Chapter Text
A Life Worth Living
Chapter 7
Thursday, February 3rd
Harry searched Derek for any additional signs of further injury, and it was a very significant injury he'd been dealt with. The claws had gone right through, tearing out of his back. Considering how sluggishly he was healing, Harry suspected - alright more than suspected - that he had been fighting the Alpha. With that sort of injury, he didn't think that the problem had been taken care of. What did surprise him was that Derek came here with such a significant injury, despite his surly and withdrawn attitude he must find this place safe. An injured werewolf always went where they felt safest, he would be running on his basic creature instincts, his wolfish instincts right now. So his home would have been somewhere Harry would have expected him to go to, whether it was safe or not. He was glad he hadn't chosen the burnt out husk, not only was it dangerous with him being so severely injured, werewolves were pack animals, and Derek was alone, there was no worse fate for him.
The bleeding was already seeping through the crisp white bandages he'd put on him, glancing at his hands and clothes, they were saturated in now dried blood. His floors too were still playing host to large puddles of the fluid. Leaning back, Harry got to his feet, waving his hand, dispersing the blood, and within moments the laminate flooring and the cream carpet was spotless, not even a drop of the blood remained to be seen.
Derek was in front of the fireplace, on a pallet he had conjured to place him on, with the softest material he could conjure spread over it. Pallets were usually uncomfortable, but Harry didn't want to aggravate his injuries, as temporarily as they were they still hurt. Well, Derek wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon.
Harry toed off his shoes, he kicked them beside the sofa, already moving through the living room, taking off his cloak and dress trousers and the ruined white shirt. Removing the blood before opening the door to the laundry room and shoving everything in, he closed the door jogged up to his own bedroom.
Walking across the bedroom, he slid into his ensuite bathroom, turning the taps on he lathered his hands and arms with soap from the dispenser before running his hands under the warm water. Seeing blood smears on his face, he grabbed a cloth and ran it under the water before scrubbing his cheek and forehead where he had accidentally wiped it off on earlier while tending to Derek.
Turning the taps off, he grabbed a towel and dried himself off, caught off guard by a yawn, he peered out into his bedroom to see his alarm clock to find it was past midnight, he'd spent four hours tending to Derek - admittedly a lot of it lost in thought - sighing softly, he replaced the towel too the handrail before traipsing out. Grabbing some night clothes, he put them on and made his way back downstairs, automatically glancing at Derek again, to find the bandages in worse shape than when he'd left them.
Waving his hand, the bandages were clean and sterilized, normally healers didn't do that, but Harry wasn't a healer. He was self-taught in emergency healing, basic first aid and such while out in the field while he was working. Technically you were supposed to go to a healer when you were injured at work, even if it was a simple cutting curse, but he never did. He just returned home and used potions and fixed himself up. He couldn't stand healers trying to tell him how to live, reprimanding him when he got hurt as if he did it on purpose or writing down his history for all to see and read.
Just about to sit down, he froze when he heard the sound of pecking on the window, peering around, a small smile played across his face. At the window was a Greater Sooty Owl, when Teddy was eleven he'd managed to end up with a familiar just as rare as Hedwig had been. The Greater Sooty Owl was just as elusive as snowy white Owls, as its name states it's a sooty black color, with no ear tufts. In fact, Merlin was black all over but under his wings were almost pure white in color. He was beautiful, Teddy had been ecstatic that the owl had chosen him despite the fact could sense the presence of a 'predator' in Teddy. He had chosen the name Merlin because the owl was the 'greatest of all owls' as he'd said at eleven years of age.
Standing up, Harry made his way to the window and opened it, Merlin hooted, and flew around the room until Harry rolled his eyes and conjured a bird stand, along with a bowl of water for him to drink from. He didn't get too many letters from Teddy, mostly due to the long distance Merlin was having to fly to get here from Hogwarts deep in the highlands of Scotland. Instead, Teddy usually got to Floo call him, permission from Headmistress McGonagall. It had been one of Harry's stipulations about allowing Teddy to attend Hogwarts actually, but Minerva had been amenable to the idea.
Once Merlin was situated comfortably after taking a drink of water, Harry reached out and petted him for a few moments before removing the missive from his leg. Leaving Merlin to rest, he situated himself comfortably on the sofa, using magic to close the window as he shivered at the cold chilly air, and cracked open the seal and began to read the letter.
Hi Dad!
