of the term feast and the last time the pack had gone for a run. Harry crouched down and lunged at Severus, knocking him off balance. The pack stopped and watched as the two tumbled to the ground. Narcissa reached up and nipped Lucius’s ear playfully. Neville ran his hands through Draco’s fur.
Flitwick stared at them and tilted his head in confusion. Sirius took the hint and nipped at Remus. He took off, and Remus chased after. Severus got to his feet and chased after Harry. Lucius and Narcissa started chasing each other through the woods as well. Flitwick looked to Neville.
“That’s normal. They’re all very playful, even when they’re not in animal form. They chase each other and play for most of the night. The creatures of the forest leave us alone. They sometimes watch the pack run and play, but the creatures don’t ever bother us,” Neville said.
***
Neville loved being included. Draco had told him that the pack was more like a family than most packs. He wanted to be able to run with the pack like Narcissa and Sirius could. They weren’t wolfshifters, yet they could run with the pack. They were animagi; Neville was just a wizard. He ran his hands through Draco’s soft fur.
Professor Flitwick walked alongside Draco. Neville was a bit nervous about being so close to such a large lion, but being with Draco made him feel safe. Professor Flitwick looked nervous and stuck close to Neville and Draco while the others ran and played around them. They wandered through the forest for a while. Professor Snape wandered up to them and shifted back.
“You should go back to the castle. You have to finish the potion and spell tomorrow. You need your rest.” Professor Snape had allowed Neville to call him Severus outside of class, but he was still nervous around the professor. Snape had been much nicer toward everyone since Dumbledore had been arrested.
“Alright. Let’s head back, Draco,” Neville said. Draco turned and headed back towards the castle. Draco seemed to know a much quicker way back than the way they had come from. It didn’t take long to return to the doors. Neville slid off of Draco’s back, and Draco shifted back.
“Do you want to return to the Gryffindor dorm, or would you like to stay with me tonight? Minerva said that it’s fine for us to stay in each other's rooms. We are all of age, and it’s not against Hogwarts rules.” Draco paused with his hand on the door.
“I want to stay with you. Where are we staying?” Neville asked. They wouldn’t be staying in the Slytherin dorms, he knew that much. Draco opened the door and ushered Neville inside.
“Harry tends to stay in Sev’s room. Mum and Father have their own room. Minerva gave them a room in the dungeons. She also gave us a room in the dungeons.” Draco headed down to the dungeons. Neville followed. Draco led them past the potions classroom and labs. He took them further into the dungeons than Neville had been before.
“This is the room,” Draco said as he stopped in front of a portrait of two wolves sitting on a rock. “Apertis Canis Lupin.” The portrait swung open to reveal a room.
Neville walked in to find a sitting room. There was a fireplace to his left. There were two grey armchairs by the fire with a darker grey sofa across from the chairs. There was a silver and gold rug on the floor. There were some bookcases filled with books around the room. There was a magical window to his right. There was a table with several potted plants in front of the window.
Neville walked further in to see two more doors across from the door he had just entered. Draco was right behind him. Neville went to the door on the left and found the bedroom. There was a large four-poster bed directly across from the door. There was a magical window a little to the right of the bed. The curtains on the window and the bed were Green with silver trim.
He noticed two polished dark wooden wardrobes on the left side of the room. There was a trunk of a similar style at the foot of the bed. The blanket on the bed was red, and the sheets and pillowcases were gold. There was a gold and silver rug under the bed. The sconces on the wall appeared to be wolf heads holding the torches in their mouths. There was another door on the right side of the room.
Neville opened the door to find a bathroom. There was a shower stall and a claw-footed bathtub by the wall directly across from the door. The toilet was just to the left of the door, and the sink and countertop were to the right. There was another door on the wall to the right of the door. The walls were a light blue tile. Neville went back to the bedroom.
Draco was sitting on the bed, still wearing his school robes, like Neville. “Are there pajamas in here yet?” Neville asked. He had seen the wardrobes, but he didn’t open them.
“Yes, there are clothes in the wardrobes. The one closest to the door is mine, and the other is yours.” Draco stood as Neville walked over to the wardrobe. Neville found several outfits hanging up and a drawer full of pajamas at the bottom. He pulled out a pair of silver pajamas and went to the bathroom to change and get ready for bed.
When he came out of the bathroom, Draco went in. Neville went and sat on the bed while he waited for Draco. Draco came out a few minutes later and climbed onto the bed next to Neville. He leaned over and cupped Neville’s cheek with one hand. Draco slowly leaned in and kissed him. Neville’s arms wrapped around Draco, semicircle closer. When they broke apart, Draco lay down and pulled Neville close.
Neville felt comfortable and safe wrapped in Draco’s arms. He lay his head on Draco’s shoulder and soon began drifting off.
***
Severus woke early. Harry was still curled next to him, fast asleep. He looked down at his sleeping mate. They were still in their wolf forms. Harry began to stir, and green eyes soon met his gaze. Harry reached up and licked the side of his face before nuzzling his neck. They stayed there for a few moments before getting up. Severus missed the warmth of Harry at his side as soon as they got up.
They shifted back. “Let’s get back. We do have some more work to help Minerva with today,” Severus sighed. Harry nodded and looked over at the others. Narcissa and Lucius were just waking up. Remus had shifted back and was trying to wake Sirius up. Filius stretched and yawned, shaking out his dark mane before shifting back. They were near the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Once everyone was awake, they returned to the castle. As soon as they entered the doors to the entrance hall, a first-year Gryffindor girl ran up to Harry. “Hello, Margret. What can I help you with today?” Harry greeted. The girl looked nervously at the group.
