Chapter Eight

Tuesday 1 September 1998

Harry

When I wake up, I do so with a manic grin on my face. I just had my first mate dream. Re and Siri told me about them, and I had been so excited for my first one. It was all I could have, well, dreamed. I can't wait for my next one. No, I can't wait to find my mate, for real. They must be nearby, if I'm having mate dreams. They're initially triggered by close proximity, so hopefully they'll be at Hogwarts. Even knowing nothing about them, I already feel stronger about them than I have ever felt about anyone or anything. I know that once we meet, they will be my world.

I look out the window, and realise we're pretty much almost there. The train begins to slow down just as I finish hurriedly donning my robes, and I join the sea of people escaping their compartments. I find Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny in a carriage, and after petting the thestral, I climb in. I refuse to send a guilty look at Ron; it was his fault I snapped, and he knows it.

"Sorry about, like, offending you m- Harry."

"It's fine. I probably overreacted a bit, but don't insult subs, okay?" He nods.

"We're good?"

"We're good." I turn to Neville. "Are you okay?" His head is ducked, arms folded around him. I must've scared him, bringing out his sub side. He nods, taking a deep breath. I sit next to him. "Relax, Nev, it's okay. I'm not nor was I ever mad at you. I'm sorry for losing control. I won't let anything hurt you." I sense him relax slightly, and he looks up at me.

"Thank you."

The thestrals began to move, and soon enough I was sitting between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. I barely listened to the sorting or McGonagall's speech, rather I scoured the table for anyone who might be my mate.

It turns out Romilda Vane was the only Gryffindor apart from me and Neville to get an inheritance, which isn't entirely surprising. Our year is the only one who would have creatures in it so far, as we're the only ones old enough. A few might start cropping up in the seventh year, but until then, it's just us, and we have a small year compared to the others, although lots of us are actually purebloods, it's only ancient pureblood families with a history of inheritances that get them.

Vane appears to be a submissive dryad by her scent. But one look at her, and I can tell she's not my mate. One more look down the Gryffindor table and I can tell there's no one else in my house with an inheritance, and I know I wont be able to find anyone else in the Great Hall; the scents and noises are too much; and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to catch their eye. I sigh, and realise everyone has already started eating.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Hermione asks.

"Yeah. Distracted." I start eating, and I didn't realise how hungry I was until now. I pile heaps of stake on my plate and begin to tear into them. Turns out being a werewolf changes your appetite quite a bit.

And honestly, thank Merlin for Hermione. It's obvious she's done her research, and educated everyone else that was in the cabin whilst I was asleep, because no one says anything about my admittedly odd meal.

After the meal, I catch Ginny's eye, and she nods. Whilst everyone goes to the common rooms, we find a secluded area by the hall to talk.

"You wanted to talk?" she says. Even though I know that this situation isn't my fault, I find myself feeling guilty.

Don't! She should feel guilty; she stole your first kiss from our mate!

"I just... you know we can't be together, right?"

"I know. I... Hermione told me about how you would have a mate now, who likely isn't me, and... well, yeah, I know."

"I'm really sorry, Gin. If I had known about my inheritance, I would never have... well, allowed us to be whatever we were last year. I really did care about you, you know that?" You growl in my head.

"I know. I think it will take me a while to get over you, but... I understand. I hope whatever we had doesn't effect whatever you will have with your mate." I smile. She really is a great person. If it were anyone else, they would probably be having a fit right now.

"That means a lot."

"It means a lot that you wanted to have this conversation. Seriously, Harry, I appreciate this. Your mate... your mate is really lucky."

"Whoever you end up with is lucky too. You're really great, Gin. I'm sorry this couldn't work."

"So am I." She seems to restrain herself, but eventually fails and hugs me, tight. I figure I owe it to her to hug her back, even though it goes against my instinct and makes you mad.

Stop that! What if you meet our mate and reek of her?

Can you just shut up for two seconds? She deserves closure. You sigh, still angry, but don't object further. When Ginny lets go, there are tears in her eyes.