One of my classmates had an accident over Christmas, I can see us being friends now, he was kept off school for ages but he ' s finally back! I knew the moment I smelt him what happened. He was bitten by a werewolf, but what can you expect when you go camping in the Forest of Dean during the full moon? His parents are Muggles, they don ' t really understand what happened, even with Headmistress McGonagall explaining it to them. They ' re not being nasty or abusive, but they are scared, Jimmy can sense it so he feels really bad about it. His dad was the reason the werewolf was scared away.
I said I would ask if you would talk to them, that you might be able to make them understand properly. Jimmy just doesn ' t want to go home until his parents aren ' t afraid anymore. He ' s really upset about it, I tried to make him feel a little better, but it didn ' t work. The full moons are difficult for him though, he doesn ' t have access to the potions you give me, so he has a difficult time getting over it. Nobody knows right now, Jimmy doesn ' t want it to come out, he ' s lucky, I didn ' t have that opportunity. People will put the pieces together quite quickly, especially the smarter students, just like Aunt Hermione when she found out about Papa when he taught at Hogwarts.
Can you also send some of the potions for him, please?
Headmistress McGonagall said we can ' t be in the same room, she thinks with him being a new ' wolf that he might want to fight me. I told her that wouldn ' t happen, that Jimmy would be calmer and happier with another wolf for company, but she refused to listen to me. Maybe she would listen to you.
I miss you lots and can ' t wait to come home.
Teddy
Harry stared unseeingly at the letter with a frown, it was written three days ago, there would be a full moon in a few days, the seventh, so four days. Sighing softly, he rubbed his temples, with them being Muggles it would be difficult for them to understand the changes to their son. They were scared, likely for Jimmy but the boy wouldn't be able to distinguish the difference between the fear for him and fear of him. That would come with experience and age, Teddy would be a great help for him, not only in embracing the wolf within but helping him understand his new desires and instincts.
Minerva really should have known better, regretfully despite the fact she wasn't prejudiced she also didn't take care to read about the needs and instincts of a werewolf. She had two werewolves - personally had one under her direct care as Head of Gryffindor back when Remus was there - under her care and she couldn't be bothered to pick up a book and genuinely find out? Instead of arguing with Teddy who had been a werewolf his entire life? Someone who would know better than her.
Scowling in annoyance, making a mental note to Floo Minerva and give her a piece of his mind. He wished he could say that it wasn't like her to be so closed mind and stubborn, but unfortunately, that was Minerva all over. She'd been the same way when he was a kid, the whole thing with the stone in his first year a fine example of that.
Putting the letter on the table, nudging a book on top of it so it didn't end up taking off if Merlin flew around or if he forgot the letter and had to let the owl out of the window. Standing up he soundlessly tiptoed towards Derek, bending down to check the wounds, relieved to see the bleeding had stopped but the wounds were still quite bad. He paused when a growl reverberated through Derek, after a few moments when nothing else happened, he pressed the tape back down. Standing up, he opened the cupboard door and grabbed a pillow and a throw, he usually stayed down here during the full moons with Teddy, so it didn't feel odd, what was odd was not having Teddy's wolf form following him everywhere. Dumping them on the sofa, he wandered over turning off the lights, and blindly made his way back to the sofa and made himself comfortable, suspecting a sleepless night was in store.
It was only six o'clock back in Britain, Minerva would still be catching up on paperwork in the Headmistress' office. The thought of going to his office and speaking to her about everything was tempting, yet he honestly didn't want to deal with it tonight. He was exhausted, between dealing with the cases, visiting Peter, creating things for Stiles protection from this Alpha and Scott McCall he hadn't been sleeping and it was beginning to catch up with him. So despite his mind racing unrelentingly his body was beyond exhausted.
That exhaustion caught up with him pretty quickly, and soon his mind quietened as sleep claimed him.
Regretfully not long.
Three and half hours later, Harry was startled awake by quiet growling, and the sound of his carpet being ripped to shreds presumably by claws. He was halfway up off the sofa before he even began to realize where he was, instincts he never felt the need to get rid of after the war. Especially with his chosen career path, being vigilant was a good thing. He was at the wall flicking the light switch on moving back over to Derek a little clumsily.
"Easy, calm down, you're safe, Derek, you're in my home, it's four o'clock in the morning," Harry stated, knowing what kinds of questions went through your head when you woke up in pain. "I suspect you were attacked by the Alpha, your wounds are taking quite a while to heal."
Derek's eyes flashed blue from under his lids when he felt himself calming down when Harry told him to. It wasn't the first time he had responded to Harry's voice either. It confused the hell out of him, Harry wasn't a werewolf, wasn't his Alpha, he shouldn't have that sort of influence over him. It made him extremely wary and on edge.
