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The Hogwarts express wasn't the favorite way to travel for many. For example, some small mammals got nervous for the speed and the canines suffered because of the noisy engines. Some of them said that it was because it was an ancient coal engine, but Jack the Labrador, a very well versed Ravenclaw assured Collot that the train was moved by magic, the same magic that the four founders used to build the castle and made the sorting hat work.
Legosi knew that probably Jack was right, but that didn't mean he was comfortable with the noise. It wasn't only the engine, but the chatter of hundreds of animals that haven't seen each other over the summer. It was true that the same animals crowded the school for ten months, but the ancient walls of the castle shielded the noise only leaving a silent murmur filled with the spark of magic of every wizard. The yard was also big, silent and filled with that petrichor scent that was heavenly for a wolf like him.
Legosi was a 7th year Griffindor, a grey wolf very tall and physically strong. As he was a large carnivore, it was a surprise for everyone he wasn't sorted in Slytherin, the house that held the ones with ambition and lust for power. Gryffindor was normally the house for herbivores and small animals that faced the world and his dangers with courage. What bravery could have a large animal like Legosi that couldn't be threaten easily?
His house mates weren't afraid of him, they didn't care that he was a large carnivore. But the principal was a bit worried for the safety of the small herbivores and that was the reason he and Collot shared a small room for themselves, a bit far away from the others.
When the train arrived, Legosi picked up his trunk and Voss's one. He offered help to Jack who always seemed to add more and more books to his luggage, but the dog a bit embarrassed said he could move it using a levitation spell. In the entrance there was a fuss of girls swooning and giggling. "Let me guess, Louis is there", Miguno, the hyena, laughed. "He must be expecting the first-years, he is the head boy now", Jack clarified.
The canines seemed awed, but for Legosi it wasn't so surprising. Louis the 8th year red deer always stood out over other animals. He was the perfect embodiment of what a Slytherin was supposed to be. Smart, ambitious, powerfull, poised and with a charm and silky rhetoric that made everyone instantly follow him. He also was a great wizard since the beginning; in first year he was the best in transfiguration and potions, and always being the first in achieving different kinds of spells. His raw talent was only followed by Jack. In fourth year he was made prefect of his house and this, his last year, he was in charge of all students as the head boy. He also was the youngest candidate running for a position in the Ministry of Magic.
"He probably will be the Minister of Magic before his forties, or he will get The Order of Merlin very soon", Jack pointed and, as everything he said, he must be right. "You could get one too", Legosi pointed "And you are a prefect since last year"
"And the smartest wizard of our generation", added Durham putting and arm around the labrador. The canines celebrated, laughing and wagging their tails. Legosi watched, from the corner if his eye, as Louis directed a cold look to them. To him, precisely.
The wolf didnt think somebody else noticed, but Louis didn't like him. At first, Legosi though it must be the typical Slytherin-Gryffindor grudge, but the deer didn't had a problem with Els, a Gryffindor angora goat. Then he thought it was because he was a large carnivore. There was a lot of herbivores afraid of him because of that, he was used to be feared and rejected because of his size, specially by muggles that didn't have the confidence and protection that magic can give. However, it wasn't the case because Louis got along just fine with the carnivores in his house, he was a close friend of Ibuki, a large Massai lion, and even he was in friendly terms with Bill, a Slytherin tiger that always looked smug about his physical and magical power. So Legosi concluded that maybe Louis just desliked him, Legosi the grey wolf, just because. And that was fine, nobody had to be likeable to everyone. Besides he had a small group of friends, from different species; he didn't need the golden boy's approval.
And then the attacks started.
Tem, a Gryffindor muggleborn, was killed by a nasty curse that caused his small body to slice and bleed to death. Inside the school. The Prophet published the incident with great scandal, speculating it was "a hate crime from a carnivore pureblood, thirsty of blood and disdain towards the ones he saw as inferiors". The students were terrified to walk alone through the school halls, so curfew was instaurated for the first weeks of investigation in which nothing was concluded.
Three weeks passed and Louis gave a speech in which he stated that they can't say it was a depredation or hate crime because they had no evidence. "...We neither can not accuse all carnivores or all pureblood wizards, but we can try to keep going with our studies taking care of each other as a community...". His words worked as a spell, and many students went back to their normal activities but one could sense the apprehension. Purebloods carnivores were looked in fear by their classmates.
Legosi felt trapped in his body more than ever. Trapped in the assumption everyone made that he was a pure blood carnivore and wizard.
Only Jack knew he was none of that.
The Quidditch season continued and the match of that november afternoon was between Slytherin and Gryffindor. The audience felt enthusiastic and more competitive than ever, as always between those houses. Legosi was a Beater, a position in which he could use his strength to protect his team mates from harm during the matches.
That afternoon in particular the rain was heavy and it was hard for him to see the bludgers through the heavy drops. The grasp on his broomstick was slippery and he decided to rely in his sense of smell to search for the bludgers. He noticed it coming and prepared his bat to hit it away from Collot, then noticed the ball made a twist and aimed for Els. The small seeker noticed and flew the fastest she could passing between the other players, the stands filled with students and the goal posts. The ball seemed to get faster and followed everywhere. Only her. "This isn't right", Legosi thought and started to chase after the crazy bludger and his small team mate.
The bludger followed the goat through the tribune's pillars for what it seemed and eternity. In one attempt to avoid a hit, she flew too close to the Hufflepuf stand and fell between the students, her broom was lost, falling far away to the field floor. The bludger seemed to take momentum to pounce towards her and a white bunny girl beside her that started screaming furiously and then, when both girls thought that was it, Legosi landed between them and the ball and hit it with great strength. The bludger was sent at least 10 meters away and it attempted to come back to be stopped just in time by a teacher who screamed "Confringo!" , the ball exploded in thousands of pieces. Just then, Legosi noticed that when he landed he had crushed Els leg, the little goat tried to suppress her sobs and between tear murmured a soft "thank you" before passing out.
The grey wolf remembers vaguely he took the small girl in his arms and ran towards the infirmary. The match went on and later he was met with the news they had lost, but he couldn't care less. He felt horribly guilty. He made it worst, he couldn't even help a friend in need. He cursed his large body and monstrous strength. Jack found him late at night in the nears of the Forbidden forest, the wolf let himself being held by his shorter friend.
"It wasn't your fault... that bludger could have killed her...", Legosi was still shocked and couldn't elaborate an answer. He let Jack take his hand and he walked towards the dorms with him. "Rest well, we can visit Els tomorrow, she surely will be fine". The taller one directed one sad glance to the dog before disappearing to the gryffindor tower. Some of his house mates were waiting for him, he heard some kind reassurance words from them but he only wanted to disappear for the day.
Maybe he should just walked into the Forbidden Forest and let some Magical Beast to eat him alive or worst.
The next day, Collot woke him up, worried. It was sunday and the day was as dark and cold as the day before. His roommate made him get out of bed and go to the great hall to have breakfast. The carnivore menu had egg sandwiches, his favorites, but he wasn't in the mood for eating. He got just one to reassure his friends and watched as his they conversed over how he heroically had saved Els and that other girl.
He didn't feel like a hero at all, anyways he let himself being carried by the canines to the Hospital Wing of the Casttle. Madamme Hedwig, a white owl was the Healer in charge and greeted him with great enthusiasm.
"I can't let you all come in, boys, you know the rules..." She said to the other canines and they groaned, but waited outside. "I'm so glad you came, dear, Els has been asking for you, she was very worried, she said you are a very stubborn masochist"
"A What?... ", Legosi felt ashamed, like a little pup, and then asked, "how is she?".
"A bit sore", the owl took him by his arm and dragged him towards a bed covered with a closed curtain, "she had a broken tibia, but she took the potion last night and she's almost done, see? here she is..."
"Legosi!, I'm so glad to see you", Els chirped and called him waving his hand.