"Thanks, Harry."

"I hope we can be friends still?"

No! Don't ever talk to her again!

She sniffles.

"I'd like that."

"Let's go back to the common room." She nods, and we set off.

Hermione grins excitedly when she sees me enter the room. I frown, confused.

"You said we could meet Eli!" I roll my eyes. Right, I forgot about that.

"Okay, fine. Let's go down to the forest. You guys coming?" I say to Ron, Neville and Ginny.

"Wouldn't miss it," Neville says. "I want to go down to the forest anyway, it energises me."

"Are you going down to the forest?" a voice asks, and I turn to see Romilda Vane. "Mind if I join you?" Of course, she's a dryad. She get's energy from the forest too, and I doubt any of her friends would want to go with her. Neville looks to me, and I nod.

"Sure. The more the merrier."

And so we all head off together. We won't all fit under my invisibility cloak, so I bring the Marauders' Map and we sneak through the school.

Once we get there, Vane and Neville head off together into the centre of the forest. Ready to show them, Eli?

You bet.

I quickly strip off, not wanting to tear my clothes, and allow you to take control, feeling the shift begin. It doesn't hurt nearly as much as my inheritance, but the process of my bones breaking and refusing, my skin stretching and sprouting fur is still pretty painful.

Being co-conscious is still strange, even though we've done it so many times since my inheritance. You plod up to my friends, who look terrified (I don't blame them, you're fucking huge, even Re's wolf submitted to you when you first met), before your tongue lolls out and run in circles around them. Hermione bursts out laughing, obviously not expecting you to be such a complete goofball.

Hey! I'll have you know I can be very serious.

Hermione reaches out a hand. "May I?" You nod, and she scratches you behind your ear.

That feels good...

I can tell; you look like an idiot. You immediately pull away from her, huffing at me, and Hermione giggles.

"I knew werewolves were big, but I didn't expect... this!" It's true, I'm not surprised she's shocked. You're actually higher than even Ron's hips; if you stood on your hind legs you could rest your front paws on his head, easy. Compared to Hermione, who's fairly small... well, I'm not surprised she's shocked.

Why thank you.

Oh I shouldn't have said that. Merlin knows if I inflate your ego any more your head will explode.

Whatever, arsehole, I'm going for a run.

You nod towards the forest behind you, signalling your intentions, and take off.

The six of us get back at around eleven, and I immediately go to bed. Not because I'm tired, but because I'm excited for my next mate dream. Almost immediately, I fall into a dreamless sleep, and the only thing I can sense is my own longing. Eventually, another figure appears, and I can tell instantly it's my mate. I still can't tell anything about them appearance wise, and my voice is muted when I try to speak to them, but I can scent them. And Merlin, I have never smelt anything better in my life. It's the perfect mixture of crispness and sweetness, like fresh air but also like home. It has a layer of the typically submissive scent layered over it; like milk chocolate and crackling fires. There's a number of scents I can't place, but they smell simply undeniably amazing. And, Merlin, I want to scent that forever.

I hold my hand out to them, gesturing for them to join me. They seem hesitant; a stark contrast to the first dream. I take a step forward, and they take one back. I frown.

"Mate," I force out, and see them startle. "Come." My voice is strange, incredibly non-descript, and if I wasn't me I wouldn't even be able to tell if I was male or female, net alone recognise it. My mate tenses, but complies, coming to me shyly. They take my hand gingerly, and it's all I can do not to pull them to my chest and never let go. What changed between now and the train? I open my mouth to ask, but it's forced shut against my will. It seems the dream can judge my intentions, and I cannot ask questions. Instead, I lift a hand to their cheek, and smile as they lean into my palm. I lean forward to whisper in their ear: "You are mine, mate." I hear them gasp.

"I am yours." Like my own voice in the dream, theirs reveals nothing about them, and I forget the sound of it instantly. I don't care. I could listen to those words forever.

"Say it again."

"I am yours."

"And I, yours, mate."

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