"I have something that I can give you to help with the pain," Harry added, "It's a potion, it should help you until your wounds heal, or I can give you a salve that will heal you completely?"
Derek's eyes shot open, the blue hue still fading, suspicion prominent on his features.
Harry sent him a dry look, "Think I'm stupid enough touch an injured and unconscious werewolf overly much? I do value my life you know. It's not like you will know it's someone safe, I am not your pack, only pack members could get away with such actions."
Derek felt himself relax when there was no change in Harry's heartbeat, he was telling the truth. In fact, Harry hadn't told a lie at all in the short time he'd known the other guy. In his experience, most people lied nearly every day, from innocuous little things to flat out nonsense.
"So, will you allow me to heal you?" Harry questioned, stifling a yawn, green eyes earnestly waiting for a reply.
Derek grimaced and tentatively touched his bare chest, almost as if he was just registering the level of pain he was in. Giving Harry a curt nod of agreement, if there was something to heal him quicker he would take it. Otherwise, he would be out of the game for at least five days. He'd never been so severely wounded by an Alpha before, but he remembered the lessons he learned as a teenager, seen how long his uncle had taken to heal after he was injured after being attacked by a lone Alpha that was more feral/omega than anything else.
Harry swiftly stood and returned to the cupboard where he'd taken the cover and pillow earlier, and nabbed his Dragon-hide potions kit. This was just an emergency supply, he had plenty down in the basement, which had been separated into three different rooms, one housed plants that required constant dark conditions, the second housed all his herbs and potions, more of a large storage really, and the third was his potions lab.
"Stay still," Harry commanded, as he returned to Derek's side, he had sat up, or tried to, more like he was now doubled over in pain. "This will probably taste completely disgusting to you, it does to me, but it will help the pain," Harry opened the kit, the potions was visible through the clear plastic covering keeping them encased in their spots. Finding the violet coloured potion, he plucked it out and passed it over to Derek after opening the cork, a subtle smirk spreading across his face at the look on Derek's face as he caught a whiff of it.
The salve was in the third compartment, it was a yellowish/orange colour, and Derek eyed it like it would poison him. Harry chuckled, "You should see the colour and consistency of our burn paste, it's not very pleasant."
Derek frowned, the stuff the guy was about to put on his injures looked like piss, smelt bloody terrible too. Yet the 'potion' as he had called it, had eased his pain completely allowing him to straighten up. He stiffened completely and surprisingly not at the touch, or the fact that a stranger was basically in his blind spot, he could feel the foreign substance actually beginning to heal him, coaxing his own Beta spark to heal with it. It was the oddest sensation in his life, and this was coming from someone who was used to healing right away. While it went quick to heal his skin, he could feel it slowing down as it healed his internal damage.
The fire flaring to life brought an abrupt stillness. "Teddy?" he questioned in surprise, "Is everything alright?" pressing his hand to Derek's shoulder keeping him still.
"Shit, I didn't think you'd have company!" Teddy blurted eyes wide even in the fire.
Derek meanwhile gaped at the face in the fireplace, his claws lengthening and stabbing him in the leg, and sure enough, he was awake. What kind of magic was this? Was the person on the other end truly in the fire? But no, that was impossible even for them for Moons sake.
"It's fine, he's well aware of the supernatural," Harry said wryly, and this was why he rarely brought people home, unless of course, they were magical themselves. "What makes you call me at…nine o'clock at night? Usually it's three hours earlier, after dinner."
Nine o'clock was he mad? Glancing outside, the moon was high in the sky and nearly full. He could say for damn certainty that it wasn't just nine o'clock. He'd been at the school around that time, before all hell broke loose, he wasn't sure why the hell he'd stayed for their stupid plan.
"Have you received my letter yet?" Teddy asked, his tone boarding on desperate.
"Yes, I got it a few hours ago, how is Jimmy?" Harry asked, getting back to his task at hand, removing the taped bandage from Derek's front, scooping up some of the salve and began to spread it across the wound.
"He's afraid, will you please talk to Headmistress McGonagall, Dad? Please, he was sick up his dinner earlier, and that's with four days before the full moon." Teddy begged, "He shouldn't be scared of the moon, I've tried talking to him but he's just not in the right frame of mind to listen."
"Of being alone?" Harry queried, cocking his head to the side, it sounded as though Jimmy had already formed pack bonds with his parents and Teddy if the prospect of being alone was making him react so severely. Although the term 'pack bonds' between the different kinds of werewolves was different but not too drastically different. Teddy's head nodded affirmative, "That's not good, he'll hurt himself trying to get to you all night."