"I'm so sorry for your leg", Legosi bowed asking for forgiveness.
"Don't be silly, you came just in time, that blugder could have smash my and that Hufflepuff bunny's head, so you saved two lives yesterday, a broken leg is a lesser evil"
"But you are in pain"
"Well, my bones have been repairing all night and my muscles are a but sore for it, but as I said..."
"Is there something I can do for you?", the wolf asked.
"Actually, you can", Madame Hedwig intervened, "You could go to the greenhouse and get me some of this herbes so I could make a bit of painkiller potion for your friend"
"Sure!, I'll go immediately, you just wait, Els!", The wolf went tut running, ignoring the calls of his canine friends. He raced through the halls until he saw the glass building. It always looked so beautiful, a spell kept the clouds away so the sunlight could pass through the windows. The green of the plants could be seen from the outside and the perfume of the moist earth and flowers filled his nose. There was a herbivore inside, two in fact, one scent he didn't know and the other...
Just when Legosi was thinking if it was alright to knock, Louis the reed deer came out of the building fixing his green scarf. He seemed bewildered by the presence of the wolf for a second, but immediately recovered and put his tough act.
"What are you doing here, Legosi?", the deer pronounced his name like it was a bad word. Legosi cleared his voice and answered. "Madame Hedwig send me to collect herbs for Els...".
"Oh, right, the girl you hurt yesterday..."
Legosi felt a pang of guilt so strong he wanted to cry, but then...
"Oh, Merlin! is you!", a soft feminine voice said and then a petite white bunny came from behind Louis. "I'm so glad I didn´t have to come out looking for you! I wanted to meet you so badly to thank you for saving me yesterday... Louis, you are so mean, you just told me you didn't knew him".
"I wasn't sure who you were talking about", the deer responded coldly. It was a blatant lie, because he was the only wolf in Gryffindor, everyone knew him. The stag, passed by his side, pushing him a bit with his shoulder and then said, "See, you later, Haru".
And just they were left alone, Legosi felt uncomfortable and self conscious of his size and nature just by standing beside that little bunny girl.
"My name is Haru, I'm in eithg year and I'm the assistant of our herbology teacher, and you are?"
"Legosi, seventh year, I'm nothing special really...", he said with an apologetic smile. But Haru shook her head as if he was talking nonsense.
"Nothing special?, very modest of you, now, let me see that list, oh... is for a painkiller potion, i'm just about to transplant the Mandrakes so if you give me a hand I could give you some fresh leaves".
Legosi nodded and stepped in, the place looked and smelled like a mini jungle. The girl, Haru, surprised him putting his tail under his suspenders. "The Mandrakes we are going to move are toddlers, they could grab your tail!"
The wolf said nothing and put himself to work, he did almost everything because the plants were too big to be carried by this small girl. "Did you planned to do this by yourself?", he asked.
"Not really, I was trying to convince Louis to help me, but you must know how he is..."
Legosi frankly had no idea.
"... like a little prince, he doesn't like to get his hands dirty... and he is so moody, he is probably mad just because you saved me yesterday, he likes to be in the spotlight of every epic deed"
The solely idea that the most popular animal of the whole school and magical society could be jealous of him was ridiculous. "I think he just doesn't like me".
"Oh, don't say it like that... to be honest, he doesn't like almost anyone"
They both laughed and continue with the task. An hour later, Legosi was heading to the Hospital wing to deliver the ingredients and with the feeling he just made a good friend in the small and kind hufflepuff.
++++00000
Louis stormed out the Greenhouse and walked fast through the hallways of the castle, his glance cold and his posture straight. The animals admired him but also knew when he was in a bad mood and opened the way for him. Fortunately he had a room for himself for being the head boy. He walked past his house mates, without saying a word, entered his bedroom and threw himself into the broad bed.
It was ridiculous that a beast like Legosi was now the hero of the moment just because he did his blasted job by beating a Bludger. If he had done it right, inside the field, on time, no accident would have happened in the first place, but in his incompetence he risked Haru's life. Louis always resented that wolf that walked hunched to make himself smaller, that in the Quidditch practices and matches measured his speed and strength and in classes controlled his magic doing mild and weak spells. Some teachers started to believe Legosi really was a weaker version of a large carnivore wizard, but Louis knew better. He had witnessed episodes in which the real power of that wolf scratched the surface of his pacific facade. Nobody noticed how far away he had hit that bludger? No one remembered that he was the first casting a corporeal Patronus in class? It was an impressive Komodo Dragon, everyone was in awe, but the wolf seemed ashamed and never attempted that again in public.
The thing is, naturally, carnivores were strong wizards. Herbivores were elegant, good with charms and trasfigurations, but carnivores tended to be good with hexes and curses, defense against the dark arts... and with the dark arts.
It a known fact that the strongest aurors were carnivores and so were the most powerful dark wizards. The main reason was that carnivores were more ambitious, proud and obsessed with power. Louis was all of that but he had to work twice harder to be taken seriously. Legosi could be respected instantly if he acted his part, but he was sorted in a house filled with nice animals and rejected being the center of attention.
It was revolting.
Louis, in other hand, was prepared since he was small to compete for his place in society. The Horn family was a powerful family of purebloods, they were traditional and every member was sorted in Slytherin for generations. He was the only heir of that ancient bloodline, and because of that he was expected to reach the top of the magical society. He also was expected to socialize only with animals who could benefit him in his goals; due to that, any sentimentalism was out of the question. He didn't need to rely in loving friends, he only needed allies, and he didn't need romance, he had a pureblood fiance chosen for him.
His father forged his character for him to be proud and strong, he was trained in hexes and curses since he could grasp his hand around a wand because "herbivores have to create their strength if their want to be respected". Louis understood that statement when he found himself in the dungeons surrounded by bears, tigers, lions, wild cats, foxes and wolves. They were taller and probably their magical features more aggressive, but Louis was fierce and by eleven years old he knew every attack spell in the texts books and some more. He earned himself a position between the large animals and made a friend in Hibuki, a lion two years older than him that gave him his complete loyalty and respect, making everyone around them surrender at his feet.
The only one that was closer to disrespect him in his own house was Juno, a female wolf with a sweet facade, but an ambition and power hunger that could only rival his.
He grew up believing he didn't need real affections, but then one day he was hiding in the Greenhouse so nobody saw the bloody weakness of him shedding his antlers and she found him. Haru must have been terrified by the gory image because her scream competed with the Mandrakes. He reassured her that nothing was wrong, that he just needed three days for his new antlers to look normal. She agreed to keep his secret and took care of his wounded head using her beloved herbs without asking for anything in favor. Hufflepuff's fame of their kindness was a myth for him before meeting this sweet rabbit girl.
After that, Louis came regularly to visit her, especially after Ibuki graduated and he had to admit that in those two animal he had found true friends.
Even knowing that, one day they were both sharing fire whiskey in Hallows eve, after the great dinner; they got a bit drunk and frisky and she caressed his cheek casually, like many times, though, for some reason, that casual touch set his skin on fire. Blame his teenage hormones. They made out for hours and that didn't sour they relationship, if anything brought them closer. It was a bittersweet feeling. Get to feel wanted and cherished and knowing that Oguma would have Haru killed before he could pursue a relationship with an ordinary Hufflepuff, muggleborn bunny.
Haru knew all of this and never demanded anything. They talked, they kissed but then he went back to his cool act and she continued to have sex with several males.
They could keep their amorous arrangement in secret for the whole school year if it wasn't for that blasted november 26th in which Louis went to the Greenhouse to relax after a Arithmancy class and found HIS Haru sitting in THEIR table with that damn wolf.
They were laughing and drinking what it seemed to be chamomile tea and all he thought was that Haru never laughed so hard with him. That he never laughed like that with anyone.
He was furious and he couldn't grasp the reason why, but he started to head out of the garden. "Wait, Louis...", he heard Haru's calling, he didn't had the humor to look back and pretend he was not angry.
