For the record, when I began this story it was going to be a one-shot...don't ask how my twisted mind turned it into this really...I don't understand it myself...besides, as a writer I don't actually like this story all that much, it doesn't make sense to me- well I suppose it does in a very vague way but it has none of the structure my other stories have. I think my mind simply vomited these ideas all out and created a story with them...odd but, I can't really find a better explanation for it. At any rate I'm glad you have enjoyed it for the most part, forgive me for the obvious flaws and don't kill me for the ending yeah? Love you all!

Mistress Slytherin

WARNINGS

CREATURE INHERITANCE AND FORCED CHANGE

CREATURES WILL HAVE MATES

CREATURES WILL AT TIMES HAVE MENTALITIES OF CREATURES

HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP (BUT NOTHING TOO SEXUAL..IT JUST GETS STEAMY)

IF YOU DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ, I DON'T NEED TO HEAR ABOUT IT

FORGIVE SPELLING AND GRAMMAR ERRORS-(ITS THREE IN THE BLOODY MORNING AND I CAN'T SPELL PAST MIDNIGHT)

BLOOD AND CORE- MOSTLY JUST MATES HUNTING FOR EACH OTHER BUT A BIT OF GORE AT THE START

SEVERUS EATS ANIMAL HEARTS- LITERALLY (JUST SKIP THAT PART IF IT MAKES YOU SQUEAMISH IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME)

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Well, I hope that warns you well enough, if you have questions send me a message if not, I hope you enjoy it!

REVIEW PLEASE!

Mistress Slytheirn

Chapter 6

Severus felt his heart stop.

Draco paled beside him and dropped the fabric he'd been convincing Severus to buy.

No.

Severus' head tilted back and his eyes turned violent and anguished no longer human.

"HARRY!"

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Albus stared down at the boy and felt his hand tremble violently.

He waited with bated breath secretly hoping that his child would have lived, but there was nothing.

He pressed his wand to the sluggishly bleeding scar on his forehead and cast several spells.

Nothing.

The Horcrux was gone.

And so was Harry.

After all of it, after he'd vowed to protect his child- a whine broke past his lips as the darkness, the sorrow that had threatened to overwhelm him for years nearly engulfed him. He couldn't though; his last task was not yet through. He'd given everything, everything to this war, to the hope of a brighter future. He forced himself to stand. He was weeping and weak but he knew what he must do.

"Fawks!" He said wearily. The bird appeared as always in a thunderclap of flame waiting for him to grab hold of her plumage. Albus felt his chest constrict as the enraged, pain filled roar echoed through the air just before Fawks could disappear. Yet in an instant he was in a different place completely. Fawks was hovering over him weeping silently in an offer of strength.

"You." Voldemort rasped. Or rather, what was left of the man, Vela talons were laced with a poison that prevented healing. Really it was remarkable that Voldemort was still alive. His body was in tatters, long jagged cuts from shoulder to hip, across the pale legs and arms and he suspected deep gouges lay in the man's back. One of Voldemort's hands was gone and he was encased in an odd gelatinous sort of potion a bubble charm around his mouth the only thing keeping him from drowning in the muck.

"It's over Tom." Albus said panting slightly and taking strength in Fawks' song.

"How so? I've seen nothing of your…" Voldemort had to stop for a moment his breathing deep and ragged which Albus assumed ruined the effect of the man's bravado. "-y-your precious chosen one!" Voldemort spat when he could. Dumbledore frowned as he stared at the sad state of the man before him.

"They've left you haven't they Tom…every last loyal follower has gone." He said with grim understanding. It didn't take a fool to see that Voldemort was all but a dead dream now.

"The boy!" Voldemort hissed his eyes flashing.

"I never did tell you the end of the prophesy did I Tom?" He paused and took a deep shuddering breath. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the dark lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have a power that the dark lord knows not…" He smiled faintly. "You see Tom I have thought over that particular part of the prophesy for years. 'A power the dark lord knows not.' It is after all a tricky bit of wording." He said with a slow nod. "But then Harry changed- he was turned into a creature not unlike myself and I though that by turning he had gained a power that you didn't know about. How wrong I was. His power was love just as I had always felt, but not the kind that could injure you- no the love was my own. He was my child and I killed him in order to destroy the last Horcrux." He watched with his own sort of satisfaction as fear and horror bled into Voldemorts expression.

"No…" The man whispered sounding much like a wounded animal.

"Yes but you see the prophesy goes on. This is the part I had always taken for granted to mean exactly what it says- 'and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.' Which as you can guess I took to mean that either you killed Harry or Harry killed you…" He said sadly. "Only it is much more complex then that." He said subtly readying his wand. "You see it doesn't say specifically that the child is the one to kill you. And the word 'neither' isn't specific to you and Harry." He said lifting his wand.

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Severus burst through the door of his home and felt his heart dry up inside his chest only to explode into painfully. Two cups, the kettle was whistling, the chair beside the table was pulled out and there was a candy wrapper on the table cloth- and then there on the floor was Harry.

His Harry…His Harry his mate!

Severus was lifting the fragile body before he understood that he had moved. Harry wouldn't answer his cries wouldn't smile the way he always did, that gentle peaceful smile he'd worn as of late. Wouldn't look into his eyes with love and devotion- Severus felt as though fate had slapped him in the face. His worst most horrific image coming back to haunt him- green eyes staring blankly, body refusing to respond-

Harry!