“I was wondering, can you help me understand the topic for my essay?” The girl muttered. Harry smiled gently.
“What is the essay on?” Harry asked. Filius stepped up to Severus’s other side.
“It’s on the uses of the Levitation charm in a duel. I don’t understand how it can be used defensively.” The girl shuffled from foot to foot. She looked up nervously.
“Harry’s friend used it to levitate a club and drop it on a troll’s head in their first year. It can be a good distraction in a duel,” Severus said. The girl looked at him nervously. Harry helped the girl by recommending several books to read. Filius mentioned a few ways he had used the charm in duels himself before he headed to the Great Hall. The rest of the group eventually headed to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Severus sat at the head table watching his younger mate. Harry sat at the Gryffindor table with Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger. Lucius and Narcissa were sitting at the Slytherin table. They had been allowed to stay for breakfast before returning to the Manor. Remus and Sirius sat next to each other, further down the table from Severus.
***
Harry sat with Ron and Hermione at breakfast. “What did you do to make Dumbledore tell the truth? Why won’t you tell us what’s been going on with you?” Ron demanded. Dean and Seamus, who were sitting across the table from them, looked over at Harry.
“Professor Snape, the Malfoys, and I planned that whole reveal. Last year, Professor Snape and I learned several helpful spells that most people are unable to cast. We even created our own spells, including the one that made Dumbledore tell the truth. We also created the spell that made the conversation heard throughout the castle,” Harry smirked. The Gryffindors gasped.
“You’ve been hanging around Slytherins too much!” Ron snapped.
“That was a little too far,” Hermione agreed. Harry shrugged. He had been drifting away from Ron and Hermione for a while. He tried to get them to understand, but they still seemed distant.
“My family is mostly Slytherins. I have only three other Gryffindors in the family.” Harry laughed.
“What do you mean your family is mostly Slytherins?” Dean asked, confused. Seamus bumped Neville, who was sitting on his other side.
“I’m a wolfshifter. My mate is a Slytherin. Lucius Malfoy considers my mate his brother. Draco, Lucius, and Narcissa are like family to me. My mate is the alpha of our pack, which makes me the other alpha. Professors Snape, Black, and Lupin are all in my pack. Neville is part of the pack as well. He’s family too,” Harry replied nonchalantly.
“You’re hanging out with Slytherins too?” Seamus asked. He sounded curious rather than accusing. Ron crossed his arms, and Hermione rolled her eyes.
“Yes, I’m Draco’s mate. I’m trying to become an animagus so I can run with the pack more often. Narcissa, Sirius, and even Professor Flitwick can run with the pack; they’re all animagi.” Neville shrugged. Seamus stared open-mouthed. Dean nearly dropped his bacon when Neville mentioned Flitwick. Ron and Hermione whipped around to face Harry.
“Professor Flitwick ran with us last night. You’ll never guess his animagus form. He’s welcome to join us whenever he wants. Professor McGonagall is welcome to join us. We may all be canines, but we don’t mind felines around.” Harry went back to his breakfast, and Ron gaped at him.
“I think he was nervous last night. He stuck close to Draco and me. He seemed nervous when you started playing around and chasing Professor Snape. He also seemed nervous when Snape told Draco to bring me back to the castle.” Neville had started pushing his bacon around his plate. Ron began to shove more food into his mouth.
“He’s still getting used to us. Dumbledore had everyone convinced that we’re extremely dangerous and we can be, but we prefer not to harm anyone. Professor Flitwick still seems nervous around me. The mere fact that he agreed to run with us last night proves that he is trying to accept us.” Harry ignored Ron and Hermione’s reactions.
After breakfast, Neville, Draco, Harry, Severus, Remus, and Sirius went out to the forest for the last part of the animagus transformation. There was an electrical storm, and Neville needed to drink the potion and recite the spell. It went smoothly, and Neville started turning into an African Wild Dog.
Harry looked at Neville’s short, tan, brown, and black coat and long, pointed ears. Neville was smaller than the wolfshifters, but he was still decent-sized. Neville looked down at his paws, then back up at the group. Harry conjured a mirror and held it in front of him. Neville looked himself over before jumping at Draco in excitement.
Harry knew that Hermione was nearby. He could smell her, but he pretended not to notice as he kissed Severus. Draco shifted and bounded around with Neville. Remus stood near Severus, and Sirius stood next to him. Severus whipped around when they heard a gasp. Hermione already knew about them, but she clearly didn’t know everything. Hermione ran back to the castle.
Harry had moved entirely into Severus’s quarters and slept there every night. By Halloween, the professors didn’t seem as nervous around the wolfshifters. They had learned not to mention Dumbledore to Remus. He would growl anytime Dumbledore was mentioned, and it scared the other staff and students. Only Severus, Harry, and Sirius could calm him.
Neville ran with the pack the five times they went out. He seemed to love chasing Draco around. Narcissa and Lucius would sit and watch them chase each other around. Professor Flitwick had joined them on a couple of runs. He seemed to relax more each time he ran with them. Minerva had even run with them a couple of times. She seemed to relax a little herself.
They had planned to go on a run that night because it was a Friday, and they didn’t have to be up early. Fenrir planned to bring the werewolves to the Forbidden Forest to run with the pack. After the Halloween feast, Severus walked over to the Gryffindor table with Professor Flitwick, Remus, Sirius, Minerva, and Draco.
The group made their way outside the Great Hall, where Lucius and Narcissa stood, waiting. Without a word, they made their way to the edge of the forest. Harry noticed someone was following them, but they were downwind of him, and he couldn’t catch their scent. He could hear someone following them, but when he looked, he couldn’t see anyone. Whoever it was would be safe from the dangers of the forest so long as they stayed close to the pack.