"I'll come some other day, enjoy your afternoon with mr. predator", he almost snarled.
"He is not a predator, he is very sweet and funny, I bet if you knew him better..."
"I'm not interested in what you think of him nor in being his friend", he was sounding like a spoiled child and he knew it so it didn't surprise him when she snapped at him.
"He is only a friend and even if he was more is none of your business"
"Of course is none of my business, what..." , Louis was using the most deprecating tone of voice he could summon. "You think I'm jealous? Don't be ridiculous,for all I care you can do whatever you want with that wolf, even breeding mudbloods hybrids, is not my fucking problem". After he used the M word, Legosi stood up, snarling, maybe he was about to hex him, or worst, bite him, but he didn't had the opportunity because Haru's palm was faster in meeting the deer's face with ferocity.
"I don't have to stand you to talk to me like that, Louis. You can come back when you are ready to apologise"
Legosi sat down again but kept looking at him with intensity. Louis held his gaze on him, just to assert his superiority and stormed out. He didn't have the intention to apologize. She should be apologizing for replacing him with that sorry excuse of a predator. Louis focused in his studies and duties as a head boy for weeks and then the Christmas break came to free him from school monotony.
With his mother dead and no brothers, the holidays were not a special occasion in his house, apart from an opportunity to make contacts and deals in fancy dinner parties. Louis found himself at two am with a cup of a expensive wine remembering that Christmas, three years ago, when he spent it at school with Ibuki and Haru drinking butter beer and stuffing themselves with chocolate frogs.
He thought in sending some chocolate frogs to Haru as a friendly gesture.
Maybe she could share them with the wolf and kill him by intoxication.
++++00000
Legosi found himself spending a lot of his free time in the Greenhouse helping Haru to care care of the plants. She was the only voluntary assistant of Professor Sprout, a middleaged hippo and head of Hufflepuff.
They had a lot in their hands so both females appreciated to have a kind strong male to help them. Haru was also a great listener and she was full of stories. Some boys in the dorms were reticent to talk to her because she had the fame of sleeping around with lots of males. And it was true, but she was still a kind friend and Legosi wasn't letting anyone say bad things behind her back. What if she slept around with many? Boys did the same and no one pointed them with a finger. Not that he knew, he was the biggest virgin of the school.
Normally in Christmass break he went back to spent it with his grandpa, but Haru stayed and so did Els, Ellen, and Pina. Legosi didn't feel comfortable leaving his small herbivore friends alone for two weeks, so he firecalled his grandpa asking him for his comprehension. Gosha answered that he understood and he was proud of him.
So Legosi stayed and had dinner with their friends, he went to the library with Els and Ellen, spent his afternoons with Haru in the Greenhouse or flying with Pina and Collot. It was peaceful for ten days until screams filled the hallways. Sebun, the merino sheep teacher, was attacked by a dementor in her own classroom. The principal Gon was astonished. How a dementor entered the school? How nobody saw it? Why would it atack Professor Sebun?
Again, the fear ran around the school. Sebun was a herbivore and a half blood that taught muggle studies. This was obviously and ideology attack and Legosi decided he should investigate.
The incident made Louis come back earlier from his break, all dressed in black fancy robes and his orange hair and antlers shining like he was a rock star. He even smelled expensive and powerful. Legosi was glad he was back because the students felt safer and he supposed that the secret reunions with the principal and teachers were aimed to design a strategy to protect the school.
Never imagined that one day, when he was coming back from escorting Haru to her dorms, he would find dementors attacking someone who couldn't defend themselves. Legosi rushed in casting a patronus and the white luminous komodo dragon emerged from his wand scaring the dark creatures away and revealing the shaking figure of Louis the red deer. The stag was almost fainting so he offered chocolate to him. At first the herbivore seemed reluctant, but accepted the food and the arm the wolf offered to help him walk back to the castle.
"I can call Madame Hedwig and she could give you a potion..."
"I just need a good night sleep, just take me to my dorm", the deer commanded and even in his frail state, Legosi felt compelled to obey. "Well it seems is not only attacking muggleborns", Louis commented bitterly.
"I think they attacked you because you give strength and hope to the herbivores and wizards in general", Legosi reasoned and for the first time Louis seemed to agree with him.
"It seems a good reason, in fact..."
"I'm going to find out how this dementors are entering the school"
"Not if I do it first",Louis retorted weakly.
"We could do it together, it would be easier"
The red deer didn't seem very attracted to the idea of working with him in anything, but he didn't say no. They walked together for the first floor hallways in silence. By the time they reached the stairs towards the dungeons,Louis was already composed and walking by himself.
"Just leave me here, I'll be fine"
"Ok, but please, tell me how you feel tomorrow". Legosi pleaded and felt the intensity of those amber eyes in him.
"Good night, Legosi"
That night the wolf felt uneasy and couldn't sleep well. A dementor wasn't supposed to be able to pass through the castle magical shields by itself; that meant someone must have let it in. But why? And why it attacked Louis? His chest clenched thinking about what could have happened it he didn't get to that part the yard in time. The dementor kiss was one of the most horrible deaths.
The next morning he woke up with the first sunlight and wanting answers. He took a quick shower and went to the kitchens to get an early breakfast, the domestic elves seemed glad to see him and offered as many egg sandwiches as he wanted. Then he directed himself to the library. Crookshanks, the librarian orange cat, looked at him in curiosity with his piercing yellow eyes and just nodded to let him inside. No one was there yet and Legosi wasn't one of the regular early readers, but he wanted to researched about dementors and Hogwarts defenses against dark forces.
He started reading a book of Hogwarts history, it was written that the ancient shields were supposed to protect the students against intrusions, however there were known intrusions of trolls, boggarts and even a Banshee in the 13th century. "These breach probably was prompted by a powerful wizard connected with ancient bloodlines, the ones in control of magic as old as the building..."
"I see the curiosity got you here early", a soft elegant voice interrupted his reading and Legosi was met with the red deer's calm expression. You could never guess he was almost emotionally drained the later night. Maybe he used glamour spells to hide it.
"Is not normal that a dementor could pass through the school's shields", Legosi explained, skipping any greeting or formality.
"That's what I thought, it must have been sent by someone"
"I've just found this", Legosi pointed the paragraph he just read, noticing how the deer's glance scanned his large hands and claws. The wolf tried to hide his nails retrieving his fingers in his fists. Louis ignored the gesture and read.
"That would confirm everyone's suspicions, that is a pureblood student trying to clean the school"
"It seems like it"
"I have to ask you to keep this between us,at least until we have more information, we wouldn't like the students to panic and suspect of every pureblood in the school".
Legosi nodded and went to the next history book. "You could revise this other pile, is about dementors and dark creatures in general". If Louis was surprised by the invitation, said nothing. Just sat beside him and opened one of the large volumes. They stood there for four hours, the books weren't providing more information they could use, and they were so concentrated and frustrated that they didn't notice when others students started to fill the study areas. It was the stag the first to realize the time skip and stated: "I have to go to the Great Hall to watch lunchtime, you should go to eat something, your stomach has been growling for a while".
The wolf downed his ears, embarrassed and nodded.
"And I think we should change our strategy, these books have nothing to tell us,maybe we should get more serious about our readings"
Legosi's eyes got wider. Was Louis suggesting they should search in the restricted section?
"And if we are going to keep researching we should also train, you never know when it will be other attack"
"I don't think is a good idea to practice spells with each other, I mean, you are a very powerful wizard and..."
"Are you implying that you are afraid I could harm you? And I thought Gryffindors were braver..."
"I think it would be counterproductive to tire us training if there could be an attack in any moment"
"Look, it seems that you are going to get in my way of researching and trying to find the wizard behind these attacks, and I want to be sure I'm not playing with a dead weight", Legosi seemed lost. "I want to know if you can cast a good hex if necessary"
"I can, but that would be more you area". Louis was starting to lose his patience,the wolf could tell...