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Albus watched as he approached. Voldemort was useless now- a rabid dog whose legs had been broken whose teeth had been filed down to nothing. All that was left was for him to put him out of his misery. "for neither can live while the other survives…" He repeated. "It talks of two people and then one. I didn't understand until I saw it with my own eyes. The love between Harry and his mate, the lengths they would go for each other. You see, with Harry gone it wouldn't be long before Severus followed after him- unless that is, and I do challenge the fates with this- unless you and I don't survive." He said softly his eyes bright with feverish hope and sorrow. "Adavra Kedavra." He hissed. The green light hit its target and he watched enraptured as Tom withered before his eyes scull collapsing in on its self body shriveling and turning to ash floating about in the potion.

"Fawks." He said presently before lifting his wand. "Fiendfyre!' He cast directly on the mess watching as the flames roared to life with the last of his power. Fawks let out a screech and with a roaring thunder cap Albus disappeared.

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"Th-The headmaster?" Draco said lifting the candy wrapper. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was shaking violently but Severus couldn't see past his own raging sorrow and sudden righteous anger. Suddenly he was snatching the foil out of Draco's fingers his eyes staring at it in horror and revulsion.

"Of course, no one besides Albus had the ability to simply walk into-" Betrayal, bitter as bile choked him and anger beyond anything he'd ever felt tipped him into a state of ferocity.

Draco stared at Severus in silence, the man had transformed, he was nothing but an animal who had lost his mate, a wounded broken creature who knew only hatred and pain.

CRACK!

Draco's eyes widened as the headmaster suddenly appeared and just as suddenly he was being hauled up and tossed behind the island by a ferocious Severus. Draco shivered has he fell beside Harry's limp body. The sound of flesh being torn apart filled the air and Draco felt ill and feverish. He missed Harry…he wanted his mater…

Green eyes blinked.

For a moment he'd thought he'd gone mad, imagined it in his distress. But then something miraculous happened.

Harry blinked again.

And again.

Draco let out a strangled sound filled with hope and joy marred with the desperation he'd felt only a moment ago. Harry let out a frightened noise and sat up abruptly his eyes changing his wings out and then his body shifting. The feline let out an enormous yowl before rushing around the island. Draco gasped- Severus was in such a state what if he didn't recognize-!

He leapt around the island to see that Harry and Severus had both frozen. There was, for lack of a better word, a smear of blood and gore that Draco could only assume had once been Dumbledore.

Harry let out a whimper and Draco jerked ready to defend the small kitten-like creature. He tensed when Severus let out a sound- the sound of a tortured wounded animal before leaping at Harry and gathering him in his arms surrounding him with his wings.

Safe…

Harry was alive and safe…Severus was safe…

Draco let out a sob as he fell to his knees.

So close…too close to losing his family again.

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Epilogue

It had been two years since the war had ended.

Harry had finally, a week ago allowed Severus to read out the explanation Dumbledore had written before he died. He wouldn't touch the letter, wouldn't have anything to do with the massive fortune Dumbledore had left him, and hadn't been able to stand living in the house they'd once called 'home.' That place was tainted, unsafe.

Severus had agreed and quietly they had gathered up what Harry felt was alright and burnt the house to the ground Dumbledore's body still inside.

Severus had taken him to his manor at first but Harry had found that without Severus or Draco near by for more than an hour he panicked desperately. So Draco stayed with him and Severus found a new location and built a home that was even sturdier than their last. For a while it was rough and towards the end of the building project Harry had stayed in the new house returned to his feline form and mistrustful of even his closest friend Ronald Weasley. Of course Ron, upon understanding what had happened had placed his own protective wards on the house, wards that were ancient and lost to time before agreeing to be obliviated until Harry was ready to accept him back into his life.

And so, their house was built and Harry, and Draco and Severus moved in.

For two years they were at peace.

Harry smiled down at his mate's sleeping form. Severus' body was lean, muscular from all the physical work he did in building furniture and hunting. His hair had grown out and down his back and Harry could admit that he loved to brush it out and plait it into a braid every morning. Severus didn't brew potions any more. Aside from the ones they might need handy in the house he stayed far away from potions. Harry understood, potions reminded him of years that Severus had trusted Dumbledore and put his life on the line for him time and time again. Severus couldn't look at them now without a sense of betrayal. Harry pressed a kiss to the smooth cheek and carefully slid his hand down capturing Severus.' His mate twitched slightly before a smile crossed his lips and his eyelids fluttered.

"What are you doing my love?" The man muttered as Harry guided his mate's hand under his shirt. "Hmmm I might just forgive you for waking me…" Severus muttered. Harry settled the hand where he wanted it and felt nervous joy as he waited in silence watching the expressions cross Severus' face. First there was a frown of mild confusion then Severus stilled the expression turning thoughtful before he inhaled deeply and gasped his eyes snapping open. Harry felt a grin spread across his lips as a light of pure complete joy filled his mate's eyes. The fingers on his belly twitched and spread out and dark eyes turned down in awe before lifting to Harry's hope written in the very depths of his mate's soul.

"Yes!" Harry gasped softly.

Severus' resulting holler rocked the house causing Harry to giggle briefly before he found himself rolled under his mate who covered him with his entire body wings settling over them with a rustle.

Then the door slammed open and a sleepy Draco looked around the room in confusion. "Wha' the matter?" He tried his eyes still half awake. Severus growled and snatched the covers over his undoubtedly naked lower half. Harry couldn't help it though, he giggled. Severus looked down at him with a familiar look of awe and adoration before speaking.

"Harry is with child." He breathed reverently. Draco stared at them dumbly for a moment before a bright grin spread across his lips.

"Congratulations! A little brother or sister Merlin…Right! Well- I'm going to get out of here before you to 'celebrate' with me right here." He said with a nod to himself. He nearly flew from the room as Severus claimed his mate's mouth.

Harry grinned into the kiss.

Wait till Severus found out it was triplets…

-fin-