"Wait, you think he's bonded with me already?" Teddy questioned, not really sounding surprised by his Dad's statement.
"I believe so, more strongly than his parents," Harry deduced, since they were Muggles there was no ability to reciprocate the bond, whereas with Teddy it was one hundred percent possible to form pack bonds. "I'll speak to McGonagall, but Teddy, do not get yours or Jimmy's hopes up," warning Teddy that he might not be able to get through to her.
"Then we're coming home," Teddy stated firmly, he had a free pass to return home during the full moons if he wished. His wolf had latched onto his dad as his alpha, for the lack of any other werewolf around, and even now he felt the urge to be with his dad during the full moon.
"No," Harry retorted immediately. Using the used bandages to wipe the salve off his fingers, making a mental note to wash his hands lest he get it anywhere.
After a few moments of silence, Teddy spoke, his voice low, "You've never said no before,"
Harry inhaled sharply, able to tell he had hurt Teddy, bloody hell, that wasn't his intention at all, "There is a tense situation here, Teddy, I would prefer that you are as far away from it as possible, there are hunters here and an out of control Alpha werewolf."
"Alpha werewolf as in…an Alpha werewolf?" Teddy spoke, his voice high pitched in excitement. He knew about the different kinds of course, his dad had encountered them before, he's also spoke to Satomi when he'd been there, but he'd never met one before but the thought of meeting a different kind of werewolf was exciting to say the least. He hadn't been able to get his dad to say what happened on his mission though. "We wouldn't get out of the property boundaries! We never do! They won't be able to get in, come on dad, please!" Teddy begged, his voice whining toward the end. "We miss you," the 'we' of course, was Teddy referring to both himself and his wolf those unaware of his condition would remain ignorant about it.
Harry grunted, knowing he was being deliberately manipulated, that Teddy just wanted to see what was going on for himself. Unfortunately he was at an age where he could actually leave Hogwarts and not return if he wanted to. He did have a point though, the Muggle hunters wouldn't be able to get through, nor would the werewolf, only Derek and Stiles was able to get into his property unannounced, and if there was even a small measure that Teddy needed him then he would have to allow it. "Fine, but you get permission for Jimmy to come or he stays at Hogwarts, is that understood?" Harry stated sternly.
It was clear that Teddy wanted to protest, but in the end he just nodded resignedly, knowing his dad well enough to know that he wouldn't be able to talk his way out of that one. "Deal!" he said, brightening up, coming to the conclusion that Jimmy's parents would agree.
"Alright kiddo, go on, it's four o'clock in the morning here I need some sleep," Harry said, making a motion with his head.
"Who are you? What are you?" this time his tone wasn't demanding just utterly confused.
Harry chuckled, "I'm a wizard, I'm not sure if you're familiar with us, we keep ourselves hidden, we have our own communities and government. You could compare a wizard to a Mage all the way up to an experienced spark in your own terms for those able to wield magic. Although you should be familiar with us, Dexter Peter Hale, he sighed a treaty with the magical president, I have a copy of it actually."
"My family's library it…its gone," Derek admitted, a faraway look in his eyes, and at fifteen he hadn't been interested in reading thought musty books belonging to members of his family or books they'd collected over the years. His mom had encouraged him to do well in school, and his dad would teach him how to fight, their recent history, and how to be a good Beta while his mom taught Laura the ropes of being Alpha. He'd been more interested in passing school, girls and of course, basketball. Girls, how he bloody hated his younger self for being so damn guidable and foolish.
"They didn't have a vault?" Harry pointed out, seeing the immediate look of caution he rolled his eyes, "I'm not asking where it is, bloody hell, just wondering if they had one, the more important books, missives and family things are usually kept in one. Judging by your response you didn't know about the existence of wizards?"
"I didn't get a chance to learn very much before the fire," Derek said, a vulnerable note in his voice.
"Yeah, I get that," Harry said sombrely. "My people have the evidence I've gathered about Argent, I'm pressing for the death penalty, I'm going to add Peter to the files, the meeting is in a few days, having a witness statement would truly be the final nail in her coffin, leave no doubt of her guilt."
Derek stared as if he hadn't heard Harry speaking.
"As soon as I get the go ahead, she will be arrested and put in prison for about two or three days then those who wish to see her put down is able to do so." Harry said, with viciousness that had even Derek half way to baring his neck before he regained control of himself.