"You are not going to fool me, wolf, I've seen you casting a good hex, it was impressive"
"I don't have good grades in Defense against the darks arts..."
"I remember five years ago, when your fox friend almost catched fire in a duel practice, you summoned an Aquamenti so strong it soaked the whole Great Hall", Louis reminded him, it sounded as he was accusing the wolf of a dirty secret.
"It was an accident", Legosi tried to excuse himself, but Louis wasn't a naive canine he could deceive easily.
"You were capable of a corporeal patronus at age 13"
"Is so ugly...", Legosi commented almost apologizing.
"Is a strong one though... I still can't cast one", Louis confessed bitterly and seemed to regret immediatly to have said it.. It was a sad thing not being able to cast a Patronus. He wasn't a weak wizard, he could cast powerful hexes, that only could mean he didn't have a happy memory strong enough to trigger a proper patronus.
"Well, let's make a deal, we can train hexes together but you have to practice how to cast a patronus with me"
Louis seemed doubtful, but Legosi knew the deer was too interested in duel with him to let the chance pass. "It's a deal then... not bad bargaining skills for a Gryffindor". The deer seemed almost proud and Legosi wagged his tail happily for that.
++++0000
The first training session was in an empty classroom, Louis asked permission to professor Gon to practice his defense skills and the principal thought it was reasonable that the Head Boy trained, given the circumstances. Louis just stood by a wall while he instructed Legosi to cast different hexes. And the wolf was very lousy at them, almost as he never casted a curse since the teacher instructed them in classes. Louis corrected his posture and pronunciation,but the problem was Legosi didn't seem invested in using his magic to attack.
Days later they met in the west wing of the dungeons,it was know to be hunted but it was just infested by boggarts. They catched one and used it to practice the Ridiculous spell. Legosi's boggart was a closed door, Louis seemed puzzled by it but didn't ask questions, the wolf casted the spell and the door mutated in box with a clown inside.
"That clown was more terrifying than the original thing"
"So, yours will be a clown?"
"I hope not", Louis smirked and prepared himself. The boggart became bigger and suddenly it was a dementor. Legosi grasped his wand preparing himself, Louis was paralized: "It wasn't supposed to be this... It was..."
"Fears evolve with age, Louis!, try to cast a Patronus!"
"Expecto... Expecto..." Louis fur was spiked up in fear, he wasn't reacting. Legosi jumped between the deer and the creature, the boggart changed and the wolf casted: Ridiculous!
It was over. The creature was back in the box and Louis panted with a mix of horror and shame.
"I know, right? What a disastrous head boy am I, not even able to face a boggart..."
"I didn't say a thing"
"But you thought about it"
"In fact I was thinking is deep... How your biggest fear is to face your darkest memories"
Luois looked startled, he didn't retort and just said: "I think we are done for today"
They kept meeting for training and researching. Luois corrected the wolf's wand movements, his aim and every detail involved in a spell performance. Legosi made the deer try with different memories but they just got a tiny light from his wand, until he suggested: " Think in a good moment with Ibuki or Haru". Louis reminded that Christmas, the butter beer, the dark jokes, Ibuki's tight friendly embrace and Haru's light laught beside them. That memory was good enough to get a bigger light coming from his wand, steady even if shapeless.
They also spent some late afternoons in the library searching for ways to control dementors, dark wizards and old families that still assisted to Hogwarts. They got a list of twenty two surnames from very powerful animals, they tried to see if there was a way to narrow that list, but they had no further clues.
"You were right, we should practice our duel skills", Legosi concluded one late night they were reading using a lumus spell in the darkness of the astronomy tower. They had been reading for hours and no new information came of it. "I mean, at least it would give us an advantage if we find the bad guy".
"I think you are right, but is a bit late isn't it? Tomorrow we will be more alert"
"Tomorrow I have to finish a potions essay...", Legosi groaned.
"Well, I could help you with that", Louis stated and Legosi notices the deer seemed impressed with his own offering. "I mean... that way you would finish faster and we could make the best of our time"
"That would be great, I'm not very good at potions and you are in the advances courses"
"It's a useful skill, specially in dangerous situations".
The next day time ran fast, between classes, lunch and homework. Legosi was thankful Quidditch was suspended during the winter, because other way he couldn't keep up with all he had to do. Louis found him surrounded by potions books and parchments filled with notes and scribbles. The wolf let him read his essay and correct some of the content. "I expected to find a horrible text filled with grammar and conceptual errors, I'm almost proud of you"
"It must be your smarts rubbing off on me", Legosi joked making the deer glance away in embarrassment. It was a very sweet and private gesture.
Legosi never looked to an animal so closely and so much as he found himself looking at Louis in the past three weeks. It was fascinating, the glow in his big hazel eyes, how reddish his fur looked by the fireplace light, how elegantly his long thin fingers worked to turn out a page or to grasp his wand and move it in way he seemed to be dancing. His voice was masculine and yet melodic, his scent sweet as every herbivore, but with the characteristic musk of a male and some wood and moist earth that was pure Louis.
They walked together in the darkness to find a lonely place beside the quidditch field to train and Legosi thought he rarely felt such in peace with another animal. Obviously he felt comfortable with Jack, Collot and his other canine friends, but Louis was an herbovire and even so he never felt nervous ot too self conscious of his carnivore strength. Maybe because the stag was himself like a wilde force to be reckoned with.
In the field there were no more sounds that the cawing and growling of the fantastics beasts of the Forbidden forest, rising into the night.
"Are you sure we won't get into trouble for being here at this hour?"
"I am the head boy and, some say, the future Minister of Magic, I think I can play my cards to saves us from detention, on your guard, wolf"
Legosi obeyed and got his wand out of his pocket.
Louis started with a confusion hex that Legosi deviated using a protego. Then, the deer casted a Titillando, a Petrificus totallus, a Tarantallegra; the wolf just kept casting the same spell every time making the deer very frustrated.
"You can't sustain a duel with shields, you'll have to attack at some point!"
"You can't sustain a duel with first years curses neither", Legosi retorted and some nasty sneer appeared in the red deer's handsome features.
"Incendio!, Reducto!" Louis casted two curses in less than three seconds, Legosi ran and summoned a shield, almost being burnt in the process. "You, have to atack, dog... Desmaius!" Legosi ran and casted a shield again. "Show me your teeth! come on!, Bombarda!"
Legosi knew in that moment that Louis was not beneath using dark magic in order to be taken seriously, being that the case...
"Expelliarmus!", the wolf exclaimed and a huge red light came out of his wand surprising the deer who didn't have time to cast a shield. The red light punched his chest and sent not only his wand flying, but his whole body that was expelled meters away, he thought he was going to fall on his head, breaking his antlers and brains but Legosi stopped his fall with a Wingardium Leviosa.
"I'm so sorry", the wolf murmured as he helped the deer to descend on his feet.
"What the fuck was that?"
"An expelliarmus, I'm quite good with that one"
"I've fucking noticed, i'm quite shock and proud, I didn't know you had it in you"
"I thought you deserved to be taken seriously, but I took you by surprise, sorry for that..."
"it's okay, I cornered you to do that... Can we try again? You won't surprise me this time"
And they kept training, Louis more alert and Legosi trying his best to use more than shield and disarming spells. They were absorbed in that for an hour, feeling exhausted and hungry. Legosi proposed to sneak into the kitchens to get some late dinner. Louis wasn't familiar with the possibility to do that, but followed interested. The wolf guided him for smaller and narrower corridors he had never seen before, greeting several domestics elves in the way.
"Hello ,Winky, I brought a friend..."
The little elf greeted with a big smile, "Good evening, Legosi, I see, and is Mr. Cornibus, I'm so honored to finally meet you in person". Louis gave her a timid smile and greeted: "The pleasure is mine, Legosi said you could offer us some late snacks"
"Indeed, we have pumpkin and carrot pie, do you want some soy burger too, Legosi?"
"I want a bite of everything if we can"
The other elves served a small table with food and the grey wolf started to gulp down unceremoniously as much as he could. Louis looked horrified as he ate slowly a slice of pie with a cup of tea.
"I knew you had some predator instincts hidden somewhere, is just that you decide to show them only in this kitchen to these unfortunate creatures..."
"Well, not everyone can be the queen of England 24/7"
Louis snorted and the tea came out of his nose, at the sight, Legosi almost choked laughing with his mouth full of pie.
"Oh, Merlin, you are so gross", the wolf stated pointing at the deer's chin, as if he weren't all dirty with food.
"It's you and your peasant manners rubbing off on me!"
Legosi just handed a napkin to him and felt his heart warming inside for entirely different reasons to the food or the fireplace. Louis never showed this side of him to anyone, it was a rare treasure and the wolf swore to himself he would never let anyone put this deer's life in danger, never again.
++++0000
That cold sunday of February they decided to rest, but ended up meeting casually in the yard, they exchanged greetings and walked together for several minutes in silence, just enjoying the opportunity to relax and being themselves.
"You know", Louis broke the silence pushed by his curiosity. "I'm still surprised by your expelliarmus, it felt like an Unforgivable Curse.
"Now you are being dramatic..."
"Come on, I'm serious, what even?"
"You were right about something, I'm more powerful than I seem and I need to control my magic for it not to be harmful for me and other animals"
Louis just smilled, he seemed full of himself, like saying "I knew it".
"My grandpa recommended me to focus in shield and disarming spells, he was afraid of the result it could came if I attempted to cast a curse.
"It sounds like a tough thing, to hide your powers..."
"I'm just holding it back while I'm here, when I go home we go camping and train, he lets me unleash my magic where no one could be harmed, we duel and sometimes he brings an old friend of his, a powerful wizard that helps me to channel my magic through meditation.
Louis nods and he seems glad to know all of this.
"I would love to see how powerful you really are one day"
Legosi gets it, Slyhterins are fascinated by power, he concedes: "Maybe if we find the culprit behind all of this, we could test my magic at its fullest potential"
A fierce spark came to the stag eyes and he stated: "I'm looking foward to it"
At some point in February, Louis had admit himself that Legosi and he had become, somehow, close friends. He was a bit annoying with himself for that, however he had to admit that the grey wolf was more than he expected.
Of course, he was a carnivore with an incredible hidden power, as he always suspected, but he was surprise to see his kindness was not a facade. Legosi was honest, kind, loyal, protective and smarter than many people gave him credit for. Louis normally hated when people had this boy scout personality, but he felt drawn to Legosi, seeking his company, his peaceful character and the echo of his deep voice.
"I think we are in a death end", Louis sighed as he closed the last book he was reading.
"We can´t get more information here, at least", Legosi groaned as he did the same, starting to pile the books to take them later back to the restricted section of the library. They were in the astronomy tower again and the warming spell Louis casted kept them protected from the winter night.
"We only knew that is surely a pureblood, because families that normally get a hold over Dementors are from ancient bloodlines, we can't know for sure if they are a carnivore or herbivore and we are still trapped in that list of surnames"
"Is not like we can start to treat everyone like a suspect, I can erase my surname from the list only, if you think is ethical..."
"I know is not you", Legosi responded almost offended.
"Well, we scratched one, then... How is it that your surname is not here?"
"Because I'm not any of that, I'm not a pureblood wizard nor a pure wolf", Legosi muttered and Louis looked at him intently. "Nobody knows about any of this, just Jack, I'm a hybrid and a halfblood"
"What!... but, you look like... I mean, you are ridiculously powerful how can you be... A hybrid?"
"Second generation, my mother was 50/50 hybrid, half wolf, half komodo dragon... My grandma was a pureblood wolf, my grandpa a pureblood komodo dragon, they were from very powerful families but the difference in species made their love forbidden, anyhow, they eloped and got married, my grandma died in child birth, it was hard to bring to the world a baby with that mix of magic, my mom was the mix between two powerful carnivores, her magic was very hard to keep calm and she hated it, hated to be a Hybrid and her powers made her feel like a monster..."
"And you have that kind of power?"
"Part of it, my mom wanted to undo what their parents had done, so she picked a wolf, one hundred percent wolf, but a muggle, she wanted to dissolve that power a bit with not magic blood and the result of that would be me..."
"And are you less powerful than her?"
"Grandpa says that I am, she used to say it too and she was glad... that I was almost a normal wolf and wizard".
Louis shivered, Legosi wasn't at all normal, much less a regular wizard. To think his mother had even more power than him was terrifying.
"You said, "she used to", what happened to her?"
"I never met dad, he found out my mom was a witch because my magic was out of control when I was a baby... he said we were freaks and left us, my mom was so affected that she locked herself in her room and almost never went out, she really believed she was a freak and a monster"
Louis remembered, the closed door...
"That's terrible... what happened then?"
"Do you know what happens when a magical animal doesn't use their magic? The magic bottles up and it reaches a point when the body can't hold it anymore, and it blows up, literally..."
"So she..."
"She blew up one night, a big magical explosion full of light, my grandpa had to cast the most powerful shield he could to save us"
Louis didn't know how to react, How you offer comfort to a painful memory like that? Dementors would feast at that kind of pain.
"How do you cast a patronus after all of that?", the deer asked, but he really was asking : How do you find happiness after that?
"I remember that sometimes at night my mom came out of her room to lie with me and read me the Tales of Beedle the bard, she hugged me all night and then disappeared behind the door... I will always cherish those moments with her".
I was an impulse of the moment, Louis leaned into him and put his arms around the large figure of the carnivore. Legosi's tail started wagging softly and to his ears entered like a whisper a sweet sentence. "Thank you for sharing that with me".
They kept meeting to train and sometimes just to enjoy each other's company; they talked about the teacher, their classmates, Quidditch and, eventually, about Louis's father.
"You never talk about your family, would you tell me about it?"
The question took the stag for surprise but he answered vaguely at first:
"My father is... you know, rich, powerful wizard, with a lot of influence in the Ministry, my mom died when I was eight..."
"Everybody knows about that, I meant something that is not in the Prophet"
"Well, I don't remember a lot about my mom, she was always attending social events and I was almost all the time with my dad or my tutors, reading or training, even years before coming here". Legosi seemed curious about it, his eyes piercing and years up. Louis continued.
"because father is a perfectionist, he is like this perfect example of what a herbivore, a stag and a wizard should be and he wanted the same from me. Perfect appearance, perfect manners, perfect grades... he also trained me since I was little, not only because he demanded perfection, but also because he wanted me to be able to stand for myself in case I was in danger, knowing that I'd probably ended up in Slytherin surrounded by carnivores..."
"It seems like a thing any parent would do", Legosi commented, but in his eyes the deer could see he was waiting for more. After all, the wolf bared his deepest secrets for him.
"He is not a complete bastard, but sometimes his influence makes me feel like I have nothing of my own, like all my strength and worth were his doing, he forged my personality in such a deep way that sometimes I feel that all Is am is a copy of him but then, what am I without him? My name, fortune, power, pride, personality, even my future is because of him.."
"Your future?"
"Yeah, my whole life, I'm supposed to pursue a career in politics, to marry an heiress he chose, to breed an heir, to get the family fortune bigger and to maintain a certain code of moral behavior in front of the eyes of the wizarding word... and seriously, to be honest, I don't even know if I want to be the Minister of magic, I don't know what I'd like to do if I could have a saying on it", and by saying all of this, Louis could feel like an enormous rock was took out of his chest. "Sorry for the rant... I shouldn't have said so much".
"I'm glad you told me, and just for the record, when I see you I don't see you surname, your pride or power... there's is much more than that in you", Legosi said kindly, looking intently into the deer's eyes. Louis wanted to cry.