Sudden sounding of a tune caused Harry to stand, "That's the tune for the Sherriff department here," summoning his phone to him, he snatched it and opened the message, arching an eyebrow, "I think…it's time that you told me what happened tonight."
Derek just stared at him in confusion, his brows furrowed not following him at all.
"Congratulations you're on the most wanted list, for four murders, the janitor in the school and the three the Alpha killed." Harry stated calmly, that list obviously did not include Laura Hale. Apparently the county had control over the Hale land, that wouldn't do, the land had been the Hales for centuries, something else he would have to do tomorrow, the list was becoming endless. "You let yourself be seen?"
Derek's eyes flashed blue and he growled, speaking through fanged lips, "Stiles and McCall had this idea of summoning the Alpha to the school, I thought it was Alan Deaton, Scott was determined to believe it wasn't, the last thing I remember is seeing their faces before his claws were through my chest."
Harry's eyes widened, why the hell would he just say something now?! Swiftly calling Stiles, he put the phone to his ear heart pounding away like a drum, waiting anxiously for an answer.
"Harry?" Stiles murmured, "It's four o'clock in the morning!" he exclaimed, the sound of his laptop being put down gave away that he had fallen asleep at his desk again.
Harry let out a breath of relief, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, the Alpha isn't though, I lost the knife," Stiles explained.
Derek twitched at that, standing up looking as if he wanted nothing more than to run to Stiles' room and demand answers from the teen.
"That's fine, it will find its way back to you, so keep a look out," Harry said wryly, very glad he had managed to create them in time. "Where exactly did you get him?"
"His shoulder," Stiles murmured springs squeaked as he finally rolled into his bed.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow," Harry said, "Get some sleep,"
"Will do, night Harry," Stiles was half asleep saying that.
"The Alpha was stuck with a knife coated in Wolfsbane made with a handle of mountain ash, if he's as alone as we think, then he's definitely injured, Stiles got his shoulder, now it will take days for a wound coated in my Wolfsbane to heal, even for an Alpha, he will be injured even in human form. If he's trying to blend in, in plain sight, then we may just find him albeit if he can get the knife out." Harry said lips twitching in pride that Stiles had successfully evaded the Alpha werewolf and cursing himself for not knowing. It was time he had something made to monitor Stiles, so he would know if anything happened.
Derek flinched at the thought of such an item, all the while impressed and awed with the ingenuity behind it. Even the hunters hadn't made something like that, he rather hoped they didn't either. He definitely didn't want to make an enemy of this wizard, maybe just maybe he would be able to get this Alpha and survive to tell the tale. "Should have used mistletoe, nothing can save you from it." not realizing he had spoken out loud and then wanting to hit himself for doing it.
"I could have, but I do not want Stiles to be a murderer, defending himself is one thing…no, if he wants one then I'll make him one as long as he understands the ramifications of using it." Harry nodded, he already knew everything there was to know about the weaknesses of both Lycan groups.
"He knows about the supernatural now, he will have to kill to survive," Derek stated seriously.
Harry closed his eyes, "You have no idea, this goes further than you can possibly imagine." he wasn't telling Derek about Stiles being a spark, no this was Stiles secret, he would tell those he wished and he would let him decide. Plus he never wanted Stiles used or his magical gift, he knew how that felt and never wanted it for Stiles.
Derek flicked him a curious look, pondering on those words and the truth in that beating heart.
"You and I have a few places to be tomorrow, and no it has nothing to do with being a witness, that choice is entirely up to you, I won't bring it up again. You have two days to come to a decision, after that it will be out of my hands." Harry explained, "So please be here when I wake up, the kitchen is yours to use, you're probably starving,"
Derek nodded, confirming that he would be here, it was the least he could do for Harry since he was literally keeping a wanted fugitive under his roof without a word of complaint and as always making him feel welcome, something he hadn't felt for a long, long time when it came to people due to his inability to talk much. There had only been Laura, he'd kept his distance from everyone else, hell he can't really say he'd been close to Laura since he hadn't told her a damn thing about what really happened to their family. He just couldn't face telling her for her to leave him an Omega. He felt for sure that's exactly what she would have done. "Thank you," Harry actually already felt like pack, he was keeping him safe, helping him, feeding him, his wolf was quite taken but he wasn't quite so easily placated…but astonishingly enough he was coming around.
"You're welcome, eat, shower, get some sleep, it's going to be a long day tomorrow," Harry commented before he disappeared from the living room, his footsteps echoing up the stairs and into his bedroom.
Oh, Derek had no idea how long it was going to be.
Although in the end…it would cement Harry in a position as someone Derek would always trust.