"Look, I have a chocolate bar in my pocket, is a bit crushed but... want to share?"
"Isn't chocolate toxic for dogs?"
"I'm a wolf, and besides, Jack casted a spell on it, it wont harm me"
"Well, if is not poison...", Louis accepted some squares, his warming spell was still there, but the deer knew the warmth he felt had nothing to do with it. It was something about sitting close to his friend in the starry night that pulled the strings in his chest in a whole new level. Something that resembled happiness.
0+0+0+0+
"So, you and Louis", Jack said suddenly while they were working in their Charms essay. Legosi felt mortified, as he had been caught in some shenanigan. "I've seen you a lot here reading together and walking in the yard, you seem to get along, I'm glad for you!, there's nothing to be ashamed of"
The grey wolf begged his blush wasn't noticeable between his thick fur. "We are trying to catch the culprit behind the attacks to herbivores"
"Oh, I see", Jack said in a dramatic tone. "And how he is in reality? Because he seems so uptight and serious all the time and I didn't think you would enjoy your time with him"
"He is serious, but also sarcastic, smart and funny in a strange way..."
"Wow", Jack seemed strangely interested and Legosi had to clear his throat. "We should ask Haru for help for our herbology essay", Jack accepted his ruse to change the subject and nodded.
"Just let me finish my conclusion and we are done here". Legosi used the time to clean his spot and returning the books to their shelves. When he came back to the table Jack suggested "You know my dad is an Unspeakeable right?"
Legosi nodded.
"That means I can research for confidential information at the Ministry if I visit my dad to his office next week"
"Isn't that illegal?"
"He doesn't have to know why I need the information for... I'll just say is academic curiosity, he never denies me knowledge"
"That would be great, because we have a list of ancient families of the wizarding world and we need to know which ones have a history with dementors..."
"Consider it done", Jack stated standing up. They heard a rumble of books falling and their ears flicked in surprise. "Now let's go to meet this friend of yours"
They headed to the Hufflepuf common room and asked a second year boy to call for Haru. She emerged with a wide smile.
"Hello Legosi, and..."
"Jack Gold, my best friend", Legosi introduced the dog who wagged his tail happily at the way his friend called him. "We came to ask you for help, we have to write an essay about the care and nurturing of Venomous Tentacula crops"
"Oh well, you came to the right place, want to go to my office?", She said cheekily, Legosi followed her enthusiastically as Jack, cluelessly asked "Why does she have an office?"
The place was, of course, the Greenhouse. They used the small tea table and transfigurated it in a large desk. Haru spoke for solid eighty minutes while the canines wrote like possessed.
"Oh, time flies when you have fun I see...", she sounded apologetic as the three of them watched the darkness outside through the crystal roof of the greenhouse.
"You were of great help, Haru!", Jack cheered while shaking his sore hand.
"Let us take you back to your dorm", Legosi instructed. They walked exchanging school stories and suddenly the atmosphere felt cold and sad. They slowed down their pace and looked around. "Do you all feel that?", Haru asked, fear reflected in his voice, in that moment coming from the castle, the shape of an animal with antlers, emerged.
"You should be all in your dorms", the severe voice of Louis reprended them Legosi, let go a sigh of relief, Jack seemed even more worried and Haru just scoffed with insolence. "Look, is just the biggest party popper".
Louis frowned at her, not even looking at the canines, Legosi wanted to intervene, remembering they haven't spoke from the day they fought in the Greenhouse, almost two months ago. The wolf was almost sure the deer came to the Greenhouse to check that Haru weren't coming to the dorms alone in the night. He cared for her after all, even if they weren't in speaking terms. But some rumble in the night silence called the wolf's attention, Jack also noticed and took his wand out.
Suddenly, from the deep darkness of the field, two dementors came out and attacked them. Haru, the smallest of them, felt her legs failing, Jack catched her in her falling, Louis also stood there paralyzed and Legosi knew it all depended on him, the aimed with his wand: Expecto patronum!"
The dementors, were casted away chased by the luminous komodo dragon, one floated stunned for a few seconds before trying to fly away from them.
"We have to follow them", Legosi said, as it was the most natural thing in the world.
"That doesn't make any sense! And what about Haru!", Louis exclaimed seeing his former friend lying limp in the labrador arms.
"I'll take it to the Hospital Wing, just go!", Jack assured, taking the white bunny in his arms and rushing to the school hallways.
The wolf yelled "Accio, Firebolt", and in less than 10 seconds, the broom was in his hands, Legosi mounted the broomstick asking "Are you coming?". Louis didn't have to be asked twice, he put his arms around the wolf's waist for his dear life as they raced behind the creature. It felt menaced, for sure, because the dark beast waited for them and tried to attack them in the air.
The wolf tried to maintain their balance in the air with one hand as he casted a patronus, but he didn't aimed the dementor correctly. The deer knew he had to do something and took his wand out trying to concentrate. He thought about Ibuki, in their afternoons in the library and the common room sharing candy and gossips; he thought of Haru and her sweet smile under the sunlight in the Greenhouse; He visioned Legosi, his warmth, his stupid laugh while choking with food in the kitchens, in his fur shining with a silverish halo under the moonlight in the Quidditch field, his smile while they shared a tiny chocolate bar while sitting in the cold stone floor of the astronomy tower...
"Expecto Patronum!", Louis screamed and from his wand emerged a white silverish light taking the shape of a wolf running through the air towards the dementor, scaring it away.
"You did it!", Legosi celebrated with a happy tone and Louis knew he was doomed. The happy memories that made his patronus stronger, the shape of it...
He was in love of Legosi.
0+0+0+0+0
As Louis had stated all the way back to the castle, following a Dementor was the most stupid idea the wolf could have.
"Is not like we can demand 'take us to you lider' and it would understand"
Legosi's ears were down in shame. "But look the bright side, your first corporeal patronus! Isn't that a positive outcome?"
"Very funny, dog", the deer sneered sounding strangely ashamed. Legosi was sure it was because of the patronus shape, but he didn't even dare to mention the issue. What good could he get from that? They were close friends and trained together to achieve it. His grandpa trained him and his patronus was, accordingly, a komodo dragon. There was nothing else to read of the situation.
Even though his heart raced happy to know he was important to Louis.
When they arrived to the Hospital Wing, Madamme Hedwig was serving chocolate to Haru and Jack. "Why accidents always are related to you, my dear boy?" the owl asked and Legosi felt the heat running up to his face.
"I'm just messing with you, this is serious, is the fourth attack in the school year, again a Dementor in the school area, we have to inform this to the principal..."
"I understand that, but I prefer to do it myself, I am the head boy and I was there, after all", Louis stated and the healer seemed to agree.
"Well, boys, I'll be in my office filling this girl's expedient, so I'll leave you to talk for five more minutes, she needs to rest"
The four animals thanked her as she walked away. Haru looked at Louis and the deer cleared his throat before saying.
"I'm going to use this opportunity to apologize for what I said to you the last time we spoke, it was mean and you don't deserve it"
"Apology accepted... And I was right after all", she answered very smug, "You got to know him and now he is your friend"
Louis looked alarmed and stated.
"Is because we started to collaborate... just after the Chrismass break, I was atacked too and Legosi asisted me, since then we've been investigating to find who is behind this attacks, it can be connected with Tem's death..."
"Oh, no!", the bunny covered his mouth with her hands, scared and Legosi go closer, putting his hand in the stag's shoulder.
"Don't you worry about it, we will keep watching around for clues until we make of this school a safe place again"
Haru followed with interest the interaction between his two friends, looking specially the point where Legosi's hand continued in Louis shoulder.
"I already feel safer"
"You should rest, don't forget to take the potion Madame Hedwig gave you", Jack reminded her and she nodded.
"I will, and thank you Jack, I can't thank you enough for bringing me here"
"Any friend of Legosi is my friend too", the dog smiled and then the three males said their good byes and walked to their respective dorms.
The second week of march came packed with exams. The library boiled with worried students writing furiously in their parchments. Jack hadn't had the chance to visit his parents, but then he had an appointment with his healer in Saint Mungo and got permission be out of school for two days.
"You think he is going to get the records?", Louis asked in secrecy while they were sharing a desk in the library with Haru.
"He is the smartest animal I know, so we can hope he does"
"Oh, Merlin, I'm so anxious, what if this bad guy knows you are after him"
The thought had never crossed the wolf's head, but it was a possibility.
"I'm going to firecall Jack, he should let us know when he is coming back, in case this guy is after us"
"If that were the case we are all in danger, Haru shouldn't be seen with us"
"But I want to know how are you doing! Don't let me in the dark, boys"
"It is too dangerous, we shouldn't have involved anyone else", Louis stated, protectively, and he was right.
Two days later, when they were expecting their dog friend to come back, Voss and Collot ran to them in the Greenhouse.
"Jack was cursed, he almost was killed!"
The horror in the trio was manifested in several ways, Louis stormed out, surely to interrogate Gon about the details, Legosi broke a shovel's woody handle to let out his frustration and Haru couldn't fight her tears.
The wolf and Haru ran to the Hospital wing, but Madame Hedwig and some teachers kept them out. For eternal minutes they were in complete suspense, until Louis came back to them.
"Gon told me what happened, he was found in the first floor, surely he was coming to us and someone threw him a cutting curse, he could have bleed to death if Juno haven't found him just in time".
"I think the culprit knew Jack was near to know the answer, but now he can't tell us anything, he is in an induced coma", Legossi greeted his teeth, feeling impotent.
"I told you the bad guy knows we are after him... or her", Haru sobbed
Legosi suddenly moved pushing the Hospital doors, the teachers couldn't stop him, he got close to the bed were his best friend lied fighting for his life, feeling terribly guilty for involving him in this dangerous mess.
"I need his robes..."
"There is no scent of a possible attacker, he was probably hexed from afar..."
"I need to see something!", Legosi screamed, moving around and sniffing until he found the piece of garment, soaked in his friend's blood. Trying to maintain a cold facade, he searched in the pockets and found a little notebook, put it carefully in his pocket and stormed out were Louis and Haru were waiting for him.
"You are going to be in trouble for trespassing and disobeying the authorities", Louis declared but his reprimand was totally ignored.
"I think I found something", the wolf showed him the little notebook and in the last pages a quote was replicated, it had the reference record and date, it said:
"Dementors normally won't interact with wizards for other reason than feeding on them. Nevertheless, in war times some of them obeyed and served to an old family of pure bloods carnivores who granted them unlimited access to their enemies: The Ursidaes"
"Is Riz!", they both exclaimed, Haru couldn't stop them in their run towards the school field, so she ran to her common room for her own safety, wishing her friends could come back to her with no harm.
0+0+0+0+0
They flew in Legosi's broom towards the Forbidden forest, it was a known fact some bears liked to penetrate the woods to feel more in their habitat and, some said, to hunt and feed on magical creatures.
Legosi's nose was searching for the bear's scent until he found him, sitting casually near a pound. The large animal welcomed them with a creepy smile and said, brazenly.
"So you found out after all, I was hoping I didn't have to fight you"
"What? afraid of a little confrontation after all the fucked up things you've done", Louis asked ironically.
"I don't like to get my hands dirty if I can help it, today it was more... bloody because the last time things didn't go well for my gloomy friend, as you must know"
"Why are you doing this?", Legosi demanded, Louis almost rolled his eyes. Only this dumb wolf would demand to know the reason why psycho would attack other animals. "Do you hate herbivores? Are you a pureblood supremacist?"
"To be honest I didn't plan to continue attacking other animals after Tem, it just happened... there was a rumour about a supremacist pureblood carnivore and I just took the opportunity to hide my track".
"So you just attacked Tem and then went with the flow...", Louis murmured almost greeting his teeth.
"He was your friend!, He trusted you!", Legosi growled.
"He was a brave animal... he didn't fear carnivores, he didn't care about me being a pureblood large carnivore or a Slytherin, he just trusted other animals...". Legosi and Louis listened in silence for the bear to complete his explanation. "He was my closest friend but lately he was spending a lot of time with a girl, and then I realized why it bothered me so much... you must know what it is like, Louis, to have all your life planned ahead by others and never have the chance to choose what you really want..."
Louis opened his eyes in astonishment and understanding.
"So what, You couldn't have him and you decided to kill him for it? What a childish scumbag..."
"I didn't plan that either, we were arguing, I tried to persuade him that the little goat girl wasn't enough for him and he got mad, he said I was a specist... me? I had him for a friend! my only friend! so I grabbed him and he hexed me and ran, I knew he was running forever, I didn't even think about what I was doing until he was gone."
"And you kept attacking people using dementors so they didn't connect the first crime to you"
"You cursed the bludger that attacked Els! you wanted to kill her and made it pass as a Quidditch accident!, The dementor attack to Haru... you were trying to hurt Jack!", Legosi was furious. Louis grabbed his arm to keep him grounded and felt the angry sparks of magic running through the wolf's body.
"I didn't count with your little dog friend to be able to find out about my family past crimes... it was centuries ago, after all and they are off the history books"
"But not off the Ministry records", Louis smiled sardonically. "Well, I'm afraid we must take you to justice, what a disgrace for our house".
"And I was afraid you would say that", Riz said calmly. "You'll see, Louis, I admire you as an animal and wizard, herbivore and all... but I can't let you to expose me like that, and in regards to you guard dog... well, I'm not so sorry about him".
"You shouldn't be so smug, I have trained him very well"
"We will see about that", The bear retorted and pulled his wand out and, with a non verbal spell, summoned at least twenty dementors that came out from the depths of the forest. The dark creatures surrounded them and they both casted their patronuses to clear the field to fight Riz, but the bear took the opportunity to ran deeper into the forest.
"I can deal with the ones left, you go after Riz"
"I won't leave you alone with this"
"He is escaping, you taught me well, I'll be fine"
"But"
"You are the strongest wizard I've ever know, if someone can take that bastard down is you, now is your chance, unleash your power, fight with all you got"
Legosi gave a sadistic smile and ran like a wild beast into the depths of the forest. Louis pointed his wand to the remaining dementors and his luminous wolf galloped into the air, graceful and beautiful as the animal who inspired the love and happiness that fueled the spell. It seemed so fierce and alive that Louis almost could hear the delicate light of his howling. The dementors eventually comprehended that they were no match for the wizard and dissolved into the darkness.
The stag just waited, he hoped. Legosi would come out victor and alive.
0+0+0+0+0
It didn't take much for the wolf to reach his target. Riz seemed almost pleased with the situation.
"So Louis sent you for me to play, how kind of him"
"Desmaius!"
The bear casted a shield and laugh.
"Don't make this boring, you are breaking my heart... Bombarda!"
"Protego!, Furnunculus!"
"You have to stop using those toddler's jinxes, Sectusempra!"
Legosi barely escaped that one, a ray of light sliced his right leg, causing him great paing, but he didn't let it show. Riz seemed already very proud of himself and probably thought the victory was his. The wolf just formed in his mouth a fierce smile that caused great confusion in his opponent.
"Expelliarmus!", finally, Legosi decided to unleash it all, this wasn't a training session with Louis. This was a real battle with a killer, the wizard who hurt his friends. The red light poured without control from the wand and pierced Riz's shield sending him and his wand flying away. The bear hit his head in a rock when he landed and went unconscious.
Legosi let his body rest in a near three as he assessed his wound, he still had to come near the castle and take Riz with him. He was just thinking how to do it when Louis appeared between the trees, with his large patronus by his side.
"Did you know this things can find people if commanded?", the stag asked sounding thrilled. Perhaps because his patronus shone strong and beautiful in the dark forest, maybe because in his own manner he was glad to see the wolf alive. Legosi smiled back to him to reassure him.
"I know you can use them as messengers", his voice sounded pained and Louis directed his eyes to his leg.
"You are bleeding"
"He tried to hurt me like he did with jack, I was faster"
The red deer looked at him, his eyes filled with emotion, but his posture composed and his voice calm. "I'm glad you were... let me guess, you used that unforgivable Expelliarmus of yous"
"It seemed like a good idea", the wolf limped and Louis looked around them. The woods roared with the sound of hundreds of magical creatures.
"We have to get out of here... Can you walk?"
"I could if you help me, we also have to take this guy before he wakes up", Legosi answered sheepishly.
"Merlin... I didn't want to use this", the deer sighed and he started to take off his robes, pants and shirt. Legosi suddenly started to feel very hot. "Give some privacy, would you?". The wolf turned his back to him and heard him use the enlargement charm, then a rustle of clothes and some pained moans, he turned back, worried about his friend just find the body of a large lion getting dressed with Louis's enlarged clothes.
"Don't say a thing", the deep voice of the carnivore said, but with the witty tone of the deer behind his mask.
"Are you always carrying polyjuice in your robes?"
"Of course, especially since I started to mingle with reckless carnivores... Come on, dumb dog, make this bastard float and let's get out of here"
Legosi let his, now taller, friend put an arm around his waist and casted a levitation spell to move Riz as the strong light of Louis's patronus guided them out of the forest.
It was Nagini, the school caretaker snake the first to see them coming; she alerted the teachers who came running in alarm, they all seemed concerned by the scene, Gon kept his composure and asked.
"Ibuki Raion? What is happening here..."
"He is Louis, he polyjuiced to help me walk here", Legosi explained. " We found the wizard behind the attacks"
For the next minutes they proceeded to explain the adults about their research and showed them the evidence pointing to Riz and what the bear confessed in the forest.
"Well, he will be interrogated by aurors and you'll have to explain all of this again in front of the Wizengamot.
After that, Legosi was taken to the Hospital wing and Louis just went to his room to wait the potion effects to fade. Madame Hedwig almost rolled her eyes when she saw the wolf coming to her place limping and with his leg sliced.
"How is Jack doing?"
"He is better, his blood is almost recovered and maybe tomorrow we will wake him up, but you, young man, should worry about this nasty looking wound and your inclination to be around danger".
The owl tended his wounds with spells and potions and then made him drink a Dreamless Sleep potion that knocked him out until the next morning when he opened his eyes to find Haru and Louis beside his bed.
The grey wolf sat in his bed swiftly and the small hand of his bunny friend landed on his chest.
"Slow down, soldier, the battle is over"
"How is Jack?"
"As if the Whomping Willow beated me up", a weak voice in the bed next to him answered.
"Jack!", Legosi exclaimed happily.
"I'm glad to see everything ended up well", the dog gave him a smile and then fell asleep again.
"He is still sleepy for all the painkiller potions", Haru explained, "I've just wanted to make sure you two were well, but I have to get to class now I believe you have to talk, see you at lunch?"
"Yes, of course", Louis answered formally and nervous before the bunny got out of the infirmary.
Haru seemed to say something in the deer's ear and Legosi waited.
"Er... I was worried sick about you", Louis said, he seemed nervous.
"You were right, it was not so easy to take me down"
"I'm glad that's the case", the stag muttered getting close to him, so close Legosi got intoxicated with his earthy and woody scent. His heart was hammering in his chest and almost exploded when he felt Louis's soft lips in his. It lasted barely two seconds of it and he was so into it that he couldn't open his eyes in time to stop Louis from running away.
0+0+0+0+0
When Logosi opens his eyes Louis is crossing the threshold leaving the wolf with an inner storm. The minutes seemed eternal until Madame Hedwig came to discharge him.
He tried to meet Louis all day but the stag seemed impossible to reach, always in classes, in a meeting or fulfilling his Head boy duties. Any other animal would have given up when the night fell and would have understand that the deer wanted nothing to do with them. But Legosi wasn't nothing but stubborn and he knew Louis so well, so he directed himself to the astronomy tower were he found the reed deer looking at the sky, beautiful and unattainable as ever.
"I was looking for you all day", Louis hears and is surprised by the fact the wolf doesn't sound mad.
"What can I say, I'm a bussy animal", he tries to play dumb, but Legosi gets closer and confronts him.
"You can't just leave after doing something like that". The red deer feels the urgency to flee, he doesn't want to face rejection, not this time, his heart would not take it.
"I didn't take you for the vindictive kind", he says bitterly and the woolf answers.
"How can you be so smart and yet so stupid"
Louis plans to fucking hex him. How dares he to insults his intelligence but the words die in his mouth.
The next thing he knows is that Legosi is kissing him, is soft, loving and brief, but Louis feels himself melting into the touch and the magic tingling under his skin. Legosi breaks the touch and looks deep into the deer's eyes; the intensity in the wolf gesture does something funny in Louis guts.
"I'm in love with you"
"Me too", whispers the deer.
"You are in love with yourself?", Legosi banters and Louis seems dramatically offended.
"You know what I meant, don't make me say it"
Legosi smiles widely.
"Since when?"
"I don't know", he lies and then he hears the wolf saying.
"I think I knew it since I saw you throwing tea from your nose and I thought you were the most beautiful animal I've ever seen"
"Oh, please, shut up", Louis attempts to kiss him again and Legosi stops him, worried.
"Didn't you felt my magic, before? Aren't you afraid it goes out of control if we kiss again?"
"I know you wouldn't hurt me", Louis assures and he is surprised because he means it. He just knows Legosi would never hurt him even if he has this incredible magic and the physical strength of a large carnivore. Legosi smiles, his canines visible between his lips and Louis loses it. He grabs the canine from his nape and kisses him hard, Legosi growls and his magic sparkles like electricity through their bodies. Louis's magic comes out to sooth and counteract the wolf's power and, as Louis intuited, nothing bad happens.
"You are glowing", Louis whispers between kissed and he feels Legosi's smiling against his mouth. Is fucking addicting. Merlin have mercy of him, he is only a deer.
0+0+0+0
Haru just had the longest day and is barely noon. Defense against dark arts is always a challenging class for her and she just craves the peace and quiet the Greenhouse and his green children can grant her.
When she opens the door, the first thing she notices is that someone is already there, her ears spike up hearing a weak sound of sighing and then a moan. She grabs a shovel and her wand, ready to attack whatever is menacing her santuary but what she finds gets her furious.
Louis and Legosi are entangled together in a corner, Legosi against the wall and Louis pressing into him. They are kissing passionately, their mouths open, their hands everywhere. They are so absorbed in their encounter, that they don't notice the presence of their friend murdering them with her eyes.
"Not in front of my babies, you perverts!"
Legosi pushes Louis so hard the deer falls in his ass.
"Hi, Haru", the wolf mutters and Louis is all smugness and shamelessly says: "Don't act as if your 'children' haven't seen you getting naughty here"
"I don't bring my lovers here, you savage, I have standards"
The deer seems sceptical and then she sighs, exasperated and adds: "Come on, I'm going to show you something"
The boys seem reluctant but they follow her, they walk for several minutes until they reach the seventh floor, she turns to the left corridor and walk into a hall. Louis is sure never noticed this wing of the castle in his eight years in the school.
"Here, if you ever need a room for yourselves, you just have to picture in your mind what kind of place you need and this wall will show you the way"
"Are you mental?", Louis asks, but the Wolf looks at the wall intensely until a door appears before them.
"What is it behind this door?", Louis asks, worried but Haru scoffs, annoyed.
"That's non of my business, fancy boy, have fun", and she walks away, knowing she just did the good deed of the day.
Legosi, reaches for the doorknob and smiles to his partner. "Come on, let